Sample records for group-based education programme

  1. The Effects and Costs of a Group-Based Education Programme for Self-Management of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes. A Community-Based Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Molsted, Stig; Tribler, Jane; Poulsen, Peter B.; Snorgaard, Ole

    2012-01-01

    The worldwide epidemic of Type 2 diabetes necessitates evidence-based self-management education programmes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects and costs of an empowerment-based structured diabetes self-management education programme in an unselected group of patients with Type 2 diabetes. Seven hundred and two patients…

  2. Promoting evidence-based childhood fever management through a peer education programme based on the theory of planned behaviour.

    PubMed

    Edwards, Helen; Walsh, Anne; Courtney, Mary; Monaghan, Sarah; Wilson, Jenny; Young, Jeanine

    2007-10-01

    This study examined effectiveness of a theoretically based education programme in reducing inappropriate antipyretic use in fever management. Paediatric nurses' inconsistent, ritualistic antipyretic use in fever management is influenced by many factors including inconsistent beliefs and parental requests. Determinants of antipyretic administration, identified by the theory of planned behaviour, were belief-based attitudes and subjective norms. A quasi-experiment explored group effects of a peer education programme, based on the theory of planned behaviour, on factors influencing paediatric nurses' antipyretic administration. Surveys and chart audits collected data from medical wards at experimental and control hospitals one month pre and one and four months postpeer education programme. All nurses employed in targeted wards were eligible to participate in surveys and all eligible charts were audited. The peer education programme consisted of four one-hour sessions targeting evidence-based knowledge, myths and misconceptions, normative, attitudinal and control influences over and rehearsal of evidence-based fever management. All nurses in experimental hospital targeted wards were eligible to attend. Peer education and support facilitated session information reaching those unable to attend sessions. Two-way univariate anovas explored between subject, experimental and control group and within subject factors, pre, post and latency data. Significant interactions in normative influence (p = 0.01) and intentions (p = 0.01), a significant main group effect in control influence (p = 0.01) and a significant main effect between audit data across time points (p = 0.03) highlight peer education programme effectiveness in behaviour change. Normative, control and intention changes postpeer education programme were maintained in latency data; mean temperature was not. The peer education programme, based on a behaviour change theory, initiated and maintained evidence-based intentions for antipyretics use in fever management. The promotion of evidence-based change in organizational unit intentions and behaviour highlights the crucial role peer support and education can play in continuing educational programmes.

  3. Internet-based learning programme to increase nurses' knowledge level about venous leg ulcer care in home health care.

    PubMed

    Ylönen, Minna; Viljamaa, Jaakko; Isoaho, Hannu; Junttila, Kristiina; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Suhonen, Riitta

    2017-11-01

    To test the effectiveness of an Internet-based education programme about venous leg ulcer nursing care on perceived and theoretical knowledge levels and attitudes among nurses working in home health care. Nurses have been shown to have knowledge gaps in venous leg ulcer nursing care. Internet-based learning could offer a means for flexible continuing education for home healthcare environment. Quasi-experimental study with pre- and postmeasurements and nonequivalent intervention and comparison groups. Nurses (n = 946) in home health care in two Finnish municipalities were invited to participate in the study and divided into intervention and comparison groups. The intervention group received education programme about venous leg ulcer nursing care, while the comparison group did not. Data were collected at baseline, at six weeks and at 10 weeks to test the hypotheses: nurses using education programme about venous leg ulcer nursing care will have higher level of knowledge and more positive attitudes than those not using education programme about venous leg ulcer nursing care. An analysis of variance and mixed models with repeated measures were used to test differences in knowledge and attitudes between and within the groups. There were statistically significant increases in knowledge levels in the intervention group from baseline to the first and second follow-up measurements. In the comparison group, the knowledge levels remained unchanged during the study. Attitude levels remained unchanged in both groups. Nurses' perceived and theoretical knowledge levels of venous leg ulcer nursing care can be increased with Internet-based education. However, this increase in knowledge levels is short-lived, which emphasises the need for continuous education. Internet-based education about venous leg ulcer nursing care is recommended for home healthcare nurses. Education programme about venous leg ulcer nursing care provides flexible method for nurses' learning with feasible and cost-effective access to evidence-based education. Education programme about venous leg ulcer nursing care material can be used in all nursing environments where Internet is available. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. The World Starts With Me: using intervention mapping for the systematic adaptation and transfer of school-based sexuality education from Uganda to Indonesia.

    PubMed

    Leerlooijer, Joanne N; Ruiter, Robert A C; Reinders, Jo; Darwisyah, Wati; Kok, Gerjo; Bartholomew, L Kay

    2011-06-01

    Evidence-based health promotion programmes, including HIV/AIDS prevention and sexuality education programmes, are often transferred to other cultures, priority groups and implementation settings. Challenges in this process include the identification of retaining core elements that relate to the programme's effectiveness while making changes that enhances acceptance in the new context and for the new priority group. This paper describes the use of a systematic approach to programme adaptation using a case study as an example. Intervention Mapping, a protocol for the development of evidence-based behaviour change interventions, was used to adapt the comprehensive school-based sexuality education programme 'The World Starts With Me'. The programme was developed for a priority population in Uganda and adapted to a programme for Indonesian secondary school students. The approach helped to systematically address the complexity and challenges of programme adaptation and to find a balance between preservation of essential programme elements (i.e. logic models) that may be crucial to the programme's effectiveness, including key objectives and theoretical behaviour change methods, and the adaptation of the programme to be acceptable to the new priority group and the programme implementers.

  5. Internet-enabled pulmonary rehabilitation and diabetes education in group settings at home: a preliminary study of patient acceptability.

    PubMed

    Burkow, Tatjana M; Vognild, Lars K; Østengen, Geir; Johnsen, Elin; Risberg, Marijke Jongsma; Bratvold, Astrid; Hagen, Tord; Brattvoll, Morten; Krogstad, Trine; Hjalmarsen, Audhild

    2013-03-05

    The prevalence of major chronic illnesses, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes, is increasing. Pulmonary rehabilitation and diabetes self-management education are important in the management of COPD and diabetes respectively. However, not everyone can participate in the programmes offered at a hospital or other central locations, for reasons such as travel and transport. Internet-enabled home-based programmes have the potential to overcome these barriers.This study aims to assess patient acceptability of the delivery form and components of Internet-enabled programmes based on home groups for comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation and for diabetes self-management education. We have developed Internet-enabled home programmes for comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation and for diabetes self-management education that include group education, group exercising (COPD only), individual consultations, educational videos and a digital health diary. Our prototype technology platform makes use of each user's own TV at home, connected to a computer, and a remote control. We conducted a six-week home trial with 10 participants: one group with COPD and one with diabetes. The participants were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Both home-based programmes were well accepted by the participants. The group setting at home made it possible to share experiences and to learn from questions raised by others, as in conventional group education. In the sessions, interaction and discussion worked well, despite the structure needed for turn taking. The thematic educational videos were well accepted although they were up to 40 minutes long and their quality was below TV broadcasting standards. Taking part in group exercising at home under the guidance of a physiotherapist was also well accepted by the participants. Participants in the COPD group appreciated the social aspect of group education sessions and of exercising together, each in their own home. The digital health diary was used as background information in the individual consultations and by some participants as a self-management tool. Participant retention was high, with no dropouts. None of the participants reported that the six-week duration of the home programmes was too long. The Internet-enabled programmes for home-based groups in pulmonary rehabilitation and diabetes education were generally well accepted by the participants. Our findings indicate that conventional programmes have the potential to be delivered in socially supportive group settings at home.

  6. Internet-enabled pulmonary rehabilitation and diabetes education in group settings at home: a preliminary study of patient acceptability

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The prevalence of major chronic illnesses, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes, is increasing. Pulmonary rehabilitation and diabetes self-management education are important in the management of COPD and diabetes respectively. However, not everyone can participate in the programmes offered at a hospital or other central locations, for reasons such as travel and transport. Internet-enabled home-based programmes have the potential to overcome these barriers. This study aims to assess patient acceptability of the delivery form and components of Internet-enabled programmes based on home groups for comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation and for diabetes self-management education. Methods We have developed Internet-enabled home programmes for comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation and for diabetes self-management education that include group education, group exercising (COPD only), individual consultations, educational videos and a digital health diary. Our prototype technology platform makes use of each user’s own TV at home, connected to a computer, and a remote control. We conducted a six-week home trial with 10 participants: one group with COPD and one with diabetes. The participants were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Results Both home-based programmes were well accepted by the participants. The group setting at home made it possible to share experiences and to learn from questions raised by others, as in conventional group education. In the sessions, interaction and discussion worked well, despite the structure needed for turn taking. The thematic educational videos were well accepted although they were up to 40 minutes long and their quality was below TV broadcasting standards. Taking part in group exercising at home under the guidance of a physiotherapist was also well accepted by the participants. Participants in the COPD group appreciated the social aspect of group education sessions and of exercising together, each in their own home. The digital health diary was used as background information in the individual consultations and by some participants as a self-management tool. Participant retention was high, with no dropouts. None of the participants reported that the six-week duration of the home programmes was too long. Conclusions The Internet-enabled programmes for home-based groups in pulmonary rehabilitation and diabetes education were generally well accepted by the participants. Our findings indicate that conventional programmes have the potential to be delivered in socially supportive group settings at home. PMID:23496829

  7. REBOUND: A Media-Based Life Skills and Risk Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kröninger-Jungaberle, Henrik; Nagy, Ede; von Heyden, Maximilian; DuBois, Fletcher

    2015-01-01

    Background: REBOUND is a novel media-based life skills and risk education programme developed for 14- to 25-year olds in school, university or youth group settings. This paper outlines the programme's rationale, curriculum and implementation. It provides information of relevance to researchers, programme developers and policymakers. Methods/design…

  8. The impact of an arts-based programme on the affective and cognitive components of empathic development.

    PubMed

    Zazulak, Joyce; Halgren, Camilla; Tan, Megan; Grierson, Lawrence E M

    2015-06-01

    Medical education research demonstrates that empathic behaviour is amenable to positive change when targeted through educational programmes. This study evaluates the impact of an arts-based intervention designed to nurture learner empathy through the provision of facilitated visual literacy activities. Health Sciences students (N=19) were assigned to two learning groups: a group that participated in a visual literacy programme at the McMaster Museum of Art and a control group that participated in the normal Health Sciences curriculum. All participants completed an inter-reactivity index, which measures empathy on affective and cognitive levels, prior to and following the programme. Those individuals assigned to the visual literacy programme also completed open-ended questions concerning the programme's impact on their empathic development. The index scores were subjected to independent within-group, between-test analyses. There was no significant impact of the programme on the participants' overall empathic response. However, sub-component analyses revealed that the programme had a significant positive effect on cognitive aspects of empathy. This finding was substantiated by the narrative reports. The study concludes that the affective focus of humanities-based education needs to be enhanced and recommends that learners are educated on the different components that comprise the overall empathic response. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  9. From Chaos and Insecurity to Understanding and Coping: Experienced Benefits of a Group-Based Education Programme for People with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pinxsterhuis, Irma; Strand, Elin Bolle; Stormorken, Eva; Sveen, Unni

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to elicit participants' experiences with a multidisciplinary patient education programme and their views regarding the usefulness of the programme. Focus group interviews were conducted with 10 participants immediately and nine months following participation in the programme and analysed using thematic analysis.…

  10. An educational approach based on a non-injury model compared with individual symptom-based physical training in chronic LBP. A pragmatic, randomised trial with a one-year follow-up

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background In the treatment of chronic back pain, cognitive methods are attracting increased attention due to evidence of effectiveness similar to that of traditional therapies. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of performing a cognitive intervention based on a non-injury model with that of a symptom-based physical training method on the outcomes of low back pain (LBP), activity limitation, LBP attitudes (fear-avoidance beliefs and back beliefs), physical activity levels, sick leave, and quality of life, in chronic LBP patients. Methods The study was a pragmatic, single-blind, randomised, parallel-group trial. Patients with chronic/recurrent LBP were randomised to one of the following treatments: 1. Educational programme : the emphasis was on creating confidence that the back is strong, that loads normally do not cause any damage despite occasional temporary pain, that reducing the focus on the pain might facilitate more natural and less painful movements, and that it is beneficial to stay physically active. 2. Individual symptom-based physical training programme : directional-preference exercises for those centralising their pain with repetitive movements; 'stabilising exercises' for those deemed 'unstable' based on specific tests; or intensive dynamic exercises for the remaining patients. Follow-up questionnaires (examiner-blinded) were completed at 2, 6 and 12 months. The main statistical test was an ANCOVA adjusted for baseline values. Results A total of 207 patients participated with the median age of 39 years (IQR 33-47); 52% were female, 105 were randomised to the educational programme and 102 to the physical training programme. The two groups were comparable at baseline. For the primary outcome measures, there was a non-significant trend towards activity limitation being reduced mostly in the educational programme group, although of doubtful clinical relevance. Regarding secondary outcomes, improvement in fear-avoidance beliefs was also better in the educational programme group. All other variables were about equally influenced by the two treatments. The median number of treatment sessions was 3 for the educational programme group and 6 for the physical training programme group. Conclusions An educational approach to treatment for chronic LBP resulted in at least as good outcomes as a symptom-based physical training method, despite fewer treatment sessions. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov: # NCT00410319 PMID:20849601

  11. Effect of Sex Education Programme on at-risk sexual behaviour of school-going adolescents in Ilorin, Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Esere, Mary Ogechi

    2008-06-01

    Adolescents display sexual behaviours and developmental characteristics that place them at risk for Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). Because young people experiment sexually and because of the consequences of indiscriminate sexual activities on the youth, there is the need to mount sex education programmes that are geared towards enlightenment and appropriate education about sex and sexuality. To determine whether Sex Education Intervention Programme would reduce at-risk sexual behaviours of school-going adolescents. Pre-test, post-test control group quasi-experimental design. A randomly selected co-educational school in Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria. 24 school-going adolescents aged 13-19 years. Sex Education Programme (treatment group) versus Control programme (placebo). Self-reported exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, multiple sex partners, anal sex, oral sex, non use of condom. When the treatment (intervention) group was compared with the control group in an intention to treat analysis, there were significant differences in at-risk sexual behaviours of the two groups. Those in the intervention group reported less at-risk sexual behaviours than their counterparts in the control group. The treatment group evaluated the intervention programme positively and their knowledge of sexual health improved. Lack of behavioural effect on the control group could be linked to differential quality of delivery of intervention. Compared with the control group, this specially designed intervention sex education programme reduced at-risk sexual behaviour in adolescents. Based on this finding, it was recommended that sex education be introduced into the curriculum of secondary school education in Nigeria.

  12. Rational Emotive Behavior Based on Academic Procrastination Prevention: Training Programme of Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Düsmez, Ihsan; Barut, Yasar

    2016-01-01

    The research is an experimental study which has experimental and control groups, and based on pre-test, post-test, monitoring test model. Research group consists of second and third grade students of Primary School Education and Psychological Counseling undergraduate programmes in Giresun University Faculty of Educational Sciences. The research…

  13. Evaluation of two educative models in a primary care hypertension programme.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Amenós, A; Fernández Ferré, M L; Mota Vidal, C; Alsina Rocasalbas, J

    1990-08-01

    This study was planned in the context of a regional high blood pressure programme, to compare the efficacy of two educative methods. The group of 722 hypertensive patients (58.8% women), mean age 61 years, was randomly selected from 19 primary care centres. Initial assessment was based on a patient interview including 22 questions on high blood pressure, its consequences and treatment. Patients agreeing to participate in an active education team programme were distributed into three groups: individual education, team education and a control group. Those who declined to participate formed two groups: individual education and controls. Team education consisted of two audiovisual sessions attended by groups of 8-12 patients and conducted by treating physicians and nurses. Individual education included comments related to the 22 questions. Follow-up assessment was made after two months. An increase in the level of hypertension control was observed only in the accepting group, in which educative action was followed by increased knowledge. Results were similarly favourable for both the individual and team education groups and suggested the need to consider educational factors together with those influencing patient attitude towards an active educational programme.

  14. The impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of pre-service science teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arsal, Zeki

    2017-07-01

    In the study, the impact of inquiry-based learning on pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions was investigated. The sample of the study comprised of 56 pre-service teachers in the science education teacher education programme at the public university in the north of Turkey. In the study, quasi-experimental design with an experimental and a control group were applied to find out the impact of inquiry-based learning on the critical thinking dispositions of the pre-service teachers in the teacher education programme. The results showed that the pre-service teachers in the experimental group did not show statistically significant greater progress in terms of critical thinking dispositions than those in the control group. Teacher educators who are responsible for pedagogical courses in the teacher education programme should consider that the inquiry-based learning could not be effective method to improve pre-service teachers' critical thinking dispositions. The results are discussed in relation to potential impact on science teacher education and implications for future research.

  15. 'Football for Health'--a football-based health-promotion programme for children in South Africa: a parallel cohort study.

    PubMed

    Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid; DeCelles, Jeff; Donald, James; Jankelowitz, Ryan; Dvorak, Jiri

    2010-06-01

    To develop, implement and assess an interactive, football-based health education programme for children in South Africa. Prospective cohort study with control group. Two schools in Khayelitsha township, South Africa. 370 children making up two intervention groups (Grade 6: 125; Grade 7: 131) and one control group (Grade 7: 114). Eleven 90 min sessions, each divided into two 45 min halves of Play Football (football skills) and Play Fair (health issues), each session focused on one specific health risk factor. Health knowledge using a 20-item questionnaire; coaches' attitudes towards their training programme using a 10-item questionnaire and children's attitudes towards the health education programme using a six-item questionnaire. Children in the Grade 7 intervention group showed significant (p<0.05) increases in the proportion of correct responses for nine of the 20 health knowledge questions postintervention, and these increases were maintained at 3 months postintervention. The Grade 6 intervention group showed significant increases in the proportion of correct responses for 15 of the 20 health knowledge questions postintervention. The Grade 7 control group showed a significant increase in the proportion of correct responses to one of the 20 health knowledge questions post-Play Football sessions and nine of 20 questions post-Play Fair sessions. Over 90% of the children provided positive attitude responses to the health-education programme. The programme demonstrated that it was possible to implement a football-based health-education programme for children in Africa that achieved significant increases in health knowledge and that was also well received by participants.

  16. The impact of a multiple intelligences teaching approach drug education programme on drug refusal skills of Nigerian pupils.

    PubMed

    Nwagu, Evelyn N; Ezedum, Chuks E; Nwagu, Eric K N

    2015-09-01

    The rising incidence of drug abuse among youths in Nigeria is a source of concern for health educators. This study was carried out on primary six pupils to determine the effect of a Multiple Intelligences Teaching Approach Drug Education Programme (MITA-DEP) on pupils' acquisition of drug refusal skills. A programme of drug education based on the Multiple Intelligences Teaching Approach (MITA) was developed. An experimental group was taught using this programme while a control group was taught using the same programme but developed based on the Traditional Teaching Approach. Pupils taught with the MITA acquired more drug refusal skills than those taught with the Traditional Teaching Approach. Urban pupils taught with the MITA acquired more skills than rural pupils. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean refusal skills of male and female pupils taught with the MITA. © The Author(s) 2014.

  17. ‘Football for Health’—a football-based health-promotion programme for children in South Africa: a parallel cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid; DeCelles, Jeff; Donald, James; Jankelowitz, Ryan; Dvorak, Jiri

    2010-01-01

    Objectives To develop, implement and assess an interactive, football-based health education programme for children in South Africa. Design Prospective cohort study with control group. Setting Two schools in Khayelitsha township, South Africa. Participants 370 children making up two intervention groups (Grade 6: 125; Grade 7: 131) and one control group (Grade 7: 114). Intervention Eleven 90 min sessions, each divided into two 45 min halves of Play Football (football skills) and Play Fair (health issues), each session focused on one specific health risk factor. Main outcome measures Health knowledge using a 20-item questionnaire; coaches' attitudes towards their training programme using a 10-item questionnaire and children's attitudes towards the health education programme using a six-item questionnaire. Results Children in the Grade 7 intervention group showed significant (p<0.05) increases in the proportion of correct responses for nine of the 20 health knowledge questions postintervention, and these increases were maintained at 3 months postintervention. The Grade 6 intervention group showed significant increases in the proportion of correct responses for 15 of the 20 health knowledge questions postintervention. The Grade 7 control group showed a significant increase in the proportion of correct responses to one of the 20 health knowledge questions post-Play Football sessions and nine of 20 questions post-Play Fair sessions. Over 90% of the children provided positive attitude responses to the health-education programme. Conclusions The programme demonstrated that it was possible to implement a football-based health-education programme for children in Africa that achieved significant increases in health knowledge and that was also well received by participants. PMID:20547667

  18. Evaluation of a School-Based Sex Education Programme Delivered to Grade Nine Students in Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smylie, Lisa; Maticka-Tyndale, Eleanor; Boyd, Dana

    2008-01-01

    The effectiveness of a multidimensional Canadian sex education programme was evaluated using 240 Grade Nine students. The intervention was offered by representatives from various community groups and involved instructional classes on anatomy/physiology of the reproductive system and sexually transmitted infections, a video and group discussion on…

  19. The effect of a Web-based education programme (WBEP) on disease severity, quality of life and mothers' self-efficacy in children with atopic dermatitis.

    PubMed

    Son, Hae Kyoung; Lim, Jiyoung

    2014-10-01

    To develop and evaluate the effects of a web-based education programme in early childhood for children with atopic dermatitis. The prevalence rate of atopic dermatitis is highest in early childhood. A holistic approach is urgently needed for young children with respect to disease severity, quality of life and management, particularly parental knowledge about atopic dermatitis and adherence to treatment. A quasi-experimental study design was used. A total of 40 mother-child dyads participated in the study from 1 July-30 November 2011 in Korea. All children were under 3 years of age. The programme was based on the Network-Based Instructional System Design model, which consists of five phases: analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. The experimental group participated in the programme for 2 weeks. Participants took part in a learning session during the first week and then conducted the practice session at home during the second week. Participant knowledge and compliance were evaluated through online quizzes and self-checklists. Statistical analyses (chi-square test and t-test) were performed using the Statistical Analysis System, Version 9.13. There was a significant improvement in disease severity, quality of life and mothers' self-efficacy in the experimental group; thus, the web-based education programme was effective. The web-based education programme as an advanced intervention may be useful in providing basic data for future atopic dermatitis-related studies. Moreover, the programme may serve as a nursing educational intervention tool for clinical nursing practices. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Effectiveness of the 'Home-but not Alone' mobile health application educational programme on parental outcomes: a randomized controlled trial, study protocol.

    PubMed

    Shorey, Shefaly; Ng, Yvonne Peng Mei; Danbjørg, Dorthe Boe; Dennis, Cindy-Lee; Morelius, Evalotte

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to describe a study protocol that evaluates the effectiveness of the 'Home-but not Alone' educational programme delivered via a mobile health application in improving parenting outcomes. The development in mobile-based technology gives us the opportunity to develop an accessible educational programme that can be potentially beneficial to new parents. However, there is a scarcity of theory-based educational programmes that have incorporated technology such as a mobile health application in the early postpartum period. A randomized controlled trial with a two-group pre-test and post-test design. The data will be collected from 118 couples. Eligible parents will be randomly allocated to either a control group (receiving routine care) or an intervention group (routine care plus access to the 'Home-but not Alone' mobile health application. Outcome measures comprise of parenting self-efficacy, social support, parenting satisfaction and postnatal depression. Data will be collected at the baseline (on the day of discharge) and at four weeks postpartum. This will be an empirical study that evaluates a theory-based educational programme delivered via an innovative mobile health application on parental outcomes. Results from this study will enhance parenting self-efficacy, social support and parenting satisfaction, which may then reduce parental risks of postnatal depression. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Patient education in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Urnes, Jorgen; Farup, Per G; Lydersen, Stian; Petersen, Hermod

    2007-12-01

    Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is chronic, affects 8-20% of the population, impairs quality of life (QoL) and generates substantial health-related costs. Patient education is intended to improve patients' disease-related competency, potentially enabling them to deal more efficiently with their disease, eventually improving QoL and reducing healthcare cost. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a group-based education programme for patients with mild GORD. Patients with GORD were randomly allocated to education (n=102) or control (n=109). The education programme was designed as a structured dialogue conveying medical information about the pathophysiology and prognosis, pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment of GORD, patients' rights and use of healthcare. Outcomes were measured using general QoL [General Health Questionnaire-30 (GHQ-30)], disease-specific QoL [Digestive Symptoms and Impact Questionnaire (DSIQ)], global QoL and healthcare use at 2 and 12 months after the educational programme. No statistically significant differences were found in GHQ-30, DSIQ or global QoL at 2 or 12 months' follow-up between the GORD-education group and controls. In the GORD-education group, patients who had completed primary school education only showed improved QoL at 12 months on both GHQ and DSIQ, whereas patients who had completed advanced schooling showed no change. No difference was found between the groups in their use of healthcare. A group-based education programme for patients with mild GORD showed no effect on QoL or use of healthcare. Subgroup analyses showed improved QoL only in patients with primary school education, who had been allocated to GORD education.

  2. Exploring the development of existing sex education programmes for people with intellectual disabilities: an intervention mapping approach.

    PubMed

    Schaafsma, Dilana; Stoffelen, Joke M T; Kok, Gerjo; Curfs, Leopold M G

    2013-03-01

    People with intellectual disabilities face barriers that affect their sexual health. Sex education programmes have been developed by professionals working in the field of intellectual disabilities with the aim to overcome these barriers. The aim of this study was to explore the development of these programmes. Sex education programmes geared to people with intellectual disabilities were examined in the context of the Intervention Mapping protocol. Data were obtained via interviews with the programme developers. All programmes lack specific programme outcomes, do not have a theoretical basis, did not involve members of relevant groups in the development process and lack systematic evaluation. Based on our findings and the literature, we conclude that these programmes are unlikely to be effective. Future programmes should be developed using a more systematic and theory- and evidence-based approach. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. Involving the Hard to Reach: Developing and Evaluating a Sexual Health Programme for Early School Leavers in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wong, William C. W.; Holroyd, Eleanor A.; Lee, Albert; Wong, Jonathan C. P.; Leung, Phil W. S.

    2011-01-01

    Early school leavers cannot access school-based sex education programmes, increasing their vulnerability to sexual health issues. This study evaluated a culturally-sensitive and target-orientated sex education programme involving this group. Early school leavers were recruited from two branches of the Chinese Young Men's Christian Association in…

  4. Evaluation of a web-based ECG-interpretation programme for undergraduate medical students.

    PubMed

    Nilsson, Mikael; Bolinder, Gunilla; Held, Claes; Johansson, Bo-Lennart; Fors, Uno; Ostergren, Jan

    2008-04-23

    Most clinicians and teachers agree that knowledge about ECG is of importance in the medical curriculum. Students at Karolinska Institute have asked for more training in ECG-interpretation during their undergraduate studies. Clinical tutors, however, have difficulties in meeting these demands due to shortage of time. Thus, alternative ways to learn and practice ECG-interpretation are needed. Education offered via the Internet is readily available, geographically independent and flexible. Furthermore, the quality of education may increase and become more effective through a superior educational approach, improved visualization and interactivity. A Web-based comprehensive ECG-interpretation programme has been evaluated. Medical students from the sixth semester were given an optional opportunity to access the programme from the start of their course. Usage logs and an initial evaluation survey were obtained from each student. A diagnostic test was performed in order to assess the effect on skills in ECG interpretation. Students from the corresponding course, at another teaching hospital and without access to the ECG-programme but with conventional teaching of ECG served as a control group. 20 of the 32 students in the intervention group had tested the programme after 2 months. On a five-graded scale (1- bad to 5 - very good) they ranked the utility of a web-based programme for this purpose as 4.1 and the quality of the programme software as 3.9. At the diagnostic test (maximal points 16) by the end of the 5-month course at the 6th semester the mean result for the students in the intervention group was 9.7 compared with 8.1 for the control group (p = 0.03). Students ranked the Web-based ECG-interpretation programme as a useful instrument to learn ECG. Furthermore, Internet-delivered education may be more effective than traditional teaching methods due to greater immediacy, improved visualisation and interactivity.

  5. "Four legs instead of two"--perspectives on a Nordic walking-based walking programme among people with arthritis.

    PubMed

    O'Donovan, Rhona; Kennedy, Norelee

    2015-01-01

    Nordic Walking (NW) is growing in popularity among people with arthritis. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of participants with arthritis on a NW-based walking programme including factors contributing to sustained participation in the programme. Three semi-structured focus groups were conducted with a total of 27 participants with various types of arthritis. The groups consisted of participants who completed a NW-based walking programme in the previous 4 years. Only participants who had sustained involvement in the walking group were included. Groups were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis was performed. Participants reported that the walking programme offered numerous benefits. Two distinct themes emerged: (1) "four legs instead of two legs" and (2) "a support group". Theme 1 incorporates the physical, psychological and educational benefits that stem from involvement in a walking group while Theme 2 incorporates the benefits of social support in group-based activity. Several benefits of a NW-based walking programme from the perspectives of individuals with arthritis who engage in group-based walking programmes were identified. The benefits may encourage sustained participation and justify the promotion of NW as an intervention for people with arthritis. Considering how to sustain exercise participation is important to ensure continued benefits from physical activity participation. A community-based Nordic walking-based walking programme for people with arthritis improved exercise knowledge and confidence to exercise. Group exercise is valuable in providing support and motivation to continue exercising.

  6. Group problems in problem-based learning.

    PubMed

    Hendry, Graham D; Ryan, Greg; Harris, Jennifer

    2003-11-01

    Successful small-group learning in problem-based learning (PBL) educational programmes relies on functional group processes. However, there has been limited research on PBL group problems, and no studies have been conducted on problems as perceived by both students and tutors in the same educational context. The authors investigated PBL group problems in a graduate-entry medical programme, and report the most common group problems, and those that hinder students' learning the most. The possible causes of individual quietness and dominant behaviour, and potential influences that group problems may have on the tutorial process are summarized in an exploratory model of PBL group dysfunction that could be used to guide further research. Specifically, there is a need for further evidence on which to base guidelines for tutors and students to effectively manage group problems.

  7. An E-Learning Collaborative Environment: Learning within a Masters in Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hendricks, Natheem

    2012-01-01

    This article contributes to the debate about e-learning as a form of adult education. It is based on the experiences of South African students, describes and analyses group interaction in an intercontinental Masters in Adult Education Programme which uses a computer electronic platform as the primary medium for learning and teaching. The article…

  8. Transitions to Becoming a Teacher on an Initial Teacher Education and Training Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raffo, Carlo; Hall, David

    2006-01-01

    This article is based on research with a group of one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Education secondary trainee teachers during their initial teacher education and training in England. It considers tensions between trainees' prior experiences and conceptions of teaching and their training programme. In doing so, it seeks to examine how a…

  9. An examination of concussion education programmes: a scoping review methodology.

    PubMed

    Caron, Jeffrey G; Bloom, Gordon A; Falcão, William R; Sweet, Shane N

    2015-10-01

    The primary purpose was to review the literature on concussion education programmes. The secondary purpose was to inform knowledge translation strategies for concussion researchers and practitioners. Research on concussion education programmes is relatively new. As a result, the current study implemented a scoping review methodology, which is a type of literary search used to provide a preliminary assessment of the size and scope of a body of literature, as well as identify strengths, weaknesses and gaps in the research. A five-stage process for conducting a scoping review was followed for this study: (a) identifying the research questions, (b) identifying relevant studies, (c) identifying the study selection criteria, (d) charting the data and (e) reporting the results. Concussion education programmes have been developed and implemented with populations ranging in age from 9 to 49 years and have used interactive oral presentations, educational videos and computer-based learning programmes. Although the content of these programmes varied, the topics generally addressed salient aspects of concussion injury and recovery. Quantitative instruments have been the preferred methods for assessment. Education programmes aimed at improving participants' long-term concussion knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of concussions are needed. Researchers must consider using a knowledge translation framework to enhance concussion education programmes. The application of such a framework can lead to novel and interesting ways of disseminating information about concussive injury and recovery. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  10. [Information for teenagers with cancer: current state in French pediatric oncology units].

    PubMed

    Toutenu, Pauline; Chauvin, Franck

    2007-04-01

    In France, teenagers with cancer are managed mainly in paediatric units, given that there are only few teenage cancer units. This situation leads to the following question: are teenagers with cancer provided with tailored patient education? The object of this study was to identify education programmes specifically designed for teenagers in French paediatric oncology units. This study was conducted first by questionnaires, second by interviews with health care providers in units where information programs had been implemented. Nine information programmes or projects were identified: 2 booklets, one log book, one Web chat, one video, one DVD, one educative muppet, one peer based education group project, one nursing education session project and one qualitative study project. Only 5 from these programmes or project were specifically designed for teenagers. Four approaches can be identified: conception of education materials, individual patient education, group patient education, informal patient education.

  11. [Health coaching as a part of integration into the job market--evaluation of a qualification concept].

    PubMed

    Heinmüller, M; Liel, K; Angerer, P; Gündel, H; Geldermann, B; Gottwald, M; Kimil, A; Limm, H

    2014-03-01

    The aim of this study is to develop, implement and evaluate an education programme enabling the pedagogic staff of employment promotion agencies to integrate health promotion approaches und activities in vocational training programmes. The evaluation of the education programme is based on Kirkpatrick's 4 levels training evaluation model. Besides the participants' verbal end of session feedback, a standardised questionnaire was used at the end of the education programme and after 3 months practical experience. Process evaluation included the implementation level of the methods learned. From a total of 71 participants, 56 completed the first and 31 the second questionnaire (return rate 79% and 44%, respectively). The participants' mean age was 42 years, 80% were female. Only 22% of them integrated health topics systematically into their daily work. A 3-day basic training followed by case conferences during practical work was developed to transfer knowledge and practical competence in person-to-person talks and group activities (so called FIT-counselling and FIT-group). For 96% of participants, their expectations regarding the education programme were met completely or predominantly. 91% indicated a rise in motivation to work as health coach. When rating the training material, 96% judged it helpful for implementation/transfer. Many participants marked the education programme as being too short and wished more time for the topic of "mental health" and exchange of experiences. The follow-up after 3 months on-the-job training revealed that 84 and 97%, respectively, found FIT-counselling and FIT-groups helpful for their daily work. In all employment promotion agencies FIT-counselling and FIT-groups were implemented. Our results affirm the need for and prove the acceptance of education programmes enabling the pedagogic staff of job-training programmes to deliver health coaching. Periodic case conferences take into account the participants' request for more exchange of experiences, facilitate implementation and contribute to quality and sustainability. Further development of the education programme is ongoing. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  12. Can a school-based sleep education programme improve sleep knowledge, hygiene and behaviours using a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Rigney, Gabrielle; Blunden, Sarah; Maher, Carol; Dollman, James; Parvazian, Somayeh; Matricciani, Lisa; Olds, Timothy

    2015-06-01

    The present study investigated the effectiveness of a school-based sleep education programme in improving key sleep behaviours, sleep knowledge, and sleep hygiene. A cross-sectional cluster-randomised controlled trial with two groups (Intervention and Control) and three assessment time points [baseline, immediately post intervention (6 weeks post baseline) and follow-up (18 weeks post baseline)] was employed. A total of 296 students (mean age = 12.2 ± 0.6 years; 59% female) from 12 schools in Adelaide, South Australia, were recruited, with 149 participants in the Intervention group and 147 in the Control group. The intervention consisted of four classroom lessons delivered at weekly intervals, followed by a group project on sleep topics, which students presented at a parental information evening. Sleep patterns were assessed objectively (actigraphy, n = 175) and subjectively (time-use recall, n = 251) at three time points. Sleep knowledge and sleep hygiene (n = 296) were also measured. Generalised estimating equations were used to compare changes in the Intervention and Control groups. The programme increased time in bed by 10 min (p = 0.03) for the Intervention group relative to the Control group, due to a 10-min delay in wake time (p = 0.00). These changes were not sustained at follow-up. There was no impact on sleep knowledge or sleep hygiene. Investment in the sleep health of youth through sleep education is important but changes to sleep patterns are difficult to achieve. More intensive programmes, programmes with a different focus or programmes targeting different age groups may be more effective. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Peer-led diabetes self-management programme for community-dwelling older people in China: study protocol for a quasi-experimental design.

    PubMed

    Shen, Huixia; Edwards, Helen; Courtney, Mary; McDowell, Jan; Wu, Ming

    2012-12-01

    A protocol for a new peer-led self-management programme for community-dwelling older people with diabetes in Shanghai, China. The increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes poses major public health challenges. Appropriate education programmes could help people with diabetes to achieve self-management and better health outcomes. Providing education programmes to the fast growing number of people with diabetes present a real challenge to Chinese healthcare system, which is strained for personnel and funding shortages. Empirical literature and expert opinions suggest that peer education programmes are promising. Quasi-experimental. This study is a non-equivalent control group design (protocol approved in January, 2008). A total of 190 people, with 95 participants in each group, will be recruited from two different, but similar, communities. The programme, based on Social Cognitive Theory, will consist of basic diabetes instruction and social support and self-efficacy enhancing group activities. Basic diabetes instruction sessions will be delivered by health professionals, whereas social support and self-efficacy enhancing group activities will be led by peer leaders. Outcome variables include: self-efficacy, social support, self-management behaviours, depressive status, quality of life and healthcare utilization, which will be measured at baseline, 4 and 12 weeks. This theory-based programme tailored to Chinese patients has potential for improving diabetes self-management and subsequent health outcomes. In addition, the delivery mode, through involvement of peer leaders and existing community networks, is especially promising considering healthcare resource shortage in China. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. [Medical rehabilitation group-programmes concerning health promotion, patient education and psychoeducation - a 2010 national survey].

    PubMed

    Reusch, A; Schug, M; Küffner, R; Vogel, H; Faller, H

    2013-08-01

    High quality demands are being placed on concepts of educational group programmes in medical rehabilitation as well as the related trainer qualifications. A nationwide survey of German medical rehabilitation clinics in 2005 had revealed a need for improving educational practice according to these quality criteria. An updated investigation was performed in 2010 aiming at describing group programmes used in medical rehabilitation. 1 473 inpatient and outpatient medical rehabilitation clinics were invited to participate. 908 clinics reported on their training programmes. Data from clinics caring for patients with somatic disorders could be compared to the 2005 survey. Data from clinics for both psychosomatic and substance abuse disorders was collected for the first time in 2010. Overall, psychologists and physicians were reported to be the most frequent conductors of educative programmes. In somatic clinics, psychologists, dieticians and occupational therapists or physiotherapists were the most common conductors. Two-thirds of the institutions reported no training prerequisites for staff members to perform patient education. 80% of the education programmes were categorized post hoc into 3 classes: "generic health education", "disorder-specific patient education", and "psychoeducational group programmes". Almost two-thirds of all programmes were carried out with 8-15 participants, and many used several interactive didactic methods. Programmes conducted in small groups (<8 participants) used significantly more interactive methods than those conducted in larger groups did (>15 participants). Only half of the programmes were manualized. Significantly more interactive methods were used in completely manualized programmes. Only about half of the programmes were evaluated, and only very few evaluation studies were published. The institutions wished additional support by workshops especially concerning qualification of their staff and concerning educational concepts. A need for further improvement and support exists relative to the training of educators and the development of manuals as well as evaluation and publication of the programmes. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  15. The effect of a sexuality education programme among out- of- school adolescents in Lagos, Nigeria.

    PubMed

    Odeyemi, K A; Onajole, A T; Ogunowo, B E; Olufunlayo, T; Segun, B

    2014-06-01

    This study was conducted to assess the effect of a community based sexuality education programme on the sexual health knowledge and practices of out of school female adolescents. This Intervention study was conducted in two markets within Lagos, Nigeria. Representative samples of adolescents were interviewed on their sexual health knowledge and practices. An Education- entertainment programme provided sexuality education to adolescents in Mushin market only (intervention group) followed by post intervention surveys in Mushin market and Sangrouse market (control group). The pre and post intervention surveys were compared 6 months post intervention to detect any changes. Sexual health knowledge and behaviour was similar among respondents in both markets pre intervention. Post intervention, the sexual health knowledge of the respondents in the intervention site improved significantly. (p<0.05) Fewer adolescents initiated sex in the intervention site than in the control site and contraceptive use increased. However among the sexually active, there was no significant change in their condom use and number of sexual partners. Community based health education programmes can be used to provide effective sexuality education for out of school adolescents. Provision should be made by government and non-governmental organisations during adolescent reproductive health programming for sexuality education targeted at out of school adolescents.

  16. A randomized-controlled trial focusing on socio-economic status for promoting vegetable intake among adults using a web-based nutrition intervention programme: study protocol.

    PubMed

    Nakamura, Saki; Inayama, Takayo; Arao, Takashi

    2017-01-13

    Web-based nutritional education programmes appear to be comparable to those delivered face-to-face. However, no existing web-based nutrition education or similar programme has yet been evaluated with consideration of socio-economic status. The objective of a nutritional education programme of promoting vegetable intake designed a randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the results of intervention and to determine how socio-economic status influences the programme effects. Participants will be randomly sampled individuals (aged 30-59) stratified according national population statistics for sex, age, and household income. Participants were consented to survey participation (n = 1500), and will be randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The intervention period is 5 weeks with one step of diet-related education per week. The main outcome of the programme is dietary behaviour as eating vegetable (350 g per day, five small bowl). To encourage behavioural changes, the programme contents are prepared using behavioural theories and techniques tailored to the assumed group stages of behavioural change. In the first step, we employ the health belief model to encourage a shift from the pre-contemplative to the contemplative phase; in the second and third steps, social cognitive theory is used to encourage transition to the preparatory phase; in the fourth step, social cognitive theory and strengthening social support are used to promote progression to the execution phase; finally, in the fifth step, strengthening social capital and social support are used to promote the shift to the maintenance phase. The baseline, post intervention and follow-up survey was assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. For process evaluation, we use five items relating to programme participation and satisfaction. A follow-up survey of participants will be carried out 3 months after intervention completion. The fact that this study is an RCT with an established control group is a strong advantage. Information and communications technology is not limited by time or place. If we could show this web-based nutrition education programmes has a positive effect, it may be an appropriate tool for reaching individuals in lower socio-economic state. Current Controlled Trials UMIN-ICDR UMIN 000019376 (Registered October 16, 2015).

  17. Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Patient Education Programmes in the Management of Osteoarthritis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Health Education Journal, 2011

    2011-01-01

    Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop guidelines and recommendations on patient education programmes of any type, targeted specially to individuals with OA and which were designed to improve the clinical effectiveness of managing OA. Methods: The Ottawa Methods Group contacted specialized organizations that focus on management for…

  18. Preventing childhood obesity by reducing consumption of carbonated drinks: cluster randomised controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    James, Janet; Thomas, Peter; Cavan, David; Kerr, David

    2004-01-01

    Objective To determine if a school based educational programme aimed at reducing consumption of carbonated drinks can prevent excessive weight gain in children. Design Cluster randomised controlled trial. Setting Six primary schools in southwest England. Participants 644 children aged 7-11 years. Intervention Focused educational programme on nutrition over one school year. Main outcome measures Drink consumption and number of overweight and obese children. Results Consumption of carbonated drinks over three days decreased by 0.6 glasses (average glass size 250 ml) in the intervention group but increased by 0.2 glasses in the control group (mean difference 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.1 to 1.3). At 12 months the percentage of overweight and obese children increased in the control group by 7.5%, compared with a decrease in the intervention group of 0.2% (mean difference 7.7%, 2.2% to 13.1%). Conclusion A targeted, school based education programme produced a modest reduction in the number of carbonated drinks consumed, which was associated with a reduction in the number of overweight and obese children. PMID:15107313

  19. Effects of a Physical Education-Based Programme on Health-Related Physical Fitness and Its Maintenance in High School Students: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mayorga-Vega, Daniel; Montoro-Escaño, Jorge; Merino-Marban, Rafael; Viciana, Jesús

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a physical education-based development and maintenance programme on objective and perceived health-related physical fitness in high school students. A sample of 111 students aged 12-14 years old from six classes were cluster-randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 54) or a control…

  20. Evaluating nurses' knowledge, attitude and competency after an education programme on suicide prevention.

    PubMed

    Chan, Sally Wai-chi; Chien, Wai-tong; Tso, Steve

    2009-10-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate an education programme on suicide prevention for nurses working in general hospitals. A mixed method design that included a single group pretest-posttest analysis and focus group interviews was used. A convenient sample of 54 registered nurses was recruited from the medical and surgical units of two regional general hospitals. An 18-hour education programme on suicide prevention based on reflective learning principles was provided to the participants. The outcome measures used included participants' attitudes towards, knowledge of, competence in and stress levels arising from suicide prevention and management. Eighteen participants joined the focus group interviews. There were statistically significant positive changes in the pre- and post-test measures of participants' attitudes and competence levels. Qualitative data showed that participants had applied the new knowledge they acquired in clinical practice. They perceived themselves as being more aware of the problem of suicide and more competent in managing suicide risk. Participants highlighted certain barriers that exist to providing optimal care, including inadequate manpower, lack of support from senior staff and a lack of guidelines. Ongoing education may be necessary to expedite changes. The education programme provided can be delivered to other health care professional groups and the results further evaluated.

  1. Effects of a needs-based education programme for family carers with a relative in an intensive care unit: a quasi-experimental study.

    PubMed

    Chien, Wai-Tong; Chiu, Y L; Lam, Lai-Wah; Ip, Wan-Yim

    2006-01-01

    Critical illness and subsequent hospitalisation of a relative to an intensive care unit (ICU) can result in many physiological and psychosocial problems for patients and their family members. Caring for the anxiety and frustration of these families is an integral part of critical care nursing. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a needs-based education programme provided within the first 3 days of patients' hospitalisation, on the anxiety levels and satisfaction of psychosocial needs of their families. This was a quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-test design. A convenience sample was recruited over a period of three months, consisting of one primary family carer of each critically ill patient who had been admitted to an ICU in Hong Kong. Conducted by an ICU nurse specially assigned for the purpose, family carers in the experimental group (n=34) received an individual education programme based on the results of a literature review and an individual family needs assessment carried out at the time of patient admission, using the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. The subjects in the control group (n=32) received the usual orientation and explanation given by the ICU nurses. Anxiety and need satisfaction were measured in the two groups at pre- and post-test and their mean scores were compared. Of the ten most important statements identified by the family carers in the two groups, the statements regarding the needs for information and assurance were found to predominate. After the needs-based intervention, the experimental group reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and higher levels of satisfaction of family needs than the control group at the post-test. The findings support the effectiveness of providing families of newly admitted critically ill patients, with a needs-based educational intervention to allay anxiety and satisfy immediate psychosocial needs. The formulation of a family education programme should be based on the results of a needs assessment, in order to meet family carers' individual needs.

  2. An evaluation of students' perceptions of a college-based programme that involves patients, carers and service users in physiotherapy education.

    PubMed

    Thomson, Di; Hilton, Ros

    2012-03-01

    There is little evidence of the integration of UK physiotherapy university education into clinical practice, and some students say that they are not adequately prepared for professional life. This was addressed by a college-based programme involving patients, carers and service users as facilitators of learning to enhance the partnership between health professionals and patients. This programme has been running for 2 years, and this paper is an evaluation of the students' perceptions of it, appraising the outcomes of their learning in order to discover the ways in which it can be enhanced, improved or changed. A grounded theory approach utilizing focus groups and semi-structured interviews was conducted. Three focus groups representing the higher educational levels 4-6 in pre-registration physiotherapy were carried out. Following the analysis of the focus groups, seven interviews reflecting the three educational levels were conducted in order to explore in greater depth the findings from the focus groups. The analysis of the focus groups and the subsequent interviews were carried out in accordance with a grounded theory framework. The students perceived the programme as a context in which to think how their learning needs could be met within a 'real' framework but on their own territory. Equally, it created feelings of anxiety at being given such an open forum that created a challenge to their communication skills. Many expressed a wish for a more explicit mentoring-learning environment. They also perceived a tension between the technical-rational demands of academia and social practice and a need to view this as a basis for critical appraisal and self-awareness. This programme appeared to be integral to the students' development as future physiotherapists. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  3. Prevention of fall-related injuries in 7-year-old to 12-year-old children: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Nauta, Joske; Knol, Dirk L; Adriaensens, Lize; Klein Wolt, Karin; van Mechelen, Willem; Verhagen, Evert A L M

    2013-09-01

    To counteract the recently observed increase in forearm fractures in children worldwide, an educational programme to improve fall skills was developed. In this 8-week programme children learned basic martial arts falling techniques in their physical education classes. In this study, the effectiveness of this educational programme to improve fall skills was evaluated. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted in 33 primary schools. The intervention group received the educational programme to improve falling skills during their physical education (PE) classes whereas the control group received their regular PE curriculum. At baseline (October 2009) and follow-up (May 2010), a questionnaire was completed by the children about their physical activity behaviours. Furthermore, fall-related injuries were registered continuously during an entire school-year. A total of 36 incident injuries was reported in the intervention group, equalling an injury incidence density (IID) of 0.14 fall-related injuries per 1000 h of physical activity (95% CI 0.09 to 0.18). In contrast, 96 injuries were reported by the control group corresponding to an IID of 0.26 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.32). However, because intracluster correlation was high (ICC=0.46), differences in injury incidence were not statistically significant. When activity level was taken into account, a trend was shown suggesting that the 'falling is a sport' programme was effective in decreasing falling-related injury risk, but only in the least active children. Although results did not reach significance because of strong clustering effects, a trend was found suggesting that a school-based educational programme to improve falling skills may be more beneficial for the prevention of falling-related injuries in children with low levels of habitual physical activity.

  4. Long-term effectiveness of a back education programme in elementary schoolchildren: an 8-year follow-up study.

    PubMed

    Dolphens, Mieke; Cagnie, Barbara; Danneels, Lieven; De Clercq, Dirk; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Cardon, Greet

    2011-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the long-term effectiveness of a spine care education programme conducted in 9- to 11-year-old schoolchildren. The study sample included 96 intervention subjects and 98 controls (9- to 11-year-olds at baseline). Intervention consisted of a 6-week school-based back education programme (predominantly biomechanically oriented) and was implemented by a physical therapist. Self-reported outcomes on back care knowledge, spinal care behaviour, self-efficacy towards favourable back care behaviour, prevalence of back and neck pain during the week and fear-avoidance beliefs were evaluated by the use of questionnaires. Post-tests were performed within 1 week after programme completion, after 1 year and after 8 years. Whereas the educational back care programme resulted in increased back care knowledge up to adulthood (P < 0.001), intervention did not change spinal care behaviour or self-efficacy. Pain prevalence figures increased less in the experimental group compared to the controls over the 8-year time span, yet statistical significance was not reached. Dropout analysis revealed spinal pain prevalence rates to be different in both groups throughout the study, including at baseline. Back education at young age did not reinforce fear-avoidance beliefs up to adulthood. Predominantly biomechanical oriented back education in elementary schoolchildren is effective in improving the cognitive aspect of back care up to adulthood, yet not in changing actual behaviour or self-efficacy. The current study does not provide evidence that educational back care programmes have any impact on spinal pain in adulthood. The true long-term impact of school-based spinal health interventions on clinically relevant outcome measures merits further attention.

  5. "Tapestry" and the Aesthetics of Theatre in Education as Dialogic Encounter and Civil Exchange

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winston, Joe; Strand, Steve

    2013-01-01

    This article is based upon research into a participatory Theatre in Education (TiE) programme that toured the West Midlands in 2009, funded by the UK's PREVENT initiative intended to counter the radicalisation of young British nationals by extremist political groups. The article provides a summary of the TiE programme and then presents…

  6. Mentoring portfolio use in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.

    PubMed

    Dekker, Hanke; Driessen, Erik; Ter Braak, Edith; Scheele, Fedde; Slaets, Joris; Van Der Molen, Thys; Cohen-Schotanus, Janke

    2009-10-01

    Mentoring is widely acknowledged as being crucial for portfolio learning. The aim of this study is to examine how mentoring portfolio use has been implemented in undergraduate and postgraduate settings. The results of interviews with six key persons involved in setting up portfolio use in medical education programmes were used to develop a questionnaire, which was administered to 30 coordinators of undergraduate and postgraduate portfolio programmes in the Netherlands and Flanders. The interviews yielded four main aspects of the portfolio mentoring process--educational aims, individual meetings, small group sessions and mentor characteristics. Based on the questionnaire data, 16 undergraduate and 14 postgraduate programmes were described. Providing feedback and stimulating reflection were the main objectives of the mentoring process. Individual meetings were the favourite method for mentoring (26 programmes). Small group sessions to support the use of portfolios were held in 16 programmes, mostly in the undergraduate setting. In general, portfolio mentors were clinically qualified academic staff trained for their mentoring tasks. This study provides a variety of practical insights into implementing mentoring processes in portfolio programmes.

  7. Evaluation of a nurse-led dementia education and knowledge translation programme in primary care: A cluster randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yao; Xiao, Lily Dongxia; Ullah, Shahid; He, Guo-Ping; De Bellis, Anita

    2017-02-01

    The lack of dementia education programmes for health professionals in primary care is one of the major factors contributing to the unmet demand for dementia care services. To determine the effectiveness of a nurse-led dementia education and knowledge translation programme for health professionals in primary care; participants' satisfaction with the programme; and to understand participants' perceptions of and experiences in the programme. A cluster randomized controlled trial was used as the main methodology to evaluate health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and care approach. Focus groups were used at the end of the project to understand health professionals' perceptions of and experiences in the programme. Fourteen community health service centres in a province in China participated in the study. Seven centres were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group respectively and 85 health professionals in each group completed the programme. A train-the-trainer model was used to implement a dementia education and knowledge translation programme. Outcome variables were measured at baseline, on the completion of the programme and at 3-month follow-up. A mixed effect linear regression model was applied to compare the significant differences of outcome measures over time between the two groups. Focus groups were guided by four semi-structured questions and analysed using content analysis. Findings revealed significant effects of the education and knowledge translation programme on participants' knowledge, attitudes and a person-centred care approach. Focus groups confirmed that the programme had a positive impact on dementia care practice. A dementia education and knowledge translation programme for health professionals in primary care has positive effects on their knowledge, attitudes, care approach and care practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Effects of an individualised nutritional education and support programme on dietary habits, nutritional knowledge and nutritional status of older adults living alone.

    PubMed

    Ahn, Jeong-Ah; Park, JeeWon; Kim, Chun-Ja

    2017-09-07

    The effects of an individualised nutritional education and support programme on dietary habits, nutritional knowledge and nutritional status of 71 older adults living alone were examined. Although a regular dietary meal plan is recommended for improving nutritional status of older adults living alone, little research is done in this field in Korea. A pre- and post-test controlled quasi-experimental design was used at public health centres. The intervention group participated in an intensive nutritional education and support programme once a week for 8 weeks with dietary menus provided by home visiting nurses/dieticians; control group received usual care. Dietary habits and nutritional knowledge were assessed using structured questionnaires; nutritional intake status was analysed using Computer Aided Nutritional Analysis Program 5.0. The mean age of participants was 77.6 years, and 81.7% of the participants were women. At 8 weeks, there were significant interactions of group by time for dietary habits, nutritional knowledge and selected nutritional status of protein, iron and vitamins of B 2 and C. Changes over time in the mean score of dietary habits and nutritional knowledge were significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the control group. The percentages of normal nutrition intake of protein, iron and vitamins A and C in the intervention group were significantly higher than the control group at 8 weeks. Nutritional education and support programme positively impacted dietary habits, nutritional knowledge and selected nutritional status in older adults living alone, and we highlight the need for community-based nutritional education and counselling programmes. Older adults living alone in a community have relatively poor nutritional status and thus require tailored nutritional intervention according to objective nutritional analysis. It is necessary to link visiting nurses with dieticians in the community to manage effective nutritional programme continuously. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Implementing case-based teaching strategies in a decentralised nursing management programme in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Nkosi, Zethu; Pillay, Padmini; Nokes, Kathleen M

    2013-01-01

    Case-based education has a long history in the disciplines of education, business, law and the health professions. Research suggests that students who learn via a case-based method have advanced critical thinking skills and a greater ability for application of knowledge in practice. In medical education, case-based methodology is widely used to facilitate knowledge transfer from theoretical knowledge to application in patient care. Nursing education has also adopted case-based methodology to enhance learner outcomes and critical thinking. The objectives of the study was to describe a decentralised nursing management education programme located in Durban, South Africa and describe the perceptions of nursing faculty facilitators regarding implementation of this teaching method. Data was collected through the use of one-on-one interviews and also focus groups amongst the fifteen facilitators who were using a case-based curriculum to teach the programme content. The average facilitator was female, between 41 and 50 years of age, working part-time, educated with a baccalaureate degree, working as a professional nurse for between 11 and 20 years; slightly more than half had worked as a facilitator for three or more years. The facilitators identified themes related to the student learners, the learning environment, and strengths and challenges of using facilitation to teach the content through cases. Decentralised nursing management educational programmes can meet the needs of nurses who are located in remote areas which are characterised by poor transportation patterns and limited resources and have great need for quality healthcare services. Nursing faculty facilitators need knowledgeable and accessible contact with centrally based full-time nursing faculty in order to promote high quality educational programmes.

  10. The effects of group health education on childbearing knowledge, attitude, and behaviour among Southeast Asian immigrant women in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Wang, Hsiu-Hung; Lin, Miao-Ling; Yang, Yung-Mei; Tsai, Hsiu-Min; Huang, Joh-Jong

    2012-12-01

    to explore the effects of a group health education programme on the childbearing knowledge, attitude, and behaviours among Southeast Asian immigrant women in Taiwan. a quasi-experimental design with convenience sampling was used. participants living in Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, were randomly divided by districts into either the experimental group or the control group. one hundred Southeast Asian immigrant women were recruited as research participants. Among the 100 participants, 50 were in the experimental group and 50 were in the control group. A total of 99 participants completed the entire research procedure. a structured interview was used to evaluate the effects of a group health education programme. the interview consisted of four measurements: the Demographic Inventory Scale, the Childbearing Knowledge Scale, the Childbearing Attitude Scale, and the Childbearing Planning Scale. after employing the group health education intervention, statistically significant changes from the pre-test to the post-test were found in the experimental group's scores for the Childbearing Knowledge Scale (P<0.0001), the Childbearing Attitude Scale (P<0.01), and the Childbearing Planning Scale (P<0.0001). The study's results indicated that providing education through group learning with guidance and support in childbearing health significantly improved Southeast Asian immigrant women's childbearing health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours. an appropriate, community-based group health education programme can create awareness for childbearing health among Southeast Asian immigrant women in Taiwan and improve their childbearing attitudes and behaviours. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. From Passive to Active Learners: The "Lived Experience" of Nurses in a Specialist Nephrology Nursing Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bridger, Jane

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: This study aims to explore the lived experience of learning for a group of staff nurses in the Middle East, who undertook a post-registration nursing education programme in the speciality of nephrology nursing (the NNP) between 2001 and 2002. The broad-based curriculum seeks to develop the staff nurses into active learners, able to…

  12. Feasibility, safety and preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of a home-based exercise programme for older people with Alzheimer's disease: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Suttanon, Plaiwan; Hill, Keith D; Said, Catherine M; Williams, Susan B; Byrne, Karin N; LoGiudice, Dina; Lautenschlager, Nicola T; Dodd, Karen J

    2013-05-01

    To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a home-based exercise programme for people with Alzheimer's disease, and to provide preliminary evidence of programme effectiveness in improving balance and mobility and reducing falls risk. A randomized controlled trial. Community. Forty people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (mean age 81.9, SD 5.72; 62.5% female). Participants were randomized to a six-month home-based individually tailored balance, strengthening and walking exercise programme (physiotherapist) or a six-month home-based education programme (control) (occupational therapist). Both programmes provided six home-visits and five follow-up phone calls. Balance, mobility, falls and falls risk were measured at baseline and programme completion. Intention-to-treat analysis using a generalized linear model with group allocation as a predictor variable was performed to evaluate programme effectiveness. Feasibility and adverse events were systematically recorded at each contact. Fifty-eight per cent of the exercise group finished the programme, completing an average of 83% of prescribed sessions, with no adverse events reported. Functional Reach improved significantly (P = 0.002) in the exercise group (mean (SD), 2.28 (4.36)) compared to the control group (-2.99 (4.87)). Significant improvement was also observed for the Falls Risk for Older People - Community score (P = 0.008) and trends for improvement on several other balance, mobility, falls and falls risk measures for the exercise group compared to the control group. The exercise programme was feasible and safe and may help improve balance and mobility performance and reduce falls risk in people with Alzheimer's disease.

  13. Reciprocal Learning by Experienced Teachers and Their Educators on a Master's Degree Programme in the Netherlands

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van Swet, Jacqueline; Ponte, Petra

    2007-01-01

    This article reports findings from a case study into reciprocal learning in tutor groups in a research-based master's programme, run jointly by Roehampton University, London, UK and Fontys OSO, The Netherlands. The research was designed to investigate to what extent, and how, forms of reciprocal learning arose in tutor groups for experienced…

  14. The Contribution of Group Work Programmes to Early Intervention and Improving Children's Emotional Well-Being

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Parton, Christine; Manby, Martin

    2009-01-01

    Recent government policy has emphasised links between the acquisition of social skills by children and young people and their educational attainment. This study aims to fill a gap in the literature about the contribution of school-based group work programmes to developing children's social skills. National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to…

  15. Short-term effects of a peer co-led educational programme delivered before mental health treatment: A randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Lara-Cabrera, M L; Gjerden, M; Gråwe, R W; Linaker, O M; Steinsbekk, A

    2016-07-01

    To investigate the 1-month effects of an educational programme co-led by peers delivered before treatment on treatment preferences, self-management knowledge and motivation in comparison to usual care. Adults referred to a community mental health centre were randomised to either a control group (n=48) or a peer co-led educational programme (intervention group, n=45). The programme consisted of an 8-hour group education session followed by an individual pretreatment planning session. The main topics of the educational programme were treatment options, patients' rights, self-management, the importance of patient activation and participation. At 1-month follow-up, a significantly larger proportion of the patients in the intervention group knew which type of treatment they preferred (76.7% vs. 32.5%, p<0.001). The intervention group had significantly higher self-management knowledge (p<0.001). There was no effect on treatment motivation (p=0.543). At 1-month following the delivery of a pretreatment educational programme, we found that participants' knowledge of treatment preferences and self-management had improved. Educational interventions co-led by peers can optimise the process of informing and educating outpatients, thereby helping patients to clarify their treatment preferences. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  16. An exploratory trial of a health education programme to promote healthy lifestyles through social and emotional competence in young children: Study protocol.

    PubMed

    Bermejo-Martins, Elena; López-Dicastillo, Olga; Mujika, Agurtzane

    2018-01-01

    To implement and evaluate a health education programme based on the development of social and emotional competence in young children. Children's social and emotional skills play a key role in the adoption and maintenance of their lifestyles. Currently, a more comprehensive perspective dealing with these aspects is needed to promote healthy habits in children and develop effective health education programmes. An exploratory randomized controlled trial. A convenience sample of 30 children (5 and 6 years old) will be recruited from a public school in Spain, with 15 participants in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. Participants in the experimental group will receive the first unit of the programme, consisting of developing emotional knowledge skills around daily health habits (eating, hygiene, sleep and physical exercise) using different game-based dynamics and an emotional diary, while those in the control group will continue with their usual school routine. Outcome measures include emotional knowledge ability, basic social skills and children's health profile. The perceived impact of the intervention by parents, acceptability (by parents and children) and feasibility of the programme will be also assessed. Data will be collected at baseline, postintervention and at 7-month follow-up. This study offers an innovative intervention aimed at improving children's healthy lifestyles from a holistic perspective by addressing social and emotional competence as one of the most influential aspects of children's development. This exploratory trial is an essential step to explore crucial aspects of the full-scale clinical trial. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. A structured, group-based diabetes self-management education (DSME) programme for people, families and whanau with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in New Zealand: an observational study.

    PubMed

    Krebs, J D; Parry-Strong, A; Gamble, E; McBain, L; Bingham, L J; Dutton, E S; Tapu-Ta'ala, S; Howells, J; Metekingi, H; Smith, R B W; Coppell, K J

    2013-07-01

    Group-based diabetes self-management education (DSME) programmes have been shown to be effective. A programme tailored for the unique social and ethnic environment of New Zealand (NZ) was developed using concepts from internationally developed programmes. To assess the effectiveness of a 6 week New Zealand specific DSME programme. In this observational study people with type 2 diabetes (aged 18-80 years) from diverse cultural backgrounds were recruited from primary care. Seventeen groups of six education sessions were run. Clinical data were collected from primary care at baseline, 3, 6 and 9 months. Participants also completed a self-administered questionnaire on diabetes knowledge, and self-management behaviours. 107 participants, mean age 56.7±11.3 years and mean duration of diabetes 7.5±7 years (NZ European (44%), Maori (24%), Pacific (16%) and Indian (16%)), were enrolled. Confidence in self-managing diabetes, regular examination of feet, physical activity levels and smoking rates all improved. Glycaemic control improved between baseline and 6 months (HbA1C 64.9±20.0 mmol/mol to 59.9±13.9 mmol/mol (p<0.05) (baseline 8.07%±1.80, 6 months 7.62%±1.25)), but was no different to baseline at 9 months. Systolic BP reduced from 131.9±16.4 to 127.4±18.2 mmHg (p<0.05) at 6 months, but increased to baseline levels by 9 months. Diastolic BP, triglycerides and urine microalbumin:creatinine ratio were significantly reduced at 3, 6 and 9 months. A group-based DSME programme designed specifically for the NZ population was effective at improving aspects of diabetes care at 6 months. The attenuation of these improvements after 6 months suggests a refresher course at that time may be beneficial. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  18. The effectiveness of a structured education pulmonary rehabilitation programme for improving the health status of people with moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care: the PRINCE cluster randomised trial.

    PubMed

    Casey, Dympna; Murphy, Kathy; Devane, Declan; Cooney, Adeline; McCarthy, Bernard; Mee, Lorraine; Newell, John; O'Shea, Eamon; Scarrott, Carl; Gillespie, Paddy; Kirwan, Collette; Murphy, Andrew W

    2013-10-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured education pulmonary rehabilitation programme on the health status of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Two-arm, cluster randomised controlled trial. 32 general practices in the Republic of Ireland. 350 participants with a diagnosis of moderate or severe COPD. Experimental group received a structured education pulmonary rehabilitation programme, delivered by the practice nurse and physiotherapist. Control group received usual care. Health status as measured by the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) at baseline and at 12-14 weeks postcompletion of the programme. Participants allocated to the intervention group had statistically significant higher mean change total CRQ scores (adjusted mean difference (MD) 1.11, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.87). However, the CI does not exclude a smaller difference than the one that was prespecified as clinically important. Participants allocated to the intervention group also had statistically significant higher mean CRQ Dyspnoea scores after intervention (adjusted MD 0.49, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.78) and CRQ Physical scores (adjusted MD 0.37, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.60). However, CIs for both the CRQ Dyspnoea and CRQ Physical subscales do not exclude smaller differences as prespecified as clinically important. No other statistically significant differences between groups were seen. A primary care based structured education pulmonary rehabilitation programme is feasible and may increase local accessibility to people with moderate and severe COPD. ISRCTN52403063.

  19. A suicide education programme for nurses to educate the family caregivers of suicidal individuals: a longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Sun, Fan-Ko; Chiang, Chun-Ying; Yu, Pei-Jane; Lin, Ching-Hsing

    2013-10-01

    Family members lack the ability to care for suicidal relatives. Nurses have a responsibility to improve family members' ability to care for their suicidal relatives. The aims of this study were to design a suicide education programme for nurses to educate family caregivers and to evaluate the longitudinal (12 months after the educational programme) effects of a suicide care education programme on the ability of families to care for suicidal relatives. A randomised controlled trial was conducted. The study population (n=61) was composed of the family caregivers of suicidal individuals. Several caregivers (n=26) were randomly allocated to an experimental group who attended a two-hour suicide care education programme, and the other caregivers (n=35) represented a control group who did not attend the education programme. All of the participants were given a questionnaire at baseline, 3 months, and 12 months during the period from 2009 to 2011. The results of the longitudinal effects of the suicide care education programme demonstrated that there were statistically significant differences after the educational programme as compared to before the programme with regard to "seeking assistance from resources" and the ability to care for those who were once suicidal. The longitudinal results of both groups showed that there was a significant difference in terms of "caring ability" at 12 months. The results of a multiple linear regression analysis indicated that evaluations performed at the three-month time point were able to effectively predict success in "seeking assistance from resources", "caring ability"; caring ability was also significantly improved among those who engaged in the educational programme at the 12-month time point. The suicide care education programme had long-term effects for family caregivers caring for their suicidal relatives. Nurses could employ this suicide care education programme to improve the ability of family caregivers to care for their suicidal relatives. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Strengthening the afferent limb of rapid response systems: an educational intervention using web-based learning for early recognition and responding to deteriorating patients.

    PubMed

    Liaw, Sok Ying; Wong, Lai Fun; Ang, Sophia Bee Leng; Ho, Jasmine Tze Yin; Siau, Chiang; Ang, Emily Neo Kim

    2016-06-01

    The timely recognition and response to patients with clinical deteriorations constitute the afferent limb failure of a rapid response system (RRS). This area is a persistent problem in acute healthcare settings worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the effect of an educational programme on improving the nurses' knowledge and performances in recognising and responding to clinical deterioration. The interactive web-based programme addressed three areas: (1) early detection of changes in vital signs; (2) performance of nursing assessment and interventions using airway, breathing, circulation, disability and expose/examine and (3) reporting clinical deterioration using identity, situation, background, assessment and recommendation. Sixty-seven registered nurses participated in the randomised control study. The experimental group underwent a 3 h programme while the control group received no intervention. Pretests and post-tests, a mannequin-based assessment and a multiple-choice knowledge questionnaire were conducted. We evaluated the participants' performances in assessing, managing and reporting the deterioration of a patient using a validated performance tool. A significantly higher number of nurses from the experimental group than the control group monitored respiratory rates (48.2% vs 25%, p<0.05) and pulse rates (74.3% vs 37.5%, p<0.01) in the simulated environment, after the intervention. The post-test mean scores of the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group for knowledge (21.29 vs 18.28, p<0.001), performance in assessing and managing clinical deterioration (25.83 vs 19.50, p<0.001) and reporting clinical deterioration (12.83 vs 10.97, p<0.001). A web-based educational programme developed for hospital nurses to strengthen the afferent limb of the RRS significantly increased their knowledge and performances in assessing, managing and reporting clinical deterioration. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  1. Before we begin. The importance of antenatal education.

    PubMed

    Nolan, Mary

    2012-04-01

    A review of the impact of universal antenatal education found that group based programmes which promote the transition to parenthood by focusing on relationships (between the couple and with the baby), and which are participative and build social support, are most likely to be effective (McMillan et al 2009). An Expert Reference Group convened by the Department of Health has designed a Preparation for Birth and Beyond programme to incorporate the evidence about what works and which draws on neurology, sociology and psychology including theories about fetal programming, social capital, self-efficacy, adult learning and health promotion. Learning from the Family Nurse Partnership, the PBB programme builds on parents' strengths and their intrinsic motivation to be the best parents they can for their children.

  2. Effects of two educational programmes aimed at improving the utilization of non-opioid analgesics in family medicine clinics in Mexico.

    PubMed

    Doubova, Svetlana Vladislavovna; Mino-León, Dolores; Reyes-Morales, Hortensia; Flores-Hernandez, Sergio; Torres-Arreola, Laura del Pilar; Pérez-Cuevas, Ricardo

    2010-08-01

    To develop and test two educational programmes (interactive and passive) aimed at improving family doctors' (FD) prescribing practices and patient's knowledge and use of non-opioid analgesics (NOA). The educational programmes were conducted in two family medicine clinics by using a three-stage approach: baseline evaluation, design, and implementation of educational activities, and post-programme evaluation. An interactive educational programme (IEP) was compared with a passive educational programme (PEP); both were participated by FDs and patients. The IEP for FDs comprised of workshops, discussion groups, in-service training and guidelines, while for patients the IEP consisted of an interactive session with a video, leaflets and a discussion. The PEP consisted in delivering the guidelines to the FDs and the leaflets to patients. The effect of the programmes on the FDs was measured through the appropriateness of prescriptions and analysed using the differences-in-differences estimator (D-in-D), and on patients through changes in self-medication and in their knowledge about the proper use and adverse events by analysing the inter- and intra-group differences before and after the programmes. The IEP obtained better results to improve appropriate FDs prescription of NOA than PEP (D-in-D = 15%). Regarding the patients, the PEP group reached higher reduction of self-medication than the IEP group (13.4% vs. 9.1%); the knowledge of proper NOA use increased by 8.5% in both groups, whereas knowledge of NOA-related adverse events was better in the IEP (39.6%) than in the PEP group (9.2%). The IEP was better to improve the doctors' abilities to prescribe NOAs, and both programmes improved patients' knowledge.

  3. Effect of a universal anxiety prevention programme (FRIENDS) on children's academic performance: results from a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Skryabina, Elena; Taylor, Gordon; Stallard, Paul

    2016-11-01

    Evaluations of school-based anxiety prevention programmes have reported improvements in psychological functioning although little is known about their effect upon educational outcomes. One thousand three hundred and sixty-two children from 40 primary schools in England took part in the randomised controlled trial, Preventing Anxiety in Children through Education in Schools. The trial investigated the effectiveness of a universal school-based cognitive behaviour therapy prevention programme, FRIENDS, delivered by health care staff or school staff compared with usual personal, social, health and education (PSHE) lessons. Self-report psychological outcomes and educational attainment on national standardised attainment tests in reading, writing and maths were collected 12 months postintervention. Analysis was performed at individual level using multivariable mixed effect models controlling for gender, type of intervention and school effect. Registered trial: ISRCTN: 23563048. At 12 months, anxiety reduced in the health-led FRIENDS group compared to school-led FRIENDS and PSHE. There were no between-group differences in academic performance regardless of gender, deprivation, ethnicity and additional educational needs. School-based mental health interventions should assess psychological and educational outcomes. Further research should directly compare the effects of interventions led by health and school staff. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  4. Peer-led versus teacher-led AIDS education for female high-school students in Yazd, Islamic Republic of Iran.

    PubMed

    Baghianimoghadam, M H; Forghani, H; Zolghadr, R; Rahaei, Z; Khani, P

    2012-04-01

    Peer-led programmes on AIDS prevention have shown a good level of effectiveness when tested among high-risk populations. This study compared peer-led and teacher-led methods of education about HIV/AIDS among female high-school students in Yazd city, Islamic Republic of Iran. In 2009 students in 3 high schools were trained by their classmates (peer-led), by the research team (teacher-led) or had no education (controls); 180 students completed a specially designed questionnaire based on the health belief model, before and after the intervention. Post-intervention mean knowledge scores increased 2-fold in the peer-led group, and this was significantly higher than the increase in the teacher-led group scores (1.5-fold). Control group scores were unchanged. In the peer-led programme all of the components of the model were significantly improved whereas in the teacher-led programme, only perceived severity and perceived barriers scored significantly higher after the intervention.

