scholarly journals Nutrition education in medical school: the case of international medical students in China

2020 ◽  
pp. bmjnph-2020-000117
Author(s):  
William Kwame Amakye ◽  
Sladana Bozovic ◽  
Arafat Faraque ◽  
Maojin Yao ◽  
Jiaoyan Ren

ObjectiveTo assess the knowledge on country-specific nutrition situation, perceptions of the nutrition curricula and factors influencing capacity to offer nutrition guidance among medical students studying internationally in China compared with their home-country counterparts.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingsChina, Ghana, India and Montenegro.ParticipantsInternational medical students in China and medical students studying in their home countries of Ghana, India and Montenegro.Main measureAn online semistructured questionnaire was administered using WeChat for international students and Microsoft Forms for home-country medical students to assess students’ perceived knowledge and significance of nutrition, knowledge of country-specific nutrition situation, perceptions of the nutrition curricula and perceived capacity to offer nutrition counselling.ResultIn all, 190 medical students responded to the survey: 110 international students studying in China and 80 home-country students from Ghana (40), India (20) and Montenegro (20). Home-country students rated the importance of nutrition in health and disease development higher than international students (p<0.05). International students reported not having any specific nutrition courses while home-country students had nutrition courses as part of their curriculum. Only 8.2% of international students and 13.8% of home-country students were able to correctly mention any specific national nutrition guidelines of their home countries. Home-country students were more likely to provide correct nutrition recommendations for infants (χ²(3)=26.349; p=0.001), pregnancy (χ²(3)=9.793; p=0.007), lactating mothers (χ²(3)=9.112; p=0.011), diabetes (χ²(3)=13.619; p=0.001), hypertension (χ²(3)=12.022; p=0.002), overweight/obesity (χ²(3)=8.896; p=0.012) and undernutrition (χ²(3)=7.670; p=0.022) compared with international students. Practical nutrition courses, hours of nutrition education and how often students were asked nutrition-related questions tended to affect and predict the adequacy of nutrition education received and the perceived confidence for nutrition counselling.ConclusionInternational medical students in China are less familiar with the nutrition context in their respective home countries compared with their home-country counterparts. Medical schools in China that train significant numbers of international students need to support these students to become familiar with their respective countries’ nutrition contexts.

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-28
Author(s):  
Mustafa Ali Mustafa Al-Samarrai ◽  
Saad Ahmed Ali Jadoo

Background: Medical students constitute the backbone of the future human resource for health, and therefore, as much as attention should be given to secure a high level of education, it should also be given to understand their wishes to leave or to stay at home country. This study aimed to find out the prominent factors associated with Iraqi medical students' planning to leave their country after graduation. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among clinical medical students (fourth, fifth, and sixth classes) of two medical colleges (the University of Anbar and University of Fallujah) in Anbar Governorate from 1st to 14th March 2018. A total of 183 students (Response Rate: 72,6%.) completed a self-administered questionnaire consisting of 15 close-ended questions related to the socio-demographic factors, economic characteristics, and some other factors inspired from Iraq's situation. Moreover, one open-ended question was designed to explore the main reasons for migration from the student's point of view. Results: Although 109 students (60%) felt that serving their citizens and country is a priority, however, the vast majority of 133 (73%) of the surveyed students had a plan to leave Iraq. About two thirds (69 %) of students intended to migrate as soon as they manage to: obtain their graduation certificate (49%); have enough money (34%), and the remaining 18% when they get parents’ permission. Conclusion: Our results suggest that living environments and work-related variables are significantly associated with medical students' intention of migration; however, social reasons and inspiring academic achievement were the main factors triggering students to leave Iraq.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 55-64
Author(s):  
Merve Vatansever ◽  
Elia Georgieva ◽  
Angelika Velkova

Throughout medical education, medical students are reported to experience high levels of stress and depression. The aim of this study was to compare the stress factors and depression levels of medical students in Bulgaria and Turkey. This cross-sectional comparative study included 546 students (276 international students from abroad studying at the Medical University of Sofia in Bulgaria and 270 Turkish medical students). The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic questions, a Medical Student Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ-40 items), and a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). The Turkish pre-clinical and clinical students had higher levels of stress and depression than the international pre-clinical medical students in Bulgaria. When the medical students were compared, 51.4% of the international medical students in Bulgaria and 28.5% of the Turkish medical students were found to be without depression. Moreover, 26.7% of the Turkish medical students and 12% of the international medical students in Bulgaria had moderate levels of depression. In addition, each domain of the MSSQ had a relationship with depression in both groups of medical students, with the exception of one domain (intrapersonal and interpersonal related stressors), which had no significant relationship with the depression scores of the Turkish clinical students. The findings of our study imply that medical students may need psychological support throughout their education, and this applies especially to Turkish medical students. Knowing the stress factors and depression levels that medical students experience plays an important role in determining the approaches to adopt to them.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (17) ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Hotoleanu ◽  
Andrei Hotoleanu

