Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Evaluation of Moroccan medical students’ experience of online learning during the COVID‑19 pandemic

. Narjisse Damoun; . Youssra Amekran; . Nora Taiek; . Abdelkader Jalil El hangouche

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2023, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, online learning has become the main method ofinstruction. This study aimed to evaluate Moroccan medical students’ perceptions of medical ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Due to the COVID‑19 pandemic, online learning has become the main method ofinstruction. This study aimed to evaluate Moroccan medical students’ perceptions of medical onlinelearning experience and to list its probable related advantages and barriers.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional study on 400 medical students randomly selectedfrom the different national medical institutions was conducted. A questionnaire evaluating the onlinelearning experience during the pandemic was distributed via institutional e‑mails. Statistical analyseswere carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).RESULTS: 51.2% of students were satisfied with the online learning experience and reported severalbenefits including no need to travel (35.8%), cost savings (20.7%), and flexibility of home studying(32.3%). Technical issues related to the use of platforms or internet connection, limited interactionbetween students and their instructors, and lack of motivation were the major barriers to online learning.Moreover, results also showed a significant difference when comparing the attendance frequency betweenpresential classes and online learning (i.e., before vs. during the COVID‑19 pandemic) (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS: The experience of medical online learning was reported in our study to be associatedto several advantages and disadvantages. Hence, students’ perceptions should be consideredto evaluate and improve the quality of this instructional method for a successful and more activeapproaches implementation.

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The live experience of coronavirus disease with emphasis on its psychological effects and consequences

. Morteza Omidian; . Amin Rahmati; . Seyedeh Samaneh Sepehrtaj

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2023, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the living experience of coronary patientsin Shiraz and the peak prevalence of the second stage in summer. This study could further ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the living experience of coronary patientsin Shiraz and the peak prevalence of the second stage in summer. This study could further examinethese experiences in broader groups in subsequent studies. Identifying the psychological causesand effects of this disease with the help of patients involved in some countries has been considered.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The method, which was used in this study, was a qualitative methodand content analysis. Participants in this study were 13 patients with COVID‑19, some of whomwere members of the medical staff. The participants were selected purposefully. The semi‑organizedinterview with the participants continued until the theoretical saturation was reached.RESULTS: After extracting the codes, researchers classify them, and then the results were examinedin more depth and categorized. About 120 extracted codes were classified into seven generalcategories; three of them were directly related to psychological issues. The other four of them wererelated to the subject of psychological effects and consequences.CONCLUSION: In general, during the interview process, it was proved that the more severe thesymptoms of the disease, the psychological experiences of confronting the disease because of itsoutbreak, and the processes of coping with it were deeper.

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The use of medicinal plants in the prevention of COVID‑19 using the Health Belief Model: A survey based on the Iranian population

. Masoomeh Latifi; . Fatemeh Maraki; . Mohammad‑Javad Parvaresh; . Mohammadreza Zarei; . Leili Allabakhshian

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2023, , Pages 1-9

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Because of the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19), the preventivemeasures have increased, such as focusing on the use of medicinal plants in most communities,including ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Because of the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19), the preventivemeasures have increased, such as focusing on the use of medicinal plants in most communities,including Iran. The purpose of this study was to identify the knowledge, attitude, and performance ofindividuals toward the use of medicinal plants and to identify the predictors of the use of medicinalplants in the prevention of COVID‑19.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive‑analytical study (February–April 2021) was performedon 3840 Iranian men and women aged 20–70 years selected as a multi‑stage cluster study. At thefirst stage, all provinces were divided into five regions: North, South, East, West, and Center. In thesecond stage, a provincial center and a city were randomly selected from each region (North: Sari,Babol; South: Bushehr, Bandar Genaveh; East: Mashhad, Sabzevar; West: Hamedan, Toisarkan;Center: Yazd, Ardakan). Data were collected by a researcher‑made scale based on the HealthBelief Model (HBM). Data analysis was performed applying Pearson correlation coefficient, logisticregression, and linear regression.RESULTS: The results showed that people have relatively high knowledge and positive attitude towardthe use of medicinal plants in prevention of COVID‑19. The most important reason for positive attitudewas the perceived benefits with the mean of 75.06%. Also, half of the people had poor performance.Correlation coefficient showed that the use of medicinal plants with perceived sensitivity (p = 0.000,r = 0.3), perceived benefits (p = 0.012, r = 0.126), perceived barriers (p = 0.000, r = 0.179), andperceived self‑efficacy (p = 0.000, r = 0.305) had a significant correlation. The strongest correlationbetween perceived self‑efficacy was observed with the use of herbs in prevention of COVID‑19. TheHBM constructs can predict 26% of the variance for the use of medicinal plants in the preventionof COVID‑19, among which perceived self‑efficacy (β = 0.230) was the most powerful predictor.CONCLUSION: Based on the results, the predictive role of self‑efficacy constructs for the use ofmedicinal plants in prevention of COVID‑19 has been confirmed according to the HBM. Therefore,methods of increasing self‑efficacy such as training programs and providing appropriate interventionmodels can be used not only as promoters of using medicinal plants in prevention of COVID‑19 butalso for improving people’s performance in the proper use of medicinal plants.

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COVID‑19 vaccination acceptance and adherence among pregnant and lactating high‑risk group individuals of Maharashtra State, India

. Vaibhav Kumar; . Yashashree Patil; . Romi Jain; . Nikhil Bhanushali; . Ketaki Gaonkar; . Jobsy Ciby

Volume 13, Issue 1 , January 2023, , Pages 1-9

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the release of the COVID (Corona VirusDisease)‑19 vaccine was highly anticipated. Nevertheless, vaccine availability does not symbolize ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the release of the COVID (Corona VirusDisease)‑19 vaccine was highly anticipated. Nevertheless, vaccine availability does not symbolize theend of pandemic due to ongoing vaccine hesitancy and anti‑vaccination movements. The objectiveof this study is to evaluate COVID‑19 vaccine acceptance among pregnant and lactating individualsin Maharashtra state, India.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross‑sectional study was conducted via a hybridapproach using various digital portals such as Whatsapp, telegram, and physical distribution to thosewho did not have access to smartphone devices. A probability proportional sampling strategy wasdeployed. A pre‑validated structured self‑administered questionnaire tool designed by Freeman et al.2020 (Oxford COVID‑19 vaccine hesitancy scale) was used, which consisted of seven close‑endedtargeted and focused questions. Analysis of several survey items and vaccine acceptance wasconducted using the Chi‑square test.RESULTS: Analysis revealed that 58% of individuals were willing to take vaccines after governmentapproval and 26% of individuals showed hesitancy toward vaccination. When compared, lactatingindividuals showed less vaccine hesitancy (22%) than pregnant individuals (27%). The maximumvaccine hesitancy was observed in the third trimester of pregnancy (29.5%).CONCLUSIONS: Trust in vaccines is a crucial factor and is dependent on the ability of the governmentin promoting vaccines through effective communication; this can be one of the reasons for the highlevel of acceptance and awareness toward COVID‑19 vaccination in this study.

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Impact of social media on mental health of the general population during Covid‑19 pandemic: A systematic review

. Uma Phalswal; . Vani Pujari; . Rasmita Sethi; . Ranjana Verma

Volume 13, Issue 1 , January 2023, , Pages 1-12

Abstract

  During the COVID‑19 pandemic, people are using social media more than usual routine because theyrely on online sources to seek health information for themselves and their loved ones. ...  Read More During the COVID‑19 pandemic, people are using social media more than usual routine because theyrely on online sources to seek health information for themselves and their loved ones. The spread ofinaccurate and misleading information via social media has a number of detrimental psychologicaleffects on members of society. The aim of this systematic review was to describe the impact of socialmedia on the mental health of the general population. An extensive systematic search was done till thelast month of 2021 for collecting the evidence using the PRISMA technique. The search was mainlyfocused on the article leading with keywords and search engines used during the course of the studywere Pubmed, Semantic Scholar, Mendeley, and Science direct. Articles for this study were selectedbased on the predetermined eligibility criteria and performed quality assessment by using the NHLBIquality assessment tool. Most of the studies included in this review are found fair (score between9 and 12) quality. Out of 866 publications, 533 articles were included in the initial screening, afterduplication removal 46 full‑text articles were assessed for eligibility and 14 studies were selected forsystematic review. In most of the studies, maximum participants used social media as a primary sourceof information. Relatively high rates of symptoms of depression (14.14% to 48.3%), anxiety (7.4% to47.82%), and prevalence of stress increased to 37.67% are reported after exposure to social mediafor coverage of COVID‑19 news in the general population. Risk factors of psychological distress areassociated with female gender, younger age group, marital status, staying alone, and duration ofexposure to mass media. Increased exposure to COVID‑19 information through mass/social mediais associated with highly significant levels of psychological health issues; mitigating the hazardouseffect of social media exposure during the COVID‑19 pandemic on the psychological health of thegeneral population is an international public health priority.

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Predicting intubation risk among COVID‑19 hospitalized patients using artificial neural networks

. Raoof Nopour; . Mostafa Shanbezadeh; . Hadi Kazemi-Arpanahi

Volume 13, Issue 1 , January 2023, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Accurately predicting the intubation risk in COVID‑19 patients at the admissiontime is critical to optimal use of limited hospital resources, providing customized and ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Accurately predicting the intubation risk in COVID‑19 patients at the admissiontime is critical to optimal use of limited hospital resources, providing customized and evidence‑basedtreatments, and improving the quality of delivered medical care services. This study aimed to designa statistical algorithm to select the best features influencing intubation prediction in coronavirusdisease 2019 (COVID‑19) hospitalized patients. Then, using selected features, multiple artificialneural network (ANN) configurations were developed to predict intubation risk.MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective single‑center study, a dataset containing 482COVID‑19 patients who were hospitalized between February 9, 2020 and July 20, 2021 was used. First,the Phi correlation coefficient method was performed for selecting the most important features affectingCOVID‑19 patients’ intubation. Then, the different configurations of ANN were developed. Finally,the performance of ANN configurations was assessed using several evaluation metrics, and the beststructure was determined for predicting intubation requirements among hospitalized COVID‑19 patients.RESULTS: The ANN models were developed based on 18 validated features. The results indicatedthat the best performance belongs to the 18‑20‑1 ANN configuration with positive predictive value(PPV) = 0.907, negative predictive value (NPV) = 0.941, sensitivity = 0.898, specificity = 0.951, andarea under curve (AUC) = 0.906.CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the ANN models for timely and reliableprediction of intubation risk in COVID‑19 hospitalized patients. Our models can inform clinicians andthose involved in policymaking and decision making for prioritizing restricted mechanical ventilationand other related resources for critically COVID‑19 patients.

