451 - The Power of Many: A Collaborative Approach to Advocacy in Pediatric Primary Care

Publication Number: 451.6559

Christina Kratlian, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Roxbury Crossing, MA, United States; Lori Newman, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Kailey Sultaire, Boston Children's Hospital, Brighton, MA, United States; Sarah Mills, Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, United States; Corinna Rea, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States

Background: Significant literature exists regarding the development and implementation of pediatric residency advocacy curricula and the positive impact these have on perceptions of advocacy and future engagement. However, little has been published regarding advocacy training within the interprofessional primary care setting.

Objective: The primary study objective was to explore the impact of an interactive pilot curriculum on staff comfort and familiarity with child health advocacy. Secondary study objectives were: (1) participant engagement in 1 or more new advocacy activities, (2) examination of interprofessionals’ advocacy perceptions, and (3) engaging legislators in the advocacy education process.

Design/Methods: A needs assessment was sent to all non-clinical and clinical staff at the 2 pediatric primary care centers from one large academic pediatric hospital. A curriculum was developed with the hospital’s government relations department. Topics included storybanking, op-eds, and letters to the editor; advocating via social media; legislative advocacy and lobbying; and a discussion with a local legislator. Participants who attended at least 1 out of 4 workshops were sent an evaluation with an identified “commitment to change,” followed by a goal attainment survey and a final post-intervention survey. Upon survey completion, participants received a small incentive.

Results: Needs assessment data overwhelmingly indicated interest in an advocacy curriculum, with 45.7% reporting very little or no prior formal advocacy training. After participation in at least 1 workshop, respondent familiarity with ways to advocate for children’s health increased by 10.1%; comfort with identifying or contacting a legislator increased by 55.6%. At baseline, 44.4% reported an advocacy-related activity outside of work with a higher likelihood among physicians and social workers. After the curriculum, participants who responded were more likely to have contacted a legislator (by 22.3%), met with a legislator (by 11.1%), or signed a petition (by 33.4%), particularly among physicians and social workers. 44.4% of participants, especially those working clinically, stated the program would change their work.

Conclusion(s): Advocacy has historically been mostly limited to physicians. This curriculum demonstrates the need for interprofessional advocacy education to be delivered more broadly and the positive impacts it may have within primary care. Enhanced collaboration among healthcare professionals can promote greater diversity in perspectives as well as better identification of areas of need for the pediatric population.

Introductory Advocacy Workshop Slide Example
An example of a slide from the introductory workshop describing op-eds as a core advocacy skill.

Introductory Advocacy Workshop Slide Example
An example of a slide from the introductory workshop describing op-eds as a core advocacy skill.