Publications by authors named "Aws G Khasawneh"

Schizophrenia (SZ) is a multifactorial and neurodegenerative disorder that results from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. Notably, hundreds of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with the susceptibility to SZ. Vitamin D (VD) plays an essential role in regulating several genes important for maintaining brain function and health.

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Background: Schizophrenia (SZ), a complex and chronic neuropsychiatric disorder affecting approximately 1 % of the general population, presents diagnostic challenges due to the absence of reliable biomarkers, and relying mainly on clinical observations. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) signatures in a wide range of diseases, including psychiatric disorders, hold immense potential for serving as biomarkers. This study aimed to analyze the expression levels of specific microRNAs (miRNAs) namely miR-29b-3p, miR-106b-5p, and miR-199a-3p and explore their diagnostic potential for SZ in Jordanian patients.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study examines the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers (HCWs) by comparing depressive symptoms between two groups: one month after the pandemic began and one year later.
  • - Data from 422 HCWs showed a significant increase in the prevalence and severity of depression over the year, with 41.7% of the one-year group meeting criteria for major depressive disorder, compared to 31.8% in the onset group.
  • - Various factors such as age, marital status, income, and job role were linked to higher depression scores, highlighting that younger, unmarried individuals and medical professionals directly dealing with COVID-19 patients faced the greatest psychological challenges.
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Article Synopsis
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the mental health and quality of life of healthcare providers (HCPs), leading to issues like insomnia, burnout, and functional impairment.
  • A study was conducted through online surveys one month after the pandemic began and a year later, assessing HCPs’ insomnia, burnout levels, and functional impairment using specific assessment tools.
  • Results showed a significant prevalence of insomnia and burnout among HCPs in both surveys, with risk factors identified such as age, income, working hours, and perceived institutional support, highlighting an increase in burnout symptoms over the year.
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This study investigates the changes in prevalence estimates, severity, and risk factors of anxiety among healthcare workers (HCWs) over the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey was distributed among HCWs using snowball sampling, collecting their socio-demographics, occupation, and anxiety symptoms as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale. It was distributed one month after the pandemic’s onset in Jordan between 15 and 30 April 2020 (onset group) and after one year between 15 and 30 March 2021 (one-year group).

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Background: In-hospital mandatory quarantine of asymptomatic and symptomatic COVID-19-infected individuals was part of the national control strategy used to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak in Jordan. This study aims to evaluate depression, associated stressors, and various coping methods used among adult quarantined COVID-19-infected individuals.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included all COVID-19-infected individuals who were obligatorily quarantined at King Abdullah University Hospital, Irbid, Jordan from March 15 to April 20, 2020.

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Background: Substantial evidence supports a bidirectional relationship between diabetes and clinical depression. However, little is known about the effect of treating one condition on the control of the other. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression among Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and to assess the efficacy and feasibility of escitalopram treatment of depression on their metabolic control parameters.

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Background: Anxiety and depression are globally-common disorders. In Jordan, the number of people visiting psychiatric clinics has been increasing over the past few years. Low level of vitamin D is associated with musculoskeletal pain (MSP) and is increasingly linked to the pathology of mental disorders.

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