25 research outputs found
Nozzle Plume Impingement on Spacecraft Surfaces: Effects of Surface Roughness
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Training community healthcare workers on the use of information and communication technologies: a randomised controlled trial of traditional versus blended learning in Malawi, Africa
Background: Despite the increasing uptake of information and communication technologies (ICT) within healthcare services across developing countries, community healthcare workers (CHWs) have limited knowledge to fully utilise computerised clinical systems and mobile apps. The ‘Introduction to Information and Communication Technology and eHealth’ course was developed with the aim to provide CHWs in Malawi, Africa, with basic knowledge and computer skills to use digital solutions in healthcare delivery. The course was delivered using a traditional and a blended learning approach. Methods: Two questionnaires were developed and tested for face validity and reliability in a pilot course with 20 CHWs. Those were designed to measure CHWs’ knowledge of and attitudes towards the use of ICT, before and after each course, as well as their satisfaction with each learning approach. Following validation, a randomised controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the two learning approaches. A total of 40 CHWs were recruited, stratified by position, gender and computer experience, and allocated to the traditional or blended learning group using block randomisation. Participants completed the baseline and follow-up questionnaires before and after each course to assess the impact of each learning approach on their knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction. Per-item, pre-post and between-group, mean differences for each approach were calculated using paired and unpaired t-tests, respectively. Per-item, between-group, satisfaction scores were compared using unpaired t-tests. Results: Scores across all scales improved after attending the traditional and blended learning courses. Self-rated ICT knowledge was significantly improved in both groups with significant differences between groups in seven domains. However, actual ICT knowledge scores were similar across groups. There were no significant differences between groups in attitudinal gains. Satisfaction with the course was generally high in both groups. However, participants in the blended learning group found it more difficult to follow the content of the course. Conclusions: This study shows that there is no difference between blended and traditional learning in the acquisition of actual ICT knowledge among community healthcare workers in developing countries. Given the human resource constraints in remote resource-poor areas, the blended learning approach may present an advantageous alternative to traditional learning
Training community healthcare workers on the use of information and communication technologies: a randomised controlled trial of traditional versus blended learning in Malawi, Africa.
BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing uptake of information and communication technologies (ICT) within healthcare services across developing countries, community healthcare workers (CHWs) have limited knowledge to fully utilise computerised clinical systems and mobile apps. The 'Introduction to Information and Communication Technology and eHealth' course was developed with the aim to provide CHWs in Malawi, Africa, with basic knowledge and computer skills to use digital solutions in healthcare delivery. The course was delivered using a traditional and a blended learning approach. METHODS: Two questionnaires were developed and tested for face validity and reliability in a pilot course with 20 CHWs. Those were designed to measure CHWs' knowledge of and attitudes towards the use of ICT, before and after each course, as well as their satisfaction with each learning approach. Following validation, a randomised controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the two learning approaches. A total of 40 CHWs were recruited, stratified by position, gender and computer experience, and allocated to the traditional or blended learning group using block randomisation. Participants completed the baseline and follow-up questionnaires before and after each course to assess the impact of each learning approach on their knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction. Per-item, pre-post and between-group, mean differences for each approach were calculated using paired and unpaired t-tests, respectively. Per-item, between-group, satisfaction scores were compared using unpaired t-tests. RESULTS: Scores across all scales improved after attending the traditional and blended learning courses. Self-rated ICT knowledge was significantly improved in both groups with significant differences between groups in seven domains. However, actual ICT knowledge scores were similar across groups. There were no significant differences between groups in attitudinal gains. Satisfaction with the course was generally high in both groups. However, participants in the blended learning group found it more difficult to follow the content of the course. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that there is no difference between blended and traditional learning in the acquisition of actual ICT knowledge among community healthcare workers in developing countries. Given the human resource constraints in remote resource-poor areas, the blended learning approach may present an advantageous alternative to traditional learning
Neonatal Circumcision for HIV Prevention: Cost, Culture, and Behavioral Considerations
Seth Kalichman discusses a new study that finds neonatal circumcision in Rwanda to be a cost-saving HIV prevention strategy
The policy-practice gap: describing discordances between regulation on paper and real-life practices among specialized drug shops in Kenya
Rehabilitation Training for Home-Based Palliative Care Community Health Workers: A Pilot Study
