A qualitative study was carried out to explore the health status of people with diabetes during Ramadan. Fifteen patients participated in two focus group discussions. Most respondents reported lack of knowledge regarding their own conditions and do not follow the medical advice of not fasting during Ramadan. Barriers facing the patients seeking healthcare before and during Ramadan were the atmosphere, long distances to facilities, monthly appointments, and monthly prescribed medication. All respondents agreed on the importance of physical activity but their opinions varied on how to conduct it. Regarding the services, most respondents were unsatisfied due to the lack of health services provided in addition to the shortage of essential medication or laboratory investigations. Others blamed primary healthcare-center staff for the delay in laboratory investigation results and the unavailability of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Respondents also claimed that self-check glucometer measurements are not as accurate as laboratory results. Doctors may be able to educate patients regarding the effects of fasting with diabetes whereas religious leaders may influence individuals to follow doctors' advice. Evaluation of the quality of healthcare services is necessary to identify defects in health services in order to ameliorate service quality, including availability of drugs and glucometers in pharmacies, and laboratory investigations, including HbA1c, to meet patient satisfaction.

The study showed that the patient-dentist relationship had a significant association with dental anxiety, and may be an important target for improving the delivery and standards of oral health in dentally anxious patients in this region.

Background: Increasing levels of physical inactivity is associated with growing trends of childhood obesity as evidence suggests today's children physically inactive and unfit. The study aims to assess the effect of socio-demographic and lifestyle factors on mode of travel in school-aged children (10–15 years). Methods: 4,497 school-aged children were selected from wave-1 of Understanding Society database in a multi-stage random sample with 81.8% response rate. Cross-sectional design was used to examine the relationship between active travel with demographic and lifestyle factors. Results: Univariate analysis showed significant relation of age, region, smoking and eating fast food to the active commuter school-children. Multivariate adjusted analyses shows that children of ages 13 to 15 years were more likely to travel actively compared to those aged 10 to 12 years (OR = 1.92, 95%CI:1.65-2.23). Those engaged in sporting activity 3 times or more per week were more likely to be active travel compared to those less than twice per week (OR = 1.21, 95%CI:1.02-1.43). Children eating fast food once or less than per week were more likely to travel actively compared to unhealthy eaters. Most children living in their respective regions were less likely to travel actively. Discussion: The positive association between active mode of travel and elder school children (13–15 years), who perform sport activities three times or greater per week and eating fast food once or less per week with active travel, reflect their free choice of mode of travel. Children who practiced sport more than three times per week and who ate less fast food showed healthy behaviors.