Female Public School Research Articles

LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: A CASE STUDY OF PAKISTANI HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS

The main objective of the research was to explore public school principals’ leadership problems and the techniques they used to overcome those problems. A qualitative research case study was conducted involving 10 public school principals (5 male and 5 female) from district Mardan of Pakistan. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using the thematic analysis process. The results show that public school principals in Pakistan face multiple problems, including lack of authority, insufficient assistance from higher authorities, lack of resources, and teacher recruitment and retention issues. Additionally, the research also found that public school principals in Pakistan combat their problems with a variety of techniques, including creating a friendly rapport with teachers, engaging the community in the educational process, seeking help from higher authorities, and effectively leveraging resources. Moreover, this research has also examined Pakistani female public school principals’ problems and tactics. The results show that female public-school principals in Pakistan experience typical male principals’ problems, including lack of autonomy, insufficient resources, and support from higher authorities, as well as gender inequity. The results of the study have significant implications for policy and practice as the results of the study can inform specific policies and practices that can help in enlightening public schools’ leadership in Pakistan to improve the quality of education for students.

Gender Differences in Perceived Sources of Stress: A Cross Sectional Survey of Public Secondary School Teachers in Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Individuals, especially teachers, who work in serving professions involving interaction with other people, may be more liable to suffer psychological discomfort as a result of stress. However, the level of stress suffered may be dependent on the sources that generate the stress. The study, therefore, was conducted to determine the perceived sources of stress among male and female public secondary school teachers in Ebonyi state. The descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study was 4,360. A sample size of 436 (male 220, female 216) teachers participated in the study. This sample size was arrived following the suggestions of Nwana (2014) that if the population of a study is in a few thousands, 10% could be used. A self-developed questionnaire titled: Sources of Stress Questionnaire (SSQ) was used as instrument for data collection. The instrument was subjected to face validation by five experts in the field of Health Education and Psychology. The reliability of the instrument was computed using Cronbach alpha procedure which yielded a coefficient of 0.81. Data collected for the study were analyzed using mean and standard deviation. Independent samples t-test was used to test the hypothesis at an alpha level of 0.05. The results revealed that the public secondary school teachers in Ebonyi state studied had a high level stress which was perceived to have been generated by administrative-related, workload-related, environmental-related and economic-related sources. It was recommended that government should improve the working condition of the teachers in order to scale down their stress levels. Keywords: Gender, Stress, Secondary School teachers, Public DOI: 10.7176/JEP/14-15-13 Publication date: May 31 st 2023

The effect of problem-solving and assertiveness training on self-esteem and mental health of female adolescents: a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundChildren and adolescents are the assets of the society and their mental and physical health ensures the future health of next generations. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of problem-solving and assertiveness skill training on improving self-esteem and mental health in high school female students of Isfahan city in 2019.MethodsThis study was a randomized clinical trial. The target population was 10th grade female high school students in Isfahan city of Iran. 96 students of a female public high school were included in the study, allocated to two groups, 32 for intervention group and 64 for control group. Six 90-min sessions were considered for problem-solving and assertiveness skill training which included lectures, question and answer, movie displaying, brainstorming and role-play. The Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory Questionnaire (CSEI) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) were used in order to evaluate the variables of the study before and one month after the intervention.ResultsMean scores of the self-esteem variable changed significantly in the intervention group compared to control group before (25.2 ± 2.905) and after (29.9 ± 4.155) the intervention (p < 0.05). Mean scores of mental health also changed significantly before (27.67 ± 5.42) and after (19.033 ± 4.9) the intervention in comparison with the control group (p < 0.05).ConclusionThe findings of the present study showed that educational intervention based on problem-solving and assertiveness can enhance self-esteem and mental health in students. Future studies are needed to confirm and determine the structure of these associations.Trial Registration IRCT Code: IRCT20171230038142N9. Registration Date: 07/07/2019. Ethics Code: IR.MUI.MED.REC.1398.130.

