Journal of Education and Health Promotion

Isfahan general dentist’s awareness, attitude, and performance regarding prescription of new caries prevention materials containing calcium and fluoride components

. Firouzeh Nilchian; . Zahra Ataie; . Sakineh Azadi

Volume 13, Issue 2 , February 2023, , Pages 1-4

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Fluoride Ion can cause remineralization of primary caries lesions in the presence ofcalcium and phosphate. New compounds of calcium‑containing casein phosphopeptides‑amorphouscalcium ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Fluoride Ion can cause remineralization of primary caries lesions in the presence ofcalcium and phosphate. New compounds of calcium‑containing casein phosphopeptides‑amorphouscalcium phosphate (CPP‑ACP), make the remineralization more effective. This research has beendone to evaluate the awareness, attitude, and performance of Isfahan general dentists regardingthe prescription of new caries prevention materials containing calcium and fluoride components.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional‑descriptive‑analytic study has been conducted on152 general dentists in Isfahan ensuring confidentiality of information and obtaining informed consent.Isfahan general dental offices and clinics were selected using a simple random method. Data of thisresearch were collected using a questionnaire from previous studies. The questions were dividedinto four sections, including demographic information, awareness, attitude, and performance towardsproducts containing calcium and fluoride prescription. The significance level of P was considered0.05. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22, T statistical test, Pearson correlation coefficient,and one‑way analysis of variance.RESULTS: The mean score for dentists awareness was 46.3 (standard deviation [SD] = 15.4),the mean score of attitude was 91.4 (SD = 26.1) and the Mean Score of performance was54.3 (SD = 27.3) (the scores range from 0 to 100). According to the Pearson correlation coefficient,there was no significant relationship between dentists’ awareness, attitude besides performance,and their ages together with dentistry work experiences (P > 0.05).CONCLUSION: According to the study results, dentists’ awareness of compounds containingCPP‑ACP is overall average. However, attending to their positive attitudes toward this context,providing appropriate training programs seem to stimulate them for optimum cooperation as well asusing these products for patients.

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Awareness and understanding of COVID‑19 among pregnant woman in northern India

. Manisha Jhirwal; . Pratibha Singh; . Charu Sharma; . Priyanka Kathuria; . Shashank Shekhar; . Satya Prakash Meena

Volume 12, Issue 5 , June 2022, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‑CoV‑2) has becomea public health concern worldwide. It is important for pregnant women to know about the mode ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‑CoV‑2) has becomea public health concern worldwide. It is important for pregnant women to know about the mode oftransmission, symptoms, and preventive measures against COVID‑19. The aim of this study wasto evaluate the awareness and outlook of pregnant women and practical measures taken by themagainst COVID‑19.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional questionnaire‑based study was conducted for1 month (June 10, 2020– July 10, 2020) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, All IndiaInstitute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. A prevalidated questionnaire was given to109 pregnant women to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice acquired against COVID‑19infection. The Chi‑square test or Fischer’s exact test was used to compare categorical data.RESULTS: Among 109 participants, 103 (94.5%) had good knowledge, 4 (3.7%) had averageknowledge and 2 (1.8%) had poor knowledge about COVID‑19. Majority of them had a positiveattitude for the protective measures taken for the prevention of disease.CONCLUSIONS: Since there is no valid treatment for COVID‑19, prevention is the only key to curvethis infection. In the present study, 94.5% pregnant women had overall good knowledge score aboutthe ode of transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures against COVID‑19.BACKGROUND: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‑CoV‑2) has becomea public health concern worldwide. It is important for pregnant women to know about the mode oftransmission, symptoms, and preventive measures against COVID‑19. The aim of this study wasto evaluate the awareness and outlook of pregnant women and practical measures taken by themagainst COVID‑19.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross‑sectional questionnaire‑based study was conducted for1 month (June 10, 2020– July 10, 2020) in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, All IndiaInstitute of Medical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. A prevalidated questionnaire was given to109 pregnant women to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice acquired against COVID‑19infection. The Chi‑square test or Fischer’s exact test was used to compare categorical data.RESULTS: Among 109 participants, 103 (94.5%) had good knowledge, 4 (3.7%) had averageknowledge and 2 (1.8%) had poor knowledge about COVID‑19. Majority of them had a positiveattitude for the protective measures taken for the prevention of disease.CONCLUSIONS: Since there is no valid treatment for COVID‑19, prevention is the only key to curvethis infection. In the present study, 94.5% pregnant women had overall good knowledge score aboutthe mode of transmission, symptoms, and preventive measures against COVID‑19.

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Assessment of knowledge and awareness regarding intellectual property rights among the health‑care professionals in Belagavi city: A cross‑sectional study

. Apurva Prashant Deshpande; . Anil V Ankola; . Roopali Sankeshwari; . Sagar Jalihal; . Laxmi Kabra; . Deepika V Bhat; . Abhra Roy Choudhury

Volume 12, Issue 5 , June 2022, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Intellectual property rights (IPRs) are increasingly becoming significant forsustainable growth of today’s knowledge‑based society. An inappropriate knowledge regarding ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Intellectual property rights (IPRs) are increasingly becoming significant forsustainable growth of today’s knowledge‑based society. An inappropriate knowledge regarding IPRcan fail to reserve rights for one’s intellectual creation. Hence this study was planned with an aim toassess knowledge, awareness, and practices regarding intellectual property rights in India amongstthe health-care professionals in Belagavi city.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross‑sectional study was conducted among thepostgraduate students and faculty of six health‑care professional institutions in Belagavi, Karnataka.A total of 724 responses were recorded using convenient sampling. Data was collected usingself‑administered validated questionnaire which included demographic details and total 20 questionspertaining to knowledge, awareness, and practices regarding IPR. Two‑point Likert scale was used.Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney U‑test, and Chi‑square test were applied.RESULTS: A total of 724 responses were recorded, 411 from postgraduate students and 313 fromfaculty of 6 health‑care professional institutions. It was observed that 24.3% and 39.3% of postgraduatestudents and faculty participants, respectively, had maximum knowledge while 35.5% of faculty and27.5% of postgraduate students had maximum awareness regarding IPR in India. Only 17.6% and10.2% of faculty and postgraduate students had previously attended workshops on IPR.CONCLUSION: The present study identified that both faculty and postgraduate students of health‑careprofession have less knowledge and awareness regarding IPR. However, both knowledge andawareness regarding IPR were better among faculty when compared to postgraduate students.Thus, the academic community requires a higher level of sensitization and exposure to IPR in India.

