This was the first study that examined familial and parental characteristics of children with ADHD as potential risk factors for the condition. Such psychosocial factors could be employed to further the development of more proficient preventative measures and remedial services.

BackgroundIt is indicated that Oman is witnessing an increase in issues pertinent to alcohol and psychoactive substance use.AimThe aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of Omanis with substance use disorder attending a specialized hospital in Oman and the pattern of their utilization of healthcare services. A related aim was to ascertain the age group most vulnerable to alcohol and substance use in Oman.MethodA cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care center specialized for treatment of those engaging in substance use in Oman. The participants in the study were selected from a convenience sample among patients seeking consultation at the center for alcohol and substance use. A six-part questionnaire was designed to obtain information regarding socio-demographic background, clinical history, healthcare utilization and perceived hurdles to access. Chi-square analyses were used to evaluate the significance of differences among categorical data. Logistic regression modelling was used to obtain measures of association after adjusting for confounding factors.ResultsAmong the patients (n = 293) seeking cessation therapy, 99% were male and less than 30 years of age. Peer influences on the initiation of substance use were significant. Most patients had a history of polysubstance use, including intravenous substance use. Cannabis and alcohol were the first substances consumed by most patients and Hepatitis C and psychiatric disorders were found to be the most common co-morbidities. The participants that reported use of cannabis and benzodiazepines were more likely to perceive “improvement” upon receiving treatment.ConclusionThis study indicated that males below 30 years of age with a history of polysubstance use were likely to attend a hospital specialized in treating substance use disorder in Oman. This study identified information regarding socio-demographic background, risk factors and perceived hurdles to healthcare that could serve as groundwork for further studies conducted on newly emerging issues of substance use in Oman.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate cognitive and behavioural changes among 9–14-year-old Omani children with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) after an adenotonsillectomy (AT). Methods: This naturalistic observational study was conducted at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 2012 and December 2014. Omani children with adenotonsillar hypertrophy (ATH) underwent overnight polysomnography and those with confirmed OSA were scheduled for an AT. Cognitive and behavioural evaluations were performed using standardised instruments at baseline prior to the procedure and three months afterwards. Results: A total of 37 children were included in the study, of which 24 (65%) were male and 13 (35%) were female. The mean age of the males was 11.4 ± 1.9 years, while that of the females was 11.1 ± 1.5 years. Following the AT, there was a significant reduction of 56% in mean apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) score (2.36 ± 4.88 versus 5.37 ± 7.17; P <0.01). There was also a significant positive reduction in OSA indices, including oxygen desaturation index (78%), number of desaturations (68%) and number of obstructive apnoea incidents (74%; P <0.01 each). Significant improvements were noted in neurocognitive function, including attention/concentration (42%), verbal fluency (92%), learning/recall (38%), executive function (52%) and general intellectual ability (33%; P <0.01 each). There was a significant decrease of 21% in both mean inattention and hyperactivity scores (P <0.01 each). Conclusion: These results demonstrate the effectiveness of an AT in improving cognitive function and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like symptoms among children with ATH-caused OSA. Such changes can be observed as early as three months after the procedure.Keywords: Adenoidectomy; Obstructive Sleep Apnea; Cognitive Function; Behavior; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders; Children; Oman.

Background: Studies on neurocognitive impairment among patients presenting with multi-infarct dementia (MID) have received little attention from non-Western societies, and the Arab world is no exception. To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize neurocognitive, affective and vegetative functioning in patients with MID in Oman. Methods: In this study, we recruited 20 Omani patients presenting with MID and age- and gender-matched controls at the outpatient clinic of the Department of Behavioral Medicine, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. In addition to the collection of clinical and demographic information, various cognitive batteries were administered to the consenting participants, including those indexing nonverbal reasoning abilities, working memory (attention, concentration and recall) and executive functioning. Questionnaires that elicit the affective range and the quality of sleep were also administered. Results: Compared with the matched healthy subjects, the patients diagnosed with MID significantly differed in the presently operationalized indices of visuospatial function, semantic memory and affective and vegetative functioning. In contrast, episodic memory and some attentional capacities were not significantly different compared with the control subjects. Conclusions: The present study was explorative and clinically designed to describe neurocognitive functioning in patients with MID seeking consultation at a tertiary care center in Oman. Our data are necessary for planning and setting up community services and health care programs for demented patients in a society where dementia is a growing silent epidemic. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Background Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is among the most common anxiety disorders worldwide with data largely emerging from the Euro-American and Pacific Rim populations. In contrast, there is a dearth of studies among the populations of Arabian Gulf countries including Oman. This study has two interrelated aims: (i) to explore the prevalence of SAD among Omani adults, and (ii) to tease out the links between socio-demographic factors and SAD in Oman. Methods A cross-sectional study via an online survey was conducted among 1019 adult Omani nationals residing in Oman. The presence of SAD was assessed using the Arabic version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). Results Nearly half the participants (45.9%, n = 468) exhibited “caseness” for SAD as defined by LSAS. In the multivariate logistic analysis, participants below 40 years of age were 1.6 times (OR = 1.568, p = .026) more likely to have caseness for SAD than those who were 40 and older. Women were 1.3 times (OR = 1.348, p = .038) more likely to exhibit caseness for SAD than men. Participants who had secondary or undergraduate education were respectively 1.5 times (OR = 1.45, p = .014) and 2.5 times (OR = 2.509, p < .001) to have caseness for SAD than those who were graduates. Conclusion The present data suggest that 45.9% of the participants reached the cut-off for caseness in LSAS, which is high compared to reports from other populations. The present accrued frequency is discussed within the context of the accrued response rate, socio-cultural factors as well as the tendency for self-reported measures to “produce” spurious results is also highlighted which, in turn, calls for studies that adopt more inclusive survey methods.