Prevention Workshop Research Articles

Adolescent-Reported Changes in Provider Behavior Following Pediatrician Training in Stimulant Diversion Prevention: Results From a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

To test whether pediatrician training leads to provider utilization of stimulant diversion prevention strategies as reported by adolescent patients with ADHD. Pediatric practices received a stimulant diversion prevention workshop (SDP) or continued treatment-as-usual (TAU) in a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Surveys were completed by 341 stimulant-treated patients at baseline and three follow-up assessments. In intent-to-treat analyses of patient reports, SDP adolescents reported more provider use of diversion prevention strategies compared to TAU. They also reported more parent-patient communication about diversion. Provider satisfaction with the training was strong. Pediatricians can make use of clinical practice strategies for the prevention of stimulant diversion following a 1-hr training; findings are novel given their reliance on confidential patient report of provider behavior and increase confidence in the results. Coupled with the positive provider satisfaction ratings, results suggest that this brief workshop may be an option for concerned providers that also has the effect of increasing discussion at home about safe use of stimulants.

School-based cannabis prevention: Results of a cluster-randomised trial

Acluster-randomised trial was conducted in five German federal states to evaluate the results of a school-based cannabis prevention unit. A total of 55 schools were randomly assigned to the intervention group, i.e. participation in a two-hour cannabis prevention workshop conducted by drug prevention specialists in grades 8 and 9, or to a control group with a waiting list. The knowledge, attitudes, intentions and behaviour of the young people in relation to cannabis were measured at the start of the study and six months later. 2,669 pupils(50.8% girls, average age=14.12 years) made up the sample. Effects of the intervention on the students' knowledge (adjusted regression coefficient=0.26 [0.15-0.38], p<0.001) and on the expected negative consequences of cannabis use in adolescents (adjusted regression coefficient=0.15 [0.04-0.25], p=0.006) were found. Both increased significantly more in the intervention group compared to the control group. There were no effects on other attitude-related variables, intentions or behaviour. A very short school-based workshop for grade 8 and 9 students improved their knowledge of and critical attitudes towards cannabis use, but had no effect on their future intentions and cannabis use.

Providing microbiology education to rural nurses: A case study

Objective: This case study assesses a microbiology and infection control education workshop delivered to rural nurses. The study assesses workshop value through changes in respondents’ self-assessed confidence using measures of microbiology knowledge, teaching, and best practice. Respondents also identified the aspects of the education perceived as most useful to their practice and barriers to implementing microbiology education in practice. Study design and methods: Pre- and post-workshop surveys were administered to the participants. The surveys used a 7-point ordinal scale to measure respondents’ confidence in explaining key concepts and their perception of the influence of such education opportunities on positive patient outcomes. Change in ratings was analysed using Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests; whilst the open-ended survey responses were analysed using a manifest content analysis. Results: All thirteen nurses who participated in the education workshop responded to both surveys. The results demonstrated a significant increase post-workshop in confidence measures and belief that microbiology and infection control education influence positive patient outcomes. The perceived barriers to implementation of microbiology education in practice included poor organisational culture, lack of access to training, and lack of resources. Discussion: This case study describes a method of providing microbiology education to rural nurses and highlights the benefit of this access, particularly in the mode of face-to-face learning. A suggestion for future iterations of the program is to include content that would support nurses’ implementation of theory to practice. Conclusion: A face-to-face microbiology and infection prevention workshop, which enables participants to discuss content and undertake a tour of the pathology laboratory for practical insights, enhances nurses’ self-rated confidence on this topic. Implications for research, policy, and practice: This study demonstrates the significance of microbiology education for rural nurses and describes how this can be undertaken in practice, with insight provided on the most valued aspects. It also shows the importance of supporting in-person education. Future research could address the medium to long terms effects of this education for nurses and their practice. What is already known about the topic? Access to continuing professional development is difficult for rural nurses, particularly in comparison to their urban counterparts. Nurses hold a vital role in infection prevention and infection control. Increased knowledge leads to positive patient care and positive patient outcomes. What this paper adds It demonstrates that providing microbiology education to rural nurses increases their confidence in the topical area. It provides an example program for delivering microbiology education to rural nurses. It highlights the benefits of the face-to-face aspect of education and practical component of the laboratory tour.

The Development of a Text Messaging Platform to Enhance a Youth Diabetes Prevention Program: Observational Process Study.

