The COVID-19 pandemic has disastrous impacts that impose the cultivation of knowledge and motivation of self-protection to foster disease containment.
Evaluate the effect of digital self-learned ...educational intervention about COVID-19 using the protection motivation theory (PMT) on non-health students' knowledge and self-protective behaviors at Saudi Electronic University (SEU).
A quasi-experimental study was accomplished at three randomly chosen branches of SEU (Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah) using a multistage sampling technique to conveniently select 219 students. An electronic self-administered questionnaire was used, which included three scales for assessing the students' knowledge, self-protective behaviors, and the constructs of the PMT. The educational intervention was designed using four stages: need assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. A peer-reviewed digital educational content was developed after assessing the participants' educational needs using the pretest. Then, distributed through their university emails. A weekly synchronous Zoom cloud meeting and daily key health messages were shared with them. Finally, the post-test was conducted after two months.
The mean participants' age (SD) among the experimental group was 28.94 (6.719), and the control group was 27.80 (7.256), with a high female percentage (63.4%, 73.8%) and a previous history of direct contact with verified COVID-19 patients (78.6%, 69.2%), respectively. A significant positive mean change (
= 0.000) was detected in the total COVID-19 knowledge of the experimental group post-intervention, either when it was adjusted for the covariates effect of the control group (F
= 630.547) or the pretest (F
= 8.585) with a large effect size (η
= 0.745, η
= 0.268, respectively). The same was proved by the ANCOVA test for the total self-protective behaviors either when it adjusted for the covariates effect of the control group (F
= 66.671,
= 0.000) or the pretest (F
= 5.873,
= 0.020) with a large effect size (η
= 0.236, η
= 0.164, respectively). The ANCOVA test proved that post-intervention, all the PMT constructs (perceived threats, reward appraisal, efficacy appraisal, response cost, and protection intention) and the total PMT score were significantly improved (
= 0.000) among the experimental group either when adjusted for the covariates effect of the control group (F
= 83.835) or the pretest (F
= 11.658) with a large effect size (η
= 0.280, η
= 0.561, respectively).
The digital PMT-based self-learned educational intervention effectively boosts non-health university students' COVID-19 knowledge, protection motivation, and self-protective behaviors. Thus, PMT is highly praised as a basis for COVID-19-related educational intervention and, on similar occasions, future outbreaks.
Objective:
Non-medical services care coordination for daily activities of living is crucial in improving older adults’ health and enabling them to age in place, but little is known about specific ...practices and barriers in this space.
Methods:
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 41 professionals serving older adults in greater Chicago, Illinois—which consists of diverse urban, suburban, and semi-rural communities—to contextualize non-medical services needs and care coordination processes.
Results:
In-home care, home-delivered meals, non-emergency transportation, and housing support were cited as the most commonly needed services, all requiring complex coordination support. Respondents noted a reliance on inefficient phone/fax usage for referral-making and cited major challenges in inter-professional communication, service funding/reimbursement, and HIPAA.
Conclusions:
Non-medical services delivery for older adults is severely impacted by general siloing throughout the care continuum. Interventions are needed to enhance communication pathways and improve the salience and interdisciplinarity of non-medical services coordination for this population.
Background: COVID-19 infection endangers pregnant women and newborns. Infection prevention measures are available and easy to apply, but the problem is the application continuity. Empowering pregnant ...women to increase their intention for self-protection is very important. This study explores the effect of educational intervention based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) on pregnant women's knowledge and self-protection regarding COVID-19. Materials and Methods: A randomized, controlled trial was conducted at the Obstetrics and Gynecology outpatient clinic at El Shatby Hospital, Alexandria governorate/Egypt, from November 2020 to May 2021. The study included a convenient sample of 163 pregnant women using the randomization block technique. A self-reported questionnaire was used for data collection. For the intervention group, the PMT-based education included need assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Two months later, a reevaluation was done. Results: ANCOVA showed a significant improvement in the intervention group's knowledge (F1 = 8.56, p < 0.001) when taking the pretest as a reference. The effect size shows that 25.8% of the intervention group's knowledge improvement and 58.80% of the difference between the two groups were due to intervention. ANCOVA showed a significant improvement in the intervention group's PMT constructs when taking the pretest or group as a reference (p <0.001). The effect size shows that 56.10% of the intervention group's total PMT constructs improvement and 89.60% of the differences between the two groups were due to the intervention. Conclusions: PMT-based intervention is effective in improving pregnant women's knowledge and self-protection intention regarding COVID-19. PMT is recommended to tailor educational intervention for pregnant women.
