Educating Future Health Care Professionals About Cybercivility: Needs Assessment Study

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Digital Health Communication
• Interprofessional Education

Background:

• Online misbehaviors are increasingly researched in higher education.
• Cyberincivility is a growing concern within health professions education.
• Limited research exists on cybercivility, especially in interprofessional contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess health care students' knowledge, experience, and perceptions of cyberincivility.
• To identify preferred learning methods for cybercivility education.
• To understand the perceived benefits of cybercivility education.

Main Methods:

• Survey administered to students across four health care disciplines.
• Data collected on awareness, personal experiences, and views regarding cyberincivility.
• Inquiry into preferred educational approaches and perceived value of cybercivility training.

Main Results:

• Findings detail the current state of cyberincivility awareness and experience among diverse health students.
• Identified student preferences for learning modalities and educational content related to cybercivility.
• Highlighted the perceived importance and benefits of structured cybercivility education.

Conclusions:

• There is a significant need for targeted cybercivility education within health professions programs.
• Interprofessional education approaches are crucial for addressing cyberincivility effectively.
• Developing comprehensive cybercivility training can enhance professional conduct in digital health spaces.