TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence of Generalised Anxiety Disorder among Urban Omani Patients Attending Primary Care Centres
T2 - A Cross-Sectional Study
AU - Al Hanashi, Ahmed
AU - Al Gheithy, Ammar
AU - Al Mubbihsi, Abdallah
AU - Al-Sumry, Sanaa
AU - Jaju, Sanjay
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College. All rights reserved.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background: Anxiety disorders are common mental health illnesses in primary care. Undiagnosed and thus untreated mental disorders can interfere with the patient’s quality of life, ultimately resulting in poor daily functioning, a greater number of doctor consultations, and increased disability. Objective: The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) among an urban adult Omani population as well as associated sociodemographic and clinical variables. Methodology: This study utilised a cross-sectional design and was performed between December 2019 and January 2020. A total of 250 Omani patients were recruited from eight randomised government-funded primary care centres in Muscat, Oman. The prevalence of GAD among the participants was determined by utilising an Arabic version of the validated 7-item General Anxiety Disorder tool delivered during face-to-face interviews. Results: Overall, a total of 33 patients had GAD (13.2%). According to the univariate analysis, a personal history of anxiety (P = 0.001), chronic medical illnesses (P = 0.025), low monthly income (P = 0.018), divorced individuals (P = 0.015), and housewives with extra part-time employment (P = 0.032) were significantly associated with GAD. However, only the absence of a personal history of anxiety (P = 0.001), and high monthly income (P = 0.002) remained a statistically significant protector against GAD in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: We found a high prevalence of GAD among an adult urban Omani population. Moreover, certain clinical and sociodemographic variables were found to be significantly associated with the disorder, including a personal history of anxiety and low monthly income. The quality of life of Omani GAD patients may be improved via rapid screening of the general population.
AB - Background: Anxiety disorders are common mental health illnesses in primary care. Undiagnosed and thus untreated mental disorders can interfere with the patient’s quality of life, ultimately resulting in poor daily functioning, a greater number of doctor consultations, and increased disability. Objective: The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) among an urban adult Omani population as well as associated sociodemographic and clinical variables. Methodology: This study utilised a cross-sectional design and was performed between December 2019 and January 2020. A total of 250 Omani patients were recruited from eight randomised government-funded primary care centres in Muscat, Oman. The prevalence of GAD among the participants was determined by utilising an Arabic version of the validated 7-item General Anxiety Disorder tool delivered during face-to-face interviews. Results: Overall, a total of 33 patients had GAD (13.2%). According to the univariate analysis, a personal history of anxiety (P = 0.001), chronic medical illnesses (P = 0.025), low monthly income (P = 0.018), divorced individuals (P = 0.015), and housewives with extra part-time employment (P = 0.032) were significantly associated with GAD. However, only the absence of a personal history of anxiety (P = 0.001), and high monthly income (P = 0.002) remained a statistically significant protector against GAD in the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: We found a high prevalence of GAD among an adult urban Omani population. Moreover, certain clinical and sociodemographic variables were found to be significantly associated with the disorder, including a personal history of anxiety and low monthly income. The quality of life of Omani GAD patients may be improved via rapid screening of the general population.
KW - Oman
KW - Psychiatric Illness
KW - anxiety disorders
KW - generalized anxiety disorder scale
KW - prevalence
KW - primary health care
KW - public health
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UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/5fc00265-d94e-30cf-b1cd-c3eb16921d70/
U2 - 10.37184/lnjpc.2707-3521.5.14
DO - 10.37184/lnjpc.2707-3521.5.14
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85176878029
SN - 2707-3521
VL - 5
SP - 2
EP - 8
JO - Liaquat National Journal of Primary Care
JF - Liaquat National Journal of Primary Care
IS - 1
ER -