PATH ANALYTIC INVESTIGATION OF THE INTENTION TO ADOPT E-GOVERNMENT SERVICES THROUGH MOBILE APPLICATIONS IN QATAR (TAM REVISITED)

The aim of this research is to examine the factors that affect user's intention to use e-government services through mobile applications in Qatar. Based on valid responses from 1,340 adults out of a representative sample size of 7200 (response rate=18.6%) in Qatar aged 18 to 77 years old, this study uses factor analysis and structural equation model to identify the variables that influence users' intention to adopt mobile applications in Qatar. Findings of this study indicate that factors Path Analytic Investigation of the Intention to Adopt E-Government Services through Mobile Applications in Qatar (TAM Revisited) http://www.iaeme.com/IJARET/index.asp 128 [email protected] affecting the intention to adopt e-government services through mobile applications are: awareness, perceived trust, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of mobile applications. The present study supports the hypothesis through the findings that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use leads to mobile application of e-government adoption. The present study adds a relevant and a novel contribution to the field of technology acceptance by encompassing the TAM theory to smartphone applications. The paper concludes with recommendations for institutional policy and future research

Qatar - Longitudinal Assessment of Mental Health in Pandemics (Q-LAMP)

Aims: QLAMP aims to identify risk factors and resilience factors for symptoms of psychiatric illness during the pandemic. Study strengths include the 1-year longitudinal design and the use of standardised instruments already available in English and Arabic. The results will increase understanding of the impact of the pandemic on mental health for better support of the population during the pandemic and in future epidemics. Until an effective vaccine is available or herd immunity is achieved, countries are likely to encounter repeated ‘waves’ of infection. The identification of at-risk groups for mental illness will inform the planning and delivery of individualized treatment including primary prevention. Methodology: Longitudinal online survey; SMS-based recruitment and social media platforms advertisements e.g. Facebook, Instagram; Online consent; Completion time for questionnaires: approx. 20 to 30 minute; Baseline questionnaire with follow up at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months; Study completion date: Sept. 2021. Inclusion Criteria: Currently living in Qatar; Qatar residents: citizens and expatriates; Age 18 years; Read Arabic or English (questionnaire and consent form available in both languages). Instruments: Sociodemographic questionnaire including personal and family experience of COVID-19 infection; Standard instruments to assess psychiatric morbidity including depression, anxiety and PTSD; Research team-designed instruments to assess social impact of pandemic; Standard questionnaires to assess resilience, personality, loneliness, religious beliefs and social networks. Results: The analysis was based on 181 observations. Approximately, 3.5% of the sample was from the sms-recruitment method. The sample of completed surveys consisted of 65.0% females and 35.0% males. Qatari respondents comprised 27.0% of the total sample, while 52% of the sample were married, 25% had Grade 12 or lower level of educational attainment, and 46.0% were unemployed. Covid-19 appears to have affected different aspects of people’s lives from personal health to living arrangements, employment, and health of family and friends. Approximately, 41% to 55% of those who responded to the survey perceived changes in their stress levels, mental health, and loneliness to be worse than before the pandemic. Additionally, the wide-availability of information about the pandemic on the internet and social media was perceived as source of pandemic-related worries among members of the public. Conclusions: The continued provision of mental health service and educational campaigns about effective stress and mental health management is warranted

Prevalence and Potential Determinants of COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Resistance in Qatar

Global COVID-19 pandemic containment necessitates understanding the risk of hesitance or resistance to vaccine uptake in different populations. The Middle East and North Africa currently lack vital representative vaccine hesitancy data. We conducted the first representative national phone survey among the adult population of Qatar, between December 2020 and January 2021, to estimate the prevalence and identify potential determinants of vaccine willingness: acceptance (strongly agree), resistance (strongly disagree), and hesitance (somewhat agree, neutral, somewhat disagree). Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression models estimated associations between willingness groups and fifteen variables. In the total sample, 42.7% (95% CI: 39.5-46.1) were accepting, 45.2% (95% CI: 41.9-48.4) hesitant, and 12.1% (95% CI: 10.1-14.4) resistant. Vaccine resistant compared with hesistant and accepting groups reported no endorsement source will increase vaccine confidence (58.9% vs. 5.6% vs. 0.2%, respectively). Female gender, Arab ethnicity, migrant status/type, and vaccine side-effects concerns were associated with hesitancy and resistance. COVID-19 related bereavement, infection, and quarantine status were not significantly associated with any willingness group. Absence of or lack of concern about contracting the virus was solely associated with resistance. COVID-19 vaccine resistance, hesitance, and side-effects concerns are high in Qatar's population compared with those globally. Urgent public health engagement should focus on women, Qataris (non-migrants), and Arab ethnicity

