Document Detail


Informal training in staff networks to support dissemination of health promotion programs.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20809826     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
PURPOSE: To study informal skill transfer via staff networks as a complement to formal training among afterschool childcare providers implementing a health promotion program.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional, sociometric network analysis.
SETTING: Boston Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) afterschool programs implementing the iPLAY program.
PARTICIPANTS: All 91 staff members at 20 sites were eligible; 80 completed the survey (88% response rate).
MEASURES: At the network level, network density measured system-level connectedness. At the staff level, the independent variable was out degree, the number of individuals to whom respondents noted a program-related connection. The dependent variable was skill gains, the number of key implementation skills gained from the network.
ANALYSIS: We mapped the staff program-related social network. We utilized multiple linear regression to estimate the relationship between out degree and skill gains, and we adjusted for clustering of staff in sites.
RESULTS: Most staff (77%) reported gaining at least one skill from the network, but only 2% of potential network connections were established. The regression model showed that out degree (i.e., number of program-related contacts) was significantly associated with skill gains (beta = .48, p < .01) independent of other variables.
CONCLUSION: Informal skill transfer in staff networks may be a useful complement to formal training for implementation of health promotion programs, but informal skill transfer was likely underutilized in this network. Future research employing longitudinal and/or multisite data should examine these findings in greater detail.
Authors:
Shoba Ramanadhan; Jean L Wiecha; Steven L Gortmaker; Karen M Emmons; Kasisomayajula Viswanath
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  American journal of health promotion : AJHP     Volume:  25     ISSN:  0890-1171     ISO Abbreviation:  Am J Health Promot     Publication Date:    2010 Sep-Oct
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-09-02     Completed Date:  2011-01-06     Revised Date:  2011-09-13    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8701680     Medline TA:  Am J Health Promot     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  12-8     Citation Subset:  T    
Affiliation:
Department of Society, Human Development, and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. shoba_ramanadhan@dfci.harvard.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Boston
Cross-Sectional Studies
Data Collection
Educational Status
Female
Health Promotion*
Humans
Information Dissemination / methods*
Linear Models
Male
Motor Activity
Multivariate Analysis
Professional Competence
Program Development*
Schools / organization & administration
Social Support*
Staff Development / methods*
Task Performance and Analysis
United States
Young Adult
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
5 R25 CA057711-14/CA/NCI NIH HHS; R25 CA057711-09/CA/NCI NIH HHS
Comments/Corrections

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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