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Alcohol use, drug use, and sexual activity among pharmacy students at three institutions.

OBJECTIVE: To determine alcohol and drug use and sexual activity among pharmacy students at three colleges of pharmacy. DESIGN AND SETTING: A survey to obtain self-reported information on alcohol and drug use, and sexual activity was administered to professional pharmacy students at the University of Iowa (UI), Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and Texas Southern University. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Information on sexual activity and condom use, alcohol and drug consumption, and the effect of alcohol on unintended sexual activity. RESULTS: 848 students (50% response rate) completed the survey. Alcohol use was high at all three institutions, and most students had consumed five or more drinks on one or more occasions within the last three months. The extent of drug use among pharmacy students was similar to that reported in other college students. The majority of students were sexually active. More men than women reported having been sexually active with one or more partners. Most students reported having had sexual intercourse without a condom. Significant numbers of students had engaged in unintended sex after alcohol use, especially at UI (chi 2 = 12.6, p = 0.002). Sexual contact and drinking were strongly correlated (Pearson r = 0.31, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Alcohol consumption among pharmacy students was high. Heavy drinking (five or more drinks on one occasion) was associated with unintended sexual contact. Given low condom use and increased sexual contact, pharmacy students are at an increased risk for HIV infection. Strategies should be developed to reduce alcohol intake and unprotected sexual activity among pharmacy students.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The acceptance of medical students by women with gynaecology appointments.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of women unwilling to see medical students for their upcoming gynaecologic appointments and to determine whether information about medical student training could influence their decisions. METHODS: Questionnaires were mailed to 1230 women with outpatient gynaecology specialist appointments. The women were asked if they would be willing to see a medical student at their upcoming appointment. Those who declined were asked to indicate the reason(s) for their decision. After reading the survey's information section on medical students, patients who initially rejected student involvement were asked if they would reconsider. Mean differences were analyzed with t tests and associations with Fisher exact tests. RESULTS: Thirty percent (367/1230) of the surveys were returned and analyzed. The mean age was 48.4 years (range 17-90). Fifty-three percent (189/358) reported a positive past experience with medical students, and 7% (25/358) reported a negative past experience. Twenty-six percent (96/367) indicated that they would not be willing to be seen by a medical student. Sixty-three percent (60/96) did not wish to have a gynaecologic examination performed by a student. One-third (32/96) identified this as a concern particularly if the examination involved a male student. After reading the information section of the survey, 17% (16/96) of the respondents who initially indicated they were unwilling to see a medical student indicated that they would reconsider. Those who would reconsider were younger than those who remained unwilling (mean age 41.9 vs. 52.1 years, P= 0.045). CONCLUSION: The information about medical students embedded in our survey positively influenced one in six unwilling patients to reconsider and accept medical students as part of their health care team.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Fruit and vegetable consumption among Turkish university students.

A questionnaire was developed to determine the behaviors associated with eating fruit and vegetables and to assess perceived benefits and barriers to increasing fruit and vegetable consumption. A total of 713 non-food/nutrition major university students were randomly selected from seven universities in Turkey. Self-reported mean intake was found to be 3.67+/-1.81 servings of fruit and vegetables per day. Positive correlations existed between daily fruit and vegetable portions. Male students were significantly higher than female students in body mass index measurements (BMI 22.71 vs. 20.1, p < or = .05). Among male students only BMI was positively associated with age. Compared to male students, female students were more likely to eat fruit and vegetables. Male students were less likely to eat fruit instead of dessert. Vegetables were more preferred by female students at lunch and dinner. Exploratory principal-components analyses showed that a two-component solution best represented the data. The first component represented the benefits of eating more fruit. The second component described barriers to eating more fruit. Both components have an internal consistency of 0.73 and 0.56 respectively, with benefits accounting for 17% and barriers 12% of variance These scales may be used to increase the benefits to get students to think about change, and decreasing the barriers to allow the behavior to change in fruit and vegetable consumption should follow this. Since Turkish students do not eat enough fruit and vegetables, nutrition education efforts must be targeted at students (i.e. acceptability of these foods in different meal and snacks is maintained, promoted, and encouraged). Barriers may be reduced, thereby allowing students to take action and maintain the behavior change.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Follow-up study of dental students' esthetic perceptions of mild dental fluorosis.

