title: Audit of healthy lifestyle behaviors among patients with diabetes and hypertension attending ambulatory health care services in the United Arab Emirates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Knowledge is limited on healthy lifestyle behaviors and their associations with glycemic and blood pressure control among patients with diabetes and hypertension in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine healthy lifestyle behaviors and their associations with glycemic and blood pressure control among patients with hypertension and diabetes, and improvement after the implementation of an intervention in a Chronic Disease Program.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients with diabetes or hypertension attending seven primary health care centers in Al Ain, UAE during a designated three-week period in July and August 2009.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nurses conducted an audit of patients' adherence to health lifestyle behaviors related to meal planning, smoking, exercise, blood glucose and blood pressure monitoring at home, and foot and eye exams in the Chronic Disease Program clinics after a self-management intervention. A perceived knowledge score and discussion scores (based on the frequency the patients discuss diabetes and hypertension management issues with their providers) were calculated. Data were analyzed using linear regression and odds ratios.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients reported acceptable rates of adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors, including a low smoking rate (6% in males), following a meal plan and exercising (88.6% and 78.7%, respectively). Among patients with diabetes, 59% tested their blood glucose levels at least once a week compared to only 15.3% of those with hypertension monitoring their blood pressure levels at home. Only 33% of the participants were following the current physical activity recommendations. Healthy lifestyle behaviors fell into the following clusters: meal planning with exercise (odds ratio (OR): 8.9 [3.3-23.7]), meal planning with foot exams (OR: 10.6 [3.4-32.9]) and exercising and foot exams (OR: 5.2 [1.9-14.2]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This practice-based audit provides an essential assessment for future interventions to improve adherence to healthy life style behaviors among patients with diabetes and hypertension attending primary health clinics in the UAE.
authors.affiliation: Abu Dhabi Health Services - Ambulatory Health Services, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates latifa.mohammad@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Latifa Mohammed
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Baynouna
authors.affiliation: United Arab Emirates University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science - Community Medicine, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Nico J D
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Neglekerke
authors.affiliation: United Arab Emirates University, Faculty of Medicine and Health Science - Agriculture and Nutrition, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Habiba E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Abu Dhabi Health Services - Ambulatory Health Services, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Sana M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: ZeinAlDeen
authors.affiliation: Abu Dhabi Health Services - Ambulatory Health Services, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Thuraya A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Al Ameri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy*; D015444:Exercise / Q000523:psychology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000628:therapy*; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education; D010349:Patient Compliance; D014479:United Arab Emirates
keywords: empowerment; evaluation; health behavior; health promotion; power