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Salah H Elsafi,1 Saleh H Almutairi,2 Mujahid A Alsulaimani,3 Salma AlBahrani,4 Thekra N Al-Maqati,1 Wafa K Alanazi,2 Mohammed N Alanazi,2 Abdullah A Alamri,2 Majed Hamoud Alkhathami,5 Rakkad A Alshammari,5 Naif F Alharbi,5 Yaser A Al Naam1 1Clinical Laboratory Sciences. Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences, Dhahran, Saudia Arabia; 2Pharmacy Services Department, King Fahad Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 3Basic Medical Unit, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences, Dhahran, Saudia Arabia; 4Infectious Disease Unit, Specialty Internal Medicine, King Fahhd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudia Arabia; 5Department of Support Services, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences, Dhahran, Saudia ArabiaCorrespondence: Yaser A Al Naam, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Sciences, P. O Box 33048, Dammam, 31448, Saudia Arabia, Email yaser@psmchs.edu.saBackground: Earlier reports suggested high rates of antibiotic utilization among COVID-19 patients despite the lack of direct evidence of their activity against viral pathogens. Different trends in antibiotic consumption during 2020 compared to 2019 have been reported.Purpose: The objective of this study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on antibiotic consumption in the presence of active Antibiotic Stewardship Program.Methods: This study represented a five years assessment of the consumption of the commonly prescribed antibiotics measured as DDDs/100-Bed Days. We analyzed the data by using nonparametric Friedman and Friedman tests to compare the antibiotic consumption before and during the three subsequent waves of COVID-19.Results: Antibiotic consumption through the DDDs/100-BD has shown reduction in the median of antibiotics consumption of most antibiotics during the period of COVID-19 as compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, which was significant for meropenem and ciprofloxacin, except colomycin that slightly increased. Significant reduction in the consumption of imipenem and meropenem during the second and third waves as compared to the pre-COVID period. Throughout the years, significant reductions were observed between 2018 and 2019 (p=< .001), 2018 and 2020 (p=0.008), and 2018 and 2022 (p=0.002).Conclusion: The reduction in antibiotic consumption is attributed to the strong influence if the ASP and the reluctance of people to visit hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other related COVID-19 precautions such as physical distance, good hand hygiene, facemasks, that resulted in the prevention of secondary bacterial infections have contributed to the reduction in antibiotic utilization during the pandemic.Keywords: antimicrobial stewardship, ASP, COVID-19, defined daily doses, DDD, antibiotic consumption, Saudi Arabia

Rawan M Maawadh,1 Thekra N Al-Maqati,1 Maryam Hamad Alenezi,2 Eman Alenezi,3 Amal Alsubaie,4 Amal Mohsen Alghamdi,5 Afrah AlSubaie,6 Mashael Mufleh Alruwaili,7 Haya Ali AlAnazi,7 Entisar Albugami,8 Naifah Ahmed Alanazi,9 Khaled Ahmed Alhmdan,10 Fahad Farhan Alshammari,11 Abeer Madkhali12 1Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Science, Dammam, 31448, Saudi Arabia; 2Medical Admin & Excellence Allowance Committee Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 3Preventive Medicine Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 4Family Medicine Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 5Internal Medicine Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 6Urology and Nephrology Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 7Patient Education Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 8Family Medicine Department, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 9Cardiac Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 10Health Informatics Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 11Laboratory Department, King Fahd Military Medical Complex, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; 12Quality and Patient Safety Administration Department, Dammam Medical Complex, Dammam, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Rawan M Maawadh, Clinical Laboratory Science Department, Prince Sultan Military College of Health Science, P.O. Box 33048, Dammam, 31448, Saudi Arabia, Email rmaawadh@psmchs.edu.saPurpose: Broad evidence points out that women workers in Saudi Arabia face a range of inequitable work practices despite continued efforts for gender equality. The study aims to assess the satisfaction of Saudi women working in the health sector among certain factors in the work environment, factors that enable them to gain opportunities and benefits and make decisions.Patients and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, which involved the use of closed-ended surveys on 261 Saudi women working in the healthcare sector.Results: Most of the females were aged between 25 and 34 years (59%) and more than half of them worked in the governmental sector (53%). Fifty-eight percent of the females hold clinical jobs, 25% of the administrative jobs were 37% of them have more than 19 years of working experience. The finding showed a significant association between female workers in health sector satisfaction with factors related to the workplace environment, training, and development, and their involvement in decision-making.Conclusion: Most women felt empowered when they received equitable tasks and were able to reach managerial-level positions in their organizations. Establishing a positive work environment characterized by opportunities has the potential to enhance women workers’ satisfaction.Keywords: satisfaction, woman, education, training, opportunities