Factors associated with abnormal eating attitudes among female college students in Japan

Summary Objectives: To determine the prevalence rates of abnormal eating attitudes and associated risk factors among female Japanese college students. Subjects and methods: The study population was 7812 female college students in Tokyo. They were asked to fill out the Japanese version of EAT-26 and lifestyle questionnaires. Results: 5.1% of the subjects had a total EAT-26 score above the cutoff point (>20). Multiple regression analysis found the most important factors associated with abnormal eating attitudes were distorted body image, fewer sleeping hours, irregular meal habits, cigarette smoking and more exercise. Discussion: The prevalence of abnormal eating attitudes among female college students in this study was lower than that of Japanese female high school students and lower than that reported for college students of both western and non-western countries. Our results suggest that body image dissatisfaction may be the most important factor associated with abnormal eating behavior.     

Abnormal eating attitudes in London schoolgirls--a prospective epidemiological study: factors associated with abnormal response on screening questionnaires

One thousand and ten unselected London state schoolgirls were screened by questionnaire to identify an 'at risk' cohort displaying abnormal eating attitudes and two control cohorts, one with probable general psychiatric morbidity, one without. Members of all cohorts were assessed at interview for the presence of eating disorder and for putative risk factors implicated in the development of anorexia nervosa. A prevalence rate of 0.99% was detected for clinical eating disorder and 1.78% for the partial syndrome of eating disorder. Factors specifically associated with abnormal eating attitudes were identified, in particular, current or past overweight, history of amenorrhoea and perceived stress in school and social life. Some commonly accepted risk factors for eating disorders were discovered to be associations with general psychiatric morbidity. These were perceived parental pressure to eat more, taking exercise to lose weight, perceived stress at home and reporting a family history of anxiety or depression. Other well reported putative risk factors for eating disorder, including social class, birth order, age at menarche, obsessional personality and weight related career choice were not associated specifically with abnormal eating attitudes in schoolgirls. These findings represent cross-sectional data at entry into a prospective epidemiological study.     

女大学生体表面积计算公式的比较

目的:研究5种体表面积计算公式的科学合理性.方法:以2 496名女大学生2010年体质健康测试数据,利用数理统计和密切值法研究5种体表面积计算公式的差异.结果:5种计算公式均反映出女大学生体表面积存在显著的个体差异,重复测量方差分析表明,5种计算公式间也存在显著的差异,这种差异来源于不同的算法.密切值法对女性体表面积公式的优选结果与吴暅晔的研究不同.结论:5种体表面积公式均能反映出人体体表面积,只是接近真实结果的程度不同,建议女大学生体表面积公式采用赵松山等的研究结果.     

1978—1987年北京市十六所大学本科生因精神疾病休学、退学情况分析

本文对北京市十六所大学十年来因精神疾病休学、退学的资料进行了分析。结果表明,因精神疾病休学率有所上升,精神疾病是大学生因病休、退学的主要原因,其中以神经症为主。因精神疾病的休退学率以二、三年级学生,及理工科大学学生最高。     

Screening for abnormal eating attitudes and psychiatric morbidity in an unselected population of 15-year-old schoolgirls

The Eating Attitudes Test (EAT) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) have been validated in an unselected population of 15-year-old South London schoolgirls. Scores on the questionnaires were compared with the results of standard interview. The EAT was found to be an efficient screening instrument for abnormal eating attitudes and behaviour, whereas the GHQ was less satisfactory in its ability to screen for psychiatric morbidity in this age group than in adults. At the optimal cutting points, 6.9% of this population gave a positive response to the EAT and 19.3% gave a positive response to the GHQ. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the two sets of scores. Compared with their peers, girls giving a positive response to the EAT also reported that they missed more meals during the day and that their weight was more unstable.     

四川省南充市不同类型院校本科学生应对方式比较研究

本研究调查了南充市工科、师范和医学3类院校本科学生的应对方式,从多个维度进行比较和分析,并提出了建议,对高校的心理健康教育工作及学生管理工作具有一定的参考价值。本研究中所发现的一些问题,具有一定普遍性,结果可供其他相似性质的院系参考和比较。     

Examination of a sociocultural model of disordered eating among male and female adolescents

Objectives. The study tests a version of Stice's (1994) sociocultural model of disordered eating that was modified to incorporate social comparisons. Additionally, it examines how self‐reported body‐mass index and perceived weight status influence associations within the model. Method. Questionnaires were administered in a state secondary school; the sample consisted of 250 female and 257 male adolescents aged 11–16 years. Results. The results supported the sociocultural model among both male and female adolescents. Perceived pressure to lose weight was directly associated with eating behaviour, as well as indirectly associated through social comparisons, internalization and body dissatisfaction. However, social comparisons were most strongly related to body dissatisfaction among adolescents who perceived themselves as overweight. Conclusions. The findings indicate that models of eating disordered behaviour, developed for adolescent girls, are also appropriate for understanding this behaviour among male adolescents. The results suggest that social comparisons represent a useful addition to Stice's (1994) original model and a potentially fruitful target for interventions.     

