WED-097 - Engage Students in Health Policy: A Pilot Evaluation of Graduate Student Health Policy Training Sessions

Brief Abstract Summary: Health policy training is critical to better prepare public health graduates for present and future public health challenges and to develop effective skills in advocating and interacting with legislators. Students (n=24) were recruited to attend a 6-week health policy training that included policy tool development exercises and interactions with advocates. Self-reported pre- and post-training surveys to assess policy-related self-efficacy and knowledge, and evaluate the training contents and activities were completed by the students. After training, students showed improvements in self-efficacy and knowledge. Students were satisfied with the training and rated the effectiveness 8.5 of 10. Behaviorally-based health policy training is essential for public health students to develop their skills, capacity and self-efficacy for engaging in health policy advocacy activities. Future programs should consider incorporating more behaviorally-based activities into health policy trainings.

Detailed abstract description:

Background: Several important public health achievements, such as decreases in traffic fatalities because of seat belt mandates, were made possible through evidence-based health policies. Public health graduate students need didactic knowledge to understand health policy, but oftentimes course instruction falls short in developing skills necessary for the implementation of effective health policy and engagement in policymaking activities. Health policy training is critical to better prepare the public health graduates for present and future public health challenges. The purpose of the current study is to examine the effects of a 6-week student health policy training course among graduate students in public health-related programs in Texas.

Methods: Students (n=24) were recruited to attend hourly sessions of health policy training, in-person or virtually, over 6 weeks. The training was adapted from the Texas Research-to-Policy Collaboration (TX RPC) Project training for health researchers using students feedback from a listening session, and included policy development tool exercises, and interactions with advocates. Surveys evaluating policy-related self-efficacy and knowledge pre- and post-training. Additional evaluation questions were included in the post-training survey to obtain quantitative and qualitative feedback. Student characteristics were analyzed using descriptive statistics for students who completed both surveys (n=13). Paired t-tests compared the pre- and post-training self-efficacy and knowledge mean scale scores.

Results: All students had completed bachelor level or higher degree. Most students were currently in graduate school (92%) and had no prior health policy training (62%) or experience in health policy (54%). Students showed significant improvement in policy-related self-efficacy (p=0.003) and knowledge (p < 0.001) after training. Students were satisfied with the training and rated the training content, length, time allocation, materials, activities, and delivery modes as very good or excellent. Overall, students rated the average effectiveness as 8.5 of 10.

Conclusion: Behaviorally-based health policy training is essential for public health students to develop their skills, capacity and self-efficacy for engaging in health policy advocacy activities. The TX RPC health policy training improved students’ policy-related self-efficacy and knowledge, provided a virtual delivery mode, and included experiential learning opportunities. Future programs should consider more robust evaluation and incorporation of behaviorally-based activities.