scholarly journals The Prevalence of Substance Misuse and its Effects among Omani College Students: A Cross-sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. e224-e224
Author(s):  
Hazaa Al-Hinaai ◽  
Issa Al-Busaidi ◽  
Badriya Al Farsi ◽  
Yaqoub Al Saidi
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Substance Misuse ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
World Health ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Objectives: Many studies have confirmed that the use of alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis is prevalent among university students. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of substance misuse among college students in Oman, identifying the most commonly used substances, and reviewing the effect of substance misuse on the students’ performance. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a higher learning institution in an urban setting in Oman from April 2018 to December 2018. A descriptive, self-administered online questionnaire, the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test, version 3.0 (Arabic version), adapted from the World Health Organization was sent to 12 000 students at the college. The sample size was calculated using online software (Raosoft), with a margin of error of 5% and a confidence level of 95%. Results: A total of 375 students responded (response rate = 3.1%). The overall lifetime prevalence for any substance misuse (including tobacco and alcohol) among the participants was 41.3%, with the overall prevalence without tobacco or alcohol at 29.9%. Tobacco was the most common substance used, with a prevalence of around 23.5%, followed by alcohol at 10.7%. Male students had a significantly higher rate of substance abuse, for any substance, compared to female students (p < 0.001). There was a significant correlation between tobacco use, alcohol misuse, and misuse of other substances. Most of the adverse effects attributed to substance misuse reported by the respondents in this study were social (27.7%) and health-related (25.8%) problems. The impact of substance abuse on their performance was also high (23.8%). Furthermore, 15.4% of the respondents had financial problems, and 4.7%% were struggling with legal issues. Notably, only 49.1% of the respondents perceived that substance misuse was a serious problem. Conclusions: Although college students are expected to be more aware of the negative impacts of substance misuse, this study found a high prevalence of smoking, alcohol, and other substance misuses among the group of Omani college students. Further research in this field is essential, and the results of this study have shed light on a critical problem among Omani college students. It is hoped that the findings of this study will be used and built on in future research to recognize students at risk of substance misuse from early school life, leading to early intervention, and potentially preventing the possible negative consequences.

scholarly journals Gender Differences in Attitude Towards Pornography Among Youth in Kelantan

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 268-278
Author(s):  
Norazlifah Muhamad ◽  
Azrianii Ab Rahman ◽  
Mohd Ismail Ibrahim ◽  
Razlina Abdul Rahman ◽  
Wan Nor Arifin Wan Mansor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Private Colleges ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Self Administered Questionnaire

Although the number of pornography exposure is increasing, our understandings on the issues are still lacking. This study aimed to compare gender differences in the attitudes towards pornography among youth in Kelantan. A cross sectional study was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire (PORQUE) on 930 college students in both government and private colleges in Kelantan. The mean scores were significantly higher among females for majority of the items assessing non-permissive feelings toward pornography materials (p<0.001), perception on impact of pornography (p<0.05) and perception on factors contributed to pornography (p<0.05). The mean score for majority of the items assessing permissive and perceptions toward pornography materials were significantly higher among males(p<0.001). Females were more non-permissive towards pornography, better perceived the impact of pornography and factors contributed to pornography compared to males. These findings are important as it serve as a guide for the stakeholders to implement pornography intervention for youth in Malaysia.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Utilization of Outdoor Services at Secondary Care Hospitals of Punjab, Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 72-74
Author(s):  
Atiq ur Rahman ◽  
Muhammad Imran ◽  
Zarmeena Yasmeen ◽  
Muzammil Irshad
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Health Information System ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
World Health ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
District Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
The Impact

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess the effects of COVID-19 and lockdown on OPD services. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at District Headquarter Hospital (DHQ) and Tehsil Headquarter (THQ) Hospitals of District Layyah. The data was collected from one DHQ hospital and six THQ hospitals. The OPD data of three years (the years 2018 to 2020) was extracted from District Health Information System (DHIS). Trends of outpatients’ flow during months of March and April of three years were taken. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. RESULTS: The COVID-19 pandemic was declared by World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, and all countries started lockdown nationwide which imposed a major impact on all areas of life. Fear of coronavirus spread and lockdown resulted in significant reduction in number of patients at outdoor services. In our study, we analyzed outdoor services of seven hospitals of district Layyah - one DHQ hospital and six THQ hospitals. Conclusion: Fear of coronavirus spread and lockdown resulted in significant reduction in number of patients at outdoor services.

