Study satisfaction among university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: longitudinal development and personal-contextual predictors

The COVID-19 pandemic challenges the well-being and academic success of many students. Yet, little is known about students’ study satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic, a multilayered construct which accounts for students’ subjective cognitive well-being and academic success. Besides, previous studies on study satisfaction are mostly cross-sectional and hardly consider the distinct subdimensions of this construct. Therefore, our main goal in this study was to shed light on the understudied development of the subdimensions of study satisfaction (i.e., satisfaction with study content, conditions of studying, and coping with study-related stress) in two semesters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, we examined how particular personal (i.e., gender, age, GPA, intrinsic motivation, motivational cost, and academic procrastination) and contextual (i.e., loneliness) factors are related to these subdimensions. We conducted two panel studies with convenience and purposeful samples of university students in Germany (Nstudy1 = 837; Nstudy2 = 719). Participants responded online to questions on each of the subdimensions of study satisfaction at the beginning, middle, and end of each semester but responded to measures of personal and contextual factors only at the beginning of each semester. In both studies, manifest growth curve models indicated a decrease in all subdimensions of study satisfaction as the semester progressed. Generally, gender (male) and intrinsic motivation were positive predictors but age (younger students), motivational cost, and loneliness were negative predictors of different subdimensions of study satisfaction – particularly satisfaction with study content. Overall, motivational costs and loneliness were the most consistent predictors of all subdimensions of study satisfaction across both studies. Our findings provide support for the understanding that study satisfaction could diminish in the face of challenging situations such as in this pandemic. The present study also highlights certain personal and contextual factors that relate to study satisfaction and calls for intensive research into the multidimensional construct of study satisfaction

Different motivational profiles of university students and their relation to demographic characteristics, learning behavior, and study-related well-being

Auf der Basis eines multidimensionalen Verständnisses von Studienmotivation wird ein Zusammenspiel motivationaler Variablen verschiedener Phasen des Studiums im Hinblick auf akademische Erfolgskriterien angenommen. Jedoch gibt es hierzu bislang keine empirische Evidenz. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde das Ziel verfolgt, das intraindividuelle Zusammenspiel intrinsischer und extrinsischer Studienwahlmotivation als Variablen der Studienvorphase sowie des akademischen Selbstkonzepts und der akademischen Selbstwirksamkeit als Variablen der Phase im Studium in Form motivationaler Profile von Studierenden aufzudecken. Ferner wurden Unterschiede zwischen Studierenden verschiedener motivationaler Profile hinsichtlich demografischer Merkmale, Bildungsmerkmalen, Lernverhalten (Anstrengung und Prokrastination) und Befinden (Studienzufriedenheit, Studienabbruchintention) ermittelt. An der Studie nahmen N = 1,426 Studierende der Studienbereiche MINT, Rechtswissenschaft, Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Erziehungswissenschaft teil. Mittels der Analyse latenter Profile wurden fünf motivationale Profile ermittelt. Männliche Studierende, jüngere Studierende und Studierende jüngerer Semester waren in Profilen mit höheren Ausprägungen der motivationalen Variablen stärker vertreten. Insgesamt wiesen Studierende in Profilen mit höherer im Vergleich zu moderater Studienmotivation ein günstigeres Studierverhalten und geringere Studienabbruchintentionen auf. Der Beitrag stützt die Relevanz, die motivationalen Prozessen für günstiges Lernverhalten und Studienabbruch zugeschrieben wird. Auch wenn ein Großteil der Studierenden in diesem Beitrag eine hohe Studienmotivation berichtete, legen die Befunde nahe, Maßnahmen zur Förderung von Studienmotivation für Subgruppen von Studierenden in der Hochschulpraxis anzubieten. (DIPF/Orig.)On the basis of a multidimensional understanding of study motivation, an interplay of motivational variables of different study phases with regard to academic success is assumed. Yet, it lacks empirical evidence regarding this interplay. The aim of the present study was to uncover the intraindividual interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic study choice motivation representing variables of the pre-university phase and of academic self-concept and academic self-efficacy indexing variables of the study phase as combined in motivational profiles. Furthermore, we identified differences between students of the distinct motivational profiles with respect to demographic characteristics, educational characteristics, learning behavior (effort and procrastination), and well-being (study satisfaction, student dropout intention). The sample consisted of N = 1,426 students, enrolled in STEM, law, economics and educational science majors. Applying latent profile analysis, we identified five motivational profiles. Profiles expressing higher motivation were disproportionate for male students, younger students, and students of lower semesters. Overall, students in profiles with high compared to moderate study motivation showed more adaptive study behavior and lower student dropout intentions. The present study underlines the relevance attributed to motivational processes for adaptive learning behavior and student dropout intention. Although a large proportion of students reported high study motivation, our findings suggest that approaches to foster student motivation should be offered in higher education and address specific groups of students. (DIPF/Orig.

