Clinical Epidemiology Group
Source: https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Research/RIMHS/CEG Parent: https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Research/RIMHS
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Overview
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Goals and Objectives
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Our Team
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Publications
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Highlights
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Collaborations
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Lines of Research
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Projects
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Awards
Overview
The rising problem of chronic diseases has been well documented and the burden from these diseases represent a major threat to human health and development. Chronic diseases such as cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (asthma), diabetes and cardiovascular diseases have been labeled as the world's leading killers by the WHO and are likely to continue rising globally. This is no different for the United Arab Emirates where factors such as globalization, genetic, cultural and environmental variations may contribute significantly to the rise of chronic diseases locally and regionally. However, despite the alarming increase, there are gaps in our knowledge of the true burden from chronic diseases in the UAE, especially identifying those most at risk of developing diseases and specific risk factors associated with these diseases. Information on the short- and long-term consequences of chronic diseases and the effectiveness and safety of current practices is also scarce.\ The role of the clinical epidemiology research group is to conduct large-scale long term research into the epidemiology of diseases (such as respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancer, mental health and periodontal diseases) and to derive population specific incidence rates and prevalence, investigate the biological, social and psychosomatic factors underlying and associated with health and lifestyle behaviors as well as identify genetic and environmental risks.
Goals and Objectives
- Conduct well-designed and well-resourced research in epidemiology to identify chronic disease patterns prevalent in the UAE such as asthma, respiratory diseases, certain cancers, diabetes, and periodontal diseases.
- Use innovative approaches and advanced statistical methods to analyze secondary data derived from disease registries and publicly available big data to describe patterns and trends of chronic disease morbidity and mortality across geographic areas locally and regionally.
- Investigate the genetic, biological, social, and psychosomatic factors underlying health and lifestyle behaviors of chronic diseases.
- Conduct research on the epidemiology of specific modifiable risk factors to inform the design of clinical trials and future public health interventions.
- Develop novel statistical and computational methods to correlate complex data from different modalities such as genetics, psychosomatic and lifestyle factors, and chronic diseases
Prof. Mohammed AlHajjaj
Research Group Member
Prof. Manal Awad
Research Group Member
Dr. Amal Hussein
Research Group Member
Dr. Hamzah Tareq Al Zubaidi
Research Group Member
Prof. Rifat Hamoudi
Research Group Member
Prof. Salah Abusnana
Research Group Member
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Research Publications
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Highlights
Internal Grants:
- Screening of mental, oral, and cardio-metabolic disorders of migrant workers in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates: A baseline study. University of Sharjah-Competitive Grant
- Periodontal Health, General and Oral Health Related Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients on Aromatase Inhibitors: A Case-Control Study. University of Sharjah-Competitive Grant
Projects currently working on:
- Investigating the Risk Factors Associated with Different Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Childhood Acute Leukemia in the UAE
- Acute cardio-respiratory effects of midwakh smoking, and related nicotine dependence
- Migrant Workers’ Health and Wellbeing in the UAE
- Periodontal Health, General and Oral Health Related Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients on Aromatase Inhibitors: A Case-Control Study
Collaborators
| Entity Name | Title | Date | Type of Collaboration | |
| 1 | COVID-19 research database, USA | Prevalence and determinants of developing autoimmune and chronic diseases post | May-22 | An agreement to access to the “COVID-19 research database, USA" “OfficeAlly" for research purposes |
| COVID-19 infection within specific subgroups | ||||
| 2 | COVID-19 research database, USA | Clinical and laboratory determinants of adverse mental health outcomes in post-COVID-19 patients within specific subgroups. | May-22 | An agreement to access to the “COVID-19 research database, USA" “OfficeAlly" for research purposes |
| 3 | NYU-AD Public Health Research Center | Investigating the barriers and facilitators for the cessation of Midwakh tobacco use | 2021-2023 | Joint projects |
