Academic education in health profession programs,knowledge and use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) by university students

ObjectivesTo assess the association of academic education in health professions programs with the knowledge and use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) by university students and to determine whether CAM can promote a healthy university environment.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out with 512 university students enrolled in health professions programs in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, from April to November 2017. The Assessment Tool for Health Promotion at the University was used to collect sociodemographic, academic and CAM data. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed considering the outcomes “knowledge of CAM” and “CAM in the promotion of a healthy university environment” using SPSS Statistic version 20.0.ResultsData from 512 participants were analyzed. Women (n = 357; 69.7%), young students (n = 393; 76.8%) and unemployed students (n = 429; 83.8%) predominated. Knowledge of CAM was associated with health profession program (OR = 0.934; p = 0.047), paternal education (OR = 0.641; p = 0.024), employment (OR = 0.542; p = 0.028) and participation in extracurricular activities (OR = 1.275; p = 0.007). There was a proportional difference between knowledge and use of CAM ranging from 2:1 to 11:1 among the 21 modalities. University students believed that CAM could promote a healthy university environment (p = 0.000), which was influenced by gender (OR = 2.089; p = 0.004) and knowledge of CAM (OR = 16.601; p = 0.000).ConclusionsUniversity students’ knowledge of CAM was influenced by the health profession program, paternal education, employment and participation in extracurricular activities. The percentage of use of CAM modalities was lower than the percentage of knowledge. University students’ belief that CAM could foster a healthy university environment is influenced by gender and knowledge of CAM.     

医学生选修课《老年健康保健与护理》的教学实践与思考

目的探讨选修课《老年健康保健与护理》教学效果和意义。方法采用问卷调查,了解学生选修目的、对教学的意见及学习收获等。结果学生全部选择了“向自己家人和群众进行卫生宣教”这一学习目的,并认为开设该课程很有必要;87%的学生认为教学内容合适,95%的学生感到收获很大,部分学生还对教学内容的增减提出了很好的建议。结论开设《老年健康保健与护理》选修课,对适应人口老龄化的发展、满足老年人健康需求,培养医学生多元化角色功能和综合素质有重要意义。     

Self‐rated health,symptoms and health behaviour of upper secondary vocational students by field of study

This article examines the self‐rated health, symptoms and health behaviour of upper secondary vocational students in Finland. The data consist of the responses of first‐ and second‐year vocational students (n = 34 554) to the 2013 School Health Promotion Survey. The data were analysed statistically and processed separately for girls and boys. Associations between self‐rated health, symptoms and health behaviour and fields of study were examined by cross‐tabulation. Statistical significance was measured using the chi‐squared test. Self‐rated health, symptoms and health behaviour were found to have a statistically significant association with field of study (p < 0.001). Vocational students in different fields had different experiences of health, different symptoms and different health behaviours. The results complement existing evidence about disparities in well‐being among young people in the context of education.     

Potential risk and protective factors of substance use among school adolescents in Morocco: A cross-sectional study

Background: Substance use among adolescents is responsible, in long term, for several chronic diseases, including cancer. In this study, we sought to assess the prevalence and correlates of substance use among students’ adolescents in Taza city, focusing on risk and protective factors to develop a health promotion intervention.

Methods: A school-based cross-sectional survey was conducted in Taza during 2016. The sample consisted of 800 students from 14 to 19 years old from randomly stratified cluster sampling. Data were collected using a Global School Health Survey questionnaire.

Results: Of 800 total students, 764 responded to the survey (response rate of 95.5%), with slightly more than half (53.3%) being girls. The survey showed current tobacco use of 16.2%, lifetime alcoholic drink of 6.8%, and lifetime drug use of 9.2%. Results from multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that substance use was significantly associated with older age, being male, poor hand hygiene, suicidal ideations, peer substance use, and absenteeism. Parental bonding represented a protective factor for illicit drug use.

Conclusions: We found a high prevalence of substance use among adolescents in Taza city, similar to rates reported at the national level. These findings suggest an urgent need to develop national health promotion programs for adolescents.     

