The effectiveness of social media-based microlearning in improving knowledge, self-efficacy, and self-care behaviors among adult patients with type 2 diabetes: an educational intervention.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of social media-based microlearning (SMBM) on enhancing the knowledge, self-care, and self-efficacy behaviors of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) receiving care at a hospital-based diabetes clinic in Zahedan, Iran. METHODS: This intervention study was conducted from September 2021 to the end of 2022, with an intervention group (SMBM) and a control group (conventional-based training) consisting of patients with T2D. A total of 80 eligible patients were selected using a convenience sampling method and randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 40) or the control group (n = 40). The knowledge level, self-care, and self-efficacy of the samples were assessed before and two weeks after the educational intervention. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 24, and independent and paired T-tests were used for analysis. RESULTS: The results of the study revealed that after the intervention, the levels of knowledge, self-care, and self-efficacy in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p-value < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the SMBM appears to be an effective tool for improving self-efficacy, self-care, and knowledge among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Which educational messengers do medical students prefer for receiving healthinformation? Development and psychometrics of using health messengers questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals vary in their selection of health messengers. This research aimed to construct an instrument to measure the preferences of medical students in selecting health messengers and in the next step to validate the aforementioned questionnaire. METHOD: This research is a descriptive survey with an approach to construct a questionnaire. The statistical population included all students studying at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in March to June 2022 in the academic year 2021-2022. 500 participants were involved in the study. To determine the types of health messengers and review the texts, a group of 15 primary items consisting of the 6 components of academic sources (2-items), formal news sources (2-items), mass media (3-items), internet search (2-items), social networks and messenger applications (4-items), and informal conversation (2-items) were compiled. A 4-point scale was developed the content validity of which was confirmed using CVI and CVR method and the reliability index was calculated to be 0.818. Factor analysis was also used to determine the construct validity and factor loading of each item. RESULTS: The research covers university students in different medical fields. Using factor analysis, together with KMO = 0.810 and Bartlett's sphericity index P < 0.0001, saturation and the suitability of the test were confirmed. Students' preferences based on factor load were social media (28.92%), official and unofficial health sources(10.76%), academic sources (9.08%), internet search (8.18%), and mass media (7.13%), respectively. Among social media, Telegram (0.85) had the highest factor load followed by Instagram (0.79), and WhatsApp (0.71). CONCLUSION: Medical students are always on the move and naturally prioritize mobile-based methods. They prefer messengers that are free from time and space restrictions. The widespread availability of mobile devices and the ability to search for and access information make it easier to test health information. Therefore, in health policy, attention should be paid to the virtual capabilities, especially mobile-based approaches.

Comparison of the teaching clinical biochemistry in face-to-face and the flex-flipped classroom to medical and dental students: a quasi-experimental study from IRAN.

INTRODUCTION: Biochemistry is one of the main courses of basic sciences in the medical curriculum, along with other difficult subjects that are difficult to learn. The emergence of new technologies has made it possible to test new methods such as e-Learning. In this study, we compared two methods of Flex-Flipped Classroom (FFC) and face-to-face. METHOD: A quasi-experimental research was done which involved both medical and dental students studying the clinical biochemistry course in the joint semester in 2019. A total of 100 medical students were trained in biochemistry through face-to-face teaching, and 60 dental students were trained in the same course through the FFC model. Three researcher-made tools were used to compare the two groups to assess the student's satisfaction, scores, and self-evaluation. The content validity of the tools was checked using the opinions of 10 experts through the CVI index. The results were analyzed using one-sample t-tests, independent t-tests, and ANOVA. RESULTS: Both groups scored significantly more than the cut-off-point (Mean > 3.5) in their average scores of the total and sub-components of the self-evaluation questionnaire (P < 0.05). Face-to-face teaching was viewed more favorably than the FFC teaching except for considering the flexibility (4.14 ± 1.55), but the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). The students' knowledge score in the FFC was slightly higher than that in the face-to-face method, but this difference was not significant(P = 0.758). CONCLUSION: Both face-to-face and FFC methods were effective according to the students, but the level of satisfaction with the face-to-face method was higher. It seems that teacher-student interaction is an important factor in students' preferences. However, the students preferred the flexibility of multimedia. It seems necessary to use the advantages of each method in a model appropriate to the students' conditions and available facilities.

