Seroprevalence of Alkhurma and other hemorrhagic fever viruses, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Memish, Ziad A; Albarrak, Ali; Almazroa, Mohammad A; Al-Omar, Ibrahim; Alhakeem, Rafat; Assiri, Abdullah; Fagbo, Shamsudeen; MacNeil, Adam; Rollin, Pierre E; Abdullah, Nageeb; Stephens, Gwen

2011-12-01

A 2009 deployment of military units from several Saudi Arabian provinces to Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia, enabled us to evaluate exposure to Alkhurma, Crimean-Congo, dengue, and Rift Valley hemorrhagic fever viruses. Seroprevalence to all viruses was low; however, Alkhurma virus seroprevalence was higher (1.3%) and less geographically restricted than previously thought.

Desertification and its effect on the erosion of vegetation in the south-western region of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Abd El-Salam, Magda Magdy; Elhakem, Abeer Hamdy

2016-03-01

This study was conducted in Jazan region of south-western Saudi Arabia. Vegetation cover, frequency, abundance and soil characteristics were analysed at three locations with different quantitative and descriptive vegetation characteristics. Plant species were classified into three primary communities dominated by Salvadora persic, Acacia tortilis and Ziziphus spini-Christi. The results indicated that the distribution of plant species is controlled by soil characteristics. Very limited water resources are also limiting factor in vegetation growth. Among the three studied sites, desert and coastal environments are affected by desertification. Rehabilitation of the degraded lands requires collaborative efforts and support from the different related governmental sectors. Ecological conservation and sustainable development must be adopted as tools of rehabilitation.

Cancer Incidence in Saudi Arabia: 2012 Data from the Saudi Cancer Registry

PubMed Central

Bazarbashi, Shouki; Eid, Haya Al; Minguet, Joan

2017-01-01

Background: In order to most appropriately allocate healthcare and research funding for cancer, it is important to have accurate population-based incidence data. The Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR) provides such information, covering the time period from 1994 to the present day. The current report concerns an overview of cancer incidence statistics for Saudi Arabia in 2012. Methods: The SCR collects data from healthcare facilities throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. All newly diagnosed cases of cancer are recorded, with information on site and histology. For the present report, age-standardised and age-specific incidence rates (ASR, AIR, respectively) were calculated, with attention to gender-specific and regional differences. Results: The total number of incident cases of cancer identified by the SCR in 2012 was 14,336, with 6,791 (47.5%) among males and 7,545 (52.6%) among females. Of this total, 11,034 cases (76.9%) occurred in patients of Saudi origin. For Saudi males, the overall ASR (inc. all cancer sites) was 78.1 per 100,000 people, while that for females was 86.7. Incidence varied by region, with the Eastern region and Riyadh displaying the highest ASRs for both males and females, and Hail and Jazan displaying the lowest. Incidence varied by gender, with colorectal cancer (13.3%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL; 8.4%), and leukaemia (8.2%) being the most common types in males, and breast (25.8%), thyroid (11.7%), and colorectal cancers (9.3%) being the most common in females. Conclusions: This analysis of cancer incidence in Saudi Arabia demonstrated significant differences according to gender, age, and region of the Kingdom. The data should help ensure the most appropriate allocation of resources, with the aim of minimising the healthcare burden associated with cancer. PMID:28952273

Cancer Incidence in Saudi Arabia: 2012 Data from the Saudi Cancer Registry

PubMed

Bazarbashi, Shouki; Al Eid, Haya; Minguet, Joan

2017-09-27

Background: In order to most appropriately allocate healthcare and research funding for cancer, it is important to have accurate population-based incidence data. The Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR) provides such information, covering the time period from 1994 to the present day. The current report concerns an overview of cancer incidence statistics for Saudi Arabia in 2012. Methods: The SCR collects data from healthcare facilities throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. All newly diagnosed cases of cancer are recorded, with information on site and histology. For the present report, age-standardised and age-specific incidence rates (ASR, AIR, respectively) were calculated, with attention to gender-specific and regional differences. Results: The total number of incident cases of cancer identified by the SCR in 2012 was 14,336, with 6,791 (47.5%) among males and 7,545 (52.6%) among females. Of this total, 11,034 cases (76.9%) occurred in patients of Saudi origin. For Saudi males, the overall ASR (inc. all cancer sites) was 78.1 per 100,000 people, while that for females was 86.7. Incidence varied by region, with the Eastern region and Riyadh displaying the highest ASRs for both males and females, and Hail and Jazan displaying the lowest. Incidence varied by gender, with colorectal cancer (13.3%), non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL; 8.4%), and leukaemia (8.2%) being the most common types in males, and breast (25.8%), thyroid (11.7%), and colorectal cancers (9.3%) being the most common in females. Conclusions: This analysis of cancer incidence in Saudi Arabia demonstrated significant differences according to gender, age, and region of the Kingdom. The data should help ensure the most appropriate allocation of resources, with the aim of minimising the healthcare burden associated with cancer. Creative Commons Attribution License

Prevalence and causes of blindness and diabetic retinopathy in Southern Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Hajar, Saad; Al Hazmi, Ali; Wasli, Mustafa; Mousa, Ahmed; Rabiu, Mansour

2015-04-01

To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Jazan district, Southern Saudi Arabia. Using the standardized Rapid Assessment for Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) and DR cross-sectional methodology, 3800 subjects were randomly selected from the population of ≥50 years of age in Jazan, Saudi Arabia between November 2011 and January 2012. Participants underwent screening comprised of interview, random blood glucose test, and ophthalmic assessment including visual acuity (VA) and fundus examination. Among participants with VA less than 6/18 in either eye, the cause(s) of visual impairment was determined. Participants were classified as diabetic if they had previous diagnoses of diabetes, or random blood glucose more than 200 mg/dl. Diabetic participants were assessed for DR using dilated fundus examination. All data were recorded using the RAAB + DR standardized forms. The prevalence of bilateral blindness less than 3/60 was 3.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.74 - 3.90). Cataract was the leading cause of blindness (58.6%); followed by posterior segment diseases (20%), which included DR (7; 3.3%). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) was 22.4%, (95% CI: 21.09 - 23.79]), among them; 27.8% had DR. The prevalence of sight-threatening DR was 5.7%. The prevalence of DM and the corresponding proportion of DR in this region is lower than that reported in other regions of Saudi Arabia. However, the prevalence of blindness not related to DR is relatively higher than the other studies.

Prevalence and causes of blindness and diabetic retinopathy in Southern Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Hajar, Saad; Hazmi, Ali Al; Wasli, Mustafa; Mousa, Ahmed; Rabiu, Mansour

2015-01-01

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and causes of blindness and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in Jazan district, Southern Saudi Arabia. Methods: Using the standardized Rapid Assessment for Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) and DR cross-sectional methodology, 3800 subjects were randomly selected from the population of ≥50 years of age in Jazan, Saudi Arabia between November 2011 and January 2012. Participants underwent screening comprised of interview, random blood glucose test, and ophthalmic assessment including visual acuity (VA) and fundus examination. Among participants with VA <6/18 in either eye, the cause(s) of visual impairment was determined. Participants were classified as diabetic if they had previous diagnoses of diabetes, or random blood glucose >200 mg/dl. Diabetic participants were assessed for DR using dilated fundus examination. All data were recorded using the RAAB + DR standardized forms. Results: The prevalence of bilateral blindness <3/60 was 3.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.74 - 3.90). Cataract was the leading cause of blindness (58.6%); followed by posterior segment diseases (20%), which included DR (7; 3.3%). The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) was 22.4%, (95% CI: 21.09 - 23.79), among them; 27.8% had DR. The prevalence of sight-threatening DR was 5.7%. Conclusion: The prevalence of DM and the corresponding proportion of DR in this region is lower than that reported in other regions of Saudi Arabia. However, the prevalence of blindness not related to DR is relatively higher than the other studies. PMID:25828282

Composition of the root mycorrhizal community associated with Coffea arabica in Fifa Mountains (Jazan region, Saudi Arabia).

PubMed

Mahdhi, Mosbah; Tounekti, Taieb; Al-Turki, Turki Ali; Khemira, Habib

2017-08-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) constitute a key functional group of soil biota that can greatly contribute to crop productivity and ecosystem sustainability. They improve nutrient uptake and enhance the ability of plants to cope with abiotic stresses. The presence of AMF in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) plant roots have been reported in several locations but not in Saudi Arabia despite the fact that coffee has been in cultivation here since ancient times. The objective of the present study was to investigate the diversity of AMF communities colonizing the roots of coffee trees growing in two sites of Fifa Mountains (south-west Saudi Arabia): site 1 at 700 m altitude and site 2 at 1400 m. The AMF large subunit rDNA regions (LSU) were subjected to nested PCR, cloning, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. Microscopic observations indicated higher mycorrhizal intensity (24.3%) and spore density (256 spores/100 g of soil) in site 2 (higher altitude). Phylogenetic analysis revealed 10 phylotypes, six belonging to the family Glomeraceae, two to Claroideoglomercea, one to Acaulosporaceae and one to Gigasporaceae family. Glomus was the dominant genus at both sites and the genus Gigaspora was detected only at site 2. This is the first study reporting the presence of AMF in coffee roots and the composition of this particular mycorrhizal community in Saudi Arabia. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Fungi species and red flour beetle in stored wheat flour under Jazan region conditions.

PubMed

Bosly, Hanan AbuAlQasem; Kawanna, Maha Adel

2014-05-01

Infection of stored wheat flour with insects and toxic fungi can be an extremely serious problem. This study was conducted to isolate and identify the fungal species and insects in different stages, which infested and contaminated the stored flour under Jazan region conditions and changed its color and flavor. The obtained results revealed that the isolated insect was the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum. Live adult, larvae and cast skin were isolated. Four Aspergillus species were isolated from stored wheat flour; the isolated species prevalence being A. flavus > A. niveus > A. terreus > A. niger by rate 44.5%, 37.8%, 10.9% and 6.7%, respectively. The same fungal species isolated from flour were also isolated from different insect stages. A. flavus was the most common fungus and A. niger was isolated with a lower rate. The results about the isolated fungi either from the suspension of adult insects, larvae or cast skins may confirm the role of T. castaneum to carry and distribute fungi in different parts of the stored flour.

The association of exposure to the 2009 south war with the physical, psychological, and family well-being of Saudi children.

PubMed

El Hatw, Mohamed M; El Taher, Aly A; El Hamidi, Ahmed; Alturkait, Fawziyah A

2015-01-01

To evaluate the nutritional, psychological, behavioral, family adjustment, and psychiatric assessment of Saudi children exposed to the 2009-2010 Jazan war. This retrospective cohort study was conducted in Saudi Arabia in July 2010. One hundred and eighty-six children exposed to the South war in Jazan, and 157 unexposed children in King Khaled Military City, Hafr Al Batin were studied for evidence of malnutrition using physical measures, evaluating psychological problems using the Child Behavior Inventory, behavioral problems using the Rutter Scale A2, family adjustment using the McMaster Family adjustment device, and for psychiatric disorders. The association of different socioeconomic variables with the psychological outcome of the exposed group was also studied. The exposed children were well nourished, had more anxiety (p=0.044), better adaptation (p<0.001), less aggression (p=0.025), less deviant behavior (p=0.007), better family adjustment and had more post traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety, nightmares, and grief reaction. In the exposed children, females had more anxiety (p=0.006), and males had more antisocial behavior (p=0.02). Older children had less deviant behavior (p=0.005), better adaptation (p=0.007) and better planful behavior (p<0.001). Children of elder mothers had better planful behavior (p=0.039). Children from bigger families were less aggressive (p=0.049), and had less antisocial behavior (p=0.04). This study found that children exposed to the Jazan war had more anxiety. Unexpectedly they were well nourished and had higher adaptation, lower antisocial behavior, and better family adjustment. The socioeconomic status was associated with the psychological outcome. 

The association of exposure to the 2009 south war with the physical, psychological, and family well-being of Saudi children

PubMed Central

Hatw, Mohamed M. El; Taher, Aly A. El; Hamidi, Ahmed El; Alturkait, Fawziyah A.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the nutritional, psychological, behavioral, family adjustment, and psychiatric assessment of Saudi children exposed to the 2009-2010 Jazan war. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in Saudi Arabia in July 2010. One hundred and eighty-six children exposed to the South war in Jazan, and 157 unexposed children in King Khaled Military City, Hafr Al Batin were studied for evidence of malnutrition using physical measures, evaluating psychological problems using the Child Behavior Inventory, behavioral problems using the Rutter Scale A2, family adjustment using the McMaster Family adjustment device, and for psychiatric disorders. The association of different socioeconomic variables with the psychological outcome of the exposed group was also studied. Results: The exposed children were well nourished, had more anxiety (p=0.044), better adaptation (p<0.001), less aggression (p=0.025), less deviant behavior (p=0.007), better family adjustment and had more post traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety, nightmares, and grief reaction. In the exposed children, females had more anxiety (p=0.006), and males had more antisocial behavior (p=0.02). Older children had less deviant behavior (p=0.005), better adaptation (p=0.007) and better planful behavior (p<0.001). Children of elder mothers had better planful behavior (p=0.039). Children from bigger families were less aggressive (p=0.049), and had less antisocial behavior (p=0.04). Conclusion: This study found that children exposed to the Jazan war had more anxiety. Unexpectedly they were well nourished and had higher adaptation, lower antisocial behavior, and better family adjustment. The socioeconomic status was associated with the psychological outcome. PMID:25630008

Diversity of dengue virus-3 genotype III in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Hashem, Anwar M; Sohrab, Sayed S; El-Kafrawy, Sherif A; Abd-Alla, Adly M M; El-Ela, Saeid Abo; Abujamel, Turki S; Hassan, Ahmed M; Farraj, Suha A; Othman, Noura A; Charrel, Remi N; Azhar, Esam I

2018-07-01

Dengue is the most important arboviral disease in tropical and subtropical countries. Dispersal of the vector and an increase in migratory flow between countries have led to large epidemics and severe clinical outcomes. Over the past 20 years, dengue epidemics have become more wide-spread and frequent. Previous studies have shown that dengue is endemic in Jeddah, Makkah and Al-Madinah in western Saudi Arabia as well as in Jazan region in the southern part of the country. The four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV) have been reported from western Saudi Arabia. It has been suggested that pilgrims could play a significant and unique role in DENV-1 and DENV-2 introduction into Saudi Arabia, especially in the cities of Jeddah, Makkah and Al-Madinah during Hajj and Umrah seasons. However, only limited data on DENV-3 in Saudi Arabia are available. All available DENV-3 sequences published and unpublished from Saudi Arabia and other countries were retrieved from Genbank and gene sequence repository and phylogenetically analyzed to examine the diversity of DENV-3 into the city of Jeddah. Based on the analysis of the envelope gene and non-structural 1 (E/NS1) junction sequences, we show that there were at least four independent introductions of DENV-3, all from genotype III into Jeddah. The first introduction was most probably before 1997 as Saudi virus isolates from 1997 formed a cluster without any close relationship to other globally circulating isolates, suggesting their local circulation from previous introduction events. Two introductions were most probably in 2004 with isolates closely-related to isolates from Africa and India (Asia), in addition to another introduction in 2014 with isolates clustering with those from Singapore (Asia). Our data shows that only genotype III isolates of DENV-3 are circulating in Jeddah and highlights the potential role of pilgrims in DENV-3 importation into western Saudi Arabia and subsequent exportation to their home countries during Hajj

Male Saudi Arabian Freshman Science Majors at Jazan University: Their Perceptions of Parental Educational Practices on Their Science Achievements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alrehaly, Essa D.

2012-01-01

Examination of Saudi Arabian educational practices is scarce, but increasingly important, especially in light of the country's pace in worldwide mathematics and science rankings. The purpose of the study is to understand and evaluate parental influence on male children's science education achievements in Saudi Arabia. Parental level of education…

Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with olive trees in Al-Jouf region, north Saudi Arabia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A preliminary survey of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with olive was performed in Al-Jouf region, north Saudi Arabia. Olive is a newly introduced crop in this region, and is cultivated in the agricultural enterprises of some of the biggest Saudi agricultural companies. Seedlings are mostly im...

Study of Stroke Incidence in the Aseer Region, Southwestern Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alhazzani, Adel A; Mahfouz, Ahmed A; Abolyazid, Ahmed Y; Awadalla, Nabil J; Aftab, Razia; Faraheen, Aesha; Khalil, Shamsun Nahar

2018-01-26

Recent data regarding first-stroke incidence in Saudi Arabia in general and in the Aseer region in particular are scarce and even lacking. The aim of this work was to study the first-time stroke incidence in the Aseer region, southwestern Saudi Arabia. All first-stroke patients admitted to all hospitals in the Aseer region over a one-year period (January through December 2016) were included. Stroke patients outside the Aseer region were excluded from the study. The incidence per 100,000 patients and the concomitant 95% CI (Confidence Intervals) were computed. The present study included 1249 first-time stroke patients and calculated an overall minimal incidence rate of hospitalized first-time stroke of 57.64 per 100,000 persons per year (95% CI: 57.57-57.70). A steady increase was noticed depending on the patients' age, reaching a figure of 851.81 (95% CI: 849.2-854.5) for those patients aged 70 years and more. Overall, the incidence rate for females (48.14; 95% CI: 48.04-48.24) was lower compared to males (65.52; 95% CI: 65.1-66.0). Taking into consideration the expected rise of the elderly because of the prominent medical services provided by the Saudi government, leading to a subsequent change in the horizontal and vertical age distribution structure of the population, an increase in the number of stroke patients is expected. It is suggested to establish a nationwide stroke surveillance system in the Kingdom, with the objective to report, analyze, and maintain an updated overview of the stroke status in Saudi Arabia.

A coupled remote sensing and the Surface Energy Balance based algorithms to estimate actual evapotranspiration over the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmoud, Shereif H.; Alazba, A. A.

2016-07-01

In countries with absolute water scarcity such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), large-scale actual evapotranspiration estimation is of great concern in water use practices. Herein, spatial and temporal distribution of actual evapotranspiration (AET) in the western and southern regions of KSA during 1992-2014 was estimated using the SEBAL model with field observations. Zonal statistics for each land use-cover type were also identified, in order to understand their effects on water consumption. In addition, daily and seasonal water consumption for major crops was computed. Results revealed a gradual increase in monthly AET values from January to April and subsequent decline from May to December. The maximum monthly AET values were observed for irrigated cropland in southwestern, central, and southeastern regions of Asir Province, central and southwestern regions of Al-Baha Province, central and the plains region of Jazan Province, southern portion of Makkah Province, and limited areas in the northern regions of Madinah Province. The annual AET ranged from 418.8 to 3442.3 mm yr-1. The normal distribution of mean annual AET values ranged from 717 to 1020 mm yr-1. Forty-two percent of the study area had an annual AET that ranged from 717 to 1020 mm yr-1. The second highest range of frequencies was concentrated around 1020-1322 mm yr-1, representing the majority of agricultural land. The consumptive water use of the different land cover types in study area indicated that irrigated cropland which occupied 14.6% of the study area had AET rates much higher than other land uses. Water bodies are the next highest, with forest and shrubland and sparse vegetation slightly lower, and very low AET rates from bare soil. Daily and seasonal water consumption of major cropping systems varied spatially depending on cropping practices and climatic conditions.

Why Would Khat Chewers Quit? An In-Depth, Qualitative Study on Saudi Khat Quitters

PubMed Central

Alsanusy, Rashad; El-Setouhy, Maged

2013-01-01

Background: Khat chewing, which has many adverse health and social consequences, is highly prevalent and socially accepted in the Jazan region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted with 47 adult male former khat users regarding their khat initiation, continuance, and cessation, the amounts of khat they had used, and the health and social consequences of their use and cessation of use. Results: Participants noted a desire to show maturity, ease of availability of khat, and peer pressure as reasons for initiating khat chewing. Many noted long leisure times with little to do as a reason for continuing use. Negative consequences of khat use were seen in economic, health, familial, and sexual areas of their lives. After quitting khat use, participants saw improvements in all of these areas. Conclusions: A comprehensive community development program (CCDP) tackling, among other issues, the normalization of khat use, substantial leisure times with few positive activities, and misinformation about the “benefits” of khat use, as well as developing peer and family training programs to help prevent or stop khat use, would be useful to reduce khat chewing in this community. PMID:24159910

Food habits of the Arabian skink, Scincus hemprichii Wiegmann, 1837, (Sauria: Scincidae), in the Southwest Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Paray, Bilal A; Al-Mfarij, Abdul Rahman; Al-Sadoon, Mohammed K

2018-01-01

Food and feeding habits of the Arabian skink, Scincus hemprichii were investigated in Jazan province, southwest of Saudi Arabia. S. hemprichii individuals fed during eleven months of the year. The mass of food in the stomachs indicated that a high degree of foraging success occurred during the warm spring while the lowest was during winter with January as an exception to feeding by the lizard. Analysis of the contents of 60 stomachs revealed that the diet of S. hemprichii in the study area consisted of arthropods, with two species of beetles of the family Dermestidae ( Dermestis vulpinus and Dermestis maculates ) and three type of dipteran larvae, accounting for 76% of the total volume of the food items. Specimens collected during January had empty stomachs.

Blood donors screening for malaria in non-endemic area in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Is it necessary to introduce immunological testing?

PubMed

Elyamany, Ghaleb; Al Gharawi, Ali; Alrasheed, Mohammed; Alsuhaibani, Omar

2016-02-01

In Saudi Arabia, where malaria is not endemic, the incidence is very low. However, malaria transmission cases have been reported, mainly in Asir and Jazan provinces along the Southwestern border with Yemen. Imported cases also have been reported. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of malaria in blood donors in a tertiary care hospital in the central area of Saudi Arabia and to assess the effectiveness of malaria screening methods used by transfusion services in Prince Sultan Military Medical City. This study was conducted on 180,000 people who donated blood during 2006-2015. All blood smears from blood donors were screened for malaria infection using Giemsa staining, low power and high power microscopic examinations, and using oil immersion lens. The data were analyzed and reported in descriptive statistics and prevalence. From the total of 180,000 blood donors who were screened for malaria, 156,000 (87%) and 23.400 (13%) were Saudi Arabia citizens and non-Saudi residents, respectively. The mean age of the blood donors was 32 (ranging from 18 to 65), 97% and 3% were male and female, respectively. Using our current method for malaria screening, the prevalence of malaria in the study population was zero. The current methods of malaria screening in blood donors is not suitable for screening low-level parasiotemia. Adding the immunoassay and molecular screening methods is suggested.

Tabanidae (Diptera) of Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al Dhafer, H.M.; Dawah, H.A.; Abdullah, M.A.

2009-01-01

Samples were collected from southern, central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia using Malaise traps and sweep nets. Nine species of Tabanidae were identified, two for the first time from Saudi Arabia, Hybomitra peculiaris (Szilády) and Atylotus pulchellus (Loew). Therefore, the total number of Tabanidae in Saudi Arabia is 31 species. Remarks of the species recorded in this study were given. A key to the genera of Tabanidae occurring in the Arabian Peninsula is also provided. Available literature for Saudi Arabian Tabanidae is summarized and provided. It is concluded that the tabanid fauna of Saudi Arabia is more similar to that of the Palaearctic region than to the Afrotropical region. PMID:23961046

Saudi Arabia: A future regional hub for advanced education, research, science and technology.

PubMed

Meo, Sultan Ayoub

2015-10-01

Saudi Arabia is the largest country of the Arabian Peninsula, blessed with significant natural resources, including oil, gas and minerals. Saudi Arabia has recognised the importance of education in social and economic transformation, and has established a large number of universities, research and advanced technical institutes which have broken the metropolitan boundaries and have been extended to the far-flung areas of the country. There are 68 universities and degree-awarding institutes. The educational budget reached its highest-ever level of $56.56 billion for the year 2014. About 124,000 Saudi students are pursuing higher education in about 500 universities around the world. Saudi Arabia produced 177826 research papers in Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) database and in the year 2014 alone, 26168 research papers were published in indexed science journals with a rising h-index of 144. The country is turning into a regional hub for advanced education, research, science and technology while swiftly shifting from an oil-based to a knowledge-based economy.

Survey of the reptilian fauna of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. VI. The snake fauna of Turaif region.

PubMed

Al-Sadoon, Mohammed K; Paray, Bilal Ahmad; Al-Otaibi, Hamad

2017-05-01

A collection of snakes in Turaif region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, an area that has been poorly documented for reptiles, consists of 28 specimens representing 11 species belonging to 4 families (Colubridae, Elapidae, Viperidae and Atractaspididae). This study presents the first comprehensive inventory of the herpetofauna of the Turaif province of Saudi Arabia. Co-ordinates: Latitude, longitude and altitude, of the collected specimens were mapped using GPS. Three of the snake species Lytorhynchus diadema, Pseudocerastes fieldi and Walterinnesia morgani reported by the authors in the present survey proved to be new records for Turaif region of Saudi Arabia.

Rainfall Climatology over Asir Region, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharif, H.; Furl, C.; Al-Zahrani, M.

2012-04-01

Arid and semi-arid lands occupy about one-third of the land surface of the earth and support about one-fifth of the world population. The Asir area in Saudi Arabia is an example of these areas faced with the problem of maintaining sustainable water resources. This problem is exacerbated by the high levels of population growth, land use changes, increasing water demand, and climate variability. In this study, the characteristics of decade-scale variations in precipitation are examined in more detail for Asir region. The spatio-temporal distributions of rainfall over the region are analyzed. The objectives are to identify the sensitivity, magnitude, and range of changes in annual and seasonal evapotranspiration resulting from observed decade-scale precipitation variations. An additional objective is to characterize orographic controls on the space-time variability of rainfall. The rainfall data is obtained from more than 30 rain gauges spread over the region.

Distribution of naturally occurring radioactivity and ¹³⁷Cs in the marine sediment of Farasan Island, southern Red Sea, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Zahrany, A A; Farouk, M A; Al-Yousef, A A

2012-11-01

The present work is a part of a project dedicated to measure the marine radioactivity near the Saudi Arabian coasts of the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf for establishing a marine radioactivity database, which includes necessary information on the background levels of both naturally occurring and man-made radionuclides in the marine environment. Farasan Islands is a group of 84 islands (archipelago), under the administration of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the Red Sea with its main island of Farasan, which is 50 km off the coast of Jazan City. The levels of natural radioactivity of (238)U, (235)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K and man-made radionuclides such as (137)Cs in the grab sediment and water samples around Farasan Island have been measured using gamma-ray spectroscopy. The average activity concentrations of (238)U, (235)U, (226)Ra, (232)Th, (40)K and (137)Cs in the sediment samples were found to be 35.46, 1.75, 3.31, 0.92, 34.34 and 0.14 Bq kg(-1), respectively.

The relationship between quality of work life and turnover intention of primary health care nurses in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Almalki, Mohammed J; FitzGerald, Gerry; Clark, Michele

2012-09-12

Quality of work life (QWL) has been found to influence the commitment of health professionals, including nurses. However, reliable information on QWL and turnover intention of primary health care (PHC) nurses is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between QWL and turnover intention of PHC nurses in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey was used in this study. Data were collected using Brooks' survey of Quality of Nursing Work Life, the Anticipated Turnover Scale and demographic data questions. A total of 508 PHC nurses in the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia, completed the questionnaire (RR = 87%). Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, General Linear Model (GLM) univariate analysis, standard multiple regression, and hierarchical multiple regression were applied for analysis using SPSS v17 for Windows. Findings suggested that the respondents were dissatisfied with their work life, with almost 40% indicating a turnover intention from their current PHC centres. Turnover intention was significantly related to QWL. Using standard multiple regression, 26% of the variance in turnover intention was explained by QWL, p < 0.001, with R2 = .263. Further analysis using hierarchical multiple regression found that the total variance explained by the model as a whole (demographics and QWL) was 32.1%, p < 0.001. QWL explained an additional 19% of the variance in turnover intention, after controlling for demographic variables. Creating and maintaining a healthy work life for PHC nurses is very important to improve their work satisfaction, reduce turnover, enhance productivity and improve nursing care outcomes.

The relationship between quality of work life and turnover intention of primary health care nurses in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Quality of work life (QWL) has been found to influence the commitment of health professionals, including nurses. However, reliable information on QWL and turnover intention of primary health care (PHC) nurses is limited. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between QWL and turnover intention of PHC nurses in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional survey was used in this study. Data were collected using Brooks’ survey of Quality of Nursing Work Life, the Anticipated Turnover Scale and demographic data questions. A total of 508 PHC nurses in the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia, completed the questionnaire (RR = 87%). Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, General Linear Model (GLM) univariate analysis, standard multiple regression, and hierarchical multiple regression were applied for analysis using SPSS v17 for Windows. Results Findings suggested that the respondents were dissatisfied with their work life, with almost 40% indicating a turnover intention from their current PHC centres. Turnover intention was significantly related to QWL. Using standard multiple regression, 26% of the variance in turnover intention was explained by QWL, p < 0.001, with R2 = .263. Further analysis using hierarchical multiple regression found that the total variance explained by the model as a whole (demographics and QWL) was 32.1%, p < 0.001. QWL explained an additional 19% of the variance in turnover intention, after controlling for demographic variables. Conclusions Creating and maintaining a healthy work life for PHC nurses is very important to improve their work satisfaction, reduce turnover, enhance productivity and improve nursing care outcomes. PMID:22970764

Aerosol and Cloud Microphysical Properties in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Axisa, Duncan; Kucera, Paul; Burger, Roelof; Li, Runjun; Collins, Don; Freney, Evelyn; Posada, Rafael; Buseck, Peter

2010-05-01

In recent advertent and inadvertent weather modification studies, a considerable effort has been made to understand the impact of varying aerosol properties and concentration on cloud properties. Significant uncertainties exist with aerosol-cloud interactions for which complex microphysical processes link the aerosol and cloud properties. Under almost all environmental conditions, increased aerosol concentrations within polluted air masses will enhance cloud droplet concentration relative to that in unperturbed regions. The interaction between dust particles and clouds are significant, yet the conditions in which dust particles become cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) are uncertain. In order to quantify this aerosol effect on clouds and precipitation, a field campaign was launched in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia as part of a Precipitation Enhancement Feasibility Study. Ground measurements of aerosol size distributions, hygroscopic growth factor, CCN concentrations as well as aircraft measurements of cloud hydrometeor size distributions were done in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia in August 2009. Research aircraft operations focused primarily on conducting measurements in clouds that are targeted for cloud top-seeding, on their microphysical characterization, especially the preconditions necessary for precipitation; understanding the evolution of droplet coalescence, supercooled liquid water, cloud ice and precipitation hydrometeors is necessary if advances are to be made in the study of cloud modification by cloud seeding. Non-precipitating mixed-phase clouds less than 3km in diameter that developed on top of the stable inversion were characterized by flying at the convective cloud top just above the inversion. Aerosol measurements were also done during the climb to cloud base height. The presentation will include a summary of the analysis and results with a focus on the unique features of the Asir region in producing convective clouds, characterization of the

Prevalence of Impacted Molar Teeth among Saudi Population in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia - A Retrospective Study of 3 Years.

PubMed

Syed, Kamran Bokhari; Zaheer, Kamran Bokhari; Ibrahim, Mohammed; Bagi, Mustafa Abdel; Assiri, Mohammed Abdullah

2013-02-01

To report the prevalence of impacted third molars according to the age, gender and type among Saudi population. This retrospective study involved 3800 panoramic radiographs of subjects aged 18 to 45 years who presented to the College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for oral care during the period from February 2009 to February 2011. Data collected was entered into a spreadsheet (Excel 2000; Microsoft, US) and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. A total of 713 impacted teeth were identified (18.76%) (p=0.003). The male to female ratio with impacted third molars was 604:109 (5.54:1) and the ratio of patients with impacted teeth was (5:1). Age group 1 (i.e., 20 to 25 years)had the highest prevalence of third molar tooth impaction (64.5%) and this decreased with increasing age. Incidence of tooth impaction is higher in the mandible than in maxilla. Males had a higher incidence of third molar impaction as compared to the females. Highest incidence is found in the age group of 20-25 years. Mesio-angular impaction was the most predominant type. How to cite this article: Syed KB, Kota Z, Ibrahim M, Bagi MA, Assiri MA. "Prevalence of Impacted Molar Teeth among Saudi Population in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia - A Retrospective Study of 3 Years". J Int Oral Health 2013; 5(1):43-47.

Smokeless tobacco (shammah) in Saudi Arabia: a review of its pattern of use, prevalence, and potential role in oral cancer.

PubMed

Alsanosy, Rashad Mohammed

2014-01-01

Shammah is a traditional form of chewing tobacco [smokeless tobacco, (ST)] that is commonly used in the Middle East especially in Saudi Arabia (KSA), Yemen and Sudan. The Substance Abuse Research Centre (SARC) at Jazan University noted that no adequate research and information on the prevalence of shammah use in the province of Jazan, and KSA as well, has been provided in the scientific literature. An intensive systematic review of online databases was performed, including AMED (The Allied and Complementary Medicine Database), Biological Abstracts, Cochrane Collection Plus, Dentistry and Oral Sciences Source, E-Journals Database, EBSCO Discovery Service, MEDLINE, PEMSoft, PEP Archive, PsycARTICLES, scopus, Sciencedirect and Google Scholar. Shammah is a mixture of powdered tobacco, lime, ash, black pepper, oils and flavorings. ST in KSA is placed in the buccal or lower labial vestibule of the mouth. The user (or dipper) spits out insoluble debris. The importation of ST products is prohibited in KSA. Accessible information on legislative action to control the use of ST in KSA appeared in 1990. The actual percentage use may be higher, than reported since shammah is illegal in KSA and there may be some reluctance to admit to its use. This review paper is an initial step in a funded research project by SARC to understand the pattern of use of shammah and provide adequate epidemiological data. One goal of this review is to generate further data for public health education.

Factors affecting performance of hospital nurses in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Ahmadi, Hanan

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors influencing performance of hospital nurses in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. Specific objectives were to estimate self-reported performance, and determine whether differences in employee demographics, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment, influenced performance. In total, 15 hospitals were randomly selected. The questionnaire was sent to all nurses (1,834) in these facilities and 923 nurses responded. Statistical analysis included correlation, t-test, and regression analysis. The study finds that job performance is positively correlated with organizational commitment, job satisfaction and personal and professional variables. Both job satisfaction and organizational commitment are strong predictors of nurses' performance. Job performance is positively related to some personal factors, including years of experience, nationality, gender, and marital status. Level of education is negatively related to performance. The findings of this study have a limited generalisability due to the fact that all measures used are based on self-reports. Future research may be directed to other objective measures of performance. Emphasis should be placed on effective supervision, empowerment, and a better reward system. Cultural diversity is a reality for most health organizations in Saudi Arabia; therefore, they need to adopt effective human resources strategies that aim to improve commitment and retention of qualified workers, and build a high performance organizational culture based on empowerment, open communication, and appreciation of impact of national culture on work attitudes. This study fulfills a research gap in the area of nursing performance, and its relationship with work attitudes in Saudi Arabia. The paper also highlights the impact of national culture on job performance and work attitude among nurses in Saudi Arabia, and other countries facing the issue of multi-national work force.

Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

1989-07-01

The country of Saudi Arabia contains 830,000 square miles, mostly desert with mountains in the southwest. It has population of 11 million and an annual growth rate of 3.5%. The population is 90% Arab and the rest Afro-Asian; the religion is Islam, and the language is Arabic. There is an 80% literacy rate, an infant mortality rate of 78/1000, and life expectancy of 60 years. There is a 4.8 million person work force, of which 25% is Saudi and 75% foreign. Until recently most of the people were nomadic and seminomadic; but with rapid economic growth, urbanization has progressed quickly and 90% are now settled, with some cities having high population densities (2,000/square mile). The country is very conservative due to the adherence to strict Islamic law. Oil was discovered in 1903 but large production was not introduced until after World War II. The country is now the world's largest oil exporter and 50% of the governments funds come from it. The country has developed rapidly in the 1970's and 1980's and present plans are for consolidation of the country's defenses, more government efficiency. Greater private sector employment is sought for Saudis, with reduction of foreign workers and more regional development The US and Saudis have mutual interest is stability in the region and have worked closely for peaceful development.

Southwestern Saudi Arabia at Night

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-08

This striking image of the coastline of southwestern Saudi Arabia was taken by astronauts on the International Space Station. Patchy cloud cover partially obscures and blurs the city lights, especially in the vicinity of Khamis Mushait and Abha. While much of the country is lightly populated desert—and relatively dark at night due to lack of city and roadway lights—the southwestern coastal region has a more moderate climate and several large cities. Three brightly lit urban centers are visible at image top left: Jeddah, Mecca, and Taif. Jeddah is the gateway city for Islamic pilgrims going to nearby Mecca, a religious journey known as the Hajj. Taif is located on the slopes of the Sarawat Mountains and provides a summer retreat for the Saudi government from the desert heat of the capital, Riyadh. Bright yellow-orange lighting marks highways that parallel the trend of the Asir Mountains (image center), connecting Mecca to the resort cities of Al Bahah and Abha. Smaller roadways, lit with blue lights, extend to the west to small cities along the Red Sea coastline. The bright yellow-orange glow of the city of Abha is matched by that of Khamis Mushait (or Khamis Mushayt) to the northeast. The brightly lit ribbon of highway continues towards other large cities to the south (Jazan, not shown) and southeast (Najran, not shown). Astronaut photograph ISS036-E-25802 was acquired on July 26, 2013, with a Nikon D3S digital camera using a 50 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by the Expedition 36 crew. It has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet

The National and Regional Prevalence Rates of Disability, Type, of Disability and Severity in Saudi Arabia-Analysis of 2016 Demographic Survey Data.

PubMed

Bindawas, Saad M; Vennu, Vishal

2018-02-28

The prevalence of disability varies between countries ranging from less than 1% to up to 30% in some countries, thus, the estimated global disability prevalence is about 15%. However, it is unknown what the current estimate of disability and its types and severity are in Saudi Arabia. Thus, the objective of this study is to estimate national and regional prevalence rates of any disability, types of disability, and their severity among Saudi populations. Data on disability status were extracted from the national demographic survey conducted in 2016 as reported by the General Authority for Statistics, Saudi Arabia (N = 20,064,970). Prevalence rates per a population of 100,000 of any disability, type of disability, and its severity were calculated at the national level and in all 13 regions. Out of 20,064,970 Saudi citizens surveyed, 667,280 citizens reported disabilities, accounting for a prevalence rate of 3326 per a population of 100,000 (3.3%). Individuals aged 60 years and above (11,014) and males (3818) had a higher prevalence rate of disability compared with females (2813). The Tabuk region has the highest rate of reported disability, at 4.3%. The prevalence rates of extreme disabilities in mobility and sight were higher in Madinah (57,343) and Northern border (41,236) regions, respectively. In Saudi Arabia, more than half a million Saudi citizens (1 out of every 30 individuals) reported the presence of disability during the year 2016. A higher prevalence rate of disability was seen among those aged 60 years and above, and males. Targeted efforts are required at the national and regional levels to expand and improve rehabilitation and social services for all people with disabilities.

Periodontal disease awareness among pregnant women in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Asa'ad, Farah A; Rahman, Ghousia; Al Mahmoud, Noura; Al Shamasi, Ebtehaj; Al Khuwaileidi, Abrar

2015-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and awareness regarding periodontal disease and its effects on pregnancy among pregnant women in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional survey, self-administered, structured questionnaires were distributed to 300 pregnant women who were chosen randomly from attendees of maternity health care centers in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. The questions were developed from literature reviews of articles. The questionnaire addressed personal and sociodemographic variables, periodontal health awareness, and knowledge of pregnant women. The questionnaire was translated into Arabic and was pretested during the pilot study on a random sample of 50 pregnant women. Data were analyzed by χ(2) -tests, with the level of significance set at P < 0.05. An overall response rate of 81% was obtained. Approximately 53% had a higher level of education, but only 21% knew how to define dental plaque and 30% knew its harmful effects. Almost 73% stated that gum disease could be prevented through toothbrushing and flossing. Approximately 97% of the respondents knew the negative effect of smoking, while only 12% knew there was a possible relationship between periodontal disease and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The results of this cross-sectional study found that there is limited knowledge and awareness about periodontal disease and its possible effects on pregnancy among pregnant women attending maternal health care centers in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. © 2013 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Hospital pharmacy practice in Saudi Arabia: Prescribing and transcribing in the Riyadh region

PubMed Central

Alsultan, Mohammed S.; Khurshid, Fowad; Salamah, Heba J.; Mayet, Ahmed Y.; Al-jedai, Ahmed H.

2011-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this survey is to outline pharmacy services in hospitals on a regional level in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods A modified-American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) survey questionnaire as pertinent to Saudi Arabia was used to conduct a national survey. After discussing with the pharmacy directors of 48 hospitals in the Riyadh region over the phone on the survey’s purpose, the questionnaires were personally delivered and collected upon completion. The hospital lists were drawn from the Ministry of Health hospital database. Results Twenty-nine hospitals participated in the survey giving a response rate of 60.4%. Approximately 60% of the hospitals which participated in the survey required prior approval for the use of non-formulary medications. About 83.3% of hospitals reviewed compliance with clinical practice guidelines and 72.7% hospitals reported that pharmacists are also actively involved in these activities. Pharmacists in more than 95% of hospitals provided consultations on drug information. A staff pharmacist routinely answering questions was the most frequently cited (74.1%) method by which objective drug information was provided to prescribers. Electronic drug information resources were available in 77.7% of hospitals, although internet use is not widely available to hospital pharmacists, with only 58.6% of hospitals providing pharmacist access to the internet. About, 34.5% of hospitals had computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) systems with clinical decision-support systems (CDSSs) and 51.9% of the hospitals had electronic medical record (EMR) system. Conclusion Hospital pharmacists are increasingly using electronic technologies to improve prescribing and transcribing of medications in Saudi Arabia. PMID:23960794

Saudi Arabia and Regional Issues

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

and Kuwait to the north; by the Persian Gulf, Qatar , the United Arab Emirates, and Oman to the east; by Oman and Yemen to the South; and by the Red Sea...on both the east and west coasts, primary and secondary aquifers that may not be renewable, and a growing system of dams that attempt to capture the...water plants producing 230 million gallons of water per day. (1:1289) More than 20 deep aquifers have been discovered in Saudi Arabia with 340

Harnessing the Barriers That Impact on Students' English Language Learning (ELL)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liton, Hussain Ahmed

2016-01-01

This study strives to single out the barriers and obstacles in terms of academic, course curriculum system and socio-cultural issues that impact on students' learning English language adversely in the prep year level at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. This paper especially focuses on the factors affecting EFL ("English as a Foreign…

Seismicity of the Tihamat-Asir region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merghelani, Habib M.

1979-01-01

Knowledge of the seismicity of the west coast of Saudi Arabia is vitally important to the Kingdom. The eastern margin of the Red Sea, which includes all of the west coast of Saudi Arabia, is possibly cut by transform faults that may be capable of producing earthquakes large enough to cause damage in the heavily populated areas or in the industrial complexes under construction. Prior to this study, there were no seismic stations in Saudi Arabia and no studies of microearthquake activity. It was generally assumed that there were no active faults along the west coast. During the period 20 January to 22 February, 1978, five portable seismic stations were deployed in the Tihamat Asir in the southwest part of the country. A significant level of microearthquake activity was detected at a location that approximately coincides with the landward extension of the proposed transform fault. The recording of these earthquakes demonstrates that there are active faults at this location, probably associated with the currently active Red Sea tectonic system. The practical significance of these earthquakes cannot be evaluated from the few data available, and further studies should be undertaken to determine if there are significant seismic hazards along the west coast of Saudi Arabia. 

Microplastic in the gastrointestinal tract of fishes along the Saudi Arabian Red Sea coast.

PubMed

Baalkhuyur, Fadiyah M; Bin Dohaish, El-Jawaher A; Elhalwagy, Manal E A; Alikunhi, Nabeel M; AlSuwailem, Abdulaziz M; Røstad, Anders; Coker, Darren J; Berumen, Michael L; Duarte, Carlos M

2018-06-01

This study assesses the presence of microplastic litter in the contents of the gastrointestinal tract of 26 commercial and non-commercial fish species from four difference habitats sampled along the Saudi Arabian coast of the Red Sea. A total of 178 individual were examined for microplastics. In total, 26 microplastic fragments were found. Of these, 16 being films (61.5%) and 10 being fishing thread (38.5%). FTIR analysis revealed that the most abundant polymers were polypropylene and polyethylene. The grouper (Epinephelus spp.) sampled at Jazan registered the highest number of ingested microplastics. This fish species is benthic and feeds on benthic invertebrates. Although differences in the abundance of microplastic ingestion among species were not statistically significant, a significant change was observed when the level of ingestion of microplastics particles was compared among the habitats. The higher abundance of microplastics particles may be related to the habitats of fish and the presence of microplastics debris near the seabed. The results of this study represent a first evidence that microplastic pollution represents an emerging threat to Red Sea fishes, their food web and human consumers. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Epidemiological Trends of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Province, Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Elmekki, Miskelyemen Abdelatti; Elhassan, Mogahid M; Ozbak, Hani A; Qattan, Ilham T; Saleh, Satti M; Alharbi, Ali H

2017-01-01

To investigate the epidemiological trends of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, western region of KSA. Four hundred and sixty-seven parasitologically confirmed CL cases attending Al-Meeqat Hospital, Al-Madinah, during 2012-2015, were included in this study. Both Saudi and non-Saudi nationals were infected, with the highest infection rate being among Saudis (68.7%). Males were more affected than females as 86.9% of the total CL cases were males. Moreover, CL was prevalent in all age groups with higher frequency among young adults and adolescents (23.1% and 22.7%, respectively). Interestingly, almost all the patients in the adolescent and child age groups were Saudis (96.2% and 93.5%, respectively). Considering geographical distribution, the highest percentage of the cases (40.5%) were from the northern parts of Al-Madinah province while the eastern parts reported the least infection rate (7.3%). Few cases (2.5%) were supposed to encounter the infection abroad. Additionally, the frequency of infection was found to follow a seasonal distribution. Regarding treatment, pentostam, ketoconazole, or cryotherapy were the treatment options usually used. CL is prevalent in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah area and new foci are being introduced. Thus, detailed studies with large surveillances regarding vector and reservoir hosts in and around the area are needed.

Epidemiological Trends of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah Province, Western Region of Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Elmekki, Miskelyemen Abdelatti; Elhassan, Mogahid M; Ozbak, Hani A; Qattan, Ilham T; Saleh, Satti M; Alharbi, Ali H

2017-01-01

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological trends of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, western region of KSA. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and sixty-seven parasitologically confirmed CL cases attending Al-Meeqat Hospital, Al-Madinah, during 2012–2015, were included in this study. Results: Both Saudi and non-Saudi nationals were infected, with the highest infection rate being among Saudis (68.7%). Males were more affected than females as 86.9% of the total CL cases were males. Moreover, CL was prevalent in all age groups with higher frequency among young adults and adolescents (23.1% and 22.7%, respectively). Interestingly, almost all the patients in the adolescent and child age groups were Saudis (96.2% and 93.5%, respectively). Considering geographical distribution, the highest percentage of the cases (40.5%) were from the northern parts of Al-Madinah province while the eastern parts reported the least infection rate (7.3%). Few cases (2.5%) were supposed to encounter the infection abroad. Additionally, the frequency of infection was found to follow a seasonal distribution. Regarding treatment, pentostam, ketoconazole, or cryotherapy were the treatment options usually used. Conclusion: CL is prevalent in Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah area and new foci are being introduced. Thus, detailed studies with large surveillances regarding vector and reservoir hosts in and around the area are needed. PMID:29302149

Seasonal variation and trend of chicken pox in the southern region of Saudi Arabia (2007-2012).

PubMed

Saleh, Noha; Al Moghazy, Bassem

2014-12-01

Chicken pox is a contagious disease caused by varicella zoster virus. Children are most susceptible to infection. In 1998, the WHO recommended that routine childhood varicella vaccination be considered in countries where the disease is a relatively important public health concern. There are few data on the trends of chicken pox. We aimed to evaluate the trend of chicken pox in Saudi Arabia (KSA) during the period 2007-2012. Data were collected by retrospective review of the existing anonymous surveillance records and book registries of chicken pox cases at the preventive medicine department of Armed Forces Hospital of the Southern Region of Saudi Arabia from 2007 to 2012. The collected data included the number, age, and sex of registered cases. A seasonal pattern was clearly demonstrated, with peak in March and April. There was also a decreasing trend from 2007 to 2012. Most cases occurred in the age group 4-15 years. The number of infected male patients was a little higher compared with female patients. These results indicate success in controlling the disease in the southern region of Saudi Arabia, which may be attributed to the implementation of public health interventions targeted at reducing infectious diseases (such as the introduction of varicella zoster vaccine in 2008). We recommend that a future study be conducted on the severity of chicken pox infection in adults (hospitalization, complications, and death) and a national survey among adults for the seroprevalence of markers of infection with varicella zoster.

Enhancing University Teachers' Information and Communication Technology Usage by Using a Virtual Learning Environment Training Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ageel, Mohammed; Woollard, John

2012-01-01

The research project is a case study focussing on the use of a virtual learning environment (VLE) implemented to increase the use of information and communication technology (ICT) by university teachers in Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. The study aims to investigate the effect of the VLE as the vehicle for a training course in ICT designed to…

From barriers to bridges: An investigation on Saudi student mobility (2006-2009)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denman, Brian D.; Hilal, Kholoud T.

2011-08-01

Globalisation is often thought to advocate for a single set of beliefs and customs and for a rejection of the need to protect regional cultures and traditions. In the aftermath of 9/11, the rift between Western and Arab cultures has deepened, and there is a patent need for cultural bridges to be built. The government of Saudi Arabia has, by increasing funding for higher education through grants and scholarships, enabled Saudi students to study at overseas universities. A number of non-Saudi students are also enrolled at Saudi Arabian universities. After a brief introduction to the cultural and educational history of the Arab region and Saudi identity, this article turns to contemporary higher education in Saudi Arabia. It introduces the King Abdullah Scholarship Programme and then goes on to present detailed enrolment data for 2006-2009, demonstrating trends and policy changes and identifying patterns in student mobility.

Applications of Radar Interferometric Techniques to Assess Natural Hazards and their Controlling Factors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sultan, M.; Becker, R.; Gebremichael, E.; Othman, A.; Emil, M.; Ahmed, M.; Elkadiri, R.; Pankratz, H. G.; Chouinard, K.

2015-12-01

Radar interferometric techniques including Persistent Scatterer (PS), Small BAseline Subset (SBAS), and two and three pass (differential interferometry) methods were applied to Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) datasets. These include the European Space Agency (ESA) ERS-1, ERS-2, Environmental satellite (Envisat), and Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (PALSAR) to conduct the following: (1) map the spatial distribution of land deformation associated with a wide range of geologic settings, (2) quantify the rates of the observed land deformation, and (3) identify the factors controlling the observed deformation. The research topics/areas include: (1) subsidence associated with sediment compaction in a Delta setting (Nile Delta, Egypt), (2) deformation in a rifting setting (Red Sea rifting along the Red Sea coastal zone and proximal basement outcrops in Egypt and Saudi Arabia), (3) deformation associated with salt dome intrusion and the dissolution of sabkha deposits (Jazan area in Saudi Arabia), (4) mass transport associated with debris flows (Jazan area in Saudi Arabia), and (5) deformation preceding, contemporaneous with, or following large earthquakes (in Nepal; magnitude: 7.8; date: April, 25, 2015) and medium earthquakes (in Harrat Lunayyir volcanic field, central Saudi Arabia; magnitude: 5.7; date: May 19, 2009). The identification of the factor(s) controlling the observed deformation was attained through spatial correlation of extracted radar velocities with relevant temporal and static ground based and remotely sensed geological and cultural data sets (e.g., lithology, structure, precipitation, land use, and earthquake location, magnitude, and focal mechanism) in a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment.

The prevalence of dental anomalies in the Western region of saudi arabia.

PubMed

Afify, Ahmed R; Zawawi, Khalid H

2012-01-01

Objective. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of dental anomalies that could be a cause of malocclusion in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods. A retrospective study of 878 digital orthopantomograms (OPGs) taken of patients, age ranging between 12 and 30 years, who presented to treatment at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between 2002 and 2011. The OPGs and dental records were reviewed for congenitally missing teeth, supernumerary teeth, impactions, ectopic eruption, transposition, germination, fusion, dilacerations, taurodontism, dens in dent, and any other unusual conditions that can be assessed with OPG. Results. The prevalence of patient that exhibited at least one dental anomaly was 396 (45.1%) patients. The prevalence of congenitally missing teeth was 226 (25.7%), impacted teeth 186 (21.1%), dilacerated teeth 10 (1.1%), supernumerary teeth 3 (0.3%), odontoma 1 (0.1%), and taurodontism was also 1 case (0.1%) of the total radiographs reviewed. Conclusions. Congenitally missing teeth were found to be the most prevalent anomaly (25.7%), and the second frequent anomaly was impacted teeth (21.1%), whereas root dilacerations, supernumerary teeth, and taurodontism were the least frequent anomalies (1.1%, 0.3% and 0.1%, resp.).

Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and its associated factors in three regions of Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Kaddam, Ibrahim M.; Al-Shaikh, Adnan M.; Abaalkhail, Bahaa A.; Asseri, Khalid S.; Al-Saleh, Yousef M.; Al-Qarni, Ali A.; Al-Shuaibi, Ahmed M.; Tamimi, Waleed G.; Mukhtar, Abdelmoneim M.

2017-01-01

Objectives: To measure prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Saudi Arabia, unveil the life style, nutritional habits and status, as well as identify the potential risk factors. Method: A school-based survey targeting Saudi school students and employees was conducted during the period from 2013 to 2014 using multistage cluster random sample in Central, Western and Eastern regions. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and difference between various population subgroups were calculated. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of potential risk factors. Results: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 49.5% in students and 44% in employees. Life style was not adequate to protect against vitamin D depletion. Unhealthy nutritional habits were widespread, some manifested in childhood while others manifested later in life. Living in the Eastern region, females, 16-19 years of age, low economic class, obese and lack of omega 3 supplements were risk factors in students. Employees living in the Eastern region, females, middle-income class, carbonated soft drink consumers, and lack of multivitamin supplements were at higher risk. Conclusion: There is a need for a health awareness program using evidence-based recommendations. Screening for early detection and correction of the condition should be proposed to be part of the national health strategy. There is need for identifying the burden of vitamin D deficiency on other diseases to control and improve the prognosis of these conditions. PMID:28397944

Prevalence and distribution of anopheline mosquitoes in malaria endemic areas of Asir region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Abdoon, A M M O; Alshahrani, A M

2003-05-01

To study the prevalence of anopheline mosquitoes, over 180 sites were sampled in malaria-endemic areas of Asir region, Saudi Arabia, during June 1999-April 2001. A total of 7085 larval and 754 adult female Anopheles spp. specimens were collected. Seven species were identified: An. dthali, An. rupicolus, An. sergentii, An. arabiensis, An. multicolor, An. turkhudi and An. pretoriensis. Both An. arabiensis and An. sergentii are known vectors of malaria in the region. An. dthali occurred in all sites and was the most abundant species. An. turkhudi was collected in low numbers as larvae only. An. multicolor and An. pretoriensis were recorded for the first time in Asir region. An. sergentii is a species of the northern areas of the region, whereas An. arabiensis was more prevalent in the south.

The effects of an educational program on depression literacy and stigma among students of secondary schools in Jazan city, 2016: A cluster-randomized controlled trial study protocol.

PubMed

Darraj, Hussain; Mahfouz, Mohamed Salih; Al Sanosi, Rashad; Badedi, Mohammed; Sabai, Abdullah

2018-05-01

Depression is a serious mental health disorder and characterized by sadness, loss of interest in activities, and decreased energy. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the school intervention program on depression literacy and stigma among students of secondary schools. A cluster randomized trial will be conducted on sample of 360 students to assess the depression literacy and stigma towards depression before and after a designed intervention educational program. The intervention consists of a package of 2 lectures, 1 video contact, and group discussion of 5 myths about depression, posters, and brochure. The target population consists of all secondary school students in Jazan, where there are 13 secondary schools will be stratified according to sex (6 schools for boys and 7 schools for girls). The results of the study will provide evidence of the efficacy of educational intervention programs on increasing depression literacy among students of secondary schools in Jazan City. The expected outcome of this study is to increase the depression literacy rate among high school students in the intervention group.

Antibodies in sera from camels (Camelus dromedarius) in western and sothren regions of Central Province, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Anazi, Abdullah D

2012-12-01

The study evaluated the seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in domestic camels in Western and Southern regions of Central province of Saudi Arabia. In total, 713 serum samples from clinically healthy camels were analyzed for anti-T. gondii antibodies using the Latex agglutination test (LAT). Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 94 (13.1%) camels. The number of seropositive in Al-Quwayiyah region (16.9%) was considerably higher than in other regions. However, the differences in seroprevalence between the 4 regions were not statistically significant (P >. 0.05). These results indicate that T. gondii antibodies are widespread in the camel populations and suggest that toxoplasmosis is a widely spread zoonotic infection this region.

Common Diseases and Some Demographic Characteristics among Saudi Women

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Haramlah, Ahmed Abdulrahman; Al-Bakr, Fawziah; Merza, Haniah

2015-01-01

This study aimed to detect the common diseases among Saudi women and their relationship with the level of physical activity and some variables. This study was applied to 1233 Saudi woman in different regions of the Kingdom, and adopted to explore the common diseases: obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol and asthma. The study results showed…

Knowledge and attitudes towards AIDS among Saudi and non-Saudi bus drivers.

PubMed

Abdelmoneim, I; Khan, M Y; Daffalla, A; Al-Ghamdi, S; Al-Gamal, M

2002-11-01

We explored the AIDS knowledge and attitudes of long-distance (non-Saudi) and in-city (Saudi) bus drivers in Saudi Arabia. The 69 non-Saudi drivers tended to score higher on knowledge than the 40 Saudi drivers although there were several gaps in their knowledge. As regards attitude, more Saudis knew that chastity could protect against AIDS and both groups tended to think that they were not the kind of people to get AIDS. Intensive health education and follow up is highly recommended for this sector of workers.

The effect of repeated blood donations on the iron status of male Saudi blood donors

PubMed Central

Abdullah, Saleh M.

2011-01-01

Background. Regular blood donation can lead to iron deficiency. Screening donors’ serum ferritin levels at the time of first donation and subsequently once every year is a very rational way to pick up iron deficiency in a voluntary blood donor population. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of blood donation and the prevalence of erythropoiesis with iron deficiency (sideropenia) in Saudi male blood donors. Materials and methods. The study was prospectively conducted, between December 2008 and March 2009, on 182 male native Saudi blood donors at King Fahd Central Hospital in Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. Each donor gave 450±50 mL of whole blood. Following the donation, samples were removed into 2.5 mL EDTA tubes for measurement of mean cell volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and into 7.5 mL plain tubes for estimation of iron and serum ferritin concentrations. The blood donors were divided into five groups, according to the number of donations they had given in the preceding 3 years. The blood donors in group I were first-time donors, with no previous history of blood donation. Group II donors had donated once in the last 3 years. Subjects in groups III, IV and V had donated more than once in the preceding 3 years and were considered regular donors. Results. The mean serum iron was significantly higher among subjects with no previous history of blood donation (group I) than among regular donors who had donated twice or more. The difference in serum ferritin concentration was statistically significant (p<0.05) when comparing regular donors in group III (72.4 μg/L), group IV (67.4 μg/L) and group V (26.2 μg/L) with first-time blood donors (131.4 μg/L). In contrast, the difference in the concentration of serum ferritin between subjects in group II (98.9 μg/L), who had donated once in the last 3 years, and in first-time blood donors (131.4 μg/L) was not statistically significant (p<0.131). None of the group I donors suffered from

Wadi Habawnah, Saudi Arabia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

These unique weathered volcanic intrusions near Wadi Habawnah, Saudi Arabia (18.0N, 44.0E) are located near Najran, north of the Yemen border. This harsh and rugged desert landscape has been heavily wind eroded and, to a lesser extent, water eroded, as evidenced by the dendritic patterns in this region where rainfall is a seldom occurance. Only a dwindling number of nomadic tribes inhabit this harsh region of few resources.

The spectrum of glomerulonephritis in saudi arabia: the results of the saudi registry.

PubMed

Huraib, S; Al Khader, A; Shaheen, F A; Abu Aisha, H; Souqiyyeh, M Z; Al Mohana, F; Soliman, M; Al Wakeel, J; Mitwalli, A; Al Mohaya, S; Said, R; Al Menawy, L; Sohaibani, M; Chan, N

2000-01-01

Only few studies regarding glomerulonephritis, with relatively small numbers of patients, have so far been published from different centers in Saudi Arabia, and have reported conflicting results regarding the patterns, even in the same city. The possible reasons for these differences include the small number of patients in the different studies, differences in the indications for renal biopsies, referral bias, geographical differences, and, sometimes, the non-availability of the necessary diagnostic facilities in the reporting centers. In order to overcome these problems, a registry for glomerulonephropathy was attempted in Saudi Arabia. Six large referral hospitals from different regions of Saudi Arabia participated in this registry. Biopsy reports and clinical information of 1294 renal biopsies were obtained. There were 782 renal biopsies due to glomerulonephritis (GN) accounting for 77.2% of the total biopsies. Five hundred eighty seven (72.6%) were primary glomerulonephritidis. Focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) (21.3%) and membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) (20.7%) were the most common types found in the primary glomerulonephritidis. Membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) was present in only 10.6% of the cases. IgA nephropathy was found in 6.5% of the cases. Of the secondary glomerulo-nephritides, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was the most common indication for biopsy (57.0%) and amyloidosis was found in only 3.2% of the biopsies. In conclusion, FSGS and MPGN were the most common forms of primary glomerulonephritis in adult patients in Saudi Arabia. MGN was not as common as in the western world. SLE was the commonest cause of secondary GN. Amyloidosis was not as common as in other Arab countries. There is a need for more centers from Saudi Arabia to join this national GN registry. Similar registries can be established in different Arab countries, which all would, hopefully, lead to a Pan-Arab GN registry.

Epidemiology of Road Traffic Injuries in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia: Consistency of Police and Health Data

PubMed Central

Barrimah, Issam; Midhet, Farid; Sharaf, Fawzi

2012-01-01

Introduction In Saudi Arabia, road traffic accidents (RTA) are becoming a serious public health problem. Police reports are designed for legal purposes with very little information on the health consequences. Also, health system data include detailed health information, but not related or linked to the data obtained police reports. Examining the consistency of these sources is vital to build an accurate surveillance system that can track the risk factors and the health consequences, as well as establishing and evaluating prevention interventions. Objectives This study is intended to: ▪ Examine the consistency of health -registration data with the data gathered by the traffic police department. ▪ Elucidate the magnitude, risk factors and outcome of RTI in Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, ▪ Compare the pattern of accidents in Qassim with those at different regions of the Kingdom. Methodology Health care information was collected on visits of victims of road traffic accidents to emergency and outpatients’ departments of the major hospitals in Qassim region during the year 2010. The information included the patients’ demographics, and clinical characteristics. Traffic Police Department information was also collected on all accidents that occurred in the study region. A Questionnaire was also developed and pilot tested to collect data from a random sample of population attending hospital outpatient and Primary Health Care clinics. Data included previous involvement in road traffic accident, and information about any injury; fatality or disability due to these RTI. Results During the study period, road traffic death rate based on death registration data was almost twice as high as the rate reported by the police (P < 0.05). There was also a significant decline of 27% according to police-reported data during the study period, as opposed to a non-significant increase of 8% according to health registration data during the same period. Population Survey Information

Mental health system in Saudi Arabia: an overview

PubMed Central

Qureshi, Naseem Akhtar; Al-Habeeb, Abdulhameed Abdullah; Koenig, Harold G

2013-01-01

Background There is evidence that mapping mental health systems (MHSs) helps in planning and developing mental health care services for users, families, and other caregivers. The General Administration of Mental Health and Social Services of the Ministry of Health over the past 4 years has sought to streamline the delivery of mental health care services to health consumers in Saudi Arabia. Objective We overview here the outcome of a survey that assessed the Saudi MHS and suggest strategic steps for its further improvement. Method The World Health Organization Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems was used systematically to collect information on the Saudi MHS in 2009–2010, 4 years after a baseline assessment. Results Several mental health care milestones, especially provision of inpatient mental health services supported by a ratified Mental Health Act, were achieved during this period. However, community mental health care services are needed to match international trends evident in developed countries. Similarly, a larger well-trained mental health workforce is needed at all levels to meet the ever-increasing demand of Saudi society. Conclusion This updated MHS information, discussed in light of international data, will help guide further development of the MHS in Saudi Arabia in the future, and other countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region may also benefit from Saudi experience. PMID:23966783

A New Phenomenon in Saudi Females' Code-Switching: A Morphemic Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turjoman, Mona O.

2016-01-01

This sociolinguistics study investigates a new phenomenon that has recently surfaced in the field of code-switching among Saudi females residing in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. This phenomenon basically combines bound Arabic pronouns, tense markers or definite article to English free morphemes or the combination of bound English affixes to…

Partial sequencing analysis of the NS5B region confirmed the predominance of hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

El Hadad, Sahar; Al-Hamdan, Hesa; Linjawi, Sabah

2017-01-01

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and its progression are major health problems that many countries including Saudi Arabia are facing. Determination of HCV genotypes and subgenotypes is critical for epidemiological and clinical analysis and aids in the determination of the ideal treatment strategy that needs to be followed and the expected therapy response. Although HCV infection has been identified as the second most predominant type of hepatitis in Saudi Arabia, little is known about the molecular epidemiology and genetic variability of HCV circulating in the Jeddah province of Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to determine the dominance of various HCV genotypes and subgenotypes circulating in Jeddah using partial sequencing of the NS5B region. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind in Saudi Arabia. To characterize HCV genotypes and subgenotypes, serum samples from 56 patients with chronic HCV infection were collected and subjected to partial NS5B gene amplification and sequence analysis. Phylogenetic analysis of the NS5B partial sequences revealed that HCV/1 was the predominant genotype (73%), followed by HCV/4 (24.49%) and HCV/3 (2.04%). Moreover, pairwise analysis also confirmed these results based on the average specific nucleotide distance identity: ±0.112, ±0.112, and ±0.179 for HCV/1, HCV/4, and HCV/3, respectively, without any interference between genotypes. Notably, the phylogenetic tree of the HCV/1 subgenotypes revealed that all the isolates (100%) from the present study belonged to the HCV/1a subgenotype. Our findings also revealed similarities in the nucleotide sequences between HCV circulating in Saudi Arabia and those circulating in countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Canada, India, Pakistan, and France. These results indicated that determination of HCV genotypes and subgenotypes based on partial sequence analysis of the NS5B region is accurate and reliable for HCV subtype determination.

Attitudes to evidence-based medicine of primary care physicians in Asir region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Khoja, T A; Al-Ansary, L A

2007-01-01

A questionnaire survey was made of primary health care physicians in Asir region, Saudi Arabia in 1999 to explore their awareness of and attitude towards evidence-based medicine. The 272 respondents welcomed the principles of evidence-based medicine. Awareness and use of extracting journals, review publications and databases was low. Pharmaceutical company sponsored journals were the most commonly read. Bibliographic databases could only be accessed by 13% of respondents and the Internet by only 6%. There was only partial understanding of technical terms used in evidence-based medicine. Absence of a local library and increased patient workload were seen by most respondents as the main obstacles to practising evidence-based medicine.

Decadal Variation of Precipitation in Saudi Arabia induced by Agricultural Irrigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lo, M. H.; Wey, H. W.; Wada, Y.; IM, E. S.; Chien, R. Y.; Wu, R. J.

2017-12-01

Decadal variation of wet-season precipitation has been found in the arid region of central Saudi Arabia. 1980s has been a rather wet decade compared with the decades before. Previous studies have mentioned that the irrigation moisture may contribute to the precipitation anomalies in Saudi Arabia. In the current study, we show from observational data that the contribution of the variation comes mostly from February to May. As the irrigation is a localized forcing, we therefore use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model to simulate the response of the land-atmosphere interaction to the wet soil moisture resulted from additional irrigation moisture supply. Preliminary result shows in the irrigated simulation that precipitation in central Saudi Arabia is enhanced, indicating the possible link between irrigation expansion in the 1980s and the decadal precipitation variation over central Saudi Arabia. We propose it is the anomalous convergence induced by irrigation as well as additional moisture that contribute to the enhanced precipitation over heavily irrigation region in the central Saudi Arabian. In addition, analysis on the daily precipitation from the WRF outputs indicates that positive rainfall anomalies tend to happen when there is rainfall originally; that is, irrigation enhances rainfall but not creates rainfall.

Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Virus in Saudi Arabia: A Review.

PubMed

Al-Tawfiq, Jaffar A; Memish, Ziad A

2018-02-01

Dengue fever is a global disease with a spectrum of clinical manifestation ranging from mild febrile disease to a severe disease in the form of dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Dengue virus is one viral hemorrhagic fever that exists in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in addition to Alkhurma (Alkhurma) Hemorrhagic Fever, Chikungunya virus, Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, and Rift Valley Fever. The disease is limited to the Western and South-western regions of Saudi Arabia, where Aedes aegypti exists. The majority of the cases in Saudi Arabia had mild disease and is related to serotypes 1-3 but not 4. The prospect for Dengue virus control relies on vector control, health education, and possibly vaccine use. Despite extensive collaborative efforts between multiple governmental sectors, including Ministry of Health, Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs, and Ministry of Water, dengue remains a major public health concern in the regions affected.

Saudi Arabia Country Analysis Brief

EIA Publications

2014-01-01

Saudi Arabia is the world's largest holder of crude oil proved reserves and was the largest exporter of total petroleum liquids in 2013. In 2013, Saudi Arabia was the world's second-largest petroleum liquids producer behind the United States and was the world's second-largest crude oil producer behind Russia. Saudi Arabia's economy remains heavily dependent on petroleum. Petroleum exports accounted for 85% of total Saudi export revenues in 2013, according to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)'s Annual Statistical Bulletin 2014. With the largest oil projects nearing completion, Saudi Arabia is expanding its natural gas, refining, petrochemicals, and electric power industries. Saudi Arabia's oil and natural gas operations are dominated by Saudi Aramco, the national oil and gas company and the world's largest oil company in terms of production. Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the Supreme Council for Petroleum and Minerals have oversight of the oil and natural gas sector and Saudi Aramco.

Aerosol-Cloud Interactions and Cloud Microphysical Properties in the Asir Region of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucera, P. A.; Axisa, D.; Burger, R. P.; Li, R.; Collins, D. R.; Freney, E. J.; Buseck, P. R.

2009-12-01

In recent advertent and inadvertent weather modification studies, a considerable effort has been made to understand the impact of varying aerosol properties and concentration on cloud properties. Significant uncertainties exist with aerosol-cloud interactions for which complex microphysical processes link the aerosol and cloud properties. Under almost all environmental conditions, increased aerosol concentrations within polluted air masses will enhance cloud droplet concentration relative to that in unperturbed regions. The interaction between dust particles and clouds are significant, yet the conditions in which dust particles become cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) are uncertain. In order to quantify this aerosol effect on clouds and precipitation, a field campaign was launched in the Asir region, located adjacent to the Red Sea in the southwest region of Saudi Arabia. Ground measurements of aerosol size distributions, hygroscopic growth factors, CCN concentrations as well as aircraft measurements of cloud hydrometeor size distributions were observed in the Asir region in August 2009. The presentation will include a summary of the analysis and results with a focus on aerosol-cloud interactions and cloud microphysical properties observed during the convective season in the Asir region.

Healthy dietary patterns decrease the risk of colorectal cancer in the Mecca Region, Saudi Arabia: a case-control study.

PubMed

Azzeh, Firas S; Alshammari, Eyad M; Alazzeh, Awfa Y; Jazar, Abdelelah S; Dabbour, Ibrahim R; El-Taani, Hani A; Obeidat, Ahmed A; Kattan, Fayrooz A; Tashtoush, Sufyan H

2017-06-29

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the first most common cancer in males and the third most common cancer in females in Saudi Arabia. Dietary habits are strongly associated with the inhibition or proliferation of malignancy. Therefore, this study is aiming to investigate the risks and protective benefits of dietary factors affecting CRC in the Mecca region of Saudi Arabia. A case-control study was conducted from June 2014 to March 2015. One hundred thirty-seven patients with colon and/or rectal cancer were recruited in the case group, while 164 healthy participants were recruited in the control group. A questionnaire was completed with the help of trained dietitians to study the effects of several dietary patterns on the risk of CRC. Dairy product intake of 1-5 servings/day, legume intake of 3-5 servings/week, leafy vegetables intake of 1-5 servings/week, olive oil intake of 1-5 servings/week, black tea intake of three or more cups/day, and coffee intake of one or more cups/day was found to decrease the risk of CRC in participants. This study highlights the importance of changing dietary habits to decrease CRC incidence in the Mecca region.

Seasonal Evaporation and Surface Energy Budget Estimation Across an Arid Agricultural Region in Saudi Arabia: Quantifying Groundwater Extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aragon, B.; Huang, D.; Houborg, R.; Dasari, H. P.; Hoteit, I.; McCabe, M.

2017-12-01

In arid-land agricultural environments, knowledge of the water and energy budget is critical in order to sustainably manage the allocation and use of water resources. Using long-term weather reanalysis data from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and a time-series record of Landsat 8 imagery, we apply the Priestly-Taylor Jet Propulsion Lab (PT-JPL) model to estimate the energy budget over the Al Jawf agricultural region in the north of Saudi Arabia. This zone generates a significant proportion of the agricultural production in Saudi Arabia and consumes an important fraction of the non-renewable water resources. This research contributes towards efforts seeking to quantify the precise amount of water that is used in agriculture - a difficult variable given that the overwhelming majority of supply comes from groundwater extraction. Results of this research can be used to improve crop management and to mitigate aquifer over-exploitation by monitoring the indiscriminate use of water and establishing bounds around the rates of groundwater withdrawal.

Complete genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of dengue type 1 virus isolated from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Azhar, Esam I; Hashem, Anwar M; El-Kafrawy, Sherif A; Abol-Ela, Said; Abd-Alla, Adly M M; Sohrab, Sayed Sartaj; Farraj, Suha A; Othman, Norah A; Ben-Helaby, Huda G; Ashshi, Ahmed; Madani, Tariq A; Jamjoom, Ghazi

2015-01-16

Dengue viruses (DENVs) are mosquito-borne viruses which can cause disease ranging from mild fever to severe dengue infection. These viruses are endemic in several tropical and subtropical regions. Multiple outbreaks of DENV serotypes 1, 2 and 3 (DENV-1, DENV-2 and DENV-3) have been reported from the western region in Saudi Arabia since 1994. Strains from at least two genotypes of DENV-1 (Asia and America/Africa genotypes) have been circulating in western Saudi Arabia until 2006. However, all previous studies reported from Saudi Arabia were based on partial sequencing data of the envelope (E) gene without any reports of full genome sequences for any DENV serotypes circulating in Saudi Arabia. Here, we report the isolation and the first complete genome sequence of a DENV-1 strain (DENV-1-Jeddah-1-2011) isolated from a patient from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2011. Whole genome sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis showed high similarity between DENV-1-Jeddah-1-2011 strain and D1/H/IMTSSA/98/606 isolate (Asian genotype) reported from Djibouti in 1998. Further analysis of the full envelope gene revealed a close relationship between DENV-1-Jeddah-1-2011 strain and isolates reported between 2004-2006 from Jeddah as well as recent isolates from Somalia, suggesting the widespread of the Asian genotype in this region. These data suggest that strains belonging to the Asian genotype might have been introduced into Saudi Arabia long before 2004 most probably by African pilgrims and continued to circulate in western Saudi Arabia at least until 2011. Most importantly, these results indicate that pilgrims from dengue endemic regions can play an important role in the spread of new DENVs in Saudi Arabia and the rest of the world. Therefore, availability of complete genome sequences would serve as a reference for future epidemiological studies of DENV-1 viruses.

Breast Cancer awareness among Saudi females in Jeddah.

PubMed

Radi, Sahar Mahmoud

2013-01-01

Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy of women worldwide. It is the leading cause of female cancer related disability and mortality. In Saudi Arabia breast cancer ranks first among cancerous diseases in females. In the Gulf region, and especially in Saudi Arabia, few studies have been conducted to address breast cancer awareness. The purpose of the current study was therefore to investigate the level of breast cancer awareness among Saudi females in Jeddah, focusing on knowledge of breast cancer warning signs, risk factors, screening programs and breast self-examination (BSE). The design of this study was an exploratory correlational analysis. The sample comprised 200 Saudi females aged 20 and older living in Jeddah. Data were collected using face-to- face interviews. Breast cancer awareness was measured using a modified Arabic version of the Breast Cancer Awareness Measure (Breast CAM) version 2. Descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson's Product Moment correlation coefficients and ANOVA test were used to answer study questions. Out of 200 participants, 50.5% were aware of breast lump as a warning sign of breast cancer, 57.5% claimed that family history was risk factor, 20.5% had undergone breast screening, 79% heard about BSE, and 47.5% knew how to perform BSE. Findings indicated that Saudi females level of awareness of breast cancer is very inadequate. Public awareness interventions are needed in order to overcome an ever-increasing burden of this disease among Saudi females.

Pattern of skin cancer among Saudi patients attending a tertiary care center in Dhahran, Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A 20-year retrospective study.

PubMed

Al-Dawsari, Najla A; Amra, Nasir

2016-12-01

Skin cancer is the ninth most common malignancy in Saudi Arabia. It represented 3.2% of all newly diagnosed cancer cases in the year 2010. The aim of this study was to determine the epidemiology of skin cancer in relation to age, sex, and anatomic location among Saudi patients attending the Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare center in Dhahran, Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. We retrospectively reviewed the surgical pathology records of Saudi nationals from 1995 to 2014 at the Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare center, which directly provides for the healthcare needs of Saudi Aramco company employees and dependents in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Tumor metastases to skin, skin involvement by primary breast carcinoma, and B-cell leukemia/lymphoma with secondary involvement by skin were excluded. The total number of primary skin tumors was 204. The commonest cutaneous malignancies were basal cell carcinoma (36%) followed by squamous cell carcinoma (23%), with the head and neck being the commonest location for both tumors. Mycosis fungoides (MF) was the third most common malignancy (11%). Malignant melanoma was the fourth commonest skin malignancy (7%) with the lower extremities being the commonest location. The four most common skin cancers in our tertiary center in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, MF, and malignant melanoma. Other regions of Saudi Arabia report a similar pattern of skin cancers as our center, with MF having a higher frequency at our center. © 2016 The International Society of Dermatology.

Virtual water content for meat and egg production through livestock farming in Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhury, Shakhawat; Ouda, Omar K. M.; Papadopoulou, Maria P.

2017-12-01

The concept of virtual water content (VWC) may facilitate an understanding of total water demand for commodity production. The water consumption for livestock production forms a significant fraction of freshwater demand in arid regions, i.e., Saudi Arabia. In this paper, VWC was estimated for different livestocks in the 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. The VWC for camel production was also estimated, which has not been investigated in the previous studies. The overall VWC for livestock in Saudi Arabia was about 10.5 and 8.9 billion m3 in 2006 and 2010, respectively. This study shows the decreasing trend of overall VWC in producing livestock in Saudi Arabia. The VWC were highest in Riyadh followed by Eastern region, Qaseem, Hail, and Makkah with ranges of 3587-4112, 1684-2044, 1007-1331, 644-810, and 504-715 million m3/year, respectively. The results demonstrate that a shift in diet from the high VWC meat to low VWC meat may reduce the overall VWC for livestock production. The findings of this analysis provide an assessment of the quantity and trend of water demand for livestock production in Saudi Arabia, which is useful to assess the development of an information-based agricultural water management strategy.

Prevalence of congenital color vision defects in Saudi females of Arab origin.

PubMed

Alabdelmoneam, Mussaed

2011-09-01

Inherited color vision deficiencies (CVD) vary in prevalence by population and by sex. The most common CVD is X chromosome-linked anomalous trichromacy. Prevalence varies significantly by sex and race. The frequency of color vision defects in Saudi females has not been studied previously. This study surveyed the prevalence of congenital color vision defects in Saudi females of Arab origin. Seven thousand four hundred sixty-seven female subjects (N = 7,467) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were screened using both Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates and the Farnsworth Dichotomous test (D-15). CVD subjects were tested further with the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test. Of 7,467 female subjects tested, 26 subjects were found to have defective color vision, for a prevalence of 0.35%. Sixteen subjects had a deutan defect, and 10 had a protan defect. Arab females have significantly lower prevalence of CVD when compared with published data from females of other races. Analysis of the 5 regions of Saudi Arabia showed no significant difference between the regions. Prevalence of CVD among Saudi females of Arab origin is 0.35% and is among the lowest of all published data. Copyright © 2011 American Optometric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The rifted margin of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClain, J. S.; Orcutt, J. A.

The structure of rifted continental margins has always been of great scientific interest, and now, with dwindling economic oil deposits, these complex geological features assume practical importance as well. The ocean-continent transition is, by definition, laterally heterogeneous and likely to be extremely complicated. The southernmost shotpoints (4, 5, and 6) in the U.S. Geological Survey seismic refraction profile in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lie within a transition region and thus provide a testing ground for methods that treat wave propagation in laterally heterogeneous media. This portion of the profile runs from the Farasan Islands in the Red Sea across the coast line and the Hijaz-Asir escarpment into the Hijaz-Asir tectonic province. Because the southernmost shotpoint is within the margin of the Saudi sub-continent, the full transition region is not sampled. Furthermore, such an experiment is precluded by the narrowness of the purely oceanic portion of the Red Sea.

An overview of wetlands of Saudi Arabia: Values, threats, and perspectives.

PubMed

Al-Obaid, Sami; Samraoui, Boudjéma; Thomas, Jacob; El-Serehy, Hamed A; Alfarhan, Ahmed H; Schneider, Wolfgang; O'Connell, Mark

2017-02-01

The wetlands of Saudi Arabia are located in a water-stressed region that is highly vulnerable to climate and other global changes. Sebkhas, mudflats, mangroves, and wadis are the dominant wetlands in the arid regions of North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. These unique wetlands are recognized as a sanctuary for biodiversity and for their economic services generated from mineral extraction, agriculture, and grazing. Despite their ecological values and societal services, the long-term permanence of Saudi Arabia's wetlands faces strong challenges resulting from human activities associated with sustained population growth, habitat degradation, and coastal development. This paper consolidates a literature review of Saudi Arabia's wetlands from local to global importance, highlights their biodiversity, and identifies threats and evolution of these vulnerable ecosystems in the arid Arabian Peninsula by focusing on the status of key freshwater taxa (Odonata, freshwater fishes, amphibians, and waterbirds) and documenting changes affecting important wetlands.

The Saudi Tatweer Education Reforms: Implications of Neoliberal Thought to Saudi Education Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tayan, Bilal M.

2017-01-01

The King Abdullah Public Education Development Project or the "Tatweer" education reforms were created to improve the quality of teaching and learning in Saudi Arabia. It was a response to develop generations of Saudis who would contribute to the economic well-being of the nation. The Saudi Tatweer education reforms have been important…

Analysis of sugars and pH in commercially available soft drinks in Saudi Arabia with a brief review on their dental implications.

PubMed

Idris, Ali Mohamed; Vani, Nandimandalam Venkata; Almutari, Dhafi A; Jafar, Mohammed A; Boreak, Nezar

2016-12-01

To determine the amount of sugar and pH in commercially available soft drinks in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. This was further compared with their labeled values in order to inform the regulations. The effects of these drinks on teeth is reviewed. Ten brands of popular soft drinks including 6 regular carbonated drinks and 4 energy drinks were obtained from the local markets. Their pH was determined using a pH meter. The amount of total sugar, glucose, fructose, and sucrose was estimated using high performance liquid chromatography (using Dionex ICS 5000 ion chromatography) at the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. Descriptive statistics was done to obtain the mean and standard deviation. Intergroup comparison was performed using independent t -test, and the labeled and estimated values within the group were compared with paired t -test. The labeled and estimated sugar in energy drinks (14.3 ± 0.48 and 15.6 ± 2.3, respectively) were higher than the carbonated drinks (11.2 ± 0.46 and 12.8 ± 0.99), which was statistically significant. In addition, there was a significant difference in the concentration of glucose in energy drinks (5.7 ± 1.7) compared to carbonated drinks (4.1 ± 1.4). The pH of these drinks ranged from 2.4 to 3.2. The differences between the estimated and labeled sugar in carbonated drinks showed statistical significance. Mild variation was observed in total sugar, glucose, fructose, and sucrose levels among different bottles of the same brand of these drinks. The low pH and high sugar content in these drinks are detrimental to dental health. Comparison of the estimated sugar with their labeled values showed variation in most of the brands. Preventive strategies should be implemented to reduce the health risks posed by these soft drinks.

Analysis of sugars and pH in commercially available soft drinks in Saudi Arabia with a brief review on their dental implications

PubMed Central

Idris, Ali Mohamed; Vani, Nandimandalam Venkata; Almutari, Dhafi A.; Jafar, Mohammed A.; Boreak, Nezar

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the amount of sugar and pH in commercially available soft drinks in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. This was further compared with their labeled values in order to inform the regulations. The effects of these drinks on teeth is reviewed. Materials and Methods: Ten brands of popular soft drinks including 6 regular carbonated drinks and 4 energy drinks were obtained from the local markets. Their pH was determined using a pH meter. The amount of total sugar, glucose, fructose, and sucrose was estimated using high performance liquid chromatography (using Dionex ICS 5000 ion chromatography) at the Saudi Food and Drug Authority. Descriptive statistics was done to obtain the mean and standard deviation. Intergroup comparison was performed using independent t-test, and the labeled and estimated values within the group were compared with paired t-test. Results: The labeled and estimated sugar in energy drinks (14.3 ± 0.48 and 15.6 ± 2.3, respectively) were higher than the carbonated drinks (11.2 ± 0.46 and 12.8 ± 0.99), which was statistically significant. In addition, there was a significant difference in the concentration of glucose in energy drinks (5.7 ± 1.7) compared to carbonated drinks (4.1 ± 1.4). The pH of these drinks ranged from 2.4 to 3.2. The differences between the estimated and labeled sugar in carbonated drinks showed statistical significance. Mild variation was observed in total sugar, glucose, fructose, and sucrose levels among different bottles of the same brand of these drinks. Conclusion: The low pH and high sugar content in these drinks are detrimental to dental health. Comparison of the estimated sugar with their labeled values showed variation in most of the brands. Preventive strategies should be implemented to reduce the health risks posed by these soft drinks. PMID:28217536

Spatial Autocorrelation of Cancer Incidence in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al-Ahmadi, Khalid; Al-Zahrani, Ali

2013-01-01

Little is known about the geographic distribution of common cancers in Saudi Arabia. We explored the spatial incidence patterns of common cancers in Saudi Arabia using spatial autocorrelation analyses, employing the global Moran’s I and Anselin’s local Moran’s I statistics to detect nonrandom incidence patterns. Global ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and local geographically-weighted regression (GWR) were applied to examine the spatial correlation of cancer incidences at the city level. Population-based records of cancers diagnosed between 1998 and 2004 were used. Male lung cancer and female breast cancer exhibited positive statistically significant global Moran’s I index values, indicating a tendency toward clustering. The Anselin’s local Moran’s I analyses revealed small significant clusters of lung cancer, prostate cancer and Hodgkin’s disease among males in the Eastern region and significant clusters of thyroid cancers in females in the Eastern and Riyadh regions. Additionally, both regression methods found significant associations among various cancers. For example, OLS and GWR revealed significant spatial associations among NHL, leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease (r² = 0.49–0.67 using OLS and r² = 0.52–0.68 using GWR) and between breast and prostate cancer (r² = 0.53 OLS and 0.57 GWR) in Saudi Arabian cities. These findings may help to generate etiologic hypotheses of cancer causation and identify spatial anomalies in cancer incidence in Saudi Arabia. Our findings should stimulate further research on the possible causes underlying these clusters and associations. PMID:24351742

Distribution and determinants of tuberculosis in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2005 to 2012.

PubMed

Almutairi, Fahad M; Tayeb, Tamara; Alhakeem, Raffat; Saeed, Abdulaziz Bin; Assiri, Abdullah; McNabb, Scott J N

2018-03-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health threat in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) with many challenges that limit its prevention and control. To understand how to meet these challenges, this study calculated the TB incidence rates (IRs) in KSA from 2005 to 2012, which were stratified by nationality, sex, and administrative regions. Furthermore, laboratory capabilities were assessed by determining the proportion of laboratory-confirmed TB cases. The overall TB IRs decreased from 15.80/100,000 population in 2005 [95% confidence interval (CI)=15.29-16.31] to 13.16/100,000 population in 2012 (95% CI=12.74-13.58). The IRs were greater for males than for females from 2009 to 2012. The IRs of non-Saudis were approximately two times those of Saudis during the study period. Mecca had greater IR during the study period compared with other regions [25.13/100,000 (95% CI=24.7-25.56)]. Among non-Saudis, those from Indonesia and Yemen had the greatest proportion of TB cases (15.4% and 12.9%, respectively). Individuals <15years of age comprised 14.2% of the TB cases. Employed non-Saudis had the greatest proportion of TB (32%), followed by unemployed Saudis (22.38%). The proportion of laboratory-confirmed cases of reported TB was 57% from 2005 to 2012. For effective prevention and control, TB screening should be implemented for non-Saudi workers at ports of entry and laboratory-screening capacity for TB should be evaluated. Copyright © 2017 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cambrian nepheline syenite complex at Jabal Sawda, Midyan region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Liddicoat, W.K.; Ramsay, C.R.; Hedge, C.E.

1986-01-01

The only nepheline syenite complex presently known in the Arabian Shield is at Jabal Sawda, about 30 km S of Haql in the extreme NW of Saudi Arabia. It is a post-tectonic, composite intrusion with a crudely concentric structure. A core of leuco-nepheline syenite, a partial ring of mela-nepheline syenite, and an almost complete outer ring of alkali-feldspar syenite are the main rock units. Several mega-inclusions of porphyritic nepheline syenite, nepheline monzosyenite, malignite and ijolite are present in the leuco-nepheline syenite. The chemical composition is notable for very high values of Al2O3, Na2O, Ba, La, Nb, Sr and Zr. U{single bond}Pb isotope dating indicates an emplacement age of 553 ?? 4 Ma, one of an increasing number of reliable Cambrian isotope dates in the northern Red Sea region. ?? 1986.

Cambrian nepheline syenite complex at Jabal Sawda, Midyan region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liddicoat, W. K.; Ramsay, C. R.; Hedge, C. E.

The only nepheline syenite complex presently known in the Arabian Shield is at Jabal Sawda, about 30 km S of Haql in the extreme NW of Saudi Arabia. It is a post-tectonic, composite intrusion with a crudely concentric structure. A core of leuco-nepheline syenite, a partial ring of mela-nepheline syenite, and an almost complete outer ring of alkali-feldspar syenite are the main rock units. Several mega-inclusions of porphyritic nepheline syenite, nepheline monzosyenite, malignite and ijolite are present in the leuco-nepheline syenite. The chemical composition is notable for very high values of Al 2O 3, Na 2O, Ba, La, Nb, Sr and Zr. U sbnd Pb isotope dating indicates an emplacement age of 553 ± 4 Ma, one of an increasing number of reliable Cambrian isotope dates in the northern Red Sea region.

Physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary habits among Saudi adolescents relative to age, gender and region.

PubMed

Al-Hazzaa, Hazzaa M; Abahussain, Nada A; Al-Sobayel, Hana I; Qahwaji, Dina M; Musaiger, Abdulrahman O

2011-12-21

Few lifestyle factors have been simultaneously studied and reported for Saudi adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to report on the prevalence of physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary habits among Saudi adolescents and to examine the interrelationships among these factors using representative samples drawn from three major cities in Saudi Arabia. This school-based cross-sectional study was conducted during the years 2009-2010 in three cities: Al-Khobar, Jeddah and Riyadh. The participants were 2908 secondary-school males (1401) and females (1507) aged 14-19 years, randomly selected using a multistage stratified sampling technique. Measurements included weight, height, sedentary behaviors (TV viewing, playing video games and computer use), physical activity using a validated questionnaire and dietary habits. A very high proportion (84% for males and 91.2% for females) of Saudi adolescents spent more than 2 hours on screen time daily and almost half of the males and three-quarters of the females did not meet daily physical activity guidelines. The majority of adolescents did not have a daily intake of breakfast, fruit, vegetables and milk. Females were significantly (p < 0.05) more sedentary, much less physically active, especially with vigorous physical activity, and there were fewer days per week when they consumed breakfast, fruit, milk and diary products, sugar-sweetened drinks, fast foods and energy drinks than did males. However, the females' intake of French fries and potato chips, cakes and donuts, and candy and chocolate was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the males'. Screen time was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated inversely with the intake of breakfast, vegetables and fruit. Physical activity had a significant (p < 0.05) positive relationship with fruit and vegetable intake but not with sedentary behaviors. The high prevalence of sedentary behaviors, physical inactivity and unhealthy dietary habits among Saudi

Physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary habits among Saudi adolescents relative to age, gender and region

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Few lifestyle factors have been simultaneously studied and reported for Saudi adolescents. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to report on the prevalence of physical activity, sedentary behaviors and dietary habits among Saudi adolescents and to examine the interrelationships among these factors using representative samples drawn from three major cities in Saudi Arabia. Methods This school-based cross-sectional study was conducted during the years 2009-2010 in three cities: Al-Khobar, Jeddah and Riyadh. The participants were 2908 secondary-school males (1401) and females (1507) aged 14-19 years, randomly selected using a multistage stratified sampling technique. Measurements included weight, height, sedentary behaviors (TV viewing, playing video games and computer use), physical activity using a validated questionnaire and dietary habits. Results A very high proportion (84% for males and 91.2% for females) of Saudi adolescents spent more than 2 hours on screen time daily and almost half of the males and three-quarters of the females did not meet daily physical activity guidelines. The majority of adolescents did not have a daily intake of breakfast, fruit, vegetables and milk. Females were significantly (p < 0.05) more sedentary, much less physically active, especially with vigorous physical activity, and there were fewer days per week when they consumed breakfast, fruit, milk and diary products, sugar-sweetened drinks, fast foods and energy drinks than did males. However, the females' intake of French fries and potato chips, cakes and donuts, and candy and chocolate was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than the males'. Screen time was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated inversely with the intake of breakfast, vegetables and fruit. Physical activity had a significant (p < 0.05) positive relationship with fruit and vegetable intake but not with sedentary behaviors. Conclusions The high prevalence of sedentary behaviors, physical inactivity and

Knowledge and awareness of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus among Saudi and Non-Saudi Arabian pilgrims.

PubMed

Althobaity, Hosam M; Alharthi, Raed A S; Altowairqi, Mohammed H; Alsufyani, Ziyad A; Aloufi, Nahar S; Altowairqi, Abdulrahman E; Alqahtani, Abdulrahman S; Alzahrani, Ali K; Abdel-Moneim, Ahmed S

2017-01-01

The current study was intended to evaluate the knowledge and awareness toward Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia and from different Arabian countries. A prospective study was conducted among pilgrims from Saudi Arabia and those from other Arab nations. A total number of 2120 participants including 736 Saudi pilgrims (436 males and 300 females) and 1384 non-Saudi Arabian pilgrims (1384; 909 males and 475 females) were included in the study. The responses of the participants were descriptively analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to screen the possible correlations among different variables. The differences in the responses between the two groups were evaluated using Mann-Whitney analysis. The responses of the Saudi pilgrims showed statistically significant results in comparison to non-Saudi pilgrims in answering all questions except those related to the presence of efficient vaccination or treatment and the source of information. It was clear that the Saudi pilgrims were more oriented about different aspects of MERS-CoV including the nature of the causative agent, the signs, the severity of the disease, the animals that can transmit the infection to humans, the risk groups, and when one need to be screened for infection. In both Saudi and non-Saudi pilgrims, the official websites of health organizations constitute the main source of their information. It was concluded that Saudi pilgrims possess good knowledge about the MERS-CoV although more orientation is still required.

Thunderstorm distribution and frequency in Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shwehdi, M. H.

2005-09-01

A new average annual thunder day map for Saudi Arabia is presented. Based on this map, the distribution of thunderstorms over Saudi Arabia is analysed in terms of the factors related to the lightning performance of transmission lines such as thunderstorm days per year (Td/yr). Lightning activity continues for the present to be represented by thunderstorm frequency, which is routinely recorded at meteorological observation sites. Thunderstorm occurrence at a particular location is usually expressed as the number of days in a calendar year when thunder was heard, averaged over several years. This paper examines thunderstorm days in different areas of Saudi Arabia and specifically those areas where lightning strikes are more frequent; for this purpose, the software ArcGIS is used to produce contour maps which demonstrate areas of concern in Saudi Arabia in the period 1985-2003. Establishing the annual and seasonal Td/yr for Saudi Arabia enables transmission and distribution line engineers to calculate and better design a lightning protection system. Maps of thunder days/year (Td/yr) were constructed on the basis of the database records available on lightning incidence in Saudi Arabia at the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME) (http://www.pme.gov.sa/). Annual thunderstorms are most frequent over the southwestern parts of the country, and generally decrease towards the west and east. Due to its low latitude and less temporal change, the west coast of the Red Sea recorded the lowest Td/yr. A secondary maximum Td/yr is apparent in the southeast to central part of the country. Thunderstorm frequency does not, in general, appear to vary in any consistent way with rainfall. There appears to be no evidence of any widespread temporal trend in thunderstorm frequency. The southern region in general, and especially the cities of Abha, Taif and Al-Baha, has shown greater numbers of thunderstorm days all year round. Similarly, this variation did show higher frequency

Saudi Children's Thoughts on Inclusive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dare, Lynn; Nowicki, Elizabeth; Felimban, Huda

2017-01-01

Saudi Arabia has followed the global trend towards inclusive education; however, few researchers have examined the lived reality of inclusion in Saudi schools. In this study, we interviewed 31 girls and 34 boys in grades 5 and 6 who attended an inclusive school in Saudi. The overarching research question was, "How do Saudi children perceive…

Knowledge and awareness of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus among Saudi and Non-Saudi Arabian pilgrims

PubMed Central

Althobaity, Hosam M.; Alharthi, Raed A. S.; Altowairqi, Mohammed H.; Alsufyani, Ziyad A.; Aloufi, Nahar S.; Altowairqi, Abdulrahman E.; Alqahtani, Abdulrahman S.; Alzahrani, Ali K.; Abdel-Moneim, Ahmed S.

2017-01-01

Objective: The current study was intended to evaluate the knowledge and awareness toward Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) of pilgrims from Saudi Arabia and from different Arabian countries. Methods: A prospective study was conducted among pilgrims from Saudi Arabia and those from other Arab nations. A total number of 2120 participants including 736 Saudi pilgrims (436 males and 300 females) and 1384 non-Saudi Arabian pilgrims (1384; 909 males and 475 females) were included in the study. The responses of the participants were descriptively analyzed. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to screen the possible correlations among different variables. The differences in the responses between the two groups were evaluated using Mann–Whitney analysis. Results: The responses of the Saudi pilgrims showed statistically significant results in comparison to non-Saudi pilgrims in answering all questions except those related to the presence of efficient vaccination or treatment and the source of information. It was clear that the Saudi pilgrims were more oriented about different aspects of MERS-CoV including the nature of the causative agent, the signs, the severity of the disease, the animals that can transmit the infection to humans, the risk groups, and when one need to be screened for infection. In both Saudi and non-Saudi pilgrims, the official websites of health organizations constitute the main source of their information. Conclusion: It was concluded that Saudi pilgrims possess good knowledge about the MERS-CoV although more orientation is still required. PMID:29114190

Knowledge and Awareness of Medical Practitioners of Jazan City towards Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery as a Specialty.

PubMed

Ali, Fareedi Mukram; Al-Iryani, Ghassan M; Namis, Sultan Mohammed; Hezam, Asma Ali; Swaid, Salma Abdu; Alomar, Anas Esam

2018-03-15

In many health services communities the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) as a discipline is frequently not probably understood. Good awareness towards OMFS among different branches of health services providers is essential for better referral strategies and will be for the benefit of the patient. The cross-sectional study was done using a specially prepared questionnaire distributed randomly to 125 general medical practitioners working in Jazan province. In this questionnaire, there were also some close-ended questions to evaluate awareness regarding a variety of conditions treated by the oral and maxillofacial surgeons. Out of 125 participants, 105 (84%) were aware of the oral and maxillofacial surgery as a speciality branch of dentistry. Only 52 (41.6%) participants were aware of the different treatment modalities coming under the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery. Also in the referral of cases to the oral and maxillofacial surgeon, 50 (40%) participants referred their oral and maxillofacial region cases to OMS. Tooth removal was the only procedure where most of the medical practitioners knew it is a speciality procedure of the oral and maxillofacial surgeon. For facial fractures, 76 medical practitioners believe it comes under the scope of the orthopaedic surgeon. Similarly, for facial abscesses, 81 and 36 practitioners responded that it is a job of a general surgeon and OMS respectively. There is low awareness toward the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery in the medical community. Knowledge and awareness of the scope of oral and maxillofacial surgery can improve the success and promptness of delivery of health services.

Characterictics and Sources of Organic Tracers in Atmospheric Particulate Matter from the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rushdi, A. I.; El-Mubarak, A. H.; Luis, L.; Mubarak, A. T.; Qurban, M.; Al-Mutlaq, K. F.; Simoneit, B. R.

2013-12-01

The formation and sources of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) can affect air quality of metropolitan areas as well as climate change. Their chemical components can be toxic to humans and hazardous to the environment. Saudi Arabia is witnessing new development and industrial activities, which are expected to contribute to natural, regional and anthropogenic PM inputs of organic tracers. This work investigates the characteristics and sources of the extractable organic matter (EOM) in atmospheric suspended PM from the city of Dhahran in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia. The major compounds were an unresolved complex mixture (UCM) of branched and cyclic hydrocarbons (12-70% of EOM), plasticizers (7-30% of EOM for aryl phosphates and 4-18% of EOM for phthalates), n-alkanes (3-15% of EOM), hopane biomarkers (0.1-4.2% of EOM), n-alkanones (0.3-1.7% of EOM), PAHs (0.1-0.6% of EOM), sterane biomarkers (0.0-0.1% of EOM), and sterols (0.0-0.1% of EOM). Plasticizers are evidently major compounds (11- 48% of EOM) in the suspended PM of Dhahran, which likely have serious public health effects and environmental consequences. The major sources of these organic tracers are emissions from industrial factories north of the city, plastics and biomass burning, and petroleum product combustion.

The demographic and clinical characteristics of leprosy in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alotaibi, Mohammad H; Bahammam, Salman A; Ur Rahman, Saeed; Bahnassy, Ahmed A; Hassan, Imad S; Alothman, Adel F; Alkayal, Abdulkareem M

2016-01-01

Leprosy is a chronic disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. Although the occurrence of leprosy has declined in Saudi Arabia, it has not yet been eradicated. To our knowledge, this descriptive retrospective study is the first to assess the clinical presentation of leprosy at the time of diagnosis in Saudi Arabia. All study subjects were leprosy patients admitted to Ibn Sina hospital, the only referral hospital for leprosy in Saudi Arabia, between January 2000 and May 2012. A total of 164 subjects, the majority of whom (65%) were between 21 and 50 years of age, were included, and the male-to-female ratio was 2.8:1. Of these 164 patients, 63% were Saudis, and 77% of all admitted patients were from the western region. Lepromatous leprosy was observed most frequently (33%), and 31% of cases had a positive history of close contact with leprosy. At the time of diagnosis, 84% of all subjects presented with skin manifestation. The prevalence of neurological deficit at the time of diagnosis was 87%. Erythema nodosum leprosum (E.N.L.) developed in only 10% of all subjects. Further studies are needed to determine the clinical characteristics pertaining to each type of leprosy in the region, and training courses in caring for and diagnosing patients with leprosy should be organized for health workers. Copyright © 2016 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research progress and prospects of Saudi Arabia in global medical sciences.

PubMed

Meo, S A; Hassan, A; Usmani, A M

2013-12-01

Since last decade, Saudi Arabia has been swiftly moving ahead to promote an education and research in the country. This study aimed to investigate the research outcome of Saudi Arabia in medical sciences during the period 1996-2012. In this study, the research papers published in various global science journals during the period 1996-2012 were accessed. We recorded the total number of research documents having an affiliation with Saudi Arabia. The main source for information was Institute of Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science, Thomson Reuters and SCI-mago/Scopus. In global science data base, Saudi Arabia contributed 103804 documents in all science and social sciences. In medicine the total number of research papers from Saudi Arabia are 16196, citable documents 14732, total citations 102827, citations per documents 6.36 and Hirsch index (h-index) is 92. However, in combined medical and allied health sciences the total number of research papers are 27246, citable documents 25416, total citations 181999, mean citations per documents 7.07 and mean h-index is 41.44. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia contributed 40797 research documents in ISI indexed journals only and also 151 research documents in highly reputable and towering science journals. Saudi Arabia's research performance in global medical sciences has markedly increased during the period 2006-2012. The research publications are continuously on mounting path; however, the number of citations has decreased. The country improved its regional as well as international research rankings and graded 45 in the world in year 2012.

Interactions between physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alosaimi, Fahad Dakheel; Alkaabba, Abdulaziz; Qadi, Mahdi; Albahlal, Abdullah; Alabdulkarim, Yasir; Alabduljabbar, Mohammad; Alqahtani, Faisal

2013-01-01

Interaction between physicians and pharmaceutical sales representative (PR) is a major component of the promotional activities by pharmaceutical companies. The lack of studies examining the magnitude of this interaction in Saudi Arabia is evident. The objective of this study is to estimate the magnitude and associated characteristics of physician-PR interaction. A cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians working in the different regions of Saudi Arabia between March and July of 2012. A cross-sectional study was undertaken between March and July of 2012 in the different regions of Saudi Arabia. A self-administrated questionnaire was developed and handed to all participants, both in paper and electronic formats. A total of 663 participants completed the questionnaire. The participation rate was 66.3% (663/1000). The majority of the participants (72.9%) reported interaction with PRs. This was lower among residents/interns compared to higher ranking employees (55.6% vs 83.6%, P < .001). Approximately half (48.3%) of the interactions occurred at a rate of more than once a month. A majority of the participants (72.1%) occasionally accepted gifts such as stationery (57%), drug samples (54%), meals (38%), and sponsorship of educational activities (30%). The following characteristics were independently associated with physician-PR interaction: non-Saudi nationals, a higher monthly income, Western medical education, working in a private hospital, being a specialist or registrar (rather than resident or intern), working on certain specialties (such as psychiatry and family medicine), and having limited number of patients with high socioeconomic status. Although lower than seen in many parts of the world, a high prevalence of physician-PR inter.action in Saudi hospitals is reported. Delineating associated characteristics may assist with future interventions. Further research should focus on ethical, clinical, prescription, and economic impact of interaction as well

Using SaudiVeg Ecoinformatics in assessment, monitoring and proposing environmental restoration tools in central Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Sheikh, Mohamed; Hennekens, Stephan; Alfarhan, Ahmed; Thomas, Jacob; Schaminee, Joop; El-Keblawy, Ali

2017-04-01

Successful restoration of degraded habitats requires information about the history and factors led to the deterioration of these habitats. This study analyzed SaudiVeg Ecoinformatics, which is a big phytosociological database about plant communities and other environmental factors affecting them in the Najd-Central Region of Saudi Arabia. A phytosociological survey with more than 3000 vegetation relevés was conducted during 2013. The data were used to correlate the plant community attributes, such as abundance and species diversity in natural and ruderal habitats with environmental factors, such as human impacts, soil physical and chemical properties, and land uses. The data were subjected to multivariate analyses using programs, such as TWINSPAN, DCA and CCA, via Juice package. Fourteen vegetation associations were described under provisional classification of the Central Saudi Arabia deserts. These associations were broadly grouped into desert vegetation types. One alliance group, Haloxylonion salicornici, is the most widespread and contains four associations on the wadis and desert plains. Three associations are dominant on the depression habitats (raudhas) and two associations of Tamarixidetum spp. on the wetland and salt pan habitats. Four associations inhabit the man-made habitat and abandoned field habitats and one association, the Neurado procumbentis-Heliotropietum digyni, dominates the overgrazed sandy dunes. As human impact is huge and increasing, the vegetation ecoinformatics of the present study would form a baseline description that could be used as a vital tool for future monitoring and for proposing environmental restoration processes in central Saudi Arabia. It could also help both Governmental and Non-governmental organizations (NGO) in formulating strategies and on-ground plans for protection, management and restoration of the natural vegetation.

Prevalence of Overweight, Obesity, and Abdominal Obesity among Urban Saudi Adolescents: Gender and Regional Variations

PubMed Central

Abahussain, Nada A.; Al-Sobayel, Hana I.; Qahwaji, Dina M.; Alsulaiman, Nouf A.; Musaiger, Abdulrahman O.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT The nutrition transition with associated lifestyle-related non-communicable diseases has rapidly reached many developing countries, including Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity among Saudi adolescents. This school-based multicentre cross-sectional study was conducted during 2009-2010 in three major cities in Saudi Arabia: Al-Khobar, Jeddah, and Riyadh. Participants included 2,908 students of secondary schools (1,401 males and 1,507 females) aged 14 to 19 years, randomly selected using a multistage stratified cluster-sampling technique. Weight, height, and waist-circumference were measured; prevalence of overweight and obesity was determined using age- and sex-specific BMI cutoff reference standards of the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). Abdominal obesity was determined using waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) cutoffs (above 0.5). The prevalence of overweight was 19.5% in males and 20.8% in females while that of obesity was 24.1% in males and 14% in females. The prevalence of abdominal obesity in males and females was 35.9% and 30.3% respectively. Higher prevalence of obesity was observed among adolescents in private schools. Across all ages, overweight and obesity ranged from 39.9% to 45.6% in males and from 30.4% to 38.7% in females. ANCOVA, controlling for age, showed significant interaction effects (city by gender). It is concluded that the proportions of overweight, obesity, and abdominal obesity, observed among Saudi adolescents were remarkably high. Such high prevalence of overweight and obesity is a major public-health concern. PMID:25895197

Analysis of shared homozygosity regions in Saudi siblings with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

PubMed Central

Al Yemni, Eman A.A.; Alnaemi, Faten M.; Abebe, Dejene; Al-Abdulaziz, Basma S.; Al Mubarak, Bashayer R.; Ghaziuddin, Mohammad; Al Tassan, Nada A.

2017-01-01

Aim Genetic and clinical complexities are common features of most psychiatric illnesses that pose a major obstacle in risk-gene identification. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent child-onset psychiatric illness, with high heritability. Over the past decade, numerous genetic studies utilizing various approaches, such as genome-wide association, candidate-gene association, and linkage analysis, have identified a multitude of candidate loci/genes. However, such studies have yielded diverse findings that are rarely reproduced, indicating that other genetic determinants have not been discovered yet. In this study, we carried out sib-pair analysis on seven multiplex families with ADHD from Saudi Arabia. We aimed to identify the candidate chromosomal regions and genes linked to the disease. Patients and methods A total of 41 individuals from multiplex families were analyzed for shared regions of homozygosity. Genes within these regions were prioritized according to their potential relevance to ADHD. Results We identified multiple genomic regions spanning different chromosomes to be shared among affected members of each family; these included chromosomes 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, and 18. We also found specific regions on chromosomes 8 and 17 to be shared between affected individuals from more than one family. Among the genes present in the regions reported here were involved in neurotransmission (GRM3, SIGMAR1, CHAT, and SLC18A3) and members of the HLA gene family (HLA-A, HLA-DPA1, and MICC). Conclusion The candidate regions identified in this study highlight the genetic diversity of ADHD. Upon further investigation, these loci may reveal candidate genes that enclose variants associated with ADHD. Although most ADHD studies were conducted in other populations, our study provides insight from an understudied, ethnically interesting population. PMID:28452824

Analysis of shared homozygosity regions in Saudi siblings with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Shinwari, Jameela M A; Al Yemni, Eman A A; Alnaemi, Faten M; Abebe, Dejene; Al-Abdulaziz, Basma S; Al Mubarak, Bashayer R; Ghaziuddin, Mohammad; Al Tassan, Nada A

2017-08-01

Genetic and clinical complexities are common features of most psychiatric illnesses that pose a major obstacle in risk-gene identification. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most prevalent child-onset psychiatric illness, with high heritability. Over the past decade, numerous genetic studies utilizing various approaches, such as genome-wide association, candidate-gene association, and linkage analysis, have identified a multitude of candidate loci/genes. However, such studies have yielded diverse findings that are rarely reproduced, indicating that other genetic determinants have not been discovered yet. In this study, we carried out sib-pair analysis on seven multiplex families with ADHD from Saudi Arabia. We aimed to identify the candidate chromosomal regions and genes linked to the disease. A total of 41 individuals from multiplex families were analyzed for shared regions of homozygosity. Genes within these regions were prioritized according to their potential relevance to ADHD. We identified multiple genomic regions spanning different chromosomes to be shared among affected members of each family; these included chromosomes 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 17, and 18. We also found specific regions on chromosomes 8 and 17 to be shared between affected individuals from more than one family. Among the genes present in the regions reported here were involved in neurotransmission (GRM3, SIGMAR1, CHAT, and SLC18A3) and members of the HLA gene family (HLA-A, HLA-DPA1, and MICC). The candidate regions identified in this study highlight the genetic diversity of ADHD. Upon further investigation, these loci may reveal candidate genes that enclose variants associated with ADHD. Although most ADHD studies were conducted in other populations, our study provides insight from an understudied, ethnically interesting population.

Saudi Governmental Structure and Foreign Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-21

goNrUnent Igeny. SAUDI GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE AND FOREIGN POLICY BY COLONEL AL-MUTAIRI NAIF Saudi National Guard DISTRI1BUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for...TASK IWOX UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO. NO. AE NO. 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification) Saudi Governmental Structure and Foreign Policy - Uncl 12... STRUCTURE AND FOREIGN POLICY AN INDIVIDUAL STUDY PROJECT by Colonel al-Mutairi Naif Saudi National Guard Mr. James J. Coyle (Project Adviser) IL

Existence of HbF Enhancer Haplotypes at HBS1L-MYB Intergenic Region in Transfusion-Dependent Saudi β-Thalassemia Patients

PubMed Central

Vatte, Chittibabu; Borgio, J. Francis; Al-Rubaish, Abdullah; Nasserullah, Zaki A.; Jarrash, Sana Al; Sulaiman, Ahmed; Qutub, Hatem; Alsaleem, Hassan; Alzahrani, Alhusain J.; Steinberg, Martin H.

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives. β-Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are genetic disorders characterized by reduced and abnormal β-globin chain production, respectively. The elevation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) can ameliorate the severity of these disorders. In sickle cell disease patients, the HbF level elevation is associated with three quantitative trait loci (QTLs), BCL11A, HBG2 promoter, and HBS1L-MYB intergenic region. This study elucidates the existence of the variants in these three QTLs to determine their association with HbF levels of transfusion-dependent Saudi β-thalassemia patients. Materials and Methods. A total of 174 transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia patients and 164 healthy controls from Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were genotyped for fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the three QTL regions using TaqMan assay on real-time PCR. Results. Genotype analysis revealed that six alleles of HBS1L-MYB QTL (rs9376090C p = 0.0009, rs9399137C p = 0.008, rs4895441G p = 0.004, rs9389269C p = 0.008, rs9402686A p = 0.008, and rs9494142C p = 0.002) were predominantly associated with β-thalassemia. In addition, haplotype analysis revealed that haplotypes of HBS1L-MYB (GCCGCAC p = 0.022) and HBG2 (GTT p = 0.009) were also predominantly associated with β-thalassemia. Furthermore, the HBS1L-MYB region also exhibited association with the high HbF cohort. Conclusion. The stimulation of HbF gene expression may provide alternative therapies for the amelioration of the disease severity of β-thalassemia. PMID:28280727

Existence of HbF Enhancer Haplotypes at HBS1L-MYB Intergenic Region in Transfusion-Dependent Saudi β-Thalassemia Patients.

PubMed

Cyrus, Cyril; Vatte, Chittibabu; Borgio, J Francis; Al-Rubaish, Abdullah; Chathoth, Shahanas; Nasserullah, Zaki A; Jarrash, Sana Al; Sulaiman, Ahmed; Qutub, Hatem; Alsaleem, Hassan; Alzahrani, Alhusain J; Steinberg, Martin H; Ali, Amein K Al

2017-01-01

Background and Objectives . β -Thalassemia and sickle cell disease are genetic disorders characterized by reduced and abnormal β -globin chain production, respectively. The elevation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) can ameliorate the severity of these disorders. In sickle cell disease patients, the HbF level elevation is associated with three quantitative trait loci (QTLs), BCL11A , HBG 2 promoter, and HBS1L-MYB intergenic region. This study elucidates the existence of the variants in these three QTLs to determine their association with HbF levels of transfusion-dependent Saudi β -thalassemia patients. Materials and Methods . A total of 174 transfusion-dependent β -thalassemia patients and 164 healthy controls from Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were genotyped for fourteen single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the three QTL regions using TaqMan assay on real-time PCR. Results . Genotype analysis revealed that six alleles of HBS1L-MYB QTL (rs9376090C p = 0.0009, rs9399137C p = 0.008, rs4895441G p = 0.004, rs9389269C p = 0.008, rs9402686A p = 0.008, and rs9494142C p = 0.002) were predominantly associated with β -thalassemia. In addition, haplotype analysis revealed that haplotypes of HBS1L-MYB (GCCGCAC p = 0.022) and HBG 2 (GTT p = 0.009) were also predominantly associated with β -thalassemia. Furthermore, the HBS1L-MYB region also exhibited association with the high HbF cohort. Conclusion . The stimulation of HbF gene expression may provide alternative therapies for the amelioration of the disease severity of β -thalassemia.

The indigenous honey bees of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner): Their natural history and role in beekeeping

PubMed Central

Alqarni, Abdulaziz S.; Hannan, Mohammed A.; Owayss, Ayman A.; Engel, Michael S.

2011-01-01

Abstract Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner (= yemenitica auctorum: vide Engel 1999) has been used in apiculture throughout the Arabian Peninsula since at least 2000 BC. Existing literature demonstrates that these populations are well adapted for the harsh extremes of the region. Populations of Apis mellifera jemenitica native to Saudi Arabia are far more heat tolerant than the standard races often imported from Europe. Central Saudi Arabia has the highest summer temperatures for the Arabian Peninsula, and it is in this region where only Apis mellifera jemenitica survives, while other subspecies fail to persist. The indigenous race of Saudi Arabia differs from other subspecies in the region in some morphological, biological, and behavioral characteristics. Further taxonomic investigation, as well as molecular studies, is needed in order to confirm whether the Saudi indigenous bee populations represent a race distinct from Apis mellifera jemenitica, or merely an ecotype of this subspecies. PMID:22140343

The indigenous honey bees of Saudi Arabia (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner): Their natural history and role in beekeeping.

PubMed

Alqarni, Abdulaziz S; Hannan, Mohammed A; Owayss, Ayman A; Engel, Michael S

2011-01-01

Apis mellifera jemenitica Ruttner (= yemenitica auctorum: videEngel 1999) has been used in apiculture throughout the Arabian Peninsula since at least 2000 BC. Existing literature demonstrates that these populations are well adapted for the harsh extremes of the region. Populations of Apis mellifera jemenitica native to Saudi Arabia are far more heat tolerant than the standard races often imported from Europe. Central Saudi Arabia has the highest summer temperatures for the Arabian Peninsula, and it is in this region where only Apis mellifera jemenitica survives, while other subspecies fail to persist. The indigenous race of Saudi Arabia differs from other subspecies in the region in some morphological, biological, and behavioral characteristics. Further taxonomic investigation, as well as molecular studies, is needed in order to confirm whether the Saudi indigenous bee populations represent a race distinct from Apis mellifera jemenitica, or merely an ecotype of this subspecies.

Trends and demographic characteristics of Saudi cosmetic surgery patients.

PubMed

Alharethy, Sami E

2017-07-01

To  present the demographic characteristics of Saudi patients undergoing cosmetic procedures.  Methods: This prospective study survey was conducted in 3 private cosmetic surgery centers in different regions of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Jeddah) between January and August 2016. Validated questionnaire with modification was used and the following patient's information were provided: age group, height and weight, marital status, number of children, age of the patient's spouse, educational level, monthly income, name of the cosmetic procedure, names of any previous cosmetic procedures and their reason for cosmetic procedure. Results: The present study revealed that a typical Saudi cosmetic surgery patients are university graduates, married (46.8%), employed (68.3%), and middle aged 20-40 years of age (70%), with a fairly high typical monthly income.  Conclusion: There is a possible positive correlation between gender and undergoing cosmetic procedure. Laser hair removal, botox, liposuction, filler, and scar revision are common among females, while rhinoplasty is a common procedure among males.

Technological Leadership Behavior of High School Headteachers in Asir Region, Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkrdem, Mofareh

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the technological leadership behaviors of Saudi Arabian high school regarding the supply and use of educational technologies based on the educational technology standards developed and approved for school headteachers in many countries. The study was carried out with 135 high school headteachers. In the…

Ground Motion Prediction Equations for Western Saudi Arabia from a Reference Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiuchi, R.; Mooney, W. D.; Mori, J. J.; Zahran, H. M.; Al-Raddadi, W.; Youssef, S.

2017-12-01

Western Saudi Arabia is surrounded by several active seismic zones such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba where a destructive magnitude 7.3 event occurred in 1995. Over the last decade, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) has deployed a dense seismic network that has made it possible to monitor seismic activity more accurately. For example, the network has detected multiple seismic swarms beneath the volcanic fields in western Saudi Arabia. The most recent damaging event was a M5.7 earthquake that occurred in 2009 at Harrat Lunayyir. In terms of seismic hazard assessment, Zahran et al. (2015; 2016) presented a Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) for western Saudi Arabia that was developed using published Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) from areas outside of Saudi Arabia. In this study, we consider 41 earthquakes of M 3.0 - 5.4, recorded on 124 stations of the SGS network, to create a set of 442 peak ground acceleration (PGA) and peak ground velocity (PGV) records with a range of epicentral distances from 3 km to 400 km. We use the GMPE model BSSA14 (Boore et al., 2014) as a reference model to estimate our own best-fitting coefficients from a regression analysis using the events occurred in western Saudi Arabia. For epicentral distances less than 100 km, our best fitting model has different source scaling in comparison with the GMPE of BSSA14 adjusted for the California region. In addition, our model indicates that the peak amplitudes have less attenuation in western Saudi Arabia than in California.

Comparison of vitamin D deficiency in Saudi married couples.

PubMed

Elshafie, D E; Al-Khashan, H I; Mishriky, A M

2012-06-01

Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in Saudi Arabia. The study objective was to compare vitamin D deficiency in Saudi married couples. This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Royal Guard primary health care center in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on a consecutive sample of 50 Saudi married couples attending the center without complaints related to vitamin D deficiency. Data were collected through an interview questionnaire addressing the risk factors and dietary habits. Quantitative determination of total 25-hydroxy vitamin D in blood was done by Electro-Chemical Luminescence assay. Fieldwork was carried out from December 2010 to January 2011. Men had higher sun exposure (P = 0.001), more use of light clothes at home (P = 0.002) and more intake of milk (P = 0.023) and soft drinks (P = 0.001). Vitamin D was higher in men with mean difference about 9 nmol/l (P < 0.001). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<25 nmol/l) was 70% in women, compared with 40% in men (P = 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified male gender, physical activity and the intake of milk as statistically significant positive independent predictors of vitamin D level, adjusted for factors as age, sun exposure, clothing, skin color, BMI, soft drinks and animal protein intake. Vitamin D deficiency is very high among Saudi married couples, especially wives. Female gender is an independent predictor of lower vitamin D level, in addition to sedentary lifestyle and low milk consumption. There is a need to revise the levels set for the diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency in the study region.

The characteristics and distribution of dentist workforce in Saudi Arabia: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

PubMed

AlBaker, Abdulaziz A; Al-Ruthia, Yazed Sulaiman H; AlShehri, Mohammed; Alshuwairikh, Samar

2017-12-01

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has shown steady growth in the dental workforce over the last 20 years. Although the number of dental colleges has significantly increased in the last decade, there is not any study so far that described the status of the licensed dentist workforce in the kingdom. The present study aimed to explore the demographic distribution and professional characteristics of licensed dentist workforce in Saudi Arabia. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) database to identify the number of licensed dentists in Saudi Arabia as well as their professional and demographic characteristics as of December 2016. The data was categorized based on gender, nationality, dental specialty, health sector, geographic location, and professional rank. The number of licensed dentists working in the kingdom as of December 2016 was 16887 dentists, and the vast majority of them are professionally registered as general dentists (70.27%). The percentage of general dentists among the professionally registered female dentists is significantly higher than their male counterparts (79.71% vs. 64.80%; P  < 0.001). Only 22.08% of the dentists working in the kingdom are Saudi. Most of the dentist workforce in the kingdom are male (61.06%). The mean age of the Saudi dentists is slightly but significantly younger than non-Saudi dentists (37.7 vs. 40.7 years; P  < 0.001). Over 80% of the Saudi dentists are working in the regions of Riyadh, Makkah, and Eastern province. About 66% of the Saudi dentists are working in the public health sector in comparison to only 20.46% of the non-Saudi dentists ( P  < 0.001). Most of the dental care in Saudi Arabia is provided by non-Saudi dentists in both private and public health sectors. With the rising unemployment rate among Saudi dentists, the governmental bodies that are responsible of dental labor market regulations such as the ministries of health, economy and planning

Wadi Al Dawasir, Saudi Arabia

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-10-20

In the middle of the Arabian desert the city Green Oasis Wadi Al Dawasir is being developed as a new urban center for the Wadi Al Dawasir region of Saudi Arabia, as shown in this image from NASA Terra spacecraft. Huge solar fields supply the entire city and the surrounding region with energy. Hundreds of circular agricultural fields are fed by center pivot irrigation apparatus, drawing water from subterranean aquifers. The image was acquired March 30, 2013, covers an area of 30 x 45 km, and is located at 20.2 degrees north, 44.8 degrees east. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA20077

Patients' satisfaction of service quality in Saudi hospitals: a SERVQUAL analysis.

