Developing a cyberchondria severity scale to promote self-care among university students during COVID-19.

Cyberchondria is a hybrid term signifying a state in which individuals compulsively search for health-related information online because of health distress or anxiety, further aggravating their worries. This study develops a Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS) to assess the current situation of university students. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using 145 valid questionnaires. Subsequently, a nationwide survey was conducted at various universities in Taiwan, and 802 questionnaires were used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The EFA led to the development of a CSS for college students with four constructs: increased anxiety (α = 0.91), obsessive-compulsive hypochondria (α = 0.87), perceived controllability (α = 0.88), and online physician-patient interaction (α = 0.86), with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.92 and variance of 66.81%. The CFA indicated that item reliability ranged from 0.50 to 0.86, factor loadings ranged from 0.71 to 0.93, and the composite reliability for latent variables ranged from 0.83 to 0.90 (p < .001). The extracted average variance ranged from 0.46 to 0.60. There were significant differences in various dimensions: perceived controllability had the highest score and obsessive-compulsive hypochondria had the lowest (F3,2403=256.26, p < .001). Therefore, CSS has emerged as a reliable and valid measure. Future studies should explore the factors that influence cyberchondria, promote online health information searches, and enhance reading comprehension skills.

Mental distress and associated factors among undergraduate students: evidence from a cross-sectional study at the University of Dodoma, Tanzania.

Mental distress is a common health problem facing university students worldwide. It manifests with varying levels of depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms such as headache, backache, sleeping problems, and fatigue. University students are a high-risk group for mental distress than the general population. This study aimed to assess knowledge, the prevalence of mental distress, and its associated factors among undergraduate students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students at the University of Dodoma in Tanzania. Data were collected using pre-tested and self-administered questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with mental distress. A total of 224 undergraduate students gave a complete response, of which the majority were aware of the common symptoms of mental distress. Self-reported mental distress experience was reported among 116/224 (51.8%) students. Multivariable logistic analysis showed that only alcohol consumption (aPR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.22-2.11, p = 0.001) was independently associated with mental distress among students. The findings of this study revealed that undergraduate students had adequate knowledge of the symptoms of mental distress. Our results show that the prevalence of self-reported mental distress was moderately high among undergraduate students. Furthermore, the study indicates a significant association between alcohol consumption and self-reported mental distress among these students. These results suggest that interventions aimed at reducing alcohol consumption may be beneficial in mitigating mental health issues among undergraduate students in Tanzania.

Asymmetrical perceptions of tipping points in alcohol consumption: Lower perceived tolerance in oneself versus peer.

Objective: The current study investigated how tipping points, a phenomenon in which an individual's threshold for perceiving a change has been exceeded, may be asymmetrical between self-tipping points and those applied to others and how experiences with alcohol affect these judgments. Participants: Undergraduates (N = 300). Methods: Participants reported their drinking frequency, quantity, and parental alcohol use, and evaluated tipping points by assessing how many drinks over the course of how many days they would perceive as problematic alcohol use in an online survey. Results: Participants, on average, reported lower tipping points indicative of problematic drinking behaviors for themselves, as compared to their peers. Results also revealed that quantity of alcohol consumption as well as parental alcohol use and participant age contributed to determining problematic consumption tipping points. Conclusions: Considerations should be given to how these tipping point judgments may affect drinking behaviors. Additionally, there is evidence that current consumption may cloud these judgments.

Does major make a difference? Mental health literacy and its relation to college major in a diverse sample of undergraduate students.

Examining a large number of specific college majors and their association with mental health literacy (MHL) is an important step towards identifying at-risk groups at the college level. Though prior research has investigated MHL across student demographics such as gender, age, ethnicity, and level of education, the present study was the first to compare the MHL of undergraduate students across 19 different college majors. A total of 617 demographically and ethnically diverse undergraduate students (62.1% female; 69.3% non-white; mean age = 22.2 years; mean year in college = 2.8) reported their demographics, college experience, and college major, and completed an MHL measure that assessed knowledge of more than 20 psychological disorders and the application of that knowledge to real life scenarios. After controlling for gender, data were analyzed using ANOVA and post hoc comparisons to determine if differences in mental health literacy level were related to specific college majors. Results revealed that mental health literacy significantly differed across majors, F(18, 598) = 5.09, p < .001. Specifically, students majoring in accounting, nursing, business, biology, and those in a multidisciplinary category had significantly lower mental health literacy scores compared to the highest scoring major, psychology. We present empirical data about variations in mental health literacy across many different majors in higher education. Our findings provide a rationale for interventions for academic majors with lower MHL, as well as a rationale for training of college faculty and staff, for the purpose of improving psychological well-being in at-risk college students.

