Yoxas/statistical_literacy huggingface dataset:
Although corticosteroids and other treatments for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) have been described, understanding its prognosis without intervention provides valuable information for patient management. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive, quantitative statistical analysis of the natural history of untreated idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL). A systematic review and meta-analyses. Two independent searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases up to June 30, 2022, were performed. Adults with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss who received placebo or were untreated and had audiometric outcome measures in all study types were reviewed. These data indicative of the natural history of ISSNHL were analyzed, as were study characteristics related to risk of bias. Heterogeneity as assessed via I2 and random effects analyses were performed. Six studies meeting the inclusion criteria yielded 319 untreated patients whose natural history could be assessed. Heterogeneity among studies was moderate, with a variety of reported outcomes. A hearing improvement of at least 30 dB HL was observed in 36% (95% CI 0.28-0.44) of untreated patients, and of at least 10 dB HL was observed in 70% (95% CI 0.57-0.82) of untreated patients at 3 months. The mean hearing gain among untreated patients was 24.0 dB HL (95% CI 2.65-45.37) at 2-3 months. The observed natural history of ISSNHL suggests that patients can regain some hearing without active treatment. In the absence of future studies collecting prospective natural history data from untreated or placebo-treated ISSNHL patients, the data presented here provide the best available historical control data for reconsideration of results in past ISSNHL studies, as well as a roadmap for design and interpretation of future ISSNHL treatment clinical trials. Furthermore, knowing there is a statistically significant mean hearing gain of 24.0 dB HL in the untreated/placebo group provides an ethical basis for future placebo study of ISSNHL. The current status on ISSNHL management calls for a multi-institutional, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial with validated outcome measures to provide science-based treatment guidance. Laryngoscope, 2024.
Although COVID-19 vaccination has been widely considered as an important remedy to confront COVID-19, people remain hesitant to take it. The objective of this study was to assess the moderation effects of demographic characteristics on the relationship between forms of misinformation and COVID-19 vaccine uptake hesitancy among frontline workers in Dar es Salaam and Dodoma, Tanzania. Using a sample of 200 respondents, it assessed the differences in ratings on misinformation regarding COVID-19 vaccine based on respondents' demographics. The study used a Five-point Likert scale questionnaire distributed through snowball sampling to frontline workers from Dar es Salaam and Dodoma regions. Data was analyzed using binary logistic regression. It was found that the forms of misinformation revealed were manipulated imposters, satire, fabricated contents and false contents with their connection, which they influenced COVID-19 hesitancy significantly. With exception of age, that significantly moderated hesitancy, this study uncovers that, sex and education level moderated insignificantly in predicting those who are misinformed; misinformed individuals are not any less educated or not based on one's sex, different than individuals who are informed. The study informs policy makers on devising appropriate strategies to promote COVID-19 vaccination uptake among the different contextual demographic variables. Promotion of information, media and health literacy to the general public should be considered to deter spreading of vaccine-related misinformation.
Although cycling has numerous health benefits, the increased breathing volume and lack of protection from exposure to the environment while cycling poses health risks that cannot be disregarded. Previous studies evaluating the exposure of cyclists to air pollution have typically focused on assessing exposure to a single pollutant or exposure concentrations on specific urban routes, and have not performed a comprehensive assessment considering the distribution of cyclists. The present study used bicycle-sharing big data to conduct a more comprehensive and refined real-time population weighted exposure risk assessment of pileless bike sharing riders in Beijing. We quantified the spatial distribution of high exposure areas at different times and found that the exposure risk during the evening peak period was significantly higher than that during the morning peak and early morning periods, particularly in the city center and its environs. By establishing stepwise regression models, we identified the significant impact of various urban points of interest (POIs) on exposure risk, with sports venues, public toilets, educational institutions, scenic spots, and financial entities particularly influential at different time periods. Medical institutions and shopping venues have a significant negative impact on the exposure levels of PM2.5 and NO2 among cyclists in most cases. These findings emphasize the need for targeted pollution control strategies. The aim of this study is to mitigate the impact of air pollution on cyclists and create a healthier cycling environment. The research results can provide new ideas for urban health planning and support scientific decision-making for sustainable urban development.