Background & Aim: The trans-theoretical model suggests that stage-matched interventions improve the effectiveness of behavior changes such as quitting. This study aims to examine the effect of ...stage-matched smoking cessation educational intervention based on the trans-theoretical model using motivational interviewing on Egyptian males' knowledge, stage movement, and smoking cessation rate.
Methods & Materials: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in the main building of Damanhour University, Egypt. The participants were selected using simple random sampling (N=165), then allocated to both experimental (N=82) and control (N=83) groups using the randomization block technique. Data was collected using a structured interview schedule. The instrument contained five parts: Personal Characteristics and Smoking data, Fagerstrom Tolerance Questionnaire, Tobacco Cessation Readiness Scale, Smoking Knowledge Scale, and trans-theoretical Model constructs questionnaire. The experimental group received ten months of educational intervention using face-to-face and phone-based motivational interviewing.
Results: A significantly higher stage movement was revealed among the experimental group post-intervention (80.5%); 35.4% transitioned to the preparation stage, 32.9% were in the action stage, and 12.2% were in the maintenance stage. According to the ANCOVA test, significant negative mean differences post-intervention was achieved for nicotine dependence and decision pros (P=0.000) with a large effect size (η2=0.341, η2=0.503). However, significant positive mean differences were proved for other variables (knowledge, tobacco cessation readiness, and TTM constructs) (P<0.05) with a large effect size (η2>0.14). Stage analysis revealed significant mean differences in most studied variables, where the action stage had the highest significant mean improvements (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The trans-theoretical model-based educational intervention using motivational interviewing effectively improves smoking knowledge and facilitates quitting with successful stage movement among Egyptian male smokers.
Background: Gestational diabetes is a widespread pregnancy-related health problem. Its associated complications can be minimized by empowering women to enhance their self-care behavior. This study ...aimed to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention using the Beliefs, Attitudes, Subjective Norms, and Enabling Factors (BASNEF) model on Gestational Diabetes Self-Care Behaviors (GD-SCB) among gestational diabetic woman. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed at the outpatient clinic, El-Shatby hospital, Alexandria, Egypt, on 180 gestational diabetic women (91 intervention and 89 control groups). Data were collected from April to November 2019 using an interviewing schedule involving sociodemographic characteristics and obstetrics/medical history, BASNEF model questionnaire, and gestational diabetes self-care behavior scale. Results: The findings revealed that an absence of statistically significant differences in sociodemographic characteristics and obstetrics/medical history between the intervention and control groups. Two months post-intervention, all BASNEF model subcontracts and total GD-SCB showed significant improvement in the intervention than the control group; knowledge (F1 = 173.92, p < 0.001), personal beliefs (F1 = 286.54, p < 0.001), subjective norms (F1 = 248.82, p < 0.001), behavioral intention (F1 = 235.43, p < 0.001), enabling factors (F1 = 59.71, p < 0.001), and total GD-SCB (F1 = 775.10, p < 0.001). The effect size showed that 48.60% of the improvement within the intervention group total GD-SCB was due to the intervention. Conclusions: Empowerment through education using the BASNEF model for enhancing GD-SCB was effective and beneficial. Therefore, it can serve as a basic framework for constructing and executing educational programs in the field.
