Journal of Education and Health Promotion

COVID‑19: Distance learning to empower educators and health assistants in rural areas

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Maria do Carmo Barros de Melo
. Priscila Menezes Ferri 1
. Monica Maria Almeida de Vasconcelos 2
. Zilma Silveira Nogueira Reis 3
. Solange Cervinho Bicalho Godoy 4
. Vitória Andrade Palmeira 5
. Gabriel Rocha 5
. Rosalia Morais Torres 6
. Unaí Tupinambás 7

1 Department of Pediatrics, Subcoordinator of Simulation Cente, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

2 Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

3 Department of Obstetric Gynecology, Coordinator of Health Informatics Center, Faculty of Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

4 Department of Basic Nursing, Coordinator of Telehealth Center, Nursing School Teacher, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

5 Medicine Student, Faculty of Medicine – Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

6 Department of Clinical Medicine, Member of Health Technology Center and Telehealth Center, Faculty of Medicine at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil

7 Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine at Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Educators and health assistants can act as key players in controlling the pandemic.
In general, they are respected by the community, especially in rural areas, and can help guide and
raise the population’s awareness of preventive measures. The objective of this paper is to evaluate
the results in knowledge progress of an e‑learning course offered to educators and health assistants
by a public university and to analyze the profile and satisfaction of the participants.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A single group pre‑ and post‑test design based on a questionnaire,
interventional, study was conducted in the period from April 20th to June 20th. All participants of the
course answered sociodemographic and satisfaction questionnaire and a pre‑ and post‑test. Data
were descriptively arranged and regarding the distribution and comparison of means and frequency,
paired t‑test for group comparisons. P < 0.05 was statistically significant. Data were collected from
the Moodle® teaching platform, without identifying the participants.
RESULTS: A total of 674 participants were enrolled in the five groups, and 583 concluded the
course (86.5%). The reasons for those who did not access the entire course (n = 47) were: Lack of
time, difficulty in accessing the internet, and lack of experience with distance learning courses. On the
evaluation of the course platform, from the tutors in general and the degree of satisfaction in several
questions, participants marked maximum grades. The comparison between pre‑ and post‑proficiency
scores showed increased proficiency of the enrolled groups (P < 0.0001).
CONCLUSIONS: The course contributed to the training of health assistants and educators, preparing
them to act in a participatory way in the prevention and control of the pandemic. The course was
well evaluated and there was a progression of knowledge by the participants.

Keywords

Coronavirus
COVID‑19
e‑learning
pandemics
public health
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 5
June 2022
Pages 1-7

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