Indian Undergraduate Students Research Articles

A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED ASSESSMENT OF OTORHINOLARYNGOLOGY (ENT) UNDERGRADUATE COURSE DESIGN BY THIRD YEAR MBBS STUDENTS IN A SINGLE MEDICAL INSTITUTION

Background: A sizable number of patients attend to Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) Out- patient department(OPD) across the country for various symptoms. Being treated as a minor subject in undergraduate (UG) course, the minds of the students are not fully open about the subject and the variety it offers . This often leads to Otorhinolaryngology being chosen as one of the last options during post graduation counselling in surgical subspecialties. 1 The popularity of Otorhinolaryngology is quite different in western countries and is much sought after. The present study was planned to gain an insight into the mindset of Undergraduate students in India on the study course design. 142 medical students in Materials And Methods: a medical college and tertiary care hospital in western India, were assessed at the end of third year ,in form of questionnaire for methods ,form of learning and exam pattern. 82% students like Otorhinolaryngology as a subject but only 42% Observations: are satised with the current curriculum. Students prefer bedside clinics over lectures and tutorial. Videos and models help them to understand the anatomy better. They wish their evaluation to be based more on practical examinations than theory exam. Only two percent considered taking up ENT as a career. Conclusion: We need to conduct more studies similar to the present one in order to understand the study pattern of all UG subjects and choice of UG students for undertaking post-graduation in specic specialties. Some changes have been suggested in the present study curriculum which may help to generate deeper interest in the subject of Otorhinolaryngology.

A Study on the Evaluation of Sleep Quality Index among Indian Undergraduate Students Using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale

Aim: To evaluate the sleep quality among the Indian undergraduate students using Pittsburgh sleep quality index scale. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study conducted among the Indian undergraduate students by using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index scale which was circulated by Google form to various undergraduate students. In this study, students from various undergraduate colleges with both the genders of all age groups were included and students who previously diagnosed with sleep disorders were excluded. Results: A total of 326 Indian undergraduate students were participated in the study and among them 138 (42.3%) were found to be males and 188 (57.7%) were found to be females. Among the 326 study participants, about 138 (42.3%) students were observed to be with good sleep quality and the remaining 188 (57.7%) students were observed to be with poor sleep quality. Conclusion: In this study, more than half of the study participants were observed to be with poor sleep quality index. Poor sleep quality index among the undergraduate students may lead to stress, depression, anxiety, poor academic performance and impaired social relationships. Academicians along with support of the health care professionals should take responsibility in creating the awareness regarding the good sleep quality index which might show a great impact in the student’s academic career and overall wellbeing.

Islamophobia Among Malaysian non-Muslim Indian Undergraduate Students: A Focus group Study

Malaysia is often regarded as a multi-ethnic nation that inherited a few ethnic groups who were taken as homogeneous unions. Still, the rise of Islamophobia in Western countries has increased the same sentiment among Malaysian non-Muslim Indians, with the HIND RAF protest in 2007 demonstrating their deep concern for religious freedom. This study aims to understand the formation of Islamophobia among Malaysian non-Muslim Indians and their perceptions of Islam. This study employed the focus group method to collect data, thematic analysis to analyze data and purposive sampling to recruit 16 non-Muslim Indian undergraduate students. Intergroup contact theory was used as a framework to understand the mechanism for the formation of Islamophobia. Results showed that although participants from public universities have more contact with Muslim classmates than those from private universities, their knowledge and perception of Islam, as well as the levels of their Islamophobia are quite the same. The results suggest that it is important not only to increase contact between Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia but also to increase knowledge of each other’s cultures and religions, because increasing contact without knowledge will only further strengthen the existing prejudice. Through increasing contact and knowledge of both Muslims and non-Muslims, it is believed that the Islamophobia among non-Muslims would be reduced, thus increasing harmony among different ethnic groups.

Knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene and alternatives to sanitary pad among Indian undergraduate medical students

INTRODUCTION: While the availability and use of disposable sanitary pads have increased considerably in the last two decades, awareness about disposal and menstrual waste management has been neglected. This study was designed to determine the knowledge and practice of sanitary pad usage, disposal, and alternative methods of menstrual hygiene attitude toward menstrual leave among Indian undergraduate medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study participants were Indian undergraduate medical students. Self-administered online questionnaires were utilized, using Google Forms that requested personal details, menstrual history, usage and disposal of the sanitary pad, alternatives to the sanitary pad, and opinions about paid menstrual leave or sick leave policy. Quantitative data were summarized using mean and standard deviation, whereas qualitative data were summarized using percentages and frequencies. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS software version 20. RESULTS: Four hundred sixty-four students participated in the study. The mean age at menarche was 13 years. Menstrual bleeding lasted an average of 5.2 ± 1.6 days. Cycle length was 21–35 days in 92% of cases. Approximately 42.9% of respondents reported dysmenorrhea. 98% reported using the sanitary pad; among them, 48% reported they use a single pad (nonbio-degradable pads) for more than 6 h, and the most common mode of disposal is by wrapping in a newspaper. Menstrual cup followed by tampons is common alternatives to the sanitary pad. 48.7% reported that sometimes menstruation keeps them away from colleges. Eighty-two percent expressed menstrual leave policy of 1–2 days would be a positive and welcome move. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge about sanitary pad disposal and alternatives is adequate among Indian undergraduate medical students but what is inadequate is the practice. Emphasis should be made on strategies that can be adopted to prevent the dumping of unsorted disposed of unsafe menstrual waste across the landfills resulting in a global health issue.

VOCABULARY INPUT IN ESL TEXTBOOKS: A CORPUS-BASED ANALYSIS

Although textbooks are a major source in language learning, few research studies explored to what extent vocabulary input in ESL textbooks supports English language learning. The present study compares the vocabulary input of two English textbooks prescribed for Indian university undergraduate students. A corpus is constructed using online software based on the words in the textbooks. Comparison of frequency against different corpora reveals the differences in the order of words. The results are discussed both from a quantitative and a qualitative perspective. The analysis reveals that many words in the textbooks occasionally occur in common everyday language use and vocabulary selection in these textbooks demonstrates great variation in the number and selection of vocabulary. Therefore, the study confirms that the communication needs of learners are afforded greater weight than frequency criteria.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0969/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Motivation to study speech and hearing: A survey of undergraduate students in India

Abstract Purpose: India does not have sufficient speech and hearing professionals to cater the large population with communication disorders. Understanding student’s motive to take up professional training in the field of speech and hearing will help administrators and policy makers to strategies to get more students. The study aimed to identify factors that influence students to choose Bachelor of Audiology and Speech-language Pathology (B.ASLP). Materials and Methods: A 10-item questionnaire on Google Form was answered by undergraduate students pursuing training in audiology and speech-language pathology from different institutions across India. The responses of the students were analyzed through descriptive statistics. Results: In total, 1018 students from 37 colleges responded that they joined speech and hearing programs because the field is related to medical profession (47%); has good career prospects (36.9%); and that it enables them to serve the disabled population (30.4%). B.ASLP was the first choice for study for as many as 48.5% of the students. Conclusion: As students in India need to make a major academic decision in their eleventh year of schooling to choose between science, commerce, and arts, the institutes offering B.ASLP must orient and create awareness among high-school students to attract them to the speech and hearing field.

Inventory development to assess perceptions and metacognition of dental students toward learning in colleges in Pune, India.

BACKGROUND:Dental education is considered a challenging and taxing program as on successful completion one is required to attain unique and diverse competencies. There is an established perception that students do not enjoy their experiences in the dental institution and they always demand for certain amendments. Therefore, a dental education perceptions and metacognition assessment tool (DEPMAT) was developed for Indian undergraduate and postgraduate dental students for assessing their learning in Deemed University versus Maharashtra University of Health Sciences in Pune, Maharashtra.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This cross-sectional study was conducted among students of four dental colleges of two types of universities in Pune, India, using a 31-item DEPMAT based on Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure and metacognition awareness inventory using five subscales. Psychometric properties were also tested for this new tool. Data were analyzed using the SPSS software.RESULTS:Of 512 participants, 498 (96.88%) students had duly returned the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha coefficient value for reliability was found to be 0.87 which indicated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability was found to be kw = 0.76, which indicated substantial agreement. Significant difference was found among undergraduates in domains regarding their perception toward academics, infrastructure and learning environment, and health and stress.CONCLUSION:This study suggested that the general perception toward learning among final year postgraduate students was positive in both the universities. However, the perception of final year undergraduates toward learning was negative and students have suggested certain amendments in both the universities. This study also suggested the new tool was effective in assessing the attitude of practice of both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Longitudinal effects of emotion regulation on social anxiety and affect among young adults

