TY - JOUR
T1 - The TDR MOOC training in implementation research
T2 - evaluation of feasibility and lessons learned in Rwanda
AU - Hooley, Cole
AU - Baumann Walker, Ana Amelia
AU - Mutabazi, Vincent
AU - Brown, Angela
AU - Reeds, Dominic
AU - Cade, Todd
AU - Fuentes, Lisa de las
AU - Proctor, Enola K.
AU - Karengera, Stephen
AU - Schecthman, Kenneth
AU - Goss, Charles
AU - Launois, Pascal
AU - Davila-Roman, Victor G.
AU - Mutimura, Eugene
N1 - Funding Information:
We would like to thank all MOOC course trainees for their participation and constructive comments regarding the program. We would like to thank the WUNDIR group from Washington University in St. Louis for their critical revisions to the manuscript. We appreciate the guidance provided by Dermot Maher, TDR Program Coordinator, who provided oversight of the training activity. We would like to thank Dr. Edith Certain for her continuous assistance in the development and implementation of the TDR MOOC on D&I research. We also like to thank the TDR Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases co-sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank, and WHO for their financial support for the MOOC program. Finally, TDR also received support from national governments, international institutions, as well as designated funding for specific projects within current TDR priorities. A full list of TDR donors can be found at: https://www.who.int/tdr/about/funding/en/.
Funding Information:
This work was supported in part by NHLBI grants U24 HL136790 and D43 TW10335. AB is also funded by the grants 3U01HL133994-03S1 and UL1TR00234.
Funding Information:
Non-communicable diseases in general and hypertension in particular are the major causes of disability and death worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases, of which hypertension is the major contributor, are threefold higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) vs. high-income countries [–]. The development of robust health systems is imperative to tackle the challenges associated with the epidemic of NCDs and HTN. The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) recently funded the T4 Translation Research Capacity Building Initiative in Low Income Countries (TREIN) program to build capacity in dissemination and implementation (D&I) research in non-communicable diseases and particularly in hypertension in LMICs. The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) at the World Health Organization (WHO) recently developed a massive open online course (MOOC) to train in D&I research. Our team in Rwanda and at Washington University in St. Louis partnered with the TDR at the WHO to use their Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on D&I research.
Funding Information:
We would like to thank all MOOC course trainees for their participation and constructive comments regarding the program. We would like to thank the WUNDIR group from Washington University in St. Louis for their critical revisions to the manuscript. We appreciate the guidance provided by Dermot Maher, TDR Program Coordinator, who provided oversight of the training activity. We would like to thank Dr. Edith Certain for her continuous assistance in the development and implementation of the TDR MOOC on D&I research. We also like to thank the TDR Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases co-sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, the World Bank, and WHO for their financial support for the MOOC program. Finally, TDR also received support from national governments, international institutions, as well as designated funding for specific projects within current TDR priorities. A full list of TDR donors can be found at: https://www.who.int/tdr/about/funding/en/ .
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, The Author(s).
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Background: Hypertension (HTN) affects nearly 1 billion people globally and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), HTN represents an unmet health care gap that can be addressed by strengthening national health care systems. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recently funded the T4 Translation Research Capacity Building Initiative in Low Income Countries (TREIN) program to build capacity in dissemination and implementation (D&I) research in HTN in LMICs. The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) at the World Health Organization (WHO) recently developed a massive open online course (MOOC) to train in D&I. Herein, we report on the use of the TDR WHO MOOC in D&I for the TREIN program in Rwanda, assessing feasibility of the MOOC and D&I competencies after MOOC training. Methods: Participants in one-group MOOC training completed pre- and post-training questionnaires to assess dissemination and implementation (D&I) competency outcomes and feasibility. D&I competencies were measured by use of a scale developed for a US-based training program, with the change in competency scores assessed by paired t test. Feasibility was measured by completion of homework and final project assignment and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 92 trainees enrolled, 35 (38%) completed all MOOC components. D&I competency scores showed strong evidence of improvements from pre- to post-test. The full-scale average score improved by an average of 1.09 points, representing an effect size of 1.25 (CI 0.48-2.00); all four subscales also showed strong evidence of improvements. Trainees reported challenges to MOOC course completion that included technological issues (i.e., limited internet access) and competing demands (i.e., work, family). Conclusions: In the context of LMIC training, the MOOC course was feasible and course completion showed improvement in D&I competency scores. While the program was designed with a focus on training for tropical diseases, there is potential for scalability to a wider audience of health care researchers, workers, administrators, and policymakers in LMIC interested in D&I research in non-communicable diseases.
AB - Background: Hypertension (HTN) affects nearly 1 billion people globally and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), HTN represents an unmet health care gap that can be addressed by strengthening national health care systems. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recently funded the T4 Translation Research Capacity Building Initiative in Low Income Countries (TREIN) program to build capacity in dissemination and implementation (D&I) research in HTN in LMICs. The Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) at the World Health Organization (WHO) recently developed a massive open online course (MOOC) to train in D&I. Herein, we report on the use of the TDR WHO MOOC in D&I for the TREIN program in Rwanda, assessing feasibility of the MOOC and D&I competencies after MOOC training. Methods: Participants in one-group MOOC training completed pre- and post-training questionnaires to assess dissemination and implementation (D&I) competency outcomes and feasibility. D&I competencies were measured by use of a scale developed for a US-based training program, with the change in competency scores assessed by paired t test. Feasibility was measured by completion of homework and final project assignment and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 92 trainees enrolled, 35 (38%) completed all MOOC components. D&I competency scores showed strong evidence of improvements from pre- to post-test. The full-scale average score improved by an average of 1.09 points, representing an effect size of 1.25 (CI 0.48-2.00); all four subscales also showed strong evidence of improvements. Trainees reported challenges to MOOC course completion that included technological issues (i.e., limited internet access) and competing demands (i.e., work, family). Conclusions: In the context of LMIC training, the MOOC course was feasible and course completion showed improvement in D&I competency scores. While the program was designed with a focus on training for tropical diseases, there is potential for scalability to a wider audience of health care researchers, workers, administrators, and policymakers in LMIC interested in D&I research in non-communicable diseases.
KW - D&I competencies
KW - Hypertension
KW - Low-middle-income countries
KW - Training
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117925658&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1186/s40814-020-00607-z
DO - 10.1186/s40814-020-00607-z
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85117925658
SN - 2055-5784
VL - 6
JO - Pilot and Feasibility Studies
JF - Pilot and Feasibility Studies
IS - 1
M1 - 66
ER -