Christine Holst|Dominik Stelzle|Lien My Diep|Felix Sukums|Bernard Ngowi|Josef Noll|Andrea Sylvia Winkler
Improving Health Knowledge Through Provision of Free Digital Health Education to Rural Communities in Iringa, Tanzania: Nonrandomized Intervention Study
Norwegian Institute of Public Health|University of Oslo|Technical University of Munich|Oslo University Hospital|Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences|National Institute for Medical Research|University of Dar es Salaam|University of Oslo|University of Oslo|Technical University of Munich
community health education one effective measures increase health literacy worldwide contribute achievement specific targets sustainable development goal 3 digitalized health education materials improve health knowledge dimension health literacy play important role disease prevention rural subsaharan settingsthe objective research assess effect digital health education intervention uptake retention knowledge related hivaids tuberculosis tb taenia solium neurocysticercosis taeniosis rural communities iringa tanzaniawe conducted nonrandomized intervention study participants aged 15 45 years randomly selected 4 villages iringa tanzania intervention consisted 2 parts baseline assessment showed participants 3 animated health videos tablet computer period 6 months free access community information spots infospots integrated digital health education platform provided intervention villages participants control group receive intervention primary outcome difference disease knowledge intervention control groups 12 months baseline data collected using openended questionnaire correct incorrect answers interventionbetween april may 2019 total 600 participants recruited intervention n298 497 control n302 503 groups baseline statistically significant differences knowledge target diseases observed 12 months intervention knowledge hivaids tb solium neurocysticercosis taeniosis 102 95 ci 50154 12 95 ci 77162 315 95 ci 268362 higher intervention group control group respectively 4 domains transmission symptoms treatment prevention increase knowledge observed 3 diseases albeit varying degrees results adjusted potential confounders significance primary results maintained sensitivity analysis assess dropouts participants reported using infospots 12month assessment increased knowledge target diseases 68 hivaids 75 tb 139 higher mean proportion correct answers compared participants use infospotsdigital health education based animated health videos use free infospots significant potential improve health knowledge especially rural areas low middleincome countriesclinicaltrialsgov nct03808597 httpsclinicaltrialsgovct2shownct03808597rr210219625128