Content area
Purpose
People with intellectual disability face extensive health inequality and premature mortality. Medical students have reported that they lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to work with those with intellectual disability and autism. This emphasises the need for tomorrow’s doctors to be adequately trained. This study aims to investigate students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes towards people with intellectual disability and autism, examining whether these outcomes change following curricula re-design and with implementation of an e-learning module.
Design/methodology/approach
The university curricula in intellectual disability and autism were re-designed and an e-learning module developed using co-production. This was delivered to fourth-year medical students with a subgroup receiving the additional e-learning. A controlled trial evaluated students’ knowledge, skills and attitudes using pre- and post-questionnaires. Statistical tests of difference were used to the scores obtained.
Findings
This study showed an improvement in knowledge, skills and attitudes with intellectual disability and autism after curricula engagement, with an incremental benefit observed for students also completing the e-learning module. There was significant difference in pre-and-post placement scores assessing student attitudes towards intellectual disability and autism teaching.
Originality/value
This study highlights the importance of a multi-faceted, co-produced curricula re-design in intellectual disability and autism. The benefit of the e-learning module holds hope that the newly introduced mandatory Oliver McGowan training will be beneficial in the development of tomorrow’s doctors. Effective training in intellectual disability and autism is vital to improve the care and support delivered and reduce unnecessary deaths.
Details
Access to Health Care;
Physicians;
Patients;
Curriculum Design;
Learning Processes;
Medical Schools;
Medical Education;
Health Services;
Mental Health;
Medical Students;
Health Education;
Intellectual Disability;
Electronic Learning;
Health Needs;
Outcomes of Education;
Opportunities;
Educational Environment;
Learner Engagement;
Learning Modules;
Learning Disabilities;
Psychiatry;
Educational Needs;
Medical Care Evaluation;
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Intellectual disabilities;
Learning disabilities;
Curricula;
Physicians;
Medical students;
Distance learning;
Internet;
Medical education;
Learning disabled people;
Attitudes;
Teaching;
Online instruction;
Premature mortality;
Autism;
Knowledge;
Computer assisted instruction--CAI;
College students;
Student attitudes;
Higher education;
Inequality;
Deaths;
Learning;
Students;
Implementation;
Disability recipients;
Intellectually disabled people;
Training;
Health behavior;
Skills;
Work skills;
Curriculum development;
People with disabilities;
Scores
1 Department of Research and Innovation, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK; Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK and Department of Research, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK
2 Department of Medical Education, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
3 Department of Education, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK
4 Department of Research, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK, and Center for Autism, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities, Chester, UK
5 Department of Learning Disability, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK and Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
6 Department of Research, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK; Center for Autism, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Intellectual Disabilities, Chester, UK and Faculty of Medicine Dentistry and Life Sciences, University of Chester, Chester, UK