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Paul P, Mahfoud ZR, Malik RA, Kaul R, Muffuh Navti P, Al-Sheikhly D, Chaari A. Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitude of Healthcare Stakeholders on Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia in Qatar. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:4535. [PMID: 36901551 PMCID: PMC10002196 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20054535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Dementia is characterized by progressive cognitive decline, memory impairment, and disability. Alzheimer's disease (AD) accounts for 60-70% of cases, followed by vascular and mixed dementia. Qatar and the Middle East are at increased risk owing to aging populations and high prevalence of vascular risk factors. Appropriate levels of knowledge, attitudes, and awareness amongst health care professionals (HCPs) are the need of the hour, but literature indicates that these proficiencies may be inadequate, outdated, or markedly heterogenous. In addition to a review of published quantitative surveys investigating similar questions in the Middle East, a pilot cross-sectional online needs-assessment survey was undertaken to gauge these parameters of dementia and AD among healthcare stakeholders in Qatar between 19 April and 16 May 2022. Overall, 229 responses were recorded between physicians (21%), nurses (21%), and medical students (25%), with two-thirds from Qatar. Over half the respondents reported that >10% of their patients were elderly (>60 years). Over 25% reported having contact with >50 patients with dementia or neurodegenerative disease annually. Over 70% had not undertake related education/training in the last 2 years. The knowledge of HCPs regarding dementia and AD was moderate (mean score of 5.3 ± 1.5 out of 7) and their awareness of recent advances in basic disease pathophysiology was lacking. Differences existed across professions and location of respondents. Our findings lay the groundwork for a call-to-action for healthcare institutions to improve dementia care within Qatar and the Middle East region.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ziyad Riyad Mahfoud
- Division of Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha 24144, Qatar
- Division of Epidemiology, Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, NY 10065, New York, USA
| | - Rayaz A. Malik
- Division of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha 24144, Qatar
- Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NT, UK
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, UK
| | | | - Phyllis Muffuh Navti
- Division of Continuing Professional Development, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha 24144, Qatar
| | - Deema Al-Sheikhly
- Division of Medical Education, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha 24144, Qatar
- Division of Continuing Professional Development, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha 24144, Qatar
| | - Ali Chaari
- Premedical Division, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha 24144, Qatar
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Kevern P, Lawrence D, Nazir N, Tsaroucha A. Religious Influences on the Experience of Family Carers of People with Dementia in a British Pakistani Muslim Community. Healthcare (Basel) 2022; 11:healthcare11010120. [PMID: 36611580 PMCID: PMC9819143 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11010120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper reports on a study that begins to address the paucity of research around the religious motivations of Muslim carers of family members with dementia. Seven carers were recruited for interviews from the British Pakistani Muslim community concentrated in the Midlands and North of England. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically using an iterative collaborative methodology. The findings suggested that the Muslim faith plays a pivotal role as a support mechanism for individual carers and their families, but the wider faith community and its leaders did not typically offer support and could impede access to external care. This was a result of cultural pressure and lack of awareness both among religious leaders and the community as a whole. The study concluded that the inequality in access to dementia services may be constructively addressed if service providers engage with these faith concerns in the community and religious leaders to meet the needs of Muslims of British Pakistani origin.
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Research on Older Persons’ Access and Use of Technology in the Arab Region: Critical Overview and Future Directions. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12147258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
This paper presents the findings of a scoping review that maps exploratory evidence and gaps in research on information and communication technology (ICT) access and use among older persons in the Arab region. This review is part of a larger project that studies ICT access and use and related challenges faced by older adults in Qatar. A search was conducted in eleven scientific databases and search engines covering empirical studies published in English and Arabic between January 2016 and June 2021. Eleven studies were retrieved in the final corpus. A thematic analysis alongside the PRISMA for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was used to retrieve the findings. Our analysis identifies smartphones and social media applications for communication and information sharing as the most accessed and used technologies by older persons in the region. Moreover, our review highlighted the importance of the sociocultural factors in shaping ICT access and use by older persons in the region. The functional limitations of older persons in interaction with certain technology factors such as usability, functionality, and accessibility were also highlighted as major challenges inhibiting ICT access and use by this population segment. This scoping review provides a comprehensive overview of ICT access and use, and the factors affecting them among older persons in the Arab region. It highlights the scarcity of research on the subject in the region. It also stresses the fact that there is a need for more research on older persons and their caregivers in the context of the Arab world. More culturally appropriate need-based and adapted technologies are also recommended. Our review is a comprehensive source for researchers and technology developers interested in targeting and engaging older adults in the Arab region.
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