The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #51675

Gary Gilmore, MPH, PhD, CHES, Professor and Director of the Graduate Community Health Programs, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse, WI 54601, 608 785-8163, gilmore.gary@uwlax.edu, Larry K. Olsen, DrPH, CHES, College of Health and Social Services, New Mexico State University, Office of the Dean, MSC 3446, P.O. Box 30001, Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001, Alyson Zoe Taub, EdD, CHES, New York University, 211 East Shore Road, Great Neck, NY 11023-2422, and David B. Connell, PhD, Cambridge Research Associates, 7 Jefferson Drive, Acton, MA 01720.

The National Competencies Update Project (CUP) is a multi-year national health eudcation research study designed to re-verify the entry-level health education competencies, and to further delineate and validate the advanced-level competencies. Guided by a 25-member Advisory Committee (CUPAC) which represents 12 national health education-related organizations, the project was initiated in March, 1998, with a scheduled completion in 2003. At this scientific session, the survey design and preliminary results for the mjaor national research phase will be presented. The research process included a comprehensive national list acquisition framework used to identify and access potential research participants, resulting in approximately 15,000 health educators being identified. Sixteen states were randomly selected, based upon four representative states from each of the four national regions (in each region, there were two states with high concentrations of health educators and two with lower concentrations). Based upon pilot results, it was projected that about 50% of those who were contacted for background information would be eligible and willing to participate in the major survey. A minimum fesponse rate of 70% was sought from the eligible population. A 10% non-respondent follow-up study was also conducted. Data collection and analyses will be reviewed, along with the presentation of preliminary results.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the learner will be able to

• Describe the process used to aquire lists for the Competencies update project.
• Describe the problems and how those problems were overcome to accomplish the goals of the competencies update project.
• Explain the process used to develop the various phases used in the competencies update project.

Keywords: Professional Preparation, Health Education