Greater Proportion Of Students Research Articles

Enhancing biostatistics education for medical students in Poland: factors influencing perception and educational recommendations

BackgroundA number of recommendations for the teaching of biostatistics have been published to date, however, student opinion on them has not yet been studied. For this reason, the aim of the manuscript was to find out the opinions of medical students at universities in Poland on two forms of teaching biostatistics, namely traditional and practical, as well as to indicate, on the basis of the results obtained, the related educational recommendations.MethodsThe study involved a group of 527 students studying at seven medical faculties in Poland, who were asked to imagine two different courses. The traditional form of teaching biostatistics was based on the standard teaching scheme of running a test from memory in a statistical package, while the practical one involved reading an article in which a particular test was applied and then applying it based on the instruction provided. Other aspects related to the teaching of the subject were assessed.ResultsAccording to the students of each course, the practical form of teaching biostatistics reduces the stress level associated with teaching and the student exam (p < 0.001), as well as contributing to an increased level of elevated knowledge (p < 0.001), while the degree of satisfaction after passing the exam is higher (p < 0.001). A greater proportion of students (p < 0.001) believe that credit for the course could be given by doing a statistical review of an article or conducting a survey, followed by the tests learned in class. More than 95% also said that the delivery of the courses should be based on the field of study they were taking, during which time they would also like to have the opportunity to take part in optional activities and hear lectures from experts.ConclusionIt is recommended that more emphasis be placed on practical teaching the subject of biostatistics.

Fostering students’ mathematical reasoning through a cooperative learning model

This study sought to ascertain whether the student teams-achievement division (STAD) model of cooperative learning is effective in fostering students’ mathematical reasoning. Using the cluster random sampling technique, 301 eleventh-grade students between the ages of 14 and 20 were chosen from six public secondary schools within one district in Zambia. Students were given tasks on quadratic equations and functions both before and after the intervention. A robust analysis of the covariance test revealed that students’ mathematical reasoning abilities were significantly higher for the group that received instruction using the STAD approach than for the group that was taught using conventional methods of instruction at each of the five design points where regression slopes were comparable. A Chi-square test of independence further revealed that the STAD learning approach was associated with a greater proportion of students who demonstrated an appropriate degree of mathematical reasoning ability for each of the three indicators (conjecturing, justifying, and mathematizing). These results demonstrate that enhancing students’ mathematical reasoning abilities through the integration of classroom activities that engage students intellectually, physically, and socially is beneficial.

Patterns of Physical Activity and its Association with Gender and Academic Year Among Undergraduate Medical Students

Aim This study aimed to determine the patterns of physical activity (PA) and its association with gender and academic year among undergraduate medical students of a tertiary care hospital in South India. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students from August to October 2022 at a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India. PA was determined using the self-administered long form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. Results A total of 223 students aged 18 to 25 years completed the questionnaire, with the majority being females (59.2%). Their median total PA (metabolic equivalent [MET] minutes/week) was 1320, with 2073 and 771 MET minutes/week among male and female students, respectively. Fourth-year students were the most physically active, with higher energy expenditure per week, followed by second-year, third-year, and first-year students ( p = 0.007). Out of the total 223 students, 141 (63.2%), 62 (27.8%), and 20 (9%) students belonged to low, moderate, and high PA levels, respectively. There was a greater proportion of students with low PA among females (70.5%) compared to male (52.7%) participants ( p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion Most undergraduate medical students had a low level of PA, especially females and students in the first academic year. To increase the PA levels among medical students, curricular reforms by incorporating sports/exercise training, and ensuring the availability of adequate facilities and trainers for sports in every college/university is warranted. Future research focusing on the exploration of barriers to PA and designing innovative strategies to promote PA among medical students is the need of the hour.

