Number Of Misconceptions Research Articles

Perspectives and Misconceptions of an Online Adult Male Cohort Regarding Prostate Cancer Screening.

Congruent with most guideline publishers, the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) recommends shared decision-making (SDM) on PSA screening (PSAS) for prostate cancer (PCa) following a discussion of its benefits and harms. However, there are limited data on how the general male population feels about these topics. A survey was completed by 906 male-identifying participants (age > 18) recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk), which is a crowdsourcing platform providing minimal compensation. Participants answered questions regarding demographics (15), personal/family history (9), PCa/PSA knowledge (41), and opinions regarding PSAS (45). The median age was 38.2 (SD = 12.0), with 22% reporting a family history of PCa and 20% reporting personally undergoing PSAS. Although most participants had heard of PCa (85%) and that they could be screened for it (81%), they generally did not feel knowledgeable about PCa or PSAS guidelines. Most want to talk to their clinician about PCa and PSAS (74%) and are supportive of SDM (48%) or patient-centered decision-making (25%). In general, participants thought PSAS was still worthwhile, even if it led to additional testing or side effects. Similarly, participants thought higher-risk patients should be screened earlier (p < 0.001). A number of misconceptions were evident in the responses. Men approaching the age of PSAS do not feel knowledgeable about PCa or PSAS and want their clinician to discuss these topics with them. The majority believe in PSAS and would like to undergo this screening following SDM. Clinicians also have a role in correcting common misconceptions about PCa.

Spooky action at a distance? A two-phase study into learners’ views of quantum entanglement

Quantum entanglement is a challenging concept within the field of physics education, often eluding a full grasp by both educators and learners alike. In this paper, we report findings from a two-phase empirical study into the views of entanglement held by pre-service physics teachers and physics students from various universities. In the first phase, we utilized a questionnaire consisting of open-ended questions which was completed by 31 pre-service physics teachers. The study participants’ ideas were explored using qualitative content analysis which led to the creation of rating scale items used in study phase 2. These items were administered to a broader cohort including 73 physics university students in order to capture the learners’ agreement or disagreement with the questionnaire statements, and hence, helped to validate and substantiate the in-depth insights from study phase 1. Key findings revealed widespread accurate notions, like the need to consider the entire system when examining entangled states. However, less elaborated views were also identified, including ideas such as that measurements of entangled states always show perfect (anti-)correlation. Another striking observation was the confusion between quantum entanglement and superposition. In the case of quantum teleportation, many participants seemed to have a basic grasp of the concept, although a number of misconceptions were apparent, notably the idea that quantum entanglement enables faster-than-light communication. Practically, the findings can assist educators in anticipating and addressing widespread (mis-)conceptions, paving the way for more effective instruction in quantum mechanics and its real-world applications, such as quantum cryptography and computing.

Examination of misconceptions surrounding fatal fire victims

Fire deaths are not unusual in forensic investigative practice but due to the destructive nature of fire they are often very difficult to investigate. With the need to identify the deceased and the events surrounding the manner and cause of death, knowledge of thermally induced alteration to the human body is important. Within the fire investigation community, a number of misconceptions have been present for years regarding the protrusion of the tongue as an indicator of life during the fire, and fractured skulls as the result of brains boiling and skulls exploding. This work presents qualitative analysis on the experimental burning of 42 unembalmed human donated cadavers by the San Luis Obispo Strike Team (SLOFIST) on their annual Forensic Fire Death Investigation Course (FFDIC) between 2017 and 2019. Prior to burning, the position of the tongue within the dental arch was confirmed and sharp, blunt, surgical and gunshot trauma to the cranium documented. Temperature was recorded from ignition through to suppression with thermocouples present both within the scene and the body. Post burn analysis on the position of the tongue, observation of cranial fractures and presence of brain tissue were recorded and analysed in conjunction with thermocouple data, fire scene dynamics and body demographics. The results provide a more comprehensive understanding of the thermal environmental factors involved in producing the phenomena that facilitate these misconceptions, identifying that a more thorough understanding of individual fire scenes and their development is essential when interpreting alteration and injury to the body of the fatal fire victim.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of pain neuroscience education among physiotherapists

CONTEXT: A significant population in India suffers from chronic pain, and it is one of the most common symptoms managed by physiotherapists. Pain neuroscience education (PNE) has been found to be effective in pain management when included in a multimodal treatment. A number of misconceptions about this concept are prevailing. AIM: The aim of the study is to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of PNE among physiotherapists in India through a questionnaire-based survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among qualified practicing physiotherapists and physiotherapy academicians in India. Data were collected using an online self-reported questionnaire constructed on Google Forms Application. The link of the questionnaire was circulated among the physiotherapists via various social media platforms. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Percentage analysis of the responses was done using Microsoft Excel 2010. RESULTS: A total of 408 responses were subjected to statistical analysis. Only 50% of the respondents were aware of the term PNE. Most of the questions in the knowledge domain received correct responses from more than 50% of the respondents. Most of the respondents have a negative attitude toward PNE. There is poor practice of PNE among physiotherapists in India. CONCLUSION: There is lack of awareness about PNE among physiotherapists in India. Physiotherapists having good knowledge about PNE do not have a positive attitude toward it and show poor practice.

