​Asian Journal of Social Health and Behavior
Year:2024 | Volume:7 | Issue:2|Papers Count:7

Each of the global pandemics to date has left a permanent mark on the general population and significantly impacted the public health standards and human civilization. The purpose of the current review is to explore the significance of pandemic preparedness, identify the role of medical education in improving the same, enlist the potential challenges in the implementation of pandemic preparedness, and enlist the potential solutions to overcome the same. A search of all materials related to the topic was carried out on the PubMed and Google Scholar search engines, and a total of 27 articles were selected based on their suitability with the current review objectives and analyzed. Keywords used in the search include pandemic preparedness in the title alone only (namely, pandemic preparedness [ti] AND medical education [ti],pandemic preparedness [ti] AND curricula [ti] OR curriculum [ti],pandemic preparedness [ti] AND COVID-19 [ti],pandemic preparedness [ti] AND health [ti],and pandemic preparedness [ti]). Medical education plays an instrumental role in creating a team of skilled and competent health-care workforce, which becomes crucial to minimize the impact of pandemics on individuals, communities, and the health-care delivery system. As medical educators plan to deliver pandemic preparedness education in medical schools, we are expected to encounter different challenges. In conclusion, the training imparted to medical students on pandemic preparedness is crucial in the making of a resilient and adaptable health workforce. To reduce the magnitude of future pandemics, it is the need of the hour to identify the prevailing gaps/barriers and address them proactively to safeguard public health during pandemics.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Kazakh translation of the Short Form-36 (SF-36) v2 Health Survey and evaluate its suitability for assessing health-related quality of life (QoL) in the Kazakh population. Methods: The SF-36 Health Survey version 2 (SF-36 v2) was administered to a sample of 632 Kazakh adults (442 women and 190 men) ranging in age from 27 to 69 years. Internal consistency reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Scaling assumptions were examined through item-scale correlations. Scale scores were computed, and norm-based scoring was applied. The 2-week test–retest reliability was assessed in a subsample (n = 100) using intraclass correlations (ICCs). Results: Cronbach’s alpha for the eight SF-36 v2 scales ranged from 0. 760 to 0. 947, indicating good to excellent internal consistency. All scales met scaling assumptions. Scaling success rates, where item-scale correlations exceeded 0. 40, were 100% across scales. The physical component summary and mental component summary scores demonstrated high reliability (ICC = 0. 94 and 0. 91). The mean scale scores ranged from 66. 6 (vitality) to 82. 2 (physical functioning), with negative skewness observed for most scales. Conclusion: The Kazakh version of the SF-36 v2 demonstrated strong psychometric performance, with results supporting score reliability and construct validity in the Kazakh general population sample. This study provides evidence for the usability of the adapted SF-36 v2 in assessing health-related QoL among Kazakhs.

Introduction: With the rapid rise of the Internet, it has become an indispensable part of adolescents’ learning and lives. To promote sustainable development of the Internet, fostering good Internet moral literacy among adolescents is particularly important. Given the current absence of a Chinese version of the Internet Moral Literacy Scale suitable for adolescents, this study translated and conducted two studies on the scale developed by Lau and Yuen. Methods: In Study 1, item analysis and factor validity analysis of the scale were conducted with 343 adolescents from China. In Study 2, a large-scale cross-sectional survey was conducted to analyze descriptive statistics, factor validity, measurement invariance across genders, difference analysis, and concurrent validity of the scale. The study 2 involved 7837 Chinese adolescents. Results: The results from study 1 showed that most items met the specified criteria. However, one item exhibited higher internal consistency than the overall Cronbach’s alpha value when removed. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a more suitable two-dimensional model, with one item showing cross-loading issues. Study 2 revealed that the Internet Moral Literacy Scale had good internal reliability, and the two-factor structure exhibited excellent factor validity. In addition, significant gender differences in Internet moral literacy levels were identified, with males scoring lower than females. A significant negative correlation was found between Internet moral literacy and both cyberbullying (r = −0. 87, P < 0. 001) and moral disengagement (r = −0. 75, P < 0. 001). Conclusion: Chinese version of the Internet Moral Literacy Scale has good psychometric properties.

