Low Level Of Knowledge Research Articles

Awareness and Perception of Telemedicine Among the General Population in the Central, Northern, and Western Regions of Saudi Arabia.

Telemedicine is a paradigm shift that utilizes technology for remote healthcare delivery, improving the quality of care. This study aims to assess the general population's awareness and perception regarding telemedicine in the central, northern, and western regions of Saudi Arabia. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted in the central, northern, and western regions of Saudi Arabia from January 2024 to May 2024. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, including sociodemographic information and questions to assess participants' awareness and perception of telemedicine. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 27 (Released 2020; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States), with significance at p < 0.05. Out of 414 adult participants in the study, 264 (63.8%) were female, and 205 (49.5%) were below the age of 25. Approximately a quarter of the participants reported being very or moderately familiar with telemedicine. Furthermore, most participants (80.5%, 243) expressed their willingness to try telemedicine. The most common barriers to telemedicine practice were concerns about diagnostic reliability, resistance from physicians, and patient resistance. The study found no significant associations between participants' sociodemographic variables, their familiarity with telemedicine, and their readiness to adopt it. While there is a low level of awareness and knowledge regarding telemedicine among general populations in Saudi Arabia, there is generally a positive perception and willingness to adopt telemedicine for improved healthcare delivery. Addressing barriers to adopting such technology is crucial to ensure the country's successful implementation and widespread acceptance of telemedicine.

Knowledge of Diabetes Mellitus and Practices Regarding Lifestyle Factors and Diabetes Management in a General Adult Population of Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia.

Many studies report a lack of public awareness of the risk factors and complications of Diabetes Mellitus. Adequate glycemic control is crucial in preventing or delaying the onset of type 2 diabetes complications, and medication adherence is one of the key factors in achieving this goal. This study aimed to measure the knowledge about diabetes mellitus and practices regarding lifestyle factors and diabetes management in the study population in the Aseer region, of Saudi Arabia. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted in Abha, a city in the Aseer region of Saudi Arabia. The general population of 18 years of age and above, who were residing in the study area during the period of study, ie, January 2023 to June 2023, were included. The questionnaire was distributed through social media and e-mail for data collection. The descriptive variables were presented using frequency, percentage, and graphs. Pearson's chi-square test was used at a 5% level of significance. Multivariate tests were applied to further explore the findings of univariate analysis. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0. Out of the total 348 participants, a higher proportion was males (56.3%). About 78.7% of the participants were ever diagnosed with diabetes mellitus and 21.3% were never diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Nearly 31.6% knew that the major cause of diabetes mellitus was obesity and 31.3% knew that it was a hereditary disease. About 42.2% of respondents exercised regularly and 27.6% were smokers. Adherence to prescribed anti-diabetic medications was seen in 63.2% of the respondents. Self-alterations in the timing and dose of prescribed anti-diabetic drugswere seen in 36.5% and 34.8%, respectively. About 60.1% had a moderate level of self-rated knowledge about Diabetes Mellitus, and 27.6% and 12.4% had good and poor self-rated knowledge levels of Diabetes mellitus, respectively. On multivariate analysis, the age group 60-69 years had significant variations as compared to the other age groups on DM, bachelor's degree holders had significant variations as compared to other education variables, being married had significant differences as compared to those unmarried, those employed had significant variations as compared to the other occupation categories, and smokers had a significant impact on DM as compared to non-smokers. Findings indicated less number of respondents exercised regularly, low adherence to prescribed anti-diabetic medications and low levels of self-rated knowledge of diabetes mellitus. Enhancing the patients' knowledge of diabetes mellitus and improving their self-management and adherence to its medications is necessary through public health education.

