Publications by authors named "Nouf A Al Shamlan"

Article Synopsis
  • - The study examines dermatological conditions presented in the emergency department (ED) over a period from January 2021 to May 2023, using a chart review of 301 cases.
  • - Findings reveal that most patients were children with a balanced gender distribution, primarily presenting during winter, with low triage levels, indicating less severe cases, and a median visit duration of over 5 hours.
  • - Viral infections were the most common complaints, with maculopapular rashes being the leading finding; the study suggests that many cases could be effectively managed by primary care physicians instead of requiring ED visits.
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Background: In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), little is known about the adoption of virtual consultations (VCs), with most studies being survey-based leading to varying results. This study aims to utilise secondary collected data on the use of both kinds of VCs currently available, and to epidemiologically describe the adoption of these consultations.

Methods: This retrospective study analysed data provided by the Ministry of Health between January 1st 2021 and June 30th 2022.

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Article Synopsis
  • Herpes Zoster, commonly known as Shingles, is a viral infection that frequently affects older adults when the dormant virus reactivates.
  • The study aimed to evaluate public knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers regarding the Shingrix vaccine to improve vaccination strategies for at-risk groups.
  • Over 8,000 participants indicated a general awareness of the vaccine, but many lacked detailed knowledge; despite some safety concerns, there was a willingness to receive the vaccine, highlighting the need for increased education and outreach in Saudi Arabia.
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Background: Epidemiological evidence has shown that human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most frequent cause of sexually transmitted infection, and vaccination is an essential measure to prevent associated diseases and complications. This study aimed to assess the HPV vaccine uptake and its associated factors as well as HPV vaccine hesitancy by female healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This online, questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study involved female HCWs in Saudi Arabia between July and October 2022.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on public motivators for receiving the seasonal influenza vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting a launch of a vaccination campaign by the Saudi Ministry of Health in 2021.
  • Most participants had high education levels and were predominantly male and under 35, with their primary motivator being the convenience of having a vaccination site near their workplace.
  • The findings suggest that improving access to vaccination campaigns and leveraging physician advice could significantly enhance influenza vaccine uptake.
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Introduction: Older adults aged 65 years and above are among the most vulnerable to adverse outcomes and death following a COVID-19 infection. The weekly epidemiological updates by the World Health Organisation show that the continued emergence of concerning subtypes of the virus indicates that the pandemic remains a public health concern and the public should continue to comply with personal preventive measures (PPMs). This study applies the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) which is rooted in the field of Public Health, Epidemiology, and Preventive Medicine to Saudi older adults to predict their health behaviour.

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Introduction: COVID-19 remains a public health concern. Vaccinations, testing and tracing have been proven to provide strong protection against severe illness and death. Older adults are amongst the groups with an increased risk of severe illness.

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Background: Physical inactivity is a major problem of adolescents worldwide. Fitness trackers are widely used technologies that assess physical activity and allow self-monitoring of daily activities. Thirty-five percent of the Saudi population is made up of adolescents, which makes them an important target population.

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Background: Decreasing the number of Emergency Department patient visits for treatment, especially in non-urgent cases, is an international healthcare goal. The same applies for pediatric emergency rooms where the utilization of ED is much more than adults.

Objective: We aim to measure the length of stay for all pediatric patients and examine the factors influencing it.

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Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among the youth and university students differs internationally. This study aims to assess the prevalence of ADHD positivity from a validated screening test among medical students across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and its associated sociodemographic and family-related factors and the impact of ADHD on students' academic performance. Also, to highlight the implications of the current findings on epidemiologists and family physicians in the region.

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Purpose: Epidemiologically, cervical cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer among females globally and the third most commonly diagnosed gynecological cancer in Saudi Arabia. Screening is an important measure to prevent it. The current study aimed to assess, epidemiologically, female healthcare workers' (HCWs) utilization of cervical cancer screening services and its association with their beliefs about cervical cancer and the screening test, as well as their personal characteristics.

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Purpose Of The Study: This study aims at identifying the predominant learning approaches by Saudi medical students across Saudi Arabia and assess its possible associations with sociodemographic and educational characteristics.

