moawia A alshiek | Najran University (original) (raw)
Papers by moawia A alshiek
International Journal of Medical and Health Research, Aug 1, 2018
Breastfeeding among Infants and Its Association with the Nutritional Status of Children Under Five Years in Khartoum, Sudan, 2015
Abstract: Reports show that universal coverage of breastfeeding could prevent 13% of deaths among... more Abstract: Reports show that universal coverage of breastfeeding could prevent 13% of deaths among children under five years. Breastfeeding protects infants from common infections, strengthens the immune system, and protects their digestive system. Worldwide, it is estimated that only 34.8% of infants are exclusively breastfed. This
a cross-sectional study was conducted from 2008 to 2010 to estimate the prevalence rate of breastfeeding and to
understand the relationship between breastfeeding and the nutritional status of children aged 5 years and under.
A cluster sampling technique was used for selecting 780 households with at least one child under five. Structured
questionnaires were administered to mothers. The nutritional status of children was assessed using anthropometrics and categorized according to WHO z-score, chi-square test, and relative risk were used to test the associations using 0.05 significant levels. The study revealed that the prevalence of acute malnutrition was 19%;
underweight infants 35%, and chronic malnutrition 51%. The study also revealed that 32% of participants were breastfed while 68% were not. The prevalence rates among breastfeeding were 7.7% for acute malnutrition, 21%, for underweight, and 58.5% for chronic malnutrition. For the group who do not breastfeed, these rates were found
24.4% for acute malnutrition with wasting, 41.5% for underweight, and 47.6% for chronic malnutrition. The study concludes that poor breastfeeding may be contributing to a higher risk of malnutrition and mortality among under-five children. Keywords: breastfeeding, nutritional status, children, Khartoum State, Sudan
International Education and Research Journal, 2017
We are adopting a hybrid learning strategy in our college of which the problem-based learning is ... more We are adopting a hybrid learning strategy in our college of which the problem-based learning is a cornerstone. The subject of problem based-tutoring is a matter of great debate among our staff members. Defining the role of and, the criteria of the tutor need to be clarified. We carried out this mini literature review to identify the responsibilities of the problem-based learning (PBL) tutor and to find who is better; content expert tutor or process expert tutor for the efficient running of the PBL session.
Background: During the past decades many industrialized countries have experienced a dramatic dec... more Background: During the past decades many industrialized countries have experienced a dramatic decline in dental caries prevalence among children. The reasons behind the improved oral conditions include but not limited to improved oral hygiene practices, fluoridated toothpastes, and effective oral health programs beside establishment of school-based health education programs. Consequently the oral and dental health knowledge increased and the attitude of children and their parent was changed. Health education is defined as the principles that people follow and behave in a manner that promotes, maintains and/or restores health. Objective: The present study was carried out among school age children in Najran Saudi Arabia to assess the impact of health education program on promoting knowledge and practices among those students towards dental caries. Material & Methods: This is school-based interventional study that has been undertaken in Najran city during the period of October 2013 to May 2014. A multistage random sample technique was used to obtain a total sample of 288 students from 3 different public primary schools for girls in Najran. Subjects were grouped into three groups according to their schools. The principal method of data collection was a semi structured, open-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of two parts that were personal data and some questions to be answered by the students. Also a clinical examination guided by the DMFT index (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth index) was carried by a dentist. Thereafter a medical specialist gave the students an education health program about the importance of oral health and its role in maintaining the integrity of the teeth. The questionnaire was offered to the students once more to evaluate the effects of the health education program. Results: Two hundred nine students out of 288 students examined had unhealthy teeth (prevalence rate of 72.57%) and DMFT mean of the surveyed subjects was 0.73. Sixteen percent of the examined students didn't know the causes of dental caries. Seventy percent of the respondents have no idea about fluoridated toothpaste. The study also revealed that 37% of the students get their knowledge about oral issues from their parents. The parents' education did not influence (p>0.05) the incidence of dental caries. Ninety percent of students with dental problems have positive family history of dental caries. After conducting the health education program all students become aware of the causes of dental caries and their knowledge was significantly (p<0.01) improved. Also the students' knowledge about fluorinated toothpastes and their importance in combating dental caries was significantly (p<0.01) increased. Furthermore DMF index declined to 0.7. Conclusion & Recommendation: Dental caries prevails among school age students and hereditary is a major predisposing factor that aggravates the situation. The Saudi students' knowledge about the oral health is very poor and they only get it from illiterate parents. Thus this study places extra emphasis on dental education programs implementation in primary schools to reduce dental caries among students. Since most of students' parents are illiterates dental caries preventive strategies; like offering teeth brushing classes before starting the regular classes as well as endorsement of sustainable health education programs in cooperation between education and medical authorities; must be thought-out and implemented in Najran area.
After more than a decade of teaching the course of research skills, I believe that the need for r... more After more than a decade of teaching the course of research skills, I believe that the need for reference works on proposal writing for students and researchers is an essential handout. Not only to acquire the ability to write successful researched proposals but also to share my experience with them. The purpose of this review is to screen research skills literature to identify how and why proposals are written. Ultimately, to provide a document that guides students and researchers to write an effective proposal for their research projects. I found following accredited proposal guidelines will help to produce an effective successful document. However, there is no one single format but general template. Every institution, journal or funding agency has its own format. But all have this sequence: introduction, objectives, methodology, workplan, budget, references and annexes. 1) Background: There is no single formula for a strong effective proposal. There are a number of precepts that are consistently found in successful proposals. The sooner one learns them, the better. (1) When a social scientist desires to conduct an experiment, he first develops a proposal. The proposal introduces the problem, the significance of a study as well as the experimenter's research question and hypothesis. It also gives a brief explanation of the theory guiding the study, a review of relevant literature pertaining to the theory, and the procedure for the experiment. (2) The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem. As well as, to show design elements and procedures for conducting the research. It goes without saying the proposal must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. (3)
Southern African Journal of Epidemiology and Infection, 2011
This study, assessing existing practices in the operating theatre regarding hand washing, disinfe... more This study, assessing existing practices in the operating theatre regarding hand washing, disinfection and sterilisation, was conducted at Khartoum North Teaching Hospital. As far as we know, this is the first study of its kind since the inauguration of the hospital in 1950. A total of 55 health personnel working in the operating theatre participated in the study. These included nurses and environmental service personnel (housekeepers and sterilisation and disinfection personnel). Knowledge and practice were evaluated using multiple choice and direct interview questions. Operation theatre sterilisation and disinfection practices were monitored using checklists modified from World Health Organization recommendations. A marked lack of knowledge and defective attitudes and practices were observed among a large number of personnel. It was observed that 51% of the nurses were 46 years of age or older and that two-thirds had only a primary and intermediate school level education. The study recommends the upgrading of the operating theatres and additional training and education of staff. Theatres should be provided with facilities for proper disinfection and waste disposal. Qualified nurses should be employed. We also recommend the establishment of an infection control committee. The role of the committee would include the planning and execution of hygiene policies. In addition, planning and organising training courses in infection control should be seen as a priority.
Journal of Research in Medical Education & Ethics, 2015
Objectives: In this article, the authors describe the practice of Najran school of medicine of ad... more Objectives: In this article, the authors describe the practice of Najran school of medicine of adopting a new credit hours policy and evaluate the impact of this change on fixing problems of credit hours calculation for PBL courses. Method: The approach, we followed, was content analysis of the literature concerning what is written about credit hours of the different learning activity. We set a new credit hours policy where every learning activity was evaluated, defined & the equivalent workload & credit were assigned. The new policy was applied to 11 courses of the integrated PBL curriculum of Najran medical school & a report for curriculum reform was created. Results: We found that the application of the new policy can help to reduce lectures & gives chance for increase of student-centered learning activities on further curriculum revisions. Conclusion: The application of this policy was suitable for adjustment of the credit hours of our Hybrid PBL Curriculum for the purpose of academic accreditation. It can also give flexibility to the process of curriculum reform that is highly relevant to PBL philosophy.
This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Najran University College of Medicine in... more This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Najran University College of Medicine in Saudi Arabia. The aim was to find out some of the disadvantages of the PowerPoint presentations from the students’ points of views. Only undergraduate medical students were included in the study. A questionnaire was designed that includes demographic data along with other data about PowerPoint presentations. One hundred and ten students participated in this study voluntarily, data was collected and analyzed using Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS Program). Result showed out of the total (n=110), 95(86%) of the students believed that PowerPoint presentations have a lot of pitfalls and limitations. Approximately half of the students 57(52%) reported that the most boring factor in the presentations was the large number of slides being presented. About 60 (54%) of the students considered that dim light was the first distracting factor. Whilst 28(25%) said that the flying text or...
Credit hours policy & hybrid problem-based learning (PBL) medical curriculum reform: An Experienc... more Credit hours policy & hybrid problem-based learning (PBL) medical curriculum reform: An Experience of Najran school of medicine KSA Mohamed Hanafy Morsy1,7, Jobran Miree Al-Qahtani2, Mohamed Saeed Alayed2, Saeed Ali Alsareii3, Moawia Hassan Alshiek4, Metwally Abdullah5, Shiraz Elkheir6, Mohamed Amin Al-khawanki1, Mohamed Sabry6 1Hematology Department -Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 2Pediatrics Department-Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 3Surgery Department-Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 4Community medicine Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 5Forensic Medicine Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 6Anatomy Department Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 7Al-Azhar school of Medicine - Clinical Pathology Department-Cairo-Egypt Abstract Abstract Problem-based learning (PBL) promotes self-directed learning (SDL) which is often linked to lifelong learning and higher learning skills notably critical thinking. With the introduction of (PBL) into most...
This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Alshikh Mohamed Ali Fadul hospital in Om... more This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Alshikh Mohamed Ali Fadul hospital in Omdurman City-Sudan during September 2013 -September 2014. The main aim was to identify the association of placenta previa with multiparity and previous caesarean section in pregnant women. In antenatal clinic as per protocol 200 pregnant women were scanned in their second and third trimester for foetal wellbeing and placental localization after taking a detailed obstetrical history and clinical examination. All women with or without symptoms of placenta previa showing placental implantation in lower uterine segment on ultrasound scan were documented. After completion of the two years data regarding the detailed obstetrical and surgical history were recorded in a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Software. Sixty five women were diagnosed as cases of placenta previa. The overall incidence of placenta previa was found to be 32.5% (65 women). Out of these 7 were primigrvidas, 12 were mult...
Abstract Poor children’s feeding practices can lead to malnutrition which is a major public healt... more Abstract Poor children’s feeding practices can lead to malnutrition which is a major public health problem in developing countries including Sudan. This cross-sectional study was conducted during July 2008 - July 2010 to understand the relationship between feeding practices and prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among 6 -59 months aged children, in Khartoum state. A cluster sampling technique was used for selecting 780 households each with at least a child aged 6-59 months. A structured questionnaire and checklists which included feeding practices were filled through observation and interview with the mothers/ caregivers. Nutritional status of participating children was assessed using anthropometric measurements and categorized according to WHO guidelines. The study revealed that out of 780 children who participated in the study the prevalence of acute malnutrition (wasting) was 19%; the prevalence of underweight was 35%, and chronic malnutrition (stunting) represents ...
IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences, 2014
The present study was carried out among school age girls in Najran-Saudi Arabia to assess the pre... more The present study was carried out among school age girls in Najran-Saudi Arabia to assess the prevalence of dental caries and to compare the decayed, missing and filled teeth index (DMFT Index) of two students groups. Furthermore the influences of age, parents education, frequency of sweets consumption per day, frequency of teeth brushing, genetic predisposition, family illiteracy, non-acquaintance of the importance of mouth hygiene as well as the ignorance of students on incidence of dental caries were also investigated. A total number of 192 girl students were selected from 3 different public primary schools. The subjects were grouped into two groups according to age. Group I was 10-11 years old (n=96) and group II was 12-13 years old (n=96). The principal method of data collection was a semi structured open-ended questionnaire and interview, beside a clinical examination. The incidence of dental caries was significantly high (p < 0.001)in group I compared to group II. The DMFT index for group I was3.83while that of group II was3.04. About 34.37% of the subjects surveyed brush their teeth at least twice a day and only 24.31% of them know about fluoridated toothpaste. About 83.85% of the families of the studied subjects have a positive history of dental caries. Dental caries prevalence was significantly high (P <0.001) among subjects who consume sweets more than twice a day, students born to illiterate parents, children of families having history of dental caries as well as children who have no idea about the importance of mouth hygiene. In conclusion the prevalence of dental caries is very high among school girl students particularly those aged 10-11 years. Genetic factors, family illiteracy, non-acquaintance of the importance of mouth hygiene, frequency of sweet consumption per day, frequency of teeth brushing as well as the ignorance of students contribute to this high rate of dental caries.
Background and aim: Dental caries is the most prevalent and chronic disease worldwide. Caries occ... more Background and aim: Dental caries is the most prevalent and chronic disease worldwide. Caries occurrence and progression are known to be influenced by a complex interplay of both environmental and genetic factors. A genetics approach provides an opportunity for better discrimination between genetic and environmental components. The present study was carried out among 120 school age students and their families in Najran – Saudi Arabia to identify the association between dental caries and hereditary factor. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study undertaken in Najran city during the period from February to September, 2015. A total number of 120 school aged participants+ their families were selected randomly from various areas inside Najran city that composed of 86 (71.7%) Saudi nationality and 34 (28.3%) non-Saudi nationalities. The principal method of data collection was a semi structured questionnaire and interview, beside a clinical examination. Results: The prevale...
After more than a decade of teaching the course of research skills, I believe that the need for r... more After more than a decade of teaching the course of research skills, I believe that the need for reference works on proposal writing for students and researchers is an essential handout. Not only to acquire the ability to write successful researched proposals but also to share my experience with them. The purpose of this review is to screen research skills literature to identify how and why proposals are written. Ultimately, to provide a document that guides students and researchers to write an effective proposal for their research projects. I found following accredited proposal guidelines will help to produce an effective successful document. However, there is no one single format but general template. Every institution, journal or funding agency has its own format. But all have this sequence: introduction, objectives, methodology, workplan, budget, references and annexes. 1) Background: There is no single formula for a strong effective proposal. There are a number of precepts that are consistently found in successful proposals. The sooner one learns them, the better. (1) When a social scientist desires to conduct an experiment, he first develops a proposal. The proposal introduces the problem, the significance of a study as well as the experimenter's research question and hypothesis. It also gives a brief explanation of the theory guiding the study, a review of relevant literature pertaining to the theory, and the procedure for the experiment. (2) The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem. As well as, to show design elements and procedures for conducting the research. It goes without saying the proposal must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. (3)
The choice of sampling design-technique and size-is a common task for all types of research regar... more The choice of sampling design-technique and size-is a common task for all types of research regardless of the discipline. Inappropriate, inadequate, or excessive sample technique or size will influence the quality and accuracy of research. This paper describes the procedures used for selecting the proper sampling technique and determining sample size in biomedical and education research. Also, discusses the differences and similarities in terms of sampling designs. It is a descriptive case study; involves systematic literature search to identify, appraise and synthesize the content about sampling designs relevant to health and educational research. We find the process of sampling is important to both quantitative and qualitative designs used by health and educational research. Unfortunately, a false dichotomy appears to exist in terms of sampling designs. Random sampling tends to be associated with quantitative research, whereas non-random sampling typically linked to qualitative research type. However, the choice of sampling design should base on generalization and extrapolation intentions rather than research type. In fact, both health and education researches, utilize random and non-random sampling designs. Although there is no agreement on the sample size for a qualitative study, there are several guidelines can be followed. Generally, four criteria needed to determine the appropriate sample size. These criteria include the level of precision δ, the level of confidence α, the degree of variability and the power β. Based on this we concluded that sampling design is both statistical decision and a random guess. This is because health and educational research usually use quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research designs.
Background: During the past decades many industrialized countries have experienced a dramatic dec... more Background: During the past decades many industrialized countries have experienced a dramatic decline in dental caries prevalence among children. The reasons behind the improved oral conditions include but not limited to improved oral hygiene practices, fluoridated toothpastes, and effective oral health programs beside establishment of school-based health education programs. Consequently the oral and dental health knowledge increased and the attitude of children and their parent was changed. Health education is defined as the principles that people follow and behave in a manner that promotes, maintains and/or restores health. Objective: The present study was carried out among school age children in Najran Saudi Arabia to assess the impact of health education program on promoting knowledge and practices among those students towards dental caries. Material & Methods: This is school-based interventional study that has been undertaken in Najran city during the period of October 2013 to May 2014. A multistage random sample technique was used to obtain a total sample of 288 students from 3 different public primary schools for girls in Najran. Subjects were grouped into three groups according to their schools. The principal method of data collection was a semi structured, open-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of two parts that were personal data and some questions to be answered by the students. Also a clinical examination guided by the DMFT index (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth index) was carried by a dentist. Thereafter a medical specialist gave the students an education health program about the importance of oral health and its role in maintaining the integrity of the teeth. The questionnaire was offered to the students once more to evaluate the effects of the health education program. Results: Two hundred nine students out of 288 students examined had unhealthy teeth (prevalence rate of 72.57%) and DMFT mean of the surveyed subjects was 0.73. Sixteen percent of the examined students didn't know the causes of dental caries. Seventy percent of the respondents have no idea about fluoridated toothpaste. The study also revealed that 37% of the students get their knowledge about oral issues from their parents. The parents' education did not influence (p>0.05) the incidence of dental caries. Ninety percent of students with dental problems have positive family history of dental caries. After conducting the health education program all students become aware of the causes of dental caries and their knowledge was significantly (p<0.01) improved. Also the students' knowledge about fluorinated toothpastes and their importance in combating dental caries was significantly (p<0.01) increased. Furthermore DMF index declined to 0.7. Conclusion & Recommendation: Dental caries prevails among school age students and hereditary is a major predisposing factor that aggravates the situation. The Saudi students' knowledge about the oral health is very poor and they only get it from illiterate parents. Thus this study places extra emphasis on dental education programs implementation in primary schools to reduce dental caries among students. Since most of students' parents are illiterates dental caries preventive strategies; like offering teeth brushing classes before starting the regular classes as well as endorsement of sustainable health education programs in cooperation between education and medical authorities; must be thought-out and implemented in Najran area.
