Socioeconomic position and education in patients with coeliac disease.

PubMed

Olén, Ola; Bihagen, Erik; Rasmussen, Finn; Ludvigsson, Jonas F

2012-06-01

Socioeconomic position and education are strongly associated with several chronic diseases, but their relation to coeliac disease is unclear. We examined educational level and socioeconomic position in patients with coeliac disease. We identified 29,096 patients with coeliac disease through biopsy reports (defined as Marsh 3: villous atrophy) from all Swedish pathology departments (n=28). Age- and sex-matched controls were randomly sampled from the Swedish Total Population Register (n=145,090). Data on level of education and socioeconomic position were obtained from the Swedish Education Register and the Occupational Register. We calculated odds ratios for the risk of having coeliac disease based on socioeconomic position according to the European Socioeconomic Classification (9 levels) and education. Compared to individuals with high socioeconomic position (level 1 of 9) coeliac disease was less common in the lowest socioeconomic stratum (routine occupations=level 9 of 9: adjusted odds ratio=0.89; 95% confidence interval=0.84-0.94) but not less common in individuals with moderately low socioeconomic position: (level 7/9: adjusted odds ratio=0.96; 95% confidence interval=0.91-1.02; and level 8/9: adjusted odds ratio=0.99; 95% confidence interval=0.93-1.05). Coeliac disease was not associated with educational level. In conclusion, diagnosed coeliac disease was slightly less common in individuals with low socioeconomic position but not associated with educational level. Coeliac disease may be unrecognised in individuals of low socioeconomic position. Copyright © 2012 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact on quality of life in teachers after educational actions for prevention of voice disorders: a longitudinal study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Voice problems are more common in teachers due to intensive voice use during routine at work. There is evidence that occupational disphonia prevention programs are important in improving the quality voice and consequently the quality of subjects’ lives. Aim To investigate the impact of educational voice interventions for teachers on quality of life and voice. Methods A longitudinal interventional study involving 70 teachers randomly selected from 11 public schools, 30 to receive educational intervention with vocal training exercises and vocal hygiene habits (experimental group) and 40 to receive guidance on vocal hygiene habits (control group control). Before the process of educational activities, the Voice-Related Quality of Life instrument (V-RQOL) was applied, and 3 months after conclusion of the activities, the subjects were interviewed again, using the same instrument. For data analysis, Prox MIXED were applied, with a level of significance α < 0.05. Results: Teachers showed significantly higher domain and overall V-RQOL scores after preventive intervention, in both control and experimental groups. Nevertheless, there was no statistical difference in scores between the groups. Conclusion Educational actions for vocal health had a positive impact on the quality of life of the participants, and the incorporation of permanent educational actions at institutional level is suggested. PMID:23445566

Physical education policy compliance and Latino children’s fitness: Does the association vary by school neighborhood socioeconomic advantage?

PubMed Central

Sanchez-Vaznaugh, Emma V.; Goldman Rosas, Lisa; Fernández-Peña, José Ramón; Baek, Jonggyu; Egerter, Susan; Sánchez, Brisa N.

2017-01-01

Objectives To investigate the contribution of school neighborhood socioeconomic advantage to the association between school-district physical education policy compliance in California public schools and Latino students’ physical fitness. Methods Cross-sectional Fitnessgram data for public-school students were linked with school- and district-level information, district-level physical education policy compliance from 2004–2005 and 2005–2006, and 2000 United States Census data. Multilevel logistic regression models examined whether income and education levels in school neighborhoods moderated the effects of district-level physical education policy compliance on Latino fifth-graders’ fitness levels. Results Physical education compliance data were available for 48 California school districts, which included 64,073 Latino fifth-graders. Fewer than half (23, or 46%) of these districts were found to be in compliance, and only 16% of Latino fifth-graders attended schools in compliant districts. Overall, there was a positive association between district compliance with physical education policy and fitness (OR, 95%CI: 1.38, 1.07, 1.78) adjusted for covariates. There was no significant interaction between school neighborhood socioeconomic advantage and physical education policy compliance (p>.05): there was a positive pattern in the association between school district compliance with physical education policy and student fitness levels across levels of socioeconomic advantage, though the association was not always significant. Conclusions Across neighborhoods with varying levels of socioeconomic advantage, increasing physical education policy compliance in elementary schools may be an effective strategy for improving fitness among Latino children. PMID:28591139

Provider documentation of patient education: a lean investigation*

PubMed Central

Shipman, Jean P.; Lake, Erica W.; Van Der Volgen, Jessica; Doman, Darrin

2016-01-01

Purpose The study evaluates how providers give patient education materials and identifies improvements to comply with Meaningful Use (MU) requirements. Methods Thirty-eight patient-provider interactions in two health care outpatient clinics were observed. Results Providers do not uniformly know MU patient education requirements. Providers have individual preferences and find gaps in what is available. Accessing and documenting patient education varies among providers. Embedded electronic health record (EHR) materials, while available, have technical access barriers. Conclusions Providers' EHR skills and knowledge levels contribute to non-standardized patient education delivery. PMID:27076805

Relation Between the Level of American Indian and Alaska Native Diabetes Education Program Services and Quality-of-Care Indicators

PubMed Central

Noonan, Carolyn; Goldberg, Jack H.; Valdez, S. Lorraine; Brown, Tammy L.; Manson, Spero M.; Acton, Kelly

2008-01-01

Objectives. We examined the relation between the level of diabetes education program services in the Indian Health Service (IHS) and indicators of the quality of diabetes care to determine if more-comprehensive diabetes services were associated with better quality of diabetes care. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, we used the IHS Integrated Diabetes Education Recognition Program to rank program services into 1 of 3 levels of comprehensiveness, ranging from lowest (developmental) to highest (integrated). We compared quality-of-care indicators among programs of differing levels with the 2001 IHS Diabetes Care and Outcomes Audit. Quality indicators included patients having recommended yearly examinations, education, and laboratory tests and achieving recommended levels of intermediate outcomes of care. Results. Most of the 86 participating programs were classified at or below the developmental level; only 9 programs (11%) were ranked at higher levels. After adjusting for patient characteristics, program factors, and correlation of patients within programs, we associated programs that were more comprehensive with higher completion rates of yearly lipid and hemoglobin A1C tests (P < .05). Conclusions. System-wide improvements in diabetes education are associated with better diabetes care. The results can help inform the development of diabetes education programs. PMID:18511737

Education, sense of mastery and mental health: results from a nation wide health monitoring study in Norway

PubMed Central

Dalgard, Odd Steffen; Mykletun, Arnstein; Rognerud, Marit; Johansen, Rune; Zahl, Per Henrik

2007-01-01

Background Earlier studies have shown that people with low level of education have increased rates of mental health problems. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between level of education and psychological distress, and to explore to which extent the association is mediated by sense of mastery, and social variables like social support, negative life events, household income, employment and marital status. Methods The data for the study were obtained from the Level of Living Survey conducted by Statistics Norway in 2002. Data on psychological distress and psychosocial variables were gathered by a self-administered questionnaire, whereas socio-demographic data were based on register statistics. Psychological distress was measured by Hopkins Symptom Checklist 25 items. Results There was a significant association between low level of education and psychological distress in both genders, the association being strongest in women aged 55–67 years. Low level of education was also significantly associated with low sense of mastery, low social support, many negative life events (only in men), low household income and unemployment,. Sense of mastery emerged as a strong mediating variable between level of education and psychological distress, whereas the other variables played a minor role when adjusting for sense of mastery. Conclusion Low sense of mastery seems to account for much of the association between low educational level and psychological distress, and should be an important target in mental health promotion for groups with low level of education. PMID:17519014

Effects of Individual and Proximate Educational Context on Intimate Partner Violence: A Population-Based Study of Women in India

PubMed Central

Ackerson, Leland K.; Kawachi, Ichiro; Barbeau, Elizabeth M.; Subramanian, S.V.

2008-01-01

Objectives. We examined the role of women’s education and proximate educational context on intimate partner violence (IPV). Methods. We examined a sample of 83627 married women aged 15 to 49 years from the 1998 to 1999 Indian National Family Health Survey. We used multilevel multiple logistic regression modeling to estimate the relative effect of women’s and their husband’s levels of education, spousal education differential, and community-level literacy on women’s risk of recent and lifetime IPV. Results. In adjusted models, odds of recent IPV among women without any education were 5.61 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.53, 8.92) those of college-educated women, and odds among wives of uneducated men were 1.84 times (95% CI=1.44, 2.35) those of wives of college-educated men. Women with more education than their husbands were more likely than those with educational parity to report recent IPV (odds ratio [OR]=1.18; 95% CI=1.05, 1.33). The results were similar for lifetime IPV. After we controlled for individual factors, as community male and female literacy levels increased, likelihood of IPV declined. Conclusions. Although increasing women’s levels of education is crucial to reducing IPV for women, proximate educational context is also an important factor in reducing this public health burden. PMID:18235066

Medical education in cyberspace: critical considerations in the health system

PubMed Central

YAZDANI, SHAHRAM; KHOSHGOFTAR, ZOHREH; AHMADY, SOLEIMAN; RASTEGARPOUR, HASSAN; FOROUTAN, SEYED ABBAS

2017-01-01

Introduction: Over the past few decades, two revolutionary approaches have emerged as a new form of medical education: Electronic Medical Education and Web-based Medical Education. A number of well-known medical institutions, such as Harvard and Johns Hopkins used a wide range of cyberspace capabilities to increase their competitiveness. Researchers have expressed that cyberspace will change health system’s main objective of training physicians and medical education. We conducted this study to identify the health system critical considerations on core issues, involving the development of medical education on cyberspace. Methods: In order to conduct this study, we observed the steps of a critical literature review, combined with the ‘Four-phase method’ adopted by Carnwell and Daly. We focused on particular literature on health and cyber system functions; it was associated with systemic approach. Results: We developed a six-level taxonomy, Cyber level, Governance level, Ministerial level, Organizational level, Program level and Performance level, as a key solution that can be applied for the success of medical education on cyberspace. The results were summarized and appraised in more details. Conclusion: Medical education on cyberspace is a complex interdisciplinary system. It is important that all aspects of the health systems be involved as integral to the development of cyber based medical education; without this convergence, we will be confused by the decisions made by others within the system. Health system should also communicate with those external sectors that are critical to achieving better learning on cyberspace. Integrated planning, governance and management of medical education in cyberspace are pivotal elements for the promotion. PMID:28124017

Does more education always lead to better health? Evidence from rural malaysia.

PubMed

Leeves, Gareth; Soyiri, Ireneous

2015-01-01

Background. Education is usually associated with improvement in health; there is evidence that this may not be the case if education is not fully utilised at work. This study examines the relationship between education level, occupation, and health outcomes of individuals in rural Malaysia. Results. The study finds that the incidence of chronic diseases and high blood pressure are higher for tertiary educated individuals in agriculture and construction occupations. This brings these individuals into more frequent contact with the health system. These occupations are marked with generally lower levels of education and contain fewer individuals with higher levels of education. Conclusions. Education is not always associated with better health outcomes. In certain occupations, greater education seems related to increased chronic disease and contact with the health system, which is the case for workers in agriculture in rural Malaysia. Agriculture is the largest sector of employment in rural Malaysia but with relatively few educated individuals. For the maintenance and sustainability of productivity in this key rural industry, health monitoring and job enrichment policies should be encouraged by government agencies to be part of the agenda for employers in these sectors.

Does More Education Always Lead to Better Health? Evidence from Rural Malaysia

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background. Education is usually associated with improvement in health; there is evidence that this may not be the case if education is not fully utilised at work. This study examines the relationship between education level, occupation, and health outcomes of individuals in rural Malaysia. Results. The study finds that the incidence of chronic diseases and high blood pressure are higher for tertiary educated individuals in agriculture and construction occupations. This brings these individuals into more frequent contact with the health system. These occupations are marked with generally lower levels of education and contain fewer individuals with higher levels of education. Conclusions. Education is not always associated with better health outcomes. In certain occupations, greater education seems related to increased chronic disease and contact with the health system, which is the case for workers in agriculture in rural Malaysia. Agriculture is the largest sector of employment in rural Malaysia but with relatively few educated individuals. For the maintenance and sustainability of productivity in this key rural industry, health monitoring and job enrichment policies should be encouraged by government agencies to be part of the agenda for employers in these sectors. PMID:25685796

Risk assessment in infrastructure in educational institution: A study in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasdan Ismail, Ahmad; Adilah Hamzah, Noor; Kamilah Makhtar, Nor; Azhar Mat Daud, Khairul; Zulkarnaen Khidzir, Nik; Husna Che Hassan, Nurul; Arifpin Mansor, Muhamad

2017-10-01

This particular study was conducted to assess the hazard exposure in education institution and to highlight the possible risk level available. The assessment utilised is Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Risk Control (HIRARC). There was a 2008’s form in order to determine the risk level of the hazard. There were over 111 of education institutions were selected around Malaysia to perform this assessment. Area chosen for each institution was office, playing field, canteen, classroom, toilet and drainage. By referring HIRARC Guideline 2008, the determination of risk rank is measure based on the formula likelihood multiply severity and the rank need to refer from risk matrix standard. There are several hazard have be found and shows the high, medium and low of risk level. The higher level of risk was discussed in the study which is hazard found in playing field and hazard in office. There several hazard that need to be control by education management to avoid increase of case accident in Education Sector, Malaysia. As conclusion, the exposure hazard among the staff and educators is high and further action and control are needed. Further study need to explore the best recommendation for control measure of the hazard exposed by education institution.

Education mitigates age-related decline in N-Acetylaspartate levels

PubMed Central

Erickson, Kirk I; Leckie, Regina L; Weinstein, Andrea M; Radchenkova, Polina; Sutton, Bradley P; Prakash, Ruchika Shaurya; Voss, Michelle W; Chaddock-Heyman, Laura; McAuley, Edward; Kramer, Arthur F

2015-01-01

Background Greater educational attainment is associated with better neurocognitive health in older adults and is thought to reflect a measure of cognitive reserve. In vivo neuroimaging tools have begun to identify the brain systems and networks potentially responsible for reserve. Methods We examined the relationship between education, a commonly used proxy for cognitive reserve, and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in neurologically healthy older adults (N = 135; mean age = 66 years). Using single voxel MR spectroscopy, we predicted that higher levels of education would moderate an age-related decline in NAA in the frontal cortex. Results After controlling for the variance associated with cardiorespiratory fitness, sex, annual income, and creatine levels, there were no significant main effects of education (B = 0.016, P = 0.787) or age (B = −0.058, P = 0.204) on NAA levels. However, consistent with our predictions, there was a significant education X age interaction such that more years of education offset an age-related decline in NAA (B = 0.025, P = 0.031). When examining working memory via the backwards digit span task, longer span length was associated with greater education (P < 0.01) and showed a trend with greater NAA concentrations (P < 0.06); however, there was no age X education interaction on digit span performance nor a significant moderated mediation effect between age, education, and NAA on digit span performance. Conclusions Taken together, these results suggest that higher levels of education may attenuate an age-related reduction in neuronal viability in the frontal cortex. PMID:25798329

Lifecourse educational status in relation to weight gain in African American women

PubMed Central

Coogan, Patricia F.; Wise, Lauren A.; Cozier, Yvette C.; Palmer, Julie R.; Rosenberg, Lynn

2013-01-01

Objectives Childhood disadvantage has been associated with increased risk of obesity from childhood through adulthood and those who are disadvantaged across the lifecourse are at highest risk. The effect of lifecourse socioeconomic status (SES) is particularly important for black women due to the higher prevalence of low SES and obesity in black compared to white women. We assessed associations of lifecourse SES, as indicated by educational status, with adult weight in African American women. Design We assessed the associations of parental education, current education (education of participant or her spouse), and a combination of parental and current education (lifecourse education) with weight gain among 21,457 women aged less than age 55 in the longitudinal Black Women’s Health Study which began in 1995. Main Outcome Measures We estimated the mean difference in weight gain between age 18 and age in 2009, and risk ratios for obesity in 2009, in each level of education compared to the highest level (college graduate). Results The age- and height-adjusted differences in mean weight gain for the lowest levels of parental and current education compared to the highest levels were 3.29 and 4.49 kg, respectively. The age-adjusted risk ratios for obesity for the lowest level of parental and current education were 1.44 (95% CI 1.32-1.57) and 1.75 (95% CI 1.57-1.95), respectively. Risk of obesity for was lowest among those with current education of college graduate, regardless of parental education. Conclusions Educational level of college graduate may overcome the adverse effects of low parental education on weight gain and obesity risk. PMID:22764643

Assessment of Online Patient Education Materials from Major Dermatologic Associations

PubMed Central

John, Ann M.; John, Elizabeth S.; Hansberry, David R.

2016-01-01

Objective: Patients increasingly use the internet to find medical information regarding their conditions and treatments. Physicians often supplement visits with written education materials. Online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations should be written at appropriate reading levels to optimize utility for patients. The purpose of this study is to assess online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations and determine if they are written at the fourth to sixth grade level recommended by the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health. Design: This is a descriptive and correlational design. Setting: Academic institution. Participants/measurements: Patient education materials from eight major dermatology websites were downloaded and assessed using 10 readability scales. A one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis were performed to determine the difference in readability levels between websites. Results: Two hundred and sixty patient education materials were assessed. Collectively, patient education materials were written at a mean grade level of 11.13, with 65.8 percent of articles written above a tenth grade level and no articles written at the American Medical Association/National Institutes of Health recommended grade levels. Analysis of variance demonstrated a significant difference between websites for each reading scale (p<0.001), which was confirmed with Tukey’s Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis. Conclusion: Online patient education materials from major dermatologic association websites are written well above recommended reading levels. Associations should consider revising patient education materials to allow more effective patient comprehension. (J ClinAesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(9):23–28.) PMID:27878059

Assessment of Online Patient Education Materials from Major Dermatologic Associations.

PubMed

John, Ann M; John, Elizabeth S; Hansberry, David R; Lambert, William Clark

2016-09-01

Objective: Patients increasingly use the internet to find medical information regarding their conditions and treatments. Physicians often supplement visits with written education materials. Online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations should be written at appropriate reading levels to optimize utility for patients. The purpose of this study is to assess online patient education materials from major dermatologic associations and determine if they are written at the fourth to sixth grade level recommended by the American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health. Design: This is a descriptive and correlational design. Setting: Academic institution. Participants/measurements: Patient education materials from eight major dermatology websites were downloaded and assessed using 10 readability scales. A one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis were performed to determine the difference in readability levels between websites. Results: Two hundred and sixty patient education materials were assessed. Collectively, patient education materials were written at a mean grade level of 11.13, with 65.8 percent of articles written above a tenth grade level and no articles written at the American Medical Association/National Institutes of Health recommended grade levels. Analysis of variance demonstrated a significant difference between websites for each reading scale (p<0.001), which was confirmed with Tukey's Honestly Statistically Different post hoc analysis. Conclusion: Online patient education materials from major dermatologic association websites are written well above recommended reading levels. Associations should consider revising patient education materials to allow more effective patient comprehension. (J ClinAesthet Dermatol. 2016;9(9):23-28.).

Migration background is associated with caries in Viennese school children, even if parents have received a higher education

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background A low level of education and the migration background of parents are associated with the development of caries in children. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a higher educational level of parents can overcome risks for the development of caries in immigrants in Vienna, Austria. Methods The educational level of the parents, the school type, and the caries status of 736 randomly selected twelve-year-old children with and without migration background was determined in this cross sectional study. In children attending school in Vienna the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index was determined. For statistical analysis, a mixed negative-binomial-model was used. Results The caries status of the children with migration background was significantly worse compared to that of the native Viennese population. A significant interaction was found between migration background and the educational level of the parents (p = 0.045). No interaction was found between the school type and either the migration background (p = 0.220) or the education level of the parents (p = 0.08). In parents with a higher scholarly education level, migration background (p < 0.01) and school type (p = 0.018) showed an association with DMFT values. In parents with a low education level, however, migration background and school type had no significant association with DMFT values. Conclusion These data indicate that children with a migration background are at higher risk to acquire caries than other Viennese children, even when the parents have received a higher education. PMID:24886105

Outcomes of educational interventions in type 2 diabetes: WEKA data-mining analysis.

PubMed

Sigurdardottir, Arun K; Jonsdottir, Helga; Benediktsson, Rafn

2007-07-01

To analyze which factors contribute to improvement in glycemic control in educational interventions in type 2 diabetes reported in randomized controlled trials (RCT) published in 2001-2005. Papers were extracted from Medline and Scopus using educational intervention and adults with type 2 diabetes as keywords. Inclusion criteria were RCT design. Data were analyzed with a data-mining program. Of 464 titles extracted, 21 articles reporting 18 studies met the inclusion criteria. Data mining showed that for initial glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level < or = 7.9% the diabetes education intervention achieved a small change in HbA1c level, or from +0.1 to -0.7%. For initial HbA1c > or = 8.0%, a significant drop in HbA1c level of 0.8-2.5% was found. Data mining indicated that duration, educational content and intensity of education did not predict changes in HbA1c levels. Initial HbA1c level is the single most important factor affecting improvements in glycemic control in response to patient education. Data mining is an appropriate and sufficiently sensitive method to analyze outcomes of educational interventions. Diversity in conceptualization of interventions and diversity of instruments used for outcome measurements could have hampered actual discovery of effective educational practices. Participation in educational interventions generally seems to benefit people with type 2 diabetes. Use of standardized instruments is encouraged as it gives better opportunities to identify conclusive results with consequent development of clinical guidelines.

IMIA Educational Recommendations and Nursing Informatics.

PubMed

Mantas, John; Hasman, Arie

2017-01-01

The updated version of the IMIA educational recommendations has given an adequate guidelines platform for developing educational programs in Biomedical and Health Informatics at all levels of education, vocational training, and distance learning. This chapter will provide a brief introduction of the recommendations pinpointing aspects for developing and assessing educational programs. We will provide a review of the existing feedback we have acquired during the IMIA site visits of accrediting educational programs at a worldwide level and discuss implementations issues. A brief overview of existing academic programs in Europe, North America and in other regions, especially for programs related to Nursing and to Nursing Informatics is provided. Finally, we will draw conclusions as how the IMIA recommendations may be required to be fitted into the specific needs of the Nursing Informatics and the needs of the Nursing professionals when they apply the recommendations to their academic and/or hospital/professional environments.

Influence of Education on Oro-dental Knowledge among School Hygiene Instructors

PubMed Central

Irani, Soussan; Meschi, Marjane; Goodarzi, Azizollah

2009-01-01

Background and aims Recent progresses in preventive dentistry and their correct application in many developed coun-tries have remarkably decreased the rate of oro-dental diseases in children and teenagers, while the rate of oro-dental diseases is on the rise among the children in developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of educating school health care instructors by measuring their level of oral health knowledge and their opinions about the impact of oral health and preventive dentistry. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study. Questionnaires were administered before and after an educational lecture to school health care instructors in Hamadan, Iran. Data were analyzed using paired t-test. Results In this study, 31 school health care instructors took part. The percentage of instructors in poor knowledge level was 22.6% before the educational lecture (education), which decreased to 0 percent after the education (P < 0.05). The percentage of instructors with good knowledge level was 3.2%, which increased to 80.6% after the education (P < 0.05). Conclusion Close cooperation between universities and the Ministry of Health and Medical Education will lead to im-provements in the level of knowledge and awareness of school health care instructors. PMID:23230483

Are there differences in the quality of the diet of working and stay-at-home women?

PubMed

Assumpção, Daniela de; Senicato, Caroline; Fisberg, Regina Mara; Canesqui, Ana Maria; Barros, Marilisa Berti de Azevedo

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE To verify whether there is an association between the quality of the diet and the inclusion of women in the labor market and whether the education level would modify this association. We have analyzed the differences according to education level and evaluated whether the insertion or not in the market modifies the association between the quality of the diet and education level. METHODS This is a cross-sectional population-based study that has used data from the Campinas Health Survey (2008 ISACamp). We have evaluated the diet of 464 women, aged 18 to 64 years, using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index - Revised. We have estimated the means of the total score and index components using simple and multiple linear regression. RESULTS We have observed no difference in the quality of diet of working and stay-at-home women. The analysis stratified by education level showed a lower intake of fruits among stay-at-home women in the segment of lower education level, in relation to working women. Among all women, a lower education level was associated with lower overall quality of the diet, higher intake of sodium, and lower intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk, and saturated fat. On the other hand, the inclusion in the labor market changed the effect of the education level on the quality of the diet. In the stay-at-home stratum, a low education level was associated with poorer quality of the diet and lower consumption of fruits, dark green and orange vegetables, and whole grains. Among the working women, a low education level was associated with higher intake of sodium and lower intake of vegetables, whole grains, and milk and dairy products. CONCLUSIONS The results show inequities in the profile of food in relation to education level and inclusion in the labor market, which shows the relevance of public policies that increase the access to education and provide guidance on a healthy diet.

Are there differences in the quality of the diet of working and stay-at-home women?

PubMed Central

de Assumpção, Daniela; Senicato, Caroline; Fisberg, Regina Mara; Canesqui, Ana Maria; Barros, Marilisa Berti de Azevedo

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To verify whether there is an association between the quality of the diet and the inclusion of women in the labor market and whether the education level would modify this association. We have analyzed the differences according to education level and evaluated whether the insertion or not in the market modifies the association between the quality of the diet and education level. METHODS This is a cross-sectional population-based study that has used data from the Campinas Health Survey (2008 ISACamp). We have evaluated the diet of 464 women, aged 18 to 64 years, using the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index – Revised. We have estimated the means of the total score and index components using simple and multiple linear regression. RESULTS We have observed no difference in the quality of diet of working and stay-at-home women. The analysis stratified by education level showed a lower intake of fruits among stay-at-home women in the segment of lower education level, in relation to working women. Among all women, a lower education level was associated with lower overall quality of the diet, higher intake of sodium, and lower intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk, and saturated fat. On the other hand, the inclusion in the labor market changed the effect of the education level on the quality of the diet. In the stay-at-home stratum, a low education level was associated with poorer quality of the diet and lower consumption of fruits, dark green and orange vegetables, and whole grains. Among the working women, a low education level was associated with higher intake of sodium and lower intake of vegetables, whole grains, and milk and dairy products. CONCLUSIONS The results show inequities in the profile of food in relation to education level and inclusion in the labor market, which shows the relevance of public policies that increase the access to education and provide guidance on a healthy diet. PMID:29723387

The association of parental education with childhood undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries: comparing the role of paternal and maternal education

PubMed Central

Vollmer, Sebastian; Bommer, Christian; Krishna, Aditi; Harttgen, Kenneth; Subramanian, SV

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Most existing research on the association of parental education with childhood undernutrition focuses on maternal education and often ignores paternal education. We systematically investigate differences in maternal and paternal education and their association with childhood undernutrition. Methods: One hundred and eighty Demographic and Health Surveys from 62 countries performed between 1990 and 2014 were analysed. We used linear-probability models to predict childhood undernutrition prevalences, measured as stunting, underweight and wasting, for all combinations of maternal and paternal attainment in school. Models were adjusted for demographic and socio-economic covariates for the child, mother and household, country-level fixed effects and clustering. Additional specifications adjust for local area characteristics instead of country fixed effects. Results: Both higher maternal and paternal education levels are associated with lower childhood undernutrition. In regressions adjusted for child age and sex as well as country-level fixed effects, the association is stronger for maternal education than for paternal education when their combined level of education is held constant. In the fully adjusted models, the observed differences in predicted undernutrition prevalences are strongly attenuated, suggesting a similar importance of maternal and paternal education. These findings are confirmed by the analysis of composite schooling indicators. Conclusions: We find that paternal education is similarly important for reducing childhood undernutrition as maternal education and should therefore receive increased attention in the literature. PMID:27501820

Evaluating the complexity of online patient education materials about brain aneurysms published by major academic institutions.

PubMed

Gupta, Raghav; Adeeb, Nimer; Griessenauer, Christoph J; Moore, Justin M; Patel, Apar S; Kim, Christopher; Thomas, Ajith J; Ogilvy, Christopher S

2017-08-01

OBJECTIVE Health care education resources are increasingly available on the Internet. A majority of people reference these resources at one point or another. A threshold literacy level is needed to comprehend the information presented within these materials. A key component of health literacy is the readability of educational resources. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association have recommended that patient education materials be written between a 4th- and a 6th-grade education level. The authors assessed the readability of online patient education materials about brain aneurysms that have been published by several academic institutions across the US. METHODS Online patient education materials about brain aneurysms were downloaded from the websites of 20 academic institutions. The materials were assessed via 8 readability scales using Readability Studio software (Oleander Software Solutions), and then were statistically analyzed. RESULTS None of the patient education materials were written at or below the NIH's recommended 6th-grade reading level. The average educational level required to comprehend the texts across all institutions, as assessed by 7 of the readability scales, was 12.4 ± 2.5 (mean ± SD). The Flesch Reading Ease Scale classified the materials as "difficult" to understand, correlating with a college-level education or higher. An ANOVA test found that there were no significant differences in readability among the materials from the institutions (p = 0.215). CONCLUSIONS Brain aneurysms affect 3.2% of adults 50 years or older across the world and can cause significant patient anxiety and uncertainty. Current patient education materials are not written at or below the NIH's recommended 4th- to 6th-grade education level.

Maternal education and age: inequalities in neonatal death

PubMed Central

Fonseca, Sandra Costa; Flores, Patricia Viana Guimarães; Camargo, Kenneth Rochel; Pinheiro, Rejane Sobrino; Coeli, Claudia Medina

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Evaluate the interaction between maternal age and education level in neonatal mortality, as well as investigate the temporal evolution of neonatal mortality in each stratum formed by the combination of these two risk factors. METHODS A nonconcurrent cohort study, resulting from a probabilistic relationship between the Mortality Information System and the Live Birth Information System. To investigate the risk of neonatal death we performed a logistic regression, with an odds ratio estimate for the combined variable of maternal education and age, as well as the evaluation of additive and multiplicative interaction. The neonatal mortality rate time series, according to maternal education and age, was estimated by the Joinpoint Regression program. RESULTS The neonatal mortality rate in the period was 8.09‰ and it was higher in newborns of mothers with low education levels: 12.7‰ (adolescent mothers) and 12.4‰ (mother 35 years old or older). Low level of education, without the age effect, increased the chance of neonatal death by 25% (OR = 1.25, 95%CI 1.14–1.36). The isolated effect of age on neonatal death was higher for adolescent mothers (OR = 1.39, 95%CI 1.33–1.46) than for mothers aged ≥ 35 years (OR = 1.16, 95%CI 1.09–1.23). In the time-trend analysis, no age group of women with low education levels presented a reduction in the neonatal mortality rate for the period, as opposed to women with intermediate or high levels of education, where the reduction was significant, around 4% annually. CONCLUSIONS Two more vulnerable groups – adolescents with low levels of education and older women with low levels of education – were identified in relation to the risk of neonatal death and inequality in reducing the mortality rate. PMID:29166446

Analysis of food irradiation education for elementary, middle, and high school students for three years in South Korea

PubMed Central

Choi, Yoonseok; Kim, Jaerok

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The current South Korean government policy on food irradiation technology should be reformed based on an in-depth investigation of the communications aspect, because the issue is no longer of a technological nature, given the proven safety and efficacy of the processes. SUBJECTS/METHODS The target population of the education program consisted of elementary, middle, and high school students attending 310 schools in South Korea (2013: 63 schools, 2014: 104 schools, 2015: 143 schools). Data subjected to analysis were 13,327 pre-education and 12,641 post-education questionnaires received from 7,582 elementary, 2,671 middle, and 3,249 high school students who participated in the education program from May 2012 to April 2015 (n = 12,831), after the exclusion of inadequately filled-in questionnaires. RESULTS Analysis of the three-year educational effect trend was conducted by comparing levels of variables before and after food radiation education. The analysis yielded the finding that the post-education levels were significantly higher for all variables. That is, for interest in education, perception (necessity, safety, subjective knowledge, and information acquisition), objective knowledge, and attitude, with the sole exception of objective knowledge in 2013. CONCLUSIONS Given that post-education levels of perception, knowledge, and attitude concerning irradiated foods increased considerably compared to pre-education levels, behavior change should be induced by providing continuous education to enhance, these primary variables. PMID:27087909

Evaluation of factors influencing patient satisfaction in social security hospitals in Mazandaran province, North of Iran

PubMed Central

Jafari Kelarijani, Seyed Ebrahim; Jamshidi, Reza; Heidarian, Ali Reza; Khorshidi, Mohamad

2014-01-01

Background: Patient satisfaction is affected by hospital services and may have an effect on the cultural, social and personal conditions of the people living in the region. This research aimed to evaluate the patient satisfaction in social security hospitals in Mazandaran province. Methods: From Spring 2012 to Summer 2013, all patients admitted to social security hospitals in Mazandaran province were entered in the study. Data regarding to inhabitation, sex, income and patients’ educational level and satisfaction with the hospital services were collected. Results: Seven hundred seventy-six patients with mean age of 47.35±7.41 years were analyzed. Patient's inhabitant, educational attainment and income level had a significant relationship with patient satisfaction level (p<0.05). There was no significant difference regarding patients’ gender. Conclusion: The results show that the patient's inhabitant, educational and income level are related to attain patients’ satisfaction. PMID:25489436

Gender and access in the African school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Milton N.; Kruppenbach, Susan E.

1987-12-01

The educational system in major parts of Africa, where post-primary enrolment rates are the lowest in the world, is treated in this article. In particular, female access patterns to formal education in Botswana, Liberia, Niger and Somalia are compared. One primary conclusion reached by the authors is that enrolment levels are linked with general economic development. Factors leading to the comparatively high rate of females having gained access to a primary level of education on the one hand, and a very low rate of post-primary enrolment on the other, are discussed and the following issues are touched on: the marginal link between school expansion policies and actual female enrolment, and their predominance in the urban sector.

The Rise and Fall of Mathematical Enrolments in the French Educational System: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnoux, Pierre; Duverney, Daniel; Holton, Derek

2009-01-01

In this article, we start by considering the relevant parts of the French educational system and the data relating to science at the end of secondary school and the early years of university. We show an increase, till 1995, and then a decline in the study of mathematics at baccalaureate and university level. However, our main conclusions relate to…

Draping Education to Promote Patient Dignity: Canadian Physiotherapy Student and Instructor Perceptions

PubMed Central

Wilson, Nicole; Lusty, Christopher; Averns, Henry; Hopman, Wilma

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: To determine the perceptions of educators and students in Canadian entry-level professional physiotherapy programmes with respect to the current draping curriculum and the methods of delivery of that content and to determine if there is a need for additional draping education time and resources in these programmes. Methods: Canadian university physiotherapy students (n=127) and educators (n=183) completed questionnaires designed by the authors. Data were collected via Survey Monkey, exported as Excel files, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square analysis. Results: Students and educators agreed that dignity as a concept and draping as a skill to protect patient dignity are both important and should be included in Canadian physiotherapy curricula. Respondents also agreed that students often have difficulty with draping. Educators identified barriers to teaching draping while students identified components of an effective educational resource on draping. Conclusions: To enhance the development of effective draping skills among entry-level physiotherapists, draping education should be included in Canadian physiotherapy curricula. An effective draping educational resource should be developed for educators and students. PMID:23450117

Increasing educational inequalities in self-rated health in Brazil, 1998-2013.

PubMed

Andrade, Flavia Cristina Drumond; Mehta, Jeenal Deepak

2018-01-01

The objectives of this study are to analyze the associations between educational levels and poor self-rated health (SRH) among adults in Brazil and to assess trends in the prevalence of poor self-rated health across educational groups between 1998 and 2013. Individual-level data came from the 1998, 2003 and 2008 Brazilian National Household Survey and the 2013 National Health Survey. We estimate prevalence rates of poor SRH by education. Using multivariable regressions, we assess the associations between educational levels and poor self-rated health. We use these regressions to predict the estimated ratios between the prevalence rates of those in low vs. high education in order to assess if relative changes in poor SRH have narrowed over time. Finally, we tested for statistically significant time trends in adult chronic disease inequalities by education. Results indicate a clear educational gradient in poor SRH. Prevalence ratios show that Brazilian adults with no education have levels of poor SRH that are 7 to 9 times higher than those with some college or more. The difference between those with lowest and highest education increased from 1998 to 2013. Compared to those with no education, there were increases in the prevalence of poor SRH among those with primary and secondary incomplete as well as among those with secondary complete in 2008 and 2013. In conclusion, there is a positive association between poor SRH and low education. Brazil has many social and geographic inequalities in health. Even though educational levels are increasing, there is no improvement in the general subjective health of Brazilians. Health inequalities by race and region highlight the need to improve the health of socially disadvantaged groups in Brazil. Addressing chronic conditions and mental health is needed to improve self-perceptions of health in Brazil as well.

Comunicacion, Lengua Materna: Un Modelo Holistico para su Desarollo (Communication, Mother Tongue: A Holistic Model for Development).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aquino, Orlando Fernandez

2000-01-01

Recounts the author's educational experiences between 1991-1995 as a university writing teacher and tutorial assistant for scientific papers at the secondary level. Presents a methodology integrally developed in four steps that can be applied to different levels of teaching and a series of conclusive theses about the subject. (BT)

Is a decentralized continuing medical education program feasible for Chinese rural health professionals?

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Purpose: Rural health professionals in township health centers (THCs) tend to have less advanced educational degrees. This study aimed to ascertain the perceived feasibility of a decentralized continuing medical education (CME) program to upgrade their educational levels. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of THC health professionals was conducted using a self-administered, structured questionnaire in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. Results: The health professionals in the THCs were overwhelmingly young with low education levels. They had a strong desire to upgrade their educational degrees. The decentralized CME program was perceived as feasible by health workers with positive attitudes about the benefit for license examination, and by those who intended to improve their clinical diagnosis and treatment skills. The target groups of such a program were those who expected to undertake a bachelor’s degree and who rated themselves as “partially capable” in clinical competency. They reported that 160-400 USD annually would be an affordable fee for the program. Conclusion: A decentralized CME program was perceived feasible to upgrade rural health workers’ education level to a bachelor’s degree and improve their clinical competency. PMID:27134005

Education in Basic Skills and Training for Productive Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Labarca, Guillermo

1998-09-01

The success of global policies and strategies aimed at training for productive work depends to a large extent on the level of development of basic skills among the work force and, likewise, training costs will vary according to the level of general preparation of those entering on the process. In view of the close relationship between the structure of the school system, the development of basic skills and actual training, different options are available to resolve imbalances between training for productive employment and previous basic education. Our conclusions are that training cannot replace basic education, that the process of technological change goes hand in hand with an increased demand for workers with a high level of education, that substituting training in specific skills for good basic education is not the most efficient option, and that one of the favorable effects of primary education is that it facilitates after- school training. This article seeks to identify certain dimensions of human resource training which are often overlooked in relation to both basic skills and specific training proper: namely, the imbalances existing between vocational training and previous education, and the options available for correcting them.

Differences in Perceived Difficulty in Print and Online Patient Education Materials

PubMed Central

Farnsworth, Michael

2014-01-01

Context: Written patient education materials frequently exceed the reading ability of the general public. Patients are often intimidated by the task of reading patient education materials, perceiving the materials’ difficulty levels as prohibitive, even when they do not exceed the patients’ reading abilities. It is unclear how the delivery mechanism—print or a computer screen—affects a patient’s reading experience through his/her perception of its difficulty. Objective: To determine whether first-year college students perceived online or print-based patient education materials as more difficult to read. Design: Convenience sampling of first-year college students. Results: Some first-year college students perceived online patient education materials to be more difficult to read than print-based ones—even when the reading level of the patient education materials was similar. Demographic information about this sample’s high levels of digital literacy suggests that other populations might also perceive online patient education materials as more difficult to read than print-based equivalents. Patients’ perceptions of the difficulty of patient education materials influenced their ability to effectively learn from those materials. Conclusion: This article concludes with a call for more research into patients’ perceptions of difficulty of patient education materials in print vs on a screen. PMID:25662526

Associations of Education Level and Bone Density Tests among Cognitively Intact Elderly White Women in Managed Medicare

PubMed Central

Shi, Di; Yin, Michael T.; Shi, Qiuhu; Hoover, Donald R.

2012-01-01

Objectives. To examine associations between having bone density tests and level of education among white elderly women in managed Medicare. Method. Data from the ninth through twelfth cohort (2006–2009) of the Medicare Health Outcome Survey (HOS) of managed Medicare plans were analyzed; 239331 white elderly women were included. Respondents were grouped by education level and the percentages of respondents who had lifetime bone density testing done among each group were analyzed. Results. 62.7% of respondents with less than a high school education reported previously taking a bone density test. This was lower than the 73.8% for respondents who completed high school and the 81.0% for respondents with more than a high school education. When potential confounding factors such as age, body mass index, marital status, smoking history, year of HOS survey, and region were factored in, the odds ratios of having a bone density test when compared to respondents with less than a high school education were 1.61 and 2.39, respectively, for those with just a high school education and more than a high school education (P < 0.001). Conclusion. Higher education was independently associated with greater use of bone density test in these elderly white women. PMID:23056041

Use of the MoCA in Detecting Early Alzheimer's Disease in a Spanish-Speaking Population with Varied Levels of Education

PubMed Central

Zhou, Yan; Ortiz, Freddy; Nuñez, Christopher; Elashoff, David; Woo, Ellen; Apostolova, Liana G.; Wolf, Sheldon; Casado, Maria; Caceres, Nenette; Panchal, Hemali; Ringman, John M.

2015-01-01

Background/Aims Performance on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) has been demonstrated to be dependent on the educational level. The purpose of this study was to identify how to best adjust MoCA scores and to identify MoCA items most sensitive to cognitive decline in incipient Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a Spanish-speaking population with varied levels of education. Methods We analyzed data from 50 Spanish-speaking participants. We examined the pattern of diagnosis-adjusted MoCA residuals in relation to education and compared four alternative score adjustments using bootstrap sampling. Sensitivity and specificity analyses were performed for the raw and each adjusted score. The interval reliability of the MoCA as well as item discrimination and item validity were examined. Results We found that with progressive compensation added for those with lower education, unexplained residuals decreased and education-residual association moved to zero, suggesting that more compensation was necessary to better adjust MoCA scores in those with a lower educational level. Cube copying, sentence repetition, delayed recall, and orientation were most sensitive to cognitive impairment due to AD. Conclusion A compensation of 3-4 points was needed for <6 years of education. Overall, the Spanish version of the MoCA maintained adequate psychometric properties in this population. PMID:25873930

Improvement of Young and Elderly Patient’s Knowledge of Heart Failure After an Educational Session

PubMed Central

Roncalli, Jérôme; Perez, Laurence; Pathak, Atul; Spinazze, Laure; Mazon, Sandrine; Lairez, Olivier; Curnier, Daniel; Fourcade, Joëlle; Elbaz, Meyer; Carrié, Didier; Puel, Jacques; Fauvel, Jean-Marie; Galinier, Michel

2009-01-01

Background: Interest in the role of patient education sessions for optimizing the management of heart failure (HF) is increasing. We determined whether improvements in young and elderly patients’ knowledge of HF and self-care behavior could be analyzed by administering a knowledge test before and after an educational session. Methods: Stable heart failure patients (n = 115) were enrolled in a prospective cohort study from our Heart Failure educational centre in a university hospital. Patient knowledge of six major HF-related topics was assessed via a questionnaire distributed once before an educational session and twice afterward. Each answer was assigned a numerical value and the final score for each topic could range from 0 to 20. Scores ≥ 15/20 were considered representative of a good level of knowledge. Results: The level of knowledge was low (9.7/20) before the educational session but was significantly higher (16.3/20) during the 1st quarter after the session, and this benefit was maintained for up to 12 months (16.6/20). Knowledge levels increased in both younger and elderly patients, and the number of patients who had a good level of knowledge also increased after the educational session. Conclusion: This study confirms that an HF knowledge test is feasible and that educational sessions improve the knowledge and self-management of both younger and elderly patients. PMID:20508766

Non-linear education gradient across the nutrition transition: mothers’ overweight and the population education transition

PubMed Central

Salinas, Daniel; Baker, David P

2015-01-01

Objective Previous studies found that developed and developing countries present opposite education-overweight gradients but have not considered the dynamics at different levels of national development. A U-inverted curve is hypothesized to best describe the education-overweight association. It is also hypothesized that as the nutrition transition unfolds within nations the shape of education-overweight curve change. Design Multi-level logistic regression estimates the moderating effect of the nutrition transition at the population level on education-overweight gradient. At the individual level, a non-linear estimate of the education association assesses the optimal functional form of the association across the nutrition transition. Setting Twenty-two administrations of the Demographic and Health Survey, collected at different time points across the nutrition transition in nine Latin American/Caribbean countries. Subjects Mothers of reproductive age (15–49) in each administration (n 143,258). Results In the pooled sample, a non-linear education gradient on mothers‘ overweight is found; each additional year of schooling increases the probability of being overweight up to the end of primary schooling, after which each additional year of schooling decreases the probability of overweight. Also, as access to diets of high animal fats and sweeteners increases over time, the curve‘s critical point moves to lower education levels, the detrimental positive effect of education diminishes, and both occur as the overall risk of overweight increases with greater access to harmful diets. Conclusions Both hypotheses are supported. As the nutrition transition progresses, the education-overweight curve steadily shifts to a negative linear association with higher average risk of overweight; and education, at increasingly lower levels, acts as a “social vaccine” against increasing risk of overweight. These empirical patterns fit the general “population education transition” (PET) curve hypothesis about how education influences on health risks are contextualized across population transitions. PMID:26054756

The Curriculum for the 1990s: A New Package or a New Spirit? The A. W. Jones Lecture, 1989. Occasional Paper No. 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beare, Hedley

An analysis of deficiencies of recent curriculum reform efforts in Australia and recommendations for improvement are presented in this paper. Despite criticisms that have been levelled at the educational system, a conclusion is that educators are well prepared to meet the demands for restructuring. What is needed is not merely restructuring, but a…

Scenarios and Strategies for Vocational Education and Lifelong Learning in Europe: Summary of Findings and Conclusions of the Joint CEDEFOP/ETF Project (1998-2002). CEDEFOP Panorama Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sellin, Burkart

The scenarios project set out to develop a tool to improve understanding of vocational education and training (VET) systems in the linked contexts of economic and technological change; changes in society, work, and the labor market; and changing training/skills environment. Other key attempts at the European level to generate European scenarios…

Routine educational outcome measures in health studies: Key Stage 1 in the ORACLE Children Study follow-up of randomised trial cohorts.

PubMed

Jones, David R; Pike, Katie; Kenyon, Sara; Pike, Laura; Henderson, Brian; Brocklehurst, Peter; Marlow, Neil; Salt, Alison; Taylor, David J

2011-01-01

Statutory educational attainment measures are rarely used as health study outcomes, but Key Stage 1 (KS1) data formed secondary outcomes in the long-term follow-up to age 7 years of the ORACLE II trial of antibiotic use in preterm babies. This paper describes the approach, compares different approaches to analysis of the KS1 data and compares use of summary KS1 (level) data with use of individual question scores. 3394 children born to women in the ORACLE Children Study and resident in England at age 7. Analysis of educational achievement measured by national end of KS1 data (KS1) using Poisson regression modelling and anchoring of the KS1 data using external standards. KS1 summary level data were obtained for 3239 (95%) eligible children; raw individual question scores were obtained for 1899 (54%). Use of individual question scores where available did not change the conclusion of no evidence of treatment effects based on summary KS1 outcome data. When accessible for medical research purposes, routinely collected educational outcome data may have advantages of low cost and standardised definition. Here, summary scores lead to similar conclusions to raw (individual question) scores and so are attractive and cost-effective alternatives.

Effects of Nutrition Education on Levels of Nutritional Awareness of Pregnant Women in Western Iran

PubMed Central

Fallah, Farnoush; Pourabbas, Ahmad; Delpisheh, Ali; Veisani, Yousef; Shadnoush, Mahdi

2013-01-01

Background Maternal nutritional health, before and during pregnancy, influences the health status of herself and her developing fetus. Pregnancy is an important condition for improving nutritional knowledge. Objectives The present study aimed at determining effects of nutrition education on levels of nutritional awareness of a representative group of pregnant women in Western Iran. Patients and Methods A quasi-experimental intervention was undertaken on a random sample of pregnant women (n = 100) attending urban health centers in Ilam city (western Iran) during the year 2011 for prenatal care. A nutritional education program containing two to four lessons was undertaken for small groups of between six to ten women. Nutritional knowledge was assessed before intervention (pretest) and followed by two posttests within three weeks interval. Results The awareness level of pregnant women about healthy nutrition was significantly increased from 3% before intervention to 31% after the nutritional education intervention (P < 0.001). This significant difference was independent from maternal characteristics of age and levels of literacy and in obese mothers in particular. Conclusions A nutritional education intervention will have a positive effect on nutritional awareness of pregnant women. PMID:24348589

Re-education of young driving offenders: effects on self-reports of driver behavior.

PubMed

af Wåhlberg, A E

2010-08-01

Offending drivers are often re-educated, but these courses have seldom been shown to have any safety effects. An on-line improvement course for offending drivers below the age of 25 was evaluated with several driver inventories. The drivers reported higher levels of aggression, stress, sensation seeking, drunk driving, and driving violations, six months after the course than before. However, these levels were lower than those of controls, indicating that the initially low levels for the education group were due to socially desirable responding, as measured by a lie scale, an effect that waned after the course. The results can be interpreted as a positive effect of the education, although this conclusion is tentative and not in agreement with all effects in the data. The results are in disagreement with previous evaluation studies using the same or similar instruments, and show the need to include controls for social desirability in self-report studies. 2010 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HIV/AIDS Stigma Attitudes among Educators in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

PubMed Central

Chao, Li-Wei; Akintola, Goke; Pauly, Mark

2012-01-01

Background One hundred and twenty educators from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, underwent HIV/AIDS training. The educators were surveyed about their attitudes toward people with HIV. Methods The educators completed self-administered survey questionnaires both before and after two interventions. Measures included demographic characteristics, teachers' knowledge about HIV/AIDS, self-efficacy in handling HIV/AIDS situations, and attitudes (stigma and otherwise) towards HIV-related issues. The first intervention was a CD-ROM and the second intervention involved educators receiving a two day workshop on HIV transmission, risk factors, and actions that educators should know and undertake. The first step entailed testing the stigma instrument for its internal consistency, and developing and testing potential subscales from the instrument. The second step entailed testing for the statistical associations between stigma (as measured by the stigma instrument and its subscales) and various demographic and HIV knowledge related variables. Results The overall stigma scale had a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.66. Educators in the workshop generally had lower baseline levels of stigma than those in the CD-ROM intervention. Following both interventions the stigma levels of both groups of educators were significantly reduced. The levels of stigma reduction varied by educators' demographic indicators. The largest reductions in stigma were reported for those educators who had better general AIDS knowledge; better knowledge about risk of transmission; university education, rural residence and younger age. Conclusions The levels of teachers' stigma attitudes were statistically significantly lower after both types of HIV/AIDS training and were also statistically significantly associated with improvements in HIV knowledge. PMID:21039555

Education and acute coronary syndromes: results from the CARDIO2000 epidemiological study.

PubMed Central

Pitsavos, Christos E.; Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B.; Chrysohoou, Christina A.; Skoumas, John; Stefanadis, Christodoulos; Toutouzas, Pavlos K.

2002-01-01

OBJECTIVE: As a measure of socioeconomic status, low educational level is positively associated with the risk of developing adverse health events. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the level of education and the risk of developing non- fatal acute coronary syndromes. METHODS: During 2000 and 2001, 1619 randomly selected subjects from several regions of Greece were entered into a case-control study. Of these, 750 were patients with their first acute coronary heart syndrome event, and 869 were hospitalized controls with no cardiovascular disease in their medical history. Trends in cardiovascular risk factors were then examined across patient and control educational level by years of schooling. FINDINGS: In both patients and controls, education status was related to economic and occupation status, smoking habits, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption and non-compliance to treatment. After adjusting for these and other conventional risk factors, as well as for the effects of age and sex, we found that coronary risk increases by 82% (odds ratio (OR) = 1.82, P <0.05) for individuals with a lower level of education, and by 65% (OR = 1.65, P <0.05) for individuals with an average education, compared to those with an academic education. CONCLUSIONS: Although the least-educated subjects adopted a more adverse lifestyle than the more-educated subjects, the inverse association between education and coronary risk was independent from such factors. The inverse association may be due to psychosocial differences, and prospective cohort studies are needed to confirm or refute these results. PMID:12077612

Relationship between family history of alcohol addiction, parents' education level, and smartphone problem use scale scores.

PubMed

Beison, Ashley; Rademacher, David J

2017-03-01

Background and aims Smartphones are ubiquitous. As smartphones increased in popularity, researchers realized that people were becoming dependent on their smartphones. The purpose here was to provide a better understanding of the factors related to problematic smartphone use (PSPU). Methods The participants were 100 undergraduates (25 males, 75 females) whose ages ranged from 18 to 23 (mean age = 20 years). The participants completed questionnaires to assess gender, ethnicity, year in college, father's education level, mother's education level, family income, age, family history of alcoholism, and PSPU. The Family Tree Questionnaire assessed family history of alcoholism. The Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS) and the Adapted Cell Phone Addiction Test (ACPAT) were used to determine the degree of PSPU. Whereas the MPPUS measures tolerance, escape from other problems, withdrawal, craving, and negative life consequences, the ACPAT measures preoccupation (salience), excessive use, neglecting work, anticipation, lack of control, and neglecting social life. Results Family history of alcoholism and father's education level together explained 26% of the variance in the MPPUS scores and 25% of the variance in the ACPAT scores. The inclusion of mother's education level, ethnicity, family income, age, year in college, and gender did not significantly increase the proportion of variance explained for either MPPUS or ACPAT scores. Discussion and conclusions Family history of alcoholism and father's education level are good predictors of PSPU. As 74%-75% of the variance in PSPU scale scores was not explained, future studies should aim to explain this variance.

Socioeconomic Differences in the Impact of HIV Infection on Workforce Participation in France in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

PubMed Central

Dray-Spira, Rosemary; Gueguen, Alice; Ravaud, Jean-François; Lert, France

2007-01-01

Objectives. We sought to measure the difference in employment rates between HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative persons and to establish whether this difference varied according to the HIV-infected persons’ socioeconomic position as defined by education level. Methods. We used data from the VESPA (VIH: Enquête Sur les Personnes Atteintes) study, a large cross-sectional survey conducted among a nationally representative sample of 2932 HIV-infected patients in France. Age-, gender-, nationality-, and education-standardized employment rates were estimated with the French general population as the reference. The differences in employment rates with the general population were computed overall and according to education level. Results. Compared with that of the general population, the overall employment rate was 25% lower (95% confidence interval [CI]=16%, 32%) among HIV-infected patients diagnosed before 1994 and 9% lower (95% CI = 5%, 16%) among HIV-infected patients diagnosed from 1994 onward. The difference in employment rates with the general population was significantly higher among patients with a low education level. The employment rate of highly educated HIV-infected patients diagnosed from 1994 onward did not differ from that of the general population. Conclusions. HIV infection was associated with decreased workforce participation among those with a low education level but not among highly educated individuals. PMID:17267720

Physical activity patterns and socioeconomic position: the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background We investigated the associations between education and leisure-time, occupational, sedentary and total physical-activity levels based on data from the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey 1998 (GNHIES98). The roles of income level, occupational status and other mediating variables for these associations were also examined. Methods The total study sample of the GNHIES98 comprised 7,124 participants between the ages of 18 and 79. Complete information was available for 6,800 persons on leisure-time, sedentary and total physical-activity outcomes and for 3,809 persons in regular employment on occupational activity outcomes. The associations between educational level and physical activity (occupational, sedentary, leisure-time and total physical activity) were analysed separately for men and women using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Odds ratios (OR) of educational level on physical-activity outcomes were calculated and adjusted for age, region, occupation, income and other mediating variables. Results After adjusting for age and region, a higher education level was associated with more leisure-time activity – with an OR of 1.6 (95% CI, 1.3-2.0) for men with secondary education and 2.1 (1.7-2.7) for men with tertiary education compared to men with primary education. The corresponding ORs for women were 1.3 (1.1-1.6) and 1.7 (1.2-2.4), respectively. Higher education was associated with a lower level of vigorous work activity: an OR of 6.9 (4.6-10.3) for men with secondary education and 18.6 (12.0-27.3) for men with primary education compared to men with tertiary education. The corresponding ORs for women were 2.8 (2.0-4.0) and 5.8 (4.0-8.5), respectively. Higher education was also associated with a lower level of total activity: an OR of 2.9 (2.2-3.8) for men with secondary education and 4.3 (3.3-5.6) for men with tertiary education compared to men with primary education. The corresponding ORs for women were 1.6 (1.2-2.0) and 1.6 (1.2-2.1), respectively. Conclusions In Germany adults with a lower level of education are more physically active, both at work and overall, compared to adults with a higher education level, although they are less physically active in their leisure time. Higher work-related activity levels among adults with lower education may explain why they are less active in their leisure time. PMID:23241280

A New Approach to the Measurement of Educational Outcomes for Institutions of High Learning.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-01

Instructs on four levels of undergraduate education. At the end of that year, students have completed the freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year. Wen...conclusions for the aggregate model even though individual models are discussed. During any given academic year, the undergraduate university has students ... students quit at every step along the four year university ladder to an undergraduate degree. In other words, the more heterogeneous (as measured by

High educational performance is a distinctive feature of bipolar disorder; a study on cognition in bipolar disorder, schizophrenia patients, relatives and controls

PubMed Central

Vreeker, Annabel; Boks, Marco P.M.; Abramovic, Lucija; Verkooijen, Sanne; van Bergen, Annet H.; Hillegers, Manon H.J.; Spijker, Annet T.; Hoencamp, Erik; Regeer, Eline J.; Riemersma-Van der Lek, Rixt F.; Stevens, Anja W.M.M.; Schulte, Peter F.J.; Vonk, Ronald; Hoekstra, Rocco; van Beveren, Nico J.M.; Kupka, Ralph W.; Brouwer, Rachel M.; Bearden, Carrie E.; MacCabe, James H.; Ophoff, Roel A.

2017-01-01

Background Schizophrenia is associated with lower intelligence and poor educational performance relative to the general population. This is, to a lesser degree, also found in first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients. It is unclear whether bipolar disorder I (BD-I) patients and their relatives have similar lower intellectual and educational performance as that observed in schizophrenia. Methods This cross-sectional study investigated intelligence and educational performance in two outpatient samples (494 BD-I patients, 952 schizophrenia spectrum (SCZ) patients), 2,231 BD-I and SCZ relatives patients, 1,104 healthy controls and 100 control siblings. Mixed-effects- and regression models were used to compare groups on intelligence and educational performance. Results BD-I patients were more likely to have completed the highest level of education (OR=1.88 [1.66–2.70]) despite having a lower IQ compared with controls (β=−9.09, SE=1.27, p<0.001). In contrast, SCZ patients showed both a lower IQ (β= −15.31, SE=0.86, p<0.001) and lower educational levels compared with controls. Siblings of both patient groups had significantly lower IQ than control siblings, but did not differ on educational performance. IQ scores did not differ between BD-I parents and SCZ parents, but BD-I parents had completed higher educational levels. Conclusions Although BD-I patients had a lower IQ than controls, they were more likely to have completed the highest level of education. This contrasts with SCZ patients, who showed both intellectual and educational deficits compared to healthy controls. Since relatives of BD-I patients did not demonstrate superior educational performance, our data suggest that high educational performance may be a distinctive feature of bipolar disorder patients. PMID:26621616

Patient safety competency and educational needs of nursing educators in South Korea

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Nursing educators must be qualified to teach patient safety to nursing students to ensure patient safety in the clinical field. The purpose of this study was to assess nursing educators’ competencies and educational needs for patient safety in hospitals and nursing schools. Method A mixed-methods sequential explanatory design employed a survey and focus group interview with nursing educators (school clinical instructors and hospital nurse preceptors). Thirty-eight questionnaires filled out by clinical instructors from six four-year nursing universities and 106 questionnaires from nurse preceptors from three high-level general hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area were analyzed to obtain quantitative data. Focus group interviews were conducted among six clinical instructors from one nursing school and four nurse preceptors from one high-level general hospital in Seoul. Results Nursing educators had higher levels of attitude compared with relatively lower levels of skill and knowledge regarding patient safety. They reported educational needs of “medication” and “infection prevention” as being higher and “human factors” and “complexity of systems” as being lower. Nursing educators desired different types of education for patient safety. Conclusion It is necessary to enhance nursing educators’ patient safety skills and knowledge by developing and providing an integrated program of patient safety, with various teaching methods to meet their educational needs. The findings of this study provide the basic information needed to reform patient safety education programs appropriately to fit nursing educators' needs and their patient safety competencies in both clinical practice and academia. Furthermore, the findings have revealed the importance of effective communication between clinical and academic settings in making patient safety education seamless. PMID:28873099

A Survey of Physical Therapists’ Perception and Attitude About Sleep

PubMed Central

Siengsukon, Catherine F.; Al-dughmi, Mayis; Sharma, Neena K.

2016-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the attitude and perception of physical therapists (PTs) on the perceived need to assess sleep of their patients and provide education about sleep to their patients as well as to determine the perceived need for PTs to be educated on sleep topics. Methods An electronic survey was sent to internship site coordinators. Descriptive analyses and logistic regressions were conducted. Results The response rate was 28%. Most respondents (93%) agree poor sleep is associated with impaired function. Eighty-two percent agree that PTs should assess patients’ sleep habits and sleep quality, and 95% agree that addressing sleep issues may impact PT outcomes. The majority did not receive education about sleep during entry-level PT education (75%) or following graduation (86%). Most respondents (95%) think PTs should receive education about sleep. Conclusion PTs recognize that sleep impacts outcomes, and patients’ sleep should be assessed. However, PTs have not received education about sleep although the majority think PTs should receive education about sleep. Therefore, entry-level PT education programs may consider incorporating education about sleep, and the development of continuing education courses is also needed. The attitude and perception of other health care professionals warrants investigation. PMID:25743400

Interventions to Improve Care for Patients with Limited Health Literacy

PubMed Central

Sudore, Rebecca L.; Schillinger, Dean

2009-01-01

Objective To propose a framework and describe best practices for improving care for patients with limited health literacy (LHL). Methods Review of the literature. Results Approximately half of the U.S. adult population has LHL. Because LHL is associated with poor health outcomes and contributes to health disparities, the adoption of evidence-based best practices is imperative. Feasible interventions at the clinician-patient level (eg, patient-centered communication, clear communication techniques, teach-to-goal methods, and reinforcement), at the system-patient level (eg, clear health education materials, visual aids, clear medication labeling, self-management support programs, and shame-free clinical environments), and at the community-patient level (eg, adult education referrals, lay health educators, and harnessing the mass media) can improve health outcomes for patients with LHL. Conclusion Because LHL is prevalent, and because the recommended communication strategies can benefit patients of all literacy levels, clinicians, health system planners, and health policy leaders should promote the uptake of these strategies into routine care. PMID:20046798

Differences and commonalities in difficulties faced by clinical nursing educators and faculty in Japan: a qualitative cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background To clarify the current state of communication between clinical nursing educators and nursing faculty members and the perceived difficulties encountered while teaching nursing students in clinical training in Japan. Methods We collected data via focus group interviews with 14 clinical nursing educators, two nursing technical college teachers, and five university nursing faculty members. Interview transcripts were coded to express interview content as conclusions for each unit of meaning. Similar compiled content was categorized. Results Difficulties in providing clinical training mentioned by both clinical educators and faculty members were classified into four categories: “difficulties with directly exchanging opinions,” “mismatch between school-required teaching content and clinical teaching content,” “difficulties with handling students who demonstrate a low level of readiness for training,” and “human and time limitations in teaching.” In some categories, the opinions of educators matched those of the faculty members, whereas in others, the problems differed according to position. Conclusions The Japanese culture and working conditions may affect communication between clinical educators and faculty members; however, a direct “opinion exchange” between them is crucial for improving the clinical teaching environment in Japan. PMID:23098211

Levels of Urbanization and Parental Education in Relation to the Mortality Risk of Young Children

PubMed Central

Fang, Hsin-Sheng; Chen, Wei-Ling; Chen, Chiu-Ying; Jia, Chun-Hua; Li, Chung-Yi; Hou, Wen-Hsuan

2015-01-01

Background: The establishment of the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan in 1995 effectively removed the financial barrier to access health care services of Taiwanese people. This population-based cohort study aimed to determine the independent and joint effects of parental education and area urbanization on the mortality risk among children under the universal health insurance coverage in Taiwan since 1995. Methods: We linked 1,501,620 births from 1996 to 2000 to the Taiwan Death Registry to estimate the neonatal, infant, and under-five mortality rates, according to the levels of parental education and urbanization of residential areas. We used a logistic regression model that considers data clustering to estimate the independent and joint effects. Results: Lower levels of parental education and area urbanization exerted an independent effect of mortality on young children, with a stronger magnitude noted for areas with lower levels of urbanization. Children whose parents had lower levels of education and who were born in areas with lower levels of urbanization experienced the highest risk for neonatal (odds ratio (OR) = 1.60, 95% CI = 1.46–1.76), infant (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.48–1.70), and under-five (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.61–1.82) mortality. Conclusions: Even with universal health insurance coverage, lower levels of area urbanization and parental education still exerted independent and joint effects on mortality in young children. This finding implies the inadequate accessibility to health care resources for children from socially disadvantaged families and less urbanized areas. PMID:26184248

Perceived economic situation, but not education level, is associated with disability prevalence in the Spanish elderly: observational study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The aim of this paper is to ascertain if the subjective perception of the economic situation of a household is associated with the prevalence of disability in old age, net of education level. Subjective economic perception is less non-response biased. Knowing if the self-perceived economic situation is related to disability over and above education level has important implications both for understanding the mechanisms that lead to disability and for selecting policies to reduce it. Methods This is a transversal study based on the pilot of the ELES survey, which is a representative survey of non-institutionalised Spaniards aged 50 and over. Only individuals whose job income levels were fixed before becoming disabled were selected to avoid the main source of reverse causality. Disability was defined as having difficulty in carrying out any of 12 activities of daily living. Education level, difficulty in making ends meet, self-perceived relative economic position of the household, age, gender, psychological disposition, and alcohol and tobacco consumption were introduced as independent variables in binary logistic models. Results The working sample is made up of 704 individuals of aged 60 and over. The subjective household economic situation, measured in two different ways, is strongly and consistently related with the prevalence of disability net of age, gender, education level and psychological disposition. After adjusting for age and gender, education level is no longer associated with disability. However, having economic difficulties has the same effect on disability prevalence as being 10 years older, or being a woman instead of a man. Conclusions As the economic situation of the elderly is much easier to improve than their formal education, our findings support feasible interventions which could lead to a reduction in the prevalence of disability. PMID:24886113

Facilitating Behavior Change With Low-literacy Patient Education Materials

PubMed Central

Seligman, Hilary K.; Wallace, Andrea S.; DeWalt, Darren A.; Schillinger, Dean; Arnold, Connie L.; Shilliday, Betsy Bryant; Delgadillo, Adriana; Bengal, Nikki; Davis, Terry C.

2014-01-01

Objective To describe a process for developing low-literacy health education materials that increase knowledge and activate patients toward healthier behaviors. Methods We developed a theoretically informed process for developing educational materials. This process included convening a multidisciplinary creative team, soliciting stakeholder input, identifying key concepts to be communicated, mapping concepts to a behavioral theory, creating a supporting behavioral intervention, designing and refining materials, and assessing efficacy. Results We describe the use of this process to develop a diabetes self-management guide. Conclusions Developing low-literacy health education materials that will activate patients toward healthier behaviors requires attention to factors beyond reading level. PMID:17931139

Maternal Literacy and Associations Between Education and the Cognitive Home Environment in Low-Income Families

PubMed Central

Green, Cori M.; Berkule, Samantha B.; Dreyer, Benard P.; Fierman, Arthur H.; Huberman, Harris S.; Klass, Perri E.; Tomopoulos, Suzy; Yin, Hsiang Shonna; Morrow, Lesley M.; Mendelsohn, Alan L.

2011-01-01

Objective To determine whether maternal literacy level accounts for associations between educational level and the cognitive home environment in low-income families. Design Analysis of 369 mother-infant dyads participating in a long-term study related to early child development. Setting Urban public hospital. Participants Low-income mothers of 6-month-old infants. Main Exposure Maternal literacy level was assessed using the Woodcock-Johnson III/Bateria III Woodcock-Munoz Tests of Achievement, Letter-Word Identification Test. Maternal educational level was assessed by determining the last grade that had been completed by the mother. Main Outcome Measure The cognitive home environment (provision of learning materials, verbal responsivity, teaching, and shared reading) was assessed using StimQ, an office-based interview measure. Results In unadjusted analyses, a maternal literacy level of ninth grade or higher was associated with increases in scores for the overall StimQ and each of 4 subscales, whereas a maternal educational level of ninth grade or higher was associated with increases in scores for the overall StimQ and 3 of 4 subscales. In simultaneous multiple linear regression models including both literacy and educational levels, literacy continued to be associated with scores for the overall StimQ (adjusted mean difference, 3.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-5.7) and all subscales except teaching, whereas maternal educational level was no longer significantly associated with scores for the StimQ (1.8; 0.5-4.0) or any of its subscales. Conclusions Literacy level may be a more specific indicator of risk than educational level in low-income families. Studies of low-income families should include direct measures of literacy. Pediatricians should develop strategies to identify mothers with low literacy levels and promote parenting behaviors to foster cognitive development in these at-risk families. PMID:19736337

Ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients' knowledge with internet-based education.

PubMed

Heikkinen, Katja; Leino-Kilpi, H; Salanterä, S

2012-01-01

There is a growing need for patient education and an evaluation of its outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare ambulatory orthopaedic surgery patients' knowledge with Internet-based education and face-to-face education with a nurse. The following hypothesis was proposed: Internet-based patient education (experiment) is as effective as face-to-face education with a nurse (control) in increasing patients' level of knowledge and sufficiency of knowledge. In addition, the correlations of demographic variables were tested. The patients were randomized to either an experiment group (n = 72) or a control group (n = 75). Empirical data were collected with two instruments. Patients in both groups showed improvement in their knowledge during their care. Patients in the experiment group improved their knowledge level significantly more in total than those patients in the control group. There were no differences in patients' sufficiency of knowledge between the groups. Knowledge was correlated especially with patients' age, gender and earlier ambulatory surgeries. As a conclusion, positive results concerning patients' knowledge could be achieved with the Internet-based education. The Internet is a viable method in ambulatory care.

Satisfaction of Iranian Medical Universities’ faculty members towards holding Shahid Motahari Annual Educational Festival

PubMed Central

HOSSEINI, SEYYED NASROLLAH; MOHSENI BAND PEY, ANOSHIRAVAN; HOSSEINI, SEYYED ALI; KARAMI MATIN, BEHZAD; MIRZAEI ALAVIJEH, MEHDI; JALILIAN, FARZAD

2015-01-01

Introduction Shahid Motahari Annual Educational Festival aims to improve the quality of medical education in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and has held since 2008. The present study was performed to determine the satisfaction level of Iranian medical universities’ faculty members about holding Shahid Motahari Annual Educational Festival during the past six years, from 2008 to 2014. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 473 faculty members (FMs) including deputies and educational administrators, managers, and faculty members of medical education development centers, members of scientific committees, and faculty members who participated in Shahid Motahari Festival from 42 medical sciences universities in Iran. Data collection instruments were two reliable and valid questionnaires on the background and also participants’ satisfaction towards Shahid Motahari Educational Festival. Data were analyzed using SPSS Software, version 14. Results Among all participants, 30 FMs (6.3%) were educational deputies, 36 FMs (7.6%) managers of medical education development centers, 226 FMs (56.2%) members of scientific committees, 29 FMs (6.1%) members of the national committees, 343 FMs (27.5%) attendees, and 264 FMs (55.8%) had participated for retraining. The total satisfaction level of the participants was 73.3% which shows a good satisfaction level. Conclusion The results identified the main important strength points such as “proposals’ review process at the country level” and weakness points such as “organizing the festival”. PMID:26457313

Program for advanced study in public science policy and administration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosenthal, A. H.

1976-01-01

The results and conclusions of the six-year effort concerned with the development and implementation of a university educational program intended to prepare scientists and engineers for upper-level management and administrative positions (as distinct from senior technical positions) were presented. This interdisciplinary program is at the graduate level, leading to a Master of Arts degree, and is given within a Division of Public Administration.

Business Training and Education Needs of Chiropractors

PubMed Central

Henson, Steve W; Pressley, Milton; Korfmann, Scott

2008-01-01

Objective: This report is an examination of the perceived need for business skills among chiropractors. Methods: An online survey was completed by 64 chiropractors. They assessed the need for business skills and current levels of business skills. Using this information, gaps in business skills are identified. Results: The need for business skills is broad, encompassing all major business functions. Existing business skills are well below needed levels. Conclusion: The chiropractic profession needs significantly greater business and practice management skills. The existing gap between needed business skills and existing skills suggests that current training and education programs are not providing adequate business skills training PMID:19043535

The role of neighborhood level socioeconomic characteristics in Salmonella infections in Michigan (1997–2007): Assessment using geographic information system

PubMed Central

Younus, Muhammad; Hartwick, Edward; Siddiqi, Azfar A; Wilkins, Melinda; Davies, Herbert D; Rahbar, Mohammad; Funk, Julie; Saeed, Mahdi

2007-01-01

Background: The majority of U.S. disease surveillance systems contain incomplete information regarding socioeconomic status (SES) indicators like household or family income and educational attainment in case reports, which reduces the usefulness of surveillance data for these parameters. We investigated the association between select SES attributes at the neighborhood level and Salmonella infections in the three most populated counties in Michigan using a geographic information system. Methods: We obtained data on income, education, and race from the 2000 U.S. Census, and the aggregate number of laboratory-confirmed cases of salmonellosis (1997–2006) at the block group level from the Michigan Department of Community Health. We used ArcGIS to visualize the distribution, and Poisson regression analysis to study associations between potential predictor variables and Salmonella infections. Results: Based on data from 3,419 block groups, our final multivariate model revealed that block groups with lower educational attainment were less commonly represented among cases than their counterparts with higher education levels (< high school degree vs. ≥ college degree: rate ratio (RR) = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI):0.63, 0.99; ≥ and high school degree, but no college degree vs. ≥ college degree: RR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.76, 0.92). Levels of education also showed a dose-response relation with the outcome variable, i.e., decreasing years of education was associated with a decrease in Salmonella infections incidence at the block group level. Conclusion: Education plays a significant role in health-seeking behavior at the population level. It is conceivable that a reporting bias may exist due to a greater detection of Salmonella infections among high education block groups compared to low education block groups resulting from differential access to healthcare. In addition, individuals of higher education block groups who also have greater discretionary income may eat outside the home frequently and be more likely to own pets considered reservoirs of Salmonella, which increase the likelihood of contracting Salmonella infections compared to their counterparts with lower levels of education. Public health authorities should focus on improving the level of disease detection and reporting among communities with lower income and education and further evaluate the role of higher educational attainment in the predisposition for salmonellosis. PMID:18093323

Radiation Oncology and Online Patient Education Materials: Deviating From NIH and AMA Recommendations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Prabhu, Arpan V.; Hansberry, David R.; Agarwal, Nitin

Purpose: Physicians encourage patients to be informed about their health care options, but much of the online health care–related resources can be beneficial only if patients are capable of comprehending it. This study's aim was to assess the readability level of online patient education resources for radiation oncology to conclude whether they meet the general public's health literacy needs as determined by the guidelines of the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the American Medical Association (AMA). Methods: Radiation oncology–related internet-based patient education materials were downloaded from 5 major professional websites (American Society for Radiation Oncology, American Associationmore » of Physicists in Medicine, American Brachytherapy Society, (RadiologyInfo.org), and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group). Additional patient education documents were downloaded by searching for key radiation oncology phrases using Google. A total of 135 articles were downloaded and assessed for their readability level using 10 quantitative readability scales that are widely accepted in the medical literature. Results: When all 10 assessment tools for readability were taken into account, the 135 online patient education articles were written at an average grade level of 13.7 ± 2.0. One hundred nine of the 135 articles (80.7%) required a high school graduate's comprehension level (12th-grade level or higher). Only 1 of the 135 articles (0.74%) met the AMA and NIH recommendations for patient education resources to be written between the third-grade and seventh-grade levels. Conclusion: Radiation oncology websites have patient education material written at an educational level above the NIH and AMA recommendations; as a result, average American patients may not be able to fully understand them. Rewriting radiation oncology patient education resources would likely contribute to the patients' understanding of their health and treatment options, making each physician-patient interaction more productive and efficient.« less

Effectiveness of Educational Programs on Nutritional Behavior in Addicts Referring to Baharan Hospital, Zahedan (Eastern of IR Iran)

PubMed Central

Karajibani, Mansour; Montazerifar, Farzaneh; Dashipour, Alireza; Lashkaripour, Kobra; Abery, Maryam; Salari, Sajedeh

2014-01-01

Background: There are many factors which affect nutritional status of addicted such as lack o f knowledge, incorrect attitude toward modification of food pattern, and careless to food intake. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of educational program on nutritional behavior in addicts referring to Baharan hospital in Zahedan. Patients and Methods: Thirty-six addict patients were selected randomly. After recording general demographic data of patients, nutritional behaviors were determined. To determine the effectiveness of nutritional educational program, pre and post-tests were performed. Evaluation of nutritional behavior was determined as poor, fair and satisfactory levels. Statically analysis was performed by SPSS software. Results: Most addict patients had a medium level of education. Improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of patients after intervention was observed as follows; decreasing KAP in poor level (2.8% vs. 30.6%), (3% vs. 50%), (25% vs. 80.6%), respectively; also, increasing KAP in fair level (7% vs. 55.6 %), (15% vs. 15%), (19% vs. 7%), respectively and increasing KAP in satisfactory levels (77.8% vs. 13.8%), (50% vs. 8.3%), and (22.2% vs. 0%), respectively (P < 0.0001). There was a significant difference regarding the grade of KAP in patients based on gender, marital status, and education level after education (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: This study showed that nutritional KAP was improved in addicts. After intervention, there was a significant difference in the score of knowledge, attitude, and practice scores in patients in the current study. KAP was improved in patients after intervention including; decreased KAP in poor level and increased KAP in fair and satisfactory levels. This finding indicates that addict patients would like to modify their life style. PMID:25032162

Dental Students’ Educational Environment and Perceived Stress: The University of Malaya Experience

PubMed Central

Myint, Kyaimon; See-Ziau, Hoe; Husain, Ruby; Ismail, Rosnah

2016-01-01

Background An equitable and positive learning environment fosters deep self-directed learning in students and, consequently, good practice in their profession. Although demotivating weaknesses may lead to repeated day-to-day stress with a cascade of deleterious consequences at both personal and professional levels, a possible relationship between these parameters has not been reported. This study was undertaken to determine the relationship between students’ perceptions of their educational environment and their stress levels. Methods Sixty-one first year students at the Dental Faculty, University of Malaya, Malaysia participated. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was used to determine educational environment while self-rated perceived stress level was measured by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). Results Most students (62.39%) showed positive perceptions for the total and five domains of DREEM. The highest percentage was observed for “Students perception of learning” (64.04%) while the lowest was for “Students’ social self-perception” (60.32%). At the same time, 61% of students showed high perceived stress levels. However, this was not associated with their DREEM scores. Conclusion Although a positive perception of their educational environment was found, minor corrective measures need to be implemented. Furthermore, longitudinal studies on an annual basis would provide useful input for strategic planning purposes. PMID:27418869

Trends in socioeconomic inequalities in cancer mortality in Barcelona: 1992–2003

PubMed Central

Puigpinós, Rosa; Borrell, Carme; Antunes, José Leopoldo Ferreira; Azlor, Enric; Pasarín, M Isabel; Serral, Gemma; Pons-Vigués, Mariona; Rodríguez-Sanz, Maica; Fernández, Esteve

2009-01-01

Background The objective of this study was to assess trends in cancer mortality by educational level in Barcelona from 1992 to 2003. Methods The study population comprised Barcelona inhabitants aged 20 years or older. Data on cancer deaths were supplied by the system of information on mortality. Educational level was obtained from the municipal census. Age-standardized rates by educational level were calculated. We also fitted Poisson regression models to estimate the relative index of inequality (RII) and the Slope Index of Inequalities (SII). All were calculated for each sex and period (1992–1994, 1995–1997, 1998–2000, and 2001–2003). Results Cancer mortality was higher in men and women with lower educational level throughout the study period. Less-schooled men had higher mortality by stomach, mouth and pharynx, oesophagus, larynx and lung cancer. In women, there were educational inequalities for cervix uteri, liver and colon cancer. Inequalities of overall and specific types of cancer mortality remained stable in Barcelona; although a slight reduction was observed for some cancers. Conclusion This study has identified those cancer types presenting the greatest inequalities between men and women in recent years and shown that in Barcelona there is a stable trend in inequalities in the burden of cancer. PMID:19166582

Faculty Identification, Recruitment, Selection, Assignment and Development at the Marine Corps University

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-30

in the " active learning " process and require less preparation time. Maneuver warfare philosophy asks the officer to think "two levels up" the chain...34passive" to " active " learning . 47 25 Until recently, the Marine Corps Schools and most other miiltary educational institutions used the standard approach...future. This conclusion drove the trend to adult education or active learning . Basically, passive learning or traditional, pedagogical learning is

Tertiary education and its association with mental health indicators and educational factors among Arctic young adults: the NAAHS cohort study.

