Alia Almoajel

Background: Digital health applications have emerged as transformative tools within healthcare systems globally. This study investigates the perceptions, adoption, perceived benefits and challenges, and factors involved in the selection of digital health apps among the residents of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated, self-administered online questionnaire targeting residents of Riyadh aged 18 years and older. A total of 444 participants were recruited through convenience sampling via social media platforms. Results: Among the respondents, 90% reported using digital health applications, with Sehhaty being the most commonly used. Over 75% rated these applications as effective in improving quality of life (QoL). Key benefits included improved healthcare access, appointment booking, health awareness, and time efficiency. Fitness tracking was the most used app category (57.2%). Despite positive perceptions, 22% reported challenges, including technical difficulties and limited app compatibility. Ease of use was the most important factor (92.1%) when choosing a health app. Conclusion: Digital health applications have been widely adopted in Riyadh and are perceived to enhance QoL through improved access, convenience, and personal health management. The findings highlight strong user satisfaction and a growing interest in preventive care. Expanding digital health features, enhancing awareness, and integrating AI-based tools are recommended to further support health outcomes and national digital health goals.

The preparedness of healthcare workers for disaster situations depends on their technical skills, disaster knowledge, and psychosocial strength, including teamwork and emotional regulation. This study aims to assess disaster preparedness among healthcare professionals in primary healthcare centers (PHCs) in Alqurayat, Saudi Arabia, with a specific focus on evaluating technical competencies, psychosocial readiness, and predictive modeling of preparedness levels. A mixed-methods approach was employed, incorporating structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and observational data from disaster drills to evaluate the preparedness levels of 400 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, and administrative staff. The results showed that while knowledge (mean: 3.9) and skills (mean: 4.0) were generally moderate to high, notable gaps in overall preparedness remained. Importantly, 69.5% of participants reported enhanced readiness following simulation drills. Machine learning models, including Random Forest and Artificial Neural Networks, were used to predict preparedness outcomes based on psychosocial variables such as emotional intelligence, teamwork, and stress management. Sentiment analysis and topic modeling of qualitative responses revealed key themes including communication barriers, psychological safety, and the need for ongoing training. The findings highlight the importance of integrating both technical competencies and psychosocial resilience into disaster management programs. This study contributes an innovative framework for evaluating preparedness and offers practical insights for policymakers, disaster planners, and health training institutions aiming to strengthen the sustainability and responsiveness of primary healthcare systems.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19) pandemic has wreaked havoc worldwide and affected the mental health of many people by prompting fears of falling sick, dying, helplessness, and stigma. Therefore, timely recognition of mental health issues is needed. This study aimed to assess the relationships of knowledge, adherence to precautionary measures, human behavior, and positive mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic on the general Saudi population. Methods: An online survey using snowballing sampling was conducted to collect data on respondents’ socio-demographics, COVID-19 knowledge, adherence to precautions, human behavior, and positive state of mental health during the pandemic. Path analysis was used to measure effects among these factors. Results: Survey responses revealed that fatigue significantly affected performance, with 47% of participants strongly agreeing that fatigue impacted their cognitive and motor functions. Significant positive correlations were found between the EXP GPD Score and Control GPD Score (0.8031), and between EXP GPD Errors and Control GPD Errors (0.8595). The regression analysis indicated that for every unit increase in the Fatigue Borg Scale, the EXP GPD Score (time) increased by approximately 0.8036 units. Paired samples t-tests confirmed significant differences in performance and perceived fatigue between control and post-fatigue groups. Conclusion: In the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia, knowledge about the disease, and human behavior affected positive mental ‎health. The findings found that positive mental health could be enhanced with clear communication and dissemination of knowledge, and having appropriate human behavior in the early stages of an outbreak. Further research is warranted to explore the effect of adhering to precautionary measures on having positive mental health in future pandemics.

Background: The burgeoning rise in social media use has revolutionized information dissemination, rendering social media a vital tool for promoting health campaigns and enhancing 2-way health communication between senders and users. Health planners and policy makers consider social media platforms (SMPs) vital for transferring useful health information to the public. However, there are important concerns about the decision makers’ perceptions of the evolving role of social media in health promotion and education campaigns. Objective: This qualitative study explored how decision makers perceive the role of social media in health promotion and education. We aimed to shed light on strategic efficacy, real-world challenges, and valuable prospects of using social media for health communication. Methods: We adopted a qualitative research method involving in-depth, semistructured, face-to-face interviews. We included 13 participants from government and private health care sectors in the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, who were key players and decision makers in health care programs and reforms. Data were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key themes and patterns. Results: Five main themes were identified: (1) use of social media (frequency, type of content, target audience, purpose of communication), (2) perceptions of decision makers (how social media influences public health behavior), (3) benefits, (4) challenges, and (5) implications for future use. Participants recognized the positive role of SMPs in spreading health information, particularly in health promotion and awareness campaigns. Communication emerged as a key concept, and WhatsApp, X (Twitter), and Facebook were recognized as major platforms for digital health literacy. The participants used these applications extensively for communication with colleagues, patients, and the public, intending discussion, information exchange, and health promotion campaigns. Content inaccuracy and reliability were identified as major challenges. Furthermore, misinformation and social inequalities were identified as barriers to effective communication. Participants suggested that social media influencers play a more effective role in information dissemination than the health care staff. Far-reaching audiences, visually appealing and engaging content using videos and graphics, and assessing campaign effectiveness using metrics, such as views, shares, likes, and comments, were recognized as major benefits of social media. Participants stressed the promising role of social media in the future as technological advancements in eHealth could revolutionize health care. Conclusions: SMPs play a vital role in sharing information about health-related initiatives. This research highlights the complexities and potential challenges of using social media for health promotion in Saudi Arabia. It emphasizes the need to develop strategies to combat misinformation, address privacy and confidentiality concerns, and ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards. Encouraging communication among key stakeholders, including health promotion experts, government organizations, social media companies, and the general public, can help establish effective guidelines and protocols to overcome the challenges.