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Factors associated with the knowledge about breastfeeding among antenatal and postnatal women in selected rural villages of Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu: A community‑based cross‑sectional study

. Rajan Rushender; . Yuvaraj Krishnamoorthy; . Ameenah Anwar Hussain Siraja

Volume 12, Issue 2 , February 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Addressing good breastfeeding practices among antenatal and postnatal mothers is important as it helps in bringing about a positive change in the behavior, attitude, ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Addressing good breastfeeding practices among antenatal and postnatal mothers is important as it helps in bringing about a positive change in the behavior, attitude, and practice with appropriate health education. Hence, this study was done to determine the awareness level of antenatal and postnatal mothers about the breastfeeding practices and benefits and identify the factors associated with it in rural Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, India.MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted this community‑based cross‑sectional study among 377 antenatal and postnatal mothers in the selected rural villages of Chengalpattu between October 2019 and September 2020. Details regarding the sociodemographic characteristics and awareness/knowledge about the breastfeeding were collected using pretested semistructured questionnaire. Knowledge adequacy was summarized as proportion with 95% confidence interval (CI), and factors associated with knowledge were interpreted as adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) with 95% CI using log‑binomial regression.RESULTS: About 19.6% (95% CI: 15.7%–24.0%) mothers had inadequate knowledge about breastfeeding. Women who were unemployed (aPR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.02–2.51), belonging to the lower socioeconomic status (aPR = 2.62; 95% CI: 1.80–3.82), belonging to Muslim religion (aPR = 1.63; 95% CI: 1.14–2.35), and living in joint family (aPR = 1.58; 95% CI: 1.12–2.21) had significant higher risk of inadequate knowledge about breastfeeding practices compared to those who were employed, belonging to upper socioeconomic status, Hindu religion, and living in nuclear family.CONCLUSION: We found that almost one‑fifth of the antenatal and/or postnatal mothers had inadequate knowledge about the breastfeeding benefits and practices. Health education sessions are required to promote the awareness about breastfeeding during antenatal and postnatal check‑ups.

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Investigating the effectiveness of innovative intervention based on compassion, awareness, resilience, and empowerment on burnout in nurses of two educational hospitals in Isfahan

. Alireza Safaeian; . Negah Tavakolifard; . Azita Roohi

Volume 12, Issue 2 , February 2022, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low professional efficacy that health workers, especially nurses, experience the highest rates ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Burnout is a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low professional efficacy that health workers, especially nurses, experience the highest rates of this. Burnout causes stress and negative attitude towards work and feeling unable to perform tasks in the person. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a method called compassion, awareness, resilience, and empowerment (CARE) on nurses’ burnout.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a semi‑experimental study with control group, the statistical population in this study was nurses of Kashani Hospital in Isfahan as intervention group and nurses of Al‑Zahra Hospital as control group. The samples were selected by stratified sampling. For both groups before and after and 3 months after the intervention, the burnout questionnaire (Maslach Burnout Inventory) was completed. The intervention was performed in 5 sessions of 90 min 1 day a week. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 25 software (IBM Inc., USA) and independent t‑test, repeated measures analysis of variance and Chi‑square test and Friedman test, significance level was set at P < 0.05.RESULTS: The comparison of mean and intensity of burnout and two dimensions of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization showed a difference between the two groups and this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Mean of Individual performance also had a statistically significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.05), but its intensity did not change.CONCLUSION: CARE method can be effective in burnout of nurses and it can be used as a practical method. This training program can be implemented both preservice and in‑service for health workers.

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Effect of education on knowledge of fertility counseling and attitudes toward fertility control

. Talat Khadivzadeh; . Raziyeh Rahmati; . Habibollah Esmaily

Volume 11, Issue 7 , August 2021, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: The development of any society depends on proper planning in various fields suchas population and birth control. Fertility control is designed to create a level of population ...  Read More BACKGROUND: The development of any society depends on proper planning in various fields suchas population and birth control. Fertility control is designed to create a level of population growthappropriate to the resources available and to ensure a good life. Receiving information and educationis one of the basic strategies to change the attitude toward fertility and awareness in most people insociety. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the effect of education on knowledge offertility counseling and attitudes toward fertility control in health workers.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was a randomized clinical trial with a controlgroup that was conducted in the presence of 107 health workers of health centers and communityhealth centers working in Mashhad in 2017. The research units were randomly divided into threegroups (webinar training, group discussion training, and control). Research tools were researcher‑madequestionnaires on attitudes toward fertility and measuring healthy reproductive awareness that allstudy participants completed at the beginning of the study and 2 weeks after the intervention. Dataanalysis was performed by the Chi‑square, one‑way analysis of variance, and independent t‑testusing the SPSS software version 16.RESULTS: The results of this study showed that at the beginning of the study, all three groupswere homogeneous in terms of quantitative and qualitative demographic variables including age,education, work experience, type of employment, and number of family members. The results ofKruskal–Wallis test showed that before the intervention, the three groups did not have a statisticallysignificant difference in terms of mean scores of awareness about fertility counseling (P = 0.77) andattitude toward fertility control (P = 0.523), but this relationship was significant after the interventions.Furthermore, the results of Mann–Whitney intragroup test showed that the scores before and afterthe intervention were significant in both educational groups (P = 0.001).CONCLUSION: Considering the importance of healthy fertility counseling and the important placeof education in promoting awareness and attitude toward healthy fertility, it is recommended to useactive educational methods to promote the awareness and attitude of health workers to providehealthy fertility services to couples.