Although digital health promises improved healthcare efficiency and equity, access and uptake might be low in disadvantaged populations. We measured access to digital health technology, the uptake of digital health, digital health literacy and COVID-19 vaccination intentions in an inner-city Australian population experiencing homelessness. An existing Australian survey, including a validated digital health literacy measure (eHealth Literacy Scale [eHEALS]), was modified and distributed in three general practices specifically targeting the homeless population. Data analysis used appropriate descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients. Eighty-three respondents completed the survey in 2021. Digital health uptake was much lower than in the general Australian population in 2019-20, despite good access to working smart phones and connectivity. Digital health literacy was positively associated with uptake. Internet-sourced information was trusted less than information from a general practitioner. Further work is needed to understand the perceived usefulness and sociocultural compatibility of digital health in different subpopulations experiencing homelessness, including susceptibility to misinformation.
Although educational attainment is a major social determinant of health, according to Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs), the effect of education tends to be weaker for marginalized groups compared to the privileged groups. While we know more about marginalization due to race and ethnicity, limited information is available on MDRs of educational attainment among US immigrant individuals. This study compared immigrant and non-immigrant US adults aged 18 and over for the effects of educational attainment on subjective health (self-rated health; SRH). Data came from General Social Survey (GSS) that recruited a nationally representative sample of US adults from 1972 to 2022. Overall, GSS has enrolled 45,043 individuals who were either immigrant (4,247; 9.4%) and non-immigrant (40,796; 90.6%). The independent variable was educational attainment, the dependent variable was SRH (measured with a single item), confounders were age, gender, race, employment and marital status, and moderator was immigration (nativity) status. Higher educational attainment was associated with higher odds of good SRH (odds ratio OR = 2.08 for 12 years of education, OR = 2.81 for 13-15 years of education, OR = 4.38 for college graduation, and OR = 4.83 for graduate studies). However, we found significant statistical interaction between immigration status and college graduation on SRH, which was indicative of smaller association between college graduation and SRH for immigrant than non-immigrant US adults. In line with MDRs, the association between educational attainment and SRH was weaker for immigrant than non-immigrant. It is essential to implement two sets of policies to achieve health inequalities among immigrant populations: policies that increase educational attainment of immigrants and those that increase the health returns of educational attainment for immigrants.
Although educational development of youths can profoundly affect their other domains of health and well-being across later life trajectories, little research has investigated the prolonged effects of family and individual contexts of youths in middle-school years, a most critical developmental and formative stage, on their educational achievement in middle-aged adulthood. The current study employed data of a nationwide representative sample of middle-school youth students in the Longitudinal Study of American Youth (LSAY) to examine how grade-7 parental support for college education, family SES, and educational expectations of youths contribute to their educational achievement in adulthood of mid-thirties through their development of grade-8 academic commitment and grade-9 educational performance in terms of English, mathematics, science, and social studies grade scores. Results based on structural equation modeling of longitudinal relationship found that grade-7 parental support for college education, family SES, and educational expectations of youths had significant and direct effects on youths' higher educational achievement in adulthood, and youths' grade-8 academic commitment and grade-9 educational performance significantly mediated the effects of grade-7 family SES, parental support for college education, and educational expectations of youths on their educational achievement in adulthood respectively and/or concurrently. Furthermore, interaction analysis supported the promotive but not buffering effects of grade-7 educational expectations of youths by family SES on their grade-9 educational performance and educational achievement in adulthood. Implications related to the important findings of the current study pertaining to educational development of youths are discussed.
Although effective therapies exist, treatment rates of anxiety disorders (AD) are low, raising the question why affected individuals do not receive treatment. We provide data from the nationally representative German Health Interview and Examination Survey-2011 (DEGS1) on the help-seeking behavior and perceived treatment barriers of 650 subjects with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders' (DSM-IV AD). Only 26% of all cases with AD in the community reported having had contact with mental health services because of their anxiety problems in their lifetime. 16% were currently receiving professional help, most frequently by psychotherapists (8%), psychiatrists (5%) and general practitioners (5%). 40% of all cases never even considered seeking help and 31% reported barriers to treatment, such as self-reliance (18%) or beliefs that treatments were ineffective (9%), unavailable (8%) or too stigmatizing (7%). Measures to increase treatment rates should thus target individual as well as public attitudes and health literacy to increase awareness of and access to evidence-based interventions.