Objectives: In this article, the authors describe the practice of Najran School of Medicine of ad... more Objectives: In this article, the authors describe the practice of Najran School of Medicine of adopting an incipient credit hours policy and evaluate the impact of this change on fine-tuning quandaries of credit hours calculation for PBL courses. Method: The approach, we followed, was content analysis of the literature concerning what is written about credit hours of the different learning activity. We set an incipient credit hours policy where every learning activity assessed, characterized and the equipollent workload and credit were assigned. The incipient policy was applied to 11 courses of the integrated problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum of Najran medical school and a report for curriculum reform was engendered. Results: We found that the application of the incipient policy can avail to reduce lectures and gives chance for increase of student-centred learning activities on further curriculum revisions. Conclusion: The application of this policy was effective for adjustment of the credit hours of our Hybrid PBL Curriculum for the purpose of academic accreditation. It can also give flexibility to the process of curriculum reform that is highly germane to PBL philosophy.
Effect of application of credit hours policy on hybrid PBL medical curriculum reform: suggested m... more Effect of application of credit hours policy on hybrid PBL medical curriculum reform: suggested model for Saudi medical schools Mohamed Hanafy Morsy, Jobran Al-Qahtani, Mohamed Alayed, Saeed Alsareii, Moawia Alshiek, Metwally Abdullah, Shiraz Elkheir, Mohamed Al-khawanki, Mohamed Sabry BACKGROUND: Problem-based learning (PBL) promotes self-directed learning (SDL) which is often linked to lifelong learning and higher learning skills notably critical thinking. With the introduction of (PBL) into most medical schools, the number of lectures in undergraduate courses has significantly reduced. The majority have introduced integrated lectures to address the needs of a PBL structure. Several medical schools in KSA continue to shift toward the PBL curriculum. One of the dilemmas of PBL curriculum building is establishment of course credit system suitable for nature of PBL as well as with requirements of accreditation. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of a new credit hour policy application on...
International Journal of Medical and Health Research, Aug 1, 2018
Breastfeeding among Infants and Its Association with the Nutritional Status of Children Under Five Years in Khartoum, Sudan, 2015
Abstract: Reports show that universal coverage of breastfeeding could prevent 13% of deaths among... more Abstract: Reports show that universal coverage of breastfeeding could prevent 13% of deaths among children under five years. Breastfeeding protects infants from common infections, strengthens the immune system, and protects their digestive system. Worldwide, it is estimated that only 34.8% of infants are exclusively breastfed. This
a cross-sectional study was conducted from 2008 to 2010 to estimate the prevalence rate of breastfeeding and to
understand the relationship between breastfeeding and the nutritional status of children aged 5 years and under.
A cluster sampling technique was used for selecting 780 households with at least one child under five. Structured
questionnaires were administered to mothers. The nutritional status of children was assessed using anthropometrics and categorized according to WHO z-score, chi-square test, and relative risk were used to test the associations using 0.05 significant levels. The study revealed that the prevalence of acute malnutrition was 19%;
underweight infants 35%, and chronic malnutrition 51%. The study also revealed that 32% of participants were breastfed while 68% were not. The prevalence rates among breastfeeding were 7.7% for acute malnutrition, 21%, for underweight, and 58.5% for chronic malnutrition. For the group who do not breastfeed, these rates were found
24.4% for acute malnutrition with wasting, 41.5% for underweight, and 47.6% for chronic malnutrition. The study concludes that poor breastfeeding may be contributing to a higher risk of malnutrition and mortality among under-five children. Keywords: breastfeeding, nutritional status, children, Khartoum State, Sudan
International Education and Research Journal, 2017
We are adopting a hybrid learning strategy in our college of which the problem-based learning is ... more We are adopting a hybrid learning strategy in our college of which the problem-based learning is a cornerstone. The subject of problem based-tutoring is a matter of great debate among our staff members. Defining the role of and, the criteria of the tutor need to be clarified. We carried out this mini literature review to identify the responsibilities of the problem-based learning (PBL) tutor and to find who is better; content expert tutor or process expert tutor for the efficient running of the PBL session.
