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Research Contributions to Improve Public Health through Mathematics and Scientific Literacies

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A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 28545

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Javier Díez-Palomar

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Guest Editor

Department of Mathematics Education, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: mathematics education; learning communities; societal impact; adults learning mathematics; numeracy and mathematical and scientific literacies

Dr. Aitor Gómez González

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Guest Editor

Department of Pedagogy, University Rovira and Virgili, 43003 Tarragona, Spain
Interests: research methods; qualitative inquiry; communicative methodology; societal impact

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rationale

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect research that focuses on the improvement of public health through mathematical and scientific literacy. We live in a world where the use of mathematical and scientific skills to promote healthy lifestyles is increasingly crucial. People use health apps to manage and plan their health, diet, and lifestyle, which require interpretation of data, and diverse scientific knowledge. Having a level of mathematical and scientific competence can be an important aspect to promote a better use of these applications, which results in increasing the average levels of quality of life of people in our societies. If we improve people’s levels of mathematical and scientific literacy, we can also improve public health in order to achieve both the third objective of the Sustainable Development Goals (Good Health and Well-Being) and the fourth (Quality of Education), among others. However, we need scientific evidence to do so successfully. Therefore, the main objective of this Special Issue is to offer a platform for researchers from all over the world to share their work here, to generate a research-based knowledge base that can serve to improve public health.

This objective is even more urgent especially at the present time, with the devastation of the global pandemic of COVID-19 forcing us to confront the challenge of knowing how to read the statistical data that we receive, the medical, health, and behavioral information of the virus, etc., in order to make correct decisions, which have a clear impact on the entire population, not just ourselves. Therefore, advancing our knowledge of mathematical and scientific literacy also has the clear impact of improving our chances of a better life for all.

Focus

Some of the topics to be considered are the following:

- Mathematics and science literacies and healthy life standards;

- Mathematics and science literacies to develop a critical thinking for decision-making in our current societies;

- Successful cases of people participating and interacting to overcome their health standards drawing on mathematics and science literacies;

- Addressing the Sustainable Development Goals through mathematics and science education;

- Strategies to meet the necessities of the most vulnerable people;

- Social justice and access to public health and mathematics and science literacies;

- Research evidence to improve access to public health drawing on mathematics and science literacies.

Prof. Dr. Javier Díez-Palomar
Dr. Aitor Gómez González
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

teaching and learning of mathematics and science
critical thinking
public health
participation
under-served communities
social justice
social impact of the research
overcoming inequalities
successful educational actions

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2893 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Piloting of a Web-Based Tool to Teach Relative and Absolute Risk Reductions

by Sandro Zacher, Birte Berger-Höger, Julia Lühnen and Anke Steckelberg

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 16086; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192316086 - 1 Dec 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1962

Abstract

Interpreting study results is an essential component of decision-making. Both laypeople and healthcare professionals often misinterpret treatment effects that are presented as relative risk reduction. Therefore, we developed and piloted a web-based tool to teach the difference between relative and absolute risk reductions. This project follows the UKMRC-guidance for complex interventions. The tool was developed based on adult learning and design theories. This was followed by a qualitative feasibility study focusing on acceptance, applicability, and comprehensibility with healthcare professionals and laypersons. We conducted think-aloud and semi-structured interviews and analysed them using qualitative content analysis. In addition, we explored calculation skills. Between January 2020 and April 2021, we conducted 22 interviews with 8 laypeople and 14 healthcare professionals from different settings. Overall, the tool proved to be feasible and relevant. With regard to comprehension, we observed an awareness of the interpretation of risk reduction, presented therapy effects were questioned more critically, and the influence of relative effects was recognized. Nevertheless, there were comprehension problems in some of the participants, especially with calculations in connection with low mathematical skills. The tool can be used to improve the interpretation of risk reductions in various target groups and to supplement existing educational programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Contributions to Improve Public Health through Mathematics and Scientific Literacies)

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19 pages, 1034 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nurse Education and Mathematical Competency: Implementation of an Online, Self-Directed, Prerequisite Model

by Daniel H. Jarvis, Karey D. McCullough and Tammie R. McParland

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(24), 13106; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182413106 - 12 Dec 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4435

