Intention For Future Use Research Articles

Knowledge and practices in the use of antibiotics among a group of Nigerian university students

The study examined the knowledge and practice of antibiotic use among students in a university in south western Nigeria. A questionnaire was administered to each of 500 students drawn from all the Departments in the university excluding those from the faculty of Pharmacy, Health Sciences and Department of Microbiology. A response rate of 99.2% was obtained from the respondents. The most commonly used antibiotics were tetracycline and amoxicillin. The aim of antibiotic use for common cold was observed in 32.3% of the respondents while 17.7% used antibiotics for sore throat. Majority of the participants (72.4%) used the same antibiotics as previously prescribed by their doctors to treat their perceived infections while 51.2% kept left over antibiotics with the intention of future use. More than half (55%) of the students stopped taking their antibiotics when they felt better or when the symptoms of their infections appeared to have stopped. The students’ rating of their sources of antibiotics and prescription for antibiotics indicated that most of the students do not know the appropriate sources from where to purchase their antibiotics nor do they know the appropriate persons from whom to obtain a prescription for antibiotics. The study showed a high rate of consumption of antibiotics among university undergraduates who mostly obtain their antibiotics without a physician’s prescription from unofficial sources and do not complete their course of antibiotic therapy. The education of these students on the appropriate use of antibiotics will go a long way in improving the students’ attitude towards antibiotics.

E-learning and market orientation in higher education

Technology is modifying the way companies do business all over the world. The education sector is no exception; virtual education has emerged as a basic tool to satisfy the changing needs of traditional and newly incorporated students, as well as meet the new requirements of educational institutions. This article therefore tries to achieve a double objective: to analyze what drives the development of online education within the Universities of the European Union and to design a theoretical framework that permits to obtain responses to que question of why students continue their estudies at the same educational institution. Thus, first, the analysis of external factors identifies social, political and technological capacity as issues that explain the rise of e-learning within the field of European higher education. Second, the empirical work shows the design of a cause-effect model with relationships between different variables in which market orientation of Universities and usability play an important role in the future intentions of use for students.

Evaluation of Treatment Satisfaction in Children with Allergic Disease Treated with an Antihistamine

Histamine H(1)-receptor antagonists (antihistamines) have been shown to be efficacious and safe in children and are recommended as first-line treatment for the symptoms of allergic rhinitis and urticaria. No published study to date has directly compared satisfaction with the different antihistamines in children in a real-life clinical setting. This study aimed to investigate parent and physician satisfaction with the efficacy and tolerability of oral antihistamine treatment in children and to compare satisfaction between levocetirizine and the other antihistamines used by children in this cohort. This was an international Observational Survey in Children with Allergic Rhinitis (OSCAR). Children aged 2-12 years, with a history of an allergic condition leading to a consultation, were enrolled from 424 primary-care/specialist allergy clinics across Bulgaria, India, Portugal, Romania, Russia, South Korea and Spain. At the consultation, parents and physicians of eligible children completed questionnaires evaluating their satisfaction with specific antihistamines currently employed for management of the child's allergic condition, as well as their intention for future use of that treatment. Parents' satisfaction scores for efficacy, tolerability and global satisfaction with the antihistamine used were primary study outcomes, while physicians' satisfaction scores for the same measures were secondary outcomes. Other secondary outcomes were parents' rating of the impact of the antihistamine treatment on their child's sleep and school performance, and parents' and physicians' willingness to use/recommend the same antihistamine in the future. A total of 4581 patients were enrolled; 3048 (66.5%) had allergic rhinitis (55.9% persistent allergic rhinitis and 44.1% intermittent allergic rhinitis), and 663 (14.5%) had urticaria as primary conditions. Additionally, 2465 patients (53.8%) suffered from other allergic diseases, including allergic asthma (33.3%), atopic dermatitis (17.6%), food allergy (5.3%), other allergies (5.0%) and drug hypersensitivity (2.0%). Parents' and physicians' satisfaction scores were closely concordant and demonstrated significantly greater global satisfaction for the second-generation antihistamines than for the first-generation antihistamines. Levocetirizine (n = 2339) and fexofenadine (n = 42) generally scored highest for efficacy, tolerability and global satisfaction, as well as for impact on the child's ability to function at school, quality of school activities and quality of sleep. Furthermore, >97% of parents and physicians indicated their desire to continue or recommend the use of levocetirizine in the future. Somnolence, the most commonly reported adverse event in this survey, was observed predominantly in patients treated with first-generation antihistamines. Among second-generation antihistamines, reports of somnolence were most frequent in the cetirizine group. Second-generation antihistamines have a better risk:benefit ratio than first-generation antihistamines, indicating that the latter should be avoided or their use limited in children whenever possible. Levocetirizine and fexofenadine were perceived by parents and physicians to produce significantly higher treatment satisfaction than the majority of the other antihistamines with respect to overall efficacy and tolerability, and impact on the child's sleep and school activities. The newer antihistamine levocetirizine seems to be a preferred and appropriate future treatment choice for children with allergic diseases.

