Exposure to a Vitamin D Best Practices Toolkit, Model, and E-Tools Increases Knowledge, Confidence, and the Translation of Research to Public Health and Practice

Preventable vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a global health concern. The prevention, early detection, and treatment of vitamin D deficiency aligning with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration recommendations of 40-60 ng/mL (100-150 nmol/L), provided by an international panel of 48 vitamin D researchers, would result in significant health benefits and cost savings to individuals and society. However, research shows that healthcare professionals lack knowledge and confidence in best practices with respect to vitamin D. A vitamin D toolkit was developed that included a model for decision-making support, e-tools, and accompanying resources and was implemented using an online, asynchronous learning management system. This pre-test, post-test, and follow-up survey study design aimed to increase nurses' and dietitians' levels of knowledge and confidence regarding vitamin D, aid in their translation of evidence into spheres of practice and influence, and help them identify translation barriers. The completion of the toolkit increased the participants' (n = 119) knowledge from 31% to 65% (p < 0.001) and their confidence from 2.0 to 3.3 (p < 0.001) on a scale of 1-5. Respondents reported using the model (100%) as a framework to successfully guide the translation of vitamin D knowledge into their sphere of influence or practice (94%) and identifying translation barriers. The toolkit should be included in interdisciplinary continuing education, research/quality improvement initiatives, healthcare policy, and institutions of higher learning to increase the movement of research into practice.

A Cross-National Tool for Assessing and Studying Suicidal Behaviors

Current methodologies employed in collecting data for suicide research present several limitations. In this article, we describe a novel method and tool to prospectively study suicidal behavior and its related risk and protective factors in different countries. This tool is a web-based database, which will initially be developed and piloted by suicide research groups from Austria, Brazil, Chile, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Sweden, and the US. The database will develop and integrate research tools key to collaboration, permit exploration of ethical considerations, and provide a universal interface in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and German that will make it possible to incorporate new groups from different countries to the network. The common database resulting of this cross-national effort will allow researchers to share and compare data across countries in a large sample of patients. Using anonymous electronic records of patients, we will: 1) determine the impact of risk and protective factors (viz. aggression and religious affiliation) in different socio-cultural environments; 2) develop a clinical model of suicidal behavior that integrates the multiple dimensions implicated; 3) try differentiating the effects of biological, environmental, and cultural factors on suicidal behavior, and 4) offer the global psychiatric research community a tool that will standardize assessment across nations, allowing for better generalization.

Student engagement in pharmacology courses using online learning tools

OBJECTIVE

To assess factors influencing student engagement with e-tools used as a learning supplement to the standard curriculum in pharmacology courses.

DESIGN

A suite of 148 e-tools (interactive online teaching materials encompassing the basic mechanisms of action for different drug classes) were designed and implemented across 2 semesters for third-year pharmacy students.

ASSESSMENT

Student engagement and use of this new teaching strategy were assessed using a survey instrument and usage statistics for the material. Use of e-tools during semester 1 was low, a finding attributable to a majority (75%) of students either being unaware of or forgetting about the embedded e-tools and a few (20%) lacking interest in accessing additional learning materials. In contrast to semester 1, e-tool use significantly increased in semester 2 with the use of frequent reminders and announcements (p<0.001).

CONCLUSION

The provision of online teaching and learning resources were only effective in increasing student engagement after the implementation of a "marketing strategy" that included e-mail reminders and motivation.