Evaluating a train-the-trainer approach for improving capacity for evidence-based decision making in public health

Laura Yarber; Carol A Brownson; Rebekah R Jacob; Elizabeth A Baker; Ellen Jones; Carsten Baumann; Anjali D Deshpande; Kathleen N Gillespie; Darcell P Scharff; Ross C Brownson

doi:10.1186/s12913-015-1224-2

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Evaluating a train-the-trainer approach for improving capacity for evidence-based decision making in public health

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Evaluating a train-the-trainer approach for improving capacity for evidence-based decision making in public health

Laura Yarber, Carol A Brownson, Rebekah R Jacob, Elizabeth A Baker, Ellen Jones, Carsten Baumann, Anjali D Deshpande, Kathleen N Gillespie, Darcell P Scharff and Ross C Brownson

BMC health services research, Vol.15(1), pp.547-547

12/12/2015

DOI: 10.1186/s12913-015-1224-2

PMCID: PMC4676893

PMID: 26652172

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Abstract

Evidence-based public health gives public health practitioners the tools they need to make choices based on the best and most current evidence. An evidence-based public health training course developed in 1997 by the Prevention Research Center in St. Louis has been taught by a transdisciplinary team multiple times with positive results. In order to scale up evidence-based practices, a train-the-trainer initiative was launched in 2010. This study examines the outcomes achieved among participants of courses led by trained state-level faculty. Participants from trainee-led courses in four states (Indiana, Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas) over three years were asked to complete an online survey. Attempts were made to contact 317 past participants. One-hundred forty-four (50.9 %) reachable participants were included in analysis. Outcomes measured include frequency of use of materials, resources, and other skills or tools from the course; reasons for not using the materials and resources; and benefits from attending the course. Survey responses were tabulated and compared using Chi-square tests. Among the most commonly reported benefits, 88 % of respondents agreed that they acquired knowledge about a new subject, 85 % saw applications for the knowledge to their work, and 78 % agreed the course also improved abilities to make scientifically informed decisions at work. The most commonly reported reasons for not using course content as much as intended included not having enough time to implement evidence-based approaches (42 %); other staff/peers lack training (34 %); and not enough funding for continued training (34 %). The study findings suggest that utilization of course materials and teachings remains relatively high across practitioner groups, whether they were taught by the original trainers or by state-based trainers. The findings of this study suggest that train-the-trainer is an effective method for broadly disseminating evidence-based public health principles. Train-the-trainer is less costly than the traditional method and allows for courses to be tailored to local issues, thus making it a viable approach to dissemination and scale up of new public health practices.

Leadership

Decision Making

Health Personnel - standards

Indiana

Humans

Evidence-Based Practice - education

Kansas

Health Services Research

Professional Competence - standards

Evidence-Based Practice - standards

Health Personnel - education

Adult

Female

Public Health - education

Program Evaluation

Public Health - standards

Details

Title: Subtitle: Evaluating a train-the-trainer approach for improving capacity for evidence-based decision making in public health
Creators: Laura Yarber - College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA. lyarber@gmail.com
Carol A Brownson - Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA. cbrownson2@gmail.com
Rebekah R Jacob - Prevention Research Center in St. Louis, Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA. rebekahjacob@wustl.edu
Elizabeth A Baker - College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA. bakerpa@slu.edu
Ellen Jones - University of Mississippi Medical Center
Carsten Baumann - Department of Public Health and Environment, Health Statistics and Evaluation Branch, Denver, CO, USA. carsten.baumann@state.co.us
Anjali D Deshpande - Division of General Medical Sciences, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA. ADESHPAN@DOM.wustl.edu
Kathleen N Gillespie - College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA. gilleskn@slu.edu
Darcell P Scharff - College for Public Health & Social Justice, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA. scharffd@slu.edu
Ross C Brownson - Division of Public Health Sciences and Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA. rbrownson@brownschool.wustl.edu
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: BMC health services research, Vol.15(1), pp.547-547
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-015-1224-2
PMID: 26652172
PMCID: PMC4676893
NLM abbreviation: BMC Health Serv Res
ISSN: 1472-6963
eISSN: 1472-6963
Publisher: England
Grant note: U48/DP001903 / NCCDPHP CDC HHS U48 DP001903 / NCCDPHP CDC HHS 5U54CA155496-04 / NCI NIH HHS P30 DK092950 / NIDDK NIH HHS 1P30DK092950 / NIDDK NIH HHS 5R01CA160327 / NCI NIH HHS R01 CA160327 / NCI NIH HHS U54 CA155496 / NCI NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 12/12/2015
Academic Unit: Epidemiology
Record Identifier: 9983996080302771

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