PubMed

Al-Borie, Hussein M; Damanhouri, Amal M Sheikh

2013-01-01

Saudi Arabian hospital performance, vis-á-vis patient satisfaction with service provision, has emerged as a key policy and planning concern. Keeping in view public and private hospital service quality, this article seeks to provide guidelines to the on-going Saudi Arabian health service reorganization, which emphasizes decentralization, bed-capacity expansion, research-based policymaking and initiatives in the health insurance sector. The article outlines an empirical study that compares patient satisfaction with service quality in Saudi Arabian public and private sector hospitals. The authors employ a stratified random sample (1,000 inpatients) from five Saudi Arabian public and five private hospitals. Data were collected through questionnaire using the SERVQUAL scale. For reducing the language bias the questionnaire was translated into Arabic. The response rate was 74.9 percent. Data were analyzed using SPSS and appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Cronbach's alpha for five service-quality dimensions (tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, safety and empathy) were high and the SERVQUAL instrument proved to be reliable, valid and appropriate. The results showed that sex, education, income and occupation were statistically significant in influencing inpatients' satisfaction, and all the null hypotheses were rejected. Only inpatient age was not significant. The study highlights service quality influence in the design of broader healthcare strategies for Saudi Arabian public and private hospitals. It demands that management researchers and analysts must identify regional service quality consistencies and related inpatient demographic indicators. The study offers some insights into, and guidance for, hospital quality assurance in Saudi Arabia in general and the urban hospital setting in the Middle-East in particular.

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-20

influence of the Islamic State and Iran. 44 However, in conjunction with the government’s expanded efforts to dissuade Saudi citizens from supporting...Saudi Arabia, ruled by the Al Saud family since its founding in 1932, wields significant global influence through its administration of the birthplace...Administration has endorsed Saudi citizens ’ rights to free assembly and free expression. Saudi leaders reject foreign interference in the country’s internal

Emirati, Omani and Saudi Students' Academic Literacy Socialization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Murshidi, Ghadah

2014-01-01

The study investigated the academic literacy socialization of students at U.S. universities from the Gulf Region--Oman, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates (UAE). International students were contacted and asked if they would participate in the project. Fifty three students responded to the survey and interview, 77% of the respondents were male…

Emergence of new virulent rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus strains in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Ismail, Mahmoud M; Mohamed, Mahmoud H A; El-Sabagh, Ibrahim M; Al-Hammadi, Mohamed A

2017-02-01

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease is an acute fatal highly contagious viral infectious disease that causes high losses among rabbitries. The disease was first reported in China in 1984 and later on in Saudi Arabia in 1996. The aim of this study was to investigate the emergence and pathogenicity of new rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) strains in Saudi Arabia. The pathogenicity was confirmed by inoculation in susceptible rabbits. Three RHDV strains were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using primers targeting VP60 capsid protein gene in infected rabbitries during 2012 and 2013. These strains clustered into two genetically distinct genogroups related to year of isolation (G2 and G3). All new Saudi Arabia viruses clustered with the European strains, while the old strains clustered with strains from China and America. Based on amino acids and nucleotide sequences, the Saudi Arabia strains (RHD/1/SA/2012, RHD/2/SA/2012, and RHD/3/SA /2013) had high identity with Mexico89, Ca11-ITA, and 00-13,FRA virus; on the other hand, there was a relatively high identity with Bahrain strain. The evolutionary relationship of Saudi RHDVs strains revealed significant nucleotides and amino acid substitutions in hypervariable region E, suggesting the emergence of new RHDVs circulating in Saudi Arabia rabbitries. These antigenic changes represented by the antigenic index might be a potential cause of vaccination failure and raises the need to review the vaccination strategies against RHD.

Iodine deficiency in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Nuaim, A R; Al-Mazrou, Y; Kamel, M; Al-Attas, O; Al-Daghari, N; Sulimani, R

1997-05-01

Data on the status of iodine deficiency in the Arabian peninsula is scarce. We have conducted a cross-sectional national epidemiological survey in Saudi Arabia to study the iodine status of Saudi schoolchildren, between eight and ten years, who were randomly selected, after taking into consideration the gender, provincial population and area distribution. Casual urine samples were collected and sent to the central laboratory for analysis. Clinical assessment for the presence of goiter was conducted in four areas with different geographical natures. The survey included 4638 subjects, and their median and mean (SD) of urinary iodine concentration was 18 and 17 m g/dL, respectively. We found provincial differences with respect to urinary iodine concentration and the percentage of subjects with urinary iodine concentration <10 m g/dL. The Southern province had the lowest median (11 m g/dL) and the highest percentage (45%) of subjects with urinary iodine concentration <10 m g/dL. On the other hand, subjects of the Western province had the highest median (24 m g/dL) and the lowest percentage (8%) of subjects with urinary iodine concentration <10 m g/dL. The clinical assessment revealed that the highest prevalence and more advanced grade of goiter (22%, 95% CI 19-25, grade 1; 8%, 95% CI 6-10, grade 2) was found in the Asir region, a high-altitude area in the Southern province. The lowest prevalence of goiter (4%, 95% CI 0.8-7.2, grade 1) was found in Gizan, an urban coastal community. There was a significant relationship between the prevalence of goiter and the urinary iodine concentration. The survey for iodine deficiency disorder (IDD) in Saudi Arabia has shown a mild degree of iodine deficiency in the Southern province. Odds ratio (OR) was used to study the statistical relationship between the prevalence of goiter and the urinary iodine concentration. There is a need to launch a control program to ensure the exclusive availability of iodized salt in Saudi Arabia

Availability and needs of herbal medicinal information resources at community pharmacy, Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Arifi, Mohamed N

2013-10-01

A cross-sectional survey of community pharmacists in Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia was conducted over a period of 6 months from July through December 2011. Data collection was carried out using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The survey questionnaire consisted of a brief introduction to the study and eleven questions. The questions consisted of close ended, multiple-choice, and fill-in short answers. A stratified random sample of one thousand and seven hundred registered pharmacy practitioners all over Saudi Arabia were randomly chosen to respond to the survey. The data from each of the returned questionnaire were coded and entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) which was used for statistical analysis. Only one thousand four hundred one pharmacists responded to the survey (response rate is 82.4%) with a completely answered questionnaire. The study results show that 59.7% of the participants sometimes discuss herbal medicine use with their patients, while only 4.25% never discuss it. The study shows 48.5% of participated pharmacists record herbal medicine use sometimes where only 9.4% of them never did so. However, with regard to initiation of the discussion, the study shows that 44.3% of the respondents reported that patients initiate herbal issue discussion while 20.8% reported that pharmacists initiate the discussion. This discussion was reported to be a one time discussion or an ongoing discussion by 14.3% or 9.9% of the respondents respectively. According to the study results, respondents reported that the most common barriers that limit discussing herbal medicines' use with their patients were lack of time due to other obligations assigned to the community pharmacist (46%), lack of reliable resources (30.3%), lack of scientific evidence that support herbal medicine use (15.2%), or lack of knowledge of herbal medicines (13.4%). Yet, a small number of respondents was

Prevalence, knowledge and attitude of prohibited substances use (doping) among Saudi sport players.

PubMed

Al Ghobain, M; Konbaz, M S; Almassad, A; Alsultan, A; Al Shubaili, M; AlShabanh, O

2016-04-16

To estimate the lifetime prevalence and address the attitudes and knowledge of using prohibited substances (doping) among sport players in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey carried out using systematic random sampling technique among Saudi players of variable sports attending the sport clubs, stadiums, and sport fields (70 sport clubs, 22 types of sports belong to 22 Saudi sport federations were visted in 18 cities from all regions of Saudi Arabia). A total of 1142 male sport players were interviewed with main age of 24. The prevalence of using prohibited substances (doping) was 4.3 %. The main reason for using prohibited substances was to improve performance (69 %). The prevalence of using food supplements (not prohibited) was 38.4 %. Among the players, 30 % of them believe that such behavior is against the spirit of sport while 70 % of the players are aware of punishment against doping. 65 % of players admitted that they received advice on prohibited substances. Higher rate of using prohibited substances (doping) among Saudi players was associated with low education, age below 20 years, previous use of food supplements and lack of punishment awareness. Using prohibited substances (doping) among Saudi sport players is common. Players believe that such use is against the spirit of the sport and they are aware about its punishment, despite this, they are still using prohibited substances.

Hyperlipidemia in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Nozha, Mansour M; Arafah, Mohammed R; Al-Maatouq, Mohammed A; Khalil, Mohamed Z; Khan, Nazeer B; Al-Marzouki, Khalid; Al-Mazrou, Yaqoub Y; Abdullah, Moheeb; Al-Khadra, Akram; Al-Harthi, Saad S; Al-Shahid, Maie S; Al-Mobeireek, Abdulellah; Nouh, Mohammed S

2008-02-01

To determine the prevalence of hyperlipidemia among Saudis of both genders in rural and urban communities. Selected Saudis in the age group of 30-70 years were studied over a 5-year period between 1995 and 2000 in Saudi Arabia. Data were obtained from history, physical examination, and analysis of fasting plasma lipids. The data were analyzed to classify individuals with hypercholesterolemia (HC) (total cholesterol > or =5.2 mmol/l), and hypertriglyceridemia (HT) (total triglycerides > or =1.69 mmol/l). Logistic regression analysis was performed to provide a risk assessment model and correlation with other coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors. The number of study samples included in the final analysis was 16,819. The prevalence of HC was 54% with mean cholesterol level of 5.4+/-1.52 mmol/l. Prevalence of HC among males was 54.9% and 53.2% for females, while 53.4% among urban Saudis and 55.3% for rural Saudis. Hypertriglycemia prevalence was 40.3% with mean triglycerides level of 1.8+/-1.29 mmol/l. Males had statistically significant higher HT prevalence of 47.6% compared to 33.7% in females (p<0.0001). Hyperlipedimia is reaching higher prevalence rates in KSA. This finding may suggest that CAD will soon be a major health problem. Reduction in obesity by adopting healthier eating habits, and increasing physical activity are of considerable importance to our community.

Surface gene variants of hepatitis B Virus in Saudi Patients.

PubMed

Al-Qudari, Ahmed Y; Amer, Haitham M; Abdo, Ayman A; Hussain, Zahid; Al-Hamoudi, Waleed; Alswat, Khalid; Almajhdi, Fahad N

2016-01-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) continues to be one of the most important viral pathogens in humans. Surface (S) protein is the major HBV antigen that mediates virus attachment and entry and determines the virus subtype. Mutations in S gene, particularly in the "a" determinant, can influence virus detection by ELISA and may generate escape mutants. Since no records have documented the S gene mutations in HBV strains circulating in Saudi Arabia, the current study was designed to study sequence variation of S gene in strains circulating in Saudi Arabia and its correlation with clinical and risk factors. A total of 123 HBV-infected patients were recruited for this study. Clinical and biochemical parameters, serological markers, and viral load were determined in all patients. The entire S gene sequence of samples with viral load exceeding 2000 IU/mL was retrieved and exploited in sequence and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 48 mutations (21 unique) were recorded in viral strains in Saudi Arabia, among which 24 (11 unique) changed their respective amino acids. Two amino acid changes were recorded in "a" determinant, including F130L and S135F with no evidence of the vaccine escape mutant G145R in any of the samples. No specific relationship was recognized between the mutation/amino acid change record of HBsAg in strains in Saudi Arabia and clinical or laboratory data. Phylogenetic analysis categorized HBV viral strains in Saudi Arabia as members of subgenotypes D1 and D3. The present report is the first that describes mutation analysis of HBsAg in strains in Saudi Arabia on both nucleotide and amino acid levels. Different substitutions, particularly in major hydrophilic region, may have a potential influence on disease diagnosis, vaccination strategy, and antiviral chemotherapy.

Impact of mobile teams on tuberculosis treatment outcomes, Riyadh Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013-2015.

PubMed

Alqahtani, Sami; Kashkary, Abdulhameed; Asiri, Abdullah; Kamal, Heba; Binongo, Jose; Castro, Kenneth; McNabb, Scott

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the tuberculosis (TB) mobile teams on treatment outcomes in Riyadh Region by comparing patients who received treatment under mobile teams and those who did not, from 2013 to 2015. This was a retrospective descriptive study using National TB Control and Prevention Program data from 2013 to 2015 from Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Descriptive analyses were used to summarize characteristics of TB case-patients served by mobile teams and those who were not served. The χ 2 test measured the significant differences between mobile-served and non-mobile-served case-patients. Exposure was whether or not the TB case-patient was under the care of the mobile team; the outcome of interest was whether or not treatment was successful, defined as treatment completed and cured. We found that the ratio of treatment success among mobile team case-patients was 1.28 greater than among those not served by mobile teams. The χ 2 test showed a statistically significant finding (probability ratio=1.28; 95% confidence interval=1.21-1.35, p<0.01). Mobile teams increased the treatment success rate to 92%, compared to 71.77% among those not served by mobile teams. This study shows that community mobilization of mobile teams is an effective strategy to enhance TB treatment, reduced mortality and loss to follow-up and improve TB treatment outcomes. Copyright © 2017 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-30

President of the Middle East Policy Council, served as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1989 to 1992. Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely...that may have contributed to the development of terrorist 25 Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile

Tracing the epidemic history of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Khan, Anis; Al Balwi, Mohammed; AlAyyar, Latifah; AlAbdulkareem, Ibrahim; Albekairy, Abdulkareem; Aljumah, Abdulrahman

2017-08-01

HCV genotype 4 is highly prevalent in many Middle Eastern countries, yet little is known about the genotype's epidemic history at the subtype-level in this region. To address the dearth of data from Saudi Arabia (SA) we genotyped 230 HCV isolates in the core/E- and NS5B-region and analyzed using Bayesian phylogenetic approaches. HCV genotype 4 (HCV/4) was positive in 61.7% (142/230) of isolates belonging to 7 different subtypes with the predominance of 4d (73/142; 51.4%) followed by 4a (51/142; 35.9%). Phylogenetic analysis also revealed a distinct epidemiological cluster of HCV/4d for Saudi Arabia. HCV/1 appeared as the second most prevalent genotype positive in 31.3% (72/230) of isolates with the predominance of 1b (53/72; 73.6%) followed by 1a (16/72; 22.2%), and 1g (3/72; 4.1%). A small proportion of isolates belonged to HCV/3a (12/230; 5.2%), and HCV/2a (4/230; 1.7%). We estimate that the genotype 4 common ancestor existed around 1935 (1850-1985). Genotype 4 originated plausibly in Central Africa and multiple subtypes disseminated across African borders since ~1970, including subtype 4d which dominates current HCV infections in Saudi Arabia. The Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analysis showed that genotype 4d entered the Saudi population in 1900. The effective number of HCV infections grew gradually until the second half of the 1950s and more rapidly until the early-80s through the use of imported blood units and blood products. Subsequently, the rate of HCV infection in the Saudi Arabian population was stabilized through effective screening of blood and infection control measures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Acoustic analysis of normal Saudi adult voices.

PubMed

Malki, Khalid H; Al-Habib, Salman F; Hagr, Abulrahman A; Farahat, Mohamed M

2009-08-01

To determine the acoustic differences between Saudi adult male and female voices, and to compare the acoustic variables of the Multidimensional Voice Program (MDVP) obtained from North American adults to a group of Saudi males and females. A cross-sectional survey of normal adult male and female voices was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between March 2007 and December 2008. Ninety-five Saudi subjects sustained the vowel /a/ 6 times, and the steady state portion of 3 samples was analyzed and compared with the samples of the KayPentax normative voice database. Significant differences were found between Saudi and North American KayPentax database groups. In the male subjects, 15 of 33 MDVP variables, and 10 of 33 variables in the female subjects were found to be significantly different from the KayPentax database. We conclude that the acoustical differences may reflect laryngeal anatomical or tissue differences between the Saudi and the KayPentax database.

Strategies to address the nursing shortage in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Aboshaiqah, A

2016-09-01

To investigate the nursing shortage in Saudi Arabia and specifically the shortage of Saudi nurses in the healthcare workforce and to propose solutions. Literature published from 1993 to 2013 providing relevant information on the nursing shortage, cultural traditions and beliefs, and nursing education and policies in Saudi was accessed from multiple sources including Medline, CINAHL Plus and Google Scholar and from official Saudi government document and was reviewed. Saudi Arabia depends largely on an expatriate workforce, and this applies to nursing. Saudi Arabia is experiencing a nursing shortage in common with most countries in the world and a shortage of Saudi nationals, especially women, in the healthcare workforce. The world shortage of nursing is extrinsic to Saudi, but intrinsic factors include a poor image of the nursing profession in the country that is exacerbated by cultural factors. With the call for the Saudization of the workforce to replace the imported workforce by Saudi nationals, including nurses, through the 1992 Royal Decree, Saudi Arabia faces a problem in attracting and retaining Saudi nationals in the nursing workforce. Solutions are suggested that are aimed at improving the public image of nursing through education and the use of the media and improvements in the workplace by addressing working processes such as teamwork, ensuring adequate staffing levels and addressing some aspects of culture which may make working in nursing more compatible with being a Saudi national. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-09

as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1989 to 1992. Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more,” Reuters, May...25 Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more,” Reuters, May 12, 2008

Residential water usage: A case study of the major cities of the western region of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu Rizaiza, Omar S.

1991-05-01

Socioeconomic and climatological data of the major cities of the western region of Saudi Arabia have been used to develop several models to estimate the residential water usage for different kinds of houses. The developed models correlate the residential water usages with temperature, income, family size, price of water, and availability of a garden within the house. The study shows that the residential water uses in houses supplied by a public pipe network are 1.4-2 times greater than the residential water uses in houses supplied by tankers. It also shows that the price elasticities are very similar to those estimated in the United States. Income elasticities, on the other hand, are lower than those typically found in more industrialized countries.

Molecular characterization of Fasciola species isolated from imported sheep in Taif region (Saudi Arabia).

PubMed

Shalaby, I; Gherbawy, Y; Banaja, A

2013-03-01

Accurate identification of Fasciola species, followed by biological and ecological characterization, is important with concern to the planning for field control. Because there are many variations in morphological characteristics, exact distinguishing of Fasciola species is usually difficult by simple traditional microscopic measurements and, therefore, the morphometric characterization may be insufficient for the species identification. Hence, the present work was proposed to collect 100 liver samples from 100 imported sheep from Sudan from slaughterhouses in Taif region. The samples were firstly examined macroscopically and microscopically to ensure the presence or absence of infection. The collected worms were subjected for RAPD-PCR analysis using different primers and ITS1 sequences for accurate identification. Using RAPD-PCR analysis, two primers were selected to amplify the DNA of each Fasciola. The results show that the amplification fragments were between 500 and 1500 bp and, the use of random genetic markers allowed to discriminate among the different collected species. Using Internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) sequencing, the imported sheep in Taif region consisted of 630 bps including complete ITS1, partial 18S and 5.8S and had 5 variable nucleotide positions. This is the first demonstration of the existence of both F. hepatica, F. gigantica and hybrid and/or introgressed populations of liver flukes bearing genetic material from both F. hepatica and F. gigantica in the imported sheep in Saudi Arabia by a genetic approach.

Expanded Newborn Screening Program in Saudi Arabia: Incidence of screened disorders.

PubMed

Alfadhel, Majid; Al Othaim, Ali; Al Saif, Saif; Al Mutairi, Fuad; Alsayed, Moeenaldeen; Rahbeeni, Zuhair; Alzaidan, Hamad; Alowain, Mohammed; Al-Hassnan, Zuhair; Saeedi, Mohamad; Aljohery, Saeed; Alasmari, Ali; Faqeih, Eissa; Alwakeel, Mansour; AlMashary, Maher; Almohameed, Sulaiman; Alzahrani, Mohammed; Migdad, Abeer; Al-Dirbashi, Osama Y; Rashed, Mohamed; Alamoudi, Mohamed; Jacob, Minnie; Alahaidib, Lujane; El-Badaoui, Fahd; Saadallah, Amal; Alsulaiman, Ayman; Eyaid, Wafaa; Al-Odaib, Ali

2017-06-01

To address the implementation of the National Newborn Screening Program (NBS) in Saudi Arabia and stratify the incidence of the screened disorders. A retrospective study conducted between 1 August 2005 and 31 December 2012, total of 775 000 newborns were screened from 139 hospitals distributed among all regions of Saudi Arabia. The NBS Program screens for 16 disorders from a selective list of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) and endocrine disorders. Heel prick dry blood spot samples were obtained from all newborns for biochemical and immunoassay testing. Recall screening testing was performed for Initial positive results and confirmed by specific biochemical assays. A total of 743 cases were identified giving an overall incidence of 1:1043. Frequently detected disorders nationwide were congenital hypothyroidism and congenital adrenal hyperplasia with an incidence of 1:7175 and 1:7908 correspondingly. The highest incidence among the IEM was propionic acidaemia with an incidence rate of 1:14 000. The article highlights the experience of the NBS Program in Saudi Arabia and providing data on specific regional incidences of all the screened disorders included in the programme; and showed that the incidence of these disorders is one of the highest reported so far world-wide. © 2017 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

Seroprevalence of Asymptomatic Dengue Virus Infection and Its Antibodies Among Healthy/Eligible Saudi Blood Donors: Findings From Holy Makkah City.

PubMed

Ashshi, Ahmed M; Alghamdi, Saad; El-Shemi, Adel G; Almdani, Sabir; Refaat, Bassem; Mohamed, Amr M; Ghazi, Hani O; Azhar, Esam I; Al-Allaf, Faisal A

2017-01-01

Threat to blood transfusion-transmitted dengue virus (DENV) and its antibodies has recently emerged worldwide. Dengue fever is an endemic disease in Saudi Arabia, particularly in its Western region. The aim of this study was to estimate the seroprevalence of asymptomatic DENV infection and its antibodies among eligible Saudi blood donors. Serum samples from 910 healthy/eligible adult male Saudi blood donors, who reside in Holy Makkah City of Saudi Arabia, were collected between March 2015 and August 2016 and screened for the detection of DENV nonstructural protein 1 (NS1) antigen and anti-DENV IgM and IgG antibodies using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits (Panbio, Brisbane, QLD, Australia). Among the tested donors, 48 (5.3%) were seropositive for DENV-NS1 antigen, whereas 50 (5.5%) and 354 (38.9%) were seropositive for anti-DENV IgM and IgG antibodies, respectively. Seropositivity for DENV-NS1 antigen and/or anti-DENV IgM antibody among the tested donors reflects their ongoing asymptomatic viremic infectious stage with DENV during their donation time, whereas high prevalence of anti-DENV IgG seropositivity reflects the high endemicity of dengue disease in this region of Saudi Arabia. These results show high prevalence of asymptomatic DENV infection and its antibodies among Saudi blood donors, raising the importance of establishing blood screening for dengue disease at different blood donation services and units in Saudi Arabia to improve the guarantee of blood transfusions and to control DENV dissemination.

Self-Directed Learning Readiness among Undergraduate Students at Saudi Electronic University in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfaifi, Mousa S.

2016-01-01

This study aimed to determine the level of self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) among undergraduate students at Saudi Electronic University in Saudi Arabia. Also, investigated were potential relationships between the level of self-directed learning readiness and selected demographic variables such as gender and specific college within the…

Development of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saleh, Mahmoud Abdullah

1986-01-01

The history of higher education in Saudi Arabia is outlined, especially as it relates to Islamic religion and educational philosophy, and its rapid growth is chronicled. These aspects are examined: Saudi students studying abroad, foreign students in Saudi Arabia, women's education, the Ministry of Higher Education's role, and financing. (MSE)

Prevalence, knowledge and attitudes toward herbal medication use by Saudi women in the central region during pregnancy, during labor and after delivery.

PubMed

Al-Ghamdi, Sameer; Aldossari, Khaled; Al-Zahrani, Jamaan; Al-Shaalan, Fawaz; Al-Sharif, Saad; Al-Khurayji, Hamad; Al-Swayeh, Aiman

2017-04-04

Herbal medication usage is prevalent in both developing and developed countries. The low level of awareness of the possible dangers of some herbs during pregnancy increases the risk of unwarranted sequelae. This manuscript describes the first study of herbal medication use among pregnant women in Saudi Arabia. It aims to determine the prevalence of herbal medication use during pregnancy, during labor and after delivery in the central region of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted over a 5-month period from May 15 to October 15, 2016. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed at 4 main hospitals and 3 primary care centers in Riyadh and Al Kharj. Data from 612 participants were collected and analyzed. Descriptive statistics in the form of frequency and percentage were determined, and Chi-squared tests were performed. Of the 612 participants, 25.3%, 33.7% and 48.9% used herbs during pregnancy, during labor, and after delivery, respectively. The primary motives for using herbal medication during pregnancy, during labor and after delivery were to boost general health, ease and accelerate labor and clean the womb, respectively. There was a significant association between use during pregnancy and prior use (P = 0.001). Most pregnant women used herbs based on advice from family and friends (52.9%). Only 40.7% of pregnant women disclosed their herbal use to their doctors. The prevalence of herbal medication use among pregnant Saudi women in Riyadh and Al Kharj is relatively high. Doctors should be aware of evidence regarding the potential benefits or harm of herbal medication use during pregnancy.

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-16

Arabia from 1989 to 1992. Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more,” Reuters, May 12, 2008. Saudi Arabia...2009. 24 Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more,” Reuters, May 12, 2008. 25 U.S. Department of State

Motivational Issues of Faculty in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abdul-Cader, Akram; Anthony, Peter John

2014-01-01

This study focused on the factors that affect motivation of faculty in Saudi Arabia. It included two surveys and open-ended queries to a focus group of five academic managers and 25 faculty members of varying nationalities, rank, and institutes in Saudi Arabia. The research showed that the faculties in Saudi Arabia's highest education industry…

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-22

Middle East Policy Council, served as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1989 to 1992. Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis — Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil...the Implementing the Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act, P.L.110-53, January 30, 2008. 24 Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis — Saudi smile likely for

Ethnopharmacological Survey of Medicinal Plants in Albaha Region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Awadh Ali, Nasser A; Al Sokari, Saeed Salah; Gushash, Ahmed; Anwar, Sirajudheen; Al-Karani, Khalid; Al-Khulaidi, Abdulwali

2017-01-01

Local natural medicinal resource knowledge is important to define and elaborate usage of herbs, in systematic and organized manner. Until recently, there has been little scientifically written document regarding the traditional uses of medicinal plants in Al Bahah region. This pilot study aims to collect the ethnobotanical information from native populations regarding the benefits of medicinal plants of Al Bahah region, and determine if the traditional usage is scientifically established (proved) from literature. The survey collected data for 39 plant species recorded by informants for their medicinal benefits. The recorded species were distributed among 28 plant families. Leguminosae and Euphorbiaceae were represented each by 3 species, followed by Asteraceae (2 species), Lamiaceae (2 species), Apocynaceae (2 species), and Solanaceae (2 species). All the medicinal plants were reported in their local names. Analysis of ethnopharmacological data was done to obtain percentage of plant families, species, parts of plants used, mode of administration, and preparation types. Total 43 informants were interviewed, maximum number of species were used to cure skin diseases including burns (3), wounds (7), warts (1), Leishmania (7), topical hemostatic (2), followed by gastrointestinal system, rheumatism, respiratory tract problems, diabetes mellitus, anti-snake venom, malaria, and eye inflammation. The study covered Al Bahah city and its outskirts. Ten new ethnobotanical uses were recorded such as antirheumatic and anti-vitiligo uses for Clematis hirsute , leishmaniasis use of Commiphora gileadensis , antigout of Juniperus procera , removing warts for Ficus palmata . 39 plant species from 28 plant families are used for treating more than 20 types of diseases.Maximum number of species (23 species) was used for treating skin diseases (42.6%) including leishmaniasis, wound healing, dermatitis, psoriasis, vitiligo and warts.Ten ethnobotanical uses of 8 studied plants have not

Effect of the Relationship between Agricultural Extension Agents and Wheat Farmers in Medina Region, Saudi Arabia, on the Adoption of Appropriate Wheat Production Practices. A Summary Report of Research. Department Information Bulletin 91-3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bakri, Mohammad Saleh

The relationship between agricultural extension agents and wheat farmers in the Medina region, Saudi Arabia, was analyzed, based on each group's perception of the relationship. Participants were 73 randomly selected wheat farmers and 31 of 34 agricultural extension agents working in the region during spring 1990. Farmers were interviewed, and…

Women and Education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and Achievements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamdan, Amani

2005-01-01

The historical socio-economic and political conditions of Saudi Arabia are an essential aspect of understanding a woman's position in Saudi society. The persistence of women's exclusion from public life in contemporary Saudi Arabia is one of the most heated debates not only among Muslims but also worldwide, as Saudi society comes under more and…

Impact of software and hardware technologies on occupational health and safety policies in Saudi Arabian oil refineries.

PubMed

Idreis, Hany M; Siqueira, Carlos E; Levenstein, Charles C

2006-01-01

proposed by the Ministry of Labor. American and Saudi workers are concerned about the quality and sufficiency of health and safety training, employment promotion, work pressure, and job uncertainty due to continuous downsizing. This article recommends that Saudi social actors increase safety and health awareness in the work environment by providing intensive occupational safety training to the employees (as demanded by Saudi and American workers), improve labor-management relations through establishing strong cooperative contacts with regional and international trade unions, and establish uniform and standard occupational health and safety regulations for Saudi Aramco and its subsidiaries in order to provide an equal level of protection for Saudi workers.

Women's Education in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsuwaida, Nouf

2016-01-01

This paper discusses the historical, political, ideological (value), and government policies of women's education in Saudi Arabia implicated within teaching and learning, how women's higher education has changed over time in the realm of Saudi cultural traditions and religious norms. It also highlights the golden era of women's higher education.…

Evaluation of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide at nine sites in Saudi Arabia during 2007.

PubMed

Butenhoff, Christopher L; Khalil, M Aslam K; Porter, William C; Al-Sahafi, Mohammed Saleh; Almazroui, Mansour; Al-Khalaf, Abdulrahman

2015-07-01

This paper presents a one-year record of in situ air-quality data from nine sites throughout Saudi Arabia. The data set is composed of hourly measurements of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO) at six of the largest cities in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Yanbu, Dammam, Hafouf) and two remote locations in the mountainous southwestern region of Alsodah for the year 2007. The authors found that international O3 and CO standards were routinely exceeded throughout the year at many sites, and that exceedances increased during Ramadan (Sep. 12-Oct. 13), the Islamic month of fasting when much of normal daily activity is shifted to nighttime hours. In general NO2 and CO levels were higher in Saudi cities compared to U.S. cities of comparable population, while O3 levels were lower. There was a general trend for O3 and NO2 to be negatively correlated in Saudi cities in contrast to U.S. cities where the correlation is positive, suggesting that ozone chemistry in Saudi Arabia is limited by volatile organic compound emissions. This may be caused by low biogenic emissions from vegetation. Pollutant levels were lower at most Saudi sites during the four day Hajj period (Dec. 18-21) but higher in Makkah which receives millions of visitors during Hajj. The authors also found that ozone levels were elevated during the weekend (Thursday & Friday) relative to weekday levels despite lower NO2, a phenomenon known as the "weekend effect." As little air quality data is available from Saudi Arabia in the English-language literature, this data set fills a knowledge gap and improves understanding of air quality in an important but under-reported region of the world. Air quality measurements at nine sites in Saudi Arabia provide a detailed look at spatial and temporal patterns of ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and carbon monoxide (CO). NO2 and CO levels increased in most cities during the fasting month of Ramadan, whereas O3 levels decreased. This led to

Technology Leadership in Saudi Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alenezi, Abdullah

2017-01-01

This paper demonstrates the potential of Saudi schools for technology leadership provided by Learning Resource Centres (LRCs) to enhance the formation of a technology-motivated educational environment. Using the grounded theory methodology and the CBAM stages of concern and levels of use this study sheds light on Saudi LRCs and their leadership…

Extensive geographical and social structure in the paternal lineages of Saudi Arabia revealed by analysis of 27 Y-STRs.

PubMed

Khubrani, Yahya M; Wetton, Jon H; Jobling, Mark A

2018-03-01

Saudi Arabia's indigenous population is organized into patrilineal descent groups, but to date, little has been done to characterize its population structure, in particular with respect to the male-specific region of the Y chromosome. We have used the 27-STR Yfiler ® Plus kit to generate haplotypes in 597 unrelated Saudi males, classified into five geographical regions (North, South, Central, East and West). Overall, Yfiler ® Plus provides a good discrimination capacity of 95.3%, but this is greatly reduced (74.7%) when considering the reduced Yfiler ® set of 17 Y-STRs, justifying the use of the expanded set of markers in this population. Comparison of the five geographical divisions reveals striking differences, with low diversity and similar haplotype spectra in the Central and Northern regions, and high diversity and similar haplotype spectra in the East and West. These patterns likely reflect the geographical isolation of the desert heartland of the peninsula, and the proximity to the sea of the Eastern and Western areas, and consequent historical immigration. We predicted haplogroups from Y-STR haplotypes, testing the performance of prediction by using a large independent set of Saudi Arabian Y-STR + Y-SNP data. Prediction indicated predominance (71%) of haplogroup J1, which was significantly more common in Central, Northern and Southern groups than in East and West, and formed a star-like expansion cluster in a median-joining network with an estimated age of ∼2800 years. Most of our 597 participants were sampled within Saudi Arabia itself, but ∼16% were sampled in the UK. Despite matching these two groups by home sub-region, we observed significant differences in haplotype and predicted haplogroup constitutions overall, and for most sub-regions individually. This suggests social structure influencing the probability of leaving Saudi Arabia, correlated with different Y-chromosome compositions. The UK-recruited sample is an inappropriate proxy for

Pediatric hypertension in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Alkahtani, Shaea A.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To compare the levels of blood pressure (BP) between male and female adolescents in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia and reference percentiles for Saudi adolescents. A secondary aim was to explore the distribution of BP among the participants based on age and gender. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 146 boys and girls attending intermediate and secondary schools in 2 regions (Al-Mallaha and Al-Mubarraz) in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Weight, random blood glucose, and BP were collected by a team of health educators in the morning of the school day between April and May 2014. Results: Of the current sample of adolescents originally from the Eastern Province, 30% had systolic blood pressure (SBP) of ≥140 mm Hg and 22% had diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mm Hg. For girls between 13 and 16 years old, the SBP was greater than the 95th percentile of Saudi national norms. Participants were classified by gender and school stage, and one-way analysis of variance showed significant differences in the means of SBP between intermediate boys (127±2.5 mm Hg) and secondary boys (136±2.1 mm Hg) (p<0.05), and between intermediate boys and intermediate girls (138±1.6 mm Hg) (p<0.01). Conclusion: The increased level of BP among adolescents originally from the Eastern Province raises the need to update the current BP nomograms, considering possible differences for specific geographic areas across the country. Implementing therapeutic life style management in girls’ schools is recommended. PMID:25987114

Nuptiality pattern in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Farag, M K; al-Mazrou, Y Y; Baldo, M H; Aziz, K M; al-Shehri, S N

1995-01-01

The data of this work are based on the 'Saudi Maternal and Child Health Survey' conducted in 1991. This was a nationwide house to house field survey. The study included 6294 ever-married Saudi female in the childbearing age who represent the target population. They were randomly selected from both urban and rural settings of the five geographical areas of Saudi Arabia. The mean current age of the sample of ever-married women was 31 years and the mean age at first marriage was 17 and 16 years for urban and rural females, respectively. Education was associated with upward shift of the age at first marriage. About 20 per cent of the sampled ever-married Saudi females got married before their 15th birthday and 83 per cent before reaching 20 years of age. These percentages are even higher in rural than urban settings. The overall percentage of women who were currently married at the time of the survey was 96 per cent. The divorced and widowed women of childbearing age were 2 and 3 per cent, respectively, of the total. Husband's educational level had positive impact on the frequency of divorce. The latter was highest among women married to illiterate husbands with a dose response pattern. Comparison has been made with the situation 4 years ago. An increase in literacy rates among Saudi ever-married women and their husbands was observed, however, a significant (P < 0.05) difference still exists between female and male literacy rates (38 and 71 per cent, respectively). The events of early marriage, before the age of 15 years, became less frequent. There is an overall decline in teenage marriages which explains a large part of the recent changes observed in nuptiality and pattern of birth in Saudi Arabia.

DISCRIMINATION OF GRANITOIDS AND MINERALIZED GRANITOIDS IN THE MIDYAN REGION, NORTHWESTERN ARABIAN SHIELD, SAUDI ARABIA, BY LANDSAT MSS DATA-ANALYSIS.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Davis, Philip A.; Grolier, Maurice J.

1984-01-01

Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS) band and band-ratio databases of two scenes covering the Midyan region of northwestern Saudi Arabia were examined quantitatively and qualitatively to determine which databases best discriminate the geologic units of this semi-arid and arid region. Unsupervised, linear-discriminant cluster-analysis was performed on these two band-ratio combinations and on the MSS bands for both scenes. The results for granitoid-rock discrimination indicated that the classification images using the MSS bands are superior to the band-ratio classification images for two reasons, discussed in the paper. Yet, the effects of topography and material type (including desert varnish) on the MSS-band data produced ambiguities in the MSS-band classification results. However, these ambiguities were clarified by using a simulated natural-color image in conjunction with the MSS-band classification image.

Diet in Saudi Arabia: findings from a nationally representative survey.

PubMed

Moradi-Lakeh, Maziar; El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Afshin, Ashkan; Daoud, Farah; AlMazroa, Mohammad A; Al Saeedi, Mohammad; Basulaiman, Mohammed; Memish, Ziad A; Al Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Mokdad, Ali H

2017-04-01

No recent original studies on the pattern of diet are available for Saudi Arabia at the national level. The present study was performed to describe the consumption of foods and beverages by Saudi adults. The Saudi Health Interview Survey (SHIS) was conducted in 2013. Data were collected through interviews and anthropometric measurements were done. A diet history questionnaire was used to determine the amount of consumption for eighteen food or beverage items in a typical week. The study was a household survey in all thirteen administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Participants were 10 735 individuals aged 15 years or older. Mean daily consumption was 70·9 (se 1·3) g for fruits, 111·1 (se 2·0) g for vegetables, 11·6 (se 0·3) g for dark fish, 13·8 (se 0·3) g for other fish, 44·2 (se 0·7) g for red meat, 4·8 (se 0·2) g for processed meat, 10·9 (se 0·3) g for nuts, 219·4 (se 5·1) ml for milk and 115·5 (se 2·6) ml for sugar-sweetened beverages. Dietary guideline recommendations were met by only 5·2 % of individuals for fruits, 7·5 % for vegetables, 31·4 % for nuts and 44·7 % for fish. The consumption of processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages was high in young adults. Only a small percentage of the Saudi population met the dietary recommendations. Programmes to improve dietary behaviours are urgently needed to reduce the current and future burden of disease. The promotion of healthy diets should target both the general population and specific high-risk groups. Regular assessments of dietary status are needed to monitor trends and inform interventions.

Head lice infestations (Anoplura: Pediculidae) in Saudi and non-Saudi school-aged children.

PubMed

Bosely, Hanan Aboalkasem; El-Alfy, Nadia M

2011-04-01

The prevalence and human risk factors associated with head lice infestation was studied. A total of 860 children, 474 (55.1%) boys and 386 (44.9%) girls, with ages ranged from 6-13 years were critically examined. They were randomly selected from two schoolchildren (one for boys and one for girls) in Jazan Province. The children or their parents were subjected to questionnaire and physical examination by visual inspections of scalp and hair for the presence of adult lice, nymphs, and/or eggs (nits). A total of 114 children (13.3%) were infested with head lice, 73 (18.9%) girls and 41 (8.6%) boys. The highest infestation rate was recorded in rural area (20.5%). Pediculosis had a negative association with father's education level and frequency of hair washing (p > 0.01). The results indicated that rural residence, sex, long hair, age- group 6- < 8 years old, positive history of previous infestation, sharing of beds and combs, uneducated mother and family overcrowding might be the risk factors for the head lice infestation.

Adult Education in Saudi Arabia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffin, Tim D.; Algren, Mark S.

Religion pervades all aspects of Saudi Arabia, the conservative home of Islam, where the constitution is the Quran and law is interpreted by religious scholars. A formal adult basic education program was initiated in 1960. As part of the country's modernization since the early 1970s, the Saudi government has begun an enormous nation-building plan…

Health Education in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al-Hashem, Anwar

2016-01-01

This article provides a historical overview of the evolution of health education in Saudi Arabia. It outlines milestones in the development of the health education profession and traces the roles of various health sectors and their achievements in the health education field. Additionally, this review seeks to describe the status of health education professionals in Saudi Arabia. PMID:27606106

Pharmacy Malpractice: The rate and prevalence of dispensing high-risk prescription-only medications at community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alshammari, Thamir M; Alhindi, Salman A; Alrashdi, Ahmed M; Benmerzouga, Imaan; Aljofan, Mohamad

2017-07-01

To assess the compliance of community pharmacies with the regulations that prohibit the dispensing of prescription-only medications in the absence of a physician prescription in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the period between October 2014 and January 2015. A list of 10 prescription-only medications were selected to be studied. 150 community pharmacies were visited across 6 major regions in Saudi Arabia to assess the prevalence of non-compliance among community pharmacies. Pharmacies were selected in random and researchers (disguised as patients) requested to purchase prescription-only medications in the absence of a prescription. Not all medications were purchased at once. Data were recorded per pharmacy, where pharmacies that approved dispense of the selected drug were scored as non-compliant and the pharmacies that rejected dispense of the selected drug were scored as compliant. Compliance rate was calculated per region per drug. Pharmacies based in governmental hospitals were visited in parallel. A total of 20 were visited. Data and statistical analysis were performed using Statistical Analyses Software (SAS 9.3). A total of 150 pharmacies were visited over a period of 3 months. On average, the percent approved dispense of prescription-only drugs across 6 regions in Saudi Arabia is 63% and the percent rejected dispense is 37% representing a significant non-compliance rate regarding the selected list of medications in this study. The frequency of dispense per medication across 6 major regions in Saudi Arabia is as follows: Isosorbide dinitrate (86%), Enoxaparin (82%), nitroglycerin (74%), Propranolol (73%), Verapamil (70%), Warfarin (65%), Methyldopa (64%), Ciprofloxacin (57%) and Codeine (4%). Non-compliance of community pharmacies with the law of pharmaceutical practice is at an alarming rate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and authoritative figures must intervene to impede and combat such activities .

Irrigated Agriculture, Saudi Arabia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

In Saudi Arabia, center-pivot, swing-arm irrigated agriculture complexes such as the one imaged at Jabal Tuwayq (20.5N, 45.0 E) extract deep fossil water reserves to achieve food crop production self sufficiency in this desert environment. The significance of the Saudi expanded irrigated agriculture is that the depletion of this finite water resource is a short term solution to a long term need that will still exist when the water has been extracted.

Irrigated Agriculture, Saudi Arabia

NASA Image and Video Library

1990-01-20

In Saudi Arabia, center-pivot, swing-arm irrigated agriculture complexes such as the one imaged at Jabal Tuwayq (20.5N, 45.0 E) extract deep fossil water reserves to achieve food crop production self sufficiency in this desert environment. The significance of the Saudi expanded irrigated agriculture is that the depletion of this finite water resource is a short term solution to a long term need that will still exist when the water has been extracted.

Deficiencies Under Plenty of Sun: Vitamin D Status among Adults in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013.

PubMed

Tuffaha, Marwa; El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Daoud, Farah; Al Hussaini, Hessah Abdulla; Alamri, Fahad; Al Saeedi, Mohammad; Basulaiman, Mohammed; Memish, Ziad A; AlMazroa, Mohammad A; Al Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Mokdad, Ali H

2015-10-01

Vitamin D deficiency has been correlated with several diseases and injuries including diabetes, osteoporosis, fractures, and falls. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), current data on vitamin D status are lacking. To inform Saudi public health authorities on the current status of blood levels vitamin D deficiency, we analyzed data from the Saudi Health Interview Survey. The Saudi Health Interview Survey (SHIS) is a cross-sectional national multistage survey of individuals aged 15 years and above on sociodemographic characteristics, tobacco consumption, diet, physical activity, health care utilization, different health-related behaviors, and self-reported chronic conditions. A total of 10,735 participants completed a health questionnaire and were invited to the local health clinics for biomedical exams. 62.65% of female Saudis and 40.6% of male Saudis aged 15 years and above are deficient in vitamin D. Out of them, less than 1% males and less than 2% females consume vitamin D supplements. Women who have never married and obese individuals are more likely to be deficient in vitamin D, compared to men who were currently married and nonobese individuals. Those consuming vitamin D supplements are less likely to be deficient in vitamin D. Our study showed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Saudi men and women, and the results call for an increased awareness to ensure adequate levels of vitamin D for better health in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, our findings are certainly relevant for other countries in the Gulf region or countries with similar cultures, clothing, and religions.

KLF1 gene and borderline hemoglobin A2 in Saudi population.

PubMed

Borgio, J Francis; AbdulAzeez, Sayed; Al-Muslami, Ahmed M; Naserullah, Zaki A; Al-Jarrash, Sana; Al-Suliman, Ahmed M; Al-Madan, Mohammed S; Al-Ali, Amein K

2018-01-01

Elevated HbA 2 (hemoglobin A 2 ) level is considered the most reliable hematological parameter for the detection of β-thalassemia carriers. However, some carriers are difficult to recognize because the level of HbA 2 is not in the distinctive carrier range, i.e. 4.0-6.0%; instead, some carriers have HbA 2 levels between normal and carrier levels, i.e. borderline HbA 2 (HbA 2 = 3.1-3.9%). Studies have shown that variations in the erythroid Krüppel-like factor ( KLF1 ) gene lead to borderline HbA 2 in β-thalassemia carriers from various populations. The incidence of borderline HbA 2 in Saudis is high. To confirm the influence of variations in KLF1 , HBA1 , HBA2 and HBB genes for the reduction of the level of HbA 2 in Saudi β-thalassemia carriers, we performed a direct sequence analysis of KLF1 , HBA1 , HBA2 and HBB genes from 212 healthy Saudis (88 subjects: HbA 2 < 3; 72 subjects: HbA 2 = 3.1 to 3.9; 52 subjects HbA 2 > 4.3). The presence of the borderline HbA 2 level is not specific to any type of β-thalassemia variation or β + -thalassemia variations in Saudis. Two exonic (c.304T>C and c.544T>C) and two 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) (c.*296G>A and c.*277C>G) variations have been identified in the KLF1 gene for the first time from an Arab population. None of these four variations in KLF1 genes are significantly associated with the Saudis with borderline HbA 2 . α Globin genotype, -α 2 3.7 /α 1 α 2 , is found to be the most frequent (55.55%) among healthy Saudis with borderline HbA 2 compared with the other groups (HbA 2 < 3 = 20.45%; HbA 2 > 4.3 = 13.51%). Further studies are necessary to determine the influence of other factors on the presence of borderline HbA 2 in 41.67% of Saudis.

Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

1986-12-01

In 1985, Saudi Arabia's population stood at 9.6 million, with an annual growth rate of 2.8%. The infant mortality rate was 78/1000 and life expectancy was 60 years. Literacy was at the 50% level among men and 25% among women. Of the work force of 3 million, 66% are foreign workers. The labor force is distributed as follows: agriculture, 14%; industry, 11%; services, commerce, and government, 53%; construction, 20%; and oil and mining, 2%. The GDP was US$98.1 billion in 1985-86, with an annual growth rate of 8% and a per capita GDP of $9800. Under the impact of rapid economic growth, urbanization has advanced rapidly and 95% of the population is now settled. Saudi Arabia, a monarchy, is divided into 14 provinces that are governed by princes or relatives of the royal family. Oil is the major source of foreign exchange, contributing 81% of government revenues. Ample government funds and foreign exchange resources are available for development, defense, and aid to other Arab and Islamic countries. The government has sought to allocate its petroleum income to transform its relatively undeveloped oil-based economy into that of a modern industrial state while maintaining traditional Islamic values. The standard of living of most Saudis has improved significantly. A shortage of skilled workers at all levels remains the principal obstacle to rapid development.

Prevalence of psychological symptoms in Saudi Secondary School girls in Abha, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al Gelban, Khalid S.

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Adolescence is characterized by rapid physiological, social and cognititive changes. Aim of the present work is to study mental health of Saudi adolescent secondary school girls in Abha city, Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 secondary schools for girls using the Arabic version of the symptom-revised checklist 90 (SCL 90-R), a mental health questionnaire that was administered to the girls by fourth-year female medical students. RESULTS: The most prevalent mental symptoms in the 545 female students were phobic anxiety (16.4%), psychoticism (14.8%), anxiety (14.3%), and somatization (14.2%). The prevalence of depression, paranoid ideation and interpersonal sensitivity amounted to 13.9%, 13.8% and 13.8%, respectively. The least prevalent mental symptoms were hostility (12.8%) and obsessive-compulsive behavior (12.3%). Overall, psychological symptoms (in terms of a positive global severity index) were found in 16.3% of the girls. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, no significant relationship was found with sociodemographic factors. CONCLUSION: Psychological symptoms and disorders are prevalent in secondary school girls and health professionals need to be able to recognize, manage and follow-up mental health problems in young people. Further research is needed to explore the magnitude of the problem at the national level. PMID:19584586

A dose comparison survey in CT departments of dedicated paediatric hospitals in Australia and Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Mohiy, Hussain Al; Sim, Jenny; Seeram, Euclid; Annabell, Nathan; Geso, Moshi; Mandarano, Giovanni; Davidson, Rob

2012-01-01

AIM: To measure and compare computed tomography (CT) radiation doses delivered to patients in public paediatric hospitals in Australia and Saudi Arabia. METHODS: Doses were measured for routine CT scans of the head, chest and abdomen/pelvis for children aged 3-6 years in all dedicated public paediatric hospitals in Australia and Saudi Arabia using a CT phantom measurement cylinder. RESULTS: CT doses, using the departments’ protocols for 3-6 year old, varied considerably between hospitals. Measured head doses varied from 137.6 to 528.0 mGy·cm, chest doses from 21.9 to 92.5 mGy·cm, and abdomen/pelvis doses from 24.9 to 118.0 mGy·cm. Mean head and abdomen/pelvis doses delivered in Saudi Arabian paediatric CT departments were significantly higher than those in their Australian equivalents. CONCLUSION: CT dose varies substantially across Australian and Saudi Arabian paediatric hospitals. Therefore, diagnostic reference levels should be established for major anatomical regions to standardise dose. PMID:23150767

An Analysis of Variables Related to Biology Achievement at the 12th Grade Level in the Southwestern Region of Saudi Arabia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Shahrani, Amer A. S.

Saudi Arabia has not ignored the fact that education is the key to a nation's progress. It considers education as a first priority and is trying to catch up with more advanced nations in this area. One way Saudi Arabia has planned to reduce the risk of complete reliance on the oil revenues is by improving education. This study was designed to…

A need for One Health approach - lessons learned from outbreaks of Rift Valley fever in Saudi Arabia and Sudan.

PubMed

Hassan, Osama Ahmed; Ahlm, Clas; Evander, Magnus

2014-01-01

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an emerging viral zoonosis that impacts human and animal health. It is transmitted from animals to humans directly through exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected animals or via mosquito bites. The disease is endemic to Africa but has recently spread to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Our aim was to compare two major outbreaks of RVF in Saudi Arabia (2000) and Sudan (2007) from a One Health perspective. Using the terms 'Saudi Arabia', 'Sudan', and 'RVF', articles were identified by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, and web pages of international organizations as well as local sources in Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The outbreak in Saudi Arabia caused 883 human cases, with a case fatality rate of 14% and more than 40,000 dead sheep and goats. In Sudan, 698 human cases of RVF were recognized (case fatality, 31.5%), but no records of affected animals were available. The ecology and environment of the affected areas were similar with irrigation canals and excessive rains providing an attractive habitat for mosquito vectors to multiply. The outbreaks resulted in livestock trade bans leading to a vast economic impact on the animal market in the two countries. The surveillance system in Sudan showed a lack of data management and communication between the regional and federal health authorities, while in Saudi Arabia which is the stronger economy, better capacity and contingency plans resulted in efficient countermeasures. Studies of the epidemiology and vectors were also performed in Saudi Arabia, while in Sudan these issues were only partly studied. We conclude that a One Health approach is the best option to mitigate outbreaks of RVF. Collaboration between veterinary, health, and environmental authorities both on national and regional levels is needed.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia: A Comprehensive Overview

PubMed Central

Abdoon, Abdalmohsin M.; Aldahan, Mohamed A.; Alzahrani, Abdullah G.; Alhakeem, Raaft F.; Asiri, Abdullah M.; Alzahrani, Mohamed H.; Memish, Ziad A.

2017-01-01

Abstract Despite the great efforts by health authorities in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) continues to be a major public health problem in the country. Many risk factors make KSA prone to outbreaks and epidemics; among these, rapid urbanization and the huge population movement are the most important. The disease is endemic in many parts of KSA, with the majority of cases concentrated in six regions, including Al-Qaseem, Riyadh, Al-Hassa, Aseer, Ha'il, and Al-Madinah. Leishmania major (L. major) and Leishmania tropica (L. tropica) are the main dermotropic species, and Phlebotomus papatasi (vector of L. major) and Phlebotomus sergenti (vector of L. tropica) are the proved vectors of the disease. Psammomys obesus and Meriones libycus have been defined as the principal reservoir hosts of zoonotic CL in Al-Hassa oasis, Al-Madinah, and Al-Qaseem provinces. Clinically, males are affected more than females, and there is no variation between the Saudis and expatriates in terms of number of reported cases, but the disease tends to run a more severe course among non-Saudis. Face is the most commonly affected site, and ulcerative pattern accounts for 90% of lesions. Despite local and international recommendations of using laboratory diagnostics to confirm CL cases, most cases in KSA are diagnosed and treated on clinical grounds and local epidemiology. However, systemic parenteral sodium stibogluconate (SSG) is the first line of therapy and used to treat all CL patients irrespective of their clinical presentation or the incriminated species. In brief, more efforts are needed to combat this disease. Several aspects of the disease require more evaluation through encouragement of national and regional studies. Development of evidence based national diagnostic and management guidelines, as well as algorithms, is urgently needed to improve the practice of diagnosing and treating CL in KSA. PMID:28806141

Prevalence and genotyping ofToxoplasma gondii among Saudi pregnant women in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alghamdi, Jawahir; Elamin, Maha Hussein; Alhabib, Samia

2016-11-01

Introduction: Toxoplasma gondii ( T. gondii ) is an intracellular protozoan that can infect all mammals, who serve as intermediate host. It causes congenital, neurological, eyes complications and mild or asymptomatic infections in humans. Purpose of this study: To investigate not only the prevalence of T. gondii , but also to find out its genotyping using multiple sequential molecular methods to predict exactly the precise genotyping of T. gondii among Saudi pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using multi-stage methods. Initial stage involved enrolment of 250 Saudi pregnant women from multi-centre healthcare and community based settings in the capital of Saudi Arabia Riyadh. The second stage was embracement of the laboratory investigation that included Enzyme immunoassay (ELISA), DNA extraction, PCR, nested-PCR assay, and genotyping of the seropositive cases. Results: 203 women agreed to take part in our study with a response rate of 81.2% (203/250). Using ELISA, we found that the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii IgG and IgM antibodies was 32.5% and 6.4%, respectively. We found that 29 samples (80.6%) were of genotype II; however 7 samples (19.4%) were of genotype III. Conclusion: Defining the population structure of T. gondii from Saudi Arabia has important implications for transmission, immunogenicity, pathogenesis, and in planning preventive strategies. Relationship between such variation in structure and disease manifestation in pregnant women is still difficult to assess due to the role of host immune status and genetic background on the control of infection, and of other parasitic features such as the infecting dose or parasite stage. Our finding of the genotyping of T. gondii might facilitate and inform future studies on comparative genomics and identification of genes that control important biological phenotypes including pathogenesis and transmission among Saudi women.

Gender-Segregated Education in Saudi Arabia: Its Impact on Social Norms and the Saudi Labor Market

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baki, Roula

2004-01-01

This article examines the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's gender-segregated higher education system and how it is used to transmit the Kingdom's traditional societal expectations to the employment sector. With Saudi Arabia's current need for economic change, the education system is retarding instead of accelerating reform. A background consisting of…

Information Assurance in Saudi Organizations - An Empirical Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabi, Syed Irfan; Mirza, Abdulrahman A.; Alghathbar, Khaled

This paper presents selective results of a survey conducted to find out the much needed insight into the status of information security in Saudi Arabian organizations. The purpose of this research is to give the state of information assurance in the Kingdom and to better understand the prevalent ground realities. The survey covered technical aspects of information security, risk management and information assurance management. The results provide deep insights in to the existing level of information assurance in various sectors that can be helpful in better understanding the intricate details of the prevalent information security in the Kingdom. Also, the results can be very useful for information assurance policy makers in the government as well as private sector organizations. There are few empirical studies on information assurance governance available in literature, especially about the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, therefore, the results are invaluable for information security researchers in improving the understanding of information assurance in this region and the Kingdom.

Institute for Scientific Information-indexed biomedical journals of Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Rohra, Dileep K.; Rohra, Vikram K.; Cahusac, Peter

2016-01-01

Objectives: To compare the journal impact factor (JIF) and Eigenfactor score (ES) of Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)-indexed biomedical journals published from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) over the last 8 years. Methods: This is a retrospective study, conducted at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, KSA from January to March 2016. The Journal Citation Reports of ISI Web of Knowledge were accessed, and 6 Saudi biomedical journals were included for analysis. Results: All Saudi journals have improved their IF compared with their baseline. However, the performance of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Neurosciences has been exceptionally good. The biggest improvement in percent growth in JIF was seen in the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal (approximately 887%) followed by Neurosciences (approximately 462%). Interestingly, the ES of all biomedical journals, except Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology and Saudi Medical Journal, increased over the years. The greatest growth in ES (more than 5 fold) was noted for Neurosciences and Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal. Conclusion: This study shows that the overall quality of all Saudi biomedical journals has improved in the last 8 years. PMID:27761565

Sleep Medicine in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Almeneessier, Aljohara S.; BaHammam, Ahmed S.

2017-01-01

The practice of sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia began in the mid to late 1990s. Since its establishment, this specialty has grown, and the number of specialists has increased. Based on the available data, sleep disorders are prevalent among the Saudi population, and the demand for sleep medicine services is expected to increase significantly. Currently, two training programs are providing structured training and certification in sleep medicine in this country. Recently, clear guidelines for accrediting sleep medicine specialists and technologists were approved. Nevertheless, numerous obstacles hamper the progress of this specialty, including the lack of trained technicians, specialists, and funding. Increasing the awareness of sleep disorders and their serious consequences among health care workers, health care authorities, and insurance companies is another challenge. Future plans should address the medical educational system at all levels to demonstrate the importance of early detection and the treatment of sleep disorders. This review discusses the current position of and barriers to sleep medicine practice and education in Saudi Arabia. Citation: Almeneessier AS, BaHammam AS. Sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia. J Clin Sleep Med. 2017;13(4):641–645. PMID:28212693

Saudi Arabia's Curriculum of Intolerance with Excerpts from Saudi Ministry of Education Textbooks for Islamic Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shea, Nina; Al-Ahmed, Ali

2006-01-01

After September 11, 2001, complaints were voiced around the world, including by the U.S. government, that Saudi Arabian schools demonize the West and the "other." Senior Saudi government spokesmen also acknowledged this as a problem, and have repeatedly pledged that reform is underway or completed. This report was written in response to…

Health technology assessment in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Aqeel, Sinaa

2018-05-16

The Saudi government, similar to any other government, is committed to making public spending more efficient, using resources more effectively, and limiting waste. Health technology assessment (HTA) is a tool that informs policy and decision makers regarding the formulation of safe and effective policies that are patient-focused and help to achieve efficiency when allocating limited health-care resources. Areas covered: After a brief description of HTA in the international context, this review provides a brief introduction to Saudi Arabia's health-care system, followed by a delineation of the decision maker(s) and influencers and the decision-making process for pricing and reimbursement. The article then discusses the current status of HTA in Saudi Arabia and proposes four strategic objectives that can form the first step in the development of a formal HTA process. Expert commentary: In Saudi Arabia, facilitators for incorporating HTA into the decision-making process exist. Future local research is needed to guide the implementation of full HTA.

Optic neuritis: Observation and experience at a tertiary care hospital in Qassim region, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Alamgir, Mohammad Jawad; Ali, Syed Abrar; Hamdy, Nermin Aly; Khan, Moin Zafar; Mohammad, Elgamri E

2017-01-01

Objectives: Optic neuritis (ON) can occur in isolation or association with multiple sclerosis (MS) or neuromyelitis optica. ON, is seen more commonly in Caucasians and interaction is found to exist between ethnic origin and the latitude at which the patient grows up. At present limited information is available about the profile of ON in Saudi patients. We aimed to analyze the records of ON patients, in regard to their presentation, natural history, treatment outcome, and risk and association with MS. Whether, ON in Saudi patients behaves differently from the Western and Asian patients? Methods: In this retrospective observational study; we retrieved the data from the medical records of the patients with ON, who attended the ophthalmology and neurology services of King Fahad Specialist Hospital Buraidah, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia, from period 2006 to 2012. Results: We recorded data of 60 patients of ON; 38 females (63.3%) and 22 males (36.7%). Color vision was affected in 66.7% of cases. Vision in the affected eye was 20/200 or worse in 74.97 % of our cases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain revealed multiple lesions in 55% of cases; most of them developed MS on follow-up. Only 48.3% of patients had received systemic steroids. Vision improved in 85% of our cases. Conclusion: Most of our patients had idiopathic ON, and almost 85% had good visual recovery, in this regard our study is comparable with such studies done in other Asian countries. On the other hand, 55% of our patients had multiple MRI brain lesions, a high risk and association of MS, almost similar to the Western Europe and North American ON patients. PMID:29114192

Optic neuritis: Observation and experience at a tertiary care hospital in Qassim region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alamgir, Mohammad Jawad; Ali, Syed Abrar; Hamdy, Nermin Aly; Khan, Moin Zafar; Mohammad, Elgamri E

2017-01-01

Optic neuritis (ON) can occur in isolation or association with multiple sclerosis (MS) or neuromyelitis optica. ON, is seen more commonly in Caucasians and interaction is found to exist between ethnic origin and the latitude at which the patient grows up. At present limited information is available about the profile of ON in Saudi patients. We aimed to analyze the records of ON patients, in regard to their presentation, natural history, treatment outcome, and risk and association with MS. Whether, ON in Saudi patients behaves differently from the Western and Asian patients? In this retrospective observational study; we retrieved the data from the medical records of the patients with ON, who attended the ophthalmology and neurology services of King Fahad Specialist Hospital Buraidah, Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia, from period 2006 to 2012. We recorded data of 60 patients of ON; 38 females (63.3%) and 22 males (36.7%). Color vision was affected in 66.7% of cases. Vision in the affected eye was 20/200 or worse in 74.97 % of our cases. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain revealed multiple lesions in 55% of cases; most of them developed MS on follow-up. Only 48.3% of patients had received systemic steroids. Vision improved in 85% of our cases. Most of our patients had idiopathic ON, and almost 85% had good visual recovery, in this regard our study is comparable with such studies done in other Asian countries. On the other hand, 55% of our patients had multiple MRI brain lesions, a high risk and association of MS, almost similar to the Western Europe and North American ON patients.

