Continuing-education needs of public health educators: their perspectives. |
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Authors: | James H Price Sutoidem Akpanudo Joseph A Dake Susan K Telljohann |
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Institution: | Department of Public Health, University of Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA. jprice@utnet.utoledo.edu. |
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Abstract: | The objective of the study described in this article was to determine the perceived continuing-education needs of employed public health educators. A three-wave mailing of a questionnaire was sent to a national sample of 500 public health educators who were asked to rate their preparation on 41 subcompetencies. Of 299 returned surveys (63%), 149 indicated that they were not currently practicing public health educators. Thus, analysis was based on 150 respondents. Six subcompetencies were perceived by 25% or more of the respondents as topics in which they needed more training. Health educators reported a need for continuing education, focused primarily on administration and evaluation of programs and applying appropriate research principles. Furthermore, the public health educators overwhelmingly preferred to attend a conference or workshop (85%) as their method of obtaining further continuing education. Health education programs and professional organizations need to take note of the identified continuing-education needs when developing future educational programs to adequately update health educators. |
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