Persons with Disabilities (PWD) as patient educators: Effects on medical student attitudes

Abstract

Introduction: Globally, persons with disabilities (PWD) face structural and social barriers to inclusive healthcare. Medical schools, as crucibles of medical professional identity formation, have the responsibility to foster person-centredness toward all patients, including PWD, among her graduates. We co-designed with PWD a “Communications with Persons with Disabilities” workshop and evaluated its impact. Methods: The workshop enlisted PWD as patient educators, occurred within the third-year undergraduate Family Medicine posting, and was designed to positively impact communications skills and attitudes toward PWD. Students (n=135) were surveyed pre- and post- workshop following a mixed-methods approach (demographic data, Attitude Towards Disabled Persons (ATDP)-O scale, feedback questions, and post-workshop free reflections). Descriptive analysis was used for demographic and feedback questions, and thematic analysis for reflections. Paired t-test was used to evaluate change in ATDP-O scores. Results: There were 69 survey respondents (51.11%). Most students agreed that communications training with PWD could be strengthened in medical school, and that the workshop was relevant to their future medical career (n=68, 98.55%). Attitudes towards PWD significantly improved after the workshop (ATDP-O change: +9.29 points (12.7%), p <0.001). Student reflections included attitudes, such as the importance of seeing the person beyond the disability, and a call for action towards inclusivity and accessibility of care for PWD. Conclusion: Students’ attitudes were positively affected by involving PWD in the curriculum. Further research is needed for assessing the impact of how a longitudinal PWD curriculum could affect medical trainees and improve social inclusiveness in healthcare practice.

Keywords

• medical education
• communication
• persons with disabilities
• disability
• social inclusiveness
• student attitudes
• person centred care
• active learning