Background: Electronic mind maps are one of the innovative learning approaches that help to improve students , achievement and self-efficacy. Aim: Examine the effect of using electronic mind maps as a teaching strategy on academic vitality, self-efficacy, and achievement among nursing students. Design: A quasi-experimental design with (pretest-posttests, case, and control groups) was utilized to conduct the study. Setting: The current study was conducted at the Faculty of Nursing, Menoufia University, Egypt. Subjects: A convenience sample of 400 new entry students was divided equally into study group and control group. Tools: included (1) Academic vitality questionnaire, (2) Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, (3) Academic achievement questionnaire, and (4) Student Satisfaction Scale. Results: The study revealed that mean scores of academic vitality of electronic mind mapping and conventional groups were 82.85±15.12 & 57.85±18.16 respectively in the post-test. Also, it reported that the mean scores of academic self-efficacy of the electronic mind mapping and conventional groups were175.39±30.97 and 129.76 ±32.21 respectively in the post-test. In addition, the mean scores of academic achievement for the electronic mind mapping and conventional groups are 17.48± 2.76 & 13.98 ± 2.75 respectively in the posttest. In addition, it showed that 86% of the students in the electronic mind-mapping group were satisfied, while only 55% in the conventional group were satisfied. Conclusion: Electronic mind maps are an effective and powerful tool that enhances nursing students , academic vitality, self-efficacy, and achievement Recommendations: Electronic mind maps should be implemented as an acceptable teaching strategy for all courses of nursing students' education.

Background: School children are the most important segment in the society. Their physical growth presents a general health status of a community as a whole. Aim: Apply evidence-based assessment of physical growth among primary school children. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used. Setting: The study was conducted at three primary Governmental schools at Baltiem in Kafr -El-sheik governorate, Egypt. Sample: Simple random sample of 300 students enrolled at the selected setting. Tools: Included (1) An interviewing questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, (2) Nutritional knowledge and reported practices questionnaire, (3) Lifestyle assessment questionnaire, (4) Physical examination and (5) Bio physiological measurements. Results: The main results revealed that 14.0% of the studied children had short stature and11% had long stature. In addition, 11.7% of the studied children were underweight and 15.3% were overweight, also 8% were obese. Also the results indicated that 59.3% of the studied children had unhealthy lifestyle. Conclusions: The study concluded that two third of children had normal weight, less than one quarter of the studied children were underweight. Moreover , three quarters of studied children had normal stature, and one quarter had short and long stature. Also, it concluded that more than half of the studied children had unhealthy lifestyle. In addition, the study clarified that Evidence Based Practice tool is a good reference for assessing physical growth of school children. Recommendation: Nutritional educational programs should be directed to school children, teachers, and parents to enhance their knowledge and practice regarding healthy growth and development.

No abstract

Background: Solid waste collection is a dangerous job that exposes the waste collectors to different occupational health hazards and certain occupation related morbidities. Aim: This study aimed to examine the relationship between exposure to occupational health hazards and the use of safety protective measures among municipal solid waste collectors. Methods: Correlational descriptive study design was used Sample: A convenient sample of 140 municipal solid waste collectors were included. Settings: The study was carried out at Local Council of 10 villages followed Birket Elsaba district, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Tool: An interviewing questionnaire was used which included five parts: ( 1) Demographic data. (2) Work related factors. (3) Current health problems. (4) Safety protective measures.(5) Knowledge of the municipal solid waste collectors about occupational health hazards in the work place. Results: The study reported that two thirds of the municipal solid waste collectors were exposed to physical hazards, 63.6% of them were exposed to psychological hazards. 55% were exposed to chemical hazards, 59.3% were exposed to ergonomic hazards while who were exposed to biological and accidental hazards were 60% and 59.3% respectively. Also, It reported that 42.9% of the sample used safety boots, 24.3% of them used gloves. Moreover, 7.1% of the sample used head covers and as same used special uniform. In addition, none of the them used goggles and mask while 18.6% of the them not used any personal protective equipment. Also, it reported that more than three quarters of the study sample washed their hands before eating while 7.1% of the sample change clothes before and after the shifts. So, the present study indicated that there were statistical significance difference between exposure of the study group to occupational health hazards as (physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic, psychological and accidental) hazards and the use of safety protective measures. Conclusions: This study concluded that there were statistical significance difference between exposure of the study group to different occupational health hazards and the use of safety protective measures (p<0.05). Recommendations: Periodic health education and awareness programs are needed to increase knowledge of municipal solid waste collectors on different occupational health hazards, ergonomic principles and importance of using safety protective measures in the work place.

Background: Irritable bowel syndrome is a common functional diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that require more attention. Lifestyle modification intervention is an important strategy to improve health, symptoms and quality of life of IBS patients. Aim of the study was to examine effect of lifestyle modification on symptoms reduction and quality of life improvement among adults with irritable bowel syndrome. Methods: Research design: A quasi experimental design (pre-posttest) was used to conduct the present study. Setting: This study was conducted in internal medicine outpatient clinic at University Hospital in Menoufia governorate, Egypt. Subjects: A purposive sample of 75 adults were recruited in this study. Tools: (1) An interviewing questionnaire consisted of three parts; I-Adults' socio-demographic data II-Adults' clinical data. III-Adults , knowledge questionnaire about IBS (2) IBS-Severity Symptom Scale. (3) IBS-QOL questionnaire. Results: After implementation of lifestyle intervention, the total mean score of knowledge was improved from 43.90 ±10.57 to 79.69 ±7.27 and the total mean score of IBS-symptoms were reduced from 223.56 ±65.50 to 151.93 ±79.55. Also, there was a highly statistical significant improvement in total IBS-quality of life score among study sample at (p <0.001). Conclusions: Lifestyle modification intervention for three months had a positive effect and significantly reduce IBS symptoms, enhance knowledge and succeeded in improving quality of life among adults with irritable bowel syndrome. Recommendation: Continuous patients' education about IBS disease should be planned regularly in outpatient clinic to control the disease symptoms and reduce its unwanted effect on quality of life.