Enhancing Student Learning on Emerging Infectious Diseases: An Ebola Exemplar

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (7) ◽  
pp. 493-500
Author(s):  
Derek Dube ◽  
Tracie M. Addy ◽  
Maria R. Teixeira ◽  
Linda M. Iadarola
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Health Science ◽  
Science Courses ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Mode Of Instruction

Throughout global history, various infectious diseases have emerged as particularly relevant within an era. Some examples include the Bubonic plague of the fourteenth century, the Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918, the HIV epidemic of the 1980s, and the Zika virus outbreak in 2015–16. These instances of emerging infectious disease represent ideal opportunities for timely, relevant instruction in natural and health science courses through case studies. Such instructional approaches can promote student engagement in the material and encourage application and higher-order thinking. We describe here how the case study approach was utilized to teach students about emerging infectious diseases using the 2014–16 Ebola virus outbreak as the subject of instruction. Results suggest that students completing the case study not only had positive perceptions of the mode of instruction, but also realized learning gains and misconception resolution. These outcomes support the efficacy of case pedagogy as a useful teaching tool in emerging infectious diseases, and augment the paucity of literature examining Ebola virus knowledge and misconceptions among undergraduate students within United States institutions.

scholarly journals Early Epidemiological Assessment of the Virulence of Emerging Infectious Diseases: A Case Study of an Influenza Pandemic

PLoS ONE ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. e6852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Nishiura ◽  
Don Klinkenberg ◽  
Mick Roberts ◽  
Johan A. P. Heesterbeek
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases

Awareness of symptomatic differences Covid-19, SARS, Swine Flu, Common cold among dental students

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 1026-1033
Author(s):  
Nivedha Valliammai Mahalingam ◽  
Abilasha R ◽  
Kavitha S
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Common Cold ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
Swine Flu ◽  
Viral Diseases ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Enormous successes have been obtained against the control of major epidemic diseases, such as SARS, MERS, Ebola, Swine Flu in the past. Dynamic interplay of biological, socio-cultural and ecological factors, together with novel aspects of human-animal interphase, pose additional challenges with respect to the emergence of infectious diseases. The important challenges faced in the control and prevention of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases range from understanding the impact of factors that are necessary for the emergence, to development of strengthened surveillance systems that can mitigate human suffering and death. The aim of the current study is to assess the awareness of symptomatic differences between viral diseases like COVID-19, SARS, Swine flu and common cold among dental students that support the prevention of emergence or re-emergence. Cross-sectional type of study conducted among the undergraduate students comprising 100 Subjects. A questionnaire comprising 15 questions in total were framed, and responses were collected in Google forms in SPSS Software statistical analysis. The study has concluded that dental students have an awareness of the symptomatic differences between infectious viral disease. The study concluded that the awareness of symptomatic differences between viral diseases like COVID-19, SARS, Swine flu, Common cold is good among the dental students who would pave the way for early diagnosis and avoid spreading of such diseases. A further awareness can be created by regular webinars, seminars and brainstorming sessions among these healthcare professionals.

scholarly journals Writing Skills Development for Graduate Studies and Career Readiness in Science and Aging Fields: A Case Study Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Stafford McRell ◽  
Betty L. Wilson ◽  
Sue E. Levkoff
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Writing Skills ◽  
Underrepresented Students ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
Career Readiness ◽  
Graduate Studies ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Writing Class

Increasing the number of racially and ethnically underrepresented students who pursue scientific graduate studies in programs focusing on science and aging offers an opportunity to increase the number of aging specialists while simultaneously promoting diversity in the research labor market and supporting new ideas. This case study aims to better understand how students participating in an academic preparatory program experience a writing class contextualized within (1) students' writing background and (2) students' future ambitions related to science and aging. The individually-tailored writing class was taught as a critical component of a comprehensive educational program that targets underrepresented racial and ethnic minority undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing scientific graduate studies in fields related to aging. The researchers conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with students (n = 4) enrolled in the 24-month fellowship training program, which included participation in the writing course during the summer prior to their senior year of undergraduate education. All participants were young adult college students who identified as Black or African American and female. Using thematic coding, statements about professional writing skills were divided into four primary themes: (1) prior experiences, (2) class experiences, (3) future goals and ambitions, and (4) structural considerations. These themes suggest potential implications for effective interventions aimed to advance the writing skills and academic and career readiness of racially and ethnically diverse students entering fields of science and aging.

