Point of Contact

COVID-19 exposed the need to identify newer tools to understand perception of information, behavioral conformance to instructions and model the effects of individual motivation and decisions on the success of measures being put in place. We approach this challenge through the lens of serious games. Serious games are designed to instruct and inform within the confines of their magic circle. We built a multiplayer serious game, Point of Contact (PoC), to investigate effects of a serious game on perception and behavior. We conducted a study with 23 participants to gauge perceptions of COVID-19 preventive measures and quantify the change after playing PoC. The results show a significant positive change to participants' perceptions towards COVID-19 preventive measures, shifting perceptions towards following guidelines more strictly due to a greater awareness of how the virus spreads. We discuss these implications and the value of a serious game like PoC towards pandemic risk modelling at a microcosm level.

The Impact of Psychiatry Round on The Attitude of Medical Students towards Psychiatry as a specialty and a career

Background Psychiatry workplace shortage is a major problem seen in many countries around the world. This could be attributed to negative attitude of medical students towards psychiatry as a career for the past decades despite that medical students are exposed to psychiatry and behavioral science in most courses, starting in the preclinical years and progressing to clinical clerkships in the later years. Aim of the Work our study aims to assess the attitude of a sample of medical students towards psychiatry as a specialty and a career before the psychiatry round and the impact of psychiatry round on their attitude. Patients and Methods A sample of 50 participants was taken from both 4th and 5th grade of medical students. The socioeconomic status was assessed using socioeconomic status scale (SES), the general health questionnaire (GHQ-28) was used to assess the presence of minor psychiatric illness, the Attitude towards Psychiatry scale (ATP-30) was used to evaluate the attitude of students before psychiatric round and its impact afterwards. Results A total of 50 participants were enrolled, consisted of 24 males with 48% of sample and 26 females by 52% of total sample .There was a significant positive change in the attitude of participants toward psychiatry by a P value = 0.041, also it showed increasing in the percentage of the participants that will choose psychiatry as a career after the round than those before receiving the round. Conclusion The findings in our study highlight the positive effect of psychiatry round on the undergraduate attitude toward psychiatry as a post-graduation career, and that it could be considered as a strengthening point which can be used to compact stigma towards psychiatry as a career, as well as stigma towards mental illness and the mentally ill.

Effects of experiential food education on local food purchasing and eating behavior

Using self-reported health and economic behav­iors, this study explores the extent to which experi­ential food activities such as cooking new foods and attending farmers markets impact local food consumption, purchasing, and eating behaviors. This longitudinal survey includes pre/post inter­vention surveys administered to a convenience sample of 55 community members, categorized as “young adults,” “adults,” and “older adults.” The 41-item baseline survey includes closed-ended questions regarding food preference, purchasing habits, and general awareness. The 54-item post survey, administered after participating in the study, includes the same closed-ended questions as the pre-survey, as well as open-ended questions regarding participants’ perceived impact of the intervention on their behaviors. Data was analyzed with paired t tests, one-way ANOVA, paired pro­portional analysis using McNemar’s Test, Bonfer­roni correction tests, and normality tests. Survey results show significant positive change (p<0.001) in overall eating, preparation, and purchasing behaviors from baseline to post-study. These find­ings appear to demonstrate that simple, low-cost interventions to engage adults in learning about and experiencing local food can lead to a change in shopping and pro-local eating behaviors.

Impact of a short-term training in emergency and trauma in a tertiary teaching institute

Background: The health-workers working in emergency area need better training to handle emergency patients with sincerity and accurate clinical skills. So, it is imperative to train them on simulation models and prepare them to perform their duties with better skills and higher confidence.Methods: A structured course named as Dr. RMLIMS Emergency and Trauma-Basic Course (DrRMLIMS ET-BC), was designed to effectively train the resident doctors from different departments, nursing staff (pool A) and other health-workers, ancillary staff and security persons (pool B) posted in the casualty and emergency wards. Pool A underwent pretest to ascertain basic knowledge. Post-test questionnaire was taken after training. Predesigned google forms were used for feedback. Pool B underwent counselling and motivating sessions about the sense of team, role of leader and effective communication. Direct observation, officer in-charge’s feedback, buddy feedbacks, patient’s attendants’ feedbacks and self-appraisal were done for evaluation. Paired t test was applied on pool A pretest and post-test scores to evaluate the change in the knowledge.Results: Pool A shows a pre-test mean of 37.83±0.92 (approximately 39%) which improved significantly to 72.16±0.90 post training (p value=0.0000). Pool B revealed significant positive change in the attitude, behavior and sense of team and responsibility.Conclusions: This study shows that this training is an adequate training programme to teach the basics emergency and trauma skills and been successful in increasing knowledge, despite the variations in the vision of different subject specialities.