Clay-based adsorbents have applications in environmental remediation, particularly in the removal of emerging pollutants such as antibiotics. Taking that into account, we studied the ...adsorption/desorption process of tetracycline (TC) using three raw and acid- or base-activated clays (AM, HJ1 and HJ2) collected, respectively, from Aleg (Mazzouna), El Haria (Jebess, Maknessy), and Chouabine (Jebess, Maknessy) formations, located in the Maknessy-Mazzouna basin, center-western of Tunisia. The main physicochemical properties of the clays were determined using standard procedures, where the studied clays presented a basic pH (8.39–9.08) and a high electrical conductivity (446–495 dS m−1). Their organic matter contents were also high (14–20%), as well as the values of the effective cation exchange capacity (80.65–97.45 cmolckg−1). In the exchange complex, the predominant cations were Na and Ca, in the case of clays HJ1 and AM, while Mg and Ca were dominant in the HJ2 clay. The sorption experimental setup consisted in performing batch tests, using 0.5 g of each clay sample, adding the selected TC concentrations, then carrying out quantification of the antibiotic by means of HPL-UV equipment. Raw clays showed high adsorption potential for TC (close to 100%) and very low desorption (generally less than 5%). This high adsorption capacity was also present in the clays after being activated with acid or base, allowing them to adsorb TC in a rather irreversible way for a wide range of pH (3.3–10) and electrical conductivity values (3.03–495 dS m−1). Adsorption experimental data were studied as regards their fitting to the Freundlich, Langmuir, Linear and Sips isotherms, being the Sips model the most appropriate to explain the adsorption of TC in these clays (natural or activated). These results could help to improve the overall knowledge on the application of new low-cost methods, using clay based adsorbents, to reduce risks due to emerging pollutants (and specifically TC) affecting the environment.
•First study to valorize Maknessy-Mazzouna basin clays in tetracycline (TC) removal.•The three clays showed high TC adsorption capacity (up to 99% in most cases).•These clays showed low TC desorption (always lower than 10%).•The studied clays are efficient in their natural state, not needing activation.•These clays are suitable for remediation of TC antibiotics, especially in water.
Environmental discharge of wastewater represents a source of chemical and biological pollutants. This study firstly evaluates the microbiological and physicochemical quality of treated wastewaters ...collected from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) located in two different Tunisian cities namely Sidi Bouzid (SB) and Gafsa (G). Then, the capacity of three raw and acid/base-activated local clays to enhance the quality of wastewaters was assessed. The results indicate that the quantities of enteric bacteria (oscillating from 1.381 × 103 to 1.4 × 108 CFU/100 mL), fungi (between 1.331 × 103 and 1.781 × 104 CFU/100 mL), as well as SARS-CoV-2 (between 4.25 × 103 and 5.05 × 105 CFU/100 mL) and Hepatitis A virus RNA (form 4.25 × 103 to 7.4 × 104 CFU/100 mL) detected in effluent wastewaters were not in compliance with the Tunisian standards for both studied WWTPs. Likewise for other indicators such as electrical conductivity (ranging 4.9-5.4 mS/cm), suspended matter (145-160 g l-1), chemical oxygen demand (123-160 mg l-1), biological oxygen demand 5 (172-195 mg l-1), chloride, Total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) and phosphorus contents (710, 58-66 and 9.47-10.83 mg l-1 respectively), the registered values do not agree with the set standards established for wastewater treatment. On the other hand, the pH values fitted (oscillating from 6.86 (at G) to 7.24 (at SB) with the Tunisian standards for both WWTPs. After treatment, wastewaters showed better values for the microbiological parameters, especially for the clays designed as AM and HJ1, which eliminated 100% of viruses. In addition, when acid-activated AM clays were applied, a marked improvement in the quality of physicochemical parameters was obtained, especially for suspended matter (2 and 4 g l-1 for SB and G, respectively), TKN (5.2 (SB) and 6.40 (G) mg/l), phosphorus (1.01 (SB) and 0.81 (G) mg/l). Our results open perspectives for the possibility of efficiently using these specific clays in the enhancement of the quality of treated wastewaters.
