Investigating the Interrelationships Between Obesity, Academic Achievement, Physical Activity, and Social Support Among Jazan University Students

Background

In developing and developed countries, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has grown. The college phase is a critical period during which healthy behaviors are learned through lifestyle and social environment. College students are prone to increased stress, negatively affecting their daily activities and academic performance.

Objective

The general study objective was to investigate the prevalence of obesity among Jazan University students.

Methods

This observational cross-sectional study used a pre-tested self-administered anonymous electronic questionnaire to evaluate the prevalence of obesity among 474 Jazan University students and its association with academic performance, physical activity, and social support. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, and associations between variables were assessed using the chi-square test.

Results

Approximately 21% and 9.2% of the male and female students were obese, respectively, and the prevalence of obesity significantly differed between them. The use of one or more tobacco products was significantly associated with the prevalence of obesity (P < 0.001); the prevalence of obesity was substantially higher among the tobacco product users than among the non-users (35.3% vs. 14.4%). The presence of a morbidity was also significantly associated with the prevalence of obesity (P = 0.007); the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among the students with at least one comorbidity than among the medically free students (28.8% vs. 14.9%). Conversely, obesity was not associated with academic performance and depression. Specifically, the grade point average was not affected across the academic years (P = 0.085 and P = 0.308, respectively).

Conclusion

Obesity is significantly associated with male sex and the use of one or more tobacco products. This finding warrants the need for strategic and multidisciplinary plans at all levels to encourage healthy behaviors among college students, including an active, healthy lifestyle.

Factors associated with pharmacotherapy course learning achievements in Thai pharmacy students

INTRODUCTION

The doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program is designed for direct patient care experiences. To prepare pharmacy students to have adequate clinical knowledge and skills, pharmacotherapy is a vital course. Due to the difficulties of courses, several students had unsuccessful learning achievements and insufficient clinical skills. The objective was to explore factors associated with pharmacotherapy course learning achievements in pharmacy students.

METHODS

A cross sectional survey was designed and undertaken in 2020. Pharmacy students who enrolled at least one pharmacotherapy course were included. A 39-item questionnaire was developed and distributed electronically. Content validity and reliability tests (Cronbach's α = 0.928) were performed. Descriptive statistics and univariate and logistic regression were used in this study.

RESULTS

The results indicated that four factors were found to be associated with higher grade point average: participation in a study group (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.47, 95% CI 0.23-0.97) for Pharmacotherapy I; self-assessed success for Pharmacotherapy II and Advanced Pharmacotherapy (adjusted OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.19-6.01 and adjusted OR 3.45, 95% CI 1.03-11.59, respectively); using social media in the classroom (adjusted OR 12.16, 95% CI 2.03-72.72); and motivation by advisors (adjusted OR 640.74, 95% CI 2.03-201,675.55) for Pharmacotherapy III. Moreover, reviewing material after class (adjusted OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.10-0.71) and using social media in the classroom (adjusted OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.01-4.07) revealed the association with cumulative grade point average.

CONCLUSIONS

There were various factors associated with pharmacotherapy learning achievements. These included factors from learners, instructors, and environment.

Effect of E-learning on Management Undergraduates' Academic Success during COVID-19: A Study at Non-state Universities in Sri Lanka

Education also becomes one of the basic needs of all human being in the today's world. Due to the rapid advancement of the information and communication technology during the past years emphasize the necessity of using e-learning in the education sector. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the countries developed and developing had to quickly move from conventional learning methods to e-learning. As a developing country Sri Lankan education sector also adopt the e-learning as a solution for continuing education process. The prime objective of this study is to examine the impact of e-learning on university undergraduates' academic success in the context of management faculties in non-state universities in Sri Lanka. A deductive quantitative research approach utilized for the data collection and analysis. The study population is 2500 undergraduates who are studying in the year 3 and 4 belongs to the management faculties of two non-state universities. Out of the total population 332 undergraduates were selected using convenience sampling technique. An online questionnaire survey conducted to collect data and simple linear regression models employed for data analysis. To ensure the overall reliability of the gathered data, Cronbach's alpha values checked. The findings revealed that e-learning has a significant positive impact on academic success along with a strong correlation of 0.872. According to the main study findings, there is a positive moderating effect on student satisfaction between e-learning and academic success while showing a strong correlation of 0.774. The major findings of this study give insights for higher educational institutions to create new initiatives to direct undergraduates towards the academic success with e-learning exposure.

