EXPLORING THE PREVALENCE OF NEUROPATHIC HAND PAIN AMONG YOUNG ADULTS AND ITS IMPACT ON HAND FUNCTION

Background and Aims: To explore the prevalence of neuropathic hand pain in young adults and how it affects hand functionality. Methodology: A convenience sampling was used to conduct a cross-sectional study on 192 medical students aged 18 to 28 years from October 2022 to March 2023. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of neuropathic hand pain in young adults and how it affects hand functionality. Both the Duruoz Hand Index and the Douleur Neuropathique Four Questionnaire were used. Results: This study included 192 participants, the majority of whom were females (84%) and aged 20-24 years. 16.1% of participants reported having had surgery or an injury to their upper limb in the past. Participants described neuropathic pain symptoms such as electric shocks (21.4%), burning pain (18.2%), and painful cold (15.6%). Limitations and Future Implications: A small sample size and a focus on a particular group of medical students may restrict the generalizability of the findings. To improve the generalizability of the findings, future research should replicate these findings using larger sample sizes and diverse populations. Insights into the development and chronicity of neuropathic hand pain in young adults may also come from longitudinal studies. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the prevalence of neuropathic hand pain in young adults and how it affects hand functionality. Female participants were more likely to experience pain and functional hand impairments.

Exploring Perceptions and Practices of Science Teachers About How Boys and Girls Learn Science

What one considers desirable ways of teaching and learning science is influenced by one's conception of science. Therefore, what constitutes good science teaching can be better understood by understanding what the teacher's conception is. Teachers' perception of students and how they learn science is also influenced by how they teach science. The present study is based on a case study of two science teachers (a male and female), whose perceptions about how boys and girls learn science and practices in a coeducation classroom have been explored. The study sought to answer two questions: What are science teachers' (a female and a male) perceptions about how girls and boys learn science in secondary schools in Pakistan? How do these perceptions influence their teaching practices in science classes? Data was collected mainly through interviewing and observing the classrooms of a male and a female science teacher, teaching a coeducation class. The findings of this study indicate that science teachers have many unexamined perceptions that influence their practices. The findings of these perceptions indicate that teachers think that science requires experiments and asking questions. They also think that science (with the exception of biology) is for boys. The practices' findings tend to marginalize or exclude girls from learning science in co-education classes in Pakistan. They have higher expectations from boys than from girls, they call on boys more often than girls to answer questions and use examples more common to boys' experiences. This is because the teachers' knowledge of science and pedagogy is limited. Furthermore, there is a clear evidence that teachers' perceptions and practices in co-education classes favor boys. It also indicates that there is a gap between teachers' perception and teaching of science. Although the purpose of the study is not to give suggestions for the renovation of perceptions and practices of the teachers in science classroom, implications are drawn for teachers and teacher educators which may assist in making science classroom more fair gender-wise.