Rheumatic Diseases in the Arab World

This open access book is the first and only comprehensive reference dedicated to rheumatic diseases across the entire Arab world, covering all 22 Arab countries in one authoritative resource. Reflecting a region with a combined population of around 480 million people as of 2024, the book brings together a multidisciplinary collaboration of nearly 100 authors, including rheumatologists, pharmacists, nurses, and patients, to provide a rich and inclusive perspective on rheumatology care in the region.

Each country-specific chapter explores national demographics, healthcare systems, the epidemiology of rheumatic diseases, rheumatology workforce and services, fellowship training programs, and research activity, offering readers an unprecedented overview of the current state of rheumatology across the Arab world. In addition, the book features a series of special chapters addressing key cross-cutting themes, including the Arab League of Associations for Rheumatology (ArLAR), rheumatology research in the Arab world, accreditation of rheumatology programs, pediatric rheumatology, pharmacoeconomics, patient perspectives, complementary and alternative medicine, the impact of war and conflict, lessons from the COVID-19 crisis, and future directions in rheumatology care.

By combining country-level detail with region-wide analysis, this book fills a major gap in the literature and offers an essential reference for rheumatologists, internists, healthcare policymakers, medical educators, pharmaceutical professionals, and global health researchers with a stake in rheumatology across the Arab world.