Adolescent Health in the Middle East and North Africa (eBook)

This 2-volumeset focuses on adolescent health in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA), and presents the latest research on the health risk behaviours and social behaviours that adolescents from the MENA region engage in. While there has been a surge in peer-reviewed research publications on population health in the MENA region in the last couple of decades, very few books offer a resource to address the diverse negative influences that disproportionately affect adolescents and children in the MENA region, including increased tobacco consumption culture, low emphasis on physical activity, increased sedentary behaviours, weak health policies, and societal issues related to displacement and political conflicts. These books offer a synthesis of current knowledge on adolescent health issues in the MENA region, and aim to provide evidence-informed adolescent health care practices that address current issues related to mental, physical, reproductive and nutritional health. 

Volume 2 focuses on nutritional and reproductive health in the MENA region, predictive modelling of obesity, determinants of sexual and oral health, HIV, and diabetes. The study will aid health care professionals, policy makers, government organizations and health program planners to assess current policies and practices related to adolescent health in the MENA region, and to identify the best courses of action moving forward. 

Dr. Caroline Barakat is an Associate Professor in Environmental/Occupational Health at Ontario Tech University. She was previously an Assistant Professor and Discipline Representative for Health Studies at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and an Assistant Professor in Health Sciences at Zayed University, Dubai. Her research interests and expertise include the links between environments and health, health across the life course, child and adolescent health, spatial patterns of health and health care, environmental epidemiology, population health, and health inequities. Her research experience focuses on air pollution and health, particularly the long-term health effects of childhood exposure to ambient air quality. She has designed and developed a large database on environmental exposures, health behaviours, and health measures for a sample of approximately 60,000 residents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The goal was to examine differences in health status and environmental exposures across the seven emirates and among nationals and expatriates that reside in the UAE. She was also involved in a national Canadian project that systematically reviews the literature on risk factors related to the progression of 14 priority neurological conditions. She is currently involved in a number of research projects including examining constraints to physical activity among female adolescents, exploring transitioning thalassemia patients from adolescence to adulthood, and parental influence of children with asthma in relation to their physical activity practices.

Dr. Rania Dghaim is an Associate Professor at Zayed University, United Arab Emirates. 

Dr. Fatme Al Anouti is an Associate Professor at Zayed University, United Arab Emirates.