Lesson learned from assessing teachers' and students' perspectives regarding the quality of e-learning in medical education during the pandemic: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of e-learning systems ensures the provision of quality training. The goal was to identify the perspectives of teachers and students on e-learning in medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), Iran. METHODS: This study utilized a convergent mixed methods research design with a two-phase approach to collect and analyze data between June and August 2022. In the first stage, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to evaluate the quality of e-learning systems from the perspective of 400 students. In the second stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 virtual education professors and 10 student representatives to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of virtual education. A validated questionnaire was administered to assess the quality of the e-learning system, and data were analyzed using SPSS-21. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis. RESULTS: Our findings revealed that the student support system, the course structure, and the infrastructure and technology subscales' mean scores were significantly higher than the average level (P < 0.001). However, the professors' methods of teaching and learning strategies were unsatisfactory. The results of the present study showed that the evaluation mean score was significantly higher among, younger, female, and undergraduate students. Virtual education has strengths and weaknesses, and innovative approaches are needed to enhance student engagement. The lack of appropriate infrastructure and virtual teaching tools for teachers and students is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed. Blended learning is effective in medical education, and the shift from teacher-centered to learner-centered teaching approaches is an opportunity to explore innovative teaching approaches. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of students, the quality of eLearning systems at the universities was moderate. Virtual education offers both benefits and drawbacks, and there is a requirement for innovative solutions to enhance student engagement and lessen boredom.

The effect of gamification-based training on the knowledge, attitudes, and academic achievement of male adolescents in preventing substance and internet addiction.

BACKGROUND: Preventing addiction through training takes precedence over treatment and plays a crucial role in enhancing the well-being of adolescents. Utilizing inclusive and participatory methods can significantly enhance the effectiveness of education. Numerous studies have demonstrated that gamification, as an interactive and comprehensive approach, has the potential to boost teenagers' motivation to engage in learning and contributes to better comprehension. AIM: This study aimed to assess the impact of gamification-based training to prevent substance and internet addiction on the knowledge and attitudes of male adolescents. Additionally, the study examined this educational program's effects on male adolescents' academic achievement. METHODS: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a control group. One hundred fourteen male adolescents were randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. They completed a pre-intervention questionnaire assessing addiction-related knowledge, attitudes, and academic achievement. Subsequently, the intervention group received the gamification-based drug and internet addiction prevention training. Post-tests were conducted immediately after the training and again one month later for both groups. RESULTS: Before the intervention, there were no significant differences in knowledge of substance and internet addiction, attitudes toward substances and the Internet, and academic achievement between the intervention and control groups (P > 0.05). However, after the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated significantly higher scores in knowledge of substance and internet addiction, attitudes toward substances and the Internet, and academic achievement compared to the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The current study highlights the positive impact of gamification-based training on enhancing male adolescents' knowledge, attitudes, and academic achievement.

Outpatient education, a momentous in clinical education: a qualitative study of medical students', faculty members', and residents' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Even though a lot of scholars have been looking at outpatient education lately because it has become more popular and they want to know about its successes, failures, and problems, we have not been able to find a complete study. Therefore, our study aims to gain a deeper understanding of the various aspects of outpatient education based on the actual experiences of medical students, faculty, and residents. METHODS: Face-to-face and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data for this qualitative study. Until data saturation was reached, the interviews continued. A total of 21 participants from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, including medical students, residents, and teachers, were enrolled. The Guba and Lincoln-first written standards for scientific accuracy in qualitative research were used to figure out how reliable the data were. RESULTS: Fourteen categories were extracted from four main themes. The results show that four categories: "physical space and equipment," "prerequisites related to the curriculum," "teaching skills development," and "near-peer teachers" should be considered for outpatient education preparation. Theme 2, "implementation requirements," included "student dimension," "faculty's commitment to planning," and "program supervision." Theme 3, "challenges of outpatient education," was described by five related categories, including "curriculum implementation challenges," "student challenges," "faculty challenges," "system-related challenges," and "patient-related challenges." Finally, two categories emerged about facilitators of outpatient education: internal and external facilitators. CONCLUSION: Outpatient clinics represent a crucial aspect of medical practice. To effectively leverage this resource, preliminary planning, considering all the prerequisites, paying attention to the implementation requirements, getting to know the challenges, and trying to solve them, especially with incentives, are essential.

Comparison of the effect of electronic learning and blended learning on the empowerment of the caregivers of cancer patients under chemotherapy.

