High Percentage Of Respondents Research Articles

TENTH-GRADE STUDENTS’ READING HABIT

The present study tries to find out how students’ reading behavior in this digital era, especially during Covid 19 pandemic by assessing SMA students’ preference for online materials, their preferred language when reading online materials, the online reading habits of the students, and the amount of time they spend in reading online every day. The study was a survey that involved 44 tenth graders at SMA Negeri 1 Tabukan Utara in Likungan, Sangihe. The data were collected using a questionnaire adapted from Abidin, Pour-Mohammadi, & Jesmin (2011). The data collected were analyzed in percentages. Results of the analysis indicated that (1) the most common activities they are interested in are chatting, surfing the internet, and games, (2) concerning online reading materials, they prefer reading e-books, e-mail, stories, or novels, and comic strips/jokes. The majority of the respondents 89% prefer reading online reading materials in Indonesia, and (3) male respondents read more news, e-mails, and comic strips/jokes. Female respondents, on the other hand, preferred reading e-magazines, e-books, and movie reviews, and (4) the highest percentage of respondents (43%) spent 1-3 hours online daily reading. It is concluded that female respondents spent more time on online reading compared to their male counterparts.

Participation of Women in Side-Income: A case study of Iban Women as a Bread-earner in the Family in Sarawak

Nowadays, women also play a role as bread-earners in the family, whether as workforce or part-time workers, due to the increase in living costs. Doing side-income activities among working women and full-time housewives is one of the common ways to earn additional income for the family. Iban ethnic women in Sarawak perform several activities as daily life activities and for additional earnings. This study investigates side-income activities among Iban women in Sarawak. The study will be conducted using survey methods among Iban women participating in side-income activities using simple random sampling, and a total of 325 Iban women participated in the survey. The study's findings show three main side-income activities, i.e., farming, handicraft making, and business. However, respondents need help conducting side-income activities, such as a lack of knowledge and skills in certain fields, problems in marketing and promotional, and financial constraints. Based on the identified problems, three suggestions have been recorded by a high percentage of respondents, i.e., marketing, and promotional assistance, providing business and entrepreneurship courses, and providing financial assistance. Thus, such assistance and pieces of training could support their side-income activities. The side-income earners among Iban women benefit the family, develop Iban society, and encourage Iban women's development and empowerment in Sarawak.

양육자의 자연생태 인식이 유아의 숲체험 활동에 미치는 영향

Ecological experiences during childhood in nature build awareness, attitudes about nature. Their direct/indirect experiences contribute to the making good character including a sense of community, respect for life. and make the development of environmentally friendly attitudes, such as a sense of community and respect for life. All these processes are determined by the nurturer. They affect the entire life from childhood to adulthood.
 This study analyzes how nurturer's awareness of natural ecology influences children's experiences in the forest and whether there are positive cognitive changes children's daily lives. The research method used is a questionnaire. Data is collected from 146 individuals.
 Here are the findings from the study. First, ecological education should be taught in early childhood, according to more than 50% of respondents in the nurturer's awareness of their children’s forest experience. Second, questions about children’s experiences in the forest are influenced by the nurturer's awareness of nature, acquired through experiences while growing up. Respondents who grew up in rural areas were more likely to report positive experiences with forests and nature, while those who grew up in large cities were more likely to have a negative response. Third, 93.2% of the respondents in the research about the effect on children's experience of the forest, who have changed awareness in their daily environment through children’s experience of the forest. Fourth, in the research on the positive effect of forest experiences on learning and their lives, respondents said that forest experiences provide a holistic education that develops both intellect and emotions. a high percentage of respondents also said that forest and ecological education should be part of the curriculum through high school.
 however, as students progressed to higher grades, the percentage of students attending in ecology classes decreased, with the most common reason cited being a lack of study time for other studies. this means that instead of taking classes on forestry and ecology, students in higher grades prefer to focus on classes on the entrance exam.
 Education in forest ecology requires changes in schools, in parents and in the society. parents can change through education, and schools can change through systems and institutions. if entrance exam-oriented education affects forest activities, this can be changed with more research and active investment from society.

