Effectiveness of e-learning in continuing medical education for occupational physicians
Adebayo, Ayodele (CDC/NIOSH/DSHEFS)
Occup Med (Lond). 2008 May 20. [Epub ahead of print] Links
Effectiveness of e-learning in continuing medical education for
occupational physicians.Hugenholtz NI, de Croon EM, Smits PB, van Dijk
FJ, Nieuwenhuijsen K.
Coronel Institute of Occupational Health, Academic Medical Center,
University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
BACKGROUND: Within a clinical context e-learning is comparable to
traditional approaches of continuing medical education (CME). However,
the occupational health context differs and until now the effect of
postgraduate e-learning among occupational physicians (OPs) has not been
evaluated. AIM: To evaluate the effect of e-learning on knowledge on
mental health issues as compared to lecture-based learning in a CME
programme for OPs. METHODS: Within the context of a postgraduate meeting
for 74 OPs, a randomized controlled trial was conducted. Test
assessments of knowledge were made before and immediately after an
educational session with either e-learning or lecture-based learning.
RESULTS: In both groups, a significant gain in knowledge on mental
health care was found (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant
difference between the two educational approaches. CONCLUSION: The
effect of e-learning on OPs' mental health care knowledge is comparable
to a lecture-based approach. Therefore, e-learning can be beneficial for
the CME of OPs.