Abstract

Mathematical competency in the profession of nursing has increasingly become a central focus as more nursing students appear to struggle with basic concepts of arithmetic, mental estimation, and critical reasoning. This paper highlights how one School of Nursing in Ontario, Canada implemented a Dosage Calculation Competency Test model which involved an online, self-directed, prerequisite approach to improve student mathematical competency and confidence. The purpose of this research case study was to document, through shared participant perceptions, the creation, implementation, and subsequent modifications to a Dosage Calculation Competency Test model in light of student needs and advances in online learning and assessment. The research design combined a quantitative survey of Year 1–4 nursing students, followed by a series of qualitative, semi-structured interviews with nursing students and program instructors. The study took place within a School of Nursing undergraduate program in Ontario, Canada. Forty-four participants, including students from all four years of the nursing program, completed the survey, followed by individual interviews with nine students and six faculty instructors. Survey (the open-response items) and interview data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti (ATLAS.ti, Berlin, Germany). The authors recount the new DCCT model’s development, implementation, and subsequent modifications and further discuss student/instructor perceptions of learning types, math confidence, and competency. The paper concludes with a series of seven key recommendations for nursing programs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Contributions to Improve Public Health through Mathematics and Scientific Literacies)

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14 pages, 1548 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Eating Healthy: Understanding Added Sugar through Proportional Reasoning

by Debasmita Basu and Hong B. Nguyen

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(23), 12821; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312821 - 5 Dec 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3181

Abstract

Research suggests that integrated STEM activities can best support students in developing their mathematical and scientific understanding. On one hand, while science provides mathematics with real-life authentic problems to investigate, mathematics provides science powerful tools to explore those problems. In line with this call, in this study, we designed an integrated lesson at the cross-section of proportional reasoning and added sugar present in food products to explore how added sugar provides students with a meaningful context to engage in proportional reasoning and how proportional reasoning helps students identify the quantity of added sugar present in different food products and provides students with a platform to initiate a conversation around quality of food products. Developed on the theoretical framework of Realistic Mathematics Education (RME), this lesson was remotely implemented on three middle school students. The result section highlights the design principle of the lesson that provided students with an opportunity to construct an understanding of both the disciplines through a mutual interaction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Contributions to Improve Public Health through Mathematics and Scientific Literacies)

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30 pages, 8761 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Developing Computational Thinking Teaching Strategies to Model Pandemics and Containment Measures

by Roberto Araya, Masami Isoda and Johan van der Molen Moris

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(23), 12520; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312520 - 28 Nov 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3981

Abstract

COVID-19 has been extremely difficult to control. The lack of understanding of key aspects of pandemics has affected virus transmission. On the other hand, there is a demand to incorporate computational thinking (CT) in the curricula with applications in STEM. However, there are still no exemplars in the curriculum that apply CT to real-world problems such as controlling a pandemic or other similar global crises. In this paper, we fill this gap by proposing exemplars of CT for modeling the pandemic. We designed exemplars following the three pillars of the framework for CT from the Inclusive Mathematics for Sustainability in a Digital Economy (InMside) project by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC): algorithmic thinking, computational modeling, and machine learning. For each pillar, we designed a progressive sequence of activities that covers from elementary to high school. In an experimental study with elementary and middle school students from 2 schools of high vulnerability, we found that the computational modeling exemplar can be implemented by teachers and correctly understood by students. We conclude that it is feasible to introduce the exemplars at all grade levels and that this is a powerful example of Science Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) integration that helps reflect and tackle real-world and challenging public health problems of great impact for students and their families. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Contributions to Improve Public Health through Mathematics and Scientific Literacies)

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11 pages, 652 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Citizen Debates in Social Networks about Didactic Resources for Mathematics

by Rosa Valls-Carol, Garazi Álvarez-Guerrero, Garazi López de Aguileta, Álvaro Alonso and Marta Soler-Gallart

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(21), 11686; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182111686 - 7 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3402

