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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. 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. 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. 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 (F =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 (F =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). 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. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04378257; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04378257.

Emotional and behavioural problems are common among children and adolescents, and have ongoing implications for children, families and the community. While many evidence based prevention programs and interventions have been evaluated, the availability of these does not guarantee their utilization as only a small number of children access existing services. Research indicates that children’s underutilization of services is influenced by their parents since it is the parents who make the decision to initiate or terminate health services for the child. The aim of this study was to explore parental attitudes towards childhood emotional and behavioural difficulties, beliefs about the causes of children’s problem, and their levels of satisfaction with available services. Participants in this study were a community sample of 204 parents of 4–14 year-old children from Muscat, the capital of the Sultanate of Oman. Parents completed a series of structured questionnaires. Results showed that education level did not influence parents’ attributions for child behaviour problems. In addition, parents with higher education and income had more positive attitudes towards service utilization. Examining factors contributing to children’s service utilization from the parents’ perspective is important as findings have implications for types of programs that could be delivered to the community.

Background Globally, 27% of ever-partnered women aged 15–49 have experienced physical, sexual, or intimate partner violence at least once in their lifetime. In Saudi Arabia, domestic violence (DV) remains a concern despite cultural and economic advancements. This study aims to measure the prevalence and factors associated with DV as well as childhood trauma (CT) in the Al Hasa region. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted on 503 married women by using convenient sampling reporting DV and CT using two validated questionnaires, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the numbers and percentages. Pearson’s r correlation was applied to investigate the correlation between risk factors. The multilayer perceptron model has been applied to estimate the most important factors contributing to DV and CT. Results Out of 503 respondents, most of them had low experience of DV and childhood trauma, while the prevalence of DV was 4.86%, with controlling behavior of the intimate partner (6.09%) and psychological violence most commonly reported. CT was experienced by 18.90% of respondents, primarily emotional neglect (31.44). The median score of DV was 1.99 (0.81), and that of CT was 2.15(0.45). Among the DV subscales, the median score of psychological violence (2.00, IQR = 0.50) and controlling behavior (2.25 with IQR 0.50) was higher compared to physical and sexual violence, whereas the emotional neglect subscale mean score was the highest among the CT subscales, 2.50 (0.50). DV and childhood trauma were significantly associated with BMI ( < 0.001) and education of women ( < 0.001) respectively. The result of ML model showed that the influential predictors of DV and CT are physical violence and physical neglect respectively. Conclusion The present study revealed a positive correlation between CT and DV. Women who experienced emotional neglect or abuse during childhood were more likely to report controlling behaviors and psychological violence in their relationships. CT was reported more frequently than DV and women with higher education levels reported greater childhood trauma. Even with low prevalence, such sensitive subjects must not be discredited. Saudi women should embrace education, employment, and awareness of their rights with the rapid societal change, marking a new beginning for women’s empowerment and safety.

The current study aimed to determine the pregnancy outcomes complications in patients with SLE and its association with clinical, laboratory variables, disease activity, and medication use in the Saudi population, as well as pregnancy effect on disease activity. A multicenter study included pregnant female patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) from three tertiary centers in Saudi Arabia. The demographics, clinical, and laboratory variables, SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI), medication before, during, and after pregnancy, planned pregnancy, pregnancy-related outcomes, and complications in comparison to age-matched healthy female controls were noted. A total of 66 pregnant patients with SLE and 93 healthy age-matched pregnant controls were included in the study. A total of 77.3% had SLEDAI-2K ≤ 4 before conception, and 84.85% of pregnancies were planned. Age of conception, cesarean section, miscarriage, and low birth weight were statistically significant (p <0.05) higher in SLE patients than in healthy controls. Among all clinical and laboratory variables, SLEDAI-2K > 4 and active lupus nephritis during pregnancy were statistically associated with adverse outcomes (p <0.05), history of lupus nephritis was not associated with statistically adverse pregnancy outcomes. Higher SLEDAI-2K > 4 was an independent risk at least 4.87 times higher association with adverse pregnancy outcomes. (p <0.05). SLE is intricately connected with unfavorable pregnancy outcomes. The preconception of high disease activity stands as a pivotal risk factor for adverse outcomes. Despite the disease remission and meticulous planning, SLE patients frequently grapple with disease exacerbations during pregnancy, culminating in unexpected and unfavorable pregnancy-related outcomes. This underscores the intricate and multifaceted nature of managing SLE during gestation.

As healthcare becomes more complex and interprofessional collaboration grows, the ethical responsibilities of nurses in interdisciplinary teams are increasingly scrutinized. Nurses are uniquely positioned to navigate the intersections of patient care, professional practice, and ethical decision-making in multidisciplinary environments. This manuscript explores the interdisciplinary ethical challenges faced by nurses, highlighting the balance required between diverse professional responsibilities, the integration of collaborative practices, and the protection of patient autonomy and well-being. Through a review of core ethical principles and a discussion of the unique position of nurses in team-based care, this paper aims to provide a framework for understanding and addressing the ethical dimensions of interdisciplinary nursing practice.

This study sets out to investigate the reality of the accounting systems applied to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's endowments. We made use of an exploratory study shaping an integrated picture of the accounting system² in endowment institutions. We adopted the descriptive approach to unravel the accounting systems in endowments through a close analysis of the content of the accounting thought in the domain of research and relevant systems. Fieldwork was also used to examine the intrinsic reality of several endowment entities looking into relevant aspects with the aim of studying them. The study used a questionnaire which was applied to a sample of accountants, financial managers, endowment overseers, endowers, and endowment workers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The distributed questionnaires amounted to 52. The study found out that interest of endowment institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in applying accounting practices and systems reached a high level. Additionally, endowment institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia face many challenges in applying accounting systems and practices. Endowment institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia practice the accounting and financial requirements which should be followed in accordance with the regulations issued by the regulatory and supervisory authorities to a high degree. The study recommends the need for benefiting from the international accounting standards applied to business institutions to improve the accounting system in endowment institutions without overlooking the nature of this sector. This can also develop a comprehensive accounting standard for endowment institutions ensuring transparency, accountability, control, and commitment to accounting standards.