Dataset Information

Digital Health Platforms in Saudi Arabia: Determinants from the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience.

ABSTRACT: COVID-19 poses a significant burden to healthcare systems. Healthcare organisations with better health innovation infrastructures have faced a reduced burden and achieved success in curbing COVID-19. In Saudi Arabia, digital technologies have played a vital role in fighting SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In this paper, we aimed to summarise the experience of optimising digital health technologies in Saudi Arabia as well as to discuss capabilities and opportunities during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. A literature search was conducted up to September 2021 to document the experience of using DHTPs in Saudi Arabia in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We also considered any published data, press briefings, and announcements by the MOH in Saudi Arabia. The findings were synthesised in narrative form. Health officials succeeded in optimising and maintaining a strategy to mitigate the spread of the virus via different digital technologies, such as mobile health applications, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The quick digital response in Saudi Arabia was facilitated by governmental support and by considering users and technology determinants. Future research must concentrate on establishing and updating the guidelines for using DHTPs.

SUBMITTER: Alghamdi SM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8618772 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Digital Health Platforms in Saudi Arabia: Determinants from the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience.

Alghamdi Saeed M SM Alsulayyim Abdullah S AS Alqahtani Jaber S JS Aldhahir Abdulelah M AM

Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) 20211108 11

COVID-19 poses a significant burden to healthcare systems. Healthcare organisations with better health innovation infrastructures have faced a reduced burden and achieved success in curbing COVID-19. In Saudi Arabia, digital technologies have played a vital role in fighting SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In this paper, we aimed to summarise the experience of optimising digital health technologies in Saudi Arabia as well as to discuss capabilities and opportunities during and beyond the COVID-19 pandem ...[more]

PMID: 34828563

Similar Datasets

Project description:Health care providers can use these virtual platforms for delivering medical advice and prescriptions to patients. This study was aimed to explore the patients' experiences and level of satisfaction regarding virtual health care received during the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study also assessed the before and during lockdown sleep quality in these participants. The current study included 522 participants from Saudi Arabia. Virtual health care satisfaction questionnaire was implemented to record the data on patient experience toward the virtual health care during COVID-19 pandemic. Patients expressed a high level of satisfaction with virtual health care services during the COVID-19 pandemic, as indicated by a mean score of 4.15 on a five-point Likert scale, which translates to an 83% satisfaction rate. Most participants felt they could communicate effectively with their doctors, appreciated the good picture and sound quality of their virtual appointments, and felt that their privacy was respected. Additionally, they reported comfort during history taking and examinations, and felt that doctors adequately explained solutions, including prescriptions and advice. Interestingly, the study found no significant association between the type of specialty or patient demographic factors and the level of satisfaction. In terms of sleep quality, a comparison of subjective sleep parameters before and during the lockdown revealed significant changes. The results from a t test indicated that mean scores for various sleep components: such as sleep duration, sleep disturbances, sleep latency, daytime dysfunction, habitual sleep efficiency, and subjective sleep quality, showed significant differences (P < .001) between the 2 assessment periods. Overall, the mean scores for these components increased, indicating a deterioration in sleep quality during the lockdown period. The study found that most participants were satisfied with the virtual health care system, noting its benefits in reducing overcrowding, care delays, and unnecessary in-person visits during pandemics. This increased accessibility could enhance patient satisfaction and lower costs, though it may not completely replace traditional hospital visits. The researchers recommend further studies with a larger, more diverse group to better understand patient experiences and improve telehealth services in Saudi Arabia. Overall, while the virtual system shows promise, more research is needed to optimize its use.

Project description:BackgroundBetween March and June 2020, closing dental clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic except for emergency dental care was recommended. It is documented that health-seeking behaviors change during pandemics. The objective of this study was to examine social determinants associated with decisions to seek dental care in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA total of 4372 participants were invited to this cross-sectional web-based survey distributed from April 21 to June 20, 2020. The survey included a list of emergency, urgent, and routine dental procedures. Participants were asked if they would seek dental care for these conditions during the pandemic, and what pain severity would make them seek dental treatment. Logistic regression models were performed for predicting variables that explain the decision to go or not to go to the dental clinic during the pandemic for each dental condition.ResultsA total of 3443 responded to this survey. The emergency dental situation participants were most willing to go to the dental clinic for was trauma involving facial bones compromising the airway (94.5%). Only 65.8% were willing to seek care for facial cellulitis compromising the airway. On average 35.2% reported seeking teleconsultation as the first step. Eighteen percent of participants were still willing to go to the dental clinic during the pandemic for routine dental procedures. Multiple logistic regression showed that females (Odds Ratio (OR): 1.6, OR 95% CI 1.3, 1.9), people who had never visited a dentist (OR: 1.8, OR 95% CI 1.3, 2.5), and people living in metropolitan regions (OR: 1.8, OR 95%: 1.4, 2.3) had higher odds for not seeking emergency dental care during this pandemic. The pain threshold for seeking dental care during the pandemic was 7 out of 10. Female, those who never visited a dentist, and those from urban regions reported higher pain threshold before seeking dental care (P value < 0.001).ConclusionSocial disparities were found in emergency dental care seeking decision-making in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was alarming that some people were afraid to seek dental care for life-threatening dental emergencies as cellulitis during this pandemic. This reflects the importance of increasing public health awareness and governmental regulations.

Project description:BackgroundDental health care providers (DHCPs)are at high risk of cross-infection during clinical practice therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate the DHCPs Covid-19 related concerns, its perceived impact, and their preparedness in Saudi Arabia.MethodsThis cross-sectional study on DHCPs was carried out at five dental teaching hospitals/colleges in four provinces of Saudi Arabia from October to December 2020. A 35-item valid and reliable questionnaire was used to assess the concerns, perceived impact, and preparedness of DHCPs in the COVID-19 pandemic. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to compare parameters between the clinical and non-clinical staff.ResultsA total of 320 DHCPs participated in this study with proportion of clinical staff (57.5%) surpassing the non-clinical staff (42.5%). The clinical DHCPs felt greater odds of falling ill with COVID-19 than non-clinical workers (OR, 2.61) and willing to look for another job (OR, 3.50). The higher proportion in both groups was worried that people close to them would be at higher exposure risk (96.3%) however, slightly more clinical DHCPs were concerned for their children than a non-clinical worker (OR, 3.57). The clinical DHCPs have greater odds of worrying that people would avoid them and their family members because of their job (OR, 2.75). A higher proportion in both groups (75.0%, 63.2%) felt that they would feel stress at work. More non-clinical DHCPs (94.1%) had received training for infection control than clinical (94.1% vs 63.0%: OR 0.10). Similarly, more DHCPs in the nonclinical group received adequate personal protective equipment training (88.2%; OR, 0.48). Most participants practiced self-preparation such as buying masks and disinfection (94.4%, 96.9%).ConclusionThe majority of DHCPs felt concerned about their risk of exposure and falling ill from infection and infecting friends/family. These concerns could potentially affect the working of DHCPs during this pandemic. Measures to improve protection for DHCPs, minimize psychological implications, and potential social stigmatization should be identified at the planning phase before any pandemic.

Dataset Information

Digital Health Platforms in Saudi Arabia: Determinants from the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience.

Publications

Digital Health Platforms in Saudi Arabia: Determinants from the COVID-19 Pandemic Experience.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets