Interprofessional Simulation for Understanding Poverty

Abstract

Poverty is a complex social problem, which is considered a major factor in poor health outcomes in the United States. Current scholarship suggests that the complexity of poverty on health and healthcare requires an interprofessional response, and that professionals and students have limited understanding of the causes and implications of poverty. Effective and relevant education is needed to train health care professionals to relate to individuals living in poverty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a team-based simulation on student perceptions and critical thinking about poverty. Data were collected from 17 simulations, which took place at a university over a two-year period. Evaluations were completed by more than 800 students, and results showed promising improvements in students' ability to think critically about poverty and increases in their ability to understand others’ perspectives regarding living in poverty.