PubMed

Bania, Elisabeth Valmyr; Kvernmo, Siv Eli

2016-01-01

Background Completed tertiary education is closely associated with employment and influences income, health and personal well-being. Objective The purpose of the study is to explore predictors for completed tertiary education among indigenous Sami and non-indigenous young people in relation to mental health indicators and educational factors in sociocultural rural and urban contexts across the Arctic part of Norway. Design The Norwegian Arctic Adolescent Health Study (NAAHS) is a cross-sectional, school-based survey that was conducted in 2003-2005. Of all 5,877 10th graders (aged 15-16 years) in north Norway, 83% from all 87 municipalities participated; 450 (9.2%) reported indigenous Sami ethnicity, and 304 (6.2%) reported Laestadian affiliation. Data from NAAHS were merged with registry data from the National Education Database and Norwegian Patient Register for 3,987 adolescents who gave their consent for follow-up studies. Results Completion of upper secondary school is the only common predictor of a completed tertiary education degree for both genders. Among females, conduct problems was a significant predictor of lower level education, typically vocational professions, while among males severe mental health problems requiring treatment by the specialist health care system reduced the opportunity to complete tertiary education at intermediate and higher level. Parental higher educational level was associated with less lower education among females and less higher education among males. Men residing in the northernmost and remote areas were less likely to complete education on higher level. Males' completion of higher level education was strongly but not significantly associated (p=0.057) with higher average marks in lower secondary school. Conclusions The gender differences found in this study emphasize the need for gender-specific interventions to encourage, support and empower young people to attend and complete tertiary education. Young females with conduct problems choose lower or intermediate education, and males in need of specialist mental health care have half the chance to complete intermediate tertiary education compared with males not in contact with the mental health service. Closer cooperation between low threshold social services, general practitioners, mental health services and higher study institutions can help young male adults complete tertiary education.

Educating the Next Generation of Agricultural Scientists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council, Washington, DC. Board on Agriculture.

The Committee on Evaluation of Trends in Agricultural Research at the Doctoral and Postdoctoral Level was established to analyze issues related to the next generation of agricultural scientists. This report contains the findings, conclusions, and recommendations regarding the status and future needs of agricultural scientists. This report focuses…

Effectiveness of Musculoskeletal Education Interventions in People With Low Literacy Levels: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Lowe, Wendy; Ballinger, Claire; Protheroe, Jo; Lueddeke, Jill; Nutbeam, Don; Armstrong, Ray; Falzon, Louise; Edwards, Chris; Russell, Cynthia; McCaffery, Kirsten; Adams, Jo

2013-01-01

Objective To conduct a systematic review to assess the effectiveness of patient education interventions delivered or directed by health professionals for people with musculoskeletal conditions who also have lower levels of literacy. Methods Electronic databases were searched from 1946 to May 2012. Randomized controlled trials with primary interventions designed specifically for individuals with musculoskeletal conditions and lower levels of literacy were eligible for inclusion. The quality of the study was determined by assessing method of randomization, allocation concealment, creation and maintenance of comparable groups, blinding of patients and providers, control of confounding, and the validity and reliability of outcome measures. Results Of the 2,440 studies located using the search strategy, 6 studies met the inclusion criteria. Three public health community studies and 3 rheumatology clinic-based studies delivered educational programs to people with musculoskeletal conditions who also had lower levels of literacy. Three moderate quality studies suggest that musculoskeletal educational interventions had a small short-term effect on knowledge and 2 moderate quality studies suggest musculoskeletal interventions had a small effect on self-efficacy (although results on self-efficacy were conflicting in 1 of these studies). Only 1 moderate quality study showed a small effect on anxiety and 1 on self-perceived health and well-being in people with lower literacy. Conclusion High quality evidence is lacking on the effectiveness of musculoskeletal education interventions for people with lower literacy levels. Research programs that test the effectiveness of patient education interventions for arthritis must recruit and engage people with lower levels of literacy. PMID:23925869

Relationship between family history of alcohol addiction, parents’ education level, and smartphone problem use scale scores

PubMed Central

Beison, Ashley; Rademacher, David J.

2017-01-01

Background and aims Smartphones are ubiquitous. As smartphones increased in popularity, researchers realized that people were becoming dependent on their smartphones. The purpose here was to provide a better understanding of the factors related to problematic smartphone use (PSPU). Methods The participants were 100 undergraduates (25 males, 75 females) whose ages ranged from 18 to 23 (mean age = 20 years). The participants completed questionnaires to assess gender, ethnicity, year in college, father’s education level, mother’s education level, family income, age, family history of alcoholism, and PSPU. The Family Tree Questionnaire assessed family history of alcoholism. The Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale (MPPUS) and the Adapted Cell Phone Addiction Test (ACPAT) were used to determine the degree of PSPU. Whereas the MPPUS measures tolerance, escape from other problems, withdrawal, craving, and negative life consequences, the ACPAT measures preoccupation (salience), excessive use, neglecting work, anticipation, lack of control, and neglecting social life. Results Family history of alcoholism and father’s education level together explained 26% of the variance in the MPPUS scores and 25% of the variance in the ACPAT scores. The inclusion of mother’s education level, ethnicity, family income, age, year in college, and gender did not significantly increase the proportion of variance explained for either MPPUS or ACPAT scores. Discussion and conclusions Family history of alcoholism and father’s education level are good predictors of PSPU. As 74%–75% of the variance in PSPU scale scores was not explained, future studies should aim to explain this variance. PMID:28316252

National Strategies of Ophthalmic Education in Iran

PubMed Central

Entezari, A; Javadi, MA; Einollahi, B

2012-01-01

Background: Academic medicine is in a state of dramatic transformation. For this reason strategic thinking is the most essential part of educational planning. The main purpose of the present study was developing the strategic educational planning of Ophthalmology in Iran from 2007 to 2010 Methods: A qualitative investigation using focus group discussion has been implemented successfully for developing educational planning. Six to twelve representatives of key stakeholders in the ophthalmic education of Iran participated to this study. Results: Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of ophthalmology education in Iran were analyzed. Strategic goals in education, research, and health service providing domains were being developed. Educational goals were defined as training of human resources in accordance with the community needs at the level of general practitioner, specialist, and fellowships in ophthalmology. Research goals of the program were defined as scientific inter-departmental and international communications, in order to promote the level of education, research, and treatment in the country. Also, in the field of health services according to the community needs, providing services by the means of advanced and cost effective methods were defined as strategic objectives. Conclusion: Based on this strategic plan in the last three years ophthalmic education in Iran shall be many changes in educational, research and health care provision for social accountability. PMID:23113125

Educational Differences in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer – Quantifying Indirect Effects through Health Behaviors, Body Mass Index and Reproductive Patterns

PubMed Central

Hvidtfeldt, Ulla Arthur; Lange, Theis; Andersen, Ingelise; Diderichsen, Finn; Keiding, Niels; Prescott, Eva; Sørensen, Thorkild I. A.; Tjønneland, Anne; Rod, Naja Hulvej

2013-01-01

Studying mechanisms underlying social inequality in postmenopausal breast cancer is important in order to develop prevention strategies. Standard methods for investigating indirect effects, by comparing crude models to adjusted, are often biased. We applied a new method enabling the decomposition of the effect of educational level on breast cancer incidence into indirect effects through reproductive patterns (parity and age at first birth), body mass index and health behavior (alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and hormone therapy use). The study was based on a pooled cohort of 6 studies from the Copenhagen area including 33,562 women (1,733 breast cancer cases) aged 50–70 years at baseline. The crude absolute rate of breast cancer was 399 cases per 100,000 person-years. A high educational level compared to low was associated with 74 (95% CI 22–125) extra breast cancer cases per 100,000 person-years at risk. Of these, 26% (95% CI 14%–69%) could be attributed to alcohol consumption. Similar effects were observed for age at first birth (32%; 95% CI 10%–257%), parity (19%; 95%CI 10%–45%), and hormone therapy use (10%; 95% CI 6%–18%). Educational level modified the effect of physical activity on breast cancer. In conclusion, this analysis suggests that a substantial number of the excess postmenopausal breast cancer events among women with a high educational level compared to a low can be attributed to differences in alcohol consumption, use of hormone therapy, and reproductive patterns. Women of high educational level may be more vulnerable to physical inactivity compared to women of low educational level. PMID:24205296

[Potential interaction effect on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder between mother's educational level and preschoolers' dietary pattern].

PubMed

Yan, S Q; Cao, H; Gu, C L; Gao, G P; Ni, L L; Tao, H H; Shao, T; Xu, Y Q; Tao, F B

2018-04-10

Objective: To explore the interaction effect between mother's educational level and preschoolers' dietary pattern on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: In 2014, there were 16 439 children aged 3-6 years old from 91 kindergartens in Ma'anshan municipality of China. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire and the 10-item Chinese version of the Conners' Abbreviated Symptom Questionnaire (C-ASQ) were administered to assess the usual dietary intake and symptoms on ADHD. Social-demographic information was collected through questionnaires. Unconditional logistic regression was used to analyze the multiplication interaction effect between mother's educational level and preschoolers' dietary pattern on ADHD. Excel software was used to analyze the additive interaction effect of mother's educational level and preschoolers'dietary pattern on ADHD. Results: Results showed that factors as: mother's low educational level[a OR =1.31 (1.13-1.52)], scores related to preschoolers in the top quintile of "food processing" [a OR =1.31 (1.16-1.48)] and "snack" [a OR =1.45 (1.29-1.63)]patterns showed greater odds while preschoolers in the top quintile of "vegetarian" [a OR =0.80 (0.71-0.90)]showed less odds for having ADHD symptoms. Both multiplication and additive interactions were observed between mothers with less education. The processed dietary patterns ( OR =1.17, 95% CI : 1.11-1.25), relative excess risk of interaction ( RERI ), attributable proportion ( AP ) and the interaction index ( SI ) appeared as 0.21, 0.13 and 1.47, respectively. Multiplication interaction was observed between levels of mother's low education and the snack dietary pattern ( OR =1.21, 95% CI : 1.14-1.29), with RERI , AP and SI as 0.49, 0.26 and 2.36, respectively. However, neither multiplication interaction or additive interaction was noticed between levels of mother's low education and the vegetarian dietary pattern ( OR =0.97, 95% CI : 0.92-1.03), with RERI , AP and SI as 0.09, 0.05 and 1.15, respectively. Conclusions: Levels of mother's low education presented a risk factor for ADHD symptoms in preschool children. Both multiplication interaction and additive interaction were observed between mother's low education levels and the processed dietary pattern. Multiplication interaction was noticed between mother's education levels and the snack dietary pattern but not with the vegetarian dietary pattern.

Developing medical educators – a mixed method evaluation of a teaching education program

PubMed Central

Roos, Marco; Kadmon, Martina; Kirschfink, Michael; Koch, Eginhard; Jünger, Jana; Strittmatter-Haubold, Veronika; Steiner, Thorsten

2014-01-01

Background It is well accepted that medical faculty teaching staff require an understanding of educational theory and pedagogical methods for effective medical teaching. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 5-day teaching education program. Methods An open prospective interventional study using quantitative and qualitative instruments was performed, covering all four levels of the Kirkpatrick model: Evaluation of 1) ‘Reaction’ on a professional and emotional level using standardized questionnaires; 2) ‘Learning’ applying a multiple choice test; 3) ‘Behavior’ by self-, peer-, and expert assessment of teaching sessions with semistructured interviews; and 4) ‘Results’ from student evaluations. Results Our data indicate the success of the educational intervention at all observed levels. 1) Reaction: The participants showed a high acceptance of the instructional content. 2) Learning: There was a significant increase in knowledge (P<0.001) as deduced from a pre-post multiple-choice questionnaire, which was retained at 6 months (P<0.001). 3) Behavior: Peer-, self-, and expert-assessment indicated a transfer of learning into teaching performance. Semistructured interviews reflected a higher level of professionalism in medical teaching by the participants. 4) Results: Teaching performance ratings improved in students’ evaluations. Conclusions Our results demonstrate the success of a 5-day education program in embedding knowledge and skills to improve performance of medical educators. This multimethodological approach, using both qualitative and quantitative measures, may serve as a model to evaluate effectiveness of comparable interventions in other settings. PMID:24679671

The Effect of Diabetes Self-Management Education on Hba1c Level and Fasting Blood Sugar in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Primary Health Care in Binjai City of North Sumatera, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Rusdiana; Savira, Maya; Amelia, Rina

2018-01-01

AIM: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of short-term diabetes self-management education (DSME) on Hba1and Fasting Blood Sugar in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending the Primary Health Care (PHC) in Binjai city of North Sumatera, Indonesia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental (pretest-posttest) study was conducted in 4 PHCs, involving 80 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The patients in received a 3-months intervention, including an 8 week education on self- management of diabetes mellitus and subsequent 4 weeks of practice of the self- management guidelines.The patients received standard advice on diet management. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in Hba1c levels. The statistical analysis using t-test found that there was a significant difference of Hba1c value between pre and post education among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes self-management education in PHC of Binjai city can reduce the Hba1c level in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. PMID:29731946

Forensic scientists' conclusions: how readable are they for non-scientist report-users?

PubMed

Howes, Loene M; Kirkbride, K Paul; Kelty, Sally F; Julian, Roberta; Kemp, Nenagh

2013-09-10

Scientists have an ethical responsibility to assist non-scientists to understand their findings and expert opinions before they are used as decision-aids within the criminal justice system. The communication of scientific expert opinion to non-scientist audiences (e.g., police, lawyers, and judges) through expert reports is an important but under-researched issue. Readability statistics were used to assess 111 conclusions from a proficiency test in forensic glass analysis. The conclusions were written using an average of 23 words per sentence, and approximately half of the conclusions were expressed using the active voice. At an average Flesch-Kincaid Grade level of university undergraduate (Grade 13), and Flesch Reading Ease score of difficult (42), the conclusions were written at a level suitable for people with some tertiary education in science, suggesting that the intended non-scientist readers would find them difficult to read. To further analyse the readability of conclusions, descriptive features of text were used: text structure; sentence structure; vocabulary; elaboration; and coherence and unity. Descriptive analysis supported the finding that texts were written at a level difficult for non-scientists to read. Specific aspects of conclusions that may pose difficulties for non-scientists were located. Suggestions are included to assist scientists to write conclusions with increased readability for non-scientist readers, while retaining scientific integrity. In the next stage of research, the readability of expert reports in their entirety is to be explored. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of Facebook in medical education--a literature review.

PubMed

Pander, Tanja; Pinilla, Severin; Dimitriadis, Konstantinos; Fischer, Martin R

2014-01-01

The vogue of social media has changed interpersonal communication as well as learning and teaching opportunities in medical education. The most popular social media tool is Facebook. Its features provide potentially useful support for the education of medical students but it also means that some new challenges will have to be faced. This review aimed to find out how Facebook has been integrated into medical education. A systematical review of the current literature and grade of evidence is provided, research gaps are identified, links to prior reviews are drawn and implications for the future are discussed. The authors searched six databases. Inclusion criteria were defined and the authors independently reviewed the search results. The key information of the articles included was methodically abstracted and coded, synthesized and discussed in the categories study design, study participants'phase of medical education and study content. 16 articles met all inclusion criteria. 45-96% of health care professionals in all phases of their medical education have a Facebook profile. Most studies focused on Facebook and digital professionalism. Unprofessional behavior and privacy violations occurred in 0.02% to 16%. In terms of learning and teaching environment, Facebook is well accepted by medical students. It is used to prepare for exams, share online material, discuss clinical cases, organize face-to-face sessions and exchange information on clerkships. A few educational materials to teach Facebook professionalism were positively evaluated. There seems to be no conclusive evidence as to whether medical students benefit from Facebook as a learning environment on higher competence levels. Facebook influences a myriad of aspects of health care professionals, particularly at undergraduate and graduate level in medical education. Despite an increasing number of interventions, there is a lack of conclusive evidence in terms of its educational effectiveness. Furthermore, we suggest that digital professionalism be integrated in established and emerging competency-based catalogues.

The use of Facebook in medical education – A literature review

PubMed Central

Pander, Tanja; Pinilla, Severin; Dimitriadis, Konstantinos; Fischer, Martin R.

2014-01-01

Background: The vogue of social media has changed interpersonal communication as well as learning and teaching opportunities in medical education. The most popular social media tool is Facebook. Its features provide potentially useful support for the education of medical students but it also means that some new challenges will have to be faced. Aims: This review aimed to find out how Facebook has been integrated into medical education. A systematical review of the current literature and grade of evidence is provided, research gaps are identified, links to prior reviews are drawn and implications for the future are discussed. Method: The authors searched six databases. Inclusion criteria were defined and the authors independently reviewed the search results. The key information of the articles included was methodically abstracted and coded, synthesized and discussed in the categories study design, study participants’phase of medical education and study content. Results: 16 articles met all inclusion criteria. 45-96% of health care professionals in all phases of their medical education have a Facebook profile. Most studies focused on Facebook and digital professionalism. Unprofessional behavior and privacy violations occurred in 0.02% to 16%. In terms of learning and teaching environment, Facebook is well accepted by medical students. It is used to prepare for exams, share online material, discuss clinical cases, organize face-to-face sessions and exchange information on clerkships. A few educational materials to teach Facebook professionalism were positively evaluated. There seems to be no conclusive evidence as to whether medical students benefit from Facebook as a learning environment on higher competence levels. Discussion: Facebook influences a myriad of aspects of health care professionals, particularly at undergraduate and graduate level in medical education. Despite an increasing number of interventions, there is a lack of conclusive evidence in terms of its educational effectiveness. Furthermore, we suggest that digital professionalism be integrated in established and emerging competency-based catalogues. PMID:25228935

Cardiovascular risk factors in young male adults: impact of physical activity and parental education.

PubMed

Çuhadar, Serap; Atay, Ayşenur; Sağlam, Gülcan; Köseoğlu, Mehmet; Cuhadar, Levent

2013-01-01

This study was conducted to assess whether choices of physical activity, smoking status, and parental education and income were correlated with the health status of young adult males which are important for preventive health policy. 491 18-29-year old males from lower socioeconomical districts in Turkey participated in this study. Information about demographic characteristics, parental education, household income, smoking status, and physical activity was obtained by means of a standardized questionnaire. BMI and metabolic parameters (serum lipid profile) were assessed. Mean total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglyceride levels were in the normal range. The physically active group displayed a better lipid profile. No relationship was found between parental education and serum lipids. Smoking was slightly correlated with household income (r=103, p=0.022). Young adult males who participate in relatively high levels of physical activity are at lower CHD risk than less active ones. The present study also showed that lower socioecnomic status does not always correlate with higher levels of cardiovascular risk factors. In conclusion, data supports that while family history cannot be changed, HDL levels can be modulated by lifestyle factors as in other populations and that with the determined benefits of increasing physical activity and thus, HDL levels, policy reform in schools to promote physical activity are warranted.

Indicators of Childhood Quality of Education in Relation to Cognitive Function in Older Adulthood

PubMed Central

Clay, Olivio J.; Martin, Roy C.; Howard, Virginia J.; Wadley, Virginia G.; Sawyer, Patricia; Allman, Richard M.

2013-01-01

Background. The association between years of education and cognitive function in older adults has been studied extensively, but the role of quality of education is unknown. We examined indicators of childhood educational quality as predictors of cognitive performance and decline in later life. Methods. Participants included 433 older adults (52% African American) who reported living in Alabama during childhood and completed in-home assessments of cognitive function at baseline and 4 years later. Reports of residence during school years were matched to county-level data from the 1935 Alabama Department of Education report for school funding (per student), student–teacher ratio, and school year length. A composite measure of global cognitive function was utilized in analyses. Multilevel mixed effects models accounted for clustering of educational data within counties in examining the association between cognitive function and the educational quality indices. Results. Higher student–teacher ratio was associated with worse cognitive function and greater school year length was associated with better cognitive function. These associations remained statistically significant in models adjusted for education level, age, race, gender, income, reading ability, vascular risk factors, and health behaviors. The observed associations were stronger in those with lower levels of education (≤12 years), but none of the education quality measures were related to 4-year change in cognitive function. Conclusions. Educational factors other than years of schooling may influence cognitive performance in later life. Understanding the role of education in cognitive aging has substantial implications for prevention efforts as well as accurate identification of older adults with cognitive impairment. PMID:22546959

Educational Inequalities in Acute Myocardial Infarction Incidence in Norway: A Nationwide Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Igland, Jannicke; Vollset, Stein Emil; Nygård, Ottar K.; Sulo, Gerhard; Ebbing, Marta; Tell, Grethe S.

2014-01-01

Background Increasing differences in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality across levels of education have been reported in Norway. The aim of the study was to investigate educational inequalities in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) incidence and whether such inequalities have changed during the past decade using a nationwide longitudinal study design. Methods Data on 141 332 incident (first) AMIs in Norway during 2001–2009 were obtained through the Cardiovascular Disease in Norway (CVDNOR) project. Educational inequalities in AMI incidence were assessed in terms of age-standardised incidence rates stratified on educational level, incidence rate ratios (IRR), relative index of inequality (RII) and slope index of inequality (SII). All calculations were conducted in four gender and age strata: Men and women aged 35–69 and 70–94 years. Results AMI Incidence rates decreased during 2001–2009 for all educational levels except in women aged 35–69 among whom only those with basic education had a significant decrease. In all gender and age groups; those with the highest educational level had the lowest rates. The strongest relative difference was found among women aged 35–69, with IRR (95% CI) for basic versus tertiary education 3.04 (2.85–3.24)) and RII (95% CI) equal to 4.36 (4.03–4.71). The relative differences did not change during 2001–2009 in any of the four gender and age groups, but absolute inequalities measured as SII decreased among the oldest men and women. Conclusions There are substantial educational inequalities in AMI incidence in Norway, especially for women aged 35–69. Relative inequalities did not change from 2001 to 2009. PMID:25188248

Examining the postural awareness and flexibility changes in physical therapy students who took clinical Pilates class

PubMed Central

Atilgan, Esra; Tarakci, Devrim; Mutluay, Fatma

2017-01-01

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate postural awareness and changes in posture and flexibility of students who took Clinical Pilates class as an elective course at the undergraduate level. Methods: The study conducted from 2013-2016 included 98 students who took Clinical Pilates class at the Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, School of Health Sciences, Istanbul Medipol University, Turkey. The flexibility levels of the study participants were measured before and after the Clinical Pilates education using finger-to-floor test and modified Schober’s test. Observational posture analysis and postural awareness were recorded using the scale prepared by the researchers. Results: The post-education evaluations showed that postural distortions were fixed, and a significant increase in the postural awareness of the students was observed compared with the pre-education period. The results of both modified Schober’s test and finger-to-floor test, which were used to measure the flexibility levels, showed a statistically significant increase in post-education scores compared with those of the pre-education period. Conclusion: This study showed that the Clinical Pilates course increased postural awareness and flexibility of physical therapy students and fixed postural distortions. Thus, the inclusion of Clinical Pilates class in the undergraduate education is considered to be important. PMID:28811786

Educational Inequalities in Obesity among Mexican Women: Time-Trends from 1988 to 2012

PubMed Central

Perez Ferrer, Carolina; McMunn, Anne; Rivera Dommarco, Juan A.; Brunner, Eric J.

2014-01-01

Background Obesity is one of the leading causes of global morbidity and mortality. Trends in educational inequalities in obesity prevalence among Mexican women have not been analysed systematically to date. Methods Data came from four nationally representative surveys (1988, 1999, 2006, and 2012) of a total of 51 220 non-pregnant women aged 20 to 49. Weight and height were measured during home visits. Education level (higher education, high school, secondary, primary or less) was self-reported. We analysed trends in relative and absolute educational inequalities in obesity prevalence separately for urban and rural areas. Results Nationally, age-standardised obesity prevalence increased from 9.3% to 33.7% over 25 years to 2012. Obesity prevalence was inversely associated with education level in urban areas at all survey waves. In rural areas, obesity prevalence increased markedly but there was no gradient with education level at any survey. The relative index of inequality in urban areas declined over the period (2.87 (95%CI: 1.94, 4.25) in 1988, 1.55 (95%CI: 1.33, 1.80) in 2012, trend p<0.001). Obesity increased 5.92 fold (95%CI: 4.03, 8.70) among urban women with higher education in the period 1988–2012 compared to 3.23 fold (95%CI: 2.88, 3.63) for urban women with primary or no education. The slope index of inequality increased in urban areas from 1988 to 2012. Over 0.5 M cases would be avoided if the obesity prevalence of women with primary or less education was the same as for women with higher education. Conclusions The expected inverse association between education and obesity was observed in urban areas of Mexico. The declining trend in relative educational inequalities in obesity was due to a greater increase in obesity prevalence among higher educated women. In rural areas there was no social gradient in the association between education level and obesity across the four surveys. PMID:24599098

Development and Evaluation of a Pharmacogenomics Educational Program for Pharmacists

PubMed Central

Formea, Christine M.; Nicholson, Wayne T.; McCullough, Kristen B.; Berg, Kevin D.; Berg, Melody L.; Cunningham, Julie L.; Merten, Julianna A.; Ou, Narith N.; Stollings, Joanna L.

2013-01-01

Objectives. To evaluate hospital and outpatient pharmacists’ pharmacogenomics knowledge before and 2 months after participating in a targeted, case-based pharmacogenomics continuing education program. Design. As part of a continuing education program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), pharmacists were provided with a fundamental pharmacogenomics education program. Evaluation. An 11-question, multiple-choice, electronic survey instrument was distributed to 272 eligible pharmacists at a single campus of a large, academic healthcare system. Pharmacists improved their pharmacogenomics test scores by 0.7 questions (pretest average 46%; posttest average 53%, p=0.0003). Conclusions. Although pharmacists demonstrated improvement, overall retention of educational goals and objectives was marginal. These results suggest that the complex topic of pharmacogenomics requires a large educational effort in order to increase pharmacists’ knowledge and comfort level with this emerging therapeutic opportunity. PMID:23459098

Education strategies to foster health professional students' clinical reasoning skills.

PubMed

Rochmawati, Erna; Wiechula, Rick

2010-06-01

Clinical reasoning is an important skill for health professionals that should be developed to achieve high levels of expertise. Several education strategies have been suggested for implementation by health professional educators to foster their students' clinical reasoning skills. The strategies have included the following: problem-based learning, the integrative curriculum, reflection, and concept mapping. This review assesses which is the most effective education strategy for developing the clinical reasoning skills of health professional students. Four publications, from a total of 692 identified records, were included. Overall, this review was not able to make a final conclusion to answer the question. Therefore, there is a need to conduct more studies with larger samples and to undertake research that evaluates the following aspects: more alternate education interventions, variations in the delivery of education interventions, and the cost-effectiveness of implementing education strategies.

Development and evaluation of a pharmacogenomics educational program for pharmacists.

PubMed

Formea, Christine M; Nicholson, Wayne T; McCullough, Kristen B; Berg, Kevin D; Berg, Melody L; Cunningham, Julie L; Merten, Julianna A; Ou, Narith N; Stollings, Joanna L

2013-02-12

Objectives. To evaluate hospital and outpatient pharmacists' pharmacogenomics knowledge before and 2 months after participating in a targeted, case-based pharmacogenomics continuing education program.Design. As part of a continuing education program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), pharmacists were provided with a fundamental pharmacogenomics education program.Evaluation. An 11-question, multiple-choice, electronic survey instrument was distributed to 272 eligible pharmacists at a single campus of a large, academic healthcare system. Pharmacists improved their pharmacogenomics test scores by 0.7 questions (pretest average 46%; posttest average 53%, p=0.0003).Conclusions. Although pharmacists demonstrated improvement, overall retention of educational goals and objectives was marginal. These results suggest that the complex topic of pharmacogenomics requires a large educational effort in order to increase pharmacists' knowledge and comfort level with this emerging therapeutic opportunity.

Mental Discipline, Curricular Reform, and the Decline of U.S. Astronomy Education, 1893-1920

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marché, Jordan D., II

Nineteenth-century astronomy education rested on a powerful rationale of support within American liberal arts colleges and high schools. Descriptive astronomy was widely regarded as suitable for improving a student's "mental discipline." But the collapse of mental discipline pedagogy, along with concurrent efforts to standardize and reform secondary-level curricula, were responsible for a significant post-1900 decline in astronomical teaching. As a result, astronomy education was not broadly reinstated into secondary curricula until after the launch of Sputnik in 1957. This report demonstrates that changing relationships between disciplinary specialties and pedagogical theories provide no guarantee of sustained curricular success--a conclusion equally relevant to today's science educators.

Development and Validation of a Nutritional Education Pamphlet for Low-Literacy Pediatric Oncology Caregivers in Central America

PubMed Central

Garcia, Melissa; Chismark, Elisabeth A.; Mosby, Terezie; Day, Sara

2013-01-01

Background A culturally appropriate nutrition education pamphlet was developed and validated for low-literacy caregivers in Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala. Methods The pamphlet was developed after a preliminary survey of pediatric oncology nurses in the 3 countries to assess the need for education materials, caregiver literacy levels, and local eating habits. Experts in nutrition and low-literacy patient education and nurses validated the pamphlet’s content and design. Results and Conclusions Nurses expressed the need for nutrition-related pamphlets in developing countries. The pamphlet was validated positively by experts and nurses and has been circulated to pediatric oncology caregivers in Central America. PMID:20300913

A Comparison of Student Success by Faculty Qualifications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garner, Kristine A.

2012-01-01

Providing the best qualified faculty to ensure the most successful student outcomes is a priority in higher education. The use of adjunct faculty in colleges and universities is continually increasing, especially for lower level courses. Previous research has come to conflicting conclusions regarding the quality of adjunct faculty. Indicators of…

Design and Implementation Considerations for Alternative Teacher Compensation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brodsky, Andrew; DeCesare, Dale; Kramer-Wine, Jennifer

2010-01-01

Over the past decade, educators and policymakers have used a variety of approaches to designing and implementing teacher compensation programs. These approaches include federal incentive funds, state-level programs, and district initiatives. This article reviews 6 such programs in order to identify themes and draw conclusions relevant to…

Family and College Environmental Exposures Mediate the Relationship between Parental Education and Depression among College Students

PubMed Central

Yang, Yanjie; Sun, Hailian; Pan, Hui; He, Jincai; Zhu, Xiongzhao; Sui, Hong; Wang, Wenbo; Qiu, Xiaohui; Qiao, Zhengxue; Yang, Xiuxian; Yang, Jiarun; Yu, Yunmiao; Ban, Bo; He, Changzhi

2016-01-01

Background Depression is a major health concern for college students due to its substantial morbidity and mortality. Although low parental education has been identified as a factor in depression in college students, the mechanisms through which parental educational achievement affects students’ depression are not well understood. We tested whether adverse family and college environments mediate the relationship between parental educational level and depression among Chinese college students. Methods A total of 5180 respondents were selected using a cross-sectional survey. We examined the association of parental education, adverse family and college environments with depression in college students using the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist, Beck Depression Inventory and socio-demographic questionnaires. Results Lower parental educational level is significantly correlated with depression in college students in our sample. Additionally, low family economic status, paternal or maternal unemployment, long periods spent apart from family, family conflicts, having been scolded and beaten by parents, poor or dissatisfying test performance, conflict with friends, heavy course load and failure in selection processes are also associated with parental education. Low family economic status, paternal or maternal unemployment, long periods spent apart from family, family conflicts, poor or dissatisfying test performance, conflict with friends and heavy course load mediated the relationship between parental education and depression in college students. Conclusions Adverse family and college environments could explain the influence of parental educational level on depression in college students. PMID:26991783

Overcoming Barriers to Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice Concepts in Athletic Training Education: Perceptions of Select Educators

PubMed Central

Manspeaker, Sarah; Van Lunen, Bonnie

2011-01-01

Context: The need to include evidence-based practice (EBP) concepts in entry-level athletic training education is evident as the profession transitions toward using evidence to inform clinical decision making. Objective: To evaluate athletic training educators' experience with implementation of EBP concepts in Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE)-accredited entry-level athletic training education programs in reference to educational barriers and strategies for overcoming these barriers. Design: Qualitative interviews of emergent design with grounded theory. Setting: Undergraduate CAATE-accredited athletic training education programs. Patients or Other Participants: Eleven educators (3 men, 8 women). The average number of years teaching was 14.73 ± 7.06. Data Collection and Analysis: Interviews were conducted to evaluate perceived barriers and strategies for overcoming these barriers to implementation of evidence-based concepts in the curriculum. Interviews were explored qualitatively through open and axial coding. Established themes and categories were triangulated and member checked to determine trustworthiness. Results: Educators identified 3 categories of need for EBP instruction: respect for the athletic training profession, use of EBP as part of the decision-making toolbox, and third-party reimbursement. Barriers to incorporating EBP concepts included time, role strain, knowledge, and the gap between clinical and educational practices. Suggested strategies for surmounting barriers included identifying a starting point for inclusion and approaching inclusion from a faculty perspective. Conclusions: Educators must transition toward instruction of EBP, regardless of barriers present in their academic programs, in order to maintain progress with other health professions' clinical practices and educational standards. Because today's students are tomorrow's clinicians, we need to include EBP concepts in entry-level education to promote critical thinking, inspire potential research interest, and further develop the available body of knowledge in our growing clinical practice. PMID:22488139

Impact of Oral Health Education on Oral Health Knowledge of Private School Children in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Al Saffan, Abdulrahman Dahham; Baseer, Mohammad Abdul; Alshammary, Abdul Aziz; Assery, Mansour; Kamel, Ashraf; Rahman, Ghousia

2017-01-01

Aims and Objectives: To assess the early effect of oral health education on oral health knowledge of primary and intermediate school students of private schools by utilizing pre/post questionnaires data from oral health educational projects in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. Second, to examine topic-specific knowledge differences between genders, nationalities, and educational levels of the students. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional oral health educational data of private school students (n = 1279) in primary and intermediate levels were extracted from the King Salman Centre for Children's Health (KSCCH) projects undertaken by Riyadh Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy. Student's pre- and post-test data were analyzed for changes in oral health knowledge. Overall knowledge score and topic-specific knowledge scores were calculated and the differences between gender, nationality, and educational level were examined using Mann–Whitney U-test. Pre/post change in the oral health knowledge was evaluated by Wilcoxon's sign rank test. Results: Immediately, after oral health educational session high knowledge score category showed an increase of 25.6%, medium and low knowledge score categories showed −3.2% and −22.3% decrease, and this change was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Comparison of correct responses between pre- and post-test showed statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in all the questions except for the timing of tooth brushing. Females, non-Saudi nationals and students in primary level of education showed significantly high mean knowledge (P < 0.001) at posttest assessment. Conclusion: Primary and intermediate private school student's overall, and topic-specific oral health knowledge improved immediately after educational intervention provided by KSCCH. High knowledge gain was observed among female non-Saudi primary school students. PMID:29285475

The past, present and future of nursing education in the People's Republic of China: a discussion paper.

PubMed

Gao, Ling-Ling; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Cheng, Bing-Shu

2012-06-01

  This article presents a discussion of nursing education development in the People's Republic of China in its historical, economic and sociopolitical contexts.   China has a population of 1·3 billion with about 2·18 million nurses. With the recent surging economic and social development in China, nursing education has undergone transformation changes in the past two decades.   Online bibliographical databases from 1990 to 2010 were searched including CINAHL, MEDLINE, Wan Fang Data and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure. Search terms included nursing education, China and development.   Thematic analysis and narrative synthesis were used to identify and report themes from literature.   Database searches yielded 1674 papers, and 34 met the inclusion criteria for review. The standard of nursing education varies greatly in different parts of China, because of its huge size and population, with pre-registration programmes offered at the secondary, associate degree and baccalaureate level. Multi-level nursing education is one of the major barriers for professional development. There is a need to upgrade the pre-registration education to at least associate degree level. There is also a need to enhance graduate nursing education at master and doctoral level to prepare advanced practice nurses, nurse scientists and nursing faculty. conclusion:  The challenges for nursing education development in China are echoed and encountered in many parts of the world. The experience in China and the lessons learned would be relevant to developing countries. Nursing in China must continue to develop in parallel to international trends. Promoting communication and maintaining international links are important for the global development of nursing practice. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

HIV/AIDS knowledge and occupational risk in primary care health workers from Chile

PubMed Central

Valdés, Baltica Cabieses; Lagunas, Lilian Ferrer; Villarroel, Luis Antonio; Acosta, Rosina Cianelli; Miner, Sarah; Silva, Margarita Bernales

2014-01-01

Objective To explore the relationship between knowledge level and occupational risk exposure to HIV/AIDS in primary care health workers. Methodology Analytical cross-sectional study. 720 health workers from Santiago answered a survey about HIV/AIDS that included: knowledge level (appropriate, inappropriate), occupational risk (with or without risk), and control variables (age, gender, health center, education and marital status). Descriptive and association analysis were performed. Odds Ratio (OR) was estimated through simple and multiple regressions logistics. Results 58.7% of the participants reported HIV occupational risk. 63.8% of the participants from the exposed group reported an appropriate level of knowledge, versus 36.1% of the non-exposed group (Adjusted OR of 3.1, IC95%OR: 2.0-4.8, p<0.0001). Technicians and cleaning staff reported a lower proportion of appropriate level of knowledge compared to the employees with college education (p<0.0001). Conclusion The level of HIV/AID occupational risk is directly associated with the level of knowledge of the disease. PMID:25284913

Dietary patterns within educational groups and their association with CHD and stroke in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands cohort.

PubMed

Biesbroek, Sander; Kneepkens, Mirjam C; van den Berg, Saskia W; Fransen, Heidi P; Beulens, Joline W; Peeters, Petra H M; Boer, Jolanda M A

2018-04-01

Higher-educated people often have healthier diets, but it is unclear whether specific dietary patterns exist within educational groups. We therefore aimed to derive dietary patterns in the total population and by educational level and to investigate whether these patterns differed in their composition and associations with the incidence of fatal and non-fatal CHD and stroke. Patterns were derived using principal components analysis in 36 418 participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Netherlands cohort. Self-reported educational level was used to create three educational groups. Dietary intake was estimated using a validated semi-quantitative FFQ. Hazard ratios were estimated using Cox Proportional Hazard analysis after a mean follow-up of 16 years. In the three educational groups, similar 'Western', 'prudent' and 'traditional' patterns were derived as in the total population. However, with higher educational level a lower population-derived score for the 'Western' and 'traditional' patterns and a higher score on the 'prudent' pattern were observed. These differences in distribution of the factor scores illustrate the association between education and food consumption. After adjustments, no differences in associations between population-derived dietary patterns and the incidence of CHD or stroke were found between the educational groups (P interaction between 0·21 and 0·98). In conclusion, although in general population and educational groups-derived dietary patterns did not differ, small differences between educational groups existed in the consumption of food groups in participants considered adherent to the population-derived patterns (Q4). This did not result in different associations with incident CHD or stroke between educational groups.

Evaluating ambulatory care training in Firoozgar hospital based on Iranian national standards of undergraduate medical education

PubMed Central

Sabzghabaei, Foroogh; Salajeghe, Mahla; Soltani Arabshahi, Seyed Kamran

2017-01-01

Background: In this study, ambulatory care training in Firoozgar hospital was evaluated based on Iranian national standards of undergraduate medical education related to ambulatory education using Baldrige Excellence Model. Moreover, some suggestions were offered to promote education quality in the current condition of ambulatory education in Firoozgar hospital and national standards using the gap analysis method. Methods: This descriptive analytic study was a kind of evaluation research performed using the standard check lists published by the office of undergraduate medical education council. Data were collected through surveying documents, interviewing, and observing the processes based on the Baldrige Excellence Model. After confirming the validity and reliability of the check lists, we evaluated the establishment level of the national standards of undergraduate medical education in the clinics of this hospital in the 4 following domains: educational program, evaluation, training and research resources, and faculty members. Data were analyzed according to the national standards of undergraduate medical education related to ambulatory education and the Baldrige table for scoring. Finally, the quality level of the current condition was determined as very appropriate, appropriate, medium, weak, and very weak. Results: In domains of educational program 62%, in evaluation 48%, in training and research resources 46%, in faculty members 68%, and in overall ratio, 56% of the standards were appropriate. Conclusion: The most successful domains were educational program and faculty members, but evaluation and training and research resources domains had a medium performance. Some domains and indicators were determined as weak and their quality needed to be improved, so it is suggested to provide the necessary facilities and improvements by attending to the quality level of the national standards of ambulatory education PMID:29951400

Effects of Demographic Factors, Body Mass Index, Alcohol Drinking and Smoking Habits on Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Case Control Study

PubMed Central

Farzaneh, N; Ghobaklou, M; Moghimi-Dehkordi, B; Naderi, N; Fadai, F

2013-01-01

Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder. Aims: To identify demographic factors in patients with IBS. Subjects and Methods: One-hundred and fifty three IBS patients seen at Taleghani Hospital Gastroenterology Clinic and met the Rome III criteria and 163 peoples who did not meet IBS criteria were consecutively enrolled. Both groups were asked to complete a self-rating questionnaire containing information, which included questions about age, sex, monthly income, education level, marital status, height, weight, alcohol drinking and smoking habits. Student's t-test, Pearson's Chi-square and logistic regression were used to statistical analysis. Results: The mean (SD) age for IBS patients 36.3 (13.5) years and 33.1 (9.9) years in non-IBS group (P < 0.001). Frequency of IBS defined by Rome III criteria was higher in females and younger individuals. Univariate analysis showed that IBS in males was associated with a lower monthly income and educational level and in females younger age, single, lower monthly income and educational level, body mass index (BMI), and unemployment status. Multivariate logistic regression identified a low level of education in males (Odds ratio [OR] = 3.6, 95% Confidence interval [CI]: 1.4-9.6) and in females, lower education level (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1-5.2), lower BMI (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.89-0.99), unemployed (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.85) and smoking (OR = 6.2, 95% CI: 1.03-37.2). Conclusion: We identified demographic factors in IBS patients. Being single and having a lower educational level, income, lower BMI and being unemployed were the most important factors associated with IBS, particularly in females. PMID:24116320

Draping education to promote patient dignity: canadian physiotherapy student and instructor perceptions.

PubMed

Wilson, Nicole; Hopkins-Rosseel, Diana; Lusty, Christopher; Averns, Henry; Hopman, Wilma

2012-01-01

To determine the perceptions of educators and students in Canadian entry-level professional physiotherapy programmes with respect to the current draping curriculum and the methods of delivery of that content and to determine if there is a need for additional draping education time and resources in these programmes. Canadian university physiotherapy students (n=127) and educators (n=183) completed questionnaires designed by the authors. Data were collected via Survey Monkey, exported as Excel files, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square analysis. Students and educators agreed that dignity as a concept and draping as a skill to protect patient dignity are both important and should be included in Canadian physiotherapy curricula. Respondents also agreed that students often have difficulty with draping. Educators identified barriers to teaching draping while students identified components of an effective educational resource on draping. To enhance the development of effective draping skills among entry-level physiotherapists, draping education should be included in Canadian physiotherapy curricula. An effective draping educational resource should be developed for educators and students. Purpose: To determine the perceptions of educators and students in Canadian entry-level professional physiotherapy programmes with respect to the current draping curriculum and the methods of delivery of that content and to determine if there is a need for additional draping education time and resources in these programmes. Methods: Canadian university physiotherapy students ( n =127) and educators ( n =183) completed questionnaires designed by the authors. Data were collected via Survey Monkey, exported as Excel files, and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson chi-square analysis. Results: Students and educators agreed that dignity as a concept and draping as a skill to protect patient dignity are both important and should be included in Canadian physiotherapy curricula. Respondents also agreed that students often have difficulty with draping. Educators identified barriers to teaching draping while students identified components of an effective educational resource on draping. Conclusions: To enhance the development of effective draping skills among entry-level physiotherapists, draping education should be included in Canadian physiotherapy curricula. An effective draping educational resource should be developed for educators and students.

The Association between Parameters of Socioeconomic Status and Hypertension in Korea: the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study.

PubMed

Park, Chan Soon; Ha, Kyoung Hwa; Kim, Hyeon Chang; Park, Sungha; Ihm, Sang Hyun; Lee, Hae Young

2016-12-01

We investigated the association between socioeconomic status and hypertension in Korea, a country that has experienced a dynamic socioeconomic transition. We analyzed participants of a prospective cohort study-the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study-enrolled between 2001 and 2003. We recruited 7,089 subjects who underwent a 4-year follow up till 2007. Education and income levels, which are important parameters for socioeconomic status, were stratified into 4 groups. Education level was defined as short (≤ 6 years), mid-short (7-9 years), mid-long (10-12 years), and long (≥ 12 years). Monthly income level was stratified as low (< 500,000 KRW), mid-low (500,000-1,499,999 KRW), mid-high (1,500,000-2,999,999 KRW) or high (≥ 3,000,000 KRW). At baseline, 2,805 subjects (39.5%) were diagnosed with hypertension. Education and income levels were inversely associated with the prevalence and incidence of hypertension (P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, a shorter duration of education was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension (P < 0.001), but income level was not (P = 0.305). During the follow-up, 605 subjects (14.2%) were newly diagnosed with hypertension. In multivariate adjusted analysis, the hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for incident hypertension across the longer education groups were 0.749 (0.544-1.032), 0.639 (0.462-0.884), and 0.583 (0.387-0.879), compared with the shortest education group. There was no significant association between incident hypertension and income across higher income groups: 0.988 (0.714-1.366), 0.780 (0.542-1.121), and 0.693 (0.454-1.056), compared with the lowest income group. In conclusion, education and income levels are associated with the prevalence and incidence of hypertension, but only education is an independent prognostic factor in Korea.

Marital Status, Education, and Risk of Acute Myocardial Infarction in Mainland China: The INTER-HEART Study

PubMed Central

Hu, Bo; Li, Wei; Wang, Xingyu; Liu, Lisheng; Teo, Koon; Yusuf, Salim

2012-01-01

Background We investigated the effects of marital status and education on the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in a large-scale case-control study in China. Methods This study was part of the INTER-HEART China case-control study. The main outcome measure was first AMI. Incident cases of AMI and control patients with no past history of heart disease were recruited. Controls were matching by age (±5 years) and sex. Marital status was combined into 2 categories: single and not single. Education level was classified into 2 categories: 8 years or less and more than 8 years. Results From 1999 to 2002, we recruited 2909 cases and 2947 controls from 17 cities. After adjustment for age, sex, BMI, psychosocial factors, lifestyle, other factors, and mutually for other risk factors, the odds ratio (OR) for AMI associated with being single was 1.51 (95% confidence interval: 1.18–1.93) overall, 1.19 (0.84–1.68; P = 0.072) in men and 2.00 (1.39–2.86; P < 0.0001) in women. The interaction of sex and marital status was statistically significant (P = 0.045). Compared with a high education level, a low education level increased the risk of AMI (1.45, 1.26–1.67); the odds ratios in men and women were 1.29 (1.09–1.52) and 1.55 (1.16–2.08), respectively. Single women with a low education level had a high risk of AMI (2.95, 1.99–4.37). Conclusions Being single was consistently associated with an increased risk for AMI, particularly in women. In addition, as compared with high education level, low education level was associated with a higher risk of AMI in both men and women. PMID:22245707

National Undergraduate Medical Core Curriculum in Turkey: Evaluation of Residents

PubMed Central

Budakoğlu, Işıl İrem; Coşkun, Özlem; Ergün, Mehmet Ali

2014-01-01

Background: There is very little information available on self-perceived competence levels of junior medical doctors with regard to definitions by the National Core Curriculum (NCC) for Undergraduate Medical Education. Aims: This study aims to determine the perceived level of competence of residents during undergraduate medical education within the context of the NCC. Study Design: Descriptive study. Methods: The survey was conducted between February 2010 and December 2011; the study population comprised 450 residents. Of this group, 318 (71%) participated in the study. Self-assessment questionnaires on competencies were distributed and residents were asked to assess their own competence in different domains by scoring them on a scale of 1 to 10. Results: Nearly half of the residents reported insufficient experience of putting clinical skills into practice when they graduated. In the theoretical part of NCC, the lowest competency score was reported for health-care administration, while the determination of level of chlorine in water, delivering babies, and conducting forensic examinations had the lowest perceived levels of competency in the clinical skills domain. Conclusion: Residents reported low levels of perceived competency in skills they rarely performed outside the university hospital. They were much more confident in skills they performed during their medical education. PMID:25207163

Achievement motivation level in students of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences and its influential factors

PubMed Central

KAVOUSIPOUR, SOMAYEH; NOORAFSHAN, ALI; POURAHMAD, SAEEDEH; DEHGHANI-NAZHVANI, ALI

2015-01-01

Introduction: Many studies have investigated the relationship between motivation and educational outcomes. The present study was conducted to determine whether the students’ motivation in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) decreases during educational years. Methods: 770 students in SUMS were selected by multi-stage stratified random sampling from each field and entrance year. The first questionnaire contained 57 questions on the effect of economic, social, educational, geographical and personality factors on the students’ motivation. The second one was based on 50 incomplete sentences. The validity and reliability of these questionnaires were approved by the experts and Cronbach's Alpha coefficients (85% and 90%, respectively). In this cross-sectional study, ANOVA, t-test and Chi-square tests were applied for data analysis at the 0.05 significance level. Results: Six factors with the most effect on academic motivation were "family attitudes", "getting good jobs in future", "respect for themselves", " the ability to learn", "believing their role in victory and defeat" and "the tendency toward optimism about themselves". In addition, comparing professional doctorate and basic sciences’ results revealed no significant relationship between academic motivation and educational years (F=0.819, p=0.397). But comparing field by field showed that Dentistry and Hospital Management and Medical Information (HMMI) had a significant decrease in motivation score by increase in educational years (F=3.991, p=0.015). Conclusion: Achievement motivation level in SUMS students was higher than average and did not decrease during educational years. Also, the results showed that personal, social and educational related factors affected motivation level more than economic and environmental factors. PMID:25587552

Educational Technology Use Among US Colleges and Schools of Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Cain, Jeff J.; Malone, Patrick M.; Chapman, Tracy A.; Walters, Ryan W.; Thompson, David C.; Riedl, Steven T.

2011-01-01

Objective. To develop a searchable database of educational technologies used at schools and colleges of pharmacy. Methods. A cross-sectional survey design was used to determine what educational technologies were being used and to identify an individual at each institution who could serve as an information resource for peer-to-peer questions. Results. Eighty-nine survey instruments were returned for a response rate of 75.4%. The resulting data illustrated the almost ubiquitous presence of educational technology. The most frequently used technology was course management systems and the least frequently used technology was microblogging. Conclusions. Educational technology use is trending toward fee-based products for enterprise-level applications and free, open-source products for collaboration and presentation. Educational technology is allowing educators to restructure classroom time for something other than simple transmission of factual information and to adopt an evidence-based approach to instructional innovation and reform. PMID:21829261

Impact of Educational Attainment on Health Outcomes in Moderate to Severe CKD

PubMed Central

Morton, Rachael L.; Schlackow, Iryna; Staplin, Natalie; Gray, Alastair; Cass, Alan; Haynes, Richard; Emberson, Jonathan; Herrington, William; Landray, Martin J.; Baigent, Colin; Mihaylova, Borislava

2016-01-01

Background The inverse association between educational attainment and mortality is well established, but its relevance to vascular events and renal progression in a population with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is less clear. This study aims to determine the association between highest educational attainment and risk of vascular events, cause-specific mortality, and CKD progression. Study Design Prospective epidemiologic analysis among participants in the Study of Heart and Renal Protection (SHARP), a randomized controlled trial. Setting & Participants 9,270 adults with moderate to severe CKD (6,245 not receiving dialysis at baseline) and no history of myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization recruited in Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Predictor Highest educational attainment measured at study entry using 6 levels that ranged from “no formal education” to “tertiary education.” Outcomes Any vascular event (any fatal or nonfatal cardiac, cerebrovascular, or peripheral vascular event), cause-specific mortality, and CKD progression during 4.9 years’ median follow-up. Results There was a significant trend (P < 0.001) toward increased vascular risk with decreasing levels of education. Participants with no formal education were at a 46% higher risk of vascular events (relative risk [RR], 1.46; 95% CI, 1.14-1.86) compared with participants with tertiary education. The trend for mortality across education levels was also significant (P < 0.001): all-cause mortality was twice as high among those with no formal education compared with tertiary-educated individuals (RR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.62-2.58), and significant increases were seen for both vascular (RR, 1.84; 95% CI, 1.21-2.81) and nonvascular (RR, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.60-2.89) deaths. Lifestyle factors and prior disease explain most of the excess mortality risk. Among 6,245 participants not receiving dialysis at baseline, education level was not significantly associated with progression to end-stage renal disease or doubling of creatinine level (P for trend = 0.4). Limitations No data for employment or health insurance coverage. Conclusions Lower educational attainment is associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes in individuals with CKD. PMID:26385817

Assessing Sensitivity of Early Head Start Study Findings to Manipulated Randomization Threats

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Sheridan

2013-01-01

Increasing demands for design rigor and an emphasis on evidence-based practice on a national level indicated a need for further guidance related to successful implementation of randomized studies in education. Rigorous and meaningful experimental research and its conclusions help establish a valid theoretical and evidence base for educational…

Tertiary education and its association with mental health indicators and educational factors among Arctic young adults: the NAAHS cohort study

PubMed Central

Bania, Elisabeth Valmyr; Kvernmo, Siv Eli

2016-01-01

Background Completed tertiary education is closely associated with employment and influences income, health and personal well-being. Objective The purpose of the study is to explore predictors for completed tertiary education among indigenous Sami and non-indigenous young people in relation to mental health indicators and educational factors in sociocultural rural and urban contexts across the Arctic part of Norway. Design The Norwegian Arctic Adolescent Health Study (NAAHS) is a cross-sectional, school-based survey that was conducted in 2003–2005. Of all 5,877 10th graders (aged 15–16 years) in north Norway, 83% from all 87 municipalities participated; 450 (9.2%) reported indigenous Sami ethnicity, and 304 (6.2%) reported Laestadian affiliation. Data from NAAHS were merged with registry data from the National Education Database and Norwegian Patient Register for 3,987 adolescents who gave their consent for follow-up studies. Results Completion of upper secondary school is the only common predictor of a completed tertiary education degree for both genders. Among females, conduct problems was a significant predictor of lower level education, typically vocational professions, while among males severe mental health problems requiring treatment by the specialist health care system reduced the opportunity to complete tertiary education at intermediate and higher level. Parental higher educational level was associated with less lower education among females and less higher education among males. Men residing in the northernmost and remote areas were less likely to complete education on higher level. Males’ completion of higher level education was strongly but not significantly associated (p=0.057) with higher average marks in lower secondary school. Conclusions The gender differences found in this study emphasize the need for gender-specific interventions to encourage, support and empower young people to attend and complete tertiary education. Young females with conduct problems choose lower or intermediate education, and males in need of specialist mental health care have half the chance to complete intermediate tertiary education compared with males not in contact with the mental health service. Closer cooperation between low threshold social services, general practitioners, mental health services and higher study institutions can help young male adults complete tertiary education. PMID:28156413

Pharmacoeconomic Education in Egyptian Schools of Pharmacy

PubMed Central

Soliman, Ahmed M.; Hussein, Mustafa; Abdulhalim, Abdulla M.

2013-01-01

Objective. To investigate the status of pharmacoeconomics education in Egyptian schools of pharmacy and compile and construct recommendations on how Egypt and similar countries could improve their educational infrastructure in pharmacoeconomics. Methods. A modified version of a published survey instrument was sent to all schools of pharmacy in Egypt (n= 24). The data were assessed to identify associations between offering pharmacoeconomics education and school characteristics. Results. Usable responses were obtained from 20 schools (response rate: 83%). Only 7 schools offered pharmacoeconomics education, with a median of 20 teaching hours per semester. Among respondents, 4 schools had instructors with some training in pharmacoeconomics and only 1 school had a faculty member with PhD-level training. Only 4 schools offered graduate-level courses in pharmacoeconomics. Eight additional schools expressed interest in teaching pharmacoeconomics in the near future. Having 1 or more faculty members with training in pharmacoeconomics was significantly associated with offering pharmacoeconomics education (p = 0.03). Conclusions. Pharmacoeconomics education in Egypt is still in its infancy and there exists a unique opportunity for well-trained instructors and researchers to fill this gap. Providing structured pharmacoeconomics education to student pharmacists, researchers, and stakeholders can help countries establish an integrated scientific community that can start applying pharmacoeconomic evidence to healthcare decision-making. PMID:23610475

Relationship between Refraction, Anthropometrics, and Educational Status in a Nigerian Young Adult Population

PubMed Central

Badmus, Sarat A.; Ajaiyeoba, Ayotunde I.; Adegbehingbe, Bernice O.; Onakpoya, Oluwatoyin H.; Adeoye, Adenike O.; Ameye, Sanyaolu A.

2018-01-01

PURPOSE: The study aimed at determining the relationship between refraction and anthropometric measurements and the relationship between the level of education and refractive status in a Nigerian young adult population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Healthy volunteers from the students and staff of a teaching hospital in South-Western Nigeria were studied. Demographic profiles including participants' highest educational status, parental educational level, and the age at first formal school enrollment were documented. The height and weight of the participants were measured. Noncycloplegic objective refraction was determined with autorefractor, and the spherical equivalent refraction (SER) of the right eye was used for analysis. SPSS 16 was used to explore the relationships between refraction, height, weight, and body mass index and the educational status of the participants. RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty-nine adults with a mean age of 28.4 ± 6.5 years comprising 116 males and 123 females were studied. The mean height, weight, body mass index, and right eye SER were 1.7 ± 0.1 m, 64.4 ± 12.2 kg, 23.6 ± 4.3 kg/m2, and −0.8 ± 1.4 D, respectively. Height was negatively correlated with the SER (R = −0.3, P < 0.01) in males but not in females. Refraction was not significantly related to weight or body mass index. Participants with higher levels of education were more likely to be myopic. Higher parental education and early formal school enrollment were significantly associated with myopia. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a significant positive relationship between height and myopia in male participants but not in females. Individual as well as parental higher levels of education have also shown a positive association with myopic tendency. PMID:29899648

Determinants of better health: a cross-sectional assessment of positive deviants among women in West Bengal

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Rural women in West Bengal have been found to have low rates of formal education, poor health knowledge, high rates of malnutrition and anemia, and low levels of empowerment. Despite these difficult circumstances, some women have positive health outcomes compared to women with similarly disadvantaged backgrounds. The purpose of this study is to identify factors associated with positive health outcomes among women with primary education or less. Methods Multivariable regression models were built for outcomes of positive deviance to better characterize the factors in a woman’s life that most impact her ability to deviate from the status quo. Results Positive deviants in this context are shown to be women who are able to earn an income, who have access to information through media sources, and who, despite little schooling, have marginally higher levels of formal education that lead to improved health outcomes. Conclusions Study findings indicate that positive deviant women in disadvantaged circumstances can achieve positive outcomes amidst a host of contextual barriers that would predict poor health outcomes. Focusing on areas such as enhancing access to media sources, facilitating self-help groups for married women, and promoting prolonged education and delayed marriage for girls may improve health knowledge and behavior among married women with low levels of education. PMID:23601509

Occupational Characteristics of Adults with Pediatric-Onset Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Zebracki, Kathy; Vogel, Lawrence C.

2015-01-01

Background: Employment rates among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are lower than in the general population and little is known about the specific occupations in which they are employed. Objectives: To describe specific occupations of adults with pediatric-onset SCI using the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system and to determine associations between SOC occupations and demographic factors. Methods: Cross-sectional data specific to education and employment were collected from the last interviews of a larger longitudinal study. Occupations were categorized according to the 2010 SOC system. SOC groups were compared within gender level of injury and final education. Results: Of the 461 total participants 219 (47.5%) were employed and specific occupations were available for 179. Among the SOC groups Education Law Community Service Arts and Media Occupations were most prevalent (30.2%) followed by Management Business and Finance Occupations (21.1%) Computer Engineering and Science Occupations (10.6%) Administrative and Office Support Occupations (10.0%) Service Occupations (7.3%) Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations (3.9%) and Production Occupations (3.4%). Differences were found in the distribution of SOC groups between gender levels of injury and final education groups. Conclusion: A wide variety of occupations were reported in adults with pediatric-onset SCI generally in concordance with final education and functional ability levels. PMID:25762856

Association between Physical Activity Knowledge and Levels of Physical Activity in Chinese Adults with Type 2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Hui, Stanley Sai-Chuen; Hui, Grace Pui-Sze; Xie, Yao Jie

2014-01-01

Background Physical activity (PA) is an important treatment regimen for diabetes. The purposes of this study were to evaluate people’s knowledge of how exercise influences wellbeing (termed “PA knowledge” or “knowledge of PA” in this paper) and the resulting association with levels of PA in Chinese adults with Type 2 diabetes, and to identify the valuable demographic and lifestyle factors that possibly influence the association between PA knowledge and level of PA. Methods Two hundred and fifty-eight adults with Type 2 diabetes completed an interviewer-administered survey at a diabetes clinic in Hong Kong. Data on demographics, lifestyle factors and diabetes-related medical indicators were obtained. A 20-item questionnaire was developed to measure PA-related knowledge (one point scored for each correct answer; aggregate score up to 20 points). level of PA was measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results The proportions of correct answers to each question ranged from 19.4 to 90.7%. Compared with poorly educated participants, those with university education level and above had PA knowledge scores 1.7 points higher (14.3 vs. 12.6, P<0.05). Younger, female, and obese participants were more likely to have lower level of PA (all P<0.05). After adjustment for age, gender, (BMI) and education level, the odds of having a moderate-to-high level of PA was 19% greater with 1 unit increase in PA knowledge score [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–1.29; P<0.001], this association was strongest in participants with tertiary education level or above [odds ratio (OR): 1.35; 95% CI: 1.03–1.77; P<0.05]. Conclusions PA knowledge was positively associated with level of PA. Education level significantly influenced the association between PA knowledge and level of PA, leading to the suggestion of vulnerable groups to target for PA improvement in the face of diabetes. PMID:25493559

Level of Work Related Stress among Teachers in Elementary Schools

PubMed Central

Agai–Demjaha, Teuta; Bislimovska, Jovanka Karadzinska; Mijakoski, Dragan

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Teaching is considered a highly stressful occupation, with work-related stress levels among teachers being among the highest compared to other professions. Unfortunately there are very few studies regarding the levels of work-related stress among teachers in the Republic of Macedonia. AIM: To identify the level of self-perceived work-related stress among teachers in elementary schools and its relationship to gender, age, position in the workplace, the level of education and working experience. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a descriptive-analytical model of a cross-sectional study that involved 300 teachers employed in nine elementary schools. Evaluation of examined subjects included completion of a specially designed questionnaire. RESULTS: We found that the majority of interviewed teachers perceive their work-related stress as moderate. The level of work-related stress was significantly high related to the gender, age, position in workplace, as well as working experience (p < 0.01), while it was significant related to level of education (p < 0.05). Significantly greater number of lower-grade teachers perceives the workplace as extremely stressful as compared to the upper-grade teachers (18.5% vs. 5.45%), while the same is true for female respondents as compared to the male ones (15.38% vs. 3.8%). In addition, our results show that teachers with university education significantly more often associate their workplace with stronger stress than their colleagues with high education (13.48% vs. 9.4%). We also found that there is no significant difference of stress levels between new and more experienced teachers. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm that the majority of interviewed teachers perceived their work-related stress as high or very high. In terms of the relationship between the level of teachers’ stress and certain demographic and job characteristics, according to our results, the level of work-related stress has shown significantly high relation to gender, age, levels of grades taught as well as working experience, and significant relation to the level of education. PMID:27275275

Interaction between Education and Household Wealth on the Risk of Obesity in Women in Egypt

PubMed Central

Aitsi-Selmi, Amina; Chandola, Tarani; Friel, Sharon; Nouraei, Reza; Shipley, Martin J.; Marmot, Michael G.

2012-01-01

Background Obesity is a growing problem in lower income countries particularly among women. There are few studies exploring individual socioeconomic status indicators in depth. This study examines the interaction of education and wealth in relation to obesity, hypothesising that education protects against the obesogenic effect of wealth. Methods Four datasets of women of reproductive age from the Egyptian Demographic and Health Surveys spanning the period 1992–2008 are used to examine two distinct time periods: 1992/95 (N = 11097) and 2005/08 (N = 23178). The association in the two time periods between education level and household wealth in relation to the odds of being obese is examined, and the interaction between the two socioeconomic indicators investigated. Estimates are adjusted for age group and area of residence. Results An interaction was found between the association of education and wealth with obesity in both time periods (P-value for interaction <0.001). For women with the lowest education level, moving up one wealth quintile was associated with a 78% increase in the odds of obesity in 1992/95 (OR; 95%CI: 1.78; 1.65,1.91) and a 33% increase in 2005/08 (OR; 95%CI: 1.33; 1.26,1.39). For women with the highest level of education, there was little evidence of an association between wealth and obesity (OR; 95%CI: 0.82; 0.57,1.16 in 1992/95 and 0.95; 0.84,1.08 in 2005/08). Obesity levels increased most in women who were in the no/primary education, poorest wealth quintile and rural groups (absolute difference in prevalence percentage points between the two time periods: 20.2, 20.1, and 21.3 respectively). Conclusion In the present study, wealth appears to be a risk factor for obesity in women with lower education levels, while women with higher education are protected. The findings also suggest that a reversal in the social distribution of obesity risk is occurring which can be explained by the large increase in obesity levels in lower socioeconomic groups between the two time periods. PMID:22761807

Knowledge of Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack and Stroke among Singapore Residents

PubMed Central

Quah, Joy Li Juan; Yap, Susan; Cheah, Si Oon; Ng, Yih Yng; Goh, E. Shaun; Doctor, Nausheen; Leong, Benjamin Sieu-Hon; Tiah, Ling; Chia, Michael Yih Chong; Ong, Marcus Eng Hock

2014-01-01

Aim. To determine the level of knowledge of signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke in Singapore resident population, in comparison to the global community. Methods. A population based, random sample of 7,840 household addresses was selected from a validated national sampling frame. Each participant was asked eight questions on signs and symptoms of heart attack and 10 questions on stroke. Results. The response rate was 65.2% with 4,192 respondents. The level of knowledge for preselected, common signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke was 57.8% and 57.1%, respectively. The respondents scored a mean of 5.0 (SD 2.4) out of 8 for heart attack, while they scored a mean of 6.8 (SD 2.9) out of 10 for stroke. Respondents who were ≥50 years, with lower educational level, and unemployed/retired had the least knowledge about both conditions. The level of knowledge of signs and symptoms of heart attack and stroke in Singapore is comparable to USA and Canada. Conclusion. We found a comparable knowledge of stroke and heart attack signs and symptoms in the community to countries within the same economic, educational, and healthcare strata. However older persons, those with lower educational level and those who are unemployed/retired, require more public health education efforts. PMID:24812623

Effect of E-learning on primigravida women's satisfaction and awareness concerning prenatal care

PubMed Central

Mohamadirizi, Soheila; Bahadoran, Parvin; Fahami, Fariba

2014-01-01

Background: E-learning, in addition to promotion of patients’ level of awareness, causes a more efficient way to increase patient-personnel interaction and provision of patients’ educational content. Materials and Methods: In a quasi-experimental study, 100 primigravida women, referring to Navab Safavi health care center affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, were selected through convenient sampling. The subjects received education via E-learning or booklet education methods for four weeks. Questionnaire of satisfaction with the awareness of prenatal care was completed by both groups before and 4-6 weeks after education. Data were analyzed by student t-test and paired t-test through SPSS with a significance level of P < 0.05. Results: No significant difference was noted between scores of satisfaction and awareness in both groups before education, while a significant difference was observed four weeks after intervention (P = 0.004). There was a significant difference between scores of satisfaction and awareness after intervention in both groups (P = 0.001, P = 0.034). Satisfaction and awareness scores increased by 169% and 123%, and 61% and 37% in the E-learning and control groups, respectively (P = 0.034). Conclusions: E-learning can cause an increase in the level of primigravida women's satisfaction and awareness. Therefore, conducting such education, as an efficient learning method, is recommended as it needs less time, has lower costs, and does not need any special equipment. PMID:24741653

Awareness and Perception of Plant-Based Diets for the Treatment and Management of Type 2 Diabetes in a Community Education Clinic: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Lee, Vincent; McKay, Taylor; Ardern, Chris I.

2015-01-01

Objective. To assess awareness, barriers, and promoters of plant-based diet use for management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) for the development of an appropriate educational program. Design. Cross-sectional study of patients and healthcare providers. Setting. Regional Diabetes Education Centre in ON, Canada. Participants. n = 98 patients attending the Diabetes Education Centre and n = 25 healthcare providers. Variables Measures. Patient questionnaires addressed demographics, health history, and eating patterns, as well as current knowledge, confidence levels, barriers to, promoters of, and interests in plant-based diets. Staff questionnaires addressed attitudes and current practice with respect to plant-based diets. Analysis. Mean values, frequency counts, and logistic regression (alpha = 0.05). Results. Few respondents (9%) currently followed a plant-based diet, but 66% indicated willingness to follow one for 3 weeks. Family eating preferences and meal planning skills were common barriers to diet change. 72% of healthcare providers reported knowledge of plant-based diets for diabetes management but low levels of practice. Conclusions and Implications. Patient awareness of the benefits of a plant-based diet for the management of diabetes remains suboptimal and may be influenced by perception of diabetes educators and clinicians. Given the reported willingness to try (but low current use of) plant-based diets, educational interventions targeting patient and provider level knowledge are warranted. PMID:25802755

Essential pediatric hypertension: defining the educational needs of primary care pediatricians

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background In order to better understand the educational needs regarding appropriate recognition, diagnosis and management of pediatric hypertension (HTN), we asked practicing pediatricians questions regarding their educational needs and comfort level on this topic. Methods We conducted 4 focus group sessions that included 27 participants representing pediatric residents, adolescent medicine physicians, clinic based pediatricians and office based pediatricians. Each focus group session lasted for approximately an hour and 90 pages of total transcriptions were produced verbatim from audio recordings. Results Four reviewers read each transcript and themes were elucidated from these transcripts. Overall, 5 major themes related to educational needs and clinical concerns were found: utilization of resources to define blood pressure (BP), correct BP measurement method(s), co-morbidities, barriers to care, and experience level with HTN. Six minor themes were also identified: differences in BP measurement, accuracy of BP, recognition of HTN, practice pattern of care, education of families and patients, and differences in level of training. The focus group participants were also questioned on their preferences regarding educational methods (i.e. e-learning, small group sessions, self-study, large group presentations) and revealed varied teaching and learning preferences. Conclusions There are multiple methods to approach education regarding pediatric HTN for primary care pediatricians based on provider preferences and multiple educational activities should be pursued to achieve best outcomes. Based on this data, the next direction will be to develop and deliver multiple educational methods and to evaluate the impact on practice patterns of care for children and adolescents with HTN. PMID:25063988

Socioeconomic Position and Factors Associated With Use of a Nonsupine Infant Sleep Position: Findings From the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey

PubMed Central

Fell, Deshayne B.; Chalmers, Beverley; Sauve, Reg; Royle, Catherine; Allan, Billie; O’Campo, Patricia

2014-01-01

Objectives. With a focus on socioeconomic position, we examined the association between maternal education and nonsupine infant sleep position, and examined patterns of effect modification with additional sociodemographic, maternal, infant, and health services predictors. Methods. Data were from the Maternity Experiences Survey, a national population-based sample of 76 178 new Canadian mothers (unweighted n = 6421) aged 15 years or older interviewed in 2006–2007. Using logistic regression, we developed multivariate models for 3 maternal education strata. Results. Level of maternal education was significantly and inversely related to nonsupine infant sleep position. Stratified analyses revealed different predictive factors for nonsupine infant sleep position across strata of maternal education. Postpartum home visits were not associated with use of this sleep position among new mothers with less than high school completion. Adequacy of postpartum information regarding sudden infant death syndrome was not associated with nonsupine infant sleep position in any of the educational strata. Conclusions. These findings suggest a need to revisit Back to Sleep health promotion strategies and to ensure that these interventions are tailored to match the information needs of all families, including mothers with lower levels of formal education. PMID:23597349

The cancer awareness assessment project: A small-scale survey across people with different levels of education in Mysore, India.

PubMed

Sheshachalam, A; Chakravarthy, A R

2015-01-01

To assess the cancer awareness in respondents, their knowledge about the nature of cancer as a disease, its diagnosis and treatment, warning signs, environmental risk factors and conceptions of how risk factors work, as well as willingness to participate in screening programs if available. Cancer awareness is an increasingly important issue in light of increasing incidence and associated healthcare costs, as well as the presence of risk management strategies. In this study, 453 people, drawn from several educational institutes/workplaces, were surveyed with respect to cancer awareness. The test sample included pre university students, undergraduates, and postgraduate students/workers. We checked for variations in cancer awareness across multiple educational levels to determine whether there was variation in levels of cancer awareness across educational classes. We found that confidence in perception of cancer awareness, and awareness itself, was not very high, and only postgraduates had a nuanced appreciation of some of the complexities of cancer epidemiology, and even then only moderately. The conclusions of the study point towards the need for optimal policymaking in the development of cancer awareness in the population.

Nuclear Medicine and Resources for Patients: How Complex are Online Patient Educational Materials?

PubMed

Hansberry, David R; Shah, Kush; Agarwal, Nitin; Kim, Sung M; Intenzo, Charles M

2018-02-02

The Internet is a major source of healthcare information for patients. The American Medical Association and National Institutes of Health recommend that consumer healthcare websites be written between a 3rd and 7th grade level. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of readability of patient education websites pertaining to nuclear medicine. Methods: Ten search terms were Googled and the top 10 links for each term were collected and analyzed for their level of readability using 10 well-established readability scales. Results: Collectively the 99 articles were written at an 11.8 grade level (standard deviation of 3.4). Only 5 of the 99 articles were written at the NIH and AMA recommended 3rd to 7th grade. Conclusion: There is a clear discordance between the readability level of nuclear medicine related imaging terms with the NIH and AMA guidelines. This disconnect may negatively impact patient understanding contributing to poor health outcomes. Copyright © 2018 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Do family and neighbourhood matter in secondary school completion? A multilevel study of determinants and their interactions in a life-course perspective

PubMed Central

Myhr, Arnhild; Lillefjell, Monica; Espnes, Geir Arild; Halvorsen, Thomas

2017-01-01

Background Completion of secondary education is important for individuals’ future health and health behaviour. The fundamental purpose of this study is to investigate the variation and clustering of school completion in families and neighbourhoods. Secondly, we aim to examine the impact of individuals’ family structure and neighbourhood of residence and examine to what extent parental education level moderates these associations. Methods Longitudinal register data for 30% of the entire Norwegian population aged 21–27 years in 2010 (N = 107,003) was extracted from Statistic Norway´s event database. Three-level logistic regression models, which incorporated individual, family, and neighbourhood contextual factors, were applied to estimate the family and neighbourhood general contextual effects and detect possible educational differences in the impact of family structure and urban place of residence in school completion. Results Completion rates were significantly higher within families with higher education level (79% in tertiary educated families vs. 61% and 48% in secondary and primary educated families respectively) and were strongly correlated within families (ICC = 39.6) and neighbourhoods (ICC = 5.7). Several structural factors at the family level negatively associated with school completion (e.g., family disruption, large family size, and young maternal age) were more prevalent and displayed more negative impact among primary educated individuals. Urban residence was associated with school completion, but only among the tertiary educated. Conclusions Investment in the resources in the individuals’ immediate surroundings, including family and neighbourhood, may address a substantial portion of the social inequalities in the completion of upper secondary education. The high intra-familial correlation in school completion suggests that public health policies and future research should acknowledge family environments in order to improve secondary education completion rates among young people within lower educated families. PMID:28222115

Racial discrepancies in the association between paternal vs. maternal educational level and risk of low birthweight in Washington State.

PubMed

Nicolaidis, Christina; Ko, Cynthia W; Saha, Somnath; Koepsell, Thomas D

2004-06-17

BACKGROUND: The role of paternal factors in determining the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes has received less attention than maternal factors. Similarly, the interaction between the effects of race and socioeconomic status (SES) on pregnancy outcomes is not well known. Our objective was to assess the relative importance of paternal vs. maternal education in relation to risk of low birth weight (LBW) across different racial groups. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study using Washington state birth certificate data from 1992 to 1996 (n = 264,789). We assessed the associations between maternal or paternal education and LBW, adjusting for demographic variables, health services factors, and maternal behavioral and obstetrical factors. RESULTS: Paternal educational level was independently associated with LBW after adjustment for race, maternal education, demographic characteristics, health services factors; and other maternal factors. We found an interaction between the race and maternal education on risk of LBW. In whites, maternal education was independently associated with LBW. However, in the remainder of the sample, maternal education had a minimal effect on LBW. CONCLUSIONS: The degree of association between maternal education and LBW delivery was different in whites than in members of other racial groups. Paternal education was associated with LBW in both whites and non-whites. Further studies are needed to understand why maternal education may impact pregnancy outcomes differently depending on race and why paternal education may play a more important role than maternal education in some racial categories.

[A survey of medical information education in radiological technology schools].

PubMed

Ohba, Hisateru; Ogasawara, Katsuhiko; Hoshino, Shuhei; Hosoba, Minoru; Okuda, Yasuo; Konishi, Yasuhiko; Ikeda, Ryuji

2010-08-20

The purpose of this study was to clarify actual conditions and problems in medical information education and to propose the educational concept to be adopted in medical information. A questionnaire survey was carried out by the anonymous method in June 2008. The survey was intended for 40 radiological technology schools. The questionnaire items were as follows: (1) educational environment in medical information education, (2) content of a lecture in medical information, (3) problems in medical information education. The response rate was 55.0% (22 schools). Half of the responding schools had a laboratory on medical information. Seventeen schools had a medical information education facility, and out of them, approximately 50% had an educational medical information system. The main problems of the medical information education were as follows: (a) motivation of the students is low, (b) the educational coverage and level for medical information are uncertain, (c) there are not an appropriate textbook and educational guidance. In conclusion, these findings suggest that it is necessary to have a vision of medical information education in the education of radiological technologists.

Race/Ethnicity, Education, and Treatment Parameters as Moderators and Predictors of Outcome in Binge Eating Disorder

PubMed Central

Thompson-Brenner, Heather; Franko, Debra L.; Thompson, Douglas R.; Grilo, Carlos M.; Boisseau, Christina L.; Roehrig, James P.; Richards, Lauren K.; Bryson, Susan W.; Bulik, Cynthia M.; Crow, Scott J.; Devlin, Michael J.; Gorin, Amy A.; Kristeller, Jean L.; Masheb, Robin; Mitchell, James E.; Peterson, Carol B.; Safer, Debra L.; Striegel, Ruth H.; Wilfley, Denise E.; Wilson, G. Terence

2014-01-01

Objective Binge eating disorder (BED) is prevalent among individuals from minority racial/ethnic groups and among individuals with lower levels of education, yet the efficacy of psychosocial treatments for these groups has not been examined in adequately powered analyses. This study investigated the relative variance in treatment retention and post-treatment symptom levels accounted for by demographic, clinical, and treatment variables as moderators and predictors of outcome. Method Data were aggregated from eleven randomized, controlled trials of psychosocial treatments for BED conducted at treatment sites across the United States. Participants were N = 1,073 individuals meeting criteria for BED including n = 946 Caucasian, n = 79 African American, and n = 48 Hispanic/Latino participants. Approximately 86% had some higher education; 85% were female. Multi-level regression analyses examined moderators and predictors of treatment retention, Eating Disorder Examination (EDE) global score, frequency of objective bulimic episodes (OBEs), and OBE remission. Results Moderator analyses of race/ethnicity and education were non-significant. Predictor analyses revealed African Americans were more likely to drop out of treatment than Caucasians, and lower level of education predicted greater post-treatment OBEs. African Americans showed a small but significantly greater reduction in EDE global score relative to Caucasians. Self-help treatment administered in a group showed negative outcomes relative to other treatment types, and longer treatment was associated with better outcome. Conclusions Observed lower treatment retention among African Americans and lesser treatment effects for individuals with lower levels of educational attainment are serious issues requiring attention. Reduced benefit was observed for shorter treatment length and self-help administered in groups. PMID:23647283

Tobacco Cessation Counseling Training in US Entry-Level Physical Therapist Education Curricula: Prevalence, Content, and Associated Factors

PubMed Central

Gurka, Matthew J.; Jones, Dina L.; Kershner, Ruth E.; Ohtake, Patricia J.; Stauber, William T.; Swisher, Anne K.