Living Kidney Donor Transplantation and Global Kidney Exchange.

Global kidney exchange offers an opportunity to expand living donor kidney transplants internationally to patients with immunologic barriers. The concept has been proven to be successful in a limited number of transplants. However, a number of misconceptions have created obstacles to its development. We suggest that a systematic application of this innovative tool would offer opportunities to treat thousands of patients worldwide who are presently denied a transplant and often even access to dialysis.

Successful Interprofessional Education Doesn’t Require Team Activities

IntroductionEmbedding interprofessional education (IPE) into healthcare professions curricula through team‐ and case‐based learning (CBL) allows students to learn the roles of future professions with whom they will one day be working. Teamwork through case studies prompts a collaborative atmosphere between students, which is illustrative of their professional environment. However, previous work has found that translation of these activities to an online format during the COVID pandemic resulted in communication issues that negated positive benefits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of individually‐completed CBL assignments on correct understanding of roles of healthcare professionals (physician assistants, PA; physical therapists, PT; occupational therapists, OT).MethodsIn this IRB‐approved study, PA, PT, and OT students enrolled in a gross anatomy course were asked to complete a pre/post‐test survey on professional role at the start and end of the semester. The survey asked participants to correctly identify whether patients in various scenarios should be referred to a PA, PT, or OT, in addition to free responses summarizing the roles of these professions. Throughout the semester, students completed 12 asynchronous CBL assignments reviewing anatomical case scenarios with an interprofessional focus. Each CBL had a clinical vignette with associated questions, the final asking which profession would take the most prominent role in the patient's care and why. Students were able to review pre‐recorded answer videos following completion of the assignments. Pre/post‐tests were compared using Wilcoxon Signed Rank and Kruskal‐Wallis tests while free responses from the survey and CBLs were analyzed using the framework method of thematic analysis.ResultsThirty students (24%) completed both surveys and were evenly distributed across programs. There was a significant improvement in students’ abilities to correctly assign patients to each profession (p=0.001) and there were no differences in role classification across programs. Thematic analysis of survey role descriptions and free responses from the CBLs demonstrated students’ improved role comprehension of PA, PT, and OTs. Common misconceptions students held included: PAs must be supervised by a physician and are therefore limited in their autonomy, patients with compromised lower extremity function (gait, balance) were to be treated by a PT, and those with upper extremity disfunction were to be treated by an OT. The number of misconceptions from CBL assignments diminished as the course was taught, signifying refinement in students’ perceptions of these three professional roles.ConclusionOverall, students improved in their understanding of role and responsibilities of PAs, PTs, and OTs throughout the duration of the gross anatomy course. Asynchronous CBL assignments appear to be an effective method to engage students with clinical roles from an anatomical perspective, promoting role comprehension and accuracy of descriptions.SignificanceThis study demonstrates that individually‐completed IPE activities are successful in educating students in the roles of allied health professionals in the context of patient care.

FACTORS OF COMPETITION CONDITIONS FORMATION IN THE NATIONAL ECONOMY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT

The relevance of the research topic is conditioned by the fact that domestic manufacturers do not always successfully adapt to new conditions, using discretionary changes in external environment factors in a situation of sanctional confrontation. The immediate situation encourages the transition from a raw-material based economy and rent income orientation to deep processing production using all the links of value generation. In these conditions, it is necessary to deepen the knowledge that contributes to the use of the current situation in the markets to mobilize domestic producers. In assessing the opportunities of using the new situation, a number of misconceptions have developed concerning the conditions of the competitive environment in the markets, which are simplified in nature. Pursuant thereto, the article is aimed at in-depth understanding the process of formation of factors contributing to the transition to deep processing production, identification and justification of opportunities for creating a competitive advantage by domestic producers in order to ensure full import substitution. Competitive conditions that have developed as a result of discretionary changes in the external environment are examined on a systematic basis, in causal relationships applying various types of analysis, which ensures identification of those changes in the competitive environment of industrial markets that create favorable opportunities for the transition to the production of goods of deep, high-tech processing. In general, the results of the study can be used in the process of developing and implementing a strategy for the development of basic and life-supporting sectors of the domestic economy in conditions of instable distant external environment and sanctional confrontation with foreign trade and economic competitors.

