Higher Knowledge Scores Research Articles

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Regarding COVID-19 with Emphasis on the Rural

Background: There is the scarcity of population-based studies on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) about COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu and no literature on the rural-urban differences in KAP about COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu. Aims and Objectives: The study was conducted with the primary objective of estimating KAP regarding SARS-COV2 virus in Tamil Nadu and secondary objectives of determining the rural-urban differences in KAP and identifying the association between KAP and certain sociodemographic factors. Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was done on 305 participants selected from the rural and urban population of Tamil Nadu. Urban data were collected using Google Forms through social media and the rural population data were collected through simple random sampling from three villages in the outskirts of Chennai District. The study tool had ten items to evaluate the knowledge, three items to evaluate the attitude and four items to evaluate the practice regarding COVID-19. Results: The overall KAP scores had a mean of 7.88 out of 10 (78.8%) for correct knowledge, 2.51 out of 3 (83.5%) for positive attitude, and 3.68 out of 4 (92%) for good practice. The knowledge score was slightly higher in the urban region, but the mean practice score (P ≤ 0.001) and attitude score (P < 0.001) were significantly more among the rural population. There was a statistically significant association between higher knowledge score and educational status (P = 0.0000001), male gender and better attitude (P = 0.0052) and higher age (>40 years) and better practice (P = 0.014). Conclusions: The study revealed reasonably good levels of KAP in regard to COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu in both the urban and rural populations.

Factors affecting the assessment of cancer cachexia by nurses caring for patients with advanced cancer undergoing chemotherapy: A cross-sectional survey

ObjectiveThis study aimed to identify the awareness, knowledge, and assessment of cancer cachexia among nurses who cared for patients with advanced cancer undergoing chemotherapy. In addition, we identified the factors that affected their assessments. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among nurses who cared for patients with advanced cancer undergoing chemotherapy at designated cancer care hospitals and regional cancer care cooperation hospitals between June and September 2020. We applied Bandura's triadic reciprocal causation as the research framework. The questionnaire consisted of questions on awareness, knowledge, and assessment of cancer cachexia. Single and multiple regression analyses were conducted on the relationship between each variable and the number of assessment items. ResultsQuestionnaires were sent to 1026 nurses, 403 of whom responded (response rate: 39.3%). Among these, 299 responses were valid, being a 74.1% valid response rate. The average age was 39.74 ​± ​9.65 years and the mean work experience as a nurse was 16.50 ​± ​9.14 years. In respect of the awareness of cancer cachexia, 93.3% of the participants answered “assessment of cancer cachexia was needed,” and 75.2% answered “a nurse's role includes assessing for cancer cachexia.” Only 15.4% responded positively regarding “confidence in the assessment of cancer cachexia.” Regarding knowledge of cancer cachexia, the percentage of correct answers to questions about the definition of cachexia and diagnostic criteria ranged from 45.5% to 53.8%. With regard to cancer cachexia assessments, the participants assessed “weight loss or rate of weight loss (56.9%),” “symptoms affecting nutritional status (54.2%),” and “anorexia (46.2%).” Factors affecting the assessment of cancer cachexia were higher knowledge scores on cancer cachexia (P ​= ​0.039), routine assessment of cancer cachexia (P ​< ​0.001), experiences of participating in in-hospital training on cancer cachexia (P ​= ​0.027), and collaborating with physical/occupational therapists in the nutritional management of patients (P ​= ​0.025). ConclusionsNurses held the view that their role required them to assess for cancer cachexia, but they did not feel confident in doing so. In addition, they lacked knowledge of reversible “cancer cachexia;” hence, the assessments were not routinely completed. Education on these topics and the development and standardization of tools to assess or collaborate with other professions are required.

Knowledge about the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease among Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Visiting the Outpatient Clinics at Tertiary Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: One of the primary goals of diabetes management is to prevent cardiovascular events. The rate of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is significantly high in the diabetic population. Inadequate knowledge of CVDs risk in diabetes may result in the failure of its early prevention, causing increased morbidity and mortality. The objectives of this study were to assess the CVD risk knowledge and determine the predictors of the knowledge among adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the study objectives. Convenience sampling was used to recruit adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who visited the King Saud University Medical City (KSUMC) outpatient clinics. Data were collected using the Heart Disease Fact Questionnaire. SPSS software (version 24.0) was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 383 patients were recruited. The level of CVD risk knowledge was high among all participants (19.04 ± 3.47). There were significant differences in knowledge scores between different groups, including age (p = 0.01), marital status (p = 0.01), and type of residence (p = 0.04). Participants who were older than 40 years, married, and lived in traditional houses had higher knowledge scores. Conclusion: The study findings indicated a high level of CVD risk knowledge in our study population. The presence of multidisciplinary intensive education programmes targeting type 2 DM patients, such as that conducted at KSUMC, might be responsible for the higher levels of knowledge among our study population. Thus, increasing the efforts towards the education of patients will improve the level of knowledge, including CVD risk knowledge.

