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The COVID-19 pandemic caused strict regulations to lower transmission rates. Industries were shut down, people were in lockdown, and travel was curtailed. Restrictions were in effect for an enough period for people's behaviour to change. For example, online meetings rather than needing to travel. This opens the possibility for alterations to the perception that it is possible to commit to effective climate change actions. A Q methodology study was conducted to analyse how 33 university environmental students across the United Arab Emirates perceive the importance of prioritising climate change actions post-pandemic. Statistical analysis yielded four discourses. The first emphasises the need to learn lessons about climate sustainability and sustain them post-pandemic. The second, more pessimistic but advocates preventing a return to pre-pandemic norms by implementing post-pandemic climate change regulations. The third expects economic recovery to take priority over reducing emissions. The fourth raises opportunities and challenges for environmental sustainability post-COVID-19.
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This study explored the level of readiness of schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to use remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. To safeguard students and ensure the continuity of education, the UAE's education system implemented online learning to address extended school closures and sudden changes in normal school operations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, schools were forced to quickly adapt to online instruction despite its challenges during lockdowns and isolation. Furthermore, the study provided insight into the theoretical underpinnings of the UAE's massive implementation of distance learning in schools. Moreover, various distance learning programs were implemented by schools to facilitate students' and instructors' education across schools. The findings of this study may be used to strengthen educational systems and accelerate educational opportunities by providing evidence for better orienting and adapting policy responses in emergencies in the UAE. © 2023 Otjivanda Presse.Essen. All rights reserved.
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Gulf economic development is increasingly taking place across digital spheres and being driven by actors with advanced technological skill sets. Gulf Arab governments like the United Arab Emirates aim to encourage technology-driven economic growth and innovation. Spurring recession-resistant growth is especially desirable in the aftermath of the coronavirus-induced economic downturn of 2020–2021. Regional policymakers want to position national citizens at the forefront of this technology-oriented economic development, and consequently they have pursued traditional workforce nationalization policies to ensure the continued participation of citizenry in the region's labor markets. Using the UAE as a case study, this work explores the prospects for better aligning direct labor market interventions with economic growth and development strategies. An Emiratization policy approach focused on digital and technology-oriented skills is raised as an alternative policy option, subjected to critical evaluation, and considered alongside an initial set of recommendations for harmonizing labor market demands with future-oriented growth. © 2023, Gulf Research Centre Cambridge.
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The region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is diverse and retains a superior growth potential. It benefits from a privileged geographical location with big markets, a young and growing educated population, and competitive advantages in several industries. Regardless of their differences, countries face shared concerns, most notably in health. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, MENA countries enact reforms to create a more robust and inclusive digital health systems to increase growth, development, and integrity. Throughout the coordinated containment and mitigation efforts, most of the countries have integrated digital technologies into the health systems. These procedures include digital government initiatives, the introduction of digital health training courses, live video surgeries and virtual patient monitoring, rural and remote telemedicine programs, and the development of a national electronic health records (EHR) system. Each country took necessary actions to address equity, literacy, and development of resilient health systems. The nine featured countries in this report illustrate the diversity among the MENA region and account for major opportunities and achievements as well as promises and challenges that digital health presents for its populations. © 2022 IMIA and Georg Thieme Verlag KG.
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The burden of providing care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic escalated stress among nurses, which affected their mental health, and called for effective coping. The goal of this study was to correlate the burden of caregiving with the management of stress by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Arab Emirates. We conducted this cross-sectional correlational study among the nurses in two hospitals in the United Arab Emirates. A nonprobability voluntary sample (n = 64) was taken of nurses working in the intensive care unit (n = 41) and isolation wards (n = 24). The respondents completed two questionnaires via Google Forms, namely, the Professional Care Team Burden Scale and the 15-item Stress Management Inventory. The findings indicate that the nurses reported moderate (37.5%) to low ( 62.5%) levels of the burden associated with caregiving. There was a significant inverse correlation between the burden of care and three elements of the stress management inventory, namely developing resiliency (r = -.284, p =.023), short-term coping (r = - 313, p =.012), and effective delegation (r = -.395, p =.001). However, there was no correlation between the burden of care and eliminating stressor elements. The findings suggest that when nurses increased their resilience, short-term coping strategies and effective delegation they tended to experience less burden of caregiving during the COVID-19 pandemic. We therefore recommend that health policymakers focus on supporting resilience, short-term coping strategies and effective delegation in the nursing work environment to reduce the burden of caregiving.
