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Author: Brian S McGowan, PhD

MANUSCRIPT: As Facts and Chats Go Online, What Is Important for Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes?

BACKGROUND:
Continued refinement of resources for patient information, education and support is needed. Considering the rapid development of new communication practices, the perspectives of young people themselves warrant more attention using a wide research focus. The purpose of this study was to understand information-seeking behaviours, Internet use and social networking online in adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). This applied to their everyday life, including the context of diabetes and their experiences and need of contact with T1DM peers.
METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:
Twenty-four adolescents aged 10-17 years with T1DM were recruited from a county hospital in the south-east of Sweden. Qualitative data were obtained using eight focus groups, wherein each participant engaged in a 60-90 minute video/audio-recorded session. The focus group data were transcribed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Some demographic and medical information was also collected. The three main categories that were identified; Aspects of Security, Updating, and Plainness and their sub-categories gave significant information about how to enhance information retrieval and peer contacts related to T1DM. Regarding the persons’ information-seeking behaviour, Internet use, and use of social media some differences could be identified depending on gender and age.
CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:
Sensitivity and adaptation to users’ needs and expectations seem crucial in the development of future online resources for adolescents with T1DM. To start with, this could mean applying a wider range of already existing information and communication technologies. Health practitioners need to focus on the areas of security of information and communication, frequency of updating, and simplicity of design-less is more.

via As Facts and Chats Go Online, What Is Important for… [PLoS One. 2013] – PubMed – NCBI.

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ABSTRACT: Member Awareness of Expertise, Information Sharing, Information Weighting, and Group Decision Making

One of a group’s most valuable resources is the expertise of its members. How this expertise is or is not used has a major impact on group performance. However, determining expertise is often difficult. Thus the issue of how many group members need to be aware of expertise before the benefits of recognition accrue is of great importance. For example, do all members have to be aware of expertise prior to discussion for the group to benefit, or is a subset of members sufficient? If a subset is sufficient, how large must it be? To address these questions, we manipulated the number of group members possessing foreknowledge of member expertise. We then analyzed perceived expertise, information sharing, information weighting, and group decision making using a series of planned contrasts representing common social combination models. Discussion of unique information followed a majority wins model i.e., a shift occurred when greater than half of members were made aware of expertise prior to discussion. For weighting of unique information, several models, including majority wins, fit when examining regression-based estimates of weighting whereas only the majority wins model fit when examining self-reported weighting. None of the models tested adequately explained rated expertise.

via Member Awareness of Expertise, Information Sharing, Information Weighting, and Group Decision Making.

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MANUSCRIPT: Learning styles and preferences for live and distance education: an example of a specialisation course in epidemiology

Background
Distance learning through the internet is increasingly popular in higher education. However, it is unknown how participants in epidemiology courses value live vs. distance education.

Methods
All participants of a 5-day specialisation course in epidemiology were asked to keep a diary on the number of hours they spent on course activities (both live and distance education). Attendance was not compulsory during the course and participants were therefore also asked for the reasons to attend live education (lectures and practicals). In addition, the relation between participants? learning styles (Index of Learning Styles) and their participation in live and distance education was studied.

Results
All 54 (100%) participants in the course completed the questionnaire on attendance and 46 (85%) completed the questionnaire on learning styles. The number of hours attending live education was negatively correlated with the number of hours going studying distance learning materials (Pearson correlation ?0.5; p?<?0.001). The most important reasons to attend live education was to stay focused during lectures (50%), and to ask questions during practicals (50%). A lack of time was the most important reason not to attend lectures (52%) or practicals (61%). Learning styles were not association with the number of hours spent on live or distance education.

Conclusion
Distance learning may play an important role in epidemiology courses, since it allows participants to study whenever and wherever they prefer, which provides the opportunity to combine courses with clinical duties. An important requirement for distance learning education appears to be the possibility to ask questions and to interact with instructors.

via BMC Medical Education | Abstract | Learning styles and preferences for live and distance education: an example of a specialisation course in epidemiology.

