The impact of online interprofessional education training for HIV on healthcare professionals and students in Zambia

Abstract

Online learning became a common mode of learning in academic institutions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. All around the world, academic institutions adopted online learning platforms to continue with the process of educating learners. The Strengthening Inter-professional Education for HIV (STRIPE HIV) project, an initiative of AFREhealth and its partners adopted online learning during the final year preservice and early career health care professionals’ trainings in phase two of the project. The School of Nursing Sciences at the University of Zambia was one of the partners’ schools that was subcontracted to implement the project. Two STRIPE HIV trainings were conducted through online learning using the zoom platform. At the end of the training an evaluation of the training was conducted. The purposed of the evaluation was to examine the impact of online inter-professional education (IPE) training for HIV on healthcare professionals and students. This was a cross sectional analytical study using an online survey that was completed by 52 participants. Simple random sampling using computer generated random numbers was used to draw participants for the workshop and all workshop participants were requested to complete the questionnaire. Data was analysed using Statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used to test for associations between usefulness of STRIPE-HIV workshop materials and selected factors. Manny Whitney test was used to ascertain differences in Means for continuous non normally distributed variables. About 81% of the participants were students, female participants contributed the highest proportion in the study and almost all the participants rated the STRIPE HIV training materials as very useful. Participants’ professional discipline showed a statistically significant association with usefulness of STRIPE HIV course materials (chi square value, p = 0.005). Using the Manny Whitney test, no significant association between age and usefulness of the STRIPE HIV course materials was obtained. There is evidence of acquisition of new knowledge as well as development of a positive attitude towards inter-professional collaboration among health professionals and students through online learning. Therefore, it can be concluded that online education is a valuable platform that can be utilised as a mode of learning apart from the traditional face to face learning.

Keywords: Online, inter-professional education, health professionals, HIV/AIDS, health outcomes