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Background/Aims: Anaemia is associated with negative outcomes for both mothers and infants. Better understanding of its consequences could lead to improved guidelines for screening and treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate anaemia in pregnancy and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes among pregnant women in Oman. Methods: This retrospective study examined the medical records of women who gave birth at a university hospital in Oman over a 3-year period. Chi-squared tests were used for data analysis. Results: A total of 723 pregnant women were included, with 62.8% diagnosed with anaemia. Anaemia was significantly associated with preterm birth (P=0.037), low birth weight (P=0.009), intrauterine growth restriction (P=0.002) and postpartum heamorrhage (P=0.019). Conclusions: Anaemia is a significant health concern for pregnant women in Oman. Further research will provide more data on its effects, informing targeted interventions and policy enhancements. Implications for practice: Early antenatal screening, targeted iron supplementation, nutritional education, appropriate treatment and active management during birth would help address this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explored symptom clusters in a heterogenous sample that includes all age groups, and all types of cancer being treated with chemotherapy. A cross-sectional survey design was used. The sample comprise 393 cancer patients with a mean age of 52.1 years (SD 13.9). The most prevalent symptoms were tiredness (78.9%), lack of energy (71.8%), and irritability (66.9%) and the most distressing symptom was lack of appetite. Four clusters of the symptom experience: chemotherapy-related, psychological, fatigue and pain, and gastrointestinal symptoms, regardless of the dimension used, were identified. The content and number of symptoms within each cluster using the distress dimension were slightly different from the occurrence dimension. The findings call for an early comprehensive assessment and treatment of symptoms for patients undergoing chemotherapy. Also, healthcare providers especially nurses need to thoroughly assess and manage these symptoms to ease patients' experience, enhance their compliance and improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the introduction of numerous guidelines and pharmacological interventions to manage cancer pain, poor assessment and under-medication remain common. Aim: To estimate the prevalence of cancer pain and the adequacy of its management in Jordan. Method: A convenience sample of 162 cancer patients from two hospitals participated in a cross-sectional survey using an Arabic version of the Brief Pain Inventory-short form (BPI). Results: 73.3% of the patients had pain severe enough to merit rating on the BPI.The mean of the worst pain scores in the past 24 hours was high at 7.5 out of 10 (standard deviation (SD) 2.7). 31 % of patients with pain had not been treated for their pain, and the mean Pain Management Index score was -1.20 (SD 1.0). Conclusion: These cancer patients were experiencing high levels of pain, which was undertreated. Providing adequate pain management is a priority, hence more education, training, and resources are needed in Jordan to reduce cancer patients' suffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]