Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice with regard to evidence-based dentistry among dental students in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Eslamipour, Faezeh; Ghaiour, Marzieh

2016-01-01

Aim: Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) is an approach to oral health that requires the application and examination of relevant scientific data related to the patient's oral health and his priorities. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental students of Isfahan about EBD. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 168 dental students in 3 final years of their education who engaged in clinical practice by consensus sampling were recruited. For data collection, a validated questionnaire was used. The questionnaire was consisted of demographic questions and some questions about four issues: Knowledge of self-assess (KSA), evidence-based practice, actual knowledge and attitude about EBD. Data were analyzed with t-test, one-way ANOVA, Chi-square, and linear regression with SPSS 16. Results: One hundred and thirty-six students from 168 students were filled the questionnaire. The mean of KSA was 13 ± 4.3, mean of usage of useful references in EBD was 16.9 ± 7.6. One-third of students were studied their last article in last 6 months before. The mean of actual knowledge and attitude was 7.4 ± 2.3 and 24 ± 3.8, respectively. The relation between 4 main issues was significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: By considering overall interest and positive attitude toward learning EBD in dental students, it is highly recommended that practical educational courses about EBD be planned by dental faculties. PMID:27500165

Toward a Humanizing Pedagogy: Leveling the Cultural and Linguistic Capital in a Fifth-Grade Writing Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zisselsberger, Margarita

2016-01-01

The increasing number of culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) students in the United States has created a priority for examining the perspectives, dispositions, and attitudes that best support these learners' writing. This study explores the link between a teacher's developing pedagogical language knowledge and humanizing practices and her…

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of the Inhabitants of the Kani Forest Tribal Settlements of Tiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, India

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nandha, B.; Srinivasan, R.; Jambulingam, P.

2014-01-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is reported among Kani tribes in forest settlements of Tiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing and 27 histopathologically confirmed cases of CL have been reported from five settlements indicating transmission of disease within settlements. One of the priorities for…

Members' of Parliament knowledge of and attitudes toward health research and funding.

PubMed

Clark, Daniel R; McGrath, Patrick J; MacDonald, Noni

2007-10-23

Establishment of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) in 2000 resulted in increased funding for health research in Canada. Since 2001, the number of proposals submitted to CIHR that, following peer review, are judged to be of scientific merit to warrant funding, has grown by 77%. But many of these proposals do not receive funding because of budget constraints. Given the role of Members of Parliament in setting government funding priorities, we surveyed Members of Parliament about their knowledge of and attitudes toward health research, health research funding and CIHR. All Members of Parliament were invited to participate, or to designate a senior aide to participate, in a 15-minute survey of knowledge of and attitudes toward health research, health research funding and CIHR. Interviews were conducted between July 15, 2006, and Dec. 20, 2006. Responses were analyzed by party affiliation, region and years of service as a Member of Parliament. A total of 101 of 308 Members of Parliament or their designated senior aides participated in the survey. Almost one-third of respondents were senior aides. Most of the respondents (84%) were aware of CIHR, but 32% knew nothing about its role. Participants believed that health research is a critical component of a strong health care system and that it is underfunded. Overall, 78% felt that the percentage of total government spending directed to health research funding was too low; 85% felt the same way about the percentage of government health care spending directed to health research. Fifty-four percent believed that the federal government should provide both funding and guidelines for health research, and 66% believed that the business sector should be the primary source of health research funding. Participants (57%) most frequently defined health research as study into cures or treatments of disease, and 22% of participants were aware that CIHR is the main federal government funding organization for health research. Participants perceived health research to be a low priority for Canadian voters (mean ranking 3.8/10, with 1 being unimportant and 10 being extremely important [SD 1.85]). Our results highlight significant knowledge gaps among Members of Parliament regarding health research. Many of these knowledge gaps will need to be addressed if health research is to become a priority.

The role of parental risk judgements, transport safety attitudes, transport priorities and accident experiences on pupils' walking to school.

PubMed

Mehdizadeh, Milad; Nordfjaern, Trond; Mamdoohi, Amir Reza; Shariat Mohaymany, Afshin

2017-05-01

Walking to school could improve pupils' health condition and might also reduce the use of motorized transport modes, which leads to both traffic congestion and air pollution. The current study aims to examine the role of parental risk judgements (i.e. risk perception and worry), transport safety attitudes, transport priorities and accident experiences on pupils' walking and mode choices on school trips in Iran, a country with poor road safety records. A total of 1078 questionnaires were randomly distributed among pupils at nine public and private schools in January 2014 in Rasht, Iran. Results from valid observations (n=711) showed that parents with high probability assessments of accidents and strong worry regarding pupils' accident risk while walking were less likely to let their children walk to school. Parents with high safety knowledge were also more likely to allow their pupils to walk to school. Parents who prioritized convenience and accessibility in transport had a stronger tendency to choose motorized modes over walking modes. Also, parents who prioritized safety and security in transport were less likely to allow pupils to walk to school. Elasticities results showed that a one percent increase in priorities of convenience and accessibility, priorities of safety and security, car ownership and walking time from home to school reduced walking among pupils by a probability of 0.62, 0.20, 0.86 and 0.57%, respectively. A one percent increase in parental safety knowledge increased the walking probability by around 0.25%. A 1 unit increase in parental probability assessment and worry towards pupils' walking, decreased the probability of choosing walking mode by 0.11 and 0.05, respectively. Policy-makers who aim to promote walking to schools should improve safety and security of the walking facilities and increase parental safety knowledge. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Critical Review of Instruments Measuring Breastfeeding Attitudes, Knowledge, and Social Support.

PubMed

Casal, Corrine S; Lei, Ann; Young, Sera L; Tuthill, Emily L

2017-02-01

Breastfeeding provides beneficial health outcomes for infants and their mothers, and increasing its practice is a national priority in many countries. Despite increasing support to exclusively breastfeed, the prevalence at 6 months remains low. Breastfeeding behavior is influenced by a myriad of determinants, including breastfeeding attitudes, knowledge, and social support. Effective measurement of these determinants is critical to provide optimal support for women throughout the breastfeeding period. However, there are a multitude of available instruments measuring these constructs, which makes identification of an appropriate instrument challenging. Research aim: Our aim was to identify and critically examine the existing instruments measuring breastfeeding attitudes, knowledge, and social support. A total of 16 instruments was identified. Each instrument's purpose, theoretical underpinnings, and validity were analyzed. An overview, validation and adaptation for use in other settings was assessed for each instrument. Depth of reporting and validation testing differed greatly between instruments. Content, construct, and predictive validity were present for most but not all scales. When selecting and adapting instruments, attention should be paid to domains within the scale, number of items, and adaptation.

Alcohol Use During Pregnancy in a South African Community: Reconciling Knowledge, Norms, and Personal Experience.

PubMed

Watt, Melissa H; Eaton, Lisa A; Dennis, Alexis C; Choi, Karmel W; Kalichman, Seth C; Skinner, Donald; Sikkema, Kathleen J

2016-01-01

Due to high rates of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in South Africa, reducing alcohol use during pregnancy is a pressing public health priority. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore knowledge and attitudes about maternal alcohol consumption among women who reported alcohol use during pregnancy. The study was conducted in Cape Town, South Africa. Participants were pregnant or within 1 year postpartum and self-reported alcohol use during pregnancy. In-depth interviews explored personal experiences with drinking during pregnancy, community norms and attitudes towards maternal drinking, and knowledge about FASD. Transcripts were analyzed using a content analytic approach, including narrative memos and data display matrices. Interviews revealed competing attitudes. Women received anti-drinking messages from several sources, but these sources were not highly valued and the messages often contradicted social norms. Women were largely unfamiliar with FASD, and their knowledge of impacts of fetal alcohol exposure was often inaccurate. Participants' personal experiences influenced their attitudes about the effects of alcohol during pregnancy, which led to internalization of misinformation. The data revealed a moral conflict that confronted women in this setting, leaving women feeling judged, ambivalent, or defensive about their behaviors, and ultimately creating uncertainty about their alcohol use behaviors. Data revealed the need to deliver accurate information about the harms of fetal alcohol exposure through sources perceived as trusted and reliable. Individual-level interventions to help women reconcile competing attitudes and identify motivations for reducing alcohol use during pregnancy would be beneficial.

Sexuality & Dementia: An eLearning Resource to Improve Knowledge and Attitudes of Aged-Care Staff

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Cindy; Moyle, Wendy

2016-01-01

Expression of sexuality by older people, particularly those with dementia, can be challenging and confronting for aged-care staff. Education on this topic is often a low priority area for aged-care organizations, and there appears to be limited training programs available. Results from our study highlighted the value of an eLearning education…

A study on knowledge, attitudes and health behaviours regarding Alzheimer's disease among community residents in Tianjin, China.

PubMed

Yang, H-F; Cong, J-Y; Zang, X-Y; Jiang, N; Zhao, Y

2015-11-01

What is known on the subject? Several studies have measured the general public's knowledge and attitudes towards Alzheimer's disease; however, much of this work is based on western samples. Due to cultural differences, the western findings may be difficult to generalize to the Chinese general public. In addition, the few studies conducted in China were often restricted to a relatively narrow range of knowledge and attitudes. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? The general public had little knowledge of Alzheimer's disease, especially on the causes, symptoms and risk factors. In terms of attitudes, although the general public held positive attitudes towards persons with Alzheimer's disease, most of them were not sure whether or not to share a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with the patient. In daily life, only a low proportion of people kept mentally active. What are the implications for practice? A popularization of a wide range of knowledge about Alzheimer's disease needs to be undertaken, especially focusing on persons with low educational level and emphasizing the causes, symptoms and risk factors. Besides, there is a significant need to draw up evidence-based dietary and lifestyle guidelines for Alzheimer's disease risk reduction. Moreover, health promotion agencies should identify priority groups for Alzheimer's disease risk reduction initiatives, especially those with lower income, a lower level of knowledge on Alzheimer's disease and with chronic diseases. The purpose of this descriptive correlational cross-sectional study was to assess the current level of knowledge, attitudes and health behaviours regarding Alzheimer's disease among community residents in Tianjin, China and to identify factors related to these attributes. A convenience sample of 140 community-dwelling adults aged 20-75 years was selected to complete a researcher-designed questionnaire about Alzheimer's disease-related knowledge, attitudes and health behaviours. The findings revealed that 15.7% of the participants knew the risk factors for Alzheimer's disease. With regard to attitude, 138 participants (98.6%) believed that people with Alzheimer's disease should not be discriminated against, and 55.7% were not sure whether to share a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease with the patient. In daily life, 28.6% of the participants pursued their interests and hobbies. A lower level of health behaviours was associated with lower income, presence of chronic diseases and a lower level of knowledge about Alzheimer's disease. These findings provide a strong case for population-level risk reduction initiatives to be undertaken, especially among people with lower income, a lower level of knowledge on Alzheimer's disease and with chronic diseases. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Management and leadership: analysis of nurse manager's knowledge.

PubMed

Lourenço, Maria Regina; Shinyashiki, Gilberto Tadeu; Trevizan, Maria Auxiliadora

2005-01-01

Nurses have assumed management positions in many health institutions. To properly accomplish the demands of this role, it is important that they be competent in both management and leadership. For appropriate performance, knowledge of management and supervision styles is a priority. Therefore, the goal of this investigation is to identify the nurse manager's knowledge regarding management and leadership. A structured questionnaire containing twenty-seven questions was applied to twelve Brazilian nurse managers of primary care center called "Family Basic Health Units". Data analysis suggested that the nurse manager lower knowledge in management and leadership is related to visionary leadership, management and leadership conceptual differences, leader's behavior, and situational leadership. And, nurse manager greater knowledge is related to power; team work, and coherence between values and attitudes.

Sexual and Reproductive Health among Unmarried Rural-Urban Female Migrants in Shanghai China: A Comparative Analysis

PubMed Central

Wang, Ying; Yao, Wen; Shang,  Meili; Cai, Yong; Shi, Rong; Ma, Jin; Wang, Jin; Song, Huijiang

2013-01-01

We compared sexual and reproductive health (SRH)-related knowledge, attitude and behavior among unmarried rural-urban female migrants in Shanghai coming from different regions of China. A total of 944 unmarried rural-urban female migrants were recruited from three districts of Shanghai. We used an interviewer-administered structured questionnaire to collect information from each participant and a multivariate logistic regression to examine the association between premarital sex and risk factors. We found the rates of premarital sex, pregnancy and abortion among unmarried rural-urban female migrants were 28.2%, 5.2% and 5.0%, respectively. Participants from the east of China were more likely to engage in premarital sex than those from the mid-west (p < 0.001). The analysis showed premarital sex was associated with age, hometown, education, current residential type, knowledge of sexual physiology and safe sex, attitude to SRH and safe sex, and permissive attitude to sex. Unmarried rural-urban female migrants lack SRH related knowledge and the data suggests high levels of occurrence of premarital sex. The results indicate that programs to promote safe sex, especially to those migrants coming from eastern China, should be a priority. PMID:23939391

[Direccion General de Comunicacion. Programa Nacional de Comunicacion en Poblacion].

PubMed

1988-06-01

Peru's National Population Council is currently developing a national program of population communication. The program will be coordinated with public and private sector activities and will seek help from international organizations. The objective of the program is to promote changes in population knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in priority social sectors and general public opinion to achieve a better harmony between population growth and distribution and socioeconomic development. The program strategy is to begin with identification of priority audiences. Other components of the strategy include quality control, coordination, decentralization, participation, use of low-cost technologies with high impact, and a multidisciplinary focus. An inventory of institutional activities in population communication will be a major activity.

Exploring large employers' and small employers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices on breastfeeding support in the workplace.

PubMed

Brown, C A; Poag, S; Kasprzycki, C

2001-02-01

Human resource professionals from different industries participated in focus groups in Austin, Texas. From a social marketing perspective, employers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in providing breastfeeding support for lactating employees were explored. Employers knew about the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers and children. However, they did not place a high priority on providing breastfeeding support. Employers identified the barriers to and motivators for providing breastfeeding support, as well as effective communication and marketing strategies for the dissemination of breastfeeding support messages and materials for employers. Participants revealed important employer variables, such as the size of the company or agency, that must be considered when designing social marketing campaigns that target employers. This research provided in-depth, qualitative data useful for designing social marketing campaigns that target employers and for further investigation using qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Focus Groups Investigating Mental Health Attitudes and Beliefs of Parents and Teachers in South Lebanon: Are They Culturally Determined?

PubMed

Doumit, Myrna A A; Farhood, Laila F; Hamady, Carmen

2018-05-01

The wars that Lebanon had endured led to a devastating number of deaths, injuries, and displacements. Such tragedies have detrimentally affected its civilians psychologically. To identify knowledge, attitudes, and practices of teachers and parents concerning child/adolescent mental health. Using purposeful sampling, five focus groups were conducted with teachers and parents of students from elementary, middle, and secondary levels in two private hub schools in South Lebanon. A total of 27 teachers and 18 parents participated separately in focus groups. Three themes emerged: (a) Mental health care is a priority for overall health, (b) Mental illness is a cultural taboo, and (c) There is a need for better education and cultural understanding about mental health. This is the first study in Lebanon directly targeted at parents' and teachers' mental health concerns. Such findings will add to transcultural nursing knowledge about the importance of mental health care.

How Afterschool Programs Can Support Employability through Social and Emotional Learning: A Planning Tool. Beyond the Bell: Research to Practice in the Afterschool and Expanded Learning Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Institutes for Research, 2015

2015-01-01

For educators and employers, understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that ultimately contribute to success in school, work, and life is a priority. Although young people need many skills to be successful in the workplace, one aspect of employability has gained attention in recent years--the need for workers to have strong social and…

Ready for Work? How Afterschool Programs Can Support Employability through Social and Emotional Learning. Beyond the Bell: Research to Practice in the Afterschool and Expanded Learning Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devaney, Elizabeth; Moroney, Deborah

2015-01-01

Understanding the knowledge, attitudes, and skills that ultimately contribute to success in school, work, and life is a priority for educators and employers. Young people need a variety of important skills to be ready to work, including understanding key work habits and having a strong work ethic. But another aspect of employability has gained…

Setting priorities for surveillance, prevention, and control of zoonoses in Bogotá, Colombia.

PubMed

Cediel, Natalia; Villamil, Luis Carlos; Romero, Jaime; Renteria, Libardo; De Meneghi, Daniele

2013-05-01

To establish priorities for zoonoses surveillance, prevention, and control in Bogotá, Colombia. A Delphi panel of experts in veterinary and human medicine was conducted using a validated prioritization method to assess the importance of 32 selected zoonoses. This exercise was complemented by a questionnaire survey, using the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) methodology, administered in 19 districts of Bogotá from September 2009 to April 2010 to an at-risk population (workers at veterinary clinics; pet shops; butcher shops; and traditional food markets that sell poultry, meat, cheese, and eggs). A risk indicator based on level of knowledge about zoonoses was constructed using categorical principal component and logistic regression analyses. Twelve experts participated in the Delphi panel. The diseases scored as highest priority were: influenza A(H1N1), salmonellosis, Escherichia coli infection, leptospirosis, and rabies. The diseases scored as lowest priority were: ancylostomiasis, scabies, ringworm, and trichinellosis. A total of 535 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Respondents claimed to have had scabies (21%), fungi (8%), brucellosis (8%), and pulicosis (8%). Workers with the most limited knowledge on zoonoses and therefore the highest health risk were those who 1) did not have a professional education, 2) had limited or no zoonoses prevention training, and 3) worked in Usme, Bosa, or Ciudad Bolívar districts. According to the experts, influenza A(H1N1) was the most important zoonoses. Rabies, leptospirosis, brucellosis, and toxoplasmosis were identified as priority diseases by both the experts and the exposed workers. This is the first prioritization exercise focused on zoonoses surveillance, prevention, and control in Colombia. These results could be used to guide decision-making for resource allocation in public health.

Setting priorities for EU healthcare workforce IT skills competence improvement.

PubMed

Li, Sisi; Bamidis, Panagiotis D; Konstantinidis, Stathis Th; Traver, Vicente; Car, Josip; Zary, Nabil

2017-04-01

A major challenge for healthcare quality improvement is the lack of IT skills and knowledge of healthcare workforce, as well as their ambivalent attitudes toward IT. This article identifies and prioritizes actions needed to improve the IT skills of healthcare workforce across the EU. A total of 46 experts, representing different fields of expertise in healthcare and geolocations, systematically listed and scored actions that would improve IT skills among healthcare workforce. The Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative methodology was used for research priority-setting. The participants evaluated the actions using the following criteria: feasibility, effectiveness, deliverability, and maximum impact on IT skills improvement. The leading priority actions were related to appropriate training, integrating eHealth in curricula, involving healthcare workforce in the eHealth solution development, improving awareness of eHealth, and learning arrangement. As the different professionals' needs are prioritized, healthcare workforce should be actively and continuously included in the development of eHealth solutions.

Improving Breast Cancer Outcomes among Women in China: Practices, Knowledge, and Attitudes Related to Breast Cancer Screening

PubMed Central

Wu, Tsu-Yin; Liu, Yi-Lan; Chung, Scott

2012-01-01

Background. Breast cancer is a major public health issue and the most commonly diagnosed cancer for women worldwide. Despite lower incidence rates than those living in Western countries, breast cancer incidence among Chinese women has increased dramatically in the past 20 years. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of studies reporting the attitudes toward and practices of breast cancer screening among Chinese women. Methods. This cross-sectional study examined the practices, knowledge, and attitudes toward breast cancer screening (BCS) on a convenience sample of 400 Chinese women. Results. Among study participants, 75% of the women never had a mammogram and the top three barriers reported were low priority, feeling OK, and lack of awareness/knowledge toward breast cancer screening. The results from the logistic regression model showed increased self-efficacy; having performed monthly self-exams, and having had clinical breast exams in the past two years were significant correlates while demographic variables were not correlated with screening behaviors. Conclusion. The findings provide a foundation to better understand beliefs and practices of Chinese women toward BCS and highlight the critical need for general public, health professionals, and the health care system to work collaboratively toward improving the quality of breast cancer care in this population. PMID:23304529

Sex-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of U.S. medical students.

PubMed

Frank, Erica; Coughlin, Steven S; Elon, Lisa

2008-08-01

To understand the personal and clinical safe-sex-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices of U.S. medical students. Sixteen medical schools were selected to survey the class of 2003 based on their characteristics similar to the national average. Students were surveyed at freshman orientation, at entrance to wards, and during their senior year. The primary personal outcome was the response to the question, "Are you currently trying to practice safe sex when sexually involved? (no, not applicable/no, not trying/yes, low priority/yes, high priority)." The primary professional outcomes were answers to: 1) "How relevant do you think talking to patients about safe sex will be in your intended practice? (not at all/somewhat/highly)," and 2) "With a typical general medicine patient, how often do you actually talk about safe sex? (never-rarely/sometimes/usually-always)." A total of 2,316 students provided data, and the response rate was 80%. Personally practicing safe-sex habits was a high priority for 75% of the sexually active, single medical students, especially for women, African Americans, and those earlier in their medical education. Among seniors, 41% reported extensive training in discussing safe sex with patients, and 57% were highly confident about conducting such discussions. Overall, 55% of students believed it would be highly relevant to counsel patients about safe sex (59% of freshmen, 62% of those at entry to wards, and 41% of seniors); 73% answered all four true/false questions on human papillomavirus correctly. About half of U.S. medical students believed that counseling their patients about safe sex will not be highly relevant to their practice. These findings should be considered by those trying to interest a new generation of physicians in helping patients have safe-sex practices.

Knowledge, attitude, and concussion-reporting behaviors among high school athletes: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Register-Mihalik, Johna K; Guskiewicz, Kevin M; McLeod, Tamara C Valovich; Linnan, Laura A; Mueller, Frederick O; Marshall, Stephen W

2013-01-01

Many athletes continue to participate in practices and games while experiencing concussion-related symptoms, potentially predisposing them to subsequent and more complicated brain injuries. Limited evidence exists about factors that may influence concussion-reporting behaviors. To examine the influence of knowledge and attitude on concussion-reporting behaviors in a sample of high school athletes. Cross-sectional study. Participants completed a validated survey instrument via mail. A total of 167 high school athletes (97 males, 55 females, 5 sex not indicated; age = 15.7 ± 1.4 years) participating in football, soccer, lacrosse, or cheerleading. Athlete knowledge and attitude scores served as separate predictor variables. We examined the proportion of athletes who reported continuing to participate in games and practices while symptomatic from possible concussion and the self-reported proportion of recalled concussion and bell-ringer events disclosed after possible concussive injury. Only 40% of concussion events and 13% of bell-ringer recalled events in the sample were disclosed after possible concussive injury. Increased athlete knowledge of concussion topics (increase of 1 standard deviation = 2.8 points) was associated with increased reporting prevalence of concussion and bell-ringer events occurring in practice (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.60, 3.21) and the reporting prevalence of bell-ringer-only events overall (PR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.38, 2.54). Athlete attitude scores (increase of 1 standard deviation = 11.5 points) were associated with decreases in the proportion of athletes stating they participated in games (PR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.66, 0.82) and practices (PR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.59, 0.77) while symptomatic from concussions. Most recalled concussion events in our study were not reported to a supervising adult. Clinicians should be aware that knowledge and attitude influence concussion reporting. Clinicians and administrators should make concussion education a priority and encourage an optimal reporting environment to better manage and prevent concussive injuries in young athletes.

Knowledge deficit, attitude and behavior scales association to objective measures of sun exposure and sunburn in a Danish population based sample

PubMed Central

Søndergaard, Jens; Nielsen, Jesper Bo; Christensen, Karl Bang; Allen, Martin; Olsen, Anja; Bentzen, Joan

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop new scales measuring knowledge and attitude about UVR and sun related behavior, and to examine their association to sun related behavior objectively measured by personal dosimetry. During May-August 2013, 664 Danes wore a personal electronic UV-dosimeter for one week that measured their UVR exposure. Afterwards, they answered a questionnaire on sun-related items. We applied descriptive analysis, linear and logistic regression analysis to evaluate the associations between the questionnaire scales and objective UVR measures. Perceiving protection as routine and important were positively correlated with protective behavior. Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma, perceived benefits and importance of protection behavior was also correlated with use of protection. ‘Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma and Perceived barrier towards sun avoidance between 12 and 15’ were both associated with increased risk of sunburn. Attitude towards tan was associated to both outdoor time and exposure as well as use of protection, but not to sunburn. The results regarding Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma associated to UVR exposure and Perceived barrier towards sun avoidance between 12 and 15 emphasize the importance of awareness of melanoma risk and the priority of the skin cancer prevention advice. Shifting activities to outside the suns peak-hours could be an approach for structural and campaign preventive measures. Knowledge of items predicting exposure to UVR, use of protection and sunburn are important for planning of preventive interventions and melanoma research. PMID:28542543

Knowledge deficit, attitude and behavior scales association to objective measures of sun exposure and sunburn in a Danish population based sample.

PubMed

Køster, Brian; Søndergaard, Jens; Nielsen, Jesper Bo; Christensen, Karl Bang; Allen, Martin; Olsen, Anja; Bentzen, Joan

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop new scales measuring knowledge and attitude about UVR and sun related behavior, and to examine their association to sun related behavior objectively measured by personal dosimetry. During May-August 2013, 664 Danes wore a personal electronic UV-dosimeter for one week that measured their UVR exposure. Afterwards, they answered a questionnaire on sun-related items. We applied descriptive analysis, linear and logistic regression analysis to evaluate the associations between the questionnaire scales and objective UVR measures. Perceiving protection as routine and important were positively correlated with protective behavior. Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma, perceived benefits and importance of protection behavior was also correlated with use of protection. 'Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma and Perceived barrier towards sun avoidance between 12 and 15' were both associated with increased risk of sunburn. Attitude towards tan was associated to both outdoor time and exposure as well as use of protection, but not to sunburn. The results regarding Knowledge deficit of UV and risk of melanoma associated to UVR exposure and Perceived barrier towards sun avoidance between 12 and 15 emphasize the importance of awareness of melanoma risk and the priority of the skin cancer prevention advice. Shifting activities to outside the suns peak-hours could be an approach for structural and campaign preventive measures. Knowledge of items predicting exposure to UVR, use of protection and sunburn are important for planning of preventive interventions and melanoma research.

Exploring the role of voluntary disease schemes on UK farmer bio-security behaviours: Findings from the Norfolk-Suffolk Bovine Viral Diarrhoea control scheme.

PubMed

Azbel-Jackson, Lena; Heffernan, Claire; Gunn, George; Brownlie, Joe

2018-01-01

The article describes the influence of a disease control scheme (the Norfolk-Suffolk Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Disease (BVD) Eradication scheme) on farmers' bio-security attitudes and behaviours. In 2010, a survey of 100 cattle farmers (53 scheme members vs. 47 out of scheme farmers) was undertaken among cattle farmers residing in Norfolk and Suffolk counties in the UK. A cross-sectional independent measures design was employed. The main analytical tool was content analysis. The following variables at the farmer-level were explored: the specific BVD control measures adopted, livestock disease priorities, motivation for scheme membership, wider knowledge acquisition, biosecurity behaviours employed and training course attendance. The findings suggest that participation in the BVD scheme improved farmers' perception of the scheme benefits and participation in training courses. However, no association was found between the taking part in the BVD scheme and livestock disease priorities or motivation for scheme participation, or knowledge about BVD bio-security measures employed. Equally importantly, scheme membership did appear to influence the importance accorded specific bio-security measures. Yet such ranking did not appear to reflect the actual behaviours undertaken. As such, disease control efforts alone while necessary, are insufficient. Rather, to enhance farmer bio-security behaviours significant effort must be made to address underlying attitudes to the specific disease threat involved.

Exploring the role of voluntary disease schemes on UK farmer bio-security behaviours: Findings from the Norfolk-Suffolk Bovine Viral Diarrhoea control scheme

PubMed Central

Azbel-Jackson, Lena; Heffernan, Claire; Gunn, George; Brownlie, Joe

2018-01-01

The article describes the influence of a disease control scheme (the Norfolk-Suffolk Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Disease (BVD) Eradication scheme) on farmers' bio-security attitudes and behaviours. In 2010, a survey of 100 cattle farmers (53 scheme members vs. 47 out of scheme farmers) was undertaken among cattle farmers residing in Norfolk and Suffolk counties in the UK. A cross-sectional independent measures design was employed. The main analytical tool was content analysis. The following variables at the farmer-level were explored: the specific BVD control measures adopted, livestock disease priorities, motivation for scheme membership, wider knowledge acquisition, biosecurity behaviours employed and training course attendance. The findings suggest that participation in the BVD scheme improved farmers' perception of the scheme benefits and participation in training courses. However, no association was found between the taking part in the BVD scheme and livestock disease priorities or motivation for scheme participation, or knowledge about BVD bio-security measures employed. Equally importantly, scheme membership did appear to influence the importance accorded specific bio-security measures. Yet such ranking did not appear to reflect the actual behaviours undertaken. As such, disease control efforts alone while necessary, are insufficient. Rather, to enhance farmer bio-security behaviours significant effort must be made to address underlying attitudes to the specific disease threat involved. PMID:29432435

Pandemic Influenza and Community Preparedness

PubMed Central

Ryan, Philip; Roberton, Don; Street, Jackie; Watson, Maureen

2009-01-01

Objectives. We aimed to examine community knowledge about and attitudes toward the threat of pandemic influenza and assess the community acceptability of strategies to reduce its effect. Methods. We conducted computer-aided telephone interviews in 2007 with a cross-sectional sample of rural and metropolitan residents of South Australia. Results. Of 1975 households interviewed, half (50.2%) had never heard of pandemic influenza or were unaware of its meaning. Only 10% of respondents were extremely concerned about the threat of pandemic influenza. Respondents identified children as the highest priority for vaccination, if supplies were limited; they ranked politicians and teachers as the lowest priority. Although only 61.7% of respondents agreed with a policy of home isolation, 98.2% agreed if it was part of a national strategy. Respondents considered television to be the best means of educating the community. Conclusions. Community knowledge about pandemic influenza is poor despite widespread concern. Public education about pandemic influenza is essential if strategies to reduce the impact of the disease are to be effective. PMID:19797751

A qualitative study on knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of mothers and health care providers toward pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

PubMed

Harjaningrum, Agnes Tri; Kartasasmita, Cissy; Orne-Gliemann, Joanna; Jutand, Marthe-Aline; Goujon, Nicolas; Koeck, Jean-Louis

2013-03-01

Due to the high burden of pneumonia in Indonesia, the inclusion of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) into Indonesia's National Immunization Program (NIP) is recommended by World Health Organization. Prior to the introduction of new vaccines, it is imperative to assess the perceptions of the public and medical community about the disease and the vaccine. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of mothers and health care providers (HCPs) toward PCV in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia. Fifty-five respondents (26 mothers and 29 HCPs) were interviewed at public and private health care facilities in Bandung using semi-structured interviews in May-June 2011. Data were analyzed manually according to pre-defined themes. Although most mothers had low knowledge about PCV, did not perceive themselves as susceptible to the disease, perceived that cost was the main barrier to PCV access, and obtained little information on PCV, they considered pneumonia as a severe disease and a priority health problem, perceived benefits of the vaccine, and were likely to adopt it. Similarly, knowledge about PCV among most HCPs was limited. Despite perceiving cost as the main barrier, most HCPs perceived benefits of the vaccine, susceptibility and severity of the disease, regarded pneumonia as a priority health problem, and were likely to suggest the new vaccination. Despite the poor knowledge of mothers and HCPs about PCV, they are aware of the high burden of pneumonia and the need for a vaccine in the NIP. Perceived severity and benefits among mothers, and, additionally, perceived susceptibility among HCPs were manifested in the willingness to accept PCV. The findings would contribute to better understanding the factors, which could support decision-making about vaccine introduction, and be utilized for developing suitable messages for mothers and HCPs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, attitudes and other factors associated with assessment of tobacco smoking among pregnant Aboriginal women by health care providers: a cross-sectional survey

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background As with many Indigenous peoples, smoking rates among Aboriginal Australians are considerably higher than those of the non-Indigenous population. Approximately 50% of Indigenous women smoke during pregnancy, a time when women are more motivated to quit. Antenatal care providers are potentially important change agents for reducing the harms associated with smoking, yet little is known about their knowledge, attitudes or skills, or the factors associated with providing smoking cessation advice. Methods This paper aimed to explore the knowledge and attitudes of health care providers caring for pregnant Australian Aboriginal women with regard to smoking risks and cessation; and to identify factors associated with self-reported assessment of smoking. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with 127 staff providing antenatal care to Aboriginal women from two jurisdictions: the Northern Territory and New South Wales, Australia. Measures included respondents' estimate of the prevalence of smoking among pregnant women; optimal and actual assessment of smoking status; knowledge of risks associated with antenatal smoking; knowledge of smoking cessation; attitudes to providing cessation advice to pregnant women; and perceived barriers and motivators for cessation for pregnant women. Results The median provider estimate of the smoking prevalence was 69% (95%CI: 60,70). The majority of respondents considered assessment of smoking status to be integral to antenatal care and a professional responsibility. Most (79%) indicated that they assess smoking status in 100% of clients. Knowledge of risks was generally good, but knowledge of cessation was poor. Factors independently associated with assessing smoking status among all women were: employer service type (p = 0.025); cessation knowledge score (p = 0.011); and disagreeing with the statement that giving advice is not worth it given the low level of success (p = 0.011). Conclusions Addressing knowledge of smoking risks and cessation counselling is a priority and should improve both confidence and ability, and increase the frequency and effectiveness of counselling. The health system must provide supports to providers through appropriate policy and resourcing, to enable them to address this issue. PMID:22397580

Knowledge, attitudes and other factors associated with assessment of tobacco smoking among pregnant Aboriginal women by health care providers: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Passey, Megan E; D'Este, Catherine A; Sanson-Fisher, Robert W

2012-03-07

As with many Indigenous peoples, smoking rates among Aboriginal Australians are considerably higher than those of the non-Indigenous population. Approximately 50% of Indigenous women smoke during pregnancy, a time when women are more motivated to quit. Antenatal care providers are potentially important change agents for reducing the harms associated with smoking, yet little is known about their knowledge, attitudes or skills, or the factors associated with providing smoking cessation advice. This paper aimed to explore the knowledge and attitudes of health care providers caring for pregnant Australian Aboriginal women with regard to smoking risks and cessation; and to identify factors associated with self-reported assessment of smoking. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken with 127 staff providing antenatal care to Aboriginal women from two jurisdictions: the Northern Territory and New South Wales, Australia. Measures included respondents' estimate of the prevalence of smoking among pregnant women; optimal and actual assessment of smoking status; knowledge of risks associated with antenatal smoking; knowledge of smoking cessation; attitudes to providing cessation advice to pregnant women; and perceived barriers and motivators for cessation for pregnant women. The median provider estimate of the smoking prevalence was 69% (95%CI: 60,70). The majority of respondents considered assessment of smoking status to be integral to antenatal care and a professional responsibility. Most (79%) indicated that they assess smoking status in 100% of clients. Knowledge of risks was generally good, but knowledge of cessation was poor. Factors independently associated with assessing smoking status among all women were: employer service type (p = 0.025); cessation knowledge score (p = 0.011); and disagreeing with the statement that giving advice is not worth it given the low level of success (p = 0.011). Addressing knowledge of smoking risks and cessation counselling is a priority and should improve both confidence and ability, and increase the frequency and effectiveness of counselling. The health system must provide supports to providers through appropriate policy and resourcing, to enable them to address this issue.

Smoking Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Among Rural- to-Urban Migrant Women in Beijing, China

PubMed Central

Finch, Karen; Ma, Shaojun; Qin, Dingxin; Xin, Guo; Xia, Wan; Novotny, Thomas E.

2009-01-01

Background China has the largest population of cigarette smokers worldwide; surveys suggest rising prevalence among young women. Migratory lifestyles may confer increased susceptibility. Objectives we aimed to understand how migration relates to smoking among young women. Methods we implemented a cross-sectional behavioral survey of rural-to-urban Chinese women (n = 206) working in restaurants and commercial sex venues, assessing smoking attitudes, behaviors, and health-risk knowledge. Results rates of ever smoking and current smoking among restaurant workers were high compared with the rates in general population surveys (16.1% and 6.5%, respectively); rates were much higher among sex workers (54.9% and 33.3%, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed education to be protective, whereas exposure to female-branded cigarettes was a risk for ever smoking. Conclusions Chinese migrant women appear to be smoking at higher rates than nonmigrant women. Priorities for future research include representative studies in multiple cities examining reasons for uptake and stimuli to quit. PMID:19443881

Priority setting in the provincial health services authority: survey of key decision makers

PubMed Central

Teng, Flora; Mitton, Craig; MacKenzie, Jennifer

2007-01-01

Background In recent years, decision makers in Canada and elsewhere have expressed a desire for more explicit, evidence-based approaches to priority setting. To achieve this aim within health care organizations, knowledge of both the organizational context and stakeholder attitudes towards priority setting are required. The current work adds to a limited yet growing body of international literature describing priority setting practices in health organizations. Methods A qualitative study was conducted using in-depth, face-to-face interviews with 25 key decision makers of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) of British Columbia. Major themes and sub-themes were identified through content analysis. Results Priorities were described by decision makers as being set in an ad hoc manner, with resources generally allocated along historical lines. Participants identified the Strategic Plan and a strong research base as strengths of the organization. The main areas for improvement were a desire to have a more transparent process for priority setting, a need to develop a culture which supports explicit priority setting, and a focus on fairness in decision making. Barriers to an explicit allocation process included the challenge of providing specialized services for disparate patient groups, and a lack of formal training in priority setting amongst decision makers. Conclusion This study identified factors important to understanding organizational context and informed next steps for explicit priority setting for a provincial health authority. While the PHSA is unique in its organizational structure in Canada, lessons about priority setting should be transferable to other contexts. PMID:17565691

Who Shall Not Be Treated: Public Attitudes on Setting Health Care Priorities by Person-Based Criteria in 28 Nations.

PubMed

Rogge, Jana; Kittel, Bernhard

2016-01-01

The principle of distributing health care according to medical need is being challenged by increasing costs. As a result, many countries have initiated a debate on the introduction of explicit priority regulations based on medical, economic and person-based criteria, or have already established such regulations. Previous research on individual attitudes towards setting health care priorities based on medical and economic criteria has revealed consistent results, whereas studies on the use of person-based criteria have generated controversial findings. This paper examines citizens' attitudes towards three person-based priority criteria, patients' smoking habits, age and being the parent of a young child. Using data from the ISSP Health Module (2011) in 28 countries, logistic regression analysis demonstrates that self-interest as well as socio-demographic predictors significantly influence respondents' attitudes towards the use of person-based criteria for health care prioritization. This study contributes to resolving the controversial findings on person-based criteria by using a larger country sample and by controlling for country-level differences with fixed effects models.

Civic Competence of Youth in Europe: Measuring Cross National Variation Through the Creation of a Composite Indicator.

PubMed

Hoskins, Bryony; Saisana, Michaela; Villalba, Cynthia M H

This article develops a composite indicator to monitor the levels of civic competence of young people in Europe using the IEA ICCS 2009 study. The measurement model combines the traditions in Europe of liberal, civic republican and critical/cosmopolitan models of citizenship. The results indicate that social justice values and citizenship knowledge and skills of students are facilitated within the Nordic system that combines a stable democracy and economic prosperity with a democratically based education systems in which teachers prioritise promoting autonomous critical thinking in citizenship education. In contrast, medium term democracies with civic republican tradition, such as Italy and Greece gain more positive results on citizenship values and participatory attitudes. This is also the case for some recent former communist countries that retain ethnic notions of citizenship. In a final step we go on to argue that the Nordic teachers' priority on developing critical and autonomous citizens perhaps facilitates 14 years olds qualities of cognition on citizenship and the values of equality but may not be the most fruitful approach to enhance participatory attitudes or concepts of a good citizen which may be better supported by the Italian teachers' priority on civic responsibility.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Concussion-Reporting Behaviors Among High School Athletes: A Preliminary Study

PubMed Central

Register-Mihalik, Johna K.; Guskiewicz, Kevin M.; McLeod, Tamara C. Valovich; Linnan, Laura A.; Mueller, Frederick O.; Marshall, Stephen W.

2013-01-01

Context: Many athletes continue to participate in practices and games while experiencing concussion-related symptoms, potentially predisposing them to subsequent and more complicated brain injuries. Limited evidence exists about factors that may influence concussion-reporting behaviors. Objective: To examine the influence of knowledge and attitude on concussion-reporting behaviors in a sample of high school athletes. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Participants completed a validated survey instrument via mail. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 167 high school athletes (97 males, 55 females, 5 sex not indicated; age = 15.7 ± 1.4 years) participating in football, soccer, lacrosse, or cheerleading. Intervention(s): Athlete knowledge and attitude scores served as separate predictor variables. Main Outcome Measure(s): We examined the proportion of athletes who reported continuing to participate in games and practices while symptomatic from possible concussion and the self-reported proportion of recalled concussion and bell-ringer events disclosed after possible concussive injury. Results: Only 40% of concussion events and 13% of bell-ringer recalled events in the sample were disclosed after possible concussive injury. Increased athlete knowledge of concussion topics (increase of 1 standard deviation = 2.8 points) was associated with increased reporting prevalence of concussion and bell-ringer events occurring in practice (prevalence ratio [PR] = 2.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.60, 3.21) and the reporting prevalence of bell-ringer-only events overall (PR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.38, 2.54). Athlete attitude scores (increase of 1 standard deviation = 11.5 points) were associated with decreases in the proportion of athletes stating they participated in games (PR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.66, 0.82) and practices (PR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.59, 0.77) while symptomatic from concussions. Conclusions: Most recalled concussion events in our study were not reported to a supervising adult. Clinicians should be aware that knowledge and attitude influence concussion reporting. Clinicians and administrators should make concussion education a priority and encourage an optimal reporting environment to better manage and prevent concussive injuries in young athletes. PMID:23848520

Disease surveillance and private sector in the metropolitans: a troublesome collaboration.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Ayat; Nedjat, Saharnaz; Gholami, Jaleh; Majdzadeh, Reza

2013-09-01

An effective response to health problems is completely dependent upon the capacities of the health system in providing timely and valid information to take action. This study was designed to identify various reasons from various perspectives for underreporting disease by physicians in the private sector in big cities in developing countries setting. In this qualitative study, we used focus group discussions (16 manager), and in-depth semi-structured interviews. Themes were classified in 6 categories: Infrastructure and legal issues, the priority of disease reporting, workflow processes, motivation and attitude, human resources and knowledge and awareness. As the main reasons of under reporting, most physicians pointed out complicacy in reporting process and inadequate attention by the public sector. Managers emphasized instituting legal incentives and penalties. Experts focused on physicians' knowledge and expressed a need for continuing medical education programs. Independent interventions will have little chance of success and sustainability. Different intervention programs should consider legal issues, attitude and knowledge of physicians in the private sector, and building a simple reporting process for physicians. Intervention programs in which the reporting process offers incentives for all stakeholders can help improving and sustaining the disease reporting system.

Disease Surveillance and Private Sector in the Metropolitans: A Troublesome Collaboration

PubMed Central

Ahmadi, Ayat; Nedjat, Saharnaz; Gholami, Jaleh; Majdzadeh, Reza

2013-01-01

Background: An effective response to health problems is completely dependent upon the capacities of the health system in providing timely and valid information to take action. This study was designed to identify various reasons from various perspectives for underreporting disease by physicians in the private sector in big cities in developing countries setting. Methods: In this qualitative study, we used focus group discussions (16 manager), and in-depth semi-structured interviews Results: Themes were classified in 6 categories: Infrastructure and legal issues, the priority of disease reporting, workflow processes, motivation and attitude, human resources and knowledge and awareness. As the main reasons of under reporting, most physicians pointed out complicacy in reporting process and inadequate attention by the public sector. Managers emphasized instituting legal incentives and penalties. Experts focused on physicians’ knowledge and expressed a need for continuing medical education programs. Conclusions: Independent interventions will have little chance of success and sustainability. Different intervention programs should consider legal issues, attitude and knowledge of physicians in the private sector, and building a simple reporting process for physicians. Intervention programs in which the reporting process offers incentives for all stakeholders can help improving and sustaining the disease reporting system. PMID:24130945

Why don't women volunteer to give blood? A study of knowledge, attitude and practice of women about blood donation, Yazd, Iran, 2005.

PubMed

Javadzadeh Shahshahani, H

2007-12-01

The most important aim of all blood transfusion centres is to recruit blood donors from low-risk groups of society to donate blood voluntarily and regularly. In the city of Yazd, Iran, only 5% of blood donors are women. The aim of this study was to assess barriers of donation of blood by women and the level of knowledge, attitude and practice regarding blood donation. In this cross-sectional study, 1602 women were selected by cluster sampling method and asked to fill a specially formatted questionnaire. Data were analysed by ANOVA and the t-test. Levels of knowledge were different between the various groups. Illiterate women and housewives had the least levels of knowledge. Fifteen per cent of the women had donated blood at least once in the past. The most important motivational factor was sense of moral duty with a spiritual reward and the most important barriers for donating blood were anaemia, fear, lack of time and difficulty in access to donation sites. A significant percentage of women had false beliefs about blood donation. Increase in the level of knowledge of women and correction of false beliefs should be the topmost priority. Further studies are needed to determine whether addressing anaemia and women's health can tend to increase the number of female blood donors.

Operational research within a Global Fund supported tuberculosis project in India: why, how and its contribution towards change in policy and practice

PubMed Central

Sagili, Karuna D; Satyanarayana, Srinath; Chadha, Sarabjit S; Wilson, Nevin C; Kumar, Ajay M V; Oeltmann, John E; Chadha, Vineet K; Nagaraja, Sharath Burugina; Ghosh, Smita; Q Lo, Terrence; Volkmann, Tyson; Willis, Matthew; Shringarpure, Kalpita; Reddy, Ravichandra Chinnappa; Kumar, Prahlad; Nair, Sreenivas A; Rao, Raghuram; Yassin, Mohammed; Mwangala, Perry; Zachariah, Rony; Tonsing, Jamhoih; Harries, Anthony D; Khaparde, Sunil

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: The Global Fund encourages operational research (OR) in all its grants; however very few reports describe this aspect. In India, Project Axshya was supported by a Global Fund grant to improve the reach and visibility of the government Tuberculosis (TB) services among marginalised and vulnerable communities. OR was incorporated to build research capacity of professionals working with the national TB programme and to generate evidence to inform policies and practices. Objectives: To describe how Project Axshya facilitated building OR capacity within the country, helped in addressing several TB control priority research questions, documented project activities and their outcomes, and influenced policy and practice. Methods: From September 2010 to September 2016, three key OR-related activities were implemented. First, practical output-oriented modular training courses were conducted (n = 3) to build research capacity of personnel involved in the TB programme, co-facilitated by The Union, in collaboration with the national TB programme, WHO country office and CDC, Atlanta. Second, two large-scale Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) surveys were conducted at baseline and mid-project to assess the changes pertaining to TB knowledge, attitudes and practices among the general population, TB patients and health care providers over the project period. Third, studies were conducted to describe the project’s core activities and outcomes. Results: In the training courses, 44 participant teams were supported to develop research protocols on topics of national priority, resulting in 28 peer-reviewed scientific publications. The KAP surveys and description of project activities resulted in 14 peer-reviewed publications. Of the published papers at least 12 have influenced change in policy or practice. Conclusions: OR within a Global Fund supported TB project has resulted in building OR capacity, facilitating research in areas of national priority and influencing policy and practice. We believe this experience will provide guidance for undertaking OR in Global Fund projects. PMID:29553308

Operational research within a Global Fund supported tuberculosis project in India: why, how and its contribution towards change in policy and practice.

PubMed

Sagili, Karuna D; Satyanarayana, Srinath; Chadha, Sarabjit S; Wilson, Nevin C; Kumar, Ajay M V; Moonan, Patrick K; Oeltmann, John E; Chadha, Vineet K; Nagaraja, Sharath Burugina; Ghosh, Smita; Q Lo, Terrence; Volkmann, Tyson; Willis, Matthew; Shringarpure, Kalpita; Reddy, Ravichandra Chinnappa; Kumar, Prahlad; Nair, Sreenivas A; Rao, Raghuram; Yassin, Mohammed; Mwangala, Perry; Zachariah, Rony; Tonsing, Jamhoih; Harries, Anthony D; Khaparde, Sunil

2018-01-01

The Global Fund encourages operational research (OR) in all its grants; however very few reports describe this aspect. In India, Project Axshya was supported by a Global Fund grant to improve the reach and visibility of the government Tuberculosis (TB) services among marginalised and vulnerable communities. OR was incorporated to build research capacity of professionals working with the national TB programme and to generate evidence to inform policies and practices. To describe how Project Axshya facilitated building OR capacity within the country, helped in addressing several TB control priority research questions, documented project activities and their outcomes, and influenced policy and practice. From September 2010 to September 2016, three key OR-related activities were implemented. First, practical output-oriented modular training courses were conducted (n = 3) to build research capacity of personnel involved in the TB programme, co-facilitated by The Union, in collaboration with the national TB programme, WHO country office and CDC, Atlanta. Second, two large-scale Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) surveys were conducted at baseline and mid-project to assess the changes pertaining to TB knowledge, attitudes and practices among the general population, TB patients and health care providers over the project period. Third, studies were conducted to describe the project's core activities and outcomes. In the training courses, 44 participant teams were supported to develop research protocols on topics of national priority, resulting in 28 peer-reviewed scientific publications. The KAP surveys and description of project activities resulted in 14 peer-reviewed publications. Of the published papers at least 12 have influenced change in policy or practice. OR within a Global Fund supported TB project has resulted in building OR capacity, facilitating research in areas of national priority and influencing policy and practice. We believe this experience will provide guidance for undertaking OR in Global Fund projects.

A survey of healthcare providers' knowledge and attitudes regarding pain relief in labor for women in Ethiopia.

PubMed

McCauley, Mary; Stewart, Catriona; Kebede, Birhanu

2017-02-07

To explore healthcare providers' knowledge and attitudes to the need for pain relief for women in labor. A structured questionnaire (n = 200) distributed to healthcare providers working in the obstetric departments, including theatres, of three public hospitals in different settings (rural, peri-urban and urban) in Ethiopia. Descriptive analysis was performed using Excel 2013 and SPSS version 22 for associations. The response rate was 81.5% with 164 questionnaires completed. The majority, 79% of respondents, understood that women can feel moderate to severe pain in labor and 77% were of the opinion that labor pain should be relieved. However, common practices included only supportive measures such as breathing and relaxation exercises, back massage and support from family. The general attitude of healthcare providers is that labor is a natural process, women should be able to cope and that pain relief is not a priority for women in labor. More than half, 52% of healthcare providers had safety concerns with using pharmacological methods to relieve pain in labor. The majority of healthcare providers understand that women suffer significant pain during labor. However, providing effective pain relief is currently not provided as part of routine intra-partum care in Ethiopia.

Reproductive management of dairy herds in New Zealand: attitudes, priorities and constraints perceived by farmers managing seasonal-calving, pasture-based herds in four regions.

PubMed

Brownlie, T S; Weir, A M; Tarbotton, I; Morton, J M; Heuer, C; McDougall, S

2011-01-01

To examine attitudes, priorities, and constraints pertaining to herd reproductive management perceived by farmers managing seasonal-calving, pasture-based dairy herds in four regions of New Zealand, and to explore how these varied with demographic and biophysical factors. Key decision makers (KDM) on 133 dairy herds in four dairy regions (Waikato, Taranaki, and north and south Canterbury) were interviewed between May and July 2009. They were asked to provide demographic and biophysical data about the farm, and to rate their attitude in relation to their own personality traits, management issues and priorities, and likely constraints affecting reproductive performance in their herds. Associations between demographic factors and attitudes, priorities and constraints were analysed using univariable and multivariable proportional-odds regression models. Farms in the regions studied in the South Island were larger, had larger herds and more staff than farms in the regions studied in the North Island. The farms in the South Island were more likely to be owned by a corporation, managed by younger people or people who had more education, and the herds were more likely to be fed a higher percentage of supplementary feed. The majority of KDM rated the current genetics, milksolids performance and reproductive performance of their herds as high or very high, and >70% believed that the reproductive performance had remained the same or improved over the preceding 3 years. Despite this, improving reproductive performance was the most highly rated priority for the next 3 years. The constraints considered most likely to have affected reproductive performance in the last 2 years were anoestrous cows, protracted calving periods, and low body condition scores; those considered least likely were artificial breeding and heat detection. Of the variables examined related to attitudes, priorities and likely constraints, there were significant differences between region for 10/40, and with age and occupation of the KDM for 24/40 and 5/40, respectively (p<0.05). The majority of KDM reported the current reproductive performance of their herds to be high or very high, yet rated improving reproductive performance as a very high priority for the next 3 years. Mismatch between perceived and actual performance may result in reduced uptake of extension programmes designed to improve performance, and accurate benchmarking may help increase uptake and engagement. Further work is needed to determine whether the attitudes and perceptions about performance of farmers affect the likelihood of changes in their management behaviour which translate to measurable change in the actual reproductive performance of their herds. The variation in attitude, priorities and perceived constraints among age groups and region indicates that design of extension programmes may need to vary with these demographics.

Urban Youth Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Lead Poisoning.

PubMed

Bogar, Sandra; Szabo, Aniko; Woodruff, Shane; Johnson, Sheri

2017-12-01

Environmental health literacy (EHL) is a promising and evolving field of research that could benefit from youth engagement. Yet studies focused on youths' environmental health awareness and concerns are limited. For example, although lead exposure remains a threat to youth development in urban environments, no published studies have measured urban youth's knowledge of lead poisoning. A CBPR partnership established a youth advisory council (YAC) who helped to design, interpret and disseminate a mixed methods study exploring environmental health perceptions among urban youths ages 10-18. Surveys assessed awareness, attitudes, and knowledge regarding lead poisoning and five environmental health issues determined by the YAC. Focus group questions further contextualized youths' lead knowledge and understanding of youths' environmental health concerns. A majority of youth could identify specific sources of lead exposure but had minimal knowledge of prevention strategies, and focus group data revealed misinformation regarding lead sources and consequences. Survey and focus group respondents' level of awareness and concern regarding YAC-selected EH issues was high in comparison to lead poisoning. In particular, job opportunities and police brutality were endorsed as both neighborhood concerns and priorities. Awareness and knowledge of environmental health issues among urban youth have not been well described. These findings reinforce the importance of addressing problems of local relevance. Moving forward, lead poisoning prevention education for youth and youth EHL partnerships may benefit from incorporating an ecological approach wherein connections to the social and economic context are made explicit.

Personal past experience with opioid consumption affects attitudes and knowledge related to pain management.

PubMed

Pud, Dorit

2004-12-01

The personal past experience with opioid consumption by hospital health care providers was examined for its influence on their attitudes toward and knowledge of pain management. Data were collected through a questionnaire that elicited demographic information, attitudes toward pain management, barriers to pain relief, and self-assessment of pain management knowledge. The sample ( N = 163) was divided into two groups according to past experience with opioids: 52% of participants had used opioids (UO) for pain relief in the past, and the rest had never done so (NO). UO participants noted that pain control treatment was not sufficient for pain relief, in contrast to NO participants ( p = .013). Pain management was considered a low priority relative to overall treatment by the UO group compared with the NO group ( p = .016). The former group also attributed major responsibility for inappropriate pain relief to the clinical staff (12% of the UO group vs. 1.4% of the NO group; p = .048) rather than to the patients (22.9% of the UO group vs. 32.9% of the NO group; p = .019). UO participants felt extremely competent in their ability to manage several aspects of pain therapy ( p < .05). These aspects included assessing cause of the pain (42.9% of the UO group vs. 29.3% of the NO group), selecting a starting dose for opioid therapy (26.9% of the UO group vs. 13.3% of the NO group), and using opioids intravenously (20.5% of the UO group vs. 8.3% of the NO group). Personal past experience regarding analgesic use is an important factor in evaluating attitudes toward pain and achieving optimal pain management outcomes.

Co-producing a digital educational programme for registered children's nurses to improve care of children and young people admitted with self-harm.

PubMed

Latif, Asam; Carter, Timothy; Rychwalska-Brown, Lucy; Wharrad, Heather; Manning, Joseph

2017-06-01

Despite the increasing prevalence of hospital admissions for self-harm in children and young people (CYP), there is paucity of registered children's nurse (rCN) training or involvement of children to improve care for this often stigmatized patient group. This article describes a participatory approach towards using co-production with CYP and rCN to develop a digital educational programme to improve nurses' knowledge, attitudes and confidence in caring for CYP with self-harm injuries. A priority-setting workshop with rCNs was used to establish consensus of information needs. This was followed by an e-learning content development workshop undertaken with CYP whom had previously experienced hospital admissions for self-harm injuries. Findings from the nurse priority-setting workshop identified three educational priorities: (1) knowledge of self-harm, (2) effective communication and (3) risk management. The CYP subsequently developed these topic areas to ensure the contents and design of the e-learning resource had fidelity by reflecting the experiences of CYP and needs when cared for in hospital. This article illustrates that involving service users to co-develop educational materials is a feasible and important step in designing educational resources and ensures the content is relevant, appropriate and sensitive to both the recipient of care and those responsible for its delivery.

Attitudes towards and perceptions of eco-driving and the role of feedback systems.

PubMed

Harvey, Joan; Thorpe, Neil; Fairchild, Richard

2013-01-01

This paper addresses whether eco-driving may be encouraged by providing drivers with feedback, and how eco-driving attitudes fit with other environmental attitudes. Eight focus groups, including fleet drivers, discussed how feedback and other motives might affect driving behaviour. A survey of 350 respondents investigated attitudes towards saving fuel, the role of incentives and use of eco-friendly products. The focus groups' findings show that the environment is a lower priority than comfort and convenience, that feedback might provide a stimulus to eco-driving and that saving money was less important than saving time. The attitude survey showed that price, convenience, attitudes and eco-driving are not conceptually linked together, that convenience is rated as more important than saving money from fuel efficiency and that although the environment is of concern, it is not a high enough priority to increase fuel efficiency. The findings are discussed in relation to the low level of priority given to environmental concerns and the inability of financial incentives presenting significant challenges in terms of changing the subjective norms of the majority of drivers. This paper, using focus groups and a questionnaire, aims to understand how feedback devices, attitudes and motivation can improve eco-driving behaviours. The incentive to save money by better fuel economy was found to be insufficient, and roles for feedback devices and how information is presented are identified.

Planning attitudes, lay philosophies, and water allocation: A preliminary analysis and research agenda

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syme, Geoffrey J.; Nancarrow, Blair E.

Despite the important societal consequences of water policy, community attitudes toward planning, ethics, and equity for allocation of water have received little research attention. This preliminary research was conducted to assess the range and structure of planning attitudes and equity and ethical considerations which might be relevant to the general public's evaluation of water allocation systems. The relationship of these to priorities for water allocation were also examined. The results showed a complex structure for planning attitudes. There were also generalized but clearly defined community approaches to water allocation. A number of significant relationships between planning attitudes and philosophies of allocation were shown. Planning attitudes also related to priorities for water allocation. In practical terms the research provides some preliminary, ethically based evaluative criteria which could be applied to allocation decision-making systems. Theoretical research possibilities are also outlined.

Understanding Healthcare Workers Self-Reported Practices, Knowledge and Attitude about Hand Hygiene in a Medical Setting in Rural India.

PubMed

Diwan, Vishal; Gustafsson, Charlotte; Rosales Klintz, Senia; Joshi, Sudhir Chandra; Joshi, Rita; Sharma, Megha; Shah, Harshada; Pathak, Ashish; Tamhankar, Ashok J; Stålsby Lundborg, Cecilia

2016-01-01

To describe self-reported practices and assess knowledge and attitudes regarding hand hygiene among healthcare workers in a rural Indian teaching hospital. A rural teaching hospital and its associated medical and nursing colleges in the district of Ujjain, India. The study population consisted of physicians, nurses, teaching staff, clinical instructors and nursing students. Self-administered questionnaires based on the World Health Organization Guidelines on Hand Hygiene in Healthcare were used. Out of 489 healthcare workers, 259 participated in the study (response rate = 53%). The proportion of healthcare workers that reported to 'always' practice hand hygiene in the selected situations varied from 40-96% amongst categories. Reported barriers to maintaining good hand hygiene were mainly related to high workload, scarcity of resources, lack of scientific information and the perception that priority is not given to hand hygiene, either on an individual or institutional level. Previous training on the topic had a statistically significant association with self-reported practice (p = 0.001). Ninety three per cent of the respondents were willing to attend training on hand hygiene in the near future. Self-reported knowledge and adherence varied between situations, but hand hygiene practices have the potential to improve if the identified constraints could be reduced. Future training should focus on enhancing healthcare workers' knowledge and understanding regarding the importance of persistent practice in all situations.

Registered nurse intent to promote physical activity for hospitalised liver transplant recipients.

PubMed

Pearson, Jocelyn A; Mangold, Kara; Kosiorek, Heidi E; Montez, Morgan; Smith, Diane M; Tyler, Brenda J

2017-12-26

To describe how registered nurse work motivation, attitudes, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control influence intention to promote physical activity in hospitalised adult liver transplant recipients. Descriptive study of clinical registered nurses caring for recipients of liver transplant at a tertiary medical centre. Intent to Mobilise Liver Transplant Recipient Scale, Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale, and demographics were used to explore registered nurses' work motivation, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and intention to promote physical activity of hospitalised adult liver transplant recipients during the acute postoperative phase. Data analysis included demographics, comparison between scale items and analysis of factors predicting intent to mobilise. Factors predictive of intention to promote physical activity after liver transplant included appropriate knowledge to mobilise patients (R 2  = .40) and identification of physical activity as nursing staff priority (R 2  = .15) and responsibility (R 2  = .03). When implementing an early mobilisation protocol after the liver transplant, education on effects of physical activity in the immediate postoperative period are essential to promote implementation in practice. Nursing care environment and leadership must be supportive to ensure mobility is a registered nurse priority and responsibility. Nursing managers can leverage results to implement a mobility protocol. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Professional Development Strategies to Enhance Nurses' Knowledge and Maintain Safe Practice.

PubMed

Bindon, Susan L

2017-08-01

Maintaining competence is a professional responsibility for nurses. Individual nurses are accountable for their practice, as outlined in the American Nurses Association's Nursing: Scope and Standards of Practice. Nurses across clinical settings face the sometimes daunting challenge of staying abreast of regulatory mandates, practice changes, equipment updates, and other workplace expectations. In the complex, evolving perioperative setting, professional development is a priority, and the need for ongoing education is critical. However, nurses' efforts to engage in their own development can be hampered by a lack of time, limited access to educational resources, or cost concerns. This article provides an overview of nursing professional development and offers some resources to help individual nurses maintain or enhance their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Copyright © 2017 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Learning essentials: what graduates of mental health nursing programmes need to know from an industry perspective.

PubMed

McAllister, Margaret; Happell, Brenda; Flynn, Trudi

2014-12-01

To explore the perspectives of nursing directors in mental health in Queensland, Australia, regarding the skills and attributes of graduates of comprehensive nursing programme to provide an industry perspective and thus augment knowledge from theoretical and professional dimensions. There is a worldwide shortage of appropriately qualified nurses with the knowledge, skills and attitudes to work effectively in mental health services. Within Australia, this has been well documented since the introduction of comprehensive nursing education. The underrepresentation of mental health content in undergraduate curricula has been identified as the primary reason for nursing graduates not being adequately prepared for practice in this field. To date, this issue has primarily been addressed from the perspective of university academics, with the voice of industry relatively silent in the published literature. Qualitative exploratory. In-depth telephone interviews with Director of Nursing (Mental Health) in Queensland, Australia. The concerns of participants were expressed in six main themes: (1) foundational knowledge of mental health and disorders, (2) recovery-oriented skills, (3) physical as well as mental health skills, (4) therapeutic strategies, (5) resilience and self-development and (6) advanced knowledge and skills. The education of comprehensive nursing education needs to be reviewed as a matter of priority to ensure graduates with the attributes required to provide high-quality care for consumers of mental health services. A skilled and knowledgeable workforce is an essential component of high-quality mental health services. Research highlighting the current deficits and issues is therefore of the highest priority. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Threat Perception and Attitudes of Adolescents Towards Re-Introduced Wild Animals: A qualitative study of young learners from affected regions in Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermann, Nadin; Menzel, Susanne

2013-12-01

Conservation efforts such as the restoration of European bison or the support of wolf immigration into Germany are often socio-scientifically controversial. In many cases, disputes are based on individuals' threat perception and attitudes towards the animal involved. The herewith reported study provides qualitative insights into German adolescents' (n = 31, Mage = 16.6 years) attitudes towards animal reintroduction, their threat and coping appraisal about wildlife and their knowledge of local endangered species. We found that students had rather limited knowledge of local endangered species. After Kellert's categories of animal attitudes, the adolescents showed a strong moralistic view on wildlife return. Naturalistic, ecologistic and utilitarian views were also strongly apparent. According to the Protection Motivation Theory, perceived threats could be identified as threats to animals on the one hand and threats to human interests on the other. Such threat perceptions often lead to a dilemma, which made it difficult to decide upon the priorities of wildlife protection versus protection of human interests. Coping mechanism to reduce threats to human interests as mentioned by the participants included restrictions of the animal as well as strategies that focused on responsibility by humans. Regarding coping mechanism to prevent the species' extinction, participants showed a relatively superficial understanding. Furthermore, we found that participants from regions where wolves are currently immigrating or European bison are being reintroduced showed a more positive understanding of the respective animal. Our findings are discussed in the light of this topic's potential as an example of a real-life socio-scientific issue in classroom discussions.

Impact evaluation of HIV/AIDS education in rural Henan province of China.

PubMed

Lv, Ben-Yan; Xiang, Yuan-Xi; Zhao, Rui; Feng, Zhan-Chun; Liang, Shu-Ying; Wang, Yu-Ming

2013-12-01

Nowadays, there is a trend of HIV prevalence transmitting from high-risk group to average-risk group in China. Rural China is the weak link of HIV prevention, and rural areas of Henan province which is one of the most high-risk regions in China have more than 60% of the AIDS patients in the province. Thus, improving the HIV awareness and implementing health education become the top-priority of HIV/AIDS control and prevention. A multistage sampling was designed to draw 1129 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs) and 1168 non-PLWHAs in 4 prevalence counties of Henan province. A health promoting and social-psychological support model was constructed to improve the health knowledge of participants. Chi-square tests and unconditional logistic regression were performed to determine the intervention effect and influencing factors. All groups had misunderstandings towards the basic medical knowledge and the AIDS transmission mode. Before the intervention, 59.3% of the HIV/AIDS patients and 74.6% of the healthy people had negative attitudes towards the disease. There was statistically significant difference in the improvement of knowledge, attitude and action with regards to HIV prevention before and after intervention (P<0.05). PLWHAs who were males (OR=1.731) and had higher education level (OR=1.910) were found to have better HIV/AIDS health knowledge, whereas older PLWHAs (OR=0.961) were less likely to have better HIV/AIDS health knowledge. However, the intervention effect was associated with the expertise of doctors and supervisors, the content and methods of education, and participants' education level. It was concluded that health education of HIV/AIDS which positively influences the awareness and attitude of HIV prevention is popular in rural areas, therefore, a systematic and long-term program of HIV control and prevention is urgently needed in rural areas.

Paying more for faster care? Individuals' attitude toward price-based priority access in health care.

PubMed

Benning, Tim M; Dellaert, Benedict G C

2013-05-01

Increased competition in the health care sector has led hospitals and other health care institutions to experiment with new access allocation policies that move away from traditional expert based allocation of care to price-based priority access (i.e., the option to pay more for faster care). To date, little is known about individuals' attitude toward price-based priority access and the evaluation process underlying this attitude. This paper addresses the role of individuals' evaluations of collective health outcomes as an important driver of their attitude toward (price-based) allocation policies in health care. The authors investigate how individuals evaluate price-based priority access by means of scenario-based survey data collected in a representative sample from the Dutch population (N = 1464). They find that (a) offering individuals the opportunity to pay for faster care negatively affects their evaluations of both the total and distributional collective health outcome achieved, (b) however, when health care supply is not restricted (i.e., when treatment can be offered outside versus within the regular working hours of the hospital) offering price-based priority access affects total collective health outcome evaluations positively instead of negatively, but it does not change distributional collective health outcome evaluations. Furthermore, (c) the type of health care treatment (i.e., life saving liver transplantation treatment vs. life improving cosmetic ear correction treatment - priced at the same level to the individual) moderates the effect of collective health outcome evaluations on individuals' attitude toward allocation policies. For policy makers and hospital managers the results presented in this article are helpful because they provide a better understanding of what drives individuals' preferences for health care allocation policies. In particular, the results show that policies based on the "paying more for faster care" principle are more attractive to the general public when treatment takes place outside the regular working hours of a hospital. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Why children are not vaccinated: a review of the grey literature.

PubMed

Favin, Michael; Steinglass, Robert; Fields, Rebecca; Banerjee, Kaushik; Sawhney, Monika

2012-12-01

In collaboration with WHO, IMMUNIZATION basics analyzed 126 documents from the global grey literature to identify reasons why eligible children had incomplete or no vaccinations. The main reasons for under-vaccination were related to immunization services and to parental knowledge and attitudes. The most frequently cited factors were: access to services, health staff attitudes and practices, reliability of services, false contraindications, parents' practical knowledge of vaccination, fear of side effects, conflicting priorities and parental beliefs. Some family demographic characteristics were strong, but underlying, risk factors for under-vaccination. Studies must be well designed to capture a complete picture of the simultaneous causes of under-vaccination and to avoid biased results. Although the grey literature contains studies of varying quality, it includes many well-designed studies. Every immunization program should strive to provide quality services that are accessible, convenient, reliable, friendly, affordable and acceptable, and should solicit feedback from families and community leaders. Every program should monitor missed and under-vaccinated children and assess and address the causes. Although global reviews, such as this one, can play a useful role in identifying key questions for local study, local enquiry and follow-up remain essential.

[The national public discourse on priority setting in health care in German print media].

