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Annals of Pharmacy Education, Safety, and Public Health Advocacy

2023 Volume 3

Embedding Health Advocacy as Core Professional Practice: Evaluation of an Integrated Pharmacy Curriculum Using Mixed Methods


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  1. Department of Pharmacy Practice and Public Health, School of Pharmacy, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
Abstract

In response to the evolving health landscape, healthcare professionals are increasingly expected to engage in health advocacy through health promotion at the individual, systems levels AND population. In the Academic Year 2020/2021, the National University of Singapore (NUS) Department of Pharmacy introduced a spiral integrated curriculum that combines clinical, basic, and systems sciences, with the explicit aim of strengthening students’ internalisation of health advocacy and preparing them for advocacy roles in professional practice. A mixed-methods study design was employed. Quantitative data were collected using questionnaires administered at three time points to assess students’ levels of health advocacy internalisation, which were subsequently categorised and analysed using the Mann–Whitney U test. Compared with prematriculation findings, no statistically significant change was observed after completion of the first year of the curriculum, whereas a significant increase was identified after two years of curricular exposure. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews conducted at the end of each academic year to further contextualise the quantitative results. Thematic analysis revealed that students perceived limited curricular integration during the first year. In contrast, the second year’s repeated reinforcement of concepts and expanded experiential learning opportunities were viewed as instrumental in enhancing students’ confidence and readiness to practise health advocacy. These findings highlight the potential of a spiral integrated curriculum to effectively foster health advocacy competencies in pharmacy education and suggest its broader applicability to other educational contexts. Longitudinal follow-up studies are warranted to examine sustained outcomes and to inform ongoing curriculum refinement.


How to cite this article
Vancouver
Mensah YK, Boateng SA. Embedding Health Advocacy as Core Professional Practice: Evaluation of an Integrated Pharmacy Curriculum Using Mixed Methods. Ann Pharm Educ Saf Public Health Advocacy. 2023;3:91-104. https://doi.org/10.51847/d6362jNJEq
APA
Mensah, Y. K., & Boateng, S. A. (2023). Embedding Health Advocacy as Core Professional Practice: Evaluation of an Integrated Pharmacy Curriculum Using Mixed Methods. Annals of Pharmacy Education, Safety, and Public Health Advocacy, 3, 91-104. https://doi.org/10.51847/d6362jNJEq

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