Postal Questionnaire Survey Research Articles

African American Farmers’ Attitudes and Perceptions Towards an Urban Agriculture Certificate Program

Farmers’ training through experiential learning plays a crucial role in the success of their farming businesses. Aspiring farmers seek crucial skill sets, including financial management, marketing strategies, pricing, budgeting, whole-farm planning, and long-term decision-making. The objective of this study was to assess African American farmers’ attitudes and perceptions towards an urban agriculture certificate program launched to equip them with farming skills to help them become more successful in an urban setting. A mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative) research approach was used to evaluate the impact of this certificate program. Pre- and post-survey questionnaires and interviews were administered to assess farmers’ prior urban farming knowledge and skills and if there were any changes after the certificate program was launched. Eighteen participants (n = 18) who participated and completed the program were surveyed to measure knowledge and skills gained. Results showed that African American farmers participating in the Gary Urban Agriculture Certificate Program significantly (p < 0.03) increased their skill sets and knowledge about farming in comparison to their mean scores from pre- and post-certificate program. When participants were asked to summarize the impact of the course, several mentioned that it helped them develop a comprehensive approach to planning, planting, maintaining, and harvesting the produce of their farms. Narratives from interview discussions also support the survey results in which the majority expressed a positive impact of the certificate in helping them learn about the useful farming resources around them and gain skills in running a farm. Key findings support the concept that the urban agriculture certificate program administered by Purdue University impacted participant knowledge and provided a positive attitude towards farming. This study helped us understand the impact of the certificate program. Results provided greater awareness of creating programs to support the development of Gary urban farmers’ ability to become more knowledgeable and successful in their farming endeavors.

Perceptions of Postgraduates Towards Using Citation Management Software in Academic Writing: A Case Study in a Vietnamese University

Citation management software (CMS), especially Mendeley, has been suggested for researchers to automatically manage bibliographic information thanks to its complementary version with significant space for data storage. However, little research has been conducted regarding the applicability of Mendeley to the academic writing of postgraduates, especially in Vietnam. This study examined postgraduates’ perspectives toward utilizing Mendeley in academic writing during their language master’s programs at a public university in Vietnam using a mixed method. Data was collected through pre- and post-survey questionnaires of 45 postgraduates majoring in foreign languages and in-depth interviews for a thorough investigation. The findings indicated that Mendeley enhanced the participants’ research productivity and quality, but technological issues and a lack of training limit its use. Also, the study recommended that the institution organize workshops, seminars, and fundamental training courses in Mendeley for postgraduates to use it efficiently.

탐색, 표현, 감상의 통합적 아동미술 수업이 예비유아교사의 창의성과 미술감상능력 및 미술교수효능감에 미치는 효과 및 변화과정 탐색

Objectives This study was conducted to find out the effect of integrated children's art classes of exploration, expression, and appreciation on the creativity, art appreciation ability, and art teaching efficacy of pre-service childhood teachers. Methods Participants in the study were 21 students who took children's art courses in the second semester of 2023 among H University students located in D city. This class was held for a total of 45 hours, 3 hours per week. The collected data included pre- and post-survey questionnaires on creativity, art appreciation ability, and art teaching efficacy, art portfolio, and lecture evaluation forms during and at the end of the semester. The results of quantitative analysis (paired samples t test) and qualitative analysis (open coding method) were as follows. Results First, the integrated children's art class of exploration, expression, and appreciation was effective in enhancing creativity, and it was found that it was effective in alternative solutions and original flexibility among sub-areas. Specifically, imagination and creative thinking skills were developed through the exploration of aesthetic elements in life, and my own creative expression ability was developed through cooperative art activities and work appreciation. Second, this class was found to be effective in enhancing the ability of pre-service childhood teachers to appreciate art. Specifically, cognitive appreciation ability was developed through the expansion of art concepts and knowledge, and work appreciation experience centered on aesthetic elements. Third, this class was found to be effective in enhancing the efficacy of art teaching, and in particular, it was found that it was effective in enhancing the individual efficacy of art teaching. Specifically, teaching ability was developed through knowledge and understanding of early childhood art education and experience in art practice, and teaching efficacy was developed through direct and indirect teacher role experience. Conclusions Therefore, it can be seen that it is meaningful to apply an integrated art education class of exploration, expression, and appreciation to the pre-service teacher training course to improve creativity, art appreciation ability, and art teaching efficacy.

