Habits Of Professionals Research Articles

Poor Health Behaviour in Medical Students at a South African University: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

Personal health behaviours and lifestyle habits of health professionals influence their counselling practices related to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). There are limited data on the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyle habits among medical students and the impact of acquired health knowledge throughout the curriculum. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the prevalence of modifiable behavioural NCD risk factors of medical students in different academic years at a South African tertiary institution. A cross-sectional observational study of 532 consenting medical students was conducted. Participants completed five online questionnaires regarding lifestyle behaviours (physical activity, dietary habits, smoking, alcohol consumption and sleep). Lifestyle-related risk factors with the highest prevalence were poor sleep quality (66.0%), low levels of habitual physical activity (55.8%) and low-to-moderate diet quality (54.5%). There were no differences between academic years for all risk factors measured. Over 60% of the cohort had two or more NCD risk factors and this prevalence did not differ across the degree program with the acquisition of more health knowledge. Medical students have a high prevalence of poor sleep quality, low levels of physical activity and low-to-moderate diet quality, which does not appear to change over the course of their academic career. Sleep hygiene, regular physical activity and healthy nutrition should be targeted in intervention programmes and be more prevalent in the medical curriculum.

Clicks for credit: an analysis of healthcare professionals’ social media use and potential for continuing professional development activities

ABSTRACT Background Previous studies have examined social media habits and utilization patterns among various groups of healthcare professionals. However, very few studies have evaluated the use of social media to support continuing professional development activities. The goal of the 2023 Clinical Education Alliance social media survey was to explore how HCPs interact professionally with social media, describe utilization trends, and identify barriers to using social media to disseminate CPD content. Methods We conducted an online anonymous, voluntary survey of healthcare professionals contained in the Clinical Education Alliance learner database from January to March 2023. The survey was distributed via email and all learners were invited to participate regardless of profession or specialty. This survey consisted of 16 questions and collected demographic information and social media utilization and habits of healthcare professionals. Results Of the 2,615 healthcare professionals who completed the survey, 71.2% use social media. Most respondents were physicians (50.6%) practicing in an urban setting (59.6%) and have been practicing for more than 15 years (70.5%). The most widely used platform was Facebook (70.7%), but there were no significant differences among the different professions. Of the respondents who use social media, 44.5% used social media to access continuing professional development-certified activities. Surveyed learners preferred passive participation with social media content. Participant-reported concerns include issues with legitimacy of the information, privacy, time constraints, and institutional barriers. Discussion As the continuing professional development community continues to evolve and seek new innovative strategies to reach healthcare professionals, the findings of this survey highlight the need to identify and enact social media-based strategies aimed to engage healthcare professionals and provide them with unbiased evidence-based education.

Return to play decision after shoulder dislocation in upper limb athletes: Critical analysis between the habits of medical professionals and the literature

BackgroundThe return to field is a critical moment for an athlete who has dislocated his shoulder as there is a significant risk of recurrence. The decision to return to field made by the doctor will therefore be crucial for the smooth continuation of the athlete's career. HypothesisThis objective is to compare the criteria most used by specialists in clearing an overhead athlete to return to competition after a first episode of antero-internal dislocation of the glenohumeral joint with or without surgery and those mentioned in the literature. Patients and methodsThe target population consisted of French-speaking physicians in orthopedic surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation or sports medicine. This study was conducted by the means of a questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated by three experts in sports medicine and published on an online survey website. ResultsSixty-three medical specialists responded to the questionnaire. On average, they use more than nine criteria to decide if an athlete is fit to return to competition. Over the 12 criteria proposed, four are used by more than 90% of respondents: laxity/instability, pain, range of motion and patient's subjective feeling. The methods used to evaluate certain criteria such as pain, joint range or muscular strength are often subjective and very often not validated by the literature. ConclusionDoctors use a set of criteria to allow an overhead athlete to return to competition. This study highlights that the techniques employed to evaluate these criteria are not always thoroughly validated by literature reviews. Level of evidenceIII; observational study.