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ABSTRACT: Perceptions of the roles of social networking in simulation augmented medical education and training

Simulation-augmented education and training (SAET) is an expensive educational tool that may be facilitated through social networking technologies or Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL). This study examined the perceptions of medical undergraduates participating in SAET for knot tying skills to identify perceptions and barriers to implementation of social networking technologies within a broader medical education curriculum. The majority of participants (89%) found CSCL aided their learning of the technical skill and identified privacy and accessibility as major barriers to the tools implementation.

via Perceptions of the roles of socia… [Stud Health Technol Inform. 2013] – PubMed – NCBI.

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ABSTRACT: Should we pay the student? A randomised trial of financial incentives in medical education

Background: Financial incentives are effective in moderating physician and patient behaviour, but they have not been studied in the context of medical education. Aim: This study assessed whether financial incentives can motivate students to acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation skills. Methods: Students enrolled for a cardio-respiratory teaching module (n = 121) were randomised to an intervention (financial incentive) or a control (book voucher raffle) condition. All students took three validated exams of ECG interpretation skills (at module entry, module exit and seven weeks later). Only the exit exam was financially incentivised in the intervention group. The primary outcome was the proportion of students who correctly identified ≥60% of clinically important diagnoses in the exit exam. Results: Financial incentives more than doubled the odds of correctly identifying ≥60% of diagnoses in the exit exam (adjusted odds ratio 2.44, 95% confidence interval 1.05-5.67) and significantly increased student learning time. However, there was no significant effect on performance levels in the retention exam. Conclusions: Financial incentives increase reported learning time and examination results in the short-term. The lack of a sustained effect on performance suggests that financial incentives may foster a superficial or strategic rather than a deep approach to learning.

via Should we pay the student? A randomised trial of f… [Med Teach. 2013] – PubMed – NCBI.

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ABSTRACT: Quality Improvement in Childhood Obesity Management through the Maintenance of Certification Process

OBJECTIVE:
To assess the Health and Obesity: Prevention and Education (HOPE) Curriculum Project, a web-based clinician education program that promotes appropriate screening, prevention, and management of weight among youth by pediatric practitioners, based on the 2007 Expert Committee recommendations. The project currently provides Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part 4 credit through the American Board of Pediatrics.
STUDY DESIGN:
Participants identified themselves to the HOPE MOC Part 4 program. Enrollees were required to complete all continuing medical education modules (10.5 hours). Knowledge acquisition and self-reported confidence levels related to screening, prevention, and management practices of pediatric obesity were measured using preknowledge and postknowledge questionnaires. Participants were also required to perform a quality improvement project and submit practice performance data from repeated medical chart reviews over time. Knowledge acquisition, self-efficacy, and practice performance data were analyzed using repeated-measures analyses.
RESULTS:
The 51 participants demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge acquisition and self-efficacy scores after viewing individual modules. In addition, participants demonstrated significant improvements in measured clinical compliance with recommended practices over time.
CONCLUSIONS:
Participation in the HOPE MOC Part 4 program appeared to improve knowledge acquisition, self-efficacy, and physician compliance with recommended practice recommendations for the screening, prevention, and management of pediatric obesity. Further data are required to determine whether such practice-based improvements translate into actual reduction in patient weight and/or reduction in health-related costs related to overweight and obesity in youth.

via Quality Improvement in Childhood Obesity Managemen… [J Pediatr. 2013] – PubMed – NCBI.

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MANUSCRIPT: Family Doctors Seen through the Eyes of Specialists: A Qualitative Study

Germany is facing a shortage of young family doctors. In search of possible reasons the aim of this study was to explore the perception of specialists on family doctors. Within a qualitative study 16 medical specialists from different fields in hospital and outpatient care setting were interviewed. Interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. Most of the interviewed specialists have a positive view on family doctors although a certain depreciative assumption is resonated in a number of statements. According to the specialists, family doctors enjoy a high status in public, even if social processes of change may have a negative influence on their rather old-fashioned image. Specialists find that family medicine is underrepresented in university education suffering from an upgrading of specialized disciplines. Altogether the majority of the interviewed specialists certify family doctors in Germany a positive image. Lecturer in medical education and training should be aware of their key role in the career choices of young trainees and avoid degradation or upgrading of certain medical disciplines. Interlinked measures on different levels focusing on the improvement of working conditions and representation at the universities would be needed to regain attractiveness for the family doctor’s profession as a career choice for young doctors.

via Family Doctors Seen through the Eyes of Spe… [Int J Family Med. 2013] – PubMed – NCBI.

