An Evaluation of the University of Washington Health Sciences Mobile Health & Outreach Program

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate if the University of Washington Mobile Health and Outreach (UW-MHO) Program is effectively meeting its goals and to identify areas for improvement. Methods: This program evaluation utilized an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach (quan --> QUAL). The quantitative data were collected via a survey that used a retrospective pre-post design and the qualitative data were collected via semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to identify the interview participants. The quantitative analyses consisted of descriptive statistics and the qualitative analyses utilized a traditional approach to content analysis. After data were collected and analyzed, triangulation and integration were used to assess how the quantitative and qualitative data converged and/or diverged. Results: We distributed the survey to forty-six students who volunteered with the UW-MHO Program between its inception and December 31, 2021. In total, 9 students responded to the survey (20% response rate) and 7 students participated in the semi-structured interviews. Six key themes were developed from the qualitative data analyses: Knowledge, Skills, Attitude, Interprofessional Collaboration, Preceptors, and Improvements. Both the quantitative and qualitative data converged and suggested that students who volunteered with the van showed improvements in their self-perceived knowledge, skills, attitudes, and self-efficacy toward treating and working with people experiencing houselessness, as well as their interprofessional collaboration skills. Conclusions: The UW-MHO Program helps to develop a more collaborative and culturally sensitive healthcare workforce.