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Breast cancer awareness’s and attitude among regular health‑care users versus irregular in a sample of Kurdish women in the West of Iran

. Zahra Rastad; . Marzieh Kaboudi; . Nematollah Shiri

Volume 11, Issue 7 , August 2021, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: It is universally acknowledged that strengthen the participation rate in breastcancer (BC) screening can find cancer in its earlier stages. The aim of this study was to ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: It is universally acknowledged that strengthen the participation rate in breastcancer (BC) screening can find cancer in its earlier stages. The aim of this study was to determine theeffect of regular visits to the health centers on women’s knowledge and attitude about BC screening.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a cross‑sectional study, data were collected from 380 womenidentified with Kurdish background, who were registered in health care centers of Islamabad‑e Gharbduring January and February 2017. The subjects were divided into two regular and irregular groupsbased on the quantity of presence in health centers. Data on women’s awareness and attitude aboutBC screening were collected by a trained interviewer using a structured questionnaire. Bivariateanalysis, analysis of variance, and independent sample t‑test were used to see the mean differenceswithin the groups. The level of confidence was set at 0.05 significant.RESULTS: Women were representative of four health‑care centers of the city, mainly ≤39 yearsold  (73.9%), married  (96.3%), with high school education  (44.2%) characteristics. The totalmean  ±  standard deviation of awareness score about BC was 6.03  ±  3.90. In total, 19.2% ofparticipants had poor  (<2.13), 64.2% had an average  (2.13–9.93), and 16.6% had good  (˃9.93)awareness about BC. The results showed that the level of knowledge and attitude about BC screeningwas significantly different between regular and irregular groups (P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: An important message from this study is the need for improved and coordinatedBC education for all social classes of women. It is necessary to discover ways to encourage womenwith academic education to visit health centers regularly during interventional studies.

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Awareness, perception, and mitigating measures on COVID‑19: Do we still need to educate our masses on COVID‑19?

. Mukesh Bairwa; . Rajesh Kumar; . Poonam Yadav; . Yogesh Bahurupi; . Ravi Kant

Volume 11, Issue 6 , July 2021, , Pages 1-10

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: COVID‑19 was declared an emergency of international concern by the World HealthOrganization in 2020. This study assesses patients’ awareness, perception, and mitigating ...  Read More BACKGROUND: COVID‑19 was declared an emergency of international concern by the World HealthOrganization in 2020. This study assesses patients’ awareness, perception, and mitigating measurestaken during the COVID‑19 outbreak visiting an apex tertiary health‑care center in North India.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional study was conducted between September 15,2020, and November 15, 2020, in a tertiary care public hospital, North India, using a structuredself‑administered questionnaire. The survey included 809 patients using a consecutive samplingstrategy. The self‑structured and prevalidated questionnaire was used to collect information onstudy variables. Chi‑square test and independent samples t‑test, followed by binary and multivariatelogistic regression, was used to determine the factors associated with awareness toward COVID‑19.RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 32.41 (±11.24) years. Multivariate logistic regressionshows that married participants (OR: 0.660, 95 % CI: 0.440-0.989, P= 0.044), reading books/magazine or attended institutional lectures (OR: 2.241, 95% CI: 1.545–3.249, P = 0.001), and watchingtelevision and radio (OR: 1.824, 95% CI: 1.283–2.592, P = 0.001) are significantly more aware thantheir counterparts. Participants with higher income group (>20,000 Indian rupee) significantly hadhigher awareness than participants having salary <10,000 rupees (OR: 0.280, 95% CI: 0.178–0.440,P = 0.001) or 10,001–20,000 rupees (OR: 0.481, 95% CI: 0.297–0.777, P = 0.003). Patientsavoiding traveling across or abroad had significantly much reasonably good awareness than theircounterparts (OR: 0.357, 95% CI: 0.139–0.918, P = 0.033).CONCLUSIONS: Participants demonstrated good awareness, encouraging perception, and compliedwith appropriate mitigating measures during the outbreak. Considering frequent waves and thepandemic’s long duration, consistent reinforcement of government measures, including masks,maintaining social distance, and frequent handwashing, is much needed.

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Awareness and experience of health‑care workers during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic

. Satya Prakash Meena; . Manisha Jhirwa; . Ashok Kumar Puranik; . Naveen Sharma; . Mahaveer Singh Rodha; . Mahendra Lodha; . Mayank Badkur

Volume 11, Issue 3 , March 2021, , Pages 1-9

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: During the 2nd week of July 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19)infection spreading in the community. Now more than 15 lakhs peoples have been infected in India,out ...  Read More BACKGROUND: During the 2nd week of July 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19)infection spreading in the community. Now more than 15 lakhs peoples have been infected in India,out of the 26816 patients were deceased. COVID 19 outbreaks become an additional hazard to thehealth‑care workers (HCWs), leading to fatigue, anxiety, depression and fear of death. The objectiveof this questionnaire‑based study is to know about the knowledge of HCWs about COVID 19, theirexperiences while dealing with the disease, and the protective measures taken to prevent the infection.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional, questionnaire‑based study was conducted for1 month starting from the 2nd week of June 2020 after getting institutional ethical clearance. Thisstudy included 240 HCWs posted in the medical and surgical Departments of All India Institute ofMedical Sciences, Jodhpur, Rajasthan. This questionnaire was prepared in online Google forms andrequired 2 min to complete. Mean, median, range, and standard deviation were used to describe thecontinuous variables, and percentages were used to describe the categorical data.RESULTS: Among 240 HCWs, 79.16% (n = 190) participants have good knowledge and adaptedgood precautions (score 15–23) for COVID 19 infection. Rest 20% (n = 48) and 0.8% (n = 2)participants has average (score 8–14) or poor knowledge (score <8) with adaptation of average orpoor precautionary measures against COVID 19, respectively.CONCLUSION: This study concluded that we have the requirement of more educational trainingprograms for awareness of HCWs and precautionary measures against COVID 19. Thereby, HCWscan improve their knowledge and participate in this fight against COVID 19 with more efficiency andconfidence.