PubMed

Liesching, Florian; Meyer, Thorsten; Raspe, Heiner

2012-01-01

Germany's Central Ethics Committee of the Federal Chamber of Physicians (FCP) and other relevant national actors called for a public discourse on priority setting in health care. Politicians, members of a Federal Joint Committee and health insurance representatives, however, refused to promote or participate in the establishment of a public discussion. A change to that attitude only became apparent after former FCP President Hoppe's opening speech at the annual FCP assembly in Mainz in 2009. The present paper applies the Sociology of Knowledge Approach to Discourse, implemented through Qualitative Content Analysis and elements of Grounded Theory, to examine the development of the national public discourse in leading German print media. It creates a matrix that represents the discourse development between May 2009 and May 2010 and reflects central actors, their "communicative phenomena" and their interactions. Additionally, the matrix has been extended to cover the period until December 2011. Hoppe's arguments for priority setting in health care are faced with a wide opposition assuming opposing prerequisites and thus demanding alternative remedies. The lack of interaction between the different parties prevents any development of the speakers' positions. Incorrect accounts, reductions and left-outs in the media representation add to this effect. Consequently, the public discussion on priority setting is far from being an evolving rational discourse. Instead, it constitutes an exchange of preformed opposing positions. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Understanding threats to polio vaccine commitment among caregivers in high-priority areas of Afghanistan: a polling study.

PubMed

SteelFisher, Gillian K; Blendon, Robert J; Guirguis, Sherine; Lodge, William; Caporello, Hannah; Petit, Vincent; Coleman, Michael; Williams, Matthew R; Parwiz, Sardar Mohammad; Corkum, Melissa; Gardner, Scott; Ben-Porath, Eran N

2017-11-01

Eradication of poliovirus from endemic countries relies on vaccination of children with oral polio vaccine (OPV) many times a year until the age of 5 years. We aimed to determine caregivers' commitment to OPV in districts of Afghanistan at high risk for polio transmission and to examine what knowledge, attitudes, or experiences could threaten commitment. We designed and analysed a poll using face-to-face interviews among caregivers of children under 5 years of age. The sample was drawn via a stratified multistage cluster design with random route household selection. We calculated the percentage of committed and uncommitted caregivers. All percentages were weighted. We then compared percentages of uncommitted caregivers among those with varying knowledge, attitudes, and experiences, using logistic regression to control for possible demographic confounders. Between Dec 19, 2014, and Jan 5, 2015, we interviewed 1980 caregivers, 21% of whom were "uncommitted" to accepting OPV. Multiple measures of knowledge, attitudes, and experiences are associated with lack of commitment. For example, compared with their relevant counterparts, caregivers are more likely to be uncommitted if they did not trust vaccinators "a great deal" (54% vs 9%), if they do not know that polio spreads through contaminated water (41% vs 14%), or if they believe rumours that OPV is not halal (50% vs 21%). To enhance OPV commitment, it might be useful to consider a multifactorial approach that highlights building trust in vaccinators, providing facts about transmission, sharing positive messages to overcome key rumours, and strengthening community support for vaccination. Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health and UNICEF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pressure ulcers: development and psychometric evaluation of the attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention instrument (APuP).

PubMed

Beeckman, D; Defloor, T; Demarré, L; Van Hecke, A; Vanderwee, K

2010-11-01

Pressure ulcers continue to be a significant problem in hospitals, nursing homes and community care settings. Pressure ulcer incidence is widely accepted as an indicator for the quality of care. Negative attitudes towards pressure ulcer prevention may result in suboptimal preventive care. A reliable and valid instrument to assess attitudes towards pressure ulcer prevention is lacking. Development and psychometric evaluation of the Attitude towards Pressure ulcer Prevention instrument (APuP). Prospective psychometric instrument validation study. A literature review was performed to design the instrument. Content validity was evaluated by nine European pressure ulcer experts and five experts in psychometric instrument validation in a double Delphi procedure. A convenience sample of 258 nurses and 291 nursing students from Belgium and The Netherlands participated in order to evaluate construct validity and stability reliability of the instrument. The data were collected between February and May 2008. A factor analysis indicated the construct of a 13 item instrument in a five factor solution: (1) attitude towards personal competency to prevent pressure ulcers (three items); (2) attitude towards the priority of pressure ulcer prevention (three items); (3) attitude towards the impact of pressure ulcers (three items); (4) attitude towards personal responsibility in pressure ulcer prevention (two items); and (5) attitude towards confidence in the effectiveness of prevention (two items). This five factor solution accounted for 61.4% of the variance in responses related to attitudes towards pressure ulcer prevention. All items demonstrated factor loadings over 0.60. The instrument produced similar results during stability testing [ICC=0.88 (95% CI=0.84-0.91, P<0.001)]. For the total instrument, the internal consistency (Cronbachs alpha) was 0.79. The APuP is a psychometrically sound instrument that can be used to effectively assess attitudes towards pressure ulcer prevention in patient care, education, and research. In further research, the association between attitude, knowledge and clinical performance should be explored. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

National preceptor development program (PDP): Influential evidence and theory. The first of a 3-part series.

PubMed

Mulherin, Katrina; Walter, Sheila; Cox, Craig D

2018-03-01

Priority #3 of the Canadian Experiential Education Project for Pharmacy provided evidence-based guidance for the design and implementation of a national approach to preceptor development. In this first article (of three), findings from the project and recommendations to achieve a high-quality preceptor development program (PDP) are presented. A multi-method approach including detailed semi-structured interviews, classic literature review, and advisory committee feedback was employed. The research team performed an integrated analysis of all data to achieve the objectives of Priority #3. Fifteen formal interviews, 167 articles and two stakeholder meetings informed findings. Experiential Education programs exhibited commonality in content and usually delivered programs online using modules or live lectures. Not all programs required preceptor education despite it being mandated by academic accreditors. Academics' perceptions varied regarding pharmacists' baseline knowledge, skills and attitudes prior to engaging in the preceptor role. A national approach to a PDP was desired if jurisdictional content was accommodated. Copious interprofessional literature of generally fair quality did not identify superior preceptor development approaches although there were numerous descriptions of interventions. Only 29 articles measured educational outcomes. Outcomes included satisfaction rates, self-efficacy and perceived knowledge, skill retention, skill implementation and participation rates. Twelve recommendations were identified to guide successful development of a national PDP. In the absence of good evidence, adult educational theory provided a basis for an effective PDP. Findings from Priority #3 may be relevant not only to pharmacy in Canada but other health professions and counterparts in other western nations with similar approaches to professional education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Child sun protection: sun-related attitudes mediate the association between children's knowledge and behaviours.

PubMed

Wright, Caradee; Reeder, Anthony I; Gray, Andrew; Cox, Brian

2008-12-01

To describe and investigate the relationship among the sun-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of New Zealand primary schoolchildren and consider the roles of sex and school year level. A randomly selected, two-stage cluster sample of 488 children from 27 primary schools in five regions of New Zealand was surveyed regarding their sun-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. A scoring system was used to assign a knowledge, attitude and behaviour score to each child. Although knowledge increased with school year level, there was a decline in sun protective attitudes and behaviours. There was little variation in knowledge, attitudes and behaviour between boys and girls, but sex-year level interactions were found for knowledge and behaviour. When considering children's knowledge, attitudes and behaviours simultaneously, knowledge was only significantly associated with behaviours when mediated by attitudes. When targeting child sun protection and skin cancer prevention programmes, a focus on attitudes towards sun exposure and a suntan may prove beneficial in influencing sun-related behaviours.

Effects of Knowledge on Attitude Formation and Change Toward Genetically Modified Foods.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaoqin; Xie, Xiaofei

2015-05-01

In three waves, this study investigates the impact of risk and benefit knowledge on attitude formation toward genetically modified (GM) foods as well as the moderating effect of knowledge level on attitude change caused by receiving information. The data in Wave 1 (N = 561) demonstrate that both benefit and risk knowledge either directly contribute to attitude formation or indirectly affect attitudes through the mediating roles of benefit and risk perceptions. Overall, benefit and risk knowledge affect consumer attitudes positively and negatively, respectively. In Wave 2, 486 participants from Wave 1 were provided with information about GM foods, and their attitudes were assessed. Three weeks later, 433 of these participants again reported their attitudes. The results indicate that compared with the benefit and mixed information, risk information has a greater and longer lasting impact on attitude change, which results in lower acceptance of GM foods. Furthermore, risk information more strongly influences participants with a higher knowledge level. The moderating effect of knowledge on attitude change may result from these participants' better understanding of and greater trust in the information. These findings highlight the important role of knowledge in attitude formation and attitude change toward GM foods as well as the necessity of considering the determinants of attitude formation in attitude change studies. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Study of the effects of informational and persuasive messages on the attitudes of high school students toward the use of nuclear energy for electrical production

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

Showers, D.E.

1986-01-01

This investigation assessed the relationship between knowledge about and attitudes toward nuclear energy. The study's purpose was accomplished by attempting to manipulate knowledge about and attitude toward nuclear energy independently. Over two thousand high school students participated in the study. A Non-Equivalent Control Group quasi-experimental design was used involving random assignment by intact groups to treatments. A knowledge treatment was designed to increase student knowledge without affecting attitudes. An attitude treatment was designed to change attitudes without changing knowledge, and a control treatment was employed for comparison to the experimental treatments. Each treatment consisted of a videotape with a viewingmore » guide and a homework assignment. The Nuclear Energy Assessment Battery was used as a pretest, post-test, and retention test. Males scored significantly higher in knowledge and positive attitudes, but no interaction between gender and treatment was found. The study concluded that (1) there is a correlation between nuclear knowledge and attitudes, (2) knowledge about nuclear energy can be changed without affecting attitude and attitude can be changed without affecting knowledge, and (3) students show differences and attitude based on gender.« less

Evaluation of the Good Start Program: a healthy eating and physical activity intervention for Maori and Pacific Islander children living in Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Mihrshahi, Seema; Vaughan, Lisa; Fa'avale, Nicola; De Silva Weliange, Shreenika; Manu-Sione, Inez; Schubert, Lisa

2017-01-13

Reducing the prevalence of obesity and chronic disease are important priorities. Maori and Pacific Islander communities living in Australia have higher rates of obesity and chronic disease than the wider Australian population. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Good Start program, which aims to improve knowledge, attitudes and practices related to healthy eating and physical activity amongst Maori and Pacific Islander communities living in Queensland. The intervention was delivered to children aged 6-19 years (N = 375) in schools by multicultural health workers. Class activities focused on one message each term related to healthy eating and physical activity using methods such as cooking sessions and cultural dance. The evaluation approach was a quantitative uncontrolled pre-post design. Data were collected each term pre- and post-intervention using a short questionnaire. There were significant increases in knowledge of correct servings of fruit and vegetables, knowledge of sugar and caffeine content of common sugar-sweetened drinks, recognition of the consequences of marketing and upsizing, and the importance of controlling portion size (all P < 0.05). There was also increases in knowledge of physical activity recommendations (P < 0.001), as well as the importance of physical activity for preventing heart disease (P < 0.001) and improving self-esteem (P < 0.001). In terms of attitudes, there were significant improvements in some attitudes to vegetables (P = 0.02), and sugar-sweetened drinks (P < 0.05). In terms of practices and behaviours, although the reported intake of vegetables increased significantly (P < 0.001), the proportion of children eating discretionary foods regularly did not change significantly, suggesting that modifying the program with an increased emphasis on reducing intake of junk food may be beneficial. The study has shown that the Good Start Program was effective in engaging children from Maori and Pacific Island backgrounds and in improving knowledge, and some attitudes and practices, related to healthy eating and physical activity. The evaluation contributes valuable information about components and impacts of this type of intervention, and considerations relevant to this population in order to successfully change behaviours and reduce the burden of chronic disease.

Priorities in health care: reply to Lewis and Charny.

PubMed Central

Lamb, David

1989-01-01

This paper is a reply to proposals to base priority health-care decisions on public opinion surveys. Whilst it is recognised that current practice is less than satisfactory, it is argued here that basing health-care priorities on societal attitudes in this way is not a solution and does not provide a satisfactory basis for bringing democracy to the health service. PMID:11644371

Using theatre to address mental illness stigma: a knowledge translation study in bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Michalak, Erin E; Livingston, James D; Maxwell, Victoria; Hole, Rachelle; Hawke, Lisa D; Parikh, Sagar V

2014-01-01

Reduction of the stigma of mental illness is an international priority; arts- and contact-based approaches represent a promising mode of intervention. This project was designed to explore the impact of a one-woman theatrical performance on attitudes towards bipolar disorder (BD) on people with BD and healthcare providers. A playwright and actress who lives with BD developed a stage performance - 'That's Just Crazy Talk' - targeting stigmatizing attitudes towards BD. Prospective, longitudinal and sequential mixed methods were used to assess the impact of the performance on people with BD (n = 80) and healthcare providers (n = 84). Qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 participants (14 people with BD and 19 healthcare providers). Quantitatively, healthcare providers showed significantly improved attitudes immediately post-performance, but this change was not maintained over time; people with BD showed little quantitative change. Qualitatively, both people with BD and BD healthcare providers showed enduring and broadly positive changes. A theatrical presentation designed to reduce stigma produced immediate impact on healthcare providers quantitatively and significant qualitative impact on people with BD and healthcare providers. Additionally, the utility of using mixed-method approaches in mental health research was demonstrated.

Parents' communication decision for children with hearing loss: sources of information and influence.

PubMed

Decker, Kalli B; Vallotton, Claire D; Johnson, Harold A

2012-01-01

Choosing a method of communication for a child with hearing loss is a complex process that must occur early to prevent developmental consequences. Research shows that parents' decisions are influenced by professionals; parental attitudes and knowledge also may be influential. The present study investigated additional influences on parents' choices; data were collected via an online survey (N = 36). Results indicated no effects of parents' knowledge of development on their communication choices, but did indicate an effect of parents' values and priorities for their children. Further, parents who chose speech only received information from education or speech/audiology professionals more often. However, there were no group differences in sources parents cited as influential; all parents relied on their own judgment. Results suggest that parents internalize the opinions of professionals. Thus, accurate information from professionals is necessary for parents to make informed decisions about their children's communication.

An evaluation of knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy in Eastern Turkey.

PubMed

Kiyak, Emine; Dayapoglu, Nuray

2017-10-01

This study was designed to determine the knowledge and attitudes regarding epilepsy among individuals in eastern Turkey. This descriptive study involved 530 healthy individuals who came to the Research and Application Hospital of Ataturk University in Erzurum, Turkey. A questionnaire and the epilepsy knowledge and attitude scale were administered to collect data. Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman's correlation tests were used to analyze the data. The participants' epilepsy knowledge mean score was 6.34 (SD=3.71), and their attitude mean score was 50.22 (SD=11.17). There was a positive (r=0.404) correlation between the knowledge and the attitude scores (p<0.001), and negative correlations between age and the knowledge (p=0.036) and the attitude scores (p<0.001). The mean knowledge and attitude scores were higher for the participants who were high school and university graduates, had expenses equal to income, and lived in nuclear families and in the city center (p<0.001). Civil servants and housewives had significantly higher mean knowledge scores, and students had significantly higher mean attitude scores (p<0.001). Significantly higher knowledge and attitude mean scores were also found for those who knew patients with epilepsy, had witnessed epileptic seizures, obtained information from healthcare personnel, and did not believe that epilepsy was associated with religion (p<0.001). The study participants had low knowledge about epilepsy but displayed positive attitudes toward it. Higher knowledge positively affected attitude, and younger individuals had greater knowledge and, thus, more positive attitudes. Women, civil servants, and housewives had higher knowledge, whereas singles and students had better attitudes. The participants who had high educational levels and expenses equal to income and lived in nuclear families and the city center had more knowledge and displayed more positive attitudes. Greater knowledge and more positive attitudes were also found among the participants who knew patients with epilepsy, had witnessed epileptic seizures, obtained the information from healthcare personnel, and did not believe that epilepsy was associated with religion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental attitudes, knowledge, intentions and behaviors among college students.

PubMed

Levine, Debra Siegel; Strube, Michael J

2012-01-01

College students (N = 90) reported their pro-environment behaviors as well as their pro-environment intentions, their explicit and implicit attitudes about the environment, and their knowledge about environmental issues. Intentions and knowledge significantly and independently predicted behavior. Environmental knowledge was not significantly related to attitudes. Implicit and explicit attitudes were significantly but only moderately related. Only explicit attitudes, however, were strongly related to intentions, and intentions completely mediated the influence of explicit attitudes on behavior. Men were found to be more knowledgeable than women about environmental issues; older students had more favorable implicit and explicit environmental attitudes. This research suggests that knowledge about the environment and explicit attitudes influence behavior through different pathways, which may have implications for interventions seeking to increase environmentally friendly behavior.

Is female circumcision evolving or dissolving in Norway? A qualitative study on attitudes toward the practice among young Somalis in the Oslo area

PubMed Central

Gele, Abdi A; Sagbakken, Mette; Kumar, Bernadette

2015-01-01

Female genital mutilation or female circumcision (FC) is increasingly visible on the global health and development agenda – both as a matter of social justice and equality for women and as a research priority. Norway is one of the global nations hosting a large number of immigrants from FC-practicing countries, the majority from Somalia. To help counteract this practice, Norway has adopted a multifaceted policy approach that employs one of the toughest measures against FC in the world. However, little is known about the impact of Norway’s approach on the attitudes toward the practice among traditional FC-practicing communities in Norway. Against this background, this qualitative study explores the attitudes toward FC among young Somalis between the ages of 16 to 22 living in the Oslo and Akershus regions of Norway. Findings indicate that young Somalis in the Oslo area have, to a large extent, changed their attitude toward the practice. This was shown by the participants’ support and sympathy toward criminalization of FC in Norway, which they believed was an important step toward saving young girls from the harmful consequences of FC. Most of the uncircumcised girls see their uncircumcised status as being normal, whereas they see circumcised girls as survivors of violence and injustice. Moreover, the fact that male participants prefer a marriage to uncircumcised girls is a strong condition for change, since if uncut girls are seen as marriageable then parents are unlikely to want to circumcise them. As newly arrived immigrants continue to have positive attitudes toward the practice, knowledge of FC should be integrated into introduction program classes that immigrants attend shortly after their residence permit is granted. This study adds to the knowledge of the process of the abandonment of FC among immigrants in Western countries. PMID:26648760

[Physician knowledge and attitudes on the clinical evaluation and treatment of resistant hypertension: The RESIST study].

PubMed

Coca, A

Resistant hypertension (RH) is associated with a high risk of cardiovascular and renal complications. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of Primary Care physicians, general medicine doctors, and clinical cardiologists on the management of this condition. A multicentre, descriptive, observational study based on an ad hoc questionnaire distributed to Primary Care physicians (n=1017) and general medicine physicians/clinical cardiologists (n=457). To establish the diagnosis of resistant hypertension, 69.1% of physicians confirm that systolic/diastolic blood pressure is above 140/90 mmHg, despite treatment. Furthermore, 64.9% only consider this diagnosis if the patient is treated with at least 3 medications, and 50.3% also requires that one of them is a thiazide diuretic (56.7% among specialists, P=.0004). To establish a definite diagnosis of true RH, 89.6% perform 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (93.3% of specialists, P=.0017), looking specifically for «white-coat» effect in 70.2% of cases. In addition, 79.3% verify that adherence to treatment is adequate. Between 87 and 95% of physicians indicate examinations to exclude causes of secondary hypertension. Up to 54.3% of physicians (71.3% specialists, P<.0001) consider adding a fourth drug and insisting on lifestyle interventions as a priority therapeutic measure. These data show that physician knowledge regarding the management of patients with RH is good. Interestingly, this knowledge is somewhat higher among specialists than among Primary Care physicians. Copyright © 2016 SEH-LELHA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and Attitude of Nursing Students toward Electroconvulsive Therapy

PubMed Central

Sharma, Nitasha; Ghai, Sandhya; Grover, Sandeep

2017-01-01

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the commonly used treatment modalities for patients with severe mental disorders. However, acceptance of ECT by the patient and relatives often depends on how the health-care professionals themselves present the treatment modality to the patients and their relatives. There is a lack of information about the knowledge and attitude toward ECT among health professionals. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge about and attitude toward ECT among nursing students. Methodology: Knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT among nursing students were assessed using ECT knowledge and attitude questionnaires. Results: The study included 183 nursing students. Majority (n = 62; 60.8%) of the participants obtained information about ECT from media (movies, television, print media, etc.). None of the students had full knowledge about ECT. Although a significant proportion of students had knowledge about the ECT procedure and consent procedure, majority of them had poor knowledge about the effectiveness, mechanism of action, indications, and side effects of ECT. Negative attitudes were also highly prevalent, with more than two-thirds of the participants having negative attitudes toward ECT on more than half of the attitude items of the scale. Total knowledge score positively correlated with total attitude score, suggesting that higher knowledge was associated with more positive attitude. Conclusions: Although nursing students have knowledge about basic ECT procedure and consent, they lack knowledge about the effectiveness, mechanism of action, indications, and side effects of ECT. Negative attitude toward ECT is also highly prevalent among nursing students. Accordingly, there is a need to improve the knowledge and address the negative attitude of nursing students, which may ultimately lead to better acceptance of the treatment. PMID:28936064

Knowledge and Attitude of Nursing Students toward Electroconvulsive Therapy.

PubMed

Sharma, Nitasha; Ghai, Sandhya; Grover, Sandeep

2017-08-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the commonly used treatment modalities for patients with severe mental disorders. However, acceptance of ECT by the patient and relatives often depends on how the health-care professionals themselves present the treatment modality to the patients and their relatives. There is a lack of information about the knowledge and attitude toward ECT among health professionals. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge about and attitude toward ECT among nursing students. Knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT among nursing students were assessed using ECT knowledge and attitude questionnaires. The study included 183 nursing students. Majority ( n = 62; 60.8%) of the participants obtained information about ECT from media (movies, television, print media, etc.). None of the students had full knowledge about ECT. Although a significant proportion of students had knowledge about the ECT procedure and consent procedure, majority of them had poor knowledge about the effectiveness, mechanism of action, indications, and side effects of ECT. Negative attitudes were also highly prevalent, with more than two-thirds of the participants having negative attitudes toward ECT on more than half of the attitude items of the scale. Total knowledge score positively correlated with total attitude score, suggesting that higher knowledge was associated with more positive attitude. Although nursing students have knowledge about basic ECT procedure and consent, they lack knowledge about the effectiveness, mechanism of action, indications, and side effects of ECT. Negative attitude toward ECT is also highly prevalent among nursing students. Accordingly, there is a need to improve the knowledge and address the negative attitude of nursing students, which may ultimately lead to better acceptance of the treatment.

Barriers to hospital delivery in a rural setting in Coast Province, Kenya: community attitude and behaviours.

PubMed

Mwangome, Francis K; Holding, Penny A; Songola, Kennedy M; Bomu, Grace K

2012-01-01

A minority of births in sub-Saharan African regions are conducted with the supervision of skilled birth attendants. With among the highest world-wide maternal mortality ratios and the majority of the deaths being associated with a lack of trained supervision at delivery, changing delivery practices is a major priority in this world region. This study identified attitudes to and beliefs about the uptake of hospital services for birthing. Data were gathered using a combination of individual interviews and group discussions. Twelve discussion groups were held with participants who included hospital staff and general community members (36 males and 54 females). In addition, individual interviews were carried out with 26 mothers who chose not to deliver their babies in hospital. Qualitative analysis identified a number of barriers to seeking skilled attendants at birth including: lack of resources (monetary, transport and access), customer care (lack of partnership between mother and health professional), and knowledge and beliefs (lack of knowledge about pregnancy and maternal health). The community must be better informed about the costs and benefits of hospital deliveries, while medical services must be more sensitive to community needs and preferences. These findings prompted the initiation of consultation groups on health and maternal issues between health service providers and community organisations.

The Priority Heuristic: Making Choices without Trade-Offs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandstatter, Eduard; Gigerenzer, Gerd; Hertwig, Ralph

2006-01-01

Bernoulli's framework of expected utility serves as a model for various psychological processes, including motivation, moral sense, attitudes, and decision making. To account for evidence at variance with expected utility, the authors generalize the framework of fast and frugal heuristics from inferences to preferences. The priority heuristic…

Health professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary care in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Alamri, Badrya H; Xiao, Lily D

2017-03-01

Previous international studies have indicated that a range of factors influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people were education, past work experiences, and social contact with healthy older people. This article reports on the findings of a literature review in relation to attitudes toward older people among health professionals working in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this narrative literature are reported through 5 themes: the instruments used in the selected studies to measure attitudes toward older people; the instruments used to measure knowledge on ageing; attitudes toward older people; knowledge of the care of older people; and factors that influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people. Further investigation is needed to identify the level of knowledge on ageing, attitudes toward older people, and the factors which affect health professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia.

Health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary care in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Alamri, Badrya H.; Xiao, Lily D.

2017-01-01

Previous international studies have indicated that a range of factors influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people were education, past work experiences, and social contact with healthy older people. This article reports on the findings of a literature review in relation to attitudes toward older people among health professionals working in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this narrative literature are reported through 5 themes: the instruments used in the selected studies to measure attitudes toward older people; the instruments used to measure knowledge on ageing; attitudes toward older people; knowledge of the care of older people; and factors that influence knowledge and attitudes toward older people. Further investigation is needed to identify the level of knowledge on ageing, attitudes toward older people, and the factors which affect health professionals’ knowledge and attitudes toward older people in primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. PMID:28251216

[Attitudes of Costa Rican students and teachers on sex and population education].

PubMed

Stycos, J M

1987-01-01

Students in 34 secondary schools and the last year of primary school throughout Costa Rica were interviewed to determine the attitudes of older students toward sex and population education. The sex, grade level, and geographic region of residence were considered key study variables. To ensure an adequate number of cases in each geographic region, the sample was stratified into 4 zones: downtown San Jose, the rest of metropolitan San Jose, other cantons of the central valley, and cantons outside the central valley. Various smaller studies were also conducted, including brief intelligence tests for 190 students, interviews with 286 parents, focus group debates in 8 schools, surveys of 10 teachers in each school, and interviews with Ministry of Education and other officials. The final questionnaire was very long, consisting of 281 questions as well as data about the student's residence. Although students cooperated in filling out the questionnaires, it was too long and 27% of all students failed to complete it. The average student completed 91% of the questions, but fewer than 1/2 of the 6th year primary students were able to complete it. Costa Rican students gain at least a partial understanding of sex at an early age. Almost all secondary students and 71% of the 6th year primary students knew 1 or more contraceptive methods. Most acquired contraceptive information before the age of 12, often from the mass media. 2/3 said their parents had been important sources of information on sex. Most students said they had received some information on sex or family planning in school, but no influence was seen on knowledge or attitudes. The survey results revealed considerable misinformation about sex and family planning. The attitude of Costa Rican students toward equality of the sexes appears conservative, but it becomes less so as their grade level advances, especially for girls. The majority of students had tolerant or indifferent attitudes toward premarital fertility, the ideal age at marriage, and having 1 or 2 children beyond their ideal average of 2 or 3 children. The 173 out-of-school youths who completed the surveys were even more family oriented and conservative and less well informed about family planning and demographic growth than were the students. Grade level was the most important factor explaining differences in knowledge and attitude toward the issues raised in the survey. Geographic region and socioeconomic level of the parents and much less influence. Special questionnaires administered to 327 teachers in the same secondary schools revealed that they assigned the highest priority to sex education of 8 possible educational innovations. Most teachers assigned a lower priority to population education. Major conclusions of the study were that Costa Rican students would welcome a more systematic program of sex education, but greater attention is required to train teachers in the method and content of sex education and population education.

Nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding major immobility complications among bedridden patients: A prospective multicentre study.

PubMed

Li, Zhen; Zhou, Xinmei; Cao, Jing; Li, Zheng; Wan, Xia; Li, Jiaqian; Jiao, Jing; Liu, Ge; Liu, Ying; Li, Fangfang; Song, Baoyun; Jin, Jingfen; Liu, Yilan; Wen, Xianxiu; Cheng, Shouzhen; Wu, Xinjuan

2018-05-01

To gain insight into nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding major immobility complications (pressure ulcers, pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis and urinary tract infections) and explore the correlation of nurses' knowledge and attitudes with the incidence of these complications. Immobility complications have adverse consequences, and effective management requires appropriate knowledge, attitudes and skills. Evidence about nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding immobility complications is lacking. Cross-sectional study. A total of 3,903 nurses and 21,333 bedridden patients from 25 hospitals in China were surveyed. Nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding major immobility complications were assessed using researcher-developed questionnaires. The content validity, reliability and internal consistency of the questionnaires were validated through expert review and a pilot study. The incidence of major immobility complications among bedridden patients from selected wards was surveyed by trained investigators. Correlations between knowledge, attitudes and the incidence of major immobility complications were evaluated with multilevel regression models. Mean knowledge scores were 64.07% for pressure ulcers, 72.92% for deep vein thrombosis, 76.54% for pneumonia and 83.30% for urinary tract infections. Mean attitude scores for these complications were 86.25%, 84.31%, 85.00% and 84.53%, respectively. Knowledge and attitude scores were significantly higher among nurses with older age, longer employment duration, higher education level, previous training experience and those working in tertiary hospitals or critical care units. Nurses' knowledge about pressure ulcers was negatively related to the incidence of pressure ulcers, and attitude towards pneumonia was negatively correlated with the incidence of pneumonia. Clinical nurses have relatively positive attitudes but inadequate knowledge regarding major immobility complications. Improved knowledge and attitudes regarding major immobility complications may contribute to reducing these complications. Nursing managers should implement measures to improve nurses' knowledge and attitudes regarding major immobility complications to reduce the incidence of these complications in bedridden patients. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Sea Turtles in Elementary Students on Zakynthos, Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dimopoulos, Dimitrios I.; Pantis, John D.

2003-01-01

Utilizes a 32-item survey instrument to measure knowledge and attitudes of 5th and 6th grade students regarding sea turtle conservation on Zakynthos, Greece. Results indicate low knowledge scores and high scores for attitudes, but an overall positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes. Knowledge, understanding and/or concern, and locus of…

Cancer beliefs and prevention policies: comparing Canadian decision-maker and general population views.

PubMed

Nykiforuk, Candace I J; Wild, T Cameron; Raine, Kim D

2014-12-01

The knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of key policy influencers and the general public can support or hinder the development of public policies that support cancer prevention. To address gaps in knowledge concerning healthy public policy development, views on cancer causation and endorsement of policy alternatives for cancer prevention among government influencers (elected members of legislative assemblies and senior ministry bureaucrats), non-governmental influencers (school board chairs and superintendents, print media editors and reporters, and workplace presidents and senior human resource managers), and the general public were compared. Two structured surveys, one administered to a convenience sample of policy influencers (government and non-governmental) and the other to a randomly selected sample of the general public, were used. The aim of these surveys was to understand knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding health promotion principles and the priority and acceptability of policy actions to prevent four behavioral risk factors for cancer (tobacco use, alcohol misuse, unhealthy eating, and physical inactivity). Surveys were administered in Alberta and Manitoba, two comparable Canadian provinces. Although all groups demonstrated higher levels of support for individualistic policies (e.g., health education campaigns) than for fiscal and legislative measures, the general public expressed consistently greater support than policy influencers for using evidence-based policies (e.g., tax incentives or subsidies for healthy behaviors). These results suggest that Canadian policy influencers may be less open that the general public to adopt healthy public policies for cancer prevention, with potential detriment to cancer rates.

Get the Message: A Teen Distracted Driving Program.

PubMed

Adeola, Ruth; Omorogbe, Ashleigh; Johnson, Abree

Elimination of distracted driving is becoming a public health priority. Each day, an average of 8 people are killed due to a distracted driver in the United Sates. Although all drivers are at risk, research has indicated that teenage drivers are overrepresented in motor vehicle crashes due to distracted driving. Teenage drivers are hindered by limited driving experience, and the illusion of invincibility is a common phase in social and cognitive adolescent development. "Get the Message: A Teenage Distracted Driving Program" was established at the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center to identify, define, and measure the factors that contribute to distracted driving in teens. A convenience sample of 1,238 teenagers in this study represented all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and 21 other countries. At the beginning of each program, a presurvey is administered to assess baseline behavior, attitude, and knowledge regarding distracted driving. After completing the program, teens complete a postsurvey to measure proposed changes in driving behaviors, attitude, and knowledge. The program employs the use of a slide presentation, hospital tour, video, and survivor's testimony to influence teen driving behaviors and increase knowledge. Research has indicated that an increase in the Health Belief Model constructs may enhance engagement in health-promoting behaviors, such as safe driving practices in teens. Based on the postsurvey results, the reduction in projected phone use while driving in this teen population indicates the effectiveness of this hospital-based teen distracted driving program.

Qualitative assessment of patients’ attitudes and expectations toward BCIs and implications for future technology development

PubMed Central

Schicktanz, Silke; Amelung, Till; Rieger, Jochem W.

2015-01-01

Brain–computer–interfaces (BCIs) are important for the next generation of neuro-prosthesis innovations. Only few pilot projects have tested patients’ abilities to control BCIs as well as their satisfaction with the offered technologies. On the one hand, little is known about patients’ moral attitudes toward the benefit-risk-ratio of BCIs as well as their needs, priorities, and expectations. On the other hand, ethics experts intensively discuss the general risks of BCIs as well as the limits of neuro-enhancement. To our knowledge, we present here the first qualitative interview study with ten chronic patients matching the potential user categories for motor and communication BCIs to assess their practical and moral attitudes toward this technology. The interviews reveal practical and moral attitudes toward motor BCIs that can impact future technology development. We discuss our empirical findings on patients’ perspectives and compare them to neuroscientists’ and ethicists’ perspectives. Our analysis indicates only partial overlap between the potential users’ and the experts’ assessments of BCI-technology. It points out the importance of considering the needs and desires of the targeted patient group. Based on our findings, we suggest a multi-fold approach to the development of clinical BCIs, rooted in the participatory technology-development. We conclude that clinical BCI development needs to be explored in a disease-related and culturally sensitive way. PMID:25964745

Knowledge and Attitudes of Selected Home Economists toward Irradiation in Food Preservation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Faye C. Stucy

1990-01-01

A survey of the knowledge and attitudes of 485 California home economists toward the use of irradiation to preserve food revealed that they lacked the knowledge although they had a positive attitude toward it. An interactive teleconference on irradiation increased positive attitudes and improved knowledge. (JOW)

Knowledge and attitudes towards rotavirus diarrhea and the vaccine amongst healthcare providers in Yogyakarta Indonesia.

PubMed

Seale, Holly; Sitaresmi, Mei Neni; Atthobari, Jarir; Heywood, Anita E; Kaur, Rajneesh; MacIntyre, Raina C; Soenarto, Yati; Padmawati, Retna Siwi

2015-11-30

Rotavirus has been identified as the most common pathogen associated with severe diarrhoea. Two effective vaccines against the pathogen have been licensed. However, many countries including Indonesia have yet to introduce the vaccine into their national immunisation programs. This study aimed to examine the attitudes of healthcare providers (HCPs) and other health stakeholders towards the pathogen and the vaccine. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were undertaken in two districts of Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia with nurses, midwives, primary care providers, pediatricians and other health stakeholders. Thematic analysis was undertaken. Fourteen interviews were conducted between August and October 2013. We identified that while participants do not consider diarrhea to be an important problem in Indonesia, they do acknowledge that it can be serious if not properly treated. While the majority had some level of knowledge about rotavirus, not all participants knew that a vaccine was available. There were mixed feelings towards the need for the vaccine. Some felt that the vaccine is not ranked as a priority as it is not listed on the national program. However, others agreed there is a rationale for its use in Indonesia. The cost of the vaccine (when sold in the private sector) was perceived to be the primary barrier impacting on its use. The high cost and the low priority given to this vaccine by the public health authorities are the biggest obstacles impacting on the acceptance of this vaccine in Indonesia. HCPs need to be reminded of the burden of disease associated with rotavirus. In addition, reminding providers about the costs associated with treating severe cases versus the costs associated with prevention may assist with improving the acceptance of HCPs towards the vaccine. Promotion campaigns need to target the range of HCPs involved in the provision of care to infants and pregnant women.

Exploratory study of Australian aged care staff knowledge and attitudes of later life sexuality.

PubMed

Chen, Yung-Hui; Jones, Cindy; Osborne, Debora

2017-06-01

To explore aged care staff knowledge and attitudes towards later life sexuality and attitudes about intimacy in people with dementia. Fifty-two care staff working in two aged care facilities with secure dementia care units were recruited. Knowledge and attitudes on later life sexuality and attitudes towards later life sexuality in people with dementia were surveyed using the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale and the selected eight items of the Staff Attitudes about Intimacy and Dementia, respectively. The results indicated that aged care staff knowledge of later life sexuality is inadequate, but attitudes towards later life sexuality and about intimacy and dementia were relatively permissive. Improving aged care staff knowledge of later life sexuality is needed. Continuing education and training should provide to support the expression of later life sexuality including those with dementia. © 2017 AJA Inc.

Medical and psychology students' knowledge and attitudes regarding aging and sexuality.

PubMed

Snyder, Rachel J; Zweig, Richard A

2010-01-01

The current study surveys medical and doctoral psychology students (N = 100) from an urban northeastern university regarding knowledge and attitudes toward elderly sexuality and aging using the Facts on Aging Quiz, the Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale, and measures of interest in gerontology, academic/clinical exposure to aging and sexuality, and contact with elders. The current study found that psychology students demonstrated greater aging knowledge than medical students; however, both groups showed gaps in knowledge about sexuality. Married students had greater academic/clinical exposure and greater knowledge about aging but less permissive attitudes toward elderly sexuality. Generally, knowledge about aging was the strongest correlate of knowledge about sexuality. Level of knowledge about sexuality was not associated with attitudes. Attitudes toward sexuality and aging may be more strongly tied to demographic variables reflective of religious beliefs or adherence to sociocultural norms.

Disability and Sexuality: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Level of Comfort among Certified Rehabilitation Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kazukauskas, Kelly A.; Lam, Chow S.

2010-01-01

This study investigated certified rehabilitation counselors' (CRCs) attitudes, knowledge, and comfort in addressing disability and sexuality issues. One hundred ninety-nine CRCs completed a modified version of the "Knowledge, Comfort, Approach and Attitudes toward Sexuality Scale" to determine the effect of knowledge and attitudes on level of…

78 FR 76315 - Proposed Information Collection; Survey of Rancher Knowledge and Attitudes About Jaguar Habitat...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-17

...-FF02ENEH00] Proposed Information Collection; Survey of Rancher Knowledge and Attitudes About Jaguar Habitat... determine their knowledge of and attitudes toward jaguar habitat, the level of knowledge regarding payments for ecosystem services, and attitudes and interest toward a payment for ecosystem services intended to...

Knowledge and Attitudes of Nurses Toward Pressure Injury Prevention: A Cross-Sectional Multisite Study.

PubMed

Barakat-Johnson, Michelle; Barnett, Catherine; Wand, Timothy; White, Kathryn

The purpose of the study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of nurses on pressure injury prevention and determine if there was a relationship between knowledge, attitude, and years of experience following an unexplained increase in reported hospital-acquired pressure injuries across 1 health district in Sydney, Australia. Multisite cross-sectional study. Registered and enrolled nurses working in acute, medical, and rehabilitation units in 4 hospitals and 5 community health centers across a local health district. Using a modified version of the Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Test and the Staff Attitude Scale, nurses were invited to complete the survey online or on paper. A total of 3123 surveys were distributed and 998 were returned yielding a response rate of 32%. Approximately one-third of nurse respondents who participated in the survey had been practicing for 5 to 10 years. Almost 80% of participants scored 33/47 or more (70% or more correct) on the knowledge survey; the mean score was 35.21. The mean score for the attitudes test was 44.43 ± 4.77, out of 55 (80.7%), indicating a positive attitude toward pressure injury prevention. There was a significant positive correlation between nurses' years of experience and attitudes, but there was no correlation between years of experience and knowledge. Knowledge and attitudes were also significantly positively correlated. Nurses had sound knowledge and held positive attitudes toward pressure injury prevention. Positive attitudes were associated with greater time spent in the workforce. Additional research is required to examine relationships between knowledge of and attitude toward pressure injury prevention and clinical practice. Further research is also needed to determine if improving knowledge and attitudes results in a sustained reduction of hospital-acquired pressure injuries.

Obstetrician Attitudes, Experience, and Knowledge of Planned Home Birth: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Leone, Jennifer; Mostow, Jackie; Hackney, David; Gokhale, Priyanka; Janata, Jeffrey; Greenfield, Marjorie

2016-09-01

The incidence of planned home birth is increasing in the United States. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists acknowledges a woman's right to make an informed choice about place of delivery, including home birth. This exploratory study measures obstetricians' attitudes, experiences, and knowledge about planned home birth, identifies associations between these factors, and compares obstetricians' responses in Ohio to those in Arizona and New Mexico. A survey about attitudes, experiences, and knowledge of planned home birth was distributed to obstetricians in Ohio, Arizona, and New Mexico. Attitude and knowledge scores were calculated for each respondent and used to evaluate associations through linear regression. Attitude and knowledge scores in states that have regulation of direct entry midwives (Arizona and New Mexico) were compared to a state which does not (Ohio). Obstetricians in all three states reported little experience and knowledge of planned home birth and overall negative attitudes. Obstetricians with stronger knowledge did not differ in their attitudes from those with less knowledge. No statistically significant differences were found when comparing attitude and knowledge scores in Ohio to Arizona and New Mexico, but Ohio obstetricians responded most negatively to the attitude questions. Obstetricians have limited knowledge and experience and hold very negative attitudes about planned home birth. Research is necessary to determine: 1) whether negative obstetrician attitudes would be modified by exposure to home birth education and experience, and, 2) whether negative obstetrician beliefs deter safe and timely transfer from home or compromise hospital care for transferred parturients. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Environmental knowledge and attitudes and behaviours towards energy consumption.

PubMed

Paço, Arminda; Lavrador, Tânia

2017-07-15

Numerous investigations have arisen in order to study and characterise environmentally friendly consumer profiles, with some authors applying the relationship between knowledge, attitudes and behaviour to this end. The present research approach, based upon the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), seeks to verify the existence of relationships between knowledge and attitudes and between knowledge and environmental behaviour. In this instance, data collection involved a questionnaire aimed at assessing the overall environmental knowledge of respondents as well as their attitudes and behaviours regarding energy issues (savings, consumption, interest, use). The results pointed to the lack of relationship between knowledge and attitudes, and between knowledge and behaviour whilst the relationship between attitudes and behaviour proved to be only weak. The results also found that males, older students and those studying Engineering and the Social and Human Sciences are those reporting higher levels of environmental knowledge. However, when it comes to attitudes and behaviours, females seem to display more awareness around these issues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge: a possible tool in shaping medical professionals' attitudes towards homosexuality.

PubMed

Dunjić-Kostić, Bojana; Pantović, Maja; Vuković, Vuk; Randjelović, Dunja; Totić-Poznanović, Sanja; Damjanović, Aleksandar; Jašović-Gašić, Miroslava; Ivković, Maja

2012-06-01

The attitudes of medical professionals towards homosexuals can influence their willingness to provide these individuals with medical help. The study evaluated the medical professionals' knowledge about homosexuality and their attitudes towards it. The sample consisted of 177 participants (physicians n=79 and students n=98). The study respondents anonymously completed three questionnaires (socio-demographic questionnaire, the questionnaire on knowledge, and the questionnaire on attitudes towards homosexuals). Male and religious participants showed a lower level of knowledge and a greater tendency to stigmatize. Furthermore, the subjects who knew more about homosexuality tended to hold less stigmatizing attitude. Age group, specialty (psychiatry, gynecology, internal medicine and surgery), and student's/physician's status had no effect on stigmatization. The study showed that the final year students/ residents had more knowledge than the second year students/specialists did. Knowledge had significant negative predictive effect on attitudes in the analyzed predictive model. To our knowledge, this has been the first study in Serbia and Eastern Europe, which provides information on knowledge and attitudes of health professionals towards homosexuality. We would like to point out the degree of knowledge on homosexuality as a possible, but not exclusive tool in shaping the attitudes towards homosexuals and reducing stigmatization. However, regardless of the personal attitude, knowledge and variable acceptance of the homosexuals' rights, medical professionals' main task is to resist discriminative behavior and provide professional medical help to both homosexual and heterosexual patients.

A Call to Develop Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) for Nonmajors Courses

PubMed Central

Ballen, Cissy J.; Blum, Jessamina E.; Brownell, Sara; Hebert, Sadie; Hewlett, James; Klein, Joanna R.; McDonald, Erik A.; Monti, Denise L.; Nold, Stephen C.; Slemmons, Krista E.; Soneral, Paula A. G.; Cotner, Sehoya

2017-01-01

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) for non–science majors (nonmajors) are potentially distinct from CUREs for developing scientists in their goals, learning objectives, and assessment strategies. While national calls to improve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education have led to an increase in research revealing the positive effects of CUREs for science majors, less work has specifically examined whether nonmajors are impacted in the same way. To address this gap in our understanding, a working group focused on nonmajors CUREs was convened to discuss the following questions: 1) What are our laboratory-learning goals for nonmajors? 2) What are our research priorities to determine best practices for nonmajors CUREs? 3) How can we collaborate to define and disseminate best practices for nonmajors in CUREs? We defined three broad student outcomes of prime importance to the nonmajors CURE: improvement of scientific literacy skills, proscience attitudes, and evidence-based decision making. We evaluated the state of knowledge of best practices for nonmajors, and identified research priorities for the future. The report that follows is a summary of the conclusions and future directions from our discussion. PMID:28450449

Public attitudes and values in priority setting.

PubMed

Peacock, Stuart J

2015-01-01

There is growing recognition that critical decisions concerning investments in new health care technologies and services should incorporate society's values along with the scientific evidence. From a normative perspective, public engagement can help realize the democratic ideals of legitimacy, transparency, and accountability. On a more pragmatic level, public engagement can help stakeholders understand the degree of popular support for policy options, and may enhance public trust in decision-making processes. To better understand public attitudes and values relating to priority setting in health care, researchers and decision-makers will have to employ a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches, drawing on different disciplines and methodological traditions.

Asian American midlife women's attitudes toward physical activity.

PubMed

Im, Eun-Ok; Ko, Young; Hwang, Hyenam; Chee, Wonshik; Stuifbergen, Alexa; Lee, Hannah; Chee, Eunice

2012-01-01

To explore Asian American midlife women's attitudes toward physical activity using a feminist perspective. A qualitative online forum study. Internet communities/groups for midlife women and ethnic minorities. A total of 17 Asian American women recruited through the Internet using a convenience sampling method. A 6-month qualitative online forum was conducted using 17 online forum topics. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three major themes related to Asian American midlife women's attitudes toward physical activity were extracted from the data: keeping traditions, not a priority, and not for Asian girls. Because Asian American midlife women were busy in keeping their cultural traditions, they rarely found time for physical activity. The women gave the highest priority to their children, and physical activity was the lowest priority in their busy lives. Also, the women were rarely encouraged to participate in physical activity during their childhoods, and they perceived that their weak and small bodies were not appropriate for physical activity. Several implications for future development of physical activity promotion programs for this specific population have been suggested based on the findings. © 2012 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Health Care Priorities: Opinions of One State's Citizens and Legislators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jankel, Charlotte A.; And Others

1994-01-01

Reports a study that examined the attitudes of Georgia citizens and legislators toward funding for specific health care services and national health insurance. Legislators were less in favor of national health insurance than were citizens. Both groups set a high priority on providing a wide range of health care services to everyone. (SM)

Oral health knowledge, attitude, and self-care practices among pharmacists in Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Baseer, Mohammad Abdual; Mehkari, Mohammed Aleemullah; Al-Marek, Fahad AbdulMohsen Fahad; Bajahzar, Omar Ahmad

2016-01-01

Identifying and addressing gaps in the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices of pharmacists is important before they can be considered as a member of the oral health promotion team. The aim of this study was to determine the prevailing oral health knowledge, attitude, and self-care practices among a sample of pharmacists from Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study involving 200 pharmacists working in community- and hospital-based pharmacies was conducted using a structured, self-administered, close-ended questionnaire. The responses were collected and descriptive statistics of the mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and self-care practices were calculated. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to compare the different groups. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to assess the association among knowledge-attitude, knowledge-practice, and attitude-practice. Overall, the mean scores of oral health knowledge, attitude, and self-care practices were found to be 5.27 ± 1.05, 3.89 ± 0.83, and 2.1 ± 0.61, respectively. Male non-Saudi pharmacists working in chain pharmacies, having 11-15 years of experience with a Master's degree qualification showed significantly higher mean knowledge and practices scores as compared to their counterparts. Spearman's correlation tests revealed a significant positive correlation of knowledge-practice (r = 0.262, P < 0.01), whereas knowledge-attitude (r = -0.149, P < 0.05) as well as attitudes-practices (r = -0.196, P < 0.01) were negatively correlated. Pharmacists exhibited an average knowledge, negative attitude, and inadequate self-care practices toward oral health. However, increasing oral health knowledge can have profound improvement in oral self-care practices.

Environmental Attitudes, Knowledge, and Alternative Conceptions of Primary School Children in Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malandrakis, Georgios; Chatzakis, Stergios

2014-01-01

In this study the environmental attitudes, knowledge, and alternative conceptions of 281 primary school children from 5th and 6th grade, ages 10-12 years were explored. Low knowledge scores, indicate a substantial lack of knowledge on basic environmental issues, while attitude scores were relatively high. Children's environmental attitudes and…

The Relationship between Attitudes, Knowledge, and Demographic Variables of High School Teachers Regarding Food Irradiation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, B. M.; Ribera, K. P.; Wingenbach, G. J.; Vestal, T. A.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to use a validated instrument to determine the attitudes and knowledge of high school teachers regarding food irradiation, and to determine the correlations among their knowledge and attitudes and certain demographic variables. Knowledge and attitudes about food irradiation were measured in selected high school family…

Impact of knowledge of leprosy on the attitude towards leprosy patients: a community study.

PubMed

Raju, M S; Kopparty, S N

1995-01-01

NLEP, through its survey-education-treatment (SET) pattern, attempts to educate the community members about the scientific facts of leprosy with the view to improve their knowledge leading to a more positive attitude towards the leprosy afflicted. This paper explores the impact of knowledge on the attitudes of 1199 community members drawn from two States, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa, towards leprosy. The results show that, overall, a high knowledge level did not necessarily generate positive attitudes. There was a general negative attitude despite 35% to 50% of the respondents having high knowledge level. There were, however, situations in which a high level of knowledge helps to have positive attitudes. These situations differ in the two states studied.

Aging and sexuality: how much do gynecologists know and care?

PubMed

Langer-Most, Orli; Langer, Nieli

2010-01-01

Enhanced knowledge and healthy attitudes toward aging sexuality can help promote the perception that full sexual expression is part of the entire extent of adulthood. We sought to determine gynecologists' knowledge and attitude regarding sexuality in older women. A total of 141 gynecologists in five hospitals responded to the survey: Aging Sexual Attitude and Knowledge Scale (ASKAS). No correlation was found between respondents' knowledge and attitude (r = .06, p = .54); no correlation found between respondents' age and knowledge (r = .20, p = .02), but 20% of the variance in attitude could be explained by age (beta 0.20, p = .02). Neither gender, ethnicity, level of training, nor hospital location demonstrated a significant correlation to either knowledge or attitude scores.

Another person's heart: magical and rational thinking in the psychological adaptation to heart transplantation.

PubMed

Inspector, Yoram; Kutz, Ilan; David, Daniel

2004-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine heart transplant recipients' psychological adaptation to another person's heart, with particular emphasis on recipients' attitudes toward graft and donor. Thirty-five male heart recipients were examined by: the Symptom Distress Checklist (revised) (SCL-90-R); the Depression Adjective Checklist (DACL); a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire (PTSD-Q); a Heart Image Questionnaire (HIQ); and a Semi-Structured Interview (SSI), aimed at eliciting attitudes and fantasies regarding the transplanted heart. All instruments indicated high levels of stress even several years after the transplant, but, simultaneously, 73% of recipients felt that acquiring a new heart had had a dramatic influence on their lives with a new appreciation of the preciousness of life and a shift of priorities, toward altruism and spirituality. Sixty percent returned to work after the transplant but some had to adapt to a changed attitude from those around them who regarded them as anything from mystical creatures to vulnerable or still-sick individuals. While all recipients possessed a scientific knowledge of the anatomy and physiological significance of the heart (as revealed in the HIQ), many endorsed fantasies and displayed magical thinking: 46% of the recipients had fantasies about the donor's physical vigor and prowess, 40% expressed some guilt regarding the death of the donor, 34% entertained the possibility of acquiring qualities of the donor via the new heart. When asked to choose a most and least preferred imagined donor, 49% constructed their choices according to prejudices, desires, or fears related to ethnic, racial or sexual traits attributed to the donor. This study confirms the intuitive idea that heart transplant involves a stressful course of events that produces an amplified sense of the precariousness of existence. Simultaneously, it gives rise to rejoicing at having been granted a new lease on life and a clear sense of new priorities, especially with regard to relationships. Less expectedly, this study shows that, despite sophisticated knowledge of anatomy and physiology, almost half the heart recipients had an overt or covert notion of potentially acquiring some of the donor's personality characteristics along with the heart. The concomitance of the magical and the logical is not uncommon in many areas of human existence, and is probably enhanced by the symbolic nature of the heart, and maybe, also, by the persistent stress that requires an ongoing, emotionally intense, adaptation process.

Medical students and interns' knowledge about and attitude towards homosexuality.

PubMed

Banwari, G; Mistry, K; Soni, A; Parikh, N; Gandhi, H

2015-01-01

Medical professionals' attitude towards homosexuals affects health care offered to such patients with a different sexual orientation. There is absence of literature that explores the attitudes of Indian medical students or physicians towards homosexuality. This study aimed to evaluate Indian medical students and interns' knowledge about homosexuality and attitude towards homosexuals. After IEC approval and written informed consent, a cross-sectional study was conducted on a purposive sample of undergraduate medical students and interns studying in one Indian medical college. The response rate was 80.5%. Only completely and validly filled responses (N = 244) were analyzed. The participants filled the Sex Education and Knowledge about Homosexuality Questionnaire (SEKHQ) and the Attitudes towards Homosexuals Questionnaire (AHQ). SEKHQ consisted of 32 statements with response chosen from 'true', 'false', or 'don't know'. AHQ consisted of 20 statements scorable on a 5-point Likert scale. Multiple linear regression was used to find the predictors of knowledge and attitude. Medical students and interns had inadequate knowledge about homosexuality, although they endorsed a neutral stance insofar as their attitude towards homosexuals is concerned. Females had more positive attitudes towards homosexuals. Knowledge emerged as the most significant predictor of attitude; those having higher knowledge had more positive attitudes. Enhancing knowledge of medical students by incorporation of homosexuality related health issues in the curriculum could help reduce prejudice towards the sexual minority and thus impact their future clinical practice.

Determinants of knowledge and attitudes about sugar and the association of knowledge and attitudes with sugar intake among adults: A systematic review.

PubMed

Gupta, Adyya; Smithers, Lisa G; Harford, Jane; Merlin, Tracy; Braunack-Mayer, Annette

2018-07-01

Efforts to reduce sugar intake levels have been primarily limited to increasing knowledge and changing attitudes. We conducted a systematic review to (1) identify factors influencing adults' knowledge and attitudes about sugar, and (2) determine if there is an association between knowledge and attitudes about sugar and sugar intake. We searched 15 electronic databases from inception to December 2016 for English language publications including adults with relevant exposure and outcome measures. Findings were summarised meta-narratively. Of 3287 studies, 22 studies (14 for objective one and 8 for objective two) were included. Individual (liking of sugary food), interpersonal (attitudes of peers) and environmental factors (media, health professionals and food labelling) influenced adults' knowledge and attitudes about sugar, at least to some extent. Overall, quality of the studies included in our review was weak, and evidence for the application of the Knowledge-Attitude-Behavior model for understanding sugar intake is limited. Protocol registered in the PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews (registration number CRD42015027540). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Development of knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire on prevention and control of occupational diseases].

PubMed

Gao, Yuan; Feng, Yuchao; Wang, Min; Su, Yiwei; Li, Yanhua; Wang, Zhi; Tang, Shihao

2015-04-01

To develop the knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire on the prevention and control of occupational diseases for occupational groups, and to provide a convenient and effective tool for the survey of knowledge, attitude, and behavior on the prevention and control of occupational diseases in occupational groups and the evaluation of intervention effect. The initial questionnaire which was evaluated by the experts was used to carry out a pre-survey in Guangzhou, China. The survey results were statistically analyzed by t test, identification index method, correlation analysis, and Cronbach's a coefficient method. And then the questionnaire was further modified, and the content of the questionnaire was determined finally. After modification, there were 18 items on knowledge, 16 items on attitude, and 12 items on behavior in the "Knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire on the prevention and control of occupational diseases for enterprise managers"; there were 19 items on knowledge, 10 items on attitude, and 11 items on behavior in the "Knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire on the prevention and control of occupational diseases for workers". The knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire on the prevention and control of occupational diseases for occupational groups is developed successfully, and it is a convenient and effective tool for the survey of knowledge, attitude, and behavior on the prevention and control of occupational diseases in occupational groups and the evaluation of intervention effect.

Nursing students' knowledge and attitude on pressure ulcer prevention evidence-based guidelines: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Simonetti, Valentina; Comparcini, Dania; Flacco, Maria Elena; Di Giovanni, Pamela; Cicolini, Giancarlo

2015-04-01

Pressure ulcers still remain a significant problem in many healthcare settings. Poor knowledge and negative attitudes toward pressure ulcer prevention could undesirably affect preventive care strategies. To assess both knowledge and attitudes among nursing students on Pressure Ulcer Prevention Evidence-Based Guidelines. A multicenter cross-sectional survey was carried out from December 2012 to August 2013. The study was carried out in seven Italian nursing schools. We involved a convenience sample of nursing students (n=742) METHODS: Data were collected using two validated questionnaires to assess students' knowledge and attitudes on pressure ulcer prevention. The overall Knowledge and Attitude scores were 51.1% (13.3/26) and 76.7% (39.9/52), respectively. We found a weak correlation between total Knowledge scores and total Attitude scores (rho=0.13, p<0.001). We also observed that nursing students' year of education, training experience and number of department frequented during their clinical placement were significantly related to both the Knowledge and the Attitude total scores (p<0.05). Nursing students' knowledge on pressure ulcer prevention was relatively low. However, we observed an association between a high level of education/training experience and higher knowledge scores. Most of the participants showed high attitude scores. These results suggest that positive attitudes toward pressure ulcer prevention may contribute to the compliance with the guidelines in clinical practice. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Attitude and Intention Regarding Pain Management among Chinese Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Survey.

PubMed

Fang, Liang-Yu; Xu, Yin-Chuan; Lin, Dan-Ni; Jin, Jing-Feng; Yan, Min

2017-08-01

Optimal pain management is a priority in effective nursing care. Lack of sufficient pain knowledge associated with inadequate pain management has been proved. However, the intention, defined as the predictor of behavior, regarding pain management remains unknown. Therefore, the study was to determine the attitude and intention regarding pain management among Chinese nursing students and investigate the underlying determinants and their interactions in terms of intention toward pain management. The Pain Management Survey Questionnaire, comprising the key determinants of the theory of planned behavior-that is, direct attitude, belief-based intention, subjective norm, direct control, and indirect control-was used to collect data from 512 nursing students who undertook clinical rotation in an affiliated hospital of a medical college in China. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent sample t test, Pearson correlation analysis, or structural equation modeling analysis. Chinese nursing students reported negative attitudes and behavioral intentions toward pain management. Direct control, subjective norm, belief-based attitude, and indirect control independently predicted nursing students' intention to treat patients with pain. Direct control was the strongest predictor. Structural equation modeling analysis further revealed 39.84% of the variance associated with intention that could be explained by determinants of the theory of planned behavior. Additionally, educational school level and previous pain management training had great effects on pain management intention. Overall, this study identified intention as an important factor in effective pain treatment. Chinese nursing students have negative attitudes and insufficient intention to pain management. Therefore, hospitals and universities in China should manage these factors to improve nursing students' practice regarding pain management. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An examination of the impact of non-formal and informal learning on adult environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Digby, Cynthia Louise Barrett

The purpose of this research is to consider the environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, of adults in Minnesota, and possible factors that influence environmental literacy. Specifically, this study is designed to: (1) measure the environmental literacy of Minnesota adults, (2) explore possible relationships between Minnesota adults, environmental literacy variables and their demographic, non-formal and informal learning, and (3) determine the relative contribution of demographic and learning variables for predicting environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors. This research was accomplished by conducting a secondary data analysis of The Third Minnesota Report Card on Environmental Literacy: A Survey of Adult Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior (Murphy & Olson, 2008). Phone interviews were completed between August and November 2007 with one thousand adults throughout Minnesota. Findings indicated that for age, education, and income, there was a weak positive relationship with environmental knowledge, attitude and behavior scores. There was a significant effect for gender and environmental knowledge scores, with males receiving higher environmental knowledge scores than females. There was a significant effect for gender and environmental attitudes, and behavior scores as well, with females receiving slightly higher environmental attitude and behavior scores than males. After controlling for the effects of demographic variables on environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, non-formal learning participation appears to be a moderate contributor to both environmental knowledge and environmental behaviors. After controlling for the effects of demographic variables on environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, informal learning participation appears to be a slight contributor to environmental attitudes, and a moderate contributor to environmental knowledge and behaviors. Overall, the results of this study suggest that participation in non-formal and informal education venues improved environmental knowledge, attitude and behavior models, providing evidence for the value and need for non-formal and informal environmental adult education venues.

Turkish university students' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological applications.

PubMed

Öztürk-Akar, Ebru

2017-03-04

This study questions the presumed relation between formal schooling and scientific literacy about biotechnologies. Comparing science and nonscience majors' knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnological applications, conclusions are drawn if their formal learnings improve pupils' understandings of and attitudes toward biotechnology applications. Sample of the study consists of 403 undergraduate and graduate students, 198 nonscience, and 205 science majors. The Biotechnology Knowledge Questionnaire and the Biotechnology Attitude Questionnaire were administered. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentages), t test, and correlations were used to examine the participants' knowledge of biotechnology and attitudes toward biotechnological applications and differences as regards their majors. Although the science majors had higher knowledge and attitude scores than the nonscience majors, it is not possible to say that they have sufficient knowledge of biotechnologies. Besides, the participants' attitudes toward biotechnological applications were not considerably related to their knowledge of biotechnology. © 2016 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 45(2):115-125, 2017. © 2016 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Critical Care Nurses' Reasons for Poor Attendance at a Continuous Professional Development Program.

PubMed

Viljoen, Myra; Coetzee, Isabel; Heyns, Tanya

2016-12-01

Society demands competent and safe health care, which obligates professionals to deliver quality patient care using current knowledge and skills. Participation in continuous professional development programs is a way to ensure quality nursing care. Despite the importance of continuous professional development, however, critical care nurse practitioners' attendance rates at these programs is low. To explore critical care nurses' reasons for their unsatisfactory attendance at a continuous professional development program. A nominal group technique was used as a consensus method to involve the critical care nurses and provide them the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and challenges related to the current continuous professional development program for the critical care units. Participants were 14 critical care nurses from 3 critical care units in 1 private hospital. The consensus was that the central theme relating to the unsatisfactory attendance at the continuous professional development program was attitude. In order of importance, the 4 contributing priorities influencing attitude were communication, continuous professional development, time constraints, and financial implications. Attitude relating to attending a continuous professional development program can be changed if critical care nurses are aware of the program's importance and are involved in the planning and implementation of a program that focuses on the nurses' individual learning needs. ©2016 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

[Knowledge, attitude and practice of condom use by women of an impoverished urban area].

PubMed

Andrade, Smalyanna Sgren da Costa; Zaccara, Ana Aline Lacet; Leite, Kamila Nethielly Souza; Brito, Karen Krystine Gonçalves de; Soares, Maria Júlia Guimarães Oliveira; Costa, Marta Miriam Lopes; Pinheiro, Ana Karina Bezerra; Oliveira, Simone Helena Dos Santos

2015-06-01

Assessing the adequacy of knowledge, attitude and practice of women regarding male and female condoms as STI/HIV preventive measures. An evaluative Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) household survey with a quantitative approach, involving 300 women. Data collection took place between June and August 2013, in an informal urban settlement within the municipality of João Pessoa, Paraiba, Northeast Brazil. Regarding the male condom, most women showed inadequate knowledge and practice, and an adequate attitude. Regarding the female condom, knowledge, attitude and practice variables were unsatisfactory. Significant associations between knowledge/religious orientation and attitude/education regarding the male condom were observed. A multidisciplinary team should be committed to the development of educational practices as care promotion tools in order to improve adherence of condom use.

Environmental education and its effect on the knowledge and attitudes of preparatory school students.

PubMed

Abd El-Salam, Magda M; El-Naggar, Hesham M; Hussein, Rim A

2009-01-01

Considering the serious environmental threats facing Egypt, environmental education (EE) that provides the knowledge, skills, and motivation to take individual or collective action is needed to create a sustainable quality of life. This study was carried out aiming at measuring the level of environmental knowledge among preparatory school students in Alexandria, determining their attitudes towards some environmental concepts, and assessing the effect of EE on these knowledge and attitudes. The study sample was selected by stratified random method, and the assessment was conducted using a questionnaire. Results of the study revealed that 77% of the students had poor level of environmental knowledge and that 23% had fair level. In addition, 80% of the students were found to have negative attitude toward the environment and the remainder 20% were indifferent. Such knowledge and attitudes were positively correlated to their socio-economic levels. Following six EE sessions, an improvement in their knowledge and attitudes was observed where 69% of the students had a satisfactory level of knowledge and 88% had positive attitude toward the environment. Attitude was found to be positively correlated to their level of knowledge prior to and following the EE sessions. These results support the need for development and implementation of environmental education programs as part of the regular school curriculum.

The mixed attitudes of nurse's to caring for people with mental illness in a rural general hospital.

PubMed

Reed, Frances; Fitzgerald, Les

2005-12-01

Mainstreaming of mental health care and the prevalence of mental illness have increased the requirement for care by nurses in the general hospital setting. In rural Australia, mental health services are limited and nurses have less access to support and education. Little is known about how these factors influence attitudes and the care of people with mental illness in rural hospitals. A qualitative descriptive study was used to investigate nurses' attitudes to caring for people with mental illness, the issues that impact on their ability to provide care, and the effect of education, experience, and support. In 2003, 10 nurses from two wards in a rural hospital were interviewed. Participants from one ward had education and support from mental health nurses. Attitudes were found to be inextricably linked to issues that influence nurses' ability to provide care. Dislike was apparent from nurses who suggested it was not their role. Others identified fear, causing avoidance. Conversely, those receiving support and education described increased comfort, with some nurses expressing enthusiasm for mental health care, seeing it as integral to nursing. The priority of physical care, time constraints, environmental unsuitability, rurality, and the lack of skill, knowledge, and mental health services reduced safety and effective care. A limited ability to help was reported, despite support for Mental Health Strategy goals. Positive experience promoted through education and support was required for nurses to improve care and attitudes. Notably, collaboration with mental health nurses was identified as helping nurses overcome fear and increase competence in caring for people with mental illness.

Home Healthcare Program for Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis in Schoolchildren along the Mekong River Basin.

PubMed

Kaewpitoon, Soraya J; Loyd, Ryan A; Kaewpitoon, Natthawut

2015-05-01

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are among the most important groups of infectious agents responsible for physical and intellectual growth retardation in children worldwide. Current status is need requiredfor the development of control programs. To determine the STH infections among the schoolchildren in the Mekong River basin near rural Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand and Champassak, Laos PDR, including their caregiver knowledge and attitude concerning prevention of STH infections. A cross sectional survey was designed as a home healthcare programfrom October 2009 to April 2012. 1,957 fecal samples were collected from children aged 5-12 years in five districts of Ubon Ratchathani province (1,012 fecal samples; Khong Chiam, Si Mueang Mai, Phibun Mangsahan, Sirindhorn, and Pho Sai), Thailand, and one district of Champassak Province (945 fecal samples; Pakse), Lao PDR. Fecal samples were prepared by the modified formalin ethylacetate concentration technique, and determined by light microscope. The knowledge and attitude of children's caregivers concerning prevention of soil-transmitted helminth infections were completed interviewed by semi-structured questionnaires. The overall intestinal helminth prevalence rate was 11.88%. Classified by species the STHs were as follows: Ascaris lumbricoides (30.9%), Trichuris trichiura (21.7%), and hookworm (20.5%). The highest prevalence was recorded in children aged 9 years and above. The highest prevalence of STH infection was found in the Pakse district of Laos PDR (16.08%). The intensities of infection with A. lumbricoides, T trichiura, and Hookworm were 1.82 ± 0.36, 1.32 ± 0.30, and 1.29 ± 0.32, respectively. 1,077 of caregivers were completed interviewed and found that the caregivers had fair levels of knowledge and attitude regarding soil-transmitted helminthiasis. These results suggest that priority should be given to STH eradication, the development of control programs in the Mekong River Basin, and the provision of education about STH to caregivers to reduce the risk of STH infection in their schoolchildren.

The relationship between perceptions of wilderness character and attitudes toward management intervention to adapt biophysical resources to a changing climate and nature restoration at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Treesearch

Alan Watson; Steve Martin; Neal Christensen; Gregg Fauth; Dan Williams

2015-01-01

In a recent national survey of federal wilderness managers, respondents identified the high priority need for scientific information about public attitudes toward biophysical intervention to adapt to climate change and attitudes of the public toward restoration of natural conditions. In a survey of visitors to one National Park wilderness in California, visitors...

A Cross Sectional Study of Public Knowledge and Attitude towards Antibiotics in Putrajaya, Malaysia.