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Development and validation of structured training module for healthcare workers involved in managing pediatric patients during COVID‑19 pandemic using “Objective Structured Clinical Examination” (OSCE)

. Rachna Pasi; . Thirunavukkarasu Arun Babu; . Vinoth Kumar Kalidoss

Volume 13, Issue 1 , January 2023, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: COVID‑19 (Coronavirus disease‑19) is an ongoing pandemic. COVID vaccineadministration in adults has provided some degree of protection from infection but children are ...  Read More BACKGROUND: COVID‑19 (Coronavirus disease‑19) is an ongoing pandemic. COVID vaccineadministration in adults has provided some degree of protection from infection but children are stillsusceptible So, we have to be prepared to handle COVID‑19 infection in children by training ourhealthcare workers by updating both their knowledge and skills. We developed a training module totrain our healthcare workers in all domains of learning and also planned related assessment methodsto know the effectiveness of the module.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a quasi‑experimental study with pre‑ and post‑interventionconducted at a tertiary‑level teaching medical college in southern India from July to September 2021.The training module was developed as per the “ADDIE” model of the development process module.It was further validated by five experts before implementation. In addition to the quasi‑experimentalmethod of evaluation like pre‑ and post‑test, Observed Skill clinical examination (OSCE) had beenalso used as an assessment tool at the completion of training. A total of 92 participants have beentrained as per this module in our tertiary‑level care hospital. The association between continuousand categorical variables was assessed using an independent t‑test and ANOVA, and paired t‑testwas used for comparing the difference between pre‑ and post‑test scores.RESULTS: Pre‑test scores had no association with years of experience (P = 0.803) and previoustraining status of participants (P = 0.350). The mean difference of pre‑ and post‑test scores was 3.8and it was statistically significant (P value < 0.001) A weak positive correlation between pre‑ andpost‑test was present by the Spearmen correlation test (r = 0.337). The correlation between post‑testscore and OSCE score does not have a significant correlation.CONCLUSION: Structured training module was effective in training the participants. Multimodeassessment method (Pre‑test, Post‑test, and OSCE) is an important step to evaluate any trainingprogram as compared to only the pre‑ and post‑test methods of evaluation.

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Agreement for diagnosis of depression and anxiety between self‑assessment with e‑questionnaire and psychiatric telephone interview among post‑COVID‑19 patients

. Shahrzad Mazhari; . Abdolreza Sabah; . Hoda Gilanipour; . Sareh Keshvardoost

Volume 12, Issue 11 , December 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are common amongindividuals who have experienced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19); however, diagnosis maybe ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Psychological disorders, such as depression and anxiety, are common amongindividuals who have experienced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19); however, diagnosis maybe challenging and subjected to invalidity. This study aimed to examine agreement between onlineself‑assessment and psychiatric telephone interview among COVID‑19 survivors.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional descriptive study was carried out from Marchto June 2021 in Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman, Iran. The inpatients confirmed with COVID‑19 werecontacted within the first week after discharge and were asked to fill the Hospital Anxiety andDepression scale (HADS) and socio‑demography questionnaire. They were later interviewed usingHamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM‑D) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM‑A). Agreementbetween the data extracted from self‑report and telephone interview was analyzed using Cohen’skappa coefficient, sensitivity, and specificity.RESULTS: Out of 200 post‑COVID patients, 60 participants completed all assessments. Prevalenceof depression was observed to be 88% via telephone interview and 45% via self‑assessment.Moreover, 83% of the participants were diagnosed with anxiety according to the telephone interview,in comparison to 31% diagnosed with anxiety using self‑report questionnaire. The agreement betweenonline self‑assessment and telephone interview for depression and anxiety was not significant(κ = 0.08 and κ = 0.1, respectively).CONCLUSION: The discordance between online self‑report and clinician’s assessment via phonecontact interview indicates that using self‑report evaluations is not sufficient as the single assessmenttool for mental health monitoring and reflects the need to employ multiple assessments for diagnosisof psychiatric problems in pandemics.

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Assessment of the efficacy of a video‑based hybrid teaching module of oxygen therapy and critical care area troubleshooting in nursing professionals managing COVID‑19 patients

. Mridul Dhar; . Sameer Sharma; . Hemanthkumar K; . Shalinee Rao

Volume 12, Issue 11 , December 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Video‑based teaching has become rapidly popular during the coronavirus disease2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic. The current study aimed to assess the efficacy of a hybrid video‑basedteaching ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Video‑based teaching has become rapidly popular during the coronavirus disease2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic. The current study aimed to assess the efficacy of a hybrid video‑basedteaching module of oxygen therapy and critical care troubleshooting in nursing professionals managingCOVID‑19 patients in our institute.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analytical study (pretest and posttest design) wasconducted in our medical education department in March 2022 using the data from a workshopconducted on oxygen therapy and critical care area troubleshooting during COVID‑19 patientmanagement for 296 nursing professionals. A hybrid video‑based teaching module was used. Pretestand posttest data were compared along with subgroup analysis. P value <0.05 was consideredsignificant.RESULTS: Posttest scores were significantly higher than the baseline scores in the overall groupas well as in all subgroups (P < 0.001). Subgroup comparisons revealed no significant differencein mean baseline pretest and posttest scores in male versus female participants. Baseline pretestscores (P = 0.02) and posttest scores (P = 0.08) were lower in the nurses of the noncritical areascompared to critical area nurses. Mean improvement in posttest score compared to baseline scorewas similar between all groups.CONCLUSION: Hybrid technique involving both video aspects and in‑person teacher presencefor demonstration or troubleshooting improves perceived knowledge in nursing professionals withsome prior formal training and may be superior to the conventional only didactic/lecture‑baseddemonstrations, especially in the context of imparting rapid training during pandemics or similarurgent situations.

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Correlations of resilience with coping strategies, and the underlying factors in the nurses working in COVID‑19 hospitals

. Fatemeh Ruhabadi; . Abdolghader Assarroudi; . Neda Mahdavifar; . Mostafa Rad

Volume 12, Issue 11 , December 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: As the core of a health‑care team, nurses play a key role in promoting communityhealth, and their job involves witnessing human suffering and pain in health‑care settings. ...  Read More BACKGROUND: As the core of a health‑care team, nurses play a key role in promoting communityhealth, and their job involves witnessing human suffering and pain in health‑care settings. The presentstudy aimed to evaluate the correlations between resilience coping strategies, and the underlyingfactors in the nurses working in COVID‑19 hospitals.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive, cross‑sectional study was conducted on 320 nursesworking in COVID‑19 wards for a minimum of 6 months in 2021. The participants were selectedvia multistage sampling. Data were collected using demographic, resilience, and coping strategyinstruments. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 20.RESULTS: The mean resilience score was 76.94 ± 11.33. The mean scores of emotion‑focusedand problem‑focused strategies were 59.65 ± 4.40 and 96.08 ± 5.38, respectively. The assessmentof the correlation between resilience with the emotion‑focused and problem‑focused strategiesshowed a positive significant correlation (r = 0.25; P < 0.001 and r = 0.33; P < 0.001, respectively).CONCLUSION: According to the results, the nurses working in COVID‑19 wards mostly adoptedproblem‑focused strategies in difficult work conditions depending on the required care provision.Both coping strategies significantly affected the subscales of resilience in the nurses. Therefore, it isrecommended that special attention be paid to teaching strategies to cope with anxiety and resilienceand develop problem‑solving skills in nursing personnel during the emergence and outbreak of newdiseases in order to reduce their anxiety.

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Identifying the preparedness components in COVID‑19: Systematic literature review

. Pooneh Maziar; . Ali Maher; . Khalil Alimohammadzadeh; . Mehrnoosh Jafari; . Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini

Volume 12, Issue 10 , November 2022, , Pages 1-19

Abstract

  In 2019, the COVID‑19 pandemic posed a major challenge to the world. Since the world is constantlyexposed to communicable diseases, comprehensive preparedness of countries is required. ...  Read More In 2019, the COVID‑19 pandemic posed a major challenge to the world. Since the world is constantlyexposed to communicable diseases, comprehensive preparedness of countries is required. Therefore,the present systematic review is aimed at identifying the preparedness components in COVID‑19. Inthis systematic literature review, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Science Direct, IranMedex, Magiran, and Scientific Information Database were searched from 2019 to 2021 to identifypreparedness components in COVID‑19. Thematic content analysis method was employed for dataanalysis. Out of 11,126 journals retrieved from searches, 45 studies were included for data analysis.Based on the findings, the components of COVID‑19 preparedness were identified and discussed inthree categories: governance with three subcategories of characteristics, responsibilities, and rulesand regulations; society with two subcategories of culture and resilience; and services with threesubcategories of managed services, advanced technology, and prepared health services. Amongthese, the governance and its subcategories had the highest frequency in studies. Considering theneed to prepare for the next pandemic, countries should create clear and coherent structures andresponsibilities for crisis preparedness through legal mechanisms, strengthening the infrastructureof the health system, coordination between organizations through analysis and identification ofstakeholders, culture building and attracting social participation, and service management for aneffective response.

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The effect of educational intervention based on the self‑efficacy theory of high school students in adopting preventive behaviors of COVID‑19

. Zahra Rezaie; . Vahid Kohpeima Jahromi; . Vahid Rahmanian; . Nader Sharifi

Volume 12, Issue 10 , November 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The COVID‑19 pandemic has become a major problem for education systems. Thisstudy was conducted to investigate the effect of educational intervention based on the self‑efficacytheory ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The COVID‑19 pandemic has become a major problem for education systems. Thisstudy was conducted to investigate the effect of educational intervention based on the self‑efficacytheory of high‑school students in adopting preventive behaviors of COVID‑19.MATERIAL AND METHODS: This quasi‑experimental study was performed on Hazrat Zahra andShahed high‑school students in Jahrom (southern Iran) in 2021. In total, 160 students (80 each inthe intervention group and the control group) were selected by multistage random sampling. Datacollection tools included a demographic information questionnaire and self‑efficacy in adoptingpreventive behaviors from COVID‑19 researcher‑made questionnaire. Questionnaires were completedby all participants before and 3 months after the educational intervention. The educational interventionwas performed for 6 weeks by using an educational program based on Bandura self‑efficacy theory.The intervention was performed during 12 sessions of face‑to‑face training in the classroom (two 1‑hsessions per week), distributing educational packages and sending educational videos throughcyberspace. Data were analyzed using Chi‑square test, independent t test, paired t test, and linearregression.RESULTS: After the educational intervention, a significant difference was observed in the interventiongroup before and after the educational intervention (P = 0.018) and between the intervention and thecontrol groups (P = 0.001) in the self‑efficacy in adopting preventive behaviors from COVID‑19 score.Also, the average self‑efficacy score of students increased with an increase in parental educationlevel and a history of COVID‑19 in family members.CONCLUSION: Educational intervention based on self‑efficacy theory was shown as an effectivemethod to improve students’ self‑efficacy in adopting preventive behaviors from COVID‑19.

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COVID‑19 mental health challenges: A scoping review

. Sanjana Agrawal; . Sonal Dayama; . Abhiruchi Galhotra

Volume 12, Issue 10 , November 2022, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  The COVID‑19 pandemic has disordered the lives of millions in an unprecedented way. A state ofmental health crisis has emerged across the globe. The lifestyle and well‑being of ...  Read More The COVID‑19 pandemic has disordered the lives of millions in an unprecedented way. A state ofmental health crisis has emerged across the globe. The lifestyle and well‑being of the individual andsocial integrity have been adversely affected. One‑third of US citizens and one in five Indian citizenssuffer from depression due to this pandemic. This scoping review aimed to estimate the mental healthchallenges and their possible solutions in the recent two years (2020–2021). Our search strategyused search engines such as Medline, Google Scholar and PubMed. The search strategy used theMeSH keywords “Mental Health AND Covid‑19”. The findings emerged in the following key points:anxiety and depression, social isolation and quarantine, and vulnerable or high‑risk groups. Outof 216 articles screened, 20 were found eligible to meet the inclusion criteria. Most of the studiesfocused on psychological anxiety, stress and mental disorder during the pandemic. Psychosocialassessment and monitoring in the context of COVID‑19 should include inquiries about stressorsrelated to COVID‑19, like exposure to infected sources, infected family members, loss of loved ones,physical distance; secondary adverse events like economic loss, psychosocial effects like depression,anxiety, psychosomatic preoccupations, insomnia, increased substance use, domestic violence; andindicators of vulnerability like pre‑existing physical or psychological conditions.

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Correlation of the job turnover intention of Iranian nurses with job satisfaction and burnout in the COVID‑19 pandemic

. Maede Fasih Far; . Hamid Sharif Nia; . Abdolghader Assarroudi

Volume 12, Issue 10 , November 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The COVID‑19 pandemic has led to numerous psychological consequences and adrastic increase in the workload of nurses. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The COVID‑19 pandemic has led to numerous psychological consequences and adrastic increase in the workload of nurses. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation of thejob turnover intention of Iranian nurses with job satisfaction and burnout in the COVID‑19 pandemic.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional descriptive study was conducted on 300 nursesworking in the hospitals in Sabzevar, Iran from October 2020 to January 2021. Data were collectedusing the questionnaires of turnover intention, Spector job satisfaction, and Maslach burnout in aself‑report manner. Correlation analysis was used. Then, for assessing a predictive model used asimple linear regression and multiple linear regression analyses. Data analysis was performed usingSPSS version 24.RESULTS: The results showed that the variables of burnout and job satisfaction are effective onnurses’ willingness to job turnover. Furthermore, among the background variable, the findingsshowed that the economic status of nurses and the male gender of patients under their care canbe effective on nurses “job turnover intention and can be used as predictor variables of nurses” jobturnover intention.CONCLUSION: According to the results, special attention must be paid to the job satisfaction, burnout,and the economic situation (as a mediator variable) of nurses to prevent their job turnover in theCOVID‑19 pandemic. Therefore, it is recommended that health managers prevent the job turnoverintention of nurses in the COVID‑19 pandemic by taking psycho‑socio‑economic support measures.

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Beliefs and expectations on digital learning and examinations among adult learners of a tertiary level health‑care institution

. Binukumar Bhaskarapillai; . Rajeeb K. Mishra; . Girish N. Rao; . Radhakrishnan Govindan

Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) constrained the regular teaching ineducational institutions and hampered the teaching–learning process across the globe. E‑learningmethod ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) constrained the regular teaching ineducational institutions and hampered the teaching–learning process across the globe. E‑learningmethod is widely used in higher education in the current situation. the objective is to assess the beliefsand expectations of the students on e‑learning among adult learners of a tertiary level health‑careinstitution.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single group pre‑post design was adopted. Microsoft Go two‑in‑onedevices were used to find the effectiveness of e‑learning, including digital exam solution. Dependingon the availability of device, 25 participants were selected for the study from three different steams.A 5‑point Likert scale was used for assessing the quality, adoptability, and acceptance of digitaleducation developed by the researchers. Chi‑square/Fisher’s exact or McNemar’s test was used totest the association between independent or related categorical variables. Comparison of the averagescore between different courses was performed using the Kruskal–Wallis test.RESULTS: Twenty‑two participants who completed the final assessment were retained for theanalysis. Majority of the participants believed that e‑learning helps to achieve personal learninggoals or objectives and bridge skill or knowledge gaps and caters to learning preferences.However, the overall quality score across the study groups was found to be statistically insignificant(Kruskal–Wallis statistic: 1.26; P value: 0.533).CONCLUSION: The findings show that the adult learners in higher education, irrespective of theirage differences, believe that intense e‑learning support with Microsoft Go two‑in‑one device has acomplementary effect on their learning outcome.

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Telemedicine in lung cancer during COVID‑19 outbreak: A scoping review

. Ali Garavand; . Nasim Aslani; . Ali Behmanesh; . Roshanak Shams

Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  Abstract:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic has negatively affected the medical services,particularly cancer diagnosis and treatment, for vulnerable cancer patients. ...  Read More Abstract:The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‑19) pandemic has negatively affected the medical services,particularly cancer diagnosis and treatment, for vulnerable cancer patients. Although lung cancerhas a high mortality rate, monitoring and following up of these patients can help to improve diseasemanagement during the pandemic. Telemedicine has proven to be an effective method of providinghealth care to these patients. As a result, the purpose of this study was to identify telemedicineapplications in the management of lung cancer patients during the COVID‑19 pandemic. In this scopingreview, studies published in online scientific databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMedbetween January 1, 2020 and September 1, 2021 were systematically searched and screened. Thestudies were chosen using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The bibliometric informationand technological aspects of included studies were collected using a data extraction form and thedata was analyzed using the content analysis approach. A total of 68 articles were found, from whichfour articles were finally selected based on specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Real‑time consultationwas one of the most common applications of telemedicine to deliver health‑care services to cancerpatients. Health‑care providers used applications such as Zoom, Facetime, WeChat, and e‑mail,as well as devices including PCs, phones, and smartphones to provide real‑time consultation topatients via videoconferencing, phone calls, and messaging, as well as store and forward consultationvia e‑mail. Telemedicine in the COVID‑19 pandemic provides health‑care services to lung cancerpatients at their homes by enabling physicians and patients to communicate in real time. Severaltelemedicine services are still unavailable for patients with lung cancer. As a result, health experts,politicians, and entrepreneurs must pay special attention to this issue.

