BackgroundAlthough blended learning (BL) is being adopted in public and private higher learning institutions (HLIs) in Rwanda, little is known about students’ use of BL in their learning activities. This article describes a qualitative descriptive study of students’ perceptions and experiences of BL in Rwanda’s post-secondary nursing and midwifery programs in public and private HLIs.MethodsThirty-three nursing and midwifery students from all public and private HLIs in Rwanda exposed to BL were invited to participate in three online focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted using a developed FGD guide with open-ended questions. Inductive content analysis was used to analyze the transcripts.ResultsThree main themes emerged from the data analysis:(1) BL perceived as a new and effective teaching and learning approach, (2) Contextual challenges to the BL method, and (3) Recommendations to improve the BL method. From students’ experiences, the benefits included but were not limited to the flexibility of the approach, time, and cost-saving. However, several challenges were identified, including technological issues such as lack of ICT skills and poor internet connectivity.ConclusionThis study provides insights into the usefulness of BL in HLIs and offers recommendations on how BL teaching and learning can be improved to strengthen nursing and midwifery pre-service education quality.Rwanda J Med Health Sci 2022;5(2):203-215
Background: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in low-income countries and the second leading cause in high-income countries. Most women in sub-Saharan Africa are diagnosed later, with limited access to timely and effective treatment. Objectives: The main objective was to identify the awareness of breast cancer warning signs among participants attending the 2016 Breast Cancer Awareness Walk. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 93 participants was conducted after the Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk in Kigali on 23 October 2016. Participants, 15 years or older, completed the survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. Results: The breast cancer warning sign "breast lump" was identified by over half of the women (54%) and many men (41%), though the majority (70%) did not know that the lump could be painless. The majority of participants were unaware of the many other breast cancer signs, and that the risk increases with age. Three potential barriers to delay seeking healthcare for a serious breast problem included lack of insurance or money to pay, difficulty to make appointment with doctor, and fear of removal of breast. Conclusion: Increased public awareness and early detection is imperative to help reduce the morbidity and mortality related to breast cancer in Rwandan women and men.
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