Inappropriate use of medications is a global health concern, and this is attributed to the increased accessibility to prescription and non-prescription (over-the-counter) drugs at community pharmacies. We investigated the inappropriate use of prescription and non-prescription drugs in community pharmacies based on the perspectives of the community pharmacists in Saudi Arabia. This was a questionnaire-based, cross-sectional survey which employed convenient sampling (snowball technique) to recruit participants. Being a licensed practicing pharmacist in a retail chain or an independent community pharmacy was the inclusion criteria. Participants were asked to report the drugs they suspected of being inappropriately used along with the frequency, age and gender of the suspected customers. Pharmacists were also asked to mention the action taken to limit inappropriate use at their pharmacy. A total of 397 community pharmacists completed the questionnaire (86.9 % response rate). 86.4% of the pharmacists suspected some level of abuse or misuse to have occurred. After receiving the questionnaire, the pharmacists reported suspected inappropriate use as encountered during the past three months. Cumulative inappropriate use was reported 1069 times (prescription drugs – 530; non-prescription drugs – 539). The top three inappropriately used prescription-drug categories were gabapentinoids (22.5%), antipsychotics (17.5%) and topical corticosteroids (12.1%). Among non-prescription drugs, cough products (33.2%) ranked first, followed by cold and flu products (29.5%) and first-generation antihistamines (10.8%). The cross tabulations revealed that being in the age range of 26–50 years and being a male was significantly associated (p < 0.001) with abuse/misuse of antipsychotics, antidepressants, gabapentinoids, cough products and first-generation antihistamines. Eye products (Bimatoprost) and skin products abuse/misuse had significant association with female gender (p < 0.001) The results of our study provide crucial information to the healthcare authorities regarding the medications that can be inappropriately used at the community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia which necessitates implementation of stringent dispensing regulations. Educational programs can be implemented to increase the awareness among public regarding the harmful effects of inappropriate use of drugs.

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has affected hundreds of thousands of people across more than 200 countries. As the pandemic continues, the health agencies, worldwide, are recommending strict preventive practices to avert its transmission at community scale. We sought to predict the behavior of the Saudi population for adopting community preventive practices during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online questionnaire consisting of 22 items pertaining to the Health Belief Model constructs was used to measure the perceived susceptibility and perceived severity of contracting COVID-19, along with the perceived benefits and perceived barriers to follow the Ministry of Health’s recommendations. The outcome was assessed by their readiness to be compliant with the community protective measures. Data were analyzed using STATA at significance level of 0.05. A total of 900 individuals received the online survey link, of which 688 (response rate: 76.4%) respondents consented to participate in the study. The mean age of the respondents was 31.39 (SD = 8.94). Positive associations were observed between perceived susceptibility (Beta: 0.24; p value < 0.001), perceived severity (Beta: 0.16; p value < 0.001), perceived benefits (Beta: 0.41; p value < 0.001), cue to action (Beta: 2.61; p value < 0.001) and the participation in community preventive practices during the pandemic of the COVID-19. Health belief model's constructs of perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits and cue to action can be adopted to help strengthen COVID-19 limiting behaviors and prevention programs which can delivered through community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia as well as around the world.

First aid is the most basic and life-saving service provided before emergency care is received. This study aimed to assess students’ knowledge and attitudes about performing first aid for snakebite emergencies and their perception of snakes. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2019 among upper-level students (3rd year and above) of health-related courses at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. Three hundred and nine students from four programs responded to the self-administered questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0. The highest percentage of the study sample comprised pharmacy students (44%), followed by nursing (25.2%), medical (16.8%), and emergency medicine students (13.9%). Overall, the emergency medicine students exhibited greater knowledge of snakebite first aid. However, over three-fourths of the students were unaware of dry bites. Around two-thirds were sure that they should not massage the bite site, while nearly one-fourth were not sure about the use of a tourniquet. The fifth- and sixth-year students had extremely diverse perspectives on snakes. The majority of the participants (92.8%) did not feel good about snakes. However, most of the students (95.2%) wanted to learn about snakebite first aid and overcome their fear of snakes. Overall, the students had a positive attitude towards first aid but lacked knowledge of snakebite emergencies. Public health awareness is required to dispel first-aid myths about snakebites and misconceptions regarding snakes.

