ABSTRACT
Background and objective: Community medicine is an important discipline for medical students who are going to be future doctors and deal with different health problems. Community Medicine is taught in 3[rd], 4[th] and 6[th] year of study at Hawler College of Medicine. The aim of the study was to explore students' perception about this subject because it plays an important role in determining educational outcome
Methods: This study was carried out in Hawler College of Medicine, Erbil city, Iraqi Kurdistan Region in the academic year 2013-2014. It was based on a self-administered questionnaire survey of 4th year students. The questionnaire consisted of closed and open ended questions related to the attitude of students toward community medicine course, views on the positive and negative aspects and recommendations to improve the course. The quantitative data were analysed through using the statistical package for the social sciences [version 19], while qualitative data analysis comprised thematic analysis of open-ended questions using common coding techniques
Results: The result of this study suggested that high percentage of the students had positive attitude toward the course. Sixty-six respondents [55.4%] mentioned that there are positive aspects in the course like research project [33.3.1%], having respectful and friendly teachers [31.8%] and participation of students in discussions in the classroom. Sixty-six respondents [55.4%] mentioned that there are negative aspects in the course like short duration of the course [27.2%] and some topics were repeated from other years. Fifty-seven respondents [47.8 %] have recommended a number of priorities for improving the quality of the course like: increasing practical sessions with more student participation [36.8%]; decreasing theoretical lectures [22.8%] and the time for the research should be isolated without lectures [19.2%]
Conclusion: Community medicine course is well perceived by the students with some negative aspects. Some recommendations have been made for improving the quality of the course
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to assess risky driving behaviours among medical students in Erbil, Iraq, and to explore the relationship between risky driving behaviours and perceptions of risky driving. This self-administered questionnaire-based survey was conducted from January to May 2014 among a random sample of 400 medical students at Hawler Medical University in Erbil. The questionnaire was designed to assess the frequency of engagement in 21 risky driving behaviours, the perceived risk of each behaviour and the preference for each behaviour as ranked on a 5-point scale. A total of 386 students responded to the survey [response rate: 96.5%]. Of these, 211 reported that they currently drove a vehicle [54.7%]. Drivers most frequently engaged in the following behaviours: playing loud music [35.9%], speeding [30.4%], allowing front seat passengers to not wear seat belts [27.9%] and using mobile phones [27.7%]. Least frequent driving behaviours included not stopping at a red light [3.9%], driving while sleepy [4.4%], driving after a mild to moderate intake of alcohol [4.5%] and drunk driving [6.4%]. Mean risky driving behaviour scores were significantly higher among males [P <0.001] and those who owned a car [P = 0.002]. The mean risk perception score was higher among >20-year-olds [P = 0.028]. There was a significant positive relationship between the preference for risky behaviours and risky driving behaviours [beta = 0.44; P <0.001]. Medical students in Erbil reported high frequencies of several serious risky driving behaviours. The preference for risky behaviours was found to be an important predictor of risky driving behaviours among medical students in Erbil
ABSTRACT
To estimate the prevalence of flourishing and the association of mental health status with the socio-demographic characteristics and conduct problems of adolescents. A total of 8807 adolescents were included in this study. Data were obtained from knowledge, attitudes and practices household survey carried out in 2004. Each adolescent was interviewed by a trained team and a specially designed questionnaire was filled. Emotional, psychological and social well-beings were assessed through a series of measurements. Conduct problems were measured by self-reporting of school skipping, smoking, alcohol drinking, inhalant use and arrestment. The prevalence of flourishing, moderate mental health status and languishing were 5.6%, 20.3% and 74.1%, respectively. The prevalence rates of school skipping, smoking, and other conduct problems [alcohol drinking, inhalant use, and arrestment] were 60.1%, 62.8% and 59.2%, respectively. Mental health was significantly associated with age, educational level, and various conduct problems [p<0.001]. No significant sex variation was demonstrated. Flourishing was significantly decreasing with advancing age [p<0.0001] and it was significantly lower among smokers [p<0.0001], and those with other conduct problems [p<0.0001]. The low rate of flourishing among adolescents was associated with a high rate of conduct problems which could be a psychological response to the stressful condition prevailing in the country during the last 3 decades