Effectiveness of an Internet-Based Curriculum in Increasing Health Care Providers' Knowledge of Herbs and Dietary Supplements

NCT00110539 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: R01LM007709
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,500
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of four different strategies designed to improve clinicians' knowledge about herbs and dietary supplements. This study will also increase their confidence in their ability to answer patient questions about these topics. Study hypotheses: 1) Delivery of modules over 10 weeks will lead to better educational outcomes than delivery of modules at one time. 2) The method of module delivery that directly lists the modules in an email will be associated with greater improvements in knowledge, confidence, and communication skills and greater satisfaction with the overall curriculum than methods that involve the delivery of only links to the modules in an email. 3) Active participation in a moderated mailing list will enhance outcomes and satisfaction with the curriculum more than non-participation or passive participation (reading the messages of others). 4) More positive attitudes toward the use of and greater use of computer and Internet technologies at baseline will be associated with more active participation in the mailing list; greater use of the modules delivered through links; greater improvements in knowledge, confidence, and communication; and more positive attitudes about the curriculum following participation in the study.

Conditions

Healthy

Keywords

Medicine, Herbal; Dietary Supplements; Complementary and Alternative Medicine; Physicians

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Changes in participant knowledge, confidence, and communication practices regarding herbs and dietary supplements

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Impact of comfort with using technology on the primary outcomes

Interventions

Complementary and alternative medicine education BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Live and work in the United States
• Licensed to provide health care in the United States
• Have regular access to the Internet and an e-mail address that can be checked at least twice weekly for at least 4 months
• Willing to complete all study assessments

You may not qualify if:

• Previous enrollment in this curriculum

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Library of Medicine (NLM): lead

Study Sites (1)

Northwest Area Health Education Center

Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27157, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Kathi Kemper, MD

  Wake Forest University Health Sciences

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: NIH

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 10, 2005
• First Posted: May 11, 2005
• Study Start: February 1, 2004
• Study Completion: December 1, 2004
• Last Updated: May 24, 2012

Record last verified: 2006-08

Locations

US (1)