  5. Development and implementation of a peer-based mental health support programme for adolescents orphaned by HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Thupayagale-Tshweneagae, Gloria

    2011-12-01

    The article describes a framework and the process for the development of the peer-based mental health support programme and its implementation. The development of a peer-based mental health support programme is based on Erikson's theory on the adolescent phase of development, the psycho-educational processes; the peer approach and the orphaned adolescents lived experiences as conceptual framework. A triangulation of five qualitative methods of photography, reflective diaries, focus groups, event history calendar and field notes were used to capture the lived experiences of adolescents orphaned to HIV and AIDS. Analysis of data followed Colaizzi's method of data analysis. The combination of psycho-education, Erikson's stages of development and peer support assisted the participants to gain knowledge and skills to overcome adversity and to assist them to become to more resilient. The peer based mental health support programme if used would enhance the mental health of adolescent orphans.

  6. Effect of a Physical Education-Based Stretching Programme on Sit-and-Reach Score and Its Posterior Reduction in Elementary Schoolchildren

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merino-Marban, Rafael; Mayorga-Vega, Daniel; Fernandez-Rodriguez, Emilio; Estrada, Francisco Vera; Viciana, Jesús

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 1-minute stretching programme and 5 weeks of detraining on sit-and-reach score among schoolchildren aged 5-6 years in a physical education setting. Forty-five schoolchildren 5-6 years old from two classes were clustered randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 23) or a control group…

  7. Interactive web-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme: a randomised controlled feasibility trial.

    PubMed

    Chaplin, Emma; Hewitt, Stacey; Apps, Lindsay; Bankart, John; Pulikottil-Jacob, Ruth; Boyce, Sally; Morgan, Mike; Williams, Johanna; Singh, Sally

    2017-03-31

    The aim of this study was to determine if an interactive web-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programme is a feasible alternative to conventional PR. Randomised controlled feasibility trial. Participants with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were recruited from PR assessments, primary care and community rehabilitation programmes. Patients randomised to conventional rehabilitation started the programme according to the standard care at their referred site on the next available date. 103 patients were recruited to the study and randomised: 52 to conventional rehabilitation (mean (±SD) age 66 (±8) years, Medical Research Council (MRC) 3 (IQR2-4)); 51 to the web arm (mean (±SD) age 66 (±10) years, MRC 3 (IQR2-4)). Participants had to be willing to participate in either arm of the trial, have internet access and be web literate. Patients randomised to the web-based programme worked through the website, exercising and recording their progress as well as reading educational material. Conventional PR consisted of twice weekly, 2 hourly sessions (an hour for exercise training and an hour for education). Recruitment rates, eligibility, patient preference and dropout and completion rates for both programmes were collected. Standard outcomes for a PR assessment including measures of exercise capacity and quality of life questionnaires were also evaluated. A statistically significant improvement (p≤0.01) was observed within each group in the endurance shuttle walk test (WEB: mean change 189±211.1; PR classes: mean change 184.5±247.4 s) and Chronic Respiratory disease Questionnaire-Dyspnoea (CRQ-D; WEB: mean change 0.7±1.2; PR classes: mean change 0.8±1.0). However, there were no significant differences between the groups in any outcome. Dropout rates were higher in the web-based programme (57% vs 23%). An interactive web-based PR programme is feasible and acceptable when compared with conventional PR. Future trials maybe around choice-based PR programmes for select patients enabling stratification of patient care. ISRCTN03142263; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  8. Psychological effects of a cosmetic education programme in patients with breast cancer.

    PubMed

    Park, H Y; Kim, J H; Choi, S; Kang, E; Oh, S; Kim, J Y; Kim, S W

    2015-07-01

    Treatments for breast cancer often include interventions related to psychosocial issues such as negative body image, loss of femininity, and low self-esteem. We identified the psychological effects of a cosmetics education programme in patients with breast cancer. Cosmetic programme is a specific care designed to help patients handle appearance-related side effects. Thirty-one women with breast cancer at a university hospital in South Korea who received a cosmetics education programme were compared with 29 subjects in a control group who received the treatment as usual. Psychological factors including distress, self-esteem, and sexual functioning were assessed three times (before and after the programme, and at the 1-month follow-up). After the programme, patients in the treatment group were significantly less likely than those in the control group to rely on distress (P = 0.038) and avoidance coping (P < 0.001) but not on self-esteem. The mean scores in the treatment group for sexual functioning were higher than those in the control group after the treatment. Our results suggest the potential usefulness of a brief cosmetics education programme for reducing distress and reliance on negative coping strategies. Implementing a cosmetics programme for patients with breast cancer may encourage patients to control negative psychological factors. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Mechanisms of change of a novel weight loss programme provided by a third sector organisation: a qualitative interview study.

    PubMed

    McMahon, Naoimh E; Visram, Shelina; Connell, Louise A

    2016-05-10

    There is a need for theory-driven studies that explore the underlying mechanisms of change of complex weight loss programmes. Such studies will contribute to the existing evidence-base on how these programmes work and thus inform the future development and evaluation of tailored, effective interventions to tackle overweight and obesity. This study explored the mechanisms by which a novel weight loss programme triggered change amongst participants. The programme, delivered by a third sector organisation, addressed both diet and physical activity. Over a 26 week period participants engaged in three weekly sessions (education and exercise in a large group, exercise in a small group and a one-to-one education and exercise session). Novel aspects included the intensity and duration of the programme, a competitive selection process, milestone physical challenges (e.g. working up to a 5 K and 10 K walk/run during the programme), alumni support (face-to-face and online) and family attendance at exercise sessions. Data were collected through interviews with programme providers (n = 2) and focus groups with participants (n = 12). Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using NVivo10. Published behaviour change frameworks and behaviour change technique taxonomies were used to guide the coding process. Clients' interactions with components of the weight loss programme brought about a change in their commitment, knowledge, beliefs about capabilities and social and environmental contexts. Intervention components that generated these changes included the competitive selection process, group and online support, family involvement and overcoming milestone challenges over the 26 week programme. The mechanisms by which these components triggered change differed between participants. There is an urgent need to establish robust interventions that can support people who are overweight and obese to achieve a healthy weight and maintain this change. Third sector organisations may be a feasible alternative to private and public sector weight loss programmes. We have presented findings from one example of a novel community-based weight loss programme and identified how the programme components resulted in change amongst the participants. Further research is needed to robustly test the effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness, of this programme.

  10. Educating for ethical leadership through web-based coaching.

    PubMed

    Eide, Tom; Dulmen, Sandra van; Eide, Hilde

    2016-12-01

    Ethical leadership is important for developing ethical healthcare practice. However, there is little research-based knowledge on how to stimulate and educate for ethical leadership. The aim was to develop and investigate the feasibility of a 6-week web-based, ethical leadership educational programme and learn from participants' experience. Training programme and research design: A training programme was developed consisting of (1) a practice part, where the participating middle managers developed and ran an ethics project in their own departments aiming at enhancing the ethical mindfulness of the organizational culture, and (2) a web-based reflection part, including online reflections and coaching while executing the ethics project. Focus group interviews were used to explore the participants' experiences with and the feasibility of the training. Participants and research context: Nine middle managers were recruited from a part-time master's programme in leadership in Oslo, Norway. The research context was the participating leaders' work situation during the 6 weeks of training. Ethical considerations: Participation was voluntary, data anonymized and the confidentiality of the participating leaders/students and their institutions maintained. No patient or medical information was involved. Eight of the nine recruited leaders completed the programme. They evaluated the training programme as efficient and supportive, with the written, situational feedback/coaching as the most important element, enhancing reflection and motivation, counteracting a feeling of loneliness and promoting the execution of change. The findings seem consistent with the basic assumptions behind the educational design, based partly on e-health research, feedback studies and organizational ethics methodology, partly on theories on workplace learning, reflection, recognition and motivation. The training programme seems feasible. It should be adjusted according to participants' proposals and tested further in a large-scale study.

  11. Using the patchwork text assessment as a vehicle for evaluating students' perceptions of their clinical leadership development.

    PubMed

    Leigh, J A; Rutherford, J; Wild, J; Cappleman, J; Hynes, C

    2012-01-01

    A shift in universities world wide in providing theoretical post graduate programmes of study underpinned by traditional assessment strategies to work based learning programmes supported by innovative assessment strategies is required if Higher education institutions are to effectively educate contemporary healthcare leaders. Concurrently generating the evidence to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programmes is required by commissioners of healthcare education (DH, 2010). This paper reports on the perceptions of twelve post graduate students attending a clinical leadership masters programme of their leadership development through analysis of the critical commentary provided by students as part of assessment strategy that utilised the Patchwork Text Assessment. Following a thematic content analysis six themes emerged: programme philosophy and its impact on the success of the Patchwork Text Assessment; leadership development targeted against leadership frameworks; application and applicability of learning to the students own healthcare organisation; integrating theory to practice through theoretical development and work based activities; the value of networking; and the importance of multi-professional reflective groups. This study has clearly demonstrated how the success of the Patchwork Text Assessment in promoting deep learning is determined by its integration into the overall philosophy of the programme. Concurrently systems needed to be in place to ensure that Patchwork text Assessment is operationalised effectively and embedded within the day to day management of the programme. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Parents’ Participation in the Sexuality Education of Their Children in Namibia: A Framework and an Educational Programme for Enhanced Action

    PubMed Central

    Nghipondoka- Lukolo, Linda Ndeshipandula; Charles, Kimera Lukanga

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to empower rural parents to participate in the sexuality education of their children. The study was designed to be qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. It was performed in three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a situational analysis to explore and describe how parents provide sexuality education. Phase 2 consisted of the development of a conceptual framework that facilitated the development of an educational programme. In phase 3 the programme was implemented and evaluated, recommendations were made and conclusions drawn. The main findings revealed two themes: factors influencing parental participation in their children’s sexuality education, and the need for parental participation in their children’s sexuality education. This article is part of series of three article stems from a study on the topic of sexuality education empowerment programme of rural parents in Namibia. The three articles have the following titles one: parent’s participation in sexuality education of their children: a situational analysis; two: parent’s participation in sexuality education of their children: a conceptual framework and an educational programme to enhance action, and three: parent’s participation in sexuality education of their children: programme implementation and evaluation. The previous paper dealt with parent’s participation in sexuality education of their children: a situational analysis: the results from the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions on sexuality education with children and parents were presented. This paper focuses on describing Phase 2 and 3, namely the process of devising a conceptual framework for the development of an educational programme to empower parents to participate in the sexuality education of their children. Discussions included a description of the conceptual framework, based on the researcher’s paradigmatic assumptions, and the focus group and individual in-depth interviews results. The survey list suggested by Dickoff et al. (1968) consists of various elements which were employed in the conceptual framework, namely the context, agent, recipients, dynamics, procedure and a terminus. These elements were reflected in the “thinking map”. PMID:26573053

  13. Parents' Participation in the Sexuality Education of Their Children in Namibia: A Framework and an Educational Programme for Enhanced Action.

    PubMed

    Nghipondoka-Lukolo, Linda Ndeshipandula; Charles, Kimera Lukanga

    2015-08-18

    The purpose of the study was to empower rural parents to participate in the sexuality education of their children. The study was designed to be qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. It was performed in three phases. Phase 1 consisted of a situational analysis to explore and describe how parents provide sexuality education. Phase 2 consisted of the development of a conceptual framework that facilitated the development of an educational programme. In phase 3 the programme was implemented and evaluated, recommendations were made and conclusions drawn. The main findings revealed two themes: factors influencing parental participation in their children's sexuality education, and the need for parental participation in their children's sexuality education. This article is part of series of three article stems from a study on the topic of sexuality education empowerment programme of rural parents in Namibia. The three articles have the following titles: one: parent's participation in sexuality education of their children: a situational analysis; two: parent's participation in sexuality education of their children: a conceptual framework and an educational programme to enhance action, and three: parent's participation in sexuality education of their children: programme implementation and evaluation. The previous paper dealt with parent's participation in sexuality education of their children: a situational analysis: the results from the in-depth interviews and focus group discussions on sexuality education with children and parents were presented. This paper focuses on describing Phase 2 and 3, namely the process of devising a conceptual framework for the development of an educational programme to empower parents to participate in the sexuality education of their children. Discussions included a description of the conceptual framework, based on the researcher's paradigmatic assumptions, and the focus group and individual in-depth interviews results. The survey list suggested by Dickoff et al. (1968) consists of various elements which were employed in the conceptual framework, namely the context, agent, recipients, dynamics, procedure and a terminus. These elements were reflected in the "thinking map".

  14. Effects of the culturally-sensitive comprehensive sex education programme among Thai secondary school students.

    PubMed

    Thato, R; Jenkins, R A; Dusitsin, N

    2008-05-01

    This paper reports on a study to evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally-sensitive comprehensive sex education programme among Thai secondary school students. Increasing number of adolescents in Thailand have been engaging in premarital sex. No theory-based, abstinence-oriented models of sex education have been evaluated in this population. A quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2006-2007. Outcome measures included sexual behaviour, condom use, intention to refuse sex, intention to use condoms, and knowledge regarding sexually transmitted infections/human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and pregnancy. Students in the experimental group had lower levels of reported sexual intercourse at 3- and 6-month follow-ups, compared with those in control group (P < 0.01). Students participating in the programme had significantly greater intention to refuse sex in the future across time than controls (P < 0.05). Sexually active adolescents participating in the programme reported significantly lower frequencies of sexual intercourse across time than controls (P < 0.01). However, the programme did not influence consistent condom use (P > 0.05), although the intervention was associated with increased intention to use condoms (P < 0.01). Knowledge about sexually transmitted infections/human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and pregnancy among students in the intervention group was significantly greater than that of the controls (P < 0.05). School nurses can play a major role by applying this kind of sex education programme. For nurse researchers, it would be useful to extend this research by considering alternative ways to foster condom use in the non-commercial partnerships that have become common among adolescents.

  15. Implementing health promotion in schools: protocol for a realist systematic review of research and experience in the United Kingdom (UK)

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background School-based interventions and campaigns are used to promote health and address a wide variety of public health problems. Schools are considered to be key sites for the implementation of health promotion programmes for their potential to reach the whole population in particular age-groups and instil healthy patterns of behavior early in life. However, evidence for the effectiveness of school-based health promotion interventions is highly variable. Systematic reviews of the evidence of school-based interventions tend to be highly problem- or intervention- specific, thereby missing potential generic insights into implementation and effectiveness of such programmes across problems. Methods/design A realist systematic review will be undertaken to explain how, why and in what circumstances schools can provide feasible settings for effective health promotion programmes in the United Kingdom (UK). The review will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 will identify programme theories about implementation (ideas about what enables or inhibits effective health promotion to be delivered in a school setting). Phase 2 will test the programme theories so that they can be challenged, endorsed and/or refined. A Review Advisory Group of education and health professionals will be convened to help identify and choose potential programme theories, provide a ‘reality check’ on the clarity and explanatory strength of the mechanisms to be tested, and help shape the presentation of findings to be usable by practitioners and decision-makers. Review findings will be disseminated through liaison with decision-makers, and voluntary and professional groups in the fields of education and health. PMID:23083508

  16. Environmental Learning Using a Problem-Based Approach in the Field: A Case Study of a Hong Kong School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kwan, Tammy; So, Max

    2008-01-01

    This study investigated the environmental learning of a group of senior geography students through a problem-based learning (PBL) field programme to see if the goals of education "for" the environment could be accomplished. In the PBL field programme, the students were given a problem statement concerning a real-life scenario of an old…

  17. Improving Children's Problem Eating and Mealtime Behaviours: An Evaluative Study of a Single Session Parent Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fraser, Kim; Wallis, Marianne; St. John, Winsome

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a "single session" group, early intervention, multidisciplinary, education programme (entitled the "Fun not Fuss with Food" group programme) designed to improve children's problem eating and mealtime behaviours. Design: A quasi-experimental time-series design incorporating data…

  18. The Back 2 Activity Trial: education and advice versus education and advice plus a structured walking programme for chronic low back pain

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Current evidence supports the use of exercise-based treatment for chronic low back pain that encourages the patient to assume an active role in their recovery. Walking has been shown it to be an acceptable type of exercise with a low risk of injury. However, it is not known whether structured physical activity programmes are any more effective than giving advice to remain active. Methods/Design The proposed study will test the feasibility of using a pedometer-driven walking programme, as an adjunct to a standard education and advice session in participants with chronic low back pain. Fifty adult participants will be recruited via a number of different sources. Baseline outcome measures including self reported function; objective physical activity levels; fear-avoidance beliefs and health-related quality of life will be recorded. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated under strict, double blind conditions to one of two treatments groups. Participants in group A will receive a single education and advice session with a physiotherapist based on the content of the 'Back Book'. Participants in group B will receive the same education and advice session. In addition, they will also receive a graded pedometer-driven walking programme prescribed by the physiotherapist. Follow up outcomes will be recorded by the same researcher, who will remain blinded to group allocation, at eight weeks and six months post randomisation. A qualitative exploration of participants' perception of walking will also be examined by use of focus groups at the end of the intervention. As a feasibility study, treatment effects will be represented by point estimates and confidence intervals. The assessment of participant satisfaction will be tabulated, as will adherence levels and any recorded difficulties or adverse events experienced by the participants or therapists. This information will be used to modify the planned interventions to be used in a larger randomised controlled trial. Discussion This paper describes the rationale and design of a study which will test the feasibility of using a structured, pedometer-driven walking programme in participants with chronic low back pain. Trial Registration [ISRCTN67030896] PMID:20633256

  19. Healthwise South Africa: cultural adaptation of a school-based risk prevention programme

    PubMed Central

    Wegner, L.; Flisher, A. J.; Caldwell, L. L.; Vergnani, T.; Smith, E. A.

    2008-01-01

    There is a need for effective prevention programmes aimed at reducing risk behaviour among South African adolescents. HealthWise South Africa is a school-based programme designed to reduce sexual and substance use risk behaviour, and promote positive use of leisure time among high-school learners (students). Based on successful programmes in the United States of America, HealthWise was developed for use in South Africa and pilot tested in four South African high schools. We carried out a process evaluation to establish the fidelity of implementation and make sure HealthWise was culturally relevant. Data sources comprised focus groups with educators and learners, lesson evaluations and observations, and interviews with school principals. Qualitative analysis of data highlighted pertinent cultural and contextual factors and identified areas for modifying HealthWise in order to promote better programme-consumer fit. These areas centred on time, language, and leisure. We noted a dynamic tension between the educators' desire to adhere to plan, and to make adaptations in accordance with learners' needs and the context. Ultimately, researchers need to find a balance between fidelity of implementation and programme adaptation to obtain effective programmes that are culturally acceptable to local consumers. PMID:17956882

  20. The Impact of a Values Education Programme for Adolescent Romanies in Spain on Their Feelings of Self-Realisation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Soriano, Encarnacion; Franco, Clemente; Sleeter, Christine

    2011-01-01

    This study analysed the effects a values education programme can have on the feelings of self-realisation, self-concept and self-esteem of Romany adolescents in southern Spain. To do this, an experimental group received a values education intervention but a control group did not. The intervention programme was adapted to the Romany culture. The…

  1. Description and student self-evaluation of a pilot integrated small group learning and simulation programme for medical students in the first clinical year.

    PubMed

    Levinson, Michele; Kelly, Diane; Zahariou, Krisoula; Johnson, Matthew; Jackman, Christine; Mackenzie, Sara

    2017-02-01

    Contemporary education for medical students should be student-centred, integrated and contextualised. Small group learning promotes clinical reasoning and skills for lifelong learning. Simulation can provide experiential learning in a safe and controlled environment. We developed a weekly integrated problem-based learning and simulation programme (IPS) over two semesters in the first clinical year to augment clinical placement experience and contextualise theory into work-relevant practice. To evaluate the new programme at Kirkpatrick level 1. An anonymous survey of participating students. The programme was well liked. Students found the programme relevant and that they had a better understanding of patient safety and the assessment of the deteriorating patient. They felt it contributed to integration of theory and practice, clinical reasoning and the acquisition of non-technical skills, particularly affective and communication elements. This IPS programme in the first clinical year can deliver a student-centred curriculum to complement clinical placement that delivers the important requirements of contemporary medical student education. © 2016 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

  2. The experience of facilitators and participants of long term condition self-management group programmes: A qualitative synthesis.

    PubMed

    Hughes, Stephen; Lewis, Sophie; Willis, Karen; Rogers, Anne; Wyke, Sally; Smith, Lorraine

    2017-12-01

    Our aim was to systematically review the qualitative literature about the experiences of both facilitators and participants in a range of group-based programmes to support the self-management of long-term conditions. We searched 7 databases using the terms 'self-management', 'group' and 'qualitative'. Full text articles meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved for review. A thematic synthesis approach was used to analyse the studies. 2126 articles were identified and 24 were included for review. Group participants valued being with similar others and perceived peer support benefits. Facilitators (HCP and lay) had limited group specific training, were uncertain of purpose and prioritised education and medical conformity over supportive group processes and the promotion of self-management agency and engagement. Overall, studies prioritised positive descriptions. Group programmes' medical self-management focus may reduce their ability to contribute to patient-valued outcomes. Further research is needed to explore this disconnect. This review supports broadening the scope of group-based programmes to foreground shared learning, social support and development of agency. It is of relevance to developers and facilitators of group self-management programmes and their ability to address the burden of long-term conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Educator Talk Ratio as a Quality Indicator in Group-Based Patient Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stenov, Vibeke; Henriksen, Jan Erik; Folker, Anna P.; Skinner, Timothy C.; Willaing, Ingrid

    2016-01-01

    Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate participants' experiences of and satisfaction with the content and outcome of 13 different sessions of a 4-day diabetes education programme and to compare participants' experiences with the extent of educator talk in the sessions. A 10-second event coding was used to evaluate educators'…

  4. Percentile ranks and benchmark estimates of change for the Health Education Impact Questionnaire: Normative data from an Australian sample

    PubMed Central

    Elsworth, Gerald R; Osborne, Richard H

    2017-01-01

    Objective: Participant self-report data play an essential role in the evaluation of health education activities, programmes and policies. When questionnaire items do not have a clear mapping to a performance-based continuum, percentile norms are useful for communicating individual test results to users. Similarly, when assessing programme impact, the comparison of effect sizes for group differences or baseline to follow-up change with effect sizes observed in relevant normative data provides more directly useful information compared with statistical tests of mean differences and the evaluation of effect sizes for substantive significance using universal rule-of-thumb such as those for Cohen’s ‘d’. This article aims to assist managers, programme staff and clinicians of healthcare organisations who use the Health Education Impact Questionnaire interpret their results using percentile norms for individual baseline and follow-up scores together with group effect sizes for change across the duration of typical chronic disease self-management and support programme. Methods: Percentile norms for individual Health Education Impact Questionnaire scale scores and effect sizes for group change were calculated using freely available software for each of the eight Health Education Impact Questionnaire scales. Data used were archived responses of 2157 participants of chronic disease self-management programmes conducted by a wide range of organisations in Australia between July 2007 and March 2013. Results: Tables of percentile norms and three possible effect size benchmarks for baseline to follow-up change are provided together with two worked examples to assist interpretation. Conclusion: While the norms and benchmarks presented will be particularly relevant for Australian organisations and others using the English-language version of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, they will also be useful for translated versions as a guide to the sensitivity of the scales and the extent of the changes that might be anticipated from attendance at a typical chronic disease self-management or health education programme. PMID:28560039

  5. Gaps and gains from engaging districts stakeholders for community-based health professions education in Uganda: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    Okello, Elialilia S; Nankumbi, Joyce; Ruzaaza, Gad Ndaruhutse; Bakengesa, Evelyn; Gumikiriza, Joy; Arubaku, Wilfred; Acio, Christine; Samantha, Mary; Matte, Michael

    2015-12-01

    Community-based education research and service (COBERS) is a brand of community-based education that has been adopted by the Medical Education and Service for All Ugandans consortium. The COBERS programme is aimed at equipping students in health professional education with the knowledge, attitudes and skills required to provide appropriate health care services. For sustainability purposes, the health professional training institutions have made efforts to involve various stakeholders in the implementation of the programme. However, the actual engagement process and outcome of such efforts have not been documented. This paper documents gaps and gains made in engaging district stakeholders for community-based education. Key informant interviews, focus group discussions and document review were used to collect data. Atlas.ti, computer software for qualitative data was used to aid analysis. The analysis revealed that the adopted engagement model has registered some gains including increased awareness among district leaders about potential opportunities offered by COBERS such as boosting of human resources at health facilities, opportunities for professional development for health care workers at health facilities, and establishment of linkages between prospective employees and employers. However, the engagement model left some gaps in terms of knowledge, awareness and ownership of the programme among some sections of stakeholders. The apparent information gap about the programme among district stakeholders, especially the political leadership, may hinder concerted partnership. The findings highlight the need for health professional education institutions to broaden the scope of actively engaged stakeholders with the district level.

  6. The effect of an educational programme consisting of group and individual arthritis education for patients with polyarthritis--a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Grønning, Kjersti; Skomsvoll, Johan F; Rannestad, Toril; Steinsbekk, Aslak

    2012-07-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an educational programme for patients with polyarthritis compared to usual care. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and unspecified polyarthritis were randomised to the intervention (n=71) or usual care (n=70). The intervention consisted of three group educational sessions followed by one individual educational session. The primary outcomes were a patient's global well-being and arthritis self-efficacy. Secondary outcomes were patient activation, physical and psychological health status, educational needs and disease activity. After four months the intervention group had significantly better global well-being, 95% CI (2.3-14.1), p=0.01, and self-efficacy, 95% CI (0.2-8.1), p=0.04, than the control group. There were also trends for improved disease activity, and a statistically significant improvement in patient activation and pain in the intervention group. This patient educational programme consisting of group sessions and nurse-delivered individual education has statistically significant benefits for global well-being and maintaining a level of self-efficacy in managing other symptoms in patients with polyarthritis. This educational programme allows patients to learn from each other in addition to addressing individual educational needs. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Improving community development by linking agriculture, nutrition and education: design of a randomised trial of "home-grown" school feeding in Mali.

    PubMed

    Masset, Edoardo; Gelli, Aulo

    2013-02-21

    Providing food through schools has well documented effects in terms of the education, health and nutrition of school children. However, there is limited evidence in terms of the benefits of providing a reliable market for small-holder farmers through "home-grown" school feeding approaches. This study aims to evaluate the impact of school feeding programmes sourced from small-holder farmers on small-holder food security, as well as on school children's education, health and nutrition in Mali. In addition, this study will examine the links between social accountability and programme performance. This is a field experiment planned around the scale-up of the national school feeding programme, involving 116 primary schools in 58 communities in food insecure areas of Mali. The randomly assigned interventions are: 1) a school feeding programme group, including schools and villages where the standard government programme is implemented; 2) a "home-grown" school feeding and social accountability group, including schools and villages where the programme is implemented in addition to training of community based organisations and local government; and 3) the control group, including schools and household from villages where the intervention will be delayed by at least two years, preferably without informing schools and households. Primary outcomes include small-holder farmer income, school participation and learning, and community involvement in the programme. Other outcomes include nutritional status and diet-diversity. The evaluation will follow a mixed method approach, including household, school and village level surveys as well as focus group discussions with small-holder farmers, school children, parents and community members. The impact evaluation will be incorporated within the national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system strengthening activities that are currently underway in Mali. Baselines surveys are planned for 2012. A monthly process monitoring visits, spot checks and quarterly reporting will be undertaken as part of the regular programme monitoring activities. Evaluation surveys are planned for 2014. National governments in sub-Saharan Africa have demonstrated strong leadership in the response to the recent food and financial crises by scaling-up school feeding programmes. "Home-grown" school feeding programmes have the potential to link the increased demand for school feeding goods and services to community-based stakeholders, including small-holder farmers and women's groups. Alongside assessing the more traditional benefits to school children, this evaluation will be the first to examine the impact of linking school food service provision to small-holder farmer income, as well as the link between community level engagement and programme performance. ISRCTN76705891.

  8. Promoting Intercultural Understanding among School Students through an English Language Based Reading Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singh, Manjet Kaur Mehar; Marsani, Fatin Najwa Amelia binti; Jaganathan, Paramaswari; Abdullah, Ahmad Sofwan Nathan; Karupiah, Premalatha

    2016-01-01

    Malaysian intercultural society is typified by three major ethnic groups mainly Malays, Chinese and Indians. Although education system is the best tool for these three major ethnic groups to work together, contemporary research reveals that there is still lack of intercultural embedding education context and national schools are seen as breeding…

  9. Teaching general practitioners and doctors-in-training to discuss advance care planning: evaluation of a brief multimodality education programme.

    PubMed

    Detering, Karen; Silvester, William; Corke, Charlie; Milnes, Sharyn; Fullam, Rachael; Lewis, Virginia; Renton, Jodie

    2014-09-01

    To develop and evaluate an interactive advance care planning (ACP) educational programme for general practitioners and doctors-in-training. Development of training materials was overseen by a committee; informed by literature and previous teaching experience. The evaluation assessed participant confidence, knowledge and attitude toward ACP before and after training. Training provided to metropolitan and rural settings in Victoria, Australia. 148 doctors participated in training. The majority were aged at least 40 years with more than 10 years work experience; 63% had not trained in Australia. The programme included prereading, a DVD, interactive patient e-simulation workshop and a training manual. All educational materials followed an evidence-based stepwise approach to ACP: Introducing the topic, exploring concepts, introducing solutions and summarising the conversation. The primary outcome was the change in doctors' self-reported confidence to undertake ACP conversations. Secondary measures included pretest/post-test scores in patient ACP e-simulation, change in ACP knowledge and attitude, and satisfaction with programme materials. 69 participants completed the preworkshop and postworkshop evaluation. Following education, there was a significant change in self-reported confidence in six of eight items (p=0.008 -0.08). There was a significant improvement (p<0.001) in median scores on the e-simulation (pre 7/80, post 60/80). There were no significant differences observed in ACP knowledge following training, and most participants were supportive of patient autonomy and ACP pretraining. Educational materials were rated highly. A short multimodal interactive education programme improves doctors' confidence with ACP and performance on an ACP patient e-simulation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  10. Using a Sampling Strategy to Address Psychometric Challenges in Tutorial-Based Assessments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eva, Kevin W.; Solomon, Patty; Neville, Alan J.; Ladouceur, Michael; Kaufman, Karyn; Walsh, Allyn; Norman, Geoffrey R.

    2007-01-01

    Introduction: Tutorial-based assessment, despite providing a good match with the philosophy adopted by educational programmes that emphasize small group learning, remains one of the greatest challenges for educators working in this context. The current study was performed in an attempt to assess the psychometric characteristics of tutorial-based…

  11. A systematic review of technology-based interventions for unintentional injury prevention education and behaviour change.

    PubMed

    Omaki, Elise; Rizzutti, Nicholas; Shields, Wendy; Zhu, Jeffrey; McDonald, Eileen; Stevens, Martha W; Gielen, Andrea

    2017-04-01

    The aims of this literature review are to (1) summarise how computer and mobile technology-based health behaviour change applications have been evaluated in unintentional injury prevention, (2) describe how these successes can be applied to injury-prevention programmes in the future and (3) identify research gaps. Studies included in this systematic review were education and behaviour change intervention trials and programme evaluations in which the intervention was delivered by either a computer or mobile technology and addressed an unintentional injury prevention topic. Articles were limited to those published in English and after 1990. Among the 44 technology-based injury-prevention studies included in this review, 16 studies evaluated locally hosted software programmes, 4 studies offered kiosk-based programmes, 11 evaluated remotely hosted internet programmes, 2 studies used mobile technology or portable devices and 11 studies evaluated virtual-reality interventions. Locally hosted software programmes and remotely hosted internet programmes consistently increased knowledge and behaviours. Kiosk programmes showed evidence of modest knowledge and behaviour gains. Both programmes using mobile technology improved behaviours. Virtual-reality programmes consistently improved behaviours, but there were little gains in knowledge. No studies evaluated text-messaging programmes dedicated to injury prevention. There is much potential for computer-based programmes to be used for injury-prevention behaviour change. The reviewed studies provide evidence that computer-based communication is effective in conveying information and influencing how participants think about an injury topic and adopt safety behaviours. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  12. SmartRoads: training Indonesian workers to become road safety ambassadors in industrial and community settings.

    PubMed

    Montero, Kerry; Spencer, Graham; Ariens, Bernadette

    2012-06-01

    This paper reports on a programme to improve road safety awareness in an industrial community in the vicinity of Jakarta, in Indonesia. Adapting the model of a successful community and school-based programme in Victoria, in Australia, and using a peer education approach, 16 employees of a major manufacturing company were trained to implement road safety education programmes amongst their peers. Specific target groups for the educators were colleagues, schools and the local community. Over 2 days the employees, from areas as diverse as production, public relations, personnel services, administration and management, learned about road safety facts, causes of traffic casualties, prevention approaches and peer education strategies. They explored and developed strategies to use with their respective target groups and practised health education skills. The newly trained workers received certificates to acknowledge them as 'SmartRoads Ambassadors' and, with follow-up support and development, became road safety educators with a commitment and responsibility to deliver education to their respective work and local communities. This paper argues that the model has potential to provide an effective and locally relevant response to road safety issues in similar communities.

  13. An assessment of implementation of Community-Oriented Primary Care in Kenyan family medicine postgraduate medical education programmes

    PubMed Central

    Shabani, Jacob; Taché, Stephanie; Mohamoud, Gulnaz; Mahoney, Megan

    2016-01-01

    Background and objectives Family medicine postgraduate programmes in Kenya are examining the benefits of Community-Oriented Primary Care (COPC) curriculum, as a method to train residents in population-based approaches to health care delivery. Whilst COPC is an established part of family medicine training in the United States, little is known about its application in Kenya. We sought to conduct a qualitative study to explore the development and implementation of COPC curriculum in the first two family medicine postgraduate programmes in Kenya. Method Semi-structured interviews of COPC educators, practitioners, and academic stakeholders and focus groups of postgraduate students were conducted with COPC educators, practitioners and academic stakeholders in two family medicine postgraduate programmes in Kenya. Discussions were transcribed, inductively coded and thematically analysed. Results Two focus groups with eight family medicine postgraduate students and interviews with five faculty members at two universities were conducted. Two broad themes emerged from the analysis: expected learning outcomes and important community-based enablers. Three learning outcomes were (1) making a community diagnosis, (2) understanding social determinants of health and (3) training in participatory research. Three community-based enablers for sustainability of COPC were (1) partnerships with community health workers, (2) community empowerment and engagement and (3) institutional financial support. Conclusions Our findings illustrate the expected learning outcomes and important community-based enablers associated with the successful implementation of COPC projects in Kenya and will help to inform future curriculum development in Kenya. PMID:28155322

  14. Effect of a multi-dimensional intervention programme on the motivation of physical education students.

    PubMed

    Amado, Diana; Del Villar, Fernando; Leo, Francisco Miguel; Sánchez-Oliva, David; Sánchez-Miguel, Pedro Antonio; García-Calvo, Tomás

    2014-01-01

    This research study purports to verify the effect produced on the motivation of physical education students of a multi-dimensional programme in dance teaching sessions. This programme incorporates the application of teaching skills directed towards supporting the needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness. A quasi-experimental design was carried out with two natural groups of 4(th) year Secondary Education students--control and experimental -, delivering 12 dance teaching sessions. A prior training programme was carried out with the teacher in the experimental group to support these needs. An initial and final measurement was taken in both groups and the results revealed that the students from the experimental group showed an increase of the perception of autonomy and, in general, of the level of self-determination towards the curricular content of corporal expression focused on dance in physical education. To this end, we highlight the programme's usefulness in increasing the students' motivation towards this content, which is so complicated for teachers of this area to develop.

  15. Efficacy of a smoking prevention programme in Catalan secondary schools: a cluster-randomized controlled trial in Spain.

    PubMed

    Valdivieso López, Empar; Rey-Reñones, Cristina; Rodriguez-Blanco, Teresa; Ferre Grau, Carmen; Arija, Victoria; Barrera Uriarte, Maria Luisa; Granado-Font, Esther; Flores-Mateo, Gemma

    2015-05-01

    To evaluate the efficacy of a school-based educational programme in reducing the incidence and prevalence of smoking in secondary school students (compulsory secondary education: CSE) in Catalonia (Spain). Cluster-randomized controlled trial. Schools in the Tarragona Health Care Region of Spain. All students enrolled in the first year of CSE during the 2007-08 school year in the 29 participating schools (n = 2245); 1583 students completed the follow-up over the 4-year study period (804 and 779 in the control and intervention groups, respectively). Self-reported questionnaires were administered during the first quarter of the 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 school years. A smoker was defined as 'smoking cigarettes daily or occasionally within the past 30 days'. Multi-level logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyse the prevalence and incidence of smoking between the intervention and control groups. A school-based educational programme comprising seven modules, each with a different approach to smoking habits. Each module included activities, work-shops and/or class sessions. The initial prevalence of smokers in the control and intervention groups who completed the follow-up was 3.9% and 4.2%, respectively. At the end of the study, the prevalence of smokers was 24.4% in the control group and 19.9% in the intervention group. The accumulated incidence of new smokers was 230.57/1000 in the control group and 183.65/1000 in the intervention group. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) comparing the intervention group with the control group was 0.75 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.49, 1.15] for smoking prevalence, and 0.74 (95% CI = 0.48, 1.14) for smoking incidence. A school-based educational intervention for secondary school students in Catalonia, Spain was not found to lead to a statistically significant reduction of smoking prevalence and incidence. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  16. Efficacy of infant simulator programmes to prevent teenage pregnancy: a school-based cluster randomised controlled trial in Western Australia.

    PubMed

    Brinkman, Sally A; Johnson, Sarah E; Codde, James P; Hart, Michael B; Straton, Judith A; Mittinty, Murthy N; Silburn, Sven R

    2016-11-05

    Infant simulator-based programmes, which aim to prevent teenage pregnancy, are used in high-income as well as low-income and middle-income countries but, despite growing popularity, no published evidence exists of their long-term effect. The aim of this trial was to investigate the effect of such a programme, the Virtual Infant Parenting (VIP) programme, on pregnancy outcomes of birth and induced abortion in Australia. In this school-based pragmatic cluster randomised controlled trial, eligible schools in Perth, Western Australia, were enrolled and randomised 1:1 to the intervention and control groups. Randomisation using a table of random numbers without blocking, stratification, or matching was done by a researcher who was masked to the identity of the schools. Between 2003 and 2006, the VIP programme was administered to girls aged 13-15 years in the intervention schools, while girls of the same age in the control schools received the standard health education curriculum. Participants were followed until they reached 20 years of age via data linkage to hospital medical and abortion clinic records. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of pregnancy during the teenage years. Binomial and Cox proportional hazards regression was used to test for differences in pregnancy rates between study groups. This study is registered as an international randomised controlled trial, number ISRCTN24952438. 57 (86%) of 66 eligible schools were enrolled into the trial and randomly assigned 1:1 to the intervention (28 schools) or the control group (29 schools). Then, between Feb 1, 2003, and May 31, 2006, 1267 girls in the intervention schools received the VIP programme while 1567 girls in the control schools received the standard health education curriculum. Compared with girls in the control group, a higher proportion of girls in the intervention group recorded at least one birth (97 [8%] of 1267 in the intervention group vs 67 [4%] of 1567 in the control group) or at least one abortion as the first pregnancy event (113 [9%] vs 101 [6%]). After adjustment for potential confounders, the intervention group had a higher overall pregnancy risk than the control group (relative risk 1·36 [95% CI 1·10-1·67], p=0·003). Similar results were obtained with the use of proportional hazard models (hazard ratio 1·35 [95% CI 1·10-1·67], p=0·016). The infant simulator-based VIP programme did not achieve its aim of reducing teenage pregnancy. Girls in the intervention group were more likely to experience a birth or an induced abortion than those in the control group before they reached 20 years of age. Western Australian Health Promotion Foundation (Healthway), Lotteries WA, the Western Australian Department of Education and Training, and the Western Australian Department of Health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Effectiveness of multifaceted educational programme to reduce antibiotic dispensing in primary care: practice based randomised controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    Simpson, Sharon A; Dunstan, Frank; Rollnick, Stephen; Cohen, David; Gillespie, David; Evans, Meirion R; health, senior lecturer in epidemiology and public; Alam, M Fasihul; Bekkers, Marie-Jet; Evans, John; Moore, Laurence; Howe, Robin; Hayes, Jamie; Hare, Monika; Hood, Kerenza

    2012-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and costs of a multifaceted flexible educational programme aimed at reducing antibiotic dispensing at the practice level in primary care. Design Randomised controlled trial with general practices as the unit of randomisation and analysis. Clinicians and researchers were blinded to group allocation until after randomisation. Setting 68 general practices with about 480 000 patients in Wales, United Kingdom. Participants 34 practices were randomised to receive the educational programme and 34 practices to be controls. 139 clinicians from the intervention practices and 124 from control practices had agreed to participate before randomisation. Practice level data covering all the clinicians in the 68 practices were analysed. Interventions Intervention practices followed the Stemming the Tide of Antibiotic Resistance (STAR) educational programme, which included a practice based seminar reflecting on the practices’ own dispensing and resistance data, online educational elements, and practising consulting skills in routine care. Control practices provided usual care. Main outcome measures Total numbers of oral antibiotic items dispensed for all causes per 1000 practice patients in the year after the intervention, adjusted for the previous year’s dispensing. Secondary outcomes included reconsultations, admissions to hospital for selected causes, and costs. Results The rate of oral antibiotic dispensing (items per 1000 registered patients) decreased by 14.1 in the intervention group but increased by 12.1 in the control group, a net difference of 26.1. After adjustment for baseline dispensing rate, this amounted to a 4.2% (95% confidence interval 0.6% to 7.7%) reduction in total oral antibiotic dispensing for the year in the intervention group relative to the control group (P=0.02). Reductions were found for all classes of antibiotics other than penicillinase-resistant penicillins but were largest and significant individually for phenoxymethylpenicillins (penicillin V) (7.3%, 0.4% to 13.7%) and macrolides (7.7%, 1.1% to 13.8%). There were no significant differences between intervention and control practices in the number of admissions to hospital or in reconsultations for a respiratory tract infection within seven days of an index consultation. The mean cost of the programme was £2923 (€3491, $4572) per practice (SD £1187). There was a 5.5% reduction in the cost of dispensed antibiotics in the intervention group compared with the control group (−0.4% to 11.4%), equivalent to a reduction of about £830 a year for an average intervention practice. Conclusion The STAR educational programme led to reductions in all cause oral antibiotic dispensing over the subsequent year with no significant change in admissions to hospital, reconsultations, or costs. Trial registration ISRCT No 63355948. PMID:22302780

  18. The Group-Based Assessment Approach in Nursing Education: The Perspective of Nursing Students on Group-Based Assessment Process at a Namibian University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nuuyoma, Vistolina

    2017-01-01

    Group-based assessments used in the Bachelor of Nursing Science (clinical) Honours programme at a public university in Namibia are usually in the form of assignments and projects. Completing tasks in groups helps students to develop important skills like critical thinking and debating. In addition, it prepares them to work in the health-care…

  19. The Role of Educational Drama in Korea's Integrated Arts Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kim, Hyejoo

    2017-01-01

    During the second half of 2014 in Seoul, South Korea, the author participated in the "Integrated Culture & Arts Education Workshop," which was held for local teachers and theatre practitioners. During the workshop, a group of participants designed a programme based on theatre conventions and dealing with social issues for youth.…

  20. Interactions between microfinance programmes and non-economic empowerment of women associated with intimate partner violence in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    Dalal, Koustuv; Dahlström, Örjan; Timpka, Toomas

    2013-01-01

    Objective This study aims to examine the associations between microfinance programme membership and intimate partner violence (IPV) in different socioeconomic strata of a nationally representative sample of women in Bangladesh. Methods The cross-sectional study was based on a nationally representative interview survey of 11 178 ever-married women of reproductive age (15–49 years). A total of 4465 women who answered the IPV-related questions were analysed separately using χ2 tests and Cramer's V as a measure of effect size to identify the differences in proportions of exposure to IPV with regard to microfinance programme membership, and demographic variables and interactions between microfinance programme membership and factors related to non-economic empowerment were considered. Results Only 39% of women were members of microfinance programmes. The prevalence of a history of IPV was 48% for moderate physical violence, 16% for severe physical violence and 16% for sexual violence. For women with secondary or higher education, and women at the two wealthiest levels of the wealth index, microfinance programme membership increased the exposure to IPV two and three times, respectively. The least educated and poorest groups showed no change in exposure to IPV associated with microfinance programmes. The educated women who were more equal with their spouses in their family relationships by participating in decision-making increased their exposure to IPV by membership in microfinance programmes. Conclusions Microfinance plans are associated with an increased exposure to IPV among educated and empowered women in Bangladesh. Microfinance firms should consider providing information about the associations between microfinance and IPV to the women belonging to the risk groups. PMID:24319278

  1. The effectiveness of an emotion-focused educational programme in reducing diabetes distress in adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (VEMOFIT): a cluster randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Chew, B H; Vos, R C; Stellato, R K; Ismail, M; Rutten, G E H M

    2018-06-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, value-based emotion-focused educational programme (VEMOFIT) in Malay adults with Type 2 diabetes mellitus compared with a programme of active listening to participants' emotional experiences, social support and their opinion on the health clinic diabetes care services (attention control). Malay adults with severe diabetes distress [Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS-17) mean score ≥ 3] were included. VEMOFIT consisted of four biweekly group sessions, a booster session after 3 months and a follow-up 6 months post intervention. The attention control programme consisted of three sessions over the same period. Outcomes included diabetes distress, depressive symptoms, self-efficacy and disease control. Required total sample size was 165. Participants (n = 124) were randomized to either VEMOFIT (n = 53) or the attention control programme (n = 71). Participants had a mean (sd) age of 55.7 (9.7) years, median diabetes duration of 7.0 (8.0) years and mean HbA 1c level of 82 mmol/mol (9.7%). The mean DDS-17 level decreased significantly in both the VEMOFIT and the attention control programmes (3.4 to 2.9 vs. 3.1 to 2.7, respectively). The adjusted between-group DDS-17 difference was not significant [-0.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.38, 0.35]. The proportion of individuals with severe diabetes distress decreased in both groups, from 89% to 47% vs. 69% to 39% (odds ratio 0.88; 95% CI 0.26, 2.90). Other outcomes did not differ between groups. Both interventions decreased diabetes distress significantly. The theory-based VEMOFIT programme was not superior to the attention control programme. The latter approach is a simpler way to decrease severe diabetes distress (Trial registration: NCT02730078; NMRR-15-1144-24803). © 2018 Diabetes UK.

  2. The Effect of Programmable Tactile Displays on Spatial Learning Skills in Children and Adolescents of Different Visual Disability.

    PubMed

    Leo, Fabrizio; Cocchi, Elena; Brayda, Luca

    2017-07-01

    Vision loss has severe impacts on physical, social and emotional well-being. The education of blind children poses issues as many scholar disciplines (e.g., geometry, mathematics) are normally taught by heavily relying on vision. Touch-based assistive technologies are potential tools to provide graphical contents to blind users, improving learning possibilities and social inclusion. Raised-lines drawings are still the golden standard, but stimuli cannot be reconfigured or adapted and the blind person constantly requires assistance. Although much research concerns technological development, little work concerned the assessment of programmable tactile graphics, in educative and rehabilitative contexts. Here we designed, on programmable tactile displays, tests aimed at assessing spatial memory skills and shapes recognition abilities. Tests involved a group of blind and a group of low vision children and adolescents in a four-week longitudinal schedule. After establishing subject-specific difficulty levels, we observed a significant enhancement of performance across sessions and for both groups. Learning effects were comparable to raised paper control tests: however, our setup required minimal external assistance. Overall, our results demonstrate that programmable maps are an effective way to display graphical contents in educative/rehabilitative contexts. They can be at least as effective as traditional paper tests yet providing superior flexibility and versatility.

  3. Building and expanding interprofessional teaching teams.

    PubMed

    Darlow, Ben; McKinlay, Eileen; Gallagher, Peter; Beckingsale, Louise; Coleman, Karen; Perry, Meredith; Pullon, Sue

    2017-03-01

    INTRODUCTION Interprofessional education (IPE) aims to prepare learners to work in collaborative health-care teams. The University of Otago, Wellington has piloted, developed and expanded an IPE programme since 2011. An interprofessional teaching team has developed alongside this programme. AIMS This study aimed to understand the development of a university-based interprofessional teaching team over a 4-year period and generate insights to aid the development of such teams elsewhere. METHODS Two semi-structured audio-recorded educator focus groups were conducted at key times in the development of the IPE programme in 2011 and 2014. The programme focused on long-term condition management and involved students from dietetics, medicine, physiotherapy and radiation therapy. Focus group transcripts were independently analysed by two researchers using Thematic Analysis to identify broad themes. Initial themes were compared, discussed and combined to form a thematic framework. The thematic framework was verified by the education team and subsequently updated and reorganised. RESULTS Three key themes emerged: (i) development as an interprofessional educator; (ii) developing a team; and (iii) risk and reward. Teaching in an interprofessional environment was initially daunting but confidence increased with experience. Team teaching highlighted educators' disciplinary roles and skill sets and exposed educators to different teaching approaches. Educators perceived they modelled team development processes to students through their own development as a team. Interprofessional teaching was challenging to organise but participation was rewarding. Programme expansion increased the risks and complexity, but also acted as a stimulus for development and energised the teaching team. DISCUSSION Interprofessional teaching is initially challenging but ultimately enriching. Interprofessional teaching skills take time to develop and perspectives of role change over time. Educator team development is aided by commitment, understanding, enthusiasm, leadership and trust.

  4. Nurse educators' experiences of case-based education in a South African nursing programme.

    PubMed

    Daniels, Felicity M; Fakude, Lorraine P; Linda, Ntombizodwa S; Marie Modeste, Rugira R

    2015-12-09

    A school of nursing at a university in the Western Cape experienced an increase in student enrolments from an intake of 150 students to 300 students in the space of one year. This required a review of the teaching and learning approach to ensure that it was appropriate for effective facilitation of large classes. The case-based education (CBE) approach was adopted for the delivery of the Bachelor of Nursing programme in 2005. The aim of the study was to explore nurse educators' experiences, current practices and possible improvements to inform best practice of CBE at the nursing school in the Western Cape. A participatory action research method was applied in a two day workshop conducted with nurse educators in the undergraduate nursing programme. The nominal group technique was used to collect the data. Three themes emerged from the final synthesis of the findings, namely: teaching and learning related issues, student issues and teacher issues. Amongst other aspects, theory and practice integration, as well as the need for peer support in facilitation of CBE, were identified as requiring strengthening. It was concluded that case-based education should continue to be used in the school, however, more workshops should be arranged to keep educators updated and new staff orientated in respect of this teaching and learning approach.

  5. Peer-assisted learning: time for nomenclature clarification.

    PubMed

    Olaussen, Alexander; Reddy, Priya; Irvine, Susan; Williams, Brett

    2016-01-01

    Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is used throughout all levels of healthcare education. Lack of formalised agreement on different PAL programmes may confuse the literature. Given the increasing interest in PAL as an education philosophy, the terms need clarification. The aim of this review is to 1) describe different PAL programmes, 2) clarify the terminology surrounding PAL, and 3) propose a simple pragmatic way of defining PAL programmes based on their design. A review of current PAL programmes within the healthcare setting was conducted. Each programme was scrutinised based on two aspects: the relationship between student and teacher, and the student to teacher ratio. The studies were then shown to fit exclusively into the novel proposed classification. The 34 programmes found, demonstrate a wide variety in terms used. We established six terms, which exclusively applied to the programmes. The relationship between student and teacher was categorised as peer-to-peer or near-peer. The student to teacher ratio suited three groupings, named intuitively 'Mentoring' (1:1 or 1:2), 'Tutoring' (1:3-10), and 'Didactic' (1:>10). From this, six novel terms - all under the heading of PAL - are suggested: 'Peer Mentoring', 'Peer Tutoring', 'Peer Didactic', 'Near-Peer Mentoring', 'Near-Peer Tutoring', and 'Near-Peer Didactic'. We suggest herein a simple pragmatic terminology to overcome ambiguous terminology. Academically, clear terms will allow effective and efficient research, ensuring furthering of the educational philosophy.

  6. Peer-assisted learning: time for nomenclature clarification.

    PubMed

    Olaussen, Alexander; Reddy, Priya; Irvine, Susan; Williams, Brett

    2016-01-01

    Background Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is used throughout all levels of healthcare education. Lack of formalised agreement on different PAL programmes may confuse the literature. Given the increasing interest in PAL as an education philosophy, the terms need clarification. The aim of this review is to 1) describe different PAL programmes, 2) clarify the terminology surrounding PAL, and 3) propose a simple pragmatic way of defining PAL programmes based on their design. Methods A review of current PAL programmes within the healthcare setting was conducted. Each programme was scrutinised based on two aspects: the relationship between student and teacher, and the student to teacher ratio. The studies were then shown to fit exclusively into the novel proposed classification. Results The 34 programmes found, demonstrate a wide variety in terms used. We established six terms, which exclusively applied to the programmes. The relationship between student and teacher was categorised as peer-to-peer or near-peer. The student to teacher ratio suited three groupings, named intuitively 'Mentoring' (1:1 or 1:2), 'Tutoring' (1:3-10), and 'Didactic' (1:>10). From this, six novel terms - all under the heading of PAL - are suggested: 'Peer Mentoring', 'Peer Tutoring', 'Peer Didactic', 'Near-Peer Mentoring', 'Near-Peer Tutoring', and 'Near-Peer Didactic'. Conclusions We suggest herein a simple pragmatic terminology to overcome ambiguous terminology. Academically, clear terms will allow effective and efficient research, ensuring furthering of the educational philosophy.

  7. Education Against Tobacco (EAT): a quasi-experimental prospective evaluation of a programme for preventing smoking in secondary schools delivered by medical students: a study protocol.

    PubMed

    Brinker, Titus J; Stamm-Balderjahn, Sabine; Seeger, Werner; Groneberg, David A

    2014-07-24

    A survey conducted by the German Federal Centre for Health Education in 2012 showed that 35.2% of all young adults (18-25 years) and 12.0% of all adolescents (12-17 years) in Germany are regular cigarette smokers. Most smoked their first cigarette in early adolescence. We recently reported a significantly positive short-term effect of a physician-delivered school-based smoking prevention programme on the smoking behaviour of schoolchildren in Germany. However, physician-based programmes are usually very expensive. Therefore, we will evaluate and optimise Education against Tobacco (EAT), a widespread, low-cost programme delivered by about 400 medical students from 16 universities in Germany. A prospective quasi-experimental study design with two measurements at baseline (t1) and 6 months post-intervention (t2) to investigate an intervention in 10-15-year-olds in grades 6-8 at German secondary schools. The intervention programme consists of two 60-min school-based medical-student-delivered modules with (module 1) and without the involvement of patients with tobacco-related diseases and control groups (no intervention). The study questionnaire measuring smoking status (water pipe and cigarette smoking), smoking-related cognitions, and gender, social and cultural aspects was designed and pre-tested in advance. The primary end point is the prevalence of smokers and non-smokers in the two study arms at 6 months after the intervention. The percentage of former smokers and new smokers in the two groups and the measures of smoking behaviour will be studied as secondary outcome measures. In accordance with Good Epidemiologic Practice (GEP) guidelines, the study protocol was submitted for approval by the responsible ethics committee, which decided that the study does not need ethical approval (Goethe University, Frankfurt-Main, Germany). Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, at conferences, within our scientific advisory board and through medical students within the EAT project. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  8. Effects of pressure ulcer classification system education programme on knowledge and visual differential diagnostic ability of pressure ulcer classification and incontinence-associated dermatitis for clinical nurses in Korea.

    PubMed

    Lee, Yun Jin; Kim, Jung Yoon

    2016-03-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pressure ulcer classification system education on clinical nurses' knowledge and visual differential diagnostic ability of pressure ulcer (PU) classification and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD). One group pre and post-test was used. A convenience sample of 407 nurses, participating in PU classification education programme of continuing education, were enrolled. The education programme was composed of a 50-minute lecture on PU classification and case-studies. The PU Classification system and IAD knowledge test (PUCS-KT) and visual differential diagnostic ability tool (VDDAT), consisting of 21 photographs including clinical information were used. Paired t-test was performed using SPSS/WIN 20.0. The overall mean difference of PUCS-KT (t = -11·437, P<0·001) and VDDAT (t = -21·113, P<0·001) was significantly increased after PU classification education. Overall understanding of six PU classification and IAD after education programme was increased, but lacked visual differential diagnostic ability regarding Stage III PU, suspected deep tissue injury (SDTI), and Unstageable. Continuous differentiated education based on clinical practice is needed to improve knowledge and visual differential diagnostic ability for PU classification, and comparison experiment study is required to examine effects of education programmes. © 2016 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. International recognition of basic medical education programmes.

    PubMed

    Karle, Hans

    2008-01-01

    This document aims to formulate a World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) policy and to open debate on the subject on international recognition of basic medical education institutions and programmes. We carried out a systematic review of international quality assurance of medical education and recognition methodology, including accreditation procedures and alternative quality assurance methods, with a focus on the role of the WFME in international recognition of basic medical education programmes. In order to further the intentions of the WFME, the Federation will: continue its activity to establish new Global Directories of Health Professions Education Institutions (GDHPEI); set up a planning working group to prepare the work of the international advisory committee for GDHPEI; develop a database of relevant accrediting and recognising agencies; continue its project on the promotion of proper national accreditation; establish a working group to develop principles to be used in the evaluation of medical schools and other health professions education institutions and their programmes for the purpose of international recognition, especially when proper accreditation is not feasible, and work with partners on training programmes for advisors and assessors. The new directory for medical schools, which will include qualitative information about basic medical education programmes, will provide a basis for the meta-recognition of medical schools' programmes by stimulating the establishment of national accreditation systems and other quality assurance instruments.

  10. The value of mentorship in medical education.

    PubMed

    Dalgaty, Faith; Guthrie, Greg; Walker, Heather; Stirling, Kevin

    2017-04-01

    The transition from senior medical student to working safely and effectively as a new junior doctor is one of the biggest challenges that a new graduate will face. In 2014 the General Medical Council published The state of medical education and practice in the UK, reporting that some new doctors continue to struggle with increased responsibilities. We classify these instances as a 'performance gap', describing occasions in clinical practice where an individual exceeds their performance capacity. The Medical Mentorship Programme addressed identified performance gaps through a structured curriculum of simulation-based education and facilitated clinical practice. Programme content was based on the experiences of the authors and their peers in graduating from their undergraduate training programme and becoming junior doctors. A questionnaire was disseminated to junior doctors in their first clinical rotation. The questionnaire asked doctors to describe instances where they experienced a performance gap. These data informed the development of the Medical Mentorship Programme. The effect of this programme was then evaluated via focus group discussion. The Medical Mentorship Programme has been shown to be an effective conduit for supporting the transfer of learning needed to address performance gaps in students. The programme increased the confidence of students in preparation for clinical practice and allowed junior doctors to reflect on their professional development. The programme combined complementary teaching techniques - mentorship, simulation and direct clinical experience - to aid the professional development of both students and mentors. Some new doctors continue to struggle with increased responsibilities. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Five road safety education programmes for young adolescent pedestrians and cyclists: a multi-programme evaluation in a field setting.

    PubMed

    Twisk, Divera A M; Vlakveld, Willem P; Commandeur, Jacques J F; Shope, Jean T; Kok, Gerjo

    2014-05-01

    A practical approach was developed to assess and compare the effects of five short road safety education (RSE) programmes for young adolescents that does not rely on injury or crash data but uses self reported behaviour. Questionnaires were administered just before and about one month after participation in the RSE programmes, both to youngsters who had participated in a RSE programme, the intervention group, and to a comparable reference group of youngsters who had not, the reference group. For each RSE programme, the answers to the questionnaires in the pre- and post-test were checked for internal consistency and then condensed into a single safety score using categorical principal components analysis. Next, an analysis of covariance was performed on the obtained safety scores in order to compare the post-test scores of the intervention and reference groups, corrected for their corresponding pre-test scores. It was found that three out of five RSE programmes resulted in significantly improved self-reported safety behaviour. However, the proportions of participants that changed their behaviour relative to the reference group were small, ranging from 3% to 20%. Comparisons among programme types showed cognitive approaches not to differ in effect from programmes that used fear-appeal approaches. The method used provides a useful tool to assess and compare the effects of different education programmes on self-reported behaviour. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. The implementation of problem-based learning: changing pedagogy in nurse education.

    PubMed

    Creedy, D; Hand, B

    1994-10-01

    Problem-based learning (PBL) employs approaches to teaching and learning in nurse education that develop meaningful links between theory and practice. The adoption of such approaches, however, may require changes in pedagogical beliefs and practices which reflect a student-centred approach to teaching and learning. This paper focuses on a group of volunteer nurse educators (n = 14) who attended a 7-month professional development programme centred on introducing pedagogical changes when adopting PBL. From this group, three nurse educators participated in an in-depth study which aimed to examine the processes of conceptual change associated with adopting PBL as part of alternative teaching strategies. These three participants held common concerns about the changes required to their current teaching practices when moving to a new pedagogical approach. On completion of the programme, varying degrees of change in existing instructional practices were evident. This change was found to result from engaging educators in reflection about practice, providing opportunities to implement the new approaches on a trial basis, and providing feedback and support throughout the change process.

  13. Religious Identity and Governmental Education Policies: The Case of the Sikh Community

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ozanne, William I.

    2010-01-01

    Faith ethos education has subjective elements in it that are elusive to planners and administrators of national and international systems. This paper looks at how Sikhs, a minority group both in India and in other countries to which they have migrated manage to retain their faith-based education programmes successfully and yet relate to the…

  14. Assessment Practices of Educational Psychologists in Aotearoa/New Zealand: From Diagnostic to Dialogic Ways of Working

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bourke, Roseanna; Dharan, Vijaya

    2015-01-01

    Psychologists working in education in Aotearoa/New Zealand work in diverse educational environments making day-to-day decisions informed by evidence-based practice. As a relatively small professional group with a complex work programme, they contribute to the assessments and decision-making processes of children and young people across multiple…

  15. Improving community development by linking agriculture, nutrition and education: design of a randomised trial of “home-grown” school feeding in Mali

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Providing food through schools has well documented effects in terms of the education, health and nutrition of school children. However, there is limited evidence in terms of the benefits of providing a reliable market for small-holder farmers through “home-grown” school feeding approaches. This study aims to evaluate the impact of school feeding programmes sourced from small-holder farmers on small-holder food security, as well as on school children’s education, health and nutrition in Mali. In addition, this study will examine the links between social accountability and programme performance. Design This is a field experiment planned around the scale-up of the national school feeding programme, involving 116 primary schools in 58 communities in food insecure areas of Mali. The randomly assigned interventions are: 1) a school feeding programme group, including schools and villages where the standard government programme is implemented; 2) a “home-grown” school feeding and social accountability group, including schools and villages where the programme is implemented in addition to training of community based organisations and local government; and 3) the control group, including schools and household from villages where the intervention will be delayed by at least two years, preferably without informing schools and households. Primary outcomes include small-holder farmer income, school participation and learning, and community involvement in the programme. Other outcomes include nutritional status and diet-diversity. The evaluation will follow a mixed method approach, including household, school and village level surveys as well as focus group discussions with small-holder farmers, school children, parents and community members. The impact evaluation will be incorporated within the national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system strengthening activities that are currently underway in Mali. Baselines surveys are planned for 2012. A monthly process monitoring visits, spot checks and quarterly reporting will be undertaken as part of the regular programme monitoring activities. Evaluation surveys are planned for 2014. Discussion National governments in sub-Saharan Africa have demonstrated strong leadership in the response to the recent food and financial crises by scaling-up school feeding programmes. “Home-grown” school feeding programmes have the potential to link the increased demand for school feeding goods and services to community-based stakeholders, including small-holder farmers and women’s groups. Alongside assessing the more traditional benefits to school children, this evaluation will be the first to examine the impact of linking school food service provision to small-holder farmer income, as well as the link between community level engagement and programme performance. Trial registration ISRCTN76705891 PMID:23433395

  16. Employment and educational outcomes in early intervention programmes for early psychosis: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Bond, G R; Drake, R E; Luciano, A

    2015-10-01

    Young adults with early psychosis want to pursue normal roles - education and employment. This paper summarises the empirical literature on the effectiveness of early intervention programmes for employment and education outcomes. We conducted a systematic review of employment/education outcomes for early intervention programmes, distinguishing three programme types: (1) those providing supported employment, (2) those providing unspecified vocational services and (3) those without vocational services. We summarised findings for 28 studies. Eleven studies evaluated early intervention programmes providing supported employment. In eight studies that reported employment outcomes separately from education outcomes, the employment rate during follow-up for supported employment patients was 49%, compared with 29% for patients receiving usual services. The two groups did not differ on enrolment in education. In four controlled studies, meta-analysis showed that the employment rate for supported employment participants was significantly higher than for control participants, odds ratio = 3.66 [1.93-6.93], p < 0.0001. Five studies (four descriptive and one quasi-experimental) of early intervention programmes evaluating unspecified vocational services were inconclusive. Twelve studies of early intervention programmes without vocational services were methodologically heterogeneous, using diverse methods for evaluating vocational/educational outcomes and precluding a satisfactory meta-analytic synthesis. Among studies with comparison groups, 7 of 11 (64%) reported significant vocational/education outcomes favouring early intervention over usual services. In early intervention programmes, supported employment moderately increases employment rates but not rates of enrolment in education. These improvements are in addition to the modest effects early programmes alone have on vocational/educational outcomes compared with usual services.

  17. Effects of Honours Programme Participation in Higher Education: A Propensity Score Matching Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kool, Ada; Mainhard, Tim; Jaarsma, Debbie; van Beukelen, Peter; Brekelmans, Mieke

    2017-01-01

    Honours programmes have become part of higher education systems around the globe, and an increasing number of students are enrolled in such programmes. So far, effects of these programmes are largely under-researched. Two gaps in previous research on the effects of such programmes were addressed: (1) most studies lack a comparable control group of…

  18. The Effects of a Professional Development Programme on Primary School Teachers' Perceptions of Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Jo; Cale, Lorraine; Musson, Hayley

    2011-01-01

    The impact of a professional development programme on primary school teachers' perceptions of physical education was investigated. Primary school teachers from five local education authorities in England provided data for the study via pre-course audits, course evaluations immediately following the programme, and focus groups and individual…

  19. Tailored educational supportive care programme on sleep quality and psychological distress in patients with heart failure: A randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Chang, Yia-Ling; Chiou, Ai-Fu; Cheng, Shu-Meng; Lin, Kuan-Chia

    2016-09-01

    Up to 74% of patients with heart failure report poor sleep in Taiwan. Poor symptom management or sleep hygiene may affect patients' sleep quality. An effective educational programme was important to improve patients' sleep quality and psychological distress. However, research related to sleep disturbance in patients with heart failure is limited in Taiwan. To examine the effects of a tailored educational supportive care programme on sleep disturbance and psychological distress in patients with heart failure. randomised controlled trial. Eighty-four patients with heart failure were recruited from an outpatient department of a medical centre in Taipei, Taiwan. Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=43) or the control group (n=41). Patients in the intervention group received a 12-week tailored educational supportive care programme including individualised education on sleep hygiene, self-care, emotional support through a monthly nursing visit at home, and telephone follow-up counselling every 2 weeks. The control group received routine nursing care. Data were collected at baseline, the 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks after patients' enrollment. Outcome measures included sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, anxiety, and depression. The intervention group exhibited significant improvement in the level of sleep quality and daytime sleepiness after 12 weeks of the supportive nursing care programme, whereas the control group exhibited no significant differences. Anxiety and depression scores were increased significantly in the control group at the 12th week (p<.001). However, anxiety and depression scores in the intervention group remained unchanged after 12 weeks of the supportive nursing care programme (p>.05). Compared with the control group, the intervention group had significantly greater improvement in sleep quality (β=-2.22, p<.001), daytime sleepiness (β=-4.23, p<.001), anxiety (β=-1.94, p<.001), and depression (β=-3.05, p<.001) after 12 weeks of the intervention. This study confirmed that a supportive nursing care programme could effectively improve sleep quality and psychological distress in patients with heart failure. We suggested that this supportive nursing care programme should be applied to clinical practice in cardiovascular nursing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Interactive web-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme: a randomised controlled feasibility trial

    PubMed Central

    Chaplin, Emma; Hewitt, Stacey; Apps, Lindsay; Bankart, John; Pulikottil-Jacob, Ruth; Boyce, Sally; Morgan, Mike; Williams, Johanna; Singh, Sally

    2017-01-01

    Objectives The aim of this study was to determine if an interactive web-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programme is a feasible alternative to conventional PR. Design Randomised controlled feasibility trial. Setting Participants with a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were recruited from PR assessments, primary care and community rehabilitation programmes. Patients randomised to conventional rehabilitation started the programme according to the standard care at their referred site on the next available date. Participants 103 patients were recruited to the study and randomised: 52 to conventional rehabilitation (mean (±SD) age 66 (±8) years, Medical Research Council (MRC) 3 (IQR2–4)); 51 to the web arm (mean (±SD) age 66 (±10) years, MRC 3 (IQR2–4)). Participants had to be willing to participate in either arm of the trial, have internet access and be web literate. Interventions Patients randomised to the web-based programme worked through the website, exercising and recording their progress as well as reading educational material. Conventional PR consisted of twice weekly, 2 hourly sessions (an hour for exercise training and an hour for education). Outcome measures Recruitment rates, eligibility, patient preference and dropout and completion rates for both programmes were collected. Standard outcomes for a PR assessment including measures of exercise capacity and quality of life questionnaires were also evaluated. Results A statistically significant improvement (p≤0.01) was observed within each group in the endurance shuttle walk test (WEB: mean change 189±211.1; PR classes: mean change 184.5±247.4 s) and Chronic Respiratory disease Questionnaire-Dyspnoea (CRQ-D; WEB: mean change 0.7±1.2; PR classes: mean change 0.8±1.0). However, there were no significant differences between the groups in any outcome. Dropout rates were higher in the web-based programme (57% vs 23%). Conclusions An interactive web-based PR programme is feasible and acceptable when compared with conventional PR. Future trials maybe around choice-based PR programmes for select patients enabling stratification of patient care. Trial registration number ISRCTN03142263; Results. PMID:28363923

  1. Applying Intervention Mapping to develop a community-based intervention aimed at improved psychological and social well-being of unmarried teenage mothers in Uganda.

    PubMed

    Leerlooijer, Joanne N; Kok, Gerjo; Weyusya, Joseph; Bos, Arjan E R; Ruiter, Robert A C; Rijsdijk, Liesbeth E; Nshakira, Nathan; Bartholomew, Leona K

    2014-08-01

    Out-of-wedlock pregnancy among adolescents in sub-Saharan Africa is a major concern, because of its association with health, social, psychological, economic and demographic factors. This article describes the development of the Teenage Mothers Project, a community-based intervention to improve psychological and social well-being of unmarried teenage mothers in rural Uganda. We used Intervention Mapping (IM) for systematically developing a theory and evidence-based comprehensive health promotion programme. A planning group consisting of community leaders, teenage mothers, staff of a community-based organization and a health promotion professional was involved in the six steps of IM: needs assessment, programme objectives, methods and applications, intervention design, planning for adoption and implementation and planning for evaluation. The programme includes five intervention components: community awareness raising, teenage mother support groups, formal education and income generation, counselling, and advocacy. The intervention components are based on a variety of theoretical methods, including entertainment education, persuasive communication, mobilization of social networks and social action. In conclusion, IM facilitated the planning group to structure the iterative, bottom-up, participatory design of the project in a real-life setting and to use evidence and theory. The article provides suggestions for the planning of support interventions for unmarried teenage mothers. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. Governance in community based health programmes in I.R of Iran.

    PubMed

    Falahat, Katayoun; Eftekhari, Monir Baradaran; Malekafzali, Hossein; Forouzan, Ameneh Setareh; Dejman, Masoumeh

    2013-02-01

    To assess the nature of community-based health programme experience in Iran, and use the results in order to advocate more friendly policies in community, academy and funding organisations. The qualitative study was done in 2010-11 at various locations in Iran using semi structural in-depth interviews with the principals and managers of programmes, and focus group discussions with volunteers and service users of 13 Community Based Health Programmes which were active for at least five years. A total of 21 in-depth interviews and 20 focus group discussions were conducted. Data analysis was based on deductive-inductive content analysis approach considering the pre-determined structure in accordance with the study questions. The participants' views were analysed within the main category of governance, including the three sub-categories of leadership, monitoring and evaluation, and resource mobilisation. According to the participants, governmental programmes have centralised decision-making and management processes and local volunteers have no role in selecting managers at different levels of a programme. Such programmes are funded by the governmental core resources. In non-government organisations, resources available for such purposes mainly come through charitable individuals, service delivery fees and profitable economical activities, financial participation of volunteers and by using other organisations' facilities. In most programmes, there were no systematic process for monitoring and evaluation. Community-based Health programmes in Iran need to be revised in line with the positive input.There is a need to have community-based units within the Ministry of Health and Medical Education and other relevant organisations.

  3. Introducing Group-Based Asynchronous Learning to Business Education. Reflections on Effective Course Design and Delivery

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Walker, Richard; Arnold, Ivo

    2004-01-01

    This paper explores the contribution of virtual tools to student learning within full-time management programmes. More specifically, the paper focuses on asynchronous communication tools, considering the scope they offer for group-based collaborative learning outside the classroom. We report on the effectiveness of this approach for an economics…

  4. The effects of a three-year smoking prevention programme in secondary schools in Helsinki.

    PubMed

    Vartiainen, Erkki; Pennanen, Marjaana; Haukkala, Ari; Dijk, Froukje; Lehtovuori, Riku; De Vries, Hein

    2007-06-01

    This study evaluates the effects of a 3-year smoking prevention programme in secondary schools in Helsinki. The study is part of the European Smoking prevention Framework Approach (ESFA), in which Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the UK participated. A total of 27 secondary schools in Finland participated in the programme (n = 1821). Schools were randomised into experimental (13) and control groups (14). The programme included 14 information lessons about smoking and refusal skills training. The 3-year smoking prevention programme was also integrated into the standard curriculum. The community-element of the programme included parents, parish confirmation camps and dentists. The schools in the experimental group received the prevention programme and the schools in the control group received the standard health education curriculum. Among baseline never smokers (60.8%), the programme had a significant effect on the onset of weekly smoking in the experimental group [OR = 0.63 (0.45-0.90) P = 0.009] when compared with the control group. Being female, doing poorly at school, having parents and best friends who smoke and more pocket money to spend compared with others were associated with an increased likelihood of daily and weekly smoking onset. These predictors did not have an interaction effect with the experimental condition. This study shows that a school- and community-based smoking prevention programme can prevent smoking onset among adolescents.

