Diverging levels of COVID-19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational study
Abstract Background Public acceptance of governmental measures are key to controlling the spread of infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant burden on healthcare systems for high-income countries as well as low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The ability of LMICs to...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13292-9 |
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| author | Rania Itani Samar Karout Hani M. J. Khojah Makram Rabah Mohamad B. Kassab Francine K. Welty Mazen AlBaghdadi Haitham Khraishah Faris El-Dahiyat Salman Alzayani Yousef S. Khader Mohammad S. Alyahya Danah Alsane Rana Abu-Farha Tareq L. Mukattash Tarek Soukarieh Mohamad Fawzi Awad Reem Awad Abir Wehbi Fatima Abbas Hadi El Mais Huda El Mais Lina Karout |
| author_facet | Rania Itani Samar Karout Hani M. J. Khojah Makram Rabah Mohamad B. Kassab Francine K. Welty Mazen AlBaghdadi Haitham Khraishah Faris El-Dahiyat Salman Alzayani Yousef S. Khader Mohammad S. Alyahya Danah Alsane Rana Abu-Farha Tareq L. Mukattash Tarek Soukarieh Mohamad Fawzi Awad Reem Awad Abir Wehbi Fatima Abbas Hadi El Mais Huda El Mais Lina Karout |
| author_sort | Rania Itani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Public acceptance of governmental measures are key to controlling the spread of infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant burden on healthcare systems for high-income countries as well as low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The ability of LMICs to respond to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic has been limited and may have affected the impact of governmental strategies to control the spread of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate and compare public opinion on the governmental COVID-19 response of high and LMICs in the Middle East and benchmark it to international countries. Methods An online, self-administered questionnaire was distributed among different Middle Eastern Arab countries. Participants’ demographics and level of satisfaction with governmental responses to COVID-19 were analyzed and reported. Scores were benchmarked against 19 international values. Results A total of 7395 responses were included. Bahrain scored highest for satisfaction with the governmental response with 38.29 ± 2.93 on a scale of 40, followed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (37.13 ± 3.27), United Arab Emirates (36.56 ± 3.44), Kuwait (35.74 ± 4.85), Jordan (23.08 ± 6.41), and Lebanon (15.39 ± 5.28). Participants’ country of residence was a significant predictor of the satisfaction score (P < 0.001), and participants who suffered income reduction due to the pandemic, had a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and held higher educational degrees had significantly lower satisfaction scores (P < 0.001). When benchmarked with other international publics, countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council had the highest satisfaction level, Jordan had an average score, and Lebanon had one of the lowest satisfaction scores. Conclusion The political crisis in Lebanon merged with the existing corruption were associated with the lowest public satisfaction score whereas the economical instability of Jordan placed the country just before the lowest position. On the other hand, the solid economy plus good planning and public trust in the government placed the other countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council on top of the scale. Further investigation is necessary to find out how the governments of other low-income countries may have handled the situation wisely and gained the trust of their publics. This may help convey a clearer picture to Arab governments that have suffered during the pandemic. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:13:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9969d43d2e4b441b9c4a371fb226619b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T08:13:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-9969d43d2e4b441b9c4a371fb226619b2022-12-22T02:54:52ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582022-05-0122111210.1186/s12889-022-13292-9Diverging levels of COVID-19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational studyRania Itani0Samar Karout1Hani M. J. Khojah2Makram Rabah3Mohamad B. Kassab4Francine K. Welty5Mazen AlBaghdadi6Haitham Khraishah7Faris El-Dahiyat8Salman Alzayani9Yousef S. Khader10Mohammad S. Alyahya11Danah Alsane12Rana Abu-Farha13Tareq L. Mukattash14Tarek Soukarieh15Mohamad Fawzi Awad16Reem Awad17Abir Wehbi18Fatima Abbas19Hadi El Mais20Huda El Mais21Lina Karout22Pharmacy Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab UniversityPharmacy Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab UniversityDepartment of Clinical and Hospital Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taibah UniversityDepartment of History and Archeology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of BeirutDivision of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalDivision of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical SchoolDivision of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General HospitalDivision of