Capacity building in the public health field in the Tunisian medical faculties

Abstract Over the past years, Tunisia has experienced important reforms in the field of public health. The Tunisian medical faculties (Universities of Sfax, Tunis el Manar, Sousse and Monastir) play a key role in this endeavor by training public health professionals who can contribute to the modernization of the health system. Funded by the EC through Erasmus+ programme, the CONFIDE project (coordinated by Babes-Bolyai University, having as EU partners the Universities of Southern Denmark and Trnava, and the above mentioned Tunisian universities) has established the Research into Policy training programme by strengthening their capacity to provide public health training. The Research into Policy training programme has been delivered by the Centres for Evidence into Health Policy (C4EHPs) established within the Tunisian partner universities for the needs of CONFIDE. The training programme was implemented in four steps: (1) train the trainer sessions - the European experts trained 18 Tunisian trainers; (2) shadowing sessions - the trainers participated in shadowing sessions in the European partner institutions; (3) training delivery - the CONFIDE trainers, assisted by the European experts, delivered the training to an interdisciplinary group of 25 students and professionals; (4) internships - the students participated in internships in local health institutions. Three modules have been built within the Research into Policy training programme: Public health research, Health promotion policies and Evidence based public health policy. They contributed to increasing the public health knowledge and skills of the professionals trained. The training programme was well received by the Tunisian universities and the material developed so far during the project was adapted to the Tunisian context in the third step of implementation. On the long term, the project is expected to have an impact at the national level and produce updates at curricula level in the Tunisian medical faculties. Key messages Research into Policy training programme developed by the EC partners and culturally adapted by the Tunisian partners to the Tunisian public health context. Research into Policy training is a well-received tool for the high quality learning process in the public health field in Tunisian medical faculties.

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Transformative learning for health professional in the twenty-first century for the future health workforce

10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0103 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 709-718

Author(s):

Wanicha Chuenkongkaew ◽

Suwit Wibulpolprasert

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Transformative Learning ◽

Health Knowledge ◽

Health Workers ◽

Leadership Skills ◽

Health Service Delivery ◽

Training Programme ◽

Local Health ◽

Future Health ◽

Service Training

Health systems globally are facing many challenges, including major constraints in their workforces: from staff shortages, inappropriate distribution, as well as poor workforce performance and management. One strategy that has been used is ‘task shifting’ to lower cadre professionals or local health workers. Involving local and community health workers (L/CHWs) has been shown to be effective in many countries. This chapter covers the issue of L/CHW training to meet public health needs. As L/CHWs are usually recruited locally with varying background, effective training is therefore very important to ensure that L/CHWs have adequate competency to carry out basic tasks and specific functions to support health professionals in health service delivery. The training programme may cover core public health knowledge and disciplines plus general work competency such as communication and leadership skills. In addition to pre-service training, there should be regular in-service activities to update knowledge and skills and post-training support must be available.

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Professionalisation of the public health workforce: why, what and how

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.752 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

K Czabanowska

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Workforce ◽

Public Health Education ◽

Codes Of Ethics ◽

Public Health Workforce ◽

European Region ◽

Local Health ◽

The Public ◽

The Core ◽

Public Health Training

Abstract Background Member States of the WHO European Region are calling for guidance on how to build the capacity of the public health workforce to help strengthening health systems. The aim of this presentation is to stir the discussion about the professionalization of the public health workforce. Attention is paid to the why, what and how this should be done in countries of the European Region. Methods The European Competency Framework for the Public Health Workforce (Eco-FPHW) has been developed in the framework of the Coalition of Partners, led by WHO European Region, and is one of the pillars of the Roadmap to Professionalizing the public health workforce. The Eco-FPHW primarily relates to the core public health workforce, and that the definition of what constitutes the core public health workforce will differ from one country to the next. Results The Roadmap puts forward several possible levers and measures which include: public health education and training, competencies, formal organisation, credentialing and accreditation, codes of ethics and professional conduct as well as laws and regulations, enumeration and job profiles among others. These measures can be engaged with by a range of stakeholders who have important roles and insights into improving public health. Stakeholders include governments, ministries, national and regional/local health authorities, but also directors of public health training institutions, public health institutes, professional organisations, and employers of the public health workforce. Conclusions The Roadmap provides a guide for all those countries, institutions and organisations wishing to strengthen the delivery of the public health functions and to support the competencies of the public health workforce.

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The Public Health Responsibility Deal: how should such a complex public health policy be assessed?