OBJECTIVES: Several studies have assessed people's esthetic perceptions of dental fluorosis, suggesting that concerns may be greater than believed previously. Few studies have assessed dental students' perceptions and none has done so over time. The purpose of this paper is to report on changes in dental students' esthetic perceptions of dental fluorosis and other conditions. METHODS: Fourth-year dental students (n=45) completed questionnaires about computer-generated photographs of fluorosis and other conditions, using the same protocol as when they were entering dental students. Results were compared for each of the eight images at the individual level using paired statistical tests. RESULTS: Although many patterns were generally consistent, there were a substantial number of differences in results over time, concerning both the mild fluorosis and non-fluorosis images. In general, students tended to score both fluorosis and non-fluorosis images more favorably as fourth-year students. When rating images from very pleased (1) to very embarrassed (10), fourth-year students rated the images significantly more favorably than they had done as first-year students for normal/control, incisal third only dental fluorosis, and a more generalized, mild fluorosis. Similarly, with a visual analog scale from satisfactory (0) to unsatisfactory (69), fourth-year students reported significantly lower (more favorable) scores than they had done as first-year students for the normal/control, diastema/no fluorosis, more involved mild fluorosis, and incisal third only mild fluorosis. There were no obvious changes in the relative levels of favorable evaluation of fluorosis vs. the other conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Fourth-year dental students generally had more favorable esthetic perceptions of mild dental fluorosis and other conditions than they had reported as entering students.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Dental anxiety among Israeli dental students: a 4-year longitudinal study.

The aims of the present study were (a) to evaluate students' estimation of their parents' dental anxiety; (b) to measure students' dental anxiety and to study their ranking of the most fear provoking stimuli in the dental situation during their pre-clinical and clinical years; (c) to investigate gender differences among students with regard to dental anxiety. 30 3rd-year students (15 male and 15 female) who completed a 4-section questionnaire which requested sociodemographic information, evaluation of parents' dental anxiety, dental anxiety scale (DAS) and dental fear scale (DFS), completed the DAS and DFS in their 5th and 6th years. Both male and female students estimated their mothers' dental anxiety as significantly higher than their fathers'. Female students ranked their parents higher than males. DAS scores were significantly higher among female students than among males in the 3rd year. However, DAS scores were reduced from the 3rd to the 6th year among the total class and significantly among females, while males' levels of anxiety remained within close range throughout the years. The dental anxiety scores of all students who experienced a dental procedure in the past were higher than the scores of the students who did not. The most fearful stimulus was 'feeling the needle'. Our findings may suggest that the change in the reported dental anxiety of the students during the years of dental studies in the present study may be explained by the increased professional education and clinical experience that the students acquire throughout their studies in the dental school. Being exposed to basic trivial dental procedures (such as local anaesthetic injection) may help students either to be habituated or to use rational coping strategies when dealing with personal dental experience.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2000

Factors associated with students' orientations to nursing.

Factors associated with students' orientations to nursing This paper presents the results of a study focusing on the factors associated with orientations to nursing. Students' orientations to nursing have not as yet been a focus of nursing research. In some other professions, however, professional orientation has been associated with learning motivation and study performance, and has been seen as a predictor of work satisfaction. In this study, students' orientations to nursing were defined in terms of caring, nursing expertise and life orientation. The hypothesis of whether students' pre-educational experiences of nursing, gender, choice of nursing specialty, problems with nursing studies and intention to stay in nursing were associated with different orientations was tested. The extent to which students were orientated to caring, nursing expertise and their own life was also examined. The orientation to nursing measurement tool, which has been developed on the basis of a qualitative study, was used to collect the data. Nurse teachers collected the data from nursing students (n=184) who were studying in three different nursing programmes in Finland. Non-parametric assessments (Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test) of the differences between the students' orientations were carried out. A majority of the students were highly life-orientated, and two-thirds had average nursing expertise or caring orientation scores. The results supported the study hypothesis of an association between students' orientations and their gender, choice of nursing speciality, problems with nursing studies and intention to stay in nursing. However, the hypothesis of an association between students' pre-educational nursing experiences and orientation to nursing was not supported. The contradictions between students' orientation to nursing and the philosophy of nursing underlying the study programme may be a source of motivational problems and dissatisfaction with nursing education. Therefore, nurse educators are challenged to discuss curriculum matters and student supervision in order to promote flexibility in planning personal study programmes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

The academic writing experiences of a group of student nurses: a phenomenological study.

