Sleep disorders can have a critical effect on health and academic performance. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and academic impact of various sleep disorders on university students by gender. This crosssectional study was conducted between May and September 2019. The prevalence of sleep disorders was assessed using the validated SLEEP-50 Questionnaire. Overall, 637 university students participated in the study (response rate: 100%); of these, 368 (57.8%) were female and 455 (71.4%) were > 20 years old. A total of 433 students (68.0%) had grade point averages (GPAs) of 2-3, whereas 20 (3.1%) had GPAs of < 2. The most common sleep disorders were narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, insomnia, and obstructive sleep apnoea, whereas sleepwalking and nightmares were infrequent. Sleep disorders were significantly associated with low GPA among female students. University students are at risk for sleep disorders, with such disorders associated with decreased academic performance among females.
Objective: Cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer among women in Oman. Although it can be detected early in the premalignant stages, there is as yet no national program for cervical cancer screening. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of cytological abnormalities in Papanicolaou (Pap) smears and related risk factors among Omani women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March to December 2019 at the gynecology and family medicine clinics of Khoula Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Muscat. All asymptomatic Omani women aged between 21–65 years were included. Data regarding the participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and known risk factors were collected using a selfreported sheet. Pap smears were performed and the results reported by a cytotechnologist and histopathologist. Results: A total of 442 women participated in the study (response rate: 100%). The mean age was 39.0 ± 9.7 years old. The prevalence of cervical cytological abnormalities was 3.7%. There was a significant association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and cervical cell abnormalities ( p = 0.017); however, there was no link with hormonal contraception use, pregnancy before the age of 17 years or parity ( p >0.050 each). Conclusions: The prevalence of cervical cell abnormalities in Oman was similar to that observed in Arab countries and relatively low in comparison to findings from Western countries. A screening program should be implemented at the primary care level. Moreover, the findings of this study highlight the need for a future vaccination program against HPV infections. Keywords: Cervical Cancer; Screening; Cytological Abnormalities; Pap Smear; Human Papillomavirus; Oman.
Objectives: Breast cancer constitutes the majority of diagnosed cancers in Oman’s females, accounting for 19.2%, which prompted the introduction of a breast cancer screening programme into the Omani healthcare system. There are rising international concerns about the effectiveness of mammography as a screening tool and its psychological impact. The current study aimed to determine the social, emotional and physical dysfunction caused by the waiting time from the day of scheduling the appointment until the day of screening and explore associated risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and December 2017 at Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Oman, using a two-part self-administered questionnaire. Part one of the questionnaire collected clinical and demographic data. Part two consisted of the Psychological Consequences Questionnaire (PCQ) and focused on psychological consequences, measuring the effect of mammographic screening on emotional, physical and social functions. Results: A total of 300 women aged ≥40 years old participated in this study (response rate: 100%). Results revealed that there was a minimal negative psychological impact from screening using mammograms. All PCQ domains were significantly impacted for participants who reported a family history of cancer (P = 0.007). The social score was significantly higher among women between 40–50 years old (P = 0.008). Scores of emotional and social functions were significantly affected by participants’ employment status; employed women were more affected than those who were not (P = 0.043 and 0.012, respectively). However, women’s levels of literacy did not affect any of the domains. Conclusion: The psychosocial impact of the waiting period between scheduling and undergoing mammography screening was minimal in the current sample. Future research should evaluate the psychosocial impact on patients at different recall times.Keywords: Breast Cancer; Mammography; Psychological Factors; Depression; Anxiety; Oman.
Objectives Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is a diagnostic classification to describe the occurrence of physical symptoms without organic cause. This study aimed to identify prevalence rates and associated characteristics of SSD among adults in primary care settings. Methods This cross-sectional study took place between July 2020 and March 2021 and included a random selection of 3383 Omani adults attending 12 primary healthcare centres in Muscat Governorate. Screening was conducted using an Arabic version of the Somatic Symptom Scale-8 (SSS-8). Results A total of 2000 adults participated in the study (response rate: 67.3%), of which most were female (71.7%) and under 50 years old (86.2%). Based on their SSS-8 scores, 602 participants (17.8%) had SSD, resulting in an overall prevalence estimate of 30.1% (95% confidence interval: 28.13–32.15). Significant associations were observed between SSD and age ( p = 0.002), gender ( p < 0.001), marital status ( p = 0.030) and chronic comorbidities ( p = 0.001). In addition, adjusted odds ratio estimates revealed SSD to be significantly associated with gender ( p < 0.001), education level ( p < 0.001) and chronic comorbidities ( p = 0.001). Conclusion The estimated prevalence of SSD in primary care settings is high compared to reports from elsewhere in the Gulf region. There is an urgent need to enhance the diagnosis of SSD at the primary care level in order to reduce healthcare service overutilisation and patient dissatisfaction. Moreover, healthcare practitioners should be aware of the effect of age, gender, educational status and chronic comorbidities on somatic symptoms.
Objective Raising a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can have a significant impact on quality of life (QOL). This study was conducted to assess the QOL and coping strategies of parents of children with ASD in Oman. Method This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Al-Masarra psychiatric hospital. Telephone interviews were conducted with the parents of all children diagnosed with ASD and attending Al-Masarra Hospital between January 2018 and October 2021. Data were collected using the Ways of Coping Checklist-Revised and World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-Brief. Results A total of 304 parents participated in the study (response rate: 100%), of which 59.5% were female. The mean age of the parents and children with ASD was 40.4 ± 6.9 and 8.4 ± 2.3 years, respectively. Most children with ASD were male (78.3%) and entirely dependent upon their parents (18.1%). Seeking social support was the most common coping strategy (75.53 ± 13.99), while escape avoidance was the least common (51.78 ± 8.04). Most parents (48.7%) rated their QOL as good to very good, with acceptable scores in the psychological (70.92 ± 11.22) and social (73.27 ± 11.46) domains, borderline in the physical health domain (63.51 ± 7.77), and poor in the environmental domain (58.31 ± 11.00). Conclusions Omani parents of children with ASD utilize various coping strategies, with coping skills considered a positive index for mental health in general. No significant differences were observed between Omani fathers and mothers in terms of QOL or coping strategies.
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