The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #40544

Anita M. Farel, DrPH, Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, 426 Rosenau Hall, CB# 7445, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7545, 919 966-5983, anita_farel@unc.edu, Sarah Paliulis, Department of Maternal and Child Health, University of North Carolina, Rosenau Hall, Campus Box 7545, School of Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7545, and Sarah E. Pfau, MPH, Department of Maternal and Child Health, UNC Chapel Hill, Rosenau Hall, Campus Box 7545, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7545.

The MCH Department at UNC Chapel Hill has been involved in analytic training initiatives since the 1980’s. Until recently, these were traditional efforts that consisted of outside speakers, a lot of printed material, considerable travel and overnight stays, and minimal expectations of participants other than to engage in discussion and become energized to return to their jobs. In 1997, increasing concern for cost-effective training, demand for stronger analytic skills in the public health workforce, and the increasing prominence of the internet, generated unique Requests for Proposals from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Services Resources Administration, for data training that incorporated distance education. Distance learning methodologies provide an effective and economical means for professional staff to advance their skills while continuing to meet their extensive responsibilities. An array of short, self-instructional technical and analytic tools developed by the Data Skills Online project will ensure that public health professionals have the ability to 1) use several fundamental computer applications with facility and to 2) use these skills for analytic training. Participants’ perceptions of the utility of the training tools and the extent to which the data skills were applied on the job have been evaluated. The online MCH Toolbox will be demonstrated.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, a participant will be able to
• Understand potential effectiveness of web-based self-instruction for data skills training
• Describe limitations of web-based self instruction.
• Participate in a demonstration of self-instructional analytic and technical tools.

Keywords: Accountability, Data Collection

Related Web page: www.sph.unc.edu/toolbox/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
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.