ABSTRACT
Background: Refugees are at risk for low health literacy and high rates of illness and hospitalization. A partnership between medical professionals at Yale and two New-Haven, CT-based refugee resettlement organizations aimed to create and implement a family-based, interactive pediatric healthcare curriculum with a goal of increasing childhood health knowledge among refugee families. Methods: Seven 1-hour, in-person classes and 1 virtual class were taught by pediatric residents with real-time translation in Pashto, Dari, Arabic, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda on the topics of child nutrition, safety, parenting, and oral health. Each class incorporated play-based activities for toddlers-a My Healthy Plate puzzle, street-crossing simulation, teeth-brushing demonstration, and block play-which were integrated into parental discussion with visual aids. Knowledge acquisition and satisfaction was assessed using pre- and posttests. Results: 67 adult participants had an 85% response rate. Average knowledge test scores increased in 5 of 7 classes, reaching significance in a class on parenting (mean 52% vs 90%, paired t-test p = 0.03) and child safety (mean 80% vs 97%, p = 0.04). 100% of respondents (67% response rate) reported increased understanding of the topic and would recommend the class to a friend. There were 5 participants for the virtual class. Conclusion: Child health education classes conducted for refugee families can improve knowledge of pediatric healthcare topics and provide positive experiences. A close relationship between healthcare providers and community refugee organizations has the potential to improve health education in refugee families. Future studies will assess efficacy and satisfaction of virtual classes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Healthcare-associated infections (HAI) are the most frequent adverse event in healthcare. Hand Hygiene (HH) is a crucial intervention to prevent the transmission of HAIs that should be learned in the early years of education by health care workers. Since COVID 19 pandemic hit education systems worldwide and face-to-face (f2f) training stopped, there is a need for innovative and effective distance educational interventions. Objectives: This pre-test, post-test intact group experimental design educational intervention study aims to create a unique online HH training program/competition which motivates students to participate and learn with high satisfaction. Methods: HH training program/competition was developed with the involvement of all 8 health sciences faculties and 11 medical colleges' representatives in one f2f[jc1] and two online meetings. Pre/posttests, skills training guides and WHO guidelines-based ppt presentations were developed. Materials were made accessible at the "flipgrid" application. Students registered and attended 2 h long synchronous pre-test, demonstration sessions through Zoom and Facebook stream followed by a post-test. They then recorded and uploaded their correct handwashing practice. We used Google forms to collect students' feedback (0 very bad-10 very good). Results: The total target students number was 14.180. 812 and 1412 students completed pre and post-test respectively and 1.900 during the stream. All 212 students who uploaded videos were evaluated, ranked between 0 and 100, receiving written feedback. Post-test scores were high (x = 81.0 ± 2.3). There were significant differences between mean total scores (t = 26.5;p < 0.000) of the pre-post test. The mean score of the evaluated videos was found as (x = 72.0 ± 1.4). 842 students provided feedback;general satisfaction was very high (x = 9.57 ± 1.11). Conclusion: This study suggests that the organization of nationwide online HH training/competition for health students is feasible and associated with acceptable participation rates and learning levels, with high satisfaction. Technology,internet access and digital literacy levels remain under-researched in this study to explain nationwide 10% participation.