The impact of campus-based therapy dogs on the mood and affect of university students

University students experience a high level of stress, which could potentially affect how they manage stressful situations beyond university, such as when entering the workforce. Although universities offer counseling services and various health promotion programs, there is reluctance and negative perceptions about utilizing these from students. Further research is needed to explore the effectiveness of therapy dog interventions in human interactions that is quantifiable and embraces the elements of health promotion. This study aimed to investigate the impact of therapy dog interventions on students’ moods across a multi-campus university during a 2-week final examination period. Two hundred and sixty-five students participated in the study involving a multi-campus university. The intervention group and control group completed a questionnaire involving the positive affect negative affect schedule (PANAS), a 20-item scale that measures a person’s affect at the time. The intervention group (n = 170) had a higher average of total PANAS scores (mean = 77.63, standard deviation = 10.975) compared to the control group (n = 95) (mean = 69.41, standard deviation = 13.442). The results were statistically significant (mean difference = 8.219, 95% CI = 5.213–11.224, p < 0.05) with a t-score of 5.385. Students who engaged with therapy dogs on campus during the examination period were more likely to have a more positive affect. The results suggest that universities should include therapy dog programs within their health promotion programs for students, as these may help improve their mood and reduce the stress associated with university examinations

Factors associated with knowledge, attitudes, and prevention towards HIV/AIDS among adults 15-49 years in Mizoram, North East India : a cross-sectional study

Despite a campaign of effective educational interventions targeting knowledge, attitudes, and prevention, Human Immunodeficiency-Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) continues to be a significant public health issue in India, with Mizoram reporting the highest HIV/AIDS cases in 2018–2019. In this study, we extracted Mizoram state from the National Family Health Survey Fourth Series (NFHS-4) 2015–2016 datasets and investigated factors associated with respondents’ knowledge, attitudes, and prevention towards HIV/AIDS. The sample included 3555 adults aged 15–49 years residing in Mizoram, North-east India. Respondents who reported having ever heard of HIV/AIDS was 98%. Multivariate analysis indicated that the probability of having inadequate knowledge of HIV/AIDS was higher among those with no schooling, who were illiterate, of non-Christian faiths, belonging to backward tribes or caste, from poor households, and those who lived in rural areas, not exposed to media. The odds of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV/AIDS transmission was high among females (AOR = 3.12, 95% CI 2.34–4.16), respondents aged 35–39 years (AOR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.05–2.87) and those belonging to other backward class. The HIV/AIDS knowledge of respondents was found to be encouraging as the majority (98%) were considered to have a good level of understanding of the condition. An educational intervention to reduce the number of adults 15–49 years infected with HIV/AIDS in Mizoram should target those from low socioeconomic groups, those from non-Christian religions, and those from other backward classes

Changes in and predictors of HIV among people who inject drugs in Mizoram, Northeast India, from 2007 to 2021

This study aimed to examine the changes in and predictors of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among people who inject drugs (PWID) in Mizoram, Northeast India, over a period of 15 years (2007–2021). A sample of 14783 PWID was extracted from the Targeted Intervention (TI) services under the Mizoram State AIDS Control Society (MSACS). A chi-square test was used to compare the differences in HIV prevalence across the three 5-year periods, and a multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine predictors after adjusting for sociodemographic, injecting and sexual behaviours. The results showed that compared to 2007–2011, HIV prevalence was almost three times higher in 2012–2016 (AOR 2.35; 95% CI 2.07–2.66) and almost two times higher in 2017–2021 (AOR 1.41; 95% CI 1.24–1.59). The results suggest that participants who were females (AOR 2.35; 95% CI 2.07–2.66), married (AOR 1.13; 95% CI 1.00–1.27), separated/divorced/widowed (AOR 1.74; 95% CI 1.54–1.96), of middle school level education (AOR 1.24; 95% CI 1.06–1.44), sharing needles/syringes (AOR 1.78; 95% CI 1.61–1.98) and receiving a regular monthly income were positively associated with HIV infection. Condom use with a regular partner (AOR 0.77; 95% CI 0.70–0.85) was high among PWID. Despite targeted interventions under MSACS to reduce HIV in Mizoram, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS among PWID remained high between 2007 and 2021. Policymakers and stakeholders should tailor future interventions based on the factors identified in this study that are associated with HIV infection. Our findings highlight the importance of socio-cultural factors in HIV epidemiology among PWID in Mizoram

Association between obesity and miscarriage among women of reproductive age in Nepal