2014-01-01

Background The US Public Health Service (USPHS) recommends tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) training for all health care professionals. Within physical therapist practice, smoking can have adverse effects on treatment outcomes in all body systems. In addition, people with physical disabilities have a higher smoking prevalence than the general population, creating a strong need for tobacco cessation among physical therapy clientele. Therefore, TCC training is an important component of entry-level physical therapist education. Objective The aims of this study were: (1) to determine need for TCC training within entry-level physical therapist education and (2) to identify potential barriers to implementation of USPHS guidelines in the academic environment. Design A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted. Methods Directors or academic coordinators of clinical education from entry-level physical therapist programs (N=204) were surveyed using an online instrument designed specifically for this study. Data regarding program and faculty characteristics, tobacco-related training content, and faculty opinions toward TCC in both physical therapist practice and education were analyzed descriptively. Results The response rate was 71%. A majority (60%) of programs indicated inclusion of tobacco-related training, most commonly 1 to 2 hours in duration, and of these programs, 40% trained students in the implementation of USPHS clinical guidelines for TCC. Limitations Data analyses were constrained by limited or missing data in some areas. A single faculty member completed the survey for each program. Conclusions There is a need for TCC training in entry-level physical therapist education. Inclusion may be facilitated by addressing perceived barriers toward TCC as a component of physical therapist practice and promoting the relevance of TCC as it relates to intended outcomes of physical therapy interventions. PMID:24830717

Near-peer education: a novel teaching program

PubMed Central

Premnath, Daphne

2016-01-01

Objectives This study aims to: 1) Evaluate whether a near-peer program improves perceived OSCE performance; 2) Identify factors motivating students to teach; 3) Evaluate role of near-peer teaching in medical education. Methods A near-peer OSCE teaching program was implemented at Monash University’s Peninsula Clinical School over the 2013 academic year. Forty 3rd-year and thirty final-year medical students were recruited as near-peer learners and educators, respectively. A post-program questionnaire was completed by learners prior to summative OSCEs (n=31), followed by post-OSCE focus groups (n=10). Near-peer teachers were interviewed at the program’s conclusion (n=10). Qualitative data was analysed for emerging themes to assess the perceived value of the program. Results Learners felt peer-led teaching was more relevant to assessment, at an appropriate level of difficulty and delivered in a less threatening environment than other methods of teaching. They valued consistent practice and felt confident approaching their summative OSCEs. Educators enjoyed the opportunity to develop their teaching skills, citing mutual benefit and gratitude to past peer-educators as strong motivators to teach others. Conclusions Near-peer education, valued by near-peer learners and teachers alike, was a useful method to improve preparation and perceived performance in summative examinations. In particular, a novel year-long, student-run initiative was regarded as a valuable and feasible adjunct to faculty teaching. PMID:27239951

Self-rated literacy level does not explain educational differences in health and disease

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Although literacy is increasingly considered to play a role in socioeconomic inequalities in health, its contribution to the explanation of educational differences in health has remained unexplored. The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of self-rated literacy to educational differences in health. Methods Data was collected from the Healthy Foundation and Lifestyle Segmentation Dataset (n = 4257). Self-rated literacy was estimated by individuals’ self-reported confidence in reading written English. We used logistic regression analyses to assess the association between educational level and health (long term conditions and self-rated health). Self-rated literacy and other potential explanatory variables were separately added to each model. For each added variable we calculated the percentage change in odds ratio to assess the contribution to the explanation of educational differences in health. Results People with lower educational attainment level were more likely to report a long term condition (OR 2.04, CI 1.80-2.32). These educational differences could mostly be explained by age (OR decreased by 27%) and could only minimally be explained by self-rated literacy, as measured by self-rated reading skills (OR decreased by 1%). Literacy could not explain differences in cardiovascular condition or diabetes, and only minimally contributed to mental health problems and depression (OR decreased by 5%). The odds of rating ones own health more negatively was higher for people with a low educational level compared to those with a higher educational level (OR 1.83, CI 1.59-2.010), self-rated literacy decreased the OR by 7%. Conclusion Measuring self-rated reading skills does not contribute significantly to the explanation of educational differences in health and disease. Further research should aim for the development of objective generic and specific instruments to measure health literacy skills in the context of health care, disease prevention and health promotion. Such instruments are not only important in the explanation of educational differences in health and disease, but can also be used to identify a group at risk of poorer health through low basic skills, enabling health services and health information to be targeted at those with greater need. PMID:24872884

Does neighborhood fast-food outlet exposure amplify inequalities in diet and obesity? A cross-sectional study12

PubMed Central

Forouhi, Nita G; Griffin, Simon J; Brage, Søren; Wareham, Nicholas J

2016-01-01

Background: Greater exposures to fast-food outlets and lower levels of education are independently associated with less healthy diets and obesity. Little is known about the interplay between these environmental and individual factors. Objective: The purpose of this study was to test whether observed differences in fast-food consumption and obesity by fast-food outlet exposure are moderated by educational attainment. Design: In a population-based cohort of 5958 adults aged 29–62 y in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, we used educational attainment–stratified regression models to estimate the food-frequency questionnaire–derived consumption of energy-dense “fast foods” (g/d) typically sold in fast-food restaurants and measured body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) across geographic information system–derived home and work fast-food exposure quartiles. We used logistic regression to estimate the odds of obesity (BMI ≥30) and calculated relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) on an additive scale. Participant data were collected during 2005–2013 and analyzed in 2015. Results: Greater fast-food consumption, BMI, and odds of obesity were associated with greater fast-food outlet exposure and a lower educational level. Fast-food consumption and BMI were significantly different across education groups at all levels of fast-food outlet exposure (P < 0.05). High fast-food outlet exposure amplified differences in fast-food consumption across levels of education. The relation between fast-food outlet exposure and obesity was only significant among those who were least educated (OR: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.87; RERI = 0.88), which suggested a positive additive interaction between education and fast-food outlet exposure. Conclusion: These findings suggest that efforts to improve diets and health through neighborhood-level fast-food outlet regulation might be effective across socioeconomic groups and may serve to reduce observed socioeconomic inequalities in diet and obesity. PMID:27169835

A Case Study on Moving Philosophically Diverse Funders to Common Priorities. Education Funders Research Initiative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilliard, Thomas J.

2015-01-01

Collaboration is a recurring theme among philanthropic funders and their grantees. Most funders have engaged in collaboration at some level. A few collaborations achieve outstanding success and are lionized in case studies. Others break up without conclusion or fall short of their original mission and are tactfully forgotten. One standard…

Conclusion: The Era of Mass Early Career Academics and Aging Faculty--Africa's Paradox

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Teferra, Damtew

2016-01-01

African higher education has witnessed phenomenal enrollment growth in the last decade--and this trend is expected to continue well into the future owing to the continent's youth bulge. In this "massifying" system, the academic profession faces a paradox: as the academic profession at the senior level is aging it is also concurrently…

Moving Children, Distorting Data: Changes in Testing of Students with Disabilities in Connecticut from 2000-2013

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cotto, Robert, Jr.

2016-01-01

Connecticut experienced two major changes in testing policy for children with disabilities that played a major role in conclusions about educational progress in the state. First, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 required that all students with disabilities participate in grade-level, standardized tests. This movement of students…

The association of educational attainment and SBP among older community-living adults: the Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect and Zest in the Elderly (MOBILIZE) Boston Study

PubMed Central

Kiely, Dan K.; Gross, Alden L.; Kim, Dae H.; Lipsitz, Lewis A.

2012-01-01

Objective Educational attainment is inversely associated with SBP level in young adulthood. This association has not been studied in an older cohort, and confounding and mediating factors are not well known. Methods The authors hypothesized that higher education is associated with lower levels of SBP independent of many risk factors for hypertension. This prospective observational study included a sample of 764 older community-living participants in the Maintenance of Balance, Independent Living, Intellect and Zest in the Elderly (MOBILIZE) Boston Study. Results Compared to participants with more than college education, regression analyses showed those with a high school education or less had a SBP value 6.33 mmHg higher [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.55–10.10], and those who had a college education had a SBP value 4.01 mmHg higher (95% CI: 0.77–7.25) independent of many hypothesized confounders and mediators. Discussion Results of a path analysis confirmed that higher level of education was associated with lower SBP even after adjustment for hypothesized mediators. Although slightly attenuated by multivariable adjustment for hypertension risk factors, the significant inverse association between educational attainment and SBP was not entirely mediated by these risk factors. These findings indicate that education is inversely associated with SBP in a diverse cohort of community-living older adults, independent of many known or suspected risk factors. Conclusion This study is the first to report the association between education and SBP in an older sample, representing a population at the highest risk for hypertension-related morbidity and mortality. PMID:22688267

Evaluation of Health Literacy Status Among Patients in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Coastal Karnataka, India

PubMed Central

U.P, Rathnakar; Belman, Madhuri; Kamath, Ashwin; B, Unnikrishnan; Shenoy K, Ashok; A.L, Udupa

2013-01-01

Introduction: People with limited health literacy are more likely to make medication errors, and they have less health knowledge, worse health status, more hospitalizations, and higher healthcare costs than people with adequate literacy. The objective of this study is to assess the health literacy status among patients who are able to read and understand English attending a tertiary care hospital by using Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine [REALM] technique and to compare the health literacy levels to educational status and other baseline characteristics. Material and Methods: A widely used word recognition method [REALM] was used to assess the HL status of 200 patients attending a tertiary care hospital in Southern India. The number of correctly pronounced words was used to assign a grade-equivalent reading level. Scores 0 to 44 indicate reading skills at or below the 6th grade level, scores from 45 to 60 represent skills at the 7th or 8th grade level, and scores above 60 indicate skills at the high-school level or higher. Results: HL status was found below adequate level in more than 50% of the patients. Younger age group showed better HL scores compared to those aged more than 25 years. General education level or the medium of education does not truly reflect HL levels as brought out in the study. Even those with postgraduate qualification had poor HL skills. Conclusion: The study was carried out to find out the HL levels among patients attending a tertiary care hospital. It was assumed that the general education levels may not reflect true HL status. In view of the results of this study it can be concluded that patient’s HL skills should not be taken for granted and adequate attention should be paid in educating and briefing patients whenever patients are required to interpret and understand health care related documents. PMID:24392398

Biological and socio-cultural factors during the school years predicting women’s lifetime educational attainment

PubMed Central

Hendrick, C. Emily; Cohen, Alison K.; Deardorff, Julianna

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Lifetime educational attainment is an important predictor of health and well-being for women in the United States. In the current study, we examine the roles of socio-cultural factors in youth and an understudied biological life event, pubertal timing, in predicting women’s lifetime educational attainment. METHODS Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 cohort (N = 3889), we conducted sequential multivariate linear regression analyses to investigate the influences of macro-level and family-level socio-cultural contextual factors in youth (region of country, urbanicity, race/ethnicity, year of birth, household composition, mother’s education, mother’s age at first birth) and early menarche, a marker of early pubertal development, on women’s educational attainment after age 24. RESULTS Pubertal timing and all socio-cultural factors in youth, other than year of birth, predicted women’s lifetime educational attainment in bivariate models. Family factors had the strongest associations. When family factors were added to multivariate models, geographic region in youth and pubertal timing were no longer significant. CONCLUSION Our findings provide additional evidence that family factors should be considered when developing comprehensive and inclusive interventions in childhood and adolescence to promote lifetime educational attainment among girls. PMID:26830508

Individual-level socioeconomic status and community-level inequality as determinants of stigma towards persons living with HIV who inject drugs in Thai Nguyen, Vietnam

PubMed Central

Lim, Travis; Zelaya, Carla; Latkin, Carl; Quan, Vu Minh; Frangakis, Constantine; Ha, Tran Viet; Minh, Nguyen Le; Go, Vivian

2013-01-01

Introduction HIV infection may be affected by multiple complex socioeconomic status (SES) factors, especially individual socioeconomic disadvantage and community-level inequality. At the same time, stigma towards HIV and marginalized groups has exacerbated persistent concentrated epidemics among key populations, such as persons who inject drugs (PWID) in Vietnam. Stigma researchers argue that stigma fundamentally depends on the existence of economic power differences in a community. In rapidly growing economies like Vietnam, the increasing gap in income and education levels, as well as an individual's absolute income and education, may create social conditions that facilitate stigma related to injecting drug use and HIV. Methods A cross-sectional baseline survey assessing different types of stigma and key socioeconomic characteristics was administered to 1674 PWID and 1349 community members living in physical proximity throughout the 32 communes in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam. We created four stigma scales, including HIV-related and drug-related stigma reported by both PWID and community members. We then used ecologic Spearman's correlation, ordinary least-squares regression and multi-level generalized estimating equations to examine community-level inequality associations, individual-level SES associations and multi-level SES associations with different types of stigma, respectively. Results There was little urban–rural difference in stigma among communes. Higher income inequality was marginally associated with drug-related stigma reported by community members (p=0.087), and higher education inequality was significantly associated with higher HIV-related stigma reported by both PWID and community members (p<0.05). For individuals, higher education was significantly associated with lower stigma (HIV and drug related) reported by both PWID and community members. Part-time employed PWID reported more experiences and perceptions of drug-related stigma, while conversely unemployed community members reported enacting lower drug-related stigma. Multi-level analysis revealed that the relationship between education inequality and HIV-related stigma is superseded by the effect of individual-level education. Conclusions The results of the study confirm that socioeconomic factors at both the individual level and community level affect different types of stigma in different ways. Attention should be paid to these differences when planning structural or educational interventions to reduce stigma, and additional research should investigate the mechanisms with which SES and inequality affect social relationships and, in turn, stigma. PMID:24242257

Education, leisure activities and cognitive and functional ability of Alzheimer's disease patients: A follow-up study

PubMed Central

Sobral, Margarida; Paúl, Constança

2013-01-01

Education and participation in leisure activities appear to be highly relevant variables in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and usually form the basis of the Cognitive Reserve construct. OBJECTIVE [A] To determine the association between education, cognitive and functional ability of AD patients; [B] To determine the association between participation in leisure activities and cognitive and functional ability of AD patients; [C] To evaluate the association of education and participation in leisure activities in the course of AD. METHODS Functional and neuropsychological abilities of 120 outpatients with probable AD were evaluated at baseline, at 36 and 54 months. Data collected at baseline included socio-demographics, clinical variables, education and frequency of participation in leisure activities throughout life. All participants and/or caregivers answered the questionnaire, "Participation in leisure activities throughout life" while patients completed the MMSE, the Clinical Dementia Rating scale, neuropsychological tests from the Lisbon Screening for Dementia Assessment, Barthel Index and Lawton and Brody's Index. RESULTS AD patients with higher levels of education achieved better results on cognitive tests. The participants with higher participation in leisure activities exhibited better results on cognitive and functional tests than those with lower participation. The disease progression was linear and progressed similarly regardless of the level of education of participants. However, the results suggest a slower disease progression in patients with a higher level of participation in leisure activities throughout their lives. CONCLUSION AD patients with high education and high participation in leisure activities may benefit from a slower cognitive and functional decline after diagnosis of AD. PMID:29213838

Organizational Culture - Education of the Department of Defense Program Managers Under Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

ability to recognize unstated assumptions. Skill in distinguishing facts from hypotheses. 4.20 Analyses Of Relationships The connections and interactions...technical and business knowledge while lacking in appreciation and knowledge of self and relationship with others. (Attachment C) (10) 16 CONCLUSION...N = 15.00 300.0 320.0 340.0 360.0 380.0 400.0 420.0 Perry Level 24 Mar 94 SPSS for MS WINDOWS Release 6.0 Page 10 MBTI: 8 INTP PERRY1 Perry Level

Learning From a Lifetime of Leading Effective Change

PubMed Central

Johnson, Claire; Clum, Gerard; Lassiter, Wright L.; Phillips, Reed; Sportelli, Louis; Hunter, James C.

2014-01-01

Objective The purpose of this article is to report on the opening plenary session of the Association of Chiropractic Colleges Educational Conference—Research Agenda Conference (ACC-RAC) 2014, “Aiming for Effective Change: Leadership in Chiropractic Education, Research and Clinical Practice.” Discussion Speakers with extensive backgrounds with implementing substantial change on a broad level shared personal examples from their experiences in education, research, political organizations, and clinical practice. They described efforts, challenges, and opportunities that are encountered in order to implement effective change and shared their personal thoughts on leadership. Conclusion Each of the speakers shared their diverse, unique insights and personal experiences to convey the process and meaning of leadership. PMID:25431543

Longitudinal relationships between college education and patterns of heavy drinking: A comparison between Caucasians and African Americans

PubMed Central

Chen, Pan; Jacobson, Kristen C.

2013-01-01

Purpose The current study compared longitudinal relationships between college education and patterns of heavy drinking from early adolescence to adulthood for Caucasians and African Americans. Methods Data were collected from N=9,988 non-Hispanic Caucasian and African American participants from all four waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Growth curve modeling tested differences in rates of change and levels of heavy drinking from ages 13–31 among non-college youth, college withdrawers, 2-year-college graduates, and 4-year-college graduates, and compared these differences for Caucasians and African Americans. Results There were significant racial differences in relationships between college education with both changes in and levels of heavy drinking. Rates of change of heavy drinking differed significantly across the college education groups examined for Caucasians but not for African Americans. In addition, Caucasians who graduated from 4-year colleges showed the highest levels of heavy drinking after age 20, although differences between the four groups diminished by the early 30s. In contrast, for African Americans, graduates from 2- or 4-year colleges did not show higher levels of heavy drinking from ages 20–31 than the non-college group. Instead, African American participants who withdrew from college without an associate’s, bachelor’s, or professional degree consistently exhibited the highest levels of heavy drinking from ages 26–31. Conclusions The relationship between college education and increased levels of heavy drinking in young adulthood is significant for Caucasians but not African Americans. Conversely, African Americans are likely to be more adversely affected than Caucasians by college withdrawal. PMID:23707401

Parents’ Education, Mothers’ Vocabulary, and Cognitive Development in Early Childhood: Longitudinal Evidence From Ecuador

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Objectives. I estimated the association between parents’ education, mothers’ vocabulary, and early child cognitive development in a sample of poor children in rural Ecuador. Methods. I used regression analysis to estimate the association between parents’ education, mothers’ vocabulary, and the vocabulary, memory, and visual integration skills of children at early ages, controlling for possible confounders. The study is based on a longitudinal cohort of children in rural Ecuador (n = 2118). Results. The schooling and vocabulary levels of mothers were strong predictors of the cognitive development of young children. Household wealth and child's height, weight, and hemoglobin levels explained only a modest fraction of the observed associations. The vocabulary levels of mothers and children were more strongly correlated among older children in the sample, suggesting that the effects of a richer maternal vocabulary are cumulative. Conclusions. Differences in children's cognitive outcomes start very early, which has important implications for the intergenerational transmission of poverty and inequality. Programs that seek to increase early stimulation for disadvantaged children, perhaps through parenting programs or high-quality center-based care, hold promise. PMID:22021308

Evaluation of three different methods of distance learning for postgraduate diagnostic imaging education: A pilot study.

PubMed

Poirier, Jean-Nicolas; Cooley, Jeffrey R; Wessely, Michelle; Guebert, Gary M; Petrocco-Napuli, Kristina

2014-10-01

Objective : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceived effectiveness and learning potential of 3 Web-based educational methods in a postgraduate radiology setting. Methods : Three chiropractic radiology faculty from diverse geographic locations led mini-courses using asynchronous discussion boards, synchronous Web conferencing, and asynchronous voice-over case presentations formatted for Web viewing. At the conclusion of each course, participants filled out a 14-question survey (using a 5-point Likert scale) designed to evaluate the effectiveness of each method in achieving specified course objectives and goals and their satisfaction when considering the learning potential of each method. The mean, standard deviation, and percentage agreements were tabulated. Results : Twenty, 15, and 10 participants completed the discussion board, Web conferencing, and case presentation surveys, respectively. All educational methods demonstrated a high level of agreement regarding the course objective (total mean rating >4.1). The case presentations had the highest overall rating for achieving the course goals; however, all but one method still had total mean ratings >4.0 and overall agreement levels of 70%-100%. The strongest potential for interactive learning was found with Web conferencing and discussion boards, while case presentations rated very low in this regard. Conclusions : The perceived effectiveness in achieving the course objective and goals was high for each method. Residency-based distance education may be a beneficial adjunct to current methods of training, allowing for international collaboration. When considering all aspects tested, there does not appear to be a clear advantage to any one method. Utilizing various methods may be most appropriate.

Time trends in educational inequalities in cancer mortality in Colombia, 1998–2012

PubMed Central

Arroyave, Ivan; Pardo, Constanza

2016-01-01

Objectives To evaluate trends in premature cancer mortality in Colombia by educational level in three periods: 1998–2002 with low healthcare insurance coverage, 2003–2007 with rapidly increasing coverage and finally 2008–2012 with almost universal coverage (2008–2012). Setting Colombian population-based, national secondary mortality data. Participants We included all (n=188 091) cancer deaths occurring in the age group 20–64 years between 1998 and 2012, excluding only cases with low levels of quality of registration (n=2902, 1.5%). Primary and secondary outcome measures In this descriptive study, we linked mortality data of ages 20–64 years to census data to obtain age-standardised cancer mortality rates by educational level. Using Poisson regression, we modelled premature mortality by educational level estimating rate ratios (RR), relative index of inequality (RII) and the Slope Index of Inequality (SII). Results Relative measures showed increased risks of dying among the lower educated compared to the highest educated; this tendency was stronger in women (RRprimary 1.49; RRsecondary 1.22, both p<0.0001) than in men (RRprimary 1.35; RRsecondary 1.11, both p<0.0001). In absolute terms (SII), cancer caused a difference per 100 000 deaths between the highest and lowest educated of 20.5 in males and 28.5 in females. RII was significantly higher among women and the younger age categories. RII decreased between the first and second periods; afterwards (2008–2012), it increased significantly back to their previous levels. Among women, no significant increases or declines in cancer mortality over time were observed in recent periods in the lowest educated group, whereas strong recent declines were observed in those with secondary education or higher. Conclusions Educational inequalities in cancer mortality in Colombia are increasing in absolute and relative terms, and are concentrated in young age categories. This trend was not curbed by increases in healthcare insurance coverage. Policymakers should focus on improving equal access to prevention, early detection, diagnostic and treatment facilities. PMID:27048630

From childhood socio-economic position to adult educational level – do health behaviours in adolescence matter? A longitudinal study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Our interest was in how health behaviours in early and late adolescence are related to educational level in adulthood. The main focus was in the interplay between school career and health behaviours in adolescence. Our conceptual model included school career and health-compromising (HCB) and health-enhancing (HEB) behaviours as well as family background. Two hypotheses were tested: 1) the primary role of school career in shaping educational level in adulthood (an unsuccessful school career in adolescence leads to HCB and not adopting HEB and to low educational level in adulthood); 2) the primary role of health behaviours (HCB and not adopting HEB in adolescence leads to a school career with low education in adulthood). Methods Mailed surveys to 12 to18 year-old Finns in 1981–1991 (N=15,167, response rate 82%) were individually linked with the Register of Completed Education and Degrees (28 to 32-year-olds). We applied structural equation modeling to study relations of latent variables (family SEP, family structure, school career, HCB, HEB) in adolescence, to the educational level in adulthood. Results Standardized regression coefficients between school career and health behaviours were equally strong whether the direction was from school career to HEB (0.21-0.28 for 12–14 years; 0.38-0.40 for 16–18 years) or from HEB to school career (0.21-0.22; 0.28-0.29); and correspondingly from school career to HCB (0.23-0.31; 0.31-0.32) or from HCB to school career (0.20-0.24; 0.22-0.22). The effect of family background on adult level of education operated mainly through school career. Only a weak pathway which did not go through school career was observed from behaviours to adult education. Conclusions Both hypotheses fitted the data showing a strong mutual interaction of school achievement and adoption of HCB and HEB in early and late adolescence. Both hypotheses acknowledged the crucial role of family background. The pathway from health behaviours in adolescence to adult education runs through school career. The interplay between behaviours and educational pathways in adolescence is suggested as one of the mechanisms leading to health inequalities in adulthood. PMID:23915293

Socioeconomic position, health behaviors, and C-reactive protein: A moderated-mediation analysis

PubMed Central

Kershaw, Kiarri N.; Mezuk, Briana; Abdou, Cleopatra M.; Rafferty, Jane A.; Jackson, James S.

2010-01-01

Objective We sought to understand the link between low SEP and cardiovascular disease (CVD) by examining the association between SEP, health-related coping behaviors, and C-reactive protein (CRP), an inflammatory marker and independent risk factor for CVD in a US sample of adults. Design We used a multiple mediation model to evaluate how these behaviors work in concert to influence CRP levels and whether these relationships were moderated by gender and race/ethnicity. Main outcome measures CRP levels were divided into two categories: elevated CRP (3.1–10.0 mg/L) and normal CRP (≤ 3.0 mg/L). Results Both poverty and low educational attainment were associated with elevated CRP, and these associations were primarily explained through higher levels of smoking and lower levels of exercise. In the education model, poor diet also emerged as a significant mediator. These behaviors accounted for 87.9% of the total effect of education on CRP and 55.8% the total effect of poverty on CRP. We also found significant moderation of these mediated effects by gender and race/ethnicity. Conclusion These findings demonstrate the influence of socioeconomically-patterned environmental constraints on individual-level health behaviors. Specifically, reducing socioeconomic inequalities may have positive effects on CVD disparities through reducing cigarette smoking and increasing vigorous exercise. PMID:20496985

Educational inequality in the occurrence of abdominal obesity: Pró-Saúde Study

PubMed Central

Alves, Ronaldo Fernandes Santos; Faerstein, Eduardo

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE To estimate the degree of educational inequality in the occurrence of abdominal obesity in a population of non-faculty civil servants at university campi. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, we used data from 3,117 subjects of both genders aged 24 to 65-years old, regarding the baseline of Pró-Saúde Study, 1999-2001. Abdominal obesity was defined according to abdominal circumference thresholds of 88 cm for women and 102 cm for men. A multi-dimensional, self-administered questionnaire was used to evaluate education levels and demographic variables. Slope and relative indices of inequality, and Chi-squared test for linear trend were used in the data analysis. All analyses were stratified by genders, and the indices of inequality were standardized by age. RESULTS Abdominal obesity was the most prevalent among women (43.5%; 95%CI 41.2;45.9), as compared to men (24.3%; 95%CI 22.1;26.7), in all educational strata and age ranges. The association between education levels and abdominal obesity was an inverse one among women (p < 0.001); it was not statistically significant among men (p = 0.436). The educational inequality regarding abdominal obesity in the female population, in absolute terms (slope index of inequality), was 24.0% (95%CI 15.5;32.6). In relative terms (relative index of inequality), it was 2.8 (95%CI 1.9;4.1), after the age adjustment. CONCLUSIONS Gender inequality in the prevalence of abdominal obesity increases with older age and lower education. The slope and relative indices of inequality summarize the strictly monotonous trend between education levels and abdominal obesity, and it described educational inequality regarding abdominal obesity among women. Such indices provide relevant quantitative estimates for monitoring abdominal obesity and dealing with health inequalities. PMID:26465669

Hippocampal Volumetry as a Biomarker for Dementia in People with Low Education

PubMed Central

Mondragón, Jaime D.; Celada-Borja, César; Barinagarrementeria-Aldatz, Fernando; Burgos-Jaramillo, Martín; Barragán-Campos, Héctor Manuel

2016-01-01

Background/Aims To evaluate the relationship between hippocampal volume and cognitive decline in patients with dementia due to probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and education, and the possible relationship between cognitive reserve and education in this population. Methods From February 2013 to October 2015, 76 patients (25 men, 51 women) were classified according to the NIA-AA diagnostic criteria. We used two 3.0-tesla MRI scanners and performed manual hippocampal volumetry. Results Twenty-six patients were found to have AD, 20 aMCI and 30 had normal aging (NA). The mean normalized hippocampal volume in age-, sex- and education (years)-matched subjects was 2.38 ± 0.51 cm3 in AD (p < 0.001), 2.91 ± 0.78 cm3 in aMCI (p = 0.019) and 3.07 ± 0.76 cm3 in NA. Conclusion Psychometric test (MMSE and MoCA) scores had a good to strong positive correlation with statistically significant differences in the entire population and healthy subjects but not among dementia patients and lower educational level groups. The patients with low education had greater hippocampal volumes, which is in line with the cognitive reserve theory; lower-educated individuals can tolerate less neuropathology and will thus show less atrophy at a similar level of cognitive performance than higher-educated subjects. PMID:27920792

Positive Attributes Buffer the Negative Associations Between Low Intelligence and High Psychopathology With Educational Outcomes

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Mauricio Scopel; Leibenluft, Ellen; Stringaris, Argyris; Laporte, Paola Paganella; Pan, Pedro Mario; Gadelha, Ary; Manfro, Gisele Gus; Miguel, Eurípedes Constantino; Rohde, Luis Augusto; Salum, Giovanni Abrahão

2016-01-01

Objective This study examines the extent to which children’s positive attributes are distinct from psychopathology. We also investigate whether positive attributes change or “buffer” the impact of low intelligence and high psychopathology on negative educational outcomes. Method In a community sample of 2,240 children (6–14 years of age), we investigated associations among positive attributes, psychopathology, intelligence, and negative educational outcomes. Negative educational outcomes were operationalized as learning problems and poor academic performance. We tested the discriminant validity of psychopathology versus positive attributes using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and propensity score matching analysis (PSM), and used generalized estimating equations (GEE) models to test main effects and interactions among predictors of educational outcomes. Results According to both CFA and PSM, positive attributes and psychiatric symptoms were distinct constructs. Positive attributes were associated with lower levels of negative educational outcomes, independent of intelligence and psychopathology. Positive attributes buffer the negative effects of lower intelligence on learning problems, and higher psychopathology on poor academic performance. Conclusion Children’s positive attributes are associated with lower levels of negative school outcomes. Positive attributes act both independently and by modifying the negative effects of low intelligence and high psychiatric symptoms on educational outcomes. Subsequent research should test interventions designed to foster the development of positive attributes in children at high risk for educational problems. PMID:26703909

Beyond Reading Level: A Systematic Review of the Suitability of Cancer Education Print and Web-based Materials

PubMed Central

Finnie, Ramona K.C.; Felder, Tisha M.; Linder, Suzanne Kneuper; Mullen, Patricia Dolan

2010-01-01

Background Consideration of categories related to reading comprehension—beyond reading level—is imperative to reach low literacy populations effectively. “Suitability” has been proposed as a term to encompass six categories of such factors: content, literacy demand graphics, layout/typography, learning stimulation, and cultural appropriateness. Our purpose was to describe instruments used to evaluate categories of suitability in cancer education materials in published reports and their findings. Methods We searched databases and reference lists for evaluations of print and Web-based cancer education materials to identify and describe measures of these categories. Studies had to evaluate reading level and at least one category of suitability. Results Eleven studies met our criteria.. Seven studies reported inter-rater reliability. Cultural appropriateness was most often assessed; four instruments assessed only surface aspects of cultural appropriateness. Only two of seven instruments used, the Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) and the Comprehensibility Assessment of Materials (SAM + CAM), were described as having any evidence of validity. Studies using SMOG and Fry reported higher average reading level scores than those using FK. Most materials failed criteria for reading level and cultural appropriateness. Conclusions We recommend more emphasis on the categories of suitability for those developing cancer education materials and more study of these categories and reliability and validity testing of instruments. PMID:20237884

Determinants of early sexual initiation in the Pelotas birth cohort from 1982 to 2004-5, Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

Gonçalves, Helen; Béhague, Dominique P; Gigante, Denise P; Minten, Gicele C; Horta, Bernardo L; Victora, Cesar G; Barros, Fernando C

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE To analyze social determinants of early sexual initiation among young adults from a birth cohort. METHODS Individuals from the 1982 birth cohort (N=4,297) were interviewed in 2004-5, city of Pelotas, Southern Brazil. Early sexual initiation (≤13 years of age) was the outcome. Descriptive and stratified analyses were performed according to sex. Variables analyzed were family income in 1982, ethnicity, young adult’s level of education and change in income (between 1982 and 2004-5). Ethnographic data were used to complement result analysis. RESULTS Prevalence of early sexual initiation was higher among black and mixed men, and those with low level of education and low family income in 1982 and 2004-5. More traditional male sexual role requirements, such as virility and sexual initiative, showed more repercussion and adherence from an early age among men. Young family women with higher income and level of education tended to delay their sexual initiation. Imposition of traditional values was found to influence early sexual initiation among men and women with lower level of education and income. CONCLUSIONS Results found re-established the economic factor as a determinant of behavior or uses of sexuality for both sexes. To focus on political efforts that help the economically disadvantaged to have opportunities and egalitarian future perspectives is an important strategy for health outcomes. PMID:19142343

Lower Education Level Is a Risk Factor for Peritonitis and Technique Failure but Not a Risk for Overall Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis under Comprehensive Training System

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyo Jin; Lee, Joongyub; Park, Miseon; Kim, Yuri; Lee, Hajeong; Kim, Dong Ki; Joo, Kwon Wook; Kim, Yon Su; Cho, Eun Jin; Ahn, Curie

2017-01-01

Background Lower education level could be a risk factor for higher peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis, potentially resulting in technique failure. This study evaluated the influence of lower education level on the development of peritonitis, technique failure, and overall mortality. Methods Patients over 18 years of age who started PD at Seoul National University Hospital between 2000 and 2012 with information on the academic background were enrolled. Patients were divided into three groups: middle school or lower (academic year≤9, n = 102), high school (912, n = 324). Outcomes were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models and competing risk regression. Results A total of 655 incident PD patients (60.9% male, age 48.4±14.1 years) were analyzed. During follow-up for 41 (interquartile range, 20–65) months, 255 patients (38.9%) experienced more than one episode of peritonitis, 138 patients (21.1%) underwent technique failure, and 78 patients (11.9%) died. After adjustment, middle school or lower education group was an independent risk factor for peritonitis (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10–2.36; P = 0.015) and technique failure (adjusted HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.10–3.18; P = 0.038), compared with higher than high school education group. However, lower education was not associated with increased mortality either by as-treated (adjusted HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.53–2.33; P = 0.788) or intent-to-treat analysis (P = 0.726). Conclusions Although lower education was a significant risk factor for peritonitis and technique failure, it was not associated with increased mortality in PD patients. Comprehensive training and multidisciplinary education may overcome the lower education level in PD. PMID:28056058

Validation of an educative manual for patients with head and neck cancer submitted to radiation therapy 1

PubMed Central

da Cruz, Flávia Oliveira de Almeida Marques; Ferreira, Elaine Barros; Vasques, Christiane Inocêncio; da Mata, Luciana Regina Ferreira; dos Reis, Paula Elaine Diniz

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective: develop the content and face validation of an educative manual for patients with head and neck cancer submitted to radiation therapy. Method: descriptive methodological research. The Theory of Psychometrics was used for the validation process, developed by 15 experts in the theme area of the educative manual and by two language and publicity professionals. A minimum agreement level of 80% was considered to guarantee the validity of the material. Results: the items addressed in the assessment tool of the educative manual were divided in three blocks: objectives, structure and format, and relevance. Only one item, related to the sociocultural level of the target public, obtained an agreement rate <80%, and was reformulated based on the participants' suggestions. All other items were considered appropriate and/or complete appropriate in the three blocks proposed: objectives - 92.38%, structure and form - 89.74%, and relevance - 94.44%. Conclusion: the face and content validation of the educative manual proposed were attended to. This can contribute to the understanding of the therapeutic process the head and neck cancer patient is submitted to during the radiation therapy, besides supporting clinical practice through the nursing consultation. PMID:27305178

Educational Differences in Smoking among Adolescents in Germany: What is the Role of Parental and Adolescent Education Levels and Intergenerational Educational Mobility?

PubMed Central

Kuntz, Benjamin; Lampert, Thomas

2013-01-01

Background: Adolescence is the period in which smoking onset usually occurs and the course for future socioeconomic status (SES) is set. However, because of the transitional nature of adolescence, it is questionable whether health inequalities are best measured by indicators of parental SES or rather by indicators of the adolescents’ own developing SES. We examine the independent effects of parental and adolescent education and intergenerational educational mobility on adolescent smoking behaviour while controlling for differences in parental and close friends’ smoking behaviour. Methods: The study is based on data from a subsample (12–17 years, n = 5,053) of the nationally representative German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS). Participants reported their education level as well as their personal and close friends’ smoking behaviour. Information on parental education and smoking behaviour was obtained via parent interviews. Adolescent and parental education data were dichotomized (low/high), leading to four categories of intergenerational educational mobility: stable high, potentially upwardly mobile, potentially downwardly mobile, and stable low. Results: After adjustment for parental and close friends’ smoking behaviour, adolescent smoking habits were strongly related to their personal education level, but not that of their parents. Among boys, both stable low and downwardly mobile adolescents had a 2.7-fold increased risk of being a smoker compared with peers with a stable high education. Among girls, only those with a stable low education had a 2.2-fold increased risk of smoking. Among both genders, educational upward mobility was associated with significantly lower smoking rates compared with peers with a stable low education (boys: OR 0.32; 95% CI 0.20–0.53; girls: OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.37–0.73). Conclusions: Our results show that the risk of an adolescent smoking is influenced by their own education level rather than that of their parents. Educational upward mobility seems to be protective against becoming a smoker in youth. Boys who experience downward mobility tend to have a significantly higher inclination to smoke than their peers with a stable high education. These findings illustrate the potential public health benefits of investments in education and help identify high-risk groups for smoking onset. PMID:23877770

Disability inclusion in higher education in Uganda: Status and strategies

PubMed Central

Emong, Paul

2016-01-01

Background Uganda has embraced inclusive education and evidently committed itself to bringing about disability inclusion at every level of education. Both legal and non-legal frameworks have been adopted and arguably are in line with the intent of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) on education. The CRPD, in Article 24, requires states to attain a right to education for persons with disabilities without discrimination and on the basis of equal opportunities at all levels of education. Objectives Despite Uganda’s robust disability legal and policy framework on education, there is evidence of exclusion and discrimination of students with disabilities in the higher education institutions. The main objective of this article is to explore the status of disability inclusion in higher education and strategies for its realisation, using evidence from Emong’s study, workshop proceedings where the authors facilitated and additional individual interviews with four students with disabilities by the authors. Results The results show that there are discrimination and exclusion tendencies in matters related to admissions, access to lectures, assessment and examinations, access to library services, halls of residence and other disability support services. Conclusion The article recommends that institutional policies and guidelines on support services for students with disabilities and special needs in higher education be developed, data on students with disabilities collected to help planning, collaboration between Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPO’s) strengthened to ensure disability inclusion and the establishment of disability support centres. PMID:28730044

Nutrition Education for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition Fellows: A Survey of NASPGHAN Fellowship Training Programs

PubMed Central

Martinez, J. Andres; Koyama, Tatsuki; Acra, Sari; Mascarenhas, Maria R.; Shulman, Robert J.

2012-01-01

Objectives The aim of the study was to assess the methodology and content of nutrition education during gastroenterology fellowship training and the variability among the different programs. Methods A survey questionnaire was completed by 43 fellowship training directors of 62 active programs affiliated to NASPGHAN, including sites in the United States, Canada and Mexico. The data were examined for patterns in teaching methodology and coverage of specific nutrition topics based on Level 1 training in nutrition, which is the minimum requirement according to published NASPGHAN fellowship training guidelines. Results The majority of the teaching was conducted by MD degree faculty (61%), and most of the education was provided through clinical care experiences. Only 31% of Level 1 nutrition topics were consistently covered by more than 80% of programs, and coverage did not correlate with the size of the programs. Competency in nutrition training was primarily assessed through questions to individuals or groups of fellows (77 and 65%, respectively). Program directors cited a lack of faculty interested in nutrition and a high workload as common obstacles for teaching. Conclusions The methodology of nutrition education during gastroenterology fellowship training is for the most part unstructured and inconsistent among the different programs. The minimum Level 1 requirements are not consistently covered. The development of core curriculums and learning modules may be beneficial in improving nutrition education. PMID:22343911

Using Interactive Management to Facilitate a Student-Centred Conceptualisation of Critical Thinking: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dwyer, Christopher P.; Hogan, Michael J.; Harney, Owen M.; O'Reilly, John

2014-01-01

Critical thinking (CT) is a metacognitive process, consisting of a number of sub-skills and dispositions, that, when used appropriately, increases the chances of producing a logical solution to a problem or a valid conclusion to an argument. CT has been identified as a fundamental learning objective of third-level education; however, students…

The Development of Intercultural Pedagogy and Its Influences on Primary Schools: Conclusions and Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hüpping, Birgit; Büker, Petra

2014-01-01

The integration debate in Germany is closely connected to the education debate. Both are related to recent societal changes. Discussions at the social and political level in the past couple of years have shown how highly emotionally charged attitudes towards migration and integration in this country truly are. This article aims to provide an…

Multilevel analysis of school anti-smoking education and current cigarette use among South African students

PubMed Central

Talley, Brandon; Masyn, Katherine; Chandora, Rachna; Vivolo-Kantor, Alana

2017-01-01

Introduction South Africa (SA) implemented the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) four times between 1999 and 2011. Data from the four surveys indicated that downward trends in cigarette use among students may have stalled. Understanding the effect of school anti-smoking education on current smoking among students within schools and variability across schools may provide important insights into policies aimed at preventing or reducing tobacco use among students. The objective was to assess the student- and school-level effects of students' exposure to school anti-smoking education on current cigarette use among the study population using the most recent wave of GYTS data in SA (2011). Methods An analytic sample of students 13-15 years of age was selected (n=3,068) from the SA GYTS 2011. A taxonomy of two-level logistic regression models was fit to assess the relationship of various tobacco use, control, and exposure predictor variables on current cigarette smoking among the study population. Results At the student-level in the full model, secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure, peer smoking, and ownership of a promotional item were significantly associated with higher risk of current smoking. At the school-level in the full model, average exposure to peer smoking was associated with significant increases in the prevalence of current cigarette use, while average family anti-smoking education was significantly associated with decreases in the outcome variable. School anti-smoking education was not a statistically significant predictor at the student- or school-levels. Conclusion in this study, exposure to school anti-smoking education had no association with current cigarette smoking among the study population. Consistent with previous studies, having peers that smoked was highly associated with a student being a current smoker. Interestingly, at the school-level in the multilevel analysis, schools with higher rates of average family anti-smoking education had lower prevalence of current smoking. This finding has potential implications for tobacco control in SA, particularly if the school-level, family-centered protective effect can be operationalized as a prevention tool in the country's tobacco control program. PMID:28451015

Quality assessment of clinical education services in teaching hospitals located in Kerman, Iran

PubMed Central

Yazdi-Feyzabadi, Vahid; Gozashti, Mohammad Hossein; Komsari, Samane; Mohammadtaghizadeh, Sedigheh; Amiresmaili, Mohammadreza

2015-01-01

Introduction Clinical education is one of the most important components of the resource generation function of health systems, and it has a very important role in graduates’ competency with respect to effective, practical education. This study aimed to assess the quality of clinical services in Kerman’s teaching hospitals located in southeastern Iran. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2011 on 303 medical students at different levels of medical education at Kerman’s teaching hospitals. A modified SERVQUAL instrument was used to collect the data after its validity and reliability were checked. The data were analyzed by SPSS 18.0 using the paired t-test, Kruskal-Wallis, and post hoc tests, when appropriate. Results In all five dimensions of quality, gaps were observed between students’ perceptions and expectations as follows: Assurance (mean = −1.18), Responsiveness (−1.56), Empathy (−1.4), Reliability (−1.27), and Tangibles (−1.21). There was a significant difference between the quality perceptions and expectations of the medical students (p < 0.001). A significant difference was observed between three educational levels, including externships, internships, and assistantships regarding the dimensions of the quality gaps (p < 0.001). Conclusion The clinical services provided by teaching hospitals in the study did not meet the students’ expectations at any of the three educational levels. As we precisely assessed the dimensions and items that had the higher quality gaps, it was apparent that, for most part, clinical education officials could improve the quality by designing interventions, which would not be very difficult to do. PMID:26767094

Educational inequalities in patient-centred care: patients' preferences and experiences

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Educational attainment is strongly related to specific health outcomes. The pathway in which individual patient-provider interactions contribute to (re)producing these inequalities has yet to be studied. In this article, the focus is on differences between less and more highly educated patients in their preferences for and experiences with patient-centred care., e.g. shared decision making, receiving understandable explanations and being able to ask questions. Methods Data are derived from several Consumer Quality-index (CQ-index) studies. The CQ-index is a family of standardized instruments which are used in the Netherlands to measure quality of care from the patient’s perspective. Results The educational level of patients is directly related to the degree of importance patients attribute to specific aspects of patient-centred care. It has a minor influence on the experienced level of shared decision making, but not on experiences regarding other aspects of patient-centred care. Conclusions All patients regard patient-centred care as important and report positive experiences. However, there is a discrepancy between patient preferences for patient-centred care on one hand and the care received on the other. Less educated patients might receive ‘too much’, and more highly educated patients ‘too little’ in the domains of communication, information and shared decision making. PMID:22900589

Impact on quality of life in teachers after educational actions for prevention of voice disorders: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Pizolato, Raquel Aparecida; Rehder, Maria Inês Beltrati Cornacchioni; Meneghim, Marcelo de Castro; Ambrosano, Glaucia Maria Bovi; Mialhe, Fábio Luiz; Pereira, Antonio Carlos

2013-02-27

Voice problems are more common in teachers due to intensive voice use during routine at work. There is evidence that occupational disphonia prevention programs are important in improving the quality voice and consequently the quality of subjects' lives. To investigate the impact of educational voice interventions for teachers on quality of life and voice. A longitudinal interventional study involving 70 teachers randomly selected from 11 public schools, 30 to receive educational intervention with vocal training exercises and vocal hygiene habits (experimental group) and 40 to receive guidance on vocal hygiene habits (control group control). Before the process of educational activities, the Voice-Related Quality of Life instrument (V-RQOL) was applied, and 3 months after conclusion of the activities, the subjects were interviewed again, using the same instrument. For data analysis, Prox MIXED were applied, with a level of significance α < 0.05. Teachers showed significantly higher domain and overall V-RQOL scores after preventive intervention, in both control and experimental groups. Nevertheless, there was no statistical difference in scores between the groups. Educational actions for vocal health had a positive impact on the quality of life of the participants, and the incorporation of permanent educational actions at institutional level is suggested.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Adolescent Depression in South Korea: A Multilevel Analysis

PubMed Central

Park, Hye Yin; Heo, Jongho; Subramanian, S. V.; Kawachi, Ichiro; Oh, Juhwan

2012-01-01

Background In recent years, South Korea has witnessed a sustained rise in the prevalence of adolescent depression. In the present study, we sought to investigate family and school environmental influences on adolescent depression. Methods and Findings Middle and high school students (N = 75,066) were randomly selected respondents to a web-based survey and answered questions on their academic and socioeconomic backgrounds, parental support, parental education level, physical activities, lifestyle habits and their experience of depression in the past one year. Two-level multilevel analysis was used to investigate the relationship between depression and individual (level 1) and school (level 2) factors. Girls reported having experienced depression in greater numbers than boys (43.96% vs. 32.03%). A significant association was found between adolescent depression experience and gender, grade, self-rated academic achievement, family affluence scale, parental support, parental education level, lifestyle habits, physical activity and sleep dissatisfaction. The students living with rich parents were more likely to be depressive, and maternal higher education was significantly associated with higher probability of boys’ depression experience. Low academic achievement was highly associated with the experience of depression. In school level contexts, girls were found to be less likely to be depressive in girls-only schools. Conclusion The adolescent depression experience is not only an individual phenomenon but is highly associated with other factors such as parents, peers, academic achievement, and even gender mix in the school. Thus, prevention measures on youth depression need to focus on emphasizing less pressure from parents on academic performance, and establishing healthy inter-gender relationships within co-education schools. PMID:23077540

Physical Education Lessons and Activity Status of Visually Impaired and Sighted Adolescents

PubMed Central

Demirturk, Funda; Kaya, Mustafa

2015-01-01

Background This study investigated participation in physical education and sports lessons of visually impaired adolescents and their sighted peers and compared their physical activity levels. Material/Methods A total of 22 visually impaired children of mean age 13.59±1.14 years and 31 sighted children aged 13.61±0.50 years participated in the study. A questionnaire prepared for this study was used to investigate participation of visually impaired adolescents and their sighted peers in physical education and sports lessons at school and the problems they encounter while doing sports. The Turkish version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire – short-form (IPAQ-SF) was used to evaluate the physical activity level of the subjects. Results The results of our study suggest that physical activity levels of visually impaired children and their sighted children were similar (p>0.05). Totally blind children had lower IPAQ scores than those with low vision (p<0.05), and girls were less active physically than boys (p<0.05). There were few differences in physical education lessons of the groups, in taking part in sports-related organizations, and future plans. Conclusions Children in secondary school, especially visually impaired children, need to be more motivated and more encouraged to take part in various sports or physical activities. PMID:26568173

Physical Education Lessons and Activity Status of Visually Impaired and Sighted Adolescents.

PubMed

Demirturk, Funda; Kaya, Mustafa

2015-11-15

BACKGROUND This study investigated participation in physical education and sports lessons of visually impaired adolescents and their sighted peers and compared their physical activity levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 22 visually impaired children of mean age 13.59±1.14 years and 31 sighted children aged 13.61±0.50 years participated in the study. A questionnaire prepared for this study was used to investigate participation of visually impaired adolescents and their sighted peers in physical education and sports lessons at school and the problems they encounter while doing sports. The Turkish version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire - short-form (IPAQ-SF) was used to evaluate the physical activity level of the subjects. RESULTS The results of our study suggest that physical activity levels of visually impaired children and their sighted children were similar (p>0.05). Totally blind children had lower IPAQ scores than those with low vision (p<0.05), and girls were less active physically than boys (p<0.05). There were few differences in physical education lessons of the groups, in taking part in sports-related organizations, and future plans. CONCLUSIONS Children in secondary school, especially visually impaired children, need to be more motivated and more encouraged to take part in various sports or physical activities.

Increasing Prevalence of Myopia in Europe and the Impact of Education

PubMed Central

Williams, Katie M.; Bertelsen, Geir; Cumberland, Phillippa; Wolfram, Christian; Verhoeven, Virginie J.M.; Anastasopoulos, Eleftherios; Buitendijk, Gabriëlle H.S.; Cougnard-Grégoire, Audrey; Creuzot-Garcher, Catherine; Erke, Maja Gran; Hogg, Ruth; Höhn, René; Hysi, Pirro; Khawaja, Anthony P.; Korobelnik, Jean-François; Ried, Janina; Vingerling, Johannes R.; Bron, Alain; Dartigues, Jean-François; Fletcher, Astrid; Hofman, Albert; Kuijpers, Robert W.A.M.; Luben, Robert N.; Oxele, Konrad; Topouzis, Fotis; von Hanno, Therese; Mirshahi, Alireza; Foster, Paul J.; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Pfeiffer, Norbert; Delcourt, Cécile; Klaver, Caroline C.W.; Rahi, Jugnoo; Hammond, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

Purpose To investigate whether myopia is becoming more common across Europe and explore whether increasing education levels, an important environmental risk factor for myopia, might explain any temporal trend. Design Meta-analysis of population-based, cross-sectional studies from the European Eye Epidemiology (E3) Consortium. Participants The E3 Consortium is a collaborative network of epidemiological studies of common eye diseases in adults across Europe. Refractive data were available for 61 946 participants from 15 population-based studies performed between 1990 and 2013; participants had a range of median ages from 44 to 78 years. Methods Noncycloplegic refraction, year of birth, and highest educational level achieved were obtained for all participants. Myopia was defined as a mean spherical equivalent ≤−0.75 diopters. A random-effects meta-analysis of age-specific myopia prevalence was performed, with sequential analyses stratified by year of birth and highest level of educational attainment. Main Outcome Measures Variation in age-specific myopia prevalence for differing years of birth and educational level. Results There was a significant cohort effect for increasing myopia prevalence across more recent birth decades; age-standardized myopia prevalence increased from 17.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.6–18.1) to 23.5% (95% CI, 23.2–23.7) in those born between 1910 and 1939 compared with 1940 and 1979 (P = 0.03). Education was significantly associated with myopia; for those completing primary, secondary, and higher education, the age-standardized prevalences were 25.4% (CI, 25.0–25.8), 29.1% (CI, 28.8–29.5), and 36.6% (CI, 36.1–37.2), respectively. Although more recent birth cohorts were more educated, this did not fully explain the cohort effect. Compared with the reference risk of participants born in the 1920s with only primary education, higher education or being born in the 1960s doubled the myopia prevalence ratio–2.43 (CI, 1.26–4.17) and 2.62 (CI, 1.31–5.00), respectively—whereas individuals born in the 1960s and completing higher education had approximately 4 times the reference risk: a prevalence ratio of 3.76 (CI, 2.21–6.57). Conclusions Myopia is becoming more common in Europe; although education levels have increased and are associated with myopia, higher education seems to be an additive rather than explanatory factor. Increasing levels of myopia carry significant clinical and economic implications, with more people at risk of the sight-threatening complications associated with high myopia. PMID:25983215

Population-based incidences of non-fatal injuries - results of the German-wide telephone survey 2004

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background To plan preventive measures against accident-related injuries, it is important to have detailed epidemiological data on this topic. The aim of this report was to present population-based incidence estimates of injuries due to non-fatal accidents in relation to age, gender and educational level. Methods We performed a cross-sectional telephone survey from 2003 to 2004 of the resident adult population of Germany, which included 7,341 subjects (response rate: 32.6 to 39.4%). The interview included 13 questions about injuries caused by accidents that happened in the 12 months preceding the interview. We estimated one-year cumulative incidences of injuries by gender, age and educational level. Results Overall, 10.3% of the subjects reported an unintentional injury requiring medical treatment in the previous 12 months. The age-standardised incidence of injuries was higher among men than women (men: 11.3%, women: 8.9%). Generally, accidents at home were the most frequently reported (27.4%). Men and women aged 18 to 29 years suffered accident-related injuries (and also repeated injuries) the most often during the preceding 12 months. Although the overall incidence of injuries caused by accidents did not differ by educational level, the incidences of accidents at different places differed by educational level. The incidence of work-related injuries was higher among people with a low educational level. Conclusions Our age- and gender-specific results provide detailed insight into specific patterns of accident-related injuries in Germany. Young men are especially at high risk of injuries. This information is valuable because a nationwide comprehensive recording of injuries caused by accidents does not exist. The data highlight the target groups for injury prevention measures. PMID:23607782

Memory Alteration Test to Detect Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer's Dementia in Population with Low Educational Level.

PubMed

Custodio, Nilton; Lira, David; Herrera-Perez, Eder; Montesinos, Rosa; Castro-Suarez, Sheila; Cuenca-Alfaro, José; Valeriano-Lorenzo, Lucía

2017-01-01

Background/Aims : Short tests to early detection of the cognitive impairment are necessary in primary care setting, particularly in populations with low educational level. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of Memory Alteration Test (M@T) to discriminate controls, patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) and patients with early Alzheimer's Dementia (AD) in a sample of individuals with low level of education. Methods : Cross-sectional study to assess the performance of the M@T (study test), compared to the neuropsychological evaluation (gold standard test) scores in 247 elderly subjects with low education level from Lima-Peru. The cognitive evaluation included three sequential stages: (1) screening (to detect cases with cognitive impairment); (2) nosological diagnosis (to determinate specific disease); and (3) classification (to differentiate disease subtypes). The subjects with negative results for all stages were considered as cognitively normal (controls). The test performance was assessed by means of area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. We calculated validity measures (sensitivity, specificity and correctly classified percentage), the internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient), and concurrent validity (Pearson's ratio coefficient between the M@T and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores). Results : The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.79 and Pearson's ratio coefficient was 0.79 ( p < 0.01). The AUC of M@T to discriminate between early AD and aMCI was 99.60% (sensitivity = 100.00%, specificity = 97.53% and correctly classified = 98.41%) and to discriminate between aMCI and controls was 99.56% (sensitivity = 99.17%, specificity = 91.11%, and correctly classified = 96.99%). Conclusions : The M@T is a short test with a good performance to discriminate controls, aMCI and early AD in individuals with low level of education from urban settings.

Relation of knowledge and level of education to the rationality of self-medication on childhood diarrhea on the Code River banks in Jogoyudan, Jetis, Yogyakarta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dania, H.; Ihsan, M. N.

2017-11-01

Self-medication as an alternative is used to reduce the severity of diarrhea. Optimal treatment can be done by increasing the rationalization of self-medication on diarrhea. This can be achieved with good knowledge about self-medication, which is in turn influenced by level of education. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of knowledge and education level to rationality of self-medication on childhood diarrhea around the Code River in Jogoyudan, Jetis, Yogyakarta. The study was conducted by cross-sectional analytical observational design. The subjects were mothers who had children aged 2-11 years who had experienced diarrhea and had self-medication. Questionnaires were used to assess the rationality of self-medication on children's diarrhea by the parents. The respondents were askeds to fill out about indications, right drugs, doses, time intervals and periods of drug administration. Data were analyzed using chi- square. It was showed that of 40 respondents, 14 respondents (35%) performed rational self-medication on children's diarrhea and 26 respondents (65%). did not rationalize the treatment. The results of a bivariate test obtained a chi-square value of 9.808 (> 3.841) and a p value of 0.002 (<0.05) on the relationship between education level and rationality of self-medication and a chi-square value of 19.476 (> 3.841) and a p value of 0.000 (<0.05) on relationship between knowledge and rationality of self- medication. The conclusion of this study is that there is a correlation between knowledge and level of education and rationality of self-medication on childhood diarrhea on the Code River banks in Jogoyudan, Jetis, Yogyakarta.

Association between depression and work stress in nursing professionals with technical education level 1

PubMed Central

Gherardi-Donato, Edilaine Cristina da Silva; Cardoso, Lucilene; Teixeira, Carla Araújo Bastos; Pereira, Sandra de Souza; Reisdorfer, Emilene

2015-01-01

Abstract Objective: to analize the relationship between depression and work stress in nursing professionals with technical education level of a teaching hospital in a city of the state of São Paulo. Methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out with 310 nursing technicians and nursing assistants, randomly selected. The outcome analyzed was the report of depression and its relationship with high levels of work stress, measured using the Job Stress Scale. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were performed. Results: the prevalence of depression in this study was 20%, and it was more expressive in females, aged over 40 years, living without a partner and in smokers. The chance of depression was twice as high among professionals showing high levels of work stress, even after multiple regression adjusting. Conclusion: depressive symptoms were strongly associated with high stress levels among nursing assistants and nursing technicians, evidencing a problem to be considered along with the planning of specific intervention programs for this population, as well as the need for better cases management by the supervisors. PMID:26444177

Does An Education Seminar Intervention Improve the Parents’ Knowledge on Vaccination? Evidence from Yiwu, East China

PubMed Central

Hu, Yu

2015-01-01

Background: caregivers’ knowledge on vaccination is an important impact factor for their children’s vaccination status. The aims of this study were to evaluate the caregivers’ knowledge of vaccination, and to assess effectiveness of a health education seminar for improving caregivers’ knowledge on immunization. Methods: pre- and post-assessment design was adopted for a single group to evaluate the effectiveness of the health education seminar on vaccination. The seminar consisted of a lecture using simple understandable language. Improvements in total knowledge score before and after the seminar were assessed using a validated questionnaire that included ten questions. Description analysis and non-parametric tests were applied to evaluate and compare the vaccination knowledge level before and after the seminar. Results: 378 caregivers participated in this study. The majority were mothers. Of the ten questions, the correct response rates had significantly increased for nine questions after the education seminar. The mean total score of the assessment before the seminar was 5.2 ± 1.2 while that was 8.4 ± 0.9 for the assessment after the seminar, with a significant increase of 3.18 points. Conclusion: a short education seminar designed for caregivers had a remarkable effect on their vaccination knowledge. Health education on vaccination targeting migrant caregivers, caregivers with lower education level or household income, and employed caregivers are needed in future. PMID:25811770

The association between obesity, depression, and educational attainment in women: The mediating role of body image dissatisfaction

PubMed Central

Gavin, Amelia R.; Simon, Greg E.; Ludman, Evette J.

2011-01-01

Objective We examine the mediating role of body image dissatisfaction (BID) on the association between obesity and depression and the variation of this association as a function of years of education among a population-based sample of women aged 40–65 years. Methods A series of sample-weighted logistic regression models were used to estimate the associations between obesity, BID, and depression, stratified by educational attainment. Data were obtained from a structured telephone interview of 4543 female health plan enrollees, including self-reported height and weight, the Patient Health Questionnaire assessment of depression, and a single-item measure of BID. Results Among those with <16 years of education, in both the unadjusted and adjusted models, obesity and BID were significantly associated with depression. Similarly, among those with ≥16 years of education, obesity and BID were significantly associated with depression in the unadjusted models. However, in the adjusted model, only BID was associated with depression. A formal test for mediation suggests that the association between obesity and depression was mediated by BID regardless of level of education. Conclusions Our data suggest that BID-mediated the obesity-depression association. In addition, obesity and BID may be salient risk factors for depression among middle-aged women as a function of the level of education. PMID:21109045

Globalization in science education: an inevitable and beneficial trend.

PubMed

Charlton, Bruce G; Andras, Peter

2006-01-01

Globalization is one aspect of the larger phenomenon of modernization, which describes societies characterized by progressive growth in the complexity of communications. Despite its inevitable problems, globalization is a generally desirable phenomenon, since it enables increased efficiency, effectiveness and capability of societies and thereby, potentially benefits most people most of the time. Scientific research was one of the first global communication systems, especially at its most advanced levels. And high quality scientific education at the post-doctoral level is also now essentially global. The next steps will be for lower level science education - at doctoral, undergraduate, and even school teaching levels - to become progressively globalized. This phenomenon is already happening in the mathematical and quantitative sciences, and will probably spread to include other kinds of science. But to be efficient requires the development of a trading medium of internationally standardized and quantitative educational credits - for instance, standard certificates, objective comparative examinations, and a hierarchical qualifications structure (which will almost certainly be based on the United States system). Globalized education also requires a common language for organizational communications, which is already in place for the quantitative and mathematical sciences, and will be increasingly the case as competence in a simplified form of international scientific English becomes more universal. As such a global science education system grows there will be increased competition and migration of teachers and students. The law of comparative advantage suggests that such mobility will encourage societies to specialize in what they do best. For example, some countries (even among wealthy nations) may provide little advanced scientific education, and import the necessary expertise from abroad - this situation seems to be developing in Germany and France, who lack any top-quality research universities. Conversely, just a few countries may provide the bulk of advanced science education teaching - as well as applied and pure research personnel - for the rest of the world: potentially China and India might supply most of world's mathematical expertise. In conclusion, there are two complementary aspects to the globalization of science education: these are standardization and specialization. We anticipate a simultaneous trend towards international convergence of basic educational structures, certificates and English usage; with increasing national differentiation of specialist educational functions.

Association of Education and Smoking Status on Risk of Diabetes Mellitus: A Population-Based Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Kim, Jin-Hyeong; Noh, Juhwan; Choi, Jae-Woo; Park, Eun-Cheol

2017-06-19

Background: Exposure to smoke, including environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), is a well-known risk factor for diabetes. Low socioeconomic status, especially lack of education, is also a risk factor for diabetes. Therefore, we assessed the association of demographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and behavior risk factor-related variables and smoking status, including ETS exposure, with the prevalence of diabetes. Methods: Data were from the 2007-2013 Korea National Health and Nutritional Evaluation Survey (KNHANES). Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between various lifestyle and health factors and the prevalence of diabetes while controlling for potential confounding variables. Subgroup analysis was performed according to smoking status to determine factors associated with diabetes. Results: Of 19,303 individuals analyzed, 1325 (11.4%) had diabetes. Greater average age, male sex, lower educational level, unemployment, and coexisting health problems were significantly associated with diabetes. Individuals with only elementary, middle, or high school level education had significantly greater odds ratios ( p < 0.05) compared to college graduates; smokers and nonsmokers exposed to ETS had significantly greater OR ( p < 0.05) than nonsmokers unexposed to ETS. Subgroup analysis of diabetics according to smoking status revealed significant associations ( p < 0.05) for diabetic nonsmokers exposed to ETS with female sex, single status, elementary level education, urban residence, National Health Insurance (NHI), hypertension, a lack of alcohol intake, and a lack of moderate physical activity. For diabetic smokers, there were significant associations ( p < 0.05) with elementary education, urban residence, a lack of moderate physical activity, a lack of alcohol intake, and NHI. Conclusions: The results suggested that smoking status, as well as ETS exposure, was associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes, especially in populations with less education. Thus, we should direct efforts for controlling diabetes toward individuals with lower levels of education and those who are smokers and nonsmokers exposed to ETS.

Social Inequalities and Gender Differences in the Experience of Alcohol-Related Problems

PubMed Central

Grittner, Ulrike; Kuntsche, Sandra; Graham, Kathryn; Bloomfield, Kim

2012-01-01

Aims: To examine the influence of country-level characteristics and individual socio-economic status (SES) on individual alcohol-related consequences. Methods: Data from 42,655 men and women collected by cross-sectional surveys in 25 countries of the Gender, Alcohol and Culture: An International Study study were used. The individual SES was measured by the highest attained educational level. Alcohol-related consequences were defined as the self-report of at least one internal or one external consequence in the last year. The relationship between individuals’ education and alcohol-related consequences was examined by meta-analysis. In a second step, the individual level data and country data were combined in multilevel models. As country-level indicators, we used the purchasing power parity of the gross national income (GNI), the Gini coefficient and the Gender Gap Index. Results: Lower educated men and women were more likely to report consequences than higher educated men and women even after controlling for drinking patterns. For men, this relation was significant for both internal and external problems. For women, it was only significant for external problems. The GNI was significantly associated with reporting external consequences for men such that in lower income countries men were more likely to report social problems. Conclusion: The fact that problems accrue more quickly for lower educated persons even if they drink in the same manner can be linked to the social or environmental dimension surrounding problems. That is, those of fewer resources are less protected from the experience of a problem or the impact of a stressful life event. PMID:22542707

The impact of educational status on the clinical features of major depressive disorder among Chinese women

PubMed Central

Gan, Zhaoyu; Li, Yihan; Xie, Dong; Shao, Chunhong; Yang, Fuzhong; Shen, Yuan; Zhang, Ning; Zhang, Guanghua; Tian, Tian; Yin, Aihua; Chen, Ce; Liu, Jun; Tang, Chunling; Zhang, Zhuoqiu; Liu, Jia; Sang, Wenhua; Wang, Xumei; Liu, Tiebang; Wei, Qinling; Xu, Yong; Sun, Ling; Wang, Sisi; Li, Chang; Hu, Chunmei; Cui, Yanping; Liu, Ying; Li, Ying; Zhao, Xiaochuan; Zhang, Lan; Sun, Lixin; Chen, Yunchun; Zhang, Yueying; Ning, Yuping; Shi, Shenxun; Chen, Yiping; Kendler, Kenneth S.; Flint, Jonathan; Zhang, Jinbei

2012-01-01

Background Years of education are inversely related to the prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD), but the relationship between the clinical features of MDD and educational status is poorly understood. We investigated this in 1970 Chinese women with recurrent MDD identified in a clinical setting. Methods Clinical and demographic features were obtained from 1970 Han Chinese women with DSM-IV major depression between 30 and 60 years of age across China. Analysis of linear, logistic and multiple logistic regression models were used to determine the association between educational level and clinical features of MDD. Results Subjects with more years of education are more likely to have MDD, with an odds ratio of 1.14 for those with more than ten years. Low educational status is not associated with an increase in the number of episodes, nor with increased rates of co-morbidity with anxiety disorders. Education impacts differentially on the symptoms of depression: lower educational attainment is associated with more biological symptoms and increased suicidal ideation and plans to commit suicide. Limitations Findings may not generalize to males or to other patient populations. Since the threshold for treatment seeking differs as a function of education there may an ascertainment bias in the sample. Conclusions The relationship between symptoms of MDD and educational status in Chinese women is unexpectedly complex. Our findings are inconsistent with the simple hypothesis from European and US reports that low levels of educational attainment increase the risk and severity of MDD. PMID:21824664

Academic development for urologists in the Kurdistan region of Iraq

PubMed Central

Kok, Dirk J.; Maghdid, Delshad M.; Mohammed, Maqsood S.; Sherwani, Govand H.S.

2013-01-01

Objectives Continuous education is mandatory for all urologists, and undertaking cooperative research is a very effective means for this. We describe the experience and possibilities for continuing education for urologists in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. We hope to provide a framework for stimulating urological education and research in other countries where urologists face the same obstacles. Methods Data were obtained from the perspective of two academics who co-operate with urologists from Iraq, and from the perspective of two officials from the Ministry of Higher education of the Kurdistan Regional Government who are responsible for stimulating continuous education. Results Based on a co-operative and supportive attitude of both Government and Academics, urologists in the Kurdistan region of Iraq have brought the standards of education and cooperative research to an internationally competitive level. Conclusion The authors hope that the examples given here can stimulate urologists from Arab countries to fully engage in new urological developments, despite the obstacles that they perceive. PMID:26019930

Medium-/Long-Term Effects of a Specific Exercise Protocol Combined with Patient Education on Spine Mobility, Chronic Fatigue, Pain, Aerobic Fitness and Level of Disability in Fibromyalgia

PubMed Central

Giannotti, Erika; Koutsikos, Konstantinos; Pigatto, Maurizia; Rampudda, Maria Elisa; Doria, Andrea

2014-01-01

Objective. To propose a rehabilitation protocol able to produce immediate and long-term beneficial effects on level of disability and overall performance in ADLs. Materials and Methods. Forty-one FM patients were randomized to an exercise and educational-behavioral programme group (experimental group, EG = 21) or to a control group (CG = 20). Each subject was evaluated before, at the end (T1), and after 6 months (T6) from the conclusion of the rehabilitation treatment using the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), the visual analogue scale (VAS), the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), the fatigue severity scale (FSS), the 6-minute walking test (6MWT), tender points count (TPC), and spinal active range of motion. The exercise protocol included 20 sessions consisting in self-awareness, stretching, strengthening, spine flexibility, and aerobic exercises, which patients were subsequently educated to perform at home. Results. The two groups were comparable at baseline. At T1, the EG showed a positive trend in FIQ, VAS, HAQ, and FSS scales and significant improvement in 6MWT and in most spinal active range of motion measurements (P between 0.001 and 0.04). The positive results were maintained at the follow-up. Conclusion. The proposed programme was well tolerated and produced immediate and medium-term beneficial effects improving function and strain endurance. This trial is registered with DRKS00005071 on DRKS. PMID:24616894

Knowledge Levels and Training Needs of Disaster Medicine among Health Professionals, Medical Students, and Local Residents in Shanghai, China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hongwei; Yin, Jianhua; Tan, Xiaojie; Chang, Wenjun; Ding, Yibo; Han, Yifang; Cao, Guangwen

2013-01-01

Background Disaster is a serious public health issue. Health professionals and community residents are main players in disaster responses but their knowledge levels of disaster medicine are not readily available. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge levels and training needs of disaster medicine among potential disaster responders and presented a necessity to popularize disaster medicine education. Methods A self-reporting questionnaire survey on knowledge level and training needs of disaster medicine was conducted in Shanghai, China, in 2012. A total of randomly selected 547 health professionals, 456 medical students, and 1,526 local residents provided intact information. The total response rate was 93.7%. Results Overall, 1.3% of these participants have received systematic disaster medicine training. News media (87.1%) was the most common channel to acquire disaster medicine knowledge. Although health professionals were more knowledgeable than community residents, their knowledge structure of disaster medicine was not intact. Medical teachers were more knowledgeable than medical practitioners and health administrators (p = 0.002). Clinicians performed better than public health physicians (p<0.001), whereas public health students performed better than clinical medical students (p<0.001). In community residents, education background significantly affected the knowledge level on disaster medicine (p<0.001). Training needs of disaster medicine were generally high among the surveyed. ‘Lecture’ and ‘practical training’ were preferred teaching methods. The selected key and interested contents on disaster medicine training were similar between health professionals and medical students, while the priorities chosen by local residents were quite different from health professionals and medical students (p<0.001). Conclusions Traditional clinical-oriented medical education might lead to a huge gap between the knowledge level on disaster medicine and the current needs of disaster preparedness. Continuing medical education and public education plans on disaster medicine via media should be practice-oriented, and selectively applied to different populations and take the knowledge levels and training needs into consideration. PMID:23826190

Correlation of educational status and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer: a single center experience.

PubMed

Sarici, Furkan; Babacan, Taner; Buyukhatipoglu, Hakan; Balakan, Ozan; Sever, Ali R; Kertmen, Neyran; Unlu, Ozan; Ates, Ozturk; Diker, Omer; Akin, Serkan; Sunar, Veli; Karakas, Yusuf; Lacin, Sahin; Altundag, Kadri

2016-01-01

Educational status may be an important parameter in assessing breast cancer risk and prognosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the level of education and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer, including tumor grade, HER-2 and estrogen receptor (ER) status, tumor size, axillary lymph node involvement and metastasis. The study included 1800 women who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during 2005-2013 at Hacettepe University Cancer Institute. Patients were divided into three groups according to their educational status at the time of diagnosis as follows: low (illiterate and elementary school, 5 years or less of education), medium (secondary school and upper secondary school, 6-12 years of education) and high (university level, more than 12 years of education). The associations between educational status and clinicopathologic features of breast cancer at the time of diagnosis were evaluated. In all patient, a significant relationship was found between educational status and T stages (p<0.0001). Patients with higher educational levels were reported to have smaller tumor size regardless to their age and were less likely to have axillary lymph node involvement (p=0.001) or metastasis (p=0.001). A significant correlation was found between educational status and ER positivity in patients over 50 years of age (p=0.03). When the patients of all ages were evaluated, no statistically significant correlation was shown (p=0.27) between educational status and ER positivity. A significant relationship was found between educational status and HER-2 status (p=0.003), regardless of the patients' age. HER-2 positivity increased in patients with low educational status, however this significance was lost in patients over the age of 50 (p=0.1). The relationship between educational status and biological factors in breast cancer are not conclusive as yet, but this particular study revealed that educational status played a major influence in each of the five breast cancer prognostic factors: ER status, HER-2 status, tumor size, lymph node status and metastasis.

Early Childhood Lead Exposure and Academic Achievement: Evidence From Detroit Public Schools, 2008–2010

PubMed Central

Baker, Harolyn W.; Tufts, Margaret; Raymond, Randall E.; Salihu, Hamisu; Elliott, Michael R.

2013-01-01

Objectives. We assessed the long-term effect of early childhood lead exposure on academic achievement in mathematics, science, and reading among elementary and junior high school children. Methods. We linked early childhood blood lead testing surveillance data from the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion to educational testing data from the Detroit, Michigan, public schools. We used the linked data to investigate the effect of early childhood lead exposure on academic achievement among school-aged children, both marginally and adjusted for grade level, gender, race, language, maternal education, and socioeconomic status. Results. High blood lead levels before age 6 years were strongly associated with poor academic achievement in grades 3, 5, and 8. The odds of scoring less than proficient for those whose blood lead levels were greater than 10 micrograms per deciliter were more than twice the odds for those whose blood lead levels were less than 1 micrograms per deciliter after adjustment for potential confounders. Conclusions. Early childhood lead exposure was negatively associated with academic achievement in elementary and junior high school, after adjusting for key potential confounders. The control of lead poisoning should focus on primary prevention of lead exposure in children and development of special education programs for students with lead poisoning. PMID:23327265

Predictors of Colorectal Cancer Knowledge among Adults in the United Arab Emirates

PubMed

Al-Sharbatti, Shatha; Muttappallymyalil, Jayakumary; Sreedharan, Jayadevan; Almosawy, Yasien

2017-09-27

Objective: To assess knowledge regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) and to identify its predictors in the UAE. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among subjects ≥ 50 years-old, using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Awareness of CRC risk factors, warning signs/symptoms (S/S), and screening methods was evaluated with a level of knowledge score for various areas. Low (poor) knowledge was defined as a score below the corresponding average value. The Chi-square test and logistic regression were used in the statistical analysis. Results: The percentage of respondents who had poor knowledge score concerning risk factors, warning S/S and screening were 81.7%, 84.7% and 94.1% respectively. Male and lower education level subjects had significantly higher probability of low knowledge related to risk factors and warning S/S. Also respondents without a family history of CRC or personal history of polyps had a significantly higher probability of low knowledge concerning warning S/S compared to those who had a positive history. Significantly higher probability of low knowledge concerning screening methods was noted among non-Arabs and subjects with a lower education level. Conclusion: Most of the respondents had poor knowledge. Gender, education level, family and personal history and ethnicity were found to be significant predictors of CRC knowledge. Creative Commons Attribution License

Predictors of Colorectal Cancer Knowledge among Adults in the United Arab Emirates

PubMed Central

Al-Sharbatti, Shatha; Muttappallymyalil, Jayakumary; Sreedharan, Jayadevan; Almosawy, Yasien

2017-01-01

Objective: To assess knowledge regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) and to identify its predictors in the UAE. Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among subjects ≥ 50 years-old, using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Awareness of CRC risk factors, warning signs/symptoms (S/S), and screening methods was evaluated with a level of knowledge score for various areas. Low (poor) knowledge was defined as a score below the corresponding average value. The Chi-square test and logistic regression were used in the statistical analysis. Results: The percentage of respondents who had poor knowledge score concerning risk factors, warning S/S and screening were 81.7%, 84.7% and 94.1% respectively. Male and lower education level subjects had significantly higher probability of low knowledge related to risk factors and warning S/S. Also respondents without a family history of CRC or personal history of polyps had a significantly higher probability of low knowledge concerning warning S/S compared to those who had a positive history. Significantly higher probability of low knowledge concerning screening methods was noted among non-Arabs and subjects with a lower education level. Conclusion: Most of the respondents had poor knowledge. Gender, education level, family and personal history and ethnicity were found to be significant predictors of CRC knowledge. PMID:28950678

Factors associated with educational aspirations among adolescents: cues to counteract socioeconomic differences?

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Our study aims to follow this effort and to explore the association between health, socioeconomic background, school-related factors, social support and adolescents' sense of coherence and educational aspirations among adolescents from different educational tracks and to contribute to the existing body of knowledge on the role of educational aspirations in the social reproduction of health inequalities. We expect that socioeconomic background will contribute to the development of educational aspirations, but this association will be modified by available social and individual resources, which may be particularly favourable for the group of adolescents who are on lower educational tracks, since for them such resources may lead to gaining a higher educational level. Methods We collected data on the socioeconomic background (mother's and father's education and employment status, doubts about affordability of future study), school-related factors (school atmosphere, school conditions, attitudes towards school), perceived social support, sense of coherence (manageability, comprehensibility, meaningfulness) and the self-rated health of a national sample of Slovak adolescents (n = 1992, 53.5% females, mean age 16.9 years). We assessed the association of these factors with educational aspirations, overall and by educational tracks (grammar schools, specialised secondary schools, vocational schools). Results We found statistically significant associations with educational aspirations for the factors parental educational level, father's unemployment, doubts about the affordability of future study, school atmosphere, attitude towards school, social support from the father and a sense of coherence. Social support from the mother and friends was not associated with educational aspiration, nor was self-rated health. Besides affinity towards school, the determinants of educational aspirations differed among adolescents on different educational tracks. Educational aspirations of grammar school students were associated with father's education, while the aspirations of their peers on lower educational tracks had a stronger association with mother's education and perceived social support from father and friends. Moreover, a sense of coherence contributes to the reporting of educational aspiration by students on different educational tracks. Conclusions Characteristics of the school environment, the family and the individual adolescent are all associated with the level of educational aspiration, but in a different way for different educational tracks. Interventions aimed at reducing socioeconomic inequalities in health via the educational system should, therefore, take this variation and the rather pivotal role of the father into account. PMID:20334644

Patient education process in teaching hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Seyedin, Hesam; Goharinezhad, Salime; Vatankhah, Soodabeh; Azmal, Mohammad

2015-01-01

Background: Patient education is widely recognized as a core component of nursing. Patient education can lead to quality outcomes including adherence, quality of life, patients' knowledge of their illness and self-management. This study aimed to clarify patient education process in teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2013. In this descriptive quantitative study, the sample covered 187 head nurses selected from ten teaching hospitals through convenience sampling. Data were collected with a questionnaire developed specifically for this study. The questionnaire measured patient education process in four dimensions: need assessment, planning, implementing and evaluating. Results: The overall mean score of patient education was 3.326±0.0524. Among the four dimensions of the patient education process, planning was in the highest level (3.570±0.0591) and the lowest score belonged to the evaluation of patient education (2.840 ±0.0628). Conclusion: Clarifying patient education steps, developing standardized framework and providing easily understandable tool-kit of the patient education program will improve the ability of nurses in delivering effective patient education in general and specialized hospitals. PMID:26478878

Gains in Life Expectancy Associated with Higher Education in Men

PubMed Central

Bijwaard, Govert E.; van Poppel, Frans; Ekamper, Peter; Lumey, L. H.

2015-01-01

Background Many studies show large differences in life expectancy across the range of education, intelligence, and socio-economic status. As educational attainment, intelligence, and socio-economic status are highly interrelated, appropriate methods are required to disentangle their separate effects. The aim of this paper is to present a novel method to estimate gains in life expectancy specifically associated with increased education. Our analysis is based on a structural model in which education level, IQ at age 18 and mortality all depend on (latent) intelligence. The model allows for (selective) educational choices based on observed factors and on an unobserved factor capturing intelligence. Our estimates are based on information from health examinations of military conscripts born in 1944–1947 in The Netherlands and their vital status through age 66 (n = 39,798). Results Our empirical results show that men with higher education have lower mortality. Using structural models to account for education choice, the estimated gain in life expectancy for men moving up one educational level ranges from 0.3 to 2 years. The estimated gain in months alive over the observational period ranges from -1.2 to 5.7 months. The selection effect is positive and amounts to a gain of one to two months. Decomposition of the selection effect shows that the gain from selection on (latent) intelligence is larger than the gain from selection on observed factors and amounts to 1.0 to 1.7 additional months alive. Conclusion Our findings confirm the strong selection into education based on socio-economic status and intelligence. They also show significant higher life expectancy among individuals with higher education after the selectivity of education choice has been taken into account. Based on these estimates, it is plausible therefore that increases in education could lead to increases in life expectancy. PMID:26496647

International Workshop on Educational Infrastructure: Conclusions (Summary of Proceedings, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, February 24-27, 2002).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris (France). Programme on Educational Building.

This document summarizes themes developed and conclusions from the International Workshop on Educational Infrastructure. The opening topic was "Delivering Education and Training in the Knowledge Society." It was clear to participants that educational infrastructure must go hand-in-hand with reengineering processes to adjust to the needs…

Education and training to support the use of clinical telehealth: A review of the literature.

PubMed

Edirippulige, S; Armfield, N R

2017-02-01

Introduction Despite a growing literature base, substantial investment, and policy changes within governments, the integration of telehealth into routine clinical care has been limited. The availability of appropriate systematic education and training for practitioners has been highlighted as necessary for strong adoption. However, the availability and nature of telehealth-related education and training for practitioners is not understood. By reviewing the literature, we aimed to describe the delivery of education and training in telehealth, with particular focus on content, modes of delivery, types of institutions, and target clinician groups. Methods We performed searches using PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and ERIC. We included studies that were focused on the delivery of telehealth-related academic or vocational education and training. We extracted information pertaining to country, programs and their participants, and tabulated the results. Results Altogether 388 articles were identified, of which nine studies were selected for final review. Programs from five countries were represented and articles were spread across telemedicine and clinically oriented journals. Education and training in telehealth has been provided as both university level and vocational courses using conventional classroom based delivery methods and e-learning. Reported curriculum items included terminology, clinical applications, the evidence-base, and technological aspects. Conclusions Published evidence in peer-reviewed literature on telehealth education and training is limited. According to this review, a number of topics relating to telehealth have been covered by existing education programs both within tertiary and professional development levels.

