United Arab Emirates Global School- based Student

Supervised by Dr. Mahmoud Fikry

Prepared by Dr. Mariam A. Al-Matroushi

United Arab Emirates Global Schoolbased Student Health Survey

2005

Forword

This report presents findings from the 2005 United Arab Emirates Global School-based Student health survey (UAE-GSHS-2005)

In 2001, WHO, in collaboration with UNAIDS, UNESCO, and UNICEF, and with technical assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, USA, initiated the development of the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS). Since 2003, Ministries of Health and Education around the world have been using the GSHS to periodically monitor the prevalence of important health risk behaviours and protective factors among students.

Globally the burden of non-communicable diseases has rapidly increased. In 2001 noncommunicable diseases accounted for almost 60% of the deaths annually and 47% of the global burden of disease and few major risks factors accounted for much of the morbidity and mortality figures. The ministry of health in UAE it's the collaborating partners have implemented "The Global School Based Student Health Survey to reinforce the holistic approach of the ministry which aims at reducing the burden of mortality, morbidity and disability through conducting scientific research, providing comprehensive medical and preventive services and exchanging information and experiences with regional as well as international agencies.

The Global School-based Student Health Survey in the United Arab Emirates provides data on the prevalence of many health behaviours and protective factors related to the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among youth and adults.

The fact that School health deals with a population sector that constitutes prospective human and economic resources and hence contributes to the process of national development, makes it more important to give it special attention.

School health programs are designed to provide comprehensive quality services which are subjected to continuous evaluation through research and development to meet the expectation of the beneficiaries.

The successful implementation of the GSHS in UAE would not have been possible without the active and dedicated efforts of a large number of organizations and individuals. The international and regional support from the World Health Organization and the CDC technical support is gratefully acknowledged. Also I would like to express my special thanks to our partners from Ministry of education, Abu Dhabi General Authority for Health Services and Dubai Health Authority. Also the members of the steering committee , the local supervisors and researchers, all the staff and students of the selected schools who have participated in this survey in the UAE.

A great deal of work has been put into implementing the 2005 UAE-GSHS. It is hoped that this survey will provide the base and guidance for future child and adolescent health program development.

Humaid AL Qutami Health Minister

[UAE] GSHS Report

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preface

The last twenty five years have witnessed considerable developments the socio- economic environment of the UAE accompanied by significant changes in the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in UAE population. The receding role of communicable diseases is balanced by a greater burden of non-communicable diseases related to non healthy lifestyle behavior.

School health program aims at promoting the health of students and preventing diseases through early detection, promoting health awareness and providing healthy and safe school environment. Promoting students awareness and adoption of health promoting lifestyles is considered one of the main school health program objectives.

The Global School-based Health Survey was developed by the WHO in collaboration with UNAIDS, UNESCO, and UNICEF, and with technical assistance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Atlanta, USA, to provide accurate data on health behaviors and protective factors among students to help countries develop priorities, establish programmes and advocate for resources for school health programmes and policies and programs addressing youth health. This will allow countries, international agencies and others to make comparisons across and within countries regarding the prevalence of health behaviors and protective factors; and also to establish trends in the prevalence of health behaviors and protective factors by country for use in evaluation of school health and youth health promotion.

The UAE was among the first Group of Arabic countries to implement this survey. To date, more than 28countries have already completed the GSHS. GSHS was conducted in United Arab Emirates by the ministry of health and the ministry of education in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi general health authority and Dubai health authority. A total of 15,790 students in 194 governmental and private schools in the United Arab Emirates completed the survey. GSHS data are representative of all students attending the grades from 7th to 10th governmental and private schools in the UAE.

The Global School-based Student Health Survey in the United Arab Emirates provides data on the prevalence of many health behaviors and protective factors related to the leading causes of mortality and morbidity among youth and adults that will support the development of better future strategies for this population.

The GSHS is considered a surveillance system that is repeated in some countries on time intervals to monitor the progress in the field of youth and adolescents health promotion. We recommend that this study should be conducted at regular time intervals to establish a surveillance system and function as a continuous evaluation tool and to be complemented by other in-depth studies for current school health and health education programs.