Food Sustainability Knowledge, Attitudes, and Dietary Habits among Students and Professionals of the Health Sciences

The importance of a sustainable diet is an emerging concept within sustainable food systems. Food systems emit 30% of greenhouse gases, which needs to change. A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and habits of students and professionals in the health sciences regarding a sustainable diet, comparing these to the Spanish population. We further aimed to analyse the consistency between the knowledge and attitudes of these individuals and their dietary habits and analyse the consumption of different food groups that are typical of a sustainable diet. A survey was completed by a total of 415 participants, both university students in the health sciences and health professionals. These two groups were more knowledgeable of sustainable diets than the general population, although certain concepts are unfamiliar to both populations. A positive attitude towards sustainable food habits was also observed among the population studied. The health sector reported having better eating habits than the overall population. A significant positive correlation was observed between higher fruit and vegetable consumption and deeper knowledge and more favourable attitudes. People with less knowledge and worse attitudes reported consuming more red and processed meat. The findings of this study could inform targeted interventions for health professionals given the need to promote a healthy diet but also a healthy and sustainable diet for planetary health.

Protocol for exploring the use of hospitals as a learning organisation: a cross-sectional study in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province

IntroductionIn today’s highly competitive environment, where changes happen at a rapid pace, organisations that stand a chance to survive are those that are proactive and easily adapt to changes. Hospitals...

Terapeutas ocupacionais e seu papel docente: percepções de profissionais e estudantes universitarios

Abstract Introduction In Chile, occupational therapists have performed the academic role since 1963, increasing their presence in higher education institutions that have incorporated occupational therapy into their educational projects. Objective To describe the perceptions of occupational therapists and students, regarding the process of acquisition and participation in the academic role within the metropolitan region of Chile. Method Research qualitative with an exploratory-descriptive design in which occupational therapy academics and students were interviewed online, and selected in a non-probabilistic manner. 13 people participated, whose responses were analyzed in selective coding tables and categorized into 8 subcategories. Results The motivation to transmit the values of the profession and the experiences when teaching are the main factors that professionals consider maintaining their teaching role in universities. In addition, the existence of an occupational imbalance in the areas of social participation, rest, and sleep was evidenced within the routine habits of professionals. Also, there is the precariousness of work and remuneration when maintaining the teaching role. Conclusion Occupational therapist academics should facilitate the exploration of possibilities processes, motivating the development of skills and validating the achievements in the learning processes of the new generation of students, both in face-to-face and distance formats.

The effect of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in the compliance of hand hygiene in ICU in a tertiary hospital

Abstract Background Hand hygiene (HH) is one of the main preventive methods for healthcare-associated infections. Our aim is to compare the level of HH compliance in 2021, SARS-CoV-2 pandemic period, with the previous 2019 period. Methods Descriptive cross-sectional study of direct observation on compliance of HH in adult intensive care unit (AICU) and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a third-level hospital in Madrid during the years 2019 and 2021. Trained healthcare workers observed and recorded hand hygiene opportunities (HHO) among staff (nurse, nurses’ aide, physicians and orderly) using the World Health Organization's “My Five Moments for Hand Hygiene” tool. All observations of professional that attended patients in SARS-CoV-2 isolation units were excluded. Results Overall, there was a total of 1199 HHO, 961 in AICU (2019:466; 2021:495) and 238 in NICU (2019:122; 2021:116). HH compliance in AICU improved from 57.5% in 2019 to 65.9% in 2021 (p = 0.008) and remained unchanged in NICU (2019:90.2% vs 2021:88.8%; p = 0.730). In AICU all professional categories, except nurse’s aide, improved HH compliance being statistically significant in physicians (2019:33.8% vs 2021:50.0%; p = 0.009). In relation to the 5 moments, an increase in HH compliance was observed in: before and after touching a patient/after touching patient surroundings, being only statistically significant in moment after touching a patient (2019:69.4% vs 2021:83.7%; p = 0.001). In NICU there were no significant changes between the two periods regarding to the professional category or the five moments of HH. In NICU there were no significant changes between the two periods regarding to the professional category or the five moments of HH. Conclusions The increase in compliance of HH within the adult ICUs demonstrates this adaptation, stating a behavioural change in the habits of professionals. This increase was no observed in the NICU since their compliance was already extremely high. Key messages • There has been an increase in HH compliance in the AICU. • The HH method has varied, becoming COVID-19 specific.

