Psychometric analysis of the perceived stress scale among healthy university students

© 2020 Anwer et al. Background: There is a gradual increase in the prevalence of stress during professional courses. Previous studies reported a high incidence of stress among university students. The psychometric properties of the perceived stress scale-10 (PSS-10) have been established in different populations. The current study aimed to assess psychometric properties of the PSS10 in Saudi university students. Methods: Healthy university students (n= 192) participated in this cross-sectional study. All the participants were explained about the aim and procedures of the study. Participants were requested to complete the English version of the PSS, the generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), the sleep hygiene index (SHI), and demographic details. Results: The range of the PSS-10 total score was 0–35; 1% reported minimum score of 0, but none reported maximum score of 40. Therefore, there was no issue of ceiling or floor effect in the PSS-10 total score. Positive and significant correlations of the PSS total and the PSS Factor-1 (distress perception) with the GAD-7 total score, SHI item-8 and SHI item-13 score support its convergent validity. Negative or no correlation of the PSS Factor-2 score (coping perception) with the GAD-7 total score, SHI item-8 and SHI item-13 scores demonstrate its divergent validity. The internal homogeneity test indicated moderate to strong positive correlations (r=0.60–0.82) between the PSS Factors and the items loading on them. The internal consistency test showed a good agreement for the PSS Factor-1 and the PSS Factor-2 scores (Cronbach’s alpha 0.78 and 0.71, respectively), suggesting an acceptable level of consistency. Factor analysis favored a 2-Factor model of the PSS in the Saudi students. Conclusion: The current study supported the use of the PSS-10 to assess the perceived stress among Saudi university students

Beliefs and attitudes of paramedical college staff towards complementary and alternate medicine

Background: Complementary and alternate medicine (CAM) has been defined as a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products not presently considered part of conventional medicine (CM). Studies in different countries have revealed a geographical difference in the knowledge about CAM therapies, especially among medical school staff and students. This study aimed to assess the extent of CAM use among staff working in paramedical colleges in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia and to examine their perception and attitudes towards such medicines.Materials and methods: Eighty paramedical staff members of different age groups and specializations were invited to participate in the study. A self-administered questionnaire adapted from similar studies was used in this study.Results: The response rate was 99%. The majority of respondents (56%) reported believing that CAM therapies play an important complementary role to the action of CM.Conclusion: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind to assess peoples’ attitudes towards CAM use in the region. As the use of healing practices outside of CM rise among patients, ignorance of CAM by future medical practitioners can cause a communication gap between people and the profession that serves them. It is encouraging that the majority of medical staff in this study recognizes and is enthusiastic to rectify this lack of knowledge.Keywords: Complementary and alternate medicine, paramedical staffs, attitude, perception, belief

Effect of posture on swallowing.

Background: Swallowing is a systematic process. Any structural, physiological or neurological disturbance in this process may cause dysphagia. Although there are studies that report head/neck movements during mastication, there are fewer studies that show the effect of different head/neck postures on difficulty while swallowing. Objectives: To observe the effect of different body postures on the self-perceived difficulty while swallowing in normal healthy subjects. Methods: Participants were asked to swallow 25 ml of water in one go while sitting upright, sitting with head/neck flexed, head/ neck extended and lying supine. Following this, they had to rate their self-perceived difficulty while swallowing on a scale of 0-10, 0 being most easy and 10 being most difficult. Results: 186 subjects with mean age 32.7 SD 9.04 participated in this study. It was found to be least difficult to swallow when subjects were asked to swallow in upright sitting position. Statistically significant differences were found between sitting upright, sitting with head/neck flexed, head/neck extended and lying supine. Conclusion: Postural modification may help in rehabilitation of patients with dysphagia by affecting bolus flow to improve speed and safety of swallowing by closure of airways to prevent aspiration

BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES OF PARAMEDICAL COLLEGE STAFF TOWARDS COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATE MEDICINE

Background: Complementary and alternate medicine (CAM) has been defined as a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products not presently considered part of conventional medicine (CM). Studies in different countries have revealed a geographical difference in the knowledge about CAM therapies, especially among medical school staff and students. This study aimed to assess the extent of CAM use among staff working in paramedical colleges in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia and to examine their perception and attitudes towards such medicines. Materials and methods: Eighty paramedical staff members of different age groups and specializations were invited to participate in the study. A self-administered questionnaire adapted from similar studies was used in this study. Results: The response rate was 99%. The majority of respondents (56%) reported believing that CAM therapies play an important complementary role to the action of CM. Conclusion: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind to assess peoples’ attitudes towards CAM use in the region. As the use of healing practices outside of CM rise among patients, ignorance of CAM by future medical practitioners can cause a communication gap between people and the profession that serves them. It is encouraging that the majority of medical staff in this study recognizes and is enthusiastic to rectify this lack of knowledg

Effects of Vestibular Rehabilitation in the Management of a Vestibular Migraine: A Review

Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) has been shown to be effective for many vestibular disorders. This review focuses on the current evidence on the effects of physical therapy in the management of vestibular symptoms in individuals with a vestibular migraine (VM). The individuals with a history of a migraine tend to have a high incidence of vestibular symptoms with some or all of their headaches. A total of six included studies investigated the effects of VR in the management of VM. The critical review form for quantitative studies was used to appraise quality assessment and risk of bias in the selected studies. Previous studies validated the use of VR in the treatment of vestibular symptoms for individuals with a VM to include improved headache and migraine-related disability in patients with a VM. From the current evidence, it is difficult to provide conclusive evidence regarding the efficacy of VR to minimize vestibular symptoms in patients with VM. Therefore, more randomized controlled studies are required to make firm evidence on the effect of VR in reducing vestibular symptoms in patients with VM. The future prospective, blinded, randomized controlled studies may help to isolate possible therapeutic effects of VR and other general effects

Effect of Deep Cervical Flexor Muscle Training Using Pressure Biofeedback on Pain and Forward Head Posture in School Teachers with Neck Pain: An Observational Study

Background. Teaching is one of the professions where incidence and prevalence of neck pain is high. Prolonged use of computers, which has further increased due to online teaching amid pandemic, is known to cause neck pain and alter posture, while people with forward head posture (FHP) are prone to develop neck pain and related disability. Research has shown that impairment of deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscles leads to insufficiency in coordination, activation, overload, and poor support on cervical structures that further lead to development of neck pain and altered neck posture. The objective of this study was to see the effect of DCF muscle training using pressure biofeedback on pain and FHP in school teachers with neck pain. Methods. This observational study was conducted at medical center in school premises. Fifty-five school teachers aged between 25 and 40 years with experience of more than 5 years were invited to participate in this study. Subjects were divided in two groups. Both the groups received conventional exercises while in experimental group DCF muscle training using pressure biofeedback was given additionally. Pain and FHP were assessed using NPRS and cranio-vertebral angle using digital photograph technique, respectively, at baseline and end of four weeks of treatment. Results. Although pain and FHP improved in both the groups, mean improvement in both the measures was more in the group that also received DCF training using pressure biofeedback. Conclusions. This study shows that although pain and FHP improved following conventional exercises in school teachers with neck pain, mean improvement was more significant among those who received additional DCF muscle training using pressure biofeedback