A Smartphone App for Real-Time Assessment of Malaria Prophylaxis Adverse Events.

Background: Growth of international travel to malarial areas over the last decades has contributed to more travelers taking malaria prophylaxis. Travel-related symptoms may be wrongly attributed to malaria prophylaxis and hinder compliance. Here, we aimed to assess the frequency of real-time reporting of symptoms by travelers following malaria prophylaxis using a smartphone app. Method: Adult international travelers included in this single-center study (Barcelona, Spain) used the smartphone Trip Doctor® app developed by our group for real-time tracking of symptoms and adherence to prophylaxis. Results: Six hundred four (n = 604) international travelers were included in the study; 74.3% (449) used the app daily, and for one-quarter of travelers, malaria prophylaxis was prescribed. Participants from the prophylaxis group traveled more to Africa (86.7% vs. 4.3%; p < 0.01) and to high travel medical risk countries (60.8% vs. 18%; p < 0.01) and reported more immunosuppression (30.8% vs. 23.1% p < 0.01). Regarding symptoms, no significant intergroup differences were observed, and no relationship was found between the total number of malarial pills taken and reported symptoms. Conclusions: In our cohort, the number of symptoms due to malaria prophylaxis was not significantly higher than in participants for whom prophylaxis was not prescribed, and the overall proportion of symptoms is higher compared with other studies.

Desarrollo del entorno personal de aprendizaje: valoración de una experiencia con estudiantes universitarios / Development of Personal Learning Environment: assessment of an experience with university students

En este trabajo se muestra los resultados de un estudio derivado de una experiencia cuyo objetivo es analizar el desarrollo del entorno personal de aprendizaje (PLE) de estudiantes universitarios de primer año. El colectivo participante queda compuesto por 96 estudiantes matriculados en el curso de Recursos Tecnológicos de Bachillerato en Orientación de la Universidad Nacional (Costa Rica). Tanto el diagnóstico inicial como la valoración final se obtienen por medio de un cuestionario en línea. De los principales resultados se deriva el poco desarrollo del PLE del estudiantado en el momento de ingresar a la universidad, la valoración positiva que realizan de desarrollo del PLE al finalizar el curso, así como la alta previsión de uso de las diferentes herramientas tanto a nivel personal como profesional.

This work presents the results of a study derived from an experience whose objective is to analyze the development of personal learning environment (PLE) in first-year university students. The participant group is composed of 96 students enrolled in the course of Technological Resources of Bachelor's Degree in Guidance of the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica. The first diagnosis as well as the final assessment are obtained through an online questionnaire. The main results show the student body´s low development of PLE at the time of joining university, the positive assessment made about the development of PLE at the end of the course, as well as the high forecast use of the different tools, both at personal and professional level.