Wei Li|Le Qiang Han|Yan Guo|Jing Sun
Using WeChat official accounts to improve malaria health literacy among Chinese expatriates in Niger: an intervention study
State Development & Investment Corporation (China)|Seventh People's Hospital of Dalian|Beijing Jishuitan Hospital|Peking University|Peking University
malaria main health risk chinese expatriates working niger health education recommended intervention prevention malaria among nonimmune travellers expatriate workers urgent develop effective feasible way populations obtain information prevention treatment malaria individually randomized unblinded controlled trial used evaluate effectiveness using wechat official accounts health education improve malaria health literacy among chinese expatriates niger total 1441 participants completed baseline malaria health literacy questionnaire randomly assigned intervention comparison group ratio 11 july october 2014 50 malaria prevention treatment messages sent intervention group 50 health news messages concurrently sent control group groups completed malaria health literacy questionnaire 4 months start education intervention questionnaire addressing satisfaction health education programme completed intervention group malaria morbidity data 2013 2014 also collected baseline participant health literacy rates 5829 62 54 34 skills knowledge practice attitude respectively intervention rates four aspects malaria literacy 70 greater change knowledge attitude practice skills overall health literacy among intervention group compared controls statistically significant difference p 001 especially true acquisition malariarelated knowledge practice attitude comprehensive intervention practices correct use rapid diagnostic tests p 0001 reported malaria morbidity study period decreased 2372 1540 participants reported high levels satisfaction wechat health education programme 80 stating would continue follow programme present health education intervention via wechat official account prevention treatment malaria among nonimmune travellers expatriate workers proved effective sustainable feasible well accepted strategy improving malaria health literacy among chinese expatriates niger