| Literature DB >> 25520934 |
Lii-Tzu Wu1, Tsuei-Yuan Lai2, Chiu-Shong Liu3, Cheng-Chun Lee4, Cheng-Chieh Lin3, Meei-Ling Horng5.
Abstract
Key ingredients for upgrading health care include bolstering and appraising professional medical education. Health examination as a crucial element of health care that we must incorporate into medical education. This research evaluates medical students' awareness of national health examinations. Two surveys, focused on health examination knowledge and perspective, were conducted for first- to fourthyear medical students, results analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA. Research subjects scored maximum 11 (of possible 15): i.e., 76.2% accuracy for health examination knowledge questions and held positive views on seven (58%) perspective-related questions. Self-directed learning courses do provide a positive effect on students' learning. Respondents' varying backgrounds had insignificant impact on overall results, but in-depth analysis for each individual question does reveal differences among several backgrounds. Medical students' overall awareness level for health examination is above average in comparison to the general public. This research result can provide a basis to improve the related professional programs, courses and teachings or used as a reference for modifications on future classes. The above observations were discussed based on the medical education system in Taiwan.Entities:
Keywords: Medical education;; Medical students;; National health examination;; Self-directed learning; T-test and ANOVA;
Year: 2014 PMID: 25520934 PMCID: PMC4264985 DOI: 10.7603/s40681-014-0021-2
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Biomedicine (Taipei) ISSN: 2211-8020
Demographic data of medical students.
| N=335 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| items | groups | no. of students | percentage(%) |
| Gender | (1) male (2) female | 197 138 | 58.8 41.2 |
| Class year | (1) freshman (2) sophomore (3) junior (4) senior | 83 77 96 79 | 24.8 23.0 28.7 23.6 |
| Educational Background (Father) | (1) elementary (2) junior high (3) senior high (4) college or university (5) graduate | 3 17 69 186 73 | 0.9 6.1 20.6 50.1 21.8 |
| Types of Job (Father) | (1) business (2) military or government (3) freelance (4) agriculture and fishery (5) other | 130 84 39 4 74 | 38.3 25.1 11.6 1.2 22.1 |
| Educational Background (Mother) | (1) elementary (2) junior high (3) senior high (4) college or university (5) graduate | 6 20 111 158 38 | 1.8 6.0 33.1 47.2 11.3 |
| Types of Job (Mother) | (1) business (2) military or government (3) freelance (4) agriculture and fishery (5) other | 70 97 51 2 110 | 21.2 29.4 15.5 0.6 32.8 |
| Number of Health Examinations Conducted in the Last Five Years | (1) 0 (2) one (3) two (4) three (5) four (6) above five | 26 118 115 43 10 17 | 7.8 35.2 34.3 12.8 3.0 5.1 |
| Reasons for Health Examination | (1) family medical history (2) personal illness (3) insurance (4) other | 4 36 29 200 | 1.2 10.7 8.7 59.7 |
| Volunteer Experience in Hospital | (1) yes (2) no | 206 127 | 61.5 37.9 |
Research subjects’ medical knowledge (based on examination promoted by ministry of health and welfare). Score.
| N=335 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Question | Avg. | SD | Above mean | |
| 1. | Female over the age of 30 can receive a free cervical smear once per year. | 0.61 | 0.49 | ✓ |
| 2. | Ministry of Health and Welfare provide free health examination once every third year for citizens over age 40. | 0.36 | 0.48 | |
| 3. | Only those beyond age 40 need to receive regular health examinations. | 0.93 | 0.25 | ✓ |
| 4. | People under age 40 who do not experience discomfort need no health examination. | 0.95 | 0.21 | ✓ |
| 5. | If results are normal for this health examination, then no further examination is necessary. | 0.97 | 0.18 | ✓ |
| 6. | Apart from minor sickness, health examinations can also prevent major health issues (such as cancer, diabetes or cardiovascular disease). | 0.91 | 0.28 | ✓ |
| 7. | Health examinations can detect all the sickness symptoms regardless of how serious it is. | 0.92 | 0.27 | ✓ |
| 8. | Health examinations are only provided by major hospitals. | 0.91 | 0.29 | ✓ |
| 9. | Health examination results not affected by female subjects conducted during their period. | 0.90 | 0.30 | ✓ |
| 10. | Ministry of Health & Welfare provide free yearly oral health check for citizens over age 18 with smoking or chewing tobacco habits. | 0.31 | 0.46 | |
| 11. | Health examinations should be taken once biennially before age 30 and annually between 30-50; early start means better effect. | 0.79 | 0.41 | ✓ |
| 12. | Health examination items should be decided based on person health conditions, family health history and economic situations. | 0.92 | 0.27 | ✓ |
| 13. | Kids under the age of 7 does not need health examinations. | 0.92 | 0.27 | ✓ |
| 14. | Ministry of Health & Welfare provides citizens aged 50-60, free colorectal cancer screen biennially. | 0.45 | 0.50 | |
| 15. | Ministry of Health & Welfare provides female aged 50-69 free biennial breast radiology. | 0.56 | 0.50 | ✓ |
| Total Average Score | 11.43 | 2.12 | ||
Research subjects’ health examinations perspective scoring percentage.
