Our objective was to characterize the distribution, diversity and patterns of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Source of data was a database of HCV genotype studies in MENA populated using a series of systematic literature searches. Pooled mean proportions were estimated for each genotype and by country using DerSimonian-Laird random-effects meta-ana...

Human fertility has declined in all of the Middle East and North African (MENA) countries in the recent years, Iran had the largest decline, however. What factors have affected the fertility decline in Iran, and as compared with other MENA countries, is the question of this paper. Fertility, higher education, and other measures were used for comparison. Regression analysis was also carried out ...

Escalating obesity rates have become a significant public health problem in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and have been associated with shifts towards a westernized diet. This integrative review aimed to examine the current dietary trends and transitions and their association with obesity in Arabic-speaking countries of the MENA region. Relevant databases were searched for stud...

We analyse two potential effects arising from regional (and with EU) integration—increased quality of institutions (including the quality of financial institutions) and, economic policies and reduced multilateral exchange rate volatility—in a conditional convergence growth framework for MENA countries. To this purpose we outline an ad hoc methodology which implements the traditional bilateral e...

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the levels of technical efficiency in agricultural sector of MENA countries by using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) approaches in 2007-2008. The results show that the total average of technical efficiency is as follows: DEABCC(0.770)>DEACCR(0.744)>SFA(0.479), and among all MENA countries, the best performanc...

The importance of restructuring and privatizing the financial sector has received renewed attention in the ongoing effort of revitalizing developing economies A growing research literature has underscored the importance of banking and the financial sector to economic growth. Several studies found positive relationship between financial sector development and levels of income and growth [Levine,...

This paper projects the future of knowledge economy (KE) in SSA and MENA countries using the four components of the World Bank’s Knowledge Economy Index (KEI): economic incentive, education, ICTs and innovation. The empirical evidence provides the speeds of integration as well as the time necessary to achieve full integration. Findings broadly indicate SSA and MENA countries with low levels in ...

BACKGROUND The HIV-1 spread in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has not been previously characterised using the phylogenetic approach. The aim of the current study was to investigate the genetic diversity and domestic transmission of HIV-1 in the MENA. METHODS A total of 2036 HIV-1 sequences available in Genbank and collected in the MENA during 1988-2016 were used together with 715 HIV...

T he main objective of this study is to estimate the spatial spillover effects of the economic growth among the selected countries of MENA region. For this purpose, the Spatial Durbin Model in the framework of spatial dynamic panel data was estimated during the period of 1970-2010. The spatial Diagnostic tests affirmed the occurrence of spatial positive autocorrelation phenomenon for...