Number Of Female Participants Research Articles

Women's Performance in Conferences and Their Publications: A Critical Analysis

Abstract Introduction Gender inequality occurs in all spheres of society, which is no different in the medical field. Abstract presentations in congress are the vanguard of scientific knowledge, an integral part of topic discussion, and, ideally, culminate in the publication of these works as complete manuscripts. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate the role played by women in the presentation of scientific works at the Brazilian Society of Coloproctology congress and in the works published from these presentations. Methods The bibliometric evaluation of the presented abstracts in the editions from 2015 to 2018 of the Brazilian Congress of Coloproctology was used, along with the works later published from these presentations. Gender identification data was extracted from the authors of the abstracts through their names and research for conference on the Lattes and Google Scholar platforms. The collected data was on the number of female participants and their order of authorship of abstracts and publications, evaluating possible changes when publication occurs. Results A total of 1,336 abstracts were analyzed, with 91.6% of female authors. When publication occurs, women's presence dropped to 75.2% and suffered a change of order in the position of authorship to one of lesser relevance in 38.1%. Conclusion Women's participation occurs in most abstracts. However, this proportion undergoes unfavorable changes when these works are published, either by changing the order of authorship, when women leave main positions and become coauthors, or are removed from the complete manuscript's publication.

Association of spiritual well-being with quality of life among undergraduate nursing students

Objective: The study was conducted with the aim of determining the spiritual well-being (SWB) of nursing students and its association with quality of life (QOL). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with a sample size of 504 nursing students collected from January 2023 to March 2023 in the nursing institutes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, using convenient sampling techniques. A Spiritual Health and Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM) questionnaire for SWB and K-27 QOL (K-27 QOL) instrument were used for data collection that contains three parts. Results: The number of female participants was in the majority (50.4%) compared to male nurses (49.6%). The overall mean score of SWB of the students was 3.79 ± 0.48, while the mean K-27 QOL score was 3.73 ± 0.57. There were significant differences between the groups of gender (P = 0.001), while no significant difference within the groups of semester (P = 0.061) and college status (0.285). In QOL, there were significant differences within the groups of semester (P = 0.000) and college status (P = 0.036) while no significant difference in gender category (P = 0.480). SHALOM score is positively and moderately correlated with QOL score (r = 0.597, P < 0.05). Conclusion: Spiritual practices are one of the important factors that are associated positively with QOL, therefore to enhance the QOL, it will require spiritual practices.

Criminological features of crimes of a terrorist nature and extremist crimes in the PRC

Terrorist crimes and extremist crimes have created a huge threat to state security, territorial integrity, social stability, economic development and social harmony in China. Persons who commit violent terrorist crimes have the following characteristics: a low level of culture, a decrease in age, an increase in the number of female participants, a low-level profession. The organizational features of violent terrorist crimes are manifested in the following: terrorist attacks by "lone wolves", groups with a free structure and strict organization, a clear trend in the development of the transnational nature of terrorist organizations. Violent terrorist crimes in China, from the point of view of the mode of action, have the following classic features: an explicit political goal, a motive for religious heresy or national enmity, a variety of ways and cruelty of methods of carrying out terrorists of violent terrorist acts. In the terrorist attacks that took place, almost all the criminals fell under the influence of the ideas of violent terrorism before committing the terrorist attack.

EVALUATION OF SELF-HARM AND SUICIDAL ATTEMPTS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Self–harm and suicidal attempts are very important public health concerns and emerging issues affecting millions globally, especially young and adults. Suicidal attempts and self–harm are essential predictors of suicide in future and intolerable suffering. Assessment in this domain is challenging as no agreement is observed to conceptualize the behaviors. Our study aims to assess the prevalence rate of suicidal attempts and thoughts and self–harm thoughts in young adults. This cross-sectional study was conducted at Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University for 6 months. An online questionnaire was prepared and circulated among young adults. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. The questionnaire included many demographic questions, including age, gender, living status, and relationship status. The data was analyzed using SPSS 24.0. For all qualitative variables, frequencies and percentages were measured. A total of 401 responses were collected. The number of female participants was more (66.6%) than male participants (33.4%). The majority of participants (70.3%) were aged between 18-23 years, followed by 24-29 years (23.7%) and 30-35 years (6%). In questions regarding self–harm and suicidal thoughts, 27.2% of respondents said that they had serious thoughts about suicide but never attempted it, 17.2% responded that they had such thoughts before attending university, and 11.7% said that they tried to attempt suicide in some manner. Thoughts of suicide and self–harm were observed among university students. Various factors influence students' mental health, including parental help, home environment, and university workload. Stress–free environment and social support to students may decrease the prevalence of suicidal tendencies among students.

