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PubMedDate not supplied

Epidemiology of chronic suppurative otitis media and deafness in a rural area and developing an intervention strategy.

Of 613 children evaluated in a village in Haryana 94 (15.3%) were observed to have chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). Fifty eight (61.7%) children had hearing impairment. CSOM contributed to 71.6% of the hearing impaired (58/81). On analysis of association of CSOM with literacy and socio-economic status of mothers, and age, sex, and upper respiratory tract infections (URI) in children positive correlation was observed only with URIs (P < 0.001). Literacy and socio-economic status of the mothers did not correlate significantly with knowledge about treatment seeking, and ear cleaning practices, probably due to the narrow range of incomes and literacy levels. An intervention program consisting of play, demonstrations, health charts and slogans, and aural cleaning and antibiotic drops was introduced.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

The TwoDay Algorithm: a new algorithm to identify the fertile time of the menstrual cycle.

Women who monitor their fertility signs and recognize when they are fertile can use this knowledge to conceive or to avoid pregnancy. Studies have shown that there is a rather small fertile window of several days during each menstrual cycle. Established methods of identifying the fertile window, such as the Ovulation and the Symptothermal methods of Natural Family Planning, can be very effective in helping couples avoid pregnancy. A new algorithm for identifying the fertile window has been developed, based on monitoring and recording of cervical secretions. The TwoDay Algorithm appears to be simpler to teach, learn, and use than current natural methods. A large existing data set from a World Health Organization study of the Ovulation Method, along with Natural Family Planning charts from women using the Ovulation Method and the Symptothermal Method, were used to determine the potential effectiveness of the TwoDay Algorithm in identifying the fertile window. Results suggest that the algorithm can be an effective alternative for low literacy populations or for programs that find current Natural Family Planning methods too time consuming or otherwise not feasible to incorporate into their services. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of the TwoDay Algorithm in avoiding pregnancy and to assess its acceptability to users and providers.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Violent and nonviolent girls: contrasting perceptions of anger experiences, school, and relationships.

Arrests of American girls for assault and weapons charges are rapidly increasing, at rates exceeding those for boys. Yet research on girls' violence is scant. We surveyed a national sample of 213 girls (ages 9-19) via personal interview or an Internet questionnaire, regarding anger precipitants and behaviors, interpersonal relationships, and experiences of discipline at home and school. Girls were categorized as violent (n = 54) if they had been suspended or expelled from school for fighting or bringing a weapon, or charged with a violent offense by the juvenile justice system. The remaining girls (n = 159) were categorized as nonviolent. The anger of violent girls tended to be intense and generalized, while the anger of nonviolent girls was precipitated by specific situations of injustice. Correlates of feeling angry enough to hit or hurt someone were loneliness, unfair treatment by adults, not liked by classmates, and somatic anger symptoms. Violent girls were significantly more likely to dislike school and perceive school discipline as unfair. Both groups of girls held negative views of television violence and curfews. Although girls with well-established patterns of aggression need psychotherapy, school-based interventions such as emotional literacy and violence prevention programs may also be helpful. Mental health nurses are well prepared to serve in a consultative role to schools, assisting in the development and delivery of violence prevention programming.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Prenatal and postnatal risk factors for mental retardation among children in Bangladesh.

This study evaluated the contribution of prenatal, perinatal, neonatal, and postnatal factors to the prevalence of cognitive disabilities among children aged 2-9 years in Bangladesh. A two-phase survey was implemented in 1987-1988 in which 10,299 children were screened for disability. In multivariate analyses, significant independent predictors of serious mental retardation in rural and urban areas included maternal goiter (rural odds ratio (OR) = 5.14, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23, 21.57; urban OR = 4.82, 95% CI: 2.73, 8.50) and postnatal brain infections (rural OR = 29.24, 95% CI: 7.17, 119.18; urban OR = 13.65, 95% CI: 4.69, 39.76). In rural areas, consanguinity (OR = 15.13, 95% CI: 3.08, 74.30) and landless agriculture (OR = 6.02, 95% CI: 1.16, 31.19) were also independently associated with the prevalence of serious mental retardation. In both rural and urban areas, independent risk factors for mild cognitive disabilities included maternal illiteracy (OR = 2.48, 95% CI: 0.86, 7.12), landlessness (OR = 4.27, 95% CI: 1.77, 10.29), maternal history of pregnancy loss (OR = 2.61, 95% CI: 0.95, 7.12), and small for gestational age at birth (OR = 3.86, 95% CI: 1.56, 9.55). Interventions likely to have the greatest impact on preventing cognitive disabilities among children in Bangladesh include expansion of existing iodine supplementation, maternal literacy, and poverty alleviation programs as well as prevention of intracranial infections and their consequences. Further population-based studies are needed to confirm and understand the association between consanguinity and serious cognitive disability.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2006

