Virtual Classroom - Virtual Campus for Public Health - PAHO

About the course

The course on accurate automated blood pressure measurement is an initiative of the Pan American Health Organization joined by the World Hypertension League, the Lancet Commission on Hypertension Group and Hypertension Canada, and Resolve to Save Lives, academically developed by a group of highly qualified experts recognized worldwide.

It is structured in an interactive way with a narrated video that illustrates step by step how to properly measure blood pressure, as well as the factors that can alter the measurement and give misleading records.

It consists of an interactive module with an illustrated video, an illustrated guide, and a narrative evaluation. At the end of the modules, the student will be able to download the certificate issued by the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) of PAHO/WHO and validated by World Hypertension League, Resolve to Save Lives initiative, and The Lancet Commission on Hypertension Group and Hypertension Canada.

Course purpose

Training members of the health care team who are in charge of blood pressure measurement to do it correctly, step by step, so that they can make an appropriate diagnosis and start the indicated treatment according to the blood pressure record.

Objectives

To develop an efficient mechanism for patients and health care professionals to update knowledge on proper blood pressure assessment, pass a knowledge test and provide a certificate of recognition.

Audience

Primary health care teams including doctors, nurses, physicians and nurse assistants, technical personnel, pharmacists, and specialists such as internal medicine doctors and other specialists in charge of blood pressure measurement. Patients and non-health care professionals who are knowledgeable about hypertension may also find this course useful.

Duration / Workload

The course is open and available in the VCPH. As it is a self-learning course, participants can regulate their times and moments of dedication. When including the estimated time to review the course contents and the Final Test, the course is assigned a total of 1 hour.

This course provides a certificate valid for 6 months starting from the day that it is issued and with 1 academic hour of accreditation. Afterwards, participants are welcome to retake the course.

About the course

Home blood pressure monitoring is a proven intervention to enhance the accuracy and reproducibility of blood pressure measurement, and the development and implementation of a BP measurement training course can empower patients to self-control their BP and ultimately reduce patient-related clinical inertia and improve BP control.

The course on Home Blood Pressure Monitoring-Promoting patient self-measurement highlights (1) the significance of increased blood pressure, (2) the importance of proper blood pressure measurement technique, (3) the step-by-step process to properly measure blood pressure at home, (4) the factors that can lead to measurement error, (5) why to measure blood pressure at home and (6) how to interpret home blood pressure numbers, including when to follow-up and when to seek immediate action.

It consists of an interactive module with an illustrated video, an illustrated guide, a printable 7-day HBPM log, and a narrative evaluation. At the end of the modules, the student will be able to download the certificate issued by the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) of PAHO/WHO and validated by the World Hypertension League, International Society of Hypertension, Resolve to Save Lives initiative, Hypertension Canada, and the Québec Society of Vascular Sciences.

General objectives

Educating people in HBPM using a step-by-step approach, highlighting proper technique, person and environment preparation and the use of BPMDs clinically validated.

Audience

This course is intended for patients and the public with possible or confirmed hypertension diagnoses; PHC providers, with emphasis on nurses, medical and nurse assistants, pharmacists, and nutritionists, are encouraged to take the course and educate their patients on HBPM. In addition, community healthcare workers and social workers are recommended to embed the course and make it available for their patients.

Course structure

Overall, it consists of an interactive module with:
(1) an illustrated video
(2) a link to online listings of properly validated (accurate) automated blood pressure measuring devices
(3) an illustrated guide on how to perform home blood pressure measurement
(4) a printable 7-day HBPM log
(5) a final quiz to test knowledge

Course format

The course will be placed on the platform of the Virtual Campus for Public Health of PAHO/WHO, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in a self-administered modality according to the own participant pace, individually or as part of professional programs and educational meetings in the workplace. The course issues a certificate with 1 academic hour that can be downloaded automatically after passing the exam and filling the PAHO’s Virtual Campus survey.

Acknowledgements

This course has been partially funded by Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, and by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the United States.

Sponsoring organizations

• World Hypertension League
• International Society of Hypertension
• STRIDE BP
• Hypertension Canada
• Lancet Commission on Hypertension Group
• Québec Society of Vascular Sciences
• Resolve to Save Lives

General objective

This course aims to improve the training of health providers in all aspects related to the prevention and control of cervical cancer, including its natural history, primary prevention through vaccination against HPV, detection and treatment of precancerous cervical lesions, diagnosis and treatment of invasive cervical cancer, and provision of palliative care. The course will also cover aspects of community mobilization for the use of cancer preventive services. The course also provides information on the proper organization of vaccination and screening services. The course also offers the possibility of completing a module that reports on the organization of cervical cancer control programs.

Recipients / Participant profile

The course is aimed at health care workers (especially those in the first level of care):

• Physicians
• Non-physician workers (nurses, midwives, auxiliary personnel, among others); and
• Program managers.

Modules

The “Virtual Course on Comprehensive Cervical Cancer Control,” has been designed to train the health care workers with the most relevant knowledge, prevention, and control of cervical cancer.

The course consists of ten modules, that are listed below:

Introduction

• Module 1. Key Concepts on Cervical Cancer
• Module 2. HPV Vaccination for Cervical Cancer Prevention
• Module 3. Programmatic Aspects of HPV Vaccination
• Module 4. Screening for Cervical Cancer
• Module 5. Diagnosis and Treatment of Cervical Pre-Cancer
• Module 6. Delivering Services for Cervical Cancer Screening and Treatment of Precancerous Lesions
• Module 7. Diagnosis and Treatment of Invasive Cancer
• Module 8. Palliative Care
• Module 9. Community Mobilization, Education and Counseling
• Module 10. Establishing a Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Program

The purpose of this course is to contribute to the reduction of morbidity and mortality in children and adolescents with cancer by strengthening the capacities of healthcare professionals on the early diagnosis of cancer with concepts and learning instruments that allow them to recognize the signs and symptoms of cancer in a timely and early manner.

The course will also cover the epidemiological, genetic, clinical and initial management aspects of children with suspected cancer. Information will also be provided on the interpretation of complementary tests for the timely diagnosis of cancer in childhood and adolescence.

Purpose

Provide a framework for healthcare workers aimed to strengthen their capacities on the early diagnosis of cancer in childhood and adolescence.

Objectives

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Define the key concepts of cancer in childhood and adolescence.
• Describe the risk factors and genetic syndromes associated with cancer in childhood and adolescence.
• Apply knowledge in clinical practice (especially primary care).
• Examine the process of initial diagnosis and management of various types of cancer in childhood and adolescence.
• Understand how the interpretation of complementary tests used in the initial diagnosis of cancer in childhood and adolescence.

Recipients

The Course is aimed at Healthcare Workers (especially those in the first level of care):

• Doctors
• Non-Medical Workers

Course duration

Ten hours

Course modality

Self-paced course, free, open to the public and without deadlines to complete it.

