Health-related Programs Research Articles

Determining a common understanding of interprofessional competencies for pre-registration health professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand: A Delphi study.

There is growing awareness that factors such as the growing incidence of co-morbidity and increasing complexity of patient health needs cannot be addressed by health professionals practicing in isolation. Given this, there is an increasing emphasis on preparing students in health-related programs for effective interprofessional practice. Less clear, however, are the specific skills and clinical or learning opportunities necessary for students to develop effectiveness in interprofessional practice. These factors drove a team associated with a tertiary health education provider in Hamilton, New Zealand to transform traditional clinical student experiences in the form of an interprofessional student-assisted clinic. The clinic was intended, in part, to provide students with opportunities to learn and experience interprofessionalism in practice but was hampered by limited information available regarding the specific skill requirements necessary for students in New Zealand to learn in this context. In this Delphi study, we synthesize national expert opinion on student competency indicators necessary for effective interprofessional practice. The resultant set of indicators is presented and opportunities for application and further research discussed. The paper offers guidance to others seeking to innovate health curricula, develop novel service-oriented learning experiences for students, and foster interprofessional practice competence in the future health workforce.

Assessing Internet Surfing Behaviours and Digital Health Literacy among University Students in Ghana during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study assessed the internet surfing behaviours and digital health literacy (DHL) among university students in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research was guided by three major objectives: (1) examine the online information searching behaviours of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) investigate the thematic areas university students searched during COVID-19, and (3) examine the DHL level of university students. The study conveniently sampled 1014 university students to solicit their responses through questionnaire administration. Using frequency and percent counts, multiple response analysis, as well as mean and standard deviation, the study revealed that the predominant platforms university students used were search engines (n = 954, 94.1%), social media (n = 950, 93.7%), and WhatsApp (n = 950, 93.7%). Predominant themes among the thematic areas university students searched during COVID-19 were symptoms of COVID-19 (n = 701, 81.7%), COVID-19 vaccines (n = 689, 80.3%), and transmission routes of the coronavirus (n = 664, 77.4%). Further, other results showed that students enrolled in health-related programmes showed significantly higher levels of DHL compared to those in non-health-related programmes. The findings suggest the need to implement health education measures to strengthen students’ health literacy capacities and their DHL ability. This finding requires governments and health authorities to implement evidence-informed health communication strategies to provide valid and reliable health information concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and support individuals to make health-promoting decisions.

COVID-19 vaccination intent in university students and influencing factors: An analytical cross-sectional.

To determine coronavirus disease-2019 vaccination intent and factors influencing the decision among university students. The analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from 25 January - 25 February 2021 at a state university in Muğla, Turkey, and comprised undergraduate students. Data was collected using a self-designed questionnaire through Google Forms. Factors affecting vaccination intent were identified using multinomial logistic models. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. Of the 1069 subjects, 629(58.8%) were females and 440(41.2%) were males. The overall mean age of the sample was 21.34±2.99. Overall, 712(66.6%) students were enrolled in health-related fields, and 357(33.4%) were pursuing non-medical degrees. Besides, 578(54.1%) students intended to have the vaccine. While 458(64.3%) of the subjects studying health-related subjects intended to have the vaccine, only 120(33.8%) in other academic streams said they would get vaccinated. Students who had had the disease or had been in contact with someone who had it 102(33%) were more likely to believe that the vaccine was safe. Smoking, having a flu vaccine in the past, and having a coronavirus disease-2019 test were the factors influencing the intent to have the vaccination (p<0.05). Having had a flu vaccine in the past, social media use, history of, or exposure to, coronavirus disease-2019 and enrolment in health-related programme of studies were the factors influencing the vaccination intent of the students.

The Prevalence and Association of Stress with Sleep Quality during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Medical Students at Airlangga University

The COVID-19 pandemic requires students to adapt to circumstances and cause various kinds of psychological problems during a pandemic outbreak. Some may experience stress, insomnia or hypersomnia. There are many factors causing poor sleep quality in students, including psychological problems such as stress which can worsen the quality of student’s sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to prove that there is a relationship between stress and the sleep quality of medical students at Airlangga University during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study is an observational analytic study using the cross-sectional design to assess the relationship between stress and sleep quality of respondents using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale - 42 (DASS-42) questionnaires. The research subjects were active pre-clinical students in the medical study program, Faculty of Medicine, Airlangga University, totaling 280 students who were divided into 3 batches, namely Class of 2019, Class of 2020, and Class of 2021. From the results of the study, it was found that 84.7% of students experienced poor sleep quality and a normal stress level of 55.5%. Sleep quality and stress levels are related to each other. This is proven by the Spearman rank analysis, which shows sleep quality is related to the stress level with a p-value = 0.000 and rho = 0.230. Based on these results, it was concluded that sleep quality and stress level have a positive correlation. The researcher expects that the institution will be able to use the study's findings as information about student stress levels and sleep quality in order to prevent stress and poor sleep or to implement health-related stress management programs for students.

