ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Gender equity in healthcare ensures equal access to services and resources for all individuals, regardless of gender. Studies show that patients' gender influences their healthcare experiences and decisions, and societal gender preferences impact surgeon selection. Therefore, the objective of this study was to address the surgeons' gender preferences among Saudi Arabia's population. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional research design and survey methodology to gather data from a representative sample of adults aged 18 and older from the general population in Saudi Arabia. This study used SPSS version 26 for statistical data entry and analysis, employing descriptive and inferential statistics, frequency distributions, descriptive statistics, and multivariate analysis using multiple logistic regression for variables significantly associated with population gender in univariate analysis. RESULTS: This study involved 2085 participants, with 51.2% aged 18-25, 18.4% aged 26-35, 16.7% aged 36-45, and 13.8% aged 45 and above. The majority were Saudi Arabian, with a majority holding a university degree. The majority worked in the healthcare sector, while the remaining 29.7% were unemployed. This study found that there were significant gender preferences among survey respondents for different types of surgical procedures. Male participants preferred male surgeons for routine non-emergency visits and sensitive obstetric, genital, sexual, and minor procedures (p < 0.001). Female participants, on the other hand, had no preference for emergency surgeries and major surgical procedures (p < 0.001). This study found that participants were more likely to prefer female surgeons for regular non-emergency visits to the surgery clinic (p < 0.001; aOR = 2.344). Additionally, participants had a high preference for female surgeons for sensitive cases (p < 0.001; aOR = 7.064) and minor surgical procedures (p < 0.001; aOR = 2.489). CONCLUSION: This study underscores the significance of cognizance and the incorporation of a patient's gender preferences when selecting surgical procedures, thus fostering an environment that is more accommodating and focused on the patient.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The early diagnosis of sickle cell disease (SCD) patients and getting appropriate treatment are crucial for improving clinical outcomes. This study aims to assess the use of hydroxyurea among patients diagnosed with SCD and assess factors influencing the attitude toward the medication and the reasons for discontinuation. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional investigation targeting parents or caregivers of children diagnosed with SCD in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from tertiary healthcare hospitals via a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of sections measuring the participants' demographics, the number of children diagnosed with SCD, the use of hydroxyurea, and the parents' beliefs about hydroxyurea. Results: There were 301 parents or caregivers recruited. The majority of the recruited participants were mothers (54.5%), and nearly half of the sample were older than 35. More than 80% of the participants declare that one or more of their children are receiving hydroxyurea to manage SCD. The majority of participants declared that using hydroxyurea reduced the frequency of body pain episodes, emergency department visits, and hospital admissions. Participants' major concern about the use of hydroxyurea was related to the fear of weakening their immunity (29.5%) and hydroxyurea's perceived effect on fertility (16.8%). Furthermore, 52 (18%) of the participants declared that the use of hydroxyurea to manage the disease was stopped; the main reasons for stopping was their belief that hydroxyurea had side effects and its impact on weakening of their immune system. Conclusion: The findings indicate the importance of increasing the role of clinicians in educating patients and caregivers about the use of hydroxyurea and its benefits.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Patient's awareness of their clinical and laboratory parameters is an indicator of the degree of involvement in achieving their management goals. This investigation aimed to identify awareness of patients affected by chronic non-communicable diseases of their clinical and laboratory parameters and factors associated with the awareness. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional investigation conducted in the Jazan region, between January and August 2020. Data was collected during phone interviews utilizing a semi-structured questionnaire. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated to estimate the likelihood of awareness of each clinical and laboratory parameter according to the measured demographic variables. RESULTS: The total number of recruited patients was 675. The mean age of participants was 53.7 years and the 28.7% of patients were illiterate. About 17% of the patient do not attend follow-up visits to any healthcare provider. When patients were asked about their parameters, 87% of them were able to report their body weight and 74% were able to report their height. However, less than half of patients were aware of their glycated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) (271/675 patients) and systolic blood pressure (BP) level (329/ 675 patients), and a minority were aware of their total cholesterol level (71/675 patients). Being female, resident in a rural area, illiterate, and older than 53 was strongly associated with high odds of limited awareness about their own clinical and laboratory parameters (P values < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Awareness of patients affected by chronic non-communicable diseases of their own clinical and laboratory parameters in the Jazan region is sub-optimal where this limited awareness is likely to be associated with the lower engagement of patients with achieving their desired management targets.