Exploring Fog Water Harvesting Potential and Quality in the Asir Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gandhidasan, P.; Abualhamayel, H. I.

2012-05-01

During the last decade, the exploitation of the existing water resources in the Asir region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has considerably increased due to both the decrease in annual precipitation and the added population pressures from the growing tourist industry. To face the conventional water shortage, attention has been mainly focused on desalination of water. To save the region from severe water shortage, additional new water sources that are low-cost and renewable must be identified. There exists an alternative source of water such as fog water harvesting. Fog forms in the Asir Region more frequently between December and February compared to the other months of the year. This paper presents the study of the climatic conditions in the Asir region of the Kingdom to identify the most suitable location for fog water collection as well as design and testing of two large fog collectors (LFCs) of size 40 m2 along with standard fog collectors (SFCs) of 1 m2 in that region. During the period from 27 December 2009 to 9 March 2010, a total of 3,128.4 and 2,562.4 L of fog water were collected by the LFC at two sites in the Al-Sooda area of the Asir region, near Abha. Experimental results indicate that fog water collection can be combined with rain water harvesting systems to increase water yield during the rainy season. The quality of the collected fog water was analyzed and compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standards and found to be potable. An economic analysis was carried out for the proposed method of obtaining fresh water from the fog. The study suggests a clear tendency that in terms of both quality and magnitude of yield, fog is a viable source of water and can be successfully used to supplement water supplies in the Asir region of the Kingdom.

Pathology of skin diseases. A study from Western Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alghanmi, Najla M; Abdullah, Layla S

2013-01-01

To describe the histopathological pattern of skin diseases in patients from the western region of Saudi Arabia and to compare this with previously published data from other regions in Saudi Arabia and worldwide. A retrospective review of all skin biopsies received and reported by the Department of Pathology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between January 2005 and December 2010. Neoplastic and non-neoplastic category were divided into melanocytic and non-melanocytic subcategories. Non-neoplastic category was divided into the following subcategories: dermatitis, infection, vascular, vesiculobullous, connective tissue disease, drugs, panniculitis, non-infectious granuloma, degenerative, metabolic, and pigmentary. Three hundred and sixty skin biopsies were reviewed. Out of these, 207 (57.5%) were non-neoplastic skin diseases, while 153 (42.5%) were neoplastic. Both non-neoplastic (female to male ratio of 1.3:1) and neoplastic (female to male ratio of 1.2: 1) categories were more common in females than in males. Among the non-neoplastic category, the most common diagnosed subcategory was vesiculobullous disease (n=46, 22.2%), followed by dermatitis (n=30, 14.5%). The neoplastic category was divided into melanocytic (n=31, 20.3%) and non-melanocytic neoplasms (n=122, 79.7%). Both neoplastic and non-neoplastic categories were most common in the age group of 46 years and older. Vesiculobullous diseases, dermatitis, and infections are the 3 most common non-neoplastic skin diseases and the most common neoplastic are benign non-melanocytic neoplasms. The prevalence of neoplastic and non-neoplastic skin diseases in general increases with age.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among dental professionals in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Alghadir, Ahmad; Zafar, Hamayun; Iqbal, Zaheen A.

2015-01-01

[Purpose] Musculoskeletal disorders are common causes of work-related disability in different professions involving the frequent practice of lifting, stooping, twisting, prolonged sitting, or standing. The dental profession is one such profession. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among dental professionals in Saudi Arabia, the factors associated with them, and their consequences and to propose preventive measures for them. [Subjects and Methods] A self-administered online questionnaire was sent to 225 members of the Saudi Dental Association. It included questions on demographic and professional characteristics, general medical history, and history of work-related musculoskeletal disorders before and after joining the dental profession. [Results] The questionnaire was completed by 65% of the respondents. Among them 85% reported that they had developed some pain due to work after joining the dental profession, and 42% reported that they were suffering pain at the time of the survey. Besides lower back, shoulder, and neck regions, the hands, upper back, and other regions like the elbows, buttocks, thighs, leg, and feet were areas in which they pain. [Conclusion] The prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among dental professionals in Saudi Arabia is high, affecting their daily activities, sometimes even forcing them to change their work setting. Age, gender, specialty of work, work setting, number of contact hours with patients, etc., were all found to be related to their work-related pain. We need to emphasize the role of ergonomics, counseling, proper techniques of patient handling, etc., during the training of dental professionals so that they can work efficiently. PMID:25995567

Markers of endothelial dysfunction and leucocyte activation in Saudi and non-Saudi haplotypes of sickle cell disease.

PubMed

Al Najjar, Salwa; Adam, Soheir; Ahmed, Nessar; Qari, Mohamed

2017-01-01

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an autosomal recessive inherited hemoglobinopathy, characterized by chronic hemolysis and recurrent vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). This study investigates changes in leucocyte subsets and the relationship between cell adhesion molecule expression and disease manifestations in patients during steady state and acute VOC. We compared soluble E-selectin and P-selectin levels in 84 SCD patients, in steady state and during VOC to 84 healthy controls. Using immunophenotyping, we also compared lymphocyte subsets in these three groups. Further, we compared E-selectin and P-selectin levels in patients of Saudi ethnicity to non-Saudi patients, in all three groups. Lymphocyte subsets showed high percentages of total T lymphocytes, T helper and suppressor lymphocytes, B lymphocytes as well as NK cells in patients with SCD during steady state, while B lymphocytes and NK cells were significantly higher during acute VOC crisis. High levels of both soluble E-selectin (sE-selectin) and soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) markers were demonstrated in the serum of patients with SCD during both steady state and acute VOC. Levels of selectins were significantly higher in acute VOC. The immunophenotypic expression of L-selectin, on leucocytes, was high in SCD both during steady state and during acute VOC in comparison to normal control subjects. There was no significant difference in all three study groups between Saudi and non-Saudi patients. These findings suggest that patients with SCD have increased expression of adhesion molecules: E-selectin and P-selectin, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of VOC. Despite the distinct phenotype of Saudi patients with SCD, there was no significant difference in levels of soluble E-selectin and soluble P-selectin between Saudi and non-Saudi patients in all three groups. While sickle cell disease is a well-recognized state of chronic inflammation, the role of specific adhesion molecules is steadily unraveling

A need for One Health approach – lessons learned from outbreaks of Rift Valley fever in Saudi Arabia and Sudan

PubMed Central

Hassan, Osama Ahmed; Ahlm, Clas; Evander, Magnus

2014-01-01

Introduction Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an emerging viral zoonosis that impacts human and animal health. It is transmitted from animals to humans directly through exposure to blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected animals or via mosquito bites. The disease is endemic to Africa but has recently spread to Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Our aim was to compare two major outbreaks of RVF in Saudi Arabia (2000) and Sudan (2007) from a One Health perspective. Methods Using the terms ‘Saudi Arabia’, ‘Sudan’, and ‘RVF’, articles were identified by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, and web pages of international organizations as well as local sources in Saudi Arabia and Sudan. Results The outbreak in Saudi Arabia caused 883 human cases, with a case fatality rate of 14% and more than 40,000 dead sheep and goats. In Sudan, 698 human cases of RVF were recognized (case fatality, 31.5%), but no records of affected animals were available. The ecology and environment of the affected areas were similar with irrigation canals and excessive rains providing an attractive habitat for mosquito vectors to multiply. The outbreaks resulted in livestock trade bans leading to a vast economic impact on the animal market in the two countries. The surveillance system in Sudan showed a lack of data management and communication between the regional and federal health authorities, while in Saudi Arabia which is the stronger economy, better capacity and contingency plans resulted in efficient countermeasures. Studies of the epidemiology and vectors were also performed in Saudi Arabia, while in Sudan these issues were only partly studied. Conclusion We conclude that a One Health approach is the best option to mitigate outbreaks of RVF. Collaboration between veterinary, health, and environmental authorities both on national and regional levels is needed. PMID:24505511

Prevalence of somatization and minor psychiatric morbidity in primary healthcare in saudi arabia: a preliminary study in asir region.

PubMed

Alqahtani, Mohammed M; Salmon, Peter

2008-01-01

To determine the prevalence of psychological disorders and somatization among primary care patients from a semi-urban area of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Screening of consecutive patients with the 12-item and 28-item versions of the General Health Questionnaires and assessments of physical symptoms associated with somatization, using the HSCL-12. Eight primary care health centres in Assir, Saudi Arabia. About half of the sample had one or more psychological disorders. The prevalence of somatization detected by the GHQ-28 was 16%. The prevalence of somatization indicated by GPs' identification of medically unexplained symptoms was 14%. Women displayed higher levels of somatization than men. This study reported prevalence of psychological disorders that was as high as found in the more modern areas of Saudi Arabia such as Riyadh. The view that individuals in less open areas are protected from psychological disorders associated with stress and lifestyle pressure seems to be unsubstantiated. The results highlight the potential value of screening for psychological disorders using such simple instruments as the GHQ.

Saudi Oncology Society and Saudi Urology Association combined clinical management guidelines for prostate cancer 2017.

PubMed

Aljubran, Ali; Abusamra, Ashraf; Alkhateeb, Sultan; Alotaibi, Mohammed; Rabah, Danny; Bazarbashi, Shouki; Alkushi, Hussain; Al-Mansour, Mubarak; Alharbi, Hulayel; Eltijani, Amin; Alghamdi, Abdullah; Alsharm, Abdullah; Ahmad, Imran; Murshid, Esam

2018-01-01

This is an update to the previously published Saudi guidelines for the evaluation and medical and surgical management of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is categorized according to the stage of the disease using the tumor node metastasis staging system 7 th edition. The guidelines are presented with supporting evidence levels based on a comprehensive literature review, several internationally recognized guidelines, and the collective expertise of the guidelines committee members (authors) who were selected by the Saudi Oncology Society and Saudi Urological Association. Local factors, such as availability, logistic feasibility, and familiarity of various treatment modalities, have been taken into consideration. These guidelines should serve as a roadmap for the urologists, oncologists, general physicians, support groups, and health-care policymakers in the management of patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

Career Choices Among Saudi Medical Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Faris, Eiad; And Others

1997-01-01

A survey of 253 final-year students at the four Saudi medical schools found the most frequently-chosen specialties were internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology. Over one-fourth were unsure of career choice. Gender differences were found. Most common locations for postgraduate training were Saudi Arabia and Canada, and a…

Distinctiveness of Saudi Arabian EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Habbash, Manssour; Idapalapati, Srinivasa Rao

2016-01-01

In view of the increasing concern among English language teachers dealing with students from Saudi Arabia, as it manifests in TESOL community discussions, about the uniqueness of Saudi Arabian EFL learners, this paper attempts to document the outcome of a study of their distinctiveness from the perspective of expatriate teachers working for PYPs…

Partial Immersion Program for Saudi Bilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsulami, Sumayyah Qaed

2017-01-01

English is taught as a foreign language in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Although the government tries gradually to integrate teaching English in all grades: secondary, intermediate and elementary, learning English is still limited and need more developing. This essay is a brief review about bilingualism in Saudi education. This essay will be divided…

The Influence of Social Media on Saudi Graduate Students: An Explanatory Case Study of Six Saudi Graduate Students Studying in American Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhamadi, Asma Abdulmana

2017-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative multiple participant case study was to identify the influence of social media on Saudi graduate students who are active social media users. Social media have been influencing Saudi students differently than those in other socio-cultural contexts due to the uniqueness of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in terms of…

Saudi English-Major Undergraduates' Academic Writing Problems: A Taif University Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Khairy, Mohamed Ali

2013-01-01

This study attempted to investigate Saudi English-major undergraduates studying at Taif University to identify a) the types of academic writing Saudi English-major undergraduates carry out at English departments, b) Saudi English-major undergraduates' writing problems, c) the reasons behind Saudi English-major undergraduates' writing problems and…

Floristic diversity and vegetation analysis of Wadi Arar: A typical desert Wadi of the Northern Border region of Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Osman, Ahmed K.; Al-Ghamdi, Faraj; Bawadekji, Abdulhakim

2014-01-01

Wadi Arar in the Northern border region of Saudi Arabia is one of the most important Wadis of the Kingdom. The present study provides an analysis of vegetation types, life forms, as well as floristic categories and species distribution. A total of 196 species representing 31 families of vascular plants were recorded. Compositae, Gramineae and Leguminosae were the most common families. Therophytes and chamaephytes are the most frequent life forms, indicating typical desert spectrum vegetation. The distribution of these species in the different sectors of the Wadi as well as the phytochoria for the recorded species is provided. Ninety-one species (46.5%) are typical bi-regional. Furthermore, about 105 species (53.5%) are mono- or pluriregional taxa. The highest number of species (136 or 69.5%) was recorded for annual plants, while the lowest number of species (60% or 30.5%) was recorded for perennial, short perennial or annual to biennial species. PMID:25473364

Individualized medicine enabled by genomics in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The biomedical research sector in Saudi Arabia has recently received special attention from the government, which is currently supporting research aimed at improving the understanding and treatment of common diseases afflicting Saudi Arabian society. To build capacity for research and training, a number of centres of excellence were established in different areas of the country. Among these, is the Centre of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research (CEGMR) at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, with its internationally ranked and highly productive team performing translational research in the area of individualized medicine. Here, we present a panorama of the recent trends in different areas of biomedical research in Saudi Arabia drawing from our vision of where genomics will have maximal impact in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We describe advances in a number of research areas including; congenital malformations, infertility, consanguinity and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, cancer and genomic classifications in Saudi Arabia, epigenetic explanations of idiopathic disease, and pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine. We conclude that CEGMR will continue to play a pivotal role in advances in the field of genomics and research in this area is facing a number of challenges including generating high quality control data from Saudi population and policies for using these data need to comply with the international set up. PMID:25951871

Foreign Language Anxiety among First-Year Saudi University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tanielian, Adam R.

2017-01-01

This study surveys 156 Saudi male and 131 Saudi female students in their first year at King Faisal University in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Demographic data is collected along with quantitative data using a self-reporting Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) with a 5- point Likert scale. English performance data is collected…

Fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt. ) germination and establishment under arid environmental conditions of Saudi Arabia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Hedaithy, S.S.M.

1983-01-01

The objectives of this study were to conduct an autecological investigation of fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens (Pursh) Nutt.) in the Al-Gassim region of Saudi Arabia, upon which range rehabilitation could be based. Germination, seedling, transplanting, and water relation characteristics of the species under controlled and field conditions were determined. Most of the field work was conducted at plain and sand dune areas of the Al-Gassim, Saudi Arabia, and supplemented with growth chamber experiments. Seeds of tetrapolid and diploid forms, native to the United States, were introduced to Saudi Arabia, and their performance was determined. The Al-Gassim soil and climatic featuresmore » were analyzed. Laboratory and field tests proved that fourwing saltbush was able to become established under and tolerate wide ranges of soil and harsh climatic conditions as found in the Al-Gassim. The best temperature range for germination was 15 to 35 C. High salinity in the soil of the plains area was found to be the only soil character that slightly decreased seedling growth, but germination and survival behaviors were not affected. The adaptation to extreme environmental conditions coupled with its known high nutritional forage values makes fourwing saltbush a valuable range plant in the arid regions of Saudi Arabia. As demand on rangeland increases, improved forage plants must have drough and salinity resistance mechanisms, and improved range management techniques should be used to achieve optimum returns.« less

Copy number variations in Saudi family with intellectual disability and epilepsy.

PubMed

Naseer, Muhammad I; Chaudhary, Adeel G; Rasool, Mahmood; Kalamegam, Gauthaman; Ashgan, Fai T; Assidi, Mourad; Ahmed, Farid; Ansari, Shakeel A; Zaidi, Syed Kashif; Jan, Mohammed M; Al-Qahtani, Mohammad H

2016-10-17

Epilepsy is genetically complex but common brain disorder of the world affecting millions of people with almost of all age groups. Novel Copy number variations (CNVs) are considered as important reason for the numerous neurodevelopmental disorders along with intellectual disability and epilepsy. DNA array based studies contribute to explain a more severe clinical presentation of the disease but interoperation of many detected CNVs are still challenging. In order to study novel CNVs with epilepsy related genes in Saudi family with six affected and two normal individuals with several forms of epileptic seizures, intellectual disability (ID), and minor dysmorphism, we performed the high density whole genome Agilent sure print G3 Hmn CGH 2x 400 K array-CGH chips analysis. Our results showed de novo deletions, duplications and deletion plus duplication on differential chromosomal regions in the affected individuals that were not shown in the normal fathe and normal kids by using Agilent CytoGenomics 3.0.6.6 softwear. Copy number gain were observed in the chromosome 1, 16 and 22 with LCE3C, HPR, GSTT2, GSTTP2, DDT and DDTL genes respectively whereas the deletions observed in the chromosomal regions 8p23-p21 (4303127-4337759) and the potential gene in this region is CSMD1 (OMIM: 612279). Moreover, the array CGH results deletions and duplication were also validated by using primer design of deleted regions utilizing the flanked SNPs using simple PCR and also by using quantitative real time PCR. We found some of the de novo deletions and duplication in our study in Saudi family with intellectual disability and epilepsy. Our results suggest that array-CGH should be used as a first line of genetic test for epilepsy except there is a strong indication for a monogenic syndrome. The advanced high through put array-CGH technique used in this study aim to collect the data base and to identify new mechanisms describing epileptic disorder, may help to improve the clinical

Optimizing coffee cultivation and its impact on economic growth and export earnings of the producing countries: The case of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Abdulkader, Ahmed M; Al-Namazi, Ali A; AlTurki, Turki A; Al-Khuraish, Muteb M; Al-Dakhil, Abdullah I

2018-05-01

Coffee is one of the historical socioeconomic crops. It has received an increasing attention at the global level, due to its positive interlinkage with the economic growth and on the gross domestic product for most of the producing countries, particularly, developing and least developed countries. Saudi Arabia is one of the coffee producing countries that has a relative comparative advantage of coffee cultivation. Yet, coffee cultivation has not received as much attention in Saudi Arabia as that of producing countries around the world. This study aims to assess the current state of coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia and to investigate the potential to optimize coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia that maximizes the net national economic return and export earnings, given limitation of cultivated areas, local market activities, and international trade activities. The study statistically analyzed primary data collected from around (65) coffee farms and traders in the study regions at the south and southwest Saudi Arabia, and optimized coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia using LINGO optimization software. Empirical results of the study revealed the great potential of Saudi Arabia to expand coffee cultivation at south and southwest regions to meet the escalating local demand and to increase its share at the world market up to 2%. Optimization of coffee cultivation in Saudi Arabia showed a high potential to meet the local demand for coffee by producing 80.07 thousand tons grown over 2861.78 hectares and to generate a net return equivalent to $395.72 million a year, which is equivalent to $138.28 thousand per hectare and $4.94 thousand per ton of coffee. Optimizing coffee cultivation will play a substantial role to increase market share of Saudi Arabia to about 1-2% of the world market by increasing its export volume, respectively, to about 69.66 and 112.56 thousand tons, the national net economic return by about $395.86 and $395.95 million a year, and the export earnings

Buying success, Saudi style

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durrani, Matin

2009-11-01

Oil - it is what has made Saudi Arabia rich. Without this black gold, none of the country's shopping malls, luxury hotels, six-lane highways or the airconditioned comfort that keeps the terrible heat at bay would be possible. From the first deposits harvested in the early 1950s, Saudi Arabia is now the world's leading exporter of petroleum, which accounts for nearly three-quarters of government revenue. And without the wealth from oil, the huge new King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), built on hard, desert soil in less than two years, would have been impossible.

Molecular characterization and epidemic history of hepatitis C virus using core sequences of isolates from Central Province, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Shier, Medhat K; Iles, James C; El-Wetidy, Mohammad S; Ali, Hebatallah H; Al Qattan, Mohammad M

2017-01-01

The source of HCV transmission in Saudi Arabia is unknown. This study aimed to determine HCV genotypes in a representative sample of chronically infected patients in Saudi Arabia. All HCV isolates were genotyped and subtyped by sequencing of the HCV core region and 54 new HCV isolates were identified. Three sets of primers targeting the core region were used for both amplification and sequencing of all isolates resulting in a 326 bp fragment. Most HCV isolates were genotype 4 (85%), whereas only a few isolates were recognized as genotype 1 (15%). With the assistance of Genbank database and BLAST, subtyping results showed that most of genotype 4 isolates were 4d whereas most of genotype 1 isolates were 1b. Nucleotide conservation and variation rates of HCV core sequences showed that 4a and 1b have the highest levels of variation. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences by Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Coalescent methods was used to explore the source of HCV transmission by investigating the relationship between Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East and Africa. Coalescent analysis showed that transmissions of HCV from Egypt to Saudi Arabia are estimated to have occurred in three major clusters: 4d was introduced into the country before 1900, the major 4a clade's MRCA was introduced between 1900 and 1920, and the remaining lineages were introduced between 1940 and 1960 from Egypt and Middle Africa. Results showed that no lineages seem to have crossed from Egypt to Saudi Arabia in the last 15 years. Finally, sequencing and characterization of new HCV isolates from Saudi Arabia will enrich the HCV database and help further studies related to treatment and management of the virus.

Molecular characterization and epidemic history of hepatitis C virus using core sequences of isolates from Central Province, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Iles, James C.; El-Wetidy, Mohammad S.; Ali, Hebatallah H.; Al Qattan, Mohammad M.

2017-01-01

The source of HCV transmission in Saudi Arabia is unknown. This study aimed to determine HCV genotypes in a representative sample of chronically infected patients in Saudi Arabia. All HCV isolates were genotyped and subtyped by sequencing of the HCV core region and 54 new HCV isolates were identified. Three sets of primers targeting the core region were used for both amplification and sequencing of all isolates resulting in a 326 bp fragment. Most HCV isolates were genotype 4 (85%), whereas only a few isolates were recognized as genotype 1 (15%). With the assistance of Genbank database and BLAST, subtyping results showed that most of genotype 4 isolates were 4d whereas most of genotype 1 isolates were 1b. Nucleotide conservation and variation rates of HCV core sequences showed that 4a and 1b have the highest levels of variation. Phylogenetic analysis of sequences by Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Coalescent methods was used to explore the source of HCV transmission by investigating the relationship between Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East and Africa. Coalescent analysis showed that transmissions of HCV from Egypt to Saudi Arabia are estimated to have occurred in three major clusters: 4d was introduced into the country before 1900, the major 4a clade’s MRCA was introduced between 1900 and 1920, and the remaining lineages were introduced between 1940 and 1960 from Egypt and Middle Africa. Results showed that no lineages seem to have crossed from Egypt to Saudi Arabia in the last 15 years. Finally, sequencing and characterization of new HCV isolates from Saudi Arabia will enrich the HCV database and help further studies related to treatment and management of the virus. PMID:28863156

Occupational health in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Ballal, Seifeddin G; Ahmed, Hafiz O; Sebiany, Abdulaziz M

2002-01-01

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rapidly industrializing, and the economy is now less dependent on oil. The future of industrial growth is very bright. Two industrial complexes (at the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea coasts) of eight provide the basis for the Kingdom s programs to develop hydrocarbon-based and energy-intensive industries. Expatriates form the driving workforce in industry. Today, more Saudis are being recruited and trained to man the factories. Occupation-related disorders in industry vary from minor irritations to injuries and cancers. However, the risk of massive releases of toxic chemicals is not great. The national Occupational Health Service directorate is based at the Ministry of Health. Together with the Ministry of Labor, it assumes the overall supervision of industrial health and safety. However, there are constraints the most important of which is the lack of enough qualified Saudis in this field.

Lucerne transient streak virus; a Recently Detected Virus Infecting Alfafa (Medicago sativa) in Central Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Raza, Ahmed; Al-Shahwan, Ibrahim M; Abdalla, Omer A; Al-Saleh, Mohammed A; Amer, Mahmoud A

2017-02-01

A survey was conducted to determine the status of Lucerne transient streak virus (LTSV) in three high-yielding alfalfa regions in central Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Qassim, and Hail) during 2014. Three hundred and eight symptomatic alfalfa, and seven Sonchus oleraceus samples were collected. DAS-ELISA indicated that 59 of these samples were positive to LTSV. Two isolates of LTSV from each region were selected for molecular studies. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of LTSV in the selected samples using a specific primer pair. Percentage identity and homology tree comparisons revealed that all Saudi isolates were more closely related to each other but also closely related to the Canadian isolate-JQ782213 (97.1-97.6%) and the New Zealand isolate-U31286 (95.8-97.1%). Comparing Saudi isolates of LTSV with ten other sobemoviruses based on the coat protein gene sequences confirmed the distant relationship between them. Eleven out of fourteen plant species used in host range study were positive to LTSV. This is the first time to document that Trifolium alexandrinum , Nicotiana occidentalis , Chenopodium glaucum , and Lathyrus sativus are new host plant species for LTSV and that N. occidentalis being a good propagative host for it.

Emergency presentation of colorectal cancer in Northwestern Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Albalawi, Ibrahim A; Abdullah, Ahmad A; Mohammed, Mohammed E

2017-05-01

To investigate the frequency and clinical characteristics of emergency presentation of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) in Tabuk Region of Saudi Arabia.  Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive hospital-based study. All cases with CRC that presented to the main referral hospitals in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia between 2010 and 2015 were retrieved. The relevant hospitals are: King Salman Military Hospital, King Khalid Hospital, and King Fahad Hospital.  Results: Seventy-three patients were included in the study. Twenty-two patients presented emergency constituting 30.6% of the total. Emergency CRC presentation was more common in elderly patients (81.8%), but a greater proportion of young patients was also affected (40% versus 29% in elderly patients). The disease is more common in females (37%) than males (26.7%) and intestinal obstruction was the sole form of presentation. Patients presenting emergency had more right-sided (61.9%) than left-sided tumors (30.2%). Advanced presentation with metastasis was noted in 40% of the patients presenting acutely. Conclusion: Emergency CRC presentation is common in the Tabuk region. Patients tend to present at an advanced stage, which necessitates an endeavor to detect the disease in its early stages, possibly through initiation of health education programs and suitable screening projects.

The genus Artemisia L. in the northern region of Saudi Arabia: essential oil variability and antibacterial activities.

PubMed

Guetat, Arbi; Al-Ghamdi, Faraj A; Osman, Ahmed K

2017-03-01

Four species of the genus Artemisia L. (Artemisia monosperma, Artemisia scoparia, Artemisia judaica and Artemisia sieberi) growing in the northern region of Saudi Arabia were investigated with respect to their volatile oil contents. The yield of oil varied between 0.30 and 0.41%, % (w/w). A. monosperma showed the highest number of compounds with 30 components representing 93.78% of oil composition. However, A. judaica showed the lowest number of compounds with only 16 components representing 87.47% of essential oil. A. scoparia and A. sieberi are both composed of 17 components, representing 97.14 and 94.2% of total oil composition. A. sieberi and A. judaica were dominated by spathulenol (30.42 and 28.41%, respectively). For A. monosperma, butanoic acid (17.87%) was a major component. However, A. scoparia was a chemotype of acenaphthene. (83.23%). Essential oil of studied species showed high antibacterial activities against common human pathogens.

Factors that affect the job satisfaction of Saudi Arabian nurses.

PubMed

Alotaibi, Jazi; Paliadelis, Penny Susan; Valenzuela, Fredy-Roberto

2016-04-01

To determine factors that influence the job satisfaction of Saudi nurses. Saudi Arabia has a chronic shortage of Saudi national nurses. This research contributes to a greater understanding of how job satisfaction influences the recruitment and retention of Saudi nationals within the nursing profession. Qualitative data were gathered from Saudi nurses and content analysis was used to identify themes in the written responses. Four main themes emerged from the data: lack of educational opportunities and support and the poor image of the nursing profession, perceptions of favouritism, high workloads and stressful work environment and the effect of religion on job satisfaction. Saudi nurses would be more satisfied with their jobs if they had greater access to educational opportunities and if there was a reduction in workload and the perceived favouritism in the workplace was addressed. Religion was also found to play a significant role in supporting job satisfaction. These findings suggest the development of educational scholarships, as well as policies that better support equity in the workplace, to address Saudi nurses' level of job satisfaction. The generally positive impact of cultural and religious beliefs is also highlighted in this study. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of genetic diversity of Panicum turgidum Forssk from Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Assaeed, Abdulaziz M; Al-Faifi, Sulieman A; Migdadi, Hussein M; El-Bana, Magdy I; Al Qarawi, Abdulaziz A; Khan, Mohammad Altaf

2018-01-01

The genetic diversity of 177 accessions of Panicum turgidum Forssk, representing ten populations collected from four geographical regions in Saudi Arabia, was analyzed using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers. A set of four primer-pairs with two/three selective nucleotides scored 836 AFLP amplified fragments (putative loci/genome landmarks), all of which were polymorphic. Populations collected from the southern region of the country showed the highest genetic diversity parameters, whereas those collected from the central regions showed the lowest values. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that 78% of the genetic variability was attributable to differences within populations. Pairwise values for population differentiation and genetic structure were statistically significant for all variances. The UPGMA dendrogram, validated by principal coordinate analysis-grouped accessions, corresponded to the geographical origin of the accessions. Mantel's test showed that there was a significant correlation between the genetic and geographical distances ( r  = 0.35, P  < 0.04). In summary, the AFLP assay demonstrated the existence of substantial genetic variation in P. turgidum . The relationship between the genetic diversity and geographical source of P. turgidum populations of Saudi Arabia, as revealed through this comprehensive study, will enable effective resource management and restoration of new areas without compromising adaptation and genetic diversity.

Does Saudi school furniture meet ergonomics requirements?

PubMed

Ramadan, Mohamed Zaki

2011-01-01

The goal of this research was to study the effect of adjustable imported desk and chair combinations available in the market on student performance. Six sets of chairs and tables within three different activities (reading, writing, and looking to the blackboard) were the independent variables. Evaluation of back force at 5th lumbar vertebrae and the 1st sacrum (L5/S1), subjective measures of discomfort, and the mismatch between student body dimension and classroom furniture analysis were measured. A total of 124 young male students (first through sixth-grade) participated in this experiment. The results revealed too low or too high chair and table heights relative to the students' body dimensions increased the stresses acting at L5/S1 as well as discomfort ratings. This study indicated there was a high level of body mismatch in desk-chair combinations even with the adjustable imported furniture available in the local market. Anthropometric data of Saudi students should be collected from different regions in the Kingdom and then design and development of desk-chair combinations could follow the development of a standard procedure to adapt to the needs of Saudi school children.

Saudi Vigilance Program: Challenges and lessons learned.

PubMed

Alharf, Adel; Alqahtani, Nasser; Saeed, Ghazi; Alshahrani, Ali; Alshahrani, Mubarak; Aljasser, Nasser; Alquwaizani, Mohammed; Bawazir, Saleh

2018-03-01

Pharmacovigilance is vital to public health. Adopting a robust spontaneous reporting system for adverse drug events can counteract most hazards that arise from utilizing medicinal products. Prior to the establishment of the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA), the number of pharmacovigilance-related activities in Saudi Arabia was limited. In 2009, the SFDA established the National Pharmacovigilance and Drug Safety Center (Saudi Vigilance). The pharmacovigilance system has remarkably improved during the past few years. Several initiatives have been taken to improve the program's performance. These initiatives include initiation of pharmacovigilance guidelines, enhancement of communication and reporting tools, training sessions for concerned staff and healthcare providers, and compliance from stakeholders. This review article provides an overview of what the Saudi Vigilance program is, focusing on the scope, mission and vision, hierarchy, operational themes, and overall work processes. Additionally, we will shed light on the challenges we encountered during the early phase and on our future plans.

The Educational Aspirations of Saudi Arabian Youth: Implications for Creating a New Framework to Explain Saudi Arabian Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sim, Woohyang

2016-01-01

Higher education in Saudi Arabia has garnered immense praise for its rapid expansion and developments in both quantity and quality. In response to this, the tertiary school enrollment in Saudi Arabia is rapidly rising. These achievements can be explained by changes in educational policies. However, studies regarding youth's awareness are scarce.…

A Comparison between Saudi and American School Principal Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altuwaijri, Anas

2016-01-01

Saudi educators are increasingly concerned over whether principal preparation programs in Saudi Arabia are accomplishing their goal of developing qualified leaders who are prepared to take on the tasks of school principals. Thus, Saudi researchers recommend that the school principal preparation programs undergo evaluation. This study examines…

Age at menarche and the reproductive performance of Saudi women.

PubMed

Babay, Zainab A; Addar, Mohammed H; Shahid, Khalida; Meriki, Naema

2004-01-01

Saudi Arabia has undergone substantial development in the recent past with concomitant changes in living conditions, and economic and general health status that have affected the age at menarche in Saudi women. We evaluated the current age at menarche and reproductive events among Saudi women. Age, age at menarche, age at marriage, age of first pregnancy, number of children, and number of abortions were collected for Saudi women attending King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH) over a 3-month period in 2002. For 989 Saudi women, the mean age at menarche was 13.05 years. There was a decrease in the age of menarche over the past 20 years, an increase in the age of marriage, age of first pregnancy, and a decrease in the number of children and abortions. Compared with data from two decades, the age at menarche decreased significantly from 13.22 to 13.05 years. The decrease in the age of menarche among Saudi women indicates better socioeconomic status and improvements in health.

Potential antibacterial activity of some Saudi Arabia honey

PubMed Central

Hegazi, Ahmed G.; Guthami, Faiz M. Al; Gethami, Ahmed F. M. Al; Allah, Fyrouz M. Abd; Saleh, Ashraf A.; Fouad, Ehab A.

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential antibacterial activity of some Saudi Arabia honey against selected bacterial strains of medical importance. Materials and Methods: A total of 10 Saudi Arabia honey used to evaluate their antimicrobial activity against some antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacterial strains. The bacterial strains were Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results: The antibacterial activity of Saudi honey against five bacterial strains showed different levels of inhibition according to the type of honey. The overall results showed that the potential activity was differing according to the pathogen and honey type. Conclusion: It could be concluded that the Saudi honey inhibit the growth of bacterial strains and that honey can be used as complementary antimicrobial agent against selected pathogenic bacteria. PMID:28344408

Early Childhood Education in Saudi Arabia: Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rabaah, Alqassem; Doaa, Dashash; Asma, Alzahrani

2016-01-01

This paper reviewed the development of early childhood education (ECE) in Saudi Arabia and its strengths and weaknesses. The paper discusses the contextual background of Saudi Arabia, including its geography, demographics, social system, economy, political system and religion. In addition, the paper investigated the education system at large in…

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-14

rights. 21 Ambassador Chas Freeman, President of the Middle East Policy Council, served as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1989 to 1992. Tabassum ...U.S. Policymakers Conference, Washington, DC, October 15, 2009. 24 Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-16

Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more,” Reuters, May 12, 2008. 21 U.S. Department of State, U.S. Strategy Toward...Qaeda 22 Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more,” Reuters, May

Seroepidemiological survey on Rift Valley fever among small ruminants and their close human contacts in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in 2011.

PubMed

Mohamed, A M; Ashshi, A M; Asghar, A H; Abd El-Rahim, I H A; El-Shemi, A G; Zafar, T

2014-12-01

This study describes a seroepidemiological survey on Rift Valley fever (RVF) among small ruminants and their close human contacts in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 500 small ruminants (126 local, 374 imported) were randomly selected from the sacrifice livestock yards of Al-Kaakiah slaughterhouse, in the holy city of Makkah, during the pilgrimage season 1432 H (4-9 November 2011). In addition, blood samples were collected from 100 local workers in close contact with the animals at the slaughterhouse. An RVF competition multi-species enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detecting anti-RVF virus immunoglobulin G (IgG)/ immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies and an RVF IgM-specific ELISA were used for serological investigations. In total, 84 (16.8%) of the 500 sacrificial sheep and goats tested seropositive in the competition ELISA but no IgM antibodies were detected in the IgM-specific assay. All seropositive samples, comprising 17.91% of the imported animals and 13.49% of the local ones, were therefore designated positive for anti-RVF virus IgG antibody. Among the local personnel working in close contact with the animals, 9% tested seropositive in the RVF competition ELISA. The study indicates that two factors may increase the likelihood of an RVF outbreak among sacrificial animals and pilgrims: i) the large-scale importation of small ruminants into Saudi Arabia from the Horn of Africa shortly before the pilgrimage season, and ii) the movement of animals within Saudi Arabia, from the RVF-endemic south-western area (Jizan region) to the Makkah region, particularly in the few weeks before the pilgrimage season. From these findings, it is recommended that i) all regulations concerning the import of animals into Saudi Arabia from Africa should be rigorously applied, particularly the RVF vaccination of all ruminants destined for export at least two weeks before exportation, and ii) the movement of animals from the RVF-endemic south-western area (Jizan region) of Saudi

75 FR 21598 - Energy and Infrastructure Mission to Saudi Arabia

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

.... Participating in an official U.S. industry delegation, rather than traveling to Saudi Arabia independently, will... petrochemical industry. Construction At a time when some Middle Eastern countries are facing financial.... Likewise, the Saudi real estate market is set to grow significantly over the next four years. Saudi Arabia...

Collectivists' Decision-Making: Saudi Arabian Graduate Students' Study Abroad Choices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yakaboski, Tamara; Perez-Velez, Karla; Almutairi, Yousef

2017-01-01

The authors in this qualitative study explored how Saudi Arabian students selected a teaching focused research institution by examining Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and U.S. national influences, institutional factors, and personal influencers. Despite the continued rise in Saudi Arabian students studying at U.S. universities, limited published research…

Incidence trends of viral hepatitis A, B, and C seropositivity over eight years of surveillance in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Memish, Ziad A; Knawy, Bandar Al; El-Saed, Aiman

2010-02-01

In Saudi Arabia, viral hepatitis ranked the second most common reportable viral disease in 2007, with almost 9000 new cases diagnosed in that year. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence trends of viral hepatitis seropositivity among the population served by the National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA) hospitals in the central, eastern, and western Saudi Arabia regions. The surveillance system at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh receives weekly reports of laboratory confirmed hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) cases from all NGHA-served regions. In this study the viral hepatitis surveillance data for the period from January 2000 through December 2007 were analyzed. Between 2000 and 2007, a total of 14 224 seropositive cases of viral hepatitis were reported to the surveillance system. The average annual incidence of seropositivity per 100 000 served population was highest for HBV (104.6), followed by HCV (78.4), and lowest for HAV (13.6). Saudis had higher HBV and HAV incidence, but lower HCV incidence compared to non-Saudis. Over the eight years (2000-2007), the incidence of all three viral hepatitis types showed a 20-30% declining trend. Only HAV incidence followed a clear seasonal cyclic pattern. Despite the declining trend over the eight-year period, viral hepatitis, especially that caused by HBV and HCV, remains a major public health problem in Saudi Arabia, and has probably been underestimated in previous reports. There is a need for more comprehensive prevention strategies. Copyright 2009 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-13

Arabia from 1989 to 1992. Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more,” Reuters, May 12, 2008. 21 U.S. Department...22 Tabassum Zakaria, “Analysis—Saudi smile likely for Bush on oil plea, not more,” Reuters, May 12, 2008. 23 U.S

First Insight into the Population Structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia▿ †

PubMed Central

Al-Hajoj, Sahal A. M.; Zozio, Thierry; Al-Rabiah, Fahad; Mohammad, Viquar; Al-Nasser, Maryam; Sola, Christophe; Rastogi, Nalin

2007-01-01

This study constitutes a first attempt to describe the genetic population structure and drug resistance of the tubercle bacilli circulating in Saudi Arabia. A total of 1,505 clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis, isolated between 2002 and 2005 from seven regions of Saudi Arabia, were studied. The sample studied showed a male-to-female sex ratio of 1.27, with half of the cases among foreign-born individuals and 47% within the 21- to 40-year-old age group; a total resistance rate of 19.7%; and multiple drug resistance of 4.5%. Upon spoligotyping, a total of 387 individual patterns were obtained (clustering rate, 86.4%; 182 clusters containing between 2 and 130 isolates per cluster). A total of 94% of the strains matched the spoligotype patterns in an international database. Nearly 81% of the isolates in this study belonged to established phylogeographic clades: Central Asian (CAS), 22.5%; ill-defined T clade, 19.5%; East African-Indian (EAI), 13.5%; Haarlem, 7.5%; Latin American-Mediterranean, 7.2%; Beijing, 4.4%; Manu, 2.7%; X, 0.9%; and Bovis, 0.9%. Two clonal complexes with unique spoligotyping signatures (octal codes 703777707770371 and 467777377413771) specific to Saudi Arabia were identified. These belonged to the CAS and EAI clades, respectively, as confirmed upon secondary typing using mycobacterial interspersed repetitive units (MIRUs). The results obtained underline the predominance of historic clones of principal genetic group 1, which are responsible for roughly 45% of all tuberculosis cases in Saudi Arabia. The high rate of clustering observed might be an indication of rapid ongoing transmission within certain communities and/or subpopulations in Saudi Arabia; nonetheless, spoligotyping is known to overestimate clustering, and only a systematic second-line typing, such as MIRUs, coupled with a better tuberculosis registry and epidemiological investigations would allow us to know the exact rate of ongoing transmission and associated risk factors in Saudi

Saudi Arabian ICU safety culture and nurses' attitudes.

PubMed

Alayed, Abdulrahman S; Lööf, Helena; Johansson, Unn-Britt

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine nurses' attitudes towards safety culture in six Saudi Arabian intensive care units (ICUs). The study is descriptive with a cross-sectional design. The Safety Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ)-ICU version was distributed and 216 completed questionnaires were returned. The findings provide a basis for further research on Saudi Arabian ICU safety culture. This study showed that the SAQ-ICU can be used to measure safety climate to identify areas for improvement according to nurse attitudes and perceptions. Findings indicate that ICU safety culture is an important issue that hospital managers should prioritise. The SAQ-ICU questionnaire, used to measure safety climate in Saudi Arabian ICUs, identifies service strengths and improvement areas according to attitudes and perceptions. To the knowledge, this is the first study to use SAQ to examine nurses' safety culture attitudes in Saudi Arabian ICUs. The present findings provide a baseline and further details about Saudi Arabian ICU safety. Study participants represented nine nationalities, indicating the nursing workforce's diversity, which is expected to continue in the future. Such a nursing cultural heterogeneity calls for further studies to examine and evaluate attitudes and values to improve ICU safety culture.

Admixed Phylogenetic Distribution of Drug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Varghese, Bright; Supply, Philip; Allix-Béguec, Caroline; Shoukri, Mohammed; Al-Omari, Ruba; Herbawi, Mais; Al-Hajoj, Sahal

2013-01-01

Background The phylogeographical structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is generally bimodal in low tuberculosis (TB) incidence countries, where genetic lineages of the isolates generally differ with little strain clustering between autochthonous and foreign-born TB patients. However, less is known on this structure in Saudi Arabia—the most important hub of human migration as it hosts a total population of expatriates and pilgrims from all over the world which is equal to that of its citizens. Methodology We explored the mycobacterial phylogenetic structure and strain molecular clustering in Saudi Arabia by genotyping 322 drug-resistant clinical isolates collected over a 12-month period in a national drug surveillance survey, using 24 locus-based MIRU-VNTR typing and spoligotyping. Principal Findings In contrast to the cosmopolitan population of the country, almost all the known phylogeographic lineages of M. tuberculosis complex (with noticeable exception of Mycobacterium africanum/West-African 1 and 2) were detected, with Delhi/CAS (21.1%), EAI (11.2%), Beijing (11.2%) and main branches of the Euro-American super-lineage such as Ghana (14.9%), Haarlem (10.6%) and Cameroon (7.8%) being represented. Statistically significant associations of strain lineages were observed with poly-drug resistance and multi drug resistance especially among previously treated cases (p value of < = 0.001 for both types of resistance), with relative over-representation of Beijing strains in the latter category. However, there was no significant difference among Saudi and non-Saudi TB patients regarding distribution of phylogenetic lineages (p = 0.311). Moreover, 59.5% (22/37) of the strain molecular clusters were shared between the Saudi born and immigrant TB patients. Conclusions Specific distribution of M. tuberculosis phylogeographic lineages is not observed between the autochthonous and foreign-born populations. These observations might reflect both socially favored

HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE: A SAUDI PROFILE

PubMed Central

AI-Shahri, Mohammad Z.

1996-01-01

The negative effects on health by behavior such as cigarette smoking, lack of physical exercise, non-control of body weight and non-use of seat belts were empirically documented. Available findings of the various studies on lifestyle of the Saudi Arabian community were not encouraging. If the general health status of the Saudi population is to be improved, an enforcement of healthy lifestyles must be considered. PMID:23008551

Gender inequity in Saudi Arabia and its role in public health.

PubMed

Mobaraki, A E H; Söderfeldt, B

2010-01-01

In Saudi Arabia, local interpretations of Islamic laws and social norms have a negative impact on the health and well-being of women. The objective of this literature review was to discuss gender inequity in Saudi Arabia and its relation to public health. Despite the scarcity of recent statistics and information regarding gender inequity in Saudi Arabia, this review is an attempt to explore this sensitive issue in this country. Women's roles and rights in Saudi society were examined, including education, marriage, polygamy, fertility, job opportunities, car driving and identification cards. Further research to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices towards health care of Saudi men and women is recommended.

Prevalence and distribution of selected dental anomalies among saudi children in Abha, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Yassin, Syed M

2016-12-01

Dental anomalies are not an unusual finding in routine dental examination. The effect of dental anomalies can lead to functional, esthetic and occlusal problems. The Purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of selected developmental dental anomalies in Saudi children. The study was based on clinical examination and Panoramic radiographs of children who visited the Pediatric dentistry clinics at King Khalid University College of Dentistry, Saudi Arabia. These patients were examined for dental anomalies in size, shape, number, structure and position. Data collected were entered and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences version. Of the 1252 children (638 Boys, 614 girls) examined, 318 subjects (25.39%) presented with selected dental anomalies. The distribution by gender was 175 boys (27.42%) and 143 girls (23.28%). On intergroup comparison, number anomalies was the most common anomaly with Hypodontia (9.7%) being the most common anomaly in Saudi children, followed by hyperdontia (3.5%). The Prevalence of size anomalies were Microdontia (2.6%) and Macrodontia (1.8%). The prevalence of Shape anomalies were Talon cusp (1.4%), Taurodontism (1.4%), Fusion (0.8%).The prevalence of Positional anomalies were Ectopic eruption (2.3%) and Rotation (0.4%). The prevalence of structural anomalies were Amelogenesis imperfecta (0.3%) Dentinogenesis imperfecta (0.1%). A significant number of children had dental anomaly with Hypodontia being the most common anomaly and Dentinogenesis imperfecta being the rare anomaly in the study. Early detection and management of these anomalies can avoid potential orthodontic and esthetic problems in a child. Key words: Dental anomalies, children, Saudi Arabia.

Broad accommodation of rift-related extension recorded by dyke intrusion in Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pallister, J.S.; McCausland, W.A.; Jonsson, Sigurjon; Lu, Z.; Zahran, H.M.; El, Hadidy S.; Aburukbah, A.; Stewart, I.C.F.; Lundgren, P.R.; White, R.A.; Moufti, M.R.H.

2010-01-01

The extensive harrat lava province of Arabia formed during the past 30 million years in response to Red Sea rifting and mantle upwelling. The area was regarded as seismically quiet, but between April and June 2009 a swarm of more than 30,000 earthquakes struck one of the lava fields in the province, Harrat Lunayyir, northwest Saudi Arabia. Concerned that larger damaging earthquakes might occur, the Saudi Arabian government evacuated 40,000 people from the region. Here we use geologic, geodetic and seismic data to show that the earthquake swarm resulted from magmatic dyke intrusion. We document a surface fault rupture that is 8 km long with 91 cm of offset. Surface deformation is best modelled by the shallow intrusion of a north-west trending dyke that is about 10 km long. Seismic waves generated during the earthquakes exhibit overlapping very low- and high-frequency components. We interpret the low frequencies to represent intrusion of magma and the high frequencies to represent fracturing of the crystalline basement rocks. Rather than extension being accommodated entirely by the central Red Sea rift axis, we suggest that the broad deformation observed in Harrat Lunayyir indicates that rift margins can remain as active sites of extension throughout rifting. Our analyses allowed us to forecast the likelihood of a future eruption or large earthquake in the region and informed the decisions made by the Saudi Arabian government to return the evacuees.

HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN SAUDI ARABIA: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

PubMed Central

Sebai, Zohair A.; Milaat, Waleed A.; Al-Zulaibani, Abdulmohsen A.

2001-01-01

Health services in Saudi Arabia have developed enormously over the last two decades, as evidenced by the availability of health facilities throughout all parts of the vast Kingdom. The Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) provides over 60% of these services while the rest are shared among other government agencies and the private sector. A series of development plans in Saudi Arabia have established the infra-structure for the expansion of curative services all over the country. Rapid development in medical education and the training of future Saudi health manpower have also taken place. Future challenges facing the Saudi health system are to be addressed in order to achieve the ambitious goals set by the most recent health development plan. These include the optimum utilization of current health resources with competent health managerial skills, the search for alternative means of financing these services, the maintenance of a balance between curative and preventive services, the expansion of training Saudi health manpower to meet the increasing demand, and the implementation of a comprehensive primary health care program. PMID:23008647

Apology Strategies Employed by Saudi EFL Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsulayyi, Marzouq Nasser

2016-01-01

This study examines the apology strategies used by 30 Saudi EFL teachers in Najran, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), paying special attention to variables such as social distance and power and offence severity. The study also delineates gender differences in the respondents' speech as opposed to studies that only examined speech act output by…

Anthropometric cutoff values for predicting metabolic syndrome in a Saudi community: from the SAUDI-DM study.

PubMed

Al-Rubean, Khalid; Youssef, Amira M; AlFarsi, Yousuf; Al-Sharqawi, Ahmad H; Bawazeer, Nahla; AlOtaibi, Mohammad T; AlRumaih, Fahd Issa; Zaidi, Muhammad Shoaib

2017-01-01

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome varies widely by ethnicity and by the criteria used in its definition. To identify the optimal cutoff values for waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) for identifying metabolic syndrome among the Saudi population. Nationwide household cross-sectional population-based survey. Thirteen health sectors in Saudi Arabia. We used data for subjects in the Saudi Abnormal Glucose Metabolism and Diabetes Impact Study (SAUDI-DM), which was conducted from 2007 to 2009. Using International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria, metabolic syndrome and its different components were assessed using anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to assess sensitivity and specificity for different cutoff values of WC, WHR, and BMI. The Youden index was used to calculate the optimal cutoff value for each anthropometric measurement. Optimal cutoff value for WC, WHR, and BMI for identifying the risk of metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of two or more risk factors for metabolic syndrome was observed in 43.42% of the total cohort of 12126 study participants >=18 years of age. The presence of two or more risk factors were significantly higher among men (46.81%) than women (40.53%) (P < .001). The optimal cutoff values for WC, WHR, and BMI were 92 cm, 0.89, and 25 kg/m2 for men and 87 cm, 0.81 and 28 kg/m2 for women for identifying the risk of metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of elevated triglycerides, blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose significantly increased with age for both genders. The proposed WC cutoff values were better than WHR and BMI in predicting metabolic syndrome and could be used for screening people at high risk for metabolic syndrome in the Saudi population. No direct measure of body fatness and fat distribution, cross-sectional design.

Audiology and speech-language pathology practice in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alanazi, Ahmad A

2017-01-01

Audiology and speech-language pathology (SLP) are relatively new professions in Saudi Arabia. The idea of establishing new audiology and SLP programs in some education facilities has become popular across Saudi Arabia; yet, only four undergraduate and graduate programs are currently available. This study aimed to explore the fields of audiology and SLP in Saudi Arabia, obtain demography of audiologists and Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), understand their current practices, and identify their perspective on what both professions need to improve. A cross-sectional mixed methods study design was used to address the aim of this study. Two online surveys were prepared and distributed to reach a large number of audiologists and SLPs. Both surveys consisted of close- and open-ended questions and primarily focused on three categories demography, audiology or SLP practices, and audiologists' or SLPs' perspective on their professions in Saudi Arabia. A total of 23 audiologists and 37 SLPs completed the surveys (age range = 21-50 years). The majority of respondents were from Riyadh with different academic qualifications and working experiences. Various practices were noticed among audiologists and SLPs who mainly worked in hospitals. Several suggestions regarding the development of audiology and SLP education and practice in Saudi Arabia are discussed. This study provides useful information about audiology and SLP education and practices in Saudi Arabia. Collaborative work between stakeholders to achieve high-quality educational and practical standards is critical. National database, clinical guidelines and policies should be developed, employed, and supervised. Further research is needed to improve education and practice of both professions in Saudi Arabia.

The Najd Fault System of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stüwe, Kurt; Kadi, Khalid; Abu-Alam, Tamer; Hassan, Mahmoud

2014-05-01

The Najd Fault System of the Arabian-Nubian Shield is considered to be the largest Proterozoic Shear zone system on Earth. The shear zone was active during the late stages of the Pan African evolution and is known to be responsible for the exhumation of fragments of juvenile Proterozoic continental crust that form a series of basement domes across the shield areas of Egypt and Saudi Arabia. A three year research project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) and supported by the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) has focused on structural mapping, petrology and geochronology of the shear zone system in order to constrain age and mechanisms of exhumation of the domes - with focus on the Saudi Arabian side of the Red Sea. We recognise important differences in comparison with the basement domes in the Eastern desert of Egypt. In particular, high grade metamorphic rocks are not exclusively confined to basement domes surrounded by shear zones, but also occur within shear zones themselves. Moreover, we recognise both exhumation in extensional and in transpressive regimes to be responsible for exhumation of high grade metamorphic rocks in different parts of the shield. We suggest that these apparent structural differences between different sub-regions of the shield largely reflect different timing of activity of various branches of the Najd Fault System. In order to tackle the ill-resolved timing of the Najd Fault System, zircon geochronology is performed on intrusive rocks with different cross cutting relationships to the shear zone. We are able to constrain an age between 580 Ma and 605 Ma for one of the major branches of the shear zone, namely the Ajjaj shear zone. In our contribution we present a strain map for the shield as well as early geochronological data for selected shear zone branches.

Hypertension in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Nozha, Mansour M; Abdullah, Moheeb; Arafah, Mohammed R; Khalil, Mohamed Z; Khan, Nazeer B; Al-Mazrou, Yaqoub Y; Al-Maatouq, Mohammed A; Al-Marzouki, Khalid; Al-Khadra, Akram; Nouh, Mohammed S; Al-Harthi, Saad S; Al-Shahid, Maie S; Al-Mobeireek, Abdulellah

2007-01-01

To determine the prevalence of hypertension among Saudis of both gender, between the ages of 30-70 years in rural as well as urban communities. This work is part of a major national study on Coronary Artery Disease in Saudis Study (CADISS). This is a community-based study conducted by examining subjects in the age group of 30-70 years of selected households during a 5-year period between 1995 and 2000 in Saudi Arabia. Data were obtained from history using a validated questionnaire, and examination including measurement of blood pressure. The data were analyzed to provide prevalence of hypertension. Logistic regression was used to develop a risk assessment model for prevalence of hypertension. The total number of subjects included in the study was 17,230. The prevalence of hypertension was 26.1% in crude terms. For males, the prevalence of hypertension was 28.6%, while for females; the prevalence was significantly lower at 23.9% (p<0.001). The urban population showed significantly higher prevalence of hypertension of 27.9%, compared to rural population's prevalence of 22.4% (p<0.001). The prevalence of CAD among hypertensive patients was 8.2%, and 4.5% among normotensive subjects (p<0.001). Increasing weight showed significant increase in prevalence of hypertension in a linear relationship. Hypertension is increasing in prevalence in KSA affecting more than one fourth of the adult Saudi population. We recommend aggressive management of hypertension as well as screening of adults for hypertension early to prevent its damaging consequences if left untreated. Public health awareness of simple measures, such as low salt diet, exercise, and avoiding obesity, to maintain normal arterial blood pressure need to be implemented by health care providers.

Connecting Students across Universities in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Jarf, Reima Sado

2005-01-01

The present study reports results of an experiment in which the author and her students at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia shared an online grammar course with a professor and his students at Umm Al-Qura University (UQU) in Makkah, Saudi Arabia using www.makkahelearning.net. The experiment proved to be a total failure. Factors…

Shortage of psychotropic medications in community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: Causes and solutions.

PubMed

Al-Ruthia, Yazed Sulaiman; Mansy, Wael; Barasin, Mohammad; Ghawaa, Yazeed Mohammad; AlSultan, Mohammed; Alsenaidy, Mohammad A; Alhawas, Solaiman; AlGhadeer, Sultan

2017-07-01

Background: Patients with mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety, who seek medical care in private psychiatric clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have recently expressed concerns to doctors about difficulty in filling psychotropic medications, such as Amitriptyline and Aripiprazole, at retail community pharmacies. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a shortage of some commonly prescribed psychotropic medications in retail community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia, and if so, to explore the possible reasons behind the shortage of these medications. Methods: The availability of 28 commonly prescribed psychotropic medications was checked in multiple retail community pharmacies in 4 different regions of Saudi Arabia. Further, potential reasons behind the shortage of some psychotropic medications in retail community pharmacies were also explored. Results: Amitriptyline, Amoxapine, Aripiprazole, Bupropion, Buspirone, Duloxetine, Haloperidol, Hydroxyzine, Lithium, Prochlorperazine, Procyclidine, Promethazine, Thioridazine, Trazodone, and Trifluoperazine were unavailable in over half of the 248 community pharmacies surveyed. Four possible reasons behind the shortage of these medications were reported by 31 pharmacists working in different retail community pharmacies' purchasing departments, with a majority (58.06%) reporting the primary reason for a shortage of these medications that they are slow-moving items with low profit margins. Conclusions: The findings of this study should expedite the reform process in both the Ministry of Health and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) to publish and enforce an essential list of medications for retail community pharmacies, which should include the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medications.

The prevalence of specific dental anomalies in a group of Saudi cleft lip and palate patients.

PubMed

Al-Kharboush, Ghada H; Al-Balkhi, Khalid M; Al-Moammar, Khalid

2015-04-01

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and distribution of dental anomalies in a group of Saudi subjects with cleft lip and palate (CLP), to examine potential sex-based associations of these anomalies, and to compare dental anomalies in Saudi subjects with CLP with published data from other population groups. This retrospective study involved the examination of pre-treatment records obtained from three CLP centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in February and March 2010. The pre-treatment records of 184 subjects with cleft lip and palate were identified and included in this study. Pre-treatment maxillary occlusal radiographs of the cleft region, panoramic radiographs, and orthodontic study models of subjects with CLP were analyzed for dental anomalies. Orthopantomographs and occlusal radiographs may not be reliable for the accurate evaluation of root malformation anomalies. A total of 265 dental anomalies were observed in the 184 study subjects. Hypodontia was observed most commonly (66.8%), followed by microdontia (45.6%), intra-oral ectopic eruption (12.5%), supernumerary teeth (12.5%), intra-nasal ectopic eruption (3.2), and macrodontia (3.2%). No gender difference in the prevalence of these anomalies was observed. Dental anomalies were common in Saudi subjects with CLP type. This will complicate the health care required for the CL/P subjects. This study was conducted to epidemiologically explore the prevalence of dental anomalies among Saudi Arabian subjects with CLP.

A comprehensive review of the prevalence of beta globin gene variations and the co-inheritance of related gene variants in Saudi Arabians with beta-thalassemia

PubMed Central

Alaithan, Mousa A.; AbdulAzeez, Sayed; Borgio, J. Francis

2018-01-01

Beta-thalassemia is a genetic disorder that is caused by variations in the beta-hemoglobin (HBB) gene. Saudi Arabia is among the countries most affected by beta-thalassemia, and this is particularly problematic in the Eastern regions. This review article is an attempt to compile all the reported mutations to facilitate further national-level studies to prepare a Saudi repository of HBB gene variations. In Saudi Arabians, IVSI-5 (G>C) and Cd 39 (C>T) are the most prevalent HBB gene variations out of 42 variations. The coinheritance of HBB gene variations with ATRX, HBA1, HBA2, HBA12, AHSP, and KLF1 gene variations were observed to be common in the Saudi population. National surveys on the molecular nature of hemoglobinopathies should be set up through collaborations between research centers from various regions to create a well-documented molecular data bank. This data bank can be used to develop a premarital screening program and lead to the best treatment and prevention strategies for beta-thalassemia. PMID:29619482

Lucerne transient streak virus; a Recently Detected Virus Infecting Alfafa (Medicago sativa) in Central Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Raza, Ahmed; Al-Shahwan, Ibrahim M.; Abdalla, Omer A.; Al-Saleh, Mohammed A.; Amer, Mahmoud A.

2017-01-01

A survey was conducted to determine the status of Lucerne transient streak virus (LTSV) in three high-yielding alfalfa regions in central Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Qassim, and Hail) during 2014. Three hundred and eight symptomatic alfalfa, and seven Sonchus oleraceus samples were collected. DAS-ELISA indicated that 59 of these samples were positive to LTSV. Two isolates of LTSV from each region were selected for molecular studies. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of LTSV in the selected samples using a specific primer pair. Percentage identity and homology tree comparisons revealed that all Saudi isolates were more closely related to each other but also closely related to the Canadian isolate-JQ782213 (97.1–97.6%) and the New Zealand isolate-U31286 (95.8–97.1%). Comparing Saudi isolates of LTSV with ten other sobemoviruses based on the coat protein gene sequences confirmed the distant relationship between them. Eleven out of fourteen plant species used in host range study were positive to LTSV. This is the first time to document that Trifolium alexandrinum, Nicotiana occidentalis, Chenopodium glaucum, and Lathyrus sativus are new host plant species for LTSV and that N. occidentalis being a good propagative host for it. PMID:28167887

Sleep Medicine in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Almeneessier, Aljohara S; BaHammam, Ahmed S

2017-04-15

The practice of sleep medicine in Saudi Arabia began in the mid to late 1990s. Since its establishment, this specialty has grown, and the number of specialists has increased. Based on the available data, sleep disorders are prevalent among the Saudi population, and the demand for sleep medicine services is expected to increase significantly. Currently, two training programs are providing structured training and certification in sleep medicine in this country. Recently, clear guidelines for accrediting sleep medicine specialists and technologists were approved. Nevertheless, numerous obstacles hamper the progress of this specialty, including the lack of trained technicians, specialists, and funding. Increasing the awareness of sleep disorders and their serious consequences among health care workers, health care authorities, and insurance companies is another challenge. Future plans should address the medical educational system at all levels to demonstrate the importance of early detection and the treatment of sleep disorders. This review discusses the current position of and barriers to sleep medicine practice and education in Saudi Arabia. © 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine

The Effects of Age Factor on Learning English: A Case Study of Learning English in Saudi Schools, Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gawi, Elsadig Mohamed Khalifa

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of age on learning English in Saudi Arabia. It aims at encouraging the learning of English as a foreign language at an early age in KSA. The populations of the study are English language teachers and Saudi students in elementary schools compared with intermediate school students in Dawadmi…

Attitude of Saudi Female Math Teachers toward Integrating E-Learning in Teaching Math at High Schools in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albalawi, Aishah M.

