Malaria and the International Traveler
Course #94364 - $18 -
- Participation Instructions
- Review the course material online or in print.
- Complete the course evaluation.
- Review your Transcript to view and print your Certificate of Completion. Your date of completion will be the date (Pacific Time) the course was electronically submitted for credit, with no exceptions. Partial credit is not available.
Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases; annually, it affects 150 to 300 million people and is a leading cause of illness and death in the developing world. This infection poses a particularly serious threat to North American travelers who lack immunity to it. American military troops are at an increased risk when entering countries with lax public health policy or with no facilities to examine and treat cases of malaria. This course will provide a basic understanding of malaria for healthcare professionals who care for traveling patients and military troops. Current treatment and prevention options will be explored in depth.
This course is designed for healthcare professionals involved in the care of persons traveling to or from areas where malaria transmission is common.
Malaria poses a particularly serious threat to U.S. travelers to endemic regions, and delayed diagnosis is a leading cause of death among patients with malaria in the United States. The purpose of this course is to provide healthcare professionals with the information necessary to accurately identify, treat, and educate patients regarding the risks of malaria in order to protect those who may be exposed to the disease.
Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Describe the history and natural life cycle of malaria.
- Identify how and where the transmission of malaria occurs.
- Differentiate between uncomplicated and severe (complicated) malaria and identify the symptoms of each.
- Compare the methods used to diagnose malaria and review the importance of prompt diagnosis.
- Recommend the appropriate treatment for malaria of various origins.
- Identify the preventive measures against malaria that have been recommended, including presumptive self-treatment, and discuss considerations for non-English-proficient patients.
Richard A. Ade, RN, MPH, earned his Bachelor degree in occupational and environmental nursing from St. Joseph's College in 1980 and his Master's degree in Public Health from the City University of Los Angeles in 1993. He has more than 30 years experience in military nursing, focusing on radiology, military science, and public health issues.
Contributing faculty, Richard A. Ade, RN, MPH, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
John M. Leonard, MD
Jane C. Norman, RN, MSN, CNE, PhD
Randall L. Allen, PharmD
The division planners have disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Sarah Campbell
The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.
It is the policy of NetCE not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.
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The role of implicit biases on healthcare outcomes has become a concern, as there is some evidence that implicit biases contribute to health disparities, professionals' attitudes toward and interactions with patients, quality of care, diagnoses, and treatment decisions. This may produce differences in help-seeking, diagnoses, and ultimately treatments and interventions. Implicit biases may also unwittingly produce professional behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that reduce patients' trust and comfort with their provider, leading to earlier termination of visits and/or reduced adherence and follow-up. Disadvantaged groups are marginalized in the healthcare system and vulnerable on multiple levels; health professionals' implicit biases can further exacerbate these existing disadvantages.
Interventions or strategies designed to reduce implicit bias may be categorized as change-based or control-based. Change-based interventions focus on reducing or changing cognitive associations underlying implicit biases. These interventions might include challenging stereotypes. Conversely, control-based interventions involve reducing the effects of the implicit bias on the individual's behaviors. These strategies include increasing awareness of biased thoughts and responses. The two types of interventions are not mutually exclusive and may be used synergistically.