Exploring Knowledge, Beliefs, and Attitudes of Older Adults About Prescription Opioids

Over the past two decades, opioids have been considered important and acceptable in the treatment of pain for older adults, especially for chronic health conditions. Despite the fact that older adults are prescribed opioid medications at high rates, there is little research examining older adults’ knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes about opioid medications. The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes surrounding prescription opioid medications of community living older adults in a southeast area of the United States. A cross-sectional, descriptive, anonymous survey design of participants aged 55 or over was used. Study participants (N=119) reported bias in their attitudes and beliefs about the use and misuse of prescription opioid medications. Multiple regression analyses revealed that gender, age, work, marital status, and education level all had significant results in explaining variance in the statistical models. Even though study participants demonstrated high levels of education and understanding of the potential of addiction to opiates, there were a number of misconceptions revealed about prescription pain medications. This urges the necessity of increased awareness via further research, presentations, and creative discourse to assist in the understanding of precursors of addiction and ways to deal with pain that do not automatically rely on prescription opioid medicines. Implications include outreach to a larger and more diverse sample to address knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes surrounding prescription opioid medications of community living older adults.

"We know about schistosomiasis but we know nothing about FGS": A qualitative assessment of knowledge gaps about female genital schistosomiasis among communities living in Schistosoma haematobium endemic districts of Zanzibar and Northwestern Tanzania.

Schistosoma haematobium causes urogenital schistosomiasis and is widely distributed in Tanzania. In girls and women, the parasite can cause Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS), a gynecological manifestation of schistosomiasis that is highly neglected and overlooked by public health professionals and policy makers. This study explored community members' knowledge, attitudes and perceptions (KAP) on and health seeking behavior for FGS. Using qualitative research methods-including 40 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and 37 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs)-we collected data from 414 participants (Males n = 204 [49.3%] and Females n = 210 [50.7%]). The study engaged 153 participants from Zanzibar and 261 participants from northwestern Tanzania and was conducted in twelve (12) purposively selected districts (7 districts in Zanzibar and 5 districts in northwestern Tanzania). Most participants were aware of urogenital schistosomiasis. Children were reported as the most affected group and blood in urine was noted as a common symptom especially in boys. Adults were also noted as a risk group due to their involvement in activities like paddy farming that expose them to infection. Most participants lacked knowledge of FGS and acknowledged having no knowledge that urogenital schistosomiasis can affect the female reproductive system. A number of misconceptions on the symptoms of FGS and how it is transmitted were noted. Adolescent girls and women presenting with FGS related symptoms were reported to be stigmatized, perceived as having a sexually transmitted infection (STI), and sometimes labeled as "prostitutes". Health seeking behavior for FGS included a combination of traditional medicine, self-treatment and modern medicine. Community members living in two very different areas of Tanzania exhibited major, similar gaps in knowledge about FGS. Our data illustrate a critical need for the national control program to integrate public health education about FGS during the implementation of school- and community-based mass drug administration (MDA) programs and the improvement of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities.

Nutritional Aspects of Pediatric Gastrointestinal Diseases.

In the last decade, the role of nutritional management in pediatric gastrointestinal diseases has gained increasing popularity. Disease-specific diets have been introduced as conventional treatments by international guidelines. Patients tend to more willingly accept food-based therapies than drugs because of their relatively “harmless” nature. Apart from a diet’s therapeutic role, nutritional support is crucial in maintaining growth and improving clinical outcomes in pediatric patients. Despite the absence of classical “side effects”, however, it should be emphasized that any dietary modification might have negative consequences on children’s growth and development. Hence, expert supervision is always advised, in order to support adequate nutritional requirements. Unfortunately, the media provide an inaccurate perception of the role of diet for gastrointestinal diseases, leading to misconceptions by patients or their caregivers that tends to overestimate the beneficial role of diets and underestimate the potential adverse effects. Moreover, not only patients, but also healthcare professionals, have a number of misconceptions about the nutritional benefits of diet modification on gastrointestinal diseases. The aim of this review is to highlight the role of diet in pediatric gastrointestinal diseases, to detect misconceptions and to give a practical guide for physicians on the basis of current scientific evidence.

