Search

Introduction: In Nigeria, breast cancer (BC), a disorder marked by the unchecked growth of breast cells, has been the commonest cancer among women in Nigeria. Breast self-examination (BSE) is one of the suggested methods for screening for the early diagnosis of breast cancer. However, studies have reported inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes and poor practices of BSE among undergraduate female students. The study was designed as an interventional study to examine the effect of educational intervention on knowledge, attitude and practice of breast self-examination among female students in a private university in southern Nigeria. Methods: This pretest posttest design study was carried out on 103 students of Novena University at baseline in 2022, which were chosen through the use of simple random sampling. A validated questionnaire with components on demographics, knowledge, attitude, and BSE practice was used to gather the data. After that, the students participated in three hourly sessions of an educational intervention for two weeks. A month later, the students' data were once again collected, and SPSS 20 software was used to evaluate the results using the mean, paired t test, and logistic regression at the P < 0.05 level of significance. Results: The mean age of the respondents was 22.37 ± 1.92 years. Only 53 (51.3%) were aware of BSE. The mean knowledge, attitude and practice of BSE at pretest significantly increased at posttest after the educational intervention (1.58 ± 1.48 vs. 4.31 ± 1.15, 2.37 ± 1.27 vs. 4.80 ± 0.49 and 1.97 ± 0.09 vs. 5.81 ± 3.26, respectively). Furthermore, age and family history of BC were predictors of knowledge (OR = 4.00 95% CI = 0.29–41.99, OR = 141, 95% CI = 0.15–13.18), attitude (OR = 2.39, 95% CI = 0.28–12.32, OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.24–8.34) and practice of BSE (OR = 2.66, 95% CI = 0.38–18.41, OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 0.24–8.34) respectively. Conclusion: The findings showed that using an educational intervention strategy will improve the knowledge, attitude and practice of BSE among undergraduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The neurocycle model has been developed based on cognitive neuroscience studies and can be applied to manage the functioning of the mind. Objectives: The present study investigated the effectiveness of the neurocycle mind-management approach in the resiliency and wellbeing of female university students. Materials & Methods: This single-subject experimental study was conducted based on the AB model. The research population comprised all single female university students aged 20 to 30 years studying at Khatam University in 2022. The participants were 3 students who attended the training intervention, and one was the control. The study data were collected using Connor and Davidson's (2003) resilience scale and Ryff's (1989) psychological wellbeing scale. Data analysis was performed through chart analysis, clinical improvement rate, and reliable change index. Results: The obtained data revealed that the students' resilience and psychological wellbeing scores increased compared to the baseline and control values. The overall improvement rates of the participants in terms of resilience and psychological wellbeing were 45.23% and 43.89%, respectively, though not clinically significant. In all three participants, the reliable change index in both variables was higher than 1.96, so the impact of the intervention was statistically significant. Based on the follow-up phase results, the effects of the intervention increased after 1 month from the last intervention session, but the improvement was not significant. Conclusion: The neurocycle mind-management technique can be explored and used as an effective intervention to improve female university students' resilience and psychological wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The study aims to investigate the motivations driving female medical and dental students to pursue careers as doctors. It also seeks to understand the various factors shaping their decisions and compare the perspectives of first-year and final-year students in government and private medical and dental education programs in Karachi. Study type, settings & duration: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at government and private institutions in Karachi from July 2022 to February 2023. Methodology: The government and private medical and dental students of Karachi recruited by non-purposive convenience sampling. A pre-structured questionnaire with a sample size of 1550 students was used which included demographic details and factors and attitude related to the reasons behind to pursue the medical and dental education. Results: Total of 55.4% students of in public centers choose the profession because of their interest while 51.7% comply with parents' wishes. While 66% of students from private medical and dental colleges choose the profession in compliance with their parent's wishes followed by personal interest i.e. 61.8%. Among different reasons human care holds the major proportion. There is a significant change in attitude towards the reason to pursue the medical and dental education among students of first year and final year in both public and private medical and dental colleges. Conclusion: It has been concluded that female medical and dental students are primarily motivated to acquire medical and dental education due to their personal interest and a desire to fulfill their parents' wishes. Moreover, the research reveals that there was shift in their perspective on reasons for choosing the profession from first year to the final year in both government and private medical and dental colleges in Karachi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Validating the suicide behavior scale can provide a better assessment of the quality and nature of behavior. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the factor structure and validity of the Suicide Behavior Assessment Scale in female high school students in Kerman City in 2021. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, statistical population included all female high school students in Kerman city in 2021. A sample size of 682 was selected using cluster random sampling method. Data were collected through two suicide behavior assessment scales and the Cull and Gill’s Suicide Probability Scale. Content validity, convergent validity, structural validity, and internal consistency methods were used to examine the validity and reliability of the scale. Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis showed that the Suicide Behavior Assessment Scale consists of three factors that explain 62.88% of the variance of suicide behavior. The content validity ratio and content validity index were acceptable for all questions. This questionnaire, along with the Cull and Gill’s Suicide Probability Scale, with 16 items, had appropriate concurrent validity (p<0.001). The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the entire scale was 0.84 and for subscales ranged from 0.87 to 0.95. Conclusion: The 16-item Suicide Behavior Assessment Scale has appropriate reliability and validity for female high school students. Therefore, this scale can be used to evaluate the status of suicide behavior in female high school students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Menstrual-related problems are one of the most common problems among adolescent girls and might adversely affect their performance in academic and other activities of daily life. Aims & Objectives: To determine the prevalence of school absenteeism among adolescent school girls during menstruation. To assess the restrictions which are imposed on adolescent school girls during menstruation. To evaluate the various factors associated with school absenteeism during menstruation. Methods: A study was conducted by carrying out a questionnaire and focus group discussion between October 2019-January 2020 in seven schools of Bangalore city after obtaining the assent and informed consent signed by their parents. Result: The mean age of the girls was 14.45 ± 1.71. The proportion of school absenteeism during menstruation was (30.25%). The majority (89.25%) of the students among the school absentees missed one day of school during menstruation. Among the school absentees, pain/discomfort was one of the main reasons for missing school, accounting for (69.42%). (46.25%) of the students were restricted from any kind of religious activities. Pain during menstruation, shame, fear of leakage, lack of toilet or water supply, lack of a place to dispose of sanitary pads and absence of a private place to manage periods were some factors that were associated with school absenteeism during menstruation. Conclusion: Considerably high school absenteeism among adolescent girls due to menstruation was noted in this study, highlighting the need for improved interventions that reach girls at a young age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rabies is one of zoonotic viral disease, estimated to cause 59000 human deaths annually in over 150 countries, of which 20,000 are from India alone; about 40% of which are in children under the age of 15. Rabies though 100% fatal is preventable with post-exposure prophylaxis which includes wound washing, anti-rabies vaccination and rabies immunoglobulin. Objective: To describe the clinico-social profile of animal bite patients attending the anti-rabies clinic of BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the anti-rabies clinic of Nehru hospital, BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur from January 2022 to May 2022. Study participants were interviewed by using a pre-phrased, pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire. Data regarding socio-demographic and clinical profile of the study participants following animal bite exposure was collected. Results: The total number of animal bite victims were 250, in which majority of them were males (76.77%) and highest percentage was of adult population (20-59 years). Maximum number of victims were from rural area (78.70%). 