The bounds of suicide talk: Implications for qualitative suicide research

Following the implementation of a provincial suicide prevention gatekeeper training initiative in western Canada between 2015 and 2018, we conducted a focused ethnography designed to capture the post-initiative context within one small community. Analyses of our field observations and interviews with community members suggest suicide prevention work is represented in multiple informal or coordinated actions to generate innovative pathways to provoke open conversations about suicide. Simultaneously, suicide talk is constrained and managed to limit vulnerability and exposure and adhere to community privacy norms. Further, parameters around suicide talk may be employed in efforts to construct the community and mental health care in livable ways. As the research process paralleled existing representations of suicide prevention work in the community, this paper explores our entanglement in the bounds of suicide talk during phases of recruitment, data collection and knowledge translation activities.

ICAO: Runway Safety Training

ICAO will partner with ACI, IATA and CANSO on new runway safety training initiative.The new online course has been specifically designed for air traffic controllers and aeronautical information service staff. It will be available for enrolment in April of this year on the ICAO Global Aviation Training website. The course complements existing courses developed in cooperation with Airports Council International (ACI) for airport operations staff, and with IATA for flight crews.

Responding to COVID-19 by building health workforce capacity across eleven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Background: The global spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus highlights both the importance of frontline healthcare workers (HCW) in pandemic response and their heightened vulnerability during infectious disease outbreaks. Adequate preparation, including the development of human resources for health (HRH) is essential to an effective response. ICAP at Columbia University (ICAP) partnered with Resolve to Save Lives and MOHs to design an emergency training initiative for frontline HCW in 11 African countries, using a competency-based backward-design approach and tailoring training delivery and health facility selection based on country context, location and known COVID-19 community transmission. Methods: Pre and Post-test assessments were conducted on participants completing the COVID-19 training. Parametric and non-parametric methods were used to examine average individual-level changes from pre- to post-test, and compare performance between countries, cadres, sex and facility types. A post evaluation online training survey using Qualtrics was distributed to assess participants’ satisfaction and explore training relevance and impact on their ability to address COVID-19 in their facilities and communities. Results: A total of 8,797 HCW at 945 health facilities were trained between June 2020 and October 2020. Training duration ranged from 1 to 8 days (median: 3days) and consisted of in person, virtual or self guided training. Of the 8,105 (92%) HCW working at health facilities, the majority (62%) worked at secondary level facilities as these were the HF targeted for COVID-19 patients. Paired pre- and post-test results were available for 2,370 (25%) trainees, and 1,768 (18%) participants completed the post-evaluation training survey. On average, participants increased their pre- to post-test scores by 15 percentage points (95% CI: 0.14, 0.15). While confidence in their ability to manage COVID-19 was high following the training, respondents reported that lack of access to testing kits (55%) and PPE (50%), limited space in the facility to isolate patients (45%), and understaffing (39%) were major barriers. Conclusion: Ongoing investment in health systems and focused attention to health workforce capacity building is critical to outbreak response. The success of our short-term IPC training initiative was due both to the speed, rigor and flexibility of its design and delivery, and to the pre-existing systems, resources, and partnerships that enabled its rapid implementation

Outcomes of a National, Cross-Sector Antimicrobial Stewardship Training Initiative for Pharmacists in England

(1) Background: Pharmacists play a pivotal role in tackling Antimicrobial resistance through antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and are well placed to lead behaviour change interventions across the healthcare system; (2) Methods: A cross-sector AMS training initiative for pharmacists was implemented across England, with three cohorts between 2019–2021. Each cohort took part in an introductory workshop, followed- by a workplace-based quality improvement project supported by peer-assisted learning sessions. Completion of training was determined by an end of training assessment after three to four months. Outcome data and learner survey results were collated, anonymised, and analysed by the training provider. (3) Results: In total, 118 pharmacists participated in the introductory workshop, 70% of these subsequently undertook an improvement project, and 48% engaged workplace stakeholders in the process. Interventions were designed by 57% of learners and 18% completed a at least one Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle. Approximately a quarter of learners met the requirements for a Certificate of Completion. Knowledge quiz scores were obtained from 115 learners pre-training and 28 learners post-training. Paired t-tests conducted for 28 learners showed a statistically significant improvement in mean score from 67.7% to 81.1% (p < 0.0001). Sixty-two learner survey responses were received during the training and 21 follow-up survey responses 6 to 12 months post training. Of the 21 responses to the follow-up survey, ongoing quality improvement work and improvement outcomes were reported by nine and six learners, respectively. (4) Conclusions: The delivery of workplace-based training at scale can be challenging, however this study demonstrates that coupling learning with workplace implementation and peer support can promote behaviour change in learners. Further study into the impact of providing pharmacists across sectors and geographies with access to this type of training will help inform ongoing workforce development interventions.

