A 'training of trainers' programme for operational research: increasing capacity remotely.

BACKGROUND: Operational research (OR) is a process to improve health system capacity by evaluating interventions to improve health delivery and outcomes. The World Health Organization (WHO) Structured Operational Research Training Initiative (SORT-IT) programme promotes how OR contributes to improved health care delivery and health outcomes. A partnership project between the International Institute of Primary Health Care (IPHCE) in Ethiopia and The University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia modified the SORT-IT programme to deliver a hybrid Training of Trainers programme and improve OR capacity. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of Train-the Trainers approach in building capability to expand the capacity of the IPHCE to deliver the SORT-IT programme. METHODS: Recruitment of participants and training were aligned with the principles of the SORT-IT programme. Training was face-to-face for the first session with subsequent training sessions delivered via Zoom over a 13-week period. Participants were required to complete all activities in line with SORT-IT deliverables. Slide decks supporting the SORT-IT training videos were developed and adapted to the Ethiopian context. RESULTS: Participants had diverse experience from programme directors to research officers. All training sessions were recorded and available for participants to watch and review when required. All participants completed OR protocols to the draft stage. Course evaluation revealed participants found the content and format of the training useful, pertinent, and interesting. CONCLUSION: A hybrid model (face-to-face and video platform) for OR training was implemented. Managing contextual challenges such as information technology were managed easily by programme staff. Translating course requirements at a management level proved challenging with data collection for the protocols but provided insight into potential future challenges. This OR Training of Trainers course demonstrated that sharing of skills and knowledge can occur through a hybrid delivery model and contribute to developing capacity.

Student reflections on an interdisciplinary pandemics course utilising systems thinking.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: The complexity and uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need to change training of public health professionals in higher education by shifting from siloed specialisations to interdisciplinary collaboration. At the end of 2020 and 2021, public health professionals collaboratively designed and delivered, a week-long intensive course-Public Health in Pandemics. The aim of this research study was to understand whether the use of systems thinking in the design and delivery of the course enabled students to grasp the interdisciplinary nature of contemporary health promotion and public health practice. RESEARCH METHODS: Two focus group interviews (n = 5 and 3/47) and a course opinion survey (n = 11/47) were utilised to gather information from students regarding experiences and perceptions of course design and delivery, and to determine if students felt better able to understand the complex nature of pandemics and pandemic responses. MAJOR FINDINGS: Students provided positive feedback on the course and believed that the course design and delivery assisted in understanding the complex nature of health problems and the ways in which health promotion and public health practitioners need to work across sectors with diverse disciplines for pandemic responses. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an integrated interdisciplinary approach to course design and delivery enabled students used systems thinking to understand the complexity in preparing for and responding to a pandemic. This approach may have utility in preparing an agile, iterative and adaptive health promotion and public health workforce more capable of facing the challenges and complexity in public health.

A review of national action plans on antimicrobial resistance: strengths and weaknesses.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization developed the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a priority because of the increasing threat posed to human health, animal health and agriculture. Countries around the world have been encouraged to develop their own National Action Plans (NAPs) to help combat AMR. The objective of this review was to assess the content of the NAPs and determine alignment with the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance using a policy analysis approach. BODY: National Action Plans were accessed from the WHO Library and systematically analysed using a policy analysis approach for actors, process, context and content. Information was assessed using a 'traffic light' system to determine agreeance with the five WHO Global Action Plans objectives. A total of 78 NAPs (70 WHO approved, eight not approved) from the five global regions were analysed. National action plans which provided more information regarding the consultative process and the current situation regarding AMR allowed greater insight to capabilities of the country. Despite the availability of guidelines to inform the development of the plans, there were many differences between plans with the content of information provided. High income countries indicated greater progression with objectives achievement while low and middle-income countries presented the need for human and financial resources. CONCLUSION: The national action plans provide an overview of activities underway to combat AMR globally. This analysis reveals how disconnected the process has been and how little information is being gathered globally.

Infection control practices employed within small animal veterinary practices-A systematic review.

Effective infection control (IC) provides a safe environment for staff, clients and animals of veterinary practices by reducing the risk of nosocomial and zoonotic infections, which are associated with increased hospital stays, costs, morbidity and mortality. An equally important issue arising from nosocomial infection is the loss of trust between the client and the veterinary practice that has potential negative impacts on the veterinary practice in terms of economic risk and the well-being of staff. Furthermore, an emerging and significant threat, in this context, is antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this systematic review was to critically review published reports that documented current IC practices and evaluated interventions to improve IC practices. A systematic literature search using ten databases to identify papers published over a 20-year period (February 1996 to February 2016) was conducted for studies that met the inclusion criteria. Included studies were assessed using the PRISMA and STROBE-Vet statements. A total of 14 of 1,615 identified studies met our inclusion criteria. Infection control practices included hand hygiene, sharps handling, environmental cleaning, personal protective equipment and personnel vaccination. Descriptive studies were the predominant research design for assessing IC compliance. Only three studies were interventions. Compliance with IC protocols was poor and only marginally increased with multimodal educational campaigns. There was significant variation in the implementation of IC by veterinary staff. Workplaces that had IC policies, management support and a staff member supporting their implementation were more likely to embrace good IC. Infection control data in veterinary practices were inconsistently reported and collected. Clearly defining IC and determining prevalence of these practices within the veterinary field is important given the limited research in this area. Further, developing and implementing educational campaigns for this sector is needed.