2013-01-01

Leaders in government and education have launched an extensive program to reform general education in Saudi Arabia. This initiative was designed to achieve many goals with a major emphasis being the enhancement of the Saudi curriculum to take advantage of the use of technology to improve education. A goal of this project was for e-learning to be a…

Development of Saudi e-health literacy scale for chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia: using integrated health literacy dimensions.

PubMed

Zakaria, Nasriah; AlFakhry, Ohoud; Matbuli, Abeer; Alzahrani, Asma; Arab, Noha Samir Sadiq; Madani, Alaa; Alshehri, Noura; Albarrak, Ahmed I

2018-05-01

Health literacy has become a global issue, and it is important that patients and individuals are able to use information technology to access health information and educational services. The research objective is to develop a Saudi e-health literacy scale (SeHL) for measuring e-health literacy among Saudis suffering from non-communicable diseases (NCD). Overall, 14 relevant papers in related interdisciplinary fields were reviewed to select the most useful literacy dimensions. From these articles, we extracted the most common dimensions used to measure e-health literacy across the disciplines. Multiple workshops with multidisciplinary team members reviewed and evaluated items for SeHL. Four key aspects of e-health literacy-use of technology/media, information-seeking, usefulness and confidence-were identified and integrated as e-health literacy dimensions. These will be used to measure e-health literacy among Saudi patients with NCDs. A translation from Arabic to English was performed in order to ensure that translation process was accurate. A SeHL scale was developed to measure e-health literacy among Saudi patients. By understanding e-health literacy levels, we will be able to create a patient-education system to be used by patients in Saudi Arabia. As information technology is increasingly used by people of all ages all over the world, e-health literacy has been identified as a key factor in determining health outcomes. To date, no comprehensive scale exists to assess e-health literacy levels among speakers of Arabic, particularly among people with NCD such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia: Major Challenges and Possible Solutions.

PubMed

Robert, Asirvatham Alwin; Al Dawish, Mohamed Abdulaziz; Braham, Rim; Musallam, Maha Ali; Al Hayek, Ayman Abdullah; Al Kahtany, Nasser Hazza

2017-01-01

The World Health Organization has ranked Saudi Arabia as having the second highest rate of diabetes in the Middle East (7th highest in the world) with an estimated population of 7 million living with diabetes and more than 3 million with pre-diabetes. This presents a pressing public health problem. Several challenges in diabetes management need to be tackled in Saudi Arabia, including the growing prevalence (chiefly among children and young adults), micro-and macrovascular complications, lifestyle changes, late diagnosis, poor awareness and high treatment costs. Over the last two decades, the Saudi population saw an increase in the expenses in healthcare and treatment of diabetes by more than 500%. In 2014, the health care budget was 180 billion (Saudi Riyal) of which 17 billion was spent on all Saudis, with an approximate 25 billion on the entire Saudi diabetic population. This implies that the direct expense of diabetes is costing Saudi Arabia around 13.9% of the total health expenditure. Therefore, unless a comprehensive epidemic control program/ multidisciplinary approach is stringently enforced, the diabetes mellitus burden on Saudi Arabia will probably increase to very serious levels. It is crucial to implement improved health and health-related quality of life of to those with diabetes, thus minimizing the social and personal expenses for diabetes care in Saudi Arabia. In this study we discuss the significant and major threats posed by diabetes mellitus to the Saudi population and recommend essential possible solutions to delay/ prevent this formidable issue. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Adult testicular cancer: Two decades of Saudi national data.

PubMed

Abomelha, Mohammed

2017-01-01

There is a paucity of data regarding testicular cancer among Saudis as well as the nonexistent of published national data. Furthermore, a substantial increase of the incidence of testicular cancer among Saudis was lately noted. The aim of the study is to determine the trends and patterns of testicular cancer among adult Saudis using national data over a period of 20 years. The national database of the Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR) on testicular cancer over the last two decades was studied including epidemiological and histological patterns. The 1004 cases of testicular cancer among adult Saudis reported by the SCR will be the subject of this study. From 1994 to 2013, 1004 cases of testicular cancer among adult Saudis were reported to the SCR, with a steadily significant increase in incidence rate reaching an annual rate of 94 cases in 2013. Age of the patients ranged 15-93 years with a mean of 34.5 years. The most affected age group was 20-34 years, where 51% of all testicular cancer accumulated. Around 85% of testicular cancer is germ cell tumors, while paratesticular and gonadal stromal tumors represent 15%. Of all testicular cancer, seminomas were seen in 40.7%, nonseminomas in 44.6%. Notably, 70.4% of the cases in the first decade were seminomas, while in the second decade 65.9% of the cases were nonseminomas. The subtypes of the nonseminomas were a mixed tumor in 51.6%, embryonal carcinoma in 19.9%, yolk sac tumor in 12.3%, germinomas in 6.7%, teratomas in 6%, and choriocarcinomas in 3.6%. Lymphomas (34.7%) and rhabdomyosarcomas (23.6%) are on the top of the paratesticular tumor group. The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results summary stage of seminomas was localized in 61.6%, regional in 19.8%, and distant in 12.6%, while of nonseminomas was 48%, 15.5%, and 28.5%, respectively. Localized and distant status of seminomas improved over the studied period by 12% and 4% respectively, while this trend was not seen in nonseminomas. The incidence rate is on rising

Adult testicular cancer: Two decades of Saudi national data

PubMed Central

Abomelha, Mohammed

2017-01-01

There is a paucity of data regarding testicular cancer among Saudis as well as the nonexistent of published national data. Furthermore, a substantial increase of the incidence of testicular cancer among Saudis was lately noted. The aim of the study is to determine the trends and patterns of testicular cancer among adult Saudis using national data over a period of 20 years. The national database of the Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR) on testicular cancer over the last two decades was studied including epidemiological and histological patterns. The 1004 cases of testicular cancer among adult Saudis reported by the SCR will be the subject of this study. From 1994 to 2013, 1004 cases of testicular cancer among adult Saudis were reported to the SCR, with a steadily significant increase in incidence rate reaching an annual rate of 94 cases in 2013. Age of the patients ranged 15–93 years with a mean of 34.5 years. The most affected age group was 20–34 years, where 51% of all testicular cancer accumulated. Around 85% of testicular cancer is germ cell tumors, while paratesticular and gonadal stromal tumors represent 15%. Of all testicular cancer, seminomas were seen in 40.7%, nonseminomas in 44.6%. Notably, 70.4% of the cases in the first decade were seminomas, while in the second decade 65.9% of the cases were nonseminomas. The subtypes of the nonseminomas were a mixed tumor in 51.6%, embryonal carcinoma in 19.9%, yolk sac tumor in 12.3%, germinomas in 6.7%, teratomas in 6%, and choriocarcinomas in 3.6%. Lymphomas (34.7%) and rhabdomyosarcomas (23.6%) are on the top of the paratesticular tumor group. The Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results summary stage of seminomas was localized in 61.6%, regional in 19.8%, and distant in 12.6%, while of nonseminomas was 48%, 15.5%, and 28.5%, respectively. Localized and distant status of seminomas improved over the studied period by 12% and 4% respectively, while this trend was not seen in nonseminomas. The incidence rate is on

eHealth in Saudi Arabia: Current Trends, Challenges and Recommendations.

PubMed

Alsulame, Khaled; Khalifa, Mohamed; Househ, Mowafa

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to explore the current status of eHealth in Saudi Arabia from the perspective of health informatics professionals. We used a case study approach and analyzed participant data using thematic analysis. The study took place between July and August 2013. Data collection included interviews with nine senior health information professionals in Saudi Arabia. The findings describe participant views on current eHealth trends in Saudi Arabia and show differences among Saudi healthcare organizations in terms of eHealth adoption. Participants also describe the challenges relating to organizational and cultural issues, end user attitudes towards eHealth projects, and the lack of specialized human resources to implement eHealth systems. Two main recommendations made by the participants were to form a new national body for eHealth and to develop a unified plan for the implementation of Saudi eHealth initiatives.

Clinicopathological patterns and distribution of Schistosomiasis in Asir Region.

PubMed

Morad, N A; Khan, A R

2001-06-01

The objective of this study is to report, for the first time, the histopathologic pattern of Schistosomiasis from the Asir Region and to compare it to patterns reported from other regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Several studies have reported the patterns of Schistosomiasis in other regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other countries where Schistosomiasis is endemic. Schistosomiasis is endemic in certain areas of Asir region, however no data is available concerning the clinicopathological pattern of Schistosomiasis in the Asir Region. This is a retrospective analysis of 217 cases of Schistosomiasis from surgical and biopsy files of Asir Central Hospital during a period from January 1990 to October 1999. Our study revealed that Schistosomiasis was more common among the expatriate population of Asir Region than Saudi nationals residing in this area. The urinary tract was most commonly involved, and then in descending frequency came the vermiform appendix, liver and large bowel. These findings are somewhat different from those observed in the Riyadh Region where the vermiform appendix was the most commonly affected organ. Based on the histopathologic pattern, our study describes the pattern of Schistosomiasis in the Asir Region and may serve as a base-line for future research work.

Toward a Constructivist Approach in Saudi Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsulami, Sumayyah

2016-01-01

In the way to develop the educational system in Saudi Arabia, the emphasis was only on the materials with no more attention for the role of the learner and the teacher in the learning process or even the external factors around them. However, there are many theories and approaches that may help the Saudi students in different levels to understand…

Prevalence and distribution of selected dental anomalies among saudi children in Abha, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Dental anomalies are not an unusual finding in routine dental examination. The effect of dental anomalies can lead to functional, esthetic and occlusal problems. The Purpose of the study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of selected developmental dental anomalies in Saudi children. Material and Methods The study was based on clinical examination and Panoramic radiographs of children who visited the Pediatric dentistry clinics at King Khalid University College of Dentistry, Saudi Arabia. These patients were examined for dental anomalies in size, shape, number, structure and position. Data collected were entered and analyzed using statistical package for social sciences version. Results Of the 1252 children (638 Boys, 614 girls) examined, 318 subjects (25.39%) presented with selected dental anomalies. The distribution by gender was 175 boys (27.42%) and 143 girls (23.28%). On intergroup comparison, number anomalies was the most common anomaly with Hypodontia (9.7%) being the most common anomaly in Saudi children, followed by hyperdontia (3.5%). The Prevalence of size anomalies were Microdontia (2.6%) and Macrodontia (1.8%). The prevalence of Shape anomalies were Talon cusp (1.4%), Taurodontism (1.4%), Fusion (0.8%).The prevalence of Positional anomalies were Ectopic eruption (2.3%) and Rotation (0.4%). The prevalence of structural anomalies were Amelogenesis imperfecta (0.3%) Dentinogenesis imperfecta (0.1%). Conclusions A significant number of children had dental anomaly with Hypodontia being the most common anomaly and Dentinogenesis imperfecta being the rare anomaly in the study. Early detection and management of these anomalies can avoid potential orthodontic and esthetic problems in a child. Key words:Dental anomalies, children, Saudi Arabia. PMID:27957258

Saudi Arabia's experience in solar energy applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huraib, Fahad S.

The progress in solar energy research in Saudi Arabia is discussed with emphasis on the efforts of a government research entity - King Adbulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). Three programs currently underway at KACST are considered: the continuation of activities initiated under the Solar Energy Research American/Saudi (SOLERAS) program, a Saudi/German program, and projects developed and conducted completely by KACST. The objectives, management structure, and program organization of SOLEARS are outlined, and attention is focused on urban, rural/agricultural, and industrial applications as well as resource development activities and accomplishments. Solar-hydrogen projects pursued together with Germany are reviewed, and their objectives, program management, and technical plans are covered. Domestic programs dealing with photovoltaic-powered lightning and hot-water systems are summarized.

Vitamin d deficiency in Saudi Arabs.

PubMed

Elsammak, M Y; Al-Wosaibi, A A; Al-Howeish, A; Alsaeed, J

2010-05-01

Vitamin D plays a critical role in bone metabolism and many cellular and immunological processes. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with various chronic diseases especially rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults. Adequate vitamin D intake is of paramount importance to protect against bone metabolic diseases and prevent the occurrence of complications (e. g., fracture and bone pains). This study aimed at the evaluation of vitamin D levels in a cohort of healthy Saudi Arabs. The comprised 139 healthy subjects coming for regular blood donation. Participants had full clinical examination and evaluation of their calcium and vitamin D intake and the degree of exposure to sunlight. Serum 25-OH vitamin D was determined using Liasion chemiluminescent immunoassay and serum parathormone levels were determined using the Architect 2,000 immunochemiluminescent assay. Our results showed increased prevalence of vitamin D deficiency between Saudi Arabs (both males and females) in the studied group of subjects. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) did not correlate with serum vitamin D level in either male or female groups (p<0.01). Our data illustrate a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency between Saudi Arabs and the importance for screening for vitamin D deficiency (irrespective of PTH level). We hypothesize that the reported vitamin D deficiency in the studied group of Saudi Arabs may reflect a possible inadequacy of the current level of vitamin D fortification of food products. We suggest that higher level of fortification of food products with vitamin D may be needed to compensate for the reduced skin vitamin D synthesis due to poor exposure to sunlight and to reverse this state of vitamin D deficiency in Saudi Arabs. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart-New York.

Floristic composition and vegetation analysis in Hail region north of central Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

El-Ghanim, Wafaa M.; Hassan, Loutfy M.; Galal, Tarek M.; Badr, Abdelfattah

2010-01-01

of Hail Flora by some foreign weeds such as Solanum nigrum, Lactuca serriola and Amaranthus lividus. The presence of these weeds points out the need to monitor the vegetation change in Hail region, and also other regions of Saudi Arabia, in order to elucidate the human impact on the wild plants diversity as human activities change with the fast development in the kingdom. PMID:23961067

Evaluation of a new community-based curriculum in disaster medicine for undergraduates.

PubMed

Bajow, Nidaa; Djalali, Ahmadreza; Ingrassia, Pier Luigi; Ragazzoni, Luca; Ageely, Hussein; Bani, Ibrahim; Corte, Francesco Della

2016-08-26

Nowadays, many medical schools include training in disaster medicine in undergraduate studies. This study evaluated the efficacy of a disaster medicine curriculum recently designed for Saudi Arabian medical students. Participants were 15 male and 14 female students in their fourth, fifth or sixth year at Jazan University Medical School, Saudi Arabia. The course was held at the Research Center in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and Computer Sciences Applied to the Medical Practice in Novara, Italy. The overall mean score on a test given before the course was 41.0 % and it increased to 67.7 % on the post-test (Wilcoxon test for paired samples: z = 4.71, p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences between the mean scores of males and females, or between students in their fourth, fifth or sixth year of medical school. These results show that this curriculum is effective for teaching disaster medicine to undergraduate medical students. Adoption of this course would help to increase the human resources available for dealing with disaster situations.

From Barriers to Bridges: An Investigation on Saudi Student Mobility (2006-2009)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denman, Brian D.; Hilal, Kholoud T.

2011-01-01

Globalisation is often thought to advocate for a single set of beliefs and customs and for a rejection of the need to protect regional cultures and traditions. In the aftermath of 9/11, the rift between Western and Arab cultures has deepened, and there is a patent need for cultural bridges to be built. The government of Saudi Arabia has, by…

Prevalence and severity of plaque-induced gingivitis in a Saudi adult population

PubMed Central

Idrees, Majdy M.; Azzeghaiby, Saleh N.; Hammad, Mohammad M.; Kujan, Omar B.

2014-01-01

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence and severity of plaque-induced gingivitis among a Saudi adult population in Riyadh region. Methods: Three hundred and eighty-five eligible participants in this cross-sectional study were recruited from routine dental patients attending the oral diagnosis clinic at Al-Farabi College in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from June 2013 to December 2013. A clinical examination was performed by 2 dentists to measure the gingival and plaque indices of Löe and Silness for each participant. Results: The prevalence of gingivitis was 100% among adult subjects aged between 18-40 years old. Moreover, the mean gingival index was 1.68±0.31, which indicates a moderate gingival inflammation. In fact, males showed more severe signs of gingival inflammation compared with females (p=0.001). In addition, the mean plaque index was 0.875±0.49, which indicates a good plaque status of the participants. Interestingly, the age was not related either to the gingival inflammation (p=0.13), or to the amount of plaque accumulation (p=0.17). However, males were more affected than females (p=0.005). Conclusion: The results of this study show that plaque accumulation is strongly associated with high prevalence of moderate to severe gingivitis among Saudi subjects. PMID:25399215

Prevalence and severity of plaque-induced gingivitis in a Saudi adult population.

PubMed

Idrees, Majdy M; Azzeghaiby, Saleh N; Hammad, Mohammad M; Kujan, Omar B

2014-11-01

To evaluate the prevalence and severity of plaque-induced gingivitis among a Saudi adult population in Riyadh region. Three hundred and eighty-five eligible participants in this cross-sectional study were recruited from routine dental patients attending the oral diagnosis clinic at Al-Farabi College in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from June 2013 to December 2013. A clinical examination was performed by 2 dentists to measure the gingival and plaque indices of Löe and Silness for each participant. The prevalence of gingivitis was 100% among adult subjects aged between 18-40 years old. Moreover, the mean gingival index was 1.68±0.31, which indicates a moderate gingival inflammation. In fact, males showed more severe signs of gingival inflammation compared with females (p=0.001). In addition, the mean plaque index was 0.875±0.49, which indicates a good plaque status of the participants. Interestingly, the age was not related either to the gingival inflammation (p=0.13), or to the amount of plaque accumulation (p=0.17). However, males were more affected than females (p=0.005). The results of this study show that plaque accumulation is strongly associated with high prevalence of moderate to severe gingivitis among Saudi subjects. 

Heavy Thunderstorm Synoptic Climatology and Forcing Mechanisms in Saudi Arabia.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghulam, Ayman S.

2010-05-01

Meteorologists are required to provide accurate and comprehensive weather information for planning and operational aviation, agricultural, water projects and also for the public. In general, weather phenomena such as thunderstorms over the area between the tropics and the middle latitudes are not fully understood, particularly in the Middle East area, for many reasons such as: 1) the complexity of the nature of the climate due to the wide-ranging diversity in the topography and landscape in the area; 2) the lack of meteorological data in the area; and 3) the lack of studies on local weather situations. In arid regions such as Saudi Arabia, the spatial and temporal variation of thunderstorms and associated rainfall are essential in determining their effects on social and economic conditions. Thunderstorms form rapidly, due to the fact that the significant heating of the air from the surface and the ensuing rainfall usually occurs within a short period of time. Thus, understanding thunderstorms and rainfall distribution in time and space would be useful for hydrologists, meteorologists and for environmental studies. Research all over the world has shown, however, that consideration of local factors like Low Level Jets (LLJ), moisture flux, sea breezes, and the Red Sea Convergence Zone (RSCZ) would be valuable in thunderstorm prediction. The combined effects of enhanced low-level moisture convergence and layer destabilization due to upslope flow over mountainous terrain has been shown to be responsible for thunderstorm development in otherwise non-favourable conditions. However, there might be other synoptic features associated with heavy thunderstorms or cause them, but these features have not been investigated in any research in Saudi Arabia. Thus, relating the local weather and synoptic situations with those over the middle latitudes will provide a valuable background for the forecasters to issue the medium-range forecasts which are important for many projects

Saudi Science Teachers' Views and Teaching Strategies of Socioscientific Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alamri, Aziz S.

Scientific developments such as cloning and nuclear energy have generated many controversial issues pertain to many political, social, environmental, ethical and cultural values in different societies around the globe. These controversies delimited and encircled the potential of including and teaching some important aspects of science in schools and therefore caused less consideration to the influence of these issues on enhancing the scientific literacy of people in general. The purpose of this study was to investigate how Saudi science teachers in the city of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia view and teach SSI in Saudi Arabia. This study employed semi-structured interviews with Saudi science teachers. Methodologically, this study used a constructivist grounded theory as a method for analysis to generate in-depth descriptive data about Saudi science teachers' views and teaching strategies of socio-scientific issues. Some direct and indirect benefits pertain to teaching science, understanding the relationship between science, religion, and society and some other topics are discussed in this study.

Nurse turnover in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An integrative review.

PubMed

Falatah, Rawaih; Salem, Olfat A

2018-04-06

To appraise and synthesise existing literature on nurse turnover in the Saudi Arabian context. Saudi Arabia is notably one of the nations with a health care system that is bombarded by high rates of turnover and turnover intention. Moreover, rapid population growth and the expansion of the health care system increase the demand on registered nurses in the kingdom. Eleven primary sources were reviewed using Whittemore and Knafl's (Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2005; 52, 546-553) integrative review method. There is variation in the reported turnover rates across the studies. The identified determinants of nurse turnover in the Saudi Arabian context included nurses' demographics, satisfaction, leadership and management, and job-related factors. There is a need for more studies that focus on the cost and outcome of nurse turnover and turnover intention in the Saudi Arabian context. The review highlights the alarming rates of nurse turnover and its determinants in Saudi Arabia. Nurse managers in Saudi Arabia should consider this information, as they make daily assignments. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pharmacy Education in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait

PubMed Central

Al-Wazaify, Mayyada; Matowe, Lloyd; Albsoul-Younes, Abla; Al-Omran, Ola A.

2006-01-01

The practice of pharmacy, as well as pharmacy education, varies significantly throughout the world. In Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia, the profession of pharmacy appears to be on the ascendance. This is demonstrated by an increase in the number of pharmacy schools and the number of pharmacy graduates from pharmacy programs. One of the reasons pharmacy is on the ascendance in these countries is government commitment to fund and support competitive, well-run pharmacy programs. In this report we describe pharmacy education in 3 Middle East countries: Jordan, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. All 3 countries offer bachelor of pharmacy (BPharm) degrees. In addition, 2 universities in Jordan and 1 in Saudi Arabia offer PharmD degree programs. The teaching methods in all 3 countries combine traditional didactic lecturing and problem-based learning. Faculties of pharmacy in all 3 countries are well staffed and offer competitive remuneration. All 3 countries have a policy of providing scholarships to local students for postgraduate training abroad. The majority of students in Jordan and Kuwait are female, while the ratio of male to female students in Saudi Arabia is even. Students’ attitudes towards learning are generally positive in all 3 countries. In Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, most pharmacy graduates work in the public sector, while in Jordan, the majority work in the private sector. PMID:17136159

Clinical, Endocrine, and Molecular Genetic Analysis of a Large Cohort of Saudi Arabian Patients with Laron Syndrome.

PubMed

Al-Ashwal, Abdullah A; Al-Sagheir, Afaf; Ramzan, Khushnooda; Al-Owain, Mohammed; Allam, Rabab; Qari, Alya; Al-Numair, Nouf S; Imtiaz, Faiqa

2017-01-01

Laron syndrome (LS) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by marked short stature and very low serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels. This study assessed the clinical and endocrine features alongside determining the growth hormone receptor gene (GHR) mutation in Saudi Arabian patients with LS in order to establish whether or not a genotype/phenotype correlation is evident in this large cohort. A total of 40 Saudi Arabian patients with a suspected diagnosis of LS were recruited and subjected to a full clinical and endocrine investigation together with direct sequencing of the coding regions of the GHR gene. GHR mutations were identified in 34 patients from 22 separate nuclear families. All 34 molecularly confirmed patients had the typical clinical and endocrinological manifestations of LS. Eleven different mutations (9 previously unreported) were detected in this cohort of patients, all inherited in an autosomal recessive homozygous form. No genotype/phenotype correlation was apparent. The identification of pathogenic mutations causing LS will be of tremendous use for the molecular diagnosis of patients in Saudi Arabia and the region in general, with respect to prevention of this disease in the forms of future carrier testing, prenatal testing, premarital screening and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Foreign Language Planning in Saudi Arabia: Beyond English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Payne, Mark; Almansour, Maram

2014-01-01

This paper presents findings from an exploratory study of foreign language planning in Saudi Arabia. In terms of official policy, the sole foreign language taught in Saudi public schools is English. Therefore, researching foreign languages there is often limited to researching the area of English as a Foreign Language. However, evidence shows that…

The State of Distance Education in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alshmari, Ayshah

2017-01-01

This article provides an overview of the role of distance learning within Saudi Arabia by first briefly introducing the country itself, a general overview of the traditional education system currently in use within the country, and then an examination of the status of distance education in Saudi higher educational settings. Insight into how…

The prevalence extent of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use among Saudis.

PubMed

Alrowais, Norah A; Alyousefi, Nada A

2017-03-01

Introduction: There is worldwide interest in the use of CAM. Studying CAM in Saudi population is important as it will reflect the influence of psychosocial, cultural and religious factors on health beliefs and behaviors. The objective of this study was to present an updated review on the use of CAM practices in Saudi Arabia including commonly used types, common conditions for which it has been used and who uses CAM. Methods: This review used data from national surveys conducted in Saudi Arabia and published between 2000 and 2015. The literature search was performed considering standards adopted such as Moose guidelines for observational studies. Two authors independently reviewed each article. The search yielded 73 articles, and a total of 36 articles were included. Further careful data extraction was carried out by two independents reviewers. Results: Most of the reviewed studies were cross-sectional in design and were published between 2014 and 2015, and mostly in Riyadh region. Substantial difference in the findings for the patterns of CAM use was revealed. The most commonly employed practice was of spiritual type such as prayer and reciting Quran alone or on water. Other types include herbs (8-76%), honey (14-73%) and dietary products (6-82%). Cupping (Alhijamah) was least used (4-45%). Acupuncture was more practiced among professionals. Conclusion: The utilization of CAM is widely practiced in Saudi Arabia. There is need for efforts to promote research in the field of CAM to address each practice individually. Population surveys should be encouraged supported by mass media to raise knowledge and awareness about the practice of different CAM modalities. The national center of CAM should play a major role in these efforts.

Time for an Adolescent Health Surveillance System in Saudi Arabia: Findings From "Jeeluna".

PubMed

AlBuhairan, Fadia S; Tamim, Hani; Al Dubayee, Mohammad; AlDhukair, Shahla; Al Shehri, Sulieman; Tamimi, Waleed; El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Magzoub, Mohi Eldin; de Vries, Nanne; Al Alwan, Ibrahim

2015-09-01

With the increasing burden of noncommunicable disease, adolescence is viewed as an opportune time to prevent the onset of certain behaviors and promote healthy states. Although adolescents comprise a considerable portion of Saudi Arabia's population, they have received insufficient attention and indicators of their health status, as a first step in a prevention cycle are unavailable. This study was carried out with the aim of identifying the health risk behaviors and health status of adolescents in Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional, school-based study was carried out in all 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. Through multistage, cluster, random sampling, intermediate, and secondary school students were invited to participate. Data were collected by means of a self-administered questionnaire addressing health risk behaviors and health status, clinical anthropometric measurements, and laboratory investigations. A total of 12,575 adolescents participated. Various health risk behaviors, including dietary and sedentary behaviors, lack of safety measures, tobacco use, bullying, and violence were highly prevalent. Twenty-eight percent of adolescents reported having a chronic health condition, 14.3% reported having symptoms suggestive of depression, 30.0% were overweight/obese, and 95.6% were vitamin D deficient. Behaviors and conditions known to persist into adulthood and result in morbidity and premature mortality are prevalent among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Preventive measures and local health policies are urgently needed and can impact adolescents and future adults. Establishing adolescent health surveillance is necessary to monitor trends and impacts of such measures. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Saudi Intermediate School EFL Teachers' Views in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of the Multiple Intelligences Theory as an Inclusive Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kentab, Mohammad Yousef

2016-01-01

In this study, the researcher attempted to shed light on Saudi intermediate school EFL teachers' views of the multiple intelligences theory as an inclusive pedagogy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of multiple intelligences on Saudi intermediate students' learning of EFL. The study also tried to illustrate the main…

Video Games Promote Saudi Children's English Vocabulary Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AlShaiji, Ohoud Abdullatif

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of Video Games and their role on promoting Saudi Kids' English vocabulary retention. The study attempted to answer whether there was a statistically significant difference (a = 0.05) between the Saudi children's subjects' mean score on the English vocabulary test due to using Video Games…

Assessing the Organizational Characteristics Influencing Quality Improvement Implementation in Saudi Hospitals.

PubMed

Shamsuddin Alaraki, Mohammad

The health care system in Saudi Arabia has serious problems with quality and safety that can be reduced through systematic quality improvement (QI) activities. Despite the use of different QI models to improve health care in Saudi hospitals during the last 2 decades, consistent improvements have not yet been achieved and the results are still far below expectations. This may reflect a problem in introducing and implementing the QI models in the local contexts. The objective of this study is to assess the extent of QI implementation in Saudi hospitals and to identify the organizational characteristics that make Saudi hospitals particularly challenging for QI. Understanding these characteristics can inform efforts to improve them and may lead to more successful implementation. A mixed-methods approach was conducted using 2 data collection tools: questionnaires and interviews. The quantitative phase (questionnaires) aimed to uncover the current level of QI implementation in Saudi hospital as measured by 7 critical dimensions adapted from the literature. The qualitative phase (interviews) aimed to understand the organizational characteristics that impede or underpin QI in Saudi hospitals. The QI implementation was found to be significantly poor across the 7 dimensions with average score ranging between 22.80 ± 0.57 and 2.11 ± 0.69 on a 5-point Likert scale and with P value of less than .05. We also found that the current level of QI implementation helped Saudi hospitals neither to improve "customer satisfaction" nor to achieve measurable improvements in "quality results" scoring significantly low at 2.11 ± 0.69 with P value of .000 and 2.47 ± 0.57 with P value of .000, respectively. Our study confirms the presence of a multitude of organizational barriers that impede QI in Saudi hospitals. These are related to organizational culture, human resources management, processes and systems, and structure. These 4 were found to have the strongest impact on QI in Saudi

Concentrating Solar Power Projects in Saudi Arabia | Concentrating Solar

Science.gov Websites

belowâ€"alphabetical by project name. You can browse a project profile by clicking on the project Power | NREL Saudi Arabia Concentrating solar power (CSP) projects in Saudi Arabia are listed

Current care services provided for patients with COPD in the Eastern province in Saudi Arabia: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Alsubaiei, Mohammed E; Cafarella, Paul A; Frith, Peter A; McEvoy, R Doug; Effing, Tanja W

2015-01-01

COPD is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The prevalence rate of COPD in the general Saudi population is estimated to be 2.4% and 14.2% among smokers. Not much is known about current health care services for patients with COPD in Saudi Arabia. The objective of this study was to determine the current care services for patients with COPD provided by government hospitals in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Directors of the Department of Internal Medicine from all 22 general government hospitals that are under the responsibility of the Ministry of Health or the Ministry of Higher Education in this region were asked to participate. Data were collected using a questionnaire. The study results indicated that there are limited hospital facilities for patients with COPD: no respiratory departments in any of the included hospitals, no spirometry in 77.3% of the hospitals, no intensive care units in 63.7% of the hospitals, and no pulmonary rehabilitation program in any of the hospitals. Among the included 22 hospitals, 24 respiratory physicians, 29 respiratory therapists, and three physiotherapists were involved in COPD care. In conclusion, current care services provided by government hospitals in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia for patients with COPD do not meet international recommendations for COPD management. Increased awareness, knowledge, and implementation of COPD guidelines by health care providers will most probably improve COPD management in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the government could improve dissemination of information about COPD management through national programs and by offering specific education regarding respiratory diseases.

Cost containment: the Middle East. Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Chang, R W

1994-08-01

The 1970s and early 1980s saw the phenomenal growth and development of healthcare services in Saudi Arabia. This growth was unique in that it took place in a country that lacked basic infrastructure and trained personnel, but had recently acquired great wealth. Developments that took hundreds of years to occur in other countries took only 20 yrs to attain in Saudi Arabia. This growth posed unique challenges and required novel solutions. Recently, the country has had to cope with a drastic decrease in oil revenue, as well as cutbacks in healthcare funding. Now that the basic foundations of a national healthcare service have been constructed, it remains to be seen whether gains can be consolidated and steady progress made as more and more Saudi nationals take over and run their own public and private healthcare services.

Leadership style and organisational commitment among nursing staff in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Yami, Mansour; Galdas, Paul; Watson, Roger

2018-03-23

To examine how nurse managers' leadership styles, and nurses' organisational commitment in Saudi Arabia relate. Effective leadership is influential in staff retention; however, recruiting and maintaining nurses is an increasing problem in Saudi Arabia. Using a survey design, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire and the Organisational Commitment Questionnaire were distributed to a sample of 219 nurses and nurse managers from two hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Transformational leadership was the most dominant leadership style. After controlling for the influence of manager/staff status, nationality and hospitals, transformational leadership was the strongest contributor to organisational commitment. Perceptions of both transformational and transactional leadership styles, increased with age for nurse managers and nursing staff. Introducing the Full Range of Leadership model to the Saudi nursing workforce could help to prepare Saudi nurses for positions as nurse managers and leaders. The study provides insight into the type of leadership that is best suited to the dynamic and changing health care system in Saudi Arabia. It is possible that transformational leaders could influence and induce positive changes in nursing. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Nursing Management Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-27

unclear whether the kingdom’s gender guardianship system, which requires women to document the consent of a male relative for most public actions, will...they see as discrimination at home and unwarranted Saudi intervention on the side of the Sunni government to suppress mostly Shia unrest in...while many Saudis welcomed the king’s announcement concerning the participation of women in the next session of the advisory Shura Council and in the

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-29

23, 2013. 6 Background information on Saudi cabinet members is available at http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/ Biographies - of-Ministers.aspx. Saudi...territories it occupied in 1967, (2) agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state with a capital in East Jerusalem , and provide for the (3) “[a...compromise on Palestinian sovereignty in Jerusalem .” Elhanan Miller, “Arab ministers back Abbas in rejecting ‘Jewish’ Israel,” Times of Israel, January

Prevalence of antibacterial resistant bacterial contaminants from mobile phones of hospital inpatients

PubMed Central

Vinod Kumar, B.; Hobani, Yahya Hasan; Abdulhaq, Ahmed; Jerah, Ahmed Ali; Hakami, Othman M.; Eltigani, Magdeldin; Bidwai, Anil K.

2014-01-01

Mobile phones contaminated with bacteria may act as fomites. Antibiotic resistant bacterial contamination of mobile phones of inpatients was studied. One hundred and six samples were collected from mobile phones of patients admitted in various hospitals in Jazan province of Saudi Arabia. Eighty-nine (83.9%) out of 106 mobile phones were found to be contaminated with bacteria. Fifty-two (49.0%) coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, 12 (11.3%) Staphylococcus aureus, 7 (6.6%) Enterobacter cloacae, 3 (2.83%) Pseudomonas stutzeri, 3 (2.83%) Sphingomonas paucimobilis, 2 (1.8%) Enterococcus faecalis and 10 (9.4%) aerobic spore bearers were isolated. All the isolated bacteria were found to be resistant to various antibiotics. Hence, regular disinfection of mobile phones of hospital inpatients is advised. PMID:25292217

Prevalence of antibacterial resistant bacterial contaminants from mobile phones of hospital inpatients.

PubMed

Kumar, B Vinod; Hobani, Yahya Hasan; Abdulhaq, Ahmed; Jerah, Ahmed Ali; Hakami, Othman M; Eltigani, Magdeldin; Bidwai, Anil K

2014-01-01

Mobile phones contaminated with bacteria may act as fomites. Antibiotic resistant bacterial contamination of mobile phones of inpatients was studied. One hundred and six samples were collected from mobile phones of patients admitted in various hospitals in Jazan province of Saudi Arabia. Eighty-nine (83.9%) out of 106 mobile phones were found to be contaminated with bacteria. Fifty-two (49.0%) coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, 12 (11.3%) Staphylococcus aureus, 7 (6.6%) Enterobacter cloacae, 3 (2.83%) Pseudomonas stutzeri, 3 (2.83%) Sphingomonas paucimobilis, 2 (1.8%) Enterococcus faecalis and 10 (9.4%) aerobic spore bearers were isolated. All the isolated bacteria were found to be resistant to various antibiotics. Hence, regular disinfection of mobile phones of hospital inpatients is advised.

Climatic controls of the interannual to decadal variability in Saudi Arabian dust activity: Towards the development of a seasonal prediction tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Y.; Notaro, M.; Liu, Z.; Alkolibi, F.; Fadda, E.; Bakhrjy, F.

2013-12-01

Atmospheric dust significantly influences the climate system, as well as human life in Saudi Arabia. Skillful seasonal prediction of dust activity with climatic variables will help prevent some negative social impacts of dust storms. Yet, the climatic regulators on Saudi Arabian dust activity remain largely unaddressed. Remote sensing and station observations show consistent seasonal cycles in Saudi Arabian dust activity, which peaks in spring and summer. The climatic controls on springtime and summertime Saudi Arabian dust activity during 1975-2010 are studied using observational and reanalysis data. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) of the observed Saudi Arabian dust storm frequency shows a dominant homogeneous pattern across the country, which has distinct interannual and decadal variations, as revealed by the power spectrum. Regression and correlation analyses reveal that Saudi Arabian dust activity is largely tied to precipitation on the Arabian Peninsula in spring and northwesterly (Shamal) wind in summer. On the seasonal-interannual time scale, warm El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phase (El Niño) in winter-to-spring inhibits spring dust activity by increasing the precipitation over the Rub'al Khali Desert, a major dust source region on the southern Arabian Peninsula; warm ENSO and warm Indian Ocean Basin Mode (IOBM) in winter-to-spring favor less summer dust activity by producing anomalously low sea-level pressure over eastern north Africa and Arabian Peninsula, which leads to the reduced Shamal wind speed. The decadal variation in dust activity is likely associated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), which impacts Sahel rainfall and North African dust, and likely dust transport to Saudi Arabia. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) and tropical Indian Ocean SST also have influence on the decadal variation in Saudi Arabian dust activity, by altering precipitation over the Arabian Peninsula and summer Shamal wind speed. Using eastern

Coronary artery disease in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Nozha, Mansour M; Arafah, Mohammed R; Al-Mazrou, Yaqoub Y; Al-Maatouq, Mohammed A; Khan, Nazeer B; Khalil, Mohamed Z; Al-Khadra, Akram H; Al-Marzouki, Khalid; Abdullah, Moheeb A; Al-Harthi, Saad S; Al-Shahid, Maie S; Nouh, Mohammed S; Al-Mobeireek, Abdulellah

2004-09-01

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a major public health problem worldwide. To our knowledge, there is no national data available from community based studies on prevalence of CAD in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Therefore, we designed this study with the objective to determine the prevalence of CAD among Saudis of both sexes, between the ages of 30-70-years in rural as well as urban communities. Further, to determine the prevalence and clinical pattern of the major modifiable risk factors for CAD among the same population. This work is part of a major national study on CAD in Saudis Study (CADISS). This is a community based study conducted by examining subjects in the age group of 30-70-years of selected households during 5-year period between 1995 and 2000 in KSA. Data were obtained from history using a validated questionnaire, and electrocardiography. The data were analyzed to provide prevalence of CAD and risk assessment model. Nine hundred and forty-four subjects, out of 17232 were diagnosed to have CAD. Thus, the overall prevalence of CAD obtained from this study is 5.5% in KSA. The prevalence in males and females were 6.6% and 4.4% (P<0.0001). Urban Saudis have a higher prevalence of 6.2% compared to rural Saudis of 4% (P<0.0001). The following variables are found to be statistically significant risk factors in KSA: age, male gender, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, current smoking, fasting blood glucose, fasting cholesterol and triglycerides. The overall prevalence of CAD in KSA is 5.5%. A national prevention program at community level as well as high risk groups should be implemented sooner to prevent the expected epidemic of CAD that we are seeing, beginning. Measures are needed to change lifestyle and to address the management of the metabolic syndrome, to reduce modifiable risk factors for CAD. A longitudinal study is needed to demonstrate the importance of reducing modifiable risk factors for CAD in KSA.

Neurology Research in Saudi Arabia: Urgent call for action.

PubMed

Algahtani, Hussein; Shirah, Bader; Boker, Faisal; Algamdi, Albaraa; Alkahtani, Abdulah

2017-08-01

Research activities in Saudi Arabia are promoted at the governmental and institutional levels. However, the output and quality of research conducted in the field of neurology has not yet been measured quantitatively. This study therefore aimed to analyse neurology-related publications from Saudi Arabia. This study was conducted in January 2016. A systematic search using the PubMed ® search engine (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA) was conducted to identify all neurology-related articles published from Saudi Arabia between January 1996 and December 2015. A total of 1,292 neurology-related publications were identified. Neurology research increased linearly with time, with most publications originating from Riyadh (67%) and the university sector (≈47%). However, most neurology-related articles were published in journals which had an impact factor of <1 (55%). Neurology research in Saudi Arabia has increased substantially over the last 20 years. However, as most articles were published in low-impact journals, the quality of research remains inadequate and should be improved. It is important that an official research culture be established in both governmental and private universities as well as colleges and health institutions in Saudi Arabia. The formation of clinical academic departments staffed by research experts is recommended to ensure the quality of neurology research output.

Level of Sedentary Behavior and Its Associated Factors among Saudi Women Working in Office-Based Jobs in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Albawardi, Nada M.; Jradi, Hoda; Almalki, Abdulla A.; Al-Hazzaa, Hazzaa M.

2017-01-01

Research in Saudi Arabia has revealed a shocking level of insufficiently physically active adults, particularly women. The risk of sedentary behavior will likely increase as the number of women with office-based jobs increases. The aim of this study is to determine the level of sedentary behavior, and its associated factors, among Saudi women working office-based jobs in the city of Riyadh. A cross-sectional study of 420 Saudi female employees at 8 office-based worksites were measured to determine body mass index and were given a self-administered survey to evaluate their level of physical activity and sedentary behavior. Median sitting time on work days was 690 min per day (interquartile range, IQR 541–870), with nearly half accumulated during work hours, and 575 min per day (IQR 360–780) on non-work days. Predictors of work day sitting time were level of education, number of children, and working in the private sector. Number of children, whether they were single, and whether they lived in a small home were found to predict non-work day sitting time. This study identifies Saudi women in office-based jobs as a high-risk group for sedentary behavior. There is a need to promote physical activity at worksites and reduce prolonged sitting. PMID:28629200

Level of Sedentary Behavior and Its Associated Factors among Saudi Women Working in Office-Based Jobs in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Albawardi, Nada M; Jradi, Hoda; Almalki, Abdulla A; Al-Hazzaa, Hazzaa M

2017-06-19

Research in Saudi Arabia has revealed a shocking level of insufficiently physically active adults, particularly women. The risk of sedentary behavior will likely increase as the number of women with office-based jobs increases. The aim of this study is to determine the level of sedentary behavior, and its associated factors, among Saudi women working office-based jobs in the city of Riyadh. A cross-sectional study of 420 Saudi female employees at 8 office-based worksites were measured to determine body mass index and were given a self-administered survey to evaluate their level of physical activity and sedentary behavior. Median sitting time on work days was 690 min per day (interquartile range, IQR 541-870), with nearly half accumulated during work hours, and 575 min per day (IQR 360-780) on non-work days. Predictors of work day sitting time were level of education, number of children, and working in the private sector. Number of children, whether they were single, and whether they lived in a small home were found to predict non-work day sitting time. This study identifies Saudi women in office-based jobs as a high-risk group for sedentary behavior. There is a need to promote physical activity at worksites and reduce prolonged sitting.

Professional development of nursing in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Tumulty, G

2001-01-01

To describe the development of nursing in Saudi Arabia and to recommend further directions for development of professional nursing in that country. A comprehensive needs assessment was performed in 1996 by an on-site consultant to: (a) evaluate the existing nursing system at the ministry, regional, and hospital levels, (b) describe the functional interrelationships of a nursing division within the Ministry of Health, and (c) prepare a work plan outlining the program elements that a nursing division could address to foster high-quality health care in the public sector. The needs assessment was conducted through direct observation, interviews, and review of existing documents in the Ministry of Health and representative hospitals, health centers, and health institutes. Data were collected about six factors as they pertained to the Ministry of Health Nursing Services: (a) key organizational and managerial activities, (b) the external environment, (c) the social system, (d) employees, (e) nursing services and research, and (f) formal organizational arrangements. The data showed a young country and an equally young nursing profession struggling to meet the needs of a growing population. The highest priority for the advancement of nursing in Saudi Arabia is the creation of a kingdom-wide system of nurse regulation. Pressing needs include regulation of professional standards, licensure of all nurses practicing in the Kingdom, accreditation of educational programs, and formation of a national nurses association.

Population Pressure and the Future of Saudi State Stability

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

Political stability in Saudi Arabia is a key strategic concern of the United States and the international community. As the largest producer of oil...will likely be able to maintain political stability in the foreseeable future. While we conclude that Saudi Arabia will not face revolutionary

Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia: A Review of the Recent Literature.

PubMed

Al Dawish, Mohamed Abdulaziz; Robert, Asirvatham Alwin; Braham, Rim; Al Hayek, Ayman Abdallah; Al Saeed, Abdulghani; Ahmed, Rania Ahmed; Al Sabaan, Fahad Sulaiman

2016-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that Saudi Arabia ranks the second highest in the Middle East, and is seventh in the world for the rate of diabetes. It is estimated that around 7 million of the population are diabetic and almost around 3 million have pre-diabetes. Even more worrying perhaps, is the increasing pattern of diabetes noted in Saudi Arabia in the recent past. In fact, diabetes has approximately registered a ten-fold increase in the past three eras in Saudi Arabia. Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been found to be related to high mortality, morbidity and vascular complications, accompanied by poor general health and lower quality of life. In Saudi Arabia, DM is quickly reaching disturbing proportions and becoming a significant cause of medical complications and even death. However, when compared with the developed countries, the research work conducted, focusing particularly on the incidence, prevalence and socio-demographic properties of DM is woefully inadequate. The health burden due to DM in Saudi Arabia is predicted to rise to catastrophic levels, unless a wide-ranging epidemic control program is incorporated, with great emphasis laid on advocating a healthy diet, including exercise and active lifestyles, and weight control. To properly manage the DM in Saudi Arabia, a multidisciplinary approach is required. In this review we discuss all the aspects of DM in Saudi Arabia drawing from the published literature currently available.

Essays on oil and business cycles in Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aba Alkhail, Bandar A.

This dissertation consists of three chapters. Chapter one presents a theoretical model using a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) approach to investigate the role of world oil prices in explaining the business cycle in Saudi Arabia. This model incorporates both productivity and oil revenue shocks. The results indicate that productivity shocks are relatively more important to business cycles than oil shocks. However, this model has some unfavorable features that are associated with both investment and labor hours. The second chapter presents a modified theoretical model using DSGE approach to examine the role of world oil prices versus productivity shocks in explaining the business cycles in Saudi Arabia. To overcome the unfavorable features of the baseline model, the alternative model adds friction to the model by incorporating investment portfolio adjustment cost. Thus, the alternative model produces similar dynamics to that of the baseline model but the unfavorable characteristics are eliminated. Also, this chapter conducts sensitivity analysis. The objective of the third chapter is to empirically investigate how real world oil price and productivity shocks affect output, consumption, investment, labor hours, and trade balance/output ratio for Saudi Arabia. This chapter complements the theoretical model of the previous chapters. In addition, this study builds a foundation for future studies in examining the impact of real world oil price shocks on the economies of key trade partners of Saudi Arabia. The results of the third chapter show that productivity shocks matter more for macroeconomic fluctuations than oil shocks for the Saudis' primary trade partners. Therefore, fears of oil importing countries appear to be overstated. As a whole, this research is important for the following reasons. First, the empirical model is consistent with the predictions of our theoretical model in that productivity is a driving force of business cycles in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabian nurses' experiences of studying Masters degrees in Australia.

PubMed

Clerehan, R; McCall, L; McKenna, L; Alshahrani, K

2012-06-01

This paper presents findings from a study which explored a group of Saudi Arabian nurses' experiences of studying for a Masters degree in Australia. Arab states in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia in particular, have high expatriate nursing populations, and governments in the region have allocated considerable funding to up-skilling their health workforce, often at Western universities. However, there has been little research into the learning experiences of nursing students from Middle East nations. A descriptive qualitative study design was used. Middle Eastern students undertaking Masters courses in a School of Nursing and Midwifery at one Australian university were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Ten Saudi students participated and data were analysed using content analysis. Students experienced challenges related to the transition to very different forms of study; to managing relationships and family. They were resourceful, employing strategies to manage multiple demands, including differences in culture, and stressed the significance of strong personal relationships with staff. Students acknowledged being changed, even transformed, by their experience, and saw themselves as future change agents. Highly skilled local nursing professionals are being sought in many Middle Eastern countries and may undertake post-graduate studies in Western contexts quite different from their own. Students reported that, in spite of difficulties, their experience prompted transformational change: intellectually, psychologically and developmentally. It is necessary for staff to understand expectations and learning preferences of these students to ensure fruitful learning outcomes and benefits to nursing in their home countries. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

Asthma and other allergic diseases among Saudi schoolchildren in Najran: the need for a comprehensive intervention program.

PubMed

Alqahtani, Jobran M

2016-01-01

In the last three decades, an increasing incidence of allergic diseases has been associated with increasing morbidity and mortality in children and young adults. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with allergic diseases among Saudi schoolchildren in the southwestern Saudi region of Najran, and to determine the sensitization of patients to a set of allergens. Cross-sectional observational study. Primary, intermediate and secondary schools, Najran, Saudi Arabia. All participants completed the Arabic version of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Skin prick tests (SPT) were performed, using a panel of standardized allergenic extracts. Prevalence and risk factors associated with pediatric allergic diseases. The study included 1700 Saudi schoolchildren. The overall prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic dermatitis was 27.5%, 6.3% and 12.5%, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that male gender (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.27), fast food consumption (aOR, 1.53), trucks passing near houses (aOR, 1.86), and having a dog or cat at home (aOR, 1.85) were significant risk factors. A total of 722 (42.5%) children had a positive SPT result to at least one allergen. The most prevalent allergens were grass pollens (60%), cat fur (41.6%), and house dust mites (25%). The findings of this study highlight the urgent need for developing an effective interven- tion program including several components working in harmony to control and reduce the burden of allergic diseases. These results may not be generalizable to the rest of Saudi Arabia.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus susceptibility gene TCF7L2 is strongly associated with hyperglycemia in the Saudi Arabia Population of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Acharya, S; Al-Elq, A; Al-Nafaie, A; Muzaheed, M; Al-Ali, A

2015-08-01

We studied the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs7903146, rs12255372 and rs4506565 in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) susceptibility gene, transcription factor 7 like 2 (TCF7L2) with T2DM among the population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. In a case-control study, blood samples were collected from 359 T2DM patients and 351 age and sex-matched normoglycemic controls. Genotyping was done by allele specific PCR assay. Our results revealed a strong association between risk T alleles in variants rs12255372 (OR: G/T=1.4233; T/T=2.0395) and rs4506565 (OR: A/T=1.6066; T/T=3.1301) and T2DM among the Saudi population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. This is the first time that this association has been identified in a Saudi population. However, a common variant, rs7903146, often found to be associated with T2DM in other populations failed to demonstrate any association to T2DM with the present population. These data further strengthens the hypothesis that Saudi populations might carry a distinct risk allele in T2DM susceptibility gene TCF7L2. The present results confirm that rs12255372 and rs4506565 variants of TCF7L2 show an association, but not rs7903146, with T2DM for the Saudi population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Update: Saudi Arabia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGregor, Joy; Nydell, Margaret

A guide for persons planning on living in or relocating to Saudi Arabia for extended periods of time, this book features information on such topics as entry requirements, transportation, money matters, housing, schools, and insurance. The guide's contents include the following sections: (1) an overview; (2) before leaving; (3) on arrival; (4)…

Urbanization: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-10-22

Riyadh, the national capital of Saudi Arabia, is shown in 1972, 1990 and 2000. Its population grew in these years from about a half million to more than two million. Saudi Arabia experienced urbanization later than many other countries; in the early 1970s its urban-rural ratio was still about 1:3. By 1990 that had reversed to about 3:1. The city grew through in-migration from rural areas, and from decreases in the death rate while birthrates remained high. The 1972 image is a Landsat MSS scene; the 1990 image is a Landsat Thematic Mapper scene; and the 2000 image is an ASTER scene. All three images cover an area of about 27 x 34 km. The image is centered at 24.6 degrees north latitude, 46.6 degrees east longitude. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA11087

Congenital disorders of glycosylation: The Saudi experience.

PubMed

Alsubhi, Sarah; Alhashem, Amal; Faqeih, Eissa; Alfadhel, Majid; Alfaifi, Abdullah; Altuwaijri, Waleed; Alsahli, Saud; Aldhalaan, Hesham; Alkuraya, Fowzan S; Hundallah, Khalid; Mahmoud, Adel; Alasmari, Ali; Mutairi, Fuad Al; Abduraouf, Hanem; AlRasheed, Layan; Alshahwan, Saad; Tabarki, Brahim

2017-10-01

We retrospectively reviewed Saudi patients who had a congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG). Twenty-seven Saudi patients (14 males, 13 females) from 13 unrelated families were identified. Based on molecular studies, the 27 CDG patients were classified into different subtypes: ALG9-CDG (8 patients, 29.5%), ALG3-CDG (7 patients, 26%), COG6-CDG (7 patients, 26%), MGAT2-CDG (3 patients, 11%), SLC35A2-CDG (1 patient), and PMM2-CDG (1 patient). All the patients had homozygous gene mutations. The combined carrier frequency of CDG for the encountered founder mutations in the Saudi population is 11.5 per 10,000, which translates to a minimum disease burden of 14 patients per 1,000,000. Our study provides comprehensive epidemiologic information and prevalence figures for each of these CDG in a large cohort of congenital disorder of glycosylation patients. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Special Education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges, Perspectives, Future Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alquraini, Turki

2011-01-01

This paper provides a brief background of the education system in Saudi Arabia and current special education services and programs for students with disabilities. Additionally, this paper presents the findings of some studies that examined teachers' perspectives regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities. As Saudi Arabia continues its…

Special Education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges, Perspectives, Future Possibilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alquraini, Turki

2010-01-01

This paper provides a brief background of the education system in Saudi Arabia and current special education services and programs for students with disabilities. Additionally, this paper presents the findings of some studies that examined teachers' perspectives regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities. As Saudi Arabia continues its…

Promoting Cultural Understanding: The Case of the Saudi Arabian Social Studies Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaklobi, Fahad

A study investigated the role of the Saudi Arabian social studies curriculum in helping Saudi students to understand other cultures. Analysis of the content of social studies textbooks revealed that they cover a wide range of cultural information related to countries from around the world. Saudi students start their cultural education in grade 5…

Asthma control in Saudi Arabia: Gender implications.

PubMed

Torchyan, Armen A

2017-05-01

Gender-related factors in asthma control should be considered in clinical consultations to substantially improve asthma control in women. Meanwhile, a limited number of studies have been reported on gender differences in factors related to asthma control, especially in Saudi Arabia. To study the potential gender differences in factors associated with asthma control among adult patients with physician-diagnosed asthma. A cross-sectional study was conducted in adult patients with asthma who attended primary care clinics at three major hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Asthma control was measured by using the Asthma Control Test. Asthma control status was classified as either controlled (Asthma Control Test score of >19) or uncontrolled (Asthma Control Test score of ≤19). Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed. In this study, 58.9% of men and 77.0% of women had uncontrolled asthma (p = 0.002). Factors associated with uncontrolled asthma were different between men and women, except for household income. Reporting higher levels of stress (odds ratio [OR] 4.3 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.7-11.1]), daily tobacco smoking (OR 5.8 [95% CI, 1.5-23.5]), and a monthly household income of <15,000 Saudi Arabian Riyals (OR 4.5 [95% CI, 1.9-10.5]) were associated with uncontrolled asthma in men. Being unemployed (OR 3.4 [95% CI, 1.3-9.4]), being obese (OR 3.2 [95% CI, 1.1-9.2]), or having a monthly household income of <15,000 Saudi Arabian Riyals (OR 3.1 [95% CI, 1.2-8.0]) were associated with uncontrolled asthma in women. This study demonstrated that many factors, such as stress, occupation, and obesity, had a differential relationship with uncontrolled asthma among men and women in Saudi Arabia that could provide more insight into methods of improving asthma control, especially in women.

A field study on the anthelmintic resistance of Parascaris spp. in Arab foals in the Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alanazi, Abdullah D; Mukbel, Rami M; Alyousif, Mohamed S; AlShehri, Zafer S; Alanazi, Ibrahim O; Al-Mohammed, Hamdan I

2017-12-01

In the last decade, Parascaris spp. resistance to anthelmintics has been recorded in many countries. In Saudi Arabia, there are limited data available on Parascaris spp. resistance to anthelmintics. To determine the current status of ivermectin, abamectin and praziquantel combined, and fenbendazole resistance to Parascaris spp. in horses in Saudi Arabia. Three hundred and forty-one foals from eleven different farms were examined by faecal egg count (FEC). The foals were all Arab horses aged 17.2 ± 4.5 (SD) months. Ivermectin (n = 46 foals), abamectin and praziquantel combined (n = 46), and fenbendazole (n = 46) were administered on day 0 and faeces were collected on day 14. The study comprised 41 untreated foals as controls. Animals that have FEC of ≥100 eggs per gram (EPG) were used to measure anthelmintic efficacy. Parascaris spp. populations were considered susceptible when faecal egg count reduction (FECR) was ≥95% associated with a lower 95% confidence limit (LCL) >90%, suspected resistant when FECR ≤90% or LCL <90% and resistant when FECR <90% and LCL <90%. Prevalence of Parascaris spp. infection was 53% (179/341 horses). Anthelmintic resistance to Parascaris spp. were highest following fenbendazole (55% of farms and 65% of foals) and to a lower extent following ivermectin or the combination of abamectin and praziquantel which comprised 27% of farms (and 46% of foals) and 18% of farms (and 10% of foals), respectively. These data indicate that anthelmintics-resistant Parascaris spp. populations are present on horse farms in Saudi Arabia.

Conservation in Saudi Arabia; moving from strategy to practice.

PubMed

Barichievy, Chris; Sheldon, Rob; Wacher, Tim; Llewellyn, Othman; Al-Mutairy, Mohammed; Alagaili, Abdulaziz

2018-02-01

Conservation in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is relatively young, yet have made considerable gains in conservation through strategic proclamation and reintroductions. Changes in land use, illegal hunting and competition with domestic stock has decimated the native ungulates, meaning that the survival of the native ungulate species is now completely dependent on protected area network. The challenge is to sustain this network to make meaningful conservation impact into the future. We review the status of ungulate conservation in Saudi Arabia and highlight that the conservation strategy is well developed. The major challenge faced in conservation in Saudi Arabia now is to implement what has been sanctioned.

Saudi Arabia: perspective on oil, foreign policy, and the Arab-Israeli conflict, 1970-1980

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kurdi, M.A.M.

1982-01-01

This study examines, through a descriptive and analytical approach, the Saudi perspective on its oil power and policies in world affairs and how the Arab-Israeli conflict affects these policies. A special emphasis on the United States-Saudi Arabian relationship is made, since Saudi Arabia looks at the United States as the key factor in the Arab-Israeli conflict. To serve this end, the dissertation is divided into three parts. Part one examines the economic and political reality of oil power, its implication and limitation. Also, this part examines the behavior and the policies of the oil companies, the oil-consuming countries, and themore » oil-producing countries after the structural change of the oil industry and the shift in control of production and prices from the hands of the oil companies to those of the oil-producing countries. Part two examines the Saudi Arabian economy, the role of oil in developing this economy, and the effect of Saudi development plans on Saudi oil policies. Part three examines Saudi foreign policy, especially its role in the Arab-Israeli conflict, with emphasis on the Saudi oil role in this regard. Also, this part examines the United States-Saudi Arabia relationship and interest, the United States interest in Israel, and, finally, how Riyadh sees these interests affecting United States policies in the Middle East.« less

Development of GIS-based Wind Potential Map of Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nayyar, Z. A.; Zaigham, N. A.; Aburizaiza, O. S.; Mahar, G. A.; Eusufi, S. N.

2011-12-01

Global energy scenario is changing drastically toward decline, as new major discoveries of fossil fuel are not coming up significantly on regional basis. In case of Saudi Arabia, one of the largest fossil fuel producers, the major oil fields have started exhausting significantly as revealed from the literature research study. Considering the future energy crisis, different other renewable options presently have became imperative to be consider anticipating for the national development. Wind energy in one of them. The development of wind energy technology requires the baseline data relevant to the wind trends and their potentials. Under the present study, an attempt has been made to develop wind power density map of the Makkah Province of Saudi Arabia based on the meteorological data collected at different sparsely located weather stations. GIS application has provided a good option to interpolate the gap areas between the sparsely located weather recording stations. This paper describe the methodology and results of the present study.

Survey of awareness of diabetes mellitus among the Arar population, Northern Border Region of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alanazi, Aseel Menwer; Abo El-Fetoh, Nagah Mohamed; Alotaibi, Hanan Khalid; Alanazi, Khalid Ayed; Alotaibi, Banan Khalid; Alshammari, Sultan Majed; Alanazi, Saud Rteamy; Alhazmi, Meshari Dalaf; Alshammari, Yousef Talal; Alshammari, Zaid Qati

2017-09-01

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is one of the most widely prevalent diseases in Saudi Arabia. Health education is considered an essential component to improve knowledge and change behavior. People affected by diabetes often have inadequate knowledge about the nature of diabetes, its risk factors and associated complication. The aim of this study was to assess the awareness of the Arar population with various aspects of diabetes mellitus. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Arar city, the capital of the Northern Province of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study was carried out on Saudi nationals from different age groups that were selected by systematic random sampling. Data was collected by means of personal interview with the participants using a pre-designed questionnaire which was administered by the medical students for each diabetic patient. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 15, using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. A total of 702 participants were interviewed, among them 201 (28.6%) males and 501 (71.4%) females, and most of them (77.8%) had high educational level, 10.4% were diabetics, 78.9% did not have regular checkup visits to the doctor and 58.5% did not perform any regular exercises, including walking, 60% thought that DM was due to partial or total decrease in insulin secretion and 12.4% thought that it was due to excess sweet eating. Additionally, 48.7% of the respondents thought that lack of exercise and obesity were the major risk factors of DM, 33.2% thought that it was a genetic disease. The majority (86.3) of the participants believed that the treatment of DM was a combination of healthy diet, exercise and medication and more than half (63.1%) said that weight loss and modification of life style were the most important preventive measures of DM. Regarding participants' knowledge about DM complications, 24.5% knew about retinopathy and loss of vision, 8.3% knew about retinopathy, loss of vision, low sensation and numbness in

Exploring the Unknown: The Autonomy of Saudi EFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alrabai, Fakieh

2017-01-01

This study addresses a new area of research in Saudi Arabia. Using a sample of 630 Saudi students, it investigates learners' level of autonomy and its relationship to academic achievement in English as a foreign language (EFL). Learners' level of autonomy was measured by a survey, whereas their achievement was evaluated using standardized…

Saudi Oncology Society and Saudi Urology Association combined clinical management guidelines for urothelial cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder 2017.