Psychosocial Effects of COVID-19 pandemic on Yemeni healthcare workers: A Web-based, Cross-sectional Survey

ABSTRACT Yemeni healthcare workers (HCWs) experience high levels of psychosocial stress. The current study provides a psychosocial assessment of Yemeni HCWs during the COVID19 pandemic and the factors that influence this. Between 6 November 2020, and 3 April 2021, 1220 HCWs inside Yemen self-reported levels of stress, anxiety, insomnia, depression and quality of life using a web-based, cross-sectional survey. According to the findings, 73.0%, 57.3%, 49.8%, 53.2%, and 85.2% of all HCWs reported moderate or severe stress, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and a lower quality of life, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between stress and anxiety, insomnia, and depression scores, as well as anxiety and insomnia and depression, and insomnia and depression (p < 0.001). There was also a significant inverse relationship between wellbeing scores and stress, anxiety, insomnia, and depression scores (p < 0.001). A high percentage of respondents (85.8%) were 40 years old or younger and 72.7% had fewer than 10 years’ experience, suggesting that experienced medics leave Yemen for safer and more secure jobs elsewhere. Psychosocial support to assist in building resilience to the prevailing conditions may need to be embedded in medical school training and continuing professional development to help support HCWs within Yemen and prevent even more from leaving the country.

Intermittent Fasting: Benefits, Side Effects, Quality of Life, and Knowledge of the Saudi Population.

Introduction Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern that alternates between periods of fasting and eating. IF has shown many benefits for people who are obese and are trying to lose weight and attain a healthy lifestyle. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of IF and how it can be used as a daily lifestyleas well as to measure the knowledge of the IF diet among the Saudi population about its benefits, side effects, and life quality. Method For this retrospective cross-sectional study, data about the common side effects, benefits, and the measurement of the quality of life were collected by a survey distributed using Google Forms. Microsoft Excel was used for the data analysis, with the data and results being mainly expressed as numbers and percentages. Results Among the 147 individuals practicing the IF plan who were surveyed, male participants were more than females (53.7% vs 46.3%). The highest percentage of respondents were in the age group18-35 years old, and88 individuals (59.9%) had a high body mass index (BMI). Duration of fasting varied from less than a month to three months in 70.8%, and71.4% of participants had undertaken IF several times. Side effects were headache (61.3%), lethargy (68%), mood swings (57.8%), and lastly dizziness and polyuria (55.8% and 46.2%, respectively). Slightly more females expressed happiness than males (86.8% vs 83.6%). Conclusion The IF diet is an efficient dietary plan for those aiming at a weight loss journey over a short duration,ranging from less than a month up to three months. Minimal side effects were found during fasting, being of different intensities, which did notneedsurgical or medical treatment. All in all, most of our respondents were pleased with their experience and saw excellent weight loss results using the IF diet.

COVID-19 Vaccination Behaviors, Sources of Information, and Beliefs among Nursing Home Administrators and Other Staff

Vaccine hesitancy among healthcare workers is a major health issue. The study objective was to examine the vaccination behaviors, sources of information, and beliefs among a sample of nursing home administrators and other staff. The National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) provided their contact list of all 1,159 currently licensed nursing home administrators and assisted living administrators in the United States (US) for this study. A cross-sectional analysis of survey responses was collected in the spring of 2021, and data was analyzed from 1,004 completed surveys of US nursing home administrators and other staff. A subpopulation of long-term care staff who refuse to be vaccinated based on the perceived speed of vaccine development and rollout, among other health concerns. Respondents selected a variety of sources from where they retrieved information about the COVID-19 vaccine. Most respondents trust the COVID-19 vaccine (80.6%), believe that the vaccine is important (82.7%), and are confident in its effectiveness in decreasing the spread of COVID-19 (74.9%). There was a high percentage of respondents who reported getting vaccinated against COVID-19. Of the sample, 85.0% responded “yes” to receiving the vaccine (scheduled but not received, in progress, or completed). Healthcare workers need to use reputable sources to retrieve information about vaccines.

Knowledge and Perception on Sexual Harassment of Currently Working Women in Kathmandu Valley

Sexual harassment is a common and widespread phenomenon that has physical, emotional, and social consequences for individuals. The aim of this paper is to explore the knowledge and perception of sexual harassment among the working women in Kathmandu Valley. The systematic random sampling technique was used and selected 388 people working in the educational and non[1] educational sectors of the Kathmandu Valley. The result revealed that highest percentage of respondents have heard about the term "sexual harassment." low percent (83%) respondents had heard about SH in Bhaktapur compared to Kathmandu and Lalitpur (97%) and (86%), respectively. The majority of respondents (60%) stated that sexual harassment occurs in the workplace, as a result of misread signals from women. However, the majority of respondents (35%) stated that public transportation is the most risky place for sexual harassment followed by dark/ remote places (34%). Almost two-thirds of respondents (ranging from 62% to 65%) in all districts had heard about sexual harassment-related laws, acts, and policies, which was statistically significant at the 0.05 level. Similarly, respondents aged 35 and older had less knowledge than those in the younger age group, and this was significantly related to their age. The majority of respondents (93%) who worked in reception had the most knowledge of harassment-related laws and policies, followed by managerial supervisors (86%) whereas unskilled labor had lowest knowledge (47%) regarding these laws/ policies.

GAMBARAN PENGETAHUAN MASYARAKAT TENTANG PENGGUNAAN MULTIVITAMIN DAN SUPLEMEN KESEHATAN SELAMA PANDEMI COVID-19

Increasing number of cases of COVID-19 currently requiring the community to make more efforts to carry out various preventive efforts. One of the efforts that can be done to prevent COVID-19 is to maintain and increase the body's immunity which can be assisted by the use of multivitamins and health supplements. This study aims to examine public knowledge about the use of multivitamins and health supplements in Pekanbaru family pharmacies during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research is a descriptive observational study with concurrent data collection techniques through online questionnaires. The sampling technique in this study was carried out by non-probability sampling with purposive sampling method. The sample in this study is the people of Pekanbaru City who meet the inclusion criteria with a total of 110 respondents. Data analysis in this study used univariate analysis which aims to explain or describe the characteristics of each research variable, so that the results obtained that people who have good knowledge are 54.64%, people who have sufficient knowledge are 43.63%, and people who have good knowledge are 1.81%. The high percentage of respondents with good knowledge shows that most people in Pekanbaru City already have good knowledge about the consumption of multivitamins and health supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Citizens’ Assessment of the Environmental Management Programs Delivered by the Local Government Unit of Lezo, Aklan

The performance in the delivery of environmental management programs of the local government of Lezo, Aklan, Philippines was evaluated in this study. Through the Multi-Stage Random Probability Sampling technique, 150 respondents from barangays’ share in the municipal population were determined based on the Philippine Statistical Authority’s Data on Census Population and Housing for the 2015. The probability respondents were selected using the Kish Grid where female respondents were given even numbered questionnaires while male respondents were assigned odd numbers. The four major core concepts namely awareness, availment, satisfaction and need for action were used in measuring the ratings presented in frequency and percentage distributions. Interview was also conducted to gather reasons for their ratings. The study inferred that majority of the respondents were highly aware of the community-based greening project. However, low awareness was attained on projects such as air pollution control program and waste-water management. A high percentage of respondents have availed the environmental management programs except for solid waste management. Overall, majority of the respondents were satisfied of the environmental management programs rendered by the local government unit and therefore needs less action. It is recommended that the local government unit strengthen air pollution control program.

