Development of an international comorbidity education framework

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Education
• Medical Training
• Public Health

Background:

• Rising prevalence of multiple chronic conditions necessitates a global healthcare priority.
• Current health education curricula are often designed for single conditions and require adaptation for complex patient needs.
• Optimal management of patients with comorbidities is a critical area for healthcare professional development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess current comorbidity care education among diverse global healthcare students.
• To develop an International Comorbidity Education Framework (ICEF) for integrating comorbidity concepts into health education.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed 917 nursing, medical, and pharmacy students across England, India, Italy, and Sweden.
• Compiled core comorbidity content through international expert consultation, curriculum review, and analysis of clinical frameworks and student data.
• Developed the International Comorbidity Education Framework (ICEF) based on identified needs and expert consensus.

Main Results:

• The majority of surveyed students across disciplines reported deficiencies in knowledge, training, and confidence regarding comorbidity care.
• Students expressed a strong desire for enhanced training in managing patients with multiple conditions.
• No specific comorbidity teaching was identified in current health education curricula by institutional representatives.

Conclusions:

• An International Comorbidity Education Framework (ICEF) was created through collaboration with academics, clinicians, and student feedback.
• The ICEF aims to facilitate the incorporation of essential comorbidity concepts into existing healthcare education programs.
• This framework supports the necessary redesign of health education to address the complexities of multimorbidity.