Dr. Mahmoud Fikree Assistant Undersecretary for Preventive Medicine

[UAE] GSHS Report

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................5

Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................3

Part 1: Introduction....................................................................................................................................4 1. Methods.................................................................................................................................4

Part 2: Results............................................................................................................................................6 Overview..........................................................................................................................................7 1. Demography ..........................................................................................................................8 2. Dietary Behaviours................................................................................................................9 3. Hygiene ...............................................................................................................................12 4. Violence and Unintentional Injury......................................................................................13 5. Mental Health......................................................................................................................38 6. Tobacco Use........................................................................................................................40 7. Alcohol and Drug use..........................................................................................................41 8 Awareness of HIV or AIDS ................................................................................................44 9. Physical Activity .................................................................................................................45 10. Protective Factors ................................................................................................................47

Part 3: Conclusions and Recommendations ............................................................................................27 11. Overview .............................................................................................................................27 12. Conclusions .........................................................................................................................33 13. Recommendations ...............................................................................................................55

Part 4: Appendices ..................................................................................................................................35 14. Overview .............................................................................................................................56 15. GSHS Questionnaire ...........................................................................................................35 16. References ...........................................................................................................................36

[UAE] GSHS Report

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Acknowledgement

This survey was supported by World Health Organization ( Geneva and EMRO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta USA. We would therefore like to thank Ms. Leanne Riley from WHO Geneva office, Dr. Laura Kann and Ms. Connie Lim( from CDC ) and Dr Abdul-Halim Joukhadar in WHO EMRO office for their valuable support and guidance in developing the survey. Our appreciation also goes to the following organizations, ministries and individuals who have contributed effectively towards the successful implementation of this survey. We would also like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the officials and members of the steering committee who relentlessly supervised and oversaw and assisted in the successful development and implementation process are included:

Ministry of Health & other health authorities

HE Dr. Mahmoud Fikri,

Assistant Undersecretary for Preventive Medicine

Dr. Mariam Al Matroushi, Survey Co-ordinator & Director of

Central Dept. of School Health Directorate

Dr. Gohar Wajid ,

Curative Medicine Department /MOH

Mr. Bassam Abi Sa'ab

Health Education Department /MOH

Dr. Abdul Monim Noor

Preventive Medicine Department /MOH

Dr. Jyothy Jain

Department of Disease control /MOH

Mr. Hassan Al Atass

Dept. of Statistics /MOH

Dr. Duree Chowdhury

General Authority for Health Services

Dr. Ahmed Wasfi

Dubai Health Authority

Dr. Al Jeeli Al Quraisi

Dubai Health Authority

Ministry of Education

Dr. Ahmed Sa'ad Al Shareef Assistant Undersecretary for activities and students affairs

Dr. Ibrahim Al Sakkar

Director, Department of Sports and Health programs

Dr. Ibtisam Al Khalidy

Department of Information, Statistics and Institutional Research

Mr. Ahmed Abdul Rahman Department of sports and health programs

Ms. Fatima Khusroo

Department of sports and health programs

Secretarial works were followed by

Ashraf Abdul Rahim

Central school health department / MOH

Sunila Thomas

Central school health department / MOH

Salma Saeed Al Humady Central school health department / MOH

Ahlam Ramlan Al Hajeri Central school health department / MOH

The following individuals had contributed towards the successful implementation of the survey: Local Supervisors

Dr. Mohammed Salim Bali

School Health Dep./ Ajman Medical District

Dr. Ola Ahmed Mira'a

School Health Dep./ Umm Al Quwain Medical District

Ms. Insaaf Mohammed Ayoob School Health Dep./ Ras Al Khaimah Medical District

Dr. Khalid Al Mulla

School Health Dep./ Fujairah Medical District

Dr. Abbaas Hussein Dr. Abdul Salam Hindawee

School Health Dep./ Dubai Medical District School Health Dep./ Sharjah Medical District

Dr. Osama Muheeb Ibrahim School Health Dep./ Abu Dhabi Medical District

[UAE] GSHS Report

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