Measurement Property Evaluation of the Arabic Version of the Patient-Specific Functional Scale for Patients with Stroke.

Neurological disorders refer to disorders that occur due to disease or damage to the nervous system. Stroke is one of the most common neurological disorders in which individuals commonly present with motor and sensory deficits, leading to the limitations on the activities of daily life. Outcome measures are used to assess and monitor patients' condition change. The patient-specific functional scale (PSFS) is an outcome measure used to assess changes in performance levels in participants with a functional disability during daily activities. This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of the patient-specific functional scale (PSFS-Ar) in individuals with stroke. A longitudinal cohort study was used to examine the reliability and validity of the PSFS-Ar in patients with stroke. All participants completed the PSFS-Ar in addition to other outcome measures. Fifty-five individuals participated (fifty male, five female). The PSFS-Ar showed excellent test-retest reliability, with ICC2,1 = 0.96, p < 0.001. The SEM and MDC95 of the PSFS-Ar were 0.37 and 1.03, respectively. No floor and ceiling effect was observed in this study. Additionally, the construct validity of the PSFS-Ar showed 100% satisfaction with the pre-defined hypotheses. Since the number of female participants was very small in this study, the findings were established for male individuals with stroke. This study showed that the PSFS-Ar is a reliable and valid outcome measure for male individuals with stroke.

Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most common non-communicable diseases, causing a high mortality rate globally. Vitamin D deficiency has been reported as a rising pandemic. Vitamin D levels have been found to be associated with obesity and insulin resistance. However, there is not much research done to study the various factors associated with the association between vitamin D levels and diabetes mellitus in the Indian population. Objective The objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in T2DM patients and find the factors associated with vitamin D levels among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Materials and methods A cross-sectional analytical study was planned and done in the Urban Health Training Centre of Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College. The sample size was calculated using published data on prevalence. Data from 116 T2DM patients were collected using a questionnaire about their socio-economic status, dietary patterns, outdoor activities, exercise, drug and supplement intake, occupation, and symptoms, which was filled out by the participants after written informed consent. Levels of serum vitamin D were estimated from the blood samples taken from the participants. Statistical analysis was done using MedCalc software. Results Vitamin D deficiency was found in 86 (74.14%) out of 116 diabetic patients. There were 63 males, and 71.43% of them had lower-than-normal vitamin D levels. The number of female participants was 53, and 77.36% were found to suffer from vitamin D deficiency. There were 88 obese participants, and only 22.73% were found to have sufficient levels of vitamin D. Conclusion The results depict a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Regular supplementation of vitamin D for diabetic patients can prevent them from developing any further complications. Increasing awareness about a healthy lifestyle, a proper diet, adequate sunlight, and exercise can help keep most non-communicable diseases at bay. Additional studies should be done to understand the pathophysiology better, which can aid in preventing diseases in the beginning stages of development.

Investigating Lifelong Learning Tendencies and Scientific Creativity Levels of Prospective Science Teachers

