COVID-19- HAB scale: Validation of a scale of perception of habits shifting during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has made the daily life difficult for thousands of people around the world. The measurements taken by many governments have reduced personal liberties and obligated many to change their habits and lifestyles. Objective: To validate a scale that measures the perception of habits shifting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This was an instrumental, analytical, and cross-sectional study with a pilot sample of 417 respondents. A form validation was carried out with the participation of 10 experts who evaluated the scale. Their assessments were used to calculate Aiken coefficient. The explorative factor analysis was carried out using KMO and Bartlett test. Finally, Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to get internal consistency. Results: The KMO measure was 0.92 and the Bartlett test was significative. With these results, factor determination was performed resulting in a 1-factor model which contains 71.45% of the total variance and with factorial charges between 0.46-0.88. Then, Cronbach’s coefficient was 0.89, assuring good reliability to the scale. Conclusion: The COVID-19-HAB scale is a validated scale and it could be applied to measure the habits acquired by the general population during health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Key words: Validation study; Habits; Pandemics; COVID-19.

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Anxiety among Lebanese adolescents: scale validation and correlates

BMC Pediatrics ◽

10.1186/s12887-021-02763-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Georges Merhy ◽

Vanessa Azzi ◽

Pascale Salameh ◽

Sahar Obeid ◽

Souheil Hallit

Keyword(s):

Random Sampling ◽

Scale Validation ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Efficient Tool ◽

Factor Solution ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Lebanese Population ◽

Bartlett Test ◽

Child Psychological Abuse

Abstract Background The Lebanese population has undergone several conflicts and were the most afflicted by shelling and chaos during the civil war from 1975 to 1990, or even by displacement, bereavement, emigration, family separations, not to mention the economic crises that have hit the country since 2019 under which young adults are still succumbing. Our study aims to validate the Lebanese Anxiety Scale and assess correlates of anxiety among Lebanese adolescents. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried between January and May 2019, using a proportionate random sampling of schools from all five Lebanese governorates, among which 1810 adolescents aged 14 to 17 years. Results All LAS items remained in the model and formed one factor solution that explained 61.38% of the total variance (KMO = 0.873; pBartlett test < 0.001), with an excellent Cronbach’s alpha of 0.93. Higher neglect (B = 0.38), insomnia (B = 0.21) and child psychological abuse (B = 0.08) were significantly associated with more anxiety. Those results were considered adjusted overall sociodemographic variables since the latter had no statistically significant association with anxiety. Conclusion The study confirmed the association between anxiety and some variables such as psychological child abuse, neglect, and insomnia and emphasized the correlation between anxiety and these factors. Further, the LAS appears to be a short, valid and efficient tool for assessing anxiety among Lebanese adolescents. Further studies need to be carried to evaluate whether the LAS-10 gives a similar diagnosis to psychiatrists.

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Healthcare Provider Attitudes toward the Newly Developed COVID-19 Vaccine: Cross-Sectional Study

Nursing Reports ◽

10.3390/nursrep11010018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 187-194

Author(s):

Gasmelseed Ahmed ◽

Zainab Almoosa ◽

Dalia Mohamed ◽

Janepple Rapal ◽

Ofelia Minguez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Private Hospital ◽

Univariate Analysis ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Chronic Illnesses ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Provider Attitudes ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Electronic Survey ◽

Consistency Results

Background: During the long wait and the global anxiety for a vaccine against COVID-19, impressively high-safety and effective vaccines were invented by multiple pharmaceutical companies. Aim: We aimed to assess the attitudes of healthcare providers and evaluate their intention to advocate for the vaccine. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a tertiary private hospital where an electronic survey was distributed among healthcare providers (HCPs). The survey contained two sections: socio-demographic characteristics and Likert-scale perception, with 72% internal consistency. Results: The response rate to the email survey was 37% (n = 236). In addition, 169 (71.6%) of respondents were women, with more than half (134, 56.8%) aged ≤35 years. A total of 110 (46.6%) had over 10 years of experience, and most of them were nurses (146, 62%). Univariate analysis revealed that older participants significantly accepted and advocated for the new vaccine more than the younger ones. In the multivariate analysis, men were significantly more likely than women to accept and advocate for the new vaccine, as were those with chronic illnesses. Participants with allergy were significantly less likely to accept the vaccine than others. odds ratio (OR) and p-values were 2.5, 0.003; 2.3, 0.04; and 0.4, 0.01, respectively. Conclusion: The acceptance rate for the newly-developed COVID-19 vaccines was average among HCPs. Sex, age, presence of chronic illnesses, and allergy were significant predictors of accepting the vaccine.

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Association between obesity and depression in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2; a study protocol

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.5995.1 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4 ◽

pp. 7 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Eduardo De la Cruz-Cano ◽

Carlos Alfonso Tovilla-Zarate ◽

Emilio Reyes-Ramos ◽

Thelma Beatriz Gonzalez-Castro ◽

Isela Juarez-Castro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diabetes Mellitus ◽

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Diabetes Mellitus Type ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The World ◽

Patients With Diabetes

Background: Diabetes mellitus and depression are highly prevalent conditions throughout the world and have significant impact on health outcomes. It has been estimated that diabetes mellitus type 2 affects about 246 million people in the world; nevertheless, incidence varies among countries. There is evidence that depression is associated with a poor metabolic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus that present other health problems (such as hypertension and obesity). The aim of this study protocol is to determine if obesity increases the risk for depression in patient with diabetes type 2.Methods: The analysis will be reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA).The studies suitable for inclusion will be assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) to determine their methodological quality. To identify the studies of interest, we will search on PubMed and EBSCO databases. We will use the following keyword combinations: "Diabetes Mellitus type 2 AND obesity AND depression", "depression AND Diabetes Mellitus type 2", "Diabetes Mellitus type 2 AND body mass index cross sectional study", "depression AND obesity cross-sectional study". Causes for exclusion will be publications that studied patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 1; articles that focused on the treatment and complications of diabetes mellitus type 2; publications that have studied other clinical or psychiatric conditions (for instance, seizure disorder or history of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychotic symptoms or dementia).Conclusion: The results of this study will form the basis for a better understanding of the association between obesity and depression in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2, and will allow development of prediction tools and better interventions. It is evident that several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetes among population. Currently, evidence for the deleterious effects of diabetes mellitus type 2 are based on cross-sectional or other observational designs. Therefore, this study will have important implications for future research and public health guidance.

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Perception of Newcomers Regarding Learning English and Culture in Canada

English Language Teaching ◽

10.5539/elt.v12n10p86 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 86

Author(s):

Shahla Sattar Khan ◽

Mehmet Takkac

Keyword(s):

Second Language ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Demographic Characteristics ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Language Play ◽

New Immigrants ◽

The World ◽

Points Of View ◽

Learning English

There are some factors, which are motivational, and on the other hand, there are many challenges that may cause hindrance for learning English as a second language. Therefore, the main objective is to assess perception regarding factors for learning English as a second language, especially among new immigrants. This was a cross-sectional study conducted at a Polycultural center, Canada during the period of June-2017 to July-2017. The results of the study reinforced that new immigrants face challenges while learning English. Almost more than half the participants said that they find difficulty in understanding majority words. Regarding learning culture, two-thirds mentioned that the learning about culture gives them different points of view about the world and develops their critical thoughts. However, the socio-demographic characteristics like age, native language, play an important role in learning English.

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Validation of an Electronic Visual Analog Scale mHealth Tool for Acute Pain Assessment: Prospective Cross-Sectional Study

Journal of Medical Internet Research ◽

10.2196/13468 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. e13468 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carles Escalona-Marfil ◽

Andrea Coda ◽

Jorge Ruiz-Moreno ◽

Lluís Miquel Riu-Gispert ◽

Xavier Gironès

Keyword(s):

Confidence Interval ◽

Visual Analog Scale ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Pain Level ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Analog Scale ◽

Good Reliability ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Paper Format ◽