| Question | % of agree/ have no comment / disagree | Missing value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Average consensus: sufficient for health examinations to include x-ray, blood test, and ECG. | 49.8/21.5/ | 1.8 |
| 2. | Serum liver function check is normal, indicating no chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. | 28.7/28.1/ | 3.0 |
| 3. | Health examinations all conducted by department physicians. | 15.5/26.9/ | 1.8 |
| 4. | Preventative health care should cover the psychology and physiological including symptoms of the body and the mind. |
| 1.5 |
| 5. | It is sufficient for patients with hepatitis B to perform blood checks every three to six months to ensure the surface antigen and liver functions. | 22.4/36.4/ | 2.1 |
| 6. | Examinations items such as endoscopy, x-ray 、upper gastrointestinal examination and stomach ultrasonic can be conducted by technical personnel and the doctors only need to perform the readings. | 50.5/23.6/ | 2.7 |
| 7. | During health examinations, check items such as ENT and ophthalmology does not need to be conducted by specialized doctors, it is sufficient for family physicians or medical department physicians to perform the examinations. | 20.9/36.3/ | 1.8 |
| 8. | Health examinations can be conducted even when subjects are not feeling well. |
| 1.8 |
| 9. | I can read the basic blood sample data to determine whether it is normal. |
| 2.4 |
| 10. | I can judgmentally determine whether the ECG results is normal. |
| 1.2 |
| 11. | I can provide health care knowledge, health education, and promote health knowledge related to health examinations. |
| 1.5 |
| 12. | An average health examination consists of three items to prevent professional illness, adult health care prevention and health examination for the elderly. | 54/34/ | 1.5 |
Underlined percentage numbers indicate perspective positive
Abbreviations: Avg.: Average; SD: Standard deviation
ANOVA awareness level towards health examination for different grade level’s medical students.
| N=335 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale | Class Yrs. | Pop. | Avg. | SD | ANOVA | |||||
| Source of difference | Deviation from mean | Degree of freedom | Mean square | F value | Comp. | |||||
| Health | 1 | 83 | 11.41 | 2.05 | Inter group | 2.97 | 3 | 2.34 | 0.52 | |
| Exam | 2 | 77 | 11.23 | 2.07 | Intra group | 1498.99 | 331 | 4.53 | ||
| Knowledge | 3 | 96 | 11.29 | 2.42 | total | 1501.96 | 334 | |||
| 4 | 79 | 11.56 | 1.92 | |||||||
| Health | 1 | 83 | 35.22 | 4.29 | Inter group | 61.06 | 3 | 27.19 | 0.68 | |
| Exam | 2 | 77 | 34.91 | 7.17 | Intra group | 13198.47 | 331 | 39.98 | ||
| Perspective | 3 | 96 | 34.44 | 6.84 | total | 13259.52 | 334 | |||
| 4 | 79 | 34.09 | 6.54 | |||||||
| Knowledge | 1 | 83 | 0.23 | 0.42 | Inter group | 1.95 | 3 | 0.65 | 3.06* | 3>1 |
| 10 | 2 | 77 | 0.30 | 0.46 | Intra group | 70.14 | 331 | 0.21 | ||
| 3 | 96 | 0.43 | 0.50 | total | 72.10 | 334 | ||||
| 4 | 79 | 0.28 | 0.45 | |||||||
| Perspective | 1 | 83 | 3.42 | 0.89 | Inter group | 6.92 | 3 | 2.31 | 2.70* | |
| 5 | 2 | 74 | 3.22 | 0.86 | Intra group | 276.59 | 324 | 0.85 | ||
| 3 | 93 | 3.11 | 0.91 | total | 283.51 | 327 | ||||
| 4 | 78 | 3.04 | 1.02 | |||||||
| Perspective | 1 | 82 | 3.22 | 0.89 | Inter group | 15.19 | 3 | 5.06 | 4.73** | 2>4 |
| 9 | 2 | 73 | 3.66 | 1.00 | Intra group | 345.79 | 323 | 1.07 | ||
| 3 | 95 | 3.26 | 1.05 | total | 360.98 | 326 | ||||
| 4 | 77 | 3.04 | 1.07 | |||||||
| Perspective | 1 | 83 | 2.61 | 0.99 | Inter group | 8.83 | 3 | 2.95 | 3.94** | 1>4 |
| 12 | 2 | 74 | 2.58 | 0.89 | Intra group | 243.52 | 326 | 0.74 | ||
| 3 | 95 | 2.52 | 0.74 | total | 252.35 | 329 | ||||
| 4 | 78 | 2.19 | 0.84 |
*p<0.05
Abbreviations: Yrs.: Years; Pop.: Population; Avg.: Average; SD: Standard deviation; Comp.: Comparison
ANOVA awareness level towards health examination for medical students with regard to father’s job.
