Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #104558

Lisa Killinger, DC, Palmer College of Chiropractic, 741 Brady Street, Davenport, IA 52803, 563-884-5150, lisa.killinger@palmer.edu and Marie E. Dusio, MS, DC, C/O, P.O. Box 711, Sterling, IL 61081.

This project is part of a Geriatric Education Center grant including a chiropractic college, funded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA BHPr) . Several attempts have been made to assess chiropractic students' interdisciplinary perceptions, using the “Interdisciplinary Education Perception Scale” (IEPS). Feedback from students and inconclusive data indicated that this was an ineffective assessment tool within the chiropractic setting.

In 2004, we modified the IEPS to assess chiropractic students' perceptions related to inter-professional respect, referrals and collaboration with advanced practice nursing and allopathic professionals. A convenience sample of attendees in a chiropractic Healthy Aging course was assessed (n=73 students).

Key findings of the modified IEPS (MIEPS) assessment indicate that the chiropractic students surveyed perceive themselves to be well trained, extremely competent, and competent in caring for particularly for aging patients. (94%, 78%, and 85% agreed or strongly agreed ). Respondents also recognized the need to cooperate with other professionals” (59% SA/34% A). Respondents agreed more strongly that “chiropractors should direct patient care on teams” (60% A or SA), than allopaths or nurse practitioners. While 99% of respondents stated they would accept referrals from anyone, a few students would only refer to other providers for medical conditions.

Training students in interdisciplinary collaboration poses unique challenges in a chiropractic training environment that is largely uni-disciplinary. Efforts must be made to enhance chiropractic students' skills in inter-professional communication and cooperation in geriatric care, which is, by definition, multi-professional in nature.

Learning Objectives:

• The learner should gain an appreiciation of the challenges of training students on the need for inter-professional collaboration in a uni-disciplinary training environment.
• Attendees will appreciate chiropractic students' perceptions of their own and other's training and competence and role in caring for aging patients.
• Attendees will better understand chiropractic students attititudes about referrals to and from other health professionals.

Keywords: Aging, Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation