Differences In Attitude Scores Research Articles

Impact of Cloud Services on Students’ Attitude towards Mathematics Education in Public Universities in Benue State, Nigeria

This study focused on the impact of cloud services on students’ attitude towards mathematics education in public universities in Benue State, Nigeria. Ex-post facto research design was adopted for the study. The instrument for the study is the researcher-developed Cloud Service Impact Questionnaire – CSIQ (Cronbach Alpha Coefficient = 0.92). The CSIQ was administered to a sample of 328 mathematics education students drawn from the two public universities having operational cloud service delivery system in Benue State. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer research questions while t-test was used in testing the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. In-depth analysis of data obtained in the study revealed that there is a positive high level of impact of cloud services on the mathematics confidence (cluster mean attitude score = 2.85), affective engagement (cluster mean attitude score = 2.87) and behavioural engagement (cluster mean attitude score = 2.92) of mathematics education students in public universities in Benue State. The results also indicated a high frequency of usage of cloud services, with smartphones (49%), tablets (24%) and laptops (16%) being the set of computer devices readily available among mathematics education students in public universities in Benue State. The t-test analysis of mean attitude scores established a statistically significant difference between the public universities. The mean difference in attitude scores between male and female mathematics education students was also found to be statistically significant. The outcome of this study has shown that adoption of cloud services for augmenting learning results in strong positive mentality and confidence among mathematics education students, leading to students feeling good, thinking hard and actively participating in their own mathematics learning.

Saudi Nursing and Medical Student’s Knowledge and Attitude toward Organ Donation : A Comparative Cross - Sectional Study

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. 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. 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. 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.

Oral healthcare protocols in a nursing home.

Cluster-randomised controlled trial, in Belgian nursing homes. Supervised implementation of the ‘Oral health care Guideline for Older people in Long-term care Institutes’ (OGOLI) and the daily oral healthcare protocol derived from the guideline. This included appointing project supervisors and oral healthcare teams responsible for the implementation process, a three stage educational programme and oral healthcare records for each resident. The primary outcome variables were the knowledge and attitudes of nurses and nurses' aides towards oral health and oral hygiene. This was collected through a 15-item self-reported knowledge questionnaire and a four item attitude survey administered both at baseline and six months after the start of the study. Of the 651 participants who completed the initial survey 259 had complete data at six months. There were no significant differences between the control and intervention groups at baseline or follow up for baseline characteristics, knowledge or attitudes (p=0.42, p=0.37). At six months the intervention group showed higher knowledge scores (p<0.0001) but no difference in attitude scores (p=0.78). Significant improvements in knowledge followed an educational programme where participants' initial knowledge was low and no improvement in knowledge was found in the intervention group. Educational activities alone had no impact on attitudes and further research on how to improve attitudes is required.

Attitudes toward patients with sickle cell disease in a multicenter sample of emergency department providers.

Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) often seek care in the emergency department (ED) for pain associated with vaso-occlusive crises. Research has shown that negative provider attitudes serve as a barrier to care in this patient population. Our aim was to validate a survey that measures attitudes toward SCD patients among ED providers (nurses and physicians) and to compare differences in attitude scores between provider types. We administered the general perceptions about Sickle Cell Disease Patients Scale, previously validated among internal medicine providers, and the Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS) to ED nurses and physicians from two EDs. A total of 215 surveys were returned (63% response rate, 200 with attitude items completed). Three subscales were identified: Negative Attitudes, Uneasiness With Care, and Positive Attitudes. Cronbach's αs exceeded 0.81 for each subscale. Mean (SD) scores for the Negative, Uneasiness, and Positive subscales and MCRS were 61.5 (20.3), 66.1 (17.1), 41.2 (17.8), and 42.2 (8.9), respectively. Compared with physicians, nurses had significantly higher mean Negative Attitude scores and lower Uneasiness scores. A slightly modified version of the general perceptions about Sickle Cell Disease Patients Scale appears to be a valid measure of ED provider attitudes toward SCD patients. Among ED providers, this scale identified a dimension not observed in research with the original instrument among internal medicine providers. Provider attitudes influence patient-provider interactions and quality of care. The scale we present here has major clinical implications, particularly for advanced practice nurses, who can use the scale not only to assess providers' attitudes toward SCD patients but also to determine the effectiveness of tailored interventions to improve those attitudes.

