May Measurement Month 2018: an analysis of blood pressure screening results from Oman.

As per WHO estimates, around 17% of the adult Omani population are hypertensive. However, people with hypertension are often unaware of the diagnosis, and so the May Measurement Month (MMM) programme was set up to raise awareness of the importance of blood pressure (BP) screening. A cross-sectional screening of BP of subjects aged 18 years or more was carried out in May 2018 at various sites in Muscat, Oman. Screening sites were set up at the reception areas of participating hospitals, and at a few public areas such as shopping malls and workplaces of the volunteers. Blood pressure was measured according to a standardized protocol, and hypertension was defined as per the 2018 European Society of Hypertension guidelines. The data were analysed centrally by the MMM project team. A total of 12 689 individuals (mean age 40.6 ± 12.5 years, 72% male) were screened. The crude mean BP of the second and third readings (where three readings were taken, n = 4 738) was 127.1/79.2 mmHg. After multiple imputations, the average age and sex standardized BP was 127.3/80.2 mmHg. Of all participants, 29.8% had hypertension. There were 1 983 patients with a previous diagnosis of hypertension, of whom 1 810 were on antihypertensive medication. A further 1 973 subjects were newly diagnosed with hypertension. Of those on antihypertensive medication, 34.9% had uncontrolled BP readings. Screening programmes such as MMM are useful to identify persons with undiagnosed hypertension. However, more educational activities are required to increase the public awareness regarding the dangers of hypertension.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Traditional and Complimentary Medicine in Oman.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding traditional medicine (TM) in Oman and examine the factors that necessitate its use. Methods: This cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among the general population from November 2019 and March 2020. All Omani nationals above the age of 18 were eligible to be enrolled. The questionnaire consisted of questions on the knowledge, attitudes and use regarding traditional medicine in Oman. Results: A total of 598 responses to the questionnaire were received (response rate: 85.4%), of which 552 were deemed complete. Most responses were received from males (62.5%) and the sample had a mean age of 33.6 ± 7.7 years. A majority of the respondents (90%) were aware of the different types of TM in Oman; a high percentage (81.5%) felt that it was effective. Most (67.8%) had tried at least one method of TM use. Individuals who were older had tried TM compared to those who had not (34.5 ± 7.8 years versus 31.8 ± 7.2 years; P <0.001); in addition, more males than females (72.2% versus 27.8%; P <0.001) and those with full-time employment than those without had tried TM (84.2% versus 14.2%; P <0.001). Herbal medications (65.8%) and traditional massage (60.4%) were the most common forms of TM practice. Among females, herbal medications (69.2%) and massage (63.5%) are most often used; among males, cupping (65.2%) followed by herbal medications (64.4%) and massage (59.3%) were used more often. Notably, back pain (74.3%) was the most common condition for which TM was reportedly used, with only a small percentage (8.3%) reporting any concomitant side-effects. Conclusion: There is widespread use of TM among Oman's urban population. An improved understanding of their benefits will facilitate their incorporation into modern health care services.

Spotlight on hypertension in the Middle-East.

The Middle-East is a diverse region with many countries of differing socio-economic status. While some countries are facing war and famine, others have a booming economy. This is reflected in the health care in these countries. Hypertension is a problem of all these countries. In this spotlight, we wish to draw attention to the barriers faced by the different countries in the region in their fight to bring blood pressure under control.

Prevalence of high blood pressure and cardiovascular risk factors from a community screening programme in the Middle-East; a 3-year analysis of data from the May Measurement Month programme (2017-2019) in Oman.

The May Measurement Month (MMM) programme is a global cross-sectional blood pressure (BP) screening programme. Here we present the combined data for the years 2017-2019 from Oman. BP was measured at various screening sites, according to standard protocol and hypertension was diagnosed if the BP was ≥140/90 mmHg or if the individual was already on antihypertensive medication. A total of 15,679 individuals (mean age 41.1 ± 12.6 years range 18-89 years; 71% male) were screened over the 3-year period. 7702 individuals (mean age 41.8 ± 13.9 years; 71.5% male) had three BP readings. The mean of the last two BP readings was 127.3 ± 17.1 mmHg. 1573 readings were in the hypertensive range (1004 newly diagnosed hypertension). A further 749 individuals were on antihypertensive medications with normal BP readings giving a proportion of 30.1% of the entire cohort being hypertensive. BP was high in 43% of patients on antihypertensive medications, 28.1% of those with previous myocardial infarction, 33.9% of those with previous stroke and 37.6% of the diabetic patients. BP strongly correlated with body mass index (BMI) and age (both p < 0.001), with a large proportion (68.5%) of individuals having high BMI(>25 kg/m2). Arab and South Asian ethnicity was associated with higher BMI and BP (both p < 0.001).Community screening programmes help identify previously undiagnosed hypertension and hypertensives with high BP. They also help to identify those at high cardiovascular risk. More emphasis should be given to monitoring those in high cardiovascular risk categories and high-risk ethnic groups.

Determinants of Provision of Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation among the General Public in Oman.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the factors that affect the provision of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) among the general public in Oman. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study performed over a two-month period from November to December 2018 using a questionnaire among the general public with no medical background. RESULTS: A total of 1,080 individuals were included in the study. The median age of the participants was 27 (20-39) years old with 624 (57.8%) male participants. More than half of the participants (52.9%) were willing to perform CPR on a stranger. Lack of knowledge of CPR and a fear that they might cause more harm were the main reasons precluding people from performing CPR. Age, educational status and having attended a CPR course were predictors of willingness to perform CPR. CONCLUSION: There is a positive attitude towards bystander CPR in Oman among the general public. More education and training opportunities should be made available in workplaces and educational institutions.

Awareness of the Dangers of High Salt Intake among the Urban Omani Population.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the general public in Oman regarding the dangers of high salt intake. METHODS: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among the urban population in Oman. Individuals aged ≥18 were invited to join the study. RESULTS: A total of 1,214 respondents (mean age 34 ± 10 years) answered the questionnaire. The majority were male (65.8%), employed (69.4%) and some were hypertensive (14.3%). Most (90.9%) were aware that excess salt can cause diseases such as hypertension and that it is either somewhat important (51.2%) or very important (42.9%) to reduce salt in the diet. However, only 42.2% said that they actively try to reduce salt in their diet. CONCLUSION: Although most people in urban areas of Oman appear to be aware of the dangers of high salt intake, only a few are actively trying to reduce it. More educational activities are required to improve awareness.