Accessing medical care for infertility: a study of women in Mexico

To investigate barriers in accessing care for infertility in Mexico, because little is known about this issue for low and middle-income countries, which comprise 80% of the world's population. Cross-sectional analysis. Mexcian Teachers' Cohort. A total of 115,315 female public school teachers from 12 states in Mexico. None. The participants were asked detailed questions about their demographics, lifestyle characteristics, access to the health care system, and infertility history via a self-reported questionnaire. Log-binomial models, adjusted a priori for potential confounding factors, were used to estimate the prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals ( CIs) of accessing medical care for infertility among women reporting a history of infertility. A total of 19,580 (17%) participants reported a history of infertility. Of those who experienced infertility, 12,470 (63.7%) reported seeking medical care for infertility, among whom 8,467 (67.9%) reported undergoing fertility treatments. Among women who reported a history of infertility, women who taught in a rural school (PR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92-0.97), spoke an indigenous language (PR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84-0.92), or had less than a university degree (PR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90-0.97) were less likely to access medical care for fertility. Women who had ever had a mammogram (PR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.10), had a pap smear in the past year (PR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.06-1.10), or who had used private health care regularly or in times of illness were more likely to access medical care for fertility. The usage of infertility care varied by demographic, lifestyle, and access characteristics, including speaking an indigenous language, teaching in a rural school, and having a private health care provider.

Gender Variables and Management of Human Resources among Public Secondary School Principals in Delta State, Nigeria

This research principally examined gender variables and human resources management among male and female public secondary school principals in Delta State, Nigeria. The study was based on descriptive survey method which adopted the ex-post facto design. The population comprise 9361 teachers drawn from the 466 public secondary schools in Delta State. 936 teachers, representing 10% of the teachers, was the sample size using stratified random sampling technique with consideration to local government areas and senatorial districts in Delta State. The main instrument used, was a self, constructed questionnaire titled “gender variables and secondary school principals’ human resources management questionnaire (GVSSPHRMQ). The face and content validity was ascertained. The researchers employed the services of four well instructed field assistants to facilitate the process of data distribution and retrieval. Out of the 936 questionnaire administered, 934 were returned correctly filled. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics of mean scores and standard deviation for the research questions, while the t-test statistical tool was used to test the stated hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The acceptance and rejection bench mark for the mean was; 0-2.50 and 0-2.49 respectively. The findings which emerged include; the extent of some indices of gender variables on effective human resource management, among male and female public secondary school principals in Delta State and there was no significant difference between male and female secondary school principals’ views on the administrative task areas, and that gender variables influence in the management of human resources among public secondary school principals in Delta State, Nigeria.&#x0D; &#x0D; Received: 23 September 2021 / Accepted: 8 June 2022 / Published: 5 July 2022

Development and Validation of Teachers’ Performance Appraisal Scale (TPAS) for Public Primary Schools of Punjab

The purpose of research in hand was to develop and validate Teachers’ Performance Appraisal Scale (TPAS) to appraise the performance of public primary school teachers of Punjab (Pakistan). The five distinctive dimensions of performance through TPAS were teaching-learning, classroom management, assessment, teacher-student relationship and staff collaboration. Data were collected from 1080 male and female public primary school teachers from nine districts with low, average and high school performance. The experts’ opinion was also incorporated in order to enhance content validity of TPAS. The reliability coefficient of TPAS was observed as (α=.915). The current TPAS comprised on 28 statements. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) were also carried out. The factor loading of all factors and items were above the threshold value 0.50. The findings of said research indicate that current TPAS is valid and capable in order to appraise performance of public primary school teachers. It is recommended that TPAS may be used by the authorities for teachers' appraisal for the improvement of quality of teaching and learning in primary schools.

Assessing the Learning Outcomes of Using Mobile Game Integration in Teaching English Vocabulary

English language is taught universally and is therefore also in Saudi Arabia since 1958. But the student’s achievements have not been satisfactory, hence the imperative to research new teaching methods. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential and effects of using mobile device games on learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) vocabulary for student achievement in a Saudi female public high school. After conducting pilot studies of five mobile games with teachers and students, The English Bee, an original game specifically designed for this research project, was selected. The study comprised one participant cohort who were taught two modules; one through The English Bee in and the other module was taught by traditional methods. It employed a mixed methodology of a number of collection techniques for both qualitative and quantitative data, namely, pre- and post-tests, focus group discussions, interviews and reflective essays.