소아·청소년의 비의도적 손상 예방을 위한 학교기반 교육 프로그램 효과에 대한 체계적 문헌 고찰

【Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the effects of school-based education programmes to prevent unintentional injuries in 7~19 years old. Methods: To perform a systematic literature survey, the researchers searched three databases - MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE and THE COCHRANE LIBRARY - for literature relevant to 'safety accidents in school' (published up to October 2013). The term 'school-based unintentional injuries' was used to sort out studies on injuries. This study adopted a pretest-posttest comparative design and the participants were children and adolescents aged 7 to 19 years. Results: The search yielded 9,553 records, of which eight studies were included in the review. The eight studies examined the effect of school-based education programmes to prevent unintentional injuries. The research revealed that education programmes had a significant impact on knowledge improvement and behavior change. Although two studies of the total eight showed a difference in attitude scores between the experimental group and the control group, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Despite the changes in education and public policy, trauma-related injuries continue to result in an unacceptably high morbidity and mortality, particularly among young people. More effective school health programs, policies and programmatic interventions are needed to reduce safety accidents and improve health among youth.】

The impact of peer support training on mothers' attitudes towards and knowledge of breastfeeding

While the benefits of breastfeeding are well established, few Scottish women exclusively breastfeed, as recommended nationally and internationally. Breastfeeding peer support can help mothers to breastfeed for longer, but the training peer supporters receive is variable and few studies have measured the effectiveness of peer supporter training. This study aimed to compare mothers' attitudes towards and knowledge of breastfeeding before and after undertaking Breastfeeding Network (BfN) peer supporter training. This study used a quasi-experimental design to investigate levels of breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes in 28 women, immediately before and after the BfN peer supporter (Helper) training programme. Data were collected using the Infant Feeding Questionnaire. Mothers had high baseline scores for attitude (88.8%) and knowledge (76.4%). After training 78% of mothers improved their attitude scores. The mean difference in attitude scores was 4.9%, which was statistically significant (t = 4.44, P < 0.001). Ninety-six per cent of mothers had increased their knowledge scores. The mean difference in knowledge scores was 10.4%, which was statistically significant (t = 6.25, P < 0.001). This study provides evidence that the BfN's accredited peer support training can improve both breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes of breastfeeding mothers. Peer supporters who have undertaken this training are therefore suitably qualified to provide mothers with the support and information required to make informed choices in breastfeeding and to contribute to effective support and promotion of breastfeeding as suggested in the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guideline on maternal and infant nutrition (PH11) and Scottish Government's Maternal and Infant Nutrition: A Framework for Action (2011).

Physical Education Teachers’ and Teacher Candidates’ Attitudes Toward Cultural Pluralism

The purpose of this study was to analyze both male and female physical education teacher attitudes toward cultural pluralism and diversity. Participants (N = 433) were adapted physical education specialists, physical education generalists, and teacher candidates. The research method was a descriptive cross-sectional survey (Fraenkel &amp; Wallen, 1990). Data were collected using a modified version of the Pluralism and Diversity Attitude Assessment survey (Stanley, 1997). Mann-Whitney U tests showed no significant differences in attitude scores between teachers and teacher candidates. However, women’s attitude scores were significantly higher than men’s. Further Friedman’s ANOVA test showed statistical differences on the survey’s constructs for gender and professional status. Post hoc analysis indicated that the groups scored significantly higher on the construct, Value Cultural Pluralism than Implement Cultural Pluralism. This means teachers generally valued cultural diversity, but struggled to implement culturally responsive pedagogy. In conclusion, physical educators may need better preparation to ensure cultural competence.

Assessing Certified Nurse-Midwives' Attitudes Towards Planned Home Birth

Certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) and certified midwives (CMs) are prepared for care in many settings and could increase access to planned home birth for American women. However, only 4% of American College of Nurse-Midwives members offer the home as a birth setting. CNMs'/CMs' attitudes towards birth place and the factors underlying their choice of practice site are largely unstudied. This article describes the development, content validation, and psychometric testing of an instrument to assess the attitudes of CNMs towards planned home birth. A scale was designed to measure Provider Attitudes to Planned Home Birth (PAPHB). Item generation was informed by literature review and a systematic expert panel appraisal. Reliability and validity of the scale were evaluated with a sample of 1893 CNMs. Expert review indicated high relevancy and clarity of the scale items (scale-content validity index, 0.93). Construct validity was assessed using the Cattell scree test and factor analysis. The resultant 1-factor, attitude scale had strong internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = .94). The average PAPHB scale score among CNMs was 78.77 (range, 20-100; standard deviation, 15.9), with significant differences in attitude scores according to clinical home birth experience, educational background, and external barriers reported by CNMs. The PAPHB scale is a reliable and valid instrument for the measurement of attitudes towards home birth. It can be used to assess the impact of education, environment, and clinical experiences on maternity practice choices.

