Complementary Training in Disasters for Healthcare Professionals: An Analysis of the Official Offer in Brazil and Mexico

Abstract

Objective: to identify courses available online by national civil defense bodies in Brazil and Mexico to assist in the additional training of healthcare professionals for disasters. Method: an exploratory descriptive study, based on a qualitative approach, using technological prospecting methodology, carried out on the official Civil Defense websites in Brazil and Mexico. Results: ten courses offered by the Government of Mexico's National Center for Disaster Prevention were found, nine of which were short-term and one offered as vocational training. All of these courses were synchronous. In Brazil, 36 courses were located, all in asynchronous formats, with durations varying between 20 and 50 hours. Although the courses presented programmatic content that included activities inherent to healthcare professionals, none of them made specific mention of professionals in this area as the target audience. Conclusion: the prospective study reinforces that Information and Communication Technologies for distance education present themselves as an alternative present in both countries in terms of additional training for disasters, although not yet specifically aimed at healthcare professionals. The need to include this area of interdisciplinary and multi-professional content reflects gaps in sector integration.