Good Attitude Scores Research Articles

Needs assessment for interprofessional education module on prevention and early detection of oral cancer among dental interns: a cross- sectional survey

BackgroundThe challenges associated with ensuring widespread system changes to enable early diagnosis and prevention of oral cancer could benefit from interprofessional practice. A needs assessment study was conducted to inform the Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) course related to oral cancer. The primary objectives of this study were 1) to establish a tool assess the knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) related to prevention and early detection of oral cancer of health professional students, and 2) to assess the same KAP of pre-licensure dental students. Additional objectives were to consider the possibility that dental students would demonstrate good scores related to early detection and prevention of oral cancer thus indicating their readiness for interprofessional learning and collaborative practice.MethodsTwo questionnaires were utilized for this study which included 1) Readiness for interprofessional learning was assessed using the pre- validated tool of Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) 2) A questionnaire to assess the KAP related to early diagnosis and prevention of oral cancer which was developed, validated, and evaluated. Statistical analysis includes, descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U test, Ordered logistic regression and Probit analysis. p value was set at < 0.05.ResultsA total of 130 dental students (74.6% female) were included in the study. Mean scores related to KAP were 15.96 ± 1.394, 4.70 + 1.146, 7.02 ± 1.019 respectively. The mean score of RIPLS was 73.15 ± 15.961. The probability of overall samples to have good RIPLS scores was around 0.68 to 0.76 (Male 0.68—0.82 & Female 0.68 -0.74). The percentage of students having good knowledge score was 93.8%, good attitude score was around 54.6% and good practice score was around 90%.ConclusionKnowledge and practice related to prevention and early detection of oral cancer were scored highly. Attitude scores were lower in a relatively higher proportion of participants and needed to be addressed in the curriculum. RIPLS score indicates a positive attitude towards interprofessional learning.

Prevalence of Bacillus cereus in food and hand swabs of night market food vendors and its relationship with their food safety knowledge, attitude, and practices

This paper aimed to determine Bacillus cereus prevalence in food and hand swab samples and its relationship with the level of knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of the food vendors in the night market in northern Perak, Malaysia. A total of 140 cooked food and hand swab samples were collected in this study. About 28% (N = 83) of food and 42% (N = 57) of the food handlers’ hands were detected with B. cereus. The KAP results of the food handlers showed a (mean ± SD) moderate knowledge score (73.96±15.79%), good attitude score (91.61±7.48%), and high practices score (81.70±11.94%). Further analysis revealed that the attitude of vendors independently influenced their practices. In addition, knowledge and practice scores were found to be significantly related to B. cereus hand carriage. Hence, the findings from this study act as an eye-opener for the authorities to improve awareness of food safety and stress the importance of good attitude and hygiene practices, especially among small food vendors.

Peningkatan Motivasi Dan Prestasi Belajar Materi Sengsara Dan Wafat Yesus Menggunakan Pembelajaran Discovery Learning Pada Siswa Kelas VIII di SMPN 5 Katingan Hilir

Learning that integrates literacy abilities, knowledge skills, skills and attitudes, as well as mastery of technology is 21st century learning. The characteristics of 21st Century learning are learning that must prepare the generation for advances in Information and Communication Technology (ICT or ICT) which are developing very quickly. These technological developments affect various aspects of life, including the learning process. 21st century learning is integrated with the independent curriculum, the development of which is a further step in developing the 2013 curriculum. At the junior high school level there are still students who lack motivation to study Catholicism. In particular, when presenting material or subjects about the Passion and death of Jesus in Class VIII, SMPN 5 Katingan Hilir, Katingan Regency, Central Kalimantan, from year to year there are always students who experience difficulties in learning so that learning outcomes do not match the expectations of the standards that have been set. . The assessment of Catholic Religious Education and Character at SMPN 5 Katingan downstream is expected to achieve a minimum good attitude score, a minimum knowledge score of 75, and a minimum skills score of proficient. To achieve the goals mentioned above, a learning approach that is quite challenging for teachers is the project-discovery learning approach. Learning Catholicism in schools apart from developing faith education, also has the function of forming good personality or character. Therefore, a learning model that is student-oriented is needed, so that they are able to develop critical thinking skills and solve problems faced in everyday life.&#x0D; Discovery Learning is a learning model that can be applied to independent curriculum history learning because it can encourage students to think critically, have problem solving skills, connect knowledge about problems and real world issues. Based on the description above, it is hoped that this classroom action research can increase motivation and learning achievement in Catholic Religious Education Subjects. The use of the Discovery Learning Model that matches the syntax in learning Catholic Religious Education in class VIII of SMP Negeri 5 Katingan Hilir, material or subject matter about the Passion and death of Jesus, is very effective in increasing student motivation and learning achievement, which can be seen from the pre-cycle student learning motivation in the good category was 40%, increased in cycle I by 73.33% and in cycle II increased by 90%. The increase in student learning achievement can be seen through the average post test score in the first cycle stage, namely 77, then an increase to 89 in the second cycle post test. The improvement looks significant for students who need attention and guidance from teachers and classmates. This can be seen from students who increased quite high by 8%.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Health Care Workers on Disposable Mask Waste Management in the Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

