Pediatric Resident Education in Pediatric Cardiology – A Needs Assessment

Background: Although congenital heart disease is the most common human birth defect, the scope and breadth of pediatric cardiology is far more diverse. Additionally, there continues to be rapid advancements in the field with educators becoming increasingly sub-specialized. As such, determining the topics general pediatric residents are taught must be selected based on numerous factors including resident career goals, core topics for board exams, and educator preferences. This study aimed to determine if the educational needs of general pediatric residents are met while on a pediatric cardiology rotation. Methods: All PL-2 and PL-3 residents in the Children’s National Hospital pediatrics residency program who had completed a required cardiology rotation as well as all pediatric cardiology fellows and pediatric cardiology attendings were asked to complete a survey. Participation in the study was voluntary. Respondents were asked to answer questions related to the perceived effectiveness and applicability of the currently administered cardiology curriculum, specifically inquiring about methods of teaching, the level taught, and the utility of topics selected. Results: Twenty-four (31%) of the 77 eligible residents completed the survey. Fourteen (82%) of the eligible attendings and nine (75%) of the cardiology fellows completed the survey. Seventeen unique topics in pediatric cardiology were ranked. The highest rated topics based on both perceived needs and wants included congenital heart disease, murmurs, cardiac physiology, ECG interpretation, and syncope/dizziness. Participants reported the highest satisfaction for whiteboard and bedside teaching. Conclusions: Overall, general pediatrics residents were satisfied with the current educational design of the inpatient cardiology rotation. These data provide a framework, both in teaching modalities and core concepts, for continued development and reassessment of inpatient pediatric cardiology rotations to optimally prepare pediatric residents with a strong foundation in pediatric cardiology.

A Multiple Perspective Framework to Differentiate Curricula

A framework presenting the multiple definitions of options to differentiate the curriculum for gifted students is outlined. The framework also conveys the accompanying characteristics to consider to facilitate the appropriate selection and implementation of these options across grade levels and subject areas. The framework enables teachers to examine each of the options to determine their feasibility to differentiate curriculum to meet the educational expectations for gifted students and the perceived needs of the teaching/learning processes.

Needs Detection for Carers of Family Members with Dementia

Aim: To determine the perceived needs of carers of non-institutionalized family members that suffer from dementia. Methods: Two-steps qualitative study by focus groups of relatives in three centres of different characteristics from the Girona Health Region (step 1) and two in-depth interviews with significant professionals in dementia care (step 2). The analysis was performed based on the interpretation of the transcribed data and the bottom-up coding of categories and themes. The information was triangulated and coding was agreed upon. Results: There were three groups, 26 main carers of community-dwelling relatives with dementia in step 1 and two in-depth interviews with dementia-specialised healthcare and social care professionals in step 2. The demands were categorised according to three main themes: whether they were addressed to the members of care services for more direct and close care, to the agencies for a better joint working and less fragmented system, or to society for better comprehension and social recognition. We emphasize the need for a consultation-liaison reference figure throughout the process both for aspects of greater efficiency in the management of resources and for greater empowerment of carers.

Research on optimization design of men's suit considering users' perception

PurposeThis paper aims to identify the relationship between users' perception image, clothing design features and users' preference and propose a clothing design scheme based on users perception image and users' preference.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, men's suit is composed into multiple design features under the design elements. Using the orthogonal experiment method, 16 schemes of the representative suit are designed. Through perception evaluation experiment, users' perception images and preference degree of the samples are obtained. By partial least squares (PLS) analysis method, the models between users' perception image, suit design features and users' preference are built.FindingsThe interrelationship between the three is identified by establishing PLS models between users' perception image, suit design features and users' preference. According to the coefficients of the models, the optimization schemes of men's suits considering users' perception image and preference are proposed. Verification results show that the optimization schemes are significantly better than other schemes.Originality/valueThe results of this paper can be used for consumer demand-oriented clothing design and provide references and methods for converting consumer's perceived needs into clothing design features.