OBJECTIVE: Cancer is a chronic disease that affects individuals as well as their families. E-learning is a common method of education for patients and caregivers. The present study aimed to compare the impact of E-learning and blended learning on the empowerment of caregivers of cancer patients under chemotherapy. METHODS: This clinical trial was performed in the main chemotherapy center of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences during October 2018-December 2020. A total of 123 caregivers of cancer patients who were under chemotherapy were selected through simple random sampling and were divided into two intervention groups and one control group. The empowerment of the caregivers was evaluated using the caregivers' empowerment questionnaire in all three groups at the beginning of the study, immediately after the intervention, and 1 month after the intervention. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and statistical tests using the SPSS software, version 22. RESULTS: The results revealed no significant difference between the two groups regarding the knowledge score (p = 0.3). However, the first intervention group had a better attitude compared to the two other groups after the intervention (p = 0.003). Moreover, the mean score of performance increased significantly in both intervention groups (p = 0.000). No significant differences were observed among the three groups in terms of the demographic data, knowledge, attitude, and performance (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results indicated that both electronic and blended learning affected the attitude and performance of the patients' caregivers. Therefore, blended learning can be applied for enhancing the empowerment of caregivers.

The effect of video-based multimedia training on knowledge, attitude, and performance in breast self-examination.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Breast neoplasm is one of the most common cancers in Iranian women due to the late diagnosis. Awareness of breast neoplasm and using Breast Self-Examination (BSE) assist in the early detection and treatment of cancer. This study examined the effectiveness of video-based multimedia training versus face-to-face training in awareness of breast neoplasm and BSE and possible factors affecting their effectiveness. METHODS: This research was a pre-test, a post-test experimental study comparing the knowledge, attitude, and performance of women about BSE across two training intervention groups (face-to-face versus video-based multimedia). The study was conducted at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS), and 100 women between 20 to 60 years old were allocated to each intervention group via multi-stage cluster sampling (n:110). Three valid and reliable researcher-made questioners were used. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24 with independent t-test, paired t-test, and ANOVA. RESULTS: Both video-based multimedia and face-to-face training methods significantly increased the participant's knowledge, attitude, and skills about breast self-examination (P < 0.001). In the sub-categories, the results showed that the face-to-face training improved negligence and forgetfulness in applying BSE (P = 0.03) and correcting or modifying the previous knowledge around the issue (P = 0.02). The effect of the video-based method on participants with university education was more than on non-university (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: Incorporating video-based multimedia training in awareness of breast neoplasm and breast self-examination provides an easy, flexible, and affordable way for detection, particularly considering crisis restrictions. This can be of particular attention in more populated, developing/low-income countries and rural and remote areas to enhance equitable access to training and facilitation diagnosis and treatment if applicable.

Comparison of the effectiveness of the electronic portfolio and online discussion forum methods in teaching professional belonging and ethical behaviors to nursing students: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nursing is a profession that has had many ethical aspects and understanding professional belonging and ethics as a deep and complex process is one of the basic concepts in this field. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of training professional belonging and ethical behaviors in two methods: electronic portfolio and online discussion forum in nursing students. METHODS: This study is a single-blinded randomized-controlled trial (RCT) with two parallel intervention groups and a third control group. The sample size was 90 selected by block randomization method. The educational contents of professional belonging and ethical behaviors were presented to the participants in two ways: electronic portfolio and online discussion forum. Demographic information form, professional belonging questionnaire, and ethical behaviors questionnaire were applied to collect data. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24 software. Respectively mean, standard deviation and repeated measured, analysis of variance tests was used in descriptive and analytic statistic. (P value < 0.05). RESULTS: Comparison of the mean score of professional belonging and ethical behavior in the three stages of pretest, immediately after the test and four weeks after the test in all three groups was significant (P < 0.001). The control group had a higher mean score of professional belonging immediately after the test (108.18 ± 48.9) compared to the other two groups. Also, the online discussion forum group had a higher mean score on ethical behavior in four weeks after the test (104.2 ± 0.8) compared to the other two groups. CONCLUSION: Training based on two methods of the electronic portfolio and online discussion forum increases and enhances the level of ethical behaviors in students. Therefore, the implementation of such methods of training can be useful in improving, promoting, and learning ethical behaviors in nursing students. On the other hand, training based on the two methods had a negative impact on professional belonging. Therefore, it is suggested that future studies be conducted with a greater focus on areas of professional belonging. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This research has been registered in Iranian Clinical Trial Registration Center (IRCT) with registration number "IRCT20180612040063N1" and registration date "16/07/2018".

Medical education and COVID-19 pandemic: a crisis management model towards an evolutionary pathway.

