Unmarried Students Research Articles

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONS WITH SELF-DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR

Self-destructive behavior is behavior associated with various forms of self-destruction: from high-risk actions aimed at seeking new sensations to self-harm and suicidal acts. This problem remains the most acute problem of modern Kazakhstan, since according to the Wisevoter report, as of February 20, 2023, our fatherland ranks 19th out of 178 countries in the world in suicide statistics (17.6 per 100 thousand population). Objective: to study the role of socio-demographic and psychological factors in persons with self-destructive and to improve preventive measures. Materials and methods: Clinical and experimental psychological methods were used to study and analyze socio-demographic and psychological factors in people who showed self-destructive forms of behavior. This research was an initiative and was carried out on the basis of the agreement on cooperation between the Department of Psychiatry and Narcology of KazakhstanRussian Medical University and the Center of Mental Health in Almaty in the period from 01.09.2022 to 01.09.2023. 120 people with various forms of self-destructive behavior who applied for psychological help were included in the study. Results: Among people with self-destructive behavior, the majority of those who applied were females 81 (67.5%%), older adolescents 15-19 years old 52 (43.3%) and young adults 20-24 years old 36 (30%), unmarried 69 (57.5%), not addicted to surfactants and gambling 77 (59.6%), not on dynamic registration and observation in the center of mental health 118 (98.3%). The leading cause of self-destructive behavior was problems in the family 58 (48,3%), undivided love 30 (25%), 16 (13,3%) were bullied in educational institutions and because of debts 7 (5,8%). In the examined persons with self-destructive behavior prevailed behavioral disorders: demonstrativeness, schizoid tendencies, rigidity, jealousy, tendency to risk, impatience, selfdestructive tendencies in alcoholism, drug addiction and negative reactions of suicidal tendencies - anxiety, pessimism, seclusion from the real world, depression. Conclusions. 1. It has been established that females, older teenagers and young people, mainly unmarried (university) students living in Almaty, are more susceptible to destructive behavior. 2. The prevalence of self-destructive behavior represented by fleeting, unobtrusive, controlled thoughts about the “meaning of life” over active suicidal intentions and actions is revealed, which corresponds to the initial stage of formation of suicidal behavior in the structure of which a high rate of this contingent of persons seeking specialized psychological, psychotherapeutic and psychiatric help is revealed. 3. It has been established that in the formation of self-destructive behavior with a suicide attempt, along with the personal characteristics of individuals (demonstrativeness, schizoid tendencies, rigidity), the clinical component in the form of affective spectrum disorders, represented by a depressive mood background, is of dominant importance.

Determinants of substance use and the impact on mental health status, risky sexual and physical health behaviors among unmarried students

ABSTRACT Objective To assess the prevalence of substance use and its association with other risky behaviors among unmarried male students. Methods This was a cross-sectional study at the University of Nigeria on the use of cigarette, alcohol and psychoactive drugs among students who resided off-campus. Questionnaires were analyzed using SPPS (Version-25). Descriptive statistics were utilized in summarizing the responses. The correlates and predictors of substances use were also determined. Results A total of 491 students participated in the study (response rate = 98.1%). The prevalence of recent use of tobacco, psychoactive drugs, and alcohol was 28.1%, 20.6%, and 46.8% respectively. Also, 13% considered committing suicide, 22.4% were victims of sexual assault, while 56.1% experienced serious injury. Alcohol use (aOR = 0.078, [0.029–0.210], p < 0.001) and driving being drunk (aOR = 0.123, [0.030–0.503], p < 0.001) influenced the current use of tobacco. Previous suicide attempt (aOR = 5.765, [1.148–28.944], p < 0.05) was a predictor of alcohol use. Recent use of psychoactive drugs was influenced by their age and been driven by a drunk driver (p < 0.05). Conclusion Unmarried male students exhibited high prevalence of substance use and other risky health behaviors. These risky substances use practices were also influenced by their age, risky sexual and physical practices induced by alcohol and mental health status.

