Assessment of Academic Resilience and Its Associated Factors Among Pharmacy Students in Twelve Countries.

OBJECTIVE: Academic resilience, a critical determinant of academic achievement, is affected by various factors. There is a paucity of large-scale international assessments of academic resilience among pharmacy students. Therefore, this study aimed to assess academic resilience among pharmacy students in 12 countries and to evaluate factors associated with their academic resilience levels. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey-based study was conducted among randomly selected pharmacy students in 12 countries: Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. After pilot testing, the validated 30-item academic resilience scale (ARS) was used for the assessment. The data were collected between November 1, 2022 and April 15, 2023. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed, as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 3950 were received from the 12 participating countries. The mean age was 21.68 ± 2.62 years. About two-thirds of the responses were from female participants and those studying for Bachelor of Pharmacy degrees. Overall, the findings show moderate academic resilience, which varied across countries. The median (IQR) of the total ARS-30 was 114 (103-124). Females exhibited lower negative affective and emotional response subscale levels than males. There were significant cross-country variations in the ARS-30 and all subscales. The highest overall levels were reported for Sudan, Pakistan, and Nigeria and the lowest were reported for Indonesia and Türkiye. Students in private universities tended to have higher overall ARS levels than public university students. Higher academic performance was significantly associated with ARS levels, whereas those with excellent performance exhibited the highest ARS levels. Students with exercise routines had higher ARS levels than those without exercise routines. Finally, students who were engaged in extracurricular activities had higher ARS levels than those who did not participate in these activities. CONCLUSION: The study offers insights into the factors affecting academic resilience in pharmacy students across several countries. The findings could guide interventions and support activities to improve resilience and academic outcomes.

Assessment of burnout, resilience, and thriving among academic health professionals: findings from an international study.

Introduction: Burnout, resilience, and thriving significantly impact academics, particularly in health professions, where responsibilities are extensive. This study aimed to explore these constructs among academic health professionals, examining sociodemographic and work-related factors influencing these outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among academic health professionals via web-based professional networks from August 2022 to February 2023. Validated tools were used, and descriptive and inferential statistics were applied. Results: 505 participants were included, predominantly female (63%), with a mean age of 38.15 ± 9.6 years. High burnout was reported by 10.9%, 13.7% experienced exhaustion, and 6.3% were disengaged. Resilience and thriving were moderate at 59.2 and 51.9%, respectively. Age correlated negatively with burnout (r = -0.131, p = 0.003) but positively with resilience (r = 0.178, p < 0.001). Females reported higher exhaustion (p = 0.014), while males showed greater resilience (p = 0.016). Instructors exhibited lower resilience compared to assistant professors (p < 0.001) and associate professors (p < 0.001). Those at public universities reported higher exhaustion than those at private universities (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Variable levels of burnout, resilience, and thriving were observed among academic health professionals, influenced by sociodemographic and work-related factors. Interventions targeting resilience and thriving may mitigate burnout risk and enhance engagement among academics in health professions.

Assessment of prevalence, knowledge and health-related practices of dysmenorrhea among Malaysian women in Kuala Lumpur: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Menstruation is a natural phenomenon considered an important indicator of women's health, reflecting their endocrine function. Women in low middle income countries face substantial menstrual hygiene management challenges. Data on the knowledge of dysmenorrhea and health-related practices among Malaysian women are scarce. The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of dysmenorrhea among Malaysian women in Kuala Lumpur and its association with socio-demographic factors, knowledge level, and general practices. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out among Malaysian women in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 362 unmarried women, nulliparous and aged between 18 and 25 years old, were included in this study. Participants were conveniently recruited through online platforms as well as face to face using a self-administered questionnaire with five sections consisting of demographics, menstrual characteristics, Working ability, Location, Intensity, Days of pain, Dysmenorrhea (WaLIDD) score for diagnosing and assessing the severity of dysmenorrhea as well as an evaluation of respondents' general knowledge and practices towards dysmenorrhea. The collected data were analysed using the SPSS tool, a descriptive statistic was used to report demographic characteristics. Inferential statistics was used to report the differentiation, association, and correlations of the variables. RESULTS: The prevalence of primary dysmenorrhea was 73.2%. It was found that the majority of the respondents had poor knowledge (60%) and poor practices (61.88%) of dysmenorrhea. The most common preventive practices among the respondents were using dietary supplements, and herbs, taking a rest and exercising. The findings also indicated that dysmenorrhea among the respondents was significantly associated with family history of dysmenorrhea (p = 0.002), monthly income (p = 0.001), and knowledge level (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Dysmenorrhea has a high prevalence among women in Malaysia in Kula Lumpur driven by low knowledge and lack of evidence-based practices among these women. Thus, it is critical for Government and healthcare authorities to promote education related to women health among Malaysian women.