Course structure

The "Virtual Course in Early Cancer Diagnosis in childhood and adolescence” has been designed to train the health worker on the most relevant elements in the knowledge of the timely diagnosis of cancer in the pediatric population. The course consists of 10 modules.

The Course modules are listed below:

Introduction

• Module 1. Key Concepts of Cancer in childhood and adolescence.
• Module 2. Risk factors and genetic syndromes associated with cancer in childhood and adolescence.
• Module 3. Importance of early detection of cancer in children and adolescents.
• Module 4. Hematological neoplasms
• Module 5. Solid abdominal neoplasms
• Module 6. Neoplasms of bone and soft tissue
• Module 7. Central nervous system tumors, retinoblastoma
• Module 8. Neoplasms of germinal origin
• Module 9. Interpretation of complementary exams
• Module 10. Initial management of the child with suspected cancer

Course purpose

The purpose of the course is to provide a basic introduction to the fundamentals of palliative care practice for clinical and non-clinical healthcare leaders and staff. By completing this virtual course, participants will have acquired knowledge about the modern definition of palliative care, and the basic principles that guide the evaluation and management of multidimensional suffering in patients with serious illness.

Learning objectives

Main objective

Improve access to basic palliative care services in region via dissemination of the fundamentals of up-to-date, evidence-based palliative care practice to clinical and non-clinical healthcare staff.

Specific objectives

• Understand the history and current state of palliative care around the world
• Articulate a modern definition of the scope and mission of palliative care practice
• Understanding the basic principles of evaluation and management of pain
• Understand the basic principles of evaluation and management of other common physical symptoms (dyspnea, nausea, poor appetite and mood disorders)
• Recognize the role of psychosocial and spiritual support within palliative care practice
• Understand the ethical principles that guide palliative care practice
• Recognize basic principles of effective patient-provider communication within the context of palliative care
• Apply the multidimensional skills of high-quality palliative care practice to the specific scenario of caring for a dying patient and their family
• Recognize the unique risk of burnout within palliative care providers, and highlight best practices to promote resiliency

Audience

This course is intended for:

• Primary care doctors and other general practitioners
• Non-palliative care specialists (oncologist, cardiologists, intensivist, etc.)
• Nurses
• Public health officials and ministry of health leaders
• Other allied professionals who regularly care for patients with patients with serious illness

Educational approach

The course is divided into 10 separate modules, with each including a short introductory video, core content delivered through informational slides, and reference list to support further learning. Finally, each section will end with an objective assessment to help highlight key teaching points.

Duration / Workload

The course is open and available in the VCPH. As it is a self-learning course, participants can manage their own shedules. When including the estimated time to complete the modules and the Final Evaluation, the Course is assigned a total of 5 hours.

Course Structure

• Introduction to Palliative Care
• Pain Part 1
• Pain Part 2
• Non-Pain Symptoms Part 1
• Non-Pain Symptoms Part 2
• Psychosocial and Spiritual Support
• Ethics in Palliative Care
• Communication Skills
• End-of-Life Care
• Resiliency and Self-Care

Background

Cardiovascular disease continues to be the leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality globally. According to the 2022 Global Burden of Disease Report, high systolic blood pressure remains the leading modifiable risk factor globally for attributable premature cardiovascular deaths, accounting for 10.8 million deaths and 11.3 million deaths overall in 2021 and has been particularly linked to ischemic heart disease and stroke-related deaths. Cardiovascular disease is also the leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the Americas Region.

Improvement in blood pressure control has occurred. However, part of the improvement seen in the last two decades has slowed significantly and, in some cases, even reversed. 

The Pan American Health Organization through HEARTS in the Americas Initiative supports countries to develop their hypertension treatment protocols based on the latest 2021 WHO Guideline for the pharmacological treatment of hypertension in adults. Likewise, the initiative emphasizes the team care approach and supports the training and education of all members of the primary healthcare team, including physicians, nurses, or non-physician health workers (NPHW), to increase control of hypertension in PHC centers and to use antihypertension medication properly and effectively.

This virtual course aims to support clinicians using properly blood pressure medications, highlighting the newest WHO recommendations and the possible side effects of the main group of antihypertensive drugs.

Intended audience

This course is intended for primary healthcare teams members responsible for prescribing, titrating, and following up hypertensive patients. Primary care physicians, nurses, nurse assistants, nurse practitioners, allied health professionals, and medical, nurses and allied health science students will benefit from taking this course. In addition, teachers of health science programs, which include medicine and nursing, are recommended to embed the course, and make it available for their students or to incorporate it into their curriculum.

Course format

The course is placed on the platform of the Virtual Campus for Public Health of PAHO/WHO available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in a self-administered modality according to the participant’s own pace, individually or as part of professional programs and/or educational meetings in the workplace. 

The course issues a certificate with 16 academic hours that can be downloaded automatically once the students have met the course completion requirements, including passing the evaluation with 70% or more and completing the VCPH Quality Survey.

General objectives

1. To understand which common side effects of BP medications are dose-related and can be minimized with dose adjustment.
2. To understand which common side effects of BP medications, require medication discontinuation.
3. To understand how to deal with basic lab abnormalities including hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, hyperuricemia, and renal insufficiency.
4. To increase comfort level with use of spironolactone.

General skills

At the end of this course, health care providers who titrate BP medications (physicians, pharmacists, and nurses) should be able to more comfortably prescribe and titrate thiazide-type diuretics, ACEIs, ARBs, and CCBs, and deal with common side effects and lab abnormalities.  This will facilitate optimal use of preferred BP medication protocols.

Rationale

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the world’s leading cause of death and disability. They include cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic lung disease, many of which can be prevented by reducing risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and unhealthy eating.

NCDs are the leading cause of death in the Region of the Americas. In 2021, they were responsible for six million deaths, 38% of them premature, occurring in people between 30 and 70 years of age. Following the outbreak of COVID-19, there was a change in death distribution among the leading causes of mortality, with more deaths attributed to communicable diseases. It is not known how many COVID-19 deaths occurred in people with NCDs, but it is likely that many of these deaths were associated with underlying NCDs. In 2021, NCDs accounted for 65% of all deaths, down from 80% in 2019, but remained the leading cause of death in the Americas. Despite this shift in death distribution, NCD mortality rates increased by 1.8% between 2019 and 2021. 

An estimated one in four adults in the Americas lives with at least one NCD, highlighting the need to strengthen primary care services. In line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3—which aims to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third—it is crucial to improve the prevention, treatment, and management of these diseases in primary care.

To address this challenge, in 2023 PAHO launched the Better Care for NCDs Initiative (2023-2030), with the aim of scaling up equitable access to integrated services in primary health care (PHC).