Effect of school feeding program on academic performance of primary school adolescents: A prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

School Feeding Programs (SFPs) in low-income countries help vulnerable children learn better and maintain their health through the provision of nutritious food to school children. Ethiopia scaled up the implementation of SFP in Addis Ababa.

AIMS

We aimed at evaluating the effect of the SFP on the school performance of primary school adolescents in Addis Ababa, Central Ethiopia.

METHOD

A prospective cohort study design was employed on 322 SFP-beneficiary and equal-size non-beneficiary adolescents. SPSS version 24 and multivariable linear regression models were used.

RESULT

In linear regression, unadjusted model (Model 1), compared with the non-school-fed adolescent, the mean difference in difference of average academic scores of school-fed adolescents was higher by 2.11 (β 2.11, 95% CI 1.39-2.83). The beta coefficient remained positive after adjusted for age and sex (Model 2: β 2.11, 95% CI 1.39-2.83), sociodemographic variable (Model 3: β 2.16, 95% CI 1.45-2.88), health and lifestyle variable (Model 4: β 2.21, 95% CI 1.38-3.04). In the final model, adjusted for model five, school absenteeism, there was a significant difference in favor of school-fed adolescents on GPA-score (Model 5: β 2.32, 95% CI 1.47-3.17). Furthermore, being adolescents in middle tertile wealth index families decrease GPA by 1.22 (β -1.22, 95% CI -2.19 to -0.26) as compared to high tertile wealth index.

CONCLUSION

School feeding was positively associated with academic performance. However, these changes may not be meaningful to generate a firm conclusion on the utility of school feeding in improving the academic performance of adolescents.

Associations between occupational therapy students' academic performance and their study approaches and perceptions of the learning environment

BACKGROUND

Relationships between students' academic performance and their employed study approaches have been studied extensively. However, research using study approaches and learning environment factors as concurrent predictors of academic performance is sparse. There is a need to disentangle the potentially interrelated influences of individual and contextual factors on students' academic performance.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to increase the understanding of the associations between occupational therapy students' academic performance, and their approaches to studying, perceptions of the learning environment, and sociodemographic characteristics.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study was designed, and 174 first-year students completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students and the Course Experience Questionnaire, in addition to background information. Data on grades were collected from the data registries of each education institution, and associations were analyzed by multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

None of the learning environment scales were associated with grades. Adjusting for all variables, better exam results were associated with being female (β = 0.22, p < 0.01) and having higher scores on strategic approach (β = 0.31, p < 0.001) and lower scores on surface approach (β = -0.20, p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The study suggests that students with a desire for obtaining good grades ought to use strategic study behaviors and avoid using surface approach behaviors. While it is important to ensure good quality of the learning environment for a variety of reasons, the learning environment did not contribute significantly to explain the students' academic performance.

The predictive value of high school grade point average to academic achievement and career satisfaction of dental graduates

BACKGROUND

In a country where admission to dental schools is based solely on the cognitive abilities of students, the aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between high school grade point average and graduating academic achievement for dental students; moreover, determine whether a correlation exists between dental students' graduating academic achievement and their career choices and job satisfaction.

METHODS

A five-year retrospective cohort study was conducted at the University of Jordan, involving (828) dental graduates first enrolled between 2010 and 2014. Correlations comparing high school grade point average and graduating academic achievement were done for the total sample composed of (736) students. A short survey was constructed to assess the career choices and job satisfaction for recently graduated dentists and correlate them with their graduating academic achievement.

RESULTS

Statistically significant but weak positive correlation (0.3) was found between high school grade point average and graduating academic achievement for dental students (p ≤ 0.05). Statistically significant correlations were found between graduating academic achievement and career choices and job satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

The significant positive correlation between the high school grade point average and graduating academic achievement of our dental students indicate that our school admission system depending on high school grade point average is a valid system. There was a significant negative correlation between the graduating academic achievement and both the career choices and job satisfaction among fresh graduate dentists in Jordan. This information is required to update the dental school admissions procedures in response to the changing dental educational landscape.