Sociodemographic and academic factors associated with unhealthy lifestyle among Brazilian nursing students

This study aimed to identify sociodemographic and academic factors associated with unhealthy lifestyles among Brazilian undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional study was completed by 286 nursing students in Brazil. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine the association between sociodemographic and academic variables with the latent lifestyle indicator. The model fit's validity was assessed using Akaike information coefficient estimation, Hosmer–Lemeshow test, and the ROC curve. A high health risk lifestyle was 2.7 times more likely among students aged 18–24 years than students aged 25 years or older (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = [1.18, 6.54] p = 0.02); 2.3 times more likely among students with ≥400 h of semester time (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = [0.93, 5.90], p = 0.07); and 3.8 times more likely among female students (OR = 3.8, 95% CI = [0.82, 8.12], p = 0.09). A moderate health risk lifestyle was 1.8 times more likely among students from the 6th to 10th semesters (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = [−0.95, 3.75], p = 0.07). Sociodemographic and academic factors were associated with unhealthy lifestyles. Health promotion efforts are necessary to improve nursing students' health behaviors.     

Mental health literacy of Australian Bachelor of Nursing students: a longitudinal study

Many students have poor mental health literacy when they finish Bachelor of Nursing courses. This paper presents the findings of a longitudinal study of Australian Bachelor of Nursing students' mental health literacy about the effectiveness of interventions for people with schizophrenia. The 'Attitudes and Beliefs about Mental Health Problems: Professional and Public Views' questionnaire was used with a non-probability sample of nursing students. A time series approach to data collection was used, with data collected on three occasions between 2005 and 2007. Ethics approval was obtained from a university ethics committee. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 15.0. The students' views about the helpfulness of interventions showed a significant and positive improvement as they progressed through the course. There were significant differences over time in their views about the helpfulness of professional and lay interventions, their opinions about the helpfulness of mental health and other medications, and the usefulness of activity and non-pharmacological interventions. Because nursing students need to be mental health literate when they complete their course, mental health nursing content should be incorporated earlier in comprehensive undergraduate curricula and incrementally increased in each year of study.     

Smoking among Japanese nursing students: nationwide survey

AIM: This paper reports a study estimating the nationwide prevalence of and attitudes towards smoking among Japanese nursing students. BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization established "World No Tobacco Day" in 1987, and has been promoting antismoking measures worldwide since then, with annual themes. It has emphasized that health care professionals, including nurses, as role models for healthy living, should not smoke, and that as promoters of health education they should not seem to justify or condone their patients' smoking. To promote antismoking measures among nurses, it will be necessary to scrutinize the smoking habits and behavior of nursing students and associated factors, and to conduct effective antismoking education and health education before they acquire the smoking habit. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was carried out through self-administered, closed-ended, structured questionnaires. Questionnaires were mailed to 4169 nursing students at 27 randomly selected vocational nursing schools nationwide. Smoking status, history, and attitudes towards smoking were examined. RESULTS: Smoking prevalence among female nursing students was 23.5%, which was higher than that among the Japanese general female population aged 20-29 (21.9%). Smoker-students were significantly more positive toward smoking than non-smokers in all opinions about health care professionals' smoking. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that smoking statuses of the people around the participants, dissatisfaction with being a nursing student, and living alone were associated with participants' smoking behaviour. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest an urgent necessity to provide effective antismoking measures for nursing students.     