  5. MenCare+ in South Africa: Findings from a Gender Transformative Young Men's Group Education on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kedde, Harald; Rehse, Kerryn; Nobre, Giovanni; van den Berg, Wessel

    2018-01-01

    This paper details findings from an evaluation of a gender-transformative sexual and reproductive health and rights group education programme facilitated with young men aged 15-24 years in South Africa. A total of 475 young men participated in the group education programme. A self-administered pre- and post-questionnaire survey was conducted with…

  6. The Effect of the Values Education Programme on 5.5-6 Year Old Children's Social Development: Social Skills, Psycho-Social Development and Social Problem Solving Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dereli-Iman, Esra

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the Values Education Programme (developed for pre-school children) on the children's social skills, psycho-social development, and social problem solving skills. The sample group consisted of 66 children (33 experimental group, 33 control group) attending pre-school. The Values Education Programme…

  7. Effects of two physical education programmes on health- and skill-related physical fitness of Albanian children.

    PubMed

    Jarani, J; Grøntved, A; Muca, F; Spahi, A; Qefalia, D; Ushtelenca, K; Kasa, A; Caporossi, D; Gallotta, M C

    2016-01-01

    This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of two school-based physical education (PE) programmes (exercise-based and games-based) compared with traditional PE, on health- and skill-related physical fitness components in children in Tirana, Albania. Participants were 378 first-grade (6.8 years) and 389 fourth-grade (9.8 years) children attending four randomly selected schools in Tirana. Twenty-four school classes within these schools were randomly selected (stratified by school and school grade) to participate as exercise group (EG), games group (GG) and control group (CG). Both EG and GG intervention programmes were taught by professional PE teachers using station/circuit teaching framework while CG referred to traditional PE school lessons by a general teacher. All programmes ran in parallel and lasted 5 months, having the same frequency (twice weekly) and duration (45 min). Heart rate (HR) monitoring showed that intensity during PE lessons was significantly higher in the intervention groups compared with control (P < 0.001). Both PE exercise- and games programmes significantly improved several health- and skill-related fitness indicators compared with traditional PE lessons (e.g. gross motor skill summary score: 9.4 (95% CI 7.9; 10.9) for exercise vs. control and 6.5 (95% CI 5.1; 8.1) for games vs. control, cardiorespiratory fitness: 2.0 ml O2 · min(-1) · kg(-1) (95% CI 1.5; 2.4) for exercise vs. control and 1.4 ml O2 · min(-1) · kg(-1) (95% CI 1.0; 1.8) for games vs. control). Furthermore, compared to games-based PE, exercise-based PE showed more positive changes in some gross motor coordination skills outcomes, coordination skills outcomes and cardiorespiratory fitness. The results from this study show that exercise- and games-based PE represents a useful strategy for improving health- and skill-related physical fitness in Albanian elementary school children. In addition, the study shows that exercise-based PE was more effective than games-based PE in improving gross motor function and cardiorespiratory fitness.

  8. Designing Adult Education Activities: A Case of Civic Education Programmes by National Commission for Civic Education in the Ashaiman Municipality in Ghana

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Afriyie, Sally Adwoa

    2015-01-01

    This article discusses the efficiency of the design of educational activities of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in Ashaiman municipality in Ghana. Using a descriptive case study design, data was collected from seven (7) Community Based Groups in Ashaiman. The results of the study indicated that to a large extent, there was…

  9. "Crossing the Sahara without Water": Experiencing Class Inequality through the Back to Education Allowance Welfare to Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Power, Martin

    2008-01-01

    This article critically appraises the success of the Back To Education Allowance (BTEA) in removing barriers to participation in 3rd level education for welfare recipients in Ireland. The paper is based on empirical data from focus group and in-depth qualitative interviews with 3rd level students on the BTEA. This study argues that it is…

  10. Diabetes education: what do adolescents want?

    PubMed

    Chaney, David; Coates, Vivien; Shevlin, Mark; Carson, Dennis; McDougall, Andrea; Long, Arlene

    2012-01-01

    To establish adolescents' beliefs regarding the need for structured diabetes education and their views on how such a programme should be organised and what topics need to be addressed. Structured diabetes education programmes have become common place in diabetes care in recent years. Despite the use of these programmes in adult patients, to date, there exists no tried or tested programme for adolescents. Prior to the development of programmes for this age group, there is a need to establish their views on programme content, delivery mechanisms and how best to introduce structured education in this population. An exploratory qualitative study. Five focus group interviews were undertaken across three acute Hospital Trusts in Northern Ireland. A total of 21 adolescents between 13-19 years were interviewed. Data were analysed by means of a thematic content analysis framework. All participants expressed a need for a structured education programme specifically tailored to their needs. The complexity of existing diabetes regimens brought with it feelings of frustration and guilt for the majority of adolescents. Many felt isolated and alone. Dietary management and insulin adjustment were seen as very complex. Participants favoured a structured diabetes education programme that was short in duration, practical in nature, positive in outlook and relevant to daily life. Relevance to clinical practice.  Programmes should address the specific needs of adolescents, be delivered in a practical manner and be realistic for everyday use. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  11. ‘11 for Health’, a football-based health education programme for children: a two-cohort study in Mauritius and Zimbabwe

    PubMed Central

    Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid; Dorasami, Cadrivel; DeCelles, Jeff; Dvorak, Jiri

    2011-01-01

    Objectives To implement and assess Fédération Internationale de Football Association Medical Assessment and Research Centre's ‘11 for Health’ football-based health education programme for children. Design Prospective, 2-cohort study. Setting In-school groups (Mauritius); out-of-school groups (Zimbabwe). Participants Mauritius: 389 children, aged 12–15 years; Zimbabwe: 395 children, aged 10–14 years. Intervention Eleven 90-min sessions, each divided into two 45-min halves of Play Football (focusing on one football skill) and Play Fair (focusing on one health issue). Main outcome measures 30-item questionnaire implemented pre and postintervention to assess children's health knowledge; six-item questionnaire implemented postintervention to assess children's views about the ‘11 for Health’ programme. Results Mean pre and postintervention health knowledge scores were greater in Mauritius (pre: 69.3%; post: 87.1%) than Zimbabwe (pre: 57.8%; post: 76.2%) but the mean gain in health knowledge was greater in Zimbabwe (18.4%) than Mauritius (17.8%). There were few significant differences in the outcomes for boys and girls in both countries. The ‘11 for Health’ programme was received positively by the children in both countries and there were no significant differences in the views of boys and girls in either country. Conclusions The study demonstrated that it was possible to achieve significant increases in children's knowledge for all health messages by implementing the ‘11 for Health’ programme in a school-based setting in collaboration with a national Football Association and in an out-of-school setting in collaboration with a non-government organisation. Based on these positive results, the authors recommend that the programme be widely implemented in Africa in co-operation with government and non-government organisations. PMID:21504962

  12. '11 for Health', a football-based health education programme for children: a two-cohort study in Mauritius and Zimbabwe.

    PubMed

    Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid; Dorasami, Cadrivel; DeCelles, Jeff; Dvorak, Jiri

    2011-06-01

    To implement and assess Fédération Internationale de Football Association Medical Assessment and Research Centre's '11 for Health' football-based health education programme for children. Prospective, 2-cohort study. In-school groups (Mauritius); out-of-school groups (Zimbabwe). Mauritius: 389 children, aged 12-15 years; Zimbabwe: 395 children, aged 10-14 years. Eleven 90-min sessions, each divided into two 45-min halves of Play Football (focusing on one football skill) and Play Fair (focusing on one health issue). 30-item questionnaire implemented pre and postintervention to assess children's health knowledge; six-item questionnaire implemented postintervention to assess children's views about the '11 for Health' programme. Mean pre and postintervention health knowledge scores were greater in Mauritius (pre: 69.3%; post: 87.1%) than Zimbabwe (pre: 57.8%; post: 76.2%) but the mean gain in health knowledge was greater in Zimbabwe (18.4%) than Mauritius (17.8%). There were few significant differences in the outcomes for boys and girls in both countries. The '11 for Health' programme was received positively by the children in both countries and there were no significant differences in the views of boys and girls in either country. The study demonstrated that it was possible to achieve significant increases in children's knowledge for all health messages by implementing the '11 for Health' programme in a school-based setting in collaboration with a national Football Association and in an out-of-school setting in collaboration with a non-government organisation. Based on these positive results, the authors recommend that the programme be widely implemented in Africa in co-operation with government and non-government organisations.

  13. Linking agriculture and nutrition education to improve infant and young child feeding: Lessons for future programmes.

    PubMed

    Muehlhoff, Ellen; Wijesinha-Bettoni, Ramani; Westaway, Elizabeth; Jeremias, Theresa; Nordin, Stacia; Garz, Julia

    2017-10-01

    Agriculture and food systems play a central role in nutrition by supplying nutritious, healthy and affordable foods. When integrated with nutrition education for behaviour change, agricultural interventions that supply diverse affordable foods from all food groups have great scope for improving young child and family diets. In 2014, process reviews were conducted in Cambodia and Malawi of food security projects that provided agricultural support and community-based nutrition education on improved infant and young child feeding (IYCF). In both countries, household visits were carried out with mothers/caregivers, and interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted with purposively selected project stakeholders (53 in Cambodia, 170 in Malawi), including government staff from the agriculture and health sectors. Results highlight that adoption of improved IYCF practices was facilitated by participation in nutrition education and practical cooking sessions, and supportive family and community structures. Barriers faced by families and caregivers were identified, such as women's workload and lack of access to high quality foods, namely fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and animal source foods. Implementation challenges regarding coordination of cross-sectoral targeting strategies and capacities of extension services to sustain community-based IYCF nutrition education need to be addressed to improve programme effectiveness and impact. The project lessons from Cambodia and Malawi are useful for integrated agriculture-IYCF nutrition education programmes to help ensure better young child nutrition outcomes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. The effect of a self-efficacy-based educational programme on maternal breast feeding self-efficacy, breast feeding duration and exclusive breast feeding rates: A longitudinal study.

    PubMed

    Chan, Man Yi; Ip, Wan Yim; Choi, Kai Chow

    2016-05-01

    breast feeding has a number of well-documented benefits. Numerous studies have been conducted to investigate an effective approach to increase the breast feeding rate, duration and exclusive breast feeding rate, in which maternal breast feeding self-efficacy was determined as one of the major contributors. Although numerous breast feeding educational programmes have been developed to enhance maternal breastfeeding self-efficacy, results on the effectiveness of these programmes remain inconclusive. this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of a self-efficacy-based breast feeding educational programme (SEBEP) in enhancing breast feeding self-efficacy, breast feeding duration and exclusive breast feeding rates among mothers in Hong Kong. eligible pregnant women were randomized to attend a 2.5-hour breast feeding workshop at 28-38 weeks of gestation and receive 30-60minutes of telephone counselling at two weeks post partum, whereas both intervention and control groups received usual care. At two weeks postpartum, the Breast feeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF) and a self-developed post partum questionnaire were completed via telephone interviews. The breast feeding duration, pattern of breast feeding and exclusive breast feeding rates were recorded at two weeks, four weeks, eight weeks and six months post partum. results of analyses based on an intention-to-treat (ITT) assumption showed a significant difference (p<0.01) in the change in BSES-SF mean scores between the mothers who received SEBEP and those who did not receive SEBEP at two weeks post partum. The exclusive breast feeding rate was 11.4% for the intervention group and 5.6% for the control group at six months post partum. the findings of this study highlight the feasibility of a major trial to implement breast feeding education targeted at increasing breast feeding self-efficacy and exclusive breast feeding rates in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Culture-specific programs for children and adults from minority groups who have asthma.

    PubMed

    Bailey, Emily J; Cates, Christopher J; Kruske, Sue G; Morris, Peter S; Chang, Anne B; Brown, Ngiare

    2009-01-21

    People with asthma who come from minority groups have poorer asthma outcomes and more asthma related visits to Emergency Departments (ED). Various programmes are used to educate and empower people with asthma and these have previously been shown to improve certain asthma outcomes. Models of care for chronic diseases in minority groups usually include a focus of the cultural context of the individual and not just the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, questions about whether culturally specific asthma education programmes for people from minority groups are effective at improving asthma outcomes, are feasible and are cost-effective need to be answered. To determine whether culture-specific asthma programmes, in comparison to generic asthma education programmes or usual care, improve asthma related outcomes in children and adults with asthma who belong to minority groups. We searched the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, review articles and reference lists of relevant articles. The latest search was performed in May 2008. All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the use of culture-specific asthma education programmes with generic asthma education programmes, or usual care, in adults or children from minority groups who suffer from asthma. Two review authors independently selected, extracted and assessed the data for inclusion. We contacted authors for further information if required. Four studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. A total of 617 patients, aged from 5 to 59 years were included in the meta-analysis of data. Use of a culture-specific programme was superior to generic programmes or usual care, in improving asthma quality of life scores in adults, pooled WMD 0.25 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.41), asthma knowledge scores in children, WMD 3.30 (95% CI 1.07 to 5.53), and in a single study, reducing asthma exacerbation in children (risk ratio for hospitalisations 0.32, 95%CI 0.15, 0.70). Current limited data show that culture-specific programmes for adults and children from minority groups with asthma, are more effective than generic programmes in improving most (quality of life, asthma knowledge, asthma exacerbations, asthma control) but not all asthma outcomes. This evidence is limited by the small number of included studies and the lack of reported outcomes. Further trials are required to answer this question conclusively.

  16. Culture-specific programs for children and adults from minority groups who have asthma.

    PubMed

    Bailey, Emily J; Cates, Christopher J; Kruske, Sue G; Morris, Peter S; Brown, Ngiare; Chang, Anne B

    2009-04-15

    People with asthma who come from minority groups have poorer asthma outcomes and more asthma related visits to Emergency Departments (ED). Various programmes are used to educate and empower people with asthma and these have previously been shown to improve certain asthma outcomes. Models of care for chronic diseases in minority groups usually include a focus of the cultural context of the individual and not just the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, questions about whether culturally specific asthma education programmes for people from minority groups are effective at improving asthma outcomes, are feasible and are cost-effective need to be answered. To determine whether culture-specific asthma programmes, in comparison to generic asthma education programmes or usual care, improve asthma related outcomes in children and adults with asthma who belong to minority groups. We searched the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, review articles and reference lists of relevant articles. The latest search was performed in May 2008. All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the use of culture-specific asthma education programmes with generic asthma education programmes, or usual care, in adults or children from minority groups who suffer from asthma. Two review authors independently selected, extracted and assessed the data for inclusion. We contacted authors for further information if required. Four studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. A total of 617 patients, aged from 5 to 59 years were included in the meta-analysis of data. Use of a culture-specific programme was superior to generic programmes or usual care, in improving asthma quality of life scores in adults, pooled WMD 0.25 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.41), asthma knowledge scores in children, WMD 3.30 (95% CI 1.07 to 5.53), and in a single study, reducing asthma exacerbation in children (risk ratio for hospitalisations 0.32, 95%CI 0.15, 0.70). Current limited data show that culture-specific programmes for adults and children from minority groups with asthma, are more effective than generic programmes in improving most (quality of life, asthma knowledge, asthma exacerbations, asthma control) but not all asthma outcomes. This evidence is limited by the small number of included studies and the lack of reported outcomes. Further trials are required to answer this question conclusively.

  17. Effectiveness of a structured education reminiscence-based programme for staff on the quality of life of residents with dementia in long-stay units: a study protocol for a cluster randomised trial.

    PubMed

    O'Shea, Eamon; Devane, Declan; Murphy, Kathy; Cooney, Adeline; Casey, Dympna; Jordan, Fionnuala; Hunter, Andrew; Murphy, Edel

    2011-02-14

    Current projections indicate that there will be a significant increase in the number of people with dementia in Ireland, from approximately 40,000 at present to 100,000 by 2036. Psychosocial interventions, such as reminiscence, have the potential to improve the quality of life of people with dementia. However, while reminiscence is used widely in dementia care, its impact on the quality of life of people with dementia remains largely undocumented and there is a need for a robust and fair assessment of its overall effectiveness. The DementiA education programme incorporating REminiscence for Staff study will evaluate the effectiveness of a structured reminiscence-based education programme for care staff on the quality of life of residents with dementia in long-stay units. The study is a two-group, single-blind cluster randomised trial conducted in public and private long-stay residential settings in Ireland. Randomisation to control and intervention is at the level of the long-stay residential unit. Sample size calculations suggest that 18 residential units each containing 17 people with dementia are required for randomisation to control and intervention groups to achieve power of at least 80% with alpha levels of 0.05. Each resident in the intervention group is linked with a nurse and care assistant who have taken the structured reminiscence-based education programme. Participants in the control group will receive usual care. The primary outcome is quality of life of residents as measured by the Quality of Life-AD instrument. Secondary outcomes include agitation, depression and carer burden. Blinded outcome assessment is undertaken at baseline and at 18-22 weeks post-randomisation. Trials on reminiscence-based interventions for people with dementia have been scarce and the quality of the information arising from those that have been done has been undermined by methodological problems, particularly in relation to scale and scope. This trial is powered to deliver more credible and durable results. The trial may also convey process utility to a long-stay system in Ireland that has not been geared for education and training, especially in relation to dementia. The results of this trial are applicable to long-stay residential units in Ireland and internationally. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN99651465.

  18. Community-based physical activity intervention using principles of social marketing: a demonstration project in Southern India.

    PubMed

    Subitha, L; Soudarssanane, M Bala; Murugesan, R

    2013-01-01

    We aimed to study the development and implementation of promotion of physical activity in a rural community by applying the principles of social marketing and to determine participation behaviour in a physical activity programme in a community setting. The intervention targeted 485 people, 20-49 years of age, residents of Periakattupalayam and Rangareddipalayam villages, Tamil Nadu. This community-based participatory research was based on the principles of 'social marketing'. Health education by one-to-one counselling, written materials and community events were used to popularize moderate intensity physical activity (brisk walking for 30 minutes on 4 days/week). We formed 30 walking groups under four coordinators, in a home-based setting with professional supervision and guidance. A log of physical activity sessions for the 10-week intervention period was maintained in the form of group attendance record. Village leaders, self-help groups and youth clubs were involved in promoting physical activity. Of the 485 subjects, 265 people (54.6%) engaged in brisk walking >4 days a week, while 156 subjects (32.2%) performed walking on 1-4 days per week during the intervention. The drop-out rate was 13.2% (64 subjects). Age, occupation and educational status were important determinants of participation and adherence to the physical activity programme. Application of social marketing techniques in an intervention to promote physical activity was successful in a rural Indian community. Studying the determinants of adoption of a physical activity programme and addressing the barriers to behaviour change are essential for designing relevant policies and effective programmes. Copyright 2012, NMJI.

  19. Researching, Teaching and Professional Development: How to Build Quality and Reflection into Our MPA-Programmes?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Notten, Ton

    2013-01-01

    Continuing adult education requires continuous education of the educators themselves--a highly self-referential issue. This article focuses on educating a group of "urban educators" in the western part of the Netherlands who have been involved in broad urban educational programmes: school, parental education and participation, living…

  20. A Self-Management Programme of Activity Coping and Education - SPACE for COPD(C) - in primary care: The protocol for a pragmatic trial.

    PubMed

    Bourne, Claire LA; Kanabar, Pratiksha; Mitchell, Katy; Schreder, Sally; Houchen-Wolloff, Linzy; Bankart, M John G; Apps, Lindsay; Hewitt, Stacey; Harvey-Dunstan, Theresa; Singh, Sally J

    2017-07-10

    National guidance for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suggests that self-management support be provided for patients. Our institution has developed a standardised, manual-based, supported self-management programme: Self-Management Programme of Activity Coping and Education (SPACE for COPD(C)). SPACE was previously piloted on a 1-2-1 basis, delivered by researchers, to individuals with COPD. Discussions with stakeholders highlighted considerable interest in delivering the SPACE for COPD(C) intervention as a group-based self-management programme facilitated by healthcare professionals (HCPs) in primary care settings. The study aims are to explore the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy for the intervention to be delivered and supported by HCPs and to examine whether group-based delivery of SPACE for COPD(C), with sustained support, improves patient outcomes following the SPACE for COPD(C) intervention. A prospective, multi-site, single-blinded randomised controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted, with follow-up at 6 and 9 months. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the control group (usual care) or intervention group (a six-session, group-based SPACE for COPD(C)self-management programme delivered over 5 months). The primary outcome is change in COPD assessment test at 6 months.A discussion session will be conducted with HCPs who deliver the intervention to discuss and gain insight into any potential facilitators/barriers to implementing the intervention in practice. Furthermore, we will conduct semi-structured focus groups with intervention participants to understand feasibility and acceptability. All qualitative data will be analysed thematically. The project has received a favourable opinion from South Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee, REC reference: 14/SC/1169 and full R&D approval from the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust: 152408.Study results will be disseminated through appropriate peer-reviewed journals, national and international respiratory/physiotherapy conferences, via the Collaboration and Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care and through social media. ISRCTN17942821; pre-results. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  1. Widening the Educational Capabilities of Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Students through a Model of Social and Cultural Capital Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hannon, Cliona; Faas, Daniel; O'Sullivan, Katriona

    2017-01-01

    Widening participation programmes aim to increase the progression of students from low socio-economic status (SES) groups to higher education. This research proposes that the human capabilities approach is a good justice-based framework within which to consider the social and cultural capital processes that impact upon the educational capabilities…

  2. Train the trainer? A randomized controlled trial of a multi-tiered oral health education programme in community-based residential services for adults with intellectual disability.

    PubMed

    Mac Giolla Phadraig, Caoimhin; Guerin, Suzanne; Nunn, June

    2013-04-01

    To assess the impact of a multi-tiered oral health education programme on care staff caring for people with intellectual disability (ID). Postal questionnaires were sent to all care staff of a community-based residential care service for adults, randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. A specifically developed training programme was delivered to residential staff nominees, who then trained all staff within the intervention group. The control group received no training. Post-test questionnaires were sent to both groups. Paired-samples t-test was used to compare oral health-related knowledge (K) and behaviour, attitude and self-efficacy (BAS) scores. Of the initial 219 respondents, 154 (response rate between 40% and 35.8%, with attrition rate of 29.7% from baseline to repeat) returned completed questionnaires at post-test (M=8.5 months, range=6.5-11 months). Control and intervention groups were comparable for general training, employment and demographic variables. In the intervention group, mean Knowledge Index score rose from K=7.2 to K=7.9 (P<0.001) and mean BAS scale score rose from BAS=4.7 to BAS=5.4 (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant increase in mean scores from test (K=7.0, BAS=4.7) to post-test (K=7.2, BAS=4.9) for the control group. Mean scores regarding knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy and reported behaviour increased significantly at 8.5 months in staff where training was provided. The results indicate that a multi-tiered training programme improved knowledge, attitude, self-efficacy and reported behaviour amongst staff caring for people with ID. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  3. Distance learning for maternal and child health nurses and midwives in Mongolia: a qualitative evaluation.

    PubMed

    Willott, C; Sakashita, R; Gendenjamts, E; Yoshino, Y

    2018-03-23

    Continuing education is vital for the development of the competencies of nurses and midwives. We analysed the effectiveness of a distance education programme for maternal and child health nurses and midwives in Mongolia, assessing its strengths and limitations and ways in which it could be improved. The aim of this research is to provide an analysis of the successes and failures of the programme, in order to improve future versions of this and similar programmes in Mongolia and elsewhere. We carried out a qualitative descriptive study in Mongolia in August 2015. This consisted of three semi-structured interviews and two focus groups in the Second National Hospital, Ulaanbaatar, and three semi-structured interviews and one focus group in Dornogovi Provincial Maternal Hospital, Sainshand, Dornogovi Province. In total, there were 22 participants in our research. Data from the interviews and focus groups were thematically coded and analysed using NVivo version 10. The distance education programme is well received by participants. They suggest that it has improved their clinical practice and education in a number of areas, and are anxious for the programme to continue. A number of alterations would be necessary to improve both the quality of the programme and the ability of participants to foster change on the basis of what they have learnt. This provides challenges for both the programme organizers and the providers of maternal and child health services in Mongolia. The success of the distance education programme suggests that collaborations of this type are a cost-effective method of disseminating best practice in policy and practice to improve the quality of care provided to mothers and children in low-resource settings. A distance education programme is vital to link maternal care providers in Mongolia to new trends in care. Mongolia's relative isolation means that this programme is particularly valuable there. However, the programme could work equally well in other developing country settings. © 2018 International Council of Nurses.

  4. Patient education as a status passage in life - An ethnographic study exploring participation in a Danish group based patient education programme.

    PubMed

    Kristiansen, Tine Mechlenborg; Antoft, Rasmus

    2016-06-01

    In this paper, we apply the theory of status passage to the empirical field of group-based patient education. On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork carried out in the context of a local Danish patient education programme aimed at people diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, we illustrate how participation in the programme for the recently diagnosed is a regularised status passage symbolising a transition in life from a novice to a more experienced person with chronic illness. We demonstrate how central properties of status passage are at play and how they are shaped by interactions among the different agents: participants, lay experts and health professionals. We highlight how the unique biographical situation of the individual and the individual timing of participation is an important factor affecting whether the patient education programme succeeds in regularising the status passage. We highlight the ambiguity of the role of the health professionals in directing the status passage of the recently diagnosed. On one hand, health professionals empowered the participants by giving them access to professional knowledge and guidance and thereby supporting the status passage. On the other hand, the effort to direct responsibility back to the participants did not consider individual biographical situations, and thereby risked leaving the participants frustrated and unable to pass. Further, we point to the special significance of the socialising process between the participants, with the recently diagnosed being the novices asking questions and seeking guidance and the lay experts and the experienced participants taking the role of coaches, guiding the recently diagnosed managing the status passage into chronic illness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Effects of a supportive educational nursing care programme on fatigue and quality of life in patients with heart failure: a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Wang, Tzu-Chieh; Huang, Jin-Long; Ho, Wen-Chao; Chiou, Ai-Fu

    2016-04-01

    Fatigue is a common symptom in patients with heart failure that is easy to ignore. In addition, fatigue may affect patients' physical function and psychosocial conditions that can impair their quality of life. An effective nursing care programme is required to alleviate patients' fatigue and improve their quality of life. To investigate the effects of a supportive educational nursing care programme on fatigue and quality of life in patients with heart failure. A randomised controlled trial design was used. Ninety-two patients with heart failure were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n=47) or a control group (n=45). The patients in the intervention group participated in 12 weeks of a supportive educational nursing care programme including fatigue assessment, education, coaching self-care and evaluation. The intervention was conducted by a cardiac nurse during four face-to-face interviews and three follow-up telephone interviews. Fatigue and quality of life were assessed at the baseline and 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks after enrollment in both groups. The participants in the intervention group exhibited a significant decrease in the level of fatigue after 12 weeks, whereas those in the control group exhibited no significant changes. Compared with the control group, the intervention group exhibited a significantly greater decrease in the level of fatigue and significantly greater improvement in quality of life after 12 weeks of intervention. The supportive educational nursing care programme was recommended to alleviate fatigue and improve quality of life in patients with heart failure. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

  6. A process evaluation of the 'Aware' and 'Supportive Communities' gambling harm-minimisation programmes in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Kolandai-Matchett, Komathi; Bellringer, Maria; Landon, Jason; Abbott, Max

    2018-04-01

    The Gambling Act 2003 mandated a public health strategy for preventing and minimising gambling harm in New Zealand. Aware Communities and Supportive Communities are two public health programmes subsequently implemented nationwide. These programmes differed from common health promotion initiatives such as media or education campaigns as they were community-action based (requiring community involvement in programme planning and delivery). We carried out a process evaluation to determine their implementation effectiveness and inform improvement and future programme planning. Our qualitative dominant mixed methods design comprised analysis of over a hundred implementer progress reports (submitted July 2010 - June 2013), a staff survey and a staff focus group interview. The programmes demonstrated capacity to not only achieve expected outcomes (e.g. enhanced community awareness about harmful gambling), but also to enhance social sustainability at the community level (e.g. established trustful relationships) and achieve some programme sustainability (e.g. community ownership over ongoing programme delivery). The evaluation noted the potential for a sustainable gambling harm-minimisation model. Community-action based harm-minimisation programmes offer programme sustainability potential which in turn offers funding cost-effectiveness when there are continual public health outcomes beyond initial funding. Although resource intensive, the community-action based approach enables culturally appropriate public health programmes suitable for societies where specific ethnic groups have higher gambling risk. Recognition of such harm-minimisation programmes' contribution to social sustainability is important considering the potential for broader public health outcomes (e.g. better life quality, lesser social problems) within socially sustainable societies.

  7. The Safety Tips for ATV Riders (STARs) programme: short-term impact of a school-based educational intervention.

    PubMed

    Jennissen, Charles A; Peck, Jeffrey; Wetjen, Kristel; Hoogerwerf, Pam; Harland, Karisa K; Denning, Gerene M

    2015-06-01

    Since 1985, one-third of all US all-terrain vehicle (ATV)-related injuries and one-quarter of deaths involved victims <16 years of age. ATV safety education of youth could help reduce these tragedies. To assess the efficacy of the Safety Tips for ATV Riders (STARs) school-based programme targeting adolescents. A survey was anonymously administered before and after the programme to determine demographics, knowledge and reported likelihood of using the information learned. Over 4600 students in 30 Iowa schools participated from November 2010 to April 2013. Initially, 52% knew most ATVs are designed for one rider, 25% knew the recommended vehicle size for their age range and 42% knew riding on Iowa's roads was legal only for agricultural purposes. After the programme, this increased to 92%, 82% and 76%, respectively (p<0.0001 in each case), with 61% of students correct on all three. Better preintervention scores were associated with being males, higher riding frequency and being from isolated rural communities. After the programme, 48% and 32% said they were likely/very likely versus unlikely/very unlikely to use the safety information learned, respectively; younger students, females and infrequent riders reported higher likelihoods. STARs increased short-term ATV safety knowledge and almost half the participants reported they would use the safety information presented. Males and frequent riders seemed more resistant, but some groups that may be more vulnerable to potential ATV crash and injury appeared amenable to the training with higher increases in postprogramme scores and greater intention of improving safety behaviours. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  8. Towards tailored teaching: using participatory action research to enhance the learning experience of Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship students in a South African rural district hospital.

    PubMed

    von Pressentin, Klaus B; Waggie, Firdouza; Conradie, Hoffie

    2016-03-08

    The introduction of Stellenbosch University's Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) model as part of the undergraduate medical curriculum offers a unique and exciting training model to develop generalist doctors for the changing South African health landscape. At one of these LIC sites, the need for an improvement of the local learning experience became evident. This paper explores how to identify and implement a tailored teaching and learning intervention to improve workplace-based learning for LIC students. A participatory action research approach was used in a co-operative inquiry group (ten participants), consisting of the students, clinician educators and researchers, who met over a period of 5 months. Through a cyclical process of action and reflection this group identified a teaching intervention. The results demonstrate the gaps and challenges identified when implementing a LIC model of medical education. A structured learning programme for the final 6 weeks of the students' placement at the district hospital was designed by the co-operative inquiry group as an agreed intervention. The post-intervention group reflection highlighted a need to create a structured programme in the spirit of local collaboration and learning across disciplines. The results also enhance our understanding of both students and clinician educators' perceptions of this new model of workplace-based training. This paper provides practical strategies to enhance teaching and learning in a new educational context. These strategies illuminate three paradigm shifts: (1) from the traditional medical education approach towards a transformative learning approach advocated for the 21(st) century health professional; (2) from the teaching hospital context to the district hospital context; and (3) from block-based teaching towards a longitudinal integrated learning model. A programme based on balancing structured and tailored learning activities is recommended in order to address the local learning needs of students in the LIC model. We recommend that action learning sets should be developed at these LIC sites, where the relevant aspects of work-place based learning are negotiated.

  9. Can a Targeted, Group-Based CBT Intervention Reduce Depression and Anxiety and Improve Self-Concept in Primary-Age Children?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Callaghan, Paul; Cunningham, Enda

    2015-01-01

    This pilot study examined the impact of a 10 session, group-based, early-intervention cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme (Cool Connections) on anxiety, depression and self-concept in nine 8-11 year old pupils in Northern Ireland. The intervention was facilitated by a teacher, education welfare officer and two classroom assistants, with…

  10. Development and evaluation of a newborn care education programme in primiparous mothers in Nepal.

    PubMed

    Shrestha, Sharmila; Adachi, Kumiko; Petrini, Marcia A; Shrestha, Sarita; Rana Khagi, Bina

    2016-11-01

    the health and survival of newborns depend on high levels of attention and care from caregivers. The growth and development of some infants are unhealthy because of their mother's or caregiver's lack of knowledge or the use of inappropriate or traditional child-rearing practices that may be harmful. to develop a newborn care educational programme and evaluate its impact on infant and maternal health in Nepal. a randomised controlled trial. one hundred and forty-three mothers were randomly assigned to the intervention (n=69) and control (n=74) groups. Eligible participants were primiparous mothers who had given birth to a single, full-term, healthy infant, and were without a history of obstetric, medical, or psychological problems. prior to being discharged from the postnatal unit, the intervention group received our structured newborn care education programme, which consisted of one-on-one educational sessions lasting 10-15minutes each and one postpartum follow-up telephone support within two weeks after discharge, in addition to the hospital's routine general newborn care education. The control group received only the regular general newborn care education. Outcomes were measured by using Newborn care Knowledge Questionnaires, Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults and infant health and care status. the number of mothers attending the health centre due to the sickness of their babies was significantly decreased in the intervention group compared to the control group. Moreover, the intervention group had significant increases in newborn care knowledge and confidence, and decreases in anxiety, compared with the control group. the structured newborn care education programme enhanced the infant and mother health. Moreover, it increased maternal knowledge of newborn care and maternal confidence; and reduced anxiety in primiparous mothers. Thus, this educational programme could be integrated into routine educational programs to promote maternal and infant well-being in Nepalese society. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. "You Can Only Get a Degree!" Theoretically Situating the Alterations to the Back to Education Allowance Welfare to Education Programme of 2003/04

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Power, Martin J.

    2010-01-01

    This article critically examines the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) as a mechanism of social inclusion for Irish welfare recipients through participation in third-level education. The article is based on empirical data from focus group and in-depth qualitative interviews with third-level students on the BTEA, and key informants. The article…

  12. Mixed-Age Grouping in Early Childhood--Creating the Outdoor Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rouse, Elizabeth

    2015-01-01

    Children attending centre-based early childhood care and education programmes across Australia are most likely to be grouped according to age and development. While multi- or mixed-age grouping has been seen to have positive benefits on young children's learning and pro-social behaviours, this approach is not usually adopted in the organisation of…

  13. Periodontal health: CPITN as a promotional strategy.

    PubMed

    Croxson, L J; Purdell-Lewis, D

    1994-10-01

    Community and individual involvement are essential needs in preventive programmes for periodontal health. Campaigns should be directed towards a better individual understanding of the importance of healthy gum tissues if a functional healthy dentition is to be retained over a lifetime. Effective awareness campaigns require not only participation and education of the general public, but also all levels of health care professionals. Awareness programmes need to be carefully planned and their messages clear, non-conflicting and regularly reinforced. The complete programme should be based on, and include, specific aims, goals, strategies, monitoring and evaluation. Oral health and hygiene promotion campaigns need careful coordination between the relevant agencies or institutions involved in their implementation, such as government agencies, professional associations, industry, aid groups and education organisations.

  14. The Effect of the Visual Awareness Education Programme on the Visual Literacy of Children Aged 5-6

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Özkubat, S.; Ulutas, I.

    2018-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the "Visual Awareness Education Programme" developed to support the visual literacy skills of preschool children. The study group comprised 40 children (20 children in the experimental group and 20 children in the control group) attending preschool in the 2014-2015 school…

  15. [Knowledge and use of different support programs in the context of early prevention in relation to family-related psychosocial burden].

    PubMed

    Eickhorst, Andreas; Schreier, Andrea; Brand, Christian; Lang, Katrin; Liel, Christoph; Renner, Ilona; Neumann, Anna; Sann, Alexandra

    2016-10-01

    The Federal Initiative for Early Prevention (funded by German ministry BMFSFJ), through the development of specific assistance programmes, supports families that suffer from psychosocial burden. As nationally representative data are missing, the National Centre for Early Prevention carried out a national survey on the psychosocial burden experienced by families with children aged 0-3 years. Ascertainment of the connections between family-related psychosocial burden and knowledge and use of different assistance programmes. Via paediatricians, 8063 parents were recruited to complete a questionnaire on objective burden, subjective experience of burden as well as knowledge and use of assistance programmes. Differences in knowledge and use between educational groups were tested by means of chi-squared tests. Very good knowledge of available assistance programmes and the offer and acceptance of aid by family midwives were subjected to regression analyses. Clear differences in knowledge and use of individual assistance programmes between educational groups were observed. Many programmes are predominantly used by better educated families, although there are exceptions, for example in the case of family midwives. Despite generally small group differences, less-educated families are the proportionally largest user group of family midwives. Furthermore we present average predicted percentages of knowledge and use for specific groups of psychosocially burdened parents as derived from the regression analyses. The results are discussed in the context of barriers to access for individual assistance programmes as well as their match with families' needs in the practice of early prevention.

  16. Culture-specific programs for children and adults from minority groups who have asthma.

    PubMed

    Bailey, E J; Kruske, S G; Morris, P S; Cates, C J; Chang, A B

    2008-04-16

    People with asthma who come from minority groups have poorer asthma outcomes and more asthma related visits to Emergency Departments (ED). Various programmes are used to educate and empower people with asthma and these have previously been shown to improve certain asthma outcomes. Models of care for chronic diseases in minority groups usually include a focus of the cultural context of the individual and not just the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, questions about whether culturally specific asthma education programmes for people from minority groups are effective at improving asthma outcomes, are feasible and are cost-effective need to be answered. To determine whether culture-specific asthma programmes, in comparison to generic asthma education programmes or usual care, improve asthma related outcomes in children and adults with asthma who belong to minority groups. We searched the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register, MEDLINE, EMBASE, review articles and reference lists of relevant articles. The latest search was performed in March 2007. All randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the use of culture-specific asthma education programmes with generic asthma education programmes, or usual care, in adults or children from minority groups who suffer from asthma. Two review authors independently selected, extracted and assessed the data for inclusion. We contacted authors for further information if required. Three studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. A total of 396 patients, aged from 7 to 59 years were included in the meta-analysis of data. Use of a culture-specific programme was superior to generic programmes or usual care, in improving asthma quality of life scores in adults, pooled WMD 0.25 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.41) and asthma knowledge scores in children, WMD 3.30 (95% CI 1.07 to 5.53). There was no significant difference between groups in occurrence of asthma exacerbations, but the width of the confidence interval means that effects on exacerbation rates cannot be ruled out, rate ratio 0.93 (95% CI 0.80 to 1.10). Culture-specific programmes for adults and children from minority groups with asthma, have been found to be more effective than generic programmes in improving some (Quality of Life and asthma knowledge) but not all asthma outcomes. This evidence is limited by the small number of included studies and the lack of reported outcomes. Further trials are required to answer this question conclusively.

  17. Difficulties Experienced in Setting and Achieving Goals by Participants of a Falls Prevention Programme: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Mason, Wendy; Haines, Terry P.

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Purpose: To evaluate the ability of participants of a falls prevention programme to set and achieve goals. Methods: The study used a prospective longitudinal design and a mixed-methods approach to data collection. Study participants were (1) 220 older adults participating in a 15-week combined exercise and education falls prevention programme and (2) 9 practitioners (3 home-care nurses, 5 community workers, and an exercise physiologist) involved in delivering the programme. Data from goal-setting forms were analyzed, and descriptive statistics were used to determine the number of appropriate goals set and achieved. Data were analyzed according to programme setting (home- or group-based) and whether or not participants were classified as being from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background in the Australian context. Semi-structured interviews with programme practitioners were thematically analyzed. Results: A total of 144 respondents (n=75 CALD group, n=41 non-CALD group, n=6 CALD home, n=22 non-CALD home) set 178 goals. Only 101 (57%) goals could be evaluated according to achievement, because participants set goals that focused on health state instead of behaviour, set goals not relevant to falls prevention, used inappropriate constructs to measure goal achievement, and either did not review their goals or dropped out of the programme before goal review. Of these 101 goals, 64 were achieved. Practitioners described their own difficulties in understanding the process of setting health behaviour goals along with communication, cultural, and logistic difficulties. Conclusions: Both CALD and non-CALD participants and those participating in both group- and home-based programmes experienced difficulty in setting and achieving goals to facilitate behaviour change for falls prevention. Data suggest that home-based participants had more difficulty in setting goals than their group-based counterparts and, to a lesser extent, that CALD participants experienced more difficulty in setting goals than their non-CALD counterparts. The use of a guided approach to goal setting and the need for more specific practitioner training and follow-up support regarding goal setting in the context of a falls prevention programme should be considered. PMID:25922563

  18. Difficulties experienced in setting and achieving goals by participants of a falls prevention programme: a mixed-methods evaluation.

    PubMed

    Haas, Romi; Mason, Wendy; Haines, Terry P

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the ability of participants of a falls prevention programme to set and achieve goals. The study used a prospective longitudinal design and a mixed-methods approach to data collection. Study participants were (1) 220 older adults participating in a 15-week combined exercise and education falls prevention programme and (2) 9 practitioners (3 home-care nurses, 5 community workers, and an exercise physiologist) involved in delivering the programme. Data from goal-setting forms were analyzed, and descriptive statistics were used to determine the number of appropriate goals set and achieved. Data were analyzed according to programme setting (home- or group-based) and whether or not participants were classified as being from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background in the Australian context. Semi-structured interviews with programme practitioners were thematically analyzed. A total of 144 respondents (n=75 CALD group, n=41 non-CALD group, n=6 CALD home, n=22 non-CALD home) set 178 goals. Only 101 (57%) goals could be evaluated according to achievement, because participants set goals that focused on health state instead of behaviour, set goals not relevant to falls prevention, used inappropriate constructs to measure goal achievement, and either did not review their goals or dropped out of the programme before goal review. Of these 101 goals, 64 were achieved. Practitioners described their own difficulties in understanding the process of setting health behaviour goals along with communication, cultural, and logistic difficulties. Both CALD and non-CALD participants and those participating in both group- and home-based programmes experienced difficulty in setting and achieving goals to facilitate behaviour change for falls prevention. Data suggest that home-based participants had more difficulty in setting goals than their group-based counterparts and, to a lesser extent, that CALD participants experienced more difficulty in setting goals than their non-CALD counterparts. The use of a guided approach to goal setting and the need for more specific practitioner training and follow-up support regarding goal setting in the context of a falls prevention programme should be considered.

  19. Challenges in adopting evidence-based school drug education programmes.

    PubMed

    Cahill, Helen W

    2007-11-01

    The paper discusses the school-based challenges that may moderate the implementation of evidence-based drug education in schools. Knowledge about what constitutes an effective evidence-based drug education programme is discussed in relation to the challenge of delivery in the school setting. Research demonstrates that drug education should be engaging, incorporate interactive learning strategies, stimulate higher-order thinking, promote learning and be transferable to real life circumstances. This may difficult to accomplish in practice, as a range of contextual challenges and ideological assumptions may moderate the teacher's capacity to deliver a programme of this nature. Collaborative learning strategies are not the norm in schools and therefore teachers may find interactive drug education programmes difficult to adopt. Conflicting ideological assumptions about effective epistemological approaches to drug education may also direct the way in which teachers modify programmes in the local context. Teachers need professional training and support if they are to adopt successfully evidence-based school drug education programmes. This support may be enhanced if it includes whole school approaches to effective pedagogy and the development of pro-social classroom environments. Drug education research should take account of the complexities of implementation in the school setting and investigate further the professional and organisational support that teachers require in order to maintain high-quality provision in the school context.

  20. A Qualitative Process Evaluation of Classroom-Based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy to Reduce Adolescent Depression

    PubMed Central

    Taylor, John A.; Phillips, Rhiannon; Cook, Ellen; Georgiou, Lucy; Stallard, Paul; Sayal, Kapil

    2014-01-01

    Small scale trials indicate that classroom-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for adolescents has good reach and can help prevent depression. However, under more diverse everyday conditions, such programmes tend not to show such positive effects. This study examined the process of implementing a classroom-based CBT depression prevention programme as part of a large (n = 5,030) randomised controlled trial across eight UK secondary schools which was not found to be effective (PROMISE, ISRCTN19083628). The views of young people (n = 42), teachers (n = 12) and facilitators (n = 16) involved in the Resourceful Adolescent Programme (RAP) were obtained via focus groups and interviews which were thematically analysed. The programme was considered to be well structured and contain useful content, particularly for younger pupils. However, challenges associated with implementation were its age appropriateness for all year groups, its perceived lack of flexibility, the consistency of quality of delivery, the competing demands for teacher time and a culture where academic targets were prioritised over personal, social and health education. Whilst schools are convenient locations for introducing such programmes and allow good reach, the culture around improving well-being of young people in schools, increasing engagement with teachers and young people and sustaining such programmes are issues that need addressing. PMID:24905241

  1. The interactive animated epilepsy education programme (IAEEP): how feasible, acceptable and practical is the technology to children?

    PubMed

    Lua, Pei Lin; Neni, Widiasmoro Selamat; Lee, Jimmy Kok Foo; Abd Aziz, Zariah

    2013-01-01

    Being well-informed and knowledgeable about their illnesses would be a great advantage to children with epilepsy (CWE). Subsequently, an effective education programme which could secure interest and simultaneously improve their awareness, knowledge and attitudes (AKA) is essential in enhancing well-being and health outcomes. To describe the development of a new interactive animated epilepsy education programme (IAEEP) for children and to assess its feasibility, acceptability and practicality. The IAEEP was developed by an interdisciplinary group of neurologist, paediatrician, pharmacist, biomedical scientist and educators which was based on two established epilepsy education programmes: the educational programme for patients with epilepsy and their relatives (MOSES) and the modular educational program for children with epilepsy and their parents (FAMOSES). CWE from paediatric department of three general hospitals in Terengganu were initially introduced to the IAEEP and were requested to complete an evaluation form assessing its feasibility, acceptability and practicality. Descriptive statistics were employed for data analyses (SPSS 20.0). Sixteen CWE (median age=13.0; male=56.2%; Malay=81.2%; secondary school=56.2%) and their corresponding parents were recruited. Each CWE owned at least a computer/notebook/tablet (100%). The cost of distribution of IAEEP (in compact disc form) among CWE was estimated at about MYR 17.99/USD 5.90 per CWE. The average time required to interact with the programme was 22.8 minutes (SD=3.3, range 18-28 minutes). The programme was 100% acceptable and received full support from both CWE and their parents (100%). The favourable findings from this study add to the growing evidence suggesting that investment in interactive and animated education programme would be both feasible, well-received by patients and could be a potentially valuable approach to increase access and effectiveness of epilepsy care especially among CWE.

  2. Quality and safety in the transitional care of the elderly (phase 2): the study protocol of a quasi-experimental intervention study for a cross-level educational programme

    PubMed Central

    Storm, Marianne; Groene, Oliver; Testad, Ingelin; Dyrstad, Dagrunn N; Heskestad, Randi N; Aase, Karina

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Transitional care and patient handover are important areas to ensure quality and safety in elderly healthcare services. Previous studies showed that healthcare professionals have little knowledge of the setting they are transferring patients to and a limited understanding of roles and functions; these constitute barriers to effective communication and shared care responsibilities across levels of care. Aim The main objective is to implement a cross-level education-based intervention programme with healthcare professionals aimed at (1) increasing professionals’ awareness and competencies about quality and safety in the transitional care of the elderly; (2) creating a discussion platform for knowledge exchange and learning across levels and units of care and (3) improving patient safety culture, in particular, in transitional care. Methods and analysis A quasi-experimental control group study design with an intervention group and a control group; this includes a pretest, post-test and 1-year follow-up test assessment of patient safety culture. Qualitative data will be collected during the intervention programme and between the measurements. The study design will be beneficial for addressing the effects of the cross-level educational intervention programme on reports of patient safety culture and for addressing the feasibility of the intervention measures. Ethics and dissemination The study has been approved by the Regional Committees for Medical and Health Research Ethics in Norway, Ref. No. 2011/1978. The study is based on informed written consent; informants can withdraw from the study at any point in time. The results will be disseminated at research conferences, in peer review journals and through public presentations outside the scientific community. PMID:25082425

  3. Empowerment of Bilingual Education Professionals: The Training of Trainers Programme for Educators in Multilingual Settings in Southern Africa (ToTSA) 2002-2005

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Benson, Carol; Pluddemann, Peter

    2010-01-01

    This article describes a South Africa-based training programme in multilingual education for African educators and assesses its potentially transformative effects on participants. Based on a range of data collected during four course runs, as well as an e-mail survey of past participants, the authors explore how the programme has supported…

  4. Application of multimedia-based exercise programmes focused on improvement of the schoolgirls' musculoskeletal system during breaks between classes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bendíková, Elena

    2017-11-01

    This pilot study presents theoretical basis related to the purpose and methodology of the presented research the aim of which is to point to the importance of multimedia-based physical activity (exercise programme) done during breaks between classes. The purpose of this programme is to prevent occurrence of functional disorders of the musculoskeletal system among schoolchildren. The experimental and control groups were composed of the female students of the third grade at one secondary school in the town of L. Mikuláš. We obtained the data by means of standardized methods used for assessment of the musculoskeletal system in medical and physical education practice. The obtained qualitative and quantitative data were processed by means of the chi-squared test and the non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The results significantly (p<0.01) proved a positive effect of the multimedia-based exercise programme on the experimental group (Mwwtest=8.639, p<0.01), especially the positive and significant (p<0.01, p<0.05) effect on the functional status of the muscular system.

  5. Enhancing Learning with the Social Media: Student Teachers' Perceptions on Twitter in a Debate Activity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tur, Gemma; Marín, Victoria I.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents research focused on the educational experience of students using the microblogging platform Twitter for debate activities in three groups in different teacher education programmes at the University of the Balearic Islands, Spain. The implementation of this technology-based task in a face-to-face class was introduced as an…

  6. Questioning the Character and Significance of Convergence between Social Network and Professional Practices in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Turvey, Keith

    2012-01-01

    This paper captures and characterises the interplay between a group of student teachers' narratives of social network practice and their emergent professional practice with technologies. Teachers on an Initial Teacher Education programme in the UK spent a semester studying a module that synthesised university-based lectures with a professional…

  7. Learning in Non-Formal Education: Is It "Youthful" for Youth in Action?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norqvist, Lars; Leffler, Eva

    2017-01-01

    This article offers insights into the practices of a non-formal education programme for youth provided by the European Union (EU). It takes a qualitative approach and is based on a case study of the European Voluntary Service (EVS). Data were collected during individual and focus group interviews with learners (the EVS volunteers), decision takers…

  8. The Triple Shift: Student-Mothers, Identity Work and Engagement with Low-Status Vocationally Related Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Paul H.

    2017-01-01

    This paper discusses a piece of qualitative research that examined the narratives that a group of learners articulated when they discussed their experiences of studying on a relatively low-status, vocationally related higher education programme. These students were school-based teaching assistants who were undertaking foundation degree study at a…

  9. The effect of the emotional intelligence education programme on quality of life in haemodialysis patients.

    PubMed

    Shahnavazi, Masoome; Parsa-Yekta, Zohreh; Yekaninejad, Mir-Saeed; Amaniyan, Sara; Griffiths, Pauline; Vaismoradi, Mojtaba

    2018-02-01

    This study investigated the effect of the emotional intelligence education programme on quality of life of haemodialysis patients. Nurses need knowledge development regarding the impact of educational strategies on patients' quality of life suffering from chronic diseases. A pragmatic quasi-randomized controlled trial was conducted with 47 haemodialysis patients attending a university hospital in an urban area of Iran. The patients were randomly assigned to intervention (n=23) and control (n=24) groups. A socio-demographic questionnaire, the Cyberia-Shrink Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-Short Form were used to gather data. The intervention group attended an educational programme on emotional intelligence that consisted of six-group discussion sessions. To ensure the continuity of learning and to measure the subsequent expected behavioural changes, the patients filled out the data collection tools six and 12weeks after the completion of the education programme. The mean score of quality of life in the intervention group was 39.94±15.88 in pre-test, 44.87±16.04 six weeks and 52.47±16.07 at the 12weeks after the intervention (p=0.032). The consideration of emotional intelligence educational strategies by nurses requires its incorporation into pre-qualifying nursing degrees and professional development programmes. Nurse managers need to lead nurses for applying emotional intelligence in daily practice with the aim of providing an holistic patient care. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Effects of an educational programme on shared decision-making among Korean nurses.

    PubMed

    Jo, Kae-Hwa; An, Gyeong-Ju

    2015-12-01

    This study was conducted to examine the effects of an educational programme on shared decision-making on end-of-life care performance, moral sensitivity and attitude towards shared decision-making among Korean nurses. A quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Forty-one clinical nurses were recruited as participants from two different university hospitals located in Daegu, Korea. Twenty nurses in the control group received no intervention, and 21 nurses in the experimental group received the educational programme on shared decision-making. Data were collected with a questionnaire covering end-of-life care performance, moral sensitivity and attitude towards shared decision-making. Analysis of the data was done with the chi-square test, t-test and Fisher's exact test using SPSS/Win 17.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). The experimental group showed significantly higher scores in moral sensitivity and attitude towards shared decision-making after the intervention compared with the control group. This study suggests that the educational programme on shared decision-making was effective in increasing the moral sensitivity and attitude towards shared decision-making among Korean nurses. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  11. Application of segmented dental panoramic tomography among children: positive effect of continuing education in radiation protection

    PubMed Central

    Waltimo-Sirén, Janna; Laatikainen, Tuula; Haukka, Jari; Ekholm, Marja

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: Dental panoramic tomography is the most frequent examination among 7–12-year olds, according to the Radiation Safety and Nuclear Authority of Finland. At those ages, dental panoramic tomographs (DPTs) are mostly obtained for orthodontic reasons. Children's dose reduction by trimming the field size to the area of interest is important because of their high radiosensitivity. Yet, the majority of DPTs in this age group are still taken by using an adult programme and never by using a segmented programme. The purpose of the present study was to raise the awareness of dental staff with respect to children's radiation safety, to increase the application of segmented and child DPT programmes by further educating the whole dental team and to evaluate the outcome of the educational intervention. Methods: A five-step intervention programme, focusing on DPT field limitation possibilities, was carried out in community-based dental care as a part of mandatory continuing education in radiation protection. Application of segmented and child DPT programmes was thereafter prospectively followed up during a 1-year period and compared with our similar data from 2010 using a logistic regression analysis. Results: Application of the child programme increased by 9% and the segmented programme by 2%, reaching statistical significance (odds ratios 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.23–2.30; p-value < 0.001). The number of repeated exposures remained at an acceptable level. The segmented DPTs were most frequently taken from the maxillary lateral incisor–canine area. Conclusions: The educational intervention resulted in improvement of radiological practice in respect to radiation safety of children during dental panoramic tomography. Segmented and child DPT programmes can be applied successfully in dental practice for children. PMID:27142159

  12. Application of segmented dental panoramic tomography among children: positive effect of continuing education in radiation protection.

    PubMed

    Pakbaznejad Esmaeili, Elmira; Waltimo-Sirén, Janna; Laatikainen, Tuula; Haukka, Jari; Ekholm, Marja

    2016-05-23

    Dental panoramic tomography is the most frequent examination among 7-12-year olds, according to the Radiation Safety and Nuclear Authority of Finland. At those ages, dental panoramic tomographs (DPTs) are mostly obtained for orthodontic reasons. Children's dose reduction by trimming the field size to the area of interest is important because of their high radiosensitivity. Yet, the majority of DPTs in this age group are still taken by using an adult programme and never by using a segmented programme. The purpose of the present study was to raise the awareness of dental staff with respect to children's radiation safety, to increase the application of segmented and child DPT programmes by further educating the whole dental team and to evaluate the outcome of the educational intervention. A five-step intervention programme, focusing on DPT field limitation possibilities, was carried out in community-based dental care as a part of mandatory continuing education in radiation protection. Application of segmented and child DPT programmes was thereafter prospectively followed up during a 1-year period and compared with our similar data from 2010 using a logistic regression analysis. Application of the child programme increased by 9% and the segmented programme by 2%, reaching statistical significance (odds ratios 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.23-2.30; p-value < 0.001). The number of repeated exposures remained at an acceptable level. The segmented DPTs were most frequently taken from the maxillary lateral incisor-canine area. The educational intervention resulted in improvement of radiological practice in respect to radiation safety of children during dental panoramic tomography. Segmented and child DPT programmes can be applied successfully in dental practice for children.

  13. Effect of antenatal education in small classes versus standard auditorium-based lectures on use of pain relief during labour and of obstetric interventions: results from the randomised NEWBORN trial.

    PubMed

    Brixval, Carina Sjöberg; Thygesen, Lau Caspar; Axelsen, Solveig Forberg; Gluud, Christian; Winkel, Per; Lindschou, Jane; Weber, Tom; Due, Pernille; Koushede, Vibeke

    2016-06-10

    To examine the effect of an antenatal education programme in small classes versus standard auditorium-based lectures. Randomised trial using random-generated web-based 1:1 allocation. The largest birth site in the Capital Region of Denmark, from August 2012 to May 2014. 1766 pregnant women. Inclusion criteria ≥18 years, pregnant with a single child, and able to speak and understand Danish. Women were enrolled in the trial from 10+0 to 20+0 weeks of gestation. The intervention programme consisted of three times 2.5 hours of antenatal education in small classes (n=6-8 women), and focused on improving information and problem-solving skills for expectant parents in order to ease birth and the transition to parenthood. The control group received standard auditorium-based lectures consisting of two times 2 hours in an auditorium with participation of ∼250 people. The primary trial outcome was use of epidural analgesia. Other types of pain relief and obstetric interventions were analysed as explorative outcomes. There was no statistically significant difference in use of epidural analgesia between participants in the intervention group (30.9%) versus the control group (29.1%), adjusted OR 1.10 (95% CI 0.87 to 1.34). Also, the two groups did not differ regarding other types of pain relief or obstetric interventions. Concomitant birth preparation was common in both groups and highest in the control group, but did not seem to influence our results noticeably. Antenatal education in small groups versus standard auditorium-based lectures did not differ regarding use of epidural analgesia, other pain relief, or obstetric interventions. NCT01672437; Results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  14. Development and Validation of a Culturally-Tailored Breast Cancer Health Education Programme for Arab Women

    PubMed Central

    Alkhasawneh, Esra; Al-Farsi, Yahya; Al-Simadi, Fayez; Leocadio, Michael

    2017-01-01

    Objectives This study aimed to develop and validate a health education programme to encourage breast cancer awareness and early detection behaviours among Arab women. Methods This study took place between December 2015 and March 2016. The Enabling Systems Raising Awareness model was used to develop a breast cancer health education programme which was subsequently implemented by trained health educators at three female-only fitness clubs in Muscat, Oman. Breast cancer knowledge among 53 women was assessed using the breast module of the Cancer Awareness Measure before and after each health education session. Overall pre- and post-session knowledge scores were then compared. Additionally, three focus group discussions were conducted with 10 participants from each location. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcribed discussions and collect feedback on the programme. Results The health education sessions resulted in a statistically significant increase in overall mean knowledge scores (P <0.001). Participants also reported significantly improved intentions to undertake early detection practices (P <0.001). The focus group discussions yielded distinct themes and valuable feedback which can be utilised in the future to create an improved version of the programme. Conclusion While the health education programme significantly improved breast cancer and early detection knowledge among a cohort of Arab women, it still required critical improvements in terms of structure and administration. Additional studies are required in order to evaluate long-term behavioural outcomes resulting from the improved programme. PMID:28690890

  15. Increases in knowledge following a course of sex education for people with intellectual disabilities.

    PubMed

    Lindsay, W R; Bellshaw, E; Culross, G; Staines, C; Michie, A

    1992-12-01

    Although sex education programmes are thought to be useful in teaching people with intellectual disabilities, there is very little evidence that the material taught is retained by clients. This paper reports data which has been collected routinely on a sex education programme. Forty-six subjects were assessed on their level of sexual knowledge in seven areas: parts of the body, masturbation, male puberty, female puberty, intercourse, pregnancy and childbirth, and birth control and venereal disease. They were retested after a 9-month sex education programme and tested again at a 3-month follow-up. A control group of 14 subjects were tested on two occasions, 4 months apart. There were significant and substantial increases in sexual knowledge on all areas for the experimental group. The control group showed no corresponding increases in knowledge.

  16. [Applying a teaching programme in community-based medical education].

    PubMed

    Al-Faisal, W

    2006-01-01

    A community-based medical education programme at Damascus University was applied in a local setting from 2 to 12 July 2004 to assess the advantages and disadvantages. Three families and 10 medical students participated. The programme included teaching objectives, health education and approaches to application and evaluation. The design of the programme was appropriate for the community setting, but it needed a longer period to run and for contact between the students and the community. The students agreed with the structure of the programme and the role of the tutor and community, but were concerned about difficulties in implementation. Community members were enthusiastic about the programme.

  17. Randomised controlled trial of online continuing education for health professionals to improve the management of chronic fatigue syndrome: a study protocol.

    PubMed

    Li, Sophie H; Sandler, Carolina X; Casson, Sally M; Cassar, Joanne; Bogg, Tina; Lloyd, Andrew R; Barry, Benjamin K

    2017-05-10

    Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a serious and debilitating illness that affects between 0.2%-2.6% of the world's population. Although there is level 1 evidence of the benefit of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) for some people with CFS, uptake of these interventions is low or at best untimely. This can be partly attributed to poor clinician awareness and knowledge of CFS and related CBT and GET interventions. This trial aims to evaluate the effect of participation in an online education programme, compared with a wait-list control group, on allied health professionals' knowledge about evidence-based CFS interventions and their levels of confidence to engage in the dissemination of these interventions. A randomised controlled trial consisting of 180 consenting allied health professionals will be conducted. Participants will be randomised into an intervention group (n=90) that will receive access to the online education programme, or a wait-list control group (n=90). The primary outcomes will be: 1) knowledge and clinical reasoning skills regarding CFS and its management, measured at baseline, postintervention and follow-up, and 2) self-reported confidence in knowledge and clinical reasoning skills related to CFS. Secondary outcomes include retention of knowledge and satisfaction with the online education programme. The influence of the education programme on clinical practice behaviour, and self-reported success in the management of people with CFS, will also be assessed in a cohort study design with participants from the intervention and control groups combined. The study protocol has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee at The University of New South Wales (approval number HC16419). Results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journal articles and presentations at scientific conferences and meetings. ACTRN12616000296437. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  18. A pre-operative group rehabilitation programme provided limited benefit for people with severe hip and knee osteoarthritis.

    PubMed

    Wallis, Jason A; Webster, Kate E; Levinger, Pazit; Fong, Cynthia; Taylor, Nicholas F

    2014-01-01

    To determine if a pre-operative group rehabilitation programme can improve arthritis self-efficacy for people with severe hip and knee osteoarthritis. Single group, repeated measures design: 4-week baseline phase followed by a 6-week intervention phase of water exercise, and education with self-management strategies. The primary outcome was arthritis self-efficacy. The secondary outcomes were measures of pain (WOMAC), activity limitation (WOMAC), activity performance (30 s chair stand test, 10 m walk test) and health-related quality of life (EuroQol). Twenty participants (10 knee osteoarthritis and 10 hip osteoarthritis) with a mean age of 71 years (SD 7) attended 92% (SD 10%) of the scheduled sessions. All measures demonstrated baseline stability between two time points for measurements at week 1 and measurements at week 4. After the 6-week intervention programme there were no significant improvements for arthritis self-efficacy. There was a 12% increase for fast walking speed (mean increase of 0.14 m/s, 95% CI 0.07, 0.22). There were no significant improvements for other secondary outcomes. A pre-operative water-based exercise and educational programme did not improve arthritis self-efficacy, self-reported pain and activity limitation, and health-related quality of life for people with hip and knee osteoarthritis who were candidates for joint replacement. While there was a significant increase in one measure of activity performance (walking speed), these findings suggest the current programme may be of little value. Implications for Rehabilitation This pre-operative group rehabilitation programme for people with severe hip and knee osteoarthritis did not change arthritis self-efficacy, pain, activity limitation and health-related quality of life. This programme may have little value in preparing people for joint replacement surgery. The optimal pre-operative programme requires further design and investigation.

  19. Behavioural Effects of a Short School-Based Fruit and Vegetable Promotion Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mittmann, Silke; Austel, Anja; Ellrott, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of the Cancer Society of Lower Saxony's school-based nutrition education programme "5-a-day for kids", designed to increase children's fruit and vegetable consumption. Intervention: the programme included three parts (each 45 minutes): education-based classroom session;…

  20. Teenagers with diabetes: self-management education and training on a big schooner.

    PubMed

    Viklund, Gunnel E; Rudberg, Susanne; Wikblad, K F

    2007-12-01

    The aims of this study are to evaluate whether diabetic teenagers participating in a group educational programme, 'the schooner programme', differ from non-participants in attitudes towards diabetes and self-care, and to evaluate the impact on the attitudes, HbA1c and treatment of the programme. Ninety teenagers aged 14-18 years attended the programme. Attitudes towards diabetes and self-care were measured with a validated questionnaire. Medical data were collected from the medical records. The participants reported more positive attitudes towards diabetes and self-care and more frequent contacts with others with diabetes monitored blood glucose more often and felt less disturbed by diabetes than non-participants. The programme had positive impact on attitudes towards diabetes. There was no change in HbA1c, but the use of insulin pumps was more frequent among participants after the programme. To get teenagers attracted to group education, the diabetes care team needs to influence them towards more positive attitudes.

  1. The effect of motivational interviewing on glycaemic control and perceived competence of diabetes self-management in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus after attending a group education programme: a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Rosenbek Minet, L K; Wagner, L; Lønvig, E M; Hjelmborg, J; Henriksen, J E

    2011-07-01

    The aim of this study was to measure the efficacy of motivational interviewing (MI) compared with usual care on changes in glycaemic control and competence of diabetes self-management in patients with diabetes mellitus. Patients were eligible if they had type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus, were over 18 years of age and had participated in a 4 day group education programme offered at a diabetes clinic at a university hospital in Denmark. Exclusion criteria included pregnancy, severe debilitating disease and cognitive deficit. Out of 469 patients who attended the group education programme, 349 patients were randomised to either a usual care control group or an intervention group, which received up to five individual counselling sessions in 1 year based on MI, in addition to usual care. A randomised parallel design was used and open-label allocation was done by random permuted blocks, with allocation concealment by sequentially numbered, sealed, opaque envelopes. The primary outcome was glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)). Analysis regarding measurements of glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) and competence of self-management (using the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale [PAID] and Perceived Competence for Diabetes Scale [PCDS]) was based on 298 participants followed for a 24 month period. Data were collected at the Department of Endocrinology at Odense University Hospital. Our hypotheses were that MI could: (1) reduce HbA(1c) levels; (2) increase self-efficacy; and (3) increase diabetes self-care, compared with usual care. Out of the 176 included in the control group and 173 in the intervention group, 153 and 145 were analysed in the groups, respectively. When using the baseline value as covariate there were no significant differences in change score between the two study groups with regard to mean level of HbA(1c) (0.131, p = 0.221), PAID scores (-1.793, p = 0.191) or PCDS scores (0.017, p = 0.903) at the 24 month follow-up, using a mixed effects regression model. The patients in the intervention group showed significantly higher levels of perceived competence in dealing with diabetes compared with the control group (mean change score = -0.387, p = 0.002) following 1 year of intervention. We were unable to demonstrate any benefit, over or above usual care, of MI in patients with diabetes who have just completed a diabetes education programme, and who have well-regulated diabetes. Clinical Trials NCT00555854.

  2. Effects of mindfulness training programmes delivered by a self-directed mobile app and by telephone compared with an education programme for survivors of critical illness: a pilot randomised clinical trial.

    PubMed

    Cox, Christopher E; Hough, Catherine L; Jones, Derek M; Ungar, Anna; Reagan, Wen; Key, Mary D; Gremore, Tina; Olsen, Maren K; Sanders, Linda; Greeson, Jeffrey M; Porter, Laura S

    2018-05-23

    Patients who are sick enough to be admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) commonly experience symptoms of psychological distress after discharge, yet few effective therapies have been applied to meet their needs. Pilot randomised clinical trial with 3-month follow-up conducted at two academic medical centres. Adult (≥18 years) ICU patients treated for cardiorespiratory failure were randomised after discharge home to 1 of 3 month-long interventions: a self-directed mobile app-based mindfulness programme; a therapist-led telephone-based mindfulness programme; or a web-based critical illness education programme. Among 80 patients allocated to mobile mindfulness (n=31), telephone mindfulness (n=31) or education (n=18), 66 (83%) completed the study. For the primary outcomes, target benchmarks were exceeded by observed rates for all participants for feasibility (consent 74%, randomisation 91%, retention 83%), acceptability (mean Client Satisfaction Questionnaire 27.6 (SD 3.8)) and usability (mean Systems Usability Score 89.1 (SD 11.5)). For secondary outcomes, mean values (and 95% CIs) reflected clinically significant group-based changes on the Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (mobile (-4.8 (-6.6, -2.9)), telephone (-3.9 (-5.6, -2.2)), education (-3.0 (-5.3, 0.8)); the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (mobile -2.1 (-3.7, -0.5), telephone -1.6 (-3.0, -0.1), education -0.6 (-2.5, 1.3)); the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale (mobile -2.6 (-6.3, 1.2), telephone -2.2 (-5.6, 1.2), education -3.5 (-8.0, 1.0)); and the Patient Health Questionnaire physical symptom scale (mobile -5.3 (-7.0, -3.7), telephone -3.7 (-5.2, 2.2), education -4.8 (-6.8, 2.7)). Among ICU patients, a mobile mindfulness app initiated after hospital discharge demonstrated evidence of feasibility, acceptability and usability and had a similar impact on psychological distress and physical symptoms as a therapist-led programme. A larger trial is warranted to formally test the efficacy of this approach. Results, NCT02701361. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  3. An evaluation of a pain education programme for physiotherapists in clinical practice.

    PubMed

    Monaghan, Jenni; Adams, Nicola; Fothergill, Melissa

    2018-03-01

    The present study evaluated the implementation and acceptability of a pain education programme delivered to physiotherapists in clinical practice. A pre-test/post-test design with 10 physiotherapists was employed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for outcome measure data. Focus groups were carried out with seven physiotherapists within 1 month post-intervention. These data were analysed using the framework approach. Ten musculoskeletal physiotherapists were recruited. It was possible to develop and deliver the intervention and this was found to be acceptable to physiotherapists within clinical practice. The study explored trends within outcome measures, and one was considered appropriate. The focus groups yielded three interlinked themes, which related to the impact of the programme: "providing a context for pain education", "influence on aspects of the patient-therapist encounter" and "logistics of the education programme in clinical practice". A pain education programme delivered to physiotherapists in clinical practice was both possible to deliver and acceptable to participants. A key strength of the programme was the applicability to real-life practice, which was valued by physiotherapists. While physiotherapists felt that pain neurophysiology education was important, they reported lacking confidence in implementing their pain neurophysiology knowledge with patients. Thus, more time is needed to focus on pain neurophysiology education, with the aim of increasing confidence with the application of this approach in clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  4. Evaluating the Impact of an Environmental Education Programme: An Empirical Study in Mexico

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ruiz-Mallen, Isabel; Barraza, Laura; Bodenhorn, Barbara; Reyes-Garcia, Victoria

    2009-01-01

    This study draws on information from 11 in-depth interviews, two focus groups and 72 written questionnaires to evaluate an extra-curricular environmental education programme on forestry designed for preparatory school students from a small rural community in Mexico. Specifically, the study assessed the impact of the programme on the ecological…

  5. Innovative Access Programme for Young Mothers Wishing to Train in Childbirth Education: From Concept to Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nolan, Mary L.

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes the conception, planning, implementation and evaluation of an access programme arising out of an innovative collaboration between two charities, Straight Talking and the National Childbirth Trust. The access programme was designed at the request of a group of young mothers who had finished compulsory education and subsequently…

  6. "Me Amo Leer" Reading Experiences in a Central Illinois Summer Migrant Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pavri, Shireen; Bentz, Johnell; Bradley, Janetta Fleming; Corso, Laurie

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes the assessment and instructional strategies used in a migrant education programme that had positive academic outcomes for a group of 11 eight-to-12-year-old Spanish/English-speaking students of Mexican descent. Students attended this four-week summer programme, jointly sponsored by the University of Illinois and the local…

  7. Structured education programme for women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Mani, Hamidreza; Chudasama, Yogini; Hadjiconstantinou, Michelle; Bodicoat, Danielle H; Edwardson, Charlotte; Levy, Miles J; Gray, Laura J; Barnett, Janette; Daly, Heather; Howlett, Trevor A; Khunti, Kamlesh; Davies, Melanie J

    2018-01-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of a structured education programmes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Single-centre, randomised controlled trial, testing a single exposure to a group-based, face-to-face, structured education programme. Inclusion criteria were women with PCOS, aged 18-49 years inclusive and body mass index ≥23 kg/m 2 for black and minority ethnicities or ≥25 kg/m 2 for white Europeans. Primary outcome was step-count/day at 12 months. Secondary outcomes included indices of physical activity, cardiovascular risk factors, quality of life (QoL) and illness perception (IP). 161 women were included (78 control, 83 intervention); 69% white; mean age 33.4 (s.d. 7.6) years, of whom 100 (48 intervention; 52 control) attended their 12-month visit (38% attrition). 77% of the intervention arm attended the education programme. No significant change in step-count was observed at 12 months (mean difference: +351 steps/day (95% confidence interval -481, +1183); P  = 0.40). No differences were found in biochemical or anthropometric outcomes. The education programme improved participants' IP in 2 dimensions: understanding their PCOS ( P  < 0.001) and sense of control ( P  < 0.01) and improved QoL in 3 dimensions: emotions ( P  < 0.05), fertility ( P  < 0.05), weight ( P  < 0.01) and general mental well-being ( P  < 0.01). A single exposure to structured education programme did not increase physical activity or improve biochemical markers in overweight and obese women with PCOS. However, providing a structured education in parallel to routine medical treatment can be beneficial for participants' understanding of their condition, reducing their anxiety and improving their QoL. © 2018 The authors.

