27 research outputs found
Exploring the Relationship Between Bakhour Use and Respiratory Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia
No full textMohammad A Jareebi,1 Ahmad Y Alqassim,1 Saja A Almraysi,1 Weaam A Alfaifi,1 Taif A Masri,1 Rana S Alaki,1 Wasan M Qawfashi,1 Khairiah Ibrahim Nehari,1 Sawsan B Hakami,1 Ibrahim M Gosadi,1 Mohammed A Muaddi,1 Abdullah A Alharbi,1 Anwar M Makeen,1 Sarah MA Salih,1 Ali Abdullah Masmali2 1Department of Family and Community Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Jazan Health Affairs, King Fahd Central Hospital, Jazan, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Mohammad A Jareebi, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected]: Despite deep cultural traditions, incense burning significantly impacts respiratory health. Effects of Arabian bakhour remain unknown in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan region with prevalent use. This cross-sectional study addresses this gap by investigating bakhour exposure and respiratory diseases.Methods: This was descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Jazan area, Saudi Arabia, from October 2023 to March 2024. A total of 1612 participants age more than 18 years, both gender and resident of Jazan Area were included. Those aged less than 18 years were excluded. SPSS v 26 was used for data analysis.Results: The sample (n=1612) had a mean age of 29± 11 years and was 63% female. Bakhour use was nearly universal (98%), especially using coal (73%). Higher bakhour frequency significantly associated with increased cough (p< 0.01) and dyspnea (p< 0.01). Certain bakhour types linked to greater allergic rhinitis prevalence (p< 0.01). Regression analysis revealed cough during bakhour use worsened respiratory health (increased respiratory score) by 3.89 times (95% CI 1.13– 6.64; p=0.006) while dyspnea increased the score by 7.48 times (95% CI 4.70– 10.25; p< 0.001).Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the association between Bakhour use and respiratory health in the Jazan region. The findings emphasize the need for further research and public health interventions to mitigate potential respiratory risks associated with Bakhour use.Keywords: bakhour, respiratory health, cough, dyspnea, allergic rhinitis, household air pollution, environmental healt
Assessment of Academic Performance: A Shared Experience from Jazan Faculty of Medicine, Saudi Arabia, and a Proposal for Systematic Monitoring and Evaluation
No full textContext:
In 2016, the Government of Saudi Arabia announced its ambitious transformation vision, Saudi Arabia Vision 2030, where a new Universities System was established. The new system aims to reduce bureaucracy in the academic environment and enable objective measurement of performance through the utilization of key performance indicators (KPIs). There are several KPIs that are related to faculty members’ performance. However, the assessment of the academic performance of faculty members can be diverse and challenging and may impact the ability of academic institutions to monitor and evaluate the progress in achieving the established key indicators.
Aims:
The aim of the study was to propose a low-cost system to monitor and evaluate the academic performance among health-related faculties.
Settings and Design:
In this report, we share our experience in Jazan University Faculty of Medicine to propose a low-cost system to monitor and evaluate the academic performance. This report provides a comprehensive description of data acquisition methods, data flow, data management, and data display.
Subjects and Methods:
The report describes the process of retrospective analysis of the routinely collected Faculty Academic Files (FAFs). Data extracted from the FAFs are used to assess academic performance of faculty members including activities related to teaching, research, administrative and clinical activities, continuous professional development, and provision of community services. Data analysis and display were performed by Microsoft Excel.
Results:
In 2020, the total number of observations extracted from collected FAFs exceeded 5000 and were inserted into the Academic Performance Database. Data analysis and visualization enabled estimation of several indicators necessary to assess academic performance of faculty members. The output of the system involves three main parameters including academic performance of each faculty member, academic performance according to departments, and ranking of faculty members according to the measured domains. Estimation of sum and average of activities in all departments enabled the development of benchmark on faculty level, which further allowed comparison between departments. The system output can enable the stakeholders of the faculty to visualize the academic performance of the faculty, perform situational assessment, and ensure appropriate resource utilization, data-driven decision-making, and planning.
