Unmet Education Research Articles

Perception on hematology/oncology pharmacy practice and education needs in Nigeria: A national survey.

Nigeria is a low-middle income country located in sub-Saharan Africa. Although cancer burden has continued to increase over time, there is a lack of pharmacists who specialize in oncology providing pharmaceutical care. The objectives of this study were to understand the perception of hematology/oncology pharmacy practice in Nigeria as well as the unmet education needs. This is a cross-sectional survey conducted in December 2023. Pharmacists who were active members of various pharmacy organizations in Nigeria were invited to complete the survey. The survey focused on the perceptions of training needs in oncology pharmacy, current challenges and opportunities, as well as resources and support needed. Descriptive statistics were utilized for the data analysis. Of the 263 responders, the largest group fell between 25 and 34 years old (35%), over half received a Bachelor of Pharmacy as their highest degree (53%), and majority did not receive any oncology pharmacy training as part of their education (73%). Many respondents strongly agreed that pharmacists in Nigeria need specialized training to better serve cancer patients (79%). Cancer therapeutics and chemotherapy pharmacology were more prioritized compared to other training needs (mean (SD): 2.63(1.95) and 2.69(1.64), respectively). The main challenge that respondents faced was a lack of relevant skills and knowledge in oncology pharmacy (mean (SD): 2.23(1.53)). More than a fourth of the respondents were aware about the board certification process (28.8%), citing overcoming the cost barrier as the main obstacle for taking the board examination (mean (SD): 1.92 (1.38)). Respondents preferred online courses and onsite specialty training (75%) as the mode of training to address unmet needs. Despite the challenges and unmet education needs in hematology/oncology clinical practice, Nigerian pharmacists are very willing to expand their knowledge and improve their skills in patient care. The findings of this study can inform policy makers, healthcare administrators, and pharmacy educators in developing global partnerships among pharmacy organizations which employ targeted strategies like sponsorships to address such unmet needs.

Assessing the information needs of patients implanted with a left ventricular assist device via analysis of social media forums

Abstract Background Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) serve as a feasible treatment alternative for patients with end-stage heart failure who do not respond sufficiently to maximal medical therapy. An increasing number of individuals with end-stage heart failure, both pre- and post-LVAD implantation, are utilizing social media to find medical information and peer support. Purpose The objective of this study was to identify unmet education and information needs of patients with LVAD through social media interactions. Methods In this research, information was gathered from the forum section of the website MyLVAD.com through an automated extraction technique. We conducted an anonymous collection and analysis of a dataset from MyLVAD.com, which comprised 459 forum threads and 3886 messages across the entire forum, contributed by 945 unique users. To establish a matrix addressing existing information and educational needs, we examined 867 posts and conversations that contained questions and inquiries, ultimately identifying a total of 435 concrete questions. A series of categorization matrices were developed and updated to facilitate the discovery of new categories. Results Numerous information gaps and unanswered questions were discovered in relation to the following areas: clothing, complications/adverse events, LVAD pros and cons, self-care, therapy, and recent LVAD implantation. Among the 435 questions, 216 (49.7%) questions had a primary focus on self-care for patients with LVAD, including subjects such managing the driveline site, understanding equipment functionality, and adapting lifestyle habits to ensure safety and health while living with an LVAD. Two other major question categories emerged: those regarding complications/adverse effects, comprising 80 questions (18.4%), and those discussing the pros and cons of LVAD, with 67 questions, accounting for 15.4%. Conclusion The social media data retrieved from MyLVAD.com is the first to be used to assess the unmet needs and knowledge gaps among patients implanted with LVAD and develop categories to describe LVAD patient knowledge and information needs. Unlike investigator-generated data, social media data reflect the natural and organic conversation between patients, untainted by investigator agendas or biases. Social media data can enhance our understanding of patient information deficiencies. This can lead to the creation of materials specifically aimed at fulfilling unaddressed educational requirements.Unmet LVAD patients information needs

