Effect of an evidence-based answering service on GPs and their patients: a pilot study

Objectives: For general practitioners (GPs), an important obstacle to practising evidence‐based medicine is lack of time. An evidence‐based answering service was developed that took over searching and appraisal of medical evidence from the GPs. GPs sent in questions, and the informationist formulated the answers. Our objectives were to find out if such an evidence‐based answering service was feasible, including assessing the effect of the answers on GPs and their patients, as reported by the GPs. Methods: After attending a workshop on building well‐formulated questions from daily practice, the GPs sent in questions to the informationist. The literature was searched, the relevant information was appraised, and the answers to the questions were formulated. With a questionnaire, the effect of the answers on the GP and the patient was assessed, as well as the perceived barriers to implementing the answers. Results: From 26 GPs, 61 questions were received. For 12% of questions, information was found with the highest evidence level, while for 36%, no information was found. However, for 89% of the questions for which no information could be found, the answer ‘no information found’ did have an effect on the GP concerned. In total, 81% of all the answers had an effect on the GP, and, according to the GP, 52% had an effect on the patient. Few barriers to implementing the evidence were perceived. Most of the answers were found in Pubmed/Medline, the Cochrane Library and Embase. Conclusions: This study indicates that an evidence‐based answering service can have an impact on GPs and their patients. Librarians can provide an evidence‐based answering service for GPs and their patients. The evidence‐based answering service for GPs in this study had an impact on 81% of the GPs and on 52% of their patients. Although for one‐third of the questions no evidence‐based answer was found, this message in itself had an impact on 89% of the GPs. An informationist as mediator between medical information and doctors can save doctors’ time.     

Students’ experiences of academic success with dyslexia: A call for alternative intervention

This article describes a small‐scale study exploring the perspectives of five undergraduate students with dyslexia. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted in two universities in the UK. The interviews explored participants’ perceptions of their dyslexia label and how it had affected their academic success. The aim of the research was to identify facilitating factors that supported participants with dyslexia during their education. The following themes were identified: age of dyslexia identification, family support, dyslexic identity, self‐advocacy skills and learning resources. The study makes a case for an intervention for children and young people (CYP) with dyslexia that, in addition to remedial literacy support, explores self‐advocacy, thinking and study skills and facilitates positive academic self‐concepts. Future research could evaluate such an intervention for its effectiveness on CYP's social emotional well‐being and literacy skills.     

When the atmosphere warms it rains and ice melts: seventh grade students’ conceptions of a climate system

Although many environmental and science educators have explored students’ conceptual understandings, misconceptions, and knowledge of the greenhouse effect, global warming, and climate change, few have investigated the ways students conceptualize climate as a system or how components of the system influence climate. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to begin the process of understanding how US students conceptualize a climate system. A total of 42 seventh grade students (ages 12–13) from the Midwest completed an open-response task. From the inductive analysis of student written responses, 22 codes emerged that reflected students’ conceptions of the climate system. From these codes, three path diagrams were constructed that illustrate these students’ conceptions about how a climate system influences climate and how greenhouse gases and global warming impact the climate system. A generalized model of students’ conception of a climate system was generated. Students in this study conceptualized a climate system in a unidirectional, linear, cause and effect relationship that emphasized the atmospheric component of the climate system.     

The National DNA Database on trial: engaging young people in South Wales with genetics

While there has been research conducted on public views about ethical and social aspects of the National DNA Database (NDNAD), there is little which focuses on views of young people, in particular those whose details are held on the NDNAD. We describe an engagement activity developed in South Wales to engage young offenders with ethical and social issues surrounding the NDNAD--a Mock Trial--and how we facilitated the presentation of their views to policy makers. We discuss the successes and challenges we encountered with engaging young offenders, decisions that the young people reached about possible future policies for the NDNAD at the Mock Trial, and their contribution to the decision-making process.     

Tracking the civil rights and women's movements in the United States

Membership in civil rights and women's liberation organizations in the United States was tracked over a period of 22 years. Men's social and fraternal organizations were also tracked as a comparison group. Systematic fluctuations in membership suggest that this criterion would be useful for identifying the developmental stages of a movement. In addition, peaks in membership were correlated with historical events. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.     

The Role of Parental Math Anxiety and Math Attitude in Their Children’s Math Achievement

The present study investigated the antecedents and consequences of children’s math anxiety and math attitude. A total of 595 students aged 10 to 15 years (5th to 10th grades) and 1 parent of each (mother or father) participated in the study. The study was conducted in India, with the study sample drawn from schools in South-West Punjab. Math anxiety of parents and their children was measured using the Mathematics Anxiety Scale Short Version (MARS-SV), the Mathematics Anxiety Scale for Elementary School Students (MARS-E), and the Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale for Adolescents (MARS-A). Math attitude was assessed with the Attitude Towards Mathematics Inventory (ATMI). A math achievement test was constructed for each grade level based on their curriculum. Path analyses were conducted to test the suggested conceptual model, and the results indicate that parental math anxiety and math attitude act as precursors to their children’s math anxiety and math attitude and further influence the math achievement of their children.     

Genetic susceptibility to lead poisoning—A case report

Lead poisoning is well documented in persons occupationally exposed to lead. What is less known is, that even in persons working in lead based industries, the effect of lead and the appearance of signs and symptoms of lead poisoning is genetically determined. Three genes related to lead metabolism, exhibiting polymorphism have already been demonstrated-δALA-dehydratase, Vitamin D receptor gene and Hemochromatosis gene. These alleles determine the susceptibility of the individuals to lead. We present here a case of a lead acid battery worker, who presented without any signs and symptoms of lead poisoning except for a very high level of blood lead (82.8μg/dl and 47.5μg/dl 9 months later)