Effects of contextual interactive healthcare training on caregivers of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection: Anxiety, learning achievements, perceived support and self-efficacies during quarantine

Background The contextual and interactive learning research was motivated by the need to enhance the healthcare training effect of caregivers of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection during quarantine. However, there is a lack of effective approaches to integrating mobile contextual learning into interactive learning. Objectives Therefore, this study developed a mobile augmented reality-integration contextual interactive healthcare training system, and then investigated the effects of the proposed system on anxiety, learning effects, perceived support and self-efficacies. Methods To validate the effectiveness of the system, we conducted a quasi-experiment with a sample of 91 caregivers of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection. Results and conclusions Results showed that the experimental group with the developed system was superior to the control group with e-pamphlet instruction in mobile devices, in terms of learning effect, perceived support, self-efficacies and reduction of anxiety during quarantine. Therefore, the mobile contextual interactive healthcare training system could be useful to improve caregivers' self-efficacies as well as their ability to care for patients in the context of COVID-19 infection prevention. Implications This is one of the few studies of the effective approach for technology-enhanced healthcare education in the COVID-19 pandemic. Some corresponding suggestions are proposed: implementing mobile contextual interactive training activities to enhance caregivers' knowledge, skills and self-efficacies; involving social interactions to relieve caregivers' anxiety; providing professional communications and support while facing difficulties in taking care of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection.

Automated summary

This study developed a mobile augmented reality-integration contextual interactive healthcare training system and found that it significantly improved the learning effects, perceived support, self-efficacies, and reduced anxiety of caregivers during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to traditional e-pamphlet instruction. The findings suggest the importance of utilizing technology-enhanced healthcare education and support for caregivers in the context of infectious disease prevention.