Evaluating the effectiveness of Let’s Talk Period’s educational outreach for high school students

Abstract

Von Willebrand Disease, the most common bleeding disorder, is inherited equally by men and women, though bleeding symptoms are usually more evident in females due to their menstrual cycles and childbirth. The goal of developing a youth outreach project was to empower young female high school students with knowledge and resources about abnormal bleeding. The 75-minute presentation was given to five Grade 9 Girls’ Health classes across the Limestone District School Board, and led by a Hemophilia Nurse, supported by a Clinical Research Assistant and a 2nd year undergraduate student, who interacted with students and documented the presentation with photographs. Queen’s REB approved the project, and parental and student permission was obtained for photographs. Using Kahoot, an interactive online quiz program, students participated in short pre- and post-presentation quizzes to evaluate their knowledge and learning. Questions including "True/False: Iron deficiency is normal and expected among young females," were posed within the set of 9 questions on topics of anemia, menstruation, and abnormal bleeding. 84 students participated, aged 14 and 15, and 58 had evaluable quiz results. The results showed an average pre-presentation score of 77%, ranging from 72-83%, with a post-presentation quiz average of 92%, ranging from 83-95%. It was determined that students’ post-presentation scores were significantly higher (p<0.001) than those before the presentation, providing evidence for an increase in student understanding. Testing efficacy of these presentations can help determine their level of utility as a resource for health teachers to implement in their classrooms.