The impact of education and globalization on sexual and reproductive health: retrospective evidence from eastern and southern Africa.

PubMed

Van Stam, Marie-Anne; Michielsen, Kristien; Stroeken, Koen; Zijlstra, Bonne J H

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to qualify the relationship between sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and educational attainment in eastern and southern Africa (ESA). We hypothesize that the regional level of globalization is a moderating factor in the relationship between SRH and educational attainment. Using retrospective data from Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia, the associations between SRH (eight indicators), educational attainment, and globalization were examined using multilevel logistic regression analysis. It was found that the model fit for every SRH outcome indicator increased significantly after including the interaction between globalization and educational attainment, supporting the hypothesis. Depending on the level of globalization, three types of relationships between education and SRH were found: (1) for the indicators "more than four children," "intercourse before 17 years," "first child before 20 years," and "one or more child died" education is risk-decreasing, and the reduction is stronger in more globalized regions; (2) for the indicators "condom use at last intercourse" and "current contraceptive use" education is risk-decreasing, and the reduction is stronger in less globalized regions; (3) for the indicators "HIV positive" and "more than four lifetime sexual partners" education is risk increasing, but only in less globalized regions. In conclusion, these effects are related to three types of access: (1) access to services, (2) access to information, and (3) access to sexual networks. The findings highlight the relevance of globalization when analyzing the association between SRH and education, and the importance of structural factors in the development of effective SRH promotion interventions.

Sanitary Pad Interventions for Girls' Education in Ghana: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Montgomery, Paul; Ryus, Caitlin R.; Dolan, Catherine S.; Dopson, Sue; Scott, Linda M.

2012-01-01

Background Increased education of girls in developing contexts is associated with a number of important positive health, social, and economic outcomes for a community. The event of menarche tends to coincide with girls' transitions from primary to secondary education and may constitute a barrier for continued school attendance and performance. Following the MRC Framework for Complex Interventions, a pilot controlled study was conducted in Ghana to assess the role of sanitary pads in girls' education. Methods A sample of 120 schoolgirls between the ages of 12 and 18 from four villages in Ghana participated in a non-randomized trial of sanitary pad provision with education. The trial had three levels of treatment: provision of pads with puberty education; puberty education alone; or control (no pads or education). The primary outcome was school attendance. Results After 3 months, providing pads with education significantly improved attendance among participants, (lambda 0.824, F = 3.760, p<.001). After 5 months, puberty education alone improved attendance to a similar level (M = 91.26, SD = 7.82) as sites where pads were provided with puberty education (Rural M = 89.74, SD = 9.34; Periurban M = 90.54, SD = 17.37), all of which were higher than control (M = 84.48, SD = 12.39). The total improvement through pads with education intervention after 5 months was a 9% increase in attendance. After 3 months, providing pads with education significantly improved attendance among participants. The changes in attendance at the end of the trial, after 5 months, were found to be significant by site over time. With puberty education alone resulting in a similar attendance level. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrated promising results of a low-cost, rapid-return intervention for girls' education in a developing context. Given the considerable development needs of poorer countries and the potential of young women there, these results suggest that a large-scale cluster randomized trial is warranted. Trial Registration Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201202000361337 PMID:23118968

Self-care management of Thai Buddhists and Muslims with type 2 diabetes after an empowerment education program.

PubMed

Lundberg, Pranee C; Thrakul, Supunnee

2018-04-23

The aim of the present study was to explore self-care management of Thai Buddhists and Muslims with type 2 diabetes and inadequate blood glucose levels, after they had been subjected to a 6-month diabetes empowerment education program. Twenty-seven participants (male and female) were selected through purposive convenience sampling for an explorative qualitative study. Semistructured focus group interviews with four open-ended questions were used to study the participants' self-care behavior at the beginning and the end of the program, and the data obtained were subjected to content analysis. At the end, one third of the participants had been able to reduce their blood glucose to acceptable levels. Most of the others had achieved reduced but irregular blood glucose levels; however, some did not achieve any reduction. Diet was the most difficult problem, and economic difficulties, incorrect knowledge, and misleading beliefs were barriers. In conclusion, an empowerment education program can substantially improve the outcome of self-care management for many people with type 2 diabetes. In the planning of such programs, barriers should be taken into account. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Readability Assessment of Online Patient Education Material on Congestive Heart Failure

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Background Online health information is being used more ubiquitously by the general population. However, this information typically favors only a small percentage of readers, which can result in suboptimal medical outcomes for patients. Objective The readability of online patient education materials regarding the topic of congestive heart failure was assessed through six readability assessment tools. Methods The search phrase “congestive heart failure” was employed into the search engine Google. Out of the first 100 websites, only 70 were included attending to compliance with selection and exclusion criteria. These were then assessed through six readability assessment tools. Results Only 5 out of 70 websites were within the limits of the recommended sixth-grade readability level. The mean readability scores were as follows: the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (9.79), Gunning-Fog Score (11.95), Coleman-Liau Index (15.17), Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index (11.39), and the Flesch Reading Ease (48.87). Conclusion Most of the analyzed websites were found to be above the sixth-grade readability level recommendations. Efforts need to be made to better tailor online patient education materials to the general population. PMID:28656111

The influence of age, gender and education on the performance of healthy individuals on a battery for assessing limb apraxia

PubMed Central

Mantovani-Nagaoka, Joana; Ortiz, Karin Zazo

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Introduction: Apraxia is defined as a disorder of learned skilled movements, in the absence of elementary motor or sensory deficits and general cognitive impairment, such as inattention to commands, object-recognition deficits or poor oral comprehension. Limb apraxia has long been a challenge for clinical assessment and understanding and covers a wide spectrum of disorders, all involving motor cognition and the inability to perform previously learned actions. Demographic variables such as gender, age, and education can influence the performance of individuals on different neuropsychological tests. Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the performance of healthy subjects on a limb apraxia battery and to determine the influence of gender, age, and education on the praxis skills assessed. Methods: Forty-four subjects underwent a limb apraxia battery, which was composed of numerous subtests for assessing both the semantic aspects of gestural production as well as motor performance itself. The tasks encompassed lexical-semantic aspects related to gestural production and motor activity in response to verbal commands and imitation. Results: We observed no gender effects on any of the subtests. Only the subtest involving visual recognition of transitive gestures showed a correlation between performance and age. However, we observed that education level influenced subject performance for all sub tests involving motor actions, and for most of these, moderate correlations were observed between education level and performance of the praxis tasks. Conclusion: We conclude that the education level of participants can have an important influence on the outcome of limb apraxia tests. PMID:29213460

The educational effects of mobile learning on students of medical sciences: A systematic review in experimental studies

PubMed Central

KOOHESTANI, HAMID REZA; SOLTANI ARABSHAHI, SEYED KAMRAN; FATA, LADAN; AHMADI, FAZLOLLAH

2018-01-01

Introduction: The demand for mobile learning in the medical science educational program is increasing. The present review study gathers evidence highlighted by the experimental studies on the educational effects of mobile learning for medical science students. Methods: The study was carried out as a systematic literature search published from 2007 to July 2017 in the databases PubMed/Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Web of Knowledge (Thomson Reuters) , Educational Resources and Information Center (ERIC), EMBASE (Elsevier), Cochrane library, PsycINFO and Google Scholar. To examine quality of the articles, a tool validated by the BEME Review was employed. Results: Totally, 21 papers entered the study. Three main themes emerged from the content of papers: (1) improvement in student clinical competency and confidence, (2) acquisition and enhancing of students' theoretical knowledge, and (3) students' positive attitudes to and perception of mobile learning. Level 2B of Kirkpatrick hierarchy had been examined by all the papers and seven of them had reported two or more outcome levels, but level 4 was not reported in the papers. Conclusion: Our review showed that the students of medical sciences had positive response and attitudes to mobile learning. Moreover, implementation of mobile learning in medical sciences program might lead to valuable educational benefits and improve clinical competence and confidence along with theoretical knowledge, attitudes, and perception of mobile learning. The results indicated that mobile learning strategy in medical education can positively affect learning in all three domains of Bloom’s Taxonomy. PMID:29607333

Assessment of Google Glass as an adjunct in neurological surgery

PubMed Central

Sahyouni, Ronald; Moshtaghi, Omid; Tran, Diem Kieu; Kaloostian, Sean; Rajaii, Ramin; Bustillo, David; Chen, Jefferson W.

2017-01-01

Background: We assess Google Glass (“Glass”) in improving postoperative review (“debriefing”) and augmenting education in Neurological Surgery at a tertiary academic medical center. Methods: This was a prospective study. Participants were patients of Neurological Surgery physicians at a Tertiary Care Level 1 Academic Trauma Center. Resident physicians received a pre-questionnaire immediately following surgery. Next, the resident and attending physicians debriefed by reviewing the Glass operative recording. Then, residents completed a 4-part post-questionnaire. Questions 1–3 assessed: (1) the residents’ comfort level with the procedure, (2) the quality of education provided by their superiors, and (3) their comfort level in repeating the operation. Question 4 assessed: (4) the perceived benefit of debriefing using Glass. Results: Twelve surveys were collected. Scores were based on a 5-point Likert scale, with a higher score corresponding to a more positive response. For Questions 1–3, the average pre- and post-questionnaire scores were 3.75 and 4.42, respectively (P <.05). For Question 4, the average post-questionnaire score was 4.63, suggesting that postoperative Glass review improved their technical understanding of the procedure. Conclusions: Glass significantly improved neurosurgery residents’ comfort level and quality of training, and provided a high fidelity, reliable, and modifiable tool that enhanced residents’ understanding, expertise, and educational experience. Of note, certain limitations such as variable battery life, variable image quality, and subpar compatibility with surgeon loupes must still be overcome for Glass to become a realistic addition to neurosurgical education. PMID:28540134

Validation of the Conversion between the Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive assessment in Korean Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Kim, Ryul; Kim, Han-Joon; Kim, Aryun; Jang, Mi-Hee; Kim, Hyun Jeong; Jeon, Beomseok

2018-01-01

Objective Two conversion tables between the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) have recently been established for Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study aimed to validate them in Korean patients with PD and to evaluate whether they could be influenced by educational level. Methods A total of 391 patients with PD who undertook both the Korean MMSE and the Korean MoCA during the same session were retrospectively assessed. The mean, median, and root mean squared error (RMSE) of the difference between the true and converted MMSE scores and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) were calculated according to educational level (6 or fewer years, 7–12 years, or 13 or more years). Results Both conversions had a median value of 0, with a small mean and RMSE of differences, and a high correlation between the true and converted MMSE scores. In the classification according to educational level, all groups had roughly similar values of the median, mean, RMSE, and ICC both within and between the conversions. Conclusion Our findings suggest that both MMSE-MoCA conversion tables are useful instruments for transforming MoCA scores into converted MMSE scores in Korean patients with PD, regardless of educational level. These will greatly enhance the utility of the existing cognitive data from the Korean PD population in clinical and research settings. PMID:29316782

Socioeconomic Status, Daily Affective and Social Experiences, and Inflammation during Adolescence

PubMed Central

Chiang, Jessica J.; Bower, Julienne E.; Almeida, David M.; Irwin, Michael R.; Seeman, Teresa E.; Fuligni, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

Objective To assess the relation between socioeconomic status (SES) and inflammation during adolescence and determine whether daily affective and social experiences across a 15-day period mediate this relation. Methods Adolescents (n = 316) completed daily diary reports of positive affect, negative affect, and negative social interactions for 15 days and provided whole blood spot samples for the assessment of C-reactive protein (CRP). Parents provided information on SES, including the highest level of education they and their spouses completed and household income. Results Lower parent education was associated with higher levels of adolescent CRP, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, and body mass index (β = −.12; p = .031). Mean daily positive affect, negative affect, and negative social interactions were examined as potential mediators of this association. In these models, parent education was no longer associated with adolescent CRP (β = −.09; p = .12), and only positive affect was related to CRP (β = −.12; p = .025). Bootstrapping confirmed the mediating role of positive affect (indirect effect = −.015, 95% CI = [−.038, −.002]). Conclusions Adolescents with less educated parents tended to have higher levels of CRP, which may be explained by their lower levels of positive affect. Findings suggest that a lack of positive affect may be a pathway by which SES confers early risk for poor health in adulthood. It is possible that adolescents who display positive affect during daily life in circumstances of relatively adverse socioeconomic circumstances may have better health outcomes related to lower inflammatory factors. PMID:25829237

Noncommunicable diseases and the use of health services: analysis of the National Health Survey in Brazil

PubMed Central

Malta, Deborah Carvalho; Bernal, Regina Tomie Ivata; Lima, Margareth Guimarães; de Araújo, Silvânia Suely Caribé; da Silva, Marta Maria Alves; Freitas, Maria Imaculada de Fátima; Barros, Marilisa Berti de Azevedo

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess whether sex, education level, and health insurance affect the use of health services among the adult Brazilian population with chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCD). METHODS Data from a cross-sectional survey were analyzed, the National Health Survey (PNS). Frequency of use of services in the population that referred at least one NCD were compared with the frequency from a population that did not report NCD, according to sex, education level, health insurance, and NCD number (1, 2, 3, 4, or more). The prevalence and prevalence ratios were calculated crude and adjusted for sex, age, region, and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS The presence of a noncommunicable disease was associated with increase in hospitalizations in the last 12 months, in 1.7 times (95%CI 1.53–1.9). Failing to perform usual activities in the last two weeks for health reasons was 3.1 times higher in NCD carriers (95%CI 2.78–3.46); while the prevalence of medical consultation in the last 12 months was 1.26 times higher (95%CI 1.24–1.28). NCD carriers make more use of health services, as well as women, people with higher number of comorbidities, with health insurance, and higher education level. CONCLUSIONS NCD carriers make more use of health services, as well as women, people with higher number of comorbidities, with health insurance, and higher education level. PMID:28591353

Efficacy of Pharmacist Based Diabetes Educational Interventions on Clinical Outcomes of Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Network Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Bukhsh, Allah; Khan, Tahir M; Lee, Shaun W H; Lee, Learn-Han; Chan, Kok-Gan; Goh, Bey-Hing

2018-01-01

Background: Comparative efficacy of different pharmacist based interventions on glycemic control of type 2 diabetes patients is unclear. This review aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of different pharmacist based interventions on clinical outcomes of type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across five databases from date of database inception to September 2017. All randomized clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of pharmacist based interventions on type 2 diabetes patients were included for network meta-analysis (NMA). The protocol is available with PROSPERO (CRD42017078854). Results: A total of 43 studies, involving 6259 type 2 diabetes patients, were included. NMA demonstrated that all interventions significantly lowered glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels compared to usual care, but there was no statistical evidence from this study that one intervention was significantly better than the other for reducing HbA1c levels. Pharmacist based diabetes education plus pharmaceutical care showed maximum efficacy for reducing HbA1c levels [-0.86, 95% CI -0.983, -0.727; p < 0.001]. Pharmacist based diabetes education plus pharmaceutical care was observed to be statistically significant in lowering levels of systolic blood pressure [-4.94; 95%CI -8.65, -1.23] and triglycerides levels [-0.26, 95%CI -0.51, -0.01], as compared to the interventions which involved diabetes education by pharmacist, and for body mass index (BMI) [-0.57; 95%CI -1.25, -0.12] in comparison to diabetes education by health care team involving pharmacist as member. Conclusion: The findings of this review demonstrate that all interventions had a significantly positive effect on HbA1c, but there was no statistical evidence from this study that one intervention was significantly better than the other for achieving glycemic control.Pharmacist based diabetes education plus pharmaceutical care showed maximum efficacy on HbA1c and rest of the clinical outcomes.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sprawls, P

Purpose: To enhance the understanding of medical physics concepts and develop higher levels of learning relating to invisible physics phenomena such as radiation. To provide medical physics educators in all countries of the world with understanding of knowledge structures in the human brain, the different levels of learning, and the types of knowledge required for higher level functions such as problem solving, creative innovations, and applied clinical applications. To provide medical physics educators with an open access resource (tool) that they can use in their teaching activities to enrich and elevate the level of learning for their students, residents, etc.more » with respect to the invisible realm of medical physics. Methods: An experienced clinical medical physicist and educator has created and provided with open access three complementary web-based resources to achieve the purposes described above. One is a module focusing on the medical physics learning process with respect to mental knowledge structures, how they relate to outcomes and applications, and learning activities that are required to develop the required knowledge structures. The second is an extensive set of visuals that educators can use in their activities (classes, small group discussions, etc.) to visualize the invisible. The third is an interactive online simulation where learners can adjust factors and visually observe changes in x-radiation.These resources are available online at www.BLINDED FOR REVIEW . Results: Medical physics education, especially for non-physicists, is becoming much more interesting and useful especially with respect to invisible radiation. The global impact is that medical imaging professionals can be more effective in optimizing x-ray imaging procedures and risk management when they have knowledge levels that enhance problem solving, innovation, and creativity. Conclusion: Medical physics educators in all institutions can be much more effective and efficient in the sharing of their knowledge and experience when enhanced with high-quality visuals.« less

Service Area Market Analysis: Environmental Scanning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Front Range Community Coll., Westminster, CO.

This environmental scanning report presents, in brief, various key indicators: political climate, population demographics, secondary education, postsecondary education, welfare, unemployment, industry, labor, and general conclusions. General conclusions made in this report are as follows: higher education is expected to receive a slight increase…

Physical activity, aerobic fitness and parental socio-economic position among adolescents: the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents 2003–2006 (KiGGS)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The positive association between parental socio-economic position (PSEP) and health among adolescents may be partly explained by physical activity behaviour. We investigated the associations between physical activity, aerobic fitness and PSEP in a population based sample of German adolescents. Methods 5,251 participants, aged 11–17 years, in the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents 2003–2006 (KiGGS) underwent a sub-maximal cycle ergometer test and completed a questionnaire obtaining information on physical activity and media use. The associations between physical activity, media use, aerobic fitness and PSEP were analysed with multivariate logistic regression models for boys and girls separately. Odds ratios (ORs) of PSEP (education, occupation and income) on the outcomes were calculated adjusted for age, region, and other influencing factors. Results Parental education was more strongly associated with the outcome variables than parental occupation and income. After adjusting for age and region, a higher parental education level was associated with better aerobic fitness – with an OR of 1.5 (95% CI 1.2-1.9) for girls whose parents had secondary education and 1.9 (1.4-2.5) for girls whose parents had tertiary education compared to girls whose parents had primary education. The corresponding ORs for boys were 1.3 (1.0-1.6) and 1.6 (1.2-2.1), respectively. Higher parental education level was associated with lower media use: an OR of 2.1 (1.5-3.0) for girls whose parents had secondary education and 2.7 (1.8-4.1) for girls whose parents had primary education compared to girls whose parents had tertiary education. The corresponding ORs for boys were 1.5 (1.2-1.9) and 1.9 (1.5-2.5), respectively. Higher parental education level was associated with a higher physical activity level only among girls: an OR of 1.3 (1.0-1.6) for girls whose parents had secondary education and 1.2 (0.9-1.5) for girls whose parents had tertiary education compared to girls whose parents had primary education. The corresponding ORs for boys were 0.9 (0.8-1.2) and 0.8 (0.6-1.0), respectively. Conclusions Adolescents of parents with low SEP showed a lower level of aerobic fitness and higher levels of media use than adolescents of parents with higher SEP. Health-promotion interventions need to reach adolescents of parents with low PSEP and stimulate physical activity. PMID:24656205

Online survey software as a data collection tool for medical education: A case study on lesson plan assessment.

PubMed

Kimiafar, Khalil; Sarbaz, Masoumeh; Sheikhtaheri, Abbas

2016-01-01

Background: There are no general strategies or tools to evaluate daily lesson plans; however, assessments conducted using traditional methods usually include course plans. This study aimed to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of online survey software in collecting data on education in medical fields and the application of such softwares to evaluate students' views and modification of lesson plans. Methods: After investigating the available online survey software, esurveypro was selected for assessing daily lesson plans. After using the software for one semester, a questionnaire was prepared to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this method and students' views in a cross-sectional study. Results: The majority of the students (51.7%) rated the evaluation of classes per session (lesson plans) using the online survey as useful or very useful. About 51% (n=36) of the students considered this method effective in improving the management of each session, 67.1% (n=47) considered it effective in improving the management of sessions for the next semester, and 51.4% (n=36) said it had a high impact on improving the educational content of subsequent sessions. Finally, 61.4% (n=43) students expressed high and very high levels of satisfaction with using an online survey at each session. Conclusion: The use of online surveys may be appropriate to improve lesson plans and educational planning at different levels. This method can be used for other evaluations and for assessing people's opinions at different levels of an educational system.

Socioeconomic status and obesity in Abia State, South East Nigeria

PubMed Central

Chukwuonye, Innocent Ijezie; Chuku, Abali; Okpechi, Ikechi Gareth; Onyeonoro, Ugochukwu Uchenna; Madukwe, Okechukwu Ojoemelam; Okafor, Godwin Oguejiofor Chukwuebuka; Ogah, Okechukwu Samuel

2013-01-01

Background and objectives Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease in developed and emerging economies. There is a paucity of data from Nigeria on the association between socioeconomic status and obesity. The aim of this study is to highlight that association in Abia State, South East Nigeria. Material and methods This was a cross-sectional survey in South East Nigeria. Participating subjects were recruited from the three senatorial zones of Abia state. A total of 2,487 adults took part in the study. The subjects were classified based on their monthly income and level of educational attainment (determinants of obesity). Monthly income was classified into three groups: low, middle, and upper income, while educational level was classified into four groups: no formal education, primary, secondary, and tertiary education. Body mass index of subjects was determined and used for defining obesity. Data on blood pressure and other anthropometric measurements were also collected using a questionnaire, modified from the World Health Organization STEPwise Approach to Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance. Results Overall, the prevalence of obesity in low, middle, and upper income groups was 12.2%, 16%, and 20%, respectively. The overall prevalence of obesity in individuals with no formal education, primary, secondary, and tertiary education was 6.3%, 14.9%, 10.5%, and 17.7%, respectively. Educational status was found to be significantly associated with obesity in women, but not in men, or in the combined group. However, level of income was observed to be significantly associated with obesity in men, women, and in the combined group. Conclusion Sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors are important determinants of obesity in our study population, and therefore may be indirectly linked to the prevalence and the outcomes of cardiovascular disease in Nigeria. PMID:24204167

In-hospital informal caregivers' needs as perceived by themselves and by the nursing staff in Northern Greece: A descriptive study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Informal care is common in many countries, especially in Greece, where families provide care in hospitals. Health education and informational needs are important factors for family members which are often underestimated by nursing staff. The aim of this study was to compare the perceptions of the nurses and the in-hospital informal caregivers about the in-hospital informal caregivers' knowledge and informational needs, as well as the factors that influence these perceptions. Methods This was a non-experimental descriptive study conducted in three general hospitals in Greece. The sample consisted of 320 nurses and 370 in-hospital informal caregivers who completed questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using t-tests; group comparisons were conducted using ANOVA. Results The score of the questionnaire for health education and informational needs was significantly greater for informal caregivers (57.1 ± 6.9 and 26.6 ± 2.8) than for nurses (53.4 ± 5.7 and 22.4 ± 3.1) (p < 0.001). For the nursing staff, the factors that influence the informational needs of patients' caregivers were level of education and working experience, while for the caregivers the level of education was independently associated with the score for the health education needs. Finally, age, marital status, and level of education of informal caregivers' were independently associated with informational needs. Conclusions The in-hospital informal caregivers perceived that they have more educational and informational needs than the nurses did. The findings of this study also show that the nursing staff has to identify the needs of in-hospital informal caregivers in order to be able to meet these needs. PMID:21982344

Irritable bowel syndrome is concentrated in people with higher educations in Iran: an inequality analysis

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES Like any other health-related disorder, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has a differential distribution with respect to socioeconomic factors. This study aimed to estimate and decompose educational inequalities in the prevalence of IBS. METHODS Sampling was performed using a multi-stage random cluster sampling approach. The data of 1,850 residents of Kish Island aged 15 years or older were included, and the determinants of IBS were identified using a generalized estimating equation regression model. The concentration index of educational inequality in cases of IBS was estimated and decomposed as the specific inequality index. RESULTS The prevalence of IBS in this study was 21.57% (95% confidence interval [CI], 19.69 to 23.44%). The concentration index of IBS was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.14 to 0.26). A multivariable regression model revealed that age, sex, level of education, marital status, anxiety, and poor general health were significant determinants of IBS. In the decomposition analysis, level of education (89.91%), age (−11.99%), and marital status (9.11%) were the three main contributors to IBS inequality. Anxiety and poor general health were the next two contributors to IBS inequality, and were responsible for more than 12% of the total observed inequality. CONCLUSIONS The main contributors of IBS inequality were education level, age, and marital status. Given the high percentage of anxious individuals among highly educated, young, single, and divorced people, we can conclude that all contributors to IBS inequality may be partially influenced by psychological factors. Therefore, programs that promote the development of mental health to alleviate the abovementioned inequality in this population are highly warranted. PMID:28171714

Long-term survival among older patients with myocardial infarction differs by educational level: results from the MONICA/KORA myocardial infarction registry

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Socioeconomic disparities in survival after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have been found in many countries. However, population-based results from Germany are lacking so far. Thus, the objective of this study was to examine the association between educational status and long-term mortality in a population-based sample of people with AMI. Methods The sample consisted of 2,575 men and 844 women, aged 28–74 years, hospitalized with a first-time AMI between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2008, recruited from a population-based AMI registry. Patients were followed up until December 2011. Data on education, risk factors and co-morbidities were collected by individual interviews; data on clinical characteristics and AMI treatment by chart review. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the relationship between educational status and long-term mortality. Results During follow-up, 19.1% of the patients with poor education died compared with 13.1% with higher education. After adjustment for covariates, no effect of education on mortality was found for the total sample and for patients aged below 65 years. In older people, however, low education level was significantly associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio (HR) 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05–1.98, p = 0.023). Stratified analyses showed that women older than 64 years with poor education were significantly more likely to die than women in the same age group with higher education (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.02–2.41, p = 0.039). Conclusions Elderly, poorly educated patients with AMI, and particularly women, have poorer long-term survival than their better educated peers. Further research is required to illuminate the reasons for this finding. PMID:24552463

Paternal education status significantly influences infants’ measles vaccination uptake, independent of maternal education status

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Despite increased funding of measles vaccination programs by national governments and international aid agencies, structural factors encumber attainment of childhood measles immunisation to levels which may guarantee herd immunity. One of such factors is parental education status. Research on the links between parental education and vaccination has typically focused on the influence of maternal education status. This study aims to demonstrate the independent influence of paternal education status on measles immunisation. Methods Comparable nationally representative survey data were obtained from six countries with the highest numbers of children missing the measles vaccine in 2008. Logistic regression analysis was applied to examine the influence of paternal education on uptake of the first dose of measles vaccination, independent of maternal education, whilst controlling for confounding factors such as respondent’s age, urban/rural residence, province/state of residence, religion, wealth and occupation. Results The results of the analysis show that even if a mother is illiterate, having a father with an education of Secondary (high school) schooling and above is statistically significant and positively correlated with the likelihood of a child being vaccinated for measles, in the six countries analysed. Paternal education of secondary or higher level was significantly and independently correlated with measles immunisation uptake after controlling for all potential confounders. Conclusions The influence of paternal education status on measles immunisation uptake was investigated and found to be statistically significant in six nations with the biggest gaps in measles immunisation coverage in 2008. This study underscores the imperative of utilising both maternal and paternal education as screening variables to identify children at risk of missing measles vaccination prospectively. PMID:22568861

Sexual behaviour and sexual and reproductive health education: a cross-sectional study in Romania

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Up-to-date, genuine sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education programmes have been possible in Romania only since communism collapsed in 1990. Since 2006, Romania has had no national strategy in this field. Under current global circumstances (high labour mobility, internationally mixed marriages), issues previously considered solely national have become worldwide concerns. Methods In 2011–2012, 1215 respondents homogeneously distributed on background, gender, educational level and age group (18–74) were sampled. This article uses a 96-item questionnaire about family and SRH, presenting results on nine items: first intercourse (FI), virginity, knowing first sexual partner, safe sex, number of sexual partners and sexual education. The data were analysed using Pearson chi-square tests and latent class analysis. Results Some participants (7.2%) engaged in FI at age 15 or earlier. The average age at FI was lower for men (18.08), for individuals with a lower education level (18.07) and for those in rural areas (18.27), compared with that for women, those with more education and those in urban areas, respectively. The average age at FI was over 2.5 years lower for people aged 18–24 (16.99) than for those aged 60–74 (p < 0.001). More than 60% were not married or partnered with their FI partner, and 17.8% engaged in FI less than a month after meeting their partner. Less than one-fourth practiced safe sex at FI, with higher proportions for the urban sample, those with an average level of education and those aged 18–35 (p < 0.001). Higher average numbers of sexual partners were found among men (6.56, compared with 2.37 among women), in urban areas (5.07, compared with 3.75 in rural areas) and among those with higher levels of education (p < 0.005). On average, subjects first received information on SRH at 15.39 years of age, with only 10% listing the school, doctors or medics as a source. Conclusions Unsafe sex, early initiation of sexual activity and poor SRH education from schools, experts and parents require a multidisciplinary approach within prevention programmes, especially among the populations at risk: rural residents, those with low levels of education and youth. PMID:24957900

Creating the Evidence through Comparative Effectiveness Research for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice by Deploying a National Intervention Network and a National Data Repository

PubMed Central

Pechacek, Judith; Cerra, Frank; Brandt, Barbara; Lutfiyya, May Nawal; Delaney, Connie

2015-01-01

Background: There is currently a resurgence of interest in interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) and its potential to positively impact health outcomes at both the patient level and population level, healthcare delivery, and health professions education. This resurgence of interest led to the creation of the National Center on Interprofessional Collaborative Practice and Education in October 2012. Methods: This paper describes three intertwined knowledge generation strategies of the National Center on Interprofessional Practice and Education: (1) the development of a Nexus Incubator Network, (2) the undertaking of comparative effectiveness research, and (3) the creation of a National Center Data Repository. Results: As these strategies are implemented over time they will result in the production of empirically grounded knowledge regarding the direction and scope of the impact, if any, of IPECP on well-defined health and healthcare outcomes including the possible improvement of the patient experience of care. Conclusions: Among the motivating factors for the National Center and the three strategies adopted and addressed herein is the need for rigorously produced, scientifically sound evidence regarding IPECP and whether or not it has the capacity to positively affect the patient experience of care, the health of populations, and the per capita cost of healthcare. PMID:27417753

School Performance: A Matter of Health or Socio-Economic Background? Findings from the PIAMA Birth Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Ruijsbroek, Annemarie; Wijga, Alet H.; Gehring, Ulrike; Kerkhof, Marjan; Droomers, Mariël

2015-01-01

Background Performance in primary school is a determinant of children’s educational attainment and their socio-economic position and health inequalities in adulthood. We examined the relationship between five common childhood health conditions (asthma symptoms, eczema, general health, frequent respiratory infections, and overweight), health related school absence and family socio-economic status on children’s school performance. Methods We used data from 1,865 children in the Dutch PIAMA birth cohort study. School performance was measured as the teacher’s assessment of a suitable secondary school level for the child, and the child’s score on a standardized achievement test (Cito Test). Both school performance indicators were standardised using Z-scores. Childhood health was indicated by eczema, asthma symptoms, general health, frequent respiratory infections, overweight, and health related school absence. Children’s health conditions were reported repeatedly between the age of one to eleven. School absenteeism was reported at age eleven. Highest attained educational level of the mother and father indicated family socio-economic status. We used linear regression models with heteroskedasticity-robust standard errors for our analyses with adjustment for sex of the child. Results The health indicators used in our study were not associated with children’s school performance, independently from parental educational level, with the exception of asthma symptoms (-0.03 z-score / -0.04 z-score with Cito Test score after adjusting for respectively maternal and paternal education) and missing more than 5 schooldays due to illness (-0.18 z-score with Cito Test score and -0.17 z-score with school level assessment after adjustment for paternal education). The effect estimates for these health indicators were much smaller though than the effect estimates for parental education, which was strongly associated with children’s school performance. Conclusion Children’s school performance was affected only slightly by a number of common childhood health problems, but was strongly associated with parental education. PMID:26247468

Emergency Preparedness Education for Nurses: Core Competency Familiarity Measured Utilizing an Adapted Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire.

PubMed

Georgino, Madeline M; Kress, Terri; Alexander, Sheila; Beach, Michael

2015-01-01

The purpose of this project was to measure trauma nurse improvement in familiarity with emergency preparedness and disaster response core competencies as originally defined by the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire after a focused educational program. An adapted version of the Emergency Preparedness Information Questionnaire was utilized to measure familiarity of nurses with core competencies pertinent to first responder capabilities. This project utilized a pre- and postsurvey descriptive design and integrated education sessions into the preexisting, mandatory "Trauma Nurse Course" at large, level I trauma center. A total of 63 nurses completed the intervention during May and September 2014 sessions. Overall, all 8 competencies demonstrated significant (P < .001; 98% confidence interval) improvements in familiarity. In conclusion, this pilot quality improvement project demonstrated a unique approach to educating nurses to be more ready and comfortable when treating victims of a disaster.

An Interprofessional Consensus of Core Competencies for Prelicensure Education in Pain Management: Curriculum Application for Nursing

PubMed Central

Herr, Keela; St. Marie, Barbara; Gordon, Debra B.; Paice, Judith A.; Watt-Watson, Judy; Stevens, Bonnie J.; Bakerjian, Debra; Young, Heather M.

2015-01-01

Background Ineffective assessment and management of pain is a significant problem. A gap in prelicensure health science program pain content has been identified for the improvement of pain care in the United States. Method Through consensus processes, an expert panel of nurses, who participated in the interdisciplinary development of core competencies in pain management for prelicensure health professional education, developed recommendations to address the gap in nursing curricula. Results Challenges and incentives for implementation of pain competencies in nursing education are discussed, and specific recommendations for how to incorporate the competencies into entry-level nursing curricula are provided. Conclusion Embedding pain management core competencies into prelicensure nursing education is crucial to ensure that nurses have the essential knowledge and skills to effectively manage pain and to serve as a foundation on which clinical practice skills can be later honed. PMID:26057425

The effects of chronic arsenic exposure from drinking water on the neurobehavioral development in adolescence.

PubMed

Tsai, Song-Yen; Chou, Hung-Yi; The, Hee-Wen; Chen, Chao-Meei; Chen, Chien-Jen

2003-08-01

This cross-sectional study examined the possible influence on the development of cognitive function among adolescents due to long-term arsenic exposure. Forty-nine junior school students drinking arsenic-containing well water and 60 controls matched with age, sex, education, body height, body weight, body mass index, and socioeconomic status were compared. The former was divided into two groups: high and low exposure, with mean cumulative arsenic levels of 520629.0+/-605824.2 and 13782.2+/-12886.0 ppm, respectively. Four neurobehavioral tests including continuous performance test (CPT), symbol digit (SD), pattern memory (PM) and switching attention (SA) were applied. A strong correlation between age and education caused collinearity in the multiple regression model (r=0.84, P<0.0001). Only education and sex, excluding age, were entered into the model as covariates. Pattern memory and switching attention were significantly affected by long-term cumulative exposure to arsenic after adjusting for education and sex. It is suggested that the arsenic levels in the well water may be monitored extensively, but if there is no intervention, then neurobehavioral function will not be protected. Limitations of the current study require replication of this effect in other studies to confirm this conclusion.

Association between Primary Caregiver Education and Cognitive and Language Development of Preterm Neonates.

PubMed

Asztalos, Elizabeth V; Church, Paige T; Riley, Patricia; Fajardo, Carlos; Shah, Prakesh S

2017-03-01

Objective  This study aims to explore the association between primary caregiver education and cognitive and language composite scores of the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 3rd ed. (Bayley-III) in preterm infants at 18 to 21 months corrected age. Design  An observational study was performed on preterm infants born before 29 weeks' gestation between 2010 and 2011. Primary caregivers were categorized by their highest education level and cognitive and language composite scores of the Bayley-III were compared among infants between these groups with adjustment for perinatal and neonatal factors. Results  In total, 1,525 infants/caregivers were included in the multivariate analysis. Compared with those with less than a high school education, infants with primary caregivers who received partial college/specialized training displayed higher cognitive (adjusted difference [AD]: 4.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.8-7.4) and language scores (AD: 4.0, 95% CI: 0.8-7.1); infants with primary caregivers with university graduate education or above also demonstrated higher cognitive (AD: 6.4, 95% CI: 2.6-10.1) and language scores (AD: 9.9, 95% CI: 5.7-14.1). Conclusion  Higher levels of education of the primary caregiver were associated with increased cognitive and language composite scores at 18 to 21 months corrected age in preterm infants. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Educational and Relational Stressors Associated with Burnout in Korean Medical Students

PubMed Central

Seo, Ji-Hyun; Kim, Hye Jung; Kim, Bong-Jo; Lee, So-Jin

2015-01-01

Objective This study aimed to examine whether educational stressors and relational stressors are associated with burnout in medical students and to test social support as a moderator between stressors and burnout. Methods A total of 263 medical students attending Gyeongsang National University composed the study sample. A standardized questionnaire was used to investigate educational and relational stressors, three dimensions of burnout, and social support of medical students. Results The findings showed that overall burnout is very high among Korean medical students, with 9.9% totally burned out. Educational and relational stressors were significantly associated with the risk of burnout in medical students after controlling for socio-demographics and health behaviors. Social support moderated educational and relational stressors on personal accomplishment, but did not moderate stressors on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Conclusion Burnout level is substantially high among Korean medical students. Educational and relational stressors are significantly associated with burnout risk in Korean medical students. Social support had moderated educational and relational stressors on personal accomplishment. The results suggest that more social support for medical students is needed to buffer stressors on and burnout. PMID:26508955

Resource development in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery: an analysis on patient education resource development

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background There is a need for educational tools in the consenting process of otolaryngology-head and neck procedures. A development strategy for the creation of educational tools in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, particularly pamphlets on the peri-operative period in an adenotonsillectomy, is described. Methods A participatory design approach, which engages key stakeholders in the development of an educational tool, is used. Pamphlets were created through a review of traditional and grey literature and then reviewed by a community expert in the field. The pamphlets were then reviewed by an interdisciplinary team including educational experts, and finally by less vulnerable members of the target population. Questionnaires evaluating the pamphlets’ content, layout, style, and general qualitative features were included. Results The pamphlets yielded high ratings across all domains regardless of patient population. General feedback was provided by a non-vulnerable patient population and final pamphlets were drafted. Conclusions By using a participatory design model, the pamphlets are written at an appropriate educational level to incorporate a broad audience. Furthermore, this methodology can be used in future resource development of educational tools. PMID:25022351

The crisis in human capital

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kersey, E. D. K.; Kersey, Judith A.

1991-01-01

This overview discusses the current shortfalls in the U.S. national education system with attention to their effects on the aerospace industry and potential remedies. Student-achievement and literacy rates are examined to compare U.S. students to those of other countries, and the sociological and cultural phenomena are listed which can contribute to deficiencies in learning. Intervention programs for young children and for students in math and science are discussed, and corporate mechanisms are described which support scholarly activities. Also examined are teaching resources provided by government agencies that deal with science and technology. The general conclusion of the paper is that the efforts to date are insufficient because they do not address education levels across the country. It is suggested that corporations and communities rather than federal and state governments address the educational shortfalls.

Quality of Life, Mental Health and Educational Stress of High School Students in the Northeast of Thailand

PubMed Central

Assana, Supat; Rangseekajee, Poonsri

2017-01-01

Introduction Majority of high school students in Thailand aim to study at universities. Therefore, they spend a lot of time studying in both classrooms and tutorial classes, that could cause stress, health problems and deteriorate their Quality Of Life (QOL). However, there has been no study on these issues in Thai context. Aim To describe the status of QOL, mental health, educational stress, well-being and determine factors associated with QOL among high school students in the Northeast of Thailand. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Northeast of Thailand among 1,112 students of grade 10th, 11th and 12th. Multistage random sampling was used to select high schools in 5 provinces. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess QOL, educational stress, anxiety, depression and well-being. The association between the covariates was observed by using Generalized Linear Mixed (logistic regression) Model (GLMM). Results The prevalence of high level of QOL was 36% (95%CI: 32.30 to 41.69); whereas, 26.18% (95% CI: 16.72 to 35.63) had high level of educational stress and 16.41% (95% CI: 2.20 to 30.71) had severe anxiety. Prevalence of depression was 18.55% (95%CI: 9.86 to 27.23) and low level of well-being was 13.41% (95% CI: 0.18 to 27.14). The factors significantly associated with high QOL were; not having depression (Adj. OR= 3.07; 95%CI: (2.23 to 4.22); p<0.001), had high level of general well-being (Adj. OR=3.19; 95% CI:1.99 to 5.09; p<0.001) and had low to moderate level of anxiety (OR=1.60; 95%CI:1.01 to 2.67). Conclusion Most of the high school students had low to moderate levels of QOL, educational stress and anxiety. Depression, anxiety and general well-being had influences on QOL of high school students. PMID:28969248

Effects on Deaf Patients of Medication Education by Pharmacists.

PubMed

Hyoguchi, Naomi; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Kubota, Toshio; Shimazoe, Takao

2016-10-01

Deaf people often experience difficulty in understanding medication information provided by pharmacists due to communication barriers. We held medication education lectures for deaf and hard of hearing (HH) individuals and examined the extent to which deaf participants understood medication-related information as well as their attitude about medication. We used two questionnaires to compare the results from the deaf participants with those from the HH and hearing participants. We found that before the lecture, the deaf participants' understanding of medication use was lower than that of the HH and hearing participants. The deaf participants' knowledge increased after the lecture, but did not improve to the level exhibited by the HH participants. However, the deaf participants felt confident using medication despite their low comprehension levels. In conclusion, adjusting the medication information provided by pharmacists according to the recipient's reading level could help improve deaf patients' knowledge; however, such measures might not increase deaf patients' comprehension levels sufficiently. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

How to Improve Engineering Competencies for Students with Special Needs?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maknun, J.; Barliana, M. S.; Cahyani, D.

2018-02-01

The problem of vocational education for Children with Special Needs (CSN) is not only about the service profile, spectrum relevance and competency level, but also the carrying capacity of educational facilities. In this regard, two important things are highlighted. First, the different characteristics of the design of educational facilities between regular and exceptional schools. Second, the distinctive characteristics of the design of the school facilities are extraordinary for general education (academic) and vocational education. The purpose of this study is to describe the level of suitability of the architectural design of educational facilities with the needs of vocational learning behavior for children with special needs in West Java, Indonesia. The entire research used the Education Research and Development (R & D) method of Developing the Architectural Facility Design Guide to Support the Vocational Competence of Crew Competence in accordance with the stages developed by Thiagarajan (1974) known as Four-D Model. To achieve the above objectives, then the stages of the R & D method that is done is the define, design and develop stage. Evaluation results show the infrastructure of education of Special School (SLB) Cicendo, Indonesia has met the standards set by the government, especially on aspects of land and building areas have met the standards. Most aspects of accessibility such as the basic size of space, pedestrian pathways, and doors have been met. But other aspects such as guiding lines, ram, ladders, toilets, showers, sinks, furniture and signs do not meet accessibility requirements. The conclusion is the educational infrastructure of the school in general has met the standards set by the government.

The interaction of family background and personal education on depressive symptoms in later life.

PubMed

Schaan, Barbara

2014-02-01

This study assesses the interaction between personal education and family background during childhood on depressive symptoms in later life by applying Ross & Mirowsky's resource substitution and structural amplification theory of health and education. OLS regression models are estimated using data from the "Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe" (SHARE), which covers information on current social and health status as well as retrospective life histories from 20,716 respondents aged 50 or older from thirteen European countries. Higher education helps to overcome the negative consequences of a poor family background. Since people from poor families are less likely to attain higher educational levels, they lack exactly the resource they need in order to overcome the negative consequences their non-prosperous background has on depressive symptoms. Thus, low family background and low personal education amplify each other. Examining the processes described by theory of resource substitution and structural amplification over different age groups from midlife to old-age suggests that the moderating effect of education remains constant over age among people coming from a poor family background. However, there is some evidence for a decrease with age in the buffering effect of a well-off family background on depressive symptoms among the low educated group. Furthermore, the educational gap in depression diverges with age among individuals originating from a well-off family background. Taken together the results cautiously allude to the conclusion that three processes - cumulative (dis-)advantage, age-as-leveler, and persistent inequalities - might take place. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender and Socioeconomic Status in Relation to Weight Perception and Weight Control Behavior in Korean Adults

PubMed Central

Joh, Hee-Kyung; Oh, Juhwan; Lee, Hae-Jeung; Kawachi, Ichiro

2013-01-01

Aim In Korea, obesity is more prevalent among men and lower socioeconomic groups. To explain this obesity disparity, we compared weight perception and weight control behavior across gender and socioeconomic status (SES). Methods We analyzed data from 16,260 participants aged 20 years or older in a nationally representative cross-sectional survey. SES indicators included education and income levels. Weight under-perception was defined when participants considered themselves lighter than their measured BMI status. Either no active or inappropriate weight control (i.e., trying to gain weight in obese individuals) was considered to be unhealthy patterns. Multivariate prevalence ratios were calculated using log-binomial regressions. Results Men had a higher prevalence of weight under-perception (24.5 vs. 11.9%) and unhealthy patterns of weight control behavior (57 vs. 40%) than women. Low education level was associated with weight under-perception (ptrend = 0.022 in men, ptrend ℋ 0.001 in women). Both education and income levels were significantly associated with patterns of weight control behavior (for education: ptrend ℋ 0.001 in men and women; for income: ptrend = 0.047 in men, ptrend ℋ 0.001 in women). Conclusion Weight perception and weight control behavior significantly varied by gender and SES. Public actions should be directed toward improving perception and behavior of high-risk populations. PMID:23429009

Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Knowledge on Tuberculosis among Adults in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Gelaw, Sifrash Meseret

2016-01-01

Background. Ethiopia is among highly tuberculosis affected countries. This might be related to low level of awareness on the disease in the population. The objective of the study was to determine the level of tuberculosis knowledge and socioeconomic factors associated with it. Methods. The 2011 Ethiopia health and demographic survey data were used. Overall tuberculosis knowledge score was computed to evaluate the outcome variable. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to identify independent socioeconomic factors associated with low tuberculosis knowledge. Results. The overall tuberculosis knowledge was low, 44.05% (95% CI: 42.05-46.24%) among women and 32.3% (95% CI: 30.34-34.32%) among men. Rural women (AOR = 1.22) and youth, no formal education (women: AOR = 3.28, men: AOR = 7.42), attending only primary education (women: AOR = 1.95, men: AOR = 3.49), lowest wealth quintiles (women: AOR = 1.4, Men: AOR = 1.28), unskilled female manual workers (AOR = 4.15), female agricultural employee (AOR = 2.28), and lack of access to media (women: AOR = 1.52, men: AOR = 1.71) are significantly associated with low tuberculosis knowledge. Conclusion. The level of tuberculosis knowledge among adults in Ethiopia is low and varied by socioeconomic groups. Tuberculosis control programs should consider appropriate strategies for tuberculosis education, promotion, communication, and social mobilization to address the rural women, youths, the poor, less educated people, and unskilled workers.

Association of Women’s Reproductive History With Long-Term Mortality and Effect of Socioeconomic Factors

PubMed Central

Halland, Frode; Morken, Nils-Halvdan; DeRoo, Lisa A; Klungsøyr, Kari; Wilcox, Allen J; Skjærven, Rolv

2017-01-01

Objective To assess the effects of socioeconomic factors on the association between parity and long-term maternal mortality. Methods This was a population-based cohort study of mothers with births registered in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN) during the period 1967 to 2009. We estimated age-specific (40 to 69 years) cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular mortality ratios by number of births using Cox proportional-hazard models. To assess effect modification by mothers’ attained education we stratified on low (<11 years) and high (≥11 years) educational level. We further evaluated fathers’ mortality by number of births using the same analytical approach. Results Mothers with low education had higher mortality (cardiovascular: hazard ratio (HR) 2.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.34–2.93, non-cardiovascular: HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.62–1.73). Among mothers with low education, cardiovascular mortality increased linearly with each additional birth above one, (p-trend=0.02). In contrast, among mothers with high education, cardiovascular mortality declined with added births, (p-trend=0.045). For non-cardiovascular mortality there was no association among mothers with low education, while mortality declined with increasing number of births among mothers with high education, (p-trend<0.01). Father’s mortality showed similar associations with number of births when stratified on maternal education. Conclusions Women’s long-term mortality rose with number of births only for cardiovascular causes of death, and only among mothers with low education. Partners of women with low education had similar increasing risk with increasing number of births. Maternal educational level is a strong modifier of the association between parity and long-term mortality. PMID:26551179

Longitudinal Associations between Physical Activity and Educational Outcomes

PubMed Central

KARI, JAANA T.; PEHKONEN, JAAKKO; HUTRI-KÄHÖNEN, NINA; RAITAKARI, OLLI T.; TAMMELIN, TUIJA H.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose This longitudinal study examined the role of leisure-time physical activity in academic achievement at the end of compulsory basic education and educational attainment in adulthood. Methods The data were drawn from the ongoing longitudinal Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, which was combined with register-based data from Statistics Finland. The study consisted of children who were 12 yr (n = 1723, 49% boys) and 15 yr (n = 2445, 48% boys) of age at the time when physical activity was measured. The children were followed up until 2010, when their mean age was 40 yr. Physical activity was self-reported and included several measurements: overall leisure-time physical activity outside school hours, participation in sports club training sessions, and participation in sports competitions. Individuals’ educational outcomes were measured with the self-reported grade point average at age 15 yr and register-based information on the years of completed postcompulsory education in adulthood. Ordinary least squares models and the instrumental variable approach were used to analyze the relationship between physical activity and educational outcomes. Results Physical activity in adolescence was positively associated with educational outcomes. Both the physical activity level at age 15 yr and an increase in the physical activity level between the ages of 12 and 15 yr were positively related to the grade point average at age 15 yr and the years of postcompulsory education in adulthood. The results were robust to the inclusion of several individual and family background factors, including health endowments, family income, and parents’ education. Conclusion The results provide evidence that physical activity in adolescence may not only predict academic success during compulsory basic education but also boost educational outcomes later in life. PMID:29045322

The role of partners’ educational attainment in the association between HIV and education amongst women in seven sub-Saharan African countries

PubMed Central

Harling, Guy; Bärnighausen, Till

2016-01-01

Introduction Individuals’ educational attainment has long been considered as a risk factor for HIV. However, little attention has been paid to the association between partner educational attainment and HIV infection. Methods We conducted cross-sectional analysis of young women (aged 15–34) in 14 Demographic and Health Surveys from seven sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries with generalized HIV epidemics. We measured the degree of similarity in educational attainment (partner homophily) in 75,373 partnerships and evaluated the correlation between homophily and female HIV prevalence at the survey cluster level. We then used logistic regression to assess whether own and partner educational attainment was associated with HIV serostatus amongst 38,791 women. Results Educational attainment was positively correlated within partnerships in both urban and rural areas of every survey (Newman assortativity coefficients between 0.09 and 0.44), but this correlation was not ecologically associated with HIV prevalence. At the individual level, larger absolute differences between own and partner educational attainment were associated with significantly higher HIV prevalence amongst women. This association was heterogeneous across countries, but not between survey waves. In contrast to other women, for those aged 25–34 who had secondary or higher education, a more-educated partner was associated with lower HIV prevalence. Conclusions HIV prevalence amongst women in SSA is associated not only with one's own education but also with that of one's partner. These findings highlight the importance of understanding how partners place individuals at risk of infection and suggest that HIV prevention efforts may benefit from considering partner characteristics. PMID:26902392

The Association between Warning Label Requirements and Cigarette Smoking Prevalence by Education-Findings from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS)

PubMed Central

Shang, Ce; Huang, Jidong; Cheng, Kai-Wen; He, Yanyun; Chaloupka, Frank J.

2017-01-01

Introduction: The Guidelines for the implementation of Article 11 of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) require that cigarette health warning labels should include pictures and take up 50% or more of the principal display area. This study examined how the association between large pictorial warnings, those covering ≥50% of the front and back of the package, and the prevalence of cigarette smoking varies by educational attainment. Methods: We pooled individual-level tobacco use data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) in 18 countries between 2008 and 2013 and linked them with warning label requirements during the same period from the MPOWER database and reports regarding warnings. The respondents’ self-reported exposure to warnings was examined according to education. Logistic regressions were further employed to analyze education-specific associations between large pictorial warnings and smoking prevalence, and whether such association differed by education was examined using an interaction test. Results: At the time of the survey, eight out of 18 countries had imposed graphic warning labels that covered ≥50% of the package. These warnings were associated with a 10.0% (OR = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.81, 0.97; p ≤ 0.01) lower cigarette smoking prevalence among adults with less than a secondary education or no formal education, but not among respondents with at least a secondary education. Less educated respondents were also less likely to be exposed to warnings in all 18 countries. The association between strong warnings and lower smoking prevalence among less educated respondents could be greater if their exposure to warnings increases. Conclusions: Prominent pictorial warning labels can potentially reduce health disparities resulting from smoking across different education levels. PMID:28117729

Attractiveness Compensates for Low Status Background in the Prediction of Educational Attainment

PubMed Central

Bauldry, Shawn; Shanahan, Michael J.; Russo, Rosemary; Roberts, Brent W.; Damian, Rodica

2016-01-01

Background People who are perceived as good looking or as having a pleasant personality enjoy many advantages, including higher educational attainment. This study examines (1) whether associations between physical/personality attractiveness and educational attainment vary by parental socioeconomic resources and (2) whether parental socioeconomic resources predict these forms of attractiveness. Based on the theory of resource substitution with structural amplification, we hypothesized that both types of attractiveness would have a stronger association with educational attainment for people from disadvantaged backgrounds (resource substitution), but also that people from disadvantaged backgrounds would be less likely to be perceived as attractive (amplification). Methods This study draws on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health—including repeated interviewer ratings of respondents’ attractiveness—and trait-state structural equation models to examine the moderation (substitution) and mediation (amplification) of physical and personality attractiveness in the link between parental socioeconomic resources and educational attainment. Results Both perceived personality and physical attractiveness have stronger associations with educational attainment for people from families with lower levels of parental education (substitution). Further, parental education and income are associated with both dimensions of perceived attractiveness, and personality attractiveness is positively associated with educational attainment (amplification). Results do not differ by sex and race/ethnicity. Further, associations between perceived attractiveness and educational attainment remain after accounting for unmeasured family-level confounders using a sibling fixed-effects model. Conclusions Perceived attractiveness, particularly personality attractiveness, is a more important psychosocial resource for educational attainment for people from disadvantaged backgrounds than for people from advantaged backgrounds. People from disadvantaged backgrounds, however, are less likely to be perceived as attractive than people from advantaged backgrounds. PMID:27249216

Effects of Education and Income on Treatment and Outcome in Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia in a Tax-Supported Health Care System: A National Population-Based Cohort Study.

PubMed

Østgård, Lene Sofie Granfeldt; Nørgaard, Mette; Medeiros, Bruno C; Friis, Lone Smidstrup; Schoellkopf, Claudia; Severinsen, Marianne Tang; Marcher, Claus Werenberg; Nørgaard, Jan Maxwell

2017-11-10

Purpose Previous US studies have shown that socioeconomic status (SES) affects survival in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, no large study has investigated the association between education or income and clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome in AML. Methods To investigate the effects of education and income in a tax-supported health care system, we conducted a population-based study using individual-level SES and clinical data on all Danish patients with AML (2000 to 2014). We compared treatment intensity, allogeneic transplantation, and response rates by education and income level using logistic regression (odds ratios). We used Cox regression (hazard ratios [HRs]) to compare survival, adjusting for age, sex, SES, and clinical prognostic markers. Results Of 2,992 patients, 1,588 (53.1%) received intensive chemotherapy. Compared with low-education patients, highly educated patients more often received allogeneic transplantation (16.3% v 8.7%). In intensively treated patients younger than 60 years of age, increased mortality was observed in those with lower and medium education (1-year survival, 66.7%; adjusted HR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.93; and 1-year survival, 67.6%; adjusted HR, 1.55; CI, 1.21 to 1.98, respectively) compared with higher education (1-year survival, 76.9%). Over the study period, 5-year survival improvements were limited to high-education patients (from 39% to 58%), increasing the survival gap between groups. In older patients, low-education patients received less intensive therapy (30% v 48%; adjusted odds ratio, 0.65; CI, 0.44 to 0.98) compared with high-education patients; however, remission rates and survival were not affected in those intensively treated. Income was not associated with therapy intensity, likelihood of complete remission, or survival (high income: adjusted HR, 1.0; medium income: adjusted HR, 0.96; 95% CI, 0.82 to 1.12; low income: adjusted HR, 1.06; CI, .88 to 1.27). Conclusion In a universal health care system, education level, but not income, affects transplantation rates and survival in younger patients with AML. Importantly, recent survival improvement has exclusively benefitted highly educated patients.

Maternal educational level, parental preventive behavior, risk behavior, social support and medical care consumption in 8-month-old children in Malmö, Sweden

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The social environment in which children grow up is closely associated with their health. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between maternal educational level, parental preventive behavior, parental risk behavior, social support, and use of medical care in small children in Malmö, Sweden. We also wanted to investigate whether potential differences in child medical care consumption could be explained by differences in parental behavior and social support. Methods This study was population-based and cross-sectional. The study population was 8 month-old children in Malmö, visiting the Child Health Care centers during 2003-2007 for their 8-months check-up, and whose parents answered a self-administered questionnaire (n = 9,289 children). Results Exclusive breast feeding ≥4 months was more common among mothers with higher educational level. Smoking during pregnancy was five times more common among less-educated mothers. Presence of secondhand tobacco smoke during the first four weeks of life was also much more common among children with less-educated mothers. Less-educated mothers more often experienced low emotional support and low practical support than mothers with higher levels of education (>12 years of education). Increased exposure to unfavorable parental behavioral factors (maternal smoking during pregnancy, secondhand tobacco smoke and exclusive breastfeeding <4 months) was associated with increased odds of in-hospital care and having sought care from a doctor during the last 8 months. The odds were doubled when exposed to all three risk factors. Furthermore, children of less-educated mothers had increased odds of in-hospital care (OR = 1.34 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.66)) and having sought care from a doctor during the last 8 months (OR = 1.28 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.50)), which were reduced and turned statistically non-significant after adjustment for unfavorable parental behavioral factors. Conclusion Children of less-educated mothers were exposed to more health risks, fewer health-promoting factors, worse social support, and had higher medical care consumption than children with higher educated mothers. After adjustment for parental behavioral factors the excess odds of doctor's visits and in-hospital care among children with less-educated mothers were reduced. Improving children's health calls for policies targeting parents' health-related behaviors and social support. PMID:22114765

Relapse among Cigarette Smokers: The CARDIA longitudinal study - 1985–2011☆

PubMed Central

Caraballo, Ralph S.; Kruger, Judy; Asman, Kat; Pederson, Linda; Widome, Rachel; Kiefe, Catarina I.; Hitsman, Brian; Jacobs, David R.

2015-01-01

Rationale There is little information about long-term relapse patterns for cigarette smokers. Objective To describe long-term prevalence of relapse and related smoking patterns by sex, race, age, and education level among a community-based cohort of young adults followed for 25 years. Methods We examined 25 years of data from Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA), an ongoing study of a community-based cohort of 5115 men and women aged 18 to 30 years at baseline with periodic re-examinations. At each examination smoking, quitting, and relapse were queried. We examined prevalence of smoking relapse among 3603 participants who attended at least 6 of the 8 examinations. Results About 53% of 3603 participants never reported smoking on a regular basis. Among the remaining 1682 ever smokers, 52.8% of those who reported current smoking at baseline were still smoking by the end of the study, compared to 10.7% of those who initiated smoking by year 5. Among those classified as former smokers at baseline, 39% relapsed at least once; of these, 69.5% had quit again by the end of the study. Maximum education level attained, age at study baseline, and race were associated with failure to quit smoking by the end of the study and relapse among those who did quit. Maximum education level attained and age at study baseline were also associated with ability to successfully quit after a relapse. Conclusions Smoking relapse after quitting is common, especially in those with lower education level. Education was the strongest predictor of all three outcomes. Improvements in access to treatment and treatment options, especially for underserved populations, are needed to prevent relapse when smokers quit. PMID:24172753

The influence of education on performance of adults on the Clock Drawing Test

PubMed Central

de Noronha, Ísis Franci Cavalcanti; Barreto, Simone dos Santos; Ortiz, Karin Zazo

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT The Clock Drawing Test (CDT) is an important instrument for screening individuals suspected of having cognitive impairment. Objective: To determine the influence of education on the performance of healthy adults on the CDT. Methods: A total of 121 drawings by healthy adults without neurological complaints or impairments were analysed. Participants were stratified by educational level into 4 subgroups: 27 illiterate adults, 34 individuals with 1-4 years of formal education, 30 with 5-11 years, and 30 adults with >11 years' formal education. Scores on the CDT were analyzed based on a scale of 1-10 points according to the criteria of Sunderland et al. (1989).¹ The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to compare the different education groups. Tukey's multiple comparisons test was used when a significant factor was found. Results: Although scores were higher with greater education, statistically significant differences on the CDT were found only between the illiterate and other educated groups. Conclusion: The CDT proved especially difficult for illiterate individuals, who had lower scores. These results suggest that this screening test is suitable for assessing mainly visuoconstructional praxis and providing an overall impression of cognitive function among individuals, independently of years of education. PMID:29682235

Digital games in medical education: Key terms, concepts, and definitions

PubMed Central

Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Kaufman, David

2017-01-01

Introduction: Game-based education is fast becoming a key instrument in medical education. Method: In this study, papers related to games were filtered and limited to full-text peer-reviewed published in English. Results: To the best of researchers’ knowledge, the concepts used in the literature are varied and distinct, and the literature is not conclusive on the definition of educational games for medical education. Conclusion: This paper attempts to classify terms, concepts and definitions common to gamification in medical education. PMID:29445681

Digital games in medical education: Key terms, concepts, and definitions.

PubMed

Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Kaufman, David

2017-01-01

Introduction: Game-based education is fast becoming a key instrument in medical education. Method: In this study, papers related to games were filtered and limited to full-text peer-reviewed published in English. Results: To the best of researchers' knowledge, the concepts used in the literature are varied and distinct, and the literature is not conclusive on the definition of educational games for medical education. Conclusion: This paper attempts to classify terms, concepts and definitions common to gamification in medical education.

The Effects of Education on Spirituality through Virtual Social Media on the Spiritual Well-Being of the Public Health Students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2015

PubMed Central

Hasanshahi, Maryam; Mazaheri, Maryam Amidi

2016-01-01

Background: The role and effects of people’s spiritual well-being have received more attention in recent years. Knowing the factors related to spiritual well-being, especially in students as the educated class and future builders of society, is too important. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of education on spirituality through social media in the spirituality well-being of public health students of Isfahan University of medical science. Methods: A semi-experimental, pre-test, post-test study was conducted on 50 under- graduate public health students (3 men, 47 women; age range 18-30 years) of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences through convenience and purposive sampling. The educational content of spirituality education was used to promote and improve spiritual well-being, being sent by using one of the mobile phone applications. Using spiritual well-being questionnaire, the level of the individuals’ spiritual well-being before and after the educational was evaluated. To analyze the data in this study, descriptive statistics and t-test were use SPSS software was used to analyze the data and the significance level was considered lower than 0.05%. Result: In total, 50 students including 3 men and 47women participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 22.02±3.78. About 68% of the students were single and the remaining were married. The score of the participants’ spiritual well-being was 96.5 before the intervention and it promoted to 103.3 after the intervention. The result of the analysis by t-test on the two groups showed that spirituality education can cause a significant increase in peoples’ spiritual well-being (P<0.001). Conclusion: After the educational intervention, the level of people’s spiritual well-being increased significantly. As a result, spirituality education causes conditions to improve the peoples’ spiritual well-being. PMID:27218114

Impact of sociodemographic variables on executive functions

PubMed Central

Campanholo, Kenia Repiso; Boa, Izadora Nogueira Fonte; Hodroj, Flávia Cristina da Silva Araujo; Guerra, Glaucia Rosana Benute; Miotto, Eliane Correa; de Lucia, Mara Cristina Souza

2017-01-01

Executive functions (EFs) regulate human behavior and allow individuals to interact and act in the world. EFs are sensitive to sociodemographic variables such as age, which promotes their decline, and to others that can exert a neuroprotective effect. Objective To assess the predictive role of education, occupation and family income on decline in executive functions among a sample with a wide age range. Methods A total of 925 participants aged 18-89 years with 1-28 years' education were submitted to assessment of executive functions using the Card Sorting Test (CST), Phonemic Verbal Fluency (FAS) Task and Semantic Verbal Fluency (SVF) Task. Data on income, occupation and educational level were collected for the sample. The data were analyzed using Linear Regression, as well as Pearson's and Spearman's Correlation. Results Age showed a significant negative correlation (p<0.001) with performance on the CST, FAS and SVF, whereas education, income and occupation were positively associated (p<0.001) with the tasks applied. After application of the multivariate linear regression model, a significant positive relationship with the FAS was maintained only for education (p<0.001) and income (p<0.001). The negative relationship of age (p<0.001) and positive relationship of both education (p<0.001) and income (p<0.001and p=0.003) were evident on the CST and SVF. Conclusion Educational level and income positively influenced participants' results on executive function tests, attenuating expected decline for age. However, no relationship was found between occupation and the cognitive variables investigated. PMID:29213495

Head of household education level as a factor influencing whether delivery takes place in the presence of a skilled birth attendant in Busia, Uganda: a cross-sectional household study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Assistance during delivery by a skilled attendant is recommended as a means to reduce child and maternal mortality. Globally, higher levels of maternal education have been associated with better health behaviours at delivery. However, given that heads of households tend to be the decision makers regarding accessing healthcare, some educated mothers may find themselves prevented from accessing healthcare at the point of delivery. Methods We examined the association between head of household education level and health seeking behaviours at delivery across a sample of 392 households. Chi-squared analysis and odds ratios were calculated to measure the strength of the relationship between no, some primary, or some secondary or higher education attained by the head of household and the presence or absence of a skilled birth attendant at that child’s birth, and whether the birth took place at a health facility. Results Heads of household (n = 392) were predominantly male (93.4% [(90.9%, 95.8%), a = 0.05]). We found a significant difference in skilled birth attendance between heads of households with some primary education and heads of household with some secondary education or higher (χ2 (1) = 6.231, p <0.05) whereby those with secondary or higher education were significantly more likely to seek a skilled birth attendant (OR = 1.5,[1.1,2.1]). The difference in health centre delivery between heads of household with a primary education and heads of household with a secondary or higher education was also significant (χ2 (1) = 7.519, p <0.05). Those with secondary or higher education were significantly more likely to deliver in a health facility (OR = 1.6,[1.2,2.1]). Conclusions The results of our analysis, which identified the vast majority of heads of households as men, suggests that education, or rather limited or a lack of education for the head of household, may be a barrier to women’s use of health care in Uganda and therefore reinforces the need to increase educational access among male heads of households. Improving the rates of health centre deliveries and utilization of services provided by skilled health workers might lie, in part, in increasing overall education levels of heads of households, specifically the education of male heads of households. PMID:23433253

District wellness policies and school-level practices in Minnesota

PubMed Central

Larson, Nicole; Davey, Cynthia; Hoffman, Pamela; Kubik, Martha Y.; Nanney, Marilyn S.

2015-01-01

Objective To compare the strength of district wellness policies with corresponding school-level practices reported by principals and teachers. Design District-level wellness policy data was collected from school district websites and, if not available online, by requests made to district administrators in the fall of 2013. The strength of district policies was scored using the Wellness School Assessment Tool. School-level data were drawn from the 2012 Minnesota School Health Profiles principal and teacher surveys and National Center for Education Statistics Common Core Data. Generalized estimating equations which accounted for school-level demographics and the nesting of up to two schools within some districts were used to examine 10 district policy items and 14 school-level practices of relevance to nutrition standards, nutrition education and wellness promotion, and physical activity promotion. Setting/Subjects Statewide sample of 180 districts and 212 public schools in Minnesota. Results The mean number of energy-dense, nutrient-poor snack foods and beverages available for students to purchase at school was inversely related to the strength of district wellness policies regulating vending machines and school stores (p=0.01). The proportion of schools having a joint use agreement for shared use of physical activity facilities was inversely related to the strength of district policies addressing community use of school facilities (p=0.03). No associations were found between the strength of other district policies and school-level practices. Conclusions Nutrition educators and other health professionals should assist schools in periodically assessing their wellness practices to ensure compliance with district wellness policies and environments supportive of healthy behaviors. PMID:25990324

Health systems' responsiveness and its characteristics: a cross-country comparative analysis.

PubMed

Robone, Silvana; Rice, Nigel; Smith, Peter C

2011-12-01

OBJECTIVES. Responsiveness has been identified as one of the intrinsic goals of health care systems. Little is known, however, about its determinants. Our objective is to investigate the potential country-level drivers of health system responsiveness. DATA SOURCE. Data on responsiveness are taken from the World Health Survey. Information on country-level characteristics is obtained from a variety of sources including the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). STUDY DESIGN. A two-step procedure. First, using survey data we derive a country-level measure of system responsiveness purged of differences in individual reporting behavior. Secondly, we run cross-sectional country-level regressions of responsiveness on potential drivers. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS. Health care expenditures per capita are positively associated with responsiveness, after controlling for the influence of potential confounding factors. Aspects of responsiveness are also associated with public sector spending (negatively) and educational development (positively). CONCLUSIONS. From a policy perspective, improvements in responsiveness may require higher spending levels. The expansion of nonpublic sector provision, perhaps in the form of increased patient choice, may also serve to improve responsiveness. However, these inferences are tentative and require further study. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Consultation on Higher Education and Social Justice: Statement and Conclusions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Frontiers in Education, 1974

1974-01-01

A group of 35 educators, mostly principals and teachers of colleges, met at Bangalore, India in May 1974 for a 5-day consultation on higher education's role in the promotion of social justice. The final statement and other conclusions of the Consultation are presented. (Author/PG)

Association between gap in spousal education and domestic violence in India and Bangladesh

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Domestic violence (DV) against women is a serious human rights abuse and well recognised global public health concern. The occurrence of DV is negatively associated with the educational level of spouses but studies dealing with educational discrepancies of spouses show contradicting results: Wives with higher education than their husbands were more likely to ever experience DV as compared to equally educated couples. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between spousal education gap (SEG) and the prevalence and severity of DV in India and Bangladesh. Methods Nationally representative data collected through the 2005/2006 Indian National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3) and 2007 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) were used. In total, we analysed data of 69,805 women aged 15–49 years (Bangladesh: 4,195 women, India: 65,610 women). In addition to univariate and bivariable analyses, a multinomial logistic regression model was used to quantify the association between education gap and less severe as well as severe domestic violence. Adjustment was made for age, religion, and family structure. Results Wives with higher education than their husbands were less likely to experience less severe (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.77–0.89) and severe (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.72–0.87) DV as compared to equally low-educated spouses (reference group). Equally high-educated couples revealed the lowest likelihood of experiencing DV (severe violence: OR 0.43, CI 0.39–0.48; less severe violence: OR 0.59, CI 0.55–0.63). The model’s goodness of fit was low (Nagelkerke’s R2 = 0.152). Conclusions Our analysis revealed no increased DV among wives with a higher educational level than their husbands. Moreover, the results point towards a decrease of severe violence with an increase in education levels among spouses. However, the model did not explain a satisfying amount of DV. Therefore, further research should be done to reveal unknown determinants so that suitable interventions to reduce DV can be developed. PMID:22720800

Effectiveness of Educational Poster on Knowledge of Emergency Management of Dental Trauma - Part 2: Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial for Secondary School Students

PubMed Central

Young, Cecilia; Wong, Kin Yau; Cheung, Lim K.

2014-01-01

Objective To investigate the effectiveness of educational poster on improving secondary school students' knowledge of emergency management of dental trauma. Methods A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted. 16 schools with total 671 secondary students who can read Chinese or English were randomised into intervention (poster, 8 schools, 364 students) and control groups (8 schools, 305 students) at the school level. Baseline knowledge of dental trauma was obtained by a questionnaire. Poster containing information of dental trauma management was displayed in a classroom for 2 weeks in each school in the intervention group whereas in the control group there was no display of such posters. Students of both groups completed the same questionnarie after 2 weeks. Results Two-week display of posters improved the knowledge score by 1.25 (p-value = 0.0407) on average. Conclusion Educational poster on dental trauma management significantly improved the level of knowledge of secondary school students in Hong Kong. Trial Registration HKClinicalTrial.com HKCTR-1343 ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01809457 PMID:25093728

An Assessment of Water Resource Education in the K-16 Curricula: Conclusions and Recommendations. The Proceedings of the Oklahoma Water Education Planning Conference, Moore, Oklahoma, October 21, 1977.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oklahoma State Univ., Stillwater.

Reported are conclusions and recommendations from the Water Education Planning Conference held in October, 1977 in Oklahoma. The 51 participants, science educators, scientists, representatives from state and federal water agencies, and legislators, were given tasks and questionnaires concerning the national guidelines for water resource education…

The Relationship between Education and Dementia An Updated Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Sharp, Emily Schoenhofen; Gatz, Margaret

2011-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to review the relationship between education and dementia. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted of all published studies examining the relationship between education and dementia listed in the PubMed and PsycINFO databases from January 1985 to July 2010. The inclusion criteria were a measure of education and a dementia diagnosis by a standardized diagnostic procedure. Alzheimer’s disease and Total Dementia were the outcomes. Results A total of 88 study populations from 71 articles met inclusion criteria. Overall, 51 (58%) reported significant effects of lower education on risk for dementia whereas 37 (42%) reported no significant relationship. A relationship between education and risk for dementia was more consistent in developed compared to developing regions. Age, gender, race/ethnicity, and geographical region moderated the relationship. Conclusions Lower education was associated with a greater risk for dementia in many but not all studies. The level of education associated with risk for dementia varied by study population and more years of education did not uniformly attenuate the risk for dementia. It appeared that a more consistent relationship with dementia occurred when years of education reflected cognitive capacity, suggesting that the effect of education on risk for dementia may be best evaluated within the context of a lifespan developmental model. PMID:21750453

Traumatic physical health consequences of intimate partner violence against women: what is the role of community-level factors?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a serious public health issue with recognizable direct health consequences. This study assessed the association between IPV and traumatic physical health consequences on women in Nigeria, given that communities exert significant influence on the individuals that are embedded within them, with the nature of influence varying between communities. Methods Cross-sectional nationally-representative data of women aged 15 - 49 years in the 2008 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey was used in this study. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between IPV and several forms of physical health consequences. Results Bruises were the most common form of traumatic physical health consequences. In the adjusted models, the likelihood of sustaining bruises (OR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.05 - 3.46), wounds (OR = 2.54, 95% CI = 1.31 - 4.95), and severe burns (OR = 3.20, 95% CI = 1.63 - 6.28) was significantly higher for women exposed to IPV compared to those not exposed to IPV. However, after adjusting for individual- and community-level factors, women with husbands/partners with controlling behavior, those with primary or no education, and those resident in communities with high tolerance for wife beating had a higher likelihood of experiencing IPV, whilst mean community-level education and women 24 years or younger were at lower likelihood of experiencing IPV. Conclusions Evidence from this study shows that exposure to IPV is associated with increased likelihood of traumatic physical consequences for women in Nigeria. Education and justification of wife beating were significant community-level factors associated with traumatic physical consequences, suggesting the importance of increasing women's levels of education and changing community norms that justify controlling behavior and IPV. PMID:22185323

Creating a medical education enterprise: leveling the playing fields of medical education vs. medical science research within core missions

PubMed Central

Thammasitboon, Satid; Ligon, B. Lee; Singhal, Geeta; Schutze, Gordon E.; Turner, Teri L.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Unlike publications of medical science research that are more readily rewarded, clinician-educators’ scholarly achievements are more nebulous and under-recognized. Objective:Create an education enterprise that empowers clinician-educators to engage in a broad range of scholarly activities and produce educational scholarship using strategic approaches to level the playing fields within an organization. Design: The authors analyzed the advantages and disadvantages experienced by medical science researchers vs. clinician educators using Bolman and Deal’s (B&D) four frames of organization (structural, human resource, political, symbolic). The authors then identified organizational approaches and activities that align with each B&D frame and proposed practical strategies to empower clinician-educators in their scholarly endeavors. Results: Our medical education enterprise enhanced the structural frame by creating a decentralized medical education unit, incorporated the human resource component with an endowed chair to support faculty development, leveraged the political model by providing grant supports and expanding venues for scholarship, and enhanced the symbolic frame by endorsing the value of education and public recognition from leaderships. In five years, we saw an increased number of faculty interested in becoming clinician-educators, had an increased number of faculty winning Educational Awards for Excellence and delivering conference presentations, and received 12 of the 15 college-wide awards for educational scholarship. These satisfactory trends reflect early success of our educational enterprise. Conclusions: B&D’s organizational frames can be used to identify strategies for addressing the pressing need to promote and recognize clinician-educators’ scholarship. We realize that our situation is unique in several respects, but this approach is flexible within an institution and transferable to any other institution and its medical education program. Abbreviations: B&D: Bolman and Deal; CRIS: Center for Research, Innovation, and Scholarship; OOR: Office of Research PMID:28927348

Effectiveness of Educational Poster on Knowledge of Emergency Management of Dental Trauma–Part 1. Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial for Primary and Secondary School Teachers

PubMed Central

Young, Cecilia; Wong, Kin Yau; Cheung, Lim K.

2013-01-01

Objective To investigate the effectiveness of educational posters in improving the knowledge level of primary and secondary school teachers regarding emergency management of dental trauma. Methods A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted. 32 schools with a total of 515 teachers were randomised into intervention (poster) and control groups at the school level. Teachers’ baseline levels of knowledge about dental trauma were obtained by using a questionnaire. Posters containing information on dental trauma management were displayed in the school medical room, the common room used by staff, and on a notice board for 2 weeks in each school of the intervention group; in the control group, no posters were displayed. Teachers in both groups completed the questionnaire after 2 weeks. Results The teachers in the intervention schools (where posters were displayed for 2 weeks) showed statistically significant improvement in scores in cases where they had not previously learned about dental emergencies from sources other than first aid training, with an average score increase of 2.6656 (score range of questionnaire, −13 to 9; p-value <0.0001). Conclusion Educational posters on the management of dental trauma can significantly improve the level of knowledge of primary and secondary school teachers in Hong Kong. KClinicalTrials.com HKCTR-1307 ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01707355 PMID:24147154

Self- directed learning barriers in a virtual environment: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

KOHAN, NOUSHIN; SOLTANI ARABSHAHI, KAMRAN; MOJTAHEDZADEH, RITA; ABBASZADEH, ABBAS; RAKHSHANI, TAYEBEH; EMAMI, AMIRHOUSEIN

2017-01-01

Introduction: There is a growing trend in online education courses in higher education institutes. Previous studies have shown that high levels of self-direction are essential for successful online learning. The present study aims to investigate challenges of and barriers to self-directed virtual-learning among postgraduate students of medical sciences. Method: 23 postgraduate virtual students of medical sciences in Iran, collected through maximum variation purposive sampling and semi-structured interviews, served as the sample of this study. The collected data were analyzed using the inductive content analysis method. Results: Three themes and six sub-themes were identified as barriers to self-directed learning in virtual education, including cognitive barriers (information overload and lack of focus on learning or mind wondering), communication barriers (inadequate coping skills and inadequate writing skills) and educational environment barriers (heavy workload and role ambiguity). Conclusion: By the importance of self-direction in online education, the present study results can be used by virtual education planners in the review and design of courses, so as to adequately equip students, obviate barriers to self-directed virtual education, and ultimately train highly self-directed learners in online medical education. PMID:28761885

Evaluation strategies for midwifery education linked to digital media and distance delivery technology.

PubMed

Fullerton, Judith T; Ingle, Henry T

2003-01-01

The goal of the teaching and learning process for health professionals is the acquisition of a fundamental core of knowledge, the demonstration of critical thinking ability, and the demonstration of competency in the performance of clinical skills. Teaching and learning in distance education programs require that the administration, teachers, and students be creative in developing evaluation strategies that can be adapted to the challenges of the cyberspace on-line educational environment. Evaluation standards for distance education programs recently have been delineated by federal agencies, private organizations, and academic accreditation associations. These standards are linked to principles of sound education practice that promote program quality, high levels of student-faculty interaction, and support effective teaching and learning in the distance education context. A growing body of evidence supports the conclusion that technology-enhanced teaching is equivalent in effectiveness compared with traditional methods when student-learning outcomes are the focus of measurement. An allied body of literature offers model approaches that can be useful to educators who must also conduct the evaluation of clinical skills, provide feedback, and promote socialization to the nurse-midwifery/midwifery role for students being educated in whole or in part through instruction delivered at a distance.

Teachers’ and postgraduate nursing students’ experience of the educational environment in Iran: A qualitative Research

PubMed Central

Hajihosseini, Fatemeh; Tafreshi, Mansoureh Zagheri; Hosseini, Meimanat; Baghestani, Ahmad Reza

2017-01-01

Background The learning environment has a significant role in determining nursing students’ academic achievements and course satisfaction. Creating a proper educational environment is therefore necessary for improving the quality of teaching and learning, and for delivering competent graduates to society. Objective The present study was conducted to explore teachers’ and postgraduate nursing students’ experience of the educational environment in Iran. Methods This qualitative study uses an inductive approach and conventional content analysis. Data were collected through semi-structured face-to-face interviews with seven PhD students, seven faculty members (directors) and two focus groups comprising of fourteen master’s students in total, selected from three major universities in Tehran, Iran. Results Seven subcategories were extracted from the data, including the organizational context, interactive climate, teachers’ competency, student appreciation, research centeredness, educational guidance and professionalism. Conclusion The educational environment of postgraduate nursing programs in Iran encompasses different dimensions that can serve as both key points for educational environment evaluators and as guidelines for officials at different levels, to modify the weaknesses and improve the strengths of the system. PMID:28979741

Evaluation of the Quality, Accuracy, and Readability of Online Patient Resources for the Management of Articular Cartilage Defects.

