E-DRUG: e-bug
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[No this is not a joke or a spelling mistake! E-bug is a new website
that aims to educate children about drug resistance. Why not regress a
bit in age, and play a game of the e-bug detective? Have fun! Below the
info of the new project, which kicked off a few days ago. WB]
e-Bug is an EU/DG SANCO funded antibiotic and hygiene teaching resource
for junior and senior school children.
This resource will reinforce an awareness of the benefits of
antibiotics, but will also teach about prudent use and how inappropriate
use can have an adverse effect on an individual's good bugs and
antibiotics resistance in the community. The areas of hand and
respiratory hygiene and spread of infections in the community will be
covered, including teaching how to wash hands most effectively
As the Internet has become a powerful vehicle for education, the pack
will be accompanied by a website hosting complementary games and
interactive quizzes (See
http://www.e-bug.eu/ebug_secret.nsf/England-Project-General-Welcome/eng_
eng_p_wp_gn_lp__-Welcome-to-e-Bug)
--
e-Bug - The development and dissemination of a school antibiotic and
hygiene education pack and website across Europe
Dr Cliodna AM McNulty, Lead, Health Protection Agency, Primary Care
Unit, Gloucester, UK
Antimicrobial resistance remains one of the key problems within
community and hospital settings in Europe identified by the European
Commission in the "Community strategy Against Antimicrobial Resistance"
document published in 2001. This could be tackled by prudent antibiotic
use through improved public and professional education. In many European
countries, antibiotic prescription rates are highest in children. Within
schools, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections are a major cause
of childhood illness with poor respiratory and hand hygiene contributing
to increased spread of infection.
The objective of the DG Sanco funded e-Bug project is to disseminate
across Europe an antibiotic and hygiene teaching resource for 9-16 year
olds. The aim is that all children will leave school with knowledge of
prudent antibiotic use and how to reduce spread of infections for
themselves and their future young children, which is where much of the
antibiotic mis-use occurs. The pack will be based on a resource already
used in the UK 'The Bug Investigators' and the results of research
undertaken in the associated countries. The pack and accompanying
website will encourage a better understanding of infections and
antibiotic resistance and how they spread. It will reinforce an
awareness of the benefits of antibiotics but will also teach about the
prudent use of antibiotics and how inappropriate use can have an adverse
effect on an individual's good bugs and antibiotic resistance in the
community. The areas of hand and respiratory hygiene and spread of
infections in the community will be covered, not just when and how to
wash hands, so reducing spread of infections. Decreased spread of
respiratory, gastrointestinal and skin infections will, in turn,
contribute to the reduction in antibiotic use, and reduce the spread of
antibiotic resistance.
In order to achieve the objectives, a series of pupil activities will be
created for junior (for 9-11 year olds) and senior schools (for 12-15
year olds) linking in with each country's National Curriculum, in close
collaboration with the Departments of Health in each country. Each
country may have their own specific cultural needs and problems
associated with antibiotic overuse and hygiene. These will be
researched, assessed and incorporated into the activities. Different
countries will be able to use the activity worksheets that most suit
their aims to encourage prudent antibiotic use, control antibiotic
resistance and reduce the spread of infectious disease and antibiotic
resistance. To accompany the worksheet a website will be developed and
hosted by the National electronic Library of Infection (NeLI) in the UK.
The website will have downloadable resources and will host interactive
games, quizzes and links to other resources and web sites.
The pack will initially be developed and trialled in England. In each
associated country a dedicated staff member will translate the pack and
modify activities to suit the local country's needs. This will be under
the supervision of the associated partner. This staff member will
implement the pack through a national meeting with education and health
stakeholders. Both packs and websites will be evaluated in Eastern,
Southern, and western European countries to demonstrate the usability
and impact on children's knowledge. Results will be used to further
modify and improve the pack and website to better meet the local needs.
The consortium consists of 10 associated countries (300 million)
covering 55% of the European population with the highest antibiotic use
and those with large populations, thus obtaining education amongst a
high percentage of high antibiotic user countries. These include:
Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy,
Poland, Portugal and Spain. Collaborating countries (Croatia, Finland,
Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia) (34 million)
covering 7% of the European population will be involved in the
consultation and the launch to help them to coordinate their activities
for further implementation of the project results in their countries.
In total, this initiative will reach 76% of the European population.
The project is lead by Cliodna McNulty, who heads the Health Protection
Agency Primary Care Unit in Gloucester, UK. There is a pack developer
Donna Lecky based in Gloucester and a Website Developer David Farrell
based at NeLI, City University, London.