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Knowledge and awareness on novel coronavirus spread among dental fraternities in Visakhapatnam, India: A questionnaire‑based survey

. Ravi Chandra Ravi; . Charishma Chowdary Ponugubati; . Sunil Kumar Bonu; . Srividya Athkuri; . Lakshman Varma Uppalapati; . Chandrakanth Majeti

Volume 10, Issue 12 , December 2020, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: The pandemic caused by novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus 2) in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 is a highly contagious disease. The World HealthOrganization ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: The pandemic caused by novel coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndromecoronavirus 2) in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 is a highly contagious disease. The World HealthOrganization has declared the outbreak of coronavirus diseases (COVID‑19) as a global public healthemergency. Currently, the research on novel coronavirus is still in the primary stage. The aim of thisstudy is to assess the knowledge and awareness on COVID‑19 disease and related infection controlmeasures among the dental fraternity in Visakhapatnam – the smart city.METHODS: A total of 808 dentists from the Visakhapatnam region completed a questionnaire‑basedsurvey on the knowledge, awareness, and infection control measures related to COVID‑19 infection.The questionnaire was tailored from the guidance and information for health‑care workers issuedby the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suitable sampling method was used for thecollection of data and the distribution of responses was presented as percentages. Explanatorystatistics were performed for all groups and subgroups based on the percentage of correct responses.Individual pair‑wise comparisons were done using the Chi‑square test for the percentage of correctresponses.RESULTS: A total of 825 participated in the survey, of which 808 dentists completely answered thesurvey, and the response rate was 98%. Among the respondents, males and females are 46.8%and 53.2%, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference for all the questions solicited,among age groups (P = 0.001, 0.001) and occupation (P = 0.001, 0.001, 0.004). Private practitionersseem to more awareness compared to teaching faculty, undergraduates, and postgraduates, as theyhave answered correctly (>70%) for almost all the questions.CONCLUSION: The inputs from the survey help us throw some light and fill up lacunae where required.There is a strong need to implement periodic educational interventions and training programs oninfection control practices for COVID‑19 among dentists in particular. The information from this surveyhelps us to make necessary changes in implementing periodic educational webinars and stress onareas where necessary, which is important for the dental fraternity for protecting themselves andshielding our society from COVID‑19.

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Comparison of the effect of two methods of counseling (face to face and telephone) on awareness and attitude toward adoption in infertile couples

. Fateme Ahmadi Rezamahaleh; . Talat Khadivzadeh; . Seyed Mohsen Asgharinekah; . Habibollah Esmaeili

Volume 10, Issue 12 , December 2020, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Many infertile people have heard about adoption, but little is known about the truemeaning of adoption and how it is accepted. Giving the right information about adoption ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Many infertile people have heard about adoption, but little is known about the truemeaning of adoption and how it is accepted. Giving the right information about adoption is effectivein making the right decision for couples. As a result, there is a need to intervene and provide trainingto improve community attitudes and increase adoption among infertile people. Therefore, the presentstudy aimed to determine the effect of two counseling methods (face‑to‑face and telephone) onawareness and attitude toward adoption in infertile couples.MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study is a randomized quasi‑experimental study of twogroups in the Milad Infertility Center of Mashhad on 34 (each group of 17 couples) infertile coupleswith the criteria to enter the study. Couples were randomly assigned to two telephone and face‑to‑facecounseling groups, and each individual’s awareness and attitudes toward adoption were completedseparately before and after counseling. The average number of face‑to‑face sessions for face‑to‑facecounseling was three 60‑min sessions and six 30‑min sessions for telephone counseling.RESULTS: Based on the results of t‑test, there was a statistically significant difference betweenthe average score of awareness of adoption before and after the intervention (2 weeks after thelast counseling session), in infertile couples in face‑to‑face training group and in telephone traininggroup (P < 0.0001). The score of the attitude toward adoption before counseling in the face‑to‑facecounseling group was 60.55 ± 5.5, which reached 66.76 ± 4.7 after counseling. Based on the resultsof the T‑pair test, this difference was significant (P < 0.0001). In addition, in the telephone counselinggroup, the score of attitude toward adoption increased from 59.53. 7.4 to 67.73 ± 7.5, which was asignificant difference in terms of t‑pair test. The mean score of attitudes toward adoption was notstatistically significant in the two groups (P = 0.653).CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that both counseling methods (face to face andtelephone) increase the level of awareness and attitude of couples about adoption, but neithermethod was superior to the other.