PubMed

Lim, Ka Keat; Teh, Chew Charn

2012-12-01

The objective of the study was to assess public knowledge and attitudes regarding antibiotic utilization in Putrajaya, Malaysia. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among public attending a local hospital. The four-part questionnaire collected responses on demographic characteristics, recent use of antibiotics, knowledge and attitude statements. Cronbach's alpha for knowledge and attitude statements were 0.68 and 0.74 respectively. Only questionnaires with complete responses were analysed. General linear modelling was used to identify demographic characteristics which contributed significantly to knowledge and attitude. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the adjusted odds ratios of obtaining an inappropriate response for each knowledge and attitude statement. The relationship between antibiotic knowledge and attitude was examined using Pearson's correlation and correlation between related statements was performed using the Chi-square test. In all statistical analyses, a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. There was positive correlation (p<0.001) between mean knowledge (6.07±2.52) and attitude scores (5.59±1.67). Highest education level (p<0.001) and healthcare-related occupation (p=0.001) contributed significantly to knowledge. Gender (p=0.010), race (p=0.005), highest education level (p<0.001), employment status (p=0.016) and healthcare-related occupation (p=0.005) contributed significantly to attitude. The differences in score between demographic groups were small. Misconceptions that antibiotics would work on both bacterial and viral infections were reported. Approximately three quarters of respondents expected antibiotics for treatment of coughs and colds. Close to two thirds (60%) believed that taking antibiotics would improve recovery. Several demographic groups were identified as 'high risk' with respect to gaps in knowledge and attitude. This study has identified important knowledge and attitude gaps as well as people 'at risk'. These findings would be useful in strategizing targeted antibiotic awareness campaigns and patient counselling.

A Cross Sectional Study of Public Knowledge and Attitude towards Antibiotics in Putrajaya, Malaysia

PubMed Central

Lim, Ka Keat; Teh, Chew Charn

2012-01-01

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess public knowledge and attitudes regarding antibiotic utilization in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among public attending a local hospital. The four-part questionnaire collected responses on demographic characteristics, recent use of antibiotics, knowledge and attitude statements. Cronbach’s alpha for knowledge and attitude statements were 0.68 and 0.74 respectively. Only questionnaires with complete responses were analysed. General linear modelling was used to identify demographic characteristics which contributed significantly to knowledge and attitude. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine the adjusted odds ratios of obtaining an inappropriate response for each knowledge and attitude statement. The relationship between antibiotic knowledge and attitude was examined using Pearson’s correlation and correlation between related statements was performed using the Chi-square test. In all statistical analyses, a p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: There was positive correlation (p<0.001) between mean knowledge (6.07±2.52) and attitude scores (5.59±1.67). Highest education level (p<0.001) and healthcare-related occupation (p=0.001) contributed significantly to knowledge. Gender (p=0.010), race (p=0.005), highest education level (p<0.001), employment status (p=0.016) and healthcare-related occupation (p=0.005) contributed significantly to attitude. The differences in score between demographic groups were small. Misconceptions that antibiotics would work on both bacterial and viral infections were reported. Approximately three quarters of respondents expected antibiotics for treatment of coughs and colds. Close to two thirds (60%) believed that taking antibiotics would improve recovery. Several demographic groups were identified as ‘high risk’ with respect to gaps in knowledge and attitude. Conclusions: This study has identified important knowledge and attitude gaps as well as people ‘at risk’. These findings would be useful in strategizing targeted antibiotic awareness campaigns and patient counselling. PMID:23532680

Opinion Polling and the Measurement of Americans' Attitudes Regarding Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Billingham, Chase M.; Kimelberg, Shelley McDonough

2016-01-01

The meaning, measurement, and implications of "public opinion" have long been a source of debate. In this paper, we examine the extent to which the educational priorities of elites in the US reflect the educational priorities of the American public. To do so, we focus on one particular segment of the education policy-making elite --…

Understanding of safety monitoring in clinical trials by individuals with CF or their parents: A qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Kern-Goldberger, Andrew S; Hessels, Amanda J; Saiman, Lisa; Quittell, Lynne M

2018-03-14

Recruiting both pediatric and adult participants for clinical trials in CF is currently of paramount importance as numerous new therapies are being developed. However, recruitment is challenging as parents of children with CF and adults with CF cite safety concerns as a principal barrier to enrollment. In conjunction with the CF Foundation (CFF) Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), a pilot brochure was developed to inform patients and parents of the multiple levels of safety monitoring; the CFF simultaneously created an infographic representing the safety monitoring process. This study explores the attitudes and beliefs of CF patients and families regarding safety monitoring and clinical trial participation, and elicits feedback regarding the educational materials. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a pre-tested interview guide and audio-recorded during routine CF clinic visits. Participants included 5 parents of children with CF <16years old; 5 adolescents and young adults with CF 16-21years old; and 5 adults with CF ≥22years old from pediatric and adult CF centers. The study team performed systematic text condensation analysis of the recorded interviews using an iterative process. Four major thematic categories with subthemes emerged as supported by exemplar quotations: attitudes toward clinical trials, safety values, conceptualizing the safety monitoring process, and priorities for delivery of patient education. Participant feedback was used to revise the pilot brochure; text was shortened, unfamiliar words clarified (e.g., "pipeline"), abbreviations eliminated, and redundancy avoided. Qualitative analysis of CF patient and family interviews provided insights into barriers to participation in clinical trials, safety concerns, perspectives on safety monitoring and educational priorities. We plan a multicenter study to determine if the revised brochure reduces knowledge, attitude and practice barriers regarding participation in CF clinical trials. Copyright © 2018 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[The Attitude to One's Own Health Among Native Residents of Yakutia].

PubMed

Ammosova, E P; Zakharova, R N; Klimova, T M; Timofeieva, A V; Fedorov, A I; Baltakhinova, M E

2017-07-01

The study was carried out concerning value reference points and attitudes of native population of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) intended for health preservation. The analysis was applied to answers of 292 respondents residing in rural area of Yakutia. The analysis of answers of value motivation section demonstrated that for most respondents their health is a priority value of life. At that, most of respondents misunderstand and underestimate role of health in their life because they are unaware of health as an instrumental value. The health as an instrumental value gives its priority to persistence and diligence and hence ranks lower as compared with terminal value. The respondents assume that health mainly depends on diet, life-style, ecology. The results of analysis of answers to questions of "emotional" and "behavioral" sections testify in most of the respondents absence of comprehension about responsibility for one's own health, inadequate commitment to healthy life-style and passive attitude to health. The more active attitude to health is established in respondents of mature age that is rather related to deterioration of well-being feeling and presence of chronic diseases. In the younger age, most of respondents consider they are healthy and hence ignore prevention of diseases. Thereby, in spite of that health is mentioned by respondents as one of priority values most respondents are missing both attitudes to health preservation and clear-cut strategy of health-preserving behavior. In conditions of cardinal alteration of traditional way of life and life-style of native population of the North, behavioral habits of self-preserving behavior helping to survive in the severe climate conditions became inadequate. Nowadays, it is necessary to develop a new behavior strategy of health preservation.

Medical students and interns’ knowledge about and attitude towards homosexuality

PubMed Central

Banwari, G; Mistry, K; Soni, A; Parikh, N; Gandhi, H

2015-01-01

Background and Rationale: Medical professionals’ attitude towards homosexuals affects health care offered to such patients with a different sexual orientation. There is absence of literature that explores the attitudes of Indian medical students or physicians towards homosexuality. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate Indian medical students and interns’ knowledge about homosexuality and attitude towards homosexuals. Materials and Methods: After IEC approval and written informed consent, a cross-sectional study was conducted on a purposive sample of undergraduate medical students and interns studying in one Indian medical college. The response rate was 80.5%. Only completely and validly filled responses (N = 244) were analyzed. The participants filled the Sex Education and Knowledge about Homosexuality Questionnaire (SEKHQ) and the Attitudes towards Homosexuals Questionnaire (AHQ). SEKHQ consisted of 32 statements with response chosen from ‘true’, ‘false’, or ‘don’t know’. AHQ consisted of 20 statements scorable on a 5-point Likert scale. Multiple linear regression was used to find the predictors of knowledge and attitude. Results: Medical students and interns had inadequate knowledge about homosexuality, although they endorsed a neutral stance insofar as their attitude towards homosexuals is concerned. Females had more positive attitudes towards homosexuals. Knowledge emerged as the most significant predictor of attitude; those having higher knowledge had more positive attitudes. Conclusion: Enhancing knowledge of medical students by incorporation of homosexuality related health issues in the curriculum could help reduce prejudice towards the sexual minority and thus impact their future clinical practice. PMID:25766341

Nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward aged sexuality in Flemish nursing homes.

PubMed

Mahieu, Lieslot; de Casterlé, Bernadette Dierckx; Acke, Jolien; Vandermarliere, Hanne; Van Elssen, Kim; Fieuws, Steffen; Gastmans, Chris

2016-09-01

Admission to a nursing home does not necessarily diminish an older person's desire for sexual expression and fulfillment. Given that nursing staff directly and indirectly influence the range of acceptable sexual expressions of nursing home residents, their knowledge and attitudes toward aged sexuality can have far-reaching effects on both the quality of care they provide to residents and the self-image and well-being of these residents. To investigate nursing staff's knowledge and attitudes toward aged sexuality, to determine whether certain sociodemographic factors of the nursing staff relate to their knowledge and attitudes toward later-life sexuality, and to examine the relationship between knowledge and attitudes. Descriptive cross-sectional survey study. The administered questionnaire collected sociodemographic data and data from an adapted, Dutch version of the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale. Data were collected from November 2011 through April 2012. A total of 43 geographically dispersed nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium, participated. Out of a potential research sample of 2228 nursing staff respondents, 1166 participated. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine of the KU Leuven. Nursing staff appeared to be moderately knowledgeable about aged sexuality and displayed a rather positive attitude toward sexuality in older people. Significant relationships between various variables were found both at univariable and multivariable levels. Knowledge and attitudes proved to be positively related, indicating that a higher level of knowledge of aged sexuality is associated with a more positive attitude toward sexuality in later life. Research findings are discussed within a broader international context. There is room for improvement for both nursing staff's knowledge and attitudes toward aged sexuality. This might be aided by appropriate educational interventions. Our results identified different target groups of nursing home staff for these interventions. © The Author(s) 2015.

Helping Students Prepare To Juggle Career and Family: Young Adults Attitudes toward Maternal Employment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowles, Dorothy; Gambone, Kirsten; Szuchyt, Jamie; Deitrick, Susan; Gelband, Amy; Lu, Barbara Chris; Zohe, Dorothy; Stickney, Deborah; Fields, Susan; Chambliss, Catherine

Counseling students in order to help them make sound educational, career, and personal decisions requires an understanding of their values, priorities, and preconceptions about their options. The present study explored the attitudes of male and female college students regarding maternal employment, and their own career and family expectations, in…

Hearts and Minds: The Priority of Affective versus Cognitive Factors in Person Perception.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Kari; Hippel, William von

1995-01-01

In two experiments, affect-based and cognition-based attitudes toward a person were induced by varying sequence of affective and cognitive information presented to subjects while holding content constant. Results indicated affect-based attitudes were most effectively changed by affective persuasive appeals, whether these appeals were produced by…

Cutaneous leishmaniasis: knowledge, attitude and practices of the inhabitants of the Kani forest tribal settlements of Tiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India.

PubMed

Nandha, B; Srinivasan, R; Jambulingam, P

2014-12-01

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is reported among Kani tribes in forest settlements of Tiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing and 27 histopathologically confirmed cases of CL have been reported from five settlements indicating transmission of disease within settlements. One of the priorities for control/prevention of CL is to create awareness among the community and ensure optimal utilization of interventions. First step in this direction would be to carry out a situation analysis on prevailing knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of inhabitants. A study among 103 respondents from 10 Kani tribal settlements showed that though 39.8% of respondents recognized pictures of CL shown to them, but did not have any lay perceptions. There was absolutely no awareness on vector, transmission, risk factors and control measures. The role of sandflies in CL causation was not known to the residents and this prevented them from using any personal protection and adhering to control measures which in turn pose risk of spread of infection within settlements and to newer areas. CL has emerged as a challenging infection in this area and an urgent need for designing appropriate preventive measures and health education strategies is addressed in this article. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

"Asthma can take over your life but having the right support makes that easier to deal with." Informing research priorities by exploring the barriers and facilitators to asthma control: a qualitative analysis of survey data.

PubMed

Normansell, Rebecca; Welsh, Emma

2015-01-01

Involving patients and the public in research prioritisation is important. Cochrane Airways works with authors to produce systematic reviews of evidence related to chronic airways disease. Cochrane Airways has undertaken activities to identify research priorities, including workshops with stakeholders and consultation with experts. We present the findings of an online survey, designed to align our work with the priorities of people affected by asthma. We promoted a survey comprising open-ended questions via social media to people affected by asthma. We compiled the free-text responses and conducted an exploratory thematic analysis to identify important barriers and facilitators to asthma control. We triangulated findings with other research prioritisation activities to produce new review questions. We received 57 survey responses. Eight main themes emerged, most encompassing both facilitators and barriers: attitudes and knowledge; financial costs; environmental factors and triggers; healthcare systems; lifestyle factors; medication; self-care; and support. Barriers were more frequently mentioned than facilitators and many related to healthcare systems. These findings offer valuable insights into the challenges faced by individuals affected by asthma in the UK, and possibly further afield. We developed a list of priority reviews based on what was said by people in this survey and at a workshop. This demonstrates the real impact that people affected by asthma have on the research agenda of Cochrane Airways. Over the next 2-3 years we will produce reviews that address some of these questions hopefully leading to health benefits.

The impact of social norm change strategies on smokers' quitting behaviours.

PubMed

Zhang, Xueying; Cowling, David W; Tang, Hao

2010-04-01

Using a social norm change paradigm model that reflects the California Tobacco Control Program's (CTCP) priorities, we compare the strength of the relationship of the social norm constructs to key smoking behavioural outcomes. Social norm constructs that correspond to CTCP's priority areas were created from selected California Adult Tobacco Survey knowledge, attitude and belief questions using confirmatory factor analysis. We then examined the relationship between these constructs and quitting behaviours using logistic regression. The secondhand smoke (SHS) and countering pro-tobacco influences'(CPTI) constructs followed a dose-response curve with quitting behaviours. Respondents who rated high on the SHS construct were about 70% more likely to have made a recent quit attempt in the last 12 months and about 100% more likely to intend to quit in the next 6 months than respondents who rated low on the SHS construct. For CPTI, respondents who rated high on this construct were 67% more likely to have made a recent quit attempt in the last 12 months and 62% more likely to have intentions to quit in the next 6 months than respondents who rated low on the CPTI construct. Social norm change constructs represent CTCP's priorities and are strongly related to desired individual behaviour outcomes. This analysis provides strong support for the framework underlying CTCP--namely, that changing social norms affects behaviour change at the individual level through changing population-level smoking-related behaviours.

Oral health status of children with congenital heart disease and the awareness, attitude and knowledge of their parents.

PubMed

Rai, Kavita; Supriya, S; Hegde, Amitha M

2009-01-01

The oral health status of children with congenital heart diseases and the parental awareness on maintaining good oral health and attitude towards preventive dental health measures were evaluated. A total of 170 children between the age group of 1-16 yrs belonging to both genders, with the history of congenital heart disease from Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram and Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore were examined. Oral lesions and caries experience were recorded using modified WHO oral health assessment form. Oral hygiene of the children with congenital heart disease was found to be poor with tongue coating (50.6%), plaque (41.8%), calculus (35.3%), and caries (42.4%). Parental awareness on the importance of maintaining good oral hygiene, preventive dentistry, medicinal decay and its systemic effects has been found to be very poor. Dentistry should give priority to patients whose general health may be put at risk by poor dental health. Closer cooperation between Pediatrician, Pediatric Cardiologists and Pediatric Dentists could help improve dental care for these children.

Opportunities for Improved Chagas Disease Vector Control Based on Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Communities in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

PubMed Central

Rosecrans, Kathryn; Cruz-Martin, Gabriela; King, Ashley; Dumonteil, Eric

2014-01-01

Background Chagas disease is a vector-borne parasitic disease of major public health importance. Current prevention efforts are based on triatomine vector control to reduce transmission to humans. Success of vector control interventions depends on their acceptability and value to affected communities. We aimed to identify opportunities for and barriers to improved vector control strategies in the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. Methodology/principal findings We employed a sequence of qualitative and quantitative research methods to investigate knowledge, attitudes and practices surrounding Chagas disease, triatomines and vector control in three rural communities. Our combined data show that community members are well aware of triatomines and are knowledgeable about their habits. However, most have a limited understanding of the transmission dynamics and clinical manifestations of Chagas disease. While triatomine control is not a priority for community members, they frequently use domestic insecticide products including insecticide spray, mosquito coils and plug-in repellents. Families spend about $32 US per year on these products. Alternative methods such as yard cleaning and window screens are perceived as desirable and potentially more effective. Screens are nonetheless described as unaffordable, in spite of a cost comparable to the average annual spending on insecticide products. Conclusion/Significance Further education campaigns and possibly financing schemes may lead families to redirect their current vector control spending from insecticide products to window screens. Also, synergism with mosquito control efforts should be further explored to motivate community involvement and ensure sustainability of Chagas disease vector control. PMID:24676038

Lack of optimum practice among health care workers regarding tuberculosis in Iran: A knowledge, attitude, and practice study.

PubMed

Doosti Irani, Amin; Hashemi Shahraki, Abdolrazagh; Ghaderi, Ebrahim; Nasehi, Mahshid; Mostafavi, Ehsan

2015-05-01

Lack of knowledge toward tuberculosis (TB) among health care workers (HCWs) increases the risk of developing TB. The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of HCWs in Iran. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 50 universities of medical sciences throughout Iran. A questionnaire was developed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of participants. The values of Cronbach α coefficients for the knowledge and attitude questions were .76 and .75, respectively. The mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice among TB laboratory staff regarding TB was 82.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 82.0-83.7), 87.6 (95% CI, 87.1-88.0), and 57.9 (95% CI, 56.9-58.9), respectively. The mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice among non-TB laboratory staff regarding TB was 69.5 (95% CI, 67.9-71.1), 50.7 (95% CI, 50.1-51.4), and 40.82 (95% CI, 38.2-43.4), respectively. TB laboratory staff scored relatively well in knowledge and attitude of TB, but they scored lower in practice regarding TB. Non-TB laboratory staff had lower scores than TB laboratory staff in knowledge, attitude, and practice. There is a major gap between knowledge and attitude and practice in both groups. It is therefore essential to plan for the continuing in-service training of HCWs and public training of the general population regarding TB. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Competence of newly qualified registered nurses from a nursing college.

PubMed

Morolong, B G; Chabeli, M M

2005-05-01

The South African education and training system, through its policy of outcomes-based education and training, has made competency a national priority. In compliance to this national requirement of producing competent learners, the South African Nursing Council (1999 B) require that the beginner professional nurse practitioners and midwives have the necessary knowledge, skills, attitudes and values which will enable them to render efficient professional service. The health care system also demands competent nurse practitioners to ensure quality in health care. In the light of competency being a national priority and a statutory demand, the research question that emerges is, how competent are the newly qualified registered nurses from a specific nursing college in clinical nursing education? A quantitative, non-experimental contextual design was used to evaluate the competence of newly qualified registered nurses from a specific nursing college. The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase dealt with the development of an instrument together with its manual through the conceptualisation process. The second phase focused on the evaluation of the competency of newly qualified nurses using the instrument based on the steps of the nursing process. A pilot study was conducted to test the feasibility of the items of the instrument. During the evaluation phase, a sample of twenty-six newly qualified nurses was selected by simple random sampling from a target population of thirty-six newly qualified registered nurses. However, six participants withdrew from the study. Data was collected in two general hospitals where the newly qualified registered nurses were working. Observation and questioning were used as data collection techniques in accordance with the developed instrument. Measures were taken to ensure internal validity and reliability of the results. To protect the rights of the participants, the researcher adhered to DENOSA'S (1998:2.2.1) ethical standards of research. A descriptive statistical method of data analysis was used in this study. Findings revealed that newly qualified registered nurses were not competent. The highest score obtained was 51% and the lowest score was 22% with an average score of 34.05%. The results concerning the implementation of the phases of the nursing process indicated that participants were fairly competent in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of assessment. Participants had very little knowledge of nursing diagnosis and were not competent on the skills of diagnosis. Participants lacked basic knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of the nursing process. They lacked critical thinking skills in their approach to providing quality patient care. The recommendations of the study relate to improving the system of clinical accompaniment, reviewing the clinical facilities where learners are allocated, reviewing the implementation of the curriculum, the methods of teaching and the quality assurance mechanisms that are in place. Further research is recommended on competence of newly qualified registered nurses at other nursing colleges or similar context.

Development and pilot testing of a culturally sensitive multimedia program to improve breast cancer screening in Latina women.

PubMed

Goel, Mita Sanghavi; Gracia, Gaby; Baker, David W

2011-07-01

Our study goal was to assess the effects of a brief patient video on breast cancer knowledge and attitudes among Latina women at a community health center. We conducted pre- and post-testing of knowledge and attitudes in women aged 40 years or older with active screening referrals (n=91). We compared pre- and post-test knowledge and attitudes overall and by baseline values. Mean knowledge increased from 5.8/10 to 6.9/10 (p<0.05), with the greatest increases in those with low baseline knowledge (p<.001). There were no changes in mean attitudes, which were high at baseline (3.8/5); however, among the 16 women with negative/neutral attitudes, 50% developed positive attitudes after watching the video (p<0.05). Baseline intention to complete screening was high at 98%. Although the overall effects were modest, the greatest improvements were in those with low baseline knowledge scores and negative/neutral baseline attitudes. Future testing should examine the effects in a community-based sample. A brief patient video has promise for influencing patient knowledge and perhaps attitudes while being amenable to integration into clinical flow. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Factors associated with knowledge, attitude and practice related to hepatitis B and C among international students of Universiti Putra Malaysia.

PubMed

Ahmad, Abdulrahman; Munn Sann, Lye; Abdul Rahman, Hejar

2016-07-21

Knowledge of hepatitis B and C has been reported to be low among respondents in different studies. We conducted a cross-sectional study among international students of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to ascertain their levels of knowledge, attitude and practices regarding hepatitis B and C and its associated factors. Six hundred and sixty two (662) international students participated in this study. A cluster sampling method was employed and data was generated using self-administered questionnaire, which was validated and its reliability checked. Normality test was conducted followed by descriptive statistics, spearman's correlation and Chi-square tests to explore associations between variables in the study. The response rate was 71.49 %. Of these, 50.3 % of the respondents had better knowledge of hepatitis B; 52.7 % had better knowledge of hepatitis C; 54.8 % had positive attitude towards hepatitis B and C and 77.6 % had safer practices towards hepatitis B and C. Positive correlations were found between knowledge of hepatitis B and knowledge of hepatitis C; knowledge hepatitis B and attitude; knowledge hepatitis C and attitude; knowledge hepatitis B and practice; knowledge hepatitis C and practice; and attitude and practice regarding hepatitis B and C. Similarly, some socio-demographic variables and history of hepatitis were found to be associated with knowledge, attitude and practice related to hepatitis B and C. The levels of knowledge and attitude towards hepatitis B and C were low among respondents but majority of them exhibited safe practices. The study level, faculty, age, nationality, marital status and gender of the respondents were significantly associated with their levels of knowledge, attitude and practices towards the disease. These findings imply that there is need for hepatitis health promotion among the international students of UPM and possibly other international students across the globe. It will serve to improve their levels of knowledge, attitude and practices in short term and get them protected against the disease in the long run.

Using the World Wide WEB to promote science education in nuclear energy and RWM

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

Robinson, M.

1996-12-31

A priority of government and business in the United States and other first tier industrial countries continues to be the improvement of science, mathematics and technology (SMT) instruction in pre university level education. The U.S. federal government has made SMT instruction an educational priority and set goals for improving it in the belief that science, math and technology education are tied to our economic well being and standard of living. The new national standards in mathematics education, science education and the proposed standards in technology education are all aimed at improving knowledge and skills in the essential areas that themore » federal government considers important for protecting our technological advantage in the world economy. This paper will discuss a pilot project for establishing graphical Web capability in a limited number of rural Nevada schools (six) with support from the US Department of Energy (DOE) and the state of Nevada. The general goals of the pilot project are as follows: (1) to give rural teachers and students access to up to date science information on the Web; (2) to determine whether Web access can improve science teaching and student attitudes toward science in rural Nevada schools; and (3) to identify science content on the Web that supports the National Science Standards and Benchmarks. A specific objective that this paper will address is stated as the following question: What potential do nuclear energy information office web sites offer for changing student attitudes about nuclear energy and creating greater nuclear literacy.« less

Do attitudes and knowledge predict at-risk drinking among Russian women?

PubMed Central

Balachova, Tatiana; Bard, David; Bonner, Barbara; Chaffin, Mark; Isurina, Galina; Tsvetkova, Larissa; Volkova, Elena

2016-01-01

Background Drinking patterns among Russian women indicate substantial risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies. Data about women’s knowledge and attitudes related to alcohol consumption during pregnancy and the extent to which women’s knowledge and attitudes affect their alcohol use remain limited. Objectives To describe Russian women’s knowledge and attitudes and assess whether women’s knowledge and attitudes were associated with their risky drinking. Methods Cross-sectional survey. Women of childbearing age (n=648) were recruited at women’s health clinics and asked about their alcohol consumption, pregnancy status, attitudes, and knowledge about effects of alcohol and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Results Women exhibited misconceptions and 40% believed or were uncertain whether alcohol consumption during pregnancy was acceptable. Although 34% had heard of FAS, only 8% possessed accurate knowledge. Knowledge was associated with alcohol consumption among pregnant women, but there was no association between knowledge and risky drinking in non-pregnant women, including those who were at risk for an unplanned pregnancy or were trying to conceive. Attitudes were strongly associated with risky drinking by non-pregnant women across levels of knowledge about FAS and any alcohol use by pregnant women. Conclusions Russian women had limited knowledge and misconceptions about effects of alcohol on fetus, and risky alcohol consumption was strongly associated with women’s attitudes and knowledge. The study provides strong evidence to support continuing public health education about effects of alcohol use during pregnancy. Correcting specific misconceptions and targeting the preconceptional period in health communications are necessary to reduce at-risk drinking and the risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies. PMID:27074154

Examining the Relationship between Degree of Religiousness and Attitudes toward Elderly Sexual Activity in Undergraduate College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonds-Raacke, Jennifer M.; Raacke, John

2011-01-01

Research has been conducted on individual's knowledge and attitudes toward older adult sexuality. This includes investigating attitudes and knowledge of nursing home staff, college students, and the elderly themselves. The current experiment sought to replicate previous research findings by comparing college students' attitudes and knowledge of…

A study of masturbatory knowledge and attitudes and related factors among Taiwan adolescents.

PubMed

Wang, Rung-Jy; Huang, Yu; Lin, Yen-Chin

2007-09-01

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between masturbatory knowledge and masturbatory attitudes among Taiwan adolescents. This study was based on a structured questionnaire survey that used the Adolescent Masturbatory Knowledge Inventory (AMKI) and the Adolescent Negative Attitude toward Masturbation Inventory (ANAMI). Subjects were recruited from the third grade of high school and vocational school students aged 17-18 living in Kaohsiung (southern Taiwan) using stratified and cluster sampling approaches. Seven hundred and eighty questionnaires were sent out, with a 96.8% response rate. A total of 95.3% of male subjects and 30.3% of female subjects reported having masturbation experience. Masturbatory knowledge was significantly related to the variables "school system", "frequency of viewing pornographic media", "status of being sexually active", and "conversation about sex with friends". Masturbatory attitudes were significantly associated with the same variables as well as with gender and masturbatory behavior. Masturbatory attitudes were positively correlated with masturbatory knowledge. The school system explained 15.4% of masturbatory knowledge variance. Masturbatory knowledge, masturbatory behavior, frequency of viewing pornographic media and status of being sexually active explained 39.5% of masturbatory attitude variance. In conclusion, adolescents in Taiwan hold positive attitudes toward masturbation and reported having insufficient knowledge regarding masturbation. Results can assist school staffs and parents to gain a deeper understanding of adolescents' knowledge about and attitudes toward masturbation.

Cultural aspects of communication in cancer care.

PubMed

Surbone, A

2006-01-01

Cancer is increasing in incidence and prevalence worldwide, and the WHO has recently included cancer and its treatments as a health priority in developed and developing countries. The cultural diversity of oncology patients is bound to increase, and cultural sensitivity and competence are now required of all oncology professionals. A culturally competent cancer care leads to improved therapeutic outcome and it may decrease disparities in medical care. Cultural competence in medicine is a complex multilayered accomplishment, requiring knowledge, skills and attitudes whose acquisition is needed for effective cross-cultural negotiation in the clinical setting. Effective cultural competence is based on knowledge of the notion of culture; on awareness of possible biases and prejudices related to stereotyping, racism, classism, sexism; on nurturing appreciation for differences in health care values; and on fostering the attitudes of humility, empathy, curiosity, respect, sensitivity and awareness. Cultural competence in healthcare relates to individual professionals, but also to organizations and systems. A culturally competent healthcare system must consider in their separateness and yet in there reciprocal influences social, racial and cultural factors. By providing a framework of reference to interpret the external world and relate to it, culture affects patients' perceptions of disease, disability and suffering; degrees and expressions of concern about them; their responses to treatments and their relationship to individual physicians and to the healthcare system. Culture also influences the interpretation of ethical norms and principles, and especially of individual autonomy, which can be perceived either as synonymous with freedom or with isolation depending on the cultural context. This, in turn, determines the variability of truth-telling attitudes and practices worldwide as well as the different roles of family in the information and decision-making process of the cancer patient. Finally, culture affects individual views of the patient-doctor relationship in different contexts.

High School Students' Knowledge and Attitudes regarding Biotechnology Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozel, Murat; Erdogan, Mehmet; Usak, Muhammet; Prokop, Pavol

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate high school students' knowledge and attitudes regarding biotechnology and its various applications. In addition, whether students' knowledge and attitudes differed according to age and gender were also explored. The Biotechnology Knowledge Questionnaire (BKQ) with 16 items and the Biotechnology Attitude…

Passive smoking: directions for health education among Malaysian college students.

PubMed

Kurtz, M E; Johnson, S M; Ross-Lee, B

1992-01-01

This study investigated knowledge, attitudes, and preventive efforts of Malaysian college students regarding health risks associated with passive smoking, as well as possible directions for intervention and health education programs. Students responded anonymously to a structured written questionnaire. Statistical analyses were conducted to examine (1) differences in knowledge, attitudes, and preventive efforts between smokers and nonsmokers and between men and women; (2) the relationship between smoking by parents, siblings, and friends, and students' knowledge, attitudes, and preventive efforts; and (3) relationships between knowledge, attitudes, and preventive efforts. Peer groups and siblings had a substantial influence on students' attitudes toward passive smoking and their preventive efforts when exposed to passive smoke. A regression analysis revealed a statistically significant linear dependence of preventive efforts on knowledge and attitudes, with the attitude component playing the dominant role. This research suggests that educational efforts on passive smoking, directed toward young college students in developing countries such as Malaysia, should concentrate heavily on changing attitudes and reducing the effects of peer group and sibling influences.

The Development of Instruments to Measure Attitudes toward Abortion and Knowledge of Abortion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snegroff, Stanley

1976-01-01

This study developed an abortion attitude scale and abortion knowledge inventory that may be utilized by health educators, counselors, and researchers for assessing attitudes toward abortion and knowledge about it. (SK)

The Impact of a Concussion-U Educational Program on Knowledge of and Attitudes about Concussion.

PubMed

Eagles, Matthew E; Bradbury-Squires, David J; Powell, Maria F; Murphy, Justin R; Campbell, Graeme D; Maroun, Falah B

2016-09-01

The diagnosis of a sports-related concussion is often dependent on the athlete self-reporting their symptoms. It has been suggested that improving youth athlete knowledge and attitudes toward concussion may increase self-reporting behaviour. The objective of this study was to determine if a novel Concussion-U educational program improves knowledge of and attitudes about concussion among a cohort of elite male Bantam and Midget AAA hockey players. Fifty-seven male Bantam and Midget AAA-level hockey players (mean age=14.52±1.13 years) were recruited from the local community. Each participant completed a modified version of the Rosenbaum Concussion Knowledge and Attitudes Survey-Student Version immediately before and after a Concussion-U educational presentation. Follow-up sessions were arranged 4 to 6 months after the presentation, and assessed retention of knowledge and attitude changes. Forty-three players completed all three surveys. Concussion knowledge and attitude scores significantly (p<0.01) increased from pre- to post-presentation by 12.79 and 8.41%, respectively. At long-term follow-up, knowledge levels remained significantly (p<0.01) higher than baseline by 8.49%. Mean attitude scores were also increased at follow-up; however, this increase was not statistically significant. A Concussion-U educational program led to an immediate improvement in concussion knowledge and attitudes among elite male Bantam and Midget AAA hockey players. Increased knowledge was maintained at long-term follow-up, but improved attitude was not. Future studies should investigate whether similar educational programs influence symptom reporting and concussion incidence. In addition, they should focus on how to maintain improved concussion attitudes.

Sexual Knowledge and Attitude among Girls Who are Getting Married Based on the Information from Yas Pre-marriage Counseling Center.

PubMed

Baghersad, Zahra; Fahami, Fariba; Beigi, Marjan; Hasanzadeh, Akbar

2017-01-01

High prevalence of sexual dysfunction results from inadequate knowledge or inappropriate attitude toward the natural phenomenon of sexual desire. This study aimed to define sexual knowledge and attitude among girls who were getting married and referred to Yas pre-marriage counseling center. This research was a descriptive analytical study. The information of 165 girls, who were about to get married, were collected through convenient sampling using a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 16 software. Inferential statistical method and Pearson correlation were used for data analysis. Results showed that the mean scores of sexual knowledge and attitude among the participants were 57.42 and 69.02, respectively. There was a significant association between the mean scores of sexual knowledge and sexual attitude ( P < 0.001, r = 0.63). Results showed that the participants had relatively appropriate knowledge and attitude toward sexual relationship.

How to ask: older adults' preferred tools in health outcome prioritization.

PubMed

Case, Siobhan M; Fried, Terri R; O'Leary, John

2013-04-01

To assess older adults' attitudes toward eliciting health outcome priorities. This observational cohort study of 356 community-living adults age ≥65 included three tools: (1) Health Outcomes: ranking four outcomes (survival, function, freedom from pain, and freedom from other symptoms); (2) Now vs. Later: rating importance of current versus future quality of life; (3) Attitude Scale: agreement with statements about health outcomes and current versus future health. Whereas 41% preferred Health Outcomes, 40% preferred the Attitude Scale. Only 7-12% rated any tool as very hard or hard. In bivariate analysis, participants of non-white race and with lower education, health literacy, and functional status were significantly more likely to rate at least one of the tools as easy (p < .05). Across all tools, 17% of participants believed tools would change care. The main reason for thinking there would be no change was satisfaction with existing care (62%). There is variability in how older persons wish to be asked about health outcome priorities. Few find this task difficult, and difficulty was not greater among participants with lower health literacy, education, or health status. By offering different tools, healthcare providers can help patients clarify their health outcome priorities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

How to ask: Older adults’ preferred tools in health outcome prioritization

PubMed Central

Case, Siobhan M.; Fried, Terri R.; O’Leary, John

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE To assess older adults’ attitudes toward eliciting health outcome priorities. METHODS This observational cohort study of 356 community-living adults age ≥ 65 included three tools: 1) Health Outcomes: ranking four outcomes (survival, function, freedom from pain, and freedom from other symptoms); 2) Now vs. Later: rating importance of current versus future quality of life; 3) Attitude Scale: agreement with statements about health outcomes and current versus future health. RESULTS Whereas 41% preferred Health Outcomes, 40% preferred the Attitude Scale. Only 7–12% rated any tool as very hard or hard. In bivariate analysis, participants of non-white race and with lower education, health literacy, and functional status were significantly more likely to rate at least one of the tools as easy (p<0.05). Across all tools, 17% of participants believed tools would change care. The main reason for thinking there would be no change was satisfaction with existing care (62%). CONCLUSIONS There is variability in how older persons wish to be asked about health outcome priorities. Few find this task difficult, and difficulty was not greater among participants with lower health literacy, education, or health status. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS By offering different tools, healthcare providers can help patients clarify their health outcome priorities. PMID:23218242

Assessment of the knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS among pre-clinical medical students in Israel

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Today’s medical students are the future physicians of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). It is therefore essential that medical students possess the appropriate knowledge and attitudes regarding PLWHA. This study aims to evaluate knowledge and attitudes of pre-clinical Israeli medical students and to assess whether their knowledge and attitudes change throughout their pre-clinical studies. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among all pre-clinical medical students from the four medical schools in Israel during the academic year of 2010/2011 (a total of 1,470 students). A self-administered questionnaire was distributed. The questionnaire sought student responses pertaining to knowledge of HIV transmission and non-transmission routes, basic knowledge of HIV/AIDS treatment and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. Results The study’s response rate was 62.24 percent. Knowledge among pre-clinical medical students was generally high and showed a statistically significant improvement as students progressed through their pre-clinical studies. However, there were some misconceptions, mostly regarding HIV transmission via breastfeeding and knowledge of HIV prevention after exposure to the virus. Students’ attitudes were found to include stigmatizing notions. Furthermore, the majority of medical students correlated HIV with shame and fear. In addition, students’ attitudes toward HIV testing and providing confidential medical information were contradictory to health laws, protocols and guidelines. Overall, no positive changes in students’ attitudes were observed during the pre-clinical years of medical school. Conclusion The knowledge of pre-clinical medical students in Israel is generally high, although there are some knowledge inadequacies that require more emphasis in the curricula of the medical schools. Contrary to HIV-related knowledge, medical students’ attitudes are unaffected by their progression through medical school. Therefore, medical schools in Israel should modify their curricula to include teaching methods aimed at improving HIV-related attitudes and adherence to medical professionalism. PMID:24650351

Cancer Treatment-Related Cardiotoxicity: Understanding the Current State of Knowledge and Developing Future Research Priorities

Cancer.gov

Cancer Treatment-Related Cardiotoxicity: Understanding the Current State of Knowledge and Developing Future Research Priorities, a 2013 workshop sponsored by the Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program.

Students Enrolled in an Introductory Gerontology Course: Their Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Sexual Expression in Older Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ewen, Heidi H.; Brown, Pamela S.

2012-01-01

Little is known about younger adults' attitudes towards age-related sexual changes and behaviors. Research using the Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale (ASKAS) (White, 1982) has been effective in determining knowledge and attitudes among the staff of long-term care facilities, nurses, undergraduate nursing students, health care…

Construction of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Questionnaire for Assessing Plagiarism

PubMed Central

Poorolajal, J; Cheraghi, P; Irani, A Doosti; Cheraghi, Z; Mirfakhraei, M

2012-01-01

Background This study was conducted to develop a questionnaire in order to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the faculty members and students toward plagiarism. Methods: A KAP study was conducted from June to October 2011 enrolling 390 volunteers anonymously (response rate 96%). The questionnaire included the following four parts: (a) general characteristics like gender, academic degree and education level; (b) nine questions regarding knowledge (Min=0, Max=9); (c) nine questions regarding attitude (Min=9, Max=27); and (d) eight questions regarding practice (Min=0, Max=8). A pilot study was conducted to assess reliability of the questions regarding knowledge and attitude. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the knowledge and attitude questions was 0.70 and 0.74 respectively. Results: The overall prevalence of at least once plagiarism commission was 38% (SD=0.035). The overall mean score of knowledge, attitude and practice was 5.94 (SD=1.66), 24.12 (SD=2.99), and 0.66 (SD=1.15) respectively. Knowledge of plagiarism was significantly higher among higher academic degrees and females. Their negative attitude toward plagiarism was stronger too. No statistically significant difference regarding plagiarism commission was observed among different academic degrees in both sexes. According to linear regression analysis, plagiarism commission decreased 13% per one unit increase in score of knowledge (P=0.005) and 16% per one unit increase in score of attitude (P<0.001). Conclusions: This knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire was developed as a standard tool in order to assess perception of subjects toward plagiarism and to estimate the prevalence and the type of plagiarism commission. PMID:23304676

Construction of knowledge, attitude and practice questionnaire for assessing plagiarism.

PubMed

Poorolajal, J; Cheraghi, P; Irani, A Doosti; Cheraghi, Z; Mirfakhraei, M

2012-01-01

This study was conducted to develop a questionnaire in order to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of the faculty members and students toward plagiarism. A KAP study was conducted from June to October 2011 enrolling 390 volunteers anonymously (response rate 96%). The questionnaire included the following four parts: (a) general characteristics like gender, academic degree and education level; (b) nine questions regarding knowledge (Min=0, Max=9); (c) nine questions regarding attitude (Min=9, Max=27); and (d) eight questions regarding practice (Min=0, Max=8). A pilot study was conducted to assess reliability of the questions regarding knowledge and attitude. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the knowledge and attitude questions was 0.70 and 0.74 respectively. The overall prevalence of at least once plagiarism commission was 38% (SD=0.035). The overall mean score of knowledge, attitude and practice was 5.94 (SD=1.66), 24.12 (SD=2.99), and 0.66 (SD=1.15) respectively. Knowledge of plagiarism was significantly higher among higher academic degrees and females. Their negative attitude toward plagiarism was stronger too. No statistically significant difference regarding plagiarism commission was observed among different academic degrees in both sexes. According to linear regression analysis, plagiarism commission decreased 13% per one unit increase in score of knowledge (P=0.005) and 16% per one unit increase in score of attitude (P<0.001). This knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) questionnaire was developed as a standard tool in order to assess perception of subjects toward plagiarism and to estimate the prevalence and the type of plagiarism commission.

Nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward urinary incontinence: A cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Luo, Yan; Parry, Monica; Huang, Yan-Jin; Wang, Xiu-Hua; He, Guo-Ping

2016-05-01

Nurses must have adequate knowledge to manage the complexities of urinary incontinence. Nursing students are the nurses of the future, yet little is known about urinary incontinence education in undergraduate nursing programs. The aim of this study was (a) to assess the knowledge and attitudes of urinary incontinence held by undergraduate nursing students in China and (b) to explore the relationship between knowledge, attitudes and socio-demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional survey using cluster random sampling. Undergraduate departments of Nursing within the Faculty of Health Sciences at six Universities, located in different areas of China. A random selection of 6 faculties with a total of 1313 full time undergraduate nursing students completed the survey. Self-reported data were collected using two validated questionnaires, the Urinary Incontinence Knowledge Scale and the Urinary Incontinence Attitude Scale, to access students' knowledge and attitudes toward urinary incontinence. Overall urinary incontinence knowledge was poor (49.9%, 15.0/30) and attitudes about urinary incontinence were generally positive (71.7%, 43.0/60). A high level of interest in learning more about urinary incontinence was found. There was a weak correlation between urinary incontinence knowledge and attitudes (r=0.135, p<0.01). There was also a significant positive correlation between urinary incontinence knowledge and attitudes and nursing students' year of study, urinary incontinence education and training, and formal clinical practicum experience in urology (p<0.05). Chinese nursing students showed poor urinary incontinence knowledge but generally positive attitudes toward urinary incontinence. This study suggests there is a need to examine urinary incontinence content throughout undergraduate nursing curricula in China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Three-Lesson Teaching Unit Significantly Increases High School Students’ Knowledge about Epilepsy and Positively Influences Their Attitude towards This Disease

PubMed Central

Simon, Uwe K.; Gesslbauer, Lisa; Fink, Andreas

2016-01-01

Epilepsy is not a regular topic in many countries’ schools. Thus many people harbor misconceptions about people suffering from this disease. It was our aim to a) examine what grade ten students know and believe about epilepsy, and b) to develop and test a teaching unit to improve their knowledge and attitude. The test group comprised eight grade ten classes from six different Austrian high schools (54 girls and 51 boys aged 14–17), the control group (no intervention) five grade ten classes from the same schools (26 girls and 37 boys aged 14–17). The teaching unit consisted of three 45-min lessons using different methods and material. Changes in knowledge about and attitude towards epilepsy as a result of the intervention were psychometrically assessed in a pre-test intervention post-test design (along with a follow-up assessment two months after the intervention) by means of a questionnaire capturing different facets of epilepsy-related knowledge and attitude. Across all knowledge/attitude domains, students of the test group had a significantly improved knowledge about and a more positive attitude towards epilepsy and people suffering from it after the teaching unit. However, starting levels were different between the five knowledge/attitude domains tested. Medical background knowledge was lowest and consequently associated with the highest increase after the intervention. This study shows that epilepsy-related knowledge of many grade ten high school students is fragmentary and that some harbor beliefs and attitudes which require improvement. Our comprehensive but concise teaching unit significantly increased knowledge about epilepsy and positively influenced attitude towards individuals with epilepsy. Thus we recommend implementing this unit into regular school curricula. PMID:26919557

Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) related to the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among Chinese general population: a telephone survey.

PubMed

Lin, Yilan; Huang, Lijuan; Nie, Shaofa; Liu, Zengyan; Yu, Hongjie; Yan, Weirong; Xu, Yihua

2011-05-16

China is at greatest risk of the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 due to its huge population and high residential density. The unclear comprehension and negative attitudes towards the emerging infectious disease among general population may lead to unnecessary worry and even panic. The objective of this study was to investigate the Chinese public response to H1N1 pandemic and provide baseline data to develop public education campaigns in response to future outbreaks. A close-ended questionnaire developed by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention was applied to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among 10,669 responders recruited from seven urban and two rural areas of China sampled by using the probability proportional to size (PPS) method. 30.0% respondents were not clear whether food spread H1N1 virus and. 65.7% reported that the pandemic had no impact on their life. The immunization rates of the seasonal flu and H1N1vaccine were 7.5% and 10.8%, respectively. Farmers and those with lower education level were less likely to know the main transmission route (cough or talk face to face). Female and those with college and above education had higher perception of risk and more compliance with preventive behaviors. Relationships between knowledge and risk perception (OR = 1.69; 95%CI 1.54-1.86), and knowledge and practices (OR = 1.57; 95%CI 1.42-1.73) were found among the study subjects. With regard to the behavior of taking up A/H1N1 vaccination, there are several related factors found in the current study population, including the perception of life disturbed (OR = 1.29; 95%CI 1.11-1.50), the safety of A/H1N1 vaccine (OR = 0.07; 95%CI 0.04-0.11), the knowledge of free vaccination policy (OR = 7.20; 95%CI 5.91-8.78), the state's priority vaccination strategy(OR = 1.33; 95%CI 1.08-1.64), and taking up seasonal influenza vaccine behavior (OR = 4.69; 95%CI 3.53-6.23). This A/H1N1 epidemic has not caused public panic yet, but the knowledge of A/H1N1 in residents is not optimistic. Public education campaign may take the side effects of vaccine and the knowledge about the state's vaccination strategy into account.

Examining Thought Processes to Understand the Impact of Water Conservation Messages on Attitude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rumble, Joy N.; Lamm, Alexa J.; Martin, Emmett T.; Warner, Laura A.

2017-01-01

Water availability issues have plagued many regions around the world and is viewed as the top issue facing the world. As a result, encouraging water conservation has become a priority for agricultural communicators. Previous research suggests strategically framed messages can impact attitudes about water conservation, but whether this change is a…

Is There Concordance in Attitudes and Beliefs between Parents and Scientists about Autism Spectrum Disorder?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischbach, Ruth L.; Harris, Mark J.; Ballan, Michelle S.; Fischbach, Gerald D.; Link, Bruce G.

2016-01-01

There is no reported investigation comparing concordance in attitudes and beliefs about autism spectrum disorder between parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and scientists who research autism spectrum disorder. To investigate the level of concordance between these groups on causes of autism, priorities of research, perceived stigma,…

Forest values and attitudes in the South: Past and future research

Treesearch

Michael A. Tarrant; R. Bruce Hull

2004-01-01

At the turn of the 20th century, southerners favored economic utilization of forests over environmental protection. Today with few exceptions, southerners rate environmental protection and noneconomic values as higher priorities than economic uses of forests. We consider a vision of forest science and management that reflects the changing values and attitudes of...

Assessing a sun protection program aimed at Greek elementary school students for malign melanoma prevention.

PubMed

Saridi, Maria Ioannis; Rekleiti, Maria Demetrios; Toska, Aikaterini George; Souliotis, Kyriakos

2014-01-01

Numerous countries have launched campaigns regarding sun protection in the last decades. The aim of the present study was to assess an intervention program aimed at higher knowledge and healthier attitudes regarding sun protection. The sample consisted of 4,133 students aged 8-12 years from a single Greek province. In most items, knowledge levels after the intervention were found to be higher than those before (2.8±0.9 vs 3.3±0.9), while knowledge about sun protection factors seems to have had the highest improvement (27.1% vs 56.6%). However, student attitudes did not appear to improve, with the exception of applying sunscreen with a higher SPF (29.7% vs 54.8%). Girls seemed to have healthier attitudes compared to boys, but gender played no role with regard to knowledge levels. Also, place of residence did not play any role regarding knowledge levels, although those living in semi-urban areas seemed to have more unhealthy attitudes. Logistic regression by correlating knowledge and attitudes established that higher knowledge levels are usually accompanied by healthier attitudes, albeit marginally. The intervention had a positive contribution to the student knowledge level regarding sun protection and also led to small improvements regarding some attitudes. Continuous similar interventions could lead to better results and the adoption of healthier attitudes.

The knowledge-attitude dissociation in geriatric education: can it be overcome?

PubMed

Koh, Gerald C H; Merchant, Reshma A; Lim, Wee Shiong; Amin, Zubair

2012-09-01

A knowledge-attitude dissociation often exists in geriatrics where knowledge but not attitudes towards elderly patients improve with education. This study aims to determine whether a holistic education programme incorporating multiple educational strategies such as early exposure, ageing simulation and small group teaching results in improving geriatrics knowledge and attitudes among medical students. We administered the 18-item University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) Geriatric Knowledge Test (GKT) and the Singapore-modified 16-item UCLA Geriatric Attitudes Test (GAT) to 2nd year students of the old curriculum in 2009 (baseline reference cohort, n = 254), and before and after the new module to students of the new curriculum in 2010 (intervention cohort, n = 261), both at the same time of the year. At baseline, between the baseline reference and intervention cohort, there was no difference in knowledge (UCLA-GKT Score: 31.6 vs 33.5, P = 0.207) but attitudes of the intervention group were worse than the baseline reference group (UCLA-GAT Score: 3.53 vs 3.43, P = 0.003). The new module improved both the geriatric knowledge (UCLA-GKT Score: 34.0 vs 46.0, P <0.001) and attitudes (UCLA-GAT Score: 3.43 vs 3.50, P <0.001) of the intervention cohort. A geriatric education module incorporating sound educational strategies improved both geriatric knowledge and attitudes among medical students.

Knowledge and Attitude of Dental Health Professionals about Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Althomairy, Sameer Abdullah; Baseer, Mohammad Abdul; Assery, Mansour; Alsaffan, Abdulrahman Dahham

2018-01-01

Aim and Objective: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of practicing dental health professionals (DHPs) (dentist and dental auxiliaries) toward Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken among practicing DHPs in Saudi Arabia. A total of 202 DHPs participated in this study. Knowledge and attitude were assessed using self-administered and pretested questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered online through Survey Monkey® program by sending link to the registered E-mail. Descriptive statistics were performed on demographic data. Mean knowledge and mean attitude scores of DHPs were calculated. Mann–Whitney U-test and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to disclose the differences between study variables. Chi-square tests and Spearman's correlation tests were applied to find the associations between the variables. Results: The study participants showed mean knowledge score of 12.26 ± 2.27 (based on 17 knowledge questions) and attitude score of 8.63 ± 1.68 (based on 10 attitude questions). The spearman's test showed the positive correlation between knowledge and attitude of DHPs about MERS (r = 0.093, P = 0.188). Knowledge gaps were reflected in questions related to the duration of infectivity (47.5%), treatment of MERS (39.6%), reservoir of MERS-CoV (38.1%), availability of vaccination against MERS-CoV (25.2%), the likelihood of infection (24.3%), and the type of MERS-CoV (23.3%). DHPs showed a positive attitude toward adherence to universal precautions given by CDC and WHO (0.94 ± 0.25), active participation infection control program (0.94 ± 0.24), and use of gowns, gloves, mask, and goggles while dealing with MERS-CoV patients (0.97 ± 0.17). Male DHPs showed significantly higher knowledge and positive attitude toward MERS-CoV infection compared to females. Conclusion: DHPs participated in this study showed good knowledge and positive attitude toward MERS. However, still few lacunae in the knowledge and attitudes toward MERS-CoV were found requiring extensive educational programs. PMID:29780739

Health information technology and health care activists: Where is the place of Iranians?

PubMed

Ghoochani, Mobina; Kahouei, Mehdi; Hemmat, Morteza; Majdabadi, Hesamedin Askari; Valinejadi, Ali

2017-10-01

The level of knowledge and using health information technology by clinicians, students and staff has always been one of the essential issues in the field of health. The objective of the present study was to evaluate HIT knowledge, attitude, and practice habits among health care professionals and students in educational hospitals in Iran. This case study was carried out in 2016 on 539 personnel of 65 educational hospitals in Iran entailing three subgroups of physicians (n=128), medical students (n=97), and health record staff (n=314). A pretested self-administered questionnaire was designed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of health information technology. It was comprised of three parts of "baseline general characteristics", "knowledge categories", and "attitude and practice". In total, 28.8% of participants had a good level of knowledge about computer science, whereas 37.7% had a poor level of knowledge. A total of 40% showed good attitude and practice, while 25.6% had poor attitude and practice. Furthermore, 16.4% of physicians, 32% of students and 33.1% of health record staff had good knowledge, while poor knowledge was reported in 45.3% of physicians, 25.8% of students, and 37.6% of staff (p=0.304). The trend of good attitude and practice habits were respectively 28.9%, 50.5%, and 40.8% in physicians, students, and staff, whereas these trends were respectively 30.5%, 4.1%, and 29.9% for poor attitude and practice (p=0.163). Generally, the knowledge level of participants was positively related to the rate of attitude and practice (r=0.847, p<0.001), so the higher knowledge level brought about the higher score in attitude and practice. The level of knowledge and practice of HIT was low among the physicians, students, and staff. Our university can provide a plenary program to promote the level of knowledge and information on practice of HIT.

[Knowledge, attitude and practice on schistosomiasis control of chronic schistosomiasis patients in Poyang Lake area, Nanchang City].

PubMed

Guo-Hua, Peng; Zhu-Hua, Hu; Wei, Hua; Ke, Qian; Xiao-Gang, Li; Zhi-Shu, Zhang; Zhi-Gang, Chen; Xiao-Wu, Feng

2017-06-26

To understand the present situation of the chronic schistosomiasis patients' knowledge, attitude and practice on schistosomiasis control in Nanchang City. The knowledge, attitude and values on schistosomiasis control of 523 chronic schistosomiasis patients in Nanchang County, Jinxian County and Xinjian District in the Poyang Lake District were investigated with questionnaires. And the accuracy rates of the knowledge, attitude and practice among the patient groups of different counties, genders, age groups, occupations and educational levels were analyzed. The accuracy rates of the knowledge, attitude and practice of patients on schistosomiasis control were 95.76%, 82.80%, and 81.73% in Nanchang County; 91.37%, 93.32%, and 76.48% in Jinxian County; 88.25%, 67.56%, and 49.40% in Xinjian District. In the accuracy rates of knowledge, attitude and practice, the differences among the three counties (districts) were statistically significant ( χ 2 = 57.511-301.378, all P < 0.05) . The accuracy rates of chronic schistosomiasis patients' attitude and practice on schistosomiasis control in Nanchang City remain low. Therefore, the intensity of attitude and practice intervention should be strengthened in the Poyang Lake District in order to enhance the self-protection awareness of the patients.

Attitude importance and the accumulation of attitude-relevant knowledge in memory.

PubMed

Holbrook, Allyson L; Berent, Matthew K; Krosnick, Jon A; Visser, Penny S; Boninger, David S

2005-05-01

People who attach personal importance to an attitude are especially knowledgeable about the attitude object. This article tests an explanation for this relation: that importance causes the accumulation of knowledge by inspiring selective exposure to and selective elaboration of relevant information. Nine studies showed that (a) after watching televised debates between presidential candidates, viewers were better able to remember the statements made on policy issues on which they had more personally important attitudes; (b) importance motivated selective exposure and selective elaboration: Greater personal importance was associated with better memory for relevant information encountered under controlled laboratory conditions, and manipulations eliminating opportunities for selective exposure and selective elaboration eliminated the importance-memory accuracy relation; and (c) people do not use perceptions of their knowledge volume to infer how important an attitude is to them, but importance does cause knowledge accumulation.

Emotional Intelligence, Pain Knowledge, and Attitudes of Nursing Students in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Chan, Joanne C Y; Hamamura, Takeshi

2016-04-01

Research on nursing students' pain knowledge and attitudes is limited. Although emotions play a role in pain assessment, no study has examined the associations between emotional intelligence and pain knowledge and the attitudes of nursing students. This cross-sectional quantitative study aimed to address this research gap by assessing the pain knowledge and attitudes of nursing students in Hong Kong and examining associations between emotional intelligence and the pain knowledge and attitudes of nursing students. A total of 104 postgraduate nursing students (45 Year 1 students and 59 Year 3 students) completed a questionnaire that included demographic information, the Schutte Emotional Intelligence Scale (SEIS) and the Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain (KASRP). Data analyses included descriptive statistics, correlational analyses, chi-square test and t-tests. The pain knowledge and attitudes of both Year 1 students (M = 20.40, SD = 3.78) and Year 3 students (M = 21.36, SD = 3.15) were suboptimal, t(102) = -1.41, p = .16. Year 1 students had higher emotional intelligence (M = 122.44, SD = 8.90) than Year 3 students (M = 117.71, SD = 14.34), t(98.35) = 2.07, p = .04. For Year 1 students, emotional intelligence was negatively correlated with pain knowledge and attitudes, but the correlation was not significant (r = -.15, p = .33). For Year 3 students, emotional intelligence, pain knowledge and attitudes were negatively correlated, but the correlation was significant (r = -.31, p = .02). These results suggest that nursing students' pain knowledge and attitudes could be improved. Implications for nurse educators to enhance emotional intelligence and pain education for nursing students are discussed. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contraceptive knowledge and attitudes among 14-24-year-olds in New South Wales, Australia.

PubMed

Ritter, Todd; Dore, Anne; McGeechan, Kevin

2015-06-01

To investigate correlates of contraceptive knowledge and attitudes and describe differences in contraceptive knowledge by contraceptive category among young people in New South Wales. A total of 119 young people aged 14 to 24, recruited from youth centres, completed a contraceptive knowledge and attitude survey. Overall contraceptive knowledge was low. Females had significantly better knowledge than males. There was high knowledge about condoms and withdrawal and low knowledge about shorter-term hormonal methods (oral contraceptive pill and vaginal ring) and long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods. Nearly half of respondents agreed that 'contraceptives make sex seem less romantic', while 58% agreed that 'contraceptives are difficult to use'. Despite this, both genders had positive attitudes to contraception, with females' attitudes significantly more positive than males. While young people, particularly young women, expressed attitudes conducive to contraceptive use, many are unaware of basic facts about methods, including highly effective LARC. Our findings reflect the modest reproductive and sexual health education received by Australian young people and cultural norms of condoms and oral contraceptives as default methods and highlight the need to improve knowledge, among young men, in particular, about the most effective contraceptive methods. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

[Occupational biological hazard in veterinary medicine: an area for priority interventions].

PubMed

Cediel, Natalia M; Villamil, Luis C

2004-01-01

Veterinary medicine is an activity related to several health hazards; during the last years, studies about the biological hazard associated to animals have been conducted, such hazards represented by the zoonotic diseases and the allergic reactions in exposed workers. Despite its importance, in Colombia the knowledge about the occupational biohazard is scarce, its magnitude is overlooked and in addition a passive attitude from practitioners exists. The few research spaces available and the scattered actions for its prevention, influence directly on the workers' health, on the quality of the services offered and obviously on the quality of life in society. The present article discusses the causes and consequences of biological hazards in veterinary medicine, shows a panorama of the national problem and contributes with alternatives for its solutions.

The need for complex ideas in anorexia nervosa: why biology, environment, and psyche all matter, why therapists make mistakes, and why clinical benchmarks are needed for managing weight correction.

PubMed

Strober, Michael; Johnson, Craig

2012-03-01

Anorexia nervosa remains an enigma and its clinical challenge is intimidating. But the potential for new insights has been advancing, largely as a result of elegant research in the neurosciences that has modeled behavioral processes resembling key features of the illness. Unfortunately, many in the eating disorder field seem to know little of this work or the implication it holds for treatment philosophy. Instead, the knowledge void has been taken up recently by a host of misguided notions about etiology, blatantly dismissive attitudes toward psychological concepts, and ill-conceived beliefs about therapy priorities. This article is a clinical perspective on these issues. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes among School Nurses in an Urban Public School District.

PubMed

Twichell, Sarah; Wang, Kathleen; Robinson, Humaira; Acebal, Maria; Sharma, Hemant

2015-07-21

Since food allergy knowledge and perceptions may influence prevention and management of school-based reactions, we evaluated them among nurses in an urban school district. All District of Columbia public school nurses were asked to anonymously complete a food allergy knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge scores were calculated as percentage of correct responses. Attitude responses were tabulated across five-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The knowledge questionnaire was completed by 87% of eligible nurses and the attitude questionnaire by 83%. The mean total knowledge score was 76 ± 13 with domain score highest for symptom recognition and lowest for treatment. Regarding attitudes, most (94%) felt food allergy is a serious health problem, for which schools should have guidelines (94%). Fewer believed that nut-free schools (82%) and allergen-free tables (44%) should be implemented. Negative perceptions of parents were identified as: parents of food-allergic children are overprotective (55%) and make unreasonable requests of schools (15%). Food allergy knowledge deficits and mixed attitudes exist among this sample of urban school nurses, particularly related to management of reactions and perceptions of parents. Food allergy education of school nurses should be targeted to improve their knowledge and attitudes.

Food Allergy Knowledge and Attitudes among School Nurses in an Urban Public School District

PubMed Central

Twichell, Sarah; Wang, Kathleen; Robinson, Humaira; Acebal, Maria; Sharma, Hemant

2015-01-01

Since food allergy knowledge and perceptions may influence prevention and management of school-based reactions, we evaluated them among nurses in an urban school district. All District of Columbia public school nurses were asked to anonymously complete a food allergy knowledge and attitude questionnaire. Knowledge scores were calculated as percentage of correct responses. Attitude responses were tabulated across five-point Likert scales, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. The knowledge questionnaire was completed by 87% of eligible nurses and the attitude questionnaire by 83%. The mean total knowledge score was 76 ± 13 with domain score highest for symptom recognition and lowest for treatment. Regarding attitudes, most (94%) felt food allergy is a serious health problem, for which schools should have guidelines (94%). Fewer believed that nut-free schools (82%) and allergen-free tables (44%) should be implemented. Negative perceptions of parents were identified as: parents of food-allergic children are overprotective (55%) and make unreasonable requests of schools (15%). Food allergy knowledge deficits and mixed attitudes exist among this sample of urban school nurses, particularly related to management of reactions and perceptions of parents. Food allergy education of school nurses should be targeted to improve their knowledge and attitudes. PMID:27417367

Knowledge and attitude towards rape and child sexual abuse--a community-based cross-sectional study in rural Tanzania.

PubMed

Abeid, Muzdalifat; Muganyizi, Projestine; Massawe, Siriel; Mpembeni, Rose; Darj, Elisabeth; Axemo, Pia

2015-04-28

Violence against women and children is globally recognized as a social and human rights concern. In Tanzania, sexual violence towards women and children is a public health problem. The aim of this study was to determine community knowledge of and attitudes towards rape and child sexual abuse, and assess associations between knowledge and attitudes and socio-demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional study was undertaken between May and June 2012. The study was conducted in the Kilombero and Ulanga rural districts in the Morogoro Region of Tanzania. Men and women aged 18-49 years were eligible for the study. Through a three-stage cluster sampling strategy, a household survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes about gender roles and violence, and knowledge on health consequences of rape. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 21. Main outcome measures were knowledge of and attitudes towards sexual violence. Multivariate analyses were used to assess associations between socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge of and attitudes towards sexual violence. A total of 1,568 participants were interviewed. The majority (58.4%) of participants were women. Most (58.3%) of the women respondents had poor knowledge on sexual violence and 63.8% had accepting attitudes towards sexual violence. Those who were married were significantly more likely to have good knowledge on sexual violence compared to the divorced/separated group (AOR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1-2.2)) but less likely to have non-accepting attitudes towards sexual violence compared to the single group (AOR = 1.8 (95%CI: 1.4-2.3)). Sex of respondents, age, marital status and level of education were associated with knowledge and attitudes towards sexual violence. Our study showed that these rural communities have poor knowledge on sexual violence and have accepting attitudes towards sexual violence. Increasing age and higher education were associated with better knowledge and less accepting attitudes towards sexual violence. The findings have potentially important implications for interventions aimed at preventing violence. The results highlight the challenges associated with changing attitudes towards sexual violence, particularly as the highest levels of support for such violence were found among women.

Assessment of Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude and Self-Care Practice Among Adolescents - A State Wide Cross- Sectional Study in Manipur, North Eastern India.

PubMed

Wahengbam, Pragya Pandey; Kshetrimayum, Nandita; Wahengbam, Brucelee Singh; Nandkeoliar, Tanya; Lyngdoh, Daiasharailang

2016-06-01

The World Health Organization global strategy of promoting oral health have shown vast improvements in developed countries but the scenario is glum among underprivileged communities due to lacunae in implementation of these promotional programs. Manipur, a North Eastern state in India, is one such marginalized area. The study aimed to evaluate Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) towards oral health in 15-18 year adolescents residing in Manipur together with the association of these variables to sociodemographic factors. This cross-sectional study included 810 healthy adolescents drawn from various primary health care centers spanning in all the nine districts of Manipur. A closed ended questionnaire for the purpose of collecting data was used in the survey. Of the total participants 90.9% had high knowledge, 79.8% had favorable attitude and 70.4% had adequate practice towards oral health. Education of the parents and respondents was the only factor significantly associated with all three variables, knowledge, attitude and practice. Significant and positive linear correlation between knowledge-attitude (r=0.369, p<0.01) knowledge-practice (r=0.405, p<0.01) and attitude-practice (r =0.353, p<0.01), were observed. An overwhelming majority of the respondents had high knowledge, favorable attitude and sound practice with respect to oral health. A positive linear correlation exists between the knowledge, attitude and practice. Evidence based reinforcement programs should be introduced to further reduce the gap between knowledge, attitude and practice. The study will also serve as a reference value for use in future evaluation to help measure the effectiveness of the planned activities. Future research needs to focus on establishing the dental caries prevalence and oral hygiene status of Manipuri youth.

Knowledge and Attitude of Patients with Psychiatric Disorders and their Relatives Toward Electroconvulsive Therapy

PubMed Central

Dan, Amitava; Grover, Sandeep; Chakrabarti, Subho

2014-01-01

Objective: Knowledge and attitude regarding electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the important parameters for acceptance of ECT as a safe and effective treatment option. Several factors shape the knowledge and attitude of general people such as previous experience of ECT, sources of their information about ECT and prevailing myths about ECT. The present study attempted to examine the knowledge and attitude concerning ECT among patients with psychiatric disorders and their relatives. Materials and Methods: Knowledge and attitudes regarding ECT were assessed using the Bengali version of the ECT knowledge and attitude questionnaires, between 100 clinically stable patients with mental illnesses and their healthy relatives. Results: Majority of the patients and relatives were unaware of the basic facts about ECT. Relatives were somewhat better informed and more positive about ECT than patients, but the differences between the two groups were not significant. Previous experience of ECT did not have any major impact in knowledge and attitude in both patients and relative groups. Patients obtained information, mostly from media (44%), doctors (23%), and from personal experiences (13%). On the other hand, relatives obtained information almost equally from media (26%), doctors (27%), and experience of friends or relatives (28%). No significant difference was observed in knowledge and attitude in patients who had obtained their facts from doctors (n=23) and from other sources (n=77). Among relatives, those who had obtained their information from doctors (n=27) were better informed than those who had obtained so from other sources (n=73). Conclusions: Since patients and relatives have poor knowledge and negative attitude toward ECT, medical professionals should impart proper information about ECT to patients and relatives to increase the acceptability of this treatment. PMID:25035549

Message framing in social networking sites.

PubMed

Kao, Danny Tengti; Chuang, Shih-Chieh; Wang, Sui-Min; Zhang, Lei

2013-10-01

Online social networking sites represent significant new opportunities for Internet advertisers. However, results based on the real world cannot be generalized to all virtual worlds. In this research, the moderating effects of need for cognition (NFC) and knowledge were applied to examine the impact of message framing on attitudes toward social networking sites. A total of 216 undergraduates participated in the study. Results reveal that for social networking sites, while high-NFC individuals form more favorable attitudes toward negatively framed messages than positively framed messages, low-NFC individuals form more favorable attitudes toward positively framed messages than negatively framed messages. In addition, low-knowledge individuals demonstrate more favorable attitudes toward negatively framed messages than positively framed messages; however, the framing effect does not differentially affect the attitudes of high-knowledge individuals. Furthermore, the framing effect does not differentially affect the attitudes of high-NFC individuals with high knowledge. In contrast, low-NFC individuals with low knowledge hold more favorable attitudes toward positively framed messages than negatively framed messages.

Is Knowledge Regarding Tuberculosis Associated with Stigmatising and Discriminating Attitudes of General Population towards Tuberculosis Patients? Findings from a Community Based Survey in 30 Districts of India.

