Adwa Alamri - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Adwa Alamri

Research paper thumbnail of Government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: good practices and lessons for future preparedness

Global health research and policy, Mar 15, 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically threatened the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries wh... more The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically threatened the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries which have a large proportion of foreign workers. The governments of GCC countries have proactively implemented a comprehensive set of policy measures, and up to our knowledge, a systematic analysis of qualitative and quantitative evidence on the government response is still lacking. We summarized the GCC countries' government response and quantitatively measured that response using four indexes-the Government Response Index, the Stringency Index, the Vaccine Index, and the Initial Response Index, to analyse their response for future pandemic preparedness. Overall, the government response of all the GCC countries to the COVID-19 pandemic has been comprehensive, stringent, and timely. Notably, the GCC countries have implemented comprehensive vaccine policies. In addition, they have worked actively to protect foreign workers to improve their access to health services and secure their essential living conditions, regardless of their immigrant status. All the GCC countries dynamically adjusted their response to the evolving COVID-19 epidemiological burden and started to relax the stringency of the control policies after the Omicron wave, though the governments had different response magnitudes as measured by the four indexes. These findings have provided several important lessons for future pandemic response and preparedness for countries with similar economic, demographic, and health contexts in (1) prompt actions of containment and closure policies with dynamic adjusting, (2) strengthening health system policies, (3) comprehensive vaccination policies with universal access, (4) equitable and free access to testing, diagnosis, and treatment for all, and (5) strengthening the resilience of health systems.

Research paper thumbnail of Workforce Estimate to Treat Mental Disorders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Research Square (Research Square), Dec 4, 2023

Background: Mental, neurological, and substance abuse (MNS) disorders describe a range of conditi... more Background: Mental, neurological, and substance abuse (MNS) disorders describe a range of conditions that affect the brain and cause distress or functional impairment. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), MNS disorders make up 10.88 percent of the burden of disease as measured in disability-adjusted life years. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is one of the main providers of mental health services and one of the largest contributors to mental health research in the region. Within the past decade, mental health resources and services has increased. Methods: We employ a needs-based workforce estimate to arrive at the total number of psychiatrists, nurses, and psychosocial care providers needed to meet the epidemiological need of mental health conditions of the population of KSA. Estimates for a potential mental health workforce gap were calculated using ve steps: Step 1-Quantify target population for priority mental health conditions. Step 2-Identify number of expected cases per year. Step 3-Set target service coverage for each condition. Step 4-Estimate cost-effective health care service resource utilization for each condition. Step 5-Estimate service resources needed for each condition. Results: There is an epidemiologic need for a total of 17,128 full-time-equivalent (FTE) health care providers to treat priority MNS disorders. KSA appears to have a need-based shortage of 10,402 health workers to treat mental disorders. A total of 114 psychiatrists, 5,729 nurses, and 4,559 psychosocial care providers would be additionally needed (that is, above and beyond current levels) to address the priority mental health conditions. The shortfall is particularly severe for nurses and psychosocial workers who make up 98.9 percent of the shortfall. This shortage is substantial when compared to other high-income countries. Overall, the workforce needed to treat MNS conditions translates to 49.2 health workers per 100,000 population. Conclusion: Challenges to addressing the shortfall are Saudi speci c which includes awareness of cultural customs and norms in the medical setting. These requisites are compounded by the lack of Saudi nationals in the mental health workforce. Saudis make up 29.5 percent of the physician workforce and 38.8 percent of the nursing workforce which means that foreign-trained staff must supplement the shortfall and be mindful of Saudi speci c cultural considerations. Potential solutions to reducing the shortfall of mental health care workers includes nurse task shifting and training of general practitioners to screen for, and treat, a subset of MNS disorders.

Research paper thumbnail of Effectiveness of using e-government platform “Absher” as a tool for noncommunicable diseases survey in Saudi Arabia 2019–2020: A cross-sectional study

Frontiers in Public Health

BackgroundE-government platforms provide an opportunity to use a novel data source for population... more BackgroundE-government platforms provide an opportunity to use a novel data source for population health surveillance (also known as e-health). Absher is a Saudi e-government platform with 23 million authenticated users, including residents and citizens in Saudi Arabia. All Absher users were invited to participate in a web-based survey to estimate the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors in Saudi Arabia.ObjectiveTo assess the potential of using an e-government platform (Absher) to administer web-based health surveys.MethodsA cross-sectional, web-based health survey was administered to Absher users between April 2019 and March 2020. The survey instrument included eight items and took <5 min to complete. The respondents' data were compared to Saudi Arabia's 2016 census. Descriptive summary statistics of the prevalence of major noncommuncable diseases are presented and compared to population-based prevalence data from Saudi Arabia's World Health ...

