TY - JOUR
T1 - Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Project ECHO in Malaysia During the COVID-19 Pandemic
AU - Walters, Suzan M.
AU - Li, Wong Pui
AU - Saifi, Rumana
AU - Azwa, Iskandar
AU - Syed Omar, Sharifah Faridah
AU - Collier, Zachary K.
AU - Amir Hassan, Asfarina Binti
AU - Haddad, Marwan S.
AU - Altice, Frederick L.
AU - Kamarulzaman, Adeeba
AU - Earnshaw, Valerie A.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the study participants. This work was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [grant number K01DA053159] and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH; R34MH124390). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Mental Health, (grant number K01DA053159, R34MH124390).
Funding Information:
This work was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [grant number K01DA053159] and National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH; R34MH124390). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2022.
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Objective: In Malaysia, HIV is concentrated among key populations who experience barriers to care due to stigma and healthcare discrimination. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased barriers to healthcare. Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a transformative tele-education strategy that could improve HIV prevention and treatment. Methods: Practicing physicians who were aged 18 years or older and had internet access participated in asynchronous online focus groups. Results: Barriers to Project ECHO were conflicting priorities, time constraints, and technology. Facilitators included content and format, dedicated time, asynchronized flexible programming, incentives, and ensuring technology was available. Conclusion: Project ECHO is a promising intervention that can increase physicians’ knowledge and skill set in specialty medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventionists in Malaysia in particular, but also in general, should consider these barriers and facilitators when developing Project ECHO as they may aid in developing a more robust program and increase participation.
AB - Objective: In Malaysia, HIV is concentrated among key populations who experience barriers to care due to stigma and healthcare discrimination. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased barriers to healthcare. Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a transformative tele-education strategy that could improve HIV prevention and treatment. Methods: Practicing physicians who were aged 18 years or older and had internet access participated in asynchronous online focus groups. Results: Barriers to Project ECHO were conflicting priorities, time constraints, and technology. Facilitators included content and format, dedicated time, asynchronized flexible programming, incentives, and ensuring technology was available. Conclusion: Project ECHO is a promising intervention that can increase physicians’ knowledge and skill set in specialty medicine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventionists in Malaysia in particular, but also in general, should consider these barriers and facilitators when developing Project ECHO as they may aid in developing a more robust program and increase participation.
KW - COVID
KW - HIV
KW - Malaysia
KW - project ECHO
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85138874680
U2 - 10.1177/23259582221128512
DO - 10.1177/23259582221128512
M3 - Article
C2 - 36177542
AN - SCOPUS:85138874680
SN - 2325-9574
VL - 21
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
JF - Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care
ER -
SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being