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Background: School-based interventions are crucial for promoting healthy behaviors in children and preventing the spread of diseases. This study aimed to enhance hygiene knowledge and practices (K&P) among school children through a school-based intervention. Objective: To improve personal and environmental hygiene K&P amongst primary and middle-grade students in urban squatter settlement schools in Karachi, Pakistan using school-based intervention. Design: Quasi-experimental study conducted in three schools over 2 years. Setting: Urban squatter settlement schools in Karachi, Pakistan, serving primary, and middle-grade students. Participants: A total of 156 students participated in the study, with a majority of 55.77% being girls (n = 87). Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Intervention: Behavioral Change Communication (BCC) strategies aimed at improving school children's hygiene K&P. Primary Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measures included changes in hygiene K&P pre- and post-intervention, specifically focusing on personal hygiene and environmental hygiene. Results: Significant improvements observed post-intervention. Mean knowledge score differences were 20.33 (SD = 5.85) for personal hygiene and 10.08 (SD = 7.72) for environmental hygiene. Practice scores also increased, with mean differences of 2.52 (SD = 1.98) and 2.47 (SD = 2.08) for personal and environmental hygiene, respectively. Statistically significant improvements (P <.05) were noted across most of the hygiene domains. Conclusions: The school-based intervention effectively improved personal and environmental hygiene K&P among primary and middle-grade children in urban squatter settlement schools. Key recommendations include integrating hygiene education into the curriculum, providing enabling environment to children and capacity building of school teachers to teach hygiene education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pseudoexfoliation causes characteristic corneal endothelial changes leading to corneal decompensation and loss of corneal transparency severely affecting vision. Objectives: To evaluate morphological changes in corneal endothelial cells and central corneal thickness in pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXS) and to compare it with age matched patients without pseudoexfoliation syndrome. Material and Methods: A hospital based, cross sectional analytical study was conducted at Upgraded Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College/hospital, Jammu in which total of 46 patients planned for cataract surgery were included (23 patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome and 23 patients without pseudoexfoliation syndrome). Corneal endothelial cell density (ECD), percentage of hexagonal cells, coefficient of variation (CV) in cell size, and central corneal thickness (CCT) were measured using specular microscopy. Results: The mean ECD was 2325.1 ± 383.1 in the PXS group and 2763 ± 351.3 in the control group respectively, and ECD in the PXS group was significantly lower than in that in the control group (p=0.0002). The percentage of hexagonal cells was 48.3 ± 5.7 in PXS group and 51.5 ± 4.6 in the control group respectively, and percentage of hexagonal cells was significantly lower than that in the control group (p=0.04). The cell size coefficient of variation was 33.9 ± 2.6 in the PXS group and 33.0 ± 3.1 in the control group respectively, and patients with PXS had no statistically significant difference in cell size coefficient of variation compared to control group (p=0.29). The CCT was 509.0 ± 27.3 in the PXS group and 529.0 ± 23.6 in the control group respectively, and CCT in the PXS group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p=0.01). Conclusion: In our study the ECD and CCT was significantly lower in patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome regardless of the presence of pseudoexfoliative glaucoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School health remains an ignored domain in Pakistan. This article presents gaps in understanding hygiene promotion efforts in school settings in urban squatter settlements by exploring perspectives of the key stakeholders and undertaking a review of the education curriculum. Using qualitative methodology, 13 in-depth interviews were held with the key informants (teachers, health and education officers) and three focus group discussions were conducted with 36 mothers. The study setting includes three schools located in a semi-urban area in the province of Sindh, Pakistan. The semi-structured guide was utilized to obtain perspectives of key stakeholders on factors constraining hygiene promotion efforts in school settings. The primary education curriculum was reviewed using the content analysis approach to assess the integration of hygiene concepts into the curriculum. Analysis of qualitative interviews and curriculum review resulted in five categories under a theme that addressed multiple factors constraining hygiene promotion in the school settings. These include (i) Gaps in the school curriculum, (ii) Poor accountability of the local administration in the upkeep of schools, (iii) Parent's negligence toward children's hygiene, (iv) Inadequate training of school teachers on hygiene concepts, and (v) Lack of interdepartmental coordination between health and education sectors. Hygiene promotion at schools has been deterred by multiple factors at the selected primary schools in Pakistan. Recommended actions include integration of health and hygiene concepts into the education curriculum, capacity building of teachers, reviving water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure, coordination among Education and Health Departments and ownership among the local government to ensure cleanliness at schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This research aims to explore the outcome of teaching through integration, on nursing students learning using Harden model (1984) of curriculum strategy., Methods: The study used action research as a methodology. Two modules of Year II BScN curriculum were taught through integration to 120 students at a private nursing institute in Karachi, Pakistan. The Data was collected from February to May 2018. Four focus group discussions (FGD) of six students each were conducted, before and after module implementation. The data were analysed using Creswell method., Results: The study findings consist of three themes "integration adds to contentment", "integration carries challenges and "integration supplements teaching learning strategies" with their respective subthemes as Complete connected and comprehensively concise" Integration carries challenges, added burden, and lacked creativity and logistics., Conclusions: The findings show that teaching through integrated modules help students to become focused and responsible learner, optimize understanding of concepts, and strengthen theory practice integration for delivering holistic care. The study recommends to use integration strategy as a step towards enhanced student learning and better patient outcome.

Active learning strategies with innovative ways are used in the teaching and learning for the engagement of students in classroom settings. A number of studies talk about the benefits the students have shown while using the active learning methods in their science courses, like Biochemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology and Pathophysiology. Active learning helps to retain material, motivate students and to develop thinking skills. In the science courses of nursing education, these are very much in use for developing critical thinking qualities. By applying active learning strategies in science courses of nursing education, one may clearly see how the students get engaged with the content. Some of these activities are interactive simulations, games, small group discussions, videos, blended learning, role-playing, pair share, flipped classroom, mini research projects, formative evaluations, quizzes, hands-on activities, etc.