Social Media in Pediatric Surgery: Patient Perceptions and Utilization

INTRODUCTION

Social media is fast becoming the preferred source of information for many individuals. There is no information on the utilization of social media by patients or parents in the field of pediatric surgery. The aim of this study is to first identify parents' utilization of social media as a source of information in pediatric surgery. Secondly, we sought to identify the patient family perception towards the role of the pediatric surgeon on social media.

METHODS

A voluntary electronic survey was designed to assess participants' usage of social media platforms. We included parents of children with ages between 0 and 14 years presenting to our outpatient clinics. Data on demographics, social media usage among parents, and their attitude toward pediatric surgery in social media was collected.

RESULTS

227 responses were obtained. Half of our respondents were female and the rest were male, 114 (50.2%) and 113 (49.8%) respectively. The majority of respondents, 190 (83.4%) were millennials between the ages of 25-44 years. 205 of the respondents (90.3%) used multiple social media platforms. Half of the respondents 115 (50.7%) have used social media to search for information pertaining to their child's medical condition and 192 (85.58%) would like pediatric surgeons to be active on social media platforms.

CONCLUSION

Social media plays a major role in healthcare. This study has clearly identified that parents are going to social media for information on their child's surgical condition. Pediatric surgeons should consider establishing an online presence to educate and inform patients and parents.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

A 5-year evaluation of early-and late-onset sporadic colorectal cancer screening in central Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

The Al-Kharj colorectal cancer (CRC) screening program was implemented for five years (2017-2022) in a central urban area of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, to assess the participation and impact of the program in average-risk individuals.

METHODS

The high sensitivity-guaiac based-fecal occult blood test (HSgFOBT) was used as a first-line investigation to identify asymptomatic patients, aged 45-75 years, requiring CRC screening using colonoscopy. The program was run in three tertiary hospitals in the area.

RESULTS

The five-year participation rate was 73% (35,640/48,897). The average age was 53 years (range 45-75), 49% were female (17,464/35,640), all were asymptomatic, and 77% had adequate bowel preparation. The HSgFOBT (+) rate was 6.3% (n = 2245), and 76% (n = 1701) of these underwent colonoscopy. The prevalence of findings were as follows: CRC, 4.8% (81/1701); advanced adenoma, 9.5% (162/1701); adenoma, 15.9% (270/1701); non-adenomatous polyps, 7.9% (135/1701); and no polyps or tumors, 25.4% (432/1701). Among participants aged 45-50 years, early onset-CRC had female predominance, while those ≥50 years with late onset-CRC were predominantly male. CRC was more prevalent in the left colon (P < 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately one-third of the participants diagnosed with CRC had early-onset CRC. Screening participation was desirable for the defined target population. Public education is necessary along with expanded colonoscopy resources to continue further citizen participation.

Upper gastrointestinal tract involvement in the management of bariatric patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background

Preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) may affect the management of bariatric patients although this is not consistent universally. The present prospective study evaluated the effect of preoperative EGD findings in obese Saudi patients, including upper digestive symptoms (UDS) and comorbidities, on their planned surgery.

Methods

From January 2018 to May 2019, we conducted a 4-center retrospective observational study to evaluate the endoscopic findings among Saudi patients aged 18-65 years with a body mass index (BMI) >40 kg/m². Preoperative data included UDS, comorbidities, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection assessed during a histopathological examination, and EGD findings.

Results

717 patients underwent EGDs, and 432 underwent bariatric surgery. The mean BMI was 44.3±6.3 kg/m², and the mean age was 27.8±11.8 years. The overall UDS prevalence was 49%, with the most frequent being gastroesophageal reflux disease 54% (387/717), followed by dyspepsia 44% (315/717). H. pylori infection was detected in 287/672 (42.4%) patients. The total percentage of patients with normal EGD was 36% (258/717). A delayed bariatric procedure was performed in 15% of the patients for the following reasons: 2.3% had large polyps of >1 cm (either hyperplastic or cystic polyps); 1.62% had esophagitis grade C and D based on the Los Angeles classification; 0.7% had Barrett’s esophagus; and 5.7% had peptic ulcer disease.

Conclusions

Our findings confirmed that obesity carries a profound health burden with a significant impact on health expenditures. Routine preoperative EGD in the obese Saudi population appears to be mandatory to identify factors that may change, delay, or postpone the bariatric procedure.

Effects of the Rome IV Criteria to Functional Dyspepsia Symptoms in Saudi Arabia: Epidemiology and Clinical Practice

Background/Aims

Limited data is available in Saudi Arabia (SA) regarding the prevalence of functional dyspepsia (FD) symptoms and its subtypes, as defined by the ROME IV criteria. This study evaluated the burden of self-reported FD symptoms in the adult general population of SA and the current clinical practices.

Methods

A web-based national cross-sectional health survey of the general population of SA was conducted using the Rome IV Diagnostic Questionnaire for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Adults with additional questions on the presence of symptoms compatible with functional heartburn (FH) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The quality of life and somatization questionnaires were also included.

Results

Overall, 3,114 adults completed the questionnaire, but 303 (9.7%) were excluded due to inconsistent responses. Of the 2,811 consistent responders, 532 (18.3%) fulfilled the Rome IV criteria for FD symptoms. These were distributed into the FD subtypes as follows: 208 (7.4%) had postprandial distress syndrome, 228 (8.1%) had epigastric pain syndrome, and 96 (3.4%) had the overlapping variant. IBS-like symptoms were reported in 232 (44%) and FH in 102 (19%) 19% (102) of the subjects with functional dyspepsia. H. pylori-associated dyspepsia was reported by 25% (87/348). High somatization, lower quality of life scores, younger age, and female sex were associated more with the FD symptoms participants than those without. Approximately 1/5 respondents used over-the-counter medications to relieve the FD symptoms.

Conclusions

In this population-based survey, FD affected almost 1/5 of the responding adult population in SA, which was less than previously reported.