Predicting intentions for long-term anabolic-androgenic steroid use among men: A covariance structure model.

Long-term use of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) is associated with both positive and negative effects. The authors examined possible mechanisms by which these effects contribute to AAS satisfaction and predict intentions for future AAS use. Five hundred male AAS users completed an interactive Web-based instrument assessing the psychological and physical effects of AAS use. Covariance structure modeling was used to evaluate both direct and indirect effects of AAS consequences on satisfaction with AASs and intentions for future AAS use. Results suggest that gain in muscle mass and psychological benefits from AAS use uniquely contributed to both AAS satisfaction and intentions for future use. Side effects from AAS use also uniquely contributed to AAS satisfaction, but ancillary drug use was found to partially mediate this relationship, suggesting that the satisfaction of experienced AAS users is enhanced by their mastery of side effects through the use of ancillary drugs. The final model explained 29% of the variance in intentions for future AAS use. Mechanisms for sustained AAS use and implications for intervention and prevention strategies are discussed.

Media Selection to Meet Communications Contexts: Comparing E-Mail and Instant Messaging in an Undergraduate Population

Media selection is a complex issue that may involve weighing factors such as media features (richness), user characteristics, and tasks. This study examines user perceptions about instant messengers (IM) compared to email (EM). It compares the relation of eight motivation variables with past experience (desktop and wireless) and future use intention (social interactions and work/coursework). Our results, based on a student survey, show that, for this population, frequency of use may predict the adoption of new technology, such as IM, but results in little or no effect on media that already enjoy widespread adoption. Years of media use did not affect IM or EM adoption. This study finds no evidence of a relationship between the availability of wireless access and user perceptions of IM and EM. IM adopters tend to use IM for both social reasons and work/coursework. These users expressed a strong intention for future use of IM. No significant difference was found in expected EM future use between the IM-adopters and nonadopters.

Observing the behavior of senior dental students in relation to infection control practices

To achieve adequate infection control in the dental practice, dental students should be fully aware and prepared to adopt necessary procedures. But most studies of students' infection control behaviors rely on self-reported data. This study verified, through direct observation, how senior dental students performed basic infection control procedures and assessed how close to reality the reported behavior is to the observed behavior. Eight students were observed in three clinics: pediatric dentistry, minor oral surgery, and primary care promotion. The students were not aware of who was being observed or why. Later all twenty students comprising that clinical subgroup answered a questionnaire. Seventy-two patient-student contacts were observed. Students considered basic infection control procedures as relevant. The reported intention of adoption of these procedures after graduation dropped in relation to their reported relevance. Although the observed behavior in the three clinics was considered satisfactory, when compared to the reported behavior, it was found that the intention was more positive than the behavior itself. Even though the students were conscious about the importance of cross-infection control in the dental practice, the reported intention of future use and mainly the observed behavior should be improved.

Knowledge and practices of family planning in Zimbabwe.