Dietary Practices of Health Professionals during Working Hours in a Tertiary Referral Teaching Hospital In Ghana: A Neglected Vulnerable Group

Aim: Generally, it is assumed that health professionals are knowledgeable about healthy eating and as such studies aimed at assessing their dietary practices and the factors that influence these practices have been largely neglected. These studies are important because the dietary habits of healthcare professionals (HCPs) can have an impact on their well-being, health status and even their work output. Largely, there is a dearth of information about the dietary practices of HCPs during working hours. This study was aimed at assessing the dietary practices of HCPs during working hours at a referral teaching hospital in Ghana.
 Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study in which a questionnaire was administered to 320 HCPs.
 Methodology: A questionnaire was administered to the HCPs in the hospital after obtaining informed consent (written) from the HCPs. The questionnaire solicited information about their socio-demographics, dietary practices and nutritional knowledge. Descriptive statistics were summarized as frequencies and proportions.
 Results: Approximately 13.1%, 47.5% and 39.4% were underweight, normal weight and overweight respectively. Carbonated beverages, baked foods and fried foods were consumed four (4) or more times in a week by more than half of the HCPs because they were regarded as convenience foods which could be eaten while working. About 76.9%, 52.8% and 58.4% skipped their breakfast, lunch and supper meal respectively at least once in the past one (1) week before the study.
 Conclusions: The findings reveal concerns about the unhealthy dietary habits and basic nutrition knowledge gaps among the surveyed HCPs. Most HCPs skipped breakfast and ate a lot of unhealthy foods such as carbonated beverages, baked foods and fried foods frequently during working hours. Recommendations made include the need for hospital management to provide canteens that serve healthy meals for HCPs at their job sites. There is also the need for management to organize the work-schedules of HCPs in order to manage their workloads in a manner that enables them have adequate breaktimes to access and eat healthy foods while at work.

Análisis de los hábitos nutricionales entre los principales agentes sanitarios en promoción de la salud (médicos/as y enfermeros/as) de los servicios de urgencias en tiempos de la COVID-19

ObjectiveDetermination of nutrititional habits of health care professionals in hospital emergency services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methodsLongitudinal descriptive study (follow-up period: 28 days), based on the use of a Smartphone application (e-12HR), carried out in a tertiary hospital, Andalusia, Spain. Results44 health care professionals from hospital emergency services completed the study: mean age=47.7 years, predominance of women (52.3%); average BMI=25.2kg/m2; majority of non-smokers (86.4%); high percentage of participants with moderate/intense physical activities≥150min/week (84.1%); 54.5% were nursing personnel and 45.5% were medical personnel. The mean value of the indicator of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was 5.98 points (maximum 15), with 20.5% of the participants with a value of the indicator≥8. According to strata, adherence to the Mediterranean diet in nursing personnel was significantly higher than in medical personnel. ConclusionsThe diet of health care professionals in hospital emergency services was characterized, in the overall sample, by low adherence to the Mediterranean diet pattern and, according to strata, especially among medical professionals. The characterization of the diet in health care professionals in hospital emergency services can provide public health authorities with a starting point for the design and implementation of health promotion interventions aimed at promoting healthy eating habits during successive COVID-19 waves expected in the short and medium term.

What Are the Real-World Podcast-Listening Habits of Medical Professionals?

IntroductionEducational podcasts are increasingly being utilized by health professionals for continuing education, but how they are being used remains poorly understood. Given their extensive reach, they represent a phenomenal opportunity for researchers to engage in knowledge translation of their scholarly works. The design, study, and effectiveness of these resources should be informed by a deeper understanding of their pragmatic usage. We aimed to prospectively determine the pragmatic, real-world listening habits of health professionals.MethodsWe performed a prospective observational study of a broad, interprofessional sample of participants (medical students, residents, physicians, nurses, physician assistants, and paramedics) recruited through a multimodal social media (Twitter and Facebook) campaign. Recruitment materials included an infographic and study website. Participants listened to eight podcasts and described their use of each in subsequent questionnaires.ResultsA total of 393 participants enrolled in the study, and 241 completed the survey for all eight podcasts. Listening behaviors were consistent across the podcasts with the majority selecting a normal speed of playback and engaging in concomitant activities such as driving. One-third of participants paused the podcasts due to interruption.ConclusionWe describe the prospective use of medical podcasts by a cohort of health professionals. This work should inform the role of podcasts in the communication of medical research.