  8. Impact of education on interdental cleaning behaviour based on the transtheoretical model.

    PubMed

    Hashemian, Masomeh; Fallahi, Arezoo; Tavakoli, Golaleh; Zarezadeh, Yadolah; Babaki, B Nemat; Rahaei, Zohreh

    2012-01-01

    To determine the impact of education on stages of change of behaviour in Iranian senior high school students for interdental cleaning based on the transtheoretical model. This experimental study took place from April to November 2010. 306 students were selected by multistage cluster sampling and placed into two groups: control (153 students) and intervention (153 students). Appropriate instruments and the intervention programme were designed with the purpose of improving stages of interdental cleaning behaviour, perceived benefits and self-efficacy, as well as reducing perceived barriers and gingival index (GI). The impact of the intervention programme was assessed after 24 weeks and the GI of each student was recorded for both groups before and after intervention. The data were analysed using SPSS software and the chi-square, t test, ANOVA, paired t test, Mann-Whitney U-test and sign test. The intervention had a significant, positive impact on improvement of the stages of interdental cleaning behaviour, increase in self-efficacy, perceived benefits, decrease in perceived barriers and improvement of GI (P < 0.001). After the intervention, the average grades of self-efficacy, perceived barriers and perceived benefits in the control group vs the intervention group were significantly different (P < 0.001 to 0.01). The programme was found to positively influence the stages of change and potential indicators of interdental cleaning behaviour and GI. It is suggested that this model be used for interventions in the other population groups.

  9. Postgraduate Work-Based Learning Programmes in English Higher Education: Exploring Case Studies of Organizational Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Paul; Preece, David

    2009-01-01

    The first part of the paper outlines and discusses the nature of work-based learning (WBL) and WBL programmes, and the overall direction of government strategy towards WBL programmes in Higher Education (HE) in England, with particular reference to postgraduate programmes, policy documents, and the WBL literature. Drawing upon case study research,…

  10. Cost analysis of the CTLB Study, a multitherapy antenatal education programme to reduce routine interventions in labour

    PubMed Central

    Dahlen, Hannah G; Smith, Caroline A; Finlayson, Kenneth William; Downe, Soo

    2018-01-01

    Objective To assess whether the multitherapy antenatal education ‘CTLB’ (Complementary Therapies for Labour and Birth) Study programme leads to net cost savings. Design Cost analysis of the CTLB Study, using analysis of outcomes and hospital funding data. Methods We take a payer perspective and use Australian Refined Diagnosis-Related Group (AR-DRG) cost data to estimate the potential savings per woman to the payer (government or private insurer). We consider scenarios in which the intervention cost is either borne by the woman or by the payer. Savings are computed as the difference in total cost between the control group and the study group. Results If the cost of the intervention is not borne by the payer, the average saving to the payer was calculated to be $A808 per woman. If the payer covers the cost of the programme, this figure reduces to $A659 since the average cost of delivering the programme was $A149 per woman. All these findings are significant at the 95% confidence level. Significantly more women in the study group experienced a normal vaginal birth, and significantly fewer women in the study group experienced a caesarean section. The main cost saving resulted from the reduced rate of caesarean section in the study group. Conclusion The CTLB antenatal education programme leads to significant savings to payers that come from reduced use of hospital resources. Depending on which perspective is considered, and who is responsible for covering the cost of the programme, the net savings vary from $A659 to $A808 per woman. Compared with the average cost of birth in the control group, we conclude that the programme could lead to a reduction in birth-related healthcare costs of approximately 9%. Trial registration number ACTRN12611001126909. PMID:29439002

  11. A Corpus-Based Investigation of Critical Reflective Practice and Context in Early Career Teacher Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Bróna

    2015-01-01

    Reflective practice is at the core of teacher education programmes and is highly regarded as an essential component in the education of new and experienced teachers. Given the recent interest in language use and the role of discourse in articulating knowledge of one's practice, this paper focuses on how two groups of early career teachers from…

  12. Evaluation of the effect of non-surgical periodontal treatment on oral health-related quality of life: estimation of minimal important differences 1 year after treatment.

    PubMed

    Jönsson, Birgitta; Öhrn, Kerstin

    2014-03-01

    To evaluate an individually tailored oral health educational programme on patient-reported outcome compared with a standard oral health educational programme, assess change over time and determine minimal important differences (MID) in change scores for two different oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) instrument after non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT). In a randomized controlled trial evaluating two educational programmes, patients (n = 87) with chronic periodontitis completed a questionnaire at baseline and after 12 months. OHRQoL was assessed with the General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the UK oral health-related quality-of-life measure (OHQoL-UK). In addition, patients' global rating of oral health and socio-demographic variables were recorded. The MID was estimated with anchor-based and distributions-based methods. There were no differences between the two educational groups. The OHRQoL was significantly improved after treatment. The MID was approximately five for OHQoL-UK with a moderate ES, and three for GOHAI with a Small ES, and 46-50% of the patients showed improvements beyond the MID. Both oral health educational groups reported higher scores in OHRQoL after NSPT resulting in more positive well-being (OHQoL-UK) and less frequent oral problems (GOHAI). OHQoL-UK gave a greater effect size and mean change scores but both instruments were associated with the participants' self-rated change in oral health. The changes were meaningful for the patients supported by the estimated MID. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Extending lactational amenorrhoea in Manila: a successful breast-feeding education programme.

    PubMed

    Benitez, I; de la Cruz, J; Suplido, A; Oblepias, V; Kennedy, K; Visness, C

    1992-04-01

    An experimental breast-feeding education programme conducted at the Philippine General Hospital in Manila demonstrated that women could be motivated to improve their breast-feeding practices and lengthen their period of lactational amenorrhoea in comparison to a control group. Mothers who participated in the programme breast-fed their babies more frequently, delayed the introduction of regular supplements, used fewer bottles and pacifiers and maintained night feeding longer than mothers who were not exposed to the positive breast-feeding messages. The programme was successful in lengthening the period of amenorrhoea among women with elementary, high school, or technical school education, but not among college-educated women. Different educational approaches may be necessary for women of different education levels.

  14. Evolution of student assessment in McMaster University's MD Programme.

    PubMed

    Cunnington, John

    2002-05-01

    In response to the competitive examination culture that pervaded medical education in the 1940s and 1950s the founders of McMaster University's new MD Programme created an assessment system based on group functioning within the tutorial. While the tutorial has served the educational process well, 30 years of experience has highlighted its deficiencies as an assessment tool. This paper describes the accumulation of evidence that led to the awareness of the weakness of tutorial assessment and the attempts to provide reliable assessment by the reintroduction of examinations, but in novel formats which would not alter the goals of the curriculum.

  15. Life Skills in Educational Contexts: Testing the Effects of an Intervention Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gomes, A. Rui; Marques, Brazelina

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the effects of a training programme on students' acquisition of life skills, life satisfaction, life orientation and expectations about academic achievement. Participants were allocated to either an intervention group ("n"?=?41) that took part in a life skills programme, or a control group ("n"?=?43).…

  16. A preliminary study to evaluate a patient-centred asthma education programme on parental control of home environment and asthma signs and symptoms in children with moderate-to-severe asthma.

    PubMed

    Tzeng, Li-Fen; Chiang, Li-Chi; Hsueh, Kai-Chung; Ma, Wei-Fen; Fu, Lin-Shien

    2010-05-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led patient-centred asthma education programme on home environmental control behaviours of parents of children with moderate or severe asthma. Reducing allergic triggers is important self-management behaviour for preventing asthma attacks and patient-centred asthma education has been shown to effectively manage chronic disease. A preliminary quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group design was used. Dyads (n = 75) of parents and their children with moderate or severe asthma (ages 6-14 years) were purposively recruited from the asthma clinics of two hospitals in central Taiwan. The experimental group of 38 children/parents from one hospital received patient-centred asthma education. The comparison group of 37 children/parents from the other hospital received routine individual education. At pretest and at the end of the three-month patient-centred asthma education programme, we measured parents' control of home environmental triggers, children's asthma signs/symptoms and children's pulmonary function. Data were analysed by the general linear model for repeat measures. The level of improvement in dust and cleaning methods was significantly greater among parents in the experimental group than among those in the comparison group (p < 0.05). Children with moderate or severe asthma in the experimental group had fewer signs/symptoms of asthma and better lung function than children in the comparison group. Our patient-centred asthma education programme improved parents' home environmental control and children's asthma sign/symptoms and lung function. Nurses can play primary roles as patient educators in asthma clinics. Well-trained patient educators can continuously monitor self-management behaviours to improve patients' compliance with home environmental control, thus leading to better physical outcomes in children with asthma than routine individual asthma education alone.

  17. The accountability of clinical education: its definition and assessment.

    PubMed

    Murray, E; Gruppen, L; Catton, P; Hays, R; Woolliscroft, J O

    2000-10-01

    Medical education is not exempt from increasing societal expectations of accountability. Competition for financial resources requires medical educators to demonstrate cost-effective educational practice; health care practitioners, the products of medical education programmes, must meet increasing standards of professionalism; the culture of evidence-based medicine demands an evaluation of the effect educational programmes have on health care and service delivery. Educators cannot demonstrate that graduates possess the required attributes, or that their programmes have the desired impact on health care without appropriate assessment tools and measures of outcome. To determine to what extent currently available assessment approaches can measure potentially relevant medical education outcomes addressing practitioner performance, health care delivery and population health, in order to highlight areas in need of research and development. Illustrative publications about desirable professional behaviour were synthesized to obtain examples of required competencies and health outcomes. A MEDLINE search for available assessment tools and measures of health outcome was performed. There are extensive tools for assessing clinical skills and knowledge. Some work has been done on the use of professional judgement for assessing professional behaviours; scholarship; and multiprofessional team working; but much more is needed. Very little literature exists on assessing group attributes of professionals, such as clinical governance, evidence-based practice and workforce allocation, and even less on examining individual patient or population health indices. The challenge facing medical educators is to develop new tools, many of which will rely on professional judgement, for assessing these broader competencies and outcomes.

  18. Evaluation of a nurse-led social rehabilitation programme for neurological patients and carers: an action research study.

    PubMed

    Portillo, Mari Carmen; Corchón, Silvia; López-Dicastillo, Olga; Cowley, Sarah

    2009-02-01

    Very few neurological rehabilitation programmes have successfully dealt with patients' and relatives' social needs. Furthermore, the nurses' contribution in those programmes is poor or unclear. To determine the rationale, effectiveness and adequacy of a nurse-led social rehabilitation programme implemented with neurological patients and their carers. In this action research study Hart and Bond's experimental and professionalizing typologies were applied through Lewinian cycles. A social rehabilitation programme was planned, based on the results of an in-depth baseline assessment of the context and individual needs. The programme focused on increasing the level of acceptance/adaptation of the disease through verbal and written education, easing the discharge planning, and offering social choices based on the social assessment of individual needs and possibilities at home. Two neurological wards of a hospital in Spain. The programme evaluation included 27 nurses, and two groups of patients and relatives (control group=18 patients and 19 relatives, intervention group=17 patients and 16 relatives). The two groups of patients and relatives were compared before and after discharge to determine the effectiveness of the programme. Socio-demographic forms, semi-structured interviews, participant observations, and validated scales to measure activities of daily living and social life were used, and data were analysed using content (QSR Nudist Vivo, v.2.0) and statistical (SPSS v. 13.0) analyses. The new programme resulted in social care being integrated in daily practice and developed knowledge about social rehabilitation. This had a positive impact on nurses' attitudes. Patients and relatives had more realistic expectations and positive attitudes towards social life, and developed a wider variety of choices for social changes. Better adaptation, and more coping skills and satisfaction were achieved. This rehabilitation programme was feasible and effective. Patients and relatives benefited from better understanding of the socialisation process, as a result of advancing nurses' knowledge, experience and role in psychosocial care.

  19. Competency-based education: programme design and challenges to implementation.

    PubMed

    Gruppen, Larry D; Burkhardt, John C; Fitzgerald, James T; Funnell, Martha; Haftel, Hilary M; Lypson, Monica L; Mullan, Patricia B; Santen, Sally A; Sheets, Kent J; Stalburg, Caren M; Vasquez, John A

    2016-05-01

    Competency-based education (CBE) has been widely cited as an educational framework for medical students and residents, and provides a framework for designing educational programmes that reflect four critical features: a focus on outcomes, an emphasis on abilities, a reduction of emphasis on time-based training, and promotion of learner centredness. Each of these features has implications and potential challenges for implementing CBE. As an experiment in CBE programme design and implementation, the University of Michigan Master of Health Professions Education (UM-MHPE) degree programme was examined for lessons to be learned when putting CBE into practice. The UM-MHPE identifies 12 educational competencies and 20 educational entrustable professional activities (EPAs) that serve as the vehicle for both learning and assessment. The programme also defines distinct roles of faculty members as assessors, mentors and subject-matter experts focused on highly individualised learning plans adapted to each learner. Early experience with implementing the UM-MHPE indicates that EPAs and competencies can provide a viable alternative to traditional courses and a vehicle for rigorous assessment. A high level of individualisation is feasible but carries with it significant costs and makes intentional community building essential. Most significantly, abandoning a time-based framework is a difficult innovation to implement in a university structure that is predicated on time-based education. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. ISIBINDI, creating circles of care for orphans and vulnerable children in South Africa: post-programme outcomes.

    PubMed

    Visser, Maretha; Zungu, Nompumelelo; Ndala-Magoro, Nkateko

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the evaluation of post-programme outcomes of the ISIBINDI model, a community-based intervention to promote physical and psychosocial well-being of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in South Africa. A mixed methods quasi-experimental design was used to investigate the differences between former ISIBINDI participants (18 years and older) and a control group of similar background. ISIBINDI ex-participants at 12 sites (n=427) and a control group of non-participants (n=177) completed a questionnaire which explored level of education and employment, psychosocial well-being and HIV risk behaviour. Focus group discussions were conducted with various stakeholders. Ex-participants reported higher self-esteem and problem-solving abilities, family support and lower HIV risk behaviour than the control group. High levels of unemployment especially in rural areas resulted in unemployment of out-of-school OVC which creates new forms of vulnerability. The benefits of the programme may be compromised by the lack of community resources. An effective exit strategy is needed to contribute to financial independence of OVC after exiting the programme.

  1. Outcome of an education and home-based exercise programme for patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a nationwide randomized study.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Lozano, Carlos; Juanola, Xavier; Cruz-Martínez, Juan; Peña-Arrébola, Andrés; Mulero, Juan; Gratacós, Jordi; Collantes, Eduardo

    2013-01-01

    This study aims to assess the impact of a structured education and home exercise programme in daily practice patients with ankylosing spondylitis. A total of 756 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (72% males, mean age 45 years) participated in a 6-month prospective multicentre controlled study, 381 of whom were randomised to an education intervention (a 2-hour informative session about the disease and the implementation of a non-supervised physical activity programme at home) and 375 to standard care (controls). Main outcome measures included Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity and Functional Index (BASDAI, BASFI). Secondary outcome measures were 0-10 cm visual analog scale (VAS) for total pain, nocturnal pain and global disease activity and quality of life (ASQoL), knowledge of disease (self-evaluation ordinal scale) and daily exercise (diary card). At 6 months, the adjusted mean difference between control and educational groups for BASDAI was 0.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.10-0.54, p=0.005, and for BASFI 0.31, 95%CI 0.12-0.51, p=0.002. Significant differences were found also in VAS for total pain, patient´s global assessment and in ASQoL. Patients in the education group increased their knowledge about the disease and its treatments significantly (p<0.001) and practised more regular exercise than controls (p<0.001). A structured education and home exercise programme for patients with ankylosing spondylitis in daily practice was feasible and helped to increase knowledge and exercise. Although statistically significant, the magnitudes of the clinical benefits in terms of disease activity and physical function were poor.

  2. Culture-specific programs for children and adults from minority groups who have asthma.

    PubMed

    McCallum, Gabrielle B; Morris, Peter S; Brown, Ngiare; Chang, Anne B

    2017-08-22

    People with asthma who come from minority groups often have poorer asthma outcomes, including more acute asthma-related doctor visits for flare-ups. Various programmes used to educate and empower people with asthma have previously been shown to improve certain asthma outcomes (e.g. adherence outcomes, asthma knowledge scores in children and parents, and cost-effectiveness). Models of care for chronic diseases in minority groups usually include a focus of the cultural context of the individual, and not just the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, questions about whether tailoring asthma education programmes that are culturally specific for people from minority groups are effective at improving asthma-related outcomes, that are feasible and cost-effective need to be answered. To determine whether culture-specific asthma education programmes, in comparison to generic asthma education programmes or usual care, improve asthma-related outcomes in children and adults with asthma who belong to minority groups. We searched the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register, MEDLINE, Embase, review articles and reference lists of relevant articles. The latest search fully incorporated into the review was performed in June 2016. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the use of culture-specific asthma education programmes with generic asthma education programmes, or usual care, in adults or children from minority groups with asthma. Two review authors independently selected, extracted and assessed the data for inclusion. We contacted study authors for further information if required. In this review update, an additional three studies and 220 participants were added. A total of seven RCTs (two in adults, four in children, one in both children and adults) with 837 participants (aged from one to 63 years) with asthma from ethnic minority groups were eligible for inclusion in this review. The methodological quality of studies ranged from very low to low. For our primary outcome (asthma exacerbations during follow-up), the quality of evidence was low for all outcomes. In adults, use of a culture-specific programme, compared to generic programmes or usual care did not significantly reduce the number of participants from two studies with 294 participants for: exacerbations with one or more exacerbations during follow-up (odds ratio (OR) 0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50 to 1.26), hospitalisations over 12 months (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.31 to 2.22) and exacerbations requiring oral corticosteroids (OR 0.97, 95% CI 0.55 to 1.73). However, use of a culture-specific programme, improved asthma quality of life scores in 280 adults from two studies (mean difference (MD) 0.26, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.36) (although the MD was less then the minimal important difference for the score). In children, use of a culture-specific programme was superior to generic programmes or usual care in reducing severe asthma exacerbations requiring hospitalisation in two studies with 305 children (rate ratio 0.48, 95% CI 0.24 to 0.95), asthma control in one study with 62 children and QoL in three studies with 213 children, but not for the number of exacerbations during follow-up (OR 1.55, 95% CI 0.66 to 3.66) or the number of exacerbations (MD 0.18, 95% CI -0.25 to 0.62) among 100 children from two studies. The available evidence showed that culture-specific education programmes for adults and children from minority groups are likely effective in improving asthma-related outcomes. This review was limited by few studies and evidence of very low to low quality. Not all asthma-related outcomes improved with culture-specific programs for both adults and children. Nevertheless, while modified culture-specific education programs are usually more time intensive, the findings of this review suggest using culture-specific asthma education programmes for children and adults from minority groups. However, more robust RCTs are needed to further strengthen the quality of evidence and determine the cost-effectiveness of culture-specific programs.

  3. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention education in Singapore: challenges for the future.

    PubMed

    Wong, Mee Lian; Sen, Priya; Wong, Christina M; Tjahjadi, Sylvia; Govender, Mandy; Koh, Ting Ting; Yusof, Zarina; Chew, Ling; Tan, Avin; K, Vijaya

    2012-12-01

    We reviewed the current human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention education programmes in Singapore, discussed the challenges faced and proposed prevention education interventions for the future. Education programmes on HIV prevention have shown some success as seen by reduced visits to sex workers among the general adult population and a marked increase in condom use among brothel-based sex workers. However, we still face many challenges such as low awareness of HIV preventive strategies and high prevalence of HIV stigma in the general population. Voluntary HIV testing and condom use remain low among the priority groups such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexual men who buy sex. Casual sex has increased markedly from 1.1% in 1989 to 17.4% in 2007 among heterosexuals in Singapore, with the majority (84%) practising unprotected sex. Sex workers have moved from brothels to entertainment venues where sex work is mostly hidden with lack of access to sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/ HIV prevention education and treatment programmes. Education programmes promoting early voluntary testing is hampered because of poor access, high cost and stigma towards people living with HIV. It remains a challenge to promote abstinence and consistent condom use in casual and steady sexual relationships among heterosexuals and MSM. New ways to promote condom use by using a positive appeal about its pleasure enhancing effects rather than the traditional disease-oriented approach should be explored. Education programmes promoting early voluntary testing and acceptance of HIV-infected persons should be scaled up and integrated into the general preventive health services.

  4. Professional communication competences of physiotherapists -- practice and educational perspectives.

    PubMed

    Włoszczak-Szubzda, Anna; Jarosz, Mirosław J

    2013-01-01

    Dissonance between the high 'technical' competences of medical professionals, including physiotherapists, and the relatively low level of patient satisfaction with care received is a phenomenon observed in many countries. Many studies show that it occurs in the case of an inadequate interpersonal communication between medical professionals and patients. The primary goal of the presented research was evaluation of the level (study of the state) of communication competences of physiotherapists, and determination of the factors on which this level depends. An additional goal was analysis of the needs and educational possibilities within the existing models of education in the area of interpersonal communication provided by higher medical education institutions. The self-designed questionnaire and adjective check list were subject to standardization from the aspect of reliability and validity. Information available on the websites of 20 educational facilities in Poland were compared. The study group covered a total number of 115 respondents in the following subgroups: 1) occupationally-active physiotherapists who, as a rule, were not trained in interpersonal communication (35 respondents); students of physiotherapy covered by a standard educational programme (60 respondents); 3) students of physiotherapy who, in addition to a standard educational programme, attended extra courses in professional interpersonal communications (20 respondents). The results of studies indicate poor efficacy of shaping communication competences of physiotherapists based on education in the area of general psychology and general interpersonal communication. Communication competences acquired during undergraduate physiotherapy education are subject to regression during occupational activity. Methods of evaluating communication competences are useful in constructing group and individual programmes focused on specific communication competences, rather than on general communication skills.

  5. Optics outreach in Irish context

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McHugh, Emer; Smith, Arlene

    2009-06-01

    The Applied Optics Group, National University of Ireland Galway is a research centre involved in programmes that cover a wide variety of topics in applied optics and imaging science, including smart optics, adaptive optics, optical scattering and propagation, and engineering optics. The Group have also developed significant outreach programmes both in Primary and Post-Primary schools. It is recognised that there is a need for innovation in Science Education in Ireland and we are committed to working extensively with schools. The main aim of these outreach programmes is to increase awareness and interest in science with students and enhance the communication skills of the researchers working in the Group. The education outreach team works closely with the relevant teachers in both Primary and Post-Primary schools to design and develop learning initiatives to match the needs of the target group of students. The learning programmes are usually delivered in the participating schools during normal class time by a team of Applied Optics specialists. We are involved in running these programmes in both Primary and Post-Primary schools where the programmes are tailored to the curriculum and concentrating on optics and light. The students may also visit the Groups research centre where presentations and laboratory tours are arranged.

  6. Empowering older people with early dementia and family caregivers: a participatory action research study.

    PubMed

    Nomura, Michie; Makimoto, Kiyoko; Kato, Motoko; Shiba, Tamami; Matsuura, Chieko; Shigenobu, Kazue; Ishikawa, Tomohisa; Matsumoto, Naomi; Ikeda, Manabu

    2009-04-01

    The increase in the number of people suffering from dementia is of increasing global concern. A survey on the living conditions of the elderly in a Japanese rural community revealed a high prevalence of early dementia and the necessity for interventions not only for the elderly with early dementia but also for their families. To describe the implementation and process evaluation of a programme based on cognitive rehabilitation aimed at empowering the elderly with early dementia and education and counselling programmes aimed at likewise empowering their family caregivers. This study used a community health action research model. Participatory action research (PAR) was conducted through a cycle of planning, action, and reflection to identify effective interventions to empower participants with dementia (PsWD) and their caregivers. A rural town in Japan. This project involved 37 community-dwelling elderly with early or mild dementia and 31 family caregivers. A focus group interview was used for assessment. A monthly activity-based programme based on cognitive rehabilitation was developed to improve cognitive function. Three types of data were collected: observational data collected during the activities, written comments from the caregivers, the record of phone interviews and counsellings with caregivers. These data were compiled in chronological order into a portfolio for analysis. To empower family caregivers, educational and counselling programmes were offered. The PAR lasted for 5 years and evolved over three cycles: individual, group and community. In the first cycle, the major focus of the intervention was to regain procedural skills for each PWD through a cooking programme. In the second cycle, to increase interactions with family members and with other PsWD, group activities that promoted communication among family members as well as among PsWD were implemented. The collective values and the beliefs of the PsWD's generation were validated by a series of trips to temples and shrines. In the third cycle, community participation was planned and implemented through culturally relevant sequential activities. PsWD demonstrated their expert skills and regained confidence. For family caregivers, the educational programme provided knowledge about dementia and utilization of social resources. Face-to-face and phone counsellings were offered as needed to coach problem-focused coping. These programmes helped to interpret the symptoms of dementia and to reduce the behavioural problems. Cognitive rehabilitation theory was useful to restore lost procedural skills and regain confidence for PsWD. This PAR illustrated the importance of interventions for both community dwelling elderly with early dementia and their family caregivers.

  7. The Evaluation of Foreign-Language-Teacher Education Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Peacock, Matthew

    2009-01-01

    This article presents a new procedure for the evaluation of EFL teacher-training programmes based on principles of programme evaluation and foreign-language-teacher (FLT) education. The procedure focuses on programme strengths and weaknesses and how far the programme meets the needs of students. I tested the procedure through an evaluation of a…

  8. The efficacy of early language intervention in mainstream school settings: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Fricke, Silke; Burgoyne, Kelly; Bowyer-Crane, Claudine; Kyriacou, Maria; Zosimidou, Alexandra; Maxwell, Liam; Lervåg, Arne; Snowling, Margaret J; Hulme, Charles

    2017-10-01

    Oral language skills are a critical foundation for literacy and more generally for educational success. The current study shows that oral language skills can be improved by providing suitable additional help to children with language difficulties in the early stages of formal education. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 394 children in England, comparing a 30-week oral language intervention programme starting in nursery (N = 132) with a 20-week version of the same programme starting in Reception (N = 133). The intervention groups were compared to an untreated waiting control group (N = 129). The programmes were delivered by trained teaching assistants (TAs) working in the children's schools/nurseries. All testers were blind to group allocation. Both the 20- and 30-week programmes produced improvements on primary outcome measures of oral language skill compared to the untreated control group. Effect sizes were small to moderate (20-week programme: d = .21; 30-week programme: d = .30) immediately following the intervention and were maintained at follow-up 6 months later. The difference in improvement between the 20-week and 30-week programmes was not statistically significant. Neither programme produced statistically significant improvements in children's early word reading or reading comprehension skills (secondary outcome measures). This study provides further evidence that oral language interventions can be delivered successfully by trained TAs to children with oral language difficulties in nursery and Reception classes. The methods evaluated have potentially important policy implications for early education. © 2017 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

  9. STEPWISE - STructured lifestyle Education for People WIth SchizophrEnia: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Gossage-Worrall, Rebecca; Holt, Richard I G; Barnard, Katharine; E Carey, Marian; J Davies, Melanie; Dickens, Chris; Doherty, Yvonne; Edwardson, Charlotte; French, Paul; Gaughran, Fiona; Greenwood, Kathryn; Kalidindi, Sridevi; Hind, Daniel; Khunti, Kamlesh; McCrone, Paul; Mitchell, Jonathan; Pendlebury, John; Rathod, Shanaya; Shiers, David; Siddiqi, Najma; Swaby, Lizzie; Wright, Stephen

    2016-09-29

    People with schizophrenia are two to three times more likely to be overweight than the general population. The UK National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends an annual physical health review with signposting to, or provision of, a lifestyle programme to address weight concerns and obesity. The purpose of this randomised controlled trial is to assess whether a group-based structured education programme can help people with schizophrenia to lose weight. Design: a randomised controlled trial of a group-based structured education programme. 10 UK community mental health trusts. 396 adults with schizophrenia, schizoaffective, or first-episode psychosis who are prescribed antipsychotic medication will be recruited. Participants will be overweight, obese or be concerned about their weight. participants will be randomised to either the intervention or treatment as usual (TAU). The intervention arm will receive TAU plus four 2.5-h weekly sessions of theory-based lifestyle structured group education, with maintenance contact every 2 weeks and 'booster' sessions every 3 months. All participants will receive standardised written information about healthy eating, physical activity, alcohol and smoking. the primary outcome is weight (kg) change at 1 year post randomisation. Secondary outcomes, which will be assessed at 3 and 12 months, include: the proportion of participants who maintained or reduced their weight; waist circumference; body mass index; objectively measured physical activity (wrist accelerometer); self-reported diet; blood pressure; fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile and HbA 1c (baseline and 1 year only); health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L and RAND SF-36); (adapted) brief illness perception questionnaire; the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale; the Client Service Receipt Inventory; medication use; smoking status; adverse events; depression symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9); use of weight-loss programmes; and session feedback (intervention only). Outcome assessors will be blind to trial group allocation. Qualitative interviews with a subsample of facilitators and invention-arm participants will provide data on intervention feasibility and acceptability. Assessment of intervention fidelity will also be performed. The STEPWISE trial will provide evidence for the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a tailored intervention, which, if successful, could be implemented rapidly in the NHS. ISRCTN19447796 , registered on 20 March 2014.

  10. A one-year practice-based learning programme for new general practice nurses in Scotland: evaluation of the pilot.

    PubMed

    Wakeling, Judy; Ferguson, Julie; Kennedy, Susan

    2016-01-01

    This paper summarises the evaluation of a pilot programme introduced by NHS Education for Scotland to provide education and skills training for nurses new to general practice. The programme was developed through extensive consultation with existing general practice nurses and was educationally accredited by the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Nursing in 2013. Twelve nurses embarked upon the programme 2012-2013 and nine completed it. The programme was extensively evaluated through questionnaires (with supervisors, practice staff and participants), analysis of programme documentation and interviews with participants. Based on the evaluation feedback, alterations have been made to subsequent deliveries of the programme. These include removing some topic areas and lengthening the programme by three months. The programme continues to be successfully delivered and evaluation is ongoing to ensure it continues to meet nurses' needs.

  11. Pain management: evaluating the effectiveness of an educational programme for surgical nursing staff.

    PubMed

    Lin, Pi-Chu; Chiang, Hsiao-Wen; Chiang, Ting-Ting; Chen, Chyang-Shiong

    2008-08-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a pain management education programme in improving the nurses' knowledge about, attitude towards and application of relaxation therapy. Pain of surgical patients has long been an existing problem of health care. Nursing staff need to be educated continuously to develop the professional ability of pain management. A quasi-study design with pre- and posttest and post- and posttest was used. Subjects were chosen from a medical centre in Taipei by convenience sampling. The total sample size of 81 was segregated into a study group of 42 and control group of 39 participants. The study group attended a seven-session pain management programme totalling 15 hours. The control group received no pain management training. Scaled measurements were taken on pain management knowledge and attitude and relaxation therapy practice. (1) Scores for pain management knowledge differed significantly between the two groups (F = 40.636, p = 0.001). (2) Attitudes towards pain management differed between the two groups (F = 8.328, p = 0.005) and remained stable over time (F = 1.603, p = 0.205). (3) Relaxation therapy practice differed significantly between the two groups, with the study group better than the control group (F = 4.006, p = 0.049). (4) Relaxation therapy was applied to nearly all (97.5%) of the patients cared for by study group nurses. All of the instructed patients performed this technique one to three times per day postsurgery. Continuing education can improve nurses' knowledge about, attitude towards and behaviour of pain management. Results of this study could be used to guide the development and implementation of continuing education programmes for nursing staff to enhance patients' care knowledge and skills.

  12. Primary Teachers' Reflections on Inquiry- and Context-Based Science Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walan, Susanne; Mc Ewen, Birgitta

    2017-04-01

    Inquiry- and context-based teaching strategies have been proven to stimulate and motivate students' interests in learning science. In this study, 12 teachers reflected on these strategies after using them in primary schools. The teachers participated in a continuous professional development (CPD) programme. During the programme, they were also introduced to a teaching model from a European project, where inquiry- and context-based education (IC-BaSE) strategies were fused. The research question related to teachers' reflections on these teaching strategies, and whether they found the model to be useful in primary schools after testing it with their students. Data collection was performed during the CPD programme and consisted of audio-recorded group discussions, individual portfolios and field notes collected by researchers. Results showed that compared with using only one instructional strategy, teachers found the new teaching model to be a useful complement. However, their discussions also showed that they did not reflect on choices of strategies or purposes and aims relating to students' understanding, or the content to be taught. Before the CPD programme, teachers discussed the use of inquiry mainly from the aspect that students enjoy practical work. After the programme, they identified additional reasons for using inquiry and discussed the importance of knowing why inquiry is performed. However, to develop teachers' knowledge of instructional strategies as well as purposes for using certain strategies, there is need for further investigations among primary school teachers.

  13. Lasting impact of an implemented self-management programme for people with type 2 diabetes referred from primary care: a one-group, before-after design.

    PubMed

    Fløde, Mari; Iversen, Marjolein M; Aarflot, Morten; Haltbakk, Johannes

    2017-12-01

    Research interventions in uniform clinical settings and in patients fulfilling well-defined inclusion criteria might show a more pronounced effect than implementing the same intervention in existing practice. Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) is complex, and should be assessed in existing practice as it is an intervention widely implemented. To examine the impact of an established group-based DSME in unselected people with type 2 diabetes referred from primary care. A one-group, before-after design was used for assessments before, immediately after, and 3 months after participation in a group-based DSME programme conducted at two Learning and Mastering Centres in Norway between November 2013 and June 2014. Participants completed a questionnaire before (n = 115), immediately after (n = 95) and 3 months after (n = 42) the DSME programme. Primary outcome measure was diabetes knowledge (Michigan Diabetes Knowledge Test). Also patient activation (Patient Activation Measure [PAM]) and self-efficacy (General Self-Efficacy scale [GSE]) were measured. Changes in outcome measures were analysed using paired t-tests for normally distributed data and Wilcoxon signed-rank test for skewed data. Mean knowledge improved significantly from baseline (p < 0.001). Changes persisted at the 3-month assessment. Mean PAM scores improved significantly from baseline (p < 0.001), and changes persisted for 3 months. Mean GSE scores improved from baseline (p = 0.022) and persisted for 3 months. However, when results were stratified for participants who responded at all three time points, GSE showed no change during the study period. The complexity self-management in the individual is challenging to reflect in DSME. This implemented DSME programme for people with type 2 diabetes improved levels of diabetes knowledge and patient activation, persisting for at least 3 months. Hence, the DSME programme appears to be robust beyond standardised research settings, in educating unselected diabetes patients referred from primary care. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  14. The effectiveness of a saline mouth rinse regimen and education programme on radiation-induced oral mucositis and quality of life in oral cavity cancer patients: A randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Huang, B-S; Wu, S-C; Lin, C-Y; Fan, K-H; Chang, J T-C; Chen, S-C

    2018-03-01

    Radiation therapy (RT) and concurrent chemotherapy RT (CCRT) generate radiation-induced oral mucositis (OM) and lower quality of life (QOL). This study assessed the impact of a saline mouth rinse regimen and education programme on radiation-induced OM symptoms, and QOL in oral cavity cancer (OCC) patients receiving RT or CCRT. Ninety-one OCC patients were randomly divided into a group that received saline mouth rinses and an education programme and a control group that received standard care. OM symptoms and QOL were assessed with the WHO Oral Toxicity Scale, MSS-moo and UW-QOL. Data were collected at the first postoperative visit to the radiation department (T0) and at 4 weeks and 8 weeks after beginning RT or CCRT. Patients in both groups had significantly higher levels of physical and social-emotional QOL at 8 weeks after beginning RT or CCRT compared to the first visit. Patients in the saline rinse group had significantly better physical and social-emotional QOL as compared to the standard care group at 8 weeks. Radiation-induced OM symptoms and overall QOL were not different between the groups. We thus conclude the saline rinse and education programme promote better physical and social-emotional QOL in OCC patients receiving RT/CCRT. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Effects of Leisure Education Programme Including Sportive Activities on Perceived Freedom in Leisure of Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ertuzun, Ezgi

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this experimental study is to determine the effect of leisure education programme including sportive activities on the perceived freedom in leisure of adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities. The research was designed with an experimental group (n = 37) and a control group (n = 34), and was conducted among a total of 71…

  16. Assessing quality of a worksite health promotion programme from participants' views: findings from a qualitative study in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Liau, Siow-Yen; Hassali, Mohamed-Azmi A; Shafie, Asrul A; Ibrahim, Mohamed-Izham M

    2014-02-01

    An assessment of the process and outcomes of a health promotion programme is necessary for the continuous improvement of a programme. To explore the participants' perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of the 'Love Your Heart Programme'. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of participants of the 'Love Your Heart' programme. Interviews were based on an interview guide that grouped questions into four main subgroups: structure, process, immediate outcomes and impact. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the principles of grounded theory. A total of 17 interviews were conducted. The participants were satisfied with the structural aspects of the programme. Different opinions arose regarding the ideal frequency and duration of the programme. The content of the seminars was thought to be too general. There was also a lack of interest in the 'Road to a Healthy Heart' booklet. All of the respondents had positive opinions about the communication skills and attitude of the health educator. The potential advantages and disadvantages of participating in the programme were discussed. Finally, the respondents expressed their satisfaction with the programme and the impact it had on them. In general, the participants who were interviewed held the programme, and the health educator conducted the programme in high regard. The suggestions that were received can be used to further improve the acceptability and feasibility of the programme. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. The effect of a school-based educational intervention on menstrual health: an intervention study among adolescent girls in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Haque, Syed Emdadul; Rahman, Mosiur; Itsuko, Kawashima; Mutahara, Mahmuda; Sakisaka, Kayako

    2014-07-03

    To assess the impact of a school-based menstrual education programme on: (1) menstrual knowledge, beliefs and practices, (2) menstrual disorders experienced, and (3) restrictions on menstruating adolescents. Intervention study. Araihazar area, Bangladesh. 416 adolescent female students aged 11-16 years, in grade 6-8, and living with their parents. A school-based health education study conducted from April 2012 to April 2013. We randomly selected 3 of 26 high schools in the study area. We delivered 6 months of educational intervention by trained (by an obstetrician and gynaecologist) research assistants (RAs) on menstrual hygiene among school girls. RAs read the questionnaire and participants answered. The changes in knowledge, beliefs and practices regarding menstruation, menstrual disorders experienced, and the restrictions and behaviours practiced by menstruating adolescents were compared between the baseline and the follow-up assessments. After health education, participants reported a significant improvement (p<0.001) in 'high knowledge and beliefs' scores compared to baseline (51% vs 82.4%). Significant improvement was also observed in overall good menstrual practices (28.8% vs 88.9%), including improvements in using sanitary pads (22.4% change after the intervention), frequency of changing pads/cloths per day (68.8%), drying the used absorbent (77.6%), methods of disposing of the used absorbent (25.5%), and cleaning of genitalia (19.2%). During the follow-up, the participants reported significant improvements in the regularity of their menstrual cycle (94.5% vs 99.5%) and fewer complications during menstruation (78.6% vs 59.6%). The programme produced significant changes in the knowledge, beliefs and practices of menstrual hygiene, complications from lack of hygiene, and the behaviour and restrictions of the menstruating adolescents. These results demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a health education programme for adolescents on menstrual hygiene in secondary schools serving rural Bangladesh. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  18. Do parental education and income matter? A nationwide register-based study on HPV vaccine uptake in the school-based immunisation programme in Norway.

    PubMed

    Feiring, Berit; Laake, Ida; Molden, Tor; Cappelen, Inger; Håberg, Siri E; Magnus, Per; Steingrímsdóttir, Ólöf Anna; Strand, Bjørn Heine; Stålcrantz, Jeanette; Trogstad, Lill

    2015-05-19

    Vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) has been offered free of charge to all 12-year-old girls in Norway since 2009. Nevertheless, the uptake of HPV vaccine is lower than for other childhood vaccines. The aim of this study was to examine whether parental education and income are associated with initiation and completion of HPV vaccination. Nationwide register-based study. Publicly funded childhood immunisation programme in Norway. 91,405 girls born between 1997 and 1999 and registered in the Norwegian Central Population Registry were offered HPV vaccine during the first 3 programme years. Of these, 84,139 had complete information on all variables and were included in the study. Information on HPV-vaccination status was obtained from the Norwegian Immunisation Registry. Data on socioeconomic factors were extracted from Statistics Norway. Risk differences (RDs) and CIs were estimated with Poisson regression. In the study sample, 78.3% received at least one dose of HPV vaccine and 73.6% received all three doses. High maternal education was significantly associated with lower probability of initiating HPV vaccination (multivariable RD=-5.5% (95% CI -7.0% to -4.0%) for highest compared with lowest education level). In contrast, high maternal income was significantly associated with higher probability of initiating vaccination (multivariable RD=10.1% (95% CI 9.0% to 11.3%) for highest compared with lowest quintile). Paternal education and income showed similar, but weaker, associations. The negative association between education and initiation was only seen for incomes below the median value. In spite of the presumably equal access to HPV vaccine in Norway, we found socioeconomic disparities in vaccine uptake. More studies are needed to explain the underlying factors responsible for the observed socioeconomic differences. Insight into these factors is necessary to target information and increase vaccination coverage to ultimately reduce HPV-related disease across socioeconomic barriers. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  19. Strengthening environmental and educational nutrition programmes in worksite cafeterias and supermarkets in The Netherlands.

    PubMed

    Steenhuis, I H; Van Assema, P; Glanz, K

    2001-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess conditions for the adoption and continued implementation of different healthy nutrition programmes in worksite cafeterias and supermarkets, i.e. an educational programme and two environmental programmes (a food labelling programme and a food supply programme). Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of worksite cafeterias and supermarkets. Concepts of theories of diffusion were used as a framework for the study. Questions were formulated about the attributes of the innovation, and organizational and personal characteristics that might influence programme adoption and implementation. Results indicated that educational and environmental programmes in both worksite cafeterias and supermarkets should meet specific requirements regarding programme design, methods and materials in order to be adopted and implemented. Besides, some important implementation strategies of the educational and environmental programmes were identified. It is concluded that it seems feasible to conduct educational and environmental intervention programmes in worksite cafeterias and supermarkets, but that certain conditions for adoption and continued implementation have to be met. Based on the implications of this study, the development of an educational programme, a labelling programme and a food supply programme was completed.

  20. Evaluating the effectiveness of a peer-led education intervention to improve the patient safety attitudes of junior pharmacy students: a cross-sectional study using a latent growth curve modelling approach.

    PubMed

    Walpola, Ramesh L; Fois, Romano A; McLachlan, Andrew J; Chen, Timothy F

    2015-12-08

    Despite the recognition that educating healthcare students in patient safety is essential, changing already full curricula can be challenging. Furthermore, institutions may lack the capacity and capability to deliver patient safety education, particularly from the start of professional practice studies. Using senior students as peer educators to deliver practice-based education can potentially overcome some of the contextual barriers in training junior students. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a peer-led patient safety education programme for junior pharmacy students. A repeat cross-sectional design utilising a previously validated patient safety attitudinal survey was used to evaluate attitudes prior to, immediately after and 1 month after the delivery of a patient safety education programme. Latent growth curve (LGC) modelling was used to evaluate the change in attitudes of first-year students using second-year students as a comparator group. Undergraduate university students in Sydney, Australia. 175 first-year and 140 second-year students enrolled in the Bachelor of Pharmacy programme at the University of Sydney. An introductory patient safety programme was implemented into the first-year Bachelor of Pharmacy curriculum at the University of Sydney. The programme covered introductory patient safety topics including teamwork, communication skills, systems thinking and open disclosure. The programme consisted of 2 lectures, delivered by a senior academic, and a workshop delivered by trained final-year pharmacy students. A full LGC model was constructed including the intervention as a non-time-dependent predictor of change (χ(2) (51)=164.070, root mean square error of approximation=0.084, comparative fit index=0.913, standardised root mean square=0.056). First-year students' attitudes significantly improved as a result of the intervention, particularly in relation to internalising errors (p=0.010), questioning behaviours (p<0.001) and open disclosure (p=0.008). Peer-led education is an effective method that can be adopted to improve junior pharmacy students' attitudes towards patient safety. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  1. [Can a mobile phone short message increase participation in breast cancer screening programmes?].

    PubMed

    Arcas, M M; Buron, A; Ramis, O; Esturi, M; Hernández, C; Macià, F

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the impact of a mobile phone short message on women's uptake in a breast cancer screening programme. A total of 703 women from a Basic Health Area of Barcelona, and with a mobile phone number registered, were invited to participate in a breast cancer screening programme between 25 January 2011 and 22 March 2011. The control group (n=470) followed the usual appointment track, and the intervention group (n=233) received, after the first letter of invitation, a mobile phone short message reminder. The differences between the two groups were analysed, comparing the uptake rates according to age, educational level, and participation in previous round, as well as the number of re-invitation calls to non-attenders according to uptake, age and level of education;and the percentages of exclusions of both groups. The intervention group had a greater uptake than the control group (78.1% vs. 72.3%), with a significant trend observed in the 55-59 years age group (P=.036) and the low secondary educational level (P=.014).The intervention group mean of re-invitation calls of non-attenders lower than the control group (.41 vs. .65, P<.05), a pattern observed in all the categories of the independent variables, and among younger age groups, lower and middle educational levels, and previously participating women (.09 vs. .19, P=.012). The inclusion of a mobile phone short message in a breast cancer screening programme may increase uptake rates and lead to a management improvement. Copyright © 2013 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  2. Effect of a group-based rehabilitation programme on glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes patients: the Copenhagen Type 2 Diabetes Rehabilitation Project.

    PubMed

    Vadstrup, Eva Soelberg; Frølich, Anne; Perrild, Hans; Borg, Eva; Røder, Michael

    2011-08-01

    To compare the effectiveness of a group-based rehabilitation programme with an individual counselling programme at improving glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factors among patients with type 2 diabetes. We randomised 143 adult type 2 diabetes patients to either a 6-month multidisciplinary group-based rehabilitation programme or a 6-month individual counselling programme. Outcome measures included glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)), blood pressure, lipid profile, weight, and waist circumference. Mean HbA(1c) decreased 0.3%-point (95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.5, -0.1) in the rehabilitation group and 0.6%-point (95% CI = -0.8, -0.4) among individual counselling participants (p<0.05). Within both groups, equal reductions occurred in body weight, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, but no significant between-group differences between occurred for any of the cardiovascular outcomes. The group-based rehabilitation programme consumed twice as many personnel resources. The group-based rehabilitation programme resulted in changes in glycaemic control and cardiovascular risk factor reduction that were equivalent or inferior to those of an individual counselling programme. The group-based rehabilitation programme, tested in the current design, did not offer additionally improved outcomes and consumed more personnel resources than the individual counselling programme; its broad implementation is not supported by this study. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00284609. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Programme impact on current contraception in Bangladesh.

    PubMed

    Latif, M A

    1994-03-01

    "This paper analyses the impact of three credit programmes--the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), the Bangladesh Rural Development Board's Rural Development-12 (BRDB RD-12), and the Grameen Bank (GB), on current rate of contraception. These programmes are targeted to alleviate poverty by providing group-based credit to the rural poor in creating self employment opportunities. With small credits, these programmes combine family planning activities in terms of consciousness raising, awareness building and motivation. Sample survey data are used to analyse the problem of impact evaluation. The analyses show that the BRAC and the GB programmes have [a] significantly positive impact on the current rate of contraception, while the BRDB RD-12 programme does not have any such impact. It is also found that education, both of female[s] and male[s] separately, and child survivorship have independently positive impact[s] on current contraception." excerpt

  4. Law and Ethics: Problematising the Role of the Foundation Degree and Paralegal Education in English Post-Compulsory Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingleby, Ewan; Gibby, Caroline

    2016-01-01

    This article is based on research on a foundation degree programme in paralegal education in England. The content explores the pedagogical benefits of this academic programme with its work-related focus. The research has been completed with academic tutors and students who are associated with a foundation degree programme in paralegal education in…

  5. Assessing quality of a worksite health promotion programme from participants’ views: findings from a qualitative study in Malaysia

    PubMed Central

    Liau, Siow‐Yen; Hassali, Mohamed‐Azmi A.; Shafie, Asrul A.; Ibrahim, Mohamed‐Izham M.

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Background  An assessment of the process and outcomes of a health promotion programme is necessary for the continuous improvement of a programme. Objective  To explore the participants’ perceptions of the quality and effectiveness of the ‘Love Your Heart Programme’. Design  A qualitative study using semi‐structured interviews with a purposive sample of participants of the ‘Love Your Heart’ programme. Interviews were based on an interview guide that grouped questions into four main subgroups: structure, process, immediate outcomes and impact. The interviews were audio‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using the principles of grounded theory. Results  A total of 17 interviews were conducted. The participants were satisfied with the structural aspects of the programme. Different opinions arose regarding the ideal frequency and duration of the programme. The content of the seminars was thought to be too general. There was also a lack of interest in the ‘Road to a Healthy Heart’ booklet. All of the respondents had positive opinions about the communication skills and attitude of the health educator. The potential advantages and disadvantages of participating in the programme were discussed. Finally, the respondents expressed their satisfaction with the programme and the impact it had on them. Discussion and conclusions  In general, the participants who were interviewed held the programme, and the health educator conducted the programme in high regard. The suggestions that were received can be used to further improve the acceptability and feasibility of the programme. PMID:22050457

  6. Impact and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the National School-Based Sexuality Education Programme in Estonia

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kivela, Jari; Haldre, Kai; Part, Kai; Ketting, Evert; Baltussen, Rob

    2014-01-01

    Policy-makers making decisions on the implementation of school-based sexuality education (SE) programmes face two important questions: (1) what are the costs of implementing and scaling up SE programmes, and (2) what are the impacts? This paper responds to these questions by retrospectively assessing costs, impact and cost-effectiveness of the…

  7. A cluster randomised controlled trial of a nutrition education intervention in the community.

    PubMed

    Madigan, S M; Fleming, P; Wright, M E; Stevenson, M; Macauley, D

    2014-04-01

    Patients with enteral feeding tubes are increasingly managed in their home environment and these patients require support from a range of healthcare professionals. A cluster randomised trial of an educational intervention was undertaken among General Practitioners and nurses both in the community and in nursing home caring for patients recently discharged to primary care. This was a short, duration (<1 h), nutrition education programme delivered in the work place soon after the patient was discharged from hospital. The primary outcome was an improvement in knowledge immediately after the intervention and the secondary outcome was knowledge at 6 months. Those in the intervention group had improved knowledge, which was significantly greater than those in the control group (P < 0.001), although this knowledge was not sustained at 6 months. A short, work-based targeted nutrition education programme is effective for improving knowledge among general practitioners and nurses both in the community and in nursing homes. © 2013 The Authors Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2013 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

  8. Reaching out: medical students leading in local communities.

    PubMed

    Bannon, Aidan; O'Hare, Niamh; Corr, Michael; Sterling, Margaret; Gormley, Gerard J

    2015-06-01

    Queen's University Red Cross is a medical student-led volunteer group with a key aim of promoting social change within local communities and empowering young people to aspire to higher education. We describe 'The Personal Development Certificate', a 12-week community development programme devised by third-year medical students at Queen's University Belfast to target young people who are lacking educational motivation, are disengaged at home or are marginalised through social circumstances. Community-based education is of increasing importance within undergraduate and postgraduate medical education in the UK, and further afield. We evaluated the perceived improvements in key skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication, and problem solving in students following participation in this programme, and the extent to which their attitude and appreciation of community-based medicine changed. [Students] appreciated the opportunity to translate a series of classroom-learned skills to real-life environments Following facilitation of this community-based initiative, all students reported a perceived improvement in the acquired skill sets. Students made strong links from this programme to previous clinical experiences and appreciated the opportunity to translate a series of classroom-learned skills to real-life environments and interactions. The students' appreciation and understanding of community-based medicine was the single most improved area of our evaluation. We have demonstrated that medical students possess the skills to develop and facilitate their own educational projects. Non-clinical, student-led community projects have the potential to be reproduced using recognised frameworks and guidelines to complement the current undergraduate medical curriculum. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  9. Comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation in home-based online groups: a mixed method pilot study in COPD.

    PubMed

    Burkow, Tatjana M; Vognild, Lars K; Johnsen, Elin; Risberg, Marijke Jongsma; Bratvold, Astrid; Breivik, Elin; Krogstad, Trine; Hjalmarsen, Audhild

    2015-12-10

    Comprehensive multidisciplinary pulmonary rehabilitation is vital in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is considered for any stage of the disease. Rehabilitation programmes are often centre-based and organised in groups. However, the distance from the patient's home to the centre and lack of transportation may hinder participation. Rehabilitation at home can improve access to care for patients regardless of disease severity. We had previously studied the technology usability and acceptability of a comprehensive home rehabilitation programme designed for patients with very severe COPD receiving long-term oxygen therapy. The acceptability of such comprehensive home programmes for those with less severe COPD, who may be less homebound, is not known. The aims of this feasibility study were to assess patient acceptability of the delivery mode and components of a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation programme for any stage of COPD, as well as the technology usability, patient outcomes and economic aspects. Ten participants with COPD in the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grade I-IV were enrolled in a 9-week home programme and divided into two rehabilitation groups, with five patients in each group. The programme included exercise training and self-management education in online groups of patients, and individual online consultations. The patients also kept a digital health diary. To assess the acceptability of the programme, the patients were interviewed after the intervention using a semi-structured interview guide. In addition the number of sessions attended was observed. The usability of the technology was assessed using interviews and the System Usability Scale questionnaire. The St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to measure health-related quality of life. The mode of delivery and the components of the programme were well accepted by the patients. The programme provided an environment for learning from both healthcare professionals and peers, for asking questions and discussing disease-related issues and for group exercising. The patients considered that it facilitated health-enhancing behaviours and social interactions with a social group formed among the participants. Even participants who were potentially less homebound appreciated the home group and social aspects of the programme. The participants found the technology easy to learn and use. The acceptability and usability results were consistent with those in our previous study of patients with very severe COPD. Only the mean change in the SGRQ total score of -6.53 (CI 95 % -0.38 to -12.68, p = 0.04) indicates a probable clinically significant effect. Economic calculations indicated that the cost of the programme was feasible. The results of this study indicate that comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation delivered in home-based online groups may be feasible in COPD. The mode of delivery and components of the programme appeared to be acceptable across patients with different disease severity. The results in terms of patient outcomes are inconclusive, and further assessment is needed.

  10. Active ingredients in anti-stigma programmes in mental health.

    PubMed

    Pinfold, Vanessa; Thornicroft, Graham; Huxley, Peter; Farmer, Paul

    2005-04-01

    This paper draws upon a review of the relevant literature and the results of the recent Mental Health Awareness in Action (MHAA) programme in England to discuss the current evidence base on the active ingredients in effective anti-stigma interventions in mental health. The MHAA Programme delivered educational interventions to 109 police officers, 78 adults from different community groups whose working lives involved supporting people with mental health problems but who had received no mental health training and 472 schools students aged 14-15. Each adult target group received two intervention sessions lasting two hours. The two school lessons were 50 minutes each. Knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intent were assessed at baseline and follow-up. In addition focus groups were held with mental health service users to explore the impact of stigma on their lives and facilitators of educational workshops were interviewed to provide expert opinion on 'what works' to reduce psychiatric stigma. Personal contact was predictive of positive changes in knowledge and attitudes for the school students but not the police officers or community adult group. The key active ingredient identified by all intervention groups and workshop facilitators were the testimonies of service users. The statements of service users (consumers) about their experience of mental health problems and of their contact with a range of services had the greatest and most lasting impact on the target audiences in terms of reducing mental health stigma.

  11. Evaluation of an online master's programme in Somaliland. A phenomenographic study on the experience of professional and personal development among midwifery faculty.

    PubMed

    Erlandsson, Kerstin; Osman, Fatumo; Hatakka, Mathias; Egal, Jama Ali; Byrskog, Ulrika; Pedersen, Christina; Klingberg-Allvin, Marie

    2017-07-01

    To record the variation of perceptions of midwifery faculty in terms of the possibilities and challenges related to the completion of their first online master's level programme in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Somaliland. The informants included in this phenomenongraphical focus group study were those well-educated professional women and men who completed the master's program. The informant perceived that this first online master's level programme provided tools for independent use of the Internet and independent searching for evidence-based information, enhanced professional development, was challenge-driven and evoked curiosity, challenged professional development, enhanced personal development and challenged context-bound career paths. Online education makes it possible for well-educated professional women to continue higher education. It furthermore increased the informants' confidence in their use of Internet, software and databases and in the use of evidence in both their teaching and their clinical practice. Programmes such as the one described in this paper could counter the difficulties ensuring best practice by having a critical mass of midwives who will be able to continually gather contemporary midwifery evidence and use it to ensure best practice. An increase of online education is suggested in South-central Somalia and in similar settings globally. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Pedagogical principles underpinning undergraduate Nurse Education in the UK: A review.

    PubMed

    Mackintosh-Franklin, Carolyn

    2016-05-01

    This review provides a contextual report of the current use of pedagogy in undergraduate nursing programmes run by Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in the United Kingdom (UK). Pedagogy provides the framework for educators to add shape and structure to the educational process, and to support student learning and programme development. Traditionally nurse education has used a behaviourist approach focusing on learning outcomes and competency based education, although there is also increasing support for the cognitive/student learning focused pedagogic approach. The keywords andragogy, pedagogy and student centred learning were used in a systematic stepwise descriptive content analysis of the programme specifications and programme handbooks of 40 current undergraduate programme documents, leading to an undergraduate award and professional registration as a nurse. 42% (17) of documents contained reference to the words, pedagogy and student centred learning, whilst no documents used the word andragogy. Where identified, pedagogy was used in a superficial manner, with only three documents identifying a specific pedagogical philosophy: one HEI citing a value based curriculum and two HEIs referencing social constructionism. Nine HEIs made reference to student centred learning but with no additional pedagogic information. A review of teaching, learning and assessment strategies indicated no difference between the documented strategies used by HEIs when comparing those with an espoused pedagogy and those without. Although educational literature supports the use of pedagogic principles in curriculum design, this is not explicit in undergraduate nursing programme documentation, and suggests that nurse educators do not view pedagogy as important to their programmes. Instead programmes appear to be developed based on operational and functional requirements with a focus on acquisition of knowledge and skills, and the fitness to practice of graduates entering the nursing workforce. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Effects on readiness to change of an educational intervention on depressive disorders for general physicians in primary care based on a modified Prochaska model--a randomized controlled study.

    PubMed

    Shirazi, M; Zeinaloo, A A; Parikh, S V; Sadeghi, M; Taghva, A; Arbabi, M; Kashani, A Sabouri; Alaeddini, F; Lonka, K; Wahlström, R

    2008-04-01

    The Prochaska model of readiness to change has been proposed to be used in educational interventions to improve medical care. To evaluate the impact on readiness to change of an educational intervention on management of depressive disorders based on a modified version of the Prochaska model in comparison with a standard programme of continuing medical education (CME). This is a randomized controlled trial within primary care practices in southern Tehran, Iran. The participants included 192 general physicians working in primary care (GPs) were recruited after random selection and randomized to intervention (96) and control (96). Intervention consisted of interactive, learner-centred educational methods in large and small group settings depending on the GPs' stages of readiness to change. Change in stage of readiness to change measured by the modified version of the Prochaska questionnaire was the The final number of participants was 78 (81%) in the intervention arm and 81 (84%) in the control arm. Significantly (P < 0.01), more GPs (57/96 = 59% versus 12/96 = 12%) in the intervention group changed to higher stages of readiness to change. The intervention effect was 46% points (P < 0.001) and 50% points (P < 0.001) in the large and small group setting, respectively. Educational formats that suit different stages of learning can support primary care doctors to reach higher stages of behavioural change in the topic of depressive disorders. Our findings have practical implications for conducting CME programmes in Iran and are possibly also applicable in other parts of the world.

  14. Influence of a Non-Formal Environmental Education Programme on Junior High-School Students; Environmental Literacy

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldman, Daphne; Assaraf, Orit Ben Zvi; Shaharabani, Dina

    2013-01-01

    One of the solutions implemented by schools for conducting value-based environmental education (EE) is outsourcing: allocating external environmental organizations that develop and conduct EE programmes. This study addressed such a programme--the Green Council Programme (GCP)--developed and implemented in schools by the Israeli Society for…

  15. Project youth inform--a school-based sexually transmitted disease/acquired immune deficiency syndrome education programme.

    PubMed

    Soon, T; Chan, R K; Goh, C L

    1995-07-01

    A pilot project, ¿Youth Inform¿ endorsed by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education, Singapore, was undertaken in 1992 for 2 years. It aims to enhance sexually transmitted disease (STDs)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) control in Singapore by providing structured information for young people between the ages of 16 to 20 years in Polytechnics, Junior Colleges, Centralised Institutes and Pre-University Centres. Project Youth Inform comprises 8 components. They include a focus group discussion, a training seminar for teachers, a lecture/slide presentation cum question-and-answer session, an educational booklet/bookmark, exhibitions, a video, provisions for anonymous questions, and an evaluation. The programme is conducted during school hours at the premises of the institutions and the attendance per session is between 150 to 350 students. A total of 152 sessions have been completed for all the schools. It is ongoing and is currently administered by the School Health Service and Training and Health Education Department. Feedback from principals, teachers and students was gathered formally through surveys and informally through interviews and observations. One thousand students were randomly selected for the survey to assess their responses towards the programme. Eighty-six percent reported that they found it educational and informative. Indicators found to have an influence on the effectiveness of the programme were timing, vocabulary used (medical terms) and integration of the programme into the school's curriculum. In conclusion, Project Youth Inform was on the whole positively received. However, it is essential to constantly accommodate and adapt to new facts and methods of teaching and maintain close coordination with the Ministries and the schools. An effective STD/acquired immune deficiency syndrome programme is an important step towards the prevention, management and control of the epidemic.

  16. Implementing community-based education in basic nursing education programs in South Africa.

    PubMed

    Mtshali, N G

    2009-03-01

    Education of health professionals using principles of community-based education is the recommended national policy in South Africa. A paradigm shift to community-based education is reported in a number of nursing education institutions in South Africa. Reviewed literature however revealed that in some educational institutions planning, implementation and evaluation of Community-based Educational (CBE) programmes tended to be haphazard, uncoordinated and ineffective, resulting in poor student motivation. Therefore the purpose of this study was to analyse the implementation of community-based education in basic nursing education programmes in South Africa. Strauss and Corbin's (1990) grounded theory approach guided the research process. Data were collected by means of observation, interviews and document analysis. The findings revealed that collaborative decision-making involving all stakeholders was crucial especially during the curriculum planning phase. Furthermore, special criteria should be used when selecting community learning sites to ensure that the selected sites are able to facilitate the development of required graduate competencies. Collaborative effort, true partnership between academic institutions and communities, as well as government support and involvement emerged as necessary conditions for the successful implementation of community-based education programmes.

  17. Developing a structured education reminiscence-based programme for staff in long-stay care facilities in Ireland.

    PubMed

    Cooney, Adeline; O'Shea, Eamon; Casey, Dympna; Murphy, Kathy; Dempsey, Laura; Smyth, Siobhan; Hunter, Andrew; Murphy, Edel; Devane, Declan; Jordan, Fionnuala

    2013-07-01

    This paper describes the steps used in developing and piloting a structured education programme - the Structured Education Reminiscence-based Programme for Staff (SERPS). The programme aimed to prepare nurses and care assistants to use reminiscence when caring for people with dementia living in long-term care. Reminiscence involves facilitating people to talk or think about their past. Structured education programmes are used widely as interventions in randomised controlled trials. However, the process of developing a structured education programme has received little attention relative to that given to evaluating the effectiveness of such programmes. This paper makes explicit the steps followed to develop the SERPS, thereby making a contribution to the methodology of designing and implementing effective structured education programmes. The approach to designing the SERPS was informed by the Van Meijel et al. (2004) model (Journal of Advanced Nursing 48, 84): (1) problem definition, (2) accumulation of building blocks for intervention design, (3) intervention design and (4) intervention validation. Grounded theory was used (1) to generate data to shape the 'building blocks' for the SERPS and (2) to explore residents, family and staff's experience of using/receiving reminiscence. Analysis of the pilot data indicated that the programme met its objective of preparing staff to use reminiscence with residents with dementia. Staff were positive both about the SERPS and the use of reminiscence with residents with dementia. This paper outlines a systematic approach to developing and validating a structured education programme. Participation in a structured education programme is more positive for staff if they are expected to actively implement what they have learnt. Ongoing support during the delivery of the programme is important for successful implementation. The incorporation of client and professional experience in the design phase is a key strength of this approach to programme design. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  18. Health-related quality of life improvement via telemedicine for epilepsy: printed versus SMS-based education intervention.

    PubMed

    Lua, Pei Lin; Neni, Widiasmoro Selamat

    2013-10-01

    Improving health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among people with epilepsy (PWE) has become the focus of various treatment programmes and behavioural interventions which continue to be challenging to both patients and healthcare professionals. To investigate the impact of SMS-based epilepsy education programme on PWE's HRQoL status and to determine the predictors for good HRQoL. Eligible epilepsy out-patients from three public hospitals in East Coast Peninsular Malaysia were randomized into two groups: intervention (IG) and control (CG). Patients in the CG were supplied with only printed epilepsy educational module, while those in the IG additionally received short message service (SMS) from the Mobile Epilepsy Educational System (MEES). The Malay Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-30 (MQOLIE-30) was utilized for HRQoL assessment. Descriptive statistics, paired t test, analysis of covariance and multiple logistic regression were employed for data analyses (SPSS 16). One hundred and forty-four PWE were recruited for the study (age = 30.5 ± 11.8; unmarried = 60.4 %; education level ≤ SPM/Cambridge O' level = 76.4 %; illness duration > 5 years = 51.1 %). After controlling for possible confounders, IG exhibited positive changes in HRQoL profile compared to CG particularly in Seizure Worry, Overall Quality of Life, Emotional Well-Being, Social Functioning and Overall Score (p < 0.05). After adjusting for covariates, being employed and receiving additional SMS-based epilepsy education programme emerged as the significant predictors of good HRQoL among PWE. Receiving continuous SMS-based epilepsy information from the MEES seemed to generate positive impacts on PWE's overall HRQoL. This study has provided a basis for future innovations to inspire efforts in ensuring the welfare and HRQoL of PWE and their families.

  19. Training Social Competence in Engineering Education: Necessary, Possible or Not Even Desirable? An Explorative Study from a Surveying Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emilsson, U. Melin; Lilje, B.

    2008-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to discuss whether "social competence" is necessary for engineers to contribute to sustainable development and if it is, how to teach communication, group-processes and leadership in technical environments like engineering education programmes. The article reflects on a pedagogical project carried out in the…

  20. The past, present, and future of paediatric cardiology training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, in the tradition of Dr Helen Taussig.

    PubMed

    Beasley, Gary S; Murphy, Anne M; Brenner, Joel I; Ravekes, William J

    2016-12-01

    Johns Hopkins has been a leader in paediatric cardiology for over 85 years. In the 1940s, Dr Helen Taussig began training fellows in paediatric cardiology at Johns Hopkins at a time when the diagnosis and treatment of CHD were in the earliest stage. Under her leadership, the fellowship developed a strong foundation that has continued to evolve to meet the current needs of learners and educators. In the current era, the Johns Hopkins programme implements the current theories of adult education and actively engages our fellows in learning as well as teaching. The programme uses techniques such as flipped classroom, structured case-based small-group learning, observed and structured clinical examination, simulations, and innovative educational technology. These strategies combined with our faculty and rich history give our fellows a unique educational experience.

  1. Predicting Educational Success and Attrition in Problem-Based Learning: Do First Impressions Count?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wijnia, Lisette; Loyens, Sofie M. M.; Derous, Eva; Koendjie, Nitaasha S.; Schmidt, Henk G.

    2014-01-01

    This study examines whether tutors (N?=?15) in a problem-based learning curriculum were able to predict students' success in their first year and their entire bachelor programme. Tutors were asked to rate each student in their tutorial group in terms of the chance that this student would successfully finish their first year and the entire…

  2. Evaluation of an education and follow-up programme for implantable cardioverter defibrillator-implanted patients.

    PubMed

    Cinar, Fatma I; Tosun, Nuran; Kose, Sedat

    2013-09-01

    To determine the experiences, problems and the need for care and education of implantable cardioverter defibrillator-implanted patients and to assess the effects of an education and nurse follow-up programme on their quality of life, anxiety, depression and knowledge level. Although implantable cardioverter defibrillator has become a well-established therapy for people experiencing potentially lethal dysrhythmias, implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients may have physical and psychosocial problems due to the implantation. Applying a planning education and follow-up programme to implantable cardioverter defibrillator-implanted patients may prevent the need for more intensive treatment during the postimplantation period. A mixed methods design that used both qualitative and quantitative data collections and analysis was used for this study. The study was performed in the cardiology department in Turkey between 2009-2010. The data were collected using the 'Semi-Structured Interview Form', 'Form for Assessment of Patients' Knowledge Level about implantable cardioverter defibrillator', 'Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory', 'Beck Depression Inventory II' and 'The Short-Form 36 Health Survey'. All forms were completed at the beginning of the study and at six months. The study included 27 patients in the experimental group and 27 patients in the control group. The results showed that the patients were living with various physical and psychosocial problems and insufficient knowledge regarding the implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Education and follow-up programme increased knowledge levels, decreased anxiety and depression scores and improved several subscales of quality of life in the experimental group patients. It was recommended that education and follow-up programme be used for patients scheduled to undergo implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation, starting before implantation and continuing thereafter, to help patients adapt to a life with implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Planned education and follow-up programme conducted by nurses may improve the knowledge levels and quality of life, anxiety and depression scores of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator-implanted patients. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. 'I learned to accept every part of myself': the transformative impact of a theatre-based sexual health and HIV prevention programme.

    PubMed

    Grewe, Mary E; Taboada, Arianna; Dennis, Alexis; Chen, Elizabeth; Stein, Kathryn; Watson, Sable; Barrington, Clare; Lightfoot, Alexandra F

    Theatre-based interventions have been used in health promotion activities among young people to address HIV and sexual health. In this study, we explored the experience of undergraduate student performers participating in a theatre-based HIV prevention and sexual health education intervention for high school students in the USA. Undergraduate students enrolled in a credit-bearing course to learn about HIV and sexual health, participatory theatre and health education techniques. We analysed students' reflective essays written throughout the semester to identify any changes and the intervention processes that promoted these changes. Students experienced five interrelated forms of transformation: (1) increased knowledge about HIV and sexual health; (2) changes in attitude and communication about sex; (3) artistic growth; (4) emotional growth; and (5) clarification of career goals and future plans. Intervention processes that contributed to these transformations included improvisation, guided writing exercises, the creation of a close-knit cohesive group, and interactions with a group of HIV-positive speakers. Theatre-based, peer-led sexual health programmes can provide a transformative experience for undergraduate student performers. The transformative effects are linked to specific activities and processes of the intervention and require examination in future research.

  4. Shaping space programme as a tool for educating youth about architecture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marczak, Piotr

    2017-10-01

    The Polish Architectural Policy’s vision of a systematic promotion of spatial culture has made its way into the national curriculum for 2009 - 2016 designed for various stages of child and teenager education. The objective of this effort was to furnish a basis for a system of architectural education which allows teaching society to be more conscious in their decisions as to spatial order with the effect of improving the quality of our living space. Educating individuals to engage consciously in activities related to the protection of space and transformations taking place within that space requires an understanding of basic issues connected with space, the nature of space and the interrelations of various elements which form it. The “Shaping space” programme under the patronage of the Chamber of Polish Architects is one of the tools dedicated to students of lower and higher secondary schools, designed to assist teachers as architectural educators. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a survey related to the implementation of the programme in Lower Secondary School 3 in Malbork in the years 2013-2016. The programme involved observation of students (of grades 1 to 3) in architecture-oriented classes, assistance for the teacher in the class rooms well as an evaluation of the usefulness of educational materials. A number of problems became evident during the implementation of the “Shaping space” programme which is now available in book form. The size of the book is large enough to discourage any potential readers. The subject matter of the book is not suitable for the intended age group (age: 13-16). Another issue was the teacher’s suitability to conduct this type of class. Class observation in grades 1-3 of the lower secondary school and discussions with teachers in charge of that programme served as a basis for developing our own tools and materials in the form of multimedia presentations, templates and lesson scenarios designed to convey and put in order the knowledge related to spatial planning. The conclusions drawn based on these observations have been used in classes at the Faculty of Architecture of the Gdansk University of Technology with a group of students in the 3rd semester of their MA studies, who have helped to prepare auxiliary materials for teachers conducting this type of programmes in primary schools. The joint effort has produced a dictionary entitled Pomeranian ABC of Space, which is designed as a tool for teachers in their own work related to architectural education.

  5. An evaluation of performance-arts based HIV-prevention events in London with 13- 16-year-olds.

    PubMed

    Campbell, Tomás; Bath, Michael; Bradbear, Rachel; Cottle, Justine; Parrett, Neil

    2009-09-01

    The London borough of Newham is ethnically diverse and is one of the poorest regions in the UK. Rates of teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV are high compared to the rest of the country. One strand of the local school-based HIV-prevention programme for young people utilizes performance arts as a tool for HIV education and prevention. This study evaluated HIV knowledge, confidence and intention to use a condom in two groups of 13- 16-year-olds who had participated in performance-based events. Group 1 (n = 14) participated in a six-week programme of performance arts-based HIV education and prevention workshops, which culminated in a theatre-based performance. Group 2 (n = 65) were audience members who attended the performance. Participants completed a short questionnaire containing both qualitative and quantitative items. Qualitative data suggested that the participants had learned about condoms and their efficacy in preventing acquisition of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. Quantitative results indicated that after participation in the events, respondents had more information about HIV and condom use; were more confident that they could insist on condom use with partners; and planned to use condoms in the future. There was a statistically significant difference between Groups 1 and 2 but because of the small numbers in Group 1 this result should be interpreted cautiously. Performance-based HIV-prevention activities may be a useful way to deliver HIV-prevention messages to young people. This evaluation will form the basis of a more systematic and robust evaluation of future events.

  6. Revealing the Effects of Cognitive Education Programmes through Dynamic Assessment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tzuriel, David

    2011-01-01

    The major objective of this paper is to demonstrate the effectiveness of dynamic assessment (DA) in revealing outcomes of cognitive education programmes. Three programmes based on "mediated learning experience" theory are reviewed: "Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment", "Bright Start", and "Peer Mediation with…

  7. Improvement in nutrition-related knowledge and behaviour of urban Asian Indian school children: findings from the 'Medical education for children/Adolescents for Realistic prevention of obesity and diabetes and for healthy aGeing' ( MARG) intervention study.