Although emergency health-care services, particularly clinical and surgical care, are an important part of the provision of high quality health care in Ethiopia, infections related with surgical care are still the most well-known medical services-related diseases. This study aimed to assess the bacterial profiles and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of isolates among patients diagnosed with surgical site infections at Mizan-Tepi university teaching hospital, southwest Ethiopia. A prospective observational cohort study was conducted from June to September 2021. Patient data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Follow-up of patients who had undergone a surgical procedure was conducted for at least 30 days. Wound swabs were collected from patients suspected to have surgical site infections (SSIs) and cultured onto appropriate culture media. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was done using the disk diffusion technique. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 25.0. Frequencies and cross-tabulation were used to summarize descriptive statistics. In this study, the postoperative SSIs rate was 12.6%. All patients with SSIs were culture positive, and a total of 41 bacterial isolates were detected. Of these, 73.2% were Gram-negative, 26.8% were Gram-positive and 24.2% were a mixture of two bacterial growths. Escherichia coli accounted for 29.3%, followed by Staphylococcus aureus (19.5%), Proteus species (14.6%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (12.2%). With the exceptions of amikacin and meropenem, which exhibited very high sensitivity, ranging from 33.3-100.0% isolates was resistant against all other tested antibiotics. The resistance rate to three or more classes of antibiotics was 100.0%. In this study, the most isolated bacteria causing SSIs were Gram-negative and multidrug-resistant strains. This event highlights that surveillance of the bacterial profile and antibiotic susceptibility pattern coupled with the implementation of the strict protocol for antibiotic use and operative room regulations is important to minimize the burden of SSIs.
Although emphasis is placed on women's decision-making power regarding family planning use in Ethiopia, the utilization of contraceptives is low. There are studies conducted in different parts of the country on women's decision-making power regarding family planning use; however, there are inconsistent findings. Thus, this study aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of women's decision-making power regarding family planning use and associated factors in Ethiopia. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed to develop the systematic review and meta-analysis. All observational studies were retrieved from online databases, including PubMed, CINAHL, Google Scholar, African Journal Online and gray literature. The data search was performed from 1 December to 16 May 2022. The quality of the studies was critically assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Heterogeneity among studies was examined using the I2 statistic. RevMan version 5.3 and STATA version 14 software were used for analysis. A total of 852 studies were retrieved, and 8 studies were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of women's decision-making power regarding family planning use was 57 (95% confidence interval: 37, 77). Good knowledge of family planning methods (odds ratio: 2.46, 95% confidence interval: 1.65, 3.67), a positive attitude toward family planning methods (odds ratio: 2.04, 95% confidence interval: 1.3, 3.2), and having primary or higher education (odds ratio: 9.76, 95% confidence interval: 4.36, 21.99) were associated with increased odds of women's decision-making power regarding family planning use. Nearly three in five married women made decisions regarding family planning use in Ethiopia. Women with good knowledge of family planning methods, a positive attitude toward family planning methods, and women having primary or higher education were associated with increased odds of women's decision-making power regarding family planning use.
Although ethics is an indispensable part of dental education, it has not yet played a relevant role in the dental curriculum in Germany. The study aimed at assessing their prior knowledge of ethical aspects, and their expectations of and wishes for ethics course of dental students, preclinical vs. clinical, at the dental school Kiel, Germany by means of a validated questionnaire. A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. The study population consisted of dental students, from pre-clinical (n = 105) and clinical semesters (n = 110). In January 2019, each student completed a validated questionnaire to identify semester-specific ethical teaching content. Besides descriptive analyses, Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare pre-clinical and clinical students. A total of 215 dental students, with a mean age of 25.3 (SD 4.1), participated in the study, of which 150 were female (69.8%) and 65 were male students (30.2%). The results in the areas of 'previous knowledge of ethical issues' and 'expectations and desires in terms of teaching medical ethics' showed similarities and differences between pre-clinical and clinical students. Both groups stated that they need training in ethics. Moreover, especially clinical students recognize that more ethical competence is needed if the first patient contact will start. The study indicates that there is a clear need for ethics education. Student awareness of the relevance of ethical competences and the perception of ethical problems increased progressively during the course of their studies. Overall, the study provides good support for the development of specific ethics courses.
