Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/10
Browse
10 results
Search Results
Item Restricted An Analysis of Laws Safeguarding Healthcare Workers in the United Kingdom(Saudi Digital Library, 2025) Aleniz, Fahad; Brodeala, ElenaThis study analyzed laws safeguarding healthcare workers in the UK. The objective was to understand the legal, health, and safety standards protecting UK healthcare workers and assess employees’ challenges before identifying required reforms. The study results revealed that the UK had initially focused on industry-specific laws to promote employee safety. However, changes in employment composition had adjusted the approach, resulting in the focus on occupational health and safety. Healthcare workers in the UK found legal reprieve from a variety of laws, including HASAWA (1974), Workplace Health and Safety (1992), Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1992), Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992), Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992, and Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (1992, 2018, and 2022). The challenge of the UK’s employee safety legal regime was an inadequate risk-based model downgrading severe risks healthcare workers routinely faced. The implication of this study was the need for reforms focusing on regulator funding, modernization of the regulatory regime, monitoring, and enforcement.2 0Item Restricted Real-World Data Synergy: Optimizing Clinical Trials Through Evidence Integration(King's College London, 2024-08-13) Alharrah, Abdullah; Prapopoulou, MariaBackground Integration of real-world evidence into clinical trials is an emerging approach, which attempts to increase the generalizability, credibility, and efficiency of clinical research. RWE, derived from sources such as EHRs, patient registries, and insurance claims, will provide real-world effectiveness and safety information for medical interventions. While it has a lot of potential, the best way to incorporate RWE into clinical studies remains relatively unexplored, and challenges associated with data quality, standardization, and adherence to the regulation are significant. Methods A systematic review was used to examine the current literature on the integration of Real-world evidence (RWE) in clinical trials and a stakeholder review to identify the methods, opportunities and challenges for this integration. The literature review aimed to examine studies from the past 10 years, focusing in the practical benefits in using RWE to enhance patient recruitment and site selection and evaluated the methods of integration and their challenges. Case studies from pharmaceutical industry and research institutions were analyzed to showcase the real-world applications of RWE. Results The research further identified key challenges in integrating RWE into clinical trials, such as data quality, data standardiza)on, and regulatory acceptance. It also brought out practical benefits that are related to RWE, among them improved patient recruitment, better efficiency in conducting trials, and facilitating validation and complementation of RCT findings. Case studies illustrated successful applications of RWE in several therapeutic areas, specifically on how this could be used in the design and conduct of clinical trials to enhance generalizability and applicability. Stakeholder survey highlighted the need for collaboration between stakeholders. Conclusion Real-world evidence showed positive outcome regarding patient safety and reduction of clinical trials duration and costs. Although RWE proved beneficial, challenges such as data quality, standardization, and regulatory compliance need to be addressed. Suggesting modification to current methodologies and regulatory guidance for improved patient outcomes and more informed healthcare decisions.4 0Item Restricted Improving Heart Failure Management in Saudi Arabia: A Quality and Safety Improvement Project Using Telemedicine(University of Nottingham, 2024) Alansari, Dareen; Stacy, JohnsonHeart failure is a common and complex healthcare problem in Saudi Arabia. Due to the lack of emphasis on primary and secondary prevention, the ageing population, and the increased prevalence of heart failure risk factors, especially among the younger population, the number of people with HF is expected to increase, leading to an increased burden on the national healthcare system in Saudi Arabia. This proposed quality improvement project will utilise telemedicine to monitor the progression of heart failure and heart failure risk factors, facilitate early identification of disease worsening and prompt referral to specialists, as well as educate people about the importance of managing their disease, in an effort to delay the development of heart failure and to improve the quality and safety of existing heart failure care in Saudi Arabia. Well-recognised quality improvement methodology and tools, including the Model for Improvement and Davidge’s Seven Steps to Measurement, supported by statistical process control charts as well as qualitative methods, will be used to guide the improvement process. A high emphasis will be placed on stakeholders involvement through an appropriate leadership style and engagement of stakeholders in the development of the design of this project at the early stages. This proposed quality improvement project provides a sustainable solution that is well-aligned with the vision of Saudi Arabia as well as the Institute of Medicine’s six domains of healthcare quality, taking advantage of a well-established technology infrastructure to tackle a persistent healthcare threat.33 0Item Restricted A Worldwide Survey on the Impacts, Detections, and Removal of Phosphorus from Iron Ore & Steel and Using Modern Technologies of Green Hydrogen(University of New South Wales, 2024-04) Tonkal, Mohannad; Ata, SeherThis minor thesis aims to investigate and provide an overview and description of the current phosphorus in iron ore worldwide, including the phosphorus present in iron ore, as well as the challenges, issues, and other items associated with the subject. The research findings were obtained by identifying, collecting, and addressing the specific objectives of the project, which include providing an overview of iron ore, the current understanding of the formation and its characterisation techniques to determine phosphorus in iron ore and the processing techniques used to remove phosphorus; in addition, it provides an overview of the steel sector.22 0Item Restricted Do retinal implants provide long-term efficacy and