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ABSTRACT: Medical Applications for Pharmacists Using Mobile Devices

BACKGROUND:Mobile devices (eg, smartphones, tablet computers) have become ubiquitous and subsequently there has been a growth in mobile applications (apps). Concurrently, mobile devices have been integrated into health care practice due to the availability and quality of medical apps. These mobile medical apps offer increased access to clinical references and point-of-care tools. However, there has been little identification of mobile medical apps suitable for the practice of pharmacy.OBJECTIVE:To address the shortage of recommendations of mobile medical apps for pharmacists in daily practice.DATA SOURCES:Mobile medical apps were identified via the iTunes and Google Play Stores via the “Medical” app categories and key word searches (eg, drug information, medical calculators). In addition, reviews provided by professional mobile medical app review websites were used to identify apps.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Mobile medical apps were included if they had been updated in the previous 3 months, were available in the US, used evidence-based information or literature support, had dedicated app support, and demonstrated stability. Exclusion criteria included apps that were not available in English, had advertisement bias, used nonreferenced sources, were available only via an institution-only subscription, and were web-based portals.DATA SYNTHESIS:Twenty-seven mobile apps were identified and reviewed that involved general pharmacy practice, including apps that involved drug references, clinical references, medical calculators, laboratory references, news and continuing medical education, and productivity.CONCLUSIONS:Mobile medical apps have a variety of features that are beneficial to pharmacy practice. Individual clinicians should consider several characteristics of these apps to determine which are suitable to incorporate into their daily practice.

via Medical Applications for Pharmacists Using … [Ann Pharmacother. 2013] – PubMed – NCBI.

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ABSTRACT: A Qualitative Analysis of an Interactive Online Discussion by Health Professions Educators on Education Research

Introduction: In view of increasing demand for reforms in medical education in India, it is important to generate evidence through education research to increase the relevance and improve the quality of medical education. Education research is still at a nascent stage in India for a number of reasons. This study elicited health professions educators’ views about the dearth of education research in Southeast Asia and what is needed to improve it. Methods: Qualitative content analysis of an interactive, online discussion on ‘education research’ between PSG-FAIMER Regional Institute fellows and faculty was carried out.

Results and Discussion: Forty-four health professionals exchanged approximately 492 email messages during the discussion. One main concern expressed within the group was that the medical curriculum was not in tune with the health care needs of the society and reforms in the curriculum should be based on research. Most fellows felt that their work in education research was not appreciated in their schools. Participants felt that education research was done for altruistic reasons and only by self-motivated faculty. Participants also said that regulatory bodies were not concerned about the quality of education and its related research. Measures that could improve education research also emerged during the discussions. Interactive online discussions elicited important issues about education research in India. Participants noted that there is no recognition or rewards to encourage faculty to conduct education research. They also said that there is need to educate faculty about changes elsewhere in medical education and to make them more aware of education research generally.

via A Qualitative Anal… [Educ Health (Abingdon). 2012 September-December] – PubMed – NCBI.

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ABSTRACT: Facilitating Students’ Reflective Practice in a Medical Course: Literature Review

Introduction : Reflection and reflective practice is of increasing importance in medical education curricula. The aim of this review is to summarise the literature published around facilitating reflection in a medical course, and to answer the question : W0 hat is the current evidence regarding learning and development moments across the medical curriculum in developing students’ reflective practice? Methods : A review of the literature was undertaken using defined databases and the search terms ‘medical students’, ‘medical education’, ‘reflection’, ‘reflectFNx01’ and ‘medicine’. The search was limited to peer-reviewed published material in English and between the years 2001 and 2011, and included research, reviews and opinion pieces. Results : Thirty-six relevant articles were found, identifying enhancing factors and barriers to effectively teaching reflective practice within medical curricula, relating to: The breadth of the meaning of reflection; facilitating reflection by medical educators; using written or web-based portfolios to facilitate reflection; and assessing the reflective work of students. Discussion : A variety of reflective purposes was found in this literature review. Evidence indicates that, if students are unclear as to the purpose of reflection and do not see educators modelling reflective behaviours, they are likely to undervalue this important skill regardless of the associated learning and development opportunities embedded in the curriculum.

via Facilitating Stude… [Educ Health (Abingdon). 2012 September-December] – PubMed – NCBI.

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