Factors associated with readmission for community-onset pneumonia among older people: A retrospective study

BackgroundAlthough older individuals are prone to pneumonia relapse, little real-world evidence is available on the main factors contributing to pneumonia recurrence. This study assessed the impact of patients’ lifestyles on hospital readmission due to pneumonia recurrence. MethodsWe retrospectively included consecutive patients (aged ≥65 years) who were admitted for community-onset pneumonia. A binary or multiple-choice postal questionnaire survey on lifestyles after hospitalization was conducted to identify the factors associated with readmission due to pneumonia recurrence. ResultsOf 117 patients who responded to the questionnaires, 89 were included in the analyses after excluding 28 patients who died within 1 year of discharge. Twenty-four of 89 (27%) patients were readmitted to the hospital for pneumonia within 1 year of discharge. Multivariate analysis revealed that cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio [OR], 3.912; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.104–13.861; p = 0.035) and need of assistance at mealtime (OR, 2.225; 95% CI, 1.182–4.186; p = 0.013) were significantly associated with readmission due to pneumonia recurrence. Oral care and mealtime body position were not associated with readmission. ConclusionsHost factors, not patients’ lifestyles such as oral care and body position, mainly contribute to the development of pneumonia among older people. These results should be considered risk factors for readmission by medical workers and family members.

Incorporating Korean Culture in English Language Teaching for Intercultural Communication: Adopting CCA Approach

This study investigates the impact of integrating Korean culture into the ELT curriculum adopting a critical cultural awareness approach on students' cultural understanding. Furthermore, the study extends its research to examine the extent to which the local cultural understanding in English acquired from the course contributes to enhancing learners’ intercultural communication in global contexts. This nine-month longitudinal study employed a qualitative data approach derived from a mixed-method study involving pre- and post-survey questionnaires from college EFL learners and in-depth qualitative interviews. Overall, the findings have shown that the integration of local culture into the ELT curriculum helped students: (i) to enrich their understanding of local culture and history; (ii) to examine cultural values with critical perspectives; and (iii) to feel empowered and better prepared to engage in intercultural communication. The analysis also points out that students’ self-/national identity was enhanced, and their English communication skills in global contexts were promoted. Some important implications of this study are discussed for teachers who consider teaching local culture by connecting critical cultural awareness approach in foreign language curricula. Considering that there has been little research on teaching local culture in English class to improve intercultural communication in Korean educational contexts, it is recommended that further research should highlight more dynamic intercultural communication cases by providing on-line communication with students in other countries to facilitate intercultural experiences.

Best practice transfer by public health nurses in Japan: actual conditions and related factors

BackgroundThe workload of public health nurses (PHNs) working for local governments has been increasing as health issues become more diverse and complicated. Even amidst the ongoing administrative and fiscal reforms, there is an urgent need to ensure how effectively and efficiently public health nurses can practice in health service development. The objective of this research was to clarify the actual conditions of best practice transfer (BPT) and its related factors.MethodsAn anonymous postal and self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among PHNs working at 334 sites, including the local government offices and health centers across Japan, and analysed mainly through logistic regression analysis.ResultsOne hundred eighty-five of the 334 institutions (55.4%) agreed to participate, and of the 966 questionnaire forms distributed, 709 forms (73.4%) were collected, of which 702 responses (72.7%) were valid. Although less than half (43.2%) have experience in BPT in health service development, more than 80% are willing to perform going forward. Significant factors for both the group with experience in BPT and the group with willingness to perform include an organizational culture that promotes BPT, as well as multiple elements of the workplace environment and facilitating factors related to knowledge and learning. The experienced group recognised the needs for criteria to evaluate the adaptability of best practice, while the willing group, to evaluate the quality of practice.ConclusionsThrough a nationwide survey, this research elucidated for the first time the actual conditions of BPT by PHNs in Japan and related factors. The results indicated the importance of developing a system to promote BPT at the workplace level, also highlighted the importance for practitioners and experts, including researchers, to work together to develop practical guidelines to ensure evidence-based practices. Urgent actions are needed for the national and local governments to develop a system to promote BPT from diverse perspectives, building on the findings of this research.