PubMed

Sagili, Karuna D; Satyanarayana, Srinath; Chadha, Sarabjit S

2016-01-01

Stigmatising and discriminating attitudes may discourage tuberculosis (TB) patients from actively seeking medical care, hide their disease status, and discontinue treatment. It is expected that appropriate knowledge regarding TB should remove stigmatising and discriminating attitudes. In this study we assessed the prevalence of stigmatising and discriminating attitudes towards TB patients among general population and their association with knowledge regarding TB. A cross-sectional knowledge, attitude and practice survey was conducted in 30 districts of India in January-March 2011. A total of 4562 respondents from general population were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires which contained items to measure stigma, discrimination and knowledge on TB. Of the 4562 interviewed, 3823 were eligible for the current analysis. Of these, 73% (95% CI 71.4-74.2) had stigmatising and 98% (95% CI 97.4-98.3) had discriminating attitude towards TB patients. Only 17% (95% CI 15.6-18.0) of the respondents had appropriate knowledge regarding TB with even lower levels observed amongst females, rural areas and respondents from low income groups. Surprisingly stigmatising (adjusted OR 1.31 (0.78-2.18) and discriminating (adjusted OR 0.79 (0.43-1.44) attitudes were independent of knowledge regarding TB. Stigmatising and discriminating attitudes towards TB patients remain high among the general population in India. Since these attitudes were independent of the knowledge regarding TB, it is possible that the current disseminated knowledge regarding TB which is mainly from a medical perspective may not be adequately addressing the factors that lead to stigma and discrimination towards TB patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to review the messages and strategies currently used for disseminating knowledge regarding TB among general population and revise them appropriately. The disseminated knowledge should include medical, psycho-social and economic aspects of TB that not only informs people about medical aspects of TB disease, but also removes stigma and discrimination.

Science and Mathematics Teacher Candidates' Environmental Knowledge, Awareness, Behavior and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yumusak, Ahmet; Sargin, Seyid Ahmet; Baltaci, Furkan; Kelani, Raphael R.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to measure science and mathematics teacher candidates' environmental knowledge level, awareness, behavior and environmental attitudes. Four instruments comprising Environmental Sensitivity Scale, environmental Behavior Scale, Environmental Attitudes Scale and Environmental Knowledge Test were administered to a total…

Knowledge and attitudes toward human cloning in Israel.

PubMed

Barnoy, Sivia; Ehrenfeld, Malka; Sharon, Rina; Tabak, Nili

2006-04-01

The success of mammal cloning in 1997 has brought the issue of human cloning into public discussion. Human cloning has several aspects and potential applications for use in both reproductive and non-reproductive matters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes toward human cloning in Israel. Data from 120 respondents (68 health professionals and 52 non-health professionals), all Jewish, Hebrew speaking with at least 15 years of education each, were collected using two questionnaires that dealt with knowledge and attitudes toward human cloning. Results showed that although health professionals had significantly more knowledge that non-health professionals, all respondents had poor knowledge about cloning. No difference in attitudes was found between the groups. Most respondents opposed human cloning, but more positive attitudes toward non-reproductive cloning were found. The results are discussed in the context of the deficit model. The findings indicate a need to provide information about human cloning to allow people to form their attitudes based on factual knowledge.

Feeling conflicted and seeking information: when ambivalence enhances and diminishes selective exposure to attitude-consistent information.

PubMed

Sawicki, Vanessa; Wegener, Duane T; Clark, Jason K; Fabrigar, Leandre R; Smith, Steven M; Durso, Geoffrey R O

2013-06-01

To date, little research has examined the impact of attitudinal ambivalence on attitude-congruent selective exposure. Past research would suggest that strong/univalent rather than weak/ambivalent attitudes should be more predictive of proattitudinal information seeking. Although ambivalent attitude structure might weaken the attitude's effect on seeking proattitudinal information, we believe that conflicted attitudes might also motivate attitude-congruent selective exposure because proattitudinal information should be effective in reducing ambivalence. Two studies provide evidence that the effects of ambivalence on information choices depend on amount of issue knowledge. That is, ambivalence motivates attitude-consistent exposure when issue knowledge is relatively low because less familiar information is perceived to be effective at reducing ambivalence. Conversely, when knowledge is relatively high, more unambivalent (univalent) attitudes predicted attitude-consistent information seeking.

Knowledge of Genetics and Attitudes toward Genetic Testing among College Students in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Olwi, Duaa; Merdad, Leena; Ramadan, Eman

2016-01-01

Genetic testing has been gradually permeating the practice of medicine. Health-care providers may be confronted with new genetic approaches that require genetically informed decisions which will be influenced by patients' knowledge of genetics and their attitudes toward genetic testing. This study assesses the knowledge of genetics and attitudes toward genetic testing among college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a multistage stratified sample of 920 senior college students enrolled at King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. Information regarding knowledge of genetics, attitudes toward genetic testing, and sociodemographic data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. In general, students had a good knowledge of genetics but lacked some fundamentals of genetics. The majority of students showed positive attitudes toward genetic testing, but some students showed negative attitudes toward certain aspects of genetic testing such as resorting to abortion in the case of an untreatable major genetic defect in an unborn fetus. The main significant predictors of knowledge were faculty, gender, academic year, and some prior awareness of 'genetic testing'. The main significant predictors of attitudes were gender, academic year, grade point average, and some prior awareness of 'genetic testing'. The knowledge of genetics among college students was higher than has been reported in other studies, and the attitudes toward genetic testing were fairly positive. Genetics educational programs that target youths may improve knowledge of genetics and create a public perception that further supports genetic testing. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The effects of the Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Parks' environmental education program on the environmental knowledge and attitudes of 13--17 year old students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusof, Ebil

The study focused on the effects of the Malaysian Department of Wildlife and National Park's (DWNP) environmental education program on the environmental knowledge and attitudes of the secondary school students. Conducted between May 11, 1998 and August 11, 1998, this study was designed to reflect three objectives: (1) to determine the effect of participation in the DWNP's environmental education program on environmental knowledge and attitudes of 13--17 year old Malaysian students, (2) to identify demographic factors that contribute to the change of environmental knowledge and attitudes, and (3) to establish base line data for future evaluation of the effectiveness of DWNP's environmental education program. The sample was comprised of 806 randomly selected students from 10 different schools, with 402 randomly assigned to the experimental grouped and 404 to the control group. Pretest and post-tests were administered at the schools. The experimental group was exposed to the Environmental Education Program (EEP) at the Environmental Education Center (EEC) at Bukit Rengit, Lanchang, Pahang, Malaysia sometime between May 14, 1998 and August 8, 1998. At the EEC, the experimental group was again divided, with half receiving the pretest and post-test, while the other half were given only the post-test. The instrument used in this study was a modification of the Children's Environmental Attitudes and Knowledge Scale (CHEAKS) developed by Leeming, et al. (1995). This instrument had sound psychometric properties suitable for this research setting, and allowed comparisons of results with previous studies. T-tests, ANOVA, and ANCOVA were used to determine group differences. Overall, secondary school students in the experimental group showed a significantly greater change in environmental knowledge than did students in the control group. Significant differences were also found on the Attitude sub-scale, with the control group exhibiting negative change in attitude, and slightly change occurring in the attitudes of the experimental group. There were no significant differences of the change in environmental knowledge and attitude across age and place of residence than did gender of the EEP participants. The trend of changes in environmental knowledge and attitude between school and EEC were shown negatively. Changes in both environmental knowledge and attitude began to increase but change in knowledge exceeded the change in attitude when measured between the pre and post-tests at the EEC. However, there was slightly increased in attitude toward environmental matters as compared to the change in environmental knowledge after the participants had been measured between the EEC and the school.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Pubertal Preparedness Program in Terms of Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Pubertal Changes Among Pre-Adolescent Girls.

PubMed

Rani, Manisha; Sheoran, Poonam; Kumar, Yogesh; Singh, Navjyot

2016-09-01

Objective: To compare the knowledge and attitude regarding pubertal changes among pre - adolescent girls before and after the pubertal preparedness program (PPP) in experimental and comparison group. Materials and methods: A Quasi experimental (non- equivalent comparison group pretest posttest) design was adopted with 104pre-adolescentgirls (52 in each experimental and comparison group) of age 12-14years, selected by purposive sampling from two different Government schools of Ambala District. Knowledge and attitude was assessed using structured knowledge questionnaire (KR-20 = 0.74) and 5 point likert scale (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79) respectively. On the same day of pretest, PPP was administered and on 12 th day FAQs reinforcement session was held only for experimental group. After 28 days, posttest was taken. Results: The computed t value of pretest of knowledge and attitude scores of pre-adolescent girls (1.97), (1.95) respectively in experimental and comparison group was found non-significant at 0.05 level of significance which shows that both group didn't differ significantly in their knowledge and attitude before the administration of intervention. Findings of unpaired 't' value of posttest knowledge and attitude scores of pre-adolescent girls (19.77), (17.17) respectively in experimental and comparison group were found significant at 0.05 level of significance, Thus knowledge and attitude of pre-adolescent girls were improved with PPP and FAQs session. Conclusion: Pubertal preparedness program and FAQs reinforcement session are effective in enhancing knowledge and developing favorable attitude among pre-adolescent girls.

Knowledge and Attitude of Nigerian Pregnant Women towards Antenatal Exercise: A Cross-Sectional Survey

PubMed Central

Mbada, Chidozie E.; Adebayo, Olubukayomi E.; Adeyemi, Adebanjo B.; Arije, Olujide O.; Dada, Olumide O.; Akinwande, Olabisi A.; Awotidebe, Taofeek O.; Alonge, Ibidun A.

2014-01-01

Background. Engagement in physical exercise in pregnancy is hamstrung by safety concerns, skepticism about usefulness, and limited individualized prescription guidelines. This study assessed knowledge and attitude of pregnant women towards antenatal exercises (ANEx). Methods. The cross-sectional study recruited 189 pregnant women from six selected antenatal clinics in Ile-Ife, South-West, Nigeria. Data were obtained on maternal characteristics, knowledge, and attitude towards ANEx. Results. Relaxation and breathing (59.8%), back care (51.3%), and muscle strengthening (51.3%) exercises were the most commonly known ANEx. Prevention of back pain risk (75.9%) and excess weight gain (69.1%) were perceived as benefits, while lower extremities swelling (31.8%) and extreme weight gain or loss (30.7%) were considered as contraindications to ANEx. 15.8% of the respondents had negative attitude towards ANEx resulting from insufficient information on exercise (83.3%) and tiredness (70.0%). Age significantly influences knowledge about contraindications to ANEx (P = 0.001), while attitude was influenced by age and occupation, respectively (P < 0.05). There was significant association between attitude and knowledge about benefits and contraindications to ANEx (P < 0.05). Conclusion. A majority of Nigerian pregnant women demonstrated inadequate knowledge but had positive attitude towards ANEx. Knowledge about benefits and contraindications to ANEx significantly influenced the attitude towards exercise in pregnancy. PMID:25006478

Effectiveness of an Educational Intervention on Medical Students' Knowledge About and Attitude Towards Electroconvulsive Therapy.

PubMed

Solomon, Susan; Simiyon, Manjula; Vedachalam, Ahalya

2016-04-01

This study was done to determine the effectiveness of a lecture and exposure to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) followed by interaction with patient, on medical students' knowledge about and attitude towards electroconvulsive therapy. A questionnaire was administered to second year medical students to determine their baseline knowledge about and attitude towards electroconvulsive therapy. Following this, they underwent two educational interventions, a lecture on ECT and exposure to the procedure and interaction with the patient and relative, and their knowledge and attitude were reassessed after each intervention using the same questionnaire. Eighty-one students completed all the three assessments. Students' knowledge about ECT at baseline was minimal (mean 3.58 out of 12). Their knowledge increased significantly after the lecture (mean 10.3), and there was further increase following exposure to the procedure and subsequent interaction with the patient and relative (mean 11.1). At baseline, students had an overall negative attitude towards ECT. There was significant improvement on all attitude items following the lecture. Exposure to the procedure resulted in further improvement in attitude regarding whether ECT is a cruel treatment and has to be used as a last resort. Exposure to ECT in lecture and clinical scenarios followed by interaction with the patient should be included in the undergraduate medical curriculum to improve students' knowledge and attitude about this safe, effective, and potentially lifesaving treatment modality.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy in Rectal Cancer Patients.

PubMed

Chen, Xingxing; Lin, Ruifang; Li, Huifang; Su, Meng; Zhang, Wenyi; Deng, Xia; Zhang, Ping; Zou, Changlin

2016-01-01

Background . The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to pre-CRT in patients of stage II/III rectal cancer. Materials and Methods . Questionnaires regarding the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of pre-CRT were mailed to 145 rectal cancer patients in II/III stage between January 2012 and December 2014, and 111 agreed to participate and returned completed questionnaires to the researcher. Logistic regression model was used to compare sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, and attitude with practice, respectively. Results . A total of 145 patients were approached for interview, of which 111 responded and 48.6% (54) had undergone pre-CRT. Only 31.5% of the participants knew that CRT is a treatment of rectal cancer and 39.6% were aware of the importance of CRT. However, the vast majority of participants (68.5%) expressed a positive attitude toward rectal cancer. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that knowledge level ( p = 0.006) and attitudes ( p = 0.001) influence the actual practice significantly. Furthermore, age, gender, and income were potential predictors of practice (all p < 0.05). Conclusion . This study shows that, despite the fact that participants had suboptimal level of knowledge on rectal cancer, their attitude is favorable to pre-CRT. Strengthening the professional health knowledge and realizing the importance of attitudes may deepen patients' understanding of preoperative therapy.

Attitudes of Medical Graduate and Undergraduate Students toward the Learning and Application of Medical Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Yazhou; Zhang, Ling; Liu, Ling; Zhang, Yanqi; Liu, Xiaoyu; Yi, Dong

2015-01-01

It is clear that the teaching of medical statistics needs to be improved, yet areas for priority are unclear as medical students' learning and application of statistics at different levels is not well known. Our goal is to assess the attitudes of medical students toward the learning and application of medical statistics, and discover their…

Values: the dynamic nexus between biology, ecology and culture.

PubMed

Fischer, Ronald; Boer, Diana

2016-04-01

Values are motivational goals that influence attitudes, behaviors and evaluations. Cross-cultural evidence suggests that values show a systematic structure. Personal and cultural variations in the value structure, value priorities and value links to attitudes, behavior and well-being reflect contextual constraints and affordances in the environment, suggesting that values function as broadly adaptive psychological structures. The internal structure of values (the descriptive value system) becomes more clearly differentiated in more economically developed contexts. Value priorities shift toward more autonomous, self-expressive and individualistic orientations with greater economic resources and less ecological stress. In addition to systematic changes in internal structure, value links to attitudes, behaviors and well-being are influenced by economic, ecological and institutional contexts. Values are more likely to be expressed in attitudes and behavior if individuals have greater access to economic resources, experience less institutional and ecological stress or when the values reinforce culturally normative behavior. Frontiers for further value research include a greater examination of the neural underpinnings of values in specific ecological contexts and across the lifespan; and an examination of how values are behaviorally instantiated in different environments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Relationship Between Perceptions of Wilderness Character and Attitudes Toward Management Intervention to Adapt Biophysical Resources to a Changing Climate and Nature Restoration at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

PubMed

Watson, Alan; Martin, Steve; Christensen, Neal; Fauth, Gregg; Williams, Dan

2015-09-01

In a recent national survey of federal wilderness managers, respondents identified the high priority need for scientific information about public attitudes toward biophysical intervention to adapt to climate change and attitudes of the public toward restoration of natural conditions. In a survey of visitors to one National Park wilderness in California, visitors revealed that they largely do not support biophysical intervention in wilderness to mitigate the effects of climate change, but broad support for activities that restore natural conditions exists. In an attempt to understand how these attitudes vary among visitors, it was found that those visitors who most value naturalness aspects of wilderness character also most positively support restoration and are most negative toward climate change intervention practices. More information about visitor-defined wilderness character attributes is needed and strategic planning to guide intervention decisions and restoration should be a priority. In this study, it was found that wilderness character is largely defined by visitors based on its wildness attributes, which include natural sounds, low density of people, pure water, clean air, and the presence of humans substantially unnoticeable.

The Relationship Between Perceptions of Wilderness Character and Attitudes Toward Management Intervention to Adapt Biophysical Resources to a Changing Climate and Nature Restoration at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, Alan; Martin, Steve; Christensen, Neal; Fauth, Gregg; Williams, Dan

2015-09-01

In a recent national survey of federal wilderness managers, respondents identified the high priority need for scientific information about public attitudes toward biophysical intervention to adapt to climate change and attitudes of the public toward restoration of natural conditions. In a survey of visitors to one National Park wilderness in California, visitors revealed that they largely do not support biophysical intervention in wilderness to mitigate the effects of climate change, but broad support for activities that restore natural conditions exists. In an attempt to understand how these attitudes vary among visitors, it was found that those visitors who most value naturalness aspects of wilderness character also most positively support restoration and are most negative toward climate change intervention practices. More information about visitor-defined wilderness character attributes is needed and strategic planning to guide intervention decisions and restoration should be a priority. In this study, it was found that wilderness character is largely defined by visitors based on its wildness attributes, which include natural sounds, low density of people, pure water, clean air, and the presence of humans substantially unnoticeable.

Pre-Service Teachers' Perception toward Environmental Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borhan, Mohamad Termizi; Ismail, Zurida

2011-01-01

Purpose: The study investigated the environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviours exhibited by the pre-service teachers and determined if there was any significant relationship between environmental knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. Method: This descriptive study adopted a quantitative approach using questionnaires to obtain information on…

Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice of food allergies among food handlers in the state of Penang, Malaysia.

PubMed

Shafie, A A; Azman, A W

2015-09-01

Food handler's knowledge, attitude and practice regarding food allergies are important to prevent debilitating and sometimes fatal reactions. This study aimed to assess their food allergy knowledge, attitude and practice, which could help to maintain the safety and hygiene of food consumed by the public. Cross-sectional survey. A cross-sectional survey involving 121 conveniently sampled (81.76% response rate) respondents among the food handlers in the state of Penang, Malaysia, was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Their knowledge, attitude and work practice were captured using a 37-item questionnaire that elicited their responses using a mixture of closed-ended and Likert scale techniques. The mean knowledge score for respondents was 50.23 (SD = 14.03), attitude score was 54.26 (SD = 11.67) and practice score was 45.90 (SD = 24.78). Only 1.79% of the respondents were considered to have excellent knowledge, 21.37% had a low risk practice and 4.27% had positive attitudes towards food allergies. Most of the respondents (70%) knew about food allergies and their seriousness. There was a statistically significant correlation between the attitude and practice of respondents (r = 0.51). The type of establishment was the only characteristic significantly associated (P < 0.05) with food handler allergy knowledge, attitude and practice. More than half of food handlers in Penang have moderate levels of food allergy knowledge, practice and attitude. Only a small proportion of them have excellent food allergy knowledge, practice and attitude. Integration of food allergy training into compulsory food safety training programmes is needed to reduce food allergy risks and prevent fatal allergic reactions to food among their customers. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A cross-sectional assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice among Hepatitis-B patients in Quetta, Pakistan

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Hepatitis-B is a life threatening infection resulting in 0.6 million deaths annually. The prevalence of Hepatitis-B is rising in Pakistan and furthermore, there is paucity of information about Knowledge, Attitude and Practice among Hepatitis-B patients. Better disease related knowledge is important to have positive attitude and that will bring the good practices which will prevent the further spread of infection. This study aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis-B Patients in Quetta city, Pakistan. Methods A cross-sectional, descriptive study was undertaken with 390 Hepatitis-B patients attending two public hospitals in Quetta city, Pakistan. Knowledge, attitude and practice regarding Hepatitis-B were assessed using a pre-validated questionnaire containing 20, 7 and 8 questions for knowledge, attitude and practice, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used for elaborating patients’ demographic characteristics and mean scores for knowledge, attitude and practice of Hepatitis-B patients. Inferential statistics (Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis tests, p < 0.05) were used to establish association between study variables. Spearman’s rho correlation was used to identify the association between the knowledge, attitude and practice scores. Results Out of 390 patients, 223 (57.2%) were males, with the majority (136, 34.9%) in the age group of 38–47 years. Mean age of the study cohort was 32.6 ± 9.5 years. One hundred and four (26.7%) had primary level education, with 110 (28.2%) working in the private sector. The mean scores for knowledge, attitude and practice were 8.48 ± 2.7, 3.87 ± 1.2 and 2.37 ± 1.0, respectively. Education, locality and occupation were significantly associated with knowledge, attitude and practice scores. Significant positive linear correlations between knowledge-attitude (r = 0.466, p < 0.01) knowledge-practice (r = 0.221, p < 0.01) and attitude-practice (r = 0.224, p < 0.01) were also observed from the study results. Conclusion The findings of this study indicate that Hepatitis-B patients lack a basic understanding of infection control and management. This can result in the further spread of Hepatitis-B infection. Extensive health education campaigns should be provided to the patients in the hospital as well as in community settings for rational control and management of the disease. PMID:23641704

Determinants of undergraduate nursing students' care willingness towards the elderly in China: Attitudes, gratitude and knowledge.

PubMed

Zhang, Shuai; Liu, Yan-Hui; Zhang, Hong-Fu; Meng, Li-Na; Liu, Peng-Xi

2016-08-01

An aging population has become a serious problem in China. Improving the nursing students' care willingness is a critical way to solve this dilemma. Few studies reveal the relationship between the knowledge, care willingness, attitude towards the elderly and gratitude. This research has found that the attitude towards the elderly, the knowledge about aging, and gratitude showed correlation with care willingness. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among knowledge about aging, care willingness, attitude towards the elderly and gratitude. A cross-sectional descriptive design has been used. From November to December 2015, a total of 382 undergraduate nursing students in China completed the questionnaires. The response rate was 95.5%. Four questionnaires including Care Willingness to the Elderly Scale (CW), Kogan's Attitudes towards Old People scale (KAOP), the Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ), and the Gratitude Scale. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to explore the relationship among those variables in this study. For Chinese nursing students, the care willingness of elderly was in medium-high level. Their attitude towards the elderly and gratitude were at the medium degree, while the knowledge about aging was at a lower level. The attitude towards older people, knowledge about aging, and gratitude were significantly correlated with care willingness. The knowledge about aging has no relationship with the attitude. Gratitude plays a mediation role between the knowledge about aging and care willingness. The experience of caring the elderly could lead to a positive impact in care willingness. The nursing students' knowledge about aging had a direct influence on their care willingness. Gratitude plays a mediating role between the knowledge about aging and care willingness to the elderly. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Portuguese nurses' knowledge of and attitudes toward hospitalized older adults.

PubMed

de Almeida Tavares, João Paulo; da Silva, Alcione Leite; Sá-Couto, Pedro; Boltz, Marie; Capezuti, Elizabeth

2015-03-01

Portugal is impacted by the rapid growth of the aging population, which has significant implications for its health care system. However, nurses have received little education focusing on the unique and complex care needs of older adults. This gap in the nurses' education has an enormous impact in their knowledge and attitudes and affects the quality of nursing care provided to older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1068 Portuguese nurses in five hospitals (northern and central region) with the following purposes: (i) explore the knowledge and attitudes of nurses about four common geriatric syndromes (pressure ulcer, incontinence, restraint use and sleep disturbance) in Portuguese hospitals; and (ii) evaluate the influence of demographic, professional and nurses' perception about hospital educational support, geriatric knowledge, and burden of caring for older adults upon geriatric nursing knowledge and attitudes. The mean knowledge and attitudes scores were 0.41 ± 0.15 and 0.40 ± 0.21, respectively (the maximum score was 1). Knowledge of nurses in Portuguese hospitals about the four geriatric syndromes (pressure ulcers, sleep disturbance, urinary incontinence and restraint use) was found inadequate. The nurses' attitudes towards caring for hospitalized older adults were generally negative. Nurses who work in academic hospitals demonstrated significantly more knowledge than nurses in hospital centers. The attitudes of nurses were significantly associated with the hospital and unit type, region, hospital educational support, staff knowledge, and perceived burden of caring for older adults. The study findings support the need for improving nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards hospitalized older adults and implementing evidence-based guidelines in their practice. © 2014 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Knowledge and attitudes of doctors toward the sexuality of older people in Turkey.

PubMed

Dogan, Sultan; Demir, Basaran; Eker, Engin; Karim, Salman

2008-10-01

Few studies have looked at healthcare professionals' knowledge of and attitudes to later life sexuality in both Western and Eastern cultures. Here we examine the attitudes and knowledge of Turkish medical doctors toward sexuality in older people. Eighty-seven doctors, from various specialties, who were directly involved in the care of older people, were contacted by post and asked to complete the Turkish version of the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale (ASKAS). A majority of physicians indicated that they had limited information and knowledge regarding sexual health issues in older people (69%). Although a small percentage (14.5%) reported that they "always" discuss sexuality and sexual problems with older patients, the majority (69%) indicated that they "sometimes" raise questions about sexuality with these patients. A high percentage (81%) stated that they would be helpful and receptive should an elderly patient initiate a discussion about sexual issues. Most participants (77%) thought that the patient's gender was of no importance when taking a sexual history. Overall, the responses to ASKAS showed that physicians had limited knowledge but their attitude was positive toward sexuality in the elderly. Female physicians had less knowledge than males and had more negative attitudes toward sexuality in this age group. Total and knowledge subscale scores of ASKAS showed that older physicians had more knowledge than younger physicians but similar attitudes. A comparison of the knowledge and attitude scores of psychiatrists, surgeons and non-surgeons showed no significant difference among the three groups. This study identified a low level of awareness of later life sexuality among Turkish medical doctors. These findings identify a need to improve the education and training of doctors at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels to enable them to provide better sexual health care to older people.

Exploring Ecosystems and Health by Shifting to a Regional Focus: Perspectives from the Oceania EcoHealth Chapter

PubMed Central

Kingsley, Jonathan; Patrick, Rebecca; Horwitz, Pierre; Parkes, Margot; Jenkins, Aaron; Massy, Charles; Henderson-Wilson, Claire; Arabena, Kerry

2015-01-01

This article highlights contributions that can be made to the public health field by incorporating “ecosystem approaches to health” to tackle future environmental and health challenges at a regional level. This qualitative research reviews attitudes and understandings of the relationship between public health and the environment and the priorities, aspirations and challenges of a newly established group (the Oceania EcoHealth Chapter) who are attempting to promote these principles. Ten semi-structured interviews with Oceania EcoHealth Chapter members highlighted the important role such groups can play in informing organisations working in the Oceania region to improve both public health and environmental outcomes simultaneously. Participants of this study emphasise the need to elevate Indigenous knowledge in Oceania and the role regional groups play in this regard. They also emphasis that regional advocacy and ecosystem approaches to health could bypass silos in knowledge and disciplinary divides, with groups like the Oceania EcoHealth Chapter acting as a mechanism for knowledge exchange, engagement, and action at a regional level with its ability to bridge the gap between environmental stewardship and public health. PMID:26473903

A replication study of priorities and attitudes of two nursing programs' communities of interest: an appreciative inquiry.

PubMed

Farrell, Marie; Wallis, Nancy C; Evans, Marci Tyler

2007-01-01

American universities and nursing faculties, caught between the imperatives of community demand and university financial constraints, need to analyze their communities of interests' shared priorities for nursing education. This replication study's objective was to compare the priorities and attitudes of two nursing programs' communities of interest using appreciative inquiry (AI). The researchers used AI to conduct a qualitative, comparative analysis of data from two nursing programs. They used one-on-one and focus group interviews to examine stakeholders' views of the best of the nursing program's past, their vision and approaches to realizing the vision, and their roles in contributing to the vision they created. The researchers analyzed the qualitative data using a standardized codebook and content analysis. Respondents' priorities for both academic programs were similar, with the western respondents emphasizing nursing's contribution to quality care and the southern respondents emphasizing its leadership and commitment to diversity. Both identified the role of legislators and the community in partnering with nursing to secure funds for expansion. Both programs' respondents viewed nursing as a major part of the university and considered their role as supporters of the university's academic and financial goals. The two nursing programs appeared to harness external and internal support in their respective communities. While some priorities differed between the two nursing programs, respondents were aware of the ripple effect of decreased funding for nursing education on the delivery of nursing services to the community. Differences among the undergraduate and graduate students, which reflect a nursing program's student mix, underscore the priorities that nursing programs must emphasize.

Utility of knowledge, attitude, and practice survey, and prevalence of dental caries among 11- to 13-year-old children in an urban community in India.

PubMed

Suprabha, Baranya Shrikrishna; Rao, Arathi; Shenoy, Ramya; Khanal, Sanskriti

2013-04-30

The school oral health education program is believed to be a cost-effective method for promoting oral health. The KAP (knowledge-attitude-practice) model of oral health education is often the foundation of most health education programs. To assess the existing knowledge, attitude, and oral health care practices among 11- to 13-year-old children and the association of knowledge with attitude, oral health care practices, and dental caries prevalence. Cross-sectional design, involving 858 children studying in class seven at various schools in the city of Mangalore, India. The children were selected using stratified random sampling method. Prevalence of dental caries was determined using decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth (DMFT) index. A self-administered questionnaire on self-care practices in oral health, knowledge, and attitude toward oral health care was filled by children. The association of different variables with knowledge was analyzed using binary logistic regression analysis. The dental caries prevalence was 59.4%, and 54.5% had low knowledge. They lacked knowledge regarding use of fluoridated toothpaste and did not use them. Children with low knowledge had significantly higher odds of having DMFT ≥ 1, not using fluoridated toothpaste, and being afraid of going to the dentist due to possible pain. There was no association of other oral health care practices and attitudes with knowledge. Oral health care practices and attitudes are not fully explained by knowledge, and other models of health education need to be considered.

Measuring success in creating a "culture of health".

PubMed

Crimmins, Timothy J; Halberg, Julia

2009-03-01

To develop and test methodology to measure employees attitudes regarding worksite health promotion. These values and attitudes are described as a "culture of health" and are believed to motivate behavior changes toward improved health outcomes. This survey tool was designed to determine the value and degree of support that employees have for health improvement initiatives at a large food company. The "Total You Health Values Survey" administered by an outside vendor (Sirota) was sent by e-mail to 4674 headquarters and research and development employees with an explanation of the survey and instructions for completion. The survey was open 14 days and there were no incentives for completion. The survey consisted of three demographic questions, one open ended comment section and 14 core questions in three categories: Supportive Environment, Healthy Lifestyle Attitudes, and Knowledge and Behavior. Employees were guaranteed confidentiality and anonymity. There were 3339 responses, a 71% response rate. Ninety-one percent of respondents said that encouraging healthy lifestyles is a General Mills priority and 97% said they know the steps needed to stay healthy. We were able to develop and implement a simple measurement tool to measure the success of our health promotion activities using an e-mail based questionnaire. In the employee population surveyed, we found that there was broad support for health promotion. We believe that this simple survey tool can be used by other employers to measure their organizational "culture of health."

Predictors of knowledge towards malaria of rural tribal communities in Dhalai District of Tripura, India.

PubMed

Kumar, S; Debbarma, A

2013-10-01

Reduction of malarial morbidity and mortality is one of the top public health priorities in Tripura and the Country. To achieve these targets it is imperative to have active community participation to control malaria. Community participation in turn depends on people's knowledge and attitude towards the disease. This study was conducted to examine the factors that predict the knowledge of rural tribal communities in Dhalai district of Tripura towards malaria. This community based epidemiological cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Dhalai district of Tripura. A pre-tested structured questionnaire collecting socio-demographic and malaria-related KAP information was administered to the 216 adult respondents from a representative sample of households. As a whole, there were 147(68.1%) illiterate respondents. Out of them, 89(41.2%) persons were male and 58(26.9%) were female. Correct knowledge about the cause of malaria was 2.77 times higher in males than females and 11.53 times higher in literate tribal people than in illiterate. Correct knowledge about the symptoms fever, chills, and rigors of malaria were also higher in male sex and in literate tribal people. Use of smoke as preventive measure was very high among the respondents. Common predictors of correct knowledge about etiology and clinical features of malaria were in male Tripuri and Reang community. Use of smoke for killing of adult mosquito was predicted by illiteracy. Promotion of literacy and participation in health education are vital component in terms of knowledge and practice.

Iranian pharmacists' knowledge, attitude and practice regarding counterfeit drugs.

PubMed

Shahverdi, Shieda; Hajimiri, Mirhamed; Pourmalek, Farshad; Torkamandi, Hassan; Gholami, Kheirollah; Hanafi, Somayeh; Ashrafi Shahmirzadi, Nikinaz; Javadi, Mohammadreza

2012-01-01

Background Awareness of pharmacists about counterfeit drugs is necessary for health improvement in community. The purpose of the present study is to assess the knowledge and measure the professional attitude and practice of Iranian pharmacist about counterfeit drugs. In August 2008, a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) study was performed in a national sample of 794 pharmacists who participated in an Iranian Pharmacist Association congress. A questionnaire was prepared to collect Demographic and professional characteristics, Knowledge, attitude and practice of pharmacists regarding counterfeit drugs. The mean percent of participants who answer each practice questions correctly is 13.62% and none of questions have more than 14.7% of correct answer, while the participants' attitude towards the subject is at high level. None of demographic factors represented a significant relationship with knowledge and the only related parameters with attitude, were age and gender. Increasing age of pharmacists resulted in attitude improvement (p = 0.013) and women›s attitudes were better than men (p = 0.05).The only related parameters with practice, were the number of working hours per a week and attitude. Increasing the number of working hours per a week, resulted in decreasing the desirable practice (p = 0.041) and attitude also had a direct relationship with practice (p = 0.011). Conclusion The most important finding in the present study was the pharmacists› low knowledge and practice level about counterfeit drugs, while their attitude towards this subject was at a high level. The results point out the need for designing and implementing educational programs.

Using video and theater to increase knowledge and change attitudes-Why are gorillas important to the world and to Congo?

PubMed

Breuer, Thomas; Mavinga, Franck Barrel; Evans, Ron; Lukas, Kristen E

2017-10-01

Applying environmental education in primate range countries is an important long-term activity to stimulate pro-conservation behavior. Within captive settings, mega-charismatic species, such as great apes are often used to increase knowledge and positively influence attitudes of visitors. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of a short-term video and theater program developed for a Western audience and adapted to rural people living in two villages around Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of Congo. We assessed the knowledge gain and attitude change using oral evaluation in the local language (N = 111). Overall pre-program knowledge about Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) was high. Detailed multivariate analysis of pre-program knowledge revealed differences in knowledge between two villages and people with different jobs while attitudes largely were similar between groups. The short-term education program was successful in raising knowledge, particularly of those people with less pre-program knowledge. We also noted an overall significant attitude improvement. Our data indicate short-term education programs are useful in quickly raising knowledge as well improving attitudes. Furthermore, education messages need to be clearly adapted to the daily livelihood realities of the audience, and multi-variate analysis can help to identify potential target groups for education programs. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Slovakian Students' Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Biotechnology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prokop, Pavol; Leskova, Andrea; Kubiatko, Milan; Diran, Carla

2007-01-01

This study examined university students' knowledge of and attitudes (n = 378) toward biotechnology in Slovakia, a conservative country where the distribution of genetically engineered products are banned by law. We found a significant positive correlation between attitudes and the level of knowledge; however, although students enrolled in biology…

Influencing University Students' Knowledge and Attitudes toward Breastfeeding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Froehlich, Jan; Boivin, Meghan; Rice, Desiree.; McGraw, Katie; Munson, Elin; Walter, Katherine Corcoran; Bloch, Mary K. S.

2013-01-01

Spending a few minutes reading about the benefits of breastfeeding had a significant, positive effect on university students' knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding on post-surveys and follow-up surveys one month later. Since lactation duration is correlated with both knowledge and attitudes toward breastfeeding, implications of these…

Jordanian School Counselors' Knowledge about and Attitudes toward Diabetes Mellitus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tannous, Adel G.; Khateeb, Jamal M.; Khamra, Hatem A.; Hadidi, Muna S.; Natour, Mayada M.

2012-01-01

This study investigated the knowledge and attitudes of Jordanian school counselors toward diabetes mellitus. A sample of 295 counselors completed a questionnaire consisting of two parts concerning knowledge and attitudes. The face validity of the questionnaire was assessed using an informed panel of judges, and its reliability was established…

Knowledge of and Attitude towards Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Primary School Teachers in Jordan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Omari, Hasan; Al-Motlaq, Mohammad A.; Al-Modallal, Hanan

2015-01-01

International studies have revealed variable levels of knowledge and attitudes among teachers regarding attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study investigated Jordanian teachers' ADHD knowledge and their attitudes towards children with this condition. A standardised self-report questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample…

Student Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Psychotropic Drugs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bentley, Kia J.; And Others

1991-01-01

A survey of 260 graduate social work students found their knowledge of and attitudes toward psychotropic medication uneven and lower than desirable. Results also suggest personal and professional experiences influence knowledge and attitudes. It is recommended that social work course content be expanded to include relevant information on these…

Plants Have a Chance: Outdoor Educational Programmes Alter Students' Knowledge and Attitudes towards Plants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fancovicova, Jana; Prokop, Pavol

2011-01-01

Outdoor educational programmes are generally believed to be a suitable alternative to conventional biology settings that improve participants' environmental attitudes and knowledge. Here we examine whether outdoor educational programmes focused solely on practical work with plants influence participants' knowledge of and attitudes towards plants.…

Integrating Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes: Conceptualising Learning Processes towards Vocational Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baartman, Liesbeth K. J.; de Bruijn, Elly

2011-01-01

Current research focuses on competence development and complex professional tasks. However, "learning processes" towards the integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes largely remain a black box. This article conceptualises three integration processes, in analogy to theories on transfer. Knowledge, skills and attitudes are defined, reconciling…

Knowledge and Attitudes of Health-Care Providers toward Sexuality in the Institutionalized Elderly.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glass, J. Conrad, Jr.; And Others

1986-01-01

Examined the relationship between the knowledge and attitudes of nursing home caretakers toward elderly sexuality, looking at certain sociodemographic and institutional factors. The more knowledge providers possessed, the more restrictive their attitudes toward elderly sexuality. Education, religiosity, position, nursing education, time in current…

Effectiveness of Drug Education Components: Knowledge, Attitudes, Decision Making, Motivations, and Self-Esteem.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Scott W.

1995-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of school-based drug education in affecting knowledge, attitudes, decision making, motivation, and self-esteem. Pre- and postintervention surveys of fourth through eighth graders indicated that self-esteem did not improve significantly. Knowledge and attitude scores improved significantly, with a positive…

The effects of knowledge of child development and social-emotional maturity on adolescent attitudes toward parenting.

PubMed

Larsen, J J; Juhasz, A M

1985-01-01

This study investigated the relationship between the combined effect of knowledge of child development and level of social-emotional maturity, and the extent to which this relationship affects adolescent attitudes toward parenting. The analysis of the data (multiple regression and canonical analysis) suggested that there were significant relationships among these variables. In general, the relationships indicated that subjects' negative attitudes toward parenting were associated with lack of knowledge of child development and low levels of social-emotional maturity, while subjects' positive attitudes toward parenting were associated with knowledge of child development and high levels of social-emotional maturity. The joint impact of knowledge of child development and social-emotional maturity factors on attitudes toward parenting accounted for 51% of the variation among the variables.

[Instruments for evaluating oral health knowledge, attitudes and practice for parents /caregivers of small children].

PubMed

Martignon, Stefania; Bautista-Mendoza, Gloria; González-Carrera, María; Lafaurie-Villamil, Gloria; Morales, Veicy; Santamaría, Ruth

2008-01-01

Designing three instruments for evaluating oral health knowledge, attitudes and practice in parents/caregivers of low social-economic status 0-5 year-olds. Evaluating the instruments' reliability in terms of internal consistency and analysing items. Three instruments were constructed for evaluating low social-economic status 0-5 year-olds' parents/caregivers' oral health knowledge, attitudes and practice in the municipality of Usaquén , Bogotá , Colombia . 47 parents/caregivers were given a test establishing the instrument's reliability in terms of internal consistency and the adults' level of knowledge, attitudes and practice. A sub-sample was qualitatively analysed (content verification and understanding). Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Items were analysed for improving constructing and understanding the questions, taking four criteria into account: corrected homogeneity index (CHI), response trend, correlation between items and qualitative analysis. Cronbach's alpha coefficient for knowledge, attitudes and practice was 0,82, 0,80 and 0,62, respectively. Participants' level of knowledge, attitudes and practice was acceptable (60 %, 55 % and 91 %, respectively). This study found two out of the three evaluated instruments to be reliable (knowledge and attitudes); all three of them were then redesigned. The resulting instruments represent a valuable tool which can be used in future studies for describing and evaluating preventative programmes.

Knowledge and attitudes of nurses on pressure ulcer prevention: a cross-sectional multicenter study in Belgian hospitals.

PubMed

Beeckman, Dimitri; Defloor, Tom; Schoonhoven, Lisette; Vanderwee, Katrien

2011-09-01

Evidence-based guidelines for pressure ulcer prevention have been developed and promoted by authoritative organizations. However, nonadherence to these guidelines is frequently reported. Negative attitudes and lack of knowledge may act as barriers to using guidelines in clinical practice. To study the knowledge and attitudes of nurses about pressure ulcer prevention in Belgian hospitals and to explore the correlation between knowledge, attitudes, and the application of adequate prevention. A cross-sectional multicenter study was performed in a random sample of 14 Belgian hospitals, representing 207 wards. Out of that group, 94 wards were randomly selected (2105 patients). Clinical observations were performed to assess the adequacy of pressure ulcer prevention and pressure ulcer prevalence. From each participating ward, a random selection of at least five nurses completed an extensively validated knowledge and attitude instrument. In total, 553 nurses participated. A logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between knowledge, attitudes, and the application of adequate prevention. Pressure ulcer prevalence (Category I-IV) was 13.5% (284/2105). Approximately 30% (625/2105) of the patients were at risk (Bradenscore <17 and/or presence of pressure ulcer). Only 13.9% (87/625) of these patients received fully adequate prevention whilst in bed and when seated. The mean knowledge and attitude scores were 49.7% and 71.3%, respectively. The application of adequate prevention on a nursing ward was significantly correlated with the attitudes of the nurses (OR = 3.07, p = .05). No independent correlation was found between knowledge and the application of adequate prevention (OR = 0.75, p = .71). Knowledge of nurses in Belgian hospitals about the prevention of pressure ulcers is inadequate. The attitudes of nurses toward pressure ulcers are significantly correlated with the application of adequate prevention. No correlation was found between knowledge and the application of adequate prevention. Copyright ©2011 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Knowledge and Attitude about Stem Cells and Their Application in Medicine among Nursing Students in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia

PubMed Central

LYE, Jee Leng; SOON, Lean Keng; WAN AHMAD, Wan Amir Nizam; TAN, Suat Cheng

2015-01-01

Background: Stem cell research has been extensively explored worldwide to enhance human health in medical setting. Nevertheless, there is currently no full understanding of the stem cell knowledge and attitude levels among student nurses in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess the level of stem cell knowledge, attitude toward stem cell application in medicine, and its association with years of education, among Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional study (n = 88) was conducted using self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographic information, stem cells knowledge and attitude statements. Data was analysed using Statistical Package Social Software 20.0. Results: The majority of participants (92%) had moderate knowledge score about stem cells. Many students (33%) worried that stem cell application might cause a harm to humanity yet had a positive (76.1%) attitude towards its therapeutic potential (45.5%). Poor correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.08) indicated that acceptance towards stem cell is not solely based on the knowledge level but also on other factors including religion and culture. Conclusion: Therefore, this study suggests that various educational programs on stem cell should be implemented considering the religion, cultural, social, and behavioural determinants in the population to improve stem cell knowledge and encourage a more positive attitude towards stem cells in medicine among these nursing students. PMID:26715905

Knowledge and Attitude about Stem Cells and Their Application in Medicine among Nursing Students in Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia.

PubMed

Lye, Jee Leng; Soon, Lean Keng; Wan Ahmad, Wan Amir Nizam; Tan, Suat Cheng

2015-01-01

Stem cell research has been extensively explored worldwide to enhance human health in medical setting. Nevertheless, there is currently no full understanding of the stem cell knowledge and attitude levels among student nurses in Malaysia. This study aimed to assess the level of stem cell knowledge, attitude toward stem cell application in medicine, and its association with years of education, among Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional study (n = 88) was conducted using self-administered questionnaire consisted of demographic information, stem cells knowledge and attitude statements. Data was analysed using Statistical Package Social Software 20.0. The majority of participants (92%) had moderate knowledge score about stem cells. Many students (33%) worried that stem cell application might cause a harm to humanity yet had a positive (76.1%) attitude towards its therapeutic potential (45.5%). Poor correlation between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.08) indicated that acceptance towards stem cell is not solely based on the knowledge level but also on other factors including religion and culture. Therefore, this study suggests that various educational programs on stem cell should be implemented considering the religion, cultural, social, and behavioural determinants in the population to improve stem cell knowledge and encourage a more positive attitude towards stem cells in medicine among these nursing students.

Assessing the effects of a sexually transmitted disease educational intervention on fraternity and sorority members' knowledge and attitudes toward safe sex behaviors.

PubMed

Goldsberry, Jennifer; Moore, Leslie; MacMillan, Deborah; Butler, Scott

2016-04-01

College years are a time young adults examine high-risk sexual behaviors, increasing their risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Fraternity/sorority membership has been identified as one factor contributing to increased risky sexual behavior in college students. This study measured the effectiveness of an educational intervention targeting STD prevention in fraternity and sorority members, and examined relationships between STD knowledge, attitudes, and demographics. A descriptive, correlational design was used. Pre- and posttest data were collected from fraternity and sorority members (N = 132). Instruments measured demographic characteristics, STD knowledge, and attitudes toward safe sex behaviors. There was a significant increase in STD knowledge from baseline (M = 13.03, SD = 6.5) to 1 week (M = 20.27, SD = 4.9) t (131) = -13.53, p = .000. Males were more likely to report attitudes toward risky sexual behavior rs(132) = .323, p = .000, and as knowledge increased, attitudes became more favorable to safe sex behaviors (pre-STD knowledge and preintervention attitudes, r(132) = -.249, p = .004; post-STD knowledge and postintervention attitudes, rs(132) = -.307, p = .000). Results support that brief STD educational interventions can increase STD knowledge. College health centers must aim to provide sexual health education to all students at every visit. ©2016 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

Enhancing knowledge and attitudes in pain management: a pain management education program for nursing home staff.

PubMed

Tse, Mimi Mun Yee; Ho, Suki S K

2014-03-01

The aim of the study was to examine the effectiveness of a pain management program (PMP) in enhancing the knowledge and attitudes of health care workers in pain management. Many nursing home residents suffer from pain, and treatment of pain is often inadequate. Failure of health care workers to assess pain and their insufficient knowledge of pain management are barriers to adequate treatment. It was a quasiexperimental pretest and posttest study. Four nursing homes were approached, and 88 staff joined the 8-week PMP. Demographics and the knowledge and attitudes regarding pain were collected with the use of the Nurse's Knowledge and Attitudes Survey Regarding Pain-Chinese version (NKASRP-C) before and after the PMP. A deficit in knowledge and attitudes related to pain management was prominent before the PMP, and there was a significant increase in pain knowledge and attitudes from 7.9 ± SD 3.52 to 19.2 ± SD4.4 (p < .05) after the 8-week PMP. A PMP can improve the knowledge and attitudes of nursing staff and enable them to provide adequate and appropriate care to older persons in pain. PMPs for nurses and all health care professionals are important in enhancing care for older adults and to inform policy on the provision of pain management. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The impact of parental knowledge and tanning attitudes on sun protection practice for young children in Germany.

PubMed

Gefeller, Olaf; Li, Jiang; Uter, Wolfgang; Pfahlberg, Annette B

2014-05-05

Public health campaigns have improved knowledge on UVR-associated skin cancer risk and increased sun protection awareness. However, tanned skin is still a common beauty ideal. The relationship between knowledge, attitudes and protective behavior is not fully understood yet. A population-based survey was thus performed in the district of Erlangen involving 2,619 parents of 3- to 6-year old children. By means of a self-administered standardized questionnaire parental knowledge about risk factors for skin cancer, their attitudes towards tanning and details of protective measures taken for their children were assessed. The study analyzed specifically the impact of parental tanning attitudes on sun-protective measures for their children while controlling for parental knowledge about skin cancer risk factors. While parental knowledge was significantly (inversely) associated with agreement to the statement "Tanned skin is healthy skin", this was not the case for "Tanning makes me look better". Overall, tanning affirmative attitudes were inversely associated with protective measures taken for the children, whereas parental knowledge had a positive impact on sun protection at the beach only. Multivariable analyses provided evidence for an effect of parental attitude on protective behavior independent of parental knowledge. Tanning attitudes and tanned skin as the misguided ideal of beauty need to be addressed in future public health campaigns to enhance the effectiveness of preventive activities in changing sun protective behavior.

General practitioners' knowledge of ageing and attitudes towards older people in China.

PubMed

Yang, Yanni; Xiao, Lily Dongxia; Ullah, Shahid; Deng, Lanlan

2015-06-01

To explore general practitioners (GPs)knowledge of ageing, attitudes towards older people and factors affecting their knowledge and attitudes in a Chinese context. Four hundred GPs were surveyed using the Chinese version of the Aging Semantic Differential (CASD) and the Chinese version of the Facts on Aging Quiz (CFAQ1) scale. The CASD scores indicated that GPs had a neutral attitude towards older people. The CFAQ1 scores indicated a low level of knowledge about ageing. GPs' awareness of the mental and social facts of ageing was poorer compared to that of physical facts. Male GPs had a significantly higher negative bias score than female GPs. No other variables had a statistically significant influence on knowledge and attitudes. The findings suggest the need for education interventions for GPs regarding knowledge of ageing and also provide evidence to guide future development of continuing medical programs for this group of medical doctors. © 2013 ACOTA.

Attitudes vs. Purchase Behaviors as Experienced Dissonance: The Roles of Knowledge and Consumer Orientations in Organic Market.

PubMed

Hidalgo-Baz, María; Martos-Partal, Mercedes; González-Benito, Óscar

2017-01-01

This research focuses on the incongruity between positive attitudinal responses but a lack of purchase behavior in organic markets. According to cognitive dissonance theory, consumer orientations toward the benefits attributed to organic products (environmental protection, health, hedonic) relieve the dissonance that results from this attitude-behavior incongruity. Knowledge also functions as a transmitter, from positive attitudes to purchase behaviors, thereby reducing the incongruity. Using quota sampling in a survey study, this paper tests the hypotheses from linear regression models. The results show that orientations and knowledge improve the congruity between attitudes and purchase behaviors toward organic products. Moreover, interaction effects arise between the environmental protection orientation and knowledge and between the hedonic orientation and knowledge. Increasing knowledge mitigates the difference between attitudes and purchase behaviors, especially for consumers with environmental protection or hedonic orientations. These findings have several important implications for research and practice.

Dominant role of drivers' attitude in prevention of road traffic crashes: a study on knowledge, attitude, and practice of drivers in Iran.

PubMed

Mirzaei, Ramazan; Hafezi-Nejad, Nima; Sadegh Sabagh, Mohammad; Ansari Moghaddam, Alireza; Eslami, Vahid; Rakhshani, Fatemeh; Rahimi-Movaghar, Vafa

2014-05-01

Evaluating the relation between Iranian drivers' knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding traffic regulations, and their deterministic effect on road traffic crashes (RTCs). Two cities of Tehran and Zahedan, Iran. A cross-sectional study was designed. Using a simplified cluster sampling design, 2200 motor vehicle drivers including 1200 in Tehran and 1000 in Zahedan were selected. Sixty locations in Tehran and 50 in Zahedan were chosen. In each pre-identified location, 20 adult drivers were approached consecutively. A questionnaire developed by researchers was filled by each participant. The questionnaire had four sections including items assessing the demographics, knowledge, attitude and practice of drivers toward traffic regulations. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the RTCs and KAP variables. The study sample consisted of 619 (28.1%) occupational and 1580 (71.8%) private drivers. Among them, 86.4% were male. The median age was 33.6 ± 10.83. Drivers in Tehran and Zahedan had no significant differences between their mean scores of KAP items of the questionnaire. Higher knowledge, safer attitude, and safer practice were associated with a decreased number of RTC. After adjusting for possible confounders, increase of one standard deviation in attitude and practice scores (but not knowledge) resulted in 26.4% and 18.5% decrease in RTC, respectively. Finally, considering knowledge, attitude and practice of drivers in one model to assess their mutual effect, it was shown that only attitude is significantly associated with a decrease of RTC (OR=0.76, P=0.007). Increase in attitude and practice accompanied with decreased number of RTCs in Iranian drivers. Specifically, drivers' attitude had the crucial effect. It is not knowledge and standard traffic education; rather it is how such education is registered as an attitude that translates what is being learned into actions. Without safer attitude, even safer self-reported practice will not result in lower RTCs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge and Attitudes toward HIV, Hepatitis B Virus, and Hepatitis C Virus Infection among Health-care Workers in Malawi.

PubMed

Mtengezo, Jasintha; Lee, Haeok; Ngoma, Jonathan; Kim, Susie; Aronowitz, Teri; DeMarco, Rosanna; Shi, Ling

2016-01-01

The highest prevalence of HIV infection occurs in Sub-Saharan Africa and hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence are the second highest in Sub-Saharan Africa including Malawi. Health-care workers (HCWs) play an important role in the prevention of, response to, and management of these infectious diseases. There is, however, no published research about the level of knowledge and attitudes toward HIV, HBV, and HCV infection among Malawian HCWs. The purpose of this study was to explore and determine the knowledge of and attitudes toward HIV, HBV, and HCV among a targeted population of Malawian HCWs. A cross-sectional community-based participatory research with 194 HCWs was completed employing health survey method. The project was a collaborative effort between nursing faculties in the USA and Malawian. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with the Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparisons was used to assess the differences in knowledge and attitude among three subgroups of HCWs. Of 194 of Malawian HCWs surveyed, 41% were support staff, 37% were nursing students, and 22% were health-care professionals. Both health-care professionals and support staff had high knowledge scores related to HIV/AIDS, and their attitudes were mainly positive. However, a series of one-way ANOVAs revealed significant differences in knowledge and attitude toward HIV/AIDs, HBV, and HCV among HCWs ( P < 0.01). The majority had less knowledge about HBV and HCV and more negative attitudes toward hepatitis. This study highlights the ongoing need for reducing negative attitudes toward HIV, HBV, and HCV; and providing health education among HCWs, especially focusing on HBV and HCV prevention. The findings of the research project can be used to develop interventions addressing low HBV- and HCV-related knowledge and attitudes.

Knowledge, attitude and practices regarding HIV/AIDS among adult fishermen in coastal areas of Karachi

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Migrant populations are at high risk of Human Immuno Deficiency Virus infection (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Studies of HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and practices among fishermen in developing countries have shown gaps in knowledge and fear of contagion with ambivalent attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and inconsistent universal precautions adherence. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding HIV/AIDS among adult fishermen in a coastal area of Karachi, Pakistan. Methods Community based cross sectional study was conducted among fishermen in coastal area of Karachi from June to September 2012. A total of 297 adult fishermen were selected by using simple random sampling technique from different sectors of coastal village. Data were collected using a structured validated questionnaire. The frequency distribution of both dependent and independent variables were worked out. Comparisons of knowledge, attitude and practices regarding HIV/AIDS by socio-demographic characteristics were made using logistic regression. Results Out of 297 fishermen, majority had in-appropriate knowledge (93.6%), negative attitude (75.8%) and less adherent sexual practices (91.6%). In univariate analysis, lower education and higher income were significantly associated (OR 2.25, 95% CI, 1.11, 4.55), (OR = 3.04 CI 1.03-9.02, p value 0.04) with negative attitude and un-safe practices towards HIV/AIDS respectively, whereas no significant association of socio-economic characteristics with knowledge, attitude and practices were observed in multivariate analysis. Conclusions This study suggests that fishermen had very poor knowledge, negative attitudes towards HIV and AIDS and had unsafe sexual practices which suggest that they lack the basic understanding of HIV/AIDS infection. Extensive health education campaign should be provided to the vulnerable sections of the society for the control of HIV/AIDS. PMID:24886122

An Investigation of the Relations Between Student Knowledge, Personal Contact, and Attitudes Toward Individuals with Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Eack, Shaun M.; Newhill, Christina E.

2013-01-01

A survey of 118 MSW students was conducted to examine the relationship between social work students’ knowledge about, contact with, and attitudes toward persons with schizophrenia. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that students’ knowledge about and contact with persons with schizophrenia were significantly related to better attitudes toward this population. Moderated multiple regression analyses revealed a significant interaction between knowledge about and contact with persons with schizophrenia, such that knowledge was only related to positive attitudes among students who had more personal contact with persons with the illness. Implications for social work training in severe mental illness are discussed (99 words). PMID:24353396

The kidney cancer research priority-setting partnership: Identifying the top 10 research priorities as defined by patients, caregivers, and expert clinicians.

PubMed

Jones, Jennifer; Bhatt, Jaimin; Avery, Jonathan; Laupacis, Andreas; Cowan, Katherine; Basappa, Naveen; Basiuk, Joan; Canil, Christina; Al-Asaaed, Sohaib; Heng, Daniel; Wood, Lori; Stacey, Dawn; Kollmannsberger, Christian; Jewett, Michael A S

2017-12-01

It is critically important to define disease-specific research priorities to better allocate limited resources. There is growing recognition of the value of involving patients and caregivers, as well as expert clinicians in this process. To our knowledge, this has not been done this way for kidney cancer. Using the transparent and inclusive process established by the James Lind Alliance, the Kidney Cancer Research Network of Canada (KCRNC) sponsored a collaborative consensus-based priority-setting partnership (PSP) to identify research priorities in the management of kidney cancer. The final result was identification of 10 research priorities for kidney cancer, which are discussed in the context of current initiatives and gaps in knowledge. This process provided a systematic and effective way to collaboratively establish research priorities with patients, caregivers, and clinicians, and provides a valuable resource for researchers and funding agencies.

Comparison of knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia between health-related and non-health-related university students.

PubMed

Yong, Mi-Hyun; Yoo, Chan-Uk; Yang, Yeong-Ae

2015-12-01

[Purpose] This study compared the knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia between health-related and non-health-related students. [Subjects] The subjects consisted of a total of 416 people, 213 health-related students and 203 non-health-related students, at K University, which is located in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea, between May 1 and 14, 2014. [Methods] The subjects answered a self-administered questionnaire about their knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia. [Results] There was a significant difference in knowledge of and attitudes toward dementia between the two groups examined. [Conclusion] Health-related students displayed higher knowledge of dementia and a more positive attitude toward dementia compared with non-health-related students. In the future, education to cultivate professional knowledge about dementia and enhance positive attitudes toward dementia should be provided continuously to health-related students. This is because students in health-related fields will likely provide services to patients with dementia in the clinical field. Additionally, as they will likely provide support to the elderly in the future, non-health-related students also need to be educated about and develop positive attitudes toward dementia.

'Our Care through Our Eyes': a mixed-methods, evaluative study of a service-user, co-produced education programme to improve inpatient care of children and young people admitted following self-harm.

PubMed

Manning, Joseph C; Latif, Asam; Carter, Tim; Cooper, Joanne; Horsley, Angela; Armstrong, Marie; Wharrad, Heather

2015-12-29

Within Europe, the UK has one of the highest rates of self-harm, with a particularly high prevalence in children and young people (CYP). CYP who are admitted to paediatric hospital wards with self-harm are cared for by registered children's nurses who have been identified to lack specific training in caring for this patient group. This may impede the delivery of high quality care. Therefore, this study aims to co-produce, implement and evaluate an education programme for registered children's nurses to improve their knowledge, attitudes and confidence when caring for CYP admitted with self-harm. This mixed-methods evaluative study will involve a three-stage design. Stage 1: A priority-setting workshop will be conducted with 19 registered children's nurses. A Delphi technique will be used to establish consensus of information needs. Stage 2: An online educational intervention will be co-produced with 25 CYP and 19 registered children's nurses based on the priorities identified in Stage 1. Stage 3: The intervention will be implemented and evaluated with 250 registered children's nurses at a single hospital. Online Likert scale questionnaires will be administered at baseline and postintervention to assess levels of knowledge, attitudes and confidence in caring for CYP who self-harm. Descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to analyse the data. Statistical significance will be assessed at the 5% (two-sided) level. One-to-one qualitative interviews will also be undertaken with approximately 25 participants to explore any perceived impact on clinical practice. An interpretive descriptive approach will guide qualitative data collection and analysis. This study aims to develop, trial and evaluative a service-user, co-produced education programme for acute hospital registered children's nurses to improve the care of CYP admitted due to self-harm. The study has ethical approval from the National Health Services Research Ethics Committee and full governance clearance. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Design and development of food safety knowledge and attitude scales for consumer food safety education.

PubMed

Medeiros, Lydia C; Hillers, Virginia N; Chen, Gang; Bergmann, Verna; Kendall, Patricia; Schroeder, Mary

2004-11-01

The objective of this study was to design and develop food safety knowledge and attitude scales based on food-handling guidelines developed by a national panel of food safety experts. Knowledge (n=43) and attitude (n=49) questions were developed and pilot-tested with a variety of consumer groups. Final questions were selected based on item analysis and on validity and reliability statistical tests. Knowledge questions were tested in Washington State with participants in low-income nutrition education programs (pretest/posttest n=58, test/retest n=19) and college students (pretest/posttest n=34). Attitude questions were tested in Ohio with nutrition education program participants (n=30) and college students (non-nutrition majors n=138, nutrition majors n=57). Item analysis, paired sample t tests, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's alpha were used. Reliability and validity tests of individual items and the question sets were used to reduce the scales to 18 knowledge questions and 10 attitude questions. The knowledge and attitude scales covered topics ranked as important by a national panel of experts and met most validity and reliability standards. The 18-item knowledge questionnaire had instructional sensitivity (mean score increase of more than three points after instruction), internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha >.75), and produced similar results in test-retest without intervention (coefficient of stability=.81). Knowledge of correct procedures for hand washing and avoiding cross-contamination was widespread before instruction. Knowledge was limited regarding avoiding food preparation while ill, cooking hamburgers, high-risk foods, and whether cooked rice and potatoes could be stored at room temperature. The 10-item attitude scale had an appropriate range of responses (item difficulty) and produced similar results in test-retest ( P

Antecedents to agenda setting and framing in health news: an examination of priority, angle, source, and resource usage from a national survey of U.S. health reporters and editors.

PubMed

Wallington, Sherrie Flynt; Blake, Kelly; Taylor-Clark, Kalahn; Viswanath, K

2010-01-01

The influence of news media on audience cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors in the realm of politics, race relations, science, and health has been extensively documented.Agenda setting and framing studies show that news media influence how people develop schema and place priorities on issues, with media stories serving as a major source of issue frames. Although news media are an important intermediary in the translation of scientific knowledge to different publics, little has been documented about the production of health news and factors that may predict media agenda setting and framing in health journalism. We used data from a 2005 national survey of U.S. health reporters and editors to examine predictors of source, resource, story angle, and frame usage among reporters and editors by variables such as organizational structure, individual characteristics of respondents (such as education and years working as a journalist),and perceptions of occupational autonomy. Multivariable logistic regression models revealed several differences among U.S. health reports and editors in the likelihood of using a variety of news sources, resources, priorities, and angles in reporting. Media agenda setting and framing theories suggest that practitioners familiar with media processes can work with journalists to frame messages, thereby increasing the probability of accurate and effective reporting. Results from this study may help to inform interactions between public health and medical practitioners and the press [corrected].

Measuring social accountability in health professional education: development and international pilot testing of an evaluation framework.

PubMed

Larkins, Sarah L; Preston, Robyn; Matte, Marie C; Lindemann, Iris C; Samson, Rex; Tandinco, Filedito D; Buso, David; Ross, Simone J; Pálsdóttir, Björg; Neusy, André-Jacques

2013-01-01

Health professional schools are responsible for producing graduates with competencies and attitudes to address health inequities and respond to priority health needs. Health professional schools striving towards social accountability founded the Training for Health Equity Network (THEnet). This article describes the development of THEnet evaluation framework for socially accountable health professional education, presents the framework to be used as a tool by other schools and discusses the findings of pilot implementation at five schools. The framework was designed collaboratively and built on Boelen and Woollard's conceptualization, production and usability model. It includes key components, linked to aspirational statements, indicators and suggested measurement tools. Five schools completed pilot implementation, involving workshops, document/data review and focus group discussions with faculty, students and community members. Three sections of the framework consider: How does our school work?; What do we do? and What difference do we make? Pilot testing proved that the evaluation framework was acceptable and feasible across contexts and produced findings useful at school level and to compare schools. The framework is designed as a formative exercise to help schools take a critical look at their performance and progress towards social accountability. Initiatives to implement the framework more widely are underway. The framework effectively aids in identifying strengths, weaknesses and gaps, with a view to schools striving for continuous self-improvement. THEnet evaluation framework is applicable and useful across contexts. It is possible and desirable to assess progress towards social accountability in health professional schools and this is an important step in producing health professionals with knowledge, attitudes, and skills to meet the challenges of priority health needs of underserved populations.

Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards cancer screening in indigenous populations: a systematic review.

PubMed

Kolahdooz, Fariba; Jang, Se Lim; Corriveau, André; Gotay, Carolyn; Johnston, Nora; Sharma, Sangita

2014-10-01

Cancer mortality among indigenous peoples is increasing, but these populations commonly under use cancer-screening services. This systematic review explores knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards cancer screening among indigenous peoples worldwide. Searches of major bibliographic databases identified primary studies published in English up to March, 2014; of 33 eligible studies, three were cohort studies, 27 cross-sectional, and three case-control. Knowledge of and participation in screening was greater for breast cancer than for other cancers. Indigenous peoples tended to have less knowledge, less favourable attitudes, and a higher propensity to refuse screening than non-indigenous populations. The most common factors affecting knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards cancer screening included access to screening, knowledge about cancer and screening, educational attainment, perceived necessity of screening, and age. Greater understanding of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours towards cancer screening in diverse indigenous cultures is needed so that culturally appropriate cancer prevention programmes can be provided. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Military Mental Health First Aid: Development and Preliminary Efficacy of a Community Training for Improving Knowledge, Attitudes, and Helping Behaviors.

PubMed

Mohatt, Nathaniel Vincent; Boeckmann, Robert; Winkel, Nicola; Mohatt, Dennis F; Shore, Jay

2017-01-01

Persistent stigma, lack of knowledge about mental health, and negative attitudes toward treatment are among the most significant barriers to military service members and veterans seeking behavioral health care. With the high rates of untreated behavioral health needs among service members and veterans, identifying effective programs for reducing barriers to care is a national priority. This study adapted Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), an evidence-based program for increasing mental health knowledge, decreasing stigma, and increasing laypeople's confidence in helping and frequency of referring people in need, for military and veteran populations and pilot tested the adapted training program with 4 Army National Guard armories. A total of 176 community first responders (CFRs) participated in a comparative outcomes study, with 69 receiving the training and 107 participating in the control group. CFRs were individuals in natural positions within the Armory or home communities of Guard members to identify and help service members in mental health crisis. Surveys assessing confidence in helping, attitudes toward help seeking, knowledge of resources, use of MHFA practices, and stigma were completed before the training, immediately post-training, at 4 months post-training, and at 8 months post-training. Analyses included repeated measures analysis of variances on data from CFRs who received the training and mixed between-within subjects analysis of variances comparing the intervention and control group longitudinally at three time points. Institutional review board approval for this study was received from Montana State University and the U.S. Army Medical Department, Medical Research and Materiel Command, Human Research Protection Office. Significant and meaningful improvements in confidence (p < 0.05, η 2 = 0.49), knowledge (p < 0.05, η 2 = 0.39), behaviors (p < 0.05, η 2 = 0.27), and stigma (p < 0.05, η 2 = 0.16) were observed among trainees. When compared to a control group, statistically meaningful differences in change over time were observed for knowledge (η 2 = 0.03), attitudes (η 2 = 0.02), confidence (η 2 = 0.06), and stigma (η 2 = 0.02), with a significant and meaningful difference observed for practice behaviors (p < 0.05, η 2 = 0.07). Results from the comparative outcomes pilot study of military and veterans MHFA indicate that the intervention is acceptable and feasible to implement in National Guard Armories and among non-Guard community-based first responders. There was a significant intervention effect detected for the likelihood that a CFR would use appropriate engagement, support, and referral practices when identifying someone in need of mental health support. In addition, there were positive growth trends in the data for improvements in confidence, knowledge of mental health resources, attitudes toward help seeking, and stigma, which indicate that with a larger number of participants and armories we would expect to see significant intervention effects. Study weaknesses included insufficient power and demographic data for more robust analyses of intervention effects. A larger randomized controlled trial is recommended for better establishing efficacy; however, these results indicate that Military and Veterans MHFA is a promising intervention for reducing critical barriers to care. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Pediatrician Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Related to Electronic Cigarettes.

PubMed

Gorzkowski, Julie A; Whitmore, Regina M; Kaseeska, Kristen R; Brishke, Janet K; Klein, Jonathan D

2016-07-01

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have grown rapidly in popularity, creating concerns for pediatricians and families. Evaluating pediatricians' understanding of e-cigarettes is an important first step in effectively addressing these products in practice. This qualitative study assesses pediatricians' knowledge, attitudes, and current clinical practices related to e-cigarettes. We conducted six focus groups with 37 pediatric clinicians in 2014. Groups were led by a trained facilitator using a semistructured discussion guide. Responses were recorded, transcribed, and coded to identify relevant themes. Pediatricians know that e-cigarettes generally contain nicotine and that adolescents and young adults are most likely to use them. However, most feel uninformed about the health effects of e-cigarettes and report wanting scientific evidence for safety or harm from credible sources. Pediatricians are skeptical of claims that e-cigarettes are safe, either for users or for those exposed to second-hand e-cigarette vapor or emissions. Participants noted that clinical conversations about e-cigarettes were rare, citing barriers including a lack of systematic screening, competing priorities during clinical visits, and, for some, limited confidence in their ability to address e-cigarettes during clinical encounters. No participants recommended e-cigarettes for cessation. Pediatricians feel poorly informed about e-cigarettes and are concerned about their potential health effects. While clinical discussions about e-cigarettes are rare, recent increases in their use leaves many clinicians wanting guidance about what to say to patients and families. Copyright © 2016 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Are economic evaluations and health technology assessments increasingly demanded in times of rationing health services? The case of the Argentine financial crisis.

