Background: Newly graduated physical therapists require effective training to enhance their clinical skills. On-the-job training (OJT) and off-the-job training (Off-JT) are commonly used methods, but their comparative effectiveness remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of OJT and Off-JT in improving the clinical competencies of newly graduated physical therapists.
Material and methods: A crossover study was conducted involving 13 newly graduated physical therapists. Participants alternated between OJT and Off-JT interventions. The objective-structured clinical examination assessed four key skills-joint range of motion measurement, muscle testing, assistance in getting up, and assistance in transferring. Evaluations were conducted at four time points. A Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the change in average scores between the two groups from Assessment 1 to Assessment 2. A two-way analysis of variance was conducted to analyze the interaction effects of training methods and assessment timing.
Results: Off-JT was more effective than OJT in improving clinical skills, especially in muscle testing and patient assistance tasks. Both training methods enhanced joint range of motion measurement skills; however, no significant differences were found between the groups. Some tasks showed performance declines in the final assessment, indicating the necessity of continued practice.
Conclusions: Off-JT provides a more effective approach for improving clinical skills, particularly for tasks that require specialized knowledge and structured learning. However, OJT remains valuable for reinforcing routine clinical tasks. Future research should explore the long-term effects of these training methods on various clinical competencies.
Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have emerged as positive tools for enhancing physical and psychological well-being. These technologies offer valuable support for various mental health and behavioral conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study systematically reviews and evaluates ADHD mobile apps using the mobile application rating scale (MARS) to evaluate app quality and the personal experience factors for positive technology to identify positive technology features of the apps. Using the PRISMA protocol, a search was conducted on the Apple App Store and Google Play for ADHD apps available in English, free, and with star ratings. Of 829 apps, 17 met the inclusion criteria: 12 from the Apple App Store and five from Google Play. Overall, the quality of the reviewed apps was moderate. App functionality contribute positively to app quality. The lack of engagement features, on the other hand, negatively affected ADHD app quality scores. These results indicate that mobile ADHD apps are primarily designed for psycho-education and to support users' in managing their ADHD, and not for social engagement. Positive correlations were found between the number of positive technological features and overall MARS scores." Features found in these apps positively correlate with higher engagement, improved aesthetics, and overall app quality. These findings underscore the importance of positive technological features in reinforcing user engagement and satisfaction, which is vital for improving the usability and effectiveness of ADHD mobile apps. The study offers a systematic method for user app selection that diverges from the traditional reliance on popularity influenced by crowd mentality. The study findings also provide a valuable resource for ADHD app developers, potentially encouraging the integration of positive technology features and evidence-based practices in mHealth app development.
Background: Arabian Gulf countries, including Kuwait, have intense sunlight that poses substantial risks to skin health due to harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, leading to skin damage, premature aging, and increased cancer risks. This study assessed sunscreen knowledge, attitudes, and practices among nursing students, who are key agents in promoting health behaviors. Given that Kuwait has a single College of Nursing that attracts students from across the country, the sample represents the broader population.
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 446 nursing students (50% male, 50% female), which is the quarter number of all the students from the College of Nursing in Kuwait between July and October 2024.
Results: Gender differences were notable. Females exhibited a superior understanding of sunscreen's protective properties, including UVA/UVB coverage (75% vs 30% for males) and SPF effectiveness (72% vs 28% for males). Additionally, 41% of females used sunscreen year-round compared to 11% of males, who primarily used it during summer.
Conclusion: Nursing students are pivotal in public health education but exhibit gaps in sunscreen knowledge and practices, with females demonstrating higher awareness than males. Gender-sensitive educational strategies in nursing curricula, alongside public health campaigns, should address misconceptions about sunscreen use and emphasize sun protection. Enhancing nursing students' understanding of sunscreen use equips them to advocate for sun protection practices, potentially reducing skin cancer risk and improving public health outcomes locally and globally.
Background: The University education sector has been growing in Saudi Arabia. The abundance of universities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia complicates some students' ability to make well-informed decisions regarding their majors. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify the factors influencing students' choices of major.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from February to April 2023 at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Alahsa, Saudi Arabia. It targeted first- and second-year students, achieving a sample of 447 participants through convenience sampling. The analysis employed both descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS, focusing on correlations and multinomial logistic regression to identify significant factors affecting major choices.
Results: The present cross-sectional study included 447 students. There were 155 (34.5%) males and 292 (65.5%) females with a mean age of 19.01 ± 0.94 years. Furthermore, 53 (11.8%) students chose emergency medical services as their major subject. Whereby 74 (16.48%) students chose respiratory therapy, 45 (10.02%) and 87 (19.37%) students chose occupational therapy and radiology science, respectively. For 152 (33.8%) of the participants, friends served as the primary information source. Whereby 349 (77.7%) students chose their major based on the community's needs, and 129 (28.7%) students chose their major based on their salary. There was a significant negative correlation between academic level and major choice (r = -0.16, P = 0.001). Volunteering to a major subject field was significantly correlated with the further choosing of the major subject (r = 0.108, P = 0.021).
Conclusions: The study highlighted the desire of students to choose their major based on several factors. This included the needs of the community, the salary, academic level, and prior volunteering in a major subject field. These findings revealed the utmost importance of providing resources and opportunities for students to gain practical experience and make informed decisions about their major and future career path.