Impact of virtual reality on promoting understanding of research in rural Africa: The KEMRI-Wellcome Trust virtual tour of research laboratories

Background Virtual Reality (VR) is poised to transform how science is communicated to the public. There is limited evidence of the use of VR for science education or engagement in sub-Saharan Africa. We produced a virtual reality video tour of the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) laboratories and tested its suitability as an engagement tool for secondary school students. Methods A group of 14 students from various secondary schools, but residents of Kilifi County, situated on the coast of Kenya, were invited for a guided tour of KWTRP laboratories. After that, they were split into three groups to discuss their understanding of the tour and what was relatable to what they were learning in school. The discussion informed the script of a 360 degree video of the KWTRP laboratories. The video was uploaded to the VR headsets and shown to select students (n=59) from three secondary schools in Kilifi County. We administered pre and post survey questionnaires to assess the impact of the virtual tour of the research laboratories. Results Most students reported having never watched videos on laboratory or research before, with few having ever used a virtual reality (VR) headset. After watching the virtual reality video of the laboratory, most students indicated that they found the VR experience good and agreed that it made them feel like they were touring the laboratory in person. They also indicated that they had an increased interest in working in a research laboratory. We observed significant gains in knowledge related to KWTRP among the students after watching the VR video. Conclusions Enabling the public to understand how research is conducted is important for garnering community confidence and scientific support. The virtual reality experience of research laboratories offers a promising tool for science engagement in young adults.

Associations between subjective well-being, number of teeth, and self-rated mastication in Japanese adults: A cross-sectional study.

This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the risk factors for low levels of subjective well-being (SWB) in the general population of Japan, specifically, the impact of the number of teeth and self-rated mastication. The surveyed population consisted of individuals aged between 40 and 79 years from Yamagata prefecture, Japan. A postal self-administered questionnaire survey of respondents lifestyles, medical history, oral health, and dietary intake, was conducted from 2017 to 2021. We included 6846 participants to confirm the independent associations between SWB and several parameters using multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis to estimate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Individuals with < 20 teeth and poor mastication ability had a 1.3-fold risk for low levels of SWB compared with individuals with ≥ 20 teeth with good mastication ability (adjusted odds ratios = 1.300, 95% confidence intervals = 1.043-1.621, P = .020). There were no differences between individuals with good mastication ability, regardless of the number of remaining teeth. Our study emphasizes not only the importance of having ≥ 20 teeth and good mastication ability for high levels of SWB but also the importance of restoring mastication ability using some form of prosthesis, to facilitate a high level of SWB when the number of remaining teeth is < 20.

Effects of self-assessment on students’ evaluative skills: A convergent mixed-methods study at Samtse College of Education

Self-assessment is a beneficial practice in students’ development of evaluative judgement. In order to enhance students’ evaluative skills, a self-assessment treatment was introduced in the Economics Education I module at Samtse College of Education. The students are expected to self-assess various classroom activities and module assignments. For the students to be able to self-assess their learning, the researcher introduced specific instructional rubrics and gradation criteria to ensure quality and for students to carry out self-assessment. Using a mixed-methods design, the study examined the effects of self-assessment on students’ evaluative skills. The data were collected using a one-group pre- and post-survey questionnaire followed by open-ended responses and document analysis. The participants were 17 economics students who were purposefully selected. The key findings reveal that self-assessment, if carried out rigorously and effectively, can enhance students’ evaluative skills. The results also indicate that self-assessment action on developing students’ evaluative skills was positive and statistically significant. The study suggests the importance of involving students in the design of tasks, rubrics, and assessment criteria for developing students’ evaluative skills.

The expected role of Dementia Support Doctors in dealing with complex cases of older people with dementia

The present studyinvestigated the roles expected of Dementia Support Doctors (DSDs) in dealing with complex cases. The participants were attendees of the education programs organised by the Center for Promoting Dementia Support and the Medical Center for Dementia at the Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital from April 2021 to March 2022. A self-administered postal questionnaire survey was conducted. The questionnaire included items on the basic attributes of the participants, their experiences with the issues associated with complex cases, and role expectations of consulting/collaboration partners when dealing with complex cases. The valid response rate was 49.3%. DSDs were expected by primary physicians, Community General Support Center staff and administrative staff to diagnose dementia and give advice on support strategies for complex cases. Primary physicians further expected them to initiate pharmacotherapy with anti-dementia drugs and address the pharmacotherapy needs for managing Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia. It was also found that DSDs' experience with complex cases was comparable to that of the staff at the Medical Centers for Dementia. Of note, DSDs were mentioned less frequently as consulting/collaboration partners than Medical Centers for Dementia and primary physicians. The study showed that DSDs play an important role in dealing with complex cases. The roles of DSDs and ways to collaborate with them need to be communicated through interprofessional education.

Counteracting sociocultural barriers in global software engineering using group activities

AbstractIn modern times, internationally organized teams face a number of coordination problems owing to their different physical operating locations. These challenges usually come in temporal, cultural, and linguistic forms. To resolve some of these issues, we need more coordination, teamwork, and shared understanding in the requirements engineering phase. Many approaches have been introduced to overcome these challenges associated with global software engineering (GSE). The objective of this research study is to introduce amateurs to GSE and improve their understanding of its associated challenges through an activity‐based learning approach. Our method is primarily targeted toward students who already have theoretical knowledge on the topic but require first‐hand experience with GSE. With the aforementioned motivation in mind, we propose, designe, and empirically evaluate two different activities that can help enhance awareness of GSE challenges. For each activity, we simulate an environment wherein participants are made to go through various constructed coordination challenges related to communication, time management, team mistrust, linguistic barriers, cultural barriers, and distribution of tasks. The effectiveness of our proposed activities, captured by the extent to which participants were able to deal with GSE challenges, was judged through various techniques including (i) observation, (ii) post activities survey questionnaire, and (iii) brainstorming and discussion. We show that the proposed activities were effective in helping students learn and further their understanding of GSE concepts. In particular, discussion sessions and survey questionnaire results reflect their ability to identify critical GSE challenges (specifically related to teams) in a simulated scenario.

A Driving Simulator Study to Understand the Impact of Cell Phone Blocking Apps on Distraction

Using cell phone blocking apps is an effective way to prevent distracted driving. This study used a high-fidelity driving simulator to examine drivers’ behavior while using a cell phone blocking app. Thirty-five participants drove in a simulated network under four scenarios. Participants also completed pre- and post-survey questionnaires. The results support previous investigations regarding interactions with phones while driving. Results showed that drivers deviated from the center of the road, changed lanes significantly more often, and increased their steering velocity when drivers were interacting with a cell phone. The impacts of cell phone blocking apps were similar to the no distraction scenario while driving. This suggests that using cell phone blocking apps is one of the most effective ways to prevent distracted driving. Survey results indicated that only 23% of drivers used cell phone blocking apps before the experiment. However, 88% of the participants had a positive opinion about using these apps and indicated that they would use such apps after the experiment. These findings support the importance of cell phone blocking apps from a policy perspective and highlight the need to educate drivers about distracted driving prevention technologies.