Nowadays, evidence-based management (EBM) plays an important role in bringing sustainability into the decision-making process in the healthcare industry. The present study examines how evidence-based management affects the strategic decision criteria for the cost efficiency, equity, and accessibility of medical services in Saudi Arabia. A mixed-methods approach used hybrid surveys, interactive focus groups, digital ethnography, and experience sampling methods to collect data from healthcare managers, policymakers, and stakeholders. Structural equation modeling (SEM), latent semantic analysis (LSA), XGBoost models, and dynamic network analysis (DNA), among others, were used to provide robust insights about the system. The results showed a 25 percent increase in cost efficiency, a 20 percent improvement in inequitable resource allocation, and a 15 percent improvement in accessibility with evidence-based management adoption. According to the XGBoost models, streamlined resource management explains 30% of the variation in cost efficiency, and data-driven decision-making practices explain 35% of the variance in equity performance. After EBM implementation, collaborative efforts among stakeholders increased by 40%, as determined by DNA analysis. In addition, time-series analysis revealed a 22% reduction in operational delays, improving service delivery. These results suggest that evidence-based management is an important opportunity to ‘bend the curve’ of patient care, driving healthcare sustainability by optimizing resource use, equity, and accessibility. The contributions of this research to the broader discourse on sustainable healthcare management lie in its proven actionable insights and scalable framework for evidence-based management practices. The integration of advanced analytics underlines its relevance for global healthcare systems to attain long-term efficiency and sustainability.

Background: The current study aimed to investigate the severity of anxiety and depression symptoms among the healthcare workers of COVID-19 wards three years after the pandemic outbreak in Saudi Arabia. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted during the fourth quarter of 2022 and early 2023 at the COVID-19 wards of public primary healthcare hospitals of the AlQassim region of Saudi Arabia. The sample included 323 healthcare workers including physicians, nurses, laboratory, and imaging personnel. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) questionnaires were used to collect data using the self-administered approach. The degree of severity of anxiety and depressive symptoms were the main outcome variables. Descriptive and inferential statistics were derived using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 28.0. Results: Three years following the outbreak of the pandemic, a transition toward a high prevalence of mild symptoms of anxiety and depression was noted. The present study reported 85.1%, 8.4%, and 6.5% mild, moderate, or moderately severe depression and 90.7%, 6.8%, and 2.5% anxiety, respectively. Depression was more common in men (t=3.009; p=0.003). Phlebotomists, x-ray and imaging personnel, and paramedics showed a strong association with symptoms of depression (t=8.36; p< 0.001) and anxiety (t= 10.325; p< 0.001). Sleep deprivation, fatigue, loss of interest, and changes in eating behavior were depressive symptoms with a high degree of severity. Anxiety symptoms that showed a high degree of severity were having trouble relaxing and getting annoyed quickly. An overall depressive and anxiety score of 16.5 and 12.8 was obtained. Conclusion: The long-term impact of the pandemic on healthcare workers in COVID-19 wards includes the persistence of depression and anxiety symptoms. These findings highlight the need for implementing mental health wellness programs and coping strategies that reduce work stress and improve the quality of life.

Background: Falls among older adults are a pervasive and significant concern worldwide. A practice guideline has been developed to address the prevention of falls and their resulting consequences in hospital and long-term care settings. Aim: The study aimed to assess the fall down rate and preventive tools among older adult patients in nursing homes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on randomly selected older adult patients by using a questionnaire with the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) tool in nursing homes at the Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development. Results: Among 323 older adult patients, most of them (73.1%) were male, 23.8% were from Makkah, and the age ranged from 60 to 90 years and older. Results showed that 64.8% had a psychiatric disorder, 41.8% had hypertension, 38.4% had diabetes, 38.1% had movement disorders, 11.3% had heart diseases, and 1.5% had no chronic conditions. The mean STEADI tool score was 3.5 out of 12, and of the 323 older adult patients, 51.7% had a low risk to fall and 48.3% had a high risk to fall. Of the 13 interventions used to prevent falls, the most used intervention was rehabilitative physical therapy, followed by providing patient facilities and muscle strengthening exercises. Conclusions: The level of falls was markedly low, and a significant correlation was observed between the risk of falling and the participants’ region of residence.