Abstract Introduction: Prospective science teachers must themselves first generate rather than simply using knowledge and they must be science literate must be science literate and abreas of the changes in industry if we want future generations to be and do the same. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine lifelong learning tendencies and scientific creativity levels of prospective science teachers and examine the correlation between these variables. Methods: In the study, correlational survey, one of the quantitative research methods, was used. The sample of the study was composed of 201 prospective science teachers studying at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years in a public university in Eastern Anatolia Region within the academic year 2019/2020. “Lifelong Learning Scale” and “Scientific Creativity Test” were used as data collection tools in the study. Independent samples t-test was used to compare the scale scores of the participants in terms of gender and age and ANOVA was used to compare them in terms of class level. In addition, Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) analysis technique was used in order to examine whether or not there was a significant correlation between lifelong learning tendencies and scientific creativity levels of prospective science teachers. Results: The results of the study indicated that the prospective science teachers had high lifelong learning tendencies. No statistically significant difference was found between the Lifelong Learning Scale (LLS) total scores of female and male prospective science teachers. However, a statistically significant difference was found between the Scientific Creativity Test (SCT) total scores of male and female prospective science teachers and this difference was observed in favor of male teachers. Additionally, there was a positive and moderate correlation between the lifelong learning tendencies and scientific creative levels of the participants. Discussion: As a result of the study, it was observed that there was a moderate and positive correlation between lifelong learning tendencies and scientific creativity levels of the participants. High levels of lifelong learning were correlated with high levels of scientific creativity. Lifelong learning requires individuals to have some atypical knowledge, skills and competencies to cope with current life problems. In addition, it is recommended in the literature that individuals should have some competencies, such as searching information, accessing information and knowing the ways of reaching information in order to have lifelong learning skills. Therefore, it can be interpreted that scientific creativity skills of individuals, who integrate learning processes throughout their lives and have the mentioned competences, will also improve. Limitations: The limitations of the study are that the study included 201 prospective science teachers studying in a public university located in Eastern Anatolia Region and the number of male participants was less than the number of female participants. Conclusions: It is important for prospective teachers to do practices, which will improve their lifelong learning skills during their undergraduate education, in terms of scientific creativities. This is because scientific creativity and lifelong learning skills should be included in the science course in order for students to acquire sense of task, scientific perspective, and skills for controlling and regulating their learning.

Sex Differences In Marathon Performance Are Larger In The Past Decade Than Expected Physiologically

The sex difference in performance of marathon runners historically has been larger than explained by physiological differences, possibly reflecting lower participation of females (1). The number of female participants across all age groups has increased in recent decades, but it is unclear if the sex difference in performance has continued to diminish. PURPOSE: To determine the sex difference in performance in the New York City (NYC) marathon across age groups, and with the place of runner (1st-10th place), in the past decade and relative to earlier published data (1980-2010) (1). METHODS: Running times of the top 10 placed male and female finishers (5-year age groups) who competed in the NYC marathon (2009-2019) were retrieved from a public database (https://results.nyrr.org/races). Univariate ANOVA determined the sex difference in the mean running velocity; (% Δ males and females/males) across age groups and place. RESULTS: The sex difference in running velocity increased across age groups (p < 0.001). For 2015-2019, the 30-39-year olds had the smallest difference (12.9 ± 0.5%) and the 70-79 year olds the largest (22.9 ± 0.9%). Across all age groups, the sex difference in running velocity decreased across years from 22.0 ± 0.4% in 1980-84 to 16.1 ± 0.2% in 2005-2009 and plateaued for the subsequent decade. The largest drop was in the two older age groups (60-79 years, 36% to 21%) and the least for youngest (20-49 years, 18% to 12.5%). Across all age groups, the sex difference in running velocity for 1st placed runners was 15.9 ± 0.4 % and increased to 20.3 ± 0.3% for 10th (P < 0.001). The greatest increase in the sex difference (1st to 10th) was in the 70-79 age group (21.9 ± 1.5% to 31.6 ± 1.7%) and the least in the 40-49 age group (13.9 ± 0.6% to 17.8 ± 0.4%). CONCLUSION: The largest sex differences in marathon performance were within the older age groups and lower (slower)-placed runners. Across all age groups, the sex difference in performance plateaued in the past 15 years despite more female participants and the continued decrease in male:female participation ratios. These results also suggest that physiological and sociological factors that impact the sex difference in running velocity vary by age group. (1) Hunter SK, et al Med Sci Sports Exerc 45: 148-156, 2013.

Participation of Australian women and girls in traditionally male-dominated sports 2016-2018

ABSTRACT There have been increased opportunities for women and girls to play traditionally male-dominated sports. However, we do not know the impact of these opportunities on participation. The study aim was to investigate the changing sport participation trends of women and girls, and in particular the increasing rates of participation in traditional male-dominated sports. Australian community-level registered sport participant data from five sports (three male-dominated, one female-dominated, and one gender-neutral) was tracked over the three years 2016–2018. There were 513,270 participants in year 1, 160,178 female and 353,092 male. Over the three years there was considerable increase in number of female participants, a rise of 15,646, compared to a decrease of 13,397 in male participants. The study shows that in year 1 (2016), women and girls in the male-dominated sports were most likely ‘new’ to sport and not transitioning from other sports. Of women and girls transitioning into male-dominated sports many came from playing the female-only sport. In all years, many women and girls transitioned from female-only sport to male-dominated sports, reflecting increased opportunity and choices. However, men and boys more likely to be retained. The female transition trends raise the need for further growth and development strategies by the female-only sport, but also capacity and gender issues for the male-dominated sports. More broadly, sport organisations should consider retention strategies across both genders and age groups, as male retention rates still remain higher than female retention rates, and there remains a large drop-off in participation during adolescence.

