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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

The Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA): its development, validation, and results in three Arab countries.

The Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA) was constructed and validated in a sample of undergraduates (17-33 yrs) in 3 Arab countries, Egypt (n = 418), Kuwait (n = 509), and Syria (n = 709). In its final form, the ASDA consists of 20 statements. Each item is answered on a 5-point intensity scale anchored by 1: No, and 5: Very much. Alpha reliabilities ranged from .88 to .93, and item-remainder correlations ranged between .27 and .74; the 1-week test-retest reliability was .90 (Egyptians only), denoting high internal consistency and stability. The correlations between the ASDA and Templer's DAS ranged from .60 to .74 denoting high convergent validity of the ASDA against the DAS in the 3 Arab countries. Four factors were extracted in the Egyptian sample and labeled "Fear of dead people and tombs", "Fear of postmortem events", "Fear of lethal disease", and "death preoccupation". The first two factors were almost completely identical in the three countries. The item, "I fear the torture of the grave", had a very high mean score. There were significant correlations between the ASDA and death depression, death obsession, reasons for death fear, and general anxiety, depression, obsession-compulsion, neuroticism, and being a female. All female groups attained significantly higher mean ASDA scores than their male counterparts. Kuwaitis had higher mean ASDA total scores, in comparison with their Egyptian and Syrian counterparts, whereas female Syrians attained the lowest mean ASDA total score in proportion to their female peers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Internal consistency of an Arabic Adaptation of the Beck Depression Inventory in four Arab countries.

An Arabic version of the revised edition of the Beck Depression Inventory in its complete form was developed. Back translation indicated the translation into modern standard Arabic was adequate. The cross-language equivalence of scores on the Arabic and English forms was .96, denoting high equivalence in meaning. Coefficients alpha were computed for samples of male and female undergraduates recruited from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Lebanon (ns = 100, 80, 100, 100, respectively). Values of alpha were .77, .82, .89, and .67, respectively. By and large, the inventory seems viable in the Arabic context so its use in cross-cultural research may be explored.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fertility policy and family planning in the Arab countries.

An increasing number of Arab countries are instituting family planning programs to lower their populations' high fertility rates. This article examines Arab governments' perceptions of their countries' fertility situation, their desire to intervene in order to reduce or increase the rate of population growth, and the measures they have taken to influence the level of fertility. Special attention is given to family planning programs and access to methods of fertility regulation. A combination of stronger program effort and improved socioeconomic conditions account for much of the variation in contraceptive prevalence rates in 11 countries. Socioeconomic setting and political factors are found to be of primary importance in determining Arab fertility policies.

Family Planning Services↗
PubMed2005

Mental health practice in Arab countries.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review deals with the current situation of mental health practice in Arab countries. Despite the complexity and importance of the topic, the Arab world still shows a lack of awareness regarding mental health problems and a dearth of mental health services and professionals. The main purpose of this paper is to examine changes in the area of mental health, and what still needs to be developed or investigated. RECENT FINDINGS: Mental health patients in Arab countries tend to express their psychological problems in terms of physical symptoms, thereby avoiding the stigma attached to mental illness. They also tend to underutilize mental health services and to hold negative attitudes toward formal mental health services. Reliance upon a deity and religious leaders as a means of coping with mental health issues is another prevalent theme in the Arab world. Another issue is that of mental health practices in politically volatile and violent regions, where higher rates of mental health problems and psychiatric diagnoses have been found. In addition, women in Arab/Muslim countries are at paramount risk from mental health problems. SUMMARY: The findings have implications for professional service delivery. Further research, intervention and activism are needed in the field of mental health systems in Arab countries to improve awareness of mental health problems. Further research is also needed regarding issues such as cultural competence and the suitability of mental health treatment and services for the non-Western communities in many Arab/Muslim countries.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Women in Arab countries: challenging the patriarchal system?