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Digital technology for facilitating inquiry‑based learning during the COVID pandemic for human anatomy course

. Neeraj Vedi; . Puja Dulloo; . Praveen Singh

Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-10

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Linking anatomy with the clinical approach for creating an inquisitive mind fora millennium via the digital platform is the need of the hour. Traditional lecturing makes ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Linking anatomy with the clinical approach for creating an inquisitive mind fora millennium via the digital platform is the need of the hour. Traditional lecturing makes studentshave rote memorization of the human anatomy. The inquiry‑based project will allow undergraduatemedical students to have a deeper understanding of human anatomy along with team building andinterpersonal skill development. This approach of teaching would allow students to link the contenttaught for human anatomy with its clinical applicability and probably generate inquisitiveness forfurther exploring the course content. The study aimed to appraise and assess the perception ofmedical students and faculty about the inquiry‑based digitalized project presentation.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross‑sectional study was conducted for inquiry‑basedproject presentation where students were divided into 15 groups with 15 inquiries, which werepresented as projects on a digital platform under the guidance of the facilitator. The perceptionof students and faculty for the inquiry‑based approach was collected using a validated surveyquestionnaire. The quantitative data were analyzed by SPSS‑version 15, using descriptive statistics,Friedman’s rank, and thematic analysis for qualitative data.RESULT: In total, 117 students participated in the pre‑test and 129 in the post‑test part of the study.Also, 79.1% of students appreciated that the inquiry‑based project presentation approach allowedthem to link anatomy with different courses; 73.6% agreed that this approach has a positive impacton their attitude toward learning anatomy. Then, 75.2% students appreciated of learning new skillsusing the digital platform. They agreed to have developed leadership (65.1%) and team‑buildingskills (83.7%) and self‑directed learning (SDL) improvement (71.3%). However, some students (9.3%)and faculty (16.7%) had been ostracized for presenting their inquiry‑based projects on a digitalplatform, whereas 65.1% of students appreciated this approach.CONCLUSION: Inquiry‑based learning approach would allow students to have a deeperunderstanding of the subject knowledge and skills for the SDL and learn strategies for the usage ofvirtual technology for literature search.

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An overview and analogy of pedagogical approaches in online–offline teaching tactics in COVD‑19 pandemic

. Vandana Daulatabad; . Prafull Kamble; . Nitin John; . Jyoti John

Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Learning helps acquire knowledge or skills. COVID‑19 outbreak severely affectedthe progress of education all across the globe. Pandemic‑induced alternative methods of ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Learning helps acquire knowledge or skills. COVID‑19 outbreak severely affectedthe progress of education all across the globe. Pandemic‑induced alternative methods of teachingpromoted the progress of online education. Hence, this study is undertaken to assess an overviewof teaching learning strategies in the COVID‑19 pandemic so as to explore the direction of medicaleducation and help perk up the teaching learning methods in medical education.MATERIAL AND METHODS: The cross‑sectional study involves first year medical undergraduatestudents of 2020–2021 batch studying at Dr.VMGMC, Solapur. It involves complete enumeration ofstudents of 2020-2021 batch. Due to the second wave of COVID‑19 pandemic hematology, classeswere continued and completed by the same faculty by online live teaching using Microsoft teams.As this being an online survey, it was ethically exempted. A comparison of questionnaires betweenoffline and online classes was done by using χ2 test and a P value less than 0.05 was consideredas significant. Quantitative data generated by the dichotomous question and five‑point Likert scalequestions were analyzed using descriptive statistics and frequency analysis. Out of 189 respondents,majority of students preferred traditional offline classes over online classes. Self‑directed learningwas feasible in both methods of teaching.DISCUSSION: Traditional offline classes were more interactive and enthusiastic than online classes.Offline classes helped students to revise, recollect, and reproduce necessary information as theirattention span was better in offline teaching than online teaching.CONCLUSION: Holistic understanding and better learning were experienced through traditionaloffline classes. Although teachers take double efforts for online teaching, the overall learning effectand impact of traditional offline classes were much better than online classes. It definitely motivatesandrgaogy and helps understand the concept on their own.

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Explaining the challenges of hospitals admitting COVID‑19 patients from the perspective of managers (a qualitative study)

. Seyed Saeed Tabatabaee; . Vahid Vatandoost; . Fatemeh Kokabi Saghi; . Elahe Daghighbin

Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-11

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Crises are often unavoidable events that occur around the world. Hospitals playan important role in treating patients and preventing extensive injuries in times of crisis, ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Crises are often unavoidable events that occur around the world. Hospitals playan important role in treating patients and preventing extensive injuries in times of crisis, requiringadequate preparedness. In order to design a proper planning system, it is essential to be aware ofthe challenges of hospitals during a crisis. The purpose of this study was to explain the challengesof hospitals admitting COVID‑19 patients in the city of Mashhad, Iran, from the perspective of theirmanagers.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study employed a qualitative approach, using the method ofconventional content analysis and was conducted from May to July 2020. A purposive samplingmethod was used to recruit the senior managers of hospitals admitting COVID‑19 patients in Mashhad.The interviews were conducted face to face, with open‑ended questions following an interview guidebased on semi‑structured questions, and continued until data saturation was reached. Data wereanalyzed using Atlas Ti software.RESULTS: After the implementation of the interviews, first 665 initial codes were extracted fromthe data, and after removing the overlapping sequences, a total of 115 codes were obtained. Threecategories (organizational challenges, extra organizational challenges, and challenges related toinformation domain), 13 sub‑categories, and 33 codes were extracted from the content analysis ofthe interviews. The main themes propounded in the field of challenges of COVID‑19 referral hospitalsin Mashhad were organizational challenges, extra organizational challenges, and information domainchallenges.DISCUSSION: The results of this study showed that the hospitals admitting COVID‑19 patients inMashhad faced many challenges. To improve the quality of services in postcrisis phase, replacinghospitals’ equipment, revising curriculums at medical universities, staff retraining, recruiting skilledhuman resources, and creating a supportive community context are necessary.CONCLUSION: For sure, the COVID‑19 crisis will not be the last one, we have to be prepared forthe bigger health crisis.

