Assessing child satisfaction and expectations for developing a child-friendly environment at the pediatric department in a general hospital in Qatar.

Background: "Patient-centered" care positions the patient at the core and emphasizes fulfilling their unique needs, preferences, and values. This approach is particularly significant in the context of children. Although widely recognized as necessary, this approach is not universally implemented. The children find themselves in hospital wards where they are required to follow protocols and systems designed primarily for adults. In the appropriate atmosphere, children often express themselves more effectively through words, body language, and play, leading to a richer understanding of their needs. There is growing recognition of the importance of addressing children's concerns regarding hospital environments. Aim: This study investigates children's satisfaction with the physical aspect of the hospital environment. Insights from this exploration could provide valuable input for creating hospital environments centered around children's needs and preferences. Methods: This mixed-methods study involves children aged 6-14 years with parental consent from a premiere healthcare provider in the state of Qatar. The survey used nine items to gauge satisfaction with the existing hospital environment as a "child-friendly hospital" and another nine items to explore their expectations for such environments. The Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests as well as thematic analyses were employed to assess the statistical significance of differences in satisfaction levels and children's expectations of the hospital's physical environment. Results: A total of 398 children participated in the study. Of them, 40.3% were aged 6-8 years; 60.3% had experienced two to five hospital visits; 55.8% of children participated during their outpatient service visit; and 31.7% were Asian. Children's satisfaction levels with various aspects of the hospital environment-including its physical appearance, signage, lounge, consultant rooms, corridors, bedrooms, TV content, toys, and staff uniforms-were in the range of 42.9%-59%. The children expressed a desire for a hospital environment that is spacious, colorful, attractive, and filled with cartoon characters and toys in the children's hospital from the front lounge to the inpatient units. Conclusion: The findings underline the importance of considering the perspectives of children in evidence-based healthcare design. The study reveals that children's satisfaction with the hospital environment is generally average or below average. Ultimately, a "child-friendly hospital environment" integrates children's rights into healthcare to significantly improve outcomes.

Psychiatric inpatients' views of their mental health, and their experience of social change, during the pandemic: A report from Qatar.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: There is only limited information on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected people diagnosed with mental health disorders, especially people admitted to psychiatric wards. We surveyed the views of inpatients at Qatar's only psychiatric hospital regarding how the pandemic had affected their mental health and social changes they had experienced during the pandemic. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Nearly half (43%) of those who completed the survey reported that the pandemic had led to a deterioration in their mental health. Those who reported deterioration in their mental health during the pandemic were significantly more likely to have experienced negative social changes during the pandemic. Examples included increased stress from the home and reduced ability to discuss emotions/feelings with family members. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Mental health services need to ensure ongoing support for patients during and after the pandemic. Mental health nurses have a pivotal role including identifying early warning signs of relapse of mental disorders, delivering talking treatments and providing practical advice and COVID-19-related education. Further work is needed to assess the views of people diagnosed with mental health problems in different countries and at a different time point during the pandemic. ABSTRACT: Introduction The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people under the care of mental health services has received relatively little attention in the scientific literature. Aim To assess psychiatric inpatients' views regarding their mental health and experience of social change during the pandemic. Method Cross-sectional survey of consecutive patients admitted to Qatar's only psychiatric hospital between mid-June and mid-October 2020. Results Data were analysed for 114/284 (40%) patients admitted during the study period. 8 (7%) reported a history of COVID-19. 43% reported that the pandemic had led to deterioration in their mental health, 11% to an improvement and 39% that there had been no attributable change. Those reporting worsened mental health, attributable to the pandemic, were significantly more likely to report having experienced four negative social changes during the pandemic, namely reduced ability to discuss emotions/feelings with family members, decreased time spent exercising, decreased time spent relaxing and increased stress from the home. Demographic factors did not distinguish those reporting worsened mental health from those whose mental health was improved or unchanged. Discussion A large proportion of psychiatric inpatients reported negative social and mental health changes during the pandemic. However, the study cannot determine causality. Implications for practice Mental health services should consider the psychological and social aspects of people's lives, including their interactions with family, friends and the community. This is especially relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its wide impact on society. Interventions for people diagnosed with mental health disorders should address their psychological and social needs.