Effect of Cooperative Learning Strategies on Students’ Critical Thinking Skills; Interpretation and Analysis at Higher Secondary Level

The study was conducted to find out the effect of cooperative learning strategies on students’ skill of interpretation and analysis at the higher secondary level. The research was quantitative. A pre-test post-test control group design was adopted for the study. One female public sector higher secondary school of district Sargodha was the population of the study. 60 students of grade XI were selected as a sample by using a simple random sampling technique. Two groups were formed: experimental and control comprising thirty students each. The experimental group was taught by applying cooperative learning strategies; jigsaw and scripted cooperation, while the conventional method was used to teach the control group. The period of intervention was sixteen weeks and English book I for grade XI was selected as content for intervention. A self-made test was used to assess the skills of interpretation and analysis as pretest and posttest. Data of pretest and posttest were analyzed by applying paired sample t-test. Analysis of the data showed a significant difference between pretest and posttest scores of the experimental group. On the other hand, there was no significant improvement seen in the control group. Teachers were recommended to use cooperative learning strategies to develop the critical thinking skills of the students.

واقع ممارسة قائدات مدارس التعلیم العام بمدینة أبها الحضریة لأبعاد المرونة التنظیمیة وآلیات تطویره. The Status Quo of the Female Public-School Leaders in the Urban City of Abha Practice of the Dimensions of Organizational Flexibility and the Development Mechanisms

هدف البحث معرفة واقع ممارسة قائدات مدارس التعليم العام بمدينة أبها الحضرية لأبعاد المرونة التنظيمية ووضع عدد من الآليات التي تسهم في تطويرها، وأقتصر البحث على قائدات ومشرفات ومعلمات مدارس التعليم العام بمدينة أبها الحضرية لأبعاد المرونة التنظيمية (المرونة الاستراتيجية، والمرونة التشغيلية، والمرونة التکتيکية)، واعتمد البحث على المنهج الوصفي، وتکونت عينة البحث من قادة ومشرفات ومعلمات بمدارس التعليم العام بمدينة أبها الحضرية، وبلغت (375) مفردة، وأسفر البحث عن أن ممارسة قائدات مدارس التعليم العام بمدينة أبها الحضرية لأبعاد المرونة التنظيمية (المرونة الاستراتيجية، والمرونة التشغيلية، والمرونة التکتيکية)، جاءت بدرجة متوسطة؛ وعدم وجود فروق بين استجابات أفراد عينة البحث حول واقع ممارسة قائدات مدارس التعليم العام بمدينة أبها الحضرية لأبعاد (المرونة الاستراتيجية، والمرونة التشغيلية، والمرونة التکتيکية) تعزي لمتغيرات الوظيفة الحالية والمرحلة التعليمية، وتوصل البحث إلى وضع عدد من الآليات التي تسهم في تطوير تلک الممارسات ومنها: عقد الدورات التدريبية وورش العمل المتخصصة للتعريف بالمرونة التنظيمية وأبعادها المختلفة، ووضع المدرسة بدائل استراتيجية مناسبة لمقابلة التغيرات التي تحدث في البيئة (الداخلية أو الخارجية) والتکيف معها؛ وأوصى البحث بتـأهيل قائدات المدارس في مجال التفکير الابداعي، وعقد دورات تدريبية للقائدات لتنمية مهاراتهن وقدراتهن في مجال تطبيق المرونة التنظيمية وأبعادها بالمدرسة. The aim of the present research was to identify the degree to which the leaders of public education schools in The Urban City of Abha are practicing the dimensions of organizational flexibility and the development of a number of mechanisms that contribute to their development. The research was delimited to the leaders, supervisors and teachers of public education schools in AbhaUrbanCity for the dimensions of organizational flexibility (strategic flexibility, flexibility of operation. The research made use of the descriptive method, and the sample consisted of leaders, supervisors and teachers in public education schools in the urban city of Abha totaling (375). The results of the research revealed that the practice of female leaders of public education schools in the Urban City of Abha of the dimensions of Organizational flexibility (strategic flexibility, operational flexibility, tactical flexibility) was medium; besides the absence of the differences between the responses of the research sample members to the degree to which the female leaders of public education schools in Abha urban city practice the dimensions (strategic flexibility, operational flexibility, tactical flexibility) to enhance the current functionality and educational phase variables. The research has also developed a number of mechanisms that contribute to the development of these practices, including training courses and specialized workshops to identify the organizational flexibility and their different dimensions, and the development of strategic alternatives to the environment (in order to meet the changes in the environment) to meet the needs of the organization. The research recommended qualifying the female school leaders in the field of creative thinking, and developing training courses for female leaders to develop their skills and abilities in applying organizational flexibility and their dimensions at school.