Countries in the Region must bolster the ongoing training of their health teams, adapting to different national and local contexts. The Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) promotes permanent education in health as a work-based process aimed at improving care for the population.

This course is part of the Initiative’s training itinerary and supports its implementation. It provides decision-makers and health teams with a comprehensive view of the epidemiological context, gaps in service quality and availability, and challenges to achieving better care for NCDs in PHC.

Objective

To present and analyze the main dimensions and strategic areas of PAHO’s Better Care for NCDs Initiative so that decision-makers and health teams can identify challenges and define the actions needed to strengthen NCD care in PHC, based on a preliminary analysis of their local situation.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be expected to: 

1. Understand the concept and epidemiological context of NCDs and their comorbidities from a life course approach.
2. Understand the impact of social determinants of health on the development of NCDs and their risk factors.
3. Recognize the Initiative’s potential based on its objectives, recommended essential services, and expected impact.
4. Understand the opportunities for integrating NCD care into PHC based on the Operational Framework for PHC.
5. Understand the Initiative’s strategic areas and actions.
6. Recognize how to use the rapid assessment instrument as a local planning tool.
7. Identify the importance of providing accessible and equitable health services for NCD care through territorial planning and management, strengthening health promotion and the SDH approach, community engagement, intersectoral action, and telemedicine solutions.
8. Understand approaches to promote quality and safety in recommended essential NCD services.
9. Identify the importance of having competent interprofessional teams for comprehensive and integrated NCD care.
10. Recognize the need for planning, forecasting, provision, and quality assurance of NCD medicines and diagnostic tools.
11. Identify the importance of monitoring and evaluating lines of care for people with NCDs and the strategy’s key indicators.

Competencies

By the end of the course, participants will be expected to: 

• Develop a critical view of their local context, enabling the identification of available and necessary resources and actions, as well as the main challenges for better NCD care in PHC.
• Identify the importance of providing accessible health services for NCD care through territorial planning and management, addressing social determinants, identifying access barriers associated with both supply and demand, intercultural community engagement, and identifying vulnerable populations and territories, and telemedicine solutions.
• Recognize the Initiative as an opportunity to guide the integration of NCD care into PHC. 

Target audience 

• Primary healthcare teams, including community workers.
• Health services and NCD program managers.

Workload and contact hours

Total number of hours: 15

Self-administered, asynchronous.

Teaching strategies

Course Modality and Technology Platforms: self-administered, using the PAHO/WHO Virtual Campus for Public Health virtual educational platform. 

Flexible Lessons and Teaching Resources: Lessons will be presented using a variety of teaching resources and tools on the virtual platform. 

Course structure

Module 1: Presenting the Better Care for NCDs Initiative and its integration into PHC.

Topics:

• Definition and epidemiological context of NCDs.
• Life course, multimorbidity, and risk factors.
• Social determinants of health, their impact on NCDs, and their risk factors.
• Gaps and inequities in access to services.
• Presenting the Initiative: objectives, essential services, and challenges.
• Integrating NCD care into PHC: approach and benefits.

Module 2: Implementation – Strategic Areas 1, 2, and 3

Topics: Implementing the Initiative: strategic areas and actions (Part 1).

• Strategic Line 1: Needs assessment and operational planning. Telehealth and governance.
• Strategic Line 2: Community outreach and engagement in NCD services, with a focus on equity.
• Strategic Line 3: Normative guidance and improving quality of care. Evidence, clinical guidelines, and quality of care for risk factors, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, COPD, and cancer.

Module 3: Implementation – Strategic Areas 4, 5, and 6

Topics: Implementing the Initiative: strategic areas and actions (Part 2).

• Strategic Line 4: Developing interprofessional health teams in PHC. Training itinerary.
• Strategic Line 5: Scaling up access to medicines and technologies. Pharmaceutical services and PAHO Strategic Fund.
• Strategic Line 6: NCD monitoring and follow-up based on key indicators.

Course Overview:

This course covers key elements of comprehensive care for people with type 2 diabetes in primary health care, including diagnosis, individualized treatment, self-care, risk management, and prevention of acute and chronic complications.

Course modality:

Self-learning (self-paced)

Course duration:

20 hours

Introduction

Diabetes is currently one of the greatest challenges facing public health worldwide. Both the prevalence of diabetes and the mortality and disability associated with this disease have increased significantly in recent years. The impact of diabetes also translates into high economic costs and a deterioration in the quality of life of those living with the disease. This high burden of diabetes and the ever-increasing number of people affected translate into a growing healthcare burden, which must be borne mainly by primary health care (PHC) teams.

This virtual course, part of the regional implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Diabetes Compact and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Better Care for Noncommunicable Diseases initiative, responds to the need to provide continuous, evidence-based training to frontline health care workers. The course aims to strengthen technical capacity and contribute to the formation of health teams that understand and value a comprehensive approach to the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus, with an emphasis on the latest technical guidelines from PAHO/WHO.

This course is part of the Training Itinerary (IF) Better Care for NCDs of the PAHO Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) and can be accessed at the following link: https://campus.paho.org/en/lp/ncd

Purpose

Strengthen the technical capacity of primary care health teams in the diagnosis, treatment, and control of people with type 2 diabetes, with an emphasis on integrated management with other noncommunicable diseases.

Competencies

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

• Analyze and describe the epidemiological and etiopathogenic foundations of type 2 diabetes mellitus, identifying the key role of insulin, modifiable risk factors, and the public health impact of this disease.
• Recognize the characteristic clinical picture of type 2 diabetes mellitus to facilitate its timely detection and appropriate clinical decision-making.
• Apply diagnostic criteria and methods for type 2 diabetes mellitus to provide timely health care to people with diabetes.
• Apply the multidisciplinary team-based care model to perform a comprehensive clinical assessment of people with type 2 diabetes, including the detection of gaps and psychosocial risks, to optimize care and health outcomes.
• Apply a comprehensive and individualized approach to the care of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus, considering evidence-based therapeutic goals and cardiovascular and renal risk management to prevent acute and chronic complications of the disease.
• Understand the principles and specifics of a stepwise approach to pharmacological treatment to improve metabolic control and reduce the risk of side effects in people with type 2 diabetes.
• Design and implement an individualized and interdisciplinary therapeutic education plan for people with type 2 diabetes and their caregivers, integrating nutritional therapy strategies, management of comorbidities, and promoting effective self-care.
• Manage acute and chronic complications of type 2 diabetes in a comprehensive and timely manner at the primary care level, applying protocols for prevention, screening, initial diagnosis, and management, and promoting health education to patients and their families for effective self-care.

Target audience

This course is aimed at professionals and technicians working in primary health care (PHC), including doctors, nurses, nutritionists, physical therapists, social workers, psychologists, and other members of the PHC team.

