Abstract
Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death worldwide. In the UAE, NCDs account for nearly 77% of all deaths. There is limited empirical research on this topic in the UAE. We aimed to examine the association of non-communicable diseases and the sociodemographic characteristics among the adult population of Dubai. Methods: The study used secondary data from the Dubai Household Health Survey (DHHS), 2019. DHHS is a cross-sectional complex design, stratified by geographic area, and uses multistage probability sampling. In this survey, 2247 families were interviewed and only adults aged 18+ were included for the analysis. The quasi-binomial distribution was used to identify the socio-demographic characteristics association with NCDs. Results: The prevalence of NCDs among the adult population of Dubai was 15.01%. Individuals aged 60+, local Arabs (Emirati), divorced and widowed individuals, and individuals who were not currently working reported NCDs more than the other groups. In the regression analysis, the association with NCDs were reported among elderly people, males, unmarried individuals, older individuals who are unmarried, and Emiratis. Conclusion: The study identified several socio-demographic characteristics associated with reporting NCDs. This is one of the few studies related to NCDs in Dubai. Allocating appropriate resources to the population groups identified is crucial to reduce the incidence of NCDs in the Emirate.
Highlights
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide
Significant differences were observed among marital status, since unmarried individuals were younger than those who were married and others, p-value < 0.001
We found that Emiratis had a higher likelihood of reporting NCDs than other nationalities when adjusting for other sociodemographic characteristics
Summary
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Based on the WHO projections, NCDs will account for over 70% of all deaths globally by 2025, with 85% of these occurring in developing countries [1]. In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), NCDs account for nearly 77% of all deaths, putting increasing strain on the wellbeing of the population, economic development, and the healthcare system [3]. Data from the most recent UAE population-based survey revealed that 13.7% of the population reported having diabetes and 17.8% reported having hypertension [4]. In Kuwait, for example, the most recent population survey showed a high burden of self-reported NCDs, with 11.8% and 17.7% of the respondents had diabetes and hypertension [5]. We aimed to examine the association of non-communicable diseases and the sociodemographic characteristics among the adult population of Dubai. DHHS is a cross-sectional complex design, stratified by geographic area, and uses multistage probability sampling In this survey, 2247 families were interviewed and only adults aged 18+ were included for the analysis.
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