Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted The Impact of Work-Related Factors on the Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Dentists in Saudi Arabia(University of Birmingham, 2024) Alshaya, Saleh; Ali, BayanMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) have become one of the serious work-related health issues in dentistry. Additionally, its prevalence has been growing among dentists globally. Like other counties, this growing prevalence of MSDs among dentists in Saudi Arabia has also seen. Different work-related factors including higher workload, long working hours, lack of dental ergonomics, body posture and positioning, psychological stress and physical fitness are responsible for this growing MSD prevalence. Therefore, this study is aimed at comprehending the impact of work-related factors on the MSD prevalence among dentists in Saudi Arabia. This study followed the quantitative research method to investigate the impact of work-related factors on the MSD prevalence. Data was collected from Saudi dentists who are practicing in different dental hospitals and centres in Saudi Arabia using an online survey questionnaire. Descriptive statistic was used to analysis demographic data of the participants. An independent t-test was used to understand how the work-related factors like work-ergonomics impact on the MSD prevalence between groups. Regression and correlation analysis were used to understand association and correlation between the work-related factors and the MSD prevalence among Saudi dentists. This study’s findings highlight the MSD prevalence is more among dentists those who were not aware of ergonomic practices, and involved in physical exercise, compared to dentists who were aware and involved. Similarly, the higher MSD prevalence was also found among dentists those who had psychological stress and higher workload compared to others. The findings also reveal a strong association between work-related factors and the higher MSD prevalence among dentists. Therefore, this study suggests that incorporating ergonomic dental practices, proper body posture and positioning, involving physical exercise like yoga, managing psychological stress, and reducing workload through strategic scheduling, dentists in Saudi Arabia can reduce the MSD prevalence among them. Further research should focus on the examination of MSD prevalence between dentists of private and government hospitals, impact of gender, age and other personal factors on the MSD prevalence among dentists.71 0Item Restricted BIKE SPHERE: A MULTIPLAYER BIKE TRACKING GAME FOR PHONES(University of Glasgow, 2024-03-22) Musallam, Faris Bin; Chalmers, MatthewThis dissertation introduces "Bike Sphere," a mobile app created to improve the cycling experience. It offers cyclists a range of features including tracking their rides, joining events, competing on leaderboards, and connecting with friends. The development process focused on what cyclists need and want, using feedback to make the app better. chose React Native for building the app, allowing it to work on both iOS and Android phones, and Firebase to handle data and user information. tested the app with real cyclists to see how it works in everyday use. Their feedback helped us understand what works well and what could be improved. The results show that "Bike Sphere" has the potential to make cycling more enjoyable and social.17 0Item Restricted Physical Activity Promotion in Saudi Arabia: The Potential and Challenges of Outdoor Exercise(Loughborough University, 2024-06-11) Albujulaya, Naif; Stevinson, Clare; Piggin, JoePhysical activity is a gateway to a healthier and more vibrant life, offering multiple physical and mental health benefits. Recent evidence suggests that engaging in outdoor exercise leads to many positive outcomes such as reducing stress, anxiety, & depression, providing Vitamin D and fostering social interactions and that extend beyond the boundaries of engaging in indoor exercise. In addition, the advantages of immersing oneself in nature are numerous and profound. Over the last two decades, research carried out in Saudi Arabia reveals that Saudis exhibit a concerning lack of physical activity. Despite efforts made in the field, there is still a lack of exploration into the factors that influence Saudi adults' involvement in outdoor exercise or strategies to enhance their participation. To fill this knowledge gap, the aim of this thesis is to investigate the possibilities of promoting outdoor exercise in Saudi Arabia. In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of all aspects related to the aim, three studies were conducted to address specific objectives. In the first study (in Chapter 3), the main objective was to analyse the Saudi government policy regarding the promotion of physical activity. This study employed the Comprehensive Analysis of Policy on Physical Activity framework to audit and assess the policy. Official reports and independent sources were examined to provide evidence on progress with implementing the policy objectives. In addition, semi-structured interviews were performed with policy-makers, policy-implementers and independent experts. The results indicated an evidence-based, ambitious policy with several objectives achieved. Greatest progress related to cultural change in permitting women’s sports and general physical activity attitudes and behaviour. Other goals, such as increasing female participation, have met barriers that have hindered progress. In the second study (in Chapter 4), the main objectives were to examine the barriers to exercise that face Saudis and understand the relationship between Saudis physical activity, outdoor environments and wellbeing. A representative sample of Saudi adults completed four standard scales: International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form , Exercise Benefits/Barriers Scale, WHO (Five) Well-Being Index and short-form Nature Relatedness Scale. Additional questions related to physical activity contexts. The results of this study indicate that young adults perceive more barriers than other age groups such as challenges related to the exercise environment, time commitments and discouragement from family, and highlighted that males are more likely to exercise outdoors than females. Outdoor exercise and nature relatedness were significant independent predictors of wellbeing, as were social exercise and sporting activities. In the third study (in Chapter 5), the main objective was to explore in depth factors that influence physical activity, and