Phasing out of Technical School Leaving Certificate Programs in Health: A Scenario Analysis

The education and training to the mid-level health workers has been provided in Nepal through the institutions run under the CTEVT. Currently, CTEVT is running various Diploma programs in health sectors like General Medicine, Nursing, Medical Lab Technology, Ophthalmic Science and Dental Science. However, TSLC (Pre-diploma) programs like Assistant Nurse Midwife (ANM), Community Medical Assistant (CMA), Lab Assistant, Assistant Ayurveda Health Worker, Dental Hygienist have been phased out since 2076 after the enforcement of the National Medical Education Act, 2018. Nepal has a shortage of health workers with only seven health workers per 10,000 populations. As a result of the phase out of health-related TSLC programs under CTEVT, there will be scarcity of the mid-level paramedical health workers who have direct relation with the community people and the basic level health services. This review article has tried to highlight the importance of mid-level health workers and effect of phasing out of TSLC programs by CTEVT in the health sector of Nepal. As per the Mathema Report, the major reasons for phasing out of the programs are lack of proper monitoring and regulatory mechanism of institutions running TSLC programs, as most of the colleges practiced to enroll students without quality and lack of proper supervision to the passed-out students. However, due to the removal of the programs, there might be less access to the skilled training, especially of the poor, women, and disadvantaged groups which has created inequitable development of skills in the health workforce. In response to the issues and challenges in incorporating TVET in the development of health workforce, TVET programs, mostly TSLC, should get top priority and the medical education system should be flexible and should reconsider the provision of the National Medical Education Act, 2018 on rethinking for the re-launching the TSLC programs in health so that there will be availability of skilled and technically competent mid-level human resource for health.

Quizizz for Teaching and Learning About Adherence to Antipsychotics: A Pilot Study of Students’ Perception and Their Level of Knowledge

Digital gamification fosters high-level thinking. While other platforms like Jeopardy and Kahoot were frequently studied, the evidence against or in favour of Quizziz, a student-engagement software for use in classroom group assignments and formative assessments were limited. This study aimed at pilot-testing the use of Quizizz to assess its value or appeal as a gamification tool, and to assess the correlation between students’ perceptions and their scores (knowledge). A Quizziz game entitled, “Adherence to antipsychotics” was developed and tested on undergraduates from health (pharmacy and health sciences) and non-health (control) related programs. Their responses to a 15-item validated questionnaire assessing perception were recorded. Students perceived the experience of learning about antipsychotics via Quizizz as positive. Their perceptions correlated positively with their game scores (r = 0.617, p= 0.004). Understandably, students enrolled in health-related programs scored higher than their counterparts (p&lt;0.001), although the mean between-group perception scores did not differ. Quizziz could foster cognitive presence of millennials and equip them to be 21st-century healthcare providers capable of tackling non-adherent, psychiatric patients.

Maternal Mortality in a Rural District of Pakistan and Contributing Factors.