The reading habits of medicine clerks at one medical school: frequency, usefulness, and difficulties.

PURPOSE: To describe the reading habits of medicine clerks, which previously have not been well described. Understanding issues related to student reading habits may provide insights and opportunities for medical educators to develop methods to improve clerks' clinical clerkship experiences and their information literacy skills. METHOD: The authors administered an 18-item survey tool to 120 students on their first inpatient internal medicine clerkships at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 2002-03. The questionnaire focused on issues related to what and how often they read during their basic medicine clerkship. Data were explored mainly with descriptive statistics. RESULTS: One hundred twelve of 120 (93%) medicine clerks completed the survey. Clerks reported reading for an average of 10.8 (SD 5.6) hours per week (median ten hours per week, range one to 30 hours per week). The most commonly used and useful reading sources were UpToDate and test preparation textbooks. Approximately 30% of students reported substantial problems in reading about their patients. Limited data suggest that reading habits and learning methods vary by year of medical school. Clerks are given disparate advice on appropriate reading sources to consult by attending physicians, resident physicians, and fellow students. CONCLUSIONS: Students spend significant amounts of time reading online sources during their medicine clerkship, especially UpToDate. Medical educators should become familiar with these sources and contribute to maximizing their effectiveness for students. Additional research focused on understanding how students build skills in information literacy and how educational programs can facilitate the development of those skills is needed.

Baltimore↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Nurse educators' acceptance of the computer in baccalaureate nursing programs.

Although several studies have investigated nurse educators' perceived knowledge of and acceptance of computer technology, none have incorporated objective indicators of knowledge or acceptance. This descriptive research study used standardized and investigator-developed tests to examine acceptance of the computer by randomly selected administrators and faculty in private baccalaureate nursing programs. Levels of computer literacy and attitudes were sufficiently positive to promote the awareness, interest, and evaluation stages of Roger's diffusion and adoption model. Responses were not sufficiently positive to promote the trial and adoption of computer technology for instructional and administrative activities. Recommended approaches to meeting this challenge included instruction related to computer software and educational applications and the use of consortial arrangements to share knowledge, computer hardware and software, and application experiences.

Attitude to Computers↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Building knowledge in literacy and health.

Health and literacy share an interesting relationship. The complexities of the relationship between literacy and health need to be recognized by policy-makers and practitioners to dispel myths, reduce stigma attached to low literacy, and empower disadvantaged groups. As we engage in building knowledge in the field, there is a need for multi-sectoral collaboration, both quantitative and qualitative information, and more effective ways to communicate with and educate people with low literacy. At the Second Canadian Conference on Literacy and Health, research reported indicates that in terms of what we know, the field has focussed on: linking literacy and health; examining intervention programs; exploring e-health and rural health; evaluating programs; and empowering people. In exploring what we need to know, researchers at the conference identified the need to understand: the extent of literacy sensitivity among health care providers in diverse settings; the impact of using plain language and readability formulas; the effectiveness of approaches to instructing literacy; and the incorporation of health content and health literacy goals into literacy instruction. Further, we need to create accessible ways of sharing knowledge in the field to build and strengthen existing multi-sector partnerships within and between communities.

Canada↗

PubMed1994

Family welfare and health practices increase after exposure to population education.

