The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence of cigarette use and water pipe smoking in Jordanian university students and to analyze differences in determinants between cigarette smokers and non-smokers. A cross-sectional questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 400 students (18-24 years, 51% males). Smokers were compared with non-smokers on several smoking-related determinants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, χ 2 test and binary logistic regression analysis. The prevalence rates of cigarette use and water pipe smoking were 25.9% and 23.3%, respectively. Cigarette smokers differed significantly from non-smokers on almost all of the assessed determinants. The I-Change model explained 85% of the total variance of cigarette-smoking behavior. Cigarette smoking was determined by being male and older, having more depressive symptoms, having less Muslim identity, being more emancipated, perceiving more pros of smoking, having more modeling from peers and having lower self-efficacy. The popularity of cigarette use and water pipe smoking among Jordanian students necessitates health promotion interventions that motivate students not to engage in smoking behaviors by clearly outlining the outcomes of smoking and the healthier alternatives, how to cope with social influences and difficult situations in order to increase self-efficacy.

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COVID‐19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia (SA) has placed substantial challenges on its health care system, which raised our concern about the possible influence on patient safety culture. Therefore, this study aimed to provide empirical evidence on how the COVID‐19 outbreak impacted patient safety incident reports (PSIRs) among the Qassim Health Cluster (QHC) in SA. This retrospective study assessed a total of 23,481 inpatient PSIRs from 22 medical facilities. We compared data on PSIRs between COVID‐19 period (March–July 2020) and a comparable pre‐COVID‐19 period (March–July 2019). PSIRs were classified according to “Saudi Patient Safety Taxonomy.” In the COVID‐19 period: inpatient admissions have significantly dropped by one‐fourth, and the median score of PSIRs significantly increased to 30.6/100 inpatients. Nevertheless, there were no changes in PSIRs harm level. The top five areas of reporting were related to: patient care, medication, infection control, staff, and facility maintenance. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the frequency rate of PSIRs by facility bed capacity. The significant increase in PSIRs at COVID‐19 time can be perceived as a positive outcome. Our view considers both the COVID‐19 crisis and future health crises. The lessons learned here should be employed to promote sustainable preparedness and responses to subsequent crises.

Background. Saudi Arabia (SA) has been widely involved in the epidemic of obesity. In 2016, World statistics showed that SA was highly ranked in obesity with a prevalence of around 34%. Management of obesity can include lifestyle changes, medications, or Bariatric Surgery (BS). BS has been shown to be effective intervention for weight loss, diabetes management, Dyslipidemia, and reducing mortality risk. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess knowledge and awareness of Buraydah Community about obesity with regards to causes and management including BS. Methods. This cross-sectional survey targeted the general population in Buraydah City, Saudi Arabia from June to July 2018. The survey covered multiple public places in Buraydah using a convenience sample (n=516). Data were collected using two tools; self-administered questionnaires and Anthropometric measurements of weight and height. The questionnaire encompassed a set of socio-demographic variables, awareness of obesity's causes and prevention and awareness of BS as a management for obesity. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-Square test. Results. Around one fourth of the sample (24.4%) were classified to be obese, the vast majority of participants (90.5%) were unaware of their own BMI classification. Furthermore, participants generally had a good general knowledge about obesity, most of them believed that lack of physical activity was the most common cause of obesity and that engaging in sport activities is the best management of obesity. The majority of the sampled community members (78.3%) had a good knowledge about BS, whereas 21.7% of them showed positive attitude toward BS. Furthermore, Social media was the most common source of information about BS. Significant differences in knowledge about BS were limited to gender, while significant differences in attitude included age group, marital status, educational level, and classification of BMI and knowledge of self-BMI. Conclusion. Although the prevalence of obesity in Buraydah City is a little less than other regions of SA, a local strategy to compact this epidemic is needed. The option of BS for eligible cases of obesity should be addressed. Accordingly, efforts needed to educate the public about BS, which is an ultimate solution for obesity.