Prevalence of Sleep Quality among Academic Staff of a Private University in Malaysia

@#Introduction: Poor sleep quality is frequently related to poor mental health and is a common medical disorder. It may differ by population, but limited studies have been done in Malaysia. This study was conducted to measure the prevalence of poor sleep quality among academic staff at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Kampar Campus. Methods: In total, 344 randomly selected academic staff were approached to answer the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. Results: Unexpectedly, 42.7 % of them were affected by poor sleep quality (global PSQI score >5). The average actual sleep duration was recorded at 6.68 hours. Age and global PSQI scores were not significantly correlated. Female staff had poorer subjective sleep quality (P= 0.027). The elder age group (P= 0.012) and associate professors and professors (P= 0.006) consumed more sleep medications. Non-Ph.D. holders had poorer subjective sleep quality (P= 0.008) and sleep latency (P= 0.032) as well as global PSQI score (P= 0.045) compared to Ph.D. holders. Conclusion: Prevalence of poor sleep quality was higher than expected among academic staff. This may affect workplace functioning and burden the staff with more health issues related to poor sleep quality.

The Job Stress, Workload, Exercise Habits And Metabolic Syndrome In Academic Personnel At Airlangga University

@#Every human individual must have experienced stress. Especially in situations or conditions with high stressors, one of which is the work factor. Job stress can have an effect on the occurrence of health problems, one of them is metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between work stress, workload, exercise habits and metabolic syndrome in employees in Offices (case study at Airlangga University). This study was an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional research design. The population of this research is all education staff / academic staff, namely in the finance, human resources, infrastructure, academic, student, quality assurance, information system units, dean secretariat, laboratory staff and receptionist at Airlangga University. The sample size involved in this study was 70 people. A significant factor influencing the occurrence of metabolic syndrome is work stress and exercise habits. Meanwhile, the factors that influence the occurrence of work stress are age and workload. Each age increases by 1 year, the risk of work stress increases 1,126 times. Increasing the level of work stress increases the risk of developing metabolic syndrome by 1,146 times. The less regular exercise is, the risk of metabolic syndrome increases by 58 times. One of the efforts to solve the problem of metabolic syndrome are by exercising regularly and managing stress well. In addition, given the opportunity to exercise in between work and the presence of sports facilities in the work area can help reduce the risk of getting metabolic syndrome and work stress.

Educación para la Salud y pedagogía de la muerte: percepciones y demandas del profesorado universitario en España / Health Education and pedagogy of death: perceptions and demands of academic staff in Spain / Educação para a Saúde e pedagogia da morte: percepções e demandas de professores universitários na Espanha

Este artículo analiza el tratamiento que tiene la muerte en la universidad española. El objetivo fue realizar un estudio exploratorio con profesorado que imparte la asignatura Educación para la Salud. Se utiliza un enfoque cualitativo a través de análisis de contenido y entrevista, con el fin de averiguar las necesidades, demandas, percepciones y consideraciones sobre la muerte, la educación para la muerte y el tratamiento de la finitud que tiene el profesorado universitario. La conclusión más destacada es que el factor que condiciona en mayor medida la inclusión del tema de la muerte en sus programas, no está determinada por la edad, el género o las creencias religiosas del profesorado en concreto sino el haber experimentado o no pérdidas significativas en sus vidas.(AU)

This article analyzes how death is approached in Spanish universities. An exploratory study was conducted with academic staff responsible for teaching Health Education. Interviews and content analysis were used to ascertain needs, demands, perceptions, and considerations in relation to death and death education and the approach towards finitude adopted by university teaching staff. The article concludes that the factor that has the greatest influence on whether professors include issues surrounding death in their teaching programs is whether or not they have experienced significant loss in their own lives, rather than age, gender, or religious beliefs.(AU)

