Saudi Med J
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To assess the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy and its determinants among Saudi parents. In addition, we explored the relationship between vaccine hesitancy and child's immunization status. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using interviews with parents visiting outpatient clinics at King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between July 2017 and October 2018. The strategic advisory group of experts on immunization vaccine hesitancy survey was used. Results: A total of 500 parents were interviewed. ⋯ Negative beliefs toward vaccination seemed to be associated with increase hesitancy and incomplete vaccination status of children. In multivariate analyses, the main factors associated with both parents' hesitancy and incomplete vaccination status were believing that vaccines are ineffective (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.9-102.3) and believing that vaccines are not important (AOR=27, 95% CI: 5.8-126). Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy among parents in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a concern and is likely to influence the vaccination status of their children. Countering vaccine related concerns must be tailored, particularly in higher-educated groups.
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To determine the survival outcomes and to describe the epidemiological characteristics of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) in western Saudi Arabia. ⋯ Colorectal cancer patients presented to the hospital late in the disease course. This may call for lowering the screening age, increasing awareness programs, and establishing a national screening program.
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To assess social media and search engines used to find health information in Saudi patients and their companions and to describe their perceptions, attitudes, and practices. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 374 patients and their companions at a tertiary care hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected between January and March 2018 using a self-administrated questionnaire adopted from the literature and developed in Arabic. The questionnaire was validated and modified by the researchers to fulfill the purpose of this study. ⋯ The reliability of health information on social media was met for 51% of participants, and 81.4% claimed that the health information obtained was knowledgeable. However, only 29% share their personal health experience with the public on social media. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the majority of the participants used social media platforms to find information related to their health conditions, while approximately one third received direct medical consultations online. Public awareness to use reputable sources for health information is needed.
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To assess the prognostic value of pentraxin 3 (PTX3) in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) after bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation. ⋯ Pentraxin 3 might be better serum prognostic marker than IL-6, IL-10 or high sensitivity CRP for MACEs after BMS-PCI. It might help to make better risk stratification of those patients who are undergoing BMS-PCI.
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Case Reports
Pectoral nerve block as the sole anesthetic technique for a modified radical mastectomy in a comorbid patient.
Breast surgery operations are generally performed by general anesthesia. In order to decrease postoperative pain, regional anesthesia is usually combined with general anesthesia. ⋯ We performed pectoral nerve block I and pectoral nerve block II as a sole anesthetic technique with sedation by dexmedetomidine for modified radical mastectomy, for a 75-year-old female patient with multiple diseases. Pectoral nerve blocks with sedation could be a good technique for breast surgery than general anesthesia in comorbid patients.