Simple Economic

Background Accurate measurement of pain is required to improve its management and in research. The visual analog scale (VAS) on paper format has been shown to be an accurate, valid, reliable, and reproducible way to measure pain intensity. However, some limitations should be considered, some of which can be implemented with the introduction of an electronic VAS version, suitable to be used both in a tablet and a smartphone. Objective This study aimed to validate a new method of recording pain level by comparing the traditional paper VAS with the pain level module on the newly designed Interactive Clinics app. Methods A prospective observational cross-sectional study was designed. The sample consisted of 102 participants aged 18 to 65 years. A Force Dial FDK 20 algometer (Wagner Instruments) was employed to induce mild pressure symptoms on the participants’ thumbs. Pain was measured using a paper VAS (10 cm line) and the app. Results Intermethod reliability estimated by ICC(3,1) was 0.86 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.81 to 0.90, indicating good reliability. Intramethod reliability estimated by ICCa(3,1) was 0.86 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.81 to 0.90, also indicating good reliability. Bland-Altman analysis showed a difference of 0.175 (0.49), and limits of agreement ranged from –0.79 to 1.14. Conclusions The pain level module on the app is highly reliable and interchangeable with the paper VAS version. This tool could potentially help clinicians and researchers precisely assess pain in a simple, economic way with the use of a ubiquitous technology.

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Substance use and associated factors and associated factors among preparatory school students in Nekemte town western Ethiopia; school based a cross- sectional study

10.21203/rs.2.19847/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Markos Desalegn Beyene ◽

Robsan Gudeta Getachew ◽

Workineh Diriba Gemechu

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Male Students ◽

Sectional Study ◽

School Students ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Preparatory School ◽

School Based ◽

The World

Abstract Background: Millions of people throughout the world are using substances such as alcohol, nicotine, cocaine, methamphetamine, morphine, marijuana, heroin and many others. Substance use by people in all parts of the world, particularly adolescents, has long been of scientific, political and public concern. Objective: -the main aim of this study was to prevalence of substance use & associated factors among Nekemte preparatory school students in 2019. Methodology:-. School based cross-sectional study was conducted among students at Nekemte preparatory school from March 20-30, 2018. Multistage stratified sampling method was employed to select 372 study participants. Collected data was cleaned and entered in to Epi info version 3.5.3 and transported to SPSS (statistical package for social sciences) version 20 for analysis. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression was done to indentify factors associated with substance use in the study area. Result: The overall prevalence of current substance use was (19.1%). Being male students [AOR, 95%CI; 4.64(2.18, 9.75)], ever encountered pressure from friends to use substances [AOR, 95% CI; 2.61(1.03, 6.63)], having substance user parents [AOR, 95%CI; 6.4(2.87, 14.30)] and having many substance user friends [AOR, 95%CI; 6.2(2.82, 13.75)] were significantly associated with substance use among students in the study area. Conclusion & Recommendation: The current prevalence of substance use among preparatory school students of this study area was low. The most commonly used substances were alcohol, khat and tobacco. Being male students, pear pressure, living with parents use substance & friends were found to affect substance use among Nekemte preparatory school students. Awareness creation sessions; Information, Education &Communication intervention should be intensified to further reduce Substance use among students.

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Magnitude of infertility and associated factors among women attending selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BMC Women s Health ◽

10.1186/s12905-022-01601-8 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mekdes Akalewold ◽

Getachew W. Yohannes ◽

Ziyad Ahmed Abdo ◽

Yonas Hailu ◽

Aynye Negesse

Keyword(s):

World Health Organization ◽

Addis Ababa ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Public Hospitals ◽

World Health ◽

Care Providers ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The World ◽

Health Organization

Abstract Introduction The World Health Organization estimated that approximately 48 million couples and 186 million people are infertile worldwide. Although the problem of infertility is increasing worldwide, as well as in Ethiopia, there are limited studies done. Therefore, this study aims to determine the magnitude of infertility and the major risk factors in three governmental hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Method An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was used to conduct the study. The participants were selected by using a systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected through an interview using a structured questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Logistic regression was used to identify the predictor variables. Statistical significance was considered at a P < 0.05 with an adjusted odds ratio calculated at 95% CI. Result The overall prevalence of infertility was 27.6% (95%CI = 23.2, 32.0). Of these, 14.4% had primary infertility, and 13.2% had secondary infertility. Those whose duration of marriage was less than 60 months [AOR = 3.85; 95%CI 1.39, 10.64], had a history of fallopian tube obstructions [AOR = 8.27; 95%CI 2.36, 28.91], had irregular frequency of coitus [AOR = 37.4; 95%CI 11.29, 124.114], had more than one sex partner [AOR = 3.51; 95%CI 1.64, 7.54], had an abortion greater than 3 times [AOR = 6.89; 95%CI 1.28, 37.09], and had partners who currently consumed alcohol [AOR = 1.31; 95%CI 1.11, 1.86] were more likely to be infertile than their counterparts. Conclusion According to the results of this study, the prevalence of infertility was high compared to the global estimate of the World Health Organization. The government, health care providers, and researchers should emphasize developing appropriate strategies, research, education, and awareness creation of infertility and its potential causes.