AIMS: To investigate the academic writing experiences of a group of preregistration nursing students. To explore issues surrounding how academic writing skills were developed, integrated and received into the student's educational programme and how these skills impacted on various aspects of their educational and clinical experience. BACKGROUND: The development of an academic writing style is seen to be an integral skill that the student must be willing to learn and undertake within higher education settings. Academic styles of writing have been imported into nursing education as a consequence of its integration into higher education. I wanted to investigate the experiences of learning an academic style of writing for students early on in their nursing career. There is little, if any, research that seeks to investigate or measure these experiences of nursing students. METHODS: A phenomenological approach to investigate the academic writing experiences of a group of preregistration students. FINDINGS: There is an expectation that preregistration students will quickly acquire academic writing skills when most will have had little or no prior experience. There appeared to have been little emphasis placed on facilitating the development of these skills in the educational programme. The lack of emphasis and support proved to be problematical for these nursing students. The emergence of a theory-practice divide also figured strongly. Students were, however, able to appreciate the need and place for academic writing skills and most were able to identify the structural processes that were integral to acquiring such skills. CONCLUSION: A plethora of anecdotal evidence, supported by the findings in this study, suggests that most nursing students' struggle with the demands placed upon them when writing academic assignments. The need for greater emphasis and support throughout the whole period of training are highlighted in the findings of this study. It is known that nursing loses large numbers of its students to the academic rigors of its educational programmes. Where this is the case, the findings of this study support the need for nurse educationalists and curriculum planners to revise and reform the way that they approach and deliver the demands of an academic style of writing with their students.

Education, Nursing↗
PubMed2002

Evaluating the use of developmental action inquiry in constructing a problem-based learning curriculum for pre-registration nursing education in Hong Kong: a student perspective.

BACKGROUND: Developmental action inquiry (DAI) was chosen as the change strategy for introducing problem-based learning (PBL) in a pre-registration nursing programme. The central task was to transform the tutor and student participants to become collaborators in this curriculum reconstruction project. AIM: This paper expounds the way in which the action inquiry was constructed and in light of students' feedback analysis, the way in which PBL has made a difference in student learning was evaluated. DESIGN: Taking into consideration the change context and different group characteristics, the DAI was conducted in terms of two dynamically interlinked circles that formed partnerships between PBL core group members and tutors, and between tutors and students in coconstructing knowledge useful for PBL curriculum development. FINDINGS: The findings of the student evaluation questionnaire reveal that the majority of students felt PBL made a difference to their expectations of self, the student group and the teacher role in creating a facilitative environment to enhance learning. However, there was a significant difference among individual student group responses. The students' positive and negative PBL experience in self-learning, tutor-student interaction, and group-learning were identified as crucial factors contributing to these group variations. CONCLUSION: The evaluation findings show that a paradigm shift from teacher-centred to student-centred learning, from valuing self-learning to co-operative group-learning, and from theory-based to practice-based learning occurred among the students. DAI was found to be an effective change strategy for transforming participants to become collaborators in searching for useful knowledge and coconstructing the PBL learning context.

Attitude↗
PubMed2002

Irish diploma in nursing students' first clinical allocation: the views of nurse managers.

AIM OF THE STUDY: To ascertain the views held by some Irish general nurse managers of the Diploma in Nursing students' first clinical allocation. RATIONALE: Until 1994, nurses in Ireland were trained under a 3-year apprenticeship system and were employed throughout their clinical experience. In March 1997, the first intake of Diploma in Nursing students into one Dublin university were scheduled to commence their clinical placements. As this was the first time that supernumerary students were to be placed in the clinical areas, it was important to discover how effective the whole process was in terms of nurse managers' experiences. RESEARCH METHODS: A grounded-theory approach, using unstructured interviews, explored Irish nurse managers' views of the impact of supernumerary students in the workplace. Ethical approval was granted. All available nurse managers in three general teaching hospitals linked with the university agreed to take part (n = 10). RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the data, entitled 'Structure', 'Students' and 'Support'. In general, the managers believed that staff had had sufficient preparation for this change and that the whole process had been well handled. The respondents were pleasantly surprised by the students' abilities and interest in nursing. Minor problems were dealt with successfully at the local level and the support received by the students was found to be excellent. DISCUSSION: Preconceptions of the students as more intellectual and less able for practical nursing were found to be untenable. The students' presence was welcomed and their questioning attitude, enthusiasm and application of knowledge was praised. Strong clinical support was required and students benefited from giving care, rather than just observing care given. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that supernumerary students should be encouraged to give full care under supervision, in order to learn and to become proficient in all clinical skills. The next phase of change, transition to degree status for students from 2002, will benefit from lessons learned in the past 7 years since transition from certificate to diploma education.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2000

The importance of race in medical student performance of an AIDS risk assessment interview with simulated patients.