The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on the attitude towards marriage and the criteria for choosing a spouse in single students

Aim: This research was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of the acceptance and commitment therapy towards marriage and the criteria for choosing a spouse by unmarried students. Methods: This was a pre and post test with a 2 month follow-up. The statistical population of this research included 167 unmarried students of Allameh Tabatabai University who were studying in the academic year of 2020- 2021. The sample were randomly selected and covariance was used for analysis. Findings: The results and findings indicated that the teaching of acceptance-based therapy is effective on the components of attitude towards marriage and the criteria for choosing a spouse in single students. Conclusion: Based on the results of the research, it is suggested that acceptance and commitment therapy could be use in premarital counseling.

Premarital sex and associated factors among unmarried students of a private college in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Premarital sex may result in sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy. Published reports on the prevalence premarital sex among private college students in Ethiopia are limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of premarital sex and associated factors among unmarried students of a private college in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted and a structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 390 unmarried students of the college selected by stratified random sampling. Associations between variables were determined using logistic regression at P-value less than 0.05. The prevalence of premarital sex was 23.3%, and 20% started sex before 18. About 68% did not use condom at the first sex. Nearly 15.5% had multiple sexual partners. About 14.5% said oral contraceptive pills prevent STIs. Nearly 59 % did not have a practice of requesting a new sexual partner for STIs status. Regression analysis showed that religion, program of study, having a boyfriend or girlfriend, misconception that oral contraceptive pills protect from STIs and taking alcohol were significantly associated with having premarital sex. The prevalence of premarital was high among participants. Effective intervention strategies are needed to reduce the prevalence of premarital sex.

Assessment of Knowledge of Sexual Reproductive Health Among Female University Students in Jordan.

Sexual reproductive health (SRH) is an important aspect of human life, especially in the younger age groups. Young adults are the most vulnerable group to SRH consequences, as they have limited access to its information and services. This is one of the earliest studies conducted to examine the knowledge of SRH among female university students in Jordan. The aim of this study is to assess the knowledge of SRH among female Jordanian university students and to determine the social and individual factors that may affect this knowledge. A cross-sectional design was used, and a convenient sample consisting of 427 female university students was recruited from the University of Jordan. The inclusion criteria were female unmarried students aged 18-25 years old, while the exclusion criteria were married, divorced, or engaged female students. A valid and reliable self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the student's knowledge of SRH. Data were collected between February 21 and March 20, 2022. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 23.0 (Released 2015; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) was used for data analysis, and an independent sample t-test was used to investigate mean differences in the SRH score based on demographic characteristics. Overall, it was found that only 26.2% of all the participants had adequate knowledge of SRH. Additionally, they have inadequate knowledge regarding the different aspects of SRH such as premarital, vaccination, menstruation, contraception, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), except for the section on folic acid, which demonstrated adequate knowledge. Furthermore, the participants' scores of total SRH knowledge were significantly different based on their original place of living, current residency, educational level, religion, and university faculty. Due to the inadequate level of knowledge, this study highlights the need to establish educational and awareness programs concerning SRH and to incorporate this subject into the university and school curricula.

The Relationship Among Student-Teacher Interaction and Academic Performance of Students in Congolese Higher Education: The Moderating Role of Marital Status

