Bone Health in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Bahrain.

: Compared to the general population, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have additional disease-specific risk factors for osteoporosis that include chronic exposure to systemic inflammation. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis and its associated risk factors, such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), uric acid (UA), and vitamin D status, but also the coexistence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMT2) and breast cancer (Ca breast) in patients with RA in Bahrain. : Data from DEXA scans were collected retrospectively from the patient's electronic health records.

Frequency of Osteoporosis-Related Fractures in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Background: Osteoporosis-related fragility fractures are increasing worldwide. An assessment of the prevalence of fragility fractures in Bahrain is needed to determine proper action and preventive strategies. The main objective of this study was to conduct a retrospective cross-sectional study to investigate the prevalence of fragility fractures in adult Bahraini patients.

Perception of antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance among faculty and staff in a medical school: insights from a mixed mode survey in Bahrain.

Background: Understanding awareness of antibiotics is crucial in identifying the attitudes of people which could subsequently help shape campaigns and policies addressing this problem. The study aimed to explore awareness of antibiotics use and antibiotic resistance among faculty and staff at the medical institution.

Methodology: All the study participants (faculty & staff) were asked to complete the survey.

Correction: Insulin Blood Levels in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Relation to Ethnicity and Age in the Kingdom of Bahrain: A Case-Control Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.64886.

Evaluation of modified essay questions (MEQs) as an assessment tool in third-year medical students' modular summative assessment.

Aim: Whether case-based modified essay questions (MEQs) are crucial to summative assessment in medical curriculum is still debatable. The current study aimed to evaluate third-year medical students' performance in case-based MEQs and multiple-choice questions (MCQs) in summative assessment in the endocrine module.

Methods: Students' scores in mid and final module MEQs and MCQs were analyzed over four successive years from 2018/2019 to 2021/2022, where comparisons were made between students' scores in MEQs and MCQs, and between scores of students of different categories.

Evaluation of the effect of a communication skills course on medical students' attitude towards patient-centered care: a prospective study.

Background: This study aims to examine whether a communication skills course (Early Clinical Exposure-ECE) might support shaping medical students' attitudes towards patient-centered care at Taibah University, Saudi Arabia. Attitudes were measured before and after the course using the Patient Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS), which assesses students' orientation towards patient-centeredness.

Methods: This prospective observational study collected data at two points: the start of year two and the start of year four from the same cohort.

Familiarity and Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Health Professions Education: Perspectives of Students in a Community-Oriented Medical School.

Background and aim Medical students are expected to be familiar with artificial intelligence (AI) applications in healthcare. This cross-sectional study looked at the attitudes, thoughts, and understanding of healthcare students toward AI. Materials and methods During the academic year 2023-2024, medical students enrolled in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS) at the Arabian Gulf University (AGU) were included in this study.

Primary care physicians' attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers toward depression screening in older people in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers of primary care physicians (PCPs) toward depression screening in older people.

Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled PCPs from randomly selected representative primary care centers in Bahrain. A self-administered piloted semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection.

Relationship Between the Serum Cortisol, Insulin, Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH), and Blood Glucose Levels of Pregnant Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Background Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) can be defined as hyperglycemia that develops during pregnancy. GDM poses both maternal and fetal potential risks. Elevated maternal cortisol levels have been linked to maternal hyperglycemia and insulin resistance.

Prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms among adult population in primary care centers in Bahrain - A cross-sectional study.

Background: The global increasing prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorders and symptoms among various age groups and nationalities is considered a great clinical challenge. However, limited data are available on this topic in the Middle East and Gulf Council Countries. This study aimed to raise awareness of obsessive-compulsive symptoms among adults in Bahrain by determining its prevalence and risk factors among patients attending primary healthcare centers.

Insulin Blood Levels in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Relation to Ethnicity and Age in the Kingdom of Bahrain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy. It may be attributed to certain placental hormones during pregnancy which render insulin less effective. Our study aimed to focus on the levels of insulin in gestational diabetic women in the Kingdom of Bahrain as compared with non-diabetic pregnant women.

Implementation and evaluation of a mentorship program in clinical master in family medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Arabian Gulf University: a longitudinal study.

Background: We implemented a contextualized innovative mentorship program in the Clinical Master in Family Medicine (CMFM) program established in April 2020 at Arabian Gulf University. In this paper, we describe the process of this program and derive the major challenges faced by trainees and related corrective actions and their outcomes on high-risk trainees for optimal performance.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-method longitudinal study of 80 trainees, analyzing information extracted from the Moodle learning platform about five key performance indicators as well as the contents (quantitative and qualitative) of mentoring meeting reports submitted through a validated online form between 2020 and 2022.