Pakistan is among the ten countries that account for 60% of global maternal mortality. Lack of accurate data on maternal mortality and a complex interrelation of access and quality of healthcare services, healthcare delivery system, and socio-economic and demographic factors contribute significantly to inadequate progress in reducing maternal mortality. A population-based prospective cohort study was conducted in a rural district of Pakistan using data obtained from an enhanced surveillance system. A total of 7572 pregnancies and their outcomes were recorded by 273 Lady Health Workers and 73 Community Health Workers over 2016-2017. Logistic regression was used to calculate the unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (OR) for maternal mortality for each risk factor. Population Attributable Fraction (PAF) was derived from the ORs and risk factor prevalence. The study recorded 18 maternal deaths. The maternal mortality rate was estimated at 238/100,000 pregnancies (95% CI 141-376), and the maternal mortality ratio was 247/100,000 live births (95% CI 147-391). Half of the maternal deaths (9) were from obstetric hemorrhage, and 28% (5) from puerperal sepsis. Postpartum hemorrhage was associated with a 17-fold higher risk of maternal mortality (PAF = 40%) and puerperal sepsis with a 12-fold higher mortality risk (PAF = 29%) compared to women without these conditions. Women delivered by unskilled birth attendants had a three-fold (PAF = 21%), and women having prolonged labour had a fourfold risk of maternal mortality compared to those with these conditions. Women with leg swelling (47%) and pre-eclampsia (26%) are at seven times the risk of maternal mortality compared to those without these conditions. Mortality in women delivered by unskilled birth attendants was three times higher than with skilled attendants. The study, among a few large-scale prospective cohort studies conducted at the community level in a rural district of Pakistan, provides a better understanding of the risk factors determining maternal mortality in Pakistan. Poverty emerged as a significant risk factor for maternal mortality in the study area and contributes to the underutilization of health facilities and skilled birth attendants. Incorporating poverty reduction strategies across all sectors, including health, is urgently required to address higher maternal mortality in Pakistan. A paradigm shift is required in Maternal and Child health related programs and interventions to include poverty estimation and measuring mortality through linking mortality surveillance with the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system. Accelerated efforts to expand the coverage and completeness of mortality data with risk factors to address inequalities in access and utilization of health services.

Intergenerational, Community-Based Learning and Exercise Science Student Perceptions of Classroom Community

Background: Community-based learning is a high-impact, experiential teaching practice where elements of social interaction and authentic participation transform cognitive understanding into meaningful knowing. In the allied health field, the incorporation of community-based learning provides unique access to populations that are not inherently available in a university classroom. Purpose: Researchers used a mixed methods approach to examine the influence of an intergenerational, community-based learning environment versus a traditional learning environment on exercise science students’ perceptions of overall classroom community, connectedness, and learning. Methodology/Approach: Quantitatively, students ( n = 122) completed Rovai's CCS which was then analyzed using a t-test. Qualitatively, students completed written reflective assignments designed to gather data regarding their perceptions of working with an older adult population. Findings/Conclusions: Overall students perceived significantly greater levels of classroom community, connectedness, and learning in the intergenerational, community-based learning environment and evidenced highly positive growth in their awareness and understanding of older adults. Implications: Inclusion of an intergenerational, community-based learning environment in allied health-related degree programs can enhance student's confidence in knowledge application and their ability to connect with the older population.

Handgrip Strength Cut-Points for Cardiometabolic Risk Identification in U.S. Younger Population

ABSTRACT Identification of cardiometabolic risk (CMR) in U.S. younger population by assessing muscular strength via handgrip (HG) dynamometry may aid in prevention efforts. Currently, no nationally representative HG cut-points are available for identifying increased CMR in U.S. adolescents or young adults. In this study, we propose normalized grip strength (NGS) cut-points for U.S. younger population CMR identification. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2012 and 2013–2014 data sets were used for analysis. A total of 1,033 participants (female [F], n = 498; male [M], n = 535) aged 12–24 years without current infection were included in analyses. The identified age- and sex-specific NGS cut-points are: M = 0.39 and F = 0.34 (age = 12–17 years), M = 0.45 and F = 0.34 (age = 18–24 years). These cut-points may be used in U.S. public health screening routines such as school- or community-based health-related fitness surveillance programs. Future work should use these cut-points in various samples to test their predictive utility for increased CMR.

EDUCATIONAL PREPAREDNESS IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF AN AGING POPULATION

Abstract Community colleges play an important role in training adults in healthcare-related occupations, such as nurses and medical technicians, to meet the needs of an aging population in the U.S. In addition, community colleges with open access policies, have a long-standing record of serving a diverse population, including students of all ages. However, the relatively low program completion rates (e.g., about 30% in Ohio) are of concern in general, and among older students in particular. One of the reasons for the low completion rate is the lack of postsecondary education readiness or basic skills, such as literacy, numeracy, and digital skills. The COVID-19 pandemic has created additional challenges, including faculty shortages, lack of internet access, poor digital skills, and transitions to online classes. This study examined characteristics of health-related occupational programs at community colleges located in Washington, Indiana, and Ohio, focusing on adult student characteristics, and their administrators' and faculty’s views on basic skills and program completion. In addition, potential employers were interviewed regarding the skill expectations of community college hires. Using the semi-structured qualitative interview, community college administrators, faculty, and potential employers reported that numeracy skills, excellent grammar, and critical thinking skills are important to succeed both in the classroom and in the workplace. Creating a supportive atmosphere in the classroom and providing tutoring, either by the instructor or at a tutoring center, are also important for student success. More detailed results as well as other policy implications are discussed in this study.

