ABSTRACT
Objective: A health risk behavior like physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco use, drug abuse, unprotected sexual practices or harmful use of alcohol is linked with serious ailments like liver cirrhosis, hypertension, abnormal lipid profile and number of cardiovascular diseases. Our study is aimed to explore perception of students about health risk behaviors; eating routines, life style and stress handling practices and compare amongst medical students of first and second year
Subjects and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 233 female students between 1 8-25 years of age, from first two years of medical college were administered a self-structured questionnaire Response of each item was rated on five-point Likert scale. Maximum points in the scale were five and the minimum was one for each item. Mean score was obtained by adding points of all responses. Degree of health awareness was categorized into low, medium and high on the basis of mean cumulative scores. Independent sample t test was used to compare means between study groups based on academic level [Year I and II medical students]
Results: The overall results of the study revealed positive health behaviors among medical students. Year I MBBS had superior acquaintance on healthy eating routines [p-value = 0.001], lifestyle patterns [p-value = 0.002], and stress handling practices [p-value < 0.001] as compared to senior class. Tendency to have anxiety attacks was more in 1st year students [p-value=0.002] while capability to withstand stress was better in senior class [p-value=0.004]
Conclusion: Majority of medical students practiced positive health behaviors. These attitudes in terms of selection of life style choices; healthy food and physical activity with avoidance of health risk behaviors and supportive practices was better in Year I students
ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the cognitive levels of Multiple Choice Questions [MCQs] and Short Answer Questions [SAQs] and types of Item Writing Flaws [IWFs] in MCQs in Medical Pharmacology internal assessment exams
Methods: This descriptive, study was conducted over a period of six months, from December 2015 to May 2016 and evaluated six internal assessment examinations comprising SAQs and MCQs. A total of 150 MCQs and 43 SAQs were analyzed. These questions were administered to third-year medical students in the year of 2015. All SAQs were reviewed for their cognitive levels and MCQs were reviewed for cognitive levels as well as for IWFs. Items were classified as flawed if they contained one or more than one flaw. The cognitive level of the questions was determined by the modified Bloom's taxonomy
Results: The proportion of flawed items out of 150 items in six exams ranged from 16% to 52%. While the percentage of total flawed items was 28%. Most common types of flaws were implausible distractors 19.69% [26], extra detail in correct option 18.18% [24], vague terms 9.85% [13], unfocused stem 9.09% [12] and absolute terms 9.09% [12]. The two-third of MCQs 97[64.67%] were assessing the recall of information, while 29 [19.33%] and 24 [16%] were assessing the interpretation of data and problem-solving skills respectively. The majority of the SAQs [90.7%] were assessing recall of the information and only 9.3% were assessing interpretation of data while none of the questions was assessing the problem-solving skills
Conclusions: The cognitive level of assessment tools [SAQs and MCQs] is low, and IWFS are common in the MCQs. Therefore, faculty should be urged and groomed to design problem-solving questions which are devoid of any flaws
Subject(s)
Humans , Examination Questions , Pharmacology , Wechsler Memory Scale , Problem Solving , Medical WritingABSTRACT
Objective: To assess mid-luteal estradiol [E2] levels in poor and good responders and determine its effect on the outcome after intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]
Methods: The current study was carried out in females who underwent ICSI from June 2011 to September 2013 in "Islamabad Clinic Serving Infertile Couples". They were categorized into good and poor responders on the basis of female age 5, respectively. Their mid-luteal E2 measured on the day of embryo transfer was stratified into groups [A-E] on the basis of 20th, 40[th], 60[th] and 80[th] percentile values. The outcome was categorized into non-pregnant with beta human chorionic Gonadotrophin [hCG] 5-25 m IU/ml, and clinical pregnancy with beta hCG>25 m IU/ml
Results: The conception rate was 12% [63/513] in poor responders and 72% [237/329] in good responders respectively. The mid-luteal E2 levels were higher in conception as compared to non-conception cycles [p<0.001] in good and poor responders
