Low Level Of Difficulty Research Articles

Harnessing the power of ChatGPT to develop effective MCQ-based clinical pharmacy exams

AI has the potential to revolutionize learning and assessments. This research explored ChatGPT’s potential in creating MCQ-based clinical pharmacy exam papers at the Pharm-D level and compared their quality to human-made exams. In this study, three different MCQ-based papers (2 by ChatGPT; AIeasy & AIhard, and 1 by instructor; HUMAN) were set to have 10 MCQs each. We asked ChatGPT to set one exam with a low level of difficulty (AIeasy) and a second exam with specific instructions to achieve a more difficult exam (AIhard). Students attempted these exams as part of their regular assessment and rated them from 1 to 5 for various parameters such as critical thinking involved, difficulty level, and overall experience. Our study shows that students obtained higher marks for AIeasy (7.67 ± 3.92) than for AIhard (7.06 ± 1.32) and HUMAN (5.02 ± 1.70), making the HUMAN exam the most difficult one. Students rated the AIhard and HUMAN exams higher for critical thinking than for AIeasy. The students rated highest for AIeasy for overall experience. Interestingly, most of the students (n = 52, 83%) could not correctly identify the exam set by the instructor. Therefore, with clear instructions, ChatGPT can create content-relevant, good-quality exam papers with varying difficulty levels. This is especially useful for students who need to self-study and be ready for several exams to gauge their knowledge.

Development of Qualified Items for Nursing Education Assessment: The Progress Testing Experience

Aimto analyze the psychometric characteristics of items in the nursing inter-institutional progress testing for the years 2019, 2021, 2022 and 2023. BackgroundProgress testing is a validated method for evaluating professional undergraduate education, aimed at identifying knowledge gain in a continuous and progressive manner, with potential benefits for nursing education. However, for its results to be useful, the evaluation items used in the test must have good psychometric performance. Designa cross-sectional study. Methodsa sample of 377 items (multiple-choice questions) was applied to 4,678 students in four years of progress testing. The difficulty and discrimination indexes were analyzed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA and simple linear regression. ResultsThe average difficulty index of the test items ranged between 0.39 and 0.46. The areas of child and adolescent health, women's health and adult health had the most difficult items, while the areas of management, mental health and public health had the least difficult items. Discrimination index ranged from 0.35 to 0.43. There was a difference between discrimination index between the years of application (p<0.001), with a significant increase in the discrimination index (p<0.001) in the trend analysis. Students in the final years showed lower levels of difficulty and discrimination when compared with students in the initial years, demonstrating that the test is easier and there is less dispersion of performance among students in the final years. ConclusionsThe items are not difficult and have good discrimination. A gradual annual increase in the discrimination index of the items was observed. This study provides useful information for the psychometric analysis and quality assurance of knowledge assessment items, both for the implementation of similar PT experiences and in the use of multiple-choice questions for other knowledge assessment purposes.

Effect of 2-PL and 3-PL Models on the Ability Estimate in Mathematics Binary Items

The investigation delves into examining the influence of 2-parameter logistic (PL) and 3-parameter logistic models on the ability estimates of students in mathematical binary items. It ascertained the parameters of the items in the 2-PL and 3-PL models. We employed Item Response Theory (IRT) in the design of this research survey, with a sample comprising 1015 senior secondary (SS) students in SS III classes who were analyzed using both models in the investigation. The Mathematics Achievement Test instrument was adapted from the General Mathematics Paper 1 of the Senior School Certificate Examination administered by the West Africa Examinations Council (WAEC). Results indicated that the 2-PL model shows lower difficulty levels but higher discriminatory indices. Statistical analysis revealed a significant (F = 19.52, p &lt; 0.05 and F = 18.52, p &lt; 0.05) effect of both models, respectively, on ability estimates in mathematics binary items among Nigerian secondary school students. We established that item parameters in the 2-PL and 3-PL models significantly affected the ability estimate of Nigeria secondary school students in binary mathematics items, while the 3-PL model provided a better ability estimate than the 2-PL model.