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Factors associated with preventive behaviors of COVID‑19 among children with congenital heart disease: Application of protection motivation theory

. Zohreh Sadat Navabi; . Alireza Ahmadi; . Mohammad Reza Sabri; . Fahimeh Bagheri Kholenjani; . Mehdi Ghaderian; . Bahar Dehghan; . Chehreh Mahdavi

Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the underlying medical conditions thatput children at increased risk for coronavirus. This study aimed to predict preventive behaviors ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the underlying medical conditions thatput children at increased risk for coronavirus. This study aimed to predict preventive behaviors ofCOVID‑19 among children with CHD based on the protection motivation theory (PMT).MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional study was conducted from March 2021 to April2021, on 240 children 3–7 years with CHD whose data had been registered in Persian Registry ofCardiovascular Disease/CHD (PROVE/CHD) System in Isfahan, Iran. The research variables weremeasured using an online researcher‑made questionnaire that was based on PMT constructs. Thecollected data were analyzed using statistical tests (e.g., Pearson correlation coefficient and linearregression analysis).RESULTS: From a total of 240 participants (mean age of 4.81 ± 1.50) in the present study, 122 (50.8%)were girls. The most common types of CHD among children participating in this study were relatedto atrial septal defect (ASD) (29.2%, n = 70) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) (26.7%, n = 64),respectively. Protective behaviors showed a significant correlation with all constructs of PMT. ThePMT constructs explained 41.0% of the variances in protective behavior, in which the perceivedreward (β = 0.325) and perceived self‑efficacy (β = 0.192) was the most important, respectively.CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed well the effectiveness of PMT on the preventivebehaviors of COVID‑19 in children with CHD. This theory can be used to teach preventive behaviorsof COVID‑19 to children with CHD in education programs.

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Psychological distress and coping styles among baccalaureate nursing students: Promoting mental health of future nurses in COVID‑19 pandemic

. Ankita Sharma; . Rajesh Kumar

Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-9

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) causes significant psychological distress amongnursing students. College‑bound nursing students might have preferred different types of ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) causes significant psychological distress amongnursing students. College‑bound nursing students might have preferred different types of copingstrategies to deal with psychological distress. This study aims to measure the psychological distressand role of coping styles to mediate the stress level among the baccalaureate nursing students amidthe COVID‑19 pandemic.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional online survey was conducted in December 2020 ata nursing college attached to a tertiary care teaching hospital, North India. Nearly 251 baccalaureatenursing students completed the Impact of Event Scale‑Revised (IES‑R) and Coping Orientation toProblems Experienced Inventory (Brief‑COPE) scale to report their psychological distress and copingstyles, respectively. Chi‑square test, independent sample t‑test followed by binary and multivariableregression were used to identify the factors associated with distress in students during the pandemic.RESULTS: Students’ mean age was 22.22 ± 1.24 years. The mean IES‑R was 19.59 ± 12.45 innursing students. Psychological distress found a significant association with age (P = 0.022), academicclass (P = 0.016), travel history (P = 0.034), and being positive reverse transcription–polymerasechain reaction (RT‑PCR) for COVID‑19 status of self (P = 0.018) and family members in the medicalprofession (P = 0.013). In binary logistic regression, stress level found a significant association withfirst‑year academic level (OR: 3.250, 95% CI: 1.429–7.390, P = 0.005) and family members in themedical profession (OR: 4.44, 95% CI: 1.019–19.382, P = 0.047). Adaptive coping styles were morefrequently preferred than maladaptive coping styles (54% vs 41%). Adaptive (r = 0.295, P < 0.001)and maladaptive coping (r = 0.403, P < 0.001) shows a significant positive relationship with stressin students, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus pandemic causes significant distress among nursing students. Studentswere able to manage stress using acceptance and religious/spiritual coping strategies. During thepandemic, stress management to support mental health is highly recommended.

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Impact of COVID‑19 pandemic on learning status of student in Nepal

. Gautam Prasad Chaudhary; . Ram Bahadur Khadka; . Anjana Lamichhane; . Bhawana Dhakal; . Nikita Das; . Niraj Sing Tharu; . Khimdhoj Karki; . Jitendra Pandey

Volume 12, Issue 8 , September 2022, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic onthe learning status of students from different educational boards and universities of Nepal. ...  Read More BACKGROUND: This study was designed to evaluate the impact of the COVID‑19 pandemic onthe learning status of students from different educational boards and universities of Nepal. An onlinesurvey was conducted from tenth to twentieth of September 2020 to record the data.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A self‑designed questionnaire link, using “Google form” was sent tothe students via social networks. A total of 589 participants shared their complete information. Thesimple percentage distribution was employed to evaluate the learning status of the students.RESULTS: During the lockdown period, >70% of the students were engaged in online classes, mostcommonly by using the Zoom app. The majority of the students were using WIFI as an internet sourceto attend online classes. Students have been suffering from various problems related to anxiety,stress, economic crises, poor internet connectivity, deprivation of study materials, required e‑learningaccessories, and an unsuitable study environment. Mainly, students from remote areas and middleincome families suffered enormously. Among those participants, who were able to attend the onlineclasses, the majority of students (70%) were dissatisfied with the ongoing online classes. Only 23.3%of the participants suggested the feasibility of online classes in the near future.CONCLUSION: Our study recommended that training teachers and students about online classesmight create effectiveness toward e‑learning. The government needs to provide free internetservices to the remote areas and the poor students since in the current scenario, huge numbers ofthe population are struggling with the economic burden.