Introduction: Community health workers are an essential part of the delivery of palliative care in the resource-limited country of Malawi. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate a training programme in rehabilitation for home-based palliative community health workers.Methods: The programme was a 3-day training in rehabilitation for palliative care for 20 community health workers at St Gabriel\u27s, a rural referral hospital in Malawi. A pre- and post- knowledge test, a skills competency check, ongoing formative assessment, observations of skills in the home visit, and reporting of skills used in the village were used to evaluate the training programme.Results: Participants (n = 20) showed significantly greater knowledge on the post-test (M = 7.35, SE = 0.406) than on the pre-test (M = 4.25, SE = 0.422, t (19) =−7.566, P = 0.000). Competency in all 22 physical therapy skills was demonstrated by 100% of the participants (n = 20). During the formative assessment and observations during the 3-day programme, participants were able to use all of the 22 physical therapy skills. At 2-week post-training, the participants surveyed (n = 14) reported using 21 of 22 physical therapy skills and teaching all 21 of the skills used to the caregiver of the patient. Discussion: This study demonstrated the knowledge and skills learned in a training programme with lecture, practice sessions and application components in a resource-limited setting. The training programme provides a basis for future training and curriculum development for palliative care community health workers
Rehabilitation Training for Home-Based Palliative Care Community Health Workers: A Pilot Study
Introduction: Community health workers are an essential part of the delivery of palliative care in the resource-limited country of Malawi. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate a training programme in rehabilitation for home-based palliative community health workers.Methods: The programme was a 3-day training in rehabilitation for palliative care for 20 community health workers at St Gabriel\u27s, a rural referral hospital in Malawi. A pre- and post- knowledge test, a skills competency check, ongoing formative assessment, observations of skills in the home visit, and reporting of skills used in the village were used to evaluate the training programme.Results: Participants (n = 20) showed significantly greater knowledge on the post-test (M = 7.35, SE = 0.406) than on the pre-test (M = 4.25, SE = 0.422, t (19) =−7.566, P = 0.000). Competency in all 22 physical therapy skills was demonstrated by 100% of the participants (n = 20). During the formative assessment and observations during the 3-day programme, participants were able to use all of the 22 physical therapy skills. At 2-week post-training, the participants surveyed (n = 14) reported using 21 of 22 physical therapy skills and teaching all 21 of the skills used to the caregiver of the patient. Discussion: This study demonstrated the knowledge and skills learned in a training programme with lecture, practice sessions and application components in a resource-limited setting. The training programme provides a basis for future training and curriculum development for palliative care community health workers
Area and edge effects in radiometric forces
The radiometric force on several configurations of heated plates placed in a stagnant gas is examined experimentally, with a high-resolution thrust stand, and numerically using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method and a discrete ordinate solution of a model kinetic equation. A wide range of pressure from 0.006 to 6 Pa was examined, corresponding to Knudsen numbers from 20 to 0.02, in argon and helium test gases. The radiometric force, important in a number of emerging micro- and nanoscale applications, is shown to be mostly area dependent in the transitional regime where it reaches its maximum at Kn~0.1
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Training community healthcare workers on the use of information and communication technologies: a randomised controlled trial of traditional versus blended learning in Malawi, Africa.
BACKGROUND: Despite the increasing uptake of information and communication technologies (ICT) within healthcare services across developing countries, community healthcare workers (CHWs) have limited knowledge to fully utilise computerised clinical systems and mobile apps. The 'Introduction to Information and Communication Technology and eHealth' course was developed with the aim to provide CHWs in Malawi, Africa, with basic knowledge and computer skills to use digital solutions in healthcare delivery. The course was delivered using a traditional and a blended learning approach. METHODS: Two questionnaires were developed and tested for face validity and reliability in a pilot course with 20 CHWs. Those were designed to measure CHWs' knowledge of and attitudes towards the use of ICT, before and after each course, as well as their satisfaction with each learning approach. Following validation, a randomised controlled trial was conducted to assess the effectiveness of the two learning approaches. A total of 40 CHWs were recruited, stratified by position, gender and computer experience, and allocated to the traditional or blended learning group using block randomisation. Participants completed the baseline and follow-up questionnaires before and after each course to assess the impact of each learning approach on their knowledge, attitudes, and satisfaction. Per-item, pre-post and between-group, mean differences for each approach were calculated using paired and unpaired t-tests, respectively. Per-item, between-group, satisfaction scores were compared using unpaired t-tests. RESULTS: Scores across all scales improved after attending the traditional and blended learning courses. Self-rated ICT knowledge was significantly improved in both groups with significant differences between groups in seven domains. However, actual ICT knowledge scores were similar across groups. There were no significant differences between groups in attitudinal gains. Satisfaction with the course was generally high in both groups. However, participants in the blended learning group found it more difficult to follow the content of the course. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that there is no difference between blended and traditional learning in the acquisition of actual ICT knowledge among community healthcare workers in developing countries. Given the human resource constraints in remote resource-poor areas, the blended learning approach may present an advantageous alternative to traditional learning