Occupational therapy (OT) is an important healthcare profession in Saudi Arabia (SA). Yet, no studies have explored the status of OT education in SA. The current study aims to investigate the status of OT education in SA, as well as the barriers and solutions. MethodsA cross-sectional-based survey was conducted. Institutions that offered OT programs were identified and an electronic survey was sent to OT program directors across SA that agreed to participate. The survey included items that focused on the number of students in programs, current faculty members, and their characteristics, as well as barriers and solutions to advancing the OT profession and education in SA. ResultsOut of 74 institutions, eight offered OT programs and all responded to the survey. Among all programs, one was inactive, seven (87.5%) were governmental institutions, and none were nationally accredited. There was a total of 538 currently enrolled students and 76 full-time faculty members. There are no current OT postgraduate programs. Staff shortages and ineffective communication between institutions (87.5%), financial barriers, and lack of knowledge/awareness of the OT profession (75%) were the most common barriers reported. ConclusionOT education is growing in SA but is still not well-represented throughout the different regions of the country. Initiatives to advance the profession are urgently needed by establishing new OT programs and departments as well as introducing OT to more diverse scopes of practice and in more clinical settings. Further research exploring OT education including curriculum content, teaching methods, and assessment strategies of OT programs. Addressing the barriers identified in the current study and methods to overcome them is needed.
Background: Health officials need current knowledge of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and related risk factors to prioritize prevention and control measures due to lifestyle changes, population structure, and the high incidence of diabetes in Saudi Arabia. The present systematic review aims to estimate the current pooled prevalence of T2DM and related risk factors among the general adult population in Saudi Arabia between 2016 and 2022. Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched for cross-sectional studies that reported T2DM among adults in Saudi Arabia and were published between December 31, 2016, and December 31, 2022. The PRISMA guidelines and the AXIS tool were employed to report and evaluate study quality and bias risk. Results: The meta-analysis with a fixed effect model included 10 studies comprising 8457 general men and women adults aged 18 or older. The prevalence of T2DM was 28% (95% CI = 27–28, P < .001), and risks of T2DM in persons over 40 were nearly twice as high (OR = 1.74, 95% CI = 1.34–2.27) than in age under 40 among general adult population in Saudi Arabia between 2016–2022. This difference was statistically significant (P < .0001). Conclusion: The evidence from this review provided alarming and highlighted points about the prevalence of T2DM between 2016 and 2022, but there was high heterogeneity between the studies. Individuals aged 40 or older had a high risk of T2DM among the general adult population in Saudi Arabia.
This study aimed to determine the severity of symptoms and the level of disability or difficulty associated with MSDs in the neck, shoulders, upper limbs, lower back, and lower limbs as well as the factors associated with MSDs. Material and Methods: This investigation collected demographic, health (36-Item Short Form Survey ), and occupational related-factors for supermarket cashiers through the administration of several questionnaires, including the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain. Results: One hundred ninety-three supermarket cashiers participated in this study. The mean scores for disability levels included NDI (M±SD 18.62±14.57), ODI (M±SD 20.74±13.89), DASH (M±SD 15.08±13.90), and LEFS (M±SD 63.06±14.24). Regression analyses demonstrated the existence of significant relationships between the experience of MSDs and several other factors, including the number of working days per week, the preferred working position, marital status and the need for awkward positions. Conclusions: The results indicate MSDs that signified a mild disability level among young participants. The number of working days per week, the preferred working position, the need to assume awkward positions, and marital status were significantly associated with MSDs. The findings indicated the need for preventive to avoid or minimize the prevalence of MSDs among supermarket cashiers.
Lupus nephritis (LN) is an inflammatory condition affecting the kidneys in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Pathophysiology of LN is not clearly understood. Autoantibody deposits in glomeruli can cause progressive renal damage leading to renal failure. We proposed to study the binding patterns of ANA in the kidney. Kidneys from 8 female Lewis rats (age=6 months) were harvested to study. Rats were randomly separated into 4 groups (n=2). Control group rats were injected with 300 μl of 0.9% sterile saline through the tail vein once a week for 4 weeks; the second group was a negative control injected with 250μl of ANA free human serum plus 50μl of 0.9% saline. The third group was injected with 250 μl of ANA plus 50μl of 0.9% saline. The fourth group was injected with ANA and 4 mg/kg BW of Benadryl (antihistamine). Studies have reported, that histamine can decrease glomerular permeability. Slices of frozen sections were examined by Immuno‐fluorescent staining for ANA binding. Cellular infiltration was assessed by staining the tissue slices with H&E stain. Results of this study indicate that both the ANA group and the ANA+Benadryl group show significant differences in binding as compared to the negative control group respectively (P<0.01, P<0.001). Probability of ANA binding in the ANA group and the ANA Benadryl group was significantly greater as compared to both the negative control and saline injected group. Endothelial cells were the dominant cell type in the tissues. Binding patterns of ANA in the kidney may enhance our understanding of the underlying mechanism of SLE and hence, a better therapeutic approach in treating the disease. Furthermore, it may provide a precise biomarker for future diagnosis. Support:Ball State Research Funds.
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