Search

This study presents a sustainable method for producing iron oxide nanoparticles (FeO NPs) using aqueous extracts from coffee seeds. Characterization through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed non-spherical NPs ranging from 30 to 50 nm. The XRD analysis confirmed that the face-centred cubic structure and the Debye–Scherrer’s crystalline size support the FeO particle size confirmed from TEM. The synthesized NPs demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger. Additionally, they exhibited potent antioxidant properties, effectively inhibiting DPPH, α-amylase, and α-glucosidase compared to acarbose and coffee extract. The findings suggest that these FeO NPs hold promise as antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, and potentially antidiabetic agents.

Objective: Premarital screening is one of the most important strategies for preventing infectious diseases such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and human immunodeficiency virus in populations. This study aims to explore the prevalence of these viruses and their association with potential demographic factors among individuals undergoing premarital screening in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study design using the National Healthy Marriage Program electronic registry in the Saudi Ministry of Health. Patients were selected from the premarital screening tests for the three blood-borne viruses. Data were obtained from January to August 2021 among 114,740 individuals. Results: Hepatitis B virus infection showed the highest prevalence followed by hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency viruses. Among those who were infected, men had higher infectious disease prevalence than women. The central and western regions had the highest percentages of infection. Conclusion: The studied infections pose a continuous public health issue among premarital screening individuals in Saudi Arabia. This study identified important demographic risk factors for these diseases and highlighted the need for future strategies and long-term plans at the national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Mental health conditions are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a 13% rise within the last decade. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with mental illness in patients presenting to a primary healthcare center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Methods: Data were extracted from the electronic health records of 46 primary care centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from March 2022 to March 2023. A total of 2418 age-matched mental health cases and controls were evaluated. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the distribution and association of relevant risk factors. A total of 1209 cases were age-matched to 1209 controls presenting to a primary clinic. Results: The odds of mental illness in females were 2.2 times that of males. Clinical conditions associated with mental illness were stroke, diabetes, and obesity. Neurodegenerative disorders were also associated with mental illness. Conclusions: Primary clinics in the KSA can serve as focal points in removing the barriers to mental healthcare. There is an urgent need to spread awareness, remove the stigma, and provide appropriate care and referrals for mental health conditions in the KSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Literature has reported differences in the epidemiology or natural history of non-communicable diseases among both the male and female sexes. Stratification of multimorbidity burden based on sex is crucial to identify and implement targeted prevention and control interventions for chronic diseases. Objectives: To determine the burden of hypertension, type-2 diabetes mellitus, and obesity; and to compare the related multimorbidity among male and female patients. Methods: The study was a retrospective analysis of 375 802 medical records from primary care centers. Data was extracted from March 2022 to March 2023. A multivariate probit estimation methodology was employed using a 3-equations multivariate multiple probit model to jointly estimate the association of a person's sex with the diagnosis of the 3 chronic conditions: obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. A multinomial logistic regression analysis was conducted to allow each unique combination of these 3 chronic diseases. Results: Females had a relatively higher proportion of obesity (58.1% vs 41.2%), obesity and diabetes only (58.9% vs 41.1%), obesity and hypertension (63.6% vs 36.4%), and joint diagnosis with 3 conditions (65.7% vs 34.3%). Females' participants consistently had a significantly higher likelihood of diagnosis compared with males except for diabetes (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.56-0.62) and the combination of only diabetes and hypertension (OR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.61-0.74). The likelihood of other combinations ranged from 1.04 (95% CI: 0.98-1.10) for only hypertension to 2.30 (95% CI: 2.10-2.53) for the joint diagnosis of all 3 conditions. An increased likelihood of a single or combined occurrence of 3 chronic conditions was observed with increased age. Conclusion: The multimorbidity distribution for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and obesity differs significantly among male and female patients. The overall burden of morbidity, and mortality, however, tends to rise after 46 years of age, with the highest burden among individuals above 60 years of age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the patterns and correlates of 12-month mental health service use among those who do not have a diagnosed mental health disorder during that period in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi National Mental Health Survey used the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview to ascertain mental health conditions. To understand the reasons for help-seeking among respondents without a diagnosed mental health disorder (n = 1256), the patterns and the association of service use to sociodemographic and clinical factors were assessed. Those without a disorder diagnosed comprised 40% of service users accounting for over one-third (35.4%) of mental health service visits. The mean number of visits was higher in those with no indicator of need compared to other categories. General medical provider was the common source of treatment among those without a disorder. Respondents who were ever married were more likely to utilize mental health services, whereas those who reported lower income were less likely to receive treatment. Although the majority of 12-month mental health services were provided to people with a diagnosed disorder or other indicators of need, the proportion of treatment utilized by those who did not is high and warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the patterns and potential risk factors associated with mental health treatment dropout in the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS). The SNMHS is a face-to-face community-based epidemiological survey in a nationally representative household sample of respondents aged 15–65 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) (n = 4,004). The sample was limited to those who had received any type of mental health treatment during the past year (n = 168). The distribution of service use and the number of visits were examined. Predictors of treatment dropout were analyzed using logistic regression models. Treatment drop out rate was very high overall (42.1%), with dropout occurring early (after 2 visits) in the majority of cases. Participants who were previously married or were diagnosed with a 12-month substance use disorder were significantly more likely than other participants to drop out. Those receiving care from more than three types of providers were significantly less likely than others to terminate treatment prematurely. The rate of premature termination of treatment was high and positively associated with previously married status and substance use and inversely related to the number of different providers and number of visits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health workers face a lot of stressors in their jobs. This issue has been addressed widely by researchers as a major factor predisposing these professionals to many mental health disorders. However, there is limited research addressing the prevalence of these disorders and their treatment preferences among mental health professionals (MHPs) in Saudi Arabia. Aims: This study aims to assess the prevalence and treatment preference of depression, anxiety, and burnout among MHPs in Saudi Arabia. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, MHPs in Saudi Arabia were approached to participate in the study. A self-administered online survey was administered with questions on basic demographics, treatment preference, and three scales that assessed burnout (the Maslach Burnout Inventory), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7). SPSS version 22.0 was used to perform the analysis. Results: A total of 1,253 surveys were completed (59.8% by women); most respondents were psychologists (72.5%). Burnout was the most prevalent in our sample (42.7%), followed by depression (21%) and anxiety (19%). Psychiatrists were more likely to suffer from emotional exhaustion than other MHPs. Women were significantly more likely to develop anxiety and depression than men. For (37%) of the psychologists and similarly (36.65%) of the psychiatrists, making decisions about inpatient treatment was influenced by confidentiality or stigma. Conclusion: Burnout, depression, and anxiety are prevalent among MHPs. Implementing strategies to overcome these issues are vital to improve their well-being and maintain the provision of high-quality mental health care to their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]