Development and assessment of novel virtual COVID-19 trainer-of trainers course implemented by an academic–humanitarian partnership

ABSTRACT

Background

In response to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Project HOPE®, an international humanitarian organization, partnered with Brown University to develop and deploy a virtual training-of-trainers (TOT) program to provide practical knowledge to healthcare stakeholders. This study is designed to evaluate this TOT program.

Objective

The goal of this study is to assess the effectiveness of this educational intervention in enhancing knowledge on COVID-19 concepts and to present relative change in score of each competency domains of the training.

Methods

The training was created by interdisciplinary faculty from Brown University and delivered virtually. Training included eight COVID-19 specific modules on infection prevention and control, screening and triage, diagnosis and management, stabilization and resuscitation, surge capacity, surveillance, and risk communication and community education. The assessment of knowledge attainment in each of the course competency domain was conducted using 10 question pre-and post-test evaluations. Paired t-test were used to compare interval knowledge scores in the overall cohort and stratified by WHO regions. TOT dissemination data was collected from in-country partners by Project Hope.

Results

Over the period of 7 months, 4,291 personnel completed the TOT training in 55 countries, including all WHO regions. Pre-test and post-test were completed by 1,198 and 706 primary training participants, respectively. The mean scores on the pre-test and post-test were 68.45% and 81.4%, respectively. The mean change in score was 11.72%, with P value <0.0005. All WHO regions had a statistically significant improvement in their score in post-test. The training was disseminated to 97,809 health workers through local secondary training.

Conclusion

Innovative educational tools resulted in improvement in knowledge related to the COVID-19 pandemic, significantly increasing the average score on knowledge assessment testing. Academic – humanitarian partnerships can serve to implement and disseminate effective education rapidly across the globe.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• education
• public health
• virtual education
• global health

Responsible Editor

Stig Wall

Responsible Editor

Stig Wall

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the frontline participants and the numerous partners from Project HOPE® around the globe in making this training possible. The authors also acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of Dr. John Foggle, Dr. Stephanie Garbern, Dr. Alexis Kearney, Dr. Sonya Naganathan and Mr. Seth Stulen from Brown University for their extensive efforts in developing and implementing the program.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics and consent

N/A

Paper context

Evolving knowledge and limited training of frontline workers is a barrier to pandemic response. To address this gap during COVID-19, an innovative, virtual, training of trainers program was designed in collaboration between an academic and humanitarian organization. This paper presents findings from this training, with was effectively disseminated to all WHO regions with nearly 100,000 primary and secondary participants trained. Early innovative partnerships like this can play an important role in global pandemic response.

Additional information

Funding

The program development and implementation were funded by Project HOPE®. This paper and analysis were not funded.

Notes on contributors

Ramu Kharel

All authors took part in drafting and revising the manuscript. RK and AR conceived the project. RK, JB, HV, NC, AE all worked on data analysis.