Knowledge of cervical cancer screening among Omani women attending a university teaching hospital: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cervical cancer and Pap smear screening among Omani women attending a tertiary clinic in Muscat, Oman, and to establish correlations with selected sociodemographic factors. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional study was carried out among Omani women aged 18-50 years old attending the outpatient clinic of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, from October 2019 to February 2020. A validated Arabic-language questionnaire was utilized to collect data regarding the participants' sociodemographic characteristics, their knowledge of cervical cancer and related risk factors, and their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cervical cancer screening and Pap smear testing. RESULTS: Of the 380 respondents, 86 and 55% had previously heard of cervical cancer and Pap smear testing, respectively; however, only 26% were knowledgeable concerning these topics. Knowledge scores were significantly associated with various sociodemographic factors, including marital status and a previous awareness of cervical cancer (odds ratio: > 1, p < 0.05). Only 21% had themselves previously undergone Pap smear testing; however, 75% reported being willing to undergo such screening in future. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge regarding cervical cancer-related risk factors and Pap smear screening was poor among a cohort of Omani women attending a tertiary clinic in Muscat, Oman. This may play a role in the increased frequency of cervical cancer cases observed in Oman over recent years. As such, a well-structured public education program is recommended to raise awareness of this issue.

Adherence to levothyroxine treatment among patients with hypothyroidism in Oman: a national cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Hormone replacement therapy with levothyroxine is considered the treatment of choice for hypothyroidism; however, non-adherence is a major contributor to poor treatment outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate levels of drug adherence (DA) to levothyroxine therapy among Omani adults with hypothyroidism and to explore related sociodemographic and clinical factors. METHODS: A national, multi-center, cross-sectional survey was carried out from August to December 2021 at 18 primary healthcare centers across all governorates of Oman. A total of 415 Omani adults were recruited. Data were collected using a pre-tested, Arabic-language questionnaire completed by trained researchers during face-to-face interviews with the participants. Level of DA was determined using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). RESULTS: A total of 400 Omani adults participated in the study (response rate: 96.4%). The mean age was 41.9 ± 12.4 years old (range: 18-78 years) and 90.3% were female. According to their MMAS-8 scores, 157 (39.2%), 139 (34.8%), and 104 (26.0%) participants demonstrated low, medium, and high DA, respectively. No significant correlations were observed between level of DA and any sociodemographic or clinical characteristics, including age, gender, education, duration of treatment, and family history of thyroid disease (p > 0.050). CONCLUSIONS: Only a quarter of Omani patients with hypothyroidism reported high levels of adherence to levothyroxine treatment, likely as a result of lack of awareness of the disease and the importance of maintaining an euthyroid state. Further studies using more objective measures of DA are recommended to determine correlates of non-compliance to levothyroxine therapy among Omani patients.

Quality of Life Among Postgraduate Medical Residents in Oman: A Cross-sectional Survey.

Objectives: To assess the quality of life (QoL) of medical residents enrolled in the various postgraduate programs of the Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB). Methods: The data for this cross-sectional study was collected from January to June 2022. All postgraduate residents who were enrolled in all 19 OMSB training programs were targeted. An online English version of the validated 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to assess the participants' self-reported QoL. Results: The participants were 425 OMSB residents (mean age = 29.6±2.2 years), of whom 289 (68.0%) were female, 259 (60.9%) were married, and 295 (69.4%) were enrolled in medical specialties. Overall, female residents reported significantly poorer QoL than male residents in all subscales of SF-36 (p =0.001). Married residents reported lower bodily pain scores than unmarried residents (p =0.005), although the latter endorsed better physical functioning, general health, and mental health. Residents in laboratory specialties had higher scores than those in medical and surgical specialties in most QoL dimensions including physical health, role functioning, energy/fatigue, emotional well-being, bodily pain, and general health (p ≤ 0.003). Psychiatry residents reported the lowest overall QoL. Conclusions: Postgraduate medical residents in Oman reported significant variations in QoL based on specialization, gender, and marital status. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to tackle health inequalities and improve the QoL of this population.

Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Cervical Cancer and Human Papillomavirus in Oman.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of and attitude toward cervical cancer and human papillomavirus (HPV) among Omani women aged 18 years and older. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted between September 2019 and February 2020 in primary healthcare facilities throughout Oman. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to assess women's knowledge and attitude regarding cervical cancer and HPV. Results: A total of 805 women participated in the study (response rate: 89%). Two-thirds of the participants had heard about cervical cancer (67.5%) while fewer were aware of HPV (15.8%). Approximately one-third of the women identified HPV as a risk factor for developing cervical cancer (38.9%). Very few participants knew of HPV vaccines (10.1%). A major source of information regarding both cervical cancer and HPV was social media (33.0%), as compared to healthcare providers (16.9%). Despite the poor knowledge, almost half of the participants were open to having their daughters (47.0%) and other schoolgirls (41.2%) vaccinated. Conclusion: Most participants had poor knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV, even those with a personal or family history of cervical cancer. The main source of knowledge was social media. Most participants were open to the idea of offering the HPV vaccine to their daughters and middle school-aged girls. Incorporating information about cervical cancer and HPV into school curricula and improving access to trusted medical knowledge through social media may help in enriching the public's knowledge and, possibly, correcting misinformation and related myths.

Factors Associated with Coping Strategies Due to COVID-19 Pandemic-related Stressors among Omani Adults.

Objectives: We sought to examine stressors and coping strategies adopted by Omani adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and explore the relationships between coping strategies (avoidant and approach coping) and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: This national cross-sectional survey was conducted throughout Oman between September and December 2020. An online questionnaire was distributed to collect information concerning sociodemographic characteristics, potential stressors experienced during the pandemic, and coping strategies. Results: A total of 790 Omani adults submitted completed questionnaires (response rate 88.4%). High, moderate, and low stress were reported by 492 (62.3%), 139 (17.6%), and 159 (20.1%) participants, respectively. Approach coping mechanisms received a higher mean score than avoidant mechanisms (22.01±6.55 vs. 8.88±4.80). Regarding specific coping strategies, planning had the highest mean score (5.15±1.31), followed by acceptance (4.95±1.34), religion (4.56±1.52), and positive reframing (4.28±1.89), while substance use (0.01±0.19) was the least reported followed by humor (0.86±1.43), denial (0.97±1.56), and behavioral disengagement (1.02±1.60). Associations were observed between the different coping strategies and participants' gender, age, marital status, exercise level, and stress level (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions: During a large-scale pandemic, the psychological impact on the general population is significant, even among individuals not infected with the disease. These results underscore the need for a mental health support system in Oman that can address the general population's needs. Public education on coping strategies and stress management may be helpful.

Cervical Cancer-related Knowledge and Practice among Omani Women Attending a Family Medicine and Public Health Clinic.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and screening practices related to cervical cancer and Papanicolaou (Pap) smear testing among Omani women who were visitors to a family medicine and public health (FMPH) clinic. A secondary aim was to correlate the above with the subjects' sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from February 2020 to April 2021 at the FMPH Clinic of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat. A self-administered questionnaire assessed the participants' sociodemographic characteristics, cervical cancer-related risk factors, and their knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cervical cancer, cervical cancer screening, and Pap smear testing. Results: The participants were 285 Omani women. The vast majority (256/285; 89.8%) had heard about cervical cancer and 208/285 (73.0%) about Pap smear testing. Only 32/285 (11.2%) and 179/285 (62.8%) demonstrated high levels of knowledge in the respective topics. Cervical cancer knowledge scores were associated with education level (p =0.039), whether the qualification was related to healthcare (p < 0.001), and the nature of employment (p =0.033). Pap smear knowledge scores were also associated with age (p =0.001), education level (p < 0.001), whether the qualification was related to healthcare (p < 0.001), the nature of employment (p =0.001), and number of children (p =0.001). Most women were aware of the availability of Pap smear testing in Oman (206/285; 72.3%) and 114/285 (40.0%) had previously undergone this test. Among those who had never undertaken Pap smear testing (171/285; 60.0%), many were willing to do so in the future (103/171; 60.2%). Conclusions: Our results provide an increased understanding of Omani women's level of perceptions, attitudes, and screening practices related to cervical cancer. These findings will help develop strategies to improve Omani women's knowledge of cervical cancer symptoms and screening facilities and promote optimum utilization of the available screening services. Keywords: Cervical Cancer; Papanicolaou Test; Cancer Screening; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Human Papilloma Virus; Oman.

Prevalence of Coeliac Disease in Omani Adults with Iron Deficiency Anaemia of Unknown Cause: Case-finding study.

Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the serological prevalence of coeliac disease in patients with iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) of unknown cause at a primary healthcare facility in Oman. Methods: This prospective case-finding study was conducted at the primary care clinics in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman from September 2018 to June 2020. Patients aged 18 to 55 years, with a haemoglobin (Hb) level <11.5 g/dL for males and <11.0 g/dL for females and a ferritin level <30 ng/mL for males and <13 ng/mL for females, were included in the study. Blood samples were obtained for initial serological screening using serum immunoglobulin (Ig)A level; those samples with normal levels of IgA, IgA anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (tTG) and IgA anti-deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP) were determined. Positive IgA-tTG test was confirmed using IgA-endomysial antibodies. Patients with low IgA levels were tested using IgG-tTG and IgG-DGP. Results: A total of 104 patients participated in this study. Eight patients (7.7%) were found to have a positive serological screening result for coeliac disease; of these patients, three (37.5%) had a positive IgA-tTG result. Two of those three (66.7%) had a positive IgA-endomysial antibody. The IgA-DGP result was positive in seven (6.7%) of the 104 patients. Out of those seven patients, two also had a positive IgA tTG. Conclusion: Coeliac disease is not a rare disorder. There is a need to increase awareness among healthcare professionals about coeliac disease and its non-classical manifestations such as IDA.

Internet Addiction and Depression Among Postgraduate Residents: A cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of social media usage and Internet addiction among Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) residents and to determine associations between Internet addiction, sociodemographic characteristics and symptoms of depression. METHODS: This cross-sectional study took place between January and March 2017. All 499 residents enrolled in OMSB training programmes during the 2016-2017 academic year were targeted. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to collect information concerning sociodemographic characteristics. In addition, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Internet Addiction Test were used to screen for depression and Internet addiction, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 399 residents participated in the study (response rate: 80%). Overall, 115 residents (28.8%) had varying degrees of depression and 149 (37.3%) were addicted to the Internet; moreover, among those addicted, 54 (36.2%) had depression. While no significant associations were observed between Internet addiction and sociodemographic characteristics, the association between Internet addiction and depression was statistically significant (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Internet addiction was clearly detected among many OMSB residents, with a significant association observed between Internet addiction and depression. Although a causal link between these two variables cannot be established as depression is multifactorial in origin, the disadvantages and harmful effects of excessive Internet and social media usage need to be addressed. Further research on the consequences of Internet addiction and its effect on quality of life and academic achievement is recommended.

Parental Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Antibiotic Use for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Children.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess parental knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding antibiotic use for children with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs). METHODS: A multi-centre cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2018 to April 2019 at 15 randomly selected primary health centres in Muscat, Oman. A total of 384 parents with children under 12 years old were recruited. A validated questionnaire was utilised to determine knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding antibiotic use for children with URTIs. RESULTS: All 384 parents participated in the study (response rate: 100%). Almost half of the participants (n = 173; 45.1%) agreed that antibiotics were the first and best treatment for URTIs in children, with 184 parents (47.9%) reporting that influenza symptoms in children improved more rapidly after the administration of antibiotics and 203 (52.9%) believing that antibiotics prevented complications. The majority (n = 219; 57.0%) of parents never gave their children antibiotics without a prescription, and 291 (75.8%) never used leftover antibiotics. Most participants (n = 233; 60.7%) stated that it was the doctor's decision to prescribe antibiotics, 192 (50.0%) had never asked a physician to prescribe antibiotics for their child and 256 (66.7%) had never changed doctors because they did not prescribe antibiotics. CONCLUSION: This study found that parents had confidence in their healthcare providers; however, it also showed the extent of their lack of knowledge regarding the use of antibiotics for children with URTIs. There is a need for both public- and healthcare professional-oriented educational initiatives to promote rational antibiotic usage in Oman.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Cervical Cancer Screening among Omani Women Attending Primary Healthcare Centers in Oman: A Cross-Sectional.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding cervical cancer, cervical cancer screening, and Papanicolaou (Pap) smear testing among Omani women attending primary healthcare centers in Oman, and to establish a correlation with various sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: A multi-center cross-sectional survey was carried out from August 2019 to January 2020 and included 805 women attending 18 primary healthcare centers. A pre-tested questionnaire was utilized to assess the participants' sociodemographic characteristics, cervical cancer risk factors, knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to cervical cancer, cervical cancer screening, and Pap smear testing. RESULTS: All 805 women participated in the study (response rate: 100%). Overall, 67.5% and 50.9% had heard of cervical cancer and Pap smear testing, respectively; however, only 13.4% and 10.9% demonstrated high levels of knowledge concerning these topics. Knowledge was significantly associated with educational level, type of educational qualification (i.e. if their degree was related to healthcare), monthly income, and employment status (p ≤ 0.05 each). Only 15.7% of the participants had previously undergone Pap smear testing, although 42.7% were willing to undertake such screening in future. No associations were noted between Pap smear practice or willingness and sociodemographic characteristics, family history of cervical cancer or personal history of cervical cancer or related risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge regarding cervical cancer and Pap smear testing was suboptimal among a cohort of Omani women attending primary healthcare centers in Oman. This may be a factor behind the increased number of cervical cancer cases in Oman; as such, a well-structured awareness and educational program is needed to address this issue.

Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Using the Latest World Health Organization Diagnostic Criteria among Omani Women in Muscat, Oman.

OBJECTIVES: In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended new criteria for diagnosing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Our study aimed to compare the incidence of GDM and its complications among Omani pregnant women using the new diagnostic criteria compared to previous criteria published in 1999. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted between January and December 2016 at the Bawshar Specialized Polyclinic in Muscat, Oman. A total of 613 Omani women were included in the study. Baseline maternal characteristics such as age, body mass index, parity, and socioeconomic status were recorded in addition to maternal and neonatal outcomes. RESULTS: Based on the current diagnostic criteria, the incidence of GDM was 48.5% (n = 297); however, this dropped to 26.4% (n = 162) when applying the old criteria. Moreover, rates of maternal complications including polyhydramnios (5.6% vs. 4.6%), pregnancy-induced hypertension (3.2% vs. 1.5%), and preterm delivery (3.2% vs. 1.5%) were slightly higher among women with GDM diagnosed using the latest criteria. However, these differences were not statistically significant. Neonatal complications were also slightly more frequent among the first group, without any significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of GDM among Omani women rose dramatically when utilizing the latest WHO diagnostic criteria, owing to a lower fasting blood glucose cut-off value. In addition, a comparison of the frequencies of maternal and neonatal complications supports the validity of the new criteria. These findings should be taken into consideration by decision-makers in Oman when planning antenatal and postnatal services.

Prevalence of Depression among Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) Residents.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to estimate the prevalence of depression among Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB) residents and determine the relationship between depression and sociodemographic characteristics. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey from January to March 2017. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all residents enrolled under different OMSB training programs. Information was obtained on the sociodemographic characteristics. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to screen for depressive symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 399 residents (158 males and 241 females) participated in the study. Overall, 115 residents had a PHQ-9 score of 5 or more, giving a prevalence of depression of 28.8%. Of those who were depressed, 85 (73.9%) had mild depression, 20 (17.4%) had moderate depression, and 10 (8.7%) had severe depression. There was a significant association between depression and participants' gender (p = 0.030), level of residency (p = 0.006), sleep duration (p = 0.001), and exercise (p = 0.019). There was no significant association between depression with the other demographic characteristics such as marital status (p = 0.489), specialty (p = 0.370), smoking (p = 0.953), or drug use (p = 0.060). CONCLUSIONS: Depression is a common issue among medical residents. Health education on the harmful effects of depression needs to be addressed. Further research on the consequences of depression and its effects on quality of life and academic performance is needed.

Awareness and Attitude Towards the Premarital Screening Programme Among High School Students in Muscat, Oman.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore high school students' awareness and attitude towards premarital screening (PMS). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 public high schools in Muscat, Oman from May to July 2016. A three-part self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from grade 12 students. The first part focused on respondents' sociodemographic characteristics, while the second part dealt with awareness of the national PMS programme and the third part explored attitudes towards the national PMS programme. RESULTS: A total of 1,541 participants (response rate: 91.1%) completed the questionnaire. Most participants (78.1%) were aware of the availability of the PMS programme and their main source of information was family and friends (34.3%). The majority of students (87.4%) believed that PMS is important and most students (87.2%) indicated that they would undergo PMS. Over half of the students (55.3%) agreed that PMS should be mandatory before marriage and approximately one-third (38.3%) were in favour of having laws and regulations to prevent consanguineous marriages. Females were significantly more in favour of making PMS mandatory (P = 0.002) and enforcing PMS laws (P = 0.010) compared to males. CONCLUSION: Most respondents had good levels of knowledge about the PMS programme and half thought it is important to be tested. However, some students were not in favour of PMS. Increasing awareness about Oman's PMS programme is important and motivating students could contribute significantly to increasing the utilisation of the PMS programme and to limiting genetic blood disorders.

Prevalence and sociodemographic determinants of contraceptive use among women in Oman.

BACKGROUND: The fertility rate in Oman is high, as found elsewhere in Arab countries. The government of Oman has made considerable improvements in providing contraceptive methods in response to growing demand. AIMS: This study aimed to find out the prevalence of contraceptive usage and determine the sociodemographic determinants of its use among married Omani women. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 12 health centres which were randomly selected from each county (Wilayat) in Muscat region. A total of 400 women aged 18-49 years old who had not reached menopause were subjected to a face-to-face interview. Information was obtained on sociodemographic characteristics and family planning practice. RESULTS: Majority of women (n=397; 99.2%) had heard about family planning. More than half (n=225; 56.3%) knew about family planning and only three (0.8%) did not know its meaning. The contraceptive pill was the most common known method (n=383; 95.8%), while vaginal cream was the least recognized method (n=67; 16.8%). Most of the participants (n=307; 76.8%) reported previous use of these methods and 54% (n=214) were current users. Withdrawal was the most frequently used method (n=70; 32.7%) and breast-feeding was the least used method (n=3; 1.4%). Contraception use increased significantly with age (P < 0.005), duration of marriage (P < 0.005) and high monthly income (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Health care providers play a key role in providing information and education about family planning. Efforts are recommended in educating couples and promoting the use of the different family planning methods.

