Undergraduate Students In Kinesiology Exploring Health Disparities

Abstract

Undergraduate pre-health professional students are graduating from Kinesiology programs with little to no understanding about disproportionate health outcomes that impact the well-being of marginalized groups. Health disparities (HD) are differences in health outcomes that disproportionately impact individuals based on race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, socioeconomic status, ability, and geographic location. Integrating HD into undergraduate academic courses proves beneficial for informing, equipping, and engaging future health and medical professionals in re-imaging equitable systems of health that minimize disparities. PURPOSE: The purpose of this ethnographic case study was to explore how 142 undergraduate (Sophomores 2%, Juniors 54%, and Seniors 45%) pre-health professionals engaged in learning about health disparities. METHODS: The health disparities curriculum consisted of four online self-paced learning modules embedded into a Kinesiology course. The instruction was designed to improve student awareness of HD, engage them in reflective writing practices and collaborative learning. Pre-post surveys, student reflections, and online discussions were triangulated to observe how students were making sense of HD topics. Drawing on constructs of Critical Consciousness, data were coded using thematic analysis. RESULTS: A small percentage (29%) of students reported learning about HD in their undergraduate courses, research, or volunteer experiences. Students overall reported an increase (75%-95%) in their understanding of the term HD and the groups most impacted by them. Three themes emerged that represented how students navigated HD learning: eye-opening experiences, lived experiences, and learning in motion. Broader themes included seeking mentorship for improving learning and implementing equitable practices. CONCLUSIONS: Disparities are linked to conscious or unconscious bias of health professionals and result in poor care and treatment. Engaging in HD learning early increases the level of consciousness and strategies for critiquing inequitable practices that have major implications for eliminating disparities.