The Association between Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS): A nationwide study from 25 medical schools

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychological condition that is characterized by obsessive thinking about a perceived flaw in one's appearance that may eventually cause significant distress and impairment in life.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2021 and August 2021 using a previously validated and published questionnaires — The Body Image Disturbance Questionnaire (BIDQ) and Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS).  Distributed to all medical students from 25 universities across all regions of Saudi Arabia. Results: A total of 1,776 respondents completed the questionnaire. Females represented 57.1% of the study population.More than half of the respondents were concerned and preoccupied with their body appearance (59.4% and 52.8%, respectively). The average of the BIDQ and ACSS scores was significantly higher in females compared to males, while higher socioeconomic status and higher educational level were also significantly related with higher BIDQ and ACSS scores. Furthermore, a higher BIDQ score was associated with higher scores on the ACSS

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Saudi medical students’ career choices and perceptions of health specialties: findings from a national cross-sectional study

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on people across the globe. Its impact on medical students’ education has also been profound. Here, we aimed to comprehensively determine the nature of this impact on their choice of specialty. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students in Saudi Arabia during the pandemic from May to June 2021. Data collected from 1984 medical students were analyzed. Results Of the total sample, 810 (40.8%) respondents reported that the pandemic could affect their choice of specialty, with the majority being in the third year (n = 235). Across all class-years, the most common reason chosen was the inability to explore specialties of interest (n = 539, 66.5%). Another reason cited was the inability to support residency application (n = 175, 21.6%). A majority expressed concerns regarding enrollment in research activities. As high as 17.9% (n = 356) of the respondents admitted that they were trying to avoid specialty with frontline exposure to COVID-19, while 353 students (17.8%) were considering local training programs only. While examining certainty levels, of the 1174 (59.2%) students who reported not being affected by the pandemic, 924 (78.7%) had a weak certainty level. The majority were in the third (54.8%, n = 342) and fourth years (44.8%, n = 212). Conclusions This study is the first attempt to thoroughly examine the effect of COVID-19 on medical students’ choice of specialty. This effect unfurled in 4 out of 10 surveyed students. Many students reported concerns regarding the inability to explore medical specialties and the inadequacy of obtained clinical knowledge. However, a subsidiary effect was observed among students who were assertive about their choice of specialty. These findings shed new light on the exigency of establishing a career counseling framework designed to meet individual learner needs, thereby galvanizing their morale. Further research could explore the long-term implications of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties Matching System. </jats:sec

Self-reported Occupational-related Contact Dermatitis: Prevalence and Risk Factors among Health-care Workers in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Occupational skin disease is the second-most common occupational disease according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accounting for 30%–45% of all occupational diseases worldwide, and out of which 95% is contact dermatitis. Health-care workers are at high risk of developing occupational contact dermatitis (OCD). Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for OCD among health-care workers in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from July to August 2023 after obtaining ethical approval from the institutional review board of the Ministry of Health. We used a newly generated English questionnaire based on the Nordic Occupational Skin Questionnaire (2002). Results: Overall, 592 health-care professionals were included; 141 had OCD on hands, wrists, or forearms. Most respondents with OCD (66.0%, n = 93) were women, whereas 48% (34.0) were men. Among health-care professionals, OCD was common in doctors; 81 out of 321 reported having the condition. The crude odds ratio for personal and family history of allergy were 3.88 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.62–5.82), and 2.63 (95% CI: 1.75–4.00), respectively, suggesting that participants with these comorbidities had a higher chance of developing OCD than patients without them did. Conclusion: OCD is common among health-care professionals in Saudi Arabia. Awareness of disease preventive measures may help improve outcomes

Patient Satisfaction as a Determinant of Patient Loyalty to the Dentist in Dental Clinics

