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Poor Knowledge (poor + knowledge)
Selected AbstractsEmergency contraception , knowledge and attitudes in a group of Australian university studentsAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH, Issue 3 2009Helen Calabretto Abstract Objective: To explore first year Australian university students' knowledge and attitudes about emergency contraception and their understanding of the risk for pregnancy. Method: A self-report questionnaire was completed by a convenience sample of 627 first year on-campus students from both health and non-health disciplines. Results: Knowledge about emergency contraception (EC) was generally poor including misunderstanding that it can only be used the ,morning after', as well as where it may be accessed. Its potential use was, however, more highly accepted as a preventative measure after unprotected sexual intercourse than abortion in the event of unplanned pregnancy. Women had better knowledge than men, and on a number of measures there were significant differences between these groups. Conclusions: Poor knowledge about the timing, accessibility, action and side effects of EC may act as a barrier to its use in the event of unprotected sexual intercourse. Although EC has been available in Australia as a Schedule 3 medication since 2004, its availability from pharmacies is not well known, nor is access from other primary health care providers. Implications: The lack of knowledge about EC may lead to its underutilisation and underlines the need for future educational strategies about EC as well as the need for health professionals who provide contraceptive services to discuss EC with clients. Health promotion campaigns which are both general as well as gender-specific may improve overall community knowledge about this method of contraception. [source] Effects of routine education on people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetesEUROPEAN DIABETES NURSING, Issue 3 2009A Clarke SRN, PhD Health Promotion & Research Manager Abstract Background: In Ireland, there is limited knowledge about the perceptions or behaviours of people newly diagnosed with diabetes and, due to the lack of a national register, poor knowledge of their demographic profile. Aim: To add to the body of knowledge about diabetes, to obtain perceptions of people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who attend group diabetes education, and to examine their relationships with the adoption of diabetes self-management behaviours. Method: A correlational study was conducted among people attending routine group diabetes education at three diabetes clinics during 2006/7, from which a convenience sample of 168 (38%) participants were recruited. Results: Men newly diagnosed with diabetes were younger, waited less time to attend group diabetes education, had a more positive diabetes attitude and perceived themselves to have more social support than women. Women had better diabetes self-management dietary and medication adherence behaviours prior to attending group diabetes education than the men. Conclusion: People newly diagnosed with diabetes differ in their attitude, perceived support and self-efficacy to adopt dietary and exercise behaviours and have different behaviour change needs at diagnosis. Post-attendance at diabetes education, they adopt behaviours at variable rates and may not sustain the change. The study findings indicate that healthcare professionals should monitor continually the need for behavioural change, in particular physical exercise behaviours in women and dietary and medication adherence in men. They should also continuously assess the maintenance of diabetes self-management behaviours of all people with diabetes, while promoting confidence in achieving desired outcomes. Copyright © 2009 FEND [source] Step-by-step: The effects of physical practice on the neural correlates of locomotion imagery revealed by fMRIHUMAN BRAIN MAPPING, Issue 5 2010Silvio Ionta Abstract Previous studies have shown that mental imagery is a suitable tool to study the progression of the effect of practice on brain activation. Nevertheless, there is still poor knowledge of changes in brain activation patterns during the very early stages of physical practice. In this study, early and late practice stages of different kinds of locomotion (i.e., balanced and unbalanced) have been investigated using functional magnetic resonance imaging during mental imagery of locomotion and stance. During the task, cardiac activity was also recorded. The cerebral network comprising supplementary motor area, basal ganglia, bilateral thalamus, and right cerebellum showed a stronger activation during the imagery of locomotion with respect to imagery of stance. The heart beat showed a significant increase in frequency during the imagery of locomotion with respect to the imagery of stance. Moreover, early stages of practice determined an increased activation in basal ganglia and thalamus with respect to late stages. In this way, it is proposed the modulation of the brain network involved in the imagery of locomotion as a function of physical practice time. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] The shrine of remembrance Melbourne: a short study of visitors' experiencesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 6 2009Caroline Winter Abstract The Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia opened in 1934 to articulate the social memory of the Great War of 1914,1918. The site has developed to incorporate other memorials and a Visitor Centre. An exploratory study of visitors indicated that the traditional and new memorials continue to evoke a number of responses to war. People expressed a sense of sadness and gratitude for sacrifices made by all those who have fought in war. Many people had poor knowledge of the battles which had initiated the creation of the Shrine. The study indicates the Shrine's complexity which now commemorates multiple conflicts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Patients' knowledge and perceptions of the side-effects of OTC medicationJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 4 2002L. Hughes BPharm PhD MRPharmS Summary Objective:, To investigate the knowledge of patients with regard to the side-effects of over-the-counter medicines. Method:, This took the form of ethnographic interviews and focus groups. Results:, Patients generally had poor knowledge of the potential side-effects of their medication. However, this appeared not to affect their ability to identify adverse drug reactions (ADRs). A number of the patients had experienced ADRs, and they identified a medicine as the cause because of the timing or unexpected nature of the symptom. The patients obtained information about medicines from many sources, including health care professionals, friends and family. Despite wide availability, patient information leaflets were rarely used by the patients. The leaflets were usually only read if the medicine was new or if a side-effect was experienced. Negative views of the leaflets included poor design and long lists of side-effects. Conclusion:, Accurate information and advice from health care professionals could serve to reassure patients and to ensure they are well informed about the medicines they take. [source] An exploration of factors that influence the regular consumption of water by Irish primary school childrenJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 5 2008C. Johnston Molloy Abstract Background, Inadequate hydration has been linked to many factors that may impact on children's education and health. Teachers play an important role in the education and behaviour of children. Previous research has demonstrated low water intake amongst children and negative teachers' attitudes to water in the classroom. The present study aimed to explore teachers' knowledge about water and the perceived barriers to allowing children access to water during lesson time. Methods, In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 teachers from primary schools in the Midlands of Ireland. Interviews were continued until there was saturation of the data. Thematic analysis of the data was conducted. Results, Participants had a poor knowledge of hydration requirements and the associated health benefits and effect on concentration. Low water intake amongst teachers and pupils, and barriers such as disruption to class and increased need to urinate, were reported. Teachers identified the hydration effect on learning as the education message most likely to influence the decision to allow water in the classroom. Conclusions, The issues, opinions and perceived barriers raised by teachers as part of this qualitative research provide a basis for future health promotion around water. [source] A15. Public attitudes towards the healthiness of fruit juicesJOURNAL OF HUMAN NUTRITION & DIETETICS, Issue 5 2000K. I. France Background Fruit juice is a major part of children's diets and accounts for a large proportion of their fruit and vegetable servings. People may confuse fruit juice with fruit drinks. This can cause problems as people could possibly substituting a portion of fruit for a drink, which contains little or no fruit. Studies have shown that excessive consumption of fruit juice can lead to health problems in children, including short stature, obesity, nonorganic failure to thrive and carbohydrate malabsorption. An increase in dental erosion has also been noted which appears to correlate with an increase in fruit juice and carbonated beverage consumption. Aims The aim of this study was to find out what the general public's attitudes are towards the healthiness of fruit juice. Methods A mini focus group and a questionnaire were the methods used for data collection. The subjects were parents of children aged 12 or under in a local primary school. Results Overall, the study group had a poor knowledge of the difference between fruit juice and drinks, and knowledge of sugar content was poor. The group had a good knowledge of fruit content. Fruit juice was regarded as being a health drink. They were unsure if excessive consumption could damage children's health or not. Their main concern was regarding their children's teeth. The factor identified as being most influential when choosing a drink was flavour, followed closely by healthiness. Nutritional knowledge was generally poor. The average daily intake of juice was 650 mL (22.8 floz), considerably more than the value recommended by several experts. Conclusion There is a need for nutritional education regarding the