J. Ladner

Eating Disorders and Associated Health Risks Among University Students

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of eating disorders among university students and its relationship to behavioral characteristics and substance use. DESIGN Cross-sectional study collected socioeconomic characteristics and behavioral risk. SETTING University of Upper Normandy, France. PARTICIPANTS University student volunteers. PHENOMENON OF INTEREST The Sick, Control, One stone, Fat, Food (SCOFF) screening test was used to identify subjects with eating disorders by a confidential questionnaire self-administered either online or on paper. ANALYSIS Multivariate logistic regression models with P < .05 considered significant. RESULTS A total of 3,457 students were included with a male-to-female ratio of 0.57. The prevalence of positive SCOFF screening was 20.5% among students. A positive relation between the positive SCOFF was observed with female gender (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.28-3.89; P < .001), stress (AOR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.09-1.12; P < .001), depression (AOR, 8.62; 95% CI, 3.37-22.10; P < .001) alcohol abuse problems (AOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.20-1.95; P = .006), and risk of cyber-addiction (AOR, 5.09; 95% CI, 2.69-9.62; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Eating disorders are highly prevalent among university students in France and associated with other behavior risks, stress, and depression. It might prove necessary in the future to screen students with the SCOFF questionnaire upon entry to the university to inform student about the risk of eating disorders and advise them to consult with their general practitioner.

Prévisibilité des résultats de l'épreuve classante nationale 2004

OBJECTIVE To assess the individual predictability of success for undergraduate medical students taking the French national-ranking examination (examen classant national [NRE]) in June 2004. METHODS In total, 86 students in Rouen were classified according to RNE scores. We used the Spearman rank test [rs] to correlate to the RNE score each students previous test results during the medical curriculum: written exams (first two years of medical classes), clinical skill tests (third- and fourth-year) and the clinical and therapeutic synthesis certificate (CSCT), and the northwest region official RNE practice test. Each students ECN rank was then predicted by a regression formula. RESULTS Written exam (r5 = 0.35), third- and fourth-year clinical skill (r(s) = 0.62), CSCT (r(s) = 0.49) and regional practice test (r(s) = 0.56) scores were strongly and significantly associated with the RNE classification. Of the 59 students who took all tests, 12 students (20.3%) diverged from the regression model: three students obtained a national classification substantially better than expected, nine ranked substantially lower than expected. CONCLUSION Test results during the undergraduate medical curriculum in a cohort of undergraduate medical students were strongly predictive of the RNE results. An identifiable group of students with unstable results could benefit from targeted teaching and individual support. The effect of knowledge of their individual position before the RNE remains to be assessed.Resume Objectif Etudier la previsibilite de la reussite individuelle des etudiants a l’epreuve classante nationale (ECN) en juin 2004. Methodes La totalite des resultats aux examens de la cohorte des 86 etudiants rouennais classes lors de l’ECN a ete relevee. Pour chaque etudiant, les examens ont ete regroupes par cycle d’etude : epreuves redactionnelles (1er cycle), dossiers cliniques (2e cycle), dossiers du certificat de synthese clinique et therapeutique (CSCT) et examen blanc de preparation a l’ECN de l’inter-region Nord Ouest (G4). Les rangs aux differents examens ont ete correles aux classement obtenus a l’ECN (coefficient de correlation de Spearman [rs]). Une esperance individuelle de rang a ete calculee a partir de l’equation de la droite de regression. Resultats Les rangs obtenus aux epreuves redactionnelles (rs = 0,35), aux dossiers cliniques (rs = 0,62), aux dossiers du CSCT (rs = 0,49) et a l’examen du G4 (rs = 0,56) etaient fortement et de facon significative associes aux rangs obtenus a l’ECN. Parmi les 59 etudiants presents a toutes les epreuves, 12 (20,3%) ont diverge du modele : 3 ont obtenu un rang national meilleur que leur esperance calculee d’apres leurs resultats locaux, 9 ont ete plus mal classes qu’espere. Conclusion A l’echelle d’une promotion d’etudiants, les agregats de notes obtenues au cours du cursus sont fortement correles entre eux et sont tres predictifs du resultat a l’ECN. Il semble toutefois exister une population identifiable d’etudiants aux resultats instables, pouvant justifier d’efforts pedagogiques cibles, voire personnalises. L’impact sur la preparation des etudiants de la connaissance de leur propre position reste a evaluer.

How is occupational medicine represented in the major journals in general medicine

Objectives Most physicians have received only limited training in occupational medicine (OM) during their studies. Since they rely mainly on one ‘general medical’ journal to keep their medical knowledge up to date, it is worthwhile questioning the importance of OM in these journals. The aim of this study was to measure the relative weight of OM in the major journals of general medicine and to compare the journals. Methods The 14 091 articles published in the Lancet, the NEJM, the JAMA and the BMJ in 1997, 2002 and 2007 were analysed. The relative weight of OM and the other medical specialties was determined by categorisation of all the articles, using a categorisation algorithm, which inferred the medical specialties relevant to each MEDLINE article file from the major medical subject headings (MeSH) terms used by the indexers of the US National Library of Medicine to describe each article. Results The 14 091 articles included in this study were indexed by 22 155 major MeSH terms, which were categorised into 73 different medical specialties. Only 0.48% of the articles had OM as a main topic. OM ranked 44th among the 73 specialties, with limited differences between the four journals studied. There was no clear trend over the 10-year period. Conclusions The importance of OM is very low in the four major journals of general and internal medicine, and we can consider that physicians get a very limited view of the evolution of knowledge in OM.

Do teaching faculty resources affect the choice of medical career

The faculty to student (F/S) ratio is a key criterion in ranking medical universities. In France, the registration of students at the medical university in their home region is mandatory. At the end of undergraduate studies, students have to take the National Ranking Exam (NRE), and choice of specialty is based on their rank. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between teaching faculty resources in medical universities and the ranking of students on the NRE. All 32 public medical universities with a complete curriculum were included. Correlation of the 2003–2004 F/S ratio with the mean rank of students at the 2004 NRE was assessed using Spearmans rank correlation coefficient [rs]. The overall university F/S ratios ranged from 1.16 to 2.62 overall, and from 0.68 to 1.63 and 0.47 to 1.08 for tenured and non-tenured positions, respectively. All were significantly correlated with mean rank at the NRE (rs = −0.53, rs = −0.50, rs = −0.52, respectively, all p < 0.01). As this link between teaching means and students’ performance has consequences in the competition for career choice, large disparities among medical universities are not legitimate in a regulated model. Deregulation of regional applications should be considered to come close to equality of opportunity.

Nutritional status and eating disorders among medical students from the Cluj-Napoca University centre

Background and aims The nutritional disorders are modifiable predisposing factors of the current leading causes of morbidity and premature mortality, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancers. An early recognition of appropriate interventions could decrease the burden of medical costs and increase the healthy life expectancy. The aims of our study were the description of nutritional status, its associated factors, and the detection of eating disorders among Romanian medical students of the “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted during the 2015–2016 academic year, including medical students from all study years, by an online questionnaire. The statistics, both descriptive and inferential, were calculated using EpiInfo. Results A total of 222 students from the University Romanian section were included, with a sex-ratio (men:women) of 0.22. The average body mass index of the medical students included was 21.3±3.3 kg/m2, for females it was 20.7±3 kg/m2 and for males 23.9±3.1 kg/m2. For the nutritional disorders such as overweight, the prevalence among males (30%) had a net predominance (p<0.001) over females (4.4%), while for underweight, it was prevalent only for female students (20.3%). Overweight was associated with low academic performance (odds ratio (OR)=7.2; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1–53.94), smoking (OR=2.4; 95% CI: 1–5.76) and binge drinking (OR=3; 95% CI: 1.26–7.25). Eating disorders were reported by 25.7% of the students and were significantly more prevalent in students in the second academic study cycle (47.4%; 95% CI: 34.7–60.3%) and in students with jobs (7%; 95% CI: 2.3–16.1%). Conclusions In this survey, two different distribution models of nutritional disorders for both genders were identified, with the predominance of overweight among men. Eating disorders were more prevalent among students in the second study cycle and those with jobs at the same time.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder among university students

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in two major college students’ campuses in France. The students filled in a questionnaire about their behaviors like smoking, alcohol consumption (AUDIT test and binge drinking), eating disorders, food addiction, gambling, internet addiction, online compulsive buying, and socioeconomic data. Hyperactivity was reported with the Adult ADHD Self Report Scale (ASRS) and retrospective diagnosis of childhood ADHD with the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS). Current ADHD was defined with both positive ASRS and WURS.

[Characteristics and predictive factors of success in critical reading exam among medical students. School of Medicine, Rouen (France), 2012-2013].

La Presse Medicale - In Press.Proof corrected by the author Available online since mercredi 18 novembre 2015