ABSTRACT
The aim of the study was to investigate the implication of university students in Covid-19-related misinformation dissemination in Morocco using an online questionnaire sent out to various faculties and online student groups around the country. A total of 295 university students responded to the questionnaire. The majority of respondents 269/295 (91.2%) claimed to have come across misinformation during the pandemic. The main source of misinformation was online news outlets (77.2%). The most frequent subjects of misinformation had to do with confinement and curfews (24.2%), the politics around the pandemic (17.2%) and the Covid-19 vaccine (16.6%). Some 36.6% of respondents reported having transmitted misinformation at least once. Overall, the difference between medical and non-medical students' implication in misinformation dissemination did not reach statistical significance (Chi-square = 6.37, p=0.095). Misinformation, in particular, among university students has potentially been an obstacle to satisfactory Covid-19 response. University students should be a focus of interventions aimed at combatting misinformation. Copyright © 2022 (Klevor, Camara, Ait Taleb, Taouzer, Kissani, Chraa).
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Ever since COVID-19 became a pandemic much responsibility has been put on healthcare providers, and since medical students are future healthcare workers, it is necessary to study their response and perceptions on the current pandemic. This study's objective is to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and preventive practices (KAP) of medical students in King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) Riyadh branch towards COVID-19. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 26th of August 2021 to 15th of February 2022 using an online questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of 34 questions: 7 on demographics, 13 on knowledge about COVID-19, 5 on attitude towards COVID-19, and 9 on preventive behaviors against COVID-19. This study included all undergraduate medical students of KSAU-HS, Riyadh branch. The sample size was calculated to be 370. Results: In this study, the 378 participants who responded were mostly males (51.06%), and more than half (56.51%) were in their basic years. The percentage of stream I students was 89.95%. The average correct response rate of knowledge questions was 81.40%. Most of the participants adopted positive behaviors over the course of the pandemic. In addition, 55.29% had high adherence to precautionary practices. When comparing the variables, clinical year students had higher knowledge, but basic year students had better preventive measures. Furthermore, stream II students exhibited better knowledge. Conclusion: Overall, medical students had excellent knowledge levels, adequate positive attitude, and high adherence to preventive measures. Although clinical year students showed high knowledge their lower performance in preventive behaviors should be investigated.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Cardiac disease is the leading cause of maternal death in the UK [1].We present the case of awoman with late intrauterine fetal death (IUFD) and intrapartum cardiac ischaemia. A family history of limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) may be relevant. Case Report: A 23-year-old nulliparous woman at 39 weeks of gestation presented with reduced fetal movements and IUFD was confirmed. She had no medical history, and despite two first degree relatives with LGMD, she was asymptomatic and had not been tested. Uterine contractions started and epidural analgesia was initiated. Shortly thereafter, the woman was found to be bradycardic at 35– 40 beats/min. All other observations were normal and she was asymptomatic with no detectable sensory or motor block. A 12 -lead ECG showed inferior T-wave inversion and serial troponins were markedly elevated. Caesarean section (CS) under general anaesthesia was performed at maternal request and was uneventful. Postpartum echocardiogram demonstrated a dilated left atrium, left ventricular akinesis and an ejection fraction of 45–50%. The next day the woman developed chest pain and desaturated. CTPA and CT coronary angiogram were normal. Oxygenation improved and other than sporadic chest heaviness she remained well and was discharged 4 days post CS. Cardiology follow-up did not occur due to a communication breakdown. Post-mortem of the fetus found no cause for the IUFD and no features of LGMD. Thewoman suffered a miscarriage four months after this but delivered a healthy baby at elective CS two years later. During the latter pregnancy cardiology input from a tertiary centrewas requested but did not occur due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An echocardiogram in the third trimester was normal and the woman has been well since. Discussion: Troponin rise is abnormal in pregnancy and requires investigation. IUFD in itself can lead to sequelae requiring a low threshold for investigation. The family history in this case is autosomal dominant type 1B LGMD, associated with cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias [2]. The woman has declined testing and the cause for the peripartum cardiac disease remains unknown. The recovery and recent uneventful pregnancy suggest Takotsubo’s cardiomyopathy or coronary vasospasm as additional possible diagnoses. This case also underlines the importance in sensitive communication in cases of IUFD to ensure women are investigated and not lost to follow-up.