1. Evaluation Period: January 1, 2016 – December 31. 2016
Evaluating the reach and effectiveness of the CDC-funded National Network of STD Clinical Prevention Training Centers
Christopher Voegeli, PhD, MPH, Susan Dreisbach, PhD, Kimberly Taylor, BA, Sharon Devine, PhD, JD
Evaluation Period: January 1, 2016 – December
Background and Purpose
The CDC funds the National Network of Sexually Transmitted Diseases Clinical Prevention Training Centers (NNPTC) to train clinicians to screen, diagnose, and treat STDs
The CDC’s National Evaluation Center (NEC) manages a national evaluation to measure the reach and assess the impact of training on clinical practices.
Setting: The NNPTC consists of eight regional prevention training centers (PTCs)
Located in Baltimore, Birmingham, Boston, Denver, New York City, Oakland, Seattle and St. Louis
Results
There were 469 trainings offered to 22,041 participants in the evaluation period
Breakdown by audience is in Figure 1
5752 (74.9%) work in high morbidity counties
86.3% of participants were “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the training
100% of the self-reported retrospective pre then post measures showed statistically significant and meaningful gains in:
Confidence (e.g. identify recommended screening procedures and treatments)
Knowledge (e.g. about the topics covered in the session)
Skills (e.g. screen annually for chlamydia)
Before the training 39.1% were not confident in describing the 5 components of taking a sexual history, afterwards: 4.8%
Before the training 53.3% took a sexual history with almost all (>91%) of their patients, afterwards: 83.8%
Methods
Participants (trainees) work in health care, submit a registration, and are offered an opportunity to evaluate a training.They receive a link to the online evaluation after the training and again 90 days later
Surveys assess satisfaction , confidence, knowledge, skills, intention to change, and changes in practice patterns
Priority training audiences are determined by participant demographics and practice characteristics
Audience 1 - non-STD expert, general practitioners in high morbidity counties who provide direct care to at-risk populations
Audience 2 - expert STD/HIV clinicians in high morbidity counties who provide direct care to at-risk populations
Audience 3 - administrators in settings that should screen for and treat STDs
Audience 4 - client-facing providers other than clinicians working in high morbidity counties who provide services to at-risk populations
Results
30.5% of post-training evaluations report the intention to make at least one change based on the training (n=1,270)
Median frequency at 90 days was >91% for all recommended screening practices
78.3% of participants used the 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines pre-training and after 90 days 90.9% used them
Post course knowledge about treatment and retesting averaged 78.8% correct
Evaluation completion rates were 48.9% for post-course evaluations and 11.7% for 90 day follow-up surveys
Discussion
Targeting participants can improve reach to the 4 audiences
A brief training can increase participant confidence with the 5 components of taking a sexual history.
Even before the training a majority of participants (78.3%) used the CDC’s 2015 STD Treatment Guidelines
Attending a training greatly improves providers and health care workers confidence, knowledge and skills to screen, diagnosis and treat STDs
The NNPTC is reaching providers and health workers from all over the country improve the STD care of their clients and/or patients.