Examine and analyze the impact of COVID-19 on the undergraduate learning environment

The Corona crisis has ultimately affected societies, affecting both young and elder and other economic and academic life aspects. The emergence of this crisis prevented millions of students from heading to the study benches, which negatively affected the educational level. The global health crisis of extreme severity requires diligent work and urgent action to continue the education. Therefore, most countries resorted to quick solutions that were adjusted over time to suit the requirements of the stage. This paper focuses on studying the impact of the Corona crisis on the academic level of students and the rate of interaction with the course material. First, we designed questionnaires to collect data on the impact of the Corona crisis on students in terms of communication and the psychological impact of social distancing and not attending classrooms. The data analysis also helped in finding mathematical models that show the impact of Corona on students. The results of the ANOVA test related to the academic level showed that there is a significant discrepancy between the two samples by 3.925. The (sig.) value is 0.002, confirming a significant difference between the academic level groups and the postgraduate students, who faced more difficulties in studying online with an average of 3.925 compared to diploma level students (3.52). The study also proved that the participants were more aware of following the procedures in dealing with COVID (based on the Sig value of 0.003), and the largest number of female participants was with an average square (14,184). In addition, COVID-19 reduced the contact between relatives based on the Sig value of 0.004.

Dietary Factors Influencing the Caries Status of Adults in Karachi, Pakistan: Initial Findings.

Objective: The objective was to identify the relationship between the dietary factors related to increases in the number of dental caries among an adult population group. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving adult patients and their accompanying person, aged 18 years and above (n = 1730) visiting the dental outpatient department (OPD) of a public sector tertiary healthcare institute in Karachi, Pakistan. A 39-item Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) was administered to the patients, followed by a dental caries assessment using Radke’s WHO criteria. Caries assessment data were transformed into the DMFT Index (D = decayed, M = missing, F = filled teeth). Factor analysis (FA) was performed using Stata v. 11.0, followed by assessing the internal consistency of the FFQ. Multilogistic analysis was performed to explore the association between dental caries (cut-off = 5) and other independent variables, considering a p-value < 0.05 as significant. Results: The mean age of participants in the group was 32.65 ± 10.49 years. The number of female participants (934; 54%) was higher than male participants (796; 46%). Of the total, 951 (52%) participants were married. The internal consistency value for the FFQ, as measured by Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.80. In addition to age and gender, out of four dietary patterns, only “cereals” were found to be significantly (p < 0.05) associated with increased DMFT. Conclusion: This study established that the high intake of cereals is a contributory factor to the high prevalence of dental caries among adults.

RELATIONSHIP OF THE SIZE AND LOCATION OF THE TYMPANIC MEMBRANE PERFORATION IN CHRONIC SUPPURATIVE OTITIS MEDIA WITH THE MAGNITUDE OF HEARING LOSS

Chronic suppurative otitis media is a severe health condition that affects people worldwide. Perforation in the tympanic membrane reduces the surface area of the membrane available for sound transmission. It’s important to identify and treat tympanic membrane perforation as soon as possible, since untreated tympanic membrane perforation contributes to chronic disruptive changes in the middle ear, resulting in further hearing loss, which is a major physical and psychological issue that affects people’s lives. The study has been conducted to compare the relationship between the location and size of perforation of the tympanic membrane in chronic suppurative otitis media with the magnitude of hearing loss. The cross-sectional prospective study was conducted among 67 patients who visited the Otorhinolaryngology department for myringoplasty. The study period was from January to April 2021, the age group of patients was between 8 and 43 years old. The number of female participants was 35 (52.2%) and males – 32(47.8%) respectively. Average age ±SD was 21.93±9.47 years. Fifty (74.6%) patients had right ear perforation and seventeen (25.4%) with left ear perforation/ It was not statistically significant (χ2=22.891; p-value=0.290). Most of the patients were with subtotal of (all quadrants) 30 (44.77%), 2-3 quadrants, and one quadrant perforation were 23 (34.32%) and 14 (20.89%) respectively. Most of the patients, i.e.37 (55.22%), had hearing loss between 26-40dB. There was a significant connection between the perforation size and degree of hearing, (χ2=22.891; p-value &lt;0.0001). In one quadrant perforation, greatest hearing loss was on the post inferior quadrant 29.97±4.32 dB. For 2-3 quadrants perforation the hearing loss was greatest inpostero-superior combined with postero-inferior perforation 37.42±9,59dB. The most significant hearing loss was in subtotal perforation mean ±SD was 42.13±7.07dB. Hearing loss increases in proportion to the extent of the perforation, post inferior quadrant alone and combined with the post-super were observed with the greatest hearing loss according to the findings of this study.