The Description of Parents' Knowledge in Modifying Food Ingredients in Efforts to Prevent Stunting in Children in the Tugusari Agricultural Area

Stunting is one of the health problems, especially problems in the growth process that occurs in children caused by several causative factors including maternal factors, infant factors, economic factors, socio-cultural factors, and so on. The high incidence of nutritional diseases, especially stunting, is closely related to the level of nutrient intake given to children, especially in the first thousand days of life. The adverse effects that can be caused by nutritional problems in the toddler period in the long term are such as disruption of the brain, intelligence, physical growth disorders, and metabolic disorders in the body so that it can increase the risk of children experiencing lagging behind other children both physically and cognitively. The purpose of this study was to determine the description of parents' knowledge in modifying food ingredients in an effort to prevent stunting in children. In this study, the design used was descriptive observational. The population in this study were parents who had children under five (6-24 months) in the agricultural area of ​​Tugusari Village with a total of 67 mothers of toddlers. The sampling technique used by researchers was to use non-probability sampling techniques, namely purposive sampling with a total sample obtained of 57 respondents. Then for data collection techniques carried out through distributing questionnaires to respondents directly. The results of this study are the knowledge of parents in modifying food ingredients in an effort to prevent stunting in the Tugusari agricultural area in the moderate category, because the highest percentage of respondents' knowledge level is in the moderate knowledge category with a total of 38 people (66.7%), while the number of respondents with good knowledge category is 13 people (22.8%), and respondents with poor knowledge category have the least percentage value, totaling 6 people (10.5%). The conclusion of this study is that the majority of parents or research respondents already know enough about food modifications, especially complementary foods that will be given by mothers to each of their children in an effort to prevent stunting.&#x0D; Stunting is one of the health problems, especially problems in the growth process that occurs in children caused by several causative factors including maternal factors, infant factors, economic factors, socio-cultural factors, and so on. The high incidence of nutritional diseases, especially stunting, is closely related to the level of nutrient intake given to children, especially in the first thousand days of life. The adverse effects that can be caused by nutritional problems in the toddler period in the long term are such as disruption of the brain, intelligence, physical growth disorders, and metabolic disorders in the body so that it can increase the risk of children experiencing lagging behind other children both physically and cognitively. The purpose of this study was to determine the description of parents' knowledge in modifying food ingredients in an effort to prevent stunting in children. In this study, the design used was descriptive observational. The population in this study were parents who had children under five (6-24 months) in the agricultural area of ​​Tugusari Village with a total of 67 mothers of toddlers. The sampling technique used by researchers was to use non-probability sampling techniques, namely purposive sampling with a total sample obtained of 57 respondents. Then for data collection techniques carried out through distributing questionnaires to respondents directly. The results of this study are the knowledge of parents in modifying food ingredients in an effort to prevent stunting in the Tugusari agricultural area in the moderate category, because the highest percentage of respondents' knowledge level is in the moderate knowledge category with a total of 38 people (66.7%), while the number of respondents with good knowledge category is 13 people (22.8%), and respondents with poor knowledge category have the least percentage value, totaling 6 people (10.5%). The conclusion of this study is that the majority of parents or research respondents already know enough about food modifications, especially complementary foods that will be given by mothers to each of their children in an effort to prevent stunting.

Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme Regarding Phlebitis Associated with Peripheral Intravenous Cannulation Among Nurses Working in Selected Wards of BPKIHS

Background and objective: Factors significantly associated with the occurrence of phlebitis are underlying risk for any nosocomial infection. A study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of structured teaching programme regarding phlebitis associated with peripheral intra venous cannulation among nurses working in Selected Wards of BPKIHS,“a tertiary level medical university in Nepal” Methods: The research design used for this study was one group pre-test and one post-test design. Fifty nurses were selected by non-probability convenient sampling technique. The data were collected in before and after educational intervention to assess the pretest and posttest knowledge about the phlebitis associated with peripheral intravenous cannulation. The data were analyzed and interpreted by descriptive and inferential statistics. Results and Conclusion: Findings of the study shows that the highest percentage of respondents was in age group &lt; 35 (70%). The mean score of pretest knowledge was found to be 19.80 with Standard Deviation is 3.24 and mean score of posttest knowledge was found to 24.12 with SD 2.63. The difference on knowledge of pretest and posttest was found to be significant (p= 0.001).Pretest knowledge score of nurses was less regarding phlebitis associated with peripheral intravenous cannulation. After implementation of structural teaching programme the knowledge score of Nursing Staffs was improved. So it can be concluded that educational intervention was effective. Keywords: Effectiveness, Nurses, Phlebitis, Structured teaching programme

