Frequency of illness anxiety (hypochondriasis) by proxy encountered by doctors in parents towards their children.

BACKGROUND: Illness anxiety disorder is a condition of having a persistent fear of having a serious or life-threatening illness despite few or no symptoms. Current classification systems assume that illness anxiety is experienced relative to one's own health, and not towards others ("by proxy"), yet it has been observed to occur in parents towards their children. This study was designed to survey doctors about how commonly they encounter illness anxiety by proxy (IAP). METHODS: We conducted a qualitative survey of 149 physicians who work with children (pediatricians, psychiatrists, and general practitioners) from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt. The survey was administered via email and a paper-based form. In the UAE, 108 physicians were emailed the survey; 55 (50.1%) responded. For the email survey we used items from the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES). An additional 100 physicians were surveyed in person; 94 (94%) responded. RESULTS: Nearly all respondents (98.7%) reported having encountered IAP in parents. Of these, 51 (34.2%) reported frequently encountering these types of health anxieties, and 50 (33.6%) reported that the parents' concern that their child had a serious disease persisted despite reassurance and appropriate medical evaluation. Seventy-eight (52.3%) respondents reported that exaggeration of actual existing symptoms was the most common reason for parents' fears; 72 (48.3%) reported that the concerned parent was more likely to be the mother; and 36 (24.2%) reported that most parents were not 100% certain of their own beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: IAP is frequently encountered by pediatricians, psychiatrists, and general practitioners. Practitioners who work with children and their parents need to be aware of this phenomenon to provide appropriate support and treatment. More research is needed to screen for the extent and severity of this phenomenon.

Psycho-demographic and clinical predictors of medication adherence in patients with bipolar I disorder in a university hospital in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Poor adherence to treatment is one of the main challenges to symptom control and preventing recurrence in bipolar disorder (BD). Numerous studies have established an association between patients' poor adherence and an increased risk of recurrence, relapse of the symptoms and admission to hospital. AIM: To study the socio-demographic and clinical factors associated with medication nonadherence in patients with BD who were admitted to the hospital. SETTING: The study was conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry, Ain Shams University. METHODS: A 1-year longitudinal prospective study of 110 patients, aged 18-60 years, with BD-I. Young Mania Rating Scale, Clinical Global Impression, Global Assessment of Functioning, Sheehan Disability Scale and Insight and Treatment Attitude Questionnaire were applied before and 6 months after discharge. Adherence was measured using the Morisky 8-Item Medication Adherence Scale. Sociodemographic data and level of functioning were studied in relation to adherence. RESULTS: Higher adherence was noticed in female, married and older patients and those with a higher level of education. However, low adherence was more common in male, non-married and less educated patients. Follow-up after 6 months revealed that the high adherence group scored the lowest in terms of disability. Meanwhile, the low adherence group scored the highest scores in disability. CONCLUSION: Several socio-demographic and clinical variables were found to be associated with a low adherence rate to the prescribed medication in patients with BD-I. Age and impaired insight were found to be significant predictive factors for non-adherence.

Impact of a culturally adapted behavioural family psychoeducational programme in patients with schizophrenia in Egypt.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of a culturally adapted, structured family intervention on symptom severity, medication attitudes and knowledge, social functioning and quality of life in patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: Thirty subjects with schizophrenia were selected to receive 14 sessions of a culturally adapted behavioural family psychoeducational programme (BFPEP). Another 30 subjects received standard treatment as usual (STU) for 6 months. Pre- and post-intervention outcomes were assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Drug Attitude Inventory 10-item scale (DAI-10), Quality of Life Scale (QLS) and Social Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ). RESULTS: There was a no significant difference between BFPEP and STU at baseline on all measures. There was a significant difference (p < .05) between pre- and post-treatment scores for BFPEP on all measures, a significant difference (p < .05) between pre- and post-treatment scores for STU on all measures (favouring pre-treatment scores) and a significant difference (p < .05) favouring BFPEP over STU on all measures post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing family therapy psychoeducational interventions in different cultural settings, with relatively minor modifications. This may have implications for mental health policy makers to make available such programmes for patients and mental health professionals.