PubMed

Rubinstein, Adolfo; Belizán, María; Discacciati, Vilda

2007-01-01

After 4 years of deepening recession, Argentina's economy plummeted after default in 2002. This crisis critically affected health expenditures and triggered acute rationing. Our objective was to explore health decision-makers' knowledge and attitudes about economic evaluations (EE) and whether health technology assessment (HTA) were increasingly used for decision making. A qualitative design based on semistructured interviews and focus groups was used to explore how decision makers belonging to different health sectors implement resource allocation decisions. Informants were mostly unaware of EE. The most important criteria mentioned to adopt a treatment were evidence of effectiveness, social/stakeholder demand, or resource availability. Despite general positive attitudes about EE, knowledge was rather limited. Although cost considerations were widely accepted by purchasers and managers, clinicians argued about these issues as interfering with the doctor-patient relationship. Other important perceived barriers to HTA use were lack of confidence in the transferability of studies conducted in developed countries and institutional fragmentation of the Argentine healthcare system. The new macroeconomic context was cited as a justification of implicit rationing measures. Although explicit priority setting was implemented by many purchasers and managers, HTA was not used to improve technical and/or allocative efficiency. The crisis seems to be a strong incentive to extend the use of HTA in Argentina, provided decision makers are aware as well as involved in the generation of local studies.

Educational awareness of biotechnology issues among undergraduate students at the United Arab Emirates University.

PubMed

AbuQamar, Synan; Alshannag, Qasim; Sartawi, Abdelaziz; Iratni, Rabah

2015-01-01

Due to its valuable benefits and potential risks, there is a progressing debate among opponents and proponents of biotechnology in recent decades. Previous studies have shown that lack of knowledge about biotechnology remains the concern about genetically modified organisms/food (GMO/GMF). This study assessed levels of educational awareness perceptions and attitudes of United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) students towards biotechnology. An electronic survey including literacy, environmental, social, and economic domains associated with biotechnology was administered to obtain data from undergraduate students in different colleges of the university. Responses from students (n = 1,104) were gathered and statistically analyzed. Results indicated that educational awareness in biotechnology literacy and environmental domains were significantly different according to the enrolled college and the academic achievement of the student. In general, a poor overall performance of our students' understanding was concluded. Aware groups most likely accepted accurate biotechnology information delivered by reliable sources from internet or lectures; they grasped their knowledge from surrounding people as a secondary source. Since UAEU students have several concept misunderstandings of biotechnology and its ethics, our results suggest that awareness plays a crucial role in forming a "clear-cut" opinion about this technology. Because education can shape public attitudes toward biotechnology, priorities on university curricula and teaching strategies should be extensively given, and therefore, improve in respect to this topic. Ultimately, this promotes the students' perception in understanding the new technology. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Attitudes toward science and science knowledge of intellectually gifted and average students in third, seventh, and eleventh grades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrington, Byron L.; Hendricks, Bryan

A questionnaire regarding attitudes toward science and scientific knowledge (Yager & Yager, 1985b) was administered to 143 intellectually gifted (IQ > 130) and intellectually average third-, seventh-, and eleventh-grade students. Measures of internal reliability on four attitude subscales and a content knowledge subscale are reported. Three-way ANOVAs comparing grade, sex, and ability revealed significant differences between average and gifted students in attitudes toward being a scientist, usefulness of science, and, as might be expected, in knowledge of science. Similarly, there were significant differences between grades on attitudes toward teachers and toward science classes, with the most favorable attitudes expressed in third grade, next most favorable in eleventh grade, and clearly more negative attitudes expressed by students in seventh grade. There also was a significant interaction between grade level and ability regarding attitudes toward science classes. In contrast to what might be expected from reported differences between males and females in attitudes toward science, gender as a separate variable did not have a significant main effect in any of the comparisons.

Knowledge and attitudes about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening among women in rural Uganda (POSTPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

www.iiste.org ISSN 2422-8419 An International Peer-reviewed Journal Vol.25, 2016 97 Knowledge and attitudes ...parents/guardians of the vaccinated girls and to assess the attitudes to HPV vaccination among parents/guardians of the vaccinated girls. Methods: A...better knowledge. The general attitude towards HPV vaccination was positive among mothers though there is still need for the populations to

Examination of psychological variables related to nuclear attitudes and nuclear activism

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

Roy, P.J.

1985-01-01

It was hypothesized that knowledge about nuclear arms developments would not be correlated with nuclear attitudes, that sense of efficacy would be positively correlated with magnitude of nuclear activism, and that death anxiety would be correlated with high level of nuclear knowledge and anti-nuclear attitudes, but not with sense of power. It was also hypothesized that positive correlations would be found between nuclear activism and political activism, knowledge of nuclear facts, and degree of adherence to anti-nuclear attitudes. One hundred and forty three women and 90 men participated in this questionnaire study. Major findings are as follows. In general, themore » more people knew about nuclear developments, the more anti-nuclear were their attitudes. Also, regardless of nuclear attitudes, a positive correlation was found between knowledge of nuclear facts and nuclear activism. Death anxiety and powerlessness were not correlated. There was a positive correlation between anxiety and both nuclear knowledge and anti-nuclear attitudes. A strong positive correlation was found between nuclear activism and anti-nuclear attitudes, and between political activism and nuclear activism. Internal locus of control did not correlate significantly with high sense of power or with high degree of nuclear activism.« less

Gender Differences in Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards Cardiovascular Disease and its Treatment among Asian Patients.

PubMed

Shen, Tong; Teo, Tse Yean; Yap, Jonathan Jl; Yeo, Khung Keong

2017-01-01

Introduction : Knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) impact on cardiac disease outcomes, with noted cultural and gender differences. In this Asian cohort, we aimed to analyse the KAP of patients towards cardiac diseases and pertinent factors that influence such behaviour, focusing on gender differences. Materials and Methods : A cross-sectional survey was performed among consecutive outpatients from a cardiac clinic over 2 months in 2014. Results : Of 1406 patients approached, 1000 (71.1%) responded (mean age 57.0 ± 12.7 years, 713 [71.3%] males). There was significant correlation between knowledge and attitude scores (r = 0.224, P <0.001), and knowledge and practice scores (r = 0.114, P <0.001). There was no correlation between attitude and practice scores. Multivariate predictors of higher knowledge scores included female sex, higher education, higher attitude and practice scores and prior coronary artery disease. Multivariate predictors of higher attitude scores included higher education, higher knowledge scores and non-Indian ethnicity. Multivariate predictors of higher practice scores included male sex, Indian ethnicity, older age, higher knowledge score and hypertension. Males had lower knowledge scores (85.8 ± 8.0% vs 88.0 ± 8.2%, P <0.001), lower attitude scores (91.4 ± 9.4% vs 93.2 ± 8.3%, P = 0.005) and higher practice scores (58.4 ± 18.7% vs 55.1 ± 19.3%, P = 0.013) than females. Conclusion : In our Asian cohort, knowledge of cardiovascular health plays a significant role in influencing attitudes and practices. There exists significant gender differences in KAP. Adopting gender-specific strategies for future public health campaigns could address the above gender differences.

High School Football Players' Knowledge and Attitudes About Concussions.

PubMed

Anderson, Brit L; Gittelman, Michael A; Mann, Jessica K; Cyriac, RoseAnn L; Pomerantz, Wendy J

2016-05-01

To assess high school (HS) football players' knowledge of concussions and to determine whether increased knowledge is correlated with better attitudes toward reporting concussion symptoms and abstaining from play. Two survey tools were used to assess athletes' knowledge and attitudes about concussions. Surveys collected information about demographics, knowledge about concussions, and attitudes about playing sports after a concussion. All athletes present completed one of the 2 surveys. A knowledge and attitude score for each survey was calculated. Frequencies and mean values were used to characterize the population; regression analysis, analysis of variance, and t tests were used to look for associations. A football camp for HS athletes in the Cincinnati area. Male HS football players from competitive football programs in the Cincinnati area. None. Scores on knowledge and attitude sections; responses to individual questions. One hundred twenty (100%) athletes were enrolled although not every athlete responded to every question. Thirty (25%) reported history of a concussion; 82 (70%) reported receiving prior concussion education. More than 75% correctly recognized all concussion symptoms that were asked, except "feeling in a fog" [n = 63 (53%)]. One hundred nine (92%) recognized a risk of serious injury if they return to play too quickly. Sixty-four (54%) athletes would report symptoms of a concussion to their coach; 62 (53%) would continue to play with a headache from an injury. There was no association between knowledge score and attitude score (P = 0.08). Despite having knowledge about the symptoms and danger of concussions, many HS football athletes in our sample did not have a positive attitude toward reporting symptoms or abstaining from play after a concussion. Physicians should be aware that young athletes may not report concussion symptoms.

Impact of Family Planning Health Education on the Knowledge and Attitude among Yasoujian Women

PubMed Central

Mahamed, Fariba; Parhizkar, Saadat; Shirazi, Alireza Raygan

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of health education on the knowledge and attitude regarding family planning and contraception’s method among the women who obligatory attended the Premarital Counseling Center in Yasouj city, Iran. An experimental study was carried out and a total of 200 women were selected for the study using convenience sampling method among women who attended in the health centre in order to utilize the necessary premarital actions. Respondents were divided by two experimental and control groups randomly. A pre-evaluation was done on the knowledge and attitude on family planning using a structured questionnaire. After which, the health education for experimental group was done within four educational sessions during 4 consecutive weeks and control group underwent traditional education method. Post evaluation was utilized for any changes regarding their knowledge and attitude among the respondents immediately after the intervention. Independent and paired t-test was used to evaluate the mean knowledge and attitude scores differences among both groups. Results showed that there was a significant improvement in respondents’ knowledge and attitude after educational program in experimental group (p<0.001), while no significant difference was observed in knowledge and attitude of control group. The finding also indicated that age was significantly associated with the level of respondents’ knowledge. These results deal the effectiveness of the educational method. In conclusion, the educational method is effective in increasing the knowledge and improving the attitude of women regarding family planning in Yasouj compared to current used educational method. Future educational programs need to incorporate the features that have been associated with successful interventions in the past, as well as including their own evaluation procedures. PMID:22980158

Effect of an educational intervention on knowledge and attitude regarding pharmacovigilance and consumer pharmacovigilance among community pharmacists in Lalitpur district, Nepal.

PubMed

Jha, Nisha; Rathore, Devendra Singh; Shankar, Pathiyil Ravi; Bhandary, Shital; Pandit, Rabi Bushan; Gyawali, Sudesh; Alshakka, Mohamed

2017-01-03

Pharmacovigilance activities are in a developing stage in Nepal. ADR reporting is mainly confined to healthcare professionals working in institutions recognized as regional pharmacovigilance centers. Community pharmacists could play an important role in pharmacovigilance. This study was conducted among community pharmacists in Lalitpur district to examine their knowledge and attitude about pharmacovigilance before and after an educational intervention. Knowledge and attitude was studied before, immediately after and 6 weeks following the intervention among 75 community pharmacists. Responses were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A pretested questionnaire having twelve and nine statements for assessing knowledge and attitude were used. The overall scores were obtained by adding the 'knowledge' and 'attitude' scores and 'overall' scores were summarized using median and interquartile range. Wilcoxon signed-rank test for repeated samples was used to compare the differences between knowledge and attitude of the pharmacists before and after the educational program. Knowledge scores [median (interquartile range)] improved significantly between pre-test [39 (44-46)], post-test [44 (44-44)] and retention period of 6 weeks after the intervention [46 (43-46)]. Knowledge score improved immediately post-intervention among both males [44 (41-47)] and females [44 (43-45)] but the retention scores (after 6 weeks) were higher [46 (42-48)] among males. Attitude scores improved significantly among females [46 (44-48)]. The overall scores were higher among pharmacists from rural areas. Knowledge and attitude scores improved after the educational intervention. Further studies in other regions of the country are required. The national pharmacovigilance center should promote awareness about ADR reporting among community pharmacists.

Effect of health education on trainee teachers' knowledge, attitudes, and first aid management of epilepsy: An interventional study.

PubMed

Eze, Christian N; Ebuehi, Olufunke M; Brigo, Francesco; Otte, Willem M; Igwe, Stanley C

2015-12-01

High rates of poor knowledge of, and negative attitudes towards people with epilepsy (PWE) are generally found among school teachers. Their first aid epilepsy management skills are poor. It remains unknown if this is different among trainee teachers and whether educational intervention might reduce these rates. We examined the effect of health education on the knowledge, attitudes, and first aid management of epilepsy on trainee teachers in Nigeria. Baseline data and socio-demographic determinants were collected from 226 randomly selected trainee teachers, at the Federal College of Education, Lagos, Nigeria, with self-administered questionnaires. They received a health intervention comprising an hour and half epilepsy lecture followed by a discussion. Baseline knowledge of, and attitudes towards PWE and their first aid epilepsy management skills were compared to post-interventional follow-up data collected twelve weeks later with similar questionnaires. At baseline the majority (61.9%) and largest proportion (44.2%) of respondents had negative attitudes and poor knowledge of epilepsy, respectively. The knowledge of, and attitudes towards epilepsy, and the first aid management skill increased in most respondents, post-intervention. The proportion of respondents with poor knowledge and negative attitudes dropped by 15.5% (p<0.0001) and 16.4% (p<0.0001) respectively. Correct knowledge concomitantly increased by 29.6% (p<0.0001) and good first aid management skills increased by 25.0% (p<0.0001) from baseline. Epilepsy health education could increase trainee teachers' knowledge of, and attitudes towards epilepsy and facilitate correct first aid management. This emphasizes the potential benefit of incorporating an epilepsy tailored intervention programme into teachers' training curricula. Copyright © 2015 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior among Dairy Plant Workers in Beijing, Northern China.

PubMed

Chen, Yan; Ji, Hua; Chen, Li-Jun; Jiang, Rong; Wu, Yong-Ning

2018-01-03

The safety of milk and dairy products has always been one of the focuses of consumers, the food industry and regulatory agencies. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the food safety knowledge, attitudes and behavior of dairy plant workers. A cross-sectional survey was performed between May and August 2015 in three dairy plants in Beijing, northern China. A total of 194 dairy plant workers were interviewed to collect information on food safety knowledge, attitudes and self-reported behavior. The 194 dairy plant workers interviewed showed a sufficient level of knowledge (mean score 34 on a scale from 0-58), perfect attitudes (mean score 17 on a scale from 0-18), and perfect behavior (mean score 38 on a scale from 8-40). Only 39% of workers correctly determined specific pathogens or diseases that could be conveyed through milk and dairy products. 24% of workers knew the correct method of washing hands. A significant positive association was observed between attitudes and knowledge ( p < 0.001) as well as behavior ( p < 0.01). Education level was positively and significantly associated with food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavior ( p < 0.05). Workers in dairy enterprises in northern China have relatively low levels of knowledge, yet satisfactory attitudes and behavior. The knowledge of microbial food hazards and hand hygiene remains an issue that needs to be emphasized in future training programs. Education level is a determinant of attitudes and behavior with regard to the proper handling of milk and dairy products.

Nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards aged sexuality: validity and internal consistency of the Dutch version of the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale.

PubMed

Mahieu, Lieslot; de Casterlé, Bernadette Dierckx; Van Elssen, Kim; Gastmans, Chris

2013-11-01

This paper reports a study testing the content and face validity and internal consistency of the Dutch version of the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale. The ability of older residents to sexually express themselves is known to be influenced by the knowledge and attitudes of nursing home staff towards later-life sexuality. Although the Aging Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale is a widely used instrument to measure this, there is no validated, Dutch translation available. Instrument development. Following a standard forward/backward translation into Dutch, the scale was further adapted for use in Flemish nursing home settings. Content and face validity and user-friendliness were assessed. The psychometric properties were determined by means of an exploratory study. Data were collected from March-April 2011 at eight Flemish nursing homes. Reliability was assessed using internal consistency and item-total correlations. Both subscales of the Flemish adaptation showed acceptable content validity. The face validity and user-friendliness were deemed favourable with hardly any remarks given by the expert panel. The Cronbach's α was 0.80 and 0.88 for the knowledge and attitude subscales, respectively. The item-total correlations ranged from 0.21-0.48 for the knowledge section and from 0.09-0.68 for the attitude subscale. We conclude from our study that the Dutch version of the scale has acceptable to good psychometric properties. The Flemish adaptation therefore seems to be a valuable instrument for studying nursing staff's knowledge and attitudes towards aged sexuality in Flanders. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavior among Dairy Plant Workers in Beijing, Northern China

PubMed Central

Ji, Hua; Chen, Li-Jun; Jiang, Rong; Wu, Yong-Ning

2018-01-01

The safety of milk and dairy products has always been one of the focuses of consumers, the food industry and regulatory agencies. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the food safety knowledge, attitudes and behavior of dairy plant workers. A cross-sectional survey was performed between May and August 2015 in three dairy plants in Beijing, northern China. A total of 194 dairy plant workers were interviewed to collect information on food safety knowledge, attitudes and self-reported behavior. The 194 dairy plant workers interviewed showed a sufficient level of knowledge (mean score 34 on a scale from 0–58), perfect attitudes (mean score 17 on a scale from 0–18), and perfect behavior (mean score 38 on a scale from 8–40). Only 39% of workers correctly determined specific pathogens or diseases that could be conveyed through milk and dairy products. 24% of workers knew the correct method of washing hands. A significant positive association was observed between attitudes and knowledge (p < 0.001) as well as behavior (p < 0.01). Education level was positively and significantly associated with food safety knowledge, attitudes, and behavior (p < 0.05). Workers in dairy enterprises in northern China have relatively low levels of knowledge, yet satisfactory attitudes and behavior. The knowledge of microbial food hazards and hand hygiene remains an issue that needs to be emphasized in future training programs. Education level is a determinant of attitudes and behavior with regard to the proper handling of milk and dairy products. PMID:29301381

The knowledge and attitudes of midwives regarding legal and religious commandments on induced abortion and their relationship with some demographic characteristics.

PubMed

Afhami, Narges; Bahadoran, Parvin; Taleghani, Hamid Reza; Nekuei, Nafisehsadat

2016-01-01

Induced abortion is an important medical issue. Knowledge and attitude of midwives regarding legal and religious commandments on induced abortion can be useful in confronting this issue. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of midwives of Isfahan regarding these rules and to find their relationship with demographic characteristics. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study. The study participants consisted of 189 midwives working in hospitals, health centers, private gynecology clinics, and university. Random quota sampling method was used. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. Data were analyzed using mean, frequency distribution tables, Pearson correlation, and Spearman's coefficient. For all tests, an error of less than 0.05 was considered. The majority of the participants had extremely low to moderate (73%) knowledge about the subject of the study. Their attitudes toward effective implementation of these rules were mostly extremely weak to moderate (68.72%). No correlation was observed between knowledge, age, work experience, and education. However, there was a relationship between the level of knowledge about these rules and the location of service. There was no significant correlation between attitude and demographic characteristics. Due to less knowledge of the midwives and their low attitude score in this regard, training them, improving their attitude toward these issues, and effective implementation of these laws are necessary. Therefore, by identifying the factors affecting the formation of attitudes and the level of knowledge, more constructive proceedings can be taken to promote them.

Relationship between oral health-related knowledge, attitudes and behavior among 15-16-year-old adolescents: a structural equation modeling approach.

PubMed

Tolvanen, Mimmi; Lahti, Satu; Miettunen, Jouko; Hausen, Hannu

2012-03-01

The aim of this study was to confirm the previously observed attitudinal factor structure related to behavioral change and the knowledge-attitude-behavior model on dental health and hygiene among adolescents. The study population consisted of all 8(th) and 9(th) graders (15-16 years) who started the 2004-2005 school year in Rauma, Finland (n = 827). Data on knowledge, attitudes, toothbrushing and using fluoride toothpaste were gathered by questionnaires. Hypothesized structure included four attitudinal factors related to dental health and hygiene: 'importance of toothbrushing when participating in social situations' (F1), 'importance of toothbrushing for health-related reasons and better appearance' (F2), 'being concerned about developing caries lesions' (F3) and 'importance of toothbrushing for feeling accepted' (F4). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized model: pathways lead from knowledge to behavior both directly and via attitudes. The hypothesized model was also modified by removing non-significant pathways and studying the inter-relationships between attitudes. A confirmatory factor analysis revealed that factor F4 had to be removed. In the final model, knowledge influenced behavior directly and via two attitude factors, F1 and F2, which were inter-related. 'Concern about developing caries lesions' was a background factor influencing only knowledge. The final factor structure and SEM model were acceptable-to-good fit. Knowledge had a smaller effect on behavior than on attitudes. Our results support theories about the causal knowledge-attitudes-behavior chain, also for adolescents' oral health-related behaviors.

Racial Differences in Attitudes toward Aging, Aging Knowledge, and Contact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Intrieri, Robert C.; Kurth, Maria L.

2018-01-01

The present study assessed knowledge of aging, attitudes toward aging, ageism, and contact with older adults in a sample of 271 Non-Hispanic White and African-American undergraduates. Research examining racial differences in knowledge of aging, attitudes toward aging, ageism, and contact with older adults has been sparse. Results for the current…

Knowledge and Attitude regarding Recovery among Mental Health Practitioners in Sweden

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klockmo, Carolina; Marnetoft, Sven-Uno; Nordenmark, Mikael; Dalin, Rolf

2012-01-01

The aim was to investigate the knowledge and the attitude regarding recovery among practitioners working in the Swedish mental health system, Personligt Ombud (PO), Supported Housing Team (SHT) and Psychiatric Out Patient Service (POPS), to determine whether and how knowledge and attitude regarding recovery differ between the three services. A…

Does Bachelor's-Level Social Work Education Impact Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Substance-Abusing Clients?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senreich, Evan; Straussner, Shulamith Lala A.

2013-01-01

This study compared 248 graduating seniors with 301 beginning juniors at 10 bachelor's-level social work programs in the Northeast concerning their knowledge and attitudes regarding working with substance-abusing clients. Graduating seniors demonstrated modestly higher levels of knowledge and only slightly more positive attitudes toward working…

The Effects of Knowledge of Child Development and Social-Emotional Maturity on Adolescent Attitudes toward Parenting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsen, John J.; Juhasz, Anne McCreary

1985-01-01

Investigated the relationship between the combined effect of knowledge of child development and level of social-emotional maturity, and the extent to which this relationship affects adolescent attitudes toward parenting. Negative attitudes toward parenting were associated with lack of knowledge of child development and low levels of…

Comparison of Attitudes, Knowledge and Drug Abuse Among Military Offenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ratliff, Bascom W.

1977-01-01

Military offenders' (N=69) attitudes towards drugs, knowledge about drugs, and reported drug abuse histories were analyzed. Results indicated a significantly positive relationship between all three variables. Military offenders who had drug use histories also had more liberal attitudes toward drug use and a greater degree of knowledge about drugs.…

Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours Concerning Sustainable Development among Tenth Grade Students in Manitoba

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michalos, Alex C.; Creech, Heather; Swayze, Natalie; Kahlke, P. Maurine; Buckler, Carolee; Rempel, Karen

2012-01-01

In this paper we present standardized measures of tenth grade students' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours concerning sustainable development as those concepts are understood in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and we test the hypothesis that knowledge and favourable attitudes toward SD lead to favourable…

Medical and Psychology Students' Knowledge and Attitudes regarding Aging and Sexuality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Rachel J.; Zweig, Richard A.

2010-01-01

The current study surveys medical and doctoral psychology students (N = 100) from an urban northeastern university regarding knowledge and attitudes toward elderly sexuality and aging using the Facts on Aging Quiz, the Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale, and measures of interest in gerontology, academic/clinical exposure to aging and…

HIV-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours among College Students in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tung, Wei-Chen; Hu, Jie; Efird, Jimmy Thomas; Yu, Liping; Su, Wei

2012-01-01

Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes, sources of HIV information and behaviours related to HIV, and to explore the difference in the HIV knowledge and attitudes between genders and school years among college students in China. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional. Setting: 475 college students from two universities in China. Method: Data…

Attitudes, Perceptions, and Aging Knowledge of Future Law Enforcement and Recreation Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kurth, Maria L.; Intrieri, Robert C.

2017-01-01

The present study assessed knowledge of aging, ageism, and attitudes toward aging in undergraduate recreation and law enforcement majors. Past research with psychology, social work, and nursing majors showed that greater knowledge of aging was related to fewer ageist attitudes and beliefs. The results showed that law enforcement students possessed…

Nutrition and shiftwork: evaluation of new paramedics' knowledge and attitudes.

PubMed

Macdonald, Amanda B; Rossiter, Melissa D; Jensen, Jan L

2013-01-01

The effect of an oral education intervention on nutrition knowledge was evaluated in new paramedic employees. The evaluation involved measuring knowledge of and attitudes toward nutrition and shiftwork before and after the directed intervention. A convenience sample of 30 new paramedic shiftworkers attended a 15-minute education session focused on nutrition management strategies. This matched cohort study included three self-administered surveys. Survey 1 was completed before education, survey 2 immediately after education, and survey 3 after one month of concurrent post-education and employment experience. Knowledge and attitude scores were analyzed for differences between all surveys. Participants were primary care paramedics, 59% of whom were male. They reported that previously they had not received this type of information or had received only a brief lecture. Mean knowledge scores increased significantly from survey 1 to survey 2; knowledge retention was identified in survey 3. A significant difference was found between surveys 2 and 3 for attitudes toward meal timing; no other significant differences were found between attitude response scores. The education session was successful in improving shiftwork nutrition knowledge among paramedics. Paramedics' attitudes toward proper nutrition practices were positive before the education intervention.

Effect of medical education on students' attitudes toward psychiatry and individuals with mental disorders.

PubMed

Hofmann, Marzellus; Harendza, Sigrid; Meyer, Jelka; Drabik, Anna; Reimer, Jens; Kuhnigk, Olaf

2013-11-01

This study aimed to explore the effect of medical education on students' attitudes toward psychiatry and psychiatric patients, and examined the usefulness of a new evaluation tool: the 6-item Psychiatric Experience, Attitudes, and Knowledge (PEAK-6). Authors studied the attitudes of 116 medical students toward psychiatry and individuals with mental disorders, using two questionnaires before and after a 12-week module of "psychosocial medicine." Results of the 30-item questionnaire Attitudes Toward Psychiatry (ATP-30) were compared with the results of PEAK-6. With the ATP-30, no change in attitudes toward psychiatry was observed at the end of the module. With the PEAK-6, the item "attitude toward psychiatry" significantly improved. Knowledge of and experience with psychiatry as well as knowledge of and experience with individuals with mental disorders improved significantly; however, attitudes toward individuals with mental disorders did not improve. PEAK-6 seems to be a promising tool with regard to nuanced information about psychiatric learning experiences. Participation in a psychiatric module may be associated with a positive effect on students' knowledge about, experience with, and attitudes toward psychiatry, but not attitudes toward psychiatric patients.

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES OF HEALTH CARE SCIENCE STUDENTS TOWARD OLDER PEOPLE.

PubMed

Milutinović, Dragana; Simin, Dragana; Kacavendić, Jelena; Turkulov, Vesna

2015-01-01

Education of health science students in geriatrics is important in order to provide optimal care for the growing number of elderly people because it is the attitudes of health professionals toward the elderly that play the key role in the quality of care provided. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes of health care science students towards ageing and care for the elderly. The present cross-sectional study was carried out on a sample of 130 students (medical, nursing and special education and rehabilitation) of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad. The students were divided into two groups. The first group (E) included students having been taught geriatrics and nursing older adults and the other group (C) included students who had not been trained in this subject. The authors used Palmore's facts on Ageing Quiz for the knowledge evaluation and Kogan's Attitude toward Older People Scale for the attitude evaluation. The results of Facts on Aging Quiz showed the average level of students' knowledge and statistically significant difference between E and C group. The analysis of Kogan's Attitudes toward Old People Scale showed that both groups had neutral attitudes toward older people. Furthermore, a positive correlation between students' knowledge and attitudes was found. There is increasing evidence on the correlation between education, knowledge and attitudes toward older people which suggests that by acquiring better insights into all aspects of ageing through their education the students develop more positive attitudes and interest in working with older adults.

The impact of a summer education program on the environmental attitudes and awareness of minority children

Treesearch

Lincoln R. Larson; Gary T. Green; Steven B. Castleberry

2009-01-01

The environmental education (EE) of America's youth is a high priority, but the effect of EE on children's environmental attitudes and awareness remains uncertain. This study used a pretest, post-test approach to investigate the impact of a 1-week EE summer program on children from different age groups and ethnic backgrounds. A survey instrument designed to...

Graduates' Experiences Of, and Attitudes Towards, the Inclusion of Employability-Related Support in Undergraduate Degree Programmes; Trends and Variations by Subject Discipline and Gender

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Leary, Simon

2017-01-01

Enhancing graduate employability is a priority for many stakeholders in higher education and this research explores graduates' experiences of, and attitudes towards, the inclusion of employability-related support in undergraduate degree programmes. A literature review is supplemented by primary research on a targeted sample of 104 graduates from…

Knowledge, attitudes and practices of food handlers in food safety: An integrative review.

PubMed

Zanin, Laís Mariano; da Cunha, Diogo Thimoteo; de Rosso, Veridiana Vera; Capriles, Vanessa Dias; Stedefeldt, Elke

2017-10-01

This study presents an overview of the relationship between knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of food handlers with training in food safety, in addition to proposing reflections on the training of food handlers, considering its responsibility for food safety and health of consumers. The review was based on the integrative method. The descriptors used were: (food handler), (knowledge, attitudes and practice) and (training). Six databases were searched, 253 articles were consulted and 36 original articles were included. Fifty per cent of the articles pointed that there was no proper translation of knowledge into attitudes/practices or attitudes into practices after training. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of food handlers are important for identifying how efficient training in food safety is allowing prioritize actions in planning training. The evaluation of KAP is the first step to understand the food handler's point of view. After this evaluation other diagnostic strategies become necessary to enhance this understanding. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The Influence of Laboratory Instruction on Science Achievement and Attitude Toward Science across Gender Differences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freedman, Michael P.

This study investigated the use of a hands-on laboratory program to improve attitudes toward science and increase achievement levels in science knowledge among students in a ninth grade physical science course. An objective final examination measured achievement in science knowledge, and a Q sort survey measured attitude toward science. A t test compared the groups' differences in achievement and attitude toward science. An analysis of covariance determined the effect of the laboratory treatment on the dependent variable, with attitude toward science as the covariable. The findings showed that students with regular laboratory instruction scored significantly higher (p < .05) on achievement in science knowledge than those without laboratory instruction, girls with regular laboratory instruction scored significantly higher (p < .05) on achievement in science knowledge than those without laboratory instruction, and girls and boys within the treatment group did not differ significantly on achievement in science knowledge. No significant differences were reported in attitude toward science between or within groups.

Is Knowledge Regarding Tuberculosis Associated with Stigmatising and Discriminating Attitudes of General Population towards Tuberculosis Patients? Findings from a Community Based Survey in 30 Districts of India

PubMed Central

Sagili, Karuna D.; Satyanarayana, Srinath; Chadha, Sarabjit S.

2016-01-01

Background Stigmatising and discriminating attitudes may discourage tuberculosis (TB) patients from actively seeking medical care, hide their disease status, and discontinue treatment. It is expected that appropriate knowledge regarding TB should remove stigmatising and discriminating attitudes. In this study we assessed the prevalence of stigmatising and discriminating attitudes towards TB patients among general population and their association with knowledge regarding TB. Method A cross-sectional knowledge, attitude and practice survey was conducted in 30 districts of India in January-March 2011. A total of 4562 respondents from general population were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires which contained items to measure stigma, discrimination and knowledge on TB. Result Of the 4562 interviewed, 3823 were eligible for the current analysis. Of these, 73% (95% CI 71.4–74.2) had stigmatising and 98% (95% CI 97.4–98.3) had discriminating attitude towards TB patients. Only 17% (95% CI 15.6–18.0) of the respondents had appropriate knowledge regarding TB with even lower levels observed amongst females, rural areas and respondents from low income groups. Surprisingly stigmatising (adjusted OR 1.31 (0.78–2.18) and discriminating (adjusted OR 0.79 (0.43–1.44) attitudes were independent of knowledge regarding TB. Conclusion Stigmatising and discriminating attitudes towards TB patients remain high among the general population in India. Since these attitudes were independent of the knowledge regarding TB, it is possible that the current disseminated knowledge regarding TB which is mainly from a medical perspective may not be adequately addressing the factors that lead to stigma and discrimination towards TB patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to review the messages and strategies currently used for disseminating knowledge regarding TB among general population and revise them appropriately. The disseminated knowledge should include medical, psycho-social and economic aspects of TB that not only informs people about medical aspects of TB disease, but also removes stigma and discrimination. PMID:26829713

Cancer surgeons' attitudes and practices about discussing the chance of operative "cure".

PubMed

Winner, Megan; Wilson, Ana; Yahanda, Alexander; Gani, Faiz; Pawlik, Timothy M

2016-12-01

While physician attitudes about treatment goals have been examined around end-of-life care, surgeon attitudes regarding communication of therapeutic goals prior to cancer-directed operations have not been investigated. We examined how surgeons discuss the potential for cancer "cure" prior to operative treatment and how surgeons perceive patient priorities and treatment goals. Surgeons were invited to complete a Web-based survey about attitudes and practices when discussing cancer-directed operations, including how they defined cancer cure and whether and how they discussed cure as a treatment goal. A total of 551 e-mail invitations were sent and opened; 205 responses were received (response rate 37.2%). While 44.9% of surgeons reported being asked about cure in all or most discussions, only 37.6% used the word cure as often. When discussing cure, an equal number of surgeons reported using qualitative versus quantitative language to express probability of cure (45.7% and 47.4%, respectively). Roughly one third of surgeons (n = 65, 31.7%) defined cure as 5-year, disease-free survival; 36.1% (n = 74) defined cure as absence of recurrence over the patient's lifetime; and 21 (10.2%) defined cure as return to baseline population risk for that specific cancer. Over half of surgeons (n = 112, 56.9%) perceived that to "be cured" was among the top 2 priorities of patients presenting for operative treatment. When discussing relative benefits and goals of therapy, surgeon self-reported discussions of cure varied considerably. Despite identifying cure as a top priority for patients, surgeons were not inclined to incorporate cure into discussions of risks, benefits, and goals of therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, attitudes, cultural, social and spiritual beliefs on healthseeking behaviors of Gambian adults with HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Njie-Carr, Veronica P.S.

2010-01-01

HIV/AIDS continues to grow exponentially in sub-Saharan Africa. Early HIV/AIDS care is essential for early interventions to increase quality of life and reduce mortality. The objectives of the study were: (1) to determine the relationship among attitudes, spiritual beliefs, cultural beliefs, social beliefs and knowledge on health-seeking behaviors (HSB) of Gambian adults living with HIV/AIDS; and (2) to provide preliminary data on psychometric characteristics of the newly developed HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes and Beliefs Patient Questionnaire. The descriptive design included 93 adults aged 21 to 65 years. Correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were used. Bivariate analyses demonstrated significant relationships between all five variables and HSB at p ≤.03. Additionally, 11% of the variance in HSB was explained by the combined contribution of the five variables. Attitudes significantly contributed to the variance, F(1, 90) =4.865; p =.03; spiritual beliefs, though not statistically significant, had clinical significance. The unique contributions of this study are the separation of the variable attitudes from beliefs and knowledge, which independently explained HSB. Spiritual beliefs and attitudes are critical in developing appropriate HIV/AIDS interventions. Furthermore, the HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs Patient Questionnaire provides a valid means for measuring attitudes, beliefs and knowledge of HIV/AIDS for use in future research. PMID:20740045

Are healthcare workers ready for Ebola? An assessment of their knowledge and attitude in a referral hospital in South India.

PubMed

Ahmad, Akram; Khan, Muhammad Umair; Jamshed, Shazia Qasim; Kumar, Bandari Deepak; Kumar, Gogikar Sudhir; Reddy, Puchchakayala Goverdhan; Ajmera, Sudhakar

2016-08-02

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Ebola virus disease (EVD) epidemic to be a public health emergency of international concern. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are at the highest risk of infection, as they may come into contact with patients' blood or fluids. This study was conducted to assess knowledge and attitudes of HCWs towards EVD in India. A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in a multispecialty public sector referral hospital of Telangana, India. Knowledge and attitude of HCWs were evaluated using a pre-validated questionnaire. A sample of 278 participants was selected to participate in this study. The Chi-squared test was used to assess the relationship between attitudes and demographic characteristics. Logistic regression was used examine the association between knowledge and study variables. Of 257 participants who responded (92.4% response rate), 157 (61.1%) were females. The majority of the respondents were physicians (n = 117, 45.5%). Radio and television were the major sources of information about EVD reported by participants (89%). Overall knowledge of HCWs was poor (mean knowledge score: 6.57 ± 2.57). Knowledge of physicians and experienced workers (≥ 10 years) was significantly higher than their respective groups. The overall attitude of the participants was positive (mean attitude score: 1.62 ± 0.57). Significant positive correlations between knowledge and attitude were observed. The findings indicate that participants lack basic understanding of EVD. We recommend future studies be conducted across India to identify and subsequently bridge the knowledge gaps among HCWs.

Zoo Visitor Knowledge and Attitudes toward Gorillas and Chimpanzees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lukas, K. E.; Ross, S. R.

2005-01-01

The authors conducted an evaluation of visitor knowledge and conservation attitudes toward African apes at Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo. Using S. R. Kellert's and J. Dunlap's (1989) analysis of zoo visitor knowledge and attitudes as a model, they modified and administered a survey to 1,000 visitors to the ape facility. On average, visitors correctly…

Change in Knowledge and Attitudes among Students in an Undergraduate Developmental Psychology Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sohr-Preston, Sara

2015-01-01

Non-parent college students enrolled in a lifespan developmental psychology course were assessed at two time points (beginning of the semester and shortly after midterm) on knowledge and attitudes that would likely to be useful for the transition to parenthood. Students reported perceived change in knowledge and attitudes, and repeated measures…

Ethnic Differences in Knowledge and Attitudes about BRCA1 Testing in Women at Increased Risk.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughes, Chanita; Gomez-Caminero, Andres; Benkendorf, Judith; Kerner, Jon; Isaacs, Claudine; Barter, James; Lerman, Caryn

1997-01-01

Knowledge about the inheritance of breast cancer and attitudes about genetic testing for breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility in women at increased risk were studied in Caucasian and African-American women (N=407). Participants had at least one first-degree relative with cancer. Differences in knowledge and attitudes toward risk may be attributed…

Development of a Sex Knowledge and Attitude Test for the Moderately and Mildly Retarded. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmonson, Barbara; And Others

The Socio-Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Test was designed to measure the attitudes and knowledge of retarded individuals in fourteen areas: (1) anatomy/terminology; (2) dating; (3) marriage; (4) intimacy; (5) intercourse; (6) pregnancy, childbirth and childrearing; (8) masturbation; (9) homosexuality; (10) alcohol and drugs; (11) community risks…

Adolescent Boys' Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Testicular Self-Examination: Evaluating an Outreach Education Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Jeffrey K.; Sauter, Marcia; Day, Julie

2002-01-01

Surveyed adolescent boys who had participated in a brief outreach program to high school health education classes designed to increase boys' knowledge about and improve their attitudes toward testicular self-examination (TSE) and early cancer detection. Results indicated that the 1-hour outreach improved students' knowledge and attitudes regarding…

Knowledge and Attitudes Are Related to Selected Salt-Specific Behaviours among Australian Parents.

PubMed

Khokhar, Durreajam; Nowson, Caryl Anne; Margerison, Claire; Bolam, Bruce; Grimes, Carley Ann

2018-06-04

Salt intake in adults and children exceeds recommended levels. Salt-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours (KABs) may influence the amount of salt consumed. The aims of this study were to assess salt-related KABs among parents, and investigate whether salt-related knowledge and attitudes are associated with salt-specific behaviours. Parents with children.

Examining Athletes' Attitudes toward Using Anabolic Steroids and Their Knowledge of the Possible Effects.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anshel, Mark H.; Russell, Kenneth G.

1997-01-01

Examined the relationships between athletes' (N=291) knowledge about the long-term effects of anabolic steroids and their attitudes toward this type of drug. Results show low correlation between greater knowledge and attitudes about the use of steroids in sports, suggesting that drug education programs regarding steroids may have limited value.…

Measuring the Knowledge and Attitudes of Health Care Staff toward Older People: Sensitivity of Measurement Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, David T.; Fitzpatrick, Joanne M.; Roberts, Julia D.; While, Alison E.

2004-01-01

This paper discusses the sensitivity of instruments used to measure knowledge and attitudes toward older people. Existing standardized measurement instruments are reviewed, including a detailed examination of Palmore's Facts on Ageing Quiz (FAQ). A recent study conducted by the research team into the knowledge and attitudes of support workers (n =…

Measuring the Knowledge and Attitudes of Health Care Staff toward Older People: Sensitivity of Measurement Instruments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, David T.; Fitzpatrick, Joanne M.; Roberts, Julia D.; While, Alison E.

2004-01-01

This paper discusses the sensitivity of instruments used to measure knowledge and attitudes toward older people. Existing standardized measurement instruments are reviewed, including a detailed examination of Palmore's Facts on Ageing Quiz (FAQ). A recent study conducted by the research team into the knowledge and attitudes of support workers…

School Nurses' Knowledge, Attitudes, Perceptions of Role as Opinion Leader, and Professional Practice Regarding Human Papillomavirus Vaccine for Youth

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosen, Brittany L.; Goodson, Patricia; Thompson, Bruce; Wilson, Kelly L.

2015-01-01

Background: Because human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine rates remain low, we evaluated US school nurses' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of their role as opinion leaders, and professional practice regarding HPV vaccine, and assessed whether knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of being an opinion leader influenced their professional…

Effect of an Incontinence Training Program on Nursing Home Staff's Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Emily B; And Others

1991-01-01

Nursing staff (n=166) in four nursing homes participated in quasi-experimental study to measure knowledge and attitudes about urinary incontinence and compliance with toileting protocols. Intervention group (n=96) showed slight increase in knowledge; their attitudes remained positive over four testing times. Compliance with protocol was only 72…

A Field Study of First Aid Knowledge and Attitudes of College Students in Kuwait University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Khamees, Nedaa

2006-01-01

A random sample of 562 students completed a questionnaire including demographic data; 20 questions testing knowledge (right answers scored 1 and wrong answers 0); and 20 exploring attitudes ("yes", "not sure" and "no"). Overall, students scored 0.49 for knowledge and 2.30 (of a maximum 3) for attitude. Knowledge…

Associations between non-discrimination and training policies and physicians' attitudes and knowledge about sexual and gender minority patients: a comparison of physicians from two hospitals.

PubMed

Jabson, Jennifer M; Mitchell, Jason W; Doty, S Benjamin

2016-03-12

Some physicians lack knowledge and awareness about health issues specific to sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals. To help improve this, hospitals have implemented policies that mandate non-discrimination and training to promote sexual and gender minority health. There is limited evidence about how such policies relate to physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and gender and sexual minority affirmative practices. A random sample of 1000 physicians was recruited from a complete list of physicians affiliated with one of two university Hospitals located in Tennessee and 180 physicians completed the survey concerning attitudes and knowledge about SGM individuals. Physicians were affiliated with either Hospital A that had not implemented policies for non-discrimination and training, or Hospital B that did. Physicians held different attitudes about SGM patients than non-patients. Physicians affiliated with Hospital A held more negative attitudes about SGM individuals who were non-patients than physicians affiliated with Hospital B. There were no differences between the two hospitals in physicians' attitudes and knowledge about SGM patients. Policies that mandate non-discrimination and training as they currently exist may not improve physicians' attitudes and knowledge about SGM individuals. Additional research is needed to understand how these policies and trainings relate to physicians' SGM affirmative practices.

Investigating Knowledge and Attitude of Nursing Students Towards Iranian Traditional Medicine

PubMed Central

Khorasgani, Sahar Rabani; Moghtadaie, Leila

2014-01-01

The present study aimed at Investigating the knowledge and attitude of Nursing Students towards Iranian Traditional Medicine in universities of Tehran in 2012-2013. 300 students of nursing studying at different universities in Tehran participated in this descriptive, cross-sectional study. The data was collected through a standard questionnaire with an acceptable validity and reliability. The questionnaire was made of five sections including demographic, general knowledge of the Iranian traditional medicine, general attitude towards it, resources of the Iranian traditional medicine and the barriers to it. The results revealed that general knowledge of the students about Iranian traditional medicine and complementary medicine is low. The attitude of the students towards including Iranian traditional medicine and complementary medicine in their curriculum is positive. General attitude of students towards Iranian traditional medicine is positive too. The majority of the participants had not passed any course on Iranian traditional medicine. There was no relationship between participants’ attitude towards Iranian traditional medicine and the number of semesters they had passed. Considering the participants’ positive attitude and their low level of knowledge, it seems necessary for the university policy makers to provide nursing students with different training courses on Iranian traditional medicine and complementary medicine in order to increase their knowledge. PMID:25363119

Report Card: Environmental Attitudes and Knowledge in America. The Fifth Annual Survey of Adult Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Environmental Education and Training Foundation, Washington, DC.

This study investigates environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behavior among adult Americans. The fifth survey, conducted by Roper Starch, explores the relationship between attitudes about the environment and how those attitudes are affected by learning. This report concludes that Americans have very positive views toward the need to conserve…

Knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors of oncology advanced practice nurses regarding advanced care planning for patients with cancer.

PubMed

Zhou, Guiyun; Stoltzfus, Jill C; Houldin, Arlene D; Parks, Susan M; Swan, Beth Ann

2010-11-01

To establish initial reliability and validity of a Web-based survey focused on oncology advanced practice nurses' (APNs') knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors regarding advanced care planning, and to obtain preliminary understanding of APNs' knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors and perceived barriers to advanced care planning. Descriptive, cross-sectional, pilot survey study. The eastern United States. 300 oncology APNs. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior, a knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors survey was developed and reviewed for content validity. The survey was distributed to 300 APNs via e-mail and sent again to the 89 APNs who responded to the initial survey. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the construct validity and test-retest reliability of the survey's attitudinal and practice behavior portions. Respondents' demographics, knowledge, attitudes, practice behaviors, and perceived barriers to advanced care planning practice. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a five-factor solution from the survey's attitudes and practice behavior portions with internal consistency using Cronbach alpha. Respondents achieved an average of 67% correct answers in the 12-item knowledge section and scored positively in attitudes toward advanced care planning. Their practice behavior scores were marginally positive. The most common reported barriers were from patients' and families' as well as physicians' reluctance to discuss advanced care planning. The attitudinal and practice behaviors portions of the survey demonstrated preliminary construct validity and test-retest reliability. Regarding advanced care planning, respondents were moderately knowledgeable, but their advanced care planning practice was not routine. Validly assessing oncology APNs' knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors regarding advanced care planning will enable more tailored approaches to improve end-of-life care outcomes.

Knowledge, attitude and techniques of breastfeeding among Nigerian mothers from a semi-urban community

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Mothers’ poor knowledge and negative attitude towards breastfeeding may influence practices and constitute barriers to optimizing the benefits of the baby-friendly initiative. This study assessed breastfeeding knowledge, attitude and techniques of postures, positioning, hold practice and latch-on among Nigerian mothers from a Semi-Urban community. Methods Three hundred and eighty three consenting lactating mothers who have breastfed for 6 months and up to two years volunteered for this cross-sectional survey, yielding a response rate of 95.7%. A self-administered questionnaire that sought information on maternal socio-demographic variables, knowledge, attitudes and breastfeeding techniques of mothers was employed. Results Based on cumulative breastfeeding knowledge and attitude scores, 71.3% of the respondents had good knowledge while 54.0% had positive attitude. Seventy one point three percent practiced advisable breastfeeding posture. Sitting on a chair to breastfeed was common (62.4%); and comfort of mother/baby (60.8%) and convenience (29.5%) were the main reasons for adopting breastfeeding positions. Cross-cradle hold (80.4%), football hold technique (13.3%), breast-to-baby (18.0%) and baby-to-breast latch-on (41.3%) were the common breastfeeding techniques. A majority of the respondents (75.7%) agreed that neck flexion, slight back flexion, arm support with pillow and foot rest was essential during breastfeeding. There was no significant association between breastfeeding posture practice and each of cumulative breastfeeding knowledge score levels (X2 = 0.044; p = 0.834) and attitude score levels (X2 = 0.700; p = 0.403). Conclusion Nigerian mothers demonstrated good knowledge and positive attitude towards breastfeeding. Most of the mothers practiced advisable breastfeeding postures, preferred sitting on a chair to breastfeed and utilized cross-cradle hold and baby-to-breast latch-on. PMID:24359943

Oral health knowledge, attitude, and self-care practices among pharmacists in Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Baseer, Mohammad Abdual; Mehkari, Mohammed Aleemullah; Al-Marek, Fahad AbdulMohsen Fahad; Bajahzar, Omar Ahmad

2016-01-01

Aim: Identifying and addressing gaps in the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices of pharmacists is important before they can be considered as a member of the oral health promotion team. The aim of this study was to determine the prevailing oral health knowledge, attitude, and self-care practices among a sample of pharmacists from Riyadh, Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 200 pharmacists working in community- and hospital-based pharmacies was conducted using a structured, self-administered, close-ended questionnaire. The responses were collected and descriptive statistics of the mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and self-care practices were calculated. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were performed to compare the different groups. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to assess the association among knowledge–attitude, knowledge–practice, and attitude–practice. Results: Overall, the mean scores of oral health knowledge, attitude, and self-care practices were found to be 5.27 ± 1.05, 3.89 ± 0.83, and 2.1 ± 0.61, respectively. Male non-Saudi pharmacists working in chain pharmacies, having 11–15 years of experience with a Master's degree qualification showed significantly higher mean knowledge and practices scores as compared to their counterparts. Spearman's correlation tests revealed a significant positive correlation of knowledge–practice (r = 0.262, P < 0.01), whereas knowledge–attitude (r = -0.149, P < 0.05) as well as attitudes–practices (r = -0.196, P < 0.01) were negatively correlated. Conclusion: Pharmacists exhibited an average knowledge, negative attitude, and inadequate self-care practices toward oral health. However, increasing oral health knowledge can have profound improvement in oral self-care practices. PMID:27114953

“I Am Very, Very Proud of Myself”: Improving Youth Activity Levels Using Self-Determination Theory in Program Development

PubMed Central

Springer, Judy B.

2013-01-01

Many adolescents are not meeting recommended levels for physical activity. Increasing physical activity among urban African American youth is both a challenge and a public health priority. Most research in community-based interventions has taken a didactic approach, focusing on skill and knowledge development alone, with inconclusive results. This 10-week progressive activity intervention with adolescents in an urban faith community introduced a self-determination theory (SDT) approach with the aim of promoting the adoption of self-management skills necessary for sustaining activity. Components of SDT included relatedness, competence, and autonomy. Together with didactics, aligning activities with participant interests, and using existing social structures for health message delivery, the approach led to high satisfaction ratings for the three components of SDT along with improved skills, knowledge, and outcomes in cardiovascular fitness. Understanding and utilizing approaches that enhance enjoyment, personal choice, confidence, and social affiliation may lead to more lasting healthy activity behaviors and attitudes than didactic approaches alone in this and other adolescent populations. The SDT is reviewed in the context of this youth intervention. PMID:24350215

A Spatio-Temporal Algorithmic Procedure for Environmental Policymaking in the Municipality of Arkalochori in the Greek Island of Crete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Batzias, F. A.; Sidiras, D. K.; Giannopoulos, Ch.; Spetsidis, I.

2009-08-01

This work deals with a methodological framework designed/developed under the form of a spatio-temporal algorithmic procedure for environmental policymaking at local level. The procedure includes 25 activity stages and 9 decision nodes, putting emphasis on (i) mapping on GIS layers water supply/demand and modeling of aquatic pollution coming from point and non-point sources, (ii) environmental monitoring by periodically measuring the main pollutants in situ and in the laboratory, (iii) design of environmental projects, decomposition of them into sub-projects and combination of the latter to form attainable alternatives, (iv) multicriteria ranking of alternatives, according to a modified Delphi method, by using as criteria the expected environmental benefit, the attitude of inhabitants, the priority within the programme of regional development, the capital required for the investment and the operating cost, and (v) knowledge Base (KB) operation/enrichment, functioning in combination with a data mining mechanism to extract knowledge/information/data from external Bases. An implementation is presented referring to the Municipality of Arkalochori in the Greek island of Crete.

User requirements and understanding of public health networks in England.

PubMed

Fahey, D K; Carson, E R; Cramp, D G; Muir Gray, J A

2003-12-01

The movement of public health professionals from health authorities to primary care trusts has increased their isolation and dependence on public health networks for communication. A cross sectional survey of 60 public health professionals working in England was performed to determine their understanding of the term "public health network" and to explore the functions that they would like these networks to perform. It also assessed their attitudes towards a national network and towards individual, local, and national web sites to support these networks. The most popular functions were the support of CPD/education, the identification of expertise and maximisation of scarce resources, information sharing, and efficient information/knowledge management. The local and national networks and their web sites should provide information on current projects of the network and searches to identify people, expertise, and reports. Public health professionals have a similar but broader understanding of the term "public health network" than that of the government with greater emphasis on sharing of information. The network is more likely to be successful if its priorities are maximising scarce resources, identification of expertise, CPD/education, and knowledge management.

Pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising.

PubMed

Naik, Rupali K; Borrego, Matthew E; Gupchup, Gireesh V; Dodd, Melanie; Sather, Mike R

2007-10-15

To assess pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). A cross sectional, self-administered, 106-item survey instrument was used to assess first, second, and third professional year pharmacy students' knowledge about DTCA regulations, attitudes toward DTCA, and evaluation of DTC advertisements with different brief summary formats (professional labeling and patient labeling) and in different media sources (print and television). One hundred twenty (51.3%) of the 234 students enrolled participated in the study. The mean percentage knowledge score was 48.7% +/- 12.5%. Based on the mean scores per item, pharmacy students had an overall negative attitude toward DTC advertisements. Students had an overall negative attitude toward television and print advertisements using the professional labeling format but an overall positive attitude toward the print advertisement using the patient labeling format. Lectures discussing DTC advertising should be included in the pharmacy curriculum.

Pharmacy Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Evaluation of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising

PubMed Central

Borrego, Matthew E.; Gupchup, Gireesh V.; Dodd, Melanie; Sather, Mike R.

2007-01-01

Objectives To assess pharmacy students' knowledge, attitudes, and evaluation of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA). Methods A cross sectional, self-administered, 106-item survey instrument was used to assess first, second, and third professional year pharmacy students' knowledge about DTCA regulations, attitudes toward DTCA, and evaluation of DTC advertisements with different brief summary formats (professional labeling and patient labeling) and in different media sources (print and television). Results One hundred twenty (51.3%) of the 234 students enrolled participated in the study. The mean percentage knowledge score was 48.7% ± 12.5%. Based on the mean scores per item, pharmacy students had an overall negative attitude toward DTC advertisements. Students had an overall negative attitude toward television and print advertisements using the professional labeling format but an overall positive attitude toward the print advertisement using the patient labeling format. Conclusions Lectures discussing DTC advertising should be included in the pharmacy curriculum. PMID:17998983

An exploration of fourth-year undergraduate nurses' knowledge of and attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention.

PubMed

Cullen Gill, E; Moore, Z

2013-11-01

To determine undergraduate nurses' knowledge of and attitudes towards pressure ulcer prevention. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. Ethical approval was received. A convenience sample of fourth-year undergraduate nurses was selected to participate (n=60). Data were collected using a pre-designed questionnaire. Overall, the participants showed a positive attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention but displayed poor knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention. Interestingly, having a high level of competency corresponded with having a positive attitude towards pressure ulcer prevention, but did not equate to possessing knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention. The findings of this study suggest that fourth-year undergraduates have a positive attitude but lack adequate knowledge on the prevention of pressure ulcers. There were no external sources of funding for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Nutrition knowledge, attitudes and fat intake: application of the theory of reasoned action.

PubMed

Shepherd, R; Towler, G

2007-06-01

Validated questionnaires eliciting information on nutrition knowledge and attitudes, related to fat intake from meat, meat products, dairy products and fried foods, were completed by 538 subjects. There were high correlations (ranging from 0.40 to 0.77) between the sums of belief-evaluations, attitudes, intention and self-reported behaviour, with similar correlations for a subgroup of males aged 35-54 years. Nutrition knowledge, showed some statistically significant (but small) negative correlations with components of attitudes. Females had higher nutrition knowledge scores and more negative views of the foods than did males. Fat intake, measured using 3 day weighed intakes, correlated with self-reported behaviour (r = 0.55, p<0.01) in a subsample of 30 males, aged 35-54 years. Thus, nutrition knowledge seems less clearly related to consumption of these foods than are more specific beliefs and attitudes.

Public knowledge, attitudes and behaviour regarding people with mental illness in England 2009-2012.

PubMed

Evans-Lacko, Sara; Henderson, Claire; Thornicroft, Graham

2013-04-01

Public stigma against people with mental health problems is damaging to individuals with mental illness and is associated with substantial societal burden. To investigate whether public knowledge, attitudes and behaviour in relation to people with mental health problems have improved among the English population since the inception of the Time To Change programme in 2009. We analysed longitudinal trends in public knowledge, attitudes and behaviour between 2009 and 2012 among a nationally representative sample of English adults. There were improvements in intended behaviour (0.07 standard deviation units, 95% CI 0.01-0.14) and a non-significant trend for improvement in attitudes (P = 0.08) among the English population. There was, however, no significant improvement in knowledge or reported behaviour. The findings provide support for effectiveness of the national Time to Change programme against stigma and discrimination in improving attitudes and intended behaviour, but not knowledge, among the public in England.

The knowledge and attitudes of Thai obstetrics and gynaecology residents towards Down syndrome screening.

PubMed

Kor-anantakul, Ounjai; Awapark, Penwadee; Suwanrath, Chitkasaem; Suntharasaj, Thitima; Hanprasertpong, Tharangrut

2013-01-01

To survey the knowledge and attitudes towards Down syndrome screening in the final year of training of Thai obstetrics and gynaecology residents. A self-administered structured questionnaire of knowledge and attitudes towards Down syndrome screening was developed One hundred thirty six residents were asked to respond to the questionnaire on their last day of the Thai board examination in the year 2006 and 2007. The data was analyzed using SPSS for windows version 15.0. Eighty-two completed questionnaires surveys were returned (60% response rate). The mean total score of knowledge of Down syndrome and its screening test was 81%. Eighty percent of respondents (65/82) had positive attitudes towards counseling for screening Down syndrome for all pregnant women. Fifty-four percent (44/82) had negative attitudes towards Down syndrome screening for all pregnant women. Sixty percent (49/82) favored nuchal translucency measurement by ultrasonography for screening in the first trimester Training institutes, age, sex, and the counseling experience of residents did not affect the attitudes. The final-year Thai Obstetrics and Gynaecology residents had good knowledge and positive attitudes towards Down syndrome screening. More than half of the residents had negative attitudes towards the screening of all pregnant women. Educational programs and training are needed to address these deficiencies before screening programs are widely implemented.

Understanding the relationship between student attitudes and student learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, Michael J.; McDaniel, Mark A.; Frey, Regina F.; Hynes, K. Mairin; Repice, Michelle; Zhao, Jiuqing; Trousil, Rebecca

2018-02-01

Student attitudes, defined as the extent to which one holds expertlike beliefs about and approaches to physics, are a major research topic in physics education research. An implicit but rarely tested assumption underlying much of this research is that student attitudes play a significant part in student learning and performance. The current study directly tested this attitude-learning link by measuring the association between incoming attitudes (Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey) and student learning during the semester after statistically controlling for the effects of prior knowledge [early-semester Force Concept Inventory (FCI) or Brief Electricity and Magnetism Assessment (BEMA)]. This study spanned four different courses and included two complementary measures of student knowledge: late-semester concept inventory scores (FCI or BEMA) and exam averages. In three of the four courses, after controlling for prior knowledge, attitudes significantly predicted both late-semester concept inventory scores and exam averages, but in all cases these attitudes explained only a small amount of variance in concept-inventory and exam scores. Results indicate that after accounting for students' incoming knowledge, attitudes may uniquely but modestly relate to how much students learn and how well they perform in the course.

Perception, Knowledge, and Attitude toward Physical Activity Behaviour: Implications for Participation among Individuals with Essential Hypertension.

PubMed

Maruf, Fatai Adesina; Ojukwu, C C; Akindele, M O

2018-03-01

Understanding lifestyle behavior among individuals with hypertension is important for achieving hypertension control. This study explored perception, knowledge, attitude and participation in physical activity (PA) among individuals with hypertension attending tertiary hospitals in a south-eastern Nigerian state. This cross-sectional survey involved 200 individuals with hypertension from the Out-Patient Departments of the two teaching hospitals in Anambra State, Nigeria. Information on age, education level, gender, height, sleep duration, perception of PA, knowledge about PA, attitude towards PA, and participation in PA was collected using a self-developed and pilot-tested questionnaire. Blood pressure (BP), height, body weight, and waist circumference were measured using standardized procedures. PA level was assessed using 7-Day International PA Questionnaire. Majority of participants reported good perceptions of PA behavior, in terms of not being discouraged by relations and friends, and of its benefits. They reported good knowledge about PA behavior. The participants demonstrated positive attitude in terms of benefits, importance, and involved risk of PA, and reported high level of participation in PA. There were significant correlations among knowledge about PA, attitude towards PA and participation in PA. PA level generally correlated significantly with attitude and participation in PA CONCLUSIONS: Perceived high level of participation in PA in this study sample can be attributed to their much knowledge and positive attitude towards PA. Increasing the knowledge about PA among individuals with hypertension by creating awareness about benefits and utilization of PA will improve their attitudes towards PA, and thereby fosters their participation in PA.

Students and their parental attitudes toward the education of children affected by HIV/AIDS: a cross-sectional study in AIDS prevalent rural areas, China.

PubMed

Qin, Jiabi; Yang, Tubao; Kong, Fanjing; Wei, Jie; Shan, Xuzhen

2013-02-01

To investigate the prevalence and determinants of student and parental attitudes toward the education of children affected by HIV/AIDS in areas of rural China where AIDS is prevalent. A cross-sectional study of a random sample of students (n=732) and their parents (n=732) conducted in April 2010, using a questionnaire and in-depth interview. Twenty-six per cent of students and 29% of parents had a 'good' attitude toward the education of children affected by HIV/AIDS. Following adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, students' attitudes were significantly associated with knowledge of HIV/AIDS non-transmission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]= 3.13) and their parents' attitudes (aOR= 2.38), but not with knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention or their parents' knowledge. Parents' attitudes were significantly associated with knowledge of HIV/AIDS non-transmission (aOR= 2.12) and their children's attitudes (aOR= 2.52), but not with knowledge of HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention or their children's knowledge. Stigma and discrimination undermine the right to education of HIV/AIDS-affected children in rural China. Improving non-transmission knowledge may improve caring attitudes. HIV/AIDS public health educational campaigns highlighting non-transmission and extending family education, combined with school education, may help to enhance an environment of non-discrimination and safeguard public support programs for the right to education of children affected by HIV/AIDS. © 2013 The Authors. ANZJPH © 2013 Public Health Association of Australia.

Marital attitude trajectories across adolescence.

PubMed

Willoughby, Brian J

2010-11-01

The current study seeks to address the implicit assumption in the developmental literature that marital attitudes are static by investigating how various marital attitudes might change across adolescence. Longitudinal change for three marital attitudes in relation to family structure, educational aspirations, race and gender are examined. Utilizing a sample of 1,010 high school students (53% male; 76% white) recruited from a Midwestern metropolitan area, latent growth models were used to model marital attitude trajectories across adolescence. The sample was followed for 4 years from ages 14 until 18. Results revealed that adolescents placed a higher priority on marriage as they prepared to transition into young adulthood but that gender, race and educational aspirations all altered the degree in which marital attitudes changed across the time period of the study. Results highlight the importance of considering multiple constructs of marital attitudes and the need for more longitudinal work in this area of study.

Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Meat Chicken Production and Relations to Consumption

PubMed Central

Erian, Ihab; Phillips, Clive J. C.

2017-01-01

Simple Summary Public knowledge of meat chicken production and how it influences attitudes to birds’ welfare and consumer behaviour is poorly understood. We therefore conducted a survey of the public in SE Queensland, Australia, from which we determined that industry knowledge was limited. Where it existed, it related to an empathetic attitude towards chicken welfare and an increase in chicken consumption. This suggests that consumers who eat more chicken believe that they should understand the systems of production of the animals that they are consuming. Abstract Little is known about public knowledge of meat chicken production and how it influences attitudes to birds’ welfare and consumer behaviour. We interviewed 506 members of the public in SE Queensland; Australia; to determine how knowledge of meat chicken production and slaughter links to attitudes and consumption. Knowledge was assessed from 15 questions and low scores were supported by respondents’ self-assessed report of low knowledge levels and agreement that their knowledge was insufficient to form an opinion about which chicken products to purchase. Older respondents and single people without children were most knowledgeable. There was uncertainty about whether chicken welfare was adequate, particularly in those with little knowledge. There was also evidence that a lack of empathy towards chickens related to lack of knowledge, since those that thought it acceptable that some birds are inadequately stunned at slaughter had low knowledge scores. More knowledgeable respondents ate chicken more frequently and were less likely to buy products with accredited labelling. Approximately half of the respondents thought the welfare of the chicken was more important than the cost. It is concluded that the public’s knowledge has an important connection to their attitudes and consumption of chicken. PMID:28282911

Effectiveness of a knowledge-contact program in improving nursing students' attitudes and emotional competence in serving people living with HIV/AIDS.

PubMed

Yiu, Jessie W; Mak, Winnie W S; Ho, Winnie S; Chui, Ying Yu

2010-07-01

This study compared the effectiveness of an AIDS knowledge-only program (knowledge) with a combined program of AIDS knowledge and contact with people having HIV/AIDS (PHA) (knowledge-contact) in reducing nursing students' stigma and discrimination towards PHA and in enhancing their emotional competence to serve PHA. Eighty-nine nursing students from two universities in Hong Kong were randomly assigned to either the knowledge or the knowledge-contact condition. All participants completed measures of AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, positive affect, and negative affect at pre-test, post-test, and six-week follow-up. Findings showed that in both groups, significant improvement in AIDS knowledge, stigmatizing attitudes, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, and negative affect were found at post-test. The effects on AIDS knowledge, fear of contagion, willingness to treat, and negative affect were sustained at follow-up for both groups. Intergroup comparisons at post-test showed that the effectiveness of knowledge-contact program was significantly greater than knowledge program in improving stigmatizing attitudes. No significant difference between the two groups was found at follow-up. Findings showed the short-term effect of contact in improving nursing students' attitudes and emotional competence in serving PHA. Implications for research and training of nursing staff were discussed. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge of HIV/AIDS and attitudes towards people living with HIV among the general staff of a public university in Malaysia.

PubMed

Tee, Yvonne; Huang, Mary

2009-12-01

Stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV have been widely documented, and have extended their impact into the workplace. Stigmatising attitudes towards people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the workplace significantly hinder HIV prevention efforts and indirectly affect national development. This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the level of knowledge about HIV and AIDS and assess attitudes towards PLHIV among the general staff of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), as well as to identify factors that are associated with it. Self-administered questionnaires were posted to a total of 344 general staff from six randomly selected faculties, and they were a given a week to return the questionnaires. The response rate was 38%. Data were analysed using Pearson's correlation, independent t-test and multiple linear regression. The respondents showed a considerably high level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS (mean knowledge score of 15.57+/-1.93 out of 18 points) although there were some misconceptions (N=129). Likert scale responses to 20 attitude statements revealed that respondents generally had moderately positive attitudes toward PLHIV (average score of 69.65+/-10.08 out of 100 points). Attitudes were inconsistent when it involved direct contact and interaction with PLHIV. Factors significantly associated with level of knowledge and attitudes included age, education and income. There was no difference in mean score for knowledge and attitudes by gender. Further efforts are necessary to improve attitudes of the general staff towards PLHIV, particularly in areas of direct contact with PLHIV.

Attitudes to statistics in primary health care physicians, Qassim province.

PubMed

Jahan, Saulat; Al-Saigul, Abdullah Mohammed; Suliman, Amel Abdalrhim

2016-07-01

Aim To investigate primary health care (PHC) physicians' attitudes to statistics, their self-reported knowledge level, and their perceived training needs in statistics. In spite of realization of the importance of statistics, inadequacies in physicians' knowledge and skills have been found, underscoring the need for in-service training. Understanding physicians' attitudes to statistics is vital in planning statistics training. The study was based on theory of planned behavior. A cross-sectional survey of all PHC physicians was conducted in Qassim province, from August to October 2014. Attitudes to statistics were determined by a self-administered questionnaire. The attitudes were assessed on four subscales including general perceptions; perceptions of knowledge and training; perceptions of statistics and evidence-based medicine; and perceptions of future learning. Findings Of 416 eligible participants, 338 (81.25%) responded to the survey. On a scale of 1-10, the majority (73.6%) of the participants self-assessed their level of statistics knowledge as five or below. The attitude scores could have a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 100, with higher scores showing a positive attitude. The participants showed a positive attitude with the mean score of 71.14 (±7.73). Out of the four subscales, 'perceptions of statistics and evidence-based medicine' subscale scored the highest, followed by 'perceptions of future learning'. PHC physicians have a positive attitude to statistics. However, they realize their gaps in knowledge in statistics, and are keen to fill these gaps. Statistics training, resulting in improved statistics knowledge is expected to lead to clinical care utilizing evidence-based medicine, and thus improvement to health care services.

Young Syrian adults' knowledge, perceptions and attitudes to premarital testing.

PubMed

Gharaibeh, H; Mater, F K

2009-12-01

The issue of premarital testing is a controversial and complex issue. Syria is an Islamic country that is moving towards modernization that involves changes in social structures and urbanization of attitudes, beliefs, views and values. The purpose of this study was to identify young Syrian adults' knowledge, perceptions and attitudes about premarital testing. Descriptive, cross-sectional design was utilized. The study was conducted at a mid-sized university in Syria. A stratified simple random sampling was used to recruit the university students in the last 2 years of their graduation. A total of 942 students participated in the study using a questionnaire developed to measure the participants' knowledge, attitudes and perception of premarital testing. Although university students had a considerable knowledge of premarital testing, they had a limited knowledge about certain aspects. Moreover, although they had some positive attitudes, they still had negative attitudes and perceptions towards other aspects of premarital testing. The study results could assist in the development of health education programmes in Syria and other Arab countries to increase their awareness and influence their attitudes towards premarital testing. The study limitation was that the sample was chosen from one part of Syria.

