Frequency of Asthma Exacerbations and Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Among Adult with Asthma According to Vaccination Status: Does the annual influenza vaccine have a protective effect? A retrospective cohort study

Objectives: Annual influenza vaccinations are recommended for patients with asthma to prevent against seasonal influenza and influenza-triggered asthma exacerbations. However, there is conflicting data as to the benefit of the influenza vaccine on the frequency of asthma exacerbations. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in terms of reducing the frequency of asthma-related exacerbations and upper respiratory tract infections among adult patients with asthma. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was performed from January to December 2018 in Muscat Governorate, Oman. A total of 466 patients attending nine randomly selected primary health centres in Muscat Governorate were enrolled in the study and followed-up for one year post-vaccination. Results: Most patients were female (70.6%) and had moderate-persistent asthma (42.9%). Overall, there were 203 patients (43.6%) in the vaccinated group and 263 (56.4%) in the non-vaccinated group. A proportion of patients in each group had allergic rhinitis (28.6% and 25.5%, respectively). The frequency of upper respiratory tract infections over the one-year follow-up period was significant lower in the vaccinated group compared to the non-vaccinated group (37.9% versus 73%; relative risk [RR]: 2.299, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.834–2.882; P <0.001); however, there was no significant difference in terms of the frequency of asthma exacerbations (41.9% versus 45.2%; RR: 0.925, 95% CI: 0.750–1.141; P >0.050). Conclusion: The influenza vaccine significantly reduces the frequency of upper respiratory tract infections over the following year. However, it did not significantly reduce the frequency of asthma exacerbations among adult Omanis with asthma. Further studies are recommended to support the protective effect of the vaccine in this regard. Keywords: Influenza Vaccines; Immunization; Asthma; Upper Respiratory Tract Infections; Observational Study; Oman

Assessing Family Medicine Residents’ Communication Skills in Oman Using the Communication Assessment Tool: A Cross-sectional Study

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Coping Strategies among Students with Chronic Medical Illnesses in Comparison to Healthy Students: A Comparative Cross-sectional Study from Sultan Qaboos University, Oman

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Sharing Unpleasant Health Information with Patients: A baseline study exploring physician attitudes, practices and adherence to the SPIKES protocol at a tertiary hospital in Muscat, Oman

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the knowledge, attitude and experiences in sharing unpleasant health information and adherence to the SPIKES protocol among physicians at a tertiary hospital in Muscat, Oman. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital from August to October 2022. An electronic, self-administered questionnaire was used to gather data from physicians across various departments. Results: A total of 89 physicians completed the questionnaire (response rate = 22.3%). Most participants (n = 86, 96.6%) recognised the need for additional training in the delivery of unpleasant health information (‘bad news’), with 78.7% (n = 70) expressing their willingness to undertake such training. Additionally, 32.6% (n = 29) reported negative experiences due to improper delivery of bad news, with an equal proportion admitting to disclosing bad news to patients’ family without their consent. The majority (n = 77, 86.5%) demonstrated a high level of overall adherence to the SPIKES protocol, with 59.6–85.4%, 12.4–34.8% and 1.1–11.2% reported usually, sometimes and never following specific steps of the protocol, respectively. Marital status (P = 0.015) and qualifications (P = 0.032) were the only variables that were associated with adherence level, with married physicians and those with board and/or fellowship certificates reporting significantly better adherence compared to their counterparts. Conclusion: Physicians in Oman encounter challenges in delivering unpleasant health information, underscoring the interplay of cultural influences, training and adherence to protocols. To address these challenges, targeted and frequent training programmes are recommended, starting from undergraduate medical education and extending to continuous opportunities for physicians at various career levels

Epidemiology of Celiac Disease

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic autoimmune disorder of the small bowel that is triggered by exposure to dietary gluten. In paediatric, CD commonly presents with intestinal manifestations, while in adults, many present with more subtle symptoms and extraintestinal manifestations, such as anaemia, fatigue, dermatitis, and headaches. The main scope of this chapter is to explore and present the prevalence of CD worldwide as well as trends in diagnosis over recent years. The prevalence of CD is approximately 0.5–1% in different regions of the world. However, exact prevalence rates may vary substantially in specific populations. Although CD was formerly believed to affect solely individuals of European ancestry, more recent studies indicate that the disease may have been either under-reported or undiagnosed in other populations. Moreover, it is possible that the increasing popularity of Western dietary practices may have an impact on the recent trend of increased rates of CD in non-Western populations. Certain population groups are also at high risk of developing CD, including first- or second-degree relatives of individuals with CD and those with diabetes or autoimmune disorders. Serological screening and HLA typing are therefore highly recommended for asymptomatic children in whom such risk factors are present

Modern Birth Control Methods

This chapter focuses on various modern birth control methods, including combined oral contraceptives, progestogen-only pills, progestogen-only injectables, progestogen-only implants, intrauterine devices, barrier contraceptives, and emergency contraceptive pills. Each contraceptive method is covered in detail, including mechanism of action, effectiveness, health benefits, advantages, disadvantages, risks, and side-effects

Self-Reported Knowledge of Diabetes among High School Students in Al-Amerat and Quriyat, Muscat Governate, Oman

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is emerging as one of the world’s greatest health problems, and its incidence and prevalence are increasing at an alarming rate and globally reaching epidemic proportions. With this increasing incidence, emphasis is now being placed on implementing primary prevention, early detection, and educational prevention programmes. This study was undertaken to estimate the level of knowledge of T2DM among high school students and to explore the factors influencing the knowledge of T2DM. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four secondary schools in two wilayats (districts) of Muscat governate, Oman, namely Al-Amerat and Quriyat. The study was conducted using a validated English questionnaire covering all aspects of T2DM in one-to-one interviews. A scoring system was used to assess the students’ knowledge. Results: Of the 541 students enrolled in the study (45% male and 55% female), only 24% achieved a score of over 10 out of 20. The key areas of poor knowledge were wrong perceptions about diabetic meals (73%), and the possibility of a cure for diabetes (63%). Conclusion: Overall poor knowledge levels about T2DM were found among school students. National efforts and school health-based interventions are highly recommended to increase awareness about diabetes among this age group

HaptiSole: Wearable Haptic System in Vibrotactile Guidance Shoes for Visually Impaired Wayfinding

During the last decade, several Electronic Orientation Aids devices have been proposed to solve the autonomy problems of visually impaired people. When hearing is considered the primary sense for Visually Impaired people (VI) and it is generally loaded with the environment, the use of tactile sense can be considered a solution to transmit directional information. This paper presents a new wearable haptic system based on four motors implemented in shoes, while six directions can be played. This study aims to introduce an interface design and investigate an appropriate means of spatial information delivery through haptic sense. The first experiment of the proposed system was performed with 15 users in an indoor environment. The results showed that the users were able to recognize, with high accuracy, the directions displayed on their feet. The second experiment was conducted in an outdoor environment with five blindfolded users who were guided along 120 meters. The users, guided only by the haptic system, successfully reached their destinations. The potential of tactile-foot stimulation to help VI understand Electronic Orientation Aids (EOA) instructions was discussed, and future challenges were defined

Self Reported Knowledge of Diabetes among High School Students in Al-Amerat and Quriyat , Muscat Governate , Oman

International audienc