The course of acne in healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluation of possible risk factors.

BackgroundThere are a limited number of publications reporting an increase in acne in the COVID‐19 outbreak.ObjectiveThe study aimed to evaluate the course and the clinical features of acne and possible risk factors during the COVID‐19 pandemic in healthcare workers.MethodA total of 172 physicians (female, n = 159, male; n = 13, mean age = 35.03 ± 5.27 years) who had acne in any period of their life were included in the study. A self‐administered online questionnaire was applied.ResultsDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, 45.35% of the participants reported that their acne complaints increased, 27.33% reported relapses, and 7.56% reported occurrence for the first time. Newly formed acne was reported most frequently on the chin (78.26%). The number of female participants, smoking, increased stress, and the rate of surgical mask use were found to be higher in the group whose acne occurred for the first time, relapsed, or increased than in the group whose acne complaints were unchanged or decreased (p < 0.05). In the group whose acne relapsed or increased, adult‐onset acne, presence of scar, and use of systemic acne treatment before the COVID‐19 pandemic were more common than in the group whose acne complaints were unchanged or decreased (p < 0.05).ConclusionAlmost half of the participants reported an increase in acne. More than a third of the participants reported that their acne relapsed or they had acne for the first time. In addition to the use of surgical masks, factors such as increased stress, smoking, adult‐onset acne, presence of scar, and previous systemic acne treatment were found to be responsible for acne development.

STUDY OF INCIDENCE OF THE CORONAL APPROACH IN CRANIOFACIAL TRAUMA AND ADVANTAGEOUS OF TITANIUM MESH IN RECONSTRUCTION OF CRANIOFACIAL DEFECTS.

INTRODUCTION: The coronal approach gives a broad exposure to the frontal bone, the calvaria, the nasal bones, the orbits, the subcondylar region, the zygoma and the zygomatic arch and gives ideal aesthetic results with less complication. The common craniofacial fractures are Nasal bones (45%), cranial bones (24%), Mandible (13%), Zygoma (13%), Orbital blowout (3%), Maxilla (2%). Common causes of fractures are Road trafc accident, Assault, Industrial accidents, Recreational accidents, Frontal bone fracture. METHOD: The study was carried out for a period of one year from March 2020 to March 2021. The study conducted in St Joseph dental college ELURU in the department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. The age limit for this study was below 30 years. The number of subjects involved in this study was 5. Number of females was 3 and males were 2 in this study. RESULT: Number of female participants in this study was 3 and number of male participants was 2.Number of male participants with coronal incision were 1 and number of participants with pretrichial incision were 2.Out of 2 one for male participant and one for female participant. CONCLUSION: The coronal ap has recently become a preferred approach for access to the craniofacial skeleton and orbit. This method of exposure has become particularly useful with increased indications for rigid internal xation and primary bone grafting in the management of complex facial fractures.

A CROSS-SECTIONAL SELF-REPORTED ONLINE SURVEY TO ASSESS THE AWARENESS AND PERCEIVED HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA AMONG ADULT POPULATION OF MADHYA PRADESH

