Background: Medical school can be difficult and stressful. Academic burnout is described as exhaustion from curricular activities. Medical students are more likely to experience anxiety. Objective: This study investigated the level of academic burnout and stress as well as their level of resilience. Methods: Saudi medical students were surveyed in a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. We used the following scales: Perceived Stress Scale, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, and the Connor-Davidson Brief Resilience Scale to assess stress, academic burnout, and resilience respectively. Results: The mean score for emotional exhaustion, 20.23 ± 6.8, indicated a high level of burnout among students. The students reported a moderate level of stress. Females, students who were single or lived away from home had higher levels of burnout in certain domains. Students with a higher level of resilience experienced less stress and burnout. Conclusion: Academic burnout has a negative impact on mental health. Effective interventions should be designed to assist students to cope better with stress and also identify solutions to avoid burnout. More research is needed to investigate the social and environmental factors contributing to medical student burnout.

Background and Aims: Family Caregivers (FCGs) of patients with schizophrenia (PwS) may face unanticipated sources of stress and responsibility, which can negatively impact their quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to assess FCGs' QoL and the impact of clinical characteristics of patients and sociodemographic factors on their QoL. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study surveyed 340 FCGs from outpatient clinics of PwS in two large psychiatric hospitals in Saudi Arabia's eastern province using a convenience sampling approach. We used the Adult Carer Quality of Life (AC-QoL) scale, which has eight subscales and 40 items, to assess QoL. AC-QoL is translated into Arabic in this study. Results: The study included 216 FCGs, with 127 (58.8%) being men, 117 (54.2%) being over 45 years old, 91 (42.1%) being a sibling of a PwS, and 82 (38%) being a parent of a PwS. The mean score in our sample was 78.2 ± 21.24 out of 120, indicating mid-range QoL. Lower QoL was associated with more time spent in caregiving per day, a lower educational level of FCG, and recent admission of PwS to an inpatient unit. Conclusion: PwS FCGs have a mid-range QoL. FCGs reported a moderate financial burden and low levels of support from healthcare professionals. FCG's QoL and stress can be reduced through healthcare providers, participation in a community support group, and addressing an FCG's in an individual setting.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the level of knowledge about dementia among the public and explore differences in knowledge between sociodemographic groups. Materials & methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study surveyed individuals living in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Dementia knowledge assessment scale (DKAS) was used to measure knowledge about dementia. Multiple regression was used to identify the significant predictors of higher levels of knowledge about dementia. Results: Among 1,030 participants, the mean DKAS score was 20.5 (standard deviation=10.3) out of 50. A higher level knowledge about dementia was significantly and positively associated with university education (β=2.42; p=0.010) and income higher (β=2.78; p=0.001). On the other hand, the total DKAS score was significantly and negatively associated with being male (β=-1.78; p=0.003), not knowing a person with dementia (PwD) (β=-.56; p<0.001), and not living with a PwD (β=-1.57; p=0.120). Conclusions: The level of knowledge about dementia is low among people living in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. Enhancing the community’s knowledge and awareness about dementia and its related topics should be considered at the regional or national levels.

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder is recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 most disabling disorders globally. Characterized by recurrent and persistent thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive behaviors (compulsions), it significantly disrupts an individual's daily life, impacting routine, education, career development, and social relationships. The disorder's prevalence varies worldwide, with studies in Saudi Arabia showing a higher rate of obsessive-compulsive symptoms among medical students. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms among undergraduate medical students in four major universities in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was administered between April and June 2023 to medical students from Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, King Faisal University, King Saud University, and King Abdulaziz University. The survey assessed obsessive-compulsive symptoms using the OCI-R scale. Results: Out of 886 medical students, 411 (46.4%) scored 21 or more on the OCI-R, indicating probable obsessive-compulsive disorder. Females had significantly higher OCI-R scores compared to males. Younger students, those with a family or personal history of psychiatric disorders, particularly depression, and those with lower academic satisfaction exhibited higher scores. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of incorporating mental health awareness programs into educational curricula due to the high prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms among medical students. Implementing such programs can help reduce stress and improve both academic performance and overall well-being.

Introduction: Musical hallucinations (MHs) is a heterogeneous phenomenon. Multiple case reports and series have improved our understanding of this complex phenomenon. This systematic review aims to assess the available evidence regarding MHs. Methods: PubMed and ProQuest databases were searched for articles published between 2005 and 2022. The keywords used for the search were “music,” “musical,” “hallucinations,” and “hallucinosis.” Results: The search identified 421 articles; however, only 67 were selected. A total of 77 patients were selected from case reports and series. We identified 50 articles with single cases, four articles with two cases, four articles with three cases, and one article with six cases. Eight additional articles that provided information regarding the prevalence of MHs were included in the review. Conclusions: MHs are common among older individuals, women, and hearing-impaired individuals. The etiologies include psychiatric, neurological, hearing impairments, and substances. Content of MHs is typically familiar songs/music. No randomized controlled studies are available for determining the treatment for MHs.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring protocols have been developed because patients taking atypical antipsychotics are more prone to developing metabolic syndrome, which leads to possible increased mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of adherence to the recommendations of metabolic syndrome monitoring. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in two large psychiatric facilities in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 350 patients taking antipsychotic medications was done, and an assessment was made of the frequency of metabolic monitoring at each of the intervals as suggested by the American Diabetes Association. Data was analyzed using SPSS; descriptive statistics. were computed and Chi-square test was used to determine statistical significance for association between categorical variable. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 34.9 ± 18 years; 64.6% were males. Olanzapine was the most prescribed medication (43.7%, n = 153), followed by quetiapine (17.4%, n = 61). Only one-third of the patients (29.6%) completed all the baseline parameters. Documentation of baseline parameters was low for glucose level (38.9%), lipid panel (17.3%), weight (25.2%), and waist circumference (1.4%). Adherence to yearly monitoring was much lower than at baseline (mean percentage: 29.6% vs. 1.7%). Furthermore, 45% of the patients were classified as obese and 10% had metabolic comorbidity. CONCLUSION: Individuals with mental illness who were taking antipsychotics did not undergo proper metabolic screening during antipsychotic treatment. Barriers to adherence to the monitoring guidelines should be examined and addressed. Giving assistance to practitioners to recall the required laboratory tests and vitals at certain intervals could help improve metabolic monitoring practices.