A Poverty Simulation to Inform Public Health Practice

Background: Poverty is a pervasive condition linked to a myriad of health conditions and severe health outcomes. Public health professionals are at the forefront of addressing poverty-related issues and require education that enhances their understanding and cultural competence. Purpose: The purpose of this research was to evaluate the impacts of a poverty simulation for students and practitioners of public health regarding their attitudes toward people living in poverty and awareness of the barriers they face. Methods: A pre- and postsurvey containing Likert scale and qualitative questions was administered to 91 participants. Paired t tests were run to assess changes from pretraining to posttraining and qualitative data were analyzed and overarching themes were identified. Results: Overall, participants indicated increased empathy, understanding, and knowledge of the barriers faced by low-income populations and increased confidence in their ability to identify issues contributing to poverty and positively impact those living in poverty. Discussion: The results presented here demonstrate the need for effective training and education on the realities of poverty and the receptiveness of participants to such trainings. Translation to Health Education Practice: Simulations enable a depth of understanding unachieved by traditional didactic education and are appropriate for educating students and professionals alike.