Impact of clerkship in the attitudes toward psychiatry among Portuguese medical students

Background

A number of recent developments in medical and nursing education have highlighted the importance of communication and consultation skills (CCS). Although such skills are taught in all medical and nursing undergraduate curriculums, there is no comprehensive screening or assessment programme of CCS using professionally trained Standardized Patients Educators (SPE's) in Ireland. This study was designed to test the content, process and acceptability of a screening programme in CCS with Irish medical and nursing students using trained SPE's and a previously validated global rating scale for CCS.

Methods

Eight tutors from the Schools of Nursing and Medicine at University College Cork were trained in the use of a validated communication skills and attitudes holistic assessment tool. A total of forty six medical students (Year 2 of 5) and sixty four nursing students (Year 2/3 of 4) were selected to under go individual CCS assessment by the tutors via an SPE led scenario. Immediate formative feedback was provided by the SPE's for the students. Students who did not pass the assessment were referred for remediation CCS learning.

Results

Almost three quarters of medical students (33/46; 72%) and 81% of nursing students (56/64) passed the CCS assessment in both communication and attitudes categories. All nursing students had English as their first language. Nine of thirteen medical students referred for enhanced learning in CCS did not have English as their first language.

Conclusions

A significant proportion of both medical and nursing students required referral for enhanced training in CCS. Medical students requiring enhanced training were more likely not to have English as a first language.     

医学与师范专业大学生互动性健康素养差异比较分析

目的为了解医学生与师范生健康素养的差异。方法采用中国青少年互动性健康素养问卷对472名医学生和323名师范生进行问卷调查。结果医学生在人际关系维度(t=3.126,P=0.002)、营养情况维度(t=2.314,P=0.021)得分高于师范生,在体力活动维度得分低于师范生(t=-3.504,P<0.001),差异具有统计学意义;城市生源地大学生健康素养高于农村生源大学生(t=3.097,P=0.002),月生活费2 000元以上的大学生互动性健康素养最好(F=67.949,P<0.001),差异具有统计学意义;不同性别、年级大学生量表总分差异不具有统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论医学生与师范生在互动性健康素养方面存在欠缺,高校应有针对性的开展相关知识教育。     

Suicidal ideation among medical students and young physicians: a nationwide and prospective study of prevalence and predictors

BACKGROUND: Despite an increased risk of suicide among physicians we lack studies on prevalence and predictors of suicidal ideation among medical students and young doctors. METHOD: A prospective study of Norwegian medical students (n=522) re-examined after the first postgraduate year, comprising suicidal thoughts and attempts, perceived study stress, job stress, and personality. RESULTS: The previous year prevalence of suicidal thoughts was 14% at both points of time. The lifetime prevalence was 43%, while 8% had planned suicide, and 1.4% had attempted suicide. Suicidal ideation in medical school was predicted by lack of control, personality trait, single marital status, negative life events and mental distress (anxiety and depression). In the first postgraduate year, mental distress was the most important predictor, but before controlling for this variable, job stress, vulnerability (neuroticism), single status, and less working hours were independent predictors. Prospectively, suicidal thoughts and vulnerability as student predicted postgraduate suicidal ideation. CONCLUSIONS: The level of suicidal thoughts was high, but the level of attempts was low. Clinical implications: Preventive efforts should be directed both at the students' abilities to cope with stress and at mental health services for young doctors. LIMITATIONS OF STUDY: The lower response rate at follow-up (57%) may reduce external validity.     

Effects of medical education on attitudes towards mental illness among medical students: a five-year follow-up study

In order to clarify the effects of medical education on attitudes towards mental illness among medical students, a follow-up study was conducted. All 100 students entering Kochi Medical School in 1988 were subjects. The initial questionnaire survey was conducted in 1988, and followed up in 1993. Response rate was 69% in the initial survey, and 83% in the follow-up study. By the time of the follow-up, all of the students had completed their medical education, including courses in psychiatry and mental health. Results were as follows: At the follow-up study, 1) a significantly higher percentage of students replied that they accepted the mentally ill as co-workers; 2) significantly favorable changes were observed in attitudes towards psychiatric services; 3) optimism about the effectiveness of treatment for mental illness at an early stage and prevention of mental illness had decreased; and 4) no change was observed in attitudes toward human rights of the mentally ill, except in the case of one item stating that the mentally ill should not have children in order to avoid hereditary handicaps, with which a lower percentage agreed. Conclusively, medical education can play an important role in attitudes towards mental illness.     

