Understanding the epidemiological HIV risk factors and underlying risk context for youth residing in or originating from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: A scoping review of the literature

Introduction HIV is the second leading cause of death among young people globally, and adolescents are the only group where HIV mortality is not declining. Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of few regions seeing rapid increase of HIV infections (31.0%) since 2001. MENA youth are at particular risk of HIV due to dearth of research and challenges in accessing services. Objective The purpose of this scoping review is to establish the epidemiological HIV risk factors and underlying risk context for youth residing in or originating from the MENA region. Methods Online database searches were conducted using combination of search terms. Screening 5,853 citations, published between 1990–2019 with age groups 16 to 29, resulted in 57 studies included across 18 MENA countries. Results ‘Key populations’ engage in risky behaviors, including: overlapping risky behaviors among youth who inject drugs (PWID); lack of access to HIV testing, condomless sex, and multiple sex partners among young men who have sex with men (MSM); and high and overlapping risk behaviors among young sex workers. Challenges facing other youth groups and bridging populations include: peer pressure, inhibition about discussing sexual health, lack of credible sex education sources, low condom use, and lack of access to HIV protection/prevention services, especially testing. Conclusion Poor surveillance coupled with scarcity of rigorous studies limit what is known about epidemiology of HIV among youth in MENA. Homophobia, stigma around PWID, and illegal status of sex work promote non-disclosure of risk behaviors among youth and curtail serving this population.

Download Full-text

Premature Myocardial Infarction in the Middle East and North Africa: Rationale for the Gulf PREVENT Study

Angiology ◽

10.1177/0003319719849737 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

pp. 17-26

Author(s):

Sagar B. Dugani ◽

Waheed Murad ◽

Karisamae Damilig ◽

Jean Atos ◽

Eshraga Mohamed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Myocardial Infarction ◽

Middle East ◽

United Arab Emirates ◽

North Africa ◽

High Income ◽

Lower Prevalence ◽

Mena Region ◽

Vascular Events ◽

Coronary Syndrome

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has a high burden of morbidity and mortality due to premature (≤55 years in men; ≤65 years in women) myocardial infarction (MI) and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Despite this, the prevalence of risk factors in patients presenting with premature MI or ACS is incompletely described. We compared lifestyle, clinical risk factors, and biomarkers associated with premature MI/ACS in the MENA region with selected non-MENA high-income countries. We identified English-language, peer-reviewed publications through PubMed (up to March 2018). We used the World Bank classification system to categorize countries. Patients with premature MI/ACS in the MENA region had a higher prevalence of smoking than older patients with MI/ACS but a lower prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Men with premature MI/ACS had a higher prevalence of smoking than women but a lower prevalence of diabetes and hypertension. The MENA region had sparse data on lifestyle, diet, psychological stress, and physical activity. To address these knowledge gaps, we initiated the ongoing Gulf Population Risks and Epidemiology of Vascular Events and Treatment (Gulf PREVENT) case–control study to improve primary and secondary prevention of premature MI in the United Arab Emirates, a high-income country in the MENA region.

Download Full-text

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori Infection and Diagnostic Methods in the Middle East and North Africa Region

Medicina ◽

10.3390/medicina56040169 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 56 (4) ◽

pp. 169

Author(s):

Faten A. S. Alsulaimany ◽

Zuhier A. Awan ◽

Ahmad M. Almohamady ◽

Mohammed I. Koumu ◽

Bassam E. Yaghmoor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Helicobacter Pylori ◽

Middle East ◽

North Africa ◽

Diagnostic Methods ◽

Screening Methods ◽

Mena Region ◽

Screening Guidelines ◽

Mena Countries ◽

H Pylori

Background and Objectives: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is common worldwide and may cause gastroduodenal complications, including cancer. In this review, we examine the prevalence and distribution of various H. pylori genotypes and the risk factors for H. pylori infection, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. We also introduce different global screening methods and guidelines and compare them to those currently in use in the MENA region. Materials and Methods: We searched the Google Scholar, PubMed, and Saudi Digital Library (SDL) databases for clinical trials and articles published in English. The data collection was mainly focused on MENA countries. However, for H. pylori genotypes and diagnostic methods, studies conducted in other regions or reporting global practices and guidelines were also included to allow a comparison with those in the MENA region. We also included studies examining the prevalence of H. pylori infection in healthy participants. Results: H. pylori infection is highly prevalent in the MENA region, mainly because of the accumulation of risk factors in developing countries. Herein, we highlight a lack of good quality studies on the prevalence of various H. pylori genotypes in the MENA region as well as a need for standard diagnostic methods and screening guidelines. Due to the complications associated with H. pylori, we recommend routine screening for H. pylori infection in all gastroenterology patients admitted in the MENA region. Conclusion: Concerted effort will first be required to validate affordable, non-invasive, and accurate diagnostic methods and to establish local guidelines with adapted cut-off values for the interpretation of the test results.