Progress in the empowerment of Arab women was found to be low in a 2002 report. Yet Arab women's status is not reflected in continuing high fertility, which in 2000 had dropped sharply in one generation to 3.4. This paper discusses why fertility decline could nevertheless have taken place in the Arab countries. Islam has not stood in the way of fertility decline, as Iran and Algeria show. From the mid- 1970s to 1980s, subsidised consumption through oil wealth redistribution reduced the cost of children, and social conservatism kept married women out of the labour force, both of which promoted higher fertility. The early stages of fertility decline were mainly due to longer length of education of girls, rising female age at first marriage, e.g. 28 in urban Morocco and 29 in Libya, and entry into the labour force of young, single women. There is also a growing population sub-group of never-married young women. Collapsing oil prices and structural adjustment reduced household resources and became an effective fertility regulation factor. Girls born since the 1950s have not only been educated longer than their mothers, but also their fathers, which increases their authority. These factors, and women's activism and civil and political lobbying for the reform of personal status now underway in a number of Arab countries, could all challenge the patriarchal system.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Education of children with mental retardation in the Arab countries.

An overview of current issues in the education of children with mental retardation in Arab countries was presented and salient features of available programs were described. Major problems facing Arab practitioners working with this population were also discussed. The conclusion was made that despite serious challenges, special education programs for children with mental retardation in Arab countries are gradually evolving, making the outlook for these children more promising.

Africa↗
PubMed2004

Note on death anxiety in Spain and five Arab countries.

Comparison of scores on Templer's Death Anxiety Scale for samples of students in Spain and five Arab countries indicated that, in general, the students in Arab countries scored higher than the Spanish students. Similar results were obtained for other measures of death anxiety. Such differences may be associated with social factors including religiosity, the cultural meaning of death, and quality of life.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Socio-cultural and economic factors affecting food consumption patterns in the Arab countries.

Several factors have been found to determine the dietary habits of the people in the Arab world. Food consumption pattern has dramatically changed in some Arab countries as a result of sudden increase in income from oil revenue. It is believed that food subsidy policy has adversely affected the food habits in the Gulf states by encouraging the intake of fat, sugar, rice, wheat flour and meat. Socio-cultural factors such as religion, beliefs, food preferences, gender discrimination, education and women's employment all have a noticeable influence on food consumption patterns in this region. Mass media, especially televised food advertisements, play an important role in modifying the dietary habits. The migration movement, particularly that which was carried out during the 70s has a great impact on the food practices in many Arab countries. Comprehensive studies on social, cultural and economic factors associated with food consumption patterns in the Arab region are highly recommended.

Cultural Characteristics↗
PubMed2004

Potential use of economic instruments in waste management in the Arab countries.

Changing public behavior towards the environment is considered an essential component in the environmental strategies of all the Arab countries. An important mechanism is using economic instruments (pricing, charges, taxes, and financial incentives) to achieve the desired changes. This article presents potential applications for the use of economic instruments in waste management in the Arab countries. Applications are suggested for implementation in several fields that include wastewater, solid waste, hazardous waste, and agricultural pollution. Examples are presented based on real data from Jordan. In addition, the requirements needed to implement the economic instruments are explained.

Agriculture↗
PubMed1993

Indirect mortality estimates for children under five in six Arab countries.

"Data from various censuses and surveys covering the last two decades for six Arab countries (Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, the Syrian Arab Republic, and the United Arab Emirates) are analysed using the Brass-Trussell methodology and the Coale-Demeny West model life tables. Overlapping levels and trends with respect to various infant and childhood mortality measurements since the mid-1950s are determined. The measurements show that these countries are not homogeneous with respect to mortality, as they reflect disparities in both health programmes, standards of living and quality of life."

Africa↗
PubMed2003

Death anxiety in Spain and five Arab countries.

The present study compared death anxiety among volunteer undergraduates from Spain and five Arab countries, i.e., Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, and Syria. The Templer Death Anxiety Scale was used in its Spanish and Arabic forms, respectively. The Mean for the Spanish sample was lower than that of their Arabic counterparts in the five countries, whether the subjects were men or women.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1990

Bibliometric aspects of medical information in Arab countries.

This paper discusses the current state and development of health and biomedical literature in Arab countries. The study concentrates on the Arabic sources of medical articles, and surveys and analyzes the size of the literature and its development in the past 100 years. Two aspects of these sources are covered: the Arab medical information sources published within the Arab region, and those published outside the region. This includes the quantity of material available within and outside the Arab region. The size of the Arab medical literature indicates that it is worthy of collection. Treatment of the Arab medical literature, a pressing and urgent issue, is needed to assist in the research and development of an Arab medical infrastructure.

Bibliometrics↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Young people and the struggle against drug abuse in the Arab countries.