Perceptions of health care workers on maternal and child health services in Pakistan during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Maternal and child healthcare service delivery in vulnerable and fragile health systems has suffered a tremendous impact owing to the shift in focus to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on maternal and child healthcare services to inform policy advice for a more resilient maternal and child healthcare service delivery in Pakistan.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted.

The estimated prevalence of osteoporosis in Bahrain: a multi-centered-based study.

Objectives: the primary aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of low bone mineral density in Bahrain.

Methods: this was a retrospective study, which targeted a cohort of 4822 Bahraini subjects (mean age 59.36 years: 93% females).

Comparing Online and Face-to-Face Performance in Scientific Courses: A Retrospective Comparative Gender Study of Year-1 Students.

Purpose: As a result of COVID-19 pandemic, medical education at the Arabian Gulf University was instructed to apply online teaching instead of face-to-face for all phases of teaching at the University. Phase-1 is concerned with basic science courses delivered to year 1 students. We conducted this study to detect if there are any differences in the performance of medical students between online and face-to-face ways of learning.

Telemedicine in non-communicable chronic diseases care during the COVID-19 pandemic: exploring patients' perspectives.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore challenges facing patients using Telemedicine consultations in non-communicable chronic disease clinics in primary care settings and to evaluate their satisfaction and willingness to use this service in the future.

Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study enrolling participants who were randomly selected from representative primary care centers in Bahrain and providing Telemedicine consultations. A semi-structured questionnaire permitted data collection using telephone interviews.

Super-spreading social events for COVID-19 transmission: evidence from the investigation of six early clusters in Bahrain.

Introduction: This study aimed to characterize six early clusters of COVID-19 and derive key transmission parameters from confirmed cases that were traced between April and June 2020 in Bahrain.

Methods: Pairs of "infector-infectee" allowed us to map the clusters and estimate the incubation period serial interval as the secondary attack rate. The chi-squared test, with a -value computed using the Monte Carlo test, measured associations between categorical variables.

Validity and reliability of the WHOQOL-BREF in the measurement of the quality of life of Sickle disease patients in Bahrain.

Background: Limited attention is devoted to the improvement of the quality of life of patients suffering from the negative consequences of Sickle cell disease (SCD). Our study focuses on the evaluation of the performance of the WHOQOL-BREF as a tool to measure the quality of life of SCD Patients in Bahrain.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study that enrolled 273 SCD patients selected using a simple random sampling technique from primary health-care centers in Bahrain in 2019.

Lifestyle and Dietary Patterns during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Bahrain: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Lifestyle factors such as dietary habits, perceived weight, sleep, and physical activity worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this study, we aimed to understand the impact of COVID-19 on these lifestyle factors in Bahrain. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1005 adult Bahrainis.

Insomnia and Related Factors During the Delta Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Kingdom of Bahrain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Purpose: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of insomnia and related risk factors during the Delta wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study included 646 individuals from the general population aged 18 years and over, living in the Kingdom of Bahrain during the Delta wave of the pandemic. Data were collected by an anonymous online questionnaire using the snowball-sampling technique between June and August 2021.

Predictive validity of admission criteria in predicting academic performance of medical students: A retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Admission to medical school is one of the most competitive entry points in higher education. Medical school admissions committees need accurate and precise screening tools to select among well-qualified applicants. This study explores data from a cohort of graduated medical students over 6 years to offer a critical perspective on predictive validity in medical school admissions.

Is laterality in breast Cancer still worth studying? Local experience in Bahrain.

Background: Laterality in breast cancer means an increased frequency of left-sided breast cancers compared to right-sided breast cancers ranging between 1.05 and 1.26.

Innovations in Medical Education During the COVID-19 Era and Beyond: Medical Students' Perspectives on the Transformation of Real Public Health Visits Into Virtual Format.

Background: At the College of Medicine and Medical Sciences (CMMS), Arabian Gulf University (AGU), Bahrain, the Public Health Program comprises two core components, namely, lectures and field visits (consumer products safety, communicable diseases control, and food safety). Digital transformation has innovated the medical educational activities during the COVID-19 pandemic where the real public health field visits were transformed into a virtual format. This study is aimed to examine the potential effect of converting the real public health field visit programs into a virtual format during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perception of online and face to face microbiology laboratory sessions among medical students and faculty at Arabian Gulf University: a mixed method study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all spheres of society including medical education and healthcare systems. In response to the pandemic, there has been a transition in medical education practice from traditional forms of teaching to online instruction delivery and virtual learning. Effective clinical microbiology education involves a combination of 'hands-on' practical learning and instructional delivery of scientific knowledge.

Perceptions of Medical Students on Distance Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Bahrain.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a sudden shift from face-to-face to distance learning. We explored medical students' views of online learning during this pandemic at the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of students in years two, three and four (n= 559) using an electronic questionnaire.