Resilience Among Medical Students: The Role of Coping Style and Social Support

Theory: Although medical students begin medical school with better mental health than their peers, during medical school students have a higher prevalence of psychological distress. Medical students often do not seek help for mental health concerns. The use of approach coping strategies and social support has been shown in other populations to be related to mental health resiliency. Hypotheses: The rates of depression and burnout in this medical student population are expected to be high, with the majority not seeking help for their psychological distress in accordance with studies of medical students across the nation. Perceptions of stigma are hypothesized to be a potential source of this lack of care-seeking behavior. Approach coping strategies and social support are speculated to have an inverse relationship with the prevalence of depression and burnout in the medical student population. Method: Validated measures of depression and burnout along with items pertaining to diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues, specific coping strategies used during stressful times, and perceptions of social support were used in a cross-sectional study of students at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (UND SMHS). Results: The overall survey response rate was 64%. Seventeen percent had moderate to severe depression, and 49% had burnout. Of depressed respondents, 81% were undiagnosed. When asked why depression develops, 23% responded that it was due to an inability to cope. A significantly greater risk of depression was associated with inadequate support from family and friends (p = .002), fellow medical students (p = .01), and the UND SMHS (p = .003). Greater use of approach-oriented coping strategies than avoidant-oriented strategies was associated with significantly decreased risk of burnout (p = .02) and was inversely correlated with depression (r_s = ?0.27, n = 153, p = .001). Conclusions: This study outlines associations among approach-oriented coping strategies, social support, and resiliency to mental health issues among medical students. This study also supports the existing literature that stigma regarding mental health issues is present in the medical community. Further multi-institutional, longitudinal research to delineate whether interventions that promote approach coping style and utilization of social support lead to decreased rates of mental health issues is necessary. The development of these interventions will need to be a multifaceted approach that includes promotion of care-taking behaviors but also focuses on institutional cultural change in order to empower students to participate in these resiliency strategies.     

Implications for education in complementary and alternative medicine: a survey of entry attitudes in students at five health professional schools

INTRODUCTION: The National Institutes of Health provided grants to the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and 14 other allopathic academic health centers for the development of curricula in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). A key component of the curriculum evaluation for OHSU was provided by a survey assessing attitudes toward CAM and selected personality characteristics of entering students in chiropractic, naturopathic, Oriental, and allopathic medicine in the Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest. METHODS: A survey containing a variety of assessments of attitudes toward CAM and the personality traits of adventurousness and tolerance to ambiguity was administered to students entering four Portland, Oregon doctoral-level health professional schools and an allopathic medical school in the Upper Midwest (University of Nebraska College of Medicine) during the 2004-2005 academic year. RESULTS: Students of naturopathy (n = 63) and Oriental Medicine (n = 71) were the most "CAM positive," adventurous and tolerant of ambiguity, and Midwestern allopathic medical students (n = 58) the least. In general, chiropractic students (n = 89) and allopathic medical students from the Pacific Northwest (n = 95) were intermediate in CAM attitudes between these two groups (all p < 0.05). Female students were more "CAM positive" in all schools compared to male students. CONCLUSIONS: Students have high levels of interest in CAM upon entrance to their schools. Health professional discipline, geographic location, personality qualities, and gender appear to influence CAM attitudes in entering students.     

Migraine Among University Students in Cotonou (Benin)

Background.— Few data are available on migraine among students in Africa. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of migraine and describe its clinical features and associated conditions among students of the Faculty of Health Sciences of Abomey-Calavi University, in Cotonou, Benin.
Methods.— A cross-sectional study was prospectively conducted during the academic year 2002-2003 and included 336 students selected using systematic random sampling. Migraine was defined according International Headache Society criteria 1988.
Results.— The lifetime prevalence of migraine was 11.3% (95% CI: 8.2-15.3%). The prevalence was significantly higher in females (18.3%) than males (6.8%), in married-widowed (30.4%) than single (9.9%). The mean age at onset of the disease was 15.0 years ± 2.5. Migraine without aura was the more frequent form (57.9%). The mean attack frequency per month was 3.8 (±3.4) and the peak attack duration was between 4 and 6 hours. Psychological tiredness was the most frequent triggering factors (92.1%). The factors associated with migraine in multivariate analysis were female sex (OR = 2.6 [95% CI: 1.2-5.3]), single marital status (OR = 3.7 [95% CI: 1.2-11.9]) and presence of a family history of headache (OR = 2.9 [95% CI: 1.0-8.1])
Conclusion.— Migraine was frequent in students in Cotonou (Benin) compared with other studies in Africa.     