Determining the Ability of Senior Dental Students to Detect Interproximal Caries Using Different Radiographic Techniques.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic capability of 5th-year students using digital imaging, conventional bitewing (BW) radiographs, and printed film on paper to detect interproximal caries lesions. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with senior dental students. Three different radiographs: digital, BW, and printed films on paper were used; thus, nine radiographs, each with a 2-min viewing time, were considered by students along with a questionnaire. A control group of specialists from Prosthodontics and Radiology had finalized the answers prior to conducting the study. The appropriate responses were divided into five categories: R0: Intact surface, R1: Radiolucency in the outer half of enamel, R2: Radiolucency in the inner half of enamel, R3: Radiolucency in the outer half of dentin, and R4: Radiolucency in the inner half of dentin. Students' responses were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and a t-test. Results: Ethics for the study was obtained from the institutional committee (Reg No: BM19/9/8). When compared with the control group using ANOVA testing, the results showed good detection accuracy with a success rate of ~64 accuracy. There was a significant difference in the outcomes when detecting the presence of the caries lesion between the three diagnostic techniques (p > 0.001). In detecting the size of the carious lesion, the students' ability was recorded as poor. The highest average for detecting the presence of the carious lesion was correspondent to the printed film on paper method. Conclusions: Senior dental students have shown good accuracy in detecting the presence but not the size of interproximal caries on all radiographs viewed. Clinical Significance: Teachings and availability of diverse radiological diagnostic techniques ensured a reasonable level of understanding and use of the diagnostic caries risk assessment methodologies as required in restorative treatment planning.

Prevalence and Awareness of Medication Overuse Headache among Undergraduate Students at the University of Belgrade.

BACKGROUND: Medication overuse headache (MOH) is a prevalent and potentially preventable secondary headache disorder linked to the excessive use of medications intended for primary headache management, particularly migraine. AIM: The aim of our study was to assess the prevalence of MOH among undergraduate students and explore their awareness. METHODOLOGY: This observational cross-sectional study included 401 active undergraduate students from the University of Belgrade. Data were collected through an anonymous online questionnaire which was distributed among student groups and via social media. The questionnaire specially designed for this study was developed in accordance with established guidelines for headache epidemiological research. RESULTS: Among the surveyed students, 10 of them (2.5%) met the criteria for the diagnosis of MOH. Awareness of MOH was noted in 149 (37.2%) students, with higher awareness among medical students and those aged 22-25 years. Despite this awareness, there was no significant difference in MOH occurrence between those aware and unaware of the condition (aware 2.7% vs. unaware 2.4%, p = 1.000). Additionally, significant gaps in education and communication about MOH were evident. LIMITATIONS: Participants were recruited through convenience sampling from a single university at one time point. The questionnaire was not specifically validated in the student population, and the data relied on self-reporting. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlighted a notable prevalence of MOH among undergraduate students, with a substantial portion exhibiting awareness of its risks. Despite this awareness, our findings suggest ongoing gaps in education and communication regarding MOH, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions.

Comparative Analysis of Stress Levels Among Undergraduate Students at St. John's College, Agra.

