The long term objective of this research is to develop a national model for dissemination of prevention practice guidelines to hospital-based resident and attending physicians that will help meet the critical need for preventive services in inner city minority communities. The educational intervention will consist of a five month program based upon the prevention practice guidelines established by the United States Preventive Services Task Force. The intervention will include: a) conferences, b) clinic and bedside teaching and c) written materials developed by the office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion for providers, patients and the practice setting. Evaluation of the prevention education program will be assessed by change in physician knowledge, attitudes and practices at Harlem Hospital (the intervention site, N=150) in comparison with Kings County Hospital (the control site, N=190), as measured by self-administered questionnaires and patient interviews.
The specific aims of the proposed research are to: 1. Describe physician knowledge, attitudes and practices with respect to health promotion and disease prevention at two inner city hospitals prior to initiation of a prevention educational program. 2. Identify factors associated with physicians' health promotion and disease prevention knowledge, attitudes and practices including (a) personal characteristics, (b) professional characteristics, and (c) practice setting characteristics. 3. Design and implement a practical and replicable hospital-based educational program in health promotion and disease prevention to effectively disseminate the practice guidelines of the United States Preventive Services Task Force to resident and attending physicians in the department of medicine at Harlem Hospital. 4. Assess changes in physician health promotion and disease prevention knowledge, attitudes and practices at Harlem Hospital in comparison with Kings County Hospital following a five month hospital-based educational program in prevention at Harlem Hospital.