consumption of fruit juice. The public should be made more aware of the potential problems associated with excessive fruit juice consumption without discouraging fruit juice intake altogether, as it is an important source of fruit in the diets of young children. [source] Genetic structure of the deep-sea coral Lophelia pertusa in the northeast Atlantic revealed by microsatellites and internal transcribed spacer sequencesMOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 3 2004M. C. Le Goff-Vitry Abstract The azooxanthellate scleractinian coral Lophelia pertusa has a near-cosmopolitan distribution, with a main depth distribution between 200 and 1000 m. In the northeast Atlantic it is the main framework-building species, forming deep-sea reefs in the bathyal zone on the continental margin, offshore banks and in Scandinavian fjords. Recent studies have shown that deep-sea reefs are associated with a highly diverse fauna. Such deep-sea communities are subject to increasing impact from deep-water fisheries, against a background of poor knowledge concerning these ecosystems, including the biology and population structure of L. pertusa. To resolve the population structure and to assess the dispersal potential of this deep-sea coral, specific microsatellites markers and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences ITS1 and ITS2 were used to investigate 10 different sampling sites, distributed along the European margin and in Scandinavian fjords. Both microsatellite and gene sequence data showed that L. pertusa should not be considered as one panmictic population in the northeast Atlantic but instead forms distinct, offshore and fjord populations. Results also suggest that, if some gene flow is occurring along the continental slope, the recruitment of sexually produced larvae is likely to be strongly local. The microsatellites showed significant levels of inbreeding and revealed that the level of genetic diversity and the contribution of asexual reproduction to the maintenance of the subpopulations were highly variable from site to site. These results are of major importance in the generation of a sustainable management strategy for these diversity-rich deep-sea ecosystems. [source] Educating general practitioners about prenatal testing: approaches and challengesPRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, Issue 7 2005Sylvia Metcalfe Abstract Objectives To examine the effects of an education intervention on the knowledge and practice behaviours of general practitioners (GPs) regarding prenatal screening and diagnostic testing in Melbourne, Australia. Methods A single group, pre-test, repeated post-test design was used. Information on demographics, knowledge, behaviours and skills was collected via a self-administered questionnaire prior to the educational intervention. Responses to individual questions were coded and scores calculated, as well as a percent total score. Following the education, data were again collected, immediately afterwards (Post-Q) and six-to-eight months later (Foll-Q). Results Data for all three time points were collected from 63 GPs and showed a variable, and relatively poor knowledge regarding aspects of prenatal testing, especially before education. The percent mean total score at baseline was 51.2 ± 1.59% (CI 48.02 to 54.39), which increased significantly (p < 0.001) in both Post-Q (62.88 ± 1.51%; CI 59.86 to 65.89) and Foll-Q (58.92 ± 1.6%; CI 55.71 to 62.12). Conclusion The educational intervention significantly increased knowledge and practice behaviour of GPs, even up to eight months later, but this could be improved further, to a considerable extent. There is a need for ongoing multi-faceted approaches to educating GPs on prenatal testing to ensure that they are engaged in appropriate practice. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Interlaboratory evaluation of two Reverse-transcriptase Polymeric Chain Reaction-based methods for detection of four fruit tree virusesANNALS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2009S. Massart Abstract Recent technological development of molecular methods has led to the proliferation of new rapid PCR or reverse-transcriptase (RT)-PCR-derived diagnostic tests for plant viruses. Nevertheless, for routine use, the reliability of all these new methods is not widely established and there is still an apprehension to adopt them in official diagnostic for certification of plant material. This is partly because of the lack of confidence in the obtained results and the poor knowledge on the reproducibility and limits of the RT-PCR protocols. There is a lack of information on the adequate risk assessment in the use of this new technology. An interlaboratory evaluation of two RT-PCR duplex protocols for the detection of four different fruit tree viruses was performed to address these questions. Identical samples were sent as crude extract preparation to each of the participant laboratories. Samples were coded to ensure a double-blind test. General principles of result analysis are described, for example calculation of parameters such as specificity, sensitivity, repeatability, reproducibility, likelihood ratios and post-test probabilities. These parameters and the integration of the protocols within official certification scheme are discussed. Finally, guidelines