Health Care In Qatar Research Articles

Precision medicine activities and opportunities for shaping maternal and neonatal health in Qatar.

Precision Medicine (PM) is a transformative clinical medicine strategy that aims to revolutionize healthcare by leveraging biological information and biomarkers. In the context of maternal and neonatal health, PM enables personalized care from preconception through the postnatal period. Qatar has emerged as a key player in PM research, with dedicated programs driving advancements and translating cutting-edge research into clinical applications. This article delves into neonatal and maternal health in Qatar, emphasizing PM programs and initiatives that have been implemented. It also features noteworthy clinical cases that demonstrate the effectiveness of precision interventions. Furthermore, the article highlights the role of pharmacogenomics in addressing various maternal health conditions. The review further explores potential advancements in the application of PM in maternal and neonatal healthcare in Qatar.

Assessment of Qatar's Health Care Community Call Center Efficacy in Addressing COVID-19 Pandemic Health Care Challenges: Cross-Sectional Study.

The global COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 created many unprecedented challenges for health care organizations worldwide, placing a great deal of strain on the health care systems, especially access to health care services. To address these challenges, Qatar established a centralized digital platform as a community call center, initially offering digital consultations via its hotline (number: 16000) and later expanding to include a COVID-19 vaccination hotline (number: 7077) for mass immunization. This study aims to comprehensively examine the community call center's operations and their significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrospective data were collected from the Health Information and Technology Department of the Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar, from March 29, 2020, to January 27, 2022. Data analysis for the hotline (number: 16000) focused on telephone and video call volumes, call response rates, abandonment rates, and call classification. In addition, data from the COVID-19 vaccination hotline (number: 7077) were analyzed for call volumes, call response rates, abandonment rates, appointment booking rates, confirmations, rescheduling, and cancellations. The hotline (number: 16000) received a substantial total of 429,212 calls, with 284,849 (66.37%) calls effectively answered. The average number of calls received per day during the study period was 640.61 (SD 470.53), and the average number of calls answered per day was 425.14 (SD 206.64). Notably, of the total 128,468 consultations, video consultations were conducted for 3810 (2.96%). Among the diverse call categories, diabetes mellitus (6284/84,299, 7.45%), prescriptions and medications (4709/84,299, 5.59%), hypertension (3874/84,299, 4.6%), vitamin D-related issues (3770/84,299, 4.47%), upper respiratory tract infections (2690/84,299, 3.19%), and COVID-19-related inquiries (2590/84,299, 3.07%) were most frequently addressed. For the COVID-19 vaccination hotline (number: 7077), an impressive total of 1,512,354 calls were received, with a 58.27% (n=881,305) call response rate. The average number of calls per day during the study period was 3828.74 (SD 2931.94), and the average number of calls answered per day was 2231.15 (SD 1496.02). Appointment booking accounted for 26.37% (265,721/1,007,596), appointment confirmation accounted for 10.24% (103,136/1,007,596), rescheduling accounted for 7.95% (80,124/1,007,596), and cancellations accounted for 1.6% (16,128/1,007,596) of the calls. The findings of this research highlight the crucial significance of the community call center hotline (number: 16000) and the COVID-19 vaccination hotline (number: 7077) in effectively addressing the multifaceted challenges posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic. In Qatar, the community call center emerged as an indispensable and accessible centralized resource, facilitating streamlined digital consultations and vaccination appointments. The impressive call response rate highlights its operational efficiency, adeptly managing a diverse range of health-related issues. This study emphasizes the critical role of community call centers in health care emergency response, signaling their potential as invaluable assets for future preparedness and effective mitigation strategies during similar public health crises.

Cost-effectiveness of l-glutamine versus crizanlizumab for adults with sickle cell disease: model focused on reducing pain episode costs from Qatar's healthcare perspective.

