Widespread Myths Research Articles

The Neuromyth of learning styles

In recent years, neuroscience has gained prominence in the field of education. However, those who seek to learn about neuroscience on their own may encounter inaccurate information or misconceptions about neuroscientific findings, known as neuromyths. One of the most widespread myths among educators is the one about Learning Styles (LS), which suggests that students learn best when information is presented according to their preferred style. This study aimed to investigate the perception of Biological Sciences students at the University of Brasília (UnB) regarding this neuromyth. To achieve this, an online questionnaire was administered to the participants. The results indicated that students have a positive view of Learning Styles. Therefore, it is necessary to debunk this neuromyth in the academic environment by integrating the study of neuroscience and educational neuromyths into initial teacher education through courses, research projects, and extension activities.

Awareness of sickle cell disease among nursing undergraduates in Farasan: Its interference with malaria.

The present study was conducted to generate data on awareness and incidence of sickle cell disease (SCD) and also to adduce the widespread myths peddled about SCD. Students studying in the Department of Nursing were recruited. A pretested, self-administered sickle cell assessment questionnaire was distributed electronically through WhatsApp group to collect necessary data. Participants were screened for malaria by thin blood smear analyses, and their hemoglobin (Hb) contents (g/dL) were determined by Sahli's haemoglobinometer. Statistical analyses were done using Origin (version 8.1, USA). A reliability study was performed for the validity of questionnaire data. Study participants had significantly high awareness regarding SCDs (89.9%, P < 0.001). Most participants (96.3%) were aware about government policy regarding premarital screening for genetic disorders and replied that the government has strict health policies backed by equally robust laboratory diagnostics. Moreover, none of the participants had SCDs, although their parents had a consanguineous marriage. Thin blood smear analyses of participants did not reveal any cases of Plasmodium falciparum. However, significant percentages (33.1%) were found to be anemic, probably due to their dietary habits and lifestyles, as has been reflected by questionnaire analyses. Furthermore, a very less number of students had knowledge about genetic variations that might occur in malaria-endemic regions after long exposure to offer protection from malaria. Knowledge about management practices was also lacking among study participants (29%). This research points to the necessity that the nursing study plan should focus on providing specific training on management skills and preventive measures for SCDs, which is of paramount importance.

Acne Vulgaris in Saudi Arabia – Myths and Common Misconceptions: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Acne vulgaris is a long-term condition of the sebaceous glands that usually occurs during puberty. The mean prevalence of acne in Saudi males is 54% and ranges from 54% to 84% among Saudi females. Despite the high prevalence of acne vulgaris, it is shrouded in multiple misconceptions that are widely spread among the general public and among patients with acne. Purpose: This study is conducted to assess the knowledge, awareness, and widespread myths and misconceptions about acne vulgaris. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in Saudi Arabia in August 2022 through 1164 self-administered, convenient sampling technique online questionnaires. Sociodemographic data, as well as knowledge regarding acne and its treatment, were collected and evaluated. Results: Three-quarters of the respondents (73%) knew that stress precipitated acne, and two-thirds (66%) knew that fat-rich food could increase the risk of developing acne. Knowledge was lower in males than females, while a family history of acne was associated with higher knowledge. Most respondents (76%) knew that hormonal changes could precipitate acne. More than half of the respondents did not know whether Vitamin A derivatives increased the risk of depression (61%), anxiety, and stress (55%). Three-quarters of the respondents (73%) knew that stress precipitated acne, and two-thirds (66%) knew that fat-rich food could increase the risk of developing acne. The most common source of information was the Internet (40.8%) followed by social media platforms (25.2%) and physicians (15.2%). Conclusion: There was an adequate level of knowledge. Approximately half of the respondents declared the Internet as a source of their information. We recommend physicians to educate their patients about acne, to elaborate society-oriented campaigns, and to encourage dermatologists to spread information through the Internet and social media platforms as they are considered a major source of information in this study.