Implementation of Steam Technologies for Building Digital Competence of Future Music Art Teachers

The aim of the work is to determine the effectiveness of the implementation of STEAM technologies for building the digital competence of future music art teachers. This aim was achieved through a sociological survey, effectiveness calculations, variation, statistical error. It was established that most students' digital competence level was low (47%) before the study, which affected their level of knowledge. Only 12% of the students had a high level of digital competence. The obtained data contributed to developing approaches to training future music art teachers using STEAM technologies and digital opportunities. It was found that the use of the Vocal Range Vocaberry application has a greater impact on students’ digital competence, as the results are related to the detailed study of approaches to voice development. This approach to learning contributed to the acquisition of high-level knowledge by a greater proportion of students (71%). The practical significance of the work is related to the possibility of improving the system of training music art teachers with the use of digital technologies. Further research may focus on establishing the effectiveness of various vocal training programmes for future teachers.

Prevalence, Management, and Impact of Dysmenorrhea on the Lives of Nurse and Midwife Trainees in Northern Ghana.

Dysmenorrhea is the most common gynecological problem affecting the majority of female students in the nursing profession today. They often experience severe pain that is not only incapacitating but also has a significant impact on their day-to-day college life, academic, and clinical performance. This study was conducted to assess the prevalence, management, and impact of dysmenorrhea on the lives of nurse and midwife trainees in northern Ghana. A descriptive cross-sectional design with a quantitative approach to data collection was employed to collect data from nurse and midwife trainees in three colleges of nursing and/or midwifery in the northern region of Ghana. A proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to recruit 303 respondents for the study. After gaining permission from various institutions, data were collected by using a structured questionnaire from 13th September to 28th October, 2022. Stata (special edition) for Windows version 17.0 was used for the statistical analyses. The study revealed a high prevalence of dysmenorrhea among female nursing students (66.7% and 95% CI: 0.611-0.720). More than half of the respondents (67.3%) experienced loss of appetite for food. The most common site of most intense pain was the pelvis and lower abdomen (98.0%). A greater proportion of students (65.8%) used antispastic drugs to reduce pain. The respondents' concentration in the classroom was greatly affected (77.2%) as well as normal physical activities (58.4%). A multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds of dysmenorrhea are 2.67 times higher when the duration of menstruation is 4-5 days (AOR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.13-6.28, and p = 0.024) than a duration of 1-3 days. Having urinary tract infections was associated with 3.56 times higher odds of dysmenorrhea (AOR = 3.56, 95% CI = 0.98-12.86, and p = 0.053). Again, the odds of dysmenorrhea were also four times higher among respondents with a family history of the same condition (AOR = 4.05, 95% CI = 2.16-7.61, and p = 0.001). The current study revealed a high prevalence of dysmenorrhea among nurse and midwife trainees in the northern part of Ghana. The majority of the respondent experienced loss of appetite and intense pain in the pelvis and lower abdomen, and their concentration during lectures was also significantly affected. The most predominant nonpharmacological method used for reducing the pain was sleep and the application of warm objects on the abdomen.

Medical students’ perceptions of the impact of artificial intelligence in radiology

ObjectivesTo analyse medical students’ perceptions of the impact of artificial intelligence in radiology. Material and methodsA structured questionnaire comprising 28 items organised into six sections was distributed to students of medicine in Spain in December 2019. ResultsA total of 341 students responded. Of these, 27 (7.9%) included radiology among their three main choices for specialization, and 51.9% considered that they clearly understood what artificial intelligence is. The overall rate of correct answers to the objective true-or-false questions about artificial intelligence was 70.7%. Whereas 75.9% expressed their disagreement with the hypothesis that artificial intelligence would replace radiologists, only 41.9% disagreed with the hypothesis that the demand for radiologists would decrease in the future. Only 36.7% expressed concerns about the role of artificial intelligence related to choosing radiology as a specialty. A greater proportion of students in the early years of medical school agreed with statements that radiologists accept artificial-intelligence-related technological changes and work with the industry to apply them as well as with statements about the need to include basic training about artificial intelligence in the medical school curriculum. ConclusionsThe students surveyed are aware of the impact of artificial intelligence in daily life, but not of the current debate about its potential applications in radiology. In general, they think that artificial intelligence will revolutionise radiology without having an alarming effect on the employability of radiologists. The students surveyed think that it is necessary to provide basic training about artificial intelligence in undergraduate medical school programs.