Approximately 1 in 5 adolescents in the United States has prediabetes, and racially and ethnically minoritized youths are disproportionately impacted. Unfortunately, there are few effective youth diabetes prevention programs, and in-person interventions are challenging because of barriers to access and engagement. We aimed to develop and assess the preliminary feasibility and acceptability of a youth-informed SMS text messaging platform to provide additional support and motivation to adolescents with prediabetes participating in a diabetes prevention workshop in East Harlem, New York City, New York, United States. We collaborated with our youth action board and a technology partner (mPulse Mobile) to develop and pilot-test the novel interactive platform. The technology subcommittee of our community action board (comprising youths and young adults) used the results from focus groups that we had previously conducted with youths from our community to develop 5 message types focused on healthy eating and active living: goal setting, behavior tracking, individually tailored guidance, motivational messages, and photo diary. We used an iterative process to develop and pilot the program with our internal study team, including youths from our community action board and mPulse Mobile developers. We then conducted a pilot of the 12-week SMS text messaging program with 13 youths with prediabetes. Participants (aged 15-21 years; 10/13, 77% female; 3/10, 23% Black and 10/13, 77% Hispanic or Latinx) received an average of 2 automated messages per day. The system correctly sent 84% (2231/2656) of the messages at the time intended; the remaining 16% (425/2656) of the messages were either sent at the incorrect time, or the system did not recognize a participant response to provide the appropriate reply. The level of engagement with the program ranged from 1 (little to no response) to 5 (highly responsive) based on how frequently participants responded to the interactive (2-way) messages. Highly responsive participants (6/13, 46%) responded >75% (1154/1538) of the time to interactive messages sent over 12 weeks, and 69% (9/13) of the participants were still engaged with the program at week 12. During a focus group conducted after program completion, the participants remarked that the message frequency was appropriate, and those who had participated in our in-person workshops reflected that the messages were reminiscent of the workshop content. Participants rated goal setting, behavior tracking, and tailored messages most highly and informed planned adaptations to the platform. Participants described the program as: "interactive, informative, enjoyable, very convenient, reliable, motivational, productive, and reflective." We partnered with youths in the initial content development and pilot testing of a novel SMS text messaging platform to support diabetes prevention. This study is unique in the triple partnership we formed among researchers, technology experts, and diverse youths to develop a mobile health platform to address diabetes-related disparities.

Assessing policy preferences for preventing and managing wildfire in Greece

Extreme temperatures and droughts have led to catastrophic wildfires across Greece over the last two decades, with 2023 experiencing the largest fire-driven evacuation in the country's history. Existing wildfire governance approaches may be outdated in the face of these new challenges. Greek residents' attitudes and willingness to pay for additional prevention and mitigation may be changing with the increased threat. Because policy design can affect public support and subsequent outcomes, we conducted an online national-level survey of Greek residents (n = 722) with an embedded discrete choice experiment, aimed at assessing preferences and willingness-to-pay for different policy alternatives to address wildfire risk. Our results suggest that, in general, Greek residents are unsatisfied with current fire policy, are willing to pay a small amount for additional fire mitigation efforts aimed to reduce burned areas, and prefer action led by the Greek Forest or Fire Services using awareness and education campaign—for example, fire prevention informative mailers or workshops.

Empowering Agricultural Workers Through Community Health Worker-Led Pesticide Safety Workshops in Washington State.

It is difficult to reach migrant or refugee agricultural workers about pesticide exposure prevention. Here, we describe a community health worker (CHW)-led pesticide exposure prevention workshop and the impact of this program among migrant and refugee workers in Washington state. A focus group of migrants and refugees participated in the development of a CHW-led Spanish language pesticide exposure prevention mobile phone app and workshop. Pre- and post-workshop surveys assessed pesticide training, knowledge, and characteristics. Community health workers facilitated 28 workshops attended by 263 participants from 49 agricultural communities. Approximately 79% of participants reported no prior pesticide training. Significant improvements were observed in the proportion familiar with illnesses associated with pesticides, knowledge about pesticide definition, ability to correctly identify the content of pesticide labels, and the correct method to wash fruits and vegetables. Community health workers are effective in addressing the gaps in pesticide safety education and awareness among migrant and refugee communities. Further work is needed to assess how to better integrate a mobile phone app into this training and subsequent use of the knowledge.

