In 600 communes, direct interview in combining with observation on 480 women who had under 5- year- old children, using a 50 question table showed that knowledge on health at moderate level but there was considerable gap between various areas in the provine and between various groups of subjects with diverse education level, profession and communicative media. Main important source of information was from health workers, local organization bodies and mass media with TV, radio… The books and journals were neglectful
Education, Public Health Professional ; education ; Public Health ; Quality Control

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the existing Public Health Promotion and Education 210 module (PHPE 210) as basis for the revision of the learning resource material. Specifically, this study determined the stakeholders' perceptions on the module in terms of: (1) its presentation, organization, topics covered, clarity/user-friendliness and its relevance to practice; (2) its strengths and weaknesses; and (3) the topics that need to be integrated in the resource material.

METHODS: A qualitative approach was used for this study. Through purposive sampling, 4 focus group discussions and 11 key informant interviews were done. Topic Guide was used as the main data collection instrument. Informed consent was obtained prior to data collection. Data was described verbatim, emerging themes and actual quotations from the participants and informants were extracted in the succeeding analysis.

RESULTS: The results of the focus group discussions and key informant interviews, in general, were similar and actually complemented each other. The module was perceived to be relevant, comprehensive and logically organized. The historical foundation needs to be presented in a more concise and updated manner, and examples and practical applications of the PRECEDE-PROCEED model must be used. To update the module and make it more relevant to the present issues, innovative health promotion strategies such as social media, healthy settings, health in all policies, and multi-sectoral approach must be included in the revised version. Practical applications of the theories and health promotion and education strategies also need to be considered in the revision of the module. The module has to be presented in a more reader-friendly manner, easy-to-use and visually appealing to its readers.

CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated the importance of incorporating the perceptions of educators, module developers, practitioners, experts, and the learners or students in assessing and redesigning a more relevant learning resource material. With the current trends and emerging issues in health promotion and education, an evidence-based development and improvement of learning resource modules to make them relevant to changes have to be continuously undertaken.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the educational needs related to an integrated health and oral health project for community dental hygienists. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, a survey was administered to 1,190 dental hygienists working in community health centers and 627 (about 53%) responded. The dependent variable was educational needs from oral health projects; the independent variables were region, job assignments, job position, and degree of self-development. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, with PASW 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), and the significance threshold was .05. RESULTS: The educational needs of community dental hygienists were found to be high, at about 58.5 points out of 100. The highest educational needs were for oral health projects linked to public health projects. In this regard, participants reported a high need for "identification of issues and projects suited to the current state of the region," "establishment of strategies for integration of health and oral health projects," and "prioritization." CONCLUSIONS: Professional education for community dental hygienists should be expanded to include integration of health and oral health. It should be based on the assessment of these professionals' educational needs.
Community Health Centers ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Dental Hygienists* ; Education, Professional ; Humans ; Oral Health* ; Public Health

The year 2008 marks the 55th anniversary of the graduate public health programme in Singapore. This article traces the evolution of the programme-from the Diploma in Public Health in 1953 to the Master of Public Health in 2007--in response to changing challenges and needs. It also discusses the role Singapore can continue to play in addressing global inequities in access to public health education and in strengthening public health capacity in the region and beyond.
Education, Graduate ; history ; Education, Public Health Professional ; history ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Singapore

PURPOSE: X-ray exposure should be clinically justified and each exposure should be expected to give patients benefits. Since dental radiographic examination is one of the most frequent radiological procedures, radiation hazard becomes an important public health concern. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitude of Korean dentists about radiation safety and use of criteria for selecting the frequency and type of radiographic examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 267 Korean dentists. Five questions related to radiation safety were asked of each of them. These questions were about factors associated with radiation protection of patients and operators including the use of radiographic selection criteria for intraoral radiographic procedures. RESULTS: The frequency of prescription of routine radiographic examination (an example is a panoramic radiograph for screening process for occult disease) was 34.1%, while that of selective radiography was 64.0%. Dentists' discussion of radiation risk and benefit with patients was infrequent. More than half of the operators held the image receptor by themselves during intraoral radiographic examinations. Lead apron/thyroid collars for patient protection were used by fewer than 22% of dental offices. Rectangular collimation was utilized by fewer than 15% of dental offices. CONCLUSION: The majority of Korean dentists in the study did not practice radiation protection procedures which would be required to minimize exposure to unnecessary radiation for patients and dental professionals. Mandatory continuing professional education in radiation safety and development of Korean radiographic selection criteria is recommended.
Dental Offices ; Dentists ; Education, Professional ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Patient Selection ; Prescriptions ; Public Health ; Radiation Protection

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the need for advanced practice nurse and explain the relationship between self-efficacy and professional self-concept among Korean nurses. METHOD: The participants were 511 Korean nurses who were recruited in hospitals or public health centers in Korea. The instruments used in this study were Sherer et al's self-efficacy instrument, Arthur's professional self-concept instrument, and a structured questionnaire on the need for advanced nurse practitioners. Cronbach alpha, mean, SD, X2, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data using SPSS PC+ ver 12.0 for Windows. RESULTS: Of the nurses, 57.9% of wanted to be advanced practice nurses. The mean of professional self-concept and self-efficacy scores for the nurses were at the medium level. Professional self-concept and self-efficacy of nurses showed significant differences according to age, working location, marital status, level of education, and length of clinical experience. A significant positive correlation was found between professional self-concept and self-efficacy. CONCLUSION: Before planning to develop the role of Advanced practice nurse, there is a need to measure self-efficacy and professional self-concept among nurses. Politically, strategies to increase self-efficacy and professional self-concept among Korean nurses will be necessary in order to prepare good advanced practice nurse.
Education ; Humans ; Korea ; Marital Status ; Nurse Practitioners ; Professional Role ; Public Health ; Questionnaires

