Smeltz L, Carpenter S, Benedetto L, Newcomb N, Rubenstein D, King T, Lunsford C, DeWaters AL. ADEPT-CARE: A Pilot, Student-Led Initiative to Improve Care for Persons with Disabilities via a Novel Teaching Tool.
Disabil Health J 2023:101462. [PMID:
37061363 DOI:
10.1016/j.dhjo.2023.101462]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Over one-quarter of United States adults live with a disability. Despite persistent ableism, defined as discrimination and prejudice against people with disabilities, in healthcare, disability-focused training remains largely absent from medical education.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to pilot and evaluate a novel teaching mnemonic (ADEPT-CARE) for performing a comprehensive history and physical exam for disabled patients.
METHODS
In Spring 2022, first-year medical students at a suburban Mid-Atlantic institution could electively participate in a learning module that included ADEPT-CARE. Surveys were administered to students before and following exposure to the ADEPT-CARE protocol.
RESULTS
Of 142 eligible students, 33 and 21 completed the pre- and post-surveys, respectively. The ADEPT-CARE protocol made sense to 95.2% of students. All (100%) students reported that they will use the ADEPT-CARE protocol in the assessment of patients with disabilities. Students were more likely to agree or strongly agree that they had a consistent approach or strategy in mind when assessing a patient with a disability after exposure to ADEPT-CARE (85.7% vs. 39.4%, respectively, p = 0.002). There was no statistically significant difference in students' perceived confidence in their ability to assess a patient with a disability after curriculum completion compared to before (85.7% vs. 81.8%, respectively, p = 1.0).
CONCLUSIONS
The ADEPT-CARE protocol has the potential to be an effective teaching tool by providing a framework to equitably care for disabled patients. Future research should assess whether students' self-reported increased confidence and intention to utilize ADEPT-CARE translates into the clinical setting.
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