The Effectiveness of the "EMBE-R" Learning Strategy in Preventing Students’ Misconception in Chemical Equilibrium

This study has been carried out aimed to compare the effectiveness of EMBE-R ( Engage, Modification, building concept, Evaluation-Reflection) and verification strategies in preventing misconceptions in Chemical Equilibrium (CE). It involved two groups of senior high school students majoring in Natural Science of which the school is located in South Sulawesi , Indonesia. The groups have fulfilled the homogeneity requirements, each consisting of thirty-five students. The experiment group was taught with the EMBE-R Strategy and the other group was taught with the verification strategy. Students' misconceptions were identified using Three-tier Diagnostic Instrumen on CE (TT-DICE). The effectiveness of the two strategies is also examined based on students’ levels of Scientific Reasonability Capability (SRC). Students ’ SRC was measured using the Classroom Scientific Reasoning Test (CTSR) developed by Lawson. The descriptive analysis used to compare the number of misconceptions held by students in both groups. The results of the study indicated that students who were taught with the EMBE-R strategy had four misconceptions, while the verification had nine-teen misconceptions. In addition, both in the two levels of SRC, i.e., high and low level, EMBE-R strategy is more effective in preventing misconceptions than verification strategy. Thus, the EMBE-R strategy is more effective in preventing misconceptions in CE than verification strategy.

Older adults’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about prescription opioids

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes surrounding prescription opioid medications of community living older adults in southeast North Carolina.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional, descriptive, anonymous survey design of participants aged 55 or over was used.FindingsStudy participants (N= 119) reported bias in their attitudes and beliefs about the use and misuse of prescription opioid medications. Multiple regression analyses revealed that gender, age, work, marital status and education level all had significant results in explaining variance in the statistical models. Even though study participants demonstrated high levels of education and understanding of the potential of addiction to opiates, there were a number of misconceptions about prescription pain medications revealed.Originality/valueThere is a dearth of studies looking at older adults’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about prescription pain medications. This urges the necessity of increased awareness via further research, presentations and creative discourse to assist in the understanding of precursors of addiction and ways to deal with pain that do not automatically depend on prescription opioid medicines. Implications include outreach to a larger and more diverse sample to address knowledge, beliefs and attitudes surrounding prescription opioid medications of community living older adults in southeast North Carolina and beyond.

Assessment of the knowledge, attitude, and practice of using hair-smoothing products among women in Saudi Arabia

Background: Hair-smoothing products have been developed by the cosmetic industry, targeting the popular desire among women for beautification. The products are also used as a treatment for hair. All hair-smoothing products contain different levels of formaldehyde, which is classified as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of using hair-smoothing products among women in Saudi Arabia, as well as identifying common side effects of their use. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 in Saudi Arabia. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to more than 1600 women, administered in the Arabic language using paper and an online survey. Results: Only 35% of the participants had previously used hair treatments, whereas 24% of the participants identified formaldehyde as a carcinogen. Close to two-thirds (59%) of the participants used hair treatments to facilitate management of their hair. About one-third (35%) of participants read the instructions for hair treatments before their use. The main symptom participants mentioned related to formaldehyde exposure was hair loss (34%). The majority of users (71%) use personal protective equipment during their use of hair-smoothing products. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated low levels of knowledge, a number of misconceptions, and faulty practices. Women must be made aware of the risks of some hair-straightening products that contain large concentrations of formaldehyde exceeding the recommended exposure levels. Therefore, we recommend raising the overall general public knowledge and awareness of hair-straightening products by establishing marketing campaigns and spreading knowledge through social media.

Misconceptions and Misrepresentation: Challenging UK Media Reports of Recent Visits of UN Special Procedures

Abstract With headlines referencing ‘U.N.ACCEPTABLE Clueless UN official’, ‘“loopy” UN inspector’ and ‘UN meddler’, it is clear that UN special procedure mandate holders can be subjected to negative national press coverage when visiting the United Kingdom. Indeed, some media outlets border on vitriolic in their coverage of mandate holders’ visits and reports. This paper argues that a number of misconceptions and misunderstandings explain some of this media coverage. UN special procedure mandate holders are not employed by the UN, nor are they dispatched by the UN to investigate the UK. Rather they are independent and receive no payment for their time or work. Actual visits are funded from the UN general budget and the UK is not alone being examined and critiqued. In explaining some of the misconceptions and misunderstandings, the paper clarifies the role of special rapporteurs and the contribution they make to the UN.

Gene-Environment Interaction in the Era of Precision Medicine - Filling the Potholes Rather Than Starting to Build a New Road.

