{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T17:51:26Z","timestamp":1792086686149,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1792022400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100024042","name":"Reproductive Scientist Development Program","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["R01HD092655"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["R01HD092655"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100024042","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"\n Aim<\/jats:title>\n To evaluate the effect of a structured sexual health training programme incorporating standardised patients (SPs) on health professions students\u2019 sexual health communication competence, as assessed by SPs, in a Tanzanian setting.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Design<\/jats:title>\n Single-blind randomised controlled trial with parallel-group allocation.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Setting<\/jats:title>\n Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Participants<\/jats:title>\n A total of 312 undergraduate medical and nursing students were enrolled at the university.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Intervention<\/jats:title>\n Structured sexual health training incorporating didactic teaching, small-group discussions, role-play, and SP-based practice sessions.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Outcome measures<\/jats:title>\n Sexual health communication competence was assessed using SP\u2013rated checklists at baseline and at six-month follow-up.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Of 310 health profession students, 73.5% were in their final year. The mean age was 24.29 years (SD\u2009=\u20092.51). 22.6% were female, and 60.0% reported prior sexual health training. Baseline competence scores were similar across groups. At the six-month follow-up, competence improved in both groups, with greater gains in the treatment group. Mixed ANOVA showed a significant time effect (p\u2009<\u2009.001) and a time-by-group interaction (p\u2009=\u2009.002). Exploratory item-level analyses indicated higher scores in the treatment group across most sexual health communication competencies, particularly in rapport, empathy, and information-gathering, with no significant difference observed for clear and understandable language.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n Structured SP-based sexual health training incorporating SPs significantly improved sexual health communication competence during simulated consultations, particularly in patient-engagement domains. These findings support incorporating culturally adapted sexual health training into healthcare education and using SP assessments to evaluate communication competence in sensitive clinical contexts.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Trial registration<\/jats:title>\n \n ClinicalTrials.gov,\n NCT06428058<\/jats:ext-link>\n . Registered 30 November 2023.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0360630","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T17:34:16Z","timestamp":1792085656000},"page":"e0360630","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Impact of structured sexual health training incorporating standardised patients on health professions students\u2019 sexual health communication competence: A single-blind randomised controlled trial in Tanzania"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"21","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0428-0161","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Gift G.","family":"Lukumay","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, United Nations Rd","place":["Dar es Salaam, Tanzania"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Deodatus","family":"Kakoko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, United Nations Rd","place":["Dar es Salaam, Tanzania"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"B. 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