Defense Date
2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Education
First Advisor
Robin Hurst
Second Advisor
David Naff
Third Advisor
Parthenia Dinora
Fourth Advisor
Jean Bailey
Fifth Advisor
Priya Chandan
Sixth Advisor
Emily Noonan
Abstract
People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDD) experience diminished access to preventative care, poorer health outcomes, improper treatment, and premature mortality from avoidable causes more so than people in the general population because the medical professionals do not receive adequate IDD training in their education programs (Trollor et al., 2018). The overarching purpose of this study was to understand the effectiveness of the National Inclusive Curriculum for Health Education-Medical (NICHE-MED) in undergraduate medical education programs in the United States. The two research goals for this study were analyzing the impact of NICHE-MED IDD education on medical students' attitudes and knowledge about PWIDD and examining the development and implementation of the NICHE-MED IDD education. This study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed method design beginning with a quantitative phase, followed by a qualitative phase and ending with the integration of the quantitative and qualitative data.
A secondary data analysis of matched pre and post-test NICHE-MED attitude and knowledge instrument data was the initial phase of the study. The qualitative phase of the study included both an analysis of free-text medical student responses on the NICHE-MED attitude instrument and interviews with medical educators involved in the development and delivery of the NICHE-MED IDD education.
A paired samples t-test for the NICHE-MED Attitude instrument yielded statistically significant results for 29 of the 38 questions. A One-way ANCOVA resulted in statistically significant differences in post-test means by year in medical school for 2 questions on the attitude instrument while controlling for pre-test scores. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test resulted in statistically significant difference in mean post-test scores for the NICHE-MED knowledge instrument. The analysis of medical students’ free-text response data on the NICHE-MED attitude instrument revealed recommendations for future IDD education along with perceived barriers to providing care to PWIDD. Analysis of medical educator interview data provided insights about the IDD education implemented and many recommendations for the development and sustainability of future IDD education. The mixed methods phase of the study enhanced the understanding of quantitative results with both convergent and divergent results.
This mixed methods sequential explanatory study advances our understanding of the impact of IDD education, specifically education developed through the NICHE-MED initiative, on medical student’s attitudes and knowledge about PWIDD. This study adds to the literature emphasizing the importance of IDD education in medical school curricula. Medical educators can use results of this study to advocate for inclusion of IDD education within their school’s curricula. Recommendations for the inclusion of IDD in medical education are also included in this study.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
4-29-2024
Included in
Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Disability and Equity in Education Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Medical Education Commons