Awareness of malocclusion and attitude towards orthodontic treatment among trainee dental surgery technicians in Nigeria

Objective: Malocclusion affects aesthetics, the physical, psychological and social life of a person. The aim of this study was to evaluate the awareness of malocclusion and attitude towards orthodontic treatment among trainee dental surgery technicians in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out among 68 final year (sixty-eight) trainee dental surgery technicians in Nigeria. The research instrument was a self-administered close ended questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. P value (P<0.05) was regarded as significant. Results: Sixty-one (89.7%) of the respondents were females, while 7 (10.3%) were males. Fifty-seven (83.8%) have heard of the term malalignment of teeth, 53 (77.9%) of the students think malalignment is due to external habits. 61 (89.7%) are aware that few teeth may have to be removed for proper positioning of irregular teeth and 51 (75.0%) were aware that the irregular teeth can be corrected even after 40 years of age. More females were aware of malocclusion and had positive attitude towards orthodontic procedures when compared to the males, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05).Conclusion. Majority of the respondents in this study were aware of the term malalignment and had positive attitude towards orthodontic treatment. More females constituted the study population.

Assessment of the prevalence of depression and the use of antidepressants in a study population

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that there is an increasing burden of depression and other mental health conditions globally. WHO global health estimate for depression reports a prevalence of 5.4% in Sub-Saharan Africa. Pharmacological therapy still remains the most popular treatment for diagnosed depression. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of clinically diagnosed depression and outcomes of antidepressants among final year undergraduate students in a Federal University. A descriptive cross- sectional study was carried out at University of Benin, Benin City. A validated questionnaire was distributed to the 319 final year clinical students of the College of Medicine, School of Dentistry and Faculty of Pharmacy. Data obtained were organized and analysed with Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics was done; frequencies and percentages were used to summarize variables of interest. Ethical considerations were observed. All the questionnaires used were valid for analysis. About 90.0% of the respondents were knowledgeable about depression. Symptoms of depression were reported in 20.0% of the respondents with 16.6% having moderate symptoms of depression and 3.4% having moderately severe symptoms of depression. The same 20.0% used antidepressants and 14.7% did not adhere to their regimen. Side effects were experienced by majority of respondents (16.3%) on antidepressants. There was a low prevalence of depression in the study population. Adherence to drug therapy was poor. Side effects to treatment were reported by majority of students receiving antidepressants. Majority of patients claim to be better now that they are using antidepressant treatment as the symptoms of the disease are resolving.

Knowledge and practice of COVID-19 preventive measures: comparative analysis of medical and non-medical students University of Port Harcourt

Background: The influence of COVID-19 has impacted the education sector just like it has other sectors. This study examined the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19 preventive measures among medical and non-medical students of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State Method: A comparative cross sectional study design using a selfadministered structured questionnaire involving a total of 406 students; medical (200) and non-medical (200), using multi-stage sampling. Frequency, percentages, means, and standard deviation were used to describe data where necessary. Chi-square and Fisher exact was used to compare knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19 preventive measures between medical and non-medical students. Results: The mean age of medical and non-medical students was 25.04 and 22.59 respectively. A total of 70% from medical students arm received COVID-19 vaccines while 15.5% of non-medical students arm. 152(73.8%) non-medical students and 123(61.5%) medical students had good knowledge of COVID-19. Positive attitude toward COVID-19 preventive measures was showed by 119(59.5%) medical students and 62(30.1%) nonmedical students. Concerning practice of COVID-19 preventive measures, 99(48.1%) medical students and 78(39.0%) non-medical students practiced appropriately. A chi-square test for association showed that gender, academic level, religion, accommodation status, vaccination status, geopolitical zone, and faculty of students were significantly associated with knowledge, attitude, and practice of COVID-19 preventive measures. Chisquare test also showed that knowledge of COVID-19 was significantly associated with the practice of COVID-19 preventive measures. Conclusion: Non-Medical students had better knowledge than medical student although difference was not significant. Attitude was good and practice of COVID-19 preventive measures was poor among medical students, while poor attitude and poor practice among non-medical students was observed.