Self-regulated learning while solving mathematical problems among mathematically gifted and talented students’

ABSTRACT Self-regulated learning (SRL) represents a necessary fundamental 21st century skill for children and adolescents and is essential for the development of gifted students. This study explored mathematically gifted (MG) junior high school students’ SRL capabilities while solving mathematical problems compared to typical achievers (TAs). A sample of 71 ninth-grade students from three junior high schools were divided into two study groups (MG and TA). Participants completed Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaires (MSLQ) and a Metacognitive Strategy Usage Questionnaire (MSUQ). In addition, students underwent Think-Aloud Interviews while solving mathematical problems (quadratic function) at two levels of difficulty. The results only revealed significant differences between MG and TA students on the organization subscale of the MSLQ. No differences were found between the study groups in the metacognitive strategies used in the questionnaire. MG students outperformed TA students on the Mathematical Problem-Solving Task and generally used more SRL strategies during the qualitative Think-Aloud Interviews. Moreover, the differences in the between-group effect sizes were higher on the high-difficulty level of the problem-solving task than on the low-difficulty level of the task. The findings constitute a significant milestone in the study of SRL capabilities of MG in junior high school.

Study on Awareness of Suicide and Suicide Prevention Among Community Youth.

South Korea has the highest suicide rate among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries; there is an increasing trend in suicide attempts among middle and high school students. Various factors contribute to the risk of suicide among adolescents, and the perception of suicide prevention has emerged as a significant factor. This study aimed to investigate the association between emotional and behavioral difficulties among middle and high school students and their perceptions of suicide prevention and to explore differences in suicide perception according to age. A survey was conducted among community middle and high school students, including 530 participants, between 2020 and 2021. Emotional and behavioral difficulties were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Korean version, and participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on the importance and possibility of suicide prevention. A correlation test and analysis of variance were used to examine the relationships between the variables, and suicide awareness was compared according to age. The participants who displayed higher strength or lower difficulty were more likely to respond positively to suicide prevention measures. They also exhibited high strength and low difficulty levels, thus agreeing with the importance of suicide prevention. Regarding age-related perceptions of suicide, adults aged 20-29 years reported the lowest probability of suicide prevention. Suicide perceptions influence the incidence of suicide. Therefore, active societal engagement through suicide prevention campaigns and related education is essential to improve such perceptions. Continuous attention and support are required to address this issue.

College students with depression symptom are more sensitive to task difficulty in reinforcement learning

BackgroundDepression is usually characterized by impairments in reward function, and shows altered motivation to reward in reinforcement learning. This study further explored whether task difficulty affects reinforcement learning in college students with and without depression symptom. MethodsThe depression symptom group (20) and the no depression symptom group (26) completed a probabilistic reward learning task with low, medium, and high difficulty levels, in which task the response bias to reward and the discriminability of reward were analyzed. Additionally, electrophysiological responses to reward and loss feedback were recorded and analyzed while they performed a simple gambling task. ResultsThe depression symptom group showed more response bias to reward than the no depression symptom group when the task was easy and then exhibited more quickly decrease in response bias to reward as task difficulty increased. The no depression symptom group showed a decrease in response bias only in the high-difficulty condition. Further regression analyses showed that, the Feedback-related negativity (FRN) and theta oscillation could predict response bias change in the low-difficulty condition, the FRN and oscillations of theta and delta could predict response bias change in the medium and high-difficulty conditions. LimitationsThe electrophysiological responses to loss and reward were not recorded in the same task as the reinforcement learning behaviors. ConclusionsCollege students with depression symptom are more sensitive to task difficulty during reinforcement learning. The FRN, and oscillations of theta and delta could predict reward leaning behavior.

