Healthcare Disparities: Encouraging Change Through Continuing Professional Development

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Health Equity

Background:

• Healthcare disparities negatively impact patient well-being.
• Continuing professional development (CPD) offers strategies to mitigate these disparities.
• Limited data exists on the effectiveness of disparities-focused CPD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize quantitative data on the impact of healthcare disparities-focused CPD programs.
• To assess the effect of CPD on healthcare providers' knowledge, competence, and practice.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of quantitative data from seven CPD programs focused on healthcare disparities.
• Inclusion of 41,588 healthcare providers who engaged with educational content.
• Assessment of knowledge and competence improvements via test questions and post-activity evaluations.

Main Results:

• A 25% improvement in knowledge-based questions and a 27% improvement in competence-based questions (p < 0.05).
• Of 1101 participants in post-activity evaluations, 59% reinforced current practice, and 34% planned practice changes.
• These changes aimed at implementing strategies to reduce or mitigate healthcare disparities.

Conclusions:

• Disparities-focused CPD programs demonstrate potential for enhancing provider awareness.
• CPD can equip healthcare providers with understanding and tools to address healthcare disparities.
• Further research into the long-term impact of such CPD is warranted.