Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association (Jul 2017)

Helping Public Health Professionals Access Infectious Disease Trainings and Resources: The Region IV PHTC Infectious Diseases Training Database

  • Laura Lloyd,
  • Lisa McCormick,
  • Melissa Alperin,
  • Michelle Carvalho,
  • Cidney Wilson,
  • Brita Bergland,
  • Arti Patel,
  • Kathleen Miner

DOI
https://doi.org/10.21633/jgpha.7.136
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1

Abstract

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Background: The Region IV Public Health Training Center (R-IV PHTC), located at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, has a mission that includes providing training and educational offerings to strengthen the competency of the current public health workforce in HHS Region IV (which includes GA). Additionally, the R-IV PHTC has been charged with serving as a national resource in the area of infectious disease. To fulfill this charge, the R-IV PHTC conducted an environmental scan to identify and increase access to existing infectious disease trainings and resources currently available to the public health workforce. Methods: From June 2015 – February 2016, the R-IV PHTC systematically reviewed infectious disease-related trainings developed by credible organizations between 2011-2015. We reviewed the websites and learning management systems of 73 different organizations including but not limited to the TrainFinder Real-time Affiliated Integrated Network (TRAIN), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO), and other PHTCs. Trainings were identified utilizing several search terms including infectious disease, vaccination, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB), Ebola, measles, etc. Results: Altogether, the R-IV PHTC identified over 500 training programs and resources in our designated content area of Infectious Disease developed by other public health organizations between 2011-2015. The final trainings are available in an easy-to-use searchable database and can be filtered by sponsor, title, year, provision of continuing education credits, addressed competencies, cost, length, infectious disease category, and modality. The database will be updated at least once yearly to ensure currency. Conclusions: This poster will describe the methodology that the R-IV PHTC used to conduct an environmental scan of infectious diseases trainings. In addition, the poster will explain how to locate and access infectious disease trainings in one database on the R-IV PHTC website using a variety of search filters. Key words: workforce development; training

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