Public Health
[:en]Public health research from Middle East and North African countries – MENA region[:]
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Epigenetic Signatures of Intergenerational Exposure to Violence – Study on three generations of Syrian refugees
The devastating consequences of war are typically measured in terms of displacement and physical harm. However, a groundbreaking study on three generations of Syrian refugees has discovered epigenetic signatures of intergenerational exposure to violence showing that the scars of violence may be written into the very DNA of those affected. Published in Scientific Reports, the study investigates how exposure to…
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Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in Adults in Middle East
A landmark study involving over 440,000 adults conducted in UAE has revealed that 63.4% of the total population in UAE was either overweight or obese. This cross-sectional, multi-centre design, population-based study analyzed data of all adults aged >18 years who attended the Dubai Academic Health Corporation (DAHC) between January 2018 and August 2023. Overweight and Obesity (OAO) was defined according…
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Male Infertility in Egypt – Epidemiology and temporal trends
Male infertility is a significant global health issue. However, lack of reliable epidemiological data on male infertility in Egypt and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region poses a challenge to understanding region-specific risk factors. A recent retrospective study on male infertility in Egypt sought to bridge this gap. The study reviewed the medical records of 3,037 infertile men…
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UAE Indoor Air Pollution – Research Strategy
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indoor Air Pollution has become an exceptionally important health issue. Weather conditions like extreme summer temperatures frequently exceeding 42°C (108°F) force residents to spend prolonged periods indoors in tightly sealed, air-conditioned buildings. This high indoor exposure, combined with significant outdoor fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from windblown desert dust and anthropogenic sources, has raised serious…
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Expanded Premarital Screening in UAE – Outcomes of Capacity Building Workshops for Physicians
Premarital screening in UAE is a critical public health strategy for mitigating hereditary disorders in the local United Arab Emirates (UAE) population, where consanguineous marriages account for approximately half of all unions. However, the effective implementation of expanded PMS programs relies heavily on the expertise of healthcare professionals, many of whom lack specific training in genetic counselling. To address this…
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Influence of High BMI on Male Infertility – Oxidative Stress Markers and Semen Parameters
This is a study on the influence of High BMI on Male Infertility. Infertility affects a significant number of couples globally, with male factors, primarily poor semen quality, contributing to nearly 40% of cases. While the precise causes of infertility are often unclear, this study from Iran investigated the influence of body mass index (BMI) on semen quality and oxidative…
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Value-based healthcare in the GCC: achieving sustainable access to specialty pharmaceuticals
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations are at a critical juncture in healthcare, facing a dual challenge: a rising burden of complex, high-cost medical conditions—including cancer, neurological disorders, and rare diseases—and the escalating expense of specialty pharmaceuticals. Traditional volume-based healthcare models are proving inadequate to ensure sustainable and equitable patient access to these life-changing therapies. To navigate this, the GCC…
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Symptomatic Dry Eye Disease Among Contact Lens Wearers in Jordan
Dry Eye disease (DED) is a common and often debilitating condition for contact lens wearers, frequently leading to discomfort and discontinuation of lens use. To better understand this issue, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 301 contact lens wearers in Jordan. The research aimed to quantify the proportion of symptomatic DED and identify associated modifiable risk factors, particularly in the…
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Parents’ Attitudes Toward Consanguinity Despite Autosomal Recessive Disease in Children
Consanguineous marriages (cousin marriages), particularly common in Arab and Middle Eastern countries (MENA), are associated with an increased risk of autosomal recessive (AR) genetic disorders. This study examined the views of parents in Kuwait with at least one child affected by an AR disease (the clinical sample) compared to non-consanguineous parents (the community sample). A total of 285 parents completed…
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Colorectal Cancer Screening Barriers in the UAE: A Call for Enhanced Public and Physician Education
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global health challenge and a major health burden within the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Despite the launch of a national CRC screening program in Abu Dhabi in 2014, a mixed-methods study aimed to understand the persistent issue of low participation and adherence among the adult population in Al-Ain has uncovered major screening barriers. The research,…
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