Although extensive research exists about students' clinical learning, there is a lack of translation and integration of this knowledge into clinical educational practice. As a result, improvements may not be implemented and thus contribute to students' learning. The present study aimed to explore the nature of clinical faculty members' learning related to how they apply research about student autonomy. A course, "Designing learning for students' development of autonomy in clinical practice" was conducted for faculty responsible for students' clinical education. Within the frame of the course the participants designed a project and planned how they would implement it in their clinical context. Fourteen clinical faculty members participated in the study. The participants' interpretation of the educational intervention, which combines complex theory with the equally complex clinical practice, was explored by studying how the participants' approaches and understanding of the facilitation of autonomy were manifested in their projects. The projects in the form of reports and oral presentations were analyzed using qualitative content analysis together with an abductive approach. One identified domain was "Characteristics of the design and content of the projects". This domain was signified by two themes with different foci: Preparing the soil for facilitating student autonomy; and Cultivating opportunities for students to actively strive for autonomy. A second identified domain, "Embracing the meaning of facilitating autonomy" was connected to participants understanding of theories underlying how to support the development of autonomy. This domain contained two themes: Connection between activities and autonomy is self-evident and Certain factors can explain and facilitate development of autonomy. Education directed to strategic clinical faculty members to develop evidence-based approaches to student learning can be productive. To succeed there is a need to emphasize faculty members individual understanding of actual research as well as learning theories in general. Faculty trying to reinforce changes are dependent on their own mandate, the structure in the clinic, and recognition of their work in the clinical context. To achieve a potential continuity and sustainability of implemented changes the implementation processes must be anchored throughout the actual organization.
Although game-based applications have been used in disaster medicine education, no serious computer games have been designed specifically for training these nurses in an IEMT setting. To address this need, we developed a serious computer game called the IEMTtraining game. In this game, players assume the roles of IEMT nurses, assess patient injuries in a virtual environment, and provide suitable treatment options. The design of this study is a retrospective comparative analysis. The research was conducted with 209 nurses in a hospital. The data collection process of this study was conducted at the 2019-2020 academic year. A retrospective comparative analysis was conducted on the pre-, post-, and final test scores of nurses in the IEMT. Additionally, a survey questionnaire was distributed to trainees to gather insights into teaching methods that were subsequently analyzed. There was a significant difference in the overall test scores between the two groups, with the game group demonstrating superior performance compared to the control group (odds ratio = 1.363, p value = 0.010). The survey results indicated that the game group exhibited higher learning motivation scores and lower cognitive load compared with the lecture group. The IEMT training game developed by the instructor team is a promising and effective method for training nurses in disaster rescue within IEMTs. The game equips the trainees with the necessary skills and knowledge to respond effectively to emergencies. It is easily comprehended, enhances knowledge retention and motivation to learn, and reduces cognitive load.
Although golf is a low-impact sport without physical contact, its movements are carried out over a large range of motion, and their repetition can predispose athletes to the development of injuries. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of musculoskeletal injuries in golf athletes who participated in championships in southern Portugal, determining the types, locations and mechanisms of injury and their associated risk factors. The sample consisted of 140 athletes aged between 18 and 72 years, 133 (95%) being male. The measuring instrument was a questionnaire about sociodemographics, modality and injuries' characteristics. Throughout golf practice, 70 (50%) athletes reported injuries, totaling 133 injuries. In the 12-month period, 43 (30.7%) athletes suffered injuries, totaling 65 injuries. The injury proportion was of 0.31, and the injury rate was of 0.33 injuries per 1000 h of golf training. The most common injury type was muscle sprain or rupture (19; 30.9%), located in the lumbar spine (17; 27%), in which the repetitive movements were the main injury mechanism (42; 66.7%). The athletes who trained 4 times or more per week were 3.5 more likely (CI: 0.97-12.36; p = 0.056) to develop an injury while playing golf. Moderate injury presence was observed, with the high training frequency being an associated risk factor.
Although hepatitis B is vaccine-preventable, it remains a significant health problem. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first hepatitis B outbreak report from Türkiye. To investigate the cause of hepatitis B outbreak in a nursing home for the disabled and make recommendations for prevention. An outbreak of acute hepatitis B was declared in a nursing home for the disabled following the admission of 3 patients from the home in a hospital. Collaborative response was initiated with the Provincial Health Directorate through the Public Health Infectious Diseases Department. We began tracking the infection and monitoring active cases. Audits and controls were carried out to determine the source, establish protection and control measures, and prevent further transmission. Six of the 65 nursing home residents were diagnosed with acute hepatitis B. Four of them had diabetes and their blood glucose levels were monitored for at least 12 months. Two of the patients had received dental treatment in the last 6 months. The frequency of both variables, which may be an indication of the transmission route, was statistically significantly greater in the acute hepatitis B group. All the patients who could be sequenced were identified as genotype D. While 3 patients recovered fully, 2 were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and one died due to fulminant hepatitis. Standard routine immunization should be implemented as a preventive measure for acute hepatitis B. Frequent supervision and training on hygiene practices and safety precautions should be conducted for care staff working in collective residential facilities.