Awareness and knowledge of environmental health among secondary school students from Mtwara town in Tanzania

Students are provided with education, including environmental health education that they develop throughout their lives and the education empowers them to become active participants in the transformation of their communities. Therefore, this study aimed to examine awareness and knowledge about environmental health issues among secondary school students from Mtwara town in Tanzania. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data. Pearson's chi-square and Pearson correlation (R) tests were used to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference between the gender and study variables. A greater proportion of students had awareness and knowledge of infectious diseases (99.8% vs. 97.1%, p=0.004, X2=9.529, OR 1.028, 95% CI 1.005 – 1.051) and non-communicable diseases (98.1% vs. 95%, p=0.031, X2 = 5.370, OR 1.033, 95% CI 1.001 – 1.067). However, awareness of the term school water, sanitation and hygiene (SWASH) was very low among all students, with no statistically significant difference (26.1% vs. 25.5%, p = 0.927). Girls had more understanding of global warming (91.7% vs. 86.2%, p=0.033) and good ventilation prevented the spread of cough and mucus (62.1% vs. 54%, p=0.041) than male students. While no statistically significant difference between students' awareness and knowledge of pollution was observed (99.5% vs. 97.9%, p=0.104), there was a higher proportion of noise and land pollution awareness among students. Female students had higher awareness of noise pollution (70.2% vs. 56.9%, p=0.001) and land pollution (86.1% vs. 78.2%, p=0.010) than their peers. The results of this study add more knowledge to the existing information on students' awareness and knowledge of environmental health problems. The study recommends that programs to disseminate information related to environmental health should be maintained to sustain high student awareness and knowledge of environmental health.

Prospective evaluation of medical student accuracy conducting direct ophthalmoscopy with an unmodified iPhone X

PurposeTo evaluate fundus examination accuracy of medical students when using an unmodified iPhone X or a direct ophthalmoscope in comparison to a staff ophthalmologist’s retinal examination.MethodsIn this prospective comparative analysis, patients underwent dilated fundus examination by novice medical trainees using either an unmodified iPhone X or standard direct ophthalmoscope. The primary outcome was the mean difference and degree of agreement in cup-to-disc ratio between student examination and the staff ophthalmologist’s cup-to-disc observation.ResultsA total of 18 medical students conducted 230 retinal examinations, 117 with the iPhone X and 113 with the direct ophthalmoscope. A greater proportion of students were unable to report cup-to-disc ratio using the iPhone X (81.2%) vs direct ophthalmoscope (30.1%). Student examination of cup-to-disc ratio led to a systematic bias (95% limits of agreement) of + 0.16 (−0.22 to + 0.54) and + 0.10 (−0.36 to + 0.56) with the iPhone X and direct ophthalmoscope, respectively. iPhone X and direct ophthalmoscope student observation concordance for optic disc colour (88.7 and 82.4%, respectively) and contour (68.3 and 74.2%, respectively) demonstrated low agreement with staff ophthalmologist findings. Student iPhone X observations demonstrated lower agreement with staff findings compared to direct ophthalmoscope observations for spontaneous venous pulsations (Cohen’s Kappa = −0.044 vs 0.099).ConclusionAmongst medical trainees, optic disc visualization using an unmodified iPhone X was inferior to the direct ophthalmoscope. When able to visualize the optic nerve head, there was no significant difference in reported cup-to-disc ratio between modalities. However, both modalities demonstrated poor reliability in comparison to staff ophthalmologist findings.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10792-022-02377-4.