Yoga is derived from the word YUJ meaning to bind, attach or union. Yoga is not just a form of exercise but is a tool for overall development in every aspect of life. Several benefits of yoga has been recorded but are the people aware of those is the question of todays time. The aim of the study was to examine various level of perception (awareness, motivation, and obstacles) on yoga among the population of Madhya Pradesh.A online cross sectional survey was conducted across Madhya Pradesh, sample were selected randomly by snowball sampling The total of 408 subjects participated in the study. The data has been collected from June 2021 till July 2021. The study duration was 6 months. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect the data. The mean age was 30±11.83. Majority participants were from 18- 30 years of age (68.63%). The females were 251 and the males were 157. It was found that more number of female participants were practicing yoga compared to male in the study and the difference was significant (p&lt;0.05). Most of the participant perceived yoga as a tool to improve health (42.9%) as compared to exercise (10.1%). The motivation came through different medium such self-motivation (43.2%) and social media (13.9%). The main obstacle for the participants was lack of time (42.7%). The percentage of people aware about yoga was more and their perception of yoga is as a tool to improve ones health and to be free from any kind of disease. Even if there are many mediums of motivation if one does not get any inspiration from self then they will not be able to perform yoga, so self-motivation is very necessary. Participant think that yoga is very time consuming.

Investigation about self-esteem levels of athletes who have been educated in different sports branches according to some variables: A study on physically handicapped individuals

This study aimed to examine the self-esteem of those who did sports in physically disabled individuals by some variables. Based on this aim, the study was designed quantitatively. In this descriptive research, the general survey model that is coherent with the main purpose was used. The study group of the research consisted of 140 individuals aged 18 and over who had physical disabilities and actively engage in sports. Purposeful sampling approaches and easily accessible sampling methods were used in the selection of the study group. The scale form was used to collect research data. The scale form consisted of two parts. In the first part of this form, there was a personal information form containing information about the participants and in the second part, there was the "Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale" developed by Rosenberg (1965) and adapted into Turkish by Çuhadaroğlu (1986). This form was applied to the participants on a voluntary basis, on the internet between 13.05.2020 and 03.06.2020. Necessary explanations were made to the participants while filling the form and they were provided to answer correctly. In this study, the self-esteem of physically disabled athletes was examined according to some variables. The research group consisted of 140 participants; 42 (30.0%) of them were female and 98 (70.0%) of them were male and the number of male participants was approximate twice the number of female participants. It was found that 18 (12.9%) participants were graduated from elementary and secondary schools, 59 (42.1%) from high school, and 63 (45%) from college, and the number of the participants belonging to the group consisted of graduates from high school and college were approximately four times more than the participants from the elementary and secondary school graduate group. It was determined that 9 (13.6%) of the participants had low, 105 (75%) had medium and 16 (11.4%) had a high level of income. It was observed that 83 (59.3%) of the participants were congenitally disabled and 57 (40.7%) of the participants disabled after birth and the number of congenitally disabled participants approximately 1.5 times more than the number of participants with disabilities after birth. It was determined that the number of participants who were national athletes was approximately 2.5 times those who were not. Among the variables examined, it was seen that there was only a statistically positive and low-level significant relationship between the sports age variable and the self-esteem mean score of the participants (r = .147; p &lt; 0.05). In this context, as the age of the participants increased, the self-esteem of the participants also increased. As a result, it was determined that there was a positive correlation between the age of starting sports and self-esteem in physically disabled individuals, and individuals who started sports at an early age had a higher rate than other individuals.

Cross Sectional Online Survey to Determine the Prevalence, Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Smoking Tobacco Among Students of Medical Science College in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

Objectives:The present study was conducted to examine the prevalence of tobacco smoking among students' of different departments of private medical science college at Dammam, as well as to assess students' attitude, practice, knowledge, and awareness towards smoking and its harmful effects.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed at Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences (MACHS) in February 2020. Data were obtained through adopted pretested validated questionnaire based on the Global Adult Tobacco Survey. The questionnaire contains demographic details, smoking behavior, knowledge, and behavior attitude toward smoking.Results:A total of 388 students completed the questionnaire out of them 108 males (27.8%) and 280 females (76.2%), the prevalence ratio of tobacco use 19.84%. The prevalence ratio of female current smokers was 7.9%, whereas male 11.8%, even though the number of female participants were high. Female students had better knowledge in comparison with male students regarding the harmful effects of tobacco smoking on health (78.7% vs. 82.8%; P ≤ 0.001), and as a risk factor of brain thrombosis (59.2% vs. 60%; P ≤ 0.001), gastric ulcer (55.5% vs. 62.1%; P ≤ 0.001), asthma (62.9% vs. 72.1%; P ≤ 0.001), and lung cancer (81.4% vs. 86.7%; P ≤ 0.001).Conclusion:The prevalence of smoking tobacco was relatively low among MACHS students who had good general knowledge regarding the harmful effects of smoking tobacco. This study results showed the harmful effects of smoking and can be used as a basis for the development of tobacco education programs at MACHS and any other institution for providing professional support for students to quit smoking.