Evaluating gender-based effectiveness within multi-attribute task battery studies

The prevalent notion that females outperform males in multitasking is challenged by scrutinizing the cognitive abilities of each gender across various demand scenarios (Buser &amp; Peter, 2012; Lui et al., 2020; Szameitat et al., 2015). Investigating cognitive performance at two levels of workload defined as high- and low-demand situations, this research delves into task-specific variations, cognitive strategies, and adaptability to multitasking challenges. Sixty participants in total, with thirty participants in each gender group, engaged in tasks encompassing resource management, tracking, monitoring, and communication using the U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory's Multi- Attribute Task Battery simulation software. Statistical variance analysis demonstrated notable task discrepancies across different difficulty levels (DL). However, the gender-based analysis indicated non-significant differences in given tasks, except communication tasks. Findings indicate that men tend to perform well in tasks requiring communication and target tracking, benefiting from auditory cues, while women excel in fuel management, displaying strong decision-making abilities. In assessments of visual and spatial perception, females outperformed males at low difficulty levels, whereas males showed greater proficiency at high difficulty levels. This paper advocates for a balanced understanding and approach of cognitive abilities in diverse scenarios.

Maxillomandibular relationship record methods for computer-engineered complete dentures: a scoping review.

The purpose of this scoping review was to identify different methods employed for recording the maxillomandibular relationship (MMR) for computer-aided designed and manufactured (CAD-CAM) complete dentures (CDs). This scoping review followed the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and was developed according to Arksey and O'Malley and The Joanna Briggs Institute protocol. The methods were registered on the Open Science Framework (< osf.io/rf4xm> ). The focus question was: "What are the different techniques for recording the maxillomandibular relationship in the digital workflow used in CECDs?" Two investigators searched 3 online databases [MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and Science Direct] independently. The inclusion criteria were clinical studies and reviews that assessed techniques for recording MMR using digital workflow for manufacturing of CECDs. A descriptive analysis was performed considering the study design, manufacturing system, clinical steps, and tools for the determination of MMR, and the difficulty level of procedures. 4779 articles were identified in the electronic search and 10 studies were included for data analysis. The review identified 4 commercially available CAD-CAM denture systems and 3 innovative methods suitable for abbreviating the number of appointments (2 to 4 visits). The trial denture is inherent to the procedure for the Baltic System and 3 innovative techniques. Three techniques (2 innovative and WholeYouNexteeth) demonstrated lower difficulty levels for performing the clinical procedures, regardless of the professional skills. The commercially available and innovative techniques for the recording of MMR may provide predictability of the treatment. The techniques are effective, however, rely on the learning curve and the patient's clinical condition. Recording of the maxillomandibular relationship is paramount for the manufacturing and functionality of complete dentures. Clinicians should be aware of the different tools and techniques described for registering the jaw relationship.

Influence of dancesport on segmental coordination development in 6-8-year-old children

Background and Study Aim. Dancesport significantly contributes to segmental coordination development in 6-8-year-old children through rhythmic movements and interaction with dance partner. The study aimed to investigate the impact of dancesport on segmental coordination development in children aged 6 to 8. Material and Methods. The study involved a group of 14 children aged 6 to 8 from the National Children's Palace in Bucharest. Research was conducted from February to June 2023. Segmental coordination assessment for upper limbs was done using Witty SEM, with 16 impulses of the smart semaphores (Lap L1-16) at 4 difficulty levels. Parameters measured: visual reaction time for each Lap (seconds), Lap mean (seconds), and total time (seconds). During the study period, a program with dancesport elements (Standard and Latino styles) was implemented for 36 hours, 2 hours per week. Comparative analysis between difficulty levels was done using ANOVA test, Single Factor Analysis of Variance, and Paired Comparison for Means. Statistical significance was set at p&lt;0.05. Results. Comparative analysis between difficulty levels in the initial and final tests reveals an increase in Lap mean from L1-2 (24.5%) in the final test to L2-3 (53.8%) and L3-4 (24.6%) in the initial test. Comparing the average results of difficulty levels between tests, a decrease in visual reaction time by 0.04 seconds at L1, an increase by 0.03 seconds at L2, a decrease by 0.08 seconds at L3, and a decrease by 0.19 seconds at L4 were observed. Comparative analysis results of segmental coordination between tests at each difficulty level show significant differences of 5.6% (p&lt;0.05) and 22.2% (p&lt;0.01). Negative differences, indicating better performance between tests, are also observed at L1 by 33.3%, at L2 by 55.5%, at L3 by 38.9%, and at L4 by 27.8%. Conclusions. The study results reveal a significant increase in difficulty level among 6-8-year-old children, emphasizing the positive influence of dancesport elements on segmental coordination development. Comparative analysis of visual segmental reaction across different difficulty levels highlighted significant differences. Superior performances observed at lower difficulty levels comparing initial with final tests indicate an improvement in segmental coordination abilities.

