Effects of contextual interactive healthcare training on caregivers of patients with suspected COVID‐19 infection: Anxiety, learning achievements, perceived support and self‐efficacies during quarantine

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThe contextual and interactive learning research was motivated by the need to enhance the healthcare training effect of caregivers of patients with suspected COVID‐19 infection during quarantine. However, there is a lack of effective approaches to integrating mobile contextual learning into interactive learning.ObjectivesTherefore, this study developed a mobile augmented reality‐integration contextual interactive healthcare training system, and then investigated the effects of the proposed system on anxiety, learning effects, perceived support and self‐efficacies.MethodsTo validate the effectiveness of the system, we conducted a quasi‐experiment with a sample of 91 caregivers of patients with suspected COVID‐19 infection.Results and conclusionsResults showed that the experimental group with the developed system was superior to the control group with e‐pamphlet instruction in mobile devices, in terms of learning effect, perceived support, self‐efficacies and reduction of anxiety during quarantine. Therefore, the mobile contextual interactive healthcare training system could be useful to improve caregivers' self‐efficacies as well as their ability to care for patients in the context of COVID‐19 infection prevention.ImplicationsThis is one of the few studies of the effective approach for technology‐enhanced healthcare education in the COVID‐19 pandemic. Some corresponding suggestions are proposed: implementing mobile contextual interactive training activities to enhance caregivers' knowledge, skills and self‐efficacies; involving social interactions to relieve caregivers' anxiety; providing professional communications and support while facing difficulties in taking care of patients with suspected COVID‐19 infection.