P16: Report on a Dementia Prevention Workshop Organized through Multidiscipline Intervention: An Examination of Intervention Approach through the Evaluation of Group Reminiscence Method and Mental Aspect

Objective:This is a report of a workshop for local residents organized by university researchers in various fields with the aim to develop a dementia prevention method. The five academic fields involved in the project are Health &amp; Sports, Psychology, Food Nutrition, Music, and Nursing.Methods:Dementia Prevention Workshop took place once a week between October 2021 and July 2022 except for some intervals due to surges in Covid-19 infection cases. Dual task exercises were conducted at each session, followed by groupworks by researchers of Psychology, Nutrition, Music, and Nursing Science taking turns. Psychologists facilitated the understanding of assertion, nutritionists held lectures on food life designed for dementia prevention, musicians played instruments, and nurses intervened through the Group Reminiscence Method. The Nursing Science experts conducted evaluations at the beginning and the end of each session using SF-36 and CES-D and checked the participants’ mood before and after the reminiscence session with Japanese UWIST mood adjective checklist (JUMACL).Results:16 participants took the measurement after the workshop, and their average age (SD) was 72.9 (5.5). In the overall evaluation, the participants’ motor ability improved(p&lt;.05), and they retained cognitive functions. In SF-36, no statistically significant differences were observed before and after the classroom. Compared to the data from 2017, the scores in the social aspect were lower. In CES-D, the scores significantly worsened after the workshop, with some participants’ scores exceeding 16 points, which is the depression cutoff point. In JUMACL, the Tense Arousal (TA) related to the arousal state and the Energetic Arousal (EA), which is supposedly related to intellectual activities, both improved after the session.Conclusion:In a single evaluation before and after a group reminiscence session, the state of relaxed concentration with a suggested connection with intellectual activities, but the overall evaluation result throughout the workshop project suggested the need to reinforce the approach to the mental aspect because of some participants observed with decreased scores in the mental aspects with depressive tendency. We will establish an intervention plan by also incorporating the impact of Covid-19-related depression.

Preventive Education Outreach on Social Media: The Quest to Enroll Community Members in a Child Sexual Prevention Workshop

ABSTRACT Social media is a frequently used tool in health promotion efforts although less so for the prevention of child sexual abuse (CSA). This is due, in part, to the lack of standardized branding guides for community-based efforts in how to craft messages related to CSA prevention. This study examined the use of Twitter (now “X”) as a means of promoting participation in the adult-focused Stewards of Children CSA prevention workshop, prior to and following the implementation of a standardized branding guide. The exposure, reach, and engagement of the top tweets and top media tweets were examined over 24-months pre- and post-implementation of a five-point branding guide. Engagement was descriptively compared to the number of adults who enrolled in the Stewards of Children workshop. As evidenced by the increase in tweet impressions and the number of adults trained, it is likely the implementation of the branding guide was beneficial in promoting participation in the Stewards of Children workshop. Though participation in a program does not inherently suggest behavior change, getting participants to enroll is a crucial first step. The findings emphasize the potential of using social media to ultimately promote behavior change in the field of CSA prevention and beyond.

Differing perceptions of risk and the implications for the delivery of harm prevention programmes in Cambodia

ABSTRACT In 2005, Cambodia implemented harm prevention as a guiding principle in their National Strategic approach. In this practice-based research, social and community work practitioners at a community-based non-government organisation (NGO) delivered harm prevention workshops to 18 villages in rural Cambodia. Findings indicated that traditional expert understanding of risk did not always match how communities perceived risk. By engaging with the community utilising a Participation Action Research approach, Children’s Future International (CFI) found their expert position shifted to one where the communities became the experts, empowering them to be actively engaged in risk reduction strategies. These findings have implications for community engagement, development and targeting of harm prevention workshops.

Gadget Addiction Prevention Workshop in Children at An-Nuriyah Islamic Elementary School

One of the things experienced by schools in the South Jakarta area is the problems that arise because students mostly hold gadgets when learning online. Based on the justification of the problem, the community service proposer team and partners held discussions and decided on the focus of the service to provide gadget addiction prevention training for children using the family link application. The method used in this Community Service activity is a method of training and mentoring. in this Community Service activity are, 1. There is an understanding between the An-Nuriyah Islamic Elementary School South Jakarta teacher and the school committee about the need for a family link application to monitor internet use in children 2. Can practice this PKM activity in the form of using a family link application for monitoring usage gadgets in children. The conclusions obtained from the Community Partnership Program activities held with the partners of SD Islam An-Nuriyah, South Jakarta, namely: 1. Understanding Psychological Knowledge of Elementary School Age Children 2. Understanding the Need for Supervision of Children Using Gadgets in Children 3. Pr how to use Google Family Link App.

Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine Position Paper: The Clinician's Role in Addressing and Preventing Maltreatment in Sport-10-year Anniversary.

In 2011, the Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine released their first position paper on Abuse, Harassment, and Bullying in Sport. Since this time, there have been significant advancements within the global sport landscape, including the emergence of regulatory bodies and initiatives aimed at prioritizing athletes' health and well-being. While the shift to a more proactive approach for safeguarding athletes is evident and promising, athletes continue to be affected by cases of maltreatment. To advance safe sport, it is critical that all supporters of safe and healthy performance are aware of their roles and responsibilities for preventing and addressing maltreatment, including the Canadian sport medicine community. In this updated position statement, recent advancements in research on issues of maltreatment are summarized and specific recommendations are provided on how the medical community can contribute to appropriately identifying, treating, and preventing harm in sport, as well as their role in advocating for the health and well-being of athletes in their care.

National Institutes of Health pathways to prevention workshop: Improving rural health through telehealth-guided provider-to-provider communication

Introduction Rural communities often face chronic challenges of high rates of serious health conditions coupled with inadequate access to health care services—challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. One strategy with the potential to mitigate these problems is the increased use of telehealth technology. A feature of telehealth applications—collaboration between health care providers for consultation and other purposes—referred to herein as Rural Provider-to-Provider Telehealth (RPPT), introduces important expertise that may not exist locally in rural communities. Literature indicates that RPPT is operationalized through many methods with an array of purposes. While RPPT is a promising strategy that brings additional expertise to patient-centered rural care delivery, there is limited evidence addressing important considerations, including how patient access and outcomes, provider satisfaction and performance, and payment may be affected by its use. Methods Recognizing the significant potential of RPPT and the need for more information associated with its use, the National Institutes of Health convened a Pathways to Prevention (P2P) workshop to further understand RPPT's effectiveness and impact on improving health outcomes in rural settings. The P2P initiative, supported by several federal health agencies, engaged rural health stakeholders and experts to examine four key questions, identify related knowledge gaps, and provide recommendations to advance understanding of the use and impact of RPPT. Results Included in this report is a description of the process used to generate information about RPPT, the identification of key knowledge gaps, and specific recommendations to further build needed evidence. Discussion The emerging use of RPPT is an important tool for bridging gaps in access to care that impacts rural populations. However, to fully understand the value and effects of RPPT, new research is needed to fill the knowledge gaps identified in this report. Additionally, this report should help engage providers, payors, and policymakers interested in supporting evidence-informed RPPT practice, policy, and payment, with the ultimate aim of improving access to health care and health status of rural communities in the United States and worldwide.

Sexual Violence and Low Rates of HIV Post-exposure Prophylaxis Access Among Female Sex Workers in Brazil.

Female sex workers (FSW) are disproportionately affected by sexual violence (SV) and HIV. Social and structural barriers limit their access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Respondent-driven sampling survey in 12 Brazilian cities among 4188 FSW aimed to estimate the rates of SV and factors associated with access to PEP use among FSW who experienced SV. The prevalence of SV was 26.3% (1199). Of the 1199, 7.5% sought out healthcare and used PEP, 19% sought out healthcare, but did not use PEP, and 73.5% did not seek out healthcare after SV. Factors associated with PEP use included PEP awareness, participation in HIV/STI prevention workshops, and disclosure of FSW status in healthcare services. Although Brazil has a PEP program free of charge, it is not readily accessible, even for FSW who seek out healthcare. The development of effective strategies to link FSW to HIV preventive services is urgently needed.

Środki fluorkowe w zapobieganiu i leczeniu próchnicy i erozji zębów u dzieci, młodzieży i dorosłych – rekomendacje Polskich Ekspertów. Aktualizacja zaleceń: Indywidualna profilaktyka fluorkowa u dzieci, młodzieży – rekomendacje Polskich Ekspertów