Treatment options for preventing vaso-occlusive crises among sickle cell disease patients are on the rise, especially if hydroxyurea treatment has failed. This economic analysis is conducted to assess the comparative clinical effectiveness, safety, and acquisition cost of l-glutamine and crizanlizumab for older adolescents and adults (⩾16 years old) with sickle cell disease in Qatar, with an emphasis on treatment costs and acute pain crises. We conduct a decision-tree model, where we compare the clinical and economic outcomes of two novel Food and drug administration (FDA)-approved medications which are available in Qatar; l-glutamine and crizanlizumab over a time horizon of 1 year in a hypothetical cohort of adult sickle cell disease patients from a Qatar healthcare perspective. The main outcome is incremental cost per sickle cell disease-related acute pain crises averted. Model clinical parameters were derived from individual drug randomized trials, published literature, whereas cost parameters from Qatar healthcare payer system (2020-2021). A sensitivity analysis was carried out, and the study results were robust around model inputs. Costs were converted to 2020 US dollars. Study results showed that both treatment modalities' costs were the main driver of this analysis, with an average annual cost of the treatments per patient being $189,014 for crizanlizumab (5 mg/kg), $143,798 for crizanlizumab (2.5 mg/kg), and $74,323 for l-glutamine. The probability of no first-time sickle cell disease-related vaso-occlusive crises averted was 0.001/year for glutamine, 0.26/year for crizanlizumab (5 mg/kg), and 0.34/year for crizanlizumab (2.5 mg/kg). Lower dose crizanlizumab (2.5 mg/kg) dominated the higher one (5 mg/kg). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of crizanlizumab (2.5 mg/kg), when compared to l-glutamine was $81,265 per sickle cell disease-related vaso-occlusive crises averted. When comparing crizanlizumab (5 mg/kg) and l-glutamine, crizanlizumab (5 mg/kg) showed higher efficacy, yet the crizanlizumab incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was at $459,620 than l-glutamine. Crizanlizumab (2.5 mg/kg) may be a cost-effective intervention, yet it is not the approved dose for preventing vaso-occlusive crises in adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease. Crizanlizumab (5 mg/kg) was more cost-effective than the approved l-glutamine per sickle cell disease vaso-occlusive crisis prevented. Of note, we primarily focused on modeling acute vaso-occlusive pain, which limited our ability to consider other key outcomes in sickle cell disease.

Knowledge, attitude, and proficiency of healthcare providers in cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a public primary healthcare setting in Qatar.

Early and effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increases both survival rate and post-cardiac arrest quality of life. This study aims to assess the current knowledge and ability of physicians and nurses in health centers (HCs) operated by the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) in Doha, Qatar, to perform CPR. This study consists of two parts. The first part is a descriptive cross-sectional survey using an online form targeting physicians and nurses working in all HCs to assess their CPR knowledge and attitude. The second part is a direct observation of CPR drills to evaluate the skills and competencies of code blue team members in a convenient sample of 14 HCs. A multivariate model was employed to test the independent effect of explanatory variables on the total knowledge score. A total of 569 physicians and nurses responded to the survey. Only one-half (48.7%) formally received training on basic life support within the last year. Furthermore, 62.7% have tried to revive a dying person with no pulse. All the participants recognize the importance of knowing how to revive a dying adult or child as part of their job. The study showed that being a nurse was the most important predictor of a higher knowledge score in both components. Attending more resuscitation courses (3-6 courses in the last 3 years) ranked second in importance, and a longer experience in clinical practice (5-10 and >10 years) ranked third in predictive power. In addition, the direct observation of CPR drill performance revealed a satisfactory outcome. The level of CPR knowledge and skills practice among healthcare providers in PHCC is deemed satisfactory as most providers reported having performed CPR in the past. Considering that PHCC is the first step to people's healthcare in Qatar, clinical staff should be certified and assessed regularly to ensure retention of resuscitation knowledge and skills.

Investigating physicians' views on non-formulary prescribing: a qualitative study using the theoretical domains framework.

