Name
Promoting Structural Awareness and Empathy: Evaluation of a Poverty
Simulation Intervention in Health Professions Education
Date & Time
Sunday, June 7, 2026, 4:57 PM - 5:12 PM
Location Name
Hamilton
Speakers
Authors
Puyang Zhao, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Theresa Tran Carapucci, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Jamie Alford, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Monica Kodakandla, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Presentation Topic(s)
Instructional Methods
Description
PURPOSE:
Poverty remains one of the most influential non-medical drivers of health
(NMDOH), yet health professions education often lacks adequate training on
its structural impact. The Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) is an
immersive learning experience designed to enhance students’ understanding of
poverty’s impact on health access and outcomes. This study evaluated CAPS
implementation at UTHealth Houston in 2025, focusing on its effects on
empathy, structural awareness, and clinical readiness among interprofessional
learners.
METHODS:
Students from medicine, nursing, dentistry, and public health participated
in a 3-hour CAPS event simulating the lived experience of low-income
families, followed by a structured debrief. Pre- and post-surveys included
both Likert-scale and open-ended items assessing emotional engagement,
poverty-related attitudes, and perceived competencies in addressing social
determinants across five domains: screening, communication, referral, policy
knowledge, and bias awareness. Mann-Whitney U tests were used due to
anonymized, non-paired data.
RESULTS:
A total of 354 responses were analyzed. Post-simulation, students reported
significantly greater confidence in assessing social needs (p = 0.007),
connecting patients to resources (p < 0.0001), and navigating
socioeconomic conversations (p < 0.0001). Misconceptions such as
individual blame for poverty declined significantly (p = 0.0016). Many
students expressed surprise at the complexity and emotional toll of systemic
poverty. Narrative feedback also highlighted appreciation for the realism and
interprofessional collaboration built into the exercise.
CONCLUSIONS:
CAPS is an effective educational strategy for promoting empathy, reducing
stigma, and enhancing readiness to address NMDOH in clinical care.
Integrating such simulations into interprofessional curricula offers a
scalable and impactful model for preparing socially accountable healthcare
professionals. Future iterations may include follow-up activities to
reinforce applied learning and evaluate long-term attitudinal shifts.
Poverty remains one of the most influential non-medical drivers of health
(NMDOH), yet health professions education often lacks adequate training on
its structural impact. The Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) is an
immersive learning experience designed to enhance students’ understanding of
poverty’s impact on health access and outcomes. This study evaluated CAPS
implementation at UTHealth Houston in 2025, focusing on its effects on
empathy, structural awareness, and clinical readiness among interprofessional
learners.
METHODS:
Students from medicine, nursing, dentistry, and public health participated
in a 3-hour CAPS event simulating the lived experience of low-income
families, followed by a structured debrief. Pre- and post-surveys included
both Likert-scale and open-ended items assessing emotional engagement,
poverty-related attitudes, and perceived competencies in addressing social
determinants across five domains: screening, communication, referral, policy
knowledge, and bias awareness. Mann-Whitney U tests were used due to
anonymized, non-paired data.
RESULTS:
A total of 354 responses were analyzed. Post-simulation, students reported
significantly greater confidence in assessing social needs (p = 0.007),
connecting patients to resources (p < 0.0001), and navigating
socioeconomic conversations (p < 0.0001). Misconceptions such as
individual blame for poverty declined significantly (p = 0.0016). Many
students expressed surprise at the complexity and emotional toll of systemic
poverty. Narrative feedback also highlighted appreciation for the realism and
interprofessional collaboration built into the exercise.
CONCLUSIONS:
CAPS is an effective educational strategy for promoting empathy, reducing
stigma, and enhancing readiness to address NMDOH in clinical care.
Integrating such simulations into interprofessional curricula offers a
scalable and impactful model for preparing socially accountable healthcare
professionals. Future iterations may include follow-up activities to
reinforce applied learning and evaluate long-term attitudinal shifts.
Presentation Tag(s)
Student Presentation