Public awareness about common ocular diseases among a sample of Egyptian population

Background Globally, the most common causes of blindness in adults are cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Inadequate knowledge of these conditions leads to lag in medical advice requisition, losing the opportunity for prevention and early intervention with an increased rate of disease complications. Aim This study aimed to detect the level of public awareness about common eye problems in Egypt to help build strategies to prevent complications related to these eye problems. Patients and methods This is a prospective cross-sectional analytical study that used a pre-tested e-questionnaire to collect data from the study participants during the period from September 2022 to June 2023 at Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt. A Google form was created, and participants were invited through social media. It included four sections: socio-demographic characteristics, medical history of study participants, knowledge about common ocular diseases, and sources of gaining knowledge. Results The study included 802 participants, 54.2% of them were females, more than 55% of them were between the ages of 18–30 years, and 74.4% were university graduates. Awareness of cataracts, glaucoma, corneal opacity, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration was reported in 45.7, 34.8, 38.3, 80, and 77.5% of the study participants, respectively. Physicians and social media were the most common efficient sources of gaining knowledge. Higher education and working in a medical profession, especially physicians and pharmacists were associated with higher knowledge scores. Conclusion Low levels of knowledge of most of the blinding conditions among the study participants raise the importance of adopting health education programs by our healthcare systems taking into consideration that physicians and social media were among the most convenient routes to reach the targeted population.

Palliative care national plan implementation through stakeholder analysis

BackgroundNational palliative care plans depend upon stakeholder engagement to succeed. Assessing the capability, interest, and knowledge of stakeholders is a crucial step in the implementation of public health initiatives, as recommended by the World Health Organisation. However, utilising stakeholder analysis is a strategy underused in public palliative care.ObjectiveTo conduct a stakeholder analysis characterising a diverse group of stakeholders involved in implementing a national palliative care plan in three rural regions of an upper-middle-income country.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study design, complemented by a quantitative stakeholder analysis approach, was executed through a survey designed to gauge stakeholders’ levels of interest and capability in relation to five fundamental dimensions of public palliative care: provision of services, accessibility of essential medicines, palliative care education, financial support, and palliative care vitality. Stakeholders were categorised as promoters (high-power, high-interest), latent (high-power, low-interest), advocates (low-power, high-interest), and indifferent (low-power and low-interest). Stakeholder self-perceived category and knowledge level were also assessed.ResultsAmong the 65 surveyed stakeholders, 19 were categorised as promoters, 34 as advocates, 9 as latent, and 3 as indifferent. Stakeholders’ self-perception of their category did not align with the results of the quantitative analysis. When evaluated by region and palliative care dimensions the distribution of stakeholders was nonuniform. Palliative care funding was the dimension with the highest number of stakeholders categorised as indifferent, and the lowest percentage of promoters. Stakeholders categorised as promoters consistently reported a low level of knowledge, regardless of the dimension, region, or their level of interest.ConclusionsAssessing the capability, interest, and knowledge of stakeholders is a crucial step when implementing public health initiatives in palliative care. It allows for a data-driven decision-making process on how to delegate responsibilities, administer financial resources, and establish governance boards that remain engaged and work efficiently.

Internationalisation of science and technology parks and the stage of their life: The Central European perspective