Impact of COVID-19 on eating habits, physical activity and sleep in Brazilian healthcare professionals.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Brazilian healthcare professionals could have been experiencing impacts on their routine, behavior and mental health. To investigate changes in the daily life and sleeping habits of healthcare professionals in Brazil. We conducted an observational and cross-sectional study from May to July 2020. A Google Forms questionnaire was made available to Brazilian healthcare professionals on the WhatsApp mobile application and through the website of the Brazilian Hospital Services Company. The sample (n=710) was mostly composed of women (80.8%), aged between 30 and 40 years old (46.6%), predominantly physicians (41.8%) and residing mostly in the state of Paraíba (66.9%), Brazil. Approximately two-thirds of the total sample had some sleep-related complaints, 25.8% due to difficulty initiating sleep, 29.6% due to difficulty staying asleep and 32.5% due to early morning waking. From the population studied, 28.7% (n=204) reported the use of insomnia medication, and 60.3% (n=123) of these were self-medicating. Some participants reported a change in diet (n=557; 78.5%), especially related to the increase in carbohydrate intake (n=174; 24.5%), and 27% (n=192) of the individuals reported an increase of the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Of the total, 561 (81.8%) reported a change in the practice of physical activity. In this study, Brazilian healthcare professionals showed aspects of quality of life that were more affected during the COVID-19 pandemic than the prevalence seen in surveys of international studies for the general population.

Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Dietary Habits and Lifestyle of Food Science Students and Professionals from Spain.

On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, forcing countries around the world to confine their population to halt the rapid spread of the virus. This study aimed to evaluate the changes in dietary habits and lifestyle during the COVID-19 lockdown a specific population with academic and professional knowledge in food sciences from Spain. An online questionnaire, based on 41 items, including sociodemographic data, dietary habits, food-related behaviors, and lifestyle were distributed using academic and institutional mailing lists and social media. Results showed a higher intake of fruit and vegetables, legumes, eggs, fish, and yogurt together with a decrease in consumption of alcoholic beverages between before and during the lockdown period. Nevertheless, an increase in consumption of some fruitive foods and an increase in self-reported weight were also observed, although in lower percentages than in other populations. A worse sleep quality and an increase in working hours and sitting time were also reported. Overall, trends towards healthier dietary habits were observed within the study sample during COVID-19 confinement period.

‘This won’t hurt a bit!’ – A descriptive review of health care professionals’ pharmacological management of pain in minor trauma

BackgroundEmergency Centres (ECs) have a prominent trauma burden requiring effective pain management. This study aimed to review analgesia-prescribing habits in minor trauma, reviewing the patient demographics and diagnoses, analgesia-prescribing habits of health care professionals (HCPs) managing these cases, and differences in prescribing noted by patients’ age group, gender and triage code.MethodsA prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted in a regional EC in KwaZulu-Natal. HCPs managing minor trauma patients completed a closed-ended questionnaire which indicated the patients’ demographics, diagnosis and analgesia prescribed.ResultsThe study comprised of 314 cases of which the demographic most represented were male patients aged between 20–30 years with soft tissue injuries. Simple analgesics and weak opioids (paracetamol, ibuprofen and tramadol) accounted for 87.9% of prescriptions. Referral clinics prescribed less analgesics than that provided in the EC. There were mostly no significant differences in prescription habits by patients’ age group, gender and triage code.ConclusionPresenting complaints in our study were varied and likely to result in mild to moderate pain. Only a minority of patients received analgesics at initial contact. Standardised protocols providing treatment guidance for nurse-initiated pain management at initial contact is thus important. There were no significant differences in analgesics prescribed for adults and the elderly, which is worrisome given the potential negative side effects of analgesics in the elderly. Similar concerns in our paediatric population were not noted. Ensuring adequate analgesia with cognisance for safety at the extremes of age is of paramount importance.