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of patient satisfaction with a dentist on their loyalty to that dentist in Saudi Ministry of Health dental clinics. Retrospective data were recruited from the patient experience program (Press Ganey Survey) during the first half of 2022. Descriptive statistical analysis, Pearson correlation coefficient ( r ), and multiple linear regression models were used to assess the impact on loyalty to that dentist. Among the 964 respondents who submitted their responses to the survey, the highest mean satisfaction score was for the item concerning the good listening of the dentist to the patient (3.86 of 5; 77.2%). There was a highly significant correlation between each item related to the dentist and the likelihood of the patient to recommend a certain dentist to others “that is, patient loyalty” ( P  < .001). The highest predictor of patient loyalty to his dentist was the dentist's explanation of the treatment options to his patient ( t : 8.632, P  < .001). Dentists have a crucial role to play in boosting patient satisfaction and thereby patient loyalty

Chemical Characterization of Honey and Its Effect (Alone as well as with Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles) on Microbial Pathogens&rsquo; and Human Cancer Cell Lines&rsquo; Growth

The antibacterial, anticancer, and wound-healing effects of honey can vary according to the type, geographical region, honey bee species, and source of the flowers. Nanotechnology is an innovative and emerging field of science with an enormous potential role in medical, cosmetics, and industrial usages globally. Metal nanoparticles that derived from silver and range between 1 nm and 100 nm in size are called silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Much advanced research AgNPs has been conducted due to their potential antibacterial and anticancer activity, chemical stability, and ease of synthesis. The purpose of the present study was to explore the physicochemical properties of honey and the potential to use forest honey to synthesize AgNPs as well as to appraise the nanoparticles&rsquo; antimicrobial and anticancer effects. Here, we used three different percentages of forest honey (20%, 40%, and 80%) as biogenic mediators to synthesize AgNPs at room temperature. The development of AgNPs was confirmed by color change (to the naked eye) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy studies, respectively. The absorbance peak obtained between 464 to 4720 nm validated both the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band and the formation of AgNPs. Regarding the sugar profile, the contents of maltose and glucose were lower than the content of fructose. In addition, the results showed that the SPR band of AgNPs increased as the percentage of forest honey increased due to the elevation of the concentration of the bio-reducing agent. A bacterial growth kinetic assay indicated the strong antibacterial efficacy of honey with silver nanoparticles against each tested bacterial strain. Honey with nanotherapy was the most effective against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and colon cancer (HCT 116) cells, with IC50s of 23.9 and 27.4 &micro;g/mL, respectively, while being less effective against breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7), with an IC50 of 32.5 &micro;g/mL

Chemical Characterization of Honey and Its Effect (Alone as well as with Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles) on Microbial Pathogens’ and Human Cancer Cell Lines’ Growth

The antibacterial, anticancer, and wound-healing effects of honey can vary according to the type, geographical region, honey bee species, and source of the flowers. Nanotechnology is an innovative and emerging field of science with an enormous potential role in medical, cosmetics, and industrial usages globally. Metal nanoparticles that derived from silver and range between 1 nm and 100 nm in size are called silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Much advanced research AgNPs has been conducted due to their potential antibacterial and anticancer activity, chemical stability, and ease of synthesis. The purpose of the present study was to explore the physicochemical properties of honey and the potential to use forest honey to synthesize AgNPs as well as to appraise the nanoparticles’ antimicrobial and anticancer effects. Here, we used three different percentages of forest honey (20%, 40%, and 80%) as biogenic mediators to synthesize AgNPs at room temperature. The development of AgNPs was confirmed by color change (to the naked eye) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy studies, respectively. The absorbance peak obtained between 464 to 4720 nm validated both the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band and the formation of AgNPs. Regarding the sugar profile, the contents of maltose and glucose were lower than the content of fructose. In addition, the results showed that the SPR band of AgNPs increased as the percentage of forest honey increased due to the elevation of the concentration of the bio-reducing agent. A bacterial growth kinetic assay indicated the strong antibacterial efficacy of honey with silver nanoparticles against each tested bacterial strain. Honey with nanotherapy was the most effective against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and colon cancer (HCT 116) cells, with IC50s of 23.9 and 27.4 µg/mL, respectively, while being less effective against breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7), with an IC50 of 32.5 µg/mL.</jats:p