specifically outdoor physical activity. Twenty-two semi- structured interviews with Saudi adults were conducted and qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the data. Key societal and environmental factors (e.g. discouragement from others, poor facilities, unsafe locations) negatively impacted exercise behaviour, particularly among women. Personal and societal factors were identified as motivations to exercise, such as health or mood improvement and active communities. The findings from the thesis indicate that several factors can impact engagement in outdoor exercise among Saudis. The major barriers included the significant lack of outdoor facilities and the weakness of the government's work towards enabling outdoor exercise. These barriers collectively impact individuals, making them develop a habit of engaging in indoors exercise. On the other hand, engaging in outdoor exercise during childhood, particularly among Saudi males, and seeking health benefits from physical activity are the most noticeable factors that can promote or facilitate outdoor exercise. Knowledge obtained from this thesis can potently help organisations and the Saudi government as a valuable foundation for designing effective interventions and policy modifications to gain the additional benefits of engagement in outdoor exercise.37 0Item Restricted What are the barriers to the early integration of paediatric palliative care? A systematised review(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-03) Aljardahi, Rakan; Mcfeely, ClareBackground: Children with serious illnesses, such as cancers or congenital anomalies, require special care that alleviates the disease burden. Paediatric palliative care (PPC) is comprehensive, interdisciplinary care for patients and their families that begins once a life-threatening disease has been diagnosed. PPC’s early integration with curative treatments has been proven to relieve suffering and enhance both patients’ and families’ quality of life. Nonetheless, few paediatric patients access and receive these services. Aim: To identify and synthesise the barriers to PPC’s early integration. Methods: This systematised review is based on PRISMA guidelines. The Medline, Embase, PsychInfo and CINAHL databases were searched using controlled and non-controlled keywords and a variety of research strategies. This search was limited to peer-reviewed studies published in English between 2018 and 2023. Based on the inclusion criteria, Covidence software was used to screen, extract and assess the retrieved studies, which were evaluated using the CASP and MMAT checklists. Findings were synthesised using narrative synthesis with inductive thematic analysis. Results: Eight studies of medium to high quality met the inclusion criteria. Three main themes were identified: limited resources, the lack of a standardised referral process and fears associated with palliative care. Conclusion: Reflecting the insufficient attention the speciality receives, several modifiable barriers impede paediatric patients from accessing the early benefits of palliative care services. PPC requires financial support, community awareness and a clear referral process. Policymakers play an important role in supporting PPC, and researchers must work to explore policymakers’ perspectives on these barriers and find facilitators.25 0Item Restricted Housing, and Racial Equity(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-04-10) Almohaimeed, Ashwaq; Amini Behbahani, AmirhosseinIn this dissertation I assess the impact of various government policies on employment, wages, health, and housing. Studying the impact of government policy is important not only to conserve resources but also to ensure an equitable distribution of such resources. One major emphasis in this dissertation to accurately measure the impact of government policy. I attempt to achieve this in two ways. First, I used spatial econometric methods to reduce bias in standard econometric models. Second, I use better data by incorporating a larger set of control variables and covering longer periods of time. A standard assumption in mainstream cross-sectional and panel data models is the indepen dence of the sample’s observations across units of analysis. This assumption ensures that the resulting error terms are spatially independent. However, this assumption is often violated in the assessment of government policy where data is often collected at the census tract, zip code, county, or state level, and such spatial units are usually interdependent. In particular, neighboring spatial units are often similar in characteristics, which is a violation of the independence assumption, resulting in estimates that are biased and inconsistent (Anselin and Bera 1998). In addition to accounting for spatial autocorrelation, I also take advantage of geographic discontinuity in govern ment policy to reduce confounding in standard regression models. Moreover, I incorporate many relevant control variable in my models to reduce omitted variable bias. This dissertation is comprised of three essays. The first tackles a government policy which had reaching socioeconomic and demographic consequences, namely the role of Home Owners’ Loan Corporation (HOLC) in shaping the US housing market. HOLC’s residential redlining policy in the 1930s denied racial and religious minority groups access to mortgage financing and home improvement loans as well as access to credit for starting new businesses. This limited education 1 and employment opportunities for African Americans for generations to come. In this regard, I ask, Did historically redlined Zip Codes experience worse COVID-19 outcomes? To answer this question, in Chapter 2, I assess the impact of residential redlining on COVID-19 outcomes. Using georeferenced COVID-19 data and historical redlining maps of Baltimore, I find that COVID-19 cases are higher in redlined neighborhoods while vaccination rates are lower. I measure redlining using historical neighborhood grades produced by Home Owners’ Loan Corpo ration (HOLC) in the 1930s, which resulted in redlining. I also use the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data to estimate a redlining index which predicts the difference in odds of loan ac ceptance by race after controlling for income, debt, and loan size. Using spatial autoregressive models, I find that historically redlined neighborhoods have significantly higher COVID-19 cases and significantly lower COVID-19 vaccination rates, even after controlling for a host of social vulnerability and residential