Implementation of the Problem-Based Learning Model in Teaching of Mathematics about Adding Fractions with Different Denominators in Elementary Schools

Research has been carried out to find the level of student ability and the level of difficulty of essay questions on fractions, through polytomous data analysis by applying the Rasch model. The research was conducted in the In-Service Professional Teacher Education program, specifically in the Elementary School Teacher Education. The research was conducted at Belang 1 State Elementary School, Southeast Minahasa Regency, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, in grade 6 with a total of 27 students. Experimental research method with one group pretest-posttest design. The experimental treatment is a Problem-Based Learning (PBL) learning model. The test instrument is in the form of an essay with material on adding fractions with different denominators. The instrument was content validated through a video conference forum attended by experts, tutors, and subject teachers. Data was collected through formative pre-tests and post-tests. Scores are processed as polytomy data. Data analysis used the Rasch model with the Ministep 4.3.2 software application. The results of the analysis, as a class group, the pre-test average was 7.0 and the post-test was 77.0. This group's data shows that the use of the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) model in mathematics learning is very effective. Another conclusion is that the Rasch Model can accurately analyze polytomous data and find 1 student who has a high ability exceeding the highest level of test item difficulty in completing the essay test on adding fractions with different denominators. Then the Rasch Model can analyze the level of difficulty of the 5 items of the essay test instrument, it was found that 2 test items had a low level of difficulty. Using the Rasch model, it is consistently detected that adding fractions with different denominators containing the number 7 is categorized as having a high level of difficulty.

Ethnic Disparities in Betel Nut Use

Abstract: Adolescent substance use has been extensively studied in Western countries. However, knowledge of substance use, particularly betel nut use, among adolescents in the Pacific Islands, remains limited. The present study examined ethnic differences in betel nut use and intention to use, and factors explaining such ethnic differences, in Guam, a US-Affiliated Pacific Islands in the Western Pacific. Participants were 674 ethnically diverse students (49% female; Mage = 12.7, SD = 0.89) from eight local public middle schools. Self-report questionnaires were used to assess study variables. The results indicated that although the majority of participants did not use betel nut, there were significant differences in rates of betel nut use and intentions to use between ethnic groups. Compared with adolescents from other ethnic groups represented in the study, adolescents from the Freely Associated States (FAS) of Micronesia, or non-CHamoru Micronesians were more likely to use betel nut in the past 30 days and in their lifetime and to expect to use betel nut in the near future. These ethnic differences were partially mediated by proposed factors such as observation or familiarity with and access to betel nut and approval by parents, peers, and the community. In other words, FAS ethnicity was a significant predictor of higher levels of familiarity with betel nut; FAS ethnicity also predicted lower levels of difficulty in accessing betel nut and perceived disapproval of betel nut use from parents, peers, and the community. These, in turn, predicted more betel nut use and intention as reported by FAS adolescents. These findings can be used to inform the design and implementation of intervention and prevention programs to reduce ethnic disparities among at-risk youth vulnerable to betel nut use in the Pacific.