Attitudes of First Year Medical Students in Singapore Towards Older People and Willingness to Consider a Career in Geriatric Medicine

Training of future physicians in the care of elderly patients will need to evolve in accordance with the exponential increase of elderly patients, but some may have preconceived attitudes affecting their management. This study determined medical students' attitudes towards older people and their willingness to consider a career in Geriatric Medicine.All 250 first-year medical students, prior to any formal clinical exposure at the National University of Singapore School of Medicine, were asked to participate voluntarily in the study based on the UCLA Geriatrics Attitudes Scale. The 14-item questionnaire consisted of a mixture of positively and negatively worded questions answered on a 5-point Likert scale. A fifteenth question enquired about their willingness to consider Geriatric Medicine as a potential career choice.The mean UCLA attitudes score was 3.58 [+/-standard deviation (SD), 0.41] suggesting a generally positive attitude. There was a strong association between attitude scores and willingness to consider Geriatric Medicine as a career (R = 0.48, P <001). However, only one third of the cohort was willing to consider a career in Geriatric Medicine. There was no difference in attitude scores between male and female students, but females were significantly more likely to consider Geriatric Medicine as a potential career choice.First-year medical students in Singapore have a generally positive attitude towards older people, although only 1 in 3 persons was willing to consider a career in Geriatric Medicine. Higher attitude scores and female gender were the main predictors of willingness to consider a career in Geriatric Medicine.

Attitudes of First-year Medical Students in Singapore Towards Older People and Willingness to Consider a Career in Geriatric Medicine

Training of future physicians in the care of elderly patients will need to evolve in accordance with the exponential increase of elderly patients, but some may have preconceived attitudes affecting their management. This study determined medical students' attitudes towards older people and their willingness to consider a career in Geriatric Medicine. All 250 first-year medical students, prior to any formal clinical exposure at the National University of Singapore School of Medicine, were asked to participate voluntarily in the study based on the UCLA Geriatrics Attitudes Scale. The 14-item questionnaire consisted of a mixture of positively and negatively worded questions answered on a 5-point Likert scale. A fifteenth question enquired about their willingness to consider Geriatric Medicine as a potential career choice. The mean UCLA attitudes score was 3.58 [+/-standard deviation (SD), 0.41] suggesting a generally positive attitude. There was a strong association between attitude scores and willingness to consider Geriatric Medicine as a career (R = 0.48, P <001). However, only one third of the cohort was willing to consider a career in Geriatric Medicine. There was no difference in attitude scores between male and female students, but females were significantly more likely to consider Geriatric Medicine as a potential career choice. First-year medical students in Singapore have a generally positive attitude towards older people, although only 1 in 3 persons was willing to consider a career in Geriatric Medicine. Higher attitude scores and female gender were the main predictors of willingness to consider a career in Geriatric Medicine.

Does a Clerkship in Psychiatry Contribute to Changing Medical Students' Attitudes Towards Psychiatry?

The psychiatric clerkship is perceived as an intervention point in medical students' attitude toward psychiatry and career choice after graduation. The authors aim to assess the impact of the psychiatric clerkship in students from Israeli and U.S. origin on their attitude toward psychiatry. A modified Nielsen's questionnaire was administered at the start and end of the clerkship in two groups of students. There was no statistically significant difference in attitude scores between the start and endpoint of a clerkship on both the Israeli and the United States groups. Item analysis did not reveal significant impact of clerkship. The psychiatry clerkship does not change students' view on the attitude assessed in this study, regardless of their origin (Israeli or U.S.). Further research is needed in order to find more clerkship-dependent contributors to positive or negative attitudes toward psychiatry.

How do Teachers Diagnosis and Percept Child Maltreatment?

Child abuse is a complex problem and its prevention requires action on many fronts. Teachers do spend many hours a day with children and they are likely to be concerned about the possible abuse or neglect of a child or young person at some time during their career This study seeks to determine teacher knowledge and teachers' conceptions of what is and what is not abuse. The study was done in Iran (I.R.). Questionnaire were used on a randomly selected sample of 1200 teachers. Data analysis showed a significant difference knowledge based on educational level. Knowledge score of participants had positive direct relation with their job experience. In regard to the attitude, there was no significant difference in attitude score based on various features of participants. Result from this study indicate that teachers do not have adequate knowledge and proper attitude regarding child maltreatment. Advocating of educational program about child maltreatment is necessary.

