Anxiety and sleep quality in a sample of Lebanese healthcare workers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

A cross-sectional, survey based study was conducted in order to assess mental health outcomes among healthcare workers in a private university hospital involved in the COVID-19 response in Lebanon. The main objective was to quantify symptoms of anxiety and sleep quality using self-rating scales (the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) respectively), while identifying factors that might affect those symptoms. A total of 628 healthcare workers completed the survey; 409 (66.2%) were younger than 40 years, and 441 (71.4%) were women. Of all participants, 503 (81.4%) were nurses, 52 (8.4%) were physicians and 63 (10.2%) were residents. Registered nurses, residents, women, and younger participants presented higher scores on both scales than other categories of participants. Among factors related with COVID-19, those associated with higher scores were having relatives affected by the virus (22.2%), being excessively exposed to media (12.9%), and increasing the consumption of substances/alcohol (31.2%) during this period. Factors associated with higher risk of anxiety symptoms after multivariable logistic regression analysis were: female sex, young age, poor sleep quality, and living with elderly. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the psychological wellbeing of health care workers involved in the acute COVID-19 outbreak in Lebanon.

Estimating the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in Lebanon.

This cross-sectional survey examines the prevalence rate of Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in 818 children (16-48 months) across all Lebanese regions. Screening was done using the revised form of the Modified-Checklist for Autism in Toddlers. Based on the total score of items failed, children were classified into 3 categories of ASD risk (low, moderate and high). Phone calls follow-up interviews and clinical assessments for diagnosis ascertainment were conducted. Given the caregivers' reluctance to participate, the prevalence rate was estimated between 49 and 513 per 10,000 with a male predominance. Our prevalence estimation, even under restrictive assumptions, is higher than elsewhere in the Arab region. Anti- stigma interventions adapted to the socio-cultural context are needed prior to future research in the field.