Colizza, Lisa

Garside, Sarah

Harada, Laurie

Hauptman, Michael

Levinson, Anthony J

Waserman, Susan

English

PubMed

Levinson Anthony J

Colizza Lisa

Hauptman Michael

Harada Laurie

Waserman Susan

Garside Sarah

Directory of Open Access Journals

Allergy Asthma and Clinical Immunology

Online anaphylaxis training for schools is effective and feasible

Anthony J Levinson

Lisa Colizza

Michael Hauptman

Laurie Harada

Susan Waserman

Sarah Garside

Springer - Publisher Connector

POSTER PRESENTATION Open Access
Online anaphylaxis training for schools is
effective and feasible
Anthony J Levinson1*, Lisa Colizza1, Michael Hauptman2, Laurie Harada3, Susan Waserman4, Sarah Garside1
From Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting 2010
Victoria, Canada. 3-6 November 2010
Background
In this study, we tested the effectiveness of an online
training program about the recognition, management,
and prevention of anaphylaxis in the school setting.
Materials and methods
The study was conducted in Alberta between November
2009 and January 2010. 105 elementary and secondary
school teachers, school administrators, educational assis-
tants, custodial staff, and volunteers participated in the
study.
The training program was approximately 1-hour in
duration and covered knowledge of anaphylaxis, skills of
how to use an auto-injector, and prevention strategies
based on the latest expert consensus guidelines. [1] The
multimedia program had a high degree of interactivity
and used evidence-based instructional design. [2] Using
a pretest-intervention-posttest design, knowledge and
skills were assessed with 11 graded items on the pretest
and 9 graded items on the posttest that were validated
through expert consensus and pilot testing. Participant
confidence was also measured. Data were analyzed using
repeated measures ANOVA.
Results
Of the 105 participants that enrolled in the program,
complete data was available for 74 participants. There
was a significant improvement in knowledge F(1,66)
=27.7, p<0.001 with the mean pretest score of 51.1%;
and mean posttest score of 78.2%; giving a large effect
size for the intervention of 1.7. Participant confidence to
use an auto-injector in an emergency rose dramatically
following the program, and learners were very satisfied
with the program.
Conclusions
Our Internet-based training program on anaphylaxis is a
highly effective training program for school personnel.
Further research on optimal implementation strategies
and longitudinal follow-up of knowledge, skills and atti-
tudes is required.
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by AllerGen NCE Inc. The program was
developed by Anaphylaxis Canada, the Canadian Society of Allergy and
Clinical Immunology, and Leap Learning Technologies Inc., with additional
support from the Government of Alberta and the Division of e-Learning
Innovation at McMaster University.
Author details
1Division of e-Learning Innovation, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada, L8N 3Z5. 2Evergreen Catholic School Division, Alberta Ed, Spruce
Grove, Alberta, Canada, T7X 3B4. 3Anaphylaxis Canada, Toronto, Ontario,
Canada, M2J 5B4. 4Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Department
of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8N 3Z5.
Published: 4 November 2010
References
1. Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Anaphylaxis in
Schools & Other Settings. Ottawa: CSACI, 2 nd 2009.
2. Cook DA, Levinson AJ, Garside S, Dupras DM, Erwin PJ, Montori VM:
Internet-Based Learning in the Health Professions: A Meta-analysis. JAMA
2008, 300:1181-1196.
doi:10.1186/1710-1492-6-S2-P5
Cite this article as: Levinson et al.: Online anaphylaxis training for
schools is effective and feasible. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology
2010 6(Suppl 2):P5.
* Correspondence: levinsa@mcmaster.ca
1Division of e-Learning Innovation, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada, L8N 3Z5
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
Levinson et al. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2010, 6(Suppl 2):P5
http://www.aacijournal.com/content/6/S2/P5 ALLERGY, ASTHMA & CLINICAL 
IMMUNOLOGY
© 2010 Levinson et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.


Crossref

POSTER PRESENTATION Open AccessOnline anaphylaxis training for schools iseffective and feasibleAnthony J Levinson1*, Lisa Colizza1, Michael Hauptman2, Laurie Harada3, Susan Waserman4, Sarah Garside1From Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Annual Scientific Meeting 2010Victoria, Canada. 3-6 November 2010BackgroundIn this study, we tested the effectiveness of an onlinetraining program about the recognition, management,and prevention of anaphylaxis in the school setting.Materials and methodsThe study was conducted in Alberta between November2009 and January 2010. 105 elementary and secondaryschool teachers, school administrators, educational assis-tants, custodial staff, and volunteers participated in thestudy.The training program was approximately 1-hour induration and covered knowledge of anaphylaxis, skills ofhow to use an auto-injector, and prevention strategiesbased on the latest expert consensus guidelines. [1] Themultimedia program had a high degree of interactivityand used evidence-based instructional design. [2] Usinga pretest-intervention-posttest design, knowledge andskills were assessed with 11 graded items on the pretestand 9 graded items on the posttest that were validatedthrough expert consensus and pilot testing. Participantconfidence was also measured. Data were analyzed usingrepeated measures ANOVA.ResultsOf the 105 participants that enrolled in the program,complete data was available for 74 participants. Therewas a significant improvement in knowledge F(1,66)=27.7, p<0.001 with the mean pretest score of 51.1%;and mean posttest score of 78.2%; giving a large effectsize for the intervention of 1.7. Participant confidence touse an auto-injector in an emergency rose dramaticallyfollowing the program, and learners were very satisfiedwith the program.ConclusionsOur Internet-based training program on anaphylaxis is ahighly effective training program for school personnel.Further research on optimal implementation strategiesand longitudinal follow-up of knowledge, skills and atti-tudes is required.AcknowledgementsThis research was supported by AllerGen NCE Inc. The program wasdeveloped by Anaphylaxis Canada, the Canadian Society of Allergy andClinical Immunology, and Leap Learning Technologies Inc., with additionalsupport from the Government of Alberta and the Division of e-LearningInnovation at McMaster University.Author details1Division of e-Learning Innovation, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario,Canada, L8N 3Z5. 2Evergreen Catholic School Division, Alberta Ed, SpruceGrove, Alberta, Canada, T7X 3B4. 3Anaphylaxis Canada, Toronto, Ontario,Canada, M2J 5B4. 4Division of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Departmentof Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8N 3Z5.Published: 4 November 2010References1. Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Anaphylaxis inSchools & Other Settings. Ottawa: CSACI, 2 nd 2009.2. Cook DA, Levinson AJ, Garside S, Dupras DM, Erwin PJ, Montori VM:Internet-Based Learning in the Health Professions: A Meta-analysis. JAMA2008, 300:1181-1196.doi:10.1186/1710-1492-6-S2-P5Cite this article as: Levinson et al.: Online anaphylaxis training forschools is effective and feasible. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology2010 6(Suppl 2):P5.* Correspondence: levinsa@mcmaster.ca1Division of e-Learning Innovation, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario,Canada, L8N 3Z5Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleLevinson et al. Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology 2010, 6(Suppl 2):P5http://www.aacijournal.com/content/6/S2/P5 ALLERGY, ASTHMA & CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY© 2010 Levinson et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Allergy Asthma & Clinical Immunology

Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Anaphylaxis

levinsa@mcmaster.ca 1Division of e-Learning Innovation,

VM: Internet-Based Learning in the Health Professions: A Meta-analysis. JAMA

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=3374191

Online anaphylaxis training for schools is effective and feasible

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