Since 1987, the State Resource Center of Jamia Millia Islamia of New Delhi has been implementing a program which integrates population education contents into its literacy education classes for adult learners. Using the core messages on family size, spacing of children, responsible parenthood, right age of marriage, population-related beliefs and customs and population and development, the Center undertook many activities such as: i) integrating population contents in literacy primers, readers and supplementary reading books; ii) development of teaching aids and instructor's resource materials; iii) organization of training for instructors and iv) holding outreach activities such as street corner plays, fairs, etc. To evaluate the impact of the program, the Center undertook an impact survey to measure the level of knowledge, attitude and practices of randomly selected beneficiaries of the project, i.e. 934 learners from 85 literacy learning centers, 5 years after the introduction of the population education program. The study used pre-test and post-test method for collecting data and to compare results. In terms of practice, the study has shown that the respondents having knowledge about family planning methods increased from 67 to 87%, after being exposed to the project's activities. There was also an increase of 61% in cases adopting family planning methods over the pre-measurement level. More importantly, there was not only an increase in awareness of public health and family welfare services but a 137% increase was registered in the use of public health and family welfare facilities for family planning counseling and services. With regard to knowledge and attitude on the various population education messages promoted by the project, the study has shown a 40% increase in "high" knowledge category and 25% increase in favorable attitude after the exposure to the project.

Asia↗

PubMed1988

Decree No. 15-88, February 1988.

This Decree approves the Plan of Operations entered into by the Government of Honduras and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) with respect to women and children for the years 1987-91. The general objective of the Plan is to monitor and improve the situation of women and children in Honduras by means of providing the following services: 1) early attention to and development of children; 2) basic services for rural women and children; and 3) intersectoral social planning and promotion of infancy. Among the specific services to be provided are literacy training and adult education for women, infant nutrition, and programs of social support for women and children. Further provisions of the Decree set forth the details of the Plan for the year 1987, as well as provisions on past agreements between the Government of Honduras and UNICEF, monitoring and evaluation, and the contributions of the Government of Honduras and UNICEF, among other things. UNICEF's contribution is US$1,465,000.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Cancer control research and literacy.

Low literacy may be an important predictor of increased cancer risk and poor participation in cancer control programs. Results of the National Adult Literacy Survey indicate that about 90 million individuals, slightly less than half of the U.S. adult population, demonstrate low or limited literacy skills. In contrast, the average health education brochure, pamphlet, or instruction sheet requires a 10th-grade or higher level of reading ability to be understood. Guidelines exist for the development of more readable printed materials; studies have also found that nonprint approaches such as video education are viable alternatives to printed materials. Research on patient populations indicates that educational approaches targeted to low-literacy groups can be effective in reaching individuals with cancer control information. This review identifies the most important areas of needed research and makes recommendations for the development of a research agenda on cancer control and literacy.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Order No. 60/MEN/FP/ALPHA relating to the creation of a national committee to eliminate illiteracy in the Niger, 3 May 1988.

This Order creates a National Committee to Eliminate Illiteracy in the Niger consisting of members appointed by the Minister of National Education and Professional Training. The objectives of the Committee are: 1) to lend its support to national education structures in pursuing the battle against illiteracy; 2) to collaborate in the definition of a national policy with respect to literacy and adult education; and 3) to formulate and execute a program making the public aware and giving them information about the problem of illiteracy and its impact on the development of the Niger.

Africa↗

PubMed1998

Education for health promotion and disease prevention: convince them, don't confuse them.

Promotion of health and prevention of disease have become some of the most emphasized issues of the 1990s. The government, health professionals, and private organizations have made the primary prevention of disease a priority. Quality education is a major intervention by which prevention is realized. However, superior quality educational offerings entail significant pre-preparation via the development of clear and realistic teaching/learning plans, faculty knowledge of educational psychology, metacognition and cognitive processing, understanding of cultural diversity, incorporation of adult learning principles, the use of varied teaching/learning strategies, and astute application of program evaluation skills. Educators, like nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals, must work with people to mutually decipher their healthcare needs and plan educational experiences that learners can merge with their own life experiences and ethnocultural perspectives. In addition, educators should use health education materials that match learners' literacy levels. Most importantly, such programs must be thoughtfully evaluated in light of the achievable goals that were outlined during preplanning stages. Without outcomes assessment as part of health promotion/disease prevention education programs, health educators are less likely to produce interventions that learners value and from which they truly benefit. Optimally, education programs about health promotion/disease prevention should generate long-term critical thinking processes that produce positive health choices, behavioral change, and healthy life styles.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Considering health literacy.

