The Epidemiology of Cystic Fibrosis in Arab Countries: A Systematic Review

AbstractCystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic autosomal recessive disease that involves multiple systems. Both life quality and expectation are affected by the debilitating multi-system involvement of the disease which includes pulmonary, gastrointestinal, reproductive, and endocrine symptoms. Very few studies have covered the epidemiological aspects of the disease among Arab countries. To systematically review the available epidemiological literature on cystic fibrosis in order to describe the epidemiological state of this disease in the Arab world, this review used PubMed to search for relevant articles related to patients with cystic fibrosis, with no restriction on gender or age. Google scholar and the snowballing technique were used to locate further articles. A total of 17 articles met the inclusion criteria for this review. These articles were from Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. The articles scored 1.5–6.5 out of 8 on the quality assessment. The epidemiological data reported varied based on country and type of study. The establishment of CF registries is definitely a priority in the region, as well as the need for more research involving CF patients particularly those involving the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of these patients.

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Perceived Barriers to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity among Adolescents in Seven Arab Countries: A Cross-Cultural Study

The Scientific World JOURNAL ◽

10.1155/2013/232164 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 2013 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

Abdulrahman O. Musaiger ◽

Mariam Al-Mannai ◽

Reema Tayyem ◽

Osama Al-Lalla ◽

Essa Y. A. Ali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Public Schools ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Healthy Eating ◽

Arab World ◽

Weight Maintenance ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Noncommunicable Diseases ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

Males And Females

Objective.To highlight the perceived personal, social, and environmental barriers to healthy eating and physical activity among Arab adolescents.Method.A multistage stratified sampling method was used to select 4698 students aged 15–18 years (2240 males and 2458 females) from public schools. Seven Arab counties were included in the study, namely, Algeria, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Palestine, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates. Self-reported questionnaire was used to list the barriers to healthy eating and physical activity facing these adolescents.Results.It was found that lack of information on healthy eating, lack of motivation to eat a healthy diet, and not having time to prepare or eat healthy food were the main barriers to healthy eating among both genders. For physical activity, the main barriers selected were lack of motivation to do physical activity, less support from teachers, and lack of time to do physical activity. In general, females faced more barriers to physical activity than males in all countries included. There were significant differences between males and females within each country and among countries for most barriers.Conclusion.Intervention programmes to combat obesity and other chronic noncommunicable diseases in the Arab world should include solutions to overcome the barriers to weight maintenance, particularly the sociocultural barriers to practising physical activity.

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Children’s access to beneficial information in Arab states: Implementation of Article 17 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates

Global Studies of Childhood ◽

10.1177/2043610616676029 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 376-387 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Naomi Sakr

Keyword(s):

Human Rights ◽

Digital Media ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Arab World ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Lower Priority ◽

Rights Of The Child ◽

Screen Content ◽

Overall Performance ◽

The Relationship

In theory, the multiple platforms and transnational nature of digital media, along with a related proliferation of diverse forms of content, make it easier for children’s right to access socially and culturally beneficial information and material to be realised, as required by Article 17 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Drawing on data collected during research on children’s screen content in the Arab world, combined with scrutiny of documents collated by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, which monitors compliance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, this article explores how three Arab countries, Egypt, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates, presented their efforts to implement Article 17 as part of their periodic reporting on their overall performance in putting the Convention on the Rights of the Child into effect. It uncovers tensions over the relationship between provision, participation and protection in relation to media, reveals that Article 17 is liable to get less attention than it deserves in contexts where governments keep a tight grip on media and that, by appearing to give it a lower priority, all parties neglect the interdependence of human rights in relation to media and children.

