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Cureus Jun 2024The success of self-directed learning depends mainly on the readiness of students to adapt it to their learning domain. Medical students must meet certain criteria to...
BACKGROUND
The success of self-directed learning depends mainly on the readiness of students to adapt it to their learning domain. Medical students must meet certain criteria to become self-directed learners, which are also significant components of emotional intelligence (EI). Clarification is required on whether the students are ready for self-directed learning according to their level of EI as soon as they enter the medical institute.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The survey was conducted on first-year MBBS students, between 18 and 21 years of age. Demographic data of the participants was collected. EI was assessed by using the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). Fisher's 40-item self-directed learning readiness (SDLR) scale was used to assess the readiness for self-directed learning. Pearson's correlation and regression analysis was carried out to assess the relationship between the two.
RESULT
Approximately 71% of students had average EI, whereas only 5% had high EI. However, 63% of students were found to have low SDLR, while just 37% of participants had high SDLR. EI and SDLR both were found to be higher in males. Pearson's correlation "r" between the two parameters shows a strong positive correlation with statistical significance.
CONCLUSION
Certain training modules need to be incorporated into the medical education program to improve the EI of medical undergraduate students. Such a module might help in improving the readiness for self-directed learning and prepare the medical undergraduates as active lifelong learners, which is the prime goal for an Indian Medical Graduate according to the new Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) curriculum.
PubMed: 38898896
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.62716 -
Scientific Reports Jun 2024Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a prevalent cause of permanent vision loss and blindness in the elderly worldwide, with a significant impact on...
Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a prevalent cause of permanent vision loss and blindness in the elderly worldwide, with a significant impact on patients' daily lives. However, burdens related to nAMD from the patients' perspective have not been well documented. Here we developed a new questionnaire after eliciting nAMD patients' daily challenges followed by a pilot survey. Seven daily life burden domains were identified, and a quantitative survey was conducted using the questionnaire in the real-world clinic. Of the total 153 participants (mean age, 76.3 ± 8.3 years), 67 (43.8%) had bilateral nAMD, and 79 (52.7%) were classified into severe nAMD according to the best-corrected visual acuity with cut-off value of 0.52 in logMAR. Patients with bilateral and severe nAMD had significantly higher burden scores across all domains. Network models for the bilateral and severe disease subgroups identified the interactions between "activity of daily living" and "hand-eye coordination" and between "use of electronic devices" and "face recognition" domains, which were considered to be important burdens for the patients. These results can advance ophthalmologists' understanding of the impact of nAMD on patients' daily lives and the importance of active and continuing treatment for patients with nAMD.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Aged; Activities of Daily Living; Aged, 80 and over; Surveys and Questionnaires; Macular Degeneration; Visual Acuity; Quality of Life; Cost of Illness
PubMed: 38898138
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65089-y -
Arquivos Brasileiros de Cirurgia... 2024Results on quality of life after inguinal hernia surgery, such as esthetics, postoperative pain, period of absence from activities, and recurrence are a relevant topic... (Observational Study)
Observational Study Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
Results on quality of life after inguinal hernia surgery, such as esthetics, postoperative pain, period of absence from activities, and recurrence are a relevant topic since inguinal hernia affects 27% of men and 3% of women at some point in their lives, and should guide health policies to allocate resources more efficiently.
AIMS
To evaluate the quality of life in the late postoperative period of inguinal herniorrhaphy regarding recurrence, pain, esthetics, and restriction in activities, comparing the minimally invasive techniques - the transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) and the conventional Lichtenstein.
METHODS
A cross-sectional observational clinical study was conducted with the EuraHS-QoL questionnaire validated and translated into Portuguese, applied to patients after an average of 65 months postoperatively. Forty-five patients were assessed, 28 undergoing Lichtenstein and 17 undergoing TAPP. All were males aged between 18 and 87 years with a primary unilateral inguinal hernia. Recurrent or bilateral hernias, other concomitant abdominal wall hernias, patients who chose not to participate or who were not found, and female patients were excluded from the study.
RESULTS
Regarding the domains pain, restriction, and esthetics, there was no difference between the two groups when examining quality of life. Neither group presented recurrence in the studied period.
CONCLUSIONS
Both TAPP and Lichtenstein techniques presented similar results concerning quality of life when compared in the long-term.
Topics: Humans; Hernia, Inguinal; Quality of Life; Male; Cross-Sectional Studies; Middle Aged; Adult; Laparoscopy; Herniorrhaphy; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Young Adult; Adolescent; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 38896698
DOI: 10.1590/0102-672020240005e1798 -
Frontiers in Global Women's Health 2024Female sterilisation is the most common contraceptive method used globally. The use of female sterilisation is disproportionately low in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) at just...