Long-term impact of a single interprofessional education high-fidelity simulation experience: a pilot study

The interprofessional education (IPE) simulation literature lacks research assessing long-term IPE outcomes. During the 2018-19 and 2019-20 academic year, third year and fourth year medical students, respectively, engaged in an IPE simulation experience focused on cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Students completed the Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey. There was a statistically significant positive change (p<0.05) in student perceptions of their interprofessional collaborative skills immediately following a single IPE simulation activity for both third and fourth year students. However, a statistically significant decline in means was noted from third year post-questions to fourth year pre-questions. A single annual IPE simulation activity may not be sufficient to support students in building confidence in their collaborative skills without regression.

Resilience-based intervention for youth: An initial investigation of school social work program in Kuwait

This article describes the preliminary investigation of the initial feasibility of the ‘ Fostering Youth Resilience Project’, a universal school-based program delivered by school social workers to 54 high school students in Kuwait. Results reported significant positive change and high satisfaction with the program. The study provided initial evidence support to the applicability of the program for youth in a non-Western culture. Future research needs to evaluate the effect of the program in larger groups, using controlled trials and longer term follow ups. Discussion of limitations and practical implications for the social work profession are presented.

Collaboration, Training and Resources to Support School Policy Development and Recovery from Concussion

Objective: Concussion is a public health concern across all ages, yet there is little research on providing concussion education and training within the educational context. The Concussion Awareness Training Tool for School Professionals (CATT SP) was developed to provide the necessary concussion education and resources for school professionals to support a student with concussion while integrating back to school. Methods: The CATT SP module underwent a 2016 pre/post-intervention evaluation to determine if knowledge and attitudes significantly improved among educators and administrators following completion of the CATT SP, as well as a 2018-19 pilot study within a school district in British Columbia with an accompanying Quality Assurance/ Quality Improvement assessment. Results: A statistically significant positive change in knowledge (p = .027) was found among those who indicated that they had accessed CATT SP. Results of the pilot study and QA/QI assessment found support of the use of CATT within the school district. Conclusions: Evidence-based concussion training and resources are key components for school professionals who are collaboratively supporting a student’s individualized return to school and learning following a concussion, and when developing and implementing a concussion policy within districts and school.

Evaluation of the efficacy of levocarnitine in supporting therapy in multiple myeloma

The accompanying therapy prescribed during the use of toxic drugs helps patients to complete the treatment to the end, and the doctor adheres to the treatment of the chosen line The aim of the study was to study the effect of levocarnitine on blood biochemical parameters and on chemotherapy tolerance. Materials and methods. The study was conducted in the stem cell treatment department at Republican Specialized Scientific Practical Medical Center of Hematology . Chemotherapy toxicity was assessed according to WHO and NCIC standards. Results. In a comparative study, 30 patients receiving chemotherapy for myeloma with varying degrees of toxicity when fortecarnite (100 mg / kg / day) was added to standard therapy for 2 months or more showed a significant positive change in cytochemical parameters (Alanin transferase (ALT), aspartat transferase (AST)), which allowed the authors recommend metabolic correction to all patients receiving chemotherapy, especially with 2nd and 3rd degree of toxicity.

Social Support Changes in Response to Retirement

Retirement is an influential life course transition, that has potential to impact overall well-being as well as our social lives. The extent to which our social lives are changed is dependent upon the resources available both pre- and post-retirement. Research on retirement has focused on how well-being is changed, through measures such as depression, and conceptualize social support as a resource that can help offset some of the associated negative consequences. However, it is unclear how that resource of social support is itself being impacted. This study uses 2008-2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data to assesses if how social support changes is dependent upon timing of retirement or whether the individual was forced to retire (N=1,933). Ordinary least squares regression (OLS) and marginal effects are used to assess the change in support and to test if the effects differentially impact certain groups. Preliminary results from this study show that men who have been retired for two waves report a significant negative change (p&lt;0.05) in their in-person interactions with children, whereas women who have been retired for the same amount of time report a significant positive change (p&lt;0.01) in their interactions with children. Additionally, women who are forced to retire report a significant (p&lt;0.05) increase in their in-person interactions with children. These findings suggest that factors such as timing of retirement and forced retirement are important factors in understanding how received social support changes.

The Efficacy of Comprehensive School Health Course in Changing Pre-Service Teachers’ Attitudes and Reactions Toward Weight-Related Teasing

Teachers view overt expressions of weight stigma, such as weight-related teasing, as troublesome but are often ill-prepared to address instances of weight-related teasing when they arise in the classroom. Comprehensive school health is an emerging framework that aims to better prepare teachers to address issues of health and wellness in the classroom, including weight-related teasing. We examined the efficacy of a university course in comprehensive school health in changing pre-service teachers’ attitudes and perceptions of weight-related teasing. Pre-service teachers read a vignette and responded to 10 items about the vignette at both the beginning and end of the semester-long course. Items relating to pre-service teachers’ perception of, responsibility and obligation to address the weight-related teasing event showed significant, positive change from the beginning to end of the semester. These results suggest that exposure to developmentally sound methods of delivering health-related content can support adaptive educator reactions to weight-related teasing.