Cross-sectional study on school health indicators in national guard schools, AlAhsa 2022

 Corresponding author: Hamad AlSubaie. Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0. Cross-sectional study on school health indicators in national guard schools, AlAhsa 2022 Hamad Abdulaziz AlSubaie *, Mohammad Abdulrahman AlJamaan, Mounther Mohammed AlNaim and Sara Abdulaziz AlSubaie Family Medicine Department, King Abdulaziz Hospital of National Guard, AlAhsa, Saudi Arabia. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 Publication history: Received on 27 April 2025; revised on 05 June 2025; accepted on 07 June 2025 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjbphs.2025.22.3.0581 Abstract The study was conducted during school visits by the Primary Health Care Center of King Abdulaziz Hospital to National Guard schools in AlAhsa, Saudi Arabia. The aim was to check how many school-aged children had a range of health issues and to compare the number of reported cases in boys and girls of vision impairment, ADHD, scoliosis, chronic illness, and hearing problems. One thousand one hundred twenty-one students agreed to participate in the study during school health screenings. It was found that eye issues were more frequent among females, and eye exams were required for more females, whereas ADHD was reported more by male students. The research emphasizes that school health screenings should follow a set system and that improved data recording would aid public health solutions. Keywords: cross section; health; indicators; national guard; schools 1. Introduction Early detection of health problems that may influence children's educational and developmental growth is made possible through school health programs [1,2]. Things like vision issues, problems with hearing, ADHD, and chronic diseases are often found through school health screenings [3,4]. In general, PHCs linked to nearby hospitals team up to support such health screenings in Saudi Arabia [5]. PHC staff at King Abdulaziz Hospital did a study in the National Guard schools of AlAhsa to find out about the students' health and check if there were differences related to gender for the reported conditions [6]. 2. Methodology The study's cross-sectional design used routine school health visits by PHC teams in 2022. The sample comprised students from different levels at National Guard schools in AlAhsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Structured health screening forms were used to extract data that covered gender, educational level, chronic illness, vision difficulties, eyeglasses, hearing problems, problems, scoliosis, and symptoms linked to ADHD [7]. Statistical analysis and cross-tabulations were used to examine the cleaned data. BMI analysis was not done since we did not have the child's height and weight data. 3. Results Among the 1,121 students screened, 544 were boys, and 577 were girls. Female students were reported to have vision problems and wear eyeglasses more often, but males tended to have ADHD more than women. Most people in the sample had few chronic illnesses, hearing difficulties, or signs of scoliosis. No fundamental differences were identified World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 158 between the groups because the categorical data were not complete enough. Each variable and its meaning are discussed in full detail in the appendix. Table 1 Descriptive table of study 4. Discussion The findings of this study provide important insights into the health status of school-aged children in National Guard schools in AlAhsa. The higher frequency of vision problems and eyeglass use in females aligns with literature suggesting that girls are often more likely to report or seek care for visual disturbances [1,2]. Cultural and behavioral patterns may contribute to greater health-seeking behavior among females at younger ages [3]. On the other hand, ADHD was reported more in male students, which is consistent with global trends [4-6], as boys tend to exhibit more externalized symptoms that are easier to identify in school settings [7]. However, the low overall reporting of chronic illnesses, scoliosis, and hearing problems raises concerns about the thoroughness of screening and documentation [8,9]. Cross-sectional designs are effective for estimating prevalence but are limited in explaining causal relationships [10]. In this study, the missing anthropometric data significantly limited the ability to analyze nutritional status or detect obesity trends, which are growing concerns in the Gulf region [11,12]. Future research should ensure complete data collection to allow more comprehensive assessments, including anthropometric and developmental metrics [13]. 5. Conclusion This cross-sectional study highlighted important gender-related trends in school health. Female students were more likely to present with vision problems, while male students had higher reports of ADHD. Other health indicators showed no strong gender differences, likely due to incomplete data. These findings emphasize the need for consistent and comprehensive health data collection to inform school-based interventions and public health policies. Recommendations ● Reinforce school vision screening programs, particularly for female students. ● Implement systematic ADHD screening protocols, focusing on early detection in male students. ● Improve documentation processes during school visits to ensure comprehensive data capture. ● Incorporate regular anthropometric measurements into routine school health check-ups. ● Strengthen follow-up and referral systems for students identified with any health concerns. ● Conduct awareness campaigns among parents and teachers to promote early recognition of behavioral and sensory issues. Limitations One major limitation of this study is the significant proportion of missing data, especially regarding height, weight, and age. This limited the analysis of growth and nutritional indicators. Additionally, the cross-sectional design prevents any inference of causality. The reliance on school-based screening may have introduced bias due to variability in examiner accuracy and reporting. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 159 Ethical Considerations The data used in this study were collected as part of routine school health screenings conducted by the Primary Health Care Center of King Abdulaziz Hospital. No identifiable personal data were used in the analysis. Ethical approval was obtained from the institutional review board overseeing community health services in the region. Participation of students was part of standard public health protocol and no additional interventions were carried out. Compliance with ethical standards Disclosure of conflict of interest No conflict-of-interest to be disclosed. References [1] Khandekar R. Visual disabilities in children including childhood blindness. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. 2008;15(3):129-34. [2] Dandona R, Dandona L. Childhood blindness in India: a population-based perspective. Br J Ophthalmol. 2003;87(3):263-5. 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[18] Saudi Vision 2030: National Transformation Program – Health Sector Transformation. [19] Al Dhaifallah A, Alshammari SA, Alhajri A, Alanazi R, Alenezi M. Parental knowledge of ADHD in Saudi Arabia. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(1):145-50. [20] UNESCO. School Health Program Global Guidelines. Paris: UNESCO; 2018. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 160 [21] Alshammari S, Alhussain F, Alghamdi A. Evaluation of vision screening among primary school children in Riyadh. Saudi J Ophthalmol. 2020;34(3):186-91. Appendix: Illustrative Charts Figure 1 Vision Problem by Gender This chart represents Vision Problem distribution between male and female students. Figure 2 Eye Glass by Gender This chart represents Eye Glass distribution between male and female students. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 161 Figure 3 ADHD by Gender This chart represents ADHD distribution between male and female students. Figure 4 Chronic Illness by Gender This chart represents Chronic Illness distribution between male and female students. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 162 Figure 5 Hearing Problem by Gender This chart represents Hearing Problem distribution between male and female students. Figure 6 Scoliosis 4 by Gender This chart represents Scoliosis distribution between male and female students. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 163 Appendix: Arabic Screening Forms and Consent This screening and consent form was used for Primary school students. (Arabic) World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 164 This screening and consent form was used for intermediate and high school students. (Arabic) World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 22(03), 157-166 165 Appendix: English Screening Forms and Consent This screening and consent form was used for Primary school students. (English)