PurposeDue to ongoing significant life changes during the transition into higher education, social anxiety can be problematic, especially for college students. It has adverse effects on various aspects of one’s life, including one’s feelings and emotions. The study investigated the interplay between social anxiety and emotions and its impact on affect. The aim of this study is to examine the role of difficulties in emotion regulation in the relationship between social anxiety and change in affect.Design/methodology/approachThis is a longitudinal study. Data was collected with self-report instruments at two time points with a gap of four months. Participants were Indian undergraduate students from a technical institute.FindingsThe result revealed that high social anxiety in tandem with difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior significantly impacts changes in positive affect. However, this effect was significant only in the presence of depression.Research limitations/implicationsThis study highlights the harmful impact of comorbid issues such as depression in socially anxious individuals. The present study might have implications for educators and clinicians working with college students.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the only study to test the proposed research model in a sample of Indian college students. The use of a moderated moderation analysis with the three regulation strategies and depression also adds to the uniqueness of this study.

Examining psychometric properties of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire among college students in India.

With the second-highest population in the world, suicide-related deaths in India are high, and adults under 30 are particularly at an increased risk. However, empirical examinations of factors contributing to suicide in India and assessments of reliability and validity of self-report measures assessing these constructs are rare. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ). Undergraduate students in India (N=432) completed the INQ and questionnaires assessing suicidal ideation, depression, fearlessness about death, and pain tolerance. Confirmatory factor analyses of the 15-item INQ indicated that after removing three items assessing perceived burdensomeness, the two-factor structure of INQ demonstrated acceptable fit with good internal consistency for each of the subscales (α=.84-.90). In line with the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicidal behavior (IPTS), thwarted belongingness and perceived burdensomeness interacted to predict suicidal ideation. Additionally, these constructs were positively associated with suicidal ideation and depression, and weakly correlated with fearlessness about death and pain tolerance. Results support the relevance of the IPTS for understanding suicidal ideation among college students in India. The results suggest that modified INQ demonstrates strong internal consistency, as well as good construct, criterion, and discriminant validity among Indian college students.

AN EVALUATION OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF COVID 19 ON UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL STUDENTS IN WEST BENGAL, INDIA.

BACKGROUND: The COVID 19 pandemic has wreaked havoc in the lives of people all over the world. Due to the sudden change in the way of life mental health problems have been rising across the globe. Medical students have been no exception to this. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess whether the pandemic has adversely affected the mental health of undergraduate medical students of West Bengal, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online survey was conducted using standardized questionnaires, namely Perceived Stress Scale and Beck Depression Inventory, to assess the levels of stress and depression among the students. Specic stressors affecting the students were also studied. RESULTS: Moderate or severe levels of stress and/or depression were reported by 83.87% out of the 465 students who participated in the study. However only 21.08% of them have sought professional help. The most stressful factor for rst year students was the online mode of education, while that for the second and third year students was uncertainty about future, and that for nal year students was the impact on internship rotations and clinical experience. CONCLUSIONS: COVID 19 pandemic has signicantly affected the mental health of medical undergraduate students in India. The treatment gap has to be reduced to ensure a better quality of life for the individual, and thus benet the entire society at large.

A Study of the Application of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to E learning among undergraduate students in India- A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

Technological developments in the field of education have paved the way for e-learning. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) and online certification courses have become widely popular among students especially those in higher education. Today, E-learning platforms have provided the end users the opportunity to pursue online certifications, gain knowledge and skills, and learn from experts in different fields from the comfort of their homes. Students are an important stakeholder in this knowledge transfer process. Therefore, it is important to understand their attitude towards e learning and their expectation from such platforms. This paper attempts to study the concept of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in e-learning among undergraduate students in India to understand their perception and behaviour towards e-learning. The main research methods used were: the questionnaire for primary data collection, journals and research articles for secondary data collection. Excel and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) were used to process the collected data, test the hypotheses, statistical analysis, analyse the results and achieve research objectives. Microsoft Word was used for textual representation of final results and interpretations. Hypothetical model based on TAM was framed and six research variables were identified for the study: Perceived Usefulness, Capability, Perceived ease-of-use, Intention to Use, Trustworthiness, Actual Use. The research helped to understand the components of TAM, analyse and identify the relation between TAM and E learning, and revealed that undergraduate students in India have positive perception of E-learning.

