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BackgroundRecent corpus of research suggests that psychiatric disorders amongst adolescents and youths are an emerging global challenge, but there is paucity of studies exploring health services utilization by this age group in Arab region.AimThis study focus on the health services utilization and the barriers among school going adolescents and youths with DSM IV disorders in the country Oman, whose population is predominantly youthful.MethodsRepresentative sample of secondary school Omani adolescents and youths were concurrently interviewed for the (i) presence of DSM IV mental disorders using the face-to-face interview, World Mental Health-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI), (ii) tendency for health care utilization and (iii) predictors of utilization with clinical and demographic background.ResultsThe proportions of lifetime cases having ever made treatment contact are low, being 5.2% for any anxiety disorder and 13.2% for any mood disorder category. None of these anxiety cases made treatment contact in the year of onset of the disorder, and the median delay when they eventually made treatment contact is about 14 years. In any mood disorders category only 3.6% made contact within the 1st year of onset with the median delay in initial treatment contact is two years for the Bipolar disorder (broad), four years for Any Mood disorder and nine years for the Major Depressive Disorder group. Male gender is significantly associated with less likelihood of making treatment contact when suffering from Social phobia (p = 0.000), Major Depressive Disorder (p = 0.000) and Bipolar Disorder (p = 0.000). The younger cohorts of 14-16 years and 17-18 years of Social phobic made significantly less lifetime any treatment contact (p = 0.000). The 14-16 year olds were significantly less likely to make lifetime any treatment contact for Bipolar Mood disorder (p = 0.000), while the 17-18 group were 1.5 times more likely to do so. Over past 12 months only between 6 to 12% of those having some form of mental disorder avail of any treatment facility with utilization pattern nearly equal between the any healthcare and any non healthcare facilities. In the any healthcare services, more of those with anxiety disorders seek help from general medical doctors while those with Major Depressive Disorder and any Mood disorders are comparatively treated more by non allopathic services. Females were 13.5 times more likely to avail treatment(chi sq 7.1) as also those cases with increased severity of illness were 7 times more likely(chi sq 9.6). In the any treatment category for any 12 month disorder in general, the younger cohort of 14-16 years is 2.2 times more likely to receive any treatment over past 12 months (p = 0.042) while the situation shows marked reversal in the 17-18 age groups. Having any mood disorder is a significant predictor for the same (p = 0.040).DiscussionPresent findings confer with other studies from elsewhere suggesting under utilization of health care services for those with mental illness. Since cultur...

The nutritional needs of the ageing population require special attention. We undertook a crosssectional, community-based, household survey in Nizwa wilayat, Oman to study nutrition-related knowledge and beliefs and self-reported dietary habits among a sample of elderly people. The response rate for the household interview was 99.3% from a total sample of 2041. About 45% of the elderly were overweight or obese. Overall we found poor knowledge of nutrition plus some nutritional imbalances and low levels of physical activity. Significant sex differences existed in elderly peoples' nutritional knowledge, consumption of fluids, milk and sweets, use of dietary regimens and experience of appetite change. The findings warrant reorientation of the existing health promotion strategy for the elderly. 1Directorate of Research and Studies, Directorate General of Planning, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Oman (Correspondence to A. Al Riyami: asyariyami@gmail.com

RÉSUMÉ Les morbidités associées et gynécologiques chez les femmes omanaises jamais mariées.To assess the prevalence and correlates of gynecologic and related morbidity in Omani women, a nationally representative sample of Omani women selected by a multi-stage, stratified probability sampling procedure was selected (total = 364). Questionnaire interview, physical and gynecological examination, and laboratory investigations were used to elicit information. The prevalence of lower reproductive tract infections was 22.4%, upper reproductive tract infections 2.7%, and cervical dysplasia was very rare. Genital prolapse was present in 10%, 11% had a urinary infection, 27% were anaemic, 23% were hypertensive, and 54% were either overweight or obese. The predictors of common morbidities were assessed using regression analysis according to a pre-specified conceptual model. Afin d'évaluer la prévalence et les corrélats de la morbidité associée et gynécologiques chez les femmes omanaises, un échantillon nationalement représentative des femmes omanaises qui été selectionné à travers un processus d'échantillonage de probabilité stratifiée à stades multiples a été selectionné (364 au total). Pour obtenir des renseignements, on s'est servi des interviews à questionnaire, des examens physiques et gynécologiques ainsi que des investigations de laboratoire. La prévalence des infections de la voie de reproduction inférieure était de 24%, des infections de la voie de reproduction supérieure était de 2,7% alors que la dysplasie cervicale était rare. 10% des femmes ont présenté le prolapsus génital, 11% avaient de l'infection urinaire, 27% ont été anémique, 23% ont été hypertendues et 54% avaient une surcharge pondérale ou étaient obèses. Les indices des morbidités ordinaires ont été évalués à l'aide de l'analyse de la regression d'après un modèle conceptuel pré-dénommé.

We carried out a cross-sectional survey to study the prevalence and the characteristics of current and former smoking among Omani adults. Crude prevalence of current smoking was 7.0% [males 13.4%, females 0.5%] ; 2.3% were former smokers. The overall highest prevalence of current smoking [11.1%] was observed in those 40-49 years [18.7% of males, 0.9% of females]. Older age [>/= 40 years], higher educational level and larger family size were protective against smoking. Mean age for starting smoking was 18.7 years for males and 24.3 years for females. Although smoking prevalence is low in Oman, prevention should be addressed in health education programmes, with the emphasis on heightening awareness in adolescents. Government action, e. g. tobacco taxation, clean air laws and bans on advertising, is also recommended