Can Pedagogical Considerations Overcome Political Constraints? Principals’ Perceptions of Leading in a Divided Community

The current study focuses on the implications that followed the construction of a Wall separating East and West Jerusalem for Arab school leaders leading schools located in East Jerusalem. Specifically, it focuses on the following question: can pedagogical considerations overcome political constraints? The study is based on an analysis of nineteen in-depth interviews conducted with thirteen male and six female public school principals leading East Jerusalem schools. Interviews reveal that the daily reality of East Jerusalem school leaders is made of constraints and opposing demands, forcing them to constantly struggle with immense role conflicts. Three main themes reflect the implications which followed the construction of the Wall for pedagogical and managerial considerations and conduct: restricted control, deception, and the national identity enigma. The dependency-separation blend characterizing the daily reality of Arab school leaders in East Jerusalem creates forces that are beyond their control and influence. It appears that school leaders’ abilities to survive these limitations and obstacles mainly depends on their political skills and capabilities to maneuver among conflicting demands. Pedagogical knowledge and professional considerations come second.

0383 Outdoor Artificial Light at Night, Sleep Duration, and Sleep Quality in the California Teachers Study Cohort

Abstract Introduction Artificial light at night (ALAN) is believed to disrupt sleep by suppressing melatonin and altering normal circadian patterns. We assessed the association between self-reported sleep measures and outdoor ALAN in a large cohort of women. Methods The California Teachers Study (CTS) is a prospective cohort of 133,479 current and former Californian female public school professionals recruited and given a baseline questionnaire in 1995-1996. A follow-up questionnaire in 2012-2014 assessed self-reported measures of sleep habits, quality, and chronotype. Using geocoded residential addresses, participants were assigned exposures to outdoor ALAN based on the New World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness to assess the association between ALAN and self-reported sleep initiation, duration, and quality. Results Of the 42,706 women who completed the follow-up questionnaire and reported the same sleep patterns over the previous year, 5,968 reported poor sleep quality. The median outdoor ALAN was 2.16 (IQR: 1.04-3.61) millicandela per meter squared (mcd/m2). After adjusting for self-reported chronotype, use of sleep medication, age, race, and socioeconomic status, residing in the highest ALAN quintile was associated with poor sleep (OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.26). There did not appear to be an association between outdoor ALAN and time taken to fall asleep (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.96-1.08), but it was associated with sleeping less than 8 hours (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.33-1.50). Conclusion CTS participants who self-reported shorter sleep and poorer sleep quality were more likely to reside in areas with greater levels of outdoor ALAN. We did not see an association with ALAN and time to fall asleep, suggesting ALAN may be contributing to later sleep time or earlier waking. As we continue to follow this cohort, the data collected over the past 20 years provide a rich resource for studying both factors related to sleep and its effect on health. Support The California Teachers Study and the research reported in this publication were supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award number U01-CA199277; P30-CA033572; P30-CA023100; UM1-CA164917; R01-CA077398; and R01-CA207020.

