Primary Healthcare Centres In Qatar Research Articles

Facilitators and barriers to interprofessional collaboration among health professionals in primary healthcare centers in Qatar: a qualitative exploration using the “Gears” model

BackgroundThe number of patients seeking medical care is increasing, necessitating more access to primary healthcare services. As several of these patients usually present with complex medical conditions, the need for interprofessional collaboration (IPC) among health professionals in primary care is necessary. IPC is essential for facing the increasing and challenging healthcare demands. Therefore, the facilitators of and the barriers to IPC should be studied in the hope that the results will be used to promote such endeavors.ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the perspectives of different health professionals regarding the facilitators of and the barriers to IPC in the primary healthcare settings in Qatar.MethodsA qualitative study using focus groups was conducted within the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) in Qatar. Several health professionals were invited to participate in the focus groups. The focus groups were uniprofessional for general practitioners (GPs), nurses, and dentists, while they were interprofessional for the other health professionals. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim and validated by the research team. The data were analyzed by deductive thematic analysis using the “Gears” Conceptual Model as a coding framework.ResultsFourteen focus groups were conducted involving 58 participants (including 17 GPs, 12 nurses, 15 pharmacists, 3 dentists, and 11 allied health professionals) working in PHCC in Qatar. The findings revealed a spectrum of factors influencing IPC, categorized into four main domains: Macro, Meso, Micro, and individual levels, with each accompanied by relevant barriers and facilitators. Key challenges identified included a lack of communication skills, insufficient professional competencies, and power imbalances, among others. To address these challenges, recommendations were made to implement dedicated training sessions on IPC, reduce hierarchical barriers among different health professionals, and enhance the effectiveness of existing systems. Conversely, it was emphasized that projects and campaigns focused on IPC, alongside the development of enhanced communication skills and the presence of supportive leadership, as essential for facilitating effective IPC in PHCCs.ConclusionThe interplay between the meso, macro, micro, and individual levels highlight the significance of a multifaceted approach to interventions, aiming to enhance the successes of IPC. While initiatives like interprofessional education training are underway, numerous challenges persist before achieving improved collaboration and more efficient integration of IPC in the PHCC setting.

Motivators and barriers of seasonal influenza vaccination among primary health care physicians in Qatar

Annual influenza vaccination is an effective way to reduce the burden of disease throughout the year. A cross-sectional study was conducted in primary healthcare centres in Qatar to determine vaccination coverage among physicians, motivators, and barriers. The vaccination rate was higher among physicians aged 45 years and above (p-value < 0.005). Most primary care physicians (95 %) strongly agree that being vaccinated reduces the risk of disease spread. The most frequently mentioned barriers were the belief that one could still get influenza after being vaccinated and the fear of side effects (92.6 % and 29.5 %, respectively). Health authorities can implement strategies that take these factors into account to increase immunization coverage.

Antibiotics Prescriptions Pattern among Patients Visiting Primary Health Care Centers (PHCC) before and during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study from Qatar.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been associated with an increased risk of secondary bacterial infections. Numerous studies have reported a surge in antibiotic usage during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency and patterns of antibiotic prescriptions at Primary Health Care Centers (PHCC) in Qatar, comparing the period before and during the pandemic. This population-based, cross-sectional study analyzed all antibiotic prescriptions issued in two-month intervals before COVID-19 (November and December 2019) and during the initial wave (June and July 2020) of COVID-19. The study included 27 PHCCs in Qatar. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, the PHCCs dispensed a total of 74,909 antibiotic prescriptions in November and December. During the first wave of COVID-19, the number decreased to 29,273 prescriptions in June and July 2020. Antibiotics were most commonly prescribed for adults and least commonly for the elderly, both before and during the COVID-19 period. In the pre-COVID-19 period, Betalactams and macrolides accounted for the majority (73%) of all antibiotic prescriptions across all age groups. However, during the COVID-19 period, Betalactams and other antibiotics such as Nitrofurantoin and Metronidazole (73%) were the most frequently prescribed. The rate of antibiotic prescriptions during the first wave of COVID-19 was lower compared to the two months preceding the pandemic at the PHCC in Qatar.

