Alotaibi Madawi, Subramanian Murali P, Alahmari Wafa, Alqabbani Samiah, Algabbani Maha, Almuwais Afrah
Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Front Rehabil Sci. 2025 May 19;6:1433276. doi: 10.3389/fresc.2025.1433276. eCollection 2025.
Fatigue as a symptom severely affects individuals with neurological diseases, but its understanding and management remain limited, especially in the unique healthcare context of Saudi Arabia. While it has been extensively studied in stroke, its manifestations in neurological conditions and the perceptions of health professionals have not been thoroughly explored in this specific setting. Given the profound impact of fatigue on patient outcomes, understanding the attitudes of health professionals is crucial to identifying targeted interventions and significantly improving patient care in Saudi Arabia.
This qualitative study, conducted in collaboration with a diverse group of Saudi healthcare professionals, used Semi-structured interviews to explore their perspectives on fatigue in neurological diseases. The 24 participants included physiatrists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists, all of whom played a crucial role in treating and managing individuals with neurological conditions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Arabic and translated into English. Data analysis involved thematic analysis using NVivo software, with themes identified iteratively until data saturation was achieved.
Three overarching themes emerged from the data analysis. (1) "Fatigue is a common symptom of a neurological disorder" highlights clinicians' recognition of the prevalence and manifestations of fatigue in various neurological disorders. (2) "Adaptive fatigue management" emphasizes the importance of individual strategies for managing fatigue, including improving endurance and environmental adaptation, and emphasizes the relationship. (3) "Fatigue and Other Conditions" explored the complex relationship between fatigue and other common neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and traumatic brain injury.
The study provides useful information about Saudi healthcare professionals' perceptions of fatigue in neurological illnesses. Key findings stress the significance of fatigue and the need for unique designs to manage its diverse forms. While admitting limitations such as limited generalizability and inherent biases, the study advances our understanding of fatigue management in Saudi Arabia. It advocates the development of targeted therapies to improve patient care and outcomes in neurological illnesses.
疲劳作为一种症状严重影响神经系统疾病患者，但对其的理解和管理仍然有限，尤其是在沙特阿拉伯独特的医疗环境中。虽然疲劳在中风方面已有广泛研究，但在这种特定环境下，其在神经系统疾病中的表现以及医疗专业人员的看法尚未得到充分探讨。鉴于疲劳对患者预后有深远影响，了解医疗专业人员的态度对于确定有针对性的干预措施以及显著改善沙特阿拉伯的患者护理至关重要。
这项定性研究与沙特不同的医疗专业人员合作开展，采用半结构化访谈来探究他们对神经系统疾病中疲劳的看法。24名参与者包括物理治疗师、职业治疗师和物理治疗师，他们在治疗和管理神经系统疾病患者方面都发挥着关键作用。半结构化访谈以阿拉伯语进行，并翻译成英语。数据分析使用NVivo软件进行主题分析，反复确定主题直至达到数据饱和。
数据分析得出了三个总体主题。（1）“疲劳是神经系统疾病的常见症状”突出了临床医生对各种神经系统疾病中疲劳的患病率和表现的认识。（2）“适应性疲劳管理”强调了管理疲劳的个体策略的重要性，包括提高耐力和环境适应性，并强调了这种关系。（3）“疲劳与其他病症”探讨了疲劳与其他常见神经系统病症（如多发性硬化症和创伤性脑损伤）之间的复杂关系。
该研究提供了有关沙特医疗专业人员对神经系统疾病中疲劳看法的有用信息。主要发现强调了疲劳的重要性以及针对其多种形式进行管理的独特设计的必要性。虽然承认存在诸如普遍性有限和固有偏差等局限性，但该研究推进了我们对沙特阿拉伯疲劳管理的理解。它主张开发有针对性的疗法以改善神经系统疾病患者的护理和预后。
