Factors Associated with Israeli Arab Women Anxiety and Depression During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Reports have shown that women suffered from anxiety, stress, depression, and fatigue during the COVID-19 pandemic more than men. No study so far has examined the effect of the pandemic among the Arab minority in Israel. OBJECTIVES: To examine the associations between levels of pandemic fatigue and stress of Israeli Arab women, and their anxiety and depression, along with their socio-demographic and socio-economic characteristics. METHODS: A Cohen and Williamson questionnaire, which was based on a Likert scale, was distributed by the snowball method through social networks. Bivariate associations between the psycho-social and demographic characteristics and anxiety and depression were assessed using t-tests, chi-square tests, Z tests, and Pearson correlations. Multiple linear regressions were used to evaluate the associations with anxiety and depression, and the mediation model was examined with path analysis with bootstrapping. RESULTS: Among 2294 Israeli Arab mothers who participated in the study, 63.7% were in the clinical range for anxiety, 67.4% for depression, and 57.5% for both anxiety and depression. Low economic status, pandemic fatigue, living in closed communities, and stress were related to anxiety and depression. Pandemic fatigue was positively related to stress, which was positively related to both anxiety and depression (standardized indirect effect = 0.137, SE = 0.014, 95%CI = 0.111, 0.164, p < .001; vs. 0.133, SE = 0.013, 95%CI = 0.108, 0.160, p < .001 respectively). The contribution of stress to anxiety and depression was significantly greater than that of pandemic fatigue (Z = 19.43 and Z = 18.04, p < .001, for anxiety and depression, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Demographic characteristics may put Arab women at a higher risk of anxiety and depression. Elevated stress alongside high fatigue may trigger mental health difficulties. The welfare of minorities should be addressed by policymakers in relation to their demographic needs.

Salivary detection of H1N1 virus: a clinical feasibility investigation.

The fast and efficient transportation among continents will continue to play a role in the spread of airborne pandemics. The objective of this study was to detect H1N1 virus in the saliva of individuals who visited the emergency department and were diagnosed as having H1N1 influenza. Nasopharyngeal swabs and saliva samples from those who presented to the emergency department with flu-like symptoms were sent to the laboratory. RNA was extracted from both samples. Real-time RT-PCR tests were performed, and the saliva and nasopharyngeal swab tests were compared. Samples were drawn from 26 individuals. A positive nasopharyngeal swab test and salivary test was found in 14 persons, and negative tests were found in 12 persons. Saliva sampling for H1N1 has excellent predictive value, is highly accurate and reliable, and is more convenient than the nasopharyngeal swab. Clinical trial with the Helsinki Committee at Rambam Health Care Campus, registration number 036309-RMB.

Factitious hyperamylasuria by a nurse: a symptom of Munchausen syndrome.

A 30-year-old nurse presented with abdominal pain and tenderness. Her blood tests, including amylase, were normal. Urinary amylase was extremely high. The source of the increased urinary amylase was found to be the patient's saliva-she had spat into her urine sample. Subsequent investigation showed that she had Munchausen syndrome.

Factitious hyperamylasuria by a nurse: symptom of Munchausen's syndrome.

A 30-year-old nurse presented with abdominal pain and tenderness. Her blood tests, including amylase, were normal. Urinary amylase was extremely high. The source of the increased urinary amylase was found to be the patient's saliva - she had spit into her urine sample. Subsequent investigation showed that she had Munchausen's syndrome.