Conclusions:
The system presents a comprehensive approach for data acquisition methods, data flow, data management, and data display in academic settings. However, there are some challenges pertaining to the systematic data acquisition and the need for more investment onto utilizing online and secure low-cost methods in order to enable easier data collection and management. The proposed enhanced system should be further developed to allow better data collection and continuous monitoring and evaluation
Depression, anxiety, and stress and their association with khat use: a cross-sectional study among Jazan University students, Saudi Arabia
No full textTariq Al Bahhawi,1 Osama B Albasheer,1 Anwar M Makeen,1 Abdulelah Mohammed Arishi,2 Othman Mohammed Hakami,2 Sultan Mohsen Maashi,2 Hamood Khairat Al-Khairat,2 Omar Madiny Alganmy,2 Yasir Adnan Sahal,2 Abdulaziz Aaref Sharif,2 Mohamed Salih Mahfouz1 1Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2Faculty of Medicine, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Background: Depression, anxiety, and stress levels are considered important indicators for mental health. Khat chewing habit is prevalent among all segments of Jazan population in Saudi Arabia. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate depression, anxiety, and stress among Jazan University students, and information about the correlation between khat use and these disorders is scarce. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress and their correlation with khat chewing and other risk factors among Jazan University students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 642 students from Jazan University. Multistage sampling was used, with probability proportional to size-sampling technique. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 questionnaire was used to collect the data, which were analyzed using SPSS Version 20.0 software. Results: Moderate depression was prevalent among 53.6% of the sample, anxiety was found among 65.7%, while 34.3% of the students suffered from stress. Female gender was strongly associated with higher mean scores for symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, with P-values <0.05 for all. Moreover, anxiety symptoms scores were statistically associated with grade point average and caffeine consumption. Khat use was statistically associated with higher mean scores of anxiety among males and a higher mean score of depression and anxiety among females. Conclusion: The results indicate a high rate of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among Jazan University students. Khat use was associated with anxiety, and a higher rate of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress was indicated among female students. Therefore, strategy for the prevention and management of depression, anxiety, and stress is highly recommended to minimize the impact of these serious disorders. Keywords: depression, anxiety, stress, DASS-21, khat use, and Jaza
Studying the aerodynamic signature of an airofoil structure beyond the experimental measuring limits of a wind tunnel using the ANN algorithm
No full textThis paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the utilization of an artificial neural network (ANN) to explore the aerodynamic characteristics of an airfoil. The ANN model, trained with an extensive experimental dataset, accurately predicts the lift and drag coefficients of different fabricated airfoils across a wide range of angles of attack (AoA) and wind speeds. The airfoil performance model is developed using practical measurements of lift and drag forces obtained from a diverse set of fabricated airfoils. The dataset covers wind speeds ranging from 4 to 10 m/s and AoA ranging from − 20 to 20°, providing a rich source of data that surpasses the limitations of traditional experimental setups. To enhance the accuracy and range of the dataset, a Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm (LMA) is employed for data regression, resulting in a significantly expanded dataset consisting of sub-million points. The accuracy of the developed model is rigorously tested and validated against experimental setups, demonstrating a maximum deviation error of 13% and an average accuracy exceeding 91%. The model\u27s effectiveness is further assessed by applying it to real-world wind speed profiles from three selected wind farms in Egypt. The model accurately predicts lift and drag coefficients not only below 10 m/s but also at an AoA of 10°. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature
Impact of khat price increases on consumption behavior – price elasticity analysis
No full textAbstract Background The long border of Saudi Arabia with Yemen is the primary route for khat entry to the Kingdom. As of April 2015, the government of SA tightened the border, making it more difficult to import khat into the country. As a result, local user prices of khat probably increased due in part to higher supply costs and perhaps lower quantities. One anti-drug strategy is to increase consumption cost by increasing the price of supply. We aim in this study to measure the responsiveness of khat demand to price changes. Methods This study used a cross-sectional survey design. Two stage sampling was used to recruit 350 khat chewers from four selected primary healthcare centers in Jazan province (South western province of Saudi Arabia). The data were collected during the first quarter of 2017. This study used both contingent valuation and revealed preference methods to assess the impact of price increases on the purchasing of khat. Graphical analysis, paired-samples t-test, and one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to assess the impact of price increases on khat consumption. Results The study results showed a significant decrease in khat consumption amount (t = 8.63, p ≤ 0.05), frequency (t = 30.42, p ≤ 0.05), and expenditure (t = 34.67, p ≤ 0.05) after the tightening of the Saudi–Yemeni border. Hence khat demand is price elastic. The price elasticity of khat demand in Jazan is estimated to be between − 2.38 and − 1.07. Therefore, each 1% increase in price is associated with 1–2% reduction in quantity demanded. This means khat chewers are relatively responsive to price changes (i.e., khat demand is price elastic). Repeated measures analysis of variance showed price increases significantly affect the quantity {F(4, 2.58) = 257, p ≤ 0.05, ηp2 = 0.423} and frequency {F(4, 1.83) = 415, p ≤ 0.05, ηp2 = 0.543} of khat chewing. Conclusions Increased prices for khat would significantly decrease demand. Accordingly, we recommend implementing law enforcement strategies focused on disrupting the khat supply chain to realize high prices and so discourage use, hence reducing the incidence of khat-related illnesses
Khat Chewing Habits in the Population of the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia: Prevalence and Associated Factors.