A Study to Assess the Knowledge and Attitude regarding Voluntary Blood Donation among College Going Male Students, a Quasi-experimental Study

Introduction: Voluntary blood donation in developing countries like India is constrained by misconception, fear, and widespread myths regarding blood donation.(1) Donated blood is an essential component in the management of many diseases. It is the main lifesaving for an individual with loss of large volumes of blood from accidents, hemorrhages or surgery.(2) Blood and its product demands is increasing, which can be ensured by increasing awareness and interest in blood donation in different groups of people. Youth is one of those groups. Misconception and low levels of awareness lead to unsatisfactory voluntary blood donation practices among them. The aim is to assess the knowledge and attitude of college students towards voluntary blood. Material and Methods: After prior permission from the College Authority, all the students who were present on the day of the study and who acknowledged their consent for participation were enrolled in the study. A pre-tested, semi-open-ended questionnaire was used as a study tool first as a pre-test to check their prior knowledge and attitude, followed by a health talk. Then, the same questionnaire was used to check their improvement of knowledge about blood donation. Results: As per the Wilcoxon rank test there is a significant improvement in the knowledge of study participants after health talk; out of a total 105 male students, 102 show positive rank (W+). Conclusion: Health education regarding voluntary blood donation is effective in improving the knowledge and attitude of youth. This will further improve the situation of voluntary blood donation by youth.

Michał Masłowski, Myths and Political Symbols of Central and Eastern Europe

This text is a review article of Michał Masłowski’s monograph “Myths and political symbols of Central and Eastern Europe”. Masłowski’s publication presents the most widespread myths, political and national symbols of Central and Eastern Europe, along with an explanation of their origin and influence over the often turbulent centuries from the early Middle Ages to the present day. The author approaches this topic in an interdisciplinary way, trying to present what shaped nations and their culture in this part of Europe.

Measurement science meets the reproducibility challenge

Measurement science is particularly well equipped not only to meet reproducibility challenges arising within the field of metrology, but also to suggest strategies and best practices for how such challenges can be met in other fields. This contribution illustrates three such challenges, in three different fields, and proposes ways to address them that can supplement the only way in which reproducibility challenges in science can be resolved definitively: by validated scientific advances that point toward the truth. The first example concerns a large interlaboratory, international comparison of the measurement of the mass fraction of silica in a granite reference material, using classical methods of wet analytical chemistry, carried out in the 1940s. The results delivered a shock to analysts worldwide about the state of the art at the time. The challenge was magnified by the fact that none of the measured values was qualified with an evaluation of measurement uncertainty. We offer an approach developed by Andrew Rukhin from NIST, for how to compute a meaningful consensus value in such case, and explain how the associated uncertainty can be characterized. The second example is about the currently hot topic of the Hubble tension, which refers to the mutual inconsistency of the measurement results, obtained by different methods, for the Hubble-Lemaître constant, which expresses the rate of expansion of the Universe. We suggest that such tension can be quantified in terms of the dark uncertainty that figures as a parameter in a laboratory random effects model, thus providing an objective metric whereby progress toward resolving such tension can be gauged. The third example discusses two sources of lack of reproducibility: on the one hand, the fact that different laboratories produced strikingly discrepant values for the mass fraction of arsenic in kudzu; on the other hand, that different models can be fitted to these data, each producing its own set of results. Here we use a Bayesian model selection criterion to choose one from among four models that are natural candidates to address this double reproducibility challenge. This third example also affords us the opportunity to deflate two widespread myths: that one needs at least four observations to obtain a Bayesian evaluation of standard uncertainty, and that sample standard deviations of small samples are systematically too small.