scholarly journals Effect of clinical rotation on attitude of medical students towards psychiatry and mental patients: a cross-sectional study from Western Rajasthan

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 2981
Author(s):  
Aditi Agrawal ◽  
Sanjay Gehlot ◽  
Ashok Singhal ◽  
Amandeep .
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Urban Setting ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Background: People with mental illnesses experience extreme stigmatization and discrimination despite their ubiquitous presentation. Studies have reported that these negative stereotypes are shared by health care professionals too. Attitude of undergraduate medical students towards psychiatry is vital as it reflects their willingness to deal with psychiatric and behavioral disorders in general practice.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in a government medical college in Rajasthan to explore the impact of sociodemographic variables and undergraduate psychiatry training on the attitude of medical students towards mental illness and psychiatry. 105 first year MBBS students and 75 interns participated in the study. Attitude towards mental illness (AMI) scale and attitude towards psychiatry-30 (ATP-30) scale were used to document AMI and ATP respectively. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS statistical software and appropriate tests were used to compare mean scores of both groups.Results: There was no statistically significant difference on AMI and ATP scores between the undergraduate medical students and interns. Females, students belonging to urban setting and more educated families had a favorable attitude towards psychiatric patients. A notable shift in scores on ATP scale towards positive side was reflected between male MBBS students and interns and among students coming from rural background with exposure to medical curriculum.Conclusions: No attitude change was observed in majority of participants indicating need for greater emphasis on mental health and psychiatry. 

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Psychological Status of Palestinian Adults in the West Bank, Palestine; A Cross Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imad T Asmar ◽  
Nimeh Al-Shami ◽  
Areefa A Karsh ◽  
Fuad A AlFayyah ◽  
Ro’a M Dagher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Psychological Status ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
On Line ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a strain of SARS– CoV2. A lot of ministries chose mass lockdown protocol as a way to control the virus spread. One of the lockdown negative consequences is the impact of psychological status which includes a sense of boredom, confusion., psychological stress, anxiety, depression and physical effects. The purpose of this study was to assess and evaluate the effect of COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological status for Palestinian adults, and to establish recommendations in order to promote and maintain psychological well-being during this pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Palestinian adults, 739 participant with mean age 31.76 filled the on-line questionnaire. Around one-third of respondents revealed having many signs of anxiety and around 42% of respondents expressed having many depression signs. Females were significantly more likely to have many depression signs, while health care workers, those who deal directly with confirmed cases of Covid-19 and who assist in providing health care for a diagnosed Covid-19 patient were significantly less likely to have many depression signs compared to others. Regarding the participants’ income, those with increased income were significantly more likely to have almost no signs of depression compared to others. However, COVID-19 pandemic has a negative effect on the mental status, the majority of participants have signs of anxiety and depression

scholarly journals The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown on Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Neck Pain Among College Students: a Cross-sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amira Daher ◽  
Ofra Halperin
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
College Students ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Logistic Regression Models ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: Neck pain (NP), one of the most reported musculoskeletal disorders, is a major cause of illness and absence from university lessons among students. The COVID-19 pandemic affected higher education institutions worldwide. Academic studies shifted to online-learning, changing students’ habits and lifestyle. Data demonstrated that the pandemic and consequent lockdowns can affect people’s physical and mental well-being. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on the prevalence of and risk factors of NP among college students compared to the pre-epidemic period. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the form of an online questionnaire survey that included sociodemographic data, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). NP was reported at four time points—lifetime, last year, last six months, and current—on a scale ranging from never/seldom to almost every day. Logistic regression models were calculated for all study variables and compared to the (NDI) cut-off score of 15. Results: A total of 295 college students were recruited. Among them, 35.6% reported at least moderate neck-related disability (NDI≥15) and significantly more NP than before the lockdown. NP increased gradually and significantly (on a scale 1-4), from a lifetime mean of 1.80 to a mean of 2.57 last year to 2.73 during the past six months to the current mean of 3.07 (p< .001). Participants’ scores on the PSS were moderate, with 59.3% reporting a high level of study-related stress. Logistic regression models revealed that sitting more than three hours a day, high study-related stress and higher PSS and VAS scores were associated with higher risk of at least a moderate level of neck-related disability (R2=.513, p< .001). Conclusions: The transition from on-campus studies to online learning had negative effects on students. It significantly increased study-related stress and the development of NP. Identifying risk factors at an early stage may prevent NP from becoming chronic and affecting students’ future careers, thereby improving students’ quality of life.