Well-designed and well-maintained drug formularies serve as a reliable resource to guide prescribing decisions; they are associated with improved medicine safety and increased efficiency, while also serving as a cost-effective tool to help manage and predict medicine expenditure. Multiple studies have investigated the inappropriate prescribing of non-formulary drugs (NFDs) with statistics indicating that up to 70% of NFD usage being inappropriate or not following the ascribed NFD policies. To explore physicians' views and influences on their prescribing of non-formulary drugs. Data collection and analysis were underpinned using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted within Hamad Medical Corporation, the main provider of secondary and tertiary healthcare in Qatar, with physicians who had submitted a NFD request in thepreceding 12months. Three overarching themes were identified: providing evidence-based care for individual patients; influences of others; and formulary management issues. Subthemes were mapped to specific TDF domains: environmental context and resources; social influences; professional role and identity; beliefs about consequences; goals; intentions. The behavioral influences identified in this study can be mapped to behavior change strategies facilitating the development of an intervention to promote appropriate prescribing of NFDs with implications for medicine safety and healthcare efficiency.

Planning a large‐scale tabletop exercise to test Qatar's healthcare system readiness to respond to a major incident during the 2022 FIFA World Cup

AbstractThis article is an illustration of ‘Lessons from the Field’. The Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management has begun to present lessons coming from professionals engaged in crisis management. ‘Lessons for the Field’ provides insights that can be useful to other professionals. Moreover, ‘Lessons from the Field’ can stimulate ideas for researchers and provide resources for educators. Hosting a mega‐sporting event such as the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) World Cup presents many healthcare challenges, especially when organized over a small geographical area with many international supporters potentially increasing the country's normal population by 50%. This article presents how a system‐wide tabletop simulation exercise was planned to test Qatar's healthcare system's readiness to respond to a potential major incident during the FIFA World Cup. The healthcare system‐wide tabletop exercise lasted about 4 h with participants engaging in all the various facilities as expected. It provided opportunities for everyone to put their knowledge of major incident response and mass casualty management into practice. The exercise preparation ensured it ran smoothly for all participants who quickly understood how to engage in the activity. It enabled organizers and participants to identify potential gaps in systems and processes, but also in their own ability to manage such situation.

Primary health care capacity assessment in Qatar: the primary health care progression model as an assessment method

Background: The Primary Health Care Performance Initiative (PHCPI) was developed as a measurement of Primary Health Care (PHC) to evaluate the PHC systems, improve services, and maximize health outcomes. With the limitation of data sources and metrics of PHC capacity, PHCPI designed the PHC Progression Model, as a rubric-based mixed-methods assessment tool for capacity measurement through a participatory process. This paper uses the PHC progression model to assess the system capacity of primary health care in Qatar. Methods: The PHC Progression Model consists of a set of 33 quantitative and qualitative measures, each of which is assessed using a rubric that classifies the level of performance into 4 levels, ranging from Level 1 (low capacity) to Level 4 (high capacity). The assessment measured both quantitative and qualitative information. Results: The assessment showed that PHC in Qatar has a strong capacity with an overall score of the key measures of capacity governance (3.6), inputs (4.0), and population health management (4.0). Conclusion: The main strength of the system was in the key inputs such as facility, workforce, fund, information system, and drugs and supply. Also, the assessment showed strong population health and facility management including standardized team organization, measuring performance, community engagement, and use of the information system data. Keywords: Primary health care, progression model, health system evaluation, health care capacity, Qatar

Prevalence and ultrasound features of polycystic ovaries in young females examined by pelvic ultrasound in primary health care in Qatar. Electronic Medical record-based study

