Background: Weight stigma (WS) in the Middle East, especially in Saudi Arabia, is widely ignored. People with obesity are blamed for their weight, and there is a common perception that weight stigmatization is justifiable and may motivate individuals to adopt healthier behaviors. The authors of this study aimed to explore WS prevalence and factors associated with WS in a large nationwide study of Saudi Arabian adults. Methods: This study was a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted via phone interviews in June 2020. A proportional quota-sampling technique was adopted to obtain equal distributions of participants by age and sex across the 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. In total, 6239 people were contacted, and 4709 (75.48%) responded and completed the interview. The authors of the study collected data about WS using the Arabic Weight Self-Stigma Questionnaire (WSSQ), BMI, smoking, nutritional knowledge, bariatric surgery, risk of depression, and demographic variables. Results: Participants had a mean age of 36.4 ± 13.5 (18–90), and 50.1% were female. The prevalence of higher WS was 46.4%. Among other risk factors, there was a significant association between WS and obesity (odds ratio (OR): 3.93; 95% CI: 2.83–5.44; p < 0.001), waterpipe smoking (OR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.20–2.69; p < 0.001), bariatric surgery (OR: 2.07; 95% CI: 1.53–2.81; p < 0.001), and risk of depression (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.36–2.09; p < 0.001). Conclusion: This was the first study to explore WS and its associated factors among adults in a community setting in Saudi Arabia. This study revealed some risk factors associated with WS that may help to identify people at risk of WS and to develop interventions to reduce WS, such as improving nutritional knowledge, correcting the ideas about bariatric surgery and obesity in general, and ceasing waterpipe smoking.

Background and Objectives: Screening for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) aims to identify asymptomatic individuals who may be at a higher risk, allowing proactive interventions. The objective of this study was to predict the incidence of DM2 and prediabetes in the Saudi population over the next five years. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in the Aseer region through August 2023 using a cross-sectional survey for data collection. A multistage stratified random sampling technique was adopted, and data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the validated Arabic version of the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool (AUSDRISK). Results: In total, 652 individuals were included in the study. Their mean age was 32.0 ± 12.0 years; 53.8% were male, 89.6% were from urban areas, and 55.8% were single. There were statistically significant differences between males and females in AUSDRISK items, including age, history of high blood glucose, use of medications for high blood pressure, smoking, physical activity, and measurements of waist circumference (p < 0.05). Based on AUSDRISK scores, 46.2% of the included participants were predicted to develop impaired glucose tolerance within the coming five years (65.8% among females vs. 23.6%), and 21.9% were predicted to develop DM2 (35.6% among males vs. 6.0% among females); this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Urgent public health action is required to prevent the increasing epidemic of DM2 in Saudi Arabia.

To manage the COVID-19 outbreak, the WHO recommends adult and child vaccination. Vaccine skepticism has been a major worldwide health concern for decades, and the situation is worsening. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate parental willingness to vaccinate their children (aged 5 to 11 years) against COVID-19 and to describe its relationship with attitude, barriers, facilitators, and sources of knowledge regarding the vaccine. Methods: From February to March 2022, a community-based cross-sectional survey was undertaken among the parents of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. We employed a convenient sampling procedure to gather the required sample. Using the Raosoft sample size calculator, a minimum sample size of 385 was determined based on a 95% confidence level, a 5% margin of error, and a 5% precision level. The data were analyzed using version 26 of SPSS. A p-value less than 0.05 was judged statistically significant. The Chi-square test and likelihood ratio were utilized to describe the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics, driving factors, and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy associated factors were identified using multivariate binary logistic regression. A total of 528 replies were received. The majority of respondents were mothers (77.7%), aged 26 to 40 years (67.8%), married (91.5%), Saudi nationals (96.2%), college graduates (70.6%), with a monthly family income of more than SAR 10,000 (46.4%), non-healthcare professionals (84.7%), employed in the government sector (33.7%), with three children (23.3%), and children aged 5 to 11 years (88.7%). A little more than half of the parents (55.7%) exhibited considerable vaccination hesitancy. About 16.28% of parents were willing to vaccinate their children as soon as possible, compared to 38.44% who had no interest whatsoever in vaccination. A greater proportion of mothers and unemployed parents were unwilling to vaccinate their children. Parents with a higher monthly income (above SAR 10,000), who worked as healthcare professionals, and whose children suffered from chronic conditions were significantly more ready to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Parents who were aware of anti-vaccination campaigns and who vaccinated their children with required childhood vaccines were also much more likely to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Most parents (66.9%) obtained information on COVID-19 via the Saudi Ministry of Health website, followed by social media (48.1%). The vaccine’s novelty and the dearth of reliable information about its safety (65%) and insufficient information about its effectiveness (36.2%) were the primary reasons for not vaccinating children against COVID-19, whereas preventing children from contracting COVID-19 (55.9%) and government mandate (38.8%) were the primary reasons for vaccinating children against COVID-19. Conclusions: There was significant parental hesitancy to immunize their children against COVID-19. To involve and educate parents, multi-component interventions must be developed and implemented.

