ABSENTEEISM AMONG STUDENTS OF MEDICAL STUDIES: ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES

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Research Paper

E-ISSN NO : 2455-295X | VOLUME : 3 | ISSUE : 11 | NOV 2017

ABSENTEEISM AMONG STUDENTS OF MEDICAL STUDIES: ASSESSMENT AND ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES ELMEKKAOUI AMINE 1 | BENBRAHIM ZINEB 2 | ZAHI ISMAILI 1 1 2

FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY OF OUJDA, MOHAMMED THE FIRST UNIVERSITY. FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY OF FEZ. MOHAMMED BEN ABDELLAH UNIVERSITY.

ABSTRACT Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and causes of absenteeism among graduate medical students of Oujda university. And the correlation between non-attendance and results of the final exam. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire. A comparison between two essential groups was achieved, a group of students "always present" to lectures {group(P)} and a group bringing together students "never" or "sometimes" present to lectures {group(A)}. Results: The study sample consisted of 105 students of the second cycle of medical study (3rd, 4th and 5th years). Groups (P) and (A) were represented by 16.2% and 50.5% of students respectively. The comparison between the two groups find that 23,5% of students within group(P) are male while they are majority in group(A) (p=0,02). There were no differences between the two groups concerning age, students from rural areas, food intake in the university restaurant. But there were significant differences concerning accommodation and the high level of the mother’s education. The main reasons reported for missing lectures were lecturer’s teaching style, social conditions and a busy schedule. A comparison between the success rates in the first session, found a rate of 82.4% among students from group(P) vs. 49.1 % group A (p=0.01). Conclusion: This study highlighted the importance of absenteeism our Faculty. The study also concluded that social conditions and the quality of the lectures were the most important factors associated with absenteeism. Paying attention to these causes could help institutions improve the learning of the medical discipline. Keywords: Absenteeism, Nonattendance, Lectures, Medical Education, Medical Students.

Background Student’s absenteeism at lectures is a major and old concern for medical education worldwide Recent studies especially those conducted in African Universities have shown that absenteeism is becoming more common. Moreover, these studies concluded to an association between absenteeism and the quality of competencies building. Our young faculty of medicine in Oujda does not seem to escape this problem but no study has approached it before. For this reason, we conducted this study to evaluate absenteeism as well as its possible causes among the students of medicine of the faculty of medicine and pharmacy of Oujda (FMPO). The primary objective of the study was to assess the phenomenon of absenteeism in our faculty and to identify the main causes of absenteeism.

Materials and methods Study design and eligibility criteria We conducted a cross-sectional study on lectures attendance of students in the 3rd, 4th and 5th year at the FMPO. Education of students in these levels consists of clinical training at the Mohammed VI University Hospital in the mornings and school courses in the afternoons. Students in each level are divided into 8 groups rotating in the different departments of medicine and surgery of the

hospitals. We randomly selected 2 groups in each level to respond to our self-reported questionnaire.

Measurement of class absenteeism and data collection The dependent variable was self-reported class attendance during the preceding semester.Independent variables included gender, age, origin, type of high school completed (public, private or French school), year of study, alimentation and place of accommodation while at the university, father’ education level, mother’s education level, toxic habits and reasons for missing classes. Data collection was doneone week after displaying results of the first semester. To ensure anonymity,no identifying information was included in the questionnaire. The data was then transferred to an "Excel" table to be analyzed.

Statistical analysis We dichotomized class absenteeism in two groups, a group of students who were "always present" (called group (P)} and a group bringing together students "never" and "Sometimes" present at lectures (called group (A)}. The group who often attends the lectures was considered as a “buffer group”.Data were compared between the two groups using the χ2 (Chi-2) test for qualitative variables and Student test for quantitative variables. All the statistical tests were two tailed and considered statistically

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