Student-led Health Research Articles

Infectious Disease Education in a Carceral Setting: Insights from a Jail-Based Medical Student-Led Health Literacy Initiative.

Incarceration is associated with adverse health outcomes, including higher rates of infectious diseases. Poor health literacy in this population is a likely contributing factor, making health education a potential tool to help address these health disparities. This article aims to describe the implementation of a novel medical student-led educational initiative in the jail setting as a tool to promote health literacy and decrease the infectious disease burden in the correctional setting. A four-part infectious disease health education curriculum was developed and tailored to a carceral context. The course was offered on a voluntary basis to members of a reentry program at a local county jail. Pre- and postcourse surveys were used to evaluate the course effectiveness. The results demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the participants' reported confidence for recognizing the symptoms of and seeking appropriate treatment for common infections, including sexually transmitted, respiratory, and blood-borne infections. To the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first medical student-led programs of its kind to be described in existing literature. This program hopes to continue refining its curricular offerings and serve as a model for medical schools across the country to increase trainee engagement.

“In a word, partnership”—lessons from a student-led health fair

In this narrative account, we describe our experiences as medical students coordinating a health fair in collaboration with a student-led free clinic. We gain insights into the challenges of delivering healthcare beyond the walls of a clinic or hospital. This article explores the importance of integrating community-based initiatives into medical student education.

Clearing the Air: A Pharmacy Student-Led Health Education Initiative to Combat Adolescent Tobacco Use

Clearing the Air: A Pharmacy Student-Led Health Education Initiative to Combat Adolescent Tobacco Use

Effectiveness of a Nursing Student-led Comprehensive Health Promotion Program for Rural Older Adults: Toward Community-based Learning

Objectives This study investigates the effects of a nursing student-led comprehensive health-promotion program for rural older adults on perceived health, depression, cognitive function, and life satisfaction.
 Methods A non-equivalent control group pre-post study design was adopted, and rural older adults aged 65 years and over were divided into the experimental (n=41) and control group (n=31). The experimental group underwent a comprehensive health-promotion program once-a-week for six weeks. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0 statistical program, and the differences in subjective health, depression, cognitive function, and life satisfaction between the experimental and control groups after the program were tested by independent t-test, and reliability was analyzed by Cronbach's α.
 Results There were no significant differences in perceived health, depression, cognitive function, and life satisfaction at baseline between the two groups. After the program, there was a significant difference in life satisfaction between the control and experimental groups, and no significant difference in subjective health, depression, or cognitive function; however, the pre-post paired t-test for life satisfaction in the experimental group was not statistically significant.
 Conclusions A comprehensive program developed based on the needs of rural elders was an partially effective nursing intervention in increasing life satisfaction. The findings of this study may be useful in developing effective nursing student-led health promotion programs and interventions for rural older adults. In addition, this study suggests the possibility of nursing student-led health promotion programs centered on community-based learning as an alternative health service.

Race and gender disparities in preventive health activity engagement of older adults in the southeastern United States

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine preventive-health-activity engagement in community-dwelling older adults participating in student-led health screenings in east Alabama. From 2017-2019, health professions students conducted health screenings at 23 community and independent living sites to assess medical and social needs of adults. Clients’ responses to questions regarding vaccinations (flu/pneumonia/shingles), cancer screenings (colon/sex-specific), and other (dental/vision) screenings were aggregated to create a preventive health behavior (prevmed) score. Chi-square, t-tests, and regression analyses were conducted.Data from 464 adults ages 50-99 (72.9±10.1) years old were analyzed. The sample was 71.3% female, 63.1% Black/African American (BA), and 33.4% rural. Linear regression indicated BA race (p=0.001), currently unmarried (p=0.030), no primary care provider (p<0.001) or insurance (p=0.010), age <65 years (p=0.042) and assessment at a residential site (p=0.037) predicted lower prevmed scores. Social factors predict preventive health activity engagement in community-dwelling adults in east Alabama, indicating several opportunities to improve health outcomes.

The Impact of a Student-Led Health Education Clinic on the Health Literacy and Behaviors of a Rural Community in the State of Pennsylvania, USA.