Biomedical waste including disposable masks requires proper waste handling so it doesn’t pollute the environment and cause re-transmission of COVID-19 disease. The purpose of this study was to look at the relationship between the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the Public Health Centre in Pangandaran Regency. Methodology: Cross-sectional study approach to study assessed KAP. 91 participants were from 15 different public health centres in Pangandaran. Data analysis used chi-square statistical test. Presented with frequency distribution and the form of a tabulation. Result indicated knowledge of respondents was only 41.40% with high scores and practices with high scores were only 44.40% but attitudes towards disposable mask waste management with high scores reached 98.6%. There is a relationship between age and practice with a p-value of 0.009 and a relationship between knowledge and practice with a p-value below 0.05. Conclusion the participants had insufficient knowledge and practice scores but have good attitude scores. Our results conclude that the HCWs good attitude does not affect good practice but knowledge may lead to a proper practice. Findings of this study suggest that a regular training program for the HCWs on BMW specially on disposable mask management may lead to better practice

The knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions toward the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine amongst Primary Health care workers in North-Central Trinidad.

To determine the effects of knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of primary care health workers toward receiving the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine in North Central, Trinidad. A pretested de novo questionnaire containing forty-eight (48) closed ended questions and one (1) open ended question was used to gather data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data obtained from the questionnaire. These included percentages, means and standard deviations for the descriptive aspect and the Chi-Square test to examine any significant associations. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to assess any significant differences in means among several categories and the independent samples t-test for assessing any significant difference in means between two categories. 273 respondents completed the questionnaire. Most of the participants (72.2%) were female and within the age range 25-36 (56.0%). The mean knowledge score about the AstraZeneca vaccine was 16.28 (SD = 2.28) out of 19 with an overall correct response rate of 79%. 30.4% of participants had a good attitude score and 59.7% had a positive perception toward the AstraZeneca vaccine. There were significant associations between knowledge and marital status (p = 0.001), income level (p = 0.001), education level (p < 0.001), and length of employment (p = 0.041); attitudes and sex (p = 0.01), age (p = 0.04), marital status (p = 0.009), income level (p < 0.001), education level (p = 0.005) and category of staff (p < 0.001); perception and sex (p = 0.002), marital status (p = 0.027), income level (p < 0.001), and category of staff (p < 0.001). The main contributors to vaccine hesitancy were inadequate duration of clinical trials and fear of adverse side effects. A significant number of participants (17%) were unwilling to get the vaccine due to lack of information.

Knowledge, attitude and practices survey on traditional systems of medicine among the university students

India is rich with many traditional systems of medicine and Ayurveda is most commonly practiced among them. There are very few studies showing the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of general population about traditional medicine and its use. Hence, the primary objective of this study was to assess Knowledge, Attitude, practices of university students with different educational background towards traditional systems of medicine. A cross sectional online survey was carried out in Sri Padmavati Mahila Visva vidyalayam, Tirupati using self-designed, structured questionnaire on 188 university students. The study sample was heterogeneous as regards to the educational qualification. The survey was conducted online using the Google forms. All the data was analyzed and given as descriptive statistics followed by statistical comparisons using the software SPSS 20.0. (Statistical package for Social Sciences) All the participants in the study were female students with an average age group of 19 -24 years. Among the respondents, 55 (29.2%) pharmacy and 14 (7.4%) non pharmacy students had good knowledge, whereas 33(17.5%) pharmacy and 15 (7.9%) non pharmacy students had good attitude score towards utilization of traditional systems of medicine. Self-medication was also noted among 103 (54.7%) students among the whole respondents, which was alarming. T

Knowledge and Attitude Related to Hepatitis C among Medical Students in the Oral Direct Acting Antiviral Agents Era in Vietnam.

