Salzman A1, Arquines C1, Carmona C1, Huber G1, Hartman J1
1Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences, Chicago, United States
Background: Desiring to demonstrate more social responsibility locally and globally, Northwestern University's Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences (NUPT) created a Global Health Committee (GHC) to recommend changes. To involve everyone in the change process, the GHC conducted a needs assessment to assess current awareness of and interest in global health.
Purpose: The purpose of this poster is to describe the needs assessment conducted to determine faculty's current GH knowledge, involvement in GH activities, use of GH principles in teaching, and interest in increasing their involvement in GH.
Methods: To determine current knowledge of and involvement in GH, a survey was sent to all core faculty (N=37); 21 completed it. Additionally, all core faculty were invited to participate in recorded focus groups; 18 participated. Survey results and focus group transcriptions underwent content analysis and 30 written patient cases used in clinical courses were analyzed for use of GH principles.
Results: All patient cases included descriptions of health conditions, body structure and function/impairments, and activities. Fewer than 50% of the cases included personal/environmental information beyond age, sex, education, and employment. In survey responses, the following words/phrases were used more than once to define GH: worldwide, community, population, and improve health and equity. Teaching activities included using GH concepts at NUPT, teaching outside the USA, and mentoring students about GH. Four faculty conducted research on GH topics; two mentored student research using community-based participatory research. 11 faculty had provided direct patient care or wellness services in underserved areas and 2 had been employed at public hospitals. In addition to those reported by faculty, current GH activities at NUPT include requiring students to complete volunteer service projects and conduct wellness screenings in community settings.
Focus group discussions focused primarily on teaching. Barriers to implementing GH into teaching included the lack of time needed to change materials, limited time for additional curricular content, and faculty unfamiliarity with GH concepts; some faculty reported willingness to make changes if they knew what to do. Time constraints are also a barrier to GH research. Faculty expressed concern that GH was not a high priority for NUPT, believing that the institution's desire for a global presence is different than working toward equity in health for all. Several individuals wondered how providing culturally competent physical therapy to individuals differs from GH.
Conclusion(s): Faculty demonstrated confusion about the definition of GH, however, they believed they teach GH concepts and expressed willingness to participate in GH if given clear expectations and resources. Half had provided direct PT service in underserved communities. Few are involved in GH research. Barriers to increased GH participation include lack of time and the perception that GH is not an institutional priority. Current student activities will be enhanced through additional guided reflections. The results of the needs assessment will be used to develop training sessions for faculty and define the resources required for increased GH involvement.
Implications: The needs assessment process described can be used to gather information about current and potential practices before beginning any curricular change.
Keywords: Needs assessment, Global health
Funding acknowledgements: Funding by the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Northwestern University
Purpose: The purpose of this poster is to describe the needs assessment conducted to determine faculty's current GH knowledge, involvement in GH activities, use of GH principles in teaching, and interest in increasing their involvement in GH.
Methods: To determine current knowledge of and involvement in GH, a survey was sent to all core faculty (N=37); 21 completed it. Additionally, all core faculty were invited to participate in recorded focus groups; 18 participated. Survey results and focus group transcriptions underwent content analysis and 30 written patient cases used in clinical courses were analyzed for use of GH principles.
Results: All patient cases included descriptions of health conditions, body structure and function/impairments, and activities. Fewer than 50% of the cases included personal/environmental information beyond age, sex, education, and employment. In survey responses, the following words/phrases were used more than once to define GH: worldwide, community, population, and improve health and equity. Teaching activities included using GH concepts at NUPT, teaching outside the USA, and mentoring students about GH. Four faculty conducted research on GH topics; two mentored student research using community-based participatory research. 11 faculty had provided direct patient care or wellness services in underserved areas and 2 had been employed at public hospitals. In addition to those reported by faculty, current GH activities at NUPT include requiring students to complete volunteer service projects and conduct wellness screenings in community settings.
Focus group discussions focused primarily on teaching. Barriers to implementing GH into teaching included the lack of time needed to change materials, limited time for additional curricular content, and faculty unfamiliarity with GH concepts; some faculty reported willingness to make changes if they knew what to do. Time constraints are also a barrier to GH research. Faculty expressed concern that GH was not a high priority for NUPT, believing that the institution's desire for a global presence is different than working toward equity in health for all. Several individuals wondered how providing culturally competent physical therapy to individuals differs from GH.
Conclusion(s): Faculty demonstrated confusion about the definition of GH, however, they believed they teach GH concepts and expressed willingness to participate in GH if given clear expectations and resources. Half had provided direct PT service in underserved communities. Few are involved in GH research. Barriers to increased GH participation include lack of time and the perception that GH is not an institutional priority. Current student activities will be enhanced through additional guided reflections. The results of the needs assessment will be used to develop training sessions for faculty and define the resources required for increased GH involvement.
Implications: The needs assessment process described can be used to gather information about current and potential practices before beginning any curricular change.
Keywords: Needs assessment, Global health
Funding acknowledgements: Funding by the Department of Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences at Northwestern University
Topic: Education; Professional issues
Ethics approval required: No
Institution: Northwestern University
Ethics committee: Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Reason not required: The project was reviewed by the IRB and classified as curriculum review rather than human subject research. Curriculum review projects do not require ethics approval by the IRB.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