19.35% were working and 39.35% were students. 77.43% were category III bites and in 50.96% cases lower limb was the site of bite and dogs were responsible for 89.67% of the bites. 60.64% victims did not wash the wound properly before reaching the anti-rabies clinic. Conclusion: This study concludes that as majority of the animal bite victims were students and majority of victims were unaware about the importance of wound care, therefore a step can be taken to create awareness in various schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Literature data indicate the benefit of magnesium (Mg) supplementation. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of short-term Mg supplementation on iron status in healthy female participants. Methods: One hundred healthy female students of the University of Belgrade - Faculty of Pharmacy participated the study during eleven intervention days. Students ingested Mg preparations with the same dose of the active substance. The analysis included the measurement of serum iron, unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), total Mg (tMg), ionized Mg (iMg), complete blood count, met-, carboxy- and oxy-haemoglobin (metHgb, COHgb, O2Hgb). Transferrin concentrations and percentage of transferrin saturation (SAT) were calculated manually. The association among the analyzed biochemical parameters was examined using polynomial regression. A principal component analysis (PCA) was used for the evaluation of interdependence between the analyzed parameters. Results: A statistically significant trend for change in O2Hgb (%) by tertiles of iMg concentrations was found (P = 0.029). Serum tMg reached significant positive correlation with the SAT at concentration levels greater than 0.9 mmol/L, after 11 days of intervention (R2=0.116). Ionized Mg in a concentration higher than 0.6 mmol/L is positively correlated with SAT and serum Fe (R2=0.214; 0.199, respectively). PCA revealed variability of 64.7% for two axes after 11 days. Conclusions: Mg supplementation leads to an improvement in the certain iron status parameters even in individuals with optimal levels of these indices. However, caution should be exercised when supplementing Mg, and laboratory monitoring of the interaction is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Green beans (Vigna radiata) and soybeans are food sources that contain complete nutrition and micro-nutrients needed by adolescents. A female adolescent with menstruation may experience low haemoglobin. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyse the effect of green bean and soybean juice on haemoglobin (Hb) among female adolescents aged 12-14 years. Methods: It was a quasi-experimental study design. A total of 60 female adolescents were recruited using the purposive sampling technique and divided into two groups. Each group was given green beans and soybeans juice. The length of interventions in each group was fourteen days. Then, we observed the Hb level before and after the intervention. Independent t-test and paired t-test were used for data analysis. Result: We found an increase in Hb level after giving green beans juice (11.82 gr/dL) and soybeans juice (11.95%). Data analysis showed a significant difference in each group before and after intervention (<0.001). Conclusion: Giving green beans and soybeans juice can be a complementary therapy besides drug therapy to increase Hb levels among female adolescents. Sources of intervention that are cheap and easily available can be a solution to increase Hb levels among female adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Mobile phone is one of the most important means of communication and social in the present age, and there are concerns about its harmful effects due to the growing use of it among adolescents. In this regard, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of educational intervention based on the Theory of Planned Behavior regarding microbial and radiation complications of mobile phone in female students of secondary school in Baghmalek city. Materials and Methods: The present study was a quasi-experimental two-group study (test and control) that was conducted on 100 students in 2019. The target population consisted of female high school students who entered the study using stratified sampling method. The educational intervention was conducted using the method of short lecture, group discussion, question and answer based on the constructs of the theory of planned behavior. The training sessions were conducted in the form of group training in the form of 3 sessions for 90 minutes during a month. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 24 software and independent t-test and paired t-test. Results: The results showed that before the intervention, the mean and standard deviation scores of attitudes (24.08 ±4.78), Subjective norm (32.52 ±7.67), perceived behavioral control (32.28 ±5.05), behavioral intention (13.14 ±4.44) and behavior (24.30 ±4.40) between the two groups of control and test were not significantly different (P <0.05). However, one month after the educational intervention, the mean scores and standard deviation of attitude (25.94 ±5.95), subjective norm (37.22 ±7.31), perceived behavioral control (34.80 ±5.42), and behavior (26.86 ±5.95), except for the behavioral intention (14.02 ±3.11) in the test group, increased significantly (p <0.001). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, education based on planned behavior theory is fruitful and can improve students' microbial and mobile phone Preventive behaviors by increasing attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that can be timeconsuming and cause considerable disruption to routine activities, occupational functioning, social activities, and relationships with others. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder among high school girl students. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on 342 high school female students in Amol city, northern Iran in the academic year of 2018-19. Cluster random sampling mehod was applied in this study. The Maudsley OCD Questionnaire was used for screening and the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Questionnaire was used to confirm obsessive-compulsive disorder. Results: 98 students (28.7 %) had positive symptoms. The highest frequency was related to slowness and repetition (37 cases), followed by doubting (36 cases), repetitive checking (35 cases), cleaning (31 cases), and finally rumination (12 cases). Among the 98 screened individuals, 67 were positive based on the Yale-Brown questionnaire. Severity of the obsessive compulsive disorder was mild in 37 cases (55.2 %), moderate in 21 cases (31.34%) and severe in 9 cases (13.43%). Conclusion: The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder observed in one-third of high school students in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: there is an existing variability in eating patterns between adolescents and children. Consequently, with the adoption of westernised way of life, this translates to a change in eating habits and food choices. This study was designed to investigate the dietary patterns and nutritional status of the female adolescents in Amai Secondary Commercial School, Delta State, Nigeria. Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted among 201 adolescent female students (12-18 years) using simple random sampling techniques. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the information while anthropometric measurement was carried out to obtain the height and weight of the respondents. Data generated were analysed using SPSS version 22.0. Results: majority of the respondents 129 (64.20%) were between the ages of 16-18 years. Measurement of nutritional status confirmed that 46.80% and 31.80% of the respondents were underweight and healthy weight respectively. In addition, the dietary pattern of the respondents demonstrated that they consumed proteinous, carbohydrate, and snacks occasionally. Factors that motivated respondents for good food choices include; nutritional status 71 (35.30%), taste 54 (26.90%), and popularity 15 (7.50%). Conclusion: under nutrition remains a challenge among rural adolescent girls in Amai community. Therefore sustained strategic nutritional campaigns should be carried out among female adolescents in Amai community in order to improve their nutritional status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) is a measure widely used to assess individuals' self-perceptions of intellectual and professional fraudulence. The study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Hebrew form for the CIPS (HCIPS) in female Hebrew-speaking students, in an attempt to further clarify its structure and strengthen its validity in international settings. The study comprised a sample of 248 female students (M age = 27.74, SD = 7.32), who completed an online version of the questionnaire. Our results generally demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties of the HCIPS total scale, with its internal consistency, reliability, and item-total-correlations meeting the standard criteria. The exploratory factor analysis yielded a stable four-factor solution for the 19-items, with its factors accounting for 54.81% of the model's variance. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the four-factor model as compatible, with its fit-indices meeting the minimal standards of goodness of fit. The study's findings are the first to identify a four-factor model, which improves the imbalanced factorial composition characterizing the common three-factor model. Subject to the study's limitations, this evidence suggests that the HCIPS is a sound instrument for assessing impostor feelings among female Hebrew-speaking students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of Functional Training (FT) on impulsiveness of female students with Intellectual Disability (ID). The research method was pretest-posttest- with a control group. The statistical population consisted of all female students with ID in elementary school of Shiraz studying under the auspices of the Special Education Organization in 2018-2019. The participants included 30 female students with ID selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to the experimental (n=14) and control (n=14) groups. The experimental group received the functional training for 15 sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11) was used for measuring the impulsiveness. The Impulsiveness pre-test was performed for both experimental and control groups. The experimental group received the FT for 15 sessions, while the control group did not receive any intervention. At the end of the intervention, post-test was performed for both groups. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the data. The results showed that the mean scores of impulsivities and its subscales (motor impulsiveness, attentional impulsiveness and non-planning impulsiveness) in the experimental group were significantly reduced. The results showed that FT had a significant effect on impulsiveness of female students with ID (p<0.001). Therefore, it is recommended to design and implement a FT program to improve impulsiveness in people with ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) often occurs in resource-limited settings such as Ethiopia. It could result in psychological and physical adverse outcomes such as stress, anxiety, depression, unsafe abortion, unwanted pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with gender-based violence among female high school students in Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia.Methods: An institutionally based-cross-sectional study was conducted in Wolaita Sodo, Ethiopia. A total of 604 female high school students were recruited through multi-stage stratified sampling techniques. The gender-based-violence assessment tool, validated by the World Health Organization, was used to assess gender-based-violence and other determinants. The strength of statistical association was measured by adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was declared at p-value < 0.05.Results: The lifetime prevalence of GBV, sexual violence, and physical violence were found to be 63.2, 37.2, and 56.3%, respectively. The prevalence of sexual violence before and after joining the current school as well as in the current academic year were 30.5, 37.2, and 22% respectively. Having regular boy-friends (AOR = 2.02; 95% CI:1.07-3.79), being sexually active (AOR = 6.10; 95% CI: 2.49-14.92), having female or male friends who drink alcohol (AOR = 2.18; 95% CI:1.26-3.77), students witnessed their mothers being beaten by their partners or husband (AOR = 1.92; 95% CI:1.19-3.11) and joining public school (AOR = 1.74; 95% CI:1.11-2.76) were significantly associated with gender-based violence.Conclusion: The prevalence of gender-based-violence was high. This needs a due concern from governmental, non-governmental and civic organizations as well as other responsible bodies to tackle factors associated with GBV in this study. Further large scale studies incorporating male students are warranted to elucidate the factors associated with GBV in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent and young adult females are at increased risk for STDs/STIs and their complications. It is imperative that the sexual health education provided to this vulnerable population is effective. This mixed methods study assessed the impact of an online educational intervention on knowledge of sexual health and STDs/STIs, and impact on behavioral intent among sexually active, young adult females 18–22 years of age. Results showed that the online educational intervention was effective. Scores increased from pretest to posttest and responses included what participants learned and found most helpful, and changes they plan to make as a result of the educational intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as a crampy pain in the lower abdomen before or during the menstrual period in the absence of any pelvic pathology. It is the leading motherhood problem worldwide but there is limited evidence on the prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea in the study area as well in Ethiopia. Researching primary dysmenorrhea helps to focus on the treatment plan. The study aimed to assess the prevalence, intensity, impact, and associated factors of primary dysmenorrhea among female students at Gondar town preparatory school.Methods: A cross-sectional study design conducted among female students at Gondar town Preparatory School from May 1-10/2017. A total of 459 study participants were used. A simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. A self-administered structured questionnaire was employed. Epi Info version 7 and SPSS version 20 were used for data entry and analysis respectively. A binary logistic regression model was computed. Variables having a p-value < 0.05 in the multivariate logistic regression model were considered as statistically significant.Results: A total of 459 female students participated in the study with a response rate of 96.29%. The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea among female students was found to be 64.7% (95% CI; 60.2-69.2%). Around 61% reported moderate intensity of menstrual pain and 50.7% complain about lower abdominal pain. Sixty-five percent of study participants reported that absenteeism from school was the impact of menstrual pain. Having irregular monthly menstrual cycle (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI; 1.02, 2.84) and positive family history of dysmenorrhea (AOR = 5.19, 95% CI: 3.21, 8.37) were significantly associated with primary dysmenorrhea.Conclusions: The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was found to be high. Having an irregular monthly menstrual cycle and a positive family history of dysmenorrhea were determinants of primary dysmenorrhea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: As the millennial generation enters the nursing profession, simulation takes on a key role in effective pedagogy. We sought to examine the efficacy of simulation versus case scenario as a teaching method for novice nursing students in the skill of nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding. We assessed the knowledge, competency, self-confidence, and satisfaction among these nursing students. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was used to compare the efficacy of simulation and case scenarios in promoting knowledge, clinical competency, self-learning, and self-confidence among novice nursing students in the Middle East. The study sample included 69 students registered for the Fundamentals of Nursing Laboratory course at the College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, during the spring and fall 2016 semesters. Thirty-five students were assigned to the intervention group and attended a simulation, while 34 students were assigned to the control group and were given the standard case scenario used in teaching this course. The competency of the students on NGT feeding skill was measured after a simulation or case scenario. Results: In both groups, the majority of students were ≤ 20 years old, female, hailed from rural areas, and had a cumulative grade point average of > 2.5. Data showed a significant improvement in the mean scores ofcompetency between the intervention and control groups (t(67) = 3.869,p < 0.001) suggesting that simulation was effective in gaining competency compared to the case scenario. There was a positive statistical significance between satisfaction and self-confidence among the intervention group. Conclusions: Simulation has an effective role in clinical education for teaching practical skills. However, in this study, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores between the two methods of teaching. This helped us to conclude that competency gained by novice students' learning a skill through simulation, was better than the competency gained through case scenario. We recommend simulation as an effective pedagogy among novice nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine what topics searched on the Internet can differentiate between women symptomatic and asymptomatic for eating disorder (ED). Two-hundred-twenty-eight women (Mage = 30.5 ± 9.43) completed a measure of ED and frequency of online seeking for ED-related topics. ED symptomatic women