CORONAcrisis-An Observational Study on the Experience of Healthcare Professionals in a University Hospital during a Pandemic Emergency.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to affect millions worldwide and has posed unique challenges to healthcare professionals. Caring for patients during a pandemic may have negative impacts on their mental health. We describe the first part of a study using a mixed-method sequential explanatory design (QUANT→QUAL). This quantitative part examines the experiences of healthcare professionals during the pandemic in a University Hospital in Italy. We performed a cross-sectional hospital-based survey involving all healthcare professionals between 19 May 2020 and 3 June 2020. Perceived Stress Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire, and General Anxiety Disorder scores were calculated, in order to assess how the pandemic emergency changed the occupational and social habits of the healthcare professionals. The mean age of the 275 respondents was 47 years and females accounted for 80.2%. A total of 29.8% had a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) score ≥25, 22.9% scored ≥15 on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scale, and 17.1% scored ≥15 on the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD) scale. Stress symptoms were mostly manifested for interviewees over 55, females, those who live far from their family, those who have only one child, and those who had a qualification lower than high school or who had a medical specialization. Our findings show a relevant level of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression in up to 30% of the sample, highlighting a significant psychological burden in all professionals.

Evaluation of a quality improvement program to prevent healthcare acquired infections in an acute care hospital

Objective: The general purpose of the study was to evaluate a specific prevention program and its effects on infection prevention practices as part of continuous improvements in patient safety. Infection prevention is a global priority aimed at reducing mortality and morbidity rates related to infections acquired while under care.Methods: A descriptive study was carried out through a documentation analysis and semi-structured interviews with 13 healthcare professionals working in a healthcare centre where the infection prevention program was developed and implemented.Results: The thematic analysis identified three major axes: perceptions concerning audits and huddles strategies, the positive effects of the program on team building and, finally, its sustainability and continuous improvement.Conclusions: Globally, program enhanced the habits of professionals by developing an accurate perception of infections and the way to manage the related risk. The program Controlling Specific Infections Successful Strategies (CSISS) is seen as effective and sustainable by the participants. It contributes to a collaborative safety culture to reduce nosocomial infection rates.

The Perception of Health and the Change in Nutritional Habits of Healthcare Professionals During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Study Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic and the quarantine process affected people's -normal lives, nutritional types and habits, activities, and psychological/mental states. Due to the COVID-19 -pandemic and restriction decisions, healthcare professionals' workload and working hours have increased. To determine the change in the nutritional habits of healthcare professionals who play the most important role in the COVID-19 pandemic process and their perception of health. Methods: Doctors (specialists or practitioners n=193), nurses/midwives (n=147), medical secretaries and paramedics (n=63) working in state hospitals, university hospitals, family medicine centers, or private hospitals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were included in the study. The perception of health scale and a questionnaire were applied to a totally of 403 participants. Comparisons among the changes in the nutritional habits of healthcare professionals before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were performed using the paired t test for continuous variables, -McNemar-Bowker's test for categorical variables. Results: It was observed an increase in the working hours in a day of healthcare professionals. The frequency of having breakfast, having lunch, having dinner, and having snacks had decreased. An increase in the consumption of foods that boost the immune system has been observed. While healthcare professionals had unbalanced nutrition, they were aware of the importance of adequate nutrition. Conclusions: By reaching the number of healthcare professionals who can work adequately and effectively, the working hours of healthcare professionals can be reduced in the pandemic.

Influence of Pharmaceutical Company Engagement Activities on the Decision to Prescribe: A Pilot Survey of UK Rare Disease Medicine Prescribers.