Background: Medical students play important frontline roles in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of hepatitis C. This study investigated knowledge and attitudes toward hepatitis C among 5th- and 6th-year medical students and possible associated factors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2000 students from eight medical universities using a self-administered structured questionnaire. Results: The mean knowledge and attitude scores for hepatitis C were 20.1 ± 4.0 (out of 26) and 10.6 ± 2.9 (out of 20), respectively. Approximately, three-quarters (74.4%) of the participants had a good knowledge score, but only a small proportion (3.1%) obtained a good attitude score. Although the participants had fairly high knowledge about the causes, consequences, and transmission routes of hepatitis C, there were important gaps in their knowledge about hepatitis C screening and treatment. In multivariate analysis, female students, 5th-year students, and students from the central provinces had significantly higher knowledge and attitude scores. There was a low positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores. Conclusion: This study points out the need to update the medical training curriculum to improve the knowledge and attitude of students about hepatitis C infection.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Kidney Diseases among Primary Care Physicians working in Nepal

Background: Medical officers and resident doctors as primary care physicians (PCPs) are the first contact health care providers to most of the kidney disease patients in Nepal. This study intends to assess knowledge, attitude and practice regarding kidney diseases among these nonnephrology doctors, working in different health institutes all over Nepal. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross sectional, questionnaire based study, conducted over the span of 12 weeks among the primary care physicians. The Ethical Review Board of Nepal Health Research Council had approved our protocol prior to starting the study. An arbitrary scoring system was used to classify knowledge, attitude and practice scores as: 0 to &lt;50% - Poor score, 50% to &lt;75% - Moderate score, ≥ 75% - Good score. Data was entered in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25. Results: Out of 239 PCPs enrolled in our study, 41 (17%) obtained good knowledge scores, 124 (51.8%) obtained good attitude scores and 198 (82.8%) obtained good practice scores. None of the study participants had negative attitude towards kidney diseases. The mean scores obtained in our study were 23.03±4.49 for knowledge, 17.64±2.30 for attitude and 6.27±1.24 for practice domains out of total score of 37, 24, and 8 respectively. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that the majority of PCPs had obtained moderate to poor knowledge scores regarding kidney diseases. However, the majority had a positive attitude and good practice regarding kidney diseases in our study.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Regarding Ergonomic Hazards Among Healthcare Workers in a Saudi Government Hospital.

BackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affecting healthcare workers (HCWs) must be considered and addressed as a serious issue. Thus, it is important to incorporate ergonomics into clinical practice to prevent MSDs. The objectives of this study were to investigate HCWs’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding ergonomics in a large governmental healthcare facility.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in which the participants were interviewed to complete a validated four-section questionnaire (demographic data, knowledge, attitudes, and practice information related to ergonomics). The questionnaire was newly self-developed based on a literature review and was pilot tested after development.ResultsThis study included 273 HCWs. Their average knowledge score regarding ergonomics was 2.6, or “fair to good.” Overall, the participants reported good attitude scores, with a total average score of 1 and 2, or “agree to strongly agree.” The findings also indicated that appropriate ergonomics practices were often not implemented, as the average practice score was 1 to 2, or “always to sometimes engaging in bad practice.” The risk factors of being Saudi, being a woman, and having low academic achievement were associated with poor knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to ergonomics among HCWs.ConclusionThis study showed that the majority of the participants had fair knowledge and good attitudes toward ergonomics at work while practicing. However, the practice of ergonomics at work was not implemented. It is important to apply ergonomics at work to prevent MSDs; therefore, ergonomic principles should be included in the undergraduate health curriculum for all HCWs, with emphasis on practicing ergonomics in their routine clinical work.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Relation to Mosquito-Borne Diseases in Bangladesh.

Mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) such as dengue, malaria, and chikungunya are common in Bangladesh, with frequent outbreaks in the rainy season. Analysis of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of people toward any crisis is fundamental to addressing any gap. Here, we conducted a cross-sectional study mainly focusing on the northern, southern and central parts of Bangladesh to understand the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices of people regarding MBDs, mosquito habitats, or control measures. A total of 1720 participants were involved in the study from 33 out of 64 districts of Bangladesh, of which 56.9% were male. While most of them knew about dengue (97.1%), chikungunya (81.4%), and malaria (85.2%), only half of them were aware of filaria (53.3%), which is endemic to the northern region. A knowledge score (0–8, low), (9–16, moderate), (17–24, high), and attitude score (0–4, poor), (5–8, moderate), and (9–13, high) were assigned. While poor and moderate attitudes were considered negative, good attitudes were considered positive. About 45% of the respondents had a moderate knowledge score (50–70); however, about 67.9% of participants showed a good attitude score (>70) towards the control of MBDs. It was found that the knowledge and attitude of the responders were related to their profession (knowledge p < 0.001; attitude, p = 0.002), residential area (knowledge p < 0.001; attitude, p < 0.001), and education level (knowledge p < 0.001; attitude p = 0.004). A mosquito is a kind of nuisance bug, and about 79.8% of responders admitted that they kill mosquitoes as soon as they notice them. They also use bed nets (93.7%) followed by mosquito coils (85.7%) as a preventive method. Interestingly, 73.2% of the responders were reluctant to contact the local government during an increase in mosquito numbers. Overall, the people of Bangladesh have a positive attitude towards the prevention of mosquito-borne diseases. It is highly recommended that the government creates more knowledge regarding this issue and develops collaborative approaches with local people to implement robust preventive measures against mosquito-borne diseases.

Effect of training on frontline health workers’ knowledge and attitude towards tuberculosis screening and case finding in Oyo state, Nigeria

Background: Nigeria accounts for 11% of all undetected, ‘missing’ Tuberculosis cases. TB control is better achieved by improving the knowledge and attitude of frontline health workers (FLHWs) and this study aims to examine the effect of training on the level of knowledge and attitudinal disposition of FLHWs towards TB screening in Oyo State, Nigeria.Methods: Fifty-one (51) FLHWs enrolled on both intervention and control arms were trained on TB and Hypertension respectively. Outcomes were scores from each construct of the questionnaire administered at baseline and 8 weeks post intervention. The study was approved by Babcock University and Oyo State Ministry of Health.Results: Results showed that about 88% were females, CHOs were the most prominent cadre- 64%. At baseline, mean knowledge score at the intervention arm was 10.80 (control 10.61), range was 8-13 (control 7-13) and 61% had good knowledge (control 27%); this difference was however not statistically significant, p=0.55. Post intervention, all participants (100%) on the intervention arm had a good knowledge (control 73%), 47% of participants had good attitude score (control 12%). Mean knowledge score was 15.73 (control 11.92) and mean attitudinal score was 11.06 (control 8.86). Knowledge and attitude scores were statistically significantly higher in the intervention group &lt;0.001.Conclusions: The study provides valuable information on the existing training gap at the lower levels of care towards TB control. Further study would be required to determine the effect of a change in knowledge and attitude on TB case finding.

Cervical cancer knowledge and attitude among a cohort of female schoolteachers in Salem city - A cross-sectional survey.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 256 Government female schoolteachers aged 22-60 years in Salem city, Tamil Nadu. A self-administered questionnaire which assessed the levels of knowledge (6 items) and attitude (4 items) regarding cervical cancer was employed and responses were recorded on a three-point Likert scale. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 20.0. Overall adequate knowledge and good attitude regards to cervical cancer was observed among 60% and 66.8% of schoolteachers, respectively. Participants in the age range of 31-45 years (p = 0.007), primary schoolteachers (p = 0.004) and Hindus (p = 0.001) displayed significantly adequate levels of knowledge compared to their respective counterpart. Likewise, based on attitude subjects possessing postgraduation (p = 0.001) and middle schoolteachers (p = 0.009) had significant good attitude scores. Significant linear correlation was observed knowledge with class teacher (r = 0.136, P = 0.03) and religion (r = 0.208, P = 0.001) whereas attitude with qualification (r = 0.165, P = 0.008) and class teacher (r = 0.206, P = 0.001) which are positive predictors. Moreover, knowledge had a significant positive correlation with attitude (r = 1.000, P = 0.000). Primary care physicians partnering network with schoolteachers having adequate knowledge and good attitude acts as a workforce to support cervical cancer screening and human papillomavirus vaccination.

