https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/4989 2026-04-11T12:38:15Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/9908 Title: The influence of personality traits on the wellbeing of Maltese university studies: a quantitative study Authors: Cauchi, Charlot; De Giovanni, Katya Abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between personality traits and health-related behaviours among Maltese university students. Based on the Five-Factor Model of personality, this study uncovered significant differences between low, medium and high levels of personality traits and their association to health-related behaviours. Data were collected from a sample of 576 students who completed a questionnaire comprising a personality inventory and wellbeing questions. The findings suggested that conscientiousness and agreeableness related to health-promoting behaviours like reduced binge drinking and drug use. Similarly, extraversion and openness related to increased fruit and vegetable consumption. However, healthdeterring behaviours were also observed. These included drinking and driving, as well as unsafe sexual practices. Neuroticism was linked to health-deterring behaviours that included lack of exercise and drug use. This study adds to the existing evidence that shows personality traits to serve as both protective and deterring factors to health. The novel findings on Maltese students’ personality-health trends reported in this paper could be used to develop health promotion strategies aimed at specific personalities. 2015-12-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/9907 Title: Assessment of the utility of repeat stool testing for Clostridium difficile stool toxin using enzyme immunoassay Authors: Galea, Karl; Barbara, Christopher; Borg, Michael Angelo Abstract: The poor performance of toxin enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for laboratory testing for Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) is well acknowledged. Guidelines published in recent years state that testing solely with EIA for detecting toxins A and B is sub-optimal. As a consequence, clinicians may lose confidence in the test and submit multiple samples to offset the poor sensitivity of the toxin EIA. This leads to waste of laboratory resources and is discouraged by recent guidelines. 2,489 requests for toxin EIA submitted during one year at a state general hospital in Malta were reviewed to assess the utility of repeat stool testing for C. difficile toxin detection using toxin EIA and also to gather data on the extent of repeat samples within 28 days of a positive test. There were a total of 1,970 diarrhoeal episodes, from which a total of 302 cases (15.3%) submitted more than one sample for repeated testing. Only 2% of these repeats tested positive after having an initial negative result for the C. difficile toxin EIA test. Most recent published practice guidelines recommend a two-step or three-step testing algorithm in the diagnosis of C. difficile-associated diarrhoea, which offers a marked increase in sensitivity when compared to that of toxin A and B EIA alone. A three-step protocol is proposed which should enable the discernment of the role of C. difficile in a diarrhoeal patient. 2015-12-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/9905 Title: Validation of a Polymerase Chain Reaction technique for Kidd blood group genotyping Authors: Xuereb, Karl; Debono, Jesmond; Borg, Joseph J. Abstract: The Kidd blood group antigens, Jkª and Jkᵇ , are two of the main surface markers which are found on the membrane of red blood cells. The determination of whether a donor or a recipient has the Jkª and/or the Jkᵇ antigens is crucially important to have a successful transfusion without the development of adverse incompatibility-related reactions. In Malta, routine serological-based tests are applied with the purpose of differentiating between homozygous and heterozygous states for the Jk antigens respectively. Although these tests are highly specific and sensitive, there are particular clinical scenarios where haemagglutination assays are not suitable for determining the individual’s Kidd blood group status. Additionally, the alternative genotyping procedure has never been applied in Malta within the context of blood grouping. The current study was therefore carried out to determine whether a molecular-based technique such as Polymerase Chain Reaction – Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis (PCR-RFLP) is a suitable alternative procedure for distinguishing amongst the three different Kidd phenotypes. After extracting deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from 50 blood samples obtained from serologically-tested healthy blood donors who expressed at least one of the Kidd antigens, PCR-RFLP analyses were carried out. The results of the latter were then compared with those previously obtained with haemagglutination and a complete match was observed between the two. Therefore, this PCR-RFLP method was confirmed as a suitable alternative laboratory technique that can be used to determine efficiently the Kidd blood group of both donors and recipients, in an accurate manner without subjectivity as encountered in the case of haemagglutination. This research further facilitates the introduction of molecular-based techniques in molecular blood transfusion. 2015-12-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/9904 Title: Maltese children with a hearing impairment : analysis of the current situation and its impact on the quality of life of parents Authors: Sciberras, Stefan; Grima, Ritienne Abstract: Understanding the effect that a diagnosis of a childhood hearing loss has on parents would help professionals adopt an approach which diminishes parents’ possible negative feelings and concerns. A sample of parents of children with hearing impairment was interviewed to document demographic data related to hearing loss in Maltese children. The present study also attempted to analyse the effect of hearing loss on the parents’ wellbeing. Parents of 23 children with a hearing loss and parents of eight children without a hearing loss participated in the study. Structured face-to-face interviews were carried out with both groups of parents. A self-devised questionnaire was used with parents of children with hearing impairment to collect information about several factors related to the hearing loss. This included documentation of the different types, degrees and causes of hearing loss as well as the ages of suspicion, diagnosis and amplification of children with a hearing loss. The World Health Organisation Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire (World Health Organisation [WHO], 1998) was then used with both groups of parents to obtain a quality of life profile in four domains: physical health, psychological health, social relationships and environment. Slight quality of life differences, which were not statistically significant, were noticed between parents of children with a hearing loss and parents of children without a hearing loss. Quality of life scores were marginally higher for parents whose gap between the day of diagnosis and the interview date was more than 24 months, when compared to parents whose gap was 24 months or less. These findings extend the limited data on the effect of hearing loss on parents’ quality of life in the Maltese context. More intensive support may be indicated for parents of children with hearing impairment, particularly in the initial stages following a diagnosis of a hearing loss. Support would help parents better understand and accept their child’s hearing impairment. 2015-12-01T00:00:00Z