Academic Integrity Perceptions Among Health-Professions’ Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in The Middle East

Abstract

A high level of professional integrity is expected from healthcare professionals, and literature suggests a relationship between unethical behavior of healthcare professionals and poor academic integrity behavior at medical school. While academic integrity is well researched in western countries, it is not so in the Middle East, which is characterized by different cultural values that may influence students’ academic integrity conduct. We conducted a cross-sectional study among health-professions students at a university in the Middle East to assess perceptual differences on various cheating behaviors, as well as to explore the reasons underlying the cheating behavior. A validated survey instrument disseminated among first and second-year undergraduate students resulted in 211 complete responses and this data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Pearson’s Chi-square/ Fischer’s exact test was applied to test the association of various factors with academic misconduct. The major determinants of academic misconduct were investigated using Binary Logistic regression model. The conducted analysis and the results showed that preceding cheating behavior was the only factor significantly associated with cheating in the university (p < 0.001). No association was found between cheating behavior and age, college/major, awareness regarding academic integrity, or perception of faculty response. The reasons provided by students for cheating behavior were mainly academic workload and pressure to get a good grade. Various suggestions are made to enhance academic integrity among health-professions students including organizing workshops and events by the university to increase awareness and create an academic integrity culture, providing peer guidance as well as emotional and social support.

A concept analysis of misconduct: Application to nursing education

“…Following the same track, Kadayam Guruswami et al 19 studied health professionals-students’ perceptions of academic misconduct and reasons for such behaviors. The findings indicated that academic workload and the pressure to earn high grades were the main antecedents that forced students to commit unethical behaviors (misconduct).…”

“…The findings indicated that academic workload and the pressure to earn high grades were the main antecedents that forced students to commit unethical behaviors (misconduct). 19 Fadlalmola et al 20 conducted a literature review to summarize what is known about plagiarism in terms of prevalence, forms, students’ attitudes, predisposing factors, and solutions for such behavior. Fadlalmola et al 20 explained plagiarism as unethical because of the lack of knowledge of the legal consequences of such actions and the lack of knowledge of referencing the data sources, which may lead to legal consequences.…”

“…17 Congruently with Dorea-Bandeira et al, Farahat, and Cocca and Cocca; Mol and van den Hoven indicated breaches of academic integrity as the explanation of misconduct. [15][16][17][18] Following the same track, Kadayam Guruswami et al 19 studied health professionals-students' perceptions of academic misconduct and reasons for such behaviors. The findings indicated that academic workload and the pressure to earn high grades were the main antecedents that forced students to commit unethical behaviors (misconduct).…”

“…This literature revealed that the consequences of misconduct were penalties within academic institutions. 12,[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Business. The business world views misconduct as a practice done throughout an entire organization or personal behavior.…”

Is Future of Medicine Safe in the Hands of Young Medical Practitioners? Perceptions of Medical Students Regarding Academic Misconduct

“…2 It has been reflected by students that mostly academic overload and competitions to get good scores are related to cheating behaviors. 3 Studies have shown that students who are able to score well in exams plagiarized less as compared to those who were failed or scored less. 4 The skills required to become a physician are on vast grounds, ranging from medical knowledge to a high ethical standing.…”