COVID-19 Readiness and Career Aspirations of South Indian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

PurposeThe second wave of COVID-19 devastated the medical sector on India and the government has implored medical students to aid the frontline workforce. This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of South Indian Medical students regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and their career aspirations.Patients and MethodsThis is an online questionnaire based, cross-sectional study featuring a pre-validated questionnaire with a KAP section and a career aspiration survey section, which was distributed to South Indian medical schools between November and December 2020. Three hundred and four responses were included for analysis.ResultsGood knowledge levels were seen in 65.5% of participants, 51% had good attitude scores and 80.6% had good practice scores. The mean KAP score was 14.81 ± 1.77. 1.3% of the respondents had low level KAP scores, 57.2% had moderate level KAP scores and 41.4% of them had good level KAP scores. Majority aspired to continue post graduate medical training in Clinical medicine in India (n = 116, 38.2%), followed by Clinical Medicine outside India (n = 80, 26.3%). Students who chose “Research Work” (average rank [AR] = 192.70), “Clinical Medicine outside India” (AR =173.64) “Undecided” (AR = 148.59) and “Clinical Medicine in India” (AR = 146.63) as career aspiration featured better KAP scores compared to those students who preferred non-clinical specialties (AR = 96.73) and or a career change (AR =76.69) (p = 0.001).ConclusionThe KAP questionnaire revealed inadequate readiness amongst the majority of student participants. Targeted, structured educational interventions may be recommended in order to rapidly rectify the situation and deploy medical students to supplement the frontline workers in the COVID pandemic.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Perceived Risks Towards COVID-19 Pandemic and the Impact of Risk Communication Messages on Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia.

PurposeTo investigate knowledge, attitude, and perceived risks towards COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare workers (HCWs) in Saudi Arabia. Besides, the impact of risk communication strategy on the attitude and practice of HCWs was investigated.Patients and MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study that targeted HCWs from various Saudi health facilities. We utilized a self-administrated, online-based questionnaire designed to assess basic knowledge of COVID-19, attitude and disease perception, and the impact of risk communication messages among HCWs.ResultsA total of 1691 responses were received in the study. The HCWs exhibited good levels of knowledge (total maximum score is 1) of COVID-19 concerning the modes of transportation of COVID-19 (0.82±0.16), sample collection method for COVID-19 diagnosis (0.98±0.08), transmission of infection from asymptomatic individuals (0.99±0.11), and that antibiotics are not effective against the new COVID-19 (0.83±0.38). Nearly one-third of the participants considered a high/very high possibility of acquiring COVID-19 infection. HCWs had good attitude scores concerning their willingness to deal with new COVID-19 patients (0.87±0.33) and their beliefs in being educated on COVID-19 (0.99±0.11). Almost all participants strongly agree/agree that it is important to take action to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within healthcare facilities and received health information messages. Notably, 93.4% of the participants stated that the received messages changed their attitude towards COVID-19 and its preventive measures. Good knowledge scores were significantly associated with age > 49 years old, higher educational level, and physician occupation. Similarly, good attitude scores were higher among males, HCWs aged 40–49 years old, non-Saudi nationals, and physician and nurse occupations.ConclusionHCWs have fair knowledge and attitude towards the COVID-19 pandemic. The risk communication is an effective strategy to improve the attitude and practice of HCWs towards COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia.

Knowledge, attitudes, and decision making towards prenatal testing among antenatal clinic attendees in Lagos University Teaching Hospital: an institution-based cross-sectional study.

Introductionin Africa, genetic diseases and congenital anomalies remain a significant source of morbidity and mortality. Existing data suggests a gap in the use of prenatal tests among pregnant women to better inform decision making. We examined relationships of socio-demographic factors with willingness to terminate affected pregnancies, and the use of, knowledge of, and attitudes towards prenatal screening/diagnostic tests.Methodsthis was a cross-sectional descriptive study of pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (N = 422) selected by convenience sampling. Responses were obtained with assisted self-administered structured questionnaires.Resultsmean ± S.D. age of the respondents was 32.5 ± 5.3 years. The majority of the participants (92.2%) had at least a secondary education. Ultrasound scans in the second trimester were the most frequently used test (39.1%). Only 77 (18.2%) of the respondents indicated willingness to terminate affected pregnancies. The majority of the respondents had fair knowledge and good attitude scores. Knowledge and attitude scores were significantly correlated (r = 0.25, p < 0.001). Compared to married women, being single was associated with a 2.62-point lower knowledge score (95% CI: -4.63, -0.62, p = 0.01). Compared to women who responded “no” when asked if they were willing to terminate an affected pregnancy, women who responded “maybe” had a 0.81-point lower attitude score (95% CI: -1.45, -0.17, p = 0.01).Conclusionour results suggest important socio-demographic differences in women´s knowledge/ behaviours towards prenatal diagnostic tests. Further research is needed to explore these relationships and broader pregnancy-related ethical beliefs among pregnant women in Lagos.

