Responsive evaluation of competency-based public health preparedness training programs

Objectives: To describe how the Michigan Center for Public Health Preparedness (MI-CPHP) responded to the challenge and urgency in delivering competency-based preparedness training and documenting its impact utilizing a responsive evaluation approach. Methods: Pretest-posttest evaluation designs were implemented when feasible to document the impact of training activities on knowledge and competency gains. The development of evaluation instruments is described with a focus on being responsive to the specific goals of each training activity. A randomized experimental design was used to examine the effects of taking a pretest for one of the training events. Results: The analyses noted statistically significant improvements for every comprehensive training event in key content knowledge and self-rated competencies. The impact of taking a pretest revealed a modest, but statistically significant, effect on the self-rated competencies and a nonsignificant effect on the content knowledge scores. Conclusions: A summary of the results and their implications is followed by a discussion about taking a responsive approach to evaluating the training activities of the MI-CPHP. The challenge of evaluating the impact of knowledge-focused training activities on the development of performance competencies was also reviewed.