Sosialisasi Gema Cermat (Gerakan Masyarakat Cerdas Menggunakan Obat) dengan Memasyarakatkan “Tanya 5 O”

Public knowledge of self-medication is crucial, and one of the challenges faced is the lack of awareness regarding this practice. Irrational self-medication can lead to harmful consequences, such as incorrect treatment due to inaccurate self-diagnosis. Contributing factors include biased drug advertisements in the media and inadequate information from healthcare professionals. Community engagement is one of the collaborative sharing programs initiated by the Government, known as the Gema Cermat (Smart Community Using Medicines Movement), which includes the promotion tagline "Ask 5 O." This community engagement program aims to enhance the independence of the public in selecting, obtaining, using, storing, and disposing of drugs appropriately, thus promoting rational drug use within society. The target audience for this program was the teenage group of Sekaa Teruna Teruni Panji Semerang in Banjar Sembung Meranggi, Sembung Gede Village, Bali. The results of this community engagement program demonstrated a significant change in participants' knowledge, as assessed through pre- and post-survey questionnaires analyzed using paired T-Test, showing a p-value of 0.000 &lt; 0.005. The findings highlight the beneficial impact of the Gema Cermat program in improving participants' knowledge. Going forward, it is recommended to conduct more frequent community engagement activities across various segments of society to support rational drug use.

Duty to treat and perceived risk of contagion during the COVID-19 pandemic: Norwegian physicians’ perspectives and experiences—a questionnaire survey

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic actualised the dilemma of how to balance physicians´ obligation to treat patients and their own perceived risk of being infected. To discuss this in a constructive way we need empirical studies of physicians´ views of this obligation.MethodsA postal questionnaire survey was sent to a representative sample of Norwegian physicians in December 2020. We measured their perceived obligation to expose themselves to infection, when necessary, in order to provide care, concerns about being infected themselves, for spreading the virus to patients or to their families. We used descriptive statistics, chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses.ResultsThe response rate was 1639/2316 (70.9%), 54% women. Of doctors < 70, 60,2% (95% CI 57.7–62.7) acknowledged to some or a large degree an obligation to expose themselves to risk of infection, and 42.0% (39.5–44.5) held this view despite a scarcity of personal protective equipment (PPE). Concern about being infected oneself to some or to a large extent was reported by 42.8% (40.3–45.3), 47.8% (45.3–50.3) reported concern about spreading the virus to patients, and 63.9% (61.5–66.3) indicated worry about spreading it to their families. Being older increased the odds of feeling obligated (ExpB = 1.02 p < 0.001), while experiencing scarcity of PPE decreased the odds (ExpB = 0.74, p = 0.01). The odds of concern about spreading virus to one´s family decreased with higher age (Exp B = 0.97, p < 0.001), increased with being female (Exp B = 1.44, p = 0.004), and perceived lack of PPE (Exp B = 2.25, p < 0.001). Although more physicians working in COVID-exposed specialties experienced scarcity of PPE and reported perceived increased risks for health personnel, the odds of concern about being infected themselves or spreading the virus to their families were not higher than for other doctors.ConclusionThese empirical findings lead to the question if fewer physicians in the future will consider the duty to treat their top priority. This underscores the need to revisit and revitalise existing ethical codes to handle the dilemma between physicians´ duty to treat versus the duty to protect physicians and their families. This is important for the ability to provide good care for the patient and the provider in a future pandemic situation.

Determinants of depressive symptoms increase in older persons during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Czech cohort study using repeated assessments

BackgroundNumerous studies reported higher levels of mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic but only a minority used repeated measurements. We investigated change in depressive symptoms in the Czech ageing...

Pandemic-related determinants of depression in Czech older persons: Evidence from the HAPIEE cohort

