scholarly journals Evaluating the effectiveness of a ‘Tobacco Monitor’ App in reporting violations of tobacco policy in the community

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 306-312
Author(s):  
Mehta Vini ◽  

It is of interest to evaluate the effectiveness of the “Tobacco Monitor” app in reporting violations of tobacco policy in the community. Hence, a study was conducted amongst the first and second-year undergraduate students of health science colleges of a University. Students were asked to register complaints related to tobacco violations on the tobacco monitor app. Registered complaints were verified by the National Forum for Tobacco Eradication (NFTE) and descriptive statistics were used in reporting the results. A total of 208 complaints on tobacco violation were registered through the Tobacco Monitor app, 163 valid complaints were identified and 45 reports were found invalid. 163 verified valid complaints by NFTE were transferred to the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Cell, Maharashtra, India. It should be noted that anti-tobacco laws and national policies help to curb the menace of the tobacco epidemic to an extent. However, robust reporting and sustainable enforcement measures are required in implementing tobacco legislation effectively. We also report that youth are comfortable in using the Tobacco Monitor app for reporting violations on tobacco.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 306-312
Author(s):  
Mehta Vini ◽  

It is of interest to evaluate the effectiveness of the “Tobacco Monitor” app in reporting violations of tobacco policy in the community. Hence, a study was conducted amongst the first and second-year undergraduate students of health science colleges of a University. Students were asked to register complaints related to tobacco violations on the tobacco monitor app. Registered complaints were verified by the National Forum for Tobacco Eradication (NFTE) and descriptive statistics were used in reporting the results. A total of 208 complaints on tobacco violation were registered through the Tobacco Monitor app, 163 valid complaints were identified and 45 reports were found invalid. 163 verified valid complaints by NFTE were transferred to the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Cell, Maharashtra, India. It should be noted that anti-tobacco laws and national policies help to curb the menace of the tobacco epidemic to an extent. However, robust reporting and sustainable enforcement measures are required in implementing tobacco legislation effectively. We also report that youth are comfortable in using the Tobacco Monitor app for reporting violations on tobacco.


Author(s):  
Sukesh Shetty ◽  
Neetha Kamath ◽  
M. Nalini

Abstract Introduction Academic stress and study habits are crucial indicators of academic success. At the moment, faulty study habits press on the students into academic stress. The present study was conducted to identify the academic stress and study habits of university students of health science. Methods This cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 150 undergraduate students of nursing, physiotherapy, and pharmacy (n = 50 in each group). A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. The information on academic stress and study habits was collected by using the Student Stress Inventory and Palsane and Sharma Study Habit Inventory, respectively. Results Mean score of academic stress was found to be 75.353 ± 16.463. Pharmacy students had a higher level of stress compared to physiotherapy and nursing students (p = 0.013). Furthermore, the prevalence of unsatisfactory study habits among undergraduate students was 72%, with a mean score of 52.7 ± 9.152. Also, nursing students had a higher level of study habits compared to physiotherapy and pharmacy Students. There was no significant relationship found between study habits and academic stress (r = −0.048, p = 0.557). There was a significant association found between study habits and gender (p = 0.021), as well the association found between stress level and course type, Pre-University Course percentage, and first-year percentage (p = 0.044, 0.04, and 0.044 respectively). Conclusion Academic stress and poor study habits are prevalent among undergraduate students. This indicates strategies need to be formed to enhance healthy study habits and alleviate the academic stress of the students, mainly in professional courses; it is an urgent need.


2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (spe) ◽  
pp. 63-67
Author(s):  
Joy Harrison ◽  
Laura Simich ◽  
Carol Strike ◽  
Bruna Brands ◽  
Norman Giesbrecht ◽  
...  

This study is part of a multicentric research project involving seven universities in five Latin American countries and one Caribbean island (Jamaica). This cross-sectional study examines the profile of a sample of first and second year undergraduate students in the Medical/Health Science Department of one university in Kingston, Jamaica. The sample size was 295 students. Our results revealed that this pattern of drug use is occurring in this specific university. Alcohol was the most frequently reported substance 27.5%, followed by cannabis 6.1% and tobacco 4.7%. Report of polydrug consumption was low for all categories studied. Our findings may inform interventions at the university level.


Author(s):  
Nicholas Zaranis ◽  
George M. Exarchakos

The purpose of this research is to compare the level of competence in stereometry of the university students taught using the authors' ICT oriented learning method based on the Van Hiele model for stereometry concepts, as opposed to traditional teaching methodology. The study deals with second year undergraduate students form the Department of Civil Engineering at Piraeus University. The sample was divided into two groups. The experimental group consisted of 99 students who were taught about basic concepts of solid geometry with the support of computers based on the Van Hiele model. Also, there were 90 students in the control group which were taught with traditional methodology using a dry erase board. The study results showed that teaching and learning through ICT is an interactive process for second year university students and has a positive effect on learning solid geometry concepts using the background of the Van Hiele model.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-448
Author(s):  
Ezra Putranda Setiawan ◽  
Heru Sukoco

Statistical literacy, which is the ability to use statistics in daily life, is an essential skill for facing society 5.0. This study aims to explore first-year university students’ ability to properly use simple descriptive statistics and data visualization. Qualitative data were collected using a set of questions from 39 undergraduate students. Many students were able to calculate various descriptive statistics, but some of them were still unable to determine suitable statistics to describe the data clearly. Related to data visualization, many students failed to provide a meaningful chart that effectively shows the difference between two groups of data. Students with higher statistical literacy tend to use comparison or variability reasoning to determine the usage of descriptive statistics, and use data-based reason in visualizing the data. Improvement in statistical teaching – both in the university and the secondary school – is needed so that the students can use descriptive statistics and data visualization correctly.