This course can also contribute to capacity building for officials in national noncommunicable disease programs and be used as supplementary material by health care students.

Course modality

This is a self-paced, free, and open-access course in which students can manage their own time and learning pace. The course will be available without time restrictions on the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) platform of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Course duration

20 hours.

Course structure

The course is organized into an introductory module plus seven modules, which include specific content on the topic, support materials, and self-assessment exercises. The structure is sequential, so in order to advance to the next module, it will be necessary to review all the content and complete the corresponding exercises.

The course modules are listed below:

Module 0: Welcome

This module welcomes participants and reviews the objectives, topics of each module, the assessment method, and how to obtain the course completion certificate.

Module 1: Overview of diabetes

This module provides an overview of the disease, its risk factors, the basic guidelines for the etiopathogenesis of diabetes, the most common types of diabetes according to the WHO classification, and the epidemiological situation of type 2 diabetes at the global and regional levels.

Module 2: Diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus

This module reviews the signs and symptoms of the disease, the available tests and diagnostic criteria for type 2 diabetes according to WHO guidelines, the initial assessment of the person with diabetes, and glycemic control goals.

Module 3: Comprehensive assessment of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus

This module addresses the conceptual basis of care for people with diabetes based on multidisciplinary health teams and the advantages this brings for both people living with the disease and health teams. It also provides an overview of what a comprehensive clinical assessment entails, along with the fundamental pillars and components of this approach.

Module 4: Therapeutic goals in the care of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus

This module reviews the pillars of individualized treatment and the recommended therapeutic objectives or goals in the care of people with type 2 diabetes.

Module 5: Pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

This module reviews medications for glycemic control and presents recommendations for first-, second-, and third-line pharmacological treatment for type 2 diabetes based on PAHO/WHO guidelines. It also discusses the importance of integrating diabetes care with the care of other noncommunicable diseases.

Module 6: Non-pharmacological treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus

This module addresses PAHO/WHO guidelines for the integrated management of type 2 diabetes in adults based on non-pharmacological measures, such as physical activity, smoking cessation, and maintaining a healthy weight. In addition, key recommendations are presented on integrating care with periodontal disease and tuberculosis.

Module 7: Acute and chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus

This module reviews the basic concepts of acute complications (hypoglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome) and chronic complications of type 2 diabetes (diabetic retinopathy, diabetic kidney disease, and diabetic foot), including prevention, early diagnosis, and management in primary health care.

Evaluation and certification

Upon completion of each module, a self-assessment questionnaire will be available to help participants assimilate the information. This questionnaire can be taken as many times as necessary to promote self-reflection and assessment of the learning acquired. At the end of the course, participants will be asked to complete the final assessment.

To promote learning and measure participants' progress, the course includes the following assessment tools:

• Module self-assessments: At the end of each module, a self-assessment questionnaire with multiple-choice questions will be presented. This can be completed as many times as desired, with the aim of reinforcing learning and encouraging self-reflection.
• Final assessment: Upon completion of all modules, participants must take a mandatory final exam. A passing grade requires at least 70% correct answers, with a maximum of three attempts available.

The course awards a certificate of completion for 20 hours of instruction, issued by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) through the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH). To receive the certificate, participants must:

• Have completed all course activities.
• Pass the final exam with a minimum score of 70%.
• Complete the VCPH quality survey.

Graphic concept and design developed by the VCPH technical team. Artificial intelligence was used as a support tool during production.

Foundation: 

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), with about 2.2 million deaths annually, is the leading cause of death in all countries of the Americas. CVD is the leading cause of premature mortality and disability, reducing the life expectancy of the population, and increasing inequities. In addition, the reduction in cardiovascular mortality has slowed down in the last decade (2010-2019), putting at risk the regional goal of reducing premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by 30% by 2030. 

Hypertension (≥ 140/90 mm Hg) affects more than one-third of adults in this region and is the main modifiable risk factor for CVD. However, despite the efforts made, approximately 30% of people with hypertension are unaware of their condition, and only half of those who receive treatment achieve adequate control of their blood pressure. As a result, only about 37% of people with hypertension in the region manage to keep their blood pressure under control. These figures show significant gaps in access, coverage, and quality of health services, particularly in timely diagnosis and effective treatment, highlighting the limitations of the current model of health care. 

What factors are limiting the effective control of hypertension in the health systems of the Region? How can primary care teams overcome current barriers and achieve better results? 

HEARTS in the Americas, the regional adaptation of the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global HEARTS initiative, seeks to transform hypertension care and cardiovascular risk management through a continuous quality improvement approach in primary health care (PHC). This multicomponent, evidence-based program uses the clinical management of hypertension as a starting point to integrate and strengthen prevention and treatment of cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases, which represent the main causes of disease burden in the region. 

HEARTS is fully aligned with PAHO's strategy "Better Care for Noncommunicable Diseases: Accelerating Action in PHC" and acts as its spearhead to improve the quality of care for these conditions in the region's health systems. It is estimated that a 1% increase in population hypertension control in the region can reduce CVD mortality by about 3% per 100,000 people, especially due to ischemic heart disease and stroke. If Latin America and the Caribbean were to increase the level of population control of high blood pressure to 50%, around 500,000 premature deaths could be avoided in a period of five years. And if cardiovascular risk were addressed in an integrated way, as HEARTS proposes, the impact would be even greater, also reducing complications related to diabetes and chronic kidney disease. 

The HEARTS quality improvement methodology guides the systematic implementation of the Drivers for Hypertension Control and Cardiovascular Risk Management, reducing gaps in hypertension coverage and control and reducing associated mortality. Central to this process is the HEARTS Clinical Pathway, a standardized, evidence-based tool designed to guide the comprehensive management of hypertension and cardiovascular risk in primary care settings, simplifying decision-making and facilitating the delivery of quality care. 

HEARTS conceives quality monitoring and evaluation as a continuous process of collective learning and strengthening of organizational commitment. This non-punitive process is aimed at identifying barriers in implementation and developing innovative, effective and sustainable local solutions that improve both processes and health outcomes. The evaluation for quality improvement in HEARTS focuses on a systematic and standardized assessment of four fundamental domains: fidelity, feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the interventions promoted by the program.

General objective: 

Strengthen the competencies of primary care teams to systematically implement the HEARTS program in the Americas, applying its methodology of continuous quality improvement and integrating clinical and management tools, with the purpose of closing gaps in the care and control of hypertension and cardiovascular risk, and contributing to the reduction of premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases in line with the goal established for 2030. 

