Objective:To assess quality of life in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and determine the factors associated with levels of quality of life in MS patients in a public hospital in Saudi Arabia.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from June 2016 to April 2017 in King Abdulaziz Medical City, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Multiple sclerosis patients attending the outpatient and inpatient services were approached and recruited to participate in the study. The Arabic version of EuroQOL-5 Dimensions instrument (EQ-5D) was utilized for the assessment of MS patients quality of life.Results:Data on quality of life were obtained from 292 patients. The reported quality of life of MS patients as measured by the EQ-5D index value score was 0.31±0.51 and the EQ-VAS score was 73.87±23.41, respectively. It was found that quality of life determined numerically in the EQ-5D index value and EQ-VAS deteriorates proportionally according to the disease duration.Conclusion:Multiple sclerosis is associated with a considerable effect on the patients quality of life. It continues to be challenging to manage both medically and psychosocially. Clinicians should consider the assessment of quality of life as routine practice along with the other important measures including symptomatic evaluation, laboratory tests, and neuroimaging to provide a holistic care of their MS patients.

Background: Sharps injuries are accidental infiltrating wounds that are typically the consequences of utilizing hazardous equipment in the usual fast-paced, and stressful health care setting. As a result, exposure to blood-borne pathogens from sharps injury poses a significant risk to health care workers. These injuries predispose the staff to dangerous infections such as hepatitis B, C and HIV. The aim of the study was to assess the occupational exposure to sharps injuries among health care workers in King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. Nurses, residents, dentists, and housekeepers working in the surgical ward, obstetrics and gynaecology ward, emergency department, operation room, labor and delivery room, and dental clinics at King Abdulaziz University Hospital were included. A random sample of 161 subjects was recruited in this study using a self-administered structured questionnaire.Results: Of 161 participants, 53 (32.90%) had a history of sharps injury. Among them 25 (47.16%) were nurses, both surgical and gynaecological residents had the same result of 11 (20.76%), and 6 (11.32%) of them were dentists. Most of the injuries had occurred during the use of the suture needle; 24 (45.28%) suggested that work overload was the main reason for sharps injury occurrence.Conclusions: Among health care workers, nurses were especially at risk of exposure to sharps injury. The most important risk factors for injury occurrence include long working hours, continuous rotating shifts, and work overload. Also, not all of the health care workers knew about the hospital’s reporting system.

To examine the awareness and perception of Saudi community towards Human Papillomavirus Vaccination. A cross-sectional study has examined the perception and awareness of Saudi individuals towards Human Papillomavirus HPV vaccination. A sample of 278 Saudi individuals were included. A close-ended survey questionnaire was employed to collect the data of Papillomavirus HPV vaccination. Around, 78.30% female and male participants were unaware of the availability of HPV vaccination against cervical cancer. 90.06% of females supported cervical cancer screening Pap smear by gynecologist after enduring vaccination. Only, 40.66% visited the gynecologist for screening. Results demonstrated 85.77% female agreed on receiving expensive vaccination. Conversely, 97.48% supported on HPV vaccination free of charge. A lack of knowledge about HPV, Pap smear, and cervical cancer. The data obtained can be used as a standard to devise effective awareness programs. Data was collected particularly from Saudi Arabia for evaluating Saudi community perception. Both males and females were observed to be interested in taking vaccination and prevention initiatives against the cervical cancer, whereas, there is a lack of awareness observed among the males and females included in the study.