Multidimensional impacts of coronavirus pandemic in adolescents in Pakistan: A cross sectional research.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has posed unique challenges for adolescents in different dimensions of their life including education, home and social life, mental and physical health. Whether the impact is positive or negative, its significance on the overall shaping of adolescents' lives cannot be overlooked. The aim of the present study was to explore impacts of the pandemic on the adolescents' everyday lives in Pakistan. METHODS: Following ethical approval, this cross-sectional study was conducted through September to December, 2020 via an online survey on 842 adolescents with the mean age of 17.14 ± SD 1.48. Socio-demographic data and Epidemic Pandemic Impact Inventory-Adolescent Adaptation (EPII-A) was used to assess the multi-dimensional effects of the pandemic. RESULTS: Among the 842 participants, 84% were girls. Education emerged as the most negatively affected Pandemic domain (41.6-64.3%). Most of the adolescents (62.0-65.8%) had reported changes in responsibilities at home including increased time spent in helping family members. Besides, increase in workload of participants and their parents was prominent (41.8% & 47.6%). Social activities were mostly halted for approximately half (41-51%) of the participants. Increased screen time, decreased physical activity and sedentary lifestyle were reported by 52.7%, 46.3% and 40.7% respectively. 22.2-62.4% of the adolescents had a direct experience with quarantine, while 15.7% experienced death of a close friend or relative. Positive changes in their lives were endorsed by 30.5-62.4% respondents. Being male and older adolescents had significant association with negative impact across most domains (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results have shown that COVID-19 exert significant multidimensional impacts on the physical, psycho-social, and home related domains of adolescents that are certainly more than what the previous researches has suggested.

Masculinity beliefs and willingness to seek help among young men in the United Kingdom and Pakistan.

Health-related behaviors including help-seeking are related to men's felt and perceived masculinity. This study explored whether findings from studies of links between masculinity and health-related behavior in developed 'western' contexts applied in the more strongly patriarchal cultural context of Pakistan. Online questionnaires were completed by male university students aged 17-30: 307 in Pakistan and 105 in the United Kingdom. Analyses revealed that compared to British men, Pakistani respondents had less egalitarian beliefs about gender relations, gave more importance to their own masculinity, considered non-traditional behaviors to have greater negative implications for men's masculinity, and were less willing to seek help. Among Pakistani men, lower willingness to seek help for physical and mental health was predicted by having less egalitarian gender beliefs, giving greater importance to personal masculinity, and considering non-traditional behaviors to have greater negative implications for men's masculinity. Among British men, greater perceived masculinity of help seeking predicted help seeking for physical concerns, and less importance of personal masculinity predicted help seeking for mental health. The results highlight a need for sensitivity to men's gender identity concerns when providing and encouraging use of health care, and to be aware of how cultural norms shape individuals' beliefs and behavior.

The practice of self-medication among Pakistani university students.

Self-medication refers to the selection and use of medicines without prescription by an individuals' personal responsibility as a cure of self-identified disease. Although its rationale, type and extent may different from culture to culture, it is globally prevalent practice. In Pakistan no research is available on the use of self-medication among university students. The existing study was conducted to investigate the frequency and percentages of branded medicines used by university students, reasons and rationale behind self-medication. It was a survey research design and descriptive statistics were collected regarding the use of self- medication. Hence, a sample of 300 students was employed between the age range of 16-25 years (M = 20.23, SD = 2. 76). The respondents filled a questionnaire regarding socio-economic and demographic variables, use of self-medication, and medication knowledge. Information was obtained on the conditions treated with medication, the medications used, and attitude towards self-medication. Results indicated mostly used type of self-medication was allopathic (f = 230, 77%). Headache was found to be more frequently prevalent disease. Most frequently used medicine was Disprin (M = 49.68, SD = 15. 14) as a cure of headaches and other body pains. Financial problems (f = 90, 30%) left over drugs (f = 46, 15%) and easy accessibility (f =38, 12.7%) were found to be the strongest factors in using self-medication. Moreover significant differences appeared in the use of type of medicines between boys and girls. The study concluded that self-medication is widely used practice among university students in Pakistan.

Development and validation of self-report burnout inventory for doctors (SR-BOID).

OBJECTIVE: To develop a Self-Report Burnout Inventory for Doctors, and to establish its psychometric properties. METHODS: The study was conducted from August 2013 to December 2014 and comprised doctors from different public-sector hospitals in Lahore and Multan, Pakistan. Indicators for burnout were generated from the initial small sample of practicing doctors, while a larger sample was used for assessing the construct validity of the inventory. Exploratory factor analysis was done endowed with six inter-related factors while retaining 50 items in total. RESULTS: The initial sample to generate the indicators comprised 40 doctors, while construct validity was assessed using a sample of 500 doctors. Chronbach's alpha values were 0.70 to 0.90. The discriminant validity of the inventory, assessed with a sample of 200 doctors, revealed that it discriminated well between doctors with moderate to severe burnout and doctors with normal to mild burnout (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The Self-Report Burnout Inventory for Doctors was a reliable and valid tool which can be used with doctors to assess their level of burnout.

Somatic symptoms scale: Psychometric properties in clinical and normal sample.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a Somatic Symptoms Scale based on the criteria of standard symptoms, and to examine its psychometric properties through exploratory factor analysis. METHODS: The study was conducted from January, 2010 to May, 2011 at two teaching hospitals in Lahore city and comprised female adolescents with somatic symptoms diagnosed by a psychiatrist, and an equal number of adolescents with minor physical disability. All patients were recruited from psychiatric out-door units of different hospitals. All subjects were unmarried. Translated Urdu version of the Somatic Symptoms Scale was administered to each participant individually. They were instructed to read the scale carefully and select the response that was most appropriate. The assessment procedure was done in a separate room on the hospital premises. RESULTS: There were 150 female adolescents with somatic symptoms and equal number of females with minor disability. The overall mean age was 15.50+/-1.67 years (range: 14-17 years).Exploratory factor analysis showed that the two groups were significantly different on conversion motor symptoms (p<0.001), conversion sensory symptoms (p<0.001), pain symptoms (p<0.001), hypochondriacal symptoms (p<0.001) and body dysmorphic symptoms (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Somatic Symptoms Scale was found to be a valid and reliable measure which can be used as screening instrument for non-clinical population and as a diagnostic measure in clinical population.

Cognitive failure, teacher's rejection and interpersonal relationship anxiety in children with dyslexia.

OBJECTIVES: Present research aimed to explore relationship between cognitive failure, teacher's rejection (TR), interpersonal relationship anxiety (IRA) and Signs of Dyslexia (SD) in children with dyslexia. Another aim was to explore TR, SD and IRA as predictors of cognitive failure and final aim was to see TR, SD and cognitive failure as predictors of IRA. METHOD: Sample included140 students (70 girls & 70 boys) with dyslexia. Their age was ranged between 7-14 years (mean age: M=10.50, SD= 1.89). Cognitive Failure Questionnaire, Teacher's Acceptance-Rejection Questionnaire and Interpersonal Relationship Anxiety Questionnaire were used for assessment. RESULTS: Results revealed significant positive relationship between cognitive failure, TR, SD and IRA. TR, SD, IRA emerged as significant predictors of cognitive failure while TR, SD and cognitive failure emerged as significant predictors of IRA. CONCLUSION: Findings from the present research have practical implications for parents, teachers, trainers and health physicians while dealing children with dyslexia.