The relationship between children's oral health behaviours and oral health-related quality of life: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Understanding oral health behaviour s and their impact on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) may serve as an instrument to articulate the conventional oral health policy framework, thereby ameliorating the overall health of young individuals in the long term.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between children's oral health behaviour s and Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in the capital governorate, Kuwait.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 607 children aged 12-14 years, randomly selected from schools in Kuwait Capital Region.

Risky Roads in Kuwait: An Uneven Toll on Migrant Workers.

Unlabelled: This descriptive study reveals trends in citations and traffic-related mortality in Kuwait. Secondary data were utilized, where data on road traffic citations were obtained from the traffic police in the Ministry of Interior for the years from 2011 to 2015, and road traffic mortality data for the study period were obtained from the Ministry of Health.

Objective: To describe recent trends in data related to road traffic safety in Kuwait over time, which could serve as an important indicator for the level of enforcement of existing traffic regulations.

Quality of Life of Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Kuwait: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the Quality of Life (QoL) of Kuwaiti patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), aged ≥45 years of both genders, and identifying factors associated with poor QoL.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample stratified by gender, consisting of 604 Kuwaiti patients with T2DM, aged ≥45 years, diagnosed as diabetics for ≥6 months. A validated demographic and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was used to assess the QoL.

Profile of Mental and Behavioral Disorders Among Preschoolers in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: Early diagnosis and prompt treatment of mental and behavioral disorders in preschoolers is critical for a better prognosis, ultimately leading to improved quality of life for both the child and the family. Our study investigated the clinical profile of mental and behavioral disorders in children < 7 years of age, seeking consultation at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between 1 June 2006 and 31 December 2010. The objective was to explore demographic variables, intervention types, and annual trends.

Stress, anxiety, and depression among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Oman: a case-control study.

Previous studies carried out in Euro-American populations have unequivocally indicated that psychological disorders of the CASD (caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder) are marked with high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. This finding has been attributed to the reaction of having to care for a child with neurodevelopmental disorders. While there have been reports on autism spectrum disorder in Arab/Islamic countries such as Oman, there is no study from this region, to our knowledge, reporting the performance of indices of stress, anxiety, and depression among CASD.

Altered kynurenine pathway metabolism in autism: Implication for immune-induced glutamatergic activity.

Dysfunction of the serotoninergic and glutamatergic systems is implicated in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) together with various neuroinflammatory mediators. As the kynurenine pathway (KP) of tryptophan degradation is activated in neuroinflammatory states, we hypothesized that there may be a link between inflammation in ASD and enhanced KP activation resulting in reduced serotonin synthesis from tryptophan and production of KP metabolites capable of modulating glutamatergic activity. A cross-sectional study of 15 different Omani families with newly diagnosed children with ASD (n = 15) and their age-matched healthy siblings (n = 12) was designed.

Underlying Factors Behind the Low Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Oman: Sociocultural perspective.

Epidemiological surveys from various countries indicate an increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), leading researchers to debate whether there are now 'more affected' or 'more detected'. The epidemiology of ASD in developing countries, such as Oman, has generally indicated a lower prevalence compared to developed countries in the West. In Oman, the prevalence is low; however, this article highlights some of the factors that could contribute to the appearance of a low ASD rate: cross-cultural variations in the presentation of distress; a lack of reliable biological markers for diagnosing ASD, and a lack of health services for children with ASD, thus limiting the number of participants in epidemiological surveys.

The magnitude and impact of bullying among school pupils in Muscat, Oman: a cross-sectional study.

Research about bullying among school pupils in the Arab/Muslim population is scarce. This study evaluates the characteristics of bullying and its impact among school pupils in Oman via cross-sectional survey among eighth grade school pupils (n = 1,229) during the academic year 2006-2007. The participants were selected using stratified random selection among 6 administrative divisions of one the governorates in the country.

Potato chips and childhood: what does the science say? An unrecognized threat?

With recent rapid progress in technology and advancing lifestyle associated with modernization, individuals are consuming increasing quantities of unhealthy food, a major risk factor for the onset of a variety of diseases. In particular, fried potato chips (FPCs), are the most commonly consumed snack, especially by children. However, research in the field of nutrition demonstrated that FPCs encompass significant quantities of acrylamide, a known carcinogen and neurotoxin.

Decreased glutathione and elevated hair mercury levels are associated with nutritional deficiency-based autism in Oman.

Genetic, nutrition, and environmental factors have each been implicated as sources of risk for autism. Oxidative stress, including low plasma levels of the antioxidant glutathione, has been reported by numerous autism studies, which can disrupt methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation of gene expression with neurodevelopmental consequences. We investigated the status of redox and methylation metabolites, as well as the level of protein homocysteinylation and hair mercury levels, in autistic and neurotypical control Omani children, who were previously shown to exhibit significant nutritional deficiencies in serum folate and vitamin B₁₂.

Unusual trichobezoar of the stomach and the intestine: a case report.

Introduction: Trichobezoars are an infrequent form of bezoar found in the stomach or intestine, created from ingested hair. This condition has been well described in the surgical literature, but less reported in psychiatry.

Case Presentation: We describe the case of an 18-year-old Middle Eastern Caucasian woman with trichotillomania who presented to our emergency department with a history of central abdominal pain associated with vomiting and constipation for five days.

