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In this issue of the Journal of Medical Internet Research, the World Health Organization (WHO) is presenting a framework for managing the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infodemic. Infodemiology is now acknowledged by public health organizations and the WHO as an important emerging scientific field and critical area of practice during a pandemic. From the perspective of being the first “infodemiologist” who originally coined the term almost two decades ago, I am positing four pillars of infodemic management: (1) information monitoring (infoveillance); (2) building eHealth Literacy and science literacy capacity; (3) encouraging knowledge refinement and quality improvement processes such as fact checking and peer-review; and (4) accurate and timely knowledge translation, minimizing distorting factors such as political or commercial influences. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations has advocated that facts and science should be promoted and that these constitute the antidote to the current infodemic. This is in stark contrast to the realities of infodemic mismanagement and misguided upstream filtering, where social media platforms such as Twitter have advertising policies that sideline science organizations and science publishers, treating peer-reviewed science as “inappropriate content.”

Falls are the most frequent adverse events that are reported in hospitals. We examined the effectiveness of individualised falls-prevention education for patients, supported by training and feedback for staff, delivered as a ward-level programme. Eight rehabilitation units in general hospitals in Australia participated in this stepped-wedge, cluster-randomised study, undertaken during a 50 week period. Units were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups by use of computer-generated, random allocation sequences. We included patients admitted to the unit during the study with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of more than 23/30 to receive individualised education that was based on principles of changes in health behaviour from a trained health professional, in addition to usual care. We provided information about patients' goals, feedback about the ward environment, and perceived barriers to engagement in falls-prevention strategies to staff who were trained to support the uptake of strategies by patients. The coprimary outcome measures were patient rate of falls per 1000 patient-days and the proportion of patients who were fallers. All analyses were by intention to treat. This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials registry, number ACTRN12612000877886). Between Jan 13, and Dec 27, 2013, 3606 patients were admitted to the eight units (n=1983 control period; n=1623 intervention period). There were fewer falls (n=196, 7·80/1000 patient-days vs n=380, 13·78/1000 patient-days, adjusted rate ratio 0·60 [robust 95% CI 0·42–0·94], p=0·003), injurious falls (n=66, 2·63/1000 patient-days vs 131, 4·75/1000 patient-days, 0·65 [robust 95% CI 0·42–0·88], p=0·006), and fallers (n=136 [8·38%] vs n=248 [12·51%] adjusted odds ratio 0·55 [robust 95% CI 0·38 to 0·81], p=0·003) in the intervention compared with the control group. There was no significant difference in length of stay (intervention median 11 days [IQR 7–19], control 10 days [6–18]). Individualised patient education programmes combined with training and feedback to staff added to usual care reduces the rates of falls and injurious falls in older patients in rehabilitation hospital-units. State Health Research Advisory Council, Department of Health, Government of Western Australia.

Along with a broad overview of concepts and strategies in the field, Adult Education and Health includes illustrative practical examples from a variety of contexts and a helpful glossary of key terms. It will be a useful resource for professionals and academics in many areas, including community health education, health policy, First Nations health, and the education of health professionals.\"--pub. desc.

Background Sexual and reproductive health education is crucial for senior primary school students as they enter adolescence. Implementing such education in resource-limited settings faces challenges like untrained educators, cultural taboos, and lack of materials. An online sexual and reproductive health educational program may overcome these barriers, yet no research in China has assessed the effectiveness for senior primary school students. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an online sexual and reproductive health education program for senior primary school students in China, focusing on their adherence to the program and comprehension of its content. Methods The efficacy of the program was evaluated through a cluster randomized controlled trial. Participants (mean age 11.21 ± 0.68 years) were recruited from two primary schools in Shangqiu, Henan, with eight classes randomly assigned to either the intervention ( n  = 4) or control group ( n  = 4). The intervention group completed a 9-week online sexual and reproductive health education program, while the control group did not receive the program. Data on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and at 16-week follow-up. The outcomes were analyzed using a generalized estimating equation model. Results At baseline, no significant differences were found between groups in sociodemographic or physical development. In the intervention group, 71.4% completed the program with an average test accuracy of 86.6%, indicating good adherence and content comprehension. Compared to the control group, the intervention group had significantly higher sexual and reproductive health knowledge (T1: β = 2.18, T2: β = 1.21, p  < 0.001, p  = 0.001), attitudes (T1: β = 14.73, T2: β = 6.01, p  < 0.001), and behaviours (T1: β = 4.49, T2: β = 5.90, p  < 0.001) scores, with improvements sustained at 16 weeks. Conclusions The online sexual and reproductive health educational program significantly improved knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours among senior primary students, providing valuable guidance for school health nurses in designing and implementing sexual and reproductive health education programs. Trial registration ChiCTR2400083843. [ www.chictr.org.cn ]. 06/05/2024. Plain english summary Delivering sexual and reproductive health education to senior primary school students as they transition into adolescence is crucial. However, implementing such programs in low- and middle-income settings, including regions of China, faces challenges such as untrained educators, cultural sensitivities, and limited educational resources. This study assessed the effectiveness of an online sexual and reproductive health education program designed for senior primary school students, as well as their adherence to the program and comprehension of its content. The trial involved students with an average age of 11 from two primary schools in Shangqiu, Henan Province. Students in the intervention group exhibited significantly greater improvements over time in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours compared with the control group, as reflected by the significant group × time interaction effects in the GEE models. Results showed that most students in the intervention group successfully completed the program, demonstrated high test scores, and showed significant improvements in their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors compared to the control group. These gains were sustained at the 16-week follow-up. This study highlights the potential of online education programs to address barriers in delivering sexual and reproductive health education. It also provides a scalable approach and valuable guidance for school health nurses in designing and implementing similar programs in resource-constrained contexts.