Awareness on Prevention of Complication Related to Immobility among Caregivers of Bedridden Patients in Tertiary Health Care Center in Chitwan

Introduction: Immobility is a condition in which a person is unable to move freely or movement is restricted for medical reasons. Prolonged bed rest and immobilization inevitably leads to complications. Caregivers play a vital role in preventing the complications of immobilization and avoiding discomfort for the patient. This study aims to assess awareness on prevention of complications of immobility among caregivers of bedridden patients admitted in tertiary health care center. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used to assess 66 caregivers of college of medical sciences by using non-probability convenience sampling technique. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaire to assess awareness through face-to-face interview method. Obtained data were analyzed by using descriptive and inferential statistics using IBM SPSS 16. Results: Study findings revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 18 years with mean age 18 ± 11.87 and majority (54.5%) were female with higher percentage of respondents’ involvement in agriculture (28.3%). Majority (68.2%) of the respondents stayed in hospitals for 1 to 5 days and 51.5% respondents had no previous experience of hospital stays. Among the total respondents, majority (83.3%) had inadequate awareness on prevention of complication related to immobility which varied with respondent’s gender (p=0.047), educational level (p=0.001), occupation (p=0.0026) and information from television (p=0.005). Conclusions: Majority of the respondents had inadequate awareness on prevention of complication related to immobility. Findings emphasize that awareness programs should be implemented time to time in hospital settings to update the caregivers in relation to preventive measures of complications of immobilization.

S544 Rifaximin Improves Both Fecal Urgency and Stool Consistency in Adults With Irritable Bowel Syndrome With Diarrhea (IBS-D): A Composite Endpoint Analysis of Two Randomized, Phase 3 Trials

Introduction: For patients with IBS-D, in addition to loose stool consistency, fecal urgency is a common, bothersome symptom. The aim was to evaluate rifaximin for simultaneously improving symptoms of fecal urgency in addition to loose/watery stool consistency as a unique composite bowel symptom endpoint. Methods: A post hoc analysis was conducted with data from 2 identically designed, phase 3, randomized, double-blind trials. Adults with IBS-D, with screening daily mean stool consistency score of ≥3.5 (range, 1 “very hard”; 5 “watery”), took rifaximin 550 mg TID or placebo for 2 weeks, followed by a 4-week treatment-free phase to assess response. Fecal urgency was based on patient response to the daily question, “Have you felt or experienced a sense of urgency today?” Composite bowel symptom responders were defined as patients who simultaneously achieved a ≥30% decrease from baseline in the percentage of days with fecal urgency and had a mean weekly stool consistency score of < 4 for ≥2 of the first 4 post-treatment weeks. Data were analyzed using last observation carried forward; P values were calculated using the Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel method, adjusting for analysis center. Results: A total of 1258 adults (rifaximin [n=624], placebo [n=634]) were included (mean ± SD age, 45.9 ± 14.5 years; 72.3% female). Similar values at baseline were observed for rifaximin and placebo groups for the percentage of days with fecal urgency (82%), mean daily stool consistency score (3.9), and mean ± SD number of daily bowel movements (3.0 ± 1.5). A significantly greater percentage of patients treated with rifaximin were bowel symptom composite responders vs placebo for ≥2 of the first 4 weeks post-treatment (47.9% vs 39.3%, respectively; P=0.002). A higher percentage of responders with rifaximin was observed vs placebo when analyzed by week (Figure). A significantly higher percentage of patients who were bowel symptom composite responders during ≥2 of the first 4 weeks post-treatment maintained response during ≥3 of the additional 6 weeks of treatment-free follow up (Week 12) in rifaximin vs placebo groups (44.7% vs 36.1%; P=0.002). For the individual components of response, a significantly greater percentage of patients in rifaximin group were fecal urgency responders vs placebo (52.9% vs 43.1%; P< 0.001) or stool consistency responders (82.7% vs 77.8%; P=0.03). Conclusion: A 2-week course of rifaximin significantly and simultaneously improved fecal urgency and stool consistency vs placebo in adults with IBS-D.Figure 1.: Percentage of patients with ≥30% decrease from baseline in percentage of days with fecal urgency and mean weekly stool consistency score of < 4, by week *P< 0.05 vs placebo.

