Distance learning in antimicrobial stewardship: innovation in medical education.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyse the impact that web-based distance learning has on knowledge gain in medical students, as well as student perceptions of the methodology. METHODS: This was an educational intervention study conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. From 2008 to 2014, we offered a free web-based distance learning course, covering antimicrobial use and microbial resistance, to fifth-year medical students. The course encompassed 100 h of activities, with five theoretical modules, exercises and simulations, within a virtual learning environment. The students were tutored in their online activities, and some classes were conducted in real time for live discussions. In addition, students underwent face-to-face assessments of their knowledge of the topic before and after the course. Statistical analysis was performed and the means of the overall scores were obtained, as were the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The means were compared by two-tailed paired t-tests and by the paired Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: Of 814 eligible medical students, 606 (74.45%) completed the entire course during the study period. The mean score for knowledge of the topic was significantly higher on the final assessment than on the initial assessment (p <  0.001). We found that dedication (in hours) was directly proportional to the level of participation, as reflected in the mean final score (p = 0.009) and in the proportion of students who passed (p = 0.028). All of the participants considered their knowledge adequate or insufficient before the course, stating that it is quite important or important to address the topic during medical education. Although dedication levels were low, 70.5% stated that they had learned "quite a lot" or "more than expected" about the topic and would dedicate more time to it if they could. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a virtual learning environment can promote teaching and learning in the infectious diseases field, specifically for antimicrobial stewardship, increasing knowledge significantly, and should be considered for inclusion in the final stages of medical education.

How to educate health care professionals in developing countries? A Brazilian experience.

E-learning is an important tool to bring health care professionals updated information, especially in a large, developing country like Brazil, where teaching resources are limited. It allows the exchange of experiences between professionals, promotes simultaneous knowledge acquisition by a large number of participants, and reaches some remote areas.

Perceptions and attitudes of the professional staff concerning infection surveillance and control programs in Brazilian hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Several countries have conducted studies to assess the status of their infection control programs (ICP) with the objective of improving quality of infection control practices. METHODS: To assess the perceptions and attitudes of the health care workers (HCW) concerning ICP in Brazilian hospitals, we conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered online questionnaire during a Web-based course (WBC) on infection control (IC) and antimicrobial resistance (AR). RESULTS: Of 6256 Brazilian HCW registered for the WBC, 1998 were members of infection control committees (ICC) and answered the survey. Eight hundred six (40.4%) respondents said that an ICP was established for more than 10 years in their institutions. Most professionals reported that their hospitals perform microbiologic surveillance targeted at epidemiologically important multidrug-resistant organisms, but the majority underestimated the prevalence of AR. CONCLUSION: Our survey highlights important information about the perceptions and attitudes of ICC members that may be used to tailor key interventions for implementing effective ICP. It suggests, additionally, that, to achieve countrywide standardized IC mechanisms in a developing country, authorities should consider the social, cultural, and economical disparities between regions and identify specific regional needs to make available the resources required to minimize such disparities.

Physicians' perceptions, beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge concerning antimicrobial resistance in a Brazilian teaching hospital.

This cross-sectional survey assessed physicians' perceptions, knowledge and practices concerning antimicrobial resistance. Ninety-nine percent of participants reported that they perceived antimicrobial resistance as an important problem, and 86.7% agreed that antimicrobials are overprescribed, but only 2.9% rated "practicing antimicrobial control" as the most important strategy for preventing resistance. The results of this study warrant educational programs on antimicrobial resistance and the distribution of information regarding local antimicrobial susceptibility testing.