    PubMed

    Shah, Priyali; Misra, Anoop; Gupta, Nidhi; Hazra, Daya Kishore; Gupta, Rajeev; Seth, Payal; Agarwal, Anand; Gupta, Arun Kumar; Jain, Arvind; Kulshreshta, Atul; Hazra, Nandita; Khanna, Padmamalika; Gangwar, Prasann Kumar; Bansal, Sunil; Tallikoti, Pooja; Mohan, Indu; Bhargava, Rooma; Sharma, Rekha; Gulati, Seema; Bharadwaj, Swati; Pandey, Ravindra Mohan; Goel, Kashish

    2010-08-01

    Increasing prevalence of childhood obesity calls for comprehensive and cost-effective educative measures in developing countries such as India. School-based educative programmes greatly influence children's behaviour towards healthy living. We aimed to evaluate the impact of a school-based health and nutritional education programme on knowledge and behaviour of urban Asian Indian school children. Benchmark assessment of parents and teachers was also done. We educated 40 196 children (aged 8-18 years), 25 000 parents and 1500 teachers about health, nutrition, physical activity, non-communicable diseases and healthy cooking practices in three cities of North India. A pre-tested questionnaire was used to assess randomly selected 3128 children, 2241 parents and 841 teachers before intervention and 2329 children after intervention. Low baseline knowledge and behaviour scores were reported in 75-94 % government and 48-78 % private school children, across all age groups. A small proportion of government school children gave correct answers about protein (14-17 %), carbohydrates (25-27 %) and saturated fats (18-32 %). Private school children, parents and teachers performed significantly better than government school subjects (P < 0.05). Following the intervention, scores improved in all children irrespective of the type of school (P < 0.001). A significantly higher improvement was observed in younger children (aged 8-11 years) as compared with those aged 12-18 years, in females compared with males and in government schools compared with private schools (P < 0.05 for all). Major gaps exist in health and nutrition-related knowledge and behaviour of urban Asian Indian children, parents and teachers. This successful and comprehensive educative intervention could be incorporated in future school-based health and nutritional education programmes.

  8. Nutrition education for illiterate children in southern Madagascar--addressing their needs, perceptions and capabilities.

    PubMed

    Mahr, Johanna; Wuestefeld, Marzella; Ten Haaf, Joep; Krawinkel, Michael B

    2005-06-01

    A Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) study was conducted in three villages of Bekily District in southern Madagascar prior to the implementation of a health education programme with children. The participatory learning concept of the Child-to-Child approach was followed to involve the children in the planning and implementation of the programme, which was covered by the German Agency for Technical Cooperation. To this effect, qualitative research methods such as Participatory Learning and Action techniques (focus group discussions, mapping and matrix ranking, etc.) were applied. The survey was conducted between August and December 1999. It involved a total of 55 school-aged children (6-14 years) along with 21 mothers and 34 fathers, representing different ethnic groups and educational backgrounds. The results show that children's KAP related to health and nutrition strongly reflect those of adults. They are not aware of a possible link between bad hygiene and the occurrence of diseases. According to them, diarrhoea or malaria is caused by consuming too large amounts of certain foods. Even if they know about certain elementary hygiene behaviours, they do not practise this in their everyday life. A major objective of the health education programme for children should be to tackle the discrepancy between hygiene-related knowledge and behaviour. Through the participatory study approach the children revealed their ability to contribute to the programme development. In using appropriate communication channels, the Child-to-Child health education programme is expected to influence the health behaviours of both adults and children. The health education programme should be combined with a literacy programme to address the children's desire to learn reading and writing.

  9. The Eczema Education Programme: intervention development and model feasibility.

    PubMed

    Jackson, K; Ersser, S J; Dennis, H; Farasat, H; More, A

    2014-07-01

    The systematic support of parents of children with eczema is essential to their effective management; however, we have few models of support. This study examines the rationale, evidence base and development of a large-scale, structured, theory-based, nurse-led intervention, the 'Eczema Education Programme' (EEP), for parents of children with eczema. To outline development of the EEP, model of delivery, determine its feasibility and evaluate this based on service access and parental satisfaction data. Parent-child dyads meeting EEP referral criteria were recruited and demographic information recorded. A questionnaire survey of parental satisfaction was conducted 4 weeks post EEP; parental focus groups at 6 weeks provided comparative qualitative data. Descriptive statistics were derived from the questionnaire data using Predictive Analytics Software (PASW); content analysis was applied to focus group data. A total of 356 parents attended the EEP during the evaluation period. Service access was achieved for those in a challenging population. Both survey data (n = 146 parents, 57%) and focus group data (n = 21) revealed a significant level of parental satisfaction with the programme. It was feasible to provide the EEP as an adjunct to normal clinical care on a large scale, achieving a high level of patient/parent satisfaction and access within an urban area of multiple deprivation and high mobility. The intervention is transferable and the results are generalizable to other ethnically diverse child eczema populations within metropolitan areas in Britain. A multicentre RCT is required to test the effectiveness of this intervention on a larger scale. © 2013 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

  10. What Works in School-Based Alcohol Education: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Nicole K.; Cameron, Jacqui; Battams, Samantha; Roche, Ann

    2016-01-01

    Background: Considerable attention has been focused on the impact of young people's alcohol use. To address this, schools often implement alcohol and drug education and there are many potential programmes to choose from. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify evidence-based alcohol education programmes for schools. Methods: A systematic…

  11. Education Against Tobacco (EAT): a quasi-experimental prospective evaluation of a programme for preventing smoking in secondary schools delivered by medical students: a study protocol

    PubMed Central

    Brinker, Titus J; Stamm-Balderjahn, Sabine; Seeger, Werner; Groneberg, David A

    2014-01-01

    Introduction A survey conducted by the German Federal Centre for Health Education in 2012 showed that 35.2% of all young adults (18–25 years) and 12.0% of all adolescents (12–17 years) in Germany are regular cigarette smokers. Most smoked their first cigarette in early adolescence. We recently reported a significantly positive short-term effect of a physician-delivered school-based smoking prevention programme on the smoking behaviour of schoolchildren in Germany. However, physician-based programmes are usually very expensive. Therefore, we will evaluate and optimise Education against Tobacco (EAT), a widespread, low-cost programme delivered by about 400 medical students from 16 universities in Germany. Methods and analysis A prospective quasi-experimental study design with two measurements at baseline (t1) and 6 months post-intervention (t2) to investigate an intervention in 10–15-year-olds in grades 6–8 at German secondary schools. The intervention programme consists of two 60-min school-based medical-student-delivered modules with (module 1) and without the involvement of patients with tobacco-related diseases and control groups (no intervention). The study questionnaire measuring smoking status (water pipe and cigarette smoking), smoking-related cognitions, and gender, social and cultural aspects was designed and pre-tested in advance. The primary end point is the prevalence of smokers and non-smokers in the two study arms at 6 months after the intervention. The percentage of former smokers and new smokers in the two groups and the measures of smoking behaviour will be studied as secondary outcome measures. Ethics and dissemination In accordance with Good Epidemiologic Practice (GEP) guidelines, the study protocol was submitted for approval by the responsible ethics committee, which decided that the study does not need ethical approval (Goethe University, Frankfurt-Main, Germany). Findings will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals, at conferences, within our scientific advisory board and through medical students within the EAT project. PMID:25059969

  12. Bridging the education-action gap: a near-peer case-based undergraduate ethics teaching programme.

    PubMed

    Kong, Wing May; Knight, Selena

    2017-10-01

    Undergraduate ethics teaching has made significant progress in the past decade, with evidence showing that students and trainee doctors feel more confident in identifying and analysing ethical issues. There is general consensus that ethics education should enable students and doctors to take ethically appropriate actions, and nurture moral integrity. However, the literature reports that doctors continue to find it difficult to take action when faced with perceived unethical behaviour. This has been evident in recent healthcare scandals, in which care has fallen below acceptable ethical standards, despite the presence of professional ethical guidelines and competencies. The National Foundation Training Programme forms the first 2 years of training for new UK doctors. We designed a Foundation Doctor (FD)-led teaching programme in which medical students were invited to bring cases and experiences from clinical placements for small group discussion facilitated by FDs. The aim was to enable students to act ethically in practice through developing moral sensitivity and moral identity, together with skills in ethical reasoning and tools to address barriers to taking ethical action. FDs were chosen as facilitators, based on the evidence that near-peer is an effective form of teaching in medicine and may provide positive role models for students. This article reviews the background rationale for the programme and its design. Important themes emerging from the case discussions are explored. Student and FD facilitator feedbacks are evaluated, and practical challenges to the implementation of this type of programme are discussed. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  13. Faculty development: a need in time for educators in healthcare.

    PubMed

    Abid, Kauser

    2013-04-01

    To appraise learning behaviour among participants of faculty development programme in a diverse group setting. The qualitative study was conducted at the Capacity Building Centre of the National Institute of Health and Social Sciences, Islamabad, in March-April 2010. From all the participants who planned to be healthcare educators, 27 were selected for the study. Methodology used was focus group. Coding for focus group interview was done as E1, E2, E3 and E4 for educators from basic sciences, clinical/pre-clinical discipline, nursing and midwifery, and social sciences and information technology profession respectively. For gap analysis, need assessment of focus groups was done with a pre-tested questionnaire. Change in attitude and behaviour as educators was observed in the experience phase during the three modules of the programme. A post-test questionnaire was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme. The response rate of the participants was 100%. Gap analysis of focus groups came up with the same challenges that are faced by faculty: insufficient knowledge in the five domains of professional development. In institutional settings, no planned faculty development programmes were reported. By the end of the third module, the participants admitted their step-wise skill development and considered it to be a value addition in their professional career. Talent is not sparse in today's educators of health profession. But professional development to improve their skills is the need of the hour. Capacity-building at workplace is the best solution as it can be managed within the available timeframe and resources.

  14. The effectiveness of technology-based patient education on self-reported deprivation of liberty among people with severe mental illness: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Kuosmanen, Lauri; Välimäki, Maritta; Joffe, Grigori; Pitkänen, Anneli; Hätönen, Heli; Patel, Anita; Knapp, Martin

    2009-01-01

    Deprivation of liberty (DL) in psychiatric inpatient care is common worldwide. As liberty is a central element of patients' rights, there is a need to develop most effective methods supporting patients' personal liberty. The article presents initial results from a study to determine the effectiveness of an information technology (IT)-based patient education programme on patients' experiences of being deprived of their liberty during their in-hospital stay. An overall sample of 311 patients with schizophrenia spectrum psychosis was randomized into three groups: an intervention group with needs-based computerized patient education, a patient education group with conventional education and a control group with standard care. Data on the general experience of DL were collected at baseline and during the patient discharge process. In general, all patients experienced less DL at the time of their discharge. The change in patients' experiences of their DL did not differ statistically between the three groups. Male patients in the standard care group were significantly more likely to drop out of the study than female patients. Although technology-based patient education was not found to be superior to other approaches, we did not find any reason to inhibit its utilization in patient care among persons with severe mental health problems. From the healthcare organizations' perspective, a cost-effectiveness analysis is needed, as the IT education was slightly more time-consuming.

  15. 'Midwives are the backbone of our health system': lessons from Afghanistan to guide expansion of midwifery in challenging settings.

    PubMed

    Turkmani, Sabera; Currie, Sheena; Mungia, Jaime; Assefi, Nassim; Javed Rahmanzai, Ahmed; Azfar, Pashtun; Bartlett, Linda

    2013-10-01

    over the last decade Afghanistan has made large investments in scaling up the number of midwives to address access to skilled care and the high burden of maternal and newborn mortality. at the request of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) an evaluation was undertaken to improve the pre-service midwifery education programme through identification of its strengths and weaknesses. The qualitative component of the evaluation specifically examined: (1) programme strengths; (2) programme weaknesses; (3) perceptions of the programme's community impact; (4) barriers to provision of care and challenges to impact; (5) perceptions of the recently graduated midwife's field experience, and (6) recommendations for programme improvement. the evaluation used a mixed methods approach that included qualitative and quantitative components. This paper focuses on the qualitative components which included in-depth interviews with 138 graduated midwives and 20 key informants as well as 24 focus group discussions with women. eight provinces in Afghanistan with functioning and accredited midwifery schools between June 2008 and November 2010. midwives graduated from one of the two national midwifery programmes: Institute of Health Sciences and Community Midwifery Education. Key informants comprised of stakeholders and female residents of the midwives catchment areas. midwives described overall satisfaction with the quality of their education. Midwives and stakeholders perceived that women were more likely to use maternal and child health services in communities where midwives had been deployed. Strengths included evidence-based content, standardised materials, clinical training, and supportive learning environment. Self-reported aspects of the quality education in respect to midwives empowerment included feeling competent and confident as demonstrated by respect shown by co-workers. Weaknesses of the programme included perceived low educational requirement to enter the programme and readiness of programmes to commence education. Insecurity and geographical remoteness are perceived as challenges with clients' access to care and the ability of midwives to make home visits. the depth of midwives' contribution in Afghanistan - from increased maternal health care service utilisation to changing community's perceptions of women's education and professional independence - is overwhelmingly positive. Lessons learned can serve as a model to other low resource, post-conflict settings that are striving to increase the workforce of skilled providers. © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. HIV prevention in Latin America: reaching youth in Colombia.

    PubMed

    Perez, F; Dabis, F

    2003-02-01

    The aim of this paper is to describe and evaluate a school-based peer education programme on HIV primary prevention implemented in urban marginal districts of three cities of Colombia from 1997 to 1999. Its main objective was to promote risk awareness and safe sexual behaviours among urban youth populations. Methodology included the collection of baseline information through qualitative methods (focus groups and in-depth interviews), a knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey, a health education intervention, and post-intervention data collection. Direct beneficiaries were adolescents 10 to 19 years of age, and secondary school teachers of 6th to 9th grades. Main strategies used were peer education and classroom sessions conducted by trained teachers. Short-term results suggest that the programme had a positive effect on knowledge and attitudes related to HIV/AIDS (as the mean knowledge summary indicator among adolescents and secondary school teachers increased 24% and 21%, respectively). The main outcome has been the development of a sex education programme, emphasizing the role of schools in the promotion of sexual and reproductive health. Mass education by a combination of interventions and events at school level, backed up by effective interpersonal communication such as peer education, classroom teaching and community actions are effective primary prevention strategies for HIV sexual transmission and should be more extensively considered.

  17. Evaluation of alternative school feeding models on nutrition, education, agriculture and other social outcomes in Ghana: rationale, randomised design and baseline data.

    PubMed

    Gelli, Aulo; Masset, Edoardo; Folson, Gloria; Kusi, Anthoni; Arhinful, Daniel K; Asante, Felix; Ayi, Irene; Bosompem, Kwabena M; Watkins, Kristie; Abdul-Rahman, Lutuf; Agble, Rosanna; Ananse-Baden, Getrude; Mumuni, Daniel; Aurino, Elisabetta; Fernandes, Meena; Drake, Lesley

    2016-01-20

    'Home-grown' school feeding programmes are complex interventions with the potential to link the increased demand for school feeding goods and services to community-based stakeholders, including smallholder farmers and women's groups. There is limited rigorous evidence, however, that this is the case in practice. This evaluation will examine explicitly, and from a holistic perspective, the simultaneous impact of a national school meals programme on micronutrient status, alongside outcomes in nutrition, education and agriculture domains. The 3-year study involves a cluster-randomised control trial designed around the scale-up of the national school feeding programme, including 116 primary schools in 58 districts in Ghana. The randomly assigned interventions are: 1) a school feeding programme group, including schools and communities where the standard government programme is implemented; 2) 'home-grown' school feeding, including schools and communities where the standard programme is implemented alongside an innovative pilot project aimed at enhancing nutrition and agriculture; and 3) a control group, including schools and households from communities where the intervention will be delayed by at least 3 years, preferably without informing schools and households. Primary outcomes include child health and nutritional status, school participation and learning, and smallholder farmer income. Intermediate outcomes along the agriculture and nutrition pathways will also be measured. The evaluation will follow a mixed-method approach, including child-, household-, school- and community-level surveys as well as focus group discussions with project stakeholders. The baseline survey was completed in August 2013 and the endline survey is planned for November 2015. The tests of balance show significant differences in the means of a number of outcome and control variables across the intervention groups. Important differences across groups include marketed surplus, livestock income, per capita food consumption and intake, school attendance, and anthropometric status in the 2-5 and 5-15 years age groups. In addition, approximately 19 % of children in the target age group received some form of free school meals at baseline. Designing and implementing the evaluation of complex interventions is in itself a complex undertaking, involving a multi-disciplinary research team working in close collaboration with programme- and policy-level stakeholders. Managing the complexity from an analytical and operational perspective is an important challenge. The analysis of the baseline data indicates that the random allocation process did not achieve statistically comparable treatment groups. Differences in outcomes and control variables across groups will be controlled for when estimating treatment effects. ISRCTN66918874 (registered on 5 March 2015).

  18. An Implementation Study of Two Evidence-Based Exercise and Health Education Programmes for Older Adults with Osteoarthritis of the Knee and Hip

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    de Jong, O. R. W.; Hopman-Rock, M.; Tak, E. C. M. P.; Klazinga, N. S.

    2004-01-01

    Implementation studies are recommended to assess the feasibility and effectiveness in real-life of programmes which have been tested in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We report on an implementation study of two evidence-based exercise and health education programmes for older adults with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee or hip. Three types of…

  19. The Effects of an Individualised ICT-Based Music Education Programme on Primary School Students' Musical Competence and Grades

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hernández-Bravo, Juan R.; Cardona-Moltó, M. Cristina; Hernández-Bravo, José A.

    2016-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an information and communications technology (ICT)-based individualised music education programme on primary students' musical competence. A 2 × 3 aptitude treatment interaction factorial design was used to assess the impact of the programme as a function of students' musical aptitude (MA)…

  20. An Exploration of Student Teachers' Perspectives at the Start of a Post-Graduate Master's Programme on Inclusive and Special Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kamenopoulou, Leda; Buli-Holmberg, Jorun; Siska, Jan

    2016-01-01

    In this article we explore the perspectives of a group of teaching professionals starting a post-graduate master's programme on inclusive and special education. Set in the current context of growing interest over the preparation of teachers for inclusive education worldwide, this exploration is part of research that looks more broadly at the…

  1. What do general practitioners think about an online self-regulation programme for health promotion? Focus group interviews.

    PubMed

    Plaete, Jolien; Crombez, Geert; DeSmet, Ann; Deveugele, Myriam; Verloigne, Maïté; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse

    2015-01-22

    Chronic diseases may be prevented through programmes that promote physical activity and healthy nutrition. Computer-tailoring programmes are effective in changing behaviour in the short- and long-term. An important issue is the implementation of these programmes in general practice. However, there are several barriers that hinder the adoption of eHealth programmes in general practice. This study explored the feasibility of an eHealth programme that was designed, using self-regulation principles. Seven focus group interviews (a total of 62 GPs) were organized to explore GPs' opinions about the feasibility of the eHealth programme for prevention in general practice. At the beginning of each focus group, GPs were informed about the principles of the self-regulation programme 'My Plan'. Open-ended questions were used to assess the opinion of GPs about the content and the use of the programme. The focus groups discussions were audio-taped, transcribed and thematically analysed via NVivo software. The majority of the GPs was positive about the use of self-regulation strategies and about the use of computer-tailored programmes in general practice. There were contradictory results about the delivery mode of the programme. GPs also indicated that the programme might be less suited for patients with a low educational level or for old patients. Overall, GPs are positive about the adoption of self-regulation techniques for health promotion in their practice. However, they raised doubts about the adoption in general practice. This barrier may be addressed (1) by offering various ways to deliver the programme, and (2) by allowing flexibility to match different work flow systems. GPs also believed that the acceptability and usability of the programme was low for patients who are old or with low education. The issues raised by GPs will need to be taken into account when developing and implementing an eHealth programme in general practice.

  2. Effectiveness of a health promotion programme for farmers and fishermen with type-2 diabetes in Taiwan.

    PubMed

    Chen, Mei-Yen; Huang, Wei-Chao; Peng, Yun-Shing; Guo, Jing-Song; Chen, Chia-Pei; Jong, Ming-Chung; Lin, Hui-Chuan

    2011-09-01

    This paper is a report of a study examining the diabetes control and foot self-care capability in farmers and fishermen following introduction of a multi-stage, multi-disciplinary team and community-based small group health promotion programme. Improving the control of diabetes is a critical issue in Taiwan because mortality rates are increasing dramatically, particularly in rural populations. A quasi-experimental research design was deployed from January to December 2009. A total of 387 participants living in nine rural districts with previous diagnoses of type-2 diabetes were randomly selected. Three hundred and twenty-three completed the 3-stage programme, including health assessment, health promotion education and individually tailored telephone counselling and evaluation over a 1-year period. Most of the participants were fishermen or farmers who had <6 years of education (79%) and were elders (68·9 ± 9·5 years). Most of the physiological variables and foot self-care capabilities showed statistically significant improvement after the programme. Furthermore, 37 participants with severe high risk of diabetic foot accepted additional referral treatments, and their peripheral nerve and vascular functions improved. The research outcomes support the value of community-based health promotion programmes in rural areas, incorporating a multidisciplinary health team and culturally competent materials to help the elder rural inhabitants with diabetes enjoy better health and quality of life. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  3. Changing what it means to ‘become a man’: participants’ reflections on a school-based programme to redefine masculinity in the Balkans

    PubMed Central

    Namy, Sophie; Heilman, Brian; Stich, Shawna; Crownover, John; Leka, Besnik; Edmeades, Jeffrey

    2015-01-01

    Calls to engage men and boys in efforts to promote health, prevent violence and advance gender equality have grown in recent years. However, there remains little evidence or reflection on how most effectively to change harmful norms related to masculinity. The study addresses this gap by exploring the perspectives of participants in the Young Men Initiative (YMI), an innovative programme that aimed to promote healthier masculinities among boys attending vocational high schools in several Balkan countries through educational workshops, residential retreats and a social marketing campaign. Qualitative data were collected through 37 in-depth interviews and 11 focus-group discussions with boys, youth facilitators and teachers. Findings from four schools (in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Prishtina and Zagreb) suggest that several elements of the programme resonated strongly with participants and supported their meaningful engagement in project activities. Five themes emerged as most salient in identifying how and why specific aspects of YMI positively influenced participants: personal reflection, experience-based learning, connections with youth facilitators, new peer groups and aspirational messaging. Building on these insights, the study highlights potentially useful strategies for other programmes seeking to reach boys and transform their understanding of masculinity. PMID:26680537

  4. Changing what it means to 'become a man': participants' reflections on a school-based programme to redefine masculinity in the Balkans.

    PubMed

    Namy, Sophie; Heilman, Brian; Stich, Shawna; Crownover, John; Leka, Besnik; Edmeades, Jeffrey

    2015-01-01

    Calls to engage men and boys in efforts to promote health, prevent violence and advance gender equality have grown in recent years. However, there remains little evidence or reflection on how most effectively to change harmful norms related to masculinity. The study addresses this gap by exploring the perspectives of participants in the Young Men Initiative (YMI), an innovative programme that aimed to promote healthier masculinities among boys attending vocational high schools in several Balkan countries through educational workshops, residential retreats and a social marketing campaign. Qualitative data were collected through 37 in-depth interviews and 11 focus-group discussions with boys, youth facilitators and teachers. Findings from four schools (in Belgrade, Sarajevo, Prishtina and Zagreb) suggest that several elements of the programme resonated strongly with participants and supported their meaningful engagement in project activities. Five themes emerged as most salient in identifying how and why specific aspects of YMI positively influenced participants: personal reflection, experience-based learning, connections with youth facilitators, new peer groups and aspirational messaging. Building on these insights, the study highlights potentially useful strategies for other programmes seeking to reach boys and transform their understanding of masculinity.

  5. Effectiveness of Senior Dance on risk factors for falls in older adults (DanSE): a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    Franco, Marcia R; Sherrington, Catherine; Tiedemann, Anne; Pereira, Leani S; Perracini, Monica R; Faria, Claudia R S; Pinto, Rafael Z; Pastre, Carlos M

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Strong evidence shows that exercise is effective to improve fall risk factors among older people. However, older people's participation and adherence to exercise programmes is suboptimal. Type of exercise and apathy are reported to be barriers to exercise participation, suggesting that new effective interventions are needed. The primary aim of this randomised controlled trial is to investigate the effect of Senior Dance plus brief education for falls prevention on balance among people aged 60 years or over, compared with a control group receiving only brief education. Methods and analysis This single-blind randomised controlled trial will involve 82 community-dwelling older people aged 60 years or over who are cognitively intact. Participants allocated to the intervention group will attend a single educational class on strategies to prevent falls, and will participate in a 12-week, twice-weekly group-based programme of Senior Dance. The Senior Dance consists of different choreographies, which include rhythmic and simple movements with rhythmic folk songs. Participants allocated to the control group will attend the same educational class that intervention group participants will receive, and will be instructed not to take part in any regular exercise programme. The primary outcome will be single-leg stance with eyes closed. Secondary outcomes include: Short Physical Performance Battery, Falls Efficacy Scale, Trail Making Test and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Continuous outcomes will be reported using mean (SD) or median (IQR), depending on the distribution of the data. The linear regression approach to analysis of covariance will be used to compare the mean effect between groups. All patients will be included in the analyses following an intention-to-treat approach. Ethics and dissemination Ethics approval has been granted by the Human Ethics Committee of the São Paulo State University (CAAE 48665215.9.0000.5402). Outcomes will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at conferences. Trial registration number NCT02603523, Pre-results. PMID:28039296

  6. Exploring the Links Between Visual Arts and Environmental Education: Experiences of Teachers Participating in an In-Service Training Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Savva, Andri; Trimis, Eli; Zachariou, Aravella

    2004-01-01

    An in-service teachers' training programme was designed aiming to encourage art teachers to learn through theoretical and artistic experiential activities in a specific environmental setting (Lemithou environmental education centre, Cyprus). The programme was based on the use of the environment as an educational resource, and sought to develop…

  7. The CATCH Kids Club: a pilot after-school study for improving elementary students' nutrition and physical activity.

    PubMed

    Kelder, Steve; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Barroso, Cristina S; Walker, Joey L; Cribb, Peter; Hu, Shaohua

    2005-04-01

    Although many school-based diet and physical activity interventions have been designed and evaluated, relatively few have been tested for the after-school setting. After-school day-care programmes at either elementary schools or private locations provide a ready-made opportunity for health programmes that may be difficult to incorporate into an already-full school day. The purpose of this paper is to report on a pilot study of an after-school adaptation of the CATCH (Coordinated Approach To Child Health) elementary school programme called the CATCH Kids Club (CKC). The CKC was pilot-tested and formatively evaluated in 16 Texas after-school programmes: eight in El Paso and eight in Austin (four intervention and four reference sites each). Evaluation consisted of direct observation of moderate to vigorous physical activity during play time, self-reported food intake and physical activity, and focus group interviews with after-school programme staff. Students responded well to the physical activity and snack components and were less interested in the five-module education component. Routine staff training was a key variable in achieving proper implementation; the ideal would be a full day with repeated follow-up model teaching visits. Staff turnover was a logistic issue, as was programme leader readiness and interest in conducting the programme. Strong and significant effects were observed for the physical activity but not for the education component. The results of the physical education component suggest it is feasible, effective and ready for larger-scale evaluation or dissemination.

  8. The Experiences of Alumni Adolescents on the Contribution of a Youth Opportunities Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, Lizane; Gouws, Leanna; Nienaber, Alida W.

    2014-01-01

    This article focuses on the experiences of alumni adolescents on the contribution of a Youth Opportunities Programme, a non-profit after-school education programme presented in Namibia. A qualitative descriptive design was used to provide insight into the contribution of this programme. Five focus groups were conducted with 32 participants. The…

  9. Outsourcing Physical Education in Primary Schools: Evaluating the Impact of Externally Provided Programmes on Generalist Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whipp, Peter R.; Hutton, Heidi; Grove, J. Robert; Jackson, Ben

    2011-01-01

    In place of generalist delivery, externally provided physical activity programmes (EPPAPs) are potentially an effective method for offering primary school students specialist physical education (PE) instruction, as well as providing training for generalist classroom teachers. In the present study, a group of generalist teachers were interviewed…

  10. Exploring the Heterogeneity of Class in Higher Education: Social and Cultural Differentiation in Danish University Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomsen, Jens Peter

    2012-01-01

    This paper examines the relationship between social background, choice of university programme and academic culture among Danish university students. Statistically and sociologically, university students are often treated as a homogeneous group, but the ever-increasing number of students in higher education demands a closer examination of the…

  11. Promoting adaptive emotion regulation and coping in adolescence: a school-based programme.

    PubMed

    Horn, Andrea B; Pössel, Patrick; Hautzinger, Martin

    2011-03-01

    Particularly in adolescence, fostering adaptive emotion regulation is an important aim in health promotion. Expressive writing in combination with psycho-education on emotion regulation seems especially appropriate to serve this aim. In this study, school classes were randomly assigned either to a prevention (N = 208) or to a non-treatment control group (N = 151). The prevention group showed significant improvements regarding negative affect, grades, and days absent compared to the control-group. A combination of expressive writing with elements of psycho-education of emotion regulation might be an effective preventive tool, as it seems to improve psychosocial adjustment by establishing functional emotion regulation strategies.

  12. Communities of teaching practice in the workplace: Evaluation of a faculty development programme.

    PubMed

    Schreurs, Marie-Louise; Huveneers, Wilma; Dolmans, Diana

    2016-08-01

    The focus of faculty development (FD) has recently shifted from individual and formal learning to formal and informal learning by a team of teachers in the workplace where the teaching is actually effected. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a faculty development programme on teachers' educational workplace environment. We invited 23 teachers, who had successfully completed a University Teaching Qualification (UTQ) programme, to evaluate the faculty development programme and participate in focus group discussions. This UTQ programme spanned one year and covered 185 hours of formal and informal learning and training activities and formal coaching. After having obtained their UTQ, teachers reported that coaching enhances reflection and feedback, to participate more frequently in educational networks, which enhances consultation among teachers, increased awareness of organizational educational policies and more confidence in fulfilling educational tasks and activities. The evaluation of the UTQ programme demonstrated to enhance the development of a community of teachers at the workplace who share a passion for education and provide each other with support and feedback, which triggered a change in culture enhancing improvement of education. However, this did not hold for all teachers. Inhibiting factors hold sway, such as a prevailing commitment to research over education in some departments and a lack of interest in education by some department chairs.

  13. Older women with a serious cardiac event experience support with a Vifladt & Hopen inspired patient group education programme.

    PubMed

    Hagberth, Vivika; Sjöberg, Trygve; Ivarsson, Bodil

    2008-06-01

    Older women are less likely to be invited to access cardiac rehabilitation programmes. The Vifladt & Hopen model for patient education is aimed to strengthen the ability of patients with long-term illnesses to cope in everyday life. To examine how this model was experienced by older women (>70 years) treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. A one-year follow-up of the education programme was conducted by means of focus group interviews (n=13). A qualitative descriptive design using content analysis was used. Two main categories emerged: views on topics and matter, and views on form. Experiences of heart event, stress and anxiety were important topics. The women experienced advantages and benefits by meeting others in a similar situation. A focus on knowledge exchange instead of knowledge transfer encourages talking about self-experienced needs. The women expressed the benefits of the education programme since the discussions emerged from themselves. For the health care professionals there are gains to be made from obtaining the women's point of view and learning more about their needs.

  14. Competences for enhancing interprofessional collaboration in a paediatrics setting: Enabling and hindering factors.

    PubMed

    Solevåg, Anne Lee; Karlgren, Klas

    2016-01-01

    In 2011 an interprofessional educational programme called "Pediatric systematic assessment and communication for preventing emergencies" designed to increase clinical staff's competence in treating sick children was introduced in one paediatrics department in Norway. To elicit an in-depth understanding of the perceptions of clinical staff about the programme and enact adjustments according to identified enabling and hindering factors for learning, nurses and paediatricians were invited to participate in focus group interviews. The interviews were analysed by content analysis. Enabling factors for learning included improved interprofessional collaboration and positive feedback on performance. Hindering factors included perceptions that the programme was redundant and the fact that collaborating departments, such as the surgical departments, were not familiar with the programme. Peer learning, more interprofessional learning activities, and the fostering of a learning organization were suggestions for sustained learning. Based on the results of the study we have now included collaborating departments in the programme.

  15. Culturally sensitive patient-centred educational programme for self-management of type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Mohamed, Hashim; Al-Lenjawi, Badriya; Amuna, Paul; Zotor, Francis; Elmahdi, Hisham

    2013-10-01

    To assess the effectiveness of a culturally sensitive, structured education programme (CSSEP) on biomedical, knowledge, attitude and practice measures among Arabs with type two diabetes. A total of 430 patients with type II diabetes mellitus living in Doha, Qatar were enrolled in the study. They were randomized to either intervention (n = 215) or a control group (n = 215). A baseline and one-year interval levels of biomedical variables including HbA1C, lipid profile, urine for microalbuminuria; in addition to knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) scores were prospectively measured. The intervention was based on theory of empowerment, health belief models and was culturally sensitive in relation to language (Arabic), food habits and health beliefs. It consisted of four educational sessions for each group of patients (10-20 patients per session), lasting for 3-4 h. The first session discussed diabetes pathophysiology and complications; while the second session discussed healthy life style incorporating the Idaho plate method; and the third session dealt with exercise benefits and goal setting and the fourth session concentrated enhancing attitude and practice using counselling techniques. Outcomes were assessed at base line and 12 months after intervention. After 12 months participation in the intervention was shown to have led to a statistically significant reduction in HbA1C in the (CSSEP) group (-0.55 mmol/L, P = 0.012), fasting blood sugar (-0.92 mmol/L, P = 0.022), body mass index (1.70, P = 0.001) and albumin/creatinine ratio (-3.09, P < 0.0001) but not in the control group. The intervention group also had improvement in Diabetes knowledge (5.9%, P < 0.0001), attitude (6.56%, P < 0.0001), and practice (6.52%, P = 0.0001). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of culturally sensitive, structured, group-based diabetes education in enhancing biomedical and behavioural outcomes in Diabetic patients. Copyright © 2013 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Effect of the Dutch school-based education programme 'Taste Lessons' on behavioural determinants of taste acceptance and healthy eating: a quasi-experimental study.

    PubMed

    Battjes-Fries, Marieke C E; Haveman-Nies, Annemien; Renes, Reint-Jan; Meester, Hante J; van 't Veer, Pieter

    2015-08-01

    To assess the effect of the Dutch school-based education programme 'Taste Lessons' on children's behavioural determinants towards tasting unfamiliar foods and eating healthy and a variety of foods. In a quasi-experimental study design, data on behavioural determinants were collected at baseline, four weeks and six months after the intervention in both the intervention and control group. Children completed consecutively three questionnaires in which knowledge, awareness, skills, attitude, emotion, subjective norm and intention towards the two target behaviours were assessed. Teachers implemented on average a third of the programme activities. Multilevel regression analyses were conducted to compare individual changes in the determinants in the intervention group with those in the control group, corrected for children's gender and age. Effect sizes were expressed as Cohen's d. Dutch elementary schools. Forty-nine classes (1183 children, 9-12 years old) in grades 5-8 of twenty-one elementary schools. The intervention group showed a higher increase in knowledge (d=0·26, P<0·01), which persisted after six months (d=0·23, P<0·05). After four weeks, the intervention group showed a higher increase in number of foods known (d=0·22, P<0·05) and tasted (d=0·21, P<0·05), subjective norm of the teacher (d=0·17, P<0·05) and intention (d=0·16, P<0·05) towards the target behaviours. Partial implementation of Taste Lessons during one school year showed small short-term effects on increasing behavioural determinants in relation to tasting unfamiliar foods and eating healthy and a variety of foods. Full and repeated implementation of Taste Lessons in subsequent years might result in larger effects.

  17. Advocacy for School-Based Sexuality Education: Lessons from India and Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Samuels, Fiona; Kivela, Jari; Chetty, Dhianaraj; Herat, Joanna; Castle, Chris; Ketting, Evert; Baltussen, Rob

    2013-01-01

    Drawing on evidence from a wider study on the cost and cost-effectiveness of sexuality education programmes in six countries, and focusing on the examples of India and Nigeria, this paper argues that advocacy is a key, yet often neglected component of school-based sexuality education programmes, especially where sex and sexuality are politically…

  18. An Evaluation of Participation in a Schools-Based Youth Mental Health Peer Education Training Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Reilly, Aileen; Barry, James; Neary, Marie-Louise; Lane, Sabrina; O'Keeffe, Lynsey

    2016-01-01

    The use of peer education has been well documented within the discipline of health promotion, but not within the youth mental health domain. This paper describes an evaluation of an innovative schools-based peer education training programme that involved preparing young people to deliver a mental health workshop to their peers. Participants…

  19. A repeated short educational intervention improves asthma control and quality of life.

    PubMed

    Plaza, Vicente; Peiró, Meritxell; Torrejón, Montserrat; Fletcher, Monica; López-Viña, Antolín; Ignacio, José María; Quintano, José Antonio; Bardagí, Santiago; Gich, Ignasi

    2015-11-01

    We assessed the effectiveness of an asthma educational programme based on a repeated short intervention (AEP-RSI) to improve asthma control (symptom control and future risk) and quality of life. A total of 230 adults with mild-to-moderate persistent uncontrolled asthma participated in a 1-year cluster randomised controlled multicentre study. The AEP-RSI was given in four face-to-face sessions at 3-month intervals, and included administration of a written personalised action plan and training on inhaler technique. Centres were randomised to the AEP-RSI (intervention) group or usual clinical practice group. Specialised centres using a standard educational programme were the gold standard group. A significant improvement in the Asthma Control Test score was observed in all three groups (p<0.001), but improvements were higher in the intervention and gold standard groups than in the usual clinical practice group (p=0.042), which also showed fewer exacerbations (mean±sd; 1.20±2.02 and 0.56±1.5 versus 2.04±2.72, respectively) and greater increases in the Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire scores (0.95±1.04 and 0.89±0.84 versus 0.52±0.97, respectively). The AEP-RSI was effective in improving asthma symptom control, future risk and quality of life. Copyright ©ERS 2015.

  20. Speech-language therapists supporting foundation-phase teachers with literacy and numeracy in a rural and township context.

    PubMed

    Wium, Anna-Marie; Louw, Brenda; Eloff, Irma

    2010-12-01

    Language is required for learning, but educators often find it difficult to facilitate listening and language skills while they have to adapt to a new national curriculum with an outcomes-based approach for which they have not necessarily been adequately trained. A multifaceted support programme was developed for foundation-phase educators to facilitate listening and language for literacy and numeracy, with a particular focus on language for numeracy. The aim of the research was to determine the value of this particular support programme for foundation-phase educators in two different contexts (a semi-rural and a township context). A mixed methods approach with a concurrent, equal status triangulation design was used, where qualitative data were transformed to quantitative data in order to be compared in a matrix. The results show that the participants benefited to varying degrees from the programme. The combination of workshops, practical and mentoring components proved to be an effective means of support. The results indicate a need for pre-training selection procedures as more effective support can be provided to homogeneous groups.

  1. [Improving diet quality in children through a new nutritional education programme: INFADIMED].

    PubMed

    Bibiloni, Maria Del Mar; Fernández-Blanco, Jordi; Pujol-Plana, Noemí; Martín-Galindo, Núria; Fernández-Vallejo, Maria Mercè; Roca-Domingo, Mariona; Chamorro-Medina, Juan; Tur, Josep A

    To assess the results of a nutritional education programme developed by using available local resources to improve diet quality and decrease overweight and obesity prevalence among children. A longitudinal intervention study by means of nutritional education (INFADIMED) in children (aged 3-7 years) from Vilafranca del Penedès (Barcelona, Spain), recruited from preschool centres and primary schools, with an intervention or INFADIMED group (n=319; 50.2% female) and a control group (n=880; 49.8% female). Weight, height and body mass index were measured in both groups at the beginning and at the end of the programme. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was also assessed using the KIDMED test. Consumption of fruit or juices, vegetables, yogurt and/or cheese, pasta or rice, and nuts increased, while skipping breakfast, consumption of bakery products for breakfast, and/or consumption of sweets several times per day decreased in the INFADIMED group. INFADIMED also changed, from the beginning to the end of the study, the adherence to a Mediterranean diet: high (39.2% to 70.5%), acceptable (49.2% to 28.2%), and low (11.6% to 1.3%). Approximately 2.6% of the participants in the control group and 11.3% of the participants in the INFADIMED group who were overweight and obese changed to normal weight (odds ratio: 4.08; 95% confidence interval: 2.37-7.04). INFADIMED is a nutritional education programme with benefits on both diet quality and overweight and obesity prevalence among children. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Cross-Evaluation of Degree Programmes in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kettunen, Juha

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: This study seeks to develop and describe the benchmarking approach of enhancement-led evaluation in higher education and to present a cross-evaluation process for degree programmes. Design/methodology/approach: The benchmarking approach produces useful information for the development of degree programmes based on self-evaluation,…

  3. Project Based Learning: In Pursuit of Androgogic Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ntombela, Berrington X. S.

    2015-01-01

    In an attempt to standardise Foundation Programmes for Oman higher education providers, the Oman Academic Standards for General Foundation Programmes stipulated that higher education providers should offer programmes that ensure androgogic effectiveness. In the light of that, this paper presents attempts by a University College in Oman to…

  4. Investigating conditions for meaningful feedback in the context of an evidence-based feedback programme.

    PubMed

    Voyer, Stéphane; Cuncic, Cary; Butler, Deborah L; MacNeil, Kimberley; Watling, Christopher; Hatala, Rose

    2016-09-01

    We developed, implemented and evaluated an evidence-based programme of feedback designed to address limitations identified in the current literature. We sought to advance understanding about how and why feedback processes might be more effective in clinical education. Three faculty members and nine first-year internal medicine residents participated in the pilot programme. To counter challenges identified in the literature, feedback was based on direct observation, grounded in longitudinal faculty-resident relationships, and devoid of summative assessment. We used a qualitative case study design to address three research questions: (i) What benefits did the participants describe? (ii) What elements of the programme facilitated these benefits? (iii) What were the limitations and challenges of the programme? Collected data included audiotapes of interactions between faculty members and residents, field notes written during observations, and semi-structured interviews and focus groups with resident participants. Data analysis moved cyclically and iteratively through inductive and deductive analysis. Residents described benefits relating to their ways of working (clinical skills), ways of learning (accountability for learning) and ways of feeling (emotional well-being). According to participants, specific elements of the programme that achieved these benefits included the direct observation of authentic clinical work, the longitudinal relationship with a faculty member and the emergence of feedback as a conversation between the faculty member and learner. We conclude that the conditions established within our pilot feedback programme influenced the learning culture for first-year internal medicine residents by grounding direct observation in authentic clinical work and setting the observations in the context of a longitudinal, non-assessment-based relationship between a faculty member and resident. These conditions appeared to influence residents' participation in the feedback process, their ways of approaching their daily clinical work, their emotional well-being and their engagement in their own learning. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  5. Programmatic assessment of competency-based workplace learning: when theory meets practice

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background In competency-based medical education emphasis has shifted towards outcomes, capabilities, and learner-centeredness. Together with a focus on sustained evidence of professional competence this calls for new methods of teaching and assessment. Recently, medical educators advocated the use of a holistic, programmatic approach towards assessment. Besides maximum facilitation of learning it should improve the validity and reliability of measurements and documentation of competence development. We explored how, in a competency-based curriculum, current theories on programmatic assessment interacted with educational practice. Methods In a development study including evaluation, we investigated the implementation of a theory-based programme of assessment. Between April 2011 and May 2012 quantitative evaluation data were collected and used to guide group interviews that explored the experiences of students and clinical supervisors with the assessment programme. We coded the transcripts and emerging topics were organised into a list of lessons learned. Results The programme mainly focuses on the integration of learning and assessment by motivating and supporting students to seek and accumulate feedback. The assessment instruments were aligned to cover predefined competencies to enable aggregation of information in a structured and meaningful way. Assessments that were designed as formative learning experiences were increasingly perceived as summative by students. Peer feedback was experienced as a valuable method for formative feedback. Social interaction and external guidance seemed to be of crucial importance to scaffold self-directed learning. Aggregating data from individual assessments into a holistic portfolio judgement required expertise and extensive training and supervision of judges. Conclusions A programme of assessment with low-stakes assessments providing simultaneously formative feedback and input for summative decisions proved not easy to implement. Careful preparation and guidance of the implementation process was crucial. Assessment for learning requires meaningful feedback with each assessment. Special attention should be paid to the quality of feedback at individual assessment moments. Comprehensive attention for faculty development and training for students is essential for the successful implementation of an assessment programme. PMID:24020944

  6. An ethnographic investigation of healthcare providers' approaches to facilitating person-centredness in group-based diabetes education.

    PubMed

    Stenov, Vibeke; Hempler, Nana Folmann; Reventlow, Susanne; Wind, Gitte

    2017-08-22

    To investigate approaches among healthcare providers (HCPs) that support or hinder person-centredness in group-based diabetes education programmes targeting persons with type 2 diabetes. Ethnographic fieldwork in a municipal and a hospital setting in Denmark. The two programmes included 21 participants and 10 HCPs and were observed over 5 weeks. Additionally, 10 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with patients (n = 7) and HCPs (n = 3). Data were analysed using systematic text condensation. Hindering approaches included a teacher-centred focus on delivering disease-specific information. Communication was dialog based, but HCPs primarily asked closed-ended questions with one correct answer. Additional hindering approaches included ignoring participants with suboptimal health behaviours and a tendency to moralize that resulted in feelings of guilt among participants. Supporting approaches included letting participants set the agenda using broad, open-ended questions. Healthcare providers are often socialized into a biomedical approach and trained to be experts. However, person-centredness involves redefined roles and responsibilities. Applying person-centredness in practice requires continuous training and supervision, but HCPs often have minimum support for developing person-centred communication skills. Techniques based on motivational communication, psychosocial methods and facilitating group processes are effective person-centred approaches in a group context. Teacher-centredness undermined person-centredness because HCPs primarily delivered disease-specific recommendations, leading to biomedical information overload for participants. © 2017 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  7. Improved cognitive performance in preadolescent Danish children after the school-based physical activity programme "FIFA 11 for Health" for Europe - A cluster-randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Lind, Rune Rasmussen; Geertsen, Svend Sparre; Ørntoft, Christina; Madsen, Mads; Larsen, Malte Nejst; Dvorak, Jiri; Ritz, Christian; Krustrup, Peter

    2018-02-01

    Recent studies have shown promising effects of physical activity on cognitive function, but there is a need to investigate this link in real-life settings such as schools. Hence, the objective of the present pilot study was to investigate whether the school-based physical activity programme "FIFA 11 for Health" for Europe could improve cognitive performance in preadolescent Danish children. The pilot study used an 11-week cluster-randomised intervention study design. School classes were randomly assigned to either a control group (CG) (n = 93 children, age = 11.8, s = 0.2 years), which performed the obligatory daily school-based physical activity (5 × 45 minutes per week); or an intervention group (IG) (n = 838 children, age = 11.9, s = 0.4 years), which substituted 2 × 45 minutes per week of the daily school physical activity with the "FIFA 11 for Health" for Europe programme. The programme combines small-sided football games, drills and health education. Cognitive performance was evaluated at baseline and follow-up. The IG improved their cognitive performance compared to the CG for psychomotor function (56, s x -  = 22 ms, p < .001), attention (39, s x -  = 17 ms, p = .012) and working memory (79, s x -  = 35 ms, p = .020). This pilot study provides evidence that the school-based physical activity programme "FIFA 11 for Health" for Europe can improve cognitive performance in preadolescent Danish schoolchildren. Future studies should attempt to disentangle the effects of "FIFA 11 for Health" for Europe on cognitive performance by investigating the characteristics of the programme's physical activity.

  8. Effects of distance learning on clinical management of LUTS in primary care: a randomised trial.

    PubMed

    Wolters, René; Wensing, Michel; Klomp, Maarten; Lagro-Jansen, Toine; Weel, Chris van; Grol, Richard

    2005-11-01

    To determine the effect of a distance learning programme on general practice management of men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). A cluster randomised controlled trial was performed. General practitioners (GPs) were randomised to a distance learning programme accompanied with educational materials or to a control group only receiving mailed clinical guidelines on LUTS. Clinical management was considered as outcome. Sixty-three GPs registered care management of 187 patients older than 50 years attending the practice because of LUTS. The intervention group showed a lower referral rate to a urologist (OR: 0.08 (95% CI: 0.02-0.40)), but no effect on PSA testing or prescription of medication. PSA testing tended to be requested more frequently by intervention group GPs. Secondary analysis showed patients in the intervention group received more educational materials (OR: 75.6 (95% CI: 13.60-419.90)). The educational programme had impact on clinical management without changing PSA testing. Distance learning is an promising method for continuing education. Activating distance learning packages are a potentially effective method for improving professional performance. Emotional matters as PSA testing probably need a more complex approach.

  9. An assessment of the effect of an experimental environmental education programme (Man and Nutrition) on Kuwaiti primary school pupils (Grade Four)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Esmaeel, Yaqoub Y. R.

    The educational system in Kuwait is undergoing some fundamental changes, and the need for reform of environmental education has become urgent as a result of the concerns of both the government and the public over environmental issues. It is in such a context that this research was conducted. The research was intended to develop, implement, and evaluate an experimental programme Man and Nutrition for Kuwaiti primary school pupils, aimed at developing a positive environmental achievement, Information about the present status of environmental concepts and environmental education in Kuwait was obtained from preliminary study such as interviews and curriculum analysis. Interviews were conducted in ten different primary schools in four districts in Kuwait, which involved 31 pupils in total, hi addition, information was obtained by analysis of the science curriculum for fourth grade primary schools. The preliminary study was carried out during the period April to October 1998. The results of the preliminary study served to aid the development of an experimental teaching programme. The experimental programme Man and Nutrition consisted of eight lessons printed in two booklets, a teacher's guide and pupil's textbook. The research included a review of the relevant literature examining the development of environmental programmes and activities in a number of countries, which were selected because of their environmental education approaches, and the variety of their environmental conditions. Pilot testing of the teaching programmes was carried out to ascertain the appropriateness of the materials and the data collecting instruments used for the evaluation of the main experimental study. The main study group included 115 pupils in four primary schools and four teachers selected in Kuwait. Data collecting included pre and post-tests and the course evaluation by teachers using semi-structured interviews. Statistical analysis of data obtained was carried out using the SPSS/PC+ computer programme. The major results of this study indicated that: (1) The present science programme of the fourth grade does not sufficiently cover the concepts identified as environmental concepts. (2) The experimental programme was significantly effective in increasing the pupils' knowledge regarding the environmental programme Man and Nutrition. (3) A significant difference in the mean scores was found between boys and girls in the post-achievement test. (4) There was a significant difference in the pupils' mean scores between the educational districts in the post-achievement test. (5) The experimental programme had similar influences on pupils' overall achievement by parents' education. Based upon the above major research results, the study puts forward some practical recommendations regarding the development of a school environmental education programme. Since the study is one of the first of its kind in Kuwait, it also suggests a few possible areas for future research. It is hoped that the research will lead to a worthwhile primary school environmental education.

  10. Peer education training for sexual health and well-being in public high schools in South Africa: Is it enough to change peer educators themselves?

    PubMed

    Mason-Jones, Amanda J; Flisher, Alan J; Mathews, Catherine

    2013-01-01

    To evaluate the effects of a high school peer educator training programme on the sexual behaviour and related psychosocial outcomes of peer educators. A total of 728 students from 15 randomly selected public high schools in the Western Cape, South Africa, with a peer education programme and 15 matched comparison schools were recruited, comprising 295 students in the intervention group and 433 students in the comparison arms of the study respectively. Age of sexual debut, use of condom at last sex and psychosocial outcomes such as decision making, goal orientation, critical thinking and self-esteem were measured at baseline and follow-up 18 months later. At follow-up, there were no significant differences in the age of sexual debut, use of condom at last sex, goal orientation, critical thinking and self-esteem scores of the peer educators compared to students in the comparison group. Decision-making scores were significantly higher in the peer educators, compared to students in the comparison group (adjusted difference between means 0.14, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.26). Even a highly intensive peer education training programme had limited effects for the peer educators themselves. It is clear that community factors, gendered power relations and poverty need to be addressed to have a lasting impact.

  11. Using the arts and humanities to promote a liberal nursing education: strengths and weaknesses.

    PubMed

    McKie, Andrew

    2012-10-01

    The requirement that all student nurses in the United Kingdom will be educated to degree level from 2013 permits a review of the current state of nursing education in university contexts. Recent educational standards for these new programmes (NMC, 2010) allow a liberal, or broad-based, education, with its features of breadth of knowledge, formativity, critical thinking and working with others, to be considered. Select narratives from a PhD study featuring student nurses and nurse teachers exploring the relationship between reading literature and poetry and ethical practice are presented to critically support the place of liberal education within these programmes. These narratives are drawn from a research study based upon the use of a narrative methodology. The study was set within the educational context of a school of nursing and midwifery in one Scottish university. Eight student nurses and four nurse teachers participated in the study. These narratives were constructed from data derived from focus groups and individual interviews. These narratives suggest that liberal education can be promoted within international curricula via careful positioning of, and student nurse engagement with, the arts and humanities. A liberal education can influence student nurses' sense of discernment, enhance their own responsibility for learning, support ethical regard for others, provide different perspectives on human experience and contribute to a balanced curriculum. Although a liberal education cannot guarantee fully skilled and ethically sensitive practitioners, it can contribute towards its achievement. The current university education climate presents obstacles to the promotion of liberal education. Nevertheless, the considerable professional and personal challenges of nursing practice in global terms make such an educational preparation essential. If nursing education to degree level is to commence from 2013, these principal features of liberal education, via these educational standards, must be embedded prominently into new programmes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. An outcome-based assessment process for accrediting computing programmes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harmanani, Haidar M.

    2017-11-01

    The calls for accountability in higher education have made outcome-based assessment a key accreditation component. Accreditation remains a well-regarded seal of approval on college quality, and requires the programme to set clear, appropriate, and measurable goals and courses to attain them. Furthermore, programmes must demonstrate that responsibilities associated with the goals are being carried out. Assessment leaders face various challenges including process design and implementation, faculty buy-in, and resources availability. This paper presents an outcome-based assessment approach that facilitates faculty participation while simplifying the assessment and reporting processes through effective and meaningful visualisation. The proposed approach has been implemented and used for the successful ABET accreditation of a computer science programme, and can be easily adapted to any higher education programme.

  13. What limits the effectiveness of school-based anti-smoking programmes?

    PubMed

    Hrubá, Drahoslava; Zaloudíková, Iva

    2012-03-01

    It is generally accepted that living in families where there are smokers, children are stressed not only by the harmful physical exposure to second-hand and third-hand tobacco smoke, but also by the negative models of the adult relatives' behaviour, as relatives who smoke can inspire children to imitate this behaviour, influencing attitudes towards, and early experiments with smoking. In this paper, some of the most important results about influence of family smoking on the effects of the anti-smoking educational programme "Non-smoking Is Normal" are described. The school-based programme was created by medical and educational specialists and targets children at the first level of primary schools (aged from 6 to 11 years). The data about interesting outcomes of the programme (knowledge, attitudes, behaviour) were collected by anonymous questionnaire, administered twice in each school year: one month before the complex of 5 lectures (pre-tests) and 4-5 months after the last lecture (post-tests). The sample of participants (860-910) was divided into four groups, according to the intervention and family backrounds: (1) programme children from smoking families "P-S"; (2) control children from smoking families "C-S"; (3) programme children from non-smoking families "P-NS"; (4) control children from non-smoking families "C-NS". The differences in the frequency of children's answers were analysed using the tests in statistic Epi Info software, version 6.04a (chi-square, Mantel Haenszel, Yates, Fisher). In the programme group, the number of children with smoking relatives was significantly higher than in the control group (80.1% vs. 73.0%, p < 0.01) as well as of those who reported frequent/daily exposure to secondhand smoke at homes and/or in cars (49.5% vs. 40.0%, p < 0.01). Smoking families significantly influenced the children's seeking of smoking friends (40% vs. 17%, p < 0.01). The programme has significantly increased the amount of knowledge about health risks of smoking. Both in the programme and control groups of children from non-smoking families, the frequency of critics of adults smoking was significantly higher all the time of the study (p < 0.05 and 0.01 resp.); however, the programme influenced children's opinions about smoking (criticism) only partially. Children's actual intentions about their smoking in the future was fully influenced by their smoking household environment: the number of "future no-smokers" has decreased in time and was significantly less frequent among children from smoking families (p < 0.01). The frequency of those willing to smoke significantly increased within the period between 3rd and 5th grades, both in the programme and the control groups (p < 0.01). An almost linear increase of active experimentations with cigarette smoking in follow-up monitoring was seen, trends of smoking children were steeper in groups from smoking families. The number of experiments with smoking was significantly lower in programme children of non-smoking parents only at the end of the study (p < 0.05). Despite of the effort to initiate parental participation on the primary prevention of smoking, we have confirmed that smoking in families decreased the efficacy of anti-smoking intervention targeted on young children at school age.

  14. "External Conditions Affecting a Harmonious Family": Lessons Learned from a School-Based Parent Education Programme in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Luk-Fong, Pattie Yuk Yee

    2013-01-01

    This article documents a parent education presentation on "External conditions affecting a harmonious family" within a school-based parent education programme in Hong Kong. The presentation adopted an eco-systems approach for understanding families and argued for the need to include the external conditions for a harmonious family as an…

  15. Health-related quality of life and self-related health in patients with type 2 diabetes: effects of group-based rehabilitation versus individual counselling.

    PubMed

    Vadstrup, Eva S; Frølich, Anne; Perrild, Hans; Borg, Eva; Røder, Michael

    2011-12-07

    Type 2 diabetes can seriously affect patients' health-related quality of life and their self-rated health. Most often, evaluation of diabetes interventions assess effects on glycemic control with little consideration of quality of life. The aim of the current study was to study the effectiveness of group-based rehabilitation versus individual counselling on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and self-rated health in type 2 diabetes patients. We randomised 143 type 2 diabetes patients to either a six-month multidisciplinary group-based rehabilitation programme including patient education, supervised exercise and a cooking-course or a six-month individual counselling programme. HRQOL was measured by Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item Health Survey (SF-36) and self-rated health was measured by Diabetes Symptom Checklist - Revised (DCS-R). In both groups, the lowest estimated mean scores of the SF36 questionnaire at baseline were "vitality" and "general health". There were no significant differences in the change of any item between the two groups after the six-month intervention period. However, vitality-score increased 5.2 points (p = 0.12) within the rehabilitation group and 5.6 points (p = 0.03) points among individual counselling participants.In both groups, the highest estimated mean scores of the DSC-R questionnaire at baseline were "Fatigue" and "Hyperglycaemia". Hyperglycaemic and hypoglycaemic distress decreased significantly after individual counselling than after group-based rehabilitation (difference -0.3 points, p = 0.04). No between-group differences occurred for any other items. However, fatigue distress decreased 0.40 points within the rehabilitation group (p = 0.01) and 0.34 points within the individual counselling group (p < 0.01). In the rehabilitation group cardiovascular distress decreased 0.25 points (p = 0.01). A group-based rehabilitation programme did not improve health-related quality of life and self-rated health more than an individual counselling programme. In fact, the individual group experienced a significant relief in hyper- and hypoglycaemic distress compared with the rehabilitation group.However, the positive findings of several items in both groups indicate that lifestyle intervention is an important part of the management of type 2 diabetes patients.

  16. Effect of an Education Programme for South Asians with Asthma and Their Clinicians: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial (OEDIPUS)

    PubMed Central

    Griffiths, Chris; Bremner, Stephen; Islam, Kamrul; Sohanpal, Ratna; Vidal, Debi-Lee; Dawson, Carolyn; Foster, Gillian; Ramsay, Jean; Feder, Gene; Taylor, Stephanie; Barnes, Neil; Choudhury, Aklak; Packe, Geoff; Bayliss, Elizabeth; Trathen, Duncan; Moss, Philip; Cook, Viv; Livingstone, Anna Eleri; Eldridge, Sandra

    2016-01-01

    Background People with asthma from ethnic minority groups experience significant morbidity. Culturally-specific interventions to reduce asthma morbidity are rare. We tested the hypothesis that a culturally-specific education programme, adapted from promising theory-based interventions developed in the USA, would reduce unscheduled care for South Asians with asthma in the UK. Methods A cluster randomised controlled trial, set in two east London boroughs. 105 of 107 eligible general practices were randomised to usual care or the education programme. Participants were south Asians with asthma aged 3 years and older with recent unscheduled care. The programme had two components: the Physician Asthma Care Education (PACE) programme and the Chronic Disease Self Management Programme (CDSMP), targeted at clinicians and patients with asthma respectively. Both were culturally adapted for south Asians with asthma. Specialist nurses, and primary care teams from intervention practices were trained using the PACE programme. South Asian participants attended an outpatient appointment; those registered with intervention practices received self-management training from PACE-trained specialist nurses, a follow-up appointment with PACE-trained primary care practices, and an invitation to attend the CDSMP. Patients from control practices received usual care. Primary outcome was unscheduled care. Findings 375 south Asians with asthma from 84 general practices took part, 183 registered with intervention practices and 192 with control practices. Primary outcome data were available for 358/375 (95.5%) of participants. The intervention had no effect on time to first unscheduled attendance for asthma (Adjusted Hazard Ratio AHR = 1.19 95% CI 0.92 to 1.53). Time to first review in primary care was reduced (AHR = 2.22, (1.67 to 2.95). Asthma-related quality of life and self-efficacy were improved at 3 months (adjusted mean difference -2.56, (-3.89 to -1.24); 0.44, (0.05 to 0.82) respectively. Conclusions A multi-component education programme adapted for south Asians with asthma did not reduce unscheduled care but did improve follow-up in primary care, self-efficacy and quality of life. More effective interventions are needed for south Asians with asthma. PMID:28030569

  17. Evaluation of the Effectiveness of a Primary Preventive Dental Health Education Programme Implemented Through School Teachers for Primary School Children in Mysore City

    PubMed Central

    Naidu, Jaya; Nandlal, B.

    2017-01-01

    Aims and Objectives: The present study was conducted with the aim of evaluating the effectiveness of a Primary Preventive Dental Health Education Programme conducted for 6–12-year-old primary school children in Mysore City. Materials and Methods: A total of 12 schools, one each in the category of Government, Aided, and Unaided, were randomly selected per zone viz., North, South, East, and West. These 12 schools constituted the study group where the Primary Preventive School Dental Health Education Programme (PPSDHEP) was implemented. Two additional schools were selected at random from the four zones to serve as the control. A total of 926 children participated in the study. The PPSDHEP involved the second-level transfer of preventive package wherein the oral health education was imparted to the school children by schoolteachers trained by the investigator. Among the parameters for evaluating the outcome of the programme were the pre and post-programme assessment (at the baseline and at follow-up, i.e., after 6 months) of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP), dental caries status, oral hygiene, and gingival health status. Results: The results suggest that the PPSDHEP resulted in bringing about an enhancement in the KAP towards oral health and also an improvement in dental caries, oral hygiene, and gingival health status of the school children in the study group. Conclusion: The present study supports the implementation of similar programmes in schools and the contention that schoolteachers are suitable personnel for imparting dental health education to school children on a regular basis. PMID:28462175

  18. Effects of a multidisciplinary group rehabilitation programme on participation of the visually impaired elderly: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Alma, Manna A; Groothoff, Johan W; Melis-Dankers, Bart J M; Post, Marcel W M; Suurmeijer, Theo P B M; van der Mei, Sijrike F

    2012-01-01

    To pilot test the newly developed multidisciplinary group rehabilitation programme Visually Impaired elderly Persons Participating (VIPP). A single group pretest-posttest design pilot study included 29 visually impaired persons (≥ 55 years). The intervention (20 weekly meetings) consisted of four components (practical training; education, social interaction, counselling and training of problem-solving skills; individual and group goal setting; home-based exercise programme). Participation was assessed with the Utrecht Scale for Evaluation of Rehabilitation-Participation (USER-P) and the Impact on Participation and Autonomy (IPA) questionnaire at baseline, immediately and 6 months after the intervention. At scale level, no statistical significant changes over time were found whereas the effect size indicated small effects for restrictions and satisfaction with participation, and a medium effect for autonomy outdoors. At item level, improvements tended to occur in frequency of housekeeping, in restrictions in housekeeping and outdoor activities and in satisfaction with the partner relationship. Satisfaction with leisure indoors and autonomy regarding using leisure time tended to increase as well. The tentative conclusion of this small-scale pilot study is that the VIPP programme modestly benefits perceived restrictions in participation, satisfaction with participation and autonomy outdoors of the visually impaired elderly. These preliminary findings warrant further investigation.

  19. Analysing horizontal equity in enrolment in Disease Management Programmes for coronary heart disease in Germany 2008-2010.

    PubMed

    Bozorgmehr, Kayvan; San Sebastian, Miguel; Brenner, Hermann; Razum, Oliver; Maier, Werner; Saum, Kai-Uwe; Holleczek, Bernd; Miksch, Antje; Szecsenyi, Joachim

    2015-03-10

    Disease Management Programmes (DMPs) have been introduced in Germany ten years ago with the aim to improve effectiveness and equity of care, but little is known about the degree to which enrolment in the programme meets the principles of equity in health care. We aimed to analyse horizontal equity in DMP enrolment among patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Cross-sectional analysis of horizontal inequities in physician-reported enrolment in the DMP for CHD in a large population-based cohort-study in Germany (2008-2010). We calculated horizontal inequity indices (HII) and their 95% confidence intervals [95%CI] for predicted need-standardised DMP enrolment across two measures of socio-economic status (SES) (educational attainment, regional deprivation) stratified by sex. Need-standardised DMP enrolment was predicted in multi-level logistic regression models. Among N = 1,280 individuals aged 55-84 years and diagnosed with CHD, DMP enrolment rates were 22.2% (women) and 35.0% (men). Education-related inequities in need-standardised DMP enrolment favoured groups with lower education, but HII estimates were not significant. Deprivation-related inequities among women significantly favoured groups with higher SES (HII = 0.086 [0.007 ; 0.165]. No such deprivation-related inequities were seen among men (HII = 0.014 [-0.048 ; 0.077]). Deprivation-related inequities across the whole population favoured groups with higher SES (HII estimates not significant). Need-standardised DMP enrolment was fairly equitable across educational levels. Deprivation-related inequities in DMP enrolment favoured women living in less deprived areas relative to those living in areas with higher deprivation. Further research is needed to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms that contribute to deprivation-related horizontal inequities in DMP enrolment among women.

  20. Adherence to COPD guidelines in general practice: impact of an educational programme delivered on location in Danish general practices.

    PubMed

    Ulrik, Charlotte Suppli; Sørensen, Tina Brandt; Højmark, Torben Brunse; Olsen, Kim Rose; Vedsted, Peter

    2013-03-01

    The general practitioner (GP) is often the first healthcare contact for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). To determine whether participating in a standardised educational programme delivered in the GP's own practice is associated with adherence to COPD guidelines. A nationwide register-based observational before and after study was undertaken with a control group of propensity-matched practices (follow-up period 6 months). COPD was defined as age 40+ years and at least two prescriptions for inhaled medication. The educational programme consisted of a 3-hr teaching lesson with a respiratory specialist and five visits by a representative from the sponsoring pharmaceutical company focusing on assessment and management of patients including written algorithms. A one-to-one propensity-matched control group of practices was selected. Register data were used to compare the rate of spirometry testing, preventive consultations, and influenza vaccinations provided to COPD patients and the rate of spirometry testing in non-COPD individuals, assumed to reflect diagnostic activity. Data for 102 participating GP practices were analysed. Participating clinics had a significant increase in preventive consultations and influenza vaccinations (p<0.05). For the control group, a significant change was observed only for influenza vaccinations. No significant change was found when comparing participating and control clinics in the difference-in-difference estimator. However, a significant improvement was observed for the subgroup of 48 clinics with the lowest starting point of spirometry testing. Focused education of GPs and their staff delivered in the GPs' own practices may improve adherence to COPD guidelines, not least for clinics with a high potential for improvement.

  1. Case study of a problem-based learning course of physics in a telecommunications engineering degree

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Macho-Stadler, Erica; Jesús Elejalde-García, Maria

    2013-08-01

    Active learning methods can be appropriate in engineering, as their methodology promotes meta-cognition, independent learning and problem-solving skills. Problem-based learning is the educational process by which problem-solving activities and instructor's guidance facilitate learning. Its key characteristic involves posing a 'concrete problem' to initiate the learning process, generally implemented by small groups of students. Many universities have developed and used active methodologies successfully in the teaching-learning process. During the past few years, the University of the Basque Country has promoted the use of active methodologies through several teacher training programmes. In this paper, we describe and analyse the results of the educational experience using the problem-based learning (PBL) method in a physics course for undergraduates enrolled in the technical telecommunications engineering degree programme. From an instructors' perspective, PBL strengths include better student attitude in class and increased instructor-student and student-student interactions. The students emphasised developing teamwork and communication skills in a good learning atmosphere as positive aspects.

  2. Evaluation of a manual-based programme for the promotion of social and emotional skills in elementary school children: results from a 4-year study in Portugal.

    PubMed

    Moreira, Paulo; Crusellas, Lorena; Sá, Isabel; Gomes, Paulo; Matias, Carla

    2010-09-01

    The promotion of socio-emotional skills in educational contexts is highly beneficial to individuals' global adjustment and development. Evaluation research suggests that interventions for the promotion of socio-emotional skills are effective. However, most of this work has been carried out in the USA and there is now a pressing need to evaluate interventions at the cross-cultural level. This 4-year study evaluated the effectiveness of a teacher manual-based intervention for the promotion of social and emotional skills in Portuguese elementary school children. Using a quasi-experimental design, teachers taught manual-based strategies to children in the experimental group, focusing on specific social and emotional skills. These strategies were integrated as part of the curricular activities. Results showed statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the evaluated outcomes (self-control, emotional differentiation, emotional regulation, social skills, and self-esteem). For each of the dimensions studied, effect sizes were large (above 0.80). Findings are similar to those reported by international research evaluating the effectiveness of programmes for the promotion of social and emotional skills in school-age children. This study is an important contribution in the establishment of evidence-based socio-emotional skills programmes at the cross-cultural level.

  3. The Sexuality Education Initiative: a programme involving teenagers, schools, parents and sexual health services in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

    PubMed

    Marques, Magaly; Ressa, Nicole

    2013-05-01

    In response to abstinence-only programmes in the United States that promote myths and misconceptions about sexuality and sexual behaviour, the comprehensive sexuality education community has been sidetracked from improving the sexuality education available in US schools for almost two decades now. Much work is still needed to move beyond fear-based approaches and the one-way communication of information that many programmes still use. Starting in 2008 Planned Parenthood Los Angeles developed and launched a teen-centred sexuality education programme based on critical thinking, human rights, gender equality, and access to health care that is founded on a theory of change that recognises the complex relationship between the individual and broader environment of cultural norms, socio-economic inequalities, health disparities, legal and institutional factors. The Sexuality Education Initiative is comprised of a 12-session classroom sexuality education curriculum for ninth grade students; workshops for parents; a peer advocacy training programme; and access to sexual health services. This paper describes that experience and presents the rights-based framework that was used, which seeks to improve the learning experience of students, strengthen the capacity of schools, teachers and parents to help teenagers manage their sexuality effectively and understand that they have the right to health care, education, protection, dignity and privacy. Copyright © 2013 Reproductive Health Matters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Improving quality of care for depression: the German Action Programme for the implementation of evidence-based guidelines.

    PubMed

    Härter, Martin; Bermejo, Isaac; Ollenschläger, Günter; Schneider, Frank; Gaebel, Wolfgang; Hegerl, Ulrich; Niebling, Wilhelm; Berger, Mathias

    2006-04-01

    Depressive disorders are of great medical and political significance. The potential inherent in achieving better guideline orientation and a better collaboration between different types of care is clear. Throughout the 1990s, educational initiatives were started for implementing guidelines. Evidence-based guidelines on depression have been formulated in many countries. This article presents an action programme for structural, educational, and research-related measures to implement evidence-based care of depressive disorders in the German health system. The starting points of the programme are the 'Guidelines Critical Appraisal Reports' of the 'Guideline Clearing House' and measures from the 'Competence Network on Depression and Suicidality' (CNDS) funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The article gives an overview of the steps achieved as recommended by the Guidelines Critical Appraisal Reports and the ongoing transfer process into the German health care system. The action programme shows that comprehensive interventions to develop and introduce evidence-based guidelines for depression can achieve benefits in the care of depression, e.g. in recognition, management, and clinical outcome. It was possible to implement the German Action Programme in selected care settings, and initial evaluation results suggest some improvements. The action programme provides preliminary work, materials, and results for developing a future 'Disease Management Programme' (DMP) for depression.