Prevalence and potential determinants of covid-19 vaccine hesitancy and resistance in qatar: Results from a nationally representative survey of qatari nationals and migrants between december 2020 and january 2021

Global COVID-19 pandemic containment necessitates understanding the risk of hesitance or resistance to vaccine uptake in different populations. The Middle East and North Africa currently lack vital representative vaccine hesitancy data. We conducted the first representative national phone survey among the adult population of Qatar, between December 2020 and January 2021, to estimate the prevalence and identify potential determinants of vaccine willingness: acceptance (strongly agree), resistance (strongly disagree), and hesitance (somewhat agree, neutral, somewhat disagree). Bivariate and multinomial logistic regression models estimated associations between willingness groups and fifteen variables. In the total sample, 42.7% (95% CI: 39.5-46.1) were accepting, 45.2% (95% CI: 41.9-48.4) hesitant, and 12.1% (95% CI: 10.1-14.4) resistant. Vaccine resistant compared with hesistant and accepting groups reported no endorsement source will increase vaccine confidence (58.9% vs. 5.6% vs. 0.2%, respectively). Female gender, Arab ethnicity, migrant status/type, and vaccine side-effects concerns were associated with hesitancy and resistance. COVID-19 related bereavement, infection, and quarantine status were not significantly associated with any willingness group. Absence of or lack of concern about contracting the virus was solely associated with resistance. COVID-19 vaccine resistance, hesitance, and side-effects concerns are high in Qatar's population compared with those globally. Urgent public health engagement should focus on women, Qataris (non-migrants), and those of Arab ethnicity.Funding: The study received an Emergency Response Grant Fund from Qatar University (QUERG-CAS-2020-1).Scopu

Path Analytic Investigation of the Intention to Adopt E-government Services through Mobile Applications in Qatar (TAM revisited)

The aim of this research is to examine the factors that affect user's intention to use e-government services through mobile applications in Qatar. Based on valid responses from 1,340 adults out of a representative sample size of 7200 (response rate=18.6%) in Qatar aged 18 to 77 years old, this study uses factor analysis and structural equation model to identify the variables that influence users' intention to adopt mobile applications in Qatar. Findings of this study indicate that factors affecting the intention to adopt e-government services through mobile applications are: awareness, perceived trust, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of mobile applications. The present study supports the hypothesis through the findings that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use leads to mobile application of e-government adoption. The present study adds a relevant and a novel contribution to the field of technology acceptance by encompassing the TAM theory to smartphone applications. The paper concludes with recommendations for institutional policy and future research. This article has been published in June 2020 at the Scopus Indexed International Journal of Advanced Research in Engineering and Technology (IJARET)

The association between Insomnia Disorder and Depression in the General Population of Qatar: the Role of Inflammatory Disease

