Influencing Medical Students' Knowledge and Attitudes Related to Disability A Randomized Controlled Trial

Purposes The aims of the study were to evaluate and to compare the efficacy of an online and a traditionally delivered undergraduate elective course in improving medical students' disability-related knowledge and attitudes. Methods A randomized controlled design was implemented. Participants were medical students randomly assigned into summer 8-wk disability and the society (OT100) online course, OT100 traditional course, or wellness and lifestyles (PT100) control. Demographics were collected in addition to participants' level disability knowledge and attitudes toward people with disability scale scores (1 wk before the semester and 1 wk after it). Multivariate analysis of covariance using general linear model was conducted to evaluate groups' differences in main outcome measures. Results In total, 198 undergraduate medical students successfully completed the study conditions: OT100 online (n = 74), OT100 traditional (n = 59), and PT100 (n = 65). OT100 groups (traditional and online) change scores were statistical similar for disability knowledge (P = 0.966) and attitudes (P = 0.705) but significantly better (P < 0.001) than the control group. Conclusions OT100 course delivered traditionally or online seemed effective in improving medical students' disability knowledge and attitudes toward people with disability. More studies are needed to create effective methods improving healthcare professionals' disability-related knowledge and attitudes.