2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

338212
Re-Verification and Validation of Health Education/Promotion Practice


Monday, November 2, 2015 : 12:30 p.m. - 12:50 p.m.

Dixie Dennis, PhD, MCHES, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN
James McKenzie, PhD, MPH, MCHES, Ball State University, Elizabethtown, PA
Linda Lysoby, MS, MCHES, CAE, National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc (NCHEC), Whitehall, PA
M. Elaine Auld, MPH, MCHES, Society for Public Health Education, Washington, DC
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Meeting the accreditation standards of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis (HESPA) was implemented to validate the contemporary practice of entry-level and experienced health education specialists. HESPA was launched by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) and Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE). Experts from Professional Examination Services (ProExam) spearheaded the analysis.

In this presentation, the 18-month process for the practice analysis will be described, and results will be highlighted. Methods: The HESPA process included 1) The 12-member HESPA Task Force developed a survey to assess the practice of health education specialists; 2) subject matter experts (SMEs) were interviewed about the current state of professional practice; 3) additional SMEs completed an email-based independent review; 4) the survey was pilot tested among 24 health education specialists; 5) health education specialists completed a final questionnaire, and 6) the Responsibilities, Competencies, and Sub-competencies were revised based on HESPA findings.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines

Learning Objectives:
Describe the process used to develop the research questions for the Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis (HESPA). Summarize the results of the HESPA.

Keyword(s): Accreditation, Certification

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the NCHEC Board of Commissioners Chair and co-chair of the Health Education Specialists Practice Analysis.
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: 3227.0: Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis: Re-verification of Essential Professional Responsibilities, Competencies, & Sub-competencies