Medical students are exposed to increased stress due to academic, psycho-social and health-related factors. This study aimed to assess the levels of stress and the associations with socio-demographic characteristics and academic performance; the frequency of the major academic stressors; the most stressful factors as stated by the students themselves. A cross-sectional study including 110 international medical students of the 3rd-year was performed in the first two weeks of November 2019. A questionnaire including socio-demographic data, a list with potential academic stressors and an open question regarding the greatest stressors in student’s opinion as well as The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, was administrated in pen-andpaper format. Mild, moderate and severe levels of stress were found in 36.73%, 22.44 %, and 13.26 % of students, respectively. Increased levels of stress were associated with poor academic performance and did not correlate with age or country of origin. The frequency of moderate and severe stress was 3-times greater in women than in men. The most stressful factors in students’ opinion were the academic stressors (88.77%) followed by psychosocial factors (25.51%) and health-related factors (9.18%). The frequency of examination was perceived as a stressor always present by more than 25% of the students. Most of the students showed elevated levels of stress. Academic factors were the most important stressors in students’ opinion. Further research is needed to identify the proper strategy to rectify academicrelated problems to decrease the levels of stress.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 11-20
Author(s):  
Mansour M.A. Ghaleb ◽  

Background:Nutritional knowledge plays a very important role in nutritional status. Evaluatenutritional knowledge among medical and non-medical female students at university of science and technology in Sanaa city, was the objective of present study. Methods: Cross-sectional study, was performed using a systematic random sampling technique. Data was collected by face-to-face interviews using pre-designed, semi-structured questionnaires on a period of two month from January to February 2019. Questionnaires was developed in two sections. The data was cleaned and coded then analyzed using SPSS version 21. Result: One hundred and twenty students were enrolled in this study. All of them were females. Their ages ranged between 18 years and 30 years. The most frequent age group (56.7%) was located between 21-23 years.Majority of students 100(83.3%) had good or excellent nutritional knowledge. Most of them 55(45.8%) were in clinical nutrition and dietetics department. In conclusion, students in clinical nutrition and dietetics department had better nutritional knowledge than students in English department. The difference was significant as indicated by Pearson Chi-Square (p value =.000),. There was also a significant correlation between nutritional knowledge with department, study year also attended nutritional courses(all p values < 0.05). Current findings suggest nutrition education curriculum is compulsory in every study field, and it is need for coordinated efforts to promote nutrition education programs among medical students in general and non-medical students in particularto improve nutritional knowledge of students.


Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Mohammed Madadin ◽  
Ritesh G. Menezes ◽  
Maha A. Alassaf ◽  
Abdulaziz M. Almulhim ◽  
Mahdi S. Abumadini ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Medical students are at high risk of suicidal ideation. Aim: We aimed to obtain information on suicidal ideation among medical students in Dammam located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine affiliated with Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Suicidal ideation in the past 12 months was assessed based on responses to four questions in the depression subscale of the General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ-28). In addition, data were collected to examine the association of suicidal ideation with various factors. Results: We found that 1 in 3 medical students in the study had suicidal ideation in the past 12 months, while around 40% had lifetime suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation was associated with feelings of parental neglect, history of physical abuse, and dissatisfaction with academic performance. Limitations: The cross-sectional nature of this study limits its ability to determine causality regarding suicidal ideation. Conclusion: These rates are considerably high when compared with rates from studies in other countries around the world. This study provides a reference in the field of suicidology for this region of Saudi Arabia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 68-73
Author(s):  
Tarannum Tasnim ◽  
ANM Shamsul Islam ◽  
Mehedi Hasan Azad ◽  
Farhana Sharmin

Background: Children are the precious gift from the Almightily Allah and breast milk is an ideal product given to the human being by nature to fulfill all requirements of the offspring until they are matured enough to take adult food. Objective: To assess the services provided for lactating mothers at lactation management centre in selected tertiary level hospitals. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted among 100 Lactating mothers who were selected conveniently and were interviewed by pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and an observational checklist. Collected data were processed and analyzed using SPSS (Statistical Packages for Social Science) software. Results: Lactation management centre (LMC) is supervised by a consultant and separate room is allotted in both out-patient and in-patient departments. Mothers came with lactation problems were more likely in the first month of the baby (73%) and feeling of not enough milk production was common (49%).Highly significant relationship was found between breast problems of lactating mother and age of child (p<0.001). About 84% respondents received practical demonstration on position and attachment of the baby during lactation. About 91% respondents got dietary advice for enough breast milk production, 75% got dietary advice regarding their child’s weaning food chart and69% got health education. Maximum mothers were informed about LMC by doctor & nurse (82%). Conclusion: Information about LMC services should be disseminated across the country. Lactating mothers should be familiarized with LMC and public awareness should be enhanced for effective management of breastfeeding problem to promote, protect and support the breastfeeding. JOPSOM 2019; 38(2): 68-73


Author(s):  
Dur-e- Nishat

Background: Family medicine is a field in which complete and detailed set of healthcare services are provided to the patients and their families. In developed countries, freshly graduated students choose family medicine as a priority for their career. However, in Pakistan it is not the case. The present study is undertaken to determine the perceptions of final year medical students’ about Family Medicine as a viable career. Methods: A total number of 504 students participated in the study. This was a cross-sectional study. The study participants were in their final year of medical college. Data was collected using a preapproved questionnaire. Data was entered and analyzed via SPSS version 17 and Chi-Square test was used post-stratification. Results: Only 14.3% (n=72) medical students had heard about Family Medicine. Only 18% (n=92) would select family medicine as a profession. The most frequent rationale for choosing the field of Family Medicine was the variety of patients seen in general practice (55.4% n=51). Conclusion: There is a dire need to focus on increasing awareness about the field of family medicine among medical students. The students should be counseled on the advantages along with the disadvantages of choosing this field as a medical profession.


2021 ◽  
pp. 102612
Author(s):  
Sebastián Londoño-Cardona ◽  
Alejandra Meza-Vega ◽  
María Bernarda Quiroz-Martínez ◽  
Lina Silvana Arce ◽  
Ivan David Lozada-Martínez ◽  
...  

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