Chronic disease prevalence among elderly Saudi men.

OBJECTIVE: Saudi demographic composition has changed because of increased life expectancy and decreased fertility rates. Little data are available about health conditions among older adults in Saudi Arabia, who are expected to represent 20% of the population by 2050. The study aim was to assess the prevalence and risk factors for chronic conditions among older Saudi men. METHODS: The sample pertained to 400 men (age ≥55 years) from Buraidah, Al-Qassim. Research assistants recruited participants in all the mosques from the randomly selected neighborhoods (16 of 95). They administered a structured questionnaire that assessed self-reported disease history (heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, gastric/peptic ulcer, and cancer), and medication use; participants' height, weight, blood pressure, and random blood glucose (glucometer) were measured. Multinomial logistic regressions were employed to assess correlates of number of chronic diseases. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation for age and body mass index (BMI) were 63.0 ± 7.5 years and 28.9 ± 4.8 (kg/m2), respectively. 78% (77.8%) were overweight or obese, 35.0% were employed, 54.5% walked daily, 9.3% were current smokers, and 85.0% belonged to the middle class. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, ulcer, and cancer were: 71.3% 27.3%, 16.4%, 9.7%, 8.9%, and 2.0%, respectively. Of the participants, 31.0% had one, 34.5% had two or more, and 34.5% did not have any chronic diseases. The likelihood of chronic diseases increased with increased age, higher BMI, and current smoking. CONCLUSION: The chronic disease prevalence among the Saudi elderly men is substantial.

Health benefits of Quran memorization for older men.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between Quran memorization and health among older men. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included older Saudi men (age ≥ 55 years) from Buraidah, Al-Qassim. The neighborhoods were selected randomly (20 out of 96); eligible men from the mosques were recruited. Demographics, lifestyle, and depression were assessed with standardized questionnaires; height, weight, blood pressure, and random blood glucose (glucometer) were measured with standard protocol. RESULTS: The mean and standard deviation for age, body mass index, and Quran memorization were 63 years (7.5), 28.9 kg/m2 (4.8), and 4.3 sections (6.9). Prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and depression were 71%, 29%, and 22%, respectively. Those who memorized at least 10 sections of Quran were 64%, 71%, and 81% less likely to have hypertension, diabetes, and depression compared to those who memorized less than 0.5 sections, after controlling for covariates. CONCLUSION: There was a strong linear association between Quran memorization and hypertension, diabetes, and depression indicating that those who had memorized a larger portion of the Quran were less likely to have one of these chronic diseases. Future studies should explore the potential health benefits of Quran memorization and the underlying mechanisms.