Myth and misconception about long-acting reversible contraception use among reproductive age group women in Debre Berhan governmental health centers, Ethiopia: qualitative study

Background: Despite the effectiveness, convenience, and reversibility of fertility, long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) method use is still low in the world and Sub-Saharan Africa, including Ethiopia. Myths and misconceptions are believed to be one of the major reported barriers and impediments to LARC use. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate myths and misconceptions about LARC use among women of reproductive age in Debre Brehan town, Ethiopia, at governmental health centers. Methods: A qualitative study using a qualitative descriptive design was conducted from January 24 to April 15, 2022. Twenty-nine reproductive-age women who came for family planning services and 6 key informants were selected using a purposive sampling technique, and an in-depth interview technique with semistructured questionnaires was used to collect the data. The analysis was conducted using the thematic analysis method and ATLAS. ti9 qualitative software was used to support the analysis. Result: The findings of this study revealed that women had a variety of myths and misconceptions about the use of long-acting reversible contraception, including that it had an adverse impact on reproductive health problems and a predisposition to maternal and fetal illness; that the method was unsafe and ineffective in its characteristics; and that, socio-culturally, it was an unacceptable and undesirable method for women to use. Conclusion: This study indicates that there are widespread myths and misconceptions regarding long-acting reversible contraception use in reproductive-age women, which emanate from different concerns in the community. Measures should be taken by the concerned body to dispel or at least reduce these myths and misconceptions.

Radical Misinterpretation

This paper provides an exposition and defence of Lewis' theory of radical interpretation. The first part of the paper explains what Lewis' theory was; the second part explains what it wasn't, and in so doing addresses a number of common objections that arise as a result of widespread myths and misunderstandings about how Lewis' theory is supposed to work.

Impact of alcohol consumption on coronavirus disease 2019 severity: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Fear and misinformation lead to widespread myths in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, such as "consuming high-strength alcohol kills the virus in the inhaled air." However, whether alcohol consumption can affect COVID-19 has not been clarified yet. This study aims to investigate the impact of alcohol consumption on COVID-19 severity. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Central, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov, and WHO-International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched until November 25, 2022. Forty studies (1,697,683 COVID-19 individuals) were analyzed. Brown (patients numbers: 1317, risk ratios [RR] = 1.58, 95% [confidence interval] CI = 1.31 to 1.90, I2 = 0.0%, p < 0.001), American (patients numbers: 3721, RR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.30 to 1.75, I2 = 0.0%, p < 0.001), and European (patients numbers: 261,437, RR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.96 to 2.13, I2 = 0.0%, p < 0.001) drinkers were at high risk of severe COVID-19, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), respectively. Consistently, individuals with a drinking history were at high risk of severe COVID-19 (patients numbers: 5399, RR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.02 to 1.48, I2 = 38.4%, p = 0.03) and ICU admission (patients numbers: 6995, RR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.08 to 1.60, I2 = 46.6%, p = 0.01). In addition, current drinkers had an increased risk of symptomatic COVID-19. However, excessive drinkers were at high risk of COVID-19 hospitalization. Alcohol consumption intensifies COVID-19 severity and deteriorates its clinical outcomes. Here, we strongly propose that people do not drink alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic.

K rekonstruktsii gornoy mifonimii Urala: mifonimy, motivirovannye leksikoy nezhivoy prirody