The Lancet ◽

10.1016/s0140-6736(13)60367-0 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 380 ◽

pp. S11 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mark Petticrew ◽

Elizabeth Eastmure ◽

Nicholas Mays ◽

Cecile Knai ◽

Anna Bryden

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Policy ◽

Public Health Policy ◽

The Public ◽

Health Responsibility

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The Role of EMS Systems in Public Health Emergencies

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x00037183 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 30-35 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Barbara A. McIntosh ◽

Patricia Hinds ◽

Lorraine M. Giordano

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Department ◽

Definitive Treatment ◽

Local Health ◽

Public Health Response ◽

Pneumonic Plague ◽

Notification System ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Emergencies ◽

Isolation Facilities

AbstractIntroduction:Until now, the public health response to the threat of an epidemic has involved coordination of efforts between federal agencies, local health departments, and individual hospitals, with no defined role for prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) providers.Methods:Representatives from the local health department, hospital consortium, and prehospital EMS providers developed an interim plan for dealing with an epidemic alert. The plan allowed for the prehospital use of appropriate isolation procedures, prophylaxis of personnel, and predesignation of receiving hospitals for patients suspected of having infection. Additionally, a dual notification system utilizing an EMS physician and a representative from the Office of Infectious Diseases from the hospital group was implemented to ensure that all potential cases were captured. Initially, the plan was employed only for those cases arising from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCJ/Public Health Service (PHS) quarantine unit at the airport, but its use later was expanded to include all potential cases within the 9–1–1 system.Results:In the two test situations in which it was employed, the plan incorporating the prehospital EMS sector worked well and extended the “surveillance net” further into the community. During the Pneumonic Plague alert, EMS responded to the quarantine facilities at the airport five times and transported two patients to isolation facilities. Two additional patients were identified and transported to isolation facilities from calls within the 9–1–1 system. In all four isolated cases, Pneumonic Plague was ruled out. During the Ebola alert, no potential cases were identified.Conclusion:The incorporation of the prehospital sector into an already existing framework for public health emergencies (i.e., epidemics), enhances the reach of the public safety surveillance net and ensure that proper isolation is continued from identification of a possible case to arrival at a definitive treatment facility.

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The Public Health Police

Punishing Disease ◽

10.1525/california/9780520291584.003.0004 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Trevor Hoppe

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

Local Health ◽

Health Departments ◽

Adherence To Treatment ◽

The Public ◽

Treatment Regimens ◽

Health Authorities ◽

Public Health Authorities ◽

Local Health Authorities

As the HIV epidemic wore on in the 2000s, public health authorities became enamored with the idea of “ending AIDS.” That is, if they could just get HIV-positive people to take their pills and stop infecting other people. Health departments began to track HIV-positive clients more closely, aiming to control their behavior and ensure their adherence to treatment regimens. This chapter explores how local health authorities ensure that HIV-positive clients behave in a manner officials deem responsible—and how they catch and punish those who do not. While the state maintains that the work of local health officials is done solely in the interests of promoting public health, their efforts to control HIV-positive clients reveal that they are also engaged in policing and law enforcement.

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Application for Public Health Accreditation Among US Local Health Departments in 2013 to 2019: Impact of Service and Activity Mix

American Journal of Public Health ◽

10.2105/ajph.2020.306007 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. e1-e8

Author(s):

Jonathon P. Leider ◽

Jessica Kronstadt ◽

Valerie A. Yeager ◽

Kellie Hall ◽

Chelsey K. Saari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

United States ◽

Latent Class ◽

The United States ◽

Local Health ◽

Health Departments ◽

Local Health Departments ◽

Profile Data ◽

The Public ◽

Funding Support

Objectives. To examine correlates of applying for accreditation among small local health departments (LHDs) in the United States through 2019. Methods. We used administrative data from the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) and 2013, 2016, and 2019 Profile data from the National Association of County and City Health Officials to examine correlates of applying for PHAB accreditation. We fit a latent class analysis (LCA) to characterize LHDs by service mix and size. We made bivariate comparisons using the t test and Pearson χ2. Results. By the end of 2019, 126 small LHDs had applied for accreditation (8%). When we compared reasons for not pursuing accreditation, we observed a difference by size for perceptions that standards exceeded LHD capacity (47% for small vs 22% for midsized [P < .001] and 0% for large [P < .001]). Conclusions. Greater funding support, considering differing standards by LHD size, and recognition that service mix might affect practicality of accreditation are all relevant considerations in attempting to increase uptake of accreditation for small LHDs. Public Health Implications. Overall, small LHDs represented about 60% of all LHDs that had not yet applied to PHAB. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print December 22, 2020: e1–e8. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.306007 )

