Minimum Literacy Research Articles

Development and validation of the Women’s Self-care Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire (WSKAQ)

BackgroundMenopausal women should learn self-care practices to enjoy a healthy lifestyle, positive health behaviors, and health status. In addition, the lack of self-care knowledge can lead to unhealthy attitudes and lifestyles, resulting in many complications. Improved self-care knowledge can foster positive attitudes, leading to healthier lifestyles as a beneficial cycle. However, menopausal women have limited knowledge about self-care and evaluation tools. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and investigate the validity and reliability of the Women’s Self-care Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire (WSKAQ) in Iranian menopausal women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted on 249 menopausal women, aged between 45 and 65 years and at least one year post-menopause, with a minimum literacy level of elementary education. Validation properties included construct validity, exploratory (EFA), and discriminant validity. Reliability was further established through Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s Omega. PASS 15 and SPSS 27 software were used to select centers, calculate sample size and analyze the data, respectively.ResultsThe initial stage of construct validity involved the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and EFA, resulting in a 6-item self-care knowledge subscale, 47.29% of the total data variance, and 7-item self-care attitude subscale, 55.50% of the total data variance. Independent t-test indicated that menopausal women with education level equal to or higher than diploma have significantly higher self-care attitude scores than those with lower than diploma (p = 0.007). Additionally, significant correlations were observed between self-care knowledge and attitude (r:0.30). Cronbach’s α and McDonald’s Omega coefficients of the 13-item WSKAQ were 0.77 and 0.78, respectively.ConclusionsBased on the results, the WSKAQ, consisting of 13 items, was validated and reliable for assessing the self-care knowledge and attitude of Iranian menopausal women.

Comparison of barriers to effective nurse-patient communication in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 wards

BackgroundCommunication is a basic need of humans. Identifying factors that prevent effective nurse-patient communication allows for the better implementation of necessary measures to modify barriers. This study aims to compare the barriers to effective nurse-patient communication from the perspectives of nurses and patients in COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 wards.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 2022. The participants included 200 nurses (by stratified sampling method) and 200 patients (by systematic random sampling) referred to two conveniently selected hospitals in Shahroud, Iran. The inclusion criteria for nurses were considered having at least a bachelor’s degree and a minimum literacy level for patients to complete the questionnaires. Data were collected by the demographic information form and questionnaire with 30 and 15 questions for nurses and patients, which contained similar questions to those for nurses, based on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analysis using descriptive indices and inferential statistics (Linear regression) in SPSS software version 18.ResultsThe high workload of nursing, excessive expectations of patients, and the difficulty of nursing work were identified by nurses as the main communication barriers. From the patients’ viewpoints, the aggressiveness of nurses, the lack of facilities (welfare treatment), and the unsanitary conditions of their rooms were the main communication barriers. The regression model revealed that the mean score of barriers to communication among nurses would decrease to 0.48 for each unit of age increase. Additionally, the patient’s residence explained 2.3% of the nurses’ barriers to communication, meaning that native participants obtained a mean score of 2.83 units less than non-native nurses, and there was no statistically significant difference between the COVID and non-COVID wards.ConclusionIn this study, the domain of job characteristics was identified by nurses as the major barrier, and patients emphasized factors that were in the domain of individual/social factors. There is a pressing need to pay attention to these barriers to eliminate them through necessary measures by nursing administrators.

ANALISIS KEMAMPUAN LITERASI DAN NUMERASI DITINJAU DARI SOAL AKM BERORIENTASI KONTEKS SAINTIFIK DAN SOSIAL BUDAYA PADA MATERI KESETIMBANGAN ASAM DAN BASA

Currently, the MCA (Minimum Competency Assessment) program is part of the National Assessment to measure minimum literacy and numeracy competencies. MCA questions consist of various content, various contexts and several levels of cognitive levels. This quantitative descriptive research is focused on analyzing the literacy and numeracy abilities of students in solving MCA questions that are integrated with scientific and socio-cultural contexts. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire and MCA test instruments. The results of this study indicate that the minimum competence of students is mostly at the proficient level of 42%. The greatest achievement of the cognitive level of reading literacy is at the level of evaluating and reflecting because the discourse and phenomena presented in the questions are often encountered by students. The lowest achievement is at the understanding level because it requires the ability to analyze and associate information with the concepts that students have. The achievement of the highest cognitive level of numeracy literacy is at the knowing level because students can carry out basic calculation operations and change variables according to the information in the items. The lowest achievement at the reasoning level was because students had never found the type of questions that required the ability to analyze, predict, and take strategies to solve the items..

Analysis of the Readiness of Students and Teachers in the Implementation of National Assessments at the Integrated Islamic Middle School Lubuk Cemara Tarbiyah Islamiyah Education Foundation

The research was entitled 'Analysis of reading by students and teachers in conducting assessments at the Islamic Education Institute of Lubbock Simala'. This is because the national evaluation is known to be one of the guidelines of the Ministry of Education and Culture. A culture that aims to improve the quality of education in Indonesia. Through an appropriate national assessment, students are expected to be able to develop their abilities and personality. The state exam replaces the national exam. This is the second year that the national evaluation has been carried out, but according to the results of last year's evaluation, the Islamic Education Foundation Integrated Islamic Education Foundation MTs has not yet achieved the minimum literacy rate. . Computing capabilities. Therefore, there is a gap between the expectations of the Ministry of National Education and the results of our school evaluation, and researchers are interested in conducting research. This research is a type of qualitative research using data analysis techniques with analytical descriptive methods. Data obtained through observation and interviews. A total of 45 subjects and 5 subjects were taken by the national exam. The purpose of this research is to analyze the willingness of teachers and students to carry out national assessments. The data analysis technique used in this study is the Milles & Huberman model, which includes three data analyses: data reduction, data presentation, and result extraction. Therefore, through data analysis it is known that the preparation of teachers and students when carrying out the national assessment includes: Preparing physical and mental health, preparing facilities and infrastructure, preparing students for knowledge development, and even preparing for technical exams. Doing a national assessment, more on this source textSource text needed to get additional translation information Send feedback Side panel

Conceptualization of Waqf Marketplace Innovation Model

As the largest and most generous Muslim country in the world, waqf has enormous potential in Indonesia. However, this potential has not been maximized for several reasons, such as minimum literacy, the lack of practitioners' skills, and the absence of collaboration from various parties to maximize the potential of waqf. These problems need to be addressed immediately so as not to hinder the development of waqf in Indonesia. Therefore, to address these issues, this study intends to conceptualize the marketplace of nazhir (waqf managers), waqif (donors), businesses, and charity institutions, which put the missing puzzle in place to create a waqf ecosystem. To achieve the purpose, this research employs a qualitative approach with a descriptive-analytical method. Data is collected through secondary data such as articles, books, conference proceedings, government reports, official website information, and other related waqf scopes. The model proposed in this study is expected to encourage waqf ecosystem development in this digital era. Furthermore, the conceptual model of this study may help the government and stakeholders in the waqf and economic sector to achieve prosperity.

Приемы обучения иностранных учащихся пониманию текстов на этапе довузовской подготовки (русский язык как иностранный)

This article is devoted to the methods of teaching to work with text in such innovative technologies as а problematic technology and project technology as well as in technology of functional reading for the purpose to build skills and abilities of understanding and interpretation of the texts. The article is devoted to instructional techniques that are used when working with text in such innovative technologies as a problem and design technology, as well as technology training functional reading. These techniques make it possible to teach cognitive strategies to understand text information, necessary for the formation of skills and abilities of text activity in the target language. Most effectively they are used in the methods of teaching functional reading, in which the basic elements and principles of innovative technologies are implemented in the system and on a fundamentally new basis. The terms “functional literacy” and “minimum literacy”, which were introduced in 1975, UNESCO designated range of skills and abilities, providing the ability to understand, evaluate and interpret texts, as well as the use of textual information in daily, academic and professional activities. Functional reading is one of the components of the minimum (functional) literacy. In the PISA study and PIRLS, dedicated to the analysis of the level of functional literacy in reading skills are defined as the ability to the comprehension of written texts and reflection, to extract the textual information and its use for their own purposes. In the modern methodological literature under the functional reading is understood reading to search for information to solve a particular problem, perform certain tasks, which uses methods of viewing, analytical, studying reading. In this article reveal indicates content of teaching the concept of functional reading and substantiates its effectiveness already in the elementary and basic levels of mastery of Russian as a foreign language including language specialty. The publication suggested possible forms of learning strategies of text comprehension and skills functional reading on the example of the organization of work with educational texts on language specialty “Jurisprudence” Basic level (A2) is shown system tasks, which use before the texts and after texts justified their didactic expediency and describes a method of implementation. In an e-textbook has been used as a didactic material “Russian language (as a foreign language)” (Anokhina, Antipova, Grivina et al. 2018) in development of which the author participated.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Persian Version of Illustrated Memory Impairment Screen (PIMIS) Test in Elderly Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease in Iran

