Abstract Introduction Among physiotherapists, work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are the most common health problem. This study aimed to provide evidence for planning evidence-based ...health promotion programmes for ensuring and maintaining adequate physical fitness (PF) to decrease WMSDs among physiotherapists which would have started already during the study. Methods A cross-sectional study involved the participation of a total of 100 physiotherapy students and 62 physiotherapists. Observed variables were prevalence of WMSDs in the last 12 months, lasting >3 days during physiotherapeutic activities and five PF components: body composition, cardiorespiratory and muscle endurance, muscle strength, and flexibility. A chi-square test and binary logistic regression were used as the main analytical methods. Results Prevalence of WMSDs in physiotherapists was 63.9% (the most common locations: lower back, shoulders, neck), while in physiotherapy students it was 46.5% (the most common locations: lower back, neck, upper back) (p=0.031). Among the PF components, the results showed statistically significantly worse flexibility among students compared to physiotherapists (about two thirds of students had poor or very poor results of flexibility testing) (p=0.002) in comparison to physiotherapists. A statistically significant positive association between WMSDs and PF was observed only between knee pain and poor cardiorespiratory endurance (OR=4.03 with 95% CI 1.12-14.58; p=0.033). Conclusion The study showed poor flexibility among students indicating that it is necessary to direct them to perform activities that will increase the extensibility of muscles. The awareness of this problem should be increased. A specific role should be played by staff involved in clinical practice.
Abstract Introduction Education about food safety is important for public health, and the best place to provide it is a university environment. The aim of the research was to assess food safety ...knowledge and self-reported food handling practices among students in Serbia. Methods The research was performed from October to December 2020, using an electronic survey among students at the University of Belgrade, University of Niš, and University of Novi Sad. Results The average students’ age was 21 (SD=1.7), and genderwise the proportion was 54% women and 46% men. The average score for self-reported food handling practices was 45.7% (SD=15.7), and for food safety knowledge 57.9% (SD=15.7). The results showed that students whose field of study is health-related (e.g. nutrition, chemistry, biology, medicine and pharmacy) had the highest score for self-reported food handling practices (48.8%) and for food safety knowledge (57.7%). As for age, the senior students showed the highest score for food safety (57.2%), followed by third-year students (53.8%), second-year (51.9%), and first-year students (49.9%). Conclusions The first-year students and those whose field of the study was not health-related showed the lowest score in the answers to the questions about food handling practices and food safety knowledge. However, the longer students study, the more knowledge they have, which is not the case for those whose studies are non-health-related.
Prispevek prinaša spoznanja o nalogah mentorja in mentorstvu v praktičnem usposabljanju in izobraževanju višješolskih študentov. Pri tem je na kratko opisan pomen formalnega mentorstva in mentorskega ...odnosa, ki je značilen za kakovostno mentorstvo. Naloge mentorja višješolskim študentom v praktičnem usposabljanju so najmanj raziskane, zlasti, katere so naloge, ki naj bi jih mentor poznal in tudi uresničeval, da bi lahko dosegel kakovosten mentorski odnos in mentorstvo. Namen raziskave je bil ugotoviti, katere so pomembne naloge mentorjev za kakovostno mentorstvo višješolskim študentom. Raziskava je temeljila na analizi vprašalnikov z odgovori mentorjev, ki so se udeležili usposabljanja na Filozofski fakulteti Univerze v Ljubljani. Ugotavljali smo, katere naloge so mentorji navajali, kako so jih izvajali oziroma uresničevali v praktičnem usposabljanju višješolcev. Ugotovitve raziskave prinašajo nova spoznanja o tem, koliko mentorji poznajo in izvajajo oziroma uresničujejo naloge mentorja ter katere naloge so pomembne za izboljšanje kakovosti mentorstva višješolskim študentom.
Among young adults, high rates of binge drinking were observed in certain European countries. Binge drinking is associated with several health problems (unplanned pregnancy, HIV infections, problems ...with memory, and injuries). The aim of this questionnaire-based study was to measure the frequency of binge drinking and its association with sociodemographic, familial, lifestyle factors and school performance among secondary and university students (n=2449) in Csongrád County, Hungary.
In this cross-sectional study the students' sociodemographic data, parents' educational and economic level, and students' academic performance and self-reported use of tobacco, drugs, and alcohol were collected by a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were applied using SPSS 24.0 software.
Altogether 2449 Hungarian secondary school students and university students participated in the study. Nearly one-third of the students were classified as binge drinkers, significantly more male university students. Tobacco or illicit drug use resulted in higher odds of being a binge drinker in both subgroups. Poor school performance and binge drinking were significantly correlated especially among secondary school students.
Targeting alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use together, including education, parent interventions, and public health policies, are crucial in the prevention of possible serious consequences.
Smoking rates in Serbian adults are among the highest in Europe. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of smoking and smoking-related behaviours of Belgrade University students ...depending on their sociodemographic characteristics and faculty group.
A cross-sectional study was carried out among 2,608 Belgrade University students (59.6% female) in 2015. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to the opportunity sample to collect the data describing students' smoking habits and attitudes across all 30 faculties of the university.
