Experiences and perceptions of online continuing professional development among clinicians in sub-Saharan Africa

Human Resources for Health

Research

Anya Nartker¹  H. Nina Kim²  Michael H. Chung³  Caryl Feldacker⁴  Sheena Jacob⁴ 

[1] Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Box 357965, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States of America;Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Box 357965, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States of America;Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Box 359930, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States of America;Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Box 357965, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States of America;Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Box 359930, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States of America;Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Box 359909, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States of America;International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), Box 359932, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States of America;Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Box 357965, 325 Ninth Avenue, Seattle, WA, United States of America;

关键词: Medical education;    e-Learning;    Online education;    Healthcare worker quality;    Sub-Saharan Africa;    Continuing professional development;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12960-017-0266-4

 received in 2017-06-06, accepted in 2017-12-20,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundLimitations in healthcare worker (HCW) capacity compound the burden of dual TB and HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. To fill gaps in knowledge and skills, effective continuing profession development (CPD) initiatives are needed to support practicing HCWs reach high standards of care. e-learning opportunities can bring expert knowledge to HCWs in the field and provide a flexible learning option adaptable to local settings. Few studies provide insight into HCW experiences with online CPD in the developing country context.MethodsAn online survey using both close-ended and free response was conducted to HCWs in sub-Saharan Africa who completed the University of Washington (UW) School of Medicine online graduate course, “Clinical Management of HIV.” Associations between respondent characteristics (age, gender, rural/urban, job title) and learning preferences, course barriers, and facilitators with an emphasis on online courses were examined using chi-square. Covariates significant at the p < 0.05 were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Responses to open-ended comments were analyzed using simplified grounded theory.ResultsOf 2,299 former students, 464 (20%) HCWs completed surveys from 13 countries: about half were women. Physicians (33%), nurses (27%), and clinical officers (30%) responded mostly from urban areas (67%) and public institutions (69%). Sixty-two percent accessed the online course from work, noting that slow (55%) or limited (41%) internet as well as lack of time (53%) were barriers to course completion. Women (p < 0.001) and HCWs under age 40 (p = 0.007) were more likely to prefer learning through mentorship than men or older HCWs. Respondents favored group discussion (46%), case studies (42%), and self-paced Internet/computer-based learning (39%) and clinical mentorship (37%) when asked to choose 3 preferred learning modalities. Free-response comments offered additional positive insights into the appeal of online courses by noting the knowledge gains, the flexibility of format, a desire for recognition of course completion, and a request for additional online coursework.ConclusionsOnline CPD opportunities were accepted across a diverse group of HCWs from sub-Saharan Africa and should be expanded to provide more flexible opportunities for self-initiated learning; however, these need to be responsive to the limited resources of those who seek these courses.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s). 2018