Abstract

Citizens are increasingly turning to social media to open up debates on issues of utmost importance, such as health or education. When analyzing citizens’ social media interactions on COVID-19, research has underlined the importance of sharing and spreading information based on scientific evidence rather than on fake news. However, whether and how citizens’ interactions in the field of education, particularly in mathematics, are based on scientific evidence remains underexplored. To contribute to filling this gap, this article presents an analysis of citizen debates in social networks about didactic resources for mathematics. Through social media analytics, 136,964 posts were extracted from Reddit, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, of which 1755 were analyzed. Results show that out of the 213 posts of citizen debates on didactic resources for mathematics, only two contained scientific evidence and eight claimed to contain scientific evidence. These findings highlight the importance of promoting actions to encourage citizen debates around didactic resources for mathematics based on scientific evidence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Contributions to Improve Public Health through Mathematics and Scientific Literacies)

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9 pages, 327 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Digital Literacy in Health through Active University Teaching

by Alejandro De la Hoz, Javier Cubero, Lina Melo, Miguel A. Durán-Vinagre and Susana Sánchez

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(12), 6674; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126674 - 21 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4353

Abstract

As we have seen as a consequence of the COVID-19 global pandemic, our scientific-technological society requires a transformation of knowledge in a global, digital and virtual manner. In light of this, and to improve the public health skills of professionals working to promote health education, one of the current priorities is to train pre-service teachers on how to search for health-related scientific knowledge relating to bio-health through digital literacy in health. The objectives of this study were to determine the level of eHealth literacy, scientific knowledge in health and confidence on the part of students, analyzing the degree of improvement following a teaching intervention with students of the Bachelor’s Degree of Education of the University of Extremadura. A quasi-experimental longitudinal study was carried out with pre-test and post-test groups and a mixed data analysis. It involved the application of an active cooperative methodology with tutoring using the jigsaw technique, with the use of four quality digital browsers to enhance scientific rigor. The results show that the initial level of eHealth literacy and confidence was problematic. Following the intervention with the cooperative methodology, both these levels and the level of scientific knowledge in health reached an excellent level. In conclusion, this suggests that university training programs need to be implemented to improve digital and scientific skills in health education as they are currently insufficient. It has been demonstrated that a cooperative active methodology improved these levels and accordingly its use in active and digital higher education should be promoted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Contributions to Improve Public Health through Mathematics and Scientific Literacies)

Review

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24 pages, 14354 KiB

Open AccessReview

Evolution of Therapeutic Patient Education: A Systematic Scoping Review and Scientometric Analysis

by Jorge César Correia, Ahmed Waqas, Isabelle Aujoulat, Melanie J. Davies, Jean-Philippe Assal, Alain Golay and Zoltan Pataky

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(10), 6128; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19106128 - 18 May 2022

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4959

Abstract

Therapeutic patient education (TPE) aims to empower the patients and their caregivers to effectively care for and manage their conditions. Such educational programs have been shown to improve health behaviors, disease outcomes, and quality of life among different patient populations. The field of TPE has evolved extensively over decades, owing to interdisciplinary research. No study so far has been done to map this field, to identify the stakeholders and gaps requiring future research. By leveraging the theory of co-citation, CiteSpace was used to visualize the bibliographic data pertaining to TPE research. A total of 54,533 articles published in English language were analyzed to identify influential funders, regions, and institutes contributing to this field. Besides these, significant theoretical and empirical contributions that shaped this field were mapped. Our analysis revealed several important insights. Most of the important theories that helped shape TPE were inspired from the social sciences. Five important research themes were identified: disorders, study designs utilized in TPE research, the scope of the TPE literature and outcomes, and populations. The research focused on improving perceptions, behaviors, and attitudes toward health promotion, reducing stigma, self-management and medication adherence. Most of the research was developed in the context of high-income countries. Future research should involve patients and use digital technology. Meta-analytical studies need to be done to identify the effectiveness and moderators of TPE interventions across different disorders. Further research should involve low and middle-income countries (LMIC) to ensure knowledge and technology transfer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research Contributions to Improve Public Health through Mathematics and Scientific Literacies)

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