Assessment of parents´ knowledge regarding phenylketonuria and its affecting factors: a cross-sectional study.

Introductionthe management of phenylketonuria (PKU) is complex. Practical skills and knowledge of individuals taking care of PKU patients are important for treatment compliance. This study investigated parents´ knowledge about PKU and its affecting factors. The study group consisted of 62 parents of PKU patients.Methodsdata were collected using a ready-made questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, PKU and dietary treatment. Total knowledge score (KS) was calculated by giving 5 points for each correct answer.Resultsthe study included 34 mothers and 28 fathers; 90.3% of patients were diagnosed during the newborn screening program, 6.5% between ages 1 and 2, and 3.2% at age 6 or after. Among all, 38.7% presented to their follow-up appointments with their mothers, 61.3% with both their parents and none with their father alone. Mothers answered all questions more accurately than fathers. Mothers´ and fathers´ mean KSs were 73.97 ± 12.72 and 53.04 ± 22.25, respectively. The highest KS was obtained among parents whose children were 13 years of age or older.Conclusionthe presence of another family member, parents´ education level, working status and professional qualifications, previous training on PKU and family´s economic status were the affecting factors. Creating a PKU dietary plan requires knowledge and diligence. Patients and their parents should be periodically informed about the disease and dietary treatment in order to increase their level of knowledge.

A Survey of Knowledge and Barriers of Healthcare Professionals toward Opioid Analgesics in Cancer Pain Management.

Purpose Pain is among the most frequent and troubling symptoms in cancer patients. Despite the availability of updated treatment guidelines and effective pharmacological therapies, undertreatment of cancer pain remains a global problem. Opioids are the mainstay analgesics to treat moderate-to-severe cancer pain. The goal of this study was to assess the knowledge and barriers towards opioid analgesics for cancer pain management among healthcare professionals in Oncology Units in Jordan. Methods A structured questionnaire was administered to healthcare professionals (consultant doctors, resident doctors, pharmacists, and nurses) at three Oncology Units in a cross-sectional study design. Results A total of 201 healthcare professionals completed the questionnaire. The average age was 34.8 ± 8.1 years (range 23–58) and 49.3% of respondents were nurses. The mean score for the knowledge of opioids was 12.5 ± 3.2 out of 24 points (range 2–20). An acceptable level of knowledge was observed in 50.7% of participants, while 49.3% had poor knowledge. Knowledge items mostly answered incorrectly were related to opioid administration, pharmacology, dosing, adverse events, rotation, and toxicity. Knowledge scores were significantly higher for consultant doctors compared to pharmacists and nurses (p=0.016 and p < 0.001, respectively). Healthcare professionals who handled opioid analgesics had significantly higher mean knowledge scores than those who did not (p=0.012). Linear regression analysis revealed that being a consultant physician has an independent, statistically significant association with higher knowledge scores. Among perceived barriers to using opioids, fear of addiction by patients was the most frequently reported barrier by respondents (79.6%). Other highly recognized barriers were fear of adverse effects by patients (67.2%) and lack of training programs on opioid dosing and monitoring (63.7%). Conclusions This study revealed major gaps in the knowledge of opioids and pain management among healthcare professionals. There is an urgent need for developing innovative interventions to improve the knowledge of opioid analgesics and the understanding of pain management guidelines among healthcare professionals in Jordan.

How to inform college students about meningitis B vaccine? Comparative effectiveness of an online theory-based text and video intervention

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of text and video formats of an online theory-based Meningitis B (MenB) health message intervention on college students. Participants: College freshmen and transfer students admitted at a Southern U.S. University. Methods: In a 2-arm randomized study, knowledge, perceptions, and intention to receive the vaccine were compared pre- and post-intervention. Results: Post intervention, participants in both the written and video interventions had significantly higher scores of knowledge, perceptions, and intentions. Upon comparing the change in scores pre- to post-intervention between both text and video groups, no significant differences were found between both groups. Conclusions: This study, a first in using a theory-based MenB online education intervention and questionnaire to compare text and video formats, suggests that both text and video formats are equally effective in raising young adults’ awareness about the MenB vaccine.