mobility measures. My second essay investigates the effect of state tax polices on job creation, job loss, and wages. In this context, I used discontinuity in tax regimes to compare business activity and taxes in coun ties that share a state border. My research question is: do cross-border differentials in state taxes affect firms’ job creation, job destruction, and average monthly wages in state-border counties? And if so, does the effect vary by race and ethnicity? To answer this question, in Chapter 3, I asses the effect of cross-border state tax differentials in counties straddling various state borders on job creation, job destruction, and wages. I find that higher top marginal state corporate income tax rates (compared to the state’s neighbors) are associated with lower job creation, higher job destruction, and lower average monthly earnings for small- and medium-sized firms operating in counties along the state’s border. I also find that higher top marginal state personal income tax rates reduce job creation, increase job loss, and have no effect of average monthly wages. In addition, higher sales taxes are associated lower job gains. In my third chapter, I investigate the effect of affordable housing projects on current home prices in areas where there projects locate. This topic is related to both redlining and state tax policies in that the lack of jobs combined with low wages limit affordable housing options and per 2 petuate residential redlining. In this essay I ask, Does the presence of affordable housing projects affect the median area home price in DC? And if so, does the effect depend on area income level? To answer this question, in Chapter 4, I assess the effect of affordable housing on home values in DC at the census tract level. Given that there is significant spatial autocorrelation in median home prices, median income, the number of affordable housing units, and the percentage of non white residents per tract, I employ spatial econometrics methods. I run a spatial Durbin model which regresses the median home price on its own spatial lag, the number of affordable housing units, the median income, the percentage of nonwhite residents, and the spatial lag of the indepen dent variables. The results indicate that the total effect of a unit increase in affordable housing units on the log of median home prices is 0.035 with a p-value of 0.007. This indicates that affordable housing enhances home values in the neighborhood.11 0Item Restricted GameBeing, an Insight into the Health and Wellbeing of Esport Players and Professional Gamers(2022) Alkhames, Rahaf; Martin, MichaelThe paper investigated how to help pro gamers and esports players have better health and well-being during their careers at Esport. The Esport market is growing, forecasted to be worth around 1.62 billion by 2024, and the number of pro gamers (aged 16-22) is increasing. This project research aims to design a strategy to help create a support system for the health and well-being of pro gamers and esports players. Human-centric design creative approach is used along with its frameworks and methods, including double diamond, design thinking, participatory design and the theory of change. First, a literature review, case study, semi-structured interview, and survey were conducted to answer the research question. Then the collected data helped to develop personas, user journey maps, competitive SWOT analysis, positioning maps and the theory of change. The results of the secondary research showed that there is a need to be more support for pro gamers and Esport players' health and well-being from stakeholders. It also emphasized the need for collaborative work to address the problem, which the primary research confirmed. It added more insights, such as the lack of pro gaming knowledge in dealing with challenges during pro gaming and Esport career. In addition, the weak marketing of the existing solutions. Therefore, the research led to the outcome of a Behavioral Change Strategy that will be implemented through multilabel design interventions.9 0Item Restricted SCOPE OF PRACTICE, AND CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE OF MEDICAL ASSISTANTS IN THE UNITED STATES(2023-05-02) Aggad, Roaa; McKyer, LisakoMedical assistants (MAs) are an important part of the healthcare workforce. In the United States, the scope of practice and credentials of the MAs are not specifically defined. The inconsistencies in determination of the scope of practice for MAs across the United States necessitated this study. Chapter two, a scoping literature review, focused all on the existing types of literature such as research, theory-based, philosophical, empirical or practice-based, statistical reports, and gray literature, this chapter aimed to utilize quality literature to ascertain the scope of practice for MAs. Chapter three, I used an existence pre- and post-surveys which aimed to examine a training and certification process for MAs in a major southwestern hospital. I used Excel program for my data analysis. Chapter four, an intrinsic case study, studied the MAs' perceptions toward the certification program in a major southwestern hospital. MAXQDA was used for the data analysis. Out of 50 analyzed articles for the scoping review, 22 described the role of MAs and 36 discussed the job description of MAs. Nineteen articles listed the minimum requirements, while four described the required qualities. Only one article identified specific certification requirements and explained the certification process. Furthermore, seven articles identified different state certification requirements and 13 described various impacts of MAs on health outcomes. It was found in the surveys’ results that while MA certification may be viewed favorably, it is debatable whether it improves the MAs’ knowledge and skills. In addition, thematic analysis demonstrated that participants overall believed that certification is valuable, which contributed to the MAs’ willingness to engage in additional education and training. iii Moreover, it is imperative to maintain the facilitators contributing to the specialists' willingness to improve their professional competence and eliminate the barriers encountered by MAs during education. The research concluded that having qualified MAs can increase the delivery of primary care by reducing patient waiting time, streamlining the flow of patients, enhancing patient satisfaction, and improving care outcomes. Future research should study the evolving role of these specialists in different healthcare settings.25 0