The article investigates the system of mountain mythonyms (mountain mythonymy) in the Urals. These mythonyms are names for supernatural beings (anthropomorphic or zoomorphic) which, according to folk beliefs, guard treasures of the earth (minerals and metals), facilitate or hinder their discovery, extraction and working. Russian mountain mythology is sufficiently studied by folklorists, but its linguistic aspect is barely touched upon so far. The material for this article draws upon field collections of 2020–2023, as well as upon dictionaries, folklore texts, and fiction. The authors reconstruct the semantics and motivations of the mythonyms. The article analyses the most archaic group of mythonyms, which are motivated by inanimate nature vocabulary. The archaic character of these words is attested by the themes present in their stems. These themes are: landscape spirits (Gornyy batyushka — lit. ‘Mountain Father’, Gornaya matka — ‘Mountain Mother’, Semigor — ‘A Person of Seven Mountains’, Kamennaya devka — ‘Stone Maid’); the elements (Ognevka — ‘Fire Maid’, Ognevushka-Poskakushka — ‘The Dancing Fire Maid’); weather conditions (Morok — ‘Darkness, Mist’, Sinyushka, Sinilga — ‘Blue Maid’); rocks and minerals (Malakhitnitsa — ‘Malachite Woman’, zmei-medyanki — ‘copper serpents’, Khozyain Zolota — ‘Master of Gold’, Zolotaya devka — ‘Gold Maid’, Zolotaya baba — ‘Gold Woman’, Zolotoy Volos — ‘Gold Hair’). An important feature of some archaic mythonyms is that they combine different motivations and are included into specific mythopoetic systems. The latter, similarly, combine motivations and also unite facts belonging to different channels of transmitting ethnocultural information (language, a folklore text, beliefs, a ceremony). The mountain mythonymy of the Urals is distinctive in that it contains mythonyms deriving from local place names (toponyms). Some examples are Azovka, Starik Taganay, Bogatyr Ural, Bogatyr Polyud and others. The reasons for the popularity of this model are, first, the specifics of the realia (especially in the case of the Ural Mountains with their figures created by weathering) and, second, the influence of the Turkic and Ob-Ugric traditions with their wide-spread myths about ‘stone masters’. The authors also observe that a highly active type is “authorial” mythonyms, which interact with the folk mythonymy and, notably, tend to individualize the character. So, for instance, the mythonym khozyayka ‘mistress, hostess’ turns into Khozyayka Mednoy Gory ‘Mistress of the Copper Mountain’ in an author’s work of fiction.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ ЛЕГЕНДЫ О СТРЕЛКЕ ПО СОЛНЦУ: ОТ АМУРА ДО ТАЙВАНЯ

The article by the well-known Russian sinologist Boris Lvovich Riftin (1932–2012) is devoted to a comparative analysis of one of the most widespread myths that tells about the existence of several suns in some ancient times and the destruction of superfluous ones by a mythological hero. To a large extent, the article is based on the author’s own field recordings among the natives of Taiwan, the peoples of Bunun and Taiya, in 1992–1998. The researcher comes to the conclusion that the myth that relates the hero’s victory over the unbearable solar heat, was developed from a more general idea of an excessive number of suns. It is found in Europe as well as in Africa, but mainly in the Pacific region, East Asia and America. The myth of shooting superfluous suns exists mainly in mainland China, Taiwan and the Philippines, Indonesia and northeastern India, but is practically not noted north of the Amur river, among the Turkic peoples of Central Asia and Tibet. Thus, the area of distribution of this myth has clear boundaries, and many peoples who have similar stories belong to the Austroasiatic language family. Perhaps the ancient myth of the destruction of additional suns originally appeared in East Asia, and then during migrations was transferred to Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and some islands in the Pacific.

Potential for Further Mismanagement of Fever During COVID-19 Pandemic: Possible Causes and Impacts.

Fever remains an integral part of acute infectious diseases management, especially for those without effective therapeutics, but the widespread myths about “fevers” and the presence of confusing guidelines from different agencies, which have heightened during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and are open to alternate interpretation, could deny whole populations the benefits of fever. Guidelines suggesting antipyresis for 37.8–39°C fever are concerning as 39°C boosts the protective heat-shock and immune response (humoral, cell-mediated, and nutritional) whereas ≥40°C initiates/enhances the antiviral responses and restricts high-temperature adapted pathogens, e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), strains of influenza, and measles. Urgent attention is accordingly needed to address the situation because of the potential public health consequences of the existence of conflicting guidelines in the public domain. We have in this article attempted to restate the benefits of fever in disease resolution, dispel myths, and underline the need for alignment of national treatment guidelines with that of the WHO, to promote appropriate practices and reduce the morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases, such as COVID-19.

Employment law myths—who are you gonna call?

Adam Bernstein speaks to Lucy Gordon and Chloe Themistocleous to bust some widespread employment law myths

История открытия Ботогольского графитового месторождения. Мифы и факты

The Botogol graphite mine, located in the Oka district of the Republic of Buryatia, was one of the first mining enterprises of the Baikal region. History of the discovery and development of the Botogol graphite deposit has not only many "white spots", but also widespread myths. The article provides data on discovery and initial stage of development of a high-quality graphite deposit.