The Impact of a School-Based Intervention Using the PBSEIM Model on Health Promoting Behaviors and Self-Care in Adolescent Females

AbstractIntroduction: Developing effective health habits during adolescence dramatically effects behavior formation during adulthood. Therefore, the current study was conducted with an aim to investigate the impact of school-based intervention using «Integrated Model of Planned Behavior and Self-Efficacy» (PBSEIM) on self-care and health promoting behaviors of female high school students of Abyek city, Qazvin Province (Iran), during year 2016.Methods: This experimental study was conducted on 100 female public high school students aged 15 to 19 years old in Abyek city, Qazvin Province. Two schools were randomly selected between 6 high schools. One of the high schools was randomly selected as the intervention group and the other one as the control group. Three classrooms in each school were randomly selected and the necessary samples were collected from each class. Overall, 100 samples had the inclusion criteria; 50 were included in the intervention and 50 in the control group. Demographic, “Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile” (HPLP II), and “Adolescent Girl’s Self-Care Questionnaire” was completed by both groups before and after the interventions. Face validity and content validity of the self-care questionnaire were assessed. Also, Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for this questionnaire was obtained as 0.73.The students in the intervention group were trained using the PBSEIM model and the control group received routine training. Data was collected and analyzed using the SPSS software (version 22) and independent and paired t tests. Values lower than 0.05 were considered significant.Results: There was a significant difference before and after the intervention in the average scores of health-promoting behaviors and self-care of adolescents in the intervention group in comparison to the control group (P < 0.05). Inter-group comparison demonstrated a significantly higher increase of health-promoting behaviors and self-care of adolescents in the intervention group before and after the intervention (P-value < 0.05).Conclusions: School-based educational intervention using psychosocial models is effective in changing health-promoting behaviors and self-care.

Crossing Borders: An Analysis of the Characteristics and Attributes of Female Public School Principals

The female principal"šs role is diverse, fragmented, and involves numerous decisionsdaily. It is important for women to be able to identify and evaluate their ownpersonal characteristics.Leadership has been the central focus of research in the field of educationaladministration. Most studies have largely been based on the experiences of whitemales (Blackmore, 1989; Capper, 1993; Glazer, 1991) in the field of schooladministration. Historically, leadership roles have been held by men (Capper, 1993;Sloan, 1999). Because of this social attitude, women have been reluctant to pursueeducational, administrative leadership positions (Epp, 1993).As of the mid-1990"šs, women comprised 50% of the workforce. Women held 13%of management positions, and held only 7% of executive positions (Hagberg,1998). In the areas of school administration, men outnumber women four to one atthe administrative level (Lynch, 1990). "In the years between 1928 and 1984, thenumber of women principals continually dropped from 55 % to 18%" (Lynch, 1990,p. 336). These data mirror the drop in the representation of women throughout theeducational administration field (Capper, 1993; Sloan 1999). While a recent surveyof school superintendents indicated that the number of women at all levels ofschool administration is slowly increasing; women's representation in schooladministration is far from being proportionate to their numbers in education(Hagberg, 1998; Sloan, 1999). Sloan (1999) reported that the number of Australianfemale principals have increased from 15.3% in 1991 to 29.5% in 1999. TheAustralian Department of Education Secretary, Geoff Spring, has increased effortsto train and promote female teachers to administrative positions (Sloan, 1999). Ata 1998 conference, Spring said, "Women make up almost 70% of the workforce inschool education, are highly qualified and achieving increasing success as they seekand obtain formal leadership roles." He stressed the importance of pride andpersonal achievement of women in leadership roles but noted, "There isconsiderable distance to be traveled before women are present in leadership rolesin the same ratio as in the education workforce" (Spring, 1998). A specialleadership program has been designed for aspiring women educational leaders inAustralia to help close the gap (Sloan, 1999).All women experience barriers. When Black women enter educationaladministration, there are internal and external barriers to overcome (Gregory,1999). Gregory (1999) stated that internal barriers are based on both perceptionsof one's capability to work in a leadership role, and personal leadership styles.External barriers are described as barriers that an individual has no control over.External barriers might include lack of resources and not being included incollaborative projects. Also, many black women have reported feelings of isolation(Gregory, 1999).

