Brief Motivational Interviewing: Evaluation of a skills-based education program

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Public Health
• Medical Education

Background:

• Oral health care providers are tasked with recommending the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.
• HPV vaccination is crucial for preventing HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers (OPC).
• Assessing dental hygiene students' competency in vaccine recommendation and information delivery is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate dental hygiene students' competency in applying brief motivational interviewing (BMI).
• To assess the accuracy of HPV vaccine information provided by students for OPC prevention.
• To determine the effectiveness of skills-based BMI training for HPV vaccine recommendations.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 59 senior dental hygiene students received curriculum and skills-based BMI training.
• Student competency was assessed through audio-recorded patient interactions and an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).
• Standardized rubrics were used for self-assessment and faculty evaluation of BMI skills and HPV vaccine information accuracy.

Main Results:

• The class of 2021 showed higher self-assessment ratings than the class of 2020 across all BMI components.
• Faculty evaluations indicated statistically significant improvements in BMI skills (evocation and summary) for the class of 2021.
• Both student cohorts perceived themselves as competent (≥70%) in most BMI subcategories.

Conclusions:

• Skills-based BMI training effectively enhanced dental hygiene students' competence in delivering accurate HPV vaccine information.
• The training improved students' ability to demonstrate the core components of motivational interviewing for HPV vaccine recommendations.
• The Kirkpatrick Model provides a suitable framework for evaluating the outcomes of skills-based BMI training in dental hygiene education.