safety and improve implantees' quality of life? A Systematic Literature Review(Cardiff University, 2024-10-15) Alqahtani, Hanan Badah; Regini, JustynObjective: Severe visual impairment and blindness are considered to be among the most feared disabilities worldwide (Chader et al. 2009). Approximately half of all visual impairments are associated with retinal disorders (Özmert and Arslan 2019). Degenerative retinal conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) can result in severe vision loss and blindness due to a progressive loss of the retinal photoreceptors (Özmert and Arslan 2019; Ayton et al. 2020). Unfortunately, the therapy possibilities and options for patients with advanced stages of these retinal degeneration conditions are limited and any vision restoration is minimal (Chader et al. 2009; Ayton et al. 2020). Retinal implants have been developed and have emerged as novel interventions to restore some degree of vision in patients with severe vision loss due to these retinal degenerative diseases (Özmert and Arslan 2019). This review evaluates the long-term efficacy and safety of various types of retinal implants (epiretinal, subretinal and suprachoroidal) over a follow-up period of at least one year. In addition, the impact that these retinal implants have on the recipient’s quality of life is also assessed. Study design: A systematic search of the Web of Science, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Embase databases was conducted and 222 papers were found. After removing 105 duplicate papers, 117 unique papers remained for eligibility screening, initially by title and abstract and then full-text screening. This process resulted in 13 studies which satisfied the inclusion criteria for the current review and were taken forward to the critical appraisal. Critical appraisal was performed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) and the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklists appropriate for the study design. At this stage, one further paper was excluded from the review due to its poor quality. Consequently, 12 studies progressed to the data extraction stage using a tool adapted from a similar review by Hallum and Dakin (2021). Results: All of the included studies were single-arm, prospective, non-randomised clinical trials, except for one which was a retrospective interventional case series. There was considerable heterogeneity in terms of sample size, population, duration of follow-up, and intervention type. Therefore, narrative synthesis was utilised for the purpose of data synthesis. The results were encouraging and indicated that different retinal implant technologies were effective at restoring some degree of vision for blind patients. They improved visual function, functional vision and the quality of life in subjects with substantial vision loss from RP or dry AMD. These improvements appeared to be sustained over time. Furthermore, based on the reported adverse events, these various types of retinal prostheses appeared to have an acceptable risk profile. However, all of the included studies were at risk of bias due to their design, such as how the experiments were conducted or the lack of randomisation, a control group or masking. Conclusion: Although the retinal implants confer some useful vision, the regained vision is still limited and patients remain legally blind. Given the considerable risk of bias in the available literature, better quality evidence is required to evaluate retinal implants’ efficacy, safety and impact on subjects’ quality of life.23 0Item 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.85 0Item Restricted ADOPT: An environmentally-friendly system for alerting drivers to occluded pedestrians traffic(Old Dominion University, 2024-08) Alali, Abrar; Olariu, StephanThe emergence of sensing technologies and vehicular communications has brought significant opportunities for enhancing pedestrian safety on city streets. However, existing solutions rely on costly technologies such as computer vision and trajectory prediction to detect crossing pedestrians, while they have limits in detecting pedestrians who are occluded by parked cars. Despite the presence of collaborative perception by surrounding vehicles and infrastructure, there is a notable absence of incorporating existing parked cars themselves due to their insufficiency in detecting pedestrians and communicating with other cars while they are turned off. Furthermore, accommodating pedestrians on streets has been linked to an additional cost to the environment. This cost is due to the fluctuations in the speed of the car to avoid collisions with pedestrians, which increases fuel consumption and CO2. We first propose to enlist the help of cars parked along the sidewalk to detect and protect crossing pedestrians. In support of this goal, we propose ADOPT: an Environmentally-friendly system for Alerting Drivers to Occluded Pedestrian Traffic. ADOPT lays the theoretical foundations of a system to use parked cars to detect and protect occluded pedestrians. We cope with the resource constraints in parked cars by utilizing short-range and low-power radio frequency sensors to detect pedestrians who also transmit radio signals from energy-harvesting wearables. To estimate fuel consumption and CO2 of cars, we found that the existing estimating approaches for user-specific requirements are not suitable for our goal. We overcome this limitation by using a simple version of the energy demand model knowing the most suitable powertrain efficiency. Thus, in this dissertation, we evaluate the vehicle energy demand model by testing several powertrain efficiencies. This allows us to accomplish our next task in this dissertation. Next, we propose speed reduction schemes based on studying possible scenarios for midblock crossing. In these scenarios, the approaching car receives, in advance, caution messages about crossing pedestrians from ADOPT system. We show that these schemes reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of approaching cars. With this, we show how ADOPT is an environmentally friendly system without compromising the safety of midblock pedestrians by utilizing parked cars along the street.26 0Item Restricted Outdoor Lighting Impact from Tourists’ Perspective(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-01) Alrowidan, Shaden; Raynham, PeterThe impact of outdoor lighting on tourists’ perspectives and its influence on tourist destinations were the focal points of this research work. The significance of this study lies in its ability to shed