Storytelling as a Teaching Approach for Breastfeeding Education

"Anees Has Measles": Storytelling and Singing to Enhance MMR Vaccination in Child Care Centers Amid Religious Hesitancy

This study explores the enhancement of MMR vaccination rates in the deep south of Thailand through a culturally tailored intervention that incorporates storytelling and singing, aligning with local cultural and religious values. The "Anees has Measles" intervention, developed with input from community stakeholders including health workers, religious leaders, and parents, featured traditional melodies in its singing activities. The intervention comprised two main components: storytelling sessions and singing activities, both utilizing culturally resonant content and formats to effectively engage the community. Conducted from December 2019 to March 2020 across eight districts in five provinces, the study targeted children aged 18 months to 5 years in government child care centers. Results indicated a substantial increase in MMR vaccination coverage from 44.3% to 72.0% twelve months post-intervention, and further to 77.0% at 48 months post-intervention, representing a significant and sustained improvement (p < 0.001). This marked and continuous increase demonstrates the effectiveness of culturally adapted health education in areas with significant vaccine hesitancy. The findings highlight the importance of integrating culturally and religiously sensitive methods into public health strategies, significantly enhancing vaccine acceptance and coverage in diverse and conservative settings. This approach suggests a broader applicability for similar interventions in comparable contexts globally.

StoryAid: Nursing Students' Relational Learning for Adolescents With Intellectual Learning Disabilities

BACKGROUND

Nursing students express fears and anxieties about caring for people with intellectual learning disabilities (ILDs). Educational storytelling interventions may help overcome these concerns and improve nursing care.

METHOD

StoryAid was used and developed in the Heritage-2Health (H2H) Virtual Art and Drama Project. Eight online sessions followed a story about differences and connections. Two trained facilitators and three academic educators supported nursing students (n = 15), adolescents with ILDs (n = 7), their parents (n = 7), and a specialist teacher to deconstruct, reconnect, and rediscover understandings using rights-based ethnographic evaluation and thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Themes included relating to the story and characters, participating in the storytelling process, relating to other participants in the storytelling, and relating learning to clinical contexts and professionalism.

CONCLUSION

The partnership of StoryAid and H2H created safe spaces for nursing students to engage, challenge assumptions, and develop relational skills. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(1):51-57.].