Background Minimal data is available on the prevalence and correlates of hypertension and prehypertension in Dubai. The study aims to measure the prevalence of hypertension and pre-hypertension and the associated socio-demographic characteristics, behavioral risk factors and comorbidities among the adult population of Dubai. Methods This study used data from the Dubai Household Health Survey, 2019. A cross-sectional population survey based on a complex stratified cluster random design. The total eligible sample included 2530 adults (18+). Sociodemographic and behavioral factors were considered as independent covariates. The main study outcome variables, pre-hypertension and hypertension, were ordinal, with normotension as the reference group. Results The overall prevalence of hypertension in adults was 32.5% (38.37% in males and 16.66% in females). Prehypertension was prevalent in 29.8% of adults in Dubai (28.85% in males and 32.31% in females). The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that age groups, gender, occupation, and high Body Mass Index were significantly associated with a higher risk of hypertension at the level of P < 0.05. No clear trend toward a higher correlation of hypertension was noted with the increase in age, except after the age of 50 years. Males were five- times more likely to be hypertensive than females. Participants enrolled in skilled and service works had a five times higher risk of hypertension, compared with the reference group (professionals). Obese subjects had a 5.47-times greater correlation of hypertension compared with normal-weight subjects. Physically active individuals were less likely to develop hypertension. For the correlates with prehypertension in the present analysis, skilled and service workers and those working in elementary jobs had a higher risk of prehypertension, compared with the reference group (professionals) Individuals with a status of overweight were associated with a higher prevalence of prehypertension compared with people of normal weight. Conclusions This study showed a high prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension among adults in Dubai. Some socio-demographic and behavioral risk factors were correlated with prehypertension and hypertension among the studied population. Interventions aiming at increasing public awareness about such risk factors are essential.
Background Each year, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) spends millions of dollars to cover the costs of United Arab Emirates (UAE) nationals seeking healthcare overseas. Patients may travel overseas to seek an array of treatments. It is important to analyze the number of trips and treatment destinations for patients travelling overseas to provide baseline information for the DHA to improve polices and strategies related to overseas treatment for UAE nationals. Methods Administrative data were obtained from the DHA for UAE nationals who sought medical treatment overseas during 2009–2016. We examined the number of trips and treatment destinations by medical specialty, age, gender, years of travel and travel seasons. Multinomial logistic and negative binomial regression models were used to assess the relationships of the treatment destinations and number of trips, respectively, with the key variables of interest. Results The study included data from 6557 UAE nationals. The top three treatment destinations were Germany (46%), the UK (19%) and Thailand (14%). The most common medical specialties were orthopedic surgery (13%), oncology (13%) and neurosurgery (10%). Oncology had the highest expected number of trips adjusted for a number of covariates (IRR 1.34, 95% CI: 1.24–1.44). Regarding destination variation, patients had a lower relative risk ratio of seeking healthcare in Germany in the winter (RRR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.57–0.80). Endocrinology was the most common medical specialty sought in the UK (RRR 3.36, 95% CI: 2.01–5.60). Conclusions This is the first study to systematically examine the current practice of medical treatment overseas among UAE nationals. The results demonstrate that treatment destinations, medical specialties for which treatment was sought, age, gender and travel season are significant factors in understanding overseas travel for medical care. The study can guide the DHA in collecting more data for further research that may lead to policy-relevant information about sending patients to the best-quality treatment choices at an optimal cost.
Background Travelling seeking healthcare is becoming common phenomenon. There is limited research to understand factors associated with destinations of choice. Each year the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) spends millions of dollars to cover Emiratis seeking healthcare overseas. The objective of this study is to examine the association of treatment destinations, patients’ characteristics and motivation factors among the patients treated overseas from the UAE during 2009–2012. Method The data from the Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions Survey 2012 in Dubai on medical travel. Examining destinations by patients’ characteristics and motivational factors under push and pull factor framework. Modified Poisson regression model was used to identify factors associated with treatment destinations. Results Three hundred thirty-six UAE national families with a member who sought overseas treatment during 2009–2012 were analyzed for this study regarding their most recent trip. The aim of the survey is to explore their knowledge, attitudes and perceptions. The majority of respondents were family members not the patients who had experienced the medical treatment overseas (63%). Germany was the top treatment destination (45%). The top 3 medical conditions for which people traveled overseas were cancer (17%), bone and joint diseases (16%), and heart diseases (15%). However, patients diagnosed with stroke (brain hemorrhage or clot) are more likely to travel to Germany for medical treatment while patients diagnosed with eye diseases are more likely to seek medical treatment at other destinations. Cost was a primary motivational factor for choosing a treatment destination. Conclusion This study addressed knowledge gap related medical travel in the UAE. The results provided evidence about perceptions when choosing treatment destinations. Medical condition and financial factors were main predictors for choosing treatment destination. The result will influence policies related financial coverage by the government. The results suggest understanding patients’ perceptions in-depth related their medical conditions and financial factors for better regulation of overseas treatment strategy in the UAE.
Background The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the mental well-being of students worldwide. There is a scarcity of information on the mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to investigate the mental health impact of the COVID-19, including depression, anxiety and resilience among a sample of university students in the UAE. Methods A cross-sectional study using an online survey was conducted from September to November 2021. The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10) were used to assess depression, anxiety, and resilience. The COVID-19 impact was assessed using a list of questions. Results Only, 798 students completed the survey and were analyzed for this study. Overall, 74.8% of the students were females, 91.2% were never married, and 66.3% were UAE-nationals. Based on PHQ-9 and GAD-7 cut-off scores (≥ 10), four out of ten of the students self-reported moderate to severe depression (40.9%) and anxiety (39.1%). Significantly higher mean PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores were found among students who were impacted by COVID-19 than those non-impacted (mean PHQ-9 = 9.51 ± 6.39 and 6.80 ± 6.34; p = 0.001, respectively) and (mean GAD-7 = 9.03 ± 6.00 and 8.54 ± 6.02; respectively, p < 0.001). Female students who were impacted by COVID-19 had statistically significant higher depression and anxiety scores (mean PHQ-9 of 9.14 ± 5.86 vs. 6.83 ± 6.25, respectively; p < 0.001) than the non-impacted females (mean GAD-7 of 9.57 ± 6.32 vs. 5.15 ± 3.88, respectively; p = 0.005). Never married students had significantly higher PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores than ever-married (9.31 ± 6.37 vs. 6.93 ± 5.47, P = 0.003) and (8.89 ± 6.11 vs. 7.13 ± 5.49, respectively; p = 0.017). Conclusions The results of this study demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted the mental health of this sample of university students in terms of depression and anxiety. The results highlight the need to adopt culturally appropriate interventions for university students and focus on vulnerable groups.
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