scholarly journals Educating Health Science Students About Peace through Health Topic; A Panel Discussion

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (4Suppl1) ◽  
pp. S60-S61
Author(s):  
Mitra Amini ◽  
Mesbah Shams ◽  
Mohammad Bagher Khosravi ◽  
Anneli Milen ◽  
Neil Arya

This report describes an experience of the first international health for peace conference held in November 2018 in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. This paper discusses the panel on peace education in medical and paramedical schools and the way for the future.

Author(s):  
Jonas Montvidas ◽  
Milda Basevičiūtė ◽  
Kamilė Burokaitė ◽  
Virginija Adomaitienė ◽  
Sigita Lesinskienė

(1) Background: the relationship between the psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is understudied. Moreover, health science students are the future leaders and advocates of vaccination efforts. Therefore, it is essential to understand the origins of vaccine hesitancy and evaluate if the adverse psychosocial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic influence it. (2) Methods: we shared an anonymous questionnaire among health-science students via institutional emails of two Lithuanian universities. Results were summarized with odds ratios and mean differences. (3) Results: a total of 1545 health sciences students answered the questionnaire. Almost a fifth of the respondents claimed that they were unsure about getting vaccinated, and nearly one out of ten claimed that they would not get vaccinated. Medicine students, non-infected students, and students who volunteered in a COVID-19 ward were significantly more willing to get vaccinated compared to other health science students. Vaccine hesitant respondents reported a more significant negative effect of COVID-19 on their income and belief in the future. (4) Conclusions: the results of this study showed that negative psychosocial impact on income and ‘belief in future’ were positively associated with vaccine hesitancy. Having been diagnosed with COVID-19 was significantly associated with being doubtful towards vaccination.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-43
Author(s):  
Joy Cayetano-Penman ◽  
Gulzar Malik ◽  
Kerry Hampton ◽  
Yaping Zhong

International health science students face many challenges at the beginning of their courses, including a lack of awareness of cultural differences, adjusting to academic expectations, communication difficulties, clinical placement challenges, financial pressures, maintaining cultural and religious practices, discrimination, and emotions such as loneliness and being homesick. This study aims to assist beginning international students enrolled in health sciences programs to adapt to university life and achieve academic success by expanding their coping abilities and self- management strategies. A survey approach was used to evaluate the pilot program named EMPOWERMENT. All first-year international students who participated in the EMPOWERMENT program were invited to complete a post-training questionnaire after the program. The results revealed that increased resilience and improved skills to manage stress were the most frequently reported outcomes of the program. In acquiring these important skills, the students valued the opportunity to share their experiences and learn from each other.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bongekile T. Dlamini ◽  
Mduduzi Colani Shongwe

The female condom (FC), also known as the femidom, has been on the market since 1993, however, its use remains limited in many parts of southern Africa, including in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland). There is a dearth of literature on the reasons for the limited use of the FC, especially from the perspective of health science students who would otherwise be expected to be knowledgeable about and have favourable attitudes to it. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the barriers to FC use among undergraduate health science students at a selected tertiary institution in Eswatini. A qualitative, exploratory descriptive study was conducted among nine conveniently sampled, unmarried undergraduate students at a selected tertiary institution in the Hhohho region in Mbabane, Eswatini. Responses to an unstructured interview guide, using in-depth interviews were analysed thematically following Creswell’s steps of qualitative data analysis. Five themes emerged from the data: (1) inadequate knowledge about the FC, (2) the FC hinders sexual pleasure, (3) insertion of the FC is time-consuming and uncomfortable, (4) the FC is bigger than the vagina, and (5) fear of being labelled “promiscuous”. Generally, the participants stated that they did not use the FC because of societal myths. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen health education campaigns for the femidom to clear the myths and misconceptions that limit its use.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Leticia Salazar Preciado ◽  
Sally Haack ◽  
Luis Renee González Lucano ◽  
Ricardo Javier Díaz Domínguez ◽  
Inbal Mazar