Background The youths in Zambia have limited access to information concerning Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) and this puts them at risk of unwanted pregnancies. Talking about other methods of preventing pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections than abstinence is regarded as culturally unacceptable. The Research Initiative to Support the Empowerment of Girls (RISE) is a cluster randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of different support packages on teenage pregnancies, early marriages and school drop-out rates. One of the support packages included youth clubs focusing on Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Education (CSRHE). Although similar interventions have been implemented in other settings, their integration process has been complex and comprehensive assessments of factors shaping acceptability of CSRHE are lacking. This article qualitatively aimed at identifying factors that shaped the acceptability of CSRHE youth clubs in rural schools in Central Province. Method A qualitative case study was conducted after the youth clubs had been running for a year. Data were gathered through eight focus group discussions with grade eight pupils and eight individual interviews with teachers. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results The perceived advantage and simplicity of the clubs related to the use of participatory learning methods, films and role plays to communicate sensitive reproductive health information made the learners like the youth clubs. Further, the perceived compatibility of the content of the sessions with the science curriculum increased the learners’ interest in the youth clubs as the meetings also helped them to prepare for the school examinations. However, cultural and religious beliefs among teachers and parents regarding the use of contraceptives complicated the delivery of reproductive health messages and the acceptability of youth clubs’ information among the learners. Conclusion The study indicated that CSRHE youth clubs may be acceptable in rural schools if participatory learning methods are used and head-teachers, teachers as well as parents appreciate and support the clubs.

Smartphone-based psychoeducation interventions may be a low-cost, user-friendly alternative to resource-consuming, face-to-face antenatal classes to educate expectant mothers. This study aimed to empirically examine whether such an intervention would lead to reduced postnatal depression, anxiety, or stress and result in a better health-related quality of life. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in Hong Kong. All first-time expectant mothers with less than 24 weeks of gestation remaining and attending the antenatal clinic at a public hospital were included. Participants were assigned to the intervention group or the control group by drawing lots. The lots, presented in sealed opaque envelopes, were randomly designated as \"intervention\" or \"control\" by stratified randomization. The intervention, a psychoeducational mobile app, was provided in addition to the treatment as usual (TAU) services from the hospital. Follow up with participants took place at 4 weeks postpartum. The primary outcome was the difference in the levels of antenatal and postnatal depression, assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The intention-to-treat approach was employed in the analyses. The final sample was 660 expectant mothers (n =330 and n =330). The mean difference in EPDS scores between the two groups was -0.65 (95% CI -1.29 to 0.00; P=.049) after adjusting for confounding factors. Associations were found between participation in the intervention and reduced depression, and attendance in TAU classes and increased stress levels. The smartphone-based intervention plus TAU services was effective in reducing postnatal depression at 4 weeks postpartum compared with a control condition of TAU only, making this a cost-effective alternative to TAU education for expectant mothers. Limitations of the study included the short postpartum period after which the follow-up assessment was conducted and the inclusion of first-time mothers rather than all mothers. HKU Clinical Trials Registry HKUCTR-2024; http://www.hkuctr.com/Study/Show/ 34f62a2f6d594273a290491827206384.