Towards a global partnership model in interprofessional education for cross-sector problem-solving.

OBJECTIVES: A partnership model in interprofessional education (IPE) is important in promoting a sense of global citizenship while preparing students for cross-sector problem-solving. However, the literature remains scant in providing useful guidance for the development of an IPE programme co-implemented by external partners. In this pioneering study, we describe the processes of forging global partnerships in co-implementing IPE and evaluate the programme in light of the preliminary data available. METHODS: This study is generally quantitative. We collected data from a total of 747 health and social care students from four higher education institutions. We utilized a descriptive narrative format and a quantitative design to present our experiences of running IPE with external partners and performed independent t-tests and analysis of variance to examine pretest and posttest mean differences in students' data. RESULTS: We identified factors in establishing a cross-institutional IPE programme. These factors include complementarity of expertise, mutual benefits, internet connectivity, interactivity of design, and time difference. We found significant pretest-posttest differences in students' readiness for interprofessional learning (teamwork and collaboration, positive professional identity, roles, and responsibilities). We also found a significant decrease in students' social interaction anxiety after the IPE simulation. CONCLUSIONS: The narrative of our experiences described in this manuscript could be considered by higher education institutions seeking to forge meaningful external partnerships in their effort to establish interprofessional global health education.

Medication adherence, knowledge about psychosis, and insight among patients with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder.

This study aimed to explore the relationship between knowledge about psychosis, insight, and medication adherence among patients at an early stage of a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder. Eighty patients were recruited from a specialized outpatient clinic. Knowledge was assessed with the modified Knowledge About Schizophrenia Test (KAST). Medication adherence was determined with the Chinese abridged Medication Adherence Ratings Scale. Insight was measured with the abridged Scale to Assess Unawareness of Mental Disorder (SUMD). The KAST total score was correlated with the SUMD. A trend correlation between KAST subscores of cause and SUMD was found. The nonadherence rate was 43.8%. The medication-adherent patients had lower SUMD (z = -4.338, p < 0.0001) and higher KAST subscore of cause (z = -2.767, p = 0.006). These two variables explained 38.9% of the variance in adherence behavior, with SUMD being the mediator. This study highlights the importance of patients' understanding of etiology of the illness and its relationship with insight and medication adherence.