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BACKGROUND: Lung cancer remains the primary cause of death connected to cancer on a worldwide scale. Obtaining a deep understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, and behavior patterns of doctors is essential for developing successful strategies to improve lung cancer screening. This study aims to identify the attitudes, beliefs, referral practices, and knowledge of lung cancer screening among physicians in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: An online survey was conducted from July to December 2023 to investigate the attitudes, beliefs, referral practices, and knowledge of lung cancer screening, and adherence to lung cancer screening recommendations among physicians in Saudi Arabia. Internal medicine, family medicine, and pulmonology physicians of all levels (consultants, senior registrars, and residents) who are currently practicing medicine in Saudi Arabia formed the study population. This study employed a previously developed questionnaire. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors that indicate a better degree of knowledge and a positive attitude toward lung cancer screening. RESULTS: This study involved a total of 96 physicians. The study participants demonstrated a significant degree of understanding regarding lung cancer screening, with an average knowledge score of 5.8 (SD: 1.7) out of 8, equivalent to 72.5% of the highest possible score. The accuracy rate for knowledge items varied from 44.8% to 91.7%. The study participants had a moderately favorable attitude toward lung cancer screening, as shown by a mean attitude score of 14.4 (SD: 3.7) out of a maximum possible score of 30, which corresponds to 48.0% of the highest achievable score. Around 36.5% of the survey participants reported engaging in the practice of discussing the results of lung cancer screening with patients. The primary obstacles frequently cited were challenges in patient scheduling, insufficient time to discuss lung cancer screening during clinic appointments, and patient refusal, constituting 59.4%, 53.1%, and 53.1% of the identified barriers, respectively. Physicians in Saudi Arabia, particularly those employed in private hospitals, demonstrated a higher level of knowledge of lung cancer screening compared to others (p < 0.05). In contrast, individuals with 11-15 years of experience were shown to have a 78.0% lower likelihood of being educated about lung cancer screening compared to their counterparts (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study's results indicate that there is a need for the development of specialized educational initiatives aimed at Saudi Arabian physicians, particularly those with 11 to 15 years of experience who exhibit a limited understanding of lung cancer screening. Utilizing programs that provide continuing medical education would aid in their education. There is a need to facilitate communication between physicians and patients. It is critical to address the identified issues, such as streamlining the appointment scheduling process and ensuring patients have sufficient time during clinic visits. Furthermore, it is critical for the success of nationwide screening initiatives to foster collaboration between the public and private healthcare sectors.
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BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot disease (DFD) is a significant complication associated with diabetes, characterized by the potential for progressive amputation of specific foot segments or the entire lower limb in the absence of timely identification of infection and intervention. The aim of our research is to evaluate the degree of importance given to foot care by healthcare professionals who are responsible for treating individuals with diabetes in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized an online survey previously validated in Australia. The mean foot care prioritization score was used to identify the dummy variable for binary logistic regression analysis, which was used to identify predictors of foot care prioritization. RESULTS: A total of 222 participants were involved in this study. Assessing for the risk of developing foot complications, visually inspecting feet for wounds, and providing or recommending footwear to prevent foot complications were the most commonly reported practices, accounting for 80.60% (n = 178), 76.10% (n = 169), and 75.20% (n = 167), respectively. The most commonly referred patients to a specialist tertiary multi-disciplinary foot care team were patients with ulcers in patients with absent foot pulses, ulcers with ascending cellulitis, and diabetic ulceration, accounting for 73.50% (n = 163), 71.60% (n = 159), and 66.70% (n = 148), respectively. The mean foot care prioritization score for the study participants was 54.1 (standard deviation: 11.7) out of 78 (69.4%), which demonstrates a moderately high level of foot care prioritization. Binary logistic regression analysis identified that healthcare professionals who are aged 35-44 years, those who have 5-10 years of experience, those who work at private hospitals, those who have a higher number of practice clinics per week, and those who have to manage a higher number of patients with diabetes in each clinic were more likely to prioritize foot care in their practices (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study found that healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia place a moderate degree of emphasis on foot care. Healthcare professionals falling within the age range of 35-44 years, possessing 5-10 years of experience, employed at private hospitals, overseeing a greater number of practice clinics weekly, and managing a greater number of patients with diabetes per clinic exhibited a greater propensity to prioritize foot care within their respective practices. Policymakers should consider the integration of continuous glucose monitoring technologies, the establishment of standardized foot screening protocols, and the implementation of targeted educational programs for healthcare professionals.
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BACKGROUND: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease that is highly associated with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The reported prevalence of CD in patients with T1DM in Saudi Arabia varies and the number of studies is limited. OBJECTIVES: Determine the prevalence of CD diagnosed with anti-tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) antibodies or by endoscopic biopsy in adolescents and adults with T1DM. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, retrospective medical record review. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population included adolescents and adults with T1DM who were screened for CD between 2010 and 2019. The study variables included age, sex, age at diagnosis of T1DM, age of positive celiac screening, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total daily insulin dose, frequency of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and other autoimmune diseases. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The prevalence of celiac disease in adolescents and adults with T1DM. SAMPLE SIZE: 539 patients. RESULTS: The prevalence of positive celiac test results was 11.5% (n=62). A small proportion (n=5, 8%) of the positive CD group was diagnosed with T1DM after they tested positive with the celiac screening test. Ten (16%) were diagnosed with T1DM and CD in the same year. The rest of the sample had a positive screening test after being diagnosed with T1DM. There was no statistically significant difference between the CD positive and negative groups for HbA1C, DKA frequency, microvascular complications of diabetes or thyroid disorder. For histopathological confirmation of CD, only 37% (n=23) of the group with a positive screening test underwent endoscopy. In this group, 43% (n=10) had normal endoscopic biopsy findings, 21.7% (n=5) had partial villous atrophy and 34.7% (n=8) had total villous atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of screening for CD in T1DM patients. CD prevalence is high in patients with T1DM, despite the high likelihood of underdiagnosis. Additional studies of different age groups and the use of different study methods are required. In addition, a unified national strategy to diagnose CD in T1DM patients is highly advisable. LIMITATIONS: Retrospective, single-center, few confirmations of CD by intestinal biopsy. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.