scholarly journals Caring for a Chronically Ill Child While Employed: A cross sectional study on the impact on the quality of life of Jordanian mothers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huda Gharaibeh ◽  
Muntaha Gharaibeh
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Chronic Illness ◽  
Working Mothers ◽  
Chronically Ill ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
World Health ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Abstract 1. Abstract Background: The quality of life of working women who cares for a child with chronic illness is of interest to families and health care professionals, as balancing work-life and routines of daily life gets complex when a child is chronically ill. The purpose of the study was to examine the QOL of working and non-working mothers caring for children with a chronic illness in Jordan. Results: Data from 164 mothers who cared for children with chronic illness were collected between November 2015 and April 2016 for this descriptive comparative cross sectional study using The World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) tool and examined the physical, psychological, social relationships, and environment domains of their quality of life. The quality of life of working mothers was significantly lower than those of non-working mothers on all domains of WHOQOL-BREF. Mother’s working status, monthly income, evaluation of their own health explained 41% of the variance; adjusted R2 was 0.41, F= (22.17, 157), P <0.0001 Conclusions: Social, family and employer support may help mothers overcome the challenges of caring for a child with a chronic illness and maintain good QOL. Key words: Quality of life, mothers, chronic illness, children

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Academic Activity and Health Status among Romanian Medical Dentistry Students; A Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 6041
Author(s):  
Raluca Iurcov ◽  
Lavinia-Maria Pop ◽  
Magdalena Iorga
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Practical Training ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Online Activity ◽  
Self Evaluation ◽  
The Impact

During the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, dental faculties had to rethink their way of teaching and interacting with students and of delivering solid theoretical knowledge and practical skills to students. Background: The purpose of the study was to assess dentistry students’ opinions about the online activity, together with a self-evaluation of their mental and physical health, during the first wave of the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online survey. Three hundred and three students, enrolled across all six years of study, were included in the research. Socio-demographic and academic data were collected, along with a self-evaluation of physical and mental status. Some items investigated students’ opinions about distance learning and the impact of that online activity on their achievement. The answers were rated using a five-item Likert-like scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS (v.24). Results: statistical analyses showed that more than 20% of the students strongly agreed with the statement that they felt more anxious and depressed during the first months of the pandemic, and more than 30% were totally satisfied with their relationships with their family members. One-fifth of the respondents declared that they were totally dissatisfied with the relationships with their colleagues and friends. Overall, 50.60% of the students attended the courses/labs in their entirety when they were connected online. Two-thirds of the respondents considered that their practical training was affected due to the online activity, and that not all of the subjects could be taught online. More than half of the respondents agreed that the most objective evaluation method is that of the multiple-choice exams administered at school, and considered that exclusively utilizing online assessments of students encourages unethical behaviors. Age, involvement in online activity, and active participation using video cameras were strongly correlated with satisfaction with academic results. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that online activity was a good alternative for dentistry students during the pandemic restrictions. The positive aspects, together with the negative consequences, of distance learning should also be taken into consideration by university teachers and academic institutions to improve teaching experiences and to ensure a solid professional formation for dentistry students.

scholarly journals The prevalence of diabetes amongst young Emirati female adults in the United Arab Emirates: A cross-sectional study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0252884
Author(s):  
Maysm N. Mohamad ◽  
Leila Cheikh Ismail ◽  
Lily Stojanovska ◽  
Vasso Apostolopoulos ◽  
Jack Feehan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Type 2 Diabetes ◽  
United Arab Emirates ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Glycemic Status ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hs Crp ◽  
The Impact