Rural populations experience a number of disparities that place them at increased risk of morbidity and mortality related to chronic disease, including lower health literacy and greater distance to medical care. Community-based free healthcare education can offer targeted preventive care to these vulnerable populations; however, limited quantitative research exists measuring their impact, specifically on health literacy and likelihood for behavior change. To investigate this, a student-led health education clinic was held in January 2023 in the rural community of Lykens, Pennsylvania by the Student-run and Collaborative Outreach Program for Health Equity (SCOPE). Fifty-five pre- and post-clinic surveys using Likert-style questions measured the knowledge and likelihood of behavioral change for several preventive health topics, including hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cancer screenings, childhood vaccinations, skin cancer, mental health, addiction, and nutrition. From pre- to post-clinic, there was a significant increase in knowledge of hypertension (p = 0.023) and diabetes (p = 0.014), likelihood of attending cancer screenings (p = 0.038), and confidence in identifying cancerous moles (p = < 0.001). There was a non-significant increase in understanding of mental health and nutrition, and no change in understanding of addiction or childhood vaccinations. It is likely that the level of interaction in education provided and relevance of information to participants contributed to effective uptake of information. The results demonstrate an immediate impact on health literacy and likelihood of behavioral change for several important preventive health topics, and advocate for the use of student-run healthcare interventions in addressing the prevalence of chronic disease in rural communities.

Evaluating Allied Health Clinical Placement Performance: Protocol for a Modified Delphi Study.

University-affiliated student-led health care services have emerged in response to the challenges faced by universities in securing quality clinical placements for health care students. Evidence of the health care benefits and challenges of student-led health care services is growing, while evidence of clinical placement performance remains variable and not generalizable. Though there have been previous attempts to develop a framework for evaluation of clinical placement performance, concerns have been raised about the applicability of these frameworks across the various placement settings. Additionally, the perspectives of all key stakeholders on the critical areas of clinical placement performance have yet to be considered. This study's objective is to gather information on areas of measurement related to student learning outcomes, experience of placement, and costs of placement and then develop consensus on which of those areas need to be included in a framework for evaluation of clinical placement performance within the context of student-led health care services. The aim of this paper is to outline a protocol for a modified Delphi study designed to gain consensus on what is important to measure when evaluating an allied health clinical placement. We will recruit up to 30 experts to a heterogeneous expert panel in a modified Delphi study. Experts will consist of those with firsthand experience either coordinating, supervising, or undertaking clinical placement. Purposive sampling will be used to ensure maximum variation in expert panel member characteristics. Experts' opinions will be sought on measuring student learning outcomes, student experience, and cost of clinical placement, and other areas of clinical placement performance that are considered important. Three rounds will be conducted to establish consensus on what is important to measure when evaluating clinical placement. Each round is anticipated to yield both quantitative data (eg, percentage of agreement) and qualitative data (eg, free-text responses). In each round, quantitative data will be analyzed descriptively and used to determine consensus, which will be defined as ≥70% agreement. Qualitative responses will be analyzed thematically and used to inform the subsequent round. Findings of each round will be presented, both consensus data and qualitative responses in each subsequent round, to inform expert panel members and to elicit further rankings on areas of measurement yet to achieve consensus. Data analysis is currently underway, with a planned publication in 2024. The modified Delphi approach, supported by existing research and its ability to gain consensus through multiround expert engagement, provides an appropriate methodology to inform the development of a framework for the evaluation of clinical placement performance in allied health service. DERR1-10.2196/44020.

General practice nursing: student-led health check roadshows raising career profile

Due to a lack of placements, many nursing students do not have the opportunity to experience primary care during preregistration education. Nurses on Tour, a series of student-led health roadshows, was piloted at ten GP practices in Northumberland during the summer of 2022, providing health checks to patients and enabling 48 students from all fields of nursing to experience primary care as a learning environment. This pilot project also aimed to raise the profile of general practice nursing among students and showcase students’ skills and value to general practices. This model of student practice and supervision could be adapted to suit different localities and become a valuable part of preregistration education while promoting primary care as a first destination or future career option for students.

From proposal to action: evaluating the results of a nursing student project to promote student-community engagement

Background A focus on community engagement is encouraged when educating nursing students on preventative care and advocacy. Students often struggle to connect theory to practice and benefit from real-world experiences. Aim This paper describes the effect of a student-led health project on student development. Methods A descriptive, correlational design was used to explore end of semester feedback from undergraduate nursing students (N = 174) completing a semester long community project. Chi-square analyses and thematic coding were performed to determine measures of association and student perceptions. Results Across 83 completed surveys (47.7%), self-efficacy was a key factor in project completion, development, bias awareness, and commitment to community. Conclusions Civic duty and professional responsibility are challenging concepts for students, thus, impacting transition to practice. Engagement in self-efficacious experiences is encouraged. Impact statement Community engagement influences undergraduate nursing students’ development. Enhanced support of student self-efficacy may promote attainment of nursing values and improved care delivery.