General Competencies: 

• To analyze the impact of cardiovascular diseases in the region of the Americas, understanding hypertension as the main modifiable risk factor and applying the concept of the "Treatment Cascade" to identify gaps in care and accelerate the implementation of the quality standards of the HEARTS program in primary health care.
• Introduce the HEARTS in the Americas initiative, understanding its vision, mission, and programmatic strategies to facilitate the transition to a model of continuous quality improvement in primary care centers and its effective integration into health systems.
• Recognize and apply the Drivers and essential clinical tools of the HEARTS program, operationalized in primary care through the Clinical Pathway, to optimize the management of hypertension and cardiovascular risk.
• Implement the HEARTS continuous quality improvement methodology, designing and implementing improvement cycles that include: the development of an implementation plan; the systematic integration of HEARTS drivers into clinical and management processes; the documentation of improvements; the conduct performance review meetings; continuous feedback to health teams; and the establishment of effective communication mechanisms.
• Use monitoring and evaluation tools for continuous improvement, analyzing the fidelity, feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the interventions proposed by the HEARTS program, and developing improvement plans that contribute to optimizing the performance of primary care centers in the population control of hypertension and cardiovascular risk.

Admission profile: 

This course is aimed at professionals and workers in the health sector at any level of the system (macro, meso or micro) who wish to contribute from their role to the reduction of preventable mortality and the alleviation of individual and collective suffering caused by avoidable morbidity and mortality due to cardiovascular conditions. It is especially aimed at those who work in primary health care and seek to improve the quality of services in the control of hypertension and the management of cardiovascular risk. No previous experience in quality improvement methodologies is required.

Course Format: 

The course is available on the PAHO/WHO Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) platform, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. As it is a self-study course, participants can regulate their times and moments of dedication. 

The course issues a certificate with 8 hours that can be automatically downloaded once participants have met the course completion requirements, including passing the assessment of each module with 80% or more and completing the VCPH Quality Survey.

Modules:

• Module 1. The central role of hypertension control in advancing in the reduction of mortality from cardiovascular diseases in the region of the Americas.
• Module 2. HEARTS Continuous Quality Improvement Methodology for Primary Care Settings.
• Module 3. Essential clinical tools for quality improvement.
• Module 4. Implementation of the HEARTS quality improvement methodology in primary care facilities.
• Module 5. Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of HEARTS in primary care facilities.

Expected results: 

At the end of the course, and using the technical and methodological knowledge, as well as the clinical and management tools that HEARTS in the Americas makes available to countries, participants will be able to implement and evaluate effective interventions to improve the quality of care in their health centers. In this way, they will be able to contribute to the reduction of mortality and morbidity associated with hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in the region of the Americas.

Assessment and certification: 

This course will provide participants with the tools needed to drive meaningful changes in cardiovascular health care in each country implementing the HEARTS program, ensuring comprehensive, equitable, and sustainable management of hypertension and cardiovascular risk in communities. 

Participants must pass the evaluation corresponding to each module (5 in total). These assessments are designed to offer participants multiple opportunities and consist of five multiple-choice questions.

Participants who meet the course requirements and obtain the minimum passing grade of 80% will be able to download their certificate, issued by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO).

Course description

The course "Introduction to social marketing for public health" is the first of 5 courses that are part of the "Social Marketing Program for Public Health", developed by the Unit of Risk Factors and Nutrition of the Pan American Health Organization in collaboration with the University of South Florida. The program is sponsored by the American Heart Association and the Universal Health Coverage Partnership.

The introductory course addresses the essential theoretical aspects of social marketing and prepares you for the following program courses that aim to provide you with the skills you need to manage social marketing projects, identifying their stages, tasks, profiles involved, implementation times, resources, success indicators and results.

Learning objectives

Upon completion of the introductory course, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate social marketing from other related disciplines
• Recognize the particular characteristics of social marketing
• Distinguish the steps that comprise the social marketing process
• Identify the tasks related to the initial planning and the development of the social marketing strategy
• Distinguish the elements of the marketing mix, or 4Ps (Product, Price, Place and Promotion)

Participant profile and prerequisites

This course is aimed at public health professionals from the Americas region who work in areas such as health promotion, chronic noncommunicable diseases, nutrition, smoking, harmful use of alcohol, among other areas that share the need to influence the people's behavior to improve their quality of life. It is taught free of charge for all students from the Virtual Campus of Public Health of the Pan American Health Organization.

Course structure

The structure of the course is as follows:

Module 1:
Lesson 1: Basics of Social Marketing
Lesson 2: Initial planning
Lesson 3: Strategy elaboration
Lesson 4: Key Ideas and Next Steps

Module 2:
Case study: Promotion of breastfeeding
Case study: Promotion of physical activity
Case study: Promotion of healthy eating
Case Study: Prevention of Heart Disease
Social Marketing and the COVID-19 Pandemic

METHODOLOGY

In the design of the course we have combined passive learning resources, such as video review, with active learning resources, in which your participation and commitment are the basis of learning. The objective of the active learning resources is to reflect on the potential application of the theoretical content to the reality of your country through discussion forums that incorporate principles of social and collaborative learning.

Introduction
The Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health course is the second of 5 courses that make up the Social Marketing for Public Health Program. This learning program aims to train public health professionals from the Americas region to implement social marketing programs, apply commercial marketing strategies in search of behavior change in the population, promote healthy habits, or prevent diseases.

The first course of the program, Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health, addresses this discipline’s essential theoretical aspects and is a prerequisite for taking the rest of its courses.

In this course, entitled Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health, you will learn how to formulate the health problem, select the specific behavioral approach, determine the target audience, and plan the formative research.

Learning objectives
Upon completing all the activities of the course, you will be able to:

• Formulate the statement of the problem you want to address through a social marketing intervention.
• Describe the main formative research methods available for social marketers.
• Identify the resources needed to conduct formative research.

Target audience and prerequisites
The Social Marketing for Public Health Program is aimed at public health professionals from the Latin American and the Caribbean region who work in areas such as health promotion, chronic noncommunicable diseases, nutrition, smoking, alcoholism, among other areas, that share the need to influence people’s behavior to improve their quality of life.

To access this course, participants should have completed the first course of the Program: Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVCSocialMarketingPublicHealth

Estimated duration of the course
We estimate that you should dedicate 3 hours to complete all the activities of the course, including the optional ones, which are indicated in the title of the resources.

Course modality
Self-paced without a tutor, with open registration and permanently available to all people interested in social marketing applied to public health. There is no deadline to complete this course in the self-paced without tutor modality. Participants must first complete the first course of the Program.

Course structure
Learning resources are organized as follows:

• Lesson 1: Definitions of Social Marketing
• Lesson 2: Statement of the Problem
• Lesson 3: Behavioral Focus
• Lesson 4: Audience Segmentation
• Lesson 5: Formative Research
• Lesson 6: Planning Formative Research
• Lesson 7: Strategy Development

INTRODUCTION
The course Developing a Social Marketing and Communication Strategy is the third of 5 courses that make up the Social Marketing for Public Health Program. This learning program aims to train public health professionals from the Americas region to implement social marketing programs, apply commercial marketing strategies in search of behavior change in the population, promote healthy habits, or prevent diseases.

The first course of the program, Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health, addresses this discipline’s essential theoretical aspects and is a prerequisite for taking the rest of its courses. The second course of the program, Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health, covers how to formulate the health problem, select the specific behavioral approach, determine the target audience, and plan the formative research. This third course will guide participants in the development of a strategy workbook and in the design of the promotion components of a social marketing strategy, including the creative brief, communication plan and creative concepts.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completing all the activities of the course, you will be able to:

• Assemble research findings to identify, select and understand “audience insight”, to build a social marketing strategy workbook.
• Develop a creative brief.
• Define measurable communication goals and structure a communication plan.
• Define a creative concept.
• Plan concept testing and pre-testing activities.

TARGET AUDIENCE AND PREREQUISITES
The Social Marketing for Public Health Program is aimed at public health professionals from the Latin American and the Caribbean region who work in areas such as health promotion, chronic noncommunicable diseases, nutrition, smoking, alcoholism, among other areas, that share the need to influence people’s behavior to improve their quality of life. To access this course, participants should have completed the first course of the Program: Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVCSocialMarketingPublicHealth and the second course: Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVCPlanningSocialMarketingPublicHealth

ESTIMATED COURSE DURATION
We estimate that you should dedicate around 3 hours to complete all the activities of the course, including the optional ones, which are indicated in the title of the resources.

COURSE MODALITY
Self-paced without a tutor, with open registration and permanently available to all people interested in social marketing applied to public health. There is no deadline to complete this course in the self-paced without tutor modality. Participants must complete the first two courses of the Program to have access to this one.

COURSE STRUCTURE
Learning resources are organized as follows:

• Lesson 1: Assembly a social marketing strategy workbook
• Lesson 2: Audience insights and strategic decisions
• Lesson 3: Creative brief development
• Lesson 4: Communication plan
• Lesson 5: Creative concepts
• Lesson 6: Concept testing
• Lesson 7: Pre-testing and implementation

INTRODUCTION
The course Development and Implementation of a Social Marketing Program for Public Health is the fourth of 5 courses that make up the Social Marketing for Public Health Program. This learning program aims to train public health professionals from the Americas region to implement social marketing programs, apply commercial marketing strategies in search of behavior change in the population, promote healthy habits, or prevent diseases.

The first course of the program, Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health, addresses this discipline's essential theoretical aspects and is a prerequisite for taking the rest of its courses. The second course of the program, Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health, covers how to formulate the health problem, select the specific behavioral approach, determine the target audience, and plan the formative research. The third course, Developing a Social Marketing and Communication Strategy, guides participants in developing a strategy workbook and designing the promotion components of a social marketing strategy, including the creative brief, communication plan, and creative concepts.

This fourth course delves into how to get ready to launch a social marketing intervention from the development of the action plan, making considerations regarding staffing, costing, budgeting, up to how to address emerging challenges and seizing opportunities during the implementation of the program.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completing all the activities of the course, you will be able to:

• Distinguish the key features of the implementation process in social marketing

TARGET AUDIENCE AND PREREQUISITES
The Social Marketing for Public Health Program is aimed at public health professionals from the Latin American and the Caribbean region who work in areas such as health promotion, chronic noncommunicable diseases, nutrition, smoking, alcoholism, among other areas, that share the need to influence people's behavior to improve their quality of life.

To access this course, participants should have completed the first course of the Program: Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVCSocialMarketingPublicHealth, the second course: Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVCPlanningSocialMarketingPublicHealth, and the third course: Developing a Social Marketing and Communication Strategy, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVC-DevelopSocialMarketingCommunicationStrategy

ESTIMATED COURSE DURATION
We estimate that you should dedicate around 2 hours to complete all the course activities, including the optional ones, which are indicated in the title of the resources.

COURSE MODALITY
Self-paced without a tutor, with open registration and permanently available to all people interested in social marketing applied to public health. There is no deadline to complete this course in the self-paced without tutor modality. Participants must complete the first three courses of the Program to have access to this one.

COURSE STRUCTURE
Learning resources are organized as follows:

• Lesson 1: Action plan
• Lesson 2: Preparing for launch
• Lesson 3: Implementing a quality program
• Lesson 4: Implementing a quality program: A case study

INTRODUCTION
The course Monitoring and evaluation of social marketing programs is the fifth of 5 courses that make up the Social Marketing for Public Health Program. This learning program aims to train public health professionals from the Americas region to implement social marketing programs, apply commercial marketing strategies in search of behavior change in the population, promote healthy habits, or prevent diseases.

The first course of the program, Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health, addresses this discipline's essential theoretical aspects and is a prerequisite for taking the rest of its courses. The second course of the program, Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health, covers how to formulate the health problem, select the specific behavioral approach, determine the target audience, and plan the formative research. The third course, Developing a Social Marketing and Communication Strategy, guides participants in developing a strategy workbook and designing the promotion components of a social marketing strategy, including the creative brief, communication plan, and creative concepts.

This fifth course focuses on the concepts of "monitoring" and "evaluation", their importance in the context of social marketing, the methodologies used for their development and how to disseminate the results and take advantage of the findings for the continuous improvement of the social marketing processes. To better understand it, we will provide you with some practical tools and examples of the use of these methodologies.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon completing all the activities of the course, you will be able to:

• Distinguish the key features of the implementation process in social marketing

TARGET AUDIENCE AND PREREQUISITES
The Social Marketing for Public Health Program is aimed at public health professionals from the Latin American and the Caribbean region who work in areas such as health promotion, chronic noncommunicable diseases, nutrition, smoking, alcoholism, among other areas, that share the need to influence people's behavior to improve their quality of life.

To access this course, participants should have completed the first course of the Program: Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVCSocialMarketingPublicHealth, the second course: Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVCPlanningSocialMarketingPublicHealth, the third course: Developing a Social Marketing and Communication Strategy, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVC-DevelopSocialMarketingCommunicationStrategy, and the fourth course: Development and Implementation of a Social Marketing Program for Public Health, available here: https://bit.ly/PAHOVC-Social-Marketing-Developm-Implementation

ESTIMATED COURSE DURATION
We estimate that you should dedicate around 2 hours to complete all the course activities, including the optional ones, which are indicated in the title of the resources.

COURSE MODALITY
Self-paced without a tutor, with open registration and permanently available to all people interested in social marketing applied to public health. There is no deadline to complete this course in the self-paced without tutor modality. Participants must complete the first four courses of the Program to have access to this one.