Attitudes Toward Advance Directives and Advance Directive Completion Rates

The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) (part of the ) requires that all healthcare institutions receiving Medicare and Medicaid funds inform patients about their right to participate in healthcare decisions, including their right to have an advance directive. Advance directives (ADs) allow an individual to participate indirectly in future medical care decisions if he or she becomes decisionally incapacitated. Despite passage of this bill and mechanisms within most healthcare institutions to provide this information, the AD completion rate remains low. The purpose of this study was to identify the significant attitudes and factors that influence the completion of ADs among adult hospitalized patients admitted to medical/surgical units. Descriptive correlational survey design. A convenience sample of patients admitted to medical-surgical units during a 2-month period completed face-to-face interviews and completion of the Advance Directive Attitude Survey. Eighty-two percent of the sample identified having received information on ADs, although hospital policy had it distributed to all patients on admission. Eighteen percent of the sample had completed an AD, and an additional 8% completed an AD after the interview and accompanying education during the interview for a 26% completion rate. The mean attitude toward ADs was slightly positive, and there was no difference in attitude score between those with an AD and those without. Low completion rates of ADs among the majority of the population and even lower among ethnically diverse individuals despite favorable attitudes toward ADs suggest that there are factors beyond access to information that may influence the decision not to complete an AD. Results of this study are congruent with other research raising the question of whether ADs as currently designed are appropriate for all groups.

A revised Computer Attitude Scale for Secondary Students

AbstractWith the introduction of information and communications technology (ICT) into the school curriculum, students are now expected to use ICT efficiently within their lessons, regardless of subject, with teachers responsible for this integration. It has therefore become necessary to monitor how students perceive ICT and whether the increased usage within the classroom is leading to the development of positive attitudes. Yet computer technology is developing and changing constantly. These developments have led to the need to modify existing computer attitude scales in order to take account of new developments and to enable teachers and educationalists to assess the value of ICT inclusion within the school timetable as well as the affects of specific computer related projects and initiatives. The Jones &amp; Clarke (1994) Computer Attitude Scale for Secondary Students (CASS) provided the basis by which a tripartite frame of attitudes towards computers could be assessed, these being affective, behavioural and cognitive attitude components. The aim of this study was to develop a psychometrically sound instrument suitable for use with today’s level of computer technology, building upon the work of Jones and Clarke. In this study, 147 12-year-old students participated in the development of a new attitude scale. This instrument was found to be psychometrically sound yielding Cronbach’s alpha for each attitude subscale of .87 (affective), .64 (behavioural) .72 (cognitive) and .91 (total). Test–retest reliability scores were also satisfactory (r = .83, p &lt; .001). Finally a test of criterion validity was deemed to be satisfactory with differences in attitude scores noted for two out of three attitude components and total attitude scores between groups yielding differential scores on levels of computer engagement.

Development and validation of the Attitudes Towards Smoking Scale (ATS-18).

To develop and test the validity of a scale measuring attitudes towards smoking in current and former cigarette smokers. In a first mail survey, we collected qualitative data from 616 smokers. In a second mail survey, we collected quantitative data from 529 smokers and ex-smokers. We conducted a 16-month follow-up survey among 93 participants in the second survey. Geneva, Switzerland, 1995-98. The study resulted in a three-dimensional, 18-item scale: the "Attitudes Towards Smoking Scale" (ATS-18). The scale was validated with reference to criteria of content-, construct- and predictive validity. The three subscales measure perceptions of adverse effects of smoking (10 items), psychoactive benefits (four items) and pleasure of smoking (four items). Internal consistency coefficients (0.85, 0.88 and 0.81) and test-retest correlations were high (0.90, 0.75, 0.89, respectively). Differences in attitude scores between smokers in the pre-contemplation and preparation stages of change were -0.83, 0.71 and 1.23 standard deviation units, respectively. A differential score (advantages minus disadvantages of smoking) predicted smoking cessation in baseline smokers and relapse in baseline ex-smokers. ATS-18 is a valid and reliable instrument which can be used in both research and clinical settings.

