Aleksandar Dusic | Xavier University (original) (raw)

Papers by Aleksandar Dusic

Open Journal of Internal Medicine

Advances in Media, Entertainment, and the Arts, 2022

Health-related Internet searches have been associated with cyberchondria and can impact how patie... more Health-related Internet searches have been associated with cyberchondria and can impact how patients receive and react to medical advice. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationships between patient compliance and the experiences of 191 Internet information seekers from >12 countries and 27 occupations, surveyed online between 2015 and 2016 using the ‘Dr. Net' questionnaire. After Internet search, 75% agreed with the diagnosis given by their doctor and 83% remained compliant with their doctor's orders. Statistical analysis using Kruskal-Wallis H test (“one-way ANOVA on ranks”) and Spearman correlation coefficient revealed strong positive correlations (p < 0.001) between compliance and each of the following: finding the search helpful (86%), being satisfied with Internet information (71%), becoming more cautious about health (60%), finding the information provided by their doctor comprehensible (71%), and agreement with physician. Recommendations are discu...

Indian Journal of Communicable Diseases, 2016

Background: The Caribbean region is the second most affected region in the world in terms of rate... more Background: The Caribbean region is the second most affected region in the world in terms of rates of HIV prevalence after sub-Saharan Africa. HIV/AIDS education needs to target at the young age groups. The aim of the study was to investigate the awareness of AIDS amongst high school students in Bonaire. We hypothesized that after a thorough workshop for students (teens) in schools, they will have a better understanding of the transmission of AIDS and its prevention. Methods: Fifty-two students were tested by using Healthy Oakland Teens Survey, two times, initially and after conduction of workshop on AIDS for the students, in order to see efficiency of this education effort to improve knowledge of AIDS. Results: Knowledge of the students about AIDS significantly increased after conduction of the workshop as compared to that before the workshop. There was a decrease in the number of students stating they were uncomfortable having a conversation about the sex, AIDS and its protection with friends, parents and adults from 32% before the workshop to 26% after the workshop. Their openness for conversation about AIDS, its protection, and sex with friends, adults, and others in the social community also significantly increased after workshop as compared to that before the workshop. Conclusion: There is need for creating enhanced knowledge and awareness on HIV/AIDS among adolescents. It is crucial not only for protecting the students from AIDS but also for preventing the spread of HIV infection.

Advances in Media, Entertainment, and the Arts

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze job-related stress, motivation and satisfaction i... more Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze job-related stress, motivation and satisfaction in higher education institutions, and assesses their implications on health in various industries including higher education. In total, 52 higher education faculty and administrators from institutions in more than 16 countries participated in the study that utilized the organizational surveys, Organizational Effectiveness Inventory® from human synergistics. Subgroup analysis was done to compare faculty and administrators; males to females, private, public, for-profit and not-for-profit institutions. Design/methodology/approach To assess health implications, 160 respondents employed in seven industries were surveyed using a custom medical/stress questionnaire to collect self-reported data on levels of job-related stress, motivation and satisfaction as well as the presence of several medical conditions, including myocardial infarction, stroke, angina pectoris/coronary heart disease, hyperte...

Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences

Background: Cyberchondria is excessive worrying about one’s health that develops following intern... more Background: Cyberchondria is excessive worrying about one’s health that develops following internet search for medical and health information. Aim: This study investigates how the development of cyberchondria relates to characteristics of the person searching the internet including their medical history, age, and health-related anxiety. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between 2015 and 2016. The “Dr. Net” survey consisted of 32 questions based on previously published surveys probing the use of internet search for health-related information. Participants were recruited from the authors’ own social network by receiving a hyperlink through social media platforms and e-mails. One hundred and ninety-one English-speaking individuals, majority from Canada and the USA, completed the “Dr. Net” questionnaire online and anonymously through SurveyMonkey®. Results: Females sought health-care advice earlier than males (**P = 0.005). Younger age groups exhibited higher frequencies of internet search, daily versus weekly, versus monthly versus yearly, with differences between the 21 and 30 versus >60 (***P = 0.000), 21–30 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.011), 21–30 versus 31–40 (**P = 0.019), 31–40 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.012), 41–50 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.021), and <20 versus >60 years’ age groups (**P = 0.024). 30.7% reported developing cyberchondria. Indicators of cyberchondria correlated with older age (r = 0.154, P=**0.036), negative medical history (r = 0.191, **P = 0.013), health anxiety (r = 0.268, ***P = 0.000), and hypochondria (r = 0.142, P = 0.062). Less than four percent perceived their internet search as disadvantageous. Conclusion: Cyberchondria was reported by a third of those who conducted health-related internet searches, with higher frequencies in older, previously healthy individuals who had health anxiety.