Research background: A science and technology park (STP) is an important tool of innovation policy. In order to carry out new tasks in the field of internationalisation of innovative processes, parks have to incorporate completely new ones into their classic roles and activities. There is still a low level of knowledge about the factors that limit this process. The identified research gap provided the rationale for addressing the issue of the internationalisation of parks in Poland, which is an original treatment of the issue and probably one of the first such studies in Central Europe. Purpose of the article: The purpose of the article is to diagnose the stages through which the internationalisation of science and technology parks takes place in the context of the phases of the life cycle of these organisations, as well as to identify and assess the importance of obstacles limiting the internationalisation process. Methods: A critical analysis of the literature and direct research was carried out using the survey method, according to the author's questionnaire. The research was carried out in 2022 among 18 STPs in Poland (55% of all Polish parks). The diagnosis of internationalisation was made on an institutional level. Three phases of the park life cycle were defined and operationalised based on the criteria identified by J. Allen (2007): creation, consolidation and maturity phase. Ward’s agglomeration method (Ward, 1963) was utilised to group the parks based on the level of actions realised in their life cycle and their degree of internationalisation. In the identification of the number of groups, the Duda-Hart (Duda et al., 2000) Je(2)/Je(1) index-stopping rule was used. Thirteen of the most important obstacles to the internationalisation process were identified. In order to examine the internal consistency of variables describing the internationalisation of parks, Cronbach’s Alpha reliability index was calculated. In order to find out the strength and direction of the existing relationship between obstacles and the internationalisation index of the studied parks, Kendall’s τ test was used. Findings &amp; value added: The sequential development of parks at the national level is in line with the assumptions indicated in the literature. The problem, however, is the internationalisation of parks. Not only is it characterised by a low level, but its course also does not indicate that it is the result of the successive implementation of previously assumed activities. The processes of development and internationalisation are interrelated, but this is not a significant interdependence. The problem is also indicated by the results of studies relating to obstacles to the internationalisation process. This is because the most significant ones are diagnosed only at an advanced level of internationalisation. Such an important activity of parks is undertaken without a prior in-depth diagnosis of the international situation. This can result in limited effectiveness of the activities undertaken in the direction of internationalisation and generate related problems. The results of the study provide a basis for indicating the type of activities aimed at activating parks in the international arena. Such activities should be undertaken at a higher level than the parks themselves since they do not have sufficient procedures and resources to guarantee increased internationalisation. One desirable course of action could also be the creation of cooperation networks at different territorial and entity levels.

A quasi-experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding minor disorders of pregnancy among antenatal mothers attending OPD in Apollo hospitals Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh

Background: Most research studies states that there is lower level of knowledge among the antenatal mothers regarding minor disorder which occurs in pregnancy. Hence selected “A quasi experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge regarding minor disorders of pregnancy among antenatal mothers attending OPD in Apollo Hospitals Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. The key aspect of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the teaching program among the antenatal mothers and to evaluate the effectiveness the outcomes. Materials and methods: A quantitative research approach adopted for the study to assess the knowledge of antenatal mothers regarding minor disorders of pregnancy. One group pretest-posttest design is used and samples who met the inclusion criteria using purposive Sampling. A questionnaire was developed to assess knowledge level of antenatal mother on minor disorder of pregnancy. Pretest was conducted for one hour which is followed by the structured teaching program after that post test for one hour. Sample size is 50. Results: The study findings revealed that the mean pre test knowledge score was (35.75%.) after administering teaching programme. post test knowledge score was 74.00% which is higher than pre test score. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the effectiveness of the structured teaching programme among antenatal mothers attending OPD in Apollo Hospitals Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. Knowledge of the “antenatal mothers who had undergone structured teaching programme proved to be having increase in their knowledge on minor disorders of pregnancy.

Faktor Determinan Keputusan Menabung dengan Minat Sebagai Variabel Intervening

This study aims to determine the effect of religiosity, knowledge, promotion, location and service quality variables on saving decisions. The religiosity of the people who only view Islamic financial institutions is the same as conventional financial institutions. The customers' desire to save can be hindered by remote locations, activities and busyness. In addition, the low level of public knowledge about Islamic financial institutions influences the decision to become a customer of an Islamic financial institution. The population in this study were members of the Ben Sejahtera BMT Rawalo Banyumas branch. The number of samples in this study were 92 respondents. The data obtained was then analyzed using the PLS (Partial Least Square) analysis technique through the SmartPLS 4.0 software. The results showed that knowledge, promotion, and location factors had no effect on members' interest in saving at Islamic financial institutions. Meanwhile, the factors of religiosity and service quality are the variables that most influence the interest of traders in making saving decisions at Islamic financial institutions.

