JHPIEGO TrainerNews™ |
JHPIEGO TrainerNews Survey Results and
Drawing Winners
(August 2001)
In June 2001, JHPIEGO invited subscribers of JHPIEGO TrainerNews to respond to a survey to help us get to know our readers and improve the newsletter. Of the 972 subscribers, 165 responded to the survey. Here is a look at the results.
Our Readers
The answers to survey questions highlighted the variety of professions represented by our readership. Most professions mentioned were health-related.
Most of the respondents (76%) indicated that the majority of their work is in the field of reproductive health. The most frequent profession indicated was physician (43%), followed by nurse (11%), midwife (8%) and student (1%). Of these respondents, 37% indicated they were in other professions, such as public health advisor, epidemiologist, training coordinator, pharmacist, health educator and development consultant.
Many respondents indicated they held additional professional positions. The most frequent additional position indicated was reproductive health trainer (67%), followed by trainer in another field (31%), faculty member (23%), government official (14%). Of these respondents, 34% indicated that they held other additional professional positions such as policy maker, researcher, program director, UN staff member, technical advisor, clinic manager and project coordinator.
Satisfaction with the Newsletter
JTN newsletter staff members were happy to hear that the majority of respondents are satisfied with the newsletter. Respondents indicated that JTN provided information in a timely way (strongly agree, 25%; agree, 68%). Respondents also noted that the newsletter provided information they could use in their work or studies (strongly agree, 35%; agree, 57%).
The section of the newsletter that most respondents found helpful was Training Skills (58%), following by Useful Websites (17%) and What's New in ReproLine (16%).
Using the Companion Service: ReproLine Website
Most survey respondents (73%) indicated that they also visit JHPIEGO's companion service, the Reproductive Health Online (ReproLine) website <http://www.reproline.jhu.edu>.
When asked to indicate how frequently they visit Reproline, 31% of the respondents said they visit weekly, 27% a few times a year, 25% monthly, and 2% daily.
Using the Information in JHPIEGO TrainerNews
Responses also revealed that readers use the information in the newsletter in a variety of ways: 76% said they use the information in the newsletter for professional or academic interest and development; 68% for preparing teaching or training sessions; 34% for preparing a report, paper, or journal article; and 21% for developing policy or national service guidelines. Of these respondents, 8% indicated that they use information in the newsletter for other purposes, such as sending the information to colleagues who do not have Internet access, getting ideas for teaching strategies and staff development, locating resources on the Internet and designing performance improvement interventions.
In response to the question about specific examples of using the newsletter, the most frequent comment was that readers are using the information under Training Skills to organize training activities and make them more dynamic and participatory. One reader noted, "We are collaborating with a leading university to introduce community-based clinics for health promotion. Your guidelines on site selection, clinic development, and community outreach have been very helpful. I should say it was helpful to have a prepared document that said what we wanted to say." The next most frequent example of use cited was sharing the information with others: provincial reproductive health coordinators, hospital coordinators, students, researchers, among others. A favorite article cited was the one on icebreakers and warmups.
Suggestions for Improvements to the Newsletter
Readers suggested a number of ideas to improve the newsletter. In the coming months, newsletter staff will try to implement the suggestions wherever possible (within budget constraints). The most frequent suggestion was to have the newsletter translated into multiple languages: Spanish, Chinese, Indonesian and Russian. (Some issues of JTN are available in Russian on the web; see the note below about the web archive.) Readers also suggested topics that they would like to see covered in the newsletter, including: health ethics, male factor in abortion, adult learning principles, training healthcare professionals who work outside a clinic setting, cervical cancer prevention public education and mass screening, IEC and advocacy activities (especially as they apply to Southeast Asia), management of training programs, advanced counseling, maternal mortality, contraceptive methods and sex education for adolescents. Readers also noted features they would like to see added, such as information on work and grant opportunities and international scholarships, and more detailed articles on clinical topics.
In some cases, readers suggested features that JHPIEGO already provides, pointing to the need for us to do better promotion! Several readers suggested that JHPIEGO host a discussion forum for reproductive health trainers and professionals. JHPIEGO does host an e-mail discussion list, called REPRONET-L, to give RH colleagues a chance to share experiences and pose questions for discussion. To join REPRONET-L, send e-mail to <listserv@community.jhpiego.jhu.edu>. In the e-mail, type "SUB REPRONET-L Your Name" (no quotes; substitute your name at the end). Readers also suggested that we have a web version of the newsletter, which we do! The web archive of JHPIEGO TrainerNews is enhanced with photographs and hypertext links to related resources on the web.
Congratulations to the Winners of the Survey Drawing!
Respondents to the JHPIEGO TrainerNews survey were entered into a drawing for a free copy of ModCal (Modified Computer-Assisted Learning) for Clinical Training Skills. The learning package includes a CD-ROM, reference manual, trainer notebook and participant handbook (retail value: $38 US). ModCal for CTS is interactive, multimedia courseware designed to help service providers (physicians, nurses and midwives) become more effective inservice trainers or preservice faculty.
As a result of confusion about contact information, we have two winners of the survey drawing. (We thought our e-mail notification had not reached the first winner, so we picked a substitute winner, and then later did hear back from the first winner.) One winner of the drawing is Dr. Vo Van Thang MD, MPH, Vice Head of the Social Medicine Department, Hue Medical College in Vietnam. Dr. Thang wrote, "The information I got from JHPIEGO [I] have used to draw some experience in connection with different optional approaches over the world to improve quality of care of services available in order to reduce the mother deaths and disability in particular, as well as to improve the reproductive health situation in general in Vietnam."
The other winner is Dr. Jose Dante Marcos from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cagayan Valley Medical Center, Philippines. Dr. Marcos wrote that he used the information in JHPIEGO TrainerNews "as part of training modules and programs for health personnel in our province." Dr. Marcos suggested that, as a way to improve the newsletter, JTN include "more third world applicable training topics (i.e., those that would require less costly techniques)" and "more social science components in training." Congratulations to both of the drawing winners!
For more information or questions about the survey, contact Theresa Norton <tnorton@jhpiego.net>.