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Education In The Arab Gulf States and the Arab World

American Journal of Islam and Society ◽

10.35632/ajis.v18i4.1993 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 172-175

Author(s):

Zeinab Ibrahim

Keyword(s):

Social Sciences ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Arab World ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Historical Overview ◽

The Social ◽

Gulf States ◽

Arab Gulf ◽

Arab Gulf States

Education In The Arab Gulf States And The Arab World: An AnnotatedBibliography is divided into six parts. Each part contains between one toten chapters according to the topic. In the preface, the author mentions thatshe includes all references found in US libraries and the Libraryof Congress and does not include references from Arab countries. Shealso mentions that she was "selective" in her choices of what to includeand what not. For example, literature from the social sciences thatcontained a lot of stereotyping and biased information about Islam, Arabsand Arab society in general was excluded. Unpublished works alsowere not included. The author then describes her method of listing thebibliography: when there was literature available on the Arab world ingeneral, she included that, and then she would list the seven Gulf States inalphabetical order. If there were no references for a country, then thecountry is not mentioned and she jumps to the next country in that order.Part One contains only one chapter, which is the introduction. ElSannbarypresents an historical overview of the Gulf States, which is herfocus: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UnitedArab Emirates. A map of the region is presented on page four. She surveysthe history and the present conditions of the seven states economically,politically and educationally. The rest of the chapter includes a one-pagesummary on all the topics, which are mainly the chapters that follow.Part Two comes under the heading "General Background andResources", and consists of three chapters. Chapter Two, "Context ofEducation", contains 165 entries. It starts with the Arab World (entry 1-52)followed by Bahrain (52-60), Iraq (61-76), Kuwait (77-95), Oman (96-102), Qatar (103-108), Saudi Arabia (109-154), and the United ArabEmirates, (155-165). This is the system followed throughout the wholebook. When there is no literature available on a country, it is notmentioned. Chapter Three, "Bibliographies and References", starts withgeneral references (166- 215), and then is followed by Iraq (216), Kuwait(217), Oman (218-2190, Qatar (220-223), United Arab Emirates (224)and finally educational references (225-259). Chapter Four, "Religion andEducation," lists 120 entries (260-380) ...

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Research on psychosocial aspects of asthma in the Arab world: a literature review

Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine ◽

10.4081/mrm.2015.289 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Author(s):

Anas J. Al-Khateeb ◽

Jamal M. Al-Khateeb

Keyword(s):

Quality Of Life ◽

Academic Achievement ◽

Bronchial Asthma ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Management Practices ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Arab World ◽

Psychosocial Aspects ◽

Arab Countries

The importance of psychosocial factors in the management of bronchial asthma has long been recognized. This paper offers a review of research published in the English language related to psychosocial aspects of bronchial asthma in Arab countries. Several databases (PubMed, Science Direct, Springer Link, ERIC, and PsychInfo) were searched using the following keywords: bronchial asthma, Arab countries, Algiers, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine (West Bank, Gaza), Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Sudan, Somalia; United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Thirty-two studies were conducted in 9 Arab countries. Almost all studies found were published in the last fourteen years with an apparent increasing rate in the last five years. In descending order, these studies addressed: knowledge of and attitudes toward asthma, quality of life, behavioral and emotional problems and factors related to academic achievement. The main results of the studies reviewed were: (a) physicians’, school staff’s, and parents’ knowledge of and attitudes toward asthma were generally unsatisfactory, (b) in-service asthma education programs significantly impacted parent and staff knowledge and attitudes, and asthma management practices, (c) quality of life in children and adolescents was significantly adversely affected by asthma, (d) asthma was a common cause of school absenteeism, and had a significant negative impact on academic achievement of students, and (e) students with asthma had significantly higher rates of behavioral and emotional difficulties compared to students without asthma. The paper concludes with a discussion about the implications of these results and a call for further research in this area.

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Incidence, Prevalence, and Clinical Epidemiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the Arab World: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Inflammatory Intestinal Diseases ◽

10.1159/000518003 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Mahmoud Mosli ◽

Sameer Alawadhi ◽

Fuad Hasan ◽

Antoine Abou Rached ◽

Faisal Sanai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Inflammatory Bowel Disease ◽

Incidence Rate ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Bowel Disease ◽

Clinical Epidemiology ◽

Arab World ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Inflammatory Bowel ◽

