Health Education

IJCS

Editorial

Education and Training in Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care: An Essential Tool to Improve Outcomes

Klebia Castello Branco et al. Jorge Yussef Afiune

In an article published in the International Journal of Cardiovascular Sciences, Campos and Carvalho examine the challenges of educating and training teams in pediatric cardiac critical care in developing countries. They also highlight emerging opportunities for improvement and growth.

In recent decades, substantial advances have been made in the field of pediatric cardiology, including progress in pediatric cardiac surgery, catheter-based interventions, anesthesia, cardiac imaging and monitoring, neonatal and pediatric critical care, mechanical circulatory support, and the expansion of multidisciplinary teams. These advances have led to significant improvements in outcomes for children with congenital and acquired heart disease. However, congenital heart disease still places a significant burden on health care systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

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IJCS

Original Article

Innovative Health Education Strategies: Training Professionals in Hypertension and Diabetes Care in Primary Health Care

Thiago Barbabela de Castro Soares et al. Priscila Lenita Candida dos Santos Regina Márcia Faria de Moura Daisy Motta-Santos … Reginaldo Gonçalves Polianna Delfino Pereira Daniella Nunes Pereira Clara Rodrigues Alves de Oliveira Lilian Cristina Rezende Aline Cristine Souza Lopes Milena Soriano Marcolino

Abstract

Background:

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and behavioral changes are a cornerstone of their prevention and treatment. However, implementing such changes can be challenging, and the use of validated protocols may support this process.

Objectives:

To develop, implement, and evaluate a continuing education protocol for primary care professionals focused on creating and monitoring action plans for the care of patients with arterial hypertension (AH) and diabetes mellitus (DM).

Methods:

The strategy involved 20 hours of in-person workshops and 15 hours of online training, based on Ministry of Health guidelines and covering topics such as physical activity, nutrition, and lifestyle. Evaluation was conducted through the development of team-based action plans and the administration of a satisfaction questionnaire.

Results:

The model was implemented in five municipalities, with 166 healthcare professionals participating in the in-person workshops. All teams developed action plans to implement the covered topics within their local contexts. The workshops on physical activity, nutrition, and lifestyle change were mostly rated as “good,” “very good,” or “excellent.” The most frequently mentioned terms in the qualitative assessments were “content,” “knowledge,” and “practices.” The strategy proved feasible, and partnerships with local public institutions enabled the active involvement of health professionals in proposing solutions to identified issues ().

Conclusion:

The action plans were tailored to local realities and reflected a high level of satisfaction with both the content and the hands-on approach of the sessions.

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IJCS

Editorial

Challenging Health Literacy, Patient Knowledge, and Adherence to Oral Anticoagulation in Primary Care Units

Alfredo José Mansur

Care of patients and therapeutics in clinical practice has evolved based on scientific and technological advances, mainly in patients living in societies with appropriate social, educational, and economic conditions, as well as supported facilities that are able to be elicited when needed. However social disparities, whether in social and economic background or in education can vary among population subsets in a way that may hinder the proper care necessary to fulfill expected results. These disparities influence adherence that may be less than optimal. Health literacy is a public concern recognized by different agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO). Moreover, the healthcare network in different countries may vary.

In Brazil, reports of experiences in primary care facilities, which present interesting opportunities to add to the clinical experience, were evaluated in the city of Divinópolis, in the southeastern region of Brazil, with estimated population of 242,505 inhabitants. Primary care facilities in Divinópolis are organized in 43 primary care units. In the current study, the authors evaluated 162 participants (mean age 64.8±12.7 years-old, 55.6% women) concerning chronic treatments with warfarin, 50% of which were identified due to nonvalvular atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism. Participants were evaluated with tests devised to check for oral anticoagulation knowledge, adherence to treatment, health literacy, and the medication complexity index. The relationship of the studied variables with the therapeutic range of INR was unclear; the sample size may well have been a key limitation to estimating associations. The mean follow-up time was 16.5 months after recruitment in March 2020. There were 16 deaths, two of which may have been related to hemorrhage and two possibly related to thromboembolism. The study revealed insufficient knowledge about warfarin therapy and low health literacy in primary care facilities.

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Original Article

Does Hypertension Knowledge Influence Levels of Physical Activity in Hypertensive Patients From a Southern Brazilian Community?

Rafaella Zulianello dos Santos et al. Andrea Schaefer Korbes Eliara Ten Caten Martins Mateus De Lucca … Leonardo De Lucca Marlus Karsten Magnus Benetti

Abstract

Background:

Increased level of physical activity (PA) and health education are known as non-pharmacological treatments of hypertension (HP). There is a lack of studies investigating the influence of HP knowledge on the level of PA among hypertensive patients.

Objective:

To examine the influence of patient’s knowledge about HP on PA level and the relationship between these variables.

Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in in a primary care center located in a city in the southern Brazil. A total of 199 hypertensive patients (median 61.2 [13] years; body mass index (BMI) 21.9 (7.5) kg/m2; 72.4% women) were included. The level of PA was assessed by measuring the number of steps taken daily. The knowledge about HP was assessed by a standardized questionnaire (HIPER-Q). The Kruskall-Wallis test was used to compare age, BMI and PA level between HP knowledge categories, and the Spearman test was used to assess correlations (p <0.05).

Results:

The median score of knowledge about HP for patients categorized as insufficient (n=6, 3%), poor (n=24; 12.1%), acceptable (n=101; 50.8%) and good (n=68; 34.2%) was 11.0 (8.0), 20.0 (4.0), 26.0 (5.0) and 38.0 (2.0), respectively. No patient has achieved an “excellent” level of knowledge. There was no significant difference in PA level (p = 0.341), BMI (p = 0.510) or age (p = 0.073) between these categories. Age was negatively correlated with knowledge about HP (p <0.05 and rho = 0.02).

Conclusions:

Patient’s knowledge about HP did not influence the level of PA in hypertensive patients. Age, number of steps per day and BMI were not significantly different between the categories of knowledge. Public policies and organizational strategy should be addressed to improve health education and avoid sedentary behavior in this population. (Int J Cardiovasc Sci. 2020; [online].ahead print, PP.0-0)

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Education and Training in Pediatric Cardiac Critical Care: An Essential Tool to Improve Outcomes

Innovative Health Education Strategies: Training Professionals in Hypertension and Diabetes Care in Primary Health Care

Abstract

Background:

Objectives:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusion:

Challenging Health Literacy, Patient Knowledge, and Adherence to Oral Anticoagulation in Primary Care Units

Does Hypertension Knowledge Influence Levels of Physical Activity in Hypertensive Patients From a Southern Brazilian Community?

Abstract

Background:

Objective:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusions:

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