Women and the global tobacco epidemic: nurses call to action

BACKGROUND: Tobacco consumption is increasing among women across the globe at alarming rates. Without effective intervention, the smoking prevalence among women will nearly triple over the next generation. These trends are potentially more threatening when considering how tobacco intersects women's lives, regardless if they use tobacco products or not. AIM: A review and analysis of the literature is conducted to examine the scope of tobacco's global effect on the multiple dimensions of women's health. METHOD: Medline (1990-2003), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (1990-2003) and World Health Organization databases were searched for related topics. Keywords for searches included global health, tobacco, women and nursing. FINDINGS: The epidemiology and prevalence of tobacco use among women are presented and its impact on women globally. Using an ecological perspective, the consequences of tobacco are analysed within the contexts of health, social, environment, economic and policy as it relates to women, their families and their communities. IMPLICATIONS: Nurses are in prime positions to empower individuals, families, communities and nations in the prevention and treatment of tobacco use. Health for all women continues to be a call for equity and social justice. Recommendations are provided for nursing practice, education, theory, research and policy to address this global health concern.     

Effectiveness of the Mental Health First Aid programme for general nursing students in Hong Kong: A randomised controlled trial

BackgroundInsufficient mental health related knowledge among healthcare professionals and students may lead to higher levels of stigma towards and increased social distance from mentally unwell patients. Moreover, university students enrolled in healthcare programmes are particularly susceptible to stress, depression, anxiety and other mental health problems.ObjectiveThis study evaluated the effectiveness of the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) Programme for undergraduate general nursing students in improving their mental health literacy, decreasing their social distance from persons with mental health issues, increasing their mental health first-aid intention, and enhancing their confidence in assisting others. The programme was also extended the effectiveness to help students to maintain their own mental wellbeing.MethodsA randomised controlled trial study with a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up research design was conducted. Three hundred and fifty-eight students were recruited. The experimental group comprised 182 students, of whom 168 completed MHFA training and a post-test questionnaire in mid-2017, and 167 students completed a follow-up questionnaire early in 2018. Meanwhile, 175 and 165 of the 176 students in the control group completed the post-test and follow-up questionnaires, respectively.ResultsThe effectiveness of the MHFA programme was supported by the results of repeated measures analysis of variance with Greenhouse-Geisser correction. Significant interaction effects were found in mental health knowledge in recognition of depression (ηp² = 0.17; 95% CI: 0.24, 0.42), recognition of schizophrenia (ηp² = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.33, 0.47), depression social distance (ηp² = 0.20; 95% CI: ?0.41. ?0.22), schizophrenia social distance (ηp² = 0.31; 95% CI: ?0.58, ?0.37), confidence in helping (ηp² = 0.04; 95% CI: 0.11. 0.14), mental first-aid actions (ηp² = 0.08; 95% CI: 1.75, 2.90), and mental wellbeing (ηp² = 0.15; 95% CI: ?0.53, ?0.19).DiscussionMental illnesses present substantial challenges to healthcare professionals worldwide. MHFA training should be promoted locally and integrated within compulsory training and extracurricular activities in curricula developed for healthcare and general university students.ConclusionThis study confirms the benefits of MHFA for general nursing students in developing their professional understanding of and willingness to assist people with mental health problems, and in developing, maintaining, and improving their understanding of their own mental health.     

Tobacco use and baccalaureate nursing students: a study of their attitudes,beliefs and personal behaviours

Aim. To report findings about student nurses' attitudes, beliefs and personal behaviour in relation to tobacco issues. Rationale. Nurses have the potential to influence clients' behaviours and public policy concerning tobacco use. However, a review of the literature suggests that this is not happening. Further understanding of nursing students' attitudes, beliefs and behaviours regarding tobacco use is needed in order to develop strategies which can positively impact on their future health promotion role. Methods. A cross‐sectional survey of the total population of baccalaureate nursing students in one Canadian province was employed. Students were asked to complete a self‐administered questionnaire, which included questions related to their smoking history; stage of behavioural change, and beliefs and attitudes towards tobacco. Students also completed the Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile (HPLP) and the Fagerström Nicotine Tolerance Scale. Findings. Two hundred and seventy‐two students (61·9%) responded. Sixty (22·1%) indicated that they smoked daily or in social situations. These smokers were found to have a fairly low level of nicotine dependence and although 91·4% said they wanted to quit, few were actively engaged in the quitting process (16·9%). When comparing the beliefs and attitudes of smoking and non‐smoking students, proportionally more of the non‐smokers agreed that smokers will need close family/friends to help them quit; that the health of society should be protected by laws against smoking; and that nurses should set a non‐smoking example. Non‐smokers indicated more health promoting behaviours on items in the HPLP especially on the variables of physical activity, nutrition and stress management. Conclusions. Nurses have the potential to influence clients' behaviours and public policy concerning tobacco use. Developing future nurses with the knowledge and skill to do so needs to be an important emphasis of nursing curricula.     