A comparison of the prevalence of sensitization to Aspergillus antigens among asthmatics in Cleveland and London

A survey of the frequency of sensitization to Aspergillus antigens was conducted in a group of asthmatics in Cleveland and compared with a group of asthmatics in London, using common antigens for testing purposes. The two groups were comparable except for earlier onset, longer duration of asthma, and a larger number of males in the London group. Twenty-eight per cent of the asthmatics from Cleveland and 23% from London had immediate skin reactivity to Aspergillus. Seven and one-half percent from the Cleveland group and 10.5% of the London group had Aspergillus precipitins in the serum. Aspergillus skin test reactivity was related to the severity of airways obstruction (p < 0.01) but was not influenced by other factors. We conclude that sensitization to Aspergillus antigens occur with equal frequency in both the United States and the United Kingdom.     

Social media use,habits and attitudes toward e-professionalism among medicine and dental medicine students: a quantitative cross-sectional study

AimTo describe and compare social media (SM) use and habits, and attitudes of medical and dental students toward e-professionalism and to determine their opinion on potentially unprofessional behavior and posts.MethodsIn this quantitative cross-sectional questionnaire study, students of the University of Zagreb School of Medicine and those of the School of Dental Medicine completed a survey-specific questionnaire on the use of SM, SM habits, and attitudes toward e-professionalism.ResultsOf the 714 collected questionnaires, we analyzed 698 (411 from medical and 287 from dental students). The most commonly used SM were Facebook (99%) and Instagram (80.7%). Unprofessional content was recognized by both groups. Medical students significantly more frequently considered the posts containing patient photos (61% vs 89.8%; P < 0.001), describing interaction with a patient not revealing any personal identifiable information (23% vs 41.8%; P < 0.001), and containing critical comments about faculty (53% vs 39.7%; P = 0.001) to be unprofessional. Dental medicine students were significantly more open to communication through SM (39.7% vs 16.3%; P < 0.001), more often reported that they would accept (41.5% vs 12.2%; P < 0.001), and had accepted (28.2% vs 5.6%; P < 0.001) friend requests/follows/tracks from patients, and sent friend requests/follows/tracks to their patients (5.2% vs 1.2%; P = 0.002).ConclusionBoth groups were highly aware of e-professionalism. Dental students were more desensitized to visual representations of patients, and more prone to SM interactions with patients, which might expose them to the risk of unprofessional behavior.

Social media (SM) use has increased among health professionals of all levels (1). Kaplan et al defined SM as “various forms of media content that are publicly available and created by end-users” (2). On SM, users post content and interact frequently and abundantly. Individuals generally use SM to cultivate interpersonal relationships, to establish and promote a real or semi-real self-image, and to access entertaining and educational content (3). The student population is at the forefront of this technological trend and has been immersed in this media form for the majority of their lives.Professional behavior online is paramount for health professionals as violating the strict ethical and legal boundaries may result in board disciplinary proceedings, monetary fines, and even license restrictions or suspensions (4,5). The term “e-professionalism” was defined as “attitudes and behaviors (some of which may occur in private settings) reflecting traditional professionalism paradigms that are manifested through digital media” (6).Patients are also increasingly active online, searching the internet for health-related information and information about health providers (7). As online activity is digitally recorded and stored, the “digital footprint” is impossible to erase (8). With both the student and patient population being present on SM, interaction is inevitable. Although students are not yet health professionals, they should obey the same ethical and professional rules as health professionals do. This combination of factors presents a possible concern because of the unclear boundaries of SM interaction and uncontrolled audience. It is necessary to understand students’ use of SM, as well as their SM habits and attitudes toward SM. The student population has a higher prevalence of worrying use of SM sites, and the problem was linked with lower scores of subjective well-being (9). Health care educators also expressed interest and worry in these matters (10,11).Although medicine and dental medicine are similar professions, they differ in some aspects. Dentistry has become more business-driven, and practitioners have to balance between clinical and commercial motives (12). This can affect the students'' motivation to choose one of these professions, which can also lead to different habits and attitudes of medical and dental students on SM (13,14).Both medical and dental students are aware of the standards online professional behavior, but serious transgressions (postings of alcohol abuse, drug use, negative posts regarding persons gender/race/disability, etc) have been identified in both groups (15,16). No studies so far directly compared these two student populations. As these two professions collaborate in joined private and public practices, and will interact with peers, superiors, and patients on SM in the future, it is important to understand the similarities and differences in their SM habits and attitudes on professional behavior on SM. In addition, it is essential to create guidelines and form curriculum-integrated educational content that suits their views and understanding of e-professionalism. The aims of this study were to describe and compare SM use and habits by medical and dental students. We also compared their attitudes on e-professionalism and assessed their opinion on potentially unprofessional behavior on SM.