Self-reported critical gaps in the essential knowledge and capacity of spatial epidemiology between the current university education and competency-oriented professional demands in preparing for a future pandemic among public health postgraduates in China: a nationwide cross-sectional survey

BackgroundSpatial epidemiology plays an important role in public health. Yet, it is unclear whether the current university education in spatial epidemiology in China could meet the competency-oriented professional demands. This study aimed to understand the current situation of education and training, practical application, and potential demands in spatial epidemiology among public health postgraduates in China, and to assess the critical gaps in a future emerging infectious diseases (EID) pandemic preparedness and response.MethodsThis study was divided into three parts. The first part was a comparative study on spatial epidemiology education in international public health postgraduate training. The second part was a cross-sectional survey conducted among public health professionals. The third part was a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted among public health postgraduates at Chinese universities from October 2020 to February 2021. Data was collected by the WeChat-based questionnaire star survey system and analyzed using the SPSS software.ResultsInternational education institutions had required public health postgraduates to master the essential knowledge and capacity of spatial epidemiology. A total of 198 public health professionals were surveyed, and they had a median of 4.00 (IQR 3.13–4.53) in demand degree of spatial epidemiology. A total of 1354 public health postgraduates were surveyed from 51 universities. Only 29.41% (15/51) of universities offered spatial epidemiology course. Around 8.05% (109/1354) of postgraduates had learned spatial epidemiology, and had a median of 1.05 (IQR 1.00–1.29) in learning degree and a median of 1.91 (IQR 1.05–2.78) in practical application degree of spatial epidemiology. To enhance professional capacity, 65.95% (893/1354) of postgraduates hoped that universities would deliver a credit-course of spatial epidemiology.ConclusionsA huge unmet education and training demand in spatial epidemiology existed in the current education system of public health postgraduates in China. To enhance the competency-oriented professional capacity in preparedness and response to a future pandemic, it is urgent to incorporate the teaching and training of spatial epidemiology into the compulsory curriculum system of public health postgraduates in China.

N06 The Introduction of Nurse Led Preconception and Pregnancy Education Clinics for patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract Background •The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre in the Mercy University Hospital ( MUH) has a patient population of approximately 4000 patients with IBD, of these roughly half are women and many are diagnosed during their reproductive years. • Caring for this patient cohort can be a challenge due to patient lack of knowledge surrounding IBD and pregnancy misinformation that can occur. • The aim of this project was to identify the unmet education needs of patients in relation to pregnancy and IBD. Subsequent aims were to improve patient care through the establishment of IBD preconception and pregnancy education clinics Methods •An audit was carried out at the IBD infusion suite and Nurse led clinics over a 20-week period between April- August 2021. 448 patients between the ages of 18-45 were identified during this timeframe and asked to complete and IBD and pregnancy questionnaire. • The questions to assess education needs were Q1) Are you planning pregnancy in the next 2years? Q2 Has your diagnosis of IBD affected your family planning in any way? Q3) Do you feel well informed/prepared from an IBD perspective to start/continue your family? Q4) Do you have any questions or concerns regarding IBD and pregnancy e.g. Disease flare up impact on pregnancy, mediation queries/concerns, impact of pregnancy disease process Q5) What do you feel the percentage risk of your baby developing IBD would be ( 0-10%, 10-20%,20-40% or >40%) Q6 Would you be interested in attending a pregnancy education clinic led by and Advanced Nurse Practitioner? Results •55% of respondents were women. • 89% of respondents felt they needed more education on IBD and pregnancy. • 70% of respondents were concerned about the impact of an IBD flare up on fetal health with 19% remaining voluntarily childless. • 95% of patients had questions/concerns about the effects of biologic drugs on pregnancy outcomes. • 90% of patients said they would attend IBD ANP led preconception and pregnancy education clinics. • 84% of patients overestimated the percentage risk of their offspring developing IBD, with 59% estimating the risk to be greater than 20% Conclusion •This audit identified the need for preconception and pregnancy education clinics for patients with IBD to improve patient education, care and outcomes. ANP led preconception and pregnancy education clinics have been established since October 2021 & are ongoing. Currently between 8-12 patients attend exclusively for preconception counselling per month. Referrals are received from Consultants within the IBD Centre MUH

Clinician views and experiences of non-invasive prenatal genetic screening tests in Australia.