Evaluation of student-led health education for dormitory student

Evaluation of student-led health education for dormitory student

Student-led pop-up health check clinics: innovative health prevention strategy for a low socioeconomic community.

To improve preventative health screening in regional Victoria, Australia, a collaborative student-led health prevention strategy was initiated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of four health check clinics using a free 'pop-up' format within community settings. A mixed methods, explanatory sequential design was used to explore community health data and participant experiences in utilising the free health check clinics. The clinics were delivered over 6months and located in three different communities within the regional government area. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse participant health data and a thematic analysis was utilised to determine themes from participant feedback and health outcomes. The clinics were attended by 188 community members, largely impacted by government lockdowns during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Health check results indicate the population is overweight and at high risk of diabetes. Participants enjoyed the free and convenient nature of the health check program and the location of the venues. Feedback from participants indicate the health education provided was useful and advocated for changes in current behaviours. Many embraced the new information and community connections and made changes to improve their future health. Others claimed to enjoy the clinic experience but reported no action from the recommendations. Evaluation of the health check clinics indicate they had a minor, yet positive impact on the local community in increasing engagement with preventative screening strategies. COVID-19 restrictions impacted participant numbers and thus more research is needed in a time where community movement is not limited.

DEVELOPMENT OF A HOPE-BASED HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAM TO IMPROVE HEALTH BEHAVIORS AMONG DIVERSE OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Studies have shown that health education can improve dietary intake, exercise, and energy balance, which improves health outcomes and quality of life. However, diverse low-income older adults may have low self-efficacy coupled with potentially negative opinions regarding the aging process. Emerging research suggests that asset-based approaches utilizing persuasive and hopeful messages may be particularly effective with diverse populations of older adults who may be struggling with negative perceptions of self-efficacy. Research also shows that health behavior change interventions are most likely to be successful among diverse populations when they incorporate messages of resilience and facilitate information sharing and diffusion among participants. This presentation outlines the program curriculum development process of a student-led health promotion program by an interdisciplinary team of university researchers. Public health, dietetics, and communication faculty utilized Persuasive Hope Theory (PHT) and Self-Efficacy Theory to create a 15-week program to improve fruit and vegetable intake and physical activity among low-income adults aged 55+ living in Anchorage, Alaska. We will also detail the curricular components for this NIA-funded program which will be delivered in Fall 2022.

The transformation of a student-led health clinic in rural Australia from a face-to-face service to a telehealth model: Evaluation of student and client experiences during a COVID 19 driven transition

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated the rapid transition of many face-to-face health services to alternate modes of service delivery. The objective of this study was to explore the benefits, challenges and perceived quality of a telehealth service delivery model from the perspective of clients and students. Further, students’ perceptions relating to the quality of the educational experience were also explored. Methods: The study was set in a student-led interprofessional health and wellness clinic in rural Queensland, Australia. A qualitative case study design was used, including semi-structured student interviews and client open-response survey data. Participants were nursing and allied health students who completed a student-led interprofessional clinic placement and adults with low to rising risk of chronic disease who attended the clinic for telehealth delivered services. Results: Themes identified following analysis included: new or adapted skills needed for success; challenges, limitations and the need for resources, training and support; quality interprofessional education experiences can be achieved in telehealth; coming away with a new set of skills; the important role of the client for success; and benefits and disadvantages of telehealth for clients. Conclusions: The findings support that telehealth-based service-learning models are a feasible way to deliver health and wellness services from the perspective of students and clients and provide students with important skills for rural health service delivery.

Patient perceptions of allied health student communication and interpersonal skills: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Effective patient–practitioner communication contributes to patient health outcomes by strengthening therapeutic relationships and, in the process, contributing to overall quality of patient care. Despite the growth of student-led university teaching clinics, little research has investigated communication skills within this context. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the patient-perceived levels of communication and interpersonal skills within a student-led allied health clinic.Methods: The Communication Assessment Tool (CAT) was used to collect cross-sectional data on patients’ perceptions of student communication and interpersonal skills within an osteopathy teaching clinic. Data were analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: According to the CAT, patients perceived the students’ communication and interpersonal skills to be “excellent” overall (97.2%). No significant differences were found between percentage of “excellent” responses and gender (p = .600), number of consultations (p = .374) or pain duration (p = .741).Conclusions: Patients in this setting perceive student communication and interpersonal skills to be of a high standard. This can contribute positively to the patient–practitioner therapeutic alliance and may improve overall health outcomes. These findings have implications for communication training within student-led health professions clinics and tertiary curricula more broadly.