Awareness and utilization of contraceptives among female students in Eldoret national polytechnic in Uasin Gishu county, Kenya, a cross sectional study

Background: Good knowledge of contraceptives is a key component for contraceptive utilization by young women. There have been increased incidences of unwanted pregnancies and induced abortions in tertiary institutions. This study sought to assess the knowledge and pattern of utilization of contraceptives among female students in Eldoret National Polytechnic, Kenya (ENP). Objective: One of the specific objectives of the study was to assess Contraceptive literacy among female students of ENP in Kenya. Methods: The study design was a cross-sectional one in form of self-administered closed ended and open-ended questionnaires. Study population was only female students of ENP, aged between 18 and 35 years. Stratified random sampling was applied to the selected sample of 360 from the study population of 5879. Results: Majority of the respondents affirmed the knowledge on contraceptive method for pills (88.0%) injections (83.4%) male condoms (82.2%), and e-pills (88.0 %) while affirming the use of alternate methods such as withdrawal (62.3%) and abstinence (77.3%). Regarding the sources of the family (FP) services, most respondents scored highly on the sources of the contraceptives with injectables, male condoms, E-pill and oral contraceptive pills at 82.8%, 80.7%, 80.4% and 73.6% respectively. Conclusion: Most participants reported good knowledge and source for short term family planning (FP) methods while long term reversible contraceptive methods are least understood. Majority of students get contraceptive information from social media and peers.

The use of peer physical examination in undergraduate health professions education: Exploring the perceptions of students and educators in a multicultural, multiracial institution

Teaching clinical skills is core content of the medical and allied health curricula of the Faculty of Health Sciences (FoHS) at the University of the Free State (UFS) in South Africa. A major pedagogical tool used for this purpose across the faculty is peer physical examination (PPE). Objective. To investigate the lived experience and perceptions of students and educators on the use of PPE in undergraduate health professions education at a multicultural and multiracial institution. Suggestions on guidelines for a PPE policy for the FoHS at the UFS were also obtained from the participants.Methods. This research was designed as a qualitative study that used focus group interviews involving 26 participants (19 students and 7 educators) to obtain verbal statements that described their experience and perceptions of the use of PPE in undergraduate health professions education. Results. Participants reported that PPE was useful to create a safe learning environment and to prepare students for the clinical aspects of their training. Enhancing students' empathy, competency and clinical confidence were among the advantages attributed to using PPE; it also encouraged peer-assisted learning. Some of the disadvantages ascribed to PPE were that it made it difficult to maintain classroom discipline, and that it could promote memorisation over understanding. Finally, participants suggested that a guideline for PPE policy should address matters of consent, confidentiality, participation and gender, cultural, religious and racial considerations.Conclusions. The findings of this study reveal that PPE is an acceptable and useful learning strategy for the majority of students and educators. Issues relating to consent, confidentiality and cultural, religious and racial considerations are some of the potential problems associated with the use of PPE at the UFS. We believe that the suggestions given by the participants of this study will inform the establishment of a PPE policy for the FoHS of the UFS

Knowledge, practices and beliefs of students regarding health effects of shisha use in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: A cross­sectional study

Background.The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced. Shisha use has recently been gaining increased popularity in many developed and developing countries.Objective. To determine the prevalence of shisha use among students in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and associated knowledge, smoking practices and beliefs about health effects.Method. A total of 443 students were selected for this cross-sectional study, using a stratified sampling method. Data on shisha use, knowledge about shisha, shisha smoking practices, and factors associated with use of shisha were collected via a questionnaire. The association between the independent variables and shisha use was assessed using a χ2 test (p<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine variables that were independently associated with shisha smoking.Results.Of the 421 respondents, 162 (38.5%) indicated that they had smoked shisha; 14.0% were regular smokers. We found that 183 students (43.5%) had poor knowledge about the health effects of shisha. The main reasons for shisha smoking were being in the company of friends who were users (57.4%), the pleasant flavour and fragrance of shisha (25.9%), and fashion (22.2%). Ninety-nine shisha smokers (61.1%) also consumed alcohol. Factors associated with shisha smoking included age <20 years (p<0.001), gender (p=0.034), and educational level of the respondent's father (p=0.0001) and mother (p=0.0004).Conclusion. We found a relatively high prevalence of shisha smoking among the students, and that 43.5% of them had poor knowledge about its effects on health. Developing surveillance, intervention and regulatory/policy frameworks specific to shisha has become a public health priority.