Schnappschüsse der Befreiung: Fotografien amerikanischer Soldaten im Frühjahr 1945 by Peter Pirker and Matthias Breit

Reviewed by: Schnappschüsse der Befreiung: Fotografien amerikanischer Soldaten im Frühjahr 1945 by Peter Pirker and Matthias Breit Jeffrey Luppes Peter Pirker and Matthias Breit, Schnappschüsse der Befreiung: Fotografien amerikanischer Soldaten im Frühjahr 1945. Innsbruck: Tyrolia Verlag, 2020. 303 pp. After fighting their way across France and Germany during the fall and winter of 1944, the members of the 103rd Infantry ("Cactus") Division of the United States Army found themselves in western Austria in the weeks immediately before and after Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender in the spring of 1945. This relatively unscathed alpine region in which the Cactus Division was positioned at war's end was both symbolically significant and strategically important: in 1940, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini met there at the Brenner Pass to forge their "Pact of Steel"; it was also there that the Western European front linked up with the Italian front as members of the Cactus Division joined arms with the American fighting forces coming from the south. The 103rd Infantry Division's war and its immediate aftermath were anything but uneventful, and fortunately, its soldiers documented their experiences—including combat, the surrender of Wehrmacht soldiers, the liberation of concentration camps, encounters with forced laborers and displaced persons, arrests of high-profile Nazi leaders like Hermann Göring and Wernher von Braun, and the occupation of this part of Austria—with a great many photographs. The photos of the Cactus Division are the subject of a new study by Austrian historian Peter Pirker and graphic designer Matthias Breit. According to Pirker and Breit, the photos—both official photographs by noted members of the US Signal Corps as well as unofficial and hitherto unpublished snapshots by untrained soldiers, some of whom requisitioned their cameras while fighting in Europe—provide insights into the liberation of Tyrol from the perspective of American soldiers, not the most common perspective on this topic. Moreover, they contend that the photos under [End Page 128] analysis offer to some extent counter-images ("Gegenbilder") to the canonized and symbolically important images, far better known, that tend to paint the local populations in a more favorable light. Indeed, the authors argue, the photos of American soldiers make a significant contribution to Austrian cultural memory by dispelling widespread myths around the defeat of National Socialism and restoration of peace in Austria (23). With a firm focus on shedding light on Austrian memory culture, Pirker and Breit's book is actually more about the American soldiers and their behavior in Austria than about Austrians and their perceptions of their postwar occupiers. Their approach is innovative and, ultimately, successful. The authors selected the objects of their analysis from the photographic archives of the US Signal Corps as well as the large collection assembled by the volunteer-run 103rd Infantry Division Association housed today at the University of Southern Mississippi. While the official photos of the Signal Corps were generally of higher quality, their motifs—as Pirker and Breit point out—were more consistent and predictable, essentially rendering them less interesting. In most cases, including in some images of actual combat, which were far less common in the snapshots taken by regular soldiers, the purpose of the photos was to make clear to all who the "good guys" and "bad guys" were in the war and to legitimize the Allied occupation. For that reason, the authors of this captivating new study consider the more mundane photos of the everyday soldiers, who were crazy about taking pictures ("geradezu versessen aufs Fotografieren," 11), to be more illuminating. A particular strength of the book is the authors' use of additional resources, such as biographies of the soldier photographers, servicemen's letters to relatives back home, regimental histories, and local newspaper articles about the soldiers' experiences to provide further context for the photographs. The unofficial photos are notable to Pirker and Breit for what they do not reveal: images of casualties and scenes of combat; fraternization with Austrian women; contacts with local populations; and African American soldiers, to name a few examples. Instead, the bulk of the informal photos show the soldiers' now-peaceful everyday lives in this beautiful setting: homesick comrades and friends behaving like tourists on...

