Impact of HIV/AIDS education on health care provider practice: results from nine grantees of the Special Projects of National Significance Program.

The study assessed the impact of health care provider HIV/AIDS education and training on patient care from nine Special Projects of National Significance. Telephone interviews were conducted with 218 health care providers within 8 months, on average, following completion of training. Respondents provided examples of how the SPNS trainings affected their provision of patient/client care. Transcribed comments reflecting change in patient/client care were classified by independent coders under 1 of 10 broad practice change categories. Eighty-two percent of the trainees identified at least one instance of change in patient/client care as a function of their training experience. Self-reported findings included changes in the number/types of patients seen, interpersonal interactions with patients/clients, HIV testing and counseling practices, patient/family education, infection control, advocacy, referrals and collaboration, documentation, and other service changes.