1. Pattern of use of Alternative Medicine In Riyadh Region
Nowadays there is a growing popularity of alternative medicine (AM) despite of the fact of its since antiquity. Many of its providers do not hold scientific degrees. The present study aims to describe the pattern and uses of AM among Saudis
A multistage cluster sample was selected from Saudi residents in Riyadh region. A trained team from the primary health care centers used a questionnaire and previously tested for validity and reliability to collect the data by personal interview. Data were cleaned, analyzed and presented using EPI-info software.
The study participants amounted to 1408 persons, 39% males and 60.9% females. The mean age was 35.5 + 13.9 years. Seventy three percent of the respondents used AM before and 68% during the last year. Females used it more than males.
Abdominal pain flatulence topped the list of diseases for which AM was sought (24.7%), followed by Gynaecological problems (23.9%). Around 43% of the sample attributed health problems to weather changes while 17.4% think that “envy” is behind health ailments.
Use of the Holy Quran for therapy was widely practiced (50.3%), followed by honey (40.1%), black seeds (39.2%), mora (35.4%). Around forty two (42.4%) had visited AM practitioners. Most of AM users spent less than 500 SR/year for AM use. They preferred it over Modern Medicine (MM) because it is successful (32.7%) and natural not chemicals (32.7%).
People usually start with AM in ailments attributed to “envy” and the “evil eye” (52.5%). The most popular AM practitioners are those who recite Holy Quran (62.5%) followed by herbists (43.2%). About 47% prefer MM while 34.7% think that preference depends on the nature of the health problem. Eighty seven percent supported initiation of Quran clinics. One third of the participants used AM for children during the last year.
2. Students’ perception of curriculum and educational environment in two Saudi Medical Colleges. Curriculum is the main pillar of the educational process. It is the most holistic, inclusive and comprehensive entity and notion in education. Students’ achievement, satisfaction and success is correlated with the education environment.
The present work aims to identify areas of strength and weakness in the curriculum and educational environment to improve the educational climate.
All students in medical schools of King Saud University and Al-Qssim University will be included in the study. An Arabic version of Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory will be used for data collection form the students of all the academic and clinical levels in the second semester of the year. Mean score of each item of the inventory will be calculated and compared between the two colleges and among different years in the same college.
Results will be used to develop plans for improving the quality of educational environment in both colleges.
Use of the Holy Quran for therapy was widely practiced (50.3%), followed by honey (40.1%), black seeds (39.2%), mora (35.4%). Around forty two (42.4%) had visited AM practitioners. Most of AM users spent less than 500 SR/year for AM use. They preferred it over Modern Medicine (MM) because it is successful (32.7%) and natural not chemicals (32.7%).
People usually start with AM in ailments attributed to “envy” and the “evil eye” (52.5%). The most popular AM practitioners are those who recite Holy Quran (62.5%) followed by herbists (43.2%). About 47% prefer MM while 34.7% think that preference depends on the nature of the health problem. Eighty seven percent supported initiation of Quran clinics. One third of the participants used AM for children during the last year.
PERCEPTION OF FEMALE STUDENTS OF KING SAUD UNIVERSITY TOWARDS PREMARITAL SCREENING
Awatif A. Alam, MD, ABCM
Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of King Saud University female students towards the implementation of premarital screening (PMS) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).
Methods: Two consecutive surveys on knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) were conducted two and nine months after the compulsory implementation of PMS in KSA in 1/1/1425H. The female students of King Saud University were given health education lectures before the survey. The first survey was done with a designed close-ended questionnaire distributed at pre and post stages of the health education lecture. However, the second one explored the participants' perception of the same items in open-ended questions summarized as a "consensus statement". In fulfillment of their demands, the signed statement was mailed to the legislative authorities.
Results and discussion: A total of 140 university female students attended the first lecture. The response rate for both pre and post lecture surveys were 132 (94.3%) and 128 (91.4%) respectively. A total of 112 out of 132 (84.8%) students in the pre test and 111 out of 128 (86.7%) in the post-test were single.
____________________________________________________________________________
Correspondence to:
Dr. Awatif A. Alam, Associate Professor, Department of Family & Community Medicine (34), College of Medicine, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2925, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia
E-mail: awatif.alam@gmail.com
Of the married students 7/20 (35.0%) and 7/17 (41.2%) in pre and post tests had previously had PMS screening. The attitude of the students towards PMS was generally positive. One hundred and eight (81.8%) in the pre test and 110 (85.9%) in the post test saw the importance of PMS in controlling the commonest hereditary diseases. However, a smaller percentage of students (69.7% and 75.0%) in pre and post lecture respectively were in favor of the compulsory application of PMS in KSA. In spite of the positive attitude of all the students in the pre and post tests, fears were expressed towards the confidentiality of PMS test results and it was felt that social and psychological problems would ensue from abnormal results. This, however, does not represent the feeling of the entire population in KSA since the participants of the study formed a select group.
The second awareness lecture was attended by 319 students from the College of Education. They were subsequently requested to state their perceptions of PMS application with regard to its content, nature and method of application in KSA in their own words. The collected forms were summarized into a "consensus statement" and signed by all 319 students. They felt that the scope of PMS should be extended to investigate and screen for other diseases especially sexually transmitted diseases that would adversely affect the health of members of the family and the community as a whole. Their worry about the lack of screening for other diseases may be because a majority of the study group were single and would, therefore, refuse to get married on account of the risks to their future offspring. In addition, it may reflect their knowledge of the effects of globalization on the transmission of diseases.
Conclusions: Health education is an important means of improving the public's perception of newly-introduced health interventions. University students have a good perception of the compulsory implementation of PMS in KSA. Pre-marital screening could be extended to include a broader spectrum of health/genetic disorders and will be useful for early identification and possible intervention as well as the prevention of complications.
Key Words: Premarital Screening, Health Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Click the below link to download:
Research Activities (FM).pdf