Impact of COVID Pandemic on Psychological Health and Academics of Undergraduate Students

Introduction: Novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) first caused an outbreak in Wuhan, China in December 2019. After its spread in India, lockdown was initiated which forced students to continue their education through online learning platforms. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the impact of the pandemic on psychological health and academics of undergraduate students in India. Settings and Design: Online survey conducted among undergraduate students. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted using three validated scales to assess fear, anxiety and depression (Numeric Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale A, and Zung Self-Rating depression Scale). Statistical Analysis: Data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 25.0. The Chi-square test was used for the comparison of variables with demographic characteristics and regression analysis was done to calculate anxiety and depression scores. Results: Online survey was filled by 721 undergraduate students from across India. Moderate scores of fear, anxiety, and depression were reported to be 43.3%, 23.4%, and 76.4%, respectively. A total of 82.5% of respondents reported that the pandemic had affected their studies with disturbed routine, loss of concentration, and eye strain being the major causes. Conclusions: Mental health of students should be assessed and psychological guidance should be provided during the pandemic. Online teaching curriculum should consider all the stressors faced by students and planned accordingly.

A longitudinal study of perceived stress and cortisol responses in an undergraduate student population from India.

Young adults entering college experience immense shifts in personal and professional environments. Such a potentially stressful event may trigger multiple psychological and physiological effects. In a repeated-measures longitudinal survey (N = 6 time-points) of first year cohort of residential undergraduate students in India, this study evaluates multiple psychological parameters: PSS14 (Perceived Stress Scale), K10 (distress scale) and positive mood measures, along with salivary cortisol levels. We find that compared to women, men showed significantly lower levels of salivary cortisol and also a decrease in perceived stress (PSS14) and distress (K10) with time. By contrast, women reported similar perceived stress and distress levels over time but had higher cortisol levels at the end of the academic year. Academic stress was reported by the students to be the most important stressor. This study highlights notable gender-/sex-differences in psychological and physiological stress responses and adds a valuable longitudinal dataset from the Indian undergraduate student cohort which is lacking in literature.

Demonstration of the relationship between MSD and online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic

PurposeThe COVID-19 pandemic lockdown has caught many educational institutions by surprise and warranted an abrupt migration from offline to online learning. This has resulted in an education change, without any time for due consideration, as regards its impact on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) on students. The purpose of this study is to investigate MSD related to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was conducted on undergraduate students in India. In total, 261 students participated in this online survey.FindingsThe study finds that around 80% of students have reported some symptom in the head, neck and eyes since they started online learning. In total, 58% have reported MSD symptom in the right shoulder and 56% in the right hand fingers. Besides, more than 40 % of students experienced some MSD symptoms, in almost all the body parts studied, due to online learning. Correlation analysis is conducted between time spent on online learning per day and MSD symptoms.Originality/valueThis is the first study conducted on MSD and online learning during COVID-19 pandemic.

Enhancing college students well-being: The psycho-spiritual well-being intervention

ABSTRACT The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a fourteen-module video-recorded well-being intervention that incorporates relevant videos of Indian spiritual leaders and motivational speakers and adopts an edutainment approach. Its efficacy was examined through a web-based (n = 42), and two classroom-based-studies (n = 308; n = 112) in a sample of Indian undergraduate students. These studies assessed pre-post differences in positive (general well-being, mental well-being, thriving, peace of mind, harmony in life, resilience, and sat-chit-ananda) and negative indicators of well-being (depressive, anxiety, and stress symptoms). A significant improvement was noted in four well-being indicators in all the three studies, namely mental well-being (d = 0.46–0.53), general well-being (d = 0.39–0.41), thriving (d = 0.33–0.41), and peace of mind (d = 0.37–0.47). The participants’ evaluation of the intervention was also analyzed. Overall, the results appear promising and may stimulate further investigations.

