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Knowledge of travel medicine providers: analysis from a continuing education course
1The International Traveler's Medical Service, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-3212, USA.
Background:
With millions of international travelers, there has been an increase in the scope and variability of travel medicine providers. A study was conducted to measure the baseline knowledge of providers, determine factors affecting this knowledge, and assess acquisition of knowledge after a continuing education course.
Methods:
A one-day continuing medical education course was held for health care professionals interested in travel medicine. Prior to the course, attendees completed a test determining knowledge in malaria chemoprophylaxis, traveler's diarrhea management, vaccines, jet lag, the returned traveler, and other areas. An identical test was given after completion of the course. Performance on the test was analyzed by profession, area of specialty training, and experience in travel medicine.
Results:
Seventy-seven attendees completed the precourse test. Forty-eight percent were physicians and 47% were nurses; 29% specialized in infectious diseases, 22% in occupational medicine and student health, and 18% in family or internal medicine; 60% had >/= 1 year of travel medicine experience while 20% had no experience. The precourse test score for all participants was 62.7% 6 6.5 (sd). Analysis by profession found that physicians scored the highest (71%). Providers with >/= 1 year of travel medicine experience scored higher than those with no experience (67% vs 53%, p <.01). Statistically significant correlations were found between precourse exam results and profession (+.432, p <.001) and travel medicine experience (+.365, p =.002). No significant correlation was found between precourse exam and area of specialty training. Combined mean score on the postcourse exam improved to 81.8% 6 4.5, an increase of 17.2% over the precourse score for those who took both tests (p <.001).
Conclusions:
The profession of the provider and the duration of experience in travel medicine were the most important correlations of baseline knowledge in travel medicine. All groups improved their knowledge following the course.