Attitudes of Physicians and Nurses in Oman Toward Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and disapproval of the policy of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination among unvaccinated physicians and nurses in Oman. Methods: The subjects were (N = 346) unvaccinated physicians and nurses in Oman. Their demographic data and attitudes regarding COVID-19 vaccines and mandatory vaccination policy were collected through an anonymous web-based survey and statistically analyzed. Results: The participants' negative attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines were positively related (r = 0.68, p < 0.001) to the extent of their non-support for COVID-19 mandatory vaccination policy. Analysis of variance test showed that after controlling for age, male healthcare providers were more likely to endorse mandating COVID-19 vaccinations. There was no difference between physicians and nurses in support of mandatory vaccination, after controlling for age. Conclusions: Regardless of job type, male, and older physicians, and nurses in Oman were more supportive of mandatory COVID-19 vaccination than their younger and female counterparts. This research provides insights from an Arabian Gulf country about the attitudes of its unvaccinated healthcare providers toward compulsory COVID-19 vaccination.

Attitudes Towards COVID-19 Vaccine: A Survey of Health Care Workers in Oman.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine hesitancy among health care workers (HCWs) is widely reported. Here we report on the prevalence of vaccine hesitancy and the factors associated with it in a sample of non-vaccinated HCWs. Data from 433 not vaccinated medical and non-medical HCWs from various health care facilities after the introduction of COVID-19 vaccination in Oman were analyzed. Most of the participants were nurses (41.5%) followed by physicians (37.5%) and non-medical HCWs (21%). Forty percent of HCWs were willing to uptake the COVID-19 vaccines. Physicians and male HCWs had more positive attitudes toward the COVID-19 vaccines than nurses and female HCWs. Concerns about the COVID-19 vaccines including unknown health issues, efficacy and safety were stated by the participants. Our results show a low level of willingness to uptake the COVID-19 vaccines among HCWs, an issue that must be urgently addressed.

The mental health of health care workers in Oman during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 disease is one of the most destructive events that humanity has witnessed in the 21st century. It has impacted all aspects of life and all segments of populations, including already vulnerable health care providers. AIMS: This study sought to detect the prevalence of mental health issues in sample of physicians and nurses working in several health facilities in Oman. METHOD: We gauged the mental health conditions of 509 physicians (38.1%) and nurses (61.9 %) using the Perceived Stress Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale and World Health Organization Well-Being Index. RESULTS: The study revealed a high prevalence of stress, anxiety and poor psychological well-being, especially among females, young health care workers and those who interacted with known or suspected COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSION: The outcomes of this study support the handful of studies published during this global health crisis that have found that the mental health of health care workers has been harshly affected and predicted that it will continue, to various degrees, to be affected in the foreseeable future. The results of this study highlight the urgency of providing administrative and psychological support as well as current and accurate information on COVID-19 to health care workers.

The Mental Health of Female Physicians and Nurses in Oman during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on female doctors and nurses' mental health in Oman. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, web-based survey of 402 female doctors and nurses recruited from several health facilities in Oman. We used the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scale, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), the WHO-5 Well-Being Index (WHO-5), and the Sleep Quality Scale to determine the prevalence rates of anxiety, stress, well-being, and sleep quality. RESULTS: A total of 231 (57.5%) Omanis and 171 (42.5%) non-Omanis participated in this study. Of the total 402 participants, 28.4% were physicians and 71.6% were nurses. One in four (27.9%) participants reported caring for COVID-19 patients. One in four (27.9%) had moderate to severe anxiety. A higher proportion of Omanis (32.0%) had moderate to severe anxiety than non-Omanis (22.2%). Six in 10 (60.7%) scored at or above the mean on the PSS-10. Doctors and nurses who cared for COVID-19 patients reported higher levels of stress than those who did not. Almost half (45.3%) of the participants scored 50% or less on the well-being scale. A higher proportion of Omanis and those who cared for COVID-19 cases scored ≤ 50. Four in 10 (39.3%) had poor sleep quality; this was particularly prevalent among Omanis. A multiple regression analysis revealed that anxiety, stress, and well-being were significant predictors of poor sleep quality. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 pandemic is having a significant effect on the mental health of health care workers in Oman. In this study, nurses, Omanis, and frontline health care workers were the most impacted by the global health crisis. Urgent psychological, social, and administrative interventions and support should be implemented to mitigate mental health risks in these groups.

Challenges of Establishing a de novo Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service in a Tertiary Hospital: Practical considerations and challenges.

Consultation-liaison psychiatry (CLP), also known as psychosomatic medicine, is a subspecialty of psychiatry that focuses on the care of patients with mental health disorders and general medical/surgical conditions. Integrating CLP services facilitates diagnosis and management of patients with complex comorbidities. This article aimed to report the practical considerations and challenges associated with establishing a de novo CLP service in a tertiary hospital in the Gulf region. This includes discussing the rationale and clinical and educational benefits as well as the resources required for establishing a CLP service.

Smartphone addiction among university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence and correlates of smartphone addiction among university students in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between September 2014 and March 2015. An electronic self administered questionnaire and the problematic use of mobile phones (PUMP) Scale were used.  RESULTS: Out of 2367 study subjects, 27.2% stated that they spent more than 8 hours per day using their smartphones. Seventy-five percent used at least 4 applications per day, primarily for social networking and watching news. As a consequence of using the smartphones, at least 43% had decrease sleeping hours, and experienced a lack of energy the next day, 30% had a more unhealthy lifestyle  (ate more fast food, gained weight, and exercised less), and 25% reported that their academic achievement been adversely affected. There are statistically significant positive relationships among the 4 study variables, consequences of smartphone use (negative lifestyle, poor academic achievement), number of hours per day spent using smartphones, years of study, and number of applications used, and the outcome variable score on the PUMP. The mean values of the PUMP scale were 60.8 with a median of 60.  CONCLUSION: University students in Saudi Arabia are at risk of addiction to smartphones; a phenomenon that is associated with negative effects on sleep, levels of energy, eating habits, weight, exercise, and academic performance.