Individuals post-stroke are subject to increased levels of mental health symptoms. This is a cross-sectional study explored levels of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms and identified their predictors among Jordanian individuals with stroke. Outcome measures included Depression Anxiety Stress Scale, Fugl-Meyer assessment, goniometry, hand-held dynamometry, nine-hole peg test, Ashworth scale, Motor Activity Log, ten-meter walk test, and 12-item Short-Form health survey (SF-12). Descriptive analyses were used to describe prevalence of mental health symptoms and multiple variable linear regression models were used to identify their predictors. A total of 153 individuals participated in the study. Proportions of participants with mental health symptoms were 74.5% for depression, 52.9% for anxiety, and 68% for stress. Significant predictors of post-stroke mental health symptoms were SF-12 Mental Composite Score and grip strength for depression, anxiety, and stress. Depression and stress symptoms were significantly associated with discontinuation of rehabilitation services. Furthermore, self-reports of fewer sleep hours was significantly associated with anxiety and stress. Finally, Gender and self-reported physical diseases other than stroke were significantly associated with depression symptoms. We conclude that high proportions of Jordanian individuals’ post-stroke have suffered mental health symptoms. Future studies are required to design effective interventions to improve post-stroke mental health.

To evaluate the efficacy of a newly developed evidence-based low back pain (LBP) management smartphone application. A double-blinded randomized controlled trial where participants randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG) or a control group (CG). Governmental and private institutions. About 40 office workers, aged 30 to 55 years, had pain due to non-specific LBP > 3 on Visual Analogue Scale, and with pain chronicity > 3 months. The EG received full version of the application ‘Relieve my back’ included evidence-based instructions and therapeutic exercises for LBP management, whereas the CG received placebo version included instructions about nutrition. Primary outcome measures included pain measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), disability measured by Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and quality of life measured by Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12). Following six weeks of using the application, compared to CG, the EG group demonstrated significant decrease in pain intensity (−3.45 (2.21) vs −0.11 (1.66), P < 0.001), in ODI score (−11.05 (10.40) vs −0.58 (9.0), P = 0.002), and significant increase in physical component of SF-12 (12.85 (17.20) vs −4.63 (12.04), P = 0.001). ‘Relieve my back’ application might be efficacious in reducing pain and disability and improving the quality of life of office workers with non-specific LBP.

Objectives To systematically estimate the overall prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, adolescents and adults across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. Data sources Medline and Scopus databases were comprehensively and systematically searched between 1990 and February 2023. Eligibility criteria for selecting studies We included all cross-sectional or cohort studies that diagnosed ADHD using validated diagnostic tools (eg, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria, ADHD rating scales and ADHD diagnostic interview) or non-validated tools (eg, brain imaging techniques, computerised cognitive tests and quantitative electroencephalography). Data extraction and synthesis Two reviewers performed the data extraction independently using standardised data collection sheet. Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the quality of the included studies. Individualised and pooled event rate and upper and lower limit at 95% CI were calculated according to the ADHD cases and the total sample size using a random-effect model. The subgroup prevalence analyses according to ADHD subtypes, gender, MENA country and age were also performed. Results A total of 63 articles met the inclusion criteria involving 849 902 participants. The overall prevalence of ADHD was 10.3% (95% CI 0.081 to 0.129). The prevalence rate ranged from 1.3% (Yemen) to 22.2% (Iran). Subgroup analyses showed that the prevalence in adults was 13.5 and 10.1 in children and adolescents. Males exhibited significantly higher prevalence compared with females as these were 11.1% and 7%, respectively. Attention-deficit subtype was significantly the most prevalent (46.7%) compared with hyperactivity/impulsivity (33.7%) and combined types (20.6%). Conclusion The overall prevalence of ADHD was high in the MENA region. It is crucial to allocate more attention and resources towards the prevention and treatment of ADHD in children, adolescents and adults within the region.

BACKGROUND: Very few articles, comprehensively, investigated musculoskeletal pain symptoms (MPS) among wide variety of allied health professions (AHP) students. OBJECTIVES: : This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of MPS and their associated factors among different AHP majors’ students. METHOD: A cross-sectional design was conducted. A sample of AHP students from nine majors ( n = 838, Mean age = 21.3 years) completed a validated structured self-administrated questionnaires including Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 21), and specific questions regarding demographics and life style. MPS prevalence rate were compared between males and females and between majors. Logistic regression was conducted to identify predictors of MPS. RESULTS: MPS in neck, lower back, and shoulder 12-month were the most prevalent (67.1%, and 61.4%, 58.8% respectively). MPS prevalence was significantly higher in females and statistically different among majors. MPS were significantly associated with increased clinical training load, mental stress symptoms, and smartphone average use time. CONCLUSIONS: MPS in AHP students are prevalent and statistically higher among females. Students are advised to adhere to different conservative precautions and follow prevention programs. Future studies are needed to assess actual mechanisms causing MPS among AHP students and designing effective prevention programs specific to AHP students.

Background: University students face multiple stressors that negatively impact their mental well-being. Effective emotional regulation and physical activity are crucial for mood management and overall health. This study explored the connection between physical activity, emotional regulation, and mental health symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) in Jordanian university students. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey involved 416 students (146 male and 270 female) from Jordanian universities. The survey covered demographics, physical activity (International Physical Activity Questionnaire), emotional regulation strategies (Emotion Regulation Questionnaire), and mental health symptoms (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales). Pearson’s correlations examined relationships, and ANOVA compared differences in ‘low’, ‘medium’, and ‘high’ physical activity groups. Results: Greater use of expressive suppression was correlated with increased anxiety symptom severity (p = 0.029). Although physical activity levels were not significantly related to emotional regulation, the ‘high’ physical activity group reported lower depression (p < 0.001) and anxiety symptom severity (p < 0.001) than the ‘low’ and ‘medium’ groups. Conclusions: Increased physical activity and emotional expression suppression are independently associated with improved mental well-being in Jordanian university students. This study underscores the importance of integrating physical activity and emotional expression strategies to support student well-being.