AWARENESS AND PERCEPTION OF REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AMONG SCHOOL GOING LATE ADOLESCENTS

Background: Adolescence is ideally a healthy period, having the lowest mortality and morbidity compared with other population age groups. Adolescence is the transitional stage of development between childhood and full adulthood, representing the period of time during which a person is biologically adult but emotionally not at full maturity. Puberty is a unique and distinctive period and is characterized by certain developmental changes that occur in no other time in life span. During adolescence, puberty can occur at anytime between ages thirteen to nineteen year.&#x0D; Aim: To study the awareness and perception of reproductive health among school going late adolescents (class 11th and 12th) and factors associated with it.&#x0D; Methods: It was a Community based cross sectional study. The study was carried out at senior secondary Govt. and private school (students from class 11th to 12th) of Jaipur city. All the school going students of class 11th and 12th (late adolescents) of selected schools of Jaipur city were selected as participants. The proposed study duration was 6 months with effect from 1st July 2019 to 10th December 2019. Sample size of 800 was calculated at 95% confidence interval and α error of 0.05 assuming willingness for better perception of reproductive health among school going late adolescent level 76.3%.&#x0D; Results: Result showed that highest participants (34.3%) were 17 year of age. The majority was of female respondents (51.6%) and remaining (48.4%) were males. Out of the population, 22.8% belonged to lower middle class, 22.0% belonged to lower class, 19.5% belonged to upper middle, 19.1% belonged to upper class and 16.6% belonged to upper lower class. Majority of the males (50.9%) feel that female conceives when male and female do intercourse. On the other hand, majority of the females (50.6%) feel that female conceives when sperms of male enter into ovum of female. Highest number of males (17.6%) shares their private talks with cousins whereas highest number of females (20.1%) shares with their father. Highest number of male participants (22%) watches adult movies, whereas, highest number of female participants (21.5%) refer magazines to gain reproduction and sex education.&#x0D; Conclusion: The present study revealed that the majority of the adolescents have correct knowledge about puberty, pregnancy and childbirth, family planning methods, STDs, and request for treatment. Moreover, adolescents had correct knowledge about the appropriate age for marriage and HIV than other STDs. Regarding the hygiene practices, most students had correct practices with respect to menstruation, while a few had incorrect practices. The majority had positive attitudes regarding RH, while a few had negative attitudes. The main reason behind high awareness and knowledge among adolescents about reproductive health is due to change in educational system and easy access to internet. Improved education status of parents also plays an important contribution towards this.

Women in political rallies of Pakistan: It counts but does not weight

The large number of female participants in political rallies is often cited as a political party’s success in making women more active in the political sphere. However, there is not much research, in Pakistan, examining whether these women have gender consciousness and motivation to extend their political activity beyond participation in a rally. The study involves interviews of women attending political rallies in Pakistan during the election campaign of 2018 to inquire about their purpose of attending the rally and their motivation to run for office for the same party. The research found that high political activity of females in Pakistan provides no guarantee for women’s political empowerment. Women lacked gender identity but are extending their familial and other social roles in the political arena. While they are willing to become political leaders, they lacked enthusiasm and their goals of joining politics are subject to either mobilization by the political party or performance of that party in the future. This study concludes that while increasing the number of women voters and political activists is important, equating it with women’s empowerment leads to misinterpretation in the form of comprehension and factual flaws.

The relationship between intercultural sensitivity and English language achievement

The present descriptive study aims to investigate whether there is a relationship between intercultural sensitivity and language achievement of learners of EFL in Turkey. To this aim, the quantitative research methodology was used. The number of female participants was 120, and that of the male participants was 205. A total of 325 participants who were attending preparatory school at a state university were selected using cluster random sampling. The “Intercultural Sensitivity Scale” developed by Chen and Starosta (2000) was used to obtain the quantitative data. The findings indicated that there is a weak statistically significant positive correlation between intercultural sensitivity and English language achievement of learners of English as a foreign language in Turkey. However, there was a significant difference between the intercultural sensitivity scores of the participants regarding the English language proficiency levels. The results showed that the higher the proficiency level, the greater the intercultural sensitivity scores are. Additionally, findings indicated that there was not a significant difference between intercultural sensitivity scores of the female and male participants.