Este artigo analisa o tratamento que tem a morte na universidade espanhola. O objetivo é realizar um estudo exploratório com os professores responsáveis pela disciplina Educação para a Saúde. Utiliza-se abordagem qualitativa por meio de análise de conteúdo e entrevista, para averiguar as necessidades, demandas, percepções e considerações sobre a morte, a educação para a morte e o tratamento da finitude da vida que os professores universitários têm. A conclusão que mais se destaca é a de que o que determina a inclusão do tema da morte em seus programas não é a idade, o gênero ou as crenças religiosas dos professores, mas o fato de terem experimentado ou não perdas significativas em suas vidas.(AU)

Factors Associated With the Level of Physical Activities Among Non-Academic Staffs in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences of a Public University in Selangor, Malaysia

@#Introduction: Many Malaysians does not engage in regular physical activity. The objective of this study was to determine the factors associated with the level of physical activity among non-academics staff in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire consisting socio-demographic, International Physical Activity Questionnaires (short form) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) scales to measure the level of physical activity and association with psychosocial and environmental factors. Ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee for Research Involving Human Subjects (JKEUPM). Data was analysed using the SPSS 20.0. A p value of ≤ 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The response rate was 84% or 120 respondents. 68 (56.7%) respondents was found to have a good level of physical activity. Majority of them were women (70 [58.3%]), aged of < 33 years old (72 [60.0 %]), Malays (113 [94.2%]), and had tertiary education (81[67.5%]). There are significant associations between socio-demographic factors [gender (p=0.013), age (p=0.025) and level of education (p=0.020)] and environmental factor (performing physical activity at gymnasium (p=0.021)) with the level of physical activity on univariate analysis. On multivariate logistic regression, lower educational level (OR 2.96, p=0.016) and performing physical activity at gymnasium/sport centres (OR 4.66, p= 0.026) were associated with engaging with physical activity. Conclusion: Majority of the respondents have a good level of physical activity. Interventions should be planned for staffs otherwise identified as not having a good level of physical activity

Occupational Stress And Its Associated Factors Among Academician In A Research University, Malaysia

The prevalence of occupational stress among academician is increasing in developed and developing countries. The job is not only to teach, but also involve in doing research, publications, consultation and administrative work. This study aims to assess the prevalence of occupational stress among academic staff in a research university and to investigate the association and correlation between stress and job factors which are career development, research, teaching and interpersonal relationship. One research university in Malaysia was selected randomly. A cross-sectional study was conducted and the respondents were recruited by using a randomized stratified sampling method. A total of 380 self-administered and validated Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and Stress Sources Questionnaires (SSQ) were distributed among academic staff between March to May 2012. The statistical analyses used were χ2, independent–t test and Pearson Correlation. Response rate was 81.1%. Stress prevalence was 22.1%. All socio-demographic factors showed no association with stress except ethnic group. Teaching, research and career development had significant association with stress among academic staff (p<0.05). Overall result showed career development, that include university condition and required publications for promotion were the greatest source of stress among the academicians. Occupational stress showed positive linear relationship to career development, research and teaching. There was a fair positive relationship between occupational stress and career development, research and teaching. It is recommended to organize continuous stress assessment program to identify and evaluate the current level of stress at the university level. This data could be a foundation for implementing prevention and control measures to reduce stress in the workplace.

Occupational stress in female academic staff working in private and public universities.

The present study was aimed to compare occupational stress between female academic staff working in private and public universities. The sampling frame for the study comprised 1523 full-time female academic staff working at both public and private universities at Khartoum State. Gumaa Said Yousif (2004) was used to measure occupational stress. There is no significant difference in occupational stress between female academic staff who works in private or public university. There is a significant difference between female academic staff working in public and private universities. It has been concluded that female academic staff working in private universities are vulnerable to burnout in the emotional exhaustion dimension.

What factors of satisfaction and motivation are affecting the development of the academic career in Portuguese higher education institutions? / Que fatores de satisfação e motivação estão afetando o desenvolvimento da carreira acadêmica em instituições de ensino superior em Portugal?