Aims The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rapidly increasing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes using FPG and HbA1c and to examine their relationships with obesity and other risk factors in young female Emirati college students. Methods In this cross-sectional study we recruited 555 female college students aged 17–25, enrolled at United Arab Emirates University in Al Ain, UAE. Anthropometric analysis, blood pressure, and various biochemical markers were measured using standard methods. Type 2 Diabetes, impaired fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and elevated HbA1c levels were examined in the study population as per the standards of medical care in diabetes, set out by the American Diabetes Association in 2020. Results Based on the HbA1c test, the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes were 24% and 8.6%, respectively. Based on the FPG test, the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes were 9.2% and 0.5%, respectively. The kappa statistic of concordance between HbA1c and FPG was 0.287, P < 0.001. Abnormal glycemic status was significantly associated with decreased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level (< 50 mg/dl) (p = 0.002) and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) level (≥ 2.0 mg/L) (P < 0.001). Conclusions Using FPG to evaluate glycemic control seems to underestimate the burden of undiagnosed diabetes which could have a significant impact on clinical practice. Our data indicates an association between abnormal glycemic status with HDL and Hs-CRP. Further evaluation is needed to assess the impact of using HbA1c as a diagnostic test for diabetes in the UAE.

scholarly journals Substance abuse pattern among medical college students in Tumkur, Karnataka, India: a cross sectional study

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 238
Author(s):  
Ashiq Rashid Mir ◽  
Mahesh S. H. ◽  
Rajanna M. S. ◽  
Ashok J. ◽  
Debeshwar Singh
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Drug Users ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Substance Abusers ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Medical College ◽  
Alcohol Users

Background: Globally, there are 2 billion alcohol users, 1.3 billion smokers and 185 million are drug users. These are accounting for 12.4% of all deaths worldwide. The doctors are vulnerable to substance abuse due to their ready accessibility to the substance of abuse. Medical training is identified as full of stress and it is also observed that students undergo tremendous stress during various years of medical training. Repeated use of drugs can damage essential decision making and effect judgment of actions. This could be disastrous if substance abusers are medical professionals who have direct dealing with human lives.  Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at a medical college in Tumkur district of Karnataka. A semi structured questionnaire was used to interview 379 medical students who were willing to participate.Results: Prevalence of substance abuse among the students was found to be 25.9%. Substance abuse was highest among VII term students (IIIrd year) which was 25.3%. Alcohol was the single most preferred substance of abuse which was used by 36.40% of students. Curiosity for experience (42.4%) was major reason for initiation of substance abuse. Majority of students (45.5%) attained the harmful substances through friends. 76.6% of hostellers used harmful substances.Conclusions: Prevalence of substance abuse among medical college students was high. Students preferred alcohol products and tobacco most. Hosteller students are more likely to be exposed to substance abuse.

scholarly journals Media parenting in rural part of India and its impact on children-a cross-sectional study, a media-parent study

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 360
Author(s):  
Bishnupriya Sahoo ◽  
Rupali Malik ◽  
. Richa ◽  
Daksh Yadav ◽  
Satya Kiran Kapur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
School Performance ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact

Background: Media and gadgets are increasingly used in urban areas and rural pockets, among adults and children as well. Excessive use of media has its own negative consequences. Aim of the present study is to address, role of media in parenting practices, children’s daily activities and school performance. The objectives are to assess the pattern and reason for media use by children and the parental attitude and ability to regulate media handling by their children iii) the impact of media usage on school performance.Methods: It was a qualitative cross-sectional study included 200 children <18 years, visiting the hospital for outpatient services. A pre-designed questionnaire was used for data collection.Results: The analysis of the parent and the child media usage was done in relation to socioeconomic and demographic parameters. The mean age for child media exposure was found to be 6.4±3.8 years. The media use on school-days was 1.9 against 2.7 hours on the holidays. The media contents were mostly cartoon and mobile games with television and mobile being the commonest mode. Poor school performance was associated with media use of 2 hours in school days [HR=1.38 (95% CI=1.01-1.89), p=0.04]. Many parents knew about few bad consequences of media but not able to regulate due to lack of awareness.Conclusions: Proper media parenting is now an unmet need everywhere. Non-educational media content for entertainment purpose during school-days should be discouraged. Interventions like parental media education with involvement of paediatrician, school teacher and psychologist is needed.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document