Download Full-text

Dementia caregiving in the Middle East and North Africa: A scoping review

Transcultural Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/13634615211036404 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 136346152110364

Author(s):

Tanya Kane ◽

Suzanne H. Hammad ◽

Nazmul Islam ◽

Noor Al-Wattary ◽

Justin Clark ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Middle East ◽

North Africa ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Empirical Studies ◽

Domestic Workers ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Future Research ◽

Burden Of Care ◽

Mena Region ◽

Arab Muslim

Care for persons with dementia in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is undertaken predominantly by family members, domestic workers, and private nurses within the home. Domestic caregivers possess different understandings and varying degrees of knowledge of dementia that are influenced by complex socio-cultural and religious factors. With much of the burden falling on the shoulders of “invisible” caregivers, the role and needs of these individuals require deeper scrutiny. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine the empirical studies published on caring for persons with dementia in Arab countries of the MENA region. Using a systematic review technique, searches were conducted on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar using database-specific terms associated with caregiving, dementia, aging, and the MENA region. To ensure local and regional research was captured, hand searches of regional journals, reference lists of included articles, and Arabic databases Al-Manhal and e-Marefa were also searched. No date restrictions were imposed. Twenty studies met inclusion criteria and the following themes were identified: caregiving experiences and the burden of care; barriers to caregiving; and caregiver recommendations to improve care. Results demonstrate that studies about informal caregivers and dementia within Arab-Muslim populations are underrepresented in the research. This review highlights the paucity of literature on service users’ experiences and underscores the need for future research specific to dementia care within the Arab-Islamic sociocultural context. These trajectories are especially pertinent given the unprecedented aging demographics of the MENA populations.

Download Full-text

A systematic review of childhood obesity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region: Prevalence and risk factors meta-analysis

Advances in Pediatric Research ◽

10.12715/apr.2017.4.8 ◽

2017 ◽

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Childhood Obesity ◽

Middle East ◽

North Africa ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Mena Region

Download Full-text

Perinatal Mental Illness in the Middle East and North Africa Region—A Systematic Overview

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17155487 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (15) ◽

pp. 5487 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sathyanarayanan Doraiswamy ◽

Anupama Jithesh ◽

Sonia Chaabane ◽

Amit Abraham ◽

Karima Chaabna ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Mental Illness ◽

Middle East ◽

Systematic Reviews ◽

North Africa ◽

Screening Tools ◽

Diagnostic Tools ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Mena Region ◽

Systematic Overview

Aims: Perinatal mental illness (PMI) is associated with a high risk of maternal and infant morbidity. Recently, several systematic reviews and primary studies have explored the prevalence and risk factors of PMI in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. To our knowledge, there has been no critical analysis of the existing systematic reviews (SRs) on this topic in the MENA region. Our systematic overview primarily aimed to synthesize evidence from the published SRs on PMI in the MENA countries focusing on a) the prevalence of PMI and b) the risk factors associated with PMI. Methods: We conducted a systematic overview of the epidemiology of PMI in the Middle East and North Africa region by searching the PubMed, Embase, and PsycInfo databases for relevant publications between January 2008 and July 2019. In addition to searching the reference lists of the identified SRs for other relevant SRs and additional primary studies of relevance (those which primarily discussed the prevalence of PMI and/or risk and protective factors), between August and October 2019, we also searched Google Scholar for relevant studies. Results: After applying our inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 systematic reviews (SRs) and 79 primary studies were included in our overview. Studies utilizing validated diagnostic tools report a PMI prevalence range from 5.6% in Morocco to 28% in Pakistan. On the other hand, studies utilizing screening tools to detect PMI report a prevalence range of 9.2% in Sudan to 85.6% in the United Arab Emirates. Wide variations were observed in studies reporting PMI risk factors. We regrouped the risk factors applying an evidence-based categorization scheme. Our study indicates that risk factors in the relational, psychological, and sociodemographic categories are the most studied in the region. Conversely, lifestyle-related risk factors were less studied. Conclusions: Our systematic overview identifies perinatal mental illness as an important public health issue in the region. Standardizing approaches for estimating, preventing, screening, and treating perinatal mental illness would be a step in the right direction for the region.

Download Full-text

Gender Differences in HIV Risk-Factors in Main-Partner Relationships

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e700712011-001 ◽

2011 ◽

Author(s):

Danielle Uding ◽

Kanisha Collie ◽

Kevin Wells ◽

Zoe Peterson ◽

Akshay Iyengar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Gender Differences ◽

Hiv Risk ◽

Main Partner ◽

Partner Relationships ◽

Hiv Risk Factors

Download Full-text

Transitions Within Queer North African Cinema

Screen Bodies ◽

10.3167/screen.2017.020205 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 64-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Walter S. Temple

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Middle East ◽

North Africa ◽

Film Festivals ◽

Global Awareness ◽

Critical Factors ◽

North African ◽

Mena Region ◽

African Cinema ◽

Queer Cinema

In recent years, North African queer cinema has become increasingly visible both within and beyond Arabo-Orientale spaces. A number of critical factors have contributed to a global awareness of queer identities in contemporary Maghrebi cinema, including the dissemination of films through social media outlets and during international film festivals. Such tout contemporain representations of queer sexuality characterize a robust wave of films in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, inciting a new discourse on the condition of the marginalized traveler struggling to locate new forms of self and being—both at home and abroad.

Download Full-text