more frequently searched ED-related topics online. The most discriminating topic was Food, which was accentuated among women who recently experienced significant weight-loss and those who reported food dominance in their life. More attention should be devoted to Internet use in women since this online searching behavior might be a good indicator of potential ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Iron deficiency in the body is the main cause of anemia, and iron supplementation is probably the best option for iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in women and young children. This study aimed to explain the challenges of national iron supplementation in female school’s base on the perspective of the stakeholders. Methods: This study was a qualitative study of content analysis. The data of this study were conducted by focus group discussion, semi-deep interviews with the participation of the target community of students, parents of students, school principals and school health instructors, general manager of the Office of Community Nutrition (Department of Education) includes manager, deputy and school health officer, from October 2016 to January 2017 in city of Gonabad, Iran. Participants were selected through targeted sampling and data collection continued to saturation. Data were analyzed using contractual content analysis method based on five steps of Graneheim and Lundman. Data management was done with NVivo software, version 11 (QSR International, Victoria, Australia), but data analysis and interpretation were done manually. Results: The findings from group discussions and semi-deep interviews with stakeholders were categorized into twelve themes. The main strength, perceived in "Perceived Individual Benefits" and "Perceived Executive or Management Benefits". The main perceived weakness was "Physical Disadvantages", "Tablets Disadvantages", "Disadvantages of Programming" and "Disadvantages of the Program". The main perceived barriers was "Educational and Information Barriers", "Barriers of Pill Consumption" and "Management and Administrative Barriers". "Modifying the Executive Program", "Individual Perception Modification" and "Reform the Shape of Pills" were suggested as a corrective mechanism from participants’ view point. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the most important challenges of the "Schools Iron Aid National Plan" were "Educational and Information Barriers", "Administrative barriers", and "Barriers to Pill Consumption". Therefore, in order to do better, the Iron Supplementation Program requires intervention at individual, interpersonal, inter-organizational, and intra-organizational levels to provide comprehensive support for the program and, ultimately, increase program productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Low back pain (LBP) defined as ache or pain in the lowest part of the back is a common experience among people all over the world. The lifetime prevalence is reported to be as high as 84%, and the prevalence of LBP seems to be almost the same among adolescents as among adults. The risk for having LBP later in life if you experienced LBP in adolescence is high. Material and Methods: In this cross‐sectional study of 2550 students aged 16‐20 years, we used the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire for the analysis of musculo‐skeletal symptoms. We studied gender difference, prevalence, and disability of Low back pain. We also studied differences in LBP in adolescent athletes depending on hours spent on sports or physical activity. Results: Significantly, more girls than boys had had problems sometimes during their life. Those who participated in sports reported LBP to a significantly higher extent than those who were physically inactive in their spare time. Gender and spare time sports were important risk factors for getting LBP some time in life. There was a higher risk for girls to have low back pain problems more than 30 days or daily the last year if they had had low back pain some time earlier in life. Conclusion: This study shows that low back pain (LBP) is common among Swedish adolescents, more common among girls than boys. High sport activity was associated with the risk of having LBP, length of time with LBP, and disability due to LBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a biochemical disease which is characterized by elevated serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) with normal thyroid hormone levels. In an attempt to correct the disease at its entry point, we wished to find out the incidence of subclinical hypothyroidism in female college students in Kumbakonam, a semiurban town of India. Methods: Around 260 female college students who had no history of thyroid disease were screened for thyroid dysfunction by a TSH assay. Results: The mean age ± standard deviation was 18.72 ± 2.27 years. The mean TSH value was 3.98 mIU/mL. The incidence of abnormally high TSH values was around 11.5%. The number of such cases was 30 with low T3 values in six students. One had a value of 150 with no symptoms. Another student had a value of 0.15 and her T3-T4 profile was normal. All students were asymptomatic. None of the students had goiter. Conclusions: In an unpublished but accepted study, we found an incidence of 3.5% in the school female children in the age group of 15-17. A sudden jump in the incidence is occurring in the age group of 18-22. This needs a workup of the causative factors and their possible correction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) establishes a lifelong latent infection after primary infection and may reactivate periodically, with the shedding of infectious virus in body fluids. To better understand the prevalence and shedding model of CMV in immunocompetent seropositive women of childbearing age, a 6-month longitudinal study was conducted in healthy female college students.Methods: A total of 102 nonpregnant female college students aged 18-30 years were enrolled and followed up every 2 weeks for 6 months. Saliva and urine samples were collected at each visit. Serum samples were collected at the first and last visits.Results: All participants were positive for anti-CMV immunoglobulin G (IgG) at entry. During the 6-month period, 29.4% of participants (30 of 102) shed CMV intermittently in saliva or urine. At each visit, the CMV shedding prevalence varied from 2.0% to 10.4% and presented only in 1 bodily fluid. The viral load was low and did not induce marked antibody increases. The baseline anti-CMV IgG level was not found to be associated with viral shedding.Conclusions: CMV shedding in saliva and urine is common and intermittent and does not stimulate an anamnestic antibody response in seropositive immunocompetent women of childbearing age with a low risk of exposure to exogenous infectious sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Cosmetic surgery is performed to change the appearance of people and improve their self-esteem and according to the available reports, Iran ranked first in cosmetic surgery. The aim of this study was to determine the socio-cultural attitudes about cosmetic surgery and its related factors among female students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 340 female students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in 2017 with a stratified sampling method. To gather data, we used socio-cultural attitudes questionnaire and recorded demographic variables. Data were analyzed with SPSS 24 software using t-test, ANOVA and linear regression tests. Results: The age group of 21-30 years were the most frequent participants (56.7%). Most of the students were medical students (24.4%). They often received information about cosmetic surgery via the internet (63.2%). There were significant statistical relationships between social and cultural attitudes with the field of study and father's job (P<0.05). The results of regression analysis showed that the variables of the father's job and body mass index evaluation predicted the social and cultural attitudes. Conclusion: It is recommended to conduct similar studies other universities of the country and compare them with the findings of this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Various authors have analyzed factors determining the appearance of anorexia nervosa and did not reach a consensus. The article presents the results and our opinion that deep psychological problems of individual are the cornerstone of the development of anorexia nervosa. Objectives. To study the psychological profile of female students with a tendency to anorexia nervosa. Material and methods. 