Stress is very common among medical students and trainees. Chronic stress has multiple negative mental and physical health consequences. This study explores medical students and interns' stressors ...and their coping strategies.
This is a qualitative study involving four focus group discussions with final year medical students (8 males, 10 females) and medical interns (8 males, 7 females). The study was conducted between October 2017 and January 2018 in the premises of a large medical school in Riyadh. After verbatim transcription, framework thematic analysis of the data was performed using NVivo software.
Promoting the reward feeling of the medical profession was seen as an active stress-coping strategy among medical students. Planning and time management was seen by some participants as stressful while others felt it was a stress-coping strategy. The perception of stress among medical students was seen as a normal feeling. Avoiding discussions on medical matters, building relationships with the other sex and smoking were reported as avoidant stress-coping strategies.
Medical students and interns are still struggling to achieve healthy stress-coping strategies. There is a great need for stress management programs to help fostering the students' coping skills.
Male partners have a considerable role in influencing women's contraceptive decision making to reduce the chance of unintended pregnancy. Most studies are focused on women's knowledge and barriers ...for emergency contraception (EC) use. There is limited research on this topic from the male perspective. This study aimed to gather baseline data on men's knowledge, attitudes and barriers about EC.
Descriptive analytic cross-sectional study was conducted from Dec 2019 -May 2020 at the King Khalid University Hospital (KKUH); a teaching facility with general and subspecialty medical services in King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a structured pretested questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Descriptive statistics and Chi square tests were used. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find significant predictors for EC awareness and use. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
A total of 461 participants completed the questionnaire (response rate 86%). The majority (82%) of the participants were unaware of EC; with only 18% having some knowledge. Knowledgeable men had positive attitudes (73.5%) about EC as compared to non- knowledgeable ones (55.0%). Factors found to be associated with less knowledge of EC were cultural 0.46, 95%CI 0.22. 0.96 and religious unacceptability OR 0.51, 95%CI 0.29, 0.89). Higher level of education OR 1.83, 95%CI 0.94, 3.53 was associated with more knowledge regarding EC. The study showed that correct information about using contraceptives within 3 days of unprotected sex OR 4.96, 95%CI 1.81, 13.60; availability without prescription OR 5.06, 95%CI 1.68, 15.30, EC advertisement OR 4.84, 95%CI 0.96, 24.27 and receipt of information from family/friends OR 18.50, 95%CI 5.19, 65.93 were factors that contributed to men using EC.
The current knowledge of EC among men is limited. Social determinants affect these levels of knowledge, as well as the usage of EC. Factors that were associated with the use of ECPs were correct knowledge, advertisement, availability and receipt of information from family/friends. The findings highlight the need to educate men on this important topic to avoid unintended pregnancy, keeping in view cultural and social values. Future qualitative studies are needed to understand the male perspective.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. This pandemic is transforming the world and has posed exceptional challenges to health care delivery. Saudi Arabia ...has exerted unprecedented efforts and measures to fight the pandemic. Appreciating the value of primary health care during this crisis the family and community medicine department reorganized the services. We discuss the problems faced, solutions and lessons learned in the hope others may find it helpful.
There is a need to better understand the depression phenomenon and to clarify why some students become depressed and others don't. The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of ...depressive symptoms among health professions' (HP) students, and to explore the association between socio-demographic factors (e.g. year of study, discipline, gender) and depressive symptoms.
In this descriptive-analytic, cross-sectional study, stratified proportionate sampling strategy was used to select the study sample during the academic year 2012-2013. The students from four health professions' schools situated within a large, public university located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were screened for depressive symptoms using the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI II). Chi-square test, student t-test and ANOVA were used to compare different categorical variables.
The overall response rate was 79.0 %, the highest among dental students 86.1 %, and lowest among nursing (49.7 %). The overall prevalence rate of depressive symptoms was 47.0 %; it was highest among dentistry students (51.6 %), followed by medicine (46.2 %), applied medical sciences (AMS) (45.7 %) and lowest among nursing students (44.2 %). A statistically significant association was found between the presence and severity of depressive symptoms on one hand and the female gender (p = 0.000) and year of study on the other hand.
This study seems to indicate an alarming rate of depressive symptoms. Female gender, dentistry, the third year for all schools and fifth year for medicine and dentistry have the highest association with depressive symptoms. Future studies may be needed to explore further the reasons and explanations for the variation in the prevalence of depressive symptoms among these groups. The factors that deserve exploration include curricular variables and personal factors such as the students' study skills.
Medical professionalism reflects the commitment of physicians to their patients, society, themselves, and the profession. The study examined residents' attitudes towards professionalism and how these ...attitudes vary among the different demographic groups, namely gender, specialty, and year of residency.
