2014.ISDS.Abstracts.Final.pdf


ISDS Annual Conference Proceedings 2014. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-
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ISDS 2014 Conference Abstracts

Keeping Public Health Surveillance Practice up to 
Speed: a Training Strategy to Build Capacity

Kathleen Laberge*, Lisa Jensen, Dr. Philip Abdelmalik, Katie Rutledge-Taylor and Lena 
Shah

Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada

Objective
To enhance the knowledge and ability of public health practitioners 

to integrate and apply surveillance concepts, principles, and emerging 
tools into their practice.

Introduction
Public health surveillance practice is evolving rapidly. In the past 

decade we have witnessed the globalization of health threats, the 
emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases, and an explosion 
of easily accessible new technologies. This fluid environment 
challenges the public health community, but also provides it 
with a unique and fertile environment to innovate and improve its 
practice. As surveillance is a core function of public health practice, 
public health practitioners need to be well equipped to achieve this 
function and address present and future public health challenges. We 
developed a five day training course that focused on the practical 
use of surveillance concepts and principles in public health. We 
are sharing findings on the development of the course and learner 
outcomes.

Methods
The course included three modules covering surveillance concepts 

and principles, surveillance data assessment and analysis, and 
innovative surveillance tools. Adult learning principles were applied 
to the course’s instructional design. A range of instructional methods 
(interactive lectures, group discussions and exercises, case studies, 
and games) were used. Technical content was presented by national 
and internation experts. We administered pre- and post-tests to 
measure participants’ learning and to assess the applicability of the 
training to their current practice. Canadian public health practitioners 
meeting pre-requisites were the target audience.

Results
Thirty public health practitioners participated in the course. 

Participants designed, in small groups, a Lyme disease surveillance 
system. They learned how to critically appraise a surveillance system, 
to define and apply steps in surveillance data analysis. Participants 
used innovative surveillance tools such as GPHIN, ProMEd, 
HealthMap, and Hoodris, and described participatory surveillance 
tools. They articulated the links to traditional surveillance and 
explored concepts to evaluate innovative surveillance approaches. 
Participants described examples of innovative surveillance in Canada 
and internationally, and discussed strengths and weaknesses of both 
innovative and traditional surveillance tools. Participants recognized 
how public health may change in the future in order to integrate 
innovative surveillance tools. The pre- and post-tests results indicated 
an increase in learning. Participants found the training relevant, 
interactive and practical. They appreciated the balance between 
theory and practical applications.

Conclusions
Public health practice is evolving swiftly. It is paramount that 

knowledge of basic surveillance concepts and principles, and most 

current methodologies and tools be translated into public health best 
practice. To maximise the application of learning, the training format 
needs to be appropriately adapted to the adult learners. Training 
for public health practitioners needs to be interactive, practical, 
and include peer learning opportunities. Content experts should 
be involved in the delivery of training as sharing their knowledge 
and experience also improves public health surveillance practice. 
This training was a unique initiative that allowed public health 
practitioners to improve and update their surveillance practice with 
the application of innovative learning strategies and tools. It builds 
capacity and equips the public health community to better face current 
and future public health challenges that result from our complex and 
evolving world.

Keywords
Public health surveillance; Training; Public health practice

Acknowledgments

Public Health Agency of Canada

*Kathleen Laberge

E-mail: kathleen.laberge@phac-aspc.gc.ca    

Online Journal of Public Health Informatics * ISSN 1947-2579 * http://ojphi.org * (1):e33, 201