University Students' Physical Activity: Perceived Barriers and Benefits to Physical Activity and Its Contributing Factors

Introduction

In general, undergraduate university students in the north of Jordan have a low level of physical activity.

Objectives

To examine the physical activity level, perceived barriers and benefits to physical activity, and the contributing factors among university students in north of Jordan.

Methods

A cross-sectional study design was used, and data was collected from 235 university students through a self-reported questionnaire. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was utilized to calculate the amount of physical activity, while the exercise benefits and barriers scale (EBBS) was used to measure the perceived benefits and barriers of physical activity.

Results

According to the findings, less than half of the students (48.1%) reported engaging in physical activity. Several factors were found to be significantly related to higher levels of physical activity, including being younger, single, having a normal body weight, and reporting excellent health status. Logistic regression analysis revealed that overweight (OR = -0.068, 95% CI 0.025-0.183) and obese (OR = -0.250, 95% CI 0.068-0.924) were less likely to be physically active, while those who rated their health as excellent had higher rates of physical activity (OR = 3.590, 95% CI 1.263-10.201). The students agreed most strongly with the perceived benefit item "Exercise improves the way my body looks," while the perceived barrier item they identified most strongly with was "There are too few places for me to exercise."

Conclusion

This study provides important data for health promotion programs aimed at supporting physical activity among university students.

The lived experience of Omani adolescents and young adults with mental illness: A qualitative study

There is currently limited knowledge about the firsthand experiences of adolescents and young adults with mental health problems and the meanings they ascribe to these experiences, particularly within Arab countries. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the lived experience of Omani adolescents and young adults with a mental health problem. A sample of 15 participants aged 13-22 diagnosed with a range of mental health problems took part in the study. A qualitative interview guide consisting of open-ended questions was used to allow participants to speak in-depth about their experiences. Using the thematic analysis approach to uncover patterns in the data, three major themes emerged: "living in darkness", "perilous journey" and "uncertain future". Results show that the progress of adolescents and young adults with mental health problems is characterized by several challenges; the most significant of which is having insufficient knowledge about their illness, leading to unnecessary delays in their treatment. These findings shed light on the breadth and depth of the experience of adolescents and young adults with mental health problems and lay the groundwork for further examinations. Implications lie in the development of approaches for preventing or mitigating difficulties faced by adolescents and young adults with mental health problems.

Psychological Reactions of Lebanese Nurses to Workplace Violence in Critical Care Units

Introduction

Workplace violence (WPV) is a growing concern that constitutes a major threat to occupational health and safety, thereby comprising a priority issue for policymakers. Given the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and comorbidities among the Lebanese population, nurses working in critical care settings encounter intense workloads and high-risk interactions, potentially increasing the risk of WPV.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the traumatic and psychological reactions of Lebanese critical nurses who have been exposed to WPV, and the risk factors for depression and anxiety.

Methods

The study utilized a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design; 112 critical care nurses from diverse departments took part in this study during the period of June to July 2021.

Results

A positive, significant correlation between WPV exposure and self-reported anxiety was observed, p = .03 with high levels of WPV, especially among patients and their families. Although verbal abuse was found to be more prevalent among critical care nurses in Lebanon compared to physical and sexual violence, the severity of the situation and its impact on the nurses' mental health and well-being cannot be ignored.

Conclusions

WPV for critical care nurses is a serious issue that needs to be considered. Policy-makers should develop the politics of regulating the nursing profession, especially for critical care nurses in Lebanon.

Knowledge and Compliance With Standard Precautions Among Nurses

Introduction

The spread of microorganisms is caused by direct or indirect contact, respiratory droplets, and airborne transmission. Knowledge and compliance with standard precautions are crucial in preventing infection in the hospital.

Objectives

To assess the level of knowledge and compliance with standard precautions among registered nurses who work in military hospitals and the factors affecting compliance with standard precautions.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. Four hundred and eight registered nurses at three Jordanian Royal Medical Services hospitals completed an online self-report questionnaire using a convenience sampling technique. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25 was used to analyze the data.

Results

The level of knowledge of standard precautions among nurses was excellent, with an overall mean score of 15.59 ± 2.22 out of 20; around half (54%) of them had an excellent level. Nurses' compliance with standard precautions was intermediate, with an overall mean score of 59.65 ± 14.57 out of 80. Forty-seven percent of nurses had a high degree of compliance. Compliance with standard precautions was correlated positively with age, working experience in years, total knowledge score, training in standard precautions, and availability of personal protective equipment, and negatively with exposure to sharp injuries.

Conclusion

Nurses play a key role in preventing and managing hospital infections through their responsibility for a large proportion of patient treatment and care. Therefore, efforts should be made to improve nurses' perceptions of the basic elements of standard precautions. Even so, results showed that compliance with standard precautions was intermediate. This highlights the need to take the necessary measures to raise the level of compliance. Even so, results showed that compliance with standard precautions was intermediate. This highlights the need to take the necessary measures to raise the level of compliance.

Enhancing Medication Adherence Among Patients With Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder: Mobile App Intervention Study

Introduction

Technology has permeated every aspect of our existence and the mental health sector is not exempt from this.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to test the impact of using a mobile phone app (MyTherapy pill reminder and medication tracker) on medication adherence in patients with schizophrenia and/or schizoaffective disorder.

