Psychiatry as a specialization: influential factors and gender differences among medical students in a low- to middle-income country

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. I. O. Agyapong ◽  
R. Owusu-Antwi ◽  
A. Ritchie ◽  
G. Agyapong-Opoku ◽  
H. Khinda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Career Interest ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Training Institutions ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Policies And Programs

AbstractObjectivesTo assess the perception of Ghanaian medical students about factors influencing their career interest in psychiatry and to explore gender differences in these perceptions.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional quantitative survey of 5th and 6th year medical students in four public medical schools in Ghana. Data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS version 20.ResultsResponses were obtained from 545 medical students (response rate of 52%). Significantly, more male medical students expressed that stigma is an important consideration for them to choose or not to choose a career in psychiatry compared to their female counterparts (42.7% v. 29.7%, respectively). Over two-thirds of the medical students perceived that psychiatrists were at risk of being attacked by their patients, with just a little over a third expressing that risk was an important consideration for them to choose a career in psychiatry. There were no gender differences regarding perceptions about risk. Around 3 to 4 out of 10 medical students will consider careers in psychiatry if offered various incentives with no gender differences in responses provided.ConclusionOur study presents important and novel findings in the Ghanaian context, which can assist health policy planners and medical training institutions in Ghana to formulate policies and programs that will increase the number of psychiatry residents and thereby increase the psychiatrist-to-patient ratio in Ghana.

Struggles With Sex and Gender. Perspectives of First Year Medical Students: A Focus Group Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 216
Author(s):  
Theodora Teunissen ◽  
Joni Scholte ◽  
Fransica Van der Meulen ◽  
Antoinette Lagro-Janssen ◽  
Cornelia Fluit
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
First Year ◽  
Sex And Gender ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
And Gender ◽  
First Year Medical Students ◽  
Sex And Gender Differences

Sex and gender are important determinants of healthcare that need to be taken into account for medical teaching. Education is more effective if tailored to students’ subjectively-perceived needs and connected to their prior knowledge and opinions. This study explored first-year medical students thoughts about sex and gender differences in general and in specifically in healthcare, and what their educational preferences are in learning about these concepts during their medical training. Therefore six focus groups were conducted with 26 first-year medical students, 7 male and 19 female students, within one Dutch medical faculty. The discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. After that a thematic analysis was performed which included descriptive coding, interpretative coding, and definition of overarching themes.  Three major themes were identified. (1) Students’ self-perception of concepts sex and gender, including three major domains: (a) The unavoidable allocation of individuals to groups, (b) The role of stereotypes, and (c) The effect of sex/gender on career choice options. (2) Students’ goal orientedness in learning about sex/gender. (3) Students’ struggles between the binary system of medicine and the complexity of reality. Continuous reflection during medical school might help medical students to acquire sex- and gender-sensitive competencies that can be applied in their future work. To increase awareness about the influence of sex and gender differences in healthcare and on career choices, we recommend addressing these themes explicitly early on in the medical curriculum.

scholarly journals 4437 The Prevalence of Food Insecurity Among University of Utah Medical Students: Documenting the Need for Supportive Programs

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (s1) ◽  
pp. 90-90
Author(s):  
Alyssa Thorman ◽  
Harneet Kaur Dhillon
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Professional Students ◽  
University Of Utah ◽  
Study Results ◽  
And Gender

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Undergraduates experience food insecurity at rates 21% higher than the general population. Because professional students have been omitted from these studies, the goal of this project is to determine the prevalence of food insecurity among medical students at one academic institution. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A cross-sectional research design was used to quantify the food insecurity status of medical students at the University of Utah. The USDA’s validated 6-item Food Security Survey Module was distributed via email to all currently matriculated medical students. Student’s responses were anonymous but questions about gender and age were included. Respondents (N = 200) were scored per the module as food secure, food insecure, or very low food security. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Statistical analysis included frequencies and chi-square tests. Medical students (N = 166) showed 50.6% of respondents experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months, 16.3% experienced very low food security.While there were no significant relationships between food security status and gender or age, general trends did show divorced and separated students had higher food insecurity risk 82%. A similar study in 2014 surveyed undergraduates at the same location; 51% of respondents (N = 221) experienced food insecurity. While medical students experience food insecurity at rates much higher than the national average, prevalence is lower than undergraduates at the same institution. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Burnout and suicide in medical training are at an all-time high; professional and academic pursuits are limited when physiological needs of food security are not being met. Study results suggest, 50% of respondents are food insecure. This should inform the development of supportive programs.

scholarly journals Vision and Hearing Impairments Affecting Activities of Daily Living among Malaysian Older Adults by Gender

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6271
Author(s):  
Yee Mang Chan ◽  
Norhafizah Sahril ◽  
Ying Ying Chan ◽  
Nor’ Ain Ab Wahab ◽  
Norliza Shamsuddin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Hearing Impairments ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Adl Disability

Vision and hearing impairments are common among older adults and can cause undesirable health effects. There are limited studies from low- and middle-income countries exploring gender differences between vision and hearing impairment with Activities of Daily Living (ADL) disability. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate gender differences between vision and hearing impairments with ADL disability among older adults in Malaysia. Cross-sectional data from 3977 respondents aged 60 and above from the Malaysian National Health and Morbidity Survey 2018 were used. We used logistic regression analysis to measure associations between vision and hearing impairments with ADL disability, adjusted for covariates. The prevalence of ADL disability was higher among females than males (p < 0.001). The adjusted associations between vision impairment and ADL disability were significant among males (aOR 3.79; 95%CI 2.26, 6.38) and females (aOR 2.66; 95%CI 1.36, 5.21). Similarly, significant adjusted associations were found between hearing impairment and ADL disability among males (aOR 5.76; 95%CI 3.52, 9.40) and females (aOR 3.30; 95%CI 1.17, 9.33). Vision and hearing impairments were significantly associated with ADL disability, with no gender differences identified. Early detection and effective management of vision and hearing impairments are important to prevent ADL disability and improve older adults’ level of independence.

scholarly journals Assessing Factors Associated with TB Awareness in Nepal: A National and Subnational Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 5124
Author(s):  
Yoko Iwaki ◽  
Santosh Kumar Rauniyar ◽  
Shuhei Nomura ◽  
Michael C. Huang
Keyword(s):  
Socioeconomic Factors ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Regional Level ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
High Level

Tuberculosis (TB) has still remained a serious global health threat in low- and middle-income countries in recent years. As of 2021, Nepal is one of the high TB burden countries, with an increasing prevalence of cases. This study evaluates factors associated with TB awareness in Nepal. This study uses data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey, a cross-sectional survey carried out from June 2016 to January 2017. Multilevel logistic regression is performed to examine the association of demographic and socioeconomic factors with TB awareness. Our findings show a high level of TB awareness in all seven provinces of Nepal. Province 5 has the highest level of awareness (98.1%) among all provinces, followed by provinces 3 and 4, while province 6 has the lowest awareness level (93.2%) compared to others. Socioeconomic factors such as wealth, education and owning a mobile phone are significantly associated with TB awareness. Socioeconomic determinants are influential factors associated with TB awareness in Nepal. The wide variation in the proportion of awareness at a regional level emphasizes the importance of formulating tailored strategies to increase TB awareness. For instance, the use of mobile phones could be an effective strategy to promote TB awareness at a regional level. This study provides valuable evidence to support further research on the contribution of information and communication technology (ICT) usage to improving TB awareness in Nepal.