BACKGROUND COVID-19 represents a major global health crisis and has resulted in drastic changes to daily life. While even prior to the start of the pandemic college students had a high prevalence of mental health conditions, this group is even more at risk during the pandemic. OBJECTIVE To investigate the emotional impact of quarantine and transition to remote learning on health science students from two countries, regarding anxiety prevalence, mental wellbeing and coping behaviors during the first month of the COVID-19 outbreak. METHODS A total of 28 students from Tecnologico de Monterrey (TEC) in Guadalajara, Mexico and 19 students from Drake University (Drake) in Iowa, United States participated in the study. All students were studying health sciences, including degree programs such as medicine, pharmacy, and nutrition and wellness. This longitudinal study assessed students’ immediate psychological response during the COVID-19 pandemic by using an anonymous online questionnaire administered in April and again in May 2020. The survey was created to assess anxiety levels, coping mechanisms, and changes in daily habits. Demographics such as gender, age, non-academic working, living arrangements, household size, and number of roommates/co-habitants were also collected. RESULTS The April survey sample included 47 students and the May survey sample included 41 students. At least 50% of respondents were females, 20 to 21 years of age. The April survey results showed that more TEC students rated their food intake as higher than before the pandemic when compared to Drake students (p=0.032). Alcohol consumption reportedly stayed the same for Drake students and was lower for TEC students (p=0.004). The May survey results showed a statistically significant difference only for the alcohol consumption (p<0.001). Sleep time between April and May in TEC students showed a significant statistical difference, with students reporting less sleep time in May (p=0.016). The analysis for the level of anxiety according to the Beck Anxiety Inventory showed no statistically significant differences, neither when comparing between intra (TEC p=0.189 and Drake p=0.879) and inter group survey times (TEC vs Drake in April p=0.919 and TEC vs Drake in May p=0.305). The most common physical symptoms reported by students during both study periods were: feeling hot, nervous, fear of losing control, inability to relax, and fear of the worst happening. CONCLUSIONS There is growing concern surrounding the mental health status and needs of health science students during the pandemic. It is important to monitor changes in students’ mental health in response to the pandemic and to create interventions that target students appropriately.


2011 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiza do Nascimento Ghizoni Pereira ◽  
Fabiana Schuelter Trevisol ◽  
João Quevedo ◽  
Luciano Kurtz Jornada

OBJECTIVES: To analyze eating disorders among female university students and to assess the frequency of bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and inappropriate weight loss strategies in this population. METHODS: The sample comprised 214 female university students attending different health science programs at a university in southern Brazil, aged over 18 years, assessed using self-administered questionnaires. The 26-item version of the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Bulimic Investigatory Test, Edinburgh (BITE), and a supplementary questionnaire covering data on weight status and inappropriate weight loss strategies were used to assess dietary abnormalities. RESULTS: Mean age (± standard deviation) was 21±9.93 years, and mean body mass index (BMI) was 21.1±2.59. Among the respondents, 72.9% said they would like to weigh less, 29% reported the use of different weight loss methods (diuretics were the most common, followed by laxatives, amphetamine-derived drugs, and self-induced vomiting). With regard to EAT-26 scores, 22.4% (95%CI 17.7-27.1) revealed abnormal feeding patterns; BITE indicated that 9.8% (95%CI 6.5-13.1) were at risk for developing bulimia and 36.9% (95%CI 31.5-42.3) required clinical evaluation. Mean BMI was lower among students with normal scores on both tests, but no association was found between BMI and satisfaction with own weight. CONCLUSION: There was a strong trend toward eating disorders in the health science students assessed, as demonstrated by EAT-26 and BITE scores; inadequate weight loss strategies are frequently used as well.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Mishra ◽  
J. Lamichhane

Background: Sexual harassment on public transport is an everyday occurrence for millions of girls and women around the globe. With the skyrocketing population of Kathmandu valley public transport has been facing enormous pressure. The major victims of these harassments happens to be college going girls and working women as they tend to travel more in public transports. This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors responsible for sexual harassment in public transport among female health science students.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 396 female health science students studying in Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences using self-administered structured questionnaire. Participants were selected through stratified random sampling method.Results: The prevalence of sexual harassment among female health science students was found to be 79.6%. Physical harassment was the most prominent type of harassment (67.1%) followed by verbal (61.2%) and non verbal 34.6%. After the experience of sexual harassment, 44.6% scolded the harasser, 29.1% kept silent, 17.3% dropped at nearest bus station whereas remaining 9% reacted in other different ways. Overcrowding was considered as main reason for sexual harassment by 69.2% of the participants. 36.8% of female students didn’t use any precautionary methods whereas 32.6% avoided going out alone at night.Conclusion: The study reveals that the prevalence of sexual harassment is significantly high. With increasing population and limited vehicles people are left with no option rather than travelling in the overcrowded vehicles where the chances of experiencing various sorts of sexual harassments are very high. In order to address this emerging issue, prompt and appropriate intervention should be taken by government, public and especially the status of women must be raised in society.JMMIHS.2018;4(1):20-32


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