scholarly journals Confidence to manage menstruation among university students in Australia: Evidence from a cross-sectional survey

2022 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 174550652110706
Author(s):  
Alana K Munro ◽  
Melanie Keep ◽  
Erin C Hunter ◽  
Syeda Z Hossain

Objectives: There has been increased attention to university students’ experiences of menstrual disorders, and access to menstrual products, in high-income countries. Less attention has been directed to other aspects of their menstrual experience, including confidence for menstrual management. This study aimed to understand the factors affecting university students’ confidence to manage menstruation at university. Methods: An online survey was completed by 410 participants (age range: 16–46 years, mean = 20.1 years) who menstruate and study at an Australian university. Participants reported demographic characteristics, confidence to manage menstruation at university, and personal, physical and environmental factors. A Mann–Whitney U-test analysed differences in confidence between groups of students. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and bivariate linear regressions determined associations between factors and confidence. Statistically significant associations were inputted into a multiple linear regression model. P-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: A minority of students (16.2%) felt completely confident to manage their menstruation at university. Menstrual knowledge, positive perceptions of menstruation and comfort to discuss menstruation with others positively predicted confidence. Physical menstrual symptoms, negative perceptions of menstruation, perceived stigma and using a menstrual cup or period underwear predicted lower confidence. In multiple regression, private and clean and sanitary university bathroom facilities, changing menstrual products at university, perceived stigma and negative perceptions of menstruation remained significant predictors. Conclusion: Most students did not have complete confidence to manage their menstruation at university. Several personal, physical and environmental factors were related to students’ confidence to manage menstruation. Assessment of these factors in future research with university students is recommended to enable a comprehensive understanding of their menstrual needs, and inform interventions aimed at improving their menstrual management confidence at university.

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. e030262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Stockley ◽  
Rosemary Peel ◽  
Kathryn Jarvis ◽  
Louise Connell

ObjectivesTo survey the reported content, frequency and duration of upper limb treatment provided by occupational and physiotherapists for people after stroke in the UK.DesignA cross-sectional online survey was used. Description and analysis of the data were based on items from the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (Who, Where, What and How much).SettingThe online survey was distributed via professional and social networks to UK-based therapists.ParticipantsRespondents were occupational or physiotherapists currently working clinically in the UK with people after stroke. Over the 6 week data collection period, 156 respondents opened the survey, and 154 completed it. Respondents comprised 85 physiotherapists and 69 occupational therapists.ResultsRespondents reported treating the upper limb a median of three times a week (range: 1 to 7) for a mean of 29 min (SD: 18). Most (n=110) stated this was supplemented by rehabilitation assistants, family and/or carers providing additional therapy a median of three times a week (range 1 to 7). Functional training was the most commonly reported treatment for people with mild and moderate upper limb deficits (>40%). There was much less consistency in treatments reported for people with severe upper limb deficits with less than 20% (n=28) reporting the same treatments.ConclusionsThis study provides a contemporaneous description of reported therapy in the UK for people with upper limb deficits after stroke and a detailed template to inform standard therapy interventions in future research. Several evidence-based therapies were reported to be used by respondents (eg, constraint induced movement therapy), but others were not (eg, mental imagery). The findings also highlight that the current reported provision of upper limb therapy is markedly less than what is likely to be effective. This underlines an urgent need to configure and fund services to empower therapists to deliver greater amounts of evidence-based treatment for people with upper limb deficits after stroke.


2019 ◽  
Vol 95 (5) ◽  
pp. 351-357
Author(s):  
Jenny Dalrymple ◽  
Kareena McAloney-Kocaman ◽  
Paul Flowers ◽  
Lisa M McDaid ◽  
Jamie Scott Frankis

ObjectivesDespite a recent fall in the incidence of HIV within the UK, men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be disproportionately affected. As biomedical prevention technologies including pre-exposure prophylaxis are increasingly taken up to reduce transmission, the role of HIV testing has become central to the management of risk. Against a background of lower testing rates among older MSM, this study aimed to identify age-related factors influencing recent (≤12 months) HIV testing.MethodsCross-sectional subpopulation data from an online survey of sexually active MSM in the Celtic nations—Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Ireland (n=2436)—were analysed to compare demographic, behavioural and sociocultural factors influencing HIV testing between MSM aged 16–25 (n=447), 26–45 (n=1092) and ≥46 (n=897).ResultsMultivariate logistic regression demonstrated that for men aged ≥46, not identifying as gay (OR 0.62, CI 0.41 to 0.95), location (Wales) (OR 0.49, CI 0.32 to 0.76) and scoring higher on the personalised Stigma Scale (OR 0.97, CI 0.94 to 1.00) significantly reduced the odds for HIV testing in the preceding year. Men aged 26–45 who did not identify as gay (OR 0.61, CI 0.41 to 0.92) were also significantly less likely to have recently tested for HIV. For men aged 16–25, not having a degree (OR 0.48, CI 0.29 to 0.79), location (Republic of Ireland) (OR 0.55, CI 0.30 to 1.00) and scoring higher on emotional competence (OR 0.57, CI 0.42 to 0.77) were also significantly associated with not having recently tested for HIV.ConclusionKey differences in age-related factors influencing HIV testing suggest health improvement interventions should accommodate the wide diversities among MSM populations across the life course. Future research should seek to identify barriers and enablers to HIV testing among the oldest and youngest MSM, with specific focus on education and stigma.