Sensitivity and specificity of a self-administered questionnaire of tobacco use; including the Fagerström test

Background

Preventing tobacco consumption and promoting cessation among health professionals are of great significance as their habits can influence their patients’ attitudes. Knowledge of the prevalence and characteristics of tobacco use in a specific population is important for the design of efficient strategies for preventing people from acquiring the habit and persuading them to stop. Self-administered questionnaires are a very common method for determining tobacco use, but assessment is needed of their validity for specific groups, such as occasional smokers or students of health sciences.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of a self-administered questionnaire for determining tobacco use among a population of young female students of health sciences. As a gold standard, we used a measure of the concentration of cotinine in saliva with different cut-off points. We also analysed the influence on sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaire of nicotine dependence and exposure to secondary smoke.

Design

This is an internal validity study (sensitivity and specificity) of a self-administered questionnaire.

Settings

The study was carried out in the School of Health Sciences of the University of León, at its centres in León and Ponferrada.

Participants

Data were collected on 432 of a total of 480 women aged under 25 who were studying Health Sciences at the University of León in 2007.

Methods

The self-administered questionnaire included data concerning demography, education, tobacco habits and exposure to environmental smoke. Saliva cotinine concentration was determined with an EIA kit.

Results

The questionnaire used showed high values of sensitivity and specificity (85.3% and 95.3%) and a very good correlation (Kappa = 81.0%) with cotinine values of 10 ng/ml or higher. Discrepancies in the test results for those who declared themselves to be smokers only occurred in women with a low nicotine dependency. Among those who did not declare themselves smokers, those exposed to second-hand smoke were 7 times more frequently classified erroneously as smokers than those who had not been exposed.

Conclusion

The self-administered questionnaire used showed a very good internal validity and a good correlation with cotinine levels of 10 ng/mg, and therefore seems to be a good instrument for measuring tobacco use in this population. The availability of information on passive smoking and nicotine dependence is essential for the correct interpretation of the discrepancies.     

Sleep deprivation and associated factors among students of the Institute of Health in Jimma University,Southwest Ethiopia

Objective: Despite getting sufficient sleep being one of the most important things that we can do to keep our body and mind healthy, sleep deprivation has become a major public health concern. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of sleep deprivation and its associated factors among students of the Institute of Health in Jimma University.Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 10 to April 24 in 2019. Data were collected from 365 randomly selected participants and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS; version 23). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with sleep deprivation. The level of significance was declared at a P-value of <0.05. Results: A total of 365 participants participated, with a response rate of 97.6％. The study findings showed that 60.8％ of students had sleep deprivation and 68.2％ had sleep latency. Health problems (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.91 [95％ confidence interval {CI} = 1.01–3.58]), alcohol consumption [AOR = 0.42 (95％ CI = 0.2–0.89)], cigarette smoking [AOR = 0.31 (95％ CI = 0.09–0.93)], khat chewing [AOR = 0.47 (95％ CI = 0.12–0.82)], use of an electronic device before bedtime [AOR = 5.26 (95％ CI = 1.78–15.52)], and cumulative grade point average (CGPA) [AOR = 0.48 (95％ CI = 0.27–0.83)] were significantly associated with sleep deprivation. Conclusions: Sleep deprivation was common in the study area. This is mainly due to health problems, substance utilization, long-time use of an electronic device, and low CGPA. Therefore, a strategy and system should be established to limit substance use, enhance proper use of electronic devices, and create awareness on the impact of nonoptimal sleep.