IMPACT OF KRUSHI VIGYAN KENDRA ON KNOWLEDGE LEVEL OF POTATO GROWERS ABOUT POTATO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Agriculture is the most pivotal sector of Indian economy in the current phase of development. There is need for transfer of improved agricultural technology from research station to the farmer’s field. The ICAR mooted the idea of establishing KVK for imparting vocational training to the farmers and field level extension functionaries. The present study was conceived with measuring the impact of KVK in terms of knowledge of farmers about potato production technology in Deesa KVK of Banaskantha district of Gujarat State. For research study, from seven talukas of KVK, Banaskantha-I (Deesa) four taluka and total twelve villages from each selected talukas was purposively selected on the basis of maximum numbers of activities carried out by KVK, Deesa. From each selected villages 10 beneficiary and 10 non beneficiary potato growers were selected randomly. Thus, 120 beneficiary and 120 non beneficiary potato growers were selected for the study. Ex-post facto research design was used for this study. Results of the investigating showed that nearly three-fifths (57.50%) of the beneficiary farmers had medium level of knowledge followed by 25.00 per cent with high and 17.50 per cent with low level of knowledge about potato production technology. Whereas, half (50.00%) of the non beneficiary farmers had medium level of knowledge, whereas remaining 31.67 per cent and 18.33 per cent of non beneficiary farmers had low and high level of knowledge about potato production technology, respectively.

Evaluation of Knowledge Level of Farmers on Package of Practices for Composite Fish Culture in Papum Pare District of Arunachal Pradesh, India

An investigation on impact of training and demonstration programme on composite fish culture (CFC), for farmers of Papum Pare district Arunachal Pradesh, were undertaken to ascertain technical knowhow on standard package of practices for successful CFC with six parameters viz, 1. Fish species selection, 2. Fish species ratio combination, 3. Fish seed stocking stages (fry and fingerling) 4. Fry/fingerling treatment (NaCl), 5. Fish stocking density, 6. Pre and post-stocking management. Six villages were selected namely: Mani, Midpu, Chiputa, Balapu, Emchi and Upper Jumi.; 30 fish farmers from each village comprising 180 farmers were part of investigation. As per the baseline survey in the beginning on average 80% of farmers had a low level of knowledge about fish species selection followed by 12% medium and 8 % high. 82% had a low level of knowledge about, fish species ratio combination, 10% medium and only 8% had high knowledge on CFC. 81% had a low level of knowledge on fish seed stocking stages (fry and fingerling) followed by 10% and 9% respectively for medium and high. 91% had a low level of knowledge on fry/fingerling treatment (NaCl), followed by 6% medium and 3% high. 78% had low knowledge on fish stocking density followed by 13% and 9% for medium and high. 86% had low knowledge on pre- and post stocking management followed by 8% and 6% for medium and high respectively. After imparting training and Front line demonstration (FLD) programme at farmers door step on successive year, knowledge on fish species selection for low medium and high was 9%, 11% and 80 % respectively. 20%, 41% and 39% for low, medium and high on fish species ratio combination, 9%, 13% and 78% on fish seed stocking stages. 16%, 36% and 48% for low, medium and high knowledge on fry/fingerling treatment (NaCl), 11%, 19% and 70 % for low, medium and high knowledge on fish stocking density and 15%, 21% and 64% for low, medium and high knowledge on Pre and post-stocking management. Average fish production increase from 0.78 tone/ha/yr to 1.54 tone/ha/yr (97.4% increase) after imparting training and demonstration, which implies training and demonstration on CFC has significant impact on increase fish production per hectare of pond, through the power of knowledge gained by farmers on technical knowhow on CFC.

ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE LEVEL AND RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PROFILE OF TRAINED YOUTH OF THE ARYA PROJECT ABOUT GOAT FARMING

Agriculture and related industries are the driving force behind our country's socioeconomic growth. What is particularly concerning in the current situation is that educated rural young, even agricultural graduates are not interested in pursuing a career in agriculture or its related sectors. Attracting and Retaining of Youth in Agriculture (ARYA) was launched in 2015, Krishi Vigyan Kendra will execute this initiative in 25 states throughout the country. The ARYA project aims to attract and empower rural youth to engage in various agriculture, allied, and service sector enterprises for long-term income and meaningful employment. For present study all 120 trained youth in goat farming were selected, trained youth were selected purposively who have obtained training on goat farming under ARYA project and 20 trainers were selected for suggestions for better run his program of the study area. Thus, a total of 140 respondents were included in the study. It was revealed that majority of trained youth (80.00%) had a medium level of knowledge, followed by 10.83 percent who had a low level of knowledge, and (09.67%) who had a high level of knowledge on appropriate goat rearing practices. The trained youth profiles viz., namely family size, social participation, livestock possession, training experience, mass media utilization behaviour, innovativeness, extension contact, scientific orientation had significant relationship with knowledge of trained youth at 1 % level of probability.

Qualitative study on the perception of good death in patients with end-stage cancer in oncology nurses

ObjectiveTo explore the perception of good death of patients with end-stage cancer by nurses in the oncology department.MethodIn the study we used a phenomenological approach and semi-structured interviews. A total of 11 nurses from the oncology department of a Grade A hospital in Taizhou were interviewed on the cognition of good death from July 1 to September 30, 2022. Colaizzi’s analysis method was used to analyse the interview data. This study followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ).ResultFour themes were identified: a strong sense of responsibility and mission; To sustain hope and faith; The important role of family members; Improve patients’ quality of life.ConclusionThe nurses in the department of oncology have a low level of knowledge about the “good death”, and the correct understanding and view of the “good death” is the premise of the realization of " good death”. The ability of nursing staff to improve the “good death”, attention, and meet the needs and wishes of individuals and families, is the guarantee of the realization of “good death”.

KNOWLEDGE LEVEL OF FARMERS ON CLIMATE RESILIENT AGRO-TECHNOLOGIES IN NICRA VILLAGE

The present study was conducted in Narmada district of Gujarat to measure the level of knowledge and awareness of farmers on climate resilient agro-technologies in NICRA village last two years. A total of 120 farmers, 60 NICRA (National Innovations on climate resilient agriculture) participant farmers and 60 non-participant farmers were selected randomly from the purposively selected village. The findings of the study revealed that majority of the participant farmers (58.33%) had medium level of knowledge while for nonparticipant farmers (78.33%) had low level knowledge on climate resilient agro-technologies. It was seen that all the participant farmers (100%) were aware about climate resilient agro-technologies considered in the study, while differential level of awareness was observed among the non-participant farmers. The existing extension efforts made under the project need to be strengthened and streamlined to enhance the knowledge level of participant farmers on climate resilient agro-technologies.

KNOWLEDGE REGARDING DIGITAL TRANSACTIONS AMONG WORKING WOMEN

A digital transaction refers to the exchange of value or payment between two parties using electronic means, such as through the internet or other digital channels. Both the payer and the payee use digital methods to send and receive money, while making digital payments. The study was conducted in Hisar district during the year 2022-23 with a sample size of 160 working women (80 each from teaching and non-teaching) selected randomly from four colleges of the university. A set of 6 independent variables and 1 dependent variable was selected for the study.The collected data was analysed with suitable statistical tools and techniques such as frequency, percentage, chi-square test and correlation to reveal major findings. The findings revealed that the majority of respondents from the teaching staff were in the age group of 35-45 years were married and lived in urban areas, whereas the majority of respondents from the non-teaching staff were in the age group of 25-35 years married and majority of them residing in urban areas. Almost cent percent majority from the teaching staff had exposure to digital transactions and the majority of them were using digital transactions for more than 3 years with 40 percent having internet as source of information. From the non-teaching staff, the majority of respondents had exposure to digital transactions with 28.75 percent using it for 1-2 years having localite source of information. The knowledge level was assessed using 20 statements and found that majority of the teaching staff reported having a medium degree of understanding of digital transactions, compared to a low level of knowledge among the non-teaching staff. A negative correlation was found between the age and knowledge of the respondents in both teaching and non-teaching staff.

