RESUMEN
Background Contemporary medical education emphasizes that postgraduate clinicians should look at their daily experiences as an opportunity to learn and advance their knowledge and practice of medicine. This is the concept of reflective practice. Internal medicine trainees (IMT) in the UK are encouraged to record written reflections in their electronic portfolios but it is not a mandatory requirement. There is literature suggesting that the level of engagement with these written reflections is varied and that when these are produced, they can be superficial. Thus, the aim of this research was to ascertain what percentage of trainees engaged in written reflections and the factors that affected the likelihood they would reflect. There are no studies that have attempted to quantify de novo engagement with reflective practice and to quantify the significance of different theorized barriers to reflection. Methods This study was in the form of a quasi-experimental cross-sectional study. A 15-item survey was sent out to the IMT in the northwest deanery of England (n=592). The survey remained open for approximately three months with periodic reminders sent out to the trainees. The survey was closed to further responses when the number of responses reached the predetermined sample size of 240 (5% margin of error at a confidence interval of 95%). The data were analyzed by chi-square testing and represented using descriptive statistics. Results There were 243 responses to this survey. A total of 81.5% (n=198) wrote reflections in their portfolio and 19.5% (n=45) did not write any reflections. The main content of written reflections were clinical outcomes (positive and negative), teaching, and new learning. Several background factors had a statistically significant influence on the likelihood that trainees would write reflections in their portfolios. These included their stage of training, years practicing medicine, location of primary medical training, first exposure to reflective practice, and whether they have ever been tutored on reflection. Concerns about legal or General Medical Council (GMC) use of reflective notes against trainees also significantly impacted on reflection. The main perceived barriers to written reflections were the fact that trainees felt they had no time to properly reflect and the lack of perceived benefits from reflections. Conclusion Most trainees wrote reflections in their portfolios, but the majority did not perceive any benefits in doing this. The varied backgrounds of trainees seem to have an impact on their likelihood to reflect and strategies to increase engagement would need to address this.
RESUMEN
There is a high and increasing proportion of single-parent families in Jamaica. This has raised concerns about the potential impact of single-parent families on the social, cognitive and behavioural development of children, including their sexual relationships. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between being raised in a single-parent family and age of sexual debut among young people in Jamaica. The study was cross-sectional in design, and based on a multi-stage sampling procedure. The study was conducted in July/September 2016. The study sample comprised 233 respondents (110 males and 123 females) aged from 18 to 35 years (mean 26.37 years; SD 5.46). Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire with questions on socio-demographic characteristics, family structure, sexual debut and current sexual behaviour. Ninety-seven (41.7%) respondents grew up in single-parent families. A total of 201 (86.3%) had had sex (102 males and 99 females). Their mean age of sexual debut was 15.51 years (SD 3.41). Sixty-five (32.3%) had early sexual debut (<16 years). Respondents from single-parent families were more likely to have had early sexual debut (56.9%; n=37) compared with those from two-parent families (43.1%, n=28; p=0.004). Only 44.6% (n=29) of those who experienced early sexual debut used a condom during their first sexual encounter compared with 73% (n=100) of those who had a later sexual debut (≥16 years; p=<0.001). A single-father family structure was a significant predictor of early sexual debut (AOR 5.5; 95%CI: 1.1-25.8). The study found a significant association between single-parent family structure and age of sexual debut.