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major health concern, especially among working-age groups. Methods: The study consisted of two main phases. In the first phase, 247 people with T2DM who were working age and took part in a survey in April 2023 were asked about factors that affected their blood sugar control. Participants aged 35–59 years were diagnosed with diabetes (fasting blood sugar [FBS] ≥126 mg/dl) and other chronic conditions using stratified random sampling. Phase two implemented a behavior change program for 44 uncontrolled T2DM working-age individuals (FBS >130 mg/dl), using a quasi-experimental design with two groups. Following Bernard’s formula, the sample size included intervention and control groups of 22 individuals each, chosen from different villages by simple random sampling. This study conducted the group intervention in September 2023, with each session lasting 1 week. Results: In the blood sugar control factors analysis in working-age individuals, obesity increased the risk of impaired control by 1. 22 times (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1. 14–10. 31). It was found that a higher perception of disease severity was conducive to improved management of blood sugar by 1. 38 times (95% CI = 0. 03–0. 39). After the implementation of a behavior modification program, a notable improvement in the control of dietary sugar levels was found (P < 0. 01), resulting in a statistically significant reduction in blood sugar levels (P = 0. 01). Conclusion: The local public health center can customize the program to improve the health outcomes of individuals diagnosed with T2DM. This can be achieved by modified according to the community context.

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bangladeshi students had to deal with drastic changes. In-person education was suspended, and online education was introduced along with movement restrictions within the community. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of stress, depression, and their combination among Bangladeshi students and evaluate their association with demographic factors and media usage during the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted online using a structured questionnaire between January 2021 and January 2022 on 1377 students by a convenience sampling method. Demographic factors along with media usage frequency were recorded. The Perceived Stress Scale-10 was used to assess stress. Depression was evaluated by the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Results: The average age of the participants was 20. 8 ± 3. 1 years,51. 6% of them were male. The prevalence of high stress, depression, and a coexistence of high stress and depression (CHSD) was 24. 8%, 49. 5%, and 20. 9%, respectively. These indices significantly increased in females and with increasing age groups of participants. Students with inferior self-perceived health had higher odds of suffering from stress and CHSD, whereas students with general/poor health had the highest odds of high media usage and to suffer from high stress, depression, and CHSD. Students with high stress were found to have 9. 49 times and 27. 9 times higher probability to suffer from depression than students with moderate and low stress, respectively. Conclusion: This study has identified some important factors that can act as possible indicators to evaluate the prognosis of mental health problems among Bangladeshi students during public health emergencies.

Introduction: Depression is one form of common mental disorder that significantly impacts adolescents. The emotional well-being of parents and family can directly influence adolescents’ mental states. This study aimed to assess the association between parental depression and adolescents aged 15–19 years. Methods: This study utilized data from the third, fourth, and fifth cycles of the Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) conducted jointly by Research and Development Corporation and Universitas Gadjah Mada. Adolescent depression was assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression-10, in which IFLS-5 (2014) data were analyzed. At the same time, parental depression was measured using data from IFLS-4 (2007) and IFLS-5 (2014). The study sample consisted of adolescents living with their parents, and 1104 adolescents were involved in the analysis. A multivariate logistic regression model of potentially contributing factors was employed to analyze the role of parental depression in adolescent depression. Results: A substantial portion of adolescents (21. 2%) reported experiencing depression, with a higher prevalence observed among girls (25. 3%). Adolescents were more likely to experience depression if their parents also reported depressive symptoms. According to 2014 data, as many as 25. 4% of adolescents with mothers experiencing depression also reported feeling depressed. Meanwhile, 28. 1% of adolescents experienced depression at the same time that their fathers felt depressed. Parental depression affected adolescent depression and had a significant and greater effect on female adolescents. Conclusion: This study revealed a strong association between parental depression and adolescent depression in Indonesia. The results underscore the importance of family-based interventions to reduce the adverse effects of depression on adolescents.

In medical education, storytelling has the potential to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and application in clinical practice. [1] In fact, storytelling in the form of clinical anecdotes, patient narratives, and case studies has been regularly used to convey complex medical information in simplified terms that medical students can relate to in their clinical practice. [1] On exposure of students to these information-filled real-life stories, a significant improvement in student understanding, engagement, and retention of information has been reported. [2] Furthermore, students develop the skills of problem-solving and also develop empathy and compassion which is crucial in the delivery of patient-centered care. [2, 3]