Student Perceptions of an Interprofessional Short Course Designed to Increase Awareness of Human Trafficking

Author: Begley, Kimberley; Aden, Megan; Fuji, Kevin; Johnson, Lisa; Patterson, Angela; Pick, Amy; Haddad, Ann Ryan & Todd, Martha

Abstract: Human trafficking is a global problem with significant impacts on victims' physical and emotional health. Many health care professionals lack human trafficking knowledge, leading to missed opportunities for intervention. This crosssectional study used evaluation data from a short course on human trafficking to evaluate the course's perceived impact on students. Closed-ended questions were analyzed descriptively while open-ended questions were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. A total of 241 students across eight professions/disciplines completed the evaluation. The vast majority indicated course content was valuable, applicable to their future practice, and recognized interprofessional teamwork is needed to address human trafficking. Despite course effectiveness, there remains a need to continue expanding interprofessional engagement and examining the longitudinal impact of this educational effort.

Keywords: human trafficking, awareness, interprofessional