Scope and Predictors of Travel Medicine Practice among Primary Care Physicians in Qatar

In an era of globalization, travel-related illnesses have become a focus of public health concern. Pretravel consultation is an effective measure to promote healthy travel. This study aimed to assess the scope of primary care physicians’ (PCPs) practice of travel medicine (TM) in Qatar and its associated predictors. This was a cross-sectional study design. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from all PCPs working in the 27 primary healthcare centers in Qatar. Descriptive and analytic statistics were used as appropriate, and a multivariable logistic regression model was constructed. Three hundred sixty-four PCPs participated in the study (response rate of 89.2%). Most PCPs (91.1%) provided pretravel consultations of which 72.7% provided less than 10 consultations per month. Overall, pretravel advice content and frequency including vaccine and malaria chemoprophylaxis recommendations were inadequate. Significant predictors of high frequency of pretravel consultations (≥10/month) included male PCPs (AOR 1.78, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.18), PCPs who had postgraduate training or experience in TM (AOR 2.74, 95% CI: 1.59, 4.72), and multilingual (speaking ≥3 languages) physicians (AOR 1.96, 95% CI: 1.12, 3.45). Frequently encountered post-travel illnesses included travelers’ diarrhea, respiratory diseases, and fever. While, most PCPs provided pretravel consultations, the frequency and content of consultations were inadequate. Male PCPs, past training or experience in TM, and multilingual physicians were important predictors of providing a high frequency of pretravel consultation. The findings of this study identified several gaps in PCPs’ TM practice. Specific measures should be designed and implemented to reduce the burden of travel-related illnesses and promote healthy travel.

Primary care dental professionals' experiences of sharp injuries in Qatar: A cross-sectional study.

Very few studies assess sharp injuries solely among dental professionals globally. This study aims to understand the experiences of sharp injuries among primary care dental professionals in Qatar. This is a cross-sectional study where dental professionals working at the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), a public sector healthcare organization and Qatar's largest primary care provider with 27 primary healthcare centers in Qatar, were invited to participate. An online questionnaire was administered to understand participants' experience of sharp injuries and access to occupational health services and training. A total of 114 dental professionals participated in this study. In total, 68.42% (N=78) of participants reported experiencing a sharp injury in the 12months prior to the survey. Majority (N=58; 75.36%) of the reported causes of sharp injuries were related to dental explorers (N=31; 40.26%) and dental injection needles (N=27; 40.26%). Of those who had experienced a sharp injury, 84.47% (N=87) did not report them. In conclusion, the results highlight that sharp injuries are common among primary care dental professionals, and despite having good access to occupational support services, most dental professionals did not report their injuries. Continuous education and training programs must be implemented to improve knowledge and raise awareness to reduce the burden of sharp injuries among dental professionals. More studies from other dental settings are needed to better understand dental professionals' experiences of sharp injuries in Qatar and elsewhere.

The prevalence and associated factors of shisha use among smokers attending three primary healthcare centers in Qatar, 2020.

INTRODUCTIONSmoking is one of the most serious health issues. One form of tobacco use, shisha, is prevalent in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. There is a misconception among smokers that waterpipe use poses no harm to human health. In Qatar, the Global Adult Tobacco Survey in 2013 has shown that 3.4% of adults in the country were current waterpipe users. Nevertheless, there remains a scarcity of data on the knowledge and practice of shisha smokers in Qatar.METHODSThis was a cross-sectional study across three primary healthcare (PHC) centers in Qatar between September and December 2020. A convenient sampling technique was employed to enroll participants. Upon consent, an interview was conducted to collect data from adult smokers (aged ≥18 years). Descriptive and analytic statistics were used when appropriate.RESULTSA total of 281 individuals participated in this study. Nearly half (48.8%) were current shisha users and almost three-quarters (72.9%) had inadequate knowledge in this regard. In addition, only one-fifth (19.5%) of participants attended smoking cessation clinics at the primary healthcare centers and a quarter (25%) of the respondents managed to quit smoking before relapsing. A significant association was found between the shisha knowledge of participants and their nationality (Qatari), employment status (unemployed), smoking status (current smoker), and duration of smoking.CONCLUSIONSThe study results convey a high prevalence of shisha use (47.8%), inadequate shisha knowledge (72.9%), and lack of awareness about available smoking cessation services (46.6%) among the participants. Further research is recommended to generate evidence on the determinants of shisha use and knowledge among the attendees of primary healthcare centers in Qatar.