Determination of predictors impacting performance on the third-year pharmacy curriculum outcomes assessment at a historically Black college of pharmacy

INTRODUCTION

The Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment (PCOA) is a standardized exam developed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) in 2008 to measure the curriculum in relation to student progress. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of pre-admissions and pharmacy school variables on third-year student PCOA performance at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) College of Pharmacy.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from three cohorts of students who took the PCOA in their third professional year from 2015 to 2017. An independent samples t-test, correlation analysis, and multivariate linear regression were conducted to determine the relationship between student characteristics and the PCOA score.

RESULTS

The mean PCOA scaled score for the third-year pharmacy students was 349.6 ± 46.20 while the mean Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) percentile was 62.7 ± 14.5. Most students (67%) self-identified as Black and the majority (54.9%) were female. The PCOA scores were correlated with the PCAT percentile (P < .001) and the cumulative grade point average (GPA) through the fall semester of the third professional year (P < .001). After adjusting for other factors, the cumulative GPA through the fall semester of the third professional year (P < .001) and PCAT percentiles (P < .001) remained predictive of students PCOA scores.

CONCLUSIONS

The cumulative GPA through the third-year fall semester and PCAT percentiles are important factors in helping to predict PCOA scores among third year pharmacy students at a HBCU.

Student health behavior and academic performance

OBJECTIVE

To explore the association between health behaviors and habits of university students and academic achievement.

PARTICIPANTS

Six hundred fourteen undergraduate students at a state university in the United States.

METHODS

Students were invited over a 2-year period to participate in an anonymous online survey that asked questions concerning a wide range of health behaviors and habits; participants were asked to report their current grade point average (GPA). Standard Least Squares Models were used to examine differences in self-reported GPA across the different health behaviors and habits, with individuals as replicates.

RESULTS

The study found positive associations between breakfast consumption, physical activity, and strength training and self-reported GPA, and negative associations between the hours of sleep per night, hours worked per week, fast food and energy drinks consumption, and use of marijuana, alcohol and electronic vaping products.

CONCLUSIONS

While there is an association for some of the studied health behaviors and habits with self-reported GPA, the effect sizes for these health behaviors were low. The significant effect of vaping on GPA as well as the increased use reported in this study indicates that the topic should be explored further. Furthermore, students should be educated on the potential positive and negative effects of health behavior choices to help them make better choices.

Comparison of NAPLEX pass rates for non-modifiable determinants of pharmacy programs in the United States

INTRODUCTION

Students consider numerous variables before applying to a doctor of pharmacy program. Some key non-modifiable variables may include program length, institution type, graduating class size, and pharmacy school grading system. The purpose of this study was to determine if there exists a difference in North American Pharmacists Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) performance based upon these variables.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study using observational data. NAPLEX pass rates from 2015 to 2017 were obtained from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) website. Data for pharmacy programs were extracted from the program, Pharmacy College Application Service, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, and NABP websites.

RESULTS

Based on each pharmacy program's performance on NAPLEX, variables with significantly higher pass rates were public institutions and those with graduating class sizes of 100 or more students.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study suggest that graduating class size of 100 or more students and public institutions were significant predictors of success on the NAPLEX. Lower pass rates in 2016 may be due to the examination changes implemented by NABP that year. It is possible that programs and students were not being adequately prepared for the changes made to the NAPLEX format. Although not statistically significant, there was a rise in pass rates between the years 2016 and 2017. Therefore, future studies such as this one should be performed to compare NAPLEX pass rates from 2017 forward.

Medical student selection criteria and junior doctor workplace performance

BACKGROUND

Medical school selection decisions have consequences beyond graduation. With generally low attrition rates, most medical students become junior doctors. Universities are therefore not just selecting students into a medical course; they are choosing the future medical workforce. Understanding the relationship between selection criteria and outcomes beyond the successful completion of a medical degree may inform approaches to student selection.

METHODS

A retrospective data matching study was conducted involving 39 interns employed by a South Australian local health network in 2017 who had originally entered Flinders University's medical school through a graduate pathway. Student selection data were matched with internship workplace performance scores (measured by supervising consultants' reports across five clinical rotations using a standardised assessment). Correlational analyses then examined associations between these two sets of variables.

