Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Resilience and Reality: Exploring the Lived Experiences of People Living with HIV in Texas During the COVID-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study.(The University of Texas at Arlington, 2025-05) Alanazi, Ahmed; Eusebius, SmallThis study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and mental health services, while simultaneously highlighting the remarkable resilience of the participants. Adaptive coping mechanisms, community support, and advocacy efforts emerged as critical strategies for navigating the layered challenges of living with HIV during a global health crisis. The study identified key themes such as social isolation and estrangement, the emotional toll of the diagnosis, resilience in navigating health crises, and redefining possibilities through HIV services, with each theme branching into sub-themes that offer deeper interpretations. Participants' narratives underscore the necessity for tailored interventions that address the broad-ranging needs of PLWH, including the integration of mental health services into HIV care and the development of socially-led education campaigns to combat stigma. By focusing on the unique experiences of PLWH, this research contributes to the broader understanding of syndemic health crises, where HIV/AIDS interacts synergistically with other social, economic, and health issues, exacerbating the overall impact on affected communities. The study calls for a paradigm shift in public health policy, emphasizing the need for inclusive and intersectional approaches that prioritize equity, resilience, and community empowerment. The findings also provide actionable insights for healthcare providers, policymakers, and community organizations, advocating for robust telemedicine infrastructure, stigma reduction initiatives, and comprehensive support systems that ensure continuity of care during public health emergencies. As the global community still grapples with the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study underlines the urgency of reimagining public health strategies. By centering the voices of those living at the intersection of HIV and COVID-19, it challenges existing paradigms and paves the way for innovative solutions that transcend individual health crises, offering a blueprint for more equitable, inclusive, and resilient healthcare systems. The research not only highlights the structural inequities that deepen health disparities but also illuminates the resilience and adaptive capacities of PLWH, providing a foundation for policies and practices that uphold dignity, wellbeing, and social inclusion for all.13 0Item Restricted CENTRALIZED FOUR-LEGGED ROUNDABOUT CONTROL FOR AUTOMATED VEHICLES FLOWS.(University of Akron, 2024) Alanazi, Ahmed; Yi, PingAbstract This research explores the application of Centralized Roundabout Control (CRC) to enhance the effectiveness of traffic at roundabouts under different traffic volumes. Although advantageous in practice at low traffic levels, conventional roundabouts often fail to sustain vehicle flow at higher demand levels, resulting in experiences such as queuing, increased waiting periods, increased fuel costs, and longer distances traveled. For these reasons, the CRC system was developed, and it is a traffic control solution that enhances roundabouts performance by orchestrating the entry of vehicles to reduce the waiting time and advance the traffic flow within the roundabouts. This research designed traffic at three volumes: low, medium, and high. It also used both MATLAB and VISSIM software for simulations. These simulations aimed to evaluate the performance of the CRC system in the current traffic control model, focusing on measurable performance factors such as waiting time, travel time, delays, bath throughput, fuel consumption, and stop time. The purpose of the MATLAB simulations was to measure the travel and waiting times of the vehicles crossing the roundabout. The results indicated that the application of the CRC system would lead to a reduction in the waiting and travel times for all the traffic volumes. For waiting time, the reductions were indicating that the CRC system can manage traffic even during peak hours. Travel times were also improved, indicating the practical ability of the CRC system to deal with traffic jams, enabling easy vehicle flow. These results indicate the ability of the CRC system to enhance traffic management systems by improving the drawbacks associated with the use of roundabouts in traffic. For the VISSIM simulations, five cases were reviewed: delay time, throughput and fuel consumption. All of the measures improved dramatically with the existence of the CRC system. vi For example, for Delay time, the reductions were the case with traffic volume, thus indicating the ease with which the CRC systems can handle both moderate and heavy traffic without undue delay. Throughput, or the vehicles number that were able to cross over the roundabout went , thus turning out again proving the system’s ability to foster the roundabout performance better by alleviating the problem of over congestion. There was also a reduction in the use of fuels, which is very important for commercial and ecological reasons, for example, in the CRC model. These reductions imply depreciation in the fuel wasted through proper traffic management to enhance efficiency and reduce the time for the vehicles to idle.26 0Item Restricted The Validity and Challenges of Third-Party Funding in the Saudi Arbitration Framework(Washington University, 2024-05-21) Alanazi, Ahmed; Reeves, JamesThird-party funding (TPF) is a new concept in which a third-party funds one of the disputing parties for potential share outcomes while the funded party is not obligated to repay the funds if the case is unsuccessful. In recent decades, the TPF has become more prominent for dispute parties who have faced financial obstacles to access to justice. However, the validity of the TPF agreements in Saudi Arabia remains to be determined. As the ruler of Saudi laws, Shariah prohibited agreements involving gharar (uncertainty) and usury as public policy concerns. Therefore, to break the silence surrounding TPF, this dissertation examined the validity of TPF from Shariah and Saudi perspectives. Consequently, the dissertation concluded that TPF complies with Shariah, based on the Muzara'ah partnership model, with sharing risks. This dissertation also introduces a Saudi roadmap for a TPF framework, which recommends the following (third-party funding arrangements in the Muzara'ah model comply with Saudi public policy. 