MyMedR

Displaying all 5 publications

Abstract:

Sort:

Fulltext Influence of Religiosity on Youths' Attitudes Towards People with Disabilities in the United Arab Emirates

Hammad H, Elbarazi I, Bendak M, Obaideen K, Amanatullah A, Khan BSB, et al.

J Relig Health, 2024 Jun;63(3):2423-2442.
PMID: 36058952 DOI: 10.1007/s10943-022-01646-x

This cross-sectional survey investigates the influence of youths' religiosity on their attitude towards people with disabilities. The Muslim religiosity questionnaire and multidimensional attitudes scale towards persons with disabilities were used to survey 733 youths from the federal university in the United Arab Emirates. The results indicated that the youths were religious and had positive attitudes towards people with disabilities. An increase in religiosity is associated with a positive attitude towards disability, and both religiosity and total family income positively impacted the attitude towards people with disabilities. Reducing inequalities by including persons with disabilities is one of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development objectives. Policies should aim to enhance curriculum, improvise public guidelines and partner with associated faith-based leaders to build an inclusive society for people with disabilities, thus helping to achieve sustainable development goals.
Fulltext Impact of coronavirus 2019 on mental health and lifestyle adaptations of pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study

Hashim M, Coussa A, Al Dhaheri AS, Al Marzouqi A, Cheaib S, Salame A, et al.

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2021 Jul 19;21(1):515.
PMID: 34281501 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-03941-z

BACKGROUND: In light of the pandemic, pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to increased psychological distress and in need of imperative preventive measures. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health, lifestyle adaptations, and their determinants among pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates.
METHODS: A survey was conducted electronically between June and August 2020. Pregnant women were recruited from prenatal clinics in the UAE and invited to participate in an online survey developed on Google Forms. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, the Impact of Event Scale- Revised, the Perceived Support Scale and lifestyle-related factors.
RESULTS: A total of 384 pregnant women completed the questionnaire of whom 20.6% were in their 1st trimester, 46.1% in their 2nd and 33.3% in their 3rd trimester. The mean IES-R score for the respondents was 26.15 ± 13.55, corresponding to a mild stressful impact, which did not differ significantly among trimesters of pregnancy. Pregnant women expressed increased stress from staying home (64%), work (40%), feeling frightened (66%) and apprehensive (59%). Women reported increased support and sharing their feelings with family members (59%), mainly in the 1st and 3rd trimester of pregnancy (P
Fulltext Examination of sleep in relation to dietary and lifestyle behaviors during Ramadan: A multi-national study using structural equation modeling among 24,500 adults amid COVID-19

Khan MAB, BaHammam AS, Amanatullah A, Obaideen K, Arora T, Ali H, et al.

Front Nutr, 2023;10:1040355.
PMID: 36969823 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1040355

BACKGROUND: Of around 2 billion Muslims worldwide, approximately 1.5 billion observe Ramadan fasting (RF) month. Those that observe RF have diverse cultural, ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds and are distributed over a wide geographical area. Sleep is known to be significantly altered during the month of Ramadan, which has a profound impact on human health. Moreover, sleep is closely connected to dietary and lifestyle behaviors.
METHODS: This cross-sectional study collected data using a structured, self-administered electronic questionnaire that was translated into 13 languages and disseminated to Muslim populations across 27 countries. The questionnaire assessed dietary and lifestyle factors as independent variables, and three sleep parameters (quality, duration, and disturbance) as dependent variables. We performed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine how dietary and lifestyle factors affected these sleep parameters.
RESULTS: In total, 24,541 adults were enrolled in this study. SEM analysis revealed that during RF, optimum sleep duration (7-9 h) was significantly associated with sufficient physical activity (PA) and consuming plant-based proteins. In addition, smoking was significantly associated with greater sleep disturbance and lower sleep quality. Participants that consumed vegetables, fruits, dates, and plant-based proteins reported better sleep quality. Infrequent consumption of delivered food and infrequent screen time were also associated with better sleep quality. Conflicting results were found regarding the impact of dining at home versus dining out on the three sleep parameters.
CONCLUSION: Increasing the intake of fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins are important factors that could help improve healthy sleep for those observing RF. In addition, regular PA and avoiding smoking may contribute to improving sleep during RF.
Fulltext Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and quality of life: Is there any effect? A cross-sectional study of the MENA region

Al Dhaheri AS, Bataineh MF, Mohamad MN, Ajab A, Al Marzouqi A, Jarrar AH, et al.

PLoS One, 2021;16(3):e0249107.
PMID: 33765015 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249107

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health crisis that has changed the life of millions globally. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the pandemic on mental health and quality of life among the general population in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A total of 6142 adults from eighteen countries within the MENA region completed an online questionnaire between May and June 2020. Psychological impact was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the social and family support impact was assessed with questions from the Perceived Support Scale (PSS). The IES-R mean score was 29.3 (SD = 14.8), corresponding to mild stressful impact with 30.9% reporting severe psychological impact. Most participants (45%-62%) felt horrified, apprehensive, or helpless due to COVID-19. Furthermore, over 40% reported increased stress from work and financial matters. Higher IES-R scores were found among females, participants aged 26-35 years, those with lower educational level, and participants residing in the North Africa region (p<0.005). About 42% reported receiving increased support from family members, 40.5% were paying more attention to their mental health, and over 40% reported spending more time resting since the pandemic started. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mild psychological impact while it also encouraged some positive impact on family support and mental health awareness among adults in the MENA region. Clinical interventions targeted towards vulnerable groups such as females and younger adults are needed.
Fulltext Assessment of eating habits and lifestyle during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic in the Middle East and North Africa region: a cross-sectional study

Cheikh Ismail L, Osaili TM, Mohamad MN, Al Marzouqi A, Jarrar AH, Zampelas A, et al.

Br J Nutr, 2021 Sep 14;126(5):757-766.
PMID: 33198840 DOI: 10.1017/S0007114520004547

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread globally, forcing countries to apply lockdowns and strict social distancing measures. The aim of this study was to assess eating habits and lifestyle behaviours among residents of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region during the lockdown. A cross-sectional study among adult residents of the MENA region was conducted using an online questionnaire designed on Google Forms during April 2020. A total of 2970 participants from eighteen countries participated in the present study. During the pandemic, over 30 % reported weight gain, 6·2 % consumed five or more meals per d compared with 2·2 % before the pandemic (P < 0·001) and 48·8 % did not consume fruits on a daily basis. Moreover, 39·1 % did not engage in physical activity, and over 35 % spent more than 5 h/d on screens. A significant association between the frequency of training during the pandemic and the reported change in weight was found (P < 0·001). A significantly higher percentage of participants reported physical and emotional exhaustion, irritability and tension either all the time or a large part of the time during the pandemic (P < 0·001). Although a high percentage of participants reported sleeping more hours per night during the pandemic, 63 % had sleep disturbances. The study highlights that the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused a variety of lifestyle changes, physical inactivity and psychological problems among adults in the MENA region.