title: ASSESSMENT OF TRAINING ON MEASLES CASE-BASED SURVEILLANCE FOR DISEASE SURVEILLANCE AND NOTIFICATION OFFICERS (DSNOs) IN OSUN STATE.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Poor knowledge among Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) as a result of high staff turnover has been identified as a major reason for sub-optimal surveillance performance in Osun State. Training aimed at strengthening the measles surveillance sub-system of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) was thus conducted for DSNOs in the state in May, 2006.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The immediate impact of the training on participants' knowledge and their role in the measles surveillance process was assessed as well as demographic factors associated with participants' knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were DSNOs from the 30 Local Government Areas of the State and the Ife East Area office. Training materials were received from the WHO country office and adapted for use. Assessment of training was conducted by statistical evaluation of the pre- and post-tests results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-one DSNOs with a mean age of 36.2 (± 3.5) years participated. There were 14 (45.2%) males and 17 (54.8%) females and they had been employed for an average of 13.7 (± 2.2) years. Mean pre- and post-test scores were 31 and 61, respectively, and showed a significant statistical difference (paired t-test = 12.665, p=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Training achieved its short-term objective. However, a correlation between knowledge and practice will be based on the subsequent surveillance performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Medical Statistics and Environmental Health, Faculty of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Fatiregun
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Sangowawa
authors.affiliation: Disease Surveillance and Notification Unit, Ministry of Health, Osogbo.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abubakar
keywords: Assessment of training; Nigeria; disease surveillance and notification officers; measles case-based surveillance