INTRODUCTION
Female sterilisation is the most common contraceptive method used globally. The use of female sterilisation is disproportionately low in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) at just 1%. Nonetheless, the prevalence of sterilisation among married women in Malawi is quite high at about 11%. While a few recent studies in SSA have examined the relationship between women's decision-making autonomy and use of long-acting contraceptives, very few have investigated whether different dimensions of decision-making autonomy predict the use of female sterilisation differently. The objective of this study was therefore to examine the relationship between health care and contraceptive decision-making autonomy and the use of female sterilisation in Malawi.
DATA AND METHODS
The study relied on secondary data from the 2015-16 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey. The sample comprised 9,164 married women in Malawi that were using a modern contraceptive. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between health care and contraceptive decision-making autonomy and the use of female sterilisation, controlling for key socio-demographic characteristics.
RESULTS
The study revealed that the percentage of married women that made health care and contraceptive decisions independently was quite low. The main finding of this study was that contraceptive decision-making autonomy increased the relative likelihood of using female sterilisation while health care autonomy was associated with a lower likelihood of being sterilized. The socio- demographic characteristics that significantly predicted the use of female sterilisation included age, place of residence, household wealth and the number of children a woman had.
CONCLUSION
This study demonstrates that health care and contraceptive decision making have different effects on the use of female sterilisation among married women in Malawi. Specifically, women with autonomy in health care decision making had a relatively lower likelihood of using female sterilisation while those with contraceptive decision-making autonomy had a higher likelihood of using female sterilisation. This suggests that intervention aimed at increasing the uptake of female sterilisation in Malawi need to focus on empowering women in the contraceptive decision-making domain.
PubMed: 38895643
DOI: 10.3389/fgwh.2024.1264190 -
Nutrients Jun 2024(1) Background: Social distancing and closing down public spaces associated with learning, leisure and physical activity limited the spread of COVID-19. These measures...
(1) Background: Social distancing and closing down public spaces associated with learning, leisure and physical activity limited the spread of COVID-19. These measures had an impact not only on the economy and education but also on health behaviours and the quality of life of individuals affected by the restrictions. The aim of this study was to identify the role of health behaviours in the perception of the quality of life of students during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: This study was conducted among 796 students of the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn in the first quarter of 2022. Subgroup 1 consisted of students at the Public Health School ( = 428; 53.8%) and subgroup 2 consisted of students belonging to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine ( = 368; 46.2%). The diagnostic survey method was applied, and an original survey questionnaire, the Health Behaviour Inventory and the Quality of Life Questionnaire (WHOQoL-Bref version) were used. (3) Results: The largest contribution to the prediction of quality of life of students in subgroup 1 was made by a positive mental attitude related to avoiding too strong emotions, which explained 19% of the result variability in the somatic domain (ßeta = 0.24; R = 0.21), 20% of the result variability in the psychological domain (ßeta = 0.36; R = 0.20), 16% of the result variability in the social domain (ßeta = 0.52; R = 0.17) and 17% of the result variability in the environmental domain (ßeta = 0.19; R = 0.19). Moreover, in subgroup 2, a predominantly positive mental attitude significantly predicted quality of life in the somatic domain, explaining 23% of the result variability (ßeta = 0.24; R = 0.26), while it explained 25% of the result variability in the psychological domain (ßeta = 0.47; R = 0.25), 16% of the result variability in the social domain (ßeta = 0.46; R = 0.17) and 21% of the result variability in the environmental domain (ßeta = 0.38; R = 0.23). (4) Conclusions: Positive correlations between health behaviours and the quality of life among the study participants were determined. Health-promoting behaviours had a beneficial impact on the respondents' quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic. The category of health behaviours described as a positive mental attitude was an important predictor for the participants' quality of life.