Research paper thumbnail of Determinants of Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia

Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Consequences and Solutions

Research paper thumbnail of Prevalence, Trends, and Consequences of Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia

Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Consequences and Solutions

Research paper thumbnail of Food Systems Approach to Nutrition Policies in Saudi Arabia

Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Consequences and Solutions

Research paper thumbnail of Obesity-Prevention Strategies and Policies for Saudi Arabia

Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Consequences and Solutions

Research paper thumbnail of Correction to: Projecting health labor market dynamics for a health system in transition: planning for a resilient health workforce in Saudi Arabia

Globalization and Health, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Additional file 1 of Projecting health labor market dynamics for a health system in transition: planning for a resilient health workforce in Saudi Arabia

Research paper thumbnail of Projecting the Supply of Nurses and Physicians in Saudi Arabia

A Labor Market Assessment of Nurses and Physicians in Saudi Arabia: Projecting Imbalances between Need, Supply, and Demand, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Strengthening the Pharmaceutical System in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Research paper thumbnail of Projecting health labor market dynamics for a health system in transition: planning for a resilient health workforce in Saudi Arabia

Globalization and Health, 2021

Background Health workforce planning is critical for health systems to safeguard the ability to a... more Background Health workforce planning is critical for health systems to safeguard the ability to afford, train, recruit, and retain the appropriate number and mix of health workers. This balance is especially important when macroeconomic structures are also reforming. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is moving toward greater diversification, privatization, and resiliency; health sector reform is a key pillar of this transition. Methods We used the Ministry of Health Yearbook data on the number of workers and health expenditures from 2007 to 2018 and projected health labor market supply and demand of workers through 2030, evaluated the potential shortages and surpluses, and simulated different policy scenarios to identify relevant interventions. We further focused on projections for health workers who are Saudi nationals and health worker demand within the public sector (versus the private sector) to inform national objectives of reducing dependency on foreign workers and better deploying ...

Research paper thumbnail of Government responses to the COVID-19 pandemic of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries: good practices and lessons for future preparedness

Global health research and policy, Mar 15, 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically threatened the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries wh... more The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically threatened the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries which have a large proportion of foreign workers. The governments of GCC countries have proactively implemented a comprehensive set of policy measures, and up to our knowledge, a systematic analysis of qualitative and quantitative evidence on the government response is still lacking. We summarized the GCC countries' government response and quantitatively measured that response using four indexes-the Government Response Index, the Stringency Index, the Vaccine Index, and the Initial Response Index, to analyse their response for future pandemic preparedness. Overall, the government response of all the GCC countries to the COVID-19 pandemic has been comprehensive, stringent, and timely. Notably, the GCC countries have implemented comprehensive vaccine policies. In addition, they have worked actively to protect foreign workers to improve their access to health services and secure their essential living conditions, regardless of their immigrant status. All the GCC countries dynamically adjusted their response to the evolving COVID-19 epidemiological burden and started to relax the stringency of the control policies after the Omicron wave, though the governments had different response magnitudes as measured by the four indexes. These findings have provided several important lessons for future pandemic response and preparedness for countries with similar economic, demographic, and health contexts in (1) prompt actions of containment and closure policies with dynamic adjusting, (2) strengthening health system policies, (3) comprehensive vaccination policies with universal access, (4) equitable and free access to testing, diagnosis, and treatment for all, and (5) strengthening the resilience of health systems.

Research paper thumbnail of Workforce Estimate to Treat Mental Disorders in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Research Square (Research Square), Dec 4, 2023