30.5% of students reported smoking: 26.4% of medical, and 31.1% of non-medical ones. Smoking rate among female students was 31.2% vs. 29.5% among males. Age (p=0.001), relationship (<0.001) and employment status (p=0.002) had statistically significant influence on smoking status, while the differences in smoking status between genders (p=0.141) and medical and non-medical group of students (p=0.066) were not statistically significant. The highest percentage of students started smoking during high school (66.2%). As the most common reason to start smoking, respondents cited peer influence (36.5%). 44.3% of students who smoked unsuccessfully tried to quit smoking.
To combat high smoking prevalence among a younger population, the formal education of students about the adverse impacts of smoking should be integrated in all active anti-smoking programs. Medical students, as future healthcare professionals, can play an important role in smoking rates reduction among both younger and general populations, if properly trained and educated about smoking prevention and cessation techniques.
Poorly developed teachers' competences for managing children's allergies can pose a significant problem for the wellbeing of children in the preschool and school environment. The purpose of this ...study is to explore the attitudes and theoretical understanding of the management of allergic reactions in children among future teachers.
A total of 572 future teachers participated in the study, 56% of whom were in the 1st year of undergraduate educational programmes, while 44% were in the 4th year. The participants answered the Teachers' Health Competences Development - Allergy Questionnaire.
The future teachers showed positive attitudes towards learning more about different child health issues. There was an average understanding of managing allergic reactions in children (59.4%; SD=16.1% success), with no statistically significant difference regarding the duration of education, science background or the students' self-allergy. There was, however, a statistically significant difference in achievement scores between future teachers in different educational programmes (
(3,568)=6.4,
≤.000). A subgroup of future teachers exposed to basic allergy education in the 1
year and tested again in the 4
year showed significantly better knowledge (
-
=83.0;
=.008).
The duration of future education, science background and self-allergy did not influence the level of knowledge regarding the management of allergic reactions in children. A basic educational programme in allergy management had a positive effect on future teachers' knowledge of managing allergic reactions in children. Our study indicates that all future teachers should be included in specific educational programmes in order to develop adequate health competences.
Alcohol/binge drinking among university students has become a major public health problem. Many of young students will be exposed to substantial changes in living arrangements, socialization groups ...and social activities during the transitional period.
The aim of this study was to analyse the alcohol consumption in Romanian university students, and to describe the behaviours occurring after drinking.
A cross-sectional study was conducted on 468 undergraduate students, from a university for medicine and law. Of these students, 35.5% were males and 64.5% were females. The mean age of students was 21.9 ± 3.22 years. Validated anonymous paper questionnaires were completed voluntary by the students. Questionnaires contained demographic items, six questions for determining the level of alcohol consumed in terms of quantity and frequency, and 19 statements or problems resulting from drinking.
The findings of the study showed that males drunk more units of alcohol/week than females (p<0.001). The prevalence of abstainers was 10.8% in males and 17.6% in women. Heavy drinkers (drinking 5 or more drinks more than once a week) were more common among male (19.3%) than among female students (16.2%). Most frequently, drinking behaviours are related to academic performance, and the possible link between poor academic performance and alcohol consumption appears tenuous and merits further investigation.
Effective intervention strategies should be implemented to prevent students' alcohol consumption and adverse health and social consequences resulting from this behaviour.
Introduction. Self-reported scales, such as the Jefferson Scale of Empathy - Student version (JSE-S), had been recognised to measure the empathic disposition rather than behavioural expression. This ...study aimed to re-validate the JSE-S and its factor structure prior further research on empathy in medical students.
Methods. A convenience sampling method was employed in two consecutive academic years, in 2012/13 and 2013/14, at the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana, Slovenia; first and final year students participated voluntarily. The JSE-S examined empathy levels. The principal component analysis was performed with Oblimin rotation and Kaisers’ criteria. Factors with eigenvalues ≥ 1.25 were retained and items loading ≥ |0.40| were required for the interpretation of the factor structure.
Results. The total study sample size was 845 students, (580 (68.6%)) of them women; 327 (72.2%) were in the first (19.2 ± 1.9 years old) and 253 (61.7%) in the sixth (24.9 ± 1.1 years old) year of medical school. Females achieved higher JSE-S scores in all groups. The three-factor JSE-S was confirmed, but only seven items were concordant in all groups. A higher proportion of explained variation for Perspective Taking and Standing in the Patient`s Shoes, and better internal consistency, was found in a reduced-item scale (16-18 items). When performing factor analysis of a seven-item scale, the percentages of explained variance increased with two factors extracted.
Conclusions. Only the cognitive dimension of JSE-S gave results as expected, therefore proper terminology, i.e. the object of assessment, must be used in further administration of JSE-S and empathy-related research in medical students.
Izhodišča. Samoocenjevalne lestvice, kakršna je Jeffersonova lestvica empatije - oblika za študente (JSE-S), so se izkazale kot mere naravnanosti (stališč) in ne kot pripomočki za oceno in napoved vedenja. Zato je bilo treba pred nadaljnjimi raziskavami empatične naravnanosti pri študentih in preučevanjem odnosa med študijskim programom ter pristopi in empatično naravnanostjo študentov ponovno preveriti veljavnost JSE-S, bolj jasno opredeliti predmet merjenja ter variacije/razlike, povezane s spolom.
