Learning to make informed health choices: Protocol for a pilot study in schools in Barcelona

Abstract

Introduction: The Informed Health Choices (IHC) project has developed learning resources to teach primary school children (10 to 12-year-olds) to assess treatment claims and make informed health choices. The aim of our study is to explore both the students’ and teachers’ experience when using these resources in the context of Barcelona (Spain). Methods: During the 2019-2020 school year, we will conduct a pilot study with 4 th and 5 th-year primary school students (9 to 11-year-olds) from three schools in Barcelona. The intervention in the schools will include: 1) a workshop with the teachers, and 2) lessons to the students. The data collection will include: 1) assessment of the IHC resources by the teachers before the lessons, 2) non-participatory observations during the lessons, 3) semi-structured interviews with the students after a lesson, 4) assessment of the lessons by the teachers after a lesson, 5) treatment claim assessment by the students at the end of the lessons, and 6) assessment of the IHC resources by the teachers at the end of the lessons. We will use ad hoc questionnaires and guides to register the data. We will perform a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the data to explore understandability, desirability, suitability, usefulness, facilitators and barriers of the resources. The most relevant results will be discussed and some recommendations on how to use, how to adapt (if needed), and how to implement the IHC resources to this context will be agreed. The findings of the contextualization activities could inform the design of a cluster-randomised trial, to determine the effectiveness of the IHC resources in this context prior to scaling-up its use. Ethical considerations: The study protocol has obtained an approval exemption from the Ethics Committee of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (Barcelona, Spain).

Teaching and learning how to make informed health choices: Protocol for a context analysis in Spanish primary schools

“…43 , 54 Furthermore, this study is part of a comprehensive project of contextualization activities that we have completed (translation of the IHC resources) or that are ongoing (pilot study) to explore how Spanish primary schools can benefit from the IHC resources. 39 - 42 …”

“…Before each interview, we will introduce the participants to the IHC project, the IHC resources, and the pilot study in Barcelona with a training video. 5 , 7 - 9 , 42 After that, one trained researcher will conduct the interviews face to face or via teleconference. Each interview will last approximately one hour and will be audio recorded and transcribed.…”

“…The IHC resources have already been translated into Spanish ( Figure 1 ), and a pilot study is being conducted in schools in Barcelona to explore the students and teachers’ experience when using the IHC resources. 39 - 42 The next step is to analyse the educational context to ensure the relevance and appropriateness of the IHC primary school resources for Spanish primary schools.

Figure 1.

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Teaching and learning how to make informed health choices: Protocol for a context analysis in Spanish primary schools

“…[36][37][38] The IHC resources have already been translated into Spanish (Figure 1), and a pilot study is being conducted in schools in Barcelona to explore the students and teachers' experience when using the IHC resources. [39][40][41][42] The next step is to analyse the educational context to ensure the relevance and appropriateness of the IHC primary school resources for Spanish primary schools.…”

“…43,54 Furthermore, this study is part of a comprehensive project of contextualization activities that we have completed (translation of the IHC resources) or that are ongoing (pilot study) to explore how Spanish primary schools can benefit from the IHC resources. [39][40][41][42] Our proposal also has some limitations. We will face numerous challenges, as we will have to consider different educational contexts and languages (autonomous communities) within the same country (Spain).…”