Factors Impacting Confidence in the Treatment of Children and Youth with Epilepsy Among Primary Care Providers
Abstract number :
1.357
Submission category :
13. Health Services (Delivery of Care, Access to Care, Health Care Models)
Year :
2021
Submission ID :
1826540
Source :
www.aesnet.org
Presentation date :
12/9/2021 12:00:00 PM
Published date :
Nov 22, 2021, 06:55 AM
Authors :
Peter Corcoran, MPH - American Academy of Pediatrics; Victoria Rivkina, MPH – Manager, National Coordinating Center for Epilepsy, American Academy of Pediatrics; Marija Hegel, MPH – Program Specialist, National Coordinating Center for Epilepsy, American Academy of Pediatrics; Hope Barrett, MPH – Sr. Manager, Children and Youth with Special Health Needs Initiatives, American Academy of Pediatrics
Rationale: The National Coordinating Center for Epilepsy (Center) at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) supports seven Transforming Health Care for Children and Youth with Epilepsy grantees in meeting deliverables as set forth by federal funding provided by the Health Resources & Services Administration- Maternal & Child Health Bureau (HRSA-MCHB). Improving the quality of care children and youth with epilepsy (CYE) receive by increasing confidence among primary care providers (PCPs) in treating such patients is a key project aim. Factors impacting PCP confidence include knowledge of epilepsy care and communication with specialists (neurologists/epileptologists). Increased epilepsy-related knowledge and confidence among PCPs are key to improving access to care. Furthermore, better care coordination leads to improved health care outcomes for patients.
Methods: Annually, all PCPs affiliated with Transforming Health Care for CYE project are invited to complete an anonymous electronic survey. The survey instrument collects self-reported PCP data regarding knowledge, confidence, and communication pertaining to epilepsy care for CYE. During the data collection period between June 1 and December 15, 2020, 42 PCPs completed the survey. The individual items were totaled to create a score for each category. The knowledge score consisted of eight items, confidence eleven, and communication four. Each item was assessed on a four-point Likert scale with anchors at each point. We used a Pearson correlation (ρ) to compare categories, and the statical analysis was done on IBM SPSS version 25.
Results: PCPs reporting increased knowledge of epilepsy care also reported increased confidence in providing such care to CYE patients (ρ = 0.772, p< 0.001, N = 42). Additionally, PCPs who reported greater communication with specialists also reported increased confidence in treating CYE (ρ = 0.489, p = 0.001, N = 42). Lastly, the correlation between PCP communication with specialists and their epilepsy care knowledge was (ρ = 0.300, p = 0.053, N = 42). Greater PCP communication with specialists was not related to a higher self-reported score of PCP epilepsy care knowledge.
Health Services (Delivery of Care, Access to Care, Health Care Models)