The effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the United Arab Emirates
Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic began to affect the world in early 2020. As a preventive measure, schools in the UAE adopted remote learning. This study aimed to assess the effects of the lockdown and remote learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the UAE. Methods A...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | BMC Primary Care |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01856-y |
| _version_ | 1797998342545866752 |
|---|---|
| author | Najla Hussain Sajwani Ahmed Qawas Nouf Al Ali Fatma Hussain Sajwani Asma Hamed Alrustamani Shamma Al Maamari Shereena K. Al Mazrouei Budoor Al Shehhi Hussain Al Rand Asma Mahmoud Fikri |
| author_facet | Najla Hussain Sajwani Ahmed Qawas Nouf Al Ali Fatma Hussain Sajwani Asma Hamed Alrustamani Shamma Al Maamari Shereena K. Al Mazrouei Budoor Al Shehhi Hussain Al Rand Asma Mahmoud Fikri |
| author_sort | Najla Hussain Sajwani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic began to affect the world in early 2020. As a preventive measure, schools in the UAE adopted remote learning. This study aimed to assess the effects of the lockdown and remote learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the UAE. Methods A cross-sectional study using an online survey comprising 33 questions related to physical activity, eating, sleeping and screen time was answered by the students’ parents. Chi-square tests, paired Student’s t tests and frequency tables were used for analysis. Results A total of 27,754 responses were received: 46.3% of the parents indicated a significant decrease in physical activity; 44.6% indicated an increase in unhealthy snack consumption; and 51.9% indicated decreased food ordering from restaurants. The percentage of students who slept more than 9 hours and those who slept less than 6 hours increased. Screen time increased significantly for both educational and entertainment purposes (P value < 0.0001). Conclusion The study showed changes in the lifestyle and health-related behaviours of school students as indicated by their parents. Risk factors such as a lack of physical activity, increased food consumption, sleeping and screen time were directly affected. Therefore, it is important to further investigate these changes and their effects to help design targeted health education programs and promotion campaigns. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:47:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e0e2a3abfeca4b959ea77222af402570 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2731-4553 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T10:47:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Primary Care |
| spelling | doaj.art-e0e2a3abfeca4b959ea77222af4025702022-12-22T04:29:01ZengBMCBMC Primary Care2731-45532022-09-012311810.1186/s12875-022-01856-yThe effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the United Arab EmiratesNajla Hussain Sajwani0Ahmed Qawas1Nouf Al Ali2Fatma Hussain Sajwani3Asma Hamed Alrustamani4Shamma Al Maamari5Shereena K. Al Mazrouei6Budoor Al Shehhi7Hussain Al Rand8Asma Mahmoud Fikri9Primary Healthcare Department, Emirates Health ServicesStatistics and Research Centre, Ministry of Health and PreventionPublic Health Sector, Ministry of Health and PreventionLaboratory Department, Emirates Health ServicesEducation Policy Department, Ministry of EducationAbu Dhabi Public Health CentreAbu Dhabi Public Health CentreAbu Dhabi Public Health CentrePublic Health Sector, Ministry of Health and PreventionNational Centre for Health Research, Ministry of Health and PreventionAbstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic began to affect the world in early 2020. As a preventive measure, schools in the UAE adopted remote learning. This study aimed to assess the effects of the lockdown and remote learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the UAE. Methods A cross-sectional study using an online survey comprising 33 questions related to physical activity, eating, sleeping and screen time was answered by the students’ parents. Chi-square tests, paired Student’s t tests and frequency tables were used for analysis. Results A total of 27,754 responses were received: 46.3% of the parents indicated a significant decrease in physical activity; 44.6% indicated an increase in unhealthy snack consumption; and 51.9% indicated decreased food ordering from restaurants. The percentage of students who slept more than 9 hours and those who slept less than 6 hours increased. Screen time increased significantly for both educational and entertainment purposes (P value < 0.0001). Conclusion The study showed changes in the lifestyle and health-related behaviours of school students as indicated by their parents. Risk factors such as a lack of physical activity, increased food consumption, sleeping and screen time were directly affected. Therefore, it is important to further investigate these changes and their effects to help design targeted health education programs and promotion campaigns.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01856-yCOVID-19School StudentsHealth related habitsChildren behaviourPhysical activityScreen time |
| spellingShingle | Najla Hussain Sajwani Ahmed Qawas Nouf Al Ali Fatma Hussain Sajwani Asma Hamed Alrustamani Shamma Al Maamari Shereena K. Al Mazrouei Budoor Al Shehhi Hussain Al Rand Asma Mahmoud Fikri The effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the United Arab Emirates BMC Primary Care COVID-19 School Students Health related habits Children behaviour Physical activity Screen time |
| title | The effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_full | The effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_fullStr | The effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_full_unstemmed | The effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_short | The effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health-related behaviours of school students in the United Arab Emirates |
| title_sort | effect of lockdowns and distant learning on the health related behaviours of school students in the united arab emirates |
| topic | COVID-19 School Students Health related habits Children behaviour Physical activity Screen time |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12875-022-01856-y |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT najlahussainsajwani theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT ahmedqawas theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT noufalali theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT fatmahussainsajwani theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT asmahamedalrustamani theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT shammaalmaamari theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT shereenakalmazrouei theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT budooralshehhi theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT hussainalrand theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT asmamahmoudfikri theeffectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT najlahussainsajwani effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT ahmedqawas effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT noufalali effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT fatmahussainsajwani effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT asmahamedalrustamani effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT shammaalmaamari effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT shereenakalmazrouei effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT budooralshehhi effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT hussainalrand effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates AT asmamahmoudfikri effectoflockdownsanddistantlearningonthehealthrelatedbehavioursofschoolstudentsintheunitedarabemirates |