Background and study aim: PCOS is a common recognized, heterogeneous disorder affecting women throughout their lifetime and it shows an excess production of androgens hor¬mone, ovulatory dysfunction and polycystic changes of the ovaries which can be seen by ultrasonography. Ultrasound is the first imaging modality widely used in pelvic imaging. It is a non-invasive, rapid, painless, and safe imaging technique with no radiation. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence and ultrasound features of PCOS among young females. Patients and Methods: A Multi-center retrospective descriptive electronic record-based study for all subjects with a valid ultrasound of the ovaries done in PHCC health centers from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2021. The available pelvic ultrasound images were assessed for presence of PCOS sonographic criteria. Prevalence of PCO was calculated. The sonographic features of PCO were described. Results: The current study showed prevalence of PCO among young female with age ranging from 15 to 35 years, to be 6.85% with the majority of cases being bilateral. While unilateral cases were more in the right ovary. Cases with PCO peripheral follicular arrangement were found to be the highest described sonographic finding in PCO cases. Conclusion: Ultrasound plays a major role in PCO diagnosis. The assessment of the ovaries has been greatly improved by sonographic diagnostic criteria of PCO. In addition to demonstration of ovarian size, ultrasonography can evaluate the characteristic patterns of follicles distribution and ovarian stromal changes. Key Words: Prevalence, PCO, US, Pelvis, Qatar.

Prevalence and risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy, neuropathic pain and foot ulceration in the Arabian Gulf region.

Aims/IntroductionThis study determined the prevalence and risk factors for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), painful DPN and diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) in patients with type 2 diabetes in secondary healthcare in Qatar, Kuwait and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.Materials and MethodsAdults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes were randomly enrolled from secondary healthcare, and underwent clinical and metabolic assessment. DPN was evaluated using vibration perception threshold and neuropathic symptoms and painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy was evaluated using the Douleur Neuropathique 4 questionnaire.ResultsA total of 3,021 individuals were recruited between June 2017 and May 2019. The prevalence of DPN was 33.3%, of whom 52.2% were at risk of DFU and 53.6% were undiagnosed. The prevalence of painful DPN was 43.3%, of whom 54.3% were undiagnosed. DFU was present in 2.9%. The adjusted odds ratios for DPN and painful DPN were higher with increasing diabetes duration, obesity, poor glycemic control and hyperlipidemia, and lower with greater physical activity. The adjusted odds ratio for DFU was higher with the presence of DPN, severe loss of vibration perception, hypertension and vitamin D deficiency.ConclusionsThis is the largest study to date from the Middle East showing a high prevalence of undiagnosed DPN, painful DPN and those at risk of DFU in patients with type 2 diabetes, and identifies their respective risk factors.

Common Indications for Referral to the Healthcare system for COVID-19 recovered patients versus Qatar Biobank study population: A descriptive analysis.

Background and Aim of the Work:Qatar Biobank (QBB) is actively acquiring data on the range of short- and long-term health impacts associated with COVID-19. This is performed through the COVID-19 biorepository National project. In this report, we describe the most common indications for the referral to Qatar’s healthcare system of COVID-19 biorepository participants in comparison with the Qatar Biobank (QBB) general population study.Methods:Patients with a laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19, who were Qatar residents that could communicate in Arabic, English, Hindi and Urdu were eligible to participate in the COVID-19 biorepository project. Biological samples of Consented participants were collected on a weekly basis until recovery, and then monthly for a year. Participants were also offered a bone density scan three months after recovery and non-contrast MRI brain and whole-body scan six months after recovery. Number of participants requiring referral for medical follow up after recovery for any abnormal clinically significant findings were recorded and statistically compared to general population referred participants.Results:The majority of referrals for the general population study was for osteopenia versus diabetes for the COVID-19 biorepository projectConclusion:Descriptive analysis of the referral data of the COVID-19 participants and QBB general population (not previously affected by the virus) shows a clear difference between the two populations’ reasons for referrals. Diabetes for COVID 19 recovered participants versus osteopenia for general population. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Spectrum of COVID-19 clinical characteristics among patients presenting to the primary healthcare in Qatar during the early stages of the pandemic: a retrospective multicentre cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo describe clinical characteristics and laboratory investigations of patients with COVID-19 diagnosed in primary care in Qatar and to assess predictors of hospitalisation.DesignA retrospective cross-sectional study.Setting and participants3515 confirmed patients...