While cannabis consumption in Egypt has a centuries-long tradition, recent evidence on drug abuse shows new patterns and trends: young people from all socio-economic strata of society are increasingly involved with both traditional drugs, such as hashish, and the new pharmaceutical psychotropic substances that are emerging. A recent survey of the university students in Egypt, carried out by the author and others, showed that 34 per cent of the students who had succeeded in their studies and 42 per cent of those who had failed used drugs. In addition to the situation in Egypt, the article briefly reviews drug abuse among young people in some other Arab countries. To cope more effectively with the problems of drug abuse among the young, the author suggests that comprehensive community-based programmes need to be organized to improve the personal and social functioning of drug-dependent persons, to promote drug education and to increase understanding between younger and older generations. Epidemiological studies of the nature and extent of drug abuse, as well as evaluative studies of ongoing prevention and treatment programmes, need to be organized and carried out with a view to improving the effectiveness of drug abuse intervention among the young in the Arab countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

[Desire for children and family planning in Algeria (Approach to reproduction in Arab countries) (author's transl)].

Arab patients in the Gynaecological Hospital of the University of Oran, Algeria, were observed. Aspects relating to desire for children, family planning, and parity are discussed in conjunction with the outcome of the latest Algerian census. Three of four children in one family are considered an optimum solution. Early marriage and early gravidity still are widespread. Family planning continues to play a minor role, and only 25.3 per cent of all patients reviewed took to oral contraceptives for shorter or longer periods of time. - The percentages of primiparae and secundiparae in all births as well as the high percentage of multigravidity are parameters by which the approach to reproduction differs substantively from behaviour patterns in Europe. Traditional thinking of couples and resulting behaviours as well as religious and social motivations and insufficient use of family planning facilities are the major reasons.

Algeria↗
PubMed2003

A quantitative analysis of medical publications from Arab countries.

OBJECTIVE: To perform geographical analysis of the number of biomedical publications produced in 20 Arab countries over a 15-year period from 1987 to 2001 and to compare publication rates normalized by country population, school enrollment, adult illiteracy, and gross domestic product (GDP). METHODS: This study was carried out at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, UAE University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. A search of the Medline database for publications in which the first author of original articles is affiliated with an institution located in the Arab World was performed. Data collection, extraction, and validation was performed. RESULTS: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt had the highest number of publications together accounting for 58.4% of the Arab World's publications. Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had the highest number when normalizing by population with 6.57/100,000 for Kuwait and 2.62/100,000 for UAE. Normalizing by the GDP indicator, Jordan had the highest number of publications with 11.2 per one billion average yearly GDP followed by Lebanon with 10.3 per one billion average yearly GDP. CONCLUSION: Normalizing publications by different indicators is important as results may vary when using different normalizing indicators or no normalization at all.

Bibliometrics↗
PubMed2001

Infant mortality in Arab countries: sociodemographic, perinatal and economic factors.

The infant mortality rates for 1978 and 1998 of 16 Arab countries in the Eastern Mediterranean region were studied. The data were extracted from World Health Organization and United Nations Children's Fund sources. The impact of demographic, social, perinatal care and economic indicators on infant mortality rates in 1998 was studied using Spearman rank coefficient to detect significant correlations. All countries, except Iraq, showed a sharp decline in rates from 1978 to 1998. Infant mortality rates were directly related to population size, annual total births, low birth weight and maternal mortality ratios. Also, infant mortality rates were inversely related to literacy status of both sexes, annual gross national product per capita and access to safe drinking-water and adequate sanitation facilities.

Birth Rate↗
PubMed2001

Childbearing in five Arab countries.

The life-table technique is used in this study to describe childbearing patterns in five Arab countries (Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Sudan, and Yemen). Two summary measures are estimated: the cumulative proportion of women of a given parity having a subsequent birth within 60 months of the previous birth (quintum), and the median length of the interval between successive births. The analysis indicates that in Yemen (where the total fertility rate exceeds seven children per woman of reproductive age), women begin childbearing at a relatively early age and a large proportion of ever-married women reach high parity at a relatively fast pace. Morocco and Egypt (with TFRs of 3.3 and 3.8 children per woman, respectively) are characterized by delay in the onset of childbearing, a slow pace of childbearing, and a smaller proportion of ever-married women reaching high parity. In Algeria and Sudan (with TFRs of 4.4 and 4.6 children), delay in the onset of childbearing plays a larger role in fertility reduction than do the tempo or the quantum of childbearing.

Adult↗