scholarly journals Misconceptions about traumatic brain injuries among South African university students

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrisma Pretorius ◽  
Mandi Broodryk

<p><strong>Objective.</strong> To investigate the incidence and type of misconceptions about traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) harboured by university students. </p><p><strong>Method.</strong> A convenience sample of 705 university students were recruited and data were collected using an electronic survey. The link to the survey was sent via e-mail to all registered students at Stellenbosch University. The participants had to complete the Common Misconceptions about Traumatic Brain Injury (CM-TBI) questionnaire. </p><p><strong>Results.</strong> The findings of this study suggest that the students subscribe to misconceptions from each of the 7 categories of misconceptions about TBIs. The mean percentages of misconceptions about TBIs were calculated and the amnesia (mean 49.7%) and unconsciousness (mean 46.1%) categories were identified as the categories about which the respondents had the most misconceptions, while the mean percentages of misconceptions were lower for the categories of recovery (mean 27.6%),<strong> </strong>rehabilitation (mean 26.56%), prevention (mean 20.8%), brain injury sequelae (mean 18.7%) and brain damage (mean 8.4%). </p><p><span><strong>Conclusion.</strong> Generally, these findings appear to be in keeping with previous literature, which suggests that misconceptions about TBIs are common among the general population. This study’s identification of these misconceptions could help create awareness, provide a focus for information provision, and contribute to the development of educational intervention programmes tailored for the South African context.</span></p>

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 70-74
Author(s):  
Rustam Hazratkulov ◽  

Multiple traumatic hematomas (MG) account for 0.74% of all traumatic brain injuries. A comprehensive diagnostic approach to multiple traumatic intracranial hematomas allows to establish a diagnosis in the early stages of traumatic brain injury and to determine treatment tactics. A differentiated approach to the choice of surgical treatment of multiple hematomas allows to achieve satisfactory results and treatment outcomes, which accordingly contributes to the early activation of the patient, a reduction in hospital stay, a decrease in mortality and disabilityin patients with traumatic brain injury


Author(s):  
Yu-Chin Tsai ◽  
Shao-Chun Wu ◽  
Ting-Min Hsieh ◽  
Hang-Tsung Liu ◽  
Chun-Ying Huang ◽  
...  

Thank you for Eduardo Mekitarian Filho’s appreciation of our work on the study of stress-induced hyperglycemia (SIH) and diabetic hyperglycemia (DH) in patients with traumatic brain injuries [...]


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 63-66
Author(s):  
Bal G Karmacharya ◽  
Brijesh Sathian

The objective of this study was to review the demographics, causes injury, severity, treatment and outcome of traumatic brain injuries in victims of the April 2015 earthquake who were admitted in Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara. A total of 37 patients was admitted under Neurosurgery Services. Collapse of buildings was the commonest cause of head injury. The majority of them had mild head injury. Associated injuries to other parts of the body were present in 40.54% patients.Nepal Journal of Neuroscience 12:63-66, 2015


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne H. Verhoef ◽  
Yolandi M. Coetser

Background: This article examines the phenomenon of academic integrity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with particular reference to emergency online assessments in 2020.Aim: It explores academic dishonesty, cheating and plagiarism of university students during emergency remote online assessment, from the perspective of South African students.Setting and Methodology: The authors explore the approaches of different universities worldwide, as well as the extant literature on the topic. An examination of the current literature related explicitly to the COVID-19 online assessments reveals a dearth of engagement by researchers in the South African context. In order to address this lacuna, the authors rely on data generated from an institutional forum on academic dishonesty at a University in South Africa. It focuses specifically on the voices of students presented during the forum, which explained both why students are dishonest and ways to curb dishonesty.Results and Conclusion: The data generated show whilst some students were dishonest due to pandemic-related issues (like lack of monitoring), there are also other reasons, such as lack of time management, feeling overwhelmed and stressed and struggling with technology that contributes to student dishonesty. Students suggest that assessments be approached differently online to curb academic dishonesty. The paper concludes by providing some fundamental changes needed to address academic dishonesty.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sahra Kim ◽  
Alyssa Currao ◽  
Jennifer R. Fonda ◽  
Brigitta Beck ◽  
Alexandra Kenna ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Since 2006, efforts have been made to increase the identification of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in post-9/11 military personnel. The BAT-L is the first validated instrument to diagnose TBIs throughout the lifespan in post-9/11 Veterans. The objective is to investigate the correspondence of the Boston Assessment of TBI-Lifetime (BAT-L) diagnostic prevalence and injury severity of traumatic brain injury with in-theater medical records from Department of Defense (DoD). Methods: A convenience sample of 153 Veterans deployed in 2011 enrolled in the TRACTS longitudinal cohort study was examined. Retrospective review of DoD online medical records to determine diagnostic prevalence and injury severity for all head injury cases during deployment were compared with diagnostic prevalence and injury severity from the BAT-L clinical interview using Chi-square analyses.Results: There was moderate correspondence for TBI diagnosis between the BAT-L and DoD records (κ = 0.42). Sensitivity was 72.7% and specificity was 82.8%. Comparison of injury severity also had moderate correspondence (κ = 0.41). Missing TBI diagnostic data from DoD records was frequent; 43% percent of TBIs reported on the BAT-L did not have any documentation of mTBI assessment or diagnosis in DoD records while 83% did not have in-theater documentation.Conclusions: Diagnosis of TBI via the BAT-L retrospective interview was both sensitive and specific when compared to DoD medical records. However, diagnostic correspondence was only moderate. This lack of diagnostic agreement was related to multiple factors including lack of documentation of injury, differences in assessment tools and goals, and other combat-related motivational factors associated with failure to report injuries while deployed. Several policies were implemented to address underreporting and under-documentation of TBI, yet challenges remain. Findings suggest changes at both individual-level (e.g. service members) and system-level (e.g. DoD/military branches) are needed to adequately diagnose and document all TBI during deployment.