The purpose of this research was to develop and validate the moderating effect of marital status on the relationship between student-teacher interaction and academic performance of students at Congolese university using two main studies. The first study was designed to develop the instruments for measuring student-teacher interaction’ and their academic performance at the university and to explore the moderating effect of marital status on the relationship between student-teacher interaction and the academic performance of students. For this study, a mixed research method was used. Samples were drawn from one higher education institutions (the University of Kinshasa), using simple random sampling and stratified random sampling techniques based on students’ status and sex as strata. For this study, both qualitative and quantitative data were collected. Data for qualitative analysis were gathered from married and unmarried students using interviews and focus group discussion, whereas data for quantitative analysis were gathered from married and unmarried students using questionnaire. The analyses were made using mainly multiple regressions, the statistical testing of the generated hypothesis via t-test statistics and Pearson product moment correlation, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and simple slope analyses. Furthermore, the demographic variable of participants (sex of students, student status, study level, socio-economic status of the family and major) was another target of the study. 362 students (include married’ and unmarried’ students) from the university of Kinshasa, took part in the study. The study was guided by the Bandura’s social cognitive theory, that determines human behavior and describe the learning theory that analyzes and explains how feelings, thoughts, actions of others, and social experiences actively shape learning processes. The final results revealed that there is a significant correlation between student-teacher interaction and academic performance. In addition, marital status moderated the relationship between student-teacher interaction and academic performance when students are unmarried.The second study was designed to examining the difference of academic performance between married and unmarried students. Qualitative data were collected from 362 students (include married’ and unmarried’ students) using interview questionnaire. Data were analysed using constant comparative approach (the reported stories that emanated from the conversations with the research participants); the deduced meanings from the interview protocol. The study results indicated that the unmarried students’ academic performance was high than their married students’ counterpart and in significant way; and the marital status was negatively associated with academic performance of students at the university in DRC. Finally, based on the findings, some practical and theoretical implications and future research directions were forwarded.

Comparative analysis of psychological distress between online and on-Campus learning among university students

Purpose The purpose of this study is a comparative analysis of psychological distress between online and on-campus learning among university students. The study was performed to investigate the comparative analysis of psychological distress between online and on-campus learning among university students. Design/methodology/approach This study is a quantitative, comparative study. Data were collected through convenient sampling technique from different university students. The sample size of the study was (n = 200) and the sample was taken from universities. Three scales, students’ readiness learning scale, DASS-21 Scale and on-campus learning scale, were used for data collection and the data were analyzed statistically. The analysis was carried out by the statistical tests correlation test, t-test and linear regression. Findings It was revealed through this study that on-campus learning is more preferred by the students than online learning. The findings were that online learning has more psychological distress among students than on-campus learning. Additionally, it was found that as compared to males, females have more tendency toward depression, anxiety and stress. Findings also revealed that married students have a larger tendency toward depression, anxiety and stress as compared to unmarried students. No socioeconomic significance difference was found. Moreover, it was revealed that working students prefer online learning to on-campus learning. Practical implications Learning has a significant impact on students’ future settlement, independence and well-being. The findings of this research study can contribute to understanding the educational system and determining which learning system is better for students and for the students’ mental well-being. Originality/value Learning has a significant impact on students’ future settlement, independence and well-being. This paper contributes by offering practical insights for educators and policymakers.

Factors associated with HPV-associated sexual risk behaviors among sexually active college students.

High-risk sexual behavior is the primary risk factor for the acquisition and persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the development of HPV-associated diseases including cancer. Incidence of HPV infection is high among individuals in their late teens and early 20s. Thus, college students represent a historically high-risk group for HPV infection yet are also a group with the ability to independently access HPV vaccination for HPV prevention. To inform future interventions, we examined factors associated with HPV-associated risky sexual behaviors among sexually active college students. Data (N = 741) were from an anonymous online survey distributed to students at a public Midwestern university in 2021. The outcomes were HPV-associated sexual risk behaviors-number of oral orvaginalsexual partners [high (≥ 5) or low (< 5)] and age of oral or vaginalsexual debut [early (< 18years) or late (≥ 18years)]. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated the association between HPV-associated risky sexual behaviors and several predictors including age, gender, relationship status, academic level, country of birth, and rural-urban status. Among sexually active students, approximately 47% and 41% had a high number of lifetime vaginal and oral partners, respectively. Among the same group, 60% and 64% had early vaginal and oral sexual debut. Students who were single and dating (aOR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.21, 3.08) or single and not dating (2.11; 1.28, 3.48) were more likely to have a high number of vaginal lifetime partners compared with married students. Single (vs. married) students were also about twice as likely to have a high number of oral lifetime partners. Relative to graduate students, freshmen/sophomores were more likely to have an early vaginal (2.44; 1.45, 4.11) and oral (2.14; 1.26, 3.63) sexual debut. Interventions tailored to college freshmen/sophomores and unmarried students should encourage students to receive the HPV vaccine for prevention of future HPV-associated diseases.