Author(s):  
Bruno E. Haje ◽  
Diane G. Symbaluk

Aggressive and dangerous driving compromises personal and public safety. The purpose of the present study was to identify common forms of aggressive and dangerous driving and to determine contributing factors. Participants included 298 university students who completed an online survey measuring aggressive and dangerous driving and a range of possible causes. Results showed that verbal aggression was most common followed by using one’s vehicle to express anger. Aggressive driving was associated with permissive attitudes towards driving aggression, vehicle preferences, and a disposition towards anger. Texting and eating while driving were the most common types of dangerous driving. The strongest predictors of dangerous driving were commuting distance, permissive attitudes towards distracted driving, vehicle preferences, and vehicle type. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.


2020 ◽  
pp. 204946372094034
Author(s):  
Anna Hurley-Wallace ◽  
Daniel E Schoth ◽  
Suzanne Lilley ◽  
Glyn Williams ◽  
Christina Liossi

Background: Adolescent chronic pain is prevalent, and interdisciplinary treatment is recommended. Although it is well known that technology is a key part of adolescents’ daily lives, there have not been any online, interdisciplinary interventions developed for adolescents with chronic pain in a UK healthcare context. Little is known about how adolescents currently use online resources to manage chronic pain, or what guidance they seek. Methods: Ninety-five participants from the community answered this mixed-methods, online survey (adolescent n = 54, parent n = 41), which assessed the needs of UK-based adolescents for a new online chronic pain management resource. Results: Findings indicated that, at the time of the survey, adolescents frequently used social media platforms, such as Instagram, for chronic pain management. Desired techniques for a new interdisciplinary resource for adolescents included ‘advice on explaining chronic pain to others’ (86.7% of adolescents) and sleep hygiene (82.2% of adolescents), though access to a range of pain management techniques was desired. Qualitative results indicated endorsement of a new programme by adolescents and parents. Conclusions: Adolescents and parents had a positive outlook towards the development of a UK-specific online resource to help manage chronic pain. Such an intervention should aim to be made accessible via the National Health Service. Adolescent use of social media platforms to seek support for chronic pain requires further exploration in future research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 507-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
C B Doyle ◽  
A Khan ◽  
N W Burton

Abstract Background This study assessed recreational physical activity type and context preferences of Emirati university students. Method This was a cross-sectional study in which a stratified random sample (n=628) (female 69.1%, male 30.9% mean age 20.79±3.81 y) completed an online survey. Relationships between gender and preferences were assessed using regression analysis, adjusted for body mass index and age. Results Activities with a fun element were the most preferred context (87.1%). Walking (66.7%) and swimming (61.7%) were the most preferred activity types. Males had significantly higher odds of preferring competitive activities, and activity types such as football, fitness/weights and jogging. Females had significantly higher odds of preferring activities with people of the same gender, with supervision and done at home, and activity types such as walking, aerobics, cycling, squash and yoga. Conclusion These results can inform physical activity planning for university students in the United Arab Emirates. Fun activity opportunities involving walking or swimming and in the local neighbourhood may be popular for both males and females. Future research could explore uptake and maintenance of activity options, based on preferred activity attributes.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gayoung Moon ◽  
Inkyung Kim ◽  
Habhin Kim ◽  
Suwan Choe ◽  
Soyeon Jeon ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Traditionally, menstrual education has consisted of lectures directed toward women. The objective of this study was to design an innovative menstrual education (ME) program that reflects the needs of both young women and men, and verify its effectiveness. Methods A mixed-method design was used to determine the program needs and assess young adults’ knowledge and perceptions of menstruation and menstrual products. Focus group interviews were conducted with 14 young adults, and 150 young adults participated in an online survey. After developing the ME program, 10 young adults participated in a study to verify its effectiveness. Results Interview results showed young adults wanted more information about menstrual products. The online survey revealed significant differences in knowledge based on participants’ general characteristics and experience; exposure to menstruation and menstrual products positively impacted knowledge and perception. In addition, the results indicated young adults wanted ME content access via mobile and in-person modalities, designed for both genders, drawing on menstrual experts’ knowledge. Based on these results, a multi-experimental menstrual education (MEME) program was designed and included: hands-on exposure to 60 menstrual products, product demonstrations with a female perineal model, a YouTube video created by the researchers, a true-or-false quiz, and question-and-answer sessions with menstrual experts. Conclusions This study clarified the requirements of an innovative menstrual education program. It led to high satisfaction among participants, and improved knowledge and perceptions of menstruation and menstrual products. The online survey showed a correlation between the extent of received ME, and respondents’ perception of menstrual products. This implied that a MEME program could change perceptions when conducted systematically; by extension it could ameliorate menstruation challenges attributed to poverty. Future research could further verify the effectiveness of the MEME program, using a larger sample, and examine its suitability for incorporation into official ME curricula at universities and companies. Trial registration This trial was registered in a Clinical Research Information Service in Korea linked with the World Health Organization’s International Clinical Trial Registry Platform (WHO’s ICTRP) (no. KCT0004715), Registered 07 Feb 2020.


2016 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth P Brookman ◽  
Karl KK Wiener

In English-speaking western cultures the punitive attitudes towards law-breakers is well documented. The present study examines the utility of predictors of punitive attitudes with online survey data obtained from a convenience sample of 566 Australian residents. After controlling for demographic variables, the study examines the utility of two theoretical models; the Crime–distrust model and the Racial–animus model, in predicting punitive attitudes. All three factors of the Crime–distrust model significantly predict punitive attitudes. The study extends the current literature through identifying the significance of negative perceptions of Indigenous Australians in predicting punitive attitudes to sentencing. Results suggest that community perception of Indigenous Australians is a significant predictor of punitive attitudes in addition to factors of the Crime–distrust model. Future research using a more representative sample of the Australian population is recommended to increase the confidence with which findings are interpreted.


2000 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 829-835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa K. Hamilton ◽  
Robert D. Schweitzer

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between dimensions of perfectionism and suicide ideation in a tertiary student population in Australia. Method: The methodology involved 405 students completing the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) which includes a subset of questions which can be used to assess suicide ideation, and the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. Results: The presence of suicide ideation was associated with higher scores on total perfectionism and two perfectionism dimensions, and total GHQ scores. There were significant differences between participants with high levels of perfectionism and participants with moderate to low levels of perfectionism on a measure of suicide ideation. Neither gender nor age were associated with differences in the scores, with results indicating high levels of perfectionism may indicate a vulnerability to suicide ideation. Conclusions: Perfectionism is a valued attribute in high-achieving populations. The question needs to be asked, however, at what cost? The findings indicate that high levels of perfectionism may be associated with an increased vulnerability to suicide ideation. Future research is needed to gain a better understanding of the complex interrelationship between personality and temperament, environmental factors and self-destructive behaviour.


2020 ◽  
Vol 62 (6) ◽  
pp. 659-675
Author(s):  
Maria S. Plakhotnik ◽  
Anastasiia V. Krylova ◽  
Anna D. Maslikova

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between participation in case competitions and career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) of university students.Design/methodology/approachThe sample included 273 Russian university students; 109 (40%) of them had never participated in case competitions, whereas 164 (60%) participated at least once in case competitions related to business, management and economics. Data were collected via an online survey that included the CDMSE scale–short form. Descriptive, correlation and linear regression analyses of data were conducted to test five hypotheses.FindingsThe research study showed a significant difference in CDMSE between those who had never participated in case competitions and those who had participated at least once. However, the study did not show a significant influence of participation in case competitions on the level of CDMSE. The results also indicated that the level of CDMSE could be explained by the participants' work experience, career choice status and age, as well as the highest level achieved during participation in case competitions.Research limitations/implicationsThe study provides limitations and implications for future research as well as practice, including career centers and career counselors, university faculty, organizers of case competitions and recruitment specialists in organizations.Originality/valuePrior research suggests that participation in case competitions helps students’ transition into the workplace. Despite their global popularity, empirical research on case competitions is very limited and focused primarily on skill development. This study contributes to the knowledge base by exploring links between case participation and CDMSE.


2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Potgieter

Background: Smartphones and similar mobile devices have changed the way individuals interact with technology and with each other. The app preferences of smartphone users are vitally important to those seeking to understand the motivation behind app downloads and usage.Objective: The research problem of this article is centred on the preferences for smartphone apps by the growing market of smartphone users in South Africa. The study includes a demographic profile of the users to establish what attracts this market into downloading smartphone apps.Methodology: The study employed a mono-method, quantitative methodological framework with an online survey as the data collection instrument. The survey was conducted amongst undergraduate university students in 2013 and repeated again in 2014. Results: It was found that the ‘young adult’ demographic, of which the sample of undergraduate university students formed a part, was discerning about which apps they downloaded and that the frequency of downloads occurred less than once a month in most cases. Information and entertainment needs were amongst the top reasons users indicated as motivations for downloading apps. Conclusion: The study’s findings confirmed that the sample had definite preferences regarding which apps the users were downloading, and these preferences depended on the needs that they wished to fulfil. The study also revealed that, even though users were aware of security threats associated with downloading apps, this knowledge did not deter them from continuing to download apps. Future research recommendations also arose from the study, giving direction to prospective studies.


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