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Background: Diabetes is a chronic disease that is associated with high cost and health care utilization. Attitudes of healthcare professionals (HCPs) toward diabetes have a significant impact on quality of diabetes care. Although the prevalence of diabetes in the Arabian Gulf region is alarming, little is known about attitudes of HCPs toward the disease. Methods: This study evaluates the attitudes of 337 HCPs toward diabetes in United Arab Emirates (UAE) including physicians, pharmacists, nurses and dietitians using the Diabetes Attitudes Scale (DAS-3). Data were analyzed descriptively and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for comparative analyses. Overall, HCPs groups demonstrated relatively adequate attitudes toward diabetes (mean = 3.80, SD = 0.45). Results: The highest score reported by HCPs groups was on the need for special training subscale (M = 4.49, SD = 0.38) and the lowest score was seen on patient autonomy subscale (M = 3.31, SD = 0.45). Physicians showed significantly higher positive attitudes on need for special training, seriousness of diabetes, value of tight glycemic control, and psychosocial aspects of diabetes than other HCPs groups (P values < 0.005); whereas nurses scored the highest on patient autonomy subscale. Pharmacists demonstrated the lowest negative attitudes among HCPs groups on all diabetes attitudes subscales. Conclusions: We recommend conducting more continuing education programs (CEPs) on diabetes care in the UAE, with greater emphasis on patient autonomy. An interdisciplinary approach that is patients' centered is needed to provide efficient diabetes care.

BackgroundThe need for improved research on ill health has been recognized internationally and locally in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE Nursing and Midwifery Council recently committed to enhancing the status and contributions of nursing in healthcare research across the UAE by establishing a National Committee for Research Development. This study using a Delphi method to identify research priorities from the perspective of nurses delivering frontline healthcare.MethodsA two-phase Delphi design was implemented with 1032 nurses participating in phase one of the study and 1339 in phase two.ResultsThe most important priority was patient safety and healthcare professionals’ awareness of international patient safety goals (including staffing levels and shift length) and potential effects on patient safety. Other important priorities were infection control practices and management of communicable diseases.ConclusionsThese priorities may inform nursing research programs to improve patient care and health outcomes in the UAE and similar contexts worldwide.

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a meta-analysis of the pedagogical practice of blended learning, or the use of both direct instruction and online learning in second language instruction. A thorough review of the relevant literature over the last two decades on blended learning generally, and second language instruction using blended learning techniques in particular, is presented. Demonstrating the positive benefits from applying blended learning in language instruction, the study results should help guide language instructors in understanding the practice and implementation of this approach. The major conclusions of the study are that blending learning enhances the learner's experience of a new language, and offers greater efficiency in the communication and practice of that language. Efficient and user-friendly technology, with direction instruction and practice in a face to face setting, are seen as the key to successful blended learning language instruction.

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