Academia Letters, 2021

Background Some African cultures believe that having a child with ASD will affect how people view... more Background Some African cultures believe that having a child with ASD will affect how people view them as a parent and how the rest of their family are viewed in the African community. The fear of the stigma associated with the disease affects the parents more than the disease itself and leads to the parents and family members remaining silent about the illness and not utilizing available treatment. Methods The Aday-Anderson Model of Health Care Utilization is the framework used to understand the factors influencing African immigrant parent's decisions to seek early intervention for their autistic children. Results African immigrant parents with autistic children are reluctant to talk about ASD due to the stigma associated with the disease. This stigma can affect the parent's desire to seek treatment or help from family, friends and their community. The perception of ASD is deeply rooted in the culture of African immigrants in the U.S. Conclusion Even though the belief among African immigrants about ASD is deeply rooted in their cultural beliefs, the advice or recommendation of medical professionals emerged as an important enabling factor for seeking intervention. U.S. intervention is believed to be superior by many but some still believe in the benefits of both traditional African and U.S. interventions.

Was teaching subjects Physiology, Microbiology, Histology, Embryology, Medical Ethics, and involv... more Was teaching subjects Physiology, Microbiology, Histology, Embryology, Medical Ethics, and involves in research activities in Health and Medicine and Clinical Correlation of Basic Science. Presently teaches Physiology and Behavior Science  Actively mentors teams of medical students with statistical analysis and their research projects on AIDS epidemiology, epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disorders, benefit of Diet rich with fish to Diabetes, Stress and its effect on Addictive Behaviors, studies of Vision disorders among school children, Correlation between colors and memory, Influence of music to autonomic functions, patient Compliance and Cyberchondriasis  Engages in community voluntary works and activities.  Acted as Chairman of the Quality Assurance Committee  Presently Chairman of the Curriculum subcommittee and Chairman of the Research Committee  Acted as a students' councilor for our clinical students doing clinical rotations in U.S. Hospitals giving them directions and advices how to study more efficiently for NBME and USMLE exams  Main Coordinator of implementation of a innovative teaching and training method implemented in our School in order to better prepare our students for NBME and USMLE exams called QFE (question formulating exercise) in which students write original USMLE type questions with explanations in order to get better insight how to prepare for exams

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to analyze job-related stress, motivation and satisfaction i... more Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to analyze job-related stress, motivation and satisfaction in higher education institutions, and assesses their implications on health in various industries including higher education. In total, 52 higher education faculty and administrators from institutions in more than 16 countries participated in the study that utilized the organizational surveys, Organizational Effectiveness Inventory® from human synergistics. Subgroup analysis was done to compare faculty and administrators; males to females, private, public, for-profit and not-for-profit institutions. Design/methodology/approach-To assess health implications, 160 respondents employed in seven industries were surveyed using a custom medical/stress questionnaire to collect self-reported data on levels of job-related stress, motivation and satisfaction as well as the presence of several medical conditions, including myocardial infarction, stroke, angina pectoris/coronary heart disease, hypertension, gastro-esophageal reflux disease and diabetes mellitus. The results from each of the two surveys were statistically analyzed separately. Findings-Results show undesirable levels of job-related stress, motivation and satisfaction in some segments of higher education employees; as well as associations between poorer health and high stress levels. The study established a potential justification consequently, the authors recommend organizational offerings of: stress relief programs; health fairs and health club memberships; stress management workshops; use of mobile apps for stress relief; job description reviews to eliminate work-related demands; changes to managerial styles that align with the culture of employees; re-evaluation of organizational structure; and enhanced communication amongst workplace management and employees. Research limitations/implications-Limitations of this study include small sample sizes and the presence of confounding factors that were not considered. In addition, this study did not look into whether occupational position or occupational difficulty compromised the nature of work causing employees to experience lower levels of satisfaction, since the extent to which employees feel satisfied with their work may influence their physical well-being. Originality/value-There are a number of factors that can affect employees with regards to medical illnesses in a job-related setting. There are three factors in particular that have been shown to negatively affect the health of employees: job-related stress; motivation; and satisfaction. These effects have not been studied in depth in faculty and administrators of higher education institutions, hence this study seeks to achieve that.

