Does Informal Education Training Increase Awareness of Anaphylaxis among Students of Medicine? Before-After Survey Study

• Main Authors: Julia Leszkowicz, Agata Pieńkowska, Wojciech Nazar, Eliza Bogdan, Natalia Kwaka, Agnieszka Szlagatys-Sidorkiewicz, Katarzyna Plata-Nazar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Subjects: anaphylaxis; allergy; adrenaline auto-injector; survey; medical students
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/15/8150

Allergies are among the most common chronic diseases in Europe. The most serious complication is anaphylactic shock. Most cases occur outside the hospital; thus, knowledge of symptoms and first aid is crucial. This study aimed to evaluate the awareness of anaphylaxis and the ability to use adrenaline auto-injectors among medical students, and to determine an improvement after training based on non-formal education. The research was conducted among 364 medicine students (years 1–5) from the Medical University of Gdańsk, with year-specific curriculum-based general medical knowledge. Training consisted of pre-test, practical training and post-test. Descriptive statistics were used to reveal the characteristics of students from different grades. A Mann–Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. The tested students did not have sufficient knowledge to provide first aid in cases of anaphylaxis before training. There was an increase in knowledge (on average, 28.6%, <i>p</i> = 0.005) after training. Almost all (99.4%) of the respondents believed that they would be able to use an adrenaline auto-injector in case of emergency after the training. The training based on non-formal education was effective. The use of the subject-performed task method helped students to remember the stages of action in stressful situations.