ABSTRACT
Problem: The Pacific region has widely dispersed populations, limited financial and human resources and a high burden of disease. There is an urgent need to improve the availability, reliability and timeliness of useable health data. Context: The purpose of this paper is to share lessons learnt from a three-year pilot field epidemiology training programme that was designed to respond to these Pacific health challenges. The pilot programme built on and further developed an existing field epidemiology training programme for Pacific health staff. Action: The programme was delivered in country by epidemiologists working for Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network partners. The programme consisted of five courses: four one-week classroom-based courses and one field epidemiology project. Sessions were structured so that theoretical understanding was achieved through interaction and reinforced through practical hands-on group activities, case studies and other interactive practical learning methods. Outcome: As of September 2016, 258 students had commenced the programme. Twenty-six course workshops were delivered and one cohort of students had completed the full five-course programme. The programme proved popular and gained a high level of student engagement. Discussion: Face-to-face delivery, a low student-to-facilitator ratio, substantial group work and practical exercises were identified as key factors that contributed to the students developing skills and confidence. Close engagement of leaders and the need to quickly evaluate and adapt the curriculum were important lessons, and the collaboration between external partners was considered important for promoting a harmonized approach to health needs in the Pacific.
ABSTRACT
OBJETIVO: evaluar las lecciones aprendidas en el proceso de producción de materiales educativos, en temas de salud sexual y reproductiva, implementado por promotores juveniles de la Ciudad de El Alto, en el marco del Proyecto educativo ITSIDANET durante la gestión 2006. MÉTODOS: estudio cualitativo, ejecutado entre febrero y noviembre del 2006, aplicando las técnicas cualitativas de revisión documental, entrevistas, grupos focales, encuestas y análisis documental de toda la información obtenida. RESULTADOS: los resultados obtenidos permiten precisar tres lecciones aprendidas: 1) Que antes de iniciar un proceso de producción de materiales educativos se deben conocer todos los criterios generales y específicos para su diseño, 2) Conocer las condiciones para su uso adecuado, y 3) Jamás dejar inconcluso un proceso de este tipo omitiendo su evaluación. CONCLUSIÓN: los procesos de educación para la salud requieren de un involucramiento de los grupos sociales, desde su planificación, producción de materiales educativos, hasta la ejecución y evaluación. Sin embargo, no hay que olvidar que otorgar el protagonismo no significa descuidar el acompañamiento necesario para que estas experiencias realmente cumplan con sus objetivos trazados.
OBJECTIVE: assess learned lessons in the production process of educational materials in sexual and reproductive health topics, implemented by young promoters in El Alto, under the education project ITSIDANET, term 2006. METHODS: qualitative study, which was carried out between February and November 2006, applying qualitative techniques of documental review, interviews, focus groups, surveys and document analysis of information obtained. RESULTS: the achieved results permit to specify three lessons learned, the first one is that before starting a production process of educational materials the general and specific criterion must be known for its design, the second one, to know the conditions for its proper use, and the third, never leave unfinished a process of this type omitting its evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: the processes ofhealth education require involvement of social groups, from planning, production of educational materials, to implementation and evaluation. However, it should not be forgotten that the urge ofbeing in the limelight does not mean neglecting the necessary accompaniment that these experiences actually meet their objectives.