Recorded presentation

Jose Capriles, MD, MHSA¹, Ruth Rios, PhD¹, Francisco Alvarado, MD², Elena Batista, EdD², Maria Castro, PhD, MSN, MPH, BSN², and Jesus Irizarry, PhD². (1) School of Public Health, Department of Health Services Administration, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067, (787)758-2525, ext 1440, jcapriles@rcm.upr.edu, (2) Puerto Rico Department of Health, PO Box 70184, San Juan, PR 00936

Background: The Puerto Rico Public Health Leadership Institute was established in April 2002, by the PR Department of Health and the School of Public Health. It is conceived as a center of study and applied research in public health leadership for Hispanic health professionals. A survey was performed to identify leadership training needs among public health professionals, as the basis for curriculum and infrastructure development.Methods: A leadership need assessment tool in Spanish was developed and included 140 questions assessing public health leadership competencies, training needs, technological capacity, and professional development needs. The tool was administered to leader’s representatives of academia, private health providers and community sectors involved in public health in PR (n=97). Scales assessed the respondents’ perception for each competency in terms of self-perceived need for the competencies in the current position, and need for further training. Results: Results from reliability analyses showed that the Chronbach’s alpha ranged from .82 to .96 for the self-perceived need for the competencies in the current position, and .84 to .92 in the questions about need for training. In general, respondents reported that these competencies were needed for their current position, but their need for training was in a more in-depth level. Conclusions: The curriculum was developed based on the Competency Model, and Adult Learning and Experiential Learning Theory. Emphasis in public health leadership curricula was placed on leadership skills, communication, team building, partnerships, and strategic alliances, as prioritized in the need assessment instrument. A conceptual framework for Public Health Leadership was developed.

Learning Objectives: The participant in this session will be able

• To identify the public health leadership competencies assessed and prioritized in the PR ILISAP need’s assessment survey.
• To describe an alternative procedure of curriculum development in the public health leadership field.

Keywords: Leadership, Needs Assessment

Related Web page: ilisap.rcm.upr.edu

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.

Recorded presentation