for researchers desirous of validating their new plant virus diagnostic protocols through interlaboratory evaluation are suggested. [source] IS INFORMED CONSENT IN CARDIAC SURGERY AND PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION ACHIEVABLE?ANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 7 2007Marco E. Larobina Background: Medical and legal published work regularly discusses informed consent and patient autonomy before medical interventions. Recent discussions have suggested that Cardiothoracic surgeons' risk adjusted mortality data should be published to facilitate the informed consent process. However, as to which aspects of medicine, procedures and the associated risks patients understand is unknown. It is also unclear how well the medical profession understands the concepts of informed consent and medical negligence. The aims of this study were to evaluate patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) to assess their understanding of the risks of interventions and baseline level of understanding of medical concepts and to evaluate the medical staff's understanding of medical negligence and informed consent. Methods: Patients undergoing CABG or PCI at a tertiary hospital were interviewed with questionnaires focusing on the consent process, the patient's understanding of CABG or PCI and associated risks and understanding of medical concepts. Medical staff were questioned on the process of obtaining consent and understanding of medicolegal concepts. Results: Fifty CABG patients, 40 PCI patients and 40 medical staff were interviewed over a 6-month period. No patient identified any of the explained risks as a reason to reconsider having CABG or PCI, but 80% of patients wanted to be informed of all risks of surgery. 80% of patients considered doctors obligated to discuss all risks of surgery. One patient (2%) expressed concern at the prospect of a trainee surgeon carrying out the operation. Stroke (40%) rather than mortality (10%) were the important concerns in patients undergoing CABG and PCI. The purpose of interventions was only partially understood by both groups; PCI patients clearly underestimated the subsequent need for repeat PCI or CABG. Knowledge of medical concepts was poor in both groups: less than 50% of patients understood the cause or consequence of an AMI or stroke and less than 20% of patients correctly identified the ratio equal to 0.5%. One doctor (2.5%) correctly identified the four elements of negligence, eight (20%) the meaning of material risk and four (10%) the meaning of causation. Thirty doctors (75%) believed that all complications of a procedure needed to be explained for informed consent. Less than 10% could recognize landmark legal cases. Conclusion: Patients undergoing both CABG and PCI have a poor understanding of their disease, their intervention, and its complications making the attaining of true informed consent difficult, despite their desire to be informed of all risks. PCI patients particularly were highly optimistic regarding the need for reintervention over time, which requires specific attention during the consent process. Medical staff showed a poor knowledge of the concepts of material risk and medical negligence requiring much improved education of both junior doctors and specialists. [source] 44-55-66-PM, a Mnemonic That Improves Retention of the Ottawa Ankle and Foot Rules: A Randomized Controlled TrialACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 8 2010FRCPC, Jocelyn Gravel MD ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:859,864 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Objectives:, Studies have suggested that poor knowledge of the Ottawa Ankle Rules (OAR) limits its clinical impact. This study evaluated the ability of a mnemonic to improve knowledge of the OAR. Methods:, This was a single-blind randomized controlled trial performed among residents and medical students doing a pediatric emergency medicine rotation. At baseline, all participants were tested for their baseline knowledge of the OAR. The intervention was a standardized information sheet providing a mnemonic of the OAR (44-55-66-PM), while control subjects received its classic description. Block randomization (medical student vs. type of resident) was used. Each participant answered the same questionnaire at the end of rotation (3 weeks later) and via a Web-based survey 5 to 9 months postrandomization. Main outcome measures were knowledge of the components of the ankle rule based on a 13-item criterion grid and the foot rule based on a 10-item criterion grid. All questionnaires were marked at the end of the study by two reviewers blinded to the randomization. Discrepancies in final scores were resolved by consensus. Student's t-test was performed to compare mean scores on the evaluation between groups using an intention-to-treat approach. Results:, Among the 206 eligible participants, 96 medical students and 94 residents were recruited and agreed to participate. Primary outcomes were measured in 95% of the participants at 3 weeks postrandomization and in 72% on the long-term follow-up. Participants in both groups were similar with regard to baseline characteristics and prior knowledge of the OAR. Both groups showed improvement in their knowledge of the rule during