Traditionally, the pharmaceutical industry has used 'promotional personal engagement' activities, which involve interactions between sales forces and prescribers, in order to generate 'sales'-or prescriptions-of their new medicinal product(s). There appears to be now a favouring of 'non-personal engagement' (external information sources or activities existing outside the direct control of the company) and 'non-promotional personal engagement' activities (focused around creating peer-to-peer relationships between prescribers and pharmaceutical physicians). The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of non-personal engagement and non-promotional personal engagement activities on the prescribing habits of British healthcare professionals, using the traditional promotional personal engagement activities as a comparator. A questionnaire was distributed to 122 prescribers (physicians, nurses and pharmacists) working with two selected products for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The participants were asked to rate the influence that the listed activities had on their decision to prescribe each of the two products using a scale of 0-10, where 0 = 'no influence' and 10 = 'most important influence'. Of the 122 targeted healthcare professionals who received the questionnaire, 34 (27.9%) responded within the 2-week time limit (24 physicians, 5 nurse prescribers and 5 pharmacists). The findings of the survey had a confidence level of 90% and a margin of error of 12%, given that 34 of 122 people responded. All proposed activities were scored by the respondents as having some influence on their prescribing. Personal engagement activities are effective for influencing prescribing, but non-promotional personal engagement activities may be more influential than promotional personal engagement activities. Furthermore, non-personal engagement activities may be more effective in influencing prescriptions of a product than either non-promotional or promotional personal engagement activities. All personal engagement activities affect HCP prescribing behaviours; however, they appear to be more influential when performed on a non-promotional basis by representatives of the company's medical department.

The Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Health Workers For Cancer Prevention

DOI : 10.17681/hsp.424602 Purpose: Cancer is one of the most important health problems nowadays. With these features of disease; frequent occurance, being preventable, high mortality and being treated with early diagnosis, cancer is a matter of public health. Aim of this research, to test lifestyle and habits of health professionals, whether prevent the cancer occurance or not and to determine their knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about early diagnosis. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study has been made by 500 people meet all the conditions among health professionals working at Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital. To find out whether their lifestyle, habits and behaviors prevent cancer, survey was administered to healthcare workers. (Number Cruncher Statistical System) 2012, PASS (Power Analysis and Sample Size Software) 2016 programme was used in the statistical evaluation. Results: 49% of the participants were women, 51% were men and the averageage is 35.17±9.18 years. 44.6% of the health workers were smoking, 42.2% were using alcohol and the seratios were found to be quite high in the society as a whole. Therate of obesity in health workers was 3.6% and much lower than in the population. The level of regular clinical examination and cancer screening among the health workers was lower than expected. Conclusion: Health worker shave a high rate of using cigarettes and alcohol when they have knowledge about habits to prevent cancer and healthy living. The proportion of those with a healthy body weight is higher than that in the society; But they were found to be inadequate to have regular health checks and screening tests that would allow early detection of cancer.

Physiotherapy and physical activity: a cross-sectional survey exploring physical activity promotion, knowledge of physical activity guidelines and the physical activity habits of UK physiotherapists

ObjectivePhysical inactivity is a public health priority and embedding promotion of physical activity (PA) within healthcare systems is an important lever for change. Many factors influence PA promotion in routine...

Dietary habits among health professionals working in a district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

IntroductionThe burden of diseases associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviours continues to increase in the low- and middle-income countries including South Africa. Among the affected population are the health professionals who are assumed to be knowledgeable about healthy eating.AimThis study aimed to determine the dietary habits of health professionals in a public district hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2012 among 109 randomly selected health professionals. Each received a questionnaire consisting of mostly closed and few open-ended questions. Its main focus was the dietary and eating habits of the professionals. An ethical clearance was granted by the Medunsa Research and Ethics committee at the University of Limpopo. Permission to conduct the study was sought and obtained from participants as well. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were used to analyse data.ResultsA 100% (109) response rate was achieved. The majority skipped meals especially breakfast with a significant positive correlation between breakfast intake per week and age (r = 0.98, p = 0.048). The majority consumed a lot of unhealthy foods and carbonated beverages with sugar. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, high fibre and whole grain foods was less common.ConclusionThe study showed poor eating habits among participants. Urgent health interventions are therefore indicated to highlight the importance of healthy eating habits among the entire population.