The Prospects of Domestic Tourism in Post-Covid Nepal: Connecting the Missing Dots

Nepal has experienced challenges in developing its international tourism business during Covid-19 and domestic tourism has not yet been considered a viable alternative to the allure of foreign travel in Nepal. There are no statistics on domestic tourism in Nepal. Worldwide, domestic tourism has been sought as an alternative to revive the tourism industry during a pandemic, and the Ministry of Tourism and Nepal Tourism Board is implementing strategies and plans to promote domestic tourism in Nepal.&#x0D; This study aims to investigate the potential of domestic tourism in Nepal from the perspective of domestic tourists. The study is qualitative in nature and has used an online survey from May to June 2020. Data has been analyzed thematically using SPSS, MS-Excel, and descriptive statistics. This study attempts to connect the dots by focusing on domestic tourism and tourist destinations in Nepal in accordance with respondents’ opinions. The findings reveal that the tourism industry can potentially be revitalized by domestic tourism. A high percentage of respondents indicated that the Covid lockdown has floored the tourism sector however, they are highly motivated to travel domestically rather than overseas despite the travel restrictions. To summarize, the potentiality of domestic tourism to strengthen the tourism industry should be further explored, and the absence of strategies and policies, travel restrictions, lack of provision of tourism infrastructure, and safety protocol are barriers to the flourishment of domestic tourism.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND BLOOD PRESSURE CHANGES IN WORKSHOP MECHANICS

Introduction: Stress is the occurrence of the individual's emotions, thoughts, and physical conditions. Each individual has the potential to experience stress. Stress that comes from the workplace is called occupational stress. Increased blood pressure is one of the physical impacts of work stress that needs attention due to continuous increase in blood pressure will cause high blood in the worker. The purpose of this study was to describe the overview of the relationship between occupational stress and the change in blood pressure on workers. Methods: This was descriptive observational research. Respondents were 30 people (mechanics of the workshop). The variables of this research were occupational stress level and systolic blood pressure changes. The stress level was measured by using a questionnaire, while blood pressure was measured by using the tensimeter. The correlation between stress level and blood pressure was analyzed by using cross-tabulation. Result: The results showed that the percentage of respondents with moderate stress levels was higher (53.4%) compared to mild stress levels (46.6%). The percentage of respondents with increased systolic blood pressure was higher (63.3%) compared to respondents with decreased systolic blood pressure (3.4%) and constant blood pressure (33.3%). The percentage of respondents with increasing blood pressure was higher for those with moderate stress levels (93.7%) compared to those with mild stress levels (28.5%). Conclusion: It can be concluded that the higher the stress level, the higher percentage of respondents with increasing blood pressure would be.

