Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111549

Julia E. Oler-Manske, MS¹, Susan Popejoy, BS¹, Craig A. Molgaard, PhD, MPH¹, Shirley Orr, MHS, ARNP, CNAA², Deborah Fromer, MPH¹, and Edie Snethen³. (1) Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, 1010 N. Kansas Avenue, Wichita, KS 67214, 316-293-2627, jolerman@kumc.edu, (2) Office of Local and Rural Health, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, 1000 SW Jackson, Suite 340, Suite 340, Topeka, KS 66612-1365, (3) Kansas Association of Local Health Departments, 6206 SW 9th Terrace, Topeka, KS 66615-3822

The Circuit Chautauqua Movement, circa 1874-1930, provided education, culture, and recreation to countless rural Americans. The current public health system has identified the need for training in public health informatics, especially in rural areas. In order to support the interdependent federal, state, and local public health systems, public health workers must be able to utilize information technology to effectively and efficiently carry out their mission. As in the past, current barriers exist to providing such needed services in rural areas. The Workforce and Leadership Development (WALD) Center has developed a mobile informatics training project, The Chautauqua Project, named in remembrance of the original Chautauqua movement. The Chautauqua Project is overcoming public health infrastructure barriers, by providing on-site informatics training to public health workers. Training is delivered at the health departments, in a format that meets the specific needs and timeframes of each agency. The skills gained through this project ease the electronic transfer of information from public health departments to the state and federal levels, enhancing both the timeliness and quality of information provided. To date, over 400 public health workers representing 55% of Kansas counties have participated in the project. Project participation includes all levels of public health workers and training is directed to meet the overall public health workforce's needs and requirements. Because informatics has a significant impact on the public health systems ability to perform core functions, such as assessment, policy development, and assurance, emphasis is given to the importance of this project.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe a continuing education project for rural public health workers.
• Discuss informatics in public health.
• Demonstrate links between evaluation and training.

Keywords: Information Technology, Public Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.