Background: During the past decades many industrialized countries have experienced a dramatic dec... more Background: During the past decades many industrialized countries have experienced a dramatic decline in dental caries prevalence among children. The reasons behind the improved oral conditions include but not limited to improved oral hygiene practices, fluoridated toothpastes, and effective oral health programs beside establishment of school-based health education programs. Consequently the oral and dental health knowledge increased and the attitude of children and their parent was changed. Health education is defined as the principles that people follow and behave in a manner that promotes, maintains and/or restores health. Objective: The present study was carried out among school age children in Najran Saudi Arabia to assess the impact of health education program on promoting knowledge and practices among those students towards dental caries. Material & Methods: This is school-based interventional study that has been undertaken in Najran city during the period of October 2013 to May 2014. A multistage random sample technique was used to obtain a total sample of 288 students from 3 different public primary schools for girls in Najran. Subjects were grouped into three groups according to their schools. The principal method of data collection was a semi structured, open-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of two parts that were personal data and some questions to be answered by the students. Also a clinical examination guided by the DMFT index (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth index) was carried by a dentist. Thereafter a medical specialist gave the students an education health program about the importance of oral health and its role in maintaining the integrity of the teeth. The questionnaire was offered to the students once more to evaluate the effects of the health education program. Results: Two hundred nine students out of 288 students examined had unhealthy teeth (prevalence rate of 72.57%) and DMFT mean of the surveyed subjects was 0.73. Sixteen percent of the examined students didn't know the causes of dental caries. Seventy percent of the respondents have no idea about fluoridated toothpaste. The study also revealed that 37% of the students get their knowledge about oral issues from their parents. The parents' education did not influence (p>0.05) the incidence of dental caries. Ninety percent of students with dental problems have positive family history of dental caries. After conducting the health education program all students become aware of the causes of dental caries and their knowledge was significantly (p<0.01) improved. Also the students' knowledge about fluorinated toothpastes and their importance in combating dental caries was significantly (p<0.01) increased. Furthermore DMF index declined to 0.7. Conclusion & Recommendation: Dental caries prevails among school age students and hereditary is a major predisposing factor that aggravates the situation. The Saudi students' knowledge about the oral health is very poor and they only get it from illiterate parents. Thus this study places extra emphasis on dental education programs implementation in primary schools to reduce dental caries among students. Since most of students' parents are illiterates dental caries preventive strategies; like offering teeth brushing classes before starting the regular classes as well as endorsement of sustainable health education programs in cooperation between education and medical authorities; must be thought-out and implemented in Najran area.
After more than a decade of teaching the course of research skills, I believe that the need for r... more After more than a decade of teaching the course of research skills, I believe that the need for reference works on proposal writing for students and researchers is an essential handout. Not only to acquire the ability to write successful researched proposals but also to share my experience with them. The purpose of this review is to screen research skills literature to identify how and why proposals are written. Ultimately, to provide a document that guides students and researchers to write an effective proposal for their research projects. I found following accredited proposal guidelines will help to produce an effective successful document. However, there is no one single format but general template. Every institution, journal or funding agency has its own format. But all have this sequence: introduction, objectives, methodology, workplan, budget, references and annexes. 1) Background: There is no single formula for a strong effective proposal. There are a number of precepts that are consistently found in successful proposals. The sooner one learns them, the better. (1) When a social scientist desires to conduct an experiment, he first develops a proposal. The proposal introduces the problem, the significance of a study as well as the experimenter's research question and hypothesis. It also gives a brief explanation of the theory guiding the study, a review of relevant literature pertaining to the theory, and the procedure for the experiment. (2) The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem. As well as, to show design elements and procedures for conducting the research. It goes without saying the proposal must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. (3)
Southern African Journal of Epidemiology and Infection, 2011
This study, assessing existing practices in the operating theatre regarding hand washing, disinfe... more This study, assessing existing practices in the operating theatre regarding hand washing, disinfection and sterilisation, was conducted at Khartoum North Teaching Hospital. As far as we know, this is the first study of its kind since the inauguration of the hospital in 1950. A total of 55 health personnel working in the operating theatre participated in the study. These included nurses and environmental service personnel (housekeepers and sterilisation and disinfection personnel). Knowledge and practice were evaluated using multiple choice and direct interview questions. Operation theatre sterilisation and disinfection practices were monitored using checklists modified from World Health Organization recommendations. A marked lack of knowledge and defective attitudes and practices were observed among a large number of personnel. It was observed that 51% of the nurses were 46 years of age or older and that two-thirds had only a primary and intermediate school level education. The study recommends the upgrading of the operating theatres and additional training and education of staff. Theatres should be provided with facilities for proper disinfection and waste disposal. Qualified nurses should be employed. We also recommend the establishment of an infection control committee. The role of the committee would include the planning and execution of hygiene policies. In addition, planning and organising training courses in infection control should be seen as a priority.
Journal of Research in Medical Education & Ethics, 2015
Objectives: In this article, the authors describe the practice of Najran school of medicine of ad... more Objectives: In this article, the authors describe the practice of Najran school of medicine of adopting a new credit hours policy and evaluate the impact of this change on fixing problems of credit hours calculation for PBL courses. Method: The approach, we followed, was content analysis of the literature concerning what is written about credit hours of the different learning activity. We set a new credit hours policy where every learning activity was evaluated, defined & the equivalent workload & credit were assigned. The new policy was applied to 11 courses of the integrated PBL curriculum of Najran medical school & a report for curriculum reform was created. Results: We found that the application of the new policy can help to reduce lectures & gives chance for increase of student-centered learning activities on further curriculum revisions. Conclusion: The application of this policy was suitable for adjustment of the credit hours of our Hybrid PBL Curriculum for the purpose of academic accreditation. It can also give flexibility to the process of curriculum reform that is highly relevant to PBL philosophy.
This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Najran University College of Medicine in... more This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Najran University College of Medicine in Saudi Arabia. The aim was to find out some of the disadvantages of the PowerPoint presentations from the students’ points of views. Only undergraduate medical students were included in the study. A questionnaire was designed that includes demographic data along with other data about PowerPoint presentations. One hundred and ten students participated in this study voluntarily, data was collected and analyzed using Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS Program). Result showed out of the total (n=110), 95(86%) of the students believed that PowerPoint presentations have a lot of pitfalls and limitations. Approximately half of the students 57(52%) reported that the most boring factor in the presentations was the large number of slides being presented. About 60 (54%) of the students considered that dim light was the first distracting factor. Whilst 28(25%) said that the flying text or...
