Population based study of serum lipid levels in Al-Kharj Health Center, Saudi Arabia.

Objective: Previous studies have shown high prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, obesity and smoking in this community. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and factors associated with hyperlipidemia.

Methods: A questionnaire was administered on all patients < or =13-years of age seen by investigators between April 2002 and October 2002 in Al-Kharj Health Centre, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Breast feeding in a Saudi Arabian community. Profile of parents and influencing factors.

Objective: Although bottle feeding is the main infant feeding mode in most societies, human milk is considered the most appropriate food for human infants. The aim of this study is to gather statistics regarding breast feeding prevalence, influencing factors for engaging in, and demographic characteristics of breast feeding in general population.

Methods: This is a random cross-sectional questionnaire study conducted in Al Kharj Health Centre, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between the period of November 2000 through to February 2001.

Prevalence of mental illness among Saudi adult primary-care patients in Central Saudi Arabia.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of mental illness morbidity among Saudi adult primary care patients from Al-Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study of the prevalence of mental illness morbidity in a randomly selected sample of 609 Saudi adult patients, aged from 15 years to 65 years who attended Family and Community Medicine Clinic, Armed Forces Hospital, Al-Kharj, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from July 2000 to November 2000. The Rahim Anxiety-Depression Scale was used in the evaluation.

Utilization of emergency services in a community hospital.

Objective: Over utilization of emergency room services by patients with non-urgent complaints is a global problem. It results in a waste of resources, stress among the emergency room staff and an increase in waiting time for patients requiring attention. This study was carried out to establish the extent of inappropriate emergency room attendance in a Saudi community.

Use of a hospital-based accident and emergency unit by children (0-12 years) in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.

This cross-sectional study was carried out in order to define the extent and nature of inappropriate use of the accident and emergency (ER) unit in our community. Data were collected for all children aged < or = 12 years who attended the ER from 1 January to 31 March 1999. A total of 3329 children (2010 boys and 1339 girls) attended the ER during the study period.