Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Volume
173
Publisher
Elsevier
School
School of Medical and Health Sciences
RAS ID
61912
Funders
JJ Mason & HS Williams Memorial Foundation / Cancer Institute New South Wales Early Career Fellowship / National Health and Medical Research Council
Grant Number
NHMRC Number : 1041897
Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the impact of eLearning by allied health professionals on improving the knowledge and confidence to manage people with medically unexplained chronic fatigue states (FS). Methods: Using a parallel randomized controlled trial design, participants were randomized 1:1 to a 4-week eLearning or wait-list control group. Knowledge and self-reported confidence in clinical skills to implement a therapeutic intervention for patients with FS were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and follow-up. Secondary outcomes (adherence and satisfaction with online education, knowledge retention) were also assessed. Data was analyzed using intention-to-treat. Results: There were 239 participants were randomized (eLearning n = 119, control n = 120), of whom 101 (85%) eLearning and 107 (89%) control participants completed baseline assessments and were included in the analysis. Knowledge (out of 100) improved significantly more in the eLearning group compared to the control group [mean difference (95% CI) 8.6 (5.9 to 11.4), p < 0.001]. Knowledge was reduced in the eLearning group at follow-up but was still significantly higher than baseline [6.0 (3.7 to 8.3), p < 0.001]. Median change (out of 5) in confidence in clinical skills to implement the FS intervention was also significantly greater in the eLearning group compared to the control group [knowledge: eLearning (1.2), control (0); clinical skills: eLearning (1), control (0.1); both p < 0.001)]. Average time spent on the eLearning program was 8.8 h. Most participants (80%) rated the lesson difficulty as at the “right level”, and 91% would recommend it to others. Conclusions: eLearning increased knowledge and confidence to manage FS amongst allied health professionals and was well-accepted. Registration: ACTRN12616000296437 https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=370222&isReview=true.
DOI
10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111462
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Comments
Jones, M. D., Casson, S. M., Barry, B. K., Li, S. H., Valenzuela, T., Cassar, J., . . . Sandler, C. X. (2023). elearning improves allied health professionals' knowledge and confidence to manage medically unexplained chronic fatigue states: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 173, article 111462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2023.111462