Methods

Time series design was used. Fifty-one participants were recruited from tertiary hospitals in Oman. The Medication Adherence Rating Scale was used for assessing medication adherence. The data related to medication adherence were collected at baseline, 3 months later and 3 months after installing the program on participants' smartphones. SPSS data set used to analyze the data.

Results

A repeated-measures ANOVA found no significant change in the level of adherence among patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorders at the start and 12 weeks later when the mobile app was installed (p  =  .371). However, adherence scores improved significantly 12 weeks after installation of mobile app compared with the same group at the baseline and 12 weeks before the installation of mobile app (p < .001).

Conclusion

The mobile phone app was effective in improving the adherence level among patients. Installation of the program and teaching patients how to use it to improve their level of adherence is recommended.

Associated factors of stigma toward people with mental illness among university and school students

PURPOSE

This study aimed to explore the associated factors of stigma towards people with mental illness among Omani school and university students.

DESIGN AND METHOD

A cross-sectional study among 371 school and university students with a multivariable linear regression model to identify the associated factors of personal and perceptions of stigma.

RESULTS

Male students, those with highly educated mothers, have high monthly income, higher mental health knowledge, employed fathers, and received focused education on mental illness showed fewer stigmatizing attitudes.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Enhancing the knowledge about mental illness among school and university students and their families can play a significant role in reversing stigma.

Correlation between Fear of Missing Out and Night Eating Syndrome among University Students

Objective: The aim was to explore the relationship between Night Eating Syndrome (NES) and experiencing Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) among college students in Oman.

Method: A descriptive, correlational and cross-sectional design was performed on 266 university students studying at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. The data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, Night Eating Syndrome and Fear of Missing Out questionnaires. Data analysis was performed through Pearson correlation, One-way ANOVA and independent t-test using SPSS 24 software

Results: The participants’ ages ranged between 18 and 30 years (M = 21.15; SD = 1.97). The majority of the participants were female (204, 76.7%), single (266, 97.7%), and 152 (57.1%) lived on campus Overall, a weak positive and nonsignificant correlation between FoMO and NES and a significant difference between males and females in the mean score of FoMO (P = 0.005) was noticed. The mean score of NES among students who live on campus was higher than for those living off campus (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study explored a limited aspect of the relationship between fear of missing out and night eating behaviors among university students in Oman. There was no significant direct relationship between both variables. The study needs to be repeated using a larger sample size and more rigorous methods to calculate the number of snacks/day, and the number of meals/day

Prevalence and Predictors of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress among Youth at the Time of COVID-19: An Online Cross-Sectional Multicountry Study

Depression and anxiety are prevalent mental illnesses among young people. Crisis like the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may increase the current prevalence of these illnesses. A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used to (1) explore the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among youth and (2) identify to what extent certain variables related to COVID-19 could predict depression, anxiety, and stress (DAS) among young people in six different countries. Participants were requested to complete an online survey including demographics and the DAS scale. A total of 1,057 participants from Oman (n = 155), Saudi Arabia (n = 121), Jordan (n = 332), Iraq (n = 117), United Arab Emirates (n = 147), and Egypt (n = 182) completed the study. The total prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 57%, 40.5%, and 38.1%, respectively, with no significant differences between countries. Significant predictors of stress, anxiety, and depression were being female, being in contact with a friend and/or a family member with mental illness, being quarantined for 14 days, and using the internet. In conclusion, COVID-19 is an epidemiological crisis that is casting a shadow on youths' DAS. The restrictions and prolonged lockdowns imposed by COVID-19 are negatively impacting their level of DAS. Healthcare organisations, in collaboration with various sectors, are recommended to apply psychological first aid and design appropriate educational programmes to improve the mental health of youth.

A position statement about predictive genetic testing among children

Genetic testing of children to predict their future risk of illness is controversial. When parents make the decision to test their children, they deprive them of their autonomy. Furthermore, while genetic testing to predict the onset of treatable illnesses is welcomed, healthcare providers argue that it is of no benefit for untreatable disorders, such as certain types of cancer. The authors believe that the benefits of predictive genetic testing of children outweigh the concerns and that it should be encouraged. This article provides a position statement of many healthcare providers and researchers in Jordan. It intends to encourage the development of a policy for the genetic testing of children in Jordan as well as other countries where these policies are lacking.

Knowledge and Attitudes of Young People toward Mental Illness: A Cross Sectional Study

The aim of the study was to investigate young Jordanians' knowledge and attitudes toward people who have a mental illness. A cross sectional design was utilized. A convenient sample of 858 participants aged between 15-24 years old completed a survey. Participants under 19 years were accessed through their schools and those 19 years and above were accessed through universities. Results showed that although the majority of university and school students' responses were generally consistent, they disagreed on 11 items on the survey; for example, 186 (39.3%) of university students agreed that mental illness has a biological origin compared with only 119 (30%) of school students. The majority of young people 737 (85.9%) were willing to learn and 792 (92.3%) felt that they have to help people with mental illness, which make them willing to learn. In conclusion, the findings provide insights for decision makers and researchers in Jordan about young peoples' knowledge and attitudes toward mental illness. Increasing young adults' literacy through introducing educational programs such as mental health first aid courses will enrich their knowledge; help change attitudes and reduce stigma toward people living with mental illness.