Author(s):  
Ratna Agrawal ◽  
Mahendra Kumar Jaiswal ◽  
Sanat Kumar Sharma ◽  
Raj Sharma

Background: Promotion of drugs has been increased enormously with the advancement of technology and use of internet and media etc. Pharmaceutical manufacturers spend vast amount of money on promotion usually through medical representatives by providing printed advertisements. But, it has been seen that these printed advertisements are not up to the mark usually, they either overemphasize the efficacy or hide the safety profile for the sake of company’s profit. All these promotional activities influence the prescribing pattern of doctors. So, the present study has been conducted to assess the knowledge and attitude of second year undergraduate students about promotional literature and to train them accordingly for improving the prescribing behaviour.Methods: A questionnaire based study containing 9 questions was conducted in 110 second year undergraduate students after taking informed consent. Statistical analysis was done by using descriptive statistics by graph pad prism version 6.01.Results: Among respondents 60 (61.2%) were males and rest 38 (38.8%) were females. 50 (51%) of the respondents have chosen Indian pharmacopoeia as a trusted source of information followed by others. Most common factor affecting the prescribing attitude was reported as updates from clinical trials 49 (50%) followed by prescriber’s knowledge. Most important intervention taken to stop misleading drug promotional activities has been reported as formulation of strict regulation by the health care authorities against any misleading promotion.Conclusions: Promotional activities by manufacturers influence the attitude and prescribing pattern of doctors. So, it is important to teach the students about their rational use by critically analysing it.


2019 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
pp. e44186
Author(s):  
Vinícius Rodrigues Arruda Pinto ◽  
Laura Fernandes Melo ◽  
Josefina Bressan

Overweight and obesity are responsible for significant costs of the Brazil’s public health system and can modify the self-perception of the body image, attitudes, cognitions and thoughts. This study intends to propose predictive models to evaluate factors related to body image dissatisfaction among university students. Undergraduate students, with a mean age of 22.4 years, were interviewed in Minas Gerais, Brazil, by means of a behavioral questionnaire and evaluated the body image by scale of figures of silhouettes according to the Brazilian biotype. Contingency analysis pointed out dissatisfaction in 67.1% of the students and the time dedicated to sedentary activities presented significant influence on body image. Female undergraduate students from health science courses with recent weight gain tended to wish smaller silhouettes, while male students wished larger body sizes. Multinomial and logistic regression analyses revealed a good predictive power, but the multinomial regression was more advantageous and effective in demonstrating a satisfactory predictive model comprised of a larger number of variables to explain the body image dissatisfaction.


Author(s):  
Ratna Agrawal ◽  
Sanat Kumar Sharma ◽  
Mahendra Kumar Jaiswal ◽  
Raj Sharma ◽  
Syed Sajid Ali

Background: Self medication is becoming very popular among medical students as they get exposed to knowledge about diseases and drugs, but which is very superficial in second year undergraduates, so the present study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of self medication among second year undergraduate students.Methods: A questionnaire based study containing 12 questions was conducted in 175 second year undergraduate students after taking informed consent. Statistical analysis was done by using descriptive statistics by Graph Pad Prism version 6.01.Results: Out of the 175 students, 155 (88.57%) students have taken self medication. The common reason for taking it was no need to visit the doctor for minor illness (64%), quick relief (48.57%) and time saving (34.29%). The common indications for taking self medication were fever (69.14%) and cough and cold (69.14%) followed by headache (64%). Although students rarely practised it due to risk associated like adverse effects 131 (74.86%) and lack of proper knowledge about drugs 118 (67.3%).Conclusions: Self medication is highly prevalent among students, as most of the students get it from pharmacies, it is necessary to make strict guidelines for availability of such medicines over the counter and also there is need to educate the students about harmful consequences of self medication to make them responsible future doctors.


2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-44
Author(s):  
Tracy Douglas ◽  
◽  
Susan Salter ◽  
Miguel Iglesias ◽  
Michele Dowlman ◽  
...  

The purpose of this study was to determine the current perspectives of feedback from first and second year undergraduate students enrolled in blended units of study which incorporated both face-to-face and online components. Students enrolled in a unit of study taught by the School of Health Sciences at the University of Tasmania were surveyed to broadly determine their perception of the feedback process. Responses from the 55% of the cohort who completed the survey indicated that students recognised a wide variety of feedback processes in both written and online formats. Results indicated that students did not always identify that feedback (particularly formative) could feed forward to enhance their learning. There was a strong student focus on the importance of summative assessment feedback. The analysis of survey responses identified four main themes which form the focus of the discussion; types of feedback, student role in seeking feedback, the usefulness of feedback to learning and, feedback perception and awareness of students. The outcomes of this study also highlighted the necessity to educate both teaching staff and students with respect to feedback processes within the learning and teaching paradigm in higher education.


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