The National STD Curriculum Podcast as a Method to Increase STI Education for Health Care Professionals

Meena S Ramchandani; Karin M Bauer; Julia S Freimund; Christine M Johnston; David H Spach

doi:10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001970

The National STD Curriculum Podcast as a Method to Increase STI Education for Health Care Professionals

Sex Transm Dis. 2024 Apr 10. doi: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001970. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Meena S Ramchandani, Karin M Bauer¹, Julia S Freimund¹, Christine M Johnston¹, David H Spach¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

PMID: 38597596
DOI: 10.1097/OLQ.0000000000001970

Abstract

Background: Podcasts are a valuable educational tool that are convenient and provide on-demand learning. We launched the National Sexually Transmitted Disease Curriculum (NSTDC) Podcast in 2020 to educate healthcare professionals on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with an emphasis on content from peer-reviewed literature relevant to clinical practice.

Methods: We describe the reach and usage data for 31 podcast episodes produced during the first 29 months. Information was obtained via Google Analytics, Apple Podcasts, the podcast hosting platform Buzzsprout, and the Health Professional Application for Training form for listeners who were registered on the NSTDC website.

Results: There were more than 21,000 downloads, with an average of 686 downloads per episode. Although 85% of downloads occurred in the United States, podcast visitors were located in 57 countries. The three most reported professions/disciplines were registered nurse (39.0%), advanced practice nurse (22.5%), and physician (11.3%). Forty-eight percent of visitors had a primary programmatic focus of STDs, 24% HIV/AIDs, and 18% primary care.

Conclusion: The NSTDC Podcast is a highly utilized resource for mobile and on-demand learning for health care professionals who want to expand their knowledge on STIs.