Unplanned pregnancy among female students at universities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Unplanned pregnancy has adverse effects including unsafe and illegal abortions causing maternal morbidity and mortality. Despite the adverse impact of unplanned pregnancy on women's personal life, their families, and society, there is a dearth of knowledge on unplanned pregnancy in institutions of higher education and training in South Africa. As a result, the objective of this study was to assess unplanned pregnancy and underlying factors among unmarried female students in universities in Eastern Cape. This was a cross-sectional survey of 1269 unmarried female students from universities in Eastern Cape selected using multistage cluster sampling. The study found that the prevalence of unplanned pregnancy was 12.31%, Health Science student (AOR: 0.41, 95% CI [0.17, 0.99], p < 0.001) were less likely to experience unplanned pregnancy. Being financially supported by a family (AOR: 0.17, 95% CI: [0.07, 0.43], p< 0.001) and being aged less than or equal to 18 years during the first sexual intercourse (AOR: 6.32, 95% CI: [2.57, 15.54], p < 0.001) were associated with unplanned pregnancy. Rural residence (AOR=3.93; 95% CI: (1.21, 12.84), p <0.001), not using contraceptives (AOR=10.63; 95%CI: 5.29, 21.37, p < 0.001) and having divorced parents (AOR=1.99; 95%CI: 1.14, 3.94), p < 0.001) were associated with unplanned pregnancy compared to their counterparts, respectively. The prevalence of unplanned pregnancy is high among unmarried female students in universities in Eastern Cape. Unplanned pregnancy was influenced by age at first sexual intercourse, non-use of contraceptives, divorced parents, the field of study, and the source of financial support. Universities and stakeholders should work together to support reproductive health programmes to prevent unplanned pregnancy. (Afr J Reprod Health 2022; 26[7]: 29-37).

Knowledge and practices of female students at University of Kara regarding sexually transmitted infections in Togo, 2021

A good knowledge of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in female students is an important element in the prevention of STI transmission. The objective of this study is to describe the level of knowledge and practices on STI among female students at the University of Kara. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the University of Kara from July to September 2021. Data were collected using a standard, digitalised, selfadministered questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to describe factors associated with the level of knowledge of STIs. A total of 1,055 female students with a median age of 21 years (interquartile range: 20-24) participated in the study. More than one-third (33.7%) of the students had good knowledge of STI. Having already been tested for HIV (aOR=3.25; 95% CI 2.36-4.52), having already had sex (aOR=1.56; 95% CI 1.10-2.24) and the level of education (AOR=3.46; 95% CI 2.10-5.85) were significantly associated with good STIs knowledge. Among the 723 female students (68.5%) who already had sex, 32.5% reported inconsistent use of condoms during sexual intercourse and 18.9% reported having multiple sexual partners. The results of this study highlight the importance of intensifying STIs prevention efforts (awareness, screening, and vaccination) among female students at the University of Kara.

Awareness of varicella-zoster virus among undergraduate students at the University of Namibia

Although varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is preventable and curable, the disease remains a public health problem in Namibia. Access to vaccination in the country remains a challenge for many citizens including students. No previous study has been conducted to assess awareness on the prevention and control of VZV in Namibia. The overall purpose of the study was to investigate the awareness of hostel students on prevention and control measures for VZV in Namibia. The objective of the study was to assess and describe the awareness of hostel students on the prevention and control measures for VZV in Namibia. A quantitative descriptive study using an online questionnaire was used. Simple random sampling was used to select 165 respondents. Descriptive statistics and a non-parametric Kruskal Wallis test were performed to test the mean differences between variables and the significance of the data. A great proportion of the respondents, 70.7% (n=118), were aware that VZV is caused by a virus (0.71±0.45) while 76% (n=127) (0.76±0.42) were aware that VZV can be vaccinated against. The study found a strong association between aetiology (p=0.03), available information (p=0.00), mode of transmission (p=0.23), and knowledge on contagious diseases (p=0.03).The results were inconclusive as to whether the level of awareness is high or low, owing to the differences in scores for each variable. The study recommends that a mobile clinic be established on campus to offer health education information.

WhatsApp as a support strategy for emergency nursing students during the COVID­19 pandemic

Students in emergency nursing had already commenced their postbasic training at universities when the Higher Education Institutions were compelled to discontinue face-to-face contact with students and switched to various online modes of delivering content and facilitating learning in response to the government's hard lockdown rules. Health services assumed students reverted to fulltime staff, while students envisaged completing the postbasic programme. In addition to the stressors all frontline workers encounter, these students had academic-related stressors. This short report aims to describe the use of WhatsApp™ as a support strategy for emergency nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The lecturer initiated a WhatsApp™ group, including all students and the clinical facilitators from various healthcare facilities. The communication stream from 1 March to December 2020 was exported in a Portable Document Format, followed by thematic analysis to identify the support provided. Support for emergency nursing students during the COVID-19 was multifaceted and included system, academic and emotional support. WhatsApp™ as a strategy to provide support to students during the COVID-19 pandemic served its purpose but could add to additional workload for the lecturer at odd or inconvenient hours.

