Health cadres empowerment program through smartphone application-based educational videos to promote child growth and development.

Indonesia's health care system relies on non-health professionals called cadres to operate child health promotion programs in the Public Health Center (Puskesmas). Despite this effort, the child malnutrition rate remains high. This study aimed to identify and develop health promotion media that can assist health cadres in promoting child health. This study was divided into three-phase. The first phase was the need assessment using focus group discussion and knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP); the second phase is video development, which involves medical students, general practitioners, pediatricians, and health promotion experts; and the third phase was video viewing by cadres and post-viewing tests for health cadres. A comparison of pre-test and post-test participants' total scores was performed with the student's T-test. Need assessment showed that the knowledge of the cadres needs improvement and there was a need for proper educational media material that can be used by the Puskesmas. Five videos were produced, four videos were about children's nutritional intake recommendations during four different age groups and one video was about the information and invitation to come to Integrated Health Service Post (Posyandu). There was a significant improvement from pre-test total scores to post-test total scores (p < 0.001). Smartphone application-based educational videos are effective and reliable child health promotion media for Puskesmas staff and parents.

Shaping effective communication skills in first-year medical students through community diagnosis exercise.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to evaluate the impact of students' participation in this community diagnosis (CD) exercise on their competency development. METHODS: The CD was performed by 235 first-year students through a home visit to obtain health data through questionnaire and physical examination; the data was analysed using the IBM® SPSS® version 24 statistical analysis software. The impact of CD participation on student skills development was evaluated using a cross - sectional questionnaire - based survey using the Likert five - point scale to assess student attitudes. RESULTS: CD exercise was performed by 235 first-year students by collecting data from 373 community residents. Subsequently, survey on effect of CD exercise on student competency responses were collected from 47 students (20%) of the 235 CD participants; the results showed that most agreed that CD enhanced their competence as physicians in all areas. The highest mean (SD) Likert scale score was recorded for the statement, 'CD enhanced effective communication' (4.47 ± 0.747). A total of 44 (93.6%) respondents supported the continuation of CD, claiming that the activity is a forum through which students can practice interacting with patients. CONCLUSIONS: The survey found that effective communication is the skill most established by involvement in CD, and the activity provides a good base for students' self-development as professional physicians.