Background: The memory impairment screen (MIS) test is a brief, four-item, delay-free, and cued-recall test of memory impairment. It is highly correlated with Alzheimer’s pathology and can be easily used by trained non-specialists. However, the application of this test might be restricted due to minimum literacy levels requirement. The picture based MIS (PMIS) is a modified version that can be used by even illiterate or low-education people. The pictures can be adapted based on cultural differences. Objectives: The aim of this study was to provide and validate the Persian version of illustrated memory impairment screen (PIMIS) test in elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease in Iran. Methods: This validation was a cross-sectional study on people 60 years of age and older with different levels of education (illiterate to > 13 years of education). The participants consisted of subjects with normal cognition, subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and different types of Dementia. Cognitive impairment was diagnosed by a neurologist with expertise in dementia (gold standard). The validity was assessed by comparing MISIP with the gold standard. Area under ROC curve, optimal cut-point, sensitivity, specificity, and Cronbach’s alpha were estimated. Results: Data were collected from 119 participants, 38 of which were diagnosed with Dementia, 17 with MCI, 21 with SCI and also 43 had normal cognition. The PIMIS score was significantly lower in patients diagnosed with dementia compared to the other groups (7.1 versus 4.3 for PIMIS score with a P value of less than 0.001). The PIMIS had a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 91% for detecting dementia at a cut-point of five. Level of education had no significant effect on the test. Conclusions: IMIS is a simple reliable screening test in elderly population with variable literacy rates.

A retrospective cohort study on effect of literacy status of HIV-positive pregnant women on possibility of child getting HIV infected.

Introduction:Prevention of parent-to-child transmission (PPTCT) program aims at reduction of HIV transmission through vertical route. Although medical intervention reduces chance of HIV transmission substantially, several demographic factors are often contributory. Minimum literacy is required for HIV-infected individuals to understand the course of medicine and to ensure compliance to the treatment which may have impact on vertical transmission. The objective of this study is to analyze relationship between maternal education and possibility of her babies to get HIV infected.Materials and Methods:A retrospective cohort study was carried out through analysis of secondary data during the period from April 13 to September 16 from all stand-alone integrated counseling and testing centers in West Bengal. A total number of 326 HIV-exposed babies, whose 6th week HIV-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) reports are available and both the mother-baby received PPTCT services, were recruited in the study, and their maternal literacy status was substantiated and analyzed.Results:HIV positivity among HIV-exposed babies was found to be 6.67% whose mothers were illiterate as compared to 5.55% whose mothers were literate up to primary standard and 3.93% whose mothers were educated up to secondary standard. HIV positivity among the exposed babies whose mothers studied higher secondary standard or above showed zero HIV positivity. Chi-square was done to ascertain statistical significance but result was inconclusive although the trend shows increasing chance of HIV-exposed babies to get infected with decreasing literacy.Conclusion:Maternal literacy status favorably influences vertical transmission of HIV.

Educational Outcomes For Aboriginal School Students In Tasmania: Is The Achievement Gap Closing?