Regular and low-dose aspirin, other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications and prospective risk of HER2-defined breast cancer: the California Teachers Study

BackgroundRegular users of aspirin may have reduced risk of breast cancer. Few studies have addressed whether risk reduction pertains to specific breast cancer subtypes defined jointly by hormone receptor (estrogen and progesterone receptor) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression. This study assessed the prospective risk of breast cancer (overall and by subtype) according to use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) in a cohort of female public school professionals in California.MethodsIn 1995 − 1996, participants in the California Teachers Study completed a baseline questionnaire on family history of cancer and other conditions, use of NSAIDs, menstrual and reproductive history, self-reported weight and height, living environment, diet, alcohol use, and physical activity. In 2005–2006, 57,164 participants provided some updated information, including use of NSAIDs and 1457 of these participants developed invasive breast cancer before January 2013. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models provided hazard rate ratios (HRR) for the association between NSAID use and risk of invasive breast cancer as well as hormone receptor- and HER2-defined subtypes.ResultsDeveloping breast cancer was associated inversely with taking three or more tablets of low-dose aspirin per week (23% of participants). Among women reporting this exposure, the HRR was 0.84 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72–0.98) compared to those not taking NSAIDs and this was particularly evident in women with the hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative subtype (HRR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.66–0.96). Use of three or more tablets of “other” NSAIDs was marginally associated with lower risk of breast cancer (HRR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.62–1.00). Other associations with NSAIDs were generally null.ConclusionOur observation of reduced risk of breast cancer, among participants who took three or more tablets of low-dose aspirin weekly, is consistent with other reports looking at aspirin without differentiation by dose. This is the first report to suggest that the reduction in risk occurs for low-dose aspirin and not for regular-dose aspirin and only among women with the hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative subtype. This preliminary study builds on previous knowledge and further supports the need for formal cancer chemoprevention studies of low-dose aspirin.

Promotion of physical activity of adolescents by skill-based health education

PurposeInsufficient physical activity leads to an increase in chronic diseases. Skills-based health education methods are supposed to be more successful than traditional methods to promote healthy behaviors. Skills-based health education is an approach to create healthy lifestyles and skills using participatory methods. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of skill-based education method on physical activities of female adolescents.Design/methodology/approachThis was an experimental study on 80 female public high school students aged 12-14 years old in Tehran. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: experimental group of 40 girls who were educated using “Skills-based education method,” and control group of 40 girls who were educated by lecture as a routine educational method for health promotion. Data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire to assess physical activity-related knowledge, attitudes and behavior. Data were gathered three times; before, immediately after (Phase 1) and two months after educational intervention (Phase 2). Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20.FindingsIntra-group comparison demonstrated that both educational methods can increase knowledge, attitude and behavior of the students after intervention comparing to before intervention (RMANOVA; p<0.05). However, the comparison between groups demonstrated a significant higher increase of knowledge (t-test; p<0.01 and p<0.0; phase 1 and 2, respectively), and behavior (t-test; p<0.01 and p=0.002; phase 1 and 2, respectively) but not attitude (p=0.083 and p=0.125, phase 1 and 2, respectively) among the students participated in the experimental “skilled based health education” group rather than the control “lecture” group.Originality/valueSkill-based health education comparing to routine lecture-based education creates deep and long lasting knowledge and behavior and is highly recommended for promoting physical activity and other health-related knowledge and among adolescents.

Knowledge, perceptions and practice of cervical cancer prevention among female public secondary school teachers in Mushin local government area of Lagos State, Nigeria.

