Table 2.
Perceptions of interdisciplinary learning based on frequency of exposure.
| Perception statement | Total | Infrequent exposure | Frequent exposure | p-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (N = 52) | (N = 28) | (N = 24) | ||
| n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | ||
| 1. Extent of shared competencies between the public health educational programmes and the student’s first major | ||||
| Not at all/To a low extent/To some extent | 32 (61.5) | 26 (92.9) | 6 (25.0) | <0.001 |
| To a high extent/To a very high extent | 20 (38.5) | 2 (7.1) | 18 (75.0) | |
| 2. Extent of the ability to draw connections between the competencies acquired from the public health educational programmes and the student’s first major, and vice versa | ||||
| Not at all/To a low extent/To some extent | 27 (51.9) | 25 (89.3) | 2 (8.3) | <0.001 |
| To a high extent/To a very high extent | 25 (48.1) | 3 (10.7) | 22 (91.7) | |
| 3. Extent of satisfaction with the current level of interdisciplinary learning between the public health curriculum and the student’s first major curriculum | ||||
| Not at all/To a low extent/To some extent | 28 (53.9) | 21 (75.0) | 7 (29.2) | 0.001 |
| To a high extent/To a very high extent | 24 (46.1) | 7 (25.0) | 17 (70.8) | |
| 4. Extent to which lecturers in the public health educational programmes incorporated elements of interdisciplinary learning into their courses | ||||
| Not at all/To a low extent/To some extent | 29 (55.8) | 22 (78.6) | 7 (29.2) | <0.001 |
| To a high extent/To a very high extent | 23 (44.2) | 6 (21.4) | 17 (70.8) | |
| 5. Extent to which lecturers in the student’s first major programme incorporated elements of interdisciplinary learning into their courses | ||||
| Not at all/To a low extent/To some extent | 37 (71.2) | 23 (82.1) | 14 (58.3) | 0.07 |
| To a high extent/To a very high extent | 15 (28.8) | 5 (17.9) | 10 (41.7) | |
| 6. Extent to which interdisciplinary learning is considered important for a future career in public health | ||||
| Not at all/To a low extent/To some extent | 17 (32.7) | 15 (53.6) | 2 (8.3) | 0.001 |
| To a high extent/To a very high extent | 35 (67.3) | 13 (46.4) | 22 (91.7) | |
| 7. Extent to which interdisciplinary learning is considered important for a future career in the student’s first major | ||||
| Not at all/To a low extent/To some extent | 22 (42.3) | 16 (57.1) | 6 (25.0) | 0.02 |
| To a high extent/To a very high extent | 30 (57.7) | 12 (42.9) | 18 (75.0) | |