Effectiveness of Educational Package on Increasing Cognitive and Behavioral Skills of Physicians about Malaria in Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran

Malaria is one of the three important diseases in the world. 65% of malaria cases in Iran are reported from Sistan and Baluchestan province. The physicians are the head of health services in rural and urban areas in Iran and have essential role in malaria control. This study evaluated an educational package to increase cognitive and behavioral skills of physician about malaria control. A pre and post-interventional study was conducted in 2009 in Sistan and Baluchestan province، Iran. An open-ended questionnaire including 62 questions and the checklists for measuring 13 behavioral skills were developed to assess cognitive skills. Four booklets were designed about different subjects related to malaria control and some films and PowerPoint about the required skills. Thirty physicians participated from four districts of the province. Results of this study showed that cognitive skills were increased from 28 ± 13. 8 in pre-interventional phase to 74. 8 ± 15. 4 significantly in post-interventional phase (P < 0001). The behavioral skills were enhanced from 30. 5 ± 10. 3 in pre-interventional phase to 51. 6±11. 3 significantly in post-interventional phase (P < 0001). The results showed that an educational package was a simple and economic way for building capacity among physicians who have essential role in malaria elimination program in malaria areas.