Awareness about autism among school teachers in Oman: a cross-sectional study.

Children with special needs such as those with autism spectrum disorder have been recorded as ostracized and stigmatized in many parts of the world. Little is known about whether such negative views are present among mainstream teachers in Oman. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate school teachers' awareness about autism spectrum disorder in an urban region in Oman.

Impact of nutrition on serum levels of docosahexaenoic acid among Omani children with autism.

Objectives: Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood. Dietary supplementation of the ω-3 fatty acid (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) during prenatal and postnatal life is considered a protective dietary intervention strategy to minimize the risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To our knowledge, no relevant studies have been conducted in the Middle East investigating the status of DHA among children with autism during early childhood.

Low folate and vitamin B12 nourishment is common in Omani children with newly diagnosed autism.

Objective: Arab populations lack data related to nutritional assessment in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), especially micronutrient deficiencies such as folate and vitamin B12.

Methods: To assess the dietary and serum folate and vitamin B12 statuses, a hospital-based case-control study was conducted in 80 Omani children (40 children with ASDs versus 40 controls).

Results: The ASD cases showed significantly lower levels of folate, vitamin B12, and related parameters in dietary intake and serum levels.

Levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in hair samples of children with autism in Oman: a case-control study.

Toxic levels of heavy metals and low levels of essential minerals have been suggested to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study documents the levels of heavy metals and essential minerals in hair samples of children with ASD in Muscat, the urbanized capital of Oman, Muscat. The study included 27 children with ASD and 27 matched non-ASD controls.

Variation in socio-economic burden for caring of children with autism spectrum disorder in Oman: caregiver perspectives.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate whether caregiver's variations in socioeconomic status (SES) has direct bearing on challenges of nurturing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Oman. A cadre of caregivers (n = 150) from two types of SES (low-income and middle-high income) were compared based on four domains: (1) accessing and perception of remedial services, (2) utilization and perception of psychiatric services, (3) constraints for being a caregiver of children with ASD and (4) financial expenses of taking care of children with ASD. There is little indication that any particular SES fare well on these domains.

Preparing and conducting objective structured clinical examination for oman medical specialty board r1-r4 residents.

The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) has been a common tool of assessment in both undergraduate and postgraduate medicine, and has been reported to have both higher reliability and validity over the oral exam. In addition, another advantage is that it reduces luck by standardizing both examiners and patients. This article describes our experience in organizing and conducting an OSCE for Oman Medical Specialty Board residents in Psychiatry.

Two-phase survey to determine social anxiety and gender differences in Omani adolescents.

Introduction: There is a lack of studies examining the effectiveness of some of the commonly used instruments to elicit the presence of social anxiety disorder (SAD) in Arab-speaking populations, such as those in Oman. The aim of this study was to establish the influence of social anxiety and the role of gender among Omani adolescents.

Methods: A two-phase protocol was used, entailing the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) against the gold standard, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Effect of suboptimal breast-feeding on occurrence of autism: a case-control study.

Objective: To evaluate the association between suboptimal breast-feeding practices and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Methods: A case-control study was conducted in 102 ASD cases and 102 matched healthy controls.

Results: Based on adjusted odds ratios from logistic regression models, ASD was found to be associated with the late initiation of breast-feeding (odds ratio 1.

Child Maltreatment: Types and effects: Series of six cases from a university hospital in Oman.

Child maltreatment (CM) is common worldwide, and can take many forms. It may even endanger the child's life, especially when younger children are the victims. CM affects the child's quality of life and consequently leads to long term issues to be dealt with by the child, family and community.

Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients attending Psychotherapy in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman.

Objectives: There is significant evidence that psychotherapy is a pivotal treatment for persons diagnosed with Axis I clinical psychiatric conditions; however, a psychotherapy service has only recently been established in the Omani health care system. This study aimed to investigate the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of attendees at a psychotherapy clinic at a tertiary care hospital.

Methods: An analysis was carried out of 133 new referrals to the Psychotherapy Service at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, a tertiary care hospital.

Hyperhomocysteinemia among Omani autistic children: a case-control study.

High serum homocysteine (Hcy) level is regarded as an indicator for impairment of folate-dependent methionine cycle and is associated with oxidative stress. In a case control study, we evaluated eighty 3-5 years old Omani children (40 diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and 40 their age and gender matched controls) for their fasting serum homocysteine levels as a biomarker of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Serum folate and vitamin B(12) status were also evaluated.

Increased markers of oxidative stress in autistic children of the Sultanate of Oman.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood, and an enumeration about its etiology and consequences is still limited. Oxidative stress-induced mechanisms are believed to be the major cause for ASD. In this study 19 autistic and 19 age-matched normal Omani children were recruited to analyze their degree of redox status and a prewritten consent was obtained.

A Rare Presentation of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A recommendation to be more alert!

We report the case of a 7 year-old Omani girl with tuberous sclerosis (TS), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder (BD), at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH), Oman. For a year she had been suffering from hyperactivity, aggression, over talkativeness, insomnia, risk-taking behaviour, distractibility, poor attention and seizures. This clinical picture evolved slowly, but was progressive in nature.