TY - JOUR
T1 - Three model curricula for teaching clinicians to use the ICF
AU - Reed, Geoffrey M.
AU - Dilfer, Karen
AU - Bufka, Lynn F.
AU - Scherer, Marcia J.
AU - Kotze, Phia
AU - Tshivhase, Maluta
AU - Stark, Susan L.
N1 - Funding Information:
The approach to training clinicians used South Africa and the above conclusions about format and length of training are consistent with those of a large-scale ICF training programme in Italy developed by the Disability Italian Network [28]. This programme includes an 8-hour instructor-led basic training course, the intention of which is to convey information about the ICF and its development, basic principles, coding structures, and relevance to different settings and uses. The basic course does not attempt to teach coding. A separate 3.5-day advanced course, which assumes completion of the basic course, is intended to teach coding and clinical use and implementation of the ICF. The advanced course is offered in a face-to-face format and emphasizes working in small groups. The advanced course is followed by a period of internet-based supervised practice in coding of case vignettes and participants’ own clinical cases. In keeping with our comments about the importance of sponsorship, the Disability Italian Network training has the strong support of the Italian government. Several thousand health professionals from a variety of disciplines have now been trained in Italy [29], and the same training has been offered in English to other countries participating in the Measuring Health and Disability in Europe (MHADIE) project [30] funded by the European Union. No evaluation of the effectiveness of this training programme has yet been published. A major difference between the Disability Italian Network training and the South Africa training described in this article is that the Italian training places considerable emphasis on the use of ICF Checklist [13] and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS II) [31]. Although these tools were presented as part of the South Africa training, they were not seen by participants or by the national Department of Health as candidate methods for organizing the implementation of the ICF in that system.
Funding Information:
The authors wish to thank Marjorie Greenberg of the US National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS) for her long commitment and critical thinking regarding this topic, some of which is reflected in this article, and also wish to thank Marjorie, Paul Placek, formerly of NCHS, and John Stone of the Centre for Rehabilitation Research and Education (CIRRIE) for helping us to connect to the global community. The development of some of the training materials described under Programmes 1 and 2 in this article was supported by the American Psychological Association.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Purpose. Three systematic programmes to train health professionals to use the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) are described, along with efforts to evaluate their effectiveness. Methods. The first programme was a randomized study comparing the effects of a 2-hour instructor-led programme and a self-directed learning module on ICF-related knowledge, attitudes, and coding skills among occupational therapy graduate students. The second programme was a series of intensive 3.5-day workshops for public sector rehabilitation professionals in South Africa. The third programme involved a series of internet-based teaching modules regarding the ICF for graduate students in rehabilitation counselling. Results. The first project found that both instructor-led and self-guided training formats were effective in improving basic ICF-related knowledge, but only instructor-led training led to a significant improvement in coding skill. It also had more positive effects on ICF-related attitudes. This approach to learning assessment was generalizable to multidisciplinary health professionals in South Africa, who achieved a relatively high degree of coding accuracy after the 3.5-day workshop. Participant evaluations supported the structure, content, and length of the training. Students in the third programme also reported a very positive learning experience and positive views of the ICF. Conclusions. An empirical basis is important for identifying the best and most efficient training methods for particular audiences and specific purposes. The length and format of training can be differentially related to specific training goals (i.e., knowledge, attitudes, and coding skills). Interactive distance learning methods may help to overcome the weaknesses of self-directed training in comparison to face-to-face training.
AB - Purpose. Three systematic programmes to train health professionals to use the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) are described, along with efforts to evaluate their effectiveness. Methods. The first programme was a randomized study comparing the effects of a 2-hour instructor-led programme and a self-directed learning module on ICF-related knowledge, attitudes, and coding skills among occupational therapy graduate students. The second programme was a series of intensive 3.5-day workshops for public sector rehabilitation professionals in South Africa. The third programme involved a series of internet-based teaching modules regarding the ICF for graduate students in rehabilitation counselling. Results. The first project found that both instructor-led and self-guided training formats were effective in improving basic ICF-related knowledge, but only instructor-led training led to a significant improvement in coding skill. It also had more positive effects on ICF-related attitudes. This approach to learning assessment was generalizable to multidisciplinary health professionals in South Africa, who achieved a relatively high degree of coding accuracy after the 3.5-day workshop. Participant evaluations supported the structure, content, and length of the training. Students in the third programme also reported a very positive learning experience and positive views of the ICF. Conclusions. An empirical basis is important for identifying the best and most efficient training methods for particular audiences and specific purposes. The length and format of training can be differentially related to specific training goals (i.e., knowledge, attitudes, and coding skills). Interactive distance learning methods may help to overcome the weaknesses of self-directed training in comparison to face-to-face training.
KW - And Health (ICF)
KW - Disability
KW - Instructor-led programme
KW - International Classification of Functioning
KW - Internet-based teaching modules
KW - Rehabilitation training
KW - Self-directed learning module
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=45949094835&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09638280701800301
DO - 10.1080/09638280701800301
M3 - Article
C2 - 18484388
AN - SCOPUS:45949094835
VL - 30
SP - 927
EP - 941
JO - Disability and Rehabilitation
JF - Disability and Rehabilitation
SN - 0963-8288
IS - 12-13
ER -