title: Leadership in strategic information (LSI) building skilled public health capacity in Ethiopia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In many developing countries, including Ethiopia, few have the skills to use data for effective decision making in public health. To address this need, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in collaboration with two local Ethiopian organizations, developed a year long Leadership in Strategic Information (LSI) course to train government employees working in HIV to use data from strategic information sources. A process evaluation of the LSI course examined the impact of the training on trainees' skills and the strengths and weaknesses of the course. The evaluation consisted of surveys and focus groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Trainees' skill sets increased in descriptive and analytic epidemiology, surveillance, and monitoring and evaluation (M and E). Data from the evaluation indicated that the course structure and the M and E module required revision in order to improve outcomes. Additionally, the first cohort had a high attrition rate. Overall, trainees and key stakeholders viewed LSI as important in building skilled capacity in public health in Ethiopia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evaluation provided constructive insight in modifying the course to improve retention and better address trainees' learning needs. Subsequent course attrition rates decreased as a result of changes made based on evaluation findings.
authors.affiliation: Division of Public Health Systems and Workforce Development, Center for Global Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. irolle@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Italia V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Rolle
authors.forename: Irum
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zaidi
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scharff
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Aynalem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Firew
authors.forename: Fikre
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Enquselassie
authors.forename: Ashenafi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Negash
authors.forename: Negussie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deyessa
authors.forename: Getnet
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mitike
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sunderland
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nsubuga