  5. STI prevention and the male sex industry in London: evaluating a pilot peer education programme

    PubMed Central

    Ziersch, A; Gaffney, J; Tomlinson, D

    2000-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot peer education STI prevention programme with male sex workers. Design: A process and outcome evaluation of the pilot programme undertaken in three London male escort agencies, using a quasi-experimental design. Subjects: Workers in three London escort agencies, including 88 who completed a questionnaire, five peer educators, and a further 16 men (including management) working in two of these agencies. Methods: A peer education STI prevention programme run by the Working Men Project (WMP), a specialist sexual health service for male sex workers, was piloted in two London escort agencies. Five male sex workers participated in a 2 day peer education training programme. They then returned to their respective agencies to disseminate information and condoms, in an attempt to influence norms of behaviour. An outcome evaluation aimed to assess changes in STI related knowledge, high risk sexual behaviour, and attendance at a sexual health service. A pre-intervention questionnaire assessing variables such as STI related knowledge, sexual behaviour, and demographic information was administered in both agency A and agency B and a third agency, C, which acted as a control. Ten weeks after the peer educators returned to their agencies, the same questionnaire was administered in the same agencies. Peer educator referrals to the WMP were also recorded over this time period. The process evaluation involved interviews and focus groups with peer educators, and the completion of diaries about their experiences in the role. A further 16 men working in the agencies (including managers and an owner) were interviewed about their experience of the programme. Participant observation was also undertaken through regular outreach work to the agencies. Results: 57 men completed the questionnaire at time 1 and 44 at time 2. Unfortunately, only 13 of these were matched, precluding any meaningful analysis of change in STI related knowledge and sexual behaviour. The questionnaire provided a profile of the men working in the agencies. Of the 88 men who completed the questionnaire at least once, the majority were homosexual, and in their late teens/early 20s. Most were of a "white" ethnic group, though there was some range within these categories. Most preferred to speak English and education levels were high. Relative STI knowledge revealed a high understanding of HIV and hepatitis B, moderate understanding of gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital warts and herpes, and little knowledge of non-specific urethritis (NSU) or chlamydia. Sexual behaviour suggested a highly sexually active population with both male and female paying and non-paying partners. Condom use was highest for paying partners, particularly for anal sex. Condom use for oral sex with all partners was less consistent, and condom use for all types of sex with regular partners was lower than with other partners. The small number of men engaging in vaginal sex with paying and regular partners were less likely to use condoms. 26 new patients registered at the WMP as a result of peer educator referrals, representing 65% of all new contacts over the study period. The process evaluation revealed that while the training programme was considered adequate and while peer educators felt the programme and their roles to be a success, their experience of the role was difficult. The role of management support was crucial in supporting the programme. The assumption that "peers" are particularly effective educators was not borne out by the results. While peers were considered suitable to discuss some aspects of the industry, many preferred to consult "professionals" about health related matters. The concept of "peers" was problematic with most of the men drawing "peers" from subgroups within the agencies. Other constraints on behaviour such as a lack of power, particularly with regard to a lack of management support, or poverty, had a substantial impact on behaviour which were not influenced by the peer educators. Conclusions: The study illustrated the difficulties of utilising quasi-experimental evaluation methodology with this client group. It also demonstrated the limitations of peer education based on information provision health education models which focus on individual behaviour change. Suggestions are given for future interventions. Key Words: male sex workers; peer education; evaluation PMID:11221127

  6. Motivation and Degree Completion in a University-Based Teacher Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fokkens-Bruinsma, Marjon; Canrinus, Esther Tamara

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated which factors determine degree completion in a Dutch university-based teacher education programme. We assumed that both student characteristics and characteristics of the learning environment affected degree completion. We included the following factors in our study: motivation for becoming a teacher, teaching…

  7. Living Smart Homes: A Pilot Australian Sustainability Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Miller, Evonne; Buys, Laurie; Bell, Lorraine

    2009-01-01

    This article documents the rationale and experience of a pilot Australian sustainability education programme, "Living Smart Homes" (LSH) based on a community-based social marketing model. Inspired by the Australian "Land for Wildlife" scheme, LSH is designed to engage homeowners with sustainable practices through face-to-face…

  8. Effect of a nutrition education programme on clinical status and dietary behaviours of adults with type 2 diabetes in a resource-limited setting in South Africa: a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Muchiri, Jane W; Gericke, Gerda J; Rheeder, Paul

    2016-01-01

    To evaluate the effect of a participant-customised nutrition education programme on glycated Hb (HbA(1c)), blood lipids, blood pressure, BMI and dietary behaviours in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. A randomised controlled trial. The control group (n 41) received education materials. The intervention group (n 41) received the same education materials and participated in eight weekly (2-2·5 h) group nutrition education sessions and follow-up sessions. Outcomes were assessed at 6 and 12 months. An intention-to-treat analysis was conducted. ANCOVA compared the groups (adjustments for baseline values, age, sex and clinic). Two community health centres, Moretele sub-district (North West Province), South Africa. Adults (aged 40-70 years) with type 2 diabetes, HbA(1c) ≥8 %. Differences in HbA(1c) (primary outcome) were -0·64 % (P=0·15) at 6 months and -0·63 % (P=0·16) at 12 months in favour of the intervention group. Starchy-food intake was significantly lower in the intervention group, 9·3 v. 10·8 servings/d (P=0·005) at 6 months and 9·9 v. 11·9 servings/d (P=0·017) at 12 months. Median energy intake was significantly lower in the intervention group at 12 months (5988 v. 6946 kJ/d, P=0·017). No significant group differences in BMI, lipid profile, blood pressure and intakes of macronutrients, vegetables and fruits were observed. Nutrition education was not efficacious on HbA(1c); however, it improved specific dietary behaviours. Group education and hands-on activities appeared to contribute to the improvement. Optimal goal setting and self-efficacy training/assessment could benefit future nutrition education programmes for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus in resource-limited settings.

  9. Art engagement and mental health: experiences of service users of a community-based arts programme at Tate Modern, London.

    PubMed

    McKeown, Eamonn; Weir, Hannele; Berridge, Emma-Jane; Ellis, Liz; Kyratsis, Yiannis

    2016-01-01

    To examine the experiences of mental health service users who took part in an arts-based programme at Tate Modern, a major London art gallery. Exploratory qualitative design. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews with 10 mental health service users who had taken part in a community-based programme at Tate Modern. Additionally, six art educators from Tate Modern were interviewed. Concepts that emerged from the text were identified using thematic analysis. All participants valued the gallery-based programme. The three overarching thematic areas were: the symbolic and physical context in which the programme workshops were located; the relational and social context of the programme workshops; and reflections on the relationship between the arts-based programme and subsequent mental health. Art galleries are increasingly seen to function as vehicles for popular education with mental health service users. This study adds to the growing body of evidence related to how mental health service users experience and reflect on arts-related programmes targeted at them. This study indicates that emphasis on how users experience gallery-based programmes may contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the relationship between art and mental health. Copyright © 2015 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Evaluating effectiveness of small group information literacy instruction for Undergraduate Medical Education students using a pre- and post-survey study design.

    PubMed

    McClurg, Caitlin; Powelson, Susan; Lang, Eddy; Aghajafari, Fariba; Edworthy, Steven

    2015-06-01

    The Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) programme at the University of Calgary is a three-year programme with a strong emphasis on small group learning. The purpose of our study was to determine whether librarian led small group information literacy instruction, closely integrated with course content and faculty participation, but without a hands on component, was an effective means to convey EBM literacy skills. Five 15-minute EBM information literacy sessions were delivered by three librarians to 12 practicing physician led small groups of 15 students. Students were asked to complete an online survey before and after the sessions. Data analysis was performed through simple descriptive statistics. A total of 144 of 160 students responded to the pre-survey, and 112 students answered the post-survey. Instruction in a small group environment without a mandatory hands on component had a positive impact on student's evidence-based information literacy skills. Students were more likely to consult a librarian and had increased confidence in their abilities to search and find relevant information. Our study demonstrates that student engagement and faculty involvement are effective tools for delivering information literacy skills when working with students in a small group setting outside of a computer classroom. © 2015 Health Libraries Group.

  11. Medical care of type 2 diabetes in German disease management programmes: a population-based evaluation.

    PubMed

    Stark, Reneé G; Schunk, Michaela V; Meisinger, Christine; Rathmann, Wolfgang; Leidl, Reiner; Holle, Rolf

    2011-05-01

    Type 2 diabetes disease management programmes (DDMPs) are offered by German social health insurance to promote healthcare consistent with evidence-based medical guidelines. The aim of this study was to compare healthcare quality and medical endpoints between diabetes management programme participants and patients receiving usual care designated as controls. All patients with type 2 diabetes (age range: 36-81) in a cross-sectional survey of a cohort study, performed by the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg, received a self-administered questionnaire regarding their diabetes care. Physical examination and laboratory tests were also performed. The analysis only included patients with social health insurance and whose participation status in a diabetes disease management program was validated by the primary physician (n = 166). Regression analyses, adjusting for age, sex, education, diabetes duration, baseline waist circumference and clustering regarding primary physician were conducted. Evaluation of healthcare processes showed that those in diabetes disease management programmes (n = 89) reported medical examination of eyes and feet and medical advice regarding diet [odds ratio (OR): 2.39] and physical activity (OR: 2.87) more frequently, received anti-diabetic medications (OR: 3.77) and diabetes education more often (OR: 2.66) than controls. Both groups had satisfactory HbA(1c) control but poor low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control. Blood pressure goals (<140/90 mmHg) were achieved more frequently by patients in diabetes disease management programmes (OR: 2.21). German diabetes disease management programmes are associated with improved healthcare processes and blood pressure control. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol control must be improved for all patients with diabetes. Further research will be required to assess the long-term effects of this diabetes disease management programme. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Benefits and challenges of international clinical education from a US-based physiotherapist faculty perspective.

    PubMed

    Pechak, Celia; Black, Jill D

    2013-12-01

    The influence of internationalization on physiotherapist education in at least North American-based programmes has become more apparent. Faculty and students have been involved in various international activities. One category of activities includes international clinical education (ICE), where students earn clinical education credit for their learning activities at international sites. Although this educational strategy appears to be increasingly used in at least the United States and Canada, the related literature is limited in scope. The purpose of this portion of the present study was to investigate the benefits and challenges of ICE for US-based students, US-based physiotherapy programmes and international partners from the perspective of US-based faculty sending students for clinical education internationally. Content analysis was used for this qualitative study. Fifteen US-based faculty members who had experience in sending physiotherapist students for ICE were recruited. The primary researcher conducted semi-structured phone interviews, averaging approximately 60 minutes in length. The primary and secondary researchers completed data analysis using NVivo 8 software (QSR International Inc., Cambridge, MA). Benefits of ICE to the students included exposure to alternate health systems, broadening of student perspectives and clinical competence. Challenges consisted of funding and possible language barrier. Increased visibility, expanded global perspective and faculty collaborations were benefits to the programme. Ensuring a quality learning experience was the greatest programme challenge. Benefits to the international site included education and faculty collaborations/exchanges; challenges were language, student clinical preparation and unfamiliarity with the student evaluation tool. Because the sample was limited to 15 US-based faculty members, the results may not be relevant to all programmes inside or outside of the United States. Additionally, the study lacked perspectives from the students or international sites. The present study is an early step in the important examination of the impact of this emerging educational trend on physiotherapy education and practice. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  13. Mathematics Education in Argentina

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Varsavsky, Cristina; Anaya, Marta

    2009-01-01

    This article gives an overview of the state of mathematics education in Argentina across all levels, in the regional and world contexts. Statistics are drawn from Mercosur and UNESCO data bases, World Education Indicators and various national time-series government reports. Mathematics results in national testing programmes, Programme for…

  14. Training in Project-Based Education: Practise as You Preach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weenk, Wim; Govers, Elly; Vlas, Helma

    2004-01-01

    Several years of experience in training lecturers for developing and tutoring project-based learning (PBL) courses have resulted in a 'practise as you preach' based and flexible training programme. This programme was successfully incorporated in the teacher training programmes of the University of Twente and other universities and polytechnics in…

  15. A brief structured education programme enhances self-care practices and improves glycaemic control in Malaysians with poorly controlled diabetes.

    PubMed

    Tan, M Y; Magarey, J M; Chee, S S; Lee, L F; Tan, M H

    2011-10-01

    We assessed the effectiveness of a brief structured diabetes education programme based on the concept of self-efficacy on self-care and glycaemic control using single-blind study design. One hundred and sixty-four participants with poorly controlled diabetes from two settings were randomized using computer-generated list into control (n = 82) and intervention (n = 82) groups, of which 151 completed the study. Monthly interventions over 12 weeks addressed the self-care practices of diet, physical activity, medication adherence and self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). These self-care practices were assessed at Weeks 0 and 12 using pre- and post-questionnaires in both groups together with glycated haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and diabetes knowledge. In the intention-to-treat analysis (n = 164), the intervention group improved their SMBG (P = <0.001), physical activity (P = 0.001), HbA1c (P = 0.03), diabetes knowledge (P = <0.001) and medication adherence. At Week 12, HbA1c difference adjusted for SMBG frequency, medication adherence and weight change remained significant (P = 0.03) compared with control group. For within group comparisons, diabetes knowledge (P = <0.001), HbA1c level (P = <0.001), SMBG (P = <0.001) and medication adherence (P = 0.008) improved from baseline in the intervention group. In the control group, only diabetes knowledge improved (P = <0.001). These findings can contribute to the development of self-management diabetes education in Malaysia.

  16. Studying While Doing Time: Understanding Inmates' Conceptions of Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosário, Pedro; Núñez, José Carlos; Pereira, Joana; Fuentes, Sonia; Gaeta, Martha; Cunha, Jennifer; Polydoro, Soely

    2016-01-01

    Low levels of education and dropping out of school are associated with criminal involvement. The Portuguese prison system, similar to other prison systems (e.g. England), offers prison-based educational programmes so inmates can complete compulsory education. However, the completion rate of these educational programmes is low, and the dropout rate…

  17. ‘I learned to accept every part of myself’: the transformative impact of a theatre-based sexual health and HIV prevention programme

    PubMed Central

    Grewe, Mary E.; Taboada, Arianna; Dennis, Alexis; Chen, Elizabeth; Stein, Kathryn; Watson, Sable; Barrington, Clare; Lightfoot, Alexandra F.

    2015-01-01

    Theatre-based interventions have been used in health promotion activities among young people to address HIV and sexual health. In this study, we explored the experience of undergraduate student performers participating in a theatre-based HIV prevention and sexual health education intervention for high school students in the USA. Undergraduate students enrolled in a credit-bearing course to learn about HIV and sexual health, participatory theatre and health education techniques. We analysed students’ reflective essays written throughout the semester to identify any changes and the intervention processes that promoted these changes. Students experienced five interrelated forms of transformation: (1) increased knowledge about HIV and sexual health; (2) changes in attitude and communication about sex; (3) artistic growth; (4) emotional growth; and (5) clarification of career goals and future plans. Intervention processes that contributed to these transformations included improvisation, guided writing exercises, the creation of a close-knit cohesive group, and interactions with a group of HIV-positive speakers. Theatre-based, peer-led sexual health programmes can provide a transformative experience for undergraduate student performers. The transformative effects are linked to specific activities and processes of the intervention and require examination in future research. PMID:26085813

  18. Does a fall prevention educational programme improve knowledge and change exercise prescribing behaviour in health and exercise professionals? A study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Tiedemann, A; Sturnieks, D L; Hill, A-M; Lovitt, L; Clemson, L; Lord, S R; Harvey, L; Sherrington, C

    2014-11-19

    Falling in older age is a serious and costly problem. At least one in three older people fall annually. Although exercise is recognised as an effective fall prevention intervention, low numbers of older people engage in suitable programmes. Health and exercise professionals play a crucial role in addressing fall risk in older adults. This trial aims to evaluate the effect of participation in a fall prevention educational programme, compared with a wait-list control group, on health and exercise professionals' knowledge about fall prevention and the effect on fall prevention exercise prescription behaviour and confidence to prescribe the exercises to older people. A randomised controlled trial involving 220 consenting health and exercise professionals will be conducted. Participants will be individually randomised to an intervention group (n=110) to receive an educational workshop plus access to internet-based support resources, or a wait-list control group (n=110). The two primary outcomes, measured 3 months after randomisation, are: (1) knowledge about fall prevention and (2) self-perceived change in fall prevention exercise prescription behaviour. Secondary outcomes include: (1) participants' confidence to prescribe fall prevention exercises; (2) the proportion of people aged 60+ years seen by trial participants in the past month who were prescribed fall prevention exercise; and (3) the proportion of fall prevention exercises prescribed by participants to older people in the past month that comply with evidence-based guidelines. Outcomes will be measured with a self-report questionnaire designed specifically for the trial. The trial protocol was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee, The University of Sydney, Australia. Trial results will be disseminated via peer reviewed journals, presentations at international conferences and participants' newsletters. Trial protocol was registered with the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (Number ACTRN12614000224628) on 3 March 2014. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  19. Enhancing Co-operation between Mainstream and Special Education. Thematic Group 9. Helios II Programme.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education, Middelfart (Denmark).

    This booklet discusses mainstream and special education interaction through the experiences and conclusions of a working group of persons with disabilities, parents, administrators, mainstream teachers, teachers in special education, therapists, and professionals in special needs from 10 European countries. It focuses upon the special needs…

  20. Evaluating Quality in Educational Facilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abend, Allen; Ornstein, Sheila Walbe; Baltas, Emmanuel; de la Garza, Jaime; Watson, Chris; Lange, Kurt; von Ahlefeld, Hannah

    2006-01-01

    In 2005, the OECD Programme on Educational Building (PEB) organised two international experts' group meetings to discuss how countries define and evaluate quality in educational facilities. The research and experiences of six experts are presented in this article, in addition to the lessons learned from the experts' group meetings. The director of…

  1. Mathematical Literacy Teachers' Engagement with Contextual Tasks Based on Personal Finance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bansilal, Sarah; Mkhwanazi, Thokozani; Mahlabela, Patisizwe

    2012-01-01

    This article reports on a study carried out with a group of 108 practising Mathematical Literacy (ML) teachers who participated in an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) programme. The purpose of the qualitative study was to identify and describe the teachers' varying levels of engagement with mathematics tools and resources. The teachers were…

  2. Tlokoeng Valley Community's Conceptions of Wetlands: Prospects for More Sustainable Water Resources Management

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mokuku, Tšepo; Taylor, Jim

    2015-01-01

    This article explores prospects for community-based water resources management in Tlokoeng Valley, in the northern district of Lesotho. A qualitative survey was conducted to establish the pre-knowledge of the valley community. This provided a basis for a community education programme on wetlands conservation. Fifteen focus group interviews (FGIs)…

  3. "Why Single Me Out?" Peer Mentoring, Autism and Inclusion in Mainstream Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bradley, Ryan

    2016-01-01

    The past decade has seen an increase in the number of students with autism attending mainstream educational provision. Improving outcomes for this group is a complex issue given the deficit of evidence-based practice. A new peer mentoring programme developed for students with autism in mainstream secondary schools was evaluated using a combination…

  4. Evaluating the Impact of Career Management Skills Module and Internship Programme within a University Business School

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Antony Richard; Hooley, Tristram

    2014-01-01

    This study evaluates the impact of an intervention on business school graduates' employability comprising of a curriculum-based career management skills (CMS) module and an industrial placement year. The study uses data from the destinations of leavers of higher education survey to examine the employability of different groups within the cohort…

  5. Peer education for advance care planning: volunteers’ perspectives on training and community engagement activities

    PubMed Central

    Seymour, Jane E.; Almack, Kathryn; Kennedy, Sheila; Froggatt, Katherine

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Background  Peer education by volunteers may aid attitudinal change, but there is little understanding of factors assisting the preparation of peer educators. This study contributes to conceptual understandings of how volunteers may be prepared to work as peer educators by drawing on an evaluation of a training programme for peer education for advance care planning (ACP). Objectives  To report on volunteers’ perspectives on the peer education training programme, their feelings about assuming the role of volunteer peer educators and the community engagement activities with which they engaged during the year after training. To examine broader implications for peer education. Design  Participatory action research employing mixed methods of data collection. Participants  Twenty‐four older volunteers and eight health and social care staff. Data collection methods  Evaluative data were gathered from information provided during and at the end of training, a follow‐up survey 4 months post‐training; interviews and focus groups 6 and 12 months post‐training. Findings  Volunteers’ personal aims ranged from working within their communities to using what they had learnt within their own families. The personal impact of peer education was considerable. Two‐thirds of volunteers reported community peer education activities 1 year after the training. Those who identified strongly with a community group had the most success. Conclusion  We reflect on the extent to which the programme aided the development of ‘critical consciousness’ among the volunteers: a key factor in successful peer education programmes. More research is needed about the impact on uptake of ACP in communities. PMID:21615641

  6. [Factors Influencing Participation in Financial Incentive Programmes of Health Insurance Funds. Results of the Study 'German Health Update'].

    PubMed

    Jordan, S; von der Lippe, E; Starker, A; Hoebel, J; Franke, A

    2015-11-01

    The statutory health insurance can offer their insured incentive programmes that will motivate for healthy behaviour through a financial or material reward. This study will show results about what factors influence financial incentive programme participation (BPT) including all sorts of statutory health insurance funds and taking into account gender differences. For the cross-sectional analysis, data were used from 15,858 participants in the study 'Germany Health Update' (GEDA) from 2009, who were insured in the statutory health insurance. The selection of potential influencing variables for a BPT is based on the "Behavioural Model for Health Service Use" of Andersen. Accordingly, various factors were included in logistic regression models, which were calculated separately by gender: predisposing factors (age, education, social support, and health awareness), enabling factors (income, statutory health insurance fund, and family physician), and need factors (smoking, fruit and vegetable consumption, sports, body mass index, and general health status). In consideration of all factors, for both sexes, BPT is associated with age, health awareness, education, use of a family physician, smoking, and sports activities. In addition, income, body mass index, and diet are significant in women and social support and kind of statutory health insurance fund in men. It is found that predisposing, enabling and need factors are relevant. Financial incentive programmes reach population groups with greatest need less than those groups who already have a health-conscious behaviour, who receive a reward for this. In longitudinal studies, further research on financial incentive programmes should investigate the existence of deadweight effects and whether incentive programmes can contribute to the reduction of the inequity in health. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  7. The Erasmus programme for postgraduate education in orthodontics in Europe: an update of the guidelines.

    PubMed

    Huggare, J; Derringer, K A; Eliades, T; Filleul, M P; Kiliaridis, S; Kuijpers-Jagtman, A; Martina, R; Pirttiniemi, P; Ruf, S; Schwestka-Polly, R

    2014-06-01

    In 1989, the ERASMUS Bureau of the European Cultural Foundation of the Commission of the European Communities funded the development of a new 3-year curriculum for postgraduate education in orthodontics. The new curriculum was created by directors for orthodontic education representing 15 European countries. The curriculum entitled 'Three years Postgraduate Programme in Orthodontics: the Final Report of the Erasmus Project' was published 1992. In 2012, the 'Network of Erasmus Based European Orthodontic Programmes' developed and approved an updated version of the guidelines. The core programme consists of eight sections: general biological and medical subjects; basic orthodontic subjects; general orthodontic subjects; orthodontic techniques; interdisciplinary subjects; management of health and safety; practice management, administration, and ethics; extramural educational activities. The programme goals and objectives are described and the competencies to be reached are outlined. These guidelines may serve as a baseline for programme development and quality assessment for postgraduate programme directors, national associations, and governmental bodies and could assist future residents when selecting a postgraduate programme.

  8. Creativity associated with the application of a motivational intervention programme for the teaching of dance at school and its effect on the both genders.

    PubMed

    Amado, Diana; Sánchez-Miguel, Pedro Antonio; Molero, Pablo

    2017-01-01

    The current study reviews processes of teaching-learning based on creativity, with the application by teachers of several strategies to support the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The aim is to learn the effect of pupil's gender on their motivational level and the psychological consequences that might arise in the cognitive, affective, and behavioural domains. A quasi-experimental study was carried out at four schools in Mexico, with 12 physical education teachers and 40 natural groups of pupils aged between 11 and 17 (M = 13.17). The groups were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (24 groups, 447 pupils) or a control group (16 groups, 474 pupils). A prior training programme was carried out with the teachers in the experimental group to enable them to support the psychological need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Initial and final measurements were taken in both groups, and the results revealed that independently of the programme used, girls showed higher motivation and positive psychological consequences in the teaching of dance compared to the male participants. In conclusion, it is important to continue with research and set a methodology that addresses those differences, dedicating the necessary time and treatment to resolve their questions and necessities.

  9. Creativity associated with the application of a motivational intervention programme for the teaching of dance at school and its effect on the both genders

    PubMed Central

    2017-01-01

    The current study reviews processes of teaching-learning based on creativity, with the application by teachers of several strategies to support the need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The aim is to learn the effect of pupil’s gender on their motivational level and the psychological consequences that might arise in the cognitive, affective, and behavioural domains. A quasi-experimental study was carried out at four schools in Mexico, with 12 physical education teachers and 40 natural groups of pupils aged between 11 and 17 (M = 13.17). The groups were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (24 groups, 447 pupils) or a control group (16 groups, 474 pupils). A prior training programme was carried out with the teachers in the experimental group to enable them to support the psychological need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Initial and final measurements were taken in both groups, and the results revealed that independently of the programme used, girls showed higher motivation and positive psychological consequences in the teaching of dance compared to the male participants. In conclusion, it is important to continue with research and set a methodology that addresses those differences, dedicating the necessary time and treatment to resolve their questions and necessities. PMID:28333990

  10. Implementation of a new patient education programme for renal transplant recipients.

    PubMed

    Urstad, Kristin H; Wahl, Astrid K; Engebretsen, Eivind; Larsen, Marie H; Vidnes, Tone K; Stenwig, Anne G K; Simensen, Øystein W; Nordli, Arve; Reisaeter, Anna V; Andersen, Marit H

    2018-06-01

    Nurses' strategies regarding patient education should be informed by the best available research evidence. Clinical nurses play an essential role in implementing new patient education programmes for renal transplant recipients. This study investigated transplant nurse job satisfaction, competence, training and perceptions of quality of care in relation to the implementation of a new, evidence-based, patient education programme. This paper reports the results from the first part of an implementation study. Data were collected in the form of a survey from 50 clinical transplant nurses at a single national transplant centre in Norway in 2015, six months after the patient education programme was implemented. A descriptive, cross-sectional design was used. Seventy-two percent of the respondents reported that they had sufficient knowledge about the new programme; 54.4 % stated that the new programme resulted in renal transplant recipients being better educated. The new programme was found to be more structured, patient-centered and visible for the nurses across the wards, as compared with their previous practice. Nurses with less nursing experience were significantly more motivated about the new patient education programme, than the more experienced nurses (p = 0.05). Nurses were generally satisfied with their new patient education practice. Knowledge derived from the research evidence on patient education was found to be valuable and transferable to everyday clinical nursing practice. © 2018 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

  11. A pilot diabetes awareness and exercise programme in a multiethnic workforce.

    PubMed

    Simmons, D; Fleming, C; Cameron, M; Leakehe, L

    1996-10-11

    To evaluate the acceptability and impact of a pilot diabetes awareness and exercise programme in a mainly Polynesian workforce. Comparison of change in questionnaire and anthropometric measurements in two hospital ancillary workforces. One group (n = 108) received one community diabetes educator presentation, one video presentation and a 4 month exercise programme. The other group (n = 99) served as controls. Baseline diabetes knowledge was poor (total score 26 (SD 13%)) and subjects were largely unfit with a high body mass index (31.5 (7.1) kg/m2). The exercise sessions were well attended, although attendance declined over the 4 months. Increased diabetes knowledge was retained in the intervention group after 6 months when compared with controls (total score 35(14)% vs 26(12)% respectively, p < 0.001). One month after the termination of the programme, the proportion reporting regular exercise activity (at least 30 minutes for 3 days per week) had increased by 2% in the intervention group but declined by 9% in the control group (p < 0.05). Diabetes knowledge and exercise can be increased in unfit subjects by the combination of culturally tailored exercise techniques and community diabetes educator/video presentations.

  12. The Diabetes Manual trial protocol – a cluster randomized controlled trial of a self-management intervention for type 2 diabetes [ISRCTN06315411

    PubMed Central

    Sturt, Jackie; Hearnshaw, Hilary; Farmer, Andrew; Dale, Jeremy; Eldridge, Sandra

    2006-01-01

    Background The Diabetes Manual is a type 2 diabetes self-management programme based upon the clinically effective 'Heart Manual'. The 12 week programme is a complex intervention theoretically underpinned by self-efficacy theory. It is a one to one intervention meeting United Kingdom requirements for structured diabetes-education and is delivered within routine primary care. Methods/design In a two-group cluster randomized controlled trial, GP practices are allocated by computer minimisation to an intervention group or a six-month deferred intervention group. We aim to recruit 250 participants from 50 practices across central England. Eligibility criteria are adults able to undertake the programme with type 2 diabetes, not taking insulin, with HbA1c over 8% (first 12 months) and following an agreed protocol change over 7% (months 13 to 18). Following randomisation, intervention nurses receive two-day training and delivered the Diabetes Manual programme to participants. Deferred intervention nurses receive the training following six-month follow-up. Primary outcome is HbA1c with total and HDL cholesterol; blood pressure, body mass index; self-efficacy and quality of life as additional outcomes. Primary analysis is between-group HbA1c differences at 6 months powered to give 80% power to detect a difference in HbA1c of 0.6%. A 12 month cohort analysis will assess maintenance of effect and assess relationship between self-efficacy and outcomes, and a qualitative study is running alongside. Discussion This trial incorporates educational and psychological diabetes interventions into a single programme and assesses both clinical and psychosocial outcomes. The trial will increase our understanding of intervention transferability between conditions, those diabetes related health behaviours that are more or less susceptible to change through efficacy enhancing mechanisms and how this impacts on clinical outcomes. PMID:16846517

  13. The Diabetes Manual trial protocol - a cluster randomized controlled trial of a self-management intervention for type 2 diabetes [ISRCTN06315411].

    PubMed

    Sturt, Jackie; Hearnshaw, Hilary; Farmer, Andrew; Dale, Jeremy; Eldridge, Sandra

    2006-07-17

    The Diabetes Manual is a type 2 diabetes self-management programme based upon the clinically effective 'Heart Manual'. The 12 week programme is a complex intervention theoretically underpinned by self-efficacy theory. It is a one to one intervention meeting United Kingdom requirements for structured diabetes-education and is delivered within routine primary care. In a two-group cluster randomized controlled trial, GP practices are allocated by computer minimisation to an intervention group or a six-month deferred intervention group. We aim to recruit 250 participants from 50 practices across central England. Eligibility criteria are adults able to undertake the programme with type 2 diabetes, not taking insulin, with HbA1c over 8% (first 12 months) and following an agreed protocol change over 7% (months 13 to 18). Following randomisation, intervention nurses receive two-day training and delivered the Diabetes Manual programme to participants. Deferred intervention nurses receive the training following six-month follow-up. Primary outcome is HbA1c with total and HDL cholesterol; blood pressure, body mass index; self-efficacy and quality of life as additional outcomes. Primary analysis is between-group HbA1c differences at 6 months powered to give 80% power to detect a difference in HbA1c of 0.6%. A 12 month cohort analysis will assess maintenance of effect and assess relationship between self-efficacy and outcomes, and a qualitative study is running alongside. This trial incorporates educational and psychological diabetes interventions into a single programme and assesses both clinical and psychosocial outcomes. The trial will increase our understanding of intervention transferability between conditions, those diabetes related health behaviours that are more or less susceptible to change through efficacy enhancing mechanisms and how this impacts on clinical outcomes.

  14. A Good Learning Opportunity, but Is It for Me? A Study of Swedish Students' Attitudes towards Exchange Studies in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahn, Song-ee

    2014-01-01

    This article describes students' involvement and interest in exchange programmes in Swedish higher education. Law and Engineering bachelor's programmes were chosen to exemplify an over-represented and under-represented group respectively in terms of international mobility in this context. The study combines interview and survey data. The author…

  15. A Smooth Transition? Education and Social Expectations of Direct Entry Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barron, Paul; D'Annunzio-Green, Norma

    2009-01-01

    While the most common type of student entering higher education falls within the 17-19-year-old age group, universities in the UK are keen to accept other categories of students onto programmes as a means of increasing diversity and maintaining student numbers in the latter portion of a programme. One such category is those students who enter a…

  16. STI prevention and the male sex industry in London: evaluating a pilot peer education programme.

    PubMed

    Ziersch, A; Gaffney, J; Tomlinson, D R

    2000-12-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot peer education STI prevention programme with male sex workers. A process and outcome evaluation of the pilot programme undertaken in three London male escort agencies, using a quasi-experimental design. Workers in three London escort agencies, including 88 who completed a questionnaire, five peer educators, and a further 16 men (including management) working in two of these agencies. A peer education STI prevention programme run by the Working Men Project (WMP), a specialist sexual health service for male sex workers, was piloted in two London escort agencies. Five male sex workers participated in a 2 day peer education training programme. They then returned to their respective agencies to disseminate information and condoms, in an attempt to influence norms of behaviour. An outcome evaluation aimed to assess changes in STI related knowledge, high risk sexual behaviour, and attendance at a sexual health service. A pre-intervention questionnaire assessing variables such as STI related knowledge, sexual behaviour, and demographic information was administered in both agency A and agency B and a third agency, C, which acted as a control. Ten weeks after the peer educators returned to their agencies, the same questionnaire was administered in the same agencies. Peer educator referrals to the WMP were also recorded over this time period. The process evaluation involved interviews and focus groups with peer educators, and the completion of diaries about their experiences in the role. A further 16 men working in the agencies (including managers and an owner) were interviewed about their experience of the programme. Participant observation was also undertaken through regular outreach work to the agencies. 57 men completed the questionnaire at time 1 and 44 at time 2. Unfortunately, only 13 of these were matched, precluding any meaningful analysis of change in STI related knowledge and sexual behaviour. The questionnaire provided a profile of the men working in the agencies. Of the 88 men who completed the questionnaire at least once, the majority were homosexual, and in their late teens/early 20s. Most were of a "white" ethnic group, though there was some range within these categories. Most preferred to speak English and education levels were high. Relative STI knowledge revealed a high understanding of HIV and hepatitis B, moderate understanding of gonorrhoea, syphilis, genital warts and herpes, and little knowledge of non-specific urethritis (NSU) or chlamydia. Sexual behaviour suggested a highly sexually active population with both male and female paying and non-paying partners. Condom use was highest for paying partners, particularly for anal sex. Condom use for oral sex with all partners was less consistent, and condom use for all types of sex with regular partners was lower than with other partners. The small number of men engaging in vaginal sex with paying and regular partners were less likely to use condoms. 26 new patients registered at the WMP as a result of peer educator referrals, representing 65% of all new contacts over the study period. The process evaluation revealed that while the training programme was considered adequate and while peer educators felt the programme and their roles to be a success, their experience of the role was difficult. The role of management support was crucial in supporting the programme. The assumption that "peers" are particularly effective educators was not borne out by the results. While peers were considered suitable to discuss some aspects of the industry, many preferred to consult "professionals" about health related matters. The concept of "peers" was problematic with most of the men drawing "peers" from subgroups within the agencies. Other constraints on behaviour such as a lack of power, particularly with regard to a lack of management support, or poverty, had a substantial impact on behaviour which were not influenced by the peer educators. The study illustrated the difficulties of utilising quasi-experimental evaluation methodology with this client group. It also demonstrated the limitations of peer education based on information provision health education models which focus on individual behaviour change. Suggestions are given for future interventions.

  17. Genomics education for medical professionals - the current UK landscape.

    PubMed

    Slade, Ingrid; Subramanian, Deepak N; Burton, Hilary

    2016-08-01

    Genomics education in the UK is at an early stage of development, and its pace of evolution has lagged behind that of the genomics research upon which it is based. As a result, knowledge of genomics and its applications remains limited among non-specialist clinicians. In this review article, we describe the complex landscape for genomics education within the UK, and highlight the large number and variety of organisations that can influence, direct and provide genomics training to medical professionals. Postgraduate genomics education is being shaped by the work of the Health Education England (HEE) Genomics Education Programme, working in conjunction with the Joint Committee on Genomics in Medicine. The success of their work will be greatly enhanced by the full cooperation and engagement of the many groups, societies and organisations involved with medical education and training (such as the royal colleges). Without this cooperation, there is a risk of poor coordination and unnecessary duplication of work. Leadership from an organisation such as the HEE Genomics Education Programme will have a key role in guiding the formulation and delivery of genomics education policy by various stakeholders among the different disciplines in medicine. © 2016 Royal College of Physicians.

  18. Attitudes towards establishing a daily supervised school-based toothbrushing programme--determined by Q-sort methodology.

    PubMed

    Trubey, R J; Chestnutt, I G

    2013-03-01

    This study used Q-sort methodology to determine the views of staff involved in a national school-based daily toothbrushing programme. Q-methodology is a mixed-method approach in which participants are asked to sort a collection of statements according to degree of agreement with them. Factor analysis identified subgroups of like-minded participants and revealed areas of consensus and disagreement. 24 Community Dental Service staff managing or delivering the toothbrushing programme were asked to rank 49 statements derived from previous qualitative interviews. Varimax rotation produced a three-factor solution with five/six participants loading significantly into each group. Groups divided largely according to staff role: Factor 1, mainly support workers (assistants with no oral-health background); Factor 2, managers; and factor 3, oral health educators (dental nurses with teaching qualifications). As staff new to the area of oral-health, the views of support workers were of particular interest. Unlike others, this group saw Designed to Smile as a unique health promotion scheme and wanted to involve as many children as possible, regardless of oral-disease risk. Managers' perceptions of issues affecting the establishment of the programme differed from those staff in day-to-day contact with the 515 schools in which the toothbrushing took place. This study used a long established but little used technique to ascertain the commonality of views of staff These data may be of value not only in managing the current programme, but for anyone who may be considering developing such a toothbrushing scheme.

  19. The efficacy of a supervised and a home-based core strengthening programme in adults with poor core stability: a three-arm randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Chuter, V H; de Jonge, X A K Janse; Thompson, B M; Callister, R

    2015-03-01

    Poor core stability is linked to a range of musculoskeletal pathologies and core-strengthening programmes are widely used as treatment. Treatment outcomes, however, are highly variable, which may be related to the method of delivery of core strengthening programmes. We investigated the effect of identical 8 week core strengthening programmes delivered as either supervised or home-based on measures of core stability. Participants with poor core stability were randomised into three groups: supervised (n=26), home-based (n=26) or control (n=26). Primary outcomes were the Sahrmann test and the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) for dynamic core stability and three endurance tests (side-bridge, flexor and Sorensen) for static core stability. The exercise programme was devised and supervised by an exercise physiologist. Analysis of covariance on the change from baseline over the 8 weeks showed that the supervised group performed significantly better on all core stability measures than both the home-based and control group. The home-based group produced significant improvements compared to the control group in all static core stability tests, but not in most of the dynamic core stability tests (Sahrmann test and two out of three directions of the SEBT). Our results support the use of a supervised core-strengthening programme over a home-based programme to maximise improvements in core stability, especially in its dynamic aspects. Based on our findings in healthy individuals with low core stability, further research is recommended on potential therapeutic benefits of supervised core-strengthening programmes for pathologies associated with low core stability. ACTRN12613000233729. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

  20. Health education programmes to improve foot self-care practices and foot problems among older people with diabetes: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Ahmad Sharoni, Siti Khuzaimah; Minhat, Halimatus Sakdiah; Mohd Zulkefli, Nor Afiah; Baharom, Anisah

    2016-09-01

    To assess the effectiveness of health education programmes to improve foot self-care practices and foot problems among older people with diabetes. The complications of diabetes among older people are a major health concern. Foot problems such as neuropathy, ulcer and ultimately amputation are a great burden on older people with diabetes. Diabetes foot education programmes can influence the behaviour of older people in practising foot self-care and controlling the foot problems. However, the educational approaches used by the educators are different. Therefore, it is important to assess the education programmes from various evidence-based practices. Six databases, EBSCOhost medical collections (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection), SAGE, Wiley Online Library, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink and Web of Science, were used to search for articles published from January 2000 to March 2015. The search was based on the inclusion criteria and keywords including 'foot', 'care' and 'diabetes'. Fourteen studies were assessed and reviewed in the final stage. Health education programmes varied according to their design, setting, approach, outcome measured and results. Foot assessment, verbal and written instructions and discussion were proved to improve the foot self-care and foot problems. Subsequent follow-ups and evaluations had a significant effect. An improvement was observed in foot self-care scores and foot problems (such as neuropathy, foot disability, lesion, ulcer, tinea pedis and callus grade) after implementation of the health education programme. The findings of this study support the claim that a health education programme increases the foot self-care scores and reduces the foot problems. However, there were certain methodological concerns in the reviewed articles, indicating the need for further evaluation. In future, researchers and practitioners must implement a vigorous education programme focusing on diabetes foot self-care among the older population. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. The CASE Programme Implemented Across the Primary and Secondary School Transition in Ireland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McCormack, Lorraine; Finlayson, Odilla E.; McCloughlin, Thomas J. J.

    2014-11-01

    In the Irish education system, there is little continuity between the primary and secondary education systems. The transfer between these systems is particularly problematic in the area of science. In order to alleviate some of these problems, as well as to enhance the cognitive development of students, the Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education programme was adapted for use and implemented across the primary-secondary school transition in Ireland. The programme was delivered in a variety of ways across the two levels, including the teacher and researcher teaching the programmes individually and team-teaching arrangements. The results on cognitive development measures showed that the students who were taught the programme in primary and secondary school made significant gains, when compared to the non-intervention group. There were also gains evident for students who only received one part of the programme (i.e. in either primary or secondary school). The greater gains, in terms of effect size, were evident at secondary school. The rationale, methodology and results are detailed in this paper.

  2. Effectiveness of Senior Dance on risk factors for falls in older adults (DanSE): a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Franco, Marcia R; Sherrington, Catherine; Tiedemann, Anne; Pereira, Leani S; Perracini, Monica R; Faria, Claudia R S; Pinto, Rafael Z; Pastre, Carlos M

    2016-12-30

    Strong evidence shows that exercise is effective to improve fall risk factors among older people. However, older people's participation and adherence to exercise programmes is suboptimal. Type of exercise and apathy are reported to be barriers to exercise participation, suggesting that new effective interventions are needed. The primary aim of this randomised controlled trial is to investigate the effect of Senior Dance plus brief education for falls prevention on balance among people aged 60 years or over, compared with a control group receiving only brief education. This single-blind randomised controlled trial will involve 82 community-dwelling older people aged 60 years or over who are cognitively intact. Participants allocated to the intervention group will attend a single educational class on strategies to prevent falls, and will participate in a 12-week, twice-weekly group-based programme of Senior Dance. The Senior Dance consists of different choreographies, which include rhythmic and simple movements with rhythmic folk songs. Participants allocated to the control group will attend the same educational class that intervention group participants will receive, and will be instructed not to take part in any regular exercise programme. The primary outcome will be single-leg stance with eyes closed. Secondary outcomes include: Short Physical Performance Battery, Falls Efficacy Scale, Trail Making Test and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Continuous outcomes will be reported using mean (SD) or median (IQR), depending on the distribution of the data. The linear regression approach to analysis of covariance will be used to compare the mean effect between groups. All patients will be included in the analyses following an intention-to-treat approach. Ethics approval has been granted by the Human Ethics Committee of the São Paulo State University (CAAE 48665215.9.0000.5402). Outcomes will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at conferences. NCT02603523, Pre-results. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  3. Using qualitative data to enhance our understanding of the reasons young people decline Structured Diabetes Education programmes.

    PubMed

    Coates, Vivien; Horigan, Geraldine; Carey, Marian; Davies, Mark

    2018-05-12

    to explore the reasons young people with type 1 diabetes decline structured diabetes education from the perspectives of the young people themselves, their parents and diabetes educators. structured diabetes education (SDE) programmes that are evidence based and quality assured are a key component to empowering people with diabetes to self-manage effectively. However, research reveals that uptake of structured education programmes is disappointingly low. qualitative cross sectional study involving participants from Northern Ireland and England. Twenty young people with type 1 diabetes (13 to 22 years) who had declined SDE within the past two years, seventeen parents of a young person with type 1 diabetes and sixteen diabetes educators participated in semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Three main themes emerged from across all three groups: timing, access and communication issues. In addition, a lack of understanding by the referrer was cited by some young people and their parents. Diabetes educators were sympathetic and understood many of the reasons why SDE was declined. Solutions were proposed to overcome expressed barriers. Although the expressed reasons for declining might suggest that the young people simply did not prioritise education, this study adds a more nuanced scenario to the debate. The interviews revealed the tensions that exist between people's daily commitments and their need to self-manage their diabetes. The young people and their parents must be given a much stronger sense of the importance of SDE and ways to accommodate attendance must be sought. Diabetes educators must be able to better promote the importance of SDE. As optimal glycaemic control is so vital for long term health there is an urgent need to understand how to respond more fully to the needs of young people who have type 1 diabetes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  4. Focus on Vocational Education and Training (VET) Programmes. Education Indicators in Focus. No. 33

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    OECD Publishing, 2015

    2015-01-01

    In 2012, in more than one-third of OECD countries, over half of all upper secondary students participated in pre-vocational or vocational programmes but less than 30% of those students were exposed to work-based learning. Countries with well-established and high-quality vocational and apprenticeship programmes have improved youth employment…

  5. The Evidence Base for Early Childhood Education and Care Programme Investment: What We Know, What We Don't Know

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, Linda A.; Prentice, Susan; Perlman, Michal

    2015-01-01

    An expanding body of research demonstrates that high quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) programmes generate positive outcomes for children; in response, policy makers in a number of countries are making significant programme investments. No research consensus, however, has emerged around the specific types of policy intervention…

  6. The TESSA OER Experience: Building Sustainable Models of Production and User Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wolfenden, Freda

    2008-01-01

    This paper offers a review of the origins, design strategy and implementation plans of the Teacher Education in Sub-Saharan Africa (TESSA) research and development programme. The programme is working to develop new models of teacher education, particularly school based training, including the creation of a programme webspace and an extensive bank…

  7. Improving the impact of didactic resident training with online spaced education.

    PubMed

    Gyorki, David E; Shaw, Tim; Nicholson, James; Baker, Caroline; Pitcher, Meron; Skandarajah, Anita; Segelov, Eva; Mann, G Bruce

    2013-06-01

    Educational programmes are frequently developed to improve the knowledge of medical trainees. The impact of a programme may be limited if there is no follow-up to reinforce the message. Online Spaced Education (SE) has been developed to address this limitation. This study was performed to assess whether an SE programme would improve the impact of a didactic seminar. A randomized trial of an online SE programme occurred as part of the 2010 Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Breast Cancer Trainee Workshop. Consenting participants were randomized to undertake SE or not and were then invited to undertake a 22-question knowledge test. A questionnaire was administered relating to the perceived value of the SE programme. Participants consisted largely of surgical and medical oncology trainees. Two hundred people attended the workshop and 97 consented to randomization. Thirty-eight of 49 randomized to the SE group commenced the SE course. Seventy-one percent of participants answered each question at least once and 55% of participants completed the entire programme. Fifty-nine participants completed the post-test. The SE participants performed significantly better than the control group (P < 0.05). The questionnaire was completed by 26 of the SE group. Ninety-two percent strongly agreed or agreed that SE would improve their practice and 96% agreed that SE effectively reinforced key aspects of workshop. This study demonstrates the utility of SE to increase knowledge retention following a face-to-face workshop. The programme was very well received by the participants and may be an appropriate reinforcing methodology for other similar seminars. © 2013 The Authors. ANZ Journal of Surgery © 2013 Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

  8. Evaluation and impact of cardiotocography training programmes: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Pehrson, C; Sorensen, J L; Amer-Wåhlin, I

    2011-07-01

    The interpretation and management of cardiotocography (CTG) tracings are often criticised in obstetric malpractice cases. As a consequence, regular CTG training has been recommended, even though little is known about the effect of CTG training. To perform a systematic review of the existing literature on studies on CTG training in order to assess educational strategies, evaluation of training programmes, and impact of training programmes. The Medline database was searched to identify studies describing and/or evaluating CTG training programmes. The literature search resulted in 409 citations. Twenty studies describing and evaluating CTG training programmes were included. There was no restriction on study design. Data regarding study design, study quality, educational strategies used for training in CTG interpretation and decision making, target groups, number of participants, methods used for evaluation, quality of evaluation, level of evaluation and results of training was extracted from 20 articles, and analysed using Kirkpatrick's four-level model for the evaluation of education. Training was associated with improvements on all Kirkpatrick levels, resulting in increased CTG knowledge and interpretive skills, higher interobserver agreement, better management of intrapartum CTG, and improved quality of care. Computer-based training (CBT) might be less time-consuming than classroom teaching. Clinical skills seem to decrease faster than theoretical knowledge. Training can improve CTG competence and clinical practise. Further research on CBT, test-enhanced learning and long-term retention, evaluation of training and impact on clinical outcomes is recommended. © 2011 The Authors BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology © 2011 RCOG.

  9. Fostering Effective Early Learning (FEEL) through a professional development programme for early childhood educators to improve professional practice and child outcomes in the year before formal schooling: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Melhuish, Edward; Howard, Steven J; Siraj, Iram; Neilsen-Hewett, Cathrine; Kingston, Denise; de Rosnay, Marc; Duursma, Elisabeth; Luu, Betty

    2016-12-19

    A substantial research base documents the benefits of attendance at high-quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) for positive behavioural and learning outcomes. Research has also found that the quality of many young children's experiences and opportunities in ECEC depends on the skills, dispositions and understandings of the early childhood adult educators. Increasingly, research has shown that the quality of children's interactions with educators and their peers, more than any other programme feature, influence what children learn and how they feel about learning. Hence, we sought to investigate the extent to which evidence-based professional development (PD) - focussed on promoting sustained shared thinking through quality interactions - could improve the quality of ECEC and, as a consequence, child outcomes. The Fostering Effective Early Learning (FEEL) study is a cluster randomised controlled trial for evaluating the benefits of a professional development (PD) programme for early childhood educators, compared with no extra PD. Ninety long-day care and preschool centres in New South Wales, Australia, will be selected to ensure representation across National Quality Standards (NQS) ratings, location, centre type and socioeconomic areas. Participating centres will be randomly allocated to one of two groups, stratified by centre type and NQS rating: (1) an intervention group (45 centres) receiving a PD intervention or (2) a control group (45 centres) that continues engaging in typical classroom practice. Randomisation to these groups will occur after the collection of baseline environmental quality ratings. Primary outcomes, at the child level, will be two measures of language development: verbal comprehension and expressive vocabulary. Secondary outcomes at the child level will be measures of early numeracy, social development and self-regulation. Secondary outcomes at the ECEC room level will be measures of environmental quality derived from full-day observations. In all cases, data collectors will be blinded to group allocation. This is the first randomised controlled trial of a new approach to PD, which is focussed on activities previously found to be influential in children's early language, numeracy, social and self-regulatory development. Results should inform practitioners, policy-makers and families of the value of specific professional development for early childhood educators. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN) identifier ACTRN12616000536460 . Registered on 27 April 2016. This trial was retrospectively registered, given the first participant (centre) had been enrolled at the time of registration.

  10. Past challenges faced: an overview of current educational activities of IUTOX.

    PubMed

    Dybing, Erik; MacGregor, Judith; Malmfors, Torbjörn; Chipman, J Kevin; Wright, Paul

    2005-09-01

    Over the past decade, educational programmes have been the main focus of the activities of the International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX). The IUTOX educational programmes are dynamic and have been growing in scope and frequency each year. It is envisaged that this growth will continue with guidance from our member societies and the continuing support of our sponsors. Presently, IUTOX is engaged in the following educational programmes: (1) International congresses that provide the opportunity for direct communication of current toxicological information. Fellowships are sponsored to facilitate attendance at these congresses for toxicologists in need. (2) Workshops that permit interaction on a more localised level of topics of more regional interest. Workshops have served to help stimulate formation of toxicology societies by bringing together sufficient scientists to facilitate these discussions. (3) Continuing educational (CE) programmes at member society meetings. Topics are prioritized based on input received from the local societies. Programmes often are those from CE courses given at meetings, such as conferences of the US Society of Toxicology (US SOT) and EUROTOX from the previous year. (4) Biennial Risk Assessment Summer School (RASS), an intensive week-long interaction between senior toxicologists who serve as faculty with attendees providing individual training. (5) Dissemination of donated printed toxicological books from publishers and syllabi from continuing education courses to regional locations. (6) Web-based interactive training programmes in regions where formal toxicological educational programmes are limited or lacking. (7) Preparation and distribution of monographs on selected topics of very current interest. Monographs on environmental oestrogens and genetically-modified foods have been published. The recent activities in each of these programmes are reviewed in this paper.

  11. A Review of Research on Content-Based Foreign/Second Language Education in US K-12 Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tedick, Diane J.; Wesely, Pamela M.

    2015-01-01

    This review of the extant research literature focuses on research about content-based language instruction (CBI) programmes in K-12 foreign/second language education in the USA. The review emphasises studies on one-way language immersion (OWI) and two-way language immersion (TWI) programmes, which are school-based and subject matter-driven. OWI…

  12. "Catch a Star !"

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    2002-05-01

    ESO and EAAE Launch Web-based Educational Programme for Europe's Schools Catch a star!... and discover all its secrets! This is the full title of an innovative educational project, launched today by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and the European Association for Astronomy Education (EAAE). It welcomes all students in Europe's schools to an exciting web-based programme with a competition. It takes place within the context of the EC-sponsored European Week of Science and Technology (EWST) - 2002 . This unique project revolves around a web-based competition and is centred on astronomy. It is specifically conceived to stimulate the interest of young people in various aspects of this well-known field of science, but will also be of interest to the broad public. What is "Catch a Star!" about? [Go to Catch a Star Website] The programme features useful components from the world of research, but it is specifically tailored to (high-)school students. Younger participants are also welcome. Groups of up to four persons (e.g., three students and one teacher) have to select an astronomical object - a bright star, a distant galaxy, a beautiful comet, a planet or a moon in the solar system, or some other celestial body. Like detectives, they must then endeavour to find as much information as possible about "their" object. This information may be about the position and visibility in the sky, the physical and chemical characteristics, particular historical aspects, related mythology and sky lore, etc. They can use any source available, the web, books, newspaper and magazine articles, CDs etc. for this work. The group members must prepare a (short) summarising report about this investigation and "their" object, with their own ideas and conclusions, and send it to ESO (email address: eduinfo@eso.org). A jury, consisting of specialists from ESO and the EAAE, will carefully evaluate these reports. All projects that are found to fulfill the stipulated requirements, including a reasonable degree of scientific correctness, are entered as "registered projects" and will receive a lottery number. The first 1000 participants from the corresponding groups will also get a "Catch a star" T-Shirt by mail. All accepted entries will be listed at the corresponding website and all accepted reports will be displayed soon after the expiry of the deadline for submission on November 1st, 2002 . Winners to be Announced on November 8, 2002 On November 8th, 2002, at the end of the European Week of Science and Technology, the winners will be found by drawing numbers in a lottery. This event will take place at the ESO Headquarters in Garching (Germany) and will be webcast. The First Prize is a free trip for the members of the group to the ESO Paranal Observatory in Chile , the site of the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) . The Paranal trip will be realised in any case, but because of age restrictions, it can only be offered to a group in which all participants are 15 years of age or older at the time of the drawing. Younger participants may win an interesting trip within Europe. There will also be other prizes, to be announced later. Starting now The programme starts now and is open for groups of up to three students and one teacher, who must all belong to a school in Europe on November 1, 2002 . This means that only students who did not yet terminate their school studies on this date can participate. No student may participate in more than one group. The programme is administered by the ESO Educational Office , in close collaboration with members of the EAAE, mostly physics teachers. Details about how to register and how to prepare the report about "your" object are available on the web at: http://www.eso.org/public/outreach/eduoff/cas/ About the ESO Educational Office The ESO Educational Office was established in July 2001. It is part of the EPR Department at ESO Headquarters in Garching near Munich. The aim is to provide support of astronomy and astrophysics education, especially at the high-school level. This includes teaching materials, courses for teachers and specific educational projects, for instance in the context of the yearly European Week of Science and Technology. More information is available in ESO PR 29/01 and at the ESA/ESO Astronomy Excercise Series website. Note also the Frontline Astrophysics for School Teachers (FAST 2002) , an ESO teacher training course just announced. The application deadline for participation is June 1, 2002 . Contact for the "Catch a Star!" Programme: ESO Education Office eduinfo@eso.org

  13. Effectiveness of Short-Term Death Education Programmes for Adults.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wass, Hannelore; And Others

    1980-01-01

    Various health and rehabilitative services staff participated in a four-day death education program. Participants in the program and a control group were given two equivalent forms of a knowledge test. The treatment group showed a higher gain score on the posttest than the control group. (RC)

  14. Academic Programme Development and the Participation of Relevant Interest Groups for Quality Manpower Production in Nigeria Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agabi, Ogar G.; Obasi, Kenneth K.; Ohia, Adanma N.

    2012-01-01

    Quality manpower production is not just essential for national development, but very critical to national security and quick economic recovery in most of today's fragile economies of the world. This paper assessed the participation of prospective employers as relevant interest groups in the development of academic programmes in tertiary…

  15. Implementation of PBL Curriculum Involving Multiple Disciplines in Undergraduate Medical Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chakravarthi, Srikumar; Haleagrahara, Nagaraja

    2010-01-01

    This article describes how a multidisciplinary problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum was established at the International Medical University in Malaysia for preclinical education in a 5-semester phase 1 programme. Based on positive feedback from a modified PBL program implemented in one discipline, a multidisciplinary PBL curriculum was…

  16. Integration of Behaviour-Based Safety Programme into Engineering Laboratories and Workshops Conceptually

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Koo, Kean Eng; Zain, Ahmad Nurulazam Md; Zainal, Siti Rohaida Mohamed

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this conceptual research framework is to develop and integrate a safety training model using a behaviour-based safety training programme into laboratories for young adults, during their tertiary education, particularly in technical and vocational education. Hence, this research will be investigating the outcome of basic safety…

  17. Adapting an Outcome-Based Education Development Process to Meet Near Real-Time Challenges to Sustainable Agricultural Production

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Halbleib, Mary L.; Jepson, Paul C.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: This paper examines the benefits of using an outcome-based education (OBE) method within agricultural extension outreach programmes for professional and farmer audiences. Design/Methodology/Approach: The method is elaborated through two practical examples, which show that focused, short-duration programmes can produce meaningful skill…

  18. Correlates of Environmental Conservation Habit of Members of a School-Based Environmental Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adepoju, Oluwasanumi A.

    2007-01-01

    The focus of the study was on empirically providing a composite picture of the relationship of some representatives of school, student and teacher factors on students' environmental conservation habit of a school-based Environmental Education programme. The study sample comprised 584 members of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) School…

  19. Nature and impact of European anti-stigma depression programmes.

    PubMed

    Quinn, Neil; Knifton, Lee; Goldie, Isabella; van Bortel, Tine; Dowds, Julie; Lasalvia, Antonio; Scheerder, Gert; Boumans, Jenny; Svab, Vesna; Lanfredi, Mariangela; Wahlbeck, Kristian; Thornicroft, Graham

    2014-09-01

    Stigma associated with depression is a major public health issue in the EU, with over 20 million people experiencing depression and its associated personal distress each year. While most programmes against stigma related to mental health problems are of a general nature, the knowledge about programmes tackling stigma against people with depression is limited. This study therefore aims to assess the nature and impact of depression-specific programmes in EU countries. Using a web-based tool, 26 programmes were identified across the 18 EU countries taking part in the study. Most were universal and targeted the whole population, while many also targeted specific population groups or settings, such as young people or health professionals. The most common programme aim was improving literacy, although reducing stigmatizing attitudes and discriminatory behaviour and promoting help-seeking were also common. Most programmes originated from professional bodies, or as grassroots initiatives from service user groups/NGOs, rather than as part of national and local policy. The approaches used were primarily different forms of education/information, with some, but very limited, use of positive personal contact. Overall, the quality and extent of impact of the programmes was limited, with few leading to peer-reviewed publications. Specific programmes were identified with evidence of positive impact, and we drew on these examples to develop a framework to be used for future programmes against stigma and discrimination associated with depression. These findings are provided in full in the Anti-Stigma Partnership European Network Toolkit available at www.antistigma.eu. © The Author (2013). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. From Theory to Practice: Beginner Teachers' Experiences of the Rigour of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nomlomo, Vuyokazi; Sosibo, Zilungile

    2016-01-01

    This article focuses on how recent graduates perceive the rigour of the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) initial teacher education (ITE) programme. The article is based on qualitative data collected from a purposely selected sample of 19 beginner teachers who graduated from two higher education institutions that offer PGCE programmes…

  1. What did first-year students experience during their interprofessional education? A qualitative analysis of e-portfolios.

    PubMed

    Imafuku, Rintaro; Kataoka, Ryuta; Ogura, Hiroshi; Suzuki, Hisayoshi; Enokida, Megumi; Osakabe, Keitaro

    2018-05-01

    Interprofessional collaboration is an essential approach to comprehensive patient care. As previous studies have argued, interprofessional education (IPE) must be integrated in a stepwise, systematic manner in undergraduate health profession education programmes. Given this perspective, first-year IPE is a critical opportunity for building the foundation of interprofessional collaborative practice. This study aims to explore the first-year students' learning processes and the longitudinal changes in their perceptions of learning in a year-long IPE programme. Data were collected at a Japanese medical university, in which different pedagogical approaches are adopted in the IPE programme. Some of these approaches include interprofessional problem-based learning, early exposure, and interactive lecture-based teaching. The students are required to submit written reflections as a formative assessment. This study conducted an inductive thematic analysis of 104 written reflections from a series of e-portfolios of 26 first-year students. The themes related to learning outcomes from student perspectives included communication (e.g., active listening and intelligible explanation), teams and teamwork (e.g., mutual engagement and leadership), roles/responsibilities as a group member (e.g., self-directed learning and information literacy), and roles/responsibilities as a health professional (e.g., understanding of the student's own professional and mutual respect in an interprofessional team). The study also indicated three perspectives of students' learning process at different stages of the IPE, i.e., processes by which students became active and responsible learners, emphasised the enhancement of teamwork, and developed their own interprofessional identities. This study revealed the first-year students' learning processes in the year-long IPE programme and clarified the role of the first-year IPE programme within the overall curriculum. The findings suggest that the students' active participation in the IPE programme facilitated their fundamental understanding of communication/teamwork and identity formation as a health professional in interprofessional collaborative practice.

  2. [Evaluation of a workplace health promotion program].

    PubMed

    Forette, Françoise; Brieu, Marie-Anne; Lemasson, Hervé; Salord, Jean-Claude; Le Pen, Claude

    2014-01-01

    Some studies suggest that a workplace prevention programme could reduce health inequalities related to education level and improve the health status of the employees. The objective of the study was to demonstrate the advantages for a company to implement a health prevention programme in the workplace in order to: 1-improve health literacy 2 - change health-related behaviours 3-improve the company image. A "before - after" methodology was used in a population of 2153 employees of three companies. Three areas of prevention were considered: nutrition, physical activity and prevention of back pain. The successive steps of the EBS programme included general communication, group workshops and individual coaching. Data collection was carried out using anonymous questionnaires sent by e-mail. A global assessment was performed based on the companies' pooled data, with separate analysis according to the steps of the programme. The programme mobilized employees with participation rates ranging from 25% to 45.5%. After completion of the full programme, 77.5% of respondents reported an improvement of their health knowledge versus 50.3% of those who only received general communication. Behavioural modification was observed, especially in the fields of nutrition and back pain.. EBS can be considered to be a vector of the company image for almost 7 out of 10 employees. A health prevention education programme provided by the company in the workplace mobilizes employees and contributes to improvement of health knowledge and behaviour change. All approaches tested were important and applicable to various types of companies or workers.

  3. Developing a diabetes prevention education programme for community health-care workers in Thailand: formative findings.

    PubMed

    Sranacharoenpong, Kitti; Hanning, Rhona M

    2011-10-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate barriers to and supports for implementing a diabetes prevention education programme for community health-care workers (CHCWs) in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. The study also aimed to get preliminary input into the design of a tailored diabetes prevention education programme for CHCWs. Thailand has faced under-nutrition and yet, paradoxically, the prevalence of diseases of over-nutrition, such as obesity and diabetes, has escalated. As access to diabetes prevention programme is limited in Thailand, especially in rural and semi-urban areas, it becomes critical to develop a health information delivery system that is relevant, cost-effective, and sustainable. Health-care professionals (n = 12) selected from health centres within one district participated in in-depth interviews. In addition, screened people at risk for diabetes participated in interviews (n = 8) and focus groups (n = 4 groups, 23 participants). Coded transcripts from audio-taped interviews or focus groups were analysed by hand and using NVivo software. Concept mapping illustrated the findings. Health-care professionals identified potential barriers to programme success as a motivation for regular participation, and lack of health policy support for programme sustainability. Health-care professionals identified opportunities to integrate health promotion and disease prevention into CHCWs' duties. Health-care professionals recommended small-group workshops, hands-on learning activities, case studies, and video presentations that bring knowledge to practice within their cultural context. CHCWs should receive a credit for continuing study. People at risk for diabetes lacked knowledge of nutrition, diabetes risk factors, and resources to access health information. They desired two-way communication with CHCWs. Formative research supports the need for an effective, sustainable programme to support knowledge translation to CHCWs and at-risk populations in the communities they serve. Ultimately, this should support chronic disease prevention in Thailand.

  4. Effectiveness of a group diabetes education programme in underserved communities in South Africa: pragmatic cluster randomized control trial.

    PubMed

    Mash, Bob; Levitt, Naomi; Steyn, Krisela; Zwarenstein, Merrick; Rollnick, Stephen

    2012-12-24

    Diabetes is an important contributor to the burden of disease in South Africa and prevalence rates as high as 33% have been recorded in Cape Town. Previous studies show that quality of care and health outcomes are poor. The development of an effective education programme should impact on self-care, lifestyle change and adherence to medication; and lead to better control of diabetes, fewer complications and better quality of life. Pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trialParticipants: Type 2 diabetic patients attending 45 public sector community health centres in Cape TownInterventions: The intervention group will receive 4 sessions of group diabetes education delivered by a health promotion officer in a guiding style. The control group will receive usual care which consists of ad hoc advice during consultations and occasional educational talks in the waiting room. To evaluate the effectiveness of the group diabetes education programmeOutcomes: diabetes self-care activities, 5% weight loss, 1% reduction in HbA1c. self-efficacy, locus of control, mean blood pressure, mean weight loss, mean waist circumference, mean HbA1c, mean total cholesterol, quality of lifeRandomisation: Computer generated random numbersBlinding: Patients, health promoters and research assistants could not be blinded to the health centre's allocationNumbers randomized: Seventeen health centres (34 in total) will be randomly assigned to either control or intervention groups. A sample size of 1360 patients in 34 clusters of 40 patients will give a power of 80% to detect the primary outcomes with 5% precision. Altogether 720 patients were recruited in the intervention arm and 850 in the control arm giving a total of 1570. The study will inform policy makers and managers of the district health system, particularly in low to middle income countries, if this programme can be implemented more widely. Pan African Clinical Trial Registry PACTR201205000380384.

  5. Educators’ perspectives about how older hospital patients can engage in a falls prevention education programme: a qualitative process evaluation

    PubMed Central

    Hill, Anne-Marie; McPhail, Steven M; Francis-Coad, Jacqueline; Waldron, Nicholas; Etherton-Beer, Christopher; Flicker, Leon; Ingram, Katharine; Haines, Terry P

    2015-01-01

    Objectives Falls are the most frequent adverse event reported in hospitals. Patient and staff education delivered by trained educators significantly reduced falls and injurious falls in an older rehabilitation population. The purpose of the study was to explore the educators’ perspectives of delivering the education and to conceptualise how the programme worked to prevent falls among older patients who received the education. Design A qualitative exploratory study. Methods Data were gathered from three sources: conducting a focus group and an interview (n=10 educators), written educator notes and reflective researcher field notes based on interactions with the educators during the primary study. The educators delivered the programme on eight rehabilitation wards for periods of between 10 and 40 weeks. They provided older patients with individualised education to engage in falls prevention and provided staff with education to support patient actions. Data were thematically analysed and presented using a conceptual framework. Results Falls prevention education led to mutual understanding between staff and patients which assisted patients to engage in falls prevention behaviours. Mutual understanding was derived from the following observations: the educators perceived that they could facilitate an effective three-way interaction between staff actions, patient actions and the ward environment which led to behaviour change on the wards. This included engaging with staff and patients, and assisting them to reconcile differing perspectives about falls prevention behaviours. Conclusions Individualised falls prevention education effectively provides patients who receive it with the capability and motivation to develop and undertake behavioural strategies that reduce their falls, if supported by staff and the ward environment. PMID:26656027

  6. A randomised controlled trial of an SMS-based mobile epilepsy education system.

    PubMed

    Lua, Pei Lin; Neni, Widiasmoro Selamat

    2013-01-01

    We evaluated an epilepsy education programme based on text messaging (SMS). Epilepsy outpatients from three hospitals in Malaysia were randomised into two groups: intervention and control. Patients in the control group were supplied with printed epilepsy educational material while those in the intervention group also received text messages from the Mobile Epilepsy Educational System (MEES). A total of 136 patients completed the study (mean age 31 years; 91% Malay; 51% with an illness duration of more than 5 years). A between-group analysis showed that the awareness, knowledge and attitudes (AKA) about epilepsy did not significantly differ between the groups at baseline (P > 0.05). The intervention patients reported better AKA levels during follow-up compared to the control patients (P < 0.05). A within-group analysis showed that in intervention patients, there were significant improvements in all AKA domains with larger effect sizes (P < 0.01) while control patients also exhibited significant improvement in most domains except for Awareness but with smaller effect sizes. After controlling for possible confounding variables (age, gender, educational qualification, monthly income and baseline mean for each domain), the intervention group still reported significantly higher AKA than the control group particularly in Awareness (P < 0.001) and Total AKA (P = 0.003). There was also significantly better medication adherence and clinic attendance in the intervention group (P < 0.05). The results suggest that the addition of the MEES to conventional epilepsy education is effective in improving AKA.

  7. Socioeconomic differences in the benefits of structured physical activity compared with health education on the prevention of major mobility disability in older adults: the LIFE study.

    PubMed

    Bann, David; Chen, Haiying; Bonell, Chris; Glynn, Nancy W; Fielding, Roger A; Manini, Todd; King, Abby C; Pahor, Marco; Mihalko, Shannon L; Gill, Thomas M

    2016-09-01

    Evidence is lacking on whether health-benefiting community-based interventions differ in their effectiveness according to socioeconomic characteristics. We evaluated whether the benefit of a structured physical activity intervention on reducing mobility disability in older adults differs by education or income. The Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders (LIFE) study was a multicentre, randomised trial that compared a structured physical activity programme with a health education programme on the incidence of mobility disability among at-risk community-living older adults (aged 70-89 years; average follow-up of 2.6 years). Education (≤ high school (0-12 years), college (13-17 years) or postgraduate) and annual household income were self-reported (<$24 999, $25 000 to $49 999 and ≥$50 000). The risk of disability (objectively defined as loss of ability to walk 400 m) was compared between the 2 treatment groups using Cox regression, separately by socioeconomic group. Socioeconomic group×intervention interaction terms were tested. The effect of reducing the incidence of mobility disability was larger for those with postgraduate education (0.72, 0.51 to 1.03; N=411) compared with lower education (high school or less (0.93, 0.70 to 1.24; N=536). However, the education group×intervention interaction term was not statistically significant (p=0.54). Findings were in the same direction yet less pronounced when household income was used as the socioeconomic indicator. In the largest and longest running trial of physical activity amongst at-risk older adults, intervention effect sizes were largest among those with higher education or income, yet tests of statistical interactions were non-significant, likely due to inadequate power. NCT01072500. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  8. Exploring the comparative responsiveness of a core set of outcome measures in a school-based conductive education programme.

    PubMed

    Wright, F V; Boschen, K; Jutai, J

    2005-05-01

    Conductive education (CE) is a holistic educational system that uses an active cognitive approach to teach individuals with motor disorders to become more functional participants in daily activities. While CE's popularity continues to grow in North America and Europe, its effectiveness has not been established. The lack of definition of responsive outcome measures for evaluation of CE programmes has limited the interpretability of conclusions from earlier studies evaluating effectiveness. To determine which measures from a core set were most responsive to physical, functional and psychosocial changes associated with a school-based CE programme. This was a one-group before and after data collection design using an 8-month follow-up period. We enrolled a referral sample of nine children with cerebral palsy in Kindergarten or Grade 1 (Gross Motor Function Classification System levels 3, 4 or 5). The study took place within a school-based CE programme at a Canadian children's rehabilitation centre. Children participated in a CE full-day class for an entire school year. Physical, functional, psychosocial and participation measures included: Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), Quality of Upper Extremity Skills Test (QUEST), Peabody Developmental Motor Scales, Paediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI), Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance for Young Children, Individualized Educational Plan, and Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS). Four children from the study's second year were also evaluated on the Impact on Family Scale (IFS), GAS and School Function Assessment. The Gross Motor Function Measure, QUEST, PEDI (Caregiver Assistance) and IFS were most responsive to change. GAS was useful in documenting and quantifying goals. Problems were encountered in evaluating self-esteem and school participation. Several strong measures of outcome were identified. Further work is needed to find valid and sensitive psychosocial and school participation measures for these young children.

  9. Implementation and evaluation of critical thinking strategies to enhance critical thinking skills in Middle Eastern nurses.

    PubMed

    Simpson, Elaine; Courtney, Mary

    2008-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate critical thinking strategies to enhance critical thinking skills in Middle Eastern nurses. Critical thinking strategies such as questioning, debate, role play and small group activity were developed and used in a professional development programme, which was trialled on a sample of Middle Eastern nurses (n = 20), to promote critical thinking skills, encourage problem solving, development of clinical judgment making and care prioritization in order to improve patient care and outcomes. Classroom learning was transformed from memorization to interaction and active participation. The intervention programme was successful in developing critical thinking skills in both the nurse educators and student nurses in this programme. This programme successfully integrated critical thinking strategies into a Middle Eastern nursing curriculum. Recommendations are as follows: (1) utilize evidence-based practice and stem questions to encourage the formulation of critical thinking questions; (2) support the needs of nurse educators for them to effectively implement teaching strategies to foster critical thinking skills; and (3) adopt creative approaches to (i) transform students into interactive participants and (ii) open students' minds and stimulate higher-level thinking and problem-solving abilities.

  10. Dental nursing education and the introduction of technology-assisted learning.

    PubMed

    Sheridan, C; Gorman, T; Claffey, N

    2008-11-01

    The aim of this paper is to explore the profile of dental nursing students in the National Dental Nurse Training Programme of Ireland and their adjustment to a technology-assisted learning environment. Evaluation by students of the course and their reactions to the course were analysed. Dental nurses must possess the skills and knowledge to proficiently function in the modern day dental surgery. The implementation of a dental nurse programme that is heavily reliant on technology has started to create a group of dental nurses equipped with basic skills to access and retrieve information over a lifetime. However, the transition to a technology-assisted learning environment including online learning activities requires adaptation and expertise by educators and students alike. Careful evaluation and stakeholder feedback is imperative in the creation and maintaining of a quality programme. In conclusion, the students in this study responded well to the transition to a technology-based learning environment. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest that the use of an online environment is an effective and stimulating learning environment for the students of a dental nurse programme; however, familiarity skills and knowledge of information technology is a prerequisite for success.

  11. [Disease management for chronic heart failure patient].

    PubMed

    Bläuer, Cornelia; Pfister, Otmar; Bächtold, Christa; Junker, Therese; Spirig, Rebecca

    2011-02-01

    Patients with chronic heart failure (HF) are limited in their quality of life, have a poor prognosis and face frequent hospitalisations. Patient self-management was shown to improve quality of life, reduce rehospitalisations and costs in patients with chronic HF. Comprehensive disease management programmes are critical to foster patient self-management. The chronic care model developed by the WHO serves as the basis of such programmes. In order to develop self-management skills a needs orientated training concept is mandatory, as patients need both knowledge of the illness and the ability to use the information to make appropriate decisions according to their individual situation. Switzerland has no established system for the care of patients with chronic diseases in particular those with HF. For this reason a group of Swiss experts for HF designed a model for disease management for HF patients in Switzerland. Since 2009 the Swiss Heart Foundation offers an education programme based on this model. The aim of this programme is to offer education and support for practitioners, patients and families. An initial pilot evaluation of the program showed mixed acceptance by practitioners, whereas patient assessed the program as supportive and in line with their requirements.