Conclusion: Maximum pregnancies in poor and good responders [53% and 98% respectively] with mid-luteal E2 levels above 80th percentiles confirm the role of the increase in mid-luteal E2 for augmentation in conception rate of females after ICSI
ABSTRACT
Background and Objective: Anemia is a common health problem worldwide. This problem is most commonly faced by 18 to 25 years of females. Medical students especially female hostelites poses high risk of anemia because of their poor eating habits, breakfast skipping, long schedule in college, burden of medical studies, clinical postings, and extra-curricular activities. Therefore the current study was designed to determine the hemoglobin status in young female medical students. We also elucidate its association with BMI
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at The University of Faisalabad during December 2015 to February 2016. A total of 221 female students were recruited by convenient sampling technique. All relevant information about participants was taking by administering structured questionnaire. Participants were categorized as hostelities and day scholars for comparison. Study subjects were also sub grouped on the bases of their BMI. Hemoglobin, MCV, MCH and MCHC were estimated at Madina Teaching Hospital Faisalabad. Statistical analysis was performed on SPSS 20
Results: Mean age of the study subjects was 19.92 +/-0.93. 33.4% of the students were found to be anemic. Significantly high number of hostelites [39.2%] were anemic as compared to day scholars [23.1%] [P value= 0.015*]. On analyzing by BMI categories, greater number of underweight subjects was found to be anemic as compared to normal and overweight subjects
Conclusion: Anemia is more prevalent in hostelites as compared to day scholar female medical students which might also affect the efficiency of these students
ABSTRACT
Background: Plantar fasciitis is local inflammation and fibrosis of the plantar aponeuroses reducing the quality of life and productivity of affected individuals. Pain in the heel and bottom of the foot is the ultimate outcome
Objectives: To compare the effect of platelet rich plasma and steroid injections among patients having planter fasciitis
Methodology: This Qusai experimental study was conducted at the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Allied and DHQ Hospital, Faisalabad from 1[st] July 2015 to 30[th] June 2017. Total of 28 patients with age range of 25 -60 years were included in the study. 14 patients received platelet rich pleasure [PRP] injection [GROUP A] and 14 were treated with a steroid injection [GROUP B] and were followed for the outcome at 0, 6 and 24 weeks to assess mean American Foot and Ankle score and Visual Analogue score. The data was entered in and analyzed by using SPSS version 20
Results: Our study showed that mean AFAS was 80. +/- 4. at 6 weeks and 91. +/- 1.6 at 24 weeks in the group A and 71.4 +/- 3.7 and 80 +/- 3.2, respectively, in the group B. [p<0.001] The mean VAS 14 the group A was [2.7 +/- 0.6 and 1 +/- 0.3] and the group B [3 +/- 1.1 and 2.1 +/- 0.9] at the 6th week and 24 weeks was statistically significant.[p<0.001]
Conclusion: Plasma Rich Protein appears to be better as compared to steroid injection in terms of pain relief in the treatment of plantar fasciitis
ABSTRACT
Background and objectives: Optimal physical activity is important in attaining a peak bone mass. Physically active women have better bone mineral density and reduce fracture risk as compared to females living a sedentary life. The objective of this study was to compare parameters of bone profile and serum homocysteine levels in physically active and non-active postmenopausal females
Methods:In this cross sectional study postmenopausal females between 50-70 years of age were recruited and divided into two groups: Physically inactive [n=133] performing light physical activity and Physically active [n=34] performing moderate physical activity. Physical activity [in metabolic equivalents], bone mineral density and serum homocysteine levels were assessed. Spearman's rho correlation was applied to observe correlations. Two independent sample t test and Mann Whitney U test were applied to compare groups. P-value
Results:Parameters of bone profile were significantly higher and serum homocysteine levels were significantly lower in postmenopausal females performing moderate physical activity as compared to females performing light physical activity. Homocysteine was not significantly related to T-score and Z-score in both groups
Conclusion:Improving physical activity could be beneficial for improving the quality of bone, decreasing fracture risk and decreasing serum homocysteine levels