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Health improves in Arab states, but heart disease and depression are on the rise




People in Arab states are living longer, but these gains have come at the cost of increased heart disease and depression. The Philanthropy Age (Issue 05, May-July 2014) documented findings from a series of papers published in The Lancet, a medical journal, that tracked the leading causes of death, and the state of public health, in Arab states between 1990 and 2010. The Arab states included Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Syria, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Yemen.

Life expectancy has risen in Arab states since 1990, but Yemen and Somalia lag behind. In comparison with the global average life expectancy of 70 years, life expectancy of people in Arab states are: United Arab Emirates (UAE) – 77 years, Bahrain –76 years, Saudi Arabia – 75 years, Egypt – 71 years, Morocco – 70 years, Iraq – 69 years, Yemen – 63 years, and Somalia – 54 years (2011 data). Yemeni men have one of the shortest life spans among Arab states at 65.5 years.

Disease prevention has increased in all Arab states, except Yemen and Somalia – both have remained unchanged in 20 years. The top causes of death in 1990 were diarrhoea (16.8%), respiratory infections (14.7%), malaria (5.6%), malnutrition (4.8%), and congenital anomalies (4.8%). In 2010 the top causes of death were respiratory infections (12.2%), diarrhoea (10.2%), malaria (7.0%), pre-term birth complications (4.9%), and congenital anomalies (4.2%).

Road deaths were increasing as early killers of people aged 15-49, causing 8.4% of all early deaths (under 50 years) across the region. The reported road traffic fatalities across the Arab states in 2010 were: Saudi Arabia – 6,596 deaths (86% male), UAE – 826 deaths (89% male), Oman – 820 deaths (85% male), Kuwait – 374 (84% male), Qatar (228 (97% male), and Bahrain – 75 (83% male).

Depression has been rising across Arab states since 1990. Major depressive disorders was the fourth most common cause of early death in 2010, with North Africa the most afflicted of all reported cases. In 1990 middle-income Arab states reported 2.7% of deaths from depression, with 4.1% in 2010. In 1990 high-income Arab states reported 4.9% of deaths from depression, with 6.9% in 2010.

The rise in depressive disorders may be caused by more reporting as the stigma of depressive disorders decreases. Public health campaigns in depression awareness are now quite common too. However, while most health changes examined by the study were consistent with global patterns, the prevalence of depression and anxiety was more pervasive in Arab countries than worldwide. Another reason may be due to the region’s high youth demographics. Major depressive disorders disproportionately affect young adults, compared to other age groups.



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