Signaling sustainability: Do Canadian consumers prefer broad or narrow food sustainability labels?

AbstractSustainability labeling has been increasingly integrated into many food product labels in response to consumer interest in purchasing sustainably produced food. While a product label may contain the phrase “sustainably produced”, little additional information is available to consumers regarding how sustainability has been enhanced, or the dimensions of sustainability encompassed by the label. Using data from a survey of 1416 Canadian consumers, we examine consumer perceptions of sustainability and preferences for broad versus narrow sustainability claims across several contexts, including the dimensions of sustainability and the scope of a sustainability standard with respect to compliance criteria, product coverage, and geographical coverage. We find low levels of consumer knowledge and understanding of sustainability labeling, heterogeneity with respect to which dimension of sustainability appeals to different types of consumers, and a general preference for broad over narrowly defined sustainability labels, particularly with respect to the scope of criteria encompassed by the label. Our findings suggest some confusion as to what constitutes sustainability in the context of agri‐food, but that broader, more encompassing labels are likely to gain more traction with consumers.

Nursing Competence in Thrombolytic Therapy for Myocardial Infarction: A Public Teaching Hospital Study

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge and proficiency of nurses in managing thrombolytic therapy for myocardial infarction. Methodology: A cross-sectional research design was adopted and conducted in a public teaching hospital from May 2020 to September 2020. Registered professional nurses (n=52) working in the emergency department (ED) and cardiac care unit (CCU) were invited to participate. A structured, pre-validated questionnaire was used for data collection. The study received approval from the institutional review board and ethics committee. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Results: Fifty ED nurses participated in the study, predominantly male, aged ≤ 34 years, with ≤ 3 years of experience. The overall knowledge score of nurses regarding thrombolytic therapy was 71%, while the practice score was 79%. The lowest level of knowledge was related to contraindications (65%) and treatment protocols (66%), while the highest was for therapy considerations (85.2%). The lowest task performance (47.8%) was observed in the pre-administration phase. There was a negative correlation (r = -0.226) between knowledge and practice. Knowledge levels were higher among male nurses, while task performance was better among those with cardiac certification. Conclusion: The study revealed that while nurses had a favorable level of knowledge about thrombolytic therapy, their practical implementation was poor. This gap highlights the need for targeted educational programs and the establishment of efficient documentation systems to enhance clinical practice.

Knowledge of Health Students Regarding Nutritional Deficiencies in Patients With Celiac Disease in Jazan Region: A Cross-Sectional Study.

In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of celiac disease (CeD) was 2.7% greater than the global pooled prevalence of 1.4%. Patients who strictly adhere to a lifetime gluten-free diet (GFD) may develop nutritional deficiencies potentially contributing to obesity, increased cardiovascular risk, and lower bone density. Therefore, this study aims to assess the knowledge of health students in the Jazan region regarding nutritional deficiencies in patients with CeD who are on a GFD and to determine the associated socio-demographic factors. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among health college students of Jazan University, including students from the College of Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Dentistry, Public Health and Health Informatics, and Allied Health Sciences, aged 18 and above, excluding internship students, students who did not complete the survey, and those who refused to participate. The minimum calculated sample size was 368. The questionnaire was adopted from the literature and translated into Arabic.It contained a socio-demographic section and a knowledge section that included 12 questions focusing on the content of macro- and micronutrients in a GFD and the impact of the diet on the health of patients with CeD. The study included 369 participants, with 235 (64%) aged 17-22, 280 (76%) being females, and 341 (92%) being single. The College of Medicine and the College of Applied Medical Sciences had the highest representation, and the College of Dentistry was the lowest. Most participants were in the fourth year (30%) and sixth year (24%). The grade point average (GPA)had a median of 4.3. Approximately 59.1% were aware of nutritional deficiencies among CeD patients. None of the sociodemographic factors were associated with health students' knowledge regarding CeD. Participants from the College of Pharmacy had a lower knowledge of CeD nutrient deficiencies than those from the College of Medicine. (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.22, 0.90). Most students stated that CeD patients should be advised to take multivitamin drugs and vitamin D supplements. Most acknowledged vitamin D, vitamin B12, and folic acid deficiencies in CeD patients. Similarly, most were aware of iron and calcium deficiencies, with a small percentage aware of zinc and copper. Approximately 59.1% had an acceptable level of knowledge, which is considered a low knowledge level among students who will be future physicians and healthcare workers to whom CeD will represent the first-line disease exposed to. Rising knowledge and awareness among those students will guarantee correct diagnosis, treatment, and better outcomes among CeD patients, thus decreasing the disease burden and increasing the quality of those patients.