No full textThe use of khat (Catha edulis) is a major public health and social problem that is believed to be growing globally. The khat chewing habit is prevalent in all areas of the Jazan region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). However, few studies have been conducted at the community level to investigate the khat chewing habits in this area. This study was conducted with the aim of assessing the prevalence and predictors of khat chewing among the Jazan community population. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample (n = 4,500) of the Jizani population who attended primary heath care centers in Jazan region. The participants were selected using a two-stage cluster random sampling. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The overall lifetime prevalence of khat chewing was 33.2% (95% CI 31.8-34.7) and was significantly higher for males 42.2% (95% CI 40.4-43.9) than for females 11.3% (95% CI 9.6-13.1) (P < 0.001). Current khat chewers accounted for 28.7% (95% CI 27.4-30.1) of the population sampled; 36.9% (95% CI 35.2-38.6) of whom were males, which is a significantly higher percentage than the 8.7% (95% CI 7.3-10.4) of current khat chewers who were females (P < 0.001). The multivariate logistic regression analysis suggests that the most important independent predictors of khat chewing were having a friend who chewed khat (OR = 20.1, P < 0.001), participant's smoking status (OR) = 3.9, P < 0.001), friend's smoking status (OR = 2.2, P < 0.001), gender (OR = 2.2, P < 0.001) and educational level (OR = 1.5, P < 0.05). A large proportion of the Jizani populations chew khat. Government and non-governmental organizations NGOs should design and strengthen community prevention programs to curb the high prevalence of khat use
Khat Chewing Habits in the Population of the Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia: Prevalence and Associated Factors
No full textImplementation of Cigarette Plain Packaging: Triadic Reactions of Consumers, State Officials, and Tobacco Companies—The Case of Saudi Arabia
No full textObjectives: In August 2019, Saudi Arabia started implementing plain packaging for cigarettes. Three months later, an opposing campaign on twitter using an Arabic hashtag “the new smoke” gained momentum amongst smokers. The purpose of this study is to document this opposing campaign’s timeline and describe consumers, government, and tobacco industry rhetoric. Methods: We created a timeline of the campaign events then performed online social listening of Arabic twitter hashtags related to the campaign. Results: Campaigners mainly complained of an unfavorable new taste in cigarette packs with plain packaging. The messaging developed to accusations to government entities and neighboring countries, and then after threats to boycott tobacco companies. The campaign received a significant amount of media coverage and elicited an official response from a number of Saudi government bodies, such as the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and Ministry of Commerce and Investment. Conclusion: This case points at a need for risk communication training, possible tobacco industry manipulation, and a need to gain consumer trust with evidence-based messaging techniques. The case of cigarette plain packaging adoption in Saudi Arabia serves as an example to other countries of potential consumer interaction, tobacco industry interference, and state official counter-reactions
Assessment of Medical Students Burnout during COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textThis study estimated the prevalence of burnout and its determinants among medical students at Jazan University during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 444 medical students completed an online survey containing the Maslach burnout inventory. The prevalence of burnout was 54.5%. Burnout reached its peak during the fourth year whereas it was the lowest in the internship year. Being a resident in mountain areas, being delayed in college-level, being divorced, and having divorced parents were all associated with an increased risk of burnout. During their time at medical school, students generally showed a trend of consistently high scores in the personal accomplishment subscale, a decreasing trend in the emotional exhaustion subscale, and an increasing trend in the depersonalization subscale. The most important predictive factor was having separated parents. Perceived study satisfaction appeared to be a significant protective factor in a dose–response manner. These findings suggest that burnout among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic is a concern that should be monitored and prevented
Effect of Structured Traffic Education Program (STEP) on Knowledge and Commitment Toward Traffic Rules at First Year of Legal Driving in Saudi Arabia
No full textThere is no traffic-related education in the general educational curriculum of Saudi Arabia, and teenagers can acquire a licence without receiving traffic education. Consequently, the lack of sufficient traffic education can be a contributing factor to road traffic crashes (RTCs). This quantitative research study implemented a Structured Traffic Education Program (STEP) among 270 male students, all 18 years old. The study assessed demographic and driving experience characteristics and their association with exposure to car crashes and traffic violations. It is also an intervention study where there is statistical testing between baseline and follow-up data collection mediated by an intervention education program. It also analysed the levels of knowledge and self-reported commitment to traffic rules related to risky driving behaviours (RDBs) before and after implementing STEP. It was found that 66.3 percent of participants started driving at an illegal age, and only 1.5 percent underwent traffic education at a related institution. In addition, 67.8 percent of participants were unlicensed, 45.9 percent received at least one traffic violation, 34.1 percent were the mistaken party (at-fault driver) in crashes, and 56 percent watched drifting scenes out of curiosity or desire to be involved. Using a mobile phone while driving was the most prevalent RDB (77.8%). Saudis, drivers who started driving at an illegal age, car owners, and major traffic violators were significantly associated with causing crashes as the mistaken party (at-fault driver). The STEP program improved knowledge, commitment to traffic rules, and patterns related to RDBs. Additionally, driving licences should not be granted without comprehensive traffic education at driving schools. This study aims to contribute to reducing the epidemic of road traffic injuries (RTIs) and emphasises the importance of incorporating traffic education into school curricula