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Background: The One Health concept (OHC) seeks to improve the health of plants, animals, and humans because improving animal and plant health will increase the capacity for improving human health. Many risks such as plant and animal biotechnology applications have the potential to generate new diseases that can be transmitted to humans. In this way, the health of humans, animals, and plants is interrelated and depends on one another. However, it has been difficult to apply the OHC in some countries, such as those in the Middle East. The absence of financial support in the region is a major hindrance to applying this concept in the region. The application of the OHC requires the support of specialists who can advocate the government for support in launching OHC-related projects. Here, we discuss the OHC in the context of antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, and biosafety/biosecurity, which are important public health issues. Furthermore, we describe the current status of the OHC in the Middle East and recent research conducted related to this concept. There has been recent international solidarity in the application of the OHC to reduce risks that threaten the health of organisms. Several countries jointly launched the Global Health Security Agenda in 2014 with the aim of realizing a world that is free of infectious disease-related health risks. However, no previous review articles have examined the applications of the OHC in the Middle East region. This article discusses the OHC in terms of its needs and current applications in the Middle East. Methodology: The following keywords were used in the search: "One Health," "Middle East," "medicinal plants," "viruses," "rabies," "MERS," and "antimicrobial resistance." Related papers were obtained by searching for these keywords using available search engines, such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Google search, as well as international organization websites. Conclusion(s): The concept of One Health is relatively new and has not been applied in most countries, possibly because the value of this concept for improving human health is not well understood. The key principle defining this concept and its importance is the interdependency of plants, animals, and human health. By applying the OHC, humans can benefit from healthy plants and animals by enhancing their growing conditions, medications, and environments. This would in turn improve general human health by allowing the safe extraction of therapeutics and food resources.Copyright © 2023
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Launched in 2019, Malaffi is the first health information exchange (HIE) platform in the Middle East and North Africa region. It safely and securely connects public and private healthcare providers in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Malaffi allows for meaningful, real-time exchange of patient health information between the providers, establishing a centralized database of unified patient records, thus improving healthcare quality and patient outcomes. Now that the foundation has been firmly established by collating 99% of all patient episodes in the Emirate, Malaffi is implementing tools to support population health. Recently these activities were focused on COVID-19 response. In the future, these population health services will offer insights to improve care delivery. This case study demonstrates the HIE status in the UAE and focuses on the establishment of Malaffi in Abu Dhabi. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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PurposeTo study the consumption pattern, attitude and knowledge of the general population about dietary supplements (DS) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).Design/methodology/approachA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data on knowledge, attitude and consumption pattern related to the use of DS. Participants aged = 18 years were asked to complete a self-administered online questionnaire that included demographic characteristics, health and lifestyle information, consumption patterns, attitudes and knowledge levels regarding the use of DS.FindingsA total of 207 individuals participated in the study, and 117 (56.5%) participants reported using DS products as influenced by the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), of which 63 (53.8%) participants had been using DS for more than one month but less than one year. The majority of the participants was females (64.7%), non-UAE nationals (60.9%) and employed (51.7%). Multivitamins (77.8%) were the most commonly used DS. Use of DS was more prevalent among older participants (n = 78 (61.9%), p = 0.006), non-UAE nationals (n = 79 (62.7%), p = 0.025) and employed (n = 69 (64.5%), p = 0.023). Improving general health (76.1%) and immune booster (47%) were the most frequently identified reasons for using DS, which is relatable to the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of study participants (72.12%) reported knowing relatively little about the use of DS. About 154 participants (74.4%) did not know that DS products do not treat diseases.Research limitations/implicationsFurther studies with a larger sample size need to be conducted to examine the association between gender or chronic disease and the consumption and type of DS products used to fill the gap in the literature and overcome the limitations identified in this study.Originality/valueThis study highlights the need for community education programs and strategies that can raise awareness of the health benefits and risks of using DS. Further studies with a larger sample size need to be conducted to examine the association between gender or chronic disease and the consumption and type of DS products used to fill the gap in the literature and overcome the limitations identified in this study.