Background: Bariatric surgery is known as the most effective treatment resulting in long-term weight loss for obesity. However, behavioral changes, including food preference, food allergies, and consumption, between groups of patients who underwent bariatric surgery in comparison with people who did not have bariatric surgery have not been fully discussed in the literature. Objective: The aim of this article is to describe patient-reported changes of perception related to food preferences, consumption, and food allergies in participants who underwent bariatric surgery and to compare their food consumption with participants who did not have bariatric surgery in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: This study is a secondary analysis of the Sharik Diet and Health National Survey (SDHNS) conducted in July 2021. Quota sampling was utilized to generate balanced distributions of participants by age and gender across all administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Data collection included sociodemographic information (age, gender, and educational level), as well as food habits and the consumption of various food categories. Results: Of the 6267 potential participants contacted in 2021 from the 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia, 5228 successfully completed the interview, with a response rate of 83.4%. Gender was distributed equally among the total participants in the sample. The prevalence of bariatric surgeries in Saudi Arabia was estimated at around 4.1% of the total sample. More than 36% of people who had bariatric surgery experienced food taste changes, and around 15% reported a decrease in allergic reactions to food. Moreover, 68.1% had food preference changes, either starting to favor a new food or no longer favoring one. There was a significant association between consuming more red meat, chicken, and energy drinks and a decreased consumption of grains and rice among those who had the bariatric surgery compared with those who did not. Conclusions: This study found that more than two-thirds of people who had bariatric surgery self-reported food taste and food preference changes. More studies should be performed on the Saudi population, including clinical follow-up, to better understand these changes.

Background: Electronic health service (EHS) offers computerized medical knowledge, electronic patients’ information, and telecommunications. The field of EHS has grown exponentially in the last decade, especially during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic; therefore, it is important to evaluate its impact on patient satisfaction. Study Aim: To evaluate the effect of EHS on patient satisfaction at the primary care centers (PHCCs) in Abha, southwestern Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This study was a questionnaire-based analytical cross-sectional study that was conducted in PHCCs, Abha city, southwestern Saudi Arabia. The study used an adapted questionnaire to assess patient satisfaction of EHS. We used the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 26 for data entry, scoring, and analysis. Results: The study included 249 participants, of whom 53% were males. Married participants comprised 69.5% of respondents. The most frequent electronic application used is Sehhaty (88.8%), and most of the applicants preferred it as well (73.5%). The majority of participants agree that they are satisfied with the care they received during the visit (71.5%). Females showed greater satisfaction levels, but the holders of higher educational degrees are less satisfied with EHS. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study results suggest that the implementation of EHS in PHCCs located in the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia can lead to an increase in patient satisfaction. Thus, it is recommended that health care providers encourage the use of EHS as a means to enhance patient satisfaction and alleviate issues related to physical visits. More studies are needed to evaluate the impact of electronic health services on other levels of health care across the kingdom and to specific populations as well.

Armed conflicts have profound effects on mental health, including elevated rates of depression and anxiety among affected populations. The ongoing civil conflict in Sudan since April 2023 has exacerbated these challenges. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and identify the determinants of depression and anxiety among Sudanese residents affected by the ongoing civil conflict. This cross-sectional study was conducted between April 1st and May 30, 2024. Data were collected through online surveys and face-to-face interviews. The validated Arabic versions of the Beck Depression Inventory and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale were used to assess depression and anxiety levels, respectively. In total, 920 Sudanese participants were included with a mean age of 35.0 ± 12.2 years; 52.3% were females and 90.1% had migrated due to civil conflicts. Of the participants, 99.3% and 98.6% reported varying levels of depression and anxiety, respectively. Predictors of depression were female sex (β = 4.71, P < .0001), living in the Eastern state (β = 4.13, P < .0001), living in a rural area (β = 2.33, P = .012), noncompletion of formal education (β = 7.36, P = .026), working individuals (β = −5.58, P < .0001), larger household sizes (16–20 members) (β = 6.79, P = .026), sufficient income (β = −10.22, P < .0001), those with the ability to save money (β = −11.56, P < .0001), and individuals with insufficient income (β = −5.61, P < .0001). The predictors of anxiety were being female (β = 6.05, P < .0001), and noncompletion of formal education (β = 7.11, P = .024), current working (β = −5.56, P < .0001), larger household sizes (16–20 members) (β = 6.12, P = .035), sufficient income ((β = −5.60, P < .0001), ability to save money (β = −5.52, P = .004), and insufficient income (β = −2.60, P = .006). These findings underscore the impact of war on mental health. Effective humanitarian interventions targeting vulnerable groups and addressing socioeconomic determinants are critical for mitigating the psychological toll of ongoing conflict in Sudan.