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Characterizing the Current State of Training Courses Available to US Disaster Professionals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 May 2019

Thomas Kirsch ,
Mark Keim  and
Kandra Strauss-Riggs
Thomas Kirsch*
Affiliation:
National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University, Rockville, Maryland
Mark Keim
Affiliation:
National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University, Rockville, Maryland
Kandra Strauss-Riggs
Affiliation:
National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University, Rockville, Maryland Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Thomas Kirsch, National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Uniformed Services University, 11300 Rockville Pike, Suite 1000, Rockville, MD (e-mail: thomas.kirsch@usuhs.edu)
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Abstract

Objective:

The objective of this study is to characterize US-based disaster training courses available to disaster response and disaster health professionals. Its purpose is to better inform policies and decision-making regarding workforce and professional development to improve performance.

Methods:

Courses were identified from 4 inventories of courses: (1) National Library of Medicine Disaster Lit database; (2) TRAIN National Learning Network; (3) Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Preparedness Course Catalog; and (4) Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Centers. An online search used 30 disaster-related key words. Data included the course title, description, target audience, and delivery modality. Levels of learning, target capability, and function were categorized by 3 expert reviewers. Descriptive statistics were used.

Results:

There were 3662 trainings: 2380 (65%) for professionals (53% for public health); 83% of the courses were distance learning, with 16% via classroom. Half of all trainings focused on 3 of 37 disaster capabilities and 38% of them were related to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosives (CBRNE). The educational approach was knowledge-based for all courses and 99.6% imparted only lower levels of learning.

Conclusion:

Despite thousands of courses available, there remain significant gaps in target audience, subject matter content, educational approaches, and delivery modalities, particularly for health and public health professionals.

Keywords

disaster medicinedisasterseducationgovernmenthealth educationpublic health professional
Type
Original Research
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 13 , Issue 5-6 , December 2019 , pp. 920 - 926
Copyright
Copyright © 2019 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 

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