light on the role of outdoor lighting in highlighting tourist destinations, attracting visitors and shaping the identity of a city, thereby emphasizing the importance of thoughtful urban lighting schemes. This research also addresses a notable gap in the existing literature. There has been a lack of resources exploring the relationship between outdoor lighting and tourism in underexplored urban areas. The shortage of comprehensive studies on this topic is particularly pronounced in Saudi Arabia, making this research an important contribution to the field. The primary aims of this study were to clarify the impact of outdoor lighting on tourism and then to offer a range of lighting options and measure tourists’ preferences and perceptions of these options. By achieving these objectives, the study intention was to provide valuable insights into how outdoor lighting can be optimized to enhance the tourist experience by enhancing safety and movement. The research employed a mixed-methods approach to gathering the data, combining interviews with tourists and quantitative and qualitative analysis of the obtained data. This methodology ensured an understanding of how outdoor lighting influences tourists’ perspectives and preferences, ultimately enhancing tourist destinations and urban lighting strategies. The progressive development of Saudi Arabia and its vibrant nightlife make it crucial to explore the impact of outdoor lighting on tourism. The influence of outdoor lighting is evident, as it shapes tourists’ perceptions and significantly contributes to the attractiveness of tourist destinations.30 0Item Restricted Cybersecurity Practices, Challenges and Applications in Saudi Smart Cities: Developing and Testing Extended UTAUT3 Model Using Multi-stage Samplings(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-12-04) Alhalafi, Nawaf Hamdan T; Veeraraghavan, PrakashThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been making significant progress towards developing intelligent cities, with projects such as NEOM and Riyadh City. Therefore, this study investigates the challenges and factors influencing the adoption of cybersecurity practices in smart cities within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia using the cybersecurity-based Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT3) framework. In four phases, the study initially collected insights from the public and IT professionals through pre-test surveys to identify key challenges in cybersecurity adoption. The study then conducted a second survey to refine the UTAUT3 model in line with the unique cybersecurity challenges experienced in smart Saudi cities. This allowed exploring the economic, social, and cultural factors affecting cybersecurity implementation. Economic factors included privacy design and cyber threat intelligence; social factors covered digital trust and resilience; and cultural factors focused on cybersecurity competency and awareness. In the third phase, the study validated the extended UTAUT3 model, assessing the suitability of data for analysis and evaluating the reliability and validity of the measurement constructs. The aim was to enhance understanding of the factors impacting cybersecurity adoption, ensuring that the extended model is useful for future research and policy development. In the final phase, post-testing was conducted to measure behavioural intentions in adopting cybersecurity practices. Results showed that factors such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating condition, and various attributes of cybersecurity (resilience, safety, confidentiality, availability, and integrity) positively influence the behavioural intention to adopt cybersecurity. Multi-group analysis revealed differences between IT professionals and the general public in the behavioural intention of adopting cybersecurity in smart cities. This study contributes significantly to understanding cybersecurity adoption in smart cities, providing valuable insights for future interventions or policies. It underscores the need to consider group differences when promoting cybersecurity adoption to ensure effective outcomes.67 0Item Restricted Effectiveness and safety of apixaban compared to warfarin in atrial fibrillation by BMI: a non-interventional cohort study using the UK’s Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CRPD)(2022-08-30) Bin Hammad, Turki; Wing, KevinBackground: Current guidelines recommend starting anticoagulation therapy for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and an increased risk of stroke. Warfarin was the anticoagulant of choice for a long period before apixaban showed superiority in the Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation (ARISTOTLE) study on the prevention of stroke/systemic embolism and bleeding. However, little is known about their effects on overweight and obese patients compared to normal weight populations, with concerns that obesity might undermine apixaban’s effects because of its fixed dosing across body mass index (BMI) groups. Methods: I emulated a target trial mirroring the ARISTOTLE study using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) linked to secondary databases. I estimated the BMI-stratum-specific hazard ratios to investigate the non-inferiority or superiority of apixaban compared to warfarin in NVAF patients in rates of a composite of stroke/systemic embolism (SE) (primary effectiveness outcome) and their individual components or superiority in major bleeding (primary safety outcome) and all-cause mortality. Results: In 51,520 patients, apixaban was non-inferior in all groups of BMI on the composite of stroke/SE with multivariable adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.11 (95% CI: 0.93, 1.32; p:0.257) in the normal weight, 1.06 (95% CI: 0.90, 1.25; p:0.459) in the overweight and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.83, 1.17; p:0.857) in the obese groups with no evidence of statistical interaction (interaction-p: 0.563). In major bleeding, apixaban was superior in normal weight (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.94; p:0.008), overweight (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.87; p:<0.001) and obese groups (HR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.91; p:<0.001) with no evidence of interaction (interaction-p: 0.797). Conclusion: In NVAF, BMI was not an effect modifier of the effectiveness and safety of apixaban compared to warfarin. BMI-stratum-specific estimates were consistent in overweight and obese compared to normal weight patients.15 0