Drug Information Services in Low-Resource Setting: A Responsibility of Pharmacists or Pharmacologists or Both the Professions Conjointly.

Objective:The objective of this study was to assess the pharmacy professionals’ understanding and viewpoints on drug information center (DIC) services and differences, if any, with pharmacologist's survey conducted earlier.Materials and Methods:An electronic cross-sectional knowledge, practice, and attitude survey was carried out. A questionnaire in the form of the hyperlink was sent to pharmacy professionals through e-mail, Facebook messenger, and WhatsApp. Factors linked to pharmacy professionals’ vision in expanding countrywide DIC services were studied with logistic regression in R.Results:A total of 125 pharmacy professionals responded. The participant believing in the published literature as a standard reference for establishing and running the DIC services; participants identifying more challenges in the day-to-day DIC functioning; and participants believing in the ability of DIC in reducing morbidity, mortality, and cost of care had 4.76 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.97–6.44), 4.24 (95% CI = 0.97–6.44), and 2.43 (95% CI = 0.97–6.44) times association with good knowledge score. Good attitude scores were discovered of participants working in fully and partially functional DIC (odds ratio [OR] = 9.66, CI = 0.97–6.44 and OR = 9.49, CI = 0.97–6.44) to participants not involved in DIC duties. The participant who understood DIC services’ real purpose had 2.83 (95% CI = 0.97–6.44) times association with good practice scores. Overall, pharmacy professionals carried better attitude scores, but lesser knowledge, and practice scores than pharmacology professionals.Conclusion:Lower knowledge and practice score of pharmacy professionals asks for training in critical appraisal of published literature and due modifications in graduate and postgraduate curricula. A collaborative approach between pharmacists and pharmacologists is needed to improve the quality of drug information services and evidence-based medicine practice in low-resource countries like India.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages: A Cross-Sectional Study among Adolescents in Selangor, Malaysia.

This study aims to examine the level of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of adolescents towards sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), together with the associated factors that determine their KAP. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires that consisted of sociodemographic, the KAP for the SSB questionnaire, and the Beverage Intake Questionnaire (BEVQ). The respondents’ heights, weights, waist circumferences and body fat percentages were measured. This study involved 439 adolescents aged between 13 and 17 years old, in public secondary schools in Selangor, Malaysia. The results reveal that 35% of the adolescents were overweight, 26% had a high waist circumference, and 45% had a high body fat percentage. Caffeinated drinks and full cream milk were the most frequently consumed SSBs. The KAP score revealed a good attitude (88.4%), a moderate knowledge (51.8%) and a poor practice (40.5%). Those with a higher body fat percentage showed significantly good attitude scores (p < 0.05). Low household income groups, females, adolescents aged 16–17 years old and being from an urban area demonstrated a significant (p < 0.05) positive determinant towards the KAP score. In conclusion, high awareness of negative health outcomes associated with SSBs among adolescents was not in accordance with the level of their lifestyle choices.

Developing a latent class analysis model to identify at-risk populations among people using medicine without prescription

ABSTRACT Introduction There exist limited strategies to address the issue of topical medication without prescription (MWP) use. Material and methods A survey with pre-coded questionnaires was conducted with 210 patients following up in the dermatology clinic of a tertiary care center. The knowledge and attitude scores were regressed against demographics and exploratory practice questions, and latent class analysis was carried out to check any particular set of characteristics associated with study subpopulations. Results Forty-seven (22%) participants were found using topical antimicrobial containing MWP. Participants with good knowledge score had 3.41 (95% C.I. = 1.68–7.33), 2.99 (1.37–6.73), and 2.49 (1.26–5.15) times association with opting of distance as the prime reason for availing topical MWP, habit of always reading the accompanying drug leaflet, and understanding that OTC topical medication may change the effect of the already prescribed drugs. Participants with good attitude score showed 2.76 (1.50–5.13) times association with limiting the use of steroid containing topical MWP. Latent class analysis identified one subset of participants having lesser knowledge and attitude scores and quoted financial reasons for the procurement of MWP; however, it was found to have greater income as compared to remaining participants. Conclusion The strategy to identify the target patient audience so as to deliver patient education intervention programs, regarding safe and effective use of MWP was built.

