Factors associated with COVID-19 pandemic induced post-traumatic stress symptoms among adults living with and without HIV in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Nigeria is a country with high risk for traumatic incidences, now aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify differences in COVID-19 related post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among people living and not living with HIV; to assess whether PTSS were associated with COVID-19 pandemic-related anger, loneliness, social isolation, and social support; and to determine the association between PTSS and use of COVID-19 prevention strategies. METHODS: The data of the 3761 respondents for this analysis was extracted from a cross-sectional online survey that collected information about mental health and wellness from a convenience sample of adults, 18 years and above, in Nigeria from July to December 2020. Information was collected on the study's dependent variable (PTSS), independent variables (self-reported COVID-19, HIV status, use of COVID-19 prevention strategies, perception of social isolation, access to emotional support, feelings of anger and loneliness), and potential confounder (age, sex at birth, employment status). A binary logistic regression model tested the associations between independent and dependent variables. RESULTS: Nearly half (47.5%) of the respondents had PTSS. People who had symptoms but were not tested (AOR = 2.20), felt socially isolated (AOR = 1.16), angry (AOR = 2.64), or lonely (AOR = 2.19) had significantly greater odds of reporting PTSS (p < 0.001). People living with HIV (AOR = 0.39), those who wore masks (AOR = 0.62) and those who had emotional support (AOR = 0.63), had lower odds of reporting PTSS (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The present study identified some multifaceted relationships between post-traumatic stress, HIV status, facemask use, anger, loneliness, social isolation, and access to emotional support during this protracted COVID-19 pandemic. These findings have implications for the future health of those affected, particularly for individuals living in Nigeria. Public health education should be incorporated in programs targeting prevention and prompt diagnosis and treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder at the community level.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Arabic version of the DHEQ-15.

OBJECTIVES: Many patients who suffer from Dentine Hypersensitivity (DH) often go undiagnosed because they do not consider DH as serious problem that requires treatment. The use of patient-reported outcome measures can help in diagnosis and management of DH problems. The aim of the present study was to adapt cross-culturally the original English version of the Dentine Hypersensitivity Experience Questionnaire (DHEQ-15) for use in Arabic-speaking countries. METHODS: An Arabic version of DHEQ-15 was first developed by forward-backward translation and piloted among a group of dental patients. A cross-sectional study design was then used to test the psychometric properties of the Arabic DHEQ-15 in a wider convenience sample of Libyan dental patients diagnosed with DH. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the three-dimensional distribution of the subscales. The significance level of all statistical tests was set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The Arabic DHEQ-15 demonstrated good face and content validity. A total of 462 participants aged, on average, 39.2 ± 12.9 years took part in the psychometric testing of the Arabic DHEQ-15. The overall Cronbach's alpha of the questionnaire was 0.91, and overall Interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for test-retest repeatability was 0.914. Participants with more severe DH had a significantly higher DHEQ-15 score than those with less severe DH (p < 0.001). Those who reported better global rating of their oral health had lower scores on the Arabic DHEQ-15 (p < 0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed three subscales of the Arabic DHEQ-15. CONCLUSIONS: The Arabic DHEQ-15 has been developed and further testing has demonstrated acceptable levels of psychometric properties in an Arabic population. The Arabic DHEQ-15 is a reliable measure of the quality-of-life impact of DH for use with Arabic-speaking populations.

Factors affecting self-reported implementation of evidence-based practice among a group of dentists.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed at assessing the factors affecting the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) among a group of dentists in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross sectional study design was used where a link to an electronic questionnaire was posted on the websites of the Saudi Dental Society and a social networking site for dentists. The questionnaire was available for three months after which responses were downloaded and analyzed. Descriptive statistics were calculated for various variables and logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors with significant effect on the implementation of EBP. RESULTS: Implementation of EBP was reported by 69.3% of respondents. Most respondents reported knowing and using MEDLINE and being able to search for evidence. The most frequently reported barriers were lack of time and availability of evidence. Factors that significantly affected the implementation of EBP were 1) having some knowledge of terms related to EBP, 2) reporting lack of EBP skills as a barrier, and 3) reporting resistance to change as a barrier. CONCLUSIONS: Background knowledge related to EBP and training in its skills are needed for the implementation of EBP whereas the presence of resistance to change does not necessarily prevent its implementation.