Community Pharmacists' Knowledge and Practice toward Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Khartoum State

Background: Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are mainly viral in their etiologies but sometimes are complicated by secondary bacterial infections detected by the persistence of symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacist's knowledge and practice regarding URTIs. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed using self-administered questionnaire. The study targeted 338 community pharmacists selected randomly from community pharmacies in Khartoum state. The overall knowledge and practice scores were calculated, then the associations between these scores and demographic characteristics were evaluated using Chi-square test and analyzed by statistical package for social sciences. Results: Out of 327 pharmacists, 65.4% of them were females. Whereas pharmacists with B. Pharm. represented 79.1%. Regarding the knowledge, it was found that 59.7% of community pharmacists have sufficient knowledge toward URTIs, while 40.3% of them have insufficient knowledge. Community pharmacists exhibited varying degrees of practice, but most of them have a good practice. Furthermore, 52.6% of them reported patient's interest as barrier to counseling, while 38.9% reported pharmacy crowdedness as a barrier. Statistically, higher knowledge scores are associated mainly with female gender and educational levels. On the another hand, 64.4% of the participants relied on medical websites as a source of information. Conclusion: Community pharmacists have good knowledge about URTIs. The practice is diverse, but good practice is mainly linked to those with sufficient knowledge. Most of the community pharmacists relied on medical websites as a source of information.

Discrepancies On Burn Management Knowledge Among General Physicians In West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Background:: ISBI Practice guidelines (PGs) for burn care are designed to improve burn care in resource-limited setting (RLS) and also become the standard of burn care. Discrepancy of burn care knowledge among emergency physicians will influence the implementation of ISBI PGs. Objective: of this study is to determine the discrepancy of burn care knowledge among the general physicians working in emergency unit of public hospitals in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Method: Validated questionnaires were distributed to emergency unit of 12 hospitals in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The questionnaire consist of 9 topics regarding: (a) burn center description, (b) referral criteria, (c) complications of burn trauma, (d) initial assessment, (e) burn extent calculation, (f) initial resuscitation, (g) monitoring, (h) inhalation injury and (i) wound management. Each topic consists of 10 questions or statements regarding burn care with ISBI PGs as the reference. The score for each question was 1 or 0. Total score of each topic was 10. The total score was divided into 3 categories (low score was 0-30, moderate score was 31-60 and high score was 61-90). Result: As many as 94 questionnaires were returned out of 108 questionnaires that were distributed. As many as 78% of respondents had high knowledge score while the remaining 22% of respondents had moderate knowledge score. Conclusion: The majority of emergency physicians in West Nusa Tenggara had high knowledge level of burn care. The lowest knowledge level is on initial burn assessment and resuscitation, monitoring of burn resuscitation and burn wound management topics

Awareness and knowledge of Colorectal Cancer Screening among Latinos in Omaha, Nebraska.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates remain low in Latino communities. We sought to determine the screening awareness and attitudes in Omaha, Nebraska. We interviewed 150 Latinos at an urban Federally Qualified Health Center, June-October 2017. Chi-square or Fisher-exact tests and multiple logistic regression models were used for data analysis. Participants reported low educational attainment, low income, and limited access to insurance or a primary provider. Less than one-third of participants aged 50 + had ever heard of FOBT (32.6%) or colonoscopy (30.4%). For individuals 50+, access to a primary care provider (p = .03) and knowing the screening initiation age (p = .03) were associated with ever having a colonoscopy. Higher knowledge score was a strong predictor of any CRC screening. Knowledge predicted screening, suggesting interventions should aim to educate this population regarding CRC screening guidelines and options and work with stakeholders to make CRC screening more accessible.

