Public Health Infrastructure at Ports of Entry: Developing Effective Training Materials for U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers serve an integral role in the public health infrastructure at U.S. ports of entry. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Division of Global Migration and Quarantine provides training to all incoming CBP Officers to equip them with the knowledge and skills to assist CDC staff in responding to communicable disease threats at U.S. ports of entry. Requests from field staff and information gathered through key informant interviews identified the need for improved training materials. A systematic and comprehensive health education planning strategy was used to revise current training materials and create new ones: 1) plan development, 2) needs assessment, 3) development of materials, 4) implementation, and 5) evaluation of effectiveness and revision of materials. Formative evaluation included pretesting the materials with internal and external working groups for content, format, and design. The focus groups and interviews evaluated the acceptability and effectiveness of the materials based on the unique work environment of CBP officers. Materials were pilot tested and further revised before implementation nationwide. The results of this evaluation yielded structural training revisions, updated resources, and created new materials (e.g., job aids, quick reference guides, interactive presentation activities) to better aid CBP officers in identifying public health threats. The process of generating more effective training methods and materials bolsters the partnership between CDC and CBP. It also cultivates a more efficient and effective response to communicable diseases at U.S. ports of entry.