Pediatric Dental Education Improves Interprofessional Healthcare Students’ Clinical Competence in Children’s Oral Health Assessment

Primary care and healthcare providers can facilitate children’s timely referral to a dental home. However, there are few studies of providers’ oral health knowledge and clinical skills. This study aims to improve future healthcare providers’ knowledge, confidence, attitude and clinical competence in assessing children’s oral health. Sixty-five health professional students participated in a 10-week didactic and clinical curriculum on children’s oral health. They completed pre- and post-training questionnaire to assess changes in knowledge, confidence and attitude. Calibrated faculty graded students’ clinical skills on a 24-point grading criterion. Descriptive statistics, paired sample t-test and Pearson correlation were used in data analyses. Students were in dentistry (46%), nursing (28%), medicine (22%), and pharmacy (3%). Students significantly improved in knowledge (t=-7.71, p<.001), confidence (t=-10.30, p=<.001) and attitude (t=-4.24, p=<.001). Students on average scored 83% on clinical competence, with the highest average for fluoride varnish application (96%) and lowest for providing anticipatory guidance (69%). There was a moderate correlation between improvement in knowledge and their clinical skills (r=.39, p=.010). Interprofessional education improves students’ knowledge, confidence, attitude and clinical competence in assessing children’s oral health. Such education is necessary in guiding future providers to gain adequate competence in serving the children’s oral health needs.Keywords: Pediatric Dentistry; Primary Care; Children’s Oral Health; Interprofessional Education; Oral Health Education; Public Health Dentistry; Oral Health Disparity; Access to Care; Clinical Competency; Oral Health Assessmen

Testing the consistency between cosmological measurements of distance and age

We present a model independent method to test the consistency between cosmological measurements of distance and age, assuming the distance duality relation. We use type Ia supernovae, baryon acoustic oscillations, and observational Hubble data, to reconstruct the luminosity distance D_L(z), the angle averaged distance D_V(z) and the Hubble rate H(z), using Gaussian processes regression technique. We obtain estimate of the distance duality relation in the redshift range 0.1<z<0.73 and we find no evidence for inconsistency between the data sets used.Comment: 5 pages, 1 pdf figure, minor revision, accepted for publication in Physics Letters

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice on Blood Donation among Health Science Students in a University campus, South India

Background: The major part of demand for blood in India has been meeting through voluntary blood donations. The healthy, active and receptive huge student population is potential blood donors to meet safe blood requirements. However, there is a paucity of studies on awareness and attitude among health science students on voluntary blood donation. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitude about blood donation among health science students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 health sciences students from different streams in a University campus of South India through a structured survey questionnaire in the year 2009. Results: The overall knowledge on blood donation was good, but majority (62%) of students never donated blood. Knowledge level was found highest among allied health science (53.1%) and lowest among pharmacy students (20.7%). ‘Feeling of medically unfit’ and ‘never thought of blood donation’ were the major reasons for not donating blood. A significant association was observed between different streams of students and levels of knowledge and attitude about blood donation. Conclusion: This study elicits the importance of adopting effective measures in our campuses to motivate about voluntary blood donation among students

COMPREHENDING EVIDENCE BASED AYURVEDA

Science could be best defined as pure unbiased knowledge which possess a set of concrete rationale which when pertinently applied in accordance to the circumstance, would yield accurate intended results permanently. Ayurveda is such a Science of life which encompasses in-depth scientific theorems and principles which are evolved by close and constant experimentation in human beings in multiple ways (the methodologies of which are technically described in medical treatises) and best scientifically validated and approved constantly by the experts for the last many centuries. For this reason, it is undoubtedly clear that this scientifically validated medical theories and principles which are verified successful in every era is the best pertinent evidence base to precisely guide ayurvedic medical practice and research

Stop Worrying and Start Living

Humans are unaware of the deleterious effects that excessive worrying can cause to their lives. In their panic to conquer more heights, they completely ignore the fact that in the long run, a life without worries is one of the greatest blessings that a person can possess. The present article is an attempt to understand more about worrying and how worrying can be a potential threat towards healthy living. It also deals with a book review of “How to Stop worrying and Start Living” by Dale Carnegie one of the renowned writers in public speaking