A model to facilitate self-management of human immunodeficiency virus in students within a university setting and promoting their mental health

Background: The introduction of antiretroviral treatment (ART) has resulted in people with HIV living longer. Antiretroviral treatment demands a lifelong commitment from patients not only in terms of adherence to the medication but also in relation to lifestyle changes in general. This poses a challenge to a student living with HIV (SLHIV) who only spends a few years at university before entering the workplace and relocating. It also means that the care, support and treatment received at the university will no longer be available to them as these services are only offered to enrolled students. It is imperative for practitioners at universities to help SLHIV effectively manage their illness.Aim: The aim of the article is to illustrate the process followed to develop a model that could serve as a frame of reference to facilitate the management of HIV as an integral part of the mental health of SLHIV within a university.Setting: The model is designed for professional practitioners in university settings who support students living with HIV in managing their illness.Methods: A theory-generative, qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual study design was utilised. The central concept was derived from the experiences of practitioners and SLHIV by conducting individual interviews using appreciative inquiry. The common themes and categories identified in the interviews served as a basis for the identification of the central concept for the study. The process included the identification, definition and classification of the central concept and essential attributes. The conceptual framework was then described. Measures to ensure trustworthiness were also adhered to in the study and approval for the study was granted (Ethical clearance #2014-071).Results: The central concept was identified as the 'facilitation of self-management'. It was defined and classified, and these definitions and classifications were used as the basis for the model. Thereafter, the model was described.Conclusion: The model can be used as a frame of reference to assist SLHIV in effectively managing their illness

Representation and methods of normalisation: narratives of disability within a South African tertiary institution

Background: The manner in which disability is understood influences how individuals within a society, its institutions, policies and structures are able to accommodate and support people with disabilities (PWD) (Kaplan 2000). Understanding how students with disabilities (SWD) within a higher education context perceive and experience disability as well as how key players, namely, lecturers and disability unit (DU) staff, who influence that experience, is important in further shaping policy and providing a truly inclusive environment for all within HEIs. Objectives: The study aimed to examine the narratives of disability among SWD, lecturers and the DU within a tertiary institution, with a view to better understand their experiences and required initiatives to address the challenges of disability within a higher tertiary institution. Method: The study drew on three theoretical frameworks: social constructionism, feminist disability theory and the Foucauldian perspective. Data for the study were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with 12 SWD, seven members of staff from the institution's DU and five lecturers from within the School of Applied Human Sciences. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The findings suggested that in spite of both facilitating and positive representations of disability, the dominant representation of disability was perceived as challenging and as a result, disempowering. Students with disabilities were found to adapt, and consequently modify their behaviour by disassociating from their disability in order to fit in. Conclusion: The study highlights the need for creating spaces and engagement within an HEI context that both challenge negative discourses of disability, and at the same time, promote positive representations of disability

Adolescent­parent communication on sexual and reproductive health issues amongst secondary school students in Western Region 1 of The Gambia

Background: Adolescent­parent communication about sexual issues is a challenging issue worldwide. In The Gambia, many traditional communities limit such communication and this can have an adverse influence on sexual and reproductive health (SRH) outcomes and behaviours in adolescents. Aim: The study assessed adolescent­parent communication on selected SRH issues amongst secondary school students. Setting: The study was conducted in selected secondary schools in Western Region 1 of The Gambia. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study utilised mixed methods. For the questionnaire survey, secondary school students were selected using a multistage sampling technique whilst parents for focus group discussions were purposively selected. Results: A total of 600 adolescents and 48 parents were studied. Only 360 (60.0%) of the students had heard of SRH. One-third (67.3%) knew about sexually transmitted infection (STIs) such as human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (56.5%), gonorrhoea (40.5%) and syphilis (2.5%). Social media (31.0%) were the predominant source of information regarding SRH issues, followed by television (22.0%), school (14.0%) and parents (9.0%). Half (50.8%) of the adolescents discussed sexual intercourse with their parents ­ mostly with their mothers. Parental and cultural factors, fear, shyness and ignorance were the main reasons why adolescents did not discuss specific SRH issues with their parents. Conclusion: This study showed that adolescent­parent communication on SRH issues was poor. Programmes supporting parents to effectively communicate SRH matters with their children should be designed and implemented

