Evaluating the effectiveness of let's talk period's high school educational outreach program: A pilot study

Menorrhagia impacts ~40% of adolescent females, with about half having an underlying bleeding disorder, most commonly von Willebrand Disease (VWD). VWD affects ~1 in 1000 individuals, though many are unaware of their condition. Let's Talk Period (LTP) is an online knowledge translation platform aimed at increasing awareness of bleeding disorders symptoms, with a validated self-administered bleeding assessment tool (Self-BAT).

To evaluate the effectiveness of the LTP high school outreach program in Grade 9 girls' health classes quantitatively, using baseline, post-presentation, and follow-up quiz scores, and qualitatively, with student and teacher feedback forms.

The 75-minute in-class presentations, developed in alignment with the 2015 Ontario Curriculum for Grade 9 Health and Physical Activity, were led by a haemophilia nurse, clinical research assistant, and undergraduate student from the LTP team. Students completed baseline, post-presentation, and 4-6-week follow-up Kahoot quizzes featuring the same nine questions to evaluate change in knowledge levels and retention. Both student and teacher feedback were collected.

There was a significant increase (p < 0.001) from baseline to post-presentation scores, with a significant gain in knowledge, for all questions (p < 0.01). Students found content related to the basics and management of menstruation to be most interesting. Many had constructive feedback on how the presentation method could be improved. On average, the presentations were rated an 8.6 of 10 by students and 8.75 of 10 by teachers.

The LTP high school outreach program effectively increases student knowledge of menorrhagia and bleeding disorders. It was well-received by students and staff alike.