Browsing by Author "Nazeer, I."

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Cyberbullying among adolescents in Colombo: prevalence, patterns and risk factors
(Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2017) Nazeer, I.; Pathmeswaran, A.
INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Cyberbullying is any kind of aggression perpetrated through technology such as e-mail, chat rooms, instant messaging, websites, text messaging, videos or pictures posted on websites or sent through phones. The growth in the use of internet devices provides adolescents with many opportunities, but also comes with the risk of cyberbullying. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and patterns of cyberbullying, its associated factors, perceived effects and coping strategies among adolescents in Colombo. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among 825 Grade12 students in Colombo, using multistage cluster sampling method. The participants completed a self-administered web-based questionnaire. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence of cyberbully victimization was 18%, with 73% of the participants having seen others being cyberbullied. Risk factors for cyberbullying included being a boy (OR-3.3, 95% CI 1.5-7.4) and being a victim of traditional bullying (OR 4.2, 95% CI 2.8-6.1). Likelihood of being bullied online was higher among youth who befriended unknown people, shared personal information on public forums and ignored age restrictions while online. Victimization was more likely if online activities were never supervised by parents, and when parents were less skilled at using the internet. Anger, feeling hurt and embarrassment were the commonest perceived effects of cyberbullying with almost 6% indicating that they had wanted to end their life because of it. CONCLUSION: Cyberbullying has the potential to cause psychological distress among adolescents. The association between being bullied online and engaging in risky behaviour while online calls for greater parental awareness and supervision, and capacity building among youth to be able to recognize, cope and address various forms of bullying.
Factors associated with general health status and general wellbeing of Advanced Level students in the Colombo district, Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Gangodawila, T.; Isurika, A.; Pathirana, D.; Katugampala, M.; Rupasinghe, T.; Nazeer, I.; Hettiaratchi, U.
Introduction: Adolescents need to maintain a good general health status and well-being since they are at a developmental stage of life. Objectives: To describe factors associated with General Health Status (GHS) and General Well Being (GWB) of Advanced level(A/L) students in the Colombo district. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered questionnaire (Google form), among 480 A/L students using convenient sampling technique. GHS and GWB were measured using PedsQL 3.0 General wellbeing module (validated questionnaire). GHS was given a score of 0-4. GWB was assessed by six questions which was scored on Likert scale. Overall percentage scores were calculated for both GHS and GWB. Data were analysed using SPSS Version 26. Associations were obtained using independent t test (p< 0.05-significant). Results: GHS was poor (score-0) in 5.4%. GHS was significantly associated with income, meal skipping and sufficiency of physical activities. Mean GHS score of low-income group (43.6) was higher than high-income group (38.7). Students who had not skipped meals had obtained higher GHS scores for all three meals (breakfast: 44.2, lunch: 42.4, dinner: 43.5) compared to students who skipped meals (36.5, 37.4, 36.5). Students who sufficiently engaged in physical activities (60mins/day) had higher GHS score (51.3) than the others (39.0). GWB score was 76-100% in 45.6%. A significant association was observed between nutritional adequacy of diet and GWB. Mean GWB score was high (76.4) in students who were consuming a nutritionally adequate diet compared to others (70.2). Conclusions: GHS was poor in 5.4%. Excellent GWB was reported. Low income, not skipping meals and sufficient physical activities were associated with good GHS. Nutritional adequacy was associated with good GWB.
Psychological distress and factors associated with psychological distress among preventive health care workers involved in COVID-19 prevention work in selected districts of Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2021) Dissanayake, D.M.S.Y.; Rathnayaka, R.M.S.M.; Perera, K.R.; Gamage, D.H.P.; Fernando, W.A.R.S.; Nazeer, I.; Palihawadana, V.
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has gravely affected the mental health of preventive healthcare workers (HCW) in Sri Lanka. Objectives: The study aimed to describe psychological distress, its associated factors and coping mechanisms among preventive HCW involved in COVID-19 prevention in Sri Lanka. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 158 preventive HCW [Medical Officers of Health (MOH), Assistant MOH, Public Health Inspector (PHI) and Supervising PHI] at MOH offices in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Matara and Badulla districts from November 2020 to March 2021. Data collection utilized convenience sampling. Psychological distress level was determined by Kessler’s Psychological Distress Scale 10. Results: Among the respondents 57.6% were psychologically distressed. The significant associations were, age above 40 years (p=0.019), having pregnant women at home (p=0.032), work experience less than 15 years (p = 0.007), unavailability of sufficient PPE (p=0.024), stressful work environment (p=0.013), dissatisfaction on control and prevention strategies (p = 0.029). Distress between PHIs (Mean= 22.0) and Medical Officers (Mean= 21.2) was not significant (t=0.580, p=0.563). Commonest coping mechanism of distress was maintaining a positive attitude (77.7%). Negative coping mechanisms included resorting to alcohol (8.2%), smoking (5.1%) and drugs (0.6%). Conclusions: Over half of the participants were psychologically distressed. Participant’s age, presence of children and pregnant women at home, work experience, unavailability of sufficient PPE, dissatisfaction on current prevention and control strategies and stress at workstation were reported to have a significant association with psychological stress. Commonest positive coping strategy of stress was maintaining a positive attitude towards the pandemic.
Role models and teachers: medical students perception of teaching-learning methods in clinical settings, a qualitative study from Sri Lanka
(Biomed Central, 2016) Jayasuriya-Illesinghe, V.; Nazeer, I.; Athauda, L.; Perera, J.
BACKGROUND: Medical education research in general, and those focusing on clinical settings in particular, have been a low priority in South Asia. This explorative study from 3 medical schools in Sri Lanka, a South Asian country, describes undergraduate medical students’ experiences during their final year clinical training with the aim of understanding the teaching-learning experiences. METHODS: Using qualitative methods we conducted an exploratory study. Twenty eight graduates from 3 medical schools participated in individual interviews. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using qualitative content analysis method. RESULTS: Emergent themes revealed 2 types of teaching-learning experiences, role modeling, and purposive teaching. In role modelling, students were expected to observe teachers while they conduct their clinical work, however, this method failed to create positive learning experiences. The clinical teachers who predominantly used this method appeared to be ‘figurative’ role models and were not perceived as modelling professional behaviors. In contrast, purposeful teaching allowed dedicated time for teacher-student interactions and teachers who created these learning experiences were more likely to be seen as ‘true’ role models. Students’ responses and reciprocations to these interactions were influenced by their perception of teachers’ behaviors, attitudes, and the type of teaching-learning situations created for them. CONCLUSIONS: Making a distinction between role modeling and purposeful teaching is important for students in clinical training settings. Clinical teachers’ awareness of their own manifest professional characterizes, attitudes, and behaviors, could help create better teaching-learning experiences. Moreover, broader systemic reforms are needed to address the prevailing culture of teaching by humiliation and subordination.