Prevalence and risk factors of postpartum depression among women living in the United Arab Emirates.

PURPOSE: Postpartum depression received almost no attention in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The aim was to examine the prevalence of depressive symptomatology and the associated risk factors among women in the UAE. METHODS: A prospective cohort study recruited women from postpartum wards in hospitals across four emirates in the UAE. Women completed questionnaires immediately after childbirth and at 3 and 6 months postpartum. Depressive symptomatology was measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS > 12). Risk factors were identified using the generalized estimating equation. A stratified analysis of the postpartum period was performed. RESULTS: Among the 457 women recruited, 35% exhibited depressive symptomatology within the first 6 months postpartum. Younger women (< 25 years), part-time employment, the receipt of financial support from the family, and difficulty in managing monthly income were associated with a higher risk of postpartum depression. Husband's employment, husband's support, and living in own house were associated with a lower risk of postpartum depression. Maternity leave of more than 3 months increased the risk of depression during the first 3 months postpartum. From 3 to 6 months postpartum, Muslim women had a higher risk of depression whereas women who breastfed other children and in the past 7 days, and perceived their infant as healthy had a lower risk of depression. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of maternal depressive symptomatology is considerable in the UAE. Risk factors change over the 6-month postpartum period suggesting the need for an innovative multidisciplinary approach to the management of postpartum depression, including follow-up screening.

The perceived mental health experiences and needs of postpartum mothers living in the United Arab Emirates : A focus group study.

BACKGROUND: After childbirth, mothers are particularly vulnerable to mental health problems including anxiety and depression, which often remain undetected and untreated. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), recent figures revealed a substantial prevalence of postpartum depression. However, postpartum mental health remains largely understudied in the country's clinical and research settings. Therefore, given the paucity of literature in the UAE and building upon previous epidemiological findings, this study aimed to explore the perceived mental health experiences and needs of mothers during the postpartum period to guide the development of targeted interventions that address mothers' unique mental health challenges. METHODOLOGY: Four focus groups were conducted, involving a total of 27 Emirati and multicultural expatriate mothers aged 32.47 ± 4.56 years old, living in the UAE and within their first year postpartum. Descriptive interpretive thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. ANALYSIS: Six themes were generated that capture the mothers postpartum experiences and mental health needs: (1) distinct postpartum experiences of primiparous and multiparous mothers, (2) experiences of emotional distress in the initial postpartum stage, (3) multifaceted challenges in breastfeeding, (4) multifactorial influences on postpartum mental health, (5) postpartum social support resources and providers, and (6) the need for formal and informal resources. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the importance of considering the unique cultural and societal factors that impact maternal mental health in the UAE, given its diverse population. A collaborative multidisciplinary approach, integrating culture sensitivity, is vital to address the mental health needs of postpartum mothers and to guide the development of tailored evidence-based interventions.

Effect of camel milk on lipid profile among patients with diabetes: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of randomized controlled trials.

The effects of camel milk (CM) intake on lipid profile among patients with diabetes remain controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to calculate the effect size of CM intake on blood lipids among patients with type 1 (T1D) and type 2 (T2D) diabetes. We searched nine databases from inception until December 31, 2022, to identify relevant RCTs. Effect sizes for total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were calculated and expressed using mean differences (MD) and confidence intervals (CI). Of 4,054 retrieved articles, 10 RCTs (a total of 347 participants aged 8-70 years, 60.5% male) were eligible for inclusion. The pooled results from a random-effects model showed statistically significant decreases in TC (MD - 21.69, 95% CI: 41.05, - 2.33; p = 0.03; I2=99%), TG (MD - 19.79, 95% CI: -36.16, - 3.42; p=0.02, I2=99%), and LDL (MD -11.92, CI: -20.57, -3.26; p = 0.007, I2=88%), and a significant increase in HDL (MD 10.37, 95% CI, 1.90, 18.84; p=0.02, I2=95%) in patients with diabetes supplemented with CM compared with usual care alone. Subgroup analysis revealed that only long-term interventions (> 6 months) elicited a significant reduction in TC levels and TG levels. Consumption of fresh CM by patients with diabetes resulted in significant reductions in TC, TG, and LDL levels, while showing a significant increase in HDL levels. Patients with T1D elicited a more beneficial effect in lowering TC, LDL, and TG levels and in increasing HDL levels than their corresponding partners with T2D. In conclusion, long-term consumption of CM for patients with diabetes, especially those with T1D, could be a useful adjuvant therapy to improve lipid profile alongside prescribed medications. However, the high heterogeneity in the included studies suggests that more RCTs with larger sample sizes and longer intervention durations are required to improve the robustness of the available evidence.

