title: Qualitative Assessment of a Novel Efficacy-Focused Training Intervention for Public Health Workers in Disaster Recovery.
abstract: We trained local public health workers on disaster recovery roles and responsibilities by using a novel curriculum based on a threat and efficacy framework and a training-of-trainers approach. This study used qualitative data to assess changes in perceptions of efficacy toward Hurricane Sandy recovery and willingness to participate in future disaster recoveries.
  
  
  
  Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select trainers and trainees from participating local public health departments in jurisdictions impacted by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. Two focus groups totaling 29 local public health workers were held in April and May of 2015. Focus group participants discussed the content and quality of the curriculum, training logistics, and their willingness to engage in future disaster recovery efforts.
  
  
  
  The training curriculum improved participants' understanding of and confidence in their disaster recovery work and related roles within their agencies (self-efficacy); increased their individual- and agency-level sense of role-importance in disaster recovery (response-efficacy); and enhanced their sense of their agencies' effective functioning in disaster recovery. Participants suggested further training customization and inclusion of other recovery agencies.
  
  
  
  Threat- and efficacy-based disaster recovery trainings show potential to increase public health workers' sense of efficacy and willingness to participate in recovery efforts. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:615-622).
authors.affiliation: 7Environmental Health Sciences,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tower
authors.affiliation: 1The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc,Bethesda,Maryland.
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Altman
authors.affiliation: 1The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc,Bethesda,Maryland.
authors.forename: Kandra
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Strauss-Riggs
authors.affiliation: 6International Health,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors.forename: Annelise
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.affiliation: 3Cecil County Health Department,Elkton,Maryland.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garrity
authors.affiliation: 5Biostatistics,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors.forename: Carol B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: 1The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc,Bethesda,Maryland.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.affiliation: 4Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Departments of Health Policy and Management,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors.forename: Lainie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rutkow
authors.affiliation: 2National Center for Disaster Medicine and Public Health,Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences,Rockville,Maryland.
authors.forename: Kenneth
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schor
authors.affiliation: 7Environmental Health Sciences,Baltimore,Maryland.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Barnett
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003479:Curriculum / Q000592:standards; D055867:Cyclonic Storms; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000379:methods*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D009111:Local Government; D008396:Maryland; D009515:New Jersey; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013663:Teaching / Q000592:standards*; D000078329:Workforce
keywords: disaster; efficacy; public health; recovery; training