Journal of the Oman Medical Association

Background: Neck and shoulder pain are prevalent occupational health issues among school teachers globally, impacting work performance and quality of life. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with neck and shoulder pain among school teachers in Oman. Methods: A cross-sectional study using chi-square and logistic regression analyses was conducted in March–April 2025 among 419 full-time school teachers in three Omani governorates. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic, behavioral, physical, psychosocial, and health-related factors. Results: A high prevalence of neck and shoulder pain among participants was observed, with 98.3% reporting pain in the past 12 months. Chronic pain lasting over a year was reported by 59.7%, with 37.0% experiencing severe pain. Psychological job demands were high, with 62.8% reporting high levels of stress. Conclusions: The study did not find significant associations with physical risk factors, but highlighted the importance of broader determinants such as low physical activity, obesity, and lack of supervisory support in relation to chronic neck and shoulder pain among teachers.

Background: Help-seeking for mental health care remains low in Oman and globally, contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. Identifying barriers is essential to improving access. This study is the first to examine the prevalence of mental health problems and help-seeking behavior in Al Dhahira governorate, Oman. Methods: It is a cross-sectional study conducted between 1 August and 30 September 2023, in the three cities of Al Dhahira Governorate, Oman. It employed a convenient, proportionate sampling approach and involved willing Omani adults aged 18–64 from the 18 areas of Al Dhahira governorate. Data were collected using the Barriers to Access to Care Evaluation (BACE-III) Arabic Version questionnaire, which was self-completed by the participants. IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 23) was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 357 participants were involved in the study. It was found that the prevalence of mental health problems (self-reported) was 11.5% and only 5.3% sought professional help. Age (p-value = 0.046) and marital status (p-value = 0.028) were found to be significantly associated with having mental health problems. While the significantly associated factors with stigma barriers were city (p-value = 0.039) and education level (p-value = 0.023), the associated factor with attitudinal barriers was educational level (p-value = 0.049). The independent predictors for seeking mental health care and having mental health problems were government worker (p-value = 0.014) and Yanqul residency (p-value = 0.003). Conclusions: In the Al Dhahira governorate, the prevalence of mental health problems was found to be low. Stigma and attitudinal barriers affect seeking help significantly in the governorate. Integrating mental health into the primary care setting and increasing awareness to overcome these barriers will improve access to mental health services.

Background: This cross-sectional study was conducted among adult Omani patients with a confirmed laboratory diagnosis of COVID-19 to determine the prevalence of dizziness, tinnitus and headache in the pre-, during and post-COVID-19 recovery phases. Methodology: The characteristics and severity of symptoms of dizziness, tinnitus and headache in the above three phases were determined by telephone interviews. The severity of symptoms was recorded using the visual analog score. Results: The total number of patients selected was n = 102 (M/F 50/50%; overall mean age = 33.52 ± 3.6 years). The pre-COVID-19 prevalence of dizziness was 16%, tinnitus 13% and headache 53%. During COVID, the prevalence of dizziness increased to 41%; for tinnitus, it remained the same; and for headache, it increased to 73%. Compared to the lower age group category (30–32 years); the pre-COVID-19 prevalence of dizziness was significantly higher in the 33–40 years age group. The severity of symptoms showed a significant correlation in different phases, pre- and post-COVID-19, for dizziness (r = 0.556), tinnitus (r = 0.714) and headache (r = 0.696), and tinnitus during and post-COVID-19 (r = 0.570). Conclusion: The prevalence of dizziness, tinnitus and headaches was high in COVID-19 patients. All symptoms pre-COVID-19 and during COVID-19 persisted post-COVID-19.