The Effect of Mindfulness on Death Escape Acceptance in Young People: Emotion Regulation as a Mediator.

Few studies have examined young people's attitudes toward death escape acceptance and its relationship to mindfulness. This study addressed this issue and examined the mediating role of emotion regulation. In Study 1, 61 undergraduate students aged 19-22years participated in a mindfulness intervention program, and the results showed that increasing young people's levels of mindfulness could improve their attitudes toward death escape acceptance. The Study 2, which recruited 440 young people aged 18-26years to complete a cross-sectional survey, replicated the main effect and showed that young people's difficulty in emotion regulation fully mediated the coping effect of mindfulness. These findings suggest that individuals with high levels of mindfulness may have low levels of difficulty in emotion regulation and in turn promote healthy attitudes toward death escape acceptance.

Assessment of math abilities before school entry: a tool development

IntroductionThe years preceding school entry are pivotal for children to develop fundamental skills that bolster their learning in literacy and math in the following years. Skills like counting and subitizing stand as key predictors of future math abilities. Hence, the availability of universal screening tools is vital to promptly identify children who are lacking in these skills, allowing for tailored classroom practices to meet their needs. This study aimed to develop a mathematical screening tool and assess its psychometric properties.MethodsThe tool encompasses both group and individual tasks, to evaluate counting, cardinality, subitizing, quantity discrimination, addition, and subtraction. The tool was administered twice to 257 children, aged 5-6, in their final year of kindergarten in Portugal, at both the start and end of the school year.ResultsThe findings reveal that the tasks generally present a low level of difficulty, especially by the end of kindergarten. Factor analysis demonstrated an adequate structure, and all dimensions showed high internal consistency (&amp;gt;0.80). There was a medium-to-high intercorrelation among the various tasks. Correlations between task scores at the beginning and end of the school year were high. Furthermore, scores across all tasks correlated with math achievement in the first grade of primary education.DiscussionThese outcomes suggest that the tool is both valid and reliable, making it a useful resource for assessing and intervening in math skills during the critical years before school entry.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Knee Osteoarthritis Among the General Public in Saudi Arabia.

Background Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic and progressive knee joint condition that is influenced by multiple factors. This research aims to examine the prevalence and characteristics of knee OA among the general public in Saudi Arabia. Methodology This cross-sectional online survey was conducted in September 2023 in Saudi Arabia. This research used a previously developed questionnaire to validate the diagnosis of OA, which was performed in accordance with the diagnostic criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index questionnaire (WOMAC) was used to examine the severity and characteristics of knee OA patients. A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the variables that influence the severity of knee OA and the likelihood of developing OA. Results A total of 1,019 individuals participated in this study. Around one-third of the participants (34.5%) fulfilled the ACR criteria for knee OA diagnosis. Overall, the mean WOMAC score was 34.1 (18.8) out of 96, which represents 35.5% of the maximum obtainable score and demonstrates a low degree of knee OA severity. The mean pain sub-scale score was 7.4 (3.8) out of 20, which represents 37.0% of the maximum obtainable score and demonstrates a low level of pain intensity. The mean stiffness sub-scale score was 2.7 (1.8) out of 8, which represents 33.8% of the maximum obtainable score and demonstrates a low degree of stiffness in joints. The mean physical function sub-scale score was 24.0 (14.0) out of 68, which represents 35.3% of the maximum obtainable score and demonstrates a low level of physical function difficulty. Females, older participants (above 40 years), those with high body mass index (28.8 kg/cm2 and higher), non-smokers, those with comorbidities, those who did not practice daily physical activity, those who had a family history of knee OA, and those who suffered from flat feet, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, lupus, or back or hip pain were more likely to develop knee OA and have severe OA (p < 0.05). Conclusions Thefindings of this study demonstrated a significant prevalence rate of kneeOA and highlighted a discrepancy between the rates obtained by diagnostic criteria and those determined through clinical diagnosis. Several significant factors that contribute to the development of OAencompass lifestyle choices such as food and exercise, familial predisposition, genetic influences, and the presence of comorbidities. To effectively tackle this intricate matter, it is imperative to adopt a patient-centered strategy and prioritize early intervention.

