A descriptive analysis of the role of a WhatsApp clinical discussion group as a forum for continuing medical education in the management of complicated HIV and TB clinical cases in a group of doctors in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS
Abstract
As South Africa’s (SA) HIV programme increases in size, HIV/TB cases occur
that are often beyond the clinical scope of primary healthcare clinicians. In SA’s Eastern
Cape (EC) province, health facilities are geographically widespread, with a discrepancy in
specialist availability outside of academic institutions. The aim of this study is to describe
WhatsApp and its use as an alternative learning tool to improve clinicians’ access to
specialised management of complicated HIV/TB cases. To analyse clinicians’ use of the WhatsApp chat group as a learning tool; to assess
clinicians’ confidence in managing complicated HIV and TB patients after participating in the
WhatsApp case discussion group; to describe the perceived usefulness of the chat group as a
learning tool; to understand clinicians’ knowledge and use of informed consent when sharing
patient case details on a public platform such as WhatsApp.
Description
Keywords
Public health, HIV, Social media, Medical education, South Africa
Citation
Woods, J. et al. (2019). A descriptive analysis of the role of a WhatsApp clinical discussion group as a forum for continuing medical education in the management of complicated HIV and TB clinical cases in a group of doctors in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine, 20(1), a982. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajhivmed.v20i1.982