Comorbidity of depression and type 2 diabetes in Egypt results from the International Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetes and Depression (INTERPRET-DD) study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus and depression are serious common diseases, and the number of people with both conditions is rising steadily. Depression in people with diabetes mellitus results in poorer prognosis through different mechanisms. On the other hand, the presence of diabetes in individuals with depression increases functional impairment that is associated with depression. AIMS: The study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with depression among adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus attending a diabetes clinic in Cairo, Egypt. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adult patients with diabetes type 2 attending a diabetes clinic in the endocrinology department in Ain Shams University Teaching Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews by trained psychiatrists and from patients' records. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression among diabetic patients was 21.8% (95% CI [15.6%, 29.1%]). Depression was more common among younger age groups and those with a higher level of education. There was no significant difference between those with lifetime depression compared to those without depression regarding physical health complications. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of depression among patients with type 2 diabetes is high. Given the impact of co-morbid diabetes and depression, diabetic patients should be routinely screened for the latter condition.

Beyond antipsychotics: the role of medication and nonmedication factors in female sexual dysfunctions in schizophrenia.

To date, few studies have investigated male sexual dysfunctions (FSDs) in schizophrenia in non-Western countries, with most studies focusing on the sexual side effects of antipsychotic medications. Therefore, we aimed to screen for FSD in a sample of Egyptian females with schizophrenia, compare them to controls and to investigate demographic and clinical parameters associated with FSD. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 72 medicated and unmedicated females with schizophrenia (27 unmedicated and 45 medicated) and 24 controls. They were assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and data were collected for demographic and clinical parameters. We found that females with schizophrenia had significantly lower scores on the FSFI compared to controls and that 93.1% of females with schizophrenia reached the threshold for FSD (FSFI score ≤26), compared to 87.5% of controls. Medicated and unmedicated subjects did not differ significantly in most domains of the FSFI. Age, duration of illness, positive and negative syndrome Scale total, positive and negative symptom scores correlated significantly with the majority of domains of the FSFI. Rates of FSD are very high in both schizophrenia and controls and correlate in schizophrenia with a number of demographic and clinical parameters, suggesting that FSDs are not restricted to the side effects of medications. There is a need to screen for sexual function in routine practice, and for developing active strategies to tackle sexual dysfunctions.

International perspective on physician knowledge, attitude and practices related to medical cannabis.

Background: The trends of recreational use of cannabis and use of cannabis for medical indications (i.e. "medical cannabis") have grown in recent years. Despite that, there is still limited scientific evidence to guide clinical decision-making and the strength of evidence for the medical use of cannabis is currently considered to be low. In contrast, there's growing evidence for negative health outcomes related to use of cannabis. In this rapidly shifting landscape, the role of physician's attitudes regarding the therapeutic value of cannabis has become essential. This study aimed to characterize knowledge/experience, attitudes, and potential predictors of clinical practice regarding medical cannabis. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of physicians from 17 countries between 2016-2018. The survey comprised of 28 questions designed to explore physician knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the use of medical cannabis. Descriptive statistics were used to examine willingness to recommend medical cannabis for medical and psychiatric indications, followed by regression analysis to identify predictors of physician willingness to recommend medical cannabis. Results: A total of 323 physicians responded to the survey. Mean age was 35.4± 9.5 years, with 10.04 ±8.6 years of clinical experience. 53 percent of physicians were women. Clinical experience with medical cannabis was overall limited (51.4% noted never having recommended medical cannabis; 33% noted inadequate knowledge regarding medical cannabis). Overall willingness to recommend medical cannabis was highest for chemotherapy-induced nausea, refractory chronic neuropathic pain, and spasticity in amyotropic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Conclusion: This international study examining knowledge, attitudes and practices related to medical cannabis among physicians revealed that there are significant gaps in domain-specific knowledge related to medical cannabis. There is wide variability in willingness to recommend medical cannabis that is not consistent with the current strength of evidence. This study thus highlights the need for greater education related to domain-specific knowledge about medical cannabis.

