Prevalence of High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, Thalassemia, Sickle-Cell Anemia, and Iron-Deficiency Anemia among the UAE Adolescent Population

This study examined the prevalence of high blood pressure, heart disease, and medical diagnoses in relation to blood disorders, among 6,329 adolescent students (age 15 to 18 years) who reside in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Findings indicated that the overall prevalence of high blood pressure and heart disease was 1.8% and 1.3%, respectively. Overall, the prevalence for thalassemia, sickle-cell anemia, and iron-deficiency anemia was 0.9%, 1.6%, and 5%, respectively. Bivariate analysis revealed statistically significant differences in the prevalence of high blood pressure among the local and expatriate adolescent population in the Emirate of Sharjah. Similarly, statistically significant differences in the prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia were observed among the local and expatriate population in Abu Dhabi city, the western region of Abu Dhabi, and Al-Ain. Multivariate analysis revealed the following significant predictors of high blood pressure: residing in proximity to industry, nonconventional substance abuse, and age when smoking or exposure to smoking began. Ethnicity was a significant predictor of heart disease, thalassemia, sickle-cell anemia, and iron-deficiency anemia. In addition, predictors of thalassemia included gender (female) and participating in physical activity. Participants diagnosed with sickle-cell anemia and iron-deficiency anemia were more likely to experience different physical activities. 1. Introduction Effective response to emerging health issues requires public health programs and policies that evolve based on trends in population health and health risk factors [1]. Health surveillance plays a key role by gathering information and shedding light on spatial and temporal variations in health measures. Health surveillance is particularly relevant in countries that exhibit rapid economic development, given that changes to population health measures and risk factors are imminent and largely dynamic [2]. Thus, in countries that exhibit rapid economic growth, research studies should aim to examine the links between social, demographic, and economic contextual factors and health, in order to guide policy and address new emerging health issues [3]. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country that has experienced unprecedented growth in the past forty years. The UAE currently ranks 12th among world economies in relation to gross national income per capita [4]. The federation is situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Persian Gulf. It consists of Abu Dhabi (the nation’s capital), Dubai, Sharjah,