Non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) is being increasingly used by expectant parents. Much provision of this test in Australia is occurring in clinical settings where specialised genetic counselling is unavailable, such as general practice. Potential psychosocial consequences from this kind of prenatal genetic screening remain largely unexplored. To explore clinicians' experiences with NIPS for aneuploidy, their perspectives of the benefits and harms of NIPS, clinicians' information needs, and their perceptions of the needs of expectant parents. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 17 health professionals (clinical geneticists, obstetricians, genetic counsellors and general practitioners) who request and counsel for NIPS in Australian hospital and private practice settings, conducted between June 2019 and February 2020. Five themes were identified relating to clinicians' perceptions and experiences of NIPS in their practice: perceived benefits of NIPS, perceived harms of NIPS (with two subthemes: clinical harms and psychosocial harms), financial and equity-related concerns, counselling as a protective buffer against perceived harms, and clinicians' unmet education needs. While clinicians view NIPS as a useful and high-quality screening test, especially for detection of common trisomies, many participants had concerns about how NIPS has been implemented in practice, particularly the quality (and often absence) of pre-/post-test counselling and the routinisation of testing for sex chromosome aneuploidies, microdeletion and microduplication syndromes. These findings support the need for targeted clinician training around NIPS, and for a shared decision-making approach to support expectant parents' autonomous decisions about NIPS.

Could knowledge of patient demographics facilitate a personalized approach to radiation therapy patient education?

IntroductionUsing patient demographics to tailor cancer patient education processes results in improved patient outcomes. However, there is little information on how to successfully tailor radiation therapy (RT) educational content and delivery. The aim of this quality improvement project was to describe the information preferences of a diverse group of patients undergoing RT and determine if different RT education processes were associated with certain patient demographics. Materials and MethodsAn educational needs assessment questionnaire, based on a validated tool, was offered to all patients undergoing RT on a single day. Questionnaire sections included demographics and questions regarding the importance of topics related to RT treatments, desired mode of information delivery, quantity of information, desired timing of information, and satisfaction with information received. Patients were also asked to answer qualitative questions focused on what was working well and what could be improved. Participants’ responses were cohorted based on demographic groupings (age, gender, education level) and were tested for statistically significant differences and associations. Results130 patients completed the questionnaire. Compared to those over 60 years, more participants who were 50 – 59 years old thought the topics were ‘very important’ (96% vs 77%, p<0.001) and wanted a higher quantity of information about the topics (80% vs 66%, p<0.001). More participants over 70 years old preferred pamphlets compared to those less than 70 years (48% vs 30%, p<0.047) while more participants under 50 years old preferred one-on-one sessions compared to those older than 50 years (40% vs 25%, p<0.038). Fewer participants <50 years wanted information at their first meeting with the Radiation Oncologist compared to those older than 50 years (57% vs 73%, p<0.001). Compared to the male cohort, more female participants felt the information topics were more important (83% vs 74%, p<0.0001) and had more unmet education needs (29% vs 17%, p<0.001). Compared to those with post-secondary education, more participants with primary or high school education desired a higher quantity of information (76% vs 65%, p<0.001), preferred to receive that information using pamphlets (43% vs 32%, p=0.006) and wanted all the information at the first opportunity (81% vs 67%, p<0.001). ConclusionsThis quality improvement project found that age, gender and education level influenced patient preferences for information quantity, delivery mode and timing of RT education. These findings are promising and support further evaluations to determine a more precise definition of the personal factors that could help to individualize our approach to educating patients receiving RT.

