The National STD Curriculum Podcast as a Method to Increase STI Education for Health Care Professionals
Meena S. Ramchandani, Karin M. Bauer, Julia S. Freimund, Christine M. Johnston, David H. Spach- Infectious Diseases
- Microbiology (medical)
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Dermatology
Abstract
Background
Podcasts are a valuable educational tool that are convenient and provide on-demand learning. We launched the National Sexually Transmitted Disease Curriculum (NSTDC) Podcast in 2020 to educate healthcare professionals on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) with an emphasis on content from peer-reviewed literature relevant to clinical practice.
Methods
We describe the reach and usage data for 31 podcast episodes produced during the first 29 months. Information was obtained via Google Analytics, Apple Podcasts, the podcast hosting platform Buzzsprout, and the Health Professional Application for Training form for listeners who were registered on the NSTDC website.
Results
There were more than 21,000 downloads, with an average of 686 downloads per episode. Although 85% of downloads occurred in the United States, podcast visitors were located in 57 countries. The three most reported professions/disciplines were registered nurse (39.0%), advanced practice nurse (22.5%), and physician (11.3%). Forty-eight percent of visitors had a primary programmatic focus of STDs, 24% HIV/AIDs, and 18% primary care.
Conclusion
The NSTDC Podcast is a highly utilized resource for mobile and on-demand learning for health care professionals who want to expand their knowledge on STIs.