Aim
Post-COVID-19 syndrome is defined as continuous symptoms related to SARS-CoV-2 infection, which can persist for several weeks or months. Previous studies identified risk factors associated with post-COVID-19 syndrome, including female sex, hypertension, and allergic respiratory diseases. This study aims to investigate the frequency of this syndrome among Arabic patients.
Subject and methods
A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to August 2022. The study included 520 Arabic patients with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis, who were asked about possible symptoms persisting for ≥28 days.
Results
Twenty-five percent (25%) of the included patients developed post-COVID-19 syndrome. The most common recorded symptoms were cough (32%), anosmia (32%), fatigue (28%), headache (19%), muscle pain (19%), and shortness of breath (17%). It was found that female sex, hospitalization due to initial COVID-19 infection, and the presence of chronic diseases were significant risk factors for developing post-COVID-19 syndrome.
Conclusion
The study recorded post-COVID-19 syndrome among 25% of Arabic participants. Initial COVID-19 hospitalization, initial symptomatic COVID-19, and female sex were significant risk factors for developing post-COVID-19 syndrome.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10389-022-01802-3.
Background:
In men, colorectal cancer (CRC) is ranked third globally. Screening for colorectal cancer is necessary as it has a long duration between early and advanced stages. Thus, this study aimed to explore public awareness regarding colon cancer screening and barriers to delayed help-seeking among Saudi men.
Methods:
This was a prospective cross-sectional study conducted among Saudi males aged 45 to 75 years; who were eligible for colonoscopy screening and were not diagnosed with CRC yet. The Cancer Awareness Measure (CAM) self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from participants.
Results:
A total of 449 males participated in this study; around 51% had heard about CRC, and 17.4% had heard about colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) methods. Almost 4.5% reported shyness, as the barrier to do colonoscopy. Around 33%, 30%, 15-20%, and 18% men obtained the maximum score of knowledge regarding risk factors, signs and symptoms, susceptibility, and awareness of CRCS, respectively. The most known risk factor was smoking, and the highest factor for immediate help-seeking was the presence of blood in feces. The most important barriers were appointment scheduling, followed by fear of diagnosis, and the lowest barrier was transportation.
Conclusion:
The overall awareness of colorectal cancer screening was found among almost one-half of the participants. For instance, awareness should be increased, as early diagnosis is critical for reducing mortality due to colorectal cancer and for a better prognosis. Additionally, colorectal cancer has a high potential for treatment if detected early.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.