the study period. At mid-term, knowledge of the OAR was similar for the ankle components (score for mnemonic 10.9; control 10.2; 95% confidence interval [CI] for difference = ,0.3 to 1.7) and for the foot (mnemonic 7.6 vs. control 7.5; 95% CI for difference = ,0.7 to 0.9). On the long term, randomization to the mnemonic was associated with a better knowledge of the OAR as demonstrated by a higher score for the ankle component (mnemonic 10.1 vs. control 8.9; 95% CI for difference = 0.6 to 1.8) and for the foot (mnemonic 7.8 vs. control 6.5; 95% CI for difference = 0.8 to 1.9). Conclusions:, Mid-term knowledge of the OAR drastically improved for all participants of the study. The use of the mnemonic 44-55-66-PM was associated with a better long-term knowledge of the OAR among medical students and residents. The improvement in knowledge of the OAR among the control group highlights the importance of using controlled trials for studies evaluating knowledge transfer. [source] Alteration of NF-,B activity leads to mitochondrial apoptosis after infection with pathological prion proteinCELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 9 2007Soizic Bourteele Summary Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-,B) is a key regulator of the immune response, but in almost the same manner it is involved in induction of inflammation, proliferation and regulation of apoptosis. In the central nervous system activated NF-,B plays a neuroprotective role. While in some neurodegenerative disorders the role of NF-,B is well characterized, there is poor knowledge on the role of NF-,B in prion disease. We found binding but no transcriptional activity of the transcription factor in vitro. Characterizing the mechanism of cell death after infection with pathological prion protein increased caspase-9 and caspase-3 activity was detected and the lack of NF-,B activity resulted in the inability to activate target genes that usually play an important role in neuroprotection. Additionally, we investigated the role of NF-,B after prion infection of Nfkb1,/,, Nfkb2,/, and Bcl3,/, mice and central nervous system-specific p65-deleted mice revealing an accelerated prion disease in NF-,B2- and Bcl-3-deficient mice, which is in line with a reduced neuroprotective activity in prion infection. Based on our findings, we propose a model whereby the alteration of NF-,B activity at the early stages of infection with pathological prion protein leads to neuronal cell death mediated by mitochondrial apoptosis. [source] Parental knowledge of topical therapies in the treatment of childhood atopic dermatitisCLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2003P. E. Beattie Summary Poor adherence with therapy is a major cause of treatment failure in atopic dermatitis. Reasons given are multifactorial, and include fear of real or imaginary side-effects, under-prescribing, failure to renew prescriptions on time, lack of time, and child refusal of therapy. Most important, however, is lack of knowledge about treatment, in particular the use of topical corticosteroid (TCS) therapy. We conducted a questionnaire-based study to determine the level of use and knowledge of commonly prescribed TCS preparations amongst parents or carers of 100 children attending paediatric outpatient clinics. Weakly potent TCSs were the most commonly used (86%), but poorly understood. Only 35 (41%) who had used hydrocortisone were aware that it was weakly potent, and 44% graded it as moderately potent. Of 65 who had used the moderately potent TCS clobetasone butyrate 0.05% (Eumovate®; Glaxo Wellcome, Uxbridge, UK), 19 (29%) graded it as potent and eight (12%) as weak. Of 50 who had used betamethasone valerate 0.1% (Betnovate®; Glaxo Wellcome, Uxbridge, UK), 42% did not grade it as potent. Understanding of TCS/antimicrobial combinations was generally worse. The hydrocortisone 1%/fusidic acid 2% combination (Fucidin H®; Leo, Risborough, Bucks, UK) was graded as moderate or strong by 88% of the 74 who had used it. Over half (53%) of the 34 using the combination of clobetasone butyrate 0.05%/nystatin 100 000 i.u./g tetracycline 3% (Trimovate®; Glaxo Wellcome, Uxbridge, UK) assumed that it was a potent TCS. Forty-nine had used Fucibet® (betamethasone valerate 0.1%, fusidic acid 2%; Leo, Risborough, Bucks, UK) but 34.5% did not grade it as potent. There was poor knowledge of the strengths of some of the most commonly used TCSs, and all steroid/antimicrobial combinations were perceived as being of greater potency than the constituent steroid alone. Fusidic acid was thought to be a steroid by almost half (46.9%) of the respondents. The packaging of the different products by some pharmaceutical companies is remarkably similar and labelling contains information on the compound and percentage rather than potency of the TCS. This may be a source of confusion. We recommend that manufacturers clearly label TCS products by potency as mild, moderate, potent or very potent and that packaging is sufficiently different for each strength of TCS or emollient to avoid confusion. In order to achieve optimal topical treatment for atopic dermatitis, patients and their carers must receive adequate information and training in how and when to use topical therapies in conjunction with written care plans. [source] | |||||||||||||