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Purpose: This paper aims to investigate potential consumers' willingness to pay for robot-delivered services in travel, tourism and hospitality, and the factors that shape their willingness to pay. Design/methodology/approach: An online survey yielded a sample of 1,573 respondents from 99 countries. Independent samples t-test, Analysis of variance (ANOVA), cluster, factor and regression analyses were used. Findings: Respondents expected to pay less for robot-delivered services than human-delivered services. Two clusters were identified: one cluster willing to pay nearly the same price for robotic services as for human-delivered services, whilst the other expected deep discounts for robotic services. The willingness-to-pay was positively associated with the attitudes towards robots in tourism, robotic service experience expectations, men and household size. It was negatively associated to travel frequency, age and education. Research limitations/implications: The paper's main limitation is its exploratory nature and the use of a hypothetical scenario in measuring respondents' willingness to pay. The data were gathered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and do not reflect the potential changes in perceptions of robots due to the pandemic. Practical implications: Practitioners need to focus on improving the attitudes towards robots in tourism because they are strongly and positively related to the willingness to pay. The marketing messages need to form positive expectations about robotic services. Originality/value: This is one of the first papers to investigate consumers' willingness to pay for robot-delivered services in travel, tourism and hospitality and factors that shape their willingness to pay. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
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Background: Patients with COVID-19 infection are liable to develop coagulopathies and bleeding. An increase in the use of anticoagulants among this group of patients may be associated with an increase in the risk of developing GI bleeding. We aimed to evaluate the endoscopic characteristics of patients with COVID-19 that developed a GI bleed. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients admitted to Rashid hospital with Upper GI bleeding, and COVID was done. We collected details on patient demographics, comorbid conditions, the severity of COVID infection, use of antiplatelet/anticoagulants, and their endoscopic findings. Results: 14 cases of Upper GI bleeding were included, half of which were on antiplatelet/anticoagulant. Endoscopic findings included peptic ulcer disease, Mallory Weis, gastritis, dieulafouy lesion, esophageal varices, and small gastric erosions. Peptic ulcer disease was the most common finding on endoscopy. Conclusion: Coagulopathy and bleeding risk remains a challenge in patients with COVID-19. Although peptic ulcer disease was the commonest etiology, it is still unclear whether the risk of bleeding was secondary to COVID-19 infection itself or the use of anticoagulants. We recommend physicians to be cognizant of the possible endoscopic features that may be encountered in COVID-19 infected patients presenting with GI bleeding so as to provide optimal management.
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PurposeThis paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.Design/methodology/approachThis briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.FindingsAdopting digital technologies and digital marketing innovations has led to redesigned business models able to adapt further and retain consumers.Originality/valueThe briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic which started in November 2019 and since then has led to multiple lockdowns aimed towards controlling the pandemic, these lockdowns contributed to major changes in individuals' lifestyles including eating patterns and restriction of physical activity due to continues house confinement. Such changes have significantly contributed to weight change, with increasing rates of obesity in the UAE, COVID-19 have posed a major concern to the country's obesity levels. Aim: To measure the prevalence and investigate the views related to weight change among adults in the UAE during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through a self-administered online questionnaire distributed using social media platforms between February 15th and March 14th, 2021. The sample size was 439 adults in the UAE (18-59 years), collected by volunteer sampling. Analysis was done using SPSS with a significance of 5.0%. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy and bariatric surgeries history. Results: 51.1% of participants gained weight, 36.2% lost weight and 12.7% maintained their weight. Meal consumption frequency and weight gain were correlated. Consuming fast food resulted in 65.7% of participants gaining weight. 66.2% of people who lost weight during the COVID-19 pandemic did exercise. Stress management and sleeping patterns were not contributing factors to the weight change. 64.4% of the participants who were not satisfied with their weight and believed that they need to make changes in their lifestyle received no guidance from professional personnel to reach their desired weight. Conclusion: In this study, the majority of participants have witnessed an increase in weight. UAE health authorities must provide guidance and support to the population via structured nutritional programs and lifestyle awareness campaigns.