2) Amendments to Saudi arbitration law require mandatory TPF disclosure to avoid conflicts of interest. 3) A code established by a supervisory body to monitor the TPF’s confidentiality and ethical practices in Saudi Arabia.32 0Item Restricted An Exploration of the Acceptance of Telerehabilitation in Saudi Arabia: Physiotherapists' and Patients' Perspectives(University of Nottingham, 2024-01-29) Alanazi, Ahmed; Wharrad, HeatherBackground: Providing long-term treatment and monitoring for patients, especially those with neurological conditions, requires resources which are not always available. Consequently, finding innovative solutions that can ease the financial and physical burden of chronic conditions is essential. Telerehabilitation offers a potential solution to this challenge, and it was widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic, when face-to-face rehabilitation services could not be provided. However, despite its clinical effectiveness, previous studies suggest that its application may be impeded by users’ concerns, and an inadequate understanding of the practical implications of the discipline. The number of people with chronic disabilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) exceeds one million, and these patients require regular sessions with physiotherapists; however, accessing rehabilitation services can be difficult and costly, especially for those in rural or remote areas. Although telerehabilitation was used in the Saudi healthcare system before the pandemic, no formal framework to support its implementation exists and the potential barriers to its wider adoption in the country have not been clearly identified. As a result, this study explores the acceptance of telerehabilitation among physiotherapists and patients with neurological conditions in KSA and proposes a potential strategy for its nationwide implementation which takes account of the country’s large geographic area and its socio-religious context. Methods: This study adopts a pragmatic philosophical paradigm and employs the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) models to identify the factors which influence Saudi physiotherapists’ and patients’ acceptance of telerehabilitation. It also utilises Q methodology to gather and analyse the data, introducing a novel online approach to data collection in response to the limits on face-to-face engagement as a result of the pandemic. Results and discussion: The physiotherapist participants viewed telerehabilitation as beneficial, particularly for patients in rural or isolated areas, but they expressed concerns about data security, and the lack of training and technical support. The use of Q methodology enabled them to be categorised into three attitude-based groups: Advocates, who supported telerehabilitation for its cost-effectiveness; Pragmatists, who were open to healthcare technology but emphasised the need for better patient understanding of the uses of telerehabilitation; and Hesitants, who were uncertain and concerned about missing important clinical information. The patients with MS had varied perspectives, appreciating potential benefits, such as cost savings, but expressing concerns about data security and highlighting the lack of support from family and friends as a potential barrier. These patients were also categorised into three groups: Supporters, who recognised telerehabilitation's benefits but had concerns about a lack of suitable space at home and would prefer to be treated by a physiotherapist of the same gender; Rationalists, who accepted telerehabilitation's potential benefits but who thought more resources were required in order to accept it; and Resisters, who questioned its effectiveness over face-to-face rehabilitation. Barriers to telerehabilitation acceptance included the lack of facilitating conditions, such as training, guidelines, and equipment, individual differences such as age, gender knowledge, digital literacy, and medical conditions, and social influence, such as lack of support and encouragement from physiotherapists and family and friends to use telerehabilitation. These findings informed the development of a logic model for a strategy to implement telerehabilitation in KSA, which considers religious and cultural beliefs in KSA, and addresses the barriers identified above. The model sets out the desired outcomes, necessary inputs, and activities for physiotherapists, patients and healthcare services. It also lists the short-term, medium-term, and long-term outputs, the assumptions on which the model is based, and the external factors which might affect its implementation, including the rapid rate of social change in KSA. Conclusion: This study fills a gap in the literature by examining users' perceptions of telerehabilitation in KSA and identifying the barriers to its acceptance among two key stakeholders groups. The logic model contributes to society by outlining a strategy for the implementation of telerehabilitation in KSA, and, potentially, in other countries which share its cultural and religious values. The study also contributes to Q methodology by demonstrating an innovative method for online data collection and evaluating its effectiveness. In addition, the use of Q methodology in combination with the TAM and UTAUT models provides a methodology to assess user acceptance of healthcare technologies which could be used in other contexts. As such, the findings of this study are of immediate value to policy makers and healthcare providers in KSA, but they also have wider implications. Future research in the Saudi context should focus on the feasibility of the proposed strategy, including cost-benefit analyses and practical trials, and exploring perceptions in other rehabilitation fields, such as occupational and speech therapy.46 0