| 4 | NYU-AD Public Health Research Center | Developing an intervention for reducing exposure to secondhand smoking in pregnant women | 2021-2023 | Joint projects |
| 5 | Emirates Health Services (EHS) | Program 1: Emirates Health Services (EHS) Research Capacity Building Program “From Idea to research proposal" (5 weeks) | Nov-Dec 2022 | Consultancy for research capacity building |
| 6 | Emirates Health Services (EHS) | Program 3: Emirates Health Services (EHS) Research Capacity Building Program “Research Article Write-Up and Publication" (4 weeks) | Nov-Dec 2022 | Consultancy for research capacity building |
| 7 | SEHA - Tawam Hospital | Investigating the Risk Factors Associated with Different Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Childhood Acute Leukemia in the UAE | 2021 | Joint project |
| 8 | Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital | Investigating the Risk Factors Associated with Different Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Childhood Acute Leukemia in the UAE | 2024 | Joint project |
| 9 | GSK | Consensus on Adolescent and Adult Vaccination in the GCC | 2025 | Organization of expert roundtable discussion and consensus development |
| 10 | - Department of Dental Services, Emirates Health Services - Saqr Hospital - Khalifa University | Periodontal Health, General and Oral Health Related Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Patients on Aromatase Inhibitors: A Case-Control Study | 2024 | Joint project |
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Line of Resesrach
- Cancer prevalence in different populations and the specific trends and specific risk factors associated with these cancers
- Respiratory disease trends such as Coronary Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases and asthma and associated behavioral, metabolic and environmental risk factors
- Oral health (Periodontal disease and Oral Cancer prevalence and risk factors)
- Diabetes and its complications including lifestyle behaviors
- Nutrigenomics and its effect on metabolic disorders
- Population Health
Internal Projects
| Title | Principal Investigator | Co-Investigators | Amount (AED) | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Measurement of Carbon Monoxide Levels among Midwakh Smokers in the United Arab Emirates | Sadiq B | Al-Hajjaj M; Hussein A; Mahboob B; Al-Hoqani M | 80,000 | January 2020 – January 2023 |
| Epidemiological and Clinical Characteristics Associated with Severity of COVID-19 among Hospitalized Patients in the UAE – A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study | Sadiq B | Awad M; Al-Hajjaj M; Halawani R; Al-Zubaidi H; Hussein A; Hammoudi R; Fikri A; Al-Hayali S; Al-Nouriani A; Abu Sanana S; Ben Dardaf R | 145,000 | September 2020 – July 2023 |
| Risk Factors Associated with Different Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Childhood Acute Leukemia in the UAE – A Pilot Study | Sadiq B | Jimi M; Hussein A; Mahmoud R | 76,000 | December 2020 – December 2023 |
| Sharjah Maternal and Child Health Study (Follow-Up) | Sadiq B | Ghada Mohammed; Louay Ahmed; Effat Al-Barazi | 78,000 | October 2021 – October 2023 |
| Screening of Mental Health, Oral Health, and Cardiovascular Diseases among Migrant Workers in Sharjah, UAE: A Baseline Study | Awad M | Sadiq B; Hussein A; Al-Zubaidi H; Zeidan R.K.; Shukla A | 115,000 | March 2024 – March 2026 |
| Periodontal Health, General Health, and Oral Health–Related Quality of Life among Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Aromatase Inhibitors: A Case-Control Study | Awad M | Badran Z; Sadiq B; Issa W; Khalifa N; Radwan H; Al-Subaiha N; Al-Ayan M; Ansari J; Hussein A | 200,000 | 2024 – 2026 |
External Projects
| # | Funding Entity | Dates | Total Funding (Cash & In-Kind) | Amount Transferred to University of Sharjah | Principal Investigator & Team | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sheikh Hamdan Award | January 2019 – September 2022 | 180,000 | 180,000 | Sadiq B; Al-Hajjaj M; Hussein A; Mahboob B | An Epidemiological Study to Assess Nicotine Levels, Carbon Monoxide Levels, and Peak Expiratory Flow among Midwakh Users in the United Arab Emirates |
Awards
| # | Member Name | Recognition Details & Awarding Organization | Dates |
| 1 | Prof. Basema Saddik | Fellowship by distinction, Faculty of Public Health Royal College of Physicians UK | 2023 |
| 2 | Prof. Basema Saddik | Research Award – VC of Research and Graduate Studies | 2022 |
| 3 | Prof. Basema Saddik | UOS Award Recognition for being among top 2% of global researchers | 2021-2023 |
| 4 | Hamzah Alzubaidi | Sharjah Islamic Bank Award for Best Community-based Research | 2023 |
| 5 | Hamzah Alzubaidi | Annual Faculty Incentive Award for Research 2022, University of Sharjah | 2022 |
| 6 | Hamzah Alzubaidi | Second Place Award for Best Oral Presentation, 12th Emirates Diabetes and Endocrinology Congress | 2022 |
| 7 | Mohamed Saleh Alhajjaj | The Tagheer Award for strategic performance | 2022-23 |
| 8 | Mohamed Saleh Alhajjaj | Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada | 2023 |
| 9 | Mohamed Saleh Alhajjaj | Member of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases | 2023 |
| 10 | Mohamed Saleh Alhajjaj | Fellow of the Academy of Chest Physicians and Surgeons of the American College of Chest Physicians | 2023 |
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