Quantifying the intersection of disability and homelessness in Massachusetts public schools in 2018-2019.

Homelessness has a major impact on the educational and health trajectories of children. Youth with disabilities may be especially vulnerable to experiencing homelessness, but little epidemiological work has been done to characterize dual disparity. Our goal was to describe the relationship between homelessness and disability among students (age 3-21) receiving public education in Massachusetts in 2018-2019. We evaluated the proportion of students with and without disabilities experiencing homelessness by county and school district. We used publicly available data from the United States and Massachusetts Department's of Education. These data used the McKinney Vento Homelessness Assistance Act definition of homelessness which is a lack of fixed, adequate, and regular housing, and disability was determined by the presence of an individualized education program or individualized family service plan. We calculated percentages of students with and without disabilities experiencing homelessness at the state, county, and district level and calculated and mapped risk of homelessness comparing students and without disability. We also determined the occurrence of disability among those experiencing homelessness. In Massachusetts public schools, 3.5% of students with disabilities experienced homelessness compared with 2.4% of students without disabilities (relative risk 1.50, 95% CI: 1.47, 1.53). A greater proportion of students with disabilities experienced homelessness compared with students without disabilities in all counties. In sum, 24.8% of students experiencing homelessness had a reported disability. In Massachusetts public schools, a greater proportion of students with disabilities experience homelessness compared with students without disabilities, and disability is common among students experiencing homelessness. We hypothesize potential mechanisms, such as the financial cost of disability, that may lead to this finding. Findings support the need for additional funding and interventions for school districts and communities to better serve vulnerable students with disabilities experiencing homelessness.

Primary Dysmenorrhea; Prevalence, Treatment Practices and Impact among High School Students in 2 Secondary Schools in Bafoussam

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as pelvic pain during menstrual flow in the absence of a pelvic pathology. It is one of the most common gynaecological complaints worldwide and the most common cause of school and work absenteeism among menstruating females. In adolescent students the impact includes reduced attention in class, inability to study at home, school absenteeism among others. Yet these students have to study at the same pace as their peers, raising the concern of whether the problems caused by primary dysmenorrhea have an effect on academic their academic performance. Aim: Determine the prevalence, treatment practices and impact of primary dysmenorrhea on the studies of post-pubertal high school students in Bafoussam. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive and analytic study design using a two-stage sampling method; the first stage was by convenience to choose the school, and the second stage was consecutive to recruit the students. Data was collected using a semi-structured pretested self-report and anonymous questionnaire. Analysis was done using software IBM&regSPSS statistics version 23 for windows. Categorical variables were summarised in to frequencies and percentages while the comparison of categorical variables was done using a Chi-square test, and a p-value ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: our sample size was 898 and the mean age of our respondents (±SD) was 17.6 (±1.6) years. The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was 71.9%, with 11.6% mild pain, 52.5% moderate pain and 35.9% severe pain on a visual analogue scale. Over 38% did not attempt pain-relieving measures while others took analgesics, traditional preparations, heat packs among others. Among these students, 39% reported school absenteeism due to pain, other impacts were decreased attention in class, inability to study at home during pain and punishment from school authorities for failing to fulfil certain duties like assignments not done or absenteeism because of pain. Though a greater proportion of students without dysmenorrhea had pass scores than their counterparts, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Given these findings, school officials may benefit from considering dysmenorrhea in the context of improving their school attendance rates and academic performance of their students.