Attitudes Towards High-Fat Foods and Their Low-fat Alternatives: Reliability and Relationship with Fat Intake

Score on a scale of attitude towards the consumption of five high-fat foods and their low-fat alternatives was correlated with the energy percentage of fat in the diet across 419 subjects. Attitudes towards low-fat alternatives were more positive than towards high-fat food. Mean energy percentage of fat in the diet was 38·8% ( SD 7·1). The attitude scale explained 25% of the variance in percentage energy as fat. Test-retest reliability of the attitude scale ( n = 25) was 0·92 (95% confidence limits 0·82 and 0·97). The reproducibility of energy percentage fat in the diet ( n = 33) was 0·64 (95% confidence limits 0·38 and 0·81). Differences in attitude score were found between men and women, subjects following a dietary treatment and those who did not, and subjects with a fat intake according to the Dutch dietary guidelines and those who had not ( p < 0·001). Fat intake (expressed as percentage of energy intake) differed between age groups ( p < 0·05), and between subjects following a special diet and those who did not ( p < 0·001). No difference in attitude score or energy percentage of fat was found for education level, occupation level, body mass index or household size. It is concluded that attitudes toward high-fat foods and their low-fat alternatives are useful in understanding fat intake.

EXTENDED CARE AND NURSING HOME STAFF ATTITUDES TOWARD RESTRAINTS: Moderately Positive Attitudes Exist

1. The average score on the Restraint Questionnaire for Staff indicated that the extended care and nursing home staff members in the study presented had moderately positive attitudes toward using restraints. 2. There were no significant differences in attitude scores based on gender, position, education, or clinical experience. 3. Collaborating with another professional, especially a physician, was related to a more positive attitude toward restraints; this effect approached statistical significance. 4. Sixty-five percent of the staff could offer no alternatives to restraining a patient; for those who could offer an alternative, increasing staff size was cited most frequently.

Use of the SADP for measurement of attitudes of Chinese dental students and dental surgery assistants toward disabled persons.

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of Chinese dental students and dental surgery assistants toward disabled persons using the Scale to Determine Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons, the SADP. A group of 99 Hong Kong University psychology students, 50 male and 49 female, was used as the control and to determine the internal consistency and reliability of the Chinese version of the scale. A group of 4th year (n = 25) and a group of 3rd year (n = 46) dental students and a group of in-house dental surgery assistants (n = 86) at the Prince Philip Dental Hospital, Hong Kong, were asked to complete a Chinese translation of the SADP. Results showed that there was no significant difference between attitude scores of 3rd and 4th year dental students (p = 0.06). There was a significant difference in attitude scores between dental students and the dental surgery assistants (p < 0.001), with those of dental students being lower. In the control group, there was no significant difference between female control and dental surgery assistant scores (p = 0.289). There was a significant difference between dental students and male control scores (p < 10(-6)). Not only did the dental students score lower than the dental surgery assistants, but they also scored significantly lower than a group of non-dental students of the same University.

Attitudes of pharmacy students in the United States and Canada toward pharmacy continuing education

This manuscript reports results of a study conducted to determine the attitudes of pharmacy students toward continuing education (CE). Responses to a forty-item attitude instrument were received from 941 pharmacy students representing five U.S. pharmacy schools and two Canadian pharmacy schools. Twenty-four directional attitude statements were used to determine a standardized attitude score and construct a standardized attitude scale. The mean attitude score for the total sample was 71.2 (on a scale of 0-100); the vast majority of students from each of the seven schools of pharmacy had an attitude score that can be characterized as favorable towards CE. No significant differences in attitude score were found among students from any of the seven schools of pharmacy nor was there a significant difference in attitude score between combined U.S. and Canadian samples. In contrast to their U.S. counterparts, Canadian students exhibited the following: greater exposure to CE concepts as well as a more positive attitude score as they progress through the pharmacy curriculum; and a higher attitude score with reported exposure to CE concepts. Journals and schools were perceived by U.S. students as the top providers of CE, while Canadian students ranked associations and schools as the top two sources. Students in both the U.S. and Canada were neutral in their response to a single statement dealing with how well undergraduate education prepares pharmacists to be independent learners. Data may be valuable to pharmacy schools as they address issues of professional responsibility within the curriculum as well as to CE providers as they anticipate the next generation of CE participants.

Attitudinal Study of Graphic Computer-Based Instruction for Punctuation

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship of student attitude using graphic enhanced versus nongraphic enhanced computer-based instruction. Four intact groups were randomly assigned treatment. Two groups received graphic instruction and two groups received nongraphic computer-based instruction. An attitude questionnaire was administered to evaluate student attitude toward the graphic and nongraphic computer-based instruction. Results of t-tests indicated there was no significant difference in attitude scores between graphic and nongraphic treatment groups at the .05 level.