Background: Obesity is a major health problem in low and middle income countries (LMICs) and is associated with miscarriage. This study aims to examine the association between obesity and miscarriage among reproductive age women (15–49 years) in Nepal. Methods: The combined 19160 cross-sectional pregnancy data from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) for the years 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016 was utilized. Miscarriage was defined as a spontaneous loss of pregnancy that occurred before the foetus reached 7 months of gestational age. Logistic regression analyses that adjusted for clustering, stratification and sampling weights were used to examine the association between obesity and miscarriage among women of reproductive age. Results: The odds of miscarriage were 1.45 times higher (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.45; 95%Cl: 1.06, 1.98, P = 0.021) among women with obesity. Women who did not use contraception, younger (15–19 years), and older women (35 years or more) were significantly more likely to have miscarriage. Women who smoked tobacco reported higher odds of miscarriage than women who did not smoke tobacco (AOR = 1.27; 95%Cl: 1.07,1.50, P = 0.006). Stratification of maternal smoking status by maternal Body Mass Index (BMI), after adjusting for contraception, mother age and year of survey revealed that tobacco smoking and obesity are associated with miscarriage (AOR = 1.46; 95%Cl: 1.05,2.04, P = 0.025). Conclusions: Findings from this study show that obesity and tobacco smoking are associated with miscarriage. Smoking cessation, pregnancy planning and counselling on healthy weight for women of reproductive age in Nepal may help promote healthy behaviours and decrease the likelihood of miscarriage

Engaging industry in health professions' education : benefits and challenges

Effective partnerships between universities and industry facilitate health-profession students’ learning and work readiness. However, developing sustainable industry engagement in academic curricula remains challenging. This study utilised Social Exchange Theory (SET) to explore the benefits of and barriers to industry engagement within health-profession preparation programs. A realist evaluation framework was used to consider factors that impacted experiences and outcomes for academics and clinicians who engaged in the development and delivery of curriculum for a new health professional preparation program in speech pathology. A sequential mixed-methods design was adopted to explore factors influencing clinicians’ motivation to engage with the university, using an online survey (n = 18) and focus group (n = 5). Clinicians rated “personal development” and contributing to the “future workforce” as the highest personal benefits. “Sharing knowledge” was the highest team benefit, and “staff satisfaction” was the highest employer benefit. Time and workload were perceived barriers. Academics (n = 2) and clinicians (n = 3) who collaborated in learning and teaching experiences also participated in a post-engagement focus group. Three Context Mechanism Outcome configurations were shown to facilitate engagement outcomes: engagement as opportunity, partnership, and work readiness. In accordance with SET, the nature of exchange processes and professional relationships contributed to positive engagement outcomes for clinicians, academics, and enhanced health-profession education

Impact of online learning on sense of belonging among first year clinical health students during COVID‑19 : student and academic perspectives

Background: The need to belong is a fundamental human desire that provides the basis for relationships and community; it provides a sense of security that enables growth and development. This sense of belonging is pivotal to new University students, indeed, without it, students are at greater risk of failing or withdrawing from their studies. Yet developing a sense of belonging within a new cohort is complex and multi-faceted and further complicated by a sudden shift away from in-person to online learning. Using the situated-learning framework, our study explores first year clinical health students’ sense of belonging in the context of the rapid transition to online learning because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We utilised a current mixed-method approach including a survey incorporating previously validated tools, demographic and open-ended qualitative questions. Data was also gathered from three focus groups: two dedicated student groups and one academic focus group. Qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis whilst descriptive statistics were used to describe the quantitative data. Results: 179 first year students complete the survey and four students, and five academics were involved in the focus groups. All participants were from clinical health science courses at an Australian university. Our qualitative results indicated a global theme of: Navigating belonging during the COVID-19 crisis: a shared responsibility; with four organising themes describing (1) dimensions of belonging, (2) individual experiences and challenges, (3) reconceptualising teaching and learning, and (4) relationships are central to belonging. Conclusion: While the rapid transition to online learning did not greatly impact knowledge acquisition of first-year students in this cohort, the lack of sense of belonging highlights the need for further research into development of this essential aspect of learning in the online domain. Although contextualised in the COVID-19 pandemic, it became clear that the findings will remain relevant beyond the current situation, as a student’s need to belong will always be present in the face of challenges or change

Students' perceptions of eMarking : Grademark vs. iAnnotate

Feedback on assessments is central to formative learning in higher education; it is also a main cause of dissatisfaction in student surveys. New advances in e-learning and eMarking have the potential to improve teaching and learning in this area. In this paper, we present an exploratory study gauging students’ access rates and perceptions of eMarking feedback in two formats, Grademark and iAnnotate, across two large first year first semester interprofessional health science subjects at one university. Results indicate that, on the whole, students are satisfied with the quality, efficiency and convenience of submitting assessments and accessing feedback through eMarking in Grademark and iAnnotate. Furthermore, eMarking has the capacity to substantially improve student feedback collection rates. However, only half of the participants agreed that eMarking was superior to paper-based marking. In open comments, many students described difficulties that should be considered, related to saving feedback, ease of use and computer literacy

