Journal of Family & Community Medicine

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is a major problem of adolescents worldwide. Fitness trackers are widely used technologies that assess physical activity and allow self-monitoring of daily activities. Thirty-five percent of the Saudi population is made up of adolescents, which makes them an important target population. Few studies have evaluated the association of fitness trackers with physical activity levels of adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate physical activity among adolescents and its relationship to their use of fitness trackers and overall health...

Extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) is a rare cause of spinal cord compression (SCC) occurring in various hematological illnesses such as myeloproliferative disorders, thalassemias, and various types of anemia. EMH represents the growth of blood cells outside the bone marrow. Common EMH locations include the spleen, liver, lymph nodes, and paravertebral regions. When this occurs in the spinal cord, the mass effect can compress the spinal cord and cause different neurological symptoms depending on the area of the spinal cord affected...

BACKGROUND: A number of patients with primary hypothyroidism have reduced health-related quality of life (HR-QoL), even with optimum thyroid hormone replacement therapy. This study aimed to assess the HR-QoL of patients with hypothyroidism under replacement therapy and identify its relationship with the symptom score and thyroid function status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a cross-sectional study design, 175 hypothyroid patients under replacement therapy who visited the Endocrinology Outpatient Department of a tertiary care center were selected by convenient sampling technique...

BACKGROUND: A headache is a very common condition that can have a significant impact on one's quality of life. It is one of the leading causes of years lived with disability worldwide. The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of primary headache disability, its characteristics, risk factors and its impact on daily life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Fayoum governorate. The sample size was 1909 participants. A multistage random sample technique was used to select adults aged above 18 years...

Despite the numerous reports of cutaneous manifestations associated with vaccines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the relationship between COVID-19 vaccines and cutaneous side effects remains unevaluated. In this review, we examine these manifestations and their management. Reported dermatoses included injection-site reaction (early and delayed), type I allergic reaction, morbilliform eruption, pityriasis rosea, Sweet syndrome, lichen planus, psoriasis, herpes zoster reactivation, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)...

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in a huge burden on healthcare systems and necessitated a risk assessment of patients and an update of the treatment protocol to include home isolation for low-risk patients. The primary objective was to describe the outcome of home isolation and the characteristics of patients at higher risk of admission. The secondary objectives were to determine the proportion of patients with pneumonia and hypoxemia and the correlation between cycle of the threshold (CT) value and severity of the disease...

BACKGROUND: The evolution of Medical learning shows the incorporation of modern technology in teaching, learning, assessment, and medical practice. Clickers are easy to use, and provide instantaneous feedback on the student's comprehension of the information given. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of clickers in undergraduate medical students' learning by comparing clickers' scores with group discussion scores. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional comparative study with cross-over design was conducted for 6 months on 80 students of Phase III Part I MBBS...

BACKGROUND: Periodic Health Examinations (PHEs) typically occur annually and provide an important opportunity for providers to screen their patients for undiagnosed health conditions and monitor existing conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension. Unfortunately, PHEs are reported to be low in Saudi Arabia. This study's aim was to assess the regular uptake of PHEs by adults residing in Al-Jouf region, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults (aged ≥ 20 years) residing in five communities in the Al-Jouf Region on sociodemographic characteristics, self-reported chronic conditions, knowledge of PHEs, and their regular uptake...

BACKGROUND: The use of telemedicine has increased considerably in healthcare delivery, especially during this time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It has, therefore, become necessary to train medical students to better equip them for this new means of healthcare delivery. The aim of the present study was to assess the perception of undergraduate medical students on telemedicine training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 521 undergraduate medical students studying in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia...

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has proven to be detrimental to the psychological well-being of healthcare providers (HCP). This study was a psychological intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic to check extent to which brief mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) affect psychological well-being, resilience, and anxiety of HCPs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized trial study conducted from July to August 2020...

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of morbidity and mortality for type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is still increasing because of changing lifestyles. There needs to be a means of controlling the rise in the incidence of the disease. Many researchers have utilized technological advances such as machine learning for disease prevention and control, especially in noncommunicable conditions. Researchers are, therefore, interested in creating an early detection system for risk factors of type 2 diabetes...

BACKGROUND: The implementation of Sharia Model Childbirth (SMC) is in accordance with Fatwa Majelis Ulama Indonesia (MUI) no l07/DSN-MUI/X/2016 on the practice of sharia principles in health services. Sharia services in hospitals are general. This SMC innovation is specific and comprehensive, covering prenatal, delivery and postnatal. This model was implemented in 2017 but has never been qualitatively evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the application of SMC in the maternity services from the perspective of midwives and staff of the Islamic service unit...

BACKGROUND: The cognitive process of critical thinking (CT) involves the examination of the existing reasons and an analysis of the information to draw conclusions and make decisions. The goal of the study was to determine how concept mapping (CM) technique affects family medicine residents' capacity for critical thought. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial among family medicine residents aged between 26 and 28 years. A total of 100 residents were involved; over the course of 3 months, 50 residents were exposed to the conventional teaching model and 50 residents to the CM model...

BACKGROUND: Depression is a major mental problem in the elderly, particularly those with disability. This study's aim was to identify variables that predict depression in the elderly with disabilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Gunungkidul Regency and Yogyakarta City from April to June 2021. The study participants were community-dwelling elderly aged 60 years and above with disabilities, who could communicate verbally without any apparent cognitive impairment...

Nasopharyngeal branchial cleft cysts (NBC) are generally single, unilateral, and asymptomatic. They may get infected or produce obstructive symptoms as it enlarges. The definitive diagnosis is usually confirmed by Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histopathology. A 54-year-old male patient presented with progressive bilateral nasal obstruction, more on the right side, associated with hyponasal voice and postnasal discharge of 2 years' duration. A cystic mass was found by nasal endoscopy on the lateral right side of the nasopharynx, extending to the oropharynx, and was confirmed with MRI findings...

BACKGROUND: Team-based care (TBC) is becoming the standard method of delivering primary care services in Saudi Arabia. Family medicine residents are considered the future leaders who will apply the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) strategic transformation plans in practice. The aim of this study was to assess the attitude of family medicine residents toward TBC and the factors associated with their current attitudes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and April 2022...

BACKGROUND: Mental stigma occurs when patients with various mental disorders are labeled by their disorders. Little is known about the burden of mental stigma on patients with mental disorders. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of mental stigma on patients with psychiatric disorder in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among previously diagnosed patients with any psychiatric disorder attending King Khalid Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia...

BACKGROUND: A health house (HH) is a basic health facility in rural Iraq. The function of a HH is to provide simple health services and treatments such as giving injections, dressing simple wounds, and monitoring mother and child health. The duties also include dispensing medications, measuring blood pressure, and the daily monitoring of chlorine levels in water. These HHs also provide awareness on different subjects. The main objectives of this study are to assess the availability of the basic features of the HHs and core components of the framework of the World Health Organization (WHO) building blocks...

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has almost reached global epidemic proportions. Fortunately, the progress of the disease can be stemmed at the prediabetic level. The objective of the present study was to determine the frequency of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and its predictors in females of reproductive age in the urban slums of Lahore. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among females of reproductive age in the slums of metropolitan Lahore...

BACKGROUND: Research in family medicine is important. The objectives of this study were to explore the contribution of family physicians, their attitudes and practice, and the barriers to research in family medicine in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted on Saudi family physicians in 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to family physicians through WhatsApp and email. Information sought included demographic data, scientific profile, number of publications, reasons for conducting research, barriers to the conduct of research, attitudes and skills for the conduct of research, and priority areas of research...