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; COVID-19; Male; Female; Health Behavior; Surveys and Questionnaires; SARS-CoV-2; Young Adult; Students, Medical; Pandemics; Adult; Adolescent
PubMed: 38892679
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111747 -
Nutrients Jun 2024(1) Background: Global population aging is changing demographic structures and presents significant challenges for health systems, which must adapt to an increasingly... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
(1) Background: Global population aging is changing demographic structures and presents significant challenges for health systems, which must adapt to an increasingly elderly population. (2) Methods: The study employed a randomized controlled trial design with a total of 116 older adults aged 65 or older, randomly assigned to an experimental group ( = 57) undergoing a combined resistance program and Mediterranean diet program and a control group ( = 59) who did not receive any intervention. Anxiety and depression were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), sleep quality through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and perceived stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). (3) Results: Statistically significant improvements ( < 0.05) were observed both within and between groups in anxiety (Cohen's d = 0.38 and 0.78, respectively), depression (Cohen's d = 0.56 and 0.18, respectively), perceived stress (Cohen's d = 0.15 and 0.39, respectively), and in the PSQI domains: subjective sleep quality (Cohen's d = 1.01 and 0.53, respectively), sleep duration (Cohen's d = 0.112 and 0.53, respectively), sleep disturbances (Cohen's d = 1.92 and 0.95, respectively), use of medications (Cohen's d = 0.34 and 0.40, respectively), and the PSQI total score (Cohen's d = 0.68 and 0.49, respectively). No significant differences were observed in sleep latency or daytime dysfunction. (4) Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that resistance intervention may be an effective therapeutic option to improve mental health and sleep quality in older adults aged 65 or older, offering a non-pharmacological approach to improving overall well-being in this demographic.
Topics: Humans; Aged; Male; Female; Mental Health; Anxiety; Depression; Diet, Mediterranean; Nutritional Status; Exercise; Sleep Quality; Stress, Psychological; Aged, 80 and over; Resistance Training; Sleep
PubMed: 38892674
DOI: 10.3390/nu16111741 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Following the discovery of podocyte phospholipase A2 receptor and thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A, various potential target antigens for membranous... (Review)
Review
Following the discovery of podocyte phospholipase A2 receptor and thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A, various potential target antigens for membranous nephropathy (MN) have been reported one after another. MN target antigens have now been identified in a significant proportion of patients, and a new classification framework classifies patients with MN based on the detected antigen and associated disease phenotype. A serology-based approach that does not require a histological diagnosis for patients suspected of having MN has also been proposed. However, there have been cases in which dual positivity for MN antigens and/or corresponding antibodies has been shown. Importantly, some of them showed a transition of the affected patient's immune responses to MN antigens, suggesting that serological diagnosis changes depending on the timing of the analysis. In this review, we provide detailed information on these cases and present an overview of our recent understanding of their putative mechanisms involved in these cases. Greater awareness is required to adequately recognize and develop appropriate therapeutic strategies for this condition.
Topics: Glomerulonephritis, Membranous; Humans; Receptors, Phospholipase A2; Autoantigens; Prevalence; Podocytes; Autoantibodies; Thrombospondins
PubMed: 38892120
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115931 -
Animals : An Open Access Journal From... May 2024The reported positive outcomes of animal-assisted services have led to an emerging interest in many different aspects of human-animal interactions. The influence of an...
The reported positive outcomes of animal-assisted services have led to an emerging interest in many different aspects of human-animal interactions. The influence of an assistance animal is thought to encompass several psychosocial domains in the life of a person with a significant health impairment. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the relationship between Hearing Dogs and their owners. A prospective study design using a written questionnaire method was utilized to survey 58 current and 23 prospective Australian Lions Hearing Dogs owners. The Pet Expectations Inventory (PEI) was used to investigate the anticipated role of Hearing Dogs in waitlisted persons with hearing loss/Deafness, whereas the Lexington Attachment to Pets Scale (LAPS) was completed by current owners to assess emotional attachment. The results revealed a high mean PEI score (M = 73.1, SD = 10.9, Mdn = 73.0, range: 55-91), with prospective owners strongly expecting the role of Hearing Dogs to include companionship/love and security. Furthermore, strong attachment features were evident in the owners' relationships with Hearing Dogs, as demonstrated by a high total LAPS score (M = 81.2, SD = 7.5, range: 63-91). Mean scores for statements within the "people substitution" category were highest (range = 3.6/4.00-3.9/4.00). In this demographically homogenous study cohort, it appeared that the high expectations of potential Hearing Dog owners for their animals to serve supportive roles beyond hearing assistance should be achievable, as evidenced by the strong attachment relationships displayed between Hearing Dogs and their owners.
PubMed: 38891573
DOI: 10.3390/ani14111527 -
BMC Infectious Diseases Jun 2024Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is caused by protozoan parasite called Leishmania. It is endemic in more than 100 countries globally. Despite its vast prevalence and impact...
INTRODUCTION
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is caused by protozoan parasite called Leishmania. It is endemic in more than 100 countries globally. Despite its vast prevalence and impact on quality of life, it is one of the most neglected tropical dermatological diseases. The CL burden has often been expressed based on the physical disfigurement caused by the disease. However, considering the impact of the disease beyond physical impairment and changes in patients' appearance would help to better understand the disease as a public health problem. The effect of CL on patients' quality of life was determined in this study.
