Training need assessment for a master training program in Environmental Health program in Vietnam

Le Thi Thanh Huong; Tran Thi Tuyet Hanh; Luu Quoc Toan; Do Thi Hanh Trang; Nguyen Thuy Quynh; Nguyen Quynh Anh; Tran Khanh Long; Stanley Fenwick; Nguyen Thanh Ha; Bruce H Alexander; Le Thi Thanh Huong; Tran Thi Tuyet Hanh; Luu Quoc Toan; Do Thi Hanh Trang; Nguyen Thuy Quynh; Nguyen Quynh Anh; Tran Khanh Long; Stanley Fenwick; Nguyen Thanh Ha; Bruce H Alexander

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2020017

AIMS Public Health

2020, Volume 7, Issue 1: 197-212. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2020017

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Research article

Training need assessment for a master training program in Environmental Health program in Vietnam

1.
Hanoi University of Public Health, 1A Duc Thang Rd, Duc Thang Ward, North Tu Liem District, Hanoi, Vietnam
2.
Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
3.
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, 200 Westoboro Rd., North Grafton, MA 01536, USA
4.
School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA

Received: 13 October 2019 Accepted: 09 March 2020 Published: 23 March 2020

Vietnam is facing a shortage of skilled Environmental health workforce. A Training Needs Assessment was conducted to develop a list of environmental health tasks, a list of core competencies and assess the need for a Master of Environmental Health training program in Vietnam. To answer these questions, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Vietnam in 2017, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative study involved a desk review, 29 in-depth interviews, two consultative workshops, and two expert meetings. For the quantitative component, 298 environmental health staff working at different levels completed a structured postal questionnaire. Results showed that different sectors were implementing various environmental health tasks but that there was currently no training program focusing on environmental health in Vietnam. Thirteen core competencies for a Master of Environmental Health were recommended. An urgent need to develop training programs to help building environmental health competencies at the Masters degree level was uniformly expressed. This could be achieved by developing a Master of Public Health with an Environmental Health stream in the short-term and a Master of Environmental Health program in the long-term.
- training needs assessment,
- environmental health,
- Masters degree,
- Vietnam
Citation: Le Thi Thanh Huong, Tran Thi Tuyet Hanh, Luu Quoc Toan, Do Thi Hanh Trang, Nguyen Thuy Quynh, Nguyen Quynh Anh, Tran Khanh Long, Stanley Fenwick, Nguyen Thanh Ha, Bruce H Alexander. Training need assessment for a master training program in Environmental Health program in Vietnam[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2020, 7(1): 197-212. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2020017

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Abstract

Vietnam is facing a shortage of skilled Environmental health workforce. A Training Needs Assessment was conducted to develop a list of environmental health tasks, a list of core competencies and assess the need for a Master of Environmental Health training program in Vietnam. To answer these questions, a cross-sectional study was conducted in Vietnam in 2017, using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The qualitative study involved a desk review, 29 in-depth interviews, two consultative workshops, and two expert meetings. For the quantitative component, 298 environmental health staff working at different levels completed a structured postal questionnaire. Results showed that different sectors were implementing various environmental health tasks but that there was currently no training program focusing on environmental health in Vietnam. Thirteen core competencies for a Master of Environmental Health were recommended. An urgent need to develop training programs to help building environmental health competencies at the Masters degree level was uniformly expressed. This could be achieved by developing a Master of Public Health with an Environmental Health stream in the short-term and a Master of Environmental Health program in the long-term.

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully thank the USAID and the Vietnam One Health University Network for financially supporting this study. We also sincerely thank the policy makers, experts and HUPH's alumni working in the field of Health, Environmental and Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam for being actively involved, providing information and feedbacks during this assessment.

Conflict of interest

The author team declares no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship, and/or publication of this manuscript.

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