플립러닝 체육수업 운영에 대한 초등 교사의 인식 분석

Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore information and implications for applying flipped learning to physical education classes by analyzing elementary school teachers' perceptions of flipped learning physical education classes. Methods A questionnaire survey of 223 elementary school teachers across the country, focusing on teachers teaching in the G Province, and 210 data were collected and frequency analysis was conducted using SPSS 23.0 for Windows. Results Elementary school teachers recognized that flipped learning physical education classes were necessary, and a high percentage of respondents responded to the purpose and purpose of flipped learning physical education classes as ‘reflecting the needs of the times for future education’ and ‘freeing up time for the development of learner-centered activities.’ There was a strong perception that the operation of flipped learning physical education classes required teacher competencies such as ‘class design ability’ and ‘communication skills’. In addition, 17.6% of primary school teachers experienced flipped learning physical education classes, which were mainly taught in competitive and challenging areas, and the duration of operation was mainly around 6 months, and the operation was recognized as having a higher effect than traditional physical education and classes when managing flipped learning physical education classes. The educational implications of the research are as follows: First, flipped learning physical education classes have a high educational effect and sufficient meaning to be an alternative to future physical education. Second, in order to effectively practice flipped learning physical education classes, it is urgent for teachers to develop their ability to design lessons, and the possibility of practice can be enhanced through teacher learning community, faculty training, etc. Third, it was suggested that in order to effectively oper-ate flipped learning physical education classes, systematic preparation is necessary by providing a comprehensive environment such as digital ethics education and the construction of IT infrastructure. Conclusions Elementary teachers' experience and perception of flipped learning physical education classes are expanding, but they must be supported by the establishment of an environment that increases their viability.

Supervised physical therapy versus surgery for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis: a propensity score-matched analysis

BackgroundPrevious studies comparing surgical with nonsurgical treatment for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) reported that surgery is superior to nonsurgical treatments, but intensive and adequate volume of physical therapy were rarely performed. The purpose of this study was to compare the 1-year follow-up outcomes of patients with LSS treated with supervised physical therapy or surgery using propensity score-matched analysis.MethodsA total of 224 patients with LSS who received supervised physical therapy (n = 38) or surgery (n = 186) were included, of which 66 were matched on baseline demographics, radiological findings, and patient-reported outcomes. The physical therapy group received supervised physical therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks. The physical therapy sessions included manual therapy, individually tailored exercises, cycling, and body-weight supported treadmill walking. The surgery group underwent decompression surgery with or without spinal fusion. A propensity score analysis was performed using a one-to-one nearest neighbor approach.ResultsThe surgery group showed greater improvements in Zurich claudication questionnaire symptom severity and physical function, SF-36 physical functioning, bodily pain, and mental health, but had more severe stenosis and symptoms and mental health problems than the physical therapy group at baseline (P < 0.05). After propensity score matching, there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics, and all clinical outcomes at 1 year, except for a higher percentage of responders achieving minimum clinically important difference in the role-emotional subscale of SF-36 in the surgery group (P < 0.05).ConclusionsWhen baseline characteristics were considered, supervised physical therapy yielded similar effects to lumbar surgery. These results suggest that supervised physical therapy is preferred over surgery as first-choice treatment, to prevent complications and to minimize health care costs, especially in mild to moderate cases of LSS.

COVID-19 Social Media Infodemic: The New Media Literacy Level and the Ability to Recognize Fake News Among Cebu City Young Adults

The downside of the integrative aspect of the digital space is how easily fake news can propagate which jeopardized the regulation and control measures of the COVID-19 pandemic. While existing literature expounds on the nature of infodemic phenomenon, recent curiosities lack the exploration of the contributing factors that led to the inability to recognize fake news on social media as it corresponds to the New Media Literacy (NML) levels. NML allows adaptation to technological advancement as it constantly evolves with great sophistication. Anchored from this gap, the study employs a quantitative research design where 385 respondents from Cebu City—a highly urbanized city in the Philippines—were asked to answer a three-part survey questionnaire. The findings purport that a high percentage of respondents can distinguish legitimate from fake news and take proactive measures in reporting or resharing the posts. Moreover, the study reveals that the respondents have high NML levels, particularly in functional prosuming and consuming aspects, which the study probed according to the demographic factors. The salient discussion then revolves around the low critical outcomes of prosuming and consuming NML aspects to push for educational policy formulation methods with interpretive social-scientific approaches. This reinforces the post-truth lens in expanding the fields of concerns arising from the infodemic phenomenon. Furthermore, recommendatory measures are provided in the Philippine educational system— that may be reintegrated into the dimensions of policy theories for educational policy evaluation to probe different areas of improvement in the Media and Information Literacy of the K-12 curriculum. Keywords: COVID-19, fake news, infodemic, new media literacy, post-truths