Motivate or Demotivate? Factors Influencing Choice of Media as a Career

The choice of media as a career has conventionally not been a top priority amongst undergraduate students in India. Despite the surging need for responsible media professionals in a developing country like India, this career is not widely accepted or chosen. This research aimed at determining specific motivations among the first-year undergraduate students choosing a career in media. The same were determined through expert interactions followed by an online survey to include over 400 students pursuing an undergraduate programme at various colleges across India. The analysis showed that undergraduate media students are passionate with a deep interest in the concerned field and have an enhanced need to be different from others. They are creative, highly communicative, would like to pursue their interest and passion as well as distinguish themselves from conventional career seekers. Choice of media as a career at the undergraduate level is preferred more by female students compared to their male counterparts. Most interestingly and importantly, media as a career is mostly against the wishes of parents; the influence of parents being negative. This study contributes to a deep understanding of motivational factors and their criticalities in influencing the young generation in India. The factors can aid the educational policymakers, academicians, industry experts, and researchers to develop strategies to encourage students to choose a career in media. This research also serves as a starting point to generate discussions to change the belief and attitudes of parents towards media as a career option for their wards.

Students’ perceptions on ethnic tolerance in Malaysia: A study in three public universities

This study is an attempt to develop an index on ethnic tolerance among the Malay, Chinese and Indian undergraduate students of three Malaysian public universities. It focuses on three main domains: religious practices, ethnic‒cross relationship and governance. The data of 378 respondents were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) software version 22. The calculation and the measurement of the index are based on the method and equations used in calculating the index among Malaysian youths in 2015 that were capable of incorporating many domains. All the domains are significant in contributing to ethnic tolerance the composite index value of 4.13 out of 5 was obtained which shows the students are at the level of highly tolerant.

The making of a "Citizen Doctor": How effective are value-based classes?

In 2018, the Division of Health and Humanities at St John's Research Institute introduced the "Citizen Doctor" course for first year medical students at St. John's Medical College. The focus was to expose future doctors to the wider framework of health and invoke a sense of citizenship, responsiveness, and critical thinking. Classes in Environmental sciences and the Constitution of India, advocated as beneficial for all undergraduate students in India, were used as the basis to design the Citizen Doctor Course. This paper is an evaluation of this innovative course. A structured feedback questionnaire was administered to students at the end of the course; an overwhelming majority found that these classes helped them identify and understand contemporary social and environmental issues. It evoked a sense of wider responsibility and responsiveness, thus laying the foundation for a "citizen doctor". The evidence suggests that this course should continue and expand to other years and other medical colleges Keywords: citizen, humanities, environmental science, constitution of India, social determinants of health, medical education.

25 years of ACS Scholars

The year 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the American Chemical Society Scholars Program. On this milestone year, I’d like to congratulate all those who have participated and thank the individuals who have helped make the program a reality over the past 2½ decades. ACS Scholars is a program that is dedicated to supporting African American, Hispanic and Latino, and American Indian undergraduate students who want to enter fields within the chemical sciences. Scholars are selected according to academic standing, career objective, leadership skills, and involvement in school activities and community service. Participating students can benefit from up to $5,000 per year in scholarships. Since the program started in 1995, there have been more than 3,200 scholarship recipients, totaling over $15 million awarded in financial support. That’s over 3,200 lives transformed by the program. But its impact continues well beyond graduation as an ACS Scholar, with 45% of alumni going

Social media disorder among Indian undergraduate medical students and its association with depression: An institution-based mixed-method study

Background: Social media disorder (SMD) is the current entity in this decade that leads to different screen-related health problems. Despite of tremendous academic pressure, how social media affects the future doctors, is yet unknown. Aims: The aim is to determine the prevalence of SMD among the undergraduate medical students of a tertiary care hospital in West Bengal and to determine its predictors. Settings and Design: A cross sectional analytical mixed-method study was conducted at a tertiary care center of Bankura. Methodology: During April–June 2019, 216 undergraduate medical students were selected through two-stage sampling method. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire, 9-item SMD scale, and Beck's Depression Inventory Scale. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed using SPSS (version 16) initially through bivariate analysis using Chi-square test and later logistic regression was used to determine the actual predictor(s). Results: The prevalence of SMD was found to be 11.6%. All of the students were found to be social media users and among them the prevalence of screen-related sleep disturbance, headache, eye problem, musculoskeletal problems, and overweight or obesity was 35.6%, 36.1%, 28.7%, 31.5%, and 50.9%, respectively. However, no significant relationship was obtained between SMD and above health problems. Through logistic regression model, it was found that the students with depression were 6.7 times more prone to develop SMD. Conclusions: Depression being a risk-factor for SMD needs to be addressed as priority by providing appropriate counseling and/or professional consultation.