Background Stress is prevalent among college students, impacting their mental health and academic performance. Understanding the distribution and determinants of stress levels in students is crucial for developing effective interventions. This study aims to assess the prevalence of stress and its association with sociodemographic factors among undergraduate students at St. John's College, Agra, India. Materials and methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between August 1, 2023, and December 31, 2023, involving 160 undergraduate students from B.A., B. Com., and B.Sc. programs. Students were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Stress levels were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), which classifies low, moderate, and high levels. Data were collected through a validated, semi-structured questionnaire administered via Google Forms. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 29 (Released 2023; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York), with descriptive statistics and chi-square tests used to examine associations between stress levels and sociodemographic variables. Results The study found that 103 (64.4%) of students experienced moderate stress, 34 (21.3%) reported high perceived stress, and 23 (14.4%) had low stress. A significant association was observed between stress levels and gender (p = 0.022), with female students more likely to experience high stress. Additionally, urban students reported higher stress levels than their rural counterparts (p = 0.012). However, no significant differences in stress levels were found across different courses. Conclusion The study reveals a substantial prevalence of moderate to high stress among college students, particularly among females and those from urban areas. These findings suggest the need for targeted stress management interventions to support student well-being. Further research is recommended to explore the underlying causes of stress and develop comprehensive stress reduction strategies in the student population.

Predictors of insomnia among undergraduate students at Hawassa University Sidama, Ethiopia, 2023: a facility-based cross-sectional study.

Background: Insomnia is a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing poor-quality sleep. People with this problem often have trouble falling asleep at night, wake up frequently during the night, and may wake up too early in the morning and feel tired and not refreshed. This can lead to daytime fatigue, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and impaired functioning in their day-to-day activities. Study is scarce in resource-limited countries such as Ethiopia, particularly concerning the study setting. As a result, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of insomnia and its associated factors among undergraduate students at Hawassa University. Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was used. A stratified simple random sampling method was used among 398 study participants. The data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The outcome variable was assessed by the insomnia severity index (ISI). The data were then gathered by using the Kobo toolbox online and then exported into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 27 to analyze the data. Data cleaning and screening were conducted exclusively by the investigators. Descriptive statistics like frequency, percentages, and mean were used. Bivariate and multivariate binary regression were performed. In multivariate binary logistic regression, a p-value of<0.05 was identified as a significantly associated factor with the dependent variable. Results: Among 398 students who participated in the study, 81 (20.4%) experienced insomnia. Being female [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.98; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.56-5.69], age (AOR = 3.06; 95% CI 1.11-8.45), mild anxiety symptom (AOR = 4.89; 95% CI 1.56-15.37), and mobile device use ≥30 min just before going to sleep (AOR = 7.81; 95% CI 2.34-26.12) were significantly associated with insomnia. Conclusion: In this study, the prevalence of insomnia was one-fifth among university students, which is high when compared to another study at the national level. There were significant associations between being female, age, anxiety symptoms, and mobile device use before going to sleep with insomnia. This indicates that there is a need to treat and prevent insomnia in college students, emphasizing the necessity for mental healthcare and ethical technology use.

Perceived benefits and barriers to exercise and associated factors among Zimbabwean undergraduate students: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Despite the well-documented benefits of regular physical activity (PA), many university students are physically inactive. Personal, socio-economic, and environmental factors predict PA engagement behaviours in university students. There is a need to understand context-specific perceived barriers and benefits to exercise engagement and physical activity levels amongst university students from low-income settings. This study primarily evaluated the barriers and facilitators to PA engagement in Zimbabwean undergraduate students. We also assessed the correlates of perceived barriers and benefits to PA engagement, risk of common mental disorders (CMDs) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Methods: We used a cross-sectional study to recruit 465 university undergraduate students. The Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Shona Symptoms Questionnaire (SSQ-8) and EuroQol 5 Dimension (EQ5D-5l) were used to measure barriers and facilitators, physical activity level, risk of depression and anxiety and HRQoL, respectively. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results and conclusion: Most participants were male (58.5%) with a mean age of 21.7 (SD 1.6) years. Majority of the participants were first year students (37.2%), consumed alcohol (66.5%), did not smoke (88.2%) and had a normal BMI (64.7%). The prevalence of low PA levels was 17.4%, with 33.5% of students at risk of CMDs. The most perceived benefits were in the physical performance (e.g., exercise improves my level of physical fitness) and life enhancement (e.g., exercise improves my self-concept) domains, while the most perceived barriers were lack of exercise infrastructure (e.g., exercise facilities do not have convenient schedules) and physical exertion (e.g., exercise tires me). Food insecurity (AOR 2.51: 95% CI 1.62-3.88) and the risk of CMDs (AOR 0.49: 95% CI 0.32-0.76) were associated with increased odds of experiencing barriers to exercise. Not using substances (AOR = 2.14: 95% CI 1.11-4.14) and a higher self-rated HRQoL (AOR 24.34: 95% CI 1.77-335.13) were associated with increased odds of a high perception of exercise benefits. Improving access to community and on-campus exercise facilities and campus-wide health promotional interventions is necessary to enhance PA amongst university students.

