Gemeinschaftsmedizin und Gesundheitserziehung

Abstrakt

Chagas Disease: A Global Neglected Disease that Require Continuous Medical Education

Werner Apt, Sebastián Galafé, Inés Zulantay, Sebastián Yuhasz, Paulina Urbina, Karina Yévenes and Jorge Rodríguez

Objective: In endemic zones of Chagas disease the knowledge of the professional health teams is very important for the success of control of the zoonosis. For this reason, we want to evaluate the knowledge of the parasite diseases in health team before and after an educational intervention.
Methods: We selected 166 professional who were related which Chagas disease to who the BEII (before educational intervention inquiry) was applied. The questions related with epidemiological, basic, diagnostic, clinical, chemotherapeutic and preventive aspects, had different grades of complexity and stratification according to the professional competences. The approval criterion was 60% of corrected answers. The educational intervention was focused on self-learning by printed and digital interactive material. 30 days was the study period, after the time an AEII (after educational intervention inquiry) was applied.
Results: The approval of the BEII fluctuated between 11.6% to 28.89%, and the AEII fluctuated between 68.75% and 89.66% (p=0.0001). By profession, the percentage of approval of the BEII and AEII was 13.98% and 66.20% (paramedics); 14.29% to 85.71% (medical technicians); 19.35% and 83.87% (medical doctors); 27.27% and 90% (midwives); 41.18% and 100% (nurses), respectively (p=0,0001). The global percentage of approval before and after the educational intervention was 19.28% and 77.70%, respectively (chi2=107.27).
Conclusions: The members of the health team in endemic areas of Chile, don’t have the necessary knowledge on Chagas disease. An adequate educational intervention will allow the acquisition of new knowledge and revert a negative initial diagnosis. The teaching in this global parasitosis must be continuous. Teaching-learning of Chagas disease is not only important in countries where the disease is endemic, but also in no endemic countries where the disease exists through immigration.