RESUMO
We sought to evaluate the impact of transitioning a multi-country HIV training program from in-person to online by comparing digital training approaches implemented during the pandemic with in-person approaches employed before COVID-19. We evaluated mean changes in pre-and post-course knowledge scores and self-reported confidence scores for learners who participated in (1) in-person workshops (between October 2019 and March 2020), (2) entirely asynchronous, Virtual Workshops [VW] (between May 2021 and January 2022), and (3) a blended Online Course [OC] (between May 2021 and January 2022) across 16 SSA countries. Learning objectives and evaluation tools were the same for all three groups. Across 16 SSA countries, 3023 participants enrolled in the in-person course, 2193 learners participated in the virtual workshop, and 527 in the online course. The proportions of women who participated in the VW and OC were greater than the proportion who participated in the in-person course (60.1% and 63.6%, p<0.001). Nursing and midwives constituted the largest learner group overall (1145 [37.9%] vs. 949 [43.3%] vs. 107 [20.5%]). Across all domains of HIV knowledge and self-perceived confidence, there was a mean increase between pre- and post-course assessments, regardless of how training was delivered. The greatest percent increase in knowledge scores was among those participating in the in-person course compared to VW or OC formats (13.6% increase vs. 6.0% and 7.6%, p<0.001). Gains in self-reported confidence were greater among learners who participated in the in-person course compared to VW or OC formats, regardless of training level (p<0.001) or professional cadre (p<0.001). In this multi-country capacity HIV training program, in-person, online synchronous, and blended synchronous/asynchronous strategies were effective means of training learners from diverse clinical settings. Online learning approaches facilitated participation from more women and more diverse cadres. However, gains in knowledge and clinical confidence were greater among those participating in in-person learning programs.
RESUMO
More than 1.5 million TB cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa every year. Lack of compliance to TB treatment has contributed to the steady rise of TB incidence in Zambia. The prevalence of TB was 511 per 100;000 populations in 2000. Much of the increase in incidence has been attributed to co-infection with HIV; there are HIV rates of 70-80in TB patients Objectives: To determine knowledge; attitude and compliance with TB treatment by PTB patients attending chest clinic at a tertiary hospital. Design and Measures: A descriptive study was conducted on a convenience sample of 104 pulmonary PTB patients receiving health care at chest clinic of a tertiary hospital in Lusaka; Zambia. An Interview Schedule comprising of four sections (d e m o g r a p h i c ; k n o w l e d g e ; a t t i t u d e ; a n d compliance) was used to collect data. Results: A total of 104 respondents aged 18 to 66 years took part in the study. Forty-nine percent were female; 51.9were married and 42.3had primary education only. About half of the respondents (49) had no monthly income and majority of those with no income were female. Two thirds of the respondents (76) lived in high-density areas. Half of the respondents (49) had average knowledge of TB treatment. Majority of the respondents (89.4) had positive attitude towards TB treatment rating high in all the attitude subscales; 74in commitment; 84.6in challenge and 55.8in control. Most of the respondents' (80.8) reported complying with TB treatment regimens. There was a positive relationship between compliance and attitude; indicating that as the level of attitude increases; compliance level also increases (r = 0.59; p 0.001). The results further showed that there was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude (r