Identifying Information Needs of Patients With IgA Nephropathy Using an Innovative Social Media–stepped Analytical Approach

IntroductionThe number of people with kidney disease using social media to search for medical information and peer support is increasing. IgA nephropathy (IgAN) predominantly affects young adults, demographically the biggest users of social media. This article presents an innovative analysis of social media interactions to identify unmet education and information needs of patients with IgAN.MethodsFollowing ethical approval for the study, the IgAN Support UK Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/915274415226674) granted us permission to anonymously collect and analyze 1959 posts and comments from 498 group users. An initial patient focus group and quantitative word-frequency analysis created an initial categorization matrix that was iteratively refined after serial analyses of the social media database to generate a final categorization matrix of needs. We evaluated narrative data relating to each identified category to define patient narratives relating to each area.ResultsA large number of information gaps and unanswered questions were identified relating to the following: diet, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and patient comorbidities. Patient–clinician communication and the presentation of information were also drawn out as cross-cutting issues. These themes differed significantly from those identified from the traditional patient focus group, highlighting the value of this novel method for interrogating social media data to understand unmet patient needs.ConclusionSocial media data are untapped and valuable resources that can be used to better understand patient information gaps, leading to the generation of targeted materials to address unmet educational needs. This innovative approach could be replicated across other health conditions.

Attitudes Toward Influenza Vaccination Administration in the Emergency Department Among Patients: A Cross-Sectional Survey

IntroductionInfluenza is a serious, vaccine-preventable illness. The current vaccination rates in Canada are below target rates, highlighting the potential need for more convenient ways to receive vaccinations. Wait times to be seen in Canadian emergency departments are escalating, and using the time spent waiting to offer and administer an influenza vaccine could potentially improve ease of access to immunization for some Canadians. MethodsThe aim of this cross-sectional study was to gauge public interest and identify perceived barriers and facilitators to influenza vaccine availability in a Canadian emergency and trauma center. Anonymous questionnaires were completed by a convenience sample of adult patients classified as low acuity (n = 151) as 1 arm of a 2-arm study. ResultsOf the unvaccinated patients, 34.6% expressed willingness to be vaccinated in the emergency department. The patients who had received a vaccine in the previous year were significantly more willing to accept the vaccine in the emergency department (χ2 [1] = 23.78, P < 0.001). The 3 top factors associated with having received vaccination in the previous year include trust in vaccine information (χ2 [2] = 27.34, P < 0.001), immunity preferences (χ2 [2] = 32.25, P < 0.001), and beliefs about efficacy (χ2 [2] = 44.90, P < 0.001). DiscussionPatients classified as low acuity were supportive of ED influenza vaccination. In addition, some of the unvaccinated participants had unmet education needs (ie, regarding trustworthy sources of vaccine information, immunity, and vaccine efficacy) that would require addressing before they would likely consider receiving influenza vaccination in future during their ED visit.

Unmet family planning needs among female refugees and asylum seekers in Germany \u2013 is free access to family planning services enough? Results of a cross-sectional study