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Towards European Modern Societies with Health Systems That Are Able to Add More Years to Life, But Also to Add More Life to Years

Effective Methods for Modern Healthcare Service Quality and Evaluation - Advances in Medical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-9961-8.ch010 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 228-255

Author(s):

Androutsou Lorena ◽

Androutsou Foulvia

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Systems ◽

Healthcare Access ◽

National Level ◽

World Population ◽

Health Issues ◽

Quality Healthcare ◽

Public Health Policies ◽

The Public ◽

European Public

The political context in Europe is changing including health. Among the priorities in seeking to influence the future of healthcare is a renewed attachment to health for all, health in all policies and a better coordination between social and health policy. Health issues are by definition international, and Europe has a duty to extend solidarity to the wider world population, in strategy and in delivery. Ensuring equitable access to high-quality healthcare constitutes a key challenge for health systems throughout Europe. The chapter will emphasise the importance of European public health policies. The chapter will offer a real opportunity to address public health areas and values such as right to access to healthcare into the detailed mechanisms of European policy. The chapter will form a tool for health leaders, to enrich their knowledge in the public health spectrum from a European perspective, to support, promote and improve healthcare access at a national level.

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Xenotransplantation: the potential and the challenges

Critical Care Nurse ◽

10.4037/ccn1999.19.2.76 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

pp. 76-83 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

ET Bloom ◽

AD Moulton ◽

J McCoy ◽

LE Chapman ◽

AP Patterson

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

National Level ◽

Clinical Use ◽

Policy Makers ◽

The Public ◽

Human Organs ◽

Seriously Ill Patients ◽

Seriously Ill

Clinical use of xenotransplants is a potential way to provide care for a population of seriously ill patients and alleviate the demand for human organs. However, xenotransplantation also presents a spectrum of concerns, not only for individual patients but also for the public health, that must be discussed and dealt with in a science-based and public manner. Such discussions should take place on a national level and should include scientists, physicians, and policy makers from all countries in which the clinical use of xenografts is being considered.

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Workshop: Capacity building in public health in Northern Africa. A common effort to develop training programmes

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.493 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Capacity Building ◽

Health Research ◽

Policy Decision ◽

Northern Africa ◽

Integrate Approach ◽

The Public ◽

Lessons Learnt ◽

Building Process ◽

Health Field

Abstract Background In the years that have followed the overthrow of the former autocratic regime and the democratization of the country, the CONFIDE partner country, Tunisia, has experienced positive political and economic changes. These changes have driven important reforms in the field of public health, yet this country is facing important challenges in building a modern health system and finding an integrate approach to the main national public health problems. In terms of health research system, in Tunisia there is little coordination between stakeholders and the institutions in charge of public health. Moreover, there is no specific mechanism for informing the Ministry of Health about the progress of research in Tunisia and overall there is no structure responsible for the dissemination of research results to the public. To this end, the European and Tunisian members of this consortium have designed together the present capacity building project which aims to inform public health policies in Tunisia based on evidence and contribute to the development of public health research. The CONFIDE project is contributing to the development of the public health field in Tunisia and provides knowhow and tools to the Tunisian public health professions to better collaborate with the local stakeholders. Aim of the workshop The aim of this workshop is to share the experience of the capacity building process in the public health field in Northern Africa. The workshop will discuss and analyse the structure of opportunities for change and reform and the local needs of the public health domain in Tunisia and will identify the main challenges. We will present the processes used and challenges faced, but also the ways to overcome these challenges. This workshop will contribute to the European Public Health field by increasing the visibility at European level of the efforts directed to capacity building interventions and at transferring knowhow outside Europe, specifically Northern Africa. Program The introduction to the workshop will be made by Prof. Razvan Chereches MD, PhD, Professor of Public Health and coordinator of the CONFIDE project. He will describe the methodology used for the capacity building in public health trainings programme in Tunisia. The development of the Centre for Evidence Based Public Health in Tunisia and their impact on the Tunisian local and regional levels will be presented by Prof. Fatma Cheikhrouhou. The link between the knowledge transferred to the young professionals and the policy decision makers will be described by the Tunisian coordinator of the dissemination activities, Prof. Kalthoum Kallel. MScPH Maria Palianopoulou will follow with presenting the evaluation results of the capacity building process and lessons learnt. Last but not least, the sustainability of the trainings and the local effort to integrate the knowledge into the Medical University curricula will be presented by Assistant Prof. Mohamed ben Rejeb. Key messages Discussing lessons learnt can contribute to better tools for the development of public health. Partners` perspective and culturally adapted tools are important for high quality learning process.

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