A quality education is a basic societal right. Yet for many Aboriginal students that right is not yet a reality. This paper focuses on the situation of Aboriginal/palawa school students in Tasmania and employs a quantitative methodology to examine the comparative educational achievements of Aboriginal school students. State level Grade 3, 5, 7 and 9 numeracy and reading test results from the National Assessment Program of Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) 2008 - 2016 support the analysis. Results indicate that Aboriginal students remain more likely to be at or below minimum literacy and numeracy standards than their non-Aboriginal counterparts. It is also found that Aboriginal students’ academic achievement declines as they move through the schooling system. Further, Aboriginal students are less likely to partake in NAPLAN due to higher absenteeism on test days. These results are discussed in the context of education policy and the broader national and international literature on factors influencing academic achievement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander school students. Despite an increasing awareness and the development of strategic policies to address Aboriginal educational inequality, it is evident that little has changed between 2008 and 2016. It is strongly argued that Aboriginal students’ underachievement is more likely tied to schooling and policy environments that do not adequately meet their needs, rather than the students themselves. As such, policies and interventions that create long term, embedded improvement of Aboriginal students’ schooling experiences and the engagement of their families and communities are a prerequisite for improving Aboriginal student outcomes.Â

The effects of discourses in regional contexts on the development of curriculum‐based literacy standards for adolescents in schooling: a comparative study of South Australia and Ontario

ABSTRACTThis study analyses how discourses in regional contexts affect the development of curriculum‐based literacy standards for adolescents in schooling. A comparative case‐study research design enabled the influences of discourses at the regional level to be analysed. The case studies include the development of curricula to define a minimum literacy standard for the final years of schooling for adolescents in Ontario, Canada, and South Australia, Australia. Critical discourse analysis of key texts associated with the development of literacy standards in each region reveals how globally shared meanings about standard setting for schooling interact with other discourses operating in local contexts to produce curricula that define literacy standards. The results indicate that, while a global discourse about standards‐based reforms may be foregrounded in curriculum, locally generated discourses can challenge key ideas associated with a simplistic discourse about standards. Discourses about literacy in Ontario and South Australia contest the assertion that literacy at the end point of schooling can be defined as a basic competency and local meanings associated with literacy are emphasised within the curriculum for each location. Language choices, involving particularly lexical cohesion, complex noun groups and nominalisation, are used to ensure that local meanings inform literacy standards for the endpoint of schooling.

The feasibility, patterns of use and acceptability of using mobile phone text-messaging to improve treatment adherence and post-treatment review of children with uncomplicated malaria in western Kenya

BackgroundTrials evaluating the impact of mobile phone text-messaging to support management of acute diseases, such as malaria, are urgently needed in Africa. There has been however a concern about the feasibility of interventions that rely on access to mobile phones among caregivers in rural areas. To assess the feasibility and inform development of an intervention to improve adherence to malaria medications and post-treatment review, mobile phone network, access, ownership and use among caregivers in western Kenya was assessed.MethodsA cross-sectional survey based on outpatient exit interviews was undertaken among caregivers of children with malaria at four trial facilities. The main outcomes were proportions of caregivers that have mobile signal at home; have access to mobile phones; are able to read; and use text-messaging. Willingness to receive text-message reminders was also explored. Descriptive analyses were performed.ResultsOf 400 interviewed caregivers, the majority were female (93.5%), mothers of the sick children (87.8%) and able to read (97.3%). Only 1.7% of caregivers were without any education. Nearly all (99.8%) reported access to a mobile signal at home. 93.0% (site range: 89-98%) had access to a mobile phone within their household while 73.8% (site range: 66-78%) possessed a personal phone. Among caregivers with mobile phone access, 93.6% (site range: 85-99%) used the phone to receive text-messages. Despite only 19% having electricity at home nearly all (99.7%) caregivers reported that they would be able to have permanent phone access to receive text-messages in the next 28 days. Willingness to receive text-message reminders was nearly universal (99.7%) with 41.7% of caregivers preferring texts in English, 32.3% in Kiswahili and 26.1% in Dholuo.ConclusionsDespite concerns that the feasibility of text-messaging interventions targeting caregivers may be compromised in rural high malaria risk areas in Kenya, very favourable conditions were found with respect to mobile network, access and ownership of phones, use of text-messaging and minimum literacy levels required for successful intervention delivery. Moreover, there was a high willingness of caregivers to receive text-message reminders. Impact evaluations of carefully tailored text-messaging interventions targeting caregivers of children with malaria are timely and justified.

