Education: The prevention of acute rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Malawi
| Autor: | Amy, Sanyahumbi, Patricia, Chiromo, Msandeni, Chiume |
|---|---|
| Jazyk: | angličtina |
| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Health Knowledge Attitudes Practice Malawi medicine.medical_specialty Heart disease Health Personnel education Short Report Disease Likert scale paediatrics 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine Rheumatic heart disease paediatrics education paediatric cardiology acute rheumatic fever Malawi Physicians 030225 pediatrics medicine Humans 030212 general & internal medicine paediatric cardiology business.industry Public health Rheumatic Heart Disease Acute rheumatic fever General Medicine Middle Aged medicine.disease acute rheumatic fever Paediatric cardiologist Family medicine Female Nursing Staff Educational Measurement Rheumatic Fever business Educational program Healthcare providers |
| Zdroj: | Malawi Medical Journal; Vol 31, No 3 (2019); 221-222 Malawi Medical Journal |
| ISSN: | 1995-7262 |
| Popis: | BackgroundWith an estimated prevalence of 183,200 cases, rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major public health problem in Malawi. However, patients in Malawi with advanced RHD are left with substantial and life-threatening disability because there are no surgical options available in our country at present. In order to tackle this epidemic, it is critical to provide appropriate education and attempt to diagnose the disease earlier. In this study, we aimed to pilot a RHD education program that could be subsequently adopted country-wide. MethodsWe designed and piloted a RHD educational program targeting health providers at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe, Malawi. This involved three half-day workshops. These workshops were facilitated by a paediatric cardiologist and a paediatric nurse. Tests were administered before and after the workshops; we also provided questionnaires and requested feedback evaluations. A total of sixty-five participants (51 nurses, 3 doctors, 9 clinical officers and 2 unspecified personnel) participated in our workshops. ResultsConcerns were voiced and addressed relating to the safety of benzathine penicillin. Post-workshop questionnaires revealed that participants were much more comfortable prescribing or injecting benzathine penicillin after the workshop, as indicated by an improvement in the comfort level from 2.8 to 4.5 in nurses, and from 3.4 to 5 in clinicians (using a Likert scale of 1 to 5, p< 0.01). Pre-test knowledge scores improved from 43.8% to 78.5% (p< 0.01). Overall, the workshops received good feedback with an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 (n=61, range 3–5).ConclusionOur analysis showed that practical sessions relating to acute rheumatic fever and RHD in Malawi must address the safety and administration of penicillin. Our pilot workshops could serve as the educational backbone for a national RHD prevention program in Malawi. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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