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Self-Medication amongst the university students of Multan, Pakistan- A questionnaire based survey

Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Research ◽

10.22200/pjpr.20162142-145 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 142 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Samman Chughtai

Keyword(s):

University Students ◽

Response Rate ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Pharmacy Students ◽

Common Condition ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Self Medication ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The World ◽

The University

Self-medication is a common incidence in the world today. This study aims to evaluate self-medication among university students of Multan, Pakistan. This randomized cross sectional study was carried out in Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan during December 2015- January 216. A sample size of 200 students was randomly selected. Response rate was 90% (n=182).The prevalence of self-medication among the students was determined to be 83%. There was difference in perception of pharmacy students and students of other professions. Most common condition in which students did self-medication was headache (49.66%; n=75). Students also showed tendency of self-medication in case of herbal and essential oil products (46.35%). Awareness concerning insecurity and benefits of self-medication must be spread among students to avoid the complications of self-medication.

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Prevalence of insomnia and anxiety in university students during the COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-sectional study

Journal of Fatima Jinnah Medical University ◽

10.37018/raux7717 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (1) ◽

pp. 9-12

Author(s):

Ameer Hamza Mahmood-ul-Hassan ◽

Abdul Sannan ◽

Nehala Nooz ◽

Ansa Ramay ◽

Muhammad Huzaifa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Severity Index ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Online Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Correlation And Regression Analysis ◽

The World

Background: The world is facing COVID-19 pandemic and almost 70% of the world had gone under Lockdown. People are facing stress, insomnia and anxiety. The lack of basic awareness and spread of fake news are common causes of all these issues. This study was done to determine the prevalence of insomnia and anxiety in medical and non-medical students. Subjects and methods: Subjects were approached through friends in universities using WhatsApp. People having insomnia and anxiety before quarantine were excluded from this study. People using anti-depressants and anti-psychotics before quarantine were also excluded from this study. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 965 students of medical and non-medical universities in the cities of Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Consent was taken for using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Insomnia Severity Index for scoring of anxiety and insomnia respectively. An online questionnaire made in Google forms was used for data collection. Independent t-tests, Pearson Correlation and Regression analysis were performed using SPSS v25. Results: Increased prevalence of anxiety and insomnia in non-medical students as compared to the medical students was observed. There was statistically significant strong correlation between anxiety and insomnia of the enrolled subjects (r=0.742, p<0.001). A linear regression equation was formulated. Increased prevalence of anxiety and insomnia in females was also determined. Conclusion: Non-medical students, compared to medical students, among which, females, compared to males, were more likely to suffer from anxiety and insomnia during lockdown.

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A New Lebanese Medication Adherence Scale: Validation in Lebanese Hypertensive Adults

International Journal of Hypertension ◽

10.1155/2018/3934296 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

R. Bou Serhal ◽

P. Salameh ◽

N. Wakim ◽

C. Issa ◽

B. Kassem ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medication Adherence ◽

Scale Validation ◽

Sodium Intake ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Hypertension Control ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Adherence Scale ◽

Good Internal Consistency ◽

Average Measure

Background. A new Lebanese scale measuring medication adherence considered socioeconomic and cultural factors not taken into account by the eight-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Objectives were to validate the new adherence scale and its prediction of hypertension control, compared to MMAS-8, and to assess adherence rates and factors. Methodology. A cross-sectional study, including 405 patients, was performed in outpatient cardiology clinics of three hospitals in Beirut. Blood pressure was measured, a questionnaire filled, and sodium intake estimated by a urine test. Logistic regression defined predictors of hypertension control and adherence. Results. 54.9% had controlled hypertension. 82.4% were adherent by the new scale, which showed good internal consistency, adequate questions (KMO coefficient = 0.743), and four factors. It predicted hypertension control (OR = 1.217; p value = 0.003), unlike MMAS-8, but the scores were correlated (ICC average measure = 0.651; p value < 0.001). Stress and smoking predicted nonadherence. Conclusion. This study elaborated a validated, practical, and useful tool measuring adherence to medications in Lebanese hypertensive patients.

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