Extended difficulties following the use of psychedelic drugs: A mixed methods study.

Long-term adverse experiences following psychedelic use can persist for weeks, months, or even years, and are relatively unexplored in psychedelic research. Our convergent mixed-method study gained quantitative and qualitative data from 608 participants who reported extended difficulties following psychedelic experiences. Data was gathered on the context of use, the nature and duration of the challenges they experienced (including a written description of these), plus a range of possible risk factors and perceived causes. The most common forms of extended difficulty were feelings of anxiety and fear, existential struggle, social disconnection, depersonalization and derealization. For approximately one-third of the participants, problems persisted for over a year, and for a sixth, they endured for more than three years. It was found that a shorter duration of difficulties was predicted by knowledge of dose, drug type and lower levels of difficulty reported during the psychoactive experience, while a narrower range of difficulties was predicted by taking the drug in a guided setting. Implications for psychedelic harm reduction are discussed.

Evaluation of a pilot physical activity intervention for children with ADHD symptoms and reading difficulties

AbstractPhysical activity (PA) benefits children's cognition, in particular executive functions (EF). Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Reading Difficulties (RD) and co‐occurring ADHD/RD have low levels of PA and difficulties with EF. This study evaluated a PA programme to determine recruitment, attrition, feasibility (e.g. in‐school or after‐school hours), intensity of PA during the programme and effect sizes. Outcomes evaluated were EF, academic attainment and social and emotional behaviour. Sixty‐nine children (35 males) aged 7–13 years participated in a delayed control design. The sample comprised 15 children with RD, 15 with high levels of ADHD symptoms, 15 with co‐occurring RD and ADHD symptoms and 24 typically developing children. Thirty‐one of the participants took part in a 12 week PA intervention designed to enhance cognition and 38 acted as a control group. The control group subsequently received the intervention and data was combined for analysis. The study was successful in recruiting participants for the intervention; more success was observed for in‐school than after‐school hours. Participants spent 46% (SD = 14) of the intervention in Moderate‐to‐Vigorous intensity PA (MVPA). A significant effect of time‐point (pre‐ vs. post‐intervention) was found for inhibition and visuospatial working memory (η2 = 0.11 and 0.18 respectively). There was no interaction with symptomatology though; all groups had higher scores on EF tasks after the intervention. It is possible to recruit and retain participants with ADHD symptoms and reading difficulties to a school‐based PA programme and adherence to measurements was good. Taking part in the programme may improve inhibition and visuospatial working memory and reduce symptomatology suggesting this is a potential source of remediation which should be explored.

The Effects of Visual Complexity and Task Difficulty on the Comprehensive Cognitive Efficiency of Cluster Separation Tasks.

Cluster separation is required to perform multi-class visual statistics tasks and plays an essential role in information processing in visualization. This cognition behavioral study investigated the cluster separation task and the effects of visual complexity and task difficulty. A total of 32 college students (18 men and 14 women, with ages ranging from 18 to 25 years; mean = 21.2, SD = 3.9) participated in this study. The observers' average response accuracy, reaction time, mental effort, and comprehensive cognitive efficiency were measured as functions of three levels of visual complexity and task difficulty. The levels of visual complexity and task difficulty were quantified via an optimized complexity evaluation method and discrimination judgment task, respectively. The results showed that visual complexity and task difficulty significantly influenced comprehensive cognitive efficiency. Moreover, a strong interaction was observed between the effects of visual complexity and task difficulty. However, there was no positive linear relationship between the mental effort and the complexity level. Furthermore, two-dimensional color × shape redundant coding showed higher cognitive efficiency at low task difficulty levels. In contrast, the one-dimensional color encoding approach showed higher cognitive efficiency at increased task difficulty levels. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into designing more efficient and user-friendly visualization in the future.