PubMed

Wang, Dean; Jayakar, Rohit G; Leong, Natalie L; Leathers, Michael P; Williams, Riley J; Jones, Kristofer J

2017-04-01

Objective Patients commonly use the Internet to obtain their health-related information. The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality, accuracy, and readability of online patient resources for the management of articular cartilage defects. Design Three search terms ("cartilage defect," "cartilage damage," "cartilage injury") were entered into 3 Internet search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo). The first 25 websites from each search were collected and reviewed. The quality and accuracy of online information were independently evaluated by 3 reviewers using predetermined scoring criteria. The readability was evaluated using the Flesch-Kincaid (FK) grade score. Results Fifty-three unique websites were evaluated. Quality ratings were significantly higher in websites with a FK score >11 compared to those with a score of ≤11 ( P = 0.021). Only 10 websites (19%) differentiated between focal cartilage defects and diffuse osteoarthritis. Of these, 7 (70%) were elicited using the search term "cartilage defect" ( P = 0.038). The average accuracy of the websites was high (11.7 out of maximum 12), and the average FK grade level (13.4) was several grades higher than the recommended level for readable patient education material (eighth grade level). Conclusions The quality and readability of online patient resources for articular cartilage defects favor those with a higher level of education. Additionally, the majority of these websites do not distinguish between focal chondral defects and diffuse osteoarthritis, which can fail to provide appropriate patient education and guidance for available treatment. Clinicians should help guide patients toward high-quality, accurate, and readable online patient education material.

Examining the Relationship Between Individual Characteristics, Community-Level Traits, Multidimensional Empowerment, and Maternal Health Care Utilization in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

PubMed

Hearld, Kristine R; Anderson, Jami L; Budhwani, Henna

2018-03-06

Introduction The Islamic Republic of Pakistan's maternal mortality ratio is particularly high, and the nation ranks 126 out of 149 countries on the Human Development Report-Gender Inequality Index. This is because Pakistani women have low levels of empowerment, make limited economic contributions, and underutilization of maternal health care. The aim of this study is to create a multidimensional index of women's empowerment and assess the association between this index and maternal health care utilization in Pakistan, controlling for individual characteristics and community-level traits. Methods Data from the 2012-2013 Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys were employed to investigate the relationship between this index and the latent construct of maternal health care utilization. Results Using exploratory factor analysis, four indicators of maternal health care utilization were loaded onto a single latent factor. Multivariate analyses found support for the association between empowerment and health care utilization, despite adjustments for individual and area level factors. Positive associations between education, wealth, and maternal health care utilization were found. Conclusions Although we find support for the association of educational attainment with maternal health care utilization, the multidimensional women's empowerment index was independently a consistent associate of maternal health care utilization. This illustrates a complex mechanism with both-education and empowerment, being necessary for improved maternal health care utilization. Policy makers seeking to improve outcomes should expand their focus beyond simply improving rates of education to examining effects of cultural norms which constrain the independence of women in making decisions about their own health care.

Cadmium Exposure and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in U.S. Children

PubMed Central

Weuve, Jennifer; Bellinger, David C.; Schwartz, Joel; Lanphear, Bruce; Wright, Robert O.

2012-01-01

Background: Low-level environmental cadmium exposure in children may be associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Objective: Our aim was to evaluate associations between urinary cadmium concentration and reported learning disability (LD), special education utilization, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in U.S. children using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Methods: We analyzed data from a subset of participants in NHANES (1999–2004) who were 6–15 years of age and had spot urine samples analyzed for cadmium. Outcomes were assessed by parent or proxy-respondent report. We fit multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models to estimate associations between urinary cadmium and the outcomes. Results: When we compared children in the highest quartile of urinary cadmium with those in the lowest quartile, odds ratios adjusted for several potential confounders were 3.21 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.43, 7.17] for LD, 3.00 (95% CI: 1.12, 8.01) for special education, and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.28, 1.61) for ADHD. There were no significant interactions with sex, but associations with LD and special education were somewhat stronger in males, and the trend in the ADHD analysis was only evident among those with blood lead levels above the median. Conclusions: These findings suggest that children who have higher urinary cadmium concentrations may have increased risk of both LD and special education. Importantly, we observed these associations at exposure levels that were previously considered to be without adverse effects, and these levels are common among U.S. children. PMID:22289429

A model of genetic guidance for hemoglobinopathy patients and laboratory diagnosis of family members as educational and preventive measures

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Tatiana Dela-Sávia; Freire, Adriana Sousa; Silveira-Lacerda, Elisângela de Paula; García-Zapata, Marco Túlio Antônio

2012-01-01

Background: The high frequency of hemoglobinopathies in Brazil constitutes a public health problem and thus educational and preventive measures are necessary to reduce the incidence. Genetic guidance, a modality of genetic counseling, and family screening are measures that can assist in reproductive decisions and mitigate clinical, psychological and social problems of families with these disorders. Objetive: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of educational and preventive measures for hemoglobinopathies using genetic guidance and laboratory screening of families. Methods: The diagnoses of patients with hemoglobinopathies were confirmed and then the level of knowledge about their disease was evaluated and genetic guidance was provided. Three months later, the level of assimilated information of these patients was evaluated. In addition, laboratory diagnosis of family members was carried out. Results: Diagnosis of sickle cell anemia was confirmed for most patients. Moreover, the majority of the patients who had a low level of knowledge before genetic guidance (68.8%) demonstrated a higher level of assimilated information after the process (81.8%). Almost 70% of the family members had hemoglobin changes and some had hemoglobinopathies(2.6%). They were duly informed about the results of the examinations, which made it possible to investigate further. Conclusion: Genetic guidance and family screening were effective preventive and educational measures that improved the quality of life of patients, preventing complications and sequels and allowed the referral of those who may transmit altered genes for clinical diagnosis and to genetic counseling services. PMID:23125541

Who is a community health worker? – a systematic review of definitions

PubMed Central

Olaniran, Abimbola; Smith, Helen; Unkels, Regine; Bar-Zeev, Sarah; van den Broek, Nynke

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Community health workers (CHWs) can play vital roles in increasing coverage of basic health services. However, there is a need for a systematic categorisation of CHWs that will aid common understanding among policy makers, programme planners, and researchers. Objective: To identify the common themes in the definitions and descriptions of CHWs that will aid delineation within this cadre and distinguish CHWs from other healthcare providers. Design: A systematic review of peer-reviewed papers and grey literature. Results: We identified 119 papers that provided definitions of CHWs in 25 countries across 7 regions. The review shows CHWs as paraprofessionals or lay individuals with an in-depth understanding of the community culture and language, have received standardised job-related training of a shorter duration than health professionals, and their primary goal is to provide culturally appropriate health services to the community. CHWs can be categorised into three groups by education and pre-service training. These are lay health workers (individuals with little or no formal education who undergo a few days to a few weeks of informal training), level 1 paraprofessionals (individuals with some form of secondary education and subsequent informal training), and level 2 paraprofessionals (individuals with some form of secondary education and subsequent formal training lasting a few months to more than a year). Lay health workers tend to provide basic health services as unpaid volunteers while level 1 paraprofessionals often receive an allowance and level 2 paraprofessionals tend to be salaried. Conclusions: This review provides a categorisation of CHWs that may be useful for health policy formulation, programme planning, and research. PMID:28222653

Audiovisual Presentations on a Handheld PC are Preferred As an Educational Tool by NICU Parents

PubMed Central

Alur, P.; Cirelli, J.; Goodstein, M.; Bell, T.; Liss, J.

2010-01-01

Background Health literacy is critical for understanding complex medical problems and necessary for the well being of the patient. Printed educational materials (PM) have limitations in explaining the dynamics of a disease process. Multimedia formats may be useful for enhancing the educational process. Objective To evaluate whether a printed format or animation with commentary on a handheld personal computer (PC) is preferred as an educational tool by parents of a baby in the NICU. Methods Parents evaluated two formats: A 1-page illustrated document from the American Heart Association explaining patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and animation with commentary on a handheld PC that explained the physiology of PDA in 1 minute. The reading grade level of the PM was 8.6 versus 18.6 for the audio portion of the animated presentation. Parents viewed each format and completed a four-item questionnaire. Parents rated both formats and indicated their preference as printed, animation, or both. Results Forty-six parents participated in the survey. Parents preferred animation over PM (50% vs. 17.4%. p = 0.02); 39.1% expressed that the animation was excellent; whereas 4.3% expressed that the PM was excellent (p<0.001). The order of presentation of formats, sex, age, and educational level of parents did not influence the method preferred (p>0.05). Conclusion Parents preferred animation on a small screen handheld PC despite a much higher language level. Because handheld PCs are portable and inexpensive, they can be used effectively at the bedside with low-cost animation to enhance understanding of complex disease conditions. PMID:23616833

Online survey software as a data collection tool for medical education: A case study on lesson plan assessment

PubMed Central

Kimiafar, Khalil; Sarbaz, Masoumeh; Sheikhtaheri, Abbas

2016-01-01

Background: There are no general strategies or tools to evaluate daily lesson plans; however, assessments conducted using traditional methods usually include course plans. This study aimed to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of online survey software in collecting data on education in medical fields and the application of such softwares to evaluate students' views and modification of lesson plans. Methods: After investigating the available online survey software, esurveypro was selected for assessing daily lesson plans. After using the software for one semester, a questionnaire was prepared to assess the advantages and disadvantages of this method and students’ views in a cross-sectional study. Results: The majority of the students (51.7%) rated the evaluation of classes per session (lesson plans) using the online survey as useful or very useful. About 51% (n=36) of the students considered this method effective in improving the management of each session, 67.1% (n=47) considered it effective in improving the management of sessions for the next semester, and 51.4% (n=36) said it had a high impact on improving the educational content of subsequent sessions. Finally, 61.4% (n=43) students expressed high and very high levels of satisfaction with using an online survey at each session. Conclusion: The use of online surveys may be appropriate to improve lesson plans and educational planning at different levels. This method can be used for other evaluations and for assessing people’s opinions at different levels of an educational system. PMID:28491839

Low back pain at school: unique risk deriving from unsatisfactory grade in maths and school-type recommendation.

PubMed

Erne, Cordula; Elfering, Achim

2011-12-01

Psychosocial stress and pain may relate to educational selection. At the end of primary school (International Standard Classification of Education: ISCED level 1) children are recommended for one of three performance-based lower secondary level types of school (ISCED level 2). The study examines the association of educational selection and other risk factors with pain in the upper back (UBP), lower back pain (LBP), peripheral (limb) pain (PP), and abdominal pain (AP). Teacher reports of unsatisfactory grades in mathematics, and official school-type recommendation are included as objective psychosocial risk factors. One hundred and ninety-two schoolchildren, aged between 10 and 13 from 11 classes of 7 schools in Switzerland participated in the cross-sectional study. In logistic regression analysis, predictor variables included age, sex, BMI, participation in sport, physical mobility, weight of satchel, hours of daily TV, video, and computer use, pupils' back pain reported by the mother and father, psychosocial strain, unsatisfactory grade in mathematics, and school-type recommendation. Analysis of pain drawings was highly reliable and revealed high prevalence rates of musculoskeletal pain in the last 4 weeks (UBP 15.3%, LBP 13:8%, PP 33.9%, AP 20.1%). Psychosocial risk factors were uniquely significant predictors of UBP (psychosocial strain), LBP (psychosocial strain, unsatisfactory grade in mathematics, school-type recommendation), and AP (school-type recommendation). In conclusion, selection in terms of educational school system was uniquely associated with LBP in schoolchildren. Stress caused by educational selection should be addressed in primary prevention of musculoskeletal pain in schoolchildren.

Peer-Assisted Learning in the Athletic Training Clinical Setting

PubMed Central

Henning, Jolene M; Weidner, Thomas G; Jones, James

2006-01-01

Context: Athletic training educators often anecdotally suggest that athletic training students enhance their learning by teaching their peers. However, peer-assisted learning (PAL) has not been examined within athletic training education in order to provide evidence for its current use or as a pedagogic tool. Objective: To describe the prevalence of PAL in athletic training clinical education and to identify students' perceptions of PAL. Design: Descriptive. Setting: “The Athletic Training Student Seminar” at the National Athletic Trainers' Association 2002 Annual Meeting and Clinical Symposia. Patients or Other Participants: A convenience sample of 138 entry-level male and female athletic training students. Main Outcome Measure(s): Students' perceptions regarding the prevalence and benefits of and preferences for PAL were measured using the Athletic Training Peer-Assisted Learning Assessment Survey. The Survey is a self-report tool with 4 items regarding the prevalence of PAL and 7 items regarding perceived benefits and preferences. Results: A total of 66% of participants practiced a moderate to large amount of their clinical skills with other athletic training students. Sixty percent of students reported feeling less anxious when performing clinical skills on patients in front of other athletic training students than in front of their clinical instructors. Chi-square analysis revealed that 91% of students enrolled in Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs–accredited athletic training education programs learned a minimal to small amount of clinical skills from their peers compared with 65% of students in Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Athletic Training–candidacy schools (χ2 3 = 14.57, P < .01). Multiple analysis of variance revealed significant interactions between sex and academic level on several items regarding benefits and preferences. Conclusions: According to athletic training students, PAL is occurring in the athletic training clinical setting. Entry-level students are utilizing their peers as resources for practicing clinical skills and report benefiting from the collaboration. Educators should consider deliberately integrating PAL into athletic training education programs to enhance student learning and collaboration. PMID:16619102

Gender-specific interactions between education and income in relation to obesity: a cross-sectional analysis of the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V)

PubMed Central

Chung, Woojin; Lim, Seung-ji; Lee, Sunmi; Kim, Roeul; Kim, Jaeyeun

2017-01-01

Objectives To identify gender-specific associations between education and income in relation to obesity in developed countries by considering both the interaction-effect terms of the independent variables and their main-effect terms. Design A cross-sectional study. Education and income levels were chosen as socioeconomic status indicators. Sociodemographics, lifestyles and medical conditions were used as covariates in multivariable logistic regression models. Adjusted ORs and predicted probabilities of being obese were computed and adjusted for a complex survey design. Setting Data were obtained from the Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2012). Participants The sample included 7337 male and 9908 female participants aged ≥19 years. Outcome measure Obesity was defined as body mass index of ≥25, according to a guideline for Asians. Results In models with no interaction-effect terms of independent variables, education was significantly associated with obesity in both men and women, but income was significant only in women. However, in models with the interaction-effect terms, education was significant only in women, but income was significant only in men. The interaction effect between income and education was significant in men but not in women. Participants having the highest predicted probability of being obese over educational and income levels differed between the two types of models, and between men and women. A prediction using the models with the interaction-effect terms demonstrated that for all men, the highest level of formal education was associated with an increase in their probability of being obese by as much as 26%. Conclusions The well-known, negative association between socioeconomic status and obesity in developed countries may not be valid when interaction effects are included. Ignoring these effects and their gender differences may result in the targeting of wrong populations for reducing obesity prevalence and its resultant socioeconomic gradients. PMID:29288171

Black-White Disparities in Overweight and Obesity Trends by Educational Attainment in the United States, 1997–2008

PubMed Central

Jackson, Chandra L.; Yeh, Hsin-Chieh; Wang, Nae-Yuh; Thorpe, Roland; Brancati, Frederick L.

2013-01-01

Background. Few studies have examined racial and educational disparities in recent population-based trends. Methods. We analyzed data of a nationally representative sample of 174,228 US-born adults in the National Health Interview Survey from 1997 to 2008. We determined mean BMI trends by educational attainment and race and black-white prevalence ratios (PRs) for overweight/obesity (BMI > 25 kg/m2) using adjusted Poisson regression with robust variance. Results. From 1997 to 2008, BMI increased by ≥1 kg/m2 in all race-sex groups, and appeared to increase faster among whites. Blacks with greater than a high school education (GHSE) had a consistently higher BMI over time than whites in both women (28.3 ± 0.14 to 29.7 ± 0.18 kg/m2 versus 25.8 ± 0.58 to 26.5 ± 0.08 kg/m2) and men (28.1 ± 0.17 kg/m2 to 29.0 ± 0.20 versus 27.1 ± 0.04 kg/m2 to 28.1 ± 0.06 kg/m2). For participants of all educational attainment levels, age-adjusted overweight/obesity was greater by 44% (95% CI: 1.42–1.46) in black versus white women and 2% (1.01–1.04) in men. Among those with GHSE, overweight/obesity prevalence was greater (PR: 1.52; 1.49–1.55) in black versus white women, but greater (1.07; 1.05–1.09) in men. Conclusions. BMI increased steadily in all race-sex and education groups from 1997 to 2008, and blacks (particularly women) had a consistently higher BMI than their white counterparts. Overweight/obesity trends and racial disparities were more prominent among individuals with higher education levels, compared to their counterparts with lower education levels. PMID:23691282

A cross-sectional study of the effect of health literacy on diabetes prevention and control among elderly individuals with prediabetes in rural China

PubMed Central

Qin, Lulu; Xu, Huilan

2016-01-01

Objectives This study was designed to examine the effect of health literacy on diabetes prevention and control and risk factors for low diabetes health literacy among elderly individuals with prediabetes in rural areas in China. Design setting and participates A cross-sectional survey was conducted among elderly individuals in rural communities in Yiyang City in China. Multi-staged cluster random sampling was used to select 42 areas and 434 individuals with prediabetes who were interviewed using a questionnaire on diabetes health literacy in China. Main outcome measures Participants were asked for general information (age, gender, marital status, history of hyperglycaemia, family history of diabetes mellitus, presence of other diseases and level of education). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for poor health literacy concerning diabetes prevention and control among elderly subjects with prediabetes. Results The median health literacy score for diabetes prevention and prediabetes control was 10.0 (IQR 7.0–13.0). The level of diabetes health literacy among men was lower than among women (OR 2.831, 95% CI 1.818 to 4.408), and lower among respondents with 1–6 years of education than among those with 6 years or more of education (OR 14.274, 95% CI 5.927 to 34.375). Those with less than 1 year of education had the lowest literacy (OR 31.148, 95% CI 11.661 to 83.204). The level of diabetes health literacy among elderly individuals with prediabetes but no history of hyperglycaemia was lower than among those with a history of hyperglycaemia (OR 2.676, 95% CI 1.101 to 6.504). Conclusions Health literacy concerning diabetes prevention and control among elderly individuals with prediabetes was very low in rural China. Appropriate health education for elderly individuals with low educational levels should be incorporated into diabetes prevention efforts. Trial registration number ChiCTR-IOR-15007033; Results. PMID:27235299

Age- and Sex-Specific Relationships between Household Income, Education, and Diabetes Mellitus in Korean Adults: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2008-2010

PubMed Central

Kim, So-Ra; Han, Kyungdo; Choi, Jin-Young; Ersek, Jennifer; Liu, Junxiu; Jo, Sun-Jin; Lee, Kang-Sook; Yim, Hyeon Woo; Lee, Won-Chul; Park, Yong Gyu; Lee, Seung-Hwan; Park, Yong-Moon

2015-01-01

Background To investigate the effects of age and sex on the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and the prevalence and control status of diabetes mellitus (DM) in Korean adults. Methods Data came from 16,175 adults (6,951 men and 9,227 women) over the age of 30 who participated in the 2008-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. SES was measured by household income or education level. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for the prevalence or control status of diabetes were calculated using multiple logistic regression analyses across household income quartiles and education levels. Results The household income-DM and education level-DM relationships were significant in younger age groups for both men and women. The adjusted ORs and 95% CI for diabetes were 1.51 (0.97, 2.34) and 2.28 (1.29, 4.02) for the lowest vs. highest quartiles of household income and education level, respectively, in women younger than 65 years of age (both P for linear trend < 0.05 with Bonferroni adjustment). The adjusted OR and 95% CI for diabetes was 2.28 (1.53, 3.39) for the lowest vs. highest quartile of household income in men younger than 65 (P for linear trend < 0.05 with Bonferroni adjustment). However, in men and women older than 65, no associations were found between SES and the prevalence of DM. No significant association between SES and the status of glycemic control was detected. Conclusions We found age- and sex-specific differences in the relationship of household income and education with the prevalence of DM in Korea. DM preventive care is needed for groups with a low SES, particularly in young or middle-aged populations. PMID:25622031

Effect of mother’s education on child’s nutritional status in the slums of Nairobi

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Malnutrition continues to be a critical public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. For example, in East Africa, 48 % of children under-five are stunted while 36 % are underweight. Poor health and poor nutrition are now more a characteristic of children living in the urban areas than of children in the rural areas. This is because the protective mechanism offered by the urban advantage in the past; that is, the health benefits that historically accrued to residents of cities as compared to residents in rural settings is being eroded due to increasing proportion of urban residents living in slum settings. This study sought to determine effect of mother’s education on child nutritional status of children living in slum settings. Methods Data are from a maternal and child health project nested within the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System (NUHDSS). The study involves 5156 children aged 0–42 months. Data on nutritional status used were collected between October 2009 and January 2010. We used binomial and multiple logistic regression to estimate the effect of education in the univariable and multivariable models respectively. Results Results show that close to 40 % of children in the study are stunted. Maternal education is a strong predictor of child stunting with some minimal attenuation of the association by other factors at maternal, household and community level. Other factors including at child level: child birth weight and gender; maternal level: marital status, parity, pregnancy intentions, and health seeking behaviour; and household level: social economic status are also independently significantly associated with stunting. Conclusion Overall, mothers’ education persists as a strong predictor of child’s nutritional status in urban slum settings, even after controlling for other factors. Given that stunting is a strong predictor of human capital, emphasis on girl-child education may contribute to breaking the poverty cycle in urban poor settings. PMID:22721431

Environmental education with a local focus: The development of action competency in community leaders through participation in an environmental leadership program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cairns, Karen Jean

2001-07-01

This dissertation is a historical and theoretical examination of environmental education to promote community leadership in local environmental issues. It begins with an overview of the history of environmental education, historical perspectives of the beginning of the field, ongoing differences in perspectives of practitioners, and its relationship to the larger field of education. Using a prevalent definition of environmental education as education with an aim of promoting actions, which are environmentally responsible and careful, I examine a variety of educational approaches and their results in achieving this objective. Reasons for using a local focus in terms of promotion of community sustainability are explored, and the literature review ends with a discussion of the value of community action through participatory democratic processes. The dissertation is divided into five chapters, covering an introduction to the purpose and significance of the study, literature review, methodology, results and analysis, and conclusion and implications of the research. Two programs, one at a city or urban level and one at a state level, and outcomes for their participants are explored and compared through data collected from interviews, field observation, and program documents. Findings demonstrated the value of a local focus for environmental education programs, plus the importance of experiential learning, or learning through some sort of personal connection and involvement. Examples of the types of experiential learning involved are tours or field trips, role-playing, and games illustrating concepts. Results emphasized the importance of educational process over content, information, or factual knowledge. The urban leadership program demonstrated the value of a local focus and experiential process in increasing motivation for action. The state program demonstrated the value of education of environmental leaders in democratic processes, especially collaboration, inclusion of all stakeholders, conflict resolution, and problem solving through consensus building. The concluding chapter includes a presentation of a framework for environmental education programs aimed at promotion of community leadership, emphasizing public sphere behaviors or visible community actions, and based upon democratic process. Participatory democratic process as defined by this study is a decision making process involving inclusion of stakeholders at all levels, collaboration, consensus-building, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.

Memory Alteration Test to Detect Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Alzheimer’s Dementia in Population with Low Educational Level

PubMed Central

Custodio, Nilton; Lira, David; Herrera-Perez, Eder; Montesinos, Rosa; Castro-Suarez, Sheila; Cuenca-Alfaro, José; Valeriano-Lorenzo, Lucía

2017-01-01

Background/Aims: Short tests to early detection of the cognitive impairment are necessary in primary care setting, particularly in populations with low educational level. The aim of this study was to assess the performance of Memory Alteration Test (M@T) to discriminate controls, patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) and patients with early Alzheimer’s Dementia (AD) in a sample of individuals with low level of education. Methods: Cross-sectional study to assess the performance of the M@T (study test), compared to the neuropsychological evaluation (gold standard test) scores in 247 elderly subjects with low education level from Lima-Peru. The cognitive evaluation included three sequential stages: (1) screening (to detect cases with cognitive impairment); (2) nosological diagnosis (to determinate specific disease); and (3) classification (to differentiate disease subtypes). The subjects with negative results for all stages were considered as cognitively normal (controls). The test performance was assessed by means of area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. We calculated validity measures (sensitivity, specificity and correctly classified percentage), the internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient), and concurrent validity (Pearson’s ratio coefficient between the M@T and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores). Results: The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.79 and Pearson’s ratio coefficient was 0.79 (p < 0.01). The AUC of M@T to discriminate between early AD and aMCI was 99.60% (sensitivity = 100.00%, specificity = 97.53% and correctly classified = 98.41%) and to discriminate between aMCI and controls was 99.56% (sensitivity = 99.17%, specificity = 91.11%, and correctly classified = 96.99%). Conclusions: The M@T is a short test with a good performance to discriminate controls, aMCI and early AD in individuals with low level of education from urban settings. PMID:28878665

Closing the gap in academic readiness and achievement: the role of early childcare

PubMed Central

Geoffroy, Marie-Claude; Côté, Sylvana. M.; Giguère, Charles-Édouard; Dionne, Ginette; Zelazo, Philip David; Tremblay, Richard E.; Boivin, Michel; Séguin, Jean. R.

2012-01-01

Background Socially disadvantaged children with academic difficulties at school entry are at increased risk for poor health and psychosocial outcomes. Our objective is to test the possibility that participation in childcare – at the population level – could attenuate the gap in academic readiness and achievement between children with and without a social disadvantage (indexed by low levels of maternal education). Methods A cohort of infants born in the Canadian province of Quebec in 1997/1998 was selected through birth registries and followed annually until 7 years of age (n = 1,863). Children receiving formal childcare (i.e., center-based or non-relative out-of-home) were distinguished from those receiving informal childcare (i.e., relative or nanny). Measures from 4 standardized tests that assessed cognitive school readiness (Lollipop Test for School Readiness), receptive vocabulary (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test Revised), mathematics (Number Knowledge Test), and reading performance (Kaufman Assessment Battery for children) were administered at 6 and 7 years. Results Children of mothers with low levels of education showed a consistent pattern of lower scores on academic readiness and achievement tests at 6 and 7 years than those of highly educated mothers, unless they received formal childcare. Specifically, among children of mothers with low levels of education, those who received formal childcare obtained higher school readiness (d = 0.87), receptive vocabulary (d = 0.36), reading (d = 0.48) and math achievement scores (d = 0.38; although not significant at 5%) in comparison with those who were cared for by their parents. Childcare participation was not associated with cognitive outcomes among children of mothers with higher levels of education. Conclusions Public investments in early childcare are increasing in many countries with the intention of reducing cognitive inequalities between disadvantaged and advantaged children. Our findings provide further evidence suggesting that formal childcare could represent a preventative means of attenuating effects of disadvantage on children’s early academic trajectory. PMID:20883519

Association of screen time with self-perceived attention problems and hyperactivity levels in French students: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Guichard, Elie; Kurth, Tobias

2016-01-01

Objective To investigate whether high levels of screen time exposure are associated with self-perceived levels of attention problems and hyperactivity in higher education students. Design Cross-sectional study among participants of the i-Share cohort. Setting French-speaking students of universities and higher education institutions. Participants 4816 graduate students who were at least 18 years old. Exposure Screen time was assessed by self-report of the average time spent on five different screen activities on smartphone, television, computer and tablet and categorised into quartiles. Main outcome measure We used the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) concerning students’ behaviour over the past 6 months to measure self-perceived levels of attention problems and hyperactivity. Responses were summarised into a global score as well as scores for attention problems and hyperactivity. Results The 4816 participants of this study had a mean age of 20.8 years and 75.5% were female. Multivariable ordinary regression models showed significant associations of screen time exposure with quintiles of the total score of self-perceived attention problems and hyperactivity levels as well as the individual domains. Compared to the lowest screen time exposure category, the ORs (95% CI) were 1.58 (1.37 to 1.82) for each increasing level of quintiles of the global score, 1.57 (1.36 to 1.81) for increasing quintiles of attention levels and 1.25 (1.09 to 1.44) for increasing quartiles of hyperactivity. Conclusions Results of this large cross-sectional study among French university and higher education students show dose-dependent associations between screen time and self-perceived levels of attention problems and hyperactivity. Further studies are warranted to evaluate whether interventions could positively influence these associations. PMID:26920440

Knowledge and Behavior Regarding Cosmetics in Koreans Visiting Dermatology Clinics

PubMed Central

Oh, Sohee; Kim, Nack In; Ro, Young Suck; Kim, Joung Soo; Park, Young Min; Park, Chun Wook; Lee, Weon Ju; Kim, Dong Kun; Lee, Dong Won; Lee, Sang Jun

2017-01-01

Background Cosmetics can affect the skin condition profoundly, and yet no survey has been performed in Koreans visiting dermatology clinics. Objective To assess knowledge and consumer behavior regarding cosmetics in Koreans visiting dermatology clinics. Methods A questionnaire consisting of 43 questions concerning demographics and use/knowledge/selection/purchase of cosmetics was given to patients and accompanying persons who visited dermatologic clinics in university and private clinic settings. Results In total 1,015 subjects (73.2% females, mean age 32.5 years) completed the survey. Education level was college or higher in 72.8%. Thirty-one percent had been diagnosed with a skin disorder, atopic dermatitis and seborrheic dermatitis being the most frequent diagnoses (33.7% and 16.8%, respectively). The frequency of makeup/sunscreen/functional cosmetics use, amount of sunscreen use, recognition of functional cosmetics, and knowledge of shelf life were significantly correlated with level of education. Among “functional cosmetics,” whitening products were used most frequently (29.2%). Regardless of education level, 79.2% purchased cosmetics without checking ingredients, and 85.7% were unaware of the all-ingredient-labelling regulations, and yet subjects considered ingredient the most important factor when purchasing a product. Conclusion Outpatient subjects in their twenties and thirties are the most knowledgeable about cosmetics in Korea. PMID:28392645

Socio-economic patterning of tobacco use in Indian states

PubMed Central

Karan, A.; Selvaraj, S.; Bhan, N.; Subramanian, S. V.; Millett, C.

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: Studies in India have identified marked variations in overall tobacco use between socio-economic groups. We examined whether associations between socio-economic status (SES) and tobacco use varied across individual Indian states by tobacco type. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey of 100 855 households in 24 Indian states and Union Territories conducted in 2009–2010. Outcome measures were household tobacco consumption by type. Logistic and linear regression models were used to examine associations at the household level between education, income and use and volume of tobacco consumed. RESULTS: Overall, 52% of households used any form of tobacco product; the predominant form was smokeless tobacco (22%), followed by bidi (17%) and cigarettes (4%). Increasing household income and higher education level were associated with a higher likelihood of cigarette use but a lower likelihood of bidi and smokeless tobacco use in some Indian states. Increasing household income was associated with higher volumes of cigarette and bidi use among consuming households; however, association between educational level and volume of tobacco consumption was inconsistent. CONCLUSION: SES has a varying impact on different types of tobacco use in Indian states. Policy makers should consider socio-economic patterning of tobacco use when designing, implementing and evaluating tobacco control interventions in different states of India. PMID:23827038

Comparison of the sensitivity of the UKCAT and A Levels to sociodemographic characteristics: a national study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) was introduced to facilitate widening participation in medical and dental education in the UK by providing universities with a continuous variable to aid selection; one that might be less sensitive to the sociodemographic background of candidates compared to traditional measures of educational attainment. Initial research suggested that males, candidates from more advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds and those who attended independent or grammar schools performed better on the test. The introduction of the A* grade at A level permits more detailed analysis of the relationship between UKCAT scores, secondary educational attainment and sociodemographic variables. Thus, our aim was to further assess whether the UKCAT is likely to add incremental value over A level (predicted or actual) attainment in the selection process. Methods Data relating to UKCAT and A level performance from 8,180 candidates applying to medicine in 2009 who had complete information relating to six key sociodemographic variables were analysed. A series of regression analyses were conducted in order to evaluate the ability of sociodemographic status to predict performance on two outcome measures: A level ‘best of three’ tariff score; and the UKCAT scores. Results In this sample A level attainment was independently and positively predicted by four sociodemographic variables (independent/grammar schooling, White ethnicity, age and professional social class background). These variables also independently and positively predicted UKCAT scores. There was a suggestion that UKCAT scores were less sensitive to educational background compared to A level attainment. In contrast to A level attainment, UKCAT score was independently and positively predicted by having English as a first language and male sex. Conclusions Our findings are consistent with a previous report; most of the sociodemographic factors that predict A level attainment also predict UKCAT performance. However, compared to A levels, males and those speaking English as a first language perform better on UKCAT. Our findings suggest that UKCAT scores may be more influenced by sex and less sensitive to school type compared to A levels. These factors must be considered by institutions utilising the UKCAT as a component of the medical and dental school selection process. PMID:24400861

Heterogeneity in hedonic modelling of house prices: looking at buyers' household profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kestens, Yan; Thériault, Marius; Des Rosiers, François

2006-03-01

This paper introduces household-level data into hedonic models in order to measure the heterogeneity of implicit prices regarding household type, age, educational attainment, income, and the previous tenure status of the buyers. Two methods are used for this purpose: a first series of models uses expansion terms, whereas a second series applies Geographically Weighted Regressions. Both methods yield conclusive results, showing that the marginal value given to certain property specifics and location attributes do vary regarding the characteristics of the buyer’s household. Particularly, major findings concern the significant effect of income on the location rent as well as the premium paid by highly-educated households in order to fulfil social homogeneity.

Socioeconomic status and morbidity in the last years of life.

PubMed Central

Liao, Y; McGee, D L; Kaufman, J S; Cao, G; Cooper, R S

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the effect of socioeconomic status, as characterized by level of education, on morbidity and disability in the last years of life. METHODS: The analysis used data from the National Health Interview Survey (1986-1990), with mortality follow-up through December 1991. RESULTS: Among 10,932 decedents 50 years or older at baseline interview, educational attainment was inversely associated with long-term limitation of activity, number of chronic conditions, number of bed days, and days of short hospital stay during the year preceding the interview. CONCLUSIONS: Decedents with higher socioeconomic status experienced lower morbidity and disability and better quality of life even in their last years of life. PMID:10191805

Athletic Training Students With Disabilities: A Survey of Entry-Level Education Programs

PubMed Central

Newsham, Katherine R

2006-01-01

Context: The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 created and expanded protection for people with disabilities. Objective: To identify the proportion of students with disabilities enrolled in entry-level athletic training education programs (ATEPs), to examine the nature of the disabilities reported by these students, and to assess the number of ATEPs with policies (beyond technical standards) for admitting students with disabilities. Design: I distributed a survey via e-mail and the US Postal Service. The survey instrument was adapted from a tool used in similar research on medical education programs. Setting: Entry-level ATEPs. Patients or Other Participants: The survey was distributed to program directors at 292 Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program–accredited entry-level ATEPs. Main Outcome Measure(s): Using frequency analysis, I determined the rate at which students with disabilities enrolled in entry-level ATEPs and the types of disabilities represented. Disabilities represented in the study were related to learning, auditory, visual, emotional, orthopaedic, mobility, and motor skill impairments. Results: Of the 283 surveys delivered, 105 (37%) were completed and returned. A total of 70% of respondents reported enrollment of students with disabilities in their ATEPs. The number of students with disabilities in entry-level ATEPs increased during the 4-year period of this study, and the proportion of students with disabilities has also increased annually (from 1.8% to 2.6%). The most common type of impairment was a learning disability, accounting for more than 80% of all disabilities reported. Fewer than 10% of the ATEPs had a specific enrollment policy for students with disabilities. Conclusions: The number of students with disabilities in entry-level ATEPs is increasing, yet this figure is well below the 9% reported for the general student population. Most institutions rely on technical standards or student disability officers to determine if a student with a disability is otherwise qualified for selection into the ATEP. PMID:17273466

Association between maternal education and malocclusion in Mongolian adolescents: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Tumurkhuu, Tsasan; Fujiwara, Takeo; Komazaki, Yuko; Kawaguchi, Yoko; Inazawa, Johji; Ganburged, Ganjargal; Bazar, Amarsaikhan; Ogawa, Takuya; Moriyama, Keiji

2016-01-01

Objective Malocclusion is a highly prevalent condition, affecting 20–60% of adolescents worldwide. Although its treatment is often expensive and unaffordable for disadvantaged individuals, few studies have examined the relationship between malocclusion and socioeconomic status. We investigated the prevalence of malocclusion among Mongolian adolescents and its association with maternal education in a community-based sample in Mongolia. Design Cross-sectional study. Settings 2 large secondary schools with different backgrounds in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Participants Complete dental casts of 557 randomly recruited Mongolian schoolchildren aged 11–16 years were evaluated using the Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need to dichotomise orthodontic treatment requirements. Exclusion criteria were the presence of orthodontic treatment history and absence of maternal educational status. Questionnaires were administered to caregivers to assess socioeconomic status. Poisson regression analysis was performed to examine the association between malocclusion and maternal educational status. Results The prevalence of malocclusion requiring orthodontic treatment among all adolescents was 35.2% (95% CI 31.2 to 39.2). In the unadjusted analysis, the prevalence ratio (PR) for malocclusion was higher (PR=1.46; 95% CI 0.96 to 2.20) among adolescents of mothers with a high educational background than among those of mothers with a low educational background. After adjusting for covariates, the PR remained significantly higher (PR=1.72; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.82) among adolescents of mothers with a high educational background. Other socioeconomic status variables, including family income and the educational level of the father, showed no association with malocclusion. Conclusions These findings suggest that malocclusion requiring orthodontic treatment in adolescents is more prevalent among children of mothers with high levels of education. Further studies are needed to clarify the behavioural factors and environmental circumstance that contribute to this. PMID:27803108

Educational achievements of children of parents with multiple sclerosis: A nationwide register-based cohort study.

PubMed

Moberg, J Y; Magyari, M; Koch-Henriksen, N; Thygesen, L C; Laursen, B; Soelberg Sørensen, P

2016-11-01

Little is known about the impact of parental multiple sclerosis (MS) on offspring's educational attainment. The objective of the study was to examine educational achievements in offspring of parents with MS compared with matched children of parents without MS in a nationwide register-based cohort study. Children of all Danish-born residents with onset between 1950 and 1986 were identified by linking the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry with the Civil Registration System. Twins, children with MS, and emigrated persons were excluded. The reference cohort consisted of randomly drawn individuals from the Civil Registration System without parental MS matched 8:1 to the MS offspring by sex and year of birth. Information about education was linked to the cohorts from nationwide educational registries. We included 4177 children of MS parents and 33,416 reference persons. Children of MS parents achieved statistically significant higher average grades than the reference cohort in their final exam of basic school with a mean grade difference of 0.46 (95 % CI 0.22-0.69; p = 0.0002). We found no difference in achievement of educational level above basic school (OR 1.04; 95 % CI 0.98-1.10; p = 0.20). There was a trend toward more MS offspring attaining health-related educations (OR 1.10; 95 % CI 1.00-1.21; p = 0.06). In conclusion, children of MS parents showed a small advantage in grade point average in final examinations in basic school, and they more often tended toward health-related educations. This study revealed no negative consequences of parental MS on grades and highest educational level achieved.

Evaluation of the effects of a diabetes educational program: a randomized clinical trial

PubMed Central

Torres, Heloísa de Carvalho; Pace, Ana Emília; Chaves, Fernanda Figueredo; Velasquez-Melendez, Gustavo; Reis, Ilka Afonso

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Evaluate the effectiveness of a diabetes mellitus educational program in primary health care. METHODS This cluster randomized trial was conducted in a sample of 470 people with type 2 diabetes mellitus from eight health units, randomly assigned to two groups: intervention (n = 231) and control (n = 239). The intervention group participated in the educational program composed of three strategies: group education, home visit, and telephone intervention. Simultaneously, the control group was monitored individually. Group monitoring took place over nine months in the year 2012. Clinical evaluations were performed at the initial time (T0), three (T3), six (T6) and nine (T9) months after the beginning of the intervention. RESULTS After nine months of follow-up, 341 users remained in the study, 171 in the control group and 170 in the intervention group. The average age of users was 60.6 years. In both groups, statistically significant differences were observed in mean HbA1c levels over the follow-up time (p < 0.05). However, the mean HbA1c level at T3, T6 and T9 times were significantly lower among the people in the intervention group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The educational program model developed was effective to improve the glycemic control of the intervention group participants. PMID:29412378

Low Empathy in Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Pre)Adolescents Compared to Normal Hearing Controls

PubMed Central

Netten, Anouk P.; Rieffe, Carolien; Theunissen, Stephanie C. P. M.; Soede, Wim; Dirks, Evelien; Briaire, Jeroen J.; Frijns, Johan H. M.

2015-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the level of empathy in deaf and hard of hearing (pre)adolescents compared to normal hearing controls and to define the influence of language and various hearing loss characteristics on the development of empathy. Methods The study group (mean age 11.9 years) consisted of 122 deaf and hard of hearing children (52 children with cochlear implants and 70 children with conventional hearing aids) and 162 normal hearing children. The two groups were compared using self-reports, a parent-report and observation tasks to rate the children’s level of empathy, their attendance to others’ emotions, emotion recognition, and supportive behavior. Results Deaf and hard of hearing children reported lower levels of cognitive empathy and prosocial motivation than normal hearing children, regardless of their type of hearing device. The level of emotion recognition was equal in both groups. During observations, deaf and hard of hearing children showed more attention to the emotion evoking events but less supportive behavior compared to their normal hearing peers. Deaf and hard of hearing children attending mainstream education or using oral language show higher levels of cognitive empathy and prosocial motivation than deaf and hard of hearing children who use sign (supported) language or attend special education. However, they are still outperformed by normal hearing children. Conclusions Deaf and hard of hearing children, especially those in special education, show lower levels of empathy than normal hearing children, which can have consequences for initiating and maintaining relationships. PMID:25906365

Education and Labor Market Risk: Understanding the Role of Data Cleaning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whalley, Alexander

2011-01-01

This paper examines whether conclusions about the relationship between education and labor market risk depend on the use of commonly applied procedures to clean data of extreme values. The analysis uses fifteen years of data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to demonstrate that conclusions about the relationship between education and labor…

A systematic review of controlled clinical trials on the prevention of back pain in industry.

PubMed

van Poppel, M N; Koes, B W; Smid, T; Bouter, L M

1997-12-01

To assess the effectiveness of lumbar supports, education, and exercise in the prevention of back pain in industry. A computerised search for controlled clinical trials was conducted. A criteria list was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. The available evidence for the effectiveness of the interventions was graded with a rating system for the level of evidence. Effect sizes of individual studies were combined if the studies were sufficiently similar. 11 studies were identified for the review. The methodological quality of all studies was low, with a maximum score of three out of seven for internal validity. There was no evidence for the effectiveness of lumbar supports due to contradictory outcomes of the studies. Five of the six studies on education reported no effect. Thus there is limited evidence that education does not help to prevent back pain. All three studies on exercise reported a positive result, indicating limited evidence for the effectiveness of exercise. The combined effect size for exercise was 0.53, which is a medium sized effect. Although widely used, there is little evaluative research on the preventive measures studied here. The review showed that there is limited evidence that exercise has some effect in the prevention of back pain and that education is not effective. No conclusive evidence was found for or against the effectiveness of lumbar supports. Research of higher methodological quality is needed before firm conclusions on the effectiveness of lumbar supports, education, and exercise in the prevention of back pain in industry can be drawn.

Relation between spiritual intelligence and clinical competency of nurses in Iran

PubMed Central

Karimi-Moonaghi, Hossein; Gazerani, Akram; Vaghee, Saeed; Gholami, Hassan; Salehmoghaddam, Amir Reza; Gharibnavaz, Raheleh

2015-01-01

Background: Clinical competency is one of the most important requirements in nursing profession, based on which nurses are assessed. To obtain an effective and improved form of clinical competency, several factors are observed and monitored by the health educational systems. Among these observed factors, spiritual intelligence is considered as one of the most significant factors in nurses’ success and efficacy. In this study, it is aimed to determine the spiritual intelligence status and its relationship with clinical competency. Materials and Methods: The descriptive–correlational research was carried out on 250 nurses in Mashhad educational hospitals, selected by multi-stage sampling. Demographic, clinical competency, and spiritual intelligence questionnaires were used for data collection and 212 questionnaires were analyzed. Results: About 53.3% of nurses obtained above average scores in spiritual intelligence. Clinical competency was evaluated by both self-evaluation and head nurse evaluation methods. Most nurses (53.8%) were having good level of clinical competency based on self-evaluation, 48.2% were at average level based on head nurse evaluation, and 53.3% were at average level based on overall score. A significant correlation was found between spiritual intelligence and clinical competency. Conclusions: In this study, the positive significant correlation between nurses’ spiritual intelligence and their clinical competency is investigated. Because of the positive effects of spiritual intelligence on nurses’ clinical competency and quality of care, it is recommended to develop nurses’ spiritual intelligence during their education and by way of continuous medical education. PMID:26793250

Predictors of Knowledge of Coronary Intervention in a Group of PCI Patients

PubMed Central

Haseeb, Abdul; Bilal, Muhammad; Dar, Mudassir Iqbal; Arshad, Mohammad Hussham; Amir, Raamish Bin; Hussain, Sahibzada Muhammad Hamid; Mian, Sharmeen Kamran; Javed, Maheen; Sultan, Ayesha; Arfeen, Arham Amir

2016-01-01

Objective: This study was performed to assess the knowledge of CAD risk factors and post management of coronary intervention among sample of population who were hospitalized for PCI. Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive survey was conducted in Cardiology ward of a tertiary care hospital from July 2013 to May 2015 on 600 patients. A structured questionnaire was used to interview the patients. In univariate analysis, t-tests were employed to assess association of knowledge of CAD risk factors with gender, education level and monthly household income. Results: The mean score of participants with no education was 4.42 and patients with education of bachelors or higher was 8.59 (p-value: 0.01). Similarly, the mean score for participants with monthly household income less than 5000 was 3.32 and participants with income higher than 50,000 had a score of 8.31 (p-value: 0.01). Furthermore, only 28% (N=168) claimed aerobic exercise as a key part of angioplasty recovery. Conclusions: Our results indicate the lack of good level of knowledge of risk factors for CAD and post management of coronary intervention among PCI patients of Pakistan. There is urgent need for targeted educational programs on national basis to reduce mortality associated with CAD in Pakistani population. PMID:26755481

The effect of poverty, social inequity, and maternal education on infant mortality in Nicaragua, 1988-1993.

PubMed Central

Peña, R; Wall, S; Persson, L A

2000-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the effect of poverty and social inequity on infant mortality risks in Nicaragua from 1988 to 1993 and the preventive role of maternal education. METHODS: A cohort analysis of infant survival, based on reproductive histories of a representative sample of 10,867 women aged 15 to 49 years in León, Nicaragua, was conducted. A total of 7073 infants were studied; 342 deaths occurred during 6394 infant-years of follow-up. Outcome measures were infant mortality rate (IMR) and relative mortality risks for different groups. RESULTS: IMR was 50 per 1000 live births. Poverty, expressed as unsatisfied basic needs (UBN) of the household, increased the risk of infant death (adjusted relative risk [RR] = 1.49; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15, 1.92). Social inequity, expressed as the contrast between the household UBN and the predominant UBN of the neighborhood, further increased the risk (adjusted RR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.12, 2.71). A protective effect of the mother's educational level was seen only in poor households. CONCLUSIONS: Apart from absolute level of poverty, social inequity may be an independent risk factor for infant mortality in a low-income country. In poor households, female education may contribute to preventing infant mortality. PMID:10630139

Education and employment outcomes of young adults with a history of developmental language disorder

PubMed Central

Durkin, Kevin; Toseeb, Umar; Botting, Nicola; Pickles, Andrew

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Developmental language disorder (DLD) presents a considerable barrier for young adults to engage in further education and training. Early studies with young adults with DLD revealed poor educational achievement and lack of opportunities to progress in education. More recent studies have provided more positive findings. Relatively sparse data exist, however, on current cohorts and the factors that predict outcomes. Aims To examine educational and employment outcomes in young adulthood in a sample of people with histories of DLD compared with an age‐matched peer group without DLD. We ask: How do educational pathways and early jobs compare between those with and without DLD? Are young adults with DLD receiving similar levels of income as their peers? To what extent are language and literacy abilities associated with outcomes? Methods & Procedures Participants included 84 individuals with DLD (67% males) and 88 age‐matched peers without DLD (56% males). Participants were on average 24 years of age. They completed a battery of psycholinguistic, literacy and nonverbal skills assessments. Data were also collected on educational qualifications, current educational status, extent of educational support received, employment status, history and support, as well as current income. Outcomes & Results Those with DLD obtained lower academic and vocational qualifications. Higher educational/vocational qualifications were associated with better language, better reading and higher performance IQ (PIQ). There were few differences between the two groups in terms of engagement with education, but the mean age at leaving education was significantly earlier in the participants with DLD. Substantially more participants with DLD reported receiving support or dispensation from their educational institution. There was no significant difference between groups in the proportion of young people currently employed, though a higher proportion of the age‐matched peers was in work full time. Participants with DLD were much more likely to be in non‐professional occupations. However, when examining pay in relation to types of occupation, the groups’ incomes were broadly comparable. Conclusions & Implications At the group level, young people with a history of DLD more commonly have less skilled employment and more rarely achieve professional roles. At the individual level there is considerable variation with smaller but not trivial proportions of young adults with a history of DLD showing good educational and employment outcomes. There are positive aspects to early adult outcomes for some young people with a history of DLD. PMID:29139196

Perception of HIV/AIDS Education at the Community Level in Jordan

PubMed Central

ABU MOGHLI, Fathieh; AL HABEESH, Suhair; ABU SHIKHA, Lubna

2017-01-01

Background: The control of spread of HIV takes concerted efforts at both national and international levels. Education is an important component of preventing the spread of HIV. This study aimed to assess the attitudes of parents, teachers and students towards informing children about HIV/AIDS, attitudes concerning ‘proper’ age to learn about HIV/AIDS, possible differences in attitudes relating to gender of child and what they should learn and ideas about the most ‘adequate’ person/institution to be responsible for provision of HIV/AIDS education. Methods: This study was conducted in Amman, Jordan in April 2015. Descriptive correlational design was used; a sample of school students, university students, school teachers and parents, a stratified random sample was used. Data was collected by using a questionnaire. Results: All groups asserted the importance of HIV/AIDS education and awareness rising for all. 62.0% of respondents thought that school was the main source of information. About 82% of respondents believed that HIV/AIDS education should be integrated into different disciplines of school curricula, 84% of respondents believed that HIV/AIDS education should be part of university curricula. Nobody believed that HIV/AIDS education should be restricted to boys only. Conclusion: As HIV/AIDS is a scary matter to all, stigmatization and shame may be behind potentially bigger numbers of infected or ill people who do not come forward for treatment or care. Attitudes of their kin care providers need to be addressed as well as those of the official health care providers. PMID:28435815

Efficacy of Pharmacist Based Diabetes Educational Interventions on Clinical Outcomes of Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Network Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Bukhsh, Allah; Khan, Tahir M.; Lee, Shaun W. H.; Lee, Learn-Han; Chan, Kok-Gan; Goh, Bey-Hing

2018-01-01

Background: Comparative efficacy of different pharmacist based interventions on glycemic control of type 2 diabetes patients is unclear. This review aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of different pharmacist based interventions on clinical outcomes of type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across five databases from date of database inception to September 2017. All randomized clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of pharmacist based interventions on type 2 diabetes patients were included for network meta-analysis (NMA). The protocol is available with PROSPERO (CRD42017078854). Results: A total of 43 studies, involving 6259 type 2 diabetes patients, were included. NMA demonstrated that all interventions significantly lowered glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels compared to usual care, but there was no statistical evidence from this study that one intervention was significantly better than the other for reducing HbA1c levels. Pharmacist based diabetes education plus pharmaceutical care showed maximum efficacy for reducing HbA1c levels [−0.86, 95% CI −0.983, −0.727; p < 0.001]. Pharmacist based diabetes education plus pharmaceutical care was observed to be statistically significant in lowering levels of systolic blood pressure [−4.94; 95%CI −8.65, −1.23] and triglycerides levels [−0.26, 95%CI −0.51, −0.01], as compared to the interventions which involved diabetes education by pharmacist, and for body mass index (BMI) [−0.57; 95%CI −1.25, −0.12] in comparison to diabetes education by health care team involving pharmacist as member. Conclusion: The findings of this review demonstrate that all interventions had a significantly positive effect on HbA1c, but there was no statistical evidence from this study that one intervention was significantly better than the other for achieving glycemic control.Pharmacist based diabetes education plus pharmaceutical care showed maximum efficacy on HbA1c and rest of the clinical outcomes. PMID:29692730

Awareness of school students on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their sexual behavior: a cross-sectional study conducted in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Sexually transmitted Infections (STIs) rank among the most important health issues for the people especially the young adults worldwide. Young people tend to engage in sexual activity at younger ages in the past decade than in the 1970s, and 1980s. Knowledge is an essential precursor of sexual risk reduction. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Pulau Pinang, Malaysia, to produce the baseline information about school students' awareness and perception about sexually transmitted Infections (STIs) and their sexual activity to help establish control and education programmes. Methods Students from form 4 (aged between 15 to 16 years), form 5 (aged between 16 to 17 years) and form 6 (aged between 18 to 20 years) in their class rooms were approached and asked to complete self administered and anonymous pre-validated questionnaires. SPSS for windows version 13 was used to analyze the results statistically and results were presented in tabular form. Results Data was collected from 1139 students aged between 15 to 20 years, 10.6% of which claimed that they never heard about STIs. Sexual experience related significantly with gender, race, and education level. Approximately 12.6% claimed to have sexual experience of which 75.7% had their sexual debut at 15-19 years and 38.2% were having more than 3 partners. Sexual experience was found to be significantly associated with gender (p = 0.003), ethnicity (p = 0.001) and education level (p = 0.030). However, multiple partner behaviour was significantly associated only with gender (p = 0.010). Mean knowledge score was 11.60 ± 8.781 and knowledge level was significantly associated with religion (p = 0.005) education level (p = 0.000), course stream (p = 0.000), socioeconomic class (p = 0.000) and sexual experience (p = 0.022). Conclusions It was concluded that school students have moderate level of knowledge about STIs although they are sexually active. Interventions such as reinforcing the link between STIs and HIV/AIDS, assessing the current status of sexuality education in schools and arranging public talks and seminars focusing on STIs prevention education are needed to improve their awareness. PMID:20113511

Education issues in disaster medicine: summary and action plan.

PubMed

Armour, S J; Bastone, P; Birnbaum, M; Garrett, C; Greenough, P G; Manni, C; Ninomiya, N; Renderos, J; Rottman, S; Sahni, P; Shih, C L; Siegel, D; Younggren, B

2001-01-01

Change must begin with education. Theme 8 explored issues that need attention in Disaster Medicine education. Details of the methods used are provided in the introductory paper. The chairs moderated all presentations and produced a summary that was presented to an assembly of all of the delegates. The chairs then presided over a workshop that resulted in the generation of a set of action plans that then were reported to the collective group of all delegates. Main points developed during the presentations and discussion included: (1) formal education, (2) standardized definitions, (3) integration, (4) evaluation of programs and interventions, (5) international cooperation, (6) identifying the psychosocial consequences of disaster, (7) meaningful research, and (8) hazard, impact, risk and vulnerability analysis. Three main components of the action plans were identified as evaluation, research, and education. The action plans recommended that: (1) education on disasters should be formalized, (2) evaluation of education and interventions must be improved, and (3) meaningful research should be promulgated and published for use at multiple levels and that applied research techniques be the subject of future conferences. The one unanimous conclusion was that we need more and better education on the disaster phenomenon, both in its impacts and in our response to them. Such education must be increasingly evidence-based.

Using education on irradiated foods to change behavior of Korean elementary, middle, and high school students

PubMed Central

Kim, Jaerok; Choi, Yoonseok

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Educational interventions targeted food selection perception, knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Education regarding irradiated food was intended to change food selection behavior specific to it. SUBJECTS AND METHODS There were 43 elementary students (35.0%), 45 middle school students (36.6%), and 35 high school students (28.5%). The first step was research design. Educational targets were selected and informed consent was obtained in step two. An initial survey was conducted as step three. Step four was a 45 minute-long theoretical educational intervention. Step five concluded with a survey and experiment on food selection behavior. RESULTS As a result of conducting a 45 minute-long education on the principles, actual state of usage, and pros and cons of irradiated food for elementary, middle, and high-school students in Korea, perception, knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding the irradiated food was significantly higher after the education than before the education (P < 0.000). CONCLUSIONS The behavior of irradiated food selection shows high correlation with all variables of perception, knowledge, and attitude, and it is necessary to provide information of each level of change in perception, knowledge, and attitude in order to derive proper behavior change, which is the ultimate goal of the education. PMID:25324942

Workplace Secondhand Smoke Exposure in the U.S. Trucking Industry

PubMed Central

Chiu, Yueh-Hsiu; Hart, Jaime E.; Spiegelman, Donna; Garshick, Eric; Smith, Thomas J.; Dockery, Douglas W.; Hammond, S. Katharine; Laden, Francine

2010-01-01

Background Although the smoking rate in the United States is declining because of an increase of smoke-free laws, among blue-collar workers it remains higher than that among many other occupational groups. Objectives We evaluated the factors influencing workplace secondhand smoke (SHS) exposures in the U.S. unionized trucking industry. Methods From 2003 through 2005, we measured workplace SHS exposure among 203 nonsmoking and 61 smoking workers in 25 trucking terminals. Workers in several job groups wore personal vapor-phase nicotine samplers on their lapels for two consecutive work shifts and completed a workplace SHS exposure questionnaire at the end of the personal sampling. Results Median nicotine level was 0.87 μg/m3 for nonsmokers and 5.96 μg/m3 for smokers. As expected, smokers experienced higher SHS exposure duration and intensity than did nonsmokers. For nonsmokers, multiple regression analyses indicated that self-reported exposure duration combined with intensity, lack of a smoking policy as reported by workers, having a nondriver job, and lower educational level were independently associated with elevated personal nicotine levels (model R2 = 0.52). Nondriver job and amount of active smoking were associated with elevated personal nicotine level in smokers, but self-reported exposure, lack of a smoking policy, and lower educational level were not. Conclusions Despite movements toward smoke-free laws, this population of blue-collar workers was still exposed to workplace SHS as recently as 2005. The perceived (reported by the workers), rather than the official (reported by the terminal managers), smoking policy was associated with measured SHS exposure levels among the nonsmokers. Job duties and educational level might also be important predictors of workplace SHS exposure. PMID:20123606

Socioeconomic status and exposure to outdoor NO2 and benzene in the Asturias INMA birth cohort, Spain

PubMed Central

Fernández-Somoano, Ana; Tardon, Adonina

2014-01-01

Background It is commonly assumed that low socioeconomic levels are associated with greater exposure to pollution, but this is not necessarily valid. Our goal was to examine how individual socioeconomic characteristics are associated with exposure levels in a Spanish region included in the INfancia y Medio Ambiente (INMA) cohort. Methods The study population comprised 430 pregnant women from the Asturias INMA cohort. Air pollution exposure was estimated using land-use regression techniques. Information about the participants’ lifestyle and socioeconomic variables was collected through questionnaires. In multivariate analysis, the levels of NO2 and benzene assigned to each woman were considered as dependent variables. Other variables included in the models were residential zone, age, education, parity, smoking, season, working status during pregnancy and social class. Results The average NO2 level was 23.60 (SD=6.50) μg/m3. For benzene, the mean value was 2.31 (SD=1.32) μg/m3. We found no association of any pollutant with education. We observed an association between social class and benzene levels. Social classes I and II had the highest levels. The analysed socioeconomic and lifestyle variables accounted for little variability in air pollution in the models; this variability was explained mainly by residential zone (adjusted R2: 0.27 for NO2; 0.09 for benzene). Conclusions Education and social class were not clearly associated with pollution. Administrations should monitor the environment of residential areas regardless of the socioeconomic level, and they should increase the distances between housing and polluting sources to prevent settlements at distances that are harmful to health. PMID:23999377

An empirical investigation of differences between mathematics specialists and non-specialists at the high school level in Cyprus: A Logistic regression Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papanastasiou, Elena C.; Zembylas, Michalinos

2006-12-01

AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION OF DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MATHEMATICS SPECIALISTS AND NON-SPECIALISTS AT THE HIGH-SCHOOL LEVEL in Cyprus - The data obtained from high-school seniors for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) for the country of Cyprus appear to be contradictory. Although Cypriot students did not perform well in mathematics in elementary school, middle school, and in the non-advanced sectors of high school, students in advanced mathematics courses in high school managed to perform exceptionally well. In seeking to account for this apparent disparity, the present study examines the differences between mathematics specialists and non-specialists at the high-school level and discusses the implications that these have for teaching practice. It shows how students educated in an environment that might not be optimal for producing high-achieving students in mathematics and science in elementary and middle school (according to the TIMSS) might nonetheless manage to excel in these fields at the end of their schooling. In conclusion, the authors address the implications of their study for similar educational systems in other developing countries.

Venus transit, a new experiment for education and communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maris, G.; Stavinschi, M.; Rusu, M.

Almost five years ago, the Romanian astronomers had to cope with a totally exceptional event: the '99 total solar eclipse, whose maximum was on the territory of our country. It was not only a scientific participation, but also an experiment of education and communication with the general public. It was followed by other occasions, when the experience gained, but especially our exchange of ideas with researchers, amateur astronomers, teachers, pupils, etc., from home and abroad, helped us draw certain conclusions on the best ways in which scientific information must be communicated in order to be understood, in general, and to retract the youth towards science, in particular. We would like to mention, for instance: Life in the Universe, Living with a Star, Sun-Earth Days 2003. The Venus transit on June 8, 2004 has many aspects similar with other events, but also its own characteristics, having a great impact on the public perception. Our participation as members in the International Consortium Venus-2004, initiated by ESO and other European high reputation institutions, has obliged us to find new ways of training and communication. We believe that we will have a lot to learn about the way in which the professional astronomers can contribute to the training of various categories of people of different ages, cultural levels, etc. We present the preliminary conclusions of this international campaign at a national level.

Perceptions of Quality for Graduate Athletic Training Education

PubMed Central

Seegmiller, Jeff G

2006-01-01

Context: Accreditation is generally considered the primary mechanism for quality assurance in higher education, but disagreement often exists between accrediting agencies and the perceptions of professionals who feel the accrediting body has failed to meet its quality control function. For accreditation to have value, it must be a meaningful indicator of quality and be viewed as such. Objective: To identify the predominant contributors to quality for postcertification graduate education as perceived by athletic training educators and to compare results among respondents with different education levels, academic ranks, tenure classifications, and program affiliations. Design: Non-experimental descriptive survey. Setting: 2003 National Athletic Trainers' Association Educators' Conference. Patients or Other Participant(s): Of a convenience sample of 353 athletic training educators, 194 (55%) submitted usable questionnaires. Males accounted for 115 (59%) respondents and females for 79 (41%). Of the 14 National Athletic Trainers' Association-accredited postcertification graduate education programs, 12 were represented. Main Outcome Measure(s): Quantitative data for closed-ended questionnaire items were analyzed using descriptive statistics and measures of central tendency, with composite mean scores for each item used for comparisons. Qualitative data were coded according to major themes and analyzed. Results: Support for accreditation at the postcertification graduate education level was moderate (mean = 3.08 ± 0.811 on a 4-point scale). Subjects with doctoral degrees (n = 88) indicated that research contributed significantly more to quality (mean = 3.38 ± 0.636) than did those with master's degrees (n = 106, mean = 2.97 ± 0.786). Respondents with master's degrees stated that clinical education was a greater contributor to quality (mean = 3.76 ± 0.491) than did those with doctoral degrees (3.44 ± 0.663). Conclusions: The educators showed agreement for most quality indicators. The greatest contributors to program quality were program curriculum; adequate faculty, staff, and administrative support; evaluation; clinical education; and research. PMID:17273467

Women's Education and Health Inequalities in Under-Five Mortality in Selected Sub-Saharan African Countries, 1990–2015

PubMed Central

Bado, Aristide Romaric; Sathiya Susuman, A.

2016-01-01

Background The aim of the study was to analyse trends in the relationship between mother’s educational level and mortality of children under the year of five in Sub-Saharan Africa, from 1990 to 2015. Data and Methods Data used in this study came from different waves of Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of Sub-Saharan countries. Logistic regression and Buis’s decomposition method were used to explore the effect of mother’s educational level on the mortality of children under five years. Results Although the results of our study in the selected countries show that under-five mortality rates of children born to mothers without formal education are higher than the mortality rates of children of educated mothers, it appears that differences in mortality were reduced over the past two decades. In selected countries for our study, we noticed a significant decline in mortality among children of non-educated mothers compared to the decrease in mortality rates among children of educated mothers during the period of 1990–2010. The results show that the decline in mortality of children under five years was much higher among the children born to mothers who have never received formal education—112 points drop in Malawi, over 80 in Zambia and Zimbabwe, 65 points in Burkina Faso, 56 in Congo, 43 in Namibia, 27 in Guinea, Cameroon, and 22 to 15 in Niger. However, we noted a variation in results among the countries selected for the study—in Burkina Faso (OR = 0.7), in Cameroon (OR = 0.8), in Guinea (OR = 0.8) and Niger (OR = 0.8). It is normally observed that children of mothers with 0–6 years of education are about 20% more likely to survive until their fifth year compared to children of mothers who have not been to school. Conversely, the results did not reveal significant differences between the under-five deaths of children born to non-educated mothers and children of low-level educated mothers in Congo, Malawi and Namibia. Conclusion The decline in under-five mortality rates, during last two decades, can be partly due to the government policies on women’s education. It is evident that women’s educational level has resulted in increased maternal awareness about infant health and hygiene, thereby bringing about a decline in the under-five mortality rates. This reduction is due to improved supply of health care programmes and health policies in reducing economic inequalities and increasing access to health care. PMID:27442118

Development and validation of an educational booklet for healthy eating during pregnancy1

PubMed Central

de Oliveira, Sheyla Costa; Lopes, Marcos Venícios de Oliveira; Fernandes, Ana Fátima Carvalho

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to describe the validation process of an educational booklet for healthy eating in pregnancy using local and regional food. METHODS: methodological study, developed in three steps: construction of the educational booklet, validation of the educational material by judges, and by pregnant women. The validation process was conducted by 22 judges and 20 pregnant women, by convenience selection. We considered a p-value<0.85 to validate the booklet compliance and relevance, according to the six items of the instrument. As for content validation, the item-level Content Validity Index (I-CVI) was considered when a minimum score of at least 0.80 was obtained. RESULTS: five items were considered relevant by the judges. The mean I-CVI was 0.91. The pregnant women evaluated positively the booklet. The suggestions were accepted and included in the final version of the material. CONCLUSION: the booklet was validated in terms of content and relevance, and should be used by nurses for advice on healthy eating during pregnancy. PMID:25296145

Adobe connect as a viable tool for educating Russian students by American professors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tulinov, B. M.; Myakinina, N. P.; Tworek, A. R.; Mazetov, O. Y.

2017-01-01

This article explores the possibility of using videoconferencing via Adobe Connect software as a new form of distance learning and contains a case study of inviting leading professors from top universities of the United States of America to participate in the educational process of the students of the Institute of International Relations, NRNU MEPhI. The article describes the general course structure and the technical means used for setting up the course, discloses the technique used to ensure active student participation and outlines the key competencies that students are expected to gain after completing the course. The conclusions drawn from this case study can be of interest when solving the issues of modern techniques used for online distance education. The authors hope that these forms of education will also indirectly contribute to the stabilization of relations between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on a non-governmental level in the field of international scientific and technological cooperation.

Primary school accident reporting in one education authority

PubMed Central

Latif, A; Williams, W; Sibert, J

2002-01-01

Background: Studies have shown a correlation between increased accident rates and levels of deprivation in the community. School accident reporting is one area where an association might be expected. Aims: To investigate differences in primary school accident rates in deprived and more affluent wards, in an area managed by one education authority. Methods: Statistical analysis of accident form returns for 100 primary schools in one education authority in Wales over a two year period, in conjunction with visits to over one third of school sites. Results: Accident report rates from schools in deprived wards were three times higher than those from schools in more affluent wards. School visits showed that this discrepancy was attributable primarily to differences in reporting procedures. One third of schools did not report accidents and approximately half did not keep records of minor accidents. Conclusions: The association between school accident report rates and deprivation in the community is complex. School accident data from local education authorities may be unreliable for most purposes of collection. PMID:11827900

The contribution of smoking to socioeconomic differentials in mortality: results from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study, Australia

PubMed Central

Siahpush, Mohammad; English, Dallas; Powles, John

2006-01-01

Objective To assess the contribution of smoking to the inverse association of mortality with years of formal education in men in Australia. Design Data were obtained from a prospective cohort study that included 17 049 men in Melbourne recruited from 1990 to 1994, most of whom were aged between 40 and 69 years at baseline. The outcome measured was all‐cause mortality. The contribution of smoking to socioeconomic status differentials was estimated by including smoking as a variable in a Cox's proportional hazards model that also included education and other potential confounding variables. Results In men, the association between education and mortality was attenuated after adjustment for smoking, and the aetiological fraction for low levels of education was reduced from 16.5% to 10.6%. Conclusions In men, smoking contributes substantially to socioeconomic differentials in mortality. Effective policies and interventions that target smoking among socially disadvantaged groups may substantially reduce socioeconomic differentials in health. PMID:17108305

Improvement of the low knowledge, attitude and practice of hepatitis B virus infection among Saudi national guard personnel after educational intervention

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Although the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was reported to be higher in military personnel than the general population in Saudi Arabia (SA), there is lack of studies assessing HBV awareness among them. The objective was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of HBV infection among military personnel. Methods An intervention design with pre- and post-education KAP questionnaire was completed among National Guard soldiers working in Jeddah during January 2009. Educational intervention was provided through educational leaflets, group and individual discussions, visual show, and a lecture. A score was created from the correct answers to 58 questions. Results A total of 400 male soldiers with mean age 30.7 ± 6.1 years completed both questionnaires. The majority had school education (96.8%) and in the lower military ranks (66.0%). Only 19.5% of soldiers reported HBV vaccine intake. The low median and inter-quartile range of the pre-intervention score (16, 6–26) markedly increased after education (to 53, 50–55, p<0.001). The overall improvement of mean KAP score (204%) was also observed in all its component scores; disease nature (272%), methods of transmission (206%), prevention and control (109%), attitude (155%), and practice (192%). The improvement was evident irrespective of socio-demographic characteristics and history of HBV vaccine. KAP scores were significantly associated with higher educational levels, higher monthly income, administrative jobs, and higher job ranks. Conclusion We are reporting a low level of HBV awareness among Saudi military population. The study confirms the need and effectiveness of focused multifaceted educational campaigns among the military population. PMID:23111118

Association of Socioeconomic Status Measured by Education and Risk Factors for Carotid Atherosclerosis: Cross-sectional Study

PubMed Central

Maksimović, Miloš Ž.; Vlajinac, Hristina D.; Radak, Đorđe J.; Maksimović, Jadranka M.; Marinković, Jelena M.; Jorga, Jagoda B.

2008-01-01

Aim To investigate the association between socioeconomic status and metabolic syndrome, lifestyle, clinical and biochemical characteristics, and inflammatory markers as risk factors for carotid atherosclerotic disease. Methods This cross-sectional study, involving 657 consecutive patients with verified carotid atherosclerotic disease, was performed in Belgrade, Serbia, during the period 2006-2007. Formal education level was used as a proxy for socioeconomic status. Anthropometric parameters and data on cardiovascular risk factors were analyzed in participants with different levels of education – low (≤primary school), medium (secondary school), and high (university education). In the analysis, univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used. Results Multivariate analysis showed that low education was significantly positively associated with female sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.45-3.81), increased triglycerides (OR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.12-2.78), increased high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (OR, 3.53; 95% CI, 2.17-5.88), and physical inactivity (OR, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.82-9.86) and negatively associated with former smoking (OR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.23-0.75). Medium education was significantly positively associated with increased triglycerides (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.14-2.62) and increased hsCRP (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.37-3.41), and negatively with age (OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.94-0.99). Conclusion Increased triglycerides and hsCRP in people with low and medium education, and high prevalence of metabolic syndrome, its components and inflammatory markers in all study participants, suggest that regular health check-up, especially for those with lower education, may be useful in early detection and treatment of any abnormality that can be associated with cardiovascular disease. PMID:19090608

Differential health reporting by education level and its impact on the measurement of health inequalities among older Europeans

PubMed Central

Bago d’Uva, Teresa; O’Donnell, Owen; van Doorslaer, Eddy

2008-01-01

Background This study aims to establish whether health reporting differs by education level and, if so, to determine the extent to which this biases the measurement of health inequalities among older Europeans. Methods Data are from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) covering eight countries. Differential reporting of health by education is identified from ratings of anchoring vignettes that describe fixed health states. Ratings of own health in six domains (mobility, pain, sleep, breathing, emotional health and cognition) are corrected for differences in reporting using an extended ordered probit model. For each country and health domain, we compare the corrected with the uncorrected age–sex standardized high-to-low education rate ratio for the absence of a health problem. Results Before correction for reporting differences across the 48 combinations of country by health domain, there was no inequality in health by education (P > 0.05) in 32 of 48 cases. However, there were reporting differences by education (P < 0.05) in 29 out of 48 cases. In general, higher educated older Europeans are more likely to rate a given health state negatively (except for Spain and Sweden). Correcting for these differences generally increases health inequalities (except for Spain and Sweden) and results in the emergence of inequalities in 18 cases (P < 0.05), which may be considered ‘statistically significant’. The greatest impact is in Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands, where inequalities (P < 0.05) appear only after adjustment in four of the six health domains. Conclusions These results emphasize the need to account for differences in the reporting of health. Measured health inequalities by education are often underestimated, and even go undetected, if no account is taken of these reporting differences. PMID:18676985

Educational inequalities in TV viewing among older adults: a mediation analysis of ecological factors

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Television (TV) viewing, a prevalent leisure-time sedentary behaviour independently related to negative health outcomes, appears to be higher in less educated and older adults. In order to tackle the social inequalities, evidence is needed about the underlying mechanisms of the association between education and TV viewing. The present purpose was to examine the potential mediating role of personal, social and physical environmental factors in the relationship between education and TV viewing among Australian 55–65 year-old adults. Methods In 2010, self-reported data was collected among 4082 adults (47.6% men) across urban and rural areas of Victoria, for the Wellbeing, Eating and Exercise for a Long Life (WELL) study. The mediating role of personal (body mass index [BMI], quality of life), social (social support from family and friends, social participation at proximal level, and interpersonal trust, social cohesion, personal safety at distal level) and physical environmental (neighbourhood aesthetics, neighbourhood physical activity environment, number of televisions) factors in the association between education and TV viewing time was examined using the product-of-coefficients test of MacKinnon based on multilevel linear regression analyses (conducted in 2012). Results Multiple mediating analyses showed that BMI (p ≤ 0.01), personal safety (p < 0.001), neighbourhood aesthetics (p ≤ 0.01) and number of televisions (p ≤ 0.01) partly explained the educational inequalities in older adult’s TV viewing. No proximal social factors mediated the education-TV viewing association. Conclusions Interventions aimed to reduce TV viewing should focus on personal (BMI) and environmental (personal safety, neighbourhood aesthetics, number of televisions) factors, in order to overcome educational inequalities in sedentary behaviour among older adults. PMID:24350830

Abuse against elderly in India – The role of education

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Abuse against the elderly is recognized as an important challenge to elderly health, but its determinants are not yet well understood. We present findings from a new dataset which covers a representative sample of the population aged 60 years and above from seven Indian states across India – all of which have a higher proportion aged 60 plus compared to the national average. Earlier studies suggest that schooling levels can be relevant in determining the level of abuse against seniors. This study focuses on the role of education on the prevalence of elderly abuse in India. Methods We conduct an analysis of cross sectional primary data that contains information on elderly abuse. The households in the sample were randomly selected from the seven demographically oldest states in India. These states are Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. A total of 9852 elderly from 8329 households were interviewed. The statistical analysis is based on logistic regression to understand the independent relation of education with abuse against the elderly. Results Our findings reveal that 11% of 60+ year olds have experienced at least one type of elderly abuse (Physical 5.3%, Verbal 10.2%, Economic 5.4%, Disrespect 6%, Neglect 5.2%). The most common perpetrator is the son, who is reported to be responsible for the abuse among 41% of male victims and 43% of female victims. Formal education among elderly beyond a certain level (8 years) has a strong relation with reduced violence against elderly. Conclusions Our findings suggest that level of schooling among elderly is strongly negatively related to abuse against them. More members in the household reduces the chance of abuse while having a greater number of children increases the chance of abuse (neglect and verbal abuse). We find that education even after controlling for wealth and other relevant variables is the factor that most consistently lowers elderly abuse. However, the relation of education to abuse is limited to those with more than 8 years of schooling. This suggests that the ongoing educational expansion beyond the basic schooling years in India may lead to a decline in the incidence of elderly abuse. PMID:24717052

Relationship of nursing education and care management inpatient rehabilitation interventions and patient characteristics to outcomes following spinal cord injury: The SCIRehab project

PubMed Central

Bailey, Joy; Dijkers, Marcel P.; Gassaway, Julie; Thomas, Jane; Lingefelt, Patricia; Kreider, Scott E.D.; Whiteneck, Gale

2012-01-01

Objective To investigate associations of nursing bedside education and care management activities during inpatient rehabilitation with functional, participation, and quality-of-life outcomes for patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods In a prospective observational study, data were obtained by means of systematic recording of nursing activities by registered nurses (RNs), chart review and patient interview. Results Greater patient participation in nursing activities is associated with better outcomes. More time spent by RNs in coordination with other members of the care team, consultants and specialists, along with participation in physician rounds (team process) is associated with patient report of higher life satisfaction and higher CHART mobility at the one-year injury anniversary; more time providing psychosocial support is associated with higher CHART mobility and occupation scores and with greater likelihood of working or being in school at the anniversary. More time spent providing education about specific care needs is associated with several outcomes but not as consistently as might be expected. Conclusion(s) Higher levels of patient participation in nursing care activities is associated with multiple better outcomes, and hence, nurses should promote active patient participation during all aspects of care and interactions between themselves and patients with SCI. Time spent providing psychosocial support of patients and their families should be evaluated to ensure that other necessary education or care management interventions are not minimized. Note This is the seventh of nine articles in the SCIRehab series. PMID:23318039

Cost-effectiveness of a complex workplace dietary intervention: an economic evaluation of the Food Choice at Work study

PubMed Central

Fitzgerald, Sarah; Murphy, Aileen; Kirby, Ann; Geaney, Fiona; Perry, Ivan J

2018-01-01

Objective To evaluate the costs, benefits and cost-effectiveness of complex workplace dietary interventions, involving nutrition education and system-level dietary modification, from the perspective of healthcare providers and employers. Design Single-study economic evaluation of a cluster-controlled trial (Food Choice at Work (FCW) study) with 1-year follow-up. Setting Four multinational manufacturing workplaces in Cork, Ireland. Participants 517 randomly selected employees (18–65 years) from four workplaces. Interventions Cost data were obtained from the FCW study. Nutrition education included individual nutrition consultations, nutrition information (traffic light menu labelling, posters, leaflets and emails) and presentations. System-level dietary modification included menu modification (restriction of fat, sugar and salt), increase in fibre, fruit discounts, strategic positioning of healthier alternatives and portion size control. The combined intervention included nutrition education and system-level dietary modification. No intervention was implemented in the control. Outcomes The primary outcome was an improvement in health-related quality of life, measured using the EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 5 Levels questionnaire. The secondary outcome measure was reduction in absenteeism, which is measured in monetary amounts. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis (Monte Carlo simulation) assessed parameter uncertainty. Results The system-level intervention dominated the education and combined interventions. When compared with the control, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (€101.37/quality-adjusted life-year) is less than the nationally accepted ceiling ratio, so the system-level intervention can be considered cost-effective. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curve indicates there is some decision uncertainty surrounding this, arising from uncertainty surrounding the differences in effectiveness. These results are reiterated when the secondary outcome measure is considered in a cost–benefit analysis, whereby the system-level intervention yields the highest net benefit (€56.56 per employee). Conclusions System-level dietary modification alone offers the most value per improving employee health-related quality of life and generating net benefit for employers by reducing absenteeism. While system-level dietary modification strategies are potentially sustainable obesity prevention interventions, future research should include long-term outcomes to determine if improvements in outcomes persist. Trial registration number ISRCTN35108237; Post-results. PMID:29502090

The educational background and qualifications of UK medical students from ethnic minorities

PubMed Central

McManus, IC; Woolf, Katherine; Dacre, Jane

2008-01-01

Background UK medical students and doctors from ethnic minorities underperform in undergraduate and postgraduate examinations. Although it is assumed that white (W) and non-white (NW) students enter medical school with similar qualifications, neither the qualifications of NW students, nor their educational background have been looked at in detail. This study uses two large-scale databases to examine the educational attainment of W and NW students. Methods Attainment at GCSE and A level, and selection for medical school in relation to ethnicity, were analysed in two separate databases. The 10th cohort of the Youth Cohort Study provided data on 13,698 students taking GCSEs in 1999 in England and Wales, and their subsequent progression to A level. UCAS provided data for 1,484,650 applicants applying for admission to UK universities and colleges in 2003, 2004 and 2005, of whom 52,557 applied to medical school, and 23,443 were accepted. Results NW students achieve lower grades at GCSE overall, although achievement at the highest grades was similar to that of W students. NW students have higher educational aspirations, being more likely to go on to take A levels, especially in science and particularly chemistry, despite relatively lower achievement at GCSE. As a result, NW students perform less well at A level than W students, and hence NW students applying to university also have lower A-level grades than W students, both generally, and for medical school applicants. NW medical school entrants have lower A level grades than W entrants, with an effect size of about -0.10. Conclusion The effect size for the difference between white and non-white medical school entrants is about B0.10, which would mean that for a typical medical school examination there might be about 5 NW failures for each 4 W failures. However, this effect can only explain a portion of the overall effect size found in undergraduate and postgraduate examinations of about -0.32. PMID:18416818

Is Perceived Discrimination in Pregnancy Prospectively Linked to Postpartum Depression? Exploring the Role of Education.

