Evaluating a contact tracing course: How universities can develop the public health workforce

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Education

Background:

• Universities can play a role in training public health workforces.
• COVID-19 contact tracing requires a knowledgeable and willing workforce.
• Assessing the impact of educational interventions is crucial for workforce development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize participants in a university-based COVID-19 contact tracing course.
• To evaluate the course's effect on participants' knowledge, attitudes, and intention to engage in contact tracing.
• To identify factors associated with a higher likelihood of participating in contact tracing.

Main Methods:

• A university-based course on COVID-19 contact tracing was offered to faculty, staff, and students.
• Surveys were used to assess changes in knowledge, attitudes, and intention to participate.
• Logistic regression analysis identified characteristics linked to increased participation likelihood.

Main Results:

• Nearly 800 individuals participated, with significant racial and ethnic diversity (26.2% Hispanic/Latino, 14.0% Black).
• Knowledge scores significantly improved post-course (67.9% to 93.8%, p < 0.001), while attitudes remained unchanged.
• Almost half (48.8%) intended to participate in contact tracing; younger and Black participants showed higher confidence.

Conclusions:

• University-led training can effectively enhance knowledge for COVID-19 contact tracing.
• The diverse participant pool demonstrates the potential for universities to create representative public health workforces.
• Partnerships between universities and health departments are vital for community-reflective workforce development.