Background: Mental, neurological, and substance abuse (MNS) disorders describe a range of conditi... more Background: Mental, neurological, and substance abuse (MNS) disorders describe a range of conditions that affect the brain and cause distress or functional impairment. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), MNS disorders make up 10.88 percent of the burden of disease as measured in disability-adjusted life years. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is one of the main providers of mental health services and one of the largest contributors to mental health research in the region. Within the past decade, mental health resources and services has increased. Methods: We employ a needs-based workforce estimate to arrive at the total number of psychiatrists, nurses, and psychosocial care providers needed to meet the epidemiological need of mental health conditions of the population of KSA. Estimates for a potential mental health workforce gap were calculated using ve steps: Step 1-Quantify target population for priority mental health conditions. Step 2-Identify number of expected cases per year. Step 3-Set target service coverage for each condition. Step 4-Estimate cost-effective health care service resource utilization for each condition. Step 5-Estimate service resources needed for each condition. Results: There is an epidemiologic need for a total of 17,128 full-time-equivalent (FTE) health care providers to treat priority MNS disorders. KSA appears to have a need-based shortage of 10,402 health workers to treat mental disorders. A total of 114 psychiatrists, 5,729 nurses, and 4,559 psychosocial care providers would be additionally needed (that is, above and beyond current levels) to address the priority mental health conditions. The shortfall is particularly severe for nurses and psychosocial workers who make up 98.9 percent of the shortfall. This shortage is substantial when compared to other high-income countries. Overall, the workforce needed to treat MNS conditions translates to 49.2 health workers per 100,000 population. Conclusion: Challenges to addressing the shortfall are Saudi speci c which includes awareness of cultural customs and norms in the medical setting. These requisites are compounded by the lack of Saudi nationals in the mental health workforce. Saudis make up 29.5 percent of the physician workforce and 38.8 percent of the nursing workforce which means that foreign-trained staff must supplement the shortfall and be mindful of Saudi speci c cultural considerations. Potential solutions to reducing the shortfall of mental health care workers includes nurse task shifting and training of general practitioners to screen for, and treat, a subset of MNS disorders.

Research paper thumbnail of Effectiveness of using e-government platform “Absher” as a tool for noncommunicable diseases survey in Saudi Arabia 2019–2020: A cross-sectional study

Frontiers in Public Health

BackgroundE-government platforms provide an opportunity to use a novel data source for population... more BackgroundE-government platforms provide an opportunity to use a novel data source for population health surveillance (also known as e-health). Absher is a Saudi e-government platform with 23 million authenticated users, including residents and citizens in Saudi Arabia. All Absher users were invited to participate in a web-based survey to estimate the prevalence of noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors in Saudi Arabia.ObjectiveTo assess the potential of using an e-government platform (Absher) to administer web-based health surveys.MethodsA cross-sectional, web-based health survey was administered to Absher users between April 2019 and March 2020. The survey instrument included eight items and took <5 min to complete. The respondents' data were compared to Saudi Arabia's 2016 census. Descriptive summary statistics of the prevalence of major noncommuncable diseases are presented and compared to population-based prevalence data from Saudi Arabia's World Health ...

Research paper thumbnail of Determinants of Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia

Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Consequences and Solutions

Research paper thumbnail of Prevalence, Trends, and Consequences of Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia

Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Consequences and Solutions

Research paper thumbnail of Food Systems Approach to Nutrition Policies in Saudi Arabia

Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Consequences and Solutions

Research paper thumbnail of Obesity-Prevention Strategies and Policies for Saudi Arabia

Overweight and Obesity in Saudi Arabia: Consequences and Solutions

Research paper thumbnail of Correction to: Projecting health labor market dynamics for a health system in transition: planning for a resilient health workforce in Saudi Arabia

Globalization and Health, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Additional file 1 of Projecting health labor market dynamics for a health system in transition: planning for a resilient health workforce in Saudi Arabia

Research paper thumbnail of Projecting the Supply of Nurses and Physicians in Saudi Arabia

A Labor Market Assessment of Nurses and Physicians in Saudi Arabia: Projecting Imbalances between Need, Supply, and Demand, 2021

Research paper thumbnail of Strengthening the Pharmaceutical System in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Research paper thumbnail of Projecting health labor market dynamics for a health system in transition: planning for a resilient health workforce in Saudi Arabia

Globalization and Health, 2021

Background Health workforce planning is critical for health systems to safeguard the ability to a... more Background Health workforce planning is critical for health systems to safeguard the ability to afford, train, recruit, and retain the appropriate number and mix of health workers. This balance is especially important when macroeconomic structures are also reforming. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is moving toward greater diversification, privatization, and resiliency; health sector reform is a key pillar of this transition. Methods We used the Ministry of Health Yearbook data on the number of workers and health expenditures from 2007 to 2018 and projected health labor market supply and demand of workers through 2030, evaluated the potential shortages and surpluses, and simulated different policy scenarios to identify relevant interventions. We further focused on projections for health workers who are Saudi nationals and health worker demand within the public sector (versus the private sector) to inform national objectives of reducing dependency on foreign workers and better deploying ...