Background The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emerging infection causing a widely spread pandemic of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The current COVID-2019 pandemic is prompting fear of falling sick, dying, helplessness and stigma, urgent and timely understanding of mental health status is needed to help the community. Our investigation designed to survey the general population in Saudi Arabia to assess the degree of psychological impact during the pandemic. Methods During the early stage of the outbreak, we conducted an online-based survey using a snowballing sample technique. The surveys collected data about several aspects of participant sociodemographic, knowledge, concerns, psychological impact, and mental health status. We assessed the psychological impact and mental health status using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Results Our survey recruited 1160 respondents of the general public of Saudi Arabia. Of them, 23.6% reported moderate or severe psychological impact of the outbreak, 28.3%,24%, and 22.3% reported moderate to severe depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms, respectively. Females reported IES-R (B: 5.46, 95% CI: 3.61 to 7.31) and DASS subscales B coefficient ranged from 1.65 to 2.63, along with high-school students, working in the medical field, and poor self-reported health status was significantly associated with a high level of IES-R and DASS scales ( p < .05). Experiencing breathing difficulty and dizziness showed a stronger association with higher IES-R and DASS subscales than other somatic symptoms (e.g., headache and fever);( p < .001). Respondents who practiced specific preventative measures (e.g., hand washing, social distancing) demonstrated a protective effect against stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Social distancing appeared to be protective on stress and anxiety subscales (B: -1.49, 95% CI: −2.79 to −0.19),(B: -1.53, 95% CI: −2.50 to −0.57),respectively; and hand hygiene on depression subscale (B: -2.43, 95% CI: −4.44 to −0.42). Conclusion Throughout the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia, the results showed that nearly one-fourth of the sampled general population experienced moderate to severe psychological impact. Following specific precautionary measures appeared to have a protective effect on the individual's mental health. Our findings can be used to construct psychological interventions directed toward vulnerable populations and to implement public mental health strategies in the early stages of the outbreak.

Background Quarantine is a useful measure for preventing and controlling pandemics; however, it might be stressful for quarantined individuals. Fear and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming. These emotions were reported for individuals in involuntary quarantine facilities dedicated to quarantine purposes. Methods This cross-sectional study surveyed the individuals in involuntary quarantine institutions (for a planned period of 14 days of quarantine) in two regions of Saudi Arabia. The mental health status of individuals was assessed using the Revised Impact of Event Scale (IES-R) and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Results The study surveyed 214 quarantined/isolated individuals. The stress, anxiety, and depression rates were 25.7%, 21.5%, and 32.7%, respectively. On the IES-R, 28.0% of the participants met the criteria for psychological distress. Female gender, self-reported history of psychiatric disorder, and average health status were significantly associated with negative psychological impact and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (p<0.05). Watching television was found to be a factor in reducing rates on the IES-R and DASS-21 scale while working out lowered rates on the IES-R alone (p<0.05). Conclusion During an institutional involuntary quarantine, additional attention should be paid to vulnerable groups like females and individuals with a history of psychiatric illness. More than one-fourth of our sample experienced a negative psychological impact; therefore, coping practices like working out should be encouraged. This study contributes to the ongoing discussion about the psychological aspects of being quarantined. Much work remains to be done to identify strategies that prevent and mitigate psychological distress throughout the quarantine experience and to determine whether these impacts will last for an extended period of time.

The burnout rate among physicians is expected to be higher during COVID-19 period due to the additional sources of physical and emotional stressors. Throughout the current COVID-19 pandemic, numerous studies have evaluated the impacts of COVID-19 on physicians’ burnout, but the reported results have been inconsistent. This current systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess and estimate the epidemiology of burnout and the associated risk factors during the COVID-19 pandemic among physicians. A systematic search for studies targeting physicians’ burnout was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, Cochrane COVID-19 registry, and pre-print services (PsyArXiv and medRχiv) for English language studies published within the time period of 1 January 2020 to 1 September 2021. Search strategies resulted in 446 possible eligible studies. The titles and abstracts of these studies were screened, which resulted in 34 probable studies for inclusion, while 412 studies were excluded based on the predetermined inclusion criteria. These 34 studies went through a full-text screening for eligibility, which resulted in 30 studies being included in the final reviews and subsequent analyses. Among them, the prevalence of physicians’ burnout rate ranged from 6.0–99.8%. This wide variation could be due to the heterogeneity among burnout definitions, different applied assessment tools, and even cultural factors. Further studies may consider other factors when assessing burnout (e.g., the presence of a psychiatric disorders, other work-related and cultural factors). In conclusion, a consistent diagnostic indices for the assessment of burnout is required to enable consistent methods of scoring and interpretation.

Background: Since the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the numbers of cases and deaths worldwide have begun to increase, the closure of schools, universities, shops, workplaces, and the vast degree of precautionary actions, have left students feeling helpless, isolated, bored, and uncertain of what would happen to their academic advancement. Our study aims to assess the degree of the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: During the early days of the pandemic, the survey sample was based on non-probability sampling. We conducted an online-based survey using a snowball sample technique. The survey collected data on several aspects of the participants, including the psychological impact of COVID-19, using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). The current study shows an extensive analysis of the survey with a focus on the impact of the pandemic on students. Results: A total of 336 students were recruited for the study and responded to the survey. The IES-R showed that 7.1% and 23.8% of the students experienced moderate and severe symptoms, respectively. On the DASS stress subscale, 13.4% and 10.7% of students experienced severe and extremely severe stress symptoms, respectively. With regards to anxiety, 6.0% and 15.8% of students experienced severe and extremely severe symptoms, respectively. As much as 11.6% and 17.6% of the students experienced severe and extremely severe symptoms of depression, respectively. Females were more likely to experience symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), stress, anxiety, and depression. Having a family member working in the field of health/medicine was significantly associated with depression; poor to average health and previous diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder was associated with a higher chance of developing PTSD, stress, anxiety, and depression. Conclusion: During the early days of the pandemic, nearly one-fourth of students experienced moderate to severe symptoms of PTSD. Our findings could help guide schools and universities in implementing a clear, effective strategy for students to navigate the coming academic year and expand the efforts made on academic and psychological counseling, especially for the vulnerable populations.

Objectives: To explore the influence of epilepsy on quality of life )QoL( among people with epilepsy in Saudi Arabia, and its association with sociodemographic and clinical characteristic aspects in the Qassim region. Methods:A cross-sectional multi-centered study done in the Qassim region from June 2018 to May 2019. A self-administered questionnaire was provided to 216 participants who attended the neurology clinic. We used a validated Arabic version of the QoL in Epilepsy )QOLIE-31( to measure the QoL. Original ArticlesResults: The mean of the overall QOLIE-31 score was 64.23 ± 17.8. we found that employment status had a significant influence on the overall score )p<0.001( and all other QOL domains )rho ranged from -.136 for energy fatigue to -.193 for social function( Patients with focal seizures were significantly higher in emotional wellbeing )rho=-.159(, seizure worry )rho=-.226(, cognitive function )rho=-.166( and overall score )p=0.010( than patients with the generalized type. Monotherapy patients have higher scores in total )p<0.001( and all subscales except seizure worry and emotional wellbeing than those on polytherapy. Conclusion:Employment status, type of seizure, and AED number are the most important factors affecting Saudi patient's QoL.