Very few studies have been concerned with assessing the prevalence of burnout and depressive symptoms, especially during an infectious outbreak on non-frontline health care workers, such as a psychiatrist. In such instances, the role of psychiatrists and other mental health providers as a source of psychological support to the public and frontline workers is indispensable and valuable. This study aims to assess the prevalence of burnout and depressive symptoms, and their correlation, during the COVID-19 pandemic among psychiatry residents in Saudi Arabia. A total of 121 out of 150 psychiatry residents in Saudi Arabia completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Patient’s Health Questionnaire for the assessment of burnout and depressive symptoms. Burnout symptoms were found in 27.3%, and another 27.3% reported having depression symptoms. In addition, 16.5% reported having both burnout and depressive symptoms, with a significant relationship between them. Participants in the first 2 years of training and having a history of receiving mental health treatment in the past 2 years were at higher risk. The need is urgent to increase investment in mental health services and to construct a plan to reduce this risk of burnout and depression among psychiatrists by developing preventative strategies to prevent burnout and promote wellness is more important than ever.

Background: Burnout, defined as mental and physical exhaustion, has been an issue for many medical students. Medical student burnout is associated with many factors such as academic pressure, sleep deprivation, exposure to patient suffering, and high academic demand. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of burnout symptoms among preclinical and clinical medical students studying at Qassim University in Qassim, Saudi Arabia.Results: Three hundred thirty-six subjects entered the final data analysis with a majority between 18 and 24 years of age, of whom 56.5% was females and 43.5% was males. The overall burnout prevalence was 8%. The female gender was a significant predictor of emotional exhaustion and personal efficacy, (OR = 2.510; 95% Cl [1.845–3.415];pvalue 0.000) and (OR = 1.434; 95% Cl [1.086–1.866];pvalue 0.010), respectively.Conclusion: Among medical students, burnout is common. The impact of gender on burnout was noticed; female gender was a significant predictor of emotional exhaustion and personal efficacy. Medical education style had no impact on burnout levels among medical students.

Background: Screen exposure among children continues to increase worldwide. It has negative effects on children of developmental age, including obesity, poor attention, sleep disorders, vision problems, language delays, and deficits in communication skills. It has been reported that parental depression is associated with both increased screen time for children and poor function and skills in children. However, other studies have reported no association between screen time and parental depression. Research methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenience sample of 340 parents of 4- to 6-year-old children in the Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected from the primary health care vaccination clinic by contacting parents of children aged 4 to 6 years to fill out the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) for the child and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ9) for the parents. Research results: We conducted a regression analysis to assess the influence of screen time exposure on social communication skills (SCQ score). The results of this study indicated that there was no significant effect observed (B = 0.283, P > 0.05), indicating that a positive correlation between screen time usage and SCQ score may not apply to the entire population. Conversely, we discovered a crucial link between screen time exposure and parental depression (PHQ), as it displayed noteworthy impact values (B = 1.136, P < 0.05), indicating an affirmative correlation between them. In addition, our results also indicated apparent positive associations between parental depression and SCQ scores (B = 0.229, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings revealed that there was a significant association between parental depression and both screen time exposure and SCQ score, while there was no correlation between screen time exposure and SCQ score.

Pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS) is a clinical condition with abrupt onset of obsessivecompulsive symptoms and/or severe eating restrictions and at least two concomitant cognitive, behavioral, or neurological symptoms. Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS) is a subtype of PANS with a controversial diagnosis. A case of a 12-year-old girl with severe eating restriction, obsessivecompulsive symptoms, anxiety, and neurological symptoms who initially was diagnosed with obsessivecompulsive disorder is presented. Published reports were reviewed for the evidence of diagnosis and treatment options of PANS/PANDAS. Studies show controversy regarding diagnosis. Moreover, study reports showed limited evidence for the treatment options. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and psychotherapy are considered the main treatment with prompt infection treatment in the case of PANDAS.

Background: Cancer incidence is increasing in Saudi Arabia and the Qassim region. While survival has improved, quality of life (QoL) remains a vital outcome. However, limited research in Qassim has examined determinants of QoL. This study assessed factors associated with QoL among cancer patients, focusing on sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological variables. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Oncology Centre in Qassim (January–June 2024). QoL was measured using the Arabic version of the EORTC QLQ-C30, and psychological distress was assessed using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v30. Chi-square and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to compare group differences, and logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with global QoL. Results: Among 187 patients, the median age was 48 years (range, 18–94), and 73.8% were female. Breast cancer (52.2%) and colorectal cancer (16.1%) were the most common diagnoses. The mean global quality-of-life score was 73.8 (SD = 22.2). Anxiety and depression prevalence rates were 12.8% and 29.9%, respectively. Moreover, psychiatric history and psychological distress were significantly associated with poorer QoL in unadjusted analyses. Only higher depression scores were independently associated with lower odds of good QoL (AOR = 0.85, 95% CI [0.77–0.95], p = 0.004). Physical and emotional functioning were significantly higher among patients with good global QoL (both p < 0.001). In contrast, fatigue, pain, nausea and vomiting, and insomnia were significantly more common among those with poor QoL (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.005, and p < 0.001, respectively). Based on Therapeutic Change Index thresholds, clinically meaningful impairment was identified in 31.6–47.6% of functional scales and 15.5–45.0% of symptom scales. Conclusions: Depressive symptom severity, functional limitations, and symptom burden were associated with poorer QoL among cancer patients. Integrating psychological and supportive care is essential to enhance well-being in Qassim.