Abstract Background A number of studies reported higher levels of mental health issues during the COVID-19 pandemic but only minority of studies focused to assess changes in mental health against measurements taken before the pandemics. We investigated a change in depressive symptoms using repeated measurements and the impact of the pre-existing and COVID-19-related stressors in an ageing cohort in the Czech Republic. Methods We used data on 2853 subjects (mean age 73 years) from the Czech part of the prospective HAPIEE cohort that participated on postal questionnaire surveys before (2017) and during the pandemic (autumn 2020 to early 2021). Participants reported their depressive symptoms using validated CESD-10 report tool. The impact of pre-existing stressors (age, sex, education, living alone, self-rated health, employment status, depression before pandemic), as well as pandemic-related stressors on change in depressive symptoms were tested using multivariable linear regression, after adjustment for age and potential confounders. Results Compared with pre-pandemic period, there was a significant increase in depression score during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mean CESD-10 score increased from 4.92 to 5.37 (p &amp;lt; 0.001). Significantly larger increases in depressive score reported older persons (β = 0.073; p &amp;lt; 0.001) and those with poor self-rated health (β = 0.170; p &amp;lt; 0.001) in the fully adjusted model. Moreover, those who experienced social deprivation (β = 0.057; p &amp;lt; 0.001), death or hospitalization of a close person (β = 0.064; p &amp;lt; 0.001), delays in healthcare (β = 0.048; p = 0.005) and those who suffered from COVID-19 (β = 0.045; p = 0.008) also reported worsened depressive symptoms. Conclusions This longitudinal study confirms important increase in depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic and contributes to identify pandemic-related risk factors. Interventions and future public health policies should address vulnerable individuals and population groups. Key messages • Mental health worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to previous years. • Social deprivation, delays in healthcare and experiencing COVID-19 infection affected mental health of older people.

Chronic pain, mental health and functional impairment in adult refugees from Syria resettled in Norway: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundLimited research exists on pain and especially the co-occurrence of pain and mental ill health in general refugee populations. The present study aimed to approximate the prevalence of chronic pain (CP) among adult refugees from Syria resettled in Norway; investigate the association between CP and mental ill health; and explore how CP and mental ill health associate with both perceived general health and functional impairment. Gender as potential effect modifier in these associations was also examined.MethodsCross-sectional, postal survey questionnaire. Inclusion criteria: ≥ 18 years old; refugee from Syria; and arrived in Norway between 2015 and 2017. Study sample was randomly drawn from full population registries, and n = 902 participated (participation rate ≈10%). CP was measured with 10 items on pain lasting for ≥ 3 consecutive months last year. Symptoms of anxiety, depression and PTSD were measured with the HSCL and HTQ scales, respectively. Ordered and binomial logistic regressions were used in analyses. Gender was tested as effect modifier with Wald test for interaction.ResultsIn the sample overall, the proportion of participants who reported severe CP was 43.1%. There was strong evidence that anxiety, depression and PTSD were associated with higher levels of CP. In fully adjusted regression models, including both CP and mental health variables, CP was strongly associated with poor perceived general health whereas mental health showed much weaker associations. The association between mental health (anxiety and PTSD) and functional impairment was highly gender specific, with strong associations in men but not in women. CP was strongly associated with functional impairment with no difference across gender.ConclusionThe study shows a high burden of CP in a general population of adult refugees from Syria with likely substantial adverse consequences for daily functioning. The strong association between CP and mental ill health suggests personnel working with refugees’ health should be attuned to their co-occurrence as both problems may need to be addressed for either to be effectively mitigated. A clear mismatch exists between the burden on health caused by pain in general refugee populations and the amount of available evidence to guide mitigating strategies.Trial registrationNCT03742128.

Disclosing a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder without intellectual disability to pediatric patients in Japan in early diagnostic stages and associated factors: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundWith a recent increase in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), an important issue has emerged in clinical practice regarding when and how patients themselves should be given explanations following a diagnosis of ASD. The clinical guidelines of the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence state that children diagnosed with ASD should receive an explanation about what ASD is and how it affects their development and functioning—“if appropriate”. However, the guidelines do not provide any specifics regarding what constitutes “appropriate” situationsMethodsWe conducted an anonymous self-administered postal questionnaire survey targeting all members of the Japanese Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (n=1,995). The analysis included only physicians who had newly diagnosed pediatric patients with ASD in the past year. We imposed a limit of one year because diagnoses further back than that are difficult to recall; in other words, this would enhance the recall biasResultsThe recovery rate was 30.8%, and the rate of diagnosis disclosure to patients themselves without intellectual disability was 15.3%. We asked 361 physicians who responded that “deciding on a case-by-case basis” was the ideal way to disclose an ASD diagnosis about 20 items prioritized by physicians at the time of diagnosis disclosure and extracted three factors through exploratory factor analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed with physician attributes, awareness of ASD as a disorder or personality, and the three extracted factors as explanatory variables; diagnosis disclosure was the dependent variable. The patient age group and only one of the three factors (i.e., “factor related to readiness to accept diagnosis”) showed a significant association with disclosure of the diagnosis to the individual. Items included in the “factor related to readiness to accept diagnosis” were as follows: the degree of parental understanding, relationship of the patient with their parents/physician, agreement in opinion between parents, parental consent, “sufficient” patient understanding, symptom stabilization, and a guarantee of sufficient time required to explain the diagnosis to the patientConclusionIn clinical settings, disclosing an ASD diagnosis with the consideration of patient/parent readiness toward accepting the diagnosis could help to guide physicians in determining an ideal timing for disclosure. Future studies are needed to establish detailed and concrete guidelines regarding disclosure of an ASD diagnosis to patients.