Demographic determinants of risky sexual behaviours among senior high school students in the Hohoe municipality, Ghana

Senior High School (SHS) students fall within the age group (15-24 years) hardest hit by HIV/AIDS. Since about 90% of HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is through heterosexual intercourse, it is assumed that these students engage in risky sexual behaviours. Hohoe municipality has one of the highest HIV prevalence in Ghana (3.4%). The current study investigated the demographic determinants of risky sexual behaviours among senior high school students in the Hohoe municipality, Ghana.Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional design was employed in the study. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a multistage sample of 270 SHS students who consented to participate in January 2019. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using Stata version 14.0 software program at the 0.05 level of significance.Results: of 270 respondents, 112 (41.5%) were engaged in risky sexual behaviours. Single students were 82% less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviours than their married counterparts (p=0.032) and muslims were 89% less likely to engage in risky sexual behaviours than christians (p=0.032).Conclusion: religion and marital status were the two socio-demographic characteristics that were significantly associated with risky sexual behaviour. Health promotion interventions to curb risky sexual behaviours among the SHS students should target the christian and married students

The effect of clinical simulation assessment on stress and anxiety measures in emergency care students

Background: Clinical simulation has become widespread as a training and assessment tool across a range of health professions, including emergency care. As with any form of assessment, simulations may be associated with stress and anxiety ("distress") which may have a negative effect on student performance if demands required by the simulation outweigh the available resources. This study aimed to assess the effect of participation by students in an emergency care simulation on an objective measure of stress and a subjective measure of anxiety. Methods: Heart rate variability (HRV) and scores from a validated state anxiety instrument (the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) were assessed in 36 emergency medical care students participating in scheduled simulation assessments. Data recorded during a resting control period were used for comparison. Results: HRV variables showed changes in the simulation assessment group suggesting decreased variability and parasympathetic withdrawal, however these were not significantly different to control. Heart rate in the simulation assessment group increased significantly (73.5/min vs. 107.3/min, p < 0.001). State anxiety scores increased significantly both before (33.5 vs. 49.1, p < 0.001) and after (33.5 vs. 60, p < 0.001) the simulation assessment, compared to control. No linear relationship was found between any HRV variables and anxiety scores. Conclusion: Participating in an emergency care simulation assessment significantly elevated levels of anxiety in a group of 36 students, however an objective measure of stress did not identify changes significantly different to those at rest, with the exception of heart rate. The high levels of anxiety documented before and after simulation assessments may have a negative effect on performance and require further investigation

Students' prior knowledge and skills in computer and internet use: An exploration of incoming first year undergraduate health sciences students at Gulu University, Uganda

Internet has provided infrastructure that enables access to a variety of information resources for use by medical students at Gulu University in Northern Uganda. However, little attention has been put to explore prior internet knowledge of undergraduate medical students in Uganda. Cross-sectional research design was used. Fifty-six first year undergraduate health sciences students participated in the study. Self-administered structured questionnaire was used for data collection and analysis was done using SPSS version 16. Results shows that a majority of the participants had prior knowledge of computer 48 (86.0%) and internet 44 (79.0%). 38 (68.0%) participants had access to internet and 34 (61.0%) owned computer before joining the University. Majority owned mobile phones 41 (73.0%) and used it for internet access 43 (84.0%). Use of internet was high in social media 46 (86.8) and searching general information 44 (84.6%). Participants expected easy access to teaching materials 52 (94.5%) and communication 49 (90.7%) via internet. These findings suggest need for healthcare librarians to train incoming medical students on use of ICTs; including social media platforms and mobile phones to improve their ICT literacy skills to enable them access the best academic information resources to enhance medical education.

Provider-related predictors of utilization of university health services in Nigeria

BACKGROUND: The utilization of health services is an important policy concern in most developing countries. Many staff and students do not utilize the health services within the university system despite the availability of good quality services. This study investigated the provider-related factors related to utilization of university health service by staff and students in a privately owneduniversity in Nigeria. METHODS: The perception of the quality of a university health service was investigated among a cross-section of 600 university staff and students who were selected by a stratified random sampling scheme. A self-administered questionnaire-based study was conducted. The structure, process and output predictors of utilization of the university health facility were assessed. Data analysis was carried out using Stata I/C 15.0. RESULTS: The average age of the participants was 22.93±7.58 years. About two-thirds of them did not have opinion about the mortality and morbidity rates at the university health center. Significant proportions of the participants reported good perceptions about the structure and process quality of service indicators. Utilization of the university health center was predicted by some structure and process indicators namely; the availability/experience of staff (AOR 2.44; CI 1.67-3.58), the organization of healthcare (AOR 1.64; CI 1.11-2.41), the continuity of treatment (AOR 1.74; CI 1.12-2.70) and the waiting time (AOR 0.41; CI 0.28-0.61). CONCLUSION: The utilization of university health services was predicted by availability/experience of staff, the organization of healthcare, the waiting time and the continuity of care. The structure-process-outcome approach discriminates between the students and staff who utilize the university health center and those who donot. It also suggests a complex interplay of factors in the prediction of choice of a health facility

