Introduction:Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common chronic gastrointestinal disorders in adults, it develops when the stomach contents reflux and rise up into the esophagus as a result from lower esophageal sphincter dysfunction. Stomach acid that touches the lining of the esophagus causes symptoms and complications. The classical symptoms of GERD include heartburn, usually after eating, chest pain, and regurgitation.Aim:To measure the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease and determine its risk factors among the students of Shaqra University.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire distributed among Shaqra University students after multistage stratification and random sampling technique to stratify students according to gender and the three main colleges in Shaqra city, Saudi Arabia. The sample size was determined to be 435 with the precision of ± 5% and a 95% confidence interval (CI). The questionnaire included demographic data like age, gender, height and weight, lifestyle, and dietary habits. Statistical data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16. Results with a P value of <0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results:A total of 400 [227 (56%) male and 173 (43%) female] participants were evaluated. And 95 participants got a gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire score of ≥8 thus determining the prevalence of GERD to be 23.8%. Univariate analysis revealed that gender, smoking, familial history of GERD, high body mass index (>25 kg/m2), fast food, tea, carbonated beverages consumption, quick eating, and sleeping within 1 hour of dinner are associated with symptomatic GERD (P < 0.05).Conclusion:The results show a high prevalence of GERD in Shaqra university students and the presence of many modifiable risk factors which merits the conduction of public health campaigns to raise awareness about the disease and its risk factors.

Background. Seasonal influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses that are highly contagious and circulate in all parts of the world. It gives rise to an estimated 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths globally each year. Influenza tends to cause epidemics with serious illness and death among high-risk groups such as children aged 5 years and younger, pregnant women, elderly ≥65 years of age, and with chronic medical conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), all people who are 6 months old and above are recommended to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine annually. Despite the fact that influenza vaccine is readily available, and the severity of the disease is known to adversely affect the individual’s quality of life and well-being, vaccination uptake rates are still low, contributing to the increased burden of the disease worldwide. Objectives. To measure the influenza vaccine uptake among residents of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, that determines their attitude, knowledge, and beliefs regarding the vaccine. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered structured questionnaire distributed online targeting residents of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, from 1st of August 2019 till 30th of September 2019. Participants were selected through volunteer sampling. The questionnaire included demographic data including age, gender, occupation, education level, marital status, and comorbidities. It also included questions regarding knowledge, attitude, and beliefs regarding influenza vaccine. After collection of data, statistical analyses were conducted by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19.0. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. Our study included 503 participants, with age ranging from 18 to 65 years old and 324 (64%) were females. 100 participants (19.9%) had comorbid conditions, and 223 (44.3%) have been vaccinated against influenza in the past. A large portion of participants (41.2%) were familiar with seasonal influenza vaccination from the media. The knowledge part of the questionnaire showed that 302 (60%) participants knew how often they should receive the vaccine and 313 (62.2%) participants knew that the vaccine is provided freely in all of Saudi Arabia. In terms of belief and attitude, 371 participants (73.8%) thought they were susceptible to the disease and 365 (73.8%) believed that influenza vaccine is beneficial, while 446 participants (88.7%) thought that the general public need more knowledge and awareness on the scientific facts of influenza vaccine. Regarding barriers, 295 participants (58.6%) wanted to avoid vaccines and 252 (50.1%) were concerned about the vaccine’s adverse effects. Participants with frequent health checkups and those who had previous knowledge on the availability of the vaccine for free were more likely to be vaccinated. Vaccinated participants (44.3%) were asked if they were willing to take the vaccine again when it is due, 158 (70.9%) answered yes. Those who elicited symptomatic reaction to the vaccine (26.0%) were less inclined to take it again P = 0.035 . Conclusion. We concluded that there is a low influenza vaccine uptake rate among our study population, considering that the barriers most commonly chosen by participants are solvable with health education and campaigns oriented towards delivering facts about the vaccine and dispelling misinformation; such measures are highly recommended and are postulated to carry a great benefit that should target common misconceptions identified in this study.

Background:Sleep is crucial to human's health and essential for a person's wellbeing. It is involved in multiple physiological mechanisms, such as metabolism, appetite regulation, immune and hormone function, and cardiovascular systems. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7–9 h of sleep each night for adults. Short (<7 h) and long (<9 h) sleep duration has been reported to be associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality.Aim:1) To assess the prevalence of short sleep durations among Saudi adult population. 2) To examine comorbid medical condition's association with short sleep duration.Methods:A nation-wide quantitative cross-sectional study using an online self-administered constructed questionnaire during the period from August to October 2018 was conducted. The questionnaire included demographic characters, such as age, gender, education level, height, and weight. As well as some of the participants’ habits such as consuming coffee and/or tea, smoking status, and other habits known to be associated with shorter sleep hours. The questionnaire also included self-reported duration of sleep and history of diagnosed medical illnesses.Results:The study included 805 adult Saudi participants with ages ranging from 15- to 60-year old and mean age of 21.8 ± 10.7-year old. About 63% of the participants were females. It was established that almost half 49.6% of the participants sleep for <7 h daily, and 39.3% of them sleep for 7–9 h.Conclusion:About half of Saudi adults do not get enough hours of sleep. Especially, people who are married, above 30-year old, students or tea drinkers (P < 0.05): furthermore, people with medical comorbidities such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia had a higher association with short sleep duration. Last, sleep deprivation adversely affects the physical wellbeing and quality of life of participants, demonstrated in bad mood, somnolence, and tiredness during the day time.

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