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This study aims to measure the quality of distance university higher education in the Peruvian department of Junín, as well as to seek strategies of improvement. To meet this objective, a survey was carried out on students from the 4 universities located in this department, all with an institutional license. An intentional non-probabilistic sampling was used. The quality variable in university higher education is described in nine dimensions derived from the educational policies imposed by the National Superintendency of Higher University Education (SUNEDU in Spanish), which are: academic objectives, educational offer, infrastructure and equipment, research lines, qualified teacher, complementary services, job bank, transparency, and satisfaction. Among the results, it stands out that 59% of the students on average show satisfaction with the education received, which allows us to conclude that quality should be directed by a unit with its own name and established transversally in all administrative, academic, and academic procedures, investigative, social projection, and university extension. Transparency avoids any act of corruption, therefore it is important to associate it with the ethics of the authorities and workers of the university entity, strengthening timely communication with the student body. On the other hand, Kosko's Hidden Patterns Method was used to process a fuzzy cognitive map designed by education quality experts' opinions and in this way conclusions were reached about the strategies to follow for improving the quality of Peruvian non-face-to-face education in the department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite improved higher education accessibility in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), challenges persist in student drop-out, especially for socio-economically disadvantaged students. While machine learning models have enhanced our understanding of this challenge by predicting academic performance, many studies overlook LMIC-specific institutional factors or focus on specific courses, limiting their generalizability and policy uses. To address these issues, the authors compiled a comprehensive database using administrative and census data to predict undergraduate academic performance at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP). The study found that the most effective models were tree-based ensembles, particularly Random Forest, with key predictors including prior secondary school performance and university admission test scores. They present a high-performing model using only ten features that can predict future academic performance and potentially aid in reducing student drop-out at PUCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the practice of scientific research in Higher Education centers in Peru is of vital importance for the scientific, economic, social, and educational development, among other aspects of the country. In the 21st century, the use of AI in daily life has increased in quantity and quality. In addition, the development of a country without the use of these technologies is inconceivable. But as in other contemporary aspects, AI and scientific research deepen the gap between developing countries with respect to developed ones. This article proposes a model based on descriptive logics, which allows the representation and evaluation of knowledge around the use of AI and research in state universities in Peru. The represented knowledge can be refined, socialized and enriched by specialists. It can also be represented in the form of ontologies, which can be materialized with the help of the famous Protégé software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is creating both opportunities and challenges in higher education. This article explores perceptions, concerns, barriers, and facilitators for integrating AI into academic activities. It focuses on a public university in Northern Peru, examining faculty opinions through interviews and focus groups. The findings show that faculty find generating texts and organizing activities with AI advantageous; however, some have concerns about its use, doubting its accuracy and truthfulness. They agree on discussing these changes and integrating them into the curriculum, seeking to overcome barriers through training to improve the perception and use of AI. Despite the potential and strong support of AI in the university, it is necessary to implement institutional measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University teachers have had to adapt to the changes required by virtual education. The aim of this study is to adapt and validate the scale of adaptation to virtual academic media in Peruvian university teachers. The participants were 252 university teachers selected using purposive non-probability sampling. The instrument being adapted was the student adaptation to college questionnaire of Rodriguez-Ayan and Sotelo (2014), which consists of eleven items distributed across three dimensions. The content validity was studied by means of the judgement of twelve experts. We carried out exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and estimated the reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Before calculating the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient (0.916) and performing Bartlett's test of sphericity (χ2 = 2571.3, p <0.001), we performed EFA. As a result, we found an underlying three-factor model, which was corroborated by CFA with satisfactory goodness of fit indexes (χ2 = 107.55, df = 37, χ2/df = 2.907; p = 0.000; RMR = 0.034; GFI = 0.943; AGFI = 0.899; CFI = 0.972; TLI = 0.959; NFI = 0.959; IFI = 0.973, and RMSEA = 0.077), and acceptable reliability (alpha = 0.897). The scale of adaptation to virtual academic settings shows evidence of validity and reliability and can be applied to Peruvian university teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the trends in the frequency of obesity and its relationship with some socioeconomic factors in women of childbearing age in Peru. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study of secondary data, using the databases of the Encuesta Nacional Demográfica en Salud (ENDES) from 2005 to 2018. The frequency of women with obesity was estimated for each year and compared using the confidence intervals at 95% (95% CI). The magnitude of association was compared between place, age and parity, place of residence, level of education and wealth index. Results: An increase in obesity was observed in women of childbearing age from 17.72% (95% CI: 16.24-19.32) in 2005 to 32% (95% CI: 30.46-34.42) in 2018. The prevalence of type I obesity increased from 9.07% (95% CI 8.09-10.16) in 2005 to 22.15% (95% CI 15.19-16.48) in 2018. It was observed a continuous increase in the prevalence of type II obesity from 2.34% (95% CI 1.84-3.05) to 7.29% (95% CI 3.75-4.52). In women who were pregnant at the time of the interview, a prevalence of obesity was found to be 17.21% (95% CI 11.42-25.10) in 2005, reaching 38.61% (95% CI 20.25). -28.46) in 2018. A significant relationship was found between the possibility of being obese with age and parity. Conclusions: The prevalence of obesity in women of childbearing age in our country is high and continues to increase over time. The increased prevalence also occurs in pregnant women, increasing maternal-perinatal complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the school of medicines to opt for a virtual teaching modality due to the suspension of face-to-face activities imposed by the lockdown. Objective: To determine the advantages and disadvantages of the virtual teaching modality perceived by the students in an introduction to clinical medicine course of a school of medicine in Lima, Peru. Methods: A virtual non-validated survey was circulated among fourth year medical students. Results: 94 studentes answered the survey (51%). Perceived advantages were to have more time to study (57.4%) and saving time in transportation (39.4%). The disadvantages were lack of contact with real patients (42.6%) and not to be able to obtain a clinical history from patients (39.4%). The 72.3% of students were able to identify the medical problems of patients, but only 24.4% were able to obtain an adequate clinical history and just 9.6% performed an adequate physical examination. Conclusion: The virtual teaching modality allowed the student to have more time for self-study but limited their abilities to obtain a clinical history and to perform a physical examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical education represents a complex field of study, influenced by various psychological, demographic, and contextual factors. Academic motivation, essential for educational success, has been linked to critical decisions in medical careers and can be modulated by contextual elements such as socioeconomic and geographical environments. The theory of self-determination has provided a solid framework for understanding the multidimensional nature of motivation. Objective: To evaluate the psychometric properties of a Spanish version of the Short Scale of Academic Motivation among Peruvian medical students. Methods: Using an instrumental design, the factorial structure, reliability, and gender invariance of the SAMS-S were assessed. A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to validate the scale's structure based on seven dimensions. Additionally, reliability was assessed through Cronbach's alpha coefficient and omega coefficient, and gender invariance was determined through multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. Results: The Peruvian version of the SAMS-S showed a good fit in the CFA with satisfactory goodness-of-fit indices. However, challenges in discriminant validity among certain dimensions were detected, suggesting the presence of a second-order factor. The proposed second-order model yielded an adequate fit (χ2 = 198.26, df = 70, CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.08 [90% CI: 0.07–0.1], SRMR = 0.07), validating the factorial structure of the SAMS-S. The scale's reliability and its subscales were within acceptable ranges. Furthermore, the gender invariance of the SAMS-S was confirmed at all levels, from configural to strict. Conclusions: The second-order model of the SAMS-S presents as a valid and reliable tool for measuring academic motivation among medical students in Peru. Its robustness and adaptability make it relevant for future research in similar educational contexts and can serve as a basis for interventions aimed at improving academic motivation in this specific group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: End‐user perspectives are vital to the design of new biomedical HIV prevention products. Conjoint analysis can support the integration of end‐user perspectives by examining their preferences of potential pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) products. The Microbicides Trial Network (MTN) 035 protocol examined three placebo rectal dosage forms (insert, enema and suppository) that could deliver PrEP prior to receptive anal sex (RAS). Methods: Between April 2019 and July 2020, we enrolled 217 HIV‐negative, cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM; n = 172; 79.3%) and transgender people (n = 47; 20.7%) ages 18–35 into a randomized cross‐over trial across Malawi, Peru, South Africa, Thailand and the United States. Participants used each product prior to RAS over 4‐week periods. Participants completed a conjoint experiment where they selected between random profiles using seven features (dosage form, timing of use before sex, side effects, duration of protection, effectiveness, frequency of use and need for a prescription). Results: Effectiveness was the strongest determinant of choice (30.4%), followed by modality (18.0%), potential side effects (17.2%), frequency of use (10.8%), duration of protection (10.4%), timing of use before sex (7.4%) and need for a prescription (5.9%). Relative utility scores indicated that the most desirable combination of attributes was a product with 95% efficacy, used 30 minutes before sex, offering a 3‐ to 5‐day protection window, used weekly, having no side effects, in the form of an enema and available over‐the‐counter. Conclusions: Choice in next‐generation PrEP products is highly desired by MSM and transgender people, as no one‐size‐fits‐all approach satisfies all the preferences. MTN‐035 participants weighed product features differently, recognizing the need for diverse, behaviourally congruent biomedical options that fit the needs of intended end‐users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]