Benefits of Bimodal Stimulation to Speech Perception in Noise and Silence.

Introduction Understanding all the benefits of bimodality with self-assessment questionnaires on the effect of hearing on quality of life is still necessary. Objective To present whether bimodality still offers hearing benefits to the population who uses acoustic stimulation associated with electrical stimulation. Methods The present study included 13 participants aged between 16 and 80 years old who were users of cochlear implants from Cochlear Corporation and hearing aids. All patients underwent the Hearing in Noise Test, and their visual analog scale score was obtained. Four-tone means were collected, and the participants answered the Speech, Spatial and Hearing Qualities questionnaire. Results Bimodal users had an average sentence recognition rate of 76.0% in silence and 67.6% in fixed noise, and the signal-to-noise ratio in adaptive noise was +2.89dB. In addition, a lower level of difficulty was observed in the test using the visual analog scale. The domain with the highest average was auditory qualities (6.50), followed by spatial hearing (6.26) and hearing for speech (5.81). Individuals with an average between 50 and 70 dB of hearing level showed better sentence recognition in silence and noise. Conclusion Bimodal stimulation showed benefits for users with different degrees of hearing loss; however, individuals who presented greater hearing residue had better performance in speech recognition with noise and in silence in addition to a good perception of hearing quality.

Cognitive Workload of Novice Forklift Truck Drivers in VR-based Training

There is increasing use of Virtual Reality (VR) to train forklift truck operators but a lack of sufficient understanding of how cognitive workload changes with respect to different task demands in VR-based training. In this study, 19 novice participants completed three forklift driving lessons with varying difficulty levels (low, medium, and high) using a VR simulator. To examine the effect of repeated training on cognitive workload, two sessions were repeated by participants using the same procedures. Cognitive workload was assessed with objective (electroencephalogram [EEG] activity) and subjective (NASA-TLX) measurements. EEG theta power and NASA-TLX (mental workload) scores were significantly higher for high than low difficulty levels. However, both EEG and NASA-TLX responses were reduced with repeated training in the second session. These findings highlight the effectiveness of EEG in continuous monitoring of workload variation caused by task difficulty and implementing training programs to moderate cognitive workload for forklift operators.

DIFFICULTY IN USABILITY OF ELECTRONIC PERSONAL HEALTH RECORD SYSTEMS FOR AN UNDERSERVED ELDERLY ADULT POPULATION

Objective: The objective of the current paper is to investigate the use of electronic patient records (E-PHRs) among elder people and those with low income. Elder population due to low awareness, literacy rate, low income level and lack of training and experience felt difficulty while assessing E-PHRs. Background: Use of PHRs has been increasing in healthcare organizations. Patients’ involvement in managing health has been crucial. However, scars and spars literature is available about use of PHRs in elderly people. Material and Methods: The nature of the current study is quantitative and nature of data is cross-sectional. Survey approach was used. Self-administered questionnaire was distributed among 30 elderly people. Questionnaire consists of two sections. First is about demographic information such as gender, age, literacy and second section are about awareness, lack of experience, training and resistance to new technology. Frequency, percentage, and mean values are calculated in SPSS. The reliability of the questionnaire was checked by Cronbach alpha. Results: Findings indicated that highest mean value is scores by lack of experience followed by resistance to new technology. Moreover all the constructs met the threshold for reliability. Conclusion: It is concluded that hospital administration focus on training on elderly population. Motivate them to use new technology, make it user friendly and raise awareness about using E-PHRs and its benefits. Practical Implications: This study has practical implications for health practitioners, policy makers and ministry of health. Policy makers cannot ignore the importance of E-PHRs while making policy. Budget is required for training, raising awareness and motivating elderly population to use E-PHRs but it has long term benefits in future. Both health care professionals and patients can take benefits from use of E-PHRs.