Towards an Ecosystem of Youth Leadership Development

This study is aimed at understanding how youth leadership development programs can be more inclusive and promote a broader range of leadership values, qualities, and behaviors by focusing on young people who have been disaffected by leadership development programs. The study design was intended to provide a creative space for youth to engage in meaningful conversations about their evolving concepts and expectations of leadership. Using critical youth participatory action research to engage a group of youth, cohort members co-created a new youth leadership development program while addressing their identified challenges and needs. Findings from this study highlight the importance of adults in youth programs and provide insights toward an ecosystem approach to youth leadership development. Practitioners, funders, and community leaders can create more inclusive and meaningful youth development opportunities and programs by understanding the youth program’s ecosystem. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu/) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Assessment of Syrian Obstetric Care Providers Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Towards Preconception Care and Associated Factors: An online Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Preconception care was instituted in 2013 by the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote more attention to pregnant women by medical staff. Preconception care attempts to optimize pregnancy outcomes and promote health by managing and treating variables that influence it. Obstetric care providers in LAMICs have been reported to have low levels of preconception care awareness. This study investigates the Knowledge, attitudes, and practice-related features of obstetric care providers in Syria's public health institutions about preconception care.   Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Syria between 6 September 2022 and 7 October 2022 to evaluate obstetric care providers' Knowledge, attitudes, and practice at public health institutions regarding preconception care and related concerns. The questionnaire was designed using a validated scale from a prior study conducted in Ethiopia. The inclusion criteria for study participants were obstetricians and gynaecologists, midwives and residents, and nurses of Obstetrics and Gynecology. There were six sections in the questionnaire (sociodemographic information, Knowledge, practice attitude, additional factors associated with Preconception practice, and related actual & potential access to resources). The data were subjected to descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analysis using the IBM SPSS V. 28.0 software.   Results: The mean age of 499 participants was 31.8 (SD = 9.7). Most participants were female (81.8%) and physicians (60%). 91.4% of respondents were deemed knowledgeable about preconception care. the most identified question (96.2%) was (Women intending pregnancy should be encouraged to defer pregnancy until they have reduced their drug, alcohol, and cigarette usage). (24.8%) participants regularly queried their patients about their reproductive life plan, with women aged 18 to 49 being the most often questioned group (92.3%). Only 18.6% of physicians routinely informed their patients about environmental dangers and contaminants. In addition, 53.5% of responders inquired about the patient's surgical and medical histories. 29.7% of participants strongly agreed that PCC provides an opportunity to improve the health of couples, particularly women, whereas 18.2% are certain that PCC does not belong to their scope of duties. Knowledge was more likely to be poor among participants who had never seen a doctor practicing PCC than among those who had (OR=2.81, P value = 0.026). Participants who did not get training on reproductive life plan examination throughout their practice time were less knowledgeable than those who did (OR = 2.91, P value= 0.04).    Conclusion: Our results have shown that obstetric care providers in Syria have good Knowledge of and low to moderate practice and attitude towards preconception care. Improving access to training, carrier development, Internet, and library services is vital to improving PCC training. It is recommended that extra platforms be made accessible to obstetric care providers during their training to assist them in becoming preconception carers and in raising awareness about the significance of preconception care

Assessment Awareness of Breast Cancer Signs, Risk Factors, and Barriers: An Online Cross‑Sectional Study in Syria

Background: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer (BC) is women's most common type of cancer. In LAMICs, breast cancer incidence is low. However, a lack of information about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer potentially results in the disease's progression to life-threatening stages.This study aimed to determine the levels of breast cancer symptom awareness among Syrian women and to identify the variables associated with a high level of awareness.   Methods: From 3 September 2022 to 27 September 2022, Syrian women participated in an online cross-sectional survey to measure their knowledge about breast cancer, risk factors, and symptoms. This survey was derived from previous research that included a comprehensive, authorized scale. The admission requirement was 18-year-old or older Syrian women from all Syrian governorates. The questionnaire was divided into two portions; the first component included sociodemographic characteristics. Based on the original BCAM scale, the second portion assessed the participant's knowledge of breast cancer symptoms, risk factors, and obstacles. Using the IBM SPSS V. 28.0 software, descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed on the data.   Results: Among 1305 study participants, the mean age and standard deviation of the individuals were 30.7 and 11.2, respectively. Students constituted almost three-quarters (75.2%) of the study respondents. The average level of knowledge about risk factors was higher among women with chronic diseases (Mean = 4.44, SD = 2.176), whereas jobless people had a higher average level of information regarding obstacles than other subgroups of practical circumstances. In addition, single women scored higher on the barrier comprehension scale than other marital status groups (mean=3.34, SD=2.32). Only two variables, including age and educational level, were statistically significant in predicting an acceptable degree of knowledge of the risk factors for breast cancer. Participants with a PhD were more aware than other educational subgroups (P-value 0.05; OR =6.186). Participants with a PhD. are projected to be 6.18 times more aware of breast cancer risk factors than those with lower levels of education. Women with chronic conditions were 1.84 times more likely than others to be aware of breast cancer barriers.    Conclusion: Our findings indicate that Syrian females have a poor to moderate knowledge of breast cancer symptoms, risk factors, and barriers. It is proposed that more breast cancer awareness campaigns be conducted and that yearly screening programs be improved to combat the late detection of this illness. Social media and television might be effective venues for raising awareness of breast self-examination and early identification of symptoms

