title: Impact of an educational intervention on residents' knowledge of pediatric disaster medicine.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Globally, natural and created events have underscored the vulnerability of children in disasters. There is an unmet need for a standardized pediatric disaster medicine (PDM) curriculum.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To create and implement a PDM course, measure course efficacy, and assess residents' attitudes toward and experience in disaster medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  An educational intervention was conducted for pediatric and emergency medicine residents at a tertiary care teaching hospital. Participants completed a precourse survey of PDM attitudes and experience. Paired t tests were used to compare pretest, immediate posttest, and delayed posttest scores. Test performance was assessed by resident type and postgraduate year. A postcourse survey gauged reaction to the course and interest in further PDM training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the participants, 11 residents (9.4%) have treated disaster victims, and 5 (4.3%) had formal disaster medicine education. Most (83%) felt PDM is an important part of their training. Seventy-five eligible residents (64.6%) completed the intervention. Pairwise comparison of scores showed a mean improvement in scores of 24.5% immediately after taking the course (95% confidence interval, 22.9%-30.1%; P < 0.001). Two months later, residents scored a mean of 69.0% for the delayed posttest, with a retained improvement in scores (18.3%; 95% confidence interval, 14.3%-22.3%; P < 0.001). Residents preferred future PDM exercises to additional didactic training (72.0% vs. 32.7%; P < 0.001%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Residents who complete this curriculum increase their knowledge of PDM with moderate retention of information. Most residents lack PDM training, believe it is important, and request disaster-training exercises.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Section of Emergency Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. mark.cicero@yale.edu
authors: Mark X
authors: MX
authors: Cicero
authors: Eileen
authors: E
authors: Blake
authors: Noelle
authors: N
authors: Gallant
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: Lauren
authors: L
authors: Esposito
authors: Magdelena
authors: M
authors: Guerrero
authors: Carl R
authors: CR
authors: Baum
mesh_terms: D054597:Disaster Medicine / Q000193:education*; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States