Overview of the family structure in Egypt and its relation to psychiatry.

The family is the basic unit of any society and culture. The concept, structure, and function of the family unit vary considerably across different cultures; however, its role continues to be imperative to the development of individuals and their psychological make-up. All societies have a concept of 'family', its relative importance, structure, and functions; however, this varies according to the particular culture. In the Arabic culture, as well as other collectivistic cultures, the extended family is often regarded as the basic unit. The family is the foundational and basic social unit that fosters the stability, well-being and sustainability of society. The quality of family relationships shapes and influences the social, psychological, and biological development and functioning of its members. This may be especially relevant to individuals with mental health problems. The people of ancient Egypt valued family life highly, and this is the case even now. They treasured children and regarded them as a great blessing. If a couple had no children, they would pray to the gods and goddesses for help. They would also place letters at the tombs of dead relatives asking them to use their influence with the gods. The importance of family has not changed dramatically even though the structures are beginning to. In this paper we highlight changes in family set-up and the state of family therapy in Egypt.

Spotlights on education and training in psychiatry: an international perspective.

Training and education must be frequently reviewed and developed to match the pace of rapid advances in psychiatry, preparing current and future psychiatrists to cope with the increasing amount of knowledge and skill required. In this, there is a need to ensure that training delivered internationally meets a common standard. This is essential not only to provide equivalent quality of care worldwide, but also to eliminate one of the obstacles faced by international medical graduates working abroad. Having the basic skills to publish work and viewpoints is essential in this era of rapid development and technological advancement to ensure sharing of knowledge and expertise.

Addiction medicine in modern contexts: hot topics from around the globe.

Addiction is a chronic yet treatable disorder. Patterns of addiction, whether substance related or behavioural, vary among countries and regions. Addiction medicine practice and approaches used in management are not only different from one country to another but are influenced by other factors, including environmental ones. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the major environmental changes that had an impact on addiction. In this editorial, light will be shed on three articles covering recent updates in addiction medicine, ranging from types of substances and service provision to inclusion of gaming disorder in ICD-11.

The prevalence of problematic internet use among a sample of Egyptian adolescents and its psychiatric comorbidities.

BACKGROUND: Problematic internet use has been identified in the last decade as a rising problem due to growing availability and impact of Internet use through social media, mobiles, and laptops are now a must in life, adolescents are most vulnerable for the misuse and its impacts. AIM: To assess the prevalence of problematic internet use, Facebook, and gaming addiction among Egyptian adolescents and its impact. METHODS: The study assessed 700 adolescents aged from 14 to 18 years, both sexes, using Young internet addiction test, Internet gaming disorder scale, the Bergen Facebook addiction scale, the MINI international neuropsychiatry interview for children and adolescents and the socioeconomic status scale. RESULTS: A total of 584 students continued the study to the end with response rate more than 75%, the mean age was 16.1 = 1.2, 65.6% were having internet addiction, 61.3% were gaming addicts, and 92.8% Facebook addicts. Depression, dysthymia, suicide, social anxiety panic, and phobias were common comorbidities in addicted adolescents. CONCLUSION: This study shows that a significant percentage of adolescents are having different patterns of problematic internet use which is negatively impacting their mental health.

Undergraduate psychiatric education: current situation and way forward.

Undergraduate psychiatric education is essential for the training of medical students and for their recruitment into psychiatry. A significant shortage of graduates choosing a career in psychiatry has been recently documented, and this trend might have many causes. When medical students have positive experiences of teaching, elective placements and exposure to psychiatric patients, their attitudes towards psychiatry are significantly better. Therefore, there is a need to improve the quality of undergraduate training courses in psychiatry. Innovative teaching strategies are suggested, including the use of movies, virtual reality, simulated patients and multiprofessional training wards.

Erratum: Undergraduate psychiatric education: current situation and way forward - CORRIGENDUM.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1192/bji.2021.48.].

Mental health of frontline healthcare workers exposed to COVID-19 in Egypt: A call for action.

BACKGROUND: World Health Organization (WHO) declared Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic in March 2020. Such widespread outbreaks are associated with adverse mental health consequences. AIMS: To evaluate mental health outcomes among Egyptian healthcare workers (HCW) treating patients with confirmed or suspected Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) to direct the promotion of mental wellbeing, by screening for symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, depression and stress, and analyzing potential risk factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional, hospital-based survey study collected demographic data and mental health measurements from 502 HCW dealing with COVID-19. HCW were surveyed in 20 hospitals (Fever, Chest, and Quarantine hospitals) in different parts of Egypt, in April and May 2020. RESULTS: Among the 502 HCW surveyed; 60.0% were physicians, 16.1% were specialized nurses, and 23.9% were non-specialized nurses. About 35.3% worked in chest hospitals, 17.5% in fever hospitals, and 47.2% in quarantine hospitals. A considerable proportion of HCW had symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, depression, and stress. Females were at higher risk of experiencing symptoms of severe anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% CI, 1.12-3.05; p = .016), severe depression (OR, 2.013; 95% CI, 1.17-3.4; p = .011), and severe stress (OR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.5-4.6; p < .001). Fever hospital workers were at higher risk of severe depression (OR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.11-2.09; p < .01), compared to Quarantine hospital workers. CONCLUSION: Ensuring proper mental health support for HCW is an important component of public health measures for addressing the COVID-19 epidemic and safeguarding the continuity of appropriate medical service.

Rates of Alexithymia and Its Association With Smartphone Addiction Among a Sample of University Students in Egypt.

INTRODUCTION: Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties in describing feelings. Many studies have shown that there is a relation between alexithymia and different types of addictions. Nowadays, smartphone addiction is proposed to be a global problem. The current study focuses on the rates of alexithymia and its association with smartphone addiction in an Egyptian university. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted in Ain Shams University. A sample of 200 university students was surveyed using Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and Smartphone Addiction Scale - Short Version (SAS-SV). RESULTS: The results showed that 44 students (22%) had alexithymia. It was also found that around one third of the sample (N=65, 32.5%) met the criteria of smartphone addiction. There was a strong association between alexithymia and smartphone addiction (OR=4.33, 95% CI 2.15-8.74, p= < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study supports existing literature indicating the strong association between alexithymia and smartphone addiction.

Rates and profile of victimization in a sample of Egyptian patients with major mental illness.

BACKGROUND: Patients with major mental illness have an increased risk of victimization. Nevertheless, this topic was not thoroughly studied in Egyptian patients with major mental illness. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study are to investigate the rates of victimization and understand its profile, psycho-demographic and clinical correlates among a sample of Egyptian patients with major mental illness. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 300 patients (100 patients with schizophrenia, 100 with bipolar and 100 with major depression) were recruited from the inpatient wards and outpatient clinics at Ain Shams University. They were subjected to a demographic questionnaire, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I), Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and a Victimization Questionnaire (VQ). RESULTS: In our study population, 130 (43.3%) of patients were victimized, of them 52 (40%) were diagnosed with major depressive disorder, 48 (36.9%) with bipolar disorder and 30 (23.1%) with schizophrenia. Victimization was more in female, married, unemployed individuals and those living in rural areas. Patients exposed to domestic violence or abuse during childhood had higher rates of victimization. All victimized patients were subjected to emotional victimization, 64.6% were physically victimized and 53.8% were subjected to miscellaneous types of victimization. Patients were victimized mainly by acquaintance followed by family members. The majority of patients did not report their victimization and considered it as a personal issue or not important enough to be reported. CONCLUSION: Patients with major mental illness are susceptible to significant victimization. Clinicians should explore possible history of abuse or victimization in their patients, empower and support the victimized ones.

