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Qualitative Assessment of a Novel Efficacy-Focused Training Intervention for Public Health Workers in Disaster Recovery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 April 2016

Craig Tower ,
Brian A. Altman ,
Kandra Strauss-Riggs ,
Annelise Iversen ,
Stephanie Garrity ,
Carol B. Thompson ,
Lauren Walsh ,
Lainie Rutkow ,
Kenneth Schor  and
Daniel J. Barnett
Craig Tower
Affiliation:
Environmental Health Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland.
Brian A. Altman
Affiliation:
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc, Bethesda, Maryland
Kandra Strauss-Riggs
Affiliation:
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc, Bethesda, Maryland
Annelise Iversen
Affiliation:
International Health, Baltimore, Maryland
Stephanie Garrity
Affiliation:
Cecil County Health Department, Elkton, Maryland
Carol B. Thompson
Affiliation:
Biostatistics, Baltimore, Maryland
Lauren Walsh
Affiliation:
The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc, Bethesda, Maryland
Lainie Rutkow
Affiliation:
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Departments of Health Policy and Management, Baltimore, Maryland
Kenneth Schor
Affiliation:
National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Rockville, Maryland
Daniel J. Barnett*
Affiliation:
Environmental Health Sciences, Baltimore, Maryland.
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Daniel J. Barnett, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, 615 North Wolfe Street Room E7036, Baltimore, MD 21205 (e-mail: dbarnett@jhsph.edu).
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Abstract

Objective

We trained local public health workers on disaster recovery roles and responsibilities by using a novel curriculum based on a threat and efficacy framework and a training-of-trainers approach. This study used qualitative data to assess changes in perceptions of efficacy toward Hurricane Sandy recovery and willingness to participate in future disaster recoveries.

Methods

Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select trainers and trainees from participating local public health departments in jurisdictions impacted by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Two focus groups totaling 29 local public health workers were held in April and May of 2015. Focus group participants discussed the content and quality of the curriculum, training logistics, and their willingness to engage in future disaster recovery efforts.

Results

The training curriculum improved participants’ understanding of and confidence in their disaster recovery work and related roles within their agencies (self-efficacy); increased their individual- and agency-level sense of role-importance in disaster recovery (response-efficacy); and enhanced their sense of their agencies’ effective functioning in disaster recovery. Participants suggested further training customization and inclusion of other recovery agencies.

Conclusion

Threat- and efficacy-based disaster recovery trainings show potential to increase public health workers’ sense of efficacy and willingness to participate in recovery efforts. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:615–622)

Keywords

disasterrecoveryefficacytrainingpublic health
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 10 , Issue 4 , August 2016 , pp. 615 - 622
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2016 

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