A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi

<p>Abstract</p> <p>As a country, the United Arab Emirates has developed very rapidly from a developing country with a largely nomadic population, to a modern and wealthy country with a Western lifestyle. This economic progress has brought undoubted social benefits and opportunities...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hajat Cother, Harrison Oliver, Shather Zainab
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2012-06-01
Series:Globalization and Health
Online Access:http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/content/8/1/18
_version_ 1819203688387837952
author Hajat Cother
Harrison Oliver
Shather Zainab
author_facet Hajat Cother
Harrison Oliver
Shather Zainab
author_sort Hajat Cother
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>As a country, the United Arab Emirates has developed very rapidly from a developing country with a largely nomadic population, to a modern and wealthy country with a Western lifestyle. This economic progress has brought undoubted social benefits and opportunities for UAE citizens, including a high and increasing life expectancy. However, rapid modernization and urbanization have contributed to a significant problem with chronic diseases, particularly obesity-related cardiovascular risk. In response the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi has significantly strengthened its data systems to better assess the baseline and measure the impact of targeted interventions. The unique population-level Weqaya Programme for UAE Nationals living in Abu Dhabi has recruited more than 94% of adults into a screening programme for the rapid identification of those at risk and the deployment of targeted interventions to control that risk. This article describes the burden of non-communicable disease in Abu Dhabi, and the efforts made by the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi to tackle this burden including the development of a whole population cardiovascular screening programme changes to health policy, particularly in terms of lifestyle and behaviour change, and empowerment of the community to enable individuals to make healthier choices. In addition, recommendations have been made for global responsibility for tackling chronic disease.</p>
first_indexed 2024-12-23T04:23:53Z
format Article
id doaj.art-abf38caf3a7f49e0a6db6778bd755283
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1744-8603
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-23T04:23:53Z
publishDate 2012-06-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series Globalization and Health
spelling doaj.art-abf38caf3a7f49e0a6db6778bd7552832022-12-21T18:00:11ZengBMCGlobalization and Health1744-86032012-06-01811810.1186/1744-8603-8-18A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu DhabiHajat CotherHarrison OliverShather Zainab<p>Abstract</p> <p>As a country, the United Arab Emirates has developed very rapidly from a developing country with a largely nomadic population, to a modern and wealthy country with a Western lifestyle. This economic progress has brought undoubted social benefits and opportunities for UAE citizens, including a high and increasing life expectancy. However, rapid modernization and urbanization have contributed to a significant problem with chronic diseases, particularly obesity-related cardiovascular risk. In response the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi has significantly strengthened its data systems to better assess the baseline and measure the impact of targeted interventions. The unique population-level Weqaya Programme for UAE Nationals living in Abu Dhabi has recruited more than 94% of adults into a screening programme for the rapid identification of those at risk and the deployment of targeted interventions to control that risk. This article describes the burden of non-communicable disease in Abu Dhabi, and the efforts made by the Health Authority of Abu Dhabi to tackle this burden including the development of a whole population cardiovascular screening programme changes to health policy, particularly in terms of lifestyle and behaviour change, and empowerment of the community to enable individuals to make healthier choices. In addition, recommendations have been made for global responsibility for tackling chronic disease.</p>http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/content/8/1/18
spellingShingle Hajat Cother
Harrison Oliver
Shather Zainab
A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi
Globalization and Health
title A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi
title_full A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi
title_fullStr A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi
title_full_unstemmed A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi
title_short A profile and approach to chronic disease in Abu Dhabi
title_sort profile and approach to chronic disease in abu dhabi
url http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/content/8/1/18
work_keys_str_mv AT hajatcother aprofileandapproachtochronicdiseaseinabudhabi
AT harrisonoliver aprofileandapproachtochronicdiseaseinabudhabi
AT shatherzainab aprofileandapproachtochronicdiseaseinabudhabi
AT hajatcother profileandapproachtochronicdiseaseinabudhabi
AT harrisonoliver profileandapproachtochronicdiseaseinabudhabi
AT shatherzainab profileandapproachtochronicdiseaseinabudhabi