The prevalence and factors associated with mental distress among college students in Southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Although mental health problems affect the general population, students are highly vulnerable to psychological disorders. Mental distress among students is a cause of concern as it may impair their behavior and diminish learning, which could negatively affect their academic performance. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and the factors associated with mental distress among college students in Southern Ethiopia. METHODS: Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted among 280 regular students of Hawassa College of Health Sciences. Mental distress was measured using a Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20). The data were entered into Epi-Info version 3.5.4 and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20. Multivariable logistic analysis was performed following bivariate analysis to adjust for the effect of confounders. RESULT: The prevalence of mental distress among the study subjects was found to be 59 (22.30%). Female students were 2.08 times more likely to have mental distress as compared to male students (AOR =2.08 [95% CI: 1.14-3.82]). The odds of mental distress among third-year students was 60% lower compared to second-year students [AOR = 0.40; 95 % CI, (0.19, 0.87)]. Students who were from Amhara ethnic group were 3.37 times more likely to have mental distress as compared to students from Sidama ethnic group [AOR=3.37;95%CI (1.13-10.09)]. Moreover, students who had Grade Point Average of below 60% were 4.69 times more likely to be mentally distressed as compared to those students who scored Grade Point Average of greater or equal to 60% (AOR= 4.69; 95% CI,[ 2.46, 8.96). CONCLUSION: The finding suggests the importance of providing mental health counseling support for students as part of the teaching and learning process. More research to further explore the multiple factors influencing students' mental health condition should also be conducted

The use of the Socratic inquiry to facilitate critical thinking in nursing education

Background: Critical thinking is a skill that nurse practitioners are required to have. Socratic inquiry can be used to facilitate critical thinking in nursing. Nurse educators seek methods to infuse into teaching content to facilitate students' critical thinking skills, and one of such methods is the use of Socratic inquiry as a teaching method. Aim: This article aims to explore and describe how Socratic inquiry can be used to facilitate critical thinking in nursing education. Setting: This study took place in a nursing department at a university in Johannesburg. Methods: A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was used. Purposive sampling was used to draw a sample of 15 nurse educators determined by data saturation. Miles, Huberman and Saldaña's methodology of qualitative data analysis was used. Lincoln and Guba's strategies for trustworthiness and Dhai and McQuoid-Mason's principles of ethical consideration were used.Results: Three main themes emerged: the context necessary for Socratic inquiry, dispositions in Socratic inquiry and strategies to use in Socratic inquiry to facilitate critical thinking skills of students.Conclusions: Socratic inquiry can be used both in education and practice settings to facilitate the use of critical thinking skills to solve problems

Sense of coherence in Chinese and German students

Background: Mental health and salutogenesis are important topics at universities in China and Germany where heightening stress levels in students can be observed. Aim: The aim of this article is to determine the profile of the salutogenic concept, sense of coherence (SOC), in Chinese and German students to provide new insights into SOC and mental health in Chinese and German students in higher education institutions (HEIs). Setting: The study was carried out at universities in China and Germany. Method: A non-experimental, cross-sectional, survey-based research design and convenience sampling was utilised to obtain the sample (n = 356). The sample was derived at a selected Chinese (n = 255) and a selected German university (n= 101). Data were gathered using the 7-point Likert SOC dimension scales based on the Life-Orientation Questionnaire (LOQ) research instrument. The internal consistency levels of the SOC sub-scales were of acceptable levels. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were calculated to determine the reliability of the LOQ research instrument. General linear modelling techniques. Results: The results showed the Chinese students scored significantly lower in all three SOC scales than the German students, with the largest practical significant difference in the sub-score of meaningfulness. In general, female Chinese and German students scored higher than their male counterparts. No significant differences could be found between German female and male, and Chinese female and male students. Conclusion: Conclusions and recommendations for future research and HEI practice are provided