Need For Such Training Research Articles

Health Promotion and Access to Online Health Information among Older Adults

2204 The Internet has grown at a tremendous rate in the last decade and it has offered consumers unparalleled opportunities to acquire health information. However, questions remain about access to the Internet among certain segments of the population such as older adults and the proclivity to use this medium in health promotion arena. PURPOSE: The present study examined Internet use and access to health information online among older men and women using data from nationally representative Canadian Household Internet Use survey. MEASURES: Secondary analysis included a sample of 7,631 individuals over 65 years of age. In the sample, 61% were men, 51% were married or in common-law relationship, 57% had less than high school education, 93% were retired, and 50% had a yearly income of less than or equal to the Statistics Canada's Low-Income Cut-Off. Demographic and Internet use information was elicited using an interviewer administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Among the older adults, only 10% had reported using the Internet. Approximately 20% of those used the medium daily. Most internet users accessed the Internet from their home (72%) using telephone line (99%) and 82% spent less than 49 hours each month on line. Among the Internet users, 58% used it to access health information online. This represents approximately 5% of the older adults involved in the survey. A negative relationship between age and access of health information online was observed. Male gender, being married or in coupled relationships, higher levels of education and income, access to Internet from multiple locations other than one's home, and frequent use of the Internet (daily) increased the likelihood of individuals using health information online. CONCLUSION: This present study shows that older adults are on the sidelines when it comes to using the Internet and accessing health information online. Studies have shown that older adults are willing to access and use health information successfully, if provided proper training and support. The present study highlights the need for such training and support for seniors before the Internet is used as a medium for health promotion. Implications of the findings for health promotion and health care delivery in the future will be discussed. Supported by Acadia University Research Fund

An Empirical Study into the Psychosocial Reactions of Staff Working as Helpers to those Affected in the Aftermath of two Traumatic Incidents

This paper will address the outcome of the first empirical study on the psychosocial impact on four groups of professional staff involved as helpers in the aftermath of two major incidents. The two incidents selected were the Kegworth Air disaster that occurred in the East Midlands area of England in 1989 and a terrorist bombing on the Shankill Road Belfast, Northern Ireland (NI) in 1993. The four groups of staff chosen for the research, both in England and Northern Ireland, were social workers, ambulance personnel, accident and emergency nurses and clergy. The policy and practice implica tions of the study were used to develop a training programme for those who have to cope with trauma in their workplace. The need for such training was based on the hypothesis that pre-training will help to ameliorate any negative reactions that may be experienced by the helpers. The results from both incidents were compared to high light the impact of the work on helpers working with victims from a single incident trauma and in a situation where there was multiple incident traumatization.

Teaching the teachers: helping faculty in a family practice residency improve their informatics skills.

Faculty members in family practice residencies are increasingly being asked to help residents develop skills in the use of informatics and evidence-based medicine (EBM). In order to do this successfully the teachers themselves must be skilled in the use of these tools. Recognizing the need for such training, the Maine Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program designed a faculty development project to increase knowledge and skills in the use of information technology. This project, which was carried out in 1999-2001, utilized a multifaceted approach that included improving the residency's technology infrastructure, conducting two instructional workshops, and offering EBM mentoring for preceptors. Faculty members also designed and carried out independent informatics projects. Pre- and post-project assessments of faculty members demonstrated a significant improvement in computer and EBM skills, and informal feedback from residents indicates that these skills have been successfully applied to the faculty members' teaching of residents and their practice of family medicine. This project had a positive impact on the faculty members in the residency program, increasing both their ability to employ information technology in individual and group teaching sessions and their use of EBM in clinical practice. Also, the culture within the residency program has been changed to one of utilizing computers and the Internet as principal resources for up-to-date information.

Mental health leadership training: a survey of state directors.

There is periodic support in the mental health literature for increased training opportunities in the area of management and leadership. The purpose of this study was to verify the need for such training as perceived by state directors of mental health and mental retardation/developmental disabilities programs and to explore related issues. The results confirmed a perception of need and provided insights into ways that such training might be successfully provided to states.

Ethics and animal issues in US medical education.

