Clinical features and management approaches for Urinary Incontinence in Older Adults: Evidence from Three Hospitals in Qatar.

Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common medical problem that seriously affects patients' physical, psychological, social, and financial well-being. To identify the most effective drug management techniques, this retrospective study aimed to describe the demographics, etiology, and medical traits of people with UI. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Rumailah Hospital, Ambulatory Care Centre, and Hamad General Hospital to investigate UI risk factors, causes, and management practices in people aged ≥ 65 years within the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Qatar. Results: The 272 patients enrolled in the study had a marked male preponderance, and a larger percentage of non-Qatari residents than Qataris residents. Solifenacin (24.9%), Tolterodine (4.1%), and Oxybutynin (1.1%) were the most commonly administered anticholinergic drugs, while Tamsulosin (82.9%), Alfuzosin (14.5%), and Doxazosin (1.7%) were the most frequently prescribed alpha-blockers. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of investigating UI in institutionalized older adult populations considering the limited research available in Qatar. The identified preventable risk factors can be proactively addressed to mitigate UI. This study also highlights the need for thorough documentation of the diagnosis and reasons for improving the standards of patient care. The findings of this study provide important information that can be used to design medication management methods for enhancing patient outcomes.

Identifying Dementia research priority for Qatar national dementia research plan: A Cross-sectional Survey.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) published the Global Action Plan 2017-2025 seven years ago to address the dementia burden for those impacted, including persons living with dementia, their families, and health-care providers. There were seven action areas in the global action plan; the least achieved was action area seven (dementia research and innovation). The primary objective of the study was to assess the top 10 dementia research priorities among healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, the public, and stakeholders to develop the Qatar National Dementia Research Plan. Methods: Convenience sampling was used in this cross-sectional survey. The study was conducted online with the involvement of HMC staff (physicians, nurses, and allied health staff) from all HMC facilities, patients and caregivers from Rumailah Hospital's Geriatric Department, and the public who attended the 2022 Advanced Dementia Research Conference. The survey was conducted during 22nd of October 2022 till April 31, 2024. Overall, 2000 participants provided their responses, which included health care professionals under HMC, including physicians, nurses, allied health staff, patients, caregivers, the public, and stakeholders in Qatar. Results: Dementia Risk Reduction (79%) was the top priority for the survey participants. The remaining nine priorities were the impact of early treatment (76%), health system capacity (73%), implementation of best practices for care (73), access to information and services post-diagnosis (71), caregiver support (70%), emotional well-being (67%), care provider education (65%), end-of-life care (65%), and non-drug approaches to managing symptoms (65%). Conclusion: The survey results clearly indicated that most participants ranked Dementia Risk Reduction as their top priority, indicating the essential focus on dementia prevention. These findings, together with goals such as early treatment, healthcare system capacity, and caregiver support, highlight the importance of an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to dementia management.

One year analysis of Prospective Memory Clinics Registry in Qatar: A Critical Tool for Dementia Research and Policy Planning.

Background: The Global Dementia Observatory (GDO) is a monitoring and accountability tool for the Global Action Plan on Public Response to Dementia 2017-25. Evidence from dementia registries may be utilized to better address WHO efforts in member countries, as well as to improve clinical practice and public health policy. The goal of this study was to analyze one-year data from a prospective memory clinic registry. Methods: This study was a baseline analysis of prospective memory clinics registry data of Qatar from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. Results: This study investigated the demographic, clinical, and lifestyle characteristics of 464 participants who were enrolled in memory clinics. Mild neurocognitive disorders were the most prevalent diagnoses in both sexes, affecting 61.5% of male patients and 63.7% of female patients. Dementia was slightly more common in men (19.8% vs. 18.9%), although delirium was more common in women (1.9% vs. 0%). In terms of risk factors, the analysis revealed that females were more likely to be obese (36.8% vs. 16.7% in males), while males had higher rates of diabetes (61.1% vs. 51.9% in females), hypertension (69.4% vs. 62.7% in females), and smoking (17.1% vs. 3.8% in females). Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the differences in dementia risk factors between genders and races, highlighting the need for customized interventions. Furthermore, the registry is a great resource for policymakers and healthcare professionals, providing evidence-based suggestions to improve dementia care, increase the well-being of patients and caregivers, and maximize resource allocation.

The effect of COVID-19 on the mental health of the people in the Indian subcontinent: A scoping review.