Poor adherence to iron-folic acid supplementation and associated factors among pregnant women who had at least four antenatal care in Ethiopia. A community-based cross-sectional study.

In developing countries, including Ethiopia, maternal mortality is a major public health concern. The Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS) reported that the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) was 420 per 100,000 live births in 2016. Iron-folic acid supplementation (IFAS) is a key intervention to reduce these deaths. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the magnitude of poor adherence to IFAS and associated factors among pregnant women who had at least four antenatal care in Ethiopia. Secondary data analysis was used using 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS). We analyzed the data using Stata version 14. To identify factors associated with poor adherence to IFAS, a multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model was fitted. Variables with a p < 0.05 in the multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression model were declared as significant factors associated with poor adherence to IFAS. The magnitude of poor adherence to IFAS was 82.87% (95% CI: 80.96-84.65). Women education; primary [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.31-0.75] and secondary (AOR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.29-0.96), husband education; primary (AOR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.36-0.86) and secondary (AOR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.29-0.95), and community media exposure (AOR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.27-0.79) were significantly associated with poor adherence to IFAS. In the current study, more than eight out of ten pregnant women who had at least four antenatal care had poor adherence to IFAS. Thus, promoting maternal and husband education and establishing community media with a priority on iron-folic acid supplementation and health-related programs are essential strategies to reduce poor adherence to IFAS.

Perception and attitude of herb sellers towards Covid -19 Pandemic – a pilot study of FCT and its environs

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic came along with a lot of challenges including the absence of precautionary measures towards the prevention of the disease observed in market places around FCT. Also, herbal medicine practitioners became first point of call by locals even in advent of the disease. The perception regarding COVID-19 among herbal medicine sellers in different parts of the F.C.T was studied. A cross-sectional study using semi-structured questionnaire; descriptive and inferential statistics was done. Association between variables using chi square test (x2) and logistic regression analysis was done (p-value ≤0.05). Respondents (87%) were aware of COVID-19. 41% thought the pandemic was an inflated event strengthened by symptoms of seasonal diseases. Respondents (70%) had no herbal drugs to manage COVID-19, 30% had herbs to manage the disease while 41% stated an increase in sales of herbs used to manage symptoms. Precautions were taken by 72% while 44% and 26% practiced handwashing and social distancing respectively. The contribution of wrong belief towards COVID-19 risk precaution measures has been reported. A significant relationship (x2 = 9.7) was observed between awareness of COVID-19 and the belief that it existed (p˂0.05). There is need to educate the people, especially the herb-sellers on COVID-19 and to also integrate them into public health related programs as they may be the only alternative to locals in advent of disease.

Health-related Programme and Activities of Public Libraries: A proposed framework

While the way we consume information in our society is evolving, libraries are also dynamic and ever-changing. Libraries still matter, whether because of their access to a vast collection of books, the expertise of their librarians, or simply because they're a fantastic location. Public libraries can reach out to their users through these activities, creating awareness and interest in healthy lifestyles, providing access to high-quality health information, and eventually improving citizen health literacy. A framework is proposed by synthesizing prominent pieces of literature to guide through the rest of the study in providing a reference for the library for establishing health-related activities or programmes. Keywords: Online learning; digital resources; Malaysian students; Higher education eISSN: 2398-4287 © 2022. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by E-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under the responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behavior Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioral Researchers on Asians), and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behavior Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning &amp; Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.

Information seeking behaviors and attitudes of wives of former football players regarding chronic traumatic encephalopathy

This study examines CTE-related knowledge and information-seeking behaviors of caregivers of persons who are at high risk of CTE. Online survey responses were collected from 64 females, ages 18–74, who were married to former college, semiprofessional, or professional football players and were fluent in English. Ranging from 0 to 18, a score was calculated to represent level of CTE knowledge. Participants were classified into groups based on their spouse’s reported symptoms and diagnosis. Approximately 87% of participants reported that their spouses have been diagnosed with a football-related concussion and were significantly more likely to seek out information from a healthcare provider, a scientific journal or article, and post/comment on social media compared to spouses of symptomatic/undiagnosed and non-symptomatic groups. Participants reported 77% of available information as probably true, with social media thought to be highly credible. Highest levels of dissatisfaction were reported for league-sponsored websites and physicians/healthcare providers. Although the majority of participants sought CTE related information on regular or social media, and the internet, information sources differed amongst the groups. These findings may help healthcare providers and organizations develop more effective health-related educational programs that will help the wives make informed decisions regarding care for their spouses with respect to CTE.

