Digital Health Training and Readiness for Primary Healthcare Practice among Final-Year Health Professional Students in Selected Training Institutions in Kenya

Abstract

The study examined the relationship between digital-health training and readiness for digitally enabled primary healthcare practice among final-year health professional students in selected Kenyan training institutions. A convergent multicentre mixed-methods design was employed across six health-training institutions. A structured questionnaire was completed by final-year students, while key-informant interviews were conducted with curriculum leaders, digital-health educators and clinical-placement supervisors. Digital-health training was measured through curriculum content and relevance, teaching and learning methods, practical and clinical exposure, and assessment and feedback. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and simultaneous multiple linear regression, while qualitative data were analysed using framework analysis and integrated with the quantitative findings. Of the 475 students invited, 386 completed the questionnaire, yielding an 81.3% response rate; all 18 invited key informants participated. Curriculum content and relevance received the highest training score (M = 4.374, SD = 0.558), followed by teaching and learning methods (M = 3.777, SD = 0.797). Practical and clinical exposure (M = 2.707, SD = 0.821) and assessment and feedback (M = 2.770, SD = 0.831) were weaker. Mean readiness was 3.628 (SD = 0.705). The four training dimensions jointly explained 62.3% of the variance in readiness (adjusted R² = .619; F(4, 381) = 157.235, p < .001). Practical and clinical exposure made the largest independent contribution (β = .416, p < .001), followed by curriculum content and relevance (β = .278, p < .001), teaching and learning methods (β = .244, p < .001), and assessment and feedback (β = .224, p < .001). Qualitative findings indicated that relevant theoretical content had not always been accompanied by realistic platforms, supervised system use or practical assessment. Training institutions therefore needed to connect curriculum content with simulation, supervised system access, performance-based assessment, structured feedback and dependable institutional support.