BackgroundAfter the 1968 United Nations International Conference on Human Rights, access to family planning services became a human right. Such a service is of central importance to women’s empowerment and is empirically needed to provide adequate healthcare. For registered refugees and asylum seekers in Germany complementary family planning services, including all forms of contraception, are free of charge. Yet, the success of these services remains unclear. The aim of this study is to describe the current reproductive health status of female refugees and to provide an initial overview of their existing unmet family planning and contraception needs.MethodsOver the course of 2 years, from December 2015 to December 2017, a set of 50 female-only discussion groups were conducted in community shelters for registered refugees in Berlin. A total of 410 women between the ages of 14 and 74 participated. A convenience sampling strategy was then applied and a total of 307 semi-structured questionnaires covering 41 items related to demographic data and women’s health were distributed to volunteering female participants over the age of 17. The statistical analysis of the questionnaires was performed using SPSS (IBM, PASW, Version 24). P-values less than or equal to 0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsOf the 307 participants, the majority were from Syria and Afghanistan (30% respectively). The mean age was 33 years (range: 18–63). On average, each woman had 2.5 births (range: 0–10). Twenty-four women (8%) were pregnant and fifty-four of the women (18%) were trying to become pregnant. The majority of women were classified as “requiring contraception” (n = 195; 63%) of which 183 gave further information on if and how they used family planning methods. The calculated unmet need for family planning in this group was 47%. Of the remaining 53% of the women who used contraception, many utilised “traditional” methods (34% withdrawal method; 8% calendar method) which have a pearl index of 4–18 and can therefore be classified as rather insufficient birth control methods. Intrauterine contraceptive devices were used by 30%.ConclusionOur study revealed that despite the provision of complementary family planning services, there remains unmet family planning and education needs in the female refugee community in Berlin. This study indicates that there is a major access gap to these services. Further research needs to be carried out to evaluate the access gap and clearly identify and implement action plans to address possible causes such as language barriers, lack of childcare and traumatic experiences.

Assessing biosimilar education needs among oncology pharmacy practitioners worldwide: An ISOPP membership survey.

The International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners (ISOPP) Biosimilar Task Force was charged to develop educational resources to address the learning needs related to biosimilars use of oncology pharmacy practitioners. To facilitate the process, the task force conducted a survey in order to identify unmet education needs as well as barriers for obtaining biosimilar education among oncology pharmacy practitioners. A cross sectional survey was conducted between 10 December 2018 and 18 February 2019. Members of International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners and national oncology pharmacy groups were invited to complete the survey. The survey contained 22 items and consisted of four sections. Descriptive statistics were utilized to analyze the survey results. A total of 363 International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners members were surveyed, with 75 members providing a response (response rate = 21%). In addition, 11 non-International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners members also participated in the survey, bringing the total to 86 respondents. The top three areas in which respondents reported learning needs included evaluating comparative efficacy of a biosimilar to an originator’s product (74.4%), managing the switchover to a biosimilar from the original product (74.4%), and understanding medication safety issues in relation to biosimilars use (73.3%). The most common challenges faced in obtaining education on biosimilars included limited financial support for education on biosimilar products (38.4%), heavy workload (31.4%), and inadequate educational resources (27.9%). This survey has identified numerous biosimilar learning needs as well as challenges faced in obtaining biosimilars education among oncology pharmacy practitioners. Educational activities should be created to address these learning needs, and innovative strategies should be considered to overcome practitioner’s barriers in obtaining biosimilars education.

Exploring the patients' experiences of living with a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator.

The implantable cardioverter defibrillator provides effective treatment for the prevention of sudden cardiac arrest but significant risks associated with transvenous implantation persist. The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator has proven to be an alternative and innovative treatment option for select patients to mitigate these risks. Obtaining the patients' perspectives can provide clinicians with essential information to guide implant selection, procedural decision-making, and support patient management. Conventional implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients have reported shock-related anxiety, fear, insufficient education, and challenges adapting to physical and psychological changes. Little evidence exists to determine whether differences between the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator and conventional implantable cardioverter defibrillator allow for the transferability of our current knowledge to the care and management of this population. The purpose of this study was to explore patients' experiences of living with a subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator including the decision-making process, implant, and follow-up care processes. Using an exploratory qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone with 15 participants who underwent subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator implant. Analysis revealed five main themes: (a) influences on decision-making; (b) unmet education needs; (c) physical impact; (d) psychological impact; and (e) recommendations. As a new technology, little knowledge of the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator exists outside of the tertiary implanting sites, therefore developing new strategies to increase learning and dissemination is essential. Although similarities exist in our findings to those of conventional implantable cardioverter defibrillators, there are significant differences in the decision-making process and physical impact which require individualized care planning and development of strategies to provide a patient-centered approach to care.