METHODS
The data that were related to quality of life were collected using Standard one-week Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. The questions were categorized under seven domains: symptoms & feelings, daily activities, work and school, leisure, personal relationships, and treatment. Each question was scored on a three-point scale: Very much (3), A lot (2), A little (1), Undecided (0), and Not at all (0). The sum of the scores lied between 0 and 48. A higher score shows worse quality of life. The data were entered and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science 23. Frequencies and proportions were used to describe the data. Differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05.
RESULTS
The lives of the majority of CL patients (60.7%) were significantly affected by CL. The quality of life of patients was moderately impacted by CL in 25% of the CL patients. In 32.1% of the CL patients, the effect of CL on patients' quality of life was very large. The quality of one CL patient's life was extremely largely affected. The disease had a small effect on 32.1% of the CL patients. Personal relationship was the most affected domain followed by symptoms and feelings and treatment. Future study including rural regions is required.
CONCLUSION
The Dermatology Life Quality Index demonstrates that CL has a small to extremely very large negative effect on the quality of life of patients.
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous; Male; Female; Adult; Middle Aged; Surveys and Questionnaires; Young Adult; Adolescent; Aged; Child
PubMed: 38890616
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09518-3 -
PloS One 2024Ethiopia has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in Africa. Few have examined the quality of labour and delivery (L&D) care in the country. This study evaluated...
BACKGROUND
Ethiopia has one of the highest maternal mortality ratios in Africa. Few have examined the quality of labour and delivery (L&D) care in the country. This study evaluated the quality of routine L&D care and identified patient-level and hospital-level factors associated with the quality of care in a subset of government hospitals.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This was a facility-based, cross-sectional study using direct non-participant observation carried out in 2016. All mothers who received routine L&D care services at government hospitals (n = 20) in one of the populous regions of Ethiopia, Southern Nations Nationalities and People's Region (SNNPR), were included. Mixed effects multilevel linear regression modeling was employed in two stages using hospital as a random effect, with quality of L&D care as the outcome and selected patient and hospital characteristics as independent variables. Patient characteristics included woman's age, number of previous births, number of skilled attendants involved in care process, and presence of any danger sign in current pregnancy. Hospital characteristics included teaching hospital status, mean number of attended births in the previous year, number of fulltime skilled attendants in the L&D ward, whether the hospital had offered refresher training on L&D care in the previous 12 months, and the extent to which the hospital met the 2014 Ethiopian Ministry of Health standards regarding to resources available for providing quality of L&D care (measured on a 0-100% scale). These standards pertain to availability of human resource by category and training status, availability of essential drugs, supplies and equipment in L&D ward, availability of laboratory services and safe blood, and availability of essential guidelines for key L&D care processes.
RESULTS
On average, the hospitals met two-thirds of the standards for L&D care quality, with substantial variation between hospitals (standard deviation 10.9 percentage points). While the highest performing hospital met 91.3% of standards, the lowest performing hospital met only 35.8% of the standards. Hospitals had the highest adherence to standards in the domain of immediate and essential newborn care practices (86.8%), followed by the domain of care during the second and third stages of labour (77.9%). Hospitals scored substantially lower in the domains of active management of third stage of labour (AMTSL) (42.2%), interpersonal communication (47.2%), and initial assessment of the woman in labour (59.6%). We found the quality of L&D care score was significantly higher for women who had a history of any danger sign (β = 5.66; p-value = 0.001) and for women who were cared for at a teaching hospital (β = 12.10; p-value = 0.005). Additionally, hospitals with lower volume and more resources available for L&D care (P-values < 0.01) had higher L&D quality scores.
CONCLUSIONS
Overall, the quality of L&D care provided to labouring mothers at government hospitals in SNNPR was limited. Lack of adherence to standards in the areas of the critical tasks of initial assessment, AMTSL, interpersonal communication during L&D, and respect for women's preferences are especially concerning. Without greater attention to the quality of L&D care, regardless of how accessible hospital L&D care becomes, maternal and neonatal mortality rates are unlikely to decrease substantially.
Topics: Humans; Ethiopia; Female; Pregnancy; Adult; Quality of Health Care; Cross-Sectional Studies; Delivery, Obstetric; Young Adult; Labor, Obstetric; Multilevel Analysis; Adolescent; Maternal Mortality; Maternal Health Services; Hospitals; Hospitals, Public
PubMed: 38889169
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0285058