Global Health Action
Volume 11, Issue 1, 2018

Development and evaluation of a web-based capacity building course in the EUR-HUMAN project to support primary health care professionals in the provision of high-quality care for refugees and migrants (Article) (Open Access)

Jirovsky E.* , Hoffmann K. , Mayrhuber E.A.-S. , Mechili E.A. , Angelaki A. , Sifaki-Pistolla D. , Petelos E. , van den Muijsenbergh M. , van Loenen T. , Dückers M. , Kolozsvári L.R. , Rurik I. , Rotar Pavlič D. , Sandoval D.C. , Borgioli G. , Pinilla M.J.C. , Ajduković D. , De Graaf P. , van Ginneken N. , Dowrick C. , Lionis C.
  • a Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • b Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • c Department of General Practice and Family Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  • d Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
  • e Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
  • f Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
  • g Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
  • h Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijemegen, Netherlands
  • i Department of Primary and Community Care, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijemegen, Netherlands
  • j Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research, Netherlands
  • k Department of Family and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
  • l Department of Family and Occupational Medicine, Faculty of Public Health, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
  • m Department of Family Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Lubljana, Slovenia
  • n European Forum for Primary Care, Utrecht, Netherlands
  • o Azienda USL Toscana Centro - Global Health Center, Region of Tuscany, Florence, Italy
  • p Centro Salute Globale, Tuscany, Italy
  • q Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
  • r European Forum for Primary Care, Utrecht, Netherlands
  • s Primary Medical Care, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
  • t Primary Medical Care, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
  • u Clinic of Social and Family Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece

Abstract

Background: The ongoing refugee crisis has revealed the need for enhancing primary health care (PHC) professionals’ skills and training. Objectives: The aim was to strengthen PHC professionals in European countries in the provision of high-quality care for refugees and migrants by offering a concise modular training that was based on the needs of the refugees and PHC professionals as shown by prior research in the EUR-HUMAN project. Methods: We developed, piloted, and evaluated an online capacity building course of 8 stand-alone modules containing information about acute health issues of refugees, legal issues, provider–patient communication and cultural aspects of health and illness, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, child health, chronic diseases, health promotion, and prevention. The English course template was translated into seven languages and adapted to the local contexts of six countries. Pre- and post-completion knowledge tests were administered to effectively assess the progress and knowledge increase of participants so as to issue CME certificates. An online evaluation survey post completion was used to assess the acceptability and practicability of the course from the participant perspective. These data were analyzed descriptively. Results: A total of 390 participants registered for the online course in 6 countries with 175 completing all modules of the course, 47.7 % of them medical doctors. The mean time for completion was 10.77 hours. In total, 123 participants completed the online evaluation survey; the modules on acute health needs, legal issues (both 44.1%), and provider–patient communication/cultural issues (52.9%) were found particularly important for the daily practice. A majority expressed a will to promote the online course among their peers. Conclusion: This course is a promising learning tool for PHC professionals and when relevant supportive conditions are met. The course has the potential to empower PHC professionals in their work with refugees and other migrants. © 2018, © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

Migrants capacity building Primary health care Refugees Training

Index Keywords

refugee mental health service health promotion Europe human Refugees Education, Medical health service Computer-Assisted Instruction Internet Mental Health Services chronic disease procedures Reproductive Health Services Humans medical education standards child health organization and management adult migration health care quality capacity building Quality of Health Care Reproductive Health Transients and Migrants teaching primary health care
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85057544876&doi=10.1080%2f16549716.2018.1547080&partnerID=40&md5=3c32fb62b09f40b0f4b8a177bd7badcd
DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2018.1547080
ISSN: 16549880
Cited by: 1
Original Language: English