Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Abstract BACKGROUND: There is growing recognition of the role of mobile learning (M‑learning) for
undergraduate (UG) academic education and teaching purposes, but teacher attitudes toward it
can be variable.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the attitudes toward the incorporation of M‑learning methods for UG
medical education among resident doctors at a government medical college in Delhi, India.
METHODS: A cross‑sectional study was conducted for 3‑months duration (2019) among 60 final
year junior and senior resident doctors. The participants were selected from all the preclinical and
paraclinical department, and one clinical department selected randomly based on the probability
proportion to size method. The data was collected using self‑administered instruments including the
modified 20‑item M‑learning Perception Scale (MLPS).
RESULTS: Social media (36.7%) and instant messaging platforms (85%) were routinely used by the
participants for exchanging academic (medical) and health‑related information. The mean score for all
the MLPS item responses was >3, indicating positive attitudes toward M‑Learning. The participants
expressed maximum agreement with the views stating M‑Learning can “supplement traditional
teaching,” was “reliable for personal use,” and “improves the quality of lessons.” The responses of
those participants having preexisting familiarity with health information and education portals, and
those aware of massive open online courses correlated significantly with higher MLPS scores.
CONCLUSION: M‑learning is visualized as an increasingly relevant teaching and learning medium
by early‑career resident doctors involved in UG medical education in India.

Abstract BACKGROUND: Over 1 billion young people globally are at risk of hearing loss and road traffic
accidents due to unsafe listening practices while using personal audio devices  (PADs). Rapid
proliferation of mobile phones with built‑in music playback facility has rendered nearly universal PAD
access. The objective of this study was to ascertain the knowledge of risks and patterns of usage of
PADs among medical undergraduate students in Delhi, India.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among medical students]
aged ≥18  years. Data were collected using a pretested self‑administered questionnaire during
December 2016–May 2017. Chi‑square test was used to find an association between the categorical
variables.
RESULTS: A total of 255 male and 133 female students were enrolled (n = 388). Male students
used PADs with greater frequency and perceived lesser susceptibility to adverse health effects on
prolonged PAD usage compared to female students. However, volume preference for PAD usage
did not vary across gender. Self‑reported history of hearing loss and tinnitus which persisted for at
least 3 days in the previous 6 months was 10.6% and 6.4%, respectively. Nearly one in ten students
agreed to the possibility of crossing the road while listening to music on their PADs.
DISCUSSION: Unsafe music‑listening practices using PADs is potentially compromising the
health and safety of young people in India. Strategic approaches supporting information education
communication activities for promoting awareness of hearing and health risks related to prolonged
PAD use at loud volumes and enactment of policies restricting undesirable PAD usage threatening
road safety need consideration.

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