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Objective criteria have been scarce in published data on the occurrence of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is crucial that we enhance our comprehension of PCOS prevalence in the UAE to inform key stakeholders about the disease's burden and enable comparisons with other nations. This research aimed to examine the PCOS prevalence at a large academic tertiary centre in Dubai, UAE, called Latifa Women and Children's Hospital. We performed a cross-sectional study by reviewing the electronic medical records of patients accessing care between 2017 and 2022 (5 years). By utilizing the international classification of diseases codes (ICD-10), we discovered a period prevalence of PCOS of 1.6% among 64,722 women aged between 15 and 45 years. It is worth noting that the estimated annual point prevalence rose from 1.19% in 2020 (at the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic) to 2.72% in 2022 (after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic). Therefore, the odds ratio of the risk of a PCOS diagnosis in 2022 compared to 2020 was 2.28. The majority of the women diagnosed with PCOS in this study had an ICD-10 code of E28.2. Women with PCOS were younger than the controls, less likely to be pregnant, and had a higher body mass index and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This is the most extensive research to date examining PCOS prevalence in the UAE, and it emphasizes the significance of this condition. It is crucial to prioritize PCOS to prevent morbidity and mortality from reproductive and long-term health consequences, including infertility, type 2 diabetes and endometrial cancer, which is presently the most frequent gynecological cancer in the UAE.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome , Pregnancy , Child , Humans , Female , Adolescent , Young Adult , Adult , Middle Aged , Polycystic Ovary Syndrome/epidemiology , Prevalence , Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology , United Arab Emirates/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiologyABSTRACT
Experiential learning encouraging critical thinking and creative problem-solving is the essence of innovation. Knowing this, in 2015, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) launched the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Program in partnership with Stanford University faculty. The purpose of the project was to create customized curriculum for university students, support educators teaching the material, and inspire an entrepreneurial mindset that transitions the nation into an innovation-based society. Three cohorts of university educators participated in workshops, professional development activities, and a four-day visit at Stanford University to learn design thinking, the pedagogical platform of the custom curriculum. After a three-year pilot, remarkable results were realized among students, faculty, and within the entrepreneurial ecosystem of UAE. Analyzing the faculty and student interviews, reviewing an initiative impact report, and referencing related research, this case study: establishes the importance of teaching innovation and entrepreneurship, outlines the program's practical and operational elements, and documents how educators succeeded in integrating and customizing the curriculum (before and during the coronavirus pandemic).
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One can observe the dramatic change in the ongoing global pandemic impacts, and the speed of advancement in the educational learning system, particularly in virtual teaching learning process, has been extremely quick. Teachers' use of technology to deliver instruction to students via a variety of platforms has a significant impact on how well those students learn. A variety of factors influence how well students learn and how well teachers teach, including how well they use the most effective teaching technique. Teachers' and students' perspectives on instructional strategies should take precedence. Empirical study will be undertaken to demonstrate that there are tactics and approaches, such as Gamification, that teachers may use to improve their teaching. The proposed study looked into teachers' reported usage and implementation of these instructional tactics in their classrooms in different schools in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) & India. The parents also adopted the strategies for digital transformation of their children. Participants in the research included teachers from schools in the United Arab Emirates and India. Motivation is to find and reveal that teachers are employing ICT approaches such as Gamification and are also extremely aware of and comfortable with new teaching methodologies. Other findings show that teachers in both countries agree on the necessity of using digital tools to improve the learning outcomes of their students.
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According to the World Economic Forum, the building sector is responsible for 40% of global energy consumption and 33% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and this is expected to increase due to population growth and the subsequent impact on the environment, economy and health. To tackle the problem, countries have set new construction codes, policies and regulations for the construction of new buildings in an effort to make them greener. However, there is a need to enhance the status of the existing buildings, especially mosques, as they are the main contributors to energy usage and water consumption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Therefore, this research seeks to fill this gap, aiming to evaluate the energy usage and water consumption practices employed in the existing mosque buildings within the UAE and to provide recommendations for improving the sustainability of mosques, with a focus on the environmental and economic pillars. The methodology relies mainly on data collected from 146 existing mosque buildings that have undergone energy saving audits across the UAE. Descriptive statistical analysis is performed to analyze the data from the period of 2018–2019 in order to determine the most significant factors related to energy inefficiency in existing mosque buildings in the UAE and to determine the most cost-effective and energy-saving corrective measures for energy and water conservation. The findings further enhance the standard of experience for mosque visitors (social aspect);reduce energy bill expenses, providing an acceptable return on investment from the proposed energy conservation measures for stakeholders (economic);and reduce the overall energy consumption, which can reduce the total CO2 emissions from mosque buildings (environmental).