A Comparative Study of Reading Instruction in Differentially Successful Elementary Schools

Elementary schools are positioned to be the epicenter for literacy formation and development, yet many students fail to reach minimum literacy standards. This multiple-case qualitative inquiry focuses on the inner workings of schools that experienced various levels of reading success to determine which programmatic aspects led towards effective reading planning and instruction. Findings revealed that literacy performance is affected by the following causes: the utilization of instructionally appropriate materials to facilitate independent work; scheduling and monitoring of support personnel; management and use of time; assessment practices inform instruction; and continuity within instructional frameworks. This study can assist in setting up professional development, serving as a guide for providing warranted support for student learning and teacher knowledge, and fostering considerations for including teachers in the important stages regarding the planning and implementation of classroom literacy instruction.

Against a minimum voting age

A minimum voting age is defended as the most effective and least disrespectful means of ensuring all members of an electorate are sufficiently competent to vote. Whilst it may be reasonable to require competency from voters, a minimum voting age should be rejected because its view of competence is unreasonably controversial, it is incapable of defining a clear threshold of sufficiency and an alternative test is available which treats children more respectfully. This alternative is a procedural test for minimum electoral competence. A procedural test for minimum electoral competence also succeeds in fulfilling adults’ duties to promote children’s rational and moral engagement with democracy. A minimum voting age should therefore be rejected, all things considered. A procedural test for minimum literacy and independent voting is the most justified means to ensure competency from voters and to promote the democratic agency of children.

The differential effects of preschool: Evidence from Virginia

Abstract This study investigated the differential and persistent effects of a state-funded pre-K program, the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI). We analyzed data from a cohort of over 60,000 students nested in approximately 1000 schools from the beginning of kindergarten to the end of first grade using two-level hierarchical logistic regression models. While controlling for student- and school-level variables, we found that attending a VPI-funded program was beneficially associated with a lower likelihood of repeating kindergarten and improved probabilities of meeting or exceeding minimum literacy competencies. The benefits of attending pre-K were greatest upon kindergarten entry and persisted until the end of the first grade for Hispanic and Black students, as well as for students with disabilities, despite VPI-funded program attendees going to schools with higher concentrations of poverty.

In Practice

According to the most recent data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, there are an estimated 759 million adults lacking minimum literacy skills in the world. Health literacy, however is not just about people's ability to read and understand health information but also includes the capacity to obtain, process and engage in basic health information and services and subsequently making suitable health decisions.

Limitations of the Mini-Mental State Examination for screening dementia in a community with low socioeconomic status

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is the most widely used instrument for the screening of cognitive impairment worldwide, but its ability to produce valid estimates of dementia in populations of low socioeconomic status and minimal literacy skills has not been adequately established. The authors investigated the psychometric properties of the MMSE in a community-based sample of older Brazilians. Cross-sectional one-phase population-based study of all residents of pre-defined areas of the city of Sao Paulo, aged 65 years or over. The Brazilian version of the MMSE was compared with DSM-IV diagnosis of dementia assessed with a harmonized one-phase procedure developed by the 10/66 Dementia Research Group. Analyses were performed with 1,933 participants of the SPAH study. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the MMSE cut-point of 14/15 was associated with 78.7% sensitivity and 77.8% specificity for the diagnosis of dementia amongst participants with no formal education, and the cut-point 17/18 with 91.9% sensitivity and 89.5% specificity for those with at least 1 year of formal education (areas under the curves 0.87 and 0.94, respectively; P = 0.03). Even with these best fitting cut-points, the MMSE estimate of the prevalence of dementia was four times higher than determined by the DSM-IV criteria. Education, age, sex and income influenced MMSE scores, independently of dementia caseness. The MMSE is an adequate tool for screening dementia in older adults with minimum literacy skills, but misclassification is unacceptably high for older adults who are illiterate, which has serious consequences for research and clinical practice in low and middle income countries, where the proportion of illiteracy among older adults is high.