Investigating the learning self-efficacy of a fully online teaching environment among undergraduate Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Fully online learning has become a common option in many universities worldwide in the post-COVID-19 era. The study aimed to evaluate the dimensions and characteristics of the fully online learning self-efficacy among Chinese undergraduate medical and nonmedical students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to August 2023 at Xihua University in China. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to enroll participants of undergraduate students. The Chinese version of the online learning self-efficacy scale (OLSES) was used to collect the demographic information. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, and linear regression analyses were conducted in the study. RESULTS: A total of 203 college students were included in the study. One hundred and twenty (59.1%) of the participants were medical students and 83 (40.9%) were nonmedical students, and most of them (64.5%) were from rural areas. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were determined to be 0.90, 0.86, 0.87, and 0.95 for the learning in a fully online environment, time management, technology use subscales, and the whole scale, respectively. Exploratory factor analysis revealed the justifiability of factor analysis. In the confirmatory factor analysis, the majority of the goodness-of-fit indices reached an acceptable threshold (χ2/df = 3.14, RMR = 0.06, RMSEA = 0.10, NFI = 0.84, RFI = 0.80, IFI = 0.89, TLI = 0.85, CFI = 0.90). More than half of the students reported insufficient self-efficacy for learning in a fully online environment and time management, whereas 55.7% showed good self-efficacy for technology use. Although more medical students than non-medical students had higher self-efficacy scores in the three domains of self-efficacy, the proportion of students with good self-efficacy was slightly lower among medical students than non-medical students, with no significant differences between the medical students and nonmedical students. CONCLUSIONS: Most Chinese university students' that participated to our study found self-efficacy for fully online learning as insufficient (results on the three domains, ranging from 36.5 to 55.7%) and had a good level of fully online learning self-efficacy. Medical students and nonmedical students are not differences in the self-efficacy of fully online learning. Thus, pedagogues should take measures to help students including medical and nonmedical improve their self-efficacy in online environment learning, time management and technology use, ultimately enhancing their academic success.

The Effectiveness of Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation as an Innovative Learning Strategy for Acquisition of Clinical Skills in Nursing Education: Experimental Design.

Background: A transformation of learning in nursing is necessary to prepare students for developing complex clinical environments. The essential aim of clinical nursing learning is to enhance the integration of theoretical knowledge in the clinical environment by using various innovative strategies, such as immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation to develop a learning process that allows students to gain knowledge and perform skills in a visually attractive way, which enhances the quality and safety of clinical learning through repeated exposure to educational content that supports students' cognitive and psychomotor skills. Objective: This study was aimed at determining the effectiveness of immersive VR simulation as a learning strategy on the acquisition of intramuscular injection skills in nursing education and the performance level of nursing students compared with a physical learning environment (low-fidelity simulation). Materials and Metods: The experimental design (pre-post-test) was used among first-year nursing students (N = 66) (control group = 33, hip model and experimental group = 33, VR simulation) of the summer semester of 2019-2020 in the Faculty of Nursing at Near East University in Cyprus. Results: There is a significant difference between both groups in performance psychomotor skills scores, and the mean was higher in the experimental group (P = 0.002) and a significantly longer period of time than in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Immersive VR simulation is a supplementary tool and useful teaching-learning strategy for training in nursing education alongside physical laboratory (hip-model and mannequin) and psychomotor skills requiring the ordering of skill steps in teaching, and it provides realistic experiences in a safe environment instead of the unavailability of actual customers in clinical settings.

Investigating the Impacts of a Modified Mindfulness Practice on Minoritized College Students' Chronic Stress.