Predictors of Prenatal Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy in Expectant Mothers with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Breastfeeding is beneficial for mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Saudi Arabia is considered one of the countries with the highest prevalence of GDM. Mothers with GDM have a low intention to breastfeed and are less likely to continue breastfeeding. This study aimed to measure breastfeeding self-efficacy among expectant mothers with GDM and quantify its determinants. This cross-sectional study recruited expectant mothers with GDM from an antenatal care clinic and queried them on breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes using the Arabic validated prenatal breastfeeding self-efficacy scale (PBSES). The study took place at the Medical City of King Saud University, during January–April 2021. The average PBSES score among 145 GDM Saudi participants was 64.07 ± 16.3. Higher academic level, previous satisfactory breastfeeding experiences, breastfeeding intention, six months or more breastfeeding experience, and health education were significantly positively correlated with PBSES score. A higher knowledge score was also correlated with a higher PBSES score (p = 0.002). Longer breastfeeding duration (β.197, p = 0.036), satisfactory previous breastfeeding experience (β.218, p = 0.020), and higher knowledge score (β.259, p = 0.004) were significant predictors of a high PBSES score. Breastfeeding self-efficacy is low among expectant Saudi mothers with GDM, especially those with unsatisfactory previous experience or low knowledge scores. Establishing systematic education about breastfeeding during antenatal care is recommended to improve breastfeeding experience and improve GDM outcomes.

Knowledge and Practices on Healthcare Waste Management among Healthcare Staff in a Specialized Infectious Disease Hospital in Sri Lanka

Introduction: Hospital waste management is increasingly becoming important in Sri Lanka since mismanagement may lead severe adverse effect to the patients, health care workers (HCW) as well as to the community. The waste management practices of Infectious Disease Hospital is greatly important due to patients with infectious disease being managed in this specialized hospital. Objective: To describe the knowledge and practices on hospital waste management and associated factors among health care workers of the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH), Sri Lanka Methods: A hospital based descriptive cross-sectional study in conducted in the Infectious Disease Hospital. All health care workers of IDH coming in contact with patients or their biological materials consisted the study population. A total of 209 hospital staff participated with a response rate of 85%. A self-administered questioner to assess knowledge and practices and a checklist to observe practices were used as study instruments. Results: The overall knowledge of HCW were satisfactory with a mean knowledge score of 84.4). Nursing officers had the highest knowledge score (mean=91.1) and paramedical staff and medical officers had a mean knowledge score of 89.8 and 86.9 respectively. The health care workers who had past training on waste management had a lower knowledge score (79.5) than who did not have past training (84.0). Mean practice score of the total sample was 66.6 which is not satisfactory when compared with the knowledge. Of self-reported practices, the lowest practice score was seen in medical officers. Observable correct practices of sections of the hospital varied with highest score in the ICU (87.5%) and lowest score (33.33%) in the OPD and clinic Conclusion: Knowledge on hospital waste management is satisfactory among the health care workers with certain identified gaps in some categories. Practices of waste management is not satisfactory and needs effective and sustainable interventions. In overall context the knowledge, and practices of nursing officers are higher than the other categories. Continuous monitoring and evaluation leading to result based training are recommended to maintain a effective hospital waste management process.

Covid-19 knowledge, attitudes, and practices among healthcare workers in urban community Bangkok, Thailand.

This study examined associations between socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to COVID-19 among healthcare workers in Bangkok, Thailand. A cross-sectional online survey was distributed among healthcare workers in Bangkok, Thailand from July - August 2021. A total of 637 responses were received. Most participants were clinical workers (68.4%), and nearly half (47.3%) had been at risk of infection with COVID-19 (ever screening test). Binary logistic regression analysis found associations between high knowledge scores and the 26-35-year age group (OR=1.776-1.562, 95%CI 1.021-2.853), having a bachelor's degree or higher (OR=1.672, 95%CI 1.058-2.644), and clinical workers (OR=1.784, 95CI% 1.188-2.678). The 36 year and above age group was associated with higher attitude scores (OR=2.406, 95%CI 1.567-3.695). Higher practice scores were associated with females (OR=1.913, 95%CI 1.057-3.464), and clinical workers (OR=1.903, 95CI% 1.170-3.095). Correlation analysis found a positive correlation between practice scores and knowledge (r=0.322, p <0.001) and attitudes (r=0.263, p <0.001). Although healthcare workers demonstrated overall high knowledge, attitude, and practice scores, this study identified several factors that influence KAP. This study can guide public health strategies regarding healthcare workers during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hospital Pharmacists in Central China Towards Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Healthcare professionals’ knowledge and attitudes towards adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and ADR reporting play a significant role in pharmacovigilance. This study aims to investigate the gap between knowledge and practice in ADR reporting among hospital pharmacists. Methods: This study is a multi-center, cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire survey. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed including knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards ADR reporting. From October to November 2021, questionnaires were filled out on the internet by hospital pharmacists from a central province of China. The data analysis used a one-way ANOVA to analyze the differences between the pharmacist’s characteristics and knowledge and attitude, respectively. The ordinal logistic regression method was used to analyze the predictors of practice. Results: A total of 1,026 valid questionnaires from 512 medical institutions were collected. It was found that 88.8% of participants have a clear understanding of the ADR definition, while 59.6% of them have misunderstandings about the reporting time of new and serious adverse reactions. Most pharmacists showed positive attitudes towards ADR reporting. Higher education background, higher professional title, attending training, and clinical pharmacist resulted in higher knowledge scores. Higher education background, shorter working years, attending training, and from non-tertiary hospital related to higher attitude scores. In terms of practice, age, hospital type, working years, training, and pharmacist type all have significant associations with practice scores. Pharmacists’ knowledge score and attitude score were significant predictors of practice score with OR being 1.19 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.33) and 1.04 (95% CI: 1.005, 1.07). Conclusion: Although most hospital pharmacists showed positive attitudes towards ADR reporting, their knowledge and practice were still insufficient. Hospital pharmacists’ knowledge and attitude are associated with their practice towards ADR reporting. The training had a significant impact on the pharmacist’s knowledge, attitude, and practice.