COURSE STRUCTURE
Learning resources are organized as follows:

• Lesson 1: Monitoring and evaluation
• Lesson 2: Evaluation methods
• Lesson 3: Dissemination
• Lesson 4: Case studies and tools for M&E

The REPLACE TRANS FAT course it is a How-to Guide for landscape assessment and roadmap development for the elimination of trans fats. The World Health Organization (WHO) on 14 May 2018 launched the REPLACE initiative to eliminate industrially-produced trans fats by 2023 to reduce cardiovascular disease deaths, the world’s leading cause of death.

Elimination of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids (IP-TFA) from the food supply is one of the priority targets identified in the draft 13th General Programme of Work, which will guide the work of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2019-2023. By approving the Plan of Action for the Elimination of Industrially Produced Trans-Fatty Acids 2020-2025, Member States of the Pan American Health Organization also unanimously agreed to eliminate IP-TFA from the Region of the Americas by 2023.

Increased intake of TFA (>1% of total energy intake) is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) events and mortality. Globally more than 500,000 deaths in 2010 were attributed to increased intake of TFA. IP-TFA have no known health benefits and its elimination from the food supply is feasible and achievable. During the past decade, various policy actions have been implemented by countries aiming to restrict TFA content of food and reduce TFA intake in their populations, including mandatory and voluntary TFA labeling, reformulation, and national and local IP-TFA prohibitions. Several countries have in fact virtually eliminated industrially produced TFA from the food supply through the implementation of systematic policy actions and monitoring programs.

The REPLACE TRANS FAT course provides a strategic approach to eliminating industrially produced TFA from national food supplies, with the goal of global elimination by 2023.

Educational approach

The course is developed in the form of self-learning, using virtual teaching platforms of the VCPH, such as interactive PPTs and quizzes of multiple-choice (MCQs) and true/false questions.

Course purpose

The purpose of the course is to incorporate skills to develop and implement a strategic approach to eliminating industrially produced TFA from national food supplies.

Learning objectives

Main objective

The REPLACE TRANS FAT course aims to serve as a roadmap for countries to implement actions to reduce and eliminate IP-TFA and outlines strategic action areas to support the prompt, complete, and sustained elimination of IP-TFA from the food supply.

Specific objectives

• Understand and increase the competence in the harms of products containing TFA.
• Learn about the REPLACE package to eliminate industrially produced IP-TFA.
• Learn about the PAHO Plan of Action for the elimination of industrially produced TFA 2020-2025.
• Understand the steps in creating a strategic plan for the elimination of IP-TFA, including research, policies, legislation, awareness campaigns, etc.
• Identify and understand the barriers and limitations of creating a strategic plan.
• Identify the resources needed to develop a strategic plan for the elimination of TFAs.

Audience

This course is aimed to:

• PAHO personnel
• Country officers
• Public health professionals
• Policy-makers
• Advocates
• Food control or safety authorities
• Researchers and practitioners on nutrition or food safety.

Other audiences that may find the REPLACE course and accompanying web resources useful include civil society organizations, academic and research institutions, nutrition scientists and laboratories, and food industry associations and food companies.

Duration / Workload

The course is open and available in the PAHO/WHO Virtual Campus of Public Health (VCPH). As it is a self-learning course, the participants can regulate their times and moments of dedication. An estimated time of 60 to 90 minutes per module is considered, depending on the participant’s level of knowledge on TFAs. Therefore, when including an estimated time to complete the course modules and the corresponding evaluations, the course is assigned a total of 15 hours.

Course Structure

Introduction

Countries in the Region of the Americas have been facing an increase in obesity and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Both the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and World Health Organization (WHO) have established plans of action—including PAHO’s Plan of Action for the Prevention of Obesity in Children and Adolescents and the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity—to transform obesogenic environments through the use of a comprehensive set of regulatory policies. To advance these agendas, PAHO is implementing a multi-module virtual course that focuses on effective regulatory policies that can help halt the rise in obesity and diet-related NCDs. 

Course purpose

The course purpose of the course is to strengthen the learner’s capacity to design and advance effective regulatory policies that reduce the demand for and offer of ultra-processed and processed products to prevent obesity and diet-related NCDs in the Region of the Americas.  

Educational approach

The course uses virtual teaching platforms of the VCPH, is interactive and highly visual, and includes multimedia resources and formative quizzes such as multiple-choice questions. The course uses a self-learning and self-instructional method, allowing participants to access its content when they wish and advance through the course at their own pace. Therefore, an estimated time of 60 to 120 minutes per module is considered, depending on the participant’s level of knowledge on the different topics.   

Learning objectives

At the end of the course, the learner will:

• Be familiar with the WHO’s and PAHO’s Plans of Action to tackle obesity and NCDs.
• Have an increased understanding of how to design and advance the adoption, implementation, and monitoring of effective regulatory policies to prevent obesity and diet-related NCDs.
• Be familiar with key lessons from country cases with effective regulatory policies in place to prevent obesity and diet-related NCDs.
• Have an increased understanding of conflicts of interest and the significance of preventing and managing it for effective governance.
• Be familiar with PAHO/WHO tools to identify and support the prevention and management of conflicts of interest. 

Audience

This course is aimed at policy makers, public health professionals, civil society organization representatives, public health nutrition advocates, such as researchers and practitioners, PAHO personnel and country and sub-regional officers. 

Course Structure

Introduction

Welcome to the online course “Planning and Development of the Social Marketing Program for Public Health” developed by the Risk Factors and Nutrition Unit of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in coordination with the University of South Florida (USF) WHO Collaborating Center on Social Marketing and Social Change. This learning program is funded by the American Heart Association and the Alliance for Universal Health Coverage.

Description of the course and the Social Marketing Program for Public Health

The “Planning and Development of the Social Marketing Program for Public Health” course is a self-learning (self-paced) course that aims to train public health professionals from the Region of the Americas to implement social marketing programs, apply commercial marketing strategies to achieve behavior change in the population, promote healthy habits, or prevent diseases.

Upon completing the 4-module program, participants will be able to direct or supervise social marketing programs, make informed decisions, and apply a systematic 5-stage process, from problem formulation to monitoring and evaluation.

In this course, organized in 4 modules, you will learn to identify and describe the health need and the target audience, develop a social marketing strategy, prepare its launch and, finally, to monitor and evaluate the program. You will also learn how to disseminate the results and take advantage of the findings for the continuous improvement of social marketing processes.

In the PAHO Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH), you will find multimedia lessons with exercises. Each module ends with an evaluation questionnaire, which you must complete and pass to obtain the course certificate.

The course modality is self-paced learning, which means that there are no tutors or set end dates, and therefore, you can access the content and complete the course at your own pace. Before you begin the course, you should complete the Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health self-paced course, in which you will learn the basics of social marketing and how it can be applied in public health.

Once you join the course, we ask you to review the content of the first section called “General course information” where you will find all the guidance you need to successfully complete the course.

Target audience and prerequisites

The “Planning and Development of the Social Marketing Program for Public Health” is aimed at public health professionals from the Latin American and the Caribbean region who work in areas such as health promotion, prevention and control of chronic noncommunicable diseases, promotion of healthy food and physical activity, tobacco control, alcohol consumption, among other areas, that share the need to influence people’s behavior to improve their quality of life. The course is provided free of charge to all students through the Virtual Campus for Public Health of the Pan American Health Organization.

To enroll in the Social Marketing for Public Health Program, you should first complete the Introduction to Social Marketing for Public Health self-paced course.

Estimated duration of the course

To complete the course, you will need approximately 10 hours.

Course structure

The learning activities in each module are organized as follows:

• Introduction
• Initial Planning in Social Marketing for Public Health
• Developing a Social Marketing and Communication Strategy
• Development and Implementation of a Social Marketing Program for Public Health
• Monitoring and Evaluation of a Social Marketing Program for Public Health

Methodology

In the course design, we have combined multimedia learning resources such as video reviews with practice exercises, where your participation and commitment are the foundation of learning. The learning activities in each module are organized into lessons and evaluations.

The lessons of each module constitute the basic content of the course and you will be able to review them independently. They are shown in interactive video format and with an approximate duration of 15 minutes each. In them you will find the key concepts. You will also be able to download the content as an accessible PDF file.

Course competencies

This course provides opportunities to develop competencies related to:

• Supporting people to improve their knowledge and behaviors related to health.
• Applying a systematic process to develop, implement and evaluate social marketing strategies.
• Applying principles of evidence based practice.
• Applying a collaborative process for building a social marketing strategy.
• Adapting communication according to research findings and needs of the target population.

Introduction

Classic education, i.e., the input or objective-based model focuses on primarily cognitive functions, where students must respond to content-focused goals, and where evaluation is representative of memorization, and learning focuses on assigned tasks. This model does not necessarily respond to the health needs of the population, which must be translated into the curricular meshes of the health care practitioners.

The old content-focused model (the input model) has been overtaken by a new form of education, based on the acquisition of competencies (output model), where the process is based on presenting students with critical, complex and contextualized problems and expecting them to show they understand and can analyze the phenomenon.

The COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION: Evaluation Strategies Training Program provides an overview of this the new competency-based model, in which learning focuses on capacity buildingin the process, over the outcome obtained, in addition to delivering contextualized situations that favor a real and significant learning. Competency-Based Assessmentsallow students not only to check the acquisition of knowledge and skills, but also to become aware of their level of learning, and to learn from the assessment proper; this creates a circle of constant learning for both facilitators and students.

Course purpose

• Analyzing the theoretical rationales of competency-based assessments as a core element of the teaching and learning processes.
• Identifying and describing the key tools currently used in competency-based assessments.
• Understanding the contributions and benefits of OSCE in the assessment of clinical competencies.
• Mastering and strategies for OSCE implementation.

Target audience

This training is meant for midwifery teachers engaged in teaching both theoretical knowledge and hands-on clinical practices at midwifery training centers.

Duration/Workload

The course is open and available in the VCPH. As it is a self-learning course, participants can administer the time they dedicate to complete the different modules. The COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION: Evaluation Strategies Training Program is assigned a total of 18 hours, including the estimated time to complete the units and module assessments.

Course Structure

Module 1: CBE Basics

Unit 1 // CBE Basics
Unit 2 // Meaningful Learning
Unit 3 // Authentic Assessments
Unit 4 // Introduction to Competency-Based Assessment Tools

Module 2: Competency-Based Assessment Tools

Unit 1 // Multiple-Choice Questions
Unit 2 // Rubrics
Unit 3 // Portfolios
Unit 4 // Team-Bases Learning
Unit 5 // Checklists

Module 3: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations

Unit 1 // OSCE Basics
Unit 2 // OSCE Planning Stage
Unit 3 // OSCE Execution Stage
Unit 4 // OSCE Evaluation Stage
Practical Scenario // Implementing OSCE - Putting it all together

Evaluation and certification

Upon completion of all the units of each module, participants will need to complete an assessment comprising 10 questions to evaluate their knowledge. These assessments are designed for participants to have multiple opportunities to answer at least 70% of the questions correctly.

This course has the possibility of having the modules in PDF or interactive format for use without an internet connection. You must enter the course to access the material and to meet the evaluation and certification requirements.

Introduction

Reducing the vast unmet need for family planning remains a challenge to countries and the global health community. Family planning providers are at the core of health system responses to these challenges, especially during critical times, such as those brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having a virtual course available will allow the members of healthcare teams to acquire the knowledge and skills they need in order to improve the quality of the counseling and care they provide to users, expanding the exercise of the sexual and reproductive rights of the population.

The current situation, especially within the context of the restrictions on movement imposed due to the COVID 19 pandemic, makes the virtual approach to these issues particularly relevant.

Teaching Strategies

The course will use teaching resources and tools from the virtual platform to promote learning linked to practical performance, by means of examples with interactive exercises that will allow participants to move through the different modules.

Purpose of the Course

To contribute to the reduction of Maternal Mortality and severe maternal morbidity, and to increase the rate at which contraception needs are met by using modern methods.

Having a completely virtual course available will make it easier for healthcare team members to gain access to knowledge that will translate into skills, which, in turn, will improve the quality of care, expanding the exercise of the sexual and reproductive rights of the population. Given the movement restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, makes the virtual approach to these issues particularly relevant and convenient with the purpose of sustaining and strengthening the provision of quality care and essential services.

Learning Objectives

Main Objective: To provide specific and practical guidance on 21 modern family planning methods following WHO’s 2019 guideline.

Specific Objectives:

• To describe each method consists of and its effectiveness.
• To identify expected side effects, characteristics, and misconceptions associated with each method.
• To describe when clinical judgment should be used.
• To state who can and cannot use the different contraceptive methods, and when.
• To explain side effects and provide user guidance.
• To identify different groups that should receive counseling on contraception.
• To recognize ways to deal with sexually transmitted infections.
• To characterize the ways in which contraception counseling should be provided during public health emergencies.

Course Recipients

This course is mainly aimed at healthcare professionals who provide contraception at the first level of care, as well as healthcare managers, supervisors, and policy makers who provide family planning services in developing countries.

Course Load and Dedication

The course is open and available at the CVSP (Public Health Virtual Campus).

As a self-paced course, participants can manage their own schedulest. The estimated time for completing all the modules and the final evaluation is 14 hours.

Course Structure

Introductory Module
Module 1 Combined Oral Contraceptives
Module 2 Progestogen-Only Oral Contraceptives
Module 3 Emergency Contraception Pills
Module 4 Progestogen-Only Injectables
Module