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

Nurse Managers’ Competency Toward the Anticipated Turnover of Staff Nurses at Madinah City, Saudi Arabia

Nurses’ turnover in health institutions is a global issue, and nurse managers’ influence can be useful in providing work satisfaction, which may lessen this problem. In this article, the researcher aims to determine the skills of nurse managers that have a relationship with the anticipated turnover of staff nurses. The researcher used quantitative article utilizing three designs, descriptive-evaluative, descriptive- comparative and descriptive correlational. The article has a total of 219 respondents, of whom 69 are nurse managers, and 150 are staff nurses and used an online survey in selected hospitals in Madinah City. The researcher used weighted mean and Pearson’s r to identify the relationship between nurse managers’ skill and anticipated staff nurse turnovers. Among the results of the article, the overall answer of the nurse managers is “somewhat true.” The highest grand mean of 3.9568 was for the interpersonal skills, and the lowest was of 3.4417 for the conceptual skills. With regard to the anticipated turnover of nurses, they answered that they strongly agree that “if I got another job offer tomorrow, I would give it serious consideration” with a total mean of 3.2733. Furthermore, the interpersonal skills of nurse managers have a significant relationship with the anticipated turnover of staff nurses, as assessed by nurse managers. For the nurses’ assessment, the conceptual skills have a significant relationship with the anticipated turnover of the staff nurse. With this result, the article concluded that the staff nurse has a high possibility of leaving the organization, and among leadership skills, interpersonal skills are the strength of nurse managers, and their conceptual skills were their weakness. Health institutions should strengthen nurse managers’ skills through training and education since conceptual skills are a relevant factor of nurse managers’ competency in managing a health organization. Further paper with a larger sample is recommended. Keywords: Nurse Managers, Competency, Anticipated Turnover, Staff Nurses DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/100-05 Publication date:May 31st 202

Pro-inflammatory markers in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and the effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure therapy

Objectives: To evaluate the association of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and fibrinogen levels and to assess the effect of short-term therapy using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Material and Methods: A prospective, open-label, controlled trial was conducted among clinically referred patients at risk for OSA undergoing diagnostic polysomnography (PSG). After PSG, the patients were divided into 3 groups: OSA treatment group (TG) (n=21), untreated OSA group (UOG) (n=19), and non-OSA healthy control group (HCG) (n=24). CRP and fibrinogen levels were measured at baseline and one month after treatment. Repeated-measures (RM) ANOVA and ANCOVA were used to compare changes in CRP and fibrinogen levels among the three groups by analyzing between-subject and within-subject effects as functions of time and adjusting for significant covariates. Results: At baseline, OSA subjects had significantly higher CRP [t(52.37)=-2.46, p=0.02)] and fibrinogen levels [t(57)=-2.00, p=0.05)] than HCG subjects. No significant differences in CRP levels [(F(2,58)=2.29, p=0.11)] or fibrinogen levels [(F(2, 58)=1.28, p=0.29)] emerged between TG and HCG subjects after adjusting for the pretest levels. Conclusion: CPAP therapy for one month does not affect CRP and fibrinogen levels among moderate-to-severe OSA patients. However, OSA is associated with elevated levels of these inflammatory biomarkers

Level of physical activity and other maternal characteristics during the third trimester of pregnancy and its association with birthweight at term in South Ethiopia: A prospective cohort study

Birthweight continues to be the leading infant health indicator and the main focus of infant health policy. Low birthweight babies are at a higher risk of mortality and morbidity in most low-income countries. However, the physical activity level of pregnant women and its association with low birthweight is not well studied in Ethiopia. To address the above gap, we aimed to examine the maternal physical activity level and other characteristics during the third trimester and its association with birthweight at term in South Ethiopia. A community-based prospective cohort study was conducted among 247 randomly selected women in their third trimester of pregnancy. We measured the physical activity level using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire, which included the type and level of various categories of activities. Anthropometric measurements of mothers were taken following standard procedures, and birthweight was recorded within 72 hours of delivery. To identify the effect of physical activity level and other maternal characteristics on low birthweight, we performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis. Overall, 111 (47.2%) mothers were engaged in vigorous physical activities during third trimester. The incidence of low birthweight was 21.6% and 9.68% among newborns of mothers who engaged in vigorous and moderate or low physical activity, respectively. The incidence of low birthweight at term was significantly associated with vigorous physical activity [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.48; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-6.09], prolonged standing [AOR = 3.37; 95% CI: 1.14-9.93], and squatting [AOR = 2.61; 95% CI: 1.04-6.54)] during the third trimester of pregnancy. The vast majority of pregnant women were engaged in vigorous physical activities in their third trimester. Engagement in vigorous physical activity, standing for longer hours, and squatting were the major contributors to low birthweight at term. Hence, focused counseling should be conducted to reduce vigorous physical activity, standing, and squatting during the third trimester among pregnant women

Perception of E-Resources on the Learning Process among Students in the College of Health Sciences in King Saud University, Saudi Arabia, during the (COVID-19) Outbreak

Aim: to assess the impact of e-learning through different e-resources among health sciences students. Methodology: A cross-sectional design was conducted among health science students (n = 211; 134 female and 77 male) at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia. The data was collected using a previously used structured questionnaire to assess the impact of e-resources on learning. Results: The four most frequently used e-resources were: Zoom (38%), YouTube (31%), Google applications (29%), and Blackboard (27%). More than one-third of the students (35%) reportedly used e-resources for three or more hours daily. The majority of the students (55.9%) recognized a gender-related and age-related difference among faculty members in terms of e-resources usage. The majority of the students (58.2%) believe that online resources recommended by faculty members were credible. The majority of students believed that their academic performance was primarily influenced by these features of the e-resources: organization/logic of the content (64.5%), the credibility of the video (64.5%), and up to date “look and feel” of the video (60.6%). The study identified the most frequently used e-resources, gender, and age-related differences in faculty members’ use of e-resources, students’ overwhelming reliance on faculty feedback regarding the credibility of e-resources, and three most important characteristics (organization, credibility, and updated status) of e-resources. Conclusion: e-learning resources had a significant impact on participating students’ education as they were used very frequently during their health sciences’ courses

Short-term insomnia symptoms are associated with level and not type of physical activity in a sample of Indian collegiate students: Sleep complaints and physical activity in college students

Objective – There is mixed findings on the association between physical activity and sleep. Hence this  study investigated  association of level and  type of  physical activity with short term insomnia   among college students. Methods - A cross sectional study was conducted among college students in India. Six hundred sixty two students were included, with a mean age of 23.2 ± 3.5 years.The sample consisted of  359  males and 303 females. The predictor   variables  were self reported type and physical activity level and predicted  variables were self reported sleep complaints.Physical activity components  were aseesesed through international physical activity questionnaire – short form and  sleep complaints using Pitssburg sleep questionnaire . The binary logistic regression models were used for data analysis. Level of significance was set at  p < 0.05 for all the analysis. Results – The self reported symptoms of short trem insomnia such as  global sleep quality (adjusted odds ratio(AOR)=15.58)  , subjective sleep quality (AOR=6.01), sleep latency (AOR= 5.09) , sleep duration (AOR=0.13), sleep disturbances (AOR=4.88), day time sleep dysfunction (AOR=5.59) had shown association with level of physical activity. There was no association of type of physical activity with any other predicted  variables studied. Conclusions – The findings of the present study supports that  level of physical activity is a key predictor of short term insomnia symptoms  among college students. Different interventions startegies may be developed and implemented to improve the level of physical activity among students