Integration of persons with HIV in a problem-based tutorial: a qualitative study.
BACKGROUND
This qualitative study examined the effect of using persons with HIV-AIDS (PHAs) as facilitators of learning in an interdisciplinary problem-based learning curriculum.


METHODS
Ten students representing 5 professions (medicine, occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing, and social work) volunteered to participate in an 8-week course on rehabilitation issues in HIV. Two tutorial groups met weekly to discuss problems with the assistance of a faculty tutor and a PHA. Students completed a weekly journal outlining their experiences. At completion of the course, students participated in semistructured interviews. A qualitative analysis of the transcribed interviews and the journals was undertaken.


RESULTS
The PHA provided a unique perspective on living with HIV, acted as a resource, and challenged the students' values and assumptions. The presence of the PHA also presented challenges in that the students worried their comments might offend them.


CONCLUSIONS
PHAs contributed significantly to students' learning and can be successfully incorporated into problem-based tutorials.
Solomon
Patricia
P
School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University, IAHS, 1400 Main Street W, Room 403, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. solomon@mcmaster.ca
Guenter
Dale
D
Salvatori
Penny
P
D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*