Implementation and evaluation of a university&#x2013;hospital partnership program for Type 2 diabetes.

Objective The aims of this study were to determine whether a university-hospital partnership program for Type 2 diabetes (T2D) would: be well attended; reduce the number of patients on the diabetes out-patient waiting list who have been waiting longer than the recommended; increase discharge from the hospital clinic; increase university health clinic (UHC) occasions of service; be sustainable; and be acceptable to participants. Method A prospective observational study was conducted between 2016 and 2019. Participants with T2D were referred to a UHC, initially from a hospital diabetes wait list. The final program consisted of 10 weeks: before and after individual assessments, as well as 8 weeks of exercise and education facilitated by health professionals and students. Participant demographic characteristics and data on attendance, discharge and follow-up requirements, the percentage of patients waiting longer than the recommended for a new hospital out-patient appointment, university activity and patient satisfaction were collected. Results In all, 130 participants commenced the program, 80% completed at least six of eight group sessions and 80% attended the final assessment. The percentage of people waiting longer than recommended decreased from 63% to 16%. The hospital discharged 87% and 59% of participants from the dietitian and endocrinologist respectively. The UHC recorded 2056 occasions of service and 2056 student experiences including dietetics, exercise physiology, psychology, nursing, optometry, social work and podiatry students relating to the program. Satisfaction was high, as measured by the Short Assessment of Patient Satisfaction, with a mean score of 23.9 from a possible score of 28.0 (n = 93). Conclusion The partnership resulted in a new model of care for patients with T2D and increased learning experiences for students. What is known about the topic? Diabetes is the fastest growing disease in Australia, placing unsustainable demands on the health system. Access to patient-centred care and self-management education is essential to optimise glycaemic control, prevent or delay complications and maintain quality of life. The increasing demand of diabetes on the health system affects access to timely care, with unacceptably long wait times reported, resulting in an increase in morbidity and mortality and poor patient satisfaction. A potential solution is the use of clinical students to contribute to service delivery. Student-assisted and student-led health clinics have increased access to care across the globe for many years. What does the paper add? Although group education has the potential to reduce the burden on clinical service delivery, it was unclear whether a partnership program using students and university and hospital resources would be acceptable to people with T2D and whether this model delivered at a UHC would be sustainable and of benefit to both the health service and university. The results of the evaluation suggest that a university-hospital partnership program is well accepted by participants, well attended, reduces the number of patients waiting for a hospital appointment longer than the acceptable waiting times, increases UHC activity and provides interdisciplinary student experiences. As such, this paper provides evidence that this model of care offers a potential solution to increasing demands for health services for diabetes and student clinical experience. What are the implications for practitioners? Partnerships between UHCs and hospitals offer a sustainable solution to increasing demand for diabetes services and student training requirements. The description of the development, implementation and evaluation processes can be used by practitioners and educators as a framework for the translation of similar models of care to meet demands in other areas where demand for health services exceeds capacity.

Evaluating Students’ Perceived Stress, Sleep Quality, and Physical Activity in Exercise Is Medicine® On Campus Student-led Health Consultation Program

The American College of Sport Medicine created the Exercise is Medicine® (EIM) initiative to improve health through the promotion and prescription of physical activity. The EIM-On Campus (EIM-OC) initiative uses physical activity as a vital sign for promoting healthy behaviors among students and employees on a college campus. The EIM-OC initiative was launched at California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) in Fall 2019. The purpose of this research project was to promote and evaluate college students’ health behaviors associated with the implementation of the EIM-OC initiative at CSUMB. We hypothesized significant improvements in perceived stress, sleep quality, and total physical activity time among participants. The research design was pre-post and tracked participants in the EIM-OC semester long consultation program. Fifteen CSUMB students participated in the consultation program. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Godin-Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) were administered online through an intake form before and after the consultation program. Dependent t-tests were performed to assess for pre- and post-differences in perceived stress (PS), sleep quality (SQ), and total physical activity (PA) time. Significance was set at 𝛂 = 0.05. Participant’s age was M=20.87, SD=3.34 years, with 60% being college junior status. There was a statistically significant improvement in students’ perceived stress levels (t=2.659, df=14, p=.019) pre (M=16.47, SD=5.630) and post (M=11.53, SD=6.424) intervention. There was also a statistically significant improvement in sleep quality (t=.3166, df=14, p=.007) pre (M=6.80, SD=2.981) and post (M=5.07, SD=2.963) intervention. There were improvements in total physical activity time, although it was not significant. The results of this research project indicate that peer advisor consultation programs can be effective in improving college-aged students’ perceived stress and sleep quality. These health behavior improvements are important contributors to college students’ lifelong health behavior habits, quality of life, and academic performance.

