Oman is globally acknowledged for its well-structured immunization program with high vaccination coverage. The massive spread of misinformation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the easy access to various media channels, may affect acceptance of a vaccine, despite the inherent trust in the local system. This cross-sectional study evaluated the knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) in Oman toward COVID-19 vaccines. It included 3000 randomly selected adults answering a structured questionnaire via telephone. Participants were 66.7% Omani, 76% male, and 83.7% without comorbidities. Their mean age was 38.27 years (SD ± 10.45). Knowledge of COVID-19′s symptoms, mode of transmission, and attitudes toward the disease was adequate; 88.4% had heard of the vaccine, 59.3% would advise others to take it, 56.8% would take it themselves, and 47.5% would take a second dose. Males (CI = 2.37, OR = (2.00–2.81)) and non-Omanis (CI = 0.49, OR = (0.42–0.57)) were more willing to be vaccinated. The history of chronic disease, source of vaccine knowledge, and education level were factors that affected the willingness to accept the vaccine. The Omani community’s willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine can be enhanced by utilizing social media and community influencers to spread awareness about the vaccine’s safety and efficacy.
Objective Guillain–Barre's syndrome (GBS) is an acute immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy seen in all ages but mostly in the adult population. We aim to report the incidence of GBS in children under 15 years of age in Oman, a Gulf country. Materials and Methods All children with GBS under 15 years of age were included in the study from January 2002 to December 2016. The data were compiled in Microsoft Excel format and analysis was performed using SPSS, version 17.0. Population-based age- and sex-specific rates of GBS were calculated using the estimated population for each 5-year period based on 2004, 2009, and 2014 mid-year population, respectively. Relative risk and 95% confidence intervals of GBS at different age categories were calculated using the overall incidence of GBS in those under 15 years as reference. Results The average annual incidence in those under 15 years was 3.1/100,000. Age-specific incidence was 4.0/100,000 in the age group 0 to 9 years and 4.7/100,000 in age group 0 to 4 years. Sixty percent had evidence of preceding infections, and the male to female ratio was 1.8:1. Fifty percent had cranial nerve involvement and 18% needed mechanical ventilation. Five percent had residual weakness. Intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) were used in all, and 3.3% required plasmapheresis when they did not improve with IVIG. Clinical profile of the GBS was not different from the rest reported in the literature. Conclusion The incidence of GBS in Oman was 3.1/100,000 (range: 2.7–3.5 cases/100,000) in children under 15 years of age. The GBS is a smaller proportion among the total acute flaccid paralysis cases.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.