Study Design: A cross-sectional study design using the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students questionnaire. The questionnaire gives rise to three possible learning approaches; deep, strategic and surface approaches.

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Purpose: A cancer diagnosis is an overwhelming process for both patients and doctors. Many studies have addressed doctors' opinions and knowledge regarding breaking bad news (BBN). However, scarce knowledge exists regarding patients' perspectives for communicating bad news.

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Purpose: Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) is the presence of significant amounts of bacteria within the urinary tract in the absence of urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms, resulting in negative neonatal and pregnancy consequences. This study determined the prevalence, bacteriology patterns, and associated factors with ASB among pregnant women in both primary and hospital levels of care in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This retrospective chart review study included pregnant women between 18 and 50 years who performed the screening urine culture test during their first antenatal visit between 2017 and 2021, without UTI symptoms.

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Background: The establishment of patient trust in physicians is becoming increasingly valuable. Trust can be fundamental to successful patient care, favorable patient outcomes and improved financial savings for healthcare organizations. This study aims to explore patients' perceptions of trust in physicians, determine factors that play a role in this relationship, and to identify ways to improve patient trust.

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Background: Social Anxiety disorder (SAD) is common worldwide. However, data from Saudi Arabia is deficient. This study aims to determine the prevalence of SAD across Saudi medical students and its associations with sociodemographic factors and their academic performance.

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Background: Screening and management of tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy drug use by primary care physicians are crucial because a minority of individuals seek medical advice. However, data regarding this practice are limited. The study objective was to assess the screening practices of primary care physicians in Saudi Arabia for tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy drug use, barriers to screening, and management of such cases.

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Introduction/objectives: The prevalence of thyroid disorders is high in Saudi Arabia. Among the disorders, goiter and thyroiditis are the most common and have unique ultrasound (US) features, underscoring the need for US screening for thyroid pathologies. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of thyroiditis and thyroid nodules in patients attending the Family and Community Medicine Center of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University.

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Background: Color vision deficiency (CVD) affects approximately one in 12 men and one in 200 women in the world. It is considered a problem in the medical field since the color is often used as a sign in the practice of medicine, in observational assessment, diagnosis, and follow-up. These conditions make the appreciation of color essential in doctors' lives, thus we aimed at finding the prevalence and predictors of CVD in medical students.

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Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are common worldwide. Several factors are suggested in their aetiology, one of which is ergonomics alongside other individual factors. This study aims at investigating the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among administrative office workers at a large university in Saudi Arabia.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focused on health students in Saudi Arabia, examining the distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups, their knowledge of their own blood groups, and their willingness to donate blood.
  • Findings revealed that blood group O was the most common (51.1%), with a majority (93.3%) being Rh-positive; 75.5% correctly identified their blood groups, while about 47.3% expressed a willingness to donate blood.
  • Positive factors for willingness to donate included being male and having a history of blood donation, whereas those with family in healthcare were less likely to donate.
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Background: In recent times, mental health problems have been on the increase worldwide. Among these are eating disorders. The current study aim was to assess the prevalence of the symptoms of eating disorders in patrons of sport centers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, and its association with patrons' sociodemographic, and exercise characteristics, as well as social media use.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examines pediatric ER visits at King Fahd Hospital, noting a high rate of non-urgent visits and a low hospital admission rate of only 2.5%.
  • Males made up 55.4% of the visits, with the majority being toddlers and the primary complaint being fever (26.9%).
  • Factors such as being a newborn or presenting with specific medical conditions significantly increased the odds of admission, while less urgent cases had much lower admission chances.
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Article Synopsis
  • Primary care is essential in healthcare systems, particularly in Saudi Arabia amid health reforms, but patients face barriers preventing them from accessing Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs).
  • A study conducted with 403 patients in an emergency department used a questionnaire to assess satisfaction with PHC services and identify barriers, revealing that only 28.3% were always satisfied, with organizational and socioeconomic issues being the most significant obstacles.
  • The research identified that factors like being female and high educational attainment correlated with lower satisfaction levels, indicating a need for targeted solutions by healthcare policymakers to improve access and satisfaction with PHCs.
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