Short-Term Transfer of Knowledge Assessment in the Military International HIV Training Program (MIHTP).
BACKGROUND
The Military International HIV Training Program (MIHTP) was established in 2002 to address the overwhelming needs of international military personnel concerning HIV and AIDS prevention, care, and treatment. The purpose of this study was to determine shortterm knowledge transfer in trainees attending the MIHTP by comparing data collected from pretraining and post-training knowledge assessments.


METHODS
We used identical 40-question multiple choice pre-training and post-training assessments to determine the short-term transfer of knowledge of international HIV military physicians attending the MIHTP.


RESULTS
Findings revealed a statistically significant increase in short-term transfer of knowledge of HIV prevention, care, and treatment in a population of international military physicians, nurses, and auxiliary medical personnel from 47 developing countries (n=136). Trainees had significantly higher post-test scores (67.9%) compared with pre-test scores (50.5%, p&lt;0.001). Trainees showed a similar level of HIV knowledge as assessed by pre-training evaluations (F=1.38).


CONCLUSIONS
We found significant increases in acquired individual knowledge after a 4-week HIV training program. Results of this study are important as many developing countries rely heavily on international training programs to aid in the development of health care systems in an ever-changing infrastructure.
Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States.
Michael
M
Grillo
Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States.
Kelly
K
Woodland
San Diego State University, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego, CA, United States.
Gregory
G
Talavera
Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States.
Richard
R
Shaffer
Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program, Naval Health Research Center, San Diego, CA, United States.|San Diego State University, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego, CA, United States.
Stephanie
S
Brodine
D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D010820:Physicians; D011361:Professional Competence; D015397:Program Evaluation
HIV; epidemiology; international militaries; prevention; public health; training program