Public health professionals are at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic response. However, the roles and responsibilities of health educators in pandemic response are unknown. Researchers examined multiple factors that described how health educators’ work priorities and lives have been affected by COVID-19. An electronic questionnaire was administered nationally to health educators to assess the effect of the pandemic on their professional responsibilities, the challenges they are facing, and their fears about the future. Of the 913 respondents, 487 (43%) reported changing work priorities, with 80% of that group (389) sharing that their work priorities shifted focus to COVID-19. Most felt qualified to take on the new job responsibilities, but many feared the inability to get back to previous work roles or for their organizations to financially withstand the pandemic. Regardless of workplace setting or job priorities, health educators are prepared in the skills outlined in the Responsibilities and Competencies for Health Education Specialists, which may have led to their abilities in shifting roles so quickly and effectively. Findings from this study may prepare public health agencies to better use and train health educators for their roles in rapidly shifting public health priorities.
Background
The rise in pediatric obesity and its accompanying condition, type 2 diabetes (T2D), is a serious public health concern. T2D in adolescents is associated with poor health outcomes and decreased life expectancy. Effective diabetes prevention strategies for high-risk adolescents and their families are urgently needed.
Objective
The aim of this study was to co-design a diabetes prevention program for adolescents by using human-centered design methodologies.
Methods
We partnered with at-risk adolescents, parents, and professionals with expertise in diabetes prevention or those working with adolescents to conduct a series of human-centered design research sessions to co-design a diabetes prevention intervention for youth and their families. In order to do so, we needed to (1) better understand environmental factors that inhibit/promote recommended lifestyle changes to decrease T2D risk, (2) elucidate desired program characteristics, and (3) explore improved activation in diabetes prevention programs.
Results
Financial resources, limited access to healthy foods, safe places for physical activity, and competing priorities pose barriers to adopting lifestyle changes. Adolescents and their parents desire interactive, hands-on learning experiences that incorporate a sense of fun, play, and community in diabetes prevention programs.
Conclusions
The findings of this study highlight important insights of 3 specific stakeholder groups regarding diabetes prevention and lifestyle changes. The findings of this study demonstrate that, with appropriate methods and facilitation, adolescents, parents, and professionals can be empowered to co-design diabetes prevention programs.
Objective With the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in youth, primary care providers must identify patients at high risk and implement evidence-based screening promptly. Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) provide clinicians with personalized reminders according to best evidence. One example is the Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation (CHICA) system, which, as we have previously shown, significantly improves screening for T2D. Given that the long-term success of any CDSS depends on its acceptability and its users' perceptions, we examined what clinicians think of the CHICA diabetes module.
Methods CHICA users completed an annual quality improvement and satisfaction questionnaire. Between May and August of 2015 and 2016, the survey included two statements related to the T2D-module: (1) “CHICA improves my ability to identify patients who might benefit from screening for T2D” and (2) “CHICA makes it easier to get the lab tests necessary to identify patients who have diabetes or prediabetes.” Answers were scored using a 5-point Likert scale and were later converted to a 2-point scale: agree and disagree. The Pearson chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between responses and the respondents. Answers per cohort were compared using the Mann–Whitney U-test.
Results The majority of respondents (N = 60) agreed that CHICA improved their ability to identify patients who might benefit from screening but disagreed as to whether it helped them get the necessary laboratories. Scores were comparable across both years.
Conclusion CHICA was endorsed as being effective for T2D screening. Research is needed to improve satisfaction for getting laboratories with CHICA.
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