{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,10]],"date-time":"2026-09-10T13:30:01Z","timestamp":1789047001970,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Ubiquity Press, Ltd.","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1773014400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["89"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The Hajj pilgrimage is one of the largest annual mass gatherings in the world, and it presents unique healthcare issues due to the vast number and diversity of participants. Optimizing the delivery and planning of health services requires an understanding of prevalent diseases and healthcare usage patterns. The aim of the study was to examine the patterns of disease burden and healthcare utilization among 2024 Hajj pilgrims.\nMethods: This study used a retrospective, descriptive cross\u2011sectional design. Data from 37,758 adult patient records in the outpatient clinics (OPCs) of the primary healthcare centers (PHCs) and hospitals located at the holy sites (Mena, Arafat, and Muzdalifah) during Hajj 2024 were analyzed. Data covered demographics, nationality, diagnoses, discharge outcomes, and healthcare utilization in holy sites. Patterns and associations were assessed using descriptive statistics and chi\u2011square testing (p &lt; 0.05).\nResults: Most pilgrims were men (65.5%), and older than 60 years of age (26.4%). They came from more than 100 different countries. The most frequent diagnosis (44.6%) was upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs), which was followed by dermatitis (6.3%), gastrointestinal disorders (7.4%), headaches (7.8%), and musculoskeletal problems (7.3%). Geographically, disease prevalence varied: URTIs were most common in Mena (46.3%), dermatitis peaked in Muzdalifah (14.8%), and heat exhaustion was most common in Arafat (9.4%). Primary care use peaked in Mena (14,500 visits), mirroring pilgrim mobility.\nConclusion: The results emphasize the necessity for flexible, data\u2011driven resource allocation by highlighting the dynamic and site\u2011specific character of healthcare demands during the Hajj. To improve health outcomes in upcoming Hajj seasons, it is imperative to enhance infection control, heat illness prevention, and culturally competent care, in addition to tailored interventions for older pilgrims and those with chronic illnesses.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.5334\/aogh.4956","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]],"date-time":"2026-03-09T07:40:26Z","timestamp":1773042026000},"page":"25","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Disease Burden and Pattern of Healthcare Utilization Among Pilgrims During Hajj 2024: A Cross\u2011Sectional Analysis"],"prefix":"10.5334","volume":"92","author":[{"given":"Khulud K.","family":"Alharbi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mashael S.","family":"Alfaifi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ali M.","family":"Alzahrani","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ahmad Salah","family":"Alkathiri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Tassnym H.","family":"Sinky","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"3285","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,9]]},"reference":[{"issue":"4","key":"key20260309074022_r1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1007\/s40475-020-00218-x","article-title":"Hajj and Umrah mass gatherings and COVID\u201119 infection","volume":"7","year":"2020","journal-title":"Curr Trop Med Rep"},{"issue":"10","key":"key20260309074022_r2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"744","DOI":"10.26719\/2019.25.10.744","article-title":"Health issues in the Hajj pilgrimage: A literature review","volume":"25","year":"2019","journal-title":"East Mediterr Health J"},{"key":"key20260309074022_r3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2016.04.007","article-title":"Meningococcal disease during the Hajj and Umrah mass gatherings","volume":"47","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Infect Dis"},{"issue":"9934","key":"key20260309074022_r4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2073","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(14)60381-0","article-title":"Hajj: Infectious disease surveillance and control","volume":"383","year":"2014","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"issue":"10185","key":"key20260309074022_r5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2073","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(19)30501-X","article-title":"Mass gatherings medicine: Public health issues arising from mass gathering religious and sporting events","volume":"393","year":"2019","journal-title":"Lancet"},{"key":"key20260309074022_r6","unstructured":"Saudi Ministry of Health. Urgent Care Center Standard Policy. Published January 29, 2025. Accessed February 2, 2026. https:\/\/www.moh.gov.sa\/Ministry\/MediaCenter\/Publications\/Pages\/UrgentCare_Center_Standard_Policy.pdf."},{"issue":"1","key":"key20260309074022_r7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"143","DOI":"10.1186\/s12913-022-07507-3","article-title":"Pattern of utilization, disease presentation, and medication prescribing and dispensing at 51 primary healthcare centers during the Hajj mass gathering","volume":"22","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMC Health Serv Res"},{"key":"key20260309074022_r8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1451591","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1451591","article-title":"Hospitalization, mortality, and health service delivery pattern among Iranian Hajj pilgrims by age, sex, and province in 2013\u20132022","volume":"13","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"key20260309074022_r9","first-page":"647","article-title":"Patterns of emergency department visits during Hajj period: Towards healthcare optimization in view of Saudi Arabia\u2019s vision 2030","volume":"35","year":"2019","journal-title":"Pak J Med Sci"},{"issue":"4","key":"key20260309074022_r10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.2991\/jegh.k.200411.001","article-title":"An evaluation of health policy implementation for Hajj pilgrims in Indonesia","volume":"10","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Epidemiol Glob Health"},{"issue":"10","key":"key20260309074022_r11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e029562","DOI":"10.1136\/bmjopen-2019-029562","article-title":"Non\u2011communicable disease (NCD) corners in public sector health facilities in Bangladesh: A qualitative study assessing challenges and opportunities for improving NCD services at the primary healthcare level","volume":"9","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMJ Open"},{"issue":"10","key":"key20260309074022_r12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0282543","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0282543","article-title":"Protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of digital health interventions in improving non\u2011communicable disease management during the pandemic in rural Pakistan","volume":"18","year":"2023","journal-title":"PLOS One"},{"key":"key20260309074022_r13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"8","DOI":"10.1186\/s40985-020-00128-3","article-title":"A narrative review of gaps in the provision of integrated care for noncommunicable diseases in India","volume":"41","year":"2020","journal-title":"Public Health Rev"},{"issue":"1","key":"key20260309074022_r14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"520","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-17916-0","article-title":"The sexual and reproductive healthcare challenges when dealing with female migrants and refugees in low and middle\u2011income countries (a qualitative evidence synthesis)","volume":"24","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public 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