BACKGROUND The burgeoning rise in social media use has revolutionized information dissemination, rendering social media a vital tool for promoting health campaigns and enhancing 2-way health communication between senders and users. Health planners and policy makers consider social media platforms (SMPs) vital for transferring useful health information to the public. However, there are important concerns about the decision makers’ perceptions of the evolving role of social media in health promotion and education campaigns. OBJECTIVE This qualitative study explored how decision makers perceive the role of social media in health promotion and education. We aimed to shed light on strategic efficacy, real-world challenges, and valuable prospects of using social media for health communication. METHODS We adopted a qualitative research method involving in-depth, semistructured, face-to-face interviews. We included 13 participants from government and private health care sectors in the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia, who were key players and decision makers in health care programs and reforms. Data were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key themes and patterns. RESULTS Five main themes were identified: (1) use of social media (frequency, type of content, target audience, purpose of communication), (2) perceptions of decision makers (how social media influences public health behavior), (3) benefits, (4) challenges, and (5) implications for future use. Participants recognized the positive role of SMPs in spreading health information, particularly in health promotion and awareness campaigns. Communication emerged as a key concept, and WhatsApp, X (Twitter), and Facebook were recognized as major platforms for digital health literacy. The participants used these applications extensively for communication with colleagues, patients, and the public, intending discussion, information exchange, and health promotion campaigns. Content inaccuracy and reliability were identified as major challenges. Furthermore, misinformation and social inequalities were identified as barriers to effective communication. Participants suggested that social media influencers play a more effective role in information dissemination than the health care staff. Far-reaching audiences, visually appealing and engaging content using videos and graphics, and assessing campaign effectiveness using metrics, such as views, shares, likes, and comments, were recognized as major benefits of social media. Participants stressed the promising role of social media in the future as technological advancements in eHealth could revolutionize health care. CONCLUSIONS SMPs play a vital role in sharing information about health-related initiatives. This research highlights the complexities and potential challenges of using social media for health promotion in Saudi Arabia. It emphasizes the need to develop strategies to combat misinformation, address privacy and confidentiality concerns, and ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards. Encouraging communication among key stakeholders, including health promotion experts, government organizations, social media companies, and the general public, can help establish effective guidelines and protocols to overcome the challenges.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) introduced the Eye Care Competency Framework (ECCF) as a guideline to ensure proper delivery of eye care in healthcare systems. Improving the eye healthcare system in Saudi Arabia is essential to prevent or limit the high rate of ocular morbidity. This may be achieved by enabling optometrists to function as primary eye care providers within the primary eye healthcare system in line with WHO’s framework. Aim: This study aimed to engage experts in eye healthcare services to explore the possibilities of adopting the WHO’s ECCF in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare system. Setting: A 2-round Delphi study was conducted by enrolling 19 experts with great knowledge and experience in ocular health from different institutes across Saudi Arabia. Methods: The experts’ opinions were collected using a 5-point Likert scale during both rounds to determine their opinions regarding the clinical skills of optometrists in Saudi Arabia. Statements reaching a consensus of ≥ 80% were adopted and considered applicable. Results: The statements were classified into six domains: practice, professionalism, learning and development, management and leadership, community and advocacy, and evidence. All statements were deemed suitable to be adopted and applied to the healthcare system in Saudi Arabia. Conclusion: This study established the applicability of the ECCF as a universal model and guideline to enable optometrists to function as primary eye care providers. Contribution: This model can be applied to improve the primary eye healthcare system in other countries.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and represents a significant burden among women worldwide. The concept of health literacy is relatively new to the Gulf states, particularly to Saudi Arabia. Research on this topic is scarce, and no study has empirically explored the influence of e-health literacy on breast cancer literacy. The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of e-health literacy on breast cancer literacy among Saudi women in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted online in a cohort of 336 women and disseminated via social media using the e-Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS) and Breast Cancer Literacy Assessment Tool (Breast-CLAT). Multiple regression analysis was executed to identify the sociodemographic factors that influence the e-health literacy and breast cancer literacy of participants. The participants showed high level of e-health literacy with total eHEALS score of 28.79, and better breast cancer literacy with total Breast-CLAT score of 23.44. This study yielded three significant findings: (1) e-health literacy is influenced by age and education which implies that youngest participants showed higher eHEALS scores than their older counterparts and that having increased education level reflected increased eHEALS scores, (2) breast cancer literacy is predicted by education and income which suggests that those who have higher levels of education and higher monthly incomes have increased levels of breast cancer literacy, and (3) breast cancer literacy and e-health literacy were associated which shows that participants with higher eHEALS scores were more likely have increased level of breast cancer literacy. The study revealed that the participants had high level of e-health literacy which correlated to their increased level of breast cancer literacy. The study findings implied that it is important for Saudi women to possess high levels of e-health literacy about breast cancer as more breast cancer educational resources are online nowadays.