Assessment of elementary students’ understanding of differences in viral and bacterial infections, and education of proper antibiotic use

Intro This project aimed to teach third grade students the differences between viral and bacterial infections through active learning. Presentation effectiveness and students’ retention of information were assessed using a game and post-quiz. This project addresses the school’s concern about the misunderstanding of causes and treatments of illnesses. Methods Students took a pre-quiz in order to establish their base knowledge of bacterial and viral infections. A question and answer style presentation was utilized to teach differences between viral and bacterial illnesses, as well as the appropriate management of each. An interactive game of “doctor and patient” was then played, during which students were given a bacterial or viral infection scenario and choose associated symptoms and management utilizing pre-made answer cards. Finally, a post-quiz was administered to determine short-term change in knowledge. Students were given an informational magnet and flyer to share with parents or guardians to re-enforce the information. Results Of the 20 participants that took the pre-quiz, only a subset of 18 were available to take the post-quiz. The overall analysis of post-test questions portrayed an increased number of correct answers after the presentation and game. Individually, question two was trending towards significance, with a p value of .08.  Despite a lack of significance, students overall scored higher on the post-quiz and were better able to distinguish between types of infections and determine proper management. Conclusion Parents often seek the use of antibiotics for their children even when viral infections are present, which do not warrant antibiotic interventions. Understanding the signs, symptoms, and differences between viral and bacterial infections may help community members seek appropriate care and may reduce requests for antibiotics. It is more likely that community members will use antibiotics correctly if they have a better understanding of when they are warranted. In future studies, with larger parameters, a significant difference can be made in children and their families’ understanding of antibiotics, reducing misuse and misunderstanding within the community as a whole. Limitations Given the overall small sample size in our study, the data were limited statistically and may not be generalizable. Additionally, two students that took the pre-test quiz were not available to take the post- test, further limiting our sample size. We did not pair data between the pre-test and post-test due to a desire to preserve student anonymity. This pairing may have allowed for further analysis of specific results.