The aim of the study was to describe and analyze the risk factors associated with patient safety events (PSEs), defined as adverse events (AEs), preventable AEs (PAEs), and near-miss events (NMEs), in the emergency department (ED). Methods:It was a retrospective cohort study using ED patients' data retrieved from January 2010 to December 2016. Quality assurance issues (QAIs) used as triggers included the following: issues during procedural sedation, death within 24 hours of admission, patients' and physicians' complaints, returns to the ED within 72 hours, and transfers to an intensive care unit within 24 hours.Results: Of 383,586 ED visits, 6519 (1.7%) QAIs were reported with a PSEs incidence of 6.1%. Among the 397 PSEs, 258 were AEs including 82 PAEs, and 139 NMEs. During the 7-year period, we observed a fourfold increase in NMEs, and despite a decrease in the rate of AEs with the highest (3.1%) and lowest (0.8%) incidence in 2011 and 2016, respectively, the incidence of PAEs events remained relatively constant. Unadjusted analysis showed that ED waiting time, boarding time, ED length of stay (LOS), ED disposition, as well as diagnostic and QAIs were significantly related to PSEs (P < 0.05). Multivariable analysis showed that the type of QAIs and diagnostic were associated with PSEs (P < 0.001). Type of QAIs was a risk factor for AEs and PAEs occurrence and factors involved in NMEs were type of QAIs (P = 0.02) and ED LOS (P < 0.001). "The odds of a PSE occurring increased by 0.2% for each additional minute increase in the ED waiting time, by 5.2% for each additional boarding hour, and by 4.5% for each ED LOS hour." Conclusions: This study showed several potential risk factors for PSEs, especially ED LOS, type of QAIs, and diagnostic. Systematic interventions might have more impact on risk of PSE.

Purpose -The labor force participation rates of females have been increasing steadily over the past few decades in the UAE and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries and are expected to continue to increase due to increasing levels of education and social change. While, there is a substantive amount of literature on the issues of gender gap in wages and employment conditions in Western developed economies, the evidence from developing economies -especially in the Middle East -remains very scant. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to contribute to bridging this gap by examining gender-based differences in employment conditions for local and expatriate workers in the context of the GCC region. Design/methodology/approach -The authors utilize a data set from the 2007 cross-section Dubai Labor Market Survey which covers a stratified random sample of employees in the UAE labor market. In addition to descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations of the data by workers' gender, nationality, and various characteristics of their employment conditions, two empirical models intended to investigate factors that influence access to employment and wage determination of male and female workers in the UAE labor market were estimated. Findings -The findings of the study reveal that there are gender-based differences and inequity in employment in the UAE labor market. The authors highlight specific impacts of contextual factors on the employment conditions of women compared to men. The gender gap in the UAE context is compounded by nationality effects; whereby gender-based differences become less apparent in the case of foreign workers compared to UAE nationals. Originality/value -This paper is one of very few studies that addressed the gender gap in employment conditions in the Arab Middle Eastern or GCC context. The paper uses quantitative data from a large random sample of workers in the UAE.

This study evaluates the success of the blended-learning mode in the context of a higher education institution in the Arabian Gulf region, utilizing the updated DeLone and McLean information systems success model. Students were surveyed about their perceptions of and feedback on the different characteristics of blended learning. Use of the blended-learning system and student satisfaction had a significant positive influence on net benefits. The service quality aspects of the blended-learning system—collaboration, support, and interaction between involved parties—provided strong support to both system use and student satisfaction. This study is one of only a few to evaluate blended learning in the Arabian Gulf region. The findings increase understanding of blended-learning system use in the entire region and shed light on its relation to student contentment. This would aid the curriculum design process, resources allocation, adoption, and customization of the blended-learning modality.

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Quadbikes are all-terrain four-wheeled vehicles used extensively as desert recreational vehicles in Dubai, UAE. Quadbiking, like other outdoor sport, is influenced by ambient temperature in the desert ecosystem. This study assesses the temporal distribution of quadbike injuries in this unique desert ecosystem to identify the population affected and factors associated with injuries in addition to forecasting short term injury trend. Electronic Patient Care Registration (EPCR) reports of Dubai Ambulance [Dubai Corporation for Ambulatory Services] from January 1, 2017, to March 1, 2021, were used as a data source. Variables were recoded and derived from the case history, time of incident and the clinical impression recorded by medics, following the incidence. IBM SPSS Statistical Package Version. 28.0.0.0 was used for descriptive, bivariate and regression analysis. R software version 4.2.1 helped with the time series analysis. Two hundred twenty-six injury incidents were reported. The analysis showed that both nationals and non-nationals were equally involved in quadbike crash injuries. Those injured were young riders under 35 years [82.3%] and mostly males [73%]. Most crashes involving injuries were rollovers [73%] and were rarely picked up by ambulance from the desert [7%]. Dubai showed a seasonal distribution of quad bike injuries with peaks in winter and a small spike in June. Diurnal distribution of injuries shows higher frequency during the afternoon-evening hours, with an equal number of injuries occurring in the daytime and nighttime hours. Regression analysis showed native Emirati riders being injured more in winter [aOR=5.148; 95% CI 2.094 – 12.65] and during the night [aOR=3.452; 95% CI 1.822-6.54], when compared to non-national riders. Finally, it seems that, incidents of quadbike injuries, will show slight increasing trend in the next few months. The distinct seasonal nature of quadbike injuries should direct the attention of concerned authorities to the importance of deploying the emergency and rescue services near desert riding hotspots. The authorities should also target vulnerable Emirati youth and guardians, during the winter season and early summer, for comprehensive injury prevention campaigns supported with close surveillance during night-time riding.