Knowledge about tuberculosis among tribal population in Kerala in the backdrop of TB elimination goal by 2025

IntroductionKerala is one among the States in India with least prevalence of tuberculosis and is reportedly aiming to be the first State to reach the target of ‘Zero TB’ by 2025. But knowledge about TB among the vulnerable groups plays a critical role in controlling the spread and achieving the target of eliminating TB. Materials and methodsDrawing on a collaborative research program in India to estimate the burden of TB among tribal population, the level of knowledge and its possible links between life style of tribals, their customs and practices is examined Multi stage cluster sampling technique was adopted and 3 wards were selected in three districts in Kerala: Wayanad, Idukki and Palakkad which encompasses major share of the tribal population by probability proportional to size sampling method to draw a sample of 2600 individuals. ResultsAwareness about TB among Tribal population in Kerala is impressive. However, in-depth knowledge on how TB is caused and spread, the symptoms, place of treatment and the cost are not so appreciable. Misconceptions and also lack of knowledge still prevail on who is prone to TB, how TB is spread and the causative agent. The IEC activities have had its effect in sensitizing the tribal population on how to identify the symptoms of TB. The average knowledge score was 5.06 points (72.2 percent, SD: 1.81) out of a total possible score of 7 points. The individual mean knowledge score is 0.65 overall considering all the knowledge domains where the maximum value is 1 and minimum is 0. The mean knowledge score among the Malayarayan Christians and Hindus is relatively higher but poor among Kattunayaka and Irular tribes. Mean knowledge score decreases significantly with increasing age. Gender differential in mean knowledge score is absent but greater educational attainment is associated with higher knowledge scores. However knowledge is not translated to practice of all preventive aspects of TB. ConclusionKnowledge deficit poses challenges in the efforts to eliminate TB in Kerala because the State is progressing towards zero TB target. Hence spreading awareness on these vital aspects need better focus among the tribal population.

Attitudes of junior healthcare professionals towards mandatory vaccination

Vaccination of healthcare professionals (HCPs) is a key measure to prevent infections in healthcare facilities, but uptake rates often remain low. Mandatory vaccination policies have been occasionally implemented to increase compliance among HCPs, but this remains an issue of controversy. The purpose of this survey was to assess the attitudes and beliefs of trainee HCPs towards mandatory occupational vaccination and further explore the factors that determine their decision. In this cross-sectional survey, trainees consisted of medical residents and medical and nursing students undergoing their clinical clerkship. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed following pilot testing. In total, 410 trainees participated (response rate: 90.1%), of whom 194 (47.3%) were residents, 154 (37.6%) medical and 62 (15.1%) nursing students. Most participants (320/410, 78%) supported mandatory occupational vaccination, stating that it should be applied to promote public welfare and benefit (294/320, 91.9%) or should be a prerequisite for employment (271/320, 84.7%). Only 22/410 (5.4%) of HCPs opposed to mandatory occupational vaccination. The primary reasons for a negative attitude were the belief that personal rights outweigh public benefit (10/22, 45.5%) and the fear of side effects (9/22, 40.9%). Univariate analysis revealed that HCPs that have been informed by vaccination campaigns or had higher knowledge scores, were more likely to support mandatory occupational vaccination (OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1–2.7, p 0.038 and OR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.02– 2.7. p 0.044, respectively). In conclusion, most medical and nursing trainees in this study supported mandatory vaccination for HCPs. Focusing on continuing professional education on vaccines is important to positively determine HCPs’ attitudes towards occupational vaccination and increase their vaccination uptake rates.

