Pan-African Conference 21 - 24 July 2002 Inter-Continental Hotel ...

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Abstracts 10/22/02 11:26 AM Page 22 S22 Even with the advent of modern information technologies, the peer reviewed journal remains an authoritative communication channel among professionals. Most existing Nutrition Journals do not address issues that are of specific interest to Africa. There is need to have journals where nutritionists in Africa can share experiences relevant to Africa. A few attempts have been made to set up such journals. This paper shares the experiences of setting up the African Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences. Among the challenges that were encountered are those of mobilising resources to meet the costs of producing the journal. There were also problems of limited subscription demand within Africa. There are still problems of efficient communication among African based nutritionists and institutions even in this era of electronic communication. There are language barriers such as those between Anglophone and Francophone Africa. However, there are also interesting opportunities which are fulfilling. Nutritional issues that are of relevance to Africa have a place where they can be addressed. Conversely a number of nutritionists who may not have had an avenue for publishing their work do have one now. ABSTRACT NO. 165. Distance Education: Masters in Nutrition Programme Marais D, Herselman M, Blaauw R, Visser J, Labadarios D Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, PO Box 19063, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa A unique, modularised, certificate-based Masters in Nutrition programme was started via distance learning, by the Department of Human Nutrition, University of Stellenbosch (Figure 1). This mode of learning offers the students the opportunity to update their knowledge at an advanced level and/or to complete a postgraduate degree according to what is possible/feasible for them at any given time. The modularised Masters programme consists of four Modules (6 months each), one of which, the fourth Module, takes the format of a research project. As indicated in Figure 1, Module 3 has three options and various study units can be chosen within each option. A manual (the “Reader” and study guide) containing all the study material for each Module is provided to each student soon after registration so as to overcome any difficulties a student may experience in accessing the scientific literature. The study guide for each Module also includes a baseline self-study activity in order to ensure that each student is, as far as possible, brought up to the same level of basic knowledge and guides the student through the module. Additional written assignments have been purpose-designed for the rest of the content of each Module and these make up the class mark for the module. A 3-hour examination is written at the end of the module. The programme is completely presented via distance education and it includes Interactive TV (ITV) and communication via e-mail and the Internet as well as telephone/post. Students hail from all over South Africa and internationally (USA, UK, Kenya and Korea). There are currently 33 students registered for the first semester, 2002. A total of 21 students successfully completed their modules at the end of the first year. Student dropout rates were attributed to the extra workload of the post-graduate course together with full-time work commitments. Students have provided positive feedback verbally and, most importantly, suggested some improvements to the course, which were implemented in the 2002 programme. The programme content is revised every two years. Figure 1. Modularised course structure. Module 1 Nutritional status assessment Module 2 Nutritional Epidemiology Masters in Nutrition Option A Therapeutic Nutrition Module 3 Option B Community Nutrition July 2002, Vol. 15, No. 2 SAJCN (Supplement) Option C Food Service Administration ABSTRACTS Module 4 Research project ABSTRACT NO. 166. Postgraduate distance education in nutrition Marais D, Blaauw R, Labadarios D Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, PO Box 19063, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa The mission of the department on distance education is aimed at making the University of Stellenbosch (US) accessible to a geographically dispersed and diverse student population. Core values and behavioural norms such as quality academic products, integrity in service rendering and accessibility provide cornerstones for the University’s distance education endeavours. Recently, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has become compulsory for all South African health professionals including dietitians. CPD is education and training undertaken beyond the requirements for entry into the profession of dietetics. As new information and technology become available at a rapidly growing rate, dietitians must continually improve their knowledge and skills, be open to new ideas and advances in the field of nutrition and dietetics. Eighty-five dietitians from all over South Africa attended a 2-day CPD course hosted by the Department of Human Nutrition, US, in June 1999. The dietitians were asked to complete an evaluation form of the course regarding, amongst others, distance education. Of the 63 completed questionnaires, 57 (90%) showed an interest in distance education. In terms of information technology (IT) facilities available to them, 23% had access to e-mail, 32% the telephone, 38% postal services and 5% Inter-active television sessions (ITV). The preferred mode of presentation of such courses was given as 32% e-mail, 64% the printed educational material and 4% ITV. In June 2001, the department hosted the first distance education CPD course. Of the 165 dietitians that registered for the CPD