  12. What is the value of Values Based Recruitment for nurse education programmes?

    PubMed

    Groothuizen, Johanna E; Callwood, Alison; Gallagher, Ann

    2018-05-01

    A discussion of issues associated with Values Based Recruitment (VBR) for nurse education programmes. Values Based Recruitment is a mandatory element in selection processes of students for Higher Education healthcare courses in England, including all programmes across nursing. Students are selected on the basis that their individual values align with those presented in the Constitution of the National Health Service. However, there are issues associated with the use of values as selection criteria that have been insufficiently addressed. These are discussed. Discussion paper. This article is based on documents published on the website of the executive body responsible for the implementation of a policy regarding VBR in Higher Education Institutions up until June 2017 and our evaluation of the conceptualisation of VBR, underpinned by contemporary theory and literature. Values Based Recruitment influences who is accepted onto a nurse education programme, but there has been limited critical evaluation regarding the effectiveness of employing values as selection criteria. Values are subject to interpretation and evidence regarding whether or how VBR will improve practice and care is lacking. The issues discussed in this article show that Higher Education Institutions offering nursing courses, whether in England or in other countries, should be critical and reflective regarding the implementation of VBR methods. We call for a debate regarding the meaning and implications of VBR and further research regarding its validity and effectiveness. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. The education of UK specialised neonatal nurses: reviewing the rationale for creating a standard competency framework.

    PubMed

    Turrill, Sue

    2014-09-01

    This paper examines the influences surrounding formal education provision for specialised neonatal nurses in the UK and presents a standardised clinical competency framework in response. National drivers for quality neonatal care define links to the numbers and ratios of specialised neonatal nurses in practice. Historical changes to professional nursing governance have led to diversity in supporting education programmes, making achievement of a standard level of clinical competence for this element of the nursing workforce difficult. In addition responsibility for funding specialised education and training has moved from central to local hospital level. Evaluating these key influences on education provision rationalised the development, by a UK professional consensus group, of a criteria based framework to be utilised by both formal education and service providers. The process identified clinical competency (in terms of unique knowledge and skills), evidence of achievement, and quality education principles. Access to specialised education relies on the availability of programmes of study and clear funding strategies. Creating a core syllabus for education provides a tool to standardise course content, commission education and audit clinical competency. In addition partnerships between healthcare and education providers become successful in achieving standard specialised education for neonatal nurses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Technology-Enhanced Physics Programme for Community-Based Science Learning: Innovative Design and Programme Evaluation in a Theme Park

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tho, Siew Wei; Chan, Ka Wing; Yeung, Yau Yuen

    2015-01-01

    In this study, a new physics education programme is specifically developed for a famous theme park in Hong Kong to provide community-based science learning to her visitors, involving her three newly constructed rides. We make innovative use of digital technologies in this programme and incorporate a rigorous evaluation of the learning…

  15. The application of Intervention Mapping in developing and implementing school-based sexuality and HIV/AIDS education in a developing country context: the case of Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Mkumbo, Kitila; Schaalma, Herman; Kaaya, Sylvia; Leerlooijer, Joanne; Mbwambo, Jessie; Kilonzo, Gad

    2009-06-01

    Effective sexuality and HIV/AIDS education programmes are needed to protect young people against HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancy in Tanzania and other Sub-Saharan African countries. Using a theory- and evidence-based approach and adapting the programmes to local contexts, increases the effectiveness of these programmes. This paper describes and discusses the challenges and opportunities concerning the application of Intervention Mapping (IM) in the development and implementation of a sexuality and HIV/AIDS education programme targeting young people aged 12-14 in Tanzania. The sexuality and HIV/AIDS programme was designed in a participatory manner, involving researchers, curriculum developers and teachers' and students' panels. The programme comprised five lessons, organized around 23 sessions with the aim of delaying the onset of sexual intercourse and increase correct and consistent condom use among young people. The programme was delivered by trained teachers as an extracurricular lesson. The IM protocol facilitated the development of a comprehensive sexuality and HIV/AIDS education programme relevant and appropriate to the social cultural context and the needs of learners in Tanzania. The paper has demonstrated that, although the IM was developed in the Western context, it can be used in a flexible manner to adapt to local contexts such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa.

  16. Multifaceted shared care intervention for late life depression in residential care: randomised controlled trial

    PubMed Central

    Llewellyn-Jones, Robert H; Baikie, Karen A; Smithers, Heather; Cohen, Jasmine; Snowdon, John; Tennant, Chris C

    1999-01-01

    Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a population based, multifaceted shared care intervention for late life depression in residential care. Design Randomised controlled trial, with control and intervention groups studied one after the other and blind follow up after 9.5 months. Setting Population of residential facility in Sydney living in self care units and hostels. Participants 220 depressed residents aged ⩾65 without severe cognitive impairment. Intervention The shared care intervention included: (a) multidisciplinary consultation and collaboration, (b) training of general practitioners and carers in detection and management of depression, and (c) depression related health education and activity programmes for residents. The control group received routine care. Main outcome measure Geriatric depression scale. Results Intention to treat analysis was used. There was significantly more movement to “less depressed” levels of depression at follow up in the intervention than control group (Mantel-Haenszel stratification test, P=0.0125). Multiple linear regression analysis found a significant intervention effect after controlling for possible confounders, with the intervention group showing an average improvement of 1.87 points on the geriatric depression scale compared with the control group (95% confidence interval 0.76 to 2.97, P=0.0011). Conclusions The outcome of depression among elderly people in residential care can be improved by multidisciplinary collaboration, by enhancing the clinical skills of general practitioners and care staff, and by providing depression related health education and activity programmes for residents. Key messagesLarge numbers of depressed elderly people live in residential care but few receive appropriate managementA population based, multifaceted shared care intervention for late life depression was more effective than routine care in improving depression outcomeThe outcome of late life depression can be improved by enhancing the clinical skills of general practitioners and care staff and by providing depression related health education and activity programmes for residentsThe intervention needs further refining and evaluation to improve its effectiveness and to determine how best to implement it in other residential care settings PMID:10480824

  17. Education requirements for nurses working with people with complex neurological conditions: nurses' perceptions.

    PubMed

    Baker, Mark

    2012-01-01

    Following a service evaluation methodology, this paper reports on registered nurses' (RNs) and healthcare assistants' (HCAs) perceptions about education and training requirements in order to work with people with complex neurological disabilities. A service evaluation was undertaken to meet the study aim using a non-probability, convenience method of sampling 368 nurses (n=110 RNs, n=258 HCAs) employed between October and November 2008 at one specialist hospital in south-west London in the U.K. The main results show that respondents were clear about the need to develop an education and training programme for RNs and HCAs working in this speciality area (91% of RNs and 94% of HCAs). A variety of topics were identified to be included within a work-based education and training programme, such as positively managing challenging behaviour, moving and handling, working with families. Adults with complex neurological needs have diverse needs and thus nurses working with this patient group require diverse education and training in order to deliver quality patient-focused nursing care. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Control of overweight and obesity in childhood through education in meal time habits. The 'good manners for a healthy future' programme.

    PubMed

    Salazar Vázquez, B Y; Salazar Vázquez, M A; López Gutiérrez, G; Acosta Rosales, K; Cabrales, P; Vadillo-Ortega, F; Intaglietta, M; Pérez Tamayo, R; Schmid-Schönbein, G W

    2016-12-01

    Our aim is to determine the effect of paced eating, exposure to an educational programme that promotes healthy eating habits and allowing the satiety reflex to limit food intake in controlling weight gain in healthy adolescents. Fifty-four healthy individuals consisting of 18 adolescent girls and 36 boys aged 12 ± 2 years were given recommendations for reducing eating rate without changing diet or meal size according to the educational programme 'good manners for a healthy future'. Each participant was provided with a 30-s portable hourglass to pace time between bites. Individuals using and not using the hourglass were placed either into an 'adhering' or a 'non-adhering' group, respectively. Control data were obtained from a similar population. Initially, the adhering group had higher weight compared with the non-adhering group (64.1 ± 13.2 vs. 56.2 ± 11.7 kg). Control group weight was no different from the study group at baseline (56.3 ± 10.3 kg). Weight in the adhering group decreased after the first semester of participation by 2.0 ± 5.7% and after a year by 3.4 ± 4.8%, while the non-adhering group gained weight by 5.8 ± 4.5% and 12.6 ± 8.3%. The control group increased weight after a year by 8.2 ± 6.5%. In total, 18 non-adhering and 14 adhering adolescents completed the study. This 1-year study shows a statistically significant association between rate of food intake and weight control in adherence to an educational programme directed at developing healthy eating habits. The proposed behavioural training may serve as an option for weight control in adolescents. © 2015 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation.

  19. Using enquiry in learning: from vision to reality in higher education.

    PubMed

    Horne, Maria; Woodhead, Kath; Morgan, Liz; Smithies, Lynda; Megson, Denise; Lyte, Geraldine

    2007-02-01

    This paper reports on the contribution of six nurse educators to embed enquiry-led learning in a pre-registration nursing programme. Their focus was to evaluate student and facilitator perspectives of a hybrid model of problem-based learning, a form of enquiry-based learning and to focus on facilitators' perceptions of its longer-term utility with large student groups. Problem-based learning is an established learning strategy in healthcare internationally; however, insufficient evidence of its effectiveness with large groups of pre-registration students exists. Fourth Generation Evaluation was used, applying the Nominal Group Technique and Focus Group interviews, for data collection. In total, four groups representing different branches of pre-registration students (n = 121) and 15 facilitators participated. Students identified seven strengths and six areas for development related to problem-based learning. Equally, analysis of facilitators' discussions revealed several themes related to strengths and challenges. The consensus was that using enquiry aided the development of independent learning and encouraged deeper exploration of nursing and allied subject material. However, problems and frustrations were identified in relation to large numbers of groups, group dynamics, room and library resources and personal development. The implications of these findings for longer-term utility with large student groups are discussed.

  20. Do the clinical competencies of musculoskeletal outpatient physiotherapists improve after they have participated in a bespoke in-service education programme designed around individual and service continuing professional development needs?

    PubMed

    Banks, Kevin; Meaburn, Anthony; Phelan, Elaine

    2013-01-01

    To determine whether the clinical competencies of musculoskeletal outpatient physiotherapists improve if they participate in an annual in-service education programme designed around clinical practice needs. A within-subject, without-control, experimental, pre-test post-test study. Clinical and educational facilities of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and locality-based outpatient facilities. Participants were 37 specialist musculoskeletal outpatient physiotherapists (band 6 and 7), working for Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Participants completed three separate modules of in-service education through an academic year, based on learning outcomes identified from observation and performance rating of their clinical competencies. Each module lasted 7 hours, with supporting clinical assistance sessions and self-directed learning time. The primary outcome measure was a (participant) performance rating (from novice to expert) of 20 clinical competencies scored by experienced clinical educators before and after completion of the in-service education programme. A secondary, qualitative outcome measure (a purpose-made, semi-structured questionnaire) given after the programme explored participants' experiences and perceptions of the in-service education programme. Seven competencies were identified as the focus of the programme because their performance ratings were the lowest. All seven of these competencies improved following the programme. Communication scores improved by 6%, clinical reasoning by 4%, functional analysis of movement by 6%, use of research in practice by 4%, and critical appraisal of evidence by 4.6%. Performance of structural differentiation and the range of manual handling skills demonstrated were the only competencies to show a statistically significant improvement of 14.6% and 12%, respectively (p≤0.025(. Thematic analysis of the questionnaires revealed that 96% of respondents felt that their practice had changed positively over the year because of the programme. Providing a structured and bespoke in-service education programme over an academic year may help to improve the rating of clinical competencies and give participants the perception that their clinical practice has changed because of the programme.

  1. Changing the Way to Teach Maths: Preservice Primary Teachers' Reflections on Using Exploratory Talk in Teaching Mathematics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Carol

    2016-01-01

    This paper reports on the reflections of twenty-one primary preservice teachers following a microteaching experience that focused on the use of talk and collaborative group work, as part of a primary mathematics specialist education programme. Based on the didactic strategies of exploratory talk, the experience intended to develop knowledge for…

  2. Teacher Trainees' Strategies for Managing the Behaviours of Students with Special Needs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ali, Manisah Mohd.; Abdullah, Rozila; Majid, Rosadah Abdul

    2014-01-01

    This study aimed to determine how a group of teacher trainees handled challenging behaviour by students during teaching practice. A total of 35 teacher trainees from the special education programme of a local university were chosen as respondents. A questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert-type scale was administered in this study. The data were…

  3. Schoolgirls' Perspectives on Self-Disclosure in a Group-Based Mental Health Intervention at School: Acquiring Friends or Risking Harassment?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kvist Lindholm, Sofia; Zetterqvist Nelson, Karin

    2015-01-01

    The article draws on interviews with participants in a psychotherapeutic education programme, called Depression in Swedish Adolescents, which has seen wide distribution within Swedish schools. We demonstrate how, in their accounts, self-disclosure in front of classmates is made into a central and both positive and problematic aspect of the…

  4. The Value of Fidelity of Implementation Criteria to Evaluate School-Based Science Curriculum Innovations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Yew-Jin; Chue, Shien

    2013-10-01

    School-based curriculum innovations, including those in science education, are usually not adequately evaluated, if at all. Furthermore, current procedures and instruments for programme evaluations are often unable to support evidence-based decision-making. We suggest that adopting fidelity of implementation (FOI) criteria from healthcare research can both characterize and narrow the separation between programme intent and actual implementation, which is a mandatory stage of evaluation before determining overall programme value. We demonstrate how such a process could be applied by science educators using data from a secondary school in Singapore that had devised a new curriculum to promote interest, investigative processes, and knowledge in science. Results showed that there were ambivalent student responses to this programme, while there were high levels of science process skill instruction and close alignment with the intended lesson design. The implementation of this programme appeared to have a satisfactory overall level of FOI, but we also detected tensions between programme intent and everyday classroom teaching. If we want to advance science education, then our argument is that applying FOI criteria is necessary when evaluating all curricular innovations, not just those that originate from schools.

  5. Addressing adolescents’ risk and protective factors related to risky behaviours: Findings from a school-based peer-education evaluation in the Western Cape

    PubMed Central

    Timol, Furzana; Vawda, Mohammed Yacoob; Bhana, Arvin; Moolman, Benita; Makoae, Mokhantso; Swartz, Sharlene

    2016-01-01

    Abstract Background: Peer-education programmes aim to bring about attitudinal and behavioural changes in their target audience. In the South African educational context, peer education is a favoured approach in dealing with issues such as HIV and AIDS, sexual decision-making and substance misuse. Given the reliance on peer-education programmes in the educational system, it is important to establish how well they are working. This study aims to assess the effect of an extensive, structured, time-limited, curriculum-based, peer-led educational programme on first-year high school learners in public schools in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Method: The curriculum called ‘Listen Up’ addresses issues such as supporting peers, sexual decision-making, healthy relationships, HIV risk, alcohol misuse and unwanted pregnancy in seven structured sessions. The programme targeted adolescents in Grade 8 growing up in what are considered to be risky environments in public schools in the Western Cape during 2012 and 2013. The intervention was evaluated based on 10 scales sourced from published literature related to the outcome indicators of future orientation, sensation-seeking, self-efficacy in sexual relations, HIV transmission knowledge, HIV prevention knowledge, HIV attitudes, sexual attitudes, decision-making, healthy relationships and social support. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse demographic and community characteristics and analyses of variance were used to detect differences between groups. The surveys were administered to a total of 7709 learners across three waves of the study in 27 peer intervention schools and eight control schools. Results: Immediately post intervention, statistically significant differences were noted for the intervention schools when compared to their baseline levels on measures of future orientation, self-efficacy in sexual relations, knowledge regarding HIV transmission, knowledge regarding HIV prevention and knowledge in terms of healthy relationships. Comparing baseline values with results collected between five and seven months post intervention, statistically significant results were noted for self-efficacy in sexual relations and knowledge regarding HIV transmission. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that peer-education can improve adolescents’ self-efficacy in sexual relations as well as knowledge regarding the transmission of HIV and therefore can contribute to the prevention of HIV transmission among adolescents. PMID:27892820

  6. Addressing adolescents' risk and protective factors related to risky behaviours: Findings from a school-based peer-education evaluation in the Western Cape.

    PubMed

    Timol, Furzana; Vawda, Mohammed Yacoob; Bhana, Arvin; Moolman, Benita; Makoae, Mokhantso; Swartz, Sharlene

    2016-12-01

    Peer-education programmes aim to bring about attitudinal and behavioural changes in their target audience. In the South African educational context, peer education is a favoured approach in dealing with issues such as HIV and AIDS, sexual decision-making and substance misuse. Given the reliance on peer-education programmes in the educational system, it is important to establish how well they are working. This study aims to assess the effect of an extensive, structured, time-limited, curriculum-based, peer-led educational programme on first-year high school learners in public schools in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The curriculum called 'Listen Up' addresses issues such as supporting peers, sexual decision-making, healthy relationships, HIV risk, alcohol misuse and unwanted pregnancy in seven structured sessions. The programme targeted adolescents in Grade 8 growing up in what are considered to be risky environments in public schools in the Western Cape during 2012 and 2013. The intervention was evaluated based on 10 scales sourced from published literature related to the outcome indicators of future orientation, sensation-seeking, self-efficacy in sexual relations, HIV transmission knowledge, HIV prevention knowledge, HIV attitudes, sexual attitudes, decision-making, healthy relationships and social support. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse demographic and community characteristics and analyses of variance were used to detect differences between groups. The surveys were administered to a total of 7709 learners across three waves of the study in 27 peer intervention schools and eight control schools. Immediately post intervention, statistically significant differences were noted for the intervention schools when compared to their baseline levels on measures of future orientation, self-efficacy in sexual relations, knowledge regarding HIV transmission, knowledge regarding HIV prevention and knowledge in terms of healthy relationships. Comparing baseline values with results collected between five and seven months post intervention, statistically significant results were noted for self-efficacy in sexual relations and knowledge regarding HIV transmission. The findings of this study suggest that peer-education can improve adolescents' self-efficacy in sexual relations as well as knowledge regarding the transmission of HIV and therefore can contribute to the prevention of HIV transmission among adolescents.

  7. Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Model-Based Programmes in Physical Education: A Systematic Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pozo, Pablo; Grao-Cruces, Alberto; Pérez-Ordás, Raquel

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to conduct a review of research on the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility model-based programme within physical education. Papers selected for analysis were found through searches of Web of Science, SportDiscus (EBSCO), SCOPUS, and ERIC (ProQuest) databases. The keywords "responsibility model" and…

  8. Student-Teachers' Evaluation on the Use of Different Modes of Problem-Based Learning in Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kwan, Tammy Y. L.

    2008-01-01

    Problem-based learning (PBL) has been widely adopted in many university programmes. Evaluations of PBL in medicine, dentistry, nursing and social work reveal positive outcomes from both tutors and learners. However, few evaluations have been published about using PBL in teacher education programmes. This paper reports how the 13 student-teachers…

  9. Social and Emotional Education with Australian Year 7 and 8 Middle School Students: A Pilot Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Midford, Richard; Cahill, Helen; Geng, Gretchen; Leckning, Bernard; Robinson, Gary; Te Ava, Aue

    2017-01-01

    Objective: This pilot study sought to better understand what can be achieved by an evidence-based classroom social and emotional education programme. Design and Methods: A 10-lesson, classroom-based programme that taught about emotional literacy, personal strengths, coping and problem-solving strategies, stress management, emotional regulation and…

  10. E-learning based distance education programme on Remote Sensing and Geoinformation Science - An initiative of IIRS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Karnatak, H.; Raju, P. L. N.; Krishna Murthy, Y. V. N.; Srivastav, S. K.; Gupta, P. K.

    2014-11-01

    IIRS has initiated its interactive distance education based capacity building under IIRS outreach programme in year 2007 where more than 15000+ students were trained in the field of geospatial technology using Satellite based interactive terminals and internet based learning using A-View software. During last decade the utilization of Internet technology by different user groups in the society is emerged as a technological revaluation which has directly affect the life of human being. The Internet is used extensively in India for various purposes right from entrainment to critical decision making in government machinery. The role of internet technology is very important for capacity building in any discipline which can satisfy the needs of maximum users in minimum time. Further to enhance the outreach of geospatial science and technology, IIRS has initiated e-learning based certificate courses of different durations. The contents for e-learning based capacity building programme are developed for various target user groups including mid-career professionals, researchers, academia, fresh graduates, and user department professionals from different States and Central Government ministries. The official website of IIRS e-learning is hosted at http://elearning.iirs.gov.in. The contents of IIRS e-learning programme are flexible for anytime, anywhere learning keeping in mind the demands of geographically dispersed audience and their requirements. The program is comprehensive with variety of online delivery modes with interactive, easy to learn and having a proper blend of concepts and practical to elicit students' full potential. The course content of this programme includes Image Statistics, Basics of Remote Sensing, Photogrammetry and Cartography, Digital Image Processing, Geographical Information System, Global Positioning System, Customization of Geospatial tools and Applications of Geospatial Technologies. The syllabus of the courses is as per latest developments and trends in geo-spatial science and technologies with specific focus on Indian case studies for geo-spatial applications. The learning is made available through interactive 2D and 3D animations, audio, video for practical demonstrations, software operations with free data applications. The learning methods are implemented to make it more interactive and learner centric application with practical examples of real world problems.

  11. An Outcome-Based Assessment Process for Accrediting Computing Programmes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harmanani, Haidar M.

    2017-01-01

    The calls for accountability in higher education have made outcome-based assessment a key accreditation component. Accreditation remains a well-regarded seal of approval on college quality, and requires the programme to set clear, appropriate, and measurable goals and courses to attain them. Furthermore, programmes must demonstrate that…

  12. Encountering the past in the present: An exploratory study of educational heritage tourism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gross, Magdalena H.; Kelman, Ari Y.

    2017-02-01

    This article presents an educational programme designed to explore the multicultural history of Poland. Targeting Jewish and non-Jewish students of Polish heritage, the Polonia Programme (PP) was conceptualised with the aim of applying the tools of experiential education to initiate a new approach to examining one of the world's most challenging and fraught historical narratives. The programme, piloted in the summer of 2014, takes two groups of young people from the United States to Poland each year. It features a combination of formal lectures and interactive tours, complemented by structured and semi-structured discussions. The destination of this particular tour, with these particular participants, both challenges and reinforces accepted notions of "heritage tourism" within an experiential educational framework. This framework enables a sense of group connectivity which allows students to be, perhaps, more open to alternative narratives about the past. The authors of this article, who were involved in evaluating the pilot launch of the Polonia Programme, found that the programme's experiential approach succeeded in encouraging participants in the pilot cohort to challenge ideas about their definitions of and preconceptions about "who and what counts as Polish". For many, the experience shifted their understanding of Poland towards one which took its multi-ethnic and multicultural history into account. Several discovered new perspectives on their own identity and heritage, while others reached a new understanding of the shared histories of Poles and Jews. The experiential nature of this programme also allowed students to encounter difficult histories: experience, then, became a vehicle for more challenging conversations and deeper learning.

  13. Educating new graduate nurses in their first year of practice: The perspective and experiences of the new graduate nurses and the director of nursing.

    PubMed

    Doughty, Lesley; McKillop, Ann; Dixon, Robyn; Sinnema, Claire

    2018-05-01

    New graduate nurses are the future of nursing and the education they receive as they transition into the workforce as a newly registered nurse is critical for building a suitably qualified nursing workforce that will adequately serve the future population. Variation exists in education programmes for new graduate nurses in their first year of practice which is known to impact on transition experience. A qualitative study using focus groups and semi-structured interviews was undertaken to explore the experiences and perceptions of New Graduate Nurses undertaking a new graduate programme and Directors of Nursing supporting them to complete the programme which may or may not have been inclusive of a postgraduate course (Masters Level). The findings of this study are in line with previous research and support the value of new graduate programmes but did reveal a lack of consensus in regards to the structure and content of such programmes. This study revealed some commonalities and challenges between the differing programmes but has identified the need for further research to establish the impact of postgraduate education in the first year of practice and how this impacts on nursing practice and patient care. There are numerous terms in the literature with reference to new graduate programmes; transition to practice programme, nurse entry to practice programme, first year of clinical practice programme, new graduate programme and early career nursing programme. For the purpose of this article the term Nurse Entry to Practice (NETP) will be used in reference to any form of new graduate programme. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Health risk behaviours amongst school adolescents: protocol for a mixed methods study.

    PubMed

    El Achhab, Youness; El Ammari, Abdelghaffar; El Kazdouh, Hicham; Najdi, Adil; Berraho, Mohamed; Tachfouti, Nabil; Lamri, Driss; El Fakir, Samira; Nejjari, Chakib

    2016-11-29

    Determining risky behaviours of adolescents provides valuable information for designing appropriate intervention programmes for advancing adolescent's health. However, these behaviours are not fully addressed by researchers in a comprehensive approach. We report the protocol of a mixed methods study designed to investigate the health risk behaviours of Moroccan adolescents with the goal of identifying suitable strategies to address their health concerns. We used a sequential two-phase explanatory mixed method study design. The approach begins with the collection of quantitative data, followed by the collection of qualitative data to explain and enrich the quantitative findings. In the first phase, the global school-based student health survey (GSHS) was administered to 800 students who were between 14 and 19 years of age. The second phase engaged adolescents, parents and teachers in focus groups and assessed education documents to explore the level of coverage of health education in the programme learnt in the middle school. To obtain opinions about strategies to reduce Moroccan adolescents' health risk behaviours, a nominal group technique will be used. The findings of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study provide insights into the risk behaviours that need to be considered if intervention programmes and preventive strategies are to be designed to promote adolescent's health in the Moroccan school.

  15. Inexperience and risky decisions of young adolescents, as pedestrians and cyclists, in interactions with lorries, and the effects of competency versus awareness education.

    PubMed

    Twisk, Divera; Vlakveld, Willem; Mesken, Jolieke; Shope, Jean T; Kok, Gerjo

    2013-06-01

    Road injuries are a prime cause of death in early adolescence. Often road safety education (RSE) is used to target risky road behaviour in this age group. These RSE programmes are frequently based on the assumption that deliberate risk taking rather than lack of competency underlies risk behaviour. This study tested the competency of 10-13 year olds, by examining their decisions - as pedestrians and cyclists - in dealing with blind spot areas around lorries. Also, the effects of an awareness programme and a competency programme on these decisions were evaluated. Table-top models were used, representing seven scenarios that differed in complexity: one basic scenario to test the identification of blind spot areas, and 6 traffic scenarios to test behaviour in traffic situations of low or high task complexity. Using a quasi-experimental design (pre-test and post-test reference group design without randomization), the programme effects were assessed by requiring participants (n=62) to show, for each table-top traffic scenario, how they would act if they were in that traffic situation. On the basic scenario, at pre-test 42% of the youngsters identified all blind spots correctly, but only 27% showed safe behaviour in simple scenarios and 5% in complex scenarios. The competency programme yielded improved performance on the basic scenario but not on the traffic scenarios, whereas the awareness programme did not result in any improvements. The correlation between improvements on the basic scenarios and the traffic scenarios was not significant. Young adolescents have not yet mastered the necessary skills for safe performance in simple and complex traffic situations, thus underlining the need for effective prevention programmes. RSE may improve the understanding of blind spot areas but this does not 'automatically' transfer to performance in traffic situations. Implications for the design of RSE are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Promoting the health of Aboriginal Australians through empowerment: eliciting the components of the family well-being empowerment and leadership programme.

    PubMed

    Laliberté, Arlene; Haswell, Melissa; Tsey, Komla

    2012-12-01

    Most policies addressing Aboriginal health in Australia promote initiatives that are based on empowerment principles. Articulated programme components are necessary to support personal and group empowerment and to assist individuals in gaining the sense of control and purposefulness needed to exert their political and personal power in the face of the severe stress and powerlessness faced by the Australian Aboriginal people. This paper aims to provide a detailed description of the mechanisms underpinning a 'bottom-up' empowerment initiative, the Family well-being empowerment and leadership programme (FWB), and to analyze how the programme supports empowerment. The five stages of FWB were described and the validity of this model was assessed through the combination of participatory observation, documentation analysis, literature review, semi-structured interviews and iterative feedback with different analytical perspectives. Our study results articulated four distinct programme components: the setting plus inter-relational, educational and experiential actions. FWB is an example of the promotion of both outcome and process pathways towards empowerment. Potential applications of the programme are discussed.

  17. Implementing economic evaluation in simulation-based medical education: challenges and opportunities.

    PubMed

    Lin, Yiqun; Cheng, Adam; Hecker, Kent; Grant, Vincent; Currie, Gillian R

    2018-02-01

    Simulation-based medical education (SBME) is now ubiquitous at all levels of medical training. Given the substantial resources needed for SBME, economic evaluation of simulation-based programmes or curricula is required to demonstrate whether improvement in trainee performance (knowledge, skills and attitudes) and health outcomes justifies the cost of investment. Current literature evaluating SBME fails to provide consistent and interpretable information on the relative costs and benefits of alternatives. Economic evaluation is widely applied in health care, but is relatively scarce in medical education. Therefore, in this paper, using a focus on SBME, we define economic evaluation, describe the key components, and discuss the challenges associated with conducting an economic evaluation of medical education interventions. As a way forward to the rigorous and state of the art application of economic evaluation in medical education, we outline the steps to gather the necessary information to conduct an economic evaluation of simulation-based education programmes and curricula, and describe the main approaches to conducting an economic evaluation. A properly conducted economic evaluation can help stakeholders (i.e., programme directors, policy makers and curriculum designers) to determine the optimal use of resources in selecting the modality or method of assessment in simulation. It also helps inform broader decision making about allocation of scarce resources within an educational programme, as well as between education and clinical care. Economic evaluation in medical education research is still in its infancy, and there is significant potential for state-of-the-art application of these methods in this area. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  18. Student Perceptions of the Distance Education Mode Compared with Face-to-Face Teaching in the University Distance Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vásquez Martínez, Claudio Rafael; Girón, Graciela; Bañuelos, Antonio Ayón

    2012-01-01

    This paper is based on a study of the perceptions of the distance education mode compared with face-to-face teaching on the part of students on the university distance education programme at the University of Antioch over the period from 2001 to 2007. It is not possible to ignore the close links between educational processes and social, economic,…

  19. Impact of nutrition education and mega-dose vitamin A supplementation on the health of children in Nepal.

    PubMed Central

    Pant, C. R.; Pokharel, G. P.; Curtale, F.; Pokhrel, R. P.; Grosse, R. N.; Lepkowski, J.; Muhilal; Bannister, M.; Gorstein, J.; Pak-Gorstein, S.; Atmarita; Tilden, R. L.

    1996-01-01

    The impact on vitamin A deficiency (VAD), wasting malnutrition, and excessive childhood mortality of two alternative approaches-nutrition education and mega-dose capsule distribution (6-12-month-olds: 100,000 IU; 1-5-year-olds: 200,000 IU)-in communities in Nepal are compared. Approximately 40,000 children from 75 locations in seven districts in two ecological settings (lowland and hills) took part in the study and were randomly allocated to intervention cohorts or a control group. At 24 months after the implementation of the project the reduction of risk for xerophthalmia was greater among children whose mothers were able to identify vitamin-A-rich foods (relative risk (RR) = 0.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.10-0.62) than among the children who received mega-dose capsules (RR = 0.59; 95% CI = 0.41-0.84). The risk of mortality at 2 years was reduced for both the nutrition education (RR = 0.64; 95% Cl = 0.48-0.86) and capsule distribution (RR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.42-0.77) cohorts. The nutrition education programme was, however, more expensive to deliver than the capsule distribution programme. High rates of participation for children in the supplementation programme were achieved quickly. The nutrition education messages also spread rapidly throughout the study population (regardless of intervention cohort assignment). Practices, however, were slower to change. In communities where maternal literacy was low and channels of communication were limited the capsule distribution programme appeared to be more economical. However, there are economies of scale for nationwide education programmes that do not exist for capsule distribution programmes. Although nutrition education provides economies of scale and the promise of long-term sustainability, a comprehensive national programme requires both dietary supplementation and nutrition education components. PMID:9002334

  20. Community-Based Health Education and Communication Model Development for Opisthorchiasis Prevention in a High Risk Area, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand.

    PubMed

    Promthet, Paitoon; Kessomboon, Pattapong; Promthet, Supannee

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a community-based health education and communication programme on reducing liver fluke infections caused by the consumption of uncooked fish among people in a high-risk area of Thailand. The study was quasi-experimental in nature, with three-stages. Stage 1 involved a situational and capacity analysis of designated communities in Khon Kaen province. This was followed by the development of a model for community-based health education and communication to prevent liver fluke infections among high-risk people, and, lastly, implementation and evaluation of the model were performed. Data were collected using both qualitative and quantitative methods. In total, 390 people were surveyed, and quasi-experimental and comparison groups, each with 90 people, were assessed between May 2011 and April 2012. Analysis was using statistical OR, 95 % CI, the Willcoxon matched pairs signed ranks test, the chi-square test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. The findings showed that most respondents had a high level of knowledge and understanding of liver fluke disease (89.5%, 95% CI:86.0-92.4), and positive attitudes toward the prevention of the disease (94.4%, 95% CI:91.6-96.4). However, with regard to changes in consumption of uncooked fish, most respondents were still in the pre-contemplation phase (55.1%, 95% CI:50.0-60.1), followed by the contemplation phase, 22.6%. Furthermore, four factors were found to be associated with the consumption of uncooked fish--the consumption of alcohol (OR 4.16, 95% CI:1.79-9.65), gender (OR 3.17 , 95% CI:1.53-6.54), smoking (OR 3.03, 95% CI:1.31-7.05), and age 40 years and above (OR 2.68, 95% CI:1.02-7.05). After nine months of the health education and communication programme using local media based on local wisdom, culture and persons, the results showed that, compared to the control group, members of the experimental group had a higher level of knowledge, a better attitude and lower levels of ill- advised consumption behaviour. Also, it was found that consumption of uncooked fish, by an assessment of the level of stage of change, was reduced. (p-value 0.002). The health education and communication programme developed as part of the study was effective in changing the consumption of uncooked fish. Therefore, this approach should be promoted in other high-risk areas in Thailand in the future.

  1. A randomised controlled trial of peer-adult-led intervention on improvement of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of university students regarding HIV/AIDS in Malaysia.

    PubMed

    Jahanfar, S; Lye, M S; Rampal, L

    2009-02-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of university students regarding acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A randomised controlled trial of 530 university students was done using peer-adult facilitators. Participants completed a questionnaire before and after the intervention, which was a four-hour group session. A prevention programme was developed by local experts, health educators and peer facilitators. The peer-adult-led programme was designed to provide a conceptual model of HIV risk reduction through information, motivational and behavioural skills, a harm reduction module and health promotion theme. The main outcome measured was the level of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour scores. The results suggest that relative to the control group, participants in the intervention group had higher levels of knowledge (30.37 vs. 25.40; p-value is 0.001) and a better attitude (12.27 vs. 10.84; p-value is 0.001). However, there was no difference in the behavioural score (9.47 vs. 9.41; p-value is 0.530). The correlation between the level of knowledge and age and the level of education was found in the intervention group, but not in the control group (p-value is 0.01). Attitude and gender were found to be correlated in the intervention group only (p-value is 0.01). Our programme was successful in increasing knowledge and improving attitudes towards AIDS and HIV. However, it did not improve risk-taking behaviour. Peer-adult-led educational programmes for youth using various interactional activities, such as small group discussions, poster activity and empathy exercises, can be successful in changing the prevailing youth perceptions of AIDS and HIV.

  2. The effectiveness of an outdoor adventure programme for young children with autism spectrum disorder: a controlled study.

    PubMed

    Zachor, Ditza A; Vardi, Shira; Baron-Eitan, Shani; Brodai-Meir, Inbal; Ginossar, Noa; Ben-Itzchak, Esther

    2017-05-01

    Outdoor adventure programmes aim to improve interpersonal relationships using adventurous activities. The current study examined the effectiveness of an outdoor adventure programme in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The study included 51 participants (40 males, 11 females; age 3y 4mo-7y 4mo) enrolled in ASD special education kindergartens. Only the intervention group (n=30) participated in the outdoor adventure programme for 13 weeks, completing challenging physical activities that required cooperation and communication with peers and instructors. The control group (n=21) was not significantly different from the research group in age, sex, cognitive, and adaptive behaviour measures. Outcomes after the intervention revealed significant improvement in social-communication and different directions in the two groups in the social cognition, social motivation, and autistic mannerisms subdomains of the Social Responsiveness Scale. While the group that received an outdoor adventure programme showed a tendency toward a reduction in severity, the control group showed the opposite (p<0.010). The outdoor adventure programme required problem-solving skills and forced the child to communicate in exciting situations. This study suggests that an outdoor adventure programme may be an effective intervention in addition to traditional treatments in young children with ASD. Future studies should examine the outcome of outdoor adventure programmes delivered for longer periods of time and maintenance of the achievements over time. © 2016 Mac Keith Press.

  3. Educational intervention as an effective step for reducing blood culture contamination: a prospective cohort study.

    PubMed

    Park, W B; Myung, S J; Oh, M-d; Lee, J; Kim, N-J; Kim, E-C; Park, J S

    2015-10-01

    Contaminated blood cultures lead to diagnostic challenges and place a burden on healthcare services. To determine the impact of introducing a clinical skills test (CST) as part of the medical licensing examination and an institutional education programme on the contamination rates of blood cultures. A prospective cohort study was conducted from 2009 through 2013 in all wards of a tertiary-care teaching hospital. We evaluated the effects of the CST, which was added to the National Medical Licensing Examination in Korea (KMLE) in 2010 and our institutional education programme, which began in 2013. The medical interns in charge of collection of blood for culture were divided in three groups with presence or absence of CST and the institutional education programme. The primary outcome was the percentage of blood cultures contaminated in each group, which were compared using the Poisson regression model. Participants' self-rated scores for the blood draw procedure were also analysed. Although introduction of the CST in the KMLE failed to reduce blood culture contamination rate (1.36% vs 1.35%; P = 0.734), the institutional education programme significantly reduced the contamination rate (1.35% vs 1.00%; P < 0.0001). Most participants answered that they always followed each step correctly except for waiting the recommended contact time after applying the antiseptic. The educational intervention, not the introduction of CST in the KMLE, was effective in reducing overall contamination rates. Copyright © 2015 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The Internet in EFL Teacher Education: Investigating the Possibilities and Challenges in a Pre-Service Teacher Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abdallah, Mahmoud Mohammad Sayed

    2011-01-01

    The paper reported on a small-scale qualitative study on EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teacher education with a two-fold objective, investigating the possibility of integrating the Internet for academic purposes in the context of a pre-service English teacher education programme in Egypt, and suggesting some guidelines based on the specific…

  5. Health education policy 1916-1926: venereal disease and the prophylaxis dilemma

    PubMed Central

    Towers, Bridget A.

    1980-01-01

    This paper seeks to account for the development of a public health education policy with respect to venereal disease during the period 1916-1926. Two competing pressure groups, the National Council for Combatting Venereal Disease and the Society for the Prevention of Venereal Disease, defended opposing programmes; the one based on moral education (NCCVD) and the other (SPVD) on medical prophylaxis. Many of the interests represented by the groups and the political dimensions that they took, were influenced by factors only very tangentially connected to health education. Any account of the development of policy in this field needs placing in the context of the early history of nineteenth-century anti-vice crusades; the role of the Army Medical Corps during the 1914-18 war; and the bureaucratic protectionism of the Ministry of Health personnel. PMID:6990122

  6. The management of advanced practitioner preparation: a work-based challenge.

    PubMed

    Livesley, Joan; Waters, Karen; Tarbuck, Paul

    2009-07-01

    This paper explores the collaborative development of a Master's level advanced practice programme in the context of the radical reform and remodelling of the UK's National Health Service. Some of the educational, managerial and practice challenges are discussed. Changes to education and training in response to key strategic reviews undertaken by the Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (North West of England) established a need to develop nurses and allied health care practitioners to advanced practitioner level. This paper considers how employers, commissioners and educationalists worked together to produce a Master's level programme to prepare nurses and other health care practitioners for sustainable advanced practice roles. Developing innovative and effective curricula to meet the needs of post graduate students from varied backgrounds preparing to practice in different contexts with different client groups is challenging. However, the development of individual learning pathways and work-based learning ensures that the student's work and intended advanced practice role remains at the centre of their learning. Analysis of each student's knowledge and skill deficits alongside an analysis of the organization's readiness to support them as qualified advanced practitioners (APs) is instrumental in ensuring that organizations are ready to support practitioners in new roles. Work-based learning and collaboration between students, employers and higher education institutions can be used to enable managers and students to unravel the network of factors which affect advanced practice in health and social care. Additionally, collaborative working can help to create opportunities to develop strategies that will facilitate change. Implications for nursing management Sustainable change concerned with the introduction of advanced practitioner roles present a real challenge for managers at a strategic and operational level. Commissioning flexible, collaborative and service-led educational programmes can assist in ensuring that change is sustainable and produce practitioners who are fit for practice, purpose and award.

  7. Multi-site videoconferencing for home-based education of older people with chronic conditions: the Telehealth Literacy Project.

    PubMed

    Banbury, Annie; Parkinson, Lynne; Nancarrow, Susan; Dart, Jared; Gray, Len; Buckley, Jennene

    2014-10-01

    We examined the acceptability of multi-site videoconferencing as a method of providing group education to older people in their homes. There were 9 groups comprising 52 participants (mean age 73 years) with an average of four chronic conditions. Tablet computers or PCs were installed in participant's homes and connected to the Internet by the National Broadband Network (high-speed broad band network) or by the 4G wireless network. A health literacy and self-management programme was delivered by videoconference for 5 weeks. Participants were able to view and interact with all group members and the facilitator on their devices. During the study, 44 group videoconferences were conducted. Evaluation included 16 semi-structured interviews, 3 focus groups and a journal detailing project implementation. The participants reported enjoying home-based group education by videoconference and found the technology easy to use. Using home-based groups via videoconference was acceptable for providing group education, and considered particularly valuable for people living alone and/or with limited mobility. Audio difficulties were the most commonly reported problem. Participants connected with 4G experienced more problems (audio and visual) than participants on the National Broadband Network and those living in multi-dwelling residences reported more problems than those living in single-dwelling residences. Older people with little computer experience can be supported to use telehealth equipment. Telehealth has the potential to improve access to education about chronic disease self-management. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions:]br]sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

  8. Cognitive-behavioural treatment for weight loss in primary care: a prospective study.

    PubMed

    Eichler, Klaus; Zoller, Marco; Steurer, Johann; Bachmann, Lucas M

    2007-09-08

    Cognitive-behavioural treatment (CBT) is effective for weight loss in obese patients, but such programmes are difficult to implement in primary care. We assessed whether implementation of a community-based CBT weight loss programme for adults in routine care is feasible and prospectively assessed patient outcome. The weight loss programme was provided by a network of Swiss general practitioners in cooperation with a community centre for health education. We chose a five-step strategy focusing on structure of care rather than primarily addressing individual physician behaviour. A multidisciplinary core group of trained CBT instructors acted as the central element of the programme. Overweight and obese adults from the community (BMI >25 kg/m2) were included. We used a patient perspective to report the impact on delivery of care and assessed weight change of consecutive participants prospectively with a follow-up of 12 months. Twenty-eight courses, with 16 group meetings each, were initiated over a period of 3 years. 44 of 110 network physicians referred patients to the programme. 147 of 191 study participants were monitored for one year (attrition rate: 23%). Median weight loss after 12 months for 147 completers was 4 kg (IQR: 1-7 kg; intention-to-treat analysis for 191 participants: 2 kg, IQR: 0-5 kg). The programme produced a clinically meaningful weight loss in our participants, with a relatively low attrition rate. Implementation of an easily accessible CBT programme for weight loss in daily routine primary care is feasible.

  9. The effectiveness of artificial intelligent 3-D virtual reality vocational problem-solving training in enhancing employment opportunities for people with traumatic brain injury.

    PubMed

    Man, David Wai Kwong; Poon, Wai Sang; Lam, Chow

    2013-01-01

    People with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often experience cognitive deficits in attention, memory, executive functioning and problem-solving. The purpose of the present research study was to examine the effectiveness of an artificial intelligent virtual reality (VR)-based vocational problem-solving skill training programme designed to enhance employment opportunities for people with TBI. This was a prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the effectiveness of the above programme with that of the conventional psycho-educational approach. Forty participants with mild (n = 20) or moderate (n = 20) brain injury were randomly assigned to each training programme. Comparisons of problem-solving skills were performed with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Tower of London Test and the Vocational Cognitive Rating Scale. Improvement in selective memory processes and perception of memory function were found. Across-group comparison showed that the VR group performed more favourably than the therapist-led one in terms of objective and subjective outcome measures and better vocational outcomes. These results support the potential use of a VR-based approach in memory training in people with MCI. Further VR applications, limitations and future research are described.

  10. Brief Report: An Evaluation of an Australian Autism-Specific, Early Intervention Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Paynter, Jessica M.; Riley, Emma P.; Beamish, Wendi; Scott, James G.; Heussler, Helen S.

    2015-01-01

    There is a relative paucity of evidence examining the effectiveness of early intervention for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, in particular those delivered through educationally-based programmes. This study aimed to evaluate the real world effectiveness of a community-based autism-specific early learning and intervention programme in…

  11. Development of a Sex Education Programme for 12-Year-Old to 14-Year-Old Turkish Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cok, Figen; Gray, Lizbeth Ann

    2007-01-01

    Previous research has documented a need for the development of a sex education programme in Turkish schools in terms of adolescence readiness and the presence of misconceptions regarding critical aspects of sexual issues. Currently no school-based sex education is available for Turkish adolescents. This paper presents the development of a…

  12. Therapeutic Responses to "At Risk" Disengaged Early School Leavers in a Rural Alternative Education Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fish, Tim

    2017-01-01

    The identification of disengaged early school leavers as young people "at risk" can lead to a deficit-based framing of how educational institutions respond to them. A rural secondary school in Victoria, Australia established an alternative education programme to cater for local disengaged young people. A critical ethnographic study was…

  13. Piloting Forgiveness Education: A Comparison of the Impact of Two Brief Forgiveness Education Programmes among Chinese College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ji, Mingxia; Tao, Linjin; Zhu, Tingting

    2016-01-01

    With the development of the theory of positive psychology, forgiveness has been understood to constitute a psychological strength that may facilitate personal and relational health. This study involved two brief (four sessions) forgiveness education programmes based on the Enright Psycho-social Model and Chinese cultural values, respectively, to…

  14. Challenges in the transition to clinical training in dentistry: An ADEE special interest group initial report.

    PubMed

    Serrano, C M; Botelho, M G; Wesselink, P R; Vervoorn, J M

    2018-02-03

    Curricular integration in higher education has been widely supported in the educational literature. As a result, several health care and specifically dental curricula have evolved from compartmentalised disciplinary training to integrated modalities; however, in many courses, a pre-clinical-clinical watershed remains a barrier to integration in dental education. This article introduces a general description of the pre-clinical-clinical transition in dentistry according to the outcomes of the discussion held during the first working group session of the "Transition to Clinical Training" Special Interest Group during the 2016 annual meeting of the Association for Dental Education in Europe. An online questionnaire was made available before the meeting to survey the curricular characteristics of the participants' schools. During the meeting, a working session related to the pre-clinical-clinical transition occurred. Conclusions from the discussion are summarised in this article. Fourteen dental schools from 12 countries participated in the online survey. The included programmes had an average duration of 5.3 years (SD = 0.48), with high school or the local equivalent as the required entrance level for dentistry. The hybrid curriculum was the leading curriculum design (n = 9) followed by competence-based curricula (n = 3), with patient treatment as the core of clinical training in every included programme. The pre-clinical-clinical transition in dentistry is a recognisable matter in dental education that requires assessment and research to ease the management of a stage with relevant influence on educational outcomes. This article presents an initial framework for further research and educational intervention. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. School-based smoking prevention programmes: ethical aspects.

    PubMed

    Lotrean, Lucia Maria; Trofor, Antigona; Mihălţan, Florin; Santillan, Edna Arillo

    2011-01-01

    School-based health education has the potential to inform and educate young people, in order to promote healthy behaviours among them, which will help to prevent diseases and social problems. The present study gives an overview of several ethical issues which must be considered in different phases of school-based smoking prevention programs. This will help health educators, public health professionals and researchers in their activity of health education in schools. The ethical issues must be taken into consideration during all the activities and refer to the involvement of officials, schools, parents, young people who participate into the program, authors and persons/institutions responsible with the implementation, evaluation or funding of the programs. The application into practice of these ethical principles, influence the quality of the health education, its acceptability BY the target group and the correctness of results. Also, it prevents possible problems and misunderstandings between persons and institutions involved in the health education and smoking prevention process, which could seriously affect and even destroy implementation of such health education activities.

  16. Investigating Nature on the Way to School: Responses to an educational programme by teachers and their pupils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lindemann-Matthies, Petra

    2006-06-01

    In this study, the responses of teachers and their pupils to the educational programme “Nature on the Way to School” were investigated with the help of questionnaires. The main objectives of the programme were the promotion of opportunities for children to experience nature first-hand on the way to school, the promotion of children’s awareness of nature in their daily lives, and the promotion of interest in and tolerance of local plants and animals. More than 3000 children (8 16 years old) from 166 primary and secondary school classes in Switzerland and 117 teachers participated in the study. Children of all age groups particularly enjoyed observing nature directly. Teachers gave the programme very high ratings on average. The ratings given by the teachers and the learning gains of the pupils were positively related. Teachers from rural and urban areas carried out similar activities during the programme and regarded the programme as a success. The high satisfaction of both pupils and their teachers with the programme supports the thesis that teachers should make more use of educational approaches focusing on direct experiences in the local environment of children.

  17. Improving socio-emotional health for pupils in early secondary education with Pyramid: A school-based, early intervention model.

    PubMed

    Jayman, Michelle; Ohl, Maddie; Hughes, Bronach; Fox, Pauline

    2018-05-01

    Policymakers are focusing increased attention on the role of schools to promote and support children's mental health, and evidence-based models of good practice are in demand. Pyramid Club is a school-based, socio-emotional intervention, demonstrably effective with primary-aged pupils. This study extends previous Pyramid Club evaluations by examining effectiveness with pupils in early secondary education; service users' perceptions and experiences were investigated to increase understanding of Pyramid's impact, thus supporting enhanced practice. Participants (n = 126) comprised selected pupils, aged 11-14 (52 males; 74 females), who completed the 10 week programme (Pyramid group) and a non-intervention comparison group. Club leaders (n = 23) were trained, Pyramid volunteers. A mixed-methods design was implemented. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), informant-rated version (Goodman, 1997, J Child Psychol Psychiat, 38, 581) and self-report version (Goodman, Meltzer, & Bailey, 1998, Europ Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 7, 125), was used to measure socio-emotional well-being: pre-club (baseline assessment), post-test (within 2 weeks of programme completion), and at 12-month follow-up (informant-rated version only). Focus groups were conducted separately with Pyramid pupils and Club leaders. Findings from informants and self-reports identified significant improvements for the Pyramid group in total difficulties and on pertinent SDQ subscales (e.g., emotional symptoms and peer relationship problems) at post-test. Improvements were sustained at 12-month follow-up. Comparison pupils demonstrated minimal change over time. Thematic analysis of qualitative data supported the quantitative findings and provided valuable insights into the Pyramid Club experience. Findings contribute to evidence-based, preventative models for the early adolescent population and support the social validity of Pyramid Club. © 2018 The Authors. British Journal of Education Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

  18. Continuing medical education for general practitioners: a practice format

    PubMed Central

    VanNieuwenborg, Lena; Goossens, Martine; De Lepeleire, Jan; Schoenmakers, Birgitte

    2016-01-01

    Introduction Our current knowledge-based society and the many actualisations within the medical profession require a great responsibility of physicians to continuously develop and refine their skills. In this article, we reflect on some recent findings in the field of continuing education for professional doctors (continuing medical education, CME). Second, we describe the development of a CME from the Academic Center for General Practice (ACHG) of the KU Leuven. Methods First, we performed a literature study and we used unpublished data of a need assessment performed (2013) in a selected group of general practitioners. Second, we describe the development of a proposal to establish a CME programme for general practitioners. Results CME should go beyond the sheer acquisition of knowledge, and also seek changes in practice, attitudes and behaviours of physicians. The continuing education offerings are subject to the goals of the organising institution, but even more to the needs and desires of the end user. Conclusions Integrated education is crucial to meet the conditions for efficient and effective continuing education. The ACHG KU Leuven decided to offer a postgraduate programme consisting of a combination of teaching methods: online courses (self-study), contact courses (traditional method) and a materials database. PMID:26850504

  19. 'Fit for school' - a school-based water, sanitation and hygiene programme to improve child health: Results from a longitudinal study in Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao PDR.

    PubMed

    Duijster, Denise; Monse, Bella; Dimaisip-Nabuab, Jed; Djuharnoko, Pantjawidi; Heinrich-Weltzien, Roswitha; Hobdell, Martin; Kromeyer-Hauschild, Katrin; Kunthearith, Yung; Mijares-Majini, Maria Carmela; Siegmund, Nicole; Soukhanouvong, Panith; Benzian, Habib

    2017-04-05

    The Fit for School (FIT) programme integrates school health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene interventions, which are implemented by the Ministries of Education in four Southeast Asian countries. This paper describes the findings of a Health Outcome Study, which aimed to assess the two-year effect of the FIT programme on the parasitological, weight, and oral health status of children attending schools implementing the programme in Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao PDR. The study was a non-randomized clustered controlled trial with a follow-up period of two years. The intervention group consisted of children attending public elementary schools implementing the FIT programme, including daily group handwashing with soap and toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste, biannual school-based deworming; as well as construction of group handwashing facilities. Control schools implemented the regular government health education curriculum and biannual deworming. Per school, a random selection of six to seven-year-old grade-one students was drawn. Data on parasitological infections, anthropometric measurements, dental caries, odontogenic infections and sociodemographic characteristics were collected at baseline and at follow-up (24 months later). Data were analysed using the χ 2 -test, Mann Whitney U-test and multilevel logistic and linear regression. A total of 1847 children (mean age = 6.7 years, range 6.0-8.0 years) participated in the baseline survey. Of these, 1499 children were available for follow-up examination - 478, 486 and 535 children in Cambodia, Indonesia and Lao PDR, respectively. In all three countries, children in intervention schools had a lower increment in the number of decayed, missing and filled permanent teeth between baseline and follow-up, in comparison to children in controls schools. The preventive fraction was 24% at average. The prevalence of soil-transmitted helminth infection (which was unexpectedly low at baseline), the prevalence of thinness and the prevalence of odontogenic infections did not significantly differ between baseline and follow-up, nor between intervention and control schools. The study found that the FIT programme significantly contributed to the prevention of dental caries in children. This study describes the challenges, learnings and, moreover, the importance of conducting real-life implementation research to evaluate health programmes to transform school settings into healthy learning environments for children. The study is retrospectively registered with the German Clinical Trials Register, University of Freiburg (Trial registration number: DRKS00004485, date of registration: 26th of February, 2013).

  20. Back School programme for nurses has reduced low back pain levels: A randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Járomi, Melinda; Kukla, Aniko; Szilágyi, Brigitta; Simon-Ugron, Ágnes; Bobály, Viktória Kovácsné; Makai, Alexandra; Linek, Pawel; Ács, Pongrác; Leidecker, Eleonóra

    2018-03-01

    (i) To examine patient lifting techniques used by nurses, and (ii) to evaluate an effectiveness of the Spine Care for Nurses programme in chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome reduction and the execution of proper patient lifting techniques. Millions of nurses around the world suffer from occupational-related chronic nonspecific low back pain (chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome). Generally, low back pain in nurses is a result of increased pressure on the spine and can be associated with improperly conducted patient lifting techniques. A randomised controlled trial was conducted among 137 nurses with chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome. Participants were randomised into an experimental and control group (experimental group n = 67, control group n = 70). Nurses in the experimental group attended the Spine Care for Nurses programme for 3 months. The programme consisted of didactic education, spine-strengthening exercises and education on safe patient handling techniques. The control group only received a brief written lifestyle guidance. The Zebris WinSpine Triple Lumbar examination was used to analyse nurses' patient lifting techniques (horizontal and vertical lifting). The lumbar pain intensity was measured with a 0-100 visual analogue scale. The pre-intervention average chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome intensity score on visual analogue scale decreased from 49.3 to the postintervention score of 7.5. The correct execution of vertical lifting techniques in the experimental group increased from 8.91%-97.01% (control group: 8.57% pre-intervention test and postintervention test 11.42%). The horizontal patient lifting technique pre-intervention increased from 10.44%-100% correct execution in the experimental group (control group: pre-intervention test 10.00% and postintervention test 11.42%). The Spine Care for Nurses programme significantly reduced chronic nonspecific low back pain syndrome and increased the number of properly executed horizontal and vertical patient lifting techniques in nurses. We recommend that healthcare organisations should consider the implementation of regular Spine Care for Nurses programmes as successful low back injury prevention programmes. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Impact of a website based educational program for increasing vaccination coverage among adolescents.

    PubMed

    Esposito, Susanna; Bianchini, Sonia; Tagliabue, Claudia; Umbrello, Giulia; Madini, Barbara; Di Pietro, Giada; Principi, Nicola

    2018-04-03

    Data regarding the use of technology to improve adolescent knowledge on vaccines are scarce. The main aim of this study was to evaluate whether different web-based educational programmes for adolescents might increase their vaccination coverage. Overall, 917 unvaccinated adolescents (389 males, 42.4%; mean age ± standard deviation, 14.0 ± 2.2 years) were randomized 1:1:1 into the following groups: no intervention (n = 334), website educational program only (n = 281), or website plus face to face lesson (n = 302) groups. The use of the website plus the lesson significantly increased the overall knowledge of various aspects of vaccine-preventable disease and reduced the fear of vaccines (p < 0.001). A significant increase in vaccination coverage was observed for tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis and conjugated meningococcal ACYW vaccines in the 2 groups using the website (p < 0.001), and better results were observed in the group that had also received the lesson; in this last group, significant results were observed in the increase in vaccination coverage for meningococcal B vaccine (p < 0.001). Overall, the majority of the participants liked the experience of the website, although they considered it important to further discuss vaccines with parents, experts and teachers. This study is the first to evaluate website based education of adolescents while considering all of the vaccines recommended for this age group. Our results demonstrate the possibility of increasing vaccination coverage by using a website based educational program with tailored information. However, to be most effective, this program should be supplemented with face-to-face discussions of vaccines at school and at home. Thus, specific education should also include teachers and parents so that they will be prepared to discuss with adolescents what is true and false in the vaccination field.

  2. [Participant structure and economic benefit of prevention bonus programmes in company health insurance funds].

    PubMed

    Friedrichs, M; Friedel, H; Bödeker, W

    2009-10-01

    This study investigates differences in sex, age, and educational level between participants and non-participants of prevention bonus programmes. The differences in the utilisation of drugs, hospital care, and sickness absence before the start of the programmes between these groups are also shown. Finally the economic benefit of the health insurance funds attributed to these programmes is estimated. Data from some 5.2 million insured subjects of 74 company health insurance funds in Germany were linked to information on enrollment into a prevention bonus programme anonymously. In a descriptive analysis the differences in the sociodemographic patterns between both groups are shown as well as the differences in costs to the health insurances in the three sectors mentioned above. The benefit to the health insurance funds is estimated by means of an analysis of covariance. Prevention bonus programmes yields an annual benefit of at least 129 euro per participant. Men aged 40 and older and women aged 30 and older are more likely to opt into such a programme. The same is true for persons with a higher educational level. There are only few differences in health-care utilisation between the participants and non-participants of the programmes before enrollment. Only 1.4% of all insured persons participated in the programmes. There is at least a short-term gain to both involved parties: the insured and the health insurance funds. The programmes are not dominated by deadweight effects. Long-term effects and effectiveness of prevention bonus programmes still have to be investigated. Copyright Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart . New York.

  3. Development of a group-based self-management programme for individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Pinxsterhuis, Irma; Hellum, Live Lange; Aannestad, Hilde Hassum; Sveen, Unni

    2015-03-01

    The aim of the study was to develop a group-based self-management programme for individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) by using the participants' experiences with the initial version of the programme, which intends to promote coping with the illness in a primary healthcare setting. An initial programme was developed, based on self-efficacy theory and the concepts of client-centred practice and empowerment. Subsequently, the programme was tested and further developed by drawing on the participants' experiences with the programme. Focus-group interviews were applied. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. The initial programme was found to be feasible, although several modifications regarding the content and practical organization of the programme were proposed. In line with the participants' experiences, the final self-management programme was developed, which includes short presentations of eight topics, exchange of experiences among participants, goal-setting, construction of action plans, and relaxation exercises, in addition to a meeting for relatives. The programme will be provided in eight biweekly sessions and be led by juxtaposed peer counsellors and occupational therapists. The effects of the final programme will be evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.

  4. Promoting Professional Identity: A Within Group Comparison of Wiki-Based and Traditional Assignments on School Counselling Students' Learning, Sense of Community and Computer Anxiety

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rockinson-Szapkiw, Amanda J.; Pritchard, Tracey; McComb-Beverage, Shanna; Schellenberg, Rita

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to compare traditional and non-traditional instructional practices used in a counsellor education programme to determine their effect on pre-service school counsellors' learning and sense of community, thus leading to enhanced professional identity. Traditional and non-traditional assignments were examined: (a) a…

  5. A nationwide, resident-led teaching programme for medical students in Singapore: SingHealth Student Internship Programme Bootcamp.

    PubMed

    Ting, Daniel Sw; Lee, Jill Cs; Loo, Benny Kg; Baisa, Katherine; Koo, Wen Hsin; Cook, Sandy; Lim, Boon Leng

    2016-05-01

    This study aimed to describe the planning, development and evaluation of the success of the first nationwide, resident-led, large-group teaching programme for medical students - the Singapore Health Services Student Internship Programme (SIP) Bootcamp. This was an initial feasibility study evaluating a half-day teaching boot camp initiated, developed and conducted by the resident educators. A three-month preparation period was required to set up an education subcommittee, liaise with medical student leaders, recruit resident educators, meet all the stakeholders and conduct the boot camp. During the SIP Bootcamp, resident educators conducted clinical case presentations using a question-and-answer format. Audience participation was strongly encouraged. A 15-item questionnaire was distributed to assess the participants' learning experience and the resident educators' teaching performance using a five-point Likert scale. Overall, 94.8% (n = 110) of the 116 respondents agreed that the teaching sessions were of high quality and content was relevant to their training. The resident educators appeared well-informed (96.6%, n = 112) and enthusiastic about their respective topics (98.3%, n = 114). However, a few students (9.5%, n = 11) felt that the audio-visual aids and handouts could be improved to better aid their learning process. This teaching boot camp for medical students was the first of its kind in Singapore and feedback from medical students showed that it was well-received. Further research using different teaching methods, including small-group discussions and surgical practical sessions by resident educators from different specialties, would be of great value to students. Copyright: © Singapore Medical Association.

  6. Simulation-based inter-professional education to improve attitudes towards collaborative practice: a prospective comparative pilot study in a Chinese medical centre

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Ling-Yu; Yang, Ying-Ying; Huang, Chia-Chang; Liang, Jen-Feng; Lee, Fa-Yauh; Cheng, Hao-Min; Huang, Chin-Chou; Kao, Shou-Yen

    2017-01-01

    Objectives Inter-professional education (IPE) builds inter-professional collaboration (IPC) attitude/skills of health professionals. This interventional IPE programme evaluates whether benchmarking sharing can successfully cultivate seed instructors responsible for improving their team members’ IPC attitudes. Design Prospective, pre-post comparative cross-sectional pilot study. Setting/participants Thirty four physicians, 30 nurses and 24 pharmacists, who volunteered to be trained as seed instructors participated in 3.5-hour preparation and 3.5-hour simulation courses. Then, participants (n=88) drew lots to decide 44 presenters, half of each profession, who needed to prepare IPC benchmarking and formed Group 1. The remaining participants formed Group 2 (regular). Facilitators rated the Group 1 participants’ degree of appropriate transfer and sustainable practice of the learnt IPC skills in the workplace according to successful IPC examples in their benchmarking sharing. Results For the three professions, improvement in IPC attitude was identified by sequential increase in the post-course (second month, T2) and end-of-study (third month, T3) Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale (IEPS) and Attitudes Towards Healthcare Teams Scale (ATHCTS) scores, compared with pre-course (first month, T1) scores. By IEPS and ATHCTS-based assessment, the degree of sequential improvements in IPC attitude was found to be higher among nurses and pharmacists than in physicians. In benchmarking sharing, the facilitators’ agreement about the degree of participants’appropriate transfer and sustainable practice learnt ‘communication and teamwork’ skills in the workplace were significantly higher among pharmacists and nurses than among physicians. The post-intervention random sampling survey (sixth month, Tpost) found that the IPC attitude of the three professions improved after on-site IPC skill promotion by new programme-trained seed instructors within teams. Conclusions Addition of benchmark sharing to a diamond-based IPE simulation programme enhances participants’ IPC attitudes, self-reflection, workplace transfer and practice of the learnt skills. Furthermore, IPC promotion within teams by newly trained seed instructors improved the IPC attitudes across all three professions. PMID:29122781

  7. Continental Drift

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Field, John

    2012-01-01

    Adult learning has benefited from the visibility and profile of lifelong learning across a range of European policy areas. The overall profile of adult learning benefited enormously from the European Commission's decision to group all its education and training programmes together under the brand of the "Lifelong Learning Programme." The…

  8. Measuring interdisciplinary research and education outcomes in the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Carr, Gemma; Loucks, Daniel Pete; Blaschke, Alfred Paul; Bucher, Christian; Farnleitner, Andreas; Fürnkranz-Prskawetz, Alexia; Parajka, Juraj; Pfeifer, Norbert; Rechberger, Helmut; Wagner, Wolfgang; Zessner, Matthias; Blöschl, Günter

    2015-04-01

    The interdisciplinary postgraduate research and education programme - the Vienna Doctoral Programme on Water Resource Systems - was initiated in 2009. To date, 35 research students, three post-docs and ten faculty members have been engaged in the Programme, from ten research fields (aquatic microbiology, hydrology, hydro-climatology, hydro-geology, mathematical economics, photogrammetry, remote sensing, resource management, structural mechanics, and water quality). The Programme aims to develop research students with the capacity to work across the disciplines, to conduct cutting edge research and foster an international perspective. To do this, a variety of mechanisms are adopted that include research cluster groups, joint study sites, joint supervision, a basic study programme and a research semester abroad. The Programme offers a unique case study to explore if and how these mechanisms lead to research and education outcomes. Outcomes are grouped according to whether they are tangible (publications with co-authors from more than one research field, analysis of graduate profiles and career destinations) or non-tangible (interaction between researchers, networks and trust). A mixed methods approach that includes bibliometric analysis combined with interviews with students is applied. Bibliometric analysis shows that as the Programme has evolved the amount of multi-disciplinary work has increased (32% of the 203 full papers produced by the programme's researchers have authors from more than one research field). Network analysis to explore which research fields collaborate most frequently show that hydrology plays a significant role and has collaborated with seven of the ten research fields. Hydrology researchers seem to interact the most strongly with other research fields as they contribute understanding on water system processes. Network analysis to explore which individuals collaborate shows that much joint work takes place through the five research cluster groups (water resource management, land-surface processes, Hydrological Open Air Laboratory, water and health, modelling and risk). Student interviews highlight that trust between colleagues and supervisors, and the role of spaces for interaction (joint study sites, cluster group meetings, shared offices etc.) are important for joint work. Graduate analysis shows that students develop skills and confidence to work across disciplines through collaborating on their doctoral research. Working collaboratively during the doctorate appears to be strongly correlated with continuing to work in this way after graduation.

  9. Mental health literacy in primary care: Canadian Research and Education for the Advancement of Child Health (CanREACH).

    PubMed

    McCaffrey, Eden S N; Chang, Samuel; Farrelly, Geraldine; Rahman, Abdul; Cawthorpe, David

    2017-08-01

    The effectiveness of a continuing education programme in paediatric psychopharmacology designed for primary healthcare providers was objectively measured based on the assumption that training would lead to measurable changes in referral patterns and established clinical measures of referred patients. Using established, valid and reliable measures of clinical urgency embedded in to a regional healthcare system since 2002, the referrals to child and adolescent psychiatric services of physicians who participated in the training (n=99) were compared pretraining and post-training, and to non-participating/untrained referring physicians (n=7753) making referrals over the same time period. Referrals were analysed for evidence of change based on frequencies and measures of clinical urgency. Participants of the training programme also completed standardised baseline and outcome self-evaluations. Congruent with participants self-reported evaluative reports of improved knowledge and practice, analysis of referral frequency and the clinical urgency of referrals to paediatric psychiatric services over the study period indicated that trained physicians made more appropriate referrals (clinically more severe) and reduced referrals to emergency services. Quantitative clinical differences as completed by intake clinicians blind to referrals from the study group designations were observed within the trained physician group pretraining and post-training, and between the trained physician group and the unexposed physician group. The results illustrate a novel model for objectively measuring change among physicians based on training in paediatric mental health management. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  10. Planning and implementing a nationwide football-based health-education programme.

    PubMed

    Dvorak, Jiri; Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid

    2012-01-01

    Communicable and non-communicable diseases place enormous social and economic burdens on developed and developing countries. Health education leading to changes in people's attitudes and behaviours remains the best approach for reducing the problem of communicable diseases while there is evidence that programmes providing regular physical exercise and advocating a controlled diet can reduce the prevalence of many non-communicable diseases. Hence, the delivery of health education and physical activity within a single coherent programme offers great potential for simultaneously addressing both health issues. Since 2006, FIFA has developed and tested a novel football-based health-education programme for children entitled '11 for Health', which is aimed at increasing children's levels of physical activity while also delivering 11 simple health messages. When new interventions of this type are published in the scientific literature, it is often not possible to describe important background information about the project that could assist other researchers in developing and implementing similar programmes. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by describing the aims and objectives, organisation, planning, implementation and monitoring requirements needed to deliver FIFA's '11 for Health' programme, first as a pilot project and subsequently as a nationwide project, through a tripartite arrangement between FIFA, the national Football Association and the Government Ministries in Mauritius.

  11. Planning and implementing a nationwide football-based health-education programme

    PubMed Central

    Dvorak, Jiri; Fuller, Colin W; Junge, Astrid

    2012-01-01

    Communicable and non-communicable diseases place enormous social and economic burdens on developed and developing countries. Health education leading to changes in people's attitudes and behaviours remains the best approach for reducing the problem of communicable diseases while there is evidence that programmes providing regular physical exercise and advocating a controlled diet can reduce the prevalence of many non-communicable diseases. Hence, the delivery of health education and physical activity within a single coherent programme offers great potential for simultaneously addressing both health issues. Since 2006, FIFA has developed and tested a novel football-based health-education programme for children entitled ‘11 for Health’, which is aimed at increasing children's levels of physical activity while also delivering 11 simple health messages. When new interventions of this type are published in the scientific literature, it is often not possible to describe important background information about the project that could assist other researchers in developing and implementing similar programmes. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by describing the aims and objectives, organisation, planning, implementation and monitoring requirements needed to deliver FIFA's ‘11 for Health’ programme, first as a pilot project and subsequently as a nationwide project, through a tripartite arrangement between FIFA, the national Football Association and the Government Ministries in Mauritius. PMID:22144002

  12. Potential in-class strategies to increase children's vegetable consumption.

    PubMed

    Sharp, Gemma; Pettigrew, Simone; Wright, Shannon; Pratt, Iain S; Blane, Sally; Biagioni, Nicole

    2017-06-01

    The Crunch&Sip programme is a school-based nutrition initiative designed to increase the fruit, vegetable and water intakes of primary-school children. In recognition of the notable deficits in children's vegetable consumption, the present study explored the receptivity of school staff to a realignment of the Crunch&Sip programme to feature a primary focus on vegetable consumption. This involved investigating school staff members' perceptions of relevant barriers, motivators and facilitators. A multi-method approach was adopted that involved four focus groups and a survey (administered in paper and online formats) containing a mixture of open- and closed-ended items. Western Australia. Staff from Western Australian schools participated in the focus groups (n 37) and survey (n 620). School staff were strongly supportive of modifying the Crunch&Sip programme to focus primarily on children's vegetable consumption and this was generally considered to be a feasible change to implement. Possible barriers identified included children's taste preferences and a perceived lack of parental support. Suggested strategies to overcome these barriers were education sessions for parents and children, teachers modelling vegetable consumption for their students and integrating vegetable-related topics into the school curriculum. School staff are likely to support the introduction of school-based nutrition programmes that specifically encourage the consumption of vegetables. Potential barriers may be overcome through strategies to engage parents and children.

  13. What's new in graduate medical education?

    PubMed

    Hernandez, Raquel G

    2016-12-01

    The development of new graduate medical education programmes provides both opportunities and challenges. Efforts to address physician workforce shortages as well as a realisation that curricula need to be updated to adjust to our rapidly changing healthcare environment have resulted in more educators considering the "how to" and "what's new" of programme development. Understanding the Next Accreditation System, an accreditation system introduced by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education in 2012, is critical to the success of new as well as existing residency and fellowship programmes. Although many educators are aware of the general rational for the Next Accreditation System, an in-depth understanding of the meaning of Next Accreditation System is necessary from an experiential and theoretical perspective to be able to successfully launch new programmes and moves towards accreditation. A new paediatric categorical residency programme and a new paediatric surgical programme were developed at our institution immediately following the implementation of Next Accreditation System. We provide a series of insights and perspectives based on our experience relative to what priorities we saw outlined from both the programmatic and the institutional perspective to have our graduate medical education programmes reviewed for accreditation. During this discussion, the following objectives are outlined: to overview the Next Accreditation System as a framework and priorities, to discuss the opportunities and challenges that may exist in developing new programmes, and to discuss future directions in the evaluation of trainees and assessment of training competency. Although challenges are outlined, we hope to relay the continued excitement and opportunities that exist relative to enhancing training curricula for future graduate medical education programme builders.

  14. The International Research Training Group (GRK532): Practicing Cross-Border Postgraduate Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ehses, Markus; Veith, Michael

    2009-01-01

    In 1999, the International Research Training Group "GRK532" was founded as a pilot project for cross-border European postgraduate education along the German/French/Luxembourg borders. The project consists of an interdisciplinary research programme on synthesis, isolation and characterization of new materials accompanied by an ambitious…

  15. Workplace nutrition knowledge questionnaire: psychometric validation and application.

    PubMed

    Guadagnin, Simone C; Nakano, Eduardo Y; Dutra, Eliane S; de Carvalho, Kênia M B; Ito, Marina K

    2016-11-01

    Workplace dietary intervention studies in low- and middle-income countries using psychometrically sound measures are scarce. This study aimed to validate a nutrition knowledge questionnaire (NQ) and its utility in evaluating the changes in knowledge among participants of a Nutrition Education Program (NEP) conducted at the workplace. A NQ was tested for construct validity, internal consistency and discriminant validity. It was applied in a NEP conducted at six workplaces, in order to evaluate the effect of an interactive or a lecture-based education programme on nutrition knowledge. Four knowledge domains comprising twenty-three items were extracted in the final version of the NQ. Internal consistency of each domain was significant, with Kuder-Richardson formula values>0·60. These four domains presented a good fit in the confirmatory factor analysis. In the discriminant validity test, both the Expert and Lay groups scored>0·52, but the Expert group scores were significantly higher than those of the Lay group in all domains. When the NQ was applied in the NEP, the overall questionnaire scores increased significantly because of the NEP intervention, in both groups (P<0·001). However, the increase in NQ scores was significantly higher in the interactive group than in the lecture group, in the overall score (P=0·008) and in the healthy eating domain (P=0·009). The validated NQ is a short and useful tool to assess gain in nutrition knowledge among participants of NEP at the workplace. According to the NQ, an interactive nutrition education had a higher impact on nutrition knowledge than a lecture programme.