118 young females aged 16-22 with eating disorders, all citizens of Krasnoyarsk, were examined. According to body mass index (BMI), two groups were formed: group A (78 females with normal BMI), group B (40 females with low BMI < 18 kg/m2). The emotional state was determined by the Cattell's 16 PF and EPQ questionnaires. Participants signed informed consent. Results. Cattell's questionnaire: general individual and typological qualities of all students were revealed. Descriptors of a low range prevailed in group B. Extroversion was significantly lower in group B than in group A (p < 0.001). Emotional lability was significantly higher in group B than in group A (p = 0.04). EPQ questionnaire: in a comparison between group А and group В, the introversive type among females with BMI < 18 kg/m2 was registered more often (p < 0.001); emotional instability was higher (p < 0.001); and psychoticism was rated as p = 0.01. Conclusions. The concept about the existence of options of individual and typological qualities of a person with various BMI was confirmed. A distinctive feature of females with a tendency to anorexia nervosa is an increased frequency of occurrence of the introversive type of personality in combination with a growth of the level of emotional instability and psychoticism and forms neurotic personality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide means of taking ones life. Emile Durkheim, the first to study suicide systematically, distinguished three different types, depending on what motivates the act of self-destruction: altruistic, anomic and egoistic. Durkheim's classification system altruistic suicide based on sacrificing oneself for the good for others. The soldiers who hurts himself upon a grenade to save others, and ritual suicide, such as hara-kiri, intended to save ones family from shame, are classic examples. Anomic suicide that results, in Durkheim's analysis, from the sense that life no longer has meaning, from a sense of anomie, loneliness, isolation and loss of contact with the norms and values of society also called norm less suicide. In Durkheim's classification system, egoistic suicide resulting from a sense of deep personal failure, a feeling that one is personally responsible for not living up to societal and personal expectation. Suicide has been declared a major heath problem in the United States by the Surgeon General, David Satche (1999). He noted that the suicide rate among children has doubled since 1980 and that the elderly account for one in five suicides. Although countries around the world have different overall rates of suicide, this increase in suicide rate seems to hold true world wide. In most countries the young adults group seems to be at the widest risk. In Denmark and Japan countries with different cultural histories, suicide is the number one cause of death amount 25-34 years old age and account for 30% of all deaths among 25% of among women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study was planned to investigate the relationship between musculoskeletal problems, depression, and quality of life in students preparing for university entrance exams. Methods: A total of 180 students were included in the study, 104 were female (57.77%), and 76 were male (42.22%). Students were reached through the cram schools ("dershane") in Denizli. Musculoskeletal system problems, depression status, and quality of life were determined with the Musculoskeletal-Postural Discomfort Scale (MDS), Boratav Depression Screen Scale (Bordepta), and Short Form-36 (SF-36), respectively. Demographic data, daily study, and sleep duration were also recorded. Results: Students have moderate musculoskeletal discomfort. Musculoskeletal disorders and depressive symptoms are more observed in female students than male students (P = 0.000). The SF-36 results were significantly negatively correlated with the MDS and Bordepta scores. A significant positive correlation was found between musculoskeletal disorders and depression status (r = 0.351, P = 0.000). Sleep duration was negatively correlated with the MDS and Bordepta (r = -0.209, P = 0.005; r = -0.148, P = 0.047, respectively) and positively correlated with the SF-36 role limitation/emotional and social functioning subscales (r = 0.225, P = 0.002 and r = 0.191, P = 0.010 respectively). Conclusions: Musculoskeletal problems and depression status negatively affects general health status especially in female students who are preparing for university entrance examinations. Students should be informed about musculoskeletal problems by healthcare professionals and the study room, tables, and chairs should be arranged ergonomically. Further studies might be determined that why musculoskeletal disorders and depression status are more widely among female students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child sexual abuse is associated with factors that enhance the vulnerability of the child, raising physical and mental health complications in adulthood. Three hundred and fifty students participated in this cross-sectional study. Important determinants of sexual abuse were parents not living together, not living with parents, family type, and current parents’ marital status (p < 0.05). Respondents living with both parents were two times less likely to experience sexual abuse (OR = 0.5, CI: 0.3, 0.9) than respondents living with their guardians. Respondents whose parents were living together were about two times less likely to experience sexual abuse (OR = 0.6, CI: 0.3–0.9) than respondents whose parents were not living together. Respondents whose parents were either divorced or separated were about six times more likely to experience sexual abuse (OR = 5.6, CI: 1.1–27.2) than respondents with widowed parents. The study showed that parental togetherness protected against child vulnerability and risk of being sexually abused. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background and Aim: Body image is one of the main factors of self efficacy. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between body image and self-efficacy among female students in Hamadan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out on 408 female students of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in 2017 with a stratified sampling method. To gather data, we used Multidimensional Body Self-Relation Questionnaire (MBSRQ) and general self-efficacy questionnaire and recorded demographic variables. Data were analyzed with SPSS-21 software using Pearson correlation and linear regression tests. Results: The dimensions of body areas satisfaction and illness orientation were evaluated at relatively desirable and moderate levels, respectively. Students' self-efficacy was also estimated at 60.05% of the mean score of the maximum achievable score at the moderate level. The results of regression analysis showed that the dimensions of the illness orientation, overweight preoccupation, fitness orientation, self-classified weight and appearance evaluation predicted the self-efficacy among the female students. In total, different dimensions of body image explained 14.1% of the variance of self-efficacy. Conclusion: We suggest providing training packages about body image dimensions improvement to enhance the self-efficacy of university female students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Under the supervision of the Department of General and Vascular Surgery of Poznan University of Medical Sciences (PUMS), a questionnaire was distributed online or as a paper version to medical students (MSs) in order to better understand the attitudes towards surgery as a specialty and to determine the reasons why students do and do not choose vascular surgery as their career path. Materials and methods: The questionnaire was distributed online or as a paper version to MSs in the 3rd, 5th, and 6th year of the PUMS 6-year M.D. program. It provided the data on the year of study, grade point average (GPA), sex, age, respondent's specialty choice, 33 questions with responses on a 1-5 Likert scale (1 was the least important reason and 5 was the most important reason), and 2 questions with socres between 0 and 4. A total of 136 Polish MSs of PUMS completed the survey. Results: For MSs who choose vascular surgery as their career path, "endovascular capabilities of vascular surgery" and "higher income possibilities than a general surgeon" were the most important reasons. The "poor availability of work in other places than the vascular surgery department of your choice, few such clinics in the region" was the most important reason not to choose vascular surgery. A role of gender was also noted - 13% of male MSs classified gender as an "important factor", in contrast to 60% of female MSs. Conclusions: The findings of this study might help to develop better strategies to attract future trainees to surgical specialties, particularly vascular surgery, and improve work environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To provide incidence rates and days to symptom resolution and cognitive recovery stratified by sex and sport at a Canadian institution. Study Design: A retrospective chart analysis. Subjects: Seven hundred fifty-nine varsity level athletes competing in men's football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's ice hockey, women's field hockey, women's rugby, men's and women's tennis, men's and women's water polo, men's and women's swimming, badminton, cross-country, and track and field in the 2008 to 2009 season through the 2010 to 2011 season. Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of concussion, days to symptom recovery, and days to cognitive recovery as measured by clinical interpretation using the sports concussion assessment tool (SCAT)/SCAT2 and Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) with baseline and follow-up data. Results: A total of 81 concussions were reported and diagnosed among 759 athletes. Significantly, more female athletes were concussed than male athletes (13.08%-7.53%, respectively; P = 0.014) with the highest rates in women's rugby [incidence density (ID) = 20.00 concussions per athlete-season], women's ice hockey (ID = 18.67 per athlete-season), and men's basketball (ID = 20.00 per athlete-season). Sex differences in symptom recovery and cognitive recovery were not significant. Conclusions: The incidence of concussion across multiple sports in a Canadian varsity athlete population is of concern. There are inconsistencies found between the time an athlete claims to have no symptoms and the time of neurocognitive recovery as measured by computerized neurocognitive testing. Therefore, objective computerized testing is recommended to ensure that athletes are functionally recovered before return to play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

