Adolescents' knowledge of HPV and sexually transmitted infections at public high schools in São Paulo: A cross-sectional study

Sex and gender differences in cancer research and its application to clinical oncology and therapeutics

OBJECTIVES

Oncology has exhibited gender inequalities in leadership and authorship, alongside significant differences in cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates between sexes. These disparities highlight the urgent need for sex- and gender-specific scientific reporting to improve research accuracy and clinical applications and encourage the same opportunities in research careers.

METHODS

The integration of gender perspective in cancer was assessed by analyzing scientific publications comparing 2011 and 2021. The correlation between the gender of the authors and the different types of cancer studied was examined, as well as the inclusion of the sex and gender variables in the content of the research. The study was STROBE compliant.

RESULTS

3,194 papers were published in 2011 and 6,781 in 2021, signed by at least one Spanish institution. The ratio of female authors per article was 0.39 in 2011 compared to 0.43 in 2021, reaching parity. Gender bias in the content of scientific articles, as measured by a 10-item checklist, showed an unfavorable score for perspective integration in both years (1.7/10 and 1.8/10, respectively). In terms of the Gender Balance Index in the analyzed samples of the papers (cells, animals or volunteers/patients), there was an increase from 29 % in 2011 to 43 % in 2021. Breast cancer research was dominated by female authors, whereas lung cancer research was predominantly by parity or male authorship, and no differences in author groups in colorectal cancer research were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Greater efforts and commitments are needed from government institutions, funding agencies, and academic structures to promote sex/gender integration in cancer research.

The effect of sexually transmitted disease education via instagram on the knowledge and attitudes of university students: a pilot study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of sexually transmitted disease education provided via Instagram on university students' knowledge and attitudes about sexually transmitted diseases.

METHODS

This pretest-posttest control group experimental study was conducted on 69 participants (Instagram group: 30, control group: 39). Participants in the Instagram group followed the @sexualinfectmarmara Instagram account prepared by the researchers. Five modules about sexually transmitted diseases prepared by the researchers were shared on this account.

RESULTS

When the pre-training STD scores of the Instagram and control groups were compared with the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) analysis, it was found that the scores of the Instagram group were statistically significantly higher than those of the control group. No significant difference was found between the sexually transmitted disease scores. After the training, the participants in the Instagram group responded significantly more with disagreement to the statement "sexually transmitted disease patients are easily recognized in society."

CONCLUSION

Instagram can be a new and alternative educational tool for increasing the sexually transmitted disease knowledge and attitude levels of university students.

The relationship between cancer information burden, attitudes, and behaviors toward cancer screenings in women aged 30-70 years

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cancer information burden, attitudes, and behaviors toward cancer screening in women aged 30-70 years who applied to family health centers.

METHODS

The data were collected with Personal Information Form, Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening, and Cancer Information Overload Scale from 398 women.

RESULTS

The mean score of the participants was 16.22±4.66 on the Cancer Information Overload Scale and 93.05±13.80 on the Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening. A statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores of the women according to their educational level, occupational status, knowledge about cancer screening, and the presence of cancer in themselves or their families (p<0.05). In addition, a strong positive but statistically insignificant correlation (r=0.061, p=0.223) was found between the Cancer Information Overload Scale and the scores of the Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening.

CONCLUSION

Women had low rates of knowing the timing of colon, cervical, and breast cancer screenings, having been screened, and thinking of participating in screenings in the following year. In order to improve women's attitudes toward early diagnosis of cancer in a positive way, informative public education activities should be continued.

Identification of sexual myths of university students in health-related departments and affecting factors

AIM

The research aimed to determine the attitudes of students studying in health-related departments toward sexual myths and the factors affecting them.

METHODS

The study is descriptive research involving 287 students enrolled in health-related departments. The data were collected using a "Descriptive Information Form" and the "Sexual Myths Scale (SMS)" and analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 software package. The SPSS 22.0 package program was used to evaluate the data. In statistical analysis, Spearman correlation analysis was employed to determine the relationship between continuous variables and the SMS score, and the statistical significance level was accepted as p<0.05.

RESULTS

The total score was found to be 53.57±17.54 (min: 28.00 to max: 140.00), reflecting a moderate level. There was a statistically significant difference between the total score of SMS according to gender, family type, maternal employment status, and paternal education level (p<0.05). It was also determined that male students, students whose mothers were unemployed, who lived in extended families, and whose fathers had low education had lower SMS scores.

CONCLUSION

Despite students studying in health-related departments and receiving relevant courses, their level of sexual myths remains at a moderate level, indicating the presence of knowledge gaps and misconceptions in the subject matter. Therefore, it is crucial to implement comprehensive education and counseling services on reproductive and sexual health for all university students.

Knowledge and awareness level of health undergraduate students on child abuse: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate the level of knowledge of symptoms and risks of child abuse among undergraduate health science students according to their socio-demographic characteristics.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study involving 485 student volunteers. The data collection tools used in the study were the Demographic Data Collection Form and the Scale for Diagnosing Symptoms and Risks of Child Abuse and Neglect.

RESULTS

It was found that health students' knowledge of the symptoms and risks of child abuse was moderate. It was also found that knowledge of diagnosing the symptoms and risks of child abuse was higher among women than among men, higher among those who had received education on child abuse, and increased with grade level.

CONCLUSION

Child abuse is an important public health issue, and there is a need to raise awareness of this issue among health students.

Relationships between internet addiction, smartphone addiction, sleep quality, and academic performance among high-school students

OBJECTIVE

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the relationships between Internet addiction, smartphone addiction, sleep quality, and academic success.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, high-school students were surveyed to evaluate sleep quality, Internet addiction, and smartphone addiction. Students were queried about their demographics, and grade averages from the previous term were taken as an indicator of academic success.

RESULTS

A total of 1,959 students were enrolled in this study, with 1,034 (52.8%) girls and 925 (47.2%) boys, and the median age of the participants was 16 (13-21) years. Multivariate analyses found that poor sleep quality in students who did not have breakfast before going to school was 1.58 times higher than those who did (p<0.001). Students who stayed in a dormitory had 1.79 times more poor sleep quality than those who stayed with their family, and a one-unit increase in the total score of the Young's Internet Addiction Test short form resulted in a 1.08-fold increase (both, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our study has shown that students' sleep quality was predicted to be lower if they stayed in a dormitory and skipped breakfast. In addition, Internet and smartphone addictions have a negative effect on sleep quality and academic performance.