Effect of Visiting and a Smartphone Application Based Infection Prevention Education Program for Child Care Teachers: A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was performed to develop an infection prevention education program for child care teachers and to verify its effects. METHODS: The study was conducted using a nonequivalent control group with a pretest-posttest design. Four private daycare centers (2 centers per city) that were alike in terms of the number of children by age, number of child care teachers, and child care environment were chosen. Participants were assigned to the experimental group (n=20) or control group (n=20). As a part of the program, visiting education (90 min) was provided in the 1st week, and smartphone application education (10 min) was provided thrice a week, in the 2nd and 3rd weeks. RESULTS: Child care teachers' self-efficacy for infection prevention revealed a significant interaction effect between the group and time of measurement (F=21.62, p < .001). In terms of infection prevention behavior, a significant difference was observed between the experimental and control groups (z=−5.36, p < .001). CONCLUSION: The program implemented in this study was effective in improving the infection prevention self-efficacy and infection prevention behavior of child care teachers. Thus, this program may be effective in enhancing their infection control.