Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is ever more becoming a public health problem, due to its prevalence among cattle, raw meat, and otherwise healthy people. Therefore, it is essential that risk communication promotes awareness and recognition of MRSA among the general public, so they can adopt preventive health and infection control measures. In order to do so, a public website for the Dutch general public was developed. Because effective risk communication should be tailored to the public’s relevant beliefs and knowledge (“mental models”), we identified the mental models of the Dutch general public concerning MRSA by means of 17 interviews followed by a confirmatory questionnaire (n=239). Although the majority of the public (62%) heard of MRSA and its well-known risk factors and consequences before via the media, the public was only slightly aware of its threat to society. Misconceptions existed regarding origin and spread (e.g., that MRSA is caused by overburdened muscles). Besides, knowledge gaps were detected concerning prevention, reservoir, and origin (importance of hygiene measures, presence on the skin, MRSA among cattle). These misconceptions and knowledge gaps were corrected in the content of the public website next to basic scientific information about MRSA, which was evaluated by means of a usability test (n=18). Overall, our findings highlight the need for the systematic analysis of the public’s mental models prior to designing risk communication.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and rhinovirus (RV) are predominant viruses associated with lower respiratory tract infection in infants. We compared the symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection caused by RSV and RV in hospitalized infants. RV showed the same symptoms as RSV, so on clinical grounds, no difference can be made between these pathogens. No relation between polymerase chain reaction cycle threshold value and length of hospital stay was found.
Increased international trade in health services and particularly patients and health care givers crossing European borders can have an important role in the rapid spread of health care associated infections, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Therefore, the project EUREGIO MRSA-net Twente/Munsterland, in which local health care providers exchange knowledge and technology, aims to equalize quality criteria to reduce cross-border MRSA spread. Since it launch in 2005, the project has now established a cross-border infrastructure of which a web-based MRSA tool is part (www.mrsa-net.nl). This web-based tool should facilitate health care workers with acceptable, applicable, user-friendly information and evidence-based guidelines that enhance the decision making process and enable them to deliver safe health care.
We applied a user-centered design approach to develop this web-based tool. The approach included a pre-design phase with a deep qualitative analysis of Dutch and German health care workers’ needs and their current activity and work habits, to ensure that the web-based tool will be successfully integrated in their daily work practice. In the design phase, five different methods were used to create a web-based tool completely based on user needs. For instance, Scenario Testing and Card Sorting provided us with insights in the thinking and acting of health care workers, which helped us to fully adapt the tool to the user needs. Moreover, we found that involving users is important to create ownership and to foster the applicability of the tool. The involvement of key players and users is important to ensure that the tool’s content is in accordance with existing guidelines. By providing health care workers with our tool, we aspire to enhance cross-border patient safety.
To identify the relevant beliefs and knowledge (‘mental models’) present among the Dutch general public concerning methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), 17 interviews were conducted followed by a confirmatory questionnaire (n=239). 62% of the public heard of MRSA before via the media. Although the public recognizes well-known risk factors and consequences of MRSA, the public is only slightly aware of its threat to society. Misconceptions exist regarding origin and spread (e.g., that MRSA is caused by overburdened muscles). Besides, knowledge gaps were found concerning prevention, reservoir, and origin (importance of hygiene measures, presence on the skin, MRSA among cattle). These beliefs must be considered by those designing risk communication and guidelines about MRSA for the public.
This paper describes the user-centered design process of online patient education, focusing on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). A user-centered design approach comprising four different methods (semi-structured interviews; Card Sort Task; prototyping; scenario testing) was used to develop an educational website. The approach provided insight in MRSA-carriers' experiences and information needs which helped to fully adapt the website's content, structure, and lay-out to the users' needs. The website enabled MRSA-carriers to efficiently and effectively search for practically relevant information in order to empower them to take decisions for daily practice. Moreover, we found that involving patients is important to create ownership and to foster website's applicability.
This paper describes the design process of a Web-based tool for compliance with safe work practices in cross-border care settings, focusing on infection control of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The tool should facilitate health care workers (HCWs) with applicable evidence-based guidelines and best-practices that enhance the decision making process and enable them to deliver safe health care. A user-centered design approach was used comprising five different methods: Document analysis; scenario testing; survey; card sort task, and prototyping. The approach provided insights in HCWs' thinking and acting in practice which helped to fully adapt the tool to HCWs' needs. Moreover, it was found that involving HCWs is important to create ownership and to foster the applicability of the tool, even as to ensure that the toolpsilas content is in accordance with existing guidelines.
