Long-Term Impact of an Interprofessional Health Promotion Curriculum in Healthcare Students
摘要
Health promotion (HP) curricula are essential for health professions education but currently lack strong long-term evidence for effectiveness. This project aimed to evaluate the multilevel long-term impact of an HP curriculum on healthcare students.
MethodsAn HP curriculum incorporating ten evidence-based interventions was implemented for healthcare students. Participants’ reactions and impact on learning, HP behaviors, and well-being change were collected through electronic surveys administered pre-, post-, and 6 months post-curriculum. Data analysis was conducted using STATA, Mplus, and ATLAS.ti.
ResultsA total of 552 students (medical, nursing, counseling, physical therapy, and social work) completed the HP curriculum. Participants demonstrated improved awareness of distress factors (p < 0.01) and perceived value of (p < 0.01) and willingness to engage in HP behaviors (p < 0.01). Willingness to try HP interventions correlated significantly with perceived value (r = 0.73, p < 0.05). Most students (92%, n = 505) adopted HP interventions, with the highest rates for healthy sleep (23%, n = 146) and exercise (18%, n = 117). Six months post-curriculum, 92% of 153 respondents confirmed improved health and well-being, particularly in mood (33%, n = 51) and reduced stress (19%, n = 29). Overall, 47% (n = 258) valued the HP curriculum. Interestingly, medical students reported the lowest perceived value among professions (p < 0.01).
DiscussionThis study demonstrates the long-term effectiveness of an interprofessional HP curriculum, addressing all levels of the Kirkpatrick pyramid (reaction, knowledge, behavior, and results).
ConclusionThis HP curriculum offers a scalable solution for academic institutions aiming to enhance and sustain the health and well-being of healthcare students.