  16. Use of spaced education to deliver a curriculum in quality, safety and value for postgraduate medical trainees: trainee satisfaction and knowledge.

    PubMed

    Bruckel, Jeffrey; Carballo, Victoria; Kalibatas, Orinta; Soule, Michael; Wynne, Kathryn E; Ryan, Megan P; Shaw, Tim; Co, John Patrick T

    2016-03-01

    Quality, patient safety and value are important topics for graduate medical education (GME). Spaced education delivers case-based content in a structured longitudinal experience. Use of spaced education to deliver quality and safety education in GME at an institutional level has not been previously evaluated. To implement a spaced education course in quality, safety and value; to assess learner satisfaction; and to describe trainee knowledge in these areas. We developed a case-based spaced education course addressing learning objectives related to quality, safety and value. This course was offered to residents and fellows about two-thirds into the academic year (March 2014) and new trainees during orientation (June 2014). We assessed learner satisfaction by reviewing the course completion rate and a postcourse survey, and trainee knowledge by the per cent of correct responses. The course was offered to 1950 trainees. A total of 305 (15.6%) enrolled in the course; 265/305 (86.9%) answered at least one question, and 106/305 (34.8%) completed the course. Fewer participants completed the March programme compared with the orientation programme (42/177 (23.7%) vs 64/128 (50.0%), p<0.001). Completion rates differed by specialty, 80/199 (40.2%) in non-surgical specialties compared with 16/106 (24.5%) in surgical specialties (p=0.008). The proportion of questions answered correctly on the first attempt was 53.2% (95% CI 49.4% to 56.9%). Satisfaction among those completing the programme was high. Spaced education can help deliver and assess learners' understanding of quality, safety and value principles. Offering a voluntary course may result in low completion. Learners were satisfied with their experience and were introduced to new concepts. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

  17. Realising the dream of becoming a nurse: Underrepresented BSc nursing students experiences.

    PubMed

    O'Brien, Brid; Graham, Margaret M; O'Sullivan, Deirdre

    2017-07-01

    This paper describes the experiences of underrepresented BSc nursing students in realising the dream of becoming a nurse in one university. In the past ten years, pre-registration nurse education has become established within higher education in Ireland. This development includes promoting access and inclusion of students from traditionally underrepresented groups in higher education. A third of nursing students currently access places on programmes through routes specifically designed for underrepresented groups. A qualitative descriptive study design provided an opportunity for student voices to be heard. Ethical approval was sought and granted. Eleven students were interviewed nearing completion of a four year BSc Nursing programme. Data analysis followed a thematic approach, in generating themes. Three themes emerged from the data: taking the first steps; finding a way and getting through. Findings highlight participants' challenges in balancing study, clinical practice and family life in achieving and realising their dream of becoming a nurse. This study illustrates the nature and complexities of participants' experiences throughout the BSc Nursing programmes towards becoming university graduates, eligible for registration as a nurse. Students from underrepresented groups bring rich and diverse life experiences in preparation for and becoming caring practitioners. It highlights the individuality within participants' experiences and draws attention to the value of personalised support for students. An opportunity to encourage the development of emotional intelligence needs to be fostered within nurse education programmes. Creating positive learning environments is critical to supporting student understanding of compassionate patient centred care. Findings have relevance for global curriculum design and structures to support individual student centred engagement. Further research is required to consider how best to support students from underrepresented groups. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Effectiveness of a diabetes education and self management programme (DESMOND) for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus: three year follow-up of a cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care.

    PubMed

    Khunti, Kamlesh; Gray, Laura J; Skinner, Timothy; Carey, Marian E; Realf, Kathryn; Dallosso, Helen; Fisher, Harriet; Campbell, Michael; Heller, Simon; Davies, Melanie J

    2012-04-26

    To measure whether the benefits of a single education and self management structured programme for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus are sustained at three years. Three year follow-up of a multicentre cluster randomised controlled trial in primary care, with randomisation at practice level. 207 general practices in 13 primary care sites in the United Kingdom. 731 of the 824 participants included in the original trial were eligible for follow-up. Biomedical data were collected on 604 (82.6%) and questionnaire data on 513 (70.1%) participants. A structured group education programme for six hours delivered in the community by two trained healthcare professional educators compared with usual care. The primary outcome was glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) levels. The secondary outcomes were blood pressure, weight, blood lipid levels, smoking status, physical activity, quality of life, beliefs about illness, depression, emotional impact of diabetes, and drug use at three years. HbA(1c) levels at three years had decreased in both groups. After adjusting for baseline and cluster the difference was not significant (difference -0.02, 95% confidence interval -0.22 to 0.17). The groups did not differ for the other biomedical and lifestyle outcomes and drug use. The significant benefits in the intervention group across four out of five health beliefs seen at 12 months were sustained at three years (P<0.01). Depression scores and quality of life did not differ at three years. A single programme for people with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus showed no difference in biomedical or lifestyle outcomes at three years although there were sustained improvements in some illness beliefs. Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN17844016.

  19. Global health diplomacy investments in Afghanistan: adaptations and outcomes of global fund malaria programs.

    PubMed

    Kevany, Sebastian; Sahak, Omar; Workneh, Nibretie Gobezie; Saeedzai, Sayed Ataullah

    2014-01-01

    Global health programmes require extensive adaptation for implementation in conflict and post-conflict settings. Without such adaptations, both implementation success and diplomatic, international relations and other indirect outcomes may be threatened. Conversely, diplomatic successes may be made through flexible and responsive programmes. We examine adaptations and associated outcomes for malaria treatment and prevention programmes in Afghanistan. In conjunction with the completion of monitoring and evaluation activities for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, we reviewed adaptations to the structure, design, selection, content and delivery of malaria-related interventions in Afghanistan. Interviews were conducted with programme implementers, service delivery providers, government representatives and local stakeholders, and site visits to service delivery points were completed. Programmes for malaria treatment and prevention require a range of adaptations for successful implementation in Afghanistan. These include (1) amendment of educational materials for rural populations, (2) religious awareness in gender groupings for health educational interventions, (3) recruitment of local staff, educated in languages and customs, for both quality assurance and service delivery, (4) alignment with diplomatic principles and, thereby, avoidance of confusion with broader strategic and military initiatives and (5) amendments to programme 'branding' procedures. The absence of provision for these adaptations made service delivery excessively challenging and increased the risk of tension between narrow programmatic and broader diplomatic goals. Conversely, adapted global health programmes displayed a unique capacity to access potentially extremist populations and groups in remote regions otherwise isolated from international activities. A range of diplomatic considerations when delivering global health programmes in conflict and post-conflict settings are required in order to ensure that health gains are not offset by broader international relations losses through challenges to local cultural, religious and social norms, as well as in order to ensure the security of programme staff. Conversely, when global health programmes are delivered with international relations considerations in mind, they have the potential to generate unquantified diplomatic outcomes.

  20. The effect of group-based exercise on cognitive performance and mood in seniors residing in intermediate care and self-care retirement facilities: a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Brown, A K; Liu-Ambrose, T; Tate, R; Lord, S R

    2009-08-01

    To determine the effect of a general group-based exercise programme on cognitive performance and mood among seniors without dementia living in retirement villages. Randomised controlled trial. Four intermediate care and four self-care retirement village sites in Sydney, Australia. 154 seniors (19 men, 135 women; age range 62 to 95 years), who were residents of intermediate care and self-care retirement facilities. Participants were randomised to one of three experimental groups: (1) a general group-based exercise (GE) programme composed of resistance training and balance training exercises; (2) a flexibility exercise and relaxation technique (FR) programme; or (3) no-exercise control (NEC). The intervention groups (GE and FR) participated in 1-hour exercise classes twice a week for a total period of 6 months. Using standard neuropsychological tests, we assessed cognitive performance at baseline and at 6-month re-test in three domains: (1) fluid intelligence; (2) visual, verbal and working memory; and (3) executive functioning. We also assessed mood using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The GE programme significantly improved cognitive performance of fluid intelligence compared with FR or NEC. There were also significant improvements in the positive PANAS scale within both the GE and FR groups and an indication that the two exercise programmes reduced depression in those with initially high GDS scores. Our GE programme significantly improved cognitive performance of fluid intelligence in seniors residing in retirement villages compared with our FR programme and the NEC group. Furthermore, both group-based exercise programmes were beneficial for certain aspects of mood within the 6-month intervention period.

  1. Increased sexual abstinence among in-school adolescents as a result of school health education in Soroti district, Uganda.

    PubMed

    Shuey, D A; Babishangire, B B; Omiat, S; Bagarukayo, H

    1999-06-01

    A school health education programme in primary schools aimed at AIDS prevention in Soroti district of Uganda emphasized improved access to information, improved peer interaction and improved quality of performance of the existing school health education system. A cross-sectional sample of students, average age 14 years, in their final year of primary school was surveyed before and after 2 years of interventions. The percentage of students who stated they had been sexually active fell from 42.9% (123 of 287) to 11.1% (31 of 280) in the intervention group, while no significant change was recorded in a control group. The changes remained significant when segregated by gender or rural and urban location. Students in the intervention group tended to speak to peers and teachers more often about sexual matters. Increases in reasons given by students for abstaining from sex over the study period occurred in those reasons associated with a rational decision-making model rather than a punishment model. A primary school health education programme which emphasizes social interaction methods can be effective in increasing sexual abstinence among school-going adolescents in Uganda. The programme does not have to be expensive and can be implemented with staff present in most districts in the region.

  2. The teaching of medicine at the University Centre for Health Sciences Yaounde, Cameroon: its concordance with the Edinburgh Declaration on medical education.

    PubMed

    Monekosso, G L

    1993-07-01

    The University Centre for Health Sciences (UCHS) or as it is referred to in French 'Centre Universitaire des Sciences de la Santé' (CUSS), became functional in 1969 with the enrollment of the first group of students. The objective of this training programme was to produce a scientifically sound, multipurpose doctor who would be fully operational in a rural setting with minimal equipment and supplies (Monekosso 1970, 1972). The graduate had to be able to adapt readily to new situations and improvise whenever possible, calling for a high degree of competence and initiative. The training strategies adopted by UCHS in 1969 which met this requirement were later found to be in close concordance with the tenets of the World Conference on Medical Education held in Edinburgh in 1988, the Edinburgh Declaration. While some of the terminology may not have been worked out at the time, the programme developed embraced some new concepts hitherto untried or undeveloped: the problem-solving approach in the first to the sixth year; an integrated teaching approach during the first to sixth year of medical training; an integrated medicine internship in district hospitals in the sixth year; a community-based training approach throughout the training; team training of three different health professionals; competency-based training; health services linked research; health services linked training (Monekosso & Quenum 1978). The concordance of this programme to the Edinburgh Declaration is of great interest in realizing the World Federation for Medical Education programme and implementing the Edinburgh Declaration. The involvement of the three innovative medical schools in the planning stage of the curriculum explains this concordance.

  3. Technology-Enhanced Physics Programme for Community-Based Science Learning: Innovative Design and Programme Evaluation in a Theme Park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tho, Siew Wei; Chan, Ka Wing; Yeung, Yau Yuen

    2015-10-01

    In this study, a new physics education programme is specifically developed for a famous theme park in Hong Kong to provide community-based science learning to her visitors, involving her three newly constructed rides. We make innovative use of digital technologies in this programme and incorporate a rigorous evaluation of the learning effectiveness of the programme. A total of around 200 students from nine local secondary schools participated in both the physics programme and its subsequent evaluation which consists of a combination of research and assessment tools, including pre- and post-multiple-choice tests, a questionnaire survey and an interview as specifically developed for this programme, or adopted from some well-accepted research instruments. Based on the evaluation of students' academic performance, there are two educationally significant findings on enhancing the students' physics learning: (a) traditionally large gender differences in physics performance and interest of learning are mostly eliminated; and (b) a less-exciting ride called the aviator (instead of the most exciting roller-coaster ride) can induce the largest learning effect (or gain in academic performance) amongst teenagers. Besides, findings from the questionnaire survey and interviews of participants are reported to reveal their views, perceptions, positive and negative comments or feedback on this programme which could provide valuable insights for future development of other similar community-based programmes.

  4. Promoting Well-Being and Preventing Burnout in Teacher Education: A Pilot Study of a Mindfulness-Based Programme for Pre-Service Teachers in Hong Kong

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hue, Ming-tak; Lau, Ngar-sze

    2015-01-01

    The stress that negatively affects teachers has been found to influence the turnover rate in the teaching profession. Recent research has shown that mindfulness-based programmes effectively promote well-being while addressing psychological distress. In this study, the authors investigated the effects of a six-week mindfulness-based programme on…

  5. Effects of health empowerment intervention on resilience of adolescents in a tribal area: A study using the Solomon four-groups design.

    PubMed

    Sarkar, Kaushik; Dasgupta, Aparajita; Sinha, Multipada; Shahbabu, Bhaskar

    2017-10-01

    Resilience prevents the emergence of stress-related mental health problems among adolescents. Adolescents in tribal areas of India are more prone to develop such problems. The primary objective was to determine the effect of combined life skills-based health empowerment intervention on the resilience of school-going adolescents in a tribal area. The secondary objectives were to determine the effect of the intervention on internal health locus of control and self-determination and to compare the effect of intervention on resilience between non-tribal and tribal adolescents. We conducted this quasi-experimental study using a Solomon four-group design among 742 adolescents in two schools of Purulia, West Bengal, India. Students of the pretested group were examined for resilience using the Child Youth Resilience Measurement scale. A life skills education-based health empowerment intervention was administered among students of the experimental group. Post-test data on resilience, self-determination, internal health locus of control and pathological behaviour was obtained 3 months after the completion of intervention. A multi-level general linear mixed model was constructed to determine the effect of intervention on resilience. Resilience was less among tribal adolescents at baseline. The intervention significantly improved resilience [β Adjusted  = 11.19 (95% CI = 10.55, 11.83], with a greater increase for tribal adolescents [β tribal-nontribal  = 1.53 (95% CI = 0.03, 3.03)]. The intervention also significantly improved internal health locus of control (marginal mean increment 1.38 ± 0.05), self-determination (marginal mean increment 3.71 ± 0.09) and reduced pathological behaviour of the adolescents. Our study informed the current health policy that the existing life skills education-based programme should be reviewed and modified to include generic life skills, and the life skills education-based programme should be coupled with developmental interventions aimed at improving adult education and family climate for optimum effect on mental health and health behaviour of adolescents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Natural hazards education in global environment leaders education programme for designing a low-carbon society

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lee, Han Soo; Yamashita, Takao; Fujiwara, Akimasa

    2010-05-01

    Global environmental leader (GEL) education programme at graduate school for international development and cooperation (IDEC) in Hiroshima University is an education and training programme for graduate students especially from developing countries in Asian region to build and enhance their ability to become international environmental leaders. Through this programme, they will participate in regular course works and other activities to learn how to cope with the various environment and resource management issues from global to regional scales toward a low-carbon society via multi-disciplinary approaches considering sustainable development and climate change. Under this GEL programme, there are five different research sub-groups as follows assuming a cause-effect relationship among interacting components of social, economic, and environmental systems; 1) urban system design to prevent global warming, 2) wise use of biomass resources, 3) environmental impact assessment, 4) policy and institutional design, and 5) development of environmental education programs. Candidate students of GEL programme belong to one of the five research sub-groups, perform their researches and participate in many activities under the cross-supervisions from faculty members of different sub-groups. Under the third research group for environmental impact assessment, we use numerical models named as regional environment simulator (RES) as a tool for research and education for assessing the environmental impacts due to natural hazards. Developed at IDEC, Hiroshima University, RES is a meso-scale numerical model system that can be used for regional simulation of natural disasters and environmental problems caused by water and heat circulation in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. RES has three components: i) atmosphere-surface waves-ocean part, ii) atmosphere-land surface process-hydrologic part, and iii) coastal and estuarine part. Each part is constructed with state-of-the-art public domain numerical models that are combined synchronously by an own-developed model coupler. Therefore, RES can provide detailed insights from various aspects of interaction processes between each component in the earth system. For instance, RES has been used for the study of storm surges and the abnormally high ocean waves caused by typhoons, cyclones, hurricanes, and winter monsoon winds in Asian region; dam lake circulation; air-sea interaction of momentum, heat, and tracer material exchange; heavy rainfall and runoff simulation; estuarine circulation with cohesive sediment transport; and wave overtopping in coastal regions. Most recently, a project on the impact of reduced discharge of freshwater and sediment from the Yangtze River basin on the adjacent East China Sea has been initiated by using the RES. Under the GEL programme, we found the RES can be an important and useful tool for graduate students not only from science and engineering background but also from social science so as to evaluate their policy and institutional design.

  7. Outreach Programmes for Education and Training: Contributions from the International Cartographic Association

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cartwright, W. E.; Fairbairn, D.

    2012-07-01

    Organisations like the International Cartographic Association champion programmes that develop and deliver education and training to cartographers and geospatial scientists, globally. This can be in the form of traditional university and training college programmes, short courses for professional and technical members of mapping agencies and as outreach initiatives to transfer knowledge about the discipline and its contemporary practices. Through its international community, the ICA undertakes the transfer of knowledge about cartography and GI Science by publishing books and special editions of journals and running workshops. Colleagues from the ICA community conduct these workshops on a volunteer basis, generally with the support of the national member organisation of ICA or the national mapping body. For example, the ICA promotes the generation of extensive publications, generally through its Commissions and Working Groups. The publications include books, journals and the ICA Newsletter. Outreach activities are especially pertinent to up skill colleagues from developing countries. Specialist programmes can be offered for professional and 'everyday' map users (from adults to children). The ICA can assist with its current programmes, designed to embrace professional and non-professional cartographers alike. This paper will address how education and outreach programmes can be supported by international associations, by offering programmes independently, or in partnership with sister associations and national and regional organisations and societies. As well, the paper will address the need to deliver education and outreach programmes not to just the professional international community, but also to map users and citizen map publishers.

  8. Placing Elementary Music Education: A Case Study of a Canadian Rural Music Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brook, Julia

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this research study was to explore how one rural elementary music programme deepens students' sense of place. Place-based educational research has explored the implementation of such programme in the areas of social studies and visual arts, however, more research is needed to examine how music education can deepen students' sense of…

  9. The Validity and Value of Peer Assessment Using Adaptive Comparative Judgement in Design Driven Practical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Seery, Niall; Canty, Donal; Phelan, Pat

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the response of the technology teacher education programmes at the University of Limerick to the assessment challenge created by the shift in philosophy of the Irish national curriculum from a craft-based focus to design-driven education. This study observes two first year modules of the undergraduate programmes that focused on…

  10. PRomotion Of Physical activity through structured Education with differing Levels of ongoing Support for people at high risk of type 2 diabetes (PROPELS): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Yates, Tom; Griffin, Simon; Bodicoat, Danielle H; Brierly, Gwen; Dallosso, Helen; Davies, Melanie J; Eborall, Helen; Edwardson, Charlotte; Gillett, Mike; Gray, Laura; Hardeman, Wendy; Hill, Sian; Morton, Katie; Sutton, Stephen; Troughton, Jacqui; Khunti, Kamlesh

    2015-07-02

    The prevention of type 2 diabetes is recognised as a health care priority. Lifestyle change has proven effective at reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, but limitations in the current evidence have been identified in: the promotion of physical activity; availability of interventions that are suitable for commissioning and implementation; availability of evidence-based interventions using new technologies; and physical activity promotion among ethnic minorities. We aim to investigate whether a structured education programme with differing levels of ongoing support, including text-messaging, can increase physical activity over a 4 year period in a multi-ethnic population at high risk of diabetes. A multi-centre randomised controlled trial, with follow-up at 12 and 48 months. The primary outcome is change in ambulatory activity at 48 months. Secondary outcomes include changes to markers of metabolic, cardiovascular, anthropometric and psychological health along with cost-effectiveness. Participants aged 40-74 years for White European, or 25-74 years for South Asians, with an HbA1c value of between 6.0 and < 6.4% (42 and 47 mmol/mol) or with a previously recorded plasma glucose level or HbA1c value within the high risk (prediabetes) range within the last five years, are invited to take part in the trial. Participants are identified through primary care, using an automated diabetes risk score within their practice database, or from a database of previous research participants. Participants are randomly assigned to either: 1) the control group who receive a detailed advice leaflet; 2) the Walking Away group, who receive the same leaflet and attend a 3 hour structured education programme with annual maintenance sessions delivered in groups; or 3) the Walking Away Plus group, who receive the leaflet, attend the structured education programme with annual maintenance sessions, plus receive follow-on support through highly-tailored text-messaging and telephone calls to help to aid pedometer use and behaviour change. This study will provide new evidence for the long-term effectiveness of a structured education programme focused on physical activity, conducted within routine care in a multi-ethnic population in the UK. It will also investigate the impact of different levels of ongoing support and the cost-effectiveness of each intervention. ISRCTN83465245 Trial registration date: 14/06/2012.

  11. Evidence-based Practice Intentions and Long-term Behaviours of Physiotherapy Graduates Following an Intensive Education Programme.

    PubMed

    Perraton, L; Machotka, Z; Gibbs, C; Mahar, C; Kennedy, K; Grimmer, K

    2017-07-01

    Assisting physiotherapists to implement research evidence into clinical practice is essential to ensure the quality of practice and encourage lifelong learning and professional progression. However, many physiotherapists report barriers to implementing research, and there is little evidence regarding the sustainability of intended evidence-based practice (EBP) behaviours following EBP education programmes. This paper reports on intended and actual long-term EBP behaviours of physiotherapy students who completed an intensive EBP training programme embedded within a post-graduate coursework programme. An intensive 3-week course in quantitative health research methods and EBP was delivered annually from 2007 to 2014 as part of the programme to national and international students. Following the course, students were asked about their intention of using evidence to inform their future clinical practice. An online survey was used to evaluate EBP behaviours of graduates. Of a possible total of 202 students, contact details for 193 students were sourced, and 65 students responded to the survey (34% response rate). At course completion, 174 students (86%) indicated that they intended to use research to guide their clinical decisions at least once a week. At follow-up, most graduates reported frequently using research to inform their clinical practice; indicated by a mean score of 6.5 (±1.9) from a possible range of 0 (not at all) to 10 (all the time). On average, students reported spending 2.2 (±2.2) hours accessing and reading research evidence per week. The most common barriers to implementing evidence were lack of time, limited access to evidence sources and a perceived lack of generalizability of research findings to specific patient groups. Graduates of an intensive EBP training programme embedded within an existing post-graduate physiotherapy programme regularly implemented EBP in clinical practice. Barriers to evidence implementation were time, access to research and perceived lack of generalizability of research findings. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  12. Interventional study to strengthen the health promoting behaviours of pregnant women to prevent anaemia in southern India.

    PubMed

    Noronha, Judith A; Bhaduri, Aparna; Bhat, H Vinod; Kamath, Asha

    2013-07-01

    to determine the effectiveness of a health information package in terms of empowering the pregnant women to modify their health-care behaviour and take appropriate action to combat anaemia in pregnancy. the study was conceptualized based on Rosenstock and Becker's health belief model. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used. The sample consists of 225 anaemic pregnant women randomly allocated in experimental (n=75), control group A (n=75) and control group B (n=75). The health seeking behaviour outcome measure included knowledge regarding anaemia, food selection ability, increase in haemoglobin level and compliance to iron supplementation. Intervention was a validated planned educational programme with visual aids and iron supplementation. the results show the mean gain of knowledge scores of experimental group was comparatively higher and control groups A and B showed that F ratio was (F(2,190)=11.910, p<0.01) indicating that the pregnant women learned more about anaemia prevention than others. With regard to food selection ability scores of experimental, control groups A and B the F ratio was also significant (F(2,190)=20.92, p<0.01). Nearly 61.2% of the subjects in experimental group became non-anaemic after the intervention when compared to control group A. This indicated that inspite of iron supplementation received by the three groups health education contributed significantly in modifying their health seeking behaviour and their perception about significance of anaemia has a problem. developing countries still face the critical problem of anaemia in pregnancy. These are the socio-cultural priority problems that demand immediate attention by the policy makers and health professionals. The national anaemia control programme focuses on iron supplementation, but nutritional education and supervision of iron supplementation has failed in different regions. The study implies that economic empowerment; strengthening health literacy through planned educational programs will definitely improve the health behaviour of individual and community at large. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. [How do Prevention Projects Reach their Target Groups? Results of a Survey with Prevention Projects].

    PubMed

    Brand, T; Böttcher, S; Jahn, I

    2015-12-01

     The aim of this study was to assess methods used to access target groups in prevention projects funded within the prevention research framework by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.  A survey with prevention projects was conducted. Access strategies, communication channels, incentives, programme reach, and successful practical recruitment strategies were explored.  38 out of 60 projects took part in the survey. Most projects accessed their target group within structured settings (e. g., child day-care centers, schools, workplaces). Multiple communication channels and incentives were used, with written information and monetary incentives being used most frequently. Only few projects were able to report their programme reach adequately; programme reach was highest for programmes accessing the target groups in structured settings. The respondents viewed active recruitment via personal communication with the target group and key persons in the settings as the most successful strategy.  The paper provides an overview on recruitment strategies used in current preven-tion projects. More systematic research on programme reach is necessary. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

  14. Interprofessional Education and Practice Guide No. 8: Team-based interprofessional practice placements.

    PubMed

    Brewer, Margo L; Barr, Hugh

    2016-11-01

    Whilst interest in interprofessional learning (IPL) in practice contexts has grown in recent years, the complexities involved have led many universities to rely on IPL in the classroom, online, and/or simulated contexts. Curtin University's Faculty of Health Sciences has successfully implemented a multi-award winning, large-scale Interprofessional Practice Programme. This programme, which began with five small pilots in 2009, provides team-based interprofessional practice placements for over 550 students from nine professions per annum. Drawing on both the literature and Curtin University's experience, this Interprofessional Education and Practice Guide aims to assist university and practice-based educators to "weigh the case" for introducing team-based interprofessional placements. The key lessons learned at Curtin University are identified to offer guidance to others towards establishing a similar programme for students during their prequalifying courses in health, social care, and related fields.

  15. Use of computers and the Internet by residents in US family medicine programmes.

    PubMed

    King, Richard V; Murphy-Cullen, Cassie L; Mayo, Helen G; Marcee, Alice K; Schneider, Gregory W

    2007-06-01

    Computers, personal digital assistants (PDA), and the Internet are widely used as resources in medical education and clinical care. Educators who intend to incorporate these resources effectively into residency education programmes can benefit from understanding how residents currently use these tools, their skills, and their preferences. The researchers sent questionnaires to 306 US family medicine residency programmes for all of their residents to complete. Respondents were 1177 residents from 125 (41%) programmes. Access to a computer was reported by 95% of respondents. Of these, 97% of desktop and 89% of laptop computers could access the Internet. Residents accessed various educational and clinical resources. Half felt they had 'intermediate' skills at Web searches, 23% had 'some skills,' and 27% were 'quite skilled.' Those under 30 years of age reported higher skill levels. Those who experienced a Web-based curriculum in medical school reported higher search skills and greater success in finding clinical information. Respondents preferred to use technology to supplement the didactic sessions offered in resident teaching conferences. Favourable conditions exist in family medicine residency programmes to implement a blend of traditional and technology-based learning experiences. These conditions include residents' experience, skills, and preferences.

  16. Narrowing the Gap in Outcomes for Vulnerable Groups: Overview and Analysis of Available Datasets on Vulnerable Groups and the Five ECM Outcomes. Executive Summary

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Morris, Marian

    2007-01-01

    This summary presents the main findings from a data mapping and analysis study commissioned by the Local Government Association (LGA) from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) as part of a two-year development and research programme, Narrowing the Gap. This programme seeks to make a significant difference in "narrowing the…

  17. Long-term effects of a nurse-led group and individual patient education programme for patients with chronic inflammatory polyarthritis - a randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Grønning, Kjersti; Rannestad, Toril; Skomsvoll, Johan F; Rygg, Lisbeth Ø; Steinsbekk, Aslak

    2014-04-01

    To investigate the long-term effect of a nurse-led hospital-based patient education programme combining group and individual education for patients with chronic inflammatory polyarthritis. Patient education interventions have shown short-term effects, but few studies have investigated whether the effects are sustained for a longer period. Randomised controlled trial. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and unspecified polyarthritis were randomised to the intervention group (n = 71) or a waiting list (n = 70). Primary outcomes were as follows: Global Well-Being and the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Other Symptoms Subscale. Secondary outcomes were as follows: patient activation, physical and psychological health status, patients' educational needs and a Disease Activity Score (DAS28-3). The intervention group had a statistically significant higher global well-being than the controls after 12 months, mean change score 8·2 (95% CI, 1·6-14·8; p-value = 0·015), but not in the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Other Symptoms Subscale, mean change score 2·6 (95% CI, -1·8 to 7·1; p-value = 0·245). Within each group, analyses showed a statistically significant improvement in DAS28-3, mean change -0·3 (95% CI, -0·5 to -0·1; p-value = 0·001), in the intervention group from baseline to 12 months, but not in the controls. The controls had a statistically significant deterioration in the Arthritis Self-Efficacy Other Symptoms Subscale, mean change -5·0 (95% CI, -8·6 to -1·3; p-value = 0·008), Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales - 2 Social, mean change 0·3 (95% CI, 0·1-0·5; p-value = 0·008), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale total, mean change 1·4 (95% CI, 0·3-2·5; p-value = 0·013). A combination of group and individual patient education has a long-term effect on patients' global well-being. Nurses should consider whether a combination of group and individual patient education for patients with chronic inflammatory polyarthritis is an alternative in their clinical practice. This combination is less time-consuming for the patients, and it includes the benefit of group learning in addition to focusing on patient's individual educational needs. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Vocation, friendship and resilience: a study exploring nursing student and staff views on retention and attrition.

    PubMed

    Williamson, Graham R; Health, Val; Proctor-Childs, Tracey

    2013-01-01

    There is international concern about retention of student nurses on undergraduate programmes. United Kingdom Higher Education Institutions are monitored on their attrition statistics and can be penalised financially, so they have an incentive to help students remain on their programmes beyond their moral duty to ensure students receive the best possible educational experience. to understand students' and staff concerns about programmes and placements as part of developing our retention strategies. This study reports qualitative data on retention and attrition collected as part of an action research study. One University School of Nursing and Midwifery in the South West of England. Staff, current third year and ex-student nurses from the adult field. Data were collected in focus groups, both face-to face and virtual, and individual telephone interviews. These were transcribed and subjected to qualitative content analysis. FOUR THEMES EMERGED: Academic support, Placements and mentors, Stresses and the reality of nursing life, and Dreams for a better programme. The themes Academic support, Placements and mentors and Stresses and the reality of nursing life, resonate with international literature. Dreams for a better programme included smaller group learning. Vocation, friendship and resilience seem instrumental in retaining students, and Higher Education Institutions should work to facilitate these. 'Vocation' has been overlooked in the retention discussions, and working more actively to foster vocation and belongingness could be important.

  19. School Area Road Safety Assessment and Improvements (SARSAI) programme reduces road traffic injuries among children in Tanzania.

    PubMed

    Poswayo, Ayikai; Kalolo, Simon; Rabonovitz, Katheryn; Witte, Jeffrey; Guerrero, Alejandro

    2018-05-19

    To determine the impact of a paediatric road traffic injury (RTI) prevention programme in urban Sub-Saharan Africa. Dares Salaam, Republic of Tanzania. Household surveys were conducted in catchment areas around 18 primary schools in Dar es Salaam, Republic of Tanzania; the catchment areas were divided into control and intervention groups. Collected data included basic demographic information on all school-aged household members and whether or not they had been involved in an RTI in the previous 12 months, and, if so, what the characteristics of that RTI were. Based on these findings, a separate road safety engineering site analysis and consultation with the communities and other stakeholders, an injury-prevention programme was developed and implemented, consisting of infrastructure enhancements and a site-specific educational programme. The programme was initially implemented at the intervention schools. After 1 year, data were collected in the same manner. The control group received the same intervention after follow-up data were collected. Data were collected on 12 957 school-aged children in the baseline period and 13 555 school-aged children in the post-intervention period, in both the control and intervention communities. There was a statistically significant reduction in RTIs in the intervention group and a non-significant increase in RTI in the control group. The greatest reduction was in motorcycle-pedestrian RTI, private vehicle-pedestrian RTI and morning RTI. The programme demonstrated a significant reduction in paediatric RTI after its implementation, in very specific ways. This study demonstrates that for a reasonable investment, scientifically driven injury-prevention programmes are feasible in resource-limited settings with high paediatric RTI rates. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  20. Community-Based Education in Egypt: Is It Achieving Its Stated Goals?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Langsten, Ray

    2016-01-01

    Egypt promises "education for all". Primary attendance and completion have increased substantially. Still, many children remain out of school. There remain questions about the quality of education. Since the early 1990s, community-based education (CBE) has been part of Egypt's educational programme. Community-based education is meant to…

  1. Outcomes of people with psychotic disorders in a community-based rehabilitation programme in rural India

    PubMed Central

    Chatterjee, Sudipto; Pillai, Aravind; Jain, Sumeet; Cohen, Alex; Patel, Vikram

    2009-01-01

    Background There is little evidence of the feasibility, acceptability and impact of services for the care of people with psychotic disorders in low- and middle-income countries. Aims To describe the scaling up and impact of a community-based rehabilitation programme for people with psychotic disorders in a very-low-resource setting. Methods Longitudinal study of people with psychotic disorders who had been ill for an average of 8 years in a rural Indian community. All individuals received a community-based intervention package comprising psychotropic medications, psychoeducation, adherence management, psychosocial rehabilitation and support for livelihoods. The primary outcome was change in disability scores. Results The cohort consisted of 256 people with psychotic disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder and other psychosis) of whom 236 people completed the end-point assessments (92%), with a median follow-up of 46 months. There were significant reductions (P<0.05) in the levels of disability for the cohort, the vast majority (83.5%) of whom engaged with the programme. On multivariate analyses, lower baseline disability scores, family engagement with the programme, medication adherence and being a member of a self-help group were independent determinants of good outcomes. Lack of formal education, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and dropping out of the programme were independent determinants of poor outcomes. Conclusions Community-based rehabilitation is a feasible and acceptable intervention with a beneficial impact on disability for the majority of people with psychotic disorders in low-resource settings. The impact on disability is influenced by a combination of clinical, programme and social determinants. PMID:19880934

  2. Factors That Advance and Restrict Programme Change and Professional Development in Dental Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Behar-Horenstein, Linda S.; Roberts, Kellie W.; Zafar, Mueen A.

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of a professional development initiative using organisational change research studies to frame the inquiry. Two faculty groups and two student groups participated in a total of four focus group interviews to ascertain their perceptions of a new model of pre-clinical dental education. Using a…

  3. The professional competence profile of Finnish nurses practising in a forensic setting.

    PubMed

    Koskinen, L; Likitalo, H; Aho, J; Vuorio, O; Meretoja, R

    2014-05-01

    Forensic nurses in Finland work in the two state-maintained forensic hospitals. The main function of these hospitals is to perform forensic psychiatric evaluation and provide treatment for two groups of patients: violent offenders found not guilty by reason of insanity, and those too dangerous or difficult to be treated in regional hospitals. Although the forensic nurses work with the most challenging psychiatric patients, they do not have any preparatory special education for the work. This paper describes the development of nurses who participated in a 1-year further education programme that was tailored to them. The nurses experienced that the 1-year education had a significant impact on their overall competence level. They found that their skills for observing, helping, teaching and caring for their patients had increased during the education. Conversely, it was found that the nurses collaborated little with their patients' family members. They were also not familiar with utilizing research findings in improving their care of patients. Forensic nursing is a global and relatively young profession that combines nursing care and juridical processes. There are, however, significant differences in the qualifications of forensic nurses internationally. The aim of the study was to describe the professional competence profile of practising forensic nurses in Finland and to explore the effects of a 1-year further education programme on that competence profile. The data were collected in 2011-2012 using the Nurse Competence Scale comprising seven competence categories, and analysed using the software package SPSS version 19.0 (SPSS, Inc., Armonk, NY, USA). The participants were 19 forensic nurses and their 15 head nurses. The assessed overall scores from both informant groups indicated a high level of competence across the seven categories. The nurses felt that the overall competence level had increased during the education programme. The increase seen by the head nurses was smaller. The less frequent competence items included utilization of research and involvement of family in care. It can be stated that the 1-year further education programme was effective in developing the nurses' competence profile and, in particular, affected their professional self-confidence. It will, however, be essential to strengthen their skills for working with families and their awareness of evidence-based forensic nursing. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Evaluating the Level of Degree Programmes in Higher Education: Conceptual Design

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rexwinkel, Trudy; Haenen, Jacques; Pilot, Albert

    2013-01-01

    Evaluating the level of degree programmes became crucial with the Bologna Agreement in 1999 when European ministers agreed to implement common bachelor's and master's degree programmes and a common system of quality assurance. The European Quality Assurance system demands evaluation of the degree programme level based on valid and reliable…

  5. The return to work discussion: a qualitative study of the line manager conversation about return to work and the development of an educational programme.

    PubMed

    Cohen, Debbie; Allen, Joanna; Rhydderch, Melody; Aylward, Mansel

    2012-07-01

    To investigate the conversation between line manager and employee about return to work to inform the development of an online interactive educational programme for line managers to improve the effectiveness of their discussions. An inductive qualitative approach, using the principles of action research and motivational interviewing were adopted. The results informed the development of the educational programme for line managers. Middle grade line managers in a large public services employer in the UK. Four discussion groups were conducted over a period of 8 months. Line managers explored the challenges of the return to work interview, analysed their interactions with employees and constructed the content of an educational programme. Multiple methods were used to build engagement with participants, including video and role-play. Nine line managers were recruited across 3 business areas. Managers recognised that their conversations focused on the organisations' policies and procedures and the outcome, rather than the interaction. They recognised the strength of shifting style to shared decision-making and guidance rather than process and instruction. These communication strategies were depicted in the educational programme. The content and flow of the return to work discussion is of high importance and influences employee behaviour and return to work outcomes.

  6. From psycho-social theory to sustainable classroom practice: developing a research-based teacher-delivered sex education programme.

    PubMed

    Wight, D; Abraham, C

    2000-02-01

    This paper describes the development of a theoretically based sex education programme currently undergoing a randomized controlled trial in the UK. It considers some of the practical difficulties involved in translating research-based conclusions into acceptable, replicable and potentially effective classroom lessons. The discussion acknowledges that the implications of social psychological research and the requirements of rigorous evaluation may conflict with accepted principles inherent in current sex education practice. It also emphasizes that theoretical ideas must be carefully embedded in lessons which are informed by an awareness of classroom culture, and the needs and skills of teachers. For example, the use of same-sex student groups to reflect on the gendered construction of sexuality may be problematic. Materials must be tailored to recipients' circumstances, which may require substituting for limited experience with the use of detailed scripts and scenarios. Furthermore, role-play techniques for sexual negotiation that work elsewhere may not be effective in the UK. The use of trigger video sessions and other techniques are recommended. Finally, the problems involved in promoting condom-related skills are discussed. The paper concludes that, if an intervention is to be sustainable beyond the research stage, it must be designed to overcome such problems while remaining theoretically informed.

  7. Student-Adult Mentoring Relationships: Experiences from a Scottish School-Based Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mtika, Peter; Payne, Frances

    2014-01-01

    Background: This article reports on a mentoring programme which was implemented in selected Scottish secondary schools with the view to supporting students with school work, transition to further education/higher education, careers, and interpersonal skills. Mentoring students can enhance their academic, social, career and other outcomes.…

  8. Quality of Individualised Education Programme Goals and Objectives for Preschool Children with Disabilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rakap, Salih

    2015-01-01

    Individualised education programmes (IEPs) are the road maps for individualising services for children with disabilities, specifically through the development of high-quality child goals/objectives. High-quality IEP goals/objectives that are developed based on a comprehensive assessment of child functioning and directly connected to intervention…

  9. Evaluation of a Health Education Programme about Traumatic Brain Injury

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garcia, Jane Mertz; Sellers, Debra M.; Hilgendorf, Amy E.; Burnett, Debra L.

    2014-01-01

    Objective: Our aim was to evaluate a health education programme (TBIoptions: Promoting Knowledge) designed to increase public awareness and understanding about traumatic brain injury (TBI) through in-person (classroom) and computer-based (electronic) learning environments. Design: We used a pre-post survey design with randomization of participants…

  10. The cost-effectiveness of a child nutrition education programme in Peru.

    PubMed

    Waters, Hugh R; Penny, Mary E; Creed-Kanashiro, Hilary M; Robert, Rebecca C; Narro, Rocío; Willis, Jeff; Caulfield, Laura E; Black, Robert E

    2006-07-01

    This article reports impact and cost results from a health facility-based nutrition education programme targeting children less than 2 years of age in Trujillo, Peru. Key elements of the programme included participative complementary feeding demonstrations, growth monitoring sessions and an accreditation process. Data were collected from six intervention and six control health facilities to measure utilization and costs associated with the intervention. To calculate the unit costs of services, these costs are allocated using activity-based costing. To measure the effects of the intervention, 338 children were followed through household surveys at regular intervals from birth until the age of 18 months. The intervention had a clear positive impact both on the use of nutrition-related services and on children's growth outcomes. Children in the intervention areas made 17.6 visits to health facilities in the first 18 months of life, compared with 14.1 visits for children in the control areas (P < 0.001). This pattern holds true for all socioeconomic groups. The intervention prevented 11.1 cases of stunting per 100 children. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, children in the intervention were 0.33 times as likely to be stunted as the controls (P = 0.002). The marginal cost of the intervention - including external costs, training, health education materials and extra travel and equipment - is 6.12 US dollars per child reached and 55.16 US dollars per case of stunting prevented. The estimated marginal cost of the intervention per death averted is 1952 US dollars.

  11. Stakeholder views of rural community-based medical education: a narrative review of the international literature.

    PubMed

    Somporn, Praphun; Ash, Julie; Walters, Lucie

    2018-03-30

    Rural community-based medical education (RCBME), in which medical student learning activities take place within a rural community, requires students, clinical teachers, patients, community members and representatives of health and government sectors to actively contribute to the educational process. Therefore, academics seeking to develop RCBME need to understand the rural context, and the views and needs of local stakeholders. The aim of this review is to examine stakeholder experiences of RCBME programmes internationally. This narrative literature review of original research articles published after 1970 utilises Worley's symbiosis model of medical education as an analysis framework. This model proposes that students experience RCBME through their intersection with multiple clinical, social and institutional relationships. This model seeks to provide a framework for considering the intersecting relationships in which RCBME programmes are situated. Thirty RCBME programmes are described in 52 articles, representing a wide range of rural clinical placements. One-year longitudinal integrated clerkships for penultimate-year students in Anglosphere countries were most common. Such RCBME enables students to engage in work-integrated learning in a feasible manner that is acceptable to many rural clinicians and patients. Academic results are not compromised, and a few papers demonstrate quality improvement for rural health services engaged in RCBME. These programmes have delivered some rural medical workforce outcomes to communities and governments. Medical students also provide social capital to rural communities. However, these programmes have significant financial cost and risk student social and educational isolation. Rural community-based medical education programmes are seen as academically acceptable and can facilitate symbiotic relationships among students, rural clinicians, patients and community stakeholders. These relationships can influence students' clinical competency and professional identity, increase graduates' interest in rural careers, and potentially improve rural health service stability. Formal prospective stakeholder consultations should be published in the literature. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

  12. Whetting disadvantaged adults' appetite for nutrition education.

    PubMed

    Pettigrew, Simone; Biagioni, Nicole; Moore, Sarah; Pratt, Iain S

    2017-10-01

    To identify the features of a nutrition education programme for disadvantaged adults deemed most attractive and useful by participants. A two-year, multi-method, qualitative evaluation of pre and post data collected from programme participants. Data were imported into NVivo10 for coding to facilitate a thematic analysis. Western Australia. Participants Individuals attending the Western Australian FOODcents nutrition education programme that is designed to provide knowledge and skills needed to consume a healthy diet on a budget. Focus groups were conducted several weeks after course completion (five groups, forty-seven participants), observations were conducted during FOODcents sessions (thirty-one observation episodes, 237 participants), and open-ended questions were asked in pre-post hard-copy surveys administered in sessions (n 927) and an online survey administered on average six weeks after course completion (n 114). The course attributes that were found to be especially important to participants were: (i) user-friendly, practical information that could be immediately translated to their daily lives; (ii) experiential learning that involved direct contact with food products; and (iii) opportunities for social interaction. These aspects of nutrition education were described as being highly influential in the decision to participate in the course, the application of the information in their subsequent food purchase and preparation activities, and their word-of-mouth communications with others about the course. Incorporating aspects of most importance to participants into nutrition education programme delivery and promotion may increase joining rates, enjoyment, satisfaction with course content and, ultimately, the uptake of recommended behaviours.

  13. Community-based group aquatic programme for individuals with multiple sclerosis: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Salem, Yasser; Scott, Anne Hiller; Karpatkin, Herbert; Concert, George; Haller, Leah; Kaminsky, Eva; Weisbrot, Rivky; Spatz, Eugene

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of providing a community-based aquatic exercise programme and to examine the effects of a group aquatic exercise programme in individuals with multiple sclerosis. This study illustrates the implementation of a multidisciplinary community-based programme in a university community wellness centre coordinated with a local advocacy group. Eleven subjects with multiple sclerosis participated in a 5-week community-based aquatic exercise programme. Aquatic exercises were held twice weekly for 60 minutes and included aerobic exercises, strength training, flexibility exercises, balance training and walking activities. The 10-Metre Walk test, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the 'Timed Up and Go' (TUG) test, grip strength and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale were used to assess motor function. Analysis of the scores demonstrated improved gait speed, BBS, TUG test and grip strength. The average attendance of the training sessions was good (88%), and no incidence of injuries, no incidence of falls and no adverse effects related to the exercise programme were reported. All participants reported that they enjoyed the programme, and they had improved after the training. A community-based aquatic exercise programme is feasible and resulted in improvement in motor functions of individuals with multiple sclerosis. These findings indicate that an aquatic training programme is appropriate and beneficial for individuals with multiple sclerosis and should be considered to augment the rehabilitation of those individuals. This programme may provide a viable model for a community-based wellness programme for people with disability including individuals with multiple sclerosis.

  14. 'It promoted a positive culture around falls prevention': staff response to a patient education programme-a qualitative evaluation.

    PubMed

    Hill, Anne-Marie; Waldron, Nicholas; Francis-Coad, Jacqueline; Haines, Terry; Etherton-Beer, Christopher; Flicker, Leon; Ingram, Katharine; McPhail, Steven M

    2016-12-21

    The purpose of this study was to understand how staff responded to individualised patient falls prevention education delivered as part of a cluster randomised trial, including how they perceived the education contributed to falls prevention on their wards. A qualitative explanatory study. 5 focus groups were conducted at participatory hospital sites. The purposive sample of clinical staff (including nurses, physiotherapists and quality improvement staff) worked on aged care rehabilitation wards when a cluster randomised trial evaluating a patient education programme was conducted. During the intervention period, an educator, who was a trained health professional and not a member of staff, provided individualised falls prevention education to patients with good levels of cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination >23/30). Clinical staff were provided with training to support the programme and their feedback was sought after the trial concluded, to understand how they perceived the programme impacted on falls prevention. Data were thematically analysed using NVivo qualitative data analysis software. 5 focus groups were conducted at different hospitals (n=30 participants). Staff perceived that the education created a positive culture around falls prevention and further, facilitated teamwork, whereby patients and staff worked together to address falls prevention. The educator was perceived to be a valuable member of the team. Staff reported that they developed increased knowledge and awareness about creating a safe ward environment. Patients being proactive and empowered to engage in falls prevention strategies, such as ringing the bell for assistance, was viewed as supporting staff falls prevention efforts and motivating staff to change practice. Staff responded positively to patient falls prevention education being delivered on their wards. Providing individualised patient education to older patients with good levels of cognition can empower staff and patients to work as a team to address falls prevention on hospital rehabilitation wards. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  15. Equipping students to contribute to development through a geohazards education and research programme (Ladakh, India)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gill, Joel; Tostevin, Rosalie

    2014-05-01

    Here we present a geohazards education and engagement project in the Indian region of Ladakh, used as an opportunity to train geoscience students in a number of important ethical, cultural and professional considerations. Located in the Indian Himalaya, Ladakh is home to historically-disadvantaged and endangered indigenous groups. It is also an area of extreme topography, climate and vulnerability, with a growing tourist industry. This combination of factors makes it an important region to improve geohazards understanding and observe the complex interactions between nature, society, and culture. Specific aims of this project are to (i) support community education through an interactive natural hazards programme (delivered in conjunction with a range of partners), training school-aged students from multiple socio-economic backgrounds; and (ii) increase the effectiveness of disaster risk reduction programmes, through research into the perception of natural hazards and environmental change. At all stages of this work, we are seeking to engage young geoscientists, helping them to better understand the skills and knowledge-base required to make a long-term, effective contribution to interdisciplinary research and professional practice. Through presenting an overview of this project and associated opportunities, we seek to emphasise the importance of developing practical opportunities for students to consider aspects of geoethics, social responsibility and cross-cultural understanding.

  16. Knowledge level of nurses in Jordan on ventilator-associated pneumonia and preventive measures.

    PubMed

    Hassan, Zeinab M; Wahsheh, Moayad A

    2017-05-01

    Ventilator-associated pneumonia is the most prevalent infection in Intensive Care Units, with the highest mortality rate; crude mortality rates may be as high as 20-75%. Many practices such as prevention measures (e.g. hand washing, wearing gloves, suctioning, elevated head of bed between 30° and 45°) have demonstrated an effect of reducing the incidence of this infection. To identify the level of nurses' knowledge of ventilator-associated pneumonia and prevention measures before an educational programme, identify the level of nurses' knowledge on ventilator-associated pneumonia and prevention post an educational programme and identify the reasons for not applying ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention measures among nurses in Jordan. Pre- and post-intervention observational study. Data based on a self-reported questionnaire from 428 nurses who worked in intensive care units were analysed. PowerPoint lectures, videos, printed materials and electronic materials were used in the intervention. Paired t-tests were used to test research questions. More than three-quarters of nurses had a low knowledge level regarding pathophysiology, risk factors and ventilator-associated pneumonia preventative measures. Nurses showed significant improvements in mean scores on the knowledge level of ventilator-associated pneumonia and prevention measures after an educational programme (p < 0.05). The main reasons for not applying prevention measures were the lack of time and no followed protocols in the units. Health education programmes about ventilator-associated pneumonia must be conducted among nurses in Jordan through continuous education. Hospital and nursing administrators should be actively involved in educational programmes and in assuring support for continuing education. Protocol for ventilator-associated pneumonia prevention should be developed based on current evidence-based guidelines. © 2016 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

  17. Parental perceptions of school-based influenza immunisation in Ontario, Canada: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    MacDougall, Donna; Crowe, Lois; Pereira, Jennifer A; Kwong, Jeffrey C; Quach, Susan; Wormsbecker, Anne E; Ramsay, Hilary; Salvadori, Marina I; Russell, Margaret L

    2014-01-01

    Objective To understand the perspectives of Ontario parents regarding the advantages and disadvantages of adding influenza immunisation to the currently existing Ontario school-based immunisation programmes. Design Descriptive qualitative study. Participants Parents of school-age children in Ontario, Canada, who were recruited using a variety of electronic strategies (social media, emails and media releases), and identified as eligible (Ontario resident, parent of one or more school-age children, able to read/write English) on the basis of a screening questionnaire. We used stratified purposeful sampling to obtain maximum variation in two groups: parents who had ever immunised at least one child against influenza or who had never done so. We conducted focus groups (teleconference or internet forum) and individual interviews to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Setting Ontario, Canada. Results Of the 55 participants, 16 took part in four teleconference focus groups, 35 in 6 internet forum focus groups and four in individual interviews conducted between October 2012 and February 2013. Participants who stated that a school-based influenza immunisation programme would be worthwhile for their child valued its convenience and its potential to reduce influenza transmission without interfering with the family routine. However, most thought that for a programme to be acceptable, it would need to be well designed and voluntary, with adequate parental control and transparent communication between the key stakeholder groups of public health, schools and parents. Conclusions These results will benefit decision-makers in the public health and education sectors as they consider the advantages and disadvantages of immunising children in schools as part of a system-wide influenza prevention approach. Further research is needed to assess the perceptions of school board and public health stakeholders. PMID:24902736

  18. Motivational factors, gender and engineering education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kolmos, Anette; Mejlgaard, Niels; Haase, Sanne; Egelund Holgaard, Jette

    2013-06-01

    Based on survey data covering the full population of students enrolled in Danish engineering education in autumn 2010, we explore the motivational factors behind educational choice, with a particular aim of comparing male and female students1 reasons for choosing a career in engineering. We find that women are significantly more influenced by mentors than men, while men tend to be more motivated by intrinsic and financial factors, and by the social importance of the engineering profession. Parental influence is low across all programmes and by differentiating between specific clusters of engineering programmes, we further show that these overall gender differences are subtle and that motivational factors are unequally important across the different educational programmes. The findings from this study clearly indicate that intrinsic and social motivations are the most important motivational factors; however, gender and programme differentiation needs to be taken into account, and points towards diverse future strategies for attracting students to engineering education.

  19. Outreach training: the special interest group's report.

    PubMed

    Smith, M; Ash, P; Gilmour, A S M; Austin, T; Robinson, P G

    2011-05-01

    Following three sessions at ADEE Annual Meetings, the special interest group on outreach training presents a brief report of its proceedings. Outreach, here, is clinical teaching away from the home dental school. After covering the diversity and benefits of programmes, the report considers different models and the relationship between contexts and outcomes. It concludes that: outreach provides access to additional resources; programmes prepare students for the demands of the profession; a programme's design should harmonise with both its context and its objectives; and, the educational benefits warrant the additional organisation involved. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  20. An oral health education programme based on the National Curriculum.

    PubMed

    Chapman, A; Copestake, S J; Duncan, K

    2006-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a teaching programme based on the national curriculum for use in a primary school setting. National Curriculum guidelines were combined with oral health education messages to draw up lesson plans for teachers to deliver. A questionnaire was used to demonstrate children's oral health knowledge prior to the teaching programme, and at 1 and 7 weeks following the programme. The study took place in inner-city, state-run primary schools in Manchester and North London, UK. The subjects were children between the ages of 7 and 8 years from Manchester (n = 58) and North London (n = 30). The main outcome measure was change in knowledge attributable to a newly developed teaching programme. The children in Manchester had a higher level of knowledge prior to the teaching programme. Following the teaching programme, children in both schools showed a significant improvement in dental health knowledge (P < 0.001). Seven weeks later, the Manchester children showed no significant loss of knowledge (P < 0.001). The aims of the National Curriculum were easily integrated with oral health messages. A more widely available teaching resource, such as the one described in this study, would be useful to encourage the teaching profession to take on oral health education without more costly input from dental professionals.

  1. A Community of Singing: Motivation, Identity, and Communitas in a Mennonite School Choir Programme

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dabback, William

    2018-01-01

    This qualitative study sought to identify and define aspects of the educational and community culture that underlie a Mennonite School music programme, facilitate students' motivation to continue participation, and contribute to individual and group identity. Four interrelated institutions provided context for student music participation:…

  2. The Cultural Missions Programme: An Early Attempt at Community Development in Mexico.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rubio, Alfredo

    1978-01-01

    The author reviews the "Cultural Missions Programme" of Mexico's educational reform after 1920, in which groups of teachers using Catholic missionary methods fought poverty and ignorance in rural Mexico. These mission programs embody most of the community development principles and are still needed. (MF)

  3. A nationwide, resident-led teaching programme for medical students in Singapore: SingHealth Student Internship Programme Bootcamp

    PubMed Central

    Ting, Daniel SW; Lee, Jill CS; Loo, Benny KG; Baisa, Katherine; Koo, Wen Hsin; Cook, Sandy; Lim, Boon Leng

    2016-01-01

    INTRODUCTION This study aimed to describe the planning, development and evaluation of the success of the first nationwide, resident-led, large-group teaching programme for medical students – the Singapore Health Services Student Internship Programme (SIP) Bootcamp. METHODS This was an initial feasibility study evaluating a half-day teaching boot camp initiated, developed and conducted by the resident educators. A three-month preparation period was required to set up an education subcommittee, liaise with medical student leaders, recruit resident educators, meet all the stakeholders and conduct the boot camp. During the SIP Bootcamp, resident educators conducted clinical case presentations using a question-and-answer format. Audience participation was strongly encouraged. A 15-item questionnaire was distributed to assess the participants’ learning experience and the resident educators’ teaching performance using a five-point Likert scale. RESULTS Overall, 94.8% (n = 110) of the 116 respondents agreed that the teaching sessions were of high quality and content was relevant to their training. The resident educators appeared well-informed (96.6%, n = 112) and enthusiastic about their respective topics (98.3%, n = 114). However, a few students (9.5%, n = 11) felt that the audio-visual aids and handouts could be improved to better aid their learning process. CONCLUSION This teaching boot camp for medical students was the first of its kind in Singapore and feedback from medical students showed that it was well-received. Further research using different teaching methods, including small-group discussions and surgical practical sessions by resident educators from different specialties, would be of great value to students. PMID:27211310

  4. Aquatic exercise and pain neurophysiology education versus aquatic exercise alone for patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Pires, Diogo; Cruz, Eduardo Brazete; Caeiro, Carmen

    2015-06-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a combination of aquatic exercise and pain neurophysiology education with aquatic exercise alone in chronic low back pain patients. Single-blind randomized controlled trial. Outpatient clinic. Sixty-two chronic low back pain patients were randomly allocated to receive aquatic exercise and pain neurophysiology education (n = 30) or aquatic exercise alone (n = 32). Twelve sessions of a 6-week aquatic exercise programme preceded by 2 sessions of pain neurophysiology education. Controls received only 12 sessions of the 6-week aquatic exercise programme. The primary outcomes were pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale) and functional disability (Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale) at the baseline, 6 weeks after the beginning of the aquatic exercise programme and at the 3 months follow-up. Secondary outcome was kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia). Fifty-five participants completed the study. Analysis using mixed-model ANOVA revealed a significant treatment condition interaction on pain intensity at the 3 months follow-up, favoring the education group (mean SD change: -25.4± 26.7 vs -6.6 ± 30.7, P < 0.005). Although participants in the education group were more likely to report perceived functional benefits from treatment at 3 months follow-up (RR=1.63, 95%CI: 1.01-2.63), no significant differences were found in functional disability and kinesiophobia between groups at any time. This study's findings support the provision of pain neurophysiology education as a clinically effective addition to aquatic exercise. © The Author(s) 2014.

  5. A structured physical activity and fitness programme for older adults with intellectual disabilities: results of a cluster-randomised clinical trial.

    PubMed

    van Schijndel-Speet, M; Evenhuis, H M; van Wijck, R; van Montfort, K C A G M; Echteld, M A

    2017-01-01

    The physical activity level of older adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) is extremely low, and their fitness levels are far beneath accepted norms for older people with normal intelligence and comparable with frail older people. A physical activity programme, including an education programme, was developed for older adults with ID using behaviour change techniques. The programme aimed at improving or maintaining adequate levels of physical activity (primary outcome measure) and motor fitness, cardio respiratory fitness, morphologic and metabolic fitness, activities of daily living, cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms (secondary outcome measures). The programme's efficacy was evaluated in a cluster-randomised clinical trial among people aged 43 years and over with mild-moderate levels of ID. Five day-activity centres were randomised to the participation group. In these centres, 81 older adults participated in groups of 8 to 10 in the programme, three times a week during 8 months. The programme was executed by physical activity instructors and staff of day-activity centres. Five other day-activity centres were randomised to the control group; 70 older adults in these centres received care as usual. The generalised linear model with mixed effects was used to test the programme's effectiveness. Significant effects were found on physical activity, muscle strength, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, serum cholesterol level and cognitive functioning, in favour of the programme's participants. No significant improvements were found on balance, serum glucose, weight, waist circumference, walking speed, mobility, depression or instrumental activities of daily living. The physical activity and fitness programme has established small but significant effects in this sample, but generalising the findings to other settings is difficult due to significant participant dropout. Implementation of evidence-based physical activity programmes among older adults with ID is recommended. Further research is needed to investigate the effectiveness of physical activity on daily life functioning and the development on chronic diseases in the long run. © 2016 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Daughters of the Earth: Skills-Based Literacy Programme for Women, China. Education for All: Making It Work. Innovation Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aksornkool, Namtip

    Begun in the early 1990s, The Skills-Based Literacy Programme for Women aims to improve the lives of rural Chinese women by linking literacy education with skills training in agriculture and other forms of income generation. Xuan Wei County, Yunnan Province, was chosen as the seat of the project because of high female illiteracy rates and the need…

  7. "When You Come to It You Feel like a Dork Asking a Guy to Put a Condom on": Is Sex Education Addressing Young People's Understandings of Risk?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Abel, Gillian; Fitzgerald, Lisa

    2006-01-01

    Traditionally, school-based sex education has provided information-based programmes, with the assumption that young people make rational decisions with regard to the use of condoms. However, these programmes fail to take into account contextual issues and developing subjectivities. This paper presents the talk of 42 young people from a New Zealand…

  8. Learning from lives together: medical and social work students' experiences of learning from people with disabilities in the community.

    PubMed

    Anderson, E S; Smith, R; Thorpe, L N

    2010-05-01

    The study aims to evaluate an interprofessional community-based learning event, focussing on disability. The learning opportunity was based on the Leicester Model of Interprofessional Education, organised around the experiences and perceptions of service users and their carers. Programme participants were drawn from medicine and social work education in Leicester, UK, bringing together diverse traditions in the care of people with disabilities. Small student groups (3-4 students) worked from one of the eight community rehabilitation hospitals through a programme of contact with people with disabilities in hospital, at home or in other community settings. The evaluation, in March 2005, used a mixed methods approach, incorporating questionnaire surveys, focus group interviews with students and feedback from service users. Responses were collated and analysed using quantitative and qualitative measures. Fifty social work and 100 medical students completed the first combined delivery of the module. The findings indicated that the merging of social work and medical perspectives appear to create some tensions, although overall the student experience was found to be beneficial. Service users (16 responses) valued the process. They were not concerned at the prospect of meeting a number of students at home or elsewhere and were pleased to think of themselves as educators. Problems and obstacles still anticipated include changing the mindset of clinicians and practising social workers to enable them to support students from each other's disciplines in practice learning. The generally positive outcomes highlight that disability focussed joint learning offers a meaningful platform for interprofessional education in a practice environment.

  9. English Language and Literature Academic Group at the National Institute of Education, Singapore

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Benny P. H.

    2010-01-01

    The National Institute of Education in Singapore (which is part of the Nanyang Technological University) is the leading national pre-service and in-service teacher training tertiary institution. It offers diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. The academic departments are called Academic Groups (AGs). The English Language and…

  10. Career Repertoires of IT Students: A Group Counselling Case Study in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penttinen, Leena; Vesisenaho, Mikko

    2013-01-01

    Uncertainty about future career prospects has increased enormously for students enrolled in higher education Information Technology (IT) programs. However, many computer science programmes pay little attention to career counselling. This article reports the results of a pilot study intended to develop group counselling for IT students to promote…

  11. Peer Group Mentoring Programmes in Finnish Higher Education--Mentors' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Skaniakos, Terhi; Penttinen, Leena; Lairio, Marjatta

    2014-01-01

    Peer mentoring is one of the most important guidance practices for first-year students entering higher education and academic life. We are interested in mentors' roles and apply the ideas of group counseling in order to increase the understanding of peer mentoring. Other aspects of guidance--content, methods, and collaboration--are approached on…

  12. Competency-based Radiology Residency: A Survey of Expectations from Singapore's Perspective.

    PubMed

    Yang, Hui; Tan, Colin J X; Lau, Doreen A H; Lim, Winston E H; Tay, Kiang Hiong; Kei, Pin Lin

    2015-03-01

    In response to the demands of an ageing nation, the postgraduate medical education in Singapore is currently in the early stage of transition into the American-styled residency programme. This study assessed the expectations of both radiology trainees and faculty on their ideal clinical learning environment (CLE) which facilitates the programme development. A modified 23-item questionnaire was administered to both trainees and faculty at a local training hospital. All items were scored according to their envisioned level of importance and categorised into 5 main CLE domains-supervision, formal training programme, work-based learning, social atmosphere and workload. 'Supervision' was identified as the most important domain of the CLE by both trainees and faculty, followed by 'formal training programmes', 'work-based learning' and 'social atmosphere'. 'Workload' was rated as the least important domain. For all domains, the reported expectation between both trainees and faculty respondents did not differ significantly. Intragroup comparison also showed no significant difference within each group of respondents. This study has provided valuable insights on both respondents' expectations on their ideal CLE that can best train competency in future radiologists. Various approaches to address these concerns were also discussed. The similarities in findings between ours and previous studies suggest that the 'supervision', 'formal training programmes' and 'work-based learning' domains are crucial for the success of a postgraduate medical training and should be emphasised in future curriculum. 'Workload' remains a challenge in postgraduate medical training, but attempts to address this will have an impact in future radiology training.

  13. Using Precision Teaching to Enhance the Word Reading Skills and Academic Self-Concept of Secondary School Students: A Role for Professional Educational Psychologists

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Roberts, Will; Norwich, Brahm

    2010-01-01

    This article describes an investigation into the outcomes of a school-based initiative to improve the word reading skills of a group of secondary school students (n = 77). The project involved the delivery of an enhanced precision teaching (PT) programme across two cohorts of students by teaching assistants (TAs) in each school who themselves…

  14. An educational programme to improve acute care nurses' knowledge, attitudes and family caregiver involvement in care of people with cognitive impairment.

    PubMed

    Kang, Yun; Moyle, Wendy; Cooke, Marie; O'Dwyer, Siobhan T

    2017-09-01

    The population is ageing in South Korea, increasing the incidence of dementia and delirium. Despite this, registered nurses in South Korea tend to have poor understanding and limited involvement in the assessment of delirium. To evaluate the effect of an educational programme on acute care nurses' knowledge, attitudes and the potential for family caregiver involvement in care for older adults with cognitive impairment. A mixed-methods study that included a single group, pre-post design and individual interviews was used. Forty registered nurses were recruited from four medical wards of one regional general hospital in South Korea. A 3-month educational programme on care for older adults with cognitive impairment tailored to the specific learning needs of nurses and guided by adult learning principles was provided to participants. A purposive sample of 12 registered nurses who participated in the quantitative component, and a nominated sample of six family caregivers whose older family members were cared for by participating nurses, joined individual interviews. The educational programme had a positive impact on nurses' knowledge of cognitive impairment and attitudes towards older adults. The qualitative data indicated that the educational programme improved nurses' knowledge of cognitive impairment and their attitudes towards older adults with cognitive impairment. It also increased nurses' initial efforts to involve family caregivers in cognitive impairment care. Educational programmes are an effective means of improving nurses' knowledge and attitudes, but more research is required to explore the impact of such a programme on practice change and patient health-related outcomes including incidence of delirium, length of hospital stay and hospital-acquired complications. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  15. Analyzing international clinical education practices for Canadian rehabilitation students.

    PubMed

    Ahluwalia, Puja; Cameron, Debra; Cockburn, Lynn; Ellwood, Lynn; Mori, Brenda; Nixon, Stephanie A

    2014-09-09

    Clinical training in low-income countries has become increasingly popular among pre-licensure trainees from high-income countries. The Working Group on Ethics Guidelines for Global Health Training ("WEIGHT Guidelines") were designed to identify and inform the complex and contentious field of international clinical education. The purpose of this study was to use the WEIGHT Guidelines to evaluate an international clinical internship programme for Master's-level rehabilitation students at a Canadian university. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Canadian rehabilitation researchers, educations and/or clinicians responsible for administering international internships across three clinical training programmes. Interview questions were informed by the WEIGHT Guidelines. Directed content analysis was used to identify priorities for policy, practice and research. Five themes relating to strengthening international clinical education were identified: (1) from one-time internships to long-term partnerships, (2) starting a discussion about "costs", (3) a more informed approach to student selection, (4) expanding and harmonizing pre-departure training across disciplines, and (5) investing in post-internship debriefing. International clinical education is fraught with ethical, pedagogical and logistical issues that require recognition and ongoing management. This is the first study to use the WEIGHT Guidelines as a qualitative research tool for assessing an existing global health education programme. Results highlight new priorities for action at the Canadian "sending institution", including more explicit attention to the costs (broadly defined) borne by all parties. A crucial next step is deepened engagement with educational partners at the "receiving organizations" based in low-income countries to nurture dialogue regarding reciprocity, trust and sustainability of the partnership. Education research is also needed that evaluates models of pre-departure training and post-internship debriefing for trainees.

  16. Inter-professional work based learning within an MSc in Advanced Practice: lessons from one UK higher education programme.

    PubMed

    Gaskell, Lynne; Beaton, Susan

    2010-09-01

    This paper will describe the implementation of inter-professional work based education (IPE) in one postgraduate Advanced Practitioner programme in the UK. The concept of Advanced Practice has developed as a response of a number of drivers including change in junior doctor training; government policy and increasing demands on the central government funded UK health service (the NHS). The programme was commissioned by the then greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority (now NHS North West) to meet service needs. The educational philosophy underpinning the MSc Advanced Practice (health and social care) provided by the University of Salford is IPE linked to work based learning. The process of work based learning (WBL) and inter-professional learning underpinning the programme will be discussed in relation to feedback from university staff, Advanced Practitioner (AP) students and employer feedback taken from programme and module evaluations. We argue that IPE at this level facilitates a greater understanding of the connectivity between professionals working in the health care system in the UK; a better understanding of the skills and knowledge base of colleagues; more inter-professional working and appropriate referrals in the work place. This has raised the profile of Advanced Practice (AP) in the region and ultimately resulted in better patient care with more effective and efficient use of resources (Acton Shapiro, 2006, 2008). (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. The Sector-Wide Approach in Bangladesh Primary Education: A Critical View. CREATE Pathways to Access. Research Monograph No. 57

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ahmed, Manzoor

    2011-01-01

    This monograph, in the CREATE Pathways to Access series, is about the modality of cooperation and programme management in primary education in Bangladesh, based specifically on the experience of the Second Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP II). It is not intended to be an assessment of PEDP II accomplishments, but key information and a…

  18. Multifaceted shared care intervention for late life depression in residential care: randomised controlled trial.

    PubMed

    Llewellyn-Jones, R H; Baikie, K A; Smithers, H; Cohen, J; Snowdon, J; Tennant, C C

    1999-09-11

    To evaluate the effectiveness of a population based, multifaceted shared care intervention for late life depression in residential care. Randomised controlled trial, with control and intervention groups studied one after the other and blind follow up after 9.5 months. Population of residential facility in Sydney living in self care units and hostels. 220 depressed residents aged >/=65 without severe cognitive impairment. The shared care intervention included: (a) multidisciplinary consultation and collaboration, (b) training of general practitioners and carers in detection and management of depression, and (c) depression related health education and activity programmes for residents. The control group received routine care. Geriatric depression scale. Intention to treat analysis was used. There was significantly more movement to "less depressed" levels of depression at follow up in the intervention than control group (Mantel-Haenszel stratification test, P=0.0125). Multiple linear regression analysis found a significant intervention effect after controlling for possible confounders, with the intervention group showing an average improvement of 1.87 points on the geriatric depression scale compared with the control group (95% confidence interval 0.76 to 2.97, P=0.0011). The outcome of depression among elderly people in residential care can be improved by multidisciplinary collaboration, by enhancing the clinical skills of general practitioners and care staff, and by providing depression related health education and activity programmes for residents.

  19. Therapeutic effects of an indoor gardening programme for older people living in nursing homes.

    PubMed

    Tse, Mimi Mun Yee

    2010-04-01

    To explore the activities of daily living and psychological well-being of older people living in nursing homes and also to examine the effectiveness of a gardening programme in enhancing socilaisation and life satisfaction, reducing loneliness and promoting activities of daily living for older people living in nursing homes. Life in nursing homes can mean very limited physical and social activity, leading to further decline in function for many older people. This was a quasi-experimental pre and posttest control group design. Older people from nursing homes were invited to join the eight week indoor gardening programme (experimental group), while older people in other nursing homes were treated as the control group; they received regular care without the eight week indoor gardening programme. There were 26 older people (25 female and one male; mean age 85 years) in the experimental group and 27 (20 female and seven male; mean age 82 years) in the control group. Demographic data including age, gender, educational level and financial situation were collected, in addition to information regarding life satisfaction, loneliness, physical activity and social network situation, before and after the eight week indoor gardening programme for both the experimental and control groups. Also, details of experimental group subjects' experience of the indoor gardening programme were elicited using open-ended questions. There were significant improvements in life satisfaction and social network and a significant decrease in perception of loneliness for older people in the experimental group after the eight week indoor gardening programme, while the activities of daily living were unchanged for both groups after the programme. Given the positive effects of gardening activities, it is suggested that they be promoted more widely among nursing home residents.

  20. The Cancer, Educate to Prevent Model-the Potential of School Environment for Primary Prevention of Cancer.

    PubMed

    Barros, A; Santos, H; Moreira, L; Ribeiro, N; Silva, L; Santos-Silva, F

    2016-12-01

    Cancer represents one of the main causes of death worldwide; consequently, preventive interventions are of utmost importance in public health education. The leading model of cancer prevention campaigns is based on general and undifferentiated actions mediated by health professionals, focusing on the technical and scientific information but rather ineffective in changing the symbolic, cognitive and practical relationship with the disease. New intervention models are thus required to address cancer literacy, being early interventions targeted to specific groups an elective counterpoint to contribute to positive and durable changes in cancer prevention. Our aim is to evaluate the feasibility and impact of cancer prevention programmes planned as focused interventions in restricted targets and mediated by non-healthcare professionals to increase cancer literacy and promote preventive behaviours. This pilot study evaluates schools' potential as a vehicle for cancer prevention education in a reality shaped by traditional health prevention campaigns. We developed a protocol of systematic surveying in order to review and, in the future, optimize and replicate this ecological model of intervention to other groups and contexts. The implementation of this model has been successful in which concerns to the effectiveness of the training programme for teachers. This led to the development of impactful cancer prevention education projects by trainees targeted to their students, allowing us to argue that it contributes to knowledge and practice in this complex as consensual priority area of intervention.

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