Poor self-care practices and contributing factors among adults with type 2 diabetes in Adama, Ethiopia

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a prominent global health challenge, characterized by a rising prevalence and substantial morbidity and mortality, especially evident in developing nations. Although DM can be managed with self-care practices despite its complexity and chronic nature, the persistence of poor self-care exacerbates the disease burden. There is a dearth of evidence on the level of poor self-care practices and contributing factors among patients with DM in the study area. Thus, this study assessed the proportion of poor self-care practices and contributing factors among adults with type 2 DM in Adama, Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 404 patients. Self-care practice was assessed by the summary of diabetes self-care activities questionnaires. Binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with poor self-care practices. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to assess the strength of associations. The statistical significance was declared for a p-value < 0.05. The proportion of poor self-care practices was 54% [95% CI 49.1, 58.6]. Being divorced (AOR = 3.5; 95% CI 1.0, 12.2), having a lower level of knowledge (AOR = 1.70; 95% CI 1.0, 2.8), being on insulin (AOR = 6.3; 95% CI 1.9, 20.6), taking oral medication (AOR = 8.6; 95% CI 3.0, 24.5), being unaware of fasting blood sugar (AOR = 2.9; 95% CI 1.6, 5.2), not a member of a diabetic association (AOR = 3.6; 95% CI 1.7, 7.5), a lack of social support (AOR = 2.9; 95% CI 1.7, 4.9), and having a poor perceived benefit of self-care practices (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI 1.0, 3.2) were associated with poor self-care practices. Overall, this finding demonstrated that a significant percentage of participants (54%) had poor self-care practices. Being divorced, having a low level of knowledge about diabetes and fasting blood sugar, lacking social support, relying on oral medication, perceiving limited benefits from self-care practices, and not being a member of diabetic associations were identified as independent factors of poor self-care.

Public awareness, knowledge, and attitude regarding proper disposal of unused medicines and associated factors in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia.

Proper disposal of unwanted medicines, in addition to reducing wastage, has a positive impact on the environment and public health. Improper disposal of medications increases the risk of accidental poisonings, particularly among children. This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes, and awareness regarding the proper disposal of unused medicines in Gondar city, northwest Ethiopia. From 30 July to 30 August 2023, a community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the public in Gondar city. The data were gathered using the Kobo toolbox, exported into an Excel sheet, and then analyzed using SPSS version 27. Multivariate and bivariate binary logistic regressions were performed. A p-value of 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to determine statistical significance. From 786 study participants, the overall knowledge and attitude of the community toward the proper disposal of unused medicines were 42.6 and 42.9%, respectively. Factors identified in this study included ages between 19 and 25 [AOR = 6.91, 95% CI: (3.45, 13.84); education level: secondary [AOR = 11.82, 95% CI: (1.01, 3.29)] and college and above [AOR = 5.68, 95% CI: (2.25, 14.30)]; prior information [AOR = 6.41; 95% CI: (4.02, 10.22)]; and good attitudes [AOR = 2.11; 95% CI: (1.47, 3.02)]] as factors associated with good knowledge toward proper disposal of unused medicines. In addition, receiving information [AOR = 1.86 95% CI: (1.22, 2.86)], taking medication in the past 6 months [AOR = 1.61, 95% CI: (1.09, 2.38)], and being knowledgeable [AOR = 2.07 95% CI: (1.46, 2.94)] were factors contributing to positive attitudes toward the disposal of unused medicines among the general public. Furthermore, approximately 369 participants (46.9%) in our study lacked awareness about the harmful effects of disposing of unused medicine in regular waste. A relatively low level of knowledge and attitudes about the proper disposal of unused medications is present in the community. In this regard, a well-coordinated and methodical public awareness campaign is recommended to disseminate information and promote the appropriate disposal of unused medications.

