WORK PLACE VIOLENCE: A“ZERO TOLERANCE” POLICY BRIEF

Work place violence is escalating among Jordanian health care provides, particularly nurses and doctors. However, this issue does not receive much attention from decision makers in the health care sector. The current policy aims to draw the attention of health care decision makers about the importance of developing such policy. A “zero tolerance” policy towards violence in Jordanian hospitals should be immediately established and implemented

Prevalence and Predictors of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Youth at the Time of COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Multicountry Study

Depression and anxiety are prevalent mental illnesses among young people. Crisis like the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may increase the current prevalence of these illnesses. A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used to (1) explore the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among youth and (2) identify to what extent certain variables related to COVID-19 could predict depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS) among young people in six different countries. Participants were requested to complete an online survey including demographics and the DAS scale. A total of 1,057 participants from Oman (n=155), Saudi Arabia (n=121), Jordan (n=332), Iraq (n=117), United Arab Emirates (n=147), and Egypt (n=182) completed the study. The total prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 57%, 40.5%, and 38.1%, respectively, with no significant differences between countries. Significant predictors of stress, anxiety, and depression were being female, being in contact with a friend and/or a family member with mental illness, being quarantined for 14 days, and using the internet. In conclusion, COVID-19 is an epidemiological crisis that is casting a shadow on youths’ DAS. The restrictions and prolonged lockdowns imposed by COVID-19 are negatively impacting their level of DAS. Healthcare organisations, in collaboration with various sectors, are recommended to apply psychological first aid and design appropriate educational programmes to improve the mental health of youth

Sample questions for the interview.

There is currently limited knowledge about the firsthand experiences of adolescents and young adults with mental health problems and the meanings they ascribe to these experiences, particularly within Arab countries. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the lived experience of Omani adolescents and young adults with a mental health problem. A sample of 15 participants aged 13–22 diagnosed with a range of mental health problems took part in the study. A qualitative interview guide consisting of open-ended questions was used to allow participants to speak in-depth about their experiences. Using the thematic analysis approach to uncover patterns in the data, three major themes emerged: “living in darkness”, “perilous journey” and “uncertain future”. Results show that the progress of adolescents and young adults with mental health problems is characterized by several challenges; the most significant of which is having insufficient knowledge about their illness, leading to unnecessary delays in their treatment. These findings shed light on the breadth and depth of the experience of adolescents and young adults with mental health problems and lay the groundwork for further examinations. Implications lie in the development of approaches for preventing or mitigating difficulties faced by adolescents and young adults with mental health problems.</div