Attitudes towards and knowledge about homosexuality among medical students in Zagreb.

PubMed

Grabovac, Igor; Abramović, Marija; Komlenović, Gordana; Milosević, Milan; Mustajbegović, Jadranka

2014-03-01

The aim of the study was to investigate whether students in their fifth and sixth years of medical school in Zagreb have homophobic attitudes and assess their knowledge about homosexuality. A survey was conducted among fifth and sixth year medical students during the 2009/2010 academic year. The survey consisted of general demographic data, two validated questionnaires--"Knowledge about Homosexuality Questionnaire" and "Heterosexual Attitudes towards Homosexuality Scale"--and questions about personal experiences created for this study. The mean knowledge scores were X = 14.8 out of 20. Furthermore, gender differences in attitudes were observed, indicating less negative attitudes among the female participants. The regression model was significant (ANOVA: Sum of Squares = 38.065; df = 17, Mean Square= 2239, F = 10.6; p < 0.001) with 38% of explained variance. The significant predictor variables that indicate lower attitudes about homosexuality score were female gender (beta= -0.14, p = 0.015), sixth year of study (beta = -0.16, p = 0.009) and more knowledge about homosexuality (beta = -0.48, p < 0.001). Negative attitudes are present among the students; therefore, educational efforts should be included in the curricula of medical schools to diminish the negative perceptions of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

A Survey of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Iranian Dentists and Pedodontists in Relation to Child Abuse.

PubMed

Jahanimoghadam, Fatemeh; Kalantari, Mahsa; Horri, Azadeh; Ahmadipour, Habibeh; Pourmorteza, Ehsan

2017-12-01

Since almost half of the child abuse cases affect the head and neck region, dentists have an important role in the diagnosis and report of oral and dental aspects of child abuse cases. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of the general dentists and pedodontists regarding child abuse and child neglect. This cross-sectional study was carried out on the participants of the 12 th congress of pedodontists of Iran. A self-administered questionnaire was used for evaluating their knowledge, attitude and practice toward child abuse. T-test and ANOVA were applied to analyze the data by SPSS software. p <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The mean score of knowledge, attitude and practice of the participants regarding child abuse was 10.24±2.68, 41.54±11.24 and 2.78±1.05, respectively. The knowledge of pedodontists was significantly higher than knowledge of general dentists. No statistically significant difference was observed in attitude and practice ( p > 0.05). Dentists had a moderate knowledge, poor attitude and moderate practice regarding child abuse. Considering this fact, improvements in child abuse education for undergraduate students and continuing post-graduate training in this field are recommended.

The Impact of A "Brief ECT Orientation Module" on The Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical Students Towards ECT in India.

PubMed

Balhara, Yps; Yadav, T; Mathur, S; Kataria, Dk

2012-07-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) continues to be an intervention that attracts controversy in spite of its proven efficacy. There is limited literature on attitude and knowledge of medical students towards ECT from Asian and African countries. The current study assesses the impact of a "Brief ECT Orientation Module" on the knowledge of and attitudes of Indian medical students towards modified ECT. The study was conducted at a tertiary care multi-specialty hospital associated with a government medical college. The students were administered the study questionnaire on Day 1 of Psychiatry clerkship. Following this, they were administered the Brief ECT Orientation Module. Assessment was made using a questionnaire with items related to knowledge and attitude towards ECT before and after "Brief ECT Orientation Module." Fifty-nine students completed the study. There was a significant improvement in knowledge of medical students on all the three domains of the questionnaire for assessment of knowledge about ECT-related facts. A change in attitudes towards ECT was also observed following Brief ECT Orientation Module, especially among those who witnessed ECT administration. The findings of the current study suggest that the Brief ECT Orientation Module is effective in improving the knowledge and attitude of medical students towards ECT.

Knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in avoiding secondhand smoke exposure among non-smoking employed women with higher education in Jordan.

PubMed

Gharaibeh, Huda; Haddad, Linda; Alzyoud, Sukaina; El-Shahawy, Omar; Baker, Nesrin Abu; Umlauf, Mary

2011-11-01

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is a serious public health threat worldwide; in the developing world there are less serious efforts towards controlling women's and children's exposure to SHS. Knowledge, attitudes and avoidance practices among Jordanian women have never been thoroughly studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and avoidance behavior towards SHS exposure among employed Jordanian women with higher education. A survey was conducted among employed Jordanian women at two universities. A total of 209 women were included in the analysis. Two questionnaires regarding SHS exposure were used to measure knowledge, attitudes and avoidance practices. Most respondents were regularly exposed to SHS in various locations during daily life, even though they were very knowledgeable about the dangers of SHS exposure for women and children. However, the subject's attitudes and avoidance behavior did not reflect the level of knowledge about SHS risks. The results suggests there is a large discrepancy between SHS exposure, knowledge, attitudes and avoidance behavior among highly educated Jordanian women that is likely influenced by culture and traditional gender roles. Public health initiatives are needed in Jordan to address public policy, institutional practices and to empowerment of women to reduce SHS exposure.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior in Avoiding Secondhand Smoke Exposure Among Non-Smoking Employed Women with Higher Education in Jordan

PubMed Central

Gharaibeh, Huda; Haddad, Linda; Alzyoud, Sukaina; El-Shahawy, Omar; Baker, Nesrin Abu; Umlauf, Mary

2011-01-01

Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is a serious public health threat worldwide; in the developing world there are less serious efforts towards controlling women’s and children’s exposure to SHS. Knowledge, attitudes and avoidance practices among Jordanian women have never been thoroughly studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and avoidance behavior towards SHS exposure among employed Jordanian women with higher education. Methods A survey was conducted among employed Jordanian women at two universities. A total of 209 women were included in the analysis. Two questionnaires regarding SHS exposure were used to measure knowledge, attitudes and avoidance practices. Results Most respondents were regularly exposed to SHS in various locations during daily life, even though they were very knowledgeable about the dangers of SHS exposure for women and children. However, the subject’s attitudes and avoidance behavior did not reflect the level of knowledge about SHS risks. The results suggests there is a large discrepancy between SHS exposure, knowledge, attitudes and avoidance behavior among highly educated Jordanian women that is likely influenced by culture and traditional gender roles. Public health initiatives are needed in Jordan to address public policy, institutional practices and to empowerment of women to reduce SHS exposure. PMID:22163203

An Educology of Values Education: The Attitudes of Thirteen to Fifteen Year Old Teenagers Towards Spiritual Values--Priorities, Change and Some Pre-Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martisauskiene, Elvyda

2002-01-01

An analysis was conducted in Lithuania of teenager attitudes towards spiritual values which function in both micro- and macro-environments. The data obtained in this contemporary investigation were compared with those registered two decades ago, in the authoritarian type of society of that time. The focus of the study is on the peculiarities of…

Attitudes of U.S. retailers toward China, Canada, and the United States as manufacturing sources for furniture: an assessment of competitive priorities

Treesearch

Urs Buehlmann; Matthew Bumgardner; Torsten Lihra; Mary Frye

2006-01-01

While much has been written regarding the declining global competitiveness of U.S. furniture manufacturing and the subsequent loss of domestic market share and jobs, less is known about the role of retailers in furniture importing. This study investigated the attitudes of U.S. furniture retailers toward China, Canada, and the United States as manufacturing sources for...

Trends in attitudes toward people living with HIV, homophobia, and HIV transmission knowledge in Quebec, Canada (1996, 2002, and 2010).

PubMed

Adrien, Alix; Beaulieu, Marianne; Leaune, Viviane; Perron, Michèle; Dassa, Clément

2013-01-01

People living with HIV (PWHIV) face negative attitudes that isolate and discourage them from accessing services. Understanding negative attitudes and the social environment can lead to more effective health promotion strategies and programs. However, a scale to measure attitudes has been lacking. We developed and validated attitudes toward PWHIV Scale to examine trends in attitudes toward PWHIV in Quebec in 1996, 2002, and 2010. We also examined the relationship between negative attitudes toward PWHIV, homophobia, and knowledge about HIV transmission. The scale included 16 items and had a five-factor structure: F1 (fear of being infected), F2 (fear of contact with PWHIV), F3 (prejudicial beliefs toward groups at high risk of HIV), F4 (tolerance regarding sexual mores and behaviors), and F5 (social support for PWHIV). The validity and reliability of the scale were assessed and found to be high. Overall, Quebecers had positive attitudes toward PWHIV, with more negative attitudes observed in subgroups defined as male, ≥50 years of age, <14 years of education, higher levels of homophobia, and below-average knowledge about HIV transmission. Scores were stable between 1996 and 2002, and increased in 2010. Negative attitudes were correlated with higher levels of homophobia and lesser knowledge about HIV transmission. The lowest scores for each factor were observed in the same subgroups that had low overall scores on the Attitudes Scale. The findings from this study can be used to intensify interventions that promote compassion for PWHIV, address attitudes toward homosexuality, and encourage greater knowledge about the transmission of HIV in these subgroups.

Women's knowledge and attitudes surrounding abortion in Zambia: a cross-sectional survey across three provinces

PubMed Central

Cresswell, Jenny A; Schroeder, Rosalyn; Dennis, Mardieh; Owolabi, Onikepe; Vwalika, Bellington; Musheke, Maurice; Campbell, Oona; Filippi, Veronique

2016-01-01

Objectives In Zambia, despite a relatively liberal legal framework, there remains a substantial burden of unsafe abortion. Many women do not use skilled providers in a well-equipped setting, even where these are available. The aim of this study was to describe women's knowledge of the law relating to abortion and attitudes towards abortion in Zambia. Setting Community-based survey in Central, Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces. Participants 1484 women of reproductive age (15–44 years). Primary and secondary outcome measures Correct knowledge of the legal grounds for abortion, attitudes towards abortion services and the previous abortions of friends, family or other confidants. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used to analyse how knowledge and attitudes varied according to sociodemographic characteristics. Results Overall, just 16% (95% CI 11% to 21%) of women of reproductive age correctly identified the grounds for which abortion is legal. Only 40% (95% CI 32% to 45% of women of reproductive age knew that abortion was legally permitted in the extreme situation where the pregnancy threatens the life of the mother. Even in urban areas of Lusaka province, only 55% (95% CI 41% to 67%) of women knew that an abortion could legally take place to save the mother's life. Attitudes remain conservative. Women with correct knowledge of abortion law in Zambia tended to have more liberal attitudes towards abortion and access to safe abortion services. Neither correct knowledge of the law nor attitudes towards abortion were associated with knowing someone who previously had an induced abortion. Conclusions Poor knowledge and conservative attitudes are important obstacles to accessing safe abortion services. Changing knowledge and attitudes can be challenging for policymakers and public health practitioners alike. Zambia could draw on its previous experience in dealing with its large HIV epidemic to learn cross-cutting lessons in effective mass communication on what is a difficult and sensitive issue. PMID:27000784

Threats to polio eradication in high-conflict areas in Pakistan and Nigeria: a polling study of caregivers of children younger than 5 years.

PubMed

SteelFisher, Gillian K; Blendon, Robert J; Guirguis, Sherine; Brulé, Amanda; Lasala-Blanco, Narayani; Coleman, Michael; Petit, Vincent; Ahmed, Mashrur; Mataruse, Noah; Corkum, Melissa; Nisar, Mazhar; Ben-Porath, Eran N; Gigli, Susan; Sahm, Christoph

2015-10-01

Elimination of poliovirus from endemic countries is a crucial step in eradication; however, vaccination programmes in these areas face challenges, especially in regions with conflict. We analysed interviews with caregivers of children living in two polio-endemic countries to assess whether these challenges are largely operational or also driven by resistance or misinformation in the community. We designed and analysed polls based on face-to-face interviews of a random sample of parents and other caregivers of children younger than 5 years in regions of Pakistan and Nigeria at high risk for polio transmission. In both countries, the sample was drawn via a stratified multistage cluster design with random route household selection. The questionnaire covered awareness, knowledge, and attitudes about polio and oral polio vaccine (OPV), trust in vaccination efforts, and caregiver priorities for government action. We assessed experiences of caregivers in accessible higher-conflict areas and compared their knowledge and attitudes with those in lower-conflict areas. Differences were tested with two-sample t tests. The poll consisted of 3396 caregivers from Pakistan and 2629 from Nigeria. About a third of caregivers who responded in higher-conflict areas of Pakistan (Federally Administered Tribal Areas [FATA], 30%) and Nigeria (Borno, 33%) were unable to confirm that their child was vaccinated in the previous campaign. In FATA, 12% of caregivers reported that they were unaware of polio, and in Borno 12% of caregivers reported that vaccinators visited but their child did not receive the vaccine or they did not know whether the child was vaccinated. Additionally, caregivers in higher-conflict areas are less likely to hold beliefs about OPV that could motivate acceptance and are more likely to hold concerns than are caregivers in lower-conflict areas. Beyond the difficulties in reaching homes with OPV, challenges for vaccination programmes in higher-conflict areas extend to limited awareness, negative attitudes, and gaps in trust. Vaccination efforts might need to address underlying attitudes of caregivers through direct communications and the selection and training of local vaccinators. Harvard T H Chan School of Public Health and UNICEF. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A broader understanding of care managers' attitudes of advance care planning: a concurrent nested design.

PubMed

Aultman, Julie; Baughman, Kristin R; Ludwick, Ruth

2018-05-18

To examine barriers of advance care planning (ACP) experienced by care managers (CMs) through a mixed methods approach. A concurrent nested design was used to acquire a deeper understanding of ACP, and to identify nuances between quantitative and qualitative data. Past quantitative studies on providers have identified barriers related to time, culture, knowledge, responsibility, and availability of legal documents. These barriers, and accompanying attitudes and feelings, have been taken at face value without rich qualitative data to identify under what conditions and to what extent a barrier impacts care. A two-part multisite, mixed methods study was conducted using surveys and focus groups. Surveys were completed by 458 CMs at 10 Area Agencies on Aging and 62 participated in one of 8 focus groups. Data were analyzed using a concurrent nested design with individual data analysis and a merged data approach. There were three main distinctions between the quantitative and qualitative data. First, while CMs reported on the survey that ACP was not too time consuming, focus group data revealed that time was an issue especially related to competing priorities. Second on the survey 60% of the CMS reported they had enough knowledge, but qualitative data revealed about more nuances. Last, the reported comfort levels in the quantitative data were less overt in the qualitative date where additional feelings and attitudes were revealed, e.g., frustration with families, preferences for more physician involvement. CMs reported their attitudes about ACP, clarified through a rigorous mixed methods analysis. Care managers can successfully lead ACP discussions, but require further education, resources, and team-based guidance. ACP is essential for reducing emotional, social, and financial burdens associated with health care decision-making, and CMs can positively impact ACP discussions when appropriately supported by the clinical community. The many nuances in the ACP process that we found illustrate the need for ongoing discussions, education and research on this important topic. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Assessment of College Students' Knowledge and Attitudes toward Solid Waste Management in North Central Zone of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dung, Mohammed Dauda; Makilik, Mangut; Ozoji, Bernadette Ebele

2017-01-01

This study focused on assessment of colleges of education students' knowledge and attitudes toward solid waste management in the North Central zone of Nigeria. The cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A students' knowledge and attitudes toward solid waste management questionnaire were used to collect data from 1,800 students. The findings…

Sexual Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of an Ethnically Diverse Sample of Community College Students in Metropolitan New York.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeMarzo, Jenine

This study investigated the association among select socio-cultural variables and sexual knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors with a diverse population of metropolitan New York community college students. The Sexual Knowledge, Attitude, and Behavior Test survey instrument was administered to 338 students between the ages of 17 and 26 in their…

Effects of Puppetry on Elementary Students' Knowledge of and Attitudes toward Individuals with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunst, Carl J.

2012-01-01

Findings from two studies investigating the effects of Kids on the Block (KOB) puppet shows on elementary school students' knowledge of and attitude toward individuals with disabilities are described. KOB is a troupe of life-size hand-and-rod puppets used to improve knowledge and change attitudes toward persons with disabilities. Results from both…

A Scale for the Assessment of Attitudes and Knowledge Regarding Sexuality in the Aged.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Charles B.

This paper presents the Aging Sexuality Knowledge and Attitudes Scale (ASKAS), an instrument designed to assess the particular aspects of sexual knowledge and attitudes as they relate to the aged. Development of ASKAS items from a survey of existant physiological research on sexuality in older adults and a review of social-psychological writing on…

Profile of Knowledge Management, Basic Sanitation and Attitudes towards Clean and Health Community in Kupang City

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nikmah; Ardi, Muhammad; Yahya, Mohamad; Upa, Muhamad D. Pua; Dirawan, Gufran Darma

2017-01-01

The objective of research is to describe the knowledge and attitude of basic sanitation management community in Kupang City. This type of research is a survey research using quantitative approach. Data were collected by using the instrument in the form of test knowledge of basic sanitation management and attitude questionnaire. The data was then…

Tanning youth: knowledge, behaviors and attitudes toward sun protection of high school students in Sakarya, Turkey.

PubMed

Filiz, Tuncay M; Cinar, Nursan; Topsever, Pinar; Ucar, Fatma

2006-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess, by means of an in-school questionnaire, the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of high-school students in Sakarya, Turkey concerning sun protection and skin cancer. The knowledge and behavior scores of girls were higher than those of boys, whereas boys had better attitude scores.

An Analysis of Training Effects on School Personnel's Knowledge, Attitudes, Comfort, and Confidence Levels toward Educating Students about HIV/AIDS in Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deutschlander, Sharon

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the training effects on school personnel's knowledge, attitudes, comfort, and confidence levels toward educating students about HIV/AIDS in Pennsylvania. The following four research questions were explored: (a) What is the knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and comfort levels of school personnel regarding…

Knowledge and attitudes about urinary incontinence among community-dwelling Korean American women.

PubMed

Kang, Youngmi

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore knowledge and attitudes about urinary incontinence (UI) among Korean American women with incontinence and provide initial information needed to design education programs and culture-specific interventions. One hundred eighty-two community-dwelling Korean American women who were 30 years and older and self-identified as having UI were invited to participate in the study. Data collection was conducted in 12 Korean religious organizations. This study uses a cross-sectional descriptive design by means of interviews. The Incontinence Quiz was used to measure knowledge and attitudes about UI. Higher scores indicate greater knowledge and more positive attitudes. The mean Incontinence Quiz was 4.85 (SD = 2.75) out of 14, which was much lower than the midpoint of 7.0, indicating that respondents tended to have limited knowledge and negative attitudes toward UI. The number of correct responses to the items on the Incontinence Quiz in this sample was lower than that reported in other studies that sampled the general population. Interventions to improve Korean women's knowledge of, and attitudes toward, UI are needed. WOC and continence nurses should take an active role in educating women about the prevention and treatment of UI.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of B.Sc. Pharmacy students about antibiotics in Trinidad and Tobago.

PubMed

Ahmad, Akram; Khan, Muhammad Umair; Patel, Isha; Maharaj, Sandeep; Pandey, Sureshwar; Dhingra, Sameer

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of B.Sc. Pharmacy students about usage and resistance of antibiotics in Trinidad and Tobago. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study involving B.Sc. Pharmacy students. The questionnaire was divided into five components including Demographics data, knowledge about antibiotic use, attitude toward antibiotic use and resistance, self-antibiotic usage and possible causes of antibiotic resistance. Data were analyzed by employing Mann-Whitney and Chi-square tests using SPSS version 20. The response rate was 83.07%. The results showed good knowledge of antibiotic use among students. The overall attitude of pharmacy students was poor. About 75% of participants rarely use antibiotics, whereas self-decision was the major reason of antibiotic use (40.7%) and main source of information was retail pharmacist (42.6%). Common cold and flu is a major problem for which antibiotics were mainly utilized by pharmacy students (35.2%). The study showed good knowledge of pharmacy students regarding antibiotic usage. However, students' attitude towards antibiotic use was poor. The study recommends future studies to be conducted with interventional design to improve knowledge and attitude of pharmacy students about antibiotic use and resistance.

Oral Health Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Among Dental and Medical Students in Eastern India – A Comparative Study

PubMed Central

Kumar, Harish; Behura, Shyam Sundar; Ramachandra, Sujatha; Nishat, Roquaiya; Dash, Kailash C.; Mohiddin, Gouse

2017-01-01

Objectives: To compare oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices among dental and medical students in a Health care centre at Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty BDS and MBBS students each from Kalinga Institute of Dental Sciences and Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences of KIIT University, Bhubaneswar respectively, were invited to participate in this survey using a self-administered structured questionnaire in English comprising 27 questions, which was designed to evaluate the oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices. The obtained data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20 software. Results: On comparison of the scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice, the mean knowledge score was significantly higher among dental students than medical students. The study also showed that female students (both dental and medical) had better oral health knowledge and showed better oral health practices than male students. Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient test showed that, although dental students had better knowledge and attitude towards oral health, there was a lack of adequate practice among them. Conclusion: Further emphasis on oral health is necessary in undergraduate training to improve oral health knowledge, attitude, and practice among dental and medical students as they will act as role models for oral health education among individuals and community at large. PMID:28316951

Complementary Medicine and the Role of Oncology Nurses in an Acute Care Hospital: The Gap Between Attitudes and Practice.

PubMed

Admi, Hanna; Eilon-Moshe, Yael; Ben-Arye, Eran

2017-09-01

To describe hospital nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding complementary medicine (CM); to compare the knowledge and attitudes of nurse managers to staff nurses with diverse oncology experience; and to assess attitudes toward integrating CM into the role of the hospital oncology nurse. 
. Descriptive, cross-sectional study.
. Rambam Health Care Campus in northern Israel.
. A convenience sample of 434 hospital nurses with varied oncology experience.
. Nurses completed a knowledge and attitude questionnaire developed for the current study. Data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric statistical tests. 
. Hospital nurses' knowledge of and attitudes toward CM, and attitudes toward integrating CM into the role of the hospital oncology nurse.
. Nurses lack knowledge and are unaware of the risks associated with CM. However, they believe this approach can improve the quality of life of patients with cancer; 51% expressed an interest in receiving training. Oncology nurses were ambivalent about the feasibility of applying an integrative approach, whereas nurse managers expressed significantly more positive attitudes toward integrating CM within the scope of nursing practices.
. A large discrepancy remains between nurses' strong interest in CM and awareness of associated benefits, and their ambivalence toward its integration in their nursing practice. 
. Although improving nurses' knowledge should be mandatory, it remains insufficient; a shift in the approach to integrating CM into conventional health care is needed, from practitioners' responsibility to healthcare policymakers' responsibility. Legislations and policies are necessary, along with providing respectable infrastructures.

Cloning: What Are Their Attitudes? A Report on the General Attitudes of a Sample of Midwestern Citizens.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balas, Andrea K.; Hariharan, Joya

This study, part of a larger research project, explored the knowledge and attitudes of the general population regarding cloning. Such awareness of the general public's knowledge of important science topics, attitudes toward such topics, and sources from which people retrieve information can help scientific and educational communities develop…

Development and Validation of the ACSI: Measuring Students' Science Attitudes, Pro-Environmental Behaviour, Climate Change Attitudes and Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dijkstra, E. M.; Goedhart, M. J.

2012-01-01

This article describes the development and validation of the Attitudes towards Climate Change and Science Instrument. This 63-item questionnaire measures students' pro-environmental behaviour, their climate change knowledge and their attitudes towards school science, societal implications of science, scientists, a career in science and the urgency…

KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS TOWARD PATIENTS WITH HEPATITIS C INFECTION.

PubMed

Korkmaz, Pınar; Uyar, Cemile; Ozmen, Ahmet; Toka, Onur

2016-09-01

This study aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge of healthcare workers in Kutahya (a western province of Turkey) about HCV infection and their attitudes toward patients with hepatitis C infection. A total of 335 healthcare workers working in Kutahya Evliya Celebi Research and Training Hospital were included in the study. A questionnaire evaluating demographic characteristics, level of knowledge and attitudes of healthcare workers toward patients with hepatitis C infection was administered to the participants. Thirty-six point four percent of the participants were males. According to the occupations, distributions of the participants were as followings: 54.6% nurse, 25.1% physician, 11.6% trainee nurse, 4.5% intern and 4.2% anesthesia technician. The mean age of healthcare professionals was 30.32±8.10 years. Fifty-eight point eight percent of them experienced percutaneous injury. The mean knowledge score was 18.05±3.01 (from a total of 25). There was a statistically significant relationship between knowledge score and age, working year, occupational group (p<0.001). There was also a significant relationship between total attitude score and gender (p=0.006), age (p=0.002), working year (p=0.021) and occupational group (p<0.001). It was determined that as total knowledge score of the participants increased they exhibited a more positive attitude toward patients with hepatitis C infection (p<0.001). A positive relationship was determined between the level of knowledge of healthcare workers and positive attitudes toward patients with hepatitis C infection. Therefore, increasing the level of knowledge is necessary for more positive attitudes.

Use of physical restraint: Nurses' knowledge, attitude, intention and practice and influencing factors.

PubMed

Eskandari, Fatemeh; Abdullah, Khatijah Lim; Zainal, Nor Zuraida; Wong, Li Ping

2017-12-01

To investigate the knowledge, attitude, intention and practice of nurses towards physical restraint and factors influencing these variables. A literature review showed a lack of studies focused on the intention of nurses regarding physical restraint throughout the world. Considering that very little research on physical restraint use has been carried out in Malaysia, assessment of nurses' knowledge, attitude, intention and practice is necessary before developing a minimising programme in hospitals. A cross-sectional study was used. A questionnaire to assess the knowledge, attitude, intention and practice was completed by all nurses (n = 309) in twelve wards of a teaching hospital in Kuala Lumpur. Moderate knowledge and attitude with strong intention to use physical restraint were found among the nurses. Less than half of nurses considered alternatives to physical restraint and most of them did not understand the reasons for the physical restraint. Nurses' academic qualification, read any information source during past year and nurses' work unit showed a significant association with nurses' knowledge. Multiple linear regression analysis found knowledge, attitude and intention were significantly associated with nurses' practice to use physical restraint. This study showed some important misunderstandings of nurses about using physical restraint and strong intention regarding using physical restraint. Findings of this study serve as a supporting reason for importance of educating nurses about the use of physical restraint. Exploring the knowledge, attitude, intention and current practice of nurses towards physical restraint is important so that an effective strategy can be formulated to minimise the use of physical restraints in hospitals. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Family Physicians Regarding Smoking Cessation Counseling in Family Practice Centers, Suez Canal University, Egypt

PubMed Central

Eldein, Hebatallah Nour; Mansour, Nadia M.; Mohamed, Samar F.

2013-01-01

Introduction: Family physicians are the first point of medical contact for most patients, and they come into contact with a large number of smokers. Also, they are well suited to offer effective counseling to people, because family physicians already have some knowledge of patients and their social environments. Aims: The present study was conducted to assess family physicians’ knowledge, attitude and practice of smoking cessation counseling aiming to improve quality of smoking cessation counseling among family physicians. Materials and Methods: The study was descriptive analytic cross sectional study. It was conducted within family medicine centers. Sample was comprehensive. it included 75 family physicians. They were asked to fill previously validated anonymous questionnaire to collect data about their personal characteristics, knowledge, attitude and practice of smoking cessation counseling, barriers and recommendations of physicians. Equal or above the mean scores were used as cut off point of the best scores for knowledge, attitude and practice. Statistical Analysis: SPSS version 18 was used for data entry and statistical analysis. Results: The best knowledge, attitude and practice scores among family physicians in the study sample were (45.3 %, 93.3% and 44% respectively). Age (P = 0.039) and qualification of family physicians (P = 0.04) were significant variables regarding knowledge scores while no statistically significance between personal characteristics of family physicians and their attitude or practice scores regarding smoking cessation counseling. More than half of the family physicians recommended training to improve their smoking cessation counseling. Conclusions: Favorable attitude scores of family physicians exceed passing knowledge scores or practice scores. Need for knowledge and training are stimulus to design an educational intervention to improve quality of smoking cessation counseling. PMID:24479071

Knowledge, attitude and practice of family physicians regarding smoking cessation counseling in family practice centers, suez canal university, egypt.

PubMed

Eldein, Hebatallah Nour; Mansour, Nadia M; Mohamed, Samar F

2013-04-01

Family physicians are the first point of medical contact for most patients, and they come into contact with a large number of smokers. Also, they are well suited to offer effective counseling to people, because family physicians already have some knowledge of patients and their social environments. The present study was conducted to assess family physicians' knowledge, attitude and practice of smoking cessation counseling aiming to improve quality of smoking cessation counseling among family physicians. The study was descriptive analytic cross sectional study. It was conducted within family medicine centers. Sample was comprehensive. it included 75 family physicians. They were asked to fill previously validated anonymous questionnaire to collect data about their personal characteristics, knowledge, attitude and practice of smoking cessation counseling, barriers and recommendations of physicians. Equal or above the mean scores were used as cut off point of the best scores for knowledge, attitude and practice. SPSS version 18 was used for data entry and statistical analysis. The best knowledge, attitude and practice scores among family physicians in the study sample were (45.3 %, 93.3% and 44% respectively). Age (P = 0.039) and qualification of family physicians (P = 0.04) were significant variables regarding knowledge scores while no statistically significance between personal characteristics of family physicians and their attitude or practice scores regarding smoking cessation counseling. More than half of the family physicians recommended training to improve their smoking cessation counseling. Favorable attitude scores of family physicians exceed passing knowledge scores or practice scores. Need for knowledge and training are stimulus to design an educational intervention to improve quality of smoking cessation counseling.

Early Childhood Caries-Related Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice: Discordance between Pediatricians and Dentists toward Medical Office-Based Prevention in Taiwan.

PubMed

Dima, Shinechimeg; Chang, Wei-Jen; Chen, Jung-Wei; Teng, Nai-Chia

2018-05-24

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding early childhood caries (ECC) prevention and implementation of medical setting-based caries prevention among pediatricians and dentists in Taiwan. Data were collected from currently practicing pediatricians and general and pediatric dentists using self-administered questionnaires. A total of 301 questionnaires were completed by the pediatricians ( n = 105), general dentists ( n = 117), and pediatric dentists ( n = 79). The pediatric dentists obtained significantly higher knowledge and practice scores than the general dentists and pediatricians ( p < 0.0001). The pediatricians' attitude score related to engaging physicians in medical office-based caries prevention was significantly higher than the attitude scores of the general and pediatric dentists ( p < 0.05). A Spearman rank correlation analysis indicated a significant positive correlation between knowledge and practice among the general dentists (r s = 0.271, p < 0.01) and pediatricians (r s = 0.262, p < 0.01). The correlation between knowledge and attitude among the pediatricians was significantly positive (r s = 0.242, p < 0.05). Attitude and practice among the pediatricians were significantly positively correlated (r s = 0.271, p < 0.01). Pediatricians lacked ECC-related knowledge; however, they had a more positive attitude toward medical office-based prevention when they had a higher level of knowledge. Oral health-related education for pediatricians is necessary if such medical office-based caries prevention programs are to be implemented in Taiwan.

Knowledge and Oral Health Attitudes among Parents of Children with Congenital Heart Disease.

PubMed

Suvarna, Reshma; Rai, Kavita; Hegde, Amitha M

2011-01-01

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a devastating complex of diseases resulting from defects of development. It affects more than 1 of every 100 live births. Early preventive dental care should be adjusted to the special needs of these children in their first years of life. Knowledge of parental attitudes and experiences of dental care are therefore important. Aim : This study was done to assess the knowledge and attitudes among parents of children with congenital heart disease towards oral health and dental care. Materials and methods : Parents (n = 105) of children with congenital heart disease of an age ranging from 0 to 16 years were included in the study. A questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and oral health attitudes. Results : The parents' knowledge was fair but the oral health attitudes were not very satisfactory. The parents in this study also recognized the importance of oral health for the well-being of rest of the body. Conclusion : The results of this study indicate that parents' and children's attitudes toward oral health and dental care need to be improved.

China: Science on a Swinging Pendulum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1972

1972-01-01

The nature of, and attitudes toward, science and technology in China are explored. The priorities and accomplishments in science and medicine are reviewed with a brief projection of the possible future of Chinese science. (TS)

Parents' knowledge, attitudes, use of pain relief methods and satisfaction related to their children's postoperative pain management: a descriptive correlational study.

PubMed

Chng, Hui Yi; He, Hong-Gu; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Liam, Joanne Li Wee; Zhu, Lixia; Cheng, Karis Kin Fong

2015-06-01

To examine parents' knowledge about and attitudes towards pain management, use of pain relief strategies and satisfaction with their children's postoperative pain management, as well as the relationships among these variables. Children's postoperative pain is inadequately managed worldwide. Despite increasing emphasis on parental involvement in children's postoperative pain management, few studies have examined parents' management of their child's postoperative pain in Singapore. A descriptive correlational study. A convenience sample of 60 parents having 6- to 14-year-old children undergoing inpatient elective surgery in a public hospital in Singapore was recruited. Data were collected one day after each child's surgery using the Pain Management Knowledge and Attitudes questionnaire and the Parents' Use of Pain Relief Strategies questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient were used for data analyses. Parents displayed moderate levels of knowledge, attitudes and use of pain relief methods in relation to their children's postoperative pain and pain management. They were generally satisfied with the management of their child's postoperative pain. There was significant difference in Parents' Use of Pain Relief Strategies scores between parents with and without previous experience of caring for their hospitalised child. Statistically significant positive correlations were found between parents' knowledge and attitude, knowledge and satisfaction, attitude and satisfaction, knowledge and pain relief strategies, as well as attitude and pain relief strategies. This study indicates the need to provide parents with more information regarding their children's postoperative pain management. Future studies are needed to develop educational interventions for parents to improve their knowledge and attitudes, which will eventually improve their use of pain relief strategies for their children. Health professionals need to provide more information to equip parents with knowledge and skills regarding paediatric postoperative pain management. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The impact of educational experiences on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease: A mixed method study.

PubMed

Kimzey, Michelle; Mastel-Smith, Beth; Alfred, Danita

2016-11-01

As the population ages, the effects of Alzheimer's disease will be felt by all nurses. Providing proper care for people with Alzheimer's disease is difficult and requires specific skills, attitudes, and knowledge. Limited data exists regarding nursing students' attitudes and knowledge toward people with Alzheimer's disease, whether undergraduate education prepares students to care for this population, or the best methods to support students in learning in an innovative and interactive environment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different educational experiences on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease and to explore nursing students' knowledge and attitudes surrounding the care of people with Alzheimer's disease. A convergent mixed method design. A three group (Alzheimer's disease clinical experience, online learning module, and no dementia-specific intervention), pretest and posttest design served as the quantitative arm of the study. A focus group discussion with themes extracted served as the qualitative piece of the study. College of Nursing in North Texas. Convenience sample of 94 senior level nursing students enrolled in the undergraduate nursing program's Community Health course. Students completed pre and posttest surveys which included Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale, Dementia Attitudes Scale, and demographic questionnaire. Content analysis was conducted on focus group responses to qualitative interview questions. The Alzheimer's disease clinical group experienced increased knowledge and improved attitudes toward people with Alzheimer's disease compared with students who completed the online module or had no dementia-specific intervention. Four themes emerged from focus group data: Basic Alzheimer's disease knowledge, need for Alzheimer's disease experiential learning, negative feelings related to behaviors, and appropriate responses to behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. Experiential learning in the form of clinical placements increased knowledge and improved attitudes about Alzheimer's disease compared with an online module and no dementia-specific intervention. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Community health professionals' dementia knowledge, attitudes and care approach: a cross-sectional survey in Changsha, China.

PubMed

Wang, Yao; Xiao, Lily Dongxia; Luo, Yang; Xiao, Shui-Yuan; Whitehead, Craig; Davies, Owen

2018-05-25

Community health professionals play a significant role in dementia care. However, little is known about community health professionals' capacity in dementia care, especially in low and middle-income countries. The aim of the present study was to assess community health professionals' dementia knowledge, attitudes and care approach in China, a country with the largest population of people with dementia in the world and where community based dementia care services are much needed. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. 450 health professionals were recruited into the study using random sampling from community health service centres in Changsha, China. Their knowledge, attitudes and care approach were assessed utilising the Chinese version of the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale, Dementia Care Attitude Scale and Approach to Advanced Dementia Care Questionnaire respectively. A total of 390 participants returned the questionnaire (response rate 87%). Age, education, professional group and care experience were associated with knowledge scores, and overall dementia knowledge was poor. Attitudes were generally positive and influenced by age, professional group, gender and care experience. The experience of caring for people with dementia was positively associated with a person-centred care approach, although the participants tended not to use a person-centred care approach. A statistically significant association was found between knowledge and attitudes (r = 0.379, P < 0.001), and between attitudes and care approach (r = 0.143, P < 0.001). However, dementia knowledge has no relationship with a person-centred approach. Community health professionals showed generally positive attitudes towards people with dementia. However, they demonstrated poor dementia knowledge and tended not to use a person-centred care approach. The results suggest that a multifaceted approach consisting of educational interventions for community health professionals, and policy and resource development to meet the demand for community dementia care services, is urgently needed in China.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Clerical Students with Respect to HIV/AIDS in Iran, 2011.

PubMed

Shamsipour, Mansour; Khajehkazemi, Razieh; Haghdoost, Ali Akbar; Setayesh, Hamidreza; KarimanMajd, Sajjad; Mostafavi, Ehsan

2016-02-01

In this study, knowledge and attitude of Iranian clerical students toward HIV and AIDS was assessed. Through a cross-sectional study, 367 clerical students were surveyed, in convenience sampling method, in the Qom seminary in 2011, utilizing a self-administered structured questionnaire. The questionnaire was piloted on 20 clerical student volunteers, internal consistency measured with Cronbach's alpha was 0.89. Participants' scores of knowledge and attitude were calculated out of 100. The level of knowledge in 37.33 % of participants was good (scores >80), whereas 46.05 and 16.62 % had moderate (40 < scores ≤ 80) and poor (scores ≤40) levels of knowledge, respectively. The mean score of knowledge and attitude was 58.29 (95 % CI 56.11-60) and 77.26 (95 % CI 75.92-78.59) out of 100, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between level of knowledge and attitude (r = 0.33, P < 0.001). Knowledge score appeared to be significantly higher in women compared to men (p = 0.04). With an increase in age, the level of knowledge significantly decreased (r = -0.10, P = 0.02). We could also detect a statistically significant relationship between attending educational courses on HIV/AIDS and inclusion of HIV/AIDS topics in the individual's sermons (P < 0.001). Although clerical students had shown some sort of positive attitudes toward HIV, their knowledge still needs to be improved to enable them to deliver more accurate information to the community during the course of their speeches. Having HIV-related courses as part of their curriculum or aside may contribute a lot to this.

Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Organ Donation among Relatives of Patients Referred to the Emergency Department.

PubMed

Pouraghaei, Mahboob; Tagizadieh, Mohammad; Tagizadieh, Ali; Moharamzadeh, Payman; Esfahanian, Samaneh; Shahsavari Nia, Kavous

2015-01-01

Organ donation is one of the surviving procedures, which can increase the life expectancy of end-stage patients. Inappropriate beliefs and attitude of individuals to organ donation, their poor knowledge, and the socio-economic level are one of the most important barriers for organ donation. Therefore, here knowledge and attitude levels among relatives of trauma patients regarding organ donation were evaluated. This cross-sectional study was done on relatives of trauma patients referred to the emergency department of Sina Hospital, Tabriz, Iran, through 2013 to 2014. The questionnaire included parts of demographic data and socio-economic situations as well as status of knowledge and attitude regarding organ donation. A score between 0-7 was belonged to each person based on his/her level of knowledge. Attitude level had a score between 0-12. Chi- square, Fisher, and Mann-Whitney U test were performed to assess the relation between demographic variables and the level of knowledge and attitude. P<0.05 was considered as a significant level. 79 persons (57.1% male) with the mean age of 31.3±11.3 years were evaluated. 57 (73.1%) of subjects agreed with organ transplant. The main causes of disagreement among relatives regarding organ donation were dissatisfaction of the donor's relatives (25%) and religious issues (15%). 49 (62.02%) studied people had inappropriate attitude and 27 (34.2%) ones had good knowledge. male gender (OR=5.87; 95%CI: 3.32-8.42; p=0.001) and self-employed job (OR=7.78; 95%CI: 4.64-10.92; p=0.001) are independent factors associated with poor knowledge about organ donation. Self-employed job (OR=3.86; 95%CI: 1.41-6.11; p=0.009) and poor knowledge (OR=15.3; 95%CI: 9.03-21.57; p<0.001) were related to inappropriate attitude toward organ donation. The present study showed that 73.1% of participants agreed with organ donation. The major causes of disagreements were dissatisfaction of other relatives and religious beliefs. 62.0% of the studied people had positive view regarding organ donation and 34.2% of them well informed about. The most important causative factors for poor knowledge in this context were male gender and self-employed occupation. In addition, poor knowledge and self-employed job were two factors associated with inappropriate attitude toward organ donation.

Minorities and Clinical Trials: Patients, Physicians, Clinical Trial Characteristics and their Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

sites to assess their discussions with physicians, intentions and actual participation in prostate cancer clinical trials, attitudes and knowledge about...with physicians, intentions and actual participation in prostate cancer clinical trials, attitudes and knowledge about such trials, and barriers to and...calculated and compared across race/ethnicity. Examination of major outcomes included willingness to participate in, knowledge of, and attitudes towards

The Civic Achievement Gap: A Study of the Civic Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes of Hispanic Students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nieves, Sergio

2013-01-01

This study assessed the civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes of Hispanic eighth grade students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), Florida. The participants consisted of 361 Hispanic students from 10 middle schools. Cuban, Colombian, or Nicaraguan participants did not demonstrate differences in civic knowledge, skills, and attitudes.…

A Controlled Experimental Evaluation of Three AIDS Prevention Activities for Improving Knowledge, Changing Attitudes, and Decreasing Risk Behaviors of High School Seniors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Mike U.; Katner, Harold P.

This study was conducted to assess the level of AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and risk behaviors of a group of predominantly sexually active high school seniors (N=734) and to evaluate the relative effectiveness of three AIDS prevention activities in improving knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among these students. The educational program…

A Sex Education Programme for Mothers in Iran: Does Preschool Children's Sex Education Influence Mothers' Knowledge and Attitudes?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Jeno; Riazi, Hedyeh; Firoozi, Armin; Nasiri, Maliheh

2018-01-01

Mothers have an important role to play in teaching their children about sexual issues and shaping children's sexual knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. In many cases, however, mothers themselves need help and support. This study was conducted to examine the effects of a sex education programme on the knowledge and attitudes of the mothers of…

Knowledge of, and Attitudes to, Indoor Air Pollution in Kuwaiti Students, Teachers and University Faculty

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al Khamees, Nedaa A.; Alamari, Hanaa

2009-01-01

The concentrations of air pollutants in residences can be many times those in outside air, and many of these pollutants are known to have adverse health consequences. Despite this, there have been very few attempts to delineate knowledge of, and attitudes to, indoor air pollution. This study aimed to establish the knowledge of, and attitudes to,…

Development and Validation of an Instrument to Assess Social Work Students' Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes about Human Trafficking Questionnaire (PKA-HTQ): An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nsonwu, Maura Busch; Welch-Brewer, Chiquitia; Heffron, Laurie Cook; Lemke, Melinda A.; Busch-Armendariz, Noel; Sulley, Caitlin; Cook, Sharon Warren; Lewis, Mary; Watson, Elizabeth; Moore, Wayne; Li, Jilan

2017-01-01

Objective: This study sought to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a tool designed to assess social work students' knowledge of and perceptions and attitudes toward human trafficking. To achieve this aim, the Perceptions, Knowledge, and Attitudes toward Human Trafficking Questionnaire (PKA-HTQ) was developed and its psychometric…

The Influence of the Art of Clinical Supervision Program on Nurses' Knowledge and Attitude About Working With Students.

PubMed

Russell, Kylie; Alliex, Selma; Gluyas, Heather

The Art of Clinical Supervision program was developed, implemented, and evaluated to determine nursing staff knowledge of and attitudes toward nursing students and the clinical supervision thereof. A key point of the program was the inclusion of strategies to promote one's attitude toward working with students. A mixed methods approach of surveys, online reflections, and interviews was used to determine the program's effect. The findings highlighted a positive impact on participants' self-knowledge and attitudes toward students and student clinical supervision.

Patients' desire for information about anaesthesia. Scottish and Canadian attitudes.

PubMed

Lonsdale, M; Hutchison, G L

1991-05-01

Patients in Canada and Scotland were asked to complete a pre-operative questionnaire examining their desire for information relating to anaesthesia. In both Canada and Scotland, patients under the age of 50 years had a greater wish to receive information than those who were older (p less than 0.0001). In Canada, female patients were found to be more keen to receive pre-operative information than males of the same age group (p less than 0.05). The priority given to individual pieces of information was remarkably similar in both countries. Details of dangerous complications of anaesthesia and surgery were consistently rated of low priority, with high priority going to postoperative landmarks such as eating and drinking. Both countries rated meeting the anaesthetist before surgery as the highest priority of all.

Evaluating the effect of knowledge, attitude and practice on self-management in patients with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Karbalaeifar, Ronak; Kazempour-Ardebili, Sara; Amiri, Parisa; Ghannadi, Shima; Tahmasebinejad, Zhale; Amouzegar, Atieh

2016-12-01

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a common disease imposing a great economic burden to health systems. As the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Iran has grown over the past decades, it has become necessary to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of type 2 diabetic patients in our country for policy planning to increase the patients' awareness of diabetes and its complications and, in the long run, decrease costs of treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of patients with diabetes and its relationship with self-managing of disease and quality of life. This study was conducted with the aim of assessing the knowledge, attitude, self-reported practice, self-care and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients attending diabetes clinic of Torfeh academic hospital in Tehran, Iran, during April to June 2014. The study population comprised of 120 type 2 diabetic patients aged above 30 years receiving anti-diabetic medications visiting Torfeh's outpatient diabetes clinic for follow-up care. Face-to-face interviews were carried out to fill five questionnaires evaluating patients' knowledge, attitude, practice, self-care and HRQoL. Demographic characteristics were recorded at the beginning of the study. Laboratory data were extracted from patients' most recent medical documents. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21. 120 type 2 diabetic patients (86 female and 34 male patients) with mean age of 55.98 ± 9.50 years were evaluated. The mean score of knowledge, attitude, practice, self-care and HRQoL was 67.99 ± 10.38, 73.43 ± 11.84, 64.69 ± 16.63, 58.22 ± 12.24 and -1.13 ± 0.6, respectively. There was a significant negative relationship between HbA1c and patients' practice. We did not find any correlation between patients' knowledge, attitude or practice and their HRQoL. There was a significant direct relationship between patients' knowledge with their attitude and practice. This study observed a good level of knowledge, attitude and practice but a low level of self-care and HRQoL among patients. As knowledge and attitude have a direct relationship with practice and the number of people with diabetes continues to rise, we can help patients improve practice and decrease the burden of diabetes complications and their related expenditures by increasing their knowledge.

Influence of a Short-Term Disability Awareness Program on Knowledge and Attitudes of School-Aged Children in Southern Belize: Results of a Community-University Partnership.

PubMed

Magnusson, Dawn M; Cal, Francisco; Boissonnault, Jill S

2017-04-01

Little is known about the attitudes of children living in Central America toward people with disabilities or the effectiveness of a disability awareness program in influencing their knowledge and attitudes. The study objectives were to evaluate the effectiveness of a disability awareness program in influencing Belizean children's knowledge of and attitudes toward people with disabilities in the immediate short term and to describe the development of a university-community partnership that resulted in the development of a culturally appropriate disability awareness program. This was a single-group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study with cluster sampling. Study participants included 247 children (11-14 years old) from 8 primary schools in Toledo District, Belize. A paper-based disability awareness survey measuring knowledge of and attitudes toward people with disabilities was administered before and after an intervention. The intervention was a 90-minute multimodal disability awareness program. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to model the influence of the intervention on knowledge of and attitudes toward people with disabilities. Significant improvements in knowledge of and attitudes toward people with disabilities were evident immediately after the intervention. Children were not randomized to a control group. Although this feature was a limitation in terms of study design, the researchers believed that respecting the wishes of the school principals by providing the disability awareness intervention to all students was important. This study provided an example of how a university-community partnership can positively influence community outcomes. Further research is needed to assess long-term changes in Belizean children's knowledge of, attitudes toward, and behaviors toward people with disabilities, as well as the social inclusion and participation of children with disabilities. © 2017 American Physical Therapy Association

Influence of knowledge and attitudes on smoking habits among young military conscripts in Taiwan.

PubMed

Lin, Yaoh-Shiang; Wu, Der-Min; Lai, Hsiang-Ru; Shi, Zheng-Ping; Chu, Nain-Feng

2010-08-01

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the knowledge and attitudes of cigarette smoking that are associated with smoking habits among young military conscripts in Taiwan. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of young conscripts in southern and eastern Taiwan between August 1 and December 31, 2001. We selected 3,249 young military conscripts who had served more than 1 month in the military, based on specific criteria. We used a standard structured questionnaire to collect information about the respondents' sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle, knowledge, attitude, and cigarette smoking practices. Our findings showed that among smoking young military conscripts, knowledge about smoking was lower and attitudes toward smoking were more negative when compared with the non-smokers. Knowledge and attitudes about smoking varied with sociodemographic characteristics (age, education level, residential area) and lifestyle (cigarette smoking, betel nut chewing, alcohol drinking), all p < 0.05. Subjects with greater knowledge about smoking had a lower risk of smoking (odds ratio, 0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.86-0.91). But this characteristic diminished after being adjusted for potential confounders. In addition, subjects with a higher attitude score about smoking had relatively lower risk for cigarette smoking when compared to those with a lower attitude score, even after adjusting for potential confounders (odds ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval, 0.91-0.94). Knowledge and attitudes about smoking are significantly associated with the status of cigarette smoking. These findings can help public health professionals develop effective policies and smoking prevention and cessation programs among young military conscripts in Taiwan. Copyright 2010 Elsevier. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Public awareness, knowledge, and practice relating to epilepsy among adults in Konya.

PubMed

Kartal, Ayşe; Akyıldız, Abdülbaki

2016-06-01

This study aimed to determine the familiarity with, knowledge of, misunderstandings, and attitudes toward epilepsy among a group of Turkish adults living in Konya, an urban city in central Turkey. By using an established familiarity-knowledge-attitudes practice questionnaire, 500 randomly selected adult residents of Konya were interviewed face-to-face. Demographic and sociocultural factors that predicted negative attitudes were determined. More than half of all participants (68.4%) reported hearing or reading about epilepsy, 44% knew someone with epilepsy, and 42.2% had witnessed a seizure. The primary source of knowledge was via relatives and friends; Negative attitudes were about marriage and inability to live alone with epilepsy (63.2% objected to marriage and 84% objected to living alone). A preconception of epilepsy being a dangerous and lifelong disease was the primary reason for negative attitudes. Predictors of negative attitudes were female gender, lower educational status, and living in a rural area. Negative attitudes regarding the marital status of patients with epilepsy still exist. These may stem from misconceptions about the cause and treatability of epilepsy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stigma in mental illness: attitudes of medical students towards mental illness.

PubMed

Mas, A; Hatim, A

2002-12-01

Negative attitudes towards people with mental illness can be attributed to stigma. The objective of this study was to determine the attitudes of medical students towards mental illness by comparing those who have had contact with mental patients and those who have not. This study also assesses to what extent knowledge about mental illness can affect the students' attitude. A vignette and two dependent measures (social distance scale and dangerousness scale) were used to assess the attitudes of medical students towards mental illness. They comprised of 108 first year and 85 final year medical students in University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. The first year students didn't have any prior psychiatric training. The final year students who had knowledge and contact (undergone 8 weeks of clinical psychiatric training) were less stigmatizing toward mentally ill patients. There were no significant differences in the attitudes towards mentally ill patient among the first year students (no knowledge) regardless they had previous contact or not. Knowledge seems to have the effect in inculcating greater tolerance of mental illness. Contact by itself is not sufficient for attitude changes.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Nurses Regarding Organ Donation

PubMed Central

Babaie, Mohadese; Hosseini, Mahdi; Hamissi, Jalaleddin; Hamissi, Zahra

2015-01-01

Introduction: Treatment team charged to help patients and their family making decision about donate organs in the final stage of life. Hence, their knowledge and attitude is important to plan of increasing the rate of organ donation. Materials and Methods: About 150 nurses recruited in this cross-sectional study randomly. After taking informed consent, questionnaires were filled. The data collection tool was a multipart questionnaire including demographic information, 18 questions about attitude and practice and 15 question about knowledge toward organ donation. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using K-squire, Pearson correlation test, T-test, variance analyze on 95% confidence interval. Results: Most of participants (76%) were 25-44 years old. About 81.3% of them were female (n=122). The attitude average score between males and females was 85.25±35.61 and 70.37±46.53, respectively. The practice average score in females was 34.43±47.71 and between males was 29.63±46.53. The knowledge average scores were 50.60±16.19 and 56.54±17.48 for two groups (p>0.05). The knowledge average scores between different age groups was significant (p<0.05). There was a direct and significant relation between attitude and practice (r= +0.33, p<0.05), attitude and Factors influencing attitude and practice (r= 0.866, p<0.05), but the relation between attitude and knowledge was indirect and significant (r= -0.183, p<0.05). Conclusions: Since the medical team are most important adviser for promote activities related to organ donation, it seems that educational curriculum and facilities should applied to enhance attitude and behavior favorable change of personnel towards this issue. PMID:26153179

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Nurses Regarding Organ Donation.

PubMed

Babaie, Mohadese; Hosseini, Mahdi; Hamissi, Jalaleddin; Hamissi, Zahra

2015-04-03

Treatment team charged to help patients and their family making decision about donate organs in the final stage of life. Hence, their knowledge and attitude is important to plan of increasing the rate of organ donation. About 150 nurses recruited in this cross-sectional study randomly. After taking informed consent, questionnaires were filled. The data collection tool was a multipart questionnaire including demographic information, 18 questions about attitude and practice and 15 question about knowledge toward organ donation. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using K-squire, Pearson correlation test, T-test, variance analyze on 95% confidence interval. Most of participants (76%) were 25-44 years old. About 81.3% of them were female (n=122). The attitude average score between males and females was 85.25±35.61 and 70.37±46.53, respectively. The practice average score in females was 34.43±47.71 and between males was 29.63±46.53. The knowledge average scores were 50.60±16.19 and 56.54±17.48 for two groups (p>0.05). The knowledge average scores between different age groups was significant (p<0.05). There was a direct and significant relation between attitude and practice (r=+0.33, p<0.05), attitude and Factors influencing attitude and practice (r=0.866, p<0.05), but the relation between attitude and knowledge was indirect and significant (r=-0.183, p<0.05). Since the medical team are most important adviser for promote activities related to organ donation, it seems that educational curriculum and facilities should applied to enhance attitude and behavior favorable change of personnel towards this issue.

Teaching research methodology in medical schools: students' attitudes towards and knowledge about science.

PubMed

Hren, Darko; Lukić, Ivan Kresimir; Marusić, Ana; Vodopivec, Ivana; Vujaklija, Ana; Hrabak, Maja; Marusić, Matko

2004-01-01

To explore the relationship between teaching scientific methodology in Year 2 of the medical curriculum and student attitudes towards and knowledge about science and scientific methodology. Anonymous questionnaire survey developed for this purpose. Zagreb University School of Medicine, Croatia. A total of 932 students (response rate 58%) from all 6 years were invited to participate. Score on attitude scale with 45 Likert-type statements and score on knowledge test consisting of 8 multiple choice questions. The average attitude score for all students was 166 +/- 22 out of a maximum of 225, indicating a positive attitude towards science and scientific research. The students' average score on the knowledge test was 3.2 +/- 1.7 on 8 questions. Students who had finished Year 2 had the highest mean attitude (173 +/- 24) and knowledge (4.7 +/- 1.7) scores compared with other year groups (P < 0.001, anova and Tukey posthoc test). For students who had attended a mandatory Year 2 course on the principles of scientific research in medicine (Years 3 to 6), multiple linear regression analysis showed that knowledge test score (B = 3.4; SE = 0.4; 95% confidence interval 2.5-4.2; P < 0.001) and average grades (B = 7.6; SE = 1.5; 95% CI 4.6-10.6; P < 0.001) were significant predictors of attitude towards science, but not sex or failure to pass a year (B = - 0.6; SE = 1.7; 95% CI - 3.9-2.6; P = 0.707; and B = - 3.1; SE = 1.9; 95% CI - 6.8-5.7; P = 0.097, respectively). Medical students have generally positive attitudes towards science and scientific research in medicine. Attendance of a course on research methodology is related to a positive attitude towards science.

Attitudes toward Science (ATS): An Examination of Scientists' and Native Americans' Cultural Values and ATS and Their Effect on Action Priorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murry, Adam T.

Science has been identified as a crucial element in the competitiveness and sustainability of America in the global economy. American citizens, especially minority populations, however, are not pursuing science education or careers. Past research has implicated ‘attitudes toward science’ as an important factor in the public’s participation in science. I applied Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior to attitudes toward science to predict science-related sustainability-action intentions and evaluated whether scientists and Native Americans differed in their general attitudes toward science, cultural values, and specific beliefs about science. Analyses revealed that positive attitude toward science and the cultural value of individualism predicted intentions to engage with science-related sustainability actions. Unexpectedly, scientists and Native Americans did not differ in their cultural values or positive attitude toward science. However, Natives Americans held significantly more negative attitude toward science than scientists. Implications for science education and attitudes towards science theory and application are discussed.

Attitudes and local ecological knowledge of experts fishermen in relation to conservation and bycatch of sea turtles (reptilia: testudines), Southern Bahia, Brazil

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The use of ethnoecological tools to evaluate possible damage and loss of biodiversity related to the populations of species under some degree of threat may represent a first step towards integrating the political management of natural resources and conservation strategies. From this perspective, this study investigates fishermen’s ecological knowledge about sea turtles and attitudes towards the conservation and bycatch in Ilhéus, Southern Bahia, Brazil. Methods Fishermen experts semi-structured interviews were performed using snowball sampling method. The interviews consisted of a series of questions relating to the fishermen’s profile, structure and work equipment, the local ecological knowledge of fishermen about sea turtles and bycatch, a projective test, attitudes towards turtle conservation and beliefs and taboos regarding turtles. Indicators for quantitative comparisons of respondents in terms of their broad knowledge and attitudes towards turtle conservation were created. Correlation analyses were made between indicators of knowledge and attitude as well as the relationship between education level and knowledge and attitudes. Results Thirty experts were interviewed for the study. The local ecological knowledge and attitudes of fishermen towards the conservation of sea turtles were respectively medium (0.43) and moderate (0.69) according to experts (based on Likert scale and Cronbach’s Alpha). Potential areas of spawning were reported from Barra Grande to Una covering the entire coast of Ilhéus. Methods for identifying the animal, behavior, and popular names were described by fishermen. The most recent captures of turtles were attributed to fishing line, but according to the respondents, lobster nets and shrimp traps are more likely to capture turtles. Knowledge and attitudes were weakly inversely correlated (r = −0.38, p = 0.04), and the education level of the respondent showed a positive correlation with positive attitudes towards turtle conservation (H = 8.33; p = 0.04). Life history, habitat, specific and exogenous taboos, beliefs and the use of hawksbill turtle to make glasses and other handcrafts are also reported in the study. Conclusions Monitoring of spawning areas, preservation of traditional practices, strategies to moderate the use of fishery resources and the local ecological knowledge/attitudes can provide data to improve the conservation practices and management of sea turtles. PMID:23448503

The knowledge, attitudes and practices of parents of children with asthma in 29 cities of China: a multi-center study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Asthma is becoming increasingly prevalent among children in China. Poor parent knowledge and attitudes often contribute to inappropriate management practices, leading to deficiencies in the care process. We aimed to document the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of parents of children with asthma and analyze how knowledge and attitudes relate to practices. Our secondary objective was to identify the factors associated with parent KAP scores. Methods A KAP questionnaire was distributed to parents caring for 2960 children (0–14 years) diagnosed with asthma for at least 3 months from China’s 29 provinces. A 50-item questionnaire was devised for this cross-sectional survey based on a comprehensive review of the subject. Questionnaires were scored on 30 items regarding parent asthma-related KAP, with one point for every correct response and a possible range of 0–13 for knowledge, 0–7 for attitudes and 0–10 for practices. Higher scores indicated better KAP. Chi-squared tests and logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with practices and combined KAP scores. Results The response rate was 83.95% (2485/2960). Only 18.31% (455/2485) of parents correctly answered ≥ 60% of the knowledge questions (mean = 5.69). Most (89.85%; 2226/2485) gave positive responses to ≥ 60% of the attitude questions (mean = 5.23) while 67.89% (1687/2485) correctly answered ≥ 60% of the practices questions (mean = 6.19). Knowledge and attitudes were positively associated with pulmonary function testing, regular physician visits, monitoring with a peak flow meter and the Children’s Asthma Control Test questionnaire, avoidance of asthma triggers, using an inhaled β2 receptor agonist and adherence to medication regimen (p ≤ 0.05). Attitudes were also associated with allergen testing. In logistic regression analysis, high KAP scores (dichotomized by a cut-off score of 18) were positively associated with food allergy, rhinitis, physician visits, frequency of visits and parent education (p < 0.05, OR > 1). Conclusions Generally, the parents’ KAP were poor. A gap between recommended and actual practice was observed, which may be related to inadequate knowledge about and poor attitudes toward childhood asthma. Improving knowledge and attitudes may encourage better practices among parents of children with asthma. PMID:23379859

Attitudes and local ecological knowledge of experts fishermen in relation to conservation and bycatch of sea turtles (reptilia: testudines), Southern Bahia, Brazil.

PubMed

Braga, Heitor de Oliveira; Schiavetti, Alexandre

2013-03-01

The use of ethnoecological tools to evaluate possible damage and loss of biodiversity related to the populations of species under some degree of threat may represent a first step towards integrating the political management of natural resources and conservation strategies. From this perspective, this study investigates fishermen's ecological knowledge about sea turtles and attitudes towards the conservation and bycatch in Ilhéus, Southern Bahia, Brazil. Fishermen experts semi-structured interviews were performed using snowball sampling method. The interviews consisted of a series of questions relating to the fishermen's profile, structure and work equipment, the local ecological knowledge of fishermen about sea turtles and bycatch, a projective test, attitudes towards turtle conservation and beliefs and taboos regarding turtles. Indicators for quantitative comparisons of respondents in terms of their broad knowledge and attitudes towards turtle conservation were created. Correlation analyses were made between indicators of knowledge and attitude as well as the relationship between education level and knowledge and attitudes. Thirty experts were interviewed for the study. The local ecological knowledge and attitudes of fishermen towards the conservation of sea turtles were respectively medium (0.43) and moderate (0.69) according to experts (based on Likert scale and Cronbach's Alpha). Potential areas of spawning were reported from Barra Grande to Una covering the entire coast of Ilhéus. Methods for identifying the animal, behavior, and popular names were described by fishermen. The most recent captures of turtles were attributed to fishing line, but according to the respondents, lobster nets and shrimp traps are more likely to capture turtles. Knowledge and attitudes were weakly inversely correlated (r = -0.38, p = 0.04), and the education level of the respondent showed a positive correlation with positive attitudes towards turtle conservation (H = 8.33; p = 0.04). Life history, habitat, specific and exogenous taboos, beliefs and the use of hawksbill turtle to make glasses and other handcrafts are also reported in the study. Monitoring of spawning areas, preservation of traditional practices, strategies to moderate the use of fishery resources and the local ecological knowledge/attitudes can provide data to improve the conservation practices and management of sea turtles.

Expressed information needs of patients with osteoporosis and/or fragility fractures: a systematic review.

PubMed

Raybould, Grace; Babatunde, Opeyemi; Evans, Amy L; Jordan, Joanne L; Paskins, Zoe

2018-05-08

This systematic review identified patients have unmet information needs about the nature of osteoporosis, medication, self-management and follow-up. Clinician knowledge and attitudes appear to be of key importance in determining whether these needs are met. Unmet information needs appear to have psychosocial consequences and result in poor treatment adherence. Patient education is an integral component of the management of osteoporosis, yet patients are dissatisfied with the information they receive and see this as an area of research priority. This study aimed to describe and summarise the specific expressed information needs of patients in previously published qualitative research. Using terms relating to osteoporosis, fragility fracture and information needs, seven databases were searched. Articles were screened using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Full-text articles selected for inclusion underwent data extraction and quality appraisal. Findings were drawn together using narrative synthesis. The search identified 11,024 articles. Sixteen empirical studies were included in the review. Thematic analysis revealed three overarching themes relating to specific information needs, factors influencing whether information needs are met and the impact of unmet information needs. Specific information needs identified included the following: the nature of osteoporosis/fracture risk; medication; self-management and understanding the role of dual energy x-ray absorptiometry and follow-up. Perceived physician knowledge and attitudes, and the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of patients were important factors in influencing whether information needs were met, in addition to contextual factors and the format of educational resources. Failure to elicit and address information needs appears to be associated with poor treatment adherence, deterioration of the doctor-patient relationship and important psychosocial consequences. This is the first study to describe the information needs of patients with osteoporosis and fracture, the impact of this information gap and possible solutions. Further research is needed to co-design and evaluate educational interventions with patients.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pharmacists regarding Dietary Supplements : A Community Pharmacy- based survey in Tehran.

PubMed

Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Yousefi, Nazila; Hashemian, Farshad; Maleksabet, Hanieh

2014-01-01

The present study aimed to evaluate pharmacy practice regarding dietary supplements in Tehran (I.R. Iran). So, the factors affecting on pharmacists' practice including their knowledge, attitude, and some underlying factors were evaluated. This is an observational knowledge; attitude and practice (KAP) study. The unit of analysis include pharmacies practice located in Tehran. The data was collected in 2013 via an anonymous, self-administered; postal questionnaire consisted of demographic information, knowledge (subjective and objective questions), attitude, and practice evaluation part. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using SPSS. This study showed that although the knowledge has a significant effect on attitude and practice, the attention should be paid on other underlying factors such as experience, pharmacy ownership situation and academic degree which might have positive impact on pharmacists' practice. According to this study, although many underlying factors such as experience, university and pharmacy ownership have impact on pharmacy practice regarding dietary supplements, the most attention should paid to knowledge as the main factor and more attention should be paid to training on dietary supplement could be recommended.

Stakeholder Engagement to Identify Priorities for Improving the Quality and Value of Critical Care.

PubMed

Stelfox, Henry T; Niven, Daniel J; Clement, Fiona M; Bagshaw, Sean M; Cook, Deborah J; McKenzie, Emily; Potestio, Melissa L; Doig, Christopher J; O'Neill, Barbara; Zygun, David

2015-01-01

Large amounts of scientific evidence are generated, but not implemented into patient care (the 'knowledge-to-care' gap). We identified and prioritized knowledge-to-care gaps in critical care as opportunities to improve the quality and value of healthcare. We used a multi-method community-based participatory research approach to engage a Network of all adult (n = 14) and pediatric (n = 2) medical-surgical intensive care units (ICUs) in a fully integrated geographically defined healthcare system serving 4 million residents. Participants included Network oversight committee members (n = 38) and frontline providers (n = 1,790). Network committee members used a modified RAND/University of California Appropriateness Methodology, to serially propose, rate (validated 9 point scale) and revise potential knowledge-to-care gaps as priorities for improvement. The priorities were sent to frontline providers for evaluation. Results were relayed back to all frontline providers for feedback. Initially, 68 knowledge-to-care gaps were proposed, rated and revised by the committee (n = 32 participants) over 3 rounds of review and resulted in 13 proposed priorities for improvement. Then, 1,103 providers (62% response rate) evaluated the priorities, and rated 9 as 'necessary' (median score 7-9). Several factors were associated with rating priorities as necessary in multivariable logistic regression, related to the provider (experience, teaching status of ICU) and topic (strength of supporting evidence, potential to benefit the patient, potential to improve patient/family experience, potential to decrease costs). A community-based participatory research approach engaged a diverse group of stakeholders to identify 9 priorities for improving the quality and value of critical care. The approach was time and cost efficient and could serve as a model to prioritize areas for research quality improvement across other settings.

Attitudes vs. Purchase Behaviors as Experienced Dissonance: The Roles of Knowledge and Consumer Orientations in Organic Market

PubMed Central

Hidalgo-Baz, María; Martos-Partal, Mercedes; González-Benito, Óscar

2017-01-01

This research focuses on the incongruity between positive attitudinal responses but a lack of purchase behavior in organic markets. According to cognitive dissonance theory, consumer orientations toward the benefits attributed to organic products (environmental protection, health, hedonic) relieve the dissonance that results from this attitude–behavior incongruity. Knowledge also functions as a transmitter, from positive attitudes to purchase behaviors, thereby reducing the incongruity. Using quota sampling in a survey study, this paper tests the hypotheses from linear regression models. The results show that orientations and knowledge improve the congruity between attitudes and purchase behaviors toward organic products. Moreover, interaction effects arise between the environmental protection orientation and knowledge and between the hedonic orientation and knowledge. Increasing knowledge mitigates the difference between attitudes and purchase behaviors, especially for consumers with environmental protection or hedonic orientations. These findings have several important implications for research and practice. PMID:28286489

Assessment of HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes and behaviours among students in higher education in Tanzania.

PubMed

Mkumbo, Kitila

2013-01-01

There is a paucity of studies that have systematically and comprehensively investigated the knowledge level, attitudes and the pattern of sexual behaviours related to HIV and AIDS in higher education settings in sub-Saharan Africa in general and Tanzania in particular. This study attempted to fill a void in knowledge. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used, employing a self-administered questionnaire as the main data collection tool. More than 400 higher education students completed a questionnaire assessing their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to HIV and AIDS. About three quarters of respondents demonstrated comprehensive knowledge about HIV and AIDS, and the majority of respondents expressed positive attitudes towards people living with HIV and AIDS. Despite demonstrating high knowledge level about HIV and AIDS, the results show that sexual behaviours among students in higher education are characteristically risky, and do not significantly differ from youth in the general population.