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Syrian Mothers' Towards Diarrhea Management and Prevention Among Under-Five Children: A Cross Sectional Study from Syria

Background: Diarrhea kills more than 2,000 children worldwide and over 1.3 million annually. There is still a gap in home management knowledge, attitude, and excellent practice of diarrheal illness.This research aims to understand mothers' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours about diarrhoea in children under the age of five in Syria to minimize the number of fatalities and enhance the efficacy and efficiency of treatment.    Methods: From the 8th to the 18th of September 2022, a cross-sectional online survey was done in Syria. The questionnaire was modified based on prior research that used a thorough, validated scale. Mothers having at least one child under the age of five and Syrian nationalities from all Syrian governorates were eligible to participate in the study. Four components make up the questionnaire. In the first section, information regarding the participants' demographics was provided. In the second section, mothers were tested on their knowledge of diarrhoea. Mothers' actual attitudes regarding preventing and treating diarrhoea were also analyzed.   Results: 49.9% of the 996 participants were between the ages of 25 and 34, while 62.6% of the children were between the ages of 26 and 59 months. 46.2 percent of participants had a Bachelor's degree. 82.4 % of moms classified diarrhoea as the frequent passage of watery stools (3 or more times). 53.7 percent of respondents had used ORS; however, only 33.7% said they knew how to prepare it. Mothers with children aged 25–59 months were more informed about the prevention and home-based treatment of diarrhoea in their children (mean=6.07, SD= 2.36) than those aged 35–44 (mean=6.16, SD= 2.36). Mothers' excellent economic status was associated with greater diarrhoea management knowledge (mean=6.5, standard deviation = 2.50). (Mean = 7.28, Standard Deviation = 2.50) Mothers with a high school diploma or above had more understanding of diarrhoea management than those with a lower level of education. 28.7% of mothers with children between 25 and 59 months exhibited excellent knowledge of prevention and home-based treatment of diarrhoea. 43.4% of mothers with a bachelor's degree or more showed a positive attitude toward diarrhoea management. Only 6.3% of moms with a low socioeconomic position have shown appropriate diarrhoea control practices. Three out of six predictor factors were substantially connected with mothers' attitudes about diarrhoea management, including the age of the child, the mother's employment, and her level of education (P0.05). Two of the six predictor factors were substantially connected with mothers' practice of diarrhoea control, including the mother's employment and socioeconomic position (P0.05). Women with higher socioeconomic status are expected to perform diarrhoea treatment 1.69 times more often than those with a lower socioeconomic status.   Conclusion: We indicated that mothers' beliefs and actions about the prevention and home management of diarrheal illnesses in children younger than five were inadequate. Therefore, it is important to plan and execute health education, information distribution, and community discourse to improve the prevention and treatment of diarrhea in children under five. &nbsp

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice Around HIV/AIDS and other STIs Among Syrians: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background:  Over 1 million new Sexual transmitted disease (STIs) are acquired daily throughout the globe, according to WHO data, with the majority of cases being asymptomatic. In Syria, statistics on STI awareness, attitude, and practice are few, and there is little information on Syrians' sexual and reproductive health concerns. The present research aims to determine which individuals factors best predict knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours about HIV/AIDS and other STIs in a Syrian population.   Method: In the Syrian governorates between August 15 and September 16, 2022, a descriptive community-based cross-sectional survey was carried out. Syrian nationality, male or female, aged at least 18 years, citizen of any Syrian governorate, and willingness to engage in the survey were the study's inclusion criteria. Based on a previous study, a modified online semi-structured questionnaire was made on Google Form and used to collect the data. The questionnaire was divided into five main section that socio-demographic information, knowledge and practice relating STIs, knowledge and practice relating HIV/AIDS, attitude toward HIV/AIDS and attitude toward STIs.   Results: The research involved 1076 individuals in total. More over half (55%) of them were women, with the majority (86%) of them being between the ages of 18 and 30. Only 739 respondents (67%) were aware of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), and only 35% were aware of the means by which HIV infection may be prevented. The most often mentioned AIDS/HIV-related statistic was that those who have several sex partners have a greater chance of contracting HIV (92%). Furthermore, just 66% and 44%, respectively, of respondents knew how STDs are transmitted. In general, individuals' understanding of STDs was rated at 56%. Furthermore, 50% of the individuals had a positive attitude about the STD information. We used a logistic model to tease out the role of demographics and found that men were 1.43 times more likely to be aware of AIDS/HIV than women were. Additionally, residents of cities were 1.42 times more likely than residents of rural areas to be knowledgeable about STDs.   Conclusion: According to this research, Syrians' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about STIs, HIV, and other diseases were generally insufficient. This provides definitive evidence that HIV programmes need to verify that Syrian people have access to basic information about HIV/AIDS and other STIs. As a result, the health organizations should conduct both international and local helpful interventions in order to address this medical problem and enhance the awareness of the Syrian community about HIV/AIDS and other STIs illnesses as soon as possible