Background: Medical Student Syndrome (MSS) was assessed in medical versus nonmedical students at Sultan Qaboos University.
Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted in Muscat, Oman, 586 students (158 medical, 428 nonmedical) were selected using convenience sampling. The research was carried out between October 2024 and March 2025. Participants completed the Medical Student Syndrome Self-Explanatory Questionnaire, which assesses hypochondria and nosophobia. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including independent samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, Chi-square tests, and effect size calculations.
Results: The study found no significant differences in hypochondria and nosophobia scores between medical and nonmedical students (t = -0.991, P = 0.322, d = -0.093; t = -0.695, P = 0.487, d = -0.064, respectively). This challenges the traditional assumption that medical students exhibit greater health anxiety. Female students reported significantly higher health anxiety scores than their male counterparts across both groups (U = 7060.500, Z = -3.187, P = 0.001, r = 0.16 for hypochondria; U = 5798.000, Z = -5.011, P < 0.001, r = 0.27 for nosophobia). Additionally, health anxiety increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic for both medical and nonmedical students (t = -13.405, P < 0.001, d = -0.58).
Conclusion: Nonmedical students demonstrated similar levels of health-related anxiety. Gender differences and external stressors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, play a significant role in shaping health anxiety. As such, tailored intervention strategies and programs to address health anxiety among both medical and nonmedical students need to be implemented by psychologists and counselors in postgraduate settings.
Background: Kings behavioral counseling is a counseling approach that emphasizes behavioral change rooted in the internalization of kingly virtues and conduct. Accordingly, this study seeks to explore strategic pathways to enhance academic hardiness through the implementation of the Kings behavioral counseling mechanism.
Materials and methods: This study employed a survey method. The participants consisted of 400 university students in Indonesia who had provided written consent to participate. Data were collected using a revised academic hardiness scale and distributed via the google forms platform. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with the assistance of SPSS software version 25.0.
Results: The research findings illustrate the strategic implementation of a behavioral counseling mechanism inspired by Kings values to enhance academic hardiness among university students. This strategy involves the internalization of behavioral values exemplified by kings. The counseling mechanism integrates narratives about Kings behavioral values, intended to influence students' mindsets and actions, thereby fostering academic self-commitment, hardiness in facing academic challenges, and self-regulation within the academic context. The counseling process unfolds across four distinct stages: The initial stage, the transition stage, the intervention stage, and the termination stage.
Conclusion: This study develops a strategic counseling model to enhance academic hardiness in students with low hardiness by internalizing the behavioral values of the Kings, through four stages: initial stage, transition, intervention, and termination. Students build commitment, readiness to face challenges, and self-control by applying the inspirational stories of the Kings. This model is recommended for student interventions focusing on behavior change.
Background: Dentistry is directly correlated with public health. Educational programming according to the correct principles of clinical training is a challenging task. Thus, clinical training quality assessment is of utmost importance. This study aimed to assess the satisfaction level of dental graduates with the quality of clinical training offered in the undergraduate dental curriculum of Guilan Dental School.
Materials and methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 192 dental graduates of Guilan Dental School from 2018 to 2023 with the same educational curriculum. An online questionnaire was used for data collection by sending its link to the graduates; of which, 158 (86 females, 72 males) were enrolled. Data were analyzed by the independent t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and one-way ANOVA (α = 0.05).
Results: The mean total satisfaction score with the received clinical training was 47.7 ± 16.9 (moderate). The respondents were the most satisfied with the restorative dentistry (63.8 ± 27.7), and the least satisfied with the orthodontics (20.3 ± 12.9) departments. The total satisfaction score was significantly associated with age (r = 0.198, P = 0.012), work experience (r = 0.218, P = 0.006), and time passed since graduation (r = -0.230, P = 0.004). The mean total score was significantly higher among those who had their private practice compared with others working in private or public clinics, etc. (P = 0.002).
Conclusions: Evaluating dental graduates' satisfaction level with the quality of clinical training can serve as an effective tool to identify the strengths and weaknesses of dental curricula and make the necessary reforms.
Background: Tobacco use is the leading cause of oral cancer worldwide. In India, it was reported in 2021 that 1 million deaths were tobacco-related; of those, 79.8% deaths were due to smoking and 21.0% were due to second-hand smoke. It is available in various forms and has become a venerable practice in India. Recently, the increased initiation of usage has been noted among adolescents, which can cause severe adverse effects in the future. Thus, it is necessary to create awareness regarding the adverse effects of tobacco among the youth and encourage its disuse. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge of the use of tobacco and its products among students in Gannavaram and to evaluate their awareness regarding the catastrophic effects of tobacco consumption.
Materials and methods: A descriptive epidemiological study was conducted among the students in the province of Gannavaram, Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh. A questionnaire was prepared to estimate the frequency of usage, which will be used to assess and create awareness among the students. Statistical analysis was done by using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 25.0, Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.
Results: This study underscores the need to enhance anti-smoking awareness and implement targeted tobacco cessation initiatives among school and college students in Gannavaram, particularly given the significant gender disparity in usage (12.1% in males vs. 1% in females) and limited knowledge of anti-tobacco programs (78%).
Conclusion: The findings emphasize the importance of robust research methodologies and educational campaigns to guide public health strategies, evaluate the effectiveness of tobacco bans, and promote informed decision-making among youth.
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