Perceived Needs and Barriers to Accessing Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) Services Among the Ik Community, Kaabong District, Uganda

Background: The Ik are minority group of people in Kaabong district, Uganda. They are the most marginalized. In addition, little is known about their perceived SRH needs and barriers to accessing SRH services.Objective: To determine perceived needs and barriers to accessing SRH services by the Ik community.Material and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical design with analytical was used, both quantitative and qualitative (mixed methods). Data was collected using key informant interviews, focus group discussions and semi-structured questionnaires. Sample of 345 participants selected randomly and purposively. Qualitative analysis was thematic whereas Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) was for quantitative analysis.Results: Perceived SRH needs of the Ik were; limited access to SRH information, lack of protection from gender-based violence and lack of access to comprehensive safe motherhood programs. Access to SRH services was limited mainly by poverty, limited range of available RH services, long distances to health facilities, poor attitudes of health workers, culture, poor road networks and language barriers. Individual factors; period in marriage (p=0.047), number of sex partners (p=0.041), type of house structure one lived in (p=0.039), economic activity (p=0.009) were significantly associated with access of SRH services.Conclusion: SRH needs of the Ik community is still wanting

Understanding the Users with Chronic Pain on AI CBT Mental Health App (Wysa): A Mixed-Methods Retrospective Observational Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Digital health interventions can bridge barriers in access to treatment of care for individuals with chronic pain. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the perceived needs, engagement and the effectiveness of the mental health app Wysa on mental health outcomes among real-world users who reported chronic pain and engaged with the app for support. METHODS Real-world data from users (N = 2,194) who reported chronic pain and associated health conditions in their conversations with a mental health app was analyzed using a mixed-method retrospective observational study. An inductive thematic analysis was used to analyse conversational data of users with chronic pain to assess perceived needs, along with comparative macro-analyses of conversational flows to capture engagement within the app. Additionally, the scores from a subset of users who completed a set of pre-post assessment questionnaires, namely PHQ-9 (N=69) and GAD-7 (N=57), were examined to evaluate the effectiveness of Wysa in providing support for mental health concerns for those managing chronic pain. RESULTS The themes emerging from the conversations of users with chronic pain included Health Concerns, Socioeconomic Concerns, and Pain Management Concerns. Findings from the quantitative analysis indicated that users with chronic pain showed significantly greater app engagement (p value <2.2e-16) than users without chronic pain, with a large effect size (Vargha and Delaney’s A- 0.76 -0.8). Furthermore, the sample of users with pre-post assessments during the study period were found to have significant improvements in group means on both PHQ-9 and GAD-7 symptom scores, with medium effect size (Cohens’d, 0.6-0.61), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that users look for tools that can help them address their concerns related to mental health, pain management, and sleep issues. The study findings also indicate the breadth of needs for users with chronic pain and the lack of support structures, and suggests that Wysa can provide effective support to bridge the gap.

Is information literacy ability, and metacognition of that ability, related to interest, gender, or education level? A cross-sectional study of higher education students

How information literate are students in higher education, and how accurate is their metacognition related to that ability? Are students’ perceived needs to learn more and their level of interest in becoming information literate related to their pursuit of information literacy (IL) skill development? First-year undergraduates, master’s, and PhD students ( N = 760) took an objective IL test and estimated their scores both before and after the test. IL ability, as well as students’ estimation of their IL ability, increased with higher education experience and IL test experience, though also varied notably within groups. Low-performers tended to overestimate their abilities, while high-performers tended to underestimate them—both evidence of the Dunning-Kruger effect. Furthermore, gender comparisons revealed that men tended to estimate higher, and more accurate, scores than women. Finally, PhD students reported greater interest in becoming information literate than undergraduates. Although undergraduates felt a greater need to learn more, PhD students were more inclined to pursue IL growth. For both groups, interest in becoming information literate correlated far more with their likelihood to invest effort into developing IL competencies than their perceived need to know more. What implications might these findings have for how we conceptualize the teaching of IL?

What Australian students say about transition to secondary school. Final report

Life Education Australia's Being Healthy Being Active project involved the collection of student voice related to the concept of school transition and the move from primary to secondary school. Students from around Australia participated in 82 focus groups, or student forums, to discuss their own positive experiences, as well as perceived needs and challenges related to their move to secondary school. Section One of this report is a literature review and environmental scan on student transition from primary to secondary school. Section Two describes the methods used to design and administer the Student Forums. This includes a description of the target population and sampling methods as well as the details of the achieved sample: 82 forums with 444 students across 15 schools. Section Three outlines the findings of the Student Forums. Section Four offers conclusions and recommendations to inform the next stage of the project, designing a suite of resources and training for teachers aimed at assisting students with the transition from primary to secondary school.