| N=335 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale | Fathers’ job | Pop. | Avg. | SD | ANOVA | |||||
| Source of difference | Deviation from mean | Degree of freedom | Mean square | F value | Comp. | |||||
| Health | 1 | 130 | 11.62 | 1.90 | Inter group | 9.84 | 4 | 2.45 | 0.56 | |
| Exam | 2 | 84 | 11.42 | 2.33 | Intra group | 1442.01 | 326 | 4.42 | ||
| Knowledge | 3 | 39 | 11.38 | 2.26 | total | 1451.83 | 330 | |||
| 4 | 4 | 10.50 | 1.73 | |||||||
| 5 | 74 | 11.27 | 2.11 | |||||||
| Health | 1 | 130 | 34.35 | 7.09 | Inter group | 102.68 | 4 | 25.67 | 0.64 | |
| Exam | 2 | 84 | 35.17 | 5.65 | Intra group | 13071.11 | 326 | 40.10 | ||
| Perspective | 3 | 39 | 33.87 | 6.71 | total | 13173.79 | 330 | |||
| 4 | 4 | 37.50 | 3.70 | |||||||
| 5 | 74 | 35.07 | 5.46 | |||||||
| Knowledge | 1 | 130 | 0.99 | 0.87 | Inter group | 0.52 | 4 | 0.13 | 3.05* | 1>2 |
| 4 | 2 | 84 | 0.89 | 0.31 | Inter group | 13. 80 | 326 | 0.04 | ||
| 3 | 39 | 0.95 | 0.22 | total | 14.32 | |||||
| 4 | 4 | 1.00 | 0 | |||||||
| Knowledge | 1 | 130 | 0.37 | 0.48 | Inter group | 2.35 | 4 | 0.59 | 2.79* | |
| 10 | 2 | 84 | 0.21 | 0.41 | Intra group | 68.60 | 326 | 0.21 | ||
| 3 | 39 | 0.44 | 0.50 | total | 70.95 | 330 | ||||
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 5 | 74 | 0.27 | 0.45 |
Note 1 = Business, 2 = Military or government, 3 = Freelance, 4 = Agriculture and fishery, 5 = Other
Abbreviations: Pop: Population; Avg.: Average; SD: Standard deviation; Comp.: Comparison
ANOVA awareness level towards health examination for medical students with regard to mother’s educational level.
