Haley Matthews
Patient-centered care evolves around proper coordination between healthcare providers in consultation with patient needs. Oftentimes, children play a passive role in their health care because of the controversy around age and lack of consensual abilities. The impact of engaging children early on to empower decision-making skills has been proven to influence their ability to make informed and knowledgeable decisions. Consequently, if not provided with support, a child can make unwise decisions in the realm of their healthcare. In academia, children may develop the skills needed to make informed decisions with the adaption of inquiry-based and discovery learning methodologies. Particularly, science educators emphasize investigative skills using micro-science in the public-school curriculum. Generally, healthcare providers have relied on the traditional approach of intervention when treating conditions instead of engaging children early on with preventative approaches like the utilization of health promotion programs. As a result, healthcare systems are extremely strained due to higher rates of preventable conditions across Canada and the United States. This literature review examines recent research on 1) inquiry-based learning, 2) micro-science outreach and 3) health promotion programs linked to the reduction of healthcare costs. Next, a case study of Dalhousie University’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Outreach Project is dissected to see its impact on children’s overall scientific comprehension and health care decision-making procession. Subsequently, the exploration of micro-science combined with inquiry-based learning as a psychological tool to increase cognitive agility is debated. Upon conclusion, the synthesizes of recent research led to a proposal of how a healthcare administrator could utilize micro-science in health promotion programs to lower healthcare costs.