The effectiveness of telemedicine interventions, delivered exclusively during the postnatal period, on postpartum depression in mothers without history or existing mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression, one of the most common forms of depression, is highly prevalent worldwide among women during childbirth. Despite available treatments for postpartum depression, numerous barriers hinder women to access care including time, financial constraints, and childcare concerns. Telemedicine interventions are suggested to be feasible to prevent and improve postpartum depression. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of telemedicine interventions - delivered exclusively during the postnatal period, on postpartum depression symptomatology in women with no history of mental disorders. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses databases were used to identify relevant randomized controlled trials, until 7 January 2020. Studies were quality assessed using the Cochrane Library Risk of Bias Tool. The results of postpartum depression scores were pooled using a random-effects model. Intervention completion rate and participants' satisfaction were reported in a narrative form, as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Ten trials including a total of 2366 participants, contributed data to the review. Seven studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. Women who received technology-based interventions, regardless of the type (web-based versus telephone-based), had a statistically significant improvement in postpartum depression (mean difference: -1.81, 95% CI: -2.68 to -0.93; P<.0001). The completion rate was 80% in the intervention groups compared to 76% in the control groups. Three studies reporting participants' satisfaction revealed that the participants were highly satisfied with the technology-based interventions. CONCLUSION: Overall, telemedicine interventions appear to be promising in preventing and improving postpartum depression. Further larger-scale high-quality research is required to establish an evidence-based telemedicine approach, in terms of structure, content, and providers. Future economic evaluation is also vital to evaluate the long-term use of telemedicine in improving postpartum depression.

The Impact of Dairy Protein Intake on Muscle Mass, Muscle Strength, and Physical Performance in Middle-Aged to Older Adults with or without Existing Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Sarcopenia is an age-related condition associated with a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. Insufficient protein intake is a risk factor for sarcopenia. Protein supplementation is suggested to improve muscle anabolism and function in younger and older adults. Dairy products are a good source of high-quality proteins. This review evaluates the effectiveness of dairy proteins on functions associated with sarcopenia in middle-aged and older adults. Randomized controlled trials were identified using PubMed, CINAHL/EBSCO, and Web of Science databases (last search: 10 May 2017) and were quality assessed. The results of appendicular muscle mass and muscle strength of handgrip and leg press were pooled using a random-effects model. The analysis of the Short Physical Performance Battery is presented in narrative form. Adverse events and tolerability of dairy protein supplementation were considered as secondary outcomes. Fourteen studies involving 1424 participants aged between 61 and 81 y met the inclusion criteria. Dairy protein significantly increased appendicular muscle mass (0.13 kg; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.26 kg; P = 0.04); however, it had no effect on improvement in handgrip (0.84 kg; 95% CI: -0.24, 1.93 kg; P = 0.13) or leg press (0.37 kg; 95% CI: -4.79, 5.53 kg; P = 0.89). The effect of dairy protein on the Short Physical Performance Battery was inconclusive. Nine studies reported the dairy protein to be well tolerated with no serious adverse events. Although future high-quality research is required to establish the optimal type of dairy protein, the present systematic review provides evidence of the beneficial effect of dairy protein as a potential nutrition strategy to improve appendicular muscle mass in middle-aged and older adults.