IntroductionCervical cancer is the most common gynecological cancer and a leading cause of cancer death in women in Nigeria. This study was aimed to assess the knowledge, perception, and practice of cervical cancer prevention among female public secondary school teachers in Mushin, Lagos.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study carried out among female secondary school teachers in Mushin, Lagos. The participants were selected by a two-stage random sampling method and relevant data were collected with the use a self-administered questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were done using Epi-info version 7.2 statistical software and descriptive statistics were computed for all data.ResultsThe knowledge of cervical cancer and its prevention was 100.0% among the respondents. The most commonly known method of cervical cancer screening identified by the respondents was Papanicolaou smear (91.4%). More than half of the women (67.0%) have had at least one cervical cancer screening done previously. Only 2.2% of the respondents have had HPV vaccine given to their female teenage children in the past despite the acceptance rate for HPV vaccination being 76.2%.ConclusionThis study, unlike most previous studies in other regions of Nigeria and most part of sub-Saharan Africa, has demonstrated a relatively high level of awareness about cervical cancer, its cause, risk factors and prevention. However, conversely, the absence of a national health programme means that screening and vaccination centers are not available, accessible or affordable.

The Impact of School Based Oral Health Education Program on the Level of Oral Health Knowledge Among Public Intermediate School Girls at Riyadh, 2016

Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the impact of oral health education program on the level of oral health knowledge among female public intermediate school students in Riyadh. As well as to evaluate the correlation between their oral health knowledge and selected socio-demographic variables. Methods: A pre-posttest quantitative study was conducted at public intermediate girls' schools in Riyadh. A sample of schools was selected using stratified random sampling technique to reflect the spectrum of intermediate schools under the Riyadh's educational regions (north, south, middle, east, and west). Five schools were randomly chosen from the department of education listings in each educational region. A total sample of 315 school students between the ages of 12 and 16 years completed the study. Permission to perform this study was received from the Institutional Review Board of King Saud University and Ministry of Education. A 15-item self-administered questionnaire was designed in Arabic language and used to assess the student's oral health knowledge. Followed by the intervention which consisted of 40 minutes interactive lecture using power point presentation presented by the investigator. The impact of the oral health education program was evaluated by measuring the change in the level of oral health knowledge one month after the program implementation. The data obtained from the questionnaire were entered into a Statistical Package for Social Sciences database (IBM, SPSS version 23, IL, USA). Descriptive statistics were used in calculating the frequency and percentage for categorical sociodemographic characteristics. Mean and standard deviation (SD) were calculated for the continuous variables e.g. age, total score of knowledge. The impact of the program was estimated by calculating the percentage of change in the oral health knowledge which is calculated by 100 (post test score – pretest score)/post test score. McNemar's Chi-square test was used to compare correct / incorrect responses to oral health based questions before and one month after the program implementation. Student t-test and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were applied to compare responses to oral health questions in relation to selected socio-demographic variables. A p-value of <0.05 was used to report the statistical significance of results. Results: Three hundred and eighty questionnaires were distributed, out of which three hundred and fifteen were completed giving a response rate of 82.8%. Among the 315 students, 30.8% were first graders, 32.7% second graders, and 36.5% third graders. Nearly 80% of the participants were Saudis and the remaining were non-Saudis. The age range of the participants was 12-16 years with a mean age of 13.98 ± 1.094. Prior to the implementation of the educational program, the question regarding the indication to remove dental plaque and calculus at the dental clinic, received the lowest percentage of correct answers (13.3%). Regarding the knowledge of the number of permanent teeth, only 24.1% of the respondents knew the correct number of permanent teeth. With regards to the knowledge of the external layer covering the teeth, only 27.3% of the sample gave a correct answer. Only 28.6% of the participants knew the importance of routine dental visits. About 30% of the respondents knew the correct indication for a dentist to do root canal treatment. The results showed that the oral health education program was effective at improving participant's oral health knowledge. Overall, the baseline mean knowledge score was 4.79 ± 2.09 and one month after the intervention the mean knowledge score increased to 8.91 ± 1.7. There was a statistically significant increase in the oral health knowledge after the program implementation by 45.4% (P<0.0001). Conclusion: This study showed that a school based oral health education program had a positive effect on the student's oral health knowledge. The benefits of such programs can be expanded with continuous school-based oral health programs involving oral health providers, school personnel's, parents, and their children.

