Involving undergraduate students from the health field to answer questions from underserved population on social networks

10.30207/AHLA.202312.0007

Maria Cristiane Barbosa Galvão；Victor Villatoro Carrapato；Luciano Daminato Neto；Danielle de Oliveira Barboza；Melissa Sousa Galvão；Mariana Mora Camolez；Matheus Alves Pereira

Health evidence ； health information ； patient ； simple language ； social network ； underserved population

The Proceeding of the 9th AHLA International Health Literacy Conference: Health Literacy and Social Resilience

2023（2023 / 12 / 01）

7 - 7

英文

Background: Health information, employing proper language, format, and form of dissemination, helps patients and their families to improve their health condition. Objectives: To answer health questions for the underserved population, with low health literacy, and with restricted access to the health system. Members in this project are mainly undergraduate students from the Ribeirao Preto Medical School of the University of São Paulo, with a faculty member supervision. Method: The project adopts the following methodological route: 1) Undergraduate students perform active search for health questions asked by the population on social networks, especially in patients and family discussion groups on health conditions; 2) They consult the best existing scientific evidence to answer these questions; 3) They create answers in a simple language understandable by the lay Portuguese speaking population; 4) The project coordinator reviews the answers before dissemination on social networks; 5) All team analyzes the feedback given by the population about the answers; 6) Students receive continuous training to answer the population questions; 7) Students receive a monthly $100 grant. Results: It is observed that many questions presented by the population are repeated. Therefore, 766 answers assisted about 660,000 people from Brazil and other countries. In addition to helping the population, students who participate in the project have a more effective knowledge about the informational needs of the population, a fact that can decrease preconceived ideas about underserved populations; they learn which are the best sources of scientific evidence and the Brazilian Health System limitations; and they assimilate how to communicate in simple language as well as the difficulties in translating scientific knowledge into society. Conclusion: Involving undergraduate students from the health field to answer population questions builds a virtuous circle where everyone involved strengthens their health literacy.