An Investigation of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Physicians Regarding Child Oral Health at Primary Health Centers in Qatar: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of this study was to investigate physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in relation to oral health in children attending baby well clinics in primary health care centers (PHCC) in Qatar. A cross-sectional design was adopted in which a piloted self-administered questionnaire was sent electronically to 417 physicians (pediatricians/family physicians) practicing in all PHCCs in Qatar. The questionnaire gathered information concerning demographic characteristics and KAP in relation to oral health in children. A score for each domain was given based on the percentage of correct answers. Descriptive and analytical statistics were employed. For descriptive statistics, the frequency of distribution in relation to demographic data and responses to items of the questionnaire was presented. For analytical statistics, associations between independent variables (predictors) and KAP were assessed by employing univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. Predictors which were significantly associated in the unadjusted regression were entered into a final multivariate logistic regression to evaluate their effects after adjustment. The response rate was 24%. The overall mean scores of KAP were 61, 60, and 44.4%, respectively. Females were more likely to give positive answers than males (odds ratio [OR] = 12.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.4-62.2, p = 0.02). Age groups 35 to 45 and >45 years had significantly more correct answers than <35 years age group (OR= 7.5, 95% CI = 1.1-56.6 and 9.2, 95% CI 1.2-44.6, respectively, p = 0.05). No significant associations were found between any of the independent variables with attitudes. With respect to practices, multivariate logistic regression revealed that specialty was significantly associated with practices. Pediatricians were more likely to adopt positive practices when compared with family medicine physicians (OR, 95% CI = 5.3 (1-25.6), p = 0.04). Although physicians demonstrated moderate levels of knowledge and attitudes, this did not reflect positively on their practices. The overall score of practices was considered poor (44.4%). Poor practices in our sample reflected an urgent need for actions and plans to improve this aspect and confirmed other findings which stated that acceptable levels of knowledge or attitudes do not necessarily translate into favorable practices.

Satisfaction of primary care physicians towards initiation of phone consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic management in Qatar: a cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo assess primary care physicians’ satisfaction towards initiation of phone consultation during COVID-19 pandemic management in Qatar and to identify the factors associated with dis/satisfaction.DesignA cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted from 1 June to 30 July 2020.SettingAll the available 27 public primary healthcare centers in Qatar at the time of the study.ParticipantsTwo hundred ninety-four primary care physicians working in the publicly run primary healthcare corporation in Qatar.Primary outcome measuresOverall satisfaction of primary care physicians with the initiation of phone consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar and their satisfaction towards each aspect of this management.ResultsTwo hundred thirty-nine primary care physicians participated in the survey with a response rate of 53.1%. Overall, about 45% and 21% of respondents agreed that COVID-19 disease management has highly impacted and very highly impacted their daily practice, respectively. More than half of the physicians (59.9%) indicated being satisfied/highly satisfied with the initiation of telephone consultation service. On the other hand, few physicians were satisfied (14.3%) or highly satisfied (3.4%) with conducting telephone consultations with patients who lack previous electronic medical records. Also, only 20.3% and 3.8% of physicians were satisfied and highly satisfied with the lack of physical examination in telephone consultations, respectively. On bivariate analysis, primary care physicians’ age was significantly associated with the perceived level of impact of COVID-19 management on daily practice (P = 0.03). There was no significant association between participants’ characteristics and the level of satisfaction toward telephone consultations. On the other hand, there was a statistically significant association between physicians’ age (p = 0.048) and gender (p = 0.014) and their level of satisfaction toward communication and support.

The effect of telemedicine on patients’ compliance in family medicine follow-ups in Qatar

Introduction: Telemedicine is the delivery of health care services to patients distantly. During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, telemedicine has become an essential implement in delivering healthcare services worldwide. Accordingly, in March 2020, the Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) in Qatar has started telephone consultation follow-up appointments in Family Medicine (FM) clinics instead of conventional consultation. Given the limited data about telephone consultations in Qatar, our aim of this study is to investigate the possible impact of telemedicine on chronic disease patients’ follow-up compliance. Methods: This study compares the compliance of adult patients with chronic diseases following-up within FM clinics in Qatar's PHCC through telephone consultations with a minimum of three telephone consultations ordered between April to November 2020, in comparison to the compliance of the same group of patients to their prior face-to-face follow-up consultations in FM clinics with a minimum of three face-to-face ordered follow up appointments between April to November 2019. A cross-sectional study will be carried out to investigate the effect of telephone consultation in PHCC on patients’ compliance with reference to conventional face-to-face consultation. Patients’ data will be received from Health Information Management in twenty-seven PHCCs in Qatar. Conclusion: Due to the limited studies on the effectiveness of telemedicine on patient compliance in FM follow-ups within Qatar's PHCC, comparing patients’ follow-up compliance with telephone consultations to their prior face-to-face consultations would be helpful in assessing patients’ quality of care delivering within FM clinics. With telecommunication being easily accessible and time-efficient, it is believed, when used correctly, it might improve compliance and adherence to the management prescribed by the physician and follow-up appointments in Qatar's PHCC. In addition, this study will help in providing recommendations that could guide the organization on forming policies to be applied in PHCCs after the resolution of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Primary healthcare physicians' satisfaction towards work safety and personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar: A cross-sectional study.

