A Strong Start in Life - ELAS 2.0: A Digital Learning Program to Promote a Healthy Pregnancy and Early Child Protection

A Strong Start in Life - ELAS 2.0: A Digital Learning Program to Promote a Healthy Pregnancy and Early Child Protection

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate an adapted version of a previously developed e-learning tool to teach sensitive conversations to health professionals working in maternity care. The goal of the e-learning intervention is to increase health professionals' empathy, self-efficacy, and sense of competence regarding their conversations with pregnant women who may drink alcohol.

The main question it aims to answer is:

Can participation in the e-learning intervention lead to higher values in empathy, self-efficacy, and sense of competence in health professionals working with pregnant women who may drink alcohol during pregnancy (quantitative evaluation)?

Does the participation additionally lead to a higher sense of responsibility (being responsible to ask about alcohol consumption and explain possible risks thereof)? The second research question (secondary outcome) should be evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively.

What feedback do participants of the e-learning have about it (qualitative evaluation)?

Participants will

Complete four web-based questionnaires (one before and three after participation in the e-learning)

• Participate in the e-learning intervention (= get access to the webpage for eight weeks). The intervention includes an approximately 9-hour asynchronous e-learning program, covering background knowledge on alcohol use during pregnancy and communication skills, including motivational interviewing, with interactive case-based exercises and two assessments.
• Some (not all) participants will participate in individual phone interviews exploring perceived professional responsibility regarding alcohol use during pregnancy and feedback on the e-learning intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being a physician, midwife, nurse, social worker, pharmacist or other health professional working in maternity care, psychiatry or child protection services
• 18 years of age or older
• Sufficient German language skills
• Internet access

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not working in the before-named fields
• Younger than 18 years of age
• Insufficient German language skills
• No internet access