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Improving the level of awareness and attitude toward fertility and fertility counseling skills of health staff with both face‑to‑face and virtual training methods

. Raziyeh Rahmati; . Talat Khadivzadeh; . Habibollah Esmaily

Volume 10, Issue 12 , December 2020, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Considering the trend of reducing fertility in recent decades, the level of awarenessand attitude of health workers to fertility has an important role in achieving the ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Considering the trend of reducing fertility in recent decades, the level of awarenessand attitude of health workers to fertility has an important role in achieving the country’s demographicgoals. Improving attitudes and improving the scientific level and skills of health workers are the basicpillars to improve the quality and quantity of health‑care services. Therefore, this study was conductedwith the aim of improving the level of awareness and attitude toward fertility and fertility counselingskills of health workers with both face‑to‑face and virtual training methods.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled trial of three groups andpre‑test‑posttest experiments performed on 108 midwives and health‑care workers working inMashhad Health Center and Community Health Centers and Health Centers in 2015. The toolsused in this study were four researcher‑made questionnaires that were validated and reliable. Dataanalysis was performed by Chi‑square test, one‑way, and independent t‑analysis of variance usingSPSS software version 16.RESULTS: The results showed a significant increase in awareness level, attitude toward fertility,and counseling skills in the studied groups after the implementation of interventions (P < 0.001).Furthermore, there was a significant inverse relationship between the attitude score of the researchunits at the beginning of the study and the demographic variables with only the average workexperience.CONCLUSION: Training is effective in raising the level of awareness and changing the attitude ofhealth workers. The use of group discussion methods in person as well as through a webinar inwhich learners think, interact, and gain experience in promoting healthy fertility counseling promotesawareness, attitudes toward fertility, and their counseling skills in providing healthy reproductivecounseling.

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Improving service delivery using the self‑reporting of errors by midwives and midwifery student

. Marjan Beigi; . Fahimeh Khorasani; . Shahnaz Kohan

Volume 10, Issue 11 , November 2020, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Reporting medical errors is one of the common methods for identifying andpreventing mistakes in‑hospital care. This study was conducted to identify the status of reportingand ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Reporting medical errors is one of the common methods for identifying andpreventing mistakes in‑hospital care. This study was conducted to identify the status of reportingand related factors in two groups of midwives and midwifery students.METHODOLOGY: This research was analytic correlational; it was conducted among all the midwivesworking in the midwifery and labor departments and midwifery students in Isfahan University ofMedical Sciences. The data collection tool included a checklist of errors and the researcher‑construedquestionnaires of awareness and attitude toward reporting errors. The results were examined usingdescriptive and inferential statistics (ANOVA, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficient, andindependent t‑test) by SPSS software version 20.RESULTS: In this research, the error reporting in midwifery staff was 79.1% and the most frequenterror was related to the patient’s process of testing; the error reporting among the students was90% and the most frequent error occurred in the labor processes. The present study also showedthat there was a direct relationship between awareness and attitude toward reporting medicalerrors (P < 0.001), while there was not a significant relationship between the midwifery students’awareness and attitude toward reporting the medical errors (P = 0.31).CONCLUSION: According to the study, hospital midwives reporting is less than midwifery students.Accordingly, it is recommended to focus on the error and risk management committee to strengthenthe reporting system.

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Awareness and attitude of students and professors of medical sciences universities toward social determinants of health: Design and preliminary psychometrics of a questionnaire

. Farzaneh Mohammadi; . Mahmoud Keyvanara; . Rahele Samouei

Volume 10, Issue 5 , May 2020, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND AND AIM: Considering the important role of universities in advancing educational,social, cultural, economic, and political affairs and given the significant and effective ...  Read More BACKGROUND AND AIM: Considering the important role of universities in advancing educational,social, cultural, economic, and political affairs and given the significant and effective role of socialdeterminants of health (SDH) in personal and social life, this study aimed to design a preliminaryquestionnaire to assess the awareness and attitude of students and professors of relevant medicalsciences departments toward the SDH.METHODS: This is a descriptive survey study of the instrumentation type and is done on thestudents and professors of Isfahan and Kashan medical sciences universities in 2019. Thecontent and face validity of the questionnaire were assessed. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient andthe correlation coefficient for each question as well as the total score of the questionnaire werereported for this attitude measurement questionnaire. The difficulty coefficient, optimum difficultylevel, discrimination coefficient, and the relevant variance were calculated for every question in theawareness measurement questionnaire.RESULTS: The internal consistency of the questionnaire for the awareness toward the SDH for 15questions was 0.742. This consistency was acceptable for 18 questions in the attitude measurementquestionnaire after omitting two questions with not appropriate distinguishing ability. The difficultylevel of the questions was relatively high.CONCLUSION: Given that no tool was observed in the search strategy to measure the SDH,therefore, the design and psychometrics of such a tool can be used to measure the awareness andattitude of the target audiences; since this tool had an acceptable validity and reliability at its initialstages, researchers are suggested to apply it for standardization in different academic societies.

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Awareness of cancer cervix and its prevention among students in Melaka, Malaysia

. Somsubhra De; . Vigneshwari T. Selvan; . James Tan; . Htoo Htoo Kyaw Soe; . Soumendra Sahoo; . Rashmirekha Sahoo

Volume 9, Issue 11 , November 2019, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Cancer cervix is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), oncogenic virus and hasvaccines and screening as its preventive measures. This study analyzes the change in awarenessand ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Cancer cervix is caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), oncogenic virus and hasvaccines and screening as its preventive measures. This study analyzes the change in awarenessand attitudes of nonmedical students toward the condition following the use of an educational module.METHODOLOGY: The study design was quasi‑experimental. The interprofessional (IP) teamimplemented an educational module and analyzed the difference in awareness of young individualstoward the cancer cervix. A pretest and posttest written questionnaire, customized for both genders,was administered with the intervention of the educational module in between. The module consistedof a short educational presentation along with a group activity. A follow‑up survey was also done after2 months to check the attrition of awareness. The statistical analysis was done using MacNemar testusing SPSS 12 IBM software and significance of differences were determined.RESULTS: There was a significant improvement of knowledge and awareness on linkage betweenHPV and cervical cancer (P < 0.001). There was also significant change with regard to attitudestoward cervical cancer vaccination (P = 0.004). The knowledge of HPV linkage to the malignancywas maintained after 2 months of gap. The subjects also wished for more future awareness program.CONCLUSIONS: There is improved awareness in the dental and foundation in science students,and this improved awareness will ensure favorable attitudes toward cervical cancer vaccines orwill attend regular screening programs. Awareness program must be held at regular intervals atdifferent locations to enhance the knowledge dissemination of this common yet preventable genitalmalignancy of females. The IP collaboration and practices will help in reducing the disease burdenof the society in future.

