Typology of school dropout: The dimensions and dynamics of dropout in Ghana

This paper explores the dropout experience of children who dropped out of schools located in two rural communities¹ in the Central Region of Ghana. The main research question sought to explore the meaning and types of drop out founded on the views of children who had dropped out of school. The study tracked 18 children aged 7–17 years. Snowball sampling was employed to identify participants of the study. Data was collected from children and significant others² using in-depth interviews. Using CREATE's analytical framework of zones of exclusion, this paper identify five type of school dropouts and argues that policies to prevent dropout and encourage drop-in requires specific rather than general targeting.     

Personal digital assistant-based drug information sources: potential to improve medication safety.

OBJECTIVES: This study compared the potential for personal digital assistant (PDA)-based drug information sources to minimize potential medication errors dependent on accurate and complete drug information at the point of care. METHODS: A quality and safety framework for drug information resources was developed to evaluate 11 PDA-based drug information sources. Three drug information sources met the criteria of the framework: Eprocrates Rx Pro, Lexi-Drugs, and mobileMICROMEDEX. Medication error types related to drug information at the point of care were then determined. Forty-seven questions were developed to test the potential of the sources to prevent these error types. Pharmacists and physician experts from Creighton University created these questions based on the most common types of questions asked by primary care providers. Three physicians evaluated the drug information sources, rating the source for each question: 1=no information available, 2=some information available, or 3 = adequate amount of information available. RESULTS: The mean ratings for the drug information sources were: 2.0 (Eprocrates Rx Pro), 2.5 (Lexi-Drugs), and 2.03 (mobileMICROMEDEX). Lexi-Drugs was significantly better (mobileMICROMEDEX t test; P=0.05; Eprocrates Rx Pro t test; P=0.01). CONCLUSION: Lexi-Drugs was found to be the most specific and complete PDA resource available to optimize medication safety by reducing potential errors associated with drug information. No resource was sufficient to address the patient safety information needs for all cases.     

We Want You Back: Uncovering the Effects on In-Person Instructional Operations in Fall 2020

Research in Higher Education - Postsecondary institutions’ responses to COVID-19 are a topic of immediate relevance. Emergent research suggests that partisanship was more strongly linked to...