Stop Turning a Blind Eye: Tobacco Smoking Among Egyptian Patients With Schizophrenia.

Background: Patients with schizophrenia have considerably higher rates of mortality than general population. Multiple factors may play a role in this. Despite being a major preventable cause of death, smoking is usually overlooked when dealing with patients with schizophrenia. Understanding the pattern of smoking, its severity, and the reasons to quit might be helpful in managing patients with schizophrenia and decreasing the mortality gap. Subjects and Methods: The study included smokers divided into two groups; the first included 346 patients with schizophrenia while the second group had 150 smokers with no mental illness. Both groups were assessed and compared regarding sociodemographic variables, pattern of smoking, severity of nicotine dependence, and motivation to quit smoking. Results: Earlier age of starting to smoke, higher number of cigarettes per day, and lower dependency scores were noted in patients with Schizophrenia. Positive correlation was found between positive symptoms and severity of dependence. Specific positive symptoms were correlated to number of cigarettes per day and time before first cigarette. Patients with Schizophrenia showed a significant difference in intrinsic reasons to quit (health concerns and self-control), which were also positively correlated to their positive symptoms score. Linear regression analysis for predictors of FTND score revealed that only age, sex, and schizophrenia were significant predictors of FTND score. Conclusion: Patients with schizophrenia smoke at earlier ages and smoke more cigarettes per day, yet, have less severe dependence than non-schizophrenic counterparts. Positive symptoms play a role in their smoking pattern and severity. Health concerns and self-control are their main motives to quit smoking.

A synopsis of recent influential papers published in psychiatric journals from the Arab world (2012).

This review includes six recent and influential papers that have appeared in the three leading psychiatry journals from the Arab region. The first paper examined the role of personality profile in the motivation to quit smoking and concluded that there is a positive correlation between Novelty seeking (NS), Persistence (P), Cooperativeness (C) and motivation to quit smoking. The second study discussed the prevalence of abuse history in patients with schizophrenia whether physical or sexual, and its impact on their condition and function. The third paper reported that patients with substance abuse problem show more risky sexual behaviors than normal controls. The fourth study high-lighted the similarities regarding complaints about sleep and polysomnographic changes in depression patients and somatoform disorder patients. The fifth paper, investigated the prenatal and perinatal risk factors in autistic disorders. The sixth and final article concluded that poor levels of maternal fetal attachment during the course of pregnancy should be managed in order to optimize fetal and maternal health. Overall, the papers describe a wide spectrum of research initiatives in the Arab world that are likely to have implications for global mental health.

A synopsis of recent influential papers published in psychiatric journals (2010-2011) from the Arab world.

Six recent and influential papers that have appeared in the three leading psychiatry journals from the Arab region are summarized in this review. The first paper examined the prevalence of eating disorders (EDs) in rural and urban secondary school girls in Sharkia; more EDs were found among urban than rural population. The second study reported the high prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in primary school children in Iraq in context of the present situation in Iraq dominated by violence creating a traumatizing atmosphere for the population, especially children. The third paper reported that substance dependent patients manifest elevated traits of impulsivity; emotionally driven impulsivity in particular predicted substance related problems. The fourth study reported significant cognitive impairments at illness onset in a large sample of patients with a first psychotic episode. The fifth paper, investigated the cultural imprint on symptom profile of mood disorders. Culture effect on mood disorder was more prominent in depression than in mania. The last article examined the relations between social circumstances, medical morbidity, locus of control and depression in elderly patients suffering from medical conditions. Overall, the papers describe a wide spectrum of research initiatives in the Arab World that are likely to have implications for global mental health.