IntroductionFew studies have estimated screen time among Arab adolescents, and no studies, to date, have published data on addiction to video games or Internet games among Arab adolescents. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of addiction to video games and its correlation with mental health in a sample of expatriate high school students from the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia.MethodsThe survey was conducted in 2016 among 276 students enrolled in ninth through twelfth grades in the International Schools in Buraidah, Al-Qassim. Students who returned signed consent forms from their parents filled out a self-administered questionnaire that included validated scales on addiction to video games, general health, and lifestyle.ResultsThe proportion between the sexes and the schools were roughly equal. Around 32% were overweight or obese, 75% had screen time ≥ 2 h/day, and 20% slept < 5 h/night. Sixteen per cent (16%) were addicted to video games and 54% had psychological distress. Addiction to video games was strongly associated with psychological distress (OR = 4.1, 95% CI = 1.80, 9.47). Other significant correlates were female gender, higher screen time, and shorter sleep hours.ConclusionsThe proportion of students with psychological distress was high. Future studies should investigate other potential correlates of distress such personal traits, family relations, and academic performance.

Aims We aimed to (a) determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among expatriate nurses in Saudi Arabia, and (b) assess how dissatisfaction with salary, workload and teamwork, individually and in combination, was associated with those conditions. Background Prevalence estimates for depression, anxiety and stress among nurses are higher than those in the general population. Available data on the mental health of expatriate nurses are limited. Methods Expatriate nurses (n = 977) from governmental hospitals completed an electronic survey on demography, lifestyle, job factors, depression, anxiety and stress (assessed with DASS‐21 scale). Multinomial logistic regressions were used for analyses. Results Dissatisfaction with workload and teamwork was significantly associated with both mild/moderate and severe depression in adjusted models. Dissatisfaction with workload was significantly associated with both anxiety and stress, but teamwork was not. There was a significant dose–response relationship between the number of domains of dissatisfaction and depression, anxiety and stress (p for trend was < 0.001). Conclusions Dissatisfaction with salary, workload and teamwork is associated with depression, anxiety and stress in expatriate nurses. Implications for Nursing Management Hospital and nursing administrators should identify specific aspects related to workload and teamwork and offer solutions to reduce mental health distress among nurses.

Basidiobolomycosisis an unusual fungal infection that manifests in the skin and rarely involves other systems including the gastrointestinal tract. We retrospectively reviewed records of six pediatric patients (< or =14 years of age) diagnosed with gastrointestinal basidiobolomycosis from March 2000 to March 2002. Four patients came from the same region, suggesting environmental exposure. Basidiobolomycosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis in pediatric patients presenting with abdominal mass and eosinophilia.

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IFN-γ has been used in the treatment of IL-12Rβ1 deficiency patients with disseminated BCG infection (BCGosis), but the optimal dose to reach efficacy is not clear. We used IFN-γ in the treatment of a 2.7-year-old patient with IL-12Rβ1 deficiency and refractory BCG-osis. IFNγ was started at a dose of 50 μg/m2 3 times per week. The dose was upgraded to 100 mcg/m2 after 3 months, then to 200 mcg/m2 6 months afterwards. Serum mycobactericidal activity and lymphocytes number and function were evaluated throughout the study. There was no clinical response to IFN-γ with 50 or 100 μg/m2 doses. However, there was some response to the 200 μg/m2 dose with no additional adverse effects. The serum mycobactericidal activity was not significantly different during the whole treatment period. Lymphocytes proliferation in response to PHA was significantly higher after 3 months of using the highest dose as compared to the lowest dose. The tuberculin skin test reaction remained persistently negative. We conclude that in a patient with IL-12Rβ1 deficiency, IFN-γ at a dose of 200 μg/m2, but not at lower dosages, was found to have a noticeable clinical effect with no additional adverse effects.

Background: Substance use disorders (SUD) are mental health conditions that arise from chronic drug use. There is an increased recognition of this problem in Saudi Arabia. Objective: Conduct a comprehensive review of published literature on SUD to identify knowledge gaps and to guide future research. Methods: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched with suitable keywords for SUD publications up to June 10, 2019. Eligible studies (primary research conducted in Saudi Arabia) were organized into three broad domains: (1) risk (or protective) factors of SUD, (2) perspectives on drug use of people who use drugs, and (3) impact on family. The quality of the included studies was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Results: Of the 113 search records, 23 were eligible for analysis (19 cross-sectional and 4 case-control). All studies were conducted in clinical settings; all but two included males only. There were 4 studies about SUD risk factors, 6 studies about the perspectives of people who use drugs, and none about family impact. None of the crosssectional studies (0%) and 25% of case-control studies were of good quality. Conclusions: The available studies were few in number, weak in methodology, and poor in quality. Quantitative as well as qualitative studies about SUD are warranted in each domain and should represent both genders.

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Background and aims The prevalence of internet addiction (IA) varies widely in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (4%–82.6%). We aimed to assess the quality of IA studies from the GCC and pool their data to get an accurate estimate of the problem of IA in the region. Methods A systematic review of available studies was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials were systematically searched; studies conducted in GCC countries (i.e., Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) with a validated instrument for internet addiction assessment were eligible. Ten studies were eligible for the systematic review, all of which were included in the meta-analysis. The Newcastle Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. Results Nine out of ten of the included studies had either adolescent and/or young adult participants (age < 25). Two studies were of ‘good’ quality, six were of ‘satisfactory’ quality, and two were of ‘unsatisfactory’ quality. The pooled internet addiction prevalence was 33%; it was significantly higher among females than males (male = 24%, female = 48%, P = 0.05) and has significantly increased over time (P < 0.05). Discussion and conclusions One in every three individuals in GCC countries was deemed to be addicted to the internet, according to Young's Internet Addiction Test. A root cause analysis focusing on family structure, environment, and religious practices is needed to identify modifiable risk factors.