Background and Objective: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an established concept in which students obtain mutual benefits by teaching and learning from each other. In the clinical environment, this often occurs intentionally or unintentionally in various formats such as same level or cross level peer tutoring, peer mentoring, cooperative learning and the like. This study determined the effectiveness of Peer Assisted Learning in achieving identified program outcomes in the curriculum for clerks and postgraduate interns rotating in Otorhinolaryngology specialty. Methodology: Study has 2 parts. Part 1 was a one-group pre-test and post-test design that involved teaching training of 16 PGI to be peer tutors in Otorhinolaryngology Physical Examination (ORL PE) to clerks. Video recorded pre-training baseline and post-training actual skills demonstrations of the PGI were rated. Scores were compared using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test with p value at 5% level of significance. Part 2 was a randomized controlled single-blind trial of Peer-Led vs. Expert Faculty-Led ORL PE training of 55 clerks. Tutees performed a post training video-recorded skills demonstration assessed by a faculty rater who was blinded as to who among the clerks underwent the PAL-Led or Expert Faculty-Led training. Scores of the tutees in the 2 models of instruction were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test at 5% level of significance. Results: Part 1 results showed significant improvement in the post-training scores of the 16 PGI in the identified micro skills and ORL PE skills. For Part 2, 33 and 22 clerks underwent PAL-Led and Expert Faculty-Led instruction respectively. Comparison of performance scores of the clerks in the 2 models of instruction showed no significant difference. Conclusion Teaching training for PGI improved their knowledge, skills and attitude in teaching ORL PE skills to clerks. There was no significant difference in the performance outcomes between clerks that underwent PALLed and Expert Faculty-Led model of instruction.
Teacher Training ; Peer Group

BACKGROUND: External quality assessment (EQA) uses a standard deviation index (SDI), based on a peer group, to evaluate laboratory performance. However, evaluations using peer group SDIs often have limited applicability, because they are not statistically valid unless the number of institutions in the same peer group is large. The present study proposes a statistical model for simultaneously evaluating the performance of all participating institutions, as well as the performance of instruments on the market. METHODS: By assuming that proficiency test results were affected by the manufacturer, the instrument, and the institution, the effects of those factors were estimated using a linear mixed model. We used these effect estimates to calculate manufacturer, instrument, and institution SDIs. Using simulation, we evaluated the false positive rates and efficiencies of the proposed linear mixed model. RESULTS: Simulations showed that the linear mixed model empirical type I error rates preserved the nominal significance level. This model was also more statistically efficient than the peer group SDI. Rates of unacceptability were lower when using institution SDI than they were when using peer group SDI. Additional outliers that could not be evaluated using the current system were detected by the institution SDI statistic. The instrument SDI statistic detected outliers among different instrument groups. CONCLUSIONS: Institution and instrument SDIs are robust and efficient tools for EQA, and they can replace the currently used system of peer group SDI.
Laboratory Proficiency Testing ; Models, Statistical ; Peer Group

The purpose of this study is to explore the reasons of Shisha smoking among teenagers in Ipoh, Perak. Data was collected using in-depth face to face interview. Purposive convenient sampling was used to select volunteer respondents from one of the Shisha restaurant located at Ipoh. The interviews were conducted for 15-20 minutes, recorded using video tape. The data obtained was transcribed and coded for the purpose of thematic analysis. All respondents were influenced by peers in their first attempt in Shisha smoking. Other reasons attracting them to continue smoking Shisha include appealing smell and the flavoured taste of Shisha, easy to access, perceived that Shisha was not addictive and its’ cheaper price. In terms of perception on health risk, all respondents believed that Shisha was less harmful compared to cigarette smoking. More educational programme, health talk about risk of Shisha should be developed and conducted to rectify the misconception about health risk of Shisha smoking. The target population should be focus on male teenagers who smoke Shisha in order to control the widespread Shisha smoking in Malaysia.
Smoking ; Adolescent ; Behavior ; Risk ; Health ; Peer Group

PURPOSE: This study was done to provide basic data for education of elementary school students on life-respect and peer bullying prevention. METHODS: Participants were 5th and 6th grade elementary school students. Data from the questionnaires of 218 participants were analyzed. RESULTS: 1) The mean score for degree of life-respect was 4.23 (+/-0.38). The types of peer bullying were 'defenders of victims' (3.19+/-0.93), 'bullies' (2.04+/-0.72), 'victims' (1.91+/-0.84), 'bystanders' (1.79+/-0.80), and 'bully-followers' (1.66+/-0.60). 2) There was a significant difference in the degree of life-respect according to gender (t=-2.410, p=.017). Likewise, in the degree of peer bullying, among the type of 'bullies' there were significant differences according to grade (t=-2.285, p=.004), and gender (t=3.191, p=.002). Also, among the types of 'bully-followers' there were significant differences according to gender (t=2.053, p=.041), and having a religion or not (t=3.319, p=.001). 3) There was a significant correlation between life-respect and types of peer bullying. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide helps for more effective provision of educational programs regarding life-respect and peer bullying.
Bullying* ; Child ; Education ; Humans ; Peer Group ; Value of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study aims to find the sources of nurses' conflicts and to find ways to eliminate them for improved nursing care. METHOD: This study is based on a phenomenological approach. All participants were woking at K-hospital, located in Seoul. The research was performed from September 2000 to February 2001. Data was collected through interviews and observations while participants were working. Interviews lasted a duration of one and half hours and data collection accured five to six times per participant. The data were analysed by Giorgi method and the results are as follows: RESULT: Essential themes in the professional conflict of clinical nurses emerged (1) The discords of human relationships ; (2) Dissatisfaction with working conditions; (3) Lack of self-respect in one's professional expertise ; (4) Dissatisfaction with one's work ; (5) Depression accurring due to one's ability as a professional. CONCLUSION: The foregoing arguments suggest that nurses perform stressful environments in a hospital originating from the relationship among peer group, working conditions, and lack of self-respect as a nurses. Therefore, hospital authorities should strangly consider working conditions, interpersonal relationships, and working conditions in order to promote self-respect of the nurses hospitals.
Data Collection ; Depression ; Humans ; Nursing Care ; Peer Group ; Seoul