Percepciones de estudiantes de Medicina sobre el impacto de la inteligencia artificial en radiología

ObjectivesTo analyze medical students’ perceptions of the impact of artificial intelligence in radiology. Material and methodsA structured questionnaire comprising 28 items organized into six sections was distributed to students of medicine in Spain in December 2019. ResultsA total of 341 students responded. Of these, 27 (7.9%) included radiology among their three main choices for specialization, and 51.9% considered that they clearly understood what artificial intelligence is. The overall rate of correct answers to the objective true-or-false questions about artificial intelligence was 70.7%. Whereas 75.9% expressed their disagreement with the hypothesis that artificial intelligence would replace radiologists, only 41.9% disagreed with the hypothesis that the demand for radiologists would decrease in the future. Only 36.7% expressed concerns about the role of artificial intelligence related to choosing radiology as a specialty. A greater proportion of students in the early years of medical school agreed with statements that radiologists accept artificial-intelligence-related technological changes and work with the industry to apply them as well as with statements about the need to include basic training about artificial intelligence in the medical school curriculum. ConclusionsThe students surveyed are aware of the impact of artificial intelligence in daily life, but not of the current debate about its potential applications in radiology. In general, they think that artificial intelligence will revolutionize radiology without having an alarming effect on the employability of radiologists. The students surveyed think that it is necessary to provide basic training about artificial intelligence in undergraduate medical school programs.

Distorted self-perception and dissatisfaction with body image among nursing students.

To evaluate distorted self-perception and dissatisfaction with body image among nursing students. Cross-sectional study with students from a public university. Self-perception and satisfaction with body image were assessed using the Figure Rating Scale and the Body Shape Questionnare (BSQ). Body Mass Index was calculated with self-reported weight and height. Analysis was processed in Stata 15.0 with a significance level of 5%. A total of 93 students participated in the study. Results showed 87.1% of distorted self-perception, with a greater proportion of students who overestimated their body size (68.8%); 89.2% of students were dissatisfied with their body image according to the Figure Rating Scale, and 55.9% according to the BSQ. Dissatisfaction assessed by the BSQ was associated with biological sex, nutritional status, diets and bullying. The results indicate the need to address the theme in the training of nurses, to help them accept their own bodies and to enable them to act effectively in their professional practice.

Measuring Children’s Participation: a Person-Centered Analysis of Children’s Views

There is a need to identify meaningful measures of the right to participate that embrace both heterogeneity among children and the diverse contexts in which participation is realized. To date, the literature that combines contextual and personal variation in participation is limited. Using a person-oriented approach, this study explored heterogeneity among children in relation to their perception of participation in four domains – home, school, local community and the country. The data came from a representative sample of 10- and 12-year old students (N = 2339) in schools in Albania who participated in the 3rd wave of the International Survey of Children’s Well-being. Latent profile analyses identified four groups of students, based on their participatory preferences along two dimensions of participation - perceived decision-making and respect. Two overall patterns emerged: (a) students whose endorsement of participation was consistent across all domains but varied in intensity (high level of endorsement vs. moderate) and (b) students whose endorsement of participation varied both across domains and levels of intensity (low vs. moderate vs. high). As expected, profiles defined by greater participation differed on a number of demographic characteristics (e.g., higher proportion of girls, greater proportion of students from families with higher socio-economic status). However, contrary to expectations, many profiles were not consistently related to children’s subjective well-being or satisfaction with life domains. The importance of these findings for targeted initiatives to promote participation among children in transitioning states is discussed.

Low Food Security Present on Texas College Campuses Despite High Nutrition Literacy