Constitution in Chinese medicine clinical reasoning

The systemic study of Chinese medicine constitution has progressed greatly in recent years. However, a clear and comprehensive understanding of how to apply the theory of constitution to the practice of Chinese medicine is still lacking. In order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the integration of constitution in Chinese medicine clinical reasoning, we qualitatively analysed clinical experience reports and clinical cases in Chinese-language literature on insomnia, asthma, constipation, eczema, infertility and bi syndrome. We identified four major themes: the influence of socio-demographic information on clinical reasoning, constitution identification and pattern diagnosis, integration of constitution in active treatment, and continued management of constitution. This article presents our findings and includes practical examples including formulas, techniques and clinical cases. The findings of our study provide practical and comprehensive guidance on the clinical application of constitution theory in Chinese medicine practice

Linking the patient experience of foot involvement related to psoriatic arthritis to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Background: Previous research has shown merit in linking domains of impact in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to categorise the effect of global disease [1, 2]. Localised disease predominance and persistence in the foot in PsA is well recognised [3], but limited foot-specific research exists and there are no outcome measures to comprehensively assess foot involvement and its impact in PsA. To date little is known about the patient experience of foot involvement and how this may link to the ICF to capture disease impact. Objectives: To categorise the patient experience of PsA-related foot problems by linking it to the ICF. Methods: Participants were recruited from rheumatology outpatient clinics in Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand. People with PsA were interviewed about their foot problems and the impact they have on daily living until qualitative data saturation. Three multi-disciplinary focus groups were undertaken with clinicians to explore their understanding of the patient experience. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Codes, representing concepts obtained from the interviews, were linked to the most appropriate ICF category according to established linking rules. All codes were independently linked to the ICF by 2 investigators and a third investigator for adjudication. Investigator professional backgrounds included occupational therapy and podiatry. Results: Twenty-one people with PsA-related foot problems and 17 experienced clinicians participated. Over 100 distinct ICF categories were linked to the interview and focus group codes. The most represented ICF category was environmental factors (33%) followed by body functions (26%), activities and participation (25%) and body structure (16%). Environmental factors relevant to patients were shoes and assistive devices, healthcare access and climate. Clinicians identified a greater proportion of body functions and fewer activity and participation categories compared with patients, indicating a possible mismatch of key concerns. Concepts that could not be precisely linked to the ICF were related to coping, aspects of time and knowledge, consistent with previous work. Difficulties in linking highly specific information to categories such as sensations of pain, sensations of skin and emotional functions revealed a limitation in the ICFs ability to discriminate between various effects of the disease, a shortfall previously noted. Toenail changes were frequently cited by patients and linked to domains of body image and social relationships. Interdisciplinary group analysis demonstrated merit as differences between the predominantly medical approach by podiatry and psychosocial approach by occupational therapist in clinical practice led to additional ICF categories being identified between clinicians, which mostly related to cognitive functions. Conclusion: Despite the localised anatomical focus of this study, the effect of foot problems in PsA was linked to all components of the ICF, confirming the profound impact on functioning and daily life. Difficulties with linking psychological concepts reflect deficiencies in the ICF and is a major limitation in defining foot disease burden. These findings offer new knowledge using patient and clinician perspectives that could inform the development of an instrument to measure the impact of foot involvement in PsA

The impact of COVID online learning on first year clinical health students' sense of belonging : student and academic perspectives

Students’ sense of belonging to their university course has been identified as a key enabler to supporting student experience and retention (O'Keefe, 2013). Defined as having a sense of ‘interpersonal relatedness’, it is usually fostered through regular face-to-face interaction throughout orientation and the teaching semester (Yorke, 2016). In 2020, due to COVID19, Australian universities moved all face-to-face classes to online delivery. While there has been literature evaluating impact of online learning on students' sense of belonging (Peacock et al., 2020; van Gijn-Grosvenor & Huisman, 2020), none of these studies focussed on clinical health science students. Promoting a sense of belonging among first year clinical health science students is especially important for developing positive motivational attitudes and professional relationships with future colleagues (Morrow & Ackermann, 2012) This study investigated how a sudden conversion to online study impacted first year clinical health students’ sense of belonging; a secondary aim was to also explore academics’ perspectives. A mixed methods approach was used. Survey data was collected from 179 students. Separate academic and student focus groups were conducted. Focus group data revealed the importance of relationships across many levels (staff, student, profession and university) in creating a sense of belonging. Students perceived the online learning environment impacted learning, altering the nature of communication and collaboration with peers and academics. Academics employed deliberate teaching and learning strategies in the online environment to foster student belonging. A sense of belonging was enhanced when students shared the responsibility for learning and actively engaged in the online classroom. Our results demonstrate how socialisation is a key part of sense of belonging as well as academic support and considerations of life outside the university sphere. Findings highlighted the multiplicity of developing students’ sense of belonging within a multi cohort of students and various roles of teaching staff. They also emphasise the need for broad and co-ordinated collaboration across industry, professional organisations, staff, and the students themselves