PubMed

Stepanikova, Irena; Kukla, Lubomir

2017-08-01

Objectives The role of perceived discrimination in postpartum depression is largely unknown. We investigate whether perceived discrimination reported in pregnancy contributes to postpartum depression, and whether its impact varies by education level. Methods Prospective data are a part of European Longitudinal Study of Pregnancy and Childhood, the Czech Republic. Surveys were collected in mid-pregnancy and at 6 months after delivery. Depression was measured using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Generalized linear models were estimated to test the effects of perceived discrimination on postpartum depression. Results Multivariate models revealed that among women with low education, discrimination in pregnancy was prospectively associated with 2.43 times higher odds of postpartum depression (p < .01), after adjusting for antenatal depression, history of earlier depression, and socio-demographic background. In contrast, perceived discrimination was not linked to postpartum depression among women with high education. Conclusions Perceived discrimination is a risk factor for postpartum depression among women with low education. Screening for discrimination and socio-economic disadvantage during pregnancy could benefit women who are at risk for mental health problems.

Professionals’ views on interprofessional stroke team functioning

PubMed Central

Cramm, Jane M; Nieboer, Anna P

2011-01-01

Introduction The quality of integrated stroke care depends on smooth team functioning but professionals may not always work well together. Professionals’ perspectives on the factors that influence stroke team functioning remain largely unexamined. Understanding their experiences is critical to indentifying measures to improve team functioning. The aim of this study was to identify the factors that contributed to the success of interprofessional stroke teams as perceived by team members. Methods We distributed questionnaires to professionals within 34 integrated stroke care teams at various health care facilities in 9 Dutch regions. 558 respondents (response rate: 39%) completed the questionnaire. To account for the hierarchical structure of the study design we fitted a hierarchical random-effects model. The hierarchical structure comprised 558 stroke team members (level 1) nested in 34 teams (level 2). Results Analyses showed that personal development, social well-being, interprofessional education, communication, and role understanding significantly contributed to stroke team functioning. Team-level constructs affecting interprofessional stroke team functioning were communication and role understanding. No significant relationships were found with individual-level personal autonomy and team-level cohesion. Discussion and conclusion Our findings suggest that interventions to improve team members’ social well-being, communication, and role understanding will improve teams’ performance. To further advance interprofessional team functioning, healthcare organizations should pay attention to developing professionals’ interpersonal skills and interprofessional education. PMID:23390409

Screening for oral health literacy in an urban dental clinic

PubMed Central

Atchison, Kathryn A.; Gironda, Melanie W.; Messadi, Diana; Der-Martirosian, Claudia

2013-01-01

Objective Studies show that the average person fails to understand and use health care related materials to their full potential. The goal of this study was to evaluate a health literacy instrument based on the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) that incorporates dental and medical terms into one 84-item Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine and Dentistry (REALM-D) measure and determine its association with patient characteristics of a culturally diverse dental clinic population. Methods An 84-item dental/medical health literacy word list and a 48-item health beliefs and attitudes survey was provided to a sample of 200 adult patients seeking treatment for the first time at an oral diagnosis clinic located in a large urban medical center in Los Angeles, California. Results Of the total sample, 154 participants read all of list 1 correctly, 141 read list 2 correctly, and only 38 read list 3 correctly. Nonwhite participants had significantly lower REALM-D scores at each level of difficulty as well as the total scale score compared to white participants. Participants who reported English as not their main language had significantly lower REALM-D scores. REALM-D scores also varied significantly by level of education among participants where as level of education increased, oral health literacy increased. At a bivariate level, race, education, and English as a main language remain predictive of health literacy in a regression model. An interaction between education and English as a main language was significant. Conclusions The REALM-D is an effective instrument for use by medical and dental clinicians in detecting differences among people of different backgrounds and for whom English was not their primary language. PMID:20545829

Socioeconomic status and bone mineral density in adults by race/ethnicity and gender: the Louisiana osteoporosis study.

PubMed

Du, Y; Zhao, L-J; Xu, Q; Wu, K-H; Deng, H-W

2017-05-01

Low bone mineral density (BMD) and osteoporosis have become a public health problem. We found that non-Hispanic white, black, and Asian adults with extremely low education and personal income are more likely to have lower BMD. This relationship is gender-specific. These findings are valuable to guide bone health interventions. The evidence is limited regarding the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and bone mineral density (BMD) for minority populations in the USA, as well as the relationship between SES and BMD for men. This study explored and examined the relationship between SES and BMD by race/ethnicity and gender. Data (n = 6568) from the Louisiana Osteoporosis Study (LOS) was examined, including data for non-Hispanic whites (n = 4153), non-Hispanic blacks (n = 1907), and non-Hispanic Asians (n = 508). General linear models were used to estimate the relationship of SES and BMD (total hip and lumbar spine) stratified by race/ethnicity and gender. Adjustments were made for physiological and behavioral factors. After adjusting for covariates, men with education levels below high school graduate experienced relatively low hip BMD than their counterparts with college or graduate education (p < 0.05). In addition, women reporting a personal annual income under $20,000 had relatively low hip and spine BMD than their counterparts with higher income level(s) (p < 0.05). Establishing a conclusive positive or negative association between BMD and SES proved to be difficult. However, individuals who are at an extreme SES disadvantage are the most vulnerable to have relatively low BMD in the study population. Efforts to promote bone health may benefit from focusing on men with low education levels and women with low individual income.

Analysis of Six Reviews on the Quality of Instruments for the Evaluation of Interprofessional Education in German-Speaking Countries.

PubMed

Ehlers, Jan P; Kaap-Fröhlich, Sylvia; Mahler, Cornelia; Scherer, Theresa; Huber, Marion

2017-01-01

Background: More and more institutions worldwide and in German-speaking countries are developing and establishing interprofessional seminars in undergraduate education of health professions. In order to evaluate the different didactic approaches and different outcomes regarding the anticipated interprofessional competencies, it is necessary to apply appropriate instruments. Cross-cultural instruments are particularly helpful for international comparability. The Interprofessional Education working group of the German Medical Association (GMA) aims at identifying existing instruments for the evaluation of interprofessional education in order to make recommendations for German-speaking countries. Methods: Systematic literature research was performed on the websites of international interprofessional organisations (CAIPE, EIPEN, AIPEN), as well as in the PubMed and Cinahl databases. Reviews focusing on quantitative instruments to evaluate competencies according to the modified Kirkpatrick competency levels were searched for. Psychometrics, language/country and setting, in which the instrument was applied, were recorded. Results: Six reviews out of 73 literature research hits were included. A large number of instruments were identified; however, their psychometrics and the applied setting were very heterogeneous. The instruments can mainly be assigned to Kirkpatrick levels 1, 2a & 2b. Most instruments have been developed in English but their psychometrics were not always reported rigorously. Only very few instruments are available in German. Conclusion: It is difficult to find appropriate instruments in German. Internationally, there are different approaches and objectives in the measurement and evaluation of interprofessional competencies. The question arises whether it makes sense to translate existing instruments or to go through the lengthy process of developing new ones. The evaluation of interprofessional seminars with quantitative instruments remains mainly on Kirkpatrick levels 1 and 2. Levels 3 and 4 can probably only be assessed with qualitative or mixed methods. German language instruments are necessary.

Analysis of Six Reviews on the Quality of Instruments for the Evaluation of Interprofessional Education in German-Speaking Countries

PubMed Central

Ehlers, Jan P.; Kaap-Fröhlich, Sylvia; Mahler, Cornelia; Scherer, Theresa; Huber, Marion

2017-01-01

Background: More and more institutions worldwide and in German-speaking countries are developing and establishing interprofessional seminars in undergraduate education of health professions. In order to evaluate the different didactic approaches and different outcomes regarding the anticipated interprofessional competencies, it is necessary to apply appropriate instruments. Cross-cultural instruments are particularly helpful for international comparability. The Interprofessional Education working group of the German Medical Association (GMA) aims at identifying existing instruments for the evaluation of interprofessional education in order to make recommendations for German-speaking countries. Methods: Systematic literature research was performed on the websites of international interprofessional organisations (CAIPE, EIPEN, AIPEN), as well as in the PubMed and Cinahl databases. Reviews focusing on quantitative instruments to evaluate competencies according to the modified Kirkpatrick competency levels were searched for. Psychometrics, language/country and setting, in which the instrument was applied, were recorded. Results: Six reviews out of 73 literature research hits were included. A large number of instruments were identified; however, their psychometrics and the applied setting were very heterogeneous. The instruments can mainly be assigned to Kirkpatrick levels 1, 2a & 2b. Most instruments have been developed in English but their psychometrics were not always reported rigorously. Only very few instruments are available in German. Conclusion: It is difficult to find appropriate instruments in German. Internationally, there are different approaches and objectives in the measurement and evaluation of interprofessional competencies. The question arises whether it makes sense to translate existing instruments or to go through the lengthy process of developing new ones. The evaluation of interprofessional seminars with quantitative instruments remains mainly on Kirkpatrick levels 1 and 2. Levels 3 and 4 can probably only be assessed with qualitative or mixed methods. German language instruments are necessary. PMID:28890927

Awareness, attitudes, need and demand on replacement of missing teeth among a group of partially dentate patients attending a University Dental Hospital.

PubMed

Jayasinghe, Rasika Manori; Perera, Janana; Jayasinghe, Vajira; Thilakumara, Indika P; Rasnayaka, Sumudu; Shiraz, Muhammad Hanafi Muhammad; Ranabahu, Indra; Kularatna, Sanjeewa

2017-07-27

Our objective was to assess awareness, attitudes, need and demand on replacement of missing teeth according to edentulous space, age, gender, ethnicity, educational level and socio-economical status of the patient. 76.2% of the study group was opined that the missing teeth should be replaced by prosthetic means. Majority were keen in getting them replaced mainly for the comfort in mastication. Although 77.9 and 32.9% were aware of the removable prostheses and implants respectively, only 25.2% knew about tooth supported bridges as an option of replacement of missing teeth. Participants' awareness on tooth and implant supported prostheses is at a higher level. Participants' opinion on need of regular dental visit was statistically significant when gender, ethnicity and education level were considered. The highest demand for replacement of missing teeth was observed in Kennedy class I and II situations in both upper and lower arches. Demand for fixed prostheses was significantly highest in Kennedy class II in upper and lower arches. In conclusion, although removable prosthodontic options are known to most of the patients, their awareness on tooth and implant supported prostheses is also at a higher level. The highest demand for replacement of missing teeth is by patients with Kennedy class I and II situations whereas Kennedy class II being the category with highest demand for fixed prostheses. We recommend that the location of missing teeth to be considered as a priority when educating patients on the most appropriate prosthetic treatment options. Dentists' involvement in educating patients on prosthetic options needs to be improved.

Ethnic disparities in educational and occupational gradients of estimated cardiovascular disease risk: The Healthy Life in an Urban Setting study

PubMed Central

Perini, Wilco; Agyemang, Charles; Snijder, Marieke B.; Peters, Ron J.G.; Kunst, Anton E.

2017-01-01

Background: European societies are becoming increasingly ethnically diverse. This may have important implications for socio-economic inequalities in health due to the often disadvantaged position of ethnic minority groups in both socio-economic status (SES) and disease, especially cardiovascular disease (CVD). Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the socio-economic gradient of estimated CVD risk differs between ethnic groups. Methods: Using the Healthy Life in an Urban Setting study, we obtained data on SES and CVD risk factors among participants from six ethnic backgrounds residing in Amsterdam. SES was measured using educational level and occupational level. CVD risk was estimated based on the occurrence of CVD risk factors using the Dutch version of the systematic coronary risk evaluation algorithm. Ethnic disparities in socio-economic gradients for estimated CVD risk were determined using the relative index of inequality (RII). Results: Among Dutch-origin men, the RII for estimated CVD risk according to educational level was 6.15% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.35–7.96%), indicating that those at the bottom of the educational hierarchy had a 6.15% higher estimated CVD risk relative than those at the top. Among Dutch-origin women, the RII was 4.49% (CI 2.45–6.52%). The RII was lower among ethnic minority groups, ranging from 0.83% to 3.13% among men and −0.29% to 5.12% among women, indicating weaker associations among these groups. Results were similar based on occupational level. Conclusions: Ethnic background needs to be considered in associations between SES and disease. The predictive value of SES varies between ethnic groups and may be quite poor for some groups. PMID:28699411

The Relationship between Marital and Sexual Satisfaction among Married Women Employees at Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Iran

PubMed Central

Ziaee, Tayebe; Jannati, Yadollah; Mobasheri, Elham; Taghavi, Taraneh; Abdollahi, Habib; Modanloo, Mahnaz; Behnampour, Naser

2014-01-01

Objective: There are various elements affecting the healthy family such as marital satisfaction. Various factors such as sexual satisfaction have an important impact on satisfaction of marital relationship. The present study aimed to determine the association of marital satisfaction with sexual satisfaction among sexually active employee women. Methods: This analytical descriptive study was carried on 140 married women employed at educational and medical centers of Golestan University of Medical Sciences. Questionnaires for data collection included Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire and self-constructed questionnaire (demographic characteristic and sexual satisfaction). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, χ2 and Spearman statistical test. Statistical significant level was set as 0.05. Results: The findings showed that in marital satisfaction scale, the majority of the participants (63.6%) were very satisfied and none of them were very unsatisfied. In sexual satisfaction scale, most of the participants (56.4%) expressed extremely satisfaction rate and only 0.7% were not satisfied with their sexual relationship. Marital satisfaction was significantly associated with sexual satisfaction (p ≤ 0.001). So with the increase of sexual satisfaction, there was an increase in marital satisfaction accordingly. The findings indicated that there was a significant association between sexual satisfaction and age (p = 0.086). Level of education was associated significantly with the marital satisfaction (p = 0.038). The effects of sexual satisfaction on marital satisfaction were moderated by number of children and the level of education. Conclusion: The findings have implications for improving of couples' marital satisfaction by highlighting the need for awareness of sexual quality. According to the findings, it seems that development of educational programs and pre-marriage counseling is necessary. Continuous education would be helpful after marriage in addressing couples' unique transitional needs in marital life. PMID:25053956

Physical Activity during Work, Transport and Leisure in Germany - Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates

PubMed Central

Wallmann-Sperlich, Birgit; Froboese, Ingo

2014-01-01

Background This study aimed 1) to provide data estimates concerning overall moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) as well as MVPA during work, transport and leisure in Germany and 2) to investigate MVPA and possible associations with socio-demographic correlates. Methods A cross-sectional telephone survey interviewed 2248 representative participants in the age of 18–65 years (1077 men; 42.4±13.4 years; body mass index: 25.3±4.5kg•m−2) regarding their self-reported physical activity across Germany. The Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was applied to investigate MVPA during work, transport and leisure and questions were answered concerning their demographics. MVPA was stratified by gender, age, body mass index, residential setting, educational and income level. To identify socio-demographic correlates of overall MVPA as well as in the domains, we used a series of linear regressions. Results 52.8% of the sample achieved physical activity recommendations (53.7% men/52.1% women). Overall MVPA was highest in the age group 18–29 years (p<.05), in participants with 10 years of education (p<.05) and in participants with lowest income levels <1.500€ (p<.05). Regression analyses revealed that age, education and income were negatively associated with overall and work MVPA. Residential setting and education was positively correlated with transport MVPA, whereas income level was negatively associated with transport MVPA. Education was the only correlate for leisure MVPA with a positive association. Conclusions The present data underlines the importance of a comprehensive view on physical activity engagement according to the different physical activity domains and discloses a need for future physical activity interventions that consider socio-demographic variables, residential setting as well as the physical activity domain in Germany. PMID:25390071

Assessment of Risk Factors in Patients who presented to the Outpatient Clinic for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema

PubMed Central

Can, Aslı Gençay; Ekşioğlu, Emel; Bahtiyarca, Zeynep Tuba; Çakcı, Fatma Aytül

2016-01-01

Objective Lymphedema is one of the most debilitating outcomes of breast cancer treatment. We aimed to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of breast cancer patients with and without lymphedema, to assess risk factors for lymphedema, and to evaluate treatment outcomes in lymphedema patients. Materials and Methods Demographic and clinical characteristics of 84 women with previous surgery for breast cancer who presented to the outpatient clinic between March 2014 and May 2015 were retrospectively extracted from patient records. Results Upper extremity lymphedema was detected in 34 of 84 patients (40.5%). The mean age, body mass index, the number of positive lymph nodes and the number of patients with postoperative radiotherapy were significantly higher among patients with lymphedema than those without (p<0.05). Educational level of patients with lymphedema was significantly lower than the other group (p<0.05). The correlation analysis revealed an association between age, educational level, body mass index, tumor stage, number of positive lymph nodes, postoperative radiotherapy and presence of lymphedema. Postoperative radiotherapy was detected as the only independent risk factor by logistic regression analysis. Fourteen out of 26 lymphedema patients were assigned to education, skin care, exercise and compression bandaging therapy. Upper extremity volumes and volume differences were significantly improved after treatment. Conclusion Advanced age, low educational level, obesity, tumor size, the number of positive lymph nodes and postoperative radiotherapy correlated with the development of lymphedema. Within these factors, postoperative radiotherapy was detected as an independent risk factor for the development of lymphedema. Patient education, skin care, exercise and compression bandage therapy are effective treatment options in breast cancer-related lymphedema. PMID:28331728

HIV/AIDS Related Stigma and Discrimination against PLWHA in Nigerian Population

PubMed Central

Bulgiba, Awang; Oche, Oche Mansur; Adekunjo, Felix Oluyemi

2015-01-01

Background HIV/AIDS remain a major public health concern in Nigeria. People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) face not only personal medical problems but also social problems associated with the disease such as stigma and discriminatory attitudes. This study provides an insight into HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination against PLWHA in Nigeria. Methods The data for this study was extracted from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey conducted by the National Population Commission. All men and women aged 15–49 years, permanent residents and visitors of the households were eligible for the interview. Several questionnaires were used in the survey, some covering questions on HIV/AIDS. Results A total of 56 307 men and women aged 15–49 years participated in this national survey. About half of the population in Nigeria have HIV stigma. Younger persons, men, those without formal education and those within poor wealth index are more likely to have stigma towards PLWHA. In addition, married people are more likely to have stigma on PLWHA and are more likely to blame PLWHA for bringing the disease to the community. Also about half of the population discriminates against PLWHA. However, those with higher levels of education and those from higher wealth index seem to be more compassionate towards PLWHA. About 70% in the population are willing to care for relative with AIDS, even more so among those with higher level of education. Conclusion There is a high level of HIV stigma and discrimination against PLWHA in the Nigerian population. Education seems to play a major role in the society with respect to HIV stigma and discrimination against PLWHA. Educating the population with factual information on HIV/AIDS is needed to reduce stigma and discrimination towards PLWHA in the community. PMID:26658767

Effect of Natural-Feeding Education on Successful Exclusive Breast-Feeding and Breast-Feeding Self-Efficacy of Low-Birth-Weight Infants

PubMed Central

Küçükoğlu, Sibel; Çelebioğlu, Ayda

2014-01-01

Objective: The ideal nourishment for newborns with low birth-weight is breast milk. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of natural-feeding education given to mothers of low-birth-weight infants, on the mothers’ breast-feeding self-efficacy level, breast-feeding success, and the growth of the infants. Methods: The study was conducted in a quasi-experimental way. The study group consisted of a total of 85 low-birth-weight infants and their mothers who had been treated in the neonatal clinics of two hospitals. The mothers included in the test group were given breast-feeding education for half an hour per day, during the first 5 days of their hospitalization. Home visits were carried out at the homes of the participants from both the test and control groups, until the infants reached 6 months of age. For collecting data, the following forms were used: Personal Information Form, Breast-feeding Self-Efficacy Form, LATCH Breast-feeding Assessment Tool, and Anthropometric Measurements Form. For analyzing the collected data, percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and chi-square we used, and, in independent groups, t-tests were employed. Findings : It was determined that natural-feeding education given to the mothers increases their breast-feeding self-efficacy levels and success in breast-feeding (P<0.05). It was found that in the test group, the rate of feeding the infants exclusively with breast milk is higher in comparison with the control group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Results of the study indicate that natural-feeding education increases breast-feeding self-efficacy levels, breast-feeding success, and the breast-feeding duration. PMID:25793045

Association of socioeconomic status measured by education, and cardiovascular health: a population-based cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Janković, Slavenka; Stojisavljević, Dragana; Janković, Janko; Erić, Miloš; Marinković, Jelena

2014-01-01

Objective Cardiovascular health (CVH) is a relatively new concept defined by the American Heart Association (AHA). The aim of the present study was to assess whether the indices of CVH were discriminators of socioeconomic status (SES) in the adult population of the Republic of Srpska (RS). Design Population-based cross-sectional study. Setting RS, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Participants The study involved 4165 adults aged ≥18 years (mean age 50.2; 54% women) who participated in the National Health Survey performed from September to November 2010 in the RS. Study variables Participant's education was a proxy for SES. Potential discriminators of SES were indices of CVH presented according to AHA as: ideal health behaviours index (non-smoking, body mass index <25 kg/m2, physical activity at goal level and healthy diet); ideal health factors index (untreated total cholesterol <200 mg/dL, untreated blood pressure <120/<80 mm Hg, untreated fasting glucose <100 mg/dL and non-smoking); and ideal CVH status (defined as all seven ideal health metrics present) versus intermediate and poor CVH status. Results Participants with high educational levels had a significantly greater number of ideal CVH metrics, and ideal health factor metrics compared with those with low or medium educational level (OR 0.88 95% CI 0.77 to 0.99 and OR 0.88 95% CI 0.80 to 0.96; OR 0.81 95% CI 0.69 to 0.96 and OR 0.77 95% CI 0.68 to 0.87; respectively). The number of ideal behaviour metrics was not a discriminator of educational groups. Concerning the categories of CVH status the poor CVH was a discriminator for low and medium education compared with those with high education (OR 1.93 95% CI 1.24 to 3.01 and OR 1.54 95% CI 1.08 to 2.19, respectively). Conclusions Our findings emphasise the large potential for preventing cardiovascular disease, showing a low proportion with a favourable CVH profile, especially among low-educated people. It is necessary to consider prevention strategies aimed at improving CVH in RS, targeting primarily low educational groups. PMID:25031193

The health sciences librarian in medical education: a vital pathways project task force

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Diane G.; Blobaum, Paul M.; Shipman, Jean P.; Markwell, Linda Garr; Marshall, Joanne Gard

2009-01-01

Objectives: The Medical Education Task Force of the Task Force on Vital Pathways for Hospital Librarians reviewed current and future roles of health sciences librarians in medical education at the graduate and undergraduate levels and worked with national organizations to integrate library services, education, and staff into the requirements for training medical students and residents. Methods: Standards for medical education accreditation programs were studied, and a literature search was conducted on the topic of the role of the health sciences librarian in medical education. Results: Expectations for library and information services in current standards were documented, and a draft standard prepared. A comprehensive bibliography on the role of the health sciences librarian in medical education was completed, and an analysis of the services provided by health sciences librarians was created. Conclusion: An essential role and responsibility of the health sciences librarian will be to provide the health care professional with the skills needed to access, manage, and use library and information resources effectively. Validation and recognition of the health sciences librarian's contributions to medical education by accrediting agencies will be critical. The opportunity lies in health sciences librarians embracing the diverse roles that can be served in this vital activity, regardless of accrediting agency mandates. PMID:19851492

Standardization of Clinical Skill Evaluation in Physical/Occupational Therapist Education –Effects of Introduction of an Education System Using OSCE–

PubMed Central

Sakurai, Hiroaki; Kanada, Yoshikiyo; Sugiura, Yoshito; Motoya, Ikuo; Yamada, Masayuki; Tomita, Masao; Naka, Toru; Teranishi, Toshio; Tanabe, Shigeo; Tsujimura, Toru; Okanishi, Tetsuo

2013-01-01

[Purpose] A major issue in physical/occupational therapist education is the improvement of students' clinical techniques. In this study, we introduced an education system using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), and made an attempt at standardization of its evaluation. [Subjects] The subjects were 227 students in the classes of 2008 to 2010 who enrolled at our university between 2004 and 2006, before the introduction of the education system using OSCE, and 221 students in the classes of 2011 to 2013 who enrolled between 2007 and 2009, after the introduction. [Methods] Performances in attitude and skills (performance in clinical training and OSCE) were compared between before and after the introduction of OSCE. OSCE results were compared between before and after clinical trainings at each OSCE Level; and the correlation of between performances in clinical training and OSCE was examined. [Results] Performances in OSCE and clinical training (attitude, skills) were improved by the introduction of the education system using OSCE, but no significant correlation was observed in the relationship between performances in OSCE and clinical training. [Conclusion] Further studies should be conducted aiming at the standardization of clinical skill evaluation in postgraduate education to establish an education system using OSCE. PMID:24259918

The meanings that offer kindergarten to third grade teachers in relation to the scientific education and the professional development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark Mora, Linda

2008-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the meanings science teachers in elementary level (kindergarten to third grade) provided concerning their educational practices and theoretical models of teaching and learning in the scientific education. Was examined the pedagogical value that offered the participants of their professional development while exploring their meanings in relation to the educational task. Likewise, it had the purpose of identifying those characteristics that permeate a professional development program that attends the needs of each participant and promotes the transformation of effective educational practices for the benefits of themselves and of their students. This was a qualitative study with a phenomenological focus in order to obtain the multiple perspectives of the participants about their experiences in the science teaching. The information was compiled using the techniques of the questionnaire, the interview, the reflexive journal, the focal group and field notes of the researcher. Strauss and Corbin's (1998) Grounded theory was used for the analysis of the information compiled. This method facilitated the discovery of the theory that arose from the interconnection among the information, its analysis, and the existing educational theory. Base on the findings, the conclusions and recommendations were presented to public and private educational institutions, to the systems of support of the Department of Education of Puerto Rico and its trainers in order to allow establishment of structures and institutional processes with will promote the professional growth of sciences teachers, and therefore will have the beneficial impact on the academic achievement of the student. Besides, the study serves as a stimulus in favor of future educational research programs. This, in order to promote combined efforts in understanding the educational task of the sciences teacher of Puerto Rico and enabling the elaboration of programs, activities and innovative projects in harmonious of the professional development that needs of the educator to reach a level of effectiveness in the process of teaching.

Education-based health inequalities in 18,000 Norwegian couples: the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT)

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Education-based inequalities in health are well established, but they are usually studied from an individual perspective. However, many individuals are part of a couple. We studied education-based health inequalities from the perspective of couples where indicators of health were measured by subjective health, anxiety and depression. Methods A sample of 35,980 women and men (17,990 couples) was derived from the Norwegian Nord-Trøndelag Health Study 1995–97 (HUNT 2). Educational data and family identification numbers were obtained from Statistics Norway. The dependent variables were subjective health (four-integer scale), anxiety (21-integer scale) and depression (21-integer scale), which were captured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The dependent variables were rescaled from 0 to 100 where 100 was the worst score. Cross-sectional analyses were performed using two-level linear random effect regression models. Results The variance attributable to the couple level was 42% for education, 16% for subjective health, 19% for anxiety and 25% for depression. A one-year increase in education relative to that of one’s partner was associated with an improvement of 0.6 scale points (95% confidence interval = 0.5–0.8) in the subjective health score (within-couple coefficient). A one-year increase in a couple’s average education was associated with an improvement of 1.7 scale points (95% confidence interval = 1.6–1.8) in the subjective health score (between-couple coefficient). There were no education-based differences in the anxiety or depression scores when partners were compared, whereas there were substantial education-based differences between couples in all three outcome measures. Conclusions We found considerable clustering of education and health within couples, which highlighted the importance of the family environment. Our results support previous studies that report the mutual effects of spouses on education-based inequalities in health, suggesting that couples develop their socioeconomic position together. PMID:23157803

A History of Federally-Mandated Assessments in Education: From "A Nation at Risk" (1983) to the Conclusion of No Child Left Behind (2016)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lichter, Jennifer M.

2017-01-01

Legislation leading to the mandating of accountability testing in schools was chronicled between the publication of "A Nation at Risk" (1983) to the conclusion of No Child Left Behind (2016). Involvement in education by the federal government increased throughout the educational legislation during this time period. The Omnibus Trade and…

Social Inequalities in Young Children’s Meal Skipping Behaviors: The Generation R Study

PubMed Central

Wijtzes, Anne I.; Jansen, Wilma; Jaddoe, Vincent W. V.; Franco, Oscar H.; Hofman, Albert; van Lenthe, Frank J.; Raat, Hein

2015-01-01

Background Regular meal consumption is considered an important aspect of a healthy diet. While ample evidence shows social inequalities in breakfast skipping among adolescents, little is known about social inequalities in breakfast skipping and skipping of other meals among young school-aged children. Such information is crucial in targeting interventions aimed to promote a healthy diet in children. Methods We examined data from 4704 ethnically diverse children participating in the Generation R Study, a population-based prospective cohort study in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Information on family socioeconomic position (SEP), ethnic background, and meal skipping behaviors was assessed by parent-reported questionnaire when the child was 6 years old. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the associations of family SEP (educational level, household income, employment status, family composition) and ethnic background with meal skipping behaviors, using high SEP children and native Dutch children as reference groups. Results Meal skipping prevalence ranged from 3% (dinner) to 11% (lunch). The prevalence of meal skipping was higher among low SEP children and ethnic minority children. Maternal educational level was independently associated with breakfast skipping ([low maternal educational level] OR: 2.21; 95% CI: 1.24,3.94). Paternal educational level was independently associated with lunch skipping ([low paternal educational level] OR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.06,2.20) and dinner skipping ([mid-high paternal educational level] OR: 0.39; 95% CI: 0.20,0.76). Household income was independently associated with breakfast skipping ([low income] OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.40,4.22) and dinner skipping ([low income] OR: 2.44; 95% CI: 1.22,4.91). In general, ethnic minority children were more likely to skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner compared with native Dutch children. Adjustment for family SEP attenuated the associations of ethnic minority background with meal skipping behaviors considerably. Conclusion Low SEP children and ethnic minority children are at an increased risk of breakfast, lunch, and dinner skipping compared with high SEP children and native Dutch children, respectively. Given these inequalities, interventions aimed to promote regular meal consumption, breakfast consumption in particular, should target children from low socioeconomic groups and ethnic minority children. More qualitative research to investigate the pathways underlying social inequalities in children’s meal skipping behaviors is warranted. PMID:26225757

Implementing Childhood Obesity Policy in a New Educational Environment: The Cases of Mississippi and Tennessee

PubMed Central

Wright, Paul M.; Dyson, Ben; Vardaman, James M.; Ferry, Hugh

2012-01-01

Objectives. Our purpose was to investigate the processes involved in, and outcomes of, implementing 3 new state-level, school-oriented childhood obesity policies enacted between 2004 and 2007. Methods. We followed policy implementation in 8 high schools in Mississippi and Tennessee. We collected data between 2006 and 2009 from interviews with policymakers, administrators, teachers, and students; observations of school-based activities; and documents. Results. Significant barriers to the effective implementation of obesity-related policies emerged. These most notably include a value system that prioritizes performances in standardized tests over physical education (PE) and a varsity sport system that negatively influences opportunities for PE. These and other factors, such as resource constraints and the overloading of school administrators with new policies, mitigate against the implementation of policies designed to promote improvements in student health through PE. Conclusions. Policies designed to address health and social problems in high-school settings face significant barriers to effective implementation. To have a broad impact, obesity-related policies must be tied to mainstream educational initiatives that both incentivize, and hold accountable, the school-level actors responsible for their implementation. PMID:22420819

Global health competencies according to nursing faculty from Brazilian higher education institutions

PubMed Central

Ventura, Carla Aparecida Arena; Mendes, Isabel Amélia Costa; Wilson, Lynda Law; de Godoy, Simone; Tamí-Maury, Irene; Zárate-Grajales, Rosa; Salas-Segura, Susana

2014-01-01

Objectives to identify the agreement of faculty affiliated with Brazilian higher education institutions about the global health competencies needed for undergraduate nursing students' education and whether these competencies were covered in the curriculum offered at the institution where they were teaching. Method exploratory-descriptive study, involving 222 faculty members who answered the Brazilian version of the "Questionnaire on Core Competencies in Global Health", made available electronically on the website Survey Monkey. Results participants predominantly held a Ph.D. (75.8%), were women (91.9%) and were between 40 and 59 years of age (69.3%). The mean and standard deviation of all competencies questioned ranged between 3.04 (0.61) and 3.88 (0.32), with scores for each competency ranging from 1 "strongly disagree" to 4 "strongly agree". The results demonstrated the respondents' satisfactory level of agreement with the global health competencies. Conclusions the study demonstrated a high mean agreement level of the nursing faculty from Brazilian HEI with the global health competencies in the questionnaire. The curricula of the HEI where they teach partially address some of these. The competencies in the domain "Globalization of health and health care" are the least addressed. PMID:26107823

Drinking water is a significant predictor of Blastocystis infection among rural Malaysian primary schoolchildren.

PubMed

Abdulsalam, Awatif M; Ithoi, Init; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M; Ahmed, Abdulhamid; Surin, Johari; Mak, Joon-Wah

2012-07-01

Blastocystis infection has a worldwide distribution especially among the disadvantaged population and immunocompromised subjects. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence and the association of Blastocystis infection with the socio-economic characteristics among 300 primary schoolchildren, living in rural communities in Lipis and Raub districts of Pahang state, Malaysia. Stool samples were collected and examined for the presence of Blastocystis using direct smear microscopy after in vitro cultivation in Jones' medium. The overall prevalence of Blastocystis infection was found to be as high as 25.7%. The prevalence was significantly higher among children with gastrointestinal symptoms as compared to asymptomatic children (x2 =4.246; P=0.039). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that absence of a piped water supply (OR=3.13; 95% CI=1.78, 5.46; P<0.001) and low levels of mothers' education (OR=3.41; 95% CI=1.62, 7.18; P<0.01) were the significant predictors of Blastocystis infection. In conclusion, Blastocystis is prevalent among rural children and the important factors that determine the infection were the sources of drinking water and mothers' educational level. Interventions with provision of clean water supply and health education especially to mothers are required.

A comparison of problem-based and traditional education on nursing students' critical thinking dispositions.

PubMed

Ozturk, Candan; Muslu, Gonca Karayagiz; Dicle, Aklime

2008-07-01

Determining the critical thinking (CT) levels of students in undergraduate nursing schools is important in terms of establishing the methods of education that should be used. Although there is some evidence that active learning approaches like problem-based learning are effective in developing CT, the findings are inconclusive. This descriptive analytic study compared levels of critical thinking among senior nursing students (N=147) in two educational programs, one of which used a problem-based learning (PBL) model while the other used a traditional model. The California critical thinking disposition inventory (CCTDI) was used as a data collection tool. Comparisons between the groups were made using t-test analysis. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the critical thinking disposition scores of the seniors in the PBL school and those in the school implementing the traditional model. Analysis of sub-scale scores showed significant differences in truth-seeking and open-mindedness. These findings add to the evidence that the active and self-directed nature of PBL encourages students' ability to think critically, be tolerant of the ideas of others and evaluate conflicting information before reaching a conclusion.

Assessing the Key Attributes of Low Utilization of Mammography Screening and Breast-self Exam among African-American Women

PubMed Central

Chowdhury, Rupak; David, Nganwa; Bogale, Asseged; Nandy, Shami; Habtemariam, T.; Tameru, Berhanu

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: African-American (AA) women living in four Black Belt Counties (BBC) of Alabama; consisting of Barbour, Macon, Green and Wilcox are known to have lower mammogram utilization and breast self-exam rates when compared to their white female counterparts. The influence of socioeconomic and demographic factors on these disparities has not been clearly defined so far. Our study was designed to determine whether these observed disparities can be predicted with the socioeconomic and other demographic attributes. METHODS: Health Disparity Questionnaires data (n = 516) for BBC of Alabama was analyzed using a logistic regression model to examine the association of breast cancer screening rates and breast self-exam with income, the level of education, family doctor, type of health insurance, obesity, and age. RESULTS: Income, education, family doctor, age and health insurance were independent predictors for the low utilization rate of mammography and breast self-exam (BSE). CONCLUSION: Improving socioeconomic conditions such as level of education and availability of health care are essential to increase the rates of breast cancer screening test and breast self-exam in the BBC of Alabama. PMID:26958089

Industrial Student Apprenticeship: Understanding Health and Safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simanjuntak, M. V.; Abdullah, A. G.; Puspita, R. H.; Mahdan, D.; Kamaludin, M.

2018-02-01

The level of accident in industry is very high caused by lack of knowledge and awareness of workers toward the health and safety. Health and Safety are efforts to create a comfortable and productive atmosphere to accomplish a purpose or goal as maximum risk in the workplace. Vocational Education students must conduct training on business and industry, prior to that they should have a clear understanding on occupational health and safety. The purpose of this research is to analyze the understanding, preparation, and implementation of work health and safety of the students. Method used is descriptive method and data are collected using instrument, observation and interview. The result of study is conclusion of understanding occupational health and safety of vocational education students.

The feasibility, perceived satisfaction, and value of using synchronous webinars to educate clinical research professionals on reporting adverse events in clinical trials: a report from the Children's Oncology Group.

PubMed

Borgerson, Dawn; Dino, Jennifer

2012-01-01

Clinical research professionals are faced with decreased funding and increased workloads; innovative methods of professional development programs are necessary to accommodate these factors. This study evaluated the feasibility, perceived satisfaction, and value of using webinars to educate clinical research professionals on reporting adverse events commonly experienced in pediatric oncology clinical trials. The setting incorporated synchronous web-based educational technology. Constructivist learning provides the theoretical framework for this study. Participants evaluated the professional development program at 2 time points: (a) at the conclusion and (b) 4 to 6 weeks afterward, using survey method. Synchronous webinars were both economical and effective in educating clinical research professionals across institutional sites. Participants reported exceptionally high levels of satisfaction with the accessibility, scope, quality, and interactivity of the professional development program. The vast majority of participants reported that the education would assist with reporting adverse events in pediatric oncology clinical trials and this perception persisted into clinical practice. Although the results of this study were intended to guide future educational efforts of the Children's Oncology Group, they may also apply to other cooperative groups.

Psychoeducational Characteristics of Children with Hypohidrotic Ectodermal Dysplasia

PubMed Central

Maxim, Rolanda A.; Zinner, Samuel H.; Matsuo, Hisako; Prosser, Theresa M.; Fete, Mary; Leet, Terry L.; Fete, Timothy J.

2012-01-01

Objective. Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) is an X-linked hereditary disorder characterized by hypohidrosis, hypotrichosis, and anomalous dentition. Estimates of up to 50% of affected children having intellectual disability are controversial. Method. In a cross-sectional study, 45 youth with HED (77% males, mean age 9.75 years) and 59 matched unaffected controls (70% males, mean age 9.79 years) were administered the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test and the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, and their parents completed standardized neurodevelopmental and behavioral measures, educational, and health-related information regarding their child, as well as standardized and nonstandardized data regarding socioeconomic information for their family. Results. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in intelligence quotient composite and educational achievement scores, suggesting absence of learning disability in either group. No gender differences within or between groups were found on any performance measures. Among affected youth, parental education level correlated positively with (1) cognitive vocabulary scores and cognitive composite scores; (2) educational achievement for mathematics, reading, and composite scores. Conclusion. Youth affected with HED and unaffected matched peers have similar profiles on standardized measures of cognition, educational achievement, and adaptive functioning although children with HED may be at increased risk for ADHD. PMID:22536143

Will the No Child Left Behind Act Promote Direct Instruction of Science?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hake, Richard

2005-03-01

Education research in physics at the high school and undergraduate level strongly suggests that interactive engagement enhances students' conceptual understanding much more than traditional Direct Science Instruction (DSI). Similar conclusions can be drawn from K-8 science-education research. Nevertheless, DSI predominates in CA because of the DSI- orientation of the CA State Board of Education and Curriculum Commission [1]. Likewise the U.S. Dept. of Education's (USDE's): (a) DSI-orientation as demonstrated by its recent national-education summit showcasing of the research of Klahr and Nigam [2]; and (b) science achievement testing starting in 2007; threatens to promote DSI nationwide. It might be hoped that NRC's expert science education committees will steer the USDE away from promoting DSI, the antithesis of the NRC's own recommendations for inquiry methods. [1] R.R. Hake. ``Direct Science Instruction Suffers a Setback in California - Or Does It?" (2004), <ł http://www.physics.indiana.edu/˜hake/DirInstSetback-041104f.pdf>. [2] Klahr, D. & M. Nigam. 2004. ``The equivalence of learning paths in early science instruction: effects of direct instruction and discovery learning" (2004), .

Safety of telephone triage in general practitioner cooperatives: do triage nurses correctly estimate urgency?

PubMed Central

Giesen, Paul; Ferwerda, Rosa; Tijssen, Roelie; Mokkink, Henk; Drijver, Roeland; van den Bosch, Wil; Grol, Richard

2007-01-01

Background In recent years, there has been a growth in the use of triage nurses to decrease general practitioner (GP) workloads and increase the efficiency of telephone triage. The actual safety of decisions made by triage nurses has not yet been assessed. Objectives To investigate whether triage nurses accurately estimate the urgency level of health complaints when using the national telephone guidelines, and to examine the relationship between the performance of triage nurses and their education and training. Method A cross‐sectional, multicentre, observational study employing five mystery (simulated) patients who telephoned triage nurses in four GP cooperatives. The mystery patients played standardised roles. Each role had one of four urgency levels as determined by experts. The triage nurses called were asked to estimate the level of urgency after the contact. This level of urgency was compared with a gold standard. Results Triage nurses estimated the level of urgency of 69% of the 352 contacts correctly and underestimated the level of urgency of 19% of the contacts. The sensitivity and specificity of the urgency estimates provided by the triage nurses were found to be 0.76 and 0.95, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values of the urgency estimates were 0.83 and 0.93, respectively. A significant correlation was found between correct estimation of urgency and specific training on the use of the guidelines. The educational background (primary or secondary care) of the nurses had no significant relationship with the rate of underestimation. Conclusion Telephone triage by triage nurses is efficient but possibly not safe, with potentially severe consequences for the patient. An educational programme for triage nurses is recommended. Also, a direct second safety check of all cases by a specially trained GP telephone doctor is advisable. PMID:17545343

Self-Esteem in Hearing-Impaired Children: The Influence of Communication, Education, and Audiological Characteristics

PubMed Central

Theunissen, Stephanie C. P. M.; Rieffe, Carolien; Netten, Anouk P.; Briaire, Jeroen J.; Soede, Wim; Kouwenberg, Maartje; Frijns, Johan H. M.

2014-01-01

Objective Sufficient self-esteem is extremely important for psychosocial functioning. It is hypothesized that hearing-impaired (HI) children have lower levels of self-esteem, because, among other things, they frequently experience lower language and communication skills. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare HI children's self-esteem across different domains with those of normal hearing (NH) children and to investigate the influence of communication, type of education, and audiological characteristics. Methods This large (N = 252) retrospective, multicenter study consisted of two age- and gender-matched groups: 123 HI children and 129 NH controls (mean age  = 11.8 years). Self-reports were used to measure self-esteem across four domains: perceived social acceptance by peers, perceived parental attention, perceived physical appearance, and global self-esteem. Results HI children experienced lower levels of self-esteem regarding peers and parents than NH controls. Particularly HI children who attended special education for the deaf were at risk, even after correcting for their language development and intelligence. Yet, levels of global self-esteem and self-esteem involving physical appearance in HI children equalled those of NH controls. Furthermore, younger age at implantation and longer duration of having cochlear implants (CIs) were related to higher levels of self-esteem. Conclusion HI children experience lower levels of self-esteem in the social domains. Yet, due to the heterogeneity of the HI population, there is high variability in levels of self-esteem. Discussion Clinicians must always be aware of the risk and protective factors related to self-esteem in order to help individual patients reach their full potential. PMID:24722329

A clinical trial comparing the effect of peer education and orientation program on the anxiety levels of pre-CABG surgery patients.

PubMed

Esmaeili, R; Jannati, Y; Ghafari, R; Charati, J Y; Jelodar, H N

2015-01-01

Background and Objectives: One of the main treatment methods of coronary artery disease is coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The anxiety level in patients undergoing this surgery is relatively very high. Thus, reducing anxiety in these patients is an important step toward wellness. This study aimed to compare the effects of peer education (PE) and orientation program (OP) on the anxiety levels of patients before CABG surgery. Material and Methods: This randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2014 at the Mazandaran Heart Center on three groups of 50 persons each: PE, OP, and control (Cl). The anxiety levels of patients in each group were measured one day and one hour before the surgery. All groups received routine education. In addition, the PE group received PE and the OP group received OP. Two questionnaires were used to collect the demographics and the clinical data; and Spielberg state anxiety questionnaire was used to measure the anxiety level. Data from descriptive statistics, chi-square, ANOVA, ANCOVA, Bonferroni, and Fisher exact test were analyzed in SPSS v20 software. Findings: The mean anxiety score before surgery was not significantly different in the three groups (P=0.955). However, after the intervention at 1 h before surgery, the mean anxiety level in the PE and OP group was lower than in the Cl group (P=0.000). However, the mean anxiety score between PE and OP groups showed no significant difference (P=0.051). Conclusion: Both PE and OP group reduced the anxiety naturally developed in a patient before surgery. Although the influence of the PE group was greater in reducing anxiety, the use of this technique in clinical practices required further studies.

Nurse Level of Education, Quality of Care and Patient Safety in the Medical and Surgical Wards in Malaysian Private Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Rahman, Hamzah Abdul; Jarrar, Mu’taman; Don, Mohammad Sobri

2015-01-01

Background and Objective: Nursing knowledge and skills are required to sustain quality of care and patient safety. The number of nurses with Bachelor degrees in Malaysia is very limited. This study aims to predict the impact of nurse level of education on quality of care and patient safety in the medical and surgical wards in Malaysian private hospitals. Methodology: A cross-sectional survey by questionnaire was conducted. A total of 652 nurses working in the medical and surgical wards in 12 private hospitals participated in the study. Multistage stratified simple random sampling performed to invite nurses working in small size (less than 100 beds), medium size (100-199 beds) and large size (over than 200) hospitals to participate in the study. This allowed nurses from all shifts to participate in this study. Results: Nurses with higher education were not significantly associated with both quality of care and patient safety. However, a total 355 (60.9%) of respondents who participated in this study were working in teaching hospitals. Teaching hospitals offer training for all newly appointed staff. They also provide general orientation programs and training to outline the policies, procedures of the nurses’ roles and responsibilities. This made the variances between the Bachelor and Diploma nurses not significantly associated with the outcomes of care. Conclusions: Nursing educational level was not associated with the outcomes of care in Malaysian private hospitals. However, training programs and the general nursing orientation programs for nurses in Malaysia can help to upgrade the Diploma-level nurses. Training programs can increase their self confidence, knowledge, critical thinking ability and improve their interpersonal skills. So, it can be concluded that better education and training for a medical and surgical wards’ nurses is required for satisfying client expectations and sustaining the outcomes of patient care. PMID:26153190

Undernutrition among adult Bengalees of Dearah, Hooghly District, West Bengal, India: relationship with educational status and food habit.

PubMed

Bose, Kaushik; Bisai, Samiran; Sadhukhan, Sanjay; Mukhopadhyay, Ashish; Bhadra, Mithu

2009-06-01

A cross-sectional study of 1203 adult (> 18 years of age) Bengalees of Dearah, Hooghly District, West Bengal, India, was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of undernutrition and the relationship of educational level and food habit with undernutrition. Height and weight were measured and body mass index (BMI) computed following the standard equation. A BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 was classified as undernutrition or chronic energy deficiency (CED) as per World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. The public health problem of low BMI in this population was classified according to the WHO criteria. Educational status was coded as: no formal education, 1-8 years of schooling and > 8 years of schooling. Food habit was recorded as vegetarian or non-vegetarian. The mean ages of males and females were (39.6 +/- 15.0 years) and (39.6 +/- 15.0 years), respectively. There were significant (p < 0.001) sex differences in mean height and weight; both sexes had a similar BMI. The overall (sex combined) prevalence of undernutrition was 27.7%. The frequency of undernutrition was significantly (p < 0.001) higher among females (31.7%) compared to males (23.6%). According to the WHO classification of low BMI, the prevalence of CED was high (20-39%) indicating a serious situation. There existed a significant (p < 0.001) relationship between the level of formal education and nutritional status. Overall, the frequencies of CED (43.5%) were much higher than overweight (7.0%) among subjects with no formal education. The frequencies of CED and overweight among subjects with 1-8 years of formal education were 25.7% and 9.7%, respectively. Similarly, significantly (p < 0.001) higher rates of CED were found among subjects with no formal education in both sexes (males = 39.5%; females = 45.6%) compared to the presence of overweight (males = 1.8%; females = 9.8%). Sex-combined frequency of undernutrition was significantly (p < 0.001) higher among vegetarians (48.3%) compared with non-vegetarians (25.5%). The respective frequencies of overweight were 1.7% and 12.8%. This significant (p < 0.001) trend existed in both sexes with 46.9% male and 49.3% female vegetarians having CED. The corresponding figures for overweight among vegetarians were 0.0% and 2.9%, respectively. The rates of CED were significantly (p < 0.001) lower among non-vegetarians (males = 21.5%; females = 29.6%). Non-vegetarians had significantly higher rates of overweight in both males (8.7%) and females (16.9%). Multiple regression analysis revealed that both educational status as well as food habit had significant effect on BMI in both sexes. In general, the educational status had a stronger impact (males: t = 6.356, females: t = 5.017) than food habit (males: t = 3.373; females: t = 2.763) on BMI. This significant impact remained even after controlling for the effect of age. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that adult Bengalees of Dearah were under serious nutritional stress indicating a public health problem. In addition, a strong inverse relationship existed between educational level and CED. Moreover, vegetarianism was significantly associated with CED. Urgent public health measures are required, particularly among females, to reduce the high prevalence of CED in this population. Similar studies should be conducted in other parts of West Bengal before any general conclusions can be inferred about the relationship between educational status, food habit and CED in the state.

Impact of Hybrid Delivery of Education on Student Academic Performance and the Student Experience

PubMed Central

Nutter, Douglas A.; Charneski, Lisa; Butko, Peter

2009-01-01

Objectives To compare student academic performance and the student experience in the first-year doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program between the main and newly opened satellite campuses of the University of Maryland. Methods Student performance indicators including graded assessments, course averages, cumulative first-year grade point average (GPA), and introductory pharmacy practice experience (IPPE) evaluations were analyzed retrospectively. Student experience indicators were obtained via an online survey instrument and included involvement in student organizations; time-budgeting practices; and stress levels and their perceived effect on performance. Results Graded assessments, course averages, GPA, and IPPE evaluations were indistinguishable between campuses. Students' time allocation was not different between campuses, except for time spent attending class and watching lecture videos. There was no difference between students' stress levels at each campus. Conclusions The implementation of a satellite campus to expand pharmacy education yielded academic performance and student engagement comparable to those from traditional delivery methods. PMID:19960080

Use of a simplified consent form to facilitate patient understanding of informed consent for laparoscopic cholecystectomy

PubMed Central

Borello, Alessandro; Passera, Roberto; Surace, Alessandra; Marola, Silvia; Buccelli, Claudio; Niola, Massimo; Di Lorenzo, Pierpaolo; Amato, Maurizio; Di Domenico, Lorenza; Solej, Mario; Martino, Valter

2016-01-01

Abstract Background Surgical informed consent forms can be complicated for patients to read and understand. We created a consent form with key information presented in bulleted texts and diagrams combined in a graphical format to facilitate the understanding of information during the verbal consent discussion. Methods This prospective, randomized study involved 70 adult patients awaiting cholecystectomy for gallstones. Consent was obtained after standard verbal explanation using either a graphically formatted (study group, n=33) or a standard text document (control group, n=37). Comprehension was evaluated with a 9-item multiple-choice questionnaire administered before surgery and factors affecting comprehension were analyzed. Results Comparison of questionnaire scores showed no effect of age, sex, time between consent and surgery, or document format on understanding of informed consent. Educational level was the only predictor of comprehension. Conclusions Simplified surgical consent documents meet the goals of health literacy and informed consent. Educational level appears to be a strong predictor of understanding. PMID:28352847

Les structures de l'apprentissage en Roumanie: unite et diversite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Văideanu, George

1982-06-01

This analysis concerns structures of learning at the pre-university level. The concept of `learning' is used in a wide sense, including the assimilation not only of knowledge but also of know-how and attitudes. That is to say, learning has been analysed as intellectual — but also as moral, aesthetic and physical or sports — education. The author comments on the philosophy underlying the Report to the Club of Rome, No Limits to Learning. Three categories of learning structure are examined: formal, nonformal and informal. Other possibilities of grouping the structures are also indicated, including learning for society and learning for oneself. Various modalities of their articulation are presented, a distinction being made between those appropriate to school-level and those for scholarly research. Among the final conclusions and suggestions are two addressed to Unesco: a. an international round-table conference on the desirable evolution of learning; and b. the organisation of a network of experimental schools to present the desirable learning structures to educators, researchers and decision-makers.

An introductory biology lab that uses enzyme histochemistry to teach students about skeletal muscle fiber types.

PubMed

Sweeney, Lauren J; Brodfuehrer, Peter D; Raughley, Beth L

2004-12-01

One important goal of introductory biology laboratory experiences is to engage students directly in all steps in the process of scientific discovery. Even when laboratory experiences are built on principles discussed in the classroom, students often do not adequately apply this background to interpretation of results they obtain in lab. This disconnect has been described at the level of medical education (4), so it should not be surprising that educators have struggled with this same phenomenon at the undergraduate level. We describe a new introductory biology lab that challenges students to make these connections. The lab utilizes enzyme histochemistry and morphological observations to draw conclusions about the composition of functionally different types of muscle fibers present in skeletal muscle. We report that students were not only successful at making these observations on a specific skeletal muscle, the gastrocnemius of the frog Rana pipiens, but that they were able to connect their results to the principles of fiber type differences that exist in skeletal muscles in all vertebrates.

Effects of exercise on knee joints with osteoarthritis: a pilot study of biologic markers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bautch, J. C.; Malone, D. G.; Vailas, A. C.

1997-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of low intensity weight-bearing exercise on osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. METHODS: Synovial fluid keratan sulfate (KS) and hydroxyproline were measured as markers of cartilage degradation. The Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales (AIMS) were used to measure health status, and a visual analog scale for pain assessment was used before and after intervention. An exercise (EX) group (n = 15) received a thrice-weekly 12-week low intensity exercise program and a weekly educational program, and a minimal treatment (Min RX) group (n = 15) received only the education program. RESULTS: Pain levels declined in the EX group, and the Min RX group showed improvement on the AIMS. Synovial fluid was obtained in 11 subjects before and after the intervention. Levels of KS and hydroxyproline did not change. CONCLUSION: Further study of exercise effects should include both clinical and biologic parameters to examine the outcome of exercise as a therapeutic intervention in OA of the knee.

Readability Trends of Online Information by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

PubMed

Wong, Kevin; Levi, Jessica R

2017-01-01

Objective Previous studies have shown that patient education materials published by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation may be too difficult for the average reader to understand. The purpose of this study was to determine if current educational materials show improvements in readability. Study Design Cross-sectional analysis. Setting The Patient Health Information section of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation website. Subjects and Methods All patient education articles were extracted in plain text. Webpage navigation, references, author information, appointment information, acknowledgments, and disclaimers were removed. Follow-up editing was also performed to remove paragraph breaks, colons, semicolons, numbers, percentages, and bullets. Readability grade was calculated with the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease, Gunning-Fog Index, Coleman-Liau Index, Automated Readability Index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook. Intra- and interobserver reliability were assessed. Results A total of 126 articles from 7 topics were analyzed. Readability levels across all 6 tools showed that the difficulty of patient education materials exceeded the abilities of an average American. As compared with previous studies, current educational materials by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation have shown a decrease in difficulty. Intra- and interobserver reliability were both excellent, with intraclass coefficients of 0.99 and 0.96, respectively. Conclusion Improvements in readability is an encouraging finding and one that is consistent with recent trends toward improved health literacy. Nevertheless, online patient educational material is still too difficult for the average reader. Revisions may be necessary for current materials to benefit a larger readership.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Heart Failure Patients With Varying Levels of Health Literacy Receiving Telemedicine and Standardized Education.

PubMed

Yehle, Karen S; Plake, Kimberly S; Nguyen, Patricia; Smith, Diane

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of telemonitoring plus education by home healthcare nurses on health-related quality of life in patients with heart failure who had varying health literacy levels. In this pretest/posttest treatment only study, 35 patients with a diagnosis of heart failure received home healthcare nurse visits, including education and telemonitoring. Heart failure education was provided by nurses at each home healthcare visit for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. All participants completed the Short-Form Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) during the first week of home healthcare services. The MLHFQ was administered again at the completion of the covered home healthcare services period (1-3 visits per week for 10 weeks). Most participants were older adults (mean age 70.91±12.47) and had adequate health literacy (51.4%). Almost half of the participants were NYHA Class III (47.1%). All participants received individual heart failure education, but this did not result in statistically significant improvements in health-related quality-of-life scores. With telemonitoring and home healthcare nurse visits, quality-of-life scores improved by the conclusion of home healthcare services (clinically significant), but the change was not statistically significant. Individuals with marginal and inadequate health literacy ability were able to correctly use the telemonitoring devices.

Patients’ acceptance of corticotomy-assisted orthodontics

PubMed Central

Zawawi, Khalid H

2015-01-01

Objective To study patients’ acceptance of corticotomy-assisted orthodontics as a treatment option. Methods Adult patients seeking orthodontic treatment were asked to complete two sets of questionnaires; the first set included questions about age, sex, and level of education and general questions about orthodontic treatment; and the second set was related to the corticotomy-assisted orthodontics. Before answering the corticotomy questions, a brief description of the clinical procedure was explained and photographs of an actual procedure were shown. Results A total of 150 subjects were approached and 129 (86%) agreed to answer the questionnaires (72 male and 57 female patients). Of these, only 3.1% did hear about corticotomy and 7.8% selected corticotomy instead of extraction. Fear from the surgery (53.2%) was the most frequent reason for not selecting corticotomy followed by fear from pain (36.9%). The acceptance of corticotomy between males and females was similar. No relationship was found between the level of education and prior knowledge of the procedure, P=0.857. Prior knowledge about corticotomy was not a factor in selecting it as a treatment option (P=0.556) to reduce the treatment time (P=0.427). Conclusion The acceptance of corticotomy-assisted orthodontics as a treatment option was low. Fear from the surgery was the main reason for not selecting it. The acceptance of corticotomy-assisted orthodontics was not related to patient’s level of education or sex. PMID:26316719

The preparedness level of final year medical students for an adequate medical approach to emergency cases: computer-based medical education in emergency medicine

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background We aimed to observe the preparedness level of final year medical students in approaching emergencies by computer-based simulation training and evaluate the efficacy of the program. Methods A computer-based prototype simulation program (Lsim), designed by researchers from the medical education and computer science departments, was used to present virtual cases for medical learning. Fifty-four final year medical students from Ondokuz Mayis University School of Medicine attended an education program on June 20, 2012 and were trained with Lsim. Volunteer attendants completed a pre-test and post-test exam at the beginning and end of the course, respectively, on the same day. Results Twenty-nine of the 54 students who attended the course accepted to take the pre-test and post-test exams; 58.6% (n = 17) were female. In 10 emergency medical cases, an average of 3.9 correct medical approaches were performed in the pre-test and an average of 9.6 correct medical approaches were performed in the post-test (t = 17.18, P = 0.006). Conclusions This study’s results showed that the readiness level of students for an adequate medical approach to emergency cases was very low. Computer-based training could help in the adequate approach of students to various emergency cases. PMID:24386919

Subtype Distribution of Blastocystis Isolates in Sebha, Libya

PubMed Central

Abdulsalam, Awatif M.; Ithoi, Init; Al-Mekhlafi, Hesham M.; Al-Mekhlafi, Abdulsalam M.; Ahmed, Abdulhamid; Surin, Johari

2013-01-01

Background Blastocystis is a genetically diverse and a common intestinal parasite of humans with a controversial pathogenic potential. This study was carried out to identify the Blastocystis subtypes and their association with demographic and socioeconomic factors among outpatients living in Sebha city, Libya. Methods/Findings Blastocystis in stool samples were cultured followed by isolation, PCR amplification of a partial SSU rDNA gene, cloning, and sequencing. The DNA sequences of isolated clones showed 98.3% to 100% identity with the reference Blastocystis isolates from the Genbank. Multiple sequence alignment showed polymorphism from one to seven base substitution and/or insertion/deletion in several groups of non-identical nucleotides clones. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three assemblage subtypes (ST) with ST1 as the most prevalent (51.1%) followed by ST2 (24.4%), ST3 (17.8%) and mixed infections of two concurrent subtypes (6.7%). Blastocystis ST1 infection was significantly associated with female (P = 0.009) and low educational level (P = 0.034). ST2 was also significantly associated with low educational level (P= 0.008) and ST3 with diarrhoea (P = 0.008). Conclusion Phylogenetic analysis of Libyan Blastocystis isolates identified three different subtypes; with ST1 being the predominant subtype and its infection was significantly associated with female gender and low educational level. More extensive studies are needed in order to relate each Blastocystis subtype with clinical symptoms and potential transmission sources in this community. PMID:24376805

Lifelong literacy: Some trends and issues in conceptualising and operationalising literacy from a lifelong learning perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanemann, Ulrike

2015-06-01

In a fast-changing and highly inequitable world, lifelong learning is becoming increasingly important, not only as a key organising principle for all forms of education and learning but also as an absolute necessity for everyone. It is particularly important for disadvantaged individuals and groups who have been excluded from or failed to acquire basic competencies through formal schooling. Within a lifelong learning framework, literacy and numeracy are viewed as foundation skills which are the core of basic education and indispensable to full participation in society. This article discusses recent developments in conceptualising literacy as a foundation of lifelong learning. Starting from the evolving notions of adult literacy, the author identifies some current trends, the most important being that literacy is now perceived as a learning continuum of different proficiency levels. Dichotomous states of being either "literate" or "illiterate" no longer apply. She analyses (1) findings extracted from UNESCO Member States' national reports submitted to the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) for the 2nd Global Report on Adult Learning and Education; (2) a desk study of national literacy campaigns and programmes as well as (3) some recent developments in formal education. Her suggested three-dimensional analytical framework considers literacy as a lifelong and life-wide learning process and as part of lifelong learning systems. She draws a number of conclusions for policy and practice of literacy as a foundation of lifelong learning. These conclusions are a timely contribution to the ongoing post-2015 education debate, in particular to the challenge of how to mainstream youth and adult literacy into the implementation of the sustainable development agenda for 2015-2030.

Do conceptualisations of health differ across social strata? A concept mapping study among lay people

PubMed Central

Stronks, Karien; Hoeymans, Nancy; Haverkamp, Beatrijs; den Hertog, Frank R J; van Bon-Martens, Marja J H; Galenkamp, Henrike; Verweij, Marcel; van Oers, Hans A M

2018-01-01

Objectives The legitimacy of policies that aim at tackling socioeconomic inequalities in health can be challenged if they do not reflect the conceptualisations of health that are valued in all strata. Therefore, this study analyses how different socioeconomic groups formulate their own answers regarding: what does health mean to you? Design Concept mapping procedures were performed in three groups that differ in educational level. All procedures followed exactly the same design. Setting Area of the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands. Participants Lay persons with a lower, intermediate and higher educational level (±15/group). Results The concept maps for the three groups consisted of nine, eight and seven clusters each, respectively. Four clusters occurred in all groups: absence of disease/disabilities, health-related behaviours, social life, attitude towards life. The content of some of these differed between groups, for example, behaviours were interpreted as having opportunities to behave healthily in the lower education group, and in terms of their impact on health in the higher education group. Other clusters appeared to be specific for particular groups, such as autonomy (intermediate/higher education group). Finally, ranking ranged from a higher ranking of the positively formulated aspects in the higher education group (eg, lust for life) to that of the negatively formulated aspects in the lower education group (eg, having no chronic disease). Conclusion Our results provide indications to suggest that people in lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to show a conceptualisation of health that refers to (1) the absence of health threats (vs positive aspects), (2) a person within his/her circumstances (vs quality of own body/mind), (3) the value of functional (vs hedonistic) notions and (4) an accepting (vs active) attitude towards life. PMID:29674369

Smoking-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Behaviors, Smoking Cessation Idea and Education Level among Young Adult Male Smokers in Chongqing, China

PubMed Central

Xu, Xianglong; Liu, Lingli; Sharma, Manoj; Zhao, Yong

2015-01-01

Introduction: In 2012 in China, 52.9% of men were reported to smoke while only 2.4% of women smoked. This study explored the smoking-related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) among young adult male smokers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four municipal areas of Chongqing using a questionnaire administered to 536 natives young male smokers aged 18–45 years old. Results: The total score of smoking cognition, the total score of smoking attitude and the total score of positive behavior to quit smoking was significantly different among the three groups by education. Besides, 30.97% of male smokers never seriously thought about quitting smoking. Logistic regression analysis found smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and sociodemographic factors affect having smoking cessation idea. But no statistically significant correlation was observed between smoking cognition and positive behavior to quit smoking in a sample of higher education. No statistically significant correlation was observed between smoking cognition and positive behavior to quit smoking (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.03012, p = 0.6811), and also no statistically significant correlation was observed between smoking cognition and positive behavior to quit smoking (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.08869, p = 0.2364)  in the sample of higher education young adult males Conclusions: Young adult males with higher education have a better knowledge of smoking hazards and a more positive attitude toward smoking, however, this knowledge and attitude do not necessarily translate into health behavioral outcomes such as not smoking. Overall the present findings indicate that no statistically significant correlation between the education level and quitting smoking idea exists among young adult male smokers in China. This survey gives a snapshot of the impact of education on smoking-related KAP among young adults male smokers. PMID:25689992

Process evaluation of the RaDIANT community study: a dialysis facility-level intervention to increase referral for kidney transplantation.

PubMed

Hamoda, Reem E; Gander, Jennifer C; McPherson, Laura J; Arriola, Kimberly J; Cobb, Loren; Pastan, Stephen O; Plantinga, Laura; Browne, Teri; Hartmann, Erica; Mulloy, Laura; Zayas, Carlos; Krisher, Jenna; Patzer, Rachel E

2018-01-15

The Reducing Disparities in Access to kidNey Transplantation Community Study (RaDIANT) was an End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network 6-developed, dialysis facility-level randomized trial testing the effectiveness of a 1-year multicomponent education and quality improvement intervention in increasing referral for kidney transplant evaluation among selected Georgia dialysis facilities. To assess implementation of the RaDIANT intervention, we conducted a process evaluation at the conclusion of the intervention period (January-December 2014). We administered a 20-item survey to the staff involved with transplant education in 67 dialysis facilities randomized to participate in intervention activities. Survey items assessed facility participation in the intervention (fidelity and reach), helpfulness and willingness to continue intervention activities (sustainability), suggestions for improving intervention components (sustainability), and factors that may have influenced participation and study outcomes (context). We defined high fidelity to the intervention as completing 11 or more activities, and high participation in an activity as having at least 75% participation across intervention facilities. Staff from 65 of the 67 dialysis facilities completed the questionnaire, and more than half (50.8%) reported high adherence (fidelity) to RaDIANT intervention requirements. Nearly two-thirds (63.1%) of facilities reported that RaDIANT intervention activities were helpful or very helpful, with 90.8% of facilities willing to continue at least one intervention component beyond the study period. Intervention components with high participation emphasized staff and patient-level education, including in-service staff orientations, patient and family education programs, and patient educational materials. Suggested improvements for intervention activities emphasized addressing financial barriers to transplantation, with financial education materials perceived as most helpful among RaDIANT educational materials. Variation in facility-level fidelity of the RADIANT intervention did not significantly influence the mean difference in proportion of patients referred pre- (2013) and post-intervention (2014). We found high fidelity to the RaDIANT multicomponent intervention at the majority of intervention facilities, with sustainability of select intervention components at intervention facilities and feasibility for dissemination across ESRD Networks. Future modification of the intervention should emphasize financial education regarding kidney transplantation and amend intervention components that facilities perceive as time-intensive or non-sustainable. Clinicaltrials.gov number NCT02092727 . Registered 13 Mar 2014 (retrospectively registered).

The Effect of Self-Care Education on Emotional Intelligence and HbA1c level in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Tavakol Moghadam, Salma; Najafi, Seyed Saeed; Yektatalab, Shahrzad

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in glycemic control in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has not been fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of self-care education on EI and hemoglobin glycosylated (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 48 patients with type 2 DM referred to Shahid Motahari Diabetes Center in 2015 were divided into an intervention and a control group using block randomization. The study data were collected using Bar-On questionnaire and blood testing immediately and two months after the intervention. The educational content was presented to the intervention group through 1-1:30-hour sessions held once a week for 8 continuous weeks. The control group, however, only received the clinic’s routine cares. Results: The results showed a significant difference in the mean level of HbA1c in the intervention group before and two months after the intervention (P=0.003). However, this difference was not significant in the control group. Moreover, the mean of EI was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (P=0.08). Conclusion: Self-care education improved the HbA1c level and EI among the patients with type 2 DM. Therefore, it is recommended that health care providers, specially nurses, should train the diabetic patients for self-care, which can lead to better glycemic control. Trial Registration Number: IRCT201408188505N7 PMID:29344534

Intergenerational education mobility and depressive symptoms in a population of Mexican origin

PubMed Central

Ward, Julia B.; Haan, Mary N.; Garcia, Maria E.; Lee, Anne; To, Tu My

2016-01-01

Purpose Low educational attainment has been associated with depression among Latinos. However, few studies have collected intergenerational data to assess mental health effects of educational mobility across generations. Methods Using data from the Niños Lifestyle and Diabetes Study, we assessed the influence of intergenerational education on depressive symptoms among 603 Mexican-origin individuals. Intergenerational educational mobility was classified: stable-low (low parent/low offspring education), upwardly-mobile (low parent/high offspring education), stable-high (high parent/high offspring education), or downwardly-mobile (high parent/low offspring education). High depressive symptoms were defined as scoring ≥10 on the CESD-10. We examined prevalence ratios (PR) for depressive symptoms with levels of educational mobility. We used general estimating equations with log-binomial models to account for within-family clustering, adjusting for age, sex, and offspring and parent nativity. Results Compared to stable-low participants, the lowest prevalence of CESD-10 score ≥10 occurred in upwardly-mobile (PR=0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.39–0.78) and stable-high (PR=0.62; 95%CI=0.44–0.87) participants. Downwardly-mobile participants were also less likely to have a CESD-10 score ≥10 compared to stable-low participants (PR=0.65; 95%CI=0.38–1.11), although the estimate was not statistically significant. Conclusions Sustained stress from low intergenerational education may adversely affect depression. Latinos with stable-low or downwardly-mobile intergenerational educational attainment may need closer monitoring for depressive symptoms. PMID:27346705

Self-determined motivation towards physical activity in adolescents treated for obesity: an observational study

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Within the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework, the first major study aim was to investigate the SDT tenets in an obese adolescent population by examining the factor structure of the Behavioural Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2) and by investigating associations between physical activity (PA) and motivation in obese adolescents. The second aim was to study differences in motivation according to adolescents' educational level, since lower educated obese adolescent are a sub-risk group for lower PA levels among the obese adolescents. The third aim was to investigate whether attending a residential obesity treatment program could lead to an increase in autonomous motivation towards PA and to see if the treatment effect on motivation was different in low versus high educated youth. Methods For the first study aim, the sample comprised 177 obese adolescents at the start of a 10-month multidisciplinary residential obesity treatment program (BMI = 35.9 ± 6.0 kg/m2, 15.1 ± 1.5 years, 62% girls). A subsample of 65 adolescents (stratified by educational level) were divided into low (n = 34) versus high educated (n = 31) as part of the second and third study aim. Motivation was assessed using the BREQ-2 and PA using the Flemish Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results Exploratory factor analysis showed sufficient validations with the original factor for 17 out of 19 BREQ-2 items. Significant positive correlations were found between PA and the composite score of relative autonomy (r = 0.31, p < 0.001), introjected (r = 0.23, p < 0.01), identified (r = 0.31, p < 0.001) and intrinsic regulation (r = 0.38, p < 0.001). Higher educated adolescents scored higher on the composite score of relative autonomy, introjected, identified and intrinsic regulation at the start of treatment (F = 3.68, p < 0.001). The composite score of relative autonomy, external, identified and intrinsic regulation significantly increased during treatment for all adolescents (F = 6.65, p < 0.001). Introjected regulation significantly increased for lower educated adolescents (F = 25.57, p < 0.001). Conclusions The BREQ-2 can be used in an obese adolescent population. Higher levels of autonomous motivation towards PA were related to higher PA levels. Adolescents had increases in both autonomous and controlled forms of motivation during treatment. Special attention for lower educated adolescents during treatment is needed, as they have a lower autonomous motivation at the start of treatment and an increase in introjected regulation during treatment. PMID:21923955

Individual and community level socioeconomic inequalities in contraceptive use in 10 Newly Independent States: a multilevel cross-sectional analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Introduction Little is known regarding the association between socioeconomic factors and contraceptive use in the Newly Independent States (NIS), countries that have experienced profound changes in reproductive health services during the transition from socialism to a market economy. Methods Using 2005–2006 data from Demographic Health Surveys (Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Moldova) and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan), we examined associations between individual and community socioeconomic status with current modern contraceptive use (MCU) among N = 55,204 women aged 15–49 married or in a union. Individual socioeconomic status was measured using quintiles of wealth index and education level (higher than secondary school, secondary school or less). Community socioeconomic status was measured as the percentage of households in the poorest quintile of the nationals household wealth index (0%, 0–25%, or greater than 25%). We used multilevel logistic regression to estimate associations adjusted for age, number of children, urban/rural, and socioeconomic variables. Results MCU varied by country from 14% (in Azerbaijan) to 62% (in Belarus). Overall, women living in the poorest communities were less likely than those in the richest to use modern contraceptives (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.82, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.76, 0.89). Similarly, there was an increasing odds of MCU with increasing individual-level wealth. Women with a lower level of education also had lower odds of MCU than those with a higher level of education (aOR = .75, 95%CI = 0.71, 0.79). In country-specific analyses, community-level socioeconomic inequalities were apparent in 4 of 10 countries; in contrast, inequalities by individual-level wealth were apparent in 7 countries and by education in 8 countries. All countries in which community-level socioeconomic status was associated with MCU were in Central Asia, whereas at the individual-level inequalities of the largest magnitude were found in the Caucasus. There were no distinct patterns found in Eastern European countries. Conclusions Community-level socioeconomic inequalities in MCU were most pronounced in Central Asian countries, whereas individual-level socioeconomic inequalities in MCU were most pronounced in the Caucasus. It is important to consider multilevel contextual determinants of modern contraceptive use in the development of reproductive health and family planning programs. PMID:23158261

The Facilitators and Barriers to Nurses’ Participation in Continuing Education Programs: A Mixed Method Explanatory Sequential Study

PubMed Central

Shahhosseini, Zohreh; Hamzehgardeshi, Zeinab

2015-01-01

Background: Since several factors affect nurses’ participation in Continuing Education, and that nurses’ Continuing Education affects patients’ and community health status, it is essential to know facilitators and barriers of participation in Continuing Education programs and plan accordingly. This mixed approach study aimed to investigate the facilitators and barriers of nurses’ participation, to explore nurses’ perception of the most common facilitators and barriers. Methods: An explanatory sequential mixed methods design with follow up explanations variant were used, and it involved collecting quantitative data (361 nurses) first and then explaining the quantitative results with in-depth interviews during a qualitative study. Results: The results showed that the mean score of facilitators to nurses’ participation in Continuing Education was significantly higher than the mean score of barriers (61.99±10.85 versus 51.17±12.83; p<0.001, t=12.23). The highest mean score of facilitators of nurses’ participation in Continuing Education was related to “Update my knowledge”. By reviewing the handwritings in qualitative phase, two main levels of updating information and professional skills were extracted as the most common facilitators and lack of support as the most common barrier to nurses’ participation in continuing education program. Conclusion: According to important role Continuing Education on professional skills, nurse managers should facilitate the nurse’ participation in the Continues Education. PMID:25948439

Good teaching is good teaching: A narrative review for effective medical educators.

PubMed

Berman, Anthony C

2015-01-01

Educators have tried for many years to define teaching and effective teachers. More specifically, medical educators have tried to define what characteristics are common to successful teachers in the healthcare arena. The goal of teacher educators has long been to determine what makes an effective teacher so that they could do a better job of preparing future teachers to have a positive impact on the learning of their students. Medical educators have explored what makes some of their colleagues more able than others to facilitate the development of healthcare professionals who can successfully and safely meet the needs of future patients. Although there has historically been disagreement regarding the characteristics that need be developed in order for teachers to be effective, educational theorists have consistently agreed that becoming an effective teacher is a complex task. Such discussions have been central to deciding what education at any level is really all about. By exploring the literature and reflecting upon the personal experiences encountered in his lengthy career as a teacher, and as a teacher of teachers, the author reaches the conclusions that teaching is both art and science, that "good teaching is good teaching" regardless of the learning environment or the subject to be explored, and that the characteristics making up an effective medical educator are really not much different than those making up effective educators in any other area. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Income-, education- and gender-related inequalities in out-of-pocket health-care payments for 65+ patients - a systematic review

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background In all OECD countries, there is a trend to increasing patients' copayments in order to balance rising overall health-care costs. This systematic review focuses on inequalities concerning the amount of out-of-pocket payments (OOPP) associated with income, education or gender in the Elderly aged 65+. Methods Based on an online search (PubMed), 29 studies providing information on OOPP of 65+ beneficiaries in relation to income, education and gender were reviewed. Results Low-income individuals pay the highest OOPP in relation to their earnings. Prescription drugs account for the biggest share. A lower educational level is associated with higher OOPP for prescription drugs and a higher probability of insufficient insurance protection. Generally, women face higher OOPP due to their lower income and lower labour participation rate, as well as less employer-sponsored health-care. Conclusions While most studies found educational and gender inequalities to be associated with income, there might also be effects induced solely by education; for example, an unhealthy lifestyle leading to higher payments for lower-educated people, or exclusively gender-induced effects, like sex-specific illnesses. Based on the considered studies, an explanation for inequalities in OOPP by these factors remains ambiguous. PMID:20701794

Educational attainment and obesity: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Cohen, Alison K.; Rai, Manisha; Rehkopf, David H.; Abrams, Barbara

2013-01-01

Background Although previous systematic reviews considered the relationship between socioeconomic status and obesity, almost 200 peer-reviewed articles have been published since the last review on that topic, and this paper focuses specifically on education, which has different implications. Methods The authors systematically review the peer-reviewed literature from around the world considering the association between educational attainment and obesity. Databases from public health and medicine, education, psychology, economics, and other social sciences were searched, and articles published in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish were included. Results This paper includes 289 articles that report on 410 populations in 91 countries. The relationship between educational attainment and obesity was modified by both gender and the country's economic development level: an inverse association was more common in studies of higher-income countries and a positive association was more common in lower-income countries, with stronger social patterning among women. Relatively few studies reported on lower-income countries, controlled for a comprehensive set of potential confounding variables, and/or attempted to assess causality through the use of quasi-experimental designs. Conclusions Future research should address these gaps to understand if the relationship between educational attainment and obesity may be causal, thus supporting education policy as a tool for obesity prevention. PMID:23889851

Cognitive Decline in a Colombian Kindred With Autosomal Dominant Alzheimer Disease

PubMed Central

Aguirre-Acevedo, Daniel C.; Lopera, Francisco; Henao, Eliana; Tirado, Victoria; Muñoz, Claudia; Giraldo, Margarita; Bangdiwala, Shrikant I.; Reiman, Eric M.; Tariot, Pierre N.; Langbaum, Jessica B.; Quiroz, Yakeel T.; Jaimes, Fabian

2017-01-01

IMPORTANCE Data from an autosomal dominant Alzheimer disease (ADAD) kindred were used to track the longitudinal trajectory of cognitive decline associated with preclinical ADAD and explore factors that may modify the rate of cognitive decline. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the onset and rate of cognitive decline during preclinical ADAD and the effect of socioeconomic, vascular, and genetic factors on the cognitive decline. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS We performed a retrospective cohort study from January 1, 1995, through June 31, 2012, of individuals from Antioquia, Colombia, who tested positive for the ADAD-associated PSEN1 E280A mutation. Data analysis was performed from August 20, 2014, through November 30, 2015. A mixed-effects model was used to estimate annual rates of change in cognitive test scores and to mark the onset of cognitive decline. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Memory, language, praxis, and total scores from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer Disease test battery. Chronologic age was used as a time scale in the models. We explore the effects of sex; educational level; socioeconomic status; residence area; occupation type; marital status; history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia; tobacco and alcohol use; and APOE ε4 on the rates of cognitive decline. RESULTS A total of 493 carriers met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. A total of 256 carriers had 2 or more assessments. At the time of the initial assessment, participants had a mean (SD) age of 33.4 (11.7) years and a mean (SD) educational level of 7.2 (4.2) years. They were predominantly female (270 [54.8%]), married (293 [59.4%]), and of low socioeconomic status (322 [65.3%]). Word list recall scores provided the earliest indicator of preclinical cognitive decline at 32 years of age, 12 and 17 years before the kindred’s respective median ages at mild cognitive impairment and dementia onset. After the change point, carriers had a statistically significant cognitive decline with a loss of 0.24 (95% CI, −0.26 to −0.22) points per year for the word list recall test and 2.13 (95% CI, −2.29 to −1.96) points per year for total scores. Carriers with high educational levels had an increase of approximately 36% in the rate of cognitive decline after the change point when compared with those with low educational levels (−2.89 vs −2.13 points per year, respectively). Onset of cognitive decline was delayed by 3 years in individuals with higher educational levels compared with those with lower educational levels. Those with higher educational level, middle/high socioeconomic status, history of diabetes and hypertension, and tobacco and alcohol use had a steeper cognitive decline after onset. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Preclinical cognitive decline was evident in PSEN1 E280A mutation carriers 12 years before the onset of clinical impairment. Educational level may be a protective factor against the onset of cognitive impairment. PMID:26902171

Development of Smartphone Educational Application for Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

PubMed Central

Cho, Min Jung; Sim, Jae Lan

2014-01-01

Objectives This study was conducted to develop a smartphone application (app) as an educational learning instrument for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and to assess the users' level of satisfaction. Methods This methodological research involves elicited learning content for CAD patients to develop a learning instrument using the smartphone app. The app was developed according to the steps of Assessment, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation, which is a systematic instructional design model. The levels of satisfaction with the developed smartphone app among 30 outpatients with CAD were assessed via a questionnaire during their visits to a cardiology outpatient department. Results A smartphone app 'Strong Heart' was developed through reviewing the literature associated with education for CAD patients under professional supervision and searching for medical smartphone apps that are already available. The learning contents include six main sections containing essential learning issues in managing CAD and additional information to attract the user's attention, such as patient cases and quizzes. After modification with feedback from experts, the app was finally developed and evaluated by patients who reported that they were satisfied with the usefulness of the app. Conclusions The developed smartphone app is available on both the iPhone App Store and the Android Play Store. Patients with CAD may utilize the app for supporting educational material without limitations of time and space. PMID:24872910

Healthy children's perceptions of medicines: a review.