Factors affecting retention of veterinary practitioners in Ireland: a cross-sectional study with a focus on clinical practice

BackgroundRetention of veterinary practitioners has arisen as a significant problem in recent years in Ireland. No prior Irish peer-reviewed publications have addressed this problem. An online questionnaire was available through social media and via email to Irish vets from January to November 2019. The aim of this survey was to ascertain the factors contributing to the problem of vet retention in Ireland.ResultsA total of 370 eligible responses were received. The median age of respondents was 31 and the gender balance was 250 females (68%) to 118 males (32%). The majority of respondents worked in clinical practice 322 (89%), with 138 (42.8%) in mixed practice, 115 (35.7%) in small animal practice, 49 (15.2%) solely with farm animals and 20 (6.2%) in equine practice.Fifty-four percent of respondents described themselves as likely to be leaving their current job within two years and 32.8% as being likely to leave the profession. In total, 44 variables were assessed by univariate analysis and 27 variables were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with the likelihood of a respondent leaving their current job within 2 years (LCJ2), as a proxy measure of the problem of retention. All variables significant on univariate analysis at P < 0.2 were included in a multivariable logistic regression model. Factors associated with LCJ2 included satisfaction with work-life balance (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.33); satisfaction with working hours (OR 0.2); number of years qualified (OR 0.91); position as a practice owner/partner/director (OR 0.15); and log10salary (OR 0.03).Four variables were retained in a separate multivariable linear regression model as significant (P < 0.05) predictors of log10salary. Log10salary increased with years qualified. Males had an increased salary compared to females irrespective of years qualified. Part-time employees, vets on maternity leave or postgraduate vets had a lower log10salary. Compared to veterinary employees, self-employed or locum vets had a higher log10salary.ConclusionsVeterinary employers should consider salary, working hours and the facilitation of a good work-life balance in order to successfully retain veterinary employees. The significant difference in salaries currently offered to male and female vets, and the high percentage of respondents considering leaving the profession, are important findings and warrant further investigation.

Incidence and impact of neck pain on daily life activities of the student population

Introduction: Neck pain (NP) may have a local mechanical (non-specific) origin caused by dysfunction of the joint, muscle, and ligament structures in the neck or by a discogenic etiology. Most people (50–60%) suffer from NP at some point in their lives. They are more common in highly developed countries and in urban areas. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of NP and its impact on daily living activities in the student population. Methods: The study included students of the University of Sarajevo - Faculty of Health Studies in the period from May 2021 to June 2021. The sample of respondents was formed by the method of random selection and included respondents of both sexes, aged 19–28 years. The study was conducted as a transversal cross-sectional study at a specific time point on the frequency of NP and the ability to perform activities of daily living in the student population. Results: Out of the total number of 255 respondents, 77 (30.2%) reported that they have NP while 178 (69.8%) respondents reported that they do not feel NP and it was found that there was no statistically significant difference between the age groups of the subjects with and without NP. The study concluded that a higher percentage of respondents with NP did not engage in leisure activities and that respondents with NP had lower mobility in daily life, sleep disturbance, and poorer ability to perform activities of daily living due to NP. Conclusion: The study conducted revealed that a significant percentage of the student population with NP has a lower ability to perform activities of daily living. Considering the above facts and the current transformation of the educational model, in which static postures dominate, it is necessary to design and implement programs for targeted physical activity and prevention of long-term inactivity that leads to painful musculoskeletal syndromes.