Assessing Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices on Antibiotics amongst University Graduates in Bhutan: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Introduction: Concerns about antibiotic resistances is increasing. Antibiotic misuses mostly result from inadequate knowledge impacting attitudes and practices. The literature on this subject is limited in Bhutan. It is of immense importance to understand the gap and target interventions. Therefore, we assessed the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) on antibiotics amongst Bhutanese university graduates in 2016.&#x0D; Methods: The survey was conducted through a self-administered online questionnaire after seeking consent. The questionnaire was developed by the investigators using past literature. &#x0D; Results: Of the 2,229 invited graduates, only 220 (≈10%), 52.3% (115) males, completed the survey. Internet was the commonest source of information on antibiotics. Only 51% (113) showed good knowledge with a mean score of 15.5 (range 2-30). Penicillin, amoxicillin and cotrimoxazole were correctly identified as antibiotics by 63.6%, 78.7% and 21.4% but 11.4%, 35% and 31.8% misidentified atenolol, paracetamol and ibuprofen as antibiotics respectively. Side effects of antibiotics were poorly recognized. Fifty-four percent (119) showed good attitude score. About 39% (85), 35% (76) and 46% (101) misconceived that antibiotics would be required for common cold, all fevers and all small clean-cut wounds respectively. Almost 91% knew that antibiotic courses should be completed, 12% thought that antibiotics can be stopped when patients improve and 31.8% repeated antibiotics for similar illnesses. Although 76% knew that antibiotics shouldn’t be bought without a prescription, 28% were able to get them. About 44.1% revealed that the dispensing pharmacists did not explain adequately about antibiotics. Unfortunately, 43.6% suggested others to take antibiotics during illnesses and 60% used topical antibiotics.&#x0D; Conclusion: KAP on antibiotics amongst Bhutanese graduates was unsatisfactory except few good specific practices. Health authorities should educate public on antibiotics and other medicines.

Knowledge and attitude of nurses toward the implementation of quality management systems with special reference to Six Sigma

Background: Health care delivery system is one of the most dynamic areas where the professional growth takes place on an everyday basis. In the country's present scenario, where health services is made available to the community in a variety of forms, by way of government health centers, trust hospitals, religious sponsored small and big hospitals, and private and corporate hospitals, the expectations of the patient have increased toward the quality of health services offered. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of the employees toward the implementation of quality management system with special reference to Six Sigma. Objectives: 1. To assess the current status of the waiting period at various departments of the selected hospitals. 2. To assess the knowledge regarding Six Sigma. 3. To assess the attitude regarding Six Sigma. 4. To compare the knowledge and attitude of private and government health care organization. Methodology: Research approach: Quantitative approach. Research design: Pre-experimental. Sampling technique: Convenience sampling. Sample size: 60 (calculated by power analysis). Sampling criteria. Inclusive criteria. 1. Those who are involved in hospital administrative work. 2. Those who are available at the time of data collection. 3. Those who can understand English. Exclusive criteria. 1. Who have already done Six Sigma citification. Results: The results showed that the maximum time spent by the patient at the outpatient department (OPD) for registration was 16–20 min. According to the reviews, this is the appropriate time taken by any health care organization to do OPD registration. Very few respond to took more than 25 min, i.e., 3%. Maximum patients spent 21–25 min at the laboratory and only 5% spent <20 min. Time taken by the individual in pharmacy indicates that maximum participants, i.e., 37%, took 16–20 min to get the drugs and 23% of participants took more than 25 min. Regarding the knowledge toward Six Sigma, 22% health care workers in private sector have good knowledge score as compared to government organization, i.e., 10%. Seven percent of health care workers have average knowledge score in private organization and 8% of participants have average knowledge score in government health sector. Regarding the attitude toward Six Sigma, private health care organization workers (53%) have a good attitude score as compared to government organization (18%). Conclusion: Six Sigma principles are well suited to the health care sector due to its zero tolerance for mistakes and Six Sigma's potential for reducing medical errors. Lean Six Sigma projects in healthcare have largely focused on direct care delivery, administrative support, and financial administration. The aim has been to improve clinical processes, to identify and eliminate waste from patient pathways, to enable staff to examine their own workplace, and to increase quality, safety, and efficiency. The concept of Six Sigma is purely corporate in nature. There is a lot of difference between the knowledge and attitude regarding Six Sigma among private and government organizations, and this study proves the same..