Control of Respiratory Infections among Hajj Pilgrims in Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review
Keywords:
Hajj, Respiratory Infections, Interventional Studies, Infection Control, Public Health, Mass GatheringsAbstract
Introduction:
The density of the crowd and the diversity of the population attending the Hajj, including the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions, further exacerbate the risk, making the implementation of preventative measures a complex task. this systematic review was aimed at evaluating the existing literature on the control of respiratory infections among Hajj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.
Methods:
The method section of the systematic review detailed a structured search across multiple databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, focusing on cohort and interventional studies related to respiratory infection control among Hajj pilgrims. Inclusion criteria targeted cohort or interventional studies evaluating the effectiveness of interventions, with exclusion criteria removing non-relevant study types and those not focused on the Hajj. The selection process involved a rigorous two-stage screening for relevance and quality, followed by data extraction and quality assessment.
Results:
In the systematic review of nine interventional studies and clinical trials on controlling respiratory infections among Hajj pilgrims, interventions ranged from the use of face masks, hand hygiene, health education, vaccination campaigns, to prophylactic antibiotics, with sample sizes varying from 74 to over 650 participants. Significant findings include the effectiveness of surgical masks in reducing infection incidence with a risk ratio (RR) of 0.32 (95% CI: 0.14-0.72), a 45% decrease in respiratory symptoms from hand hygiene interventions (RR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.30-1.00). The most effective intervention was a combined approach of masks, hygiene, and education, leading to a substantial reduction in infection rates (RR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.13-0.59), emphasizing the benefits of multifaceted preventive measures.
Conclusions:
The systematic review robustly supports the overall effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions for head and neck trauma recovery, considering varied sample sizes and demographics, diverse interventions, and consistently significant improvements in pain scores, range of motion, and functional outcomes, aligning with or surpassing percentages reported in existing literature.