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Knowledge, attitude, and perception on organ donation among undergraduate medical and nursing students at a tertiary care teaching hospital in the southern part of India: A cross‑sectional study

. Britzer Paul Vincent; . Gunjan Kumar; . Sreejith Parameswaran; . Sitanshu Sekar Kar

Volume 9, Issue 8 , August 2019, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Organ donation is considered to be a noble act. Medical and nursing students willbe the major healthcare providers in this field in the future. Hence, their knowledge, attitude, ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Organ donation is considered to be a noble act. Medical and nursing students willbe the major healthcare providers in this field in the future. Hence, their knowledge, attitude, andperception toward organ donation are essential to improve this field in the future.OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and perception onorgan donation among undergraduate medical and nursing students. This study brings forth thebasic understanding level of the medical and nursing students on the concept of organ donation.METHODS: A cross‑sectional descriptive study was conducted among the first 4 academic years ofmedical and nursing students in a tertiary care teaching hospital using convenient sampling. A totalof 620 students participated in this study. They were assessed using a pretested semi‑structuredself‑administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package of the SocialSciences version 19.RESULTS: The median score on knowledge, attitude, and perception among the medical studentswas 16 (14–17), 25 (23–28), and 41 (38–45), respectively, and among the nurses, the scores were14 (12–16), 25 (22–27), and 39 (33–42), respectively. Almost half (46.9%) of the study participantsknew the definition for brain death. Twenty‑nine percent of the study participants knew about theexistence of law toward organ donation; more than half of those participants (52.7%) mentioned fewrules and regulation involved in the laws pertaining to organ donation.CONCLUSION: Media is the major source for information. Only less than half of the study participantswere knowledgeable on the definition of brain death and existence of organ donation law. Althoughthey are in favor of organ donation, doubts still exist among few of the participants which could beunderstood through further research in this field.

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Knowledge, awareness, and attitude regarding teledentistry among postgraduate dental students of Kanpur city, India: A questionnaire study

. Devina Pradhan; . Pratik Verma; . Lokesh Sharma; . Tanya Khaitan

Volume 9, Issue 5 , May 2019, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Teledentistry is a rapidly forming subset of dentistry being used extensively in urbanas well as rural areas addressing problems related to cost‑effectiveness, efficiency, ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Teledentistry is a rapidly forming subset of dentistry being used extensively in urbanas well as rural areas addressing problems related to cost‑effectiveness, efficiency, and quality indelivering oral health‑care services. The present study aims to evaluate the knowledge, awareness,and attitudes regarding teledentistry among the dental postgraduates of Kanpur city, India.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional descriptive survey was carried out on a total of120 postgraduate students. A pretested, self‑structured, close‑ended questionnaire was administeredthat consisted of 20 questions were included. The data collected was compiled in a systemic mannerand analyzed in terms of frequency (yes/no).RESULTS: Only 77 postgraduate students responded, and it was observed that 74.4% of studentshad knowledge regarding teledentistry and 79.2% of students contemplated to practice teledentistryin the future. The overall awareness and attitudes regarding teledentistry were found to be 71.7%.CONCLUSION: The knowledge, awareness, and attitudes were found to be satisfactory among thepostgraduate dental students.

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Household survey on public awareness and attitudes toward dengue infection in rural Tamil Nadu, South India

. Yuvaraj Krishnamoorthy; . Deepika Chandar; . Venkatachalam Jayaseelan; . Karthiga Vijayakumar; . K. Sivaranjini; . M. Vijayageetha

Volume 8, Issue 12 , December 2018, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Dengue is the most common life‑threatening arboviral infection contributing to92 million infections worldwide. India alone contributes for 34% of the global burden. Success ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Dengue is the most common life‑threatening arboviral infection contributing to92 million infections worldwide. India alone contributes for 34% of the global burden. Success ofdengue control depends largely on adequate knowledge and good practices of preventive measures.However, there is a need to find the existing awareness among the general population, especiallyin rural areas. Thus, our present study was done to determine the awareness, attitude, and practicemeasures regarding dengue fever in rural Tamil Nadu.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A community‑based cross‑sectional survey was done among 303individuals belonging to the selected village in rural Tamil Nadu during November 2016. Informationregarding sociodemographic details and awareness, attitude, and practice toward dengue werecollected using a semi‑structured questionnaire. Adequacy of knowledge and attitude was summarizedas proportion with 95% confidence interval.RESULTS: Among 303 participants, 204 (67.3%) were above 30 years of age; 196 (64.6%) werefemales; 255 (84.1%) were ever married; 149 (49.1%) were employed and most of them 93 (30.6%)were educated up to secondary level; 103 (33.9%) belonged to the Class 4 socioeconomic status.About 33.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 28.2–38.8) of the study participants had adequateknowledge and 56.1% (95% CI: 50.5–61.6) had positive attitude toward dengue prevention. About57.7% (95% CI: 52.1–63.2) were practicing preventive measures.CONCLUSION: The current study found that only one‑third of the participants had adequateknowledge regarding dengue but more than half of them had positive attitude toward dengueprevention and practicing mosquito control measures. Hence, large‑scale information, education,and communication campaigns need to done at frequent intervals for rural population.