course, 120 attended the traditional lecture-based course, whereas 45 dietitians from more distant locations in the country opted for the distance learning option. Delegates attended ITV sessions at 6 different centres around South Africa. Relevant printed learning material was posted to all delegates beforehand and a 3-hour ITV session was held during which the key aspects of the course were covered. Dietitians obtained CPD points for attending the ITV session and completing the multiple-choice questionnaires based on the articles that had to be studied in their own time. Evaluation forms for the course were received from the majority of delegates. All comments were extremely favourable, motivating the department to continue and expand this method of training. The department plans another CPD distance education course to run parallel to the traditional lecture-based course in June 2002. ABSTRACT NO. 167. The design for a self-teaching nutrition web page Pietersen CD, Labuschagne I, Du Plessis K, Woodley HM, Labadarios D NICUS: The Nutrition Information Centre at the University of Stellenbosch; Department of Human Nutrition, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, PO Box 19063, Tygerberg 7505, South Africa The mission of the Nutrition Information Centre of the University of Stellenbosch (NICUS) is the provision of up-to-date, credible and authoritative information in order to promote a scientifically sound nutrition culture. This proves to be a challenge in an era of information overload, with the lay public interested in whatever draws their attention. This challenge extends to the Internet, which has become a battlefield of ideas and information between the scientifically sound and the all too present quacks. South Africa is not immune to this global battle and it is within this background that this web page has been developed. The web page is to be a self-teaching tool that would provide credible information to the lay public (particularly in South Africa) balanced with stimulating visuals. The intention is to impact and capture the attention of the viewer with full-colour visuals within a few seconds and then to create a lasting impression with credible and practical information. Currently the web page provides an introduction to basic nutrition and the varied diet in a self-teaching unit that systematically provides information about various nutrition concepts, how to make good food choices, how to implement them, and how to monitor these choices. Future goals are to expand the web page so that it becomes relevant to more diverse populations yet remains appropriate to the user in terms of depth of knowledge, practicality and application. The webpage will diverge into various areas, focusing particularly on the lay public as the target population, including adults and children.
Abstracts 10/22/02 11:26 AM Page 23 The ultimate aim is to make the web page an ever-evolving self-learning system that provides credible information in a fun and interactive style that remains relevant to the target population. ABSTRACT NO. 190. Influence of new IT on food chemistry and human nutrition course for students of pharmacy in Poland Schlegel-Zawadzka M*, Przyslawski J**, Bertrandt J ***, Klos A*** *Department of Continuing Education and Postgraduate Studies, and Department of Food Chemistry and Nutrition, Collegium Medicum Jagiellonian University, 9 Medyczna Str., 30-688 Krakow **Chair and Department of Bromatology and Human Nutrition, Medical Academy, 42 Marcelinska Str., 60-345 Poznan ***Military Institute of Hygiene&Epidemiology, 4 Kozielska Str., 01-163 Warszawa; Poland Pharmacy education in Poland has a long tradition dating back to the 18th century. The first pharmacy faculty was established at the Jagiellonian University in 1783. Almost from the first years students (firstly only men and in the end of XIX century also women) were taught about proper food and adequate nutrition. The XXI century gives a new opportunity to implement high information technology for lecturing, preparing classes for students and their self-learning. A new vision of Polish chemists and a role of pharmacists in health promotion and pharmaceutical care need to use new sources of collecting information and spreading it among patients. Students of pharmacy in Poland have from 75 to 90 lecture hours (each hour 45 minutes) at the fourth year of study, a course which is called bromatology (broma – food, logos – science in Greek), in English it is translated as food chemistry and nutrition. This course is giving students a basic knowledge about food, nutrition value of food, sources of nutrients, their influence on human health and interactions between food and drug. Some departments in Poland prepare special modules about civilization diseases and their connection with nutrition. There are lectures and classes. During the last semester (5th year) students should prepare the master thesis supervised by an independent university teacher with a high degree. Moreover, during study they have an informatics course at the first year. Computers were implemented in bromatology for the first time in 19881. It was a programme to teach the proper nutrition behavior to students of pharmacy. BASIC language was used to write it. It calculated the daily intake of different nutrients in diets. Later on students started to write their master work using their own Amstrad’s or next PC computers. Statistical programmes were not very popular at that time. Almost all statistical procedures were written by teachers, who were fascinated by these new possibilities. Last few years of Microsoft’s and StatSoft’s campaigns with decreasing prices for official programmes allowed Universities to buy new academic versions. Courses prepared by the Polish Center of StatSoft increased the number of academic scientists to use in the routine such