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Online assessment in two consequent semesters during COVID‑19 pandemic: K‑means clustering using data mining approach

. Farshid Abedi; . Batool Eghbali; . Narjes Akbari; . Ehsan Sadr; . Fatemeh Salmani

Volume 12, Issue 8 , September 2022, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Education and assessment have changed during the COVID‑19 pandemic so thatonline courses replaced face‑to‑face classes to observe the social distance. The quality ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Education and assessment have changed during the COVID‑19 pandemic so thatonline courses replaced face‑to‑face classes to observe the social distance. The quality of onlineassessments conducted during the pandemic is an important subject to be addressed. In this study,the quality of online assessments held in two consecutive semesters was investigated.MATERIALS AND METHODS: One thousand two hundred and sixty‑nine multiple‑choice onlineexaminations held in the first (n = 535) and second (n = 734) semesters in Birjand University ofMedical Sciences during 2020–2021 were examined. Mean, standard deviation, number of questions,skewness, kurtosis, difficulty, and discrimination index of tests were calculated. Data mining wasapplied using the k‑means clustering approach to classify the tests.RESULTS: The mean percentage of answers to all tests was 69.97 ± 19.16, and the number ofquestions was 34.48 ± 18.75. In two semesters, there was no significant difference between thedifficulty of examinations (P = 0.84). However, there was a significant difference in the discriminationindex, skewness, and kurtosis of tests (P < 0.001). Moreover, according to the results of the clusteringanalysis in the first semester, 43% of the tests were very hard, 16% hard, and 7% moderate. In thesecond semester, 43% were hard, 16% moderate, and 41% easy.CONCLUSION: To evaluate the tests’ quality, calculating difficulty and discrimination indices isnot sufficient; many factors can affect the quality of tests. Furthermore, the experience of the firstsemester had changed characteristics of the second‑semester examinations. To enhance the qualityof online tests, establishing appropriate rules to hold the examinations and using questions withhigher taxonomy are recommended.

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A cross‑sectional study of epidemiological determinants for Covid‑19 infection among nurses of a tertiary care hospital

. Anuradha K. Shah; . Dattaprasad A. Sawant; . Deepika M. Sadawarte; . Kosturi Dakshit

Volume 12, Issue 8 , September 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: All health care workers including nurses are working in the frontline againstcoronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‑19), which keeps them at high risk of getting infected. This ...  Read More BACKGROUND: All health care workers including nurses are working in the frontline againstcoronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‑19), which keeps them at high risk of getting infected. This studywas conducted to identify risk factors for Covid‑19 infection and compliance to Covid appropriatebehavior among nurses.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional study was conducted on 150 nurses in a tertiarycare hospital attached to a medical college in Mumbai, from April 2020 to December 2020. Datawere collected telephonically using an interviewer‑administered pre‑validated, semi‑structuredquestionnaire. Data entry and analysis were performed using SPSS version 21.0.RESULTS: The mean age of the nurses was 38.19 ± 12.14 years. The majority (80.7%) were exposedto Covid‑19 while taking active care of Covid patients; a total of 108 (72%) were symptomatic atthe time of testing; dietary modifications because of fear of Covid were performed by 121 (80.2%);92.77% used the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) category according to theworkplace; 121 (80.77%) followed all steps of donning and doffing at all times, and 19 (12.77%)reported a breach in PPE. A greater proportion of nurses working in Covid duties opted for hospitalisolation than home isolation (p = 0.003). Risk factors such as sleep, shift duty, shift pattern, foodtiming, mode of travel, and type of PPE during travel were also found to be significantly associatedwith work type – Covid versus non‑Covid (p < 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Use of workplace appropriate PPE, proper donning and doffing facilities, duty shiftswith a fixed duration, adequate hand hygiene practices, and regular food intake with adequate sleepcan prevent Covid‑19 infection at the workplace among nurses.

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The impact of mobile phone fitness applications on the level of physical fitness and psychological well‑being during covid‑19: The case of university students

. Mona Soliman; . Abeer Rasheed; . Hager Abdel Hady; . Malek Jdaitawi; . Amany Khamees; . Reda Abdelsalam

Volume 12, Issue 8 , September 2022, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The impact of Coronavirus Disease‑19 on peoples’ life has become evident.Recently, sport activities are important in improving individual health and their well‑being. ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The impact of Coronavirus Disease‑19 on peoples’ life has become evident.Recently, sport activities are important in improving individual health and their well‑being. The aim ofthis study is to investigate the effect of using mobile phone fitness applications on some characteristicsof physical fitness and psychological well‑being of female university students.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive study design was implemented using a survey whichwas adapted to collect data from a sample of 50 female participants within the age of 18 to 19 years.As for the results, the participants indicated that they used physical fitness application by smartphone regularly during COVID‑19.RESULTS: The results also illustrate that there was a significant difference on the study variablesbased on the study groups and test time. The study results extend literature concerning sport activitiesparticipation and promoting positive well‑being during COVID‑19 pandemic.CONCLUSION: The study indicated a significant difference of the application on physical fitnessand psychological well‑being among the participants. Based on the results, the study recommendedto organize several sport activities among students and encourage them to use smart phones forpositive purposes. Finally, practical implications are outlined.

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