Self-Reported Household Waste Recycling and Segregation Practices among Families in Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The reuse and recycling of household waste are correlated with a household's daily activities and commonly depend on sociodemographic factors. In this study, we aimed to assess and probe the level of awareness of waste reuse and recycling, self-reported household waste recycling and segregation practices, and the variables affecting the practices of households in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: We employed a cross-sectional study utilizing the multi-stage random sampling of 279 households and a researcher-structured, online questionnaire in English and Arabic. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 20. Descriptive statistics was used to describe the level of awareness/practices, and inferential statistics was used to describe the correlational aspects. RESULTS: It was determined that female participants, younger participants, participants of both genders with university and postgraduate education levels, and urban residents were significantly associated with self-reported household waste segregation and recycling practices at the source. Plastics, paper, glass, food waste, textiles, and electronic waste were determined to be the most common types of household waste. A lack of expertise, awareness, demand for recycled products, and laws that support recycling was reported to affect female participants' failure to recycle. Social media, television, and educational institutions were shown to be sources of information regarding waste segregation and recycling. Therefore, awareness-raising polices must be developed to improve the prevalence, expertise, and efficiency regarding recycling and segregation. In addition, inventive methods, such as a card-based reward system, should be used to increase the demand level for recycled products.

Relationship Between Vesicoureteric Reflux and Nephrocalcinosis in Children: A Case-Control Study at a Tertiary Medical Center in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND:  Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), one of the most common pediatric congenital urogenital abnormalities, refers to the abnormal backflow of urine from the urinary bladder back into the ureter or to the kidney. This causes urinary tract infections. Nephrocalcinosis (NC) refers to abnormal deposits of calcium within the renal parenchyma and/or in the renal cortex. Patients with NC are mostly asymptomatic and severe disease may progress to renal failure. Early diagnosis through examinations such as radiography, computed tomography, and ultrasonography, is crucial for therapeutic treatment. Ultrasonography is the preferred method for scanning and grading nephrocalcinosis in children, primarily because it emits no radiation. This study aimed to increase the body of knowledge regarding VUR and nephrocalcinosis by determining its prevalence and assessing the relationship between VUR and nephrocalcinosis in children presenting at our institution. ​​​​Methods:A case-control study was conducted using data from the medical records of 632 children younger than 14 years in a tertiary medical center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Eligible participants were assigned to two groups: Group 1 consisted of 316 patients with VUR, while Group 2 consisted of 316 sex- and age-matched patients without VUR. The difference in the prevalence of nephrocalcinosis between the two groups was assessed. Frequency and percentage were used to present the categorical variables; Pearson product-moment correlation was utilized to establish the association between VUR and nephrocalcinosis. Statistical significance was established at p<0.05. ​​​​​Result: Only two cases in Group 1 were positive for nephrocalcinosis (0.63%, one male and one female), while four cases in Group 2 were positive for the condition (1.26%, two males and two females). There was no significant difference in the incidence of nephrocalcinosis between the two groups (p=0.873), indicating no relationship between VUR and nephrocalcinosis in children. CONCLUSION: There is no relationship between VUR and nephrocalcinosis in children under the age of 14 years.

Predictors of quality of life of nursing internship students from five Saudi universities.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the quality of life (QoL) of nursing internship students (NISs) and the predictive variables for the QoL of NISs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The correlates of QoL of NISs with their gender, age, prior nursing experience, and grade point average (GPA) from the previous semester are also assessed. METHODS: This study used a quantitative cross-sectional design through an electronic survey form for the collection of required data. The 22-item Quality of Life Evaluation Scale (QOLES) was adopted as the survey instrument. A total of 283 NISs from five public universities in KSA completed the survey. RESULTS: The students' age, gender, and nursing-related experience prior to their internship were all found to be significantly associated with the overall QOLES score (p values of 0.001, 0.001, and 0.01, respectively). The NISs GPA was found to be marginally significant (p = 0.08). A significant difference was identified in the overall QOLES score based on age (p = 0.02), gender (p = 0.02), and GPA (p = <0.001). Finally, as estimated by the regression analysis, only age (p = 0.002) was found to be a significant predictor of NISs' QoL. CONCLUSION: In this study, the QoL of Saudi NISs was positively correlated with their age and gender. Male NISs had greater QoL than females, while a high QoL was observed among students with high GPAs before the internship year. Only the age of the NISs was found to be a reliable predictor of QoL.

Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Temporally Related to COVID-19: A Case Report From Saudi Arabia.

The World Health Organization is still revising the epidemiology of multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and the preliminary case definition, although there is a dearth of robust evidence regarding the clinical presentations, severity, and outcomes. Researchers, epidemiologists, and clinicians are struggling to characterize and describe the disease phenomenon while taking care of the diseased persons at the forefronts. This report tackles the first case of a 13-year-old Saudi female with the MIS-C mimicking Kawasaki disease. Her main manifestations were fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, evidence of organ failure with an increase in inflammatory markers, and a history of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection. She had glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency and no significant previous history of any disease. She presented with signs of acute illness: high-grade fever (39.6°C) for five days accompanied by sore throat, malaise, reduced oral intake, abdominal pain, diarrhea, skin rash, bilateral non-suppurative conjunctivitis, and erythematous, cracked lips. Eventually, she died despite aggressive management based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Saudi Ministry of Health guidelines for COVID-19 management. Based on this case, we suggest that pediatricians need to be aware of such atypical presentations and early referral to tertiary care is imperative for further early diagnosis and management. MIS-C is a rare yet severe and highly critical complication of COVID-19 infection in pediatrics, leading to serious and life-threatening illnesses. Knowledge about the wide spectrum of presenting signs and symptoms and disease severity, including early detection and treatment, is pivotal to prevent a tragic outcome.