INTRODUCTION: This study was done to ascertain the effect of race on medical student-patient communication. The primary hypothesis was that interviewing performance scores would be higher when race of student and race of simulated patient instructor (SPI) were concordant than when they were discordant. METHODS: Data obtained from student interactions with four Caucasian and four African American female SPIs participating in a case involving an AIDS risk assessment interview were analysed. Performance was assessed using two instruments: an 8-item behaviourally anchored interviewing skills scale and a 14-item checklist reflecting content relevant to sexual behaviour and AIDS risk. SPI groups were comparable and SPIs were trained to a high level of inter-rater reliability. Students (24 African American and 180 non-African American) were assigned to SPIs based on the spelling of the student's name. Performance was scored independently at the conclusion of each interview by both the SPI and the student her/himself. RESULTS: African American students had lower scale scores than non-African American students in interactions with Caucasian (but not African American) SPIs; and all student scores, both on the skills scale and the content checklist, were higher with African American than with Caucasian SPIs (as assessed by both SPI and student). Women students had higher scores than men. CONCLUSIONS: Race of SPI has an influence on student performance of an AIDS risk assessment interview. Further studies focusing on racial interactions in the medical interview are required. It appears that race of SPI may need to be accounted for in the development and interpretation of SPI-based clinical competence exams.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed2002

Medical students' personality characteristics and academic performance: a five-factor model perspective.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates: (1) which personality traits are typical of medical students as compared to other students, and (2) which personality traits predict medical student performance in pre-clinical years. DESIGN: This paper reports a cross-sectional inventory study of students in nine academic majors and a prospective longitudinal study of one cohort of medical students assessed by inventory during their first preclinical year and by university examination at the end of each pre-clinical year. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In 1997, a combined total of 785 students entered medical studies courses in five Flemish universities. Of these, 631 (80.4%) completed the NEO-PI-R (i.e. a measure of the Five-Factor Model of Personality). This was also completed by 914 Year 1 students of seven other academic majors at Ghent University. Year end scores for medical students were obtained for 607 students in Year 1, for 413 in Year 2, and for 341 in Year 3. RESULTS: Medical studies falls into the group of majors where students score highest on extraversion and agreeableness. Conscientiousness (i.e. self-achievement and self-discipline) significantly predicts final scores in each pre-clinical year. Medical students who score low on conscientiousness and high on gregariousness and excitement-seeking are significantly less likely to sit examinations successfully. CONCLUSIONS: The higher scores for extraversion and agreeableness, two dimensions defining the interpersonal dynamic, may be beneficial for doctors' collaboration and communication skills in future professional practice. Because conscientiousness affects examination results and can be reliably assessed at the start of a medical study career, personality assessment may be a useful tool in student counselling and guidance.

Belgium↗
PubMed2003

Differences in learning objectives during the labour ward clinical attachment between medical students and their midwifery preceptors.

OBJECTIVES: Midwives have been actively involved in the clinical teaching of medical students for many years. However, this role has received little attention and limited research has been conducted into either its efficacy or the development of strategies to maximise the potential of such teaching opportunities. We examined medical student and midwifery preceptor attitudes towards students' learning objectives during the labour ward placement. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of midwifery preceptors and medical students was undertaken. The setting was an Australian teaching and tertiary referral hospital. The questionnaire contained questions about strategies to improve medical student involvement on the labour ward and opinions towards core competencies of the student curriculum. RESULTS: Of 94 questionnaires issued to midwifery preceptors, 63 were returned (response rate 67%). Of 130 questionnaires issued to medical students, 93 were returned (response rate 72%). Major differences in the expectations of students and midwifery preceptors were identified. Only 17% of midwives felt medical students should be involved in helping mothers with breastfeeding, and some no longer saw a role for students in delivering babies or performing well baby checks. These differences in opinions led to student dissatisfaction with their obstetric learning experience. CONCLUSION: Educators need to ensure that students and midwifery preceptors identify common learning objectives. Failure to address these differences may lead to poor interdisciplinary relationships.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Changes in student approaches to learning with the introduction of computer-supported problem-based learning.