The project is divided into 7 work packages
Work package 1: Coordination of the project, Lead Cliodna McNulty, Great
Britain
The project is coordinated by Cliodna McNulty with support of an
administrator Diane Stallabrass who is based in Gloucester. They
facilitate communication between the partners and organise meetings and
teleconferences. An administrator in each country is responsible for
communication and financial management. There will be 4 face-to-face
meetings of all partners over the 3 years of the project.
Work package 2: Dissemination of the results, lead Patty Kostkova, Great
Britain
Dissemination of results will be facilitated by Patty Kostkova through
the development of an e-Bug website (www.e-bug.eu ), project meetings
of all associate and collaborating partners and their stakeholders,
meetings in associated countries to present the pack to health and
educational stakeholders and endorsement of the resources by the
Department of Education in each associated partner country.
Work package 3: Evaluation of the project. Lead, Julius Weinberg, Great
Britain
Thus far the Czech Republic, France and Great Britain are involved in
evaluation. Pilot schools in urban and rural areas, and areas of high
antibiotic use, will be identified during the research period. The ease
of use and impact of the pack on children's knowledge will be by use of
a validated questionnaire and focus groups with teachers and children.
An evaluation of the use of the web site using weblog analysis will be
performed to determine who is using the website. Weblog data and online
questionnaires will be used to gain in-depth understanding about the use
of the site with respect to the users knowledge and attitude changes.
Results will be used to improve the website layout and navigation.
The e-Bug project progress will be monitored by an audit committee
chaired by Herman Goossens and attended by individuals from the
Department of Health and Health Protection Agency.
Work package 4: Background research. Lead, Cliodna McNulty, Great
Britain
The aim of the 9 month research period is to inform the content and
implementation of the pack and website. During the research period we
will determine the:
a) The science school curriculum content in relation to
micro-organisms, good and bad bugs, hand and respiratory hygiene and
antibiotic use
b) Details of any public antibiotic or hand hygiene campaigns and
existing websites
c) Pattern of antibiotic use, infectious disease and countries'
cultures and customs that may be relevant to the pack and website
d) Details of Stakeholders in the Department of Health and
Education who would be interested in the use and dissemination of packs
e) Details of Other pan European school education campaigns
Focus groups with primary and secondary school teachers will be held in
the UK and France to gain a comprehensive insight into the microbiology
and health issues taught to the target age groups, and to establish
teaching requirements for e-Bug
Work package 5: Design and development of e-Bug pack. Lead, Cliodna
McNulty, Great Britain
Based on the background research, Donna Lecky and Cliodna McNulty in
Gloucester, will develop the e-Bug pack for 9-11 and 12-15 year olds.
The content of the pack will be discussed at the 12 month research
meeting of all Associated and Collaborating Partners. Previous
educational tools will be discussed and ideas generated from the
associated partners, collaborators and stakeholders present.
The e-Bug pack will cover micro-organisms, good and bad bugs, hand and
respiratory hygiene, and prudent antibiotic use, vaccines and any other
issues considered appropriate at the 12 month partner research meeting.
The activities will be adapted for use at each age group.
During development, the activities will be circulated to the associated
partners, Dept of Health and education committees and teachers and be
trialled in schools.
Work package 6: Design and development of e-Bug website. Lead, Patty
Kostkova, Great Britain
Based on the pack and research report summarizing the needs of associate
countries, an interactive website for both age groups will be developed.
The website will be developed by David Farrell, Patty Kostkova and
Julius Weinberg working at NeLI at the City University, London in close
collaboration with the pack developers in Gloucester and all the
Associated Partners. To improve the appearance and acceptability of the
website, extra artwork is being provided by artists including Nancy Lai
who was involved with character animation for the TV cartoon Hello
Kitty, and Ramba Studios who specialize in educational software for
young children. The website will be tested with the partners,
stakeholders, schools and teachers.
Work package 7: Implementation of e-Bug in Associate Partner countries.
Lead Pierre Dellamonica, France
A staff member in each country will translate the pack and website. The
content will be modified if necessary to address the cultural, school
curriculum, antibiotic use and hygiene differences in each country. All
countries will fund pack printing through their Departments of Health,
Education or a commercial partner. To facilitate dissemination of the
resourses, e-Bug will fund meetings in each country to present the
resources to health, school, public health, science and education
policy-makers. The associated partners will make early contact with the
Departments of Education and Health to encourage inclusion of the pack
in their National Curriculum and these bodies will be represented at the
dissemination meetings.
For details about e-Bug and/or to contact your countries partner visit
www.e-Bug.eu