BackgroundBrucellosis is a contagious zoonotic disease transferred from sick animals to humans and endemic in the Middle East and other countries. Humans mainly acquire the disease by consuming non-pasteurized dairy products from infected animals. This study assesses the rates of non-pasteurized dairy product consumption, knowledge and attitudes regarding brucellosis among Israeli Arabs, in towns with and without reported cases of brucellosis. The aim is to assess if there is an association between knowledge, attitudes and consumption of non-pasteurized dairy products and if encountering the disease in the community is associated with consumption, attitudes and knowledge.MethodsA cross sectional telephone survey of 306 respondents from five Arab towns in the northern part of Israel, three towns with and two without reported cases of the disease during 2014. The questionnaire included questions regarding knowledge and attitudes related to brucellosis and patterns of production, purchase and consumption of dairy products from non-regulated sources, mainly semi-hard low value white cheese.ResultsNearly 41% of respondents reported consuming cheese from non-regulated sources and 16.1% of respondents reported purchasing milk from non-regulated sources. Favorable attitudes towards factors enhancing transmission of brucellosis were associated with purchasing and consuming milk or homemade white cheese from non-regulated sources in multivariable logistic regression models (odds ratio- 2.21 and 2.66 respectively, confidence intervals between 1.7 and 3.9). However, knowledge about the disease was not associated with these behaviors. In towns with previous reported cases of the disease the purchasing and consumption of non-regulated cheeses was higher than in towns without reported cases and the opposite for non-regulated milk consumption.ConclusionsThe purchase and consumption of cheese from non-regulated sources is very common in specific communities among Israeli Arabs. Attitudes are a significant factor associated with the risky behavior, such as consuming milk and cheese from non-regulated sources. However, knowledge and previous reported cases of the disease in the community do not prevent most risky behaviors. Interventions should not focus only on dissemination of information.
Background: The abundance of easy and accessible information and the rapid development of social networking sites (SNSs) have proven that the world is small and within reach. The great implication of this interconnectivity is attributable to the change in the learning and sharing environment, which for the most part is something that classrooms are lacking. Considering the potential implications of SNSs in nursing education reveals the benefits of SNSs in allowing students to communicate and interact with a wider audience and beyond the classroom. The aim of this study is to identify the extent of SNS utilization, the perceived benefits of SNSs and the potential of SNSs for improving the study habits of nursing students in five countries (Israel, Iraq, Oman, the Philippines and Turkey). Methods: This study is a quantitative cross-sectional study that determined the relationship between the utilization of SNSs, the perceived benefits of SNSs, and the potential of SNSs for improving the study habits of nursing students in the five participating countries (Israel, Iraq, Oman, the Philippines, and Turkey). This paper is based on carefully analysing the survey responses of a sample of 1137 students from an online hosting site. The online instrument focuses on the extent of the utilization and benefits of SNSs according to their accessibility, usability, efficiency and reliability. Results: Based on the Pearson correlation coefficient (r) our findings, reveal a significant positive correlation between the extent of a possible improvement in study habits and the extent of SNS utilization in terms of the four domains, namely, accessibility (r = 0.246), usability (r = 0.377), reliability (r = 0.287) and efficiency (r = 0.387). Conclusion: It can be concluded that there is a significant positive correlation between students' study habits and the extent of SNS utilization, meaning that the more students devote themselves to their study habits, the higher the level of SNS utilization. The use of SNSs by nursing students has positive and negative implications, and there is greater potential for further improving approaches to nursing education through the adaptation of curricula based on the proper utilization of SNSs.
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