Relationship Among 3 Different Core Stability Tests in Healthy Young Adults: Validity and Gender Differences

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Masahiro Kuniki ◽  
Yoshitaka Iwamoto ◽  
Daiki Yamagiwa ◽  
Nobuhiro Kito
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Rank Correlation ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Core Stability ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Balance Test ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Stability Tests ◽  
Positive Correlations ◽  
And Gender

Context: Core stability is important for preventing injury and improving performance. Although various tests for evaluating core stability have been reported to date, information on their relationship and the effect of gender differences is limited. This study aimed to (1) identify correlations among the 3 core stability tests and to examine the validity of each test and (2) identify gender differences in the test relationship and determine whether gender influenced test selection. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Fifty-one healthy volunteers (27 men and 24 women) participated in the study. The participants underwent the following 3 tests: Sahrmann Core Stability Test (SCST), the lumbar spine motor control tests battery (MCBT), and Y Balance Test (YBT). Each parameter was analyzed according to all parameters and gender using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Results: Overall, there was a strong positive correlation between SCST and MCBT and moderate positive correlations between SCST and YBT and between MCBT and YBT. Conversely, gender-specific analyses revealed no significant correlations between YBT and SCST and between YBT and MCBT in women, although significantly strong correlations were found among all tests in men. Conclusion: Although these 3 tests evaluated interrelated functions and may be valid as core stability tests, the results should be carefully interpreted when performing YBT in women.

scholarly journals Specialty choice determinants among Mexican medical students: a cross-sectional study

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Gutiérrez-Cirlos ◽  
J. Jesús Naveja ◽  
Manuel García-Minjares ◽  
Adrián Martínez-González ◽  
Melchor Sánchez-Mendiola
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical Specialty ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Specialty Choice ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Healthcare Needs ◽  
Gynecology And Obstetrics

Abstract Background The choice of medical specialty is related to multiple factors, students’ values, and specialty perceptions. Research in this area is needed in low- and middle-income countries, where the alignment of specialty training with national healthcare needs has a complex local interdependency. The study aimed to identify factors that influence specialty choice among medical students. Methods Senior students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Faculty of Medicine answered a questionnaire covering demographics, personal experiences, vocational features, and other factors related to specialty choice. Chi-square tests and factor analyses were performed. Results The questionnaire was applied to 714 fifth-year students, and 697 provided complete responses (response rate 81%). The instrument Cronbach’s alpha was 0.8. The mean age was 24 ± 1 years; 65% were women. Eighty percent of the students wanted to specialize, and 60% had participated in congresses related to the specialty of interest. Only 5% wanted to remain as general practitioners. The majority (80%) wanted to enter a core specialty: internal medicine (29%), general surgery (24%), pediatrics (11%), gynecology and obstetrics (11%) and family medicine (4%). The relevant variables for specialty choice were grouped in three dimensions: personal values that develop and change during undergraduate training, career needs to be satisfied, and perception of specialty characteristics. Conclusions Specialty choice of medical students in a middle-income country public university is influenced by the undergraduate experience, the desire to study a subspecialty and other factors (including having skills related to the specialty and type of patients).

scholarly journals Dyslipidemia: A Trigger for Coronary Heart Disease in Romanian Patients with Diabetes

Metabolites ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihnea-Alexandru Găman ◽  
Matei-Alexandru Cozma ◽  
Elena-Codruța Dobrică ◽  
Nicolae Bacalbașa ◽  
Ovidiu Gabriel Bratu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Coronary Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Diabetic Patients ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Patients With Diabetes ◽  
Statin Prescription ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Internal Medicine Clinic

