Grading reflective essays: the construct validity and reliability of a newly developed Tool- GRE-9.

Background: The main objective of this study is to assess the construct validity and reliability of the Grading Reflective Essays-9 (GRE-9).

Methods: This study took place in a major tertiary academic medical center in Beirut, Lebanon. 104 reflective essays written by years 1-3 residents in the department of Family Medicine at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) were graded by 2 trained raters who independently scored the essays using GRE-9.

Detainment and health: the case of the Lebanese hostages of war.

The purpose of the current research was to compare former detainees of Khiam prison to a comparison group regarding depression, anxiety, presence of chronic diseases, smoking, and alcohol drinking. The sample consisted of 118 ex-detainees and 90 community controls. The Beck Depression Inventory, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, the Clinician-Administered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Scale, and the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire were used.

Focus groups findings reveal barriers to teaching communication skills to medical students.

Background: In December 2002, 74 medical students in the second preclinical years at the American University of Beirut (AUB) attended a workshop on basic communication skills (CS). The students watched video clips which demonstrated different communication skills and stages of the consultation, and role-played to try out ways they could improve the consultation. Their familiarity with the skills taught was assessed at the beginning of the workshop, immediately afterwards, and again six months later.

Impact of a communication skills audiovisual package on medical students' knowledge.

Introduction: Over the last decade more emphasis is being put on teaching communication skills (CS). Use of videos and role-play was suggested to improve CS. This article will present the impact of an audiovisual package on promoting the knowledge of medical students in CS.

Prevalence of hepatitis B in a presumably healthy Lebanese population.

Objective: Policy makers need data on the prevalence of infection with HBV in order to determine the cost effectiveness of universal immunization against hepatitis B. This study aims at determining the prevalence rate of infection with HBV in a basically healthy group of Lebanese adults.

Methods: Sera from 2634 presumably healthy Lebanese individuals, mean age 32.

Psychological distress among marginalized women in the outskirts of beirut: determinants and association with health perception.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of psychological distress (PD) and its determinants in under-privileged women in the outskirts of Beirut, Lebanon. A cross-sectional survey of 1,869 ever-married women aged 15-59 was carried out. PD levels were determined using the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (Appendix).

Intestinal parasites among presumably healthy individuals in Lebanon.

Objective: To determine the prevalence period of intestinal parasites among presumably healthy subjects in Lebanon.

Methods: One stool specimen from 2634 presumably healthy Lebanese subjects, mean age 32.1 years with a range of 14-71 years, resident of different areas in Lebanon was examined for the presence of parasites.

Postgraduate educational program for primary care physicians in remote areas in Lebanon.

Introduction: Continuing medical education (CME) is a requirement in many developed countries. Lebanon lacks such a rule; hence, the dictum "once a doctor always a doctor" holds. This article describes a pioneering postgraduate educational program for primary care physicians in remote areas of Lebanon.