Journal Article

Disease Intervention Specialist Education for the Future

Smallwood, Stacy W., Hansen, Andrew R., Shah, Gulzar, Mase, William A., Bender, Kaye, Mulherin, Ted, Peden, Angela H.

2018

Overview

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) determine the degree of alignment between an existing public health curricula and disease intervention specialist (DIS) workforce training needs, (2) assess the appropriateness of public health education for DISs, and (3) identify existing curriculum gaps to inform future DIS training efforts. Methods: Using the iterative comparison analysis process of crosswalking, we compared DIS job tasks and knowledge competencies across a standard Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH)-accredited bachelor of science in public health (BSPH) and master of public health (MPH) program core curricula offered by the Georgia Southern University Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health. Four researchers independently coded each DIS task and competency as addressed or not in the curriculum and then discussed all matches and non-matches between coders. Researchers consulted course instructors when necessary, and discussion between researchers continued until agreement was reached on coding. Results: The BSPH curriculum aligned with 75% of the DIS job tasks and 42% of the DIS knowledge competencies. The MPH core curriculum aligned with 55% of the job tasks and 40% of the DIS knowledge competencies. Seven job tasks and 9 knowledge competencies were considered unique to a DIS and would require on-the-job training. Conclusions: Findings suggest that an accredited public health academic program, grounded in CEPH competencies, could address multiple components of DIS educational preparation. Similar analyses should be conducted at other CEPH-accredited schools and programs of public health to account for variations in curriculum.

• Publisher: SAGE Publications,SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subject: Accreditation / Alignment / Coders / Colleges & universities / Competency based learning / Core curriculum / Curricula / Curriculum - statistics & numerical data / Curriculum - trends / Disease / Education / Education, Public Health Professional - methods / Education, Public Health Professional - organization & administration / Education, Public Health Professional - trends / Educational programs / Forecasting / From the Schools and Programs of Public Health / Health care policy / Health education / Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Higher education / Humans / Identification methods / Intervention / Job training / Knowledge / Primary Prevention - education / Primary Prevention - methods / Primary Prevention - standards / Professional Competence / Public health / Public health education / Public schools / Researchers / Schools / Specialization / Tasks / Teachers / Training / Training needs / Workforce