A proportionate random sampling strategy was used to select the study sample. Medical residents from six specialties at a large tertiary care teaching facility were invited to participate in an online survey. The survey used the modified Learners Attitude of Medical Professionalism Scale (LAMPS), which consists of five domains: respect, excellence, altruism, duty/accountability, and integrity. Chi-square, Student t-test, one-way ANOVA, factorial ANOVA, and post hoc analysis were used to examine the attitudinal differences towards professionalism among the different demographic factors.
The overall response rate was 82.7%. Overall, the residents' self-reported attitudes towards professionalism was positive. The highest score was for the "respect" domain (4.61), and the lowest was for "altruism" (3.67). No significant association was found between the mean scores and the three studied variables, namely, gender, specialty (surgical/nonsurgical), and level (senior/junior).
No significant differences were observed in the overall attitude towards professionalism among the residents regarding their year of residency, gender, and specialty. The low altruism score and absence of improvement of the total score regarding the residents' increasing experience in the profession are concerns that need remedial action. Therefore, we suggest that future research look for possible explanations by using multi-institutional surveys that explore not only the residents' attitudes, but also the trainers' attitudes and practice, work situations, the hidden curriculum, and culture.
Key messages
Attitudes towards professionalism among different demographic groups of residents do not show similar variations as has been reported in the literature, albeit in different sociocultural contexts.
The low altruism score and absence of improvement of the total score as the residents gained more experience in the profession are concerns that need remedial action.
A longitudinal study involving more than one institution for both residents and their faculty members to compare faculty scores with those of residents, while controlling for specialty and gender, may help elucidate the factors affecting attitudes towards professionalism and suggest possible means of addressing unfavourable attitudes.
Professionalism is a crucial component of medical practice. It is a culturally sensitive notion that generally consists of behaviors, values, communication, and relationships. This study is a ...qualitative study exploring physician professionalism from the patients' perspective.
Focus group discussions with patients attending a family medicine center attached to a tertiary care hospital were carried out using the four gates model of Arabian medical professionalism that is appropriate to Arab culture. Discussions with patients were recorded and transcribed. Data were thematically analyzed using NVivo software.
Three main themes emerged from the data. (1) In dealing with patients, participants expected respect but understood delays in seeing physicians due to their busy schedules. In communication, participants expected to be informed about their health conditions and to have their questions answered. (2) In dealing with tasks, participants expected proper examination and transparency of diagnosis, but some expected the physician to know everything and did not appreciate them seeking outside opinions. They expected to see the same physician at every visit. (3) In physician characteristics preferences, participants preferred friendly smiling physicians. Some cared about the outer appearance of the physician whereas others did not.
The findings of the study explained only two themes of the four gates model namely dealing with patients and dealing with tasks. Cultural competence and how to benefit from patients' perceptions to be an ideal physician should be incorporated into the process of physicians' training.
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies is rapidly increasing and its application in clinical practice is a promising area of development. Artificial Intelligence can be a ...solution in the future as a physician's new assistant; AI-physician combinations can act like models of 'peaceful co-existence'. While it has the potential to mold many dimensions of patient care and can augment quality improvement, it cannot replace a family physician's diagnostic intelligence, empathy and relationships. Physicians need to strike a balance between these combinations for better health outcomes without increasing patients' frustration.
ABSTRACT The use of Artificial Intelligence(AI) and related technologies is rapidly increasing and its application in clinical practice is a promising area of development. Artificial Intelligence can ...be a solution in the future as a physician's new assistant; AI-physician combinations can act like models of ‘peaceful co-existence'. While it has the potential to mold many dimensions of patient care and can augment quality improvement, it cannot replace a family physician's diagnostic intelligence, empathy and relationships. Physicians need to strike a balance between these combinations for better health outcomes without increasing patients' frustration.
Background: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most prevalent functional gastrointestinal disorder. Diet may play a role in triggering the symptoms. We aimed to measure the prevalence of IBS and ...its types, and its association with food restrictions among the Saudi population, using the Rome IV criteria.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient clinics of three major hospitals in Riyadh in conjunction with an electronic survey which was shared on social media. A total of 1,319 subjects (706 males and 613 females) completed a questionnaire of four domains (sociodemography, Rome IV, food restriction, and herbs) between Nov 2019 and February 2020. Convenience sampling was used.
Results: IBS was diagnosed in 104 subjects (7.9%) and, of these, 52% were IBS-M (mixed) type. The prevalence was higher in women than in men (4.9% vs. 3.0%; P = 0.006). A significant association was found between the presence of IBS symptoms and low income (P = 0.010), and not working (P < 0.0001). Most of the IBS patients showed food restriction related to milk (P < 0.0001) and legumes (P = 0.0029), besides other types of food and drinks.
Conclusions: IBS is less common among the Saudi population. A female gender, low family income, and working status, have the highest association with IBS. The foods most often restricted were legumes and milk. Future community studies may present an opportunity to relate with cultural differences and food preferences.
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