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The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between work stress, employee engagement, employee well-being, and employee and organizational resilience, in order to develop a model that can be used to investigate the effects of these variables on organization performance. A quantitative approach was used and structural equation modeling with AMOS 28 was applied to investigate the relationship between the variables in a convenient sample of 394 employees in the UAE. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that work-stress negatively impacts the resilience of organizations, while work engagement and employee resilience are positive indicators of the resilience of organizations. No relationship was found between employee well-being and organizational resilience. Using the findings of this study, one may be able to determine whether a company will be able to achieve better resilience when operating in the midst of intense crisis situations. © 2023 by the author.
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The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 prompted higher education institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to switch to online learning for the safety of their citizens. The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between four indicators of digital learning experience and the intensity of student socio-pedagogical communication after the transition to distance learning. The data were collected from Ajman University, a private university in the UAE, during the spring of 2020. The sample consisted of 381 students who were surveyed using an online survey tool or email. First, this study found that the majority of students had access to digital tools and the Internet;however, a small number struggled with weak and unreliable Internet connection. Most students had a moderate to high ability to use digital technology, but some encountered difficulties and required assistance. Most students utilised digital communication tools for over five hours daily. The study also found a general lack of digital competency among students and difficulties in using digital tools for remote learning, highlighting the importance of investing in the development of digital skills. The study also found an intensification of social relationships and an increase in communication frequency between students and instructors;however, inadequate instructor–student communication remained a challenge. Finally, the multiple linear regression model showed that indicators such as the communication dimension of the lessons and the participatory nature of the courses positively impacted the intensity of student communication after the transition to distance learning.
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There is a dearth of published research that explores UBIs from a comparative dimension across geographical and institutionalised contexts that assesses the current state and scope of UBI activities. This paper explores the current state of University-based Business Incubators (UBIs) both in the United Arab Emirates and Canada underpinned by a comparative case analysis approach. This study utilises both secondary and primary research data that was obtained through desk-based secondary research and qualitative methods of inquiry (semi-structured interviews) with UBI managers, academics, and support staff that were used to develop each case. This informed the development of 18 cases of UBIs in the United Arab Emirates and Canada (9 each, respectively). The data was collected through VoIP (Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol) and telephone during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 2021 to February 2022. The findings of the study illustrate that the Canadian context offers similar provisions of services for business incubators (BIs) but in comparison, the UAE-based university UBIs are much younger and are transitioning towards the development of various business and enterprise initiatives in Higher Education and are also focused on driving student recruitment using this provision. The value of this study is inherent in its comparative approach between two under-studied and represented empirical geographies (i.e., Canada and the UAE), the findings also indicate the divergence and specialisms adopted by institutions in the UAE based on the various provisions for the governmental vision 2030, and the empirical development of showcasing these initiatives to be novel for the efficacy of UBIs. © 2022, Academic Conferences and Publishing International Limited. All right reserved.
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Purpose: This study analyzes the effect of the techniques of active teaching and learning as a way of delivery on the outcomes of quality learning. Focusing on the courses of architectural science taught in a nontraditional method using various active learning strategies, the study takes the case study of the course Building Illumination and Acoustics (BIA) delivered in the academic year 2019–2020 at the University of Sharjah (UoS)'s Architectural Engineering Department (AED). Design/methodology/approach: Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research approaches, the study applied a case study and survey as methods. A questionnaire was designed and performed to assess the level of students' satisfaction with the implemented active teaching method. Findings: The vibrant learning setting made the students actively engaged and more motivated and enthusiastic. The active learning practices used, including employing senses as in sight and hearing, reasoning rationally and intuitively, reflecting and acting, working steadily and in fits and starts, creating mathematical models, visualizing and memorizing and drawing analogies, were efficient in boosting their ability to comprehend theoretical concepts more effectively. The delivery style effectively enhances quality learning when various active techniques are used pedagogically beyond being merely a utilitarian instrument to prepare novice students of architectural engineering to fulfill practical challenges. Research limitations/implications: This article focuses specifically on a theoretical, scientific non-studio course in a particular program of architectural engineering in a particular semester before the dramatic changes in styles of teaching delivery that happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Future research could further highlight its results by comparing them to statistical evidence of the development of the course, especially for the duration of online teaching during the pandemic and the hybrid teaching period after it. Originality/value: This article contributes to the development of teaching and learning of architectural engineering in the local Emirati context by putting original theories of teaching into practice. This paper further contributes to the field of architectural pedagogy in terms of the effect of active learning in the architecture field in the non-studio courses in higher education in the United Arab Emirates. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.