Pattern of internet use for pregnancy-related information and its predictors among women visiting primary healthcare in Qatar: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundInternet usage has been steadily increasing and the available online information for pregnant women today is immense.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the prevalence of women who search for information relating to pregnancy on the internet and to identify predictors of this behavior among expecting women visiting primary health care (PHC) centers in Qatar.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at the antenatal clinics of six PHC centers in Qatar from June 1 to December 31, 2019. Pregnant women were recruited through a systematic random sampling technique. Participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and analytic statistics were used when appropriate. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was constructed to identify the predictors of internet use for pregnancy-related information.ResultsThe study included 403 pregnant women (response rate: 87.9%). Most of them were in the 26–35 years age category (71.5%), in the second trimester (55.5%), and had 1–2 children at home (51.5%). The internet was the most common source (81.1%) of pregnancy-related information. The access to online information was mainly through websites (67.3%), mobile applications (48.3%), and social media platforms (39.7%). The most frequently searched topics online were fetal development (74.3%), diet during pregnancy (53.6%), and management of health problems (39.6%). The multivariable regression model identified the age group 26–35 years (AOR: 4.93; 95% CI: 2.14, 11.38), Arabs (AOR: 4.12; 95% CI: 2.03, 8.36), tertiary education (AOR: 5.22; 95% CI: 1.78, 15.33), being a housewife (AOR: 6.37; 95% CI: 1.44, 28.19), or employed (AOR: 5.56 95% CI: 1.31, 23.63), and having up to 2 children as independent predictors of internet use for pregnancy-related information.ConclusionThe internet was a commonly used source of health information among pregnant women in Qatar. Internet use was significantly associated with the age group of 26–35 years, Arabs, higher level of education, being employed or a housewife, and having up to two children.

L-Glutamine and Crizanlizumab for Adults with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in Qatar: A Cost Effectiveness Analysis