Infodemic as subsequent defiance to manage pandemic: Assessing the reasons behind COVID-19 vaccine refusal.

Introduction: COVID-19 is a pandemic, which originated in 2019 and is continuing to spread with new variants. It is believed that the use of vaccines can help bring better outcomes, however, the people of Karachi have serious reservations about the vaccines because of the widespread myths. Methodology: The data has been collected in a sample size of 550 participants to find out the correlation between the acceptances of the COVID-19 vaccine. It shows the association between exposure to the virus, administration of a vaccine, reasons behind acceptance and rejection of vaccine, and feared outcomes from May 2020 to June 2021. Results: The results show that 401 people were vaccinated while people received vaccination for better protection, and to retain their salary and travel nationally or internationally. For those who refused to get vaccinated, the majority feared that the rumor about infertility may be true while some did not consider it important. The types of rumors included planting chips, death in two years, infertility, and side effects. Some people feared side effects such as body pain, infections, and infertility. Discussion: As compared to previous researches, the strong anti-vaccine sentiments in the people of Pakistan may be reducing as more people continue to get vaccinated every day. However, there is still a need to educate the mass population about the benefits of vaccines to combat the myths and increase the ratio of the overall vaccinated population

Nutrition Literacy and Healthy Diet: Findings from the Validation of a Short Seniors-Oriented Screening Tool, the Spanish Myths-NL.

A good level of nutrition literacy (NL) is proposed as a determinant factor for following a healthy diet. Improving seniors’ NL might be particularly pertinent to enhance the quality of their diets. This study aimed to systematically design and validate a short seniors-oriented questionnaire as a screening tool to evaluate NL. We developed the Myths-NL questionnaire, composed of 10 widespread nutrition myths, and checked for its content and face validity. An observational cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the validity and the test–retest reliability, involving a community-dwelling group of 316 individuals aged 65 years and over. Construct validity was proved by establishing both discriminant and convergent validity. Cronbach α = 0.61 and Spearman r = 0.79 (p = 0.02) demonstrated internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Participants who had secondary/university studies scored significantly higher compared with those with primary (p < 0.001), and a significant linear relationship (R2 = 0.044, p = 0.001) with a positive slope (β = 0.209) between Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) and Myths-NL scores was observed, proving construct validity. In conclusion, the Myths-NL questionnaire is a valid and reliable tool to screen NL in Spanish seniors and it might be useful as an assessment NL tool for designing and implementing lifestyle interventions to promote healthy eating.

Antenatal Doppler ultrasound implementation in a rural sub-Saharan African setting: exploring the perspectives of women and healthcare providers

BackgroundThe World Health Organization recommends research to evaluate the effects of a single third trimester Doppler ultrasound examination on preventable deaths in unselected-risk pregnancies, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where the evidence base is scarce. While evaluating such technologies, researchers often ignore women and health care provider perspectives. This study explored the views and experiences of women and healthcare providers regarding the use of advanced ultrasound technology to optimize the health of mothers and their babies in a rural community in mid-western Uganda.MethodsWe enrolled 53 mothers and 10 healthcare providers, and captured data on their perceptions, barriers, and facilitators to the use of Doppler ultrasound technology using focus group discussions, semi-structured interviews and observations. Using qualitative content analysis, we inductively coded the transcripts in ATLAS.ti 8.0, detecting emerging themes.ResultsWomen were afraid that ultrasound would harm them or their fetuses and many of them had never seen an ultrasound scan. The majority of the women found their partners supportive to attend antenatal care and use ultrasound services. Healthcare providers in Kagadi Hospital were unfamiliar with Doppler technology and using it to guide clinical decisions. Other barriers to the implementation of Doppler ultrasound included shortage of trained local staff, insufficient equipment, long distance to and from the hospital, and frequent power cuts.ConclusionsWe found limited exposure to Doppler ultrasound technology among women and healthcare providers in mid-western Uganda. Engaging male partners may potentially influence the likelihood of accepting and using it to improve the health of women and their fetuses while wide spread myths and misconceptions about it may be changed by community engagement. Healthcare workers experienced difficulties in offering follow-up care to mothers detected with complications and Doppler ultrasound required a high level of training. While introducing advanced ultrasound machines to weak health systems, it is important to adequately train healthcare providers to avoid inappropriate interventions based on misinterpretation of the findings, consider where it is likely to be most beneficial, and embed it with realistic clinical practice guidelines.

