Why Do Students Miss Lectures? A Study of Lecture Attendance Amongst Students of Health Science

In the domain of health sciences, attendance by students at lectures is more critical. Lecture attendance is an issue which has been widely neglected. This study aims to determine those factors which affect the lecture attendance. The research data was collected by means of a questionnaire during the second semester of the academic year 2010-2011 from second-year students of the Faculties of Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry and Nursing. Together with demographic data, the questionnaire includes a Likert-type scale aiming to determine the factors influencing attendance at lectures. 663 participated in this study on a voluntary basis from Medical, Dentistry, Pharmacy and Nursing Faculties. Raising attainment levels, being able to take their own lecture notes, learning which aspects of the lecture content were being emphasized, and the opportunity to ask questions were amongst the chief reasons for attending lectures. It appears that the factors preventing students from attending lectures are mainly individual. Amongst the most frequently cited causes of non-attendance, sleeplessness, ill health and the inefficiency of lectures in overcrowded halls are emphasized. In the totals and sub-dimensions of the Lecture Attendance Scale, Medical Faculty students have average scores higher than those of students at other faculties. The vital nature of professional expertise and its applications, health sciences students' attendance at lectures carries greater importance. It is important to strengthen the mentoring system with regard to individual and external factors, which have been implicated as having a substantial influence on lecture attendance by students.