No abstract available.
Aggression ; Humans ; Peer Group ; *Social Distance ; Text Messaging

No abstract available.
Aggression ; Humans ; Peer Group ; *Social Distance ; Text Messaging

BACKGROUND: Although the same equipment and reagents can be employed for inspecting identical samples, the setting and verification methods for the corresponding reference intervals differ from each other, and such methods are not well established. To address the issues associated with establishing and validating reference intervals, a Web-based application is proposed for collaboratively setting reference intervals. METHODS: A Web application was designed for automatically providing the statistical results associated with a reference interval upon receiving the corresponding test results from participating institutions and incorporating the cumulative data. RESULTS: By employing the proposed Web-based application (www.referencerange.org), reference intervals can be collaboratively set based on objective and statistical analyses incorporating clinical chemistry results obtained from Korea Healthcare Association in the years 2016 and 2017. Cumulative data obtained from the existing input peer group associated with an inspection are updated in real time, and the current set reference interval is displayed in real time. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, a Web-based application is designed for collaboratively setting reference intervals whereby all Korean laboratories can easily participate, collectively set reference intervals, and apply the set reference intervals. Hence, the proposed application can aid in providing basic data associated with health information.
Chemistry, Clinical ; Delivery of Health Care ; Indicators and Reagents ; Korea ; Peer Group

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the smoking related social influence, refusal skill and nonsmoking related self-efficacy among adolescents. METHOD: The subject for this study consisted of 3,000 students of middle and high school located in Chonbuk province. The data were collected by self-report questionnaire from Aguest 19 to September 14, 2002. RESULT: The smoking rate was 3.3% in middle school students and 13.6% in high school students. The subject have had 61.1% of family members, 42.7% of same sex friends, 39.4% of object sex friend, 64.9% of peer group and 85.9% of teachers were being smoke. The smoking related social influence and smoking status showed significant relationship; current smokers' smoking related social influence level was much higher than former and never smoker. Friends', teachers' and family members' influences were important to adolescents' smoking. Adolescents had social influence made by many smokers. 27.7% of subject were suggested to smoke by near people, 40.4% of which them were smoked or tried to smoke. The mean refusal skill score of subject was 39.13 points per hundred. Adolescents have showed very low level of refusal skill to smoke. Current smokers' refusal skill level was significantly lower than former and never smoker. The mean average nonsmoking related self-efficacy score of current smoker was 44.46 percents per hundred, it showed that current smoker had very low level of self-efficacy to ceasing smoke. CONCLUSION: For the purpose of adolescents smoking prevention and ceasing, the educational program must designed to reduce smoking related social influence, to promote the refusal skill and nonsmoking related self-efficacy.
Adolescent* ; Disulfiram* ; Friends ; Humans ; Jeollabuk-do ; Peer Group ; Smoke* ; Smoking* ; Child Health ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Coagulation studies are affected by the reagents and coagulometers that are used in the tests and it is therefore essential to compare the results within a peer group that uses the same reagents and coagulometer for an external quality control program. Because the domestic quality control program encompasses many different groups using different reagents and coagulometers, no comparison has been made among peer groups. Therefore, the authors performed a quality control program using in-house lyophilized plasma in a selected peer group. METHODS: Prothrombin times (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin times (aPTT) were tested using in-house normal and oral anticoagulant lyophilized plasma; the tests were performed for 50 consecutive days in four hospitals that were using the same coagulometer. The same PT reagents were used in all four hospitals. The international sensitivity index (ISI) was 1.32 for three hospitals and 1.47 for one hospital. Three hospitals used the same aPTT reagent. RESULTS: After lyophilization, there was no change in the PT results, but aPTT results were greatly prolonged. At four hospitals, the average international normalized ratio (INR) of normal lyophilized plasma was 0.94, 0.94, 0.95, and 0.82, while the average INR of oral anticoagulant lyophilized plasma was 2.18, 2.28, 2.21, and 1.87. The mean normal PT (MNPT) of three hospitals with ISI of 1.32 were 12.4s, 11.2s, and 12.3s, while the MNPT of one hospital with ISI of 1.47 was 12.5s. Average aPTT of normal plasma were 32.1s, 45.9s, 44.7s, and 44.3s while that of the oral anticoagulant plasma were 42.6s, 61.3s, 57.8s, and 55.6s. CONCLUSIONS: Since there are a great deal of difference in the results of coagulation study among the hospitals using the same reagents and coagulometers, it is utmost necessary to enforce a national level coagulation study quality control program in order to adopt proper oral anticoagulation therapy.
Freeze Drying ; Indicators and Reagents ; International Normalized Ratio ; Peer Group* ; Plasma ; Prothrombin Time ; Quality Control* ; Thromboplastin