The factors impacting life expectancy (LE) are important to a country as LE reflects the essential quality of its population. Previous studies showed that other than economic factors, health status and resources (HSR) and sociodemographic (SD) also affect LE. This area has not been previously studied in Bahrain, especially in the past five decades. Hence, this study aims to develop an explanatory model for HSR, macroeconomic (ME), and SD factors on LE in Bahrain. The research was a retrospective, time-series design that collected the annual published data on SD, ME, HSR, and LE in Bahrain's population from 1971 to 2020. The data were analyzed using the partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method. The result shows that ME (0.463, P < .001) and HSR (0.595, P < .001) have significant direct effects on LE. ME has an indirect effect (0.488, P < .001) on LE via SD and HSR, and SD has an indirect effect (0.496, P < .001) on LE through HSR. During the socioeconomic downturn, the health resources provision should not be reduced as it directly affects LE. An integrated policy addressing socioeconomic and health-related factors could protect the future of Bahrain's population health outcomes.

In an era marked by a sweeping pandemic and the encroaching shadow of an energy crisis, the well-being and lifespan of global populations have become pressing concerns for every nation. This research zeroes in on life expectancy (LE), a powerful indicator of societal health in Oman and Qatar. Our study juxtaposes 3 key factors affecting LE: health status and resources (HSR), macroeconomics (ME), and sociodemographic (SD) factors. To achieve this, we tapped into a comprehensive data set from the World Bank, encompassing a transformative 3-decade span from 1990 to 2020. The intricate interplay between these factors and LE was deciphered through robust Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Our findings construct a compelling narrative: ME has an indirect yet considerable influence on LE—manifesting with an effect of 0.602 for Oman and 0.676 for Qatar. This influence is mediated by SD and HSR components. Similarly, SD elements impact LE indirectly—with an effect of 0.653 for Oman and 0.759 for Qatar— this effect is mediated by HSR. In contrast, HSR themselves wield a robust and direct influence on LE, indicated by an effect of 0.839 for Oman and 0.904 for Qatar. All these aforementioned effects were statistically substantial ( P < .001). Our research magnifies the robust direct influence of HSR on LE in both Oman and Qatar, simultaneously highlighting the noteworthy indirect role of ME and SD factors. This emphasizes the significance of adopting an integrated policy approach that considers all the SD, ME, and HSR factors to improve the population health in both countries, which are also crucial for promoting LE growth in the Gulf Cooperation Council region.

Mosquitoes can carry and spread many diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, or parasites. All these mosquito-borne diseases (MBD) represent a significant global burden of infectious diseases, including morbidity and mortality. This systematic review delves into the multifaceted factors contributing to the spread of MBD in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Following PRISMA guidelines, we reviewed peer-reviewed English-language observational and experimental studies published between May 1990 and January 2023, focusing on the interaction between population, environmental, disease, and mosquito factors in MBD. The review includes 32 studies (30 articles) that revealed a complex relationship between various risk factors and the presence of MBD. The review distinguishes between seroprevalence studies, which assess exposure to infection in asymptomatic populations, and overt disease studies, which focus on symptomatic cases and the host-specific factors that affect disease severity. It identifies key risk factors such as age, geography, gender, professional occupation, and socio-economic status, noting their varying impacts on disease transmission and progression across different MBDs. Environmental factors such as climate, mosquito breeding habitats, and urbanization are also reported as significant drivers of vector distribution and human-vector interactions. The review emphasizes the need for tailored, region-specific interventions to control MBD in the MENA region and highlights the importance of integrated vector control, improved sanitation, surveillance programmes, and public health education. The review also stresses the growing influence of climate change on disease patterns and calls for a multi-sectoral approach to MBD control. While focusing on the MENA region, the findings suggest the need for further research and region-specific public health policies to mitigate the impact of these diseases.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries have witnessed remarkable economic growth over recent decades. Arguably, this progress of these major oil and natural gas producers has come to the detriment of the environment in terms of increased CO ₂ emissions and associated ecological degradation. The effects of these high emissions and environmental challenges on human health, specifically life expectancy (LE), have not been thoroughly explored in the literature. We aim to fill this research gap by assessing the relationship between Ecological footprint deficiency and the diverse and context-specific factors affecting LE in the GCC, highlighting the critical roles of urbanization, economic indicators, and digitization in shaping health outcomes. The study employs panel data for the 2000–2020 period. It utilizes linear and non-linear panel estimation methods to analyze these variables’ long-term and short-term effects. Specifically, we run unit root tests, cointegration analysis to validate our datasets, and OLS, ARDL, and panel threshold regressions to examine said relationships. Our findings reveal a significant relationship between ecological footprint and LE across the GCC countries. The results indicate that a higher ecological deficit is associated with lower LE in our sampled nations. Meanwhile, our panel threshold results highlight more nuanced impacts of our variables of interest, revealing significant threshold effects and intricate dynamics influencing LE. Our results are robust when substituting CO ₂ emissions for the ecological footprint suggesting and supporting our evidence for a more complex, potentially nonlinear relationship. Our study emphasizes the urgent need for sustainable environmental policies to mitigate health risks and promote long-term well-being in the GCC region. Nuanced approaches are needed to address each GCC country's health and environmental challenges.

Objective This study investigates the key factors contributing to the dengue outbreak in Oman. Methods Data on climate (e.g., temperature, humidity, wind pace), population traits (e.g., populace density), and vector dynamics (e.g., mosquito density) within the Seeb district of Oman from 2022 to 2023 were gathered. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was performed to study which variables affect dengue outbreaks. Results The results indicate that climatic factors significantly affect the dengue vector (β = -0.361, p < 0.001) but do not directly impact the dengue outbreak. Population characteristics, however, have a more substantial impact on dengue transmission, with a total effect (β = 0.231, p = 0.002) being relatively higher than that of the vector itself (total effect: β = 0.116, p < 0.001). Conclusions Even with ongoing vector intervention efforts, the study underscores the need to include innovative public health interventions when considering environmental and demographic factors. More advantageous surveillance and focused interventions in excessive-threat regions are essential to mitigate the effect of dengue in Oman.