Knowledge of Cancer Among Syrians: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background:  The worldwide burden of cancer continues to rise, mainly due to global demographic changes and an increase in cancer-causing habits, such as smoking, epically in low-income countries. The Syrian National Cancer Registry (SNCR)estimates that 17,599 new cancer cases were diagnosed before the start of the war in 2011. According to statistics from the Al Bairouni 2020 hospital-based registry, which includes data on more than 60% of Syrian cancer patients, the number of cancer diagnoses has been rising in Syria. There is no research conducted in Syria to determine people’s knowledge about cancer and risk factors, symptoms, and signs. This research aims to determine how well-informed Syrians were on the following topics:(i) the age-related risk and prevalence of cancer; (ii) cancer signs and symptoms; and (iii) cancer risk factors. In addition, determining how well-informed different demographic categories.   Method: This is a cross-sectional study which was conducted in Syria. Participants who were eligible to participate in the study who were residents of Syria irrespective their age or gender. The instrument of survey was a structured questionnaire the content of which was adapted from the validated cancer awareness measure (CAM) the cam was translated to Arabic and a scoring system was applied to the questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed via several social media platforms.   Results: A total of 1463 participants completed the questionnaire. There were 768 respondents (52.5%) said that there is no relation between age and cancer. Almost all the participants (85.6%) thought that the breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, while around half of the participants (55.1%) reported that the prostate cancer was the most common cancer among males. The most frequently reported cancer symptom was unexplained weight loss (73.2%), followed by unexplained swelling/lump (66.5%). The level of knowledge about cancer signs/symptoms among the participants were good in 623 (42.6%), fair in 594 (40.6%), and poor in 246 (16.8%). The most commonly recognized risks of cancer were smoking (83.5%).   Conclusion: According to this research, taking into consideration the war and the bad economic situation that Syria is facing, Syrians’ knowledge towards cancer is acceptable. However, it is not meeting the ideal expectations. More research should be held to dig deeper into this issue

Assessment Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Tuberculosis Among Syrian People: An online cross-sectional study

Background: TB was reported to have the highest mortality rate among other infectious diseases in 2018 worldwide. Syria and other low-income countries have a higher incidence rate of TB in comparison to high-income countries. Stigma toward TB is extremely high in low-income countries like Syria, and these stigma delays patients from seeking healthcare facilities. Our purpose in this study is to assess the Syrian's knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward TB and understand their Practice related to this disease.    Methods: An online cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed between15 September 7 October 2022, among Syrians to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward TB. This questionnaire was adapted from a published study, and the inclusion criteria were all male and female Syrian citizens aged 18 or above. The survey was divided into four questions: the first section assessed sociodemographics, and the other sections were about knowledge, attitude, and practices, respectively. Using IBM SPSS V. 28.0, the data were submitted to descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses.   Results: About (38.6%) of the 1407 participants in this research were male. The research participants' knowledge scores indicated that 78.1% have excellent knowledge. However, 54.1% of interviewees agreed that shaking someone's hand may transmit tuberculosis. Regarding attitude, more than two-thirds (85.7%) of the participants in the survey had an optimistic outlook. Accordingly, most participants (81.3%) had effective TB preventive and control practices. Participants aged 61 to 70 had more TB knowledge than other age groups (P value<0.05; mean=6.63, SD=1.13). Participants with chronic illness had a more positive attitude toward tuberculosis than those without (P value<0.05) (mean=2.17, SD=0.63). Participants with a university degree demonstrated more TB practice than those with lower levels of education (mean=6.17, SD=0.85). Participants with a university degree were expected to have 4.38 times more TB knowledge than those without formal education (P 0.05). Participants with a university degree were projected to practice tuberculosis 10.63 times more often than those without education (P 0.001).   Conclusion: Our results indicate that there is poor knowledge regarding the route of transmission of TB; therefore, more efforts should be made to raise awareness about TB transmission, as understanding these facts is a crucial aspect in mitigating the incidence of TB. Consequently, individuals reported poor practices toward TB; for that reason, educating individuals about good practices toward TB should take priority in Syria as war has destroyed the understructure of the healthcare system