Previous studies have reported age and gender disparities in the occurrence and therapeutic approach of dyslipidemia and (or) coronary heart disease (CHD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We aimed to investigate these differences in Romanian patients with T2DM. A cross-sectional, observational, retrospective study was conducted using the medical records of T2DM patients who attended the outpatient facility of the Internal Medicine Clinic of the Clinical Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Romania for routine check-ups in a six-month period. We analyzed the records of 217 diabetic patients (mean age 69 ± 11 years; 51.15% women). We found no significant gender differences in the occurrence of dyslipidemia, CHD or CHD + dyslipidemia or in terms of statin prescription. However; patients aged 65 years or older were significantly more affected by dyslipidemia, CHD or CHD + dyslipidemia, versus subjects aged <65 years. Further, they were more likely to be prescribed statin therapy (p < 0.0001 for all). Statins were prescribed to 67.24% of the patients with dyslipidemia; 61.01% of the subjects with CHD; and to 91.48% of the patients who had both conditions. e recorded no gender differences in the occurrence of CHD and (or) dyslipidemia in Romanian T2DM patients. Patients aged 65 years or older had a higher prevalence of CHD and/or dyslipidemia, and were more likely to be prescribed statins, versus younger counterparts. However, many T2DM patients with CHD and (or) dyslipidemia were undertreated: Nearly 33% of the subjects with dyslipidemia, and nearly 40% of the ones with CHD were not prescribed statins.

scholarly journals Online Learning Resources Enhanced Teaching and Learning of Medical Mycology among Medical Students in Gulu University, Uganda

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Bongomin ◽  
Bernard Erima ◽  
Richard Kwizera ◽  
Emmanuel I. Odongo-Aginya
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Fungal Diseases ◽  
Medical Mycology ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Significant Difference

Background. The burden of serious fungal diseases has significantly increased in the past few decades; however, the number of health-care workers with expertise in the management of fungal diseases remains low, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study aimed to evaluate the use of freely available online teaching material to enhance teaching and learning of medical mycology among medical students in Gulu University Medical School, Uganda. Methods. We conducted a cross-sectional study among second year medical students undertaking Medical Mycology course on antifungal agents in the department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology in the academic year 2017-2018. The materials were synthesized and peer-reviewed by experts in fungal diseases and were made freely available on the Leading International Fungal Education website (http://www.LIFE-Worldwide.org). A local faculty in the department delivered the lectures, and pre- and posttest scores were evaluated statistically. Results. Sixty medical students participated in the study of which 78% were male. The average score was 41% for the pretest and 52% for the posttest (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference in the scores of males and females. Majority of the students gave an above-average rating for the course material; however, 54% preferred prerecorded videos. Conclusion. Using freely available online materials on medical mycology can enhance teaching and learning of medical mycology. Because of this, there is need to incorporate up-to-date information about the subject into the curriculums of medical schools especially in LMICs.

A Scoping Review of Literature on Sex and Gender Differences Among Dementia Spousal Caregivers

2019 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. e802-e815 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ifah Arbel ◽  
Kathleen S Bingham ◽  
Deirdre R Dawson
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Spousal Caregivers ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Sex And Gender ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Sex And Gender Differences

Abstract Background and Objectives Sex and gender differences among dementia spousal caregivers have been investigated, but never systematically reviewed or synthesized. A synthesis of findings can help facilitate specificity in practice and in health policy development. As a first step towards such a synthesis, this scoping review reports the available evidence, identifies research gaps, and suggests possible directions for future research. Research Design and Methods A scoping review methodology was used to identify articles, and to chart and analyze data. Systematic searches for published, empirical studies, with an explicit goal or hypothesis related to sex or gender differences were conducted in seven databases. Results Sixty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Most (n = 45) were quantitative, cross-sectional studies. Caregivers included in the studies were generally 61–70 years old, Caucasian, middle-class, and highly educated. The most extensively investigated differences are: depression, burden, objective physical health, and informal supports. Discussion and Implications This scoping review is the first to summarize and critique the research on sex and gender differences that are specific to dementia spousal caregivers. The review can be used by researchers to make decisions regarding future systematic reviews and primary studies. To further strengthen the evidence base, future studies may benefit from including more caregivers of ethnic minorities, using more qualitative, longitudinal, or experimental designs, and focusing on variables needed to inform caregiving models and theories. Overall, this scoping review contributes to furthering gender-sensitive practices and policies that are better tailored to the specific needs of this population.

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