Dr Minu Mathews
Dr. Minu Mathews
Dr. Minu Mathews is an Associate Professor of Psychology with expertise in Health Psychology. Her research explores the impact of stress on health, work, and well-being, as well as the psychosocial determinants of health behavior and cross-cultural factors influencing burnout. Passionate about interdisciplinary collaboration, Dr. Mathews is dedicated to advancing health promotion and illness treatment initiatives in the UAE.
Predicting Health Behaviour in the UAE: A Theory of Planned Behaviour Approach
Physical inactivity and poor nutrition are significant global public health challenges, driving the prevalence of chronic diseases and health disparities (Anderson & Durstine, 2019). In the UAE, these issues are particularly pronounced due to sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy dietary patterns linked to rapid socio-economic development (Chaabane et al., 2020). High reliance on vehicles, sedentary work environments, and consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods have resulted in alarming rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (Al Sabbah et al., 2023). Addressing these challenges requires a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing health behaviours in this unique context.
This study utilizes the Theory of Planned Behavior framework (Ajzen, 1991) to investigate how implicit attitudes, social norms, self-efficacy, and knowledge influence health-related behaviours. A two-stage design was employed with 150 university students in the UAE, incorporating self-report questionnaires and a lab-based Implicit Association Test (IAT) to evaluate how these psychosocial factors predict intentions and actual health-promoting behaviours.
It is predicted that positive attitudes, supportive social norms, higher self-efficacy, and greater knowledge will be significant predictors of intentions and behaviours. These findings are expected to offer valuable insights for developing culturally tailored interventions, policies, and educational initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable health behaviours. Ultimately, this research seeks to inform strategies to improve public health outcomes in the UAE.
References:
Ajzen I. (1991) The Theory of Planned Behavior. Organization Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50 (2), 179-211.
Al Sabbah, H., Assaf, E. A., Al-Jawaldeh, A., AlSammach, A. S., Madi, H., Khamis Al Ali, N., ... & Cheikh Ismail, L. (2023). Nutrition Situation Analysis in the UAE: A Review Study. Nutrients 2023, 15, 363.
Anderson, E., & Durstine, J. L. (2019). Physical activity, exercise, and chronic diseases: A brief review. Sports medicine and health science, 1(1), 3-10.
Chaabane, S., Chaabna, K., Bhagat, S., Abraham, A., Doraiswamy, S., Mamtani, R., & Cheema, S. (2021). Perceived stress, stressors, and coping strategies among nursing students in the Middle East and North Africa: an overview of systematic reviews. Systematic reviews, 10(1), 136.