Epidemiological Characteristics

Objectives: Despite the recent findings of the rising incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in Arab countries, there are limited data on the characteristics of IBD patients and the disease course in the Arab world. This systematic review aimed to investigate the incidence and epidemiology of IBD in the Arab world. Material and Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review that utilized a comprehensive search of PubMed, Cochrane Central, SCOPUS, Google Scholar, and Web of Science from their inception till August 2020. We included cross-sectional, prospective, and retrospective studies that examined the prevalence and/or epidemiological characteristics of IBD in Arab countries. Results: A total of 16 studies that examined IBD in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Lebanon, and Oman were included. Generally, the included studies covered the period from the early 1990s to the late 2010s. A total of 1,627 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 1,588 Crohn’s disease (CD) patients were included in this systematic review. The mean age at diagnosis ranged from 24.13 to 43.6 years in adult cases and from 4.5 to 16 years in pediatric cases. In most of the included studies, the majority of patients were male. The quantitative analysis revealed a pooled incidence rate of 2.33 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–3.4) per 100,000 persons per year for UC in the Arab world. Likewise, the pooled incidence rate for CD in the Arab world was 1.46 (95% CI 1.03–1.89) per 100,000 persons per year. Conclusion: There is a growing incidence of IBD in the Arab world, while IBD patients from Arab countries may present with some different characteristics, compared to their counterparts in Europe.

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One-year Review of COVID-19 in the Arab World

Qatar Medical Journal ◽

10.5339/qmj.2021.66 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Nasar Alwahaibi ◽

Muna Al Maskari ◽

Buthaina Al Dhahli ◽

Halima Al Issaei ◽

Samiya Al-Jaaidi Shadia Al Bahlani

Keyword(s):

World Health Organization ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Arab World ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Morbidity And Mortality ◽

World Health ◽

One Year ◽

Health Organization ◽

Death Cases

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected almost every country worldwide, including all 22 Arab countries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to follow the prevalence of COVID-19 in all Arab countries. In this review, we aimed to assess the 12-month prevalence of COVID-19 in Arab countries and to compare these findings with other significantly affected countries. World Health Organization, Worldometer, and Ministries of Health websites were used to search for COVID-19 data in all Arab countries. The period covered started from February 2020 to February 2021. In all Arab countries, the median age of the population was 26.25 years. As of March 01, 2021, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in all Arab countries was 4,259,756. Bahrain, Qatar, Lebanon, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates had the highest reported number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per million population. The total number of COVID-19 deaths was 72,950, with predominance in Lebanon, followed by Tunisia, Jordan, Palestine, and Iraq. In comparison with the topmost affected countries, and based on both the highest number of confirmed and deaths per million population, Arab countries ranked second last before India, with 9,646 and 165 cases, respectively. Among the Arab countries, Qatar, Bahrain, and Lebanon showed the highest number of recovered, confirmed, and death cases per million populations, respectively. The number of confirmed and death cases among all Arab countries triggered significant worries about morbidity and mortality of COVID-19, respectively. However, the younger population in Arab countries may have contributed to fewer COVID-19 deaths in comparison with the topmost affected countries.

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Predictors of blogging activity in six Arab countries

International Communication Gazette ◽

10.1177/1748048516640484 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 78 (8) ◽

pp. 733-754 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Justin D Martin ◽

Klaus Schoenbach

Keyword(s):

United Arab Emirates ◽

Free Speech ◽

Arab World ◽

Secondary Analysis ◽

Political Efficacy ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Online Engagement ◽

News Organizations ◽

Political Disaffection ◽

The Right

This study examines predictors of blogging in six Arab countries in a secondary analysis of population surveys of, in total, 7,525 respondents in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Lebanon, Bahrain, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates in 2013. The surveys assessed a wide variety of Internet uses, news and information consumption, and also levels of political efficacy, media trust, and attitudes toward free speech, among other cultural and political indicators. Despite the oft-referenced supposition that blogging in the Arab world is associated with political disaffection, results here suggest that in the six countries investigated blogging is mainly connected to online engagement in general—such as sharing photos online, participating in online chats, and reading others’ blogs—rather than to sociopolitical indicators. In none of five of the six countries, for example, does a sense that one’s country was not ‘on the right track’ significantly predict blogging behavior. Also, distrust of mainstream news organizations only played a minimal role.