Capacity development in household surveys experience from the centre for development data training initiative

Household surveys remain the major source of official statistics for monitoring development policies particularly in developing countries. In the context of rapid developments in data needs, extensive methodological work, data processing and use at national and international levels and a remaining capacity gap despite efforts for statistical capacity building in last decade, it is critical for training centers to keep up to speed with international best practices. This paper show that the approach of the Centre for Development Data Training initiative (C4D2 Training Initiative) is highly effective and stand to have a long-term impact on household survey capacity in Africa region. It is made of several components all of which aim to bolster capacity development in the region. It harmonizes and improves the quality and sustainability of training on household surveys through increased local capacity and greater dissemination of best practices, creates a network among participants and trainers to facilitate knowledge exchange on best practices as well as survey harmonization across countries. Taking advantage of benefits, the initiative should endeavor other regions subject to their interest and embrace the use of virtual and web-based training.

Longitudinal, naturalistic study of training and support for implementation of evidence-based youth mental health practices among community providers

Ongoing training and implementation support for mental health (MH) providers may help to bridge the often-noted research-to-practice gap in community MH care. However, MH providers typically have limited ability to access training or implementation support in evidence-based practices (EBPs). To address this need, the current study describes the reach and impact of a county-wide youth MH initiative aimed at increasing youths' and families' access to effective youth MH services by providing free EBP training and implementation support to MH service providers. Specifically, the initiative offered 1) formal workshops focused on specific EBPs, 2) a biweekly learning community, 3) individual case consultation or supervision, and 4) a confidential online session-bysession clinical feedback system. To evaluate the training initiative, we employed a mixed methods approach within a naturalistic, longitudinal design. Providers (N = 717) were asked to complete an initiatrainings and on a yearly basis thereafter (n = 255 completed at least one follow-up assessment). Measures included demographics, clinical practice information, self-reported confidence in treating youths with various problem types, organizational implementation climate, and EBP knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Additionally, we completed individual, semi-structured, qualitative interviews with a stratified purposeful sampling of providers (n = 13) based on level of participation in the training. While the training initiative had high reach, far fewer providers ultimately engaged in training. Results suggested providers who were trainees, who had higher baseline knowledge of EBPs, who used common evidence-based strategies more extensively, and who used other therapy strategies less extensively, engaged in more training. A provider's stage of career (i.e., being a pre-service trainee or post-graduate provider) consistently showed differences in training outcomes, with trainees haviEBPs, using common evidence-based strategies and other therapy strategies less extensively, and self-reporting less confidence in their effectiveness than post-graduate providers. Contrary to hypotheses, quantity and method of training were less consistently associated with change in training outcomes. Rapid qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews complemented and expanded upon the quantitative results, illuminating provider, organizational, system, practical, and training activity-specific barriers and facilitators to training engagement and EBP implementation. Implications for future research and training initiatives are discussed in light of these findings.

Bridging the gap – MTI experience to an excellent MTI experience – An experiential, theme driven, concordance verifying study

AimsTo collate experiences of international medical graduates (trained psychiatrists) on the Medical Training Initiative (MTI) and equivalent programs (International Medical Fellowship (IMF)/CESR Fellowships) in the United Kingdom and to understand shared themes.MethodThree psychiatrists with the experience of being part of MTI/IMF program, for a minimum of 1 year, participated in theme guided, focussed discussions to understand common experiences. These discussion where limited to 3 broad headings. Opportunities to grow, what we wish the college knew and what we wished the trusts and supervisors knew. The experiential accounts were captured and circulated among a group of 20 MTI/IMF/CESR fellowship doctors and rated on a 5 point Likert scale varying between strongly agree to strongly disagree.ResultThe findings suggest that the expectations and experiences of the psychiatrists on such programs share some common themes. Most of them had varied experiences under the theme ‘opportunities to grow’. The suggestions for what these doctors ‘wished the trusts, college and supervisors knew’ had a good concordance among the 20 doctors who reviewed the themes and suggestions. The details of the themes and commonalities will be discussed at the conference.ConclusionThe expectations and experiences of the doctors on MTI/equivalent program share common themes. Bridging the gap between MTI experience to an excellent MTI experience would involve identifying such shared experiences, that could potentially guide development of processes, thereby making these training fellowships better tailored to each trainee.