Support and attitudes of Qatar mental health professionals to a proposed mental health inpatient smoking ban: Results of a cross-sectional survey.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Smoking is more common among people with serious mental illness, and it contributes to a reduced life expectancy. Several Western countries have successfully introduced smoke-free policies in inpatient mental health units. There is virtually no information about attitudes to smoking bans in mental health units from countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: We surveyed mental health professionals working in Qatar's main mental health service to determine support for and attitudes towards a proposed total smoking ban in psychiatric wards. Most staff who completed the survey supported an inpatient smoking ban. However, further analysis, both quantitative and qualitative, showed markedly ambivalent attitudes, that is staff simultaneously held attitudes that supported and opposed a smoking ban. Professionals who did not support a ban were more likely to have not received smoking cessation training in the last 5 years, to be a psychiatrist rather than a nurse or allied mental health professional, to be current smokers and to be a Middle Eastern and North African national. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Further staff training is necessary to achieve more consistent attitudes that support a total smoking ban and increase the likelihood of successful implementation. The attitudes in this study showed similarities and differences to those reported for mental health professionals in Western countries. This highlights that local research is necessary to help shape training and successfully implement smoke-free policies. ABSTRACT: Introduction Despite the fact that patients with serious mental illness (SMI) have high rates of smoking and an increased standardized mortality, there is virtually no information about attitudes to smoking bans in mental health units from countries in the Middle East and North Africa region. Aim To assess support for, and attitudes towards, a proposed total smoking ban in psychiatric wards among mental health clinicians in Qatar. Method Cross-sectional survey of mental health professionals working in Qatar's primary mental health service. Results The response rate was 68% (353/520). Support for a ban was assessed with a single-item question; 73% of respondents supported a ban with opposition significantly (p < .05) associated with being a current smoker, a Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) national, a psychiatrist versus a mental health nurse or allied health professional and not receiving smoking cessation training in the last 5 years. A 21-item questionnaire assessed attitudes to a total smoking ban. It showed marked ambivalence with multiple linear regression identifying MENA nationality, male gender and current smoking status as independent variables influencing attitudes. The most strongly held attitude supporting a ban was concern about passive smoking and against a ban was concern it may increase patient agitation. Qualitative data confirmed ambivalent views. Discussion The results show similarities and differences to research from other countries suggesting that cultural factors influence some attitudes to smoke-free policies. Implications for Practice Staff support and smoking cessation education are necessary to achieve more consistent staff attitudes to support smoke-free policies.

The Iris Thickness in a Healthy Saudi Population.

Purpose Iris thickness (IT), a known risk factor for angle closure glaucoma, has not been evaluated in the normal Saudi population. Methods Quantitative information on IT was evaluated in healthy Saudi eyes using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT). IT and iris volume was measured with the room 'light on' (LON) and 'light off' (LOFF) using Image J software. IT in the nasal and temporal iris was measured at 500 µm (IT500) and 750 µm (IT750) from the scleral spur (SS). Differences in IT measurements by age, gender and type of refractive error were evaluated. Results We included 100 eyes of 50 healthy adult Saudis without ocular disease other than refractive errors. The mean age of 56 males and 44 females in the study group was 41.7 ± 14.5 years. The refractive status was as follows: emmetropia (35 eyes), mild/moderate myopia (33 eyes), high myopia (17 eyes) and hyperopia (15 eyes). The IT750 with LON was significantly more than IT500 both nasally (P = 0.03) and temporally (P < 0.001). The difference in IT750 and IT500 with LOFF was significantly more nasally (P = 0.03), temporally (P = 0.02), and with LON nasally (P = 0.005). IT was thicker in males when compared to females and variation of IT by refractive error was significant but not by age. The mean pupil diameter and anterior chamber depth decreased with age (P < 0.001). Anterior chamber width was not affected by age or illumination. Conclusion The baseline iris thickness in the Saudi eyes could be used to compare iris thickness in eyes with angle closure glaucoma among the Arab population.

Prevalence and Determinants of Dry Eye Disease among 40 Years and Older Population of Riyadh (Except Capital), Saudi Arabia.

PURPOSE: The prevalence and determinants of dry eye disease (DED) among 40 years and older population of Riyadh (except capital), Saudi Arabia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A population-based survey was conducted in Riyadh district between 2013 and 2017. All Saudi aged >40 years attended at the Primary Health Center were the study population. McCarty Symptom Questionnaire was adopted. A representative sample was examined. The best-corrected visual acuity and anterior and posterior segment assessment were performed. DED was graded as absent, mild, moderate, and severe. RESULTS: We examined 890 participants. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of DED was 45.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 44.8-45.4). One-third of the participants had DED. However, two-third of DED cases were of mild grade. The prevalence of DED among females was significantly higher. The variation of DED by age group was not statistically significant (χ2= 2.6, Degree of freedom = 3, and P = 0.1). Presence of glaucoma was significantly associated to DED (odds ratio [OR] = 2.6, [95% CI = 1.2-5.6], and P = 0.01). Use of topical glaucoma medication was significantly associated to DED (OR = 4.6 [95% CI = 1.8-11.8], and P = 0.001). However, severity of DED was not found to be associated with glaucoma medication (χ2= 2.6, P = 0.1). Associations of diabetes and hypertension to DED were not statistically significant (OR = 0.97 [95% CI = 0.73-1.3], and P = 0.84) (OR = 1.1 [95% CI = 0.8-1.4], and P = 0.6). The severe visual impairment was not associated to the grade of DED (P = 0.55). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of DED among Saudi is high, but severe DED is found to be less. Association with female gender, glaucoma, and topical glaucoma medications was reported. Association with diabetes, hypertension, and age group variation was not significant.