Understanding patients and spouses experiences of patient education following a cardiac event and eliciting attitudes and preferences towards incorporating cardiopulmonary resuscitation training: A qualitative study.

The aim of this study was to gain a comprehensive perspective about the experience of patient and spousal education following an acute cardiac event. The second objective was to elicit an understanding of patient and spousal attitudes, preferences and intentions towards future cardiopulmonary resuscitation training. Patients with cardiovascular disease require comprehensive patient and family education to ensure adequate long-term disease management. As cardiac patients are at risk of future cardiac events, including out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, providing cardiopulmonary resuscitation training to patients and family members has long been advocated. We conducted a qualitative study underpinned by phenomenology and the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with cardiac patients and their spouses (N=12 patient-spouse pairs) between March 2015-April 2016 purposively sampled from a cardiology ward. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis undertaken. Nine male and three female patients and their spouses were recruited. Ages ranged from 47-75years. Four strongly interrelated themes emerged: the emotional response to the event, information, control and responsibility. There was evidence of positive attitudes and intentions from the TPB towards undertaking cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in the future. Only the eldest patient spouse pair were not interested in undertaking training. Findings suggest cardiac patients and spouses have unmet education needs following an acute cardiac event. Information increased control and decreased negative emotions associated with diagnosis. Participants' preferences were for inclusion of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Knowledge, behavioral practices, and experiences of outdoor fallers: Implications for prevention programs

ObjectiveAlthough the epidemiology and prevention of falls has been well studied, the focus has been on indoor rather than outdoor falls. Older adults’ knowledge of outdoor risk factors and their outdoor fall prevention practices have not been examined. To fill this gap, and to inform the development of a prevention program, we sought to explore the experiences and fall prevention knowledge and practices of older adults who had sustained an outdoor fall. MethodsA cross-sectional study using random digit telephone dialing was used to survey community dwelling seniors (N=120) across the five boroughs of New York City. We used the Outdoor Falls Questionnaire (OFQ), a valid and reliable tool as the survey instrument. Perceived outdoor fall risks, strategies used for prevention, and outdoor fall experiences were examined. SPSS version 21 was used for descriptive analysis of participant characteristics and to determine frequencies of perceived outdoor fall risks and strategies used for prevention. Phenomenological analysis was used with the qualitative data. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed separately and a mixed methods matrix was used to interpret and integrate the findings. ResultsAnalysis revealed diverse unmet education and training needs including the importance of using single vision glasses, understanding the fall risks associated with recreational areas and parking lots, safe outdoor walking strategies, safe carrying of items on level and uneven surfaces, as well as when walking up and down stairs, and safety in opening/closing doors. ConclusionsStudy findings are informative for outdoor fall prevention programs as well as practice.

“They’d Lost Everything and Were Not Qualified”: The Legacy of the Unmet Education Promises Made in Treaty 7

This paper provides an analysis of the education promises made in Treaty 7 by the Crown and federal government of Canada. Signed on the banks of the Bow River at Blackfoot Crossing in 1877, the treaty was desired by both government officials and Indigenous Nations in what is now southern Alberta—the Tsuu T’ina, the Stoney Nakoda, and the Blackfoot Confederacy: Siksika, Piikani, Kainai. As this thesis will demonstrate though, Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples viewed the meaning of the treaty in conflicting ways. This paper focuses on the creation and management of the schools in the Treaty 7 territories from 1877, the year Treaty 7 was “signed”, to 1923, the year in which industrial and boarding schools were merged to form the new category of “residential school” and the decade in which government policy for schools for Indigenous peoples began to take a new, less ambitious direction. The implementation of schools by the Department of Indian Affairs and their church partners, the type of education that was being offered to First Nations peoples, as well as First Nations responses will be examined.