Background :Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hereditary disease that is caused by autosomal recessive gene fault in the beta (β) allele of the hemoglobin (Hb) gene. As a result, sickled cells are characterized by easy and abnormal hemolysis with resultant varying degrees of anemia. Globally, the incidence of SCD is estimated to reach 400,000 persons per year, and in the United States alone, for example, the prevalence estimation is approximately 100,000 patients. Possible clinical presentations of SCD may come from different pathophysiologic mechanisms: the disfiguration of the RBC with subsequent loss of function can lead to vascular occlusion and a short lifetime of these RBCs that leads to hemolysis. The most severe and serious manifestation of SCD is the recurrent acute pain, or better known as vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). Additionally, other clinical manifestations that SCD patients may show are acute complications such as acute chest syndrome (ACS), recurrent infections, kidney necrosis, and stroke. Such complications may affect multiple organs and can result in early death. Acute pain crisis is another common complication of SCD and is usually managed with pain medications, especially opioids,This is the first study to address two of novel therapies in patients with SCD in the Middle East. Our study was comprehensive in terms of outcome mostly encountered by SCD patients which is VOC and inclusivity of interventions mostly used for its management and was focused on the target population of in one of areas of high prevalence of SCD in the world. Our analysis tracked the CHEERS guidelines and checklist for reporting. To be also complete, we used only RCT evidence in our analysis. Additionally, in considering VOC, we ensured only studies with a definition compatible with that of the principal Crizanlizumab study were analyzed.Objectives:Treatment options for preventing vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) among sickle cell disease (SCD) patients are on the rise, especially if hydroxyurea treatment has failed. This economic analysis is conducted to assess the comparative clinical effectiveness, safety and acquisition cost of L-glutamine and Crizanlizumab for older adolescent and adults (≥16 years old) SCD in Qatar, with an emphasis on treatment costs and acute pain crises.Methods:We conduct a decision tree model, where we compare the clinical and economic outcomes of two novel FDA-approved medications which are available in Qatar; L-glutamine and Crizanlizumab over a time horizon of one year in a hypothetical cohort of adult SCD patients from a Qatar healthcare perspective. The main outcome is incremental cost per SCD-related acute pain crises averted. Model clinical parameters were derived from individual drug randomized trials, published literature, whereas cost parameters from Qatar healthcare payer system. A sensitivity analysis was carried out, and the study results were robust around model inputs. Costs were converted to 2020 US dollars.Results:Study results showed that both treatment modalities' costs were the main driver of this analysis, with average annual cost of the treatments per patient being $189,014 for Crizanlizumab (5mg/Kg), $143,798 Crizanlizumab (2.5mg/Kg) and $74,323 for L-glutamine. The probability of no first time SCD-related VOC averted were 0.001/year for Glutamine, 0.26/year for Crizanlizumab (5mg/Kg) and 0.34/year for Crizanlizumab (2.5mg/Kg). Lower dose Crizanlizumab (2.5mg/Kg) dominated the higher one (5mg/Kg). The ICER of Crizanlizumab (2.5mg/Kg), when compared to L-Glutamine was $81,265 per SCD-related VOC averted. When comparing Crizanlizumab (5mg/Kg) and L-Glutamine, Crizanlizumab (5mg/Kg) showed higher efficacy, yet the Crizanlizumab ICER was at $459,620 than L-glutamine.Conclusions:Crizanlizumab (2.5mg/Kg) may be cost-effective interventions yet it is not the approved dose for preventing VOC in adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease. Crizanlizumab (5mg/Kg) was more cost effective than the approved L-glutamine per SCD vaso-occlusive crisis prevented. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Prevalence of Generalized Anxiety Disorder among Adults in Primary Health Care in Qatar: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) has distinctive features of excessive anxiety, worries, and tension. People with GAD have a considerable degree of impairment and often have a poor quality of life besides increased health care costs. Our aim is to determine the prevalence of GAD among adults and the associated factors. Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study with a sample size of 385 was conducted on adults aged 18 - 65 years at Primary Health Care Corporation in Qatar. We used probability, cluster sampling technique and written consents were secured from participants who met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Considering the COVID-19 current pandemic, measures were considered at interviews to complete GAD-7 questionnaire which is a seven-item instrument that is used to measure the severity of GAD. A total score ranges from 0 to 21. Scores of 5, 10, 15 represent cut-points for mild, moderate, and severe anxiety respectively. Moderate and severe anxiety are considered worthy of clinical attention. We used SPSS version 23 for data analyses. Approval notice was obtained from the Research Committee. Results: The prevalence of clinically significant GAD (moderate to severe) in the study sample was 5.2%. One half of the group with moderate to severe anxiety felt that their life is tough (very or extremely difficult). One third of the participants diagnosed with clinically significant GAD related it to COVID-19 pandemic. A multiple logistic regression model used to predict GAD showed association with: female gender, Northern Africa/South-eastern Asia nationalities, having a positive family history of anxiety disorders, age less than 30 years, illiterate/primary education level, a very high income, and being a smoker. The primary model that included all the explanatory variables was statistically significant with a 95.6% overall predictive accuracy for the outcome. Conclusion: This prevalence highlights the importance of regular screening of GAD, especially for those at high risk. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key words: Generalized anxiety disorder, prevalence, Qatar.

Qatar Healthcare Workers' COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Attitudes: A National Cross-Sectional Survey.