OBJECTIVES: To study changes in student approaches to learning following the introduction of computer-supported, problem-based learning. SETTING: Medical students at the University of Oslo undertake a 12-week period of clinical placement during their 10th term. In this period they continue to undertake problem-based learning (PBL) in the form of distributed problem-based learning (DPBL) in a computer-supported learning environment. DESIGN: A questionnaire focusing on learning styles, PBL, and information and communication technology (ICT) was distributed before and after the DPBL period. SUBJECTS: All students in their 10th term at the University of Oslo (n = 61). RESULTS: The introduction of DPBL did not seem to affect the participants' use of regulating strategies or their mental models of learning. After the DPBL period, group discussion and tutor input were reported to have less influence on students' self-study, while the students perceived themselves as being less active in groups and as expecting less from tutors. There was a relationship between perceived tutor influence and students' familiarity with ICT. The DPBL period seemed to increase students' task-related web accesses and use of experts, and to decrease their task-related use of textbooks and discussions with students outside the group. CONCLUSIONS: Students' general approaches to learning were not affected by the introduction of DPBL. However, there was a decrease in students' expectations concerning activity in the group and the importance of the tutor. These changes were related to students' familiarity with the use of computers. Web-based resources and experts became more important resources to the students during the DPBL period.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Student nurse satisfaction levels with their courses: part I -- effects of demographic variables.

Recent years have seen an increased emphasis on the monitoring of the quality of learning and teaching in higher education. This has led to more attention being paid to evaluating student perceptions of their learning experiences. This article (Part I of two on the subject) examines the factors that influence student satisfaction with their modular courses. Seven factors categorized into two sets are scrutinized: Part I investigates the effects of four demographic variables, while Part II explores the effects of three academic (educational)-related variables. In this report, the study research design, tool and sample are described, and an analysis of the demographic variables of gender, disability, ethnicity and age-bracket is undertaken, whereby their effects on performance and satisfaction levels of students are considered. Employing a questionnaire, data from 460 students attending various multidisciplinary health care modules at the School of Health Care, Oxford Brookes University for the first term of the academic year 2000/2001 were analysed. The questionnaire was found to be reliable and there were no differences in satisfaction between students who provided their registration numbers and those who did not, suggesting that the results are generalizable to the greater student population of the School of Health Care. The study found no differences in performance or satisfaction levels according to gender, but disabled students indicated less satisfaction although the differences were not significant. Fewer students of 'non-white' ethnicity felt that their learning experience was intellectually stimulating, and that the information about their modules was satisfactory and readily available. Student age significantly predicted performance and 'mature' students performed better and showed higher satisfaction than 'traditional' students. The findings and their implications for nurse education and curriculum design are discussed, with support from a growing number of studies investigating student nurse satisfaction and quality issues of learning and teaching in higher education.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

A student-initiated interactive course as a model for teaching reproductive health.

OBJECTIVE: Medical students at Stanford University established an elective lecture series in reproductive health to teach 10 women's health competencies to preclinical medical students. In the second year, student organizers implemented interactive components to improve the number of competencies students learned. STUDY DESIGN: We surveyed students from the first two years this series was offered to assess their preferred modes of learning and the number of competencies students perceived they had gained. Students were asked to self-assess their learning of key reproductive health competencies taught in the course. RESULTS: We identified 4 factors associated with statistically significant improvements in the number of competencies students learned, according to self-assessment. CONCLUSION: Students who felt they learned more competencies agreed that they were active participants in the course, that their preferred style of learning was matched by the course, and that they had received academic credit for the course. Furthermore, students who attended an innovative reproductive health fair organized by students participating in the course perceived that they had learned significantly more competencies. We expect these self-assessed improvements to correlate with increased demonstration of the competencies as students progress to the clinical level.

California↗
PubMed2005

Student faculty rounds: a peer-mediated learning activity for internal medicine clerkships.