The COVID-19 crisis has had a profound effect on higher education, especially medical education due to its sensitive nature, dealing with people's life and wellbeing. This study presented a crisis management model of how to direct medical education during crises. A qualitative design was used via a focus group among 83 medical education administrators at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Four major challenges emerged regarding medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic including "The health and wellbeing of faculty members and students"; "Spatial constraints"; "Time constraints", and "Access to resources". A total of 13 strategies were suggested to tackle the challenges, including virtualization, technological support, empowerment, participation, sharing, helping, integration, compression, omission, flexibility and diversity, severance, protection; and monitoring. For a sustainable educational pathway in medical education, personalized approach to education via the incorporation of technology is essential. This provides opportunities to tackle the issues caused by the crisis, by provision of any time and anywhere approach to education via flexible technologies/platforms adjusted based on the audiences. The scope of crisis management expands not only on individual and academic levels but also on social and global relations.

An investigation of the effect of smartphone-based pain management application on pain intensity and the quality-of-life dimensions in adolescents with chronic pain: a cluster randomized parallel-controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic pain negatively affects adolescents' quality of life. Therefore, it is important to seek for ways to effectively manage pain, which may, in turn, promote quality-of-life dimensions in this population. However, there are many barriers including geographical distance which prevent most adolescents from receiving an effective treatment for chronic pain. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of a smartphone-based pain management application compared with face-to-face pain management program and wait-list control on the pain intensity and quality-of-life dimensions in adolescents with chronic pain. METHODS: This study used a cluster double-blinded randomized parallel-group design with school as the unit of randomization. Participants included were 192 adolescents with chronic pain. The questionnaires (pain intensity and quality of life measuring physical, emotional, social, and school dimensions) were completed at the baseline, immediately at the end of pain management program and three months after the end of the program. RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVAs with adjustment for clustering effect showed that there were significant main effects of time on ratings of pain intensity (p < 0.01), physical (p < 0.005), emotional (p < 0.008), social (p < 0.001), and school (p < 0.005) dimensions of quality of life. There was also a significant main effect of group on ratings of emotional (p < 0.001), social (p < 0.009), and school (p < 0.002) dimensions. The interaction of group × time for emotional (p < 0.004), social (p < 0.001), and school (p < 0.005) dimensions of quality of life was statistically significant. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that smartphone-based pain management program, which is a highly accessible and cost-effective intervention, may provide benefits similar to a face-to-face intervention and shows promise for being effective on emotional, social, and school dimensions of quality of life in adolescents with different types of chronic pain. The study was registered within the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT20180808040744N2).

A comparison of educational strategies for the acquisition of nursing student's performance and critical thinking: simulation-based training vs. integrated training (simulation and critical thinking strategies).

BACKGROUND: There is a need to change the focus of nursing education from traditional teacher-centered training programs to student-centered active methods. The integration of the two active learning techniques will improve the effectiveness of training programs. The objective of this study is to compare the effects of the integrated training (simulation and critical thinking strategies) and simulation-based training on the performance level and critical thinking ability of nursing students. METHODS: The present quasi-experimental study was performed in 2014 on 40 students who were studying practical nursing principles and skills course in the first half of the academic year in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Students were randomly divided into control (n = 20) and experimental (n = 20) groups. After training students through simulation and integrated education (simulation and critical thinking strategies), the students' critical thinking ability and performance were evaluated via the use of California Critical Thinking Ability Questionnaire B (CCTST) and Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) comprising 10 stations, respectively. The external reliability of the California Critical Thinking questionnaire was reported by Case B.to be between 0.78 and 0.80 and the validity of OSCE was approved by 5 members of the faculty. Furthermore, by using Split Half method (the correlation between odd and even stations), the reliability of the test was approved with correlation coefficient of 0.66. Data were analyzed using t-test and Mann-Whitney test. A significance level of 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: The mean scores of the experimental group performance level were higher than the mean score of the control group performance level. This difference was statistically significant and students in the experimental group in OSCE stations had significantly higher performance than the control group (P <0.001). However, the mean scores obtained for the critical thinking did not increase before and after the intervention. CONCLUSION: The results showed that, the students' performance level was increased by the application of integrated training (simulation and critical thinking strategies).