Exploring Putative Factors Affective Prospective Students’ of the University for Development Students: A Case Study of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences, Nyankpala Campus-Ghana

The expansion of the higher education industry has caused a tremendous increase in the number and type of colleges, polytechnics and universities offering similar academic programmes in Ghana. As a consequence, the competition in the higher education industry makes it critical for education leadership and managers to deploy strategies that would influence students’ choice of a higher education institution and programme selection. The paper is an exploratory study designed to identify the important factors that influence students’ choice of university and particularly the programme. Data was collected through telephone interviews with students who were offered admissions to pursue agricultural related courses in the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences of the University for Development Studies. About 320 students were randomly selected from the 1280 students offered admission to the faculty in the 2021/20222 Academic Year. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in graphs and tables. The study found that 53.75% of the respondents declined their admission to offer Agriculture related programs because that was not their choice of programme. It further identified that most of those who declined the offer had applied for health related programmes where they were sure after completion could easily be employed. The study therefore, recommends a programme to educate prospective students on the job prospects, opportunities and benefits of pursuing agricultural related programmes. Government should also put in place measures to attract the graduate youth into Agricultural entrepreneurship.

Associations between social network characteristics and sexual minority disclosure concern among Black men who have sex with men living with and without HIV.

In addition to the pervasive anti-Black racism faced by Black people in the United States, Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) face sexual minority stigma and, among BMSM living with HIV, HIV-related stigma. These multilevel social forces shape social networks, which are important sources of resources, support, and behavior regulation. This study quantitatively examined the relationship between social network characteristics and sexual minority stigma (e.g., homophobia, biphobia), assessed by reported concerns around disclosing one's sexual minority status, among BMSM in Baltimore, Maryland in 2014 (N = 336). A majority of participants (63.7%) reported experiencing medium or high levels of sexual minority disclosure concern. In a multiple linear regression model, participants with higher sexual minority disclosure concern reported lower network density and having fewer good friends who are gay or bisexual men. Stratifying the same multiple linear regression model by HIV status supports the importance of an intersectional understanding of sexual minority and HIV-related stigma. These findings can help health-related programs address the complex relationships between sexual minority stigma, social networks, and HIV status within this multiply-marginalized and high-priority population.

Impact of Mass Media on Attitude and Practice of Public Health Knowledge among Urban Population of Bangladesh

This descriptive type of cross-sectional study was conducted among 180 persons of different socio-economic conditions of Dhaka city using semi-structured questionnaire through face-to-face interview to identify the impact of mass media in disseminating public health related messages to the urban population of Bangladesh. Convenience sampling was the process of selecting the subjects. Among 180 respondents mean age of the respondents was 28.75±8.55 years. Majority of the respondents were graduate (29.0%). Of the total 180 respondents 121 (67.2%) read newspaper and among them, 46 (38.32%) read Public Health related articles in the newspaper regularly. On the other hand out of the total 180 respondents 170 (95.0%) watch television and of them 36 (21.18%) watch public health related programme in the television regularly. Highest 140 (77.8%) respondents said television as the source of information in TB prevention. Majority (90%) of the respondents said of television as the information source on prevention of diarrhoeal diseases. Magazine and internet were mentioned by 20 (11%) respondents in each group as the information source. Regarding the sources of information on pregnancy related problems and solutions television was mentioned as the source of information by 156 (86%) of the respondents. Friends or relatives or teachers (67%), newspaper (64%), billboard (45%) and radio (44%) were other sources. Television was found as the main source of public health information to the people. Impact of print media in disseminating public health messages was mentioned very satisfactory by 24% and electronic media by 77% respondents. The mass media can be very much effective in getting public health messages to the community in developing countries. In view of our findings, it may be recommended that television, newspaper and billboards may be used as tools for reaching out that the use of these media should be strengthened further.&#x0D; EMCJ. January 2022; 7(1): 21-25

Predictors of Mental Health Literacy and Information Seeking Behavior Toward Mental Health Among University Students in Resource-Limited Settings.