To assess the level of knowledge and use of family planning in Zimbabwe. Cross sectional study. All eight provinces and two major cities in Zimbabwe. Women of child bearing age (15 to 49 years, 6,083 respondents). Number of live births, knowledge of contraceptive methods, previous, current and intention for future use of contraceptives, method related problems. The contraceptive prevalence rate was 59.6% (CI 95% 58.4 to 60.9). The median number of live births was two (Q1 = 1, Q3 = 4) among all women, and seven (Q1 = 6, Q3 = 8) among women aged 40 to 49 years. Of 6,083 women interviewed, 5,849 (96.2%) knew at least one method of modern family planning, and 4,743 (78.0%) had ever used contraceptive in their life. Health concerns were the main reason for both discontinuation (28.5%) and postponement (22.8%) of contraceptive use. As compared to the 1991 Mother and Child Health Survey, knowledge and coverage of family planning services have improved further, and the introduction of injectable contraceptives has proved a success. Areas which need attention include the groups with high parity that remain under served, the low knowledge and use of condoms as a contraceptive, and the high level of health concerns among current and potential users.

The use of multiple scenarios by U.S. industrial companies: A comparison study, 1977–1981

Over the past 5 years the authors have been examining the Fortune 1000 U.S. industrials' changes in corporate planning practices with respect to environmental analysis. Results of earlier studies have been reported in the February 1979 and October 1981 issues of Long Range Planning. This article documents the rapid, domestic increase in the use of multiple scenarios between 1977 and 1981. Given the intention for future use by present users and the length of time multiple scenarios have been used by some firms, this is strong evidence that multiple scenarios are a useful conjectural tool which can help corporate management plan in an unstable environment.

Adolescent Drug Use and Intentions to Use Drugs in the Future: A Concurrent Analysis

The convergence between current drug use and the use of drugs in the future was studied for 1634 adolescents. About 20 per cent of the variance in future intentions about drug use could be attributed to current drug-taking behavior. Furthermore, the intention to use a specific drug in the future is related to previous experience with a wide class of drugs, rather than only experience with that particular substance. The overall pattern suggests sources other than previous drug experience must be considered in attempting to explain intentions for future use.

Psychoactive drug use in a midwestern high school: extent of current use and future trends.

In light of recent evidence that the use of psychoactive drugs is decreasing among college students, a comprehensive drug use questionnaire was administered to a sample of 110 Midwestern high school students to determine whether or not a similar trend was evident among this younger group of drug users. Results indicated that alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana were the only substances used by a sizable proportion of respondents, and were used more frequently and over a longer period of time than any other drug. In addition, the overwhelming majority of the users of these substances reported that they intended to continue using them in the future. In contrast, all other drugs (e.g., LSD, barbiturates, amphetamines) were used by a relatively small proportion of respondents and typically in an “experimental” fashion; i.e., used on only one or two occasions with no intention for future use. The relationship of various demographic, psychological, and sociocultural variables to drug use were also examined. Drug use...

Whither the Epidemic? Psychoactive Drug‐Use Career Patterns of College Students1

Reported nonmedical use and intentions for future use of eight groups of psychoactive drugs were conceptualized and arrayed to represent a person's usage career. Intentions closely predicted usage eight months later. Changes in careers were analyzed from data obtained in surveys of all students at a univeristy in 1968 and three follow‐up surveys of the class of 1972. In 1968, the most common order of extent of use of the drug groups was: beer, hard liquor, tobacco, cannabis, depressants, amphetamines, hallucinogens, and narcotics. Students' starting, usage, and intent patterns for the drugs displayed hierarchical, Guttman‐like, scalability in approximately this order. Intentions to progress to new drugs on the scale were strong in all classes in 1968. In the class of 1972, however, despite growing experience with the less common drugs as they went through college, intentions to return to more common drugs grew and intentions to progress to new ones decreased, relative to both themselves as freshmen and to equivalent level classes in 1968. The pattern of these changes suggests that it is hazardous to extrapolate from early usage and intent data in predicting the long‐term course of usage.