Introduction. Fluoride-containing agents have a wide range of uses that have dental maintenance in line with the principles of minimal dentistry. They are effective in reducing the risk and progression of caries and erosion of deciduous and permanent teeth, and these pathologies are non-invasive. The safety condition and the base point of the fluoride device is the knowledge of various methods and patterns in accordance with the principle of their application. The common setting of measures for the establishment of preventive measures is termed “fluoride prophylaxis”, although some of them do so far dictate the recognition of tooth decay. Aim. As part of the activities of the Working Group on Fluoride Prevention of the Polish Division of the Alliance for a Caries-Free Future (ACFF PL) and the Polish Society of Pediatric Dentistry (PTSD), experts in the field of pediatric dentistry, team dentistry and pediatrics were appointed to update consensus statement of Polish experts on individual caries prevention with fluoride in children, adolescents and adults in Poland. Material and methods. We reviewed the literature of the equilibrium at the service level on the provision of technical assistance in the field of work performance and their application to people in the system and by people in Poland. The analysis covers measures to complement fluoride safety measures and recommendations for fluoride prevention and scientific workshops in different countries around the world. The last version of the document discussed and approved by experts in the field of pediatric dentistry, conservative dentistry and paediatrics on April 4, 2019. The update is planned no later than 5 years after its publication. Results. The documents contain basic information on educational needs and educational profiles in the field of tooth decay and erosion in Poland, the mechanism of anti-caries effect of fluoride, protective devices and different individual methods as well as imposed measures regulating issues related to regulations and provisions regarding restrictions on the prevention of caries and erosion in regulations from age and the risk of these pathologies. Conclusions. The effectiveness of agents containing fluorine compounds in the prevention and treatment of tooth decay and erosion of teeth is not in doubt at present, and their use in accordance with the developed principles is safe for patients. Compared to using only fluoride toothpaste, the combination of fluoride toothpaste with another method increases the chance of reducing tooth decay: with fluoride varnish – 48%, with fluoride gel – 14%, with rinsed – 7%. In addition to proper diet and oral hygiene, the use of agents containing fluoride compounds remains the basic method of preventing tooth decay. Highly concentrated, acidic pH formulations containing polyvalent fluorine compounds are the most preferred for erosion prophylaxis. It is recommended to use toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain fluoride or tin chloride. The protective potential increases with long-term use of the tin fluoride toothpaste. An effective form of erosion prophylaxis is the daily application of an AmF / NaF gel containing 1.23% F at low pH and a gel containing tin (II) fluoride.

Evaluation of a Suicide Prevention Program Encompassing Both Student and Teacher Training Components.

Background: Although suicide prevention programs have been shown to change suicide-related knowledge and attitudes, relatively little is known about their effects on actual behavior. Aims: Therefore, the focus of the present study was on improving participating school staff's practical and communication skills. Method: Suicide prevention workshops for students in grades 8-10 (N = 200) and a gatekeeper training program for school staff (N = 150) were conducted in 12 secondary schools in Germany. Schools were alternately assigned to one of three interventions (staff, students, or both trained) or to a waitlist control group. Results: School staff undergoing the training showed increased action-related knowledge, greater self-efficacy when counseling students in need and augmented counseling skills, and also had more conversations with students in need. Although students participating in the workshops did not seek help more frequently, they provided help to their peers more often in the conditions in which both students and school staff or only the latter had been trained. Limitations: The generalizability of the results is constrained by high dropout rates due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the relatively small sample size. Conclusion: A combination of suicide prevention programs for school staff and students appears to be most effective.

A Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention Workshop for Medical Students.

IntroductionAn estimated 11% of medical students experience suicidal ideation during medical school. Many medical schools teach students how to intervene on behalf of patients experiencing suicidal ideation, but no curriculum in MedEdPORTAL teaches students how to intervene on behalf of peers.MethodsThe authors designed, implemented, and evaluated a 2-hour workshop to equip medical students with skills and resources to intervene on behalf of a peer in crisis. This workshop comprised a peer-led didactic session and small-group sessions with role-plays and a guided debrief. The resource included a slide deck for the didactic session, a facilitator guide for the small-group session, a student handout with role-plays and self-evaluation questions, and the pre-/postsurvey.ResultsThis workshop was conducted with cohorts of first- and second-year medical students (n = 273) in October and November 2019. Pre-/postsurveys showed the greatest improvements in suicide prevention knowledge (self-rated) and the confidence in and likelihood of asking peers about suicide.DiscussionStudent feedback indicated that the most valuable parts of the workshop were the peer-led nature of the didactic session, the perspective of a peer's lived experience, and the role-plays. Opportunities for improvement included the scheduling of the session, the potentially triggering nature of the role-play exercises, and the importance of enabling students to opt out discreetly. A version of this workshop is now a permanent part of the first-year curriculum at our institution.