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The influence of culture on trust in B2B banking relationships

International Journal of Bank Marketing ◽

10.1108/ijbm-05-2016-0075 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 495-515 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Roudaina Houjeir ◽

Ross Brennan

Keyword(s):

United Arab Emirates ◽

Arab World ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Content Type ◽

Arab Culture ◽

Depth Interview ◽

Relationship Partners ◽

Banking Relationships ◽

Qualitative Nature ◽

Cultural Origins

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the significance of culture generally, and Arab culture in particular, for the development of trust in business-to-business (B2B) banking relationships. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative fieldwork was employed, gathering in-depth interview data from bankers and their business clients in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). In total, 80 relationships between bankers and business clients were investigated. Findings The development of trusting relationships between bankers and clients is affected by the cultural origins of the relationship partners. Strongly held religious beliefs, and loyalty to family, tribe and nation, lead to strong affect-based trust between bankers and clients from Arab culture. Cognitive-based trust is more characteristic of UAE banker/client relationships that involve partners from outside the Arab world. Research limitations/implications The study was conducted in the UAE. Additional tests in other Arab countries would be valuable. The qualitative nature of the study means that statistical generalizations cannot be drawn. Practical implications The cultural origins of banking relationship managers are of considerable importance when seeking to develop relationships of trust with business banking clients in the Arab world. Originality/value This substantial, qualitative study of banker relationships with business clients throws considerable light on the importance of culture as an antecedent to trust in B2B banking relationships.

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Electronic Commerce in the Arab World

Handbook of Research on E-Services in the Public Sector ◽

10.4018/978-1-61520-789-3.ch017 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 214-228

Author(s):

Robert Jeyakumar Nathan ◽

Mohammed Saeed Ahmed

Keyword(s):

Data Analysis ◽

Electronic Commerce ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

Arab World ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Literature Discussion ◽

Consumer Knowledge ◽

Perception Of Risk ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Statistical Mediation

This chapter presents a literature discussion and empirical research that examines the factors that affect Electronic Commerce (EC) adoption in the Arab countries. The five countries that are represented in this research include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The purpose of this research is analyzing the crucial factors affecting EC adoption among the Arab consumers. The chapter presents the effect of risk perception, trust and consumer knowledge on their EC adoption. It also highlights consumer’s knowledge mediation in affecting their perception of risk and trust towards EC adoption. Upon filtration, three hundred samples were selected for data analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses including statistical mediation technique were carried out to analyse the data. Results reveal knowledge as the most important factor that contributes to EC adoption and it mediates consumers’ perception of risk and trust in contributing to their EC adoption. The preliminary findings of this research was presented in the International Arab Conference of E-Technology held in Amman, Jordan from 14th to 16th October 2008 and subsequently published in the first issue of the International Arab Journal of E-Technology. This chapter presents the complete research with further data analysis, extended reports and discussions on issues relating to EC adoption.

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A new transnational arena? An analysis of cross-border web traffic towards professional online news sites in the Arab world

Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research ◽

10.1386/jammr_00001_1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 145-167 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andrea Haeuptli

Keyword(s):

United Arab Emirates ◽

Arab World ◽

Online News ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Traffic Flows ◽

Web Traffic ◽

Cross Border ◽

News Sources ◽

Leading Role ◽

The Impact

In recent years, Arab news industries have been confronted with an unparalleled increase in demand for journalistic offers. In parallel, Internet penetration throughout the Arab world has increased significantly, leading to a shift of consumption away from traditional channels towards the digital realm. This article addresses the impact of those recent developments on a shared transnational communicative arena throughout the Arab world. It includes geographically disaggregated traffic data of 630 inductively collected professional online news sources. Using a network analysis approach, it has been assessed that indeed, cross-border consumption of professional online news is a common and general feature in the region. Traffic flows between the countries are highly diversified without patterns of sub-segmentation. At the same time, the strength of traffic flows reflects the traditional leading role of the media industries in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Yet, weaker traffic flows between the other Arab countries are common and diverse, leading to a high overall integration of the Arab transnational communicative arena within the digital realm.

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