Standard Questions Research Articles

A cross-sectional study on knowledge, attitude, and practice of health-care professionals about adverse drug reactions reporting in a tertiary care teaching hospital of southern Rajasthan

Background: Adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting is the integrity of healthcare professionals (HCPs) to counteract fatal outcomes aroused by the use of medications during therapy. The underreporting of ADRs imposes major problems globally. The pharmacovigilance program plays a key role in detecting and preventing ADRs. Targeting the upcoming younger generation of HCPs and sensitizing them towards ADR reporting in their clinical practice is essential. Aims and Objectives: The main objective of our study is to measure the knowledge, attitude, and practice of interns and postgraduates at our institute towards ADR reporting and pharmacovigilance. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study conducted on interns and postgraduates of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Udaipur, Rajasthan. A set of 28 standard questions related to knowledge, attitude, and practice of pharmacovigilance and ADR reporting were distributed among 106 students after taking the ethical approval from the institute. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS (version 20) software in percentage. The Chi-square test (χ2) was used, and P < 0.01* was considered significant statistically. Results: In our study, we found most of the participants were in 21–30 age groups (84.19%); male participants were (67%) in comparison with females (33%). The majority of interns showed their interest in participation (66%) rather than postgraduates (34%) in this study. The overall knowledge (14.645, P = 0.01), attitude (14.64, P = 0.01), and practice (35.712, P = 0.01) of HCPs were found to be significant. Conclusion: We conclude from this study that both interns and postgraduates have good knowledge of ADR reporting, but interns lack practice in their daily duties due to fear of heavy paper work, and postgraduates lack attitude towards ADR reporting due to heavy duty schedules. Most of the participants, i.e., interns and postgraduates, felt ADR reporting was their primary responsibility along with patient safety. Recurrent training and sensitization of upcoming medical professionals about ADR reporting will impart better patient compliance and eradicate fatal outcomes. They also suggest a separate working body needs to keep by institutions to collect the ADR reports during their busy duty schedules.

Music Therapy as a Topic in Medical Education: Course Concept and Student Evaluation of an Elective Course for Medical Students.

Music therapy has been proven as a safe and well-established intervention in healthcare to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life. While music therapy is already established in several settings to supplement medical care, there is a lack of integration in the field of medical education. We report on the implementation and evaluation of a teaching concept for a five-day-intensive-course on music therapy. The course was offered as an elective course for medical students at the University Duisburg-Essen. At the end of the course, students filled out a free text questionnaire to assess the students' perception of the course, and additionally answered standardized questions by the structured EVALuna online evaluation tool of the University of Duisburg-Essen. All students (N = 35) who participated in the music therapy course between September 2019 and March 2023 completed the questionnaires and N = 21 students filled out the EVALuna. Most students (89%) chose the course because of their interest in alternative and supportive therapy options to improve patients' well-being. About 46% had previous musical experience and passion and fun with music and 37% of the students were interested in the interdisciplinary academic subject that combined music and medicine. EVALuna online evaluation reflected high satisfaction with the course. Due to the well-proven effectiveness and evidence of music therapy as well as the positive perception of medical students, music therapy should be further established in medical care and medical education.

Physical activity and life satisfaction of students of physiotherapy and physical education at the close of the COVID-19 pandemic

Aim: To learn and compare their level of physical activity (PA) and motivation declared by physical education students and future physiotherapists, as well as to evaluate their life satisfaction in the final phase of the pandemic of the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: A survey study covered 211 respondents (106 students of physical education (PE) and 105 future physiotherapists). The anonymous survey consisted of standardized questions regarding the level and goals of physical activity (IPAQ-SF and IPAO) and life satisfaction (SWLS). Results: A high level of PA was demonstrated by 51.5% of men and 48.6% of women – 83.1% and 75.9% students of physiotherapy and physical education, respectively. Family was a determinant that did not motivate the students to take up physical activity. There was a better atmosphere in the professional environment encouraging physical activity in the group of PE students (3.19}1.28) than among future physiotherapists (2.82}1.28) (p<0.001). Future physiotherapists declared lower level of life satisfaction. In this group, the SWLS score was 23.5}5.95 compared to 25.4}5.45 among PE students. Conclusions: At the close of the COVID-19 pandemic, the specificity of PE and physiotherapy studies as well as gender are variables that had a significant impact on the resumption, type and motives for undertaking physical activity and improving life satisfaction. PE students’ perception of the importance of physical activity is more pronounced than that of future physiotherapists, which is a strong enough factor to increase their life satisfaction.

Analisis Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Matematika Mahasiswa Berdasarkan Gender

This study aims to analyze students' math problem-solving skills based on gender. The subjects involved were 6 students of the Mathematics Education Department, where three of them were female and the rest were male. The instrument used is a description question on the topic of Three Variable Linear Equation System that adapted through PISA standard questions. The analytical tool used is the problem-solving stage introduced by Polya. The results showed that at the stage of understanding the problem, male students were more able to understand the questions and some of them were able to rewrite them based on their own words. At the stage of making a solution plan, all male subjects could make a mathematical model of the given problem as well as for two female subjects, while there was one female subject who was unable to make a mathematical model. At the stage of carrying out the plan, the three male subjects were again able to complete the plan properly, while the female subject still had difficulty solving the problems given. At the review stage, all male subjects had re-examined, while all female subjects did not reach this stage. In general, male subjects have better problem solving abilities than female subjects.

Analisis Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Matematika Mahasiswa Berdasarkan Gender

This study aims to analyze students' math problem-solving skills based on gender. The subjects involved were 6 students of the Mathematics Education Department, where three of them were female and the rest were male. The instrument used is a description question on the topic of Three Variable Linear Equation System that adapted through PISA standard questions. The analytical tool used is the problem-solving stage introduced by Polya. The results showed that at the stage of understanding the problem, male students were more able to understand the questions and some of them were able to rewrite them based on their own words. At the stage of making a solution plan, all male subjects could make a mathematical model of the given problem as well as for two female subjects, while there was one female subject who was unable to make a mathematical model. At the stage of carrying out the plan, the three male subjects were again able to complete the plan properly, while the female subject still had difficulty solving the problems given. At the review stage, all male subjects had re-examined, while all female subjects did not reach this stage.

The association between testosterone deficiency and nocturia: Insights from The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data set.

To examine the association between testosterone deficiency (TD) and nocturia in males, with specific attention to age and cardiovascular disease (CVD) comorbidity. This cross-sectional study utilized the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2011 to 2016, assessing 6137 adult male participants. TD was defined by a serum total testosterone (TT) concentration less than 300 ng/dL. Nocturia was determined based on participants'responses to a standard NHANES question regarding the frequency of urination during the night. The study observed a significant association between TD and nocturia (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.211 [1.060-1.384], p = 0.005). Moreover, a U-shape pattern was noted in the relationship between serum TT concentration and the relative odds of nocturia. Subgroup analysis revealed a robust correlation between TD and nocturia in those over 60 years old, and those with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and CVDs. Our findings suggest a positive correlation between TD and nocturia, particularly among elderly individuals with CVD. This association underscores the potential therapeutic significance of addressing TD in the management of nocturia. Furthermore, longitudinal studies are needed to establish a causal relationship between TD and nocturia.

Evaluating GPT-4V’s performance in the Japanese national dental examination: A challenge explored

Background/purposeRapid advancements in AI technology have led to significant interest in its application across various fields, including medicine and dentistry. This study aimed to assess the capabilities of ChatGPT-4V with image recognition in answering image-based questions from the Japanese National Dental Examination (JNDE) to explore its potential as an educational support tool for dental students. Materials and methodsThe dataset used questions from the JNDE, which was conducted in January 2023, with a focus on image-related queries. ChatGPT-4V was utilized, and standardized prompts, question texts, and images were input. Data and statistical analyses were conducted using Qlik Sense® and GraphPad Prism. ResultsThe overall correct response rate of ChatGPT-4V for image-based JNDE questions was 35.0 %. The correct response rates were 57.1 % for compulsory questions, 43.6 % for general questions, and 28.6 % for clinical practical questions. In specialties like Dental Anesthesiology and Endodontics, ChatGPT-4V achieved correct response rates above 70 %, while response rates for Orthodontics and Oral Surgery were lower. A higher number of images in questions was correlated with lower accuracy, suggesting an impact of the number of images on correct and incorrect responses. ConclusionWhile innovative, ChatGPT-4V’s image recognition feature exhibited limitations, especially in handling image-intensive and complex clinical practical questions, and is not yet fully suitable as an educational support tool for dental students at its current stage. Further technological refinement and re-evaluation with a broader dataset are recommended.

“Challenges and concerns faced by parents of a group of Egyptian children with cleft lip/palate: a qualitative study”

BackgroundCleft lip and palate are the most common developmental anomalies that affect the mouth and related structures. They can both affect children physiologically, socially, and functionally and lead to psychological distress in their parents. The present study aims to understand the challenges parents of cleft lip and palate patients face in Egypt, elucidate how they cope with these challenges, and assess their concerns for the future.MethodsFor the present phenomenological qualitative exploration, the parents of cleft lip and palate patients attending the cleft care clinic were invited to participate in the study through face-to-face recruitment at the clinic. An interview guide about the research question was developed to include standardized open-ended questions providing a framework for structured discussions. The interviews were audio-recorded after obtaining written informed consent from participants then collected data were transcribed for data analysis.ResultsOf the 12 participants, there were nine mothers and three fathers. Their children’s ages ranged from 1.5 years to 19 years and had different presentations of cleft lip and palate from unilateral cleft lip to complete bilateral cleft lip and palate. Feeding difficulty was one of the main challenges encountered by the parents. At the same time, fear of being subjected to bullying was the main concern for the future of their children. Six themes were noted that were continually reported: Health & Wellbeing; Parental emotions; Parental attitudes & behaviors; Financial aspects; Relationship aspects; and Career/Education.ConclusionsThere were 4 factors that directly impacted the themes, namely: the type of cleft, gender of the child, gender role of the parent, and the age of the child impacted the parental concerns and the challenges faced under the influence of sociocultural beliefs and existing support systems.

Innovations in Tele-Critical Care Nursing During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

For decades, tele-critical care (TCC) programs have provided expert population surveillance with standardized clinical interventions for critically ill patients. The COVID-19 pandemic created massive strains on critical care resources. For this report, standard questions were used to solicit COVID-19 pandemic workflow and service modifications from a network of TCC leaders to describe the rapid expansion of TCC-supported services during the pandemic. In this article, leaders from 7 TCC programs report on the effective use of services to support changing hospital needs during the pandemic in areas such as clinical education, personal protective equipment stewardship, expansion of virtual care, and creative staffing models, among others.

Prevalence and network structure of post-traumatic stress symptoms and their association with suicidality among Chinese mental health professionals immediately following the end of China’s Dynamic Zero-COVID Policy: a national survey

Studies on post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) among mental health professionals (MHPs) are limited, particularly since restrictions due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) have been lifted such as the recent termination of China’s Dynamic Zero-COVID Policy. The current study filled this gap by exploring the prevalence, correlates, and network structure of PTSS as well as its association with suicidality from a network analysis perspective. A cross-sectional, national survey was conducted using a convenience sampling method on MHPs between January 22 and February 10, 2023. PTSS were assessed using the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version, while suicidality was assessed using standardized questions related to ideation, plans, and attempts. Univariate and multivariate analyses examined correlates of PTSS. Network analysis explored the structure of PTSS and suicidality. The centrality index of “Expected influence” was used to identify the most central symptoms in the network, reflecting the relative importance of each node in the network. The “flow” function was adopted to identify specific symptoms that were directly associated with suicidality. A total of 10,647 MHPs were included. The overall rates of PTSS and suicidality were 6.7% (n = 715; 95% CI = 6.2–7.2%) and 7.7% (n = 821; 95% CI = 7.2–8.2%), respectively. Being married (OR = 1.523; P < 0.001), quarantine experience (OR = 1.288; P < 0.001), suicidality (OR = 3.750; P < 0.001) and more severe depressive symptoms (OR = 1.229; P < 0.001) were correlates of more PTSS. Additionally, higher economic status (e.g., good vs. poor: OR = 0.324; P = 0.001) and health status (e.g., good vs. poor: OR = 0.456; P < 0.001) were correlates of reduced PTSS. PCL6 (“Avoiding thoughts”; EI = 1.189), PCL7 (“Avoiding reminders”; EI = 1.157), and PCL11 (“Feeling emotionally numb”; EI = 1.074) had the highest centrality, while PCL12 (“Negative belief”), PCL 16 (“Hypervigilance”) and PCL 14 (“Irritability”) had the strongest direct, positive associations with suicidality. A high prevalence of lingering PTSS was found among MHPs immediately after China’s “Dynamic Zero-COVID Policy” was terminated. Avoidance and hyper-arousal symptoms should be monitored among at-risk MHPs after the COVID-19 pandemic and serve as potential targets for the prevention and treatment of PTSS in this population.

The interconnections of workplace spirituality, mindfulness, subjective well-being, and task performance: A study using structural equation modeling

The wellness of employees is one of the most important aspects of a successful business. Therefore, workplace spirituality, mindfulness, and subjective well-being are highly valued by businesses. This study examined the relationship between workplace spirituality, mindfulness, and subjective well-being on task performance. Online responses from 394 Saudi Arabians gainfully employed in different industries were randomly gathered using four standardized questions. The respondents’ gender, age, experience levels, and industries were diverse, which created a wide and diverse sample. The study looked at common method bias using Harman’s single-factor test. With a total variance of 25.86%, the measured value is below the widely recommended 50% limit. This demonstrated that common method bias had no significant effect. Since all the fit indices have robust fit, the proposed model qualifies for conducting structural equation modeling. The results revealed a significant positive relationship, at a 0.01 level, between spirituality and subjective well-being (t = 3.77, &amp;amp;lt; 0.05) and between spirituality and task performance (t = 3.27, &amp;amp;lt; 0.05). In addition, a significant positive relationship was found between mindfulness and subjective well-being (t = 3.48, &amp;amp;lt; 0.05) and mindfulness and task performance (t = 4.16, &amp;amp;lt; 0.05). Another significant positive relationship existed between subjective well-being and task performance (t = 4.02, &amp;amp;lt; 0.05). This indicates that subjective well-being and mindfulness reinforce employee performance. Also, workplace spirituality and mindfulness enhance both subjective well-being and performance. This finding provides additional evidence and opportunities to address issues related to employee performance. Acknowledgment This study is funded by Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University under a project numbered PSAU/2023/1444.

Practices of Informed Consent for Emergency Procedures at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan.

Background The purpose of obtaining informed consent is to ensure that patients undergoing any medical or surgical intervention are neither deceived nor coerced. Accurately estimating surgical risks is critical for shared decision-making and informed consent. Probable complications and alternative procedures should be presented to the patient so that they can freely choose an operative option. However, this factor is difficult to carry on in emergencies where an urgent decision is required. Objective This study aimed to assess the ongoing clinical practices of informed consent in emergency surgeries at a tertiary care facility. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out from March 2022 to June 2022 at the Department of General Surgery, Lahore General Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan, with patients who had undergone surgical procedures under local, spinal, or general anesthesia within 24 hours of presentation. A Google Form (Google Inc., Mountainview, CA) was designed, containing a predefined set of 32 standard questions, and patients were interviewed in their native language to assess their satisfaction regarding the pattern and components of emergency informed consent. Categorical data were assessed using measures of central tendency, frequencies, and percentages. Results A total of 169 patients were selected for the study. Only 1.6% of them signed the consent form themselves, while 93.5% of the forms were signed by their first-degree relatives. Verbal consent was taken in 4.8% of cases. In 88% of cases, informed consent was obtained by the house surgeons. The majority of patients, i.e., 78.2%, were not able to read the written consent form; however, 83.1% understood the verbal information. About 66.3% of patients agreed that they were informed about the nature of their disease, while 67.5%, 14.8%, and 13.7% affirmed that they were explained the nature of surgical intervention, associated risks, and type of anesthesia, respectively. Overall, 59.5% of patients felt satisfied with the process of informed consent. About 91.1% of the patients believed that their decisions were unaffected by the procurement of informed consent. Conclusion The existing practices of informed consent and comprehension by the population were found to be substandard. Physicians seem to ignore bioethics, and patients appear to be unaware of their basic rights. Although practiced at our center, not all components of informed consent were communicated to the patients. The risks of the procedures and the mode of anesthesia used were not well addressed by doctors. There is a grave need to educate the medical community about the legal and ethical aspects of informed consent, as well as the public masses regarding their rights.

Assessing the Impact of Race, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity on USMLE Style Questions: Preliminary Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Introduction/Objective Medical students are expected to graduate with cultural competence, which improves the quality of care of different minority groups and may help reduce health disparities. Incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion into medical teaching is critical to the development of culturally competent physicians; however, centuries of medical pedagogy have tied certain pathologies to racial and sexual/gender minority patients. This not only encourages stereotyping to arrive at the correct answer but also narrows the differential diagnosis developed by the future physician. We are surveying US and non-US third- and fourth-year medical students and first-year residents to demonstrate to what extent inclusion of race, sexual orientation, and gender identity data in question stems influences diagnosis and clinical decision-making. Methods/Case Report The survey consists of three sections. The first section collects demographic information, including age, race, gender identity, region, type of medical degree, current level of training, completion of examinations, and MCAT score. The second section presents one of two sets of twelve USMLE style questions with (experimental) or without (control) key demographic data, including race, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The third section presents four questions in order to assess participants’ understanding of the higher burden of hypertension among Black patients and attitudes regarding the role of their medical education in the development of biases. Participants were randomized to the set of twelve questions in the second section. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) Preliminary results from 25 medical trainees associated with Loyola University Chicago demonstrate that the presence of demographic data including race, sexual orientation, and gender identity impact answer choice on standardized questions. Conclusion The preliminary results of this study are significant because they suggest that race, sexual orientation, and gender identity are still being used in pathology education to highlight certain disease processes, potentially in a manner that is out of proportion to actual disease prevalence.

Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) as A Measurement for Student Mathematics Assessment Development

The Trend in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is a comprehensive study that aims to look at the mapping of the education system through evaluation in the fields of mathematics and science. Indonesia is one of the countries involved in this periodic evaluation system every four years. Considering Indonesia's position which is still relatively low (ranked 35th out of 46 countries) in the 2015 TIMSS, the Indonesian government then decided not to become one of the TIMSS evaluation objects in 2019 while formulating its own evaluation system. This article aims to examine the TIMSS 2023 framework which is used as a benchmark in the development of a national evaluation/assessment system in Indonesia. Furthermore, this article will contain the process of developing TIMSS standard questions. The method used is Systematic Literature Review (SLR). The main literature in the preparation of this article is the TIMSS 2023 Assessment Frameworks. The other supporting literature comes from the results of research on related topics. In addition to the results of the systematic literature review (SLR) conducted, the findings of this research include the questions developed in accordance with the standards set by TIMSS 2023. The questions developed are focused on the field of mathematics for grade 4, specifically in the domain of Numbers.

RESEARCH OF THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

The aim of the research: To determine effective techniques for researching the quality of life of patients with diabetic retinopathy, conduct surveys, and analyze the obtained results.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: Bibliosemantic and analytical methods, sociological and statistical methods were employed. A standardized quality of life questionnaire, SF-36, was used. The study population consisted of 30 outpatient patients (22 females and 8 males) who are affiliated with the State Institution of Science «Research and Practical Center of Preventive and Clinical Medicine» State Administrative Department, suffering from diabetes with diabetic retinopathy.&#x0D; Results and Discussion: In medical practice, "health-related quality of life" (HRQL) refers to the comprehensive characterization of a patient's physical, psychological, social, and emotional well-being, as assessed based on their subjective perception.&#x0D; Key requirements for modern questionnaires include universality, reliability, sensitivity to changes in the health status of each patient, reproducibility, and ease of use. Additionally, these questionnaires should be standardized, meaning they have a consistent set of standard questions and response options for all respondents, and they should allow for quantitative assessment of psychophysical well-being. In Europe, the most commonly used general-type questionnaire is the EuroQol (EQ-5D), while in the United States, the American questionnaire SF-36 and its variations (SF-22, SF-20, SF-12) are widely recognized.&#x0D; During our research, the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQL) was conducted using the SF-36 questionnaire, which patients filled out by hand. The study population consisted of 30 outpatient patients (22 females and 8 males) suffering from diabetes with diabetic retinopathy of the second and third degree of severity (preproliferative and proliferative).&#x0D; Conclusions: The only element of self-perception of the disease that was found to be prognostically favorable for health-related quality of life (HRQL) is anosognostic attitudes oriented towards continuing an active way of life and a drive for self-realization. The pronounced maladaptive component of self-perception of the disease is associated with a decrease in HRQL both overall and in specific areas. It is not excluded that the tendency to attach excessive significance to the disease creates a favorable ground for the emergence of emotional problems and the development of intra- and interpersonal conflicts, both related and unrelated to the illness.

Evaluation of multiple data sources for predicting increased need for HIV prevention among cisgender women: understanding missed opportunities for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

BackgroundCiswomen constitute a disproportionately low percentage of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention (PrEP) users compared to men. Despite PrEP’s effectiveness, women are 5.25 times less likely to take PrEP than men. Identifying women who have increased reasons for HIV prevention and educating and offering PrEP to these women is crucial to reducing HIV transmission and overall health equity. However, the best method of identifying women at highest risk of acquiring HIV remains unknown. This study aimed to identify common HIV risk factors and data sources for identifying these common factors (e.g., electronic medical record data, open source neighborhood data), as well as potential intervention points and missed opportunities for PrEP linkage.MethodsWe conducted an evaluation of multiple data sources: semi-structured qualitative interviews, electronic medical record (EMR) chart abstraction, and open source data abstraction. We accessed EMRs for enrolled participants and all participants signed a standard release of medical information (ROI) form for all institutions at which they had received medical care for the five-year period preceding their HIV diagnosis. Data were abstracted using a standardized procedure. Both structured and unstructured fields (i.e., narrative text of free notes) within the EMR were examined and included for analysis. Finally, open data sources (e.g., STI cases, HIV prevalence) were examined by community area of Chicago. Open data sources were used to examine several factors contributing to the overall Economic Hardship Index (EHI) score. We used these calculated scores to assess the economic hardship within participants’ neighborhoods.ResultsA total of 18 cisgender women with HIV participated in our study. Participants were mostly Black/African American (55.6%) and young (median age of 34). Our analysis identified two main themes influencing HIV risk among participants: contextual factors and relationship factors. Further, potential pre-diagnosis intervention points and missed opportunities were identified during reproductive health/prenatal visits, behavioral/mental health visits, and routine STI testing. Our evaluation of multiple data sources included investigating the presence or absence of information in the EMR (STI history, HIV testing, substance use, etc.) as well as whether pertinent information could be gathered from open access sources.ConclusionCiswomen recently diagnosed with HIV identified many shared experiences, including syndemic conditions like mental illness and substance abuse, sex with men who have sex with men, and frequent moving in areas with high HIV incidence prior to their diagnosis. It is imperative that providers ask patients about social history, information about partners, and other key variables, in addition to the standardized questions. Findings can be used to better recognize ciswomen most vulnerable to HIV and offer PrEP to them, reducing HIV transmission.

Improved information dissemination services for the agricultural sector in Thailand: development and evaluation of a machine learning based rice crop yield prediction system

The upward surge in world population, sustainability, and concerns about food and nutritional security place the food and agricultural sector amidst challenges. These challenges encompass increasing food supply, meeting higher quality standards, and enhancing productivity and crop yield prediction. This study discusses the development and evaluation of a Machine Learning (ML) based rice yield prediction system. Utilizing extensive historical datasets from the Office of Agricultural Economics (OAE), Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC), Thai Meteorological Department, and Department of Internal Trade of Thailand, all pivotal variables at the national rice level were considered. Examining ML models like the Generalized Linear Model (GLM), Feed-Forward Neural Network (FFNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Random Forest (RF), the study proposes a Web-based system to disseminate Thailand's rice information and yield predictions, aiding decision-making processes. Beyond evaluating the performance of each prediction model, user satisfaction was scrutinized. Results reveal that the FFNN, a deep neural network, adeptly handles complex nonlinear relationships in high-dimensional datasets. Despite the FFNN's longer training runtime due to Big-O complexity, it exhibits the shortest execution time for predictions. System usability assessment, based on ten standardized questions, indicates participants found the proposed system marginally acceptable, reporting positive user experiences and feeling confident in system use without perceiving it as inconsistent or cumbersome. This study is significant for enhancing agricultural information dissemination services across diverse sectors, benefiting farmers, wholesalers, retailers, and policymakers.

Assessing the state of LGBTQ+ diversity and inclusion in neurosurgery

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the diversity of neurosurgeons in terms of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (LGBTQ+) gender and sexual minority status using the Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) as the single nationalized source of LGBTQ+ identification. Additionally, inclusivity was assessed through interviews by residents and attendings in the field. METHODS First, a PRISMA literature review was conducted and independently reviewed by two authors on studies involving LGBTQ+ representation in neurosurgery from PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Then, aggregate responses of 16,901 participants’ sexual and gender identities from the GQ administered between 2016 and 2022 were compiled. To statistically analyze the response frequencies, the authors performed a chi-square analysis. Finally, interviews were conducted with individuals who identify as LGBTQ+ and are currently neurosurgical residents or attendings. Direct invitations were extended to participate in interviews, and all participants gave informed consent prior to the interview. Interviews were conducted using standardized questions and were video recorded. RESULTS Two studies were identified by literature review that referenced the LGBTQ+ community in neurosurgery. A GQ chi-square analysis comparing neurosurgical with nonneurosurgical LGBTQ+ identification proved statistically insignificant (p = 0.65). More broad analysis of majority sexual and gender identification (heterosexual and cisgendered) compared with the total gender and sexual minority group also proved statistically insignificant (p = 0.32) in response frequency. Five interviews, including 4 residents and 1 attending, provided several overarching themes including self-identification as an invisible minority, self-limiting behavior to ensure inclusion, and LGBTQ+ status as a direct departure from the stereotypical neurosurgeon. CONCLUSIONS Results from the GQ analysis indicate that neurosurgery is achieving LGBTQ+ diversity of its incoming members comparable to that of other fields in medicine. However, qualitative data from the interviews and a lack of specific literature indicate that despite obtaining diversity, inclusion of LGBTQ+ neurosurgeons and trainees is lacking.

Development and implementation of a patient reported experience measurement program to transform cancer care.

343 Background: Improving the patient experience is central to providing high-quality, value-based care. Patient reported experience measures (PREMs) are tools to evaluate and improve quality of care. Your Voice Matters (YVM) is a validated survey created by Cancer Care Ontario that captures patient experience in outpatient settings at Regional Cancer Centres across Ontario, Canada. While most hospitals actively collect patient experience data, few have moved to action feedback to improve outcomes. Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM) implemented a systematic approach to PREMs evaluation to advance operational excellence in an outpatient setting. Methods: PM distributes the YVM survey monthly to patients with outpatient visits via email using a Redcap survey platform (93% of patient emails are on file). In addition to the standardized YVM questions, the survey captures respondent comments in an open text field asking about one thing PM can improve and comments are thematically coded and trended monthly. Patients reporting a very poor experience with care (defined as an overall experience of 1/5) who wish to connect with PM are contacted to provide additional information. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were established and visualized in run charts in a Power BI dashboard. KPIs were disseminated to staff and leadership to identify opportunities for improvement. Results: Starting in 2022, approximately 10,600 surveys were disseminated monthly to patients and 1,100 surveys returned (10% response rate) with 10-15 patients contacted each month regarding their poor experience. Long wait times was the top concern across three main outpatient clinics; in the Gynecology clinics, in March 2022, only 45% (35/77) of respondents rated wait times as very good (5/5) and 32% (11/34) of comments were wait times complaints. A comprehensive root cause analysis found that the visit booking system, distribution of clinics across the weekdays, and supports in clinic were key contributors to long wait times. In response, Gynecology clinic resources were reorganized to launch a new Physician Assistant clinic on the underutilized Friday afternoon clinic timeslot, a new streamlined visit process was established, and the booking system was optimized. Within six months, there was a 39% improvement in wait times on weekdays, a 60% increase in the number of patients waiting less than 30 minutes, and a 37% increase in visit capacity on underutilized Fridays. The corresponding patient experience data over the same timeframe improved seen as an increase from 45% to 52% of patients who rated wait times to see the provider as 5/5. Conclusions: A programmatic approach to PREMs evaluation and response can drive improvement in practice. Facilitators include a data-driven methodologic approach to quality improvement, leadership engagement at all levels, and elevation of frontline staff as local experts and change agents.

Personality Types and Ransomware Victimisation

Ransomware remains one of the most prevalent cyberthreats to individuals and businesses alike. Psychological techniques are often employed by attackers when infecting victims’ devices with ransomware in an attempt to increase the likelihood of the victims paying the ransom demand. At the same time, cybersecurity researchers are continually putting in effort to find new ways to prevent ransomware infections and victimisation from happening. Since employees and contractors are often considered to be the most frequent and well-known attack vectors, it makes sense to focus on them. Identifying factors to predict the most vulnerable population to cyberattacks can be useful in preventing or mitigating the impact of ransomware attacks. Additionally, understanding victims’ psychological traits can help us devise better solutions to recover from the attack more effectively, while at the same time, encouraging victims not to pay the ransom demand to cybercriminals. In this article, we investigated the relationship between personality types and ransomware victimisation to understand whether people with certain personality types would be more prone to becoming a ransomware victim. We also studied the behavioural and psychological effects of becoming a ransomware victim in an attempt to see whether such an experience can be used to reinforce positive cybersecurity behaviours in the future. We carried out a survey involving 880 participants, recruited through the Prolific online survey platform. First, these participants were asked to answer a set of standard questions to determine their personality type, using the Big-Five personality trait indicators. They were then asked to answer several follow-up questions regarding victimisation, as well as their feelings and views post-victimisation. We found that 9.55% ( n = 84) of the participants had been a victim of ransomware. Of these, 2.38% ( n = 2) were found to have paid the ransom. We found no compelling evidence to suggest that personality traits would influence ransomware victimisation. In other words, there are no discernible differences regarding potential ransomware victimisation based on people’s personality types alone. Therefore, we should not blame victims for falling prey—in particular, we should not apportion the blame to their personality type. These findings can be used to improve positive cybersecurity behaviours, for example, by encouraging victims to invest more in cybersecurity products and tools. Additionally, our results showed that the aftermath of a ransomware attack could be quite devastating and hard to deal with for many victims. Finally, our research shows that properly dealing with ransomware is a complex socio-technical challenge that requires both technical and psychological support.