Credit hours policy & hybrid problem-based learning (PBL) medical curriculum reform: An Experienc... more Credit hours policy & hybrid problem-based learning (PBL) medical curriculum reform: An Experience of Najran school of medicine KSA Mohamed Hanafy Morsy1,7, Jobran Miree Al-Qahtani2, Mohamed Saeed Alayed2, Saeed Ali Alsareii3, Moawia Hassan Alshiek4, Metwally Abdullah5, Shiraz Elkheir6, Mohamed Amin Al-khawanki1, Mohamed Sabry6 1Hematology Department -Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 2Pediatrics Department-Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 3Surgery Department-Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 4Community medicine Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 5Forensic Medicine Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 6Anatomy Department Faculty of medicine – Najran University; 7Al-Azhar school of Medicine - Clinical Pathology Department-Cairo-Egypt Abstract Abstract Problem-based learning (PBL) promotes self-directed learning (SDL) which is often linked to lifelong learning and higher learning skills notably critical thinking. With the introduction of (PBL) into most...
This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Alshikh Mohamed Ali Fadul hospital in Om... more This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted in Alshikh Mohamed Ali Fadul hospital in Omdurman City-Sudan during September 2013 -September 2014. The main aim was to identify the association of placenta previa with multiparity and previous caesarean section in pregnant women. In antenatal clinic as per protocol 200 pregnant women were scanned in their second and third trimester for foetal wellbeing and placental localization after taking a detailed obstetrical history and clinical examination. All women with or without symptoms of placenta previa showing placental implantation in lower uterine segment on ultrasound scan were documented. After completion of the two years data regarding the detailed obstetrical and surgical history were recorded in a questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Software. Sixty five women were diagnosed as cases of placenta previa. The overall incidence of placenta previa was found to be 32.5% (65 women). Out of these 7 were primigrvidas, 12 were mult...
Abstract Poor children’s feeding practices can lead to malnutrition which is a major public healt... more Abstract Poor children’s feeding practices can lead to malnutrition which is a major public health problem in developing countries including Sudan. This cross-sectional study was conducted during July 2008 - July 2010 to understand the relationship between feeding practices and prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among 6 -59 months aged children, in Khartoum state. A cluster sampling technique was used for selecting 780 households each with at least a child aged 6-59 months. A structured questionnaire and checklists which included feeding practices were filled through observation and interview with the mothers/ caregivers. Nutritional status of participating children was assessed using anthropometric measurements and categorized according to WHO guidelines. The study revealed that out of 780 children who participated in the study the prevalence of acute malnutrition (wasting) was 19%; the prevalence of underweight was 35%, and chronic malnutrition (stunting) represents ...
IOSR Journal of Dental and Medical Sciences, 2014
The present study was carried out among school age girls in Najran-Saudi Arabia to assess the pre... more The present study was carried out among school age girls in Najran-Saudi Arabia to assess the prevalence of dental caries and to compare the decayed, missing and filled teeth index (DMFT Index) of two students groups. Furthermore the influences of age, parents education, frequency of sweets consumption per day, frequency of teeth brushing, genetic predisposition, family illiteracy, non-acquaintance of the importance of mouth hygiene as well as the ignorance of students on incidence of dental caries were also investigated. A total number of 192 girl students were selected from 3 different public primary schools. The subjects were grouped into two groups according to age. Group I was 10-11 years old (n=96) and group II was 12-13 years old (n=96). The principal method of data collection was a semi structured open-ended questionnaire and interview, beside a clinical examination. The incidence of dental caries was significantly high (p < 0.001)in group I compared to group II. The DMFT index for group I was3.83while that of group II was3.04. About 34.37% of the subjects surveyed brush their teeth at least twice a day and only 24.31% of them know about fluoridated toothpaste. About 83.85% of the families of the studied subjects have a positive history of dental caries. Dental caries prevalence was significantly high (P <0.001) among subjects who consume sweets more than twice a day, students born to illiterate parents, children of families having history of dental caries as well as children who have no idea about the importance of mouth hygiene. In conclusion the prevalence of dental caries is very high among school girl students particularly those aged 10-11 years. Genetic factors, family illiteracy, non-acquaintance of the importance of mouth hygiene, frequency of sweet consumption per day, frequency of teeth brushing as well as the ignorance of students contribute to this high rate of dental caries.
Background and aim: Dental caries is the most prevalent and chronic disease worldwide. Caries occ... more Background and aim: Dental caries is the most prevalent and chronic disease worldwide. Caries occurrence and progression are known to be influenced by a complex interplay of both environmental and genetic factors. A genetics approach provides an opportunity for better discrimination between genetic and environmental components. The present study was carried out among 120 school age students and their families in Najran – Saudi Arabia to identify the association between dental caries and hereditary factor. Methodology: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study undertaken in Najran city during the period from February to September, 2015. A total number of 120 school aged participants+ their families were selected randomly from various areas inside Najran city that composed of 86 (71.7%) Saudi nationality and 34 (28.3%) non-Saudi nationalities. The principal method of data collection was a semi structured questionnaire and interview, beside a clinical examination. Results: The prevale...
After more than a decade of teaching the course of research skills, I believe that the need for r... more After more than a decade of teaching the course of research skills, I believe that the need for reference works on proposal writing for students and researchers is an essential handout. Not only to acquire the ability to write successful researched proposals but also to share my experience with them. The purpose of this review is to screen research skills literature to identify how and why proposals are written. Ultimately, to provide a document that guides students and researchers to write an effective proposal for their research projects. I found following accredited proposal guidelines will help to produce an effective successful document. However, there is no one single format but general template. Every institution, journal or funding agency has its own format. But all have this sequence: introduction, objectives, methodology, workplan, budget, references and annexes. 1) Background: There is no single formula for a strong effective proposal. There are a number of precepts that are consistently found in successful proposals. The sooner one learns them, the better. (1) When a social scientist desires to conduct an experiment, he first develops a proposal. The proposal introduces the problem, the significance of a study as well as the experimenter's research question and hypothesis. It also gives a brief explanation of the theory guiding the study, a review of relevant literature pertaining to the theory, and the procedure for the experiment. (2) The goal of a research proposal is to present and justify the need to study a research problem. As well as, to show design elements and procedures for conducting the research. It goes without saying the proposal must provide persuasive evidence that a need exists for the proposed study. (3)
The choice of sampling design-technique and size-is a common task for all types of research regar... more The choice of sampling design-technique and size-is a common task for all types of research regardless of the discipline. Inappropriate, inadequate, or excessive sample technique or size will influence the quality and accuracy of research. This paper describes the procedures used for selecting the proper sampling technique and determining sample size in biomedical and education research. Also, discusses the differences and similarities in terms of sampling designs. It is a descriptive case study; involves systematic literature search to identify, appraise and synthesize the content about sampling designs relevant to health and educational research. We find the process of sampling is important to both quantitative and qualitative designs used by health and educational research. Unfortunately, a false dichotomy appears to exist in terms of sampling designs. Random sampling tends to be associated with quantitative research, whereas non-random sampling typically linked to qualitative research type. However, the choice of sampling design should base on generalization and extrapolation intentions rather than research type. In fact, both health and education researches, utilize random and non-random sampling designs. Although there is no agreement on the sample size for a qualitative study, there are several guidelines can be followed. Generally, four criteria needed to determine the appropriate sample size. These criteria include the level of precision δ, the level of confidence α, the degree of variability and the power β. Based on this we concluded that sampling design is both statistical decision and a random guess. This is because health and educational research usually use quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research designs.