Older adults face many decisions as they navigate the complex health-care system. For people with low health literacy skills, making such decisions can be daunting. This brief discusses health literacy and describes techniques your organization or program can use to reach out to those with low levels of health literacy.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Preschool teachers' theoretical and pedagogical stances on the language and literacy development of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Implications for teacher preparation and in-service programs.

This study was an investigation into three preschool teachers' theoretical and pedagogical stances on the language and literacy development of deaf and hard-of-hearing children. Transcripts from formal, audiotaped interviews provided the primary data source for the investigation of the teachers' theoretical orientations toward language and literacy learning. The primary data sources used in examining the teachers' instructional practices were videotape recordings, handwritten field notes, and photographs of the teachers and their students participating in classroom language and literacy events over a six-month period. Data were analyzed inductively using the procedures and techniques related to grounded theory analysis. Results of the study indicated that the teachers held differing theories and that these theories influenced the teachers' instruction in significant ways. The study highlights the growth in one teacher's perspectives and the resulting changes in her classroom practice.

Child↗

PubMed1992

Health and safety education for workers with low-literacy or limited-English skills.

Low literacy and limited English proficiency have become a growing concern for health and safety educators. With one-fifth of the workforce reading below an eighth-grade level and possibly another tenth having limited English skills, health and safety educators and unions have increasingly become aware that current training programs often surpass the language and literacy abilities of workers being trained. This article describes the dilemmas facing health and safety professionals in incorporating knowledge about language and literacy skill levels. It documents creative strategies and new programs, largely based on participatory and popular education approaches, to provide training that simultaneously matches worker needs and leads to worker empowerment.

Curriculum↗

PubMed2002

Interventions for preventing eating disorders in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders represent an extremely difficult condition to treat and patients consume an enormous amount of mental health energy and resources. Being young, female, and dieting are some of the few identified risk factors that have been reliably linked to the development of eating disorders, and several prevention eating disorder prevention programs have been developed and trialed with children and adolescents. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of eating disorder prevention programs for children and adolescents both in the general population and those determined to be at risk. OBJECTIVES: 1. To determine if eating disorder prevention programs are effective in promoting healthy eating attitudes and behaviours in children and adolescents; 2. To determine if eating disorder prevention programs are effective in promoting psychological factors that protect children and adolescents from developing eating disorders; 3. To determine if eating disorder prevention programs are effective in promoting satisfactory physical health in children and adolescents; 4. To determine if eating disorder prevention programs have a long-term, sustainable, and positive impact on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents; and, 5. To determine the safety of eating disorder prevention programs in terms of possible harmful consequences on the mental or physical health of children and adolescents. SEARCH STRATEGY: Relevant trials are identified through searching the Cochrane Controlled Trial Register (CCTR) and relevant biomedical and social science databases. All terms necessary to detect prevention programs and the participant groups are used. A strategy to locate randomised controlled trials is used. Other sources of information are the bibliographies of systematic and non-systematic reviews and reference lists from articles identified through the search strategy. In order to identify unpublished studies, experts in the field are contacted by letter and/or electronic mail. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials (RCT) with a major focus on eating disorder prevention programs for children and adolescents, where there is no known DSM-IV diagnosis of an eating disorder, are eligible for inclusion in the review. Trials must include a control group and at least one objective outcome measure (eg. BMI) or a standardised psychological measure used with the intervention and control group, pre- and post-intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: A total of 1379 titles have been identified through the search to date. 13 studies were located that reported use of a randomised controlled trial methodology and were critically appraised by two independent reviewers. Five (5) studies were excluded as data were not reported in a useable form or useable data could not be obtained from the trial authors, one dissertation could not be obtained, one study had no "true" no-treatment or usual treatment control group, and one study did not use a pre-test outcome measure. Eight (8) studies met the selection criteria outlined above. MAIN RESULTS: Only one of eight pooled comparisons of two or more studies using similar outcome measures and similar intervention types demonstrated the statistically significant effect of a particular type of eating disorder prevention program for children and adolescents. Combined data from two eating disorder prevention programs based on a media literacy and advocacy approach indicate a reduction in the internalisation or acceptance of societal ideals relating to appearance at a 3- to 6-month follow-up (Kusel, unpublished; Neumark-Sztainer2000) [SMD -0.28, -0.51 to -0.05, 95% CI]. However, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that this approach also demonstrated a significant impact on awareness of societal standards relating to appearance. There is insufficient evidence to support the effect of four programs designed to address eating attitudes and behaviours and other adolescent issues on body weight, eating disorder symptoms, associated eating disorder psychopathology or general psychological and physical well-being in the general sample or those classified as being at high risk for eating disorder (Buddeberg-F 1998; Killen 1993/1996; Santonastaso 1999; Zanetti 1999). Given only one program used a psychoeducation approach to prevent bulimia nervosa (Jerome, unpublished) and only one program adopted a focus on self-esteem (O'Dea 2000), the effect of these approaches could not be evaluated via meta-analyses. In relation to potential harmful effects, there is not sufficient evidence to suggest that harm resulted from any of the prevention programs included in the review. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: The one significant pooled effect in the current review does not allow for any firm conclusions to be made about the impact of prevention programs for eating disorders in children and adolescents, although none of the pooled comparisons indicated evidence of harm. From a clinical perspective, the development and refinement of prevention programs is complicated by a lack of knowledge about risk factors associated with eating disorders and the need to strike a balance between delivering preventive interventions for eating disorders and considering the potential to cause harm. From a research perspective, the idea of "thresholds" for identifying young people at risk of developing eating disorders has been raised, and denial of concern or denial of illness represents a further issue complicating early identification in relation to eating disorder symptomatology. Longer-term effects of the intervention approaches will need to be monitored across development in order to demonstrate a decline in the incidence of eating disorders and associated risk factors.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Perceptions of computer literacy among occupational therapy students.