Knowledge and attitude of university students towards premarital screening program.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitude of Sultan Qaboos University students towards premarital screening program. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted at the students' clinic from January to April 2011. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 590 unmarried Omani students of both genders. The questionnaire consisted of 3 main parts; the first part was based on socio-demographic data, the second part dealt with the students' knowledge about the premarital screening program while the third part explored their attitudes towards the screening program. RESULTS: Most of the participants (n=469; 79%) were aware about the availability of premarital screening program in Oman. The main sources of information were: school/college (n=212; 36%), media (n=209; 35%), family and friends (n=197; 33%), and/or health services (n=181, 31%). The vast majority of the participants (n=540; 92%) thought it is important to carry out premarital screening and agreed to do it. Around half of the participants (n=313; 53%) favored having premarital screening as an obligatory procedure before marriage and about one third (n=212; 36%) favored making laws and regulation to prevent marriage in case of positive results. CONCLUSION: Even though the majority of the participants thought it is important to carry out premarital screening; only half favored making it obligatory before marriage and one third favored making laws and regulations to prevent marriage in case of positive results. This reflects the importance of health education as a keystone in improving knowledge and attitude towards premarital screening program.

Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms among University Students in Oman.

OBJECTIVES: To study the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its association with gender, academic year, and college among university students in Oman. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.

Prevalence and Impact of Dysmenorrhoea among Omani High School Students.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of dysmenorrhoea in Omani high schoolgirls, its impact and the treatment used. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in May 2010 on 404 girls from two public high schools in the Muscat region. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire including information on demographics, prevalence of dysmenorrhoea, severity, its impact, and the treatment used. RESULTS: Overall, 94% (n = 380) of the participants had dysmenorrhoea. It was mild in 27% (n = 104), moderate in 41% (n = 155), and severe in 32% (n = 121). Dysmenorrhoea was the cause of limited sports activities in 81%, decreased class concentration in 75%, restricted homework in 59%, school absenteeism in 45%, limited social activities in 25%, and decreased academic performance in 8% of the affected students. Only 3% (n = 10) had consulted a physician; 21% (n = 80) self-medicated, and 55% (n = 210) took no action. The commonest drugs used were paracetamol (n = 60, 16%), ibuprofen (n = 29, 8%) and mefenemic acid (n = 12, 3%). There was no statistically significant correlation between dysmenorrhoea, demographics and menstrual characteristics. CONCLUSION: Dysmenorrhoea is a prevalent and yet undertreated menstrual disorder among Omani adolescent schoolgirls. The pain suffered can be severe and disabling. Doctors should therefore be prepared to discuss this more freely with schoolgirls. In addition, there is a need for education regarding dysmenorrhoea and treatment options to minimise the impact on school, sports, social and daily activities.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use among Adults with Diabetes in Muscat Region, Oman.

OBJECTIVES: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for diabetes mellitus is becoming increasingly popular; however, little is known about the prevalence of CAM use in patients with diabetes mellitus in Oman. The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of use of CAM among diabetic patients in Muscat region, Oman, and to determine the types of CAM used as well as to identify the demographic features influencing the use of CAM. METHODS: The study was performed from May to August 2009 on diabetic patients from 4 health centres in Muscat region. A total of 146 patients were interviewed. Information was obtained on demographics, and the prevalence and pattern of use of CAM. RESULTS: Sixty two (42%) of the participants used CAM for the treatment of diabetes. Thirty (48%) were satisfied about its use and 27 (43%) intend to use it again. The only types of CAM used by participants in this study were herbs (n = 49, 79%), and/or food supplements (n = 7, 11%). Family and friends (n = 47/62, 76%) and/or traditional healers (n = 19, 31%) were the main source of information on CAM in the treatment of diabetes. There was no significant correlation between demographic characteristics and the use of CAM for diabetes. CONCLUSION: CAM is used widely for diabetes in Muscat region, Oman. Patients have strong faith in CAM in terms of effectiveness. Doctors should recognise this and be prepared to talk more freely with patients about its use and potential side effects.