Clinical and demographic profile of attendees at Baghdad's walk-in psychiatric clinic

Few studies have examined clinical and demographic profile of attendees of a walk-in psychiatric clinic in countries ravaged by wars. The aim of this study is to quantify the characteristics of attendees of an open walk-in psychiatric clinic in a general hospital in Baghdad and the suburb towns of Iraq in the year 2010. As part of a retrospective survey, information on specific variables [socio-demographic background, clinical characteristics and attendance rate] was sought from medical records in the year 2010 [January to December]. Despite the shortcomings expected from a country coming out of the ravage of war, the survey included 2,979 attendees [1,864 [63%] males and 1,115 [37%] females] of a walk-in psychiatric clinic who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The profile of attendees indicated that a majority of the cohort was self-referred with a predominance of employed males, aged 19 to 49 years, residing in Baghdad City. Depression and psychosis were the most common diagnosis given. The observed patterns are discussed within the available literature relevant to consultation liaison psychiatry, and specific to situations in Iraq and Arab/Islamic cultural patterning.

Quality of life among students in University of Science and Technology in Jordan

To assess the subjective rating of quality of life of college students in University of Science and Technology in Jordan as a sample of healthy educated young population through applying the WHOQOL-BREF instrument as a field trial in Jordan and to compare the finding with similar previous study. Three hundreds forms of Arabic version of the self-reporting questionnaire WHOQOL-BREF were distributed to students of third class attending the lecture halls in three colleges [college of Engineering, college of science, college of medicine] in the university campus in AL Ramtha-Jordan from the first of March to first of May 2007, with respect to university regulations, interested participants were only included in the study. The rate of response was 100%, the majority of the sample were of single healthy Jordanian nationals of comparable age and sex distribution. About 68.6% of the students described their quality of life as good or very good while 30% as acceptable, or fair, the remaining 1.3% reported bad or very bad. Regarding the mean scores distribution of the four domains there were no significant statistical differences between the demographic variables and type of academic discipline. This study finding showed a higher scoring than the previous one done in Iraq. The overall psychological profile of college students in Jordan assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF is good manifested through their satisfaction with their life quality, no important association with given variables was found. The study revealed better reporting than the Iraqi study reflecting the cultural differences and environmental effects. The investigator recommends reapplication of the same instrument on other population sample