Global patient outcomes after elective surgery: prospective cohort study in 27 low-, middle- and high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: As global initiatives increase patient access to surgical treatments, there remains a need to understand the adverse effects of surgery and define appropriate levels of perioperative care. METHODS: We designed a prospective international 7-day cohort study of outcomes following elective adult inpatient surgery in 27 countries. The primary outcome was in-hospital complications. Secondary outcomes were death following a complication (failure to rescue) and death in hospital. Process measures were admission to critical care immediately after surgery or to treat a complication and duration of hospital stay. A single definition of critical care was used for all countries. RESULTS: A total of 474 hospitals in 19 high-, 7 middle- and 1 low-income country were included in the primary analysis. Data included 44 814 patients with a median hospital stay of 4 (range 2-7) days. A total of 7508 patients (16.8%) developed one or more postoperative complication and 207 died (0.5%). The overall mortality among patients who developed complications was 2.8%. Mortality following complications ranged from 2.4% for pulmonary embolism to 43.9% for cardiac arrest. A total of 4360 (9.7%) patients were admitted to a critical care unit as routine immediately after surgery, of whom 2198 (50.4%) developed a complication, with 105 (2.4%) deaths. A total of 1233 patients (16.4%) were admitted to a critical care unit to treat complications, with 119 (9.7%) deaths. Despite lower baseline risk, outcomes were similar in low- and middle-income compared with high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Poor patient outcomes are common after inpatient surgery. Global initiatives to increase access to surgical treatments should also address the need for safe perioperative care. STUDY REGISTRATION: ISRCTN5181700

University students' profiles of burnout symptoms amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and their relation to concurrent study behavior and experiences

Turhan D, Schnettler T, Scheunemann A, et al. University students' profiles of burnout symptoms amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and their relation to concurrent study behavior and experiences. International journal of educational research. 2022;116: 102081.Burnout symptoms are prevalent among university students. This study examined students' understudied profiles of burnout symptoms and their relation to procrastination, dropout intentions, and study- and life satisfaction. We used cross-sectional data from two online-studies conducted in Germany in April 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic (N study1=597, N study2=857). Latent profile analyses indicated three profiles in both studies: (1) well-functioning, (2) moderately exhausted-inefficacious, and (3) burned-out. Most students belonged to Profiles 1 and 2 with low to moderate burnout symptoms. Students in Profile 3 reported the highest symptoms, most procrastination, strongest dropout intentions, and lowest study- and life satisfaction. The distinct profiles broaden knowledge about intra-individual differences in students' burnout experiences and underpin the need for tailored interventions. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Kuluttajabarometri maakunnittain 2000, 2. neljännes

Suomen virallinen tilasto (SVT

Use of failure-to-rescue to identify international variation in postoperative care in low-, middle- and high-income countries: a 7-day cohort study of elective surgery

This was an investigator-initiated study funded by Nestle Health Sciences through an unrestricted research grant and by a National Institute for Health Research (UK) Professorship held by R.P. The study was sponsored by Queen Mary University of London

The surgical safety checklist and patient outcomes after surgery: a prospective observational cohort study, systematic review and meta-analysis

© 2017 British Journal of Anaesthesia Background: The surgical safety checklist is widely used to improve the quality of perioperative care. However, clinicians continue to debate the clinical effectiveness of this tool. Methods: Prospective analysis of data from the International Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS), an international observational study of elective in-patient surgery, accompanied by a systematic review and meta-analysis of published literature. The exposure was surgical safety checklist use. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality and the secondary outcome was postoperative complications. In the ISOS cohort, a multivariable multi-level generalized linear model was used to test associations. To further contextualise these findings, we included the results from the ISOS cohort in a meta-analysis. Results are reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: We included 44 814 patients from 497 hospitals in 27 countries in the ISOS analysis. There were 40 245 (89.8%) patients exposed to the checklist, whilst 7508 (16.8%) sustained ≥1 postoperative complications and 207 (0.5%) died before hospital discharge. Checklist exposure was associated with reduced mortality [odds ratio (OR) 0.49 (0.32–0.77); P\u3c0.01], but no difference in complication rates [OR 1.02 (0.88–1.19); P=0.75]. In a systematic review, we screened 3732 records and identified 11 eligible studies of 453 292 patients including the ISOS cohort. Checklist exposure was associated with both reduced postoperative mortality [OR 0.75 (0.62–0.92); P\u3c0.01; I2=87%] and reduced complication rates [OR 0.73 (0.61–0.88); P\u3c0.01; I2=89%). Conclusions: Patients exposed to a surgical safety checklist experience better postoperative outcomes, but this could simply reflect wider quality of care in hospitals where checklist use is routine

Prospective observational cohort study on grading the severity of postoperative complications in global surgery research

Background The Clavien–Dindo classification is perhaps the most widely used approach for reporting postoperative complications in clinical trials. This system classifies complication severity by the treatment provided. However, it is unclear whether the Clavien–Dindo system can be used internationally in studies across differing healthcare systems in high- (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods This was a secondary analysis of the International Surgical Outcomes Study (ISOS), a prospective observational cohort study of elective surgery in adults. Data collection occurred over a 7-day period. Severity of complications was graded using Clavien–Dindo and the simpler ISOS grading (mild, moderate or severe, based on guided investigator judgement). Severity grading was compared using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Data are presented as frequencies and ICC values (with 95 per cent c.i.). The analysis was stratified by income status of the country, comparing HICs with LMICs. Results A total of 44 814 patients were recruited from 474 hospitals in 27 countries (19 HICs and 8 LMICs). Some 7508 patients (16·8 per cent) experienced at least one postoperative complication, equivalent to 11 664 complications in total. Using the ISOS classification, 5504 of 11 664 complications (47·2 per cent) were graded as mild, 4244 (36·4 per cent) as moderate and 1916 (16·4 per cent) as severe. Using Clavien–Dindo, 6781 of 11 664 complications (58·1 per cent) were graded as I or II, 1740 (14·9 per cent) as III, 2408 (20·6 per cent) as IV and 735 (6·3 per cent) as V. Agreement between classification systems was poor overall (ICC 0·41, 95 per cent c.i. 0·20 to 0·55), and in LMICs (ICC 0·23, 0·05 to 0·38) and HICs (ICC 0·46, 0·25 to 0·59). Conclusion Caution is recommended when using a treatment approach to grade complications in global surgery studies, as this may introduce bias unintentionally

Critical care admission following elective surgery was not associated with survival benefit: prospective analysis of data from 27 countries

This was an investigator initiated study funded by Nestle Health Sciences through an unrestricted research grant, and by a National Institute for Health Research (UK) Professorship held by RP. The study was sponsored by Queen Mary University of London