International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases, 2016
Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the neuropsychological performance of two fro... more Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the neuropsychological performance of two frontal dysexecutive phenotypes - disinhibited&' syndrome (DS) and &'apathetic&' syndrome (AS) following a traumatic brain injury in a non-western population, Oman. Methods: The study compared the performance of DS and AS in neuropsychological measures including those tapping into verbal reasoning ability/working memory/attention planning/goal-directed behavior and affective ranges. Results: The present analysis showed that DS and AS participants did not differ on indices measuring working memory/attention and affective ranges. However, the two cohorts differed significantly in measures of planning/goal-directed behaviour. Conclusion: This study lays the groundwork for further scrutiny in delineating the different characteristics of what has been previously labelled as frontal dysexecutive phenotype. This study indicates that DS and AS are marked with specific neuropsychological deficits.
Scientific research is increasingly recognized as a vital catalyst and important index for nation... more Scientific research is increasingly recognized as a vital catalyst and important index for national development.1 In many countries, it is scientific research, rather than rich natural resources, that has a direct bearing on economy and development.2 Despite the increased standard of living due to oil, gas, and tourism, the scientific output from rapidly modernizing and emerging economies (e.g. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries) is still relatively low.3 However, there are reasons for hope and optimism as many of the higher learning centers in the GCC countries have started to focus on research rather than services alone.4 Such a trend has coincided with an increased number of scientific publications, proliferation of academic centers, and allocation of funds for research and development.5,6 Compared to three decades ago, the number of medical publications coming from GCC countries has grown modestly.4 It has been noted that there is a relationship between the magnitude of re...
It has been well established that pathways to care are considerably modified by local, social and... more It has been well established that pathways to care are considerably modified by local, social and psychological characteristics as well as the doctor-patient relationship. Scant attention has been paid to the role of family advice in care-seeking. In Omani society, traditional family values and a collective mindset are the norm rather than the exception. This paper examines how family advice affects the trajectory of care seeking. During 2006-2007, data was collected through face-to-face interviews among a randomised sample of patients seeking medical consultation in various primary health care centres in the northern region of Oman. This study enrolled a total of 493 patients. The association between the advice of family members as a reason to seek health care and other predictors was analysed using multivariable logistic regression. The data suggest that the advice of family members in care-seeking is strongly associated with gender, education, history of chronic illness, previous...
Depressive illnesses in non-Western societies are often masked by somatic attributes that are som... more Depressive illnesses in non-Western societies are often masked by somatic attributes that are sometimes impervious to pharmacological agents. This study explores the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for people experiencing treatment-resistant depression (TRD) accompanied by physical symptoms. Data were obtained from a prospective study conducted among patients with TRD and some somatic manifestations who underwent 20 sessions of rTMS intervention from January to June 2020. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) was used for clinical evaluation. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential techniques (multiple logistic regression) in SPSS. Among the 49 participants (mean age: 42.5 ± 13.3), there was a significant reduction in posttreatment HAMD scores compared to baseline (t = 10.819, p < 0.0001, and 95% CI = 8.574–12.488), indicating a clinical response. Approximately 37% of the patients responded to treatment, with higher resp...
Objective: This study aimed to decipher the socio-demographic factors associated with the percept... more Objective: This study aimed to decipher the socio-demographic factors associated with the perception towards mental health problems among residents belonging to Oman Medical Specialty Board. Method: A cross sectional correlative study was conducted among a stratified random sample of residents. Attitude towards mental health problems (ATMHP) questionnaire was used to solicit the attitude of the residents. A non-parametric test (Manny-Whitney test) was employed to explore the association between resident's socio-demographic factors and the ATMHP scale. Results: A total of 170 participants consented, with a response rate of 94%. (Community Attitudes, Family Attitudes and reflected shame in selfsubscales;(Mean rank) of 6.94, p-value 0.010; 4.02, p-value 0.006 and 5.17, p-value 0.029, respectively), and the contract with a mentally ill(subscale of Community Attitudes; (Mean rank) 6.89, p-value 0.026. ) were found to correlate with higher scores on ATMHP subscales, signifying a negat...
Objectives: Despite the worldwide increase in health research, few studies have evaluated the hea... more Objectives: Despite the worldwide increase in health research, few studies have evaluated the health research productivity in member states of the Gulf Health Council (GHC). This study solicited the period-prevalence and publication rates of health research productivity in the seven GHC countries. Methods: We searched the Scopus database for publications between 1996 and 2018 and used the SCImago Journal and Country Rank portal to obtain the relevant information. We also recorded qualitative (citation-based) and quantitative (document recount) indicators. Overall and country-specific period-prevalence and publication rates were estimated and standardized to the corresponding overall Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) population and country-specific population size. Results: Overall, 112 409 articles were enumerated during the study period. The majority (59.8%) were from Saudi Arabia, followed by UAE (11.9%). The GCC publications were associated with 1 315 778 citations, which revealed a...