programme as Statistica work with students. Almost all students in some bromatology departments are using this programme during statistical estimation. Specially, some modules (tables) are very useful for the nutrition questionnaire study. During classes, programme FOOD prepared by the Polish National Food and Nutrition Institute is used for seeking nutrient deficits in daily diets by students themselves. An access to Internet databases free of charge for students gives them opportunity to prepare special presentation, now more and more popular with the use of the Power Point programme. An increasing knowledge how to use computer is also visible during operating different apparatus – chromatographs, atomic absorption apparatus. The first version of the specially prepared programme on CD-ROM gives information about drug and food interactions. It is very useful for both students and professionals. All this opportunity will allow to prepare the students of pharmacy to be good advisors for patients and to resolve previously unclear problems. But high technology will never replace the pharmacists’ personal contact and chats with patients, who in Poland have freedom to choose the most familiar pharmacy. References. 1. Schlegel M, Zachwieja Z, Plewa J. Dydaktyczny program komputerowy do nauczania zasad prawidlowego zywienia studentow farmacji. Probl Szkoln Nauk Med. 1989, 14, 41-44. ABSTRACTS ABSTRACT NO. 194. USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TO DISSEMINATE NUTRITION MESSAGES RELATED TO HIV/AIDS TO THE RURAL POPULATION IN MALAWI Chawanje CM 1 , Chiwona-Karltun Linley 2 1 University of Malawi The Polytechnic P/Bag 303 Chichiri Blantyre 3 Malawi 2Department of Plant biology Swedish University of agricultural Sciences Box 7050 SE-75007 Uppsala, Sweden The importance of good nutrition in the prevention of and coping with HIV/AIDS is well recognized. Malawi has a population of 11 million people, of which 77 % lives in the rural areas and 41 % is illiterate. HIV/AIDS is rampant. Although printed information on nutrition as related to HIV/AIDS is readily available, it cannot be assimilated by illiterate population. For example, the two CD-Roms (Nutrition in Africa 1 and 2) for nutrition training of undergraduates prepared by African professionals during a training programme in Sweden, are not accessible to illiterate people. It is therefore essential to develop computerbased learning material on nutrition as related to HIV/AIDS for such people. We propose to develop computer based and animated nutrition learning material using graphics and cartoons that convey messages on the relationship between nutrition and HIV/AIDS that are readily assimilated by illiterate people, particularly in rural areas where electricity is readily available. The main objective is to use information technology to disseminate nutrition messages to rural illiterate communities targeted at the prevention of and coping with HIV/AIDS. ABSTRACT NO. 198. NUTRITION EDUCATION AND THE GLOBAL INFORMATION HIGHWAY: USE OF ON-LINE APPLICATIONS AND SELECTED PACKAGES. Sigot Asenath J Maseno University, P O Private Bag, Maseno Kenya New and emerging information technologies provide opportunities for nutrition educators to enhance communication efforts, which can improve the health and well-being of all people. Computer technologies are providing viable means of exchanging nutrition information among professionals and informing and influencing the public. Nutrition education programmes are available on diskettes, CD-ROM and laser disks that can be used at computer workstations or stand-alone kiosks. The major types of nutrition education computer programmes pertain to food composition, food service, nutrient analysis, recipe management, menu planning, clinical nutrition, drug-nutrient interactions, health risk assessment, food and nutrition games. In addition to programmes specific to their field, nutrition educators are also assisted by general production tools such as graphic packages, computer photo, clip art collections, and presentation software. The software for public presentations allows nutrition educators to enhance their talks by incorporating pictures, sound, animation texts and video. Using word processing and desktop publishing software, nutrition educators can create professional-looking newsletters, booklets and educational materials such as posters, cards and charts to meet diverse needs and give a more personalized image. The use of on-line applications by nutrition educators is just emerging in developing countries. With a computer that can communicate with other computers through telephone line, satellite transmissions or network wires, the nutrition educator can enter cyberspace or the global information highway. Nutrition information can be exchanged through electronic mail, internet and other computer networks; the World Wide Web, electronic databases, electronic bulletin board systems, faxes and interactive non-commercial television provide user friendly interface to the Net. Internet can also be used for interactive teaching in health education promotion via on-line teaching and interaction with off-campus students at the “Virtual Campus.” It can also provide a means for communication networking and collaboration among members of the international nutrition community. ABSTRACT NO. 206. Training of health professionals in nutrition at the university of Nairobi, Kenya: Opportunities and challenges in the use of information technology Thuita F P.O. Box 178, Nairobi 00202, Kenya Training of health professionals in public health nutrition is aimed at equipping them with knowledge and skills necessary for tackling malnutrition both at S23
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Pan-African Conference 21 - 24 July 2002 Inter-Continental Hotel ...

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