Background: There is emerging evidence that supports a role for inflammatory processes and insomnia in the pathophysiology of depression. However, little is known about the role of inflammation in depression and insomnia in non-clinical populations. Aims: We aimed to estimate the association between inflammatory illness, depression and insomnia in the Qatari population. We hypothesized that inflammatory illness would be associated with sub-clinical depression and insomnia in the Qatari population. Methods: We used probability-based sampling on a representative sample (N= 1,611) of Qatar's adult household population. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using computer-assisted technology as part of the SESRI's annual omnibus survey in 2019. We used the Espie's (2014) Sleep Condition Indicator, to assess insomnia symptoms, and PHQ-9 and GAD-2 for subthreshold depression (SUBD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and anxiety. Health information including personal and family history of inflammatory disease were also collected. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were conducted. Results: Among those with no inflammatory disease, the 30-day prevalence of subthreshold and major depression in those with insomnia disorder compared to those without insomnia was (SUBD: 5.3% vs 2.9%; MDD: 7.2% vs 0.6%, P<0.001), respectively. In contrast, among respondents with inflammatory disease, the prevalence of subthreshold and major depression in those with insomnia compared to those without insomnia was (SUBD: 11.8% vs 3.6%; MDD: 17% vs 1.7%, P<0.001), respectively. In crude (adjusted for age, gender, and household type) models with depression as a dependent variable, a statistically significant association between SUBD and insomnia was found (OR=4.2, P<0.01), while much stronger association was found between major depression and insomnia (OR=20.4, P<0.001). Conclusions:These findings highlight the possible impact of inflammatory disease on mental health in the otherwise healthy population of Qatar

Prevalence and Potential Determinants of Insomnia Disorder in the General Population of Qatar

Aims: To estimate the prevalence of Insomnia Disorder in the household population of Qatar and explore potential associations with depressive and anxiety symptoms in addition to sociodemographic variables. Methods: Probability-based sampling was used to select a representative sample (N= 1,611) of Qatar's household population. Face-to-face household interviews were conducted by trained staff using computer-assisted technology with consenting participants who were 18 years or older living in Qatar by the Social and Economic Research Institute (SESRI) at Qatar University as part of the Annual Omnibus survey in February/ March, 2019. The Sleep Condition Indicator (Epsie, 2014), a brief screening tool for DSM-5 criteria, was used to estimate the prevalence of insomnia in Qatar's general population. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were ascertained using the PHQ-9 and GAD-2. Sociodemographic and health information including personal and family history of autoimmune disease were also collected. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate statistics were conducted. Results: The prevalence of insomnia was 5.5% (95%CI: 4.3-6.7) and was higher in females (6.3%) than males (4.6%), though these differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.216). Insomnia was strongly associated with depressive (OR=5.4, P<0.01) and anxiety symptoms (OR=3.0, P<0.05). Having one or more autoimmune diseases were strongly associated with insomnia (OR=3.9, P<0.001) in Qatar's general population. Insomnia was positively associated with younger age (P<0.01) and negatively associated with higher (post-secondary) education (OR=0.4, P<0.05). Conclusions: There is a significant association between mental illness and insomnia in Qatar with interesting findings in context of Qatar for role of age, education, and ethnicity. These findings need to be taken into account in provision of mental health services. Future studies should delineate the role of cultural attitudes towards sleep as potential mechanism linking insomnia to mental illness

Prevalence and associated factors of DSM-5 insomnia disorder in the general population of Qatar

Background: Epidemiological studies of insomnia in the Middle East remain scarce. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of insomnia and explore its associations in the general population of Qatar. With almost 100 nationalities, Qatar is one of the most culturally diverse, richest, and fastest developing countries in the Arabian Peninsula. Methods: A probability sample of community-dwelling adults were surveyed in February of 2019. A total of 1611 respondents completed face-to-face interviews in Arabic or English. Logistic regression modeled associations with insomnia, our dependent variable, as defined by a score of ≤16 on the eight-item Sleep Condition Indicator or according to criteria for insomnia in the Diagnostic & Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition or DSM-5. Results: Approximately, 5.5% of the sample screened positive for insomnia and the 30-day prevalence of those who met all the DSM-5 criteria for insomnia disorder was 3.0%. In addition, 2.0% of the sample screened positive for depression and 3.4% for anxiety in the past 2 weeks. Multivariable analysis showed the following were significantly associated with insomnia: Arab ethnicity, young age, unemployment, being married, having less than high school education, fair or poor health, anxiety, and depression. Conclusions: Insomnia prevalence was in the lower range of previously reported DSM-defined estimates from developed Western countries. Our findings highlight the need for raising awareness and improving sleep hygiene in potential risk groups such as younger adults and those of Arab ethnicity, in addition to incorporating insomnia screening in the provision of mental health services