Predictors of HIV prevention knowledge and sexual behaviors among students at Makerere University Kampala, Uganda

Background: Prior reviews argue that unsafe sexual behaviors and poor HIV knowledge significantly increase the probability of acquiring HIV infections among adolescents. This study assessed the predictors of HIV prevention knowledge and sexual behaviors among Makerere university students in Uganda.&#x0D; &#x0D; Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey. We performed a normality test using Shapiro Wilk test on knowledge score. Results revealed that knowledge score was not normally distributed. The study used two sample Wilcoxon Rank Sum and Kruskal Wallis Rank tests to assess the effect of HIV knowledge on demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors. Post-hoc tests were conducted using Bonferroni correction. Spearman rank correlation test was used for continuous variables while Chi-square and Fisher’s tests were used for categorical variables to assess the relationship between demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors. &#x0D; &#x0D; Results: We report results for 1337 students. The mean age was 21.2SD (1.6) and more than half 700(52.4%) were male students. The median HIV prevention knowledge score of students was 13 IQR (11-15) in the range of 0 to 18. Males significantly scored higher than females (13.0 IQR (12-15) vs. 12.0 IQR (10-14) p=0.000), an increase in age was associated with higher knowledge scores (Rho = 0.101, p = 0.000). Students in the third year of study significantly scored higher than those in the first year, and government-sponsored students scored higher than the privately sponsored students. HIV knowledge was also significantly associated with sexual experience, and condom use at univariate level but insignificant at multiple level analysis. Males were more likely to have ever had sex (31.7% vs. 12.7%) and ever used a condom (63% vs. 55%) than females respectively&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Makerere University students possessed good knowledge on HIV. There is evidence of an association between student’s knowledge, and demographic characteristics and a few sexual behaviors. Future behavioral and educational programs that target both sexually and non-sexually experienced students should address the gender differences.

Physicians\u2019 knowledge on specific rare diseases and its associated factors: a national cross-sectional study from China

BackgroundRare disease patients often experience diagnosis delays or misdiagnosis, which may be due to lack of knowledge on rare diseases among physicians.ObjectiveTo assess Chinese physicians’ knowledge on specific rare diseases and identify its associated factors.MethodsThirty-four patient organizations with a unique disease of interest were invited to develop 3 knowledge questions for each rare disease to assess physicians’ knowledge on the disease that they felt most experienced in. The total knowledge score for each participant ranged from a score of 0 to 3. A national cross-sectional study conducted in a cohort of 3197 physicians from 6 provinces across western, central and eastern China. The demographic information of the participants was collected including gender, age, birthplace, income, education, hospital class, working title, working years, and specialty. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess the independent associations between the physician variables and the total knowledge score.ResultsTwo thousand, one hundred and fifteen (66.16%) of the involved physicians obtained a total knowledge score of 2 or 3. The median knowledge scores of 10 (29.4%) rare diseases were a score of 1.5 or below. Physicians with female gender (β = 0.08, p < 0.05 for females vs. males), and a monthly income of 5000–10,000 RMB (β = 0.11, p < 0.01 for 5000–10,000 vs. < 5000) and 10,000–30,000 RMB (β = 0.14, p < 0.05) were associated with a higher score. Specialties of physicians who received a relatively higher score included internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, radiology, intensive care unit, and surgery.ConclusionsAlmost two thirds of the participants had an average or good level of knowledge on the specific rare disease that they felt most experienced in. Physicians with female gender, a monthly income of 5000–10,000 RMB and 10,000–30000 RMB, and specialties of internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, radiology, intensive care unit, and surgery, were associated with a relatively higher knowledge score.