| N=335 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale | Mothers’ EDU BG | Pop. | Avg. | SD | ANOVA | |||||
| Source of difference | Deviation from mean | Degree of freedom | Mean square | F value | Comp. | |||||
| Health | 1 | 6 | 11.60 | 2.07 | Inter group | 9.84 | 4 | 2.45 | 0.56 | |
| Exam | 2 | 20 | 11.41 | 2.40 | Intra group | 1442.01 | 328 | 4.42 | ||
| Knowledge | 3 | 111 | 11.57 | 1.93 | total | 1451.83 | 332 | |||
| 4 | 158 | 10.50 | 1.73 | |||||||
| 5 | 38 | 11.27 | 2.11 | |||||||
| Health | 1 | 6 | 32.50 | 2.26 | Inter group | 43.55 | 4 | 10.89 | 0.27 | |
| Exam | 2 | 20 | 34.40 | 6.99 | Intra group | 13156.78 | 328 | 40.11 | ||
| Perspective | 3 | 111 | 34.54 | 7.90 | total | 13200.26 | 332 | |||
| 4 | 158 | 34.94 | 5.26 | |||||||
| 5 | 38 | 34.53 | 5.20 | |||||||
| Knowledge 5 | 1 | 6 | 0.37 | 0.48 | Inter group | 2.35 | 4 | 0.59 | 2.79* | |
| 2 | 20 | 0.21 | 0.41 | Inter group | 69.18 | 328 | 0.21 | |||
| 3 | 111 | 0.44 | 0.50 | total | 71.52 | 332 | ||||
| 4 | 158 | 0 | 0 | |||||||
| 5 | 38 | 0.27 | 0.45 | |||||||
| Knowledge 11 | 1 | 6 | 0.67 | 0.56 | Inter group | 2.08 | 4 | 0.52 | 3.23* | |
| 2 | 20 | 0.55 | 0.51 | Inter group | 52.63 | 328 | 0.16 | |||
| 3 | 111 | 0.83 | 0.38 | total | 54.70 | 332 | ||||
| 4 | 158 | 0.83 | 0.38 | |||||||
| 5 | 38 | 0.68 | 0.47 | |||||||
| Knowledge 13 | 1 | 6 | 0.83 | 0.41 | Inter group | 0.76 | 4 | 0.19 | 2.67* | |
| 2 | 20 | 0.75 | 0.44 | Inter group | 23.22 | 328 | 0.07 | |||
| 3 | 111 | 0.93 | 0.26 | total | 23.97 | 332 | ||||
| 4 | 158 | 0.93 | 0.26 | |||||||
| 5 | 38 | 0.97 | 0.16 | |||||||
| Perspective 1 | 1 | 6 | 2.67 | 1.21 | Inter group | 16.77 | 4 | 4.19 | 3.26* | 3>2 |
| 2 | 20 | 1.90 | 0.97 | Inter group | 414.65 | 322 | 1.29 | |||
| 3 | 111 | 2.86 | 1.19 | total | 431.42 | 326 | ||||
| 4 | 158 | 2.72 | 1.12 | |||||||
| 5 | 38 | 2.53 | 1.11 |
*p<0.05, **p<0.01
Note 1=Elementary, 2=Junior High, 3=Senior High, 4=College or University, 5=Graduate Abbreviations: ED: Educational; BG: Background; Pop.: Population; Avg.: Average; SD: Standard deviation; Comp.: Comparison
ANOVA awareness level towards health examination for medical students with regard to reasons for health exam.
| N=335 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scale | Reasons of exam | Pop. | Avg. | SD | ANOVA | |||||
| Source of difference | Deviation from mean | Degree of freedom | Mean square | F value | Comp. | |||||
| Health | 1 | 4 | 11.00 | 1.41 | Inter group | 15.06 | 3 | 5.02 | 1.15 | |
| Exam | 2 | 36 | 11.92 | 1.75 | Intra group | 1153.24 | 265 | 4.35 | ||
| Knowledge | 3 | 29 | 11.02 | 2.92 | total | 1168.30 | 268 | |||
| 4 | 200 | 11.32 | 2.01 | |||||||
| Health | 1 | 4 | 35.00 | 3.56 | Inter group | 121. 67 | 3 | 27.19 | 0.68 | |
| Exam | 2 | 36 | 34.94 | 5.93 | Intra group | 9671.65 | 265 | 39.98 | ||
| Perspective | 3 | 29 | 32.69 | 6.81 | total | 9793.32 | 268 | |||
| 4 | 200 | 34.84 | 5.97 | |||||||
| Knowledge | 1 | 4 | 1.00 | 0 | Inter group | 0.54 | 3 | 0.18 | 3.74* | 2>3 |
| 4 | 2 | 36 | 1.00 | 0 | Intra group | 12.73 | 265 | 0.05 | 4>3 | |
| 3 | 29 | 0.83 | 0.38 | total | 13.27 | 268 | ||||
| 4 | 200 | 0.96 | 0.21 | |||||||
| Knowledge | 1 | 4 | 1.00 | 0 | Inter group | 1.32 | 3 | 0.44 | 5.23** | 2>3 |
| 9 | 2 | 36 | 1.00 | 0 | Inter group | 22.17 | 265 | 0.08 | 2>3 | |
| 3 | 29 | 0.72 | 0.45 | total | 23.48 | 268 | ||||
| 4 | 200 | 0.91 | 0.29 |
*p0.05, ** p<0.01
Note 1=Family medical history, 2=Personal illness, 3=Insurance, 4=Other
Abbreviations: Pop.: Population; Avg.: Average; SD: Standard deviation; Comp.: Comparison