The evidence-based practice of primary care physicians is essential because they are the first line of contact with the local community, and they cater to most of their communities’ health needs. In the current study, in which we used a cross-sectional survey in northern Saudi Arabia, we assessed primary care physicians’ knowledge, attitude, practice, and barriers regarding evidence-based medicine (EBM). Of the 300 physicians who participated, less than half had high knowledge (43.7%) and attitude (47.7%) toward EBM. The chi-square test revealed that the knowledge categories were significantly associated with the age group (p = 0.002) and EBM training received in the past five years (p < 0.001), and the attitude categories were significantly associated with nationality (p = 0.008). Of the respondents, 155 (51.7%) used EBM in their daily clinical practice. Through logistic regression analysis, we found that the identified predictors of including EBM in clinical practice were the 31–45-year-old age group (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.65–2.73) and EBM training received during last 5 years (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.35–2.94). We recommend enhancing primary care physicians’ knowledge of EBM and its importance in clinical practice through appropriate training programs. A multi-centric mixed-method survey is warranted in other provinces of the KSA to recognize region-specific training demand.

Medication adherence by patients with diabetes is critical, as it plays a crucial role in individuals’ long-term health and well-being. We evaluated the medication adherence, illness perception, diabetes knowledge, and associated factors among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) attending primary health centers (PHCs) in the eastern province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) using a validated Arabic version of a data collection form. In order to identify the variables that are associated with medication adherence, we applied a logistic regression analysis. Furthermore, we performed the Spearman test to find the correlation between medication adherence, illness perception, and diabetes knowledge. Of the 390 studied patients, 21.5% had low medication adherence, and it was significantly associated with gender (adjusted OR (AOR) = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.27–2.73, p = 0.003) and duration of diabetes (AOR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.67–0.95, p = 0.017). Furthermore, we found a significant positive correlation between medication adherence and illness perception (rho = 0.217, p = 0.007) and knowledge of diabetes and medication adherence (rho = 0.425, p < 0.001). We recommend improving T2DM patients’ knowledge about the importance of adherence to their medication regimen in several health education sessions at the PHCs. In addition, we recommend mixed-method medication adherence assessment surveys in different parts of the KSA.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain the main cause of mortality and are generally among the leading causes of morbidity worldwide, thus placing an immense burden on health care. They include coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertensive heart disease, and stroke. Among these, common risk factors include hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle. Yet, with advancements in medical science and pharmacology, these entities remain major challenges to public health worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, the rise in CVDs has been intensified by rapid urbanization and lifestyle changes and needs unique and tailored public health strategies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the current situation with regard to cardiovascular health in Saudi Arabia, underlining the need for studying CVDs within the local context. It reviews the epidemiology of CVDs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, outlining some of the major risk factors and also their impact on public health. This study also deals with the pharmacological approaches toward cardiovascular health by offering data from clinical trials so far completed, to point out effective strategies of treatment. The overview of prevention methods also includes public health initiatives, lifestyle programs, patient education, healthcare policies, the role of government initiatives, insurance coverage, and international collaborations. The review also elucidates the problems and barriers of the Saudi healthcare system, especially vis‐à‐vis the primary healthcare setting. In light of improving its healthcare sector, Saudi Arabia has embarked on several reforms within the Universal Health Coverage development initiative set in the framework of Vision 2030.

Background and Objectives: Optimal blood pressure control is achieved by medication adherence. This will reduce the risk of associated morbidities and mortalities. The present study aimed to determine medication adherence and its associated factors among hypertensive patients attending different primary health centers (PHC) in Abha, Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among ten different PHCs in Abha, KSA. Simple random sampling procedure was utilized to choose 400 participants. A structured anonymous questionnaire was used in the present study. Analysis of the data was done using the SPSS program, version 23. A logistic regression statistical test was applied to identify the independent associated factors of medication adherence. Furthermore, we have applied Spearman’s test to find the correlation between overall B-IPQ score and medication adherence score. Results: A total of 400 hypertensive patients responded in the present survey. More than one-third of the participants (36.3%) were in the high adherence category group, while the remaining participants (63.7%) were either low or medium adherence category. The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that low and medium adherence category is significantly associated with age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.96, 95% CI =0.93– 0.99, p = 0.021), married participants (AOR = 0.42, 95% CI =0.33– 0.58, p = 0.001), residing at village (AOR = 1.49, 95% CI =1.14– 1.73, p = 0.038), and participants with monthly family income of 5000 to 7000 SAR (AOR = 3.06, 95% CI =1.62– 5.79, p = 0.001). A negligible positive correlation was revealed between illness perception and medication adherence. Conclusion: The present study revealed that hypertensive patients poorly adhere to their antihypertensive medications. This low adherence is significantly associated with the age, monthly income, people living in rural areas, and married participants. The present study results recommend sustained efforts to implement health education programs and awareness-raising interventions targeted at hypertensive patients.

Background and Objectives: Emotional intelligence (EI) plays a critical role in safeguarding the emotional and psychological well-being of healthcare workers, acting as a buffer against burnout, and influencing the quality of patient care. Despite its significance, there remains a need to understand how EI levels correlate with burnout and what factors predict burnout in high-stress healthcare environments. This study, conducted at King Khaled Hospital in Al-Majmaah, Saudi Arabia, aims to assess the EI levels of healthcare staff, to determine the relationship between EI and burnout, and to identify key predictors of burnout to inform targeted interventions for improving workforce resilience and patient outcomes. Materials and Methods: Both self-reporting and standardized tests were integrated using cross-sectional surveys to evaluate the EI of each participant and the burnout they experience by averaging the rating of a 30-item questionnaire, allowing comparison of the interaction between EI, burnout, and work factors. Results: A significantly moderate level of EI was identified, while a high level of well-being was associated with a low level of burnout, and a high level of emotionality was associated with a high level of burnout. Results indicated that high job demands, call rotation, or casual work, and insufficient staff support were organizational correlates of burnout. Conclusions: Improving EI with a focus on the well-being sub-dimension may prevent burnout, and, for that, the interventions must be specific at both personal and organizational levels.

Background: Consumer perception of and satisfaction with vaccination services is a critical and commonly used indicator for evaluating the quality of services provided by concerned authorities. The present survey assessed maternal perceptions, hesitancy, satisfaction, and factors associated with childhood immunization services provided at the primary health centers (PHCs) of eastern Saudi Arabia. Methods: The current analytical cross-sectional study included mothers of childhood vaccine beneficiaries attending PHCs in Hafr Al-Batin. We collected data related to mothers’ perceptions, hesitancy, and satisfaction using a validated Arabic version of the data collection tool. Factors associated with low and high satisfaction with the immunization services were evaluated using logistic regression analysis. We performed Spearman correlation test to identify the correlation between the perception and satisfaction scores. Results: Of the 675 participants, 87.4% were satisfied with the immunization services provided at the PHCs. The participants’ satisfaction was significantly associated with the immunized child’s age group (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.39– 2.89, p = 0.037) and occupation status (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.17– 1.74, p = 0.024). Vaccine hesitancy was significantly associated with the mother’s age group (AOR = 1.89, 95% CI of AR = 1.35– 3.39, P = 0.003) and number of children (AOR = 1.42, 95% CI of AR = 1.17– 1.74, P = 0.024), Additionally, we found a significant positive correlation (Spearman’s rho = 0.207, p < 0.001) between perception and satisfaction scores. Conclusion: We recommend targeted health education programs for mothers to improve their perceptions and the importance of all recommended childhood vaccines. Additionally, we suggest continuing maternal satisfaction assessments to enhance and maintain the quality of vaccination services.