@article{8510,
  keywords = {Brazil, Education, Distance, Education, Medical, Continuing, Humans, leprosy, Primary Health Care, Program evaluation, Rural Health Services, Surveys and Questionnaires, Telemedicine, Videoconferencing},
  author = {Paixão MP and Miot HA and Souza PE and Haddad AE and Wen CL},
  title = {A university extension course in leprosy: telemedicine in the Amazon for primary healthcare.},
  abstract = {<p>There is a high prevalence of leprosy in the Amazon region of Brazil. We have developed a distance education course in leprosy for training staff of the Family Health Teams (FHTs). The course was made available through a web portal. Tele-educational resources were mediated by professors and coordinators, and included the use of theoretical content available through the web, discussion lists, Internet chat, activity diaries, 3-D video animations (Virtual Human on Leprosy), classes in video streaming and case simulation. Sixty-five FHT staff members were enrolled. All of them completed the course and 47 participants received a certificate at the end of the course. At the end of the course, 48 course-evaluation questionnaires were answered. A total of 47 participants (98%) considered the course as excellent. The results demonstrate the feasibility of an interactive, tele-education model as an educational resource for staff in isolated regions. Improvements in diagnostic skills should increase diagnostic suspicion of leprosy and may contribute to early detection.</p>},
  year = {2009},
  journal = {Journal of telemedicine and telecare},
  volume = {15},
  pages = {64-7},
  month = {2009},
  issn = {1758-1109},
  url = {http://jtt.sagepub.com/content/15/2/64.full.pdf+html},
  doi = {10.1258/jtt.2008.080704},
  language = {eng},
}