Capacity building for international tuberculosis control through operations research training

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Operations Research

Background:

• Limited epidemiological and analytical skills among tuberculosis (TB) program staff in resource-poor countries hinder national TB control program (NTP) improvements.
• Essential skills for data collection, analysis, priority setting, and program evaluation are lacking at national, provincial, and district levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a model course designed to build capacity in basic epidemiology and operations research (OR) for public health professionals.
• To enhance the ability of TB program staff to utilize research methodologies for program improvement.

Main Methods:

• A 6-day course combining didactic lectures and applied field exercises.
• Focus on quantitative and qualitative research concepts, study design, and analytical methods relevant to TB epidemiology and control.
• Emphasis on demonstrating the practical application of OR in addressing NTP effectiveness.

Main Results:

• The course has been conducted nine times in five countries since 1997.
• 149 key national TB program and laboratory staff have been trained in OR methods.
• 44 OR protocols have been completed or are in progress, with some being funded and implemented.

Conclusions:

• The developed OR course is a low-cost, adaptable model for capacity building in public health.
• The training model effectively equips participants to develop and implement research proposals addressing public health challenges.