Suicidal behaviour among the university students in the UK: A systematic review

IntroductionIdentifying risk factors would help consider suicide prevention in any specific population. We aimed to assess suicidal behaviour among university students in the UK. MethodsAn extensive keyword search was conducted through PubMed, Cochrane, CINHAL Plus, PubMed Central, Web of Science, Trip database, and Science Direct, following the PRISMA guidelines to identify different publications. The search strategy for the literature review was based on the Population Exposure Outcome framework. Critical appraisal utilised the CASP tool for cohort studies and the AXIS tool for cross-sectional studies, resulting in 14 included studies. A narrative synthesis was performed. ResultsPostgraduate and undergraduate students used different suicidal methods such as poisoning, jumping, hanging, drowning, and suffocating, with jumping most preferred by male students. The predisposing factors of suicide among university students included: mental health problems (depression, psychological stress, psychosis, mania, neuroticism, financial anxiety, imperfect parents’ connection with students), sexual orientation with risk of suicide among non-heterosexual students due to lowered self-esteem from feeling disregarded, disrespected and insufficient attention from the surrounding. Suicidal behaviour was high among unmarried students, male and unemployed female students, and students with childhood experiences such as physical abuse, family violence, emotional abuse, neglect, and physical punishment—gender, with females seeking more services from general hospitals with more suicide attempts in older females. High risk was also noted in males, with increased risk in white students compared to black students. ConclusionThe review highlighted that students with previous mental health problems, a history of experiencing sexual abuse in childhood, bad relationships with their mother, disrespect and disregard in the community due to sexual identity are the major contributing factors for suicide among university students in the UK.

Late Marriage among the Adults of Bangladesh: Are We Ready for it Right Now?

Unlike other cultures around the globe, marriage is considered a social contract and a religious obligation that was performed before having a sexual relationship. Existing literature indicates in Bangladesh despite having so many restrictions late marriage is gaining popularity among the youth and arising as an emerging problem. But what are the reasons for and consequences of such a phenomenon remain unanswered. A sample survey was conducted among the youth. Unmarried students of post-graduate level studying at Jagannath University, Dhaka University, and North South University were selected as samples for the quantitative data. Some case studies were also conducted for qualitative data to supplement survey data. This study found the causes behind late marriage are- respondents were waiting to complete their education, some were not mentally ready to take the responsibility, family did not discuss their marriage as they have elder siblings, did not want to lose their freedom now. A large number of respondents reported that they may have a problem having a baby due to late marriage which is agreed by the result of case studies. A vast majority of the respondents (90%) were found to use masturbation as an alternative way to meet sexual needs which leads to experiencing different psychosocial problems. More than three-fourths (78%) and two-thirds (69%) of respondents blamed late marriage chronologically for depression and loss of focus on work, respectively. This study drew some recommendations to address the reasons for late marriage and overcome its harsh consequences.

فاعلية برنامج إرشادي يستند إلى نظريات الاختيار الزواجي في اختيار الشريك المناسب لدى عينة من المقبلين على الزواج

The study investigates the effectiveness of a counseling program in approaching partner selection to minimize future divorce rates for prospective spouses. The study was applied to a group of students from al-Quds Open University in the Jericho Governorate in the academic year 2021-2022. A purposive sample comprising 24 unmarried students was chosen, of which 14 were females. The researcher used the quasi-experimental approach with pre- and post-measurements. The sample was divided into a control and an experimental group, consisting of 12 students each. The researcher developed a questionnaire including the appropriate partner selection methods and a counseling program. The validity and reliability of the study tools were verified using appropriate means. The study results revealed statistically significant differences in the degree of appropriate methods for partner selection for the experimental group due to the counseling program in favor of the post-measurement. The study recommends employing the developed counseling program for prospective spouses and generalizing it to benefit from its results.

Factors associated with registered nurses' academic performance in advanced practice nursing preparatory education: A retrospective cohort study.

