Education and Training Needs of U.S. Tuberculosis Programs

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Control
• Health Education

Background:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds Tuberculosis (TB) Centers of Excellence (COEs) to bolster TB control and prevention in the U.S.
• A 2018 assessment was conducted by TB COEs to identify staff needs in TB training, resources, and medical consultation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the training, resource, and medical consultation needs of U.S. staff involved in tuberculosis service delivery.
• To identify priority areas for future TB training and education initiatives.

Main Methods:

• A multiphased needs assessment was conducted by TB COEs and the CDC's Division of TB Elimination.
• An online survey was utilized for data collection from 1,482 staff across various settings in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Main Results:

• Four priority areas for future TB training and education were identified.
• Key areas include focusing on essential topics, customizing content for diverse professions and skill levels, providing updates on the latest resources and best practices, and employing varied training methods.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights critical priorities for enhancing TB training and education programs nationwide.
• Findings were disseminated to health department TB programs across the United States to inform future strategies.