https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/59095 2026-04-12T19:59:18Z 2026-04-12T19:59:18Z Houghton, Frank Moran Stritch, Margaret O’Doherty, Diane McInerney, Derek https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/59088 2020-08-02T05:28:00Z 2020-06-01T00:00:00Z

Title: EU tobacco controls and the importance of gender : time to ban slim and superslim cigarettes Authors: Houghton, Frank; Moran Stritch, Margaret; O’Doherty, Diane; McInerney, Derek Abstract: The global tobacco industry have been targeting women smokers for over a century. In recent years there has been a significant growth in smoking rates among women and girls. In many Western countries, girls and young women now smoke at higher rates than their male counterparts. One area in which there has been significant growth is in the market share of slim and super-slim cigarettes. These thin diameter and extra-long cigarettes are often described as more feminine, glamorous, sexy and elegant, and as such have made dramatic inroads into declining cigarette markets in Europe. An early draft of the European Union’s (2014) Tobacco Products Directive (TPD) sought to ban the sale of such cigarettes. This prohibition was later removed. This commentary argues that in light of a need to mainstream gender equity in health and the significant growth in sales of slim and super-slim cigarettes the EU should ban sales of these cigarettes as soon as possible. In the absence of such a centralised approach, individual EU countries should follow the lead of New Zealand and ban them unilaterally.

2020-06-01T00:00:00Z Camilleri, Lara Maria Buhagiar, Nathalie Mifsud, Charmaine Bonello, Marjorie https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/59087 2020-08-02T05:28:00Z 2020-06-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Validating the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire for use with children aged between five and fifteen in the Maltese context Authors: Camilleri, Lara Maria; Buhagiar, Nathalie; Mifsud, Charmaine; Bonello, Marjorie Abstract: The Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ), developed by Wilson (2007), is a subjective parent/guardian screening tool which is used by Maltese paediatric Occupational Therapists. It is available solely in the English language and so within the local context poses several challenges for respondents who are not well versed in this language. This paper reports on a study which was carried out to address the gap in the current situation by translating and validating the original English DCDQ'07. This process involved a forward and backward translation of the DCDQ followed by its administration using a quantitative cross-sectional survey methodology. The translation team involved four translators who worked independently of each other and a moderator who facilitated the whole process. When the final Maltese version was completed, the bilingual test-retest technique using the split-half method was used to determine the validity and reliability of the final Maltese questionnaire. This involved data collected from 44 bilingual parents whose children were receiving Occupational Therapy at a local paediatric centre and completed both the Maltese and English versions at a seven-day interval. Data analysis of the findings compared the final scores achieved from the Maltese translation with those obtained from the original English questionnaire. Statistical tests yielded p values of 0.000 which indicated satisfactory intra-rater reliability implying that the translated Maltese questionnaire can be used with confidence. This would add to the available resources that assist Occupational Therapists in evaluating motor coordination difficulties in children.

2020-06-01T00:00:00Z Tabone, Nadine Grech, Helen Bamiou, Doris-Eva https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/59086 2020-08-02T05:28:00Z 2020-06-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Contentious issues related to auditory processing disorder Authors: Tabone, Nadine; Grech, Helen; Bamiou, Doris-Eva Abstract: A number of children undergo audiometric evaluation due to suspected hearing difficulties. Yet for some, their hearing sensitivity is found to be normal (Iliadou et al., 2017; Sharma, Purdy, & Kelly, 2009). Often, these children are described by parents and teachers as having difficulties to follow several instructions or attend to a conversation, and getting distracted when background noise is present (Iliadou et al., 2017; Witton, 2010). There are also reports of these children either misunderstanding or taking longer to understand simple verbal directions, and demonstrating selective hearing (Johnson, Benson, & Seaton, 1997). These weaknesses often cause educational, vocational and social challenges (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), 2005; British Society of Audiology (BSA, 2007). Children exhibiting these problems could be diagnosed with Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) (American Academy of Audiology (AAA), 2010; ASHA, 2005; BSA, 2007; Iliadou et al., 2017).

2020-06-01T00:00:00Z Grima, Ritienne https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/59080 2024-05-07T13:39:31Z 2020-06-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Meaningful life participation : you can be part of it too Authors: Grima, Ritienne Abstract: Stroke is a major cause of disability worldwide and it is a leading cause of acquired communication disorders, such as aphasia, dysarthria and apraxia of speech. Nearly 14 million new strokes are estimated to occur annually, and 80 million people are considered to be stroke survivors worldwide. Globally, 1 in 4 people over the age of 25 is at risk of having a stroke at some point in life (World Stroke Organisation, 2020). Prevention of stroke is considered to be the primary goal to reduce the numbers. Yet, health care professionals are faced with new people acquiring strokes every day and we have a huge responsibility to attend to them. Here, I will focus on the responsibility we have to attend to and protect the basic human right to communication. International studies have exposed staggering figures – up to 88% of stroke patients will have one type of communication disorder (O’Halloran et al., 2009), and one third of them will have a language disorder called aphasia, affecting the ability to use and/or understand spoken and/or written language (Brady et al., 2016). This means that right now 27 million people worldwide have aphasia. [excerpt]

2020-06-01T00:00:00Z