To explore factors associated with academic performance in the Master of Nursing programme. Advanced practice nursing preparatory education generally involves completion of the Master of Nursing programme. While prior clinical experiences and on-the-job training are believed to underpin the preparation for such education, studies have suggested only weak or no associations between nurses' academic success in graduate schools and their clinical experiences. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in the nursing department of a university in Singapore. Academic and demographic data were extracted in February 2020 from a shared repository of anonymised teaching and learning data. R was used to select and merge data tables into a usable format for subsequent analysis. Students enrolled between 2010 and 2017 were included for the analysis (n=246). Age was statistically significantly associated with overall cumulative academic performance (p<0.001). Younger students on average academically outperformed older students. Unmarried students were associated with better cumulative academic performance in the Clinical Practicum 2 module (p=0.018). Younger students have historically outperformed their older counterparts in the Master of Nursing programme. There is a need to reassess the requirement of five years of clinical experience as an admission criterion for the Master of Nursing programme in Singapore. There is a need to re-evaluate the admission criteria to better engage and retain younger nurses interested in advanced nursing practice. Nursing educators and leaders can partner with academics to develop advanced practice-specific education for pre-master nurses with the aptitude and interest in pursuing this track.

Predictors of Consanguinity Marriage Decision in Saudi Arabia: A Pilot Study.

Consanguineous marriages are common in Saudi Arabia, increasing the risk of genetic blood disorders in offspring. This pilot study assessed the knowledge and perceived threats regarding genetic blood disorders, norms, and premarital screening for consanguineous marriage among unmarried university students in Saudi Arabia as a predictor of marriage decisions. A cross-sectional study was conducted from 22 January through 22 April 2022. In total, 400 unmarried students at Saudi Arabian universities were recruited using the non-probability convenience sampling technique. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression. The results showed that the majority of participants had poor knowledge of genetic blood disorders. Most of the participants had a favorable attitude toward consanguineous marriage, while perceived threats towards genetic blood disorders were perceived as neutral by the participants. Moreover, their norms regarding consanguineous marriage also showed neutral results. A multinomial regression shows that participants with poor attitudes were significantly 22.3 times more likely to have poor marriage decisions (95% CI: 4.9-101.7, p < 0.001). However, participants with good and neutral norms regarding consanguinity marriage were significantly protective factors against poor marriage decisions with an RRR ratio of 0.165 (95% CI:0.030-0.918, p = 0.04) and 0.238 (95% CI: 0.071-0.797, p = 0.02), respectively. To mitigate the risk of genetic blood disorders in future generations, there is a need for targeted awareness campaigns about genetic blood disorders and the risks of consanguineous marriages by integrating this education into university curricula, and premarital counseling. It is also important to address societal norms, promoting informed decision-making, and provide premarital consultation to couples who carry the same mutated genes and are at risk of transmitting the disease to their offspring. Furthermore, there is a need for further research to assess the effectiveness of campaigns in this regard.

Relationship of Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and Psychopathy Personality Traits with Social Media Addiction among Adults: Gender and Marital Status are in Focus

Personality characteristics such as narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy are considered dark triad features. These are linked with a range of negative outcomes. Social media usage is growing more and more popular every day. However, people's functionality declines with frequent usage of social media. The overall sample of the research was consisting of (N= 400) out of which (211 were female and 189 were male) ranging in age from 17 to 41 years recruited by consecutive sampling. Data was gathered by using the Social Media Addiction Scale developed by Tutgunl &amp; Deniz (2015) and the Short Dark Triad Scale developed by Paulhus (2014). Results obtained by using bivariate correlation showed that all three traits of the Dark Personality Triad were positively correlated with social media addiction. Male respondents have a higher level of Machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy than female respondents, while female participants were a higher level of social media addiction than male participants. On the other hand, both genders scored equally on the narcissism dark personality triadThere was a slight difference in Machiavellianism and psychopathology scores among married and unmarried students. The unmarried students reported slightly higher scores on Machiavellianism and psychopathology traits. Lastly, the results also reported that use of social media addiction was higher among married students as compared with unmarried students.

