A Plea for Health Manpower Training Through Distance Education

Abstract

To achieve the target of health for all by 2000 AD (HFA/2000), developing countries such as India need a proper perspective to implement health for all through a Primary Health Care approach and must develop a plan to achieve manpower needs. The present health institutional infrastructure is inadequate to meet this requirement. Distance education is a relatively new concept which not only has the ability to train a large number of health care workers in a short time in a cost effective way but can also attend to skills of health care without diluting the quality. The School of Health Sciences, IGNOU, is, at present, working on two health programs for nursing and medical personnel through distance education. Alternate models in distance education could also be envisioned to meet the immediate pressing needs.

Study on Health Extension Workers: Access to Information, Continuing Education and Reference Materials

“…A strong unit for CE should be envisaged. CE and access to information in general should not be approached through the conventional (workshops, seminars etc) face-to-face approaches only but also explore the possibilities opened by ICT revolution (1,17,18). This potential is recognized by the sector, "FMOH must enhance its effort to put in place the mechanisms for accessing telemedicine and electronic distance teaching facilities as rapidly as possible" (19).…”

A Distance Education Model for Training Substance Abuse Treatment Providers in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

“…Use of Internet-based learning technologies is particularly popular. Distance learning often involves a multimedia approach to designing, developing, and implementing programs through self-instructional materials, both in print and electronic media forms (Dutta et al, 1996). Technology offers many options for delivering and receiving education over a distance.…”

“…The increasing requirements for health services and the corresponding need for a large number of health workers, as well as the necessity of continuing education for professionals have led to the application of distance learning in the health sector (Dutta et al, 1996). In addition, distance education courses in substance abuse treatment and prevention are available at many universities including Nova Southeastern University and Western Michigan University.…”

“…In a pioneering study of technology transfer with substance abuse treatment provider staff, Stevens and Tornatzy (1980) found that group on-site consultation was the most effective in promoting adoption of the innovation. Moreover, personal contact has been found to increase the rate of adoption (Dutta et al, 1996;Sorenson et al, 1988), one of the chief concerns with distance learning models overall. Graphical feedback to counselors was found to increase counselors' performance measures (Andrzejewski et al, 2001) indicating that training efforts benefit from using performance feedback and positive reinforcement.…”

Randomized Trial of Web-Based Training to Promote Counselor Use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills in Client Sessions

“…Use of interactive Web technologies may be promising for dissemination of CBT skills in addiction treatment (11, 19). Although Web technologies and distance education are increasing in use by more organizations (20), from universities (21) to Addiction Technology Transfer Centers, the evaluations remain focused primarily on acceptability to learners, change in knowledge, and participant self-ratings (22). The present study was conducted to empirically test the skill acquisition of addiction counselors exposed to an intensive Web course in the workplace.…”