Gene–environment interaction is a key part of evolutionary biology, animal, and plant breeding, and a number of health sciences, like epidemiology and precision medicine. However, bottlenecks in models of gene–environment interaction have recently been made manifest, particularly in the field of medicine and, consequently, specific improvements have been explicitly requested—namely, an implementation of gene–environment interaction satisfactorily disentangled from gene–environment correlation. The present paper meets those demands by providing mathematical developments that implement classical models of genetic effects and bring them up to date with the prospects current available data bestow. These developments are shown to overcome the limitations of previous proposals through the analysis of illustrative examples on disease susceptibility, with special attention paid to precision medicine. Indeed, a number of misconceptions about the application of models of genetic/environmental effects to precision medicine are here identified and clarified. The theory here provided is argued to strengthen, in particular, the methodology required for high-precision characterization of strain virulence in the study of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moscow population awareness of stroke and educational policy (survey results)

Prevention of strokes and the fight against their consequences require not only the work of the healthcare system, but also the self-preserving behavior of the population, which is largely motivated by competence in this sphere. The study of public awareness on this issue and the development of recommendations on information policy were the main objectives of the study. In October-December 2019 two surveys were conducted in Moscow, the sample of each was 800 people. The study found an increase between the waves in the number of those who think they know the signs of a stroke (up to 65%). Despite the mainly correct answers, this self-evaluation is not always backed-up by real knowledge: e.g. a stroke was sometimes confused with an ischemic heart disease, a heart attack and epilepsy. Less competency is demonstrated by men and people with primary/secondary education, younger respondents. 94% of the respondents will call an ambulance when they see signs of a stroke, 16% will begin to provide assistance on their own, and in general their actions will be correct, although there are a number of misconceptions. Among the main risk factors of a stroke the respondents consider bad habits. The population receives information about signs of a stroke mainly from relatives/friends (25%) and on the Internet (22%). The study found necessity for the right information about strokes. There is a need for some greater presentation of peer-reviewed information materials in the information field.

The effectiveness of refutation texts to correct misconceptions among educators.

Teachers around the world hold a considerable number of misconceptions about education. Consequently, schools can become epicenters for dubious practices that might jeopardize the quality of teaching and negatively influence students' wellbeing. The main objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of refutation texts in the correction of erroneous ideas among in-service teachers. The results of Experiment 1 indicate that refutation texts can be an effective means to correct false ideas among educators, even for strongly endorsed misconceptions. However, the results of Experiment 2 suggest that these effects may be short-lived. Furthermore, attempts to correct misconceptions seemed to have no beneficial effect on teachers' intention to implement educational practices that are based on those erroneous beliefs. The implications of these results for the training of preservice and in-service teachers are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Myelomeningocele Closure: An Embryological Perspective.

Myelomeningoceles (MMCs) represent a localized failure of primary neurulation during the fourth week of embryonic development. There are a number of misconceptions concerning the proper identification, classification, and surgical repair of these lesions. To provide surgeons with a working knowledge of early neural embryology as it relates to MMC closure as a localized failure of primary neurulation. We review the embryology of early neural development as a means of providing neurosurgeons with a better understanding of MMC closure techniques. Early neural development predicts the anatomy of MMC and knowledge of embryology helps guide repair. Repair of MMC is enhanced by knowing early neural development.

Modeling the Wason Selection Task: a Response to Ragni and Johnson-Laird (2020)

Kellen and Klauer (this issue) discussed a number of limitations in Ragni et al. (Psychological Bulletin, 144, 779–796 2018) evaluation of theories of the Wason selection task. In a reply, Ragni and Johnson-Laird (this issue) raise a number of counterarguments along with new arguments against the Inference-Guessing Theory. We argue that much of their reply hinges on a number of misconceptions.

Strengthening of Molecular Diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19 with a Special Focus on India

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus initially reported in Wuhan, China, is the causative agent of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Symptoms of the disease comprise of fever, tiredness, dry cough, aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat, diarrhoea and pneumonia at the late stage. SARS-CoV-2 has severely crippled the healthcare system and has caused huge economic losses. Following the outbreak, the SARS-CoV-2 was recognized timely and its genome was sequenced, leading to the development of real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for its detection in clinical samples collected from suspected cases. The management of the pandemic is limited by a number of misconceptions and insufficient information about laboratory testing for SARS-CoV-2 to confirm the disease. This includes a lack of awareness about procedures for the collection, transport, testing, and handling of biological samples for COVID diagnosis. This article provides an overview of the current laboratory diagnostic methods with a purpose to provide information and guidance to laboratories, stakeholders, broader community and especially public health professionals involved in laboratory testing for SARS-CoV-2.