prevalence and characteristics of frequent attenders in primary health care in A'Dakhiliyah governorate of Oman

Objectives: Frequent attenders [FAs] in general practice receive significant attention in primary care research due to the financial costs associated with the higher utilization of health care services. The main objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of FAs in Oman by studying the overall rates of adult patient visits to primary health care centers [PHCs] and identify the characteristics of this group of patients

Methods: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study including all adults aged 18 years and above who visited general practitioner clinics at four selected PHCs in the A'Dakhiliyah governorate of Oman. Sociodemographic data and number of visits were extracted from the electronic medical records system

Results: A total number of 12 902 adult patients contributed to 42 425 patient visits, with the number of visits made by individual patients ranging from 1 to 62. FAs constituted 2.4% [n = 313] of the total subjects and made 5449 [12.8%] visits. The mean rate of visits per patient per year was 3.2, while the median was two visits. The overall rate of visits per day was more than two-times higher in females [79.6 per day] compared to males [36.6 per day] and was about five-times higher in female FA [12.3 vs. 2.6]

Conclusions: FAs represent a small proportion of patients attending PHCs in Oman. The proportion of females was higher among FAs and they also contributed to a higher number of visits to PHCs

Writing a research proposal to the research council of Oman

Writing a research proposal can be a challenging task for young researchers. This article explains how to write a strong research proposal to apply for funding, specifically, a proposal for The Research Council [TRC] of Oman. Three different research proposal application forms are currently used in TRC, including Open Research Grant [ORG], Graduate Research Support Program [GRSP], and Faculty-mentored Undergraduate Research Award Program [FURAP]. The application forms are filled and submitted electronically on TRC website. Each of the proposals submitted to TRC is selected through a rigorous reviewing and screening process. Novelty and originality of the research idea is the most crucial element in writing a research proposal. Performing an in-depth review of the literature will assist you to compose a good researchable question and generate a strong hypothesis. The development of a good hypothesis will offer insight into the specific objectives of a study. Research objectives should be focused, measurable, and achievable by a specific time using the most appropriate methodology. Moreover, it is essential to select a proper study design in-line with the purpose of the study and the hypothesis. Furthermore, social/economic impact and reasonable budget of proposed research are important criteria in research proposal evaluation by TRC. Finally, ethical principles should be observed before writing a research proposal involving human or animal subjects

Prevalence and risk factors of antenatal depression among Omani women in a primary care setting cross-sectional study

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the prevalence of antenatal depression and the risk factors associated with its development among Omani women. No previous studies on antenatal depression have been conducted in Oman

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out between January and November 2014 in Muscat, Oman. Pregnant Omani women >/=32 gestational weeks who were attending one of 12 local primary care health centres in Muscat for routine antenatal care were invited to participate in the study [n = 986]. An Arabic version of the validated self-administered Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale questionnaire was used to measure antenatal depression. A cut-off score of >/=13 was considered to indicate probable depression

Results: A total of 959 women participated in the study [response rate: 97.3%]. Of these, 233 were found to have antenatal depression [24.3%]. A bivariate analysis showed that antenatal depression was associated with unplanned pregnancies [P = 0.010], marital conflict [P = 0.001] and a family history of depression [P = 0.019]. The adjusted odds ratio [OR] after logistic multivariate regression analysis showed that antenatal depression was significantly associated with unplanned pregnancies [OR: 1.37; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.86] and marital conflict [OR: 13.83; 95% CI: 2.99-63.93]

Conclusion: The prevalence of antenatal depression among the studied Omani women was high, particularly in comparison to findings from other Arab countries. Thus, antenatal screening for depression should be considered in routine primary antenatal care. Couples should also be encouraged to seek psychological support should marital conflicts develop during pregnancy

Prevalence and pattern of third molar impaction: a retrospective study of radiographs in Oman

The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prevalence and pattern of third molar impaction in patients between 19-26 years old attending Sultan Qaboos University Hospital [SQUH] in Muscat, Oman. The study reviewed 1,000 orthopantomograms [OPGs] of patients attending the Oral Health Department of SQUH between October 2010 and April 2011. Patients were evaluated to determine the prevalence of third molar impaction, angulation, level of eruption and associated pathological conditions. Of the study population, 543 [54.3%] OPGs showed at least one impacted third molar. The total number of impacted molars was 1,128. The most common number of impacted third molars was two [41%]. The most common angulation of impaction in the mandible was the mesioangular [35%] and the most common level of impaction in the mandible was level A. Of the 388 bilateral occurrences of impacted third molars, 377 were in the mandible. There was no significant difference in the frequency of impaction between the right and left sides of both jaws. Pathological conditions associated with impacted lower third molars were found in 18%, of which 14% were associated with a radiographic radiolucency of more than 2.5 mm, and 4% of impacted lower third molars were associated with dental caries. This study found that more than half of Omani adult patients ranging in age from 19-26 years had at least one impacted third molar

patterns and causes of neonatal mortality at a tertiary hospital in Oman

To report the patterns and causes of neonatal death from a tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit over a period of four years. This is a retrospective cohort study where four years data [January 2006 - December 2009] of all inborn neonatal admissions and deaths were collected from the neonatal intensive care unit at Sultan Qaboos University hospital on predesigned forms. All out born admissions and deaths were excluded. The causes of neonatal death were classified using Wigglesworth's classification. The number of inborn live births during the study period was 10064 and the total number of inborn neonatal admissions was 1475. The total deaths [neonatal and post neonatal] at the neonatal intensive care unit was 73 [63 inborn and 10 out born]. Among the inborn, five deaths were post neonatal deaths and hence, excluded from analysis. Among the remaining inborn neonatal deaths [n=58], 34 [59%] were males and 24 [41%] were females. The number of neonatal admissions increased over the years during the study period from 248 to 356, while the number of deaths also increased from 10 deaths in 2006, to 20 deaths in 2009. The primary causes of neonatal deaths were prematurity and its complications 52% [n=30]. Lethal congenital malformations lead to 17 [29%] newborn deaths, specific diagnosis in 7 newborns [12%], and birth asphyxia in four [7%] of cases. There was an increasing trend of neonatal admissions and deaths among inborn babies. Prematurity, with sepsis as its major complication and congenital malformations were the leading cause of neonatal mortality.

Effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain on low birth weight in Omani infants: a case-control study

This study aimed to investigate the association between pre-pregnancy maternal body mass index [BMI], gestational weight gain and low birth weight [LBW] in babies born to a sample population of Omani women. A case-control study was carried out among deliveries registered between 1[st] May 2010 and 30[th] April 2011 at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman. A case was defined as a woman who delivered a low birth weight baby [<2,500 g]; a control was a woman delivering a baby weighing between 2,500 and 4,000 g. A random selection of 150 cases and 300 controls was carried out using the hospital information system. Maternal, pre-natal, and delivery data were extracted from the mothers' follow-up cards. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were executed to examine the association between pre-pregnancy maternal BMI and LBW. The percentage of underweight mothers [BMI <18.5] was higher among the cases compared to the controls [17.3% versus 6%; P <0.001]. The proportion of mothers with less-than-recommended weight gain was also higher among the cases compared to the controls [57.7% versus 33%; P <0.001]. After adjustment for potential confounders, infants of underweight mothers had more than twice the risk of LBW compared to those of mothers with normal weight [odds ratio = 2.27; 95% confidence interval 1.09-4.71]. Underweight Omani women as well as women with less-than-recommended gestational weight gain were at higher risk of delivering LBW babies. Maternal health promotion programmes should be directed towards improving mothers' nutrition before and during pregnancies

Injuries presented at a primary care setting in Oman

This study aims to measure the rate, types, and causes of injuries presented at a primary care setting in the Muscat governorate. A cross-sectional study was carried out where all patients who attended the Al Moabelah Health Center from the period of 1[st] January 2010 to the 31[st] December 2010 were identified from the electronic medical records. Patients identified with any type of injury were then selected for further data collection with their age and gender recorded. Details such as the type, cause and nature of the injury at the clinic were gathered from the clinical notes. A total number of 86,554 visits were recorded for the year 2010. The rate of injury visits was 24 per 1000 visits. In this study, the rate of injury visits was found to be four times more common in males [44.4 per 1000] than in females [11.5 per 1000], p

Prevalence of depressive symptoms among university students in Oman

To study the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its association with gender, academic year, and college among university students in Oman. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Omani students attending the students' clinic of the Sultan Qaboos University [SQU]. A systematic sampling of students, males and females, from different colleges, who visited the clinic during the study period, was carried out. The self-administered Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9] was used to screen for propensity to depression. A total of 481 students participated in the study [243 males and 238 females]. Overall, 133 [27.7%] of the participants [66 males and 67 females] had depression of various grades based on the PHQ-9 diagnostic criteria using a cut point of more than 11. Depression score at the cut point of 11 was not statistically associated with gender, college and the academic year. Tendency for depression might be a common health problem among college students in Oman attending primary health care facilities. Further research on socio-demographic characteristics and the effect of depression on the academic performance is needed

Work related injuries in an oil field in Oman

The aim of this paper is to describe the epidemiology of occupational injuries in the Harweel oil field, Oman. The study is based on data gathered from a computerized database maintained by Petroleum Development of Oman [PDO]. All non-fatal work-related occupational injuries registered between April 2007 and December 2009 were gathered and analyzed. A total of 170 work-related injuries were reported during the study period. Foreign body to the eye was the most common type of injury [27.6%] encountered among all injuries, followed by man falls/slips [11.8%]. Injury to the upper extremities accounted for the largest percentage [38.8%] among other body parts. While, a significant portion of the injuries [52%] affected workers aged less than 30 years. The average injury rate per 1000 exposed workers per year was 19.8. The study outlines the types of injuries most commonly encountered in the oil field in Oman. Additional data is required in order to devise proper epidemiological analysis. Establishing a comprehensive surveillance system for injuries is essential to ascertain factors influencing such injuries

Factors affecting the quality of diabetic care in primary care settings in Oman A qualitative study on patients' perspectives

The quality of services delivered to type 2 diabetic patients in primary health care has an important impact on long-term outcomes. The aim of this study is to explore diabetic patients' views of factors affecting quality of diabetic services delivered in primary care in Oman, a developing country with a high burden of diabetes. Semi-structured face to face interviews were conducted with 19 type 2 diabetic patients recruited from four selected primary healthcare centers [PHCs] in Muscat region, the capital city of Oman. A framework approach was used to analyse the qualitative data. Participants identified several factors which could affect the quality of diabetic services provided in PHCs: delays in the follow-up process; lack of continuity of care; diabetes educational materials unavailable in waiting areas; shortage of Omani nurses able to speak the patients' language; inadequate explanations from the attending primary care physician [PCP]; under involvement of dieticians in patient management; delays in provision of laboratory results; inadequate supplies of diabetic medication between appointments, and long waits to see ophthalmologists. Several factors were identified by diabetic patients that may influence the quality of diabetic services provided in the PHC setting in Oman. Health care professionals and decision makers in the Ministry of Health [MOH] and other health care sectors in Oman should consider patients' views and concerns in order to improve the quality of diabetic care services in primary health care