Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disease that is highly prevalent in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia, and is mostly characterized by many complications such as vaso-occlusive crises (VOC), acute chest syndrome (ACS) and well-documented neurological complications. These complications may affect patients’ academic performance. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study was conducted in Jazan Province. General and demographic data were collected and questions about academic performance of students with SCD were answered. Both t-tests and chi-square tests, along with multiple logistic regression, were used for analysis. Results: 982 participants were selected for this study with a mean age of 23 years (SD: 7). Most of the participants were female (64%). The number of participants with SCD was 339 (36%), of whom 42% were male. Students with SCD recorded lower grade point averages (GPA) and more absences compared to healthy participants. Further, about 60% of students with SCD thought they performed better than 40% of the participants without SCD during the COVID-19 pandemic when most of the educational activities were online. Conclusion: As has been previously reported, this study suggested that the academic performance of students with SCD is negatively affected compared to healthy individuals, and this is mostly due to complications associated with the disease. Further, students with SCD acknowledged better performance with online education, an option that should be considered to improve their academic performance. National studies on a larger population are required by health and education officials, and supportive online educational programs are warranted to enhance the academic performance of this population.

Background and Objectives: Hydroxyurea is a crucial treatment for sickle cell disease (SCD), but some patients’ adherence to it remains suboptimal. Understanding patients’ perspectives on SCD and HU is essential for improving adherence. This study aimed to assess hydroxyurea adherence and patients’ perceptions of SCD and hydroxyurea among SCD patients in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study collected data from 217 SCD patients using self-administered questionnaires from August 2022 to January 2023. The survey covered patient demographics, SCD consequences, and other clinical data. We used the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) to measure patients’ disease perception and the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) to evaluate patients’ adherence to HU. Data were analysed using descriptive, t-test, and chi-square tests, and the p-value was set at <0.05 for significance. Results: More than half of the patients were male, with a mean age of 28.09 ± 8.40 years. About 57.6% of the patients were currently using HU. About 81.6% of HU users reported low adherence. The adherence was lower among individuals with infections/recurrent infections and in patients who received repeated blood transfusions. ICU admission, blood transfusion, and certain SCD complications were associated with HU use. Male patients had a higher perception of SCD consequences, concern, and understanding. ICU-admitted and recurrent hospitalized patients had a higher perception of the SCD-related consequences, symptoms, concerns, and emotional responses. Conclusions: HU seems a well-established and efficacious disease-modifying agent, but its underutilization for SCD patients remains challenging. To overcome the adherence challenges, healthcare providers must educate SCD patients about the role of hydroxyurea in lowering disease severity and addressing side effects to obtain maximum benefits. Healthcare providers may consider tailored educational interventions to improve adherence, particularly for patients with infections, recurrent hospitalizations, or repeated blood transfusions. Further research is needed to identify strategies for improving hydroxyurea adherence and patient education among SCD patients.

The correlation between nocturnal enuresis (NE) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) was reported. We aim to determine whether there is an association between NE and SDB in children and to assess the prevalence of SDB and NE in primary school children aged 6–12 years in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among the caregivers of children aged 6–12 years in all Saudi Arabia regions. The data were gathered through a self-administered online questionnaire. It included demographic information, weight and height, and associated comorbidities, in addition to the weekly frequencies of snoring symptoms and of enuresis, as well as of unrefreshing sleep using Likert-type response scales. Counts and percentages, the mean ± standard deviation, chi-square test, independent samples t-test, and regression analysis were used in the statistical analysis using R v 3.6.3. The questionnaire was completed by 686 respondents. Most respondents did not report any comorbidities in their children (77.1%). Asthma and adenotonsillar hypertrophy were reported in 16.2% and 15.6% of children, respectively. Unrefreshing sleep, mouth breathing at night, snoring, chronic nasal obstruction, and difficulty breathing while asleep were reported once or twice per week in 38%, 34%, 28%, 18%, and 18% of children, respectively. The prevalence of NE was 22.3%, with about 36.6% of children having NE two or more times per week. Significantly, NE was reported in 26.6% of children who slept before 10 PM compared to 19% of children who slept after 10 PM; in 28.6% of children who snored or loudly snored (57.1%) three times or more per week; and in 51.2% and 27.5% of children with difficulty breathing while asleep and who breathed through their mouth at night for one or two nights per week, respectively. A multivariable regression analysis showed that male gender (OR = 1.52, p = 0.010), obesity (OR = 1.24, p = 0.028), early sleeping time (OR = 1.40, p = 0.048), loud snoring for three or more nights per week (OR = 1.54, p = 0.001), difficulty breathing for one or two nights per week (OR = 1.85, p = 0.010), and mouth breathing at night for one or two nights per week (OR = 1.55, p = 0.049) were associated with higher odds of NE. Our study revealed that 22.3% of primary school children reported suffering from NE. SDB is a common problem among children with NE. The exact mechanism that links SDB to the increase in the risk of NE is unknown. Male gender, obesity, early sleeping time, loud snoring, difficulty breathing, and mouth breathing at night are potential independent risk factors of NE in school-age children.