Impact of Decision Aid on Decision-making of Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis: Randomized Pilot Study

BackgroundClinical guidelines recommend patients with aortic stenosis (AS) being considered for transcatheter aortic valve implantation or surgical aortic valve replacement to participate in shared decision-making (SDM) with a heart valve team (HVT). Data supporting these recommendations are limited. This project gathered data on feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a decision aid (DA) in decision-making for patients with severe AS deciding between transcatheter aortic valve implantation and surgical aortic valve replacement. MethodsThis institutional review board-approved randomized pilot trial assigned eligible patients to receive either the American College of Cardiology's DA for patients with AS or usual care. Patients were surveyed after their visit regarding knowledge, treatment-preference concordance, SDM (SDM process and CollaboRATE Scales), and decisional conflict. Patients were followed for 3 months to collect data on treatment received. ResultsOf 62 patients approached, 59 (95%) consented and participated. The average age of participants was 72 years, they were 100% white, and 32% of them were female. Intervention patients had higher knowledge scores (75.6 vs 65.5) and more frequently reported CollaboRATE top scores (67% vs 33%) than usual care patients. No other group comparisons reached significance. Patients who saw both members of the HVT before survey completion reported higher SDM process scores than those who saw only 1 specialist (3.1 vs 2.4). ConclusionsThe study exceeded enrollment targets, indicating feasibility. Results suggest the American College of Cardiology's DA improved patient knowledge and communication scores. Patients who met with both members of the HVT reported higher SDM. These observations highlight the importance of SDM and multidisciplinary HVT assessment in the management of severe AS.

The Assessment of Knowledge about Tourette's Syndrome among Medical Students and Primary Physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Tourette's syndrome (TS), a chronic, often disabling neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics, is frequently misdiagnosed, or patients are delayed in diagnosis. There is severe deficiency of research about Tourette's syndrome (TS) in the Middle East region. Objectives To evaluate the knowledge and attitude of medical students and primary care physicians (PCPs) about TS and tic disorders. Methods IRB approved, cross-sectional study. A total of 316 medical students of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University and 59 primary care physicians of Riyadh participated. Convenient, cluster sampling was used. A validated, self-administered questionnaire was used. Sum of all knowledge questions was calculated. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results Survey was completed by 375 students and physicians, of whom 253 (67.5%) were men. Mean general knowledge score was 61.5 (±12.04) out of 100. Majority (66.1%) knew the diagnostic criteria for TS; only 46.1% considered antipsychotics as effective treatment. Only 25.1% had ever heard of habit reversal; 70% wanted to learn more. Only 10% of physicians had treated a patient with TS. There was no difference in knowledge between men and women (p=0.776). Board-certified physicians had a higher knowledge score (p < 0.05). Family physicians demonstrated higher level of knowledge compared to other physicians (p < 0.05). There was no difference between knowledge of students of different years (p=0.859) or between students and physicians (p=0.569). Conclusion There was alarming lack of knowledge about Tourette syndrome at various level of medical training and practice including students and physicians. Those who achieved board certification and practiced as family physicians fared better in knowledge about Tourette's syndrome.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude among MAHSA Medical Students towards HIV/AIDS

According to the Ministry of Health Statistics, there have been 87,710 confirmed HIV infectedcases in Malaysia. Objective: To determine how well MAHSA University medical studentsknew about HIV/AIDS. Method: This was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based studyconducted at MAHSA University's School of Medicine. The surveys focused on differentmechanisms of transmission, high-risk behaviours, and prevention strategies. Result: A total of360 medical students participate in this study. Medical students in pre-clinical years hadsubstantially higher knowledge ratings than those in clinical years (p=0.045). Comfortablenessdealing with HIV/AIDS patients had the highest stigmatizing score (3.78 ± 0.86). Attitudestoward imposed measures had the lowest stigmatization score (mean 2.60 ± 0.62), knowledgescore is significantly correlate with stigmatizing attitude (P=0.004). In addition, higherknowledge scores were shown among medical students who reported to have previousencounters with patients living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) (p&lt;0.001). Knowledge scores weresignificantly low among the patients living with HIV (PEWHIV) (4.2 ± 1.67) (P=0.019).Concerning mother to child transmission of HIV/AIDS infection, clinical medical studentsshowed higher degree of knowledge as compare with preclinical years medical students with P&lt;0.05. Conclusion: The knowledge of medical students in Mashsa University is generallyhigh, awareness of HIV transmission from mother to child through breast milk is still lacking,indicating that this is the most significant feature that has to be stressed and improved in futuremedical curriculum for better health care services and public education.