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal [SQUMJ], 2019
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate cognitive and behavioural changes among 9–14-year-old Om... more Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate cognitive and behavioural changes among 9–14-year-old Omani children with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) after an adenotonsillectomy (AT). Methods: This naturalistic observational study was conducted at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 2012 and December 2014. Omani children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) underwent overnight polysomnography and those with confirmed OSA were scheduled for an AT. Cognitive and behavioural evaluations were performed using standardised instruments at baseline prior to the procedure and three months afterwards. Results: A total of 37 children were included in the study, of which 24 (65%) were male and 13 (35%) were female. The mean age of the males was 11.4 ± 1.9 years, while that of the females was 11.1 ± 1.5 years. Following the AT, there was a significant reduction of 56% in mean apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) score (2.36 ± 4.88 versus 5.37 ± 7.17; P <0.01). There was ...
Objective: the study assessed the prevalence of burden of care among caregivers of children with ... more Objective: the study assessed the prevalence of burden of care among caregivers of children with ADHD in Oman. A related aim is to explore the predictors of the burden of care, subtypes of ADHD, and socio-demographic factors. Method: Arabic version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) was administered to 117 caregivers of drug-naive children with ADHD. Sociodemographic background and clinical data were gathered from medical records and from the attending caregivers themselves. The ADHD symptoms were grouped under three categories : hyperactive, inattentive, or mixed. Results: the prevalence of the burden of care was estimated to be 34%. Income levels and the child’s ADHD diagnosis being of “mixed” type have significant impact on the burden of care. Conclusion: the results of this study indicate that the prevalence of the burden of care among the caregivers of ADHD children in Oman is comparable with that in the other regions of the world.
BACKGROUND: Many developing countries such as Oman are marred with the rising tide of children wi... more BACKGROUND: Many developing countries such as Oman are marred with the rising tide of children with autism and the lack of specialized services for these children. Within existing compartmentalized and centralized health care organizations, the general practitioners (GPs) are likely to serve as the first level of contact relevant for diagnosis and referral for remedial services. This study aims to explore the awareness of autism among GPs in Oman on issue pertinent to etiology, signs and symptoms, perceived correlates, as well as the consequence of having autism. Related to this is to examine whether years of medical practice would invariably influence GPs’ awareness. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among GPs (n=113) working at primary healthcare centers (PHC) during September 2013 to February 2014 in Muscat, the capital of Oman.RESULTS: The GPs appear to have suboptimal awareness of etiological factors relevant for the development of autism, its common signs and s...
International Journal of Nutrition, Pharmacology, Neurological Diseases, 2016
Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the neuropsychological performance of two fro... more Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the neuropsychological performance of two frontal dysexecutive phenotypes - disinhibited&' syndrome (DS) and &'apathetic&' syndrome (AS) following a traumatic brain injury in a non-western population, Oman. Methods: The study compared the performance of DS and AS in neuropsychological measures including those tapping into verbal reasoning ability/working memory/attention planning/goal-directed behavior and affective ranges. Results: The present analysis showed that DS and AS participants did not differ on indices measuring working memory/attention and affective ranges. However, the two cohorts differed significantly in measures of planning/goal-directed behaviour. Conclusion: This study lays the groundwork for further scrutiny in delineating the different characteristics of what has been previously labelled as frontal dysexecutive phenotype. This study indicates that DS and AS are marked with specific neuropsychological deficits.
Scientific research is increasingly recognized as a vital catalyst and important index for nation... more Scientific research is increasingly recognized as a vital catalyst and important index for national development.1 In many countries, it is scientific research, rather than rich natural resources, that has a direct bearing on economy and development.2 Despite the increased standard of living due to oil, gas, and tourism, the scientific output from rapidly modernizing and emerging economies (e.g. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries) is still relatively low.3 However, there are reasons for hope and optimism as many of the higher learning centers in the GCC countries have started to focus on research rather than services alone.4 Such a trend has coincided with an increased number of scientific publications, proliferation of academic centers, and allocation of funds for research and development.5,6 Compared to three decades ago, the number of medical publications coming from GCC countries has grown modestly.4 It has been noted that there is a relationship between the magnitude of re...
It has been well established that pathways to care are considerably modified by local, social and... more It has been well established that pathways to care are considerably modified by local, social and psychological characteristics as well as the doctor-patient relationship. Scant attention has been paid to the role of family advice in care-seeking. In Omani society, traditional family values and a collective mindset are the norm rather than the exception. This paper examines how family advice affects the trajectory of care seeking. During 2006-2007, data was collected through face-to-face interviews among a randomised sample of patients seeking medical consultation in various primary health care centres in the northern region of Oman. This study enrolled a total of 493 patients. The association between the advice of family members as a reason to seek health care and other predictors was analysed using multivariable logistic regression. The data suggest that the advice of family members in care-seeking is strongly associated with gender, education, history of chronic illness, previous...
