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Learning outcomes assessment is an effective academic quality assurance tool that enables educators to review and enhance the alignment between planned, delivered, and experienced curricula. Accurately assessing what students know and are able to do after completing a learning module is the first step to decide on the strategies to implement and the proper actions to take in order to ensure the continuous improvement of the student learning experience. Nonetheless, learning outcomes assessment processes in higher education are still facing major challenges that affect their proper and effective implementation. Hence, faculty do not usually experience noticeable improvement in the students' performance over several assessment cycles, which causes their frustration and reluctance to continue participating in the assessment process. This paper discusses the main issues that affect the implementation of the assessment process and prevent the closure of the assessment loop. It also introduces a unified assessment process and an online management system that have been developed recently to address the discussed issues. The online management system streamlines the assessment process, while providing administrators and quality assurance officers with valuable infographics and reports to effectively oversee the implementation of the assessment process. The system has been deployed at the United Arab Emirates University since fall 2018, and has been successfully used by faculty to assess the learning outcomes for more than 1000 courses each semester. Moreover, collected statistics showed that the online features provided by the system allowed faculty to continue their assessment tasks seamlessly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in singleton pregnancies represent a high-risk scenario. The incidence, associated factors and outcomes of GDM in twin pregnancies is not known in the UAE. METHODS: This was five years retrospective analysis of hospital records of twin pregnancies in the city of Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE. Relevant data with regards to the pregnancy, maternal and birth outcomes and incidence of GDM was extracted from two major hospitals in the city. Regression models assessed the relationship between socio-demographic and pregnancy-related variables and GDM, and the associations between GDM and maternal and fetal outcomes at birth. RESULTS: A total of 404 women and their neonates were part of this study. The study population had a mean age of 30.1 (SD: 5.3), overweight or obese (66.5%) and were majority multiparous (66.6%). High incidence of GDM in twin pregnancies (27.0%). While there were no statistical differences in outcomes of the neonates, GDM mothers were older (OR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06-1.4) and heavier (aOR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00 -1.04). They were also likely to have had GDM in their previous pregnancies (aOR: 7.37, 95% CI: 2.76-19.73). The prognosis of mothers with twin pregnancies and GDM lead to an independent and increased odds of cesarean section (aOR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.03-5.30) and hospitalization during pregnancy (aOR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.16-2.20). CONCLUSION: More than a quarter of women with twin pregnancies were diagnosed with GDM. GDM was associated with some adverse pregnancy outcomes but not fetal outcomes in this population. More studies are needed to further investigate these associations and the management of GDM in twin pregnancies.
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Efeitos Psicossociais da Doença , Diabetes Gestacional/epidemiologia , Resultado da Gravidez/epidemiologia , Gravidez de Gêmeos/estatística & dados numéricos , Adulto , Fatores Etários , Peso Corporal/fisiologia , Cesárea/estatística & dados numéricos , Diabetes Gestacional/fisiopatologia , Feminino , Hospitalização/estatística & dados numéricos , Humanos , Incidência , Recém-Nascido , Idade Materna , Gravidez , Gravidez de Gêmeos/fisiologia , Estudos Retrospectivos , Fatores de Risco , Emirados Árabes Unidos/epidemiologia , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Obesity is currently a rapidly growing global problem of epidemic proportions and is especially prevalent in economically developed countries such as the United Arab Emirates. Obese individuals are increasingly considering bariatric surgery as their preferred means of choice for the reduction of excess body fat. This study explored the psychological characteristics that may potentially complicate the surgical management of obesity. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of Emirati patients attending a bariatric clinic at Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates, between December 2010 and February 2012. Participants were assessed using standard clinical psychiatric interviews. Also used were screening instruments such as the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS), Body Image Quality of Life Inventory (BIQLI), and Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire-Appearance Scale (MBSRQ-AS). RESULTS: A total of 105 patients, 70% of whom were female, participated in this study. Participants were found to have frequencies of anxiety and depressive symptoms at levels of 24% and 13%, respectively. Participants also reported perceived functional disabilities in the following: work/school (27%), social life (36%), family/home (35%), and religious duties (39%). A total of 13 participants (12%) had BIQLI scores showing slight-to-moderate effects on their quality of life. The mean MBSRQ-AS subscale on self-classified weight was higher than the reported norms. Anxiety and depressive symptoms positively correlated with functional impairment (SDS) and negatively correlated with quality of life (BIQLI) (P = .000). MBSRQ-AS subscales significantly correlated with depression, functional impairment, and quality of life (P ≤ .035). CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety, depression, perceived functional disability, impairment in quality of life, and disturbance of self-image were found to be common among participants in the study pursuing bariatric surgery for obesity. Recognition, assessment, and treatment of these symptoms are expected to be conducive to positive outcomes of bariatric surgery.
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Cirurgia Bariátrica , Obesidade/psicologia , Obesidade/cirurgia , Adolescente , Adulto , Ansiedade/epidemiologia , Comorbidade , Estudos Transversais , Depressão/epidemiologia , Feminino , Humanos , Entrevista Psicológica , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Obesidade/epidemiologia , Estudos Prospectivos , Qualidade de Vida , Autoimagem , Emirados Árabes Unidos , Adulto JovemRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Comprehensive global data on the health effects of indoor air pollutants are lacking. There are few large population-based multi-air pollutant health assessments. Further, little is known about indoor air health risks in the Middle East, especially in countries undergoing rapid economic development. OBJECTIVES: To provide multifactorial indoor air exposure and health data, we conducted a population-based study of indoor air pollution and health in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in a population-based sample of 628 households in the UAE. Indoor air pollutants [sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), formaldehyde (HCHO), carbon monoxide (CO), and particulate matter] were measured using passive samplers over a 7-day period. Health information was collected from 1,590 household members via in-person interviews. RESULTS: Participants in households with quantified SO2, NO2, and H2S (i.e., with measured concentrations above the limit of quantification) were twice as likely to report doctor-diagnosed asthma. Participants in homes with quantified SO2 were more likely to report wheezing symptoms {ever wheezing, prevalence odds ratio [POR] 1.79 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05, 3.05]; speech-limiting wheeze, POR 3.53 (95% CI: 1.06, 11.74)}. NO2 and H2S were similarly associated with wheezing symptoms. Quantified HCHO was associated with neurologic symptoms (difficulty concentrating POR 1.47; 95% CI: 1.02, 2.13). Burning incense daily was associated with increased headaches (POR 1.87; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.21), difficulty concentrating (POR 3.08; 95% CI: 1.70, 5.58), and forgetfulness (POR 2.68: 95% CI: 1.47, 4.89). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides new information regarding potential health risks from pollutants commonly found in indoor environments in the UAE and other countries. Multipollutant exposure and health assessments in cohort studies are needed to better characterize health effects of indoor air pollutants.