BackgroundDuring COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers are experiencing unprecedented pressure from stressors including enormous workload, virus exposure, and inadequate PPE. This study aimed to assess primary healthcare physicians’ satisfaction towards work safety and personal protective equipment and their predictors during early stages of COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar.MethodsA cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 27 primary healthcare centers in Qatar from 1st June to 30 July 2020. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used when appropriate. A multivariable linear regression analysis was done to identify predictors of satisfaction among participants.ResultsA total of 262 participants completed the questionnaire with a response rate of 58.2%. 51.9% were males and 68.3% were family physicians. Only 14.9% and 17.2% of respondents were satisfied or highly satisfied about the overall safety of work and the clinical guidelines on the use of PPE in the context of COVID-19 respectively. Participants who were general practitioners were significantly more likely to be satisfied with maintaining work safety and local PPE guidelines compared to family physicians by 2.93 scores (95% CI 1.43, 4,43 p -value <0.001), and 2.82 scores (95% CI 1.19, 4,44 p -value 0.001) respectively. Also, physicians who had more than ten years of experience in practice were significantly more likely to be satisfied with the PPE use guidelines compared to those who had fewer years of experience by 1.93 scores (95% CI 0.45, 3.41 p -value 0.011).ConclusionOverall satisfaction of participants with the safety of work and PPE clinical practice guidelines was low.

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.

Cross-sectional online survey to determine the prevalence, knowledge, attitude and practice of tobacco cessation among governmental healthcare workers in Qatar

ObjectivesOne effective approach of tobacco control is to encourage the role and the participation of healthcare workers in the prevention efforts against tobacco use. This study aimed to determine the...

Barriers of Appropriate Antibiotic Prescription at PHCC in Qatar: Perspective of Physicians and Pharmacists.

The Ministry of Public Health in Qatar developed the NAP (National Action Plan to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in collaboration with WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (WHO/EMRO). Among the major factors shaping AMR is antimicrobial prescribing and use. Tailoring Antimicrobial Resistance Program is a behavior change methodology that is utilized to adapt behavior change in relation to antimicrobial use. This study explores barriers of appropriate antibiotic (AB) prescription from the physicians’ and pharmacists’ perspectives at primary healthcare centers in Qatar. Data were collected from 50 participants across two PHCCs: 30 physicians and 20 pharmacists. Two different interview guides were constructed: One for physicians and one for pharmacists. In-depth, face-to-face, five focus groups were conducted and transcribed verbatim. Inductive qualitative analysis, involving discovering the themes in the interviews, was followed. Data were analyzed using constant comparative techniques. The Major themes arose from the analysis revealed that patients, practitioners mainly physicians, and the organization itself, played a role in shaping these barriers in the two primary healthcare centers. The findings would help develop and pilot behavior change interventions among patients, physicians and pharmacists with the aim of optimizing appropriate antibiotic prescription and use, which would support the implementation of the antibiotic stewardship program. Effective behavior change interventions should consider multiple factors including individual and organizational factors to optimize appropriate antibiotic prescription.

Prevalence of polypharmacy and the association with non-communicable diseases in Qatari elderly patients attending primary healthcare centers: A cross-sectional study.

Polypharmacy has become a global public health concern particularly in the elderly population. The elderly population is the most susceptible to the negative effects of polypharmacy due to their altered pharmacokinetics and decreased drug clearance. Therefore, polypharmacy can lead to poor health status and higher rates of morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of polypharmacy (≥ 5 drugs) and its association with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in elderly (≥65 years) Qatari patients attending Primary Healthcare (PHC) centers in Qatar. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted using the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) database of all PHC centers in Qatar for six months (April-September 2017). Out of 5639 patients screened, 75.5% (95% CI: 74.3-76.6) were exposed to polypharmacy. Females were 1.18 times more likely to have polypharmacy compared to males (95% CI: 1.03-1.34). The multivariate analysis identified having hypertension (AOR 1.71; 95% CI: 1.38-2.13), diabetes (AOR 2.38; 95% CI: 1.97-2.87), dyslipidemia (AOR 1.29; 95% CI: 1.06-1.56), cardiovascular disease (AOR 1.56; 95% CI: 1.25-1.95) and asthma (AOR 1.39; 95% CI: 1.13-1.72) to be independent parameters associated with polypharmacy. Also, the Body Mass Index (BMI) and number of NCDs were found to be significant independent parameters associated with polypharmacy. The prevalence of polypharmacy among Qatari elderly attending PHC Centers is very high. Our findings confirm the strong relationship between polypharmacy and BMI, and certain NCDs. Healthcare professionals should be educated about the magnitude of polypharmacy, its negative effects, and its associated factors. Best practice guidelines should be developed for improved medical practice in the prescription of medications for such a vulnerable population.

Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of EPDS and BDI-II as a screening tool for antenatal depression: evidence from Qatar

ObjectivesThe current study aimed to validate and determine the psychometric properties of the Arabic versions of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in Qatar.DesignA...

Vitamin D status among adults (18–65 years old) attending primary healthcare centres in Qatar: a cross-sectional analysis of the Electronic Medical Records for the year 2017

ObjectivesTo investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among individuals attending primary healthcare facilities in Qatar and to assess the association between vitamin D deficiency and some medical conditions in...

Nurses’ perceptions of the clinical information system in primary healthcare centres in Qatar: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundQatar is one of the fastest growing countries in the Arabic region. Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) is the main provider of primary health services in Qatar and employs 1600...

Epidemiology of respiratory infections among adults in Qatar (2012-2017).

BackgroundLimited data is available about the etiology of influenza like illnesses (ILIs) in Qatar.ObjectivesThis study aimed at providing preliminary estimates of influenza and other respiratory infections circulating among adults in Qatar.MethodsWe retrospectively collected data of about 44,000 patients who visited Hamad General Hospital clinics, sentinel sites, and all primary healthcare centers in Qatar between 2012 and 2017. All samples were tested for influenza viruses, whereas about 38,000 samples were tested for influenza and a panel of respiratory viruses using Fast Track Diagnostics (FTD) RT-PCR kit.ResultsAmong all ILIs cases, 20,278 (46.5%) tested positive for at least one respiratory pathogen. Influenza virus was predominating (22.6%), followed by human rhinoviruses (HRVs) (9.5%), and human coronaviruses (HCoVs) (5%). A detection rate of 2–3% was recorded for mycoplasma pneumonia, adenoviruses, human parainfluenza viruses (HPIVs), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and human metapneumovirus (HMPV). ILIs cases were reported throughout the year, however, influenza, RSV, and HMPV exhibited strong seasonal peaks in the winter, while HRVs circulated more during fall and spring. Elderly (>50 years) had the lowest rates of influenza A (13.9%) and B (4.2%), while presenting the highest rates of RSV (3.4%) and HMPV (3.3%). While males had higher rates of HRVs (11.9%), enteroviruses (1.1%) and MERS CoV (0.2%), females had higher proportions of influenza (26.3%), HPIVs (3.2%) and RSV (3.6%) infections.ConclusionThis report provides a comprehensive insight about the epidemiology of ILIs among adults in the Qatar, as a representative of Gulf States. These results would help in improvement and optimization of diagnostic procedures, as well as control and prevention of the respiratory infections.

Predictors of Continued Breastfeeding at One Year among Women Attending Primary Healthcare Centers in Qatar: A Cross-Sectional Study

The number of babies in Qatar being exclusively breastfed is significantly lower than the global target set by the World Health Organization. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP), selected barriers, and professional support as well as their association with continued breastfeeding at one year of age. A sample of Qatari and non-Qatari mothers (N = 195) who attended a well-baby clinic held at primary health care centers in Qatar completed a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, the Pearson Chi-squared test, and logistic regression were performed. Around 42% of the mothers stopped breastfeeding when their child was aged between 0 and 11 months old. Mothers who had only one or female child stopped breastfeeding between the ages of 0 and 6 months (p = 0.025, 0.059). The more optimal the breastfeeding practices followed by the mothers, the older the age of the infant when they stopped breastfeeding (p = 0.001). The following factors were inversely associated with breastfeeding duration: the mother’s perceptions that she “did not know how to breastfeed,” or “wasn’t making enough milk,” and the need “to return to work/school”, with p = 0.022, 0.004, and 0.022, respectively. These findings present factors that should be considered when planning for health education and promotion programs to prolong breastfeeding duration in Qatar.