title: Educator perceptions of the relationship between education innovations and improved health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Education innovations by health professions faculty are shaped by faculty conceptualizations of the pathway between their innovations and changes in health of communities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to explore how existing theories about the relationship between education and health are attended to, interpreted, and applied by faculty in different national contexts.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared existing theoretical frameworks to perceptions of "front line" faculty. Fellows in Brazil- and India-based FAIMER faculty development programs were asked via questionnaires about the contribution of their education innovation projects to health improvements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Faculty identified pathways to improved societal health via increased quality, and to a lesser extent relevance, of education. Relationships between increased quantity of education and improved health were focused on faculty development. Faculty from both countries noted the value for health outcomes of innovations that affect networks and partnerships with other institutions. Faculty from India identified pathways to improved societal health via changes to instructional more than institutional processes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate where there are gaps in existing theories, a need to raise awareness about potential pathways to improving health via education changes, and opportunities for more detailed understanding of mechanisms of change via in-depth research.
authors.affiliation: Foundation for Advancement of Medical Education and Research (FAIMER), Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. sfriedman@faimer.org
authors.forename: Stacey R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Lawrence C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Loh
authors.forename: William P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Burdick
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000592:standards*; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education*; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D017145:Models, Educational; D012941:Social Responsibility; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires