Tertiary Level Of Education Research Articles

Development and Validation of a Caregiving Knowledge Questionnaire for Parents of Pediatric Leukemia and Lymphoma Patients in Malaysia.

Introduction Validated tools to measure caregiving knowledge among parents of children with hematological cancers are needed to measure the clinical outcome of caregiver interventions. This study reports the development and validation of the Hematological Oncology Parents Education Caregiving Knowledge Questionnaire (HOPE-CKQ) among Malaysian parents of pediatric leukemia and lymphoma patients. Methods Initially, 60 items on caregiving knowledge were developed based on a qualitative needs assessment study. Content validity was evaluated using item content validity index (I-CVI) and scale content validity index (S-CVI/Ave). Parents of pediatric leukemia and lymphoma patients were invited to complete the 60-item version of the HOPE-CKQ. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using polychoric correlation resulted in an 18-item version of HOPE-CKQ. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to verify the factor structure. Known-group validity was tested by comparing the scores among different levels of parent education. Results The I-CVI ranged from 0.83 to 1.00 whereas the S-CVI/Ave was 0.99, indicating good content validity. A total of 167 complete responses were analyzed for factor analysis. EFA using polychoric correlations resulted in a single-factor structure consisting of 18 items. CFA confirmed that the 18-item single-factor HOPE-CKQ model had a good fit for the data. The internal consistency reliability was good (α=0.80). Parents with tertiary education level had higher caregiving knowledge (M=12.61, SD=3.37) compared to parents with secondary education and below (M=10.33, SD=3.80) (t=3.58, p<0.001). Conclusions The 18-item HOPE-CKQ is valid and reliable for use to measure caregiving knowledge among pediatric leukemia and lymphoma parents. This tool may be considered to measure caregiving knowledge in future preventive and intervention programs.

Overcoming gender bias in the digital economy. Empirical evidence for European countries

This study aims to contribute to understanding the gender biases that emerge in the digital technology-related field. More specifically we concentrate on examining whether gender gaps are diminishing or are persistent in terms of women’s enrollment in technology-related programs at the tertiary level of education and for female STEM graduates. Next, this evidence is confronted with gender biases in the labor market regarding changing female and male employment in high-tech sectors; we detect whether gender gaps grow or diminish in this respect. Our data cover 29 European countries in the period 2011–2020 and are extracted from World Economic Forum reports, Eurostat, and UNESCO databases. Our methodological framework combines time trends analysis, cross-country inequalities, distributional changes, and non-parametric approximations examining relationships between variables. Our major conclusions support the view of negligibly diminishing gender inequalities in technology-related education and demonstrate increasing gender gaps regarding high-tech employment.

Prevalence and determinants of medications non-adherence among patients with uncontrolled hypertension in primary care setting in Sarawak, Malaysia: A cross-sectional study.

Non-adherence to antihypertensive medications is a leading cause of uncontrolled hypertension and its complications. However, data on the factors associated with non-adherence to antihypertensive medications in the communities of Sarawak, Malaysia, are limited. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and determinants of medication non-adherence among patients with uncontrolled hypertension. A cross-sectional study was conducted using the systematic sampling method in four government primary healthcare clinics in Sarawak. A self-administered questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic data and evaluate non-adherence. Blood pressure was measured, and relevant clinical variables were collected from medical records. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the determinants of medication non-adherence. A total of 488 patients with uncontrolled hypertension were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of medication non-adherence was 39.3%. There were four predictors of medication non-adherence among the patients with uncontrolled hypertension: tertiary educational level (odds ratio [OR]=4.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.67-10.61, P=0.010), complementary alternative medication (0R=2.03, 95% CI=1.12-3.69, P=0.020), non-usage of calcium channel blockers (0R=1.57, 95% CI=1.02-2.41, P=0.039) and 1 mmHg increase in the systolic blood pressure (0R=1.03, 95% CI=1.00-1.05, P=0.006). Because of the high prevalence of medication non-adherence among patients with uncontrolled hypertension, primary care physicians should be more vigilant in identifying those at risk of being non-adherent. Early intervention should be conducted to address non-adherence for blood pressure control.

Assessment of Knowledge, Skills, and Preparedness of General-Duty Police on Prehospital Care of Road Traffic Accident Victims in Abuja, Nigeria.

Prompt prehospital care (PHC) is essential for improving outcomes of road traffic accident victims. Previous studies in Nigeria show that little or no PHC is delivered to trauma victims by first responders. This study was conducted to assess police officers' experience with FA/BLS, to identify gaps in their FA/BLS knowledge and skills, and assess police stations' FA/BLS equipment capacity for PHC of road traffic accident victims. This cross-sectional study was conducted among 428 GD police in Abuja between November and December 2018. Respondents were selected using stratified random sampling with proportional allocation method. Data were collected using self-administered electronic semi-structured questionnaires. Data analysis was done using STATA v 14.0 (StataCorp, College Station, TX). Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess associations. We analyzed data from 419 respondents. Almost all (90.2%) of the police were aware of FA/BLS. The proportion of police with poor, fair, and good knowledge and skills on FA/BLS were 15.3%, 79.0%, and 5.7%, respectively. Tertiary (OR = 3.35, 95% CI: 1.01-11.11, P = 0.048) and postgraduate (OR = 6.89, 95% CI: 1.63-29.19, P = 0.009) levels of education had statistically significant association with good knowledge and skills. This highlights the need to implement an educational intervention to increase FA/BLS competencies within the first responder population.

Effectiveness of virtual laboratory vs. paper-based experiences to the hands-on chemistry practical in Tanzanian secondary schools.

Science subjects at pre-tertiary and tertiary education levels are important for socio-economic and industrial development of any country; however, they are difficult for students to construct their concepts. In Tanzania, insufficient or lack of practical experiments are major challenges for science subjects due to insufficient or lack of laboratories, apparatus, expertise or reagents. Thus, this research assesses the effectiveness of paper-based against virtual laboratory experiences towards improvement of real (hands-on) chemistry practical in Tanzanian secondary schools focusing in Dodoma region. Chemistry virtual laboratory was developed and being deployed at Dodoma Secondary School for students who were never done practical sessions before to avoid biasness towards the study. The students were divided into three groups, namely paper-based and real laboratory as control groups (CG) and virtual laboratory as the experiment group (EG). Each group was further divided into two groups for the rest approaches forming six (6) groups. For EG, students were taught based on instructional approach which was enriched by computer animations in the computer laboratory. Results indicate that students who firstly attended virtual laboratory performed better in real laboratory than those who firstly attended real laboratory. Furthermore, the best progressive learning and performance for real experiments appears when the virtual laboratory preceded paper-based practical experiments. Thus, virtual laboratory is a very useful tool for learning chemistry practical not only to schools without laboratories but also to those with laboratories; and it should be considered by all the pre-tertiary schools in Tanzania and other schools in similar situations.

Financial development and educational quality in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper examines the effect of financial development on educational quality in Sub-Saharan Africa. This paper also analyses the interaction effect of public education financing and measures of financial development on quality of education in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study adopts the two—step system generalised method of moment (Two-Step System GMM) model in estimating the effect of financial development on educational quality and the interaction effect of financial development and public education financing on educational quality. We use data for the period 1990 to 2019 for 42 Sub-Saharan African countries obtained largely from the World Development Indicators of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) financial development index database. The results show that overall financial development, financial access, financial depth, and financial efficiency improve quality at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of education. We also find that public education financing improves quality at all levels of education. The results also show that public education financing positively moderates the nexus between measures of financial development and educational quality in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Teachers’ language attitudes towards the use of a nonstandard variety in the classroom in Grades 1–3: A case of isiBhaca in Umzimkhulu, KwaZulu-Natal

South Africa is a democratic country, and as such, it is crucial that every individual’s linguistic rights be protected. Also of paramount importance is that the South African government should revisit the issue of granting official status to some languages to the exclusion of others, such as isiBhaca, and consider the issue of a ‘language variation’. The educational setting has experienced challenges over attitudes towards language varieties. Teachers’ attitudes towards using a nonstandard variety of language or dialect in the education space have implications for effective teaching and learning. Therefore, this paper aims to establish the attitudes held by teachers towards the use of isiBhaca (a nonstandard variety of isiXhosa) in the education space in Umzimkhulu, KwaZulu-Natal. Using the qualitative research method, data were gathered from 22 purposively selected teachers in six schools in Umzimkhulu. Interviews were used to collect data, and the qualitative data were analysed thematically. The study found that teachers view integrating isiBhaca into the classroom as having immense benefits. The results further revealed that teachers felt that isiBhaca should initially be taught in the lower primary school grades (Grades 1–3) and up to the tertiary education level. The findings imply that learners’ academic performance in Umzimkhulu is affected by the use of isiXhosa as a medium of instruction in schools. This is why teachers who were participants in this study believe that isiBhaca is a language of the people of Umzimkhulu, and thus their learners should be given a chance to be taught in isiBhaca.This study contributes to the body of knowledge by demonstrating the attitudes and experiences of teachers in communities where non-standard languages are used in South Africa and how teachers cope in such multilingual classrooms. In the case of isiBhaca, teachers felt that it should be adopted as a language adequate to be used in learners’ education, even though it is a non-official language. Thus, teachers’ attitudes and views should not be ignored when discussing teaching and learning pedagogies.

Feasibility for cage farming in Africa: The case of the Kenyan part of Lake Victoria

AbstractFish catches in Lake Victoria have been on the decline, while demand for fish has been increasing because of rapid human population growth and awareness of the health benefits of fish. This decline is attributed to socioeconomic activities around the lake and climate change effects. To bridge the gap, cage culture has presented itself as a new socioeconomic frontier with good prospects for income in Lake Victoria, besides conserving declining wild fish stocks. However, these cages are greatly influencing the biodiversity of the lake both negative and positive. The study adopted a descriptive survey research where a total of 200 cage fish farmers were targeted. A sample of 60 fish farmers was selected using purposive and simple random sampling methods. Interview schedules and self-administered questionnaires were the main tools for data collection. Both primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The results were: the majority of cage fish farmers were male (87%) while the female was 13%, with a majority (75%) of the secondary and tertiary level of education. The beach management units and fish farmers were responsible for siting of cages. The fish farmers experienced several challenges including high cost of feeds leading to the use of poor quality feeds that sink and increase eutrophication, which enhances the growth of algae and water hyacinth in the lake. Overstocking leads to the emergence of diseases and fish kills, and fish theft resulting in economic loss. Most (80%) of respondents were not aware of policy guidelines on cage culture in Lake Victoria, while (75%) were not aware if cage culture was promoting climate change effects in Lake Victoria. This paper recommends the government to create awareness of policy guidelines on cage fish farming.

Factors Influencing the Consumption of Seaweed amongst Young Adults.

Seaweed has been traditionally consumed in Asian and Pacific cultures, yet aside from sushi, is still not commonly eaten in Western societies. Edible seaweeds offer distinct nutritional benefits to terrestrial crops, particularly with respect to mineral and fibre content. Understanding the motivations that drive young Australians to eat seaweed is necessary for food product development and consumer marketing strategies, as well as informing future sustainable production through seaweed aquaculture and wild-harvest practices. An observational cross-sectional online survey with n = 1403 young (19–30 years) Australian seaweed consumers was conducted. The 19-item survey included closed-ended, open-ended, and Likert scale responses. Most respondents were female (89.0%), with tertiary level education or above (57.7%). Seaweed was eaten mostly as a snack (87.7%) and in home-prepared meals (30.7%). The key advantages to consumption were flavour (89.1%), nutrient content (49.1%), and health benefits (44.6%), whilst the key barriers were poor accessibility (59.5%), unaffordable pricing (46.5%), and undesirable packaging (19.0%). The consumers reported wanting more promotion to improve their knowledge about seaweed, in addition to environmentally sustainable packaging and sourcing. Pathways to overcome barriers and encourage greater seaweed consumption are discussed. Most critically, improving the promotion and environmental sustainability of seaweed products will improve intake amongst current and future consumers.

THE USE OF ENGLISH MEDIUM INSTRUCTION ON EFL STUDENTS AT TERTIARY EDUCATION LEVEL

English medium instruction has been used in many education levels. Although L2 learners study English since primary education, some of them still cannot communicate and write well in English. It is probably caused by lack of self-esteem, motivation, comprehensible input, and interaction. The present study aimed to investigate the use of English medium instruction on EFL students at tertiary education level. This study employed a quantitative method. The participants of this study were 45 undergraduate students at Khon Kaen University, Thailand. A survey questionnaire regarding the use of English medium instruction with a five point likert scale was assigned to the participants in order to obtain the data. The result of this study revealed that there are some subjects that use English as medium of instruction. Furthermore, the students stated that they got exposure in English in several ways such as read textbook, watch YouTube, and write power point in English. The results also showed that the students’ English ability significantly improve regarding the use of English as medium of instruction

Knowledge and attitudes towards child vaccination among public in Cyberjaya, Selangor and their level of vaccine hesitancy

Vaccination is regarded as one of the greatest public health achievements and one of the most cost-effective interventions to prevent childhood major illnesses and mortality. However, despite being recognized as one of the most successful public health measures, vaccination is perceived as unsafe and unnecessary by a growing number of individuals that lead to vaccine hesitancy. This study aimed to determine public level of knowledge, attitudes and hesitancy towards child vaccination in Cyberjaya, Selangor. This study also aimed to measure the association between level of knowledge and attitudes with different respondents’ demographic data. Another aim of this study is to measure correlation between knowledge and attitudes with hesitancy towards child vaccination. A guided self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge, attitudes and hesitancy of the respondents. This cross-sectional study involved 300 respondents identified from the public. Majority of the respondents were females (65.0%), age between 18-29 years (74.7%), Malay (82.3%), Muslim (84.0%), with tertiary education level (78.7%), students (50.0%) and unmarried (70.7%). This study found that the respondents had an overall poor knowledge towards child vaccination (mean knowledge score = 51.3 ± 20.1).

Risk Factors for Breast Malignancy among Women Presenting with Breast Masses in a Teaching Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Breast cancer is the commonest female malignancy globally with increasing prevalence in Nigeria. This study aimed at identifying factors associated with malignant breast masses among women with breast masses receiving care at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).&#x0D; Materials: This cross-sectional, descriptive study investigated 100 women with breast masses by history-taking, clinical breast examination and biopsy for histopathology assessment. Sociodemographic characteristics, family, social, gynecologic, and obstetric history were obtained, and features of breast mass on examination were documented and histology specimens were taken for assessment. The proportion of women with malignant breast masses by biopsy was calculated. Using binary logistic regression analysis, factors associated with malignant breast masses were identified. Significance level was set at p &lt; 0.05.&#x0D; Results: The mean age of participants was 39.4±13.4 years. Most were married (63.0%), overweight (53.0%) and had tertiary level of education (58.0%). The right breast was affected in 56% of women, while most breast masses were oval (49.0%). History of breast pain, exclusive breast feeding and nipple retraction was reported in 76.0%, 35.0% and 17.0% respectively. Malignant breast masses were identified in 46.0% of women and associated factors included increasing age (OR=10.95 – 442.00; p&lt;0.05), married women (OR=6.96; p: 0.001), obesity (OR= 16.20; p: 0.003). Clinical symptoms associated with malignant breast mass included history of previous breast mass (OR = 3.93; p: 0.028), breast pain (OR = 3.07; p: 0.023), nipple retraction (OR=7.44;0.003) and nipple discharge (OR = 10.24; 0.003).&#x0D; Conclusion: The study found that a high percentage of breast masses assessed by biopsy were malignant among the studied populace. Factors significantly associated with increased risk of malignant breast mass included increasing age, obesity, and marital status. We recommend lifestyle modification as well as adoption of primordial and primary prevention measures in tackling problems related with breast cancer among Nigerian women. This should also include the improvement of access to such services.

Human Rights Education at University Level: UN Position and Vietnamese Perspective

The article analyzes the concept, content, and importance of human rights education; the position of the United Nations in this regard; the current status of human rights education in Vietnam, with a focus on human rights education at the tertiary education level. The authors demonstrate that the promotion of human rights education in general, especially at the university level, is an urgent requirement in Vietnam today to implement the relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly. According to the authors, to promote human rights education at the higher education level in Vietnam, it is necessary to set up separate human rights programs and integrate human rights into other relevant educational programs of all higher education institutions. Besides, it is necessary to improve professional capacity and teaching methods for lecturers as well as to upgrade literature resources for teaching and research on human rights.

Exploring Students’ Problems to Interact in English Language in the Classroom at Tertiary Level Education in Rural Areas of Bangladesh

Speaking is one of the skills that human beings use to communicate with one another expressing their ideas. Speaking in English to interact in the classroom with the students and teachers has always been a challenge in rural areas’ tertiary level education. The aim of this research is to explore the problems of using English to interact in the classroom at English study program in rural areas’ tertiary level education. This research used qualitative research with descriptive qualitative research design. Sixty students were chosen via purposive sampling from first semester till seventh semesters at tertiary level of a private university which is situated at a rural area in Bangladesh. Questionnaire which consisted 21 items was distributed to collect data from the participants. The data analysis shows that there were many problems in using English as the medium for classroom interaction at tertiary level because of some influential factors such as; affective factor, sociocultural factor, age or maturational constrains, aural medium, professional versus academic, environment, learning community. It is difficult to use English in classroom interaction without solving the problems by all the stakeholders. This research will be helpful for future English language instructors and students to overcome the obstacles of using English to interact in the classroom at tertiary level education in rural areas of Bangladesh. Keywords: Classroom, English Language, Rural Area, Speaking, Tertiary Level

Relationship between Psychological Distress and Demographic Characteristics among Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) Surgery.

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients often present with anxiety and depression. These symptoms coupled with pain are major concerns and are widely reported among CABG patients. The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between psychological distress and patients’ demographic data. This cross-sectional study in which 178 patients from a surgery ward were selected using the census method. Data were collected using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Brief Pain Inventory (Short Form). The participants’ mean age was 57.49 ± 13.78 years. The majority of participants had a moderate level of anxiety (89.3%) and a moderate level of pain interference (74.7%). Significant differences were noted, with a higher proportion of moderate anxiety level participants aged between 60 and 74 years old, married, and with a tertiary level education (p < 0.05) being found. There were also significant differences between gender (p < 0.05) and pain severity (p < 0.01) across the levels of depression. The levels of anxiety, depression, and pain were significant, especially among older patients. These symptoms should be routinely assessed, and further identification of predictors such as socioeconomic status before the procedure is necessary.

Prevalence and factors associated with anaemia in children aged 6-24 months living a high malaria transmission setting in Burundi.

In very young children, anaemia has been linked to increased morbidity, mortality and poor cognitive development. Although Burundi has a high burden of anaemia, which may be worsened by the high burden of malaria, little is known about the extent of the problem in very young children who are most at risk of severe disease. We estimated the prevalence, and assessed the factors associated with anaemia in children aged 6-24 months using baseline data collected as part of an on-going study evaluating the effect of Micronutrient supplementation on anaemia and cognition among children in high malaria transmission settings in Burundi. Between February and March 2020, surveys were conducted in 498 households within the catchment area of Mukenke Health Center. One child aged 6-24 months was selected per household to participate in the survey. Following written informed consent, we administered a questionnaire to the child's primary caregiver to capture information on child's demographics, nutritional status, food intake, health (status, and morbidity and treatment-seeking practices), as well as the household markers of wealth. A physical exam was conducted, and a blood sample was collected to: 1) assess for presence of plasmodium infection using a rapid diagnosis test; 2) estimate the haemoglobin levels using a portable haemocue machine. A stool sample was also collected to examine for the presence of helminth infections. The prevalence of anaemia was 74.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 61.5%-84.0%), with most of the anaemic study participants classified as having moderate anaemia (59.2%). A total of 62 (12.5%) participants had positive malaria rapid diagnosis tests. Factors significantly associated with higher odds of developing anaemia included not receiving deworming medication (adjusted Odd ratio [aOR] = 3.54, 95% CI 1.79-6.99, p<0.001), the child's home location (Mukenke II: aOR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.89-2.62, p<0.001; Mukenke: aOR = 2.76, 95% CI 2.46-3.10, p<0.001 and Budahunga: aOR = 3.12, 95% CI 2. 94-3.31, p<0.001) and the child's age group (Children aged 6-11 months: aOR = 2.27, 95% CI 1.32-3.91, p<0.001). Education level was inversely associated with less odds of anaemia: child's primary care giver with a secondary (aOR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.47-0.95, p = 0,024) and tertiary education level (aOR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.38-0.61, p<0.001). Anaemia is highly prevalent among young children in high malaria transmission setting. Anaemia is more prevalent among children who not dewormed and those with malaria. To prevent the long-term adverse outcomes of the anaemia in children, policy makers should focus on improving uptake of the deworming and malaria prevention programs, promote preventive interventions and improve the education of women especially in families with very young children.