PubMed

Hämeen-Anttila, Katri; Bush, Patricia J

2008-06-01

Chronically ill children's perceptions of medicines have been widely studied, but healthy children's less often. However, information on healthy children's beliefs and attitudes about medicine use is needed to be able to target health education messages about medicines appropriately. A literature review was performed to determine schoolchildren's attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge about medicines; autonomy in using medicines; expectations of using medicines; and questions about medicines, so as to guide the development of a medicine education curriculum and to inform health care professionals who communicate with children. This study was a review of literature from 17 countries. The review indicated that children of school age tend to view medicines cautiously. Although age is a factor, children have very limited ideas about how medicines work and issues around medicine efficacy are confusing to them. Even young children recognize that medicines may have harmful effects and, children of all ages and cultures studied want to learn more about medicines. Autonomy in medicine use is surprisingly high and disturbing given that knowledge of medicines is poor. Primary conclusions drawn are (1) children of the same age in different cultures appear similar in their attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and desires to learn about medicines; (2) children lack information about medicines, especially in view of their levels of autonomy; and (3) health educators and health care professionals should educate children about rational medicine use, at appropriate cognitive development levels, before the children become independent medicine users.

Global Patterns in Overweight Among Children and Mothers in Less Developed Countries

PubMed Central

Van Hook, Jennifer; Altman, Claire; Balistreri, Kelly S.

2012-01-01

Objective Past research has identified increases in national income and urbanization as key drivers of the global obesity epidemic. This work further identifies educational attainment as an important moderator of these effects. However, this work has tended to assume that children and adults respond in the same way to these factors. Design In this article, we evaluate how the socioeconomic and country-level factors associated with obesity differ between children and their mothers. Setting We analyzed 95 nationally representative health and nutrition surveys conducted between 1990 and 2008 from 33 developing countries. Subjects Our sample includes children aged 2 to 4 (N=253,442) and their mothers (N = 228,655). Results Consistent with prior research, we found that mother’s risk of overweight was positively associated with economic development, urban residence, and maternal education. Additionally, economic development was associated with steeper increases in mothers’ risk of overweight among those with low (versus high) levels of education and among those living in rural (versus urban) areas. However, these associations were far weaker for children. Child overweight was unassociated with maternal education and urban residence, and negatively associated with national income. Conclusions We speculate that the distinctive patterns for children may arise from conditions in low- and middle-income developing countries that increase the risk of child underweight and poor nutrition. PMID:22583613

HOME-BASED SELF-DELIVERED MIRROR THERAPY FOR PHANTOM PAIN: A PILOT STUDY*

PubMed Central

Darnall, Beth D.; Li, Hong

2014-01-01

Objective To test the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of self-delivered home-based mirror therapy for phantom pain. Design Uncontrolled prospective treatment outcome pilot study. Participants Forty community-dwelling adults with unilateral amputation and phantom pain >3 on a 0–10 numeric rating scale enrolled either during a one-time study visit (n = 30) or remotely (n = 10). Methods Participants received an explanation of mirror therapy and were asked to self-treat for 25 min daily. Participants completed and posted back sets of outcomes questionnaires at months 1 and 2 post-treatment. Main outcome was mean phantom pain intensity at post-treatment. Results A significant reduction in mean phantom pain intensity was found at month 1 (n = 31, p = 0.0002) and at month 2 (n = 26, p = 0.002). The overall median percentage reduction at month 2 was 15.4%. Subjects with high education (>16 years) compared with low education (<16 years) (37.5% vs 4.1%) had greater reduction in pain intensity (p = 0.01). Conclusion These findings support the feasibility and efficacy of home-based self-delivered mirror therapy; this low-cost treatment may defray medical costs, therapy visits, and the patient travel burden for people with motivation and a high level of education. More research is needed to determine methods of cost-effective support for people with lower levels of education. PMID:22378591

An exploration of Early Childhood Education students’ knowledge and preparation to facilitate physical activity for preschoolers: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Early childhood educators play an important role in influencing preschoolers’ physical activity levels. The current study sought to explore Early Childhood Education (ECE) students’ physical activity-related knowledge and educational experience during their formal training in Ontario. Methods A total of 1,113 ECE students from 20 Ontario Colleges completed the study survey (online or on paper), which examined students’ physical activity course content; awareness of physical activity guidelines; understanding of health-related benefits of physical activity; self-efficacy to facilitate physical activity for preschoolers; self-reported physical activity levels; as well as physical activity-related resource needs. Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests were used to analyze the quantitative findings. Results Survey results identified that 72.1% of ECE students had not completed any physical activity/physical education specific courses, while only 28.7% were familiar with, and 2.0% accurately reported, the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines for the Early Years. Only 10.5% of ECE students reported personal physical activity behaviors consistent with national recommendations for adults (150 minutes/week). ECE students’ mean overall task self-efficacy to facilitate physical activity was 7.37 (SD = 1.64). Self-efficacy was significantly higher (p < .05) when students had taken one or more courses devoted to physical activity/physical education, as well as when students engaged in sufficient physical activity to meet the national guidelines for adults (p < .05). Conclusions The results indicate that the current ECE college curriculum represents an excellent opportunity to provide future childcare providers with enriched physical activity-related training and support, such as physical activity guidelines, workshops, and new ideas for activities. Emphasizing the health benefits of physical activity for adults might be important in light of ECE students’ low self-reported physical activity levels. PMID:25034415

Maternal age, education level and migration: Socioeconomic determinants for smoking during pregnancy in a field study from Turkey

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Smoking during pregnancy has been associated with socioeconomic determinants and it is recognized as the most important preventable risk factor for an unsuccessful pregnancy outcome. Turkey has national data on the prevalance of smoking during pregnancy; however there is no data on the characteristics of the high-risk population. This is a field study that aims to identify socioeconomic determinants for smoking during pregnancy as well as differentiating the daily and occasional smokers. Method Cross sectional study was conducted among women with 0-5 year old children living in the area served by Primary Health Care Center (PHCC) in Burhaniye, Turkey. Face-to-face interviews were conducted by the researchers during January-March 2008 at the home of the participants with 83.7% response rate (n = 256). The relation of "smoking during pregnacy" and "daily smoking during pregnancy" with the independent variables was determined with χ2 tests. Women's age, educational level, number of previous births, place of origin, migration, partner's educational level, poverty, perceived income, social class were evaluated. Statistical significance was achieved when the p value was less than 0.05. The variables in relation with the dependent variables in the χ2 tests were included in the forward-stepwise logistic analysis. Results Prevalance of smoking during pregnancy was 22.7%. The majority (74.1%) were daily smokers. Young mothers (< 20), low educated women and migrants were at increased risk for smoking during pregnancy. Low education and being a migrant were risk factors for daily consumption (p < 0.05). Conclusions Systematic attention should be paid to socioeconomic determinants in smoking for pregnant women, especially in countries like Turkey with high rates of infant and mother mortality and substantial health inequalities. Young mothers (< 20), low educated women and migrants are important groups to focus on. PMID:20534133

A comparative study of interprofessional education in global health care

PubMed Central

Herath, Chulani; Zhou, Yangfeng; Gan, Yong; Nakandawire, Naomie; Gong, Yanghong; Lu, Zuxun

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners identify interprofessional (IP) collaboration in education and practice as an innovative strategy that plays an important role in mitigating the global health workforce crisis. Evidence on the practice of global health level in interprofessional education (IPE) is scarce and hampered due to the absence of aggregate information. Therefore, this systematic review was conducted to examine the incidences of IPE and summarize the main features about the IPE programs in undergraduate and postgraduate education in developed and developing countries. Methods: The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were searched from their inception to January 31, 2016 for relevant studies regarding the development of IPE worldwide, IPE undergraduate and postgraduate programs, IP interaction in health education, IPE content, clinical placements, and teaching methods. Countries in which a study was conducted were classified as developed and developing countries according to the definition by the United Nations (UN) in 2014. Results: A total of 65 studies from 41 countries met our inclusion criteria, including 45 studies from 25 developed countries and 20 studies from 16 developing countries. Compared with developing countries, developed countries had more IPE initiatives. IPE programs were mostly at the undergraduate level. Overall, the university was the most common academic institution that provided IPE programs. The contents of the curricula were mainly designed to provide IP knowledge, skills, and values that aimed at developing IP competencies. IPE clinical placements were typically based in hospitals, community settings, or both. The didactic and interactive teaching methods varied significantly within and across universities where they conducted IPE programs. Among all health care disciplines, nursing was the discipline that conducted most of the IPE programs. Conclusion: This systematic review illustrated that the IPE programs vary substantially across countries. Many countries, especially the academic institutions are benefiting from the implementation of IPE programs. There is a need to strengthen health education policies at global level aiming at initiating IPE programs in relevant institutions. PMID:28930816

Factors determining access to oral health services among children aged less than 12 years in Peru.

PubMed

Azañedo, Diego; Hernández-Vásquez, Akram; Casas-Bendezú, Mixsi; Gutiérrez, César; Agudelo-Suárez, Andrés A; Cortés, Sandra

2017-01-01

Background: Understanding problems of access to oral health services requires knowledge of factors that determine access. This study aimed to evaluate factors that determine access to oral health services among children aged <12 years in Peru between 2014 and 2015. Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis of 71,614 Peruvian children aged <12 years and their caregivers. Data were obtained from the Survey on Demography and Family Health 2014-2015 (Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar - ENDES). Children's access to oral health services within the previous 6 months was used as the dependent variable (i.e. Yes/No), and the Andersen and col model was used to select independent variables. Predisposing (e.g., language spoken by  tutor or guardian, wealth level, caregivers' educational level, area of residence, natural region of residence, age, and sex) and enabling factors (e.g. type of health insurance) were considered. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and multivariate analysis was performed using generalized linear models (Poisson family). Results: Of all the children, 51% were males, 56% were aged <5 years, and 62.6% lived in urban areas. The most common type of health insurance was Integral Health Insurance (57.8%), and most respondents were in the first quintile of wealth (31.6%). Regarding caregivers, the most common educational level was high school (43.02%) and the most frequently spoken language was Spanish (88.4%). Univariate analysis revealed that all variables, except sex and primary educational level, were statistically significant. After adjustment, sex, area of residence, and language were insignificant, whereas the remaining variables were statistically significant. Conclusions: Wealth index, caregivers' education level, natural region of residence, age, and type of health insurance are factors that determine access to oral health services among children aged <12 years in Peru. These factors should be considered when devising strategies to mitigate against inequities in access to oral health services.

Factors determining access to oral health services among children aged less than 12 years in Peru

PubMed Central

Azañedo, Diego; Hernández-Vásquez, Akram; Casas-Bendezú, Mixsi; Gutiérrez, César; Agudelo-Suárez, Andrés A.; Cortés, Sandra

2017-01-01

Background: Understanding problems of access to oral health services requires knowledge of factors that determine access. This study aimed to evaluate factors that determine access to oral health services among children aged <12 years in Peru between 2014 and 2015. Methods: We performed a secondary data analysis of 71,614 Peruvian children aged <12 years and their caregivers. Data were obtained from the Survey on Demography and Family Health 2014-2015 (Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar - ENDES). Children’s access to oral health services within the previous 6 months was used as the dependent variable (i.e. Yes/No), and the Andersen and col model was used to select independent variables. Predisposing (e.g., language spoken by  tutor or guardian, wealth level, caregivers’ educational level, area of residence, natural region of residence, age, and sex) and enabling factors (e.g. type of health insurance) were considered. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and multivariate analysis was performed using generalized linear models (Poisson family). Results: Of all the children, 51% were males, 56% were aged <5 years, and 62.6% lived in urban areas. The most common type of health insurance was Integral Health Insurance (57.8%), and most respondents were in the first quintile of wealth (31.6%). Regarding caregivers, the most common educational level was high school (43.02%) and the most frequently spoken language was Spanish (88.4%). Univariate analysis revealed that all variables, except sex and primary educational level, were statistically significant. After adjustment, sex, area of residence, and language were insignificant, whereas the remaining variables were statistically significant. Conclusions: Wealth index, caregivers’ education level, natural region of residence, age, and type of health insurance are factors that determine access to oral health services among children aged <12 years in Peru. These factors should be considered when devising strategies to mitigate against inequities in access to oral health services. PMID:29527289

Differing effects of education on cognitive decline in diverse elders with low versus high educational attainment

PubMed Central

Zahodne, Laura B.; Stern, Yaakov; Manly, Jennifer J.

2014-01-01

Objective In light of growing debate over whether and how early-life educational experiences alter late-life cognitive trajectories, this study sought to more thoroughly investigate the relationship between educational attainment and rates of late-life cognitive decline in a racially, ethnically, and educationally diverse population. Method 3,435 older adults in the community-based Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project were administered neuropsychological tests of memory, language, visuospatial function, and processing speed at approximate 24-month intervals for up to 18 years. Second-order latent growth curves estimated direct and indirect (through income) effects of educational attainment on rates of global cognitive decline separately in individuals with low (0-8 years) and high (9-20 years) educational attainment. Results More years of education was associated with higher cognitive level and slower cognitive decline in individuals with low or high educational attainment. The association between having more than 9 years of education and exhibiting slower cognitive decline was fully mediated by income. While additional years of education up to 8 years was also associated with higher income, this did not explain associations between education and cognitive change in the low-education group. Conclusions Early education (i.e., up to 8 years) may promote aspects of development during a sensitive period of childhood that protect against late-life cognitive decline independent of income. In contrast, later education (i.e., beyond 9 years) is associated with higher income, which may influence late-life cognitive health through multiple, non-mutually exclusive pathways. PMID:25222199

Distribution of toenail selenium levels in young adult Caucasians and African Americans in the United States: The CARDIA Trace Element Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xun, Pengcheng; Bujnowski, Deborah; Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC

Background: Data on selenium (Se) levels in American young adults, especially in African Americans, are lacking. Objective: This study presented toenail Se distributions in American young adults of both genders, including both Caucasians and African Americans; and explored potential predictors of toenail Se levels. Data and methods: Data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study among 4252 American young adults, aged 20-32 in 1987 was used to examine toenail Se levels by instrumental neutron-activation analysis. The distribution of Se levels was described and multivariable linear regression was used to examine potential modifiers of toenail Se concentration withinmore » ethnicity-gender subgroups. Results: The geometric mean of toenail Se in this cohort was 0.844 {mu}g/g (95% CI, 0.840-0.849 {mu}g/g) and the median was 0.837 {mu}g/g (95% CI, 0.833-0.844 {mu}g/g). Median levels from lowest to highest quintile were 0.691, 0.774, 0.838, 0.913 and 1.037 {mu}g/g. Se levels varied geographically, and were generally in accordance with its concentrations in local soil. Males, African Americans, current smokers, heavy drinkers and less educated participants were more likely to have low Se levels. Conclusion: This study suggests that toenail Se levels vary geographically depending on soil Se concentrations. In addition to gender, ethnicity and education level, smoking status and alcohol consumption are two important indicators of Se status since they are modifiable lifestyle factors. Findings from this study might aid public health professionals in identifying people at relatively high or low Se levels, so that chronic disease prevention efforts can be directed toward these subgroups. - Research highlights: {yields} Average of toenail Se levels in this cohort was 0.844 {mu}g/g (95% CI, 0.840-0.849 {mu}g/g). {yields} Toenail Se levels vary geographically depending on soil Se concentrations. {yields} Males, African Americans and less educated participants have low Se levels. {yields} Smoking status and alcohol consumption are two important indicators of Se status.« less

Case Studies in Educational Performance Contracting. Part 1. Conclusions and Implications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carpenter, Polly; Hall, George R.

This volume presents conclusions and implications derived from five cities' experience with performance contracting in education: Norfolk, Virginia; Texarkana, Arkansas (with Liberty-Eylau, Texas); Gary, Indiana, Gilroy, California; and Grand Rapids, Michigan. The five case studies cover eight programs in 15 schools. While each study is treated in…

Research priorities in medical education: A national study

PubMed Central

Tootoonchi, Mina; Yamani, Nikoo; Changiz, Tahereh; Yousefy, Alireza

2012-01-01

BACKGROUND: One preliminary step to strengthen medical education research would be determining the research priorities. The aim of this study was to determine the research priorities of medical education in Iran in 2007-2008. METHODS: This descriptive study was carried out in two phases. Phase one was performed in 3 stages and used Delphi technique among academic staffs of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The three stages included a brainstorming workshop for 140 faculty members and educational experts resulting in a list of research priorities, then, in the second and third stages 99 and 76 questionnaires were distributed among faculty members. In the second phase, the final questionnaires were mailed to educational research center managers of universities type I, II and III, and were distributed among 311 academic members and educational experts to rate the items on a numerical scale ranging from 1 to 10. RESULTS: The most important research priorities included faculty members’ development methods, faculty members’ motives, satisfaction and welfare, criteria and procedures of faculty members’ promotion, teaching methods and learning techniques, job descriptions and professional skills of graduates, quality management in education, second language, clinical education, science production in medicine, faculty evaluation and information technology. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the medial education research priorities in national level and in different types of medical universities in Iran. It is recommended that faculty members and research administrators consider the needs and requirements of education and plan the researches in education according to these priorities. PMID:23248661

Determinants of health knowledge and health perceptions from the perspective of health-related education of patients with spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

PubMed

Tederko, Piotr; Krasuski, Tomasz; Krasuski, Marek; Długołęcka, Alicja; Tarnacka, Beata

2017-06-01

Appropriate health knowledge (HK) and health perceptions (HP) of patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) are linked to health-related behaviors, compliance, the involvement of caregivers and efficacy of prophylaxis, and management of secondary conditions. The significance of factors determining the efficacy of educational interventions in patients with SCI is underestimated. This systematic literature review aims at identification of determinants of HK and HP among patients with SCI. We identified 16 papers with quantitative HK and HP measurements conclusive in the identification of HK and HP determinants in individuals with SCI. Better HK and HP correlated with health condition-related variables (traumatic SCI, history of secondary conditions, except depression), body functions and structures (tetraplegia, incomplete deficit), activities (independence in daily living activities, ability of locomotion on a wheelchair, inability to walk), social and vocational participation, environmental factors (access to a computer with Internet connection, living in a big city, being married, healthcare recently received), and personal factors (younger age among adults, living with SCI for a longer time, younger age at SCI onset, higher educational level, internal locus of control). Limitations encountered included high nonresponse rates among the patients enrolled, and use of heterogeneous and nonvalidated tools. The results of these studies do not cover the entire scope of possible interactions and exclusively apply univariate correlations. The paucity and methodological limitations of studies conclusive in the identification of HK and HP determinants in SCI patients and the development of new approaches to information and education warrant more high-quality research on the basis of multivariate analyses.

Construct-level predictive validity of educational attainment and intellectual aptitude tests in medical student selection: meta-regression of six UK longitudinal studies

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Measures used for medical student selection should predict future performance during training. A problem for any selection study is that predictor-outcome correlations are known only in those who have been selected, whereas selectors need to know how measures would predict in the entire pool of applicants. That problem of interpretation can be solved by calculating construct-level predictive validity, an estimate of true predictor-outcome correlation across the range of applicant abilities. Methods Construct-level predictive validities were calculated in six cohort studies of medical student selection and training (student entry, 1972 to 2009) for a range of predictors, including A-levels, General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs)/O-levels, and aptitude tests (AH5 and UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT)). Outcomes included undergraduate basic medical science and finals assessments, as well as postgraduate measures of Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom (MRCP(UK)) performance and entry in the Specialist Register. Construct-level predictive validity was calculated with the method of Hunter, Schmidt and Le (2006), adapted to correct for right-censorship of examination results due to grade inflation. Results Meta-regression analyzed 57 separate predictor-outcome correlations (POCs) and construct-level predictive validities (CLPVs). Mean CLPVs are substantially higher (.450) than mean POCs (.171). Mean CLPVs for first-year examinations, were high for A-levels (.809; CI: .501 to .935), and lower for GCSEs/O-levels (.332; CI: .024 to .583) and UKCAT (mean = .245; CI: .207 to .276). A-levels had higher CLPVs for all undergraduate and postgraduate assessments than did GCSEs/O-levels and intellectual aptitude tests. CLPVs of educational attainment measures decline somewhat during training, but continue to predict postgraduate performance. Intellectual aptitude tests have lower CLPVs than A-levels or GCSEs/O-levels. Conclusions Educational attainment has strong CLPVs for undergraduate and postgraduate performance, accounting for perhaps 65% of true variance in first year performance. Such CLPVs justify the use of educational attainment measure in selection, but also raise a key theoretical question concerning the remaining 35% of variance (and measurement error, range restriction and right-censorship have been taken into account). Just as in astrophysics, ‘dark matter’ and ‘dark energy’ are posited to balance various theoretical equations, so medical student selection must also have its ‘dark variance’, whose nature is not yet properly characterized, but explains a third of the variation in performance during training. Some variance probably relates to factors which are unpredictable at selection, such as illness or other life events, but some is probably also associated with factors such as personality, motivation or study skills. PMID:24229353

Perceived stress and well-being among dental hygiene and dental therapy students.

PubMed

Harris, M; Wilson, J C; Holmes, S; Radford, D R

2017-01-27

Aims To explore dental hygiene and dental therapy students' (DHDTS') perception of stress and well-being during their undergraduate education and establish base-line data for further studies of this group of dental professionals.Subjects and methods A questionnaire was distributed to Years 1, 2 and 3 DHDTS and final year outreach dental students (DS) (as a comparison group), at the University of Portsmouth Dental Academy (UPDA), during summer 2015. Data were collected on students' perception of levels of stress and well-being. Statistical analyses were undertaken using SPSS software. Mann-Whitney U tests with Bonferroni corrections were used and the level for a statistically significant difference was set at p <0.002.Results A response rate of 81% (DHDTS) and 85% (DS) was achieved. Clinical factors and academic work were perceived as stressful for both DHDTS and DS, with no significant difference between the groups. The majority of respondents reported levels of depression, anxiety, and stress to be within the normal range. All students reported high levels of positive well-being, with DHDTS scoring significantly higher than DS in the dimensions of personal growth, purpose in life, self-acceptance and positive relations with others (p <0.002).Conclusions DHDTS and DS identified sources of stress within their undergraduate education, but also perceived themselves as positively-functioning individuals.

Sex-specific role of education on the associations of socioeconomic status indicators with obesity risk: A population-based study in South Korea

PubMed Central

Chung, Woojin; Lim, Seung-ji; Lee, Sunmi

2018-01-01

Background No study of obesity risk for people in developed countries has conducted a multi-dimensional analysis of the association of socioeconomic status with obesity. In this paper, we investigated if education functions as either a confounder or an effect modifier in the association of another socioeconomic status indicator with obesity. Methods This cross-sectional study analyzed data of an adult population sample (10,905 men and 14,580 women) from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010–2014). The study performed multivariate logistic regression analyses for three education levels and four indicators of socioeconomic status (i.e., marital status, residential area, occupation, and income). Results The overall prevalence of obesity was 38.1% in men and 29.1% in women (p < 0.001). In men, while education functioned as an effect modifier in the association between marital status and obesity (p for interaction = 0.006), it functioned as both a confounder (p < 0.001) and an effect modifier (p for interaction < 0.001) in the association between residential area and obesity. In contrast, in women, education functioned as a confounder in the association of residential area with obesity (p = 0.010). However, it functioned as both a confounder (p < 0.001) and an effect modifier (p for interaction = 0.012) in the association between income and obesity. A prediction showed that unlike in women, education was positively associated with obesity risk for some socioeconomic indicator groups in men; for example, in a rural resident group, a higher level of education increased the probability of being obese by 19.7%. Conclusions The present study suggests the need to examine sex-specific studies regarding the role of education on the association between other socioeconomic status indicators and obesity. This should be considered in planning education policies to reduce the risk of obesity. PMID:29298319

Associations of Educational Attainment, Occupation, Social Class and Major Depressive Disorder among Han Chinese Women

PubMed Central

Liu, Feihu; Li, Yajuan; Wang, Junhui; Flint, Jonathan; Gao, Jingfang; Li, Youhui; Tao, Ming; Zhang, Kerang; Wang, Xumei; Gao, Chengge; Yang, Lijun; Li, Kan; Shi, Shenxun; Wang, Gang; Liu, Lanfen; Zhang, Jinbei; Du, Bo; Jiang, Guoqing; Shen, Jianhua; Zhang, Zhen; Liang, Wei; Sun, Jing; Hu, Jian; Liu, Tiebang; Wang, Xueyi; Miao, Guodong; Meng, Huaqing; Li, Yi; Hu, Chunmei; Li, Yi; Huang, Guoping; Li, Gongying; Ha, Baowei; Deng, Hong; Mei, Qiyi; Zhong, Hui; Gao, Shugui; Sang, Hong; Zhang, Yutang; Fang, Xiang; Yu, Fengyu; Yang, Donglin; Liu, Tieqiao; Chen, Yunchun; Hong, Xiaohong; Wu, Wenyuan; Chen, Guibing; Cai, Min; Song, Yan; Pan, Jiyang; Dong, Jicheng; Pan, Runde; Zhang, Wei; Shen, Zhenming; Liu, Zhengrong; Gu, Danhua; Wang, Xiaoping; Liu, Xiaojuan; Zhang, Qiwen; Li, Yihan; Chen, Yiping; Kendler, Kenneth S.

2014-01-01

Background The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) is higher in those with low levels of educational attainment, the unemployed and those with low social status. However the extent to which these factors cause MDD is unclear. Most of the available data comes from studies in developed countries, and these findings may not extrapolate to developing countries. Examining the relationship between MDD and socio economic status in China is likely to add to the debate because of the radical economic and social changes occurring in China over the last 30 years. Principal findings We report results from 3,639 Chinese women with recurrent MDD and 3,800 controls. Highly significant odds ratios (ORs) were observed between MDD and full time employment (OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.25–0.46, logP = 78), social status (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.77–0.87, logP = 13.3) and education attainment (OR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.86–0.90, logP = 6.8). We found a monotonic relationship between increasing age and increasing levels of educational attainment. Those with only primary school education have significantly more episodes of MDD (mean 6.5, P-value = 0.009) and have a clinically more severe disorder, while those with higher educational attainment are likely to manifest more comorbid anxiety disorders. Conclusions In China lower socioeconomic position is associated with increased rates of MDD, as it is elsewhere in the world. Significantly more episodes of MDD occur among those with lower educational attainment (rather than longer episodes of disease), consistent with the hypothesis that the lower socioeconomic position increases the likelihood of developing MDD. The phenomenology of MDD varies according to the degree of educational attainment: higher educational attainment not only appears to protect against MDD but alters its presentation, to a more anxious phenotype. PMID:24497966

Patient-reported disease knowledge and educational needs in Lynch syndrome: findings of an interactive multidisciplinary patient conference

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Patients with Lynch Syndrome, the most common hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, benefit from genetic education and family counseling regarding diagnostic testing and cancer surveillance/prevention recommendations. Although genetic counseling is currently the most common venue where such education and counseling takes place, little is known about the level of disease knowledge and education needs as directly reported by patients and families with Lynch Syndrome. Furthermore, experiences with forums for larger-scale knowledge transfer have been limited in the current literature. Methods We conducted a one-day interactive multidisciplinary patient conference, designed to complement individual genetic counseling for updating disease knowledge, supportive networking and needs assessment among Lynch Syndrome patients and their family members. The patient conference was designed utilizing the conceptual framework of action research. Paired pre- and post-conference surveys were administered to 44 conference participants anonymously to assess patient-reported disease knowledge and education needs. Results A multidisciplinary team of expert providers utilized a variety of educational formats during the one-day conference. Four main focus areas were: genetic testing, surveillance/prevention, living with Lynch Syndrome, and update on research. Thirty-two participants (73%) completed the pre-conference, and 28 (64%) participants completed the post-conference surveys. Nineteen respondents were affected and the remaining were unaffected. The scores of the disease-knowledge items significantly increased from 84% pre- to 92% post-conference (p = 0.012). Patients reported a high level of satisfaction and identified further knowledge needs in nutrition (71%), surveillance/prevention options (71%), support groups (36%), cancer risk assessment (32%), active role in medical care (32%), and research opportunities (5%). Conclusion Our experience with a dedicated patient education conference focused on Lynch Syndrome demonstrated that such an educational format is effective for updating or reinforcing disease knowledge, for identifying patient-reported unmet educational needs, as well as for peer-support. PMID:24499499

The role of education for current, former and never-smoking among non-western immigrants in Norway. Does the pattern fit the model of the cigarette epidemic?

PubMed Central

Vedøy, Tord Finne

2012-01-01

Objectives. The aim was (1) to investigate the association between education and smoking status (current, former and never-smoking) among non-western immigrants in Norway and (2) examine if these associations fit the pattern predicted by the model of the cigarette epidemic. Design. Data came from the Oslo Health Study and the Oslo Immigrant Health study (2000–2002). The first included all Oslo citizens from seven selected birth cohorts. The second included all Oslo citizens born in Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. 14,768 respondents answered questions on smoking, education and relevant background variables (over-all response rate 43.3%). Two gender specific multinomial logistic regression models with smoking status [current, former or never-smoker (reference)] as dependent variable were computed and predicted probabilities of smoking status among groups with different levels of education were calculated. Results. Smoking prevalence among men ranged from 19% among Sri Lankans to 56% among Turks. Compared to the smoking prevalence among Norwegian men (27%), smoking was widespread among Iranians (42%) and Vietnamese (36%). Higher education was associated with lower probability of current smoking among all male immigrant groups except Sri Lankans. Never having smoked was positively associated with education among Pakistani and Norwegian men. Among women, < 5% smoked among Pakistanis, Vietnamese and Sri Lankans. Smoking prevalence among Turkish (28%) and Iranian (23%) women were comparable to Norwegian women (30%). The probability of smoking among Turkish and Iranian women with secondary education was higher than for other levels of education. The probability of being a never-smoker was high among Turkish and Iranian women with primary education. Conclusions. High smoking prevalence among Turkish and Iranian men highlights the importance of addressing smoking behaviour in subgroups of the general population. Smoking was almost non-existent among Pakistani, Vietnamese and Sri Lankan women and indicates strong persistent social norms against smoking. PMID:22762415

Lifestyle, dietary factors and antibody levels to oral bacteria in cancer-free participants of a European cohort study

PubMed Central

Michaud, Dominique S.; Izard, Jacques; Rubin, Zachary; Johansson, Ingegerd; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Tjønneland, Anne; Olsen, Anja; Overvad, Kim; Boutron-Ruault, Marie Christine; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise; Dossus, Laure; Kaaks, Rudolf; Katzke, Verena A.; Boeing, Heiner; Foerster, Jana; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Naska, Androniki; Ziara, Giana; Vineis, Paolo; Grioni, Sara; Palli, Domenico; Tumino, Rosario; Mattiello, Amalia; Peeters, Petra HM; Siersema, Peter D.; Barricarte, Aurelio; Huerta, José-María; Molina-Montes, Esther; Dorronsoro, Miren; Quirós, J. Ramón; Duell, Eric J.; Ohlsson, Bodil; Jeppsson, Bengt; Johansson, Anders; Lif, Pernilla; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Wareham, Nick; Travis, Ruth C.; Key, Tim J.; Freisling, Heinz; Duarte-Salles, Talita; Stepien, Magdalena; Riboli, Elio; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas

2013-01-01

Background Increasing evidence suggests that oral microbiota play a pivotal role in chronic diseases, in addition to the well-established role in periodontal disease. Moreover, recent studies suggest that oral bacteria may also be involved in carcinogenesis; periodontal disease has been linked several cancers. In this study, we examined whether lifestyle factors have an impact on antibody levels to oral bacteria. Methods Data on demographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and medical conditions were obtained at the time of blood sample collection. For the current analysis, we measured antibody levels to 25 oral bacteria in 395 cancer-free individuals using an immunoblot array. Combined total immunglobin G (IgG) levels were obtained by summing concentrations for all oral bacteria measured. Results IgG antibody levels were substantially lower among current and former smokers (1697 and 1677 ng/mL, respectively) than never smokers (1960 ng/mL; p-trend = 0.01), but did not vary by other factors, including BMI, diabetes, physical activity, or by dietary factors, after adjusting for age, sex, education, country and smoking status. The highest levels of total IgG were found among individuals with low education (2419 ng/mL). Conclusions Our findings on smoking are consistent with previous studies and support the notion that smokers have a compromised humoral immune response. Moreover, other major factors known to be associated with inflammatory markers, including obesity, were not associated with antibody levels to a large number of oral bacteria. PMID:23901020

PS2-10: The Potential Use of Area-Based Population Characteristics for Targeted Selection and Balancing of Recruitment into Health Literacy Interventions

PubMed Central

Roblin, Douglas; Calvi, Josephine; Robinson, Brandi; Mazor, Kathleen

2010-01-01

Background and Aims: Individual-level socioeconomic are rarely available for enrollees of health care systems in the US. Research to selectively target participation from, or to balance recruitment across, specific socioeconomic subgroups must rely on other measures. We used of area-based measures from US Census tract records to target participant recruitment by level of formal education and race into a health literacy study. Our objectives were to obtain balanced proportions of participants: with a high school (HS) education or less, and who were African American (AA) or white. Methods: Kaiser Permanente Georgia (KPG) is one of 3 sites participating in an NCI-funded study to develop and evaluate a computer-based assessment of health literacy. At KPG, the goal is to recruit 300 participants from enrollees 25–74 years of age who were geocoded to their US Census tract using residential addresses (N=185,150). Census tracts were linked to US Census SF-3 data to obtain percent AA) residents and percent of adults with a HS education or less in each tract. Approximately 400 participants were randomly selected from each of 9 strata defined by high, moderate, and low tertiles of percent AA residents and, within each tertile of AA, into tertiles of percent of adults with a HS education or less. Results: 189 assessments have been completed among 1,947 invited to date. 58.7% (N=111) of participants were AA; 34.9% (N=66) were white. Self-reported race and formal education of participants paralleled the percent AA residents and percent adults with a HS education or less in the US Census tracts. By race tertiles, 85%, 57%, and 16% of participants were AA compared to 86%, 24%, and 4% of US Census tract residents. By education tertiles, 33%, 19%, and 10% of participants had a HS education or less compared to 56%, 32%, and 22% of US Census tract adults. Conclusions: Initial results indicate this sampling strategy is achieving study goals of recruitment of proportional numbers of AA and white participants and, within race, adequate numbers with a HS education or less. Area-based measures of race and education may facilitate targeted recruitment in the absence of individual-level data.

The U.S. employment effects of military and domestic spending priorities.

PubMed

Pollin, Robert; Garrett-Peltier, Heidi

2009-01-01

This study focuses on the employment effects of military spending versus alternative domestic spending priorities. The authors begin by introducing the basic input-output modeling technique for considering issues such as these in a systematic way. They then present some simple alternative spending scenarios-namely, devoting $1 billion to the military versus the same amount of money spent for five alternatives: tax cuts that produce increased levels of personal consumption; health care; education; mass transit; and construction targeted at home weatherization and infrastructure repair. The first conclusion in assessing such relative employment effects is straightforward: $1 billion spent on personal consumption, health care, education, mass transit, and construction for home weatherization/infrastructure will all create more jobs in the U.S. economy than would the same $1 billion spent on the military. The authors then examine the pay level of jobs created through these alternative spending priorities and assess the overall welfare effects of the alternative employment outcomes. Combining these alternative domestic spending categories in an effective way can also generate a higher level of compensation for working people in the United States and a better average quality ofjobs.

The ambulance services in northern Norway 2004–2008: improved competence, more tasks, better logistics and increased costs

PubMed Central

Elsbak, Trond M.

2010-01-01

Background The ambulance services in northern Norway have undergone significant development during recent years. Aims The objective of this study was to describe these changes in terms of tasks performed, distance driven, resources spent and level of competence in terms of education. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed. The ambulance fleet’s activity during the time period 2004–2008 was analysed. The subject was the ambulance fleet in northern Norway and its crew members. Tasks done, kilometres driven, resources spent per thousand inhabitants and level of competence were the main outcome measures. Results The major findings were almost doubled costs (92%), increasing number of tasks performed (13%) and a stable situation concerning kilometres driven. We also revealed improving competence in terms of education. A 20% absolute increase in crew members having a certificate of competence (fagbrev) was observed. Conclusions Significant economic resources have been invested in the fleet. Improved level of competence and an upgraded coordination system have improved logistics and hopefully treatment outcome. The latter should be further elucidated when the electronic patient record (EPR) system has been implemented. PMID:20606813

The relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement among adolescent in South Korea.

PubMed

Han, Gun-Soo

2018-04-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between physical fitness level and academic achievement in middle school students. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 236 students aged 13-15 from three middle schools in D city, South Korea, were selected using a random sampling method. Academic achievement was measured by students' 2014 fall-semester final exam scores and the level of physical fitness was determined according to the PAPS (Physical Activity Promotion System) score administrated by the Korean Ministry of Education. A Pearson correlation test with SPSS 20.0 was employed. [Results] The Pearson correlation test revealed a significant correlation between physical fitness and academic achievement. Specifically, students with higher levels of physical fitness tend to have higher academic performance. In addition, final exam scores of core subjects (e.g., English, mathematics, and science) were significantly related to the PAPS score. [Conclusion] Results of this study can be used to develop more effective physical education curricula. In addition, the data can also be applied to recreation and sport programs for other populations (e.g., children and adult) as well as existing national physical fitness data in various countries.

What Maryland Adults With Young Children Know and Do About Preventing Dental Caries

PubMed Central

Kleinman, Dushanka V.; Wang, Min Qi

2013-01-01

Objectives. We sought to determine Maryland adults’ knowledge, understanding, opinions, and practices with respect to prevention and early detection of dental caries. Methods. We conducted a statewide random-digit-dialing, computer-assisted telephone survey in 2010 among 770 adults who had a child aged 6 years or younger living in their home. A traditional random-digit sample and a targeted low-income sample were included. Analyses included frequencies, percentages, the χ2 test, and multivariate logistic regression. Results. Respondents’ overall level of knowledge about preventing dental caries was low. Those with higher levels of education were more likely to have correct information regarding prevention and early detection of dental caries. Nearly all respondents (97.9%) reported that they were aware of fluoride, but only 57.8% knew its purpose. More than one third (35.1%) of the respondents were not aware of dental sealants. Those with lower levels of education were significantly less likely to drink tap water, as were their children, and significantly less likely to have had a dental appointment in the preceding past 12 months. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate the need to increase oral health literacy regarding caries prevention and early detection. PMID:23597372

Preliminary evidence for mediation of the association between acculturation and sun-safe behaviors

PubMed Central

Andreeva, Valentina A.; Cockburn, Myles G.; Yaroch, Amy L.; Unger, Jennifer B.; Rueda, Robert; Reynolds, Kim D.

2013-01-01

Objectives To identify and test mediators of the relationship between acculturation and sun-safe behaviors among Latinos in the United States. We hypothesized that the effect of acculturation on use of sunscreen, shade, and sun-protective clothing would be mediated by perceived health status, educational level, access to healthcare, and contact with social networks regarding health matters. Design The 2005 Health Information National Trends Survey, implemented by the National Cancer Institute. Setting Nationwide survey. Participants A probability-based sample of the US civilian, noninstitutionalized adult population, comprising 496 Latino respondents. Main outcome measures Use of sunscreen, shade, and sun-protective clothing when outdoors on sunny days, assessed by self-reports on frequency scales. Results The positive association between acculturation and sunscreen use and the negative association between acculturation and use of sun-protective clothing were mediated by educational level (P<0.05 for both). Perceived health status and contact with social networks regarding health matters were supported as mediators only for sunscreen use (P<0.05). Health care access was not supported as a mediator for any of the outcomes. Conclusions Structural equation models revealed distinct direct and indirect paths between acculturation and each sun-safe practice. Our findings place an emphasis on behavior-specific mediated associations and could inform sun safety programming for Latinos with low and high levels of acculturation. The models support education level, contact with social networks regarding health matters, and perceived health status as mediators primarily for sunscreen use. Future research should test different mediators for use of shade or sun-protective clothing. PMID:21768480

Physical Activity Participation and Constraints Among Athletic Training Students

PubMed Central

Stanek, Justin; Rogers, Katherine; Anderson, Jordan

2015-01-01

Context: Researchers have examined the physical activity (PA) habits of certified athletic trainers; however, none have looked specifically at athletic training students. Objective: To assess PA participation and constraints to participation among athletic training students. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Entry-level athletic training education programs (undergraduate and graduate) across the United States. Patients or Other Participants: Participants were 1125 entry-level athletic training students. Main Outcome Measure(s): Self-reported PA participation, including a calculated PA index based on a typical week. Leisure constraints and demographic data were also collected. Results: Only 22.8% (252/1105) of athletic training students were meeting the American College of Sports Medicine recommendations for PA through moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise. Although 52.3% (580/1105) were meeting the recommendations through vigorous-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise, 60.5% (681/1125) were meeting the recommendations based on the combined total of moderate or vigorous cardiorespiratory exercise. In addition, 57.2% (643/1125) of respondents met the recommendations for resistance exercise. Exercise habits of athletic training students appear to be better than the national average and similar to those of practicing athletic trainers. Students reported structural constraints such as lack of time due to work or studies as the most significant barrier to exercise participation. Conclusions: Athletic training students experienced similar constraints to PA participation as practicing athletic trainers, and these constraints appeared to influence their exercise participation during their entry-level education. Athletic training students may benefit from a greater emphasis on work-life balance during their entry-level education to promote better health and fitness habits. PMID:25689560

Socio-demographic, behavioral, and health correlates of nutrition transition dietary indicators in San Juan, Puerto Rico

PubMed Central

Colón-Ramos, Uriyoán; Pérez-Cardona, Cynthia M.; Monge-Rojas, Rafael

2014-01-01

Objective To identify socio-demographic, behavioral, and health-related correlates of food preferences in Puerto Rico that will help determine Caribbean-region populations vulnerable to nutrition transition. Methods Data from a cross-sectional study of a representative sample of 858 adults residing in the San Juan Metropolitan Area of Puerto Rico were analyzed. Multivariable ordinal logistic regressions were used to model the frequency of consumption of 1) fruits and vegetables, 2) tubers/starchy root vegetables, 3) fried foods, and 4) Western-style fast foods as a function of socio-demographic, behavioral, and health-related characteristics. Results Higher frequency of consumption of fruits and vegetables was associated with being physically active and older and having a medium to high level of education, whereas intake of tubers was associated with being older, having a low income, not using government insurance, and having elevated levels of triglycerides. Frequency of consumption of fast food was associated with younger age, higher income, 12–15 years of formal education, and a higher body mass index (BMI), whereas frequency of consumption of fried food was associated with being younger and male, not being a smoker, and having elevated levels of fasting blood glucose. Conclusions The results indicate a nutrition transition in Puerto Rico with health consequences for the Caribbean region. The characteristics of this nutrition transition seem to be determined by income, education, and age, but may also be dictated by access to various food groups. These results set the stage for needed investigation of environmental and individual-level factors that could shape patterns in food consumption. PMID:24553760

A new level of understanding. Health insurers are developing health literacy initiatives and taking steps to help consumers get clear information.

PubMed

Kantor, Aileen

2006-01-01

Education experts are issuing an important warning to their health care colleagues: Few Americans understand their health care information. That's the conclusion drawn from a National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) survey that assessed the health literacy of 19,000 adults, only to conclude that the nation's health literacy is dangerously low and may even become a health risk for some. The data, which revealed that fewer than one in six adults and only one in three seniors has proficient health literacy--defined as an ability to understand, read, interpret, and then act on health care information--shed new light on health literacy as a significant operational issue for health care, business, and health plan executives.

Age, education, and earnings in the course of Brazilian development: does composition matter?

PubMed Central

de Lima Amaral, Ernesto Friedrich; Potter, Joseph E.; Hamermesh, Daniel S.; Rios-Neto, Eduardo Luiz Goncalves

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND The impacts of shifts in the age distribution of the working-age population have been studied in relation to the effect of the baby boom generation on the earnings of different cohorts in the U.S. However, this topic has received little attention in the context of the countries of Asia and Latin America, which are now experiencing substantial shifts in their age-education distributions. OBJECTIVE In this analysis, we estimate the impact of the changing relative size of the adult male population, classified by age and education groups, on the earnings of employed men living in 502 Brazilian local labor markets during four time periods between 1970 and 2000. METHODS Taking advantage of the huge variation across Brazilian local labor markets and demographic census micro-data, we used fixed effects models to demonstrate that age education group size depresses earnings. RESULTS These effects are more detrimental among age-education groups with higher education, but they are becoming less negative over time. The decrease in the share of workers with the lowest level of education has not led to gains in the earnings of these workers in recent years. CONCLUSIONS These trends might be a consequence of technological shifts and increasing demand for labor with either education or experience. Compositional shifts are influential, which suggests that this approach could prove useful in studying this central problem in economic development. PMID:26146484

The prevalence and consequences of burnout on a group of preclinical dental students

PubMed Central

Atalayin, Cigdem; Balkis, Murat; Tezel, Huseyin; Onal, Banu; Kayrak, Gul

2015-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of burnout among a group of Turkish preclinical dental students, to compare the level of burnout and to determine the consequences in structural equation model. Materials and Methods: Preclinical dental students (n = 329, 50.5% of females and 49.5% of males) aged between 18 and 24 took part in the study. Maslach burnout inventory student version, academic satisfaction scale, and personal information sheet were used to gather data. Pearson correlation analyses, t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. The proposed theoretical model was tested via observed variable path analysis using maximum likelihood parameter estimation with AMOS 7.0. Results: About 22.3% of students had high level of emotional exhaustion, 16.7% of students had high level of cynicism, and 17.9% of students suffered from high level of reduced academic efficacy. While the students attending the first grade reported higher level of reduced academic efficacy, the students in the third grade reported higher level of emotional exhaustion. Academic workload played an important role in the development of burnout. As consequences of burnout, students with high levels of burnout intended to change their current major and did not to plan to continue to postgraduate education. Students with high level of burnout reported less level of academic satisfaction and academic achievement. Conclusions: Creating awareness on the burnout of dental students from the preclinical period may be useful for prevention and more compatible dental education environment. PMID:26430363

Bells Test: Are there differences in performance between adult groups aged 40-59 and 60-75?

PubMed Central

Paiva, Silvio Cesar Escovar; Viapiana, Vanisa Fante; Cardoso, Caroline de Oliveira; Fonseca, Rochele Paz

2017-01-01

Objective To verify whether differences exist between groups of Brazilian adults aged 40-59 and 60-75 in respective performance on the Bells Test, given the dearth of literature investigating the relationship between focused visual attention and the age factor. Methods Eighty-four neurologically healthy adults (half aged 40-59 and half 60-75) with high educational level (40-59 years group: M=17.75 years' education; SD=4.00; 60-75 years group: M=15.85 years education; SD=3.19) were assessed using the Bells Test. Data on accuracy and processing speed were compared between groups by ANCOVA, controlled for the covariates education and frequency of reading and writing habits. Results There were no significant differences between the age groups. Conclusion It is suggested that aging influences sustained and focused attention and speed processing after 75 years of age on visual cancellation paradigms, when executive and attentional changes tend to be more marked. Further studies should investigate healthy older and oldest-old adults, as well as groups with low and intermediate educational backgrounds. In addition, Brazilian clinical populations should also be characterized, particularly those with neurological disorders that might have visual hemineglect. PMID:29213492

Professional equity as reported by biology teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, Claudia B.; Lakes Matyas, Marsha; Butler Kahle, Jane

In 1982, the National Association of Biology Teachers surveyed its membership in order to assess the role and status of women in biology education. Items describing roles, salaries, assignments, professional activities, and sexual bias were included in the survey. This paper compares the responses of male and female biology educators, draws conclusions from the data, and suggests implications for the science education profession. Inequality in several professional areas was revealed. More women than men were single and reported no dependent children. Women exceeded men in both the lower and upper ends of the distribution of years of experience. However, the percentage of men exceeded that of women in most salary brackets beyond $20,000 and more men reported paid consulting opportunities. Men tended to teach at larger institutions and, at all academic levels, more men taught advanced classes. More men than women were involved with research activities. However, neither sex felt that the other one received preferential treatment in regard to salary and promotion. The majority of education administrators as well as science and biology faculties were male. However, the recent influx of women into science education positions may produce important changes. It is recommended that a comparative study be conducted in five years.

The impact of ethnicity, family income, and parental education on children's health and use of health services.

PubMed Central

Flores, G; Bauchner, H; Feinstein, A R; Nguyen, U S

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVES: This study characterized ethnic disparities for children in demographics, health status, and use of services; explored whether ethnic subgroups (Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Mexican) have additional distinctive differences; and determined whether disparities are explained by differences in family income and parental education. METHODS: Bivariate and multivariate analyses of data on 99,268 children from the 1989-91 National Health Interview Surveys were conducted. RESULTS: Native American, Black, and Hispanic children are poorest (35%, 41% below poverty level vs 10% of Whites), least healthy (66%-74% in excellent or very good health vs 85% of Whites), and have the least well educated parents. Compared with Whites, non-White children average fewer doctor visits and are more likely to have excessive intervals between visits. Hispanic subgroup differences in demographics, health, and use of services equal or surpass differences among major ethnic groups. In multivariate analyses, almost all ethnic group disparities persisted after adjustment for family income, parental education, and other relevant covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Major ethnic groups and subgroups of children differ strikingly in demographics, health, and use of services; subgroup differences are easily overlooked; and most disparities persist even after adjustment for family income and parental education. PMID:10394317

Confident but not theoretically grounded – experienced simulation educators’ perceptions of their own professional development

PubMed Central

Allvin, Renée; Berndtzon, Magnus; Carlzon, Liisa; Edelbring, Samuel; Hult, Håkan; Hultin, Magnus; Karlgren, Klas; Masiello, Italo; Södersved Källestedt, Marie-Louise; Tamás, Éva

2017-01-01

Background Medical simulation enables the design of learning activities for competency areas (eg, communication and leadership) identified as crucial for future health care professionals. Simulation educators and medical teachers follow different career paths, and their education backgrounds and teaching contexts may be very different in a simulation setting. Although they have a key role in facilitating learning, information on the continuing professional development (pedagogical development) of simulation educators is not available in the literature. Objectives To explore changes in experienced simulation educators’ perceptions of their own teaching skills, practices, and understanding of teaching over time. Methods A qualitative exploratory study. Fourteen experienced simulation educators participated in individual open-ended interviews focusing on their development as simulation educators. Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic analysis. Results Marked educator development was discerned over time, expressed mainly in an altered way of thinking and acting. Five themes were identified: shifting focus, from following to utilizing a structure, setting goals, application of technology, and alignment with profession. Being confident in the role as an instructor seemed to constitute a foundation for the instructor’s pedagogical development. Conclusion Experienced simulation educators’ pedagogical development was based on self-confidence in the educator role, and not on a deeper theoretical understanding of teaching and learning. This is the first clue to gain increased understanding regarding educational level and possible education needs among simulation educators, and it might generate several lines of research for further studies. PMID:28176931

Social inclusion and career development--transition from upper secondary school to work or post-secondary education among hard of hearing students.

PubMed

Danermark, B; Antonson, S; Lundström, I

2001-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the decision process and to analyse the mechanisms involved in the transition from upper secondary education to post-secondary education or the labour market. Sixteen students with sensorioneural hearing loss were selected. Among these eight of the students continued to university and eight did not. Twenty-five per cent of the students were women and the average age was 28 years. The investigation was conducted about 5 years after graduation from the upper secondary school. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used. The results showed that none of the students came from a family where any or both of the parents had a university or comparable education. The differences in choice between the two groups cannot be explained in terms of social inheritance. Our study indicates that given normal intellectual capacity the level of the hearing loss seems to have no predictive value regarding future educational performance and academic career. The conclusion is that it is of great importance that a hearing impaired pupil with normal intellectual capacity is encouraged and guided to choose an upper secondary educational programme which is orientated towards post-secondary education (instead of a narrow vocational programme). Additional to their hearing impairment and related educational problems, hard of hearing students have much more difficulty than normal hearing peers in coping with changes in intentions and goals regarding their educational career during their upper secondary education.

The gender gap in self-rated health and education in Spain. A multilevel analysis.

PubMed

Pinillos-Franco, Sara; García-Prieto, Carmen

2017-01-01

Women tend to report poorer self-rated health than men. It is also well established that education has a positive effect on health. However, the issue of how the benefits of education on health differ between men and women has not received enough attention and the few existing studies which do focus on the subject do not draw a clear conclusion. Therefore, this study aims to analyse whether the positive influence of educational attainment on health is higher for women and whether education helps to overcome the gender gap in self-rated health. We analyse cross-sectional data from the 2012 European Union statistics on income and living conditions. We use a logit regression model with odds ratios and a multilevel perspective to carry out a study which includes several individual and contextual control variables. We focused our study on the working population in Spain aged between 25 and 65. The final sample considered is composed of 14,120 subjects: 7,653 men and 6,467 women. There is a gender gap in self-rated health only for the less educated. This gap is not statistically significant among more highly educated individuals. Attaining a high level of education has the same positive effect on both women's and men's self-rated health. Although we did not find gender disparities when considering the effect of education on health, we show that women's health is poorer among the less educated, mainly due to labour precariousness and household conditions.

The Impact of Educational Status on the Postoperative Perception of Pain

PubMed Central

Mimigianni, Christina; Raptis, Demetris; Sourtse, Gionous; Sgourakis, George; Karaliotas, Constantine

2015-01-01

Background Postoperative (PO) pain interferes with the recovery and mobilization of the surgical patients. The impact of the educational status has not been studied adequately up to now. Methods This prospective study involved 400 consecutive general surgery patients. Various factors known to be associated with the perception of pain including the educational status were recorded as was the preoperative and postoperative pain and the analgesia requirements for the 1st PO week. Based on the educational status, we classified the patients in 3 groups and we compared these groups for the main outcomes: i.e. PO pain and PO analgesia. Results There were 145 patients of lower education (junior school), 150 patients of high education (high school) and 101 of higher education (university). Patients of lower education were found to experience more pain than patients of higher education in all postoperative days (from the 2nd to the 6th). No difference was identified in the type and quantity of the analgesia used. The subgroup analysis showed that patients with depression and young patients (< 40 years) had the maximum effect. Conclusions The educational status may be a significant predictor of postoperative pain due to various reasons, including the poor understanding of the preoperative information, the level of anxiety and depression caused by that and the suboptimal request and use of analgesia. Younger patients (< 40), and patients with subclinical depression are mostly affected while there is no impact on patients over 60 years old. PMID:26495081

A flexible Bayesian hierarchical model of preterm birth risk among US Hispanic subgroups in relation to maternal nativity and education

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Previous research has documented heterogeneity in the effects of maternal education on adverse birth outcomes by nativity and Hispanic subgroup in the United States. In this article, we considered the risk of preterm birth (PTB) using 9 years of vital statistics birth data from New York City. We employed finer categorizations of exposure than used previously and estimated the risk dose-response across the range of education by nativity and ethnicity. Methods Using Bayesian random effects logistic regression models with restricted quadratic spline terms for years of completed maternal education, we calculated and plotted the estimated posterior probabilities of PTB (gestational age < 37 weeks) for each year of education by ethnic and nativity subgroups adjusted for only maternal age, as well as with more extensive covariate adjustments. We then estimated the posterior risk difference between native and foreign born mothers by ethnicity over the continuous range of education exposures. Results The risk of PTB varied substantially by education, nativity and ethnicity. Native born groups showed higher absolute risk of PTB and declining risk associated with higher levels of education beyond about 10 years, as did foreign-born Puerto Ricans. For most other foreign born groups, however, risk of PTB was flatter across the education range. For Mexicans, Central Americans, Dominicans, South Americans and "Others", the protective effect of foreign birth diminished progressively across the educational range. Only for Puerto Ricans was there no nativity advantage for the foreign born, although small numbers of foreign born Cubans limited precision of estimates for that group. Conclusions Using flexible Bayesian regression models with random effects allowed us to estimate absolute risks without strong modeling assumptions. Risk comparisons for any sub-groups at any exposure level were simple to calculate. Shrinkage of posterior estimates through the use of random effects allowed for finer categorization of exposures without restricting joint effects to follow a fixed parametric scale. Although foreign born Hispanic women with the least education appeared to generally have low risk, this seems likely to be a marker for unmeasured environmental and behavioral factors, rather than a causally protective effect of low education itself. PMID:21504612

Have First-Year Emergency Medicine Residents Achieved Level 1 on Care-Based Milestones?

PubMed Central

Weizberg, Moshe; Bond, Michael C.; Cassara, Michael; Doty, Christopher; Seamon, Jason

2015-01-01

Background Residents in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited emergency medicine (EM) residencies were assessed on 23 educational milestones to capture their progression from medical student level (Level 1) to that of an EM attending physician (Level 5). Level 1 was conceptualized to be at the level of an incoming postgraduate year (PGY)-1 resident; however, this has not been confirmed. Objectives Our primary objective in this study was to assess incoming PGY-1 residents to determine what percentage achieved Level 1 for the 8 emergency department (ED) patient care–based milestones (PC 1–8), as assessed by faculty. Secondary objectives involved assessing what percentage of residents had achieved Level 1 as assessed by themselves, and finally, we calculated the absolute differences between self- and faculty assessments. Methods Incoming PGY-1 residents at 4 EM residencies were assessed by faculty and themselves during their first month of residency. Performance anchors were adapted from ACGME milestones. Results Forty-one residents from 4 programs were included. The percentage of residents who achieved Level 1 for each subcompetency on faculty assessment ranged from 20% to 73%, and on self-assessment from 34% to 92%. The majority did not achieve Level 1 on faculty assessment of milestones PC-2, PC-3, PC-5a, and PC-6, and on self-assessment of PC-3 and PC-5a. Self-assessment was higher than faculty assessment for PC-2, PC-5b, and PC-6. Conclusions Less than 75% of PGY-1 residents achieved Level 1 for ED care-based milestones. The majority did not achieve Level 1 on 4 milestones. Self-assessments were higher than faculty assessments for several milestones. PMID:26692971

Some Adult Educational Elements in Ancient Eastern Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacGregor, Norman

The existence of adult educational elements in acient India, China, Judea, and Arabia is demonstrated in this paper. Hindu and Buddhist adult education is discussed first, followed by Chinese adult education, Jewish adult education, and Islamic adult education. Conclusions of the study on which this paper reports are: (1) the existence of the…

Education moderates the association between supermarket environment and diet

PubMed Central

Vogel, Christina; Ntani, Georgia; Inskip, Hazel; Barker, Mary; Cummins, Steven; Cooper, Cyrus; Moon, Graham; Baird, Janis

2016-01-01

Introduction Supermarkets are a major source of food for many families. Knowledge of how educational attainment affects the relationship between the in-store environments of supermarkets and diet is needed. This study examined the relationship between maternal dietary quality and overall in-store supermarket environment, and assessed the effect modification of educational attainment. Methods Dietary quality z-scores were calculated for 829 mothers with young children using cross-sectional data collected in 2010-2011 from a 20-item food frequency questionnaire. Information about nine in-store factors (variety, price, quality, promotion, shelf placement, store placement, nutrition information, healthier alternatives and single fruit sale) on 12 foods known to discriminate between better and poorer dietary quality were collected from supermarkets and used to create a standardised ‘healthfulness’ z-score for each supermarket where mothers shopped. Results Multi-level unadjusted linear regression analysis completed in 2014-2015 showed that shopping at more healthful supermarkets was associated with better dietary quality (β=0.39 SD/SD; p=0.01; 95%CI: 0.10, 0.68). However, the relationship differed according to level of educational attainment (interaction p=0.006). Among mothers who left school at 16 years of age, those who shopped at less healthful supermarkets had poorer dietary quality (β=0.31 SD/SD; 95%CI: 0.07, 0.55). Among mothers with degrees, those who shopped at less healthful supermarkets had better dietary quality (β=-0.59 SD/SD; 95%CI: −1.19, 0.00). Conclusions Mothers with low educational attainment showed greater susceptibility to less healthful in-store environments than mothers with higher educational attainment who may be protected by greater psychological and financial resources. Policy initiatives to improve supermarket environments may be necessary to address dietary inequalities. PMID:27067035

Socioeconomic inequalities in attitudes towards cancer: an international cancer benchmarking partnership study

PubMed Central

Quaife, Samantha L.; Winstanley, Kelly; Robb, Katie A.; Simon, Alice E.; Ramirez, Amanda J.; Forbes, Lindsay J.L.; Brain, Kate E.; Gavin, Anna

2015-01-01

Socioeconomic status (SES) differences in attitudes towards cancer have been implicated in the differential screening uptake and the timeliness of symptomatic presentation. However, the predominant emphasis of this work has been on cancer fatalism, and many studies focus on specific community subgroups. This study aimed to assess SES differences in positive and negative attitudes towards cancer in UK adults. A population-based sample of UK adults (n=6965, age≥50 years) completed the Awareness and Beliefs about Cancer scale, including six belief items: three positively framed (e.g. ‘Cancer can often be cured’) and three negatively framed (e.g. ‘A cancer diagnosis is a death sentence’). SES was indexed by education. Analyses controlled for sex, ethnicity, marital status, age, self-rated health, and cancer experience. There were few education-level differences for the positive statements, and overall agreement was high (all>90%). In contrast, there were strong differences for negative statements (all Ps<0.001). Among respondents with lower education levels, 57% agreed that ‘treatment is worse than cancer’, 27% that cancer is ‘a death sentence’ and 16% ‘would not want to know if I have cancer’. Among those with university education, the respective proportions were 34, 17 and 6%. Differences were not explained by cancer experience or health status. In conclusion, positive statements about cancer outcomes attract near-universal agreement. However, this optimistic perspective coexists alongside widespread fears about survival and treatment, especially among less-educated groups. Health education campaigns targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged groups might benefit from a focus on reducing negative attitudes, which is not necessarily achieved by promoting positive attitudes. PMID:25734238

The impact of education on risk factors and the occurrence of multimorbidity in the EPIC-Heidelberg cohort

PubMed Central

Nagel, Gabriele; Peter, Richard; Braig, Stefanie; Hermann, Silke; Rohrmann, Sabine; Linseisen, Jakob

2008-01-01

Background In aging populations, the prevalence of multimorbidity is high, and the role of socioeconomic status and its correlates is not well described. Thus, we investigated the association between educational attainment and multimorbidity in a prospective cohort study, taking also into account intermediate factors that could explain such associations. Methods We included 13,781 participants of the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), who were 50–75 years at the end of follow-up. Information on diet and lifestyle was collected at recruitment (1994–1998). During a median follow-up of 8.7 years, information on chronic conditions and death were collected. Results Overall, the prevalence of multimorbidity (>= 2 concurrent chronic diseases) was 67.3%. Compared to the highest educational category, the lowest was statistically significantly associated with increased odds of multimorbidity in men (OR = 1.43; 95% CI 1.28–1.61) and women (OR = 1.33; 95% CI 1.18–1.57). After adjustment, the positive associations were attenuated (men: OR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.12–1.46; women: OR = 1.16; 95% CI 0.99–1.36). Increasing BMI was more strongly than smoking status an intermediate factor in the association between education and multimorbidity. Conclusion In this German population, the prevalence of multimorbidity is high and is significantly associated with educational level. Increasing BMI is the most important predictor of this association. However, even the fully adjusted model, i.e. considering also other known risk factors for chronic diseases, could not entirely explain socio-economic inequalities in multimorbidity. Educational level should be considered in the development and implementation of prevention strategies of multimorbidity. PMID:19014444

Impact of patients' professional and educational status on perception of an antibiotic policy campaign: a pilot study at a university hospital.

PubMed

Giannitsioti, Efthymia; Athanasia, Sofia; Plachouras, Diamantis; Kanellaki, Stavroula; Bobota, Fani; Tzepetzi, Georgia; Giamarellou, Helen

2016-09-01

Antibiotics are overused in many European countries, particularly Greece, leading to emerging antimicrobial resistance with sustained high mortality among hospitalised patients. Limited data are available regarding factors influencing people's knowledge and the impact of public campaigns on antibiotic misuse. Patients' beliefs regarding antibiotics were investigated in the outpatient clinic of a university hospital in Athens, Greece. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to examine patients' opinions on antibiotic use in the waiting room of the outpatient clinic. All participants read an illustrated pocket-sized leaflet endorsed by official authorities on the European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD). Volunteers then completed a questionnaire containing information on demographics, knowledge on antibiotic use and overuse, and remarks on the quality of the leaflet's content. In a logistic regression analysis including age, sex, educational level and professional status of 605 eligible participants, women were more aware [odds ratio (OR)=3.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.8-5.8; P<0.0001] and people with elementary education were less aware (OR=0.4, 95% CI 0.1-0.9; P=0.04) of antimicrobial misuse. Workers were also more aware than retired or unemployed people (P=0.007). However, only 16.0% of participants knew about the EAAD. All participants agreed on antibiotic misuse in Greece, mentioning patient accountability as the main cause (26.8%), an opinion more pronounced in highly educated individuals. In conclusion, targeted interventions taking into account variations in educational level and employee status should be considered in future scheduled educative campaigns on antibiotic overconsumption in highly prescribing antibiotic countries. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Chemotherapy of Infection and Cancer. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intergenerational educational mobility is associated with cardiovascular disease risk behaviours in a cohort of young Australian adults: The Childhood Determinants of Adult Health (CDAH) Study

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Although educational disparity has been linked to single risk behaviours, it has not previously been studied as a predictor of overall lifestyle. We examined if current education, parental education or educational mobility between generations was associated with healthy lifestyles in young Australian adults. Methods In 2004-06, participant and parental education (high [bachelor degree or higher], intermediate [vocational training], low [secondary school only]) were assessed. Educational mobility was defined as: stable high (participant and parent in high group), stable intermediate (participant and parent in intermediate group), stable low (participant and parent in low group), downwardly (lower group than parent) and upwardly (higher group than parent) mobile. We derived a lifestyle score from 10 healthy behaviours (BMI, non-smoking, alcohol consumption, leisure time physical activity and six components of diet). Scores >4 indicated a high healthy lifestyle score. We estimated the likelihood of having a high healthy lifestyle score by education (participant and parent) and educational mobility. Results Complete data were available for 1973 participants (53% female, age range 26 to 36 years). Those with lower education were less likely to have healthy lifestyles. Parental education was not associated with having a high healthy lifestyle score after adjustment for participant's education. Those who moved upward or downward were as likely to have a high healthy lifestyle score as those in the group they attained. Conclusions We found clear disparities in health behaviour by participant education and intergenerational educational mobility. People attaining a higher level of education than their parents appeared protected from developing an unhealthy lifestyle suggesting that population-wide improvements in education may be important for health. PMID:20122282

Re-bordering comparative education in Latin America: Between global limits and local characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acosta, Felicitas; Perez Centeno, Cristian G.

2011-08-01

Conceived for presentation at the XIV WCCES conference in Istanbul in 2010, the topic of which was "Bordering Comparative Education", this paper, within that framework, aims to present the current state of the discipline in Latin America in relation to a quick overview of its present-day situation at a global level. After providing an overview of the current debates on comparative education, with special emphasis on what the authors refer to as motor nuclei (a series of milestones or episodes which have become transdiscursive as the discipline has evolved), as well as pinpointing current challenges in the field, this paper looks into the development of the discipline in Latin America and how it has contributed to the understanding of the region's educational systems. The paper also examines the unique relationship between comparative studies and the field of educational planning in Latin America. The authors then go on to provide a thematic analysis, categorising the papers presented at three conferences held by the Sociedad Argentina de Estudios Comparados en Educación (SAECE, the Argentine Society for Comparative Education Studies) in 2005, 2007 and 2009. The paper closes with several conclusions regarding the current debate on the discipline in the region and its possibilities for the future.

Ability grouping and science education reform: Policy and research base

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynch, Sharon

This article reviews current policy trends concerning the practice of ability grouping in K-12 science education. Relevant statements of key policy-making, policy-influencing organizations such as the NSTA, AAAS, NSF, the National Research Council, the U.S. Office of Education Department of Civil Rights, NAACP, the National Governors' Association, programs related to the Jacob Javits Grants for the Gifted and Talented, and others are summarized. The author's interpretation of the various positions are presented herein. The article also explores the research base supporting the various policies on grouping by examining selected general research literature on grouping, followed by research that is science education specific. Methodological issues color the research findings. The ethical and pragmatic implications of developing research and policy are discussed. The conclusions are that there is a dearth of recent empirical research specifically related to ability grouping in science, and that the time is ripe for the concerted development of a research agenda by key players in science education reform. Moreover, as controversial and value-laden as the topic is, it should be noted that grouping practices alone are unlikely to influence science education reform unless considered in the context of comprehensive restructuring efforts at the local school level.Received: 10 April 1993; Revised: 26 August 1993;

Patient education for phosphorus management in chronic kidney disease

PubMed Central

Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar

2013-01-01

Objectives: This review explores the challenges and solutions in educating patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to lower serum phosphorus while avoiding protein insufficiency and hypercalcemia. Methods: A literature search including terms “hyperphosphatemia,” “patient education,” “food fatigue,” “hypercalcemia,” and “phosphorus–protein ratio” was undertaken using PubMed. Results: Hyperphosphatemia is a strong predictor of mortality in advanced CKD and is remediated via diet, phosphorus binders, and dialysis. Dietary counseling should encourage the consumption of foods with the least amount of inorganic or absorbable phosphorus, low phosphorus-to-protein ratios, and adequate protein content, and discourage excessive calcium intake in high-risk patients. Emerging educational initiatives include food labeling using a “traffic light” scheme, motivational interviewing techniques, and the Phosphate Education Program – whereby patients no longer have to memorize the phosphorus content of each individual food component, but only a “phosphorus unit” value for a limited number of food groups. Phosphorus binders are associated with a clear survival advantage in CKD patients, overcome the limitations associated with dietary phosphorus restriction, and permit a more flexible approach to achieving normalization of phosphorus levels. Conclusion: Patient education on phosphorus and calcium management can improve concordance and adherence and empower patients to collaborate actively for optimal control of mineral metabolism. PMID:23667310

Instrumental variable approaches to identifying the causal effect of educational attainment on dementia risk

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Thu T.; Tchetgen Tchetgen, Eric J.; Kawachi, Ichiro; Gilman, Stephen E.; Walter, Stefan; Liu, Sze Y.; Manly, Jennifer; Glymour, M. Maria

2015-01-01

Purpose Education is an established correlate of cognitive status in older adulthood, but whether expanding educational opportunities would improve cognitive functioning remains unclear given limitations of prior studies for causal inference. Therefore, we conducted instrumental variable (IV) analyses of the association between education and dementia risk, using for the first time in this area, genetic variants as instruments as well as state-level school policies. Methods IV analyses in the Health and Retirement Study cohort (1998–2010) used two sets of instruments: 1) a genetic risk score constructed from three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (n=8,054); and 2) compulsory schooling laws (CSLs) and state school characteristics (term length, student teacher ratios, and expenditures) (n=13,167). Results Employing the genetic risk score as an IV, there was a 1.1% reduction in dementia risk per year of schooling (95% CI: −2.4, 0.02). Leveraging compulsory schooling laws and state school characteristics as IVs, there was a substantially larger protective effect (−9.5%; 95% CI: −14.8, −4.2). Analyses evaluating the plausibility of the IV assumptions indicated estimates derived from analyses relying on CSLs provide the best estimates of the causal effect of education. Conclusion IV analyses suggest education is protective against risk of dementia in older adulthood. PMID:26633592

Factors affecting cognitive function according to gender in community-dwelling elderly individuals

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the cognitive function of elderly people in a community by gender. METHODS We obtained 4,878 secondary data of people aged ≥65 years in 2016 at a dementia prevention center in Gyeyang-gu, Incheon. Data were obtained through Mini-Mental Status Examination optimized for screening dementia and a questionnaire. The data were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, and hierarchical regression. RESULTS There were significant differences in cognitive function according to gender, and the differences were significant even when age was controlled, but gender differences disappeared when education was controlled. Age, education, social activities, number of comorbid diseases, and alcohol drinking affected cognitive function through interaction with gender, but interaction with gender disappeared when education was controlled. Regression analysis showed that depression, cohabitant, social activities etc., had a significant impact on both men and women under controlled education and age. In men, the effect of social activities was greater than that of women, and hyperlipidemia had the effect only in women. CONCLUSIONS The differences in gender-related cognitive functions were due to differences in gender education period. The period of education is considered to have a great influence on cognitive function in relation to the economic level, occupation, and social activity. PMID:29141399

Chemical Education in Bulgaria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garkov, Vladimir N.

1999-08-01

The sociopolitical changes in Eastern Europe of the 1990s and the ongoing globalization of the chemical industry and chemical education prompted this analysis of the current status of chemical education in Bulgaria, which is not very different from the educational practices in the rest of Europe. The level of chemistry knowledge expected from all high-school graduates in Bulgaria is roughly equivalent to the general and organic chemistry courses for science majors at U.S. universities. The newly introduced four-year bachelor's degree curriculum (based on 15-week semesters) at the University of Sofia includes a core of 106 semester hours (labs counted as 1 hour each), 41 semester hours of electives, and 445 contact hours (11 weeks) of research, which ends with a thesis defense. The instructional techniques in Bulgaria are subject-centered and follow the hierarchical structure of knowledge in an integrated and unitary manner. In conclusion, the Bulgarian system of education in chemistry aims at preparing a scientifically literate citizenry and broadly trained chemists by imposing a very challenging and rigid curriculum with very few choices. It is speculated that the laissez-faire climate of free intellectual initiative seen only at American universities provides a more appropriate environment for talent encouragement and scientific innovation for overseas-educated undergraduate and graduate students than their home institutions.

Disentangling the Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Differences Between African American and White Women in Unmet Medical Needs

PubMed Central

Person, Sharina D.; Kiefe, Catarina I.; Allison, Jeroan J.

2009-01-01

Objectives. We sought to disentangle the relationships between race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and unmet medical care needs. Methods. Data from the 2003–2004 Community Tracking Study Household Survey were used to examine associations between unmet medical needs and SES among African American and White women. Results. No significant racial/ethnic differences in unmet medical needs (24.8% of Whites, 25.9% of African Americans; P = .59) were detected in bivariate analyses. However, among women with 12 years of education or less, African Americans were less likely than were Whites to report unmet needs (odds ratio [OR] = 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.42, 0.79). Relative to African American women with 12 years of education or less, the odds of unmet needs were 1.69 (95% CI = 1.24, 2.31) and 2.18 (95% CI = 1.25, 3.82) among African American women with 13 to 15 years of education and 16 years of education or more, respectively. In contrast, the relationship between educational level and unmet needs was nonsignificant among White women. Conclusions. Among African American women, the failure to recognize unmet medical needs is related to educational attainment and may be an important driver of health disparities, representing a fruitful area for future interventions. PMID:19608942

Children’s Glycemic Control: Mother’s Knowledge and Socioeconomic Status

PubMed Central

Al-Odayani, Abdulrahman Nasser; Alsharqi, Omar Zayyan; Ahmad, Ala’Eddin Mohammad Khalaf; Al-Asmari, Abdulrahman Khazim; Al-Borie, Hussein Mohammad; Qattan, Ameerah M.N.

2013-01-01

The present study was designed to examine the role of socioeconomic status (SES) of the mother’s knowledge about different aspects of diabetes and the glycemic control of type 1 children with diabetes. Samples were taken from successive admissions to the outpatient diabetes clinics in Prince Sultan Medical Military City (PSMMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A well designed questionnaire covering different aspects including demographic data, educational background, and socioeconomic status of the care providers was used to collect information from mothers of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) children. The questionnaire was designed on the basis of the Michigan diabetes knowledge scale and also on the basis of food habits of Saudi Arabia and it was validated. The questionnaire was completed after interviewing the mothers during visits to the PSMMC hospital. Every mother was asked with those particular questions. Glycemic control was assessed by glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c). The socio-demographic data of mothers was recorded by self-report. It was found that, there was significant variation in the knowledge of diabetes among mothers with different ages (p<0.05). Old age mothers and widowed mothers were better informed, however the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05). No significant results were observed between family income and diabetes knowledge (p>0.05). However, a positive relationship was observed with higher income and higher knowledge. There was a significant association between mothers knowledge of diabetes and HbA1C level (r=-0.1739, p<0.05) indicating that, higher knowledge ultimately leads to greater control of HbA1c level. A significant association was also observed between education and HbA1c level (r=-0.2538, p<0.05) with children of mothers with higher level of education showing a better control of glycated haemoglobin levels. However, no significant association was found between monthly family income and HbA1C level. In conclusion, the current study illustrated that, mothers with more knowledge of diabetes and with better education were maintaining a better glycemic control of their children, irrespective of the socio-economic status. It was found that, to improve glycemic control and to decrease acute and chronic complications of diabetes in children, mother’s knowledge and education is needed. PMID:24171891

Effect of zoledronic acid on serum calcium in Paget’s disease patients after educational strategies to improve calcium and vitamin D supplementation

PubMed Central

Bone, Henry G.; Su, Guoqin; Tan, Monique; Ozturk, Zafer E.; Aftring, Paul

2015-01-01

Objective: Bisphosphonates are the most effective therapeutic agents in patients with Paget’s disease of bone. As a result of their inhibition of osteoclastic activity, hypocalcemia of variable frequency and severity following intravenous bisphosphonate therapy has been reported. The present study assessed the effect of physician and patient education on adequate supplementation of calcium and vitamin D to reduce the potential risk of developing hypocalcemia following infusion of 5 mg zoledronic acid. Methods: This was an open-label, multicenter, controlled registry trial in which patients with Paget’s disease were treated with a single intravenous infusion of zoledronic acid. Physicians were provided with educational materials focusing on optimization of calcium and vitamin D supplementation following zoledronic infusion that they used to educate their patients. The primary safety variable was the percentage of patients with serum calcium level <2.07mmol/l 9–11 days after zoledronic acid infusion. Results: A total of 75 patients were evaluable in the post dose hypocalcemia safety analysis. Of these, only 1 patient had treatment-emergent hypocalcemia, with a serum calcium level of 1.92 mmol/l 4 days following therapy. Hypocalcemia-related symptoms were not reported in this patient and the serum calcium returned to normal range at 2.17 mmol/l within 1 week on oral calcium supplementation. Conclusions: These results suggest that, with optimization of calcium and vitamin D supplementation by physician and patient education, hypocalcemia is an infrequent occurrence following zoledronic acid infusion. PMID:26301065

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire: Does the subjectivity of the response perspective threaten the contextual validity of inferences?