Peer-mediated learning is an effective educational strategy that is rarely used during clinical training for medical students. We developed a peer-mediated learning conference, Student-Faculty Rounds (SFR), for the ambulatory component of a medicine clerkship. Designed to broaden students' exposure to common medical problems and provide practice in small-group teaching, the 30-minute conference is conducted by each student once during their clerkship. Students choose their topics and instructional formats, but they are advised to supply written learning objectives and employ interactive, problem solving opportunities. We analysed evaluations written by 280 students and 17 faculty supervisors during 1998-2001. Students presented over 150 topics. The most common were hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, headache, smoking cessation, hypertension management, and cancer screening (each presented in 3-4% of rounds). On a scale of 10 (outstanding) to 0 (lost cause), students gave SFR a score of 9.2 (95% confidence interval 9.0-9.3). In written comments, students indicated that topics were relevant and that peers provided instruction at an appropriate level of complexity, but that quality was variable. Faculty supervisors reported that 35% of students did not provide written learning objectives and 35% chose topics too broad for a 30-minute conference. SFR is a popular conference that accomplishes its educational objectives. It recognizes students' ability to educate themselves, and introduces variability and challenge into the classroom curriculum. Adequate faculty guidance is needed to assure students design conferences for maximum educational effectiveness.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed2006

The small group in problem-based learning: more than a cognitive 'learning' experience for first-year medical students in a diverse population.

In problem-based learning (PBL) curricula, first-year students need to adapt to a new learning environment and an unfamiliar new pedagogy. The small-group tutorial potentially offers a learning environment where students can become self-directed learners, collaborating with other group members to achieve individual and group learning goals. At the end of the first six-week theme in a relatively new PBL curriculum, new medical students were canvassed about coping with PBL (self-directed learning; content; time management; resources) and the value of the small-group tutorial, the latter of which is currently being reported. Almost 84% of students (n = 178) responded. The benefits of participating in small groups were categorized into three domains-cognitive, affective and social-as identified from student responses. Results were analysed in terms of gender and prior educational experience (secondary school vs. prior tertiary educational experience). For almost 94% of students, the small-group tutorial provided a conducive learning environment that influenced their personal development (i.e. tolerance, patience) and socialization into the faculty. Significantly more males indicated that they had developed social skills, while more school-leavers (matriculants) than mature students felt more receptive to the views of others. More mature students claimed to have made friends. Irrespective of some conflicting opinions in the literature, the present results suggest that the PBL tutorial may be important in facilitating student socialization into a new and unfamiliar academic environment, particularly when the pedagogy differs markedly from their past educational experiences. Through interacting with fellow students from diverse origins who hold different views in the intimate setting of the small group, students felt that they had not only increased their knowledge but had also developed personally and socially. It is proposed that the small group may be useful for integrating a diverse population of students into a new academic environment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

Prevalence of daily breakfast intake, iron deficiency anaemia and awareness of being anaemic among Saudi school students.

Iron deficiency anaemia is one of most prevalent nutritional disorders worldwide. It is known to affect the health and cognitive ability of children and adolescents. Studies in Saudi Arabia concentrate only on the population of young children and pregnant females or girls. Studies on the whole school student population is lacking. The objectives of this study were to identify the nutritional habits and the prevalence of anaemia among school students in Jeddah, as well as to recognize the students' awareness of their anaemic nutritional status. Data were collected from a sample of Saudi school children in Jeddah City from 42 boys' and 42 girls' schools during the month of April 2000. Data collection was done by an in-person interview to collect socio-demographic factors, nutritional habits, weight and height. Haemoglobin was measured in a sample of 800 students selected at random from both genders and different age groups. Anaemia was defined according to the new WHO cut-off levels for haemoglobin as: blood haemoglobin <11.5 g/dl for the 5-11 years boys and girls; <12.0 g/dl for 12-14 years boys and girls; <12.0 g/dl for 15+ girls and <13.0 g/dl for 15+ years boys. Proportion and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and significance was considered when the 95% CI did not overlap. Anaemia was reported among 20.5% of school students. Anaemia was more prevalent among students of at least 12 years as compared to the younger age group. Also, anaemia was more marked among governmental school attendees and those born to low-educated mothers. Menstruating girls were at around double the risk of being anaemic than non-menstruating girls. Anaemia was associated with negative impact on school performance and was more marked among those who failed their exams as compared to students with excellent results. Skipping breakfast was reported by 14.9% of students and this habit did not differ by age, sex, body mass index or social class. Skipping breakfast was more marked among students with poor school performance as compared to those with very good or excellent results. Only 34.1% of anaemic school students were aware of being anaemic. Awareness was nearly equal in all age groups and social classes but girls were more aware of their anaemic status than boys. Iron deficiency anaemia appears to be prevalent among school students. At age 12 years and over, low social class and menstruating girls constitute the high-risk groups. Screening is recommended for high-risk groups and school health programs are crucial to improve students' nutritional habits, knowledge and awareness.

Adolescent↗