PURPOSE: This study was done to assess the educational needs that should be considered in developing curriculum for staff in charge of public health services in public hospitals. METHODS: The participants in this study were staff in charge of public health services in 130 public hospitals. The Borich's Needs Assessment Model which analyzed the relation of 'required competence level' and 'present competence level', was utilized. Data were collected from October to November 2007 using a structure self-report questionnaire. The return rate was 66.9%. The Cronbach's alpha score was 0.959. RESULTS: The mean scores for 'required competence level', 'present competence level' and Borich's need were 4.02, 3.44, and 2.30 respectively. According to public health service items, 'strategies to recognize the present condition and analyze problems' had the highest score for Borich's need, but 'establishment of annual or monthly objectives' had the lowest score for Borich's need. CONCLUSION: Education was found to be very important for staff carrying out public health services. Ultimately the results of this study may be utilized to develop education program for staff carrying out public health services in public hospitals.
Adult ; Community Health Services ; Education, Continuing ; Female ; Health Services Needs and Demand ; Hospitals, Public ; Humans ; Male ; Medical Staff, Hospital/*psychology ; Middle Aged ; Professional Competence ; Questionnaires ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: This study was performed to identify job competencies and needs for job education perceived by new community health practitioners. METHODS: This study used a qualitative research design. Eight new community health practitioners participated in this study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Five job competencies were identified in this study, including primary care, public health management, interpersonal relationship, teaching and counseling, and leadership. The contents of job education that they needed were management of major symptoms and chronic diseases, understanding and prescription of medications, emergency responses and care, management of endemic diseases, planning and management of public health programs, writing official documentsand computer works, and leadership training. The learning methods they preferred were connecting theory and practice, situation- or case-based learning, skill- or practice-based learning, and increased opportunities of clinical practice. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study provided the direction of job education for new community health practitioners. Job education for new community health practitioners needs to consider the job competencies and educational needs identified in this study.
Chronic Disease ; Counseling ; Education ; Emergencies ; Endemic Diseases ; Leadership ; Learning ; Needs Assessment ; Prescriptions ; Primary Health Care ; Professional Competence ; Public Health ; Qualitative Research ; Writing

Cancer is a leading cause of death around the world. Education is at the core of cancer prevention activities, especially programs targeting empowering existing public health workforce. In the past 10 years, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have been building the Global Health Network Supercourse project, a library of over 4500 online lectures and a network of nearly 50000 public health professionals in 174 countries. As of November, 2010, the overall number of Supercourse participants from Asia exceeds 7000 participants. The Supercourse network has been investigating methods for Internet based recruitment of cancer prevention professionals in order to network cancer experts locally and globally, including the use of mHealth technologies for cancer research education and for NCD registries. Supercourse is a tool that can offer a solution to the challenges of information sharing, especially in the field of NCDs and cancer. In this paper, we highlight the need for the development of Cancer Supercourse with Satellite in Asia and encourage faculty members from Asia to join the network.
Computer-Assisted Instruction/methods ; Education, Public Health Professional/methods/*organization & administration ; Female ; Humans ; *Internet ; Male ; Neoplasms/mortality/*prevention & control ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; World Health

Emergency Medical Services, more commonly known as Emergency Medical Services (EMS), is a system that provides emergency medical care and public safety. EMS is infamous as a market failure, which cannot reach the break-even point financially due to operation of 24 hours and 365 days, and maintenance personnel. Thus, government's intervention is inevitable to balance the allocation of medical resources. Vulnerable area still exists for transport and patient care, and quality of EMS is behind the advanced countries. Furthermore, professionalism of 119 ambulance service is below par, also survival rate of cardiac arrest patient is low in Korea. To solve these problems, the Ministry of Health and Welfare plans to provide EMS within 30minutes by resolving of emergency vulnerable area for EMS. To improve quality of emergency medical centers, criteria of evaluation will be changed from structure to process and outcome. According to the result, differential financial support will be applied. To lower the preventable death rate as of advanced countries, 6 regional trauma centers will be run 24-hours operation for severe trauma patients. Professional education programs for emergency medical technician such as 119 providers will be reinforced. The quality management of medical consulting will be improved by appointment of medical consultants in 119 situation rooms. Also, medical safety for individuals suffering from sudden cardiac arrest will be provided in the place where large numbers of people gather by installing 1,000 Automatic External Defibrillator equipment every year.
Ambulances ; Consultants ; Death, Sudden, Cardiac ; Defibrillators ; Delivery of Health Care ; Education, Professional ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Medical Technicians ; Financial Support ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Hypogonadism ; Korea ; Mitochondrial Diseases ; Ophthalmoplegia ; Patient Care ; Public Health ; Stress, Psychological ; Survival Rate ; Trauma Centers