Introduction: Healthcare workers are the critical frontline workforce of the COVD-19 pandemic and are considered a target group for vaccination. Hesitancy to vaccinate is a major concern that can jeopardize the vaccination programme. The hesitancy rates in the general population and healthcare workers (HCWs) vary globally, and more importantly, hesitancy in HCWs is of particular concern, as it can influence the wider population.Materials and Methods: The present study evaluated the vaccine hesitancy rate and its sociodemographic and attitudinal factors among the HCWs in the state of Qatar. We conducted a national cross-sectional survey using a validated hesitancy measurement tool between October 15 and November 15, 2020. A total of 7,821 adults above the age of 18 years out of the 2.3 million adult Qatari residents completed the survey. While majority of the participants were from the general public, 1,546 participants were HCWs. Sociodemographic data, along with attitudes and beliefs around COVID-19 vaccination, were collected from the respondents.Results: We found that 12.9% of the study participants showed vaccine hesitancy, defined as definitely or probably will not take the vaccine if offered, and 25.31% reported that they were unsure about the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine. Female respondents were more hesitant toward the vaccine. Safety and efficacy concerns of vaccine were the significant predictors of vaccine hesitancy. The primary predictor for vaccine acceptance was a better understanding of the disease and vaccine.Discussion: Overall, 1 in 8 HCWs were reluctant to get vaccinated against COVID-19, mainly due to concerns about the vaccine's efficacy and safety. Education about the vaccine's safety and efficacy can potentially improve acceptance among healthcare workers.

Cybersecurity for next generation healthcare in Qatar

Background: IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) devices (often referred to IoMT domain) have the potential to quickly diagnose and monitor patients outside the hospital by transmitting information through the cloud domain using wireless communication to remotely located medical professionals (user domain). shows the proposed IoMT framework designed to improve the privacy and security of the healthcare infrastructure. Methods: The framework consists of four modules: 1. Intrusion Detection System (IDS) using deep learning (DL) to identify bluetooth-based Denial-of-Service (DoS)-attacks on IoMT devices and is deployed on edge-computing to secure communication between IoMT and edge. 2. IDS is backed up with identity-based cryptography to encrypt the data and communication path. 3. Besides the identity-management system (to authenticate users), it is modeled with aliveness detection using face authentication techniques at the edge to guarantee the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of the framework. 4. At the cloud level, another IDS using MUSE (Merged-Hierarchical-Deep-Learning-System-with-Layer-Reuse) is proposed to protect the system against Man-In-The-Middle attacks, while the data is transferred between IoMT-EDGE-CLOUD. Results: These four modules are developed independently by precisely analyzing dependencies. The performance of IDS in terms of precision is 99% and for the identity-management system, the time required to encrypt and decrypt 256-bit key is 66 milliseconds and 220 milliseconds respectively. The true positive rate is 90.1%, which suggests real-time detection and authentication rate. IDS (2) using MUSE (12-layer) the accuracy is >95%, and it consumes 15.7% to 27.63% less time to train than the smaller four-layer model. Conclusion: Our designed models suit edge devices and cloud-based cybersecurity systems and support the fast diagnosis and care required by critically ill patients in the community.

Development of a model to deliver primary health care in Qatar

BackgroundHealthcare providers around the world are seeking to manage the rising burden of chronic conditions against a backdrop of both growing and ageing populations as well as greater expectations of...

Efficacy and Cost Effectiveness of Intravenous Ferric Carboxymaltose Versus Iron Sucrose in Adult Patients with Iron Deficiency Anemia