Background: During the past decades many industrialized countries have experienced a dramatic dec... more Background: During the past decades many industrialized countries have experienced a dramatic decline in dental caries prevalence among children. The reasons behind the improved oral conditions include but not limited to improved oral hygiene practices, fluoridated toothpastes, and effective oral health programs beside establishment of school-based health education programs. Consequently the oral and dental health knowledge increased and the attitude of children and their parent was changed. Health education is defined as the principles that people follow and behave in a manner that promotes, maintains and/or restores health. Objective: The present study was carried out among school age children in Najran Saudi Arabia to assess the impact of health education program on promoting knowledge and practices among those students towards dental caries. Material & Methods: This is school-based interventional study that has been undertaken in Najran city during the period of October 2013 to May 2014. A multistage random sample technique was used to obtain a total sample of 288 students from 3 different public primary schools for girls in Najran. Subjects were grouped into three groups according to their schools. The principal method of data collection was a semi structured, open-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire was composed of two parts that were personal data and some questions to be answered by the students. Also a clinical examination guided by the DMFT index (Decayed, Missing and Filled Teeth index) was carried by a dentist. Thereafter a medical specialist gave the students an education health program about the importance of oral health and its role in maintaining the integrity of the teeth. The questionnaire was offered to the students once more to evaluate the effects of the health education program. Results: Two hundred nine students out of 288 students examined had unhealthy teeth (prevalence rate of 72.57%) and DMFT mean of the surveyed subjects was 0.73. Sixteen percent of the examined students didn't know the causes of dental caries. Seventy percent of the respondents have no idea about fluoridated toothpaste. The study also revealed that 37% of the students get their knowledge about oral issues from their parents. The parents' education did not influence (p>0.05) the incidence of dental caries. Ninety percent of students with dental problems have positive family history of dental caries. After conducting the health education program all students become aware of the causes of dental caries and their knowledge was significantly (p<0.01) improved. Also the students' knowledge about fluorinated toothpastes and their importance in combating dental caries was significantly (p<0.01) increased. Furthermore DMF index declined to 0.7. Conclusion & Recommendation: Dental caries prevails among school age students and hereditary is a major predisposing factor that aggravates the situation. The Saudi students' knowledge about the oral health is very poor and they only get it from illiterate parents. Thus this study places extra emphasis on dental education programs implementation in primary schools to reduce dental caries among students. Since most of students' parents are illiterates dental caries preventive strategies; like offering teeth brushing classes before starting the regular classes as well as endorsement of sustainable health education programs in cooperation between education and medical authorities; must be thought-out and implemented in Najran area.
Objectives: In this article, the authors describe the practice of Najran School of Medicine of ad... more Objectives: In this article, the authors describe the practice of Najran School of Medicine of adopting an incipient credit hours policy and evaluate the impact of this change on fine-tuning quandaries of credit hours calculation for PBL courses. Method: The approach, we followed, was content analysis of the literature concerning what is written about credit hours of the different learning activity. We set an incipient credit hours policy where every learning activity assessed, characterized and the equipollent workload and credit were assigned. The incipient policy was applied to 11 courses of the integrated problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum of Najran medical school and a report for curriculum reform was engendered. Results: We found that the application of the incipient policy can avail to reduce lectures and gives chance for increase of student-centred learning activities on further curriculum revisions. Conclusion: The application of this policy was effective for adjustment of the credit hours of our Hybrid PBL Curriculum for the purpose of academic accreditation. It can also give flexibility to the process of curriculum reform that is highly germane to PBL philosophy.
Effect of application of credit hours policy on hybrid PBL medical curriculum reform: suggested m... more Effect of application of credit hours policy on hybrid PBL medical curriculum reform: suggested model for Saudi medical schools Mohamed Hanafy Morsy, Jobran Al-Qahtani, Mohamed Alayed, Saeed Alsareii, Moawia Alshiek, Metwally Abdullah, Shiraz Elkheir, Mohamed Al-khawanki, Mohamed Sabry BACKGROUND: Problem-based learning (PBL) promotes self-directed learning (SDL) which is often linked to lifelong learning and higher learning skills notably critical thinking. With the introduction of (PBL) into most medical schools, the number of lectures in undergraduate courses has significantly reduced. The majority have introduced integrated lectures to address the needs of a PBL structure. Several medical schools in KSA continue to shift toward the PBL curriculum. One of the dilemmas of PBL curriculum building is establishment of course credit system suitable for nature of PBL as well as with requirements of accreditation. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of a new credit hour policy application on...
