Paint and Prevent – An Intervention Study on The Outcomes of a Visual Arts-Based Handwashing Workshop for Adolescents in Tanzania
Hamara, Emmi; Watson, Noemi (2021)
Hamara, Emmi
Watson, Noemi
2021
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021060714789
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2021060714789
Tiivistelmä
The aim of the study was to increase handwashing skills and knowledge of Tanzanian
adolescents in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The objectives were to study the pre- and postintervention knowledge and skills in handwashing with the participants, to study the
participants’ experiences of possible benefits in participating in the intervention, to create a visual arts-based infection prevention intervention to increase the participants’ knowledge and skills in handwashing, and to create a tested framework for a health intervention to share as a concept with the non-governmental organisation, Art in Tanzania.
The partners of the study were Laurea University of Applied Sciences, and Art in Tanzania, a non-governmental organisation based in Finland and Tanzania. “Paint and Prevent – a guide to visual arts-based handwashing workshop” was created and tested with Art in Tanzania, and the handbook was given to them after the project to use in the future.
Proper handwashing can prevent diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases. Such diseases are a
burden for Tanzanian adolescents: in 2015, they were amongst the top causes of death for both girls and boys aged 10 to 19 in Tanzania. The World Bank states that Tanzania as a nation has increased 45% in population in the past 15 years. It is not only challenging to offer their youth health education, but also important to do so. Arts can be used in health education flexibly and different art forms have been used in sub-Saharan Africa, also in Tanzania, in health education before.
The study design was a quasi-experimental intervention study. The intervention was a visual art-based handwashing workshop framework called Paint and Prevent, which was created by applying Daisy Fancourt’s (2017) model for designing and delivering arts in health interventions. The study method were pre- and post-intervention surveys. The surveys asked questions about self-reported skills, as well as self-reported outcomes of the workshop. Furthermore, 11 dichotomous True or False questions were asked about handwashing skills and knowledge. These were collected from the workshop participants in Tanzania, and the outcomes were measured using descriptive statistic techniques, comparing paired and independent samples. The staff of Art in Tanzania carried out the handwashing campaign in Tanzania in March and April 2021. They also collected the data for the study. All together 37 paired surveys were accepted in the data analysis. Independent t-testing was used for comparing pre- and post-intervention results between different age and gender groups. Wilcoxon’s signed ranks test was used to analyse the significance in the differences of the paired samples. The data show that the participants’ skills and knowledge did increase during the workshops, with more participants having improved results in the True or False questions. Participants also reported that they had benefited from the workshops. However, when analysed separately from skills, the participants’ knowledge in handwashing did not increase significantly. The participants reported their skills and knowledge had increased, and that painting had helped them to learn. The authors suggest the workshop framework be adapted and tested for different audiences, such as younger children. Different art methods could also be used.
adolescents in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The objectives were to study the pre- and postintervention knowledge and skills in handwashing with the participants, to study the
participants’ experiences of possible benefits in participating in the intervention, to create a visual arts-based infection prevention intervention to increase the participants’ knowledge and skills in handwashing, and to create a tested framework for a health intervention to share as a concept with the non-governmental organisation, Art in Tanzania.
The partners of the study were Laurea University of Applied Sciences, and Art in Tanzania, a non-governmental organisation based in Finland and Tanzania. “Paint and Prevent – a guide to visual arts-based handwashing workshop” was created and tested with Art in Tanzania, and the handbook was given to them after the project to use in the future.
Proper handwashing can prevent diarrhoeal and respiratory diseases. Such diseases are a
burden for Tanzanian adolescents: in 2015, they were amongst the top causes of death for both girls and boys aged 10 to 19 in Tanzania. The World Bank states that Tanzania as a nation has increased 45% in population in the past 15 years. It is not only challenging to offer their youth health education, but also important to do so. Arts can be used in health education flexibly and different art forms have been used in sub-Saharan Africa, also in Tanzania, in health education before.
The study design was a quasi-experimental intervention study. The intervention was a visual art-based handwashing workshop framework called Paint and Prevent, which was created by applying Daisy Fancourt’s (2017) model for designing and delivering arts in health interventions. The study method were pre- and post-intervention surveys. The surveys asked questions about self-reported skills, as well as self-reported outcomes of the workshop. Furthermore, 11 dichotomous True or False questions were asked about handwashing skills and knowledge. These were collected from the workshop participants in Tanzania, and the outcomes were measured using descriptive statistic techniques, comparing paired and independent samples. The staff of Art in Tanzania carried out the handwashing campaign in Tanzania in March and April 2021. They also collected the data for the study. All together 37 paired surveys were accepted in the data analysis. Independent t-testing was used for comparing pre- and post-intervention results between different age and gender groups. Wilcoxon’s signed ranks test was used to analyse the significance in the differences of the paired samples. The data show that the participants’ skills and knowledge did increase during the workshops, with more participants having improved results in the True or False questions. Participants also reported that they had benefited from the workshops. However, when analysed separately from skills, the participants’ knowledge in handwashing did not increase significantly. The participants reported their skills and knowledge had increased, and that painting had helped them to learn. The authors suggest the workshop framework be adapted and tested for different audiences, such as younger children. Different art methods could also be used.