Increasing public and regulatory agency concern about a variety of animal protection issues that affect the field of medicine have made these issues increasingly relevant to medical school curricula. The purpose of this study was to assess the availability and forms of medical school training relating to ethical, conceptual, and societal concerns in the use of animals within the field of medicine and the perceived need for such training. Questionnaire surveys were mailed to the Deans of the 125 accredited US medical schools, and completed by Deans or their designees within the same medical institution. Questionnaire recipients were informed that results would be compiled in a fashion that did not identify specific individuals or institutions. Survey responses were obtained from 84 medical institutions (67% response). Sixty respondents (71%) indicated that their medical school offered or sponsored some type of activity related to ethical and conceptual concerns in the use of animals in medical research and training. Most schools (43) offered informal discussions/seminars relating to these issues, but nine schools offered full formal courses with up to 15 lectures on these topics. Programme content and perceived need for additional instruction varied greatly amongst respondents. The results suggest a wide diversity amongst US medical schools in the availability and perceived importance of medical school training relating to ethical and conceptual concerns in the uses of animals in medicine. It is proposed that instruction in these areas be pursued with more concerted efforts to address the growing body of knowledge about non-human beings and the ethical implications of such knowledge.

Responsibilities and training needs of mental health administrators

This paper reports findings of a needs assessment in the area of training programs for senior mental health administrators. Questionnaires (N=530) were sent; 169 to county and regional state mental health administrators; 331 went to community mental health administrators. The response rate was 43%. Thirty-four percent of the public sector respondents listed “general administration” as their first topic; “fiscal issues” were listed by 19%; 18% listed “personnel administration” first. Second topics chosen for training by the public sector administrators were general administration (17%), financial management (24%), and personnel (20%). As their first topics of choice for future training, 37% of the community mental health administrators selected general administration areas, 27% selected financial management, and 10% personnel. Training for mental health administrators has the potential for substantial enrichment through the design and implementation of carefully planned programs. Results from this needs assessment show the continued strong need for such training.

Training of health professionals in adolescent health care: Study group report

Although there are multiple barriers that impede the successful training of entry-level professionals in adolescent health related issues, the need for such training is great. It is evident that, currently, few feel equipped to manage many of the major morbidities of the adolescent population. In turn, many adolescents with significant concerns shun the health care system, even though they would like someone with whom to discuss their problems. What emerges clearly is that professional school training is not producing graduates able to meet the health care needs of youth. Additionally, it is evident that if such training is not provided, or at least legitimized in professional schools, then it is unlikely that clinicians will seek such training later while in practice. What is needed is a training program that provides a mix of knowledge acquisition, skill building, and attitude assessment and evaluation. Also needed is an understanding of normal physiologic and mental processes so as to both depathologize the behaviors and actions of youth and enable interventions when appropriate.

Coping with Student Aggression

Teachers working in settings serving emotionally handicapped (EH) students are frequently confronted with incidents of student aggression. Little is known about the teachers' confidence in their ability to cope with these incidents or the nature and extent of their previous training to deal with interpersonal violence. Survey questionnaires sent to 311 teachers serving EH students requested demographic, factual, and attitudinal information about teachers coping with classroom aggression. The response rate was 57% (178). Results indicate a significant(p < .05) relationship between level of confidence and previous training in methods of coping with aggression. While there was almost unanimous agreement upon the need for such training as part of teacher preparation, the majority of the trained teachers had received relevant training through inservice workshops rather than university coursework, and 68% desired additional training. The need for competence in this area, action by preservice personnel, and components of such training are addressed.

Graduate Teaching and Research in Power Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan

This paper describes the program of teaching and research which has been developed by the Power Systems Research Group at the University of Saskatchewan at Saskatoon, Canada. The program was developed at a time when the Electrical Engineering Colleges in Canada and the United States had de-emphasized the training of electric power engineers. A need for such training was recognized and a program was developed to help satisfy these needs. Since its inception in the early 60's, forty-two M.Sc.s and seventeen Ph.D.s have graduated from the program in the power area. The University of Saskatchewan is located in an area of the country which is not highly industrialized and therefore most of the contacts with industry have been made with the electric power utilities rather than with the manufacturing industries. In its initial stages the program emphasized analytical and simulation types of activity; more recently laboratories have been developed to supplement the analytical work with practical hardware experience in the areas of synchronous machines, HVDC, protection and computer-control. This paper briefly describes the courses and the research projects which have been developed in this program.

Police Responses to a Course in Psychology

Although much police activity involves dealing with human behavior and mental health, policemen typically receive little training in behavioral science concepts and techniques. Recent events have dramatized the need for such training, and some efforts are being made to provide it.

Solvent Extraction Experiments in Nuclear Fuels Processing

A convenient and relatively inexpensive unit for continuous countercurrent solvent extraction is described and suggestions are made for the use of the unit as a teaching tool in the training of nuclear engineering students in the diffusional processes associated with nuclear fuels processing. The need for such training is emphasized particularly for the heterogeneous groups entering the nuclear engineering field.