Unmet education, psychological and peer support needs of people with multiple sclerosis

ObjectiveMultiple sclerosis is a complex neurological disease which can cause impairment in a range of aspects of an individual's life. It often requires a degree of adjustment and peer support. The aim of the present study was to examine satisfaction with educational, psychological and peer support services of people with MS across gender, age and symptom severity. MethodParticipants completed a needs analysis questionnaire using Likert scales to determine the level of satisfaction with the support services. The questionnaire was sent to participants (n=3502) throughout Australia as paper copy with reply paid envelope, or made available to them online via email links. A total of 2805 responded and completed the questionnaire (80% response rate). Of those, 79% were female and 21% were male. The participants ranged in age from 19 to 92years, (M=52.10; SD=11.82). ResultsIn terms of psychological services, females were less satisfied with their access to relationship and family counseling. There was also a clear need for more varieties in peer support groups, times, as well as modes of communication, especially among young people and mildly affected groups. Symptom severity was associated with a greater need for almost all education and psychological support services. ConclusionThe findings of this study highlight current areas of unmet needs and may be used to inform the design and development of future education, psychological and social support services to ensure they are relevant and useful, as well as providing direction for future research.

Unmet education and training needs in adolescent health of health professionals in a UK children's hospital

AbstractAim: To determine the perceived education and training needs in adolescent health of health professionals.Design:Cross‐sectional survey Setting and subjects: Hospital staff in a UK children's hospital.Outcome measures:perceived barriers, confidence, knowledge, skill and prior teaching in key adolescent health subject areas.Results:The hospital survey was completed by 159/1400 professionals representing a completion rate of 11%. Doctors and staff from ‘Professions allied to medicine’ rated ‘lack of training’, ‘lack of teaching materials’ and ‘lack of community resources’ as the main barriers to providing developmentally appropriate care. Sixty per cent of hospital respondents had received no prior specific training in adolescent health. All but four topics were perceived to be of very high or high importance by the majority of respondents (54–90%). Low scores in perceived knowledge, confidence and/or skill were reported in nine key subject areas (including adolescent mental health and substance use). Differences between doctors and professions allied to medicine were observed in a minority of areas.Conclusion:Unmet education and training needs of a range of professionals working in a paediatric setting were identified in key areas of adolescent health and they provide useful directions for the development of future multidisciplinary training programmes.

Unmet education and training needs in adolescent health of health professionals in a UK children's hospital

To determine the perceived education and training needs in adolescent health of health professionals. Cross-sectional survey Setting and subjects: Hospital staff in a UK children's hospital. perceived barriers, confidence, knowledge, skill and prior teaching in key adolescent health subject areas. The hospital survey was completed by 159/1400 professionals representing a completion rate of 11%. Doctors and staff from 'Professions allied to medicine' rated 'lack of training', 'lack of teaching materials' and ' lack of community resources' as the main barriers to providing developmentally appropriate care. Sixty per cent of hospital respondents had received no prior specific training in adolescent health. All but four topics were perceived to be of very high or high importance by the majority of respondents (54-90%). Low scores in perceived knowledge, confidence and/or skill were reported in nine key subject areas (including adolescent mental health and substance use). Differences between doctors and professions allied to medicine were observed in a minority of areas. Unmet education and training needs of a range of professionals working in a paediatric setting were identified in key areas of adolescent health and they provide useful directions for the development of future multidisciplinary training programmes.

Unmet education and training needs of rheumatology health professionals in adolescent health and transitional care.

To determine the perceived education and training needs of health professionals involved in transitional care for adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Two distinct questionnaires to identify transitional issues in JIA were distributed to key health professionals (n = 908) and clinical personnel involved in the implementation of a transitional care programme (n = 22). The first survey was completed by 263 professionals. Education needs were reported by 114 (43%) of health professionals. Transition issues and informational resources were the most frequently reported areas of need. The second survey was completed by 22 clinical personnel who rated 'lack of training', 'lack of teaching materials geared towards adolescents' and 'limited clinic time' as the main barriers to providing developmentally appropriate care to adolescents. Unmet education and training needs of health care professionals exist in key areas of transitional care and provide useful directions for the development of future training programmes.