Browsing by Author "Harries, Catherine Sara."

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Determining knowledge, attitudes and use of female condoms among male medical students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.
(2013) Mthembu, Nobuhle Lindekile.; Harries, Catherine Sara.
Determining knowledge, attitudes and use of female condoms among male medical students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban The HIV and AIDS epidemics have been identified as international key health challenges. Heterosexual transmission is the predominant mode of HIV infection in sub-Saharan Africa.Women account for more than half of all infected adults in Africa. Prevention remains one of the most crucial steps in controlling the HIV epidemic. With men remaining dominant over women when it comes to sexual health issues, the need to increase their uptake of all available barrier methods has been recognized. While other female initiated HIV prevention technologies such as vaginal microbicides, are in the process of being developed, the female condom is a protection option which is already available. The purpose of this study was to determine knowledge, attitudes and behavioural practices associated with the use of the female condom as a barrier contraceptive method among first, second and third year male medical students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in Durban. A purposive sampling method was used to extract a sample from male medical students attending the Nelson R. Mandela Medical School campus during 2010. One hundred and twenty nine male medical students participated in the study, (First year n=55, second year n=40 and third year n=34). Information was elicited using a self-administered questionnaire. This included demographic information as well as questions relating to sexual risk level. Students were then asked questions to elicit their knowledge about female condoms, where they could access these; whether they had used a female condom before; and their experiences with and views about female condoms. Results from the study data revealed that most male medical students have heard of and seen a female condom (98% and 96% respectively); however there is low uptake on the usage (7%). Although most perceptions expressed about the female condom were negative, 51% of students reported they would be willing to try the method in the future. Attention needs to be directed to interventions focusing on wide national promotion of and education about female initiated innovations especially female condoms. Female condom promotion should be aimed at young males as their cooperation is crucial in this exercise.
The impact of therapeutics tutorials on the reasoning of fourth year medical students with regard to the prescribing process.
(2005) Harries, Catherine Sara.; Mbali, Valerie Charlotte.; Botha, Julia Hilary.
This research was initiated as a response to a request for assistance from a group of students at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine who had reported feeling unprepared to prescribe medicines. This led to an interest in the level of competence shown by students in making prescribing decisions and the extent to which they were confident of their prescribing judgments. Student prescribing competence and confidence were assessed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The quantitative assessment comprised a test where students were asked to rate their confidence in some of their responses. A stratified sample of 10 of these student interviewed, where they were asked to choose treatment for four paper cases. Prescribing skills were found to be lacking, with test results averaging 47%. appropriate treatment selected for only 4 of the total of 40 paper cases. Upon reviewing the literature, it became apparent that poor prescribing skills, leading to the problem of irrational prescribing was a worldwide phenomenon The study aimed to address areas of weak prescribing skill using a short intense intervention comprising of several different learning strategies. Student change in confidence following the course was assessed using an evaluation form where students rated their perceived changes in key competences. Students showed improved confidence for each of the prescribing abilities measured. These findings have been compiled into 3 research publications, the texts of which are bound together as they were submitted together to comply with the research requirement of an M.Ed. The findings are reported in a paper titled Building successful therapeutics into a problembased medical curriculum in Africa in the South African Journal of Higher Education (see Appendices). I was also interested in how prescribing ability builds as students develop new prescribing skills. The student interviews provided an opportunity to explore the variation shown between the students relating to the quality of the treatment they prescribed for a given paper case. A sample of two sets of paper cases were assessed using a phenomenographic method, yielding two different perspectives of student experience. The research outlined above is the focus of the dissertation, which also includes an exploration of the teaching and learning issues which guided the design of the intervention and which I believe led to the positive finding of improved student prescribing confidence. Also included in the dissertation is an analysis of the quantitative assessment according to the cognitive categories of Bloom's Taxonomy, as well as qualitative data gathered from student interviews which revealed an understanding about prescribing abilities which predominated at differing Bloom cognitive levels for different students. In the second paper titled Undergraduate medical students' reasoning with regard to the prescribing process which has been submitted to Medical Teacher, (see Appendices) the range of student cognition associated with prescribing is explored. Each question from the quantitative assessment of prescribing abilities were grouped according to the Bloom Category it had been assigned, student scores according to each Bloom category were calculated. Students scored highest for the lowest cognitive category ('knowledge') and lowest for the highest ranked cognitive categories( 'evaluation' and 'synthesis'). These findings along with the qualitative findings and the phenomenographic assessment were reported here.
Investigation into drug dose practices and proportional reasoning in mathematics among medical students.
(2019) Harries, Catherine Sara.; Botha, Julia Hilary.
Multilingual preclinical South African medical students, receiving a developing quantitative literacy program, were studied. Their preparedness for drug dosage practices, aspects they found difficult, the underlying reasons, and factors or interventio ns that helped them were investigated A mixed methods action -research-type study involved three cycles, each testing a different consenting student cohort. In Cycle 1 dosage calculation ability, when using different concentration formats, was assessed progressively over two years. Individual teaching observations explored struggling students' experience. In Cycle II, the focus broadened to include retrieving dosage information from guidelines and preparing a dose in a syringe. In Cycle ill, assessment in eluded drug selection, requiring interpretation of statistics to compare treatments. In all cycles, the percentage of successful students was calculated, error frequencies were determined, and associations were sought. Observations were coded for themes of student difficulties, supportive strategies and improvement, responses were mapped to stage progress toward proportional reasoning and assessments were analysed for linguist ic and mathematical difficulty. In Cycle I (n = 364), competence rose from 23% to 66% after extended exposure to training and assessment, peer learning and individual tuition. Observed tuition themes produced curriculum change. In Cycle II, 239 students were randomised to four groups. The two groups given standard numerical information fared best (46% success with the addition of equipment and 43% without). Where information was extracted from guidelines, 25% were successful when provided with equipment and only 10% without. Groups with equipment calculated fewer implausible doses and u sed fewer incorrect units. In Cycle ill, after training, only 26% of 231 students understood relative risk, but a mere 6% understood the concepts of absolute risk and number needed to treat. Sixty students (26%) made a rational drug choice. Proportional re asoning ability was not associated with interpreting risk statistics successfully or making a rational treatment selection. In all cycles, English as home language predicted success, although in Cycle I, this effect was lost after peer tuition. To prepare medical students for the complexities of drug dose practices, early training and repeated assessment should include extraction of information from guidelines, use of the relevant equipment as well as training in interpreting risk statistics for rational drug selection.