Communicating DP-iDP

The aim of Communicating DP-iDP is to communicate the importance of pregnancy diseases and its associated risks to schoolchildren (7th till 9th grade). Communicating DP-iDP is based on the FWF funded doc.funds program, located at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University Hospital Graz, which investigates the interplay between pregnancy, inflammation and the placenta in maternal and fetal diseases such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. School kids especially from a so-called educationally disadvantaged background should develop an understanding for risks involved with those pregnancy diseases and discover strategies to prevent their onset. At the same time, a general understanding for the importance of basic research should be gained. Communicating DP-iDP invites schoolchildren to participate at a workshop at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. Initially, schoolchildren will receive a general introduction on the issue of pregnancy disorders. Subsequently each group of schoolkids will develop a specific research question which will be investigated on one of four science stations (delivery room, ward, perfusion lab and microscopy room). Together with experts from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and researchers from the DP-iDP, schoolchildren interactively try to answer the questions. In a final presentation, each group then presents their findings. In a final workshop, schoolkids have the chance to reflect on their experiences and contribute to creation of the storyline of an animated video. The videos will help to identify with the general issue but will also generate further attention through sharing with friends and family. The final video will be presented at a closing event in spring 2022 where participating schoolchildren as well as friends and family will be invited. Communicating DP-iDP pays special attention to the creation of concepts tailored to the specific target groups. Thus, workshops with experts in the field of social inclusion and interaction with kids from a migrational background are organized to train presenters and participants of the DP-iDP. These workshops focus on strategies to properly interact with the individual target group.

Communicating DP-iDP was a science communication project that took place from autumn 2022 till summer 2024 and was based on the research results of the FWF-funded doc.funds programme 'DP-iDP', which provided the latest findings on pregnancy-related diseases such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. As part of the science communication project, pupils were invited to a series of workshops at the Medical University of Graz and the University Clinic for Gynaecology and Obstetrics. Together with doctors and researchers, pupils explored the background and risk factors in the development of common pregnancy diseases. The project particularly included pupils from an educationally disadvantaged background, whereby a cooperation with the NMS Albert Schweitzer in Graz was initiated, which recently also launched a health focus. At the start of each workshop day, the pupils were playfully familiarised with the environment and received a brief introduction to the topic of pregnancy, the importance of medical care and pregnancy-related diseases. Subsequently, pupils were divided into four groups and assigned to a team of experts consisting of doctors, midwives and researchers. Together with the team of experts small research questions were developed which were to be answered by visiting one of the four 'knowledge stations' (ward, delivery room, perfusion laboratory and microscopy room). As team leaders, the experts tried to enage pupils in a practical and playful way in the subject to jointly answer the research questions devised. In the last part of the workshop, the experiences gathered by each of the four groups were then creatively processed in a video workshop. With the help and guidance of the project team and our experts, each group of pupils created stop-motion videos based on the knowledge and experienced gaind. The four videos were then were presented to the class and the teachers at the end of the workshop day. The animated videos were also made available to all pupils and were thus able to further identify with the thematic focus of research and medicine. The opportunity to share the videos with friends and family also raised awareness of the topic. The DP-iDP science communication project enabled the participating pupils to gain a comprehensive insight into the importance of medical work, prevention and research activities for the first time. Especially the clinic space as well as the university premises and the exchange with experts from a clinical and scientific setting left a lasting impression on the participating pupils, who stem from an educationally disadvantaged background and who previously had little contact with this subject area. The creation of stop-motion videos not only allowed to cope with the subject area in a creative way, but also created the opportunity to share the experience with friends and family.