Exploring the relationship between contextual factors and health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP) among medical students: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the relationship between health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP) among medical students and contextual factors such as gender, age, field of study, academic level, marital status, history of physical and mental illnesses, and smoking. Methods: The present research was conducted in a cross-sectional method in 2021 on 500 students of Shiraz University of Medical Students. An e-questionnaire link was sent to them via email. The research tool was the HPLP questionnaire consisting of 52 questions in six domains in a 4-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24 with one-sample t-test, independent t-test, analysis of variance, and Tukey's post hoc test. Results: A total of 500 students fully answered the questions completely. All components of a healthy lifestyle-except for exercise-obtained a score higher than the cut-off point. The component of Self-Actualization (spiritual growth) (3.035 ± 0.68) had the highest score, while the lowest score was related to exercise and physical activity (2.126 ± 0.60). Married individuals had a better average health score compared to singles (p = 0.047). The average health score did not have a significant relationship with gender, but significantly related to age, field of study (p < 0.001), history of mental illnesses (p < 0.001) and Smoking (p < 0.001). Conclusion: It seems that university officials should pay more attention to the health domain of students' lifestyles, such as nutrition, the development of exercise and physical activities, and the management of stress and mental health. Additionally, providing necessary awareness and considering training courses, as well as developing sports and recreational facilities, can be effective in creating a better environment for the growth and development of students and ensuring their well-being.

What Happened to Simulation-Based Education in Outpatient Setting in The 21st Century: A Scoping Review.

Introduction: Simulation-based education (SBE) is an instructional approach that aims to accurately recreate real-life scenarios and engage learners in the practical application of lesson content. By replicating critical elements of clinical situations, SBE facilitates a deeper understanding and better preparation for managing such conditions in actual clinical practice. SBE offers promising prospects for improving medical education and patient care in various settings, such as outpatient clinics. Therefore, this scoping review aims to determine to what extent the most effective components and standards of the simulation have been considered in outpatient education. Methods: The present scoping review adheres to the guidelines outlined in the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist" and the "Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Reviewers' Manual". This review focused on articles that specifically focused on the use of simulation in outpatient education. Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and ERIC were searched for keywords related to simulation, ambulatory care, outpatient clinics, and medical education from January 1, 2001, to August 12, 2023. Results: The search indicated 513 articles, which were narrowed down by title and abstract relatedness. Twenty-nine articles entered the study's second phase, and after reviewing their full text, nine articles that explicitly reported simulation use in outpatient education remained. Based on the findings of eligible articles, the ten most frequent components of SBE that should be considered and followed discussed. These features were training facilitators, pre-briefing sessions, the type of simulation techniques, the site of simulation participation, the simulation duration, unit of participation, extent of direct participation, Simulation fidelity, feedback, and debriefing and reflection. Conclusion: SBE is a contemporary method of practical training for medical students that involves realistic modeling or simulation of clinical situations. It enhances learning effectiveness and provides a safe, educational atmosphere for teaching and learning. Designing simulations adhering to established standards and carefully considering essential components improves efficiency and effectiveness.

The effect of flipped approach in teaching critical respiratory care among nurses during the COVID-19 era.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the efficacy of flipped approach on the nurses' knowledge and motivation regarding critical respiratory care during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: This pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study was performed in a hospital affiliated with Shiraz University of Medical Sciences during March-December 2021. One hundred and twenty eligible nurses selected by convenience sampling underwent a seven-day flipped approach respiratory intensive care training. The nurses' motivation and knowledge were evaluated using the Students' Motivation Towards Science Learning (SMTSL) and a 20-researcher-made four-option questionnaire before and two weeks after the intervention, for knowledge assessment respectively. The nurses' knowledge and learning motivation were significantly higher after the intervention (P < 0.001). The flipped approach can improve learning motivation and nurses' knowledge of critical respiratory care.

Investigating the effectiveness of Case-Based Technology-Enhanced workshops (e-Flipped vs. Online) among health worker nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

AIM: This study aimed to compare the efficacy of e-flipped and online case-based workshops on the nurses' knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding thalassemia during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: A pre-test-posttest interventional study was conducted with two intervention groups and a control group. METHODS: One hundred and fifty nurses were recruited from comprehensive urban health centres in June-December 2020. The nurses were randomly allocated to one of the three groups: case-based e-flipped workshop (n = 50), case-based online workshop (n = 50) and control (n = 50). A researcher-made questionnaire was completed by eligible subjects at baseline, after the end of the training sessions and 4 weeks after interventions to assess their knowledge, attitude and behaviour. Data were analysed in IBM SPSS v16.0. ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc tests were used to compare the three groups. RESULTS: The mean knowledge, attitude and behaviour scores in the intervention groups increased significantly more than that in the control group (p < .001). One week and 4 weeks following the intervention, the mean score of knowledge, attitude and behaviour in the e-flipped group was greater than that in the online group (p < .001). According to the results, e-flipped and online case-based workshops can improve nurses' knowledge, attitude and behaviour regarding thalassemia.

