A Needs Assessment of Health Department Employees in Puerto Rico and Florida

Abstract

Public health training centers were established to enhance competencies in skills required to meet 21st-century public health challenges. In 2011, the Puerto Rico-Florida Public Health Training Center conducted surveys to assess the training needs of two populations of public health workers serving Hispanic communities: Florida Department of Health employees and workers at the regional and central offices of the Puerto Rico Department of Health. The two surveys were similar, but not identical in content and administration. A 52.6% response rate was achieved in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, where limited computer access necessitated use of a pen-and-paper survey. A 20.7% response rate was achieved in Florida, where an online survey was used and incomplete responses were problematic. Puerto Rico respondents (n = 1,414) were similar in age (Mdn age = 48 years) to Hispanic Florida respondents (n = 546, Mdn age =45 years). They also reported higher levels of academic achievement and more years of experience in public health. Nevertheless, self-assessed public health competency scores were in the low- to mid-range for Hispanic respondents in both locales. Although self-assessed training priorities differed, Hispanic employees in both jurisdictions preferred hands-on and face-to-face training to distance learning. Findings indicate a need for training based on adult learning theory, targeted to entry-level employees, and addressing the top five self-assessed training needs, especially health promotion and disease prevention and public health law and policy, which emerged as priority training areas in both survey populations.

“I want to perform and succeed more than those who are HIV-seronegative” Lived experiences of youth who acquired HIV perinetally and attend Zewditu Memorial Hospital ART clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

“…Knowing self-status helped them to feel more responsible and take care of their and others health too. This finding is similar with studies from Botswana, South Africa, and Puerto Rico where similar population groups have depicted the same self-disclosure timing and benefit from it [7,[22][23][24]. When it is said self-disclosure it is important to make it in plan than leaving children to learn about their HIV status incidentally when they visit health care facilities for other medical services or leave them to learn by their own or hearing from somebody else.…”

Strategic Approach to Assess Training Needs Across a Diverse Region

“…Training needs assessments typically provide the information necessary to identify knowledge and skill gaps across the workforce targeted by the assessment (Frass et al, 2014; Goldstein & Ford, 2002). Conducting regular needs assessments is an integral step to ensuring that R-IV PHTC trainings are relevant and meet the evolving needs and preferences of public health professionals throughout R-IV (Capriles-Quirós et al, 2014). To this end, and because of the complex nature of R-IV and the challenges mentioned above, a mixed methods approach was employed.…”

Public Health Training Centers

“…The focus of their article is a collaborative methodology that yielded an impressive return rate. Capriles-Quirós et al (2014) describe the needs assessment conducted of public health workers serving two very different Hispanic communities. Using survey instruments adapted to the settings, they found that both groups of professionals ranked the assessed competencies in the lowto mid-range and preferred hands-on and face-to-face training to distance learning.…”