scholarly journals Pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system and related challenges in Liberia

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen B. Kennedy ◽  
John B. Dogba ◽  
Christine L. Wasunna ◽  
Philip Sahr ◽  
Candace B. Eastman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Ebola Virus Disease ◽  
Reference Laboratory ◽  
Laboratory System ◽  
Human Resource Capacity

Prior to the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Liberia, the laboratory system was duplicativefragmented and minimally coordinated. The National Reference Laboratory was conceptualisedto address the existing challenges by promoting the implementation of effective and sustainablelaboratory services in Liberia. However, in a resource-limited environment such as Liberiaprogress regarding the rebuilding of the health system can be relatively slow, while efforts tosustain the transient gains remain a key challenge for the Ministry of Health. In this paper, wedescribe the pre-Ebola virus disease laboratory system in Liberia and its prevailing efforts toaddress future emerging infectious diseases, as well as current Infectious diseases, all of whichare exacerbated by poverty. We conclude that laboratory and diagnostic services in Liberiahave encountered numerous challenges regarding its efforts to strengthen the healthcaredelivery system. These challenges include limited trained human resource capacity, inadequateinfrastructure, and a lack of coordination. As with most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, whencomparing urban and rural settings, diagnostic and clinical services are generally skewedtoward urban health facilities and private, faith-based health facilities. We recommend thatstructured policy be directed at these challenges for national institutions to develop guidelinesto improve, strengthen and sustain diagnostic and curative laboratory services to effectivelyaddress current infectious diseases and prepare for future emerging and re-emerging infectiousdiseases.

scholarly journals A bibliometric analysis of research on Ebola in Science Citation Index Expanded

2016 ◽  
Vol Volume 112 (Number 3/4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastassios Pouris ◽  
Yuh-Shan Ho ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
The United States ◽  
World Health ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Citation Pattern ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Experimental Drugs

Abstract An unprecedented outbreak of the Ebola virus in 2014 claimed more than 1000 lives in West Africa and the World Health Organization declared a global public health emergency. This outbreak will undoubtedly promote additional research related to the Ebola virus and will create debate related to experimental drugs. This article identified the quantum of research in the field since 1991; the scientific disciplines that contributed to the field; the countries, organisations and authors that supported such research and the most cited articles. An increasing trend in annual production during 1991–2013 was observed. Journal of Virology, Journal of Infectious Diseases, and Virology were the three most productive journals in the field. Similarly, the field of virology dominated the 73 categories in which the Ebola research was classified. A total of 63 countries contributed to Ebola-related research, led by the USA. The most productive institutions were the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. African countries were more likely to be involved in international collaboration than independent research. The most influential article exhibited a notable citation pattern and presented global trends in emerging infectious diseases.

scholarly journals One Health: its recent evolution and driving issues

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 137
Author(s):  
John MacKenzie ◽  
Martyn Jeggo
Keyword(s):  
Influenza Virus ◽  
Global Health ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Influenza Pandemic ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Nipah Virus ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
H1n1 Influenza ◽  
Species Barrier ◽  
Health Security

Global health security has become a major concern, particularly the threats to human and animal health from the emergence and re-emergence of epidemic-prone infectious diseases, as well as the significant and growing impact of these outbreaks on national and international economies. It has long been known that many of these diseases can cross the species barrier between humans, wildlife and domestic animals, and indeed over 70% of novel emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, that is, have their origins in animal reservoirs. There have been many recent examples of this trend, the most dramatic being recently the SARS epidemic ? the first major threat to global health from a novel zoonotic disease in the new Millennium. Other recent examples include the H1N1 influenza virus pandemic; the spread of Nipah virus into Bangladesh and India; and perhaps the most important of all, the ongoing concerns of a highly virulent influenza pandemic due to avian influenza virus (H5N1).

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