Evaluation of the first open-access hepatitis B and safe injection online training course for health professionals in China.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high prevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in China, HBV infection prevention and long-term care knowledge of health professionals is inadequate. To address this knowledge gap, we developed an open-access evidence-based online training course, "KnowHBV", to train health professionals on prevention of HBV transmission and safe injections. We conducted an evaluation of the course with health professionals in China to examine its effectiveness in improving knowledge and learner's satisfaction of the course. METHODS: Between July and December 2011, 1015 health professionals from selected hospitals and disease control institutions of Shandong province registered for the course and 932 (92 %) completed the three-module course. Participants' demographic information, pre- and post-course knowledge test results and learner's feedback were collected through the course website. RESULTS: Pre-course knowledge assessment confirmed gaps in HBV transmission routes, prevention and long-term care knowledge. Only 50.4 % of participants correctly identified all of the transmission routes of HBV, and only 40.7 % recognized all of the recommended tests to monitor chronically infected persons. The number of participants that answered all six multi-part multiple-choice knowledge questions correctly increased from 183 (19.7 %) before taking the course to 395 (42.4 %) on their first attempt upon completion of the course. Over 90 % of the 898 participants who completed the learner-feedback questionnaire rated the course as 'good' or 'very good'; over 94 % found the course instructional design helpful; 57.5 %, 65.7 % and 68.5 % reported that half or more than half of the course content in modules 1, 2 and 3 respectively provided new information; and 93.2 % of the participants indicated they preferred the online learning over traditional face-to-face classroom learning. CONCLUSIONS: The "KnowHBV" online training course appears to be an effective online training tool to improve HBV prevention and care knowledge of the health professionals in China.

[Study on smoking status in families and its influence on children in Shandong province].

OBJECTIVE: To study the smoking status and influence of the families on pupils regarding smoking-related knowledge, attitudes and behavior, in Shandong province. METHODS: A multi-stage stratified-cluster random sampling method was used to investigate 6 050 students and their families in 3 different cities. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted by trained investigators. RESULTS: The overall passive smoking rate at households of the pupils was 49.7% in Shandong province and appeared the highest in separate families, followed by in re-organized families and multiple-generation families under the same roofs. Major smokers in the families were fathers and grandfathers, with 43.4% of the fathers and 74.0% of the grandfathers had smoking histories for more than 10 years. The main smoking places at home were "elsewhere" or in the "living room". Attempting and current smoking rates of the families were 7.7% and 1.7% respectively, significantly higher than those families with no smokers. There was significant difference in smoking associated behavior and attitude between pupils whose family members with smoking habits or without. CONCLUSION: The status of smoking in the families of the pupil's family was not optimistic in Shandong province, especially in the families of the male students. Since smoking status of the families played an important role on their children, it is necessary to explore suitable health education model to improve the smoking associated behaviors in the families.

[Prevalence and related risk factors on smoking among pupils in Shandong province].

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of smoking and its influential factors among pupils in Shandong. METHODS: A multi-stage stratified-cluster random sampling method was used in the survey. 6050 students from 3 different cities of Shandong province were selected as the study population. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was designed and the survey was conducted by trained investigators. RESULTS: The rate of attempting smoking among pupils under study in Shandong province was 6.0% while the current smoking rate was 1.2%. The average age of children who initiated smoking cigarette was 7.8±2.1 with 80.5% of them due to curiosity. 34.7% of them got the cigarettes from their families. In terms of the motivation of buying cigarettes, 74.3% of them claimed that the access to purchase was easy. Data from multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis showed that the smoking behavior of pupils was influenced by their familial or surrounding environments. CONCLUSION: Tobacco control programs on pupils should be strengthened with more powerful control measures including health education.