ABSTRACT
Despite its high risk of leading to permanent visual dysfunction, glaucoma remains underdiagnosed in primary care settings. About 11% of glaucoma patients in Saudi Arabia end up with bilateral blindness. This scoping review investigates and presents results on the glaucoma profile, including its prevalence, knowledge, attitude, and practice of Saudi Arabians towards the disease. An online search using four databases through online software (www.rayyan.ai) was performed to extract the relevant articles. Out of 76 records, 21 articles were eligible for the analysis. All included studies were published between the years 2014 and 2022. Most studies were in Riyadh city, followed by Jeddah. All participants (n=11 388) were adults >18 years old, and male participants were generally higher than females. The findings showed poor knowledge of glaucoma among the general population, while the knowledge among glaucoma patients was acceptable. The attitude was positive, while the compliance and practice were fair. More educational programs about glaucoma, its risk to the eyes, and the overall quality of life are highly recommended.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Urolithiasis, a common clinical condition, has seen a global increase in prevalence in recent years. Urinary stones are common in hot climate areas like Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and awareness of risk factors for urinary stones in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1000 Jazan adults between January and June 2022. A questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographics, urinary stone diagnosis, and awareness of risk factors. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of diagnosed urinary stones was 140 (14.0%). The prevalence was higher among patients who were older, married, had higher education, and were employees (all P<0.001). Participants who believed that hot weather (p = 0.012), sleeve gastrectomy (p = 0.049), and Saxenda injections (p = 0.000) increased the risk of stones had a higher prevalence. No association was found between stones and other sociodemographic factors or dietary habits. The main sources of knowledge were the internet (426, 42.6%) and education (155, 15.5%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of urinary stones in Jazan is considerable (14.0%). Certain sociodemographic factors and beliefs about risk factors were associated with higher prevalence. Improving public awareness about the prevention and risk factors for urinary stones is crucial to controlling this health problem in high-risk communities.
