Background: The internet is a powerful worldwide communication medium that provides its users with immediate information irrespective of their location, culture, language and time. E-health service will have a great impact in reducing the costs of health care, increasing satisfaction of patients and health professionals, and minimizing the burden on health facilities. Objective: This study aims to determine the proportion of patients who obtain health-related information through the internet as well as factors that could affect using the internet for seeking health information. Subjects and methods: This study was conducted in six general hospitals in Kuwait. A cross-sectional study was adopted to determine the proportion of patients who obtain health-related information through the internet. It was followed by a case-control study to determine factors that could be associated with online search of health information. A questionnaire was used which included data related to sociodemographic characteristics, clinical history and computer experience. The final analysis included 220 participants. Results: The majority of participants (93.2%) mentioned that they have used the internet for one or more purposes. Only 129 participants (62.9%) used the internet for obtaining health related information. All studied socio-demographic factors, except age and marital state, and computer skills variables had significant effect on on-line search for health information. After adjustment for confounding, only gender, nationality, level of education, and using computer at work were proved to be significant determinants of the outcome of interest. Conclusion: It is important to close the gap in health literacy and increase the use of health information technology to support patient self-management. The creation of an eHealth-literate population should be a priority in Kuwaiti public health policy.
Vitamin D (VitD) is essential for health and preventing diseases. This study aimed to investigate the possible association between VitD status and health status in 306 Libyan male and female young adults (18–25 Y) and adults (26–65 Y). There were 89.54% of subjects that had VitD levels below normal (<30 ng/mL), of which 45.42% were VitD deficient (<10 ng/mL) and 44.12% were VitD insufficient (10–29.9 ng/mL). VitD deficiency was associated with higher fasting blood sugar (FBS), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and triacylglycerol (TAG) levels. Young adults had lower VitD levels than adults, which was associated with some health conditions. VitD insufficiency was associated with higher body mass index (BMI) values in adults, especially females, with higher FBS levels in adult males and higher hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in adult females. VitD deficiency in young adults was associated with higher TAG levels (more likely in adults) and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) values. Furthermore, VitD deficient adult females appeared to have a higher risk of sleeping problems, psychological disorders, headache, and osteoporosis, whereas their male counterparts appeared to be at a higher risk of developing obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM). Findings showed a serious prevalence of VitD inadequacy in the Libyan population, which appears to negatively affect health status and be associated with some disease conditions.
Objective Recently, the State of Kuwait has witnessed a steady rise in the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents. The present study aims to provide an update on the rate of overweight or obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents and examines the associations between adolescents’ overweight/obesity levels and their perception of body weight as seen by parents or friends. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kuwaiti secondary schools and included adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 years, using a multistage stratified random sampling method. Body weight and height were measured. A specifically designed self-report questionnaire was used to assess parents’ and friends’ perceptions of an adolescent’s body weight. Results A total of 706 adolescents were included the study. The prevalence of overweight or obesity among Kuwaiti adolescents reached nearly 50%, with males (54.3%) having a significantly higher overweight or obesity percentage than females (44.6%). No significant difference in the prevalence of obesity relative to age, from 15 to 18 years, was found. In addition, logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and gender, revealed that adolescents perceived their parents (p = 0.011 and p < 0.001) or friends (p = 0.002 and p < 0.001) as more likely to classify their weight as overweight or obese, respectively. Conclusion Overweight or obesity levels appear to be high among Kuwaiti adolescents, and appears to have reached a plateau recently. Efforts to combat obesity and promote physical activity and healthy nutrition are needed. Future studies should seek to identify important moderators of parental and social underestimation/overestimation of children’s overweight or obesity.
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