PubMed

Alharbi, Hulayel; Alkhateeb, Sultan; Murshid, Esam; Alotaibi, Mohammed; Abusamra, Ashraf; Rabah, Danny; Almansour, Mubarak; Alghamdi, Abdullah; Aljubran, Ali; Eltigani, Amin; Alkushi, Hussein; Ahmed, Imran; Alsharm, Abdullah; Bazarbashi, Shouki

2018-01-01

This is an update to the previously published Saudi guidelines for the evaluation and medical/surgical management of patients diagnosed with urothelial cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. It is categorized according to the stage of the disease using the tumor node metastasis staging system, 7 th edition. The guidelines are presented with their accompanying supporting evidence level, which is based on comprehensive literature review, several internationally recognized guidelines, and the collective expertise of the guidelines committee members (authors) who were selected by the Saudi Oncology Society and Saudi Urological Association. Considerations to the local availability of drugs, technology, and expertise have been regarded. These guidelines should serve as a roadmap for the urologists, oncologists, general physicians, support groups, and health-care policymakers in the management of patients diagnosed with urothelial cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder.

Why Do Saudi High Schools' Graduates Enroll in the Colleges of Technology: A Case Study?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trabelsi, Ali Chedli; Bezzina, Smain

2016-01-01

The paper aims at elaborating a strategy regarding students' admission at the colleges of technology in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Purposely, the study surveys the opinion of the students attending the Jeddah College of Technology (J.C.T) and reports on seven socio-economic factors, specifically, the "J.C.T. evaluation system,"…

The future of health care delivery and the experience of a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alsanea, Nasser

2012-01-01

Five major technological changes will herald a new era in health care delivery around the World: digitalization of the personal health record, sharing of health care digital data across different platforms, applications and institutions, delivery of patient services via the internet, use of the digital media and social networking as a medium for education and preventive medicine and introduction of smart applications as counselors to prevent medical errors. The implications of such changes are huge. Saudi Arabia is not isolated from such important developments. This article explores the future of health care delivery with a special focus on the experience of a tertiary care center in Saudi Arabia that has led the wave in such changes regionally.

Institute for Scientific Information-indexed biomedical journals of Saudi Arabia. Their performance from 2007-2014.

PubMed

Rohra, Dileep K; Rohra, Vikram K; Cahusac, Peter

2016-11-01

To compare the journal impact factor (JIF) and Eigenfactor score (ES) of Institute for Scientific Information (ISI)-indexed biomedical journals published from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) over the last 8 years. Methods: This is a retrospective study, conducted at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, KSA from January to March 2016. The Journal Citation Reports of ISI Web of Knowledge were accessed, and 6 Saudi biomedical journals were included for analysis. Results: All Saudi journals have improved their IF compared with their baseline. However, the performance of the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Neurosciences has been exceptionally good. The biggest improvement in percent growth in JIF was seen in the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal (approximately 887%) followed by Neurosciences (approximately 462%). Interestingly, the ES of all biomedical journals, except Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology and Saudi Medical Journal, increased over the years. The greatest growth in ES (more than 5 fold) was noted for Neurosciences and Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal. Conclusion: This study shows that the overall quality of all Saudi biomedical journals has improved in the last 8 years.

Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States - Workshop Papers

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-27

its own contraditions? Is the tribal system of rule, which is simply based on a one-man government supported by a ruling family ...educational level of the Saudi population will increase demands for power-sharing. In the next decade the Saudi royal family will find it increasingly...in the developing economy and polity. It is also a function of changing attitudes of both men (tolerance to broader roles

A modular success story the Saudi petrochemical project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kirven, J.B.; Swenson, C.R.

1986-01-01

The Saudi Petrochemical Company is referred to within this paper as ''Sadaf''. Sadaf is the phonetic spelling of the Arabic word for seashell and is a joint venture of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) and Pecten Arabian Ltd., an affiliate of Shell Oil Comapny, U.S.A. SABIC is a joint stock corporation responsible for the development of basic industries in the Kingdom in the petrochemicals, metals and fertilizers field.

Saudi Arabian International Graduate Students' Lived Experiences at a U.S. University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Young, Barbara N.; Snead, Donald

2017-01-01

Enrollment of Saudi Arabian International students' in United States institutions of higher learning has increased substantially over the years since King Abdullah initially launched the Saudi scholarship program in 2005 that was renewed in 2010 and funded an outward flow of Saudi student, including females, to universities worldwide. A commitment…

Women in Saudi Arabia and the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Filippidis, Filippos T.; Baldove, Juren P.; Majeed, Azeem; Rawaf, Salman

2016-01-01

Background. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death in Saudi Arabia. Saudi women in particular are more susceptible as there are sociocultural restrictions on female physical activities that may lead to high prevalence of CVD risks, especially obesity, and physical inactivity. This study aims to systematically review the published articles related to the prevalence of CVD risk among women in Saudi Arabia. The search strategy covers all published articles that assess the risk factor of CVD in Saudi Arabia from January 2000 to December 2015, using the following sources: Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO. A total of 61 studies were included. Results. Prevalence among Saudi women of smoking ranged from 1.1% to 9.1%, hypertension was 21.8%, diabetes ranged from 9.6% to 27.6%, overweight was 27%, and obesity was 40.23%, and physical inactivity ranged from 53.2% to 98.1%. Hypercholesterolemia prevalence on Saudi women on average was 24.5%, while metabolic syndrome ranged from 13.6% to 40.3%. Conclusion. The prevalence of CVD risk factors is high among women in Saudi Arabia especially in obesity and physical inactivity. Public health authorities must implement solutions from a gender specific aspect to reverse the trend and decrease the prevalence of CVDs among Saudi women. PMID:27777590

Women in Saudi Arabia and the Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Alshaikh, Mashael K; Filippidis, Filippos T; Baldove, Juren P; Majeed, Azeem; Rawaf, Salman

2016-01-01

Background . Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death in Saudi Arabia. Saudi women in particular are more susceptible as there are sociocultural restrictions on female physical activities that may lead to high prevalence of CVD risks, especially obesity, and physical inactivity. This study aims to systematically review the published articles related to the prevalence of CVD risk among women in Saudi Arabia. The search strategy covers all published articles that assess the risk factor of CVD in Saudi Arabia from January 2000 to December 2015, using the following sources: Medline, Embase, and PsycINFO. A total of 61 studies were included. Results. Prevalence among Saudi women of smoking ranged from 1.1% to 9.1%, hypertension was 21.8%, diabetes ranged from 9.6% to 27.6%, overweight was 27%, and obesity was 40.23%, and physical inactivity ranged from 53.2% to 98.1%. Hypercholesterolemia prevalence on Saudi women on average was 24.5%, while metabolic syndrome ranged from 13.6% to 40.3%. Conclusion . The prevalence of CVD risk factors is high among women in Saudi Arabia especially in obesity and physical inactivity. Public health authorities must implement solutions from a gender specific aspect to reverse the trend and decrease the prevalence of CVDs among Saudi women.

Growth reference for Saudi preschool children: LMS parameters and percentiles.

PubMed

Shaik, Shaffi Ahamed; El Mouzan, Mohammad Issa; AlSalloum, Abdullah Abdulmohsin; AlHerbish, Abdullah Sulaiman

2016-01-01

Previous growth charts for Saudi children have not included detailed tables and parameters needed for research and incorporation in electronic records. The objective of this report is to publish the L, M, and S parameters and percentiles as well as the corresponding growth charts for Saudi preschool children. Community-based survey and measurement of growth parameters in a sample selected by a multistage probability procedure. A stratified listing of the Saudi population. Raw data from the previous nationally-representative sample were reanalyzed using the Lambda-Mu-Sigma (LMS) methodology to calculate the L, M, and S parameters of percentiles (from 3rd to 97th) for weight, length/height, head circumference, and body mass index-for-age, and weight for-length/height for boys and girls from birth to 60 months. Length or height and weight of Saudi preschool children. There were 15601 Saudi children younger than 60 months of age, 7896 (50.6 %) were boys. The LMS parameters for weight for age from birth to 60 months (5 years) are reported for the 3rd, 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 95th, and 97th percentiles as well as the corresponding graphs. Similarly, the LMS parameters for length/height-for-age, head circumference-for-age, weight-for-length/height and body mass index-for-age (BMi) are shown with the corresponding graphs for boys and girls. Using the data in this report, clinicians and researchers can assess the growth of Saudi preschool children. The report does not reflect interregional variations in growth.

Learning English: Experiences and Needs of Saudi Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unruh, Susan; Obeidat, Fayiz

2015-01-01

In this qualitative study, Saudi engineering students talk openly of their experiences learning English in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and as university students in the United States (US). These students reported that they learned only the basics of vocabulary and grammar in KSA. Consequently, they came to the US with few English skills. In…

Saudi lung cancer management guidelines 2017.

PubMed

Jazieh, Abdul Rahman; Al Kattan, Khaled; Bamousa, Ahmed; Al Olayan, Ashwaq; Abdelwarith, Ahmed; Ansari, Jawaher; Al Twairqi, Abdullah; Al Fayea, Turki; Al Saleh, Khalid; Al Husaini, Hamed; Abdelhafiez, Nafisa; Mahrous, Mervat; Faris, Medhat; Al Omair, Ameen; Hebshi, Adnan; Al Shehri, Salem; Al Dayel, Foad; Bamefleh, Hanaa; Khalbuss, Walid; Al Ghanem, Sarah; Loutfi, Shukri; Khankan, Azzam; Al Rujaib, Meshael; Al Ghamdi, Majed; Ibrahim, Nagwa; Swied, Abdulmonem; Al Kayait, Mohammad; Datario, Marie

2017-01-01

Lung cancer management is getting more complex due to the rapid advances in all aspects of diagnostic and therapeutic options. Developing guidelines is critical to help practitioners provide standard of care. The Saudi Lung Cancer Guidelines Committee (SLCGC) multidisciplinary members from different specialties and from various regions and healthcare sectors of the country reviewed and updated all lung cancer guidelines with appropriate labeling of level of evidence. Supporting documents to help healthcare professionals were developed. Detailed lung cancer management guidelines were finalized with appropriate resources for systemic therapy and short reviews highlighting important issues. Stage based disease management recommendation were included. A summary explanation for complex topics were included in addition to tables of approved systemic therapy. A multidisciplinary lung cancer guidelines was developed and will be disseminated across the country.

The Profile of Saudi Nursing Workforce: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Magarey, Judy; Wiechula, Richard

2017-01-01

Introduction The Royal Monarchy in Saudi Arabia decreed that all sectors of the workforce would be subject to a policy of “Saudisation” to reduce the reliance on the expatriate workforce and to reduce the unemployment rate of Saudi nationals (Al-Mahmoud et al., 2012). Methodology A cross-sectional design was chosen to investigate the research questions. The population of this study comprised Saudi Registered Nurses working in MOH hospitals in Riyadh which is the main health care provider in Saudi Arabia (Aboul-Enein, 2002; MOH, 2009). Results and Findings A total number of 1,198 questionnaires were distributed and 61.2% (n = 741) were returned. The findings of the study showed that the questionnaires were collected from an equal portion of the study locale and that a sample of 741 is enough to create a strong conclusion and answer the problem set in this study and all the questions in the study have been provided with answers with enough data and literatures to supports its findings. Conclusion and Recommendations The results indicate that an increase in the recruitment of Saudi males may simply reflect cultural issues such as gender specific facilities and the Saudisation program's nondiscriminatory approach to employment of both genders into nursing. PMID:29214078

Pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia: The past, the present, and the future.

PubMed

Alhamoudi, Abdulhakem; Alnattah, Ashraf

Saudi Arabia has a population of approximately 31 million people. The amount of literature published regarding pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia, however, is insignificant in number. The objective of this study is to describe the condition of pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia. PubMed, Saudi Arabian government's publications and websites of pharmacy colleges have been searched. Descriptive content analysis has been used to draw a complete picture of pharmacy education in Saudi Arabia. From 1959 to 2001, Saudi Arabia had only one college of pharmacy. However, from 2001 to 2014, with the government initiative to train more national pharmacists, the nation witnessed the establishment of 23 government colleges and seven private colleges. No new colleges have been established since 2014. By the end of 2014, there were 30 pharmacy colleges offering more than 37 undergraduate programs. Only three colleges offer postgraduate programs, however. None of the colleges are accredited nationally or internationally. There is no evidence that this increase in the number of pharmacy colleges will meet the demand for nationally-born pharmacists. More research needs to be conducted concerning Saudi Arabia's need. There are very few opportunities for advanced degrees. The program names should be a normalized as all of them lead to registration as a pharmacist. The dramatic increase may have affected program quality as no colleges are nationally or internationally accredited. Colleges should seek accreditation to ensure they are within accepted international standards. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health literacy among Saudi population: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Abdel-Latif, Mohamed M M; Saad, Sherif Y

2017-09-12

Health literacy is a major problem worldwide and adversely affects an individual's health. The aim of the present study was to assess health literacy level among Saudi population. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a randomly selected population (n = 500) in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire comprised of questions pertaining to demographic characteristics, health literacy and health information. Health literacy was measured by REALM-R test. Internal reliability was determined using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The majority of the respondents had intermediate (43.8%) and basic (34.4%) health literacy levels. A higher percentage among men had intermediate (59.8%) and basic (70.93%) health literacy levels compared with women. About 30% of respondents had difficulty in understanding health screening tests and disease treatment. More than half of participants (52.4%) had difficulty in finding health information. The REALM-R test revealed that about 42.6% of individuals with score of >6 had adequate health literacy compared with 57.4% with score of ≤6 had inadequate health literacy. The present study demonstrated that a majority of Saudi individuals had inadequate health literacy that associated with poor knowledge of health information. Our findings highlighted the importance of understanding the status of health literacy among Saudis and the need for educational programs to raise the health literacy awareness among Saudi population. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Field accumulation risks of heavy metals in soil and vegetable crop irrigated with sewage water in western region of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Balkhair, Khaled S; Ashraf, Muhammad Aqeel

2016-01-01

Wastewater irrigated fields can cause potential contamination with heavy metals to soil and groundwater, thus pose a threat to human beings . The current study was designed to investigate the potential human health risks associated with the consumption of okra vegetable crop contaminated with toxic heavy metals. The crop was grown on a soil irrigated with treated wastewater in the western region of Saudi Arabia during 2010 and 2011. The monitored heavy metals included Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn for their bioaccumulation factors to provide baseline data regarding environmental safety and the suitability of sewage irrigation in the future. The pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF) of these metals were calculated. The pollution load index of the studied soils indicated their level of metal contamination. The concentrations of Ni, Pb, Cd and Cr in the edible portions were above the safe limit in 90%, 28%, 83% and 63% of the samples, respectively. The heavy metals in the edible portions were as follows: Cr > Zn > Ni > Cd > Mn > Pb > Cu > Fe. The Health Risk Index (HRI) was >1 indicating a potential health risk. The EF values designated an enhanced bio-contamination compared to other reports from Saudi Arabia and other countries around the world. The results indicated a potential pathway of human exposure to slow poisoning by heavy metals due to the indirect utilization of vegetables grown on heavy metal-contaminated soil that was irrigated by contaminated water sources. The okra tested was not safe for human use, especially for direct consumption by human beings. The irrigation source was identified as the source of the soil pollution in this study.

Field accumulation risks of heavy metals in soil and vegetable crop irrigated with sewage water in western region of Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Balkhair, Khaled S.; Ashraf, Muhammad Aqeel

2015-01-01

Wastewater irrigated fields can cause potential contamination with heavy metals to soil and groundwater, thus pose a threat to human beings . The current study was designed to investigate the potential human health risks associated with the consumption of okra vegetable crop contaminated with toxic heavy metals. The crop was grown on a soil irrigated with treated wastewater in the western region of Saudi Arabia during 2010 and 2011. The monitored heavy metals included Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn for their bioaccumulation factors to provide baseline data regarding environmental safety and the suitability of sewage irrigation in the future. The pollution load index (PLI), enrichment factor (EF) and contamination factor (CF) of these metals were calculated. The pollution load index of the studied soils indicated their level of metal contamination. The concentrations of Ni, Pb, Cd and Cr in the edible portions were above the safe limit in 90%, 28%, 83% and 63% of the samples, respectively. The heavy metals in the edible portions were as follows: Cr > Zn > Ni > Cd > Mn > Pb > Cu > Fe. The Health Risk Index (HRI) was >1 indicating a potential health risk. The EF values designated an enhanced bio-contamination compared to other reports from Saudi Arabia and other countries around the world. The results indicated a potential pathway of human exposure to slow poisoning by heavy metals due to the indirect utilization of vegetables grown on heavy metal-contaminated soil that was irrigated by contaminated water sources. The okra tested was not safe for human use, especially for direct consumption by human beings. The irrigation source was identified as the source of the soil pollution in this study. PMID:26858563

High School Graduates' Readiness for Tertiary Education in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Khoshaim, Heba Bakr

2017-01-01

There has been a huge improvement in the education system in Saudi Arabia quantitatively and qualitatively. Nevertheless, many researchers indicated that high school graduates are not ready for higher education. Especially when considering mathematical compensations, high-demanded skills for tertiary academic programs, Saudi students have been…

Nurses' Perceptions of Patient Safety Culture in Three Hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alquwez, Nahed; Cruz, Jonas Preposi; Almoghairi, Ahmed Mohammed; Al-Otaibi, Raid Salman; Almutairi, Khalid Obaid; Alicante, Jerico G; Colet, Paolo C

2018-05-14

To assess the present patient safety culture of three general hospitals in Saudi Arabia, as perceived by nurses. This study utilized a descriptive, cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of 351 nurses working in three general hospitals in the central region of Saudi Arabia was surveyed in this study using the Hospital Survey of Patients' Safety Culture (HSOPSC) from October 2016 to April 2017. From the 12 composites of the HSOPSC, the nurses perceived only the following two patient safety areas as strengths: teamwork within units and organizational learning-continuous improvement. Six areas of patient safety were identified as weaknesses, namely overall perception of patient safety, handoffs and transitions, communication openness, staffing, frequency of events reported, and nonpunitive response to errors. Nationality, educational attainment, hospital, length of service in the hospital, work area or unit, length of service in the current work area or unit, current position, and direct patient contact or interaction were significant predictors of the nurses' perceived patient safety culture. The findings in this study clarify the current status of patient safety culture in three hospitals in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The present findings should be considered by policymakers, hospital leaders, and nurse executives in creating interventions aimed at improving the patient safety culture in hospitals. A multidimensional network intervention targeting the different dimensions of patient safety culture and involving different organizational levels should be implemented to improve patient safety. © 2018 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Assessment of medical practitioners' knowledge of fibromyalgia in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Kaki, Abdullah Mohammad; Hazazi, Abdulaziz A

2018-01-01

Fibromyalgia (FM), a relatively common disease, is difficult to diagnose owing to its subjective symptoms and poor knowledge among medical practitioners. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge regarding FM among medical practitioners in Saudi Arabia and the need for educational programs at the undergraduate level. An online survey was administered to physicians, nurses, and technologist/technicians in different regions of the country. Responses were obtained from 104 medical practitioners. Knowledge regarding FM including clinical symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment was assessed. Only 26% of the respondents reported that FM was part of their undergraduate curriculum, and only 8.7% attended educational programs about FM. (Approximately 50% of the medical practitioners either referred FM patients to unrelated specialty or did not know whom to refer these patients to). Only 33.7% of the respondents were familiar with the diagnostic criteria. Physiotherapy (69.4%) and pharmacological treatment (63.9%) were predominantly reported as the appropriate treatment. Knowledge regarding FM among medical practitioners in Saudi Arabia is poor. Further education at the undergraduate level is needed to improve knowledge and avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment.

The need for national medical licensing examination in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Bajammal, Sohail; Zaini, Rania; Abuznadah, Wesam; Al-Rukban, Mohammad; Aly, Syed Moyn; Boker, Abdulaziz; Al-Zalabani, Abdulmohsen; Al-Omran, Mohammad; Al-Habib, Amro; Al-Sheikh, Mona; Al-Sultan, Mohammad; Fida, Nadia; Alzahrani, Khalid; Hamad, Bashir; Al Shehri, Mohammad; Abdulrahman, Khalid Bin; Al-Damegh, Saleh; Al-Nozha, Mansour M; Donnon, Tyrone

2008-01-01

Background Medical education in Saudi Arabia is facing multiple challenges, including the rapid increase in the number of medical schools over a short period of time, the influx of foreign medical graduates to work in Saudi Arabia, the award of scholarships to hundreds of students to study medicine in various countries, and the absence of published national guidelines for minimal acceptable competencies of a medical graduate. Discussion We are arguing for the need for a Saudi national medical licensing examination that consists of two parts: Part I (Written) which tests the basic science and clinical knowledge and Part II (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) which tests the clinical skills and attitudes. We propose this examination to be mandated as a licensure requirement for practicing medicine in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion The driving and hindering forces as well as the strengths and weaknesses of implementing the licensing examination are discussed in details in this debate. PMID:19032779

Cultural competence among nursing students in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Cruz, J P; Alquwez, N; Cruz, C P; Felicilda-Reynaldo, R F D; Vitorino, L M; Islam, S M S

2017-06-01

This study assessed the cultural competence of nursing students in a Saudi University. With the current situation of immigration in Saudi Arabia, the cultural diversity in healthcare facilities is anticipated to grow. This presents a great challenge to the members of the healthcare team. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 272 nursing students in a Saudi university using a self-administered questionnaire consisting of two parts, namely the respondents' demographics and cultural background information sheet and the Cultural Capacity Scale Arabic version. The respondents showed the highest competence in their ability to demonstrate communication skills with culturally diverse patients and lowest in the familiarity with health- or illness-related cultural knowledge or theory. Gender, academic level, clinical exposure, prior diversity training, the experience of taking care of culturally diverse patients and patients belonging to special population groups were significant factors that could likely to influence cultural competence. The findings suggest that the Saudi nursing students possess the ability to provide culturally appropriate nursing care to patients with a diverse cultural background. Despite the good cultural competence reflected in this study, some aspects in ensuring a culturally competent care rendered by Saudi nursing students need to be improved. With the country's Saudization policy in health care (replacing foreign nurses with Saudi nurses), the findings can be used in designing training and interventions to meet the needs of Saudi nursing students regarding cultural competence development, which is integral in their preparation to assume their future roles as nurses. Policy guidelines, such as including cultural competency training and foreign languages training as mandatory continuing education for nurses, as well as integrating cultural competency and foreign languages in the prelicensure curriculum, should be developed and implemented in

Rainwater harvesting possibility under climate change: A basin-scale case study over western province of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almazroui, Mansour; Islam, M. Nazrul; Balkhair, Khaled S.; Şen, Zekâi; Masood, Amjad

2017-06-01

Groundwater reservoirs are important water resources all over the world. Especially, they are of utmost significance for arid and semi-arid regions, and therefore, a sustainable exploitation of these reservoirs needs to be ensured. The natural and most exclusive water supplier to groundwater reservoirs in Saudi Arabia is rainfall, which is characterized by sporadic and random temporal and spatial distributions, particularly under the impacts of climate change; giving rise to uncertainty in groundwater recharge quantification. Although in Saudi Arabia, intense and frequent rainfall events are rare, but they generate significant flash floods with huge amounts of surface water. Under such circumstances, any simple but effective water storage augmentation facility such as rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures gain vital importance for sustainability of water supply and survivals in arid and semi-arid regions. The objective of this study is to explore the possibility of RWH over a basin in the western province of Saudi Arabia called Wadi Al-Lith under climate change. Climatic data is obtained from the IPCC AR5 GCMs, which is further downscaled using a regional climate model RegCM4 for the Arabian Peninsula domain. The RegCM4 is driven to simulate climatic parameters including rainfall at 25 km grid resolution for the present climate (1971-2000), and future climate (2006-2099) with representative concentration pathways, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Results indicate that more durable and longer wet durations are expected with increasing surplus rainfall amounts in the far future because of climate change impacts. Consequently, future climate scenarios are expected to enhance floods and flash floods occurrences, which call for progressive measures to harness the RWH opportunity.

The impact of work-related stress on medication errors in Eastern Region Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Salam, Abdul; Segal, David M; Abu-Helalah, Munir Ahmad; Gutierrez, Mary Lou; Joosub, Imran; Ahmed, Wasim; Bibi, Rubina; Clarke, Elizabeth; Qarni, Ali Ahmed Al

2018-05-07

To examine the relationship between overall level and source-specific work-related stressors on medication errors rate. A cross-sectional study examined the relationship between overall levels of stress, 25 source-specific work-related stressors and medication error rate based on documented incident reports in Saudi Arabia (SA) hospital, using secondary databases. King Abdulaziz Hospital in Al-Ahsa, Eastern Region, SA. Two hundred and sixty-nine healthcare professionals (HCPs). The odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for HCPs documented incident report medication errors and self-reported sources of Job Stress Survey. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified source-specific work-related stress as significantly associated with HCPs who made at least one medication error per month (P < 0.05), including disruption to home life, pressure to meet deadlines, difficulties with colleagues, excessive workload, income over 10 000 riyals and compulsory night/weekend call duties either some or all of the time. Although not statistically significant, HCPs who reported overall stress were two times more likely to make at least one medication error per month than non-stressed HCPs (OR: 1.95, P = 0.081). This is the first study to use documented incident reports for medication errors rather than self-report to evaluate the level of stress-related medication errors in SA HCPs. Job demands, such as social stressors (home life disruption, difficulties with colleagues), time pressures, structural determinants (compulsory night/weekend call duties) and higher income, were significantly associated with medication errors whereas overall stress revealed a 2-fold higher trend.

Urbanization: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Riyadh, the national capital of Saudi Arabia, is shown in 1972, 1990 and 2000. Its population grew in these years from about a half million to more than two million. Saudi Arabia experienced urbanization later than many other countries; in the early 1970s its urban-rural ratio was still about 1:3. By 1990 that had reversed to about 3:1. The city grew through in-migration from rural areas, and from decreases in the death rate while birthrates remained high. The 1972 image is a Landsat MSS scene; the 1990 image is a Landsat Thematic Mapper scene; and the 2000 image is an ASTER scene. All three images cover an area of about 27 x 34 km. The image is centered at 24.6 degrees north latitude, 46.6 degrees east longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Communicating with cancer patients in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Younge, D; Moreau, P; Ezzat, A; Gray, A

1997-02-20

The following factors are relevant to the communication problems that exist in this country: 1. The impression is that patients here cope better with terminal illness at home than do patients elsewhere. The extended family, with its strong ties, and the strong Islamic faith that encourages its members to provide for parents and children in case of need mean that any input by health professionals is magnified by the family in the care of the patient. At first, it was uncertain if foreign health professionals would be accepted into Saudi homes (which are intensely private and protected for the family) for the purpose of caring for patients. This has proved unfounded. Hospitality is a very important part of Saudi society; nurses and doctors are welcomed and respected. Much of this success is due to the use of Saudi men as drivers and translators. These people provide 24-hour service, act as social workers assessing the needs of the family, and are the link between the patient and family, the nurse, and the doctor. 2. "CURE" OR "PALLIATION": The emphasis for cancer patients in Saudi Arabia is still on "curative treatment," even after any realistic hope of a cure is gone. The problem this causes is compounded by many patients being excluded from the decision-making process. Decisions made by the family may not always reflect the patient's wishes. Greater communication is needed to guide treatment decisions. 3. TRUTH-TELLING: Denying information of the patient's illness is probably more a historical than a cultural phenomenon. Similar attitudes prevailed until very recently in practically all other countries. In this very conservative country, people are committed to preserving Islamic culture in the face of Western technology. As medicine continues to demonstrate its effectiveness as well as its limitations, people will come to realize that the right of patients to know and understand their illness allows them to cope much better, and is compatible with the

Epilepsy services in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Alfayez, Saud M.; Aljafen, Bandar N.

2016-01-01

Objective: To assess the epilepsy services and identify the challenges in hospitals without epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs). In addition, comparisons between governmental and private sectors, as well as between regions, are to be performed. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to the secondary and tertiary hospitals without EMUs throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study was conducted from September 2013 to September 2015 and regular updates from all respondents were constantly made. Items in the questionnaire included the region of the institution, the number of pediatric and adult neurologists and neurosurgeons along with their subspecialties, the number of beds in the Neurology Department, whether they provide educational services and have epilepsy clinics and if they refer patients to an EMU or intend to establish one in the future. Results: Forty-three institutions throughout the Kingdom responded, representing a response rate of 54%. The majority of hospitals (58.1%) had no adult epileptologists. A complete lack of pediatric epileptologists was observed in 72.1% of hospitals. Around 39.5% were utilizing beds from internal medicine. Hospitals with an epilepsy clinic represented 34.9% across all regions and sectors. Hospitals with no intention of establishing an EMU represented 53.5%. Hospitals that did not refer their epileptic patients to an EMU represented 30.2%. Conclusions: Epilepsy services in KSA hospitals without EMUs are underdeveloped. PMID:27744461

National Culture-Management Practices: United States and Saudi Arabia Contrasted.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hashmi, Mahmud S.

Successful conduct of business in Saudi Arabia requires attitudes and skills significantly different from those needed in the United States. Distinct societal differences can turn winning practices in one culture into failures in another. Despite Saudi Arabia's recent emergence as a wealthy marketplace, traditional values and a unique lifestyle…

Assessment and Develop the Saudi's Contractors Classification System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almutairi, Saud

2017-01-01

Research has shown that construction projects in Saudi Arabia have had a perceived poor performance for the past three decades, from 1970-2016. The Saudi construction industry relies on a Contractor Classification System (CCS) to determine contractors' capabilities, and prevent underperformance. Through this study, a survey was conducted among…

Social Determinants of Domestic Violence Among Saudi Married Women in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alquaiz, ALJohara M; Almuneef, Maha; Kazi, Ambreen; Almeneessier, Aljohara

2017-12-01

Intimate partner violence is a worldwide public health problem. The objectives of this study were to measure the prevalence and types of domestic violence, and to explore the association between social determinants (sociodemographic factors, husband-related factors, and social support) and violence against women by their intimate partner (husband). We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 18 randomly selected primary health care centers and 13 private institutions (teaching institutes, government offices, social welfare organizations) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Female data collectors took interview from 1,883 married Saudi females aged 30 to 75 years. Interviews included sociodemographic information, reproductive health variables, and social support questionnaire. Violence was measured using modified Intimate Partner Violence Against Women questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted. The lifetime prevalence for any type of violence was 43.0% ( n = 810). The most frequent type was controlling behavior (36.8%), followed by emotional violence (22%), sexual violence (12.7%), and physical violence (9.0%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the following were associated with greater odds of reporting domestic violence: younger age 30 to 40 years (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [1.3, 3.0]), 41 to 50 years (aOR = 1.6, 95% CI = [1.1, 2.5]); lack of emotional support (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI = [1.2, 2.5]); lack of tangible support (aOR = 1.4, 95% CI = [1.1, 1.9]); and perceived poor self-health (aOR = 1.7, 95% CI = [1.0, 3.0]), husbands' poor health (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI = [1.2, 2.0]), and polygamy (aOR = 1.6, 95% CI = [1.5, 2.6]). Domestic violence occurs frequently in Saudi Arabia. Both social conditions and social relations are significantly associated with domestic violence against Saudi women. Furthermore, improvement in implementation of the local policies

Residency Programs and Clinical Leadership Skills Among New Saudi Graduate Nurses.

PubMed

Al-Dossary, Reem Nassar; Kitsantas, Panagiota; Maddox, P J

2016-01-01

Nurse residency programs have been adopted by health care organizations to assist new graduate nurses with daily challenges such as intense working environments, increasing patient acuity, and complex technologies. Overall, nurse residency programs are proven beneficial in helping nurses transition from the student role to independent practitioners and bedside leaders. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of residency programs on leadership skills of new Saudi graduate nurses who completed a residency program compared to new Saudi graduate nurses who did not participate in residency programs. The study design was cross-sectional involving a convenience sample (n = 98) of new graduate nurses from three hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The Clinical Leadership Survey was used to measure the new graduate nurses' clinical leadership skills based on whether they completed a residency program or not. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine leadership skills in this sample of new Saudi graduate nurses. A significant difference was found between residents and nonresidents in their leadership skills (t = 10.48, P = .000). Specifically, residents were significantly more likely to show higher levels of leadership skills compared to their counterparts. Attending a residency program was associated with a significant increase in clinical leadership skills. The findings of this study indicate that there is a need to implement more residency programs in hospitals of Saudi Arabia. It is imperative that nurse managers and policy makers in Saudi Arabia consider these findings to improve nurses' leadership skills, which will in turn improve patient care. Further research should examine how residency programs influence new graduate nurses' transition from student to practitioner with regard to clinical leadership skills in Saudi Arabia. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-perception of personal oral health in Saudi population: a social media approach.

PubMed

AlShahrani, I; Tikare, S; Togoo, R A; AlAsere, Y H; AlAsmari, A A

2015-08-27

Subjective perceptions and perceived needs for dental care in a population can provide important information for policy-makers. This study aimed to assess self-perceived personal oral health status among the Saudi Arabia population who could be accessed through social media. A pre-tested questionnaire for completion online was designed to assess self-perceived oral health via 13 items in 4 domains with weighted scores from 1-3. The questionnaire was uploaded to the Internet and the link to it was made available through popular social networking sites in Saudi Arabia. With respondents recruited by snowball methods a total of 4618 people (57.2% males, 42.8% females) completed the questionnaire. The total mean score for the participants was 23.0 (SD 5.0) (scale range 13-39). Self-perceived oral health was rated as poor by 24.2% of respondents, average by 50.6% and good by 25.2%. Educational level, age and region but not sex were significantly associated with self-perceived oral health.

Association between oral health knowledge and practices of Saudi pregnant women in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Gaffar, B O; El Tantawi, M; Al-Ansari, A; AlAgl, A S

2016-09-25

This study assessed the association between oral health knowledge and practices of pregnant Saudi women selected from visitors to a government hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia in 2014. Women answered questions on oral health knowledge during pregnancy and knowledge of infant oral health. Most women (> 70%) knew that dental caries in children can be prevented, that pregnancy affects oral health and that dental treatment during pregnancy can negatively affect infants. Most women (> 80%) performed oral hygiene procedures but only 18% regularly visited the dentist. In a regression analysis, oral health knowledge was not significantly associated with reported oral hygiene practices. Women who visited the dentist regularly were more likely to know how to prevent caries in children, and that dental treatment during pregnancy and infant health were associated.

National Guidelines for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Saudi Arabia with strength of recommendations and quality of evidence.

PubMed

Alsanea, Nasser; Almadi, Majid A; Abduljabbar, Alaa S; Alhomoud, Samar; Alshaban, Taghreed A; Alsuhaibani, Abdullah; Alzahrani, Ahmad; Batwa, Faisal; Hassan, Abdul-Hameed; Hibbert, Denise; Nooh, Randa; Alothman, Mohammed; Rochwerg, Bram; Alhazzani, Waleed; Morgan, Rebecca L

2015-01-01

Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer among Saudi men and the third commonest among Saudi women. Given the predominance of colorectal cancer compared with other cancers in Saudi Arabia, context-specific guidelines are needed for screening. Experts from the Saudi Society of Colon and Rectal Surgery, Saudi Gastroenterology Association, Saudi Oncology Society, Saudi Chapter of Enterostomal Therapy, Family Medicine and Department of Public Health at the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health and a patient advocate was assembled by the Saudi Centre for Evidence-Based Healthcare, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health. The panel collaborated with a methodological team from McMaster University, Canada to develop national guidelines for colorectal cancer screening. After identifying key questions, the panel conducted a systematic review of all reports on the utility of screening, the cost of screening for colorectal cancer in Saudi Arabia and on the values and preferences of Saudi patients. Meta- analyses, when appropriate, were performed to generate pooled estimates of effect. Using the GRADE approach, the panel used the evidence-to-decision (EtD) framework to assess all domains important in determining the strength and direction of the recommendations (benefits and harms, values and preferences, resource implications, equity, acceptability, and feasibility). Judgments related to the EtD domains were resolved through consensus or voting, if consensus was not reached. The final recommendations were developed during a two-day meeting held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in March 2015. Conflicts of interests among the panel members were handled according to the World Health Organization rules. There is lack of national data on the incidence of adenomatous polyps or the age groups in which the incidence surges. There were no national clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of the different modalities of screening for colorectal cancer and their impact on mortality

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-07-26

ISS036-E-025802 (26 July 2013) --- A nighttime view of southwestern Saudi Arabia is featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 36 crew member on the International Space Station. In addition to city lights, patchy cloud cover partially obscures and blurs city lights, especially in the vicinity of Khamis Mushait and Abha. While much of the country is lightly populated desert ? and relatively dark at night due to lack of city and roadway lights ? the southwestern coastal region has more moderate climate and several large cities. Three brightly lit urban centers are visible at top left; Jeddah, Mecca, and Taif. Jeddah is the gateway city for Islamic pilgrims going to nearby Mecca (a religious journey known as the hajj). Taif to the east is located on the slopes of the Sarawat Mountains, and provides a summer retreat for the Saudi government from the desert heat of the capital city of Riyadh. Bright yellow-orange lighting marks highways that parallel the trend of the Asir Mountains at center, connecting Mecca to the resort cities of Al Bahah and Abha (lower right). Smaller roadways, lit with blue lights, extend to the west to small cities along the Red Sea coastline. The bright yellow-orange glow of the city of Abha is matched by that of the city of Khamis Mushait (or Khamis Mushayt) to the northeast. The brightly lit ribbon of highway continues onward towards other large cities to the south (Jazan, not shown) and southeast (Najran, not shown).

Attitude of Saudi Arabian adults towards consanguineous marriage

PubMed Central

Alharbi, Omar A.; Al-Shaia, Walaa A.; Al-Hamam, Abdulaziz A.; Al-Marzoug, Hala M.; Ahmed, Anwar E.; Bagha, Muhammed

2015-01-01

Background: Research on the attitudes of Saudi adults towards consanguinity is scarce. The study aimed to explore the attitudes towards consanguinity and its associations with socio-demographic characteristics in a sample of Saudi adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 386 outpatient waiting-area attendees at King Abdul-Aziz Medical City-Riyadh were included. Participants were asked about their socio-demographic characteristics, attitude towards consanguinity and the reasons behind this. Results: The positive attitude towards consanguinity among the study respondents was 48.1% with 95% confidence interval (42.91–53.33%). Social and traditional culture (59.9%) were found to be the predominant reasons for favoring consanguinity in Saudi Arabia. Evidence against a positive attitude towards consanguinity was noted in respondents who received medical information about consanguinity versus those who had not received medical information (42.3% vs. 57%, p-value = 0.008). According to the multivariate logistic model, the odds of a positive attitude towards consanguinity were 2 times higher for males (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.147, 4.290) and 4.1 times higher in respondents in consanguineous marriages (aOR: 4.1; 95% CI: 2.350, 7.156). The odds of a positive attitude towards consanguinity were 50% less in respondents who received health information on consanguinity compared to those who had not received health information about consanguinity (aOR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.253, 0.863). Conclusion: One in every two Saudi adults favors consanguinity however, Saudi men and women differ in their attitudes towards consanguinity. Receiving health information on consanguinity was associated with a negative attitude towards this practice. PMID:26835408

The Challenges Faced by New Science Teachers in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsharari, Salman

2016-01-01

Growing demand for science teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, fed by increasing numbers of public school students, is forcing the Saudi government to attract, recruit and retain well-qualified science teachers. Beginning science teachers enter the educational profession with a massive fullfilment and satisfaction in their roles and positions…

Water exploration using Magnetotelluric and gravity data analysis; Wadi Nisah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aboud, Essam; Saud, Ramzi; Asch, Theodore; Aldamegh, Khaled; Mogren, Saad

2014-12-01

Saudi Arabia is a desert country with no permanent rivers or lakes and very little rainfall. Ground water aquifers are the major source of water in Saudi Arabia. In the Riyadh region, several Wadies including Wadi Nisah store about 14 × 106 m3 of water, which is extracted for local irrigation purposes. In such areas, the water wells are as shallow as 200-300 m in depth. The importance of Wadi Nisah is because the subsurface water aquifers that are present there could support the region for many years as a water resource. Accordingly, in this study, we performed a Magnetotelluric survey using a portable broadband sounding system (MT24/LF) to evaluate the ground water aquifer at great depths. We collected 10 broadband Magnetotelluric sounding stations (1 station/day) with an interval of about 2-3 km reaching a profile length of about 25-30 km along Wadi Nisah. Additionally, we used available gravity data to image the subsurface structure containing the aquifer. MT results indicated a low resistivity layer, associated with alluvium deposits, which was defined at a depth of about 1-2 km and extended horizontally about 15 km. Gravity data analysis was used to model this resistivity layer indicating a basement surface at 3-4 km depth.

Factors Affecting the Academic and Cultural Adjustment of Saudi International Students in Australian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsahafi, Nisreen; Shin, Seong-Chul

2017-01-01

The authors investigate factors affecting Saudi students' educational experiences in Australian universities and their adjustment issues. The data comes from the survey of 100 Saudi international students in Sydney and subsequent interviews. The analysis revealed that language proficiency is the main barrier to Saudi students' academic and social…

Primary health care research in Saudi Arabia: A quantitative analysis.

PubMed

Jahan, Saulat; Al-Saigul, Abdullah Mohammed

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the published primary health care (PHC) research conducted in Saudi Arabia quantitatively and to determine the distribution of these research publications according to the topic, time, geographical location, and institution. In this descriptive study, we conducted literature search in PubMed and Google Scholar. The Medical Subject Headings terms: "Primary Health" AND "Saudi" and "Primary Care" AND "Saudi" were used for searching relevant journal articles. Relevant information about the journal articles, published till December 2011, was recorded on a coding instrument. From 1983 to 2011, a total of 655 PHC research articles were found. The publication output showed an increase with time. Original research articles (85.6%) were the main type of publications, and the most common study design was cross-sectional (93.4%). "Chronic diseases" and "health services research" were the main topics addressed. Riyadh province had the highest proportion (46.3%) of publications, and the universities (56.2%), followed by the Saudi Ministry of Health (24.9%), were the main institutions publishing the research. Despite a well-established PHC setup in Saudi Arabia, the research outputs are low. Most of the published articles are cross-sectional studies and are conducted by the universities. Enhancing the PHC research by creating a supportive environment will lead to an increased evidence base for PHC and its effective translation into service delivery.

Wadi As-Sirhan, Saudi Arabia

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-09

Acquired by NASA Terra spacecraft on in 2011, this image shows the Wadi As-Sirhan Basin in northwest Saudi Arabia, which has been steadily developing agricultural fields using center pivot irrigation by tapping into fossil ground water.

The New Saudi Educational Renaissance: In between the "Capacity to Aspire" and the "Capacity to Remember"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pavan, Annalisa

2014-01-01

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia investments in higher education have increased exponentially in recent years, and the New Saudi Educational Renaissance is attracting the attention of international academia. The purpose of this study is to draw on Saudi sources, with the aim of allowing Saudi voices to introduce their strategies for the design of a…

Climate change and animals in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Williams, Joseph B; Shobrak, Mohammed; Wilms, Thomas M; Arif, Ibrahim A; Khan, Haseeb A

2012-04-01

Global warming is occurring at an alarming rate and predictions are that air temperature (T a) will continue to increase during this century. Increases in T a as a result of unabated production of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere pose a threat to the distribution and abundance of wildlife populations worldwide. Although all the animals worldwide will likely be affected by global warming, diurnal animals in the deserts will be particularly threatened in the future because T as are already high, and animals have limited access to water. It is expected that Saudi Arabia will experience a 3-5 °C in T a over the next century. For predicting the consequences of global warming for animals, it is important to understand how individual species will respond to higher air temperatures. We think that populations will not have sufficient time to make evolutionary adjustments to higher T a, and therefore they will be forced to alter their distribution patterns, or make phenotypic adjustments in their ability to cope with high T a. This report examines how increases in T a might affect body temperature (T b) in the animals of arid regions. We chose three taxonomic groups, mammals, birds, and reptiles (Arabian oryx, Arabian spiny-tailed lizard, vultures, and hoopoe larks) from Saudi Arabia, an area in which T a often reaches 45 °C during midday in summer. When T a exceeds T b, animals must resort to behavioral and physiological methods to control their T b; failure to do so results in death. The observations of this study show that in many cases T b is already close to the upper lethal limit of around 47° C in these species and therefore allowing their T b to increase as T a increases are not an option. We conclude that global warming will have a detrimental impact on a wide range of desert animals, but in reality we know little about the ability of most animals to cope with change in T a. The data presented should serve as base-line information on T b of animals in the

Flood prevention dams for arid regions at a micro-scale sub-catchment, case study: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Abushandi, Eyad

2016-12-01

Unexpected flash flooding is one of the periodic hydrological problems affecting the city of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia. The region has high potential for floods as it suffers high rainfall intensity in a short time and also has high urbanization rates and topographic complexity. Constructing flood prevention dams is one option to solve this problem. A cost-effective design requires a detailed feasibility study and analysis for the selection of suitable sites. The aim of this study was to develop a method for selecting a suitable site for flood protection dams in the Abu Saba'a district, the most affected part of the city of Tabuk during the flash flood in January 2013. Spatial analysis was applied using Landsat Thematic Mapper images and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission digital elevation model to select a site in the Abu Saba'a area. A simple model using ArcGIS was built including all suggested parameters. The results showed the best site for a dam was 2 km distance backfrom the area, where all parameter values matched. The results showed that the dynamic properties of land cover can affect site selection. It is therefore suggested that more field and hydrological data should be gathered for greater accuracy.

Public awareness of blood donation in Central Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Abolfotouh, Mostafa A; Al-Assiri, Mohammed H; Al-Omani, Manar; Al Johar, Alwaleed; Al Hakbani, Abdulaziz; Alaskar, Ahmed S

2014-01-01

Introduction In Saudi Arabia, voluntary donors are the only source of blood donation. The aim of this study was to assess the level of public knowledge and attitude toward blood donation in Saudi Arabia. Methods Using a previously validated questionnaire that comprises 38 questions to assess the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and motivations towards blood donation, 469 Saudi adults who attended different shopping malls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were surveyed. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify the significant predictors of blood donation, with the significance set at P<0.05. Results Approximately half of all subjects (53.3%) reported that they had previously donated blood, 39% of whom had donated more than once. The knowledge percentage mean score was 58.07%, denoting a poor level of knowledge, with only 11.9% reporting a good level of knowledge. The attitude percentage mean score towards donation was 75.45%, reflecting a neutral attitude towards donating blood, with 31.6% reporting a positive attitude. Donation was significantly more prevalent among males than females (66% versus 13.3%; P<0.001). After adjustment for confounders, a higher knowledge score (t=2.59; P=0.01), a higher attitude score (t=3.26; P=0.001), and male sex (t=10.45; P<0.001) were significant predictors of blood donation. An inability to reach the blood donation centers and a fear of anemia were the main reasons for females not donating blood (49.9% and 35.7%, respectively), whereas a lack of time was the main reason for males (59.5%). Conclusion Prevalence of blood donation was less than satisfactory among the Saudi public, probably due to misconceptions, poor knowledge, and unfavorable attitude to donation. Educational programs are necessary to increase the level of knowledge and improve the attitude of the Saudi public toward blood donation. Providing mobile blood collection units nearer to individuals’ places of work to reduce their time costs of donating is a necessity

Saudi lung cancer management guidelines 2017

PubMed Central

Jazieh, Abdul Rahman; Al Kattan, Khaled; Bamousa, Ahmed; Al Olayan, Ashwaq; Abdelwarith, Ahmed; Ansari, Jawaher; Al Twairqi, Abdullah; Al Fayea, Turki; Al Saleh, Khalid; Al Husaini, Hamed; Abdelhafiez, Nafisa; Mahrous, Mervat; Faris, Medhat; Al Omair, Ameen; Hebshi, Adnan; Al Shehri, Salem; Al Dayel, Foad; Bamefleh, Hanaa; Khalbuss, Walid; Al Ghanem, Sarah; Loutfi, Shukri; Khankan, Azzam; Al Rujaib, Meshael; Al Ghamdi, Majed; Ibrahim, Nagwa; Swied, Abdulmonem; Al Kayait, Mohammad; Datario, Marie

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer management is getting more complex due to the rapid advances in all aspects of diagnostic and therapeutic options. Developing guidelines is critical to help practitioners provide standard of care. METHODS: The Saudi Lung Cancer Guidelines Committee (SLCGC) multidisciplinary members from different specialties and from various regions and healthcare sectors of the country reviewed and updated all lung cancer guidelines with appropriate labeling of level of evidence. Supporting documents to help healthcare professionals were developed. RESULTS: Detailed lung cancer management guidelines were finalized with appropriate resources for systemic therapy and short reviews highlighting important issues. Stage based disease management recommendation were included. A summary explanation for complex topics were included in addition to tables of approved systemic therapy. CONCLUSION: A multidisciplinary lung cancer guidelines was developed and will be disseminated across the country. PMID:29118855

A Descriptive-Evaluative Study of a Saudi EFL Textbook Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alharbi, Ahlam

2015-01-01

This study employs checklists from Williams (1983) and Keban, Muhtar, and Zen (2012) to evaluate the "Flying High for Saudi Arabia" series, which is currently taught in high schools in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to ensure it can achieve their pedagogical goals. Different results were obtained from each checklist. Keban et al.'s…

A Country on the Verge of Malaria Elimination – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Coleman, Michael; Al-Zahrani, Mohammed H.; Coleman, Marlize; Hemingway, Janet; Omar, Abdiasiis; Stanton, Michelle C.; Thomsen, Eddie K.; Alsheikh, Adel A.; Alhakeem, Raafat F.; McCall, Phillip J.; Rabeeah, Abdullah A. Al; Memish, Ziad A.

2014-01-01

Significant headway has been made in the global fight against malaria in the past decade and as more countries enter the elimination phase, attention is now focused on identifying effective strategies to shrink the malaria map. Saudi Arabia experienced an outbreak of malaria in 1998, but is now on the brink of malaria elimination, with just 82 autochthonous cases reported in 2012. A review of published and grey literature was performed to identify the control strategies that have contributed to this achievement. The number of autochthonous malaria cases in Saudi Arabia decreased by 99.8% between 1998 and 2012. The initial steep decline in malaria cases coincided with a rapid scaling up of vector control measures. Incidence continued to be reported at low levels (between 0.01 and 0.1 per 1,000 of the population) until the adoption of artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine as first line treatment and the establishment of a regional partnership for a malaria-free Arabian Peninsula, both of which occurred in 2007. Since 2007, incidence has decreased by nearly an order of magnitude. Malaria incidence is now very low, but a high proportion of imported cases, continued potential for autochthonous transmission, and an increased proportion of cases attributable to Plasmodium vivax all present challenges to Saudi Arabia as they work toward elimination by 2015. PMID:25250619

Multiple Introductions of Dengue 2 Virus Strains into Saudi Arabia from 1992 to 2014.

PubMed

El-Kafrawy, Sherif A; Sohrab, Sayed S; Ela, Said Abol; Abd-Alla, Adly M M; Alhabbab, Rowa; Farraj, Suha A; Othman, Norah A; Hassan, Ahmed M; Bergoin, Max; Klitting, Raphaelle; Charrel, Remi N; Hashem, Anwar M; Madani, Tariq A; Azhar, Esam I

2016-06-01

Dengue is a significant arboviral infection that represents a major public health concern worldwide. The infection is endemic in most parts of South East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. Among the four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes, DENV-2 has been reported to be the predominant serotype in Saudi Arabia since 1992. However, virological and epidemiological data of DENV-2 from Saudi Arabia are severely deficient and require further investigations. Full genome sequencing of a recent DENV-2 isolate and phylogenetic analysis of all available DENV-2 sequences from Saudi Arabia. Based on full genome and envelope (E) gene sequence, we show that a recent isolate (DENV-2-Jeddah-2014) belongs to the Indian subcontinent lineage of the Cosmopolitan genotype with close similarity to recent strains from Pakistan. Interestingly, the E gene sequence of DENV-2-Jeddah-2014 isolate was slightly divergent from those previously identified in Saudi Arabia between 1992 and 2004 with three to nine amino acid (aa) substitutions. While our data show that the Cosmopolitan genotype is still circulating in Saudi Arabia, they highlight four distinct genetic groups suggesting at least four independent introductions into the Kingdom. The close clustering of DENV-2 isolates reported from Saudi Arabia between 1992 and 2014 with strains from countries providing the highest numbers of pilgrims attending either Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages (Indonesia, Pakistan, India) clearly suggests a role for pilgrims or expatriates coming from DENV endemic countries in DENV-2 importation into Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, continuous monitoring of the circulation of DENVs in Saudi Arabia must be implemented to undertake effective control and management strategies in the Kingdom. Screening of the pilgrims coming to perform Hajj and Umrah might help prevent the introduction of new DENV strains, which is expected to increase the burden of the disease not only in Saudi Arabia but also in other countries.

Saudi regulations for the accreditation of sleep medicine physicians and technologists

PubMed Central

BaHammam, Ahmed S.; Al-Jahdali, Hamdan; AlHarbi, Adel S.; AlOtaibi, Ghazi; Asiri, Saad M.; AlSayegh, Abdulaziz

2013-01-01

The professional content of sleep medicine has grown significantly over the past few decades, warranting the recognition of sleep medicine as an independent specialty. Because the practice of sleep medicine has expanded in Saudi Arabia over the past few years, a national regulation system to license and ascertain the competence of sleep medicine physicians and technologists has become essential. Recently, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties formed the National Committee for the Accreditation of Sleep Medicine Practice and developed national accreditation criteria. This paper presents the newly approved Saudi accreditation criteria for sleep medicine physicians and technologists. PMID:23440260

Short term variations of total electron content (TEC) fitting to a regional GPS network over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alothman, A. O.; Alsubaie, M. A.; Ayhan, M. E.

2011-09-01

The ionosphere is a dispersive medium for radio waves with the refractive index which is a function of frequency and total electron content (TEC). TEC has a strong diurnal variation in addition to monthly, seasonal and solar cycle variations and small and large scale irregularities. Dual frequency GPS observations can be utilized to obtain TEC and investigate its spatial and temporal variations. We here studied short term TEC variations over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A regional GPS network is formed consisting of 16 sites in and around KSA. GPS observations, acquired between 1st and 11th February 2009, were processed on a daily basis by using the Bernese v5.0 software and IGS final products. The geometry-free zero difference smoothed code observables were used to obtain two hour interval snapshots of TEC and their RMS errors at 0.5 × 0.5 degree grid nodes and regional ionosphere models in a spherical harmonics expansion to degree and order six. The equatorial ionized anomaly (EIA) is recovered in the south of 20°N from 08:00 to 12:00 UT. We found that day-by-day TEC variation is more stable than the night time variation.

Assessment of the global fallout of plutonium isotopes and americium-241 in the soil of the central region of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Shabana, E I; Al-Shammari, H L

2001-01-01

A radiochemical technique for determination of plutonium isotopes and 241Am in soil samples is tested against IAEA-standard reference materials to determine its accuracy and precision for reliable results. The technique is then used in the investigation of topsoil samples, collected from the natural environment of the central region of Saudi Arabia, to assess the effect of fallout accumulation of these radionuclides in the region. Plutonium and americium were sequentially separated from all other components of the sample by anion-exchange chromatography and co-precipitated with Nd3+ as fluorides. The precipitates were mounted on membrane filters and measured using a high-resolution alpha-spectrometer. The results of the analysis of the reference materials showed satisfactory sensitivity and precision of the technique. The results of the analyzed soil samples show activity levels ranging from < LLD to 0.089 and from

Personal and Moral Adolescent Values in England and Saudi Arabia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmons, Cyril; Simmons, Christine

1994-01-01

Reports on surveys comparing personal and moral values of 89 Saudi Arabian and 96 British adolescents. Finds that Islam has a profound impact on the values of the Saudi students, whereas religious views have only a limited effect on the British students. Also finds that the British students place a higher value on friends and family. (ACM)

Medical Colleges in Saudi Arabia: Can We Predict Graduate Numbers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Althubaiti, Alaa; Alkhazim, Mohammad

2014-01-01

The shortage of Physicians is a major problem in many countries. Medical colleges are often encouraged to increase the graduate numbers. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Saudi physicians form only 37.89% of the physician manpower. The remainder of the physicians are expatriates. It was recently estimated that the Kingdom would need 29,128…

Willingness to Communicate in English among Saudi Female University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Turjoman, Mona Obaid Alrahman Ashik

2016-01-01

Since the English Language teaching system differs from public schools to private ones, it is presumed that this would have a great impact of students' willingness to communicate in English in Saudi Arabia. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the effect of private and public school education on WTC in English among Saudi Female…

Saudi Arabia: Modernity, Stability, and the Twenty-First Century Monarchy

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

one of the feud- ing Saudi leaders was just too great a temptation .67 The end result was the destruction of the Second Saudi State and its occupation...the Shah who waited until after Ford lost the election to send him a response declaring that Iran would not “commit suicide ” because the West could

Motivations and future practice plans of orthodontic residents in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al-Hamlan, Nasir; Al-Ruwaithi, Moatazbellah M.; Al-Shraim, Nasir; El-Metwaaly, Ashraf

2013-01-01

Aims: This study aims to explore the criteria used by graduate students while selecting a career as orthodontists and their future aspirations. Materials and Methods: A list of Saudi Board of Orthodontics (SB-Ortho) residents was obtained from the Central and Western regions of the Kingdom and all orthodontic residents (excluding the 1st year residents) were invited to participate in this survey. Permission to contact the orthodontic residents was obtained from the respective program directors. The final study sample composed of 36 orthodontic residents. Results: About 39% of residents chose orthodontic specialty after graduation, nearly 33% selected the career during the undergraduate education while the rest chose the specialty at other stages. Approximately, 67% of the residents chose orthodontic specialty because it is intellectual challenging. Around 25% of residents choose orthodontic to improve their earning and 39% join orthodontic for job prestige. Around 50% of orthodontic Saudi residents planned to use self-ligating brackets; 63.9% planned to use invisalign; 86.1% plan to use temporary anchorage devices. About 72% of residents plan to use a cone-beam computerized tomography; 89% plan to use a digital imaging program; 39% plan to use indirect bonding; and 28% plan to use lingual orthodontics. More than half of the residents showed interest to participate in the research and about a quarter of them were willing to work in small cities. Conclusions: Most of the orthodontic residents in Saudi Arabia take up this specialty as they felt that it was intellectually challenging. The SB-Ortho program adequately prepares the residents in all the modern aspects of the specialty. PMID:24987645

Prevalence of short stature in Saudi children and adolescents

PubMed Central

El Mouzan, Mohammad I.; Al Herbish, Abdullah S.; Al Salloum, Abdullah A.; Foster, Peter J.; Al Omer, Ahmad A.; Qurachi, Mansour M.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Data on stature in Saudi children and adolescents are limited. The objective of this report was to establish the national prevalence of short stature in Saudi children and adolescents. DESIGN AND SETTING: Community-based, cross-sectional study conducted over 2 years (2004, 2005) PATIENTS AND METHODS: The national data set of the Saudi reference was used to calculate the stature for age for children and adolescents 5 to 18 years of age. Using the 2007 World Health Organization (WHO) reference, the prevalence of moderate and severe short stature was defined as the proportion of children whose standard deviation score for stature for age was less than -2 and -3, respectively. In addition, the 2000 Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the older 1978 National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)/WHO references were used for comparison. RESULTS: Using the 2007 WHO reference, sample size in the Saudi reference was 19 372 healthy children and adolescents 5 to 17 years of age, with 50.8% being boys. The overall prevalence of moderate and severe short stature in boys was 11.3% and 1.8%, respectively; and in girls, 10.5% and 1.2%, respectively. The prevalence of moderate short stature was 12.1%, 11% and 11.3% in boys and 10.9%, 11.3% and 10.5% in girls when the 1978 WHO, the 2000 CDC and the 2007 WHO references were used, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The national prevalence of short stature in Saudi children and adolescents is intermediate compared with the international level. Improvement in the socioeconomic and health status of children and adolescents should lead to a reduction in the prevalence of short stature. PMID:21911988

Exploring the Mismatch between Skills and Jobs for Women in Saudi Arabia in Technical and Vocational Areas: The Views of Saudi Arabian Private Sector Business Managers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvert, John R.; Al-Shetaiwi, A. S.

2002-01-01

Gives an overview of women in both general and technical-vocational education and employment in Saudi Arabia. Reports on a survey of 220 private business managers: 83% indicated that Saudi women had limited participation in technical jobs; 63% suggested that vocational-technical education did not promote women's participation. (Contains 51…

Normative data for IQ, height and head circumference for children in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Batterjee, Adel A; Khaleefa, Omar; Ashaer, Khalil; Lynn, Richard

2013-07-01

Normative data are reported for intelligence, height and head circumference for a sample of 1553 6- to 15-year-olds in Saudi Arabia, and for the correlations between these variables. Intelligence was tested with the Standard Progressive Matrices, on which the Saudi sample obtained a British IQ of 76.2. There were no significant differences in means between boys and girls and differences in variability were inconsistent. The heights of the Saudi sample were generally lower than those of the American norms. The differences in head circumferences between the Saudi children and the American norms were inconsistent. Correlations between IQ and height were weaker than those found in other studies but correlations between IQ and head circumference were positive.

Chronic disease prevalence among elderly Saudi men.