Cardiology, University of Maryland Medical CenterClinical Pharmacy Program, College of Pharmacy, Al-Ain UniversityDepartment of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf UniversityEpidemiology, Medical Education and Biostatistics, Department of Community Medicine, Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science & TechnologyDepartment of Health Management and Policy, Faculty of Medicine, Jordan University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kuwait UniversityClinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private UniversityDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and TechnologyAmerican University of Beirut Medical CenterAmerican University of Beirut Medical CenterPharmacy Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab UniversityHealth Department, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA)Pharmacy Practice Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab UniversityDepartment of Immunology, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of TorontoFaculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab UniversityFaculty of Medicine, Beirut Arab UniversityAbstract Background Public acceptance of governmental measures are key to controlling the spread of infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant burden on healthcare systems for high-income countries as well as low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The ability of LMICs to respond to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic has been limited and may have affected the impact of governmental strategies to control the spread of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate and compare public opinion on the governmental COVID-19 response of high and LMICs in the Middle East and benchmark it to international countries. Methods An online, self-administered questionnaire was distributed among different Middle Eastern Arab countries. Participants’ demographics and level of satisfaction with governmental responses to COVID-19 were analyzed and reported. Scores were benchmarked against 19 international values. Results A total of 7395 responses were included. Bahrain scored highest for satisfaction with the governmental response with 38.29 ± 2.93 on a scale of 40, followed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (37.13 ± 3.27), United Arab Emirates (36.56 ± 3.44), Kuwait (35.74 ± 4.85), Jordan (23.08 ± 6.41), and Lebanon (15.39 ± 5.28). Participants’ country of residence was a significant predictor of the satisfaction score (P < 0.001), and participants who suffered income reduction due to the pandemic, had a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and held higher educational degrees had significantly lower satisfaction scores (P < 0.001). When benchmarked with other international publics, countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council had the highest satisfaction level, Jordan had an average score, and Lebanon had one of the lowest satisfaction scores. Conclusion The political crisis in Lebanon merged with the existing corruption were associated with the lowest public satisfaction score whereas the economical instability of Jordan placed the country just before the lowest position. On the other hand, the solid economy plus good planning and public trust in the government placed the other countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council on top of the scale. Further investigation is necessary to find out how the governments of other low-income countries may have handled the situation wisely and gained the trust of their publics. This may help convey a clearer picture to Arab governments that have suffered during the pandemic.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13292-9GovernmentPerceptionMiddle EastArab countriesCOVID-19Level of satisfaction |
| spellingShingle | Rania Itani Samar Karout Hani M. J. Khojah Makram Rabah Mohamad B. Kassab Francine K. Welty Mazen AlBaghdadi Haitham Khraishah Faris El-Dahiyat Salman Alzayani Yousef S. Khader Mohammad S. Alyahya Danah Alsane Rana Abu-Farha Tareq L. Mukattash Tarek Soukarieh Mohamad Fawzi Awad Reem Awad Abir Wehbi Fatima Abbas Hadi El Mais Huda El Mais Lina Karout Diverging levels of COVID-19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational study BMC Public Health Government Perception Middle East Arab countries COVID-19 Level of satisfaction |
| title | Diverging levels of COVID-19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational study |
| title_full | Diverging levels of COVID-19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational study |
| title_fullStr | Diverging levels of COVID-19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diverging levels of COVID-19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational study |
| title_short | Diverging levels of COVID-19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern Arab countries: a multinational study |
| title_sort | diverging levels of covid 19 governmental response satisfaction across middle eastern arab countries a multinational study |
| topic | Government Perception Middle East Arab countries COVID-19 Level of satisfaction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13292-9 |
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