Proceedings From a National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Workshop to Control Hypertension.

Hypertension treatment and control prevent more cardiovascular events than management of other modifiable risk factors. Although the age-adjusted proportion of US adults with controlled blood pressure (BP) defined as <140/90 mm Hg, improved from 31.8% in 1999–2000 to 48.5% in 2007–2008, it remained stable through 2013–2014 and declined to 43.7% in 2017–2018. To address the rapid decline in hypertension control, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention convened a virtual workshop with multidisciplinary national experts. Also, the group sought to identify opportunities to reverse the adverse trend and further improve hypertension control. The workshop immediately preceded the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Control Hypertension, which recognized a stagnation in progress with hypertension control. The presentations and discussions included potential reasons for the decline and challenges in hypertension control, possible “big ideas,” and multisector approaches that could reverse the current trend while addressing knowledge gaps and research priorities. The broad set of “big ideas” was comprised of various activities that may improve hypertension control, including: interventions to engage patients, promotion of self-measured BP monitoring with clinical support, supporting team-based care, implementing telehealth, enhancing community–clinical linkages, advancing precision population health, developing tailored public health messaging, simplifying hypertension treatment, using process and outcomes quality metrics to foster accountability and efficiency, improving access to high-quality health care, addressing social determinants of health, supporting cardiovascular public health and research, and lowering financial barriers to hypertension control.

Prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infections: ICU nurses' knowledge and barriers.

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) have been a significant challenge in care, increasing healthcare costs and leading to adverse outcomes, including mortality. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses on the prevention of CLABSI and the implementation barriers of evidence-based guidelines in practice. A cross-sectional study. Data were collected from adult, paediatric, and neonatal ICU nurses working in seven hospitals in Iran, using census sampling from April to July 2020. A number 209 out of 220 ICU nurses participated in the present study (response rate of 95%). The median score of knowledge of ICU nurses towards the prevention of CLABSI was 3.00 out of 11. 50.72% of ICU nurses had insufficient knowledge. The most critical implementation barriers of evidence-based guidelines were high workload, shortage of necessary equipment, and lack of CLABSI prevention workshops. Overall, the knowledge of ICU nurses towards the prevention of CLABSI was insufficient. Study findings suggest that the knowledge of ICU nurses may be improved by reducing the workload, increasing the number of nursing staff in the ICU, having an adequate supply of equipment needed to ensure safe practice in the ICU, and providing regular related educational workshops for nurses working in the ICU. The present study's findings suggest that regular training programs should be developed to improve the knowledge of ICU nurses in the care and prevention of CLABSI. Nursing policymakers and managers need to identify and address implementation barriers of evidence-based guidelines to improve nursing, such as high workload, shortage of necessary equipment, and lack of CLABSI prevention workshops.

Efficacy of a suicide sensitisation and prevention (SSP) workshop for medical students on their attitudes, beliefs, and factual knowledge on suicide: A pilot study.

Myths and stigma about suicide and mental health among doctors are widely prevalent in India. Didactic methods of teaching alone may not be adequate to bridge the knowledge gap. Fifty-seven MBBS students participated voluntarily by accepting an invitation. They were examined pre-intervention with the Suicide Opinion Questionnaire (SOQ) for their attitudes and beliefs about suicide. Students then underwent a custom-made extracurricular Suicide Sensitization and Prevention workshop. It consisted of a 120-min session that included a didactic session on the bio-psycho-social model of suicide and two role-plays demonstrating Suicide Prevention Early Intervention Communication (SPEIC). Students were examined again after seven days with SOQ, and with the SPEIC checklist. Fifty students completed the study protocol. There was a 9.5% increase in SOQ scores post-intervention indicating a change toward positive attitudes/beliefs about suicide. The emotional perturbation subscale showed the highest degree of improvement, whereas the acceptability subscale showed the least improvement. Students were able to recall 40% and 60% from the Do-Checklist and the Do Not Checklist from the SPEIC after seven days from the workshop. There was no difference in SOQ performances pre- and post-intervention in students who knew someone with psychiatric illness, or with a history of an attempt or death by suicide. Using role-plays and interactive teaching methods can be effective in teaching psychiatry and mental health issues to medical students. The results indicate not only better understanding of subject matter but also recall after a week from the intervention.

Implementation and effects of sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevention workshop for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kilifi county, Kenya

Implementation and effects of sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevention workshop for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kilifi county, Kenya