A structural equation model to explore sociodemographic, macroeconomic, and health factors affecting life expectancy in Oman.

Introduction: the factors determining life expectancy (LE) are crucial for policymakers to study in implementing an effective and accurate intervention in society. In Oman, the available data over the past four decades were not extracted to develop a statistical model to understand how the sociodemographic (SD), macroeconomic (ME), and health-status and resources (HSR) factors affecting LE. The study was aimed at creating a representative model to explain the factors affecting LE in Oman and examine the direct and indirect effects of SD, ME, and HSR in LE in Oman. Methods: the research was a retrospective, ecological, time-series study design to collect the annual published data on SD, ME, and HSR in Oman from all available resources from 1978 to 2018. The data were then analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM) method using IBM® SPSS® Amos 24 for the study of their impacts in LE. Results: in Oman, using SEM, the SD, ME, and HSR significantly and directly affected LE by the estimate of -0.92 (p < 0.001), -0.15 (p < 0.001), and 0.23 (p < 0.001) respectively. Conclusion: the study was the first attempt to analyze all the different aspects of LE comprehensively in Oman. In the case of Oman, the health resource is an important factor that need to be addressed to increase or to maintain the current LE. Hence, during social hardship or economic recession, health-related support by the government should be continued or even improved because of its positive effect on LE.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Primary Care Physicians Regarding Tobacco Dependence Treatment in Muscat Governorate, Oman: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) of primary care physicians (PCPs) regarding tobacco dependence treatment (TDT) and to identify barriers to TDT practice in Muscat, Oman. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out from September 2019 to December 2019 at all 27 health centres in Muscat. All 313 PCPs working in these health centres were invited to participate. An adapted version of a previously validated 36-item questionnaire was used to assess KAPs regarding TDT services. RESULTS: A total of 255 PCPs completed the survey (response rate: 81.5%) and they demonstrated poor knowledge (40%) but positive attitudes (60%) about TDT services. Of these, the majority were female (85.9%), had never smoked (99.2%) and were general practitioners (64.3%). The mean age was 34.3 ± 6.3 years. Only 28.2% had previously received TDT training and less than half displayed accurate TDT-related knowledge, with undergraduate medical school representing the main source of such knowledge (58.8%). While 96.9% of the PCPs agreed on the importance of TDT, only 28.6% reported feeling sufficiently confident to provide such services themselves. Lack of training (83.5%) and time (71.4%) were the main barriers to TDT practice. CONCLUSION: Overall, PCPs in Muscat demonstrated poor knowledge but positive attitudes with regard to TDT; however, further knowledge and training is required in order to ensure the effective and accurate provision of TDT services. These findings provide baseline data which may be of value for further research and in overcoming barriers to TDT practice in Oman; for instance, establishing cessation services as part of the package of care in primary health centres could address the time constraints barriers identified by the PCPs.

Knowledge, attitudes, practice and barriers of physicians to provide tobacco dependence treatment: a cluster analysis.

INTRODUCTION: in Oman, there is a need to understand the profile of primary care physicians' (PCP) knowledge, attitude, and practice, and barriers (KAPB) towards tobacco dependence treatment (TDT). Their profile will directly affect their consultation and contribution to health care educators to develop an appropriate educational program for the PCPs. The aim of this study is to determine profiles in a cohort of PCP with regards to factors associated with physicians' perceived KAPB of providing TDT. METHODS: a cross-sectional survey was conducted for four months from September to December 2019. A sample of 226 (response rate is 71.2%) PCPs working for Muscat's health centers, the capital of Oman, was collected. A 2-step cluster method was used to separate the sample into sub-groups according to their demographic and KAPB scores. RESULTS: cluster analysis revealed two groups of PCPs who are different in demographics and KAPB scores. The PCPs in cluster B (27.4%) have higher educational levels, senior ranking, more males and older. They labeled as the "good knowledge, positive attitudes, and highly practices" group. The PCPs in cluster A comprised 72.6% of our samples. There are more females, younger, and with a junior ranking. This cluster was identified as the "lack of knowledge, moderate attitudes, and rarely practices" group. CONCLUSION: findings might help primary health care authorities to address this preventable issue and plan interventions to establish well-structured TDT clinics in the future.