Factors that influence breast cancer screening among women of reproductive age in the Nandom Municipality, Ghana

BackgroundIn Ghana, breast cancer is a major public health concern and the most common type of cancer among women in terms of mortality and incidence. This study determined the factors influencing breast cancer screening among women of reproductive age in Nandom Municipality, Ghana using the Health Belief Model as the conceptual model.MethodsThe study was cross-sectional in design. A pretested structured questionnaire was administered to 243 womens of reproductive age in the Nandom Municipality. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using STATA version 16 at a 0.05 level of significance.ResultsThe uptake of breast cancer screening was 51.9%. Respondents who had a tertiary level of education were less likely to be screened for breast cancer [AOR = 0.10 (95% CI = 0.02–0.54); p = 0.008]. Respondents who perceived high susceptibility to breast cancer were more likely to get screened [AOR = 1.97 (95% CI = 1.12–3.47), p = 0.019]. Respondents who perceived the high severity of breast cancer were more likely to be screened for breast cancer [AOR = 4.55 (95% CI = 1.32–15.76), p = 0.017]. Also, respondents who perceived high barriers to breast cancer screening were more likely to be screened for breast cancer [AOR = 0.15(95% CI = 1.42–4.22), p < 0.001].ConclusionThe uptake of screening among women of reproductive age in the Nandom Municipality is low. Health promotion interventions to improve breast cancer screening should target women with a tertiary level of education and should focus on heightening the perceived threat of breast cancer and minimizing barriers to breast cancer screening.

Disruptive Factors in Implementing Outcome-Based Education Curriculum at Tertiary Business Education: A Focus on Institutional Readiness

Higher education in Bangladesh has undergone a rigorous transformation from traditional teacher-centred education into a student-centred outcome-based educational system. Implementing an outcome-based education curriculum at the tertiary level is a great challenge in Bangladesh. This study aims to determine the impact of key disruptive factors on institutional readiness to adopt the OBE curriculum at the tertiary level of business education in Bangladesh with reference to the OBE curriculum policies of the Bangladesh accreditation council. A quantitative study was conducted to investigate the research objective. Quantitative data were collected by distributing questionnaires to the sampled faculty members from different private universities in Bangladesh. A closed-ended questionnaire was used to obtain respondents’ views on the impact of the OBE curriculum structure and design, institutional factors, and faculty members’ personal factors on the university’s readiness to adopt the OBE curriculum. Pearson’s correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of disruptive factors in implementing the OBE curriculum on institutional readiness. The OBE curriculum structure, design factors, and faculty members’ personal factors were significantly related to institutional readiness to adopt the OBE curriculum. However, institutional factors have opposite signs. Although the authors identified key challenges in implementing the OBE curriculum in Bangladesh, institutional factors need to be investigated in the future. This study was conducted on a limited sample of 120 business faculty teachers; hence, the results may not be equally significant in other faculties/disciplines. The findings of this study have demonstrated that institutional readiness to adopt the OBE curriculum successfully requires continued development in the field of OBE curriculum structure and design, as well as faculty members’ personal factors.

Does it pay off to specialize? The interplay between educational specificity, level and cyclical sensitivity

This paper investigates how the specificity of the field of study is related to the quality of school-to-work transitions, and whether this relation is moderated by the level of education and the cyclical sensitivity of the field of study. We apply a processual approach and produce a typology of school-to-work transitions based on labor market position and income. This is done with multichannel sequence analysis on register data on school-leavers in the Netherland for the 2009–2010 cohort (N = 182,057). The results confirm that specificity is positively related to the quality of school-to-work transitions in terms of employment and income security. This however mostly holds for the highest levels of upper-secondary vocational education (ISCED 354), and much less for the lower levels of upper-secondary vocational education and tertiary education. In contrast to our expectations, specificity was more often related to positive career outcomes for cyclically sensitive fields of study.

Assessment of knowledge and awareness among the pregnant women about their medication use in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Pregnancy is a physiological state where drug therapy is of particular concern. The pertinent use of drugs during pregnancy is beneficial as it affects not only the health of the pregnant woman but also the developing fetus. The study was carried out to access the knowledge and awareness regarding the drug use among pregnant women.Methods: Cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among 150 pregnant women for six-month duration. All the information was acquired through direct interview with the subjects and from treatment chart of subjects which were then recorded in a data collection form.Results: Majority of the subjects were under the age group of 18-28 years (50%). Most of the subjects predominantly has tertiary level of education (69%). Furthermore, 57% of the subjects were at the third trimester of their pregnancy. Knowledge regarding use of their own medications were significantly high (95%), which suggest that the subjects were well aware of their medications. Besides, 82% of the subjects had knowledge about the medications that were not to be consumed during pregnancy. In addition, 89% of the pregnant women did not take any over the counter medications and about 92% of the subjects did not treat themselves with any ayurvedic or homeopathic medications.Conclusions: Significant number of subjects were aware about their medication use. They ensured themselves and their developing fetus a better health.