Objectives: to identify the definition and different practices of semester credit hours policy in... more Objectives: to identify the definition and different practices of semester credit hours policy in different medical and academic institutions. As well as identifying the different patterns of credit hour calculation. Method: An in-depth review of the literature carried out primarily of the American Institutions was the invention of the credit hour system created. We use content analysis' literature review about the semester credit hours policy for the different learning outcomes in medical and academic curricula. Results: We found that almost all academic institutions agree that the credit hour reflects the amount of work expected to achieve intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of achievement. It is not less than one hour of classroom-direct faculty instruction; and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class work each week for a variable number of weeks usually 14-18. All theoretical activities under the direct supervision of an instructor are assigned a ratio of 1:1 contact-credit hour. While, practical activities assigned a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 contact-credit hour. Conclusion: the credit hour system is part of every academic institution measuring the academic learning load. But criticized for its ability to do so; restricting its task to measure the time spent rather than cognition and competency. We recommend our college to assign ratio of 3:1 contact-credit hour for the fieldwork, which was over looked in the curriculum
Purpose –The purpose of this review is to screen the literature of teaching learning strategies. ... more Purpose –The purpose of this review is to screen the literature of teaching learning strategies. It aims at identifying the methods used in higher education in terms of effectives and uses. As well as, to identify how the contact-credit hour ratio is determined for each method. Basically, teaching must include two major components sending and receiving information. Ultimately, the teacher tries his best to impart knowledge as the way he understood it. So, any communication methods that serve this purpose without destroying the objective could be considered as innovative methods of teaching.(1) 1) Introduction: Learning outcomes guide the designing of educational activities, environments and experiences. They help to specify methods and patterns of teaching learning methods. In turn, teaching learning methods depend on a number of factors such as the developmental level of students, goals, intent and objectives of the teacher, content, and environment including time, physical setting and resources. Imagine a course that challenges teachers to meet a number of objectives. A single method cannot meet all of their goals nor can a single method accommodate all learning styles at once. So, we need a toolbox of methods, not merely a single tool.(2) Also, one of the factors that influence learning is student characteristics and these include individual differences, students' previous learning experiences and current understanding of the subject. Other influences can be grouped under context characteristics. These include, especially, the ethos of the department organizing the course and the characteristics of the curriculum. Closely related to this is the teachers' approach to teaching.(3) However, learning results from what the student does and thinks and only from what he does and thinks. So, the teacher can advance learning only by influencing what the student does and thinks to learn. As the quotation above suggests, any conversation about effective teaching must begin with a consideration of how students learn.(4) The students preferred to use learning strategies that enabled them to use time well and choose environments conducive to learning. Moreover, they preferred to seek assistance from their teachers or classmates when encountering learning difficulties.(5) Yet various researchers have stressed different aspects of styles in teaching indicate that teaching styles consist of teachers' personal behaviors and the media used to transmit data to or receive it from the learner. The overall traits and qualities that a teacher displays in the classroom and that are consistent for various situations can be described as teaching style.(5) 2) Teaching learning styles: In the most general terms, there are four or five different models of instructional strategies or teaching learning methods. Having spent years in schools, you will recognize each and probably have strong preferences for one or two models.(2) 1. Didactic-Direct teaching: Verbal and typically in the form of a lecture or presentation. 2. Modeling-Direct teaching: Visual and typically in the form of demonstration and practice. 3. Managerial-Indirect or Interactive teaching: Facilitation, individualization and group management. 4. Dialogic-Indirect Interactive teaching: Socratic Technique of dialogue, questions and discussions. In the Direct Instruction models, the teacher imparts knowledge or demonstrates a skill. In the Indirect Instruction models, the teacher sets up strategies, but does not teach directly; the students make meaning for themselves. In the Interactive Instruction models, the students interact with each other and with the
Purpose –The purpose of this work is to review the literature of the tutor role and responsibilit... more Purpose –The purpose of this work is to review the literature of the tutor role and responsibility aiming at clarifying its limits. As well as, to identify who is effective in running the tutorial the content expert or the non-content. I found a huge literature about problem-based learning: its history, principles and epistemological basis. But, a lot about whether the tutor should be an expert content matter related to the problem under study or non-content expert. There is no consensus about who is more effective in the running the PBL tutorial. However, there is unanimous agreement about the PBL tutorial types. That is tutorial group dynamics and tutorial discussion content. Nevertheless, the content expert can acquire tutorial group dynamics by training; but the other cannot acquire medical knowledge by training. 1. Introduction: 1.1 Background: Problem-based learning (PBL) has been used for over 30 years since it was first introduced into the medical curriculum at McMaster University in Canada. It has now been incorporated as part of a hybrid curriculum at many medical schools worldwide. (1) PBL is considered as an excellent opportunity for students to take responsibility for their learning and to develop a number of cognitive skills. (2) It is a well-recognized teaching approach is characterized, among other things, by student' centeredness of the learning process. (3) In many student-centred curricula, teachers work in small groups with students. Guiding small groups is rather complex and teachers (the so-called tutors) need to stimulate students in these groups towards constructive, self-directed, contextual and collaborative learning. (4) During the process of PBL, tutors play an essential role in facilitating and efficiently structuring tutorials to enable students to construct individual cognitive networks, and have a significant impact on students' performance in subsequent assessments. (5) This implies that both subject-matter expertise and the ability of tutors to facilitate the learning process must be important in helping students to learn. (6) Tutors in (PBL) tutorials have a complex role to play in facilitating students' learning. This includes providing support for students' acquisition of content knowledge and skills in critical thinking, coaching of group processes and modeling of reflective practice. (7) The function of the tutor in PBL differs considerably from that of the tutor in conventional tutorials in which the tutor assumes a comparatively didactic role. (8) In the McMaster University Occupational Therapy (OT) Programme, the role of the tutor is seen as critical to the development of problem-based learning (PBL) and self-directed learning. (9) Based on developments in educational psychology from the late 1980s, it was confirmed that students learn by a learning-oriented teaching (LOT) model. The main characteristics of the model are: cognition (what to learn), affect (why learn), and metacognition (how to learn). This implies a transition from external guidance (from the teacher) through shared guidance (by the student together with the teacher to internal guidance (by the students alone). (10) Much has been