OBJECTIVE: Educational programs for the occupational therapist and the occupational therapy assistant are mandated to include content on technologies in their curricula. Given the increasing use of technology skills among occupational therapists, especially computer technology skills, it seemed judicious to ascertain the current and desired levels of skill of occupational therapy students as well as their opinions about computer technology. METHOD: Program directors from five baccalaureate-level curricula distributed the Computer Opinion Survey and the Computer Knowledge Survey to 109 junior and senior occupational therapy students. The students were instructed to complete and return questionnaires to their program directors who, in turn, forwarded the questionnaires to the principal investigators. RESULTS: Respondents were generally positive about computer technology, and the level of knowledge they desired about computer technology applications in occupational therapy was much greater than their current level of knowledge. Although respondents' positive attitudes were significantly correlated with their current levels of computer knowledge, no significant relationship was established among positive attitudes, current levels of computer knowledge, and number of computer courses completed before entering an occupational therapy curriculum. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the respondents were computer literate (i.e., they had a general working knowledge of the uses, limitations, and impact of computers), no relationship was established between their previous computer course work and their current knowledge of the use of computer technology in occupational therapy. The linkage between generic computer literacy and knowledge of its relationship to the use of computer technology in occupational therapy was not evident to this sample of junior and senior students.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Using innovative strategies to enhance health promotion critical literacy.

New and improved teaching strategies are required to engage students in meaningful coursework to enhance critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making. Advanced practice nurses are responsible for producing creative and realistic health promotion and disease prevention proposals, which have the potential for implementation as part of a course requirement. Unfortunately, these proposals often lack the sophistication and critical literacy necessary to effectively communicate the student's knowledge and understanding of their ideas. Infusing critical thinking and critical literacy into all curricula is one of the stated goals of the university-wide "Enhancing Critical Literacy Project." This learning-centered program serves as the platform for this article and the early adoption of selected student assessment techniques. Concepts presented as part of a critical literacy enhancement seminar provides the theoretical underpinning of this approach and is designed to encourage student innovation through creative writing. A detailed description of the various strategies and their implementation are discussed.

California↗