PubMed

Saquib, Nazmus; Saquib, Juliann; Alhadlag, Abdulrahman; Albakour, Mohamad Anas; Aljumah, Bader; Sughayyir, Mohammed; Alhomidan, Ziad; Alminderej, Omar; Aljaser, Mohamed; Al-Mazrou, Abdulrahman

2017-01-01

Saudi demographic composition has changed because of increased life expectancy and decreased fertility rates. Little data are available about health conditions among older adults in Saudi Arabia, who are expected to represent 20% of the population by 2050. The study aim was to assess the prevalence and risk factors for chronic conditions among older Saudi men. The sample pertained to 400 men (age ≥55 years) from Buraidah, Al-Qassim. Research assistants recruited participants in all the mosques from the randomly selected neighborhoods (16 of 95). They administered a structured questionnaire that assessed self-reported disease history (heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, gastric/peptic ulcer, and cancer), and medication use; participants' height, weight, blood pressure, and random blood glucose (glucometer) were measured. Multinomial logistic regressions were employed to assess correlates of number of chronic diseases. The mean and standard deviation for age and body mass index (BMI) were 63.0 ± 7.5 years and 28.9 ± 4.8 (kg/m 2 ), respectively. 78% (77.8%) were overweight or obese, 35.0% were employed, 54.5% walked daily, 9.3% were current smokers, and 85.0% belonged to the middle class. The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, asthma, ulcer, and cancer were: 71.3% 27.3%, 16.4%, 9.7%, 8.9%, and 2.0%, respectively. Of the participants, 31.0% had one, 34.5% had two or more, and 34.5% did not have any chronic diseases. The likelihood of chronic diseases increased with increased age, higher BMI, and current smoking. The chronic disease prevalence among the Saudi elderly men is substantial.

Current state of psychiatry in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Koenig, Harold G; Al Zaben, Faten; Sehlo, Mohammad Gamal; Khalifa, Doaa Ahmed; Al Ahwal, Mahmoud Shaheen

2013-01-01

In 1983, an article and accompanying editorial was published on the state of psychiatry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which was described as "a mental health system in statu nascendi." We provide a 30-year update on advances in mental health care in KSA. Data are reported from a wide range of sources, including the 2007 Saudi Arabian Mental and Social Health Atlas, which compares services in KSA with the rest of the world. We examine how the current mental health system operates in KSA, including recent changes in mental healthcare policy and development of a national mental healthcare plan. Discussed are current needs based on the prevalence and recognition of mental disorders; availability of services and providers (psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, and social workers); education and training in psychiatry; developments in consultation-liaison, addictions, child-adolescent, and geriatric psychiatry; and progress in mental health research. Mental healthcare in Saudi Arabia has come a long way in a very short time, despite cultural, religious, social, and political challenges, although there still remain areas where improvement is needed. The development of psychiatry in KSA serves as a model for countries in the Middle East and around the world.

Boosting Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Production With Rhizobacteria From Various Plants in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Daur, Ihsanullah; Saad, Maged M; Eida, Abdul Aziz; Ahmad, Shakeel; Shah, Zahid Hussain; Ihsan, Muhammad Z; Muhammad, Yasir; Sohrab, Sayed S; Hirt, Heribert

2018-01-01

This study focused on rhizobacteria to promote sustainable crop production in arid regions of Saudi Arabia. The study isolated 17 tightly root-adhering rhizobacteria from various plants at Hada Al Sham in Saudi Arabia. All 17 rhizobacterial isolates were confirmed as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria by classical biochemical tests. Using 16S rDNA gene sequence analyses, the strains were identified as Bacillus, Acinetobacter and Enterobacter . Subsequently, the strains were assessed for their ability to improve the physiology, nutrient uptake, growth, and yield of alfalfa plants grown under desert agriculture conditions. The field trials were conducted in a randomized complete block design. Inoculation of alfalfa with any of these 17 strains improved the relative water content; chlorophyll a; chlorophyll b; carotenoid contents; nitrogen (N), phosphorus, and potassium contents; plant height; leaf-to-stem ratio; and fresh and dry weight. Acinetobacter pittii JD-14 was most effective to increase fresh and dry weight of alfalfa by 41 and 34%, respectively, when compared to non-inoculated control plants. Nevertheless, all strains enhanced crop traits when compared to controls plants, indicating that these desert rhizobacterial strains could be used to develop an eco-friendly biofertilizer for alfalfa and possibly other crop plants to enhance sustainable production in arid regions.

Boosting Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) Production With Rhizobacteria From Various Plants in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Daur, Ihsanullah; Saad, Maged M.; Eida, Abdul Aziz; Ahmad, Shakeel; Shah, Zahid Hussain; Ihsan, Muhammad Z.; Muhammad, Yasir; Sohrab, Sayed S.; Hirt, Heribert

2018-01-01

This study focused on rhizobacteria to promote sustainable crop production in arid regions of Saudi Arabia. The study isolated 17 tightly root-adhering rhizobacteria from various plants at Hada Al Sham in Saudi Arabia. All 17 rhizobacterial isolates were confirmed as plant growth promoting rhizobacteria by classical biochemical tests. Using 16S rDNA gene sequence analyses, the strains were identified as Bacillus, Acinetobacter and Enterobacter. Subsequently, the strains were assessed for their ability to improve the physiology, nutrient uptake, growth, and yield of alfalfa plants grown under desert agriculture conditions. The field trials were conducted in a randomized complete block design. Inoculation of alfalfa with any of these 17 strains improved the relative water content; chlorophyll a; chlorophyll b; carotenoid contents; nitrogen (N), phosphorus, and potassium contents; plant height; leaf-to-stem ratio; and fresh and dry weight. Acinetobacter pittii JD-14 was most effective to increase fresh and dry weight of alfalfa by 41 and 34%, respectively, when compared to non-inoculated control plants. Nevertheless, all strains enhanced crop traits when compared to controls plants, indicating that these desert rhizobacterial strains could be used to develop an eco-friendly biofertilizer for alfalfa and possibly other crop plants to enhance sustainable production in arid regions. PMID:29670582

Low uptake of periodic health examinations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013.

PubMed

El Bcheraoui, Charbel; Tuffaha, Marwa; Daoud, Farah; AlMazroa, Mohammad A; Al Saeedi, Mohammad; Memish, Ziad A; Basulaiman, Mohammed; Al Rabeeah, Abdullah A; Mokdad, Ali H

2015-01-01

It is unknown whether Saudis receive health examinations periodically. To inform health authorities on the health-seeking behavior of the Saudi population, we investigated patterns of periodic health examination (PHE) use by Saudis. We conducted a nationally representative multistage survey of individuals aged 15 years or older on sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare utilization, and self-reported chronic conditions. We used a backward elimination multivariate logistic regression model to measure associations between PHE and sociodemographic, behavioral, and health characteristics. Between April and June 2013, a total of 12,000 households were contacted, and 10,735 participants completed the survey (response rate of 89.4%). Among participants, 2542 (22.9%), representing more than 2.7 million Saudis aged 15 years or older, received a PHE during the past 2 years. Moreover, 7463 (73.5%) participants, representing 9.1 million Saudis, visited a healthcare setting in the past 2 years due to illness or injury. The likelihood of receiving a PHE in the past 2 years increased with age, education, being married, consumption of five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, diagnoses of prediabetes, diabetes, or hypercholesterolemia, and a visit to a healthcare setting within the last 2 years due to an illness or an injury. This is the first national study to investigate the use of PHE in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) where healthcare is freely available. Few Saudis seek preventive healthcare and most healthcare visits are for injuries or sickness. KSA may reduce its health expenditures by routinizing PHE and detecting chronic conditions at early stages.

Ensuring Effective Impact of Continuing Professional Development: Saudi Science Teachers' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qablan, Ahmad; Mansour, Nassar; Alshamrani, Saeed; Aldahmash, Abdulwali; Sabbah, Saed

2015-01-01

Many researchers critique that continuing professional development programs in Saudi Arabia are neither well organized nor are systematic. This study came to assess the impact of CPD opportunities in the country to better suit the professional needs of Saudi science teachers and support them in implementing the reformed instructional practices.…

Improving referral to psychological support unit at Saudi Red Crescent Authority in Riyadh Region.

PubMed

Alzahrani, Ahmad Yousif; Mahmod, Sabri Abd Allah; Bakhamis, Thamer Mohammad; Al-Surimi, Khaled

2017-01-01

The Psychological Support Unit (PSU) performance in Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) showed that only a small number of case referred seeking psychological advice and management from PSU among all SRCA employees. However, research shows that between 28% and 52% of emergency medical services (EMS) providers usually seek psychological help in various EMS cultures, where 86% of them usually suffer from critical stress. Thus, we decided to design a quality improvement project that aims to improve the referral process by increasing cases referred to the PSU at SRCA in Riyadh Region by 75% in 2 months. A multidisciplinary team has been formed to analyse the problem using quality tools including, brainstorming, fishbone diagram and flow chart of the PSU processes. Several possible reasons have been identified, such as lack of awareness among the SRCA's employees about PSU and its services, and the concern about privacy and confidentiality during psychological consultations in the PSU, in addition to the long referring process to PSU. The team decided to test the following change ideas: increasing the awareness of employees about the PSU services, improving the privacy and confidentiality during the consultation using electronic channels, and finally re-engineering the referral process to make it lean and remove all the unnecessary steps. Several improvement interventions have been tested sequentially in three consecutive Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles on a weekly basis. The project findings demonstrated that the first change idea was successful but not reaching the target while the second change had led to huge impact exceeding our target but with short effect. On the other hand, although the third change idea of re-engineering the PSU referral process had led to negative result initially, over the following weeks of measurement the results turned to be positive and meeting our expectations. We concluded that re-engineering referral process is most effective improvement

Improving referral to psychological support unit at Saudi Red Crescent Authority in Riyadh Region

PubMed Central

Alzahrani, Ahmad Yousif; Mahmod, Sabri abd Allah; Bakhamis, Thamer Mohammad; Al-Surimi, Khaled

2017-01-01

The Psychological Support Unit (PSU) performance in Saudi Red Crescent Authority (SRCA) showed that only a small number of case referred seeking psychological advice and management from PSU among all SRCA employees. However, research shows that between 28% and 52% of emergency medical services (EMS) providers usually seek psychological help in various EMS cultures, where 86% of them usually suffer from critical stress. Thus, we decided to design a quality improvement project that aims to improve the referral process by increasing cases referred to the PSU at SRCA in Riyadh Region by 75% in 2 months. A multidisciplinary team has been formed to analyse the problem using quality tools including, brainstorming, fishbone diagram and flow chart of the PSU processes. Several possible reasons have been identified, such as lack of awareness among the SRCA’s employees about PSU and its services, and the concern about privacy and confidentiality during psychological consultations in the PSU, in addition to the long referring process to PSU. The team decided to test the following change ideas: increasing the awareness of employees about the PSU services, improving the privacy and confidentiality during the consultation using electronic channels, and finally re-engineering the referral process to make it lean and remove all the unnecessary steps. Several improvement interventions have been tested sequentially in three consecutive Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles on a weekly basis. The project findings demonstrated that the first change idea was successful but not reaching the target while the second change had led to huge impact exceeding our target but with short effect. On the other hand, although the third change idea of re-engineering the PSU referral process had led to negative result initially, over the following weeks of measurement the results turned to be positive and meeting our expectations. We concluded that re-engineering referral process is most effective improvement

Understanding cultural competence in a multicultural nursing workforce: registered nurses' experience in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Almutairi, Adel F; McCarthy, Alexandra; Gardner, Glenn E

2015-01-01

In Saudi Arabia, the health system is mainly staffed by expatriate nurses from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Given the potential risks this situation poses for patient care, it is important to understand how cultural diversity can be effectively managed in this multicultural environment. The purpose of this study was to explore notions of cultural competence with non-Saudi Arabian nurses working in a major hospital in Saudi Arabia. Face-to-face, audio-recorded, semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 non-Saudi Arabian nurses. Deductive data collection and analysis were undertaken drawing on Campinha-Bacote's cultural competence model. The data that could not be explained by this model were coded and analyzed inductively. Nurses within this culturally diverse environment struggled with the notion of cultural competence in terms of each other's cultural expectations and those of the dominant Saudi culture. The study also addressed the limitations of Campinha-Bacote's model, which did not account for all of the nurses' experiences. Subsequent inductive analysis yielded important themes that more fully explained the nurses' experiences in this environment. The findings can inform policy, professional education, and practice in the multicultural Saudi setting. © The Author(s) 2014.

Prevalence and predictors of adolescents' cigarette smoking in Madinah, Saudi Arabia: a school-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Al-Zalabani, Abdulmohsen; Kasim, Khaled

2015-01-21

Although the prevalence of adolescents' cigarette smoking has increased in recent decades, little is known regarding its epidemiology in certain Saudi regions, including the Madinah region. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of adolescent cigarette smoking in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. A school-based cross-sectional study was carried out in the Madinah region during 2013. A multistage stratified cluster sample was taken and included 3400 students (11-19 years) from 34 intermediate and secondary schools. Data concerning sociodemographic and smoking-related factors were collected using a valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire. The prevalence of smoking was estimated, and appropriate statistical analyses were performed, including univariate, predictive and multivariate regression analyses. The overall response rate was 97.7%. The prevalence of cigarette smoking in the respondents' 3322 adolescents was 15.17% (95% CI = 13.95-16.39) with significant differences in sociodemographic factors. The most important predictors were most or all friends smoking (OR = 12.5; 95% CI = 9.40-16.8). Other significant less important factors were parental smoking, belief in the harmful effects of smoking, cigarette advertisement in mass media, and pocket money. Cigarette smoking prevalence is a relatively low among adolescents in Madinah region. However, friends and parents smoking play an important role in the increased risk of smoking in the studied adolescents. These predictors must be included in any antismoking education programs targeting to this sector of population in the region.

Measurements of environmental terrestrial gamma radiation dose rate in three mountainous locations in the western region of Saudi Arabia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Ghorabie, Fayez H.H.

2005-06-01

This paper describes measurements of external gamma radiation dose rate from terrestrial gamma-rays 1 m above the ground in three different mountainous locations in the western region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These locations are At-Taif city, Al-Hada village, and Ash-Shafa village. CaSO{sub 4}:Dy (TLD-900) thermoluminescent dosimeters were used for the detection of terrestrial gamma radiation at 40 different places in the three locations. The values of terrestrial gamma radiation dose rate measured ranged between 14 and 279 nGy h{sup -1} for the time interval from June 2001 to June 2002. The measured dose rate varied with the seasonmore » of the year. The average gamma radiation dose rates were 468, 541, and 781 {mu}Gy y{sup -1} for At-Taif city, Al-Hada village, and Ash-Shafa village, respectively. The corresponding average absorbed doses to the population of the three locations were 328, 379, and 547 {mu}Sv y{sup -1}, respectively. The quality factor of 0.7 Sv Gy{sup -1} was applied in the calculations of the absorbed dose to humans.« less

Outcome of stroke in Saudi children.

PubMed

Salih, Mustafa A; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M; Al-Jarallah, Ahmed A; Kentab, Amal Y; Al-Nasser, Mohammed N

2006-03-01

To report on the prognosis, neurologic outcome, and recurrences of stroke in Saudi children. We evaluated a cohort of 104 Saudi children with stroke at the Division of Pediatric Neurology at King Khalid University Hospital, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 1992 to February 2001 (retrospective study) and February 2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). We analyzed the salient clinical, neuroimaging, neurophysiological, neuropsychological and laboratory data following retrieval from a specialty designed comprehensive protocol. Of the 104 children in the cohort (aged one month to 12 years), 5 (4.8%) died during the study period and 9 (8.7%) were lost to follow-up. The mean duration of follow-up for the remaining 90 children was 40 months (median 33 months). Recovery was judged complete in 6 (6.7%) of these 90 children. We detected residual hemiparesis (irrespective of its effect on daily functions) in 73 (81%) and this was combined with other motor deficits in 45 children (50%). Forty-one children (46%) had residual dysphasia or language deficits, whereas 45 (50%) were judged to have had cognitive deficit. Psychometry revealed an abnormal intelligence quotient test (<70) in 19 of 26 (73%) children. Other neurologic sequelae included epilepsy in 52 (58%), recurrent headaches in 13 (14%) and hydrocephalus in 4 (4.4%) patients. Six of the 95 (6.3%) children, who were ascertained to have died or kept their follow-up, had one or more recurrences, one month to 5 years after the initial stroke (median 23 months). Patients who had recurrent strokes were significantly more likely to be the product of consanguineous marriages (p=0.04). Regarding the group of 23 children with perinatal stroke, neither deaths nor recurrences occurred during the follow-up period. However, 20 (87%) of them had significant delays in their developmental milestones. The toll of stroke in Saudi children is demanding, with most children demonstrating persistent

The pharmacoeconomic picture in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alkhenizan, Abdullah

2014-08-01

Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the region and it is the largest oil producing country in the world. It is one of the few countries in the world which was not affected significantly by the global economic crisis. Health care spending is led mainly by governmental expenditure. Private sector share of the health care services is supported by the government and increasing. The demands for pharmaceutical products, medical devices and health care services is fueled by the rapidly growing population and the wide spread of chronic diseases. Publications and expertise in the field of pharmacoeconomics is scarce within the country. There is an urgent need to establish a national center for pharmacoeconomics to lead the country efforts in controlling the cost of health care services. Such a center is needed to promote pharmacoeconomics research and train health care professionals in this field.

EFL Teachers' Perceptions, Evaluations and Expectations about English Language Courses as EFL in Saudi Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liton, Hussain Ahmed

2013-01-01

The focus of this study is to explore EFL teachers' perceptions, evaluations and expectations about English language courses as EFL in Saudi tertiary level. In other words, this article aims at creating a new avenue for effective EFL teaching-learning curriculum techniques and syllabus in the Saudi tertiary context. Saudi universities offer credit…

The role of land surface fluxes in Saudi-KAU AGCM: Temperature climatology over the Arabian Peninsula for the period 1981-2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ashfaqur Rahman, M.; Almazroui, Mansour; Nazrul Islam, M.; O'Brien, Enda; Yousef, Ahmed Elsayed

2018-02-01

A new version of the Community Land Model (CLM) was introduced to the Saudi King Abdulaziz University Atmospheric Global Climate Model (Saudi-KAU AGCM) for better land surface component representation, and so to enhance climate simulation. CLM replaced the original land surface model (LSM) in Saudi-KAU AGCM, with the aim of simulating more accurate land surface fluxes globally, but especially over the Arabian Peninsula. To evaluate the performance of Saudi-KAU AGCM, simulations were completed with CLM and LSM for the period 1981-2010. In comparison with LSM, CLM generates surface air temperature values that are closer to National Centre for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) observations. The global annual averages of land surface air temperature are 9.51, 9.52, and 9.57 °C for NCEP, CLM, and LSM respectively, although the same atmospheric radiative and surface forcing from Saudi-KAU AGCM are provided to both LSM and CLM at every time step. The better temperature simulations when using CLM can be attributed to the more comprehensive plant functional type and hierarchical tile approach to the land cover type in CLM, along with better parameterization of upward land surface fluxes compared to LSM. At global scale, CLM exhibits smaller annual and seasonal mean biases of temperature with respect to NCEP data. Moreover, at regional scale, CLM demonstrates reasonable seasonal and annual mean temperature over the Arabian Peninsula as compared to the Climatic Research Unit (CRU) data. Finally, CLM generated better matches to single point-wise observations of surface air temperature and surface fluxes for some case studies.

Assessing the current state of dental informatics in saudi arabia: the new frontier.

PubMed

Al-Nasser, Lubna; Al-Ehaideb, Ali; Househ, Mowafa

2014-01-01

Dental informatics is an emerging field that has the potential to transform the dental profession. This study aims to summarize the current applications of dental informatics in Saudi Arabia and to identify the challenges facing expansion of dental informatics in the Saudi context. Search for published articles and specialized forum entries was conducted, as well as interviews with dental professionals familiar with the topic. Results indicated that digital radiography/analysis and administrative management of dental practice are the commonest applications used. Applications in Saudi dental education included: web-based learning systems, computer-based assessments and virtual technology for clinical skills' teaching. Patients' education software, electronic dental/oral health records and the potential of dental research output from electronic databases are yet to be achieved in Saudi Arabia. Challenges facing Saudi dental informatics include: lack of IT infrastructure/support, social acceptability and financial cost. Several initiatives are taken towards the research in dental informatics. Still, more investments are needed to fully achieve the potential of various application of informatics in dental education, practice and research.

Proposal for a community-based disaster management curriculum for medical school undergraduates in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Bajow, Nidaa; Djalali, Ahmadreza; Ingrassia, Pier Luigi; Ageely, Hussein; Bani, Ibrahim; Della Corte, Francesco

2015-01-01

Health professional preparedness is a key element of disaster response; overall there is a need for increased disaster medicine training worldwide. The objective of this study was to design and develop a curriculum in community-based disaster medicine for Saudi Arabian medical undergraduates. A structured five-step approach was used to develop a curriculum. Expert stakeholders from the Saudi Arabian and international disaster medicine communities were surveyed to determine objectives and content. Learning strategies were carefully considered to maximize participation and retention. Particular attention was paid to equipping learners with the teaching skills required to promote disaster preparedness in their local communities. The course consists of 2 weeks of classroom activities followed by 8 weeks of e-learning structured within five domains of disaster medicine. The curriculum introduces core principles in emergency medicine, public health, and disaster management. Simulations, experiential activities, case studies, and role-playing activities are all used to promote higher levels of cognitive engagement. Special content addresses the adult-learning process, and students design their own community-based seminars in disaster preparedness. The curriculum is designed to promote learning in disaster medicine. Given the paucity of disaster medicine educators in the region, student graduates of this program would be able to improve disaster preparedness in Saudi Arabia by launching their own community-based disaster preparedness initiatives. The program could also be adapted for use throughout the Middle East.

Trabasa - Traditional Architecture Recorded by Means of Building Archaeology in Saudi Arabia: Workshop in Jeddah

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbig, U.; Jäger-Klein, C.; Mayer, I.; Mortada, H.; Styhler-Aydın, G.

2013-07-01

Saudi Arabia has a rich architectural heritage that can be found in all regions of the vast country. Except for a small number of publications the recording and documentation of the traditional built environment was not content of detailed scientific investigations so far. But with the increasing decay of the architectural heritage the interest for this kind of research is rising. A mirror of this efforts is the National Built Heritage Forum, annual conference, launched in 2010 by his excellency Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). In that frame Saudi universities are intensifying research and educational programs for the research of traditional architecture. In 2008 the Department of Architecture of the College of Environmental Design at the King Abdulaziz University established a cooperation with the Department of History of Architecture and Building Archaeology of the Vienna University of Technology with the aim to start an exchange of knowledge and experience in building archaeology and building survey. An important part of this cooperation was a workshop for staff and students in the historic centre of Jeddah. The aim was to train methods and techniques on typical examples in the old town of Jeddah, Al Balad. This paper is describing the layout of the workshop, the process of the work and examples of the results.

Quality of gastroenterology research published in Saudi Arabian scientific journals.

PubMed

Almaghrabi, Majed M; Alamoudi, Abdullah S; Radi, Suhaib A; Merdad, Anas A; Makhdoum, Ahmad M; Batwa, Faisal A

2015-01-01

Evidence-based medicine has established itself in the field of gastroenterology. In this study we aim to assess the types of study designs of gastroenterology-related articles published in Saudi scientific journals. An online review using PubMed was carried out to review gastroenterology-related articles published in six Saudi medical journals in the time interval from 2003 to 2012. To classify the level of evidence in these articles we employed the Oxford's levels of evidence. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the levels of evidence between published articles. A total of 721 gastroenterology-related articles were reviewed, of which 591 articles met our inclusion criteria; 80.7% were level IV. The three most common types of studies we encountered were cross-sectional (33.9%), case reports (27.9%), and case series (18.8%). Forty-three percent of the published research was in the field of hepatobiliary and spleen. The total number of articles increased from 260 articles in the 1 st 5-year period (2003-2007) to 330 in the 2 nd period (2008-2012). However, no statistically significant difference in the level of evidence was noted. In Annals of Saudi Medicine Journal, articles with level II increased from 0 to 10% with a P value 0.02. In our review of gastroenterology-related published articles in Saudi scientific journals, we observed an increase in the quantity of articles with the quality and level of evidence remaining unchanged. Further research is recommended to explore different reasons affecting the volume and quality of gastroenterology-related research in Saudi scientific journals.

Tirbyi in the Muslim World, with a Focus on Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bangura, Abdul Karim

2004-01-01

The educational systems of Muslim societies, particularly that of Saudi Arabia, have been under scrutiny, especially after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, DC. The Saudi educational system is mostly based on Islamic precepts. Nonetheless, the United States government and other…

Multiple Introductions of Dengue 2 Virus Strains into Saudi Arabia from 1992 to 2014

PubMed Central

El-Kafrawy, Sherif A.; Sohrab, Sayed S.; Ela, Said Abol; Abd-Alla, Adly M.M.; Alhabbab, Rowa; Farraj, Suha A.; Othman, Norah A.; Hassan, Ahmed M.; Bergoin, Max; Klitting, Raphaelle; Charrel, Remi N.; Hashem, Anwar M.; Madani, Tariq A.

2016-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Dengue is a significant arboviral infection that represents a major public health concern worldwide. The infection is endemic in most parts of South East Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. Among the four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes, DENV-2 has been reported to be the predominant serotype in Saudi Arabia since 1992. However, virological and epidemiological data of DENV-2 from Saudi Arabia are severely deficient and require further investigations. Methods: Full genome sequencing of a recent DENV-2 isolate and phylogenetic analysis of all available DENV-2 sequences from Saudi Arabia. Results: Based on full genome and envelope (E) gene sequence, we show that a recent isolate (DENV-2-Jeddah-2014) belongs to the Indian subcontinent lineage of the Cosmopolitan genotype with close similarity to recent strains from Pakistan. Interestingly, the E gene sequence of DENV-2-Jeddah-2014 isolate was slightly divergent from those previously identified in Saudi Arabia between 1992 and 2004 with three to nine amino acid (aa) substitutions. While our data show that the Cosmopolitan genotype is still circulating in Saudi Arabia, they highlight four distinct genetic groups suggesting at least four independent introductions into the Kingdom. Conclusions: The close clustering of DENV-2 isolates reported from Saudi Arabia between 1992 and 2014 with strains from countries providing the highest numbers of pilgrims attending either Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages (Indonesia, Pakistan, India) clearly suggests a role for pilgrims or expatriates coming from DENV endemic countries in DENV-2 importation into Saudi Arabia. Accordingly, continuous monitoring of the circulation of DENVs in Saudi Arabia must be implemented to undertake effective control and management strategies in the Kingdom. Screening of the pilgrims coming to perform Hajj and Umrah might help prevent the introduction of new DENV strains, which is expected to increase the burden of the disease not only

Web-based Health Educational Program in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Bahkali, Salwa; Almaiman, Ahmad; Alsaleh, Mahassen; Elmetwally, Ashraf; Househ, Mowafa

2014-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study is to provide an overview of a web-based health educational site created by the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Sources of data included two interviews with Saudi IT personnel, three health educators, and two medical consultants working at KFSH&RC. The interviews ranged between 45 minutes and 120 minutes. The KFSH&RC website was also searched for the type of health information content posted. Results show that the KFSH&RC web-based health educational site provides health information through a medical encyclopedia, a social networking platform, health educational links, and targeted health information for children, which includes tools such as games and coloring books. Further research is needed on the effectiveness of the KFSH&RC web-based health education site in terms of improving knowledge and changing behavior of Saudi patients. The study recommends that targeted web-based health education strategies should be developed to reach large rural populations which have inadequate computer skills and limited access to the internet.

Examining stress perceptions and coping strategies among Saudi nursing students: A systematic review.

PubMed

Labrague, Leodoro J; McEnroe-Petitte, Denise M; De Los Santos, Janet Alexis A; Edet, Olaide B

2018-06-01

Stress is a perennial problem in nursing education and Saudi student nurses are not immune. Despite the growing literature examining stress in Saudi student nurses, a broader perspective on this concept has not been explored. This paper is a report of a review systematically appraising and synthesizing existing scientific articles reporting stress perceptions and coping styles in Saudi student nurses. A systematic review method guided this review. Four (SCOPUS, CINAHL, PubMed, Ovid) bibliographic databases were searched to locate relevant articles. An electronic database search was performed in August 2017 to locate studies published from 2010 onwards. The search words included: "stress" OR "psychological stress", "coping" OR "psychological adaptation", "Saudi Arabia", "student", and "nurse". Eleven (11) articles met the inclusion criteria. Review of the findings showed moderate to high stress levels in Saudi student nurses that originated mainly from heavy workloads and taking care of patients. However, when the students' demographic characteristics were taken into account, inconclusive results were found, although some evidence showed higher stress levels in higher level students. Both active and passive coping styles were used by nursing students when dealing with stress. Consistent with international studies, Saudi student nurses experience a considerable levels of stress from various sources. Findings may provide a direction for nursing faculty in formulating stress interventions that are empirically tested and culturally appropriate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular risk factors burden in Saudi Arabia: The Africa Middle East Cardiovascular Epidemiological (ACE) study.

PubMed

Ahmed, Amjad M; Hersi, Ahmad; Mashhoud, Walid; Arafah, Mohammed R; Abreu, Paula C; Al Rowaily, Mohammed Abdullah; Al-Mallah, Mouaz H

2017-10-01

Limited data exist on the epidemiology of cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi Arabia, particularly in relation to the differences between Saudi nationals and expatriates in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this analysis was to describe the current prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among patients attending general practice clinics across Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional epidemiological analysis of the Africa Middle East Cardiovascular Epidemiological (ACE) study, the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, smoking, abdominal obesity) was evaluated in adults attending primary care clinics in Saudi Arabia. Group comparisons were made between patients of Saudi ethnicity (SA nationals) and patients who were not of Saudi ethnicity (expatriates). A total of 550 participants were enrolled from different clinics across Saudi Arabia [aged (mean ± standard deviation) 43 ± 11 years; 71% male]. Nearly half of the study cohort (49.8%) had more than three cardiovascular risk factors. Dyslipidemia was the most prevalent risk factor (68.6%). The prevalence of hypertension (47.5%) and dyslipidemia (75.5%) was higher among expatriates when compared with SA nationals (31.4% vs. 55.1%, p  = 0.0003 vs. p  < 0.0001, respectively). Conversely, obesity (52.6% vs. 41.0%; p  = 0.008) and abdominal obesity (65.5% vs. 52.2%; p  = 0.0028) were higher among SA nationals vs. expatriates. Modifiable cardiovascular risk factors are highly prevalent in SA nationals and expatriates. Programmed community-based screening is needed for all cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi Arabia. Improving primary care services to focus on risk factor control may ultimately decrease the incidence of coronary artery disease and improve overall quality of life. The ACE trial is registered under NCT01243138.

Design and testing of large fog collectors for water harvesting in Asir region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abualhamayel, H. I.; Gandhidasan, P.

2010-07-01

The region of Asir is located in the southwestern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between longitudes 41 - 45 E and latitudes 17 - 21 N. Known for its natural beauty and cool climate delight the visitors and the region has become a destination for tourists. One of the main problems in the Asir region is the high demand for water during tourism seasons especially in view of the rapidly growing tourism sector. Flourishing tourism in the region is challenged by the scarcity of water resources and there is urgent need to identify alternative sources of potable water. It is found that fog water collection is a viable resource and Asir region is the most suitable location for fog water harvesting. An operational fog water collection project was initiated in 2007 to provide fresh water supply. Al-Sooda, situated at an altitude of about 3,000 m, was identified as the most suitable experimental site and two large fog collectors measuring 20 m by 2 m each were erected in 2009. The distance between the two sites is about 2 km. This paper gives the methods used to select the experimental site and the design of the large fog collection system. The fog collectors are flat rectangular nets supported by a post at both ends and arranged perpendicular to the direction of the prevailing wind. The collection surface, comprising two layers of black polypropylene mesh net, is fastened laterally to the posts with a set of fastening bars. The aluminum trough located below the mesh net catches the water that runs down the net and carries it to a pipe connected to the storage tank. Because the fog collectors are long and require space for guy wires for the posts, the basic site consideration is that at least 25 m of horizontal land available for the erection. Meteorological instruments and the portable weather station are used to measure the climatic data which are recorded three times a day, namely at 7:00, 14:00 and 19:00 h. On average, yields of about 5 to 6 L/m2 per day are collected

State of health economic evaluation research in Saudi Arabia: a review.

PubMed

Al-Aqeel, Sinaa A

2012-01-01

If evaluation of economic evidence is to be used increasingly in Saudi Arabia, a review of the published literature would be useful to inform policy decision-makers of the current state of research and plan future research agendas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of the state of health economic evaluation research within the Saudi context with regard to the number, characteristics, and quality of published articles. A literature search was conducted on May 8, 2011 to identify health economic articles pertaining to Saudi Arabia in the PubMed, Embase, and EconLit databases, using the following terms alone or in combination: "cost*", "economics", "health economics", "cost-effectiveness", "cost-benefit", "cost minimization", "cost utility analysis", and "Saudi". Reference lists of the articles identified were also searched for further articles. The tables of contents of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal and the Saudi Medical Journal were reviewed for the previous 5 years. The search identified 535 citations. Based on a reading of abstracts and titles, 477 papers were excluded. Upon reviewing the full text of the remaining 58 papers, 43 were excluded. Fifteen papers were included. Ten were categorized as full economic evaluations and five as partial economic evaluations. These articles were published between 1997 and 2010. The majority of the studies identified did not clearly state the perspective of their evaluation. There are many concerns about the methods used to collect outcome and costs data. Only one study used some sort of sensitivity analysis to assess the effects of uncertainty on the robustness of its conclusions. This review highlights major flaws in the design, analysis, and reporting of the identified economic analyses. Such deficiencies mean that the local economic evidence available to decision-makers is not very useful. Thus, building research capability in health economics is warranted.

Vocational Education to Meet the Needs of a Changing Saudi Arabia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Clifton P.

Faced with sizable oil revenues and the need and desire to expand and diversify its industrial potential, Saudi Arabia is improving its vocational training efforts and attempting to involve as many of its citizens in vocational training programs as possible. At present, Saudi Arabia is having to import skilled workers to keep up with necessary…

Prevalence of harassment and discrimination among residents in three training hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Fnais, Naif; al-Nasser, Muhammad; Zamakhshary, Mohammad; Abuznadah, Wesam; Dhukair, Shahla Al; Saadeh, Mayssa; Al-Qarni, Ali; Bokhari, Bayan; Alshaeri, Taqreed; Aboalsamh, Nouf; Binahmed, AbdulAziz

2013-01-01

Multiple surveys of medical residents have shown a high incidence of harassment and discrimination in academic health centers. Harassment has a negative effects on residents' health and on their ability to function. No previous study has documented the prevalence of harassment and discrimination among residents in Saudi Arabia. We aimed in this study to assess the prevalence of harassment and discrimination among residents at a tertiary care academic hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Cross-sectional survey conducted at National Guard Hospitals in Riyadh, Jeddah and Al-Ahsa'a from 27 July to 20 August 2010. The survey included questions on the prevalence of harassment of different types, inlcuding verbal, academic, physical and sexual harassment, as well as discrimination on the basis of gender, region of origin or physical appearance. Of 380 residents, 213 (56%) returned a completed questionnaire (123 male, 57.8%). At least one of type of harassment and discrimination was reported by 83.6% of respondents. The most frequently reported forms were verbal harassment and gender discrimination (61.5% and 58.3%, respectively). Sexual harassment was commonly reported (19.3%) and was experienced significantly more often by female residents than by male residents (P=.0061). Harassment and discrimination of Saudi residents is common with more than three-quarters reporting having had such an experience. Identification of the risk factors is a necessary first step in clarifying this issue and could be used when planning strategies for prevention.

The Saudi Thoracic Society pneumococcal vaccination guidelines-2016

PubMed Central

Alharbi, N. S.; Al-Barrak, A. M.; Al-Moamary, M. S.; Zeitouni, M. O.; Idrees, M. M.; Al-Ghobain, M. O.; Al-Shimemeri, A. A.; Al-Hajjaj, Mohamed S.

2016-01-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Saudi Arabia is a host to millions of pilgrims who travel annually from all over the world for Umrah and the Hajj pilgrimages and are at risk of developing pneumococcal pneumonia or invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD). There is also the risk of transmission of S. pneumoniae including antibiotic resistant strains between pilgrims and their potential global spread upon their return. The country also has unique challenges posed by susceptible population to IPD due to people with hemoglobinopathies, younger age groups with chronic conditions, and growing problem of antibiotic resistance. Since the epidemiology of pneumococcal disease is constantly changing, with an increase in nonvaccine pneumococcal serotypes, vaccination policies on the effectiveness and usefulness of vaccines require regular revision. As part of the Saudi Thoracic Society (STS) commitment to promote the best practices in the field of respiratory diseases, we conducted a review of S. pneumoniae infections and the best evidence base available in the literature. The aim of the present study is to develop the STS pneumococcal vaccination guidelines for healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia. We recommend vaccination against pneumococcal infections for all children <5 years old, adults ≥50 years old, and people ≥6 years old with certain risk factors. These recommendations are based on the presence of a large number of comorbidities in Saudi Arabia population <50 years of age, many of whom have risk factors for contracting pneumococcal infections. A section for pneumococcal vaccination before the Umrah and Hajj pilgrimages is included as well. PMID:27168856

Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alsuwat, Obaidallah Buraykan; Alzahrani, Abdulrahman Ahmad; Alzhrani, Mohammed Abdullah; Alkhathami, Ali Mesfer; Mahfouz, Mohammad Eid Mahmoud

2018-03-01

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common chronic gastrointestinal tract disease. The incidence is higher in Asian and Arab countries. In Saudi Arabia, there are few studies that have assessed the prevalence of GERD among some cities' communities. Hence, this study aims to study the prevalence of GERD among the general population of Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was designed to determine the prevalence of GERD among the community of Saudi Arabia. The sample was randomly gathered through self-administered validated GERD questionnaire (GerdQ) to diagnose GERD, during the period from November to December 2016. The sociodemographic data was assessed for all participants. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 21.0 (SPSS); the t -test was used to assess the association of GERD and sociodemographic data. The sample was comprised of 2,043 participants. Female and male were 51.8% and 48.2%, respectively. Mean age was 29.6 years with the standard deviation of 10.5 years. The GERD prevalence was 28.7%. It was found statistically significant among divorced/widow (34.9%, P = 0.003). In contrast, there was no association between GERD's prevalence and gender, age, residence status, education level, occupation, and blood group (P > 0.05). The prevalence of GERD among Saudi population is higher than that in Western countries and East Asia. It affects divorced/widow, obese and those with a sedentary lifestyle. It is advocated that national programs and educational campaigns for prevention of this disease and its complications should be established.

The use of performance-enhancing substances (doping) by athletes in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al Ghobain, Mohammed

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Data on doping violation in Saudi Arabia are scarce. Our aim was to investigate the Saudi experience of anti-doping and review all positive samples and adverse analytical findings (AAFs) of Saudi athletes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study analyzed databases of the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee from 2008 to May 2016. The samples originated from various sporting events and were collected in and outside sport competitions. The substances investigated were those included in the annual lists of prohibited substances produced by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). All urine samples were tested in laboratories accredited by the WADA. Samples were declared positive if they contained any prohibited substance on the WADA list for that year. RESULTS: In 4482 urine samples tested, 141 positive samples (3.1%) and 195 AAFs of prohibited substances were detected. The prevalence of positive samples was highest in 2012 (6.6%) and lowest in 2015 (1%). The most prevalent prohibited substances detected were anabolic steroids (32.8%) and stimulants (27.6%). The most frequently detected compounds were amphetamines (22%) and tetrahydrocannabinol (12.8%). The highest prevalence of AAFs was in bodybuilders. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of doping in Saudi Arabia seems to be higher than western countries, but this needs to be confirmed with further research. PMID:28932159

The use of performance-enhancing substances (doping) by athletes in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al Ghobain, Mohammed

2017-01-01

Data on doping violation in Saudi Arabia are scarce. Our aim was to investigate the Saudi experience of anti-doping and review all positive samples and adverse analytical findings (AAFs) of Saudi athletes. This study analyzed databases of the Saudi Arabian Anti-Doping Committee from 2008 to May 2016. The samples originated from various sporting events and were collected in and outside sport competitions. The substances investigated were those included in the annual lists of prohibited substances produced by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). All urine samples were tested in laboratories accredited by the WADA. Samples were declared positive if they contained any prohibited substance on the WADA list for that year. In 4482 urine samples tested, 141 positive samples (3.1%) and 195 AAFs of prohibited substances were detected. The prevalence of positive samples was highest in 2012 (6.6%) and lowest in 2015 (1%). The most prevalent prohibited substances detected were anabolic steroids (32.8%) and stimulants (27.6%). The most frequently detected compounds were amphetamines (22%) and tetrahydrocannabinol (12.8%). The highest prevalence of AAFs was in bodybuilders. The prevalence of doping in Saudi Arabia seems to be higher than western countries, but this needs to be confirmed with further research.

Factors Associated with the Early Introduction of Complementary Feeding in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alzaheb, Riyadh A

2016-07-12

Mothers' instigation of complementary feeding before their infant reaches 6 months old risks shortening their breastfeeding duration, and high morbidity and mortality for their child. Complementary feeding practices require further investigation in Saudi Arabia. The present study aims to evaluate complementary feeding practices, and to establish which factors are associated with the early introduction of complementary feeding in the Saudi Arabian context. Cross-sectional research was conducted with 632 mothers of infants aged between 4 and 24 months attending five primary health care centers (PHCCs) between July and December 2015 in Saudi Arabia. Data on participants' socio-demographic characteristics and complementary feeding practices were collected via structured questionnaires. A regression analysis identified the factors associated with the early introduction of solid foods, defined as before 17 weeks. 62.5% of the study's infants received solid foods before reaching 17 weeks old. The maternal factors at higher risk of early introduction of solids were: younger age; Saudi nationality; shorter education; employment within 6 months post-birth; caesareans; not breastfeeding fully for six weeks post-birth, and living in low-income households. Complementary feeding prior to 6 months postpartum was common in Saudi Arabia. Public health interventions are needed to reduce early complementary feeding, focusing on mothers at highest risk of giving solids too early.

Sleep habits in adolescents of Saudi Arabia; distinct patterns and extreme sleep schedules.

PubMed

Merdad, Roah A; Merdad, Leena A; Nassif, Rawan A; El-Derwi, Douaa; Wali, Siraj O

2014-11-01

There is a need for comprehensive studies on adolescents' sleep habits in the Middle Eastern region. The aim of this study was to investigate the sleep-wake patterns, prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and disturbed sleep among adolescents in Saudi Arabia and to identify the associated factors. The study was a cross-sectional survey done on a random sample of 1035 high school students, ages 14-23 years, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The response rate was 91%. Students filled a self-reported questionnaire that included sleep-wake questions, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, academic performance, and personal data. Students slept an average of 7.0 hours on school nights, with an average delay of 2.8 and 6.0 hours in weekend sleep and rise times, respectively. Around 1 in 10 students stayed up all night and slept after returning from school (exhibiting a reversed sleep cycle) on weeknights. This pattern was more prevalent among boys and students with lower grade point averages. The prevalence of sleep disturbance was 65%, and EDS was found in 37% of the students. Predictors of EDS were school type, stress, napping and caffeine use, while gender was a predictor of disturbed sleep. Adolescents in Saudi Arabia showed a high percentage of poor sleep quality. Compared with adolescents from other countries, they had a larger delay in weekend sleep and rise times. An alarming reversed sleep cycle on weekdays is present and highlights the need for further assessment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Motives for cosmetic procedures in Saudi women.

PubMed

Al-Natour, Sahar H

2014-01-01

The media-fuelled obsession with beauty in modern society has led more women to seek elective cosmetic procedures to meet the portrayed ideals of beauty in different cultures. This study gives insights into incentives and desires to undergo cosmetic procedures in a conservative society with strict religious practices where women are veiled. Questionnaire data were obtained from 509 Saudi women who responded to a survey distributed randomly to a sample of Saudi women aged 17 to 72 years. At least 1 elective cosmetic procedure was performed in 42% of the women, of whom 77.8% wore a veil. Another 33% considered having a procedure. The motives for seeking a cosmetic procedure were to improve self-esteem in 83.7%, attract a husband in 63.3%, or prevent a husband from seeking another wife in 36.2%. The decision to seek a procedure was affected by the media, with high peer influence. Motivation for elective cosmetic procedures in Saudi women is influenced by a combination of emotional and cultural factors, level of education, marital status, and religious beliefs. The veil is not an impediment for seeking such procedures. The limitation of the study was missing data analysis as some items in the questionnaire were completed inaccurately or left unanswered.

Developing EFL Teaching and Learning Practices in Saudi Colleges: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liton, Hussain Ahmed

2012-01-01

Saudi Ministry of education is highly concerned with the pursuit of excellence in effective EFL teaching-learning in the arena of education but it experiences tardy progress especially in college level. This is a common scenario in almost every stage of learning in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Behind this backdrop, this paper explores the new…

Mind Maps to Modify Lack of Attention among Saudi Kindergarten Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daghistan, Bulquees Ismail Abdul Majid

2016-01-01

This research study aims at investigating the impact of Mind Maps on modifying the lack of attention in Arabic language class among Saudi Kindergarten children. To achieve the goals of this study the researcher used an experimental design with a random sample from AlRae'd Kindergarten's children in Riyadh -Saudi Arabia for the academic year…

Investigation on papillomavirus infection in dromedary camels in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Khalafalla, Abdelmalik Ibrahim; Ramadan, Ramadan Omer; Rector, Annabel; Barakat, Seif

2017-01-01

We investigated two outbreaks of papillomatosis between 2013 and 2015 in Al Ahsa region of eastern Saudi Arabia involving fourteen dromedary camels. The disease affected both young and adult animals and occurred in coincidence with demodectic mange infestation. Diagnosis was made based on gross and histopathological characteristics of the wart lesion and was confirmed by PCR. Rolling circle amplification followed by degenerate primer PCR and sequencing of the amplicons revealed the presence of both Camelus dromedarius papillomavirus types 1 and 2, previously identified in infected dromedaries in Sudan. PMID:28717601

Public awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward epilepsy in the Aseer region, Saudi Arabia - A community-based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Alhazzani, Adel Ali; Alqahtani, Ali Mohammed; Abouelyazid, Ahmed; Alqahtani, Abdulaziz Mohammed; Alqahtani, Nawaf Aedh; Asiri, Khalid Mohammed; Muhaya, Abdullatef Ali; Alamri, Hassan Ali

2016-10-01

Epilepsy accounts for 0.5% of the global burden of disease, with more than 50 million people affected worldwide; 80% of them are in developing regions. People with epilepsy and their families can suffer from stigma and discrimination in many parts of the world. Although this disorder is common in Saudi Arabia, with a prevalence of 6.54 per 1000, no study of epilepsy awareness, knowledge, and attitudes has been reported from the Aseer region. The study was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire to assess awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward epilepsy and the sociodemographic data of the participants. In the total sample of 1044 (mean age: 28±9years; 53.2% were males; from different educational and social levels), almost all had heard about epilepsy (96.1%), and the majority knew someone with epilepsy (60.7%). In spite of that, knowledge about the etiology and nature of epilepsy was lacking, as 40% of participants thought it was a blood disorder, 21.2% believed it was contagious, and nearly one-third viewed it as due to a mental disorder and emotional stress. Regarding public attitudes toward people with epilepsy, 19.1% would not work with them, 17% would not allow having their child mingle with a child with epilepsy at school, and more than half would not marry a person with epilepsy. Moreover, the study showed inappropriate responses when dealing with someone with a seizure; they would force some medicine down the patient's throat (49.3%), use herbal medicine (68.9%), ask a spiritual healer (31.8%), or even think it is untreatable (35.6%). The level of epilepsy awareness in the Aseer region's population is relatively poor and needs improvement. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pattern and risk factors for intentional drug overdose in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Jahdali, Hamdan; Al-Johani, Abdulaziz; Al-Hakawi, Ahmad; Arabi, Yassen; Ahmed, Qanta A; Altowirky, Jamal; Al Moamary, Mohamed; Binsalih, Salih

2004-05-01

Attempted suicide by intentional drug overdose is an understudied subject in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country where suicide or attempted suicide is strictly prohibited. Despite the strong religious and constitutional sanctions against suicide, cases of intentional drug overdose occasionally occur. Our study represents the first attempt to better understand and characterize this sensitive topic. Using a retrospective chart review of patients aged 12 years and over with a diagnosis of intentional drug overdose between 1997 and 1999, we studied the demographic characteristics, the risk factors, the most commonly used drugs, and the resulting morbidities and mortalities of study subjects. Most of the patients were young (mean age 22 years, SD 4.6, range 15 to 40 years), and most were Saudi nationals (n = 76; 96%). Eighty percent of the patients were women. The occurrence of intentional drug overdose peaked during the month of September (that is, 20% of total cases). Previous suicide attempts, family conflicts, and psychiatric disorders represented significant risk factors. Single-agent overdose occurred in 30% of the patients, and most of the drugs used were prescribed medications (53%). Acetaminophen represented the most common drug (30%). While some patients required prolonged hospital stay or admission to the intensive care unit, no mortalities occurred. Intentional drug overdose is a relatively uncommon reason for hospital admission in Saudi Arabia. This study identifies certain risk factors relevant to the Saudi community and raises awareness about intentional drug overdose.

Applying Lean to the F-15 Maintenance Process for the Royal Saudi Air Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

Royal Saudi Air Force. The research focuses on improving the F-15 maintenance process in the Royal Saudi Air Force’s Maintenance Squadrons. The F-15...and on the aircraft age condition, the researcher concludes it is time to get rid of some obstacles and use new management techniques to resolve the...processes? Research Focus This research is focusing on the Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 maintenance process. Because of the time and

Influenza vaccination among Saudi Hajj pilgrims: Revealing the uptake and vaccination barriers.

PubMed

Alfelali, Mohammad; Barasheed, Osamah; Badahdah, Al-Mamoon; Bokhary, Hamid; Azeem, Mohammed I; Habeebullah, Turki; Bakarman, Marwan; Asghar, Atif; Booy, Robert; Rashid, Harunor

2018-04-12

Hajj is the world's largest annual mass gathering that attracts two to three million Muslims from around the globe to a religious assemblage in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The risk of acquisition and transmission of influenza among Hajj pilgrims is high. Therefore, influenza vaccination is recommended, and was monitored frequently among pilgrims from different countries. However, the vaccination uptake among Saudi pilgrims has not been assessed in recent years. This analysis aims to evaluate influenza vaccine uptake among Saudi Hajj pilgrims, and identify the key barriers to vaccination. Data on influenza vaccination were obtained from Saudi pilgrims who took part in a large trial during the Hajj of 2013, 2014 and 2015. Pilgrims were met and recruited in Mina, Makkah during the peak period of Hajj and were asked to complete a baseline questionnaire that recorded their influenza vaccination history, including reason(s) for non-receipt of vaccine. A total of 6974 Saudi pilgrims aged between 18 and 95 (median 34) years were recruited; male to female ratio was 1:1.2. Of the total, 90.8% declared their influenza vaccination history, 51.3% of them reported receiving influenza vaccine before travel to Hajj. The vaccination rates for the years 2013, 2014 and 2015 were 21.4%, 48.2% and 58.1%, respectively (P < 0.001). Of 1,269 pilgrims who were at higher risk of severe disease, 54.5% received the vaccine. Lack of awareness (47.5%), reliance on natural immunity (15.8%) and being busy (15.5%) were the main reasons for non-receipt. These data from a convenience sample indicate that influenza vaccine uptake among Saudi Hajj pilgrims is increasing over years but still needs further improvement. Lack of awareness and misperceptions are the main barriers. Education of Saudi pilgrims and health professionals is required to raise awareness about influenza vaccination. Further studies are needed to understand pilgrims' misperceptions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality of Gastroenterology Research Published in Saudi Arabian Scientific Journals

PubMed Central

Almaghrabi, Majed M.; Alamoudi, Abdullah S.; Radi, Suhaib A.; Merdad, Anas A.; Makhdoum, Ahmad M.; Batwa, Faisal A.

2015-01-01

Background/Aims: Evidence-based medicine has established itself in the field of gastroenterology. In this study we aim to assess the types of study designs of gastroenterology-related articles published in Saudi scientific journals. Patients and Methods: An online review using PubMed was carried out to review gastroenterology-related articles published in six Saudi medical journals in the time interval from 2003 to 2012. To classify the level of evidence in these articles we employed the Oxford's levels of evidence. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the levels of evidence between published articles. Results: A total of 721 gastroenterology-related articles were reviewed, of which 591 articles met our inclusion criteria; 80.7% were level IV. The three most common types of studies we encountered were cross-sectional (33.9%), case reports (27.9%), and case series (18.8%). Forty-three percent of the published research was in the field of hepatobiliary and spleen. The total number of articles increased from 260 articles in the 1st 5-year period (2003–2007) to 330 in the 2nd period (2008–2012). However, no statistically significant difference in the level of evidence was noted. In Annals of Saudi Medicine Journal, articles with level II increased from 0 to 10% with a P value 0.02. Conclusion: In our review of gastroenterology-related published articles in Saudi scientific journals, we observed an increase in the quantity of articles with the quality and level of evidence remaining unchanged. Further research is recommended to explore different reasons affecting the volume and quality of gastroenterology-related research in Saudi scientific journals. PMID:25843195

Seroepidemiological prevalence of hepatitis delta virus in eastern Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Fathalla, S el-S; Abdulazziz, F M; Sabri, H S; Awad, O A

1994-11-01

To describe hypercholesterolemia in an urban community in Saudi Arabia, total serum cholesterol (TSC) was measured in 966 apparently healthy males (475 Saudi Arabs, 351 other Arabs and 140 non-Arabs) using a portable analyzer (Boehringer Model[R]). Mean age was 35.9 years (SD+/-9.1) and mean body mass index (BMI) was 26.2 kg/m(2) (SD+/-3.4) with a mean TSC of 5.20 mmol (SD+/-1.21). Mean TSC was significantly higher among non-Arabs at 5.74 mmol/L (SD+/-1.48) than in Saudi Arabs at 4.93 mmol/L (SD+/-1.11), P<0.001 mmol/L. TSC was higher than 5.20 mmol/L in 44.3% and higher than 6.80 mmol/L in 6.9% of the population. TSC was higher than 6.80 mmol/L in 3.6% of Saudi Arabs, 8.0% in other Arabs and 15.7% in the non-Arabs. This calls for cholesterol screening of the indigenous male population for hypercholesterolemia and other coronary heart disease risk factors at every opportunity. Among expatriate males, a mass screening strategy might be appropriate. The health care system needs appropriate adjustment to deal with this growing health problem.

Toward competency-based curriculum: Application of workplace-based assessment tools in the National Saudi Arabian Anesthesia Training Program.

PubMed

Boker, Ama

2016-01-01

The anesthesia training program of the Saudi Commission for health specialties has introduced a developed competency-based anesthesia residency program starting from 2015 with the utilization of the workplace-based assessment (WBA) tools, namely mini-clinical exercises (mini-CEX), direct observation of procedural skills (DOPS), and case-based discussion (CBD). This work aimed to describe the process of development of anesthesia-specific list of mini-CEX, DOPS, and CBD tools within the Saudi Arabian Anesthesia Training Programs. To introduce the main concepts of formative WBA tools and to develop anesthesia-specific applications for each of the selected WBA tools, four 1-day workshops were held at the level of major training committees at eastern (Dammam), western (Jeddah), and central (Riyadh) regions in the Kingdom were conducted. Sixty-seven faculties participated in these workshops. After conduction of the four workshops, the anesthesia-specific applications setting of mini-CEX, DOPS, and CBD tools among the 5-year levels were fully described. The level of the appropriate consultation skills was divided according to the case complexity adopted from the American Society of Anesthesiologists physical classification for adult and obstetric and pediatric patient as well as the type of the targeted anesthetic procedure. WBA anesthesia-specific lists of mini-CEX, DOPS, and CBD forms were easily incorporated first into guidelines to help the first stage of implementation of formative assessment in the Saudi Arabian Anesthesia Residency Program, and this can be helpful to replicate such program within other various training programs in Saudi Arabia and abroad.

The respiratory care profession in Saudi Arabia: Past and present

PubMed Central

Al-Otaibi, Hajed M.; AlAhmari, Mohammed Dhafer

2016-01-01

The respiratory care (RC) profession in Saudi Arabia is over 40-year-old. Although there have been major advancements in the profession, no history and enough information are available about its development and evolvement at current. This paper describes the history and development of the field of RC and future prospects for the profession in Saudi Arabia. A comprehensive review and assessment were conducted through direct contact, interviews, and a review of existing documents in the Medical Services Division of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health, The Ministry of Civil Services, representative hospitals, academic institutions, and other relevant texts. The data obtained were evaluated for its relevance and grouped on a thematic basis. This is currently the first paper about the history and development of the RC profession in Saudi Arabia over the last 45 years. PMID:27803748

The respiratory care profession in Saudi Arabia: Past and present.

PubMed

Al-Otaibi, Hajed M; AlAhmari, Mohammed Dhafer

2016-01-01

The respiratory care (RC) profession in Saudi Arabia is over 40-year-old. Although there have been major advancements in the profession, no history and enough information are available about its development and evolvement at current. This paper describes the history and development of the field of RC and future prospects for the profession in Saudi Arabia. A comprehensive review and assessment were conducted through direct contact, interviews, and a review of existing documents in the Medical Services Division of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Health, The Ministry of Civil Services, representative hospitals, academic institutions, and other relevant texts. The data obtained were evaluated for its relevance and grouped on a thematic basis. This is currently the first paper about the history and development of the RC profession in Saudi Arabia over the last 45 years.

Special Education in Saudi Arabia: A Synthesis of Literature Written in English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altamimi, Ahmed A.; Lee, Lay Wah; Sayed-Ahmed, Al-sayed A.; Kassem, Mostafa M.

2015-01-01

Special education in Saudi Arabia was formally established in 1962. The earliest cited literature on special education written in English was a 1970 government report. This article presents results from the first synthesis of internationally published Saudi special education literature over a 44-year period. This synthesis yielded information…

The use of oral and maxillofacial pathology services by general pathologists and their attitude towards it in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Binmadi, Nada O; Almazrooa, Soulafa A

2017-08-01

To investigate the awareness and usage of oral and maxillofacial pathology (OMFP)  subspecialty services among pathologists in Saudi Arabia. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we conducted an electronic questionnaire survey of pathologists in all regions of Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted between July 2015 and August 2016.  The questionnaire comprised 19 questions to evaluate the knowledge of pathologists regarding microscopic OMFP and their perceptions towards this subspecialty. Results: Most of the pathologists surveyed (94.6%) were aware of the OMFP subspecialty and its scope of practice. Although most of the pathologists recognized the importance and need of this subspecialty, 70% of them never referred or consulted an oral pathologist as they either diagnosed the cases themselves or  did not know any oral pathologist (57.7%). The pathologists had the greatest difficulty in identifying and diagnosing odontogenic tumors, salivary gland tumors, and odontogenic cysts.  Conclusion: Pathologists are aware of the OMFP subspecialty, but their utilization of the services offered by OMFP specialists in Saudi Arabia is quite low despite the strong demand for OMFP services.

A qualitative exploration of the major challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Aljadhey, Hisham; Mahmoud, Mansour A; Alshammari, Thamir M; Al-Dhaeefi, Mohammed; Le Louet, Herve; Perez-Gutthann, Susana; Pitts, Peter J

2015-09-01

To explore the challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia and formulate recommendations to improve it from the perspective of healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. This was a qualitative study of 4 focus group discussions with pharmacists, physicians, and academicians held under the auspices of the King Saud University School of Pharmacy and the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 29 eligible healthcare professionals were invited to participate in the discussion. The predefined themes of the study were the current practice and major challenges facing pharmacovigilance in regulatory bodies, hospitals, the community, and academia, as well as recommendations to improve pharmacovigilance practice.  Of the 29 participants invited, 27 attended the discussion. Challenges facing regulatory bodies included complicated adverse drug reactions (ADR) reporting forms, lack of feedback on ADRs submitted to the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, lack of decisions from the local authority to withdraw medications, and lack of data on pharmacovigilance. The challenges to pharmacovigilance in hospitals included the lack of knowledge of the significance of ADR reporting, workload, blaming culture, and lack of collaboration between regulatory bodies and hospitals. However, challenges facing pharmaceutical industries included the lack of drug manufacturers in Saudi Arabia and lack of interest in pharmacovigilance. Recommendations to improve pharmacovigilance included the need for communication, stronger regulatory requirements, the need for research, the need for unified ADRs reporting, and continuous education and training.  The study has identified the challenges facing pharmacovigilance in Saudi Arabia and made certain recommendations to overcome them. These recommendations might be helpful for regulatory bodies to enhance spontaneous reporting and promote pharmacovigilance.

A systematic review of population-based dental caries studies among children in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al Agili, Dania Ebrahim

2012-01-01

Objective Dental caries critically impacts the health and development of children. Understanding caries experience is an important task for Saudi Arabian policymakers to identify intervention targets and improve oral health. The purpose of this review is to analyze current data to assess the nationwide prevalence and severity of caries in children, to identify gaps in baseline information, and to determine areas for future research. Methods A search of published and unpublished studies in PubMed, Google, and local Saudi medical and dental journals was conducted for the three keywords “dental,” “caries,” and “Saudi Arabia.” The inclusion criteria required that the articles were population-based studies that assessed the prevalence of dental caries in healthy children attending regular schools using a cross-sectional study design of a random sample. Results/discussion The review was comprised of one unpublished thesis and 27 published surveys of childhood caries in Saudi Arabia. The earliest study was published in 1988 and the most recent was published in 2010. There is a lack of representative data on the prevalence of dental caries among the whole Saudi Arabian population. The national prevalence of dental caries and its severity in children in Saudi Arabia was estimated to be approximately 80% for the primary dentition with a mean dmft of 5.0 and approximately 70% for children’s permanent dentition with a mean DMFT score of 3.5. The current estimates indicate that the World Health Organization (WHO) 2000 goals are still unmet for Saudi Arabian children. Conclusion Childhood dental caries is a serious dental public health problem that warrants the immediate attention of the government and the dental profession officials in Saudi Arabia. Baseline data on oral health and a good understanding of dental caries determinants are necessary for setting appropriate oral health goals. Without the ability to describe the current situation, it is not possible to

Exploring the Causes of Listening Comprehension Anxiety from EFL Saudi Learners' Perspectives: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otair, Ibrahim; Aziz, Noor Hashima Abd

2017-01-01

Anxiety is an important factor in foreign language learning. Very few studies have been done on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Saudi students in listening classes. Therefore, this pilot study was aimed at exploring the causes of listening comprehension anxiety from EFL Saudi learners' perspectives at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia. The…

Professional Values Among Female Nursing Students in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Allari, Rabia S; Ismaile, Samantha; Househ, Mowafa

2017-01-01

Professional values are essential to nursing practice because they guide standards for working, provide a structure for evaluating behavior, and influence decisions making. The purpose of this study is to explore the perception of Saudi female nursing students on professional values and to assess the correlation between their perception of professional values in relation to their year of academic studies. We used a cross-sectional descriptive study where a survey was administered to 150 Saudi female nurses living in Riyadh. Results show that Saudi female nurses have a high perception of professional values relating to confidentiality, privacy, moral and legal rights, health and safety, and the work environment. Whereas Saudi nursing students have a low perception for participating in professional nursing activities, utilizing research in practice, peer review, public policy, and engaging in on-going self-evaluation. There was positive correlation between different professional values and academic years. The highest correlations were for the items related to caring and trust more than activism because nursing students at higher academic levels viewed the relationship with patients as more important than advancing health care systems through public policy, research, and professional organizations. In conclusion, nursing program administrators should put emphasis on improving the development of professional values through a role modeling approach to promote activism and professional values through the arrangement of meetings, exchange forums, and conferences with other nurses, managers, policy makers, innovators, and researchers within the nursing field.

