A cost of illness study of the economic burden of diabetes in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Background: Diabetes poses an increasing public health and economic challenge in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), yet its full financial impact across the region remains poorly quantified.

Aim: To estimate the economic burden of diabetes, including direct and indirect costs, in the 22 EMR countries and territories.

Methods: A prevalence-based approach was used to estimate the annual direct and indirect costs of diabetes in the EMR from 2023 to 2050.

The economic burden of perinatal mortality due to inaction on preconception health in low and middle-income countries: A population attributable fraction and economic impact analysis.

Background: Poor preconception health has been associated with several pregnancy and childbirth-related complications, including perinatal mortality. Yet, the health and economic burden that inaction on preconception health places on societies remains under-researched, hindering efforts to address these issues effectively. This study aimed to quantify the economic burden of perinatal mortality attributable to five preconception risk factors in fifteen low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

The Feasibility and Relevance of Collecting Adolescent Health Indicators in Humanitarian Settings: Results From the West Bank.

Background: There is a critical concern for adolescent health in the Eastern Mediterranean region especially during humanitarian crises. This study emphasises not only the need for measuring key health indicators but also how to collect the information effectively, particularly in the West Bank. These efforts will guide evidence-based policies and interventions for this population.

Harnessing primary healthcare to reduce the burden of cervical cancer in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Cervical cancer remains a significant public health challenge in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), with significant implications for women's health and sustainable development. Despite being largely preventable, the EMR reported high prevalence of new cases and deaths in 2022. The burden is expected to increase by 2050.

Mapping stakeholders, services, data, and the information system for adolescent health in the West Bank.

Background: Adolescent health plays a crucial role in shaping lifelong well-being, yet significant gaps exist in addressing adolescent health needs. In conflict-affected regions like the West Bank, fragmented service delivery, inconsistent data collection, and lack of coordination between providers undermine the effectiveness of health services. An efficient health information system ensures accurate data collection, stakeholder integration, and evidence-based decision-making.

Why did not all studies conducted during Darfur's armed conflict obtain ethics approval? Insights from a qualitative study.

Background: Armed conflicts are associated with multiple factors that may deem applying the ethical standards of research conducted in war-affected areas hard to achieve, compared to research conducted in peace time.

Objective: Using the example of studies conducted by the humanitarian agencies in the war-troubled region of Darfur, west Sudan between 2004 and 2012, a qualitative study was pursued to have a deeper understanding of the factors that affected the reporting of gaining the ethical approval in the published reports of these studies.

Methods: A qualitative study was used that involved conducting interviews and focus groups with the relevant stakeholders, namely the representatives of the national and international non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, and the national humanitarian and research governance bodies in Sudan.

Healthcare systems and health economics in GCC countries: informing decision-makers from the perspective of the Gulf health economics association.

Following the discovery of oil, citizens of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, have enjoyed the benefits of universal healthcare. However, as the population and healthcare demands in the GCC continue to grow, financing these healthcare systems without adequately considering the value of reimbursed health technologies and the effectiveness of various policies has become increasingly challenging. While numerous narrative reviews and government reports have discussed the healthcare systems in these nations, they have not sufficiently addressed the approval processes, economic evaluations, and reimbursement mechanisms for health technologies.

Decision-Analytical Modelling of Medicines in the Middle East: A Systematic Review of Economic Evaluation Studies.

Background: Economic evaluations through decision-analytical models have played a limited role in shaping healthcare resource optimisation and reimbursement decisions in the Middle East.

Objective: This review aims to systematically examine economic evaluation studies focusing on decision-analytical models of medicines in the Middle East, defining methodological characteristics and appraising the quality of the identified models.

Methods: A systematic review approach was employed to identify published decision-analytical models of medicines in the Middle East.

Adolescent health research and initiatives in the occupied Palestinian territory: a scoping review.

Objective: Adolescence is a period characterised by profound changes that warrant special attention, particularly for adolescents living in conflict-stricken regions. The dearth of available information regarding observational health research and interventions in the occupied Palestinian territory emphasises the need for a comprehensive examination of all accessible data. The aim of this review is to conduct a thorough analysis of the existing literature and initiatives focusing on adolescent health in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Illicit drug use in Limerick City: A stakeholder and policy analysis using multiple streams model.

Background: The changing drug situation in Ireland has led to the development of various drug policies. This paper aims to use Limerick City as a case study to examine approaches to policy development.

Methodology: The study is qualitative and uses a hybrid technique that combines document, content, and stakeholder analysis.

Enhancing cultural sensitivity in the implementation of the Fertility Quality of Life Tool in Sudan: a science diplomacy perspective.

