Knowledge, Perceptions and Attitude of Researchers Towards Using ChatGPT in Research.

INTRODUCTION: ChatGPT, a recently released chatbot from OpenAI, has found applications in various aspects of life, including academic research. This study investigated the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of researchers towards using ChatGPT and other chatbots in academic research. METHODS: A pre-designed, self-administered survey using Google Forms was employed to conduct the study. The questionnaire assessed participants' knowledge of ChatGPT and other chatbots, their awareness of current chatbot and artificial intelligence (AI) applications, and their attitudes towards ChatGPT and its potential research uses. RESULTS: Two hundred researchers participated in the survey. A majority were female (57.5%), and over two-thirds belonged to the medical field (68%). While 67% had heard of ChatGPT, only 11.5% had employed it in their research, primarily for rephrasing paragraphs and finding references. Interestingly, over one-third supported the notion of listing ChatGPT as an author in scientific publications. Concerns emerged regarding AI's potential to automate researcher tasks, particularly in language editing, statistics, and data analysis. Additionally, roughly half expressed ethical concerns about using AI applications in scientific research. CONCLUSION: The increasing use of chatbots in academic research necessitates thoughtful regulation that balances potential benefits with inherent limitations and potential risks. Chatbots should not be considered authors of scientific publications but rather assistants to researchers during manuscript preparation and review. Researchers should be equipped with proper training to utilize chatbots and other AI tools effectively and ethically.

Prevalence and predictors of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes among adult Egyptians: a community-based survey.

BACKGROUND: The global prevalence of abnormal glycemic level comprising diabetes mellitus (DM) and pre-diabetes (PDM) is rapidly increasing with special concern for the entity silent or undiagnosed diabetes; those unaware of their condition. Identification of people at risk became much easier with the use of risk charts than the traditional methods. The current study aimed to conduct a community-based screening for T2DM to estimate the prevalence of undiagnosed DM and to assess the AUSDRISK Arabic version as a predictive tool in an Egyptian context. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 719 Adults aging 18 years or more and not known to be diabetics through a population-based household survey. Each participant was interviewed to fill demographic and medical data as well as the AUSDRISK Arabic version risk score and undergo testing for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). RESULTS: The prevalence of DM and PDM were 5% and 21.7% respectively. The multivariate analysis revealed that age, being physically inactive, history of previous abnormal glycemic level and waist circumference were the predictors for having abnormal glycemic level among the studied participants. At cut off points ≥ 13 and ≥ 9, the AUSDRISK respectively discriminated DM [sensitivity (86.11%), specificity (73.35%), and area under the curve (AUC): 0.887, 95% CI: 0.824-0.950] and abnormal glycemic level [sensitivity (80.73%), specificity (58.06%), and AUC: 0.767, 95% CI: 0.727-0.807], p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Overt DM just occupies the top of an iceberg, its unseen big population have undiagnosed DM, PDM or been at risk of T2DM because of sustained exposure to the influential risk factors. The AUSDRISK Arabic version was proved to be sensitive and specific tool to be used among Egyptians as a screening tool for the detection of DM or abnormal glycemic level. A prominent association has been demonstrated between AUSDRISK Arabic version score and the diabetic status.

Assessment of patient safety culture among the staff of the University Hospital for Gynecology and Obstetrics in Alexandria, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Patient safety (PS) is a fundamental component of healthcare quality. Patient Safety Culture (PSC) assessment provides an organization with insight of perceptions and attitudes of its staff related to patient safety. In addition, it is meant to improve performance rather than blaming individuals. This study aimed to assess patient safety culture from the health care staff perspective in El-Shatby University Hospital for Gynecology and Obstetrics. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The study was conducted at El-Shatby University Hospital for Gynecology and Obstetrics from November 2020 to January 2021. The target participants were assistant lecturers, residents, and head nurses in charge during the field study period. The number of potential participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria (in charge during the period of data collection and working in the hospital for more than 3 months) was 83; the twelve participants who participated in the pilot study were excluded. The total number of participants who agreed to participate in the study was 66 participants (38 residents, 18 assistant lecturers, and 10 head nurses) out of 71 potential participants representing a 92.9% response rate. A structured self-administered questionnaire format adapted from Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) questionnaire was distributed anonymously to the participants. The questionnaire has 42 items measuring twelve patient safety culture dimensions: teamwork within the unit, supervisors' expectations and actions to promote patient safety, feedback and communication about error, organizational learning, communication openness, overall perception of patient safety, hands-off and transitions, teamwork across units, frequency of events reported, management support for patient safety, staffing, and management support for patient safety. Except for two items that are responded on a five-point frequency scale (never, rarely, sometimes, most of the time, and always) the majority of patient safety culture questions are answered on a five-point agreement scale (strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree), with a higher score indicating a more favorable attitude toward patient safety. RESULTS: The overall average positive percent score was 45.4%. Average positive response percentages to individual items ranged from 28.8 to 81.8%. No domain had an average positive percent score of more than 75%. Out of the twelve dimensions of patient safety culture included in the HSOPSC questionnaire, "the teamwork within unit" domain had the highest average positive percent score (62.1%) among all participants. On the other hand, the "Non-punitive response to error" domain had the lowest score (18.9%). More than half (57.6%) of the participants rated patient's safety at the hospital as acceptable. CONCLUSION: Investing in practices that strengthen patient safety is crucial if the hospital is to improve overall performance and quality of services. The present study displays a frail patient safety culture (PSC) in the majority of the domains. All the domains should be considered of high priority focused areas for remark and reformative tasks. Continuous training programs of the staff on patient safety to improve their perception of safety culture are necessary. All PSC composites need improvement starting with regular assessment of PSC along with continuous monitoring and increasing the healthcare providers' awareness of demanded PSC.

Arabic version of the Australian type 2 diabetes risk assessment tool (AUSDRISK): translation and validation.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to translate the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment tool (AUSDRISK) into the Arabic language and evaluate the reliability and validity of the resultant Arabic version among Egyptians. The AUSDRISK was translated into Arabic language using the World Health Organization (WHO) forward and backward translation protocol. Using the WHO cluster sampling, a sample of 18+ years 719 Egyptians was randomly selected through a population-based household survey. Each participant was interviewed to fill the AUSDRISK Arabic version risk score and undergo confirmatory testing for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Test-retest reliability and convergent validity were computed. RESULTS: Most of the study participants were physically active (60.5%) and females (69.3%). The Arabic version of the AUSDRISK reflected statistically significant perfect positive correlation (r = 1 and p < 0.01) for test re-test reliability as well as a significant moderate positive correlation with each of FPG (r = 0.48, p < 0.01) and OGTT (r = 0.52, p < 0.01) for the criterion-related (convergent) validity. The recalibrated noninvasive AUSDRISK Arabic version proved to be a simple, reliable, and valid predictive tool, and thereof, its employment for opportunistic mass public screening is strongly recommended. This can reduce diabetes mellitus Type 2disease burden and health expenditure.

Predictors of post-COVID symptoms in Egyptian patients: Drugs used in COVID-19 treatment are incriminated.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 is a multisystem disease, and some patients suffer from physical or psychological symptoms for weeks or even months after infection, which is described as post-COVID syndrome. The goal of this study is evaluating the prevalence of post-COVID-19 symptoms among Egyptian patients and detecting the factors associated with the presence of these symptoms. METHODS: An on-line cross-sectional survey using Google Forms was used to conduct the present study, which took place between June and August 2021. RESULTS: Three hundred and ninety-six participants filled in the survey. The mean age of participants was 41.4 years. Most participants had mild to moderate COVID-19 (81.31%). The prevalence of post-COVID-19 symptoms was 87.63%, where the most frequent symptom was fatigue (60.86%). Female sex, the presence of comorbidities, lower degree of education, longer disease duration, as well as severe and critical forms of the disease were significantly associated with the presence of post-COVID symptoms. Using regression analysis, the predictors of post-COVID symptoms were severe and critical forms of the disease and intake of antibiotics and corticosteroids for treatment of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 is followed by high prevalence of post-COVID symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the relationship between the use of antibiotics and the development of post-COVID symptoms. We recommend further studies to understand this relationship. We also recommend restricting the use of these drugs to indicated cases according to the international guidelines. More studies are needed to gain better understanding of post-COVID symptoms especially in females.

Child maltreatment: knowledge, attitudes and reporting behaviour of physicians in teaching hospitals, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Lack of diagnosis and reporting of child maltreatment are important problems worldwide. AIMS: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of physicians in Alexandria University teaching hospitals about the diagnosis and reporting of child maltreatment cases. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at three hospitals. All physicians working regularly in emergency units were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire. Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of and formal training on child maltreatment, attitude to dealing with child maltreatment, and experience of child maltreatment cases and reporting behaviour. RESULTS: A total of 90 physicians were included in the study. Only 11% correctly identified all the signs of child maltreatment and 29% correctly answered all questions on the social indicators of maltreatment. Only 41% of the participants had a good knowledge score (≥ 75%) on child maltreatment. Longer work experience (P = 0.019) and older age (P = 0.039) were associated with better knowledge. Of 249 suspected cases of child maltreatment that the physicians reported they had experienced, only 36% were reported. Formal training on child maltreatment (P < 0.001) and older age (P = 0.006) were associated with physicians' reporting behaviour. Over half (56%) of the participants thought their workplaces did not provide them with procedures to follow if they suspected child maltreatment. CONCLUSION: Physicians' knowledge of the signs and social indicators of child maltreatment was unsatisfactory. Clinical training and education are needed to improve their ability to diagnosis and report cases of child maltreatment.

Providers' perspectives of socio-cultural and health service challenges related to postpartum family planning in Alexandria, Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum family planning (PPFP) focuses on prevention of unintended pregnancy and closely spaced pregnancies through the first 12 months following childbirth. Adoption of family planning during the postpartum period in Egypt faces unique challenges. This study aimed to explore the socio-cultural and health service challenges related to PPFP in Alexandria, Egypt, from perspectives of family planning providers working in public settings. METHODS: Three focus group discussions were conducted in the period from May to July 2017. It included 32 family planning physicians working in the family health centers and maternal and child health centers in Alexandria for 3 years or more. A discussion guide was prepared. Analysis of data was done using thematic data analysis using a deductive approach. RESULTS: The working experience of participants ranged from 3 to 30 years. The most frequently reported reasons for unmet need for PPFP were cultural norms about the contraceptive effects of lactation and inaccurate knowledge of women about the conditions for appropriate use of the lactation amenorrhea as a contraceptive method. The most commonly cited challenge related to the quality of service was the inadequate health education services about PPFP. Lack of training and supervision of community health workers was one of the underlying causes of the perceived inadequacy of the service. CONCLUSIONS: Mass media campaigns advocating for family planning are urgently needed with full support from the government. Improvement of health education services is a must. Redistribution of family planning providers with an increase in the staff members is highly recommended.