An important constituent group and a key resource of higher education institutions (HEIs) is the faculty or academic staff. The centrality of the faculty role makes it a primary sculptor of institutional culture and has implications for the quality of the institution and therefore has a major role in achieving the objectives of the institution. Demand for academic staff in higher education has been increasing and may be expected to continue to increase. Moreover the performance of academic staff as teachers and researchers determines much of the student satisfaction and has an impact on student learning. There are many factors that serve to undermine the commitment of academics to their institutions and careers. Job satisfaction is important in revitalizing staff motivation and in keeping their enthusiasm alive. Well motivated academic staff can, with appropriate support, build a national and international reputation for themselves and the institution in the professional areas, in research and in publishing. This paper aims to identify the issues and their impacts on academic staff job satisfaction and motivation within Portuguese higher education institutions reporting an ongoing study financed by the European Union through the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology.

Os docentes ou pessoal acadêmico são um importante grupo constituinte e recursochave das instituições de ensino superior (IES). A centralidade do papel do docente faz dele um escultor fundamental da cultura institucional, com implicações na qualidade da instituição e, consequentemente, na prossecução dos objetivos da instituição. A procura de docentes no ensino superior tem vindo a aumentar e é expectável que continue a crescer. Além disso, o desempenho do pessoal docente (grupo no qual se incluem docentes e investigadores) determina em grande medida a satisfação dos estudantes e tem impacto na sua aprendizagem. Existe um vasto conjunto de fatores que contribuem para minar o compromisso do pessoal docente com suas instituições e carreiras. A satisfação no trabalho é importante na revitalização da motivação do pessoal e em manter vivo seu entusiasmo. Pessoal docente bem motivado pode, com o apoio adequado, construir uma reputação nacional e internacional para si e para a instituição nas áreas profissionais, na investigação e na publicação. Este artigo visa identificar tópicos com impacto na satisfação profissional e motivação do pessoal docente das instituições de ensino superior em Portugal, descrevendo um estudo em curso financiado pela União Europeia, através da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.

A automedicação e os acadêmicos da área de saúde / Self-medication and health academic staff

Tendo em vista que a automedicação é um problema de saúde pública mundial, este artigo teve como objetivo avaliar o comportamento dos futuros profissionais de saúde com relação à utilização de medicamentos, particularmente, à prática da automedicação. A amostra foi composta por 223 estudantes da área de saúde de uma universidade pública no município do Recife, selecionados por partilha proporcional a cada curso. Foram feitos questionamentos sobre o uso de medicamentos, nos últimos quinze dias que antecederam à coleta de dados. 65,5 por cento dos entrevistados confirmaram ter feito uso de medicamentos nos últimos quinze dias, 42,3 por cento por meio de uma prescrição médica e 57,7 por cento através da automedicação. Os medicamentos mais utilizados foram os analgésicos (24,0 por cento) e as vitaminas (18,9 por cento) e o motivo mais apontado foi a dor (30,5 por cento). O consumo de medicamentos entre os estudantes universitários no município do Recife é elevado, mas encontra-se dentro dos parâmetros observados por outros estudos. Todavia, por se tratar de profissionais da área de saúde, esperava-se que o consumo fosse menor e mais racionalizado.

As self-medication is a worldwide problem of public health, this article had as objective to evaluate the behavior of the future health professionals with regard to the drug utilization, particularly, to the self-medication practice. 223 academic students from a public university in Recife City were interviewed, selected by proportional share in each course. A questionnaire on the drug utilization was applied, 15 days before the interview. From the 223 students, 65.5 percent reported drug use in the last 15 days. 42.3 percent used drugs through the physician's prescription and 57.7 percent through the self-medication. The most used drugs were the analgesics (24.0 percent) and vitamins (18.9 percent) and the main reason was pain (30.5 percent). The drug utilization among academic students in Recife City is high but it is inside the parameter according to others analysis. However we have expected a low and more rationalized utilization.