ObjectivesMenopause is associated with somatic, vasomotor, psychological, and sexual complaints that may affect quality of life. We determined the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms and their impact on the quality of life among Saudi women visiting primary care centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from October to November 2010. In total, 119 women aged 45–60 years were randomly interviewed using a questionnaire. Participants were divided into three categories: premenopausal (n=31), perimenopausal (n=49), and postmenopausal (n=39). The Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) assessed the prevalence and severity of eleven menopausal symptoms. Mean scores of menopausal categories were compared for different symptoms.ResultsThe mean age at menopause was 48.3±3 years (median, 49 years). The symptoms reported to be most prevalent were joint and muscle pain (80.7%), physical and mental exhaustion (64.7%), and hot flushes and sweating (47.1%). Somatic and psychological symptoms were highly prevalent in perimenopausal women compared to other groups. The mean overall quality-of-life score was higher in perimenopausal women, while the total MRS score indicated that the symptoms were mild in severity (MRS <9).ConclusionThe prevalence of menopausal symptoms was comparable to previous studies in Asian women; however, the prevalence of classic symptoms of hot flushes and night sweats was lower than reported in Western studies. Saudi women reported an MRS score indicating milder severity of symptoms, reflecting better quality of life and ability to cope with climacteric symptoms.

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Establishing educational and counseling programs for postmenopausal women, their spouses, and other family members could improve social support and hence quality of life of postmenopausal women. Effective preventive strategies to deal with modifiable risk factors, such as obesity and work stress, should also be implemented.

Background Dyslipidemia is an added risk factor in patients with type 2 diabetes who are more prone to develop cardiovascular diseases as it implies an alteration of the lipid level leading to serious health complications. Objective This study aimed at assessing the prevalence of dyslipidemia among patients with type 2 diabetes and comparing the lipid profile measurements between controlled and uncontrolled type 2 diabetic patients. Method A cross-sectional retrospective study was performed in three primary health care centers in Saudi Arabia. A sample of 418 patients with type 2 diabetes was enrolled in this study. To collect data, the researcher used a structured questionnaire and retrieved patients' data from the electronic medical records in the study setting. Results The findings of the study showed that 82.1% of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients recruited in this study were dyslipidemic. In addition, it was found that there was a significant difference in triglycerides, fasting blood sugar (FBS), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) between controlled and uncontrolled diabetic patients (p≤0.05). Moreover, a significant interaction was found between gender, HbA1c control, educational level, and frequency of exercising on one hand and dyslipidemia on the other hand (p≤0.05). Conclusion The study concluded that there is a high prevalence of dyslipidemia among type 2 diabetic patients in Saudi Arabia and a significant interaction between dyslipidemia and diabetic patients' gender, HbA1c control, educational level, and frequency of exercising. The study recommends increasing type 2 diabetic patients' awareness regarding the management of diabetes and dyslipidemia and the importance of providing educational intervention regarding diabetes self-care activities.

Our study aims to assess parents' ability to detect early language delay in their children in association with related demographic and environmental factors to help in predicting its risk. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at three main primary health care centers at National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Participating parents were asked if they think their children have language delay and if they were able to detect it early. Then, validated age-appropriate screening tools were administered to assess the child's language development. The parents' answers regarding their child's language development were then compared to the screening tool assessment results. ParticipantsA total of 250 parents attending a well-baby clinic for their children's routine vaccinations participated in the study after informed consent was obtained. ResultsLanguage delay was more prominent in the one-year-old age group (26.7%). In addition, children who were not breastfed were significantly more likely to have language delays (P-value 0.014). The parents' ability to detect language delay varied among the different age groups. Fifty-seven point one percent (57.1%) of children aged two years old and 61.5% of children aged five years old who were found to have language delay were not noticed by their parents (P-value 0.03, 0.02). ConclusionParents showed a lack of ability to detect language delay early. Increasing their awareness of the typical language development milestones and the importance of early intervention is very important to minimize the consequences of late intervention.