A Gift of Generosity—An Explanation of Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation for Muslim Audiences

Diseased Organ and tissue donation and transplantation entails removing organ and tissues from someone (the donor) and transplanting them into another person (the recipient). Transplanting organs and tissues from one person hold the capacity to save or significantly improve the quality of life of multiple recipients. This is a rare opportunity for one to become an organ donor. In 2018, Australia had a population of 24.99 million. A total of 160,909 lives were lost that year; almost half of this death occurred in hospitals. However, a person may only be able to become a donor if their death occurs in a particular way and fulfils a defined set of special criteria—for example, while on the life support machine in an intensive care unit. Because of this, only 1211 people out of the large number of lives lost in 2018 were eligible to be potential organ donors. This is one of reasons we encourage everybody to consider the virtues of organ and tissue donation in any end-of-life discussion. Diseased organ donation occurs only when the clinician is certain that the person has died. The death is diagnosed by neurological criteria or by circulatory criteria which are discussed in detail in the article. This is an unconditional altruistic and non-commercial act. A large number of people are waiting on transplant list in Australia who are suffering from end stage organ failure; some of them will die waiting unless one receives an organ transplantation. Australians are known to be highly generous people. That is why 98% of Australian say ‘Yes’ to become an organ donor when they die. But in reality, only about 64% of families consent for organ donation on an average. There are widespread misconceptions and myths about this subject, mostly due to lack of information and knowledge. I have attempted to explain the steps of diseased organ donation in this article which, hopefully will be able to break some of those misconceptions. I have avoided to discuss living donation which is entirely a different subject. I have only touched on Islamic perspective of organ donation here as multiple Islamic scholars are going to shed lights here. We encourage everybody to ‘Discover’ the facts about organ and tissue donation, to make an informed ‘Decision’ and ‘Discuss’ this with the family. If the family knows the wishes of the loved one, it makes their decision-making process much easier during such a devastating and stressful time.

Knowledge, attitude and perception of Pakistanis towards COVID-19; a large cross-sectional survey

BackgroundThe Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has created havoc globally as countries worldwide struggle to combat this pandemic. Since prevention and social isolation are known to be the only ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this has created challenges among the lower-middle income countries (LMIC) including Pakistan, as it battles between an under-resourced healthcare, an economic shutdown, and widespread myths and misconceptions. Therefore, a study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and perceptions regarding COVID-19 as public understanding is vital to help facilitate the control of this outbreak.MethodsA pre-validated online questionnaire was distributed among the general population of Pakistan from 1st to 12th June 2020. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS v25. Adequate knowledge was assigned as a score of > 4 (range: 0–8) and good perception as a score of > 3 (range: 0–5). Chi-square test was used to determine the significance of difference in knowledge and perception of COVID-19 with socio-demographic characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was run to identify factors associated with adequate knowledge and perception. P < 0.05 was considered as significant.ResultsA total of 1200 respondents participated in this study with a wide range of age groups and education. Majority of the respondents had adequate knowledge (93.3%) with a mean score of 6.59 ± 1.35, and good perception (85.6%) with a mean score of 4.29 ± 0.82. Significant differences in knowledge and perception were observed among genders, age groups, education and between students and employees in the healthcare and non-healthcare department. A multivariate analysis revealed a higher educational status and female gender to be significant predictors of adequate knowledge and perception.ConclusionsAlbeit the surge of COVID-19 cases in Pakistan, the participants demonstrated an overall adequate knowledge and good perception towards COVID-19. There is a need to follow the preventive protocols and dissemination of correct information through conducting educational interventions that target safe health practices and provide appropriate information on this infection.