Evaluating the Effects of Reproductive Health Training on Provider Behavior - Aim 3

Overview

This study will evaluate the real-world effectiveness of a four-day Afrocentric sexual and reproductive health curriculum for health professional students in Tanzania. Medical, nursing, and midwifery students from the State University of Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro Christian University, and the University of Dodoma will receive the curriculum. The curriculum covers sexual health across the lifespan, sexual dysfunctions, key populations, sexual violence, clinical skills training, ethics, policy writing, community resources, and cultural considerations. Student outcomes will be assessed using surveys at baseline, immediately after the curriculum, and at 3-month and 12-month follow-up to examine changes in sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and sexual history and counseling skills.

Training for Health Professionals 2 Aim 3 is designed to evaluate the real-world effectiveness and feasibility of disseminating an Afrocentric sexual and reproductive health curriculum for health professional students in Tanzania. The study builds on prior Training for Health Professionals work, including a previous randomized controlled trial that showed improvements in sexual and reproductive health knowledge, attitudes, and clinical skills among health care students. This Phase IV implementation study will be conducted at three institutions in Tanzania: the State University of Zanzibar, Kilimanjaro Christian University, and the University of Dodoma. The study will enroll medical, nursing, and midwifery students who are current pre-final year students at one of the participating institutions. Participants will receive a four-day Afrocentric comprehensive sexual and reproductive health curriculum. The curriculum covers sexual health across the lifespan and male and female sexual dysfunctions on Day 1; key populations, including LGBT persons and sex workers, and sexual violence on Day 2; clinical skills training, ethics, and policy writing on Day 3; and community resources and cultural considerations on Day 4. Participants will complete study surveys at baseline, immediately after the intervention, and at 3-month and 12-month follow-up. The surveys will assess sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and sexual history and counseling skills. Faculty involved in delivering the curriculum will also complete post-training evaluations assessing their knowledge, comfort, and skills in teaching the curriculum. The study will evaluate whether participants increase and retain sexual health knowledge, attitudes, and skills after participating in the curriculum in a real-world educational setting. The study will also assess implementation fidelity and faculty training outcomes to inform future dissemination of the curriculum.