Use of eHealth for HIV Medical Education: a Narrative Review

Abstract

The complexity of HIV care and its expanding clinical workforce has created a need for new distance learning models to deliver medical education. We conducted a narrative review to assess the acceptability and effectiveness of recent eHealth HIV education interventions supporting HIV healthcare providers. Evidence from 24 articles revealed that synchronous (real time), asynchronous (any time), and hybrid (combination) models of eHealth education are feasible and acceptable. Only two interventions (one asynchronous, one hybrid) of 19 included in the review utilized a randomized controlled design. Some studies showed improvement in confidence and perceived quality of case management, but few studies were designed to demonstrate impact. Successful eHealth education interventions require a thorough understanding of the target community's capacity and needs. Both synchronous and asynchronous strategies appear acceptable and potentially effective, but more studies are needed to assess impact on knowledge and practices to determine the most effective delivery models.