A Systematic Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Interprofessional Education on Health Professions Students' Attitudes

Zairan Wang; Fenglian Feng; Shang Gao; Jiping Yang

doi:10.21815/JDE.019.147

A Systematic Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Interprofessional Education on Health Professions Students' Attitudes

J Dent Educ. 2019 Dec;83(12):1361-1369. doi: 10.21815/JDE.019.147. Epub 2019 Sep 23.

Authors

Zairan Wang¹, Fenglian Feng¹, Shang Gao¹, Jiping Yang²

Affiliations

¹ Zairan Wang, MB, is a postgraduate student, Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, China; Fenglian Feng, MM, is Professor, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, China; Shang Gao, Mlitt, is Assistant Professor, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, China; and Jiping Yang, MD, PhD, is Professor, Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, China.
² Zairan Wang, MB, is a postgraduate student, Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, China; Fenglian Feng, MM, is Professor, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, China; Shang Gao, Mlitt, is Assistant Professor, Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, China; and Jiping Yang, MD, PhD, is Professor, Department of Medical Imaging, The Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Hebei Province, China. ran0511@sina.com.

PMID: 31548305
DOI: 10.21815/JDE.019.147

Abstract

Interprofessional education (IPE) is based on collaborative practices that increase the occasions for communication among those in various health professions. However, there is a paucity of literature about the effectiveness of IPE programs in health professions education. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to objectively assess the literature on the effectiveness of IPE in improving health professions students' attitudes after training. The major scholarly databases were searched for relevant IPE studies involving predoctoral health professions students. Two independent researchers selected the studies, extracted the data, and assessed the quality of the studies. Meta-analyses of the outcomes were performed using random effects models. Sixteen articles were ultimately selected for detailed review and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that IPE training had a significant influence on students' understanding of collaboration and resulted in better attitudes about interprofessional teamwork. Subscale analysis showed that one subscale score (roles and responsibilities) did not statistically significantly improve after IPE training (p=0.06), whereas the other four subscale items showed statistically significant improvements (p<0.01). The test for overall effects showed that IPE training had a significantly positive influence on students' attitudes about IPE (Z=6.85, p<0.01). Subgroup results showed that medical students had more positive attitudes about IPE than did dental students. Regardless of profession, women students responded with significantly more positive feedback than did men students (p=0.02). These results suggest that intervention through IPE training has had positive effects in health professions education. Gender was an important factor impacting the outcomes of IPE. However, further clinical practice interventions may be helpful to enhance the IPE competence of health professions students.

Keywords: dental education; health professions education; interprofessional education; medical education; meta-analysis; systematic review.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Attitude of Health Personnel
Female
Health Occupations
Humans
Interprofessional Relations
Male
Students, Health Occupations*
Students, Medical*