Evaluating community pharmacists' perspectives and practices concerning generic medicines substitution in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Alkhuzaee, Fahad S; Almalki, Hamdan M; Attar, Ammar Y; Althubiani, Shoeab I; Almuallim, Wassam Ali; Cheema, Ejaz; Hadi, Muhammad Abdul

2016-12-01

To assess the community pharmacists' knowledge, attitude, perception and current practices towards generic medicines substitution in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2016 in the Makkah region, Saudi Arabia. A 25-item, structured, validated, pilot-tested and self-completed questionnaire was used to achieve study objectives. A 4-step systematic sampling technique was used to recruit community pharmacists. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20. Of 128 community pharmacists approached, 121 participated in the study (response rate=95%). Majority of the participants (n=108; 89.3%) had graduated from Egypt, were working as staff pharmacists (n=85; 70%) and had BPharm degree (97; 80.2%). Only 26 (22%) of the participants correctly answered all knowledge questions accurately. No statistically significant difference in total knowledge score was observed across different sociodemographic characteristics of participants (all P>0.05).Two-thirds of the respondents (83; 68.2%) supported the use of generic substitution. Medicines cost and patients' request were the most commonly cited reasons for performing generic substitution. Country of graduation (P=0.01) and number of years of practicing in Saudi Arabia (P=0.02) was associated with the pharmacists' support towards generic substitution. The community pharmacists had clear knowledge deficits about generic medicines and their substitution which may partly explain low consumption of generic medicines in Saudi Arabia. Healthcare policy makers need to improve awareness about the safety and efficacy of generic medicines and promote their use in order to cut down cost of medicines and overall healthcare expenditure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of a Mobile Phone-based Education Program in Educating Mothers as Oral Health Providers in Two Regions of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

AlKlayb, Saleh Ali; Assery, Mansour K; AlQahtani, AlJohara; AlAnazi, Madawy; Pani, Sharat Chandra

2017-01-01

The penetration of mobile phone devices is widespread across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Recently, there has been evidence of the success of phone-based applications in the provision of preventive oral health care to children and their parents. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a mobile phone-based application in educating mothers of children aged below 6 years of age in preventive dental care. A mobile phone-based application (iTeethey™) was developed for iPhone and Android and made freely available on Google Play and App Store. The application was then distributed to 3879 mothers of children below 6 years of age (1989 in Riyadh Region and 1890 in Najran region). The mothers were subjected to a standardized knowledge attitude and practice of oral hygiene questionnaire before being asked to download the application. A total of 1055 mothers who downloaded the application completed 3-month recall process. Significant improvement in the knowledge of the mothers was reported after the use of the application from both regions. The mothers from Najran showed significantly greater improvement in knowledge when compared to the mothers from Riyadh region. The application was also more effective in mothers with more than one child when compared to first-time mothers. Within the limitations of this study, we can state that the mobile phone application used in this study significantly improves the knowledge of mothers toward their child's oral health.

A Narrative Inquiry into Academic Experiences of Female Saudi Graduate Students at a Comprehensive Doctoral University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandekian, Robyn E.; Weddington, Michael; Birnbaum, Matthew; Keen, J. Katée

2015-01-01

Saudi student enrollment in U.S. colleges and universities has nearly tripled since 2009-2010, in large part due to the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. The representation of Saudi females is also increasing due to the loosening of Saudi Arabia's long-standing restrictions on women's travel and acceptable fields of study and careers. This…

Influence of knowledge and beliefs on consumption of performance enhancing agents in north-western Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al, Omar Mansour; Elshatarat, Rami Azmi

2017-01-01

Consumption of performance enhancing agents (PEAs) has a wide range of negative health consequences, but knowledge of these consequences among gym users of PEAs in Saudi Arabia is not well understood. Identify the knowledge, awareness, beliefs and attitudes of gym users about negative health consequences of using PEAs, and the relationship between these factors and use of these agents. Cross-sectional study. Five gyms in Madinah city, Saudi Arabia. Convenience sampling was used to recruit gym users. An electronic self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Level of knowledge about the negative health consequences of PEAs among gym users. About 70% of 316 participants had used one or more of PEAs over the last six months. Of those, about 68.4% used protein powder supplements and 48.1% used energy drinks. Participants who believed that protein powder supplements (c2=52.3, P < .01) and energy drinks (c2=35.2, P < .01) had health hazards used these agents less often than others during the six months preceding data collection. Participants who had less knowledge about the negative health consequences were more likely to use protein powder supplement (t=2.38, P=.018). On the other hand, those who were more knowledgeable about the negative health consequences of insulin, were more likely to use insulin (t=2.45, P=.015). Misuse of PEAs is widespread among gym users in Saudi Arabia. Improving the level of knowledge and awareness of possible serious health consequences would hopefully lead to reduced PEA consumption. The temporal sequence of cause and effect could not be determined in a cross sectional study. Convenience sampling in a single city limited the generalizability of the findings to all regions of Saudi Arabia.

Practice and Attitude of Cigarette Smoking: A Community-Based Study

PubMed Central

Abdel Rahim, Bahaa-eldin E.; Mahfouz, Mohamed Salih; Yagoub, Umar; Solan, Yahya M. H.; Alsanosy, Rashad Mohammed

2014-01-01

Background In Saudi Arabia many studies have addressed cigarette smoking from various perspectives. Most of these studies, however, were conducted among males and confined to Riyadh, the capital city. Such limitations have enhanced the need for community-based epidemiological studies that include both genders and various age groups and socio-demographic features, as well as different regions. Objective This cross-sectional study aims to assess the prevalence of cigarette smoking and to discuss the association between cigarette smoking habits and socio-demographic factors among community members of the Jazan area in southwest Saudi Arabia. Methods A pre-coded questionnaire was designed and tested for data consistency. A well-trained health team was assigned to gather the data from the 30 primary healthcare centers distributed across eight provinces. The response rate was 92.8% (4,326 respondents ≥13 years old). The associations among the subjects' socio-demographic characteristics were examined by the chi-square test. A multiple logistic regression and odds ratios were calculated as well. Results A total of 1,017 (23.5%), 1,042 (24.1%), and 3,284 (75.9%) respondents were, respectively, current smokers (TCS), ever-smokers (TES), and non-smokers (TNS). Though current smokers seem to be more prevalent in urban populations (13.8%) than in rural populations (9.7%), the association of urbanization with a current smoking habit is insignificant. Conclusion Having fun, relieving stress, and the influence of parents, particularly of mothers, were the main motives that encouraged participants' cigarette-smoking habits. This situation was worsened by the fact that accessing cigarettes was either very easy or easy for over 90% of the respondents. PMID:24695369

Gut microbiome and dietary patterns in different Saudi populations and monkeys.

PubMed

Angelakis, Emmanouil; Yasir, Muhammad; Bachar, Dipankar; Azhar, Esam I; Lagier, Jean-Christophe; Bibi, Fehmida; Jiman-Fatani, Asif A; Alawi, Maha; Bakarman, Marwan A; Robert, Catherine; Raoult, Didier

2016-08-31

Host genetics, environment, lifestyle and proximity between hosts strongly influence the composition of the gut microbiome. To investigate the association of dietary variables with the gut microbiota, we used 16S rDNA sequencing to test the fecal microbiome of Bedouins and urban Saudis and we compared it to the gut microbiome of baboons living in close contact with Bedouins and eating their leftovers. We also analyzed fermented dairy products commonly consumed by Bedouins in order to investigate their impact on the gut microbiome of this population. We found that the gut microbiomes of westernized urban Saudis had significantly lower richness and biodiversity than the traditional Bedouin population. The gut microbiomes of baboons were more similar to that of Bedouins compared to urban Saudis, probably due the dietary overlap between baboons and Bedouins. Moreover, we found clusters that were compositionally similar to clusters identified in humans and baboons, characterized by differences in Acinetobacter, Turicibacter and Collinsella. The fermented food presented significantly more bacteria genera common to the gut microbiome of Bedouins compared to urban Saudis. These results support the hypothesis that dietary habits influence the composition of the gut microbiome.

Outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study.

PubMed

Aleanizy, Fadilah Sfouq; Mohmed, Nahla; Alqahtani, Fulwah Y; El Hadi Mohamed, Rania Ali

2017-01-05

The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is proposed to be a zoonotic disease. Dromedary camels have been implicated due to reports that some confirmed cases were exposed to camels. Risk factors for MERS coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infections in humans are incompletely understood. This study aimed to describe the demographic characteristics, mortality rate, clinical manifestations and comorbidities with confirmed cases of MERS-CoV. Retrospective chart review were performed to identify all laboratory-confirmed cases of MERS-CoV in Saudi Arabia who reported to the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Saudi Arabia and WHO between April 23, 2014 and August 31, 2015. Patients' charts were also reviewed for demographic information, mortality, comorbidities, clinical presentations, health care facility and presented with descriptive and comparative statistics using non parametric binomial test and Chi-square test. Confirmed cases of male patients (61.1%) exceeded those of female patients (38.9%). Infections among Saudi patients (62.6%) exceeded those among non-Saudi patients (37.4%; P = 0.001). The majority of the patients were aged 21-40 years (37.4%) or 41-60 years (35.8%); 43 (22.6%) were aged >61 years, and (8) 4.2% were aged 0-20 years. There was a difference in mortality between confirmed MERS-CoV cases (63.7% alive versus 36.3% dead cases, respectively). Furthermore, fever with cough and shortness of breath (SOB) (n = 39; 20.5%), fever with cough (n = 29; 15.3%), fever (n = 18; 9.5%), and fever with SOB (n = 13; 6.8%), were the most common clinical manifestations associated with confirmed MERS-CoV cases. MERS-CoV is considered an epidemic in Saudi Arabia. The results of the present study showed that the frequency of cases is higher among men than women, in Saudi patients than non-Saudi, and those between 21 to 60 years are most affected. Further studies are required to improve the surveillance associated with MERS-CoV to get definite and clear answers

Understanding the Use of Twitter for Teaching Purposes in Saudi Arabian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alim, Sophia

2017-01-01

The increased use of Twitter in Saudi Arabia has opened new opportunities in higher education teaching. However, there exists a lack of studies which examine academics' thoughts on Twitter use for teaching purposes. For this study, a questionnaire was distributed to academics in Saudi Arabian universities in order to explore their experiences and…

Analysing Culture and Interculture in Saudi EFL Textbooks: A Corpus Linguistic Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almujaiwel, Sultan

2018-01-01

This paper combines corpus processing tools to investigate the cultural elements of Saudi education of English as a foreign language (EFL). The latest Saudi EFL textbooks (2016 onwards) are available in researchable PDF formats. This helps process them through corpus search software tools. The method adopted is based on analysing 20 cultural…

Saudi Elementary School Science Teachers' Beliefs: Teaching Science in the New Millennium

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alghamdi, Amani K. Hamdan; Al-Salouli, Misfer Saud

2013-01-01

This study explored Saudi elementary school science teachers' beliefs about the process of teaching and learning science. This involved the exploration of their views about the new Saudi science curriculum, which emphasizes critical thinking and problem solving. Comprehensive interviews were held in 8 schools with 4 male and 6 female--2 of whom…

Knowledge, attitude and practice about malaria in south-western Saudi Arabia: A household-based cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Khairy, Sami; Al-Surimi, Khaled; Ali, Anna; Shubily, Hussam M; Al Walaan, Nisreen; Househ, Mowafa; El-Metwally, Ashraf

This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) concerning malaria and malaria prevention among rural populations residing in the southwestern region of Saudi Arabia. This was a household-based cross-sectional survey, using structured questionnaire that was developed and distributed among households selected randomly from 19 villages (clusters) located in a southwestern region of Saudi Arabia, north of the border with Yemen. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 20. A majority of respondents (98.4%) reported that they had heard about malaria, but only 21.7% reported that they had sufficient information about the disease. Surprisingly, the most popular source of information was the internet and social media (proportion responding positively in parenthesis) (25.5%), followed by family (21.7%), while information from health facilities contributed only 12.4%. A majority of respondents were aware that malaria is a communicable (89.1%) and deadly (70%) disease; however, only 30.2% of the respondents responded that malaria is a treatable disease. Almost all of the aware respondents (97.5%) were inclined to seek treatment from health facilities, and 63.2% preferred to seek treatment within 24h of presenting with symptoms. Regarding personal precautions, the most common practice adopted by respondents was indoor residual spraying IRS (47.3%), followed by anti-mosquito spraying (29.8%), mosquito bed nets (13.2%) and combined anti-mosquito sprays and nets on windows (4.7%). This KAP study did not show any statistically significant differences in KAP due to age; however the practices of preventive measures against malaria differed significantly by nationality (Saudi versus non-Saudi). We conclude that most populations living in the villages have an acceptable level of knowledge and awareness about malaria and seek timely treatment. However, the positive attitudes and practices in relation to personal protection and prevention

Use of Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization for the Diagnosis of DiGeorge Syndrome in Saudi Arabian Population.

PubMed

Bahamat, Abeer A; Assidi, Mourad; Lary, Sahira A; Almughamsi, Muna M; Peer Zada, Abdul A; Chaudhary, Adeel; Abuzenadah, Adel; Abu-Elmagd, Muhammad; Al-Qahtani, Mohammed

2018-01-01

DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) is a genetic disorder known as a clinically variable syndrome with over 180 associated phenotypic features. It is caused by a common human deletion in the 22q11.2 chromosomal region and currently is affecting approximately 1 in 4,000 individuals. Despite the prevalence of inherited diseases mainly due to consanguineous marriages, the current diagnosis of DGS in Saudi Arabia is mainly based on conventional high-resolution chromosome banding (karyotyping) and FISH techniques. However, advanced genome-wide studies for detecting microdeletions or duplications across the whole genome are needed. The aim of this study is to implement and use aCGH technology in clinical diagnosis of the 22q11.2 deletion in Saudi Arabian DGS patients and to confirm its effectiveness compared to conventional FISH and chromosome banding techniques. Thirty suspected DGS patients were assessed for chromosome 22q11.2 deletion using high-resolution G-banding, FISH, and aCGH. The aCGH results were compared with those obtained by the other 2 cytogenetic techniques. G-banding detected the 22q11.2 deletion in only 1 patient in the cohort. Moreover, it detected additional chromosomal aberrations in 3 other patients. Using FISH, allowed for detection of the 22q11.2 deletion in 2 out of 30 patients. Interestingly, the use of aCGH technique showed deletions in the chromosome 22q11.2 region in 8 patients, indicating a 4-fold increase in diagnostic detection capacity compared to FISH. Our results show the effectiveness of aCGH to overcome the limitations of FISH and G-banding in terms of diagnostic yield and allow whole genome screening and detection of a larger number of deletions and/or duplications in Saudi Arabian DGS patients. Except for balanced translocations and inversions, our data demonstrate the suitability of aCGH in the diagnostics of submicroscopic deletion syndromes such as DGS and most chromosomal aberrations or complex abnormalities scattered throughout the human

Knowledge and attitude of Saudi health professions’ students regarding patient’s bill of rights

PubMed Central

El-Sobkey, Salwa B.; Almoajel, Alyah M.; Al-Muammar, May N.

2014-01-01

Background: Patient’s rights are worldwide considerations. Saudi Patient’s Bill of Rights (PBR) which was established in 2006 contained 12 items. Lack of knowledge regarding the Saudi PBR limits its implementation in health facilities. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of health professions’ students at College of Applied Medical Sciences (CAMS) Riyadh Saudi Arabia regarding the existence and content of Saudi PBR as well as their attitude toward its ineffectiveness. Methods: A 3-parts survey was used to collect data from 239 volunteer students participated in the study. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistics using SPSS. Results: Results showed that although the majority of students (96.7%) believe in the ineffectiveness of patient’s rights, half (52.3%) of them had perceptual knowledge regarding the existence of Saudi PBR and only 7.9% of them were knowledgeable about some items (1–4 items) of the bill. Privacy and confidentiality of patient was the most common known patient’s rights. Students’ academic level was not correlated to neither their knowledge regarding the bill existence or its content nor to their attitude toward the bill. The majority of the students (93%) reported that only one course within their curriculum was patient’s rights-course related. About one quarter (23.4%) of the students reported that teaching staff used to mention patient’s rights in their teaching sessions. Conclusion: The Saudi health professions students at CAMS have positive attitude toward the ineffectiveness of patient’s rights nevertheless they showed limited knowledge regarding the existence of Saudi PBR and its contents. CAMS curriculums do not support the subject of patient’s rights. PMID:25197675

Cardiac diseases as a risk factor for stroke in Saudi children.

PubMed

Salih, Mustafa A; Al-Jarallah, Abdullah S; Abdel-Gader, Abdel-Galil M; Al-Jarallah, Ahmed A; Al-Saadi, Muslim M; Kentab, Amal Y; Alorainy, Ibrahim A; Hassan, Hamdy H

2006-03-01

To ascertain the role of cardiac diseases as a risk factor for stroke in a cohort of Saudi children who were evaluated in a retrospective and prospective study. Children with cardiac diseases were identified from within a cohort of 104 Saudi children who presented with stroke. They were seen as inpatients in the Pediatric Wards or evaluated at the Outpatient Clinics of the Division of Pediatric Neurology (DPN), and the Division of Pediatric Cardiology at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the periods July 1992 to February 2001 (retrospective study) and February 2001 to March 2003 (prospective study). A comprehensive form for clinical, neuroimaging, neurophysiological and laboratory data retrieval was designed and completed for each patient. Cardiac evaluation included 12-lead ECG and serial echocardiograms. Cardiac catheterization and 24-hour ambulatory ECG (Holter) were conducted on clinical discretion. Cardiac diseases were the underlying risk factor for stroke in 6 (5.8%) of the 104 children (aged one month to 12 years). The patients (4 males and 2 females) were evaluated at the DPN at a mean age of 5.3 years (range = 1-8 years; median 6.5 years). Onset of stroke was at a mean age of 34 months (range = 4 months-8 years; median = 30 months). Five patients had stroke in association with congenital heart disease (CHD), whereas the sixth had restrictive cardiomyopathy. The identified CHD consisted of membranous ventricular septal defect in a 5-year-old boy who had moyamoya syndrome and sickle cell beta(0)-thalassemia, asymptomatic patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in a 17-month-old girl, atrioventricular canal defect and PDA in an 8-year-old boy who also had Down syndrome, partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage in a one-year-old boy, and Tetralogy of Fallot in an 8-year-old boy. The latter patient developed hemiparesis secondary to a septic embolus, which evolved into brain abscess involving the right fronto-parietal region

Learning and Teaching Vocabulary Acquisition: Analysing One Unit of a Textbook in the Saudi Arabia Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mashrah, Hind Talal

2013-01-01

Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education is seeking for the best English language textbook to be taught in schools in order to develop the Saudi education in the future. To choose the most beneficial one, frameworks or tools were designed to analyze and to evaluate a unit of a textbook in Saudi Arabia based on standard criteria. These standard criteria…

Health care services provided to type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al-Rubeaan, Khalid A.; Al-Manaa, Hamad A.; Khoja, Tawfik A.; Al-Sharqawi, Ahmad H.; Aburisheh, Khaled H.; Youssef, Amira M.; Alotaibi, Metib S.; Al-Gamdi, Ali A.

2015-01-01

Objectives: To assess health care services provided to type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients and diabetes health care expenditure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: This study was part of a nationwide, household, population based cross-sectional survey conducted at the University Diabetes Center, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between January 2007 and December 2009 covering 13 administrative regions of the Kingdom. Using patients’ interview questionnaires, health care services data were collected by trained staff. Results: A total of 5,983 diabetic patients were chosen to assess health care services and expenditure. Approximately 92.2% of health services were governmental and the remaining 7.8% were in private services. The mean annual number of visits to physicians was 6.5±3.9 and laboratories was 5.1±3.9. Diabetic patients required one admission every 3 years with a mean admission duration of 13.3±28.3 days. General practitioners managed 85.9% of diabetic cases alone, or shared with internists and/or endocrinologists. Health care expenditure was governmental in 90% of cases, while it was personal in 7.7% or based on insurance payment in 2.3%. Conclusion: Health services and its expenditure provided to diabetic citizens in Saudi Arabia are mainly governmental. Empowerment of the role of both the private sector and health insurance system is badly needed, aside from implementing proper management guidelines to deliver good services at different levels. PMID:26446334

Soil Ciliates from Saudi Arabia, Including Descriptions of Two New Genera and Six New Species.

PubMed

Foissner, Wilhelm; Quintela-Alonso, Pablo; Al-Rasheid, Khaled

2008-01-01

Six soil samples from natural and cultivated sites of Saudi Arabia were investigated for ciliate diversity, using the non-flooded Petri dish culture method, live observation, and silver impregnation. We identified 135 species, all new for the fauna of Saudi Arabia, of which seven were undescribed: Spathidium alqasabi nov. spec.; Enchelyodon alqasabi nov. spec.; Metauroleptus arabicus nov. gen., nov. spec.; Pseudohemisincirra arabica nov. gen., nov. spec.; Saudithrix terricola​ Berger, Al-Rasheid and Foissner, 2006; Oxytricha arabica nov. spec.; and Erimophrya monostyla nov. spec. Based on Spathidium alqasabi, S. seppelti foissneri​ Vd'ačný et al., 2006 and S. seppelti etoschense​ Foissner et al., 2002 are raised to species rank; for the latter, a new name is required to avoid homonymy: Spathidium fraterculum nov. nom. The new genus Metauroleptus, which possesses two long and two to three short ventral cirral rows, generates all dorsal kineties intrakinetally and produces caudal cirri exclusively in dorsal kinety 1. Metauroleptus belongs to the hypotrichs, while family classification remains doubtful. The same applies to the new hypotrich genus Pseudohemisincirra, which has frontoventral and transverse cirri, while buccal cirri and caudal cirri are absent. The number of species contained in Saudi Arabian soils, including sand dunes, is in the range reported from other regions of the earth, suggesting that ciliates are well adapted to dry habitats, possibly mainly by their ability to produce very resistant resting cysts, most surviving for a long time due to reduced metazoan predation.

Final Report for Annex II--Assessment of Solar Radiation Resources In Saudi Arabia, 1998-2000

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Myers, D. R.; Wilcox, S. M.; Marion, W. F.

2002-04-01

The Final Report for Annex II - Assessment of Solar Radiation Resources in Saudi Arabia 1998-2000 summarizes the accomplishment of work performed, results achieved, and products produced under Annex II, a project established under the Agreement for Cooperation in the Field of Renewable Energy Research and Development between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States. The report covers work and accomplishments from January 1998 to December 2000. A previous progress report, Progress Report for Annex II - Assessment of Solar Radiation Resources in Saudi Arabia 1993-1997, NREL/TP-560-29374, summarizes earlier work and technical transfer of information under the project.more » The work was performed in at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, at the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and at selected weather stations of the Saudi Meteorological and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA).« less

Seroprevalence of Sheep and Goat Pox, Peste Des Petits Ruminants and Rift Valley Fever in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Boshra, Hani; Truong, Thang; Babiuk, Shawn; Hemida, Maged Gomaa

2015-01-01

Sheep and goat pox, peste des petits ruminants and Rift Valley fever are important diseases of small ruminant livestock. Sheep and goat pox, along with peste des petits ruminants, are endemic throughout most of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Whereas Rift Valley fever is endemic in Africa, outbreaks in the Middle East have been reported over the past decade, including the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia is a major importer of livestock, and understanding the prevalence of these viral infections would be useful for disease control. In this study, sera from sheep and goats were collected from 3 regions in Saudi Arabia. They were evaluated for antibodies specific to sheep and goat pox, peste des petits ruminants and Rift Valley fever by virus neutralization assays. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the seroprevalence of these viruses in sheep and goats.

The factors influencing burnout and job satisfaction among critical care nurses: a study of Saudi critical care nurses.

PubMed

Alharbi, Jalal; Wilson, Rhonda; Woods, Cindy; Usher, Kim

2016-09-01

The aim of the study was to explore the prevalence of burnout and job satisfaction among Saudi national critical care nurses. Burnout is caused by a number of factors, including personal, organisational and professional issues. Previous literature reports a strong relationship between burnout and job satisfaction among critical care nurses. Little is known about this phenomenon among Saudi national critical care nurses. A convenience sample of 150 Saudi national critical care nurses from three hospitals in Hail, Saudi Arabia were included in a cross-sectional survey. Saudi national critical care registered nurses reported moderate to high levels of burnout in the areas of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation. Participants also reported a feeling of ambivalence and dissatisfaction with their jobs but were satisfied with the nature of their work. Saudi national critical care nurses experience moderate to high levels of burnout and low levels of job satisfaction. Burnout is a predictor of job satisfaction for Saudi national critical care nurses. These results provide clear evidence of the need for nurse managers and policy makers to devise strategies to help nurses better cope with a stressful work environment, thereby also improving job satisfaction among Saudi national critical care nurses. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Epidemiology of Viral Hepatitis in Saudi Arabia: Are We Off the Hook?

PubMed Central

Abdo, Ayman A.; Sanai, Faisal M.; Al-Faleh, Faleh Z.

2012-01-01

Some 400 million people worldwide are currently infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), and the infection is common in the Middle East. Another 170 million people around the globe presently live with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Both HBV and HCV represent a worldwide epidemic. Despite significant decline in the prevalence of HBV and HCV infection in Saudi Arabia, these viral diseases cause significant morbidity and mortality, and impose a great burden on the country's healthcare system. On the other hand, Saudi epidemiology studies have shown that the hepatitis A virus seroprevalence in the country has reduced considerably over the past two decades. The progress in mapping the epidemiological pattern of viral hepatitis in Saudi Arabia has not only aided our understanding of the disease, but has also exposed the small but relevant gaps in our identification of the intricate details concerning the disease's clinical expression. In this review, we aim to document the timeline of viral hepatitis epidemiology in Saudi Arabia, while summarizing the relevant published literature on the subject. PMID:23150019

Identifying Twitter influencer profiles for health promotion in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Albalawi, Yousef; Sixsmith, Jane

2017-06-01

New media platforms, such as Twitter, provide the ideal opportunity to positively influence the health of large audiences. Saudi Arabia has one of the highest number of Twitter users of any country, some of whom are very influential in setting agendas and contributing to the dissemination of ideas. Those opinion leaders, both individuals and organizations, influential in the new media environment have the potential to raise awareness of health issues, advocate for health and potentially instigate change at a social level. To realize the potential of the new media platforms for public health, the function of opinion leaders is key. This study aims to identify and profile the most influential Twitter accounts in Saudi Arabia. Multiple measures, including: number of followers and four influence scores, were used to evaluate Twitter accounts. The data were then filtered and analysed using ratio and percentage calculations to identify the most influential users. In total, 99 Saudi Twitter accounts were classified, resulting in the identification of 25 religious men/women, 16 traditional media, 14 sports related, 10 new media, 6 political, 6 company and 4 health accounts. The methods used to identify the key influential Saudi accounts can be applied to inform profile development of Twitter users in other countries. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Diversity of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus CC22-MRSA-IV from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region.

PubMed

Senok, Abiola; Somily, Ali; Raji, Adeola; Gawlik, Darius; Al-Shahrani, Fatimah; Baqi, Shehla; Boswihi, Samar; Skakni, Leila; Udo, Edet E; Weber, Stefan; Ehricht, Ralf; Monecke, Stefan

2016-10-01

CC22-MRSA-IV, UK-EMRSA-15/Barnim EMRSA, is a common and pandemic strain of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that has been found mainly in Western Europe, but also in other parts of the world including some Gulf countries. One suspected case of an infection with this strain in a patient who was admitted to the surgical unit in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was investigated in order to check whether this strain has reached KSA. Besides the index isolate, 46 additional isolates of CC22-MRSA-IV from patients from KSA, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait, and Germany (patients with a history of travel in the Middle East), were characterized by microarray hybridization. The study revealed a regional presence of as many as six distinct 'strains' of CC22-MRSA-IV that could be distinguished based on carriage of SCCmec IV subtypes and virulence factors. No true UK-EMRSA-15/Barnim EMRSA was identified in Riyadh; all suspected isolates from Riyadh were assigned to other, albeit related strains. However, this strain was identified in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait. CC22-MRSA-IV from KSA could be linked to other epidemic strains from the Middle East and possibly India, rather than to the Western European UK-EMRSA-15/Barnim EMRSA. High-resolution typing methods, including SCCmec subtyping, might help to differentiate related epidemic strains and to monitor routes of transmission. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The Khida terrane - Geology of Paleoproterozoic rocks in the Muhayil area, eastern Arabian Shield, Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoeser, D.B.; Whitehouse, M.J.; Stacey, J.S.

2001-01-01

The bulk of the Arabian Shield of Saudi Arabia is underlain by Neoproterozoic terranes of oceanic affinity that were accreted during Pan-African time (about 680- 640Ma). Geologicalmappingandisotopicinvestigations during the 1980’s,however, provided the first evidence for Paleoproterozoic continental crust within the east- central part of the shield in Saudi Arabia. These studies delineated an older basement domain, herein referred to as the Khida terrane (Fig. l), which is defined as that part of the southern Afif composite terrane underlain by Paleoproterozoicto Archean continental crust (Stoeser and Stacey, 1988). The isotopic and geochronologic work to support our current studies within the Khida terrane are discussed in a companion abstract (Whitehouse et al., this volume). The regional geology and geochronology of the region has been summarized in detail by Johnson (1996). The current study is based on the continued use of samples previously collected in the Khida area by the authors and others as well as new field work conducted by us in 1999. This work further defines the occurrence of late Paleoproterozoic rocks at Jabal Muhayil, which is located at the eastern margin of the exposed terrane (Fig. 1). Our isotopic work is at an early stage and this abstract partly relates geologic problems that remain to be resolved. 

Alterations in Blood Coagulation and Viscosity Among Young Male Cigarette Smokers of Al-Jouf Region in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Almarshad, Hassan A; Hassan, Fathelrahman M

2016-05-01

Hemorheology, a measure of rheological properties of blood, is often correlated with cerebral blood flow and cardiac output; an increased blood viscosity may increase the risk of thrombosis or thromboembolic events. Previous studies have reported a large variation in hemorheological properties of blood among smokers. This prompted us to conduct coagulation experiments to evaluate the effect of cigarette smoking on hematological parameters, like cell counts, and coagulation parameters among young males in Al-Jouf region, Saudi Arabia. The hematological and coagulation parameters were used to relate the changes in viscosity and coagulation to smoking. A total of 321 male participants (126 nonsmokers and 195 smokers) were enrolled into the study as randomized sample. Complete blood count was measured by hematology analyzer, and coagulation tests were performed by coagulation analyzer. Thettest analysis was performed to compare the relationships of variables between the 2 groups. The results confirmed that smoking alters some hematology parameters leading to significant deterioration in blood flow properties. Smoking also increased the hematocrit (HCT), whole blood viscosity (WBV), and plasma viscosity (PV) but decreased the international normalized ratio (INR). The decrease in INR was found to be associated with the increase in WBV, PV, and HCT. Further investigations are necessary to assess the reversibility of such changes in cessation of smoking or other elements of influence. © The Author(s) 2014.

Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-22

12 Terrorist Financing and Material Support: Concerns and Responses ..................................... 13 U.S. Foreign Assistance to...Efforts to improve sectarian relations are complicated by anti -Shia violence, official discrimination, and official Saudi concerns about perceived

Obstacles of Saudi Woman Work in the Mixed Environment: A Field Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

AL-Hazmi, Mohammad Abdullah; Hammad, Mohammad Ahamd; AL-Shahrani, Hend Faye

2017-01-01

The study aimed to identify the obstacles facing Saudi woman while working in a mixed work environment. The main study sample consisted of (223) from the health sector female affiliates and were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of (129) participants from the health sector and workers in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)…

Saudi Arabia’s Counterterrorism Methods: A Case Study on Homeland Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

laws to safeguard the homeland and its borders, Saudi Arabia has enacted laws that impose stiff penalties aimed at money laundering and other illicit...safeguard the homeland and its borders, Saudi Arabia has enacted laws that impose stiff penalties aimed at money laundering and other illicit activities...34 1. Combating Financing Terrorist Organizations ............... 34 2. Combating Money Laundering by

The Effects of Using Peer and Teacher Feedback into Saudi Writing Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhaisoni, Eid; Alzuoud, Khalid

2012-01-01

This paper aims to investigate the efficacy of two commonly used techniques of feedback in teaching writing: teachers' feedback and peers' feedback in the Saudi educational context. The study was comprised of 132 Saudi EFL students enrolled at the Department of English in the University of Hai'l. The data collection was carried out through a…

Psychological Challenges of Saudi Female International Students in Virginia: Single Qualitative Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Joyce G.

2016-01-01

Saudi Arabian female international students enrolled in a public university in Northern Virginia used either problem-focused coping or emotion-focused coping strategies to overcome psychological and social challenges. Sixteen Saudi females participated in this qualitative case study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain the opinions…

An analysis of macroeconomic fluctuations for a small open oil-based economy: The case of Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Abdulkarim, Bander B.

Model. The empirical models then are applied to sets of data from 1980 to 2002 for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Venezuela and Norway. The rationale of including other oil-exporting countries is to distinguish whether the shocks are country-specific, regional-specific, or global. Two sets of shocks are considered: international shocks and domestic shocks. Three types of international shocks are chosen: commodity-price (oil price) shock, international financial (interest rate) shock, and international real (output) shock. In addition, five domestic shocks which are non-oil output shock, oil production shock, price level shock, monetary shock, and exchange rate shock. The findings reached in the study demonstrate that the international shocks are responsible for a high proportion of fluctuations in the economic activity in Saudi Arabia. Most importantly, the international financial shocks represented by the US interest rate and oil price shocks are the major sources of fluctuations in the Saudi Arabian economy. Domestically, the economy is mostly affected by the oil production and the non-oil output shocks for Saudi Arabia. These results emphasize that the Saudi Arabia's role in the international oil market and its fixed exchange rate regime have significant implications on the domestic economy. Thus, special considerations should be placed on designing the appropriate policies to lessen the dependency on the oil sector and strengthen the role of private sector to diversify the economic base, and provide an independent sound monetary policy to steer the economy from the fluctuations in the global economy. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Composition of soil microbiome along elevation gradients in southwestern highlands of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Yasir, Muhammad; Azhar, Esam I; Khan, Imran; Bibi, Fehmida; Baabdullah, Rnda; Al-Zahrani, Ibrahim A; Al-Ghamdi, Ahmed K

2015-03-14

Saudi Arabia is mostly barren except the southwestern highlands that are susceptible to environmental changes, a hotspot for biodiversity, but poorly studied for microbial diversity and composition. In this study, 454-pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA gene hypervariable region V6 was used to analyze soil bacterial community along elevation gradients of the southwestern highlands. In general, lower percentage of total soil organic matter (SOM) and nitrogen were detected in the analyzed soil samples. Total 33 different phyla were identified across the samples, including dominant phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria. Representative OTUs were grouped into 329 and 508 different taxa at family and genus level taxonomic classification, respectively. The identified OTUs unique to each sample were very low irrespective of the altitude. Jackknifed principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) revealed, overall differences in the bacterial community were more related to the quantity of specific OTUs than to their diversity among the studied samples. Bacterial diversity and soil physicochemical properties did not show consistent changes along the elevation gradients. The large number of OTUs shared between the studied samples suggest the presence of a core soil bacterial community in the southwestern highlands of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi anti-human cancer plants database (SACPD): A collection of plants with anti-human cancer activities

PubMed Central

Al-Zahrani, Ateeq Ahmed

2018-01-01

Several anticancer drugs have been developed from natural products such as plants. Successful experiments in inhibiting the growth of human cancer cell lines using Saudi plants were published over the last three decades. Up to date, there is no Saudi anticancer plants database as a comprehensive source for the interesting data generated from these experiments. Therefore, there was a need for creating a database to collect, organize, search and retrieve such data. As a result, the current paper describes the generation of the Saudi anti-human cancer plants database (SACPD). The database contains most of the reported information about the naturally growing Saudi anticancer plants. SACPD comprises the scientific and local names of 91 plant species that grow naturally in Saudi Arabia. These species belong to 38 different taxonomic families. In Addition, 18 species that represent16 family of medicinal plants and are intensively sold in the local markets in Saudi Arabia were added to the database. The website provides interesting details, including plant part containing the anticancer bioactive compounds, plants locations and cancer/cell type against which they exhibit their anticancer activity. Our survey revealed that breast, liver and leukemia were the most studied cancer cell lines in Saudi Arabia with percentages of 27%, 19% and 15%, respectively. The current SACPD represents a nucleus around which more development efforts can expand to accommodate all future submissions about new Saudi plant species with anticancer activities. SACPD will provide an excellent starting point for researchers and pharmaceutical companies who are interested in developing new anticancer drugs. SACPD is available online at https://teeqrani1.wixsite.com/sapd PMID:29774137

Saudi anti-human cancer plants database (SACPD): A collection of plants with anti-human cancer activities.

PubMed

Al-Zahrani, Ateeq Ahmed

2018-01-30

Several anticancer drugs have been developed from natural products such as plants. Successful experiments in inhibiting the growth of human cancer cell lines using Saudi plants were published over the last three decades. Up to date, there is no Saudi anticancer plants database as a comprehensive source for the interesting data generated from these experiments. Therefore, there was a need for creating a database to collect, organize, search and retrieve such data. As a result, the current paper describes the generation of the Saudi anti-human cancer plants database (SACPD). The database contains most of the reported information about the naturally growing Saudi anticancer plants. SACPD comprises the scientific and local names of 91 plant species that grow naturally in Saudi Arabia. These species belong to 38 different taxonomic families. In Addition, 18 species that represent16 family of medicinal plants and are intensively sold in the local markets in Saudi Arabia were added to the database. The website provides interesting details, including plant part containing the anticancer bioactive compounds, plants locations and cancer/cell type against which they exhibit their anticancer activity. Our survey revealed that breast, liver and leukemia were the most studied cancer cell lines in Saudi Arabia with percentages of 27%, 19% and 15%, respectively. The current SACPD represents a nucleus around which more development efforts can expand to accommodate all future submissions about new Saudi plant species with anticancer activities. SACPD will provide an excellent starting point for researchers and pharmaceutical companies who are interested in developing new anticancer drugs. SACPD is available online at https://teeqrani1.wixsite.com/sapd.

Identification, Quantification, and Toxicity of PCDDs and PCDFs in Soils from Industrial Areas in the Central and Eastern Regions of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Wabel, Mohammad I; El-Saeid, Mohamed H; Usman, Adel R A; Al-Turki, Ali M; Ahmad, Mahtab; Hassanin, Ashraf S; El-Naggar, Ahmed H; Alenazi, Khaled K H

2016-05-01

This study was conducted to identify and quantify polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) in soil samples collected from selected industrial areas in the central and eastern regions of Saudi Arabia. All the investigated compounds of PCDDs/PCDFs were identified in the studied locations. The average concentrations of PCDDs (sum of seven congeners measured) ranged from 11.5 to 59.6 pg g(-1), with a maximum concentration of 125.7 pg g(-1) at an oil refinery station followed by 100.9 pg g(-1) at a cement factory. The average concentrations of PCDFs (sum of 10 congeners measured) accounted for 11.68-19.35 pg g(-1), with a maximum concentration of 38.67 pg g(-1) at the cement factory. It was generally observed that the soil samples collected from industrial areas have substantially high toxicity equivalence (TEQ) values of PCDDs/PCDFs compared to soils of remote areas. Principal component analysis revealed that the cement factories and oil refineries were the primary sources of PCDDs and PCDFs.

Teachers' Attitudes toward Children with Autism: A Comparative Study of the United States and Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alamri, Abdulrahman; Tyler-Wood, Tandra

2015-01-01

Saudi Arabia (Saudi) and the United States (U.S.) both have procedures in place for identifying and serving individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in the general classroom setting. To determine differences in teachers' attitude towards autism in Saudi and the U.S., data were gathered, compared, and contrasted from both general education…

Saudi Arabia. A Study of the Educational System of Saudi Arabia and a Guide to the Academic Placement of Students in Educational Institutions of the United States. World Education Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, E. Eugene

Information on the educational system of Saudi Arabia and the placement of Saudi students in U.S. schools and colleges is presented. After briefly introducing the country and the educational system, attention is directed to elementary education. A new type of secondary school program that includes general and specialized courses is described.…

Phylogenetic and nucleotide sequence analysis of influenza A (H1N1) HA and NA genes of strains isolated from Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al-Qahtani, Ahmed Ali; Mubin, Muhammad; Dela Cruz, Damian M; Althawadi, Sahar Isa; Ul Rehman, Muhammad Shah Nawaz; Bohol, Marie Fe F; Al-Ahdal, Mohammed N

2017-01-30

In early 2009, a novel influenza A (H1N1) virus appeared in Mexico and rapidly disseminated worldwide. Little is known about the phylogeny and evolutionary dynamics of the H1N1 strain found in Saudi Arabia. Nucleotide sequencing and bioinformatics analyses were used to study molecular variation between the virus isolates. In this report, 72 hemagglutinin (HA) and 45 neuraminidase (NA) H1N1 virus gene sequences, isolated in 2009 from various regions of Saudi Arabia, were analyzed. Genetic characterization indicated that viruses from two different clades, 6 and 7, were circulating in the region, with clade 7, the most widely circulating H1N1 clade globally in 2009, being predominant. Sequence analysis of the HA and NA genes revealed a high degree of sequence identity with the corresponding genes from viruses circulating in the South East Asia region and with the A/California/7/2009 strain. New mutations in the HA gene of pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) viruses, that could alter viral fitness, were identified. Relaxed-clock and Bayesian Skyline Plot analyses, based on the isolates used in this study and closely related globally representative strains, indicated marginally higher substitution rates than the type strain (5.14×10-3 and 4.18×10-3 substitutions/nucleotide/year in the HA and NA genes, respectively). The Saudi isolates were antigenically homogeneous and closely related to the prototype vaccine strain A/California/7/2009. The antigenic site of the HA gene had acquired novel mutations in some isolates, making continued monitoring of these viruses vital for the identification of potentially highly virulent and drug resistant variants.

Characterizing sleeping habits and disturbances among Saudi adults.

PubMed

Al-Tannir, Mohamad; Kobrosly, Samer Y; Al-Badr, Ahmad H; Salloum, Nourhan A; Altannir, Youssef M

2016-12-01

To characterize sleeping habits, assess sleep disturbance prevalence, and identify associated factors among Saudi adults.  Methods: A total of 1720 adults were approached for this observational cross-sectional study between October 2014 and March 2015. The study took place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. We used a questionnaire to describe sleeping characteristics in relation to existing chronic diseases, smoking status, obesity, daily performance and sociodemographic variables. Results: The response rate was 79.6% (1369 participants), 61.6% have or may have sleeping disturbances of which 18.6% claimed either slowed or stopped breathing during sleep. Women reported a higher prevalence of sleep disturbances (65.2%). Feeling tired was significantly associated with sleep disturbance (49% versus 19.7%) (p greater than 0.001). Approximately 78.4% of those with sleep disturbance significantly believed that their ability to perform daily tasks is affected (p=0.005). Moreover, smoking and obesity were significantly associated with sleep disturbances (p less than 0.01). Participants with asthma, hypertension, chronic heart disease, and diabetes mellitus reported significantly more sleeping disturbance (p=0.016 to p=0.001). Conclusions: Sleep disturbances are associated with obesity, smoking, chronic health conditions, and lower performance among  Saudi adults.

The Implication of Agricultural Expansion on the Groundwater Flow Regime of Saq Aquifer in Al Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alharbi, T.; Mansour Helmy, B. M.

2017-12-01

Al-Qassim Region in Saudi Arabia is characterized by expanding agricultural activities. Most agricultural fields are irrigated by groundwater, mainly from the Saq aquifer. Excessive water extraction from this aquifer and arid climatic conditions negatively alter the quality and quantity of the groundwater. In this study, detailed hydrological and hydrogeological investigations were carried out to characterize spatially the potential groundwater recharge zones, deal with the estimation of groundwater balance of the Saq aquifer in the study area and to assess the safe yield of the aquifer. Accordingly, the implication of agricultural expansion on groundwater flow regime of Saq aquifer and its relation with safe yield and groundwater recharge was evaluated. The water-budget was calculated and the main water Inputs and outputs were measured. Change detections of agricultural areas in the region for years, 1983, 1995 and 2005 were conducted using Landsat Satellite images and results were compared to water levels for same years. There are two potential recharge zones for Saq aquifer in the area, both are structurally controlled. The first zone is the outlet of wadi Ar Risha basin in south-eastern corner of the study area. The second is the western water divide of wadi Turfiya basin in the North west. Results of the study also indicated that 96.4 % of the total abstraction is consumed for agriculture supply. The present abstractions exceed both recharge and safe yield of the aquifer system, thus the aquifer is overexploited and mined. The average decrease in groundwater storage during the year 1983-2005 was estimated to be 33.4 Mm3, representing an average yearly decline of 1.98 m of the water table.

Perinatal Morbidity and Mortality in Offsprings of Diabetic Mothers in Qatif, Saudi Arabia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Dabbous, Ibrahim A. Al-; And Others

1995-01-01

Studied perinatal and neonatal morbidity and mortality of diabetic mothers and their offspring in Qatif, Saudi Arabia. Suggests diabetes mellitus in pregnancy may be a common problem in Saudi Arabia, as poor maternal diabetic control results in high perinatal morbidity and mortality. Results suggest that health education and improved coverage of…

Analyzing the Findings of the Saudi Research on Student Attrition in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aljohani, Othman

2016-01-01

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the available literature on student attrition in Saudi higher education context. Despite the reported low student retention rates in Saudi tertiary institutions, student attrition remains an under-researched phenomenon. Thus, this paper aims to trace and collect all the available studies that addressed…

Willingness to pay for improved public health care services in Saudi Arabia: a contingent valuation study among heads of Saudi households.

PubMed

Al-Hanawi, Mohammed K; Alsharqi, Omar; Vaidya, Kirit

2018-06-04

The bulk of health care service provision in Saudi Arabia is undertaken by the public health care sector through the Ministry of Health, which is funded annually by the total government budget, which, in turn, is derived primarily from oil revenue. Public health care services in Saudi Arabia are characterised by an overload, overuse, and shortage of medical personnel, which can result in dissatisfaction with the quality of the current public health care services. This study uses a contingent valuation method to investigate the willingness of Saudi people to pay for improvements to the quality of public health care services. This study also determines the association between the willingness to pay for quality improvements and respondents' demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 1187 heads of household in Jeddah Province over a five-month period. Multi-stage sampling was employed to recruit participants. Partial Tobit regression and corresponding marginal effects analyses were used to analyse the data. These empirical analyses show that the majority of the sample was willing to pay for quality improvements in the public health care services. The results of this study might be of use to policymakers to help with both priority setting and fund allocation.

Prevalence of sleep duration among Saudi adults

PubMed Central

Ahmed, Anwar E.; Al-Jahdali, Fares; AlALwan, Abdulaziz; Abuabat, Faisal; Salih, Salih Bin; Al-Harbi, Abdullah; Baharoon, Salim; Khan, Mohammad; Ali, Yosra Z.; Al-Jahdali, Hamdan

2017-01-01

Objectives: To examine the associations between sleep duration and a variety of demographic and clinical variables in a sample of Saudi adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study among 2,095 participants was conducted at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between May and October 2014. A questionnaire was administered to collect data related to clinical health outcomes and demographic characteristics. Participants were asked to report their average sleep duration per night in hours. Results: One-third (33.8%) reported short sleep duration of less than 7 hours/night. Short sleep duration was more prevalent in females (37.3% versus 31.4%, p=0.004). The most common medical problems reported were obesity with body mass index of >30 Kg/m2 (39.1%), hypertension (33.9%), diabetes mellitus (20.8%), depression (4.3%), asthma (17.3%), COPD (6.6%), and hyperlipidemia (2.7%). Diabetes mellitus was associated with long sleep of more than 9 hours/night (25.4%, p=0.011) and hypertension (54.2%, p=0.001). The linear regression model tend to reduce their sleep duration by roughly 22 minutes in female gender, 66 minutes in participants with hyperlipidemia, and 70 minutes in participants with poor sleep quality. Conclusions: Short sleep duration per night was prevalent, it affects one in every 3 Saudi adults. Long sleep duration of more than 9 hours was associated with increased comorbid conditions. PMID:28251223

Towards an electronic national injury surveillance system in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alanazi, F; Hussain, S A; Mandil, A; Alamro, N

2015-04-02

Given the need for a uniform, comprehensive, electronic nationwide surveillance system for injuries in Saudi Arabia, a system was designed with the objectives of establishing an epidemiologic profile of injuries in the country; evaluating injury indicators on an ongoing basis; identifying high-risk groups requiring specific interventions; monitoring and evaluating interventions for effectiveness; and producing reports to assist in planning and resource allocation. A special form for this purpose was designed, modified from validated forms used elsewhere for injury surveillance. This initiative of the Ministry of Health is also expected to help validate data collected by other sectors, such as the Ministry of Interior. This paper reviews the milestones of building the system and aims to prompt a debate within the scientific community, especially within the Eastern Mediterranean Region, about the best way to design injury surveillance systems for the Region in order to fine-tune the proposed system before its full-scale implementation.

Saudi Arabia Today. A Teaching Program on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: (1) Grades 1-3, Our Visit to Saudi Arabia; (2) Grades 4-6, A Modern Kingdom; (3) Junior High School, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; (4) Senior High School, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning Enrichment, Inc., Williamsburg, VA.

This package includes materials for students and accompanying teaching guides and posters for teaching about life in contemporary Saudi Arabia for grades 1-8. The student folder for grades 1-3 presents information about the Middle Eastern nation in the form of a boy's letter to a friend back home. In the letter are descriptions of the cities of…

Receptor modelling study of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alghamdi, Mansour A; Alam, Mohammed S; Yin, Jianxin; Stark, Christopher; Jang, Eunhwa; Harrison, Roy M; Shamy, Magdy; Khoder, Mamdouh I; Shabbaj, Ibrahim I

2015-02-15

Measurements of 14 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) have been made in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with a view to establishing the concentrations in this major city, and quantifying the contributions of major sources. Particulate and vapour forms have been sampled and analysed separately. The concentrations are compared to measurements from other sites in the Middle Eastern region and are towards the lower end of the range, being far lower than concentrations reported from Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Assiut (Egypt) and Tehran (Iran) but broadly similar to those measured in Damascus (Syria) and higher than those measured in Kuwait. The partitioning between vapour and particle phases is similar to that in data from Egypt and China, but with many compounds showing a higher particle-associated percentage than in Birmingham (UK) possibly reflecting a higher concentration of airborne particulate matter in the former countries. Concentrations in Jeddah were significantly higher at a site close to the oil refinery and a site close to a major ring road than at a suburban site to the north of the city. Application of positive matrix factorisation to the pooled data elicited three factors accounting respectively for 17%, 33% and 50% of the measured sum of PAH and these are interpreted as arising from gasoline vehicles, industrial sources, particularly the oil refinery, and to diesel/fuel oil combustion. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Talking Story Books on Saudi Young EFL Learners' Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alsamadani, Hashem Ahmed

2017-01-01

The current research study investigated the effects of talking story books on Saudi young EFL learners' reading comprehension skills. A sample of Saudi-young-EFL learners were randomly selected and divided into two groups: an experimental group (40 students) and a control group (39 students). Students of both groups took a pre reading…

Needs Analysis of Saudi EFL Female Students: A Case Study of Qassim University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alqunayeer, Huda Sulieman; Zamir, Sadia

2016-01-01

This research study analyzes the target needs of EFL female Saudi students to choose EFL as their specialization. The population of the research is the female students enrolled in Bachelors in English program, at the Department of English Language and Translation, Qassim University Saudi Arabia. Adapting the Hutchinson and Waters model of Needs…

Education as a Tool for Peace? The King Abdullah Scholarship Program and Perceptions of Saudi Arabia and UAE Post 9/11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilal, Kholoud T.; Denman, Brian D.

2013-01-01

Since 9/11, Saudi Arabia has made significant attempts to change its public image because of its alleged association with global terrorism. Given its charitable interests in promoting education as a tool for peace within the Arab region, it has established the King Abdullah Scholarship Program (KASP), considered to be the most heavily endowed…

How Jordan and Saudi Arabia are avoiding a tragedy of the commons over shared groundwater

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, Marc F.; Müller-Itten, Michèle C.; Gorelick, Steven M.

2017-07-01

Transboundary aquifers are ubiquitous and strategically important to global food and water security. Yet these shared resources are being depleted at an alarming rate. Focusing on the Disi aquifer, a key nonrenewable source of groundwater shared by Jordan and Saudi Arabia, this study develops a two-stage game that evaluates optimal transboundary strategies of common-pool resource exploitation under various assumptions. The analysis relies on estimates of agricultural water use from satellite imagery, which were obtained using three independent remote sensing approaches. Drawdown response to pumping is simulated using a 2-D regional aquifer model. Jordan and Saudi Arabia developed a buffer-zone strategy with a prescribed minimum distance between each country's pumping centers. We show that by limiting the marginal impact of pumping decisions on the other country's pumping costs, this strategy will likely avoid an impeding tragedy of the commons for at least 60 years. Our analysis underscores the role played by distance between wells and disparities in groundwater exploitation costs on common-pool overdraft. In effect, if pumping centers are distant enough, a shared aquifer no longer behaves as a common-pool resource and a tragedy of the commons can be avoided. The 2015 Disi aquifer pumping agreement between Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which in practice relies on a joint technical commission to enforce exclusion zones, is the first agreement of this type between sovereign countries and has a promising potential to avoid conflicts or resolve potential transboundary groundwater disputes over comparable aquifer systems elsewhere.

Social Support, Religious Endorsement, and Career Commitment: A Study on Saudi Nurses

PubMed Central

Azim, Mohammad T.

2018-01-01

The present study investigates the effect of perceived social support (PSS) and perceived religious endorsement (PRE) on career commitment (CC) of Saudi nurses. The investigation also extends to the moderating role of different demographic and organizational factors in the extent of PSS, and career commitment these nurses report. Data required for meeting these study objectives were collected from male and female Saudi nurses through a structured questionnaire. Multiple regressions using Partial Least Squares based Structural Equation Model, Smart-PLS version 3.0, and independent sample t-test using SPSS version 22.0, were used to analyze data. The study findings reveal that both perceived social support and perceived religious endorsement are important antecedents of career commitment of Saudi nurses. However, private-sector nurses are found to exhibit a significantly higher level of career commitment compared to their public-sector counterparts. Nurses with greater educational attainment perceive higher level of social support and express greater career commitment than their less educated peers. These findings suggest that nursing as a profession should be more openly discussed in both secular and religious contexts, to ensure an adequate level of respect and compassion on behalf of the public. In particular, endorsement from the individual nurses’ social networks is vital in maintaining their wellbeing and career commitment. Given the religious influence in all aspects of life in the Saudi society, the current practice of gender-based segregation in Saudi hospitals and clinics seems to be meaningful for sustaining the career commitment of the nurses. PMID:29320417

Social Support, Religious Endorsement, and Career Commitment: A Study on Saudi Nurses.

PubMed

Azim, Mohammad T; Islam, Mazharul M

2018-01-10

The present study investigates the effect of perceived social support (PSS) and perceived religious endorsement (PRE) on career commitment (CC) of Saudi nurses. The investigation also extends to the moderating role of different demographic and organizational factors in the extent of PSS, and career commitment these nurses report. Data required for meeting these study objectives were collected from male and female Saudi nurses through a structured questionnaire. Multiple regressions using Partial Least Squares based Structural Equation Model, Smart-PLS version 3.0, and independent sample t -test using SPSS version 22.0, were used to analyze data. The study findings reveal that both perceived social support and perceived religious endorsement are important antecedents of career commitment of Saudi nurses. However, private-sector nurses are found to exhibit a significantly higher level of career commitment compared to their public-sector counterparts. Nurses with greater educational attainment perceive higher level of social support and express greater career commitment than their less educated peers. These findings suggest that nursing as a profession should be more openly discussed in both secular and religious contexts, to ensure an adequate level of respect and compassion on behalf of the public. In particular, endorsement from the individual nurses' social networks is vital in maintaining their wellbeing and career commitment. Given the religious influence in all aspects of life in the Saudi society, the current practice of gender-based segregation in Saudi hospitals and clinics seems to be meaningful for sustaining the career commitment of the nurses.

The Saudi Arabian International Student Experience: From a Gender-Segregated Society to Studying in a Mixed-Gender Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alhazmi, Ahmed; Nyland, Berenice

2013-01-01

In Saudi Arabia gender segregation is a cultural practice that occurs across all public and private domains. This segregation has shaped the lives of Saudi citizens and is driven socially through cultural and religious discourses and politically through regulation and policy. For Saudi students undertaking their education in western countries, the…

Cenozoic volcanic rocks of Saudi Arabia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Coleman, R.G.; Gregory, R.T.; Brown, G.F.

2016-01-01

The historical record of volcanic activity in Saudi Arabia suggests that volcanism is dormant. The harrats should be evaluated for their potential as volcanic hazards and as sources of geothermal energy. The volcanic rocks are natural traps for groundwater; thus water resources for agriculture may be significant and should be investigated.

Establishment of reference intervals of clinical chemistry analytes for the adult population in Saudi Arabia: a study conducted as a part of the IFCC global study on reference values.

PubMed

Borai, Anwar; Ichihara, Kiyoshi; Al Masaud, Abdulaziz; Tamimi, Waleed; Bahijri, Suhad; Armbuster, David; Bawazeer, Ali; Nawajha, Mustafa; Otaibi, Nawaf; Khalil, Haitham; Kawano, Reo; Kaddam, Ibrahim; Abdelaal, Mohamed

2016-05-01

This study is a part of the IFCC-global study to derive reference intervals (RIs) for 28 chemistry analytes in Saudis. Healthy individuals (n=826) aged ≥18 years were recruited using the global study protocol. All specimens were measured using an Architect analyzer. RIs were derived by both parametric and non-parametric methods for comparative purpose. The need for secondary exclusion of reference values based on latent abnormal values exclusion (LAVE) method was examined. The magnitude of variation attributable to gender, ages and regions was calculated by the standard deviation ratio (SDR). Sources of variations: age, BMI, physical exercise and smoking levels were investigated by using the multiple regression analysis. SDRs for gender, age and regional differences were significant for 14, 8 and 2 analytes, respectively. BMI-related changes in test results were noted conspicuously for CRP. For some metabolic related parameters the ranges of RIs by non-parametric method were wider than by the parametric method and RIs derived using the LAVE method were significantly different than those without it. RIs were derived with and without gender partition (BMI, drugs and supplements were considered). RIs applicable to Saudis were established for the majority of chemistry analytes, whereas gender, regional and age RI partitioning was required for some analytes. The elevated upper limits of metabolic analytes reflects the existence of high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in Saudi population.

Evaluation of the mastoid triangle for determining sexual dimorphism: A Saudi population based study.

PubMed

Madadin, Mohammed; Menezes, Ritesh G; Al Dhafeeri, Obaid; Kharoshah, Magdy A; Al Ibrahim, Rana; Nagesh, K R; Ramadan, Selma Uysal

2015-09-01

Demographic assessment of skeletal remains in forensic investigations includes identification of sex. The present study aimed to develop population-specific, sex-discriminating anthropometric standards for the mastoid triangle of a documented Saudi population using computed tomographic (CT) images of the lateral aspect of the skull. The present study was performed on 206 CT images of a documented Saudi population of known sex and age. The clinical CT images of subjects visiting the Department of Radiology, Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam, Saudi Arabia (KSA) were evaluated to know the validity of the metric assessment of the mastoid triangle for identification of sex in a Saudi population. The distance between asterion to porion (AP), asterion to mastoidale (AM), porion to mastoidale (PM) were measured and the area of the mastoid triangle (AMT) was calculated using these measurements. Discriminant function procedure was used to analyze the data for sexual dimorphism. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that all the 3 sides of the mastoid triangle and AMT were sexually dimorphic in the sampled Saudi population with PM being the best individual parameter in discriminating sex with an accuracy of 69.4%. Whereas, all the parameters combined showed the highest accuracy (71.4%). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utilization of penile prosthesis and male incontinence prosthetics in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alwaal, Amjad; Al-Sayyad, Ahmad J

2017-01-01

Erectile dysfunction is a prevalent disease affecting over 50% of men between the ages of 40 and 70 years. Penile prosthesis represents the end of the line treatment when other less invasive therapies fail or are contraindicated. Male stress urinary incontinence can significantly diminish quality of life and lead to embarrassment and social withdrawal. Surgical therapies, such as male urethral slings and artificial urinary sphincters (AUS), are considered effective and safe treatments for male stress incontinence. No data exist on the utilization of penile prosthesis or male incontinence surgical treatment in Saudi Arabia. Generally, urological prosthetic surgery is performed either in private hospitals or in government hospitals. Our aim was to assess the trend of penile prosthesis and male incontinence device utilization in Saudi Arabia. We utilized sales' data of penile prosthetics, male slings, and AUS from the only two companies selling these devices in Saudi Arabia (AMS ® and Coloplast ® ), from January 2013 to December 2016. There were 2599 penile prosthesis implantation procedures done in the study period, with 67% of them performed in private institutions. There was a progressively increased use of penile prosthetics which nearly doubled from 2013 to 2016. The main type of prosthesis utilized was the semirigid type 70% versus 11% of the 2-piece inflatable and 17% of the 3-piece inflatable device. Only 10 slings and 31 AUS were inserted during the same study period. There is an increased utilization of penile prosthetics in Saudi Arabia. The private sector performs the majority of penile prosthesis procedures, and most of them are of the semirigid type. The governmental sector is more likely to perform inflatable penile prosthesis and male incontinence device procedures. Male incontinence prosthetics' use is very limited in Saudi Arabia.

Are we providing modern anesthetics services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia?

PubMed Central

Seraj, Mohamed Abdullah

2012-01-01

This illustrated detailed article will describe history of over forty years struggle, of hardship and discrimination to the specialty. I have with my colleagues faced obstacles and disappointments during the development of modern anaesthesia services with its subspecialties in Saudi Arabia. I have all support and encouragement from the top authorities of the university. I have managed to establish a top class anaesthesia department, Saudi Anaesthetic Association and the King Saud Fellowship in anaesthesia and intensive care within one decade. The next decade was assigned for expansion to create the Arab Board of anaesthesia and Intensive Care followed by the Saudi Specialty of anaesthesia and intensive care and its fellowship in different Subspecialties. I always wonder within myself, have I and my colleagues achieved our goal and did we do well. PMID:25885493