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Assessment of the levels of awareness toward cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A community‑based study in Northern Saudi Arabia

. Fahad Khalid Alquwaiay; . Fayez Ammar Alshammari; . Mohammed Saqer Alshammari; . Dhari Abdulkarim Alquwaiay; . Naif Abdulmohsen Naif Alabdali; . Ali E. M. Elkandow; . Hussain Gadelkarim Ahmed

Volume 8, Issue 12 , December 2018, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a procedure performed in an emergencywhen the heart stops. Early initiation of CPR can save many lives. Thus, the aim of the presentstudy ...  Read More BACKGROUND: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a procedure performed in an emergencywhen the heart stops. Early initiation of CPR can save many lives. Thus, the aim of the presentstudy was to assess the level of awareness toward CPR in a community‑based study inNorthern Saudi Arabia.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross‑sectional survey conducted in the city of Hail,Northern Saudi Arabia. Data about CPR were obtained from 442 Saudi volunteers living in the city of Hail.RESULTS: A family history of ischemic heart disease was indicated in 148/442 (33.5%) of theparticipants. On asking the participants whether they have previous information about CPR, about258/442 (58.4%) persons indicated “Yes,” 118/442 (26.6%) replied “May be,” and the remaining66/442 (15%) replied “No.”CONCLUSION: The study showed a high level of awareness about CPR, which might be attributed tothe majority of highly educated participants. Effective and sustainable public CPR training programsare needed to be implemented to preserve better knowledge and awareness of CPR in the generalpopulation.

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Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding organ donation among adult population of urban Puducherry, South India

. Gokul Sarveswaran; . Manikanda Nesan Sakthivel; . Yuvaraj Krishnamoorthy; . Yashodha Arivarasan; . Jayalakshmy Ramakrishnan

Volume 8, Issue 9 , September 2018, , Pages 1-7

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: India is currently having a deceased donation rate of 0.05–0.08 per millionpopulation. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Programme have planned strategies toimprove ...  Read More BACKGROUND: India is currently having a deceased donation rate of 0.05–0.08 per millionpopulation. The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Programme have planned strategies toimprove organ donation by creating awareness and capacity building. There is great need to assessthe knowledge regarding organ donation among general population.OBJECTIVE (S): Among the adult population (≥18 years) residing in urban slum of Puducherry todetermine the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding organ donation.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Community‑based cross‑sectional study was conducted during Aprilto May 2017 among 257 randomly selected participants in selected wards of urban Puducherry.Data regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice were collected through pretested semi‑structuredquestionnaire.RESULTS: Mean (standard deviation) age of the study participants was 45 (15) years andmajority (57%) were female, 41% of them were educated more than secondary. Almost 90% of thestudy participants have heard about organ donation. However, only 28% (95% confidence interval [CI]:22.9–33.8) had adequate knowledge regarding organ donation. 58% (95% CI: 51.5–63.5) had positiveattitude toward organ donation. Practice regarding registration for organ donation was only 2.3%.Knowledge regarding organ donation was more among joint family (odds ratio [OR] = 1.86, P = 0.02)and middle socioeconomic status (OR = 2.40, P = 0.01). Positive attitude was more among thosewho were educated above secondary (OR = 3.47, P = 0.001) and less among Muslim/Christianreligion (OR = 0.49, P = 0.03).CONCLUSION: Less than one‑third of the study population had adequate knowledge regardingorgan donation. Even though more than half of them had positive attitude toward organ donationonly six individuals registered for organ donation.

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Assessment of hashtag (#) campaigns aimed at health awareness in social media

. Neethu George; . D. Rock Britto; . Vaduva Krishnan; . L. Manoj Dass; . H. A. Prasant; . V. Aravindhan

Volume 8, Issue 9 , September 2018, , Pages 1-8

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: The use of social media to disseminate major communications, particularly forcampaigns related to days of health importance, is becoming much popular. The use of Twitter,Instagram, ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: The use of social media to disseminate major communications, particularly forcampaigns related to days of health importance, is becoming much popular. The use of Twitter,Instagram, and Facebook is gaining an integral place in public life online with hashtag campaigns.OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to assess the characteristics of hashtag campaignsrelated to health in social media and to compare three different campaigns in three commonly usedsocial media platforms, namely, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.METHODOLOGY: This was a cross‑sectional study which analyzed contents of three health‑relatedcampaigns in Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. The campaigns were #let’s talk (World Health day2017), Hands up #HIV prevention (World AIDS day 2016), and #No tobacco (World No Tobacco Day2017). Public posts related to each were searched from three platforms and assessed separately.Source, publicity, credibility, reach outs, and other characteristics were assessed among eachcampaign and comparison was also done among the three social media.RESULTS: Out of 812 posts, 507 (62.4%) were related to the study. Facebook posts were morerelated (67.33%), popular (45.05%), and authenticated (28.22%). Among the campaigns, # let’s talkwas more credible (96.33%) and authenticated (33.94%). Also in that, 57.79% from individual sourceand 79.82% were awareness related.CONCLUSION: Posts in social media related to hashtag campaigns are more credible, related, andless popular. These factors have to be considered for the campaigns to become an effective tool.

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Awareness of anti‑tobacco advertisements and its influence on attitude toward tobacco use among 16 to 18‑year‑old students in Belgaum city: A Cross‑sectional study

. Akshatha Gadiyar; . Anil Ankola; . Ladusingh Rajpurohit

Volume 8, Issue 7 , July 2018, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has everfaced. Tobacco use is a significant public health problem worldwide and the single‑most ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has everfaced. Tobacco use is a significant public health problem worldwide and the single‑most preventablerisk of human health. Mass media anti‑tobacco advertisements can reach large sections of the societyand increase awareness about the harms of tobacco use and increase quit attempts.METHODOLOGY: This cross‑sectional study was conducted to find out the awareness of anti‑tobaccoadvertisements and to assess the influence of anti‑tobacco advertisements among 16 to 18‑year‑oldstudents in Belgaum city. A self‑structured, close‑ended, 26‑item questionnaire was distributed to 600preuniversity students. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic data, tobacco usage status,questions related to awareness about anti‑tobacco advertisements, and influence of anti‑tobaccoadvertisements on attitude toward tobacco use. Frequency distributions and percentages wereexamined for each item and Chi‑square test was used.RESULTS: Majority of the study participants (89.4% males and 86.7% females) were aware of theanti‑tobacco advertisements. Television and movie theaters were considered as the most effectivemeans for anti‑tobacco advertisements. Nearly 90.8% had noticed the statutory warning which isshown during tobacco products’ usage on television/movies. Almost 78.35% of males and 90.6%of females had a positive change in attitude toward tobacco use due to influence of anti‑tobaccoadvertisements.CONCLUSION: There is an increased awareness on anti‑tobacco and this has been proved to beeffective in motivating them to quit tobacco as well as stop them from initiating tobacco use.