Paving the Path for Tele–Mental Health Services: Transitions in a Student-Led Behavioral Health Clinic During COVID-19

ABSTRACT Attempts to control COVID-19 pushed mental health providers to offer remote services to engage clients. This article discusses transitions in a student-led behavioral health clinic and has three aims: explore experiences transitioning to telehealth services, examine client mental health and quality of life outcomes, and compare client engagement through no-show and cancellation rates. This study is an evaluation and used a nonexperimental design. Data were collected from clinic students and faculty (n=21) and from clients (n=46). Data were analyzed using directed content analysis and univariate descriptive statistics. Students and faculty encountered few barriers moving services to telehealth. During a pandemic, client symptoms remained stable. No-show and cancellation rates declined following telehealth. Implications for student-led clinics and training are discussed.

Nursing Student-Led Health Education for Sixth Graders on Chicago's South Side.

IntroductionPartnerships between schools of nursing and grade schools providing health education to youth are shown to be advantageous. Using Community Based Service Learning for nursing students at a middle school in Chicago, IL, we were able to improve health education for adolescents in an underserved area.ObjectiveThis project aimed to improve and standardize existing health education efforts for sixth graders (n = 30) at a middle school by developing an evidence-based health education curriculum with nursing students.MethodsThis was a descriptive study with a pretest and posttest evaluation addressing the physical, emotional, and sexual health knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of participating sixth graders.ResultsFindings suggest service-learning partnerships may benefit middle schoolers and nursing students.ConclusionImplementing a culturally relevant health curriculum using a service-learning framework increased sexual, physical, and emotional health knowledge in Latinx sixth graders and enhanced nursing student learning in a way not possible through classroom and clinical practicum experiences alone.

Effect of student-led health interventions on patient outcomes for those with cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular disease risk factors: a systematic review

BackgroundAs the need for health care services rise, alternative service delivery models such as student-led health interventions become attractive alternatives to alleviate the burden on healthcare. Predominantly, student-led health interventions were free clinics servicing socially disadvantaged communities in the USA. A 2015 systematic review identified that students value these student-run clinics and reported skill and knowledge attainment from participating. Previous research has reported on patient satisfaction outcomes, but less frequently about the clinical outcomes patients accrue from these student-delivered services. As cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, this review aimed to explore the effectiveness of student-led health interventions through examining their impact on objective clinical outcomes, using the case of patients at risk of, or with, cardiovascular disease.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted in eight electronic databases to identify student-led health interventions conducted on adults with a cardiovascular disease risk factor or established cardiovascular disease, and a clinical outcome of interest. Through double-blinded screening and data extraction, sixteen studies were identified for synthesis.ResultsThe majority of student-led health interventions for patients at risk of cardiovascular disease demonstrated a positive impact on patient health. Statistically significant changes amongst patients at risk of cardiovascular disease appeared to be associated with student-led individualised intervention or group-based interventions amongst patients with diabetes or those who are overweight or obese. The evidence was of moderate quality, as included studies lacked a control group for comparison and detail to enable the intervention to be replicated.ConclusionsFuture research applying a student-led health intervention through a randomised control trial, with rigorous reporting of both student and patient interventions and outcomes, are required to further understand the effectiveness of this alternative service delivery model.

The benefits of student-led health promotion intervention

Purpose The benefits of a student-led mental health promotion intervention on World Mental Health day result in tangible learning benefits for those students. The event occurs within the students’ own university. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This case study evaluates students’ experience on a mental health promotion intervention. This intervention was to enable students to experience running a health promotion intervention and develop their health promotion skills outside of their lectures. Students were recruited who had just completed a module on health promotion. Students had to plan and organise the intervention, which included involving other organisations and facilities both external and internal to the university. The experience was evaluated through the case study using as data collection a semi-structured interview. Findings Results indicated that students found the experience to be beneficial in deepening their understanding of health promotion, mental health awareness and in increasing their self-esteem. Limitations of this case study are in the argument for reproducibility of results, which is affected by the small number of students who took part. Research limitations/implications There are opportunities to develop this idea further and to broaden the availability of the initiative, enabling more students from diverse backgrounds to experience putting theory into practice. Originality/value To the best knowledge of the author, this study, although with limitations, provided a good understanding on how to develop health promotion skills within a university setting. The outcomes of this study are mainly applicable to a health studies course, educators of mental health promotion, university mental health support services and research related to this topic, especially on promoting mental health awareness and education.