Browsing by Author "Khan, Abdul Rahman"

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AI-enhanced solutions during COVID-19: Current trends and future innovations
(2022-08) Nawaz, Faisal A; Boillat, Thomas; Khan, Abdul Rahman
Abstract: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is defined as a branch of Computer Science that is capable of simulating intelligent behavior through machine automation systems. There has been a significant rise in research and application of AI in addressing various aspects of Engineering and Medicine. This mutual overlap between the two fields has led to a new discipline, so-called “Artificial Intelligence in Medicine”, or AIM in short [1]. Not only is AIM being applied for image processing and analysis, but also for prognose [2–4], treatment [5–7], and patient monitoring [1,8] among others. In this matter, AIM has been instrumental during the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been brought to global attention and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020 [9]. The exponential increase in the number of cases worldwide has prompted for emergent innovations and collaborations in the fields of Medicine and Engineering. While there have been contrasting opinions on the scope of AI during this period, we are observing a continuum of interdisciplinary growth across this field [10]. The early impact of AI during COVID-19 has been observed in 1) Early warning system and predictive modeling 2) Contact Tracing 3) Diagnostics 4) Drug discovery and development and 5) Social Control. As depicted in Fig. 1, this article aims to explore these domains [10] in the context of AI-assisted applications and their impact on addressing COVID-19. This article describes the contributions of AI during COVID-19, along with trends and innovations related to these technologies in harnessing sustainable healthcare solutions.
Comorbidities Associated With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents at ‎a Tertiary Care Setting
(2022) Nawaz, Faisal A.; Khan, Abdul Rahman; Sultan, Meshal A.
Abstract:‎ Studies have revealed high rates of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric comorbid conditions among ‎individuals diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, research on this ‎topic in the Arab world has been limited. This study evaluates the medical, neurodevelopmental, and ‎psychiatric comorbidities in children and adolescents diagnosed with ADHD in Dubai, United Arab ‎Emirates (UAE). A total of 428 pediatric patients diagnosed with ADHD were included. Children and ‎adolescents with ADHD had high rates of comorbid disorders. Twenty comorbid conditions were ‎identified. More than 3 quarters of the study sample had at least 1 comorbid disorder. The most ‎common comorbidity among children was autism spectrum disorder, and among adolescents was ‎anxiety disorders. Comprehensive assessments are highly warranted to identify and manage associated ‎comorbid conditions. Further research is needed in exploring the biopsychosocial factors contributing to ‎the elevated rate of comorbidity in children and adolescents with ADHD.‎
From black to white: A roadmap to containing the rise of candidiasis amidst COVID-19 and mucormycosis in India
(2021) Nawaz, Faisal A.; Khan, Abdul Rahman
Abstract: With numbers of active COVID-19 cases in India falling in recent weeks and the healthcare system finally showing signs of coping with the mucormycosis epidemic, several new reports of COVID-19 cases linked to “white fungus” have emerged. This has led to rising concern with the potential to stretch the capacity of an already burdened healthcare system. Moreover, the implications of this disease in the COVID-19 population and its consequences on the health and socio-economic structure of the country have not been vastly studied. This commentary explores the need for government efforts in the context of containing candidiasis during the pandemic and provides key recommendations on combating this imminent public health challenge.
Impact of ongoing conflict on the mental health of healthcare workers in Palestine
(2022) Khan, Abdul Rahman
Letter to the Editor:‎ Palestine, a country afflicted by protracted political instability, has suffered vast crises throughout its ‎history. The recent turmoil between Israel and Palestine that started in May 2021 has aggravated the ‎challenges posed by poverty, the COVID-19 pandemic, political occupation, and a deficient healthcare ‎system. As health care is already considered a stressful field, facing this upscale in events not only puts ‎healthcare workers (HCWs) in physical stress but also affects their psychological capability and mental ‎health.‎ The healthcare system in Palestine already faces shortages in infrastructure and HCWs. This additional ‎psychological pressure will decrease the working efficiency of HCWs. Mental health services in the West ‎Bank and East Jerusalem are based entirely upon community care and are quite limited in terms of the ‎extent of healthcare delivery. The Ministry of Health provides the main services but there are only 13 ‎community mental health clinics. Psychiatric services provided by Ministry of Health include 280 beds in ‎West bank and 39 beds in Gaza. Mental health disorders in Palestine remain underreported and under-‎treated. These services are unable to meet the burden of need, as there is no proper funding and policy. ‎Concurrently, services have suffered through an upsurge in the demand, lack of latest medications and ‎an ineffective management structure.‎ In effect of the ongoing political turmoil and conflict, a majority of Palestinian people, especially HCWs, ‎children and young adults are at great risk of developing some form of psychopathology. Research ‎suggests about a third of the Palestinians are in need of mental health services and more than 40% of ‎them suffer from depression. This is due to the ongoing events of violence specifically bombings in ‎civilian areas which compounds the country's challenges such as poverty and social mobility; more than ‎‎72,000 people have been displaced because of hostilities in the Gaza strip. ‎ The COVID-19 outbreak added to these problems as HCWs suffered from increased fear of death, ‎burnout, depression and moral distress. In addition, increased rate of infection has created a huge work ‎overload among HCWs leading to severe exhaustion and preventing them from meeting their families. ‎‎(Continued…)‎
Implications of social media misinformation on COVID-19 vaccine confidence among pregnant women in Africa
(2022) Ennab, Farah; Khan, Abdul Rahman; Nawaz, Faisal A.
Abstract: It has been over a year since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and subsequently a global pandemic. The world has experienced a lot of uncertainty since then as we all get used to this new ‘normal’ with social distancing measures, lockdowns, the emergence of new variants, and an array of hope with the development of vaccines. Having an abstract understanding of vaccine delivery, public perceptions of vaccines, and promoting acceptance of vaccines are critical to tackling the pandemic. The advent of the pandemic has led to the emergence of an ‘infodemic’ or rampant misinformation surrounding the virus, treatment, and vaccines. This poses a critical threat to global health as it has the potential to lead to a public health crisis by exacerbating disease spread and overwhelming healthcare systems. This ‘infodemic’ has led to rising vaccine hesitancy which is of paramount concern with the WHO even identifying it as one of the ten main threats to Global health almost 2 years before the approval of COVID-19 vaccines. Pregnant African women are one of the most vulnerable population groups in a region with an already burdened healthcare system. Currently, there isn’t ample research in the literature that explores vaccine hesitancy in this subpopulation and the impact of social media misinformation surrounding it. The aim of this paper is to highlight the implications of this ‘infodemic’ on the pregnant African population and suggest key recommendations for improved healthcare strategies.