Effect of Evidence Based Community Visits for Risk Factors of Crimean-Congo Fever on Students’ Learning

Introduction: Changing the focus of teaching from patient to community is an educational strategy. The effect of evidence based community visits for risk factors of Crimean-Congo fever on students’ learning was investigated in this study. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study in year 2010, 36 nursing students of Birjand University of Medical Sciences were selected through purposive sampling during a training course in a health center. They were randomly divided into two groups of experiment (evidence based visits, n=18) and control (traditional education, n=18) to teach Crimean fever risk factors. Data were gathered using two researcher-made questionnaires as pre-test and post-test. Knowledge on Crimean fever before and after visits on unhealthy animal slaughtering in experimental group, and in control group before and after traditional education was measured. Data was analyzed by Chi2, independent and paired t tests. Results: The mean of total score of knowledge about Crimean fever in experimental group was 4.22±1.06 (out of 5) after intervention which was significantly increased compared to that of control group (3.05±1.47) (p=0.01). The mean of total score of knowledge about Crimean fever in experimental group was 4.22±1.06 after intervention which showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.001) compared to the pre-test scores (2.66±1.81). Conclusion: Evidence based visits of Crimean fever risk factors in the community promotes learning. Therefore evidence based visits of appropriate subjects such as places and professions are suggested as a teaching strategy.