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Background: The risk of CKD is high in Saudi Arabia due to increasingly growing prevalence of its risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the level of awareness of Saudi population towards CKD risk factors in order to generate platform for future planning. Methodology: This study included 940 apparently healthy Saudi volunteers, their ages ranging from 17 to 65 years old with a mean age of 35 years. A purposeful questionnaire was designed and used for obtaining data about the CKD risk factors. Results: Out of 940 participants, 293 (31.2%) were males and 647 (68.8%) were females, giving males "females" ratio of 1.00:2.21. About 62.3% of the participants were found to believe that DM is one of the main risk factors for CKD, of whom, 74% were males and 57% were females. Approximately 60% of the participants were found believing that hypertension is one of the main risk factors for CKD, of whom 79.5% were males and 51.6% were females. Conclusion: There is an increasing in the prevalence of CKD risk factors among Saudi population. Although, the levels of awareness toward some CKD risk factors are relatively increasing, but more health education efforts are deemed importance.

Background: dietary habit is one of the most universally recounted initiators of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The objective of the present study was to determine the role of some dietary habits in the etiology of IBS in Northern Saudi Arabia. Methodology: In this community based cross-sectional survey, data about IBS were obtained from 930 Saudi volunteers living in the city of Hail, Northern Saudi Arabia. IBS was diagnosed using Rome IV criteria. Results: The prevalence of IBS was 11% among males vs. 12.5% among females. The prevalence of IBS symptoms among males was 30% vs. 36.5% females. IBS was significantly associated with reduced water intake, the RR (95% CI) = 1.1800 (1.0146 to 1.3722), P = 0.0316. In the present study, the majority of the study population 904/929 (97.3%) didn't accustom to vegetables/fruits intake. Conclusion: IBS is prevalent in Northern Saudi Arabia, both among males and females with relatively increasing among females. Low water intake and insufficient fibers intake (particularly, in vegetables and fruits) might be behind the growing prevalence of IBS in Saudi Arabia.

Backgroundblood products is an interesting term as all blood and blood transfusion procedures carry risk even with advance screening of donors and donated blood. In Saudi Arabia voluntary donors are either the only source or not, the other source is paid donors and the lack of volunteers represents a major challenge. This is usually attributed to low community awareness regarding voluntary blood donation. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the levels of awareness towards blood donation in northern Saudi Arabia.Methodologyin this descriptive cross sectional survey, data about blood donation were obtained from 717 Saudi volunteers living in the city of Hail, Saudi Arabia. A Purposeful questionnaire was designed and used for obtaining of the necessary data.ResultsWhen asking the participants to rate the level of awareness about blood donation in Saudi Society, the majority of participants categorized the levels as good followed by very good and poor, representing 48.8%, 29.3%, and 22% participants, respectively.Conclusionthe broad concept of blood donation is still poor in Saudi Arabia. Further educational plans are needed to raise the level of awareness and increase the perception of blood donation among Saudi population. Efforts should be made to involve females in blood donation duties.

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Cases of adult obesity have been rising in every age group and gender of the Saudi population. If this trend continues it can lead to drastically high incidences of diabetes and the coronary heart disease (CHD). In a recent 2014 world health survey by the WHO, Saudi Arabia was ranked 27 th in the world in CHD related deaths. Additionally in Saudi Arabia CHD was the leading cause of death in 2014. Therefore, in this study we decided to look at the possible correlation between the inheritance of blood group antigens and the high incidences of myocardial infarction (MI) among the adult male patients. Results of our study show that in the randomly selected male control group 20.7% were A + and 3.35% were A -while 14.3% were found to be B + and 3.95% were B -. AB blood group was the least prevalent blood group among the control population. Only 8.2% were found to be AB + and 2.43% were AB -. As previously reported by us and others O + blood group was the most prevalent blood group among the control population at 38.3% while only 8.5% were found to be O -. In contrast when we analyzed the blood group distribution among the 111 MI male patients our results showed a statistically significant reduction in the combined Rh -male MI patients as compared to the Rh -individuals in the control group. Additionally we found a significantly high prevalence of A + blood group (30.6%) among the MI patients as compared to the control population. Our results also showed a small but not a significant increase in B + and O + blood groups in MI patients as compared to the controls. Finally our results show statistically significant reduction in O -MI patients as compared to the control population. In conclusion A + individuals show statistically high incidences of MI and O -individuals show statistically low incidences of MI in male patients. Our results also show a statistically significant reduction in the Rh -MI patients as compared to the control group. Significance of this reduction is not clear at this time.

Background: Several psychological factors have been linked to the etiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The aim of the present study was to assess the burden of psychological factors (anxiety, depression, and working status) in the etiology of IBS in Northern Saudi Arabia. Methodology: Data regarding IBS were attained from 930 Saudi volunteers existing in the city of Hail, Northern Saudi Arabia. A purposeful questionnaire was developed and used to obtain the required data. Each questionnaire was completed by a medical student in the course of the interview. Results: IBS symptoms were recognized in 46% of the study population of whom 38% were males and 62% were females. The risk of anxiety as a risk for IBS was statistically significant. The relative risk and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = RR (95% CI) = 1.4801 (1.2608 to 1.7376), P < 0.0001. The risk of emotional stress as a risk for IBS was statistically significant. The relative risk and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = RR (95% CI) = 1.5337 (1.2918 to 1.8211), P < 0.0001. Conclusion: IBS and IBS related symptoms are prevalent in Northern Saudi Arabia. IBS symptoms are significantly associated with anxiety, depression and to a lesser extent may be linked to occupation and daily working hours.