Context: Students of color in the United States experience elevated stress across the entire spectrum of education, spanning from early stages of K-12 to the more advanced stages of postgraduate studies. This sustained state of chronic stress decreases learning and curtails opportunities, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math (ST EM) fields, where stress levels are considered exceptionally high. Mindfulness-based practices such as MBSR have a proven effective for stress reduction in college students. However, to date, mindfulness practices have yet to be designed to support the unique needs of minoritized students with intersectional identities (e.g., poor, English as second language learners, and sexual/gender minorities) that are stigmatized in ST EM. Objectives: This article describes the development of an online, eight-week modified mindfulness practice (MMP) for minoritized students adapted from traditional MBSR. The MMP was purposely designed to be culturally inclusive and anti-racist, with the goal to reduce stress in undergraduate students of color in ST EM. Methods: In this pilot study, we assessed the impact of MMP using both biological and perceived stress measures. Specifically, cortisol was measured from donated biospecimen hair samples, the Perceived Stress Scale measured perceived stress, and key informant interviews were conducted to understand student stressors and coping strategies before and after the intervention. Results: While the observed decrease biological and perceived stress before and after the intervention was not statistically significant due to the small sample size of this pilot study, we see a dramatic positive change in student coping strategies. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of providing minoritized students with options for stress reduction that are relevant and accessible.

The Relationship between Maladaptive Perfectionism and Anxiety in First-Year Undergraduate Students: A Moderated Mediation Model.

To clarify the underlying mechanism of first-year undergraduate students' maladaptive perfectionism in relation to their anxiety, this study constructs a mediating model with moderation, focusing on the investigation of the mediating role of self-compassion and the moderating role of family support. A total of 924 university students were involved in the investigation, responding to questionnaires on their maladaptive perfectionism, anxiety, self-compassion, and family support. The results showed that (1) after controlling for gender and Hukou, maladaptive perfectionism had a significant positive predictive effect on anxiety; (2) self-compassion can play a role in mediating the relationship between maladaptive perfectionism and anxiety; and (3) the mediating effect of self-compassion on anxiety in terms of maladaptive perfectionism was moderated by family support. The results of this study have important theoretical value and practical significance for improving first-year undergraduate students' anxiety.

Academic-practice partnership: Exploring a model for collaborative nursing education in infection prevention and control.

The academic-practice partnership has become increasingly important in nursing education. An academic-practice partnership between a health systems infection prevention and control (IPC) department and its academic affiliate may provide an opportunity to help advance undergraduate nursing students' IPC knowledge and skills and provide IPC staff the opportunity to develop their clinical teaching skills as they teach and mentor students. We convened an exploratory workshop between our private university-based college of nursing and its affiliated health care system IPC department to brainstorm and identify areas for mutual collaboration and gauge interest in formalizing a partnership.

Flipped classroom orthodontic education for undergraduate dental students: A factor analysis study.

INTRODUCTION: Dental schools have a primary responsibility to devise a curriculum that enhances students' confidence and knowledge in orthodontic case analysis. This study aims to compare the confidence levels and performance of undergraduate students in orthodontic case screening, moderated by faculty in a lecture-based format against their self-analysis of the same cases 1 year later, using a case-based and flipped learning approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study involved 100 fifth-year students. The same group received predoctoral orthodontics training through an instructor-centered, didactic approach in their fifth year and a case-based, student-centered, flipped classroom approach in their sixth year. At the end of each semester, the students completed an orthodontic case analysis and a self-reflection survey. RESULTS: This study found no significant differences in diagnostic capabilities for orthodontic findings between the two methods studied. However, the self-evaluation survey data revealed an increase in students' confidence levels. This was specifically in terms of carrying out independent orthodontic case diagnosis, effectively communicating with orthodontic specialists, and their comfort in approaching orthodontic cases following the flipped classroom approach. Despite increased confidence in case diagnosis, the results showed that final-year students are uncertain about creating initial treatment plans and referring cases at an early stage. CONCLUSION: Despite no observed improvement in students' orthodontic diagnostic abilities after another semester of student-centered learning, their confidence in diagnosing orthodontic cases was notably enhanced.

Tooth Anatomy Inspector: A comprehensive assessment of an extended reality (XR) application designed for teaching and learning of root canal anatomy by students.

