BackgroundEnd-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a major health problem worldwide that is increasing in incidence, prevalence, and cost. Both the disease itself and negative illness perceptions negatively affect patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL), morbidity, and mortality. This study assessed the relationship between illness perception and HRQoL. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 342 patients at five dialysis centers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. We used a self-administered questionnaire that containing demographic questions, the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire, and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using t-tests, analyses of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression analyses. ResultsThe mean (SD) age was 46.1 (16.5) years and the majority were men (53.8%). Except for treatment control, all domains of illness perception were significantly correlated with HRQoL; however, the correlations were positive only for personal control and illness coherence. Identity, disease timeline (acute/chronic), consequences, illness coherence, and emotional representations were independent predictors of HRQoL; together explaining 35% of the variance. Lower emotional response was the only domain of illness perception significantly associated with better HRQoL in both dialysis modalities across all dialysis centers. ConclusionThere were clear effects of illness perception on HRQoL, with emotional representations being the strongest predictor. As such, emotional representations should be targeted in interventions.

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This study was aimed to determine the risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection among contacts of index cases in Saudi Arabia. This unmatched case-control study was conducted among contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases in April and May 2020 in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 118 cases and 115 controls were included in this study. All cases and controls were interviewed via telephone by using a structured questionnaire that included two sections. The first section included participants' personal and demographic information, and the second part included questions on the degree of distancing and the duration of contact prior to the appearance of the first symptom, seasonal influenza vaccination, and the nature of the relationship with the index case patient. The majority of cases (83.1%) and controls (67.2%) were males. The mean standard deviation age for the whole sample was 35.3 (10.6) years, and their ages ranged from 18 to 63 years. In the multivariate analysis, the risk for COVID-19 infection was increased by age [Adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 2.2; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.1-4.8, p = 0.046], and was higher among family members (aOR = 10; 95% CI, 3.3-20.0; p = 0.001), coworkers (aOR = 20.0; 95% CI, 4.4-50.0; p < 0.001), and those who communicated with an index case at a distance of <1.5 m (aOR = 4.3; 95% CI, 1.9-9.8; p = 0.001).