Background Returning to driving remains one of the most important goals for stroke survivors. In Saudi Arabia, there are no structured processes to address the issue of return to driving in individuals with disabilities. There are increasing rates of strokes in the country and road traffic accidents are the highest in the region. Returning to driving among male stroke survivors in Saudi Arabia is of particular importance due to socio-economic and cultural reasons. Aims The study aims to explore the factors involved in return to driving among stroke survivors in Saudi population. Methods This cross-sectional study was carried out on 100 male stroke survivors who had completed an inpatient rehabilitation program and had at least one follow-up assessment three months post-discharge. Information was collected regarding demographics, stroke characteristics, and factors related to pre and post-stroke driving. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results Majority (60%) of patients were 51 years of age and above. Most commonly reported stroke impairments were weakness and spasticity with majority of participants having right-sided body involvement. Out of 94 stroke survivors who were driving prior to stroke, only 7 resumed driving. None of the stroke survivors who returned to driving reported receiving any formal driving assessment. Only one patient who reported being aware of the need of driving assessment did not resume driving after stroke. Conclusions There is a dire need to increase awareness and to develop a structured integrated system in Saudi Arabia to facilitate stroke survivors to return to driving.

The care of children with cerebral palsy (CP) requires a complex system of care that is not only dependent on health care resources, but is also strongly influenced by social and cultural attributes. Hence, it is important to explore the understanding and practices of caregivers within a regional perspective. This study was conducted to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) of parents with children diagnosed with CP in Saudi Arabia. A cross sectional survey was conducted on the caregivers of children with CP admitted for inpatient rehabilitation between October 2023 to January 2024. A total of 216 caregivers participated in this survey. About 82.9% of caregivers were the mothers of CP children, half (50.5%) were ≤36 years old, 53.7% were highly educated, and 89.2% lived in urban areas. More than half of the participants (57.7%) owned their homes. Regarding children, spastic quadriplegia was the most common type (46.3% of cases). Overall, the participants recorded good values for all variables for KAB. The mean value for attitude was higher (2.67 ± 0.20) when compared to behavior (2.49 ± 0.36) and knowledge (2.46 ± 0.25). Participants who had children with spastic quadriplegia CP reported lower behavior scores than their peers. Strategies with a special emphasis on improving the behaviors of caregivers for children with quadriplegia need to be adapted. Similarly, the living situations of families need to be taken into consideration given its significant association with the attitude of caregivers. A considerable lack of knowledge in handling emergency situations by caregivers signifies a gap in care, which could have potentially life-threatening consequences.

Stroke is a leading cause of death and disability globally, including in Saudi Arabia. This study examined the unmet healthcare and social needs of post-rehabilitation patients with stroke, focusing on individual, family, and governmental support to evaluate the effectiveness of existing healthcare and social systems. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City in Riyadh, focusing on patients admitted to the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit between September 2020 and June 2023. Participants aged ≥18 years with a confirmed stroke diagnosis occurring more than 6 months prior were included. Data collection involved a specially designed questionnaire addressing health and social needs, validated through a pilot study and translated into Arabic for clarity during patient interviews. The study of 71 predominantly male patients with stroke (average age: 55.4 years) revealed significant challenges. Most were married, illiterate, and lived outside Riyadh. Ischemic strokes were common (63.4%), often affecting the left side (66.2%), with most patients (81.7%) experiencing a single stroke. While 63.4% lived in their own homes, 59.2% had not made disability-related modifications. Financial difficulties were prevalent, including high unemployment (73.2%), lack of medical insurance (84.5%), and limited financial aid (74.6%). Disability support was low, with few having parking cards (23.9%) or a primary care physician (54.9%). Despite these issues, mobile phone usage (94.4%) and medication adherence (83.1%) were high. Employment, healthcare access, and disability support were influenced by age and residence. Post-stroke, many patients faced challenges; therefore, there is an urgent need for better post-stroke support, including home adaptations, financial aid, and comprehensive healthcare services, especially in rural areas.

To assess the impact of inpatient multidisciplinary rehabilitation on a Saudi Arabian population of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with MS who underwent inpatient rehabilitation between 2009 and 2015 at King Fahad Medical City (KFMC). Differences in Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores (used in rehabilitation settings to assess the functional independence of patients) and length of stay (LOS) were measured between patients of different ages, sexes, and types of MS and analyzed using the independent t-test. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to investigate the correlation between FIM, LOS, and other variables. In total, 24 patients were identified, with an average age of 36 years. The average age at disease onset was 31 years. Disease duration ranged from 1-20 years, with a mean of 7 years. The most common type of MS was relapsing-remitting (45.8%). The mean FIM score at admission was 77.5 and at discharge 97.25. Functional independence measure gain ranged from 2-51, with a mean of 18.58. Functional independence measure efficiency (FIM gain divided by LOS) ranged between 0.09-0.95. The length of stay ranged between 21-95 days, with a mean of 37.79 days. There was a significant association between age and FIM efficiency (p=0.043). Inpatient rehabilitation is an important intervention that improves the functional independence of patients with chronic MS.

Background: This study was carried out to assess the quality of life (QOL) of adults with intrathecal baclofen (ITB) pump therapy. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February 2020 and April 2023 and included patients who have been on ITB therapy for more than 6 months and were following up in the clinic. Chart review data included demographics, diagnoses, medical comorbidities, baclofen dose, and ITB side effects. The poll uses the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life (WHOQOL-BREF) in Arabic. The Arabic version of the WHOQOL-BREF Scale was used in the survey. Results: The study included 33 eligible participants the majority of the participants were males (63.3%), with a mean age of 37.1 ± 14.5 years. Of the participants, 69.7% were single. Most diagnosis was spinal cord injury (52%). Contractures occurred in 30.3% and pressure injuries in 18.2. Most of the participants (84.8%) were satisfied with baclofen therapy. The duration of ITB therapy was 6–80 months (31.5 ± 18.4). The total sample mean score or perceived overall QOL was 3.2 ± 1.2, whereas the mean score for perceived overall health was 3.3 ± 1.3. The mean scores of the WHOQOL-BREF domains varied among the participants, with the highest being psychological (60.0 ± 20.6) and the lowest being physical (40.8 ± 18.6). The environmental domain mean score was significantly higher among the younger age group (P = 0.03), whereas the mean overall health score was significantly associated with pressure injuries (P = 0.009). The correlation of the current dose was only significant with the psychological domain (r = 0.405; P = 0.019). Conclusions: QOL scores were not significantly associated with age, gender, marital status, pain, contractures, or adverse effects associated with ITB. The results show favorable outcomes in terms of QOL with ITB therapy.