Evaluating an Interprofessional Trauma-Based Education Course to Advance the Care and Health of Refugees

• Published in: Journal of immigrant and minority health 2023-10, Vol.25 (5), p.1043-1049
• Main Authors: Choi, Jasmin, Juntunen, Allison, Brewer, Hannah, Abbas, Diana, Sopper, Carolina, Bielick, Lauren, Ghebrehiwet, Senait, Flinton, Kathleen, Sarfaty, Suzanne, Jacquet, Gabrielle A., Crosby, Sondra, Piwowarczyk, Linda, Oleng, Nicolette, Borba, Christina P.C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Clinical skills; Clinical training; Collaboration; Comparative Law; Content analysis; Cultural sensitivity; Curricula; Education; Focus groups; Health care; Health care management; Health education; Health services; Human rights; Immigrants; Interdisciplinary aspects; Interdisciplinary education; International & Foreign Law; Interprofessional education; Learning; Medical personnel; Medical schools; Medical screening; Medical students; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental health; Migration; Original Paper; Patients; Perceptions; Private International Law; Professional training; Professionals; Public Health; Qualitative analysis; Qualitative research; Refugees; Social work; Sociology; Students; Teachers; Trauma; Trends
• ISSN: 1557-1912; 1557-1920
• DOI: 10.1007/s10903-022-01440-7

Refugee patients benefit from interdisciplinary approaches that address trauma-related migration in culturally responsive ways. This qualitative evaluation assessed the interdisciplinary trauma-based course for refugee populations. The qualitative data comes from focus groups and surveys to evaluate medical, social work, and public health students’ perceptions of the interprofessional education course of refugee patient care. The evaluators analyzed qualitative data through a thematic content analysis method. Following key themes emerged from students’ reflections: (1) collaboration in interdisciplinary learning, (2) role of clinical learning, (3) skills and knowledge related to refugee population care, (4) improvements for interprofessional education, and (5) strengths of the interprofessional education course. The Interprofessional Refugee Health Elective course enhanced their knowledge and competence in refugee health care. Educators, students, and the patient population will benefit from investing in interprofessional education courses that focus on specific needs and complex care management for refugee patients.