Depressive illnesses in non-Western societies are often masked by somatic attributes that are som... more Depressive illnesses in non-Western societies are often masked by somatic attributes that are sometimes impervious to pharmacological agents. This study explores the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for people experiencing treatment-resistant depression (TRD) accompanied by physical symptoms. Data were obtained from a prospective study conducted among patients with TRD and some somatic manifestations who underwent 20 sessions of rTMS intervention from January to June 2020. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) was used for clinical evaluation. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential techniques (multiple logistic regression) in SPSS. Among the 49 participants (mean age: 42.5 ± 13.3), there was a significant reduction in posttreatment HAMD scores compared to baseline (t = 10.819, p < 0.0001, and 95% CI = 8.574–12.488), indicating a clinical response. Approximately 37% of the patients responded to treatment, with higher resp...
Objective: This study aimed to decipher the socio-demographic factors associated with the percept... more Objective: This study aimed to decipher the socio-demographic factors associated with the perception towards mental health problems among residents belonging to Oman Medical Specialty Board. Method: A cross sectional correlative study was conducted among a stratified random sample of residents. Attitude towards mental health problems (ATMHP) questionnaire was used to solicit the attitude of the residents. A non-parametric test (Manny-Whitney test) was employed to explore the association between resident's socio-demographic factors and the ATMHP scale. Results: A total of 170 participants consented, with a response rate of 94%. (Community Attitudes, Family Attitudes and reflected shame in selfsubscales;(Mean rank) of 6.94, p-value 0.010; 4.02, p-value 0.006 and 5.17, p-value 0.029, respectively), and the contract with a mentally ill(subscale of Community Attitudes; (Mean rank) 6.89, p-value 0.026. ) were found to correlate with higher scores on ATMHP subscales, signifying a negat...
Objectives: Despite the worldwide increase in health research, few studies have evaluated the hea... more Objectives: Despite the worldwide increase in health research, few studies have evaluated the health research productivity in member states of the Gulf Health Council (GHC). This study solicited the period-prevalence and publication rates of health research productivity in the seven GHC countries. Methods: We searched the Scopus database for publications between 1996 and 2018 and used the SCImago Journal and Country Rank portal to obtain the relevant information. We also recorded qualitative (citation-based) and quantitative (document recount) indicators. Overall and country-specific period-prevalence and publication rates were estimated and standardized to the corresponding overall Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) population and country-specific population size. Results: Overall, 112 409 articles were enumerated during the study period. The majority (59.8%) were from Saudi Arabia, followed by UAE (11.9%). The GCC publications were associated with 1 315 778 citations, which revealed a...
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal [SQUMJ], 2019
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate cognitive and behavioural changes among 9–14-year-old Om... more Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate cognitive and behavioural changes among 9–14-year-old Omani children with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) after an adenotonsillectomy (AT). Methods: This naturalistic observational study was conducted at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 2012 and December 2014. Omani children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) underwent overnight polysomnography and those with confirmed OSA were scheduled for an AT. Cognitive and behavioural evaluations were performed using standardised instruments at baseline prior to the procedure and three months afterwards. Results: A total of 37 children were included in the study, of which 24 (65%) were male and 13 (35%) were female. The mean age of the males was 11.4 ± 1.9 years, while that of the females was 11.1 ± 1.5 years. Following the AT, there was a significant reduction of 56% in mean apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) score (2.36 ± 4.88 versus 5.37 ± 7.17; P <0.01). There was ...
Objective: the study assessed the prevalence of burden of care among caregivers of children with ... more Objective: the study assessed the prevalence of burden of care among caregivers of children with ADHD in Oman. A related aim is to explore the predictors of the burden of care, subtypes of ADHD, and socio-demographic factors. Method: Arabic version of the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) was administered to 117 caregivers of drug-naive children with ADHD. Sociodemographic background and clinical data were gathered from medical records and from the attending caregivers themselves. The ADHD symptoms were grouped under three categories : hyperactive, inattentive, or mixed. Results: the prevalence of the burden of care was estimated to be 34%. Income levels and the child’s ADHD diagnosis being of “mixed” type have significant impact on the burden of care. Conclusion: the results of this study indicate that the prevalence of the burden of care among the caregivers of ADHD children in Oman is comparable with that in the other regions of the world.
BACKGROUND: Many developing countries such as Oman are marred with the rising tide of children wi... more BACKGROUND: Many developing countries such as Oman are marred with the rising tide of children with autism and the lack of specialized services for these children. Within existing compartmentalized and centralized health care organizations, the general practitioners (GPs) are likely to serve as the first level of contact relevant for diagnosis and referral for remedial services. This study aims to explore the awareness of autism among GPs in Oman on issue pertinent to etiology, signs and symptoms, perceived correlates, as well as the consequence of having autism. Related to this is to examine whether years of medical practice would invariably influence GPs’ awareness. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among GPs (n=113) working at primary healthcare centers (PHC) during September 2013 to February 2014 in Muscat, the capital of Oman.RESULTS: The GPs appear to have suboptimal awareness of etiological factors relevant for the development of autism, its common signs and s...
Uploads
Papers