Rafiq Hijazi

Background: The prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is rising in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with estimates ranging from 8% to 40%, depending on diagnostic criteria. Despite its implications for maternal and neonatal health, research on public knowledge around GDM in the UAE remains limited, particularly in relation to gender equity and women’s health empowerment. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate GDM knowledge among adult women in the UAE and assess demographic variations in understanding health information. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Methods: 1039 female UAE residents aged 18 and above completed an online questionnaire assessing GDM-related knowledge, perception, and access to information. Data were analysed using SPSS, and Chi-Square Tests and logistic regression model were used to identify associations between GDM-related knowledge levels and sociodemographic factors. Results: Among participants, 72.2% had heard of GDM, and 52.3% demonstrated adequate knowledge. Adequate knowledge was significantly associated with older age, higher education, employment, abnormal BMI, prior pregnancy, chronic disease, knowing someone with GDM, and having experienced GDM (all p < 0.05). In multivariable analysis, prior pregnancy (OR = 2.22, p = 0.003) and a history of GDM (OR = 2.10, p = 0.042) were the strongest predictors of adequate knowledge. The most common information sources were family and friends (57%), hospitals (43%), and social media (36%). Conclusion: Although overall awareness of GDM in the UAE was moderate, knowledge levels varied significantly by age, education, employment status, and personal or familial experience with the condition. These findings highlight the need for culturally tailored, nurse-led, community-based education programs to enhance GDM knowledge, particularly among younger and nulliparous women. Targeted interventions can reduce disparities, promote informed decision-making, and support equitable and sustainable maternal health in Arab societies.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and identify sociodemographic predictors of regular fast-food consumption (R-FFC) among United Arab Emirates (UAE) adults to inform public health nutrition responses to growing diet-related ill health in the region. Design: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study using purposive, convenience sampling. Data were collected using an online survey adapted from two validated surveys and distributed via social media platforms. R-FFC was defined as visiting a fast-food restaurant to eat ≥ 2 times/week. Pearson’s χ ² tests and multiple binary logistic regression models were used to investigate prevalence and predictors of R-FFC. All statistical significance was considered at P -value < 0·05. Setting: Community, adults living in the UAE. Participants: UAE residents, ≥ 18 years, who consumed fast food ≥ once during the previous month. Results: Totally, 320 respondents met the inclusion criteria (age = mean 23·7 ( sd 7·7) years). The prevalence of R-FFC was 46·6 %. Based on results from the regression model, predictors of R-FFC were being female (AOR 2·47; 95 % CI 1·06, 5·79), married (AOR 3·11; 95 % CI 1·25, 7·77), BMI ≥ 25·0 (AOR 2·09; 95 % CI 1·10, 4·00) and residing outside Abu Dhabi (AOR 32·79; 95 % CI 12·06, 89·16). None of the remaining variables reached statistical significance. Taste was the most common reason for FFC (56·9 %), followed by convenience (21·6 %). Regular fast-food consumers were more likely to ‘super-size’ meals ( P = 0·011), eat alone ( P = 0·009) and not have regular meal patterns ( P = 0·004). Conclusions: The study revealed a high prevalence of R-FFC among UAE adults, and novel cultural predictors and characteristics of FFC in this context, highlighting the importance of socially and culturally informed research and public health strategies in this region.

Postpartum Depression (PPD) is a common mental health disorder affecting mothers. Breastfeeding may be protective against PPD. Global estimates of breastfeeding and PPD rates vary, especially for women living in Middle Eastern countries. The current study aims to assess breastfeeding and PPD prevalence and to identify factors associated with reduced PPD risk within the social and cultural contexts of the UAE. We used a purposive, convenience snowball sampling technique to recruit participants. Inclusion criteria were female ≥ 18 years, mother of a child ≤ three years, and resident of Abu Dhabi, UAE. Data was collected using an online survey distributed via email and social media platforms. The survey comprised four sections: sociodemographic characteristics, breastfeeding behaviour, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and The International Physical Activity Questionnaire –Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Pearson chi-squared tests and binary logistic regression model were used to investigate the associations between PPD levels and potential predictors using SPSS statistical software. Variables included in the regression model were breastfeeding duration, delivery mode, BMI, education, general health, physical activity level, employment status, number of children, and age. All statistical significance was considered at p-value < 0.05. In total 403 subjects consented to participate; 204 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis (age [mean ± SD] = 31.2 ± 7.3 years). Among them, 34.8% suffered from moderate-to-severe PPD, and 66.2% breastfed their last child for > 3 months. Regression model results showed that (OR; 95% CI) college education (0.39; 0.19–0.80), having more than one child (0.40; 0.17–0.94), self-reported very good (0.43; 0.19–0.98) and excellent health (0.21; 0.08–0.51), and breastfeeding for > three months (0.46; 0.23–0.92), were significantly associated with reduced odds of moderate-to-severe PPD. None of the remaining variables -including physical activity- were significant. In conclusion, breastfeeding is significantly associated with a reduction in moderate-to-severe PPD among mothers in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Climate change, a critical global challenge, is evident in rising global temperatures, shifting precipitation trends, and extreme weather events, including floods, heatwaves, and rising sea levels. The impacts of climate change not only endanger physical health but also affect mental well-being, particularly among populations experiencing frequent or severe climate-related events. Understanding individual perceptions of climate risks and adaptive capacities is crucial for developing strategies that promote health resilience and environmental protection. This paper examines how risk perceptions, direct experiences with extreme weather, and perceived adaptive capacities influence climate change protection measures and support for relevant policies. Data were gathered from 291 respondents in the United Arab Emirates using structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, Cronbach’s alpha, Spearman correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis to determine key predictors of policy support. The results indicate that age is positively correlated with policy support (ρ = 0.16, p = 0.001), while gender also plays a role, with women showing greater risk perception and stronger policy support than men. In contrast, formal education and employment status do not significantly impact policy endorsement or climate adaptation behaviors. These findings suggest that awareness-based interventions alone may be insufficient to drive climate action. Instead, policies should leverage older individuals’ experiences, enhance workplace and community-based climate engagement, and prioritize hands-on, action-oriented education to bridge the gap between climate knowledge and adaptive behavior.