Cyberchondria: Implications of Online Behavior and Health Anxiety as Determinants, 2019

Background: Cyberchondria is excessive worrying about one’s health that develops following intern... more Background: Cyberchondria is excessive worrying about one’s health that develops following internet search for medical and health
information. Aim: This study investigates how the development of cyberchondria relates to characteristics of the person searching the
internet including their medical history, age, and health-related anxiety. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted
between 2015 and 2016. The “Dr. Net” survey consisted of 32 questions based on previously published surveys probing the use of
internet search for health-related information. Participants were recruited from the authors’ own social network by receiving a hyperlink
through social media platforms and e-mails. One hundred and ninety-one English-speaking individuals, majority from Canada and the
USA, completed the “Dr. Net” questionnaire online and anonymously through SurveyMonkey®. Results: Females sought health-care
advice earlier than males (**P = 0.005). Younger age groups exhibited higher frequencies of internet search, daily versus weekly,
versus monthly versus yearly, with differences between the 21 and 30 versus >60 (***P = 0.000), 21–30 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.011),
21–30 versus 31–40 (**P = 0.019), 31–40 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.012), 41–50 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.021), and <20 versus >60 years’
age groups (**P = 0.024). 30.7% reported developing cyberchondria. Indicators of cyberchondria correlated with older age (r = 0.154,
P=**0.036), negative medical history (r = 0.191, **P = 0.013), health anxiety (r = 0.268, ***P = 0.000), and hypochondria (r = 0.142,
P = 0.062). Less than four percent perceived their internet search as disadvantageous. Conclusion: Cyberchondria was reported by a
third of those who conducted health-related internet searches, with higher frequencies in older, previously healthy individuals who had
health anxiety.
Keywords: Anxiety, internet-based intervention, patient participation, patient preference, physician–patient relations, self-care,
self-management, social media

Background: There is a need for the young medical students who become future physicians to be wel... more Background: There is a need for the young medical students who become future physicians to be well aware about the signs and symptoms along with management of leprosy. The present study was, therefore undertaken with the objective to assess the knowledge and attitude of medical students towards leprosy in Saint James School of Medicine, Bonaire (Dutch Caribbean). Methods:Students of all the four semesters were asked to respond to carefully structured questionnaires comprising 16 questions. Results: A high percentage of the students in all the semesters answered correctly on leprosy being an infectious disease rather than being inherited or caused by injury, and on the symptoms of leprosy, consequences of nerve damage, and mode of spread. Majority of the students were aware of disease being endemic in Asia, Africa, and South America, but only a low percent of them knew about the global incidence, and the risk factors. Only a small percentage of students expressed no fear of leprosy. Conclusion: It is encouraging to record a high rate of awareness on general clinical aspects of leprosy amongst the medical students of basic sciences in SJSM, Bonaire (Dutch Caribbean). The low level of awareness on some of the psychosocial aspects of the disease emphasizes the need to create awareness amongst students of medical sciences and other disciplines so that they become well informed about the disease and show empathy for the patients

Open Journal of Internal Medicine

Advances in Media, Entertainment, and the Arts, 2022

Indian Journal of Communicable Diseases, 2016

Advances in Media, Entertainment, and the Arts

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education

Archives of Medicine and Health Sciences

Academia Letters, 2021

Cyberchondria: Implications of Online Behavior and Health Anxiety as Determinants, 2019

Background: Cyberchondria is excessive worrying about one’s health that develops following intern... more Background: Cyberchondria is excessive worrying about one’s health that develops following internet search for medical and health
information. Aim: This study investigates how the development of cyberchondria relates to characteristics of the person searching the
internet including their medical history, age, and health-related anxiety. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted
between 2015 and 2016. The “Dr. Net” survey consisted of 32 questions based on previously published surveys probing the use of
internet search for health-related information. Participants were recruited from the authors’ own social network by receiving a hyperlink
through social media platforms and e-mails. One hundred and ninety-one English-speaking individuals, majority from Canada and the
USA, completed the “Dr. Net” questionnaire online and anonymously through SurveyMonkey®. Results: Females sought health-care
advice earlier than males (**P = 0.005). Younger age groups exhibited higher frequencies of internet search, daily versus weekly,
versus monthly versus yearly, with differences between the 21 and 30 versus >60 (***P = 0.000), 21–30 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.011),
21–30 versus 31–40 (**P = 0.019), 31–40 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.012), 41–50 versus 51–60 (**P = 0.021), and <20 versus >60 years’
age groups (**P = 0.024). 30.7% reported developing cyberchondria. Indicators of cyberchondria correlated with older age (r = 0.154,
P=**0.036), negative medical history (r = 0.191, **P = 0.013), health anxiety (r = 0.268, ***P = 0.000), and hypochondria (r = 0.142,
P = 0.062). Less than four percent perceived their internet search as disadvantageous. Conclusion: Cyberchondria was reported by a
third of those who conducted health-related internet searches, with higher frequencies in older, previously healthy individuals who had
health anxiety.
Keywords: Anxiety, internet-based intervention, patient participation, patient preference, physician–patient relations, self-care,
self-management, social media