Abstract: Objectives: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a major health issues and common type of nutritional deficiency worldwide. For IDA treatment, IV iron is a useful therapy. Many intravenous (IV) iron preparations are used for treatment of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of ferric carboxymaltose (FCM) in comparison to iron sucrose (IS) in treatment of IDA adult patients; considering cost-effectiveness (CE) for IDA patients from Qatar healthcare system perspective. We evaluated both treatments considering their response outcomes at 12 months period as well their respective acquisition costs. Methods: This was a cross sectional study with retrospective data performed on 764 IDA adult patients who were treated either with FCM or IS for IDA linking clinical efficacy (defined as improvement in hemoglobin (HB), ferritin and transferrin saturation levels) utility, and CE evaluation, including Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) over a 12-months period. The response to treatment was the primary outcomes. As the clinical laboratory data were collected before and after the first injection of the medications. The cost i.e. resources consumed were also the main outcome in our study. The cost effectiveness of FCM and IS was the secondary outcome. Direct healthcare costs were derived from the national healthcare payer system. Both descriptive and differential statistics were applied for data analysis. Alpha = 0.05. Results: Patients in the IS group used significantly higher number of injections, ampoules of medication, NS 0.9% bags and visits to the IV suite compared to FCM group. There were significant changes of laboratory tests between the FCM and IS groups. Further analysis in the change of effectiveness, indicated that the changes of hemoglobin and MCH levels in the IS group were significantly higher than the FCM group. The overall cost of IS therapy was significantly slightly higher than FCM. The medication cost for FCM was approximately 6.5 times higher than IS but cheaper in terms of bed cost and nursing cost. CE ratio illustrated that FCM and IS were significantly different in terms of HB, ferritin and MCH levels. Further, ICER indicated that further justifications and decisions need to be made for FCM when using HB, iron, transferrin saturation, MCH and MCV levels as the surrogate outcomes. Conclusions: The higher cost of FCM versus IS can be offset by savings in healthcare personnel time and bed space. ICER indicated that further justifications and decisions need to be made for FCM when using HB, iron, transferrin saturation, MCH and MCV levels as the surrogate outcomes. Limitations and strengths: Limited data is available with respect to comparison of safety and adverse effects of FCM and IS. The data is reliable as it was collected and documented before and after the treatment. Patients were monitored 30 min after the infusion to ensure keen observation and maximum safety. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Primary care mental health services in Qatar.

With rapid growth and development in recent decades, the State of Qatar has been redefining strategies and policies towards building a world-class healthcare system. Mental health has emerged as a priority area for development. As a result, mental health services in the region are being redefined and expanded, and this was realised with the launching of the ambitious National Mental Health Strategy in 2013. Traditionally, mental healthcare in Qatar had been considered to be the remit of psychiatrists within secondary care. The new strategy supported the transition towards community-based care. It outlined a plan to design and build a comprehensive and integrated mental health system, offering treatment in a range of settings. In this article, we provide an overview of the advent of primary care mental health services in Qatar. We discuss the historical aspects of psychiatric care and development of primary care mental health services in Qatar.

Generalized and pregnancy-related anxiety prevalence and predictors among pregnant women attending primary health care in Qatar, 2018–2019

BackgroundCumulative evidence suggests that early identification of anxiety in pregnancy is important, given that antenatal anxiety has been linked to morbid outcomes in expecting mothers and their offspring. However, the burden of antenatal anxiety is not yet known in Qatar. This research aims to measure the prevalence and determinants of generalized and pregnancy-related anxiety among pregnant women. MethodsEight hundred pregnant women completed a structured interview and self-administrated questionnaires after being selected through probability sampling from nine primary healthcare centers distributed across Qatar. We subjected the data to Binary and Multiple Logistic Regression Analysis. Furthermore, we conducted a Confirmatory Factor Analysis for the utilized scales. ResultsOut of eight hundred participants, 26.5% reported high pregnancy-related anxiety, while 16.4% had a generalized anxiety disorder. A high level of perceived social support and resilience was shown to mitigate generalized and pregnancy-related anxiety. However, we revealed that different determinants influence the two types of anxiety. LimitationsThere is no recognized optimal cut-off point to distinguish ‘high risk’ in pregnancy-related anxiety scales. ConclusionsPregnancy-related anxiety is more prevalent than generalized anxiety among pregnant women in Qatar, indicating that stakeholders must include screening for pregnancy-related anxiety in Qatar's clinical guidelines. Tailored interventional studies could focus on increasing resilience and social support to decrease the burden of antenatal anxiety.