Physical activity, respiratory physiotherapy practices, and nutrition among people with primary ciliary dyskinesia in Switzerland - a cross-sectional survey.

We know little about the level of physical activity, respiratory physiotherapy practices and nutritional status of people with primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD), although these are important aspects of patients with chronic respiratory disease. We assessed physical activity, respiratory physiotherapy practices and nutritional status among people with primary ciliary dyskinesia in Switzerland, investigated how these vary by age and identified factors associated with regular physical activity. We sent a postal questionnaire survey to people with primary ciliary dyskinesia enrolled in the Swiss PCD registry (CH-PCD), based on the standardised FOLLOW-PCD patient questionnaire. We collected information about physical activity, physiotherapy, respiratory symptoms and nutritional status. We calculated the metabolic equivalent (MET) to better reflect the intensity of the reported physical activities. To assess nutritional status, we extracted information from CH-PCD and calculated participants' body mass index (BMI). Of the 86 questionnaires we sent, 74 (86% response rate) were returned from 24 children and 50 adults. The median age at survey completion was 23 years (IQR [interquartile range] 15-51), and 51% were female. Among all 74 participants, 48 (65%) performed sports regularly. Children were vigorously active (median MET 9.1; IQR 7.9-9.6) and adults were moderately active (median MET 5.5; IQR 4.3-6.9). Fifty-nine participants (80%) reported performing some type of respiratory physiotherapy. However, only 30% of adults saw a professional physiotherapist, compared with 75% of children. Half of the participants had normal BMI; one child (4%) and two adults (4%) were underweight. People who were regularly physically active reported seeing a physiotherapist more often. Our study is the first to provide patient-reported data about physical activity, respiratory physiotherapy and nutrition among people with primary ciliary dyskinesia. Our results highlight that professional respiratory physiotherapy, exercise recommendations and nutritional advice are often not implemented in the care of people with primary ciliary dyskinesia in Switzerland. Multidisciplinary care in specialised centres by teams including physiotherapists and nutrition consultants could improve the quality of life of people with primary ciliary dyskinesia.

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND ITS IMPACTS ON TEACHERS’ PEDAGOGY

This study aimed at investigating continuous professional development and its impacts on teachers’ pedagogy among 103 (85 females and 18 males) elementary level teachers at private school of Turbat region Baluchistan. The researcher collected data from all the elements of population to explore teachers’ perceived knowledge of pedagogy before conduction of the training and examined teachers’ perceptions regarding the impacts of continuous professional development training on teachers’ pedagogy after training. Data were collected through pre-survey and post-survey Questionnaires which included lesson planning, classroom management, classroom assessment, teaching methods, test development and continuous professional development. Through the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) and partial least squares and structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) were used to test hypotheses. The results of (PLS-SEM) revealed all the five hypotheses are accepted and supported each with significant value of (P=0.000). The study concludes teachers have positive perceptions about their knowledge of pedagogy after attending the training. Hence, the study suggests CPD training must be made compulsories for all the schoolteachers and recommends introducing training workshops in schools to withstand quality of school teaching and learning.