Assessment of mental wellbeing of undergraduate pharmacy students from 14 countries: The role of gender, lifestyle, health-related, and academic-related factors.

Background: Pharmacy students will assume future roles as frontline healthcare providers. Therefore, evaluating their current state of mental wellbeing and its associated factors is essential for better planning students' support initiatives. This study aimed to assess mental wellbeing and its associated factors among undergraduate pharmacy students from 14 countries during the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students in 14 countries in Asia and the Middle East. The validated Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (the 14-item WEMWBS) was adopted to assess mental wellbeing. Data collection was performed online between February and April 2022. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used as appropriate. Results: A total of 2,665 responses were received, mainly from females (68.7%) with a higher presence of private universities (59.1%). About 34.9% had low mental wellbeing levels, while 57 and 8.1% had medium, and high levels, respectively. Binary logistic regression showed that males (AOR: 1.34; CI 95%: 1.11-1.61; p < 0.01) and students with no chronic illnesses (AOR: 2.01; CI 95%: 1.45-2.80; p < 0.001) were more likely to have higher mental wellbeing. Also, participants who did not engage in any exercise (AOR: 0.71; CI 95%: 0.52-0.98; p = 0.04) and those in public universities (AOR: 0.82; CI 95%: 0.69-0.97; p = 0.02) were less likely to have higher mental wellbeing. Additionally, students who had interest/passion for pharmacy (AOR: 1.69; CI 95%: 1.07-2.68; p = 0.02), and those who known pharmacists inspired (AOR: 1.81; CI 95%: 1.06-3.12; p = 0.03), were more likely to have higher mental wellbeing compared with those who had no specific reason for their choice to study pharmacy. The participants with excellent (AOR: 1.87; CI 95%: 1.29-2.70; p = 0.001) or very good self-reported academic performance (AOR: 1.57; CI 95%: 1.12-2.22; p = 0.01) were more likely to have higher mental wellbeing compared to those with fair academic performance. Conclusion: More than a third of the participants had low mental wellbeing. Various demographic, lifestyle, medical and academic factors appeared to affect students' mental wellbeing. Careful consideration of these factors and their integration into the pharmacy schools' plans for student support services and academic advising would be essential to improve students' mental wellbeing.

Assessment of prevalence, knowledge of polycystic ovary syndrome and health-related practices among women in klang valley: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic and reproductive disorder affecting women of childbearing age. Its symptoms associated with androgen excess and menstrual abnormalities have great impact on the quality of life in women with PCOS. Data on the knowledge of PCOS and health-related practices among Malaysian women is scarce. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, knowledge and health-related practices of PCOS among women in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among women in Klang Valley, Malaysia using a self-administered questionnaire. Participants were conveniently recruited through online platforms. Questionnaire consisted of four sections. The knowledge scores ranged from 0-20 where < 10 was classified as poor knowledge. Health-related practices scores ranged from 10-50, with score <30 was classified as poor practice. Descriptive statistics was used to report demographic characteristics. Inferential statistics was used to report the differentiation, association, and correlations of the variables. Results: A total of 410 respondents participated in this survey. The finding revealed that 43 (10.49%) respondents had medical diagnosis of PCOS, 11 (2.68%) were diagnosed with PCOS based on signs and symptoms, and 135 (32.93%) were suspected with PCOS. Nearly half of the respondents had poor knowledge (47.30%) and poor practice (47.60%) of PCOS. Also, 46 (11.22%) respondents reported abnormal scalp hair loss and 30 (7.32%) respondents had diabetes. Educational levels and PCOS history were significantly associated with PCOS knowledge. Respondents with healthcare related educational background demonstrated good knowledge (p<0.01). Majority of respondents (n= 328, 80%) were unable to control their diets on weekends. Married participants and aged between 40 to 45 women showed better practice of PCOS. Conclusion: Nearly half of the respondents had poor knowledge and health-related practices towards PCOS. Women with suspected or diagnosed PCOS should seek immediate medical help as early diagnosis and treatment for PCOS are beneficial in improving their quality of life.