Background The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) ranks third globally in smartphone use. Smartphones have made many aspects of life easier. However, the overuse of smartphones is associated with physical and psychosocial problems. Objective The aim of this paper is to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of problematic use of smartphones among adults in the Qassim region of KSA. Methods We enrolled 715 participants using cluster random sampling for this cross-sectional survey. We assessed the problematic use of smartphones using the short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale. Results We estimated the prevalence of problematic smartphone use among adults at 64% (453/708). Multivariable logistic regression analysis suggested that students are 3 times more likely to demonstrate problematic use compared with unemployed individuals (P=.03); adults using more than five apps are 2 times more likely to demonstrate problematic use compared to those using a maximum of three apps (P=.007). Protective factors against problematic smartphone use include using apps for academic (odds ratio [OR] 0.66; P=.04) or religious needs (OR 0.55; P=.007) and having a monthly family income of 5001-10,000 SAR (Saudi Riyal; US $1300-$2700; OR 0.46; P=.01) or 10,001-20,000 SAR (US $2700-$5400; OR 0.51; P=.03) compared to the <1501 SAR (US $400) income group. Conclusions We reported a very high prevalence of problematic use of smartphones in KSA. Considering its negative impact on physical and psychosocial health, public health programs should develop preventive strategies.
BACKGROUND The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) ranks third globally in smartphone use. Smartphones have made many aspects of life easier. However, the overuse of smartphones is associated with physical and psychosocial problems. OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to estimate the prevalence and associated factors of problematic use of smartphones among adults in the Qassim region of KSA. METHODS We enrolled 715 participants using cluster random sampling for this cross-sectional survey. We assessed the problematic use of smartphones using the short version of the Smartphone Addiction Scale. RESULTS We estimated the prevalence of problematic smartphone use among adults at 64% (453/708). Multivariable logistic regression analysis suggested that students are 3 times more likely to demonstrate problematic use compared with unemployed individuals (<i>P</i>=.03); adults using more than five apps are 2 times more likely to demonstrate problematic use compared to those using a maximum of three apps (<i>P</i>=.007). Protective factors against problematic smartphone use include using apps for academic (odds ratio [OR] 0.66; <i>P</i>=.04) or religious needs (OR 0.55; <i>P</i>=.007) and having a monthly family income of 5001-10,000 SAR (Saudi Riyal; US $1300-$2700; OR 0.46; <i>P</i>=.01) or 10,001-20,000 SAR (US $2700-$5400; OR 0.51; <i>P</i>=.03) compared to the <1501 SAR (US $400) income group. CONCLUSIONS We reported a very high prevalence of problematic use of smartphones in KSA. Considering its negative impact on physical and psychosocial health, public health programs should develop preventive strategies.
Background: There is a huge burden of nutrition-related non-communicable diseases, and diabetes is one of the leading chronic nutrition-related diseases affecting more than 500 million people globally. Collecting information regarding the awareness of dietary and nutrition knowledge among diabetic patients is the first step to developing a disease prevention program. Thus, this study primarily aims at assessing the dietary awareness of diabetes patients attending the diabetic centre in Madinah governorate, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The study was started in November 2020 and ended in October 2021. The study participants (315) were type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients attending a diabetic centre in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. A self-prepared dietary knowledge questionnaire (DKQ) was used in this research. The variables include balanced diet, food type, food choice, carbohydrate, protein, and fat. Knowledge score was, and the total score was leveled/categorized into ‘good’, ‘average’, and ‘poor’. Data were analyzed by SPSS v.26. Results: The study results identified the current knowledge of T2DM patients about different dietary items. The knowledge score of 62.2% of participants showed an average level of dietary knowledge, which is statistically significant. When we separately evaluated their understanding of different dietary components, we found that T2DM patients had poor knowledge of carbohydrates (30.15%), fat, food choices (47.7%), and type (34.6%). However, they had acceptable knowledge of proteins (56.5%). Conclusion: Our participants exhibited acceptable knowledge about proteins but poorer knowledge of other food groups. A healthy, well-balanced diet is essential for excellent glycaemic control. It is recommended to educate and arrange a health education program regarding dietary knowledge, specially designed for diabetic patients so that patients can opt for a healthier lifestyle.
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