Effect of the e-flipped learning approach on the knowledge, attitudes, and perceived behaviour of medical educators.

OBJECTIVES: Using the Kirkpatrick evaluation model, investigate the effect of the e-flipped learning approach on the knowledge, attitudes, and perceived behaviour of medical educators. RESULTS: This interventional study was conducted on 140 eligible medical educators at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) from 2019 to 2021. A researcher-made questionnaire was developed to assess the impact of the course on three levels of reaction, knowledge, and perceived behaviour using the Kirkpatrick evaluation model. According to the findings, the average reaction and knowledge scores are higher than the desired level, but the perceived behaviour score is slightly lower than the desired level. The e-flipped learning approach can improve medical educators' knowledge, attitude, and behaviour regarding online teaching.

Effect of a multimedia training programme for pain management on pain intensity and depression in patients with non-specific chronic back pain.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of multimedia training on pain intensity and depression in patients with chronic low back pain. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial study, the intervention group was trained about pain management consisted of communication skills, assertiveness, stress management, lifestyle enhancement skills and physical activity prepared in seven CDs using multimedia method and the control group received routine training included physician's visits, medication prescriptions and receiving the recommendations of the physician and healthcare providers. Beck Depression Inventory and Jensen Pain Questionnaire were completed for the two groups in three stages: pre-training, post-training and 2 months thereafter. RESULTS: The results showed that there were no significant statistical difference between two groups in terms of demographic variables indicated homogeneity of research groups. Repeated measure ANOVA showed that the mean scores of pain intensity and depression changed significantly over time in both control and intervention groups (p<0.001); however, the effect of the group was not significant (p=0.565, p=0.748, respectively). Hence, the results of time-group interaction showed that there was significant difference between the two groups in terms of pain intensity and depression (p<0.001, p=0.003, respectively). The effect size revealed that the difference between mean scores of depression before and after the intervention in the both group was high (1.04 and 1.45, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The study results indicated that multimedia training has the potential in relieving pain intensity and depression in patients with non-specific chronic low back pain.

E-professionalism in medical sciences: A Hybrid Concept Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Professionalism is one of the most important and vital concepts in the medical sciences. With the rapid growth of e-learning in the medical sciences in the past few years, the concept of virtual professionalism has emerged. This study was conducted as a hybrid concept analysis on describing e-professionalism in medical sciences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a qualitative study with a hybrid concept analysis approach, consisting of theoretical stage, field research, and analysis. In the theoretical stage, the concepts of e-professionalism in medical sciences were identified through a review of the literature. During the fieldwork stage, in-depth interviews were conducted with five medical students who were intentionally selected. Finally, after analyzing the literature and the qualitative interviews, a theoretical description of e-professionalism concept in the field of medical sciences was extracted. RESULTS: the themes (3 numbers) and the subthemes (4 numbers) were extracted from 62 codes. These themes include information and communion technology and educational strategies professionalism in medical education. CONCLUSIONS: For describing professionalism, it is necessary to consider education and culture, role models, by emphasizing on the acceptance of professional responsibility, developing and improving social media policies, determining the scope of communication and interaction between individuals, and identifying the boundary between local laws and customs.

The effect of multi-stage mobile training based on Gagne instructional design on learning, retention, and satisfaction of health volunteers.

BACKGROUND: One of the most important ways to acquire knowledge in the present age is education based on new technologies, including mobile learning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a multi-stage mobile training based on Gagne instructional design on learning, retention, and satisfaction of health volunteers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this interventional study, 112 health volunteers a Health Centre in Mashhad during 2019-2020 were enrolled. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: mobile education based on Gagne model (n = 56) and conventional lecture (n = 56). A researcher-made questionnaire was completed by the eligible subjects before, after, and 2 months after the intervention to assess their learning, retention and satisfaction in educational methods. Face validity, content validity, and reliability of the data collection tool and model fitness indices were confirmed. Content validity of data collection tools verified by experts and its reliability was calculated to be 0.78. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS-25, using descriptive (mean and standard deviation [SD]) and analytical statistical tests (independent t-test). RESULTS: The results showed that 2 days and 2 months after the intervention, learning, and retention rate was significantly higher in the mobile learning based on Gagne model group in comparison to conventional lecture group (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the intervention group was generally satisfied with the mobile training method. CONCLUSION: Mobile learning based on Gagne model is recommended for improving learning, retention among health-care workers.