Evaluation of the Frequency of Academic Failure and its Influencing Factors in Medical Students of a Military Training Center

Background: Students’ academic failure (AF) is one of the main problems of various universities. In the meantime, the academic decline of medical students is more critical because this field is related to society’s health with high occupational sensitivity. Objectives: The present study was conducted to evaluate the AF level of medical students and the factors affecting it in a military medical training center. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on 184 medical students using a questionnaire. After collecting the data, the students were divided into three categories: Students with at least one academic probation semester, students with a total average of basic sciences between 12 and 15, and students with a total average of basic sciences more than 15. Then, AF levels and factors that affect them were investigated. Results: The results showed that the frequency of students with AF was 25%. In addition, there was a significant relationship between AF and some variables, including marital status, residence status, date of entry into university, national entrance exam score, national entrance exam rank, diploma grade average, amount of daily study, content, and grouping (of internal university factors) and family problems (of extramural factors). In contrast, there was no significant correlation between AF and other variables, including gender, age of entry into university, father’s education level, mother’s education level, and other intra-university and extra-university factors. Conclusions: Based on the results, the officials and academic advisors in universities must pay attention to the issues and problems related to unmarried students with a longer duration of education in Universities to prevent AF among students. Students who live in the dormitory should also consider this issue. The level of education and learning of students can be increased by providing the necessary advice and training and a better standard of living in the dormitories, especially for single students.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological status of undergraduate medical students in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional double-scale study.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health care catastrophe that affects people's physical and mental well-being worldwide. Medical students are at an increased risk of mental health hazards during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sulaiman Al Rajhi University (SRU), the site of our study, is located in Qassim province in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We conducted this study to assess the prevalence of depression, stress and anxiety symptoms among SRU medical students during the quarantine and while learning online shortly after the announcement of documented COVID-19 cases in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire was sent to all medical students of SRU; 278 students responded (71%). We collected participants' demographic, socioeconomic, and academic data. The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress scale and the Fear of COVID-19 Scale were used as the validated mental health assessment tools. Depression, anxiety and stress symptoms were found in 23%, 11%, and 6% of students, respectively. Females were more likely to have anxiety (P = .03) than males. Students who had close contact with COVID-19 cases, those whose lives were affected by COVID-19, and those with poor socioeconomic status had significantly higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression compared to their counterparts (P = .004, .01, .01, respectively). Students from high-viral-load areas, unmarried students, and those who did not live with their families were more stressed (P = .06, .01, .01, respectively). The Fear of COVID-19 Scale was positively correlated with all Depression, Anxiety, and Stress components (depression: r = 0.36, anxiety: r = 0.45, and stress: r = 0.39, P < .001 for all). Medical students, especially female students, are at an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms with increased COVID-19 fear during the pandemic. The study highlights the importance of mental health screening for female students, students of low socioeconomic status, and relatives of COVID-19 cases. Our findings could help institutions adjust mental health services in the future amid such pandemics.

경기도의회와 청년세대 간 소통 활성화 방안 연구

The purpose of this study is to analyze the communication status between the Gyeonggi Assembly and the youth generation, and to seek ways to activate communication. The subjects of the study were people in their 20s and 30s living in Gyeonggi-do. Statistical analysis was conducted to derive the research results, and based on this, a plan for activation to strengthen communication was suggested. As a result of the study, the youth generation requested 'improvement of communication method and vitalization of social media' the most, communication reliability and communication smoothness were both 'average', and communication performance satisfaction was 'don't know'. As a plan to promote the legislative activities of the Gyeonggi Assembly, ‘strengthening communication with the Gyeonggi Assembly, local resident groups, and resident representatives’ was cited. In addition, the groups with high communication with the Gyeonggi Assembly were women, the 20-24 year old group, and unmarried students attending university. In this study, as measures to vitalize communication based on these research results, 'introduction of a program to nurture politics and communication in connection with local universities', 'improvement of communication methods and vitalization of online platforms', and 'operation of the Youth Communication Committee to manage and strengthen communication among the young generation' was presented.