With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), social chatbots (SCs) can now simulate meaningful, sympathetic interactions that blur the line between human and machine connection while also providing social and emotional support to its users. Generation Z (Gen Z), as tech‐savvy digital natives, prefers individualized and emotionally engaging digital interactions, making them an important demographic for the adoption of AI‐powered SCs. This study investigates the factors influencing Gen Z’s use of SCs, focusing on emotional support, attitudes towards AI, loneliness, and hedonic motivation. The study employed a quantitative survey with 156 participants who interacted with an SC and completed a questionnaire assessing key behavioral constructs. The findings reveal that emotional support and hedonic motivation significantly enhance trust in SCs, which in turn strongly predicts the intention to use them. To our surprise, loneliness had no measurable effect on the intention to use SCs, challenging assumptions that lonely individuals are more likely to adopt SCs. Privacy concerns similarly showed a negligible impact. These results highlight that fostering trust and providing enjoyable interactions are essential to promoting SC adoption among younger users.

Purpose: This study aims to understand the patterns of content-sharing behaviour on major social media platforms by young adult users with reference to how these sharing patterns are influenced by two main sociocultural factors in their lives, religiosity and social conformity.Design/methodology/approach: Online surveys including both the ATSCI test for social conformity as well as the Hoge test for religiosity were filled out by 590 participants. In-depth interviews with six participants representative of the same population were conducted to deepen analysis of key variables explored in the surveys. The design of the interviews was semi-structured, whereby the focus was to achieve a general overview of participants' intentions and habits regarding sharing information via social media.Findings: The findings show a significant positive impact of religiosity and social conformity on users' sharing intention which, in turn, affects their inclination towards verifying the content they share.Social implications: The authors' findings emphasise how users bear the onus of correcting the online information space. It paves the way for future research by recognising the value of independent corroboration amongst users.Originality/value: This study lends key support to the growing body of research on social media use in societies in which shared religious and cultural values tend to clearly impact everyday social interaction.

The benefits of being physically active during pregnancy are widely acknowledged. It is important for the prevention of chronic diseases and the promotion of good health for mothers and children. However, physical activity by women in the UAE is notoriously low and reduced further during pregnancy. The same can be said regarding research about the knowledge and understanding of the benefits and risks associated with exercise as a predictor of behavior. We aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes towards physical activity during pregnancy amongst Emirati women. A cross-sectional digital survey was designed to assess knowledge and attitudes and distributed to women, aged 18–40 years, using non-randomized, purposeful snowball sampling. A total of 1538 women were recruited. Most participants were aged 20–29 years (53.5%), were Emiratis (88.9%), and had no history of chronic disease (68.6%). The participants self-reported very low levels of PA (75.5%) and had a below-average level of knowledge overall (40.6 ± 20). Younger ages (p < 0.001), lower educational levels (p = 0.004), being employed (p = 0.014), and having a history of chronic disease (p = 0.016) were significantly associated with lower mean knowledge scores, while being married (p = 0.003) was significantly associated with higher scores. The participants also exhibited a positive attitude towards physical activity during pregnancy by selecting answers that they supported it. To encourage physical activity, women living in the UAE could benefit from clear advice about safe physical activity during pregnancy.

Developing statistical thinking is vital to fostering students’ critical thinking; however, it requires suitable curricula, appropriate textbooks, and well-prepared teachers. For many decades, statistics education was almost absent in the K–12 education in the Arab world. During the past few years, noticeable education reform efforts at all educational levels have introduced advanced curricula that aim to equip students with the skills that would enable them to compete internationally. This study aims to analyze the new statistics curricula in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as a leading educational model, and assess their alignment with the best international practices in developing statistical thinking at the primary school levels. Content analysis of the statistics component in mathematics textbooks from Grades 1–4 in UAE is presented in this paper, benchmarking the statistics content with the best international practices. Finally, recommendations on efficient and practical approaches to ensure appropriate development of statistical thinking at early educational stages are showcased.

Vitamin D deficiency is a significant public health issue as it affects almost 90% of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) population. A bigger portion of this percentage is women due to the physiological changes throughout their life cycle. This study aims to assess the knowledge about vitamin D among women in the UAE. This is a quantitative cross-sectional study. Using snowball sampling, an electronic questionnaire was sent to women aged 18 years and above. Overall, 1537 women completed the questionnaire. The participants had mean scores of 49.4 ± 10.7 and 59.6 ± 14.6 for general and nutritional knowledge, respectively. Factors associated with higher scores included older age, marriage, higher educational level, and having tested their vitamin D levels. Factors associated with lower scores included the history of a chronic illness and being employed. Findings indicate that women in this study showed a low level of vitamin D knowledge specifically regarding the non-skeletal benefits of vitamin D and factors that affect vitamin D synthesis. Therefore, health education and promotion programs must be implemented across the UAE to improve overall awareness about vitamin D.