ABSTRACT
Background Brucellosis is an endemic infection in the Middle East. The World Health Organization has identified the illness as one of the most prevalent "neglected zoonotic diseases." Public perceptions regarding brucellosis infection vary across different regions. Thus, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning brucellosis among the general population in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia between March 2023 and May 2023. We distributed an online questionnaire through social media platforms and received a total of 1,244 responses from different governorates in the Qassim region. Results The level of awareness of brucellosis was moderate. Out of the 1,244 participants, 706 (56.8%) were aware of the disease. Among the participants who were aware of the disease, their knowledge of brucellosis was assessed. The majority of these respondents demonstrated a good level of knowledge (70.5%). Regarding attitudes and practices toward brucellosis, no significant association was found between the participants' level of knowledge and their attitudes. Conclusion Awareness levels about brucellosis in the Qassim region vary depending on age group, area of residency, and other factors. The younger age group and certain governorates in the Qassim region showed low levels of awareness. Moreover, participants with good knowledge about the disease obtained their information from healthcare practitioners. The significant difference in our findings between Qassim's governorates demonstrates the need for more targeted awareness campaigns in areas with lower levels of awareness.
ABSTRACT
Background Venous and arterial thrombotic conditions are the two types of thromboembolic events. Main venous thromboembolism (VTE) includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), while arterial thromboses include ischemic stroke and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Aim This study aimed to assess the prevalence of thromboembolic events among intensive care unit (ICU) patients in Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Patients and methods This is a retrospective chart review of ICU patients diagnosed with thromboembolic disease who were seen at the intensive care unit of King Fahad Specialist Hospital between July 2020 and June 2022. Data were obtained from hospital medical files and gathered into an Excel sheet (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA, USA). All data analyses were carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY, USA). Results Of the 38 patients included, 52.6% were males (mean age: 60.7; standard deviation (SD): 23.9). The most common risk factors for thromboembolic events were immobilization (23.7%) and major surgeries (18.4%). The incidence of DVT was 42.1%, while PE was 39.5%. Seven patients were detected with combined incidence (DVT and PE). Mortality rates accounted for 39.5%. It is interesting to note that the prevalence of patients who use heparin treatment was statistically significantly higher among DVT patients (p=0.043). Conclusion The incidence of deep vein thrombosis was 42.1%, while pulmonary embolism occurred in 39.5%. However, 18.4% of the ICU patients had an occurrence of both DVT and PE. Furthermore, immobilization was identified as the most common risk factor for thromboembolic events, followed by major surgeries. More research is necessary to determine the incidence and prevalence of thromboembolic disease and its manifestations.