Background/Objectives: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used, yet questions persist about kidney-related adverse events. We evaluated disproportional reporting of acute kidney injury (AKI) and tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN) with PPIs in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) from 2020 to 2025. Methods: FAERS reports were screened using MedDRA Preferred Terms. Report characteristics and annual counts of AKI and TIN reports were summarized. Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR), Proportional Reporting Ratio (PRR), Empirical Bayes Geometric Mean (EBGM), and Information Content (IC) were used to assess disproportionality. Results: We identified 13,654 PPI-associated AKI reports and 2409 TIN reports in FAERS (2020–2025). Reports were predominantly from the United States, and missing age/sex information was common. Hospitalization was reported in 12.3% of AKI and 22.7% of TIN reports, and death in 9.1% and 5.0%, respectively. Across all years, disproportionality analyses using ROR, PRR, EBGM, and IC consistently met signal thresholds for both outcomes, with stronger signals in 2020–2022 and attenuation thereafter alongside declining report counts. Conclusions: FAERS data show persistent disproportional reporting of AKI and TIN with PPI use. Causality cannot be inferred, but the findings support cautious, indication-based PPI prescribing and highlight the need for robust studies to clarify renal safety.

Introduction: Falls pose a significant health risk to older adults, with a reported prevalence of 31.6% among Saudi older adults. Medication-related falls are a preventable cause of morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to assess fall risk, evaluate knowledge of fall-risk-increasing drugs, and examine the impact of pharmacist counseling on community-dwelling older adults in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from December 2023 to March 2024 among 391 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥60 years in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Fall risk was assessed using the Arabic Stay Independent screening tool, which remains unvalidated in Arabic-speaking populations. Participants answered demographic questions and reported any pharmacist counseling on medication in the past six months. Knowledge of prescription and over-the-counter fall-risk-increasing drugs was evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression and ordered probit models were used to analyze factors associated with fall risk and drug knowledge. Results: Approximately 57% of the participants were at risk of falling. Only 11.5% demonstrated good knowledge of prescription fall-risk-increasing drugs, whereas 24.6% showed good knowledge of over-the-counter fall-risk-increasing drugs. Age (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.00–1.14; p = 0.05), arthritis (OR, 5.73; 95% CI, 2.51–13.06; p < 0.001), obesity (OR, 6.00; 95% CI, 2.33–15.46; p < 0.001) and diabetes (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.38–5.64; p = 0.004) were associated with increased fall risk. Those who received pharmacist counseling had a greater likelihood (95% CI, 0.020–0.167; p = 0.01) of being in the very likely category of willingness to discuss medication changes. Conclusions: The findings highlight the role of pharmacist counseling and recommend improving fall prevention through medication reviews for arthritis and diabetes patients, standardized counseling protocols, and implementation of the Stay Independent screening tool for risk assessment in older adults.

Stress and stressor-related disorders are the global illnesses. The immune system is thought to be strengthened by apoptogenic substances due to their ability of restoring normal body functions, which were imbalanced due to the presence of stressful conditions. The aim of study is to evaluate anti stress potential in ethanolic extract of () leaves on swimming endurance test in mice, cold and immobilization stress in rats. The effect was assessed by swimming survival time and estimation of biochemical parameter, weight of gland, organs, blood count in cold and immobilization stress at a dose 400 and 600 mg/kg per oral(p.o).The results demonstrated on comparison with stress models with leaf extract and Gerifort Syrup showing significant increase (p<0.001) in swimming time, significant decrease (p<0.001) in blood glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), plasma cortisol and Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels and also decrease in the weight of adrenal gland and organs weights. Blood cell count such as WBC, polymorphs and neutrophils significant decrease (p<0.01) under physiological limits. It was experimentally compared to control and gerifort group. Thus, obtained results revealed that the leaf extract of have potential Anti-stress activity due to the existence of phenolic compounds, especially secoiridoids and iridoids and antioxidant molecules, such as oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, caffeic acid, and ligstroside proving its significant anti stress activity.