RESULTS

An overall selection rank (equal thirds of weighted Grade Point Average from a prior degree, a panel interview, and a national selection test) was moderately associated with all performance measures, accounting for up to 25% of variance. Both weighted Grade Point Average and the interview had multiple and mostly moderate correlations with performance. An increasing number of years taken to complete the course was associated with poorer workplace performance across multiple outcome measures (moderate to strong negative associations with 31 to 62% of shared variance), as was age to a lesser extent (7 to 14%). The national selection test contributed a single and small relationship accounting for 5% of variance with one outcome measure.

CONCLUSIONS

Selection into medicine is a critical assessment given that most students become doctors. This study found multiple associations between selection scores and junior doctor workplace performance measures in the internship year, with weighted Grade Point Average from a prior degree and an interview appearing more important than the national selection test. Future collaborative research should map desired workplace performance outcomes to initial student selection and explore the impact of changes to selection which focus on assessment of these domains. The association between slower course progression and poorer workplace performance should also be examined.

Nursing and midwifery students' perceptions of educational environment and grade point average: a comparison between nursing and midwifery students

BACKGROUND

The educational environment is an essential component of student learning. Study of the educational environment is crucial to provision of a learning quality, student-centered program for nursing and midwifery fields.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the associations between baccalaureate nursing and midwifery students' perceptions of educational environment (SPEE) and grade point average (GPA), and comparison between students of nursing and midwifery field.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hamadan Nursing and Midwifery Faculty. In this study, 249 nursing and 59 midwifery students participated. The study period lasted 12 months. We used an Iranian -language version of the Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire to measure nursing and midwifery students' perceptions of the educational environment. The data analysis was performed using descriptive statistic, Pearson's coefficient, Spearman's coefficient, and independent t-test through the SPSS version 16. P-value less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

There was significant difference in nursing and midwifery students in perceptions of learning (SPL) (p=0.0001), perceptions of Teaching (SPT) (p=0.009), Academic self-perceptions (SASP) (p=0.005) and perceptions of educational environment. There was correlation between categories' perceptions of teaching and GPA (p=0.016), academic self-perceptions and GPA (p=0.001). Moreover, there was correlation between perceptions of educational environment and GPA (p=0.028).

CONCLUSION

Although there was significant difference in nursing and midwifery students in perceptions of the educational environment, there was straight correlation between the educational environment and GPA, and there is opportunity for development of the educational environment. As the discipline of nursing education advances, there is need to develop the learning environment in areas of perceptions of teaching and academic self-perceptions, to build an effective learning environment for attaining better GPA, which addresses nursing educational managers and considers items beyond college, like social topics. Furthermore, it requires studying the effect of the learning environment on educational outcome in Iranian nursing and midwifery faculties.

A counterfactual impact evaluation of a bilingual program on students' grade point average at a spanish university

This observational study intends to estimate the causal effects of an English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) program (as predictor) on students Grade Point Average (GPA) (as outcome) at a particular University in Spain by using a Counterfactual Impact Evaluation (CIE). The need to address the crucial question of causal inferences in EMI programs to produce credible evidences of successful interventions contrasts, however, with the absence of experimental or quasi-experimental research and evaluation designs in the field. CIE approach is emerging as a methodologically viable solution to bridge that gap. The program evaluated here consisted in delivering an EMI program in a Primary Education Teacher Training Degree group. After achieving balance on the observed covariates and recreating a situation that would have been expected in a randomized experiment, three matching approaches such as genetic matching, nearest neighbor matching and Coarsened Exact Matching were used to analyze observational data from a total of 1288 undergraduate students, including both treatment and control group. Results show unfavorable effects of the bilingual group treatment condition. Potential interpretations and recommendations are provided in order to strengthen future causal evidences of bilingual education programs' effectiveness in Higher Education.

Association between physical activity and grade point average among a cohort of pharmacy students in didactic years

INTRODUCTION

The physical activity (PA) behavior and its association with academic performance has not been examined among professional pharmacy (PharmD) students in didactic years.

METHODS

A survey was administered to a cohort of PharmD students at University of Houston that collected information related to each student's PA and grade point average (GPA). Correlation analyses and multiple regression were performed to evaluate factors associated with GPA.