Evaluating first-aid knowledge and attitudes of a sample of Turkish primary school teachers.

PubMed

Başer, Mürüvvet; Coban, Sibel; Taşci, Sultan; Sungur, Gönül; Bayat, Meral

2007-10-01

Knowledge of first aid, which constitutes life-saving treatments for injuries or unexpected illnesses, is important for every individual at every age. First aid and basic life support are so important that teaching basic first aid should be compulsory in all schools. The goal of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of a sample of Turkish teachers regarding the administration of first aid. Three hundred twelve teachers took part in this study to evaluate knowledge and attitudes of teachers in primary schools about first aid. Data were obtained using a questionnaire. It included 30 questions that help identify the teachers and determine their knowledge and attitudes about first aid. Data were analyzed by chi-square test. In this study, it was determined that most of the teachers do not have correct knowledge and attitudes about first aid. For example, 65.1% of teachers gave incorrect answers regarding epistaxis, 63.5% for bee stings, and 88.5% for abrasion. It was found out that as the age of the teachers increases, appropriate first-aid practice becomes more and more unlikely. The results of this study showed that teachers did not have enough knowledge about first aid.

Turkish University Students' Knowledge of Biotechnology and Attitudes toward Biotechnological Applications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Öztürk-Akar, Ebru

2017-01-01

This study questions the presumed relation between formal schooling and scientific literacy about biotechnologies. Comparing science and nonscience majors' knowledge of and attitudes toward biotechnological applications, conclusions are drawn if their formal learnings improve pupils' understandings of and attitudes toward biotechnology…

76 FR 12714 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Marianas Trench Marine National Monument...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-08

... Collection; Comment Request; Marianas Trench Marine National Monument Knowledge and Attitudes Survey AGENCY... questions on awareness, knowledge, and attitudes regarding the Monument, preferences for management and... activities. Additional questions include experiences with and attitudes toward existing uses of coastal and...

The Impact of A “Brief ECT Orientation Module” on The Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical Students Towards ECT in India

PubMed Central

Balhara, YPS; Yadav, T; Mathur, S; Kataria, DK

2012-01-01

Background: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) continues to be an intervention that attracts controversy in spite of its proven efficacy. There is limited literature on attitude and knowledge of medical students towards ECT from Asian and African countries. Aim: The current study assesses the impact of a “Brief ECT Orientation Module” on the knowledge of and attitudes of Indian medical students towards modified ECT. Subjects and Methods: The study was conducted at a tertiary care multi-specialty hospital associated with a government medical college. The students were administered the study questionnaire on Day 1 of Psychiatry clerkship. Following this, they were administered the Brief ECT Orientation Module. Assessment was made using a questionnaire with items related to knowledge and attitude towards ECT before and after “Brief ECT Orientation Module.” Results: Fifty-nine students completed the study. There was a significant improvement in knowledge of medical students on all the three domains of the questionnaire for assessment of knowledge about ECT-related facts. A change in attitudes towards ECT was also observed following Brief ECT Orientation Module, especially among those who witnessed ECT administration. Conclusion: The findings of the current study suggest that the Brief ECT Orientation Module is effective in improving the knowledge and attitude of medical students towards ECT. PMID:23440565

Knowledge, Practices and Attitudes Towards Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting by Private Practitioners from Klang Valley in Malaysia

PubMed Central

Agarwal, Renu; Daher, Aqil Mohammad; Mohd Ismail, Nafeeza

2013-01-01

Background: The study aimed to determine current status of knowledge, practices, and attitudes towards adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting among private practitioners in Klang region of Malaysia. Methods: A total of 238 private practitioners in Klang valley were distributed a questionnaire consisting of seven questions, two knowledge-related, two practice-related and three attitude-related. Each favourable and unfavourable response was given a score of 1 and 0 respectively. Total score of 70% or more for each domain was considered “satisfactory” whereas less than 70% as “unsatisfactory”. Results: One hundred forty-five participants completed questionnaire. Knowledge assessment showed 83.4% responses stating that ADR reporting helps to identify safe drugs and 91.7% responded that it measures ADR incidence. Regarding practices, 76.6% respondents were willing to report only if confident that reaction is an ADR. Regarding attitudes, 81.9%, 66.9% and 23.5% participants showed complacency, ignorance, and indifference respectively. Unsatisfactory knowledge, practices, and attitudes were observed in 57.2%, 56.6%, and 73.1% respondents respectively. Satisfactory knowledge was significantly higher in respondent with higher qualification with odds ratio of 2.96 with 95% confidence interval of 1.48–5.93. Conclusion: The study showed unsatisfactory level of knowledge, practices, and attitudes towards ADR reporting among high proportion of private practitioners in Klang valley, Malaysia. PMID:23983578

[Dengue-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices in primary schools in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico].

PubMed

Torres, José Luis; Ordóñez, José Genaro; Vázquez-Martínez, M Guadalupe

2014-03-01

To identify dengue-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among primary school students in Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, before and after an educational intervention. The study was carried out at 19 randomly selected public primary schools. Surveys of knowledge, attitudes, and practices were conducted before and after educational sessions with fifthand sixth-grade elementary school students. The educational strategy "Escuelas sin mosquitos" ("Schools without Mosquitoes") emphasized the importance of students' participation in taking care of their schools and homes in order to prevent dengue through vector control. Before and after the educational sessions, a total of 3 124 surveys were conducted on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of 1 562 fifth and sixth-grade students (772 and 790 students, respectively) between 10 and 12 years of age. The students' level of knowledge was significantly higher after the implementation of the educational strategy. In comparison with the fifth-graders, the sixth-grade students both already had and also acquired significantly more knowledge of several aspects of the disease and the vector. In all the schools, there were containers with water identified as potential breeding sites, and in 68% of the schools, these containers tested positive for Aedes aegypti larvae. It was demonstrated that by implementing an educational strategy, children's knowledge, attitudes, and practices were improved in terms of taking care of their schools and promoting a change of attitude to this disease at home.

The impact of breast cancer knowledge and attitudes on screening and early detection among an immigrant Iranian population in southern California

PubMed Central

Kobeissi, Loulou; Samari, Goleen; Telesca, Donatello; Esfandiari, Mahtash; Galal, Osman

2014-01-01

Background Few studies explore factors influencing breast cancer screening and early detection behaviors among immigrant Iranian women residing in the United States. Methods Using a cross-sectional survey, a convenience sample of 319 Iranian-American women was selected to explore the impact of breast cancer knowledge and attitude on screening. A self-administered questionnaire assessed: breast cancer screening knowledge, attitude, and mammography use (ever, previous year and future intention). Results 79 % of the women in the study reported ever-receiving at least one mammogram and 74 % received a mammogram in the past year. Personal attitude had an independent significant effect on: mammography use in the last year, ever use of mammography and future intention to screen. Knowledge and morality-induced attitude influenced screening behavior but not significantly. Conclusion Interventions targeting breast cancer screening among immigrant Iranian women in the US should focus on enhancing personal attitudes in order to influence actual screening behavior. PMID:24096382

SCIENTIFIC PAPER PRESENTATION DURING CONCURRENT INTEREST SESSION. Community Health Nursing (Speciality). Iron-deficiency anemia.

PubMed

Kala, K

2015-01-01

Iron deficiency anaemia is the most common form of malnutrition in the world. The global prevalence of anaemia mainly in South East Asia is 65.5 percent, in India 56 percent among adolescent girls. A study conducted to assess the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge and attitude of adolescent girls in prevention of iron and folic acid deficiency anaemia at a selected corporation school. It adopted one group pre-test post-test design with 60 samples selected by employing stratified random sampling technique. The study revealed that during pre-test 90 percent of them had inadequate knowledge and 65 percent of them had unfavourable attitude towards iron and folic acid deficiency anaemia. After the structured teaching programme the knowledge and attitude was improved (73% had adequate knowledge and 79% had most favourable attitude). Overall the structured teaching programme was found effective in improving the knowledge and attitude of adolescent girls in prevention of iron and folic acid deficiency anaemia.

Knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of nurses and nursing students towards HIV/AIDS

PubMed Central

Vallejos, Irma Conejeros; Sánchez, Helga Emig; Lagunas, Lilian Ferrer; Valdés, Báltica Cabieses; Acosta, Rosina Cianelli

2016-01-01

Objective To describe attitudes, knowledge and perceptions of nurses and nursing students towards the people who live with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Methodology Bibliographic study in which six electronic databases were searched using the key words: “attitude”, “knowledge”, “nursing”, perceptions”, “HIV/AIDS”. Publications between 1998 and 2007 were considered. Results 560 articles limited by scientific researches or ministerial reports membership were retrieved. Finally a total of 38 publications were selected, the analysis showed that the level of knowledge of nurses and nursing students about PLWHA is good and the attitudes towards HIV/AIDS have improved over time. Nurses and nursing students have been able to identify both positive and negative aspects in the PLWHA care personally and professionally because there is a more favourable perception. Conclusion There are few studies in Latin America and Chile that study the attitudes and knowledge of the studied population towards PLWHA. According to publications found the knowledge and attitudes have improved because the perception is more favourable. PMID:27499563

Assessing undergraduate nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, and cultural competence in caring for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender patients.

PubMed

Strong, Kristy L; Folse, Victoria N

2015-01-01

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients experience barriers to health care that include fear of discrimination, as well as insensitivity and lack of knowledge about LGBT-specific health needs among providers. This study examined the effectiveness of an educational intervention designed to improve knowledge and attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students regarding LGBT patient care. Education focused on key terminology, health disparities, medical needs of transgender patients, and culturally sensitive communication skills for competent LGBT patient care. Knowledge level and attitudes were evaluated before and after the intervention using a survey based on a modified Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale and two assessment tools developed for this study. A statistically significant increase in positive attitudes and knowledge level was found immediately after the intervention. Findings from this study support the inclusion of education related to LGBT patient health care in undergraduate nursing curricula to promote cultural competence and sensitivity. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Experience with a Multinational, Secondary School Education Module with a Focus on Prevention of Virus Infections

PubMed Central

Doornekamp, Laura; Stegers-Jager, Karen M.; Vlek, Odette M.; Klop, Tanja; Goeijenbier, Marco; van Gorp, Eric C. M.

2017-01-01

Abstract. Worldwide, virus infections are responsible for many diseases in terms of morbidity and mortality. Vaccinations and therapies are only available for relatively few virus infections and not always where they are needed. However, knowledge of transmission routes can prevent virus infection. In the context of this study, we measured the effects of a secondary school education module, named Viruskenner, on knowledge, attitude, and risk behavior as these relate to virus infections. A nonrandomized intervention study was conducted between April and August 2015 to assess the effect of this 2-month education module on knowledge, attitude, and behavior of 684 secondary school students in the Netherlands, Suriname, and Indonesia. For the Netherlands, a control group of a further 184 students was added. Factor analysis was performed on questions pertaining to attitude and behavior. Comparative analyses between pre- and posttest per country were done using multiple linear regression, independent sample T-tests, and one-way analysis of variance. These showed a significant increase in knowledge about virus infections and the prevention of infectious diseases among the Dutch and Surinamese groups, whereas a trend of increased knowledge was evident among the Indonesian participants. The Dutch control group showed an overall decrease in knowledge. Regression analyses showed that there was a significant interaction effect between participation and time on knowledge, attitude, and awareness and behavior and risk infection. Attitudes improved significantly in the intervention group. Pearson correlation coefficients between knowledge, attitude, and behavior were found to be positive. PMID:28719318

Experience with a Multinational, Secondary School Education Module with a Focus on Prevention of Virus Infections.

PubMed

Doornekamp, Laura; Stegers-Jager, Karen M; Vlek, Odette M; Klop, Tanja; Goeijenbier, Marco; van Gorp, Eric C M

2017-07-01

Worldwide, virus infections are responsible for many diseases in terms of morbidity and mortality. Vaccinations and therapies are only available for relatively few virus infections and not always where they are needed. However, knowledge of transmission routes can prevent virus infection. In the context of this study, we measured the effects of a secondary school education module, named Viruskenner, on knowledge, attitude, and risk behavior as these relate to virus infections. A nonrandomized intervention study was conducted between April and August 2015 to assess the effect of this 2-month education module on knowledge, attitude, and behavior of 684 secondary school students in the Netherlands, Suriname, and Indonesia. For the Netherlands, a control group of a further 184 students was added. Factor analysis was performed on questions pertaining to attitude and behavior. Comparative analyses between pre- and posttest per country were done using multiple linear regression, independent sample T-tests, and one-way analysis of variance. These showed a significant increase in knowledge about virus infections and the prevention of infectious diseases among the Dutch and Surinamese groups, whereas a trend of increased knowledge was evident among the Indonesian participants. The Dutch control group showed an overall decrease in knowledge. Regression analyses showed that there was a significant interaction effect between participation and time on knowledge, attitude, and awareness and behavior and risk infection. Attitudes improved significantly in the intervention group. Pearson correlation coefficients between knowledge, attitude, and behavior were found to be positive.

Paramedic Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Preparedness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Patients.

PubMed

Sawyer, Simon; Coles, Jan; Williams, Angela; Lucas, Peter; Williams, Brett

2017-01-01

Intimate partner violence (IPV) refers to abuse transpiring between people in an intimate relationship. Intimate partner violence is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for women that paramedics frequently report encountering and yet paramedics rarely receive formal education or training to manage. The response of paramedics to IPV is likely to be directed by their individual knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness; all of which are currently unknown. This study aimed to measure paramedic students' knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness to manage IPV patients, and provides baseline data to inform the development of contemporary curricula. We surveyed a cohort of paramedic students from two Australian universities using the Modified Physician REadiness to Manage Intimate partner violence Survey (PREMIS). Internal consistency of previously identified scales was calculated and multiple linear regression was used to measure the association between previous training, knowledge, attitudes, and preparation. We received 260 surveys (80.5% response rate). Results show that actual knowledge, perceived knowledge, and preparedness to manage IPV patients were low. Students with previous training reported higher perceived knowledge (p <.05) and preparedness (p <.01). Participants reported low self-efficacy, confidence, and preparation to manage IPV patients and demonstrated mostly neutral attitudes toward women and patients. Results indicate students require increased IPV education. Education should improve knowledge and preparedness to recognize and refer IPV patients, as well as change neutral and inappropriate attitudes. Incorporating such education and training into the paramedic curricula may improve the preparedness of practitioners, resulting in an improved response to IPV patients.

The effect of comprehensive sexual education program on sexual health knowledge and sexual attitude among college students in Southwest China.

PubMed

Chi, Xinli; Hawk, Skyler T; Winter, Sam; Meeus, Wim

2015-03-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a comprehensive sexual education program for college students in Southwest China (a) improved sexual health knowledge in reproduction, contraception, condom use, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV; (b) increased accepting attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual individuals; and (c) altered participants' attitudes toward premarital sex and monogamy. The program used diverse teaching methods, providing 6 sessions over a period of 9 weeks about sexual health knowledge and sexual attitudes to college students (age 18-26 years) in Southwest China. Sexual health knowledge and sexual attitudes of 80 comprehensive sexual education class students (education group) and 92 general mental health education class students (control group) were measured at baseline, the end of course (posttest), and 3 weeks after the end of course (follow-up). There were significant effects of the program on (a) sexual health knowledge, including reproductive health, contraception, condom use, and HIV/AIDS and (b) positive attitudes toward sexual minorities, although these changes may require further reinforcement. In contrast, the program did not alter students' attitudes about premarital sex or monogamy. The results are discussed in terms of recommendations of sex education in China and future directions for research. © 2013 APJPH.

Assessing the influence of field- and GIS-based inquiry on student attitude and conceptual knowledge in an undergraduate ecology lab.

PubMed

Simmons, M E; Wu, X B; Knight, S L; Lopez, R R

2008-01-01

Combining field experience with use of information technology has the potential to create a problem-based learning environment that engages learners in authentic scientific inquiry. This study, conducted over a 2-yr period, determined differences in attitudes and conceptual knowledge between students in a field lab and students with combined field and geographic information systems (GIS) experience. All students used radio-telemetry equipment to locate fox squirrels, while one group of students was provided an additional data set in a GIS to visualize and quantify squirrel locations. Pre/postsurveys and tests revealed that attitudes improved in year 1 for both groups of students, but differences were minimal between groups. Attitudes generally declined in year 2 due to a change in the authenticity of the field experience; however, attitudes for students that used GIS declined less than those with field experience only. Conceptual knowledge also increased for both groups in both years. The field-based nature of this lab likely had a greater influence on student attitude and conceptual knowledge than did the use of GIS. Although significant differences were limited, GIS did not negatively impact student attitude or conceptual knowledge but potentially provided other benefits to learners.

Insights into ergonomics among dental professionals of a dental institute and private practitioners in hubli-dharwad twin cities, India.

PubMed

Kalghatgi, Shrivardhan; Prasad, Kakarla Veera Venkata; Chhabra, Kumar Gaurav; Deolia, Shravani; Chhabra, Chaya

2014-12-01

To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of ergonomics among dental professionals of Hubli-Dharwad twin cities, India. Investigator-developed, self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding ergonomics during dental practice was filled in by undergraduates, house surgeons, postgraduates, and faculty members of dental institutions and private practitioners from Hubli-Dharwad twin cities. Data were collected from a total of 250 participants, 50 belonging to each academic group. Overall mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 52%, 75%, and 55%, respectively. Significant correlation was found for age with attitude (χ(2) = 10.734, p = 0.030) and behavior (χ(2) = 12.984, p = 0.011). Marital status was significantly associated with all the three domains; knowledge (χ(2) = 29.369, p = 0.000), attitude (χ(2) = 29.023, p = 0.000), and practices (χ(2) = 13.648, p = 0.009). Participants had considerable awareness and behavior toward ergonomics in dental practice. The high attitude score indicates stronger acceptance of ergonomics principles and guidelines during routine dental procedures. The current study highlights the situation of ergonomics in dental practice in the form of knowledge, attitude, and practices.

School nurses' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of role as opinion leader, and professional practice regarding human papillomavirus vaccine for youth.

PubMed

Rosen, Brittany L; Goodson, Patricia; Thompson, Bruce; Wilson, Kelly L

2015-02-01

Because human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine rates remain low, we evaluated US school nurses' knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of their role as opinion leaders, and professional practice regarding HPV vaccine, and assessed whether knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of being an opinion leader influenced their professional practice regarding the HPV vaccine. We used a cross-sectional design by recruiting members from the National Association of School Nurses. All participants (N = 505) were e-mailed a survey designed for this study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) tested direct and indirect effects. Overall, school nurses had knowledge about HPV and the vaccine, and positive attitudes toward the vaccine. They had less-than-enthusiastic perceptions of their role as opinion leaders regarding the vaccine and implemented few activities related to providing vaccine information. The model revealed a good fit (χ(2)=20.238 [df=8, p< .01]), with knowledge directly related to attitudes, attitudes directly related to perceptions and practice, and perceptions directly affecting practice. In our model, perceptions functioned as a partial mediator. To enhance school nurses' practice regarding the HPV vaccine, focus should be on increasing positive attitudes toward the vaccine and strengthening perceptions of their role as opinion leaders. © 2015, American School Health Association.

Saudi Nursing and Medical Student’s Knowledge and Attitude toward Organ Donation- A Comparative Cross-Sectional study

PubMed Central

Majeed, Farrukh

2016-01-01

Objectives Proper awareness among health professionals about organ donation is important for increasing organ procurement. Personal commitment and attitude of nurses are imperative as they have key role in identifying potential donors. The aim of this study was to compare prevailing knowledge and attitude of undergraduate female Saudi nursing and medical students’ toward organ donation. Methodology A cross sectional questionnaire using 29 item were filled by nursing (n=46) and medical (n=63) students’ at University of Dammam (KSA) during academic year 2014–15, to check and compare their knowledge and attitude about organ donation. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics; chi square test and bivariate analysis to find out correlation. Results Level of knowledge of nursing group were significantly lower (p=0.000) than medical group while no significant difference in attitude score (p=0.591) between the two groups were found. Major source of knowledge for nursing was media (65.2%) and college/university for medical (50.8%) group. Both groups chose “anyone in need” as preferred recipients’ upon donation (nursing 60.3% and medical 52.2%) and opted “anyone” as donor in case of recipient (nursing 52.2% and medical 49.2%). The results indicate positive correlation between level of knowledge and attitude toward organ donation. Conclusions Nursing students have low knowledge toward organ donation as compared to medical students although they shows positive attitude toward this issue. This study ascertains the need of an effective educational program for nursing students of Saudi Arabia to improve their knowledge regarding organ donation and to raise organ procurement. PMID:27103903

Awareness, attitudes toward epilepsy, and first aid knowledge of seizures of hospital staff in Henan, China.

PubMed

Zhao, Ting; Gao, Yajuan; Zhu, Xuerui; Wang, Na; Chen, Yanan; Zhang, Jiahui; He, Guinv; Feng, Yan; Xu, Jun; Han, Xiong; Zhang, Jiewen

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate awareness of, attitudes toward, and first aid knowledge of seizures of hospital staff in Henan, China. Two hundred nineteen hospital staff, including doctors, nurses, medical technicians, logisticians, and executives working at tertiary hospitals in Henan, China, completed the survey from March to September in 2016. The data comprised the demographic data section, awareness of epilepsy section, attitude toward epilepsy section, and first aid knowledge of seizure attack section. The participants obtained a mean score of 7.48±1.705 on the awareness of epilepsy section, and a mean score of 5.32±1.165 on the first aid knowledge of seizure attacks section. There were significant correlations between educational level (r=0.187, P=0.006), occupation (r=-0.244, P=0.000), and attitudes toward patients with epilepsy (r=0.351, P=0.000) with the awareness of epilepsy. There were significant correlations between age (r=0.170, P=0.014), educational status (r=0.139, P=0.040), and professional titles (r=0.197, P=0.004) with the first aid knowledge of seizures. The study showed that hospital staff had a moderate level of knowledge regarding epilepsy, and they generally displayed a positive attitude. It was also determined that as the awareness of epilepsy increased, they displayed more positive attitudes toward patients with epilepsy. The study also suggests that specialists working on epilepsy should provide more lectures and educational sessions to improve the knowledge of and attitude toward epilepsy and first aid knowledge of seizures among hospital staff. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pre-service Mathematics Teachers' Knowledge of History of Mathematics and Their Attitudes and Beliefs Towards Using History of Mathematics in Mathematics Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpaslan, Mustafa; Işıksal, Mine; Haser, Çiğdem

2014-01-01

This study examined pre-service mathematics teachers' knowledge of history of mathematics and their attitudes and beliefs towards using history of mathematics in mathematics education based on year level in teacher education program and gender. The sample included 1,593 freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior pre-service middle school (grades 4-8) mathematics teachers from nine universities in Turkey. Data were collected through Knowledge of History of Mathematics Test and Attitudes and Beliefs towards the Use of History of Mathematics in Mathematics Education Questionnaire. Results indicate that pre-service teachers have moderate knowledge of history of mathematics and positive attitudes and beliefs towards using history of mathematics. Their knowledge scores increase as the year level in teacher education program advanced. Males' knowledge scores are significantly higher than females' scores in the first 2 years. This situation reverses in the last 2 years, but it is not statistically significant. Pre-service teachers have more positive attitudes and availing beliefs towards using history of mathematics as they progress in their teacher education program. Females have greater attitudes and beliefs mean scores than males in each of the years. The results indicate that the teacher education program may have enhanced the pre-service teachers' knowledge of history of mathematics by related courses. However, the moderate knowledge scores indicate that there is a need for revision of these courses. The pre-service teachers' positive attitudes and beliefs towards using history of mathematics stress the importance of teacher education program in order to prepare them for implementing this alternative strategy in the future.

The Relationship of Science Knowledge, Attitude and Decision Making on Socio-Scientific Issues: The Case Study of Students' Debates on a Nuclear Power Plant in Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jho, Hunkoog; Yoon, Hye-Gyoung; Kim, Mijung

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of students' understanding of science knowledge, attitude and decision making on socio-scientific issues (SSI), especially on the issues of nuclear energy in Korea. SSI-focused instructions were developed to encourage students to understand and reflect on knowledge, attitude and…

Awareness, knowledge, and attitude of dentistry students in Kerman towards evidence-based dentistry

PubMed Central

Sarani, Arezoo; Sarani, Melika; Abdar, Mohammad Esmaeli; Abdar, Zahra Esmaeili

2016-01-01

Introduction Evidence-based care helps dentists provide quality dental services to patients, and such care is based on the use of reliable information about treatment and patient care from a large number of papers, books, and published textbooks. This study aimed to determine the knowledge, awareness, and attitude of dentistry students towards evidence-based dentistry. Methods In this cross-sectional study, all dentistry students who were studying in their sixth semester and higher in the Kerman School of Dentistry (n = 73) were studied. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 17 and the independent-samples t-tests and the ANOVA test. Results The means of the students’ knowledge, awareness, and attitude scores were 29.2 ± 10.8, 29.9 ± 8.12 and 44.5 ± 5.3, respectively. Among demographic variables, only the number of semesters showed a significant difference with knowledge, awareness, and attitude of dentistry students toward evidence-based dentistry (p = 0.001). Conclusion According to the results of this study, knowledge and awareness of dentistry students at Kerman University of Medical Sciences towards evidence-based dentistry were average and have a neutral attitude. Thus, providing necessary training in this regard will cause promoting the knowledge, awareness, and improved attitudes of dentistry students. PMID:27382446

[Knowledge, attitude and practice of breast self-examination in health centers].

PubMed

Marinho, Luiz Alberto Barcelos; Costa-Gurgel, Maria Salete; Cecatti, José Guilherme; Osis, Maria José Duarte

2003-10-01

Breast cancer is one of the most important problems of public health and education regarding breast self-examination is one of the important steps for identifying breast tumors at an early stage. The present study was carried out to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of breast self-examination among patients attending health centers. In a KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practice) survey 663 women of 13 randomly selected municipal health centers were interviewed. The number of interviews in each health center was proportional to the mean number of women seen per month. In the data analysis, women's answers for knowledge, attitude and practice regarding breast self-examination were classified according to their adequacy as previously defined. Adequacy was compared among categories of control variables with Chi2 test. The results showed that knowledge and practice of breast self-examination were adequate in 7.4% and 16.7%, respectively. However, attitude was adequate in 95.9% of the women interviewed. The study also showed that 58.1% of the women interviewed referred that forgetfulness was the main barrier for not performing self-examination. Women attending the health centers sampled in this study had inadequate knowledge and practice about breast self-examination but they had an adequate and favorable attitude about it.

Knowledge of and attitudes toward electroconvulsive therapy among medical students, psychology students, and the general public.

PubMed

Aki, Ozlem Erden; Ak, Sertac; Sonmez, Yunus Emre; Demir, Basaran

2013-03-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is safe and effective for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders. Despite being a well-known treatment method among health care professionals, lay people generally have a negative opinion of ECT. The present study aimed to examine knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT among medical students, psychology students, and the general public. Psychology students were included because they are among the important groups in mental health care in Turkey. A Likert-type questionnaire was administered to fifth-year medical students (n = 28), master of science and doctor of philosophy clinical psychology students (n = 35), and a sample of the general public (n = 26). The questionnaire included questions about the general principles of and indications for ECT, and sources of knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT. The medical students were the most knowledgeable about ECT, as expected. The medical students also had a more positive attitude toward ECT than the other 2 groups. More psychology students had negative attitudes on some aspects than general public sample, despite being more knowledgeable. Medical school theoretical and practical training in ECT played an important role in increasing the level of knowledge of and decreasing the prevalence of negative attitudes toward ECT among the medical students; similar training for psychology students is required to achieve similar results.

Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Fruit and Vegetable Intake as Predictors of Head Start Teachers' Classroom Mealtime Behaviors.

PubMed

Halloran, Katherine Marie; Gorman, Kathleen; Fallon, Megan; Tovar, Alison

2018-04-01

To examine the association between nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake among Head Start teachers and their classroom mealtime behaviors (self-reported and observed). Cross-sectional design using observation and survey. Sixteen Head Start centers across Rhode Island between September, 2014 and May, 2015. Teachers were e-mailed about the study by directors and were recruited during on-site visits. A total of 85 participants enrolled through phone/e-mail (19%) or in person (81%). Independent variables were nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake. The dependent variable was classroom mealtime behaviors (self-reported and observed). Regression analyses conducted on teacher mealtime behavior were examined separately for observation and self-report, with knowledge, attitudes, and fruit and vegetable intake as independent variables entered into the models, controlling for covariates. Nutrition attitudes were positively associated with teacher self-reported classroom mealtime behavior total score. Neither teacher nutrition knowledge nor fruit/vegetable intake was associated with observed or self-reported classroom mealtime behavior total scores. There was limited support for associations among teacher knowledge, attitudes, and fruit/vegetable intake, and teacher classroom mealtime behavior. Findings showed that teacher mealtime behavior was significantly associated with teacher experience. Copyright © 2017 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The usefulness of science knowledge for parents of hearing-impaired children.

PubMed

Shauli, Sophie; Baram-Tsabari, Ayelet

2018-04-01

Hearing-impaired children's chances of integrating into hearing society largely depend on their parents, who need to learn vast amounts of science knowledge in the field of hearing. This study characterized the role played by science knowledge in the lives of nonscientists faced with science-related decisions by examining the interactions between general science knowledge, contextual science knowledge in the field of hearing, and parents' advocacy knowledge and attitudes. Based on six semi-structured interviews and 115 questionnaires completed by parents of hearing-impaired children, contextual science knowledge emerged as the only predictor for having slightly better advocacy attitudes and knowledge (5.5% explained variance). Although general science knowledge was the best predictor of contextual knowledge (14% of explained variance), it was not a direct predictor of advocacy knowledge and attitudes. Science knowledge plays some role in the lives of hearing-impaired families, even if they do not list it as a resource for successful rehabilitation.

Primary school teacher's knowledge and attitudes toward children with epilepsy.

PubMed

Abulhamail, Albaraa S; Al-Sulami, Fahad E; Alnouri, Mouneeb A; Mahrous, Najeeb M; Joharji, Dima G; Albogami, Maha M; Jan, Mohammed M

2014-04-01

Primary school teacher's knowledge and attitudes toward epilepsy can have significant impact on the performance and psycho-social development of the child with epilepsy. Our objectives were to study teacher's knowledge and attitudes and identify areas in which further teacher training and education are required. A stratified random sample survey involving a group of primary school teachers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia included private/public schools designated for male and female students. A structured 37-item questionnaire was used to examine their demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and experience with epilepsy. Six hundred and twenty primary school teachers working in public (58%) or private (42%) schools were included with ages ranging between 21 and 59 years (mean 36). Most teachers (79%) were of Saudi Arabian nationality and 66% had a college or university degree. Their years of experience ranged from 1 to 35 (mean 13.5). Only 17% of the teachers felt very well informed about epilepsy. Teachers with higher education were more likely to have good knowledge (p=0.009). Teachers of Saudi nationality were also more likely to report good knowledge, independent of their educational level (p=0.013). Overall, teachers with good knowledge were less likely to have negative attitudes including minding to have an epileptic child in their class (p=0.028) or thinking that they should be placed in a special classroom (p=0.029). Primary school teacher's knowledge about epilepsy needs improvements. Their attitudes correlated highly with their knowledge. Educational campaigns about epilepsy are needed to develop a well informed and tolerant community. Copyright © 2014 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Public Understanding and Attitudes towards Meat Chicken Production and Relations to Consumption.

PubMed

Erian, Ihab; Phillips, Clive J C

2017-03-09

Little is known about public knowledge of meat chicken production and how it influences attitudes to birds' welfare and consumer behaviour. We interviewed 506 members of the public in SE Queensland; Australia; to determine how knowledge of meat chicken production and slaughter links to attitudes and consumption. Knowledge was assessed from 15 questions and low scores were supported by respondents' self-assessed report of low knowledge levels and agreement that their knowledge was insufficient to form an opinion about which chicken products to purchase. Older respondents and single people without children were most knowledgeable. There was uncertainty about whether chicken welfare was adequate, particularly in those with little knowledge. There was also evidence that a lack of empathy towards chickens related to lack of knowledge, since those that thought it acceptable that some birds are inadequately stunned at slaughter had low knowledge scores. More knowledgeable respondents ate chicken more frequently and were less likely to buy products with accredited labelling. Approximately half of the respondents thought the welfare of the chicken was more important than the cost. It is concluded that the public's knowledge has an important connection to their attitudes and consumption of chicken.

Effectiveness of counseling at primary health facilities: level of knowledge of antenatal attendee and their attitude on Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in primary health facilities in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

PubMed

Wangwe, P J T; Nyasinde, M; Charles, D S K

2014-03-01

Children living with HIV worldwide majority are infected through mother to child transmission of HIV (MTCT) acquired during pregnancy. Knowledge, attitude and behavioral changes are pivot tools towards success of any interventions. To determine the effectiveness of counseling on HIV done in primary health facilities (PHF), level of knowledge gained and attitude changes towards PMTCT. A cross sectional study assessing pregnant women's knowledge and their attitude towards PMTCT was conducted in Temeke district from October 2010 to Jan 2011 using a structured questionnaire. A total of 383 antenatal attendees were referred to Temeke district for management after counselled and tested for HIV in PHFs. Majority (86.9%) had primary education and good knowledge on MTCT. Correct timing of ARVs prophylaxis (15.7%) as preventive measures for MTCT was poor. Education and employment were associated with good knowledge on MTCT of HIV. Women had positive attitudes towards HIV counseling and testing, but stigma was a barrier to disclosure of one's serostatus. There is knowledge gap in routine PMTCT counseling among antenatal attendees in our PHFs. Effective counseling on PMTCT in the PHFs will bridge the identified knowledge gap and help in reduction of pediatric HIV.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever under scope, view of knowledge, attitude and practice from rural Sudan in 2015.

PubMed

Mohamed, Mohamed M G; Shwaib, Hussam M; Fahim, Monica M; Ahmed, Elhamy A; Omer, Mawadda K; Monier, Islam A; Balla, Siham A

Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF) is an emerging threat to public health. The last epidemic in West Africa had a great effect on the affected communities. Timely and effective interventions were necessary in addition to community participation to control the epidemic. The knowledge, attitude and practices of vulnerable communities remain unknown, particularly in Sudan. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitude and practices of rural residents in Sudan regarding Ebola hemorrhagic fever. We conducted a cross sectional, community-based large-scale study in Al Gaziera state in rural Sudan in eight localities. In total, 1500 random adult participants were selected. The participants were assessed by a predesigned pretested questionnaire regarding their knowledge, attitude and practices regarding Ebola. Their sources of information were determined, and we assessed demographic factors as predictors of knowledge. We found poor knowledge, a fair attitude and suboptimal practices among the participants. The main sources of information were the press and media. Education was the only predictor of knowledge regarding Ebola. A lack of knowledge and suboptimal preventive practices mandates orientation and education programs to raise public awareness. Health care providers are advised to engage more in educating the community. Copyright © 2016 King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Counselling at primary health facilities and level of knowledge of antenatal attendees and their attitude on prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV in Dar-es salaam, Tanzania.

PubMed

Wangwe, P J T; Nyasinde, M; Charles, D S K

2013-12-01

Children living with HIV worldwide majority are infected through mother to child transmission of HIV (MTCT) acquired during pregnancy. Knowledge, attitude and behavioral changes are pivot tools towards success of any interventions. To determine the effectiveness of counseling on HIV done in primary health facilities (PHF), level of knowledge gained and attitude changes towards PMTCT. A cross sectional study assessing pregnant women's knowledge and their attitude towards PMTCT was conducted in Temeke district from October 2010 to Jan 2011 using a structured questionnaire. A total of 383 antenatal attendees were referred to Temeke district for management after counselled and tested for HIV in PHFs. Majority (86.9%) had primary education and good knowledge on MTCT. Correct timing of ARVs prophylaxis (15.7%) as preventive measures for MTCT was poor. Education and employment were associated with good knowledge on MTCT of HIV. Women had positive attitudes towards HIV counseling and testing, but stigma was a barrier to disclosure of one's serostatus. There is knowledge gap in routine PMTCT counseling among antenatal attendees in our PHFs. Effective counseling on PMTCT in the PHFs will bridge the identified knowledge gap and help in reduction of pediatric HIV.

Associations of Topics of Discussion on Twitter With Survey Measures of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Behaviors Related to Zika: Probabilistic Study in the United States

PubMed Central

Winneg, Kenneth; Chan, Man-Pui Sally; Hall Jamieson, Kathleen; Albarracin, Dolores

2018-01-01

Background Recent outbreaks of Zika virus around the world led to increased discussions about this issue on social media platforms such as Twitter. These discussions may provide useful information about attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of the population regarding issues that are important for public policy. Objective We sought to identify the associations of the topics of discussions on Twitter and survey measures of Zika-related attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors, not solely based upon the volume of such discussions but by analyzing the content of conversations using probabilistic techniques. Methods Using probabilistic topic modeling with US county and week as the unit of analysis, we analyzed the content of Twitter online communications to identify topics related to the reported attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors captured in a national representative survey (N=33,193) of the US adult population over 33 weeks. Results Our analyses revealed topics related to “congress funding for Zika,” “microcephaly,” “Zika-related travel discussions,” “insect repellent,” “blood transfusion technology,” and “Zika in Miami” were associated with our survey measures of attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors observed over the period of the study. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that it is possible to uncover topics of discussions from Twitter communications that are associated with the Zika-related attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of populations over time. Social media data can be used as a complementary source of information alongside traditional data sources to gauge the patterns of attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors in a population. PMID:29426815

Current state of knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes toward organ transplantation among academic students in Poland and the potential means for altering them.

PubMed

Nowak, E; Pfitzner, R; Koźlik, P; Kozynacka, A; Durajski, L; Przybyłowski, P

2014-10-01

Students manifest a high level of social commitment. Improving their knowledge and developing more positive attitudes toward organ transplantation may increase the number of organ donations. This study was an assessment of the knowledge and attitudes toward organ transplantation among young people in Poland, with an overview of current beliefs and potential methods for improving transplantology awareness. The study included 400 medical students and 400 nonmedical students from public universities in Kraków, Poland. Data were collected by using an anonymous questionnaire examining demographic factors and transplantology issues. Despite the overall positive attitude toward transplantology among academic students in Poland, the state of knowledge of the nonmedical population remains relatively low. The most important issues for social education to focus on are the role of presumed consent and brain death diagnosis, actual hazards of living donations, recipient qualification criteria, and the attitudes of religious authorities. The overall level of knowledge and the number of positive attitudes were significantly higher among medical students than among nonmedical students, proving that formal educational programs are more efficient than the more accessible but less reliable sources of knowledge. Introduction of transplantology issues in schools and churches, promoting the positive outcomes of organ transplantation rather than negating false beliefs, and eliminating misleading information from the media may significantly increase young people's knowledge and result in more positive attitudes toward transplantology in a society-wide fashion. This outcome could create a favorable background for introducing an opt-in system of consent for organ donation.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Turkish intern nurses regarding physical restraints.

PubMed

Karagozoglu, Serife; Ozden, Dilek; Yildiz, Fatma Tok

2013-01-01

This study was carried out to determine knowledge, attitudes, and practices of intern nurses who completed the nursing internship program on the use of physical restraints. This research was conducted using descriptive and cross-sectional research design. The study sample comprises 91 fourth-grade students who took an integrated curriculum and completed the nursing internship program. The data were collected with the Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire and the Levels of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Staff Regarding Physical Restraints Questionnaire. For the assessment of the data, percentages, the arithmetic mean, and t test were used. The findings indicated that, of the intern nurses, 95.6% observed the use of physical restraints during their education, and 69.2% applied physical restraints. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores of the nurses for physical restraint were 9.38 ± 1.19 (0-11 points), 34.70 ± 5.62 (12-48 points), and 37.95 ± 2.32 (14-42 points), respectively. Intern nurses' knowledge about how to use physical restraints was at a very good level; they displayed positive attitudes, and they used their knowledge and attitudes in their practices to a great extent. Although there are studies on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nurses working in the fields of elderly care, rehabilitation, and psychiatry in acute care units, there are no studies investigating intern nurses and other nursing students. However, intern nurses about to begin their careers should make accurate decisions regarding the use of physical restrains if they are to ensure patient safety and to fulfill this application effectively in their professional lives.

Attitude and confidence of undergraduate medical programme educators to practice and teach evidence-based healthcare: a cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Young, Taryn; Esterhuizen, Tonya M; Volmink, Jimmy; Clarke, Mike

2016-06-01

Medical student educators play critical roles in evidence-based healthcare (EBHC) teaching and learning and as role models practicing EBHC. This study assessed their confidence to practice and teach EBHC, their attitude to EBHC and barriers to practicing and teaching EBHC. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey of educators of undergraduate medical students at a South African academic institution. STATA 12 was used for quantitative data analysis. Responses to open-ended questions were coded, and further interpretation done using thematic content analysis. Forty two (19%) educators from various departments responded to the invitation sent to everyone formally involved in teaching undergraduate medical students. They had high levels of knowledge and understanding of EBHC. Many had received training in teaching and learning approaches, although EBHC training received was mainly on enabling competencies. Limitations to practicing EBHC included lack of time, clinical workload, limited access to Internet and resources, knowledge and skills. One quarter of the respondents indicated that they teach EBHC. Perceived barriers to teaching EBHC reported related to students (e.g. lack of interest), context (e.g. access to databases) and educators (e.g. competing priorities). Respondents' suggestions for support included reliable Internet access, easy point-of-care access to databases and resources, increasing awareness of EBHC, building capacity to practice and facilitate learning of EBHC and a supportive community of practice. Educators play a critical role in facilitating EBHC learning not just in the classroom, but also in practice. Without adequate support, training and development, they are ill equipped to be the role models future healthcare professionals need.

Influencing Safety in Australian Agriculture and Fisheries.

PubMed

McBain-Rigg, Kristin E; Franklin, Richard C; King, Jemma C; Lower, Tony

2017-01-01

Improving the health and safety of those working in Australian agriculture and fishery industries is a recognized priority area for preventative activities. With Australian agricultural industries being among the nation's most dangerous workplaces, there is a need for action. While there are currently known solutions, their implementation is limited. Influential agents, i.e., people who can influence others, are important for helping engender action to enact solutions into practice. This study examines agents that influence safety behavior either negatively (barriers) or positively (facilitators), in the Australian agriculture and fishery industries. Focus groups were conducted with producers and industry representatives. Thematic analysis identified barriers and facilitators to improve health and safety. These were assessed against the Socioecological Model, which considers the various, and often intersecting, human (intrapersonal, i.e. values and attitudes, peers, familial, and cultural) factors influencing safety behavior. Seven categories of human influences were identified: self, peers, family, intergenerational change, industry agents, government agents, and other. Peers (including direct managers) and family were seen to be direct influencers. Individuals signal to others that safety is valued and important. This is reinforced by experience, skill, attitudes, and behavior. Safety practice knowledge acquisition occurred via the family unit, specific training, industry, or knowledge transfer between industries. Government influence predominately focused on legislation and while the source of this influence is distant, it does influence behavior. There is a need to support comprehensive programs. These should include strengthening relationships via peer-to-peer networking, sharing information about safety initiatives, appropriate legislation, and enhancing leadership of all influencers with regard to safety.

[Violence against women: knowledge and attitudes of the the medical staff at the Mexican Institute of Social Security, Morelos, Mexico].

PubMed

Méndez-Hernández, Pablo; Valdez-Santiago, Rosario; Viniegra-Velázquez, Leonardo; Rivera-Rivera, Leonor; Salmerón-Castro, Jorge

2003-01-01

To asses the affective, cognitive, and behavioral attitudes of healthcare providers at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (MISS) in Morelos, Mexico; to identify the institutional and medical practice barriers that hinder screening and reference of battered women. A cross-sectional study was conducted between September and December 1999. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to 269 general practitioners, specialists, and pre- and postdoctoral students working in 30 primary and secondary level of healthcare units in Morelos State. The data collection instrument was designed to assess healthcare providers' knowledge of and attitudes towards domestic violence during medical office visits. A knowledge index was constructed and analyzed using multivariate regression methods. Ninety percent of healthcare providers had never received training on violence against women. Healthcare providers' affective and cognitive attitudes after receiving training on the subject matter were more favorable compared to those with no training. Favorable attitudes were directly related to the number of training sessions. Most participants (63%) showed a moderate degree of knowledge on the subject, whereas 21% were slightly knowledgeable and 16% were highly knowledgeable. Medical personnel with a moderate or high level of knowledge were 2.1 and 6 times more likely, respectively, to have favorable attitudes than those with a low degree of knowledge. Female physicians showed more favorable attitudes towards identifying and referring battered women. Medical personnel interested in further training on the subject of violence against women were 7.6 times more likely to show favorable attitudes than personnel not interested on the subject. Healthcare providers were not sufficiently able to assess and manage battered women. General and family practitioners were more interested in being trained, as compared with specialist physicians. Training on violence against women should be included in graduate medical, nursing, social service, psychology, and other public health areas. The English version of this paper is available at:http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html.

Epilepsy and education in developing countries: a survey of school teachers' knowledge about epilepsy and their attitude towards students with epilepsy in Northwestern Nigeria.

PubMed

Owolabi, Lukman Femi; Shehu, Naziru Muhammad; Owolabi, Shakirah Desola

2014-01-01

Students living with epilepsy still find themselves confronted with social barriers that prevent them from academic achievements. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge and attitudes of school teachers and to determine the factors associated with good knowledge and positive attitude among nursery, primary and secondary school teachers in Kano, Northwestern Nigeria. A 20-item validated semi-structured questionnaire was self-administered to 200 teachers, selected through multistage sampling technique, in Kano, Northwestern Nigeria. The respondents comprised 124 (62%) males and 76(38%) females. Their age ranged between 17 and 55 with a median age of 26 years. All the respondents have heard or read about epilepsy, 13% have had students with epilepsy in their classes before, fifty one (25.5%) of them would object to having an epileptic child in their class. To one hundred and seventy one (85.5%) all seizures were convulsive, 81% of them admitted to not having adequate knowledge of the initial procedure should their student develop epileptic seizure, 60% believed that epileptic student should be separated from non-epileptic students in the classroom and 44.5% of them preferred alternative medicine. Overall, fifty nine (29.5%) teachers had fair to good knowledge about epilepsy. and one hundred and sixty four (82%) had positive attitude to students with epilepsy. Statistically significant association was found between level of education attained by the respondents and good knowledge about epilepsy as well as between female gender and good attitude. However, none of the variables was statistically significant predictor of knowledge or attitude among the respondents. There was low level of knowledge and misconceptions about epilepsy but fair attitude towards epileptic students in Northwestern Nigeria. Higher level of education of the teachers was significantly associated with good attitude.

Epilepsy and Education in developing countries: a survey of school teachers’ knowledge about epilepsy and their attitude towards students with epilepsy in Northwestern Nigeria

PubMed Central

Owolabi, Lukman Femi; Shehu, Naziru Muhammad; Owolabi, Shakirah Desola

2014-01-01

Introduction Students living with epilepsy still find themselves confronted with social barriers that prevent them from academic achievements. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge and attitudes of school teachers and to determine the factors associated with good knowledge and positive attitude among nursery, primary and secondary school teachers in Kano, Northwestern Nigeria. Methods A 20-item validated semi-structured questionnaire was self-administered to 200 teachers, selected through multistage sampling technique, in Kano, Northwestern Nigeria. Results The respondents comprised 124 (62%) males and 76(38%) females. Their age ranged between 17 and 55 with a median age of 26 years. All the respondents have heard or read about epilepsy, 13% have had students with epilepsy in their classes before, fifty one (25.5%) of them would object to having an epileptic child in their class. To one hundred and seventy one (85.5%) all seizures were convulsive, 81% of them admitted to not havingadequate knowledge of the initial procedure should their student develop epileptic seizure, 60% believed that epileptic student should be separated from non-epileptic students in the classroom and 44.5% of them preferred alternative medicine. Overall, fifty nine (29.5%) teachers had fair to good knowledge about epilepsy. and one hundred and sixty four (82%) had positive attitude to students with epilepsy. Statistically significant association was found between level of education attained by the respondents and good knowledge about epilepsy as well as between female gender and good attitude. However, none of the variables was statistically significant predictor of knowledge or attitude among the respondents. Conclusion There was low level of knowledge and misconceptions about epilepsy but fair attitude towards epileptic students in Northwestern Nigeria. Higher level of education of the teachers was significantly associated with good attitude. PMID:25489360

Utah pharmacists' knowledge, attitudes, and barriers regarding human papillomavirus vaccine recommendation.

PubMed

Tolentino, Victoria; Unni, Elizabeth; Montuoro, Jaime; Bezzant-Ogborn, Diane; Kepka, Deanna

2018-05-05

To evaluate Utah community pharmacists' knowledge and attitudes toward recommendation of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, to determine whether the knowledge and attitude of pharmacists regarding the HPV vaccine influence their recommendation behaviors, and to capture any self-identified barriers to recommending the HPV vaccine. A cross-sectional anonymous 73-item survey was developed and administered to community, outpatient, and ambulatory care pharmacists. Utah. Utah community pharmacists. Recommendation of the HPV vaccine by the pharmacist, knowledge and attitude of pharmacists regarding HPV vaccine, and barriers to vaccine receipt. The mean HPV vaccine knowledge score was 7.45 ± 2.15 (out of 13), and scores were higher when pharmacists had 4 to 6 technicians per day in the pharmacy and when they were residency trained. The mean attitude score was 24.26 ± 3.16 (out of 30). Positive attitudes were found if they had more than 1 pharmacist and 4 to 6 pharmacy technicians working at any given time in the pharmacy. Those who identified with "other Christianity" had a more positive attitude than Latter Day Saints. Although positive attitude toward the HPV vaccine was a predictor for recommending the vaccine to both boys and girls, higher knowledge was a significant predictor only in recommending the HPV vaccine for boys. Female pharmacists were more likely to recommend the HPV vaccine. The top 3 reported barriers included lack of parental knowledge, parental concerns and opposition, and lack of educational materials to provide parents. Although the majority of respondents perceived HPV vaccination as useful for preventing certain types of cancer, and more than one-half of respondents reported being comfortable in recommending the vaccine, only one-third actually recommended the vaccine for girls and for boys. The results indicate the need for improving knowledge about the HPV vaccine for pharmacists, patients, and parents. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of an oral healthcare protocol in nursing homes on care staffs' knowledge and attitude towards oral health care: a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Janssens, Barbara; De Visschere, Luc; van der Putten, Gert-Jan; de Lugt-Lustig, Kersti; Schols, Jos M G A; Vanobbergen, Jacques

2016-06-01

To explore the impact of a supervised implementation of an oral healthcare protocol, in addition to education, on nurses' and nurses' aides' oral health-related knowledge and attitude. A random sample of 12 nursing homes, accommodating a total of 120-150 residents, was obtained using stratified cluster sampling with replacement. The intervention included the implementation of an oral healthcare protocol and three different educational stages. One of the investigators supervised the implementation process, supported by a dental hygienist. A 34-item questionnaire was developed and validated to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of nurses and nurses' aides at baseline and 6 months after the start of the intervention. Linear mixed-model analyses were performed to explore differences in knowledge and attitude at 6 months after implementation. At baseline, no significant differences were observed between the intervention and the control group for both knowledge (p = 0.42) and attitude (p = 0.37). Six months after the start of the intervention, significant differences were found between the intervention and the control group for the variable knowledge in favour of the intervention group (p < 0.0001) but not for the variable attitude (p = 0.78). Out of the mixed model with attitude as the dependent variable, it can be concluded that age (p = 0.031), educational level (p = 0.009) and ward type (p = 0.014) have a significant effect. The mixed model with knowledge as the dependent variable resulted in a significant effect of the intervention (p = 0.001) and the educational level (p = 0.009). The supervised implementation of an oral healthcare protocol significantly increased the knowledge of nurses and nurses' aides. In contrast, no significant improvements could be demonstrated in attitude. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S and The Gerodontology Association. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Public awareness of blood donation in Central Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Abolfotouh, Mostafa A; Al-Assiri, Mohammed H; Al-Omani, Manar; Al Johar, Alwaleed; Al Hakbani, Abdulaziz; Alaskar, Ahmed S

2014-01-01

Introduction In Saudi Arabia, voluntary donors are the only source of blood donation. The aim of this study was to assess the level of public knowledge and attitude toward blood donation in Saudi Arabia. Methods Using a previously validated questionnaire that comprises 38 questions to assess the levels of knowledge, attitudes, and motivations towards blood donation, 469 Saudi adults who attended different shopping malls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia were surveyed. Multiple regression analyses were used to identify the significant predictors of blood donation, with the significance set at P<0.05. Results Approximately half of all subjects (53.3%) reported that they had previously donated blood, 39% of whom had donated more than once. The knowledge percentage mean score was 58.07%, denoting a poor level of knowledge, with only 11.9% reporting a good level of knowledge. The attitude percentage mean score towards donation was 75.45%, reflecting a neutral attitude towards donating blood, with 31.6% reporting a positive attitude. Donation was significantly more prevalent among males than females (66% versus 13.3%; P<0.001). After adjustment for confounders, a higher knowledge score (t=2.59; P=0.01), a higher attitude score (t=3.26; P=0.001), and male sex (t=10.45; P<0.001) were significant predictors of blood donation. An inability to reach the blood donation centers and a fear of anemia were the main reasons for females not donating blood (49.9% and 35.7%, respectively), whereas a lack of time was the main reason for males (59.5%). Conclusion Prevalence of blood donation was less than satisfactory among the Saudi public, probably due to misconceptions, poor knowledge, and unfavorable attitude to donation. Educational programs are necessary to increase the level of knowledge and improve the attitude of the Saudi public toward blood donation. Providing mobile blood collection units nearer to individuals’ places of work to reduce their time costs of donating is a necessity. PMID:25152628

HIV/AIDS Knowledge and Beliefs among Pre-Service and In-Service School Counselors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Costin, Amanda C.; Page, Betsy J.; Pietrzak, Dale R.; Kerr, Dianne L.; Symons, Cynthia W.

2002-01-01

Investigates in-service and pre-service school counselors' current levels of HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and attitudes, and the demographic factors potentially associated with HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes. (Contains 26 references.) (GCP)

An assessment of a pilot asthma education program for childcare workers in a high-prevalence county.

PubMed

Saville, Suzanne K; Wetta-Hall, Ruth; Hawley, Suzanne R; Molgaard, Craig A; St Romain, Theresa; Hart, Traci A

2008-12-01

To assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, and intentions among childcare workers before and after an asthma-management-education session. Between May and August 2004 five asthma-education sessions were provided for childcare workers from Sonoma County, California. A total of 71 childcare workers came to the sessions. Before and after each session we assessed the participants' knowledge, attitudes, and intentions about asthma. Participant knowledge of asthma causes (eg, air quality, common cold) and interventions (eg, bronchodilators), asthma trigger control plans, ability to identify a child who needs medical attention for asthma, and comfort level with caring for a child with asthma increased significantly. Their knowledge about asthma triggers, early warning signs, and asthma control plans was high before and after the asthma education intervention. Their stated intentions to utilize their asthma knowledge were high before and after the training, which may indicate willingness to implement knowledge and attitude change. Asthma education can improve childcare workers' knowledge about asthma-control strategies and attitudes toward asthma interventions.

76 FR 77963 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-15

... containing coral reefs. Specifically, NOAA is seeking information on the knowledge, attitudes and reef use patterns, as well as information on knowledge and attitudes related to specific reef protection activities... protection programs. Because many of our efforts to protect reefs rely on education and changing attitudes...

Factors Affecting Readiness for Low Vision Interventions in Older Adults.

PubMed

Mohler, Amanda Jean; Neufeld, Peggy; Perlmutter, Monica S

2015-01-01

We sought to identify factors that facilitate and inhibit readiness for low vision interventions in people with vision loss, conceptualized as readiness for change in the way they perform daily activities. We conducted 10 semistructured interviews with older adults with low vision and analyzed the results using grounded theory concepts. Themes involving factors that facilitated change included desire to maintain or regain independence, positive attitude, and presence of formal social support. Themes related to barriers to change included limited knowledge of options and activity not a priority. Themes that acted as both barriers and facilitators were informal social support and community resources. This study provides insight into readiness to make changes in behavior and environment in older adults with vision loss. Study findings can help occupational therapy practitioners practice client-centered care more effectively and promote safe and satisfying daily living activity performance in this population. Copyright © 2015 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Introduction--the Socially Sustainable Egg Production project.

PubMed

Swanson, J C; Mench, J A; Thompson, P B

2011-01-01

The social and political pressure to change egg production from conventional cage systems to alternative systems has been largely driven by the desire to provide more behavioral freedom for egg-laying hens. However, a change of this magnitude can affect other components of the production system and may result in unintended outcomes. To understand this issue, a Socially Sustainable Egg Production project was formed to 1) conduct a holistic and integrated systematic review of the current state of knowledge about various aspects of sustainable egg production, and 2) develop a coordinated grant proposal for future extramural funding based on the research priorities identified from the review. Expert study groups were formed to write evidence-based papers in 5 critical sustainability areas: hen health and welfare, economics, food safety and quality, public attitudes, and environmental impacts. These papers were presented as the PSA Emerging Issues Symposium on Social Sustainability of Egg Production at the 2010 Poultry Science Association meeting.

Psychosocial Determinants of Adherence to Preventive Dental Attendance for Preschool Children Among Filipino Immigrants in Edmonton, Alberta.

PubMed

Badri, Parvaneh; Wolfe, Ruth; Farmer, Anna; Amin, Maryam

2018-06-01

Barriers to accessing oral healthcare are public health concerns faced by minorities and immigrants due to socioeconomic marginalization. Therefore, we explored how immigrant parents in Alberta-Edmonton's Filipino community experience adherence to preventive dental attendance (PDA) for their preschool children and the psychosocial factors influencing parental adherence. We employed a qualitative focused ethnography design. Data were collected through interviews and focus groups. Audiotapes of sessions were transcribed verbatim and concurrent thematic data analysis was performed. Stressors, resources, paradox and structural barriers comprised emergent psychosocial themes. Upon arriving in Canada, most Filipino parents held low-priority attitudes and perceptions toward PDA. After migration, however, they embraced new knowledge about the importance of PDA for their children. Filipino parents were open to the Western model of preventive oral healthcare, with the duration of their time in Canada playing a key role in promoting regular dental visits for their children.

Risk factors influencing dentists' hepatitis B-related knowledge and attitudes and their willingness to treat hepatitis B positive patients.

PubMed

Khosravanifard, B; Rakhshan, V; Sherafat, S; Najafi-Salehi, L

2015-02-25

This study assessed factors that could predict dentists' knowledge, attitudes and behaviour towards hepatitis B virus (HBV). A total of 300 dentists in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran were surveyed and their demographic, educational and office characteristics were analysed in relation to their scores on knowledge about HBV, self-reported attitudes towards treating people infected with HBV and actual behaviour towards treating simulated HBV-positive patients. Having a Master's degree, faculty membership, taking ≥ 3 continuing education courses, wearing eye-shields, spending more time on preparing dental units and higher self-confidence about knowledge predicted better knowledge. A positive attitude was associated with having attended more courses and working in group practice. The number of courses and a shorter dental unit preparation time positively affected dentists' behaviour.

Parent-child communication about sex and young adolescents' sexual knowledge and attitudes.

PubMed

Fisher, T D

1986-01-01

Previous studies indicate that adolescents whose parents talk to them about sex tend to be less sexually active and more likely to use an effective means of contraception. This study sought to determine the relationship between parent-child communication about sex and young adolescents' reproductive and contraceptive knowledge and sexual attitudes. Twenty-two 12- to 14-year-olds and their parents completed sexual-knowledge, sexual-attitude, and contraceptive-choice questionnaires. Families were divided into high-communication and low-communication groups. There were no significant differences in the sexual knowledge, attitudes, or contraceptive choices of the children in the two groups, but the correlation between parents' and children's sexual attitudes in the high-communication group was significantly higher than that of the low-communication group. Although this was a correlational study, it seems likely that the similarity in sexual values was the result of parent-child discussion about sex.

Effects of environment and education on knowledge and attitude of nursing students towards leprosy.

PubMed

Rajkumar, E; Julious, S; Salome, A; Jennifer, G; John, A S; Kannan, L; Richard, J

2011-01-01

The objective of this cross-sectional comparative study was to find the effects of environment and education on knowledge and attitude of nursing students towards leprosy. Data were collected, using a pretested questionnaire, from the first year and third year students of a School of Nursing attached to a leprosy specialty hospital and also from a comparable School of Nursing attached to a general hospital. The results showed that trainees acquired more knowledge on leprosy during training in both schools of nursing. However, those trained in leprosy hospital environment had higher knowledge and attitude scores than those trained in general hospital environment. The attitude of the trainees attached to leprosy hospital was favourable even before they had formal training in leprosy. Those trained in the general hospital showed more favourable attitude after training compared to before training. School of Nursing attached to leprosy hospital provided an atmosphere conducive to learning and understanding more about leprosy. The trainees retained what was learnt because of regular association with patients affected by leprosy. For employment in hospital or community based services or research related to leprosy, nurses trained in a leprosy hospital would have added value of knowledge and attitude.

Changing Knowledge and Attitudes with a Middle School Mental Health Education Curriculum

PubMed Central

Wahl, Otto F.; Susin, Janet; Kaplan, Lorraine; Lax, Amy; Zatina, Dayna

2011-01-01

Purpose This research tested the effectiveness of a widely used mental health education curriculum in changing knowledge and attitudes about mental illness. Method Middle school students from four schools were provided the Breaking the Silence: Teaching the Next Generation About Mental Illness mental health instruction while students from other classes at the same schools received usual class instruction. Students completed questionnaires assessing knowledge, attitudes, and social distance preferences before, immediately after, and six weeks after the instruction was given. Results Students given the Breaking the Silence instruction showed improvements in knowledge about mental illness, attitudes toward mental illness, and willingness to interact with people with mental illnesses. Students in the comparison classes showed no changes. Conclusions Breaking the Silence was an effective means of improving the knowledge and attitudes of middle school students about mental illness. Implications An easy-to-administer and effective curriculum, Breaking the Silence is available to teachers and schools to help improve understanding and acceptance of people with mental illness. Such a curriculum, introduced during childhood and adolescence, may help to prevent the negative attitudes and misunderstanding that characterize adult perceptions of mental illness. PMID:21731851

Knowledge and attitudes towards AIDS among Saudi and non-Saudi bus drivers.

PubMed

Abdelmoneim, I; Khan, M Y; Daffalla, A; Al-Ghamdi, S; Al-Gamal, M

2002-11-01

We explored the AIDS knowledge and attitudes of long-distance (non-Saudi) and in-city (Saudi) bus drivers in Saudi Arabia. The 69 non-Saudi drivers tended to score higher on knowledge than the 40 Saudi drivers although there were several gaps in their knowledge. As regards attitude, more Saudis knew that chastity could protect against AIDS and both groups tended to think that they were not the kind of people to get AIDS. Intensive health education and follow up is highly recommended for this sector of workers.

A Study of Steroid Use among Athletes: Knowledge, Attitude and Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chng, Chwee Lye; Moore, Alan

1990-01-01

The relationship of knowledge, attitudes, and prevalence of steroid use among college athletes and nonathletes was investigated. Results indicated that the more individuals knew about steroids, the more favorable was their attitude toward use. Powerlifters and bodybuilders were found most likely to use steroids. (JD)

Civil Defense: An Analysis of Attitudes and Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marko, George Franklin

The study aimed at constructing, validating, and testing two instruments, one of which measured attitude change toward Civil Defense adult education, and one which measured level of knowledge about Civil Defense practices; and evaluating the effectiveness of the Personal and Family Survival (PFS) Course in terms of attitude change and knowledge…

Educational Impact on the Relationship of Environmental Knowledge and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liefländer, A. K.; Bogner, F. X.

2018-01-01

This study examines the relationships between the environmental attitudes and environmental knowledge of school children within the framework of an environmental intervention. We employed questions from the 2-MEV model to monitor students' environmental attitudes in terms of the model factors Preservation and Utilisation while concurrently…

75 FR 20849 - Proposed Data Collections Submitted for Public Comment and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-21

... Project ``Youth Knowledge, Attitudes, and Feedback to Inform Choose Respect Implementation'' (OMB no. 0920... attitude questions at some of the focus groups. Over a three-year period, NCIPC seeks to understand youths' (ages 11 to 18) knowledge and attitudes regarding healthy and unhealthy relationships, and obtain their...

76 FR 38618 - Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Coral Reef Conservation Program Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-01

..., NOAA is seeking information on the knowledge, attitudes and reef use patterns, as well as information on knowledge and attitudes related to specific reef protection activities. In addition, this survey... the efforts to protect reefs rely on education and changing attitudes toward reef protection, the...

The influence of tobacco countermarketing ads on college students' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs.

PubMed

Murphy-Hoefer, Rebecca; Hyland, Andrew; Rivard, Cheryl

2010-01-01

To determine which antitobacco messages were perceived effective in changing college students' knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about tobacco use. College students (n = 1,020) were surveyed before and after viewing 4 30-second antitobacco advertisements in 1 of 3 theme categories-social norms, health consequences, or tobacco industry manipulation. An independent samples t test was used to test for differences in the mean responses to the knowledge, attitude, and belief questions at posttest by smoking status and gender. Health consequences ads significantly increased overall knowledge and negative attitudes and beliefs. Findings from this study may help health educators who work in college settings and other young adult settings to include media messages as part of a comprehensive tobacco control program.

Consumer knowledge and attitudes about genetically modified food products and labelling policy.

PubMed

Vecchione, Melissa; Feldman, Charles; Wunderlich, Shahla

2015-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between consumer knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards foods containing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the prevalence of GMO labelling in northern New Jersey supermarkets. This cross-sectional study surveyed 331 adults, New Jersey supermarket customers (mean age 26 years old, 79.8% women). The results show a strong, positive correlation between consumer attitudes towards foods not containing GMOs and purchasing behaviour (Pearson's r = 0.701, p < 0.001) with lesser correlations between knowledge and behaviour (Pearson's r = 0.593, p < 0.001) and knowledge and attitudes (Pearson's r = 0.413, p < 0.001). GMO labelling would assist consumers in making informed purchase decisions.

Factors contributing to Korean teachers' attitudes toward students with epilepsy.

PubMed

Lee, Sang-Ahm; Yim, Soo Bin; Rho, Young Il; Chu, Minkyung; Park, Hyeon Mi; Lee, Geun-ho; Park, Sung-Pa; Jung, Dae Soo

2011-02-01

We investigated factors contributing to teachers' attitudes toward students with epilepsy. Data were collected from 604 teachers in Korea. The questionnaire included the Scale of Attitudes Toward Persons with Epilepsy (ATPE) and a demographic and teaching experience survey. In stepwise linear regression analysis, ATPE Knowledge scores (P<0.001) and prior experience teaching a student with epilepsy (P=0.001) were identified as significant factors for ATPE Attitude scores. The ATPE Knowledge scores accounted for 50.1% of the variance in the Attitude scores, and experience teaching a student with epilepsy accounted only for 1.0%. Our finding that teachers' knowledge is the most important factor influencing teacher's attitudes toward epilepsy indicates that teachers should be provided with information about epilepsy universally, across geographic settings, educational levels, and experience levels. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparing Primary Student Teachers' Attitudes, Subject Knowledge and Pedagogical Content Knowledge Needs in a Physics Activity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Jane; Ahtee, Maija

2006-01-01

This research explores and compares primary student teachers' attitudes, subject knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in physics in two institutions in England and Finland, using a practical physics activity and questionnaire. Teaching of physics activities was rated unpopular both in Finland and England, although English students…

Family medicine practice and research: survey of physicians' attitudes towards scientific research in a post-communist transition country.

PubMed

Rogulj, Zdenka Mrdesa; Baloevic, Elizabet; Dogas, Zoran; Kardum, Goran; Hren, Darko; Marusic, Ana; Marusic, Matko

2007-01-01

Although the paradigm of modern medicine is evidence-based practice, there is a lack of research output and interest in research in family medicine. We investigated attitudes towards scientific research among family medicine practitioners in a country in post-communist socioeconomic transition, and related it to their attitudes towards alternative medicine and clinical knowledge relevant for their practice. We surveyed 427 family medicine practitioners in Croatia about their attitudes towards scientific research (5-point rating scale, total score range 20-100) and alternative medicine (5-point rating scale, total score range 14-70). We also tested their knowledge on diagnosis and treatment of hypertension (10 questions) and diabetes (12 questions). The attitude towards scientific research was positive (score 79.0 +/- 7.2 out of maximum 100) and significantly more positive than that towards alternative medicine (score 45.0 +/- 9.9 out of maximum 70; t(425) = 19.06, P < 0.001). The respondents correctly answered about half the questions on hypertension and diabetes; knowledge on new diagnostic and treatment guidelines was better than their textbook knowledge. The attitude scores were not related to knowledge or research activity or the medical practice of the respondents. Family medicine practitioners in a transition country have a more positive attitude towards science than towards alternative medicine, despite the adverse situation in which they practice. To involve family medicine practitioners in research, interventions must be directed towards changes in behavior and practice and not only towards increasing positive attitudes.

Case-based e-learning to improve the attitude of medical students towards occupational health, a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Smits, P B A; de Graaf, L; Radon, K; de Boer, A G; Bos, N R; van Dijk, F J H; Verbeek, J H A M

2012-04-01

Undergraduate medical teaching in occupational health (OH) is a challenge in universities around the world. Case-based e-learning with an attractive clinical context could improve the attitude of medical students towards OH. The study question is whether case-based e-learning for medical students is more effective in improving knowledge, satisfaction and a positive attitude towards OH than non-case-based textbook learning. Participants, 141 second year medical students, were randomised to either case-based e-learning or text-based learning. Outcome measures were knowledge, satisfaction and attitude towards OH, measured at baseline, directly after the intervention, after 1 week and at 3-month follow-up. Of the 141 participants, 130 (92%) completed the questionnaires at short-term follow-up and 41 (29%) at 3-month follow-up. At short-term follow-up, intervention and control groups did not show a significant difference in knowledge nor satisfaction but attitude towards OH was significantly more negative in the intervention group (F=4.041, p=0.047). At 3-month follow-up, there were no significant differences between intervention and control groups for knowledge, satisfaction and attitude. We found a significant decrease in favourable attitude during the internship in the experimental group compared with the control group. There were no significant differences in knowledge or satisfaction between case-based e-learning and text-based learning. The attitude towards OH should be further investigated as an outcome of educational programmes.

