Abstract
Background. Competency-based education allows public health departments to better develop a workforce aimed at conducting evidence-based control cancer. Methods. A 2-phased competency development process was conducted that systematically obtained input from practitioners in health departments and trainers in academe and community agencies (n = 60). Results. Among the 26 competencies developed, 10 were rated at the beginner level, 12 were intermediate, and 4 were advanced. Community-level input competencies were seen as beginner level, whereas policy-related competencies were rated as advanced. Conclusion. Although adaptation to various audiences is needed, these competencies provide a foundation on which to build practitioner-focused training programs.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful for assistance from participants from the following: Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services; Cancer Information Service; Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network; selected Evidence-Based Public Health trainers; Illinois Department of Public Health; and St. Louis County Health Department. We thank Cherrie Bartlett, Belinda Heimericks, Debbie Pfeiffer, Jeff Sunderlin, and Ann Hynes for their help in identifying participants and coordinating meetings. We also are grateful to Amy Gaier and Emily Bullard for assistance in project planning.
Notes
Supported by the National Cancer Institute (no. 5R25CA113433-02).
aIn this paper, cancer control practitioners are people who direct and implement population-based intervention programs in agencies or in community-based coalitions.