A Cross-Sectional Assessment of Self-Medication Among University Students of Lahore, Pakistan

<i>Background</i>: Symptoms or ailments that a person is aware of and chooses to treat on their own are referred to as self-medication. The idea of self-medication has been influenced by awareness of individual responsibility for own health and unnecessary professional care for mild illnesses. Self-medication is common practice around the globe. Gradually, it is becoming a form of self-care. Lot of research has been done in the area and the result revealed that the self-medication is more common among the literate people as compared to the illiterate. Trend is rather prominent among the young population who tend to have more knowledge of drugs and their use, have lower risk perception, therefore are more influenced by self-medication. <i>Objective</i>: A cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the knowledge about self-medication among engineering, arts & humanities students in Lahore during a period of 7 months (December 2018-June 2019).<i> Methodology</i>: A self-administered questionnaire was designed after the extensive review of previous research and was reviewed by an expert panel of professors & lecturers of clinical pharmacy of Punjab University College of pharmacy. Human ethics committee of Punjab University College of Pharmacy, University of the Punjab approved the study protocol. A total sample of 1000 students were calculated by sample size calculator. All statistical analysis was done by SPSS version 23. <i>Results:</i> A total of 1000 questionnaire were received with overall response rate of 63%. In this study, younger age, male, and unmarried students residing in hostels and those who have access to nearby pharmacy tended to self-medicate more than their peers with significant difference. About 43.4% of respondents followed their doctor's advice, while about 37.2% took their own advice or that of friends, family members, or the media. <i>Conclusion</i>: Self-medication misuse or abuse can be dangerous and endanger lives; if practiced impulsively, it may also be a health issue that requires education and attention from Pakistan's health care authorities. Future research is also required to determine how self-medication affects Lahore and Pakistan's non-medical students' health.

Knowledge and Attitude of Contraception among Female College Students at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman

Background: Contraceptive methods play a significant role in family planning. However, the knowledge and attitude toward contraception among young female students in Oman is still unknown. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitude towards contraception among female college students attending Sultan Qaboos University-Oman.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 bachelor female college students using an online questionnaire. Information regarding their demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude towards contraception were collected. Results: More than half of the participants (n=127, 64.8%) selected “planning for pregnancies” as a meaning of family planning. Most of the participants (n=168; 85.7%) heard about contraception for the first time between the age of 15 to 19 years old. The vast majority of female students (n=183; 93.4%) knew about the different types of contraceptive methods with the “pill” being the most commonly known method (n=181; 92.3%), while emergency contraception was the least known method (n=26; 13.3%). The most frequent contraception knowledge source was “school and college” (n=169; 86.2%). 14.8% (n=35) of the unmarried students selected “concerns from side effects” as the reason for their non-intention to use contraception in the future. A significant association was found between living in urban areas and female students’ having a better knowledge about the different contraceptive methods compared to living in rural areas (P-value= 0.041).&nbsp;Conclusions: Educational programs about the different contraceptive methods, their importance, and use are required to be delivered to young female adults early before marriage to help eliminate misconceptions and thus increase its utilization in the future.

Knowledge and Attitude of Contraception among Female College Students at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman

Background: Contraceptive methods play a significant role in family planning. However, the knowledge and attitude toward contraception among young female students in Oman is still unknown. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitude towards contraception among female college students attending Sultan Qaboos University-Oman.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 196 bachelor female college students using an online questionnaire. Information regarding their demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude towards contraception were collected. Results: More than half of the participants (n=127, 64.8%) selected “planning for pregnancies” as a meaning of family planning. Most of the participants (n=168; 85.7%) heard about contraception for the first time between the age of 15 to 19 years old. The vast majority of female students (n=183; 93.4%) knew about the different types of contraceptive methods with the “pill” being the most commonly known method (n=181; 92.3%), while emergency contraception was the least known method (n=26; 13.3%). The most frequent contraception knowledge source was “school and college” (n=169; 86.2%). 14.8% (n=35) of the unmarried students selected “concerns from side effects” as the reason for their non-intention to use contraception in the future. A significant association was found between living in urban areas and female students’ having a better knowledge about the different contraceptive methods compared to living in rural areas (P-value= 0.041).&nbsp;Conclusions: Educational programs about the different contraceptive methods, their importance, and use are required to be delivered to young female adults early before marriage to help eliminate misconceptions and thus increase its utilization in the future.