David Cook, PhD¹, Ruth Wetta-Hall, RN, MPH, MSN², Teresa L. Jones, MPH, MT(ASCP)², Doren Fredricksen, MD, PhD², Elizabeth Ablah, MA², Dulcie Chance, EdM², and Craig A. Molgaard, PhD, MPH². (1) Health & Technology Outreach, University of Kansas School of Medicine, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Mail Stop 3024, Kansas City, KS 66160-7171, 913-588-2226, dcook@kumc.edu, (2) Preventive Medicine & Public Health, University of Kansas School Of Medicine-Wichita, 1010 N. Kansas Avenue, Wichita, KS 67214

Purpose The purpose of this focus group study was to assess the effectiveness of bioterrorism training received through the Kansas Bioterrorism (BT) Training for Health Professionals Project. Conducted by the Kansas Workforce Development and Leadership Development (WALD) Center at the Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, the study was designed to better understand and assess changes in the perceptions, knowledge, and beliefs among BT training participants, and the impact training may have produced at the systems and community level.

Methods A series of 18 focus groups were conducted across Kansas, sampling from participants who had attended training sessions in December 2003. Each health discipline was studied individually with a final analysis, which assessed convergence and divergence of themes across disciplines. Themes were utilized for planning and improvement to the training program.

Results Interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed from March though April of 2004. Health professionals were very satisfied with training content, teaching methods, and training materials. All participants agreed they benefitted from participating in the training, and would like more anti-terrorism training in the future. Dissemination of knowledge gained resulted in changes in participants’ personal practices, within their work settings, and within their communities. Consensus opinion was that the training added substantially to personal knowledge, but also had a “ripple effect” in communities.

Conclusions A statewide terrorism training program is an effective strategy not only for dissemination of information, but also produced change at the personal, systems, and community level.

Learning Objectives:

• 1. Describe how qualitative analysis may be beneficial to improving training content, methods and materials.
• 2. Discuss the merits of community-based education as an avenue to promote community mobilization.

Keywords: Training, Public Health Administration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.