Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a notable increase in psychological distress, globally. Oman is no exception to this, with several studies indicating high levels of anxiety and depression among the Omani public. There is a need for adaptive and effective interventions that aim to improve the elevated levels of psychological distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: This study aimed to comparatively assess the efficacy of therapist-guided online therapy with that of self-help, internet-based therapy focusing on COVID-19–induced symptoms of anxiety and depression among individuals living in Oman during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was a 6-week-long pragmatic randomized controlled trial involving 60 participants who were recruited from a study sample surveyed for symptoms of anxiety or depression among the Omani public amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in the intervention group were allocated to receive 1 online session per week for 6 weeks from certified psychotherapists in Oman; these sessions were conducted in Arabic or English. The psychotherapists utilized cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy interventions. Participants in the control group received an automatic weekly newsletter via email containing self-help information and tips to cope with distress associated with COVID-19. The information mainly consisted of behavioral tips revolving around the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and acceptance and commitment therapy. The primary outcome was measured by comparing the change in the mean scores of Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale from the baseline to the end of the study (ie, after 6 sessions) between the two groups. The secondary outcome was to compare the proportions of participants with depression and anxiety between the two groups. Results: Data from 46 participants were analyzed (intervention group n=22, control group n=24). There was no statistical difference in the baseline characteristics between both groups. Analysis of covariance indicated a significant reduction in the GAD-7 scores (F1,43=7.307; P=.01) between the two groups after adjusting for baseline scores. GAD-7 scores of participants in the intervention group were considerably more reduced than those of participants in the control group (β=−3.27; P=.01). Moreover, a greater reduction in mean PHQ-9 scores was observed among participants in the intervention group (F1,43=8.298; P=.006) than those in the control group (β=−4.311; P=.006). Although the levels of anxiety and depression reduced in both study groups, the reduction was higher in the intervention group (P=.049) than in the control group (P=.02). Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence to support the efficacy of online therapy for improving the symptoms of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 crisis in Oman. Therapist-guided online therapy was found to be superior to self-help, internet-based therapy; however, both therapies could be considered as viable options. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04378257; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04378257

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in healthcare, but more data are needed about the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and preparedness of medical students in Oman towards this technology. This study aimed to investigate these aspects among clinical-year medical students at Sultan Qaboos University. Methodology A web-based validated exploratory questionnaire adapted from a study conducted at the University of Toronto was distributed to all clinical year (phase III) medical students at Sultan Qaboos University. The questionnaire collected demographic and background information, tested students’ knowledge of AI, and assessed their perceptions and attitudes toward it. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results A total of 221 out of 368 clinical-year medical students (60%) completed the survey. Most respondents were in their junior clerkship year (n = 94, 42.5%). Most students (n = 167, 75.4%) had no prior exposure to AI in healthcare, with a median knowledge score of 3.25 out of 5 in AI, and showed no improvement over the years. However, they overall had positive perceptions and attitudes towards AI. Students also had concerns about the impact of AI on employment prospects and ethical issues but were generally receptive to incorporating AI into medical school curricula, as 174 students (78.7%) believed every medical trainee should receive training on AI competencies. Conclusion This study provides valuable insights into the knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and preparedness of medical students in Oman toward AI in healthcare. Medical educators in Oman should consider incorporating AI into medical school curricula to prepare future physicians for using this technology in healthcare.

This study investigated the prevalence and determinants of Burnout Syndrome and Depressive Symptoms among medical students in Oman. Then, it explored whether the three-dimensional aspects of Burnout Syndrome (High Emotional Exhaustion, High Cynicism and Low Academic Efficacy) would predict the presence of Depressive Symptoms in a logistic regression model. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a random sample of medical students of Sultan Qaboos University. 662 students participated in the study with a response rate of 98%. The prevalence of Burnout Syndrome and Depressive Symptoms were; 7.4% and 24.5% respectively. Preclinical students reported high levels of both Burnout Syndrome (Odds Ratio–OR 2.83, 95% Confidence Interval CI 1.45–5.54) and Depressive Symptoms (OR 2. 72, 95% CI 1.07–6.89). The three-dimensional aspects of Burnout Syndrome(High Emotional Exhaustion, High Cynicism, low Professional efficacy) were statistically significant predictors of the presence of Depressive Symptoms; OR 3.52 (95% CI: 2.21–5.60), OR 3.33 (95% CI:2.10–5.28) and OR 2.07(95%CI:1.32–3.24) respectively. This study indicates that Burnout Syndrome and Depressive Symptoms are common among medical students, particularly in preclinical grade. Furthermore, the presence of high occupational burnout elevates the risk of depression.

Objective To evaluate perceptions of being mistreated during internship among first year Oman Medical Specialty Board residents. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting Training centres for Oman Medical Specialty Board. Participants First year medical residents following completion of internship during the study period 2009–2010. Method A cross-sectional survey of first year medical residents. Results Of 58 residents (response rate 84%), 96.6% perceived that mistreatment exists. Among different types of mistreatment reported, verbal and academic abuses were the most common (87.9%), followed by sexual harassment (24.1%), then physical abuse (22.4%). Forty-four (75.9%) residents had advised at least one of their relatives not to join medical school. Conclusions Mistreatment of medical interns is an ethical issue challenging the quality of clinical training. Further research is needed to understand factors influencing mistreatment and to draw guidelines to limit such problems.

To evaluate the prevalence of polypharmacy in relation to gender, comorbidity, and age among elderly patients upon discharge from an academic tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital between February and July 2014. We reviewed the electronic medical records of elderly patients aged ≥ 60 years who were admitted to any of the hospital's medical wards during the study period and collected data on age, gender, and diagnoses. We also collected information on the medications prescribed on discharge. Polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent use of ≥ 5 medications. A total of 431 elderly inpatients were enrolled, of which approximately 50% were female. Polypharmacy was identified in 76.3% of discharge prescriptions. Gender (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 1.17; 95% CI 0.73, 1.88, p = 0.502) and age (aOR, 0.98; 95% CI 0.95, 1.00, p = 0.075) had no impact on polypharmacy. On the other hand, a significant association between polypharmacy and comorbidity was observed (aOR, 1.31; 95% CI 1.12, 1.54, p = 0.001). Cardiovascular diagnosis on admission was also identified as being associated with polypharmacy (aOR, 2.66; 95% CI 1.49, 4.75, p = 0.001). More patients had cardiovascular diseases on admission (31.0%), followed by infections (23.0%), and gastrointestinal diseases (13.0%). The most commonly prescribed drugs on discharge were cardiovascular drugs (48.0%), followed by drugs acting on the gastrointestinal system (11.0%), endocrine system (9.2%), and nutrition and blood (7.5%). The prevalence of polypharmacy among elderly medical patients discharged from our hospital was high (76.3%) and was associated with a number of comorbidities and cardiovascular disease as a cause of admission, but not with age or gender. The prevalence of polypharmacy in our institution raises significant concerns over its potential impact on patients' health outcomes and requires further investigation. Raising physicians' awareness of health implications of polypharmacy may help reduce the incidence of medication-related adverse events and improve treatment outcomes.