226709 Current status and future plans for undergraduate public/community health education program accreditation

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 8:45 AM - 9:00 AM

M. Elizabeth Miller, PhD(c), RD, LD , Health Promotion & Education, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
David Birch, PhD , Department of Health Science, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL
Randall Cottrell, DEd, MCHES , College of Education Criminal Justice, and Human Sevices, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH
     
Background: Quality assurance in health education professional preparation has long been a goal of the profession. A comprehensive coordinated accreditation process for graduate and undergraduate health education has been recommended. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the current status of, and future plans for, accreditation/approval of professional preparation programs in community health education. Methods: A web-based survey was sent to 93 programs chairs or coordinators listed in American Association for Health Education (AAHE) Program Directory of Institutes offering Undergraduate and Graduate Degree Programs in Health Education. Results: Fifty-eight programs responded yielding a 62% response rate. Sixty-two percent (n=33) of programs noted they would seek accreditation when CEPH accreditation of free-standing undergraduate programs becomes available. Seventy-nine percent (n=45) reported their administration was highly supportive or somewhat supportive of accreditation. Discussion: Results indicate that universities surveyed were supportive of accreditation and that professional preparation programs will move to obtain accreditation at the undergraduate level when available. Recommendations for program support needed for this process were provided.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
1. Discuss the current status and climate of undergraduate health education accreditation from the perspective of universitites and professional preparation programs.

Keywords: Health Education, Accreditation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I conducted the research related to this abstract
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3058.0: Credentialing : Preparing public health practitioners