Indian subcontinent has high mental heath burden and low resources to cope the mental health challenges. Assessment of impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health would help to prioritize the resource allocations. We aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of people in the Indian subcontinent. Following the PRISMA 2020 guideline, a scoping review was performed by systematically searching the PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases to identify original studies that assessed mental health conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Indian subcontinent. In this review, a total of 34 studies conducted between 2020 and 2022 were analyzed. The prevalence of anxiety disorders was found to range widely, from 2.5% in North Indian urban slum to 53% in Bangladesh and 21.7% in Pakistan. Similarly, the prevalence of depression varied widely, with rates ranging from 3.5% in North India to 29.8% in Pakistan. The prevalence of stress-related problems ranged from 18.3% in Pakistan to 59.7% in Bangladesh. Factors such as female gender, married status, healthcare workers, and mental illness were identified as important predictors of anxiety and depressive disorders. The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mental health in Indian subcontinent varies widely based on study population and methods. Therefore, a cautious interpretation is needed while generalizing the study results.

Impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease pandemic on healthy lifestyle behaviors in persons with and without disabilities in Qatar.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lifestyle behaviors which included physical activity, sedentariness, healthy eating habits, sleep habits, and tobacco use in persons with and without disabilities in Qatar. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a structured, online questionnaire. The collected data included demographics, mental health, physical health, eating habits, body weight, sleep, and nicotine intake. This study was conducted between September 25, 2020, and December 31, 2020. Results: Seventy respondents from Qatar participated in the study. Pre-pandemic healthy lifestyle behaviors (physical activity, healthy diet, sleep, etc.) showed no significant differences between people with and without disabilities. However, perceived changes in mental and physical health and eating habits during the pandemic lockdown differed between people with and without disabilities. People with disabilities reported worsening mental health (64.7%), physical health (53%), and dietary habits compared to the pre-pandemic levels. Furthermore, the more severe the disability, the more significant is its impact on mental and physical health. Conclusion: This study indicated that the pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental and physical health of people with and without disabilities in Qatar. These findings reveal how closely individuals with disabilities and their lifestyle choices are related to their mental and physical well-being. This will enable the development of specific interventions for similar situations in the future.

Impact of nanoparticles on human health and disease.

Nanoparticles (NPs) are small particles with a surface area ranging from 1 to 100 nm in diameter that are rampantly used in different fields, e.g., medicine, engineering, and others. Because of their unique properties, such as their tiny size, magnetic properties, quantum size effects, and macroscopic quantum tunnelling effects, they are crucial for a wide range of potential applications. NPs play a significant role in the treatment of vascular disorders, the production of vaccines, and the development of drug carriers for diverse therapies due to their bioavailability, targeting ability, and efficacy. However, significant risks to the environment and health are also associated with it. NPs cause necrotic plasma membrane rupture or apoptosis, which leads to cell death. NPs interfere with cell signalling, endosomal membranes, and organelles like the nucleus or mitochondria, affecting their function. NPs cause autophagic cell death, which causes a stress response and sterile inflammation. The primary routes for the entry of NPs into the human body are inhalation, ingestion, and skin contact. NPs accumulate in the respiratory system based on their size, shape, and surface properties. NPs can cause lung inflammation and fibrosis, disrupt the endocrine system by attaching to hormone receptors, and produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) associated with DNA damage, oligospermia, and male infertility. Carcinogenic properties of NPs cause mutations, apoptosis, and inflammatory responses. Collaborative research between ecologists and epidemiologists may enlighten ways to reduce the harmful effects of NPs.

Need for evidence synthesis for quality control of healthcare decision-making.

Systematic reviews that are out-of-date delay policymaking, create controversy, and can erode trust in research. To avoid this issue, it is preferable to keep summaries of the study evidence. Living evidence is a synthesis approach that provides up-to-date rigorous research evidence summaries to decision-makers. This strategy is particularly useful in rapidly expanding research domains, uncertain existing evidence, and new research that may impact policy or practice, ensuring that physicians have access to the most recent evidence. Addressing global challenges - ranging from public health crises to climate change or political instability - requires evidence-based judgements. An obsolete, biased, or selective information poses risks of poor decisions and resource misallocation. The relatively nascent practice of living evidence proves invaluable in maintaining continuous interest and team engagement. The concept of living evidence has been particularly relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic due to the rapidly evolving nature of the virus, the urgent need for timely information, and the continuous emergence of new research findings. Although the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of evidence systems, researchers and funders of research should rigorously test the living-evidence model across diverse domains to further advance and optimize its methodology.

Panic buying research: A bibliometric review.

Background: Panic buying has been reported during a period of crisis when people buy an extra amount of essential commodities and hoard them anticipating their future utility. As a newer entity, a bibliometric analysis would reveal the research gaps for further studies. We aimed to do a bibliometric analysis of researches published on panic buying over the past two decades. Methods: A literature search was conducted in the SCOPUS database using the keyword "panic buying". All published research in the English language between 1st January 2001 to 1st August 2021 was included in the analysis of this study. Results: We identified a total of 142 articles on panic buying published over the past two decades. There is an exponential increase in the publication on this topic during the COVID-19 pandemic (n=127). Majority of the articles were published from the United States (n=23), followed by the United Kingdom (n=20), and China (n=20). The Frontiers in Public Health and Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services published the highest number of articles (eight each). Arafat SMY published the highest number of publications as a single author (n=10) and Enam Medical College and Hospital, Bangladesh has the highest number of papers as an institution (n=10). Among all the publishers, Elsevier has published the maximum number of papers (n=38). Conclusion: There is an exponential growth of panic buying research during 2020-21. The global crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic has been attributed to the recent rise in panic buying research.

A survey of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety and Depression among Flood Affected Populations in Kerala, India.

Background: Globally, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses following a disaster. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the socio-economic and flood exposure factors with PTSD, depression and anxiety among the flood-affected populations in Kerala, India. Methods: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted from November 2019 to January 2020 in Kozhikode district of Kerala, India. Adults (≥ 18 years), who were permanent residents and had been directly exposed to the flood, were invited to take part in the study. Individuals with a history of mental health issues and those who had other stressful situations in the past were excluded. The survey questionnaire was based on three screening tools: (1) PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5); (2) patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9); and (3) generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7). Data included sociodemographic factors and flood exposure variables. The primary outcome variable was psychiatric morbidity (PTSD, anxiety and depression). Results: A total of 276 respondents (150 males/126 females) participated in the study. A significant correlation was observed between total score on PCL-5 and GAD-7 (r=0.339, p=0.001) and PHQ-9 (r=0.262, p=0.001). Females had significantly higher total PTSD symptom severity scores (8.24±5.88 vs. 6.07±5.22; p=0.001), severity of symptoms of intrusion (4.66±3.60 vs. 3.69±3.20; p=0.04), increased level of anxiety (2.54±1.94 vs. 1.79±1.53; p=0.001) and depression (3.02±2.26 vs. 2.04±1.67; p=0.001) compared to males. However, the gender difference for PTSD symptoms disappeared when controlling for age. Conclusion: The findings of this survey revealed that the vast majority of respondents (92 percent females and 87 percent males) still had subclinical psychiatric symptoms one year after the flood. Therefore, tailored psychological interventions are warranted to counter the long-lasting impact of flooding on the mental health of individuals.

Post COVID syndrome: A novel challenge and threat to international health.

The global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has affected every continent worldwide. The novelty of this virus, its mutations and the rapid speed and unprecedented rate at which it has torn through the global community has in turn lead to an innate lack of knowledge and information about the actual disease caused and the severity of the complications associated with COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus has been infecting individuals since 2019 and now as of 2022 has been circulating for just over 2 years within the global populous. As the number of cases have risen globally over this period (some of which having contracted the virus twice) further endeavours have been undertaken to better understand the pathogenesis and natural progression of the disease. A condition reported in some cases with extended bouts of sickness or symptoms following the initial infection with COVID was labelled "long COVID" towards the earlier phases of the pandemic (in the spring of 2020), but has only recently gained the global media and medical attention due to its affliction of more individuals on a global basis and has thus warranted further investigation. Long COVID is described as a persistent, long-term state of poor health following an infection with COVID-19. The effect of Long COVID is multisystemic in nature with a wide array of signs and symptoms. The most commonly reported clinical features of long COVID are: headaches, myalgia, chest pain, rashes, abdominal pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, anosmia, persistent cough, brain fogs, forgetfulness, depression, insomnia, fatigue and anxiety. This research aims to explore the symptomatology, pathophysiology as well as the treatment and prevention of Long COVID.