WORK-FAMILY CONFLICT DAN KINERJA GURU WANITA SEKOLAH DASAR NEGERI

This study was conducted to determine the effect of work-family conflict on the performance of female public elementary school teachers. This study uses quantitative approach, expose facto method. The technique used in this study sample was purposive sampling technique. Researchers adapted teacher performance research instruments developed based on Depdiknas theory. Work-family conflict instruments use the theory of Dawn S. Carlson and Larry J. Williams. The level of teacher performance item reliability of 0.81, and work-family conflict of 0.71. Final respondents from this study as many as 50 people. Hypothesis test is done by using regression analysis. The result of regression analysis showed that the significance value of 0.012 is smaller than the significance level of 0.05, then there is a significant influence of work-family conflict on the performance of female elementary school teachers. The result showed negative effects which indicates that the higher work- family conflict the teacher's performance in this study will decrease. Then the results of this study is a significant difference between work-family conflict on the performance of female public elementary school teachers. The magnitude of the resulting from regression analysis by 12.3%, while 87.7% are influenced by other factors that are not included in this study.

Diet quality among adolescents has deteriorated: a panel study in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, 2003-2008.

This study aimed to analyze changes in the diet quality of adolescents from public schools in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, over a five-year period. Data on the food consumption of adolescents (12-19 years) were obtained by means of two sets of 3-day food records in two school-based, cross-sectional studies conducted in 2003 and 2008. The Brazilian Revised Healthy Eating Index (BHEI-R) was used to estimate dietary quality. From 2003 to 2008 there was an overall decrease in the scores attributed to "total vegetables", "dark green and orange vegetables", and "meat, eggs, and legumes", but there was an increase in the score for "milk and dairy" (4.0 vs. 5.2; p < 0.01). Among female adolescents, the BHEI-R decreased (64.1 vs. 62.4; p = 0.04), as did the scores attributed to "total vegetables", "dark green and orange vegetables", "meat, eggs, and legumes", and "solid fat, alcohol, and added sugar". In contrast, among males, only the "whole grains" score decreased (0.2 vs. 0.1; p = 0.04). From 2003 to 2008, the diet quality of female public school students declined in Niterói.

ERICA: smoking prevalence in Brazilian adolescents.

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalences of tobacco use, tobacco experimentation, and frequent smoking among Brazilian adolescents.METHODS We evaluated participants of the cross-sectional, nation-wide, school-based Study of Cardiovascular Risks in Adolescents (ERICA), which included 12- to 17-year-old adolescents from municipalities of over 100 thousand inhabitants. The study sample had a clustered, stratified design and was representative of the whole country, its geographical regions, and all 27 state capitals. The information was obtained with self-administered questionnaires. Tobacco experimentation was defined as having tried cigarettes at least once in life. Adolescents who had smoked on at least one day over the previous 30 days were considered current cigarette smokers. Having smoked cigarettes for at least seven consecutive days was an indicator for regular consumption of tobacco. Considering the complex sampling design, prevalences and 95% confidence intervals were estimated according to sociodemographic and socio-environmental characteristics.RESULTS We evaluated 74,589 adolescents. Among these, 18.5% (95%CI 17.7-19.4) had smoked at least once in life, 5.7% (95%CI 5.3-6.2) smoked at the time of the research, and 2.5% (95%CI 2.2-2.8) smoked often. Adolescents aged 15 to 17 years had higher prevalences for all indicators than those aged 12 to 14 years. The prevalences did not differ significantly between sexes. The highest prevalences were found in the South region and the lowest ones, in the Northeast region. Regardless of sex, the prevalences were found to be higher for adolescents who had had paid jobs, who lived with only one parent, and who reported having been in contact with smokers either inside or outside their homes. Female public school adolescents were found to smoke more than the ones from private schools.CONCLUSIONS Tobacco use among adolescents is still a challenge. Intending to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use among young people, especially the ones under socioeconomic vulnerability conditions, Brazil must consolidate and increase effective public health care measures.