In recent years, the increasing detection of emerging pollutants (particularly antibiotics, such as sulfonamides) in agricultural soils and water bodies has raised growing concern about related ...environmental and health problems. In the current research, sulfadiazine (SDZ) adsorption was studied for three raw and chemically modified clays. The experiments were carried out for increasing doses of the antibiotic (0, 1, 5, 10, 20, and 40 μmol L−1) at ambient temperature and natural pH with a contact time of 24 h. The eventual fitting to Freundlich, Langmuir and Linear adsorption models, as well as residual concentrations of antibiotics after adsorption, was assessed. The results obtained showed that one of the clays (HJ1) adsorbed more SDZ (reaching 99.9 % when 40 μmol L−1 of SDZ were added) than the other clay materials, followed by the acid-activated AM clay (which reached 99.4 % for the same SDZ concentration added). The adsorption of SDZ followed a linear adsorption isotherm, suggesting that hydrophobic interactions, rather than cation exchange, played a significant role in SDZ retention. Concerning the adsorption data, the best adjustment corresponded to the Freundlich model. The highest Freundlich KF scores were obtained for the AM acid-treated and raw HJ1 clays (606.051 and 312.969 Ln μmol1−n kg−1, respectively). The Freundlich n parameter ranged between 0.047 and 1.506. Regarding desorption, the highest value corresponded to the AM clay, being generally <10 % for raw clays, <8 % for base-activated clays, and <6 % for acid-activated clays. Chemical modifications contributed to improve the adsorption capacity of the AM clay, especially when the highest concentrations of the antibiotic were added. The results of this research can be considered relevant as regard environmental and public health assessment since they estimate the feasibility of three Tunisian clays in SDZ removal from aqueous solutions.
•Maknessy-Mazzouna basin clays were efficient in sulfadiazine (SDZ) adsorption.•Sulfadiazine (SDZ) adsorption increased with decreasing pH for acid-activated AM clay.•Sulfadiazine (SDZ) adsorption was strongly correlated with the type of clay and activation.•The desorption percentages were always low, not exceeding 10 %.
Background: Exploring the determinants of unmarried women’s attitude towards Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) can help develop context-specific interventions that create a safe EBF culture among future ...mothers.Objectives: Investigating the determinants of attitude toward EBF among non-health college female students in Saudi Arabia using path analysis.Methods: A descriptive exploratory study was conducted at three randomly selected university campuses (Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah) in Saudi Arabia. Using multistage cluster random sampling, 500 unmarried female students were enrolled in the study. Data were collected from February to May 2022 using a digital survey of four sections: personal data and prior breastfeeding exposure, attitude toward EBF scale, knowledge scale, and perceived social support scale. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis and path analysis.Results: The highest percentage of the participants had a positive attitude toward EBF (59.8%), average levels of knowledge (46.0%), prior breastfeeding exposure (60.8%), and positive perceived social support (54.0%). The path model fits the data perfectly χ2=0.000, DF=0, CIMN=0.000, GFI=0.999, NFI=0.999, CFI=0.999, PCFI =0.999. Knowledge (β=0.301) perceived social support (β=0.227), and prior breastfeeding exposure (β=0.211) (P<0.001) directly and significantly predicted attitude toward EBF, with significant positive correlations with each other (P<0.001). The linear regression model predicted a 3.8% variance in attitude toward EBF, where increasing age (β=0.139, P=0.002) and income level (β=0.124, P=0.006) were significant predictors of positive attitude, however, the place of residence was not (β=0.016, P=0.724).Conclusion: Unmarried Saudi female university students' knowledge of EBF was the strongest determinant of their attitude toward EBF followed by perceived social support, prior breastfeeding exposure, and increased age and income level. Thus, targeted educational interventions and mass campaigns on EBF are crucial to promote EBF among future generations.
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