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-opti- mal 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.
Objectives: The immediate impact of the training on participants’ knowledge and their role in the measles surveil- lance process was assessed as well as demographic factors associated with participants’ knowledge.
Methods: Participants were DSNOs from the 30 Local Gov- ernment 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 con- ducted 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 aver- age of 13.7 (± 2.2) years. Mean pre- and post-test scores were 31 and 61, respectively, and showed a significant sta- tistical difference (paired t-test = 12.665, p=0.000). Conclusion: Training achieved its short-term objective. However, a correlation between knowledge and practice will be based on the subsequent surveillance performance.
Keywords: Assessment of training, measles case-based surveillance, disease surveillance and notification officers, Nigeria