Metode. S priložnostnim vzorčenjem v dveh zaporednih študijskih letih (2012/13 in 2013/14) so bili študenti prvega in šestega letnika Medicinske fakultete v Ljubljani povabljeni k anonimnemu in prostovoljnemu sodelovanju. Svojo empatično naravnanost so ocenjevali z JSE-S. S Student t-testom za neodvisne vzorce in enosmerno analizo variance so bile izračunane razlike po spolu in letniku študija. Vsi testi so bili dvosmerni, z mejo statistične pomembnosti P <0,05. Izvedena je bila validacija lestvice po metodi glavnih komponent z rotacijo Oblimin, ob upoštevanju Kaiserjevih meril. Nasičenost posameznih trditev ≥ |0,40| in faktorji z lastno vrednostjo ≥ 1,25 so bili podlaga za razlago faktorske strukture.
Rezultati. Celotni vzorec je vključeval 845 študentov, med njimi je bilo 580 (68,6%) žensk, 327 (72,2%) je bilo študentov prvega letnika, starih 19,2 ± 1,9 leta, 253 (61,7%) pa študentov šestega letnika, starih 24,9 ± 1,1 leta. Ženske so dosegle višje skupne vrednosti na JSE-S v vseh skupinah. Tri faktorska struktura JSE-S se je potrdila, vendar se je le sedem trditev/postavk ujemalo v vseh štirih skupinah študentov. Ko je bila lestvica skrajšana na 16 oziroma 18 trditev, se je povečal delež pojasnjene variance pri faktorjih upoštevanje zornega kota drugega in zavzemanje pozicije drugega, boljša je bila tudi notranja konsistentnost. V faktorski analizi lestvice s sedmimi trditvami/postavkami je bil delež pojasnjene variance še večji, ne pa tudi notranja konsistentnost (Cronbach’s α > 0,70). Izločena sta bila dva faktorja, oba po vsebini opisujeta kognitivno razsežnost empatije.
Zaključki. Pokazalo se je, da JSE-S meri empatično naravnanost, kar je treba upoštevati v prihodnjih raziskavah ter temu prilagoditi tudi poimenovanje lestvice. Predlagamo uporabo skrajšane lestvice s 16 trditvami, s skupno vrednostjo točk JSE-S kot mero samoocene kognitivne komponente empatije.
Trajnostni razvoj ni le velik izziv za celotno družbo, temveč tudi za visokošolske organizacije, ki v zadnjih dveh desetletjih pospešeno vključujejo paradigmo trajnostnega razvoja v svoj ...izobraževalni proces. Izobraževanje za trajnostni prostorski razvoj vključuje neposredno ali posredno vse vidike trajnostnega razvoja: okoljskega, gospodarskega, družbenega in kulturnega. Prostor je namreč stičišče različnih interesov, ki jih je treba v celotnem procesu urejanja prostora usklajevati, pri tem pa upoštevati trajnostni prostorski razvoj. Obstoječe vrednote o prostoru ne zadoščajo za hitro uveljavitev paradigme trajnostnega prostorskega razvoja. Potrebno je ustrezno izobraževanje posameznikov ter tudi strokovnjakov na celotnem področju urejanja prostora in na vseh ravneh izobraževanja. Zato bo treba preoblikovati visokošolski učni načrt posameznih predmetov z vključitvijo učnih vsebin in metod, ki omogočajo dolgotrajno znanje in celostno razmišljanje, pri tem pa upoštevati pomembnost medpredmetnega povezovanja. V članku je analizirana literatura s področja trajnostnega razvoja v visokošolskem izobraževanju med letoma 2002 in 2013. Teme, obravnavane v analizirani literaturi, vključujejo pojmovanja trajnostnega razvoja študentov in učiteljev, zastopanost trajnostnega razvoja in trajnostnega prostorskega razvoja v visokošolskem izobraževanju in razloge za prepočasno uvajanje teh vsebin v učni načrt. Na podlagi analize obravnavane literature so v sklepu opredeljeni ključni dejavniki, ki lahko pripomorejo k hitrejšemu vključevanju paradigme trajnostnega prostorskega razvoja v visokošolsko izobraževanje.
There is currently a strong scientific evidence about the negative health consequences of physical inactivity. One of the potential tools for promoting physical activity at the institutional level of ...the Ecological model is to create conditions and settings that would enable pupils, students and employees engage in some form of physical activity. However, physical activities as a subject are being eliminated from the study programs at Slovak universities. The purpose of the study was to find current evidence about the level of structured physical activity and health-related variables in university students in Košice.
The sample consisted of 1,993 or, more precisely, 1,398 students who attended two universities in Košice. To collect data, students completed a questionnaire and were tested for body height, body weight, circumferential measures and percentage body fat.
The university students did not sufficiently engage in a structured physical activity. A large number of students had either low or high values of percentage body fat and BMI and high WHR values.
Our findings have shown that the research into physical activity of university students should receive more attention.
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