Analysis of demand and influencing factors for smart senior care among older adults in underdeveloped regions of western China: a case study of Lanzhou

IntroductionWith the rapid development of artificial intelligence and Internet-of-Things technology, internal support systems among families are gradually weakening, which can no longer satisfy the current demands of older adults. In this context, smart senior care has become a new development direction. However, existing studies on the demand for smart senior care are primarily concentrated in economically developed provinces and mega-cities in eastern China; their research results or conclusions may not apply to underdeveloped areas in the Western region. Therefore, our study selects Lanzhou as a representative city in an underdeveloped western region to investigate the demand of older adults for smart senior care and analyze the influencing factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 4,815 older adults from Lanzhou, China. A structured questionnaire was designed to investigate the demands of the older adults for smart senior care and analyze thie influencing factors. The Chi-square test was used for single factor analysis of each variable. The logistic regression model included the statistically significant variables to analyze factors influencing older adults’ demand for smart senior care. A significance level of p &amp;lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsAmong the surveyed older adults, 1,625 (33.75%) expressed a demand for smart senior care. The finding indicated that participants’ age, level of education, marital status, monthly income, number of children, type of endowment insurance, and knowledge of smart senior care were significantly associated with their demands for smart senior care (p &amp;lt; 0.05). Notably, medical care emerged as the smart senior care service with the highest demand rate (79.45%).ConclusionIn Lanzhou, older adults show a low level of knowledge but a high demand for smart senior care. Their demand is influenced by personal, family, health conditions, senior care security, and other factors. To advance smart senior care, government departments should accelerate the improvement of the laws and regulations on smart senior care while vigorously enhancing the service’s publicity to raise knowledge about it. Additionally, the service contents for smart senior care should be expanded to meet the diversified demands of older adults.

Preparing future educational psychologists to prevent school bullying

Relevance. School bullying is a widespread problem that requires effective prevention strategies. However, many teachers and educational psychologists lack sufficient knowledge and skills to address bullying. There is a need to better prepare future educational psychologists to prevent and intervene in bullying situations. Purpose. The purpose of the research article is to develop and test an elective course for training future educational psychologists in bullying prevention in Kazakhstan schools. Methodology. An elective course titled �Prevention of school bullying: from theory to practice� was developed and implemented with third-year bachelor's students in Pedagogy and Psychology at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The course included theoretical and practical components. Students' knowledge and skills were assessed before and after the course using tests and case studies. Results. Prior to the course, most students demonstrated low levels of knowledge and skills related to bullying prevention. After completing the course, students in the experimental group showed significant improvements, with 64% reaching a high level of competency compared to 0% in the control group. The course helped students acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills for addressing bullying. Conclusions. The elective course was effective in developing future educational psychologists' professional competencies for bullying prevention. Recommendations are provided for improving bullying prevention efforts in Kazakhstan schools, including raising awareness, providing training for teachers and psychologists, and maintaining communication with parents. The study demonstrates the importance of practice-oriented training in preparing educational psychologists to address school bullying. Keywords: bullying; bullying prevention; school violence; educational psychologist; educational environment; anti-bullying course