Background: Following the remarkable spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), worldwide, it quickly became apparent that many public health systems worldwide were not prepared to manage such a pandemic. We aimed to assess the perceptions of primary care physicians (PCPs) in Jordan toward their role during COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire was performed. The study participants included PCPs from the Ministry of Health, academic institutions, and the private sector in Jordan. Results: A total of 221 PCPs participated in the study. Most participants reported not having received any training on infection control (59.7%) or COVID-19 (81%). More than half PCPs (53.4%) felt positive about the way patients received and/or complied with their instructions. More than half PCPs (55.7%) educated their patients on protective measures against COVID-19 infection and considered this as part of their role and responsibility. Over 80% of the participants would apply social distancing, hand sanitation, facial masks, and patient education, but only half (51.1%) reported planning to order COVID-19 test kits. Conclusions: PCPs had a positive attitude toward controlling COVID-19 infection and showed a willingness to educate patients on how to protect themselves. However, PCPs should be provided special training on COVID-19.

Introduction. Air pollution is considered a risk factor for several diseases, including respiratory and cardiovascular. However, the effects of air pollution on neurobehavioral disorders is not confirmed yet. Thus, this study aimed at determining the association of seven air pollutants with ADHD medication administration (ADHD-MA) in Pennsylvania-located elementary schools over a three-year period. Methods. An ecological study design involving records of 168,825 children from elementary schools in 49 Pennsylvania counties was used. The number of children with ADHD-MA was extracted from an online software specifically designed for allowing nurses to record health conditions in schools. Daily measurements of air pollutants were gained from the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. Results. The mean number of ADHD-MA significantly increased over the 3-year period [163.9 (+ 70.1) in 2008, 317.2 (+ 84.4) in 2009, and 427 (+ 101.4) in 2010]. The difference in the number of ADHD-MA among the three years and among the four seasons, for all years, were statistically significant (P<0.001). Three air pollutants (SO2, CO, and PM2.5) were significantly associated with ADHD-MA; no interactions among air pollutants were significant. Conclusion. Air pollution is likely associated with both ADHD incidence and ADHD-MA. Prospective epidemiological and biomedical studies could examine the relationship between air pollution and ADHD symptoms.