BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESInteraction between physicians and pharmaceutical sales representative (PR) is a major component of the promotional activities by pharmaceutical companies. The lack of studies examining the magnitude of this interaction in Saudi Arabia is evident. The objective of this study is to estimate the magnitude and associated characteristics of physician-PR interaction.DESIGN AND SETTINGSA cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians working in the different regions of Saudi Arabia between March and July of 2012.METHODSA cross-sectional study was undertaken between March and July of 2012 in the different regions of Saudi Arabia. A self-administrated questionnaire was developed and handed to all participants, both in paper and electronic formats.RESULTSA total of 663 participants completed the questionnaire. The participation rate was 66.3% (663/1000). The majority of the participants (72.9%) reported interaction with PRs. This was lower among residents/interns compared to higher ranking employees (55.6% vs 83.6%, P<.001). Approximately half (48.3%) of the interactions occurred at a rate of more than once a month. A majority of the participants (72.1%) occasionally accepted gifts such as stationery (57%), drug samples (54%), meals (38%), and sponsorship of educational activities (30%). The following characteristics were independently associated with physician-PR interaction: non-Saudi nationals, a higher monthly income, Western medical education, working in a private hospital, being a specialist or registrar (rather than resident or intern), working on certain specialties (such as psychiatry and family medicine), and having limited number of patients with high socioeconomic status.CONCLUSIONAlthough lower than seen in many parts of the world, a high prevalence of physician-PR interaction in Saudi hospitals is reported. Delineating associated characteristics may assist with future interventions. Further research should focus on ethical, clinical, prescription, and economic impact of interaction as well as determining the best strategy to reduce negative impact.

Background: Self-medication (SM) is a customary practice around the globe. Appropriate SM comes with many advantages, yet irrational SM is a concern and could lead to adverse drug events and poor health outcomes. Methods: This college-based cross-sectional study was carried out from January to March 2021 among Najran University undergraduate medical students to investigate the prevalence and practice of, and attitudes towards SM. Data were collected using a bilingual self-administered online questionnaire, which was categorized into sections, such as socio-demographic details, attitude towards SM, and practice of SM during the last six months, along with students' opinions and suggestions regarding SM. The threeitem scale was used to assess the students' attitude. IBM SPSS was used to perform the cross-tabulation, chi-squared test, and binary logistic regression. Results: Overall, 205 undergraduate medical students (58.6%) responded to the survey. The overall prevalence of SM was 60%, of which 25% used antibiotics as SM drugs. Headache (65.9%), fever (30.2%), cold/flu (31.2%), and gastric acidity (28.3%) were common illnesses for which SM was sought, using analgesics and NSAIDs (52.7%), antipyretics (13.7%), and antacid (12.7%) medications. Among the reasons for SM, the illness being minor and quick relief were frequently reported. To rationalize and improve the practice of SM, about half (48.3%) of the students suggested spreading awareness and education regarding the implications of SM and dispensing the medications with prescriptions (46.8%). Conclusion: Overall, the attitude towards SM was satisfactory. The prevalence of SM during the last six months was 60%, and antibiotics were used by 25% of students. A significant negative correlation was observed between attitudes towards and practice of SM. Although medical students of Najran University displayed responsible behavior towards SM, efforts should be made to educate them about the adverse consequences of SM, especially with antibiotics.

The relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry has ethical implications for patient care. This study examined knowledge and attitudes towards the pharmaceutical industry, and associations with actual behaviour, among physicians working in Saudi Arabia. In a cross-sectional study in 2012, a 100-point score was created from 17 5-point Likert-scale questions to assess knowledge and attitudes. The overall score of 659 participants was 63.1 (SD 8.5), with a majority holding a generally positive attitude. Higher (i.e. better) scores were significantly associated with a lack of interactions with the pharmaceutical industry and with refusal of gifts but not with education about ethics. In multivariate analysis, refusing gifts, additional income and Saudi nationality remained independently associated with higher scores. Overall, there was suboptimal knowledge and a generally positive attitude towards the pharmaceutical industry among the sample of physicians in Saudi Arabia. 1King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (Correspondence to: dr.fahad.alosaimi@gmail.com Attitudes des médecins par rapport à l'interaction avec l'industrie pharmaceutique RÉSUMÉ Les relations entre les médecins et l'industrie pharmaceutique ont des implications éthiques pour les soins aux patients. La présente étude a examiné les connaissances et les attitudes envers l'industrie pharmaceutique, ainsi que les associations avec les comportements réels chez des médecins exerçant en Arabie saoudite. Dans une étude transversale menée en 2012, un score sur 100 a été créé à partir de 17 questions sur une échelle de Likert en 5 points visant à évaluer les connaissances et les attitudes. Le score global des 659 participants était de 63,1 (ET 8,5), la majorité ayant généralement une attitude positive. Les scores les plus élevés (c'est-à-dire les meilleurs scores) étaient nettement associés à une absence d'interactions avec l'industrie pharmaceutique et le refus de cadeaux, mais n'étaient pas liés à une formation sur l'éthique. À l'analyse multivariée, le refus de cadeaux, des revenus supplémentaires ainsi que la nationalité saoudienne étaient des facteurs indépendamment associés à des scores plus élevés. Globalement, les connaissances étaient sous-optimales et l'attitude envers l'industrie pharmaceutique était généralement positive au sein de l'échantillon de médecins répondeurs en Arabie saoudite. ‫املتوسط‬ ‫لرشق‬ ‫الصحية‬ ‫املجلة‬ ‫العرشون‬ ‫املجلد‬ ‫عرش‬ ‫الثاين‬ ‫العدد‬ 813

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Background: Bariatric surgery is known as the most effective treatment resulting in long-term weight loss for obesity. However, behavioral changes, including food preference, food allergies, and consumption, between groups of patients who underwent bariatric surgery in comparison with people who did not have bariatric surgery have not been fully discussed in the literature. Objective: The aim of this article is to describe patient-reported changes of perception related to food preferences, consumption, and food allergies in participants who underwent bariatric surgery and to compare their food consumption with participants who did not have bariatric surgery in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: This study is a secondary analysis of the Sharik Diet and Health National Survey (SDHNS) conducted in July 2021. Quota sampling was utilized to generate balanced distributions of participants by age and gender across all administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Data collection included sociodemographic information (age, gender, and educational level), as well as food habits and the consumption of various food categories. Results: Of the 6267 potential participants contacted in 2021 from the 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia, 5228 successfully completed the interview, with a response rate of 83.4%. Gender was distributed equally among the total participants in the sample. The prevalence of bariatric surgeries in Saudi Arabia was estimated at around 4.1% of the total sample. More than 36% of people who had bariatric surgery experienced food taste changes, and around 15% reported a decrease in allergic reactions to food. Moreover, 68.1% had food preference changes, either starting to favor a new food or no longer favoring one. There was a significant association between consuming more red meat, chicken, and energy drinks and a decreased consumption of grains and rice among those who had the bariatric surgery compared with those who did not. Conclusions: This study found that more than two-thirds of people who had bariatric surgery self-reported food taste and food preference changes. More studies should be performed on the Saudi population, including clinical follow-up, to better understand these changes.