among populations. This study was undertaken to identify the better indicator of Cardiac-risk factors by statistical comparison of BMI, Waist circumference, and Waist to Height (WtHr) ratio in apparently healthy adolescents and young adult female students of Tripura. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a resource limited setup on 210 apparently healthy female adolescents and young adult students in Tripura. Mean (±SD) of all parameters were compared (ANOVA) to recognize significant independent (anthropometric measures) and dependent factors (blood pressure indices and so on). Correlation (r) analysis was used to identify the better (p) indicator of blood pressure indices (dependent variable) and its impact was assessed by Multiple Regression analysis. Results: blood pressure indices are comparatively higher in obese and overweight participants with statistically significant (95.5% confidence) mean differences. Significant correlation with dependent factors is observed with BMI followed by WtHr and Waist Circumference. Impact of anthropometric measures with blood pressure Indices is most significant for BMI (P ≤ 0.020) followed by WtHr (P ≤ 0.500) and waist circumference (P ≤ 0.520). Conclusion: BMI is a superior indicator of blood pressure indices and can identify participants at risk even in apparently healthy adolescent and young adult females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of iron supplement consumption and its associated factors among high school students in Iran. Methods: A mixed-methods (quantitative-qualitative) study was conducted in Zahedan, southeast Iran, in 2015. The sample comprised 400 high school students from different areas of Zahedan who were randomly selected. A standard questionnaire and semi-structured interview were used to collect data in the quantitative and qualitative phases, respectively. The data were analysed using SPSS software with one-way ANOVA and Pearson's chi square. Additionally, content analysis was used for the qualitative analysis. Results: In total, 38.2% of the students had not consumed iron supplements in the past 16 weeks, and students in third grade had the highest non-consumption rate (P=o.oo6). There was a significant positive relationship between iron tablet consumption and grade point average in the last year (P = 0.003). Digestive problems, influence of family and friends, students' reluctance, and poor environmental situations were the most important factors related to students' refusal to take tablets. Conclusions: Most students did not take or irregularly consumed iron supplements. Based on the digestive problems of the students, improving the taste and quality of iron tablets is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate and compare the knowledge and attitude of future female health care providers regarding pap smear screening for cervical cancer at a medical and dental institution in Pakistan. The quality of knowledge of the students was analysed to measure the efficacy of awareness intervention sessions of the students. This was aimed to highlight their role in public awareness and identify the deficit thereof in their training towards practicing preventive community medicine. Study Design: This was a pre and post analysis comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Conducted at Army Medical College Rawalpindi Pakistan, over an 8-months period from Nov 2019 to Jun 2020. Methodology: A total of 754 responses, pre intervention-401-and one-month later post intervention-353 were collected through a validated questionnaire by convenience sampling. Changes in the knowledge and attitude of students using an independent sample t test were determined one month after 20-minute educational intervention detailing cervical cancer and its screening. Association between course and year of study on the knowledge and attitude scores was determined by comparing means using ANOVA tables. Results: Comparison of pre and post intervention scores revealed a statistically significant difference in knowledge (p< 0.001) and attitude (p=0.002) with a change in mean knowledge scores from 46.31±15.93 to 74.03±15.71 and mean attitude scores from 45.84±14.37 to 48.86±12.54 after the intervention. MBBS students showed a statistically significant improvement in attitude (p<0.001) than their BDS counterparts (p=0.535). Conclusion: Pre-intervention knowledge and attitude was inadequate. The intervention was successful with a significant increase in scores. Emphasis should be on implementing national HPV vaccination and cervical screening awareness campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) is a severe and disabling form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affecting 3-8% of women. PMDD was added to the list of depressive disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) in 2013. Objective: To assess the prevalence of PMDD among female medical students of Umm Al-Qura University(UQU), Makkah Al-Mukaramah, K.S.A. Methods: A cross-section study was conducted on randomly selected 183 female medical students. A semi-structured and pretested self-administered questionnaire was employed for data collection. The criteria proposed by DSM-V were used to diagnose PMDD. Result: Most of the participants were single (90.8%) and non-smoker (96. 2%). The prevalence of PMDD among students was 36.6%. There was no significant difference between students with PMDD and those without, regarding physical symptoms. Lack of energy, easy fatigability and lethargy are the most prevalent symptoms (81.9%). Also, 29.6% experienced joint or muscle pain, 58.5 % complained of breast tenderness or swelling and 63.9% suffered from headache. Conclusions: The study revealed a high prevalence of PMDD among medical students with high overall frequency of abnormal mood and behavior more than that of the somatic complaints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of migraine in the university students. STUDY DESIGN: A Descriptive cross sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION: The University of Lahore, Lahore in 6 months from 1st January 2017 to 30th June 2017. METHODOLOGY: Headache-migraine questionnaire was used to know the frequency of migraine among University students. Both male and female between 20 to 24 years was included whereas subjects with head injury, brain tumor, sinuses and hypertension and vision problems were excluded. RESULTS: The Convenient sampling technique was used for data collection of 186 students out of which 120 were females and 66 were males with a mean age of 22.35±1.74 years. 31.2% of students had migraine of which 2.7% had mild, 14.0% moderate and 14.5% severe pain. CONCLUSION: Migraine was more common in female than male students of university of Lahore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Despite a large number of modern contraceptive methods available in the market today, numerous studies have shown insufficient awareness of young women about these forms for birth control. The aim of this study was to compare characteristics of common use of contraceptives as well as the awareness of hormonal contraception among female students of the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Technical Sciences in Novi Sad. Materials and Methods. In the study which was conducted in 2012 240 female students of the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Technical Sciences participated. The average age of students of the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Technical Sciences was 24.06 ± 3.24 and 22.72 ± 0.90 years, respectively. They completed an anonymous questionnaire, which consisted of three parts. The first part comprised general questions, the second part included characteristics of the sexual life of students and their contraceptive habits, while in the third part students were asked to evaluate the accuracy of statements about hormonal contraception. The obtained data were statistically processed by using appropriate methods. Results. The average age when the students of the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Technical Sciences had the first sexual intercourse was 18.74 ± 2.61 and 18.75 ± 2.59, respectively. One third of students from both faculties (30.91% from the Faculty of Medicine and 35% from the Faculty of Technical Sciences) had only one sexual partner. Modern contraception was used by 83.64% of the medical students and by 80% of those from the Faculty of Technical Sciences. Contraception was used regularly by 54.54% of the medical students and 43% of those from the Faculty of Technical Sciences. The most frequently applied contraceptive method was condom (90% of the medical students and 93% of the Faculty of Technical Sciences students, respectively). Oral contraceptives were used by 24.54% of the medical students and 11% of those form the Faculty of Technical Sciences. There was a statistically significant difference in the knowledge level between the two groups since the medical students gave quantitatively higher range of expected responses than the students from the Faculty of Technical Sciences. Conclusion. It is necessary to increase the availability of adequate