Monday, Jun 10, 2013
Dubai: Dubai Health Authority will survey 3,000 Emirati families in Dubai to understand health issues and risk factors that affect the population.
The Primary Healthcare Services Sector (PHCSS) of the DHA is to carry out the health and socio-economic survey in Dubai.
The study is expected to contribute to health promotion programmes as well as preventive and curative strategies based on the community health needs of Dubai’s residents.
Dr Ahmad Bin Kalban, CEO of PHCSS, said the survey will study the health, social status and health care needs of the population in Dubai with an aim to identify risk factors that may contribute to problems among the population. Ultimately, the study will suggest some interventional strategies to tackle pressing health care issues.
Dr Kalban said the project is in line with the “The Pan Arab Project of Family Health” and that the results and analyses from the survey are expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2014.
According to Dr Ahmad Wasfi, a public health consultant with the PHCSS, the survey is divided into three phases. “In the first phase, which began in mid-May this year, we are training the team members about the different aspects of this survey. Phase two includes data entry and analysis and finally in phase three we will prepare a comprehensive report with recommendations and action plans that need to be undertaken to improve the health of our population. This survey will provide evidence-based interventional strategies on how to tackle the detected health problems with an aim to improve the overall health of the population of Dubai.”
Dr Wasfi said members of the Community Medicine Research and Training Department, social workers and health educators from DHA were part of the team dedicated to the project. The survey will be conducted across the Emirate of Dubai and will target all groups including children, mothers, adolescents and the elderly. Comprehensive data about socio-demographic aspects, health and social parameters will be collected.
Dr Maisoon Al Shaali, specialist registrar with the PHCSS, said: “The survey is in line with the first goal of the DHA Health strategy 2013-2025. Surveying the health care status of families in Dubai will provide comprehensive data on behavioural patterns and risk factors which will be used to plan comprehensive strategies to improve the health of the population of Dubai.”
Staff Report
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
