Usage and attitude of medical students towards mobile medical applications during and after COVID-19 lockdown: repeated cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift toward e-learning, particularly in medical education. Mobile medical applications (apps) have become integral tools for e-learning due to the prevalence of smartphones among medical students. Therefore, we aim to assess the usage and attitude of undergraduate Egyptian medical students towards mobile medical apps during and after the COVID-19 lockdown.

METHODS

This is a two-phase repeated cross-sectional study using an online, pilot-tested, and self-administered survey conducted at the Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Egypt. Phase 1 was during the academic year 2019-2020 (during lockdown), and phase 2 was during the academic year 2021-2022 (after lockdown). Out of the 4800-target population for each phase, a sample size of 140 medical students was randomly selected from each study year, resulting in a total sample size of 840 students for all six academic and clinical years for each phase.

RESULTS

A total of 566 students in phase 1 and 616 students in phase 2 responded to the survey, with response rates of 67.62% and 73.33%, respectively. In phase 1, 55.7% of students reported using medical apps, with no significant difference between males and females (60.1% vs. 53.8%; p = 0.17) or between academic and clinical years (56.3% vs. 54.7%; p = 0.7). In phase 2, the percentage increased to 70.9%, with a significant difference between males and females (80% vs. 62.9%; p < 0.001) and between academic and clinical years (79.8% vs. 63%; p < 0.001). Medical dictionaries were the most commonly used apps, whereas medical calculators were the least common in both phases. Regarding their attitude, most students (65.1% and 73.9% in phases 1 and 2, respectively) expressed confidence in using medical apps, while 81.3% in phase 1 and 88.1% in phase 2 agreed that using medical apps is a flexible method of learning. Lack of knowledge regarding which app to download was the most reported cause of limitation in medical app usage by 37.8% of the students in phase 1 and 40% in phase 2.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that the COVID-19 lockdown led to a significant increase in the use of mobile medical apps among Egyptian medical students. Despite the positive attitude of students towards these apps, multiple challenges still need to be addressed to ensure their optimal utilization in medical education.

Colonoscopy screening for colorectal cancer in Egypt: a nationwide cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Current guidelines advocate for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in adults who are at risk by using direct visualization methods such as colonoscopy. However, in Egypt, there is a paucity of data regarding the current practice of colonoscopy screening. Moreover, more information is needed about the knowledge and attitudes of potential participants regarding the procedure and possible barriers that can limit their participation.

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional study using an interview-based survey of patients aged 45 years or above who presented to outpatient clinics of nine university hospitals throughout Egypt. Participants were surveyed to assess their compliance with CRC colonoscopy screening guidelines, their knowledge of and attitude towards colonoscopy screening, and their perspective on potential barriers to colonoscopy screening.

RESULTS

A total of 1,453 participants responded to our survey in the nine study centers. Only a minority of participants (2.3%) were referred for CRC screening. Referral rates were higher among those who knew someone with a history of CRC (5.3% vs 1.5%, p < 0.001) or had a discussion with their physician about CRC (25.8% vs 0.7%, p < 0.001). Few responders (3.2%) had good knowledge regarding CRC screening. After introducing the concept of CRC screening to all participants, most patients (66.7%) showed a positive attitude towards having the procedure. Financial burden and fear of results were the two most frequently cited barriers to undergoing CRC screening (81.1%; and 60.1%, respecteively).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the positive attitude, there is insufficient knowledge about CRC screening among eligible participants in Egypt. This has probably contributed to low compliance with current CRC screening guidelines and needs to be addressed at the national level.

Ebola virus disease: Essential clinical knowledge

Since its initial outbreak in 1976, Ebola virus disease (EVD) has affected thousands of people, causing severe illness with high mortality rates. In the absence of a vaccine or effective specific treatment, as well as the lack of early diagnostic and detective methods, the EVD outbreak has generated a significant worldwide health concern. Insufficient health-care system resources, deficient infection control measures, and the shortage of appropriate personal protective equipment acted as amplifiers of the outbreak extension, especially in poorly resourced and unprepared communities. Operating on the frontlines, health-care workers must be familiar, not only with the identification of the disease, but also with the ability to protect themselves and initiate the appropriate response. This review seeks to provide essential information required to identify and manage the disease, with an emphasis on pathogenesis, transmission, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. We conducted a literature search in MEDLINE/PubMed and Google Scholar using the following keywords: "Ebola, Ebola virus disease, Hemorrhagic Fever, Outbreak." We included all types of publications. To augment our study, we searched the reference lists of identified reviews.

Pros and cons of student journals

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