Abstract Objectives The relationship between student food security and nutrition literacy on college campuses has not been explored previously. Objectives of this study were to assess the relationship between student food security and nutrition literacy, and to explore associations of food security and nutrition literacy with demographic characteristics of college students. Methods An online survey tool in Psych Data was used to assess food security and nutrition literacy of students (n = 672) on the three Texas Woman's University (TWU) campuses. The USDA Six-Item Short Form assessed food security and nutrition literacy questions were derived from a large valid and reliable assessment instrument. Cross tabulations using Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's exact test were used to explore the relationship among demographics, food security levels, and nutrition literacy. All analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics v25, with significance set as P &amp;lt; 0.05. Results Students (n = 672) from all three campuses participated in the survey and 88.4% were females. The total prevalence of food insecurity (low and very low food security) was high across all campuses: Denton (47.3%), Dallas (36.1%), and Houston (45.9%). Significant differences in the degree of food security existed when the three campuses were compared (P = 0.001). The highest percentage of very low food security existed among black (30%) and freshman (32.7%) students. The overall likelihood of adequate nutrition literacy among students was high (90.0%) with white students (95.7%) being more likely to have adequate nutrition literacy compared to other races/ethnicities (P &amp;lt; 0.001). A greater proportion of students with adequate nutrition literacy were food secure (58%) than students with very low food security (18%). Graduate students had the highest nutrition literacy (95.7%) and campus residents had the lowest nutrition literacy (83.9%). Conclusions Food insecurity undermines educational success of students. Targeted measures to address the crisis of food security on college campuses must also address disparities by race and student class. Universities and colleges must consider creative, sustainable solutions to help improve student food security. Funding Sources Internally funded by Texas Woman's University.

Food Insecurity Among College Students with and without Medical Disorders at a University in Appalachia.

ObjectiveThis study compared severity of food insecurity, characteristics, and behaviors of college students with and without diagnosed medical disorders.DesignData were collected using a cross-sectional online questionnaire. Variables measured were food security status, disorders, coping strategies, and perceived barriers to food access. Descriptive and inferential statistics examined associations and compared groups. Statistical significance was p≤0.05.SettingData were collected at Appalachian State University in North Carolina.ParticipantsThe sample was 247 food insecure students, of whom 60% were females, 50% 3rd- and 4th-year students, and 75% whites.ResultsMedical disorders were reported by 67.2% of food insecure students, and a greater proportion of students with than without disorders experienced very low food security (63.3% vs. 43.2%, p=0.003). The most common disorder categories were psychiatric (40.5%) and gastrointestinal (31.6%). Characteristics of food insecure students with disorders included female gender, suboptimal academic performance, employed, off-campus residence. Coping strategies used by students with and without disorders, respectively, to improve food access, included brought food back to school after visiting family, friends, significant others (90.9% vs. 63.0%) and ate less healthy food so you could eat more (77.7% vs. 49.4%). Perceived barriers among students with disorders included feel overwhelmed making food choices (12.7%) and meal plan runs out (10.2%). Food insecure students with disorders made greater use of coping strategies and identified more perceived barriers.ConclusionsFood insecure students with disorders experienced more severe food deprivation and require multidimensional food assistance programs beyond those generally available on college campuses.

A Multi-Institutional Study Demonstrating Undergraduate Medical Student Engagement with Question-Type Facebook Posts.

Facebook is the social media platform used most by both medical educators and students, but there is scant literature investigating effective ways to use the platform across multiple institutions. This multi-institutional study compared student engagement between an official curricular Facebook page and a supplemental Facebook page. While a greater proportion of students were reached by the official course page, greater post engagement was achieved with the supplemental page. We attribute this to the abundance of question-type posts on the supplemental page and show that question-type posts achieve higher engagement with students than statement-type posts, regardless of page type.

A First Examination of the Role of the International Child Development Programme in School Achievement

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to explore whether the classroom implementation of the International Child Development Programme (ICDP) for secondary school students (grade 9) was linked to better school achievement. The goal of the ICDP is to increase school achievement by promoting positive teacher-student relationships. The study, performed in Sweden, applied a pre–post design (four years) with matched intervention and control schools (N = 148). The post-intervention assessments showed that there were significant differences in school achievement in Grade 9 between the intervention school and the control school. Specifically, a greater proportion of students at the intervention school demonstrated improvement in school subjects and achieved the competency requirements to enter an upper secondary school programme. Based on the results, the ICDP can be considered an important intervention to promote student learning by promoting positive teacher-student relationships.