Patients diagnosed with a chronic disease are at higher risk of influenza complications. This investigation aimed to estimate influenza vaccine uptake rates among healthy subjects and patients with chronic diseases, and to identify barriers to and facilitators of its uptake. This study was a cross-sectional investigation that targeted the general population in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected via online platforms between October and November 2022. Data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire that assessed the demographics, influenza vaccine uptake, and factors associated with the uptake. A chi-squared test was used to investigate factors associated with the uptake of the influenza vaccine. A total of 825 adult subjects participated in the current investigation. The proportion of male participants was higher (61%) compared to females (38%). The mean age of the participants was 36, with a standard deviation of 10.5. Nearly 30% of the sample reported being diagnosed with a chronic disease. Among the recruited sample, 576 (69.8%) reported having ever received the influenza vaccine, and only 222 participants (27%) indicated that they receive the influenza vaccination annually. Only history of being diagnosed with a chronic disease was statistically associated with the history of ever receiving the influenza vaccine (p < 0.001). Among the 249 participants with a chronic disease, only 103 (41.4%) ever received the influenza vaccine and only 43 (17.3%) of them received the vaccine annually. The main barrier to the uptake was fear of side effects due to the vaccination. A minority of the participants indicated that they were motivated by a healthcare worker to have the vaccine. This suggests an area for further investigation to assess the involvement of healthcare workers in motivating their patients with chronic diseases to have the vaccine.

Background and objectives: Most individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are diagnosed by primary health care (PHC) physicians. However, a significant percentage of patients remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed owing to the lack of knowledge or a systematic strategy regarding the use of ROME IV criteria for the diagnosis of IBS. Thus, in this study, we aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices among primary health care physicians in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia, regarding ROME IV criteria for the diagnosis of IBS. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a pretested self-administered questionnaire that determines participants’ sociodemographic data and measures knowledge about ROME IV criteria, targeting PHC physicians in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v.23. Results: We included 200 participants, and the majority of participants in our study (approximately 78%) were aware of the ROME IV diagnostic criteria for IBS; this awareness was associated with age, nationality, specialty, and classification. The participants’ mean level of knowledge was 4.30 (out of 6). However, knowledge was higher among Saudi and family medicine doctors in this study, as compared to non-Saudi and doctors of other specialties. More than two-thirds of participants who were aware of ROME IV criteria thought that they are sufficient to diagnose IBS; however, only 47.5% of physicians reported using ROME IV frequently in their daily practice. Conclusions: Most of the participants of this study are aware of ROME IV criteria, and better knowledge was noted among Saudi and family medicine physicians. About 70% thought that ROME IV criteria are effective enough to diagnose IBS, and only about half of the participants use ROME IV criteria in their practice. Therefore, due to its high prevalence in the region, further efforts are required to disseminate basic knowledge and improve attitudes and practices related to ROME IV criteria among PHC physicians of all specialties.

Background Physical activity (PA) is an important determinant of health because of its role in preventing multiple chronic diseases. A better understanding of the relationship between PA and factors that promote or hinder PA is necessary for adherence to PA recommendations. This study aimed to estimate the proportion of adults of the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia adhering to PA recommendations and to examine the effects of socio-economic factors on meeting these recommendations. Method The official short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to assess PA. Participants aged 17-74 years (n = 709) were categorized into active or inactive categories. Independent associations between PA categories and socio-economic factors were explored using binary logistic regression. Results The proportion of the adults of the Jazan region who were inactive, i.e., not adhering to the PA recommendations, was 58.3%. Those with body mass index >30 kg /m² (OR = 0.51; 95%CI: 0.32-0.84) were less likely to be more active than those with normal weight. Participants who rated their health as very good (OR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49-0.96) and good (OR = 0.39; 95% CI: 0.22-0.70) were less likely to be more active than those who rated their health as excellent. Conclusions More than half of the adult population of the Jazan region did not adhere to the PA levels necessary to promote health and prevent chronic diseases. Such a high prevalence of low PA is a major health problem. Thus, efforts are warranted to promote PA in the Jazan region, particularly among obese female adults. High self-perceived health was an important correlate of PA among the adult population of Jazan. Because of the wide range of physical activity levels among population subgroups, a social-ecological approach for physical activity promotion may be warranted.