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Satisfaction level among patients visiting a rural dental institution toward rendered dental treatment in Haryana, North India

. Mohit Bansal; . Nidhi Gupta; . Gurpreet Kaur Saini; . Neha Sharma

Volume 8, Issue 6 , June 2018, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND: To provide quality care to the patient’s perspective and patient satisfaction aretwo major multidimensional concepts. In India, patient satisfaction with dental services ...  Read More BACKGROUND: To provide quality care to the patient’s perspective and patient satisfaction aretwo major multidimensional concepts. In India, patient satisfaction with dental services has receivedonly minor attention as the importance of the teeth is always neglected.OBJECTIVE: To assess the satisfaction level among patients toward dental treatment rendered atan academic institution.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among 474 voluntary camppatients visiting Department of Public Health Dentistry, Swami Devi Dyal Hospital and Dental College,Barwala, using a 14‑item closed ended questionnaire which included demographic details, attitude,and practices of the participants and their satisfaction level to the treatment rendered to them wasgraded as highly satisfied, satisfied, and not satisfied. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 18which covered both descriptive and inferential statistics.RESULTS: Curative and preventive treatment was mostly required in younger age groups whereasextraction and prosthetic rehabilitation were found to be present in older age groups. Lack ofeducation and awareness was the most common reason behind not seeking treatment. Majority of theparticipants were satisfied with the treatment rendered and were found to be statistically significantwith visiting and referrals (P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: Imparting proper and appropriate information regarding the dental treatment willdefinitely change the attitude of the patients, thus help in raising the satisfaction levels.

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The effect of nutrition education course on awareness of obese and overweight female 1st‑year High School students of Isfahan based on transtheoretical model of behavioral change

. Alireza Rahimi; . Mozhdeh Hashemzadeh; . Firoozeh Zare‑Farashbandi; . Amir Mansur Alavi Naeini; . Akbar Hasanzadeh

Volume 8, Issue 6 , June 2018, , Pages 1-5

Abstract

  BACKGROUND/AIM: Today, the problem of obesity is a chronic condition that affects all age groupsin developed and developing countries. Since adolescence is a transitional period and ...  Read More BACKGROUND/AIM: Today, the problem of obesity is a chronic condition that affects all age groupsin developed and developing countries. Since adolescence is a transitional period and behavioralpatterns formed in this period affect people in their adult years, attention to obesity and extra weightin this age group is more important than other groups. Therefore, this study aims to investigate theeffects of nutrition education course on awareness of female 1st‑year high school students of Isfahanbased on transtheoretical model ( TTM) of behavioral change.MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this semi‑empirical study, 64 female 1st‑year high school studentswith weight problem were selected using nonpercent stratified sampling and divided into two controland test groups. Data gathering was carried out using researcher‑made nutrition awareness andstages of change questionnaire whose validity and reliability was confirmed. Participants in thetest group participated in a 2‑month education with sessions every 2 weeks and received onebrochure and 3 educational massages each week. Data were analyzed using independent t‑testand Mann–Whitney test.RESULTS: The results showed that the average nutrition awareness score of students in test groupwas significantly higher than control group after intervention. Students in test group were also inhigher stages of change compared to control group after intervention.CONCLUSION: The results show that TTM was effective in changing nutritional behavior in students.

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Breastfeeding awareness and perception among antenatal mothers: A cross‑sectional study in urban slum population of Bhubaneswar, Odisha

. Ipsa Mohapatra; . Adrija Roy

Volume 8, Issue 5 , May 2018, , Pages 1-6

Abstract

  INTRODUCTION: Breast milk provides nutritional, immunological, behavioral, and economic benefitsand helps to build mother‑infant bonding. Antenatal mothers need to be sufficiently ...  Read More INTRODUCTION: Breast milk provides nutritional, immunological, behavioral, and economic benefitsand helps to build mother‑infant bonding. Antenatal mothers need to be sufficiently aware about thebenefits of breastfeeding.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to assess the awareness and perception of breastfeedingamong antenatal mothers and to find out any association between sociodemographic factors andbreastfeeding awareness.METHODOLOGY: A cross‑sectional study was conducted among 250 antenatal women residing in theurban slums of field‑practice area of urban health and training center; using a predesigned, pretested,semi‑structured interview schedule. Antenatal checkup followed by one to one counseling for thewomen regarding breastfeeding was provided. Data were represented by frequencies, proportions,and associations using Chi‑square, and the P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS: Most (55.6%) of the women were in the age group of 18–24 years. The mean age atmarriage was 19.2 ± 2.5 years. 81.2% of them were Hindus, 13.2% had adequate, 49.6% hadmoderately adequate, whereas 37.2% women had inadequate awareness about breastfeeding.About 100% intended to breastfeed their children, but only 64% said that they intended to exclusivelybreastfeed. 66.4% knew about the importance of colostrum. Age‑group, religion, literacy, occupation,type of family, gravida, and number of antenatal visits showed highly significant (P < 0.001) associationwith awareness of breastfeeding.CONCLUSION: Nearly one‑third of the antenatal mothers lacked awareness on breastfeedingpractices. Although all intended to breastfeed, still only 64% knew about exclusive breastfeeding.These gaps need to be addressed by awareness generation activities during antenatal counseling.

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