Background: Infertility is a global health challenge impacting quality of life, particularly in low and middle-income countries such as Sudan. The Fertility Quality of Life (FertiQoL) tool, a standardized questionnaire, is pivotal in assessing fertility-related quality of life. However, existing research on its utility has primarily been conducted in Global North and High-Income Countries, highlighting the need to shift away from neocolonialism to promote truly inclusive research and effective healthcare practices.

Opportunities and challenges of using a health information system in adolescent health management: A qualitative study of healthcare providers' perspectives in the West Bank, occupied Palestinian territory.

Background: Adolescents are a critical demographic facing unique health challenges who are further impacted in humanitarian settings. This article focuses on the urgent need for a structured health information system (HIS) to address the gaps in data availability and evidence-based interventions for adolescent health. The study aims to identify opportunities and challenges in utilizing the HIS to enhance adolescent health in the West Bank by gathering insights from healthcare providers.

Fostering cultural resilience: assessing the success of a locally engaged and adapted mental health intervention in Gaza.

In ongoing-conflict-affected regions like Gaza, the prevalence of complex and intersecting post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSDs) necessitates innovative interventions. Our study explores a mental health care approach that has been culturally adapted for 15 years to address the complex landscape of PTSD in the Gaza Strip. Tarkiz was initially developed as 'Focusing', a metacognitive approach founded by Eugene Gendlin in 1950s Chicago.

Economics of primary healthcare: cost estimation of clinical services at primary care facilities in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Objective: While the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have demonstrated a strong commitment to strengthening primary healthcare (PHC), the costs of delivering these services in this region remain relatively unexplored. Understanding the costs of PHC delivery is essential for effective resource allocation and health system efficiency.

Design: We used an ingredient-based method to estimate the cost of delivering a selection of services at PHC facilities in the six GCC countries in 2019.

The cost of inaction on preconception health in Nigeria: An economic impact analysis.

A growing body of evidence has shown the effects of poor preconception health on adverse pregnancy outcomes and, subsequently, maternal and child morbidity and mortality. However, the cost of poor preconception health remains relatively unexplored. Using the case of Nigeria, this study provides the first estimate of the disease and economic burden of poor preconception health at a country level.

Health-related quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcers in the Arab world: a systematic review.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review to identify the impact of diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals within the Arab world.

Method: A PRISMA-guided systematic search for HRQoL studies in Arab populations was conducted in CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus and EBSCO. Relevant studies were critically appraised using the STROBE statement checklist.

Investigating the pathways from preconception care to preventing maternal, perinatal and child mortality: A scoping review and causal loop diagram.

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition that developing preconception care provides an opportunity to significantly reduce maternal and child mortality and morbidity. This involves targeting multiple risk factors through a large array of medical, behavioural and social interventions. In this study, we created a Causal Loop Diagram (CLD) to describe several pathways by which a set of preconception interventions may lead to women's improved health and better pregnancy outcomes.

The health-related quality of life in patients with diabetic foot ulcers in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Aims: The aims of this study were to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of adult Bahraini patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) and to explore factors associated with poor HRQoL.

Methods: Cross-sectional HRQoL data were obtained from a sample of patients in active treatment for DFU at a large public hospital in Bahrain. Patient-reported HRQOL was measured using the following instruments: DFS-SF, CWIS and EQ-5D.

Factors associated with adolescent pregnancy and public health interventions to address in Nigeria: a scoping review.

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a global public health and social problem that affects both developed and developing countries. Reducing adolescent pregnancy is central to achieving sustainable development goals. In 2021 Nigeria's Adolescent pregnancy was 106 per 1000 and showed an increasing rate.

The need for standardised methods of data collection, sharing of data and agency coordination in humanitarian settings.

Humanitarian crises and emergencies are prevalent all over the world. With a surge in crises in the last decade, humanitarian agencies have increased their presence in these areas. Initiatives such as the Sphere Project and the Minimum Initial Service Package known as MISP were formed to set standards and priorities for humanitarian assistance agencies.

Community cohesion and violence against women in Ghana, Pakistan, and South Sudan: A secondary data analysis.

Background: Much knowledge has been accumulated on individual-level risks and protective factors of violence against women. However, the influence of factors operating at the community level, such as community cohesion, remains unclear, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This study examined whether community cohesion, a combined measure of mutual trust and tolerance, affects women's likelihood of experiencing intimate partner violence, violence perpetrated by a family member, and violence occurring in public spaces.

The case for investing in the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council: an economic evaluation.

Background: While the non-communicable disease (NCD) burden in the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) has surged over the past decades, the costs and return on investment (ROI) of implementing cost-effective, WHO-recommended NCD interventions have not been established.

Methods: We performed an economic analysis to estimate the ROI from scaling up four sets of NCD interventions over 15 years. We estimated the direct costs of the four main NCDs (cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory diseases) using a prevalence-based, bottom-up cost-of-illness approach.