PubMed Central

Elsworth, Gerald R; Nolte, Sandra

2015-01-01

Objective: On-going evidence is required to support the validity of inferences about change and group differences in the evaluation of health programs, particularly when self-report scales requiring substantial subjectivity in response generation are used as outcome measures. Following this reasoning, the aim of this study was to replicate the factor structure and investigate the measurement invariance of the latest version of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, a widely used health program evaluation measure. Methods: An archived dataset of responses to the most recent version of the English-language Health Education Impact Questionnaire that uses four rather than six response options (N = 3221) was analysed using exploratory structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis appropriate for ordered categorical data. Metric and scalar invariance were studied following recent recommendations in the literature to apply fully invariant unconditional models with minimum constraints necessary for model identification. Results: The original eight-factor structure was replicated and all but one of the scales (Self Monitoring and Insight) was found to consist of unifactorial items with reliability of ⩾0.8 and satisfactory discriminant validity. Configural, metric and scalar invariance were established across pre-test to post-test and population sub-groups (sex, age, education, ethnic background). Conclusion: The results support the high level of interest in the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, particularly for use as a pre-test/post-test measure in experimental studies, other pre–post evaluation designs and system-level monitoring and evaluation. PMID:26770785

Feedback in Clinical Education, Part I: Characteristics of Feedback Provided by Approved Clinical Instructors

PubMed Central

Nottingham, Sara; Henning, Jolene

2014-01-01

Context Providing students with feedback is an important component of athletic training clinical education; however, little information is known about the feedback that Approved Clinical Instructors (ACIs; now known as preceptors) currently provide to athletic training students (ATSs). Objective To characterize the feedback provided by ACIs to ATSs during clinical education experiences. Design Qualitative study. Setting One National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I athletic training facility and 1 outpatient rehabilitation clinic that were clinical sites for 1 entry-level master's degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. Patients or Other Participants A total of 4 ACIs with various experience levels and 4 second-year ATSs. Data Collection and Analysis Extensive field observations were audio recorded, transcribed, and integrated with field notes for analysis. The constant comparative approach of open, axial, and selective coding was used to inductively analyze data and develop codes and categories. Member checking, triangulation, and peer debriefing were used to promote trustworthiness of the study. Results The ACIs gave 88 feedback statements in 45 hours and 10 minutes of observation. Characteristics of feedback categories included purpose, timing, specificity, content, form, and privacy. Conclusions Feedback that ACIs provided included several components that made each feedback exchange unique. The ACIs in our study provided feedback that is supported by the literature, suggesting that ACIs are using current recommendations for providing feedback. Feedback needs to be investigated across multiple athletic training education programs to gain more understanding of certain areas of feedback, including frequency, privacy, and form. PMID:24143902

Individual Moral Philosophies and Ethical Decision Making of Undergraduate Athletic Training Students and Educators

PubMed Central

Caswell, Shane V; Gould, Trenton E

2008-01-01

Context: Ethics research in athletic training is lacking. Teaching students technical skills is important, but teaching them how to reason and to behave in a manner that befits responsible health care professionals is equally important. Objective: To expand ethics research in athletic training by (1) describing undergraduate athletic training students' and educators' individual moral philosophies and ethical decision-making abilities and (2) investigating the effects of sex and level of education on mean composite individual moral philosophies and ethical decision-making scores. Design: Stratified, multistage, cluster-sample correlational study. Setting: Mailed survey instruments were distributed in classroom settings at 30 institutions having Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)–accredited athletic training programs. Patients or Other Participants: Undergraduate students and educators (n = 598: 373 women, 225 men; mean age = 23.5 ± 6.3 years) from 25 CAAHEP-accredited athletic training programs. Main Outcome Measure(s): We used the Ethics Position Questionnaire and the Dilemmas in Athletic Training Questionnaire to compute participants' mean composite individual moral philosophies (idealism and relativism) and ethical decision-making scores, respectively. Three separate 2 (sex: male, female) × 3 (education level: underclass, upper class, educator) between-subjects factorial analyses of variance using idealism, relativism, and ethical decision-making scores as dependent measures were performed. Results: Respondents reported higher idealism scores (37.57 ± 4.91) than relativism scores (31.70 ± 4.80) (response rate = 83%). The mean ethical decision-making score for all respondents was 80.76 ± 7.88. No significant interactions were revealed. The main effect for sex illustrated that men reported significantly higher relativism scores ( P = .0014, η 2 = .015) than did women. The main effect for education level revealed significant differences between students' and educators' idealism ( P = .0190, η 2 = .013), relativism ( P < .001, η 2 = .050), and ethical decision-making scores ( P < .001, η 2 = .027). Tukey honestly significant difference post hoc analysis indicated that educators possessed lower idealism scores (36.90 ± 5.70) and relativism scores (29.92 ± 4.86) and higher ethical decision-making scores (82.98 ± 7.62) than did students. Conclusions: Our findings do not support changes in athletic training ethics education practices to address sex-specific needs. However, when opportunities occur for students to reason using different ethical perspectives, educators should be aware of their students' and their own moral philosophies in order to optimally facilitate professional growth. PMID:18345347

Nuclear Medicine Technologists' Perception and Current Assessment of Quality: A Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section Survey.

PubMed

Mann, April; Farrell, Mary Beth; Williams, Jessica; Basso, Danny

2017-06-01

In 2015, the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMI-TS) launched a multiyear quality initiative to help prepare the technologist workforce for an evidence-based health-care delivery system that focuses on quality. To best implement the quality strategy, the SNMMI-TS first surveyed technologists to ascertain their perception of quality and current measurement of quality indicators. Methods: An internet survey was sent to 27,989 e-mail contacts. Questions related to demographic data, perceptions of quality, quality measurement, and opinions on the minimum level of education are discussed in this article. Results: A total of 4,007 (14.3%) responses were received. When asked to list 3 words or phrases that represent quality, there were a plethora of different responses. The top 3 responses were image quality, quality control, and technologist education or competency. Surveying patient satisfaction was the most common quality measure (80.9%), followed by evaluation of image quality (78.2%). Evaluation of image quality (90.3%) and equipment functionality (89.4%) were considered the most effective measures. Technologists' differentiation between quality, quality improvement, quality control, quality assurance, and quality assessment seemed ambiguous. Respondents were confident in their ability to assess and improve quality at their workplace (91.9%) and agreed their colleagues were committed to delivering quality work. Of note, 70.7% of respondents believed that quality is directly related to the technologist's level of education. Correspondingly, respondents felt there should be a minimum level of education (99.5%) and that certification or registry should be required (74.4%). Most respondents (59.6%) felt that a Bachelor's degree should be the minimum level of education, followed by an Associate's degree (40.4%). Conclusion: To best help nuclear medicine technologists provide quality care, the SNMMI-TS queried technologists to discern perceptions of quality in nuclear medicine. The results show that technologists believe image quality and quality control are the most important determinants. Most respondents felt that quality is directly related to the level of education of the technologist acquiring the scan. However, the responses obtained also demonstrated variation in perception of what represents quality. The SNMMI-TS can use the results of the study as a benchmark of current technologists' knowledge and performance of quality measures and target educational programs to improve the quality of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

The Contribution of Former Work-Related Activity Levels to Predict Physical Activity and Sedentary Time during Early Retirement: Moderating Role of Educational Level and Physical Functioning

PubMed Central

Van Dyck, Delfien; Cardon, Greet; Deforche, Benedicte; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

2015-01-01

Background The transition to retirement introduces a decline in total physical activity and an increase in TV viewing time. Nonetheless, as more time becomes available, early retirement is an ideal stage to implement health interventions. Therefore, knowledge on specific determinants of physical activity and sedentary time is needed. Former work-related physical activity has been proposed as a potential determinant, but concrete evidence is lacking. The aim of this study was to examine if former work-related sitting, standing, walking or vigorous activities predict physical activity and sedentary time during early retirement. Additionally, moderating effects of educational level and physical functioning were examined. Methods In total, 392 recently retired Belgian adults (>6 months, <5 years) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the SF-36 Health Survey and a questionnaire on sociodemographics and former work-related activities. Generalized linear regression analyses were conducted in R. Moderating effects were examined by adding cross-products to the models. Results More former work-related sitting was predictive of more screen time during retirement. Lower levels of former work-related vigorous activities and higher levels of former work-related walking were associated with respectively more cycling for transport and more walking for transport during retirement. None of the predictors significantly explained passive transportation, cycling and walking for recreation, and leisure-time moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during retirement. Several moderating effects were found, but the direction of the interactions was not univocal. Conclusions Former-work related behaviors are of limited importance to explain physical activity during early retirement, so future studies should focus on other individual, social and environmental determinants. Nonetheless, adults who previously had a sedentary job had higher levels of screen time during retirement, so this is an important subgroup to focus on during interventions. Because of the inconsistent moderating effects of educational level and physical functioning, no clear recommendations can be formulated. PMID:25826218

How do bioethics teachers in Japan cope with ethical disagreement among healthcare university students in the classroom? A survey on educators in charge

PubMed Central

Itai, K; Asai, A; Tsuchiya, Y; Onishi, M; Kosugi, S

2006-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how educators involved in the teaching of bioethics to healthcare university students in Japan would cope with ethical disagreement in the classroom, and to identify factors influencing them. Methods A cross sectional survey was conducted using self administered questionnaires mailed to a sample of university faculty in charge of bioethics curriculum for university healthcare students. Results A total of 107 usable questionnaires were returned: a response rate of 61.5%. When facing ethical disagreement in the classroom, coping behaviour differed depending on the topic of discussion, was influenced by educators' individual clear ethical attitudes regarding the topic of discussion, and was independent of many respondents' individual and social backgrounds. Among educators, it was commonly recognised that the purpose of bioethics education was to raise the level of awareness of ethical problems, to provide information about and knowledge of those issues, to raise students' sensitivity to ethical problems, and to teach students methods of reasoning and logical argument. Yet, despite this, several respondents considered the purpose of bioethics education to be to influence students about normative ethical judgments. There was no clear relationship, however, between ways of coping with ethical disagreement and educators' sense of the purpose of bioethics education. Conclusions This descriptive study suggests that educators involved in bioethics education for healthcare university students in Japan coped in various ways with ethical disagreement. Further research concerning ethical disagreement in educational settings is needed to provide better bioethics education for healthcare students. PMID:16648283

Computer-based teaching is as good as face to face lecture-based teaching of evidence based medicine: a randomised controlled trial

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Background At postgraduate level evidence based medicine (EBM) is currently taught through tutor based lectures. Computer based sessions fit around doctors' workloads, and standardise the quality of educational provision. There have been no randomized controlled trials comparing computer based sessions with traditional lectures at postgraduate level within medicine. Methods This was a randomised controlled trial involving six postgraduate education centres in the West Midlands, U.K. Fifty five newly qualified foundation year one doctors (U.S internship equivalent) were randomised to either computer based sessions or an equivalent lecture in EBM and systematic reviews. The change from pre to post-intervention score was measured using a validated questionnaire assessing knowledge (primary outcome) and attitudes (secondary outcome). Results Both groups were similar at baseline. Participants' improvement in knowledge in the computer based group was equivalent to the lecture based group (gain in score: 2.1 [S.D = 2.0] versus 1.9 [S.D = 2.4]; ANCOVA p = 0.078). Attitudinal gains were similar in both groups. Conclusion On the basis of our findings we feel computer based teaching and learning is as effective as typical lecture based teaching sessions for educating postgraduates in EBM and systematic reviews. PMID:17659076

Adult Tobacco Use Levels After Intensive Tobacco Control Measures: New York City, 2002–2003

PubMed Central

Frieden, Thomas R.; Mostashari, Farzad; Kerker, Bonnie D.; Miller, Nancy; Hajat, Anjum; Frankel, Martin

2005-01-01

Objectives. We sought to determine the impact of comprehensive tobacco control measures in New York City. Methods. In 2002, New York City implemented a tobacco control strategy of (1) increased cigarette excise taxes; (2) legal action that made virtually all work-places, including bars and restaurants, smoke free; (3) increased cessation services, including a large-scale free nicotine-patch program; (4) education; and (5) evaluation. The health department also began annual surveys on a broad array of health measures, including smoking. Results. From 2002 to 2003, smoking prevalence among New York City adults decreased by 11% (from 21.6% to 19.2%, approximately 140000 fewer smokers). Smoking declined among all age groups, race/ethnicities, and education levels; in both genders; among both US-born and foreign-born persons; and in all 5 boroughs. Increased taxation appeared to account for the largest proportion of the decrease; however, between 2002 and 2003 the proportion of cigarettes purchased outside New York City doubled, reducing the effective price increase by a third. Conclusions. Concerted local action can sharply reduce smoking prevalence. However, further progress will require national action, particularly to increase cigarette taxes, reduce cigarette tax evasion, expand education and cessation services, and limit tobacco marketing. PMID:15914827

Influences of Social and Style Variables on Adult Usage of African American English Features

PubMed Central

Craig, Holly K.; Grogger, Jeffrey T.

2013-01-01

Purpose In this study, the authors examined the influences of selected social (gender, employment status, educational achievement level) and style variables (race of examiner, interview topic) on the production of African American English (AAE) by adults. Method Participants were 50 African American men and women, ages 20–30 years. The authors used Rapid and Anonymous Survey (RAS) methods to collect responses to questions on informal situational and formal message-oriented topics in a short interview with an unacquainted interlocutor. Results Results revealed strong systematic effects for academic achievement, but not gender or employment status. Most features were used less frequently by participants with higher educational levels, but sharp declines in the usage of 5 specific features distinguished the participants differing in educational achievement. Strong systematic style effects were found for the 2 types of questions, but not race of addressee. The features that were most commonly used across participants—copula absence, variable subject–verb agreement, and appositive pronouns—were also the features that showed the greatest style shifting. Conclusions The findings lay a foundation with mature speakers for rate-based and feature inventory methods recently shown to be informative for the study of child AAE and demonstrate the benefits of the RAS. PMID:22361105

[Associations of obesity and physical activity with cognition in people aged 50 and above in Shanghai].

PubMed

Huang, Z Z; Zhang, Y C; Zheng, Y; Guo, Y F; Ruan, Y; Sun, S Y; Shi, Y; Gao, S N; Ye, J H; Yan, Y J; Wu, K; Xu, R F; Wu, F

2018-03-10

Objective: To investigate the associations of obesity and physical activity with cognition in the elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from October 2009 to June 2010 among people aged ≥50 years selected through multistage random cluster sampling in Shanghai. The subjects' body weight, body height, waist circumference and hip circumference were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip ratio (WHR), and the data on self-reported physical activity level were collected through questionnaire survey. A comprehensive battery of cognitive tests was conducted to assess subjects' cognitive functions, including verbal recall, forward digit span (FDS), backward digit span (BDS), and verbal fluency (VF). General linear model was used to examine the associations of BMI, WHR and physical activity with cognition. Results: A total of 7 913 participants were included, with a median age of 60 years. Age, sex, education level, income level, BMI, WHR and physical activity level were significantly associated with cognitive scores in univariate analysis. After adjusted for age, sex, education level and income level, BMI was no longer significantly associated with cognitive scores in all cognitive functions (all P >0.01). WHR was significantly associated with VF score ( P <0.01). Abdominally obese participants had lower VF score than non-abdominally obese participants ( P <0.01). Physical activity level was significantly associated with all cognitive functions ( P <0.01). Compared with participants with moderate physical activity level, participants with low physical activity level had lower scores in all cognitive functions ( P <0.01). Conclusion: Abdominal obesity and low physical activity level were negatively associated with cognition level in the elderly, suggesting that waist circumference control and physical activity might help maintain cognition in the elderly.

Empowerment-Based Diabetes Self-Management Education to Maintain Glycemic Targets During Ramadan Fasting in People With Diabetes Who Are on Conventional Insulin: A Feasibility Study

PubMed Central

Sahmoud, Sahar I.; Abdelsalam, Mona M.; Eichorst, Barbara

2017-01-01

Objective. This study aims to assess the feasibility of promoting safe Ramadan fasting through diabetes self-management education (DSME) and to determine the effect of such education on hypoglycemic episodes. Design and methods. This prospective study included subjects attending Ramadan reinforcement sessions for participants in the Educational Program for People with Diabetes (EPPWD) at the Ain-Shams University Diabetes Center in Cairo, Egypt. The DSME sessions started 2–3 weeks before Ramadan and included one experimental fasting day during the first week and one during the second week. Participants’ A1C and serum fructosamine levels were measured before and after Ramadan, and they completed weekly self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) logs. Results. Among 21 participants who were intending to fast for Ramadan, 14 completed the program. Their mean A1C was 6.7 ± 1.6%, and SMBG results showed a statistically nonsignificant difference in mean blood glucose levels before and after Ramadan (123.84 ± 39.96 and 123.84 ± 25.92 mg/dL, respectively; P >0.05). Serum fructosamine after Ramadan declined by 10% from pre-Ramadan levels. The mean number of hypoglycemic events before Ramadan was 3 ± 1.04, which declined to 1.4 ± 0.5 during Ramadan. Differences between group 1 (those without hypoglycemia, n = 8) and group 2 (those with hypoglycemia, n = 6) were nonsignificant for all variables, including A1C. Conclusion. Ramadan fasting is feasible for people with diabetes who are on a multiple daily injection insulin regimen and participate in the EPPWD. The number of hypoglycemic events per month declined with the attainment of DSME. PMID:28270713

Family, Community and Clinic Collaboration to Treat Overweight and Obese Children: Stanford GOALS -- a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Three-Year, Multi-Component, Multi-Level, Multi-Setting Intervention

PubMed Central

Robinson, Thomas N.; Matheson, Donna; Desai, Manisha; Wilson, Darrell M.; Weintraub, Dana L.; Haskell, William L.; McClain, Arianna; McClure, Samuel; Banda, Jorge; Sanders, Lee M.; Haydel, K. Farish; Killen, Joel D.

2013-01-01

Objective To test the effects of a three-year, community-based, multi-component, multi-level, multi-setting (MMM) approach for treating overweight and obese children. Design Two-arm, parallel group, randomized controlled trial with measures at baseline, 12, 24, and 36 months after randomization. Participants Seven through eleven year old, overweight and obese children (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) and their parents/caregivers recruited from community locations in low-income, primarily Latino neighborhoods in Northern California. Interventions Families are randomized to the MMM intervention versus a community health education active-placebo comparison intervention. Interventions last for three years for each participant. The MMM intervention includes a community-based after school team sports program designed specifically for overweight and obese children, a home-based family intervention to reduce screen time, alter the home food/eating environment, and promote self-regulatory skills for eating and activity behavior change, and a primary care behavioral counseling intervention linked to the community and home interventions. The active-placebo comparison intervention includes semi-annual health education home visits, monthly health education newsletters for children and for parents/guardians, and a series of community-based health education events for families. Main Outcome Measure Body mass index trajectory over the three-year study. Secondary outcome measures include waist circumference, triceps skinfold thickness, accelerometer-measured physical activity, 24-hour dietary recalls, screen time and other sedentary behaviors, blood pressure, fasting lipids, glucose, insulin, hemoglobin A1c, C-reactive protein, alanine aminotransferase, and psychosocial measures. Conclusions The Stanford GOALS trial is testing the efficacy of a novel community-based multi-component, multi-level, multi-setting treatment for childhood overweight and obesity in low-income, Latino families. PMID:24028942

The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status and CV Risk Factors

PubMed Central

Quispe, Renato; Benziger, Catherine P.; Bazo-Alvarez, Juan Carlos; Howe, Laura D.; Checkley, William; Gilman, Robert H.; Smeeth, Liam; Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio; Miranda, J. Jaime; Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio; Casas, Juan P.; Smith, George Davey; Ebrahim, Shah; García, Héctor H.; Gilman, Robert H.; Huicho, Luis; Málaga, Germán; Miranda, J. Jaime; Montori, Víctor M.; Smeeth, Liam; Checkley, William; Diette, Gregory B.; Gilman, Robert H.; Huicho, Luis; León-Velarde, Fabiola; Rivera, María; Wise, Robert A.; Checkley, William; García, Héctor H.; Gilman, Robert H.; Miranda, J. Jaime; Sacksteder, Katherine

2016-01-01

Background Variations in the distribution of cardiovascular disease and risk factors by socioeconomic status (SES) have been described in affluent societies, yet a better understanding of these patterns is needed for most low- and middle-income countries. Objective This study sought to describe the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and SES using monthly family income, educational attainment, and assets index, in 4 Peruvian sites. Methods Baseline data from an age- and sex-stratified random sample of participants, ages ≥35 years, from 4 Peruvian sites (CRONICAS Cohort Study, 2010) were used. The SES indicators considered were monthly family income (n = 3,220), educational attainment (n = 3,598), and assets index (n = 3,601). Behavioral risk factors included current tobacco use, alcohol drinking, physical activity, daily intake of fruits and vegetables, and no control of salt intake. Cardiometabolic risk factors included obesity, elevated waist circumference, hypertension, insulin resistance, diabetes mellitus, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels. Results In the overall population, 41.6% reported a monthly family income

Cognitive ability and risk of post-traumatic stress disorder after military deployment: an observational cohort study

PubMed Central

Karstoft, Karen-Inge; Vedtofte, Mia S.; Nielsen, Anni B.S.; Osler, Merete; Mortensen, Erik L.; Christensen, Gunhild T.; Andersen, Søren B.

2017-01-01

Background Studies of the association between pre-deployment cognitive ability and post-deployment post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have shown mixed results. Aims To study the influence of pre-deployment cognitive ability on PTSD symptoms 6–8 months post-deployment in a large population while controlling for pre-deployment education and deployment-related variables. Method Study linking prospective pre-deployment conscription board data with post-deployment self-reported data in 9695 Danish Army personnel deployed to different war zones in 1997–2013. The association between pre-deployment cognitive ability and post-deployment PTSD was investigated using repeated-measure logistic regression models. Two models with cognitive ability score as the main exposure variable were created (model 1 and model 2). Model 1 was only adjusted for pre-deployment variables, while model 2 was adjusted for both pre-deployment and deployment-related variables. Results When including only variables recorded pre-deployment (cognitive ability score and educational level) and gender (model 1), all variables predicted post-deployment PTSD. When deployment-related variables were added (model 2), this was no longer the case for cognitive ability score. However, when educational level was removed from the model adjusted for deployment-related variables, the association between cognitive ability and post-deployment PTSD became significant. Conclusions Pre-deployment lower cognitive ability did not predict post-deployment PTSD independently of educational level after adjustment for deployment-related variables. Declaration of interest None. Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) license. PMID:29163983

Adenosine triphosphate bioluminescence for bacteriological surveillance and reprocessing strategies for minimizing risk of infection transmission by duodenoscopes

PubMed Central

Sethi, Saurabh; Huang, Robert J.; Barakat, Monique T.; Banaei, Niaz; Friedland, Shai; Banerjee, Subhas

2017-01-01

Background/Aims Recent outbreaks of duodenoscope-transmitted infections underscore the importance of adequate endoscope reprocessing. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence testing allows rapid evaluation of endoscopes for bacteriological/biological residue. In this prospective study we evaluate the utility of ATP in bacteriological surveillance, and the effects of endoscopy staff education and dual cycles of cleaning and high-level disinfection (HLD) on endoscope reprocessing. Methods ATP bioluminescence was measured after pre-cleaning, manual cleaning and HLD on rinsates from suction-biopsy channels of all endoscopes and elevator channels of duodenoscopes/linear echoendoscopes after use. ATP bioluminescence was re-measured in duodenoscopes (1) after re-education and competency testing of endoscopy staff, and subsequently (2) after 2 cycles of pre-cleaning and manual cleaning and single cycle of HLD, or (3) after 2 cycles of pre-cleaning, manual cleaning and HLD. Results The ideal ATP bioluminescence benchmark of <200 relative light units (RLUs) after manual cleaning was achieved from suction-biopsy channel rinsates of all endoscopes, but 9 of 10 duodenoscope elevator channel rinsates failed to meet this benchmark. Re-education reduced RLUs in duodenoscope elevator channel rinsates after pre-cleaning (23218.0 vs 1340.5 RLUs, p<0.01) and HLD (177.0 vs 12.0 RLUs, p<0.01). After 2 cycles of manual cleaning/HLD, duodenoscope elevator channel RLUs achieved levels similar to sterile water, with corresponding negative cultures. Conclusions ATP testing offers a rapid, inexpensive alternative for detection of endoscope microbial residue. Re-education of endoscopy staff and 2 cycles of cleaning and HLD decrease elevator channel RLUs to levels similar to sterile water and may therefore minimize the risk of transmission of infections by duodenoscopes. PMID:27818222

Psychosocial and demographic determinants of regional differences in the prevalence of obesity.

PubMed

Halkjaer, Jytte; Sørensen, Thorkild I A

2004-03-01

Differences in the prevalence of obesity between adjacent regions are quite common, but usually unexplained. This study examined whether birth place, selective migration, intelligence or education--which are both inversely and possibly causally related to obesity--are determinants of such differences. This population-based case-control study (case-cohort design) took place in the greater Copenhagen area (region 1) and surrounding provincial areas of Zealand (region 2), Denmark. A total of 2948 men with a median age of 19 years from two draft board regions during 1966-1977 were examined. The odds ratio (OR) for being obese (defined as body mass index > or = 31 kg/m2) was investigated using multiple logistic regression analyses. The OR for being obese in region 2 compared with region 1 was 1.74 (1.50-2.03). Adjustment for birth place, intelligence test score and educational level reduced the OR to 1.42 (1.10-1.82). The OR for being obese for those born in region 2 compared with region 1 was 1.71 (1.46-2.01). Adjustments for intelligence test score, educational level and examination region reduced this OR to 1.13 (0.87-1.46). Irrespective of birth place, men examined in region 2 had a higher OR for being obese than those examined in region 1; this effect was most pronounced for those born in region 2 and examined in either region 1 or 2, with an OR of 1.06 (0.71-1.57) and 1.87 (1.58-2.22) respectively. In conclusion, the regional differences in the prevalence of obesity could not be explained by birth place or later selective migration, but educational level and intelligence test score did explain some of the difference.

A review of antimicrobial stewardship training in medical education

PubMed Central

Silverberg, Sarah L.; Zannella, Vanessa E.; Countryman, Drew; Ayala, Ana Patricia; Lenton, Erica; Friesen, Farah

2017-01-01

Objectives We reviewed the published literature on antimicrobial stewardship training in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education to determine which interventions have been implemented, the extent to which they have been evaluated, and to understand which are most effective. Methods We searched Ovid MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception to December 2016. Four thousand three hundred eighty-five (4385) articles were identified and underwent title and abstract review. Only those articles that addressed antimicrobial stewardship interventions for medical trainees were included in the final review. We employed Kirkpatrick’s four levels of evaluation (reaction, learning, behaviour, results) to categorize intervention evaluations. Results Our review included 48 articles. The types of intervention varied widely amongst studies worldwide. Didactic teaching was used heavily in all settings, while student-specific feedback was used primarily in the postgraduate setting. The high-level evaluation was sparse, with 22.9% reporting a Kirkpatrick Level 3 evaluation; seventeen reported no evaluation. All but one article reported positive results from the intervention. No articles evaluated the impact of an intervention on undergraduate trainees’ prescribing behaviour after graduation. Conclusions This study enhances our understanding of the extent of antimicrobial stewardship in the context of medical education. While our study demonstrates that medical schools are implementing antimicrobial stewardship interventions, rigorous evaluation of programs to determine whether such efforts are effective is lacking. We encourage more robust evaluation to establish effective, evidence-based approaches to training prescribers in light of the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.  PMID:29035872

SUPPORT FOR POPULATION LEVEL TOBACCO CONTROL POLICIES IN HUNGARY

PubMed Central

Paulik, Edit; Maróti-Nagy, Ágnes; Nagymajtényi, László; Rogers, Todd; Easterling, Doug

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Background Smoking is the leading, preventable risk factor for premature death and disability in Hungary. The objective of this paper was to assess the social acceptability of and the predictors of holding favourable attitudes toward tobacco control policies among the Hungarian population. Methods A self-administered questionnaire-based study was carried out among individuals aged 16–70 years. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess whether support for the ten tobacco control policies varies as a function of age, sex, educational level, and smoking status. Results The majority of the respondents supported the studied tobacco control measures. Over 90 percent of the sample supported: fines for retailers selling tobacco products to minors (92.3%), stricter enforcement of restrictions on selling tobacco products to minors (90.5%), and a ban on smoking in health care institutions (91.4%). The lowest levels of support were for bans on sponsorship by the tobacco industry (52.8%) and price increases on tobacco products (54.9%). For each measure, support was significantly lower among smokers than non-smokers. Age and education were significantly related to support for some but not all measures. Conclusions Strong majorities of Hungarians support the enactment and enforcement of a wide range of tobacco control measures, a fact that was acknowledged by Parliament’s passage of the 2011 Anti-Smoking Law. Advocacy efforts to encourage the acceptance of tobacco control policies should focus not only on smokers, but also on younger and less educated non-smokers. PMID:22571024

Geographic disparities in Healthy Eating Index scores (HEI-2005 and 2010) by residential property values: Findings from Seattle Obesity Study (SOS)

PubMed Central

Drewnowski, Adam; Aggarwal, Anju; Cook, Andrea; Stewart, Orion; Vernez Moudon, Anne

2016-01-01

Background Higher socioeconomic status (SES) has been linked with higher-quality diets. New GIS methods allow for geographic mapping of diet quality at a very granular level. Objective To examine the geographic distribution of two measures of diet quality: Healthy Eating Index (HEI 2005 and HEI 2010) in relation to residential property values in Seattle-King County. Methods The Seattle Obesity Study (SOS) collected data from a population-based sample of King County adults in 2008–09. Socio-demographic data were obtained by 20-min telephone survey. Dietary data were obtained from food frequency questionnaires (FFQs). Home addresses were geocoded to the tax parcel and residential property values were obtained from the King County tax assessor. Multivariable regression analyses using 1,116 adults tested associations between SES variables and diet quality measured (HEI scores). Results Residential property values, education, and incomes were associated with higher HEI scores in bivariate analyses. Property values were not collinear with either education or income. In adjusted multivariable models, education and residential property were better associated with HEI, compared to than income. Mapping of HEI-2005 and HEI-2010 at the census block level illustrated the geographic distribution of diet quality across Seattle-King County. Conclusion The use of residential property values, an objective measure of SES, allowed for the first visual exploration of diet quality at high spatial resolution: the census block level. PMID:26657348

Predictors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Knowledge among Jordanian Youths

PubMed Central

Al-Khasawneh, Esra M.; Ismayilova, Leyla; Seshan, Vidya; Hmoud, Olimat; El-Bassel, Nabila

2013-01-01

Objectives: Understanding factors associated with the level of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) knowledge acquisition is crucial to inform preventative programmes for young people. This study examines predictors of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 8,129 youths aged between 14 and 25 years randomly selected from schools representing each of the 12 governorates of Jordan. A total of 50% of respondents were female and, on average, 17 years old. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, gender awareness, exposure to and favourable attitudes toward risky behaviours. Results: On a 13-item HIV knowledge test, participants answered an average of 7 questions correctly (mean = 7.21; standard deviation = 2.63). Female respondents from rural areas demonstrated significantly lower levels of HIV knowledge, while college and university students demonstrated higher levels. HIV knowledge differed significantly by sources of information, with peer-acquired information associated with more accuracy, while HIV information from parents or health centres was associated with a lower score. Youths with more egalitarian gender views also demonstrated higher knowledge levels, whereas youths approving of drug use showed lower levels of HIV knowledge. Conclusion: HIV education programmes in Jordan should focus on females and youths living in rural areas. Educational institutions have been shown to be effective in providing accurate information to students, while parents and health professionals should also be included in HIV prevention programmes in order to reduce misconceptions and raise the level of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths. PMID:23862028

Out-of-pocket expenditure by private households for dental services - empirical evidence from Austria.

PubMed

Sanwald, Alice; Theurl, Engelbert

2016-12-01

Dental services differ from other health services in several dimensions. One important difference is that a substantial share of costs of dental services-especially costs beyond routine dental treatment-is paid directly by the patient out-of-pocket. This study analyses the socio-economic determinants of out-of-pocket expenditure for dental services (OOPE) in Austria at the household level. Cross-sectional information on OOPE and household characteristics provided by the Austrian household budget survey 2009/10 was analysed. A two-part model (Logit/GLM) and one-part GLM was applied. The probability of OOPE is strongly affected by the life cycle (structure) of the household. It is higher for higher age classes, higher income, and partially higher levels of education. The type of public insurance has an influence on expenditure probability while the existence of private health insurance has no significant effect. In contrast to the highly statistically significant coefficients in the first stage, the covariates of the second stage remain predominantly insignificant. According to the results, the level of expenditure is driven mainly by the level of education and income. The results of the one-part GLM confirm the results of the two-part model. The results allow new insights into the determinants of OOPE for dental care. The household level turns out to be an adequate basis to study the determinants of OOPE, although caution should be applied before jumping to conclusions for the individual level.

BURNOUT SYNDROME AMONG EDUCATORS IN PRE-SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS

PubMed Central

Hozo, Endica Radic; Sucic, Goran; Zaja, Ivan

2015-01-01

Introduction: The occurrence of burnout syndrome (BS) has been recognized in many professions (pilots, firefighters, police officers, doctors…) that during their work are subjected to high levels of stress. For educators in preschool institutions stress level is very high thus creating the possibility of developing BS. Material and methods: For this research is selected preschool institution – kindergarten „Radost” (Joy) in Split, in which by use of questionnaires (modified scale by Freudenberger and modified scales by Girdin, Everly and Dusek) during 2014 among educators (100 respondents) is conducted a survey regarding the frequency of burnout syndrome. Research results: According to questionnaires by Girdin, Everly and Dusek there is no statistically significant difference between the number of educators who feel good and those that are under significant stress (χ2=1.04; p=0.307). According to questionnaire by Freudenberg educators are classified into 3 categories and distribution of educators by the groups is almost uniform (χ2=2.76; p=0.250), which means that one third of a teacher is in good condition, a third is in the risk area for burn-out syndrome, while one third are candidates for development of this syndrome. Comparing a teacher in good condition compared to other (at risk and those who are candidates for the burn-out syndrome) is up to 1.5 times higher in those who are at risk and the candidates for development of this syndrome than in others (χ2=4.5; p=0.033). Conclusion: The occurrence of burnout syndrome is very high for the group of educators (half of the educators!) in pre-school institutions which should be taken into account by the institutions management. For this purpose, it is necessary to organize regular medical check-ups with particular reference to burnout syndrome with signs of the syndrome to prevent its further development. PMID:26889099

Diabetes Self-Management and Education of People Living with Diabetes: A Survey in Primary Health Care in Muscat Oman

PubMed Central

Al-Maniri, Abdullah A.; Al-Shafaee, Mohammed A.; Wahlström, Rolf

2013-01-01

Background Although the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Oman is high and rising, information on how people were self-managing their disease has been lacking. The objective of this study was therefore to assess diabetes self-management and education (DSME) among people living with type 2 diabetes in Oman. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted in public primary health care centres in Muscat. Diabetes self-management and education was assessed by asking how patients recognized and responded to hypo- and hyperglycaemia, and if they had developed strategies to maintain stable blood glucose levels. Patients' demographic information, self-treatment behaviours, awareness of potential long-term complications, and attitudes concerning diabetes management were also recorded. Associations between these factors and diabetes self-management and education were analysed. Results In total, 309 patients were surveyed. A quarter (26%, n = 83) were unaware how to recognize hypoglycaemia or respond to it (26%, n = 81). Around half (49%, n = 151), could not recognize hyperglycaemia and more than half could not respond to it (60%, n = 184). Twelve percent (n = 37) of the patients did not have any strategies to stabilize their blood glucose levels. Patients with formal education generally had more diabetes self-management and education than those without (p<0.001), as had patients with longer durations of diabetes (p<0.01). Self-monitoring of blood glucose was practiced by 38% (n = 117) of the patients, and insulin was used by 22% (n = 67), of which about one third independently adjusted dosages. Patients were most often aware of complications concerning loss of vision, renal failure and cardiac problems. Many patients desired further health education. Conclusions Many patients displayed dangerous diabetes self-management and education knowledge gaps. The findings suggest a need for improving knowledge transfer to people living with diabetes in the Omani clinical setting. PMID:23451219

Contribution of Psychosocial Factors to the Association between Socioeconomic Position and Takeaway Food Consumption

PubMed Central

Miura, Kyoko; Turrell, Gavin

2014-01-01

Objective To examine whether psychosocial factors mediate (explain) the association between socioeconomic position and takeaway food consumption. Design A cross-sectional postal survey conducted in 2009. Setting Participants reported their usual consumption of 22 takeaway food items, and these were grouped into a “healthy” and “less healthy” index based on each items' nutritional properties. Principal Components Analysis was used to derive three psychosocial scales that measured beliefs about the relationship between diet and health (α = 0.73), and perceptions about the value (α = 0.79) and pleasure (α = 0.61) of takeaway food. A nutrition knowledge index was also used. Socioeconomic position was measured by highest attained education level. Subjects Randomly selected adults (n = 1,500) aged between 25–64 years in Brisbane, Australia (response rate  =  63.7%, N = 903). Results Compared with those with a bachelor degree or higher, participants with a diploma level of education were more likely to consume “healthy” takeaway food (p = 0.023) whereas the least educated (high school only) were more likely to consume “less healthy” choices (p = 0.002). The least educated were less likely to believe in a relationship between diet and health (p<0.001), and more likely to have lower nutritional knowledge compared with their highly educated counterparts (p<0.001). Education differences in beliefs about the relationship between diet and health partly and significantly mediated the association between education and “healthy” takeaway food consumption. Diet- and health-related beliefs and nutritional knowledge partly and significantly mediated the education differences in “less healthy” takeaway food consumption. Conclusions Interventions that target beliefs about the relationship between diet and health, and nutritional knowledge may reduce socioeconomic differences in takeaway food consumption, particularly for “less healthy” options. PMID:25268899

A new curriculum to address dementia-related stigma: Preliminary experience with Alzheimer's Association staff.

PubMed

Herrmann, Lynn K; Udelson, Nancy; Kanetsky, Cheryl; Liu, Hongyan; Cassidy, Kristin; Welter, Elisabeth; Sajatovic, Martha

2018-01-01

Objective Develop and test a stigma awareness and education curriculum targeted to non-medical staff of a local Alzheimer's Association chapter. Methods The curriculum, developed in collaboration with leadership and educational staff from the Cleveland Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, included a definition, types, and domains of stigma; effects of stigma on individuals with dementia and their families; stigma evaluation studies; tips to address the topic of dementia-related stigma with individuals and families. Lastly, an interactive discussion of real-life scenarios facilitated stigma recognition and management. Results Most staff felt the training improved their ability to identify Alzheimer's disease stigma, made them more comfortable talking about stigma, and would change the way they interacted with people and families impacted by Alzheimer's disease. Conclusions This brief, practical educational curriculum has potential to improve awareness of dementia stigma in Alzheimer's Association staff. Research is needed to expand stigma awareness in individuals and groups with varying levels of dementia knowledge.

Yeast Infection and Diabetes Mellitus among Pregnant Mother in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Sopian, Iylia Liyana; Shahabudin, Sa’adiah; Ahmed, Mowaffaq Adam; Lung, Leslie Than Thian; Sandai, Doblin

2016-01-01

Background Vaginal yeast infection refers to irritation of the vagina due to the presence of opportunistic yeast of the genus Candida (mostly Candida albicans). About 75% of women will have at least one episode of vaginal yeast infection during their lifetime. Several studies have shown that pregnancy and uncontrolled diabetes increase the infection risk. Reproductive hormone fluctuations during pregnancy and elevated glucose levels characteristic of diabetes provide the carbon needed for Candida overgrowth and infection. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of vaginal yeast infection among pregnant women with and without diabetes. Methods This was a case-control study using cases reports from Kepala Batas Health Clinic, Penang State, Malaysia from 2006 to 2012. In total, 740 pregnant ladies were chosen as sample of which 370 were diabetic and 370 were non-diabetic cases. Results No relationship between diabetes and the occurrence of vaginal yeast infection in pregnant women was detected, and there was no significant association between infection and age group, race or education level. Conclusion In conclusion, within radius of this study, vaginal yeast infection can occur randomly in pregnant women. PMID:27540323

Cardiovascular Health: Associations with Race-ethnicity, Nativity, and Education in a Diverse, Population-based Sample of Californians

PubMed Central

Bostean, Georgiana; Roberts, Christian K.; Crespi, Catherine M.; Prelip, Michael; Peters, Anne; Belin, Thomas R.; McCarthy, William J.

2013-01-01

Purpose This study examined how race-ethnicity, nativity, and education interact to influence disparities in cardiovascular (CV) health, a new concept defined by the American Heart Association (AHA). We assessed whether race-ethnicity and nativity disparities in CV health vary by education, and whether the foreign-born differ in CV health from their US-born race-ethnic counterparts with comparable education. Methods We used data from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey to determine the prevalence of optimal CV health metrics (based on selected AHA guidelines) among adults ages 25 and over (n = 42,014). We examined the interaction between education and ethnicity-nativity, comparing predicted probabilities of each CV health measure between US-born and foreign-born Whites, Asians, and Latinos. Results All groups were at high risk of suboptimal physical activity levels, fruit and vegetable and fast food consumption, and overweight/obesity. Those with higher education were generally better-off, except among Asians. Ethnicity-nativity differences were more pronounced among those with less than a college degree. The foreign-born exhibited both advantages and disadvantages in CV health compared to their US-born counterparts that varied by ethnicity-nativity. Conclusions Education influences ethnicity-nativity disparities in CV health, with most race-ethnic and nativity differences occurring among the less educated. Studies of nativity differences in CV health should stratify by education in order to adequately address SES differences. PMID:23726820

Educational expansion and the education gradient in health: A hierarchical age-period-cohort analysis.

PubMed

Delaruelle, Katrijn; Buffel, Veerle; Bracke, Piet

2015-11-01

Researchers have recently been investigating the temporal variation in the educational gradient in health. While there is abundant literature concerning age trajectories, theoretical knowledge about cohort differences is relatively limited. Therefore, in analogy with the life course perspective, we introduce two contrasting cohort-specific hypotheses. The diminishing health returns hypothesis predicts a decrease in educational disparities in health across cohorts. By contrast, the cohort accretion hypothesis suggests that the education-health gap will be more pronounced among younger cohorts. To shed light on this, we perform a hierarchical age-period-cohort analysis (HAPC), using data from a subsample of individuals between 25 and 85 years of age (N = 232,573) from 32 countries in the European Social Survey (six waves: 2002-2012). The analysis leads to three important conclusions. First, we observe a widening health gap between different educational levels over the life course. Second, we find that these educational differences in the age trajectories of health seem to strengthen with each successive birth cohort. However, the two age-related effects disappear when we control for employment status, household income, and family characteristics. Last, when adjusting for these mediators, we reveal evidence to support the diminishing health returns hypothesis, implying that it is primarily the direct association between education and health that decreases across cohorts. This finding raises concerns about potential barriers to education being a vehicle for empowerment and the promotion of health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do 45% of College Students Lack Critical Thinking Skills? Revisiting a Central Conclusion of "Academically Adrift"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, David; Oswald, Frederick L.

2016-01-01

The educational literature, the popular press, and educated laypeople have all echoed a conclusion from the book "Academically Adrift" by Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa (which has now become received wisdom), namely, that 45% of college students showed no significant gains in critical thinking skills. Similar results were reported by…

Self-reported versus measured body height and weight in Polish adult men: the risk of underestimating obesity rates.

PubMed

Łopuszańska, Monika; Lipowicz, Anna; Kołodziej, Halina; Szklarska, Alicja; Bielicki, Tadeusz

2015-01-01

In some epidemiological studies, self-reported height and weight are often used to save time and money. Self-reported height and weight are commonly used to assess the prevalence of obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the differences between self-reported and measured height and weight in adult men, and to determine how the accuracy of self-reported data depended on age and education. The prevalence of obesity was also calculated based both on self-reported and measured data. Data were collected during two population studies carried out in Wroclaw in 2010. One study included 1,194 19-year-old males who reported for the health examination mandated by the National Conscription Board (younger group). The other group included 355 men between 35 and 80 years old who reported for a ten-year follow-up (older group). Data were analyzed separately for both age groups. Both younger and older subjects overestimated their height by 1.4 cm and 1.0 cm (1.4 cm, 95 % CI: 1.26, 1.51, and 1.0 cm, 95 % CI: 0.85, 1.26, respectively). On average, younger subjects overestimated their weight by 0.7 kilograms (95 % CI: 0.55, 0.92), whereas older subjects underestimated their weight by 0.9 kilograms (95 % CI: -1.15, -0.48). The lower the level of education, the more the subjects overestimated their height. Adult men systematically overestimate their height and underestimate their weight. The magnitude of the inaccuracy depends on level of education. When self-reported data are used, the prevalence of obesity is generally underestimated. Using self-reported data to calculate BMI can lead to a substantial underestimation of the proportion of underweight and obese individuals in a population. Finally, using self-reported values for height in studies on social inequality may lead to false conclusions. Background: In some epidemiological studies, self-reported height and weight are often used to save time and money. Self-reported height and weight are commonly used to assess the prevalence of obesity. The aim of this study was to assess the differences between self-reported and measured height and weight in adult men, and to determine how the accuracy of self-reported data depended on age and education. The prevalence of obesity was also calculated based both on self-reported and measured data. Material and methods: Data were collected during two population studies carried out in Wroclaw in 2010. One study included 1,194 19-year-old males who reported for the health examination mandated by the National Conscription Board (younger group). The other group included 355 men between 35 and 80 years old who reported for a ten-year follow-up (older group). Data were analyzed separately for both age groups. Results: Both younger and older subjects overestimated their height by 1.4 cm and 1.0 cm (1.4 cm, 95   %CI: 1.26, 1.51, and 1.0 cm, 95   %CI: 0.85, 1.26, respectively). On average, younger subjects overestimated their weight by 0.7 kilograms (95   %CI: 0.55, 0.92), whereas older subjects underestimated their weight by 0.9 kilograms (95   %CI: –1.15, –0.48). The lower the level of education, the more the subjects overestimated their height. Conclusions: Adult men systematically overestimate their height and underestimate their weight. The magnitude of the inaccuracy depends on level of education. When self-reported data are used, the prevalence of obesity is generally underestimated. Using self-reported data to calculate BMI can lead to a substantial underestimation of the proportion of underweight and obese individuals in a population. Finally, using self-reported values for height in studies on social inequality may lead to false conclusions.

A Qualitative Inquiry Into the Challenges of Medical Education for Retention of General Practitioners in Rural and Underserved Areas of Iran

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Objectives General practitioners (GPs) retention in rural and underserved areas highly effects on accessibility of healthcare facilities across the country. Education seems to be a critical factor that affects GPs retention. Thus, the present study aimed at inquiry into medical education challenges that limit their retention in rural and underserved areas. Methods A qualitative approach was applied for the aim of this study. Data were gathered via 28 semi-structured interviews with experts at different levels of Iran’s health system as well as GPs who retained and refused to retain working in rural settings. Interviews mainly were performed face-to-face and in some cases via telephone during 2015 and then coded and analyzed using content analysis approach. Results Iran’s medical education is faced with several challenges that were categorized in four main themes including student selection, medical students’ perception about their field of study, education setting and approach, curriculum of medical education. According to experts this challenges could results in making GP graduates disinterested for practicing in rural and underserved areas. Conclusions Challenges that were found could have negative effects on retention. Modification in student’s perception about rural practice could be done via changing education setting and approach and curriculum. These modifications could improve GPs retention in rural and underserved areas. PMID:27951631

Socioeconomic inequalities in premature mortality in Colombia, 1998-2007: The double burden of non-communicable diseases and injuries

PubMed Central

Arroyave, Ivan; Burdorf, Alex; Cardona, Doris; Avendano, Mauricio

2014-01-01

Objectives Non-communicable diseases have become the leading cause of death in middle-income countries, but mortality from injuries and infections remains high. We examined the contribution of specific causes to disparities in adult premature mortality (ages 25-64) by educational level from 1998 to 2007 in Colombia. Methods Data from mortality registries were linked to population censuses to obtain mortality rates by educational attainment. We used Poisson regression to model trends in mortality by educational attainment and estimated the contribution of specific causes to the Slope Index of Inequality. Results Men and women with only primary education had higher premature mortality than men and women with post-secondary education (RRmen=2·60, 95% confidence interval [CI]:2·56, 2·64; RRwomen=2·36, CI:2·31, 2·42). Mortality declined in all educational groups, but declines were significantly larger for higher-educated men and women. Homicide explained 55·1% of male inequalities while non-communicable diseases explained 62·5% of female inequalities and 27·1% of male inequalities. Infections explained a small proportion of inequalities in mortality. Conclusion Injuries and non-communicable diseases contribute considerably to disparities in premature mortality in Colombia. Multi-sector policies to reduce both interpersonal violence and non-communicable disease risk factors are required to curb mortality disparities. PMID:24674854

The interpretation of proverbs by elderly with high, medium and low educational level: Abstract reasoning as an aspect of executive functions

PubMed Central

Wachholz, Thalita Bianchi de Oliveira; Yassuda, Mônica Sanches

2011-01-01

It is now known that cognitive functions tend to decline with age. Executive functions (EF) are among the first abilities to decline with aging. A subcomponent of the EF is abstract reasoning. The Test of Proverbs is an instrument that can be used to evaluate the capacity of abstract reasoning. Objective To examine the association of performance in interpretation of proverbs, with education and with episodic memory and EF tasks. Methods A total of 67 individuals aged between 60 and 75 years were evaluated, and divided into three categories of education: 1-4 years, 5-8 years, and 9 or more years of schooling. The instruments used were a sociodemographic questionnaire (gender, age, marital status, education, income, previous occupation, current occupation and health perception), the Mini Mental State Examination, Brief Cognitive Screening Battery; Geriatric Depression Scale; Forward and Backward Digit Span (WAIS-III), and the Test of Proverbs. Results A high impact of education was seen on the interpretation of proverbs, with lower performance among the elderly with less education. A significant association between performance on the Test of Proverbs and scores on the MMSE, GDS, and verbal fluency tests was found. There was a modest association with incidental memory. Conclusions The capacity to interpret proverbs is strongly associated with education and with performance on other EF tasks. PMID:29213717

Freestanding midwifery units versus obstetric units: does the effect of place of birth differ with level of social disadvantage?

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Social inequity in perinatal and maternal health is a well-documented health problem even in countries with a high level of social equality. We aimed to study whether the effect of birthplace on perinatal and maternal morbidity, birth interventions and use of pain relief among low risk women intending to give birth in two freestanding midwifery units (FMU) versus two obstetric units in Denmark differed by level of social disadvantage. Methods The study was designed as a cohort study with a matched control group. It included 839 low-risk women intending to give birth in an FMU, who were prospectively and individually matched on nine selected obstetric/socio-economic factors to 839 low-risk women intending OU birth. Educational level was chosen as a proxy for social position. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. Results Women intending to give birth in an FMU had a significantly higher likelihood of uncomplicated, spontaneous birth with good outcomes for mother and infant compared to women intending to give birth in an OU. The likelihood of intact perineum, use of upright position for birth and water birth was also higher. No difference was found in perinatal morbidity or third/fourth degree tears, while birth interventions including caesarean section and epidural analgesia were significantly less frequent among women intending to give birth in an FMU. In our sample of healthy low-risk women with spontaneous onset of labour at term after an uncomplicated pregnancy, the positive results of intending to give birth in an FMU as compared to an OU were found to hold for both women with post-secondary education and the potentially vulnerable group of FMU women without post-secondary education. In all cases, women without post-secondary education intending to give birth in an FMU had comparable and, in some respects, more favourable outcomes when compared to women with the same level of education intending to give birth in an OU. In this sample of low-risk women, we found that the effect of intended place on birth outcomes did not differ with women’s level of education. Conclusion FMU care appears to offer important benefits for birthing women with no additional risk to the infant. Both for women with and without post-secondary education, intending to give birth in an FMU significantly increased the likelihood of a spontaneous, uncomplicated birth with good outcomes for mother and infant compared to women intending to give birth in an OU. All women should be provided with adequate information about different care models and supported in making an informed decision about the place of birth. PMID:22726575

28 CFR 544.52 - Levels of Occupational Education Programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Levels of Occupational Education Programs... MANAGEMENT EDUCATION Occupational Education Programs § 544.52 Levels of Occupational Education Programs. Occupational education programs are offered at the certificate level and the classroom level. Each level may...

Becoming a medical educator: motivation, socialisation and navigation

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Despite an increasing concern about a future shortage of medical educators, little published research exists on career choices in medical education nor the impact of specific training posts in medical education (e.g. academic registrar/resident positions). Medical educators at all levels, from both medical and non-medical backgrounds, are crucial for the training of medical students, junior doctors and in continuing professional development. We explored the motivations and experiences of junior doctors considering an education career and undertaking a medical education registrar (MER) post. Methods Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with junior doctors and clinicians across Queensland Health. Framework analysis was used to identify themes in the data, based on our defined research questions and the medical education workforce issues prompting the study. We applied socio-cognitive career theory to guide our analysis and to explore the experience of junior doctors in medical education registrar posts as they enter, navigate and fulfil the role. Results We identified six key themes in the data: motivation for career choice and wanting to provide better education; personal goals, expectations and the need for self-direction; the influence of role models; defining one’s identity; support networks and the need for research as a potential barrier to pursuing a career in/with education. We also identified the similarities and differences between the MERs’ experiences to develop a composite of an MER’s journey through career choice, experience in role and outcomes. Conclusions There is growing interest from junior doctors in pursuing education pathways in a clinical environment. They want to enhance clinical teaching in the hospitals and become specialists with an interest in education, and have no particular interest in research or academia. This has implications for the recruitment and training of the next generation of clinical educators. PMID:24885740

Prevalence and risk factors of asymptomatic peptic ulcer disease in Taiwan

PubMed Central

Wang, Fu-Wei; Tu, Ming-Shium; Mar, Guang-Yuan; Chuang, Hung-Yi; Yu, Hsien-Chung; Cheng, Lung-Chih; Hsu, Ping-I

2011-01-01

AIM: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of asymptomatic peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in a general Taiwanese population. METHODS: From January to August 2008, consecutive asymptomatic subjects undergoing a routine health check-up were evaluated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gastroduodenal mucosal breaks were carefully assessed, and a complete medical history and demographic data were obtained from each patient. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent risk factors for asymptomatic PUD. RESULTS: Of the 572 asymptomatic subjects, 54 (9.4%) were diagnosed as having PUD. The prevalence of gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer and both gastric and duodenal ulcers were 4.7%, 3.9%, and 0.9%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that prior history of PUD [odds ratio (OR), 2.0, 95% CI: 1.3-2.9], high body mass index [body mass index (BMI) 25-30: OR, 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.2; BMI > 30 kg/m2: OR, 3.6, 95% CI: 1.5-8.7] and current smoker (OR, 2.6, 95% CI: 1.6-4.4) were independent predictors of asymptomatic PUD. In contrast, high education level was a negative predictor of PUD (years of education 10-12: OR, 0.5, 95% CI: 0.3-0.8; years of education > 12: OR, 0.6, 95% CI: 0.3-0.9). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of PUD in asymptomatic subjects is 9.4% in Taiwan. Prior history of PUD, low education level, a high BMI and current smoker are independent risk factors for developing asymptomatic PUD. PMID:21448426

The Nine Crucial Issues in Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Til, William

1976-01-01

Reports on nine issues that the National Society for the Study of Education agreed were crucial to education today and should be included in their yearbook on secondary education. Some of the conclusions of the yearbooks authors were also presented. (Editor/RK)

Core subjects at the end of primary school: identifying and explaining relative strengths of children with specific language impairment (SLI)

PubMed Central

Durkin, Kevin; Mok, Pearl L H; Conti-Ramsden, Gina

2015-01-01

Background In general, children with specific language impairment (SLI) tend to fall behind their typically developing (TD) peers in educational attainment. Less is known about how children with SLI fare in particular areas of the curriculum and what predicts their levels of performance. Aims To compare the distributions of performance of children with SLI in three core school subjects (English, Mathematics and Science); to test the possibility that performance would vary across the core subjects; and to examine the extent to which language impairment predicts performance. Methods & Procedures This study was conducted in England and reports historical data on educational attainments. Teacher assessment and test scores of 176 eleven-year-old children with SLI were examined in the three core subjects and compared with known national norms. Possible predictors of performance were measured, including language ability at ages 7 and 11, educational placement type, and performance IQ. Outcomes & Results Children with SLI, compared with national norms, were found to be at a disadvantage in core school subjects. Nevertheless, some children attained the levels expected of TD peers. Performance was poorest in English; relative strengths were indicated in Science and, to a lesser extent, in Mathematics. Language skills were significant predictors of performance in all three core subjects. PIQ was the strongest predictor for Mathematics. For Science, both early language skills at 7 years and PIQ made significant contributions. Conclusions & Implications Language impacts on the school performance of children with SLI, but differentially across subjects. English for these children is the most challenging of the core subjects, reflecting the high levels of language demand it incurs. Science is an area of relative strength and mathematics appears to be intermediate, arguably because some tasks in these subjects can be performed with less reliance on verbal processing. Many children with SLI do have the potential to reach or exceed educational targets that are set at national levels for TD children. PMID:25469890

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Refractive Errors: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008-2011

PubMed Central

Kim, Eun Chul; Morgan, Ian G.; Kakizaki, Hirohiko; Kang, Seungbum; Jee, Donghyun

2013-01-01

Purpose To examine the prevalence and risk factors of refractive errors in a representative Korean population aged 20 years old or older. Methods A total of 23,392 people aged 20+ years were selected for the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2008–2011, using stratified, multistage, clustered sampling. Refractive error was measured by autorefraction without cycloplegia, and interviews were performed regarding associated risk factors including gender, age, height, education level, parent's education level, economic status, light exposure time, and current smoking history. Results Of 23,392 participants, refractive errors were examined in 22,562 persons, including 21,356 subjects with phakic eyes. The overall prevalences of myopia (< -0.5 D), high myopia (< -6.0 D), and hyperopia (> 0.5 D) were 48.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 47.4–48.8), 4.0% (CI, 3.7–4.3), and 24.2% (CI, 23.6–24.8), respectively. The prevalence of myopia sharply decreased from 78.9% (CI, 77.4–80.4) in 20–29 year olds to 16.1% (CI, 14.9–17.3) in 60–69 year olds. In multivariable logistic regression analyses restricted to subjects aged 40+ years, myopia was associated with younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.94; 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.93-0.94, p < 0.001), education level of university or higher (OR, 2.31; CI, 1.97–2.71, p < 0.001), and shorter sunlight exposure time (OR, 0.84; CI, 0.76–0.93, p = 0.002). Conclusions This study provides the first representative population-based data on refractive error for Korean adults. The prevalence of myopia in Korean adults in 40+ years (34.7%) was comparable to that in other Asian countries. These results show that the younger generations in Korea are much more myopic than previous generations, and that important factors associated with this increase are increased education levels and reduced sunlight exposures. PMID:24224049

Socioeconomic Status and Overweight Prevalence in Polish Adolescents: The Impact of Single Factors and a Complex Index of Socioeconomic Status in Respect to Age and Sex

PubMed Central

KOWALKOWSKA, Joanna; WADOLOWSKA, Lidia; WERONIKA WUENSTEL, Justyna; SŁOWIŃSKA, Małgorzata Anna; NIEDŹWIEDZKA, Ewa

2014-01-01

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to analyze the association between overweight prevalence and socioeconomic status (SES) measured by complex SES index and single SES factors in Polish adolescents in respect to age and sex. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010-2011. A total of 1,176 adolescents aged 13.0-18.9 years were included. The respondents were students of junior-high and high schools from northern, eastern and central Poland. Quota sampling by sex and age was used. The SES was determined by: place of residence, self-declared economic situation, and parental education level. Respondents with low, average or high SES index (SESI) were identified. The level of overweight was assessed using Polish and international standards. Results The odds ratio (OR) for overweight prevalence in the oldest girls (aged 17.0-18.9 years) with high SESI was 0.34 (95%CI:0.13-0.92; P < 0.05) by Polish standards and 0.22 (95%CI:0.05-0.95; P < 0.05) by international standards, in comparison to the reference group (low SESI). In total girls who had mothers with higher education level, the OR adjusted for age was 0.44 (95%CI:0.21-0.90; P <0.05) by Polish standards and 0.35 (95%CI:0.15-0.81; P < 0.05) by international standards, in comparison to the reference group (maternal elementary education). The other single SES factors were not significant for overweight prevalence Conclusions The relationship between socioeconomic status and prevalence of overweight was related to sex and age. The high socioeconomic status strongly lowered the risk of overweight prevalence in the oldest girls, but not in boys, irrespective of age. Maternal education level lowered risk of overweight prevalence in girls. PMID:25909059

Influence of Delivery Strategy on Message-Processing Mechanisms and Future Adherence to a Dutch Computer-Tailored Smoking Cessation Intervention

PubMed Central

Crutzen, Rik; Bolman, Catherine; Muris, Jean; de Vries, Hein

2013-01-01

Background Smoking tobacco is one of the most preventable causes of illness and death. Web-based tailored smoking cessation interventions have shown to be effective. Although these interventions have the potential to reach a large number of smokers, they often face high attrition rates, especially among lower educated smokers. A possible reason for the high attrition rates in the latter group is that computer-tailored smoking cessation interventions may not be attractive enough as they are mainly text-based. Video-based messages might be more effective in attracting attention and stimulating comprehension in people with a lower educational level and could therefore reduce attrition rates. Objective The objective of the present study was to investigate whether differences exist in message-processing mechanisms (attention, comprehension, self-reference, appreciation, processing) and future adherence (intention to visit/use the website again, recommend the website to others), according to delivery strategy (video or text based messages) and educational level, to a Dutch computer-tailored smoking cessation program. Methods Smokers who were motivated to quit within the following 6 months and who were aged over 16 were included in the program. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions (video/text CT). The sample was stratified into 2 categories: lower and higher educated participants. In total, 139 participants completed the first session of the web-based tailored intervention and were subsequently asked to fill out a questionnaire assessing message-processing mechanisms and future adherence. ANOVAs and regression analyses were conducted to investigate the differences in message-processing mechanisms and future adherence with regard to delivery strategy and education. Results No interaction effects were found between delivery strategy (video vs text) and educational level on message-processing mechanisms and future adherence. Delivery strategy had no effect on future adherence and processing mechanisms. However, in both groups results indicated that lower educated participants showed higher attention (F 1,138=3.97; P=.05) and processing levels (F 1,138=4.58; P=.04). Results revealed also that lower educated participants were more inclined to visit the computer-tailored intervention website again (F 1,138=4.43; P=.04). Conclusions Computer-tailored programs have the potential to positively influence lower educated groups as they might be more involved in the computer-tailored intervention than higher educated smokers. Longitudinal studies with a larger sample are needed to gain more insight into the role of delivery strategy in tailored information and to investigate whether the intention to visit the intervention website again results in the ultimate goal of behavior change. Trial Registration Netherlands Trial Register (NTR3102). PMID:23388554

Institutionalization of Older Adults After the Death of a Spouse

PubMed Central

Nihtilä, Elina; Martikainen, Pekka

2008-01-01

Objectives. We investigated the risk of entering long-term institutional care after the death of a spouse in relation to the duration of widowhood among older Finnish men and women. We also examined whether high levels of education or household income buffered the effects of bereavement on institutionalization. Methods. We used linked register-based data on Finnish adults 65 years or older who were living with a spouse at the beginning of the study period (n=140902) and were followed from January 1998 to December 2002. Results. The excess risk of institutionalization was highest during the first month following a spouse’s death compared with still living with a spouse (adjusted hazard ratio=3.31 for men, 3.62 for women). This risk decreased over time among both men and women. The relative effect of the duration of widowhood on institutionalization did not significantly vary according to the level of education or income. Conclusions. Risk of institutionalization is particularly high immediately after the death of a spouse, demonstrating the importance of loss of social and instrumental support. PMID:18511726

Assessment of the culture of safety in public hospitals in Brazil 1

PubMed Central

de Carvalho, Rhanna Emanuela Fontenele Lima; Arruda, Lidyane Parente; do Nascimento, Nayanne Karen Pinheiro; Sampaio, Renata Lopes; Cavalcante, Maria Lígia Silva Nunes; Costa, Ana Carolina Pinto

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to assess the culture of safety in three public hospitals. Method: transversal study undertaken in three Brazilian public hospitals, with health professionals through applying the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). Scores greater than or equal to 75 were considered positive. Results: a total of 573 professionals participated in the study, including nurse technicians and auxiliary nurses 292 (51%), nurses 105 (18.3%), physicians 59 (10.3%), and other professionals 117 (20.4%). The mean of the SAQ varied between 65 and 69 in the three hospitals. Among the domains, however, 'Job satisfaction' presented a higher score, and the opposite was observed for the domain 'Perceptions of management'. The outsourced professionals presented a better perception of the culture of safety than did the statutory professionals. The professionals with higher education presented a better perception of the stressing factors than did the professionals educated to senior high school level. Conclusion: the level of the culture of safety found is below the ideal. The managerial actions are considered the main contributing factor to the culture's weakness; however, the professionals demonstrated themselves to be satisfied with the work. PMID:28301029

Assessment of the nursing skill mix in Mozambique using a task analysis methodology

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The density of the nursing and maternal child health nursing workforce in Mozambique (0.32/1000) is well below the WHO minimum standard of 1 nurse per 1000. Two levels of education were being offered for both nurses and maternal child health nurses, in programmes ranging from 18 to 30 months in length. The health care workforce in Mozambique also includes Medical Technicians and Medical Agents, who are also educated at either basic or mid-level. The Ministry of Health determined the need to document the tasks that each of the six cadres was performing within various health facilities to identify gaps, and duplications, in order to identify strategies for streamlining workforce production, while retaining highest educational and competency standards. The methodology of task analysis (TA) was used to achieve this objective. This article provides information about the TA methodology, and selected outcomes of the very broad study. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive task analysis survey was conducted over a 15 month period (2008–2009). A stratified sample of 1295 individuals was recruited from every type of health facility in all of Mozambique’s 10 provinces and in Maputo City. Respondents indicated how frequently they performed any of 233 patient care tasks. Data analysis focused on identifying areas where identical tasks were performed by the various cadres. Analyses addressed frequency of performance, grouped by level of educational preparation, within various types of health facilities. Results Task sharing ranged from 74% to 88% between basic and general nurse cadres and from 54% to 88% between maternal and child health nurse cadres, within various health facility types. Conversely, there was distinction between scope of practice for nursing and maternal/child health nursing cadres. Conclusion The educational pathways to general nursing and maternal/child health nursing careers were consolidated into one 24 month programme for each career. The scopes of practice were affirmed based on task analysis survey data. PMID:24460789

Patterns of sedentary behavior in overweight and moderately obese users of the Catalan primary-health care system

PubMed Central

Beltran, Angela-Maria; Martín-Borràs, Carme; Lasaosa-Medina, Lourdes; Real, Jordi; Trujillo, José-Manuel; Solà-Gonfaus, Mercè; Puigdomenech, Elisa; Castillo-Ramos, Eva; Puig-Ribera, Anna; Giné-Garriga, Maria; Serra-Paya, Noemi; Rodriguez-Roca, Beatriz; Gascón-Catalán, Ana; Martín-Cantera, Carlos

2018-01-01

Background and objectives Prolonged sitting time (ST) has negative consequences on health. Changing this behavior is paramount in overweight/obese individuals because they are more sedentary than those with normal weight. The aim of the study was to establish the pattern of sedentary behavior and its relationship to health, socio-demographics, occupation, and education level in Catalan overweight/obese individuals. Methods A descriptive study was performed at 25 healthcare centers in Catalonia (Spain) with 464 overweight/moderately obese patients, aged25 to 65 years. Exclusion criteria were chronic diseases which contraindicated physical activity and language barriers. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect data on age, gender, educational level, social class, and marital status. Main outcome was ‘sitting time’ (collected by the Marshall questionnaire); chronic diseases and anthropometric measurements were registered. Results 464 patients, 58.4% women, mean age 51.9 years (SD 10.1), 76.1% married, 60% manual workers, and 48.7% had finished secondary education. Daily sitting time was 6.2 hours on working days (374 minutes/day, SD: 190), and about 6 hours on non-working ones (357 minutes/day, SD: 170). 50% of participants were sedentary ≥6 hours. The most frequent sedentary activities were: working/academic activities around 2 hours (128 minutes, SD: 183), followed by watching television, computer use, and commuting. Men sat longer than women (64 minutes more on working days and 54 minutes on non-working days), and individuals with office jobs (91 minutes),those with higher levels of education (42 minutes), and younger subjects (25 to 35 years) spent more time sitting. Conclusions In our study performed in overweight/moderately obese patients the mean sitting time was around 6 hours which was mainly spent doing work/academic activities and watching television. Men, office workers, individuals with higher education, and younger subjects had longer sitting time. Our results may help design interventions targeted at these sedentary patients to decrease sitting time. PMID:29370176

Cancer risk perception and preventive behaviors among grilled meat vendors.

PubMed

Meerith, Penrawee; Harncharoen, Kitiphong; Srisuphanunt, Mayuna; Kaewboonchoo, Orawan

2012-06-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are environmental pollutants that cause cancers in humans. Exposure results from incomplete burning of organic materials. Grilled meat vendors are occupationally exposed to PAHs in smoke from continuously burning charcoal and meat, which may have chance to get cancer. Individual risk perception is a critical antecedent of preventive behavior However relatively little is known about the cancer risk perception and preventive behaviors among grilled meat vendors. The present study aimed to examine cancer risk perception and preventive behaviors and factors associated with preventive behaviors among grilled meat vendors in Bangkok, Thailand. A cross-sectional survey was used in the present study. The subjects consisted of 40 males and 82 females grilled meat vendors who conducted their jobs at Victory Monument, Bang Lumpoo, Pratunam, Jakkawat or Patumwan. They were interviewed regarding cancer risk perception and preventive behaviors. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze data. Average cancer risk perception score was 23.3 +/- 3.3 out of 32. About 79.5% of the subjects had high risk perception. The prevalence of good preventive behaviors was 86.1%. The three most frequent preventive behaviors among the subjects during grilling meat were using good quality charcoal (65.6%), ventilation fan (41.0%) and wearing long sleeves shirt (36.1%). Only 10.7% always used gloves. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed 2 factors were independently associated with preventive behaviors: educational level and risk perception. The subjects who had higher educational level or risk perception were more likely to develop better behaviors than those who had a lower educational level and perception (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the present study found that the educational background and cancer risk perception were associated with preventive behaviors among grilled meat vendors. To improve the preventive behaviors among grilled meat vendors, interventions focusing on cancer risk perceptions and considering educational background among target group are recommended.

Is “Football for All” Safe for All? Cross-Sectional Study of Disparities as Determinants of 1-Year Injury Prevalence in Youth Football Programs

PubMed Central

Dahlström, Örjan; Backe, Stefan; Ekberg, Joakim; Janson, Staffan; Timpka, Toomas

2012-01-01

Background Football (soccer) is endorsed as a health-promoting physical activity worldwide. When football programs are introduced as part of general health promotion programs, equal access and limitation of pre-participation disparities with regard to injury risk are important. The aim of this study was to explore if disparity with regard to parents’ educational level, player body mass index (BMI), and self-reported health are determinants of football injury in community-based football programs, separately or in interaction with age or gender. Methodology/Principal Findings Four community football clubs with 1230 youth players agreed to participate in the cross-sectional study during the 2006 season. The study constructs (parents’ educational level, player BMI, and self-reported health) were operationalized into questionnaire items. The 1-year prevalence of football injury was defined as the primary outcome measure. Data were collected via a postal survey and analyzed using a series of hierarchical statistical computations investigating associations with the primary outcome measure and interactions between the study variables. The survey was returned by 827 (67.2%) youth players. The 1-year injury prevalence increased with age. For youths with parents with higher formal education, boys reported more injuries and girls reported fewer injuries than expected; for youths with lower educated parents there was a tendency towards the opposite pattern. Youths reporting injuries had higher standardized BMI compared with youths not reporting injuries. Children not reporting full health were slightly overrepresented among those reporting injuries and underrepresented for those reporting no injury. Conclusion Pre-participation disparities in terms of parents’ educational level, through interaction with gender, BMI, and self-reported general health are associated with increased injury risk in community-based youth football. When introduced as a general health promotion, football associations should adjust community-based youth programs to accommodate children and adolescents with increased pre-participation injury risk. PMID:22928035

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Regarding Benign Testicular Disorders in the Educated Young Men of Pakistan.

PubMed

Saleem, Dua; Muneer, Samra; Younus Khan, Rajaa Fatima; Ochani, Rohan Kumar; Ahmed, Syed Saadan; Begg, Maha; Siddiqi, Tariq J; Abbas, Syed Raza; Naseeb, Muhammad W; Farooqui, Muhammad Osama; Shaikh, Fahad H; Kirmani, Ramiz; Ullah, Hurmat; Fatima, Kaneez

2017-08-13

Background It has been seen that despite the increasing incidence of benign testicular disorders (BTDs), little work has been done towards its awareness among the male populace. Also, the trend of not seeking help in this regard is concerning. In this study, we aim to better perceive the level of understanding and common practices regarding BTDs among educated young men. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out among two groups of ages 14-20 and 21-28 years. The inclusion criterion was that of educated males in an urban setting. Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire using cluster sampling by independent interviewers. The questionnaire consisted of four parts dealing with demographics, knowledge, attitudes and practices. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U test were used as the primary statistical tests. Results The sample population consisted of an equal number of participants between the ages of 14 and 20, and between 21 and 28 years (n = 200, 50%). About half the participants (n = 215, 53.8%) were not familiar with the term BTDs. The majority (n = 324, 78.8%) of participants were not aware of symptoms of BTDs. Three-fourth of the participants believed that the subject is considered taboo in Pakistan (n = 307, 73.6%) while a majority of participants (n = 340, 85%) believed media coverage can help spread awareness of BTDs. A huge number (n = 268, 67%) thought that BTDs can cause fertility problems while one-third of them would not perform testicular self-examination (TSE) in case of pain or swelling in the scrotal region (n = 119, 29.8). The level of education and age were significantly associated with the knowledge regarding symptoms and types of BTDs. Conclusion Knowledge of BTDs and practices of TSE in the young educated men of Karachi are alarmingly poor. Therefore, there is an urgent need to create awareness at all levels using different strategies and platforms.

Lessons for Teacher Education from Corporate Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Houston, W. Robert

1987-01-01

Teacher education suffers from parochialism and is essentially the same today as it was 50 years ago. Corporate education programs are large and well developed, and adoption of their promising ideas could improve teacher education. Eight conclusions about corporate educational practices are presented from a study of corporate training programs…

Weber on Education and Its Administration: Prospects for Leadership in a Rationalized World.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Samier, Eugenie

2002-01-01

Uses Max Weber's writings to reconstruct his views on education, administration, and leadership; relates these views to some recent significant changes in education, especially higher education. Discusses problems of educational leadership in modern universities from a Weberian perspective. Provides three conclusions from Weber's writing; draws…

Advancing clinical reasoning in virtual patients - development and application of a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Hege, Inga; Kononowicz, Andrzej A; Berman, Norman B; Lenzer, Benedikt; Kiesewetter, Jan

2018-01-01

Background: Clinical reasoning is a complex skill students have to acquire during their education. For educators it is difficult to explain their reasoning to students, because it is partly an automatic and unconscious process. Virtual Patients (VPs) are used to support the acquisition of clinical reasoning skills in healthcare education. However, until now it remains unclear which features or settings of VPs optimally foster clinical reasoning. Therefore, our aims were to identify key concepts of the clinical reasoning process in a qualitative approach and draw conclusions on how each concept can be enhanced to advance the learning of clinical reasoning with virtual patients. Methods: We chose a grounded theory approach to identify key categories and concepts of learning clinical reasoning and develop a framework. Throughout this process, the emerging codes were discussed with a panel of interdisciplinary experts. In a second step we applied the framework to virtual patients. Results: Based on the data we identified the core category as the "multifactorial nature of learning clinical reasoning". This category is reflected in the following five main categories: Psychological Theories, Patient-centeredness, Context, Learner-centeredness, and Teaching/Assessment. Each category encompasses between four and six related concepts. Conclusions: With our approach we were able to elaborate how key categories and concepts of clinical reasoning can be applied to virtual patients. This includes aspects such as allowing learners to access a large number of VPs with adaptable levels of complexity and feedback or emphasizing dual processing, errors, and uncertainty.

Advancing clinical reasoning in virtual patients – development and application of a conceptual framework

PubMed Central

Hege, Inga; Kononowicz, Andrzej A.; Berman, Norman B.; Lenzer, Benedikt; Kiesewetter, Jan

2018-01-01

Background: Clinical reasoning is a complex skill students have to acquire during their education. For educators it is difficult to explain their reasoning to students, because it is partly an automatic and unconscious process. Virtual Patients (VPs) are used to support the acquisition of clinical reasoning skills in healthcare education. However, until now it remains unclear which features or settings of VPs optimally foster clinical reasoning. Therefore, our aims were to identify key concepts of the clinical reasoning process in a qualitative approach and draw conclusions on how each concept can be enhanced to advance the learning of clinical reasoning with virtual patients. Methods: We chose a grounded theory approach to identify key categories and concepts of learning clinical reasoning and develop a framework. Throughout this process, the emerging codes were discussed with a panel of interdisciplinary experts. In a second step we applied the framework to virtual patients. Results: Based on the data we identified the core category as the "multifactorial nature of learning clinical reasoning". This category is reflected in the following five main categories: Psychological Theories, Patient-centeredness, Context, Learner-centeredness, and Teaching/Assessment. Each category encompasses between four and six related concepts. Conclusions: With our approach we were able to elaborate how key categories and concepts of clinical reasoning can be applied to virtual patients. This includes aspects such as allowing learners to access a large number of VPs with adaptable levels of complexity and feedback or emphasizing dual processing, errors, and uncertainty. PMID:29497697

[Analysis on occupational exposure to dust and harmful gas and corresponding protection in adults aged 40 years and older in China, 2014].

PubMed

Wang, B H; Cong, S; Bao, H L; Feng, Y J; Fan, J; Wang, N; Fang, L W; Wang, L H

2018-05-10

Objective: To understand the current status of dust and/or harmful gas exposure in adults aged ≥40 years and corresponding protection in China, and provide evidence for strengthening the occupational protection against dust and harmful gas exposure. Methods: The data were obtained from 2014-2015 COPD surveillance in China. A total of 75 107 adults aged ≥40 years selected through multi-stage stratified cluster sampling from 125 surveillance points in 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) were surveyed in face to face interviews. Occupational exposure was defined as occupational exposure to dust and/or harmful gas for more than 1 year. The weighted percentages of exposure were estimated by using complex sampling design. Results: Among eligible 71 061 participants, the exposure rate of dust and/or harmful gas was 46.3 % . The exposure rate in rural area (51.7 % ) was significantly higher than that in urban area (40.3 % ), and the exposure rate in the western area was higher than those in the eastern and central areas ( P <0.001). Among the groups with different education level, the exposure rate in those with education level of primary school and below was highest (49.7 % , P <0.001). The exposure protection rate was 26.7 % , and the exposure protection rate was highest in the eastern area (29.9 % ), followed by that in the central area (27.0 % ) and that in the western area (22.9 % ) The exposure protection rate in urban area was significantly higher than that in rural area, and the exposure protection rate was lowest in those with education level of primary school and below. The regular exposure protection was taken by only 50.7 % of the adults surveyed. Conclusion: The exposure rate of dust and/or harmful gas is high in China, while the exposure protection rate is very low. Health education, occupational protection and supervision should be strengthened among those with low education level, and those living in rural area and in the western area.

Multi-level aspects of social cohesion of secondary schools and pupils' feelings of safety.

PubMed

Mooij, Ton; Smeets, Ed; de Wit, Wouter

2011-09-01

BACKGROUND. School safety and corresponding feelings of both pupils and school staff are beginning to receive more and more attention. The social cohesion characteristics of a school may be useful in promoting feelings of safety, particularly in pupils. AIMS. To conceptualize theoretically, and check empirically a two-level model of social cohesion between and within schools, in order to explain a pupil's feelings of safety at school. SAMPLES. Data were collected aided by a national Dutch survey in secondary education carried out via the Internet. In 2008, digital questionnaires were completed by about 78,800 pupils, 6,200 teachers and educational support staff, and 600 school managers. METHODS. Data were checked for reliability and representativity. Social cohesion was indicated by self-reported measures of individual pupils and by aggregating scale and item scores of school managers, teachers, and other support staff within schools. Multi-level analysis using individual pupil data and school-level data was performed using MLwiN. RESULTS. A pupil's age, educational attainment level, experience of mild physical violence, prosocial rules of conduct and joint control of these rules, and school measures against playing truant, show positive influences on a pupil's feelings of safety at school. Negative influences are exerted by not feeling most at home in The Netherlands, peers taking drugs and weapons into school, and by experiencing social violence, severe physical violence, and sexual violence. Negative school effects exist simultaneously in severe physical violence experienced by teachers and other staff, and in curriculum differentiation applied by teachers and other staff; a positive school effect is school size. Some interaction effects between pupil and school-level variables were explored. CONCLUSIONS. The variance at school level is relatively low compared with the variance at pupil level. However, a much higher percentage of variance at school level than at pupil level is explained with respect to the pupils' feelings of safety at school. The resulting two-level model also reflects the streaming of pupils in Dutch secondary schools. To improve school safety, the national results emphasize the need to enhance prosocial behaviour rules and to enhance the shared control of these rules between teachers and pupils. They also emphasize the need for the school to take measures that prevent truancy and redefine curriculum differentiation procedures. National educational policy and research can combine efforts to assist schools in developing reliable and valid procedures to increase effectively safety in and around schools. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Building Resilience in Students at the Intersection of Special Education and Foster Care: Challenges, Strategies, and Resources for Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Parker; Folkman, Jessica

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article is to inform educators (general educators, special educators, teacher educators, and administrators) about ways to teach, advocate for, and empower students with disabilities who are also engaged in the foster care system. The conclusion includes authors' suggestions for how teacher educators might incorporate the…

HIV-Negative Partnered Men's Willingness to Use Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Associated Factors Among an Internet Sample of U.S. HIV-Negative and HIV-Discordant Male Couples

PubMed Central

Stephenson, Rob

2015-01-01

Abstract Purpose: Research on male couples' willingness to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is critically lacking. Methods: A cross-sectional 2011 Internet survey collected dyadic data from 275 HIV-negative and 58 HIV-discordant male couples to describe 631 HIV-negative partnered mens' willingness to use PrEP and associated couple-level demographic and behavioral factors with multivariate multilevel modeling. Results: Fifty-three percent were very to extremely likely to use PrEP. Willingness was positively associated with being in a mixed race and behaviorally non-monogamous relationship, and with amyl nitrate use with sex outside the relationship. Willingness was negatively associated with having a college education. Conclusion: Prevention efforts should educate male couples about the potential benefits of PrEP. PMID:26790016

Geographic Mapping of Use and Knowledge of the Existence of Projects or ICT-Based Devices in Dementia Care.

PubMed

Zacharopoulou, Vassiliki; Zarakovitis, Dimitrios; Zacharopoulou, Georgia; Tsaloukidis, Nikolaos; Lazakidou, Athina

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate the knowledge and use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) from community-based patients, while the results were visualized on maps by using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Of the 779 participants, 37.4% of the patients responded that they were aware of the availability of ICTs available for dementia, with only 9.2% responding that they were using individual devices. It was apparent that 94.7% of those with a university education had knowledge of ICT and 47.4% of them did use, unlike patients with lower levels of education. In conclusion, based on a small sample of the Greek population, the knowledge and use of ICTs is still on a limited scale and mainly concerns patients with high socioeconomic status.