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Biomedical subjects

N Naeraa

Publications and source records attributed to N Naeraa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Smoking habits of medical students. Smoking habits of Danish medical students and their knowledge about and attitudes to the tobacco problem].

In 1987, 74 Danish first-year and 90 final-year medical students from Aarhus University participated in a global questionnaire investigation concerning the smoking habits of medical students and their attitudes to the tobacco problem. This investigation was initiated by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. In order to observe particular characteristics or unexpected findings, the Danish percentage replies were calculated and compared with corresponding average figures for the other European medical students and Danish doctors and the normal population. A statistically significant difference was demonstrated in a single instance only: the proportion of smokers among Danish final-year female medical students in the last term was considerably higher than among junior doctors. Strikingly few Danish medical students towards the end of their curriculum considered smoking the main cause of coronary disease but problems in translation were possibly involved here. Unless a concrete reason was present, Danish medical students were very reticent concerning discussion of the injurious effects of smoking with patients. A possible reason for this was that only one fourth of the Danish final-year students considered that their present knowledge formed an adequate basis for patient counselling.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

On making laboratory report work more meaningful through criterion-based evaluation.

The purpose of this work was to encourage students to base their laboratory report work on guidelines reflecting a quality criterion set, previously derived from the functional role of the various sections in scientific papers. The materials were developed by a trial-and-error approach and comprise learning objectives, a parallel structure of manual and reports, general and specific report guidelines and a new common starting experiment. The principal contents are presented, followed by an account of the author's experience with them. Most of the author's students now follow the guidelines. Their conclusions are affected by difficulties in adjusting expected results with due regard to the specific conditions of the experimental subject or to their own deviations from the experimental or analytical procedures prescribed in the manual. Also, problems in interpreting data unbiased by explicit expectations are evident, although a clear distinction between expected and actual results has been helpful for them in seeing the relationship between experiments and textbook contents more clearly, and thus in understanding the hypothetico-deductive approach.

Denmark↗
PubMed1984

Cardiopulmonary response to exercise in patients with neuromuscular diseases.

In order to evaluate the possible effects of respiratory muscle training in patients with neuromuscular disease, we examined the cardiopulmonary response in 13 patients and 17 healthy controls by recording flow volume curves, ECG and alveolar carbon dioxide levels and collecting mixed expiratory air in Douglas bags. The cardiopulmonary response of our patients was not significantly different from that of the controls, and therefore we see no reason to avoid muscle training in patients with such disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Factors determining residual volume in normal and asthmatic subjects.

We have studied the mechanisms determining the residual volume (RV), by inducing temporary changes in RV through respiratory manoeuvres and bronchodilation. Four asthmatic and 5 normal subjects inhaled placebo, salbutamol, and ipratropium bromide, and performed maximum expiratory manoeuvres after partial and maximal inspiration. RV and static lung pressure-volume measurements were made in each experiment. After bronchodilation, RV increased in both groups after a maximal inspiration, while bronchodilatation, as such, decreased RV in both groups. We also found unexpectedly that in the asthmatic patients, the static transpulmonary pressure (Pst) at low lung volumes increased after bronchodilatation. Our findings can be explained if bronchodilators open-up closed airways, and if a preceding maximal inspiration decreases the elastic recoil pressure of the lungs causing a change of the lung volume at which airway closure occurs. The results also support that Pst at low lung volume is influenced by airway closure and underestimates the elastic recoil pressure of the lungs, even in normal subjects. We postulate that the increase in Pst at low lung volumes after bronchodilatation is due to smaller amounts of trapped gas.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Essential features of a criterion-based, integrated examination at Tromsø, Norway.

With data from the first integrated examinations at Stage II in the medical curriculum at Tromsø, Norway, we have found that essay-type sequential case problems may be designed according to the pattern described as 'Patient Management Problems'. In particular, a new 'standardized' morphology problem which is labour-saving and which demands from the respondents general skills of high relevance was created. We also found that the taxonomic level of this comprehensive and integrated examination could be raised by following a few simple suggestion. The reliability of the examination is shown to be above average, when pre-accepted model answers are use throughout. New criterion-sets describing clearly acceptable and clearly non-acceptable performances (established by finding the 99% safety limits of the chosen minimum passing level, taking the number of samples into account) were applied prospectively in 1978. Of 42 candidates 37 were classified as clearly passing, while three were classifed as having failed. The validity of the sets was evaluated by using them retrospectively on the 1977 data. It was shown that they were then able to pick out as failures the same four student whom the board had filed in 1977. The format has been favourably received by both students and teachers.

Education, Medical, Undergraduate↗
PubMed1980

Is Bloom's Taxonomy reflected in the response pattern to MCQ items?

The purpose of this study was to find out whether taxonomic classification of MCQ items reflected differences in student behaviour. The data from one of this University's official open-book exams, in which students answer sixty MCQ items distributed over twelve content-areas of physiology were examined. The responses from all 153 candidates were then subjected to factor analysis. Analysis of individual item scores was unrewarding. Analysis of scores for item-groups based on taxonomy and content resulted in the identification of three factors, which carried predominant loadings from recall or look-up items, interpretation items, and problem-solving items, respectively.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1980

Criterion-based open book examinations in physiology.

Analysed data from ten consecutive physiology examinations for medical students at Aarhus University are presented. Each examination comprised one MCQ test and one short-answer test. For both written aids were allowed; both were dominated by items above the recall level. The mean test scores of both the MCQ and the short answer tests were slightly above their mean pass levels with coefficients of variation around seven. Large but similar pass rate fluctuations in both test were found, and about half of the non-passing students failed both tests. The MCQ minimum pass level, established by the Nedelsky principle, was more stable than the essay pass level. The Nedelsky values seem to compensate for a large part of the fluctuations in the difficulty level of various MCQ sets. Due to lack of comparable data it cannot be settled whether the pass rate fluctuations are excessive, nor whether standards fluctuate more than those at other institutes.

Denmark↗
PubMed1979

Criteria for acceptance of reports in experimental laboratory courses (an examination of the cook-book experiment in physiology and its relation to the scientific process).

The purpose of this paper is to solve a practical problem through a theoretical analysis based on concepts from another scientific field. A new hypothesis emerges from this 'hermeneutical' approach, namely that the criteria derived are a set of useful tools in improving instruction in laboratory course work of the Cook-Book-Experiment type in physiology and related subjects. The hypothesis has been empirically tested only to an extent that deems it worthy of further testing by other teachers.

Denmark↗