Brazilian medical education and the incorporation of technologies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic / La educación médica brasileña y la incorporación de tecnología antes y durante la pandemia de COVID-19

Durante la pandemia de COVID-19, se intensificó el uso de tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC). Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar la incorporación de las TIC en el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje por parte de docentes, estudiantes de grado y posgrado de Medicina de instituciones públicas y privadas brasileñas, antes y durante la pandemia de COVID-19. Se adoptó una encuesta transversal para esta investigación, con recolección de datos, realizada de mayo a septiembre de 2020. Los datos fueron analizados mediante estadística descriptiva y análisis temático. Participaron 242 personas: 153 estudiantes de pregrado, 19 estudiantes de posgrado y 70 profesores. Los participantes consideraron que el apoyo brindado por sus instituciones educativas en 2020 para el uso de las TIC fue bueno (44,2 por ciento, 107/242) o excelente (22,3 por ciento, 54/242). Las tecnologías más utilizadas en 2020 fueron los entornos de aprendizaje virtual (79,8 por ciento, 193/242) y las videoconferencias (77,7 por ciento, 188/242). La mayoría de los encuestados prefiere la modalidad presencial (50,4 por ciento, 122/242), seguida de los que prefieren el uso ocasional de las TIC (22,3 por ciento, 54/242). Los participantes registraron 171 percepciones relacionadas con el uso de las TIC como recurso pedagógico y su importancia durante la pandemia. Los participantes reconocieron el uso complementario de las TIC en sus actividades académicas y consideraron que el apoyo institucional fue adecuado. No se informaron dificultades financieras, pero los participantes mencionaron la falta de formación y el uso limitado de las TIC en actividades prácticas(AU)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) was intensified. This study aimed to investigate the incorporation of ICT in the teaching-learning process by teachers, undergraduate and graduate Medicine students from Brazilian public and private institutions, before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cross-sectional survey was used to perform this research, with data collection carried out from May to September 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. There were 242 participants: 153 undergraduate students, 19 graduate students, and 70 faculty members. The participants considered that the support provided by their educational institutions in 2020 for the use of ICT was good (44.2percent, 107/242) or excellent (22.3percent, 54/242). The technologies most often used in 2020 were virtual learning environments (79.8percent, 193/242) and videoconferences (77.7percent, 188/242). The majority of respondents prefer the classroom-based' modality (50.4percent, 122/242), followed by those who prefer the occasional use of ICT (22.3percent, 54/242). The participants registered 171 perceptions related to the use of ICT as a pedagogical resource and its importance during the pandemic. The respondents recognized the complementary use of ICT in their academic activities and considered that the institutional support was adequate. No financial difficulties were reported, but participants mentioned lack of training and limited use of ICT in practical activities. To overcome such gaps, the use of ICT should take into account preferences and specificities of medical education, for which institutions have to prepare themselves pedagogically(AU)

Development and content validation of the information assessment method for patients and consumers.

BACKGROUND: Online consumer health information addresses health problems, self-care, disease prevention, and health care services and is intended for the general public. Using this information, people can improve their knowledge, participation in health decision-making, and health. However, there are no comprehensive instruments to evaluate the value of health information from a consumer perspective. OBJECTIVE: We collaborated with information providers to develop and validate the Information Assessment Method for all (IAM4all) that can be used to collect feedback from information consumers (including patients), and to enable a two-way knowledge translation between information providers and consumers. METHODS: Content validation steps were followed to develop the IAM4all questionnaire. The first version was based on a theoretical framework from information science, a critical literature review and prior work. Then, 16 laypersons were interviewed on their experience with online health information and specifically their impression of the IAM4all questionnaire. Based on the summaries and interpretations of interviews, questionnaire items were revised, added, and excluded, thus creating the second version of the questionnaire. Subsequently, a panel of 12 information specialists and 8 health researchers participated in an online survey to rate each questionnaire item for relevance, clarity, representativeness, and specificity. The result of this expert panel contributed to the third, current, version of the questionnaire. RESULTS: The current version of the IAM4all questionnaire is structured by four levels of outcomes of information seeking/receiving: situational relevance, cognitive impact, information use, and health benefits. Following the interviews and the expert panel survey, 9 questionnaire items were confirmed as relevant, clear, representative, and specific. To improve readability and accessibility for users with a lower level of literacy, 19 items were reworded and all inconsistencies in using a passive or active voice have been solved. One item was removed due to redundancy. The current version of the IAM4all questionnaire contains 28 items. CONCLUSIONS: We developed and content validated the IAM4all in partnership with information providers, information specialists, researchers and representatives of information consumers. This questionnaire can be integrated within electronic knowledge resources to stimulate users' reflection (eg, their intention to use information). We claim that any organization (eg, publishers, community organizations, or patient associations), can evaluate and improve their online consumer health information from a consumers' perspective using this method.