Author(s):  
Adam Thomas Biggs ◽  
Hugh M. Dainer ◽  
Lanny F Littlejohn

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been proposed as a method to treat traumatic brain injuries. The combination of pressure and increased oxygen concentration produces a higher content of dissolved oxygen in the bloodstream, which could generate a therapeutic benefit for brain injuries. This dissolved oxygen penetrates deeper into damaged brain tissue than otherwise possible and promotes healing. The result includes improved cognitive functioning and an alleviation of symptoms. However, randomized controlled trials have failed to produce consistent conclusions across multiple studies. There are numerous explanations that might account for the mixed evidence, although one possibility is that prior evidence focuses primarily on statistical significance. The current analyses explored existing evidence by calculating an effect size from each active treatment group and each control group among previous studies. An effect size measure offers several advantages when comparing across studies as it can be used to directly contrast evidence from different scales, and it provides a proximal measure of clinical significance. When exploring the therapeutic benefit through effect sizes, there was a robust and consistent benefit to individuals who underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Placebo effects from the control condition could account for approximately one-third of the observed benefits, but there appeared to be a clinically significant benefit to using hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a treatment intervention for traumatic brain injuries. This evidence highlights the need for design improvements when exploring interventions for traumatic brain injury as well as the importance of focusing on clinical significance in addition to statistical significance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-190

Background: Maxillofacial injuries are commonly associated with brain injuries, with the major etiological factors being traffic collision, violence, and fall from height. The incidence and etiology are important for the development of treatment and for the improvement of patient care in the future. Objective: To analyze the incidence of patterns of maxillofacial fractures with traumatic brain injuries and to measure the incidence of cause of injury, age, gender distribution, and length of stay in hospital. Materials and Methods: The present study was a retrospective study in Songklanagarind Hospital. The authors evaluated the patients that presented with a concomitant maxillofacial and traumatic brain injury in Songklanagarind Hospital between 2007 and 2016. The data were assessed using multiple logistic modeling and reported in term of percentage and corresponding 95% confidence intervals. Results: Eight hundred fifty-nine patients were studied, consisting of 73.3% male and 22.7% female. The mean age was 39.5 years. The severity of the traumatic brain injury was mild and 70.15% with associated alcohol consumption. The maxilla bone fracture was common in 49.9%. The patients with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury were related to the coronoid process of mandible and severe traumatic brain injury was related to Le Fort fracture type II and III. Conclusion: In the present study, the maxilla bone fracture was the most frequent site involved. In addition, there was an association between the severity of the head injury and the type of maxillofacial injury. Keywords: Traumatic brain injury, Maxillofacial fracture


2020 ◽  
Vol 185 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 154-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra M Escolas ◽  
Margie Luton ◽  
Hamid Ferdosi ◽  
Bianca D Chavez ◽  
Scot D Engel

ABSTRACT Introduction In 2008, it was reported that 19.5% of service members previously deployed experienced a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Fifty-seven percent of those did not seek medical care. It was suggested that concerns with seeking care involved confidentiality and career issues. Objective: This study addressed mTBI history, medical treatment history, and stigmas associated with mTBI/concussion. Materials and Methods An anonymous questionnaire was developed. Data collection occurred throughout March 2018 in conjunction with Brain Injury Awareness Month activities. Results All 5,174 volunteers were Army; 86% male; 87% were between 18 and 34 years old; 89% had &lt;14 years in the military; 35% had a combat deployment; and 10% reported having one or more mTBIs in their military careers. Of the Soldiers who reported a concussion, 52% sought medical care. Of those not seeking care, 64% reported they did not think the injury required care, followed by 18% fearing negative impact on their career. Twenty-eight percent who experienced an mTBI versus 11% who have not reported that there is a stigma associated with an mTBI. Conclusions Soldiers sometimes failed to report their suspected concussions and did not seek medical care. Educational efforts may increase reporting of and medical screening for potentially concussive events. Future research to determine the ramifications of unreported and untreated mTBIs/concussions is recommended.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2492
Author(s):  
Miguel M. Varela ◽  
Fábio A.O. Fernandes ◽  
Ricardo J. Alves de Sousa

Nowadays, the number of people practising contact sports has increased. In many of them, using head protective equipment is not mandatory, even if the use of headbands could increase the level of safety regarding several types of traumatic brain injuries. Many commercial solutions are currently available, based on plastic-based foams providing a decent level of protection and comfort to the user. This work introduces the use of agglomerated cork as an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic foams but at least keeping safety levels. Cork is a natural cellular material that has been showing excellent crashworthiness properties. In this study, cork agglomerate density is carefully chosen to be incorporated into a protective headband. Results are compared against three other commercial headbands. For each one, the risk of brain injury was analysed for different injury thresholds and impact energies. The results clearly demonstrate that the cork-based apparel may provide comparable, and in some cases, better performances, outlasting the commercial ones.


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