information on various types of contraception to student population in Vojvodina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim was to investigate the efficacy of life skills training on subjective well-being (SWB) among high school females. Methods: The population study comprised all female high school of Rafsanjan, Iran, in 2008-2009. Thirty students with the lowest scores according to the Molavi's SWB questionnaire were considered eligible. At the next stage, the required sample of 30 students were selected randomly and divided into two groups of experimental (15 subjects) and control (15 subjects). Then, life skills training sessions were started for the experimental group (eight sessions in a 4-week period). Control group did not receive any intervention. The method of data processing at a descriptive level was through using central tendency indicators, dispersion, frequency, and percentage. Student's t-test was used for analysis of independent variables. Results: The greatest R2 (0.48) was observed for SWB. The R2 coefficients for neurosis, stress-depression, vitality, and life determination were 0.27, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.09, respectively. Conclusion: Life skills training showed the greatest effect regarding SWB of the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To understand the menstrual status and sleep quality of female college students and to investigate the effect of menstrual status on sleep quality. Methods A questionnaire survey consisting of the Pittshurgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI) and Menstrual Distress Questionnaire(MDQ) was conducted on 1 290 female college students in Guangxi Medical University by adopting the stratified cluster random sampling method. Results A total of 1 267 effective questionnaires were retrieved, the effective rate was 98.22%. The total score of sleep quality in the female college students of this college was(6.70±2.41)points, the detection rate of sleep quality problems was 34.49%(437/1 267) and the detection rate of menoxenia was 22.26%(282/1 267).The probability appearing the sleep quality problem in the irregular menstruation group was higher than that in the normal men-struation group, and the main manifestations were sleep disorders, subjective sleep quality, use of hypnotic agents, dysfunction during daytime and significantly higher sleep quality index score, the differences were statistically significant(P0<0.05 or 0.01).Conclusion The menstrual status of female college students can affect their sleep quality. Therefore, female college students should combine their own particular physiological conditions and actively take comprehensive intervention measures to improve the sleep quality, which guarantees the development of their physical and psychological health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate relationships among sun-screening agents use, bone health promotion behavior, and bone mineral density. Methods: The participants of this study were 105 female college students. The data were collected using a questionnaire about sun-screening agent use and bone health promotion behavior. Bone mineral density was measured with Ultrasound Bone Densitometer/Osteo Pro Series. Data were analyzed with the SPSS/Win 18.0 program. Results: The mean Z-score in female college students was -1.04±1.26, and the T-score was -1.16±1.22. 21.39% of the participants have osteopenia. Bone mineral density showed a significant correlation with weight. Bone mineral density showed no significant correlation between sun-screening agent use, and bone health promotion behavior. There was a significant correlation between protection power of sun-screening agents and the protection by clothes. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, we need to develop an intervention program for bone health promotion of female college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Dietary supplements, being concentrated sources of vitamins, minerals and other substances with nutritional and physiological effects, are products that supplement the normal diet. The aim of this study was to determine the use, attitudes and knowledge on dietary supplements among students of the University of Nis, paying special attention to differences in responses between male and female students. Material and Methods. The study used the original questionnaire which was distributed to 330 students from the University of Nis. The sample was stratified by school, year of study and sex. Out of 330 questionnaires, 301 were classified as correct and they were further analyzed. Results. Dietary supplements were used by 68.10% of the respondents. Females used dietary supplements more than males. Two or more products were most commonly used. Multivitamins were the most widely used products. The majority of respondents adhered to the declaration (77.07%). A small number had health damage (2.93%). More than half of the students stated that they were not properly informed about dietary supplements. The most common source of information was the media and friends. Conclusion. Health professionals and users of dietary supplements should be educated better on the use of these products in order to make the supplement use safe, controlled and rational. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of internet health education on female university students’ knowledge and cognition regarding hepatitis B. Background. One of the focal points of preventing hepatitis B is to improve students’ knowledge of hepatitis B. The internet is thought to attract learners, ensure privacy and provide channels for help. Design. Cluster sampling was used to select 189 female students from two universities in Kaohsiung City. The participants were divided into 130 participants who agreed to participate in an internet health education program and 59 who did not. Method. The participants were administered questionnaires on ‘hepatitis B knowledge’ and ‘hepatitis B cognition’ before, two weeks after and four weeks after the health education intervention. The experimental group received an additional ‘user satisfaction’ survey at two weeks after the health education intervention. Results. Participants in the internet hepatitis B educational program scored significantly higher in knowledge of hepatitis B at two and four weeks post intervention. No significant score differences were found in hepatitis B cognition in either of the groups two and four weeks. Sixty per cent of the experimental group indicated that the program was easy to understand, 67·69% found it helpful, 66·15% were generally satisfied with the content. Almost 67% (66·92%) thought the university should adopt and promote the web site. Relevance to clinical practice. This study provides health professionals with a reference for hepatitis B health education programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Depression is more frequently experienced and induces more severe consequences in medical students than in the general population. However, treatment rates for depression in medical students are still low. In this study, the authors investigated factors that affect treatment for depression and dispositions towards treating depression among South Korean medical students. Methods A nationwide, cross-sectional survey was administered to medical students attending all 41 medical schools in South Korea (14 095 students). The questionnaire included the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and asked for data on socio-demographic variables, history of diagnosis or treatment for depression, knowledge of mental health problems and disposition to use mental health care. Results A total of 7357 students (52.2%) from 36 schools responded to the survey. Of these, 689 (9.4%) were identified as being depressed via a BDI score higher than 16. Of the depressed respondents, only 61 (8.9%) had been diagnosed with depression and 67 (9.7%) had been treated for depression. Age was significantly associated with treatment behaviour for depression. Correct knowledge about the aetiology of depression and psychiatric medicine was significantly related to students’ disposition to use psychiatric services and to receive psychopharmacotherapy as an option to resolve depression. Conclusions Accurate knowledge of depression and appropriate medication seems to be relevant to students seeking appropriate treatment for depression. The development of education programmes designed to improve medical students’ knowledge of mental health problems and treatments would facilitate treatment seeking in medical students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The lack of published studies into effective skills teaching in clinical skills centres inspired this study of student views of the teaching behaviours of skills teachers. Methods We organised focus group discussions with students from Years 1–3 of a 6-year undergraduate medical curriculum. A total of 30 randomly selected students, divided into three groups, took part in two sessions. They discussed what teaching skills helped them to acquire physical examination skills. Results Students’ opinions related to didactic skills, interpersonal and communication skills and preconditions. Students appreciated didactic skills that stimulate deep and active learning. Another significant set of findings referred to teachers’ attitudes towards students. Students wanted teachers to be considerate and to take them seriously. This was reflected in student descriptions of positive behaviours, such as: ‘responding to students’ questions’; ‘not exposing students’ weaknesses in front of the group’, and ‘[not] putting students in an embarrassing position in skill demonstrations’. They also appreciated enthusiasm in teachers. Important preconditions included: the integration of skills training with basic science teaching; linking of skills training to clinical practice; the presence of clear goals and well-structured sessions; good time management; consistency of teaching, and the appropriate personal appearance of teachers and students. Conclusions The teaching skills and behaviours that most facilitate student acquisition of physical examination skills are interpersonal and communication skills, followed by a number of didactic interventions, embedded in several preconditions. Findings related to interpersonal and communication skills are comparable with findings pertaining to the teaching roles of tutors and clinical teachers; however, the didactic skills merit separate attention as teaching skills for use in skills laboratories. The results of this study should be complemented by a study performed in a larger population and a study exploring teachers’ views. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Medical students have long been perceived as socially segregated from other students. However, the evidence for this is mainly anecdotal. This study investigates this issue by comparing medical students with economics students. Methods Questionnaires measuring objective and subjective social life patterns were completed by 149 medical and 149 economics students at a campus-based university in the UK. Results Medical students drew significantly more of their close friends and housemates from among students on the same course than economics students. Significantly more medical than economics students had a partner on the same course, participated in departmental sports clubs and societies, and felt separated from the rest of university life. Commonly reported reasons for this separation among medical students were high workloads, that the medical school was located outside the main campus, and high numbers of contact hours, some of which took place at sites outside the university. Discussion Medical students are more socially exclusive than economics students, which may lead to ‘in-group’ attitudes and behaviours. This is educationally important and may affect their future professionalism. Universities should be aware of the issues involved when planning curricula, timetables, welfare initiatives and campus design. Prospective medical students should be informed of the social consequences of studying medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context Patient-centredness is an accepted guiding principle for health system reform, patient care and medical education. Although these attitudes are strongly linked with cultural values, few studies have examined attitudes towards patient-centredness in a cross-cultural setting. Objectives This prospective study evaluated attitudes towards patient-centredness in a cohort of Asian medical students and examined changes in these attitudes in the same students on completion of their junior clinical clerkships. Methods The study was conducted in a cohort of 228 medical students entering Year 3 in medical school. The Patient–Practitioner Orientation Scale (PPOS), a validated instrument which scores an individual’s level of patient-centredness, was used. Results Being female and having personal experience of continuing care were significantly associated with higher scores. Students in the USA were previously reported to have similar ‘caring’ but higher ‘sharing’ scores on the same scale. At the end of the junior clinical clerkship, there were improvements in the ‘caring’ subscale, but no change or a reduction in ‘sharing’. Students who did not have previous personal experience with continuing care experienced a greater increase in overall PPOS score. Conclusions When compared with students in the USA, the students in our study appear to have a lower propensity to view the doctor–patient relationship as a partnership. This may be a reflection of differences in cultural norms and expectations of doctor–patient interaction in different societies. Our finding that attitudes towards patient-centredness did not decline over the course of the year, which contrasts with findings of other studies, may be attributed to various factors and warrants further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Clinical experiences and gender have been shown to influence medical students’ specialty choices. It remains unclear, however, which aspects of experiences make students favour some specialties and reject others. This study aimed to clarify the effects of clerkships on specialty choice and to identify explanatory factors. Methods We carried out a longitudinal cohort study to collect data on career preferences and attitudes towards future careers among 3 cohorts of students before and after clerkships in surgery ( n = 200), internal medicine ( n = 277) and general practice ( n = 184). Regression analyses were performed to identify the determinants of career choice and the role of gender. Results Exposure to clinical settings encourages students to opt for a career in the corresponding specialty. Men were more stimulated than women by the general practice clerkship. Gender had no clear role as a predictor of career preference. The major predictor of career choice in all 3 specialties was positive evaluation of work-intrinsic factors. A preference for working with acute patients and technology-oriented work, prestige orientation and insignificance of a controllable lifestyle were determinants of a preference for surgery. Students with a preference for general practice had almost opposite preferences. Those who chose internal medicine favoured a controllable lifestyle. Discussion Factors other than gender appear to drive specialty decisions. Work content, type of patients and lifestyle options play major roles. Consequently, along with teaching about the practice of medicine, the matching of specialty preferences with reality is an essential outcome of clerkships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context There is ongoing discussion within the medical education community about dissection as an educational strategy and as a professional training tool in technical and emotional skills training. Objectives This study aimed to discover the emotional reactions, attitudes and beliefs of new students faced with human cadaver dissection; to evaluate the changes produced in these variables by the exhibition and practice of dissection; to analyse the level of anxiety students feel when faced with death, and to elucidate the possible relationships between these items. Methods The study used a sample of 425 students who were first-time enrolees in a human anatomy course. Three new instruments were designed, with items covering emotional reactions (cognitive, physiological and motor reactions), beliefs and attitudes related to what the student expects to experience or has experienced in dissection. Death anxiety was measured using the Death Anxiety Inventory. Results As students gained more experience of dissection, their emotional reactions were reduced and their attitudes and beliefs changed. Statistically significant differences in the level of death anxiety emerged, depending on the perceptions students had of their degree of preparation for dissection, and emotional control and deeper thoughts about life and death during dissection. Discussion The practice of anatomy allows the student to learn how to face up to and adapt his or her emotional reactions and attitudes; this gives human cadaver dissection great importance as an educational strategy and as a professional training tool in technical and emotional skills training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to explore the effect of gender on medical students’ aspirations. Methods The study design included purposive sampling and interim data interpretation to guide recruitment of medical students with a wide spectrum of opinions. Data were collected through audio-recorded, semi-structured, in-depth exploratory interviews, which were transcribed verbatim. Qualitative analysis was carried out by a female medical student researcher. Her evolving interpretation was constantly compared against the original data by male (doctor) and female (pharmacist) staff researchers in a systematic search for internal corroboration or disconfirmation. Causal associations consistently present in the data are reported. Results Six male and six female medical students in Years 3 and 4 shared a wish to achieve a work−life balance that allowed them to devote time to bringing up children while contributing usefully to society as doctors. However, women were readier to compromise professional attainment within their personal work−life balances. Their readiness derived from gendered stereotypes of women’s social and professional roles, a lack of female professional role models, womens' greater awareness of the tensions between career and family, various other informal social influences, and a lack of positive career advice to counterbalance these influences. Conclusions Better career advice and more flexible work opportunities are needed if the two-thirds of medical students who are women are to contribute specialist as well as generalist expertise to the medical workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]