Knowledge and Attitude Regarding Organ Donation among Relatives of Patients Referred to the Emergency Department

PubMed Central

Pouraghaei, Mahboob; Tagizadieh, Mohammad; Tagizadieh, Ali; Moharamzadeh, Payman; Esfahanian, Samaneh; Shahsavari Nia, Kavous

2015-01-01

Introduction: Organ donation is one of the surviving procedures, which can increase the life expectancy of end-stage patients. Inappropriate beliefs and attitude of individuals to organ donation, their poor knowledge, and the socio-economic level are one of the most important barriers for organ donation. Therefore, here knowledge and attitude levels among relatives of trauma patients regarding organ donation were evaluated. Methods: This cross-sectional study was done on relatives of trauma patients referred to the emergency department of Sina Hospital, Tabriz, Iran, through 2013 to 2014. The questionnaire included parts of demographic data and socio-economic situations as well as status of knowledge and attitude regarding organ donation. A score between 0-7 was belonged to each person based on his/her level of knowledge. Attitude level had a score between 0-12. Chi- square, Fisher, and Mann–Whitney U test were performed to assess the relation between demographic variables and the level of knowledge and attitude. P<0.05 was considered as a significant level. Results: 79 persons (57.1% male) with the mean age of 31.3±11.3 years were evaluated. 57 (73.1%) of subjects agreed with organ transplant. The main causes of disagreement among relatives regarding organ donation were dissatisfaction of the donor's relatives (25%) and religious issues (15%). 49 (62.02%) studied people had inappropriate attitude and 27 (34.2%) ones had good knowledge. male gender (OR=5.87; 95%CI: 3.32-8.42; p=0.001) and self-employed job (OR=7.78; 95%CI: 4.64-10.92; p=0.001) are independent factors associated with poor knowledge about organ donation. Self-employed job (OR=3.86; 95%CI: 1.41-6.11; p=0.009) and poor knowledge (OR=15.3; 95%CI: 9.03-21.57; p<0.001) were related to inappropriate attitude toward organ donation. Conclusion: The present study showed that 73.1% of participants agreed with organ donation. The major causes of disagreements were dissatisfaction of other relatives and religious beliefs. 62.0% of the studied people had positive view regarding organ donation and 34.2% of them well informed about. The most important causative factors for poor knowledge in this context were male gender and self-employed occupation. In addition, poor knowledge and self-employed job were two factors associated with inappropriate attitude toward organ donation. PMID:26512367

[Gender violence: Knowledge and attitudes of nurses in Primary Care].

PubMed

Valdés Sánchez, Carmen Ana; García Fernández, Carla; Sierra Díaz, Ángela

2016-12-01

To determine the knowledge and attitudes of nurses in Primary Care as regards gender violence and their relationship with socio-demographic factors and cases detected. Cross-sectional, descriptive study. Urban health centres. A total of 167 nurses working in Primary Care. A questionnaire was used that included questions related to knowledge, knowledge perception and attitudes to gender violence attitudes. Variables such as age, gender, marital status, work place and health area were also analysed. The response rate was 114 (68.26%). The percentage of correct responses in the knowledge questions was 62.2%, with a medium level of knowledge being observed. Married nurses or couples living in a stable relationship obtained a higher score (95.2%, P=.077). The low detection (29%) is associated with marital status (P=.004), low knowledge (P=0,008), low knowledge perception (P=.001), lack of training (P=.03) and non-implementation of the gender violence protocol (P=.001). Nurses with low self-perception of their knowledge implement the protocol less often (OR=0.26; 95% CI: 0.1-0.7), and they consider that the lack of training is the main problem in determining the diagnosis (OR=11.24; 95% CI: 1.5-81.1). The level of knowledge was adequate. Nurses have a lack of confidence in terms of their knowledge about gender violence. The detection and diagnosis attitudes are more related to self-perception of levels of knowledge than their real knowledge. Marital status influences the level of knowledge. Professionals state that the lack of training is the main problem to give an efficient healthcare response. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) among Kindergarten Teachers in Chongqing, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

PubMed

Liu, Hongyan; Xu, Xianglong; Liu, Dengyuan; Rao, Yunshuang; Reis, Cesar; Sharma, Manoj; Yuan, Jun; Chen, Yao; Zhao, Yong

2018-03-28

Kindergarten teachers play an important role in providing kindergarten children with education on nutrition. However, few studies have been published on nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese kindergarten teachers. This study aimed to assess the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. Thus, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured KAP model questionnaire administered to 222 kindergarten teachers, who were senior teachers from 80 kindergartens in 19 districts and 20 counties in Chongqing. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the influential factors. Among the participants, 54.2% were familiar with simple nutrition-related knowledge; only 9.9% of them were satisfied with their knowledge of childhood nutrition; and 97.7% of them had a positive attitude to learn nutrition-related knowledge. Only 38.7% of the participants had attended pediatric nutrition knowledge courses or training. Multiple regression analysis confirmed significant independent effects on the nutrition knowledge score ( p < 0.0001) of respondents on age, type of residence, type of kindergarten, body mass index(BMI), professional training of kindergarten teachers, behavior of having ever participated in childhood nutrition education knowledge courses or training, and behavior of having ever paid attention to children's nutrition knowledge. The model indicated that independent variables explained 45.4% (adjusted R²) of the variance found in the knowledge scores of respondents. While there were low levels of nutrition knowledge and training, it was still encouraging to note that there were positive attitudes towards acquiring nutrition-related knowledge among kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. These findings provide some implications that necessary training measures need to be carried out to improve the nutrition-related knowledge level among kindergarten teachers in China.

Nutrition-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) among Kindergarten Teachers in Chongqing, China: A Cross-Sectional Survey

PubMed Central

Liu, Dengyuan; Rao, Yunshuang; Yuan, Jun; Chen, Yao; Zhao, Yong

2018-01-01

Kindergarten teachers play an important role in providing kindergarten children with education on nutrition. However, few studies have been published on nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Chinese kindergarten teachers. This study aimed to assess the nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. Thus, a cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured KAP model questionnaire administered to 222 kindergarten teachers, who were senior teachers from 80 kindergartens in 19 districts and 20 counties in Chongqing. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the influential factors. Among the participants, 54.2% were familiar with simple nutrition-related knowledge; only 9.9% of them were satisfied with their knowledge of childhood nutrition; and 97.7% of them had a positive attitude to learn nutrition-related knowledge. Only 38.7% of the participants had attended pediatric nutrition knowledge courses or training. Multiple regression analysis confirmed significant independent effects on the nutrition knowledge score (p < 0.0001) of respondents on age, type of residence, type of kindergarten, body mass index(BMI), professional training of kindergarten teachers, behavior of having ever participated in childhood nutrition education knowledge courses or training, and behavior of having ever paid attention to children’s nutrition knowledge. The model indicated that independent variables explained 45.4% (adjusted R2) of the variance found in the knowledge scores of respondents. While there were low levels of nutrition knowledge and training, it was still encouraging to note that there were positive attitudes towards acquiring nutrition-related knowledge among kindergarten teachers in Chongqing, China. These findings provide some implications that necessary training measures need to be carried out to improve the nutrition-related knowledge level among kindergarten teachers in China. PMID:29597273

Assessment of the knowledge and attitude of infants' mothers from Bushehr (Iran) on food security using anthropometric indicators in 2016: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Yeganeh, Sedigheh; Motamed, Niloofar; NajafpourBoushehri, Saeid; Ravanipour, Maryam

2018-05-11

Among the main elements of food security, in terms of food usage, are knowledge and attitude. These are particularly important during the initial two years of a child's life. The present study was conducted in 2016 and aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of infants' mothers from Bushehr (Iran) towards food security using anthropometric indicators. The present cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was performed on 400 mothers of children aged 1-2 years in Bushehr, Iran. Data were collected using a 20-item knowledge questionnaire (CVR = 0.95, CVI = 0.95, and reliability 0.7), a 26-item attitude questionnaire (CVI = 0.94, CVR = 0.91, and reliability 0.76), and a 16-item Radimer/Cornell questionnaire, which were completed by all mothers. Anthropometric indicators of children, including height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height were also measured in accordance with the z-score benchmark of the World Health Organization. A positive and significant relationship was found between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.26, P = 0.0001) as well as between knowledge and household food security (r = 0.11, P = 0.02) in complementary feeding. Approximately 26% of the studied children fell under the risk category of overweight to obese. A significant relationship was found between inadequate knowledge of the mothers and height-for-age (OR = 4.87, P = 0.001) and weight-for-height (OR = 2.33, P = 0.04) indices, as well as between the negative attitude of the mothers and weight-for-height index (OR = 2.91, P = 0.03). The knowledge of food security purely relates to the dimension of the household food security of a family and not to the individual/child level of food security. It seems that the knowledge of a mother, as a positive factor, does not support child's food security when the severity of household insecurity triggers the child's hunger and food inaccessibility. Also, inappropriate knowledge and negative attitude towards food security were associated with an increased risk of obesity. Increased weight, in addition to being affected by the knowledge and attitude of the mothers, is probably also influenced by the incorrect conduct of the mothers. Further investigation on this topic is recommended.

A Cross-Sectional Survey of Healthcare Workers on the Knowledge and Attitudes towards Polio Vaccination in Pakistan

PubMed Central

Khan, Muhammad Umair; Ahmad, Akram; Aqeel, Talieha; Akbar, Naila; Salman, Saad; Idress, Jawaria

2015-01-01

Introduction Pakistan accounts for 85.2% of the total polio cases reported worldwide. Healthcare workers (HCWs) are an integral part of immunization campaigns and source of education for the general public. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes towards polio vaccination among HCWs providing immunisation and education to general public in Quetta and Peshawar divisions of Pakistan. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 490 HCWs was conducted in two major referral public teaching hospitals of Quetta and Peshawar divisions. During February to April, 2015, a random sample of 490 HCWs was invited to participate in this study. Knowledge and attitudes were assessed by using self-administered, anonymous and pretested questionnaire. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were used to express the results. Results A total of 468 participants responded to the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 95.5%. Overall, participants demonstrated good knowledge and positive attitudes towards polio vaccination. The mean knowledge score of HCWs about polio was 13.42±2.39 (based on 18 knowledge questions) while the mean attitude score was 28.75±5.5 (based on 9 attitudes statements). Knowledge gaps were identified about the incubation period of poliovirus (19.5%), management issues (31.9%), use of polio vaccine in mild illnesses (34.7%) and the consequences of the polio virus (36.9%). The majority of participants agreed that all children should be vaccinated for polio (95.1%), while reservations were noted about the need of a booster (38.9%), and sterility issues associated with polio vaccines (43.6%). Internet (n = 167, 37%) and Posters (n = 158, 35%) were the main sources used by HCWs to educate themselves about polio. Conclusion Participants in this study had good knowledge and positive attitudes towards polio vaccination. Although the data are indicative of gaps in the knowledge of HCWs, the findings may not be generalized to other hospitals in Pakistan. PMID:26559184

Engaging Nigerian community pharmacists in public health programs: assessment of their knowledge, attitude and practice in Enugu metropolis.

PubMed

Offu, Ogochukwu; Anetoh, Maureen; Okonta, Matthew; Ekwunife, Obinna

2015-01-01

The Nigerian health sector battles with control of infectious diseases and emerging non-communicable diseases. Number of healthcare personnel involved in public health programs need to be boosted to contain the health challenges of the country. Therefore, it is important to assess whether community pharmacists in Nigeria could be engaged in the promotion and delivery of various public health interventions. This study aimed to assess level of knowledge, attitude and practice of public health by community pharmacists. The cross sectional survey was carried out in Enugu metropolis. Questionnaire items were developed from expert literature. Percentage satisfactory knowledge and practice were obtained by determining the percentage of community pharmacists that were able to list more than 2 activities or that stated the correct answer. Attitude score represents the average score on the 5 point Likert scale for each item. Chi square and Fisher's exact test were used to test for statistically significant difference in knowledge, attitude and practice of public health between different groups of community pharmacists. Forty pharmacists participated in the survey. About one third of the participants had satisfactory knowledge of public health. With the exception of one item in attitude assessment, average item score ranged from 'agreed' to 'strongly agreed'. Study participants scored below satisfactory on practice of public health. Knowledge, attitude and practice of public health were not influenced by years of practice, qualification and prior public health experience. Reported barriers to the practice of public health include inadequate funds, lack of time, lack of space, cooperation of clients, inadequate staff, government regulation, insufficient knowledge, and remuneration. Level of knowledge and practice of public health by community pharmacists were not satisfactory although they had a positive attitude towards practice of public health. The findings highlight the importance of educational interventions targeted towards practicing community pharmacists to improve their knowledge level on public health issues. Providing incentives for public health services rendered could increase community pharmacists' engagement in public health activities.

Baby walkers--health visitors' current practice, attitudes and knowledge.

PubMed

Kendrick, Denise; Illingworth, Rachel; Hapgood, Rhydian; Woods, Amanda J; Collier, Jacqueline

2003-09-01

Baby walkers are a commonly used item of nursery equipment. Between 12% and 50% of parents whose infant uses a walker report that their child has suffered a walker-related injury. Health visitors' knowledge, attitudes and practice with regard to walkers and related health education has not been explored so far. The aim of the study was to describe health visitors' knowledge of walkers and walker-related injuries, their attitudes towards walkers and current practice with regard to walker health education, and to examine the relationship between knowledge and attitudes and knowledge and practice. A survey was carried out with 64 health visitors prior to participation in a randomized controlled trial assessing the effectiveness of an educational package in reducing baby walker use. The response rate was 95%. Half of the health visitors always discussed walkers postnatally, most frequently at the 6-9 month check. Most did not usually discuss the frequency of walker-related injuries. Most had negative attitudes towards walkers, but believed that parents hold positive attitudes to them and that it is hard to persuade parents not to use them. Health visitors had a limited knowledge of walker use and walker-related injuries. Those giving advice on walkers most often had higher knowledge scores than those giving advice less often (P = 0.03). Those with higher knowledge scores held more negative attitudes towards walkers (rs = 0.29, P = 0.023) and believed parents to have more positive attitudes towards walkers (rs = -0.49, P < 0.001). Few health visitors had resources to discuss walkers. Health visitor advice regarding walkers needs to be given earlier in the postnatal period than is currently common practice, and they need more knowledge about walker use and related injuries. Education about baby walkers needs to be incorporated into undergraduate and in-service education, which may need to include the development of skills in exploring reasons why parents use walkers and in negotiating alternatives to their use. The provision of audio-visual aids for discussing walkers might also be helpful.

Ocean Research Priorities: Similarities and Differences among Scientists, Policymakers, and Fishermen in the United States

PubMed Central

Mason, Julia G.; Rudd, Murray A.; Crowder, Larry B.

2017-01-01

Abstract Understanding and solving complex ocean conservation problems requires cooperation not just among scientific disciplines but also across sectors. A recently published survey that probed research priorities of marine scientists, when provided to ocean stakeholders, revealed some agreement on priorities but also illuminated key differences. Ocean acidification, cumulative impacts, bycatch effects, and restoration effectiveness were in the top 10 priorities for scientists and stakeholder groups. Significant priority differences were that scientists favored research questions about ocean acidification and marine protected areas; policymakers prioritized questions about habitat restoration, bycatch, and precaution; and fisheries sector resource users called for the inclusion of local ecological knowledge in policymaking. These results quantitatively demonstrate how different stakeholder groups approach ocean issues and highlight the need to incorporate other types of knowledge in the codesign of solutions-oriented research, which may facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration. PMID:28533565

Ocean Research Priorities: Similarities and Differences among Scientists, Policymakers, and Fishermen in the United States.

PubMed

Mason, Julia G; Rudd, Murray A; Crowder, Larry B

2017-05-01

Understanding and solving complex ocean conservation problems requires cooperation not just among scientific disciplines but also across sectors. A recently published survey that probed research priorities of marine scientists, when provided to ocean stakeholders, revealed some agreement on priorities but also illuminated key differences. Ocean acidification, cumulative impacts, bycatch effects, and restoration effectiveness were in the top 10 priorities for scientists and stakeholder groups. Significant priority differences were that scientists favored research questions about ocean acidification and marine protected areas; policymakers prioritized questions about habitat restoration, bycatch, and precaution; and fisheries sector resource users called for the inclusion of local ecological knowledge in policymaking. These results quantitatively demonstrate how different stakeholder groups approach ocean issues and highlight the need to incorporate other types of knowledge in the codesign of solutions-oriented research, which may facilitate cross-sectoral collaboration.

Medical ethical standards in dermatology: an analytical study of knowledge, attitudes and practices.

PubMed

Mostafa, W Z; Abdel Hay, R M; El Lawindi, M I

2015-01-01

Dermatology practice has not been ethically justified at all times. The objective of the study was to find out dermatologists' knowledge about medical ethics, their attitudes towards regulatory measures and their practices, and to study the different factors influencing the knowledge, the attitude and the practices of dermatologists. This is a cross-sectional comparative study conducted among 214 dermatologists, from five Academic Universities and from participants in two conferences. A 54 items structured anonymous questionnaire was designed to describe the demographical characteristics of the study group as well as their knowledge, attitude and practices regarding the medical ethics standards in clinical and research settings. Five scoring indices were estimated regarding knowledge, attitude and practice. Inferential statistics were used to test differences between groups as indicated. The Student's t-test and analysis of variance were carried out for quantitative variables. The chi-squared test was conducted for qualitative variables. The results were considered statistically significant at a P > 0.05. Analysis of the possible factors having impact on the overall scores revealed that the highest knowledge scores were among dermatologists who practice in an academic setting plus an additional place; however, this difference was statistically non-significant (P = 0.060). Female dermatologists showed a higher attitude score compared to males (P = 0.028). The highest significant attitude score (P = 0.019) regarding clinical practice was recorded among those practicing cosmetic dermatology. The different studied groups of dermatologists revealed a significant impact on the attitude score (P = 0.049), and the evidence-practice score (P < 0.001). Ethical practices will improve the quality and integrity of dermatology research. © 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Food safety knowledge, attitude and practices of meat handler in abattoir and retail meat shops of Jigjiga Town, Ethiopia.

PubMed

Tegegne, H A; Phyo, H W W

2017-12-01

A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 91 meat handlers by using structured questionnaire to determine the food safety knowledge, attitude and practices in abattoir and retail meat shops of Jigjiga Town. The result shows that majority of the meat handlers were illiterate (30.8%) and primary school leaver (52.7%), and no one went through any food safety training except one meat inspector. The food-handlers' knowledge and safety practices were below acceptable level with the mean score of 13.12 ± 2.33 and 7.7 ± 2.1 respectively. Only few respondents knew about Staphylococcus aureus (3.3% correct answer), hepatitis A virus (19.8% correct answer), and E. coli (5.5% correct answer) as food borne pathogens. About 64% of meat handlers have good attitude about safety of food with mean of total score 14.4 ± 2. All respondents answer correctly questions about proper meat handling and hand washing but they did not translate into strict food hygiene practices. Chi2 analysis testing for the association between knowledge, attitude and practices did not show any significant association. It may be due to meat handlers' below acceptable level safety practices regardless of sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude. However, there was strong association between level of education and knowledge, and knowledge and hand washing (p < 0.05). There was also association between age and knowledge though it was not statistically significant. Thus, continuous education and hands on training for meat handlers that can enhance good safety practices through better understanding and positive attitude.

Australian nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards pressure injury prevention: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Usher, Kim; Woods, Cindy; Brown, Janie; Power, Tamara; Lea, Jackie; Hutchinson, Marie; Mather, Carey; Miller, Andrea; Saunders, Annette; Mills, Jane; Zhao, Lin; Yates, Karen; Bodak, Marie; Southern, Joanne; Jackson, Debra

2018-05-01

The aim of this study was to assess student nurses' knowledge of and attitudes towards pressure injury prevention evidence-based guidelines. Pressure injuries are a substantial problem in many healthcare settings causing major harm to patients, and generating major economic costs for health service providers. Nurses have a crucial role in the prevention of pressure injuries across all health care settings. A multi-centered, cross-sectional study was conducted using a paper-based questionnaire with undergraduate nursing students enrolled in seven universities with campuses across five Australian states (Queensland, New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria and Tasmania). Data were collected from nursing students using two validated instruments (Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Assessment Instrument and Attitude Toward Pressure Ulcer Prevention Instrument), to measure students' pressure injury prevention knowledge and attitudes. Students reported relatively low pressure injury prevention knowledge scores (51%), and high attitude scores (78%). Critical issues in this study were nursing students' lack of knowledge about preventative strategies to reduce the amount and duration of pressure/shear, and lower confidence in their capability to prevent pressure injury. Level of education and exposure to working in a greater number of different clinical units were significantly related to pressure injury prevention knowledge and attitude scores. The study findings highlight the need to implement a comprehensive approach to increasing Australian nursing students' pressure injury prevention and management knowledge, as well as ensuring that these students have adequate experiences in clinical units, with a high focus on pressure injury prevention to raise their personal capability. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Food safety knowledge, attitude and practices of meat handler in abattoir and retail meat shops of Jigjiga Town, Ethiopia

PubMed Central

TEGEGNE, H.A.; PHYO, H.W.W.

2017-01-01

Summary A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 91 meat handlers by using structured questionnaire to determine the food safety knowledge, attitude and practices in abattoir and retail meat shops of Jigjiga Town. The result shows that majority of the meat handlers were illiterate (30.8%) and primary school leaver (52.7%), and no one went through any food safety training except one meat inspector. The food-handlers’ knowledge and safety practices were below acceptable level with the mean score of 13.12 ± 2.33 and 7.7 ± 2.1 respectively. Only few respondents knew about Staphylococcus aureus (3.3% correct answer), hepatitis A virus (19.8% correct answer), and E. coli (5.5% correct answer) as food borne pathogens. About 64% of meat handlers have good attitude about safety of food with mean of total score 14.4 ± 2. All respondents answer correctly questions about proper meat handling and hand washing but they did not translate into strict food hygiene practices. Chi2 analysis testing for the association between knowledge, attitude and practices did not show any significant association. It may be due to meat handlers’ below acceptable level safety practices regardless of sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude. However, there was strong association between level of education and knowledge, and knowledge and hand washing (p < 0.05). There was also association between age and knowledge though it was not statistically significant. Thus, continuous education and hands on training for meat handlers that can enhance good safety practices through better understanding and positive attitude. PMID:29707664

Assessment of knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis among final year students in Yazd, Central Iran.

PubMed

Behnaz, Fatemah; Mohammadzade, Golnaz; Mousavi-e-Roknabadi, Razieh S; Mohammadzadeh, Mahmoud

2014-06-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global health problem. Treatment and prevention of TB has shifted from inpatient to outpatient settings. A report from the World Health Organization has emphasized educational strategy to ensure students graduate with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential to the effective management of TB. The objective of this study was to determine the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices among medical students. The survey was done from 2012 to 2013. Knowledge, attitudes and practices were assessed regarding tuberculosis with a questionnaire. Knowledge mean score of students was 16.13±2.06 and Attitude score was 36.08±3.76, Knowledge and attitude levels of students were moderate to high in the majority of them. Practice score of the study subjects was 22.77±4.95, 11.9% of students had poor practice level. 43% did not know that a sputum smear is the most important method used for diagnosis of TB. Two-thirds of them did not know the distance that should be kept from contagious patients. Half of them believed that the BCG vaccination has no role in the prevention of TB. This study concluded that more efforts should be made to improve the knowledge of students regarding TB transmission and the role of sputum smear in diagnosis. The importance of the BCG vaccination should be emphasized. Copyright © 2013 Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Your Health Essential for Your Hajj": Muslim pilgrims' knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) during Hajj season.

PubMed

Alhomoud, Faten; Alhomoud, Farah

2017-05-01

Up to date, there have been no studies to evaluate pilgrims' knowledge, attitude and practices regarding MERS-CoV during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in order to see whether there is a need for these aspects to be improved. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted with a convenience sampling. Participants were pilgrims, aged over 18, and able to speak Arabic or English. A self-administered structured questionnaire was distributed during Hajj season in Mecca. Descriptive and multiple linear regression analysis were used in data analysis. Two hundred and fifty-seven participants completed the study, 80% of whom were female, and the median (IQR) age was 35 (24.5-43.5) years. Pilgrims had moderately correct knowledge and accurate attitudes about MERS-CoV with median scores of 5 (IQR 4-7) and 6 (IQR: 5-7) respectively. Educational level and employment status were significantly associated with knowledge whereas gender and age were significantly associated with attitude and practices respectively (P < 0.05). The correlation between knowledge, attitude and practices was significant (correlation coefficient: 0.207; P < 0.05). Better knowledge was found to be a predictor for positive practice. These findings will provide insight when designing future interventions to promote specific messages to enhance knowledge, change attitude and improve practice regarding MERS-CoV. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Knowledge, attitude, practices and their associated factors towards diabetes mellitus among non diabetes community members of Bale Zone administrative towns, South East Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Kassahun, Chanyalew Worku; Mekonen, Alemayehu Gonie

2017-01-01

Diabetes kills more than 4.9 million adults per year. It becomes rapidly increasing, non-communicable disease-a major threat to global public health particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Though previous studies among diabetic patients were focused in health institution, limited knowledge, attitude and practice were seen. There is no study conducted about diabetes related to knowledge, attitudes, practice and associated factors in the community level. The study assessed knowledge, attitude, practices, and its associated factors towards diabetes mellitus among non diabetic community members of Bale Zone, Ethiopia. Community based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 15 to December 15, 2015 among 605 non diabetic community members of Bale Zone administrative towns. Data was collected using pretested structured face-to-face interview after taking informed written consent. Respondents were selected by systematic random sampling. The data was entered into EPI data version 3.1 and analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences version 20. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Finally, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to indicate the independent predictors of knowledge, attitude and practice. Response rate of the study was 98.2%. About 52.5% of participants were knowledgeable, 55.9% and 56.6% had good attitude and practice respectively. Earning average monthly family income of ≤500 Ethiopian birr (AOR = 0.4, CI = 0.2, 0.6) and 501-1000 (AOR = 0.4, CI = 0.2, 0.7), heard about diabetes (AOR = 4.4, CI = 1.9, 10.2), had diabetes health education exposure (AOR = 5, CI = 2.5, 9.7) resulted to have good diabetes knowledge. Student, (AOR = 5.1, CI = 2.1,12), government/private employee (AOR = 3,CI = 1.4,6.7), merchant (AOR = 2,CI = 1.1,3.6) and Knowledgeable (AOR = 3, CI = 2.1, 4.7) subjects had positive attitude towards diabetes. Having college and above educational level (AOR = 0.33, CI = 0.16, 0.7), having good attitude towards diabetes (AOR = 2, CI = 1.3, 3) had good practiced. Considerable limited knowledge, attitude and practices were seen. A great emphasis on health education regarding symptoms and risk factors modification for diabetes are necessary.

Knowledge, attitude, practices and their associated factors towards diabetes mellitus among non diabetes community members of Bale Zone administrative towns, South East Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Kassahun, Chanyalew Worku; Mekonen, Alemayehu Gonie

2017-01-01

Background Diabetes kills more than 4.9 million adults per year. It becomes rapidly increasing, non-communicable disease—a major threat to global public health particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Though previous studies among diabetic patients were focused in health institution, limited knowledge, attitude and practice were seen. There is no study conducted about diabetes related to knowledge, attitudes, practice and associated factors in the community level. Objective of the study The study assessed knowledge, attitude, practices, and its associated factors towards diabetes mellitus among non diabetic community members of Bale Zone, Ethiopia. Methods Community based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 15 to December 15, 2015 among 605 non diabetic community members of Bale Zone administrative towns. Data was collected using pretested structured face-to-face interview after taking informed written consent. Respondents were selected by systematic random sampling. The data was entered into EPI data version 3.1 and analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences version 20. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Finally, multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to indicate the independent predictors of knowledge, attitude and practice. Result Response rate of the study was 98.2%. About 52.5% of participants were knowledgeable, 55.9% and 56.6% had good attitude and practice respectively. Earning average monthly family income of ≤500 Ethiopian birr (AOR = 0.4, CI = 0.2, 0.6) and 501–1000 (AOR = 0.4, CI = 0.2, 0.7), heard about diabetes (AOR = 4.4, CI = 1.9, 10.2), had diabetes health education exposure (AOR = 5, CI = 2.5, 9.7) resulted to have good diabetes knowledge. Student, (AOR = 5.1, CI = 2.1,12), government/private employee (AOR = 3,CI = 1.4,6.7), merchant (AOR = 2,CI = 1.1,3.6) and Knowledgeable (AOR = 3, CI = 2.1, 4.7) subjects had positive attitude towards diabetes. Having college and above educational level (AOR = 0.33, CI = 0.16, 0.7), having good attitude towards diabetes (AOR = 2, CI = 1.3, 3) had good practiced. Conclusion Considerable limited knowledge, attitude and practices were seen. A great emphasis on health education regarding symptoms and risk factors modification for diabetes are necessary. PMID:28152066

Comparing the effect of group-based and compact disk-based training on midwives' knowledge and attitude toward domestic violence in women of reproductive age.

PubMed

Vakily, Masoomeh; Noroozi, Mahnaz; Yamani, Nikoo

2017-01-01

Training the health personnel about domestic violence would cause them to investigate and evaluate this issue more than before. Considering the new educational approaches for transferring knowledge, the goal of this research was to compare the effect of group-based and compact disk (CD)-based training on midwives' knowledge and attitude toward domestic violence. In this clinical experiment, seventy midwives working at health centers and hospitals of Isfahan were randomly allocated into two classes of group-based and CD-based trainings and were trained in the fields of recognition, prevention, and management of domestic violence. Data were collected by questionnaires which were completed by the midwives for evaluation of their knowledge and attitude. The mean score of midwives' knowledge and attitude toward domestic violence had a meaningful increase after the training (16.1, 46.9) compared to the score of before the training (12.1, 39.1) in both of the classes (group-based training: 17.7, 45.4) (CD-based training: 11.7, 38.6). No meaningful difference was observed between the two groups regarding midwives' attitude toward domestic violence after the intervention; however, regarding their knowledge level, the difference was statistically meaningful ( P = 0.001), and this knowledge increase was more in the CD-based training group. In spite of the effectiveness of both of the training methods in promoting midwives' knowledge and attitude about domestic violence, training with CD was more effective in increasing their knowledge; as a result, considering the benefits of CD-based training such as cost-effectiveness and possibility of use at any time, it is advised to be used in training programs for the health personnel.

Knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of Muslim footballers towards Ramadan fasting during the London 2012 Olympics: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Herrera, Christopher P; Zerguini, Yacine; Almudahka, Fuad

2016-01-01

Objectives Muslims observe fasting during the month of Ramadan by abstaining from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset. Available literature shows that although several studies have been conducted on athletes to determine the effects of Ramadan fasting in terms of physical fitness and performance, little data are available regarding the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes of athletes (particularly footballers) towards Ramadan fasting during high-level competitions. This study explored the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards Ramadan fasting among football players participating in the London 2012 Olympics football tournament. Design Cross-sectional study. Settings Team training facility. Participants 54 Muslim footballers participating in the London Olympics, 2012 Outcome measures Each participant was asked to complete a pre-validated structured questionnaire to assess knowledge, beliefs and attitudes regarding Ramadan fasting and their intention to fast during London 2012. Results Of the 54 participating athletes, 21(39%) reported that they intended to fast during Ramadan, but not on a match day. This attitude differed across three teams interviewed —83%, 15% and 0%—showing cross-cultural variation. Overall, there was a lack of knowledge among footballers regarding the effects of Ramadan fasting on sleep and performance; around 30% of athletes gave incorrect responses. This knowledge was independent of their decision to fast on non-competition days (p>0.05). Conclusions This is the first study to describe the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards Ramadan fasting among athletes from Muslim-majority countries participating in a high-level competition. Appropriate knowledge can ensure optimum performance for athletes during Ramadan fasting. Coaches, family members and friends also in possession of this knowledge can provide moral support to the players. PMID:27670523

Knowledge and attitude of Indian clinical dental students towards the dental treatment of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS).

PubMed

Oberoi, Sukhvinder Singh; Marya, Charu Mohan; Sharma, Nilima; Mohanty, Vikrant; Marwah, Mohita; Oberoi, Avneet

2014-12-01

Oral health care of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune-deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a growing area of concern. Information on HIV- and AIDS-related knowledge among dental students provides a crucial foundation for efforts aimed at developing an appropriate dental curriculum on HIV and AIDS. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of Indian clinical dental students towards the treatment of patients with HIV/AIDS and perceived sources of information regarding HIV-related issues. Data were collected from clinical dental students (third year, fourth year and internship) from three dental institutions in Delhi National Capital Region (NCR). The questions assessed the knowledge and attitude towards treatment of patients with HIV and the perceived source of information related to HIV. The willingness to treat HIV-positive patients among dental students was 67.0%, and 74.20% were confident of treating a patient with HIV/AIDS. The potential problems in rendering treatment to these patients were effect on the attitude of other patients (49.90%) and staff fears (52.50%). The correct knowledge regarding the infection-control practice (barrier technique) was found among only 15.50% of respondents. The respondents had sufficient knowledge regarding the oral manifestations of HIV/AIDS. There was no correlation between the knowledge and attitude score, demonstrating a gap between knowledge and attitude among dental students regarding treatment of HIV-infected patients. Appropriate knowledge has to be delivered through the dental education curriculum, which can instil confidence in students about their ability to manage HIV-positive patients. © 2014 FDI World Dental Federation.

Comparing the effect of group-based and compact disk-based training on midwives’ knowledge and attitude toward domestic violence in women of reproductive age

PubMed Central

Vakily, Masoomeh; Noroozi, Mahnaz; Yamani, Nikoo

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Training the health personnel about domestic violence would cause them to investigate and evaluate this issue more than before. Considering the new educational approaches for transferring knowledge, the goal of this research was to compare the effect of group-based and compact disk (CD)-based training on midwives’ knowledge and attitude toward domestic violence. METHODS: In this clinical experiment, seventy midwives working at health centers and hospitals of Isfahan were randomly allocated into two classes of group-based and CD-based trainings and were trained in the fields of recognition, prevention, and management of domestic violence. Data were collected by questionnaires which were completed by the midwives for evaluation of their knowledge and attitude. RESULTS: The mean score of midwives’ knowledge and attitude toward domestic violence had a meaningful increase after the training (16.1, 46.9) compared to the score of before the training (12.1, 39.1) in both of the classes (group-based training: 17.7, 45.4) (CD-based training: 11.7, 38.6). No meaningful difference was observed between the two groups regarding midwives’ attitude toward domestic violence after the intervention; however, regarding their knowledge level, the difference was statistically meaningful (P = 0.001), and this knowledge increase was more in the CD-based training group. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the effectiveness of both of the training methods in promoting midwives’ knowledge and attitude about domestic violence, training with CD was more effective in increasing their knowledge; as a result, considering the benefits of CD-based training such as cost-effectiveness and possibility of use at any time, it is advised to be used in training programs for the health personnel. PMID:28852660

Healthcare professionals' attitudes, knowledge and self-efficacy levels regarding the use of self-hypnosis in childbirth: A prospective questionnaire survey.

PubMed

McAllister, Sophie; Coxon, Kirstie; Murrells, T; Sandall, J

2017-04-01

to examine healthcare professionals' attitudes, knowledge and levels of self-efficacy regarding the use of self-hypnosis in childbirth. a prospective survey. two large maternity units in London, England. healthcare professionals (n=129) involved in the care of childbearing women (anaesthetists, midwives and obstetricians). online questionnaire assessing healthcare professionals' experience, knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy relating to self-hypnosis in childbirth. attitude, self-efficacy and knowledge. over half of the participants surveyed (56%) reported they had minimal or no knowledge of hypnosis. Higher levels of knowledge were associated with higher levels of self-efficacy (p<0.001) and also with more positive attitudes (p<.001). Midwives reported significantly higher levels of knowledge, more positive attitudes (7.25, 95% CI: 4.60-9.89) and higher levels of self-efficacy (3.48, 95% CI: 1.46-5.51) than doctors. Midwives also reported more exposure to/experience of hypnosis than doctors, and more exposure was significantly associated with higher levels of self-efficacy (midwives p<.001; doctors p=.001). Professionals who would plan to use self-hypnosis in their own or partners' births had significantly higher self-efficacy scores (p<.001). if healthcare professionals are to effectively support women using self-hypnosis in childbirth, they need to be confident in their ability to facilitate this method. Previous research has established that self-efficacy is a strong indicator of performance. Professionals with more knowledge of self-hypnosis are also more confident in supporting women using this technique in childbirth. Multi-disciplinary staff training which aims to increase knowledge, and which includes exposure to hypnosis in labour, may be beneficial in assisting staff to support women choosing to use self-hypnosis in labour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fecal incontinence knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking behaviors among community-dwelling adults in Korea.

PubMed

Joh, Hee-Kyung; Seong, Moo-Kyung; Ahn, Hyun-Jun

2018-04-01

Fecal incontinence (FI) is a common debilitating disorder that tends to be underreported. Although low health literacy likely contributes to the underreporting, studies on FI knowledge among the general population remain scarce. We investigated how FI knowledge is associated with attitudes and help-seeking behaviors. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among community-dwelling adults undergoing national health screening in Korea. A structured, self-administered questionnaire was used to assess FI knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking behaviors. Odds ratios (ORs; 95% confidence intervals, CIs) were estimated using logistic regression with adjustment for covariables. Of the 601 participants completing the survey, only 29.8% were aware of the term FI, and their knowledge levels were insufficient. As for FI-related attitudes, 24.6% considered FI to be very rare, and 22.3% considered it to be moderately or less distressing. Individuals who knew the term FI tended to consider FI more common (OR: 2.45; 95%CI: 1.49-4.02) and distressing (OR: 1.68; 95%CI: 1.07-2.63) than those without knowledge. Assuming future FI occurrence, those considering FI to be distressing were less willing to ignore or self-manage the condition (OR: 0.25; 95%CI: 0.11-0.58). Among patients with FI (n = 83), only 30.1% had sought help and 8.4% had consulted doctors. Knowing the term FI was significantly associated with overall help-seeking behavior (OR: 9.23; 95%CI: 2.09-40.77). FI knowledge levels and help-seeking rates were low among community-dwelling adults. FI knowledge was significantly associated with attitudes and help-seeking behaviors. Future public education programs are warranted to improve FI knowledge, attitudes, and help-seeking behaviors. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Medical students' knowledge and attitudes toward organ donation: results of a Dutch survey.

PubMed

Figueroa, C A; Mesfum, E T; Acton, N T; Kunst, A E

2013-01-01

In the Netherlands, as in many other countries, a paucity of research exists on the attitudes and intentions of medical students toward organ donation. These students are of interest for the effect that increasing medical knowledge might have on the willingness to register as a donor. To examine which factors determine medical students' willingness to register as donors. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among medical students at the University of Amsterdam. Our questionnaire included questions on actual donor registration, motives, knowledge, and attitudes toward donation. To assess which factors were related to self-reported donor registration status, we conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses. We received 506 questionnaires (response rate at least 84%). The majority of respondents (80%) intended to donate organs, while 59% were registered. Self-reported medical knowledge and positive attitudes on donation were independently associated with registering as a donor. A rising study year was associated with registering as a donor; this could be explained by increasing medical knowledge and changing attitudes. The results of our study suggest that willingness to register as a donor increases with a rising level of knowledge on organ donation up to some minimal level. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Insights into Ergonomics Among Dental Professionals of a Dental Institute and Private Practitioners in Hubli–Dharwad Twin Cities, India

PubMed Central

Kalghatgi, Shrivardhan; Prasad, Kakarla Veera Venkata; Chhabra, Kumar Gaurav; Deolia, Shravani; Chhabra, Chaya

2014-01-01

Background To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of ergonomics among dental professionals of Hubli–Dharwad twin cities, India. Methods Investigator-developed, self-administered, closed-ended questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding ergonomics during dental practice was filled in by undergraduates, house surgeons, postgraduates, and faculty members of dental institutions and private practitioners from Hubli–Dharwad twin cities. Results Data were collected from a total of 250 participants, 50 belonging to each academic group. Overall mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 52%, 75%, and 55%, respectively. Significant correlation was found for age with attitude (χ2 = 10.734, p = 0.030) and behavior (χ2 = 12.984, p = 0.011). Marital status was significantly associated with all the three domains; knowledge (χ2 = 29.369, p = 0.000), attitude (χ2 = 29.023, p = 0.000), and practices (χ2 = 13.648, p = 0.009). Conclusion Participants had considerable awareness and behavior toward ergonomics in dental practice. The high attitude score indicates stronger acceptance of ergonomics principles and guidelines during routine dental procedures. The current study highlights the situation of ergonomics in dental practice in the form of knowledge, attitude, and practices. PMID:25516809

Emergency contraception: knowledge, attitudes and practices among married Malay women staff at a public university in Malaysia.

PubMed

Najafi, Fatemeh; Rahman, Hejar Abdul; Hanafiah, Muhamad; Momtaz, Yadollah A; Ahmad, Zaiton

2012-11-01

There is a high rate of unintended pregnancies in Malaysia due to low contraceptive use. Only 30% of married women use modern contraceptive methods. Emergency contraception (EC) is used within a few days of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding EC pill use among Malay women. A cross sectional study was conducted among married female staff using stratified random sampling from 15 faculties in the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Data about sociodemographic factors, reproductive health, knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding EC use were gathered using validated self-administered questionnaire. The response rate was 87%. Half the 294 subjects who participated had a low knowledge, 33.0% a moderate knowledge and 17.0% a good knowledge about the EC pill. Eighty-eight percent of respondents had a positive attitude and 12.0% a negative attitude toward EC. Eleven percent of respondents had previously used EC. Unplanned and unwanted pregnancies were reported by 35.0% and 14.0% of respondents, respectively. Most respondents lacked knowledge about the indications for using EC, its mechanism of action, when it can be used and its side effects. Our findings show a need to educate women about EC.

Workplace Safety Interventions for Commercial Fishermen of the Gulf.

PubMed

Levin, Jeffrey L; Gilmore, Karen; Wickman, Amanda; Shepherd, Sara; Shipp, Eva; Nonnenmann, Matthew; Carruth, Ann

2016-01-01

Commercial fishing continues to have one of the highest rates of occupational fatalities compared with other work sectors in the United States. Attitudes/beliefs among Vietnamese shrimp fishermen of the Gulf of Mexico may influence behaviors that are risk factors for fatal and nonfatal injuries. The study employs a community trial with quasi-experimental pretest/posttest intervention design. An advisory group made up of key stakeholders including representatives from the US Coast Guard was assembled. A survey was designed using the Theory of Planned Behavior as the theoretical framework. Three community groups at port sites along the Texas/Louisiana Gulf Coasts were identified. Focus groups were convened at each site to select priority areas for risk intervention using training and awareness measures. Initial and follow-up surveys were administered pre-/post-interventions for each of the three community groups (2008, n = 217 completed surveys; 2012, n = 206 completed surveys). The follow-up survey was condensed and "intent to act" questions were added for the priority concerns identified (noise-induced hearing loss, machinery/winches, and fatigue). Statistically significant changes (P ranging from .000 to .042) were observed in selective attitude/belief responses for hearing/noise and fatigue. Intent to action or to adopt the intervention was high among all three groups of shrimp fishermen (hearing conservation, 82.4%; machinery/winch safety, 94.6%; fatigue awareness, 95.3%). Simple, yet culturally appropriate training and awareness measures in the form of visual and written safety messages favorably influence attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral intent related to priority risk factors identified by Vietnamese commercial shrimp fishermen along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coasts.

Meta-analysis of food safety training on hand hygiene knowledge and attitudes among food handlers.

PubMed

Soon, Jan Mei; Baines, Richard; Seaman, Phillip

2012-04-01

Research has shown that traditional food safety training programs and strategies to promote hand hygiene increases knowledge of the subject. However, very few studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of food safety training on food handlers' attitudes about good hand hygiene practices. The objective of this meta-analytical study was to assess the extent to which food safety training or intervention strategies increased knowledge of and attitudes about hand hygiene. A systematic review of food safety training articles was conducted. Additional studies were identified from abstracts from food safety conferences and food science education conferences. Search terms included combinations of "food safety," "food hygiene," "training," "education," "hand washing," "hand hygiene," "knowledge," "attitudes," "practices," "behavior," and "food handlers." Only before- and after-training approaches and cohort studies with training (intervention group) and without training (control group) in hand hygiene knowledge and including attitudes in food handlers were evaluated. All pooled analyses were based on a random effects model. Meta-analysis values for nine food safety training and intervention studies on hand hygiene knowledge among food handlers were significantly higher than those of the control (without training), with an effect size (Hedges' g) of 1.284 (95% confidence interval [CI] ∼ 0.830 to 1.738). Meta-analysis of five food safety training and intervention studies in which hand hygiene attitudes and self-reported practices were monitored produced a summary effect size of 0.683 (95% CI ∼ 0.523 to 0.843). Food safety training increased knowledge and improved attitudes about hand hygiene practices. Refresher training and long-term reinforcement of good food handling behaviors may also be beneficial for sustaining good hand washing practices.

Associations of Topics of Discussion on Twitter With Survey Measures of Attitudes, Knowledge, and Behaviors Related to Zika: Probabilistic Study in the United States.

PubMed

Farhadloo, Mohsen; Winneg, Kenneth; Chan, Man-Pui Sally; Hall Jamieson, Kathleen; Albarracin, Dolores

2018-02-09

Recent outbreaks of Zika virus around the world led to increased discussions about this issue on social media platforms such as Twitter. These discussions may provide useful information about attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of the population regarding issues that are important for public policy. We sought to identify the associations of the topics of discussions on Twitter and survey measures of Zika-related attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors, not solely based upon the volume of such discussions but by analyzing the content of conversations using probabilistic techniques. Using probabilistic topic modeling with US county and week as the unit of analysis, we analyzed the content of Twitter online communications to identify topics related to the reported attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors captured in a national representative survey (N=33,193) of the US adult population over 33 weeks. Our analyses revealed topics related to "congress funding for Zika," "microcephaly," "Zika-related travel discussions," "insect repellent," "blood transfusion technology," and "Zika in Miami" were associated with our survey measures of attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors observed over the period of the study. Our results demonstrated that it is possible to uncover topics of discussions from Twitter communications that are associated with the Zika-related attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors of populations over time. Social media data can be used as a complementary source of information alongside traditional data sources to gauge the patterns of attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors in a population. ©Mohsen Farhadloo, Kenneth Winneg, Man-Pui Sally Chan, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Dolores Albarracin. Originally published in JMIR Public Health and Surveillance (http://publichealth.jmir.org), 09.02.2018.

Nutrition education and knowledge, attitude and hemoglobin status of Malaysian adolescents.

PubMed

Yusoff, Hafzan; Daud, Wan Nudri Wan; Ahmad, Zulkifli

2012-01-01

A higher occurrence of iron deficiency anemia is present in rural Malaysia than urban Malaysia due to a lower socio-economic status of rural residents. This study was conducted in Tanah Merah, a rural district of Kelantan, Malaysia. Our objective was to investigate the impact of nutrition education alone, daily iron, folate and vitamin C supplementation or both on knowledge, attitudes and hemoglobin status of adolescent students. Two hundred eighty fourth year secondary students were each assigned by school to 1 of 4 different treatment groups. Each intervention was carried out for 3 months followed by 3 months without treatment. A validated self-reported knowledge and attitude questionnaire was administered; hemoglobin levels were measured before and after intervention. At baseline, no significant difference in hemoglobin was noted among the 4 groups (p = 0.06). The changes in hemoglobin levels at 3 months were 11, 4.6, 3.9 and -3.7% for the supplementation, nutrition education, combination and control groups, respectively. The changes at 6 months were 1.0, 6.8, 3.7 and -14.8%, respectively. Significant improvements in knowledge and attitude were evidenced in both the nutritional education and combination groups. The supplementation and control groups had no improvement in knowledge or attitudes. This study suggests nutritional education increases knowledge, attitudes and hemoglobin levels among Malaysian secondary school adolescents.

Comparison of breast-feeding knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs before and after educational intervention for rural Appalachian high school students.

PubMed

Seidel, Allison K; Schetzina, Karen E; Freeman, Sherry C; Coulter, Meredith M; Colgrove, Nicole J

2013-03-01

Breast-feeding rates in rural and southeastern regions of the United States are lower than national rates and Healthy People 2020 targets. The objectives of this study were to understand current breast-feeding knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among rural southern Appalachian adolescents and to explore whether a high school educational intervention designed to address the five tenets (knowledge, attitudes, intentions, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms) of the theory of planned behavior may be effective in increasing future rates of breast-feeding in this population. An educational session including an interactive game was developed and administered to occupational health science students during a single class period in two county high schools. A presurvey and a postsurvey administered 2 weeks after the intervention were completed by students. Pre- and postsurveys were analyzed using paired t tests and Cohen d and potential differences based on sex and grade were explored. Both pre- and postsurveys were completed by 107 students (78%). Knowledge, attitudes about breast-feeding benefits, subjective norms, and intentions significantly improved following the intervention. Baseline knowledge and attitudes about breast-feeding benefits for mothers were low and demonstrated the greatest improvement. Offering breast-feeding education based on the theory of planned behavior in a single high school class session was effective in improving student knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about breast-feeding and intention to breast-feed.

Iodine nutrition status and knowledge, attitude, and behavior in Tehranian women following 2 decades without public education.

PubMed

Mirmiran, Parvin; Nazeri, Pantea; Amiri, Parisa; Mehran, Ladan; Shakeri, Nezhat; Azizi, Fereidoun

2013-01-01

To evaluate the association of iodine nutrition status and knowledge, attitude, and behavior in Tehranian women after 2 decades without updating public education. Cross-sectional study. Eight health care centers from 4 district areas of Tehran. A total of 383 women aged ≥ 19 years, randomly selected. Iodine concentration of 24-hour urine samples, iodine content of household salts, and knowledge, attitude, and practice scores regarding iodine nutrition and iodized salt. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify the association of knowledge, attitude, and practice scores with urinary iodine concentration (UIC) < 100 μg/L. The percentages of Tehranian women with high knowledge, attitude, and practice scores were 26%, 26%, and 14%, respectively. Practice score was significantly different between females with UIC < 100 and > 100 μg/L (P = .001). Risk of UIC < 100 μg/L in women of childbearing age (19-45 years) after adjustment of education level, region of residence, and iodine content of salt was significantly associated with intermediate practice score (odds ratio = 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-13.2). Marginally suboptimal iodine status in women of childbearing age can be attributed to inappropriate practices, but not to knowledge and attitude. Copyright © 2013 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Study of Attitude and Knowledge of the Psychiatry Resident Doctors toward Clinician–Pharmaceutical Industry Interaction

PubMed Central

Balhara, Yatan Pal Singh; Mathur, Shachi; Anand, Nikhilesh

2012-01-01

Background: Pharmaceutical industry and clinicians are the two important stakeholders in the modern-day health care. However, concerns have been expressed about the lack of congruence between the goals of these two. Aims: The current study aimed at exploring the knowledge and attitude of the psychiatry resident doctors toward the clinician–pharmaceutical industry interaction and also at exploring the knowledge of the residents about the new Medical Council of India guidelines on this issue. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted among psychiatry residents. Descriptive statistics with frequency distribution was carried out by using SPSS version 17.0. Results: It had a good response rate of around 90%. The survey reveals the knowledge and attitude of the psychiatry residents toward the psychiatrist–pharmaceutical industry interaction. Conclusions: The survey provides understanding in knowledge and attitude of the psychiatry residents towards the psychiatrist-pharmaceutical industry interaction. PMID:22661810

Sex Stereotype Measure II and Sex Attitude Measure. General Information and Manual of Directions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, John E.; And Others

The Sex Stereotype Measure (SSM II) measures children's knowledge of adult-defined, conventional, sex-trait stereotypes while the Sex Attitude Measure (SAM) measures children's attitudes or evaluative bias toward male and female persons, independent of their stereotype knowledge. Both procedures employ two or three sentence stories and human…

Adolescent Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment: Clinicians' Attitudes, Values, and Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Denby, Ramona W.; Brinson, Jesse A.; Ayala, Jessica

2011-01-01

This study examined community-based clinicians' (N = 294) attitudes, background/experiences, values, and knowledge relating to issues of co-occurring disorders, which occur at a high rate among adolescents involved in the juvenile justice system. Study results reveal that clinicians self-rate their clinical values and attitudes at or above the…

Frogs Sell Beer: The Effects of Beer Advertisements on Adolescent Drinking Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentile, Douglas A.; Walsh, David A.; Bloomgren, Barry W., Jr.; Atti, Jule A.; Norman, Jessica A.

This present research reveals how beer advertising affects adolescents' knowledge of beer brands, drinking attitudes, and drinking behaviors. In addition to traditional psychological approaches for measuring media effects on alcohol-related behaviors and attitudes, market research advertising tracking methods were included to permit a clearer and…

Boosting Students' Attitudes & Knowledge about Evolution Sets Them up for College Success

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, B. Elijah; Infanti, Lynn M.; Wiles, Jason R.

2015-01-01

Students who enter college with a solid grounding in, and positive attitudes toward, evolutionary science are better prepared for and achieve at higher levels in university-level biology courses. We found highly significant, positive relationships between student knowledge of evolution and attitudes toward evolution, as well as between…

Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior toward Charismatic Megafauna: The Case of Dolphins

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barney, Erin C.; Mintzes, Joel J.; Yen, Chiung-Fen

2005-01-01

Using concept maps, a Kellert-type (S. R. Kellert, 1985) inventory, and self-report behavioral items, this cross-age study assessed public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward bottlenose dolphins. Results suggest that this important megafaunal species is poorly understood by the public at large, and that negative "utilitarian" attitudes and…

76 FR 71578 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-18

... Act of 1995: Proposed Project: National Survey of Organ Donation Attitudes and Practices (OMB No. 0915... campaigns need to be based on knowledge of the public's attitudes and perceptions about, and perceived.... It will measure issues such as public knowledge about and attitudes toward organ donation, public...

Knowledge, Affection and Basic Attitudes Toward Animals in American Society. Phase III.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellert, Stephen R.; Berry, Joyce K.

This paper, third in a series of five reports on results of a national study of American attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors toward wildlife and natural habitats, focuses on the American public's attitudes, perceptions, and understanding of animals. Data were derived from questionnaires administered to 3,107 randomly selected Americans (18 years…

Strategies for improving participation in diabetes education. A qualitative study.

PubMed

Schäfer, Ingmar; Pawels, Marc; Küver, Claudia; Pohontsch, Nadine Janis; Scherer, Martin; van den Bussche, Hendrik; Kaduszkiewicz, Hanna

2014-01-01

Diabetes mellitus is highly prevalent and can lead to serious complications and mortality. Patient education can help to avoid negative outcomes, but up to half of the patients do not participate. The aim of this study was to analyze patients' attitudes towards diabetes education in order to identify barriers to participation and develop strategies for better patient education. We conducted a qualitative study. Seven GP practices were purposively selected based on socio-demographic data of city districts in Hamburg, Germany. Study participants were selected by their GPs in order to increase participation. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 14 patients. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The sample size was determined by data saturation. Data were analysed by qualitative content analysis. Categories were determined deductively and inductively. The interviews yielded four types of barriers: 1) Statements and behaviour of the attending physician influence the patients' decisions about diabetes education. 2) Both, a good state of health related to diabetes and physical/psychosocial comorbidity can be reasons for non-participation. 3) Manifold motivational factors were discussed. They ranged from giving low priority to diabetes to avoidance of implications of diabetes education as being confronted with illness narratives of others. 4) Barriers also include aspects of the patients' knowledge and activity. First, physicians should encourage patients to participate in diabetes education and argue that they can profit even if actual treatment and examination results are promising. Second, patients with other priorities, psychic comorbidity or functional limitations might profit more from continuous individualized education adapted to their specific situation instead of group education. Third, it might be justified that patients do not participate in diabetes education if they have slightly increased blood sugar values only and no risk for harmful consequences or if they already have sufficient knowledge on diabetes.

Competency based ophthalmology training curriculum for undergraduate medical students in Zimbabwe.

PubMed

Masanganise, R; Samkange, C; Mukona, D; Aagaard, E

2015-01-01

The establishment of a credible, defensible and acceptable “formal competency based ophthalmology training curriculum for undergraduate medical and dental students” is fundamental to program recognition, monitoring and evaluation. The University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences (UZ-CHS) has never had a formal ophthalmology training curriculum for medical graduates since its inception. This has cast doubts on the quality of medical graduates produced with regards to delivery of basic primary eye care in the community. The aim of this project was to develop a formal “competency based ophthalmology training curriculum” (CBOTC) for medical graduates in Zimbabwe. Institution based (University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals), cross-sectional analytic study. A review of undergraduate medical training curriculum and literature was done to identify gaps in the ophthalmology training curriculum. A local needs assessment was conducted through interviews of major stake holders in the University of Zimbabwe College of Health Sciences and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. This project confirmed the lack of a formal ophthalmology training curriculum for medical graduates at the UZCHS, ad-hoc training of undergraduate ophthalmology and inconsistent student assessment in knowledge of and care of eye complaints. Cataract, glaucoma, refractive errors, ocular tumours, conjunctivitis, eye infection and eye injuries were suggested as priority conditions every student should learn during the rotation. A formal CBOTC for medical graduates based on identified needs and priority eye diseases has been developed in response. A CBOTC based on identified needs and focused on targeted diseases has been proposed geared towards producing medical graduates with the basic knowledge, skills and attitudes to deliver adequate primary eye care.

Food Safety Knowledge and Behaviours of Children (5-7 Years)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eves, Anita; Bielby, Gill; Egan, Bernadette; Lumbers, Margaret; Raats, Monique; Adams, Martin

2010-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine knowledge of food hygiene amongst young children (5-7 years), and facilitators and barriers to application of knowledge. Few studies exist that explore the knowledge and attitudes of young children towards food hygiene. This is an important age group, as it is a time when attitudes and…

Interplay of Secondary Pre-Service Teacher Content Knowledge (CK), Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) and Attitudes Regarding Scientific Inquiry Teaching within Teacher Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smit, Robbert; Weitzel, Holger; Blank, Robert; Rietz, Florian; Tardent, Josiane; Robin, Nicolas

2017-01-01

Background: Beginning teachers encounter several constraints with respect to scientific inquiry. Depending on their prior beliefs, knowledge and understanding, these constraints affect their teaching of inquiry. Purpose: To investigate quantitatively the longitudinal relationship between pre-service teachers' knowledge and attitudes on scientific…

Nursing home nurses' and community-dwelling older adults' reported knowledge, attitudes, and behavior toward antibiotic use.

PubMed

Kistler, Christine E; Beeber, Anna; Becker-Dreps, Sylvia; Ward, Kimberly; Meade, Megan; Ross, Brittany; Sloane, Philip D

2017-01-01

Antibiotic overuse causes antibiotic resistance, one of the most important threats to human health. Older adults, particularly those in nursing homes, often receive antibiotics when they are not indicated. To understand knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of nursing home (NH) nurses and community-dwelling older adults towards antibiotic use, especially in clinical situations consistent with antibiotic overuse, we conducted a mixed-method survey in two NHs and one Family Medicine clinic in North Carolina, among English-speaking nurses and community-dwelling, cognitively intact adults aged 65 years or older. Based on the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice model, the survey assessed knowledge, attitudes, and behavior towards antibiotic use, including three vignettes designed to elicit possible antibiotic overuse: asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB), a viral upper respiratory illness (URI), and a wound from a fall. Of 31 NH nurses and 66 community-dwelling older adults, 70% reported knowledge of the dangers of taking antibiotics. Nurses more often reported evidence-based attitudes towards antibiotics than older adults, except 39% agreed with the statement "by the time I am sick enough to go to the doctor with a cold, I expect an antibiotic", while only 28% of older adults agreed with it. A majority of nurses did not see the need for antibiotics in any of the three vignettes: 77% for the ASB vignette, 87% for the URI vignette, and 97% for the wound vignette. Among older adults, 50% did not perceive a need for antibiotics in the ASB vignette, 58% in the URI vignette, and 74% in the wound vignette. While a substantial minority had no knowledge of the dangers of antibiotic use, non-evidence-based attitudes towards antibiotics, and behaviors indicating inappropriate management of suspected infections, most NH nurses and community-dwelling older adults know the harms of antibiotic use and demonstrate evidence-based attitudes and behaviors. However, more work is needed to improve the knowledge, attitudes and behaviors that may contribute to antibiotic overuse.

An exploration of predictors of children's nurses' attitudes, knowledge, confidence and clinical behavioural intentions towards children and young people who self-harm.

PubMed

Carter, Tim; Latif, Asam; Callaghan, Patrick; Manning, Joseph C

2018-03-22

To explore the potential predictors of children's nurses' attitudes, knowledge and confidence towards caring for children and young people admitted to hospital with self-harm. Admissions to paediatric inpatient settings for individuals who have self-harmed are growing. Limited previous research suggests that nurses have mixed attitudes towards people who have self-harmed and potentially lack the confidence to provide effective care. There is a specific paucity of research in this area for children's nurses. A cross-sectional descriptive survey was used to gather data for exploration of variables associated with attitudes, confidence, knowledge and clinical behavioural intentions of 98 registered children's nurses in a single tertiary children's hospital, colocated in a large acute NHS Trust in the UK. Data were collected over a 4 weeks in 2015, using an online survey tool. The predictive effect of several demographic variables was tested on the outcomes of attitudes, knowledge, confidence and behavioural intentions, which were collected using relevant, previously used outcome measures. Increased experience was found to be associated with improved attitudes relating to negativity. Previous training in caring for children who had self-harmed was found to be associated with improved attitudes around perceived effectiveness of their care. Higher academic qualifications and having undertaken previous training on self-harm were each found to be associated with increased knowledge of self-harm, and increased age was associated with reduced knowledge of self-harm. This study provides an initial exploration of variables associated with attitudes, knowledge, confidence and behaviour intentions of registered children's nurses in relation to caring for CYP who have self-harmed. Targeted training on caring for CYP who have self-harmed should be considered as a component of continuing education for registered children's nurses in the UK to improve the experience and outcomes for this patient group. ©2018 The Authors Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding dengue virus infection among inhabitants of Aceh, Indonesia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Harapan, Harapan; Rajamoorthy, Yogambigai; Anwar, Samsul; Bustamam, Aslam; Radiansyah, Arsil; Angraini, Pradiba; Fasli, Riny; Salwiyadi, Salwiyadi; Bastian, Reza Akbar; Oktiviyari, Ade; Akmal, Imaduddin; Iqbalamin, Muhammad; Adil, Jamalul; Henrizal, Fenni; Darmayanti, Darmayanti; Pratama, Rovy; Setiawan, Abdul Malik; Mudatsir, Mudatsir; Hadisoemarto, Panji Fortuna; Dhimal, Mandira Lamichhane; Kuch, Ulrich; Groneberg, David Alexander; Imrie, Allison; Dhimal, Meghnath; Müller, Ruth

2018-02-27

The Indonesian region of Aceh was the area most severely affected by the earthquake and tsunami of 26 December 2004. Department of Health data reveal an upward trend of dengue cases in Aceh since the events of the tsunami. Despite the increasing incidence of dengue in the region, there is limited understanding of dengue among the general population of Aceh. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding dengue among the people of Aceh, Indonesia in order to design intervention strategies for an effective dengue prevention program. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Aceh between November 2014 and March 2015 with a total of 609 participants living in seven regencies and two municipalities. Information on the socio-demographic characteristics of participants and their KAP regarding dengue was collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The KAP status (good vs. poor) of participants with different socio-demographic characteristics was compared using Chi Square-test, ANOVA or Fisher's exact test as appropriate. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of each KAP domain. We found that 45% of participants had good knowledge regarding dengue and only 32% had good attitudes and good dengue preventive practices. There was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitudes, knowledge and practice, and attitudes and practice. In addition, people who had good knowledge were 2.7 times more likely to have good attitudes, and people who had good attitudes were 2.2 times more likely to have good practices regarding dengue. The level of education, occupation, marital status, monthly income, socioeconomic status (SES) and living in the city were associated with the knowledge level. Occupation, SES, and having experienced dengue fever were associated with attitudes. Education, occupation, SES and type of residence were associated with preventive practices. Our study suggests that dengue prevention programs are required to increase KAP levels regarding dengue in the communities of Aceh.

Knowledge and Attitudes About Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination and Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women in Rural Uganda

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-15

1- Knowledge and attitudes about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination and cervical cancer screening among women in rural Uganda Authors...vaccination among parents/guardians of the vaccinated girls and to assess the attitudes to HPV vaccination among parents/guardians of the vaccinated girls...general attitude towards HPV vaccination was positive among mothers though there is still need for the populations to appreciate HPV and cervical

Examining Factors Affecting Attitudes toward Nuclear Power in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Tzu-Jen

Nuclear power has become a major issue in Taiwan for several decades. The objective of the present study is to obtain evidence about the major determinants contributing to attitudes toward nuclear power, by investigating socioeconomic factors, environmental attitudes, knowledge of issues, trust, and risk perception, in shaping nuclear attitudes. A face-to-face survey was conducted using paper-based questionnaires from July 2014 to September 2014. Finally, 364 surveys were collected, of which 356 met validation requirements. The findings showed (1) knowledge of issues, trust in university scientists, trust in environmental groups, and risk perception directly influence attitudes toward nuclear power. (2) Risk perception is directly influenced by trust in nuclear authorities, trust in environmental groups, environmental attitudes, and party preference. (3) Gender, age, and party preference directly influence knowledge, trust in nuclear authorities, or trust in university scientists. The potential explanations and implications of findings are discussed.

Oral and dental health in pregnant women: attitudes among dentists in southeastern Spain.

PubMed

López-Jornet, Pia; Camacho-Alonso, Fabio; Sanchez-Siles, Mariano; Molina-Miñano, Francisco

2014-01-01

A study was undertaken to determine the general level of knowledge, attitudes and practices in clinical dental care of pregnant women. This was a transversal descriptive study in the form of a structured and anonymous survey completed by dentists in Murcia (southeast Spain). The questionnaire was sent by e-mail and investigated dentists' knowledge of and attitudes toward different dental procedures applying to pregnant women. The response rate to the questionnaire was 60%. The vast majority of dentists (81.3%) agreed that oral care should be part of general healthcare for pregnant women. However, discrepancies were found in knowledge and attitudes to practice.

Effects of Severe Mental Illness Education on MSW Student Attitudes About Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Eack, Shaun M.; Newhill, Christina E.; Watson, Amy C.

2013-01-01

Social work students (n = 60) in a master’s-level course on severe mental illness participated in a quasi-experimental study examining the degree to which increased knowledge about and contact with individuals with schizophrenia during the course would impact their attitudes toward people with the disorder. Results revealed significant improvement in student knowledge and general attitudes after the course, and indicated that increased knowledge about schizophrenia was only related to general attitudinal improvement when accompanied by increased personal social contact. Implications for education on severe mental illnesses, and value and attitude development in social work education are discussed PMID:24465119

Gender, Religiosity, Sexual Activity, Sexual Knowledge, and Attitudes Toward Controversial Aspects of Sexuality.

PubMed

Sümer, Zeynep Hatipoğlu

2015-12-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of gender, religiosity, sexual activity, and sexual knowledge in predicting attitudes toward controversial aspects of sexuality among Turkish university students. Participants were 162 female and 135 male undergraduate students who were recruited on a volunteer basis from an urban state university in Turkey. The SKAT-A Attitude Scale along with background information form, sexual activities inventory, and sexual knowledge scale were administered to the participants. Simultaneous multiple regression analyses revealed that religiosity, particularly attendance to religious services was the most significant predictor in explaining university students' attitudes toward masturbation, abortion, homosexuality, pornography, and sexual coercion.

Research implications of the Institute of Medicine Report, Epilepsy Across the Spectrum: Promoting Health and Understanding

PubMed Central

Hesdorffer, Dale C.; Beck, Vicki; Begley, Charles E.; Bishop, Malachy L.; Cushner-Weinstein, Sandra; Holmes, Gregory L.; Shafer, Patricia O.; Sirven, Joseph I.; Austin, Joan K.

2012-01-01

In March 2012 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released the report, Epilepsy Across The Spectrum: Promoting Health And Understanding. This report examined the public health dimensions of the epilepsies with a focus on four areas: public health surveillance and data collection and integration; population and public health research; health policy, health care, and human services; and education for providers, people with epilepsy and their families, and the public. The report provided recommendations and research priorities for future work in the field of epilepsy that relate to: increasing the power of data on epilepsy; prevention of epilepsy; improving health care for people with epilepsy; improving health professional education about epilepsy; improving quality of life for people with epilepsy; improving education about epilepsy for people with epilepsy and families; and raising public awareness about epilepsy. For this article, the authors selected one research priority from each of the major chapter themes in the IOM report: expanding and improving the quality of epidemiological surveillance in epilepsy; developing improved interventions for people with epilepsy and depression; expanding early identification/screening for learning impairments in children with epilepsy; evaluating and promoting effective innovative teaching strategies; accelerating research on the identification of risk factors and interventions that increase employment and improve quality of life for people with epilepsy and their families; assessing the information needs of people with epilepsy and their families associated with epilepsy-related risks, specifically sudden unexpected death in epilepsy; and developing and conducting surveys to capture trends in knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and beliefs about epilepsy over time and in specific population subgroups. For each research priority selected, examples of research are provided that will advance the field of epilepsy and improve the lives of people with epilepsy. The IOM report has many other research priorities for researchers to consider developing to advance the field of epilepsy and better the lives of people with epilepsy. PMID:23294462