Using a mHealth tutorial application to change knowledge and attitude of frontline health workers to Ebola virus disease in Nigeria: a before-and-after study
Using a mHealth tutorial application to change knowledge and attitude of frontline health workers to Ebola virus disease in Nigeria: a before-and-after study
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DOI：
10.1186/s12960-016-0100-4
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发表时间：
2016-02-12
影响因子：
4.5
通讯作者：
Osifo-Dawodu, Egbe
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Otu, Akaninyene;Ebenso, Bassey;Osifo-Dawodu, Egbe
背景：埃博拉疫情暴露了西非卫生系统的薄弱状况及其对一线卫生工作者和民众健康的破坏性影响。幸运的是，最近对移动技术的审查表明，移动健康创新可以帮助缓解卫生系统的一些限制，例如平衡多个优先事项，缺乏提供服务和收集数据的适当工具，以及在妇幼保健、艾滋病毒/艾滋病以及性健康和生殖健康等卫生领域获得培训的机会有限。然而，在西非埃博拉疫情期间，几乎没有经验证据表明移动医疗改善了卫生系统的功能。方法：我们在尼日利亚Ondo州的14家卫生机构进行了定量横断面调查，以评估使用平板电脑教程应用程序改变卫生工作者对埃博拉病毒病的知识和态度的效果。结果：在完成干预前和干预后调查的203名参与者中，185人（或91%）是女性，94人（或46.3%）是社区卫生官员，26人（13%）是护士/助产士，8人（或4%）是实验室科学家，75人（37%）属于其他群体。关于埃博拉病毒的知识：178名参与者（或87.7%）在研究前已经预知了埃博拉病毒。进一步分析显示，干预前和干预后得分的平均知识水平提高了11%，在有关埃博拉病毒在人类之间的传播、埃博拉热的常见症状和埃博拉热是否可预防的问题上，差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。此外，干预前和干预后的得分分别从83%增加到92%，从57%增加到64%，从67%增加到79%，这表明避免与埃博拉患者接触，食用丛林肉和危险的埋葬方式的积极态度得到加强。此外，更多的参与者（从95%到97%）报告说，他们愿意在干预后经常洗手并对表面和设备进行消毒，更多的卫生工作者愿意（从94%到97%）使用个人防护设备来防止埃博拉病毒的传播。结论：对埃博拉病毒疾病知识的适度改善和所报告的态度变化表明，移动健康教程应用程序有望培训卫生工作者和建立有弹性的卫生系统，以应对西非的流行病。
Background: The Ebola epidemic exposed the weak state of health systems in West Africa and their devastating effect on frontline health workers and the health of populations. Fortunately, recent reviews of mobile technology demonstrate that mHealth innovations can help alleviate some health system constraints such as balancing multiple priorities, lack of appropriate tools to provide services and collect data, and limited access to training in health fields such as mother and child health, HIV/AIDS and sexual and reproductive health. However, there is little empirical evidence of mHealth improving health system functions during the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.Methods: We conducted quantitative cross-sectional surveys in 14 health facilities in Ondo State, Nigeria, to assess the effect of using a tablet computer tutorial application for changing the knowledge and attitude of health workers regarding Ebola virus disease.Results: Of 203 participants who completed pre- and post-intervention surveys, 185 people (or 91%) were female, 94 participants (or 46.3%) were community health officers, 26 people (13 %) were nurses/midwives, 8 people (or 4%) were laboratory scientists and 75 people (37%) belonged to a group called others. Regarding knowledge of Ebola: 178 participants (or 87.7%) had foreknowledge of Ebola before the study. Further analysis showed an 11% improvement in average knowledge levels between pre- and post-intervention scores with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) recorded for questions concerning the transmission of the Ebola virus among humans, common symptoms of Ebola fever and whether Ebola fever was preventable. Additionally, there was reinforcement of positive attitudes of avoiding the following: contact with Ebola patients, eating bush meat and risky burial practices as indicated by increases between pre- and post-intervention scores from 83 to 92%, 57 to 64% and 67 to 79%, respectively. Moreover, more participants (from 95 to 97%) reported a willingness to practice frequent hand washing and disinfecting surfaces and equipment following the intervention, and more health workers were willing (from 94 to 97%) to use personal protective equipment to prevent the transmission of Ebola.Conclusions: The modest improvements in knowledge and reported attitudinal change toward Ebola virus disease suggests mHealth tutorial applications could hold promise for training health workers and building resilient health systems to respond to epidemics in West Africa.