This paper investigated mental health literacy level and information seeking behavior, and mental health-related information sources in limited-resource settings, in the case of Ethiopian university students. A cross-sectional, self-administered web-based survey was conducted among Dilla University students, from 1 January to 29 February 2022, with a total of 780 respondents. We presented descriptive statistics using mean, standard deviations, and proportions. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were employed to identify factors associated with mental health literacy and information seeking behavior of students. Further, path analysis was also employed. The result showed 71 (9.1%) respondents had a diagnosed history of mental illness. Overall, 397 (50.9%) respondents were identified as having adequate mental health literacy and 420 (53.8%) sought mental health information. In multivariate analysis, mental health literacy was significantly associated with: being female (AOR = 2.8; 95% CI (1.5-5.4)), higher digital health literacy (AOR=2.8; 95% CI (1.5-5.4), seeking mental health-related information (AOR=1.6; 95% CI: (1.1-2.5)), having family with mental illness, and students in health-related programs (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI (1.0-4.2)). Furthermore, health-related programs, level of mental health literacy, exposure to mental health problems in the family, and were associated with information seeking behavior regarding mental health. Further, path analysis revealed significant positive associations of information seeking behavior and digital health literacy with mental health literacy. The result indicated the status of university students' mental health literacy level and information seeking behavior were low and inadequate. This study suggests the need to improve students' digital health competencies by designing mental health literacy programs by collaboration of different stakeholders, and mental health literacy programs need to optimize access to internet and online resources in the university settings.

A cross-sectional study on the knowledge of and interest in Planetary Health in health-related study programmes in Germany.

Planetary Health connects human health with the natural and anthropogenic systems on which it depends. Planetary Health education has been growing in a wide range of health-related disciplines, yet not been widely implemented in health-related university curricula. This cross-sectional study focused on students' knowledge of and interest in Planetary Health education in order to assess the relevance of Planetary Health and Planetary Health topics for university students and their fields of study. We surveyed 1,303 students enrolled in health-related programmes in Bavaria, Germany. Data was collected on students' previous knowledge of and interest in Planetary Health, as well as the relevance of different Planetary Health topics and students' willingness to select a Planetary Health elective within their study programmes. Descriptive statistics were calculated. The majority of participants (73.8%) had not yet heard of Planetary Health but were interested in learning more about this field (90.7%). Most participants considered Planetary Health as relevant to their field (81.6%) and would likely choose a Planetary Health elective (81.9%). Participants were most interested in topics about general associations between climate and health as well as its connections with mental health and (micro) plastics. There is an urgent need and high student interest to implement a Planetary Health module in health-related study programmes in order to move this topic more into focus for the next generation of students.

Impact of university students’ awareness and attitudes on vaccination practices for human papillomavirus, and perception on self-sampling for cervical cancer screening

BackgroundThe burden of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-associated cancer remains high in developing nations.AimsTo assess the impact of self-reported awareness and attitudes on vaccination practices, and the perception on self-sampling for cervical cancer screening.MethodsA 12-month survey using purposive sampling of females attending an urban public university was conducted. SPSS version 25 was used to compare the responses for students enrolled in health vs non-health related programmes.ResultsOf the 290 questionnaires distributed, 240 were returned (response rate = 83%) in approximately equal proportion from the faculties of Health Science and Pharmacy (n = 127), and from the Hotel and Tourism, Business Management, and Art and Design (n = 113) faculties. About one-third (28.8%) had completed 3 shots, 19.6% received the first shot, 11.4% had scheduled appointments for first shots while 40.2% were both unvaccinated and had not scheduled any appointment. Most (71%) were aware of the HPV vaccines while 50.5% were unaware that HPV vaccines were also available for men. Students enrolled in health-related programmes were 3.2 times more perceptive to the benefits of vaccination particularly in preventing spread to their partners (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.3–3.41, p = 0.006) than their counterparts. A weak-positive correlation was observed between knowledge and vaccination practices (r = 0.2, p = 0.001). The level of knowledge on HPV and its vaccine was greater for health-related (Mdn = 6.5) than for students of non-health related (Mdn = 1.5) programmes (U = 2790.5, p-value = 0.00). Attitudes towards immunisation were influenced by perceived benefits versus risks for side effects, cost barriers, and influences of primarily their doctors and parents. The study was limited in that relationship statuses were used to estimate sexual history as direct questions were unanswered in the pilot survey.ConclusionHPV vaccine uptake for an immunisation-targeted young female population is low despite moderate knowledge levels. It is plausible that the low rates among females enrolled in particularly the non-health programmes were impacted by misperceived vaccine-associated risks, and misconception that testing and vaccination for HPV and cervical cancer were for those married or sexually active. Self-sampling could offer a potential alternative to sampling via pelvic examination, particularly for societies where premarital sex is seen as a taboo.