Diseases Transmitted by Arthropods: Module to Train Medical Providers in English and Spanish

Arthropod-borne diseases like Chagas, dengue, and West Nile virus are common among migrants and immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries and U.S. travelers. The U.S. Census Bureau predicts that by 2060, 28% of the total U.S. population and 39% of the foreign-born population will be Hispanic. Health care practitioners need a thorough understanding of these diseases to provide proper care and improve patient compliance for the ever-changing U.S. population.

We used Kern's model to develop an hour-long interactive module consisting of a presentation, a video for large-group discussion, six case studies for small-group discussions, and pre- and postsession evaluations. All materials are available in English and Spanish; the module is tailored to health care providers communicating with Spanish-speaking patients. We used statistical tests to compare confidence levels and assess improvements in knowledge before and after the module.

The module was implemented three times in Spanish and two times in English to a total of 49 participants, which included prehealth students, medical students, graduate students, and faculty/staff. The Wilcoxon rank sum test demonstrated significant improvement from pre- to postsession evaluations for all educational objectives. Based on a 5-point Likert scale, the median confidence level increased from 2 (slightly confident) to 4 (fairly confident), with p < .01.

This module can be of particular importance to health care providers localized in or focused on Hispanic communities. It can be easily integrated into microbiology, epidemiology, and medical Spanish courses. Further research is needed to assess its effectiveness among faculty and staff.