RESULTS

The response rate was 58.1%. Stepwise multiple regression indicated that learning capacity and gender were major predictors for GPA. There was no significant association between PA and GPA.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Higher learning capacity and lower body mass index (BMI) were associated with higher GPA in PharmD students in their didactic years. Strategies such as engaging students in moderate to vigorous PA may enhance learning capacity and lower BMI; this may further positively influence students' GPA. In addition to an emphasis on academic competence, pharmacy education that can better incorporate exercise would help students establish regular PA behaviors. This may improve their health outcomes and facilitate future patient counseling practices.

Approaches to studying predict academic performance in undergraduate occupational therapy students: a cross-cultural study

BACKGROUND

Learning outcomes may be a result of several factors including the learning environment, students' predispositions, study efforts, cultural factors and approaches towards studying. This study examined the influence of demographic variables, education-related factors, and approaches to studying on occupational therapy students' Grade Point Average (GPA).

METHODS

Undergraduate occupational therapy students (n = 712) from four countries completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST). Demographic background, education-related factors, and ASSIST scores were used in a hierarchical linear regression analysis to predict the students' GPA.

RESULTS

Being older, female and more time engaged in self-study activities were associated with higher GPA among the students. In addition, five ASSIST subscales predicted higher GPA: higher scores on 'seeking meaning', 'achieving', and 'lack of purpose', and lower scores on 'time management' and 'fear of failure'. The full model accounted for 9.6% of the variance related to the occupational therapy students' GPA.

CONCLUSIONS

To improve academic performance among occupational therapy students, it appears important to increase their personal search for meaning and motivation for achievement, and to reduce their fear of failure. The results should be interpreted with caution due to small effect sizes and a modest amount of variance explained by the regression model, and further research on predictors of academic performance is required.

The impact of lifetime suicidality on academic performance in college freshmen

BACKGROUND

While suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB) among college students are common, the associations between STB and academic performance are not well understood.

METHODS

As part of the World Mental Health Surveys International College Student project, web-based self-reported STB of KU Leuven (Leuven, Belgium) incoming freshmen (N=4921; response rate=65.4%) was collected, as well as academic year percentage (AYP), and the departments to which students belong. Single- and multilevel multivariate analyses were conducted, adjusted for gender, age, parental educational level, and comorbid lifetime emotional problems.

RESULTS

Lifetime suicide plan and attempt upon college entrance were associated with significant decreases in AYP (3.6% and 7.9%, respectively). A significant interaction was found with average departmental AYP, with STB more strongly associated with reduced AYP in departments with lower than higher average AYP.

LIMITATIONS

Limited sample size precluded further investigation of interactions between department-level and student-level variables. No information was available on freshman secondary school academic performance.

CONCLUSIONS

Lifetime STB has a strong negative association with academic performance in college. Our study suggests a potential role for the college environment as target for treatment and prevention interventions.

Measured emotional intelligence ability and grade point average in nursing students

BACKGROUND

For most schools of nursing, grade point average is the most important criteria for admission to nursing school and constitutes the main indicator of success throughout the nursing program. In the general research literature, the relationship between traditional measures of academic success, such as grade point average and postgraduation job performance is not well established. In both the general population and among practicing nurses, measured emotional intelligence ability correlates with both performance and other important professional indicators postgraduation. Little research exists comparing traditional measures of intelligence with measured emotional intelligence prior to graduation, and none in the student nurse population.

OBJECTIVE

This exploratory, descriptive, quantitative study was undertaken to explore the relationship between measured emotional intelligence ability and grade point average of first year nursing students.

DESIGN SETTING AND SAMPLE

The study took place at a school of nursing at a university in the south central region of the United States. Participants included 72 undergraduate student nurse volunteers.

METHODS

Emotional intelligence was measured using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, version 2, an instrument for quantifying emotional intelligence ability. Pre-admission grade point average was reported by the school records department.

RESULTS

Total emotional intelligence (r=.24) scores and one subscore, experiential emotional intelligence(r=.25) correlated significantly (>.05) with grade point average.

CONCLUSIONS

This exploratory, descriptive study provided evidence for some relationship between GPA and measured emotional intelligence ability, but also demonstrated lower than average range scores in several emotional intelligence scores. The relationship between pre-graduation measures of success and level of performance postgraduation deserves further exploration. The findings of this study suggest that research on the relationship between traditional and nontraditional measures of academic success, and emotional intelligence correlation with postgraduation performance, is warranted.