Implementing and Evaluating Risk Assessment as a New Learning Tool in Family Adoption Program: A Qualitative Study.

Area of Science:

• Community Health
• Medical Education
• Public Health Interventions

Background:

• Undergraduate training in Family Adoption Programs (FAP) faces challenges like large student batches and limited resources.
• Current FAP activities for students include history taking and community diagnosis.
• Risk assessment tools have not been utilized as a learning component in FAP.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore student, faculty, and villager perceptions of using a risk assessment tool in FAP.
• To understand the challenges associated with implementing risk assessment in FAP.
• To identify potential solutions for effective risk assessment tool integration.

Main Methods:

• A program development and evaluation design using qualitative techniques.
• Introduction of various risk-scoring scales and screening tests to second-year students.
• Data collection through focus group discussions with students, in-depth interviews with villagers, and faculty feedback, followed by manual thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Improved student knowledge, clinical skills, communication, and early case identification.
• Enhanced villager awareness, trust in community response, and positive behavior change.
• Faculty noted effective time utilization and engaged students through task- and outcome-based learning.

Conclusions:

• Integrating risk assessment tools into the FAP curriculum enhances student learning and engagement.
• The adoption of risk assessment leads to improved community response and patient outcomes.
• Addressing challenges like training and resource provision is key for successful implementation.