Qualitative Assessment of a Human Trafficking Module Intervention in Pharmacy Education

Abstract

Description of the Problem: Human trafficking is a critical public health threat in the United States, yet education on human trafficking for pharmacy students has not been evaluated despite pharmacists being the most accessible health care professionals. Description of the Innovation: To evaluate the most valuable aspects of an introductory module on human trafficking, pharmacy students participated in a human trafficking module, and their perception of human trafficking was evaluated after the module. Content on human trafficking was delivered through an asynchronous online presentation followed by a synchronous Zoom class discussion. Fifty-three third-year pharmacy students from the Women’s Health elective in the fall semester of 2020 at the University of Minnesota - College of Pharmacy were included. Consensual Qualitative Research methodology was used for qualitative data analysis. Critical Analysis: Students’ perceptions of the value of this learning module was evaluated through consensual qualitative research. The findings suggest the module held significant value for students to better understand human trafficking and the role of pharmacists. Implications: A hybrid model on human trafficking involving discussions, case examples, and questions posed by students was found to have a positive impact on their knowledge on human trafficking. The results of this study will provide direction for future modules, classes, or adaptations to the curriculum on human trafficking for pharmacy students and may prove beneficial for other health care professionals.

Keywords

• trafficking
• intervention
• education
• pharmacy
• community