Attitudes towards Cpr among Allied Health Students in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is associated with increased survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. This aim of this study was to explore the attitudes to CPR among allied health students in Jordan; and to compare the attitudes to performing chest compression-only (CC) CPR versus CPR with mouth-to-mouth ventilation (MMV). Methods A cross-sectional study using a 17-item attitude questionnaire that assessed the attitude to CPR in general, and to performing MMV and CC on different patient groups (the other gender, strangers, relatives, children), and despite infection concerns. Results A total of 856 participants completed the questionnaire (mean age 20.8 years, 74.0% female); 79.2% of participants were willing to learn and practise CPR encouraged by their cultural values and religious beliefs and had a positive attitude towards the benefits of CPR. Compared to MMV, a greater proportion of students had a positive attitude towards performing CC on strangers (71.7% vs 29.6%, p&lt;0.001), relatives (77.9% vs 40.4, p&lt;0.001), patients of the other gender (62.3% vs 29.8%, p&lt;0.001), and despite infection concerns (67.9% vs 24.1%, p&lt;0.001). Compared to males, a higher proportion of females had a positive attitude about delivering CC to relatives (80.7% vs 70.0%, p=0.004) and despite the infection concerns (71.1% vs 58.7%, p=0.007). Females were more reluctant to perform MMV on males (26.1% vs 40.4%, p=0.02), strangers (25.3% vs 41.7%, p=0.01) and relatives (36.5% vs 51.6%, p=0.01). Conclusion A large proportion of participants were willing to learn CPR and had positive attitudes towards its benefits. Females were more inclined to perform CC compared to males, whereas males were more likely than females to deliver MMV. More training is recommended, and clear legislation regarding the legal liabilities of rescuers is needed in Jordan.

Walking Toward a Brighter Future: A Participatory Research Process to Advocate for Improved Walk-to-School Corridors

Inclusive place-making is an important strategy to ensure that built-environment improvements contribute rather than detract from community health. We conducted participatory research to support 15 youth leaders as they advocated for improvements to their walk-to-school environment. The project included four phases. During Phase 1 (Route and Experience Identification), we visited 21 classrooms in three Bridgeport high schools and used an interactive mapping process with students to identify the most often used walk-to-school routes. Youth leaders also collected questionnaires from 187 peers about their school travel experiences. During Phase 2 (Route Assessment), the youth leaders examined the quality of these routes using the Microscale Audit of Pedestrian Streetscapes assessment tool. During Phase 3 (Data Analysis), the University partners analyzed the data collected in the prior phases. Percentage scores were calculated for each segment and crossing along the routes assessed. We used chi-square tests to examine associations between students' travel model and negative travel-related experiences. Almost all segments (82%) and crossings (91%) examined received a failing grade (<64%). In addition, a greater proportion of students who walk/cycle/skate to school rather than ride in a motor vehicle reported feeling unsafe (p = .001), missing first period (p = .006), and lower grades (p = .001) due to travel-related challenges. The findings from these assessments were used during Phase 4 (Youth Campaign) to advocate for safer routes to schools. We describe both the lessons learned and successes from the project. Other municipalities might benefit from replicating the youth-led, participatory approach used in this study.

A study on prevalence of stress among first year medical students in Trichy SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy

Background: The stress is an inevitable part of education for medical students at time of their life when they are also involved in issues related to life style and carriers. It is reported that stress during medical education can affect the patient care negatively. The objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of stress among first year medical students in Trichy SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy.Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study using predesigned, semi structured questionnaire for 150 first year medical students of Trichy SRM Medical College for a period of 2 months (October to November 2018).Results: Among 150 study participants 49% (73) were under stress, 49.3% of them are belong to 18 years. Majority of the study participants are females (57.3%) in which females are getting more stress (28.6%) than males (20.1%); among them 33.3% of them with suicidal tendency and 80.7% of them are academically stressed.Conclusions: The greater proportion of students was found to be stressed with academic problems being major cause for stress when compared with non-academic problems. Stress management workshops soft skills development techniques at the entry of medical carrier would be helpful to reduce stress.