To determine the association between patient demographics including gender, age, family history of hearing loss, and eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) in the Al-Madinah region. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional observational study that was conducted using an online survey in the Al-Madinah region of Saudi Arabia from March 2022 to August 2022. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire (ETDQ-7) that was designed based on previous studies and frameworks. It consists of seven items, each with a score ranging from 1 to 7, for a total score of between 7 and 49 points. A total score of 14.5 or above, or a mean domain score of 2.5 or above, is considered abnormal, with higher scores indicating greater severity of symptoms. The analysis was carried out using SPSS v23. ResultsAbout 380 participants were included in the current study. The mean age of the participants was 29.2 ± 8.7 years old. About 13 (3.4%) of the participants had a history of ETD. The prevalence of ETD among the study population was 41.3%. Gender was significantly associated with the prevalence of ETD (p-value=0.004), with females tending to have the condition more frequently than males. Moreover, the history of ETD was also significant (p=0.001) ConclusionA higher prevalence of ETD was found in the current study when compared to international studies, gender and history of ETD were found to be linked with increased prevalence of EDT.

Background: Oral cancer had important public health concern, ranking as the world’s 16thmost common cancer. Despite being highly preventable, oral cancer is associated with multiple risk factors and a high mortality rate and contributes significantly to the global cancer burden. The 5-year survival rate for oral cancer remains low (50%), and it has not improved in recent decades. The prognosis is relatively good when caught in the early stages, but it deteriorates dramatically in the advanced stages. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate and assess the knowledge, attitude and practices of dental and medical students in Saudi Arabia towards oral cancer. Methods: A pre-designed questionnaire had been distributed to 1033 dental and medical student in Saudi Arabia, and data were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0. The participants’ confidentiality was maintained. Results: This study included 1033 participants (males = 558 [54.0%] and females = 475[46.0%]). Medical students represented 734 (71.1%) of the participants and dental students represented 299 (28.9%) of the participants. Overall, 686 (66.4%) participants thought they had good aware about oral cancer, and 771 (74.6%) were concerned about its prevention. Both dental and medical students thought that oral cancer is more common in people over the age of 60 years, with no difference between medical and dental students (degrees off reedom [df] = 1, p = 0.793). Regarding risk factors, both smoking tobacco and alcohol consumption were mentioned by 66.1% of the sample, with no difference between medical and dental students (df = 1, p = 1.000). In addition, 29.9% of students identified the buccalmucosa as the most common site of oral cancer, with no difference between medical and dental students (df = 1, p = 0.691). No significant differences in the mean total score (number of correct answers) between dental students                         and also medical students at each study level except for the fifth-year students. At this                 level, the mean score was higher in dental students (6.05±1.88) than medical students (5.13±2.01) (p< 0.01). Conclusions: Medical and dental students had similar knowledge, attitude and practices towards oral cancer. Furthermore, fifth-year dental students from the northern region of Saudi Arabiah ad the highest mean score on the questionnaire.

Background Headache problems are among the most common medical conditions. There are major gaps in understanding headaches among healthcare practitioners. This study aimed to determine challenges and barriers to headache training among neurology residents in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted in Saudi Arabia. The target population was all Saudi neurology residents who were currently registered with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS). Statistical analysis was conducted using RStudio (R version 4.1.1). A chi-squared test is used for categorical variables whenever applicable. The statistical differences for continuous variables were assessed using a Wilcoxon rank sum test. Results A total of 227 respondents were included. More than half of the residents were male (56.8%). Large proportions of residents self-rated their knowledge as good for migraines (62.6%) and tension-type headaches (60.4%). The most experienced challenges included difficult diagnosis (30.4%) and treatment difficulties due to comorbidities (19.8%). The most stated barriers to optimal treatment of headache patients were the existence of challenges in collaboration between patient and therapist (24.7%). Most residents rely on the use of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) in diagnosing and managing headache patients instead of the Saudi guidelines. The most reported reason for headache referral was suspicion of an underlying serious disease (31.7%). The most recommended non-pharmacological interventions were exercise (15.9%). Conclusion We found that residents reported the diagnosis of headache as the most challenging barrier. The overuse of analgesics played a role in causing the headache. The most often cited barrier to providing headache patients with the best possible care was difficulties in patient-therapist collaboration. Ongoing headache education and comprehensive academic training are recommended to enhance knowledge during neurology residency training and offer competent care for their patients.