AIM: To develop and evaluate a suitable software application for mobile devices designed for teaching root canal anatomy to undergraduate students in an informative and engaging manner. METHODOLOGY: Extracted human teeth were scanned by µCT and digitized by converting into STL files. An extended reality (XR) application illustrating the root canal anatomy of the scanned teeth was developed. Prior to deployment, undergraduate dental students were voluntarily asked about their expectations regarding an educational application on tooth anatomy. After a testing phase of the application on a mobile device and within a virtual reality environment, a subsequent evaluation was conducted to assess their overall experience in relation to their initial expectations. Data were analysed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Mann-Whitney U test. The level of significance was set to .05 (p = .05). RESULTS: The application was able to meet the expectations of the students in all categories (p < .466-.731). Furthermore, it was evaluated as user-friendly (98.2%) and highly motivating for the purpose of learning more on root canal anatomy (100%). CONCLUSION: Given the overwhelmingly positive reception from undergraduate dental students, the application emerges to be a promising supplementary teaching method for the endodontic curriculum.

Does an instructional video as a stand-alone tool promote the acquisition of practical clinical skills? A randomised simulation research trial of skills acquisition and short-term retention.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of instructional videos as a stand-alone tool for the acquisition of practical skills is yet unknown because instructional videos are usually didactically embedded. Therefore, we evaluated the acquisition of the skill of a humeral intraosseous access via video in comparison to that of a self-study with an additional retention test. METHODS: After ethical approval, we conducted two consecutive studies. Both were designed as randomised controlled two-armed trials with last-year medical students as independent samples at our institutional simulation centre of a tertiary university hospital centre. In Study 1, we randomly assigned 78 participants to two groups: Vid-Self participants watched an instructional video as an intervention, followed by a test, and after seven days did a self-study as a control, followed by a test. Self-Vid ran through the trial in reverse order. In Study 2, we investigated the influence of the sequence of the two teaching methods on learning success in a new sample of 60 participants: Vid-Self watched an instructional video and directly afterward did the self-study followed by a test, whereas Self-Vid ran through that trial in reverse order. In Studies 1 and 2, the primary outcome was the score (worst score = 0, best score = 20) of the test after intervention and control. The secondary outcome in Study 1 was the change in score after seven days. RESULTS: Study 1: The Vid-Self (Participants n = 42) was superior to the Self-Vid (n = 36) (mean score 14.8 vs. 7.7, p < 0.001). After seven days, Self-vid outperformed Vid-Self (mean score 15.9 vs. 12.5, p < 0.001). Study 2: The Vid-Self (n = 30) and Self-Vid (n = 30) scores did not significantly differ (mean 16.5 vs. mean 16.5, p = 0.97). CONCLUSION: An instructional video as a stand-alone tool effectively promotes the acquisition of practical skills. The best results are yielded by a combination of an instructional video and self-study right after each other, irrespective of sequence. TRIAL REGISTRATIONS: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05066204 (13/04/2021) (Study 1) and NCT04842357 (04/10/2021) (Study 2).

Effectiveness of the Flipped Classroom Teaching and Learning Method Among Underachievers in Physiology: Experience From a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital.

Introduction Traditional classroom teaching involves a process where knowledge is disseminated to students by the teachers through a one-way process. Such a learning environment makes students passive and muted, which can be improved by alternative teaching and learning (TL) methods like the flipped classroom (FC) technique. The FC approach involves a student-inclusive TL process. FC is a student-centered approach that benefits teachers and students by emphasizing the key information during the learning process. The present study aimed to understand the efficacy of the FC TL method and evaluate students' perception of FC among underachieving first-year medical students in learning physiology. Methods This prospective, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 underachieving first-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students in the Department of Physiology at a tertiary care teaching hospital. All the participants were taught cardiovascular physiology through the FC method. The study subjects were asked to take a pretest including multiple choice questions a week before the study. The study period was four weeks, following which the students were asked to take a post-test. A questionnaire was used to understand the student's perception of FC. The responses to the questionnaire were graded based on the Likert scale.  Results The mean scores of the post-test (19.40±4.22) were significantly (p< 0.05) greater than those of the pre-test (12.43±4.26). Regarding the perception of FC, 68% (68/100) of students agreed that the objectives, methodology, and outcomes were well-defined. Around 39% (39/100) of students strongly agreed that the study material was adequate, relevant, and easy to learn. Nearly 58% (58/100) of the students agreed that the competencies are dealt with completely in every session. Roughly 16% (16/100) of students agreed that the classroom time is sufficiently utilized for peer-based learning. Many (61%, 61/100) students agreed that sufficient time was given for learning. About 34% (34/100) of the students strongly agreed that the assessment tools were relevant. About 56% (56/100) of students agreed and 21% (21/100) strongly agreed that the FC method helped them to improve their understanding of the subject. More than half (54%, 54/100) of the students agreed and 18% (18/100) strongly agreed that the FC promoted self-directed learning. Most students (71%, 71/100) believed FC to be an interesting and satisfactory learning experience. Conclusions The results indicate that most students believed FC was an effective and innovative TL technique. The FC method could help underachievers improve their cognitive skills and analytical thinking and enhance exam performance.

