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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0PLOS One

Prevalence, characteristics, and determinants of chest pain among physicians in the Middle East and North Africa: A multinational cross-sectional study

  • Saadi M. Saleh1
  • Weam Aldiban2
  • Alaa Aljamala3
  • Khaled Gadallah4
  • Omar Habib5
  • Mansour Algazar6
  • Omar Abdalazeez7
  • Safia Abdi8
  • Noorulhuda Oudah9
  • Hamza I. Alhamdan10
  • Bushra M. Rageh11
  • DARS Consortium12
1 more authors
  • Rasha Shaker Eldesouky
12 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Internal Medicine, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
  2. 2Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt
  3. 3Faculty of Pharmacy, International University for Science and Technology (IUST), Daraa, Syrian Arab Republic
  4. 4Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt
  5. 5Faculty of Medicine, Portsaid University, Portsaid, Egypt
  6. 6Faculty of Medicine, Alazhar University, Asyut, Egypt
  7. 7Faculty of Medicine, Alazhar University, Cairo, Egypt
  8. 8Omdurman Islamic University Faculty of Medicine, Khartoum, Sudan
  9. 9Alkindy College of Medicine, Baghdad University, Baghdad, Iraq
  10. 10Faculty of Medicine, Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
  11. 11Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Sana’a University, Sana’a, Yemen
  12. 12Vice Dean of Education and Student Affairs, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Banha, Egypt
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Abstract

Background: Physicians face substantial occupational, psychological, and cardiovascular risk factors predisposing them to chest pain, yet no large-scale study has examined this in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This study determined the prevalence, characteristics, and determinants of chest pain among MENA physicians. Methods: This multinational cross-sectional study enrolled 6,224 physicians from 12 MENA countries (August–December 2023). Chest pain was classified using the Rose Angina Questionnaire. Anxiety and panic disorder were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Panic Disorder Screener (PADIS). Binary and multinomial logistic regression identified independent determinants. Results: Overall, 795 (12.8%) met criteria for definitive anginal pain and 2,836 (45.6%) for possible anginal pain. In the adjusted binary model, panic disorder was the strongest predictor (AOR = 2.76, 95% CI: 2.44–3.13), followed by physical comorbidities (AOR = 1.91), sleep deprivation (AOR = 1.61), female sex (AOR = 1.49), anxiety disorder (AOR = 1.38), and obesity (AOR = 1.30). All nicotine product categories were independently associated with chest pain. Multinomial analysis revealed stronger associations of panic disorder (AOR = 3.52) and tobacco use with definitive anginal pain, while electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use was significant only for possible anginal pain. Middle-income country physicians had higher odds than those from high-income countries (AOR = 1.71). Conclusion: Chest pain was highly prevalent among MENA physicians, and was strongly associated with panic disorder, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and nicotine product use. Integrated occupational health programmes addressing both psychological and cardiovascular risk are urgently needed.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{saleh2026prevalence,
  title = {{Prevalence, characteristics, and determinants of chest pain among physicians in the Middle East and North Africa: A multinational cross-sectional study}},
  author = {Saadi M. Saleh and Weam Aldiban and Alaa Aljamala and Khaled Gadallah and Omar Habib and Mansour Algazar and Omar Abdalazeez and Safia Abdi and Noorulhuda Oudah and Hamza I. Alhamdan and Bushra M. Rageh and DARS Consortium and Rasha Shaker Eldesouky},
  journal = {PLOS One},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0355946},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355946},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Prevalence, characteristics, and determinants of chest pain among physicians in the Middle East and North Africa: A multinational cross-sectional study
AU  - Saadi M. Saleh
AU  - Weam Aldiban
AU  - Alaa Aljamala
AU  - Khaled Gadallah
AU  - Omar Habib
AU  - Mansour Algazar
AU  - Omar Abdalazeez
AU  - Safia Abdi
AU  - Noorulhuda Oudah
AU  - Hamza I. Alhamdan
AU  - Bushra M. Rageh
AU  - DARS Consortium
AU  - Rasha Shaker Eldesouky
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/31
JO  - PLOS One
DO  - 10.1371/journal.pone.0355946
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0355946
AB  - Background: Physicians face substantial occupational, psychological, and cardiovascular risk factors predisposing them to chest pain, yet no large-scale study has examined this in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). This study determined the prevalence, characteristics, and determinants of chest pain among MENA physicians. Methods: This multinational cross-sectional study enrolled 6,224 physicians from 12 MENA countries (August–December 2023). Chest pain was classified using the Rose Angina Questionnaire. Anxiety and panic disorder were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Panic Disorder Screener (PADIS). Binary and multinomial logistic regression identified independent determinants. Results: Overall, 795 (12.8%) met criteria for definitive anginal pain and 2,836 (45.6%) for possible anginal pain. In the adjusted binary model, panic disorder was the strongest predictor (AOR = 2.76, 95% CI: 2.44–3.13), followed by physical comorbidities (AOR = 1.91), sleep deprivation (AOR = 1.61), female sex (AOR = 1.49), anxiety disorder (AOR = 1.38), and obesity (AOR = 1.30). All nicotine product categories were independently associated with chest pain. Multinomial analysis revealed stronger associations of panic disorder (AOR = 3.52) and tobacco use with definitive anginal pain, while electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) use was significant only for possible anginal pain. Middle-income country physicians had higher odds than those from high-income countries (AOR = 1.71). Conclusion: Chest pain was highly prevalent among MENA physicians, and was strongly associated with panic disorder, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and nicotine product use. Integrated occupational health programmes addressing both psychological and cardiovascular risk are urgently needed.
SN  - 1932-6203
ER  -