The Interaction of Cannabis Consumption with Heavy Episodic Drinking and Alcohol-induced Blackouts in Relation to Cannabis Use Consequences Among Recent Undergraduate College Cannabis Users.

Introduction: Risky alcohol use patterns, characterized by heavy episodic drinking (HED) and alcohol-induced blackout, are prevalent in college students. However, it is not clear if experiencing HED and blackout among college-attending cannabis users heightens risk for adverse cannabis use consequences. The purpose of this study was to examine whether heavy episodic drinking and blackout episodes moderate the relationship between cannabis consumption and cannabis use consequences among college students. Methods: Undergraduate college students (n = 4331) were recruited from a Midwest University in 2021. This analysis used a subset of data from past 6-month cannabis users (n= 772; 17.8% of the full sample). Among cannabis users, 64.5% identified as female and 87.8% were White with an average age of 19.99 (SD=2.88). A linear regression was conducted with two two-way interactions of cannabis consumption and HED frequency as well as cannabis consumption and alcohol-induced blackout episodes. Results: Results showed a statistically significant positive association between cannabis consumption and cannabis use consequences (B=0.73, p<.001), adjusting for the other variables in the model. Blackout, but not HED, was a significant moderator (B=0.19, p=.003). Discussion: The findings of this study indicate that blackout experiences amplify the relationship between cannabis use and cannabis-related consequences among college students. This underscores that blackouts not only signal a risk of problematic drinking but also exacerbate the association between cannabis use and its negative consequences. Conclusion: Findings may inform college campus interventions targeting cannabis and alcohol concurrent-users who experience alcohol-induced blackouts to reduce their additional risk for cannabis-related consequences.

Perceptions of Undergraduate Students towards Utilization of Clinical Simulation in Teaching and Learning in Rural Universities in Uganda: A Mixed method study.

Background: Simulation is a new pedagogical method in Africa that underscores the need to operationalize it and generate context-specific scholarship regarding clinical simulation in Africa. Despite the superior learning outcomes of using simulation in medical education, its use in developing countries is often limited, compounded by limited scholarship on simulation especially relevant to an African context. The research aimed to explore perceptions surrounding the use of simulation among undergraduate students. Methods: A mixed method convergent parallel design was used in which both the quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed currently to explore the perception of the undergraduate students towards the use of clinical simulation in teaching and learning. The quantitative approach assessed the perception of the students on a five-point Likert from strongly disagree to strongly agree scale while the qualitative approach employed a focused group discussion to explore the perception of the students in regards to clinical simulation. Quantitative data was analyzed using Stata Version 17. Qualitative results were analyzed through thematic analysis by Brauna and Clark. Results: 298 participants were recruited into the study. The mean age of the participants was 27 years with a standard deviation of 5.81 years. The majority 152(51.01%) of the participants were males. Most 111(37.25%) of the participants were pursuing Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery. The grand mean of the perception scores of the students towards the use of simulation in clinical teaching was 3.875269 ±0.5281626. The participants strongly agreed that it is incredibly helpful to have someone who works in the field debrief with them after completing a scenario and their overall perception towards this was high (Mean =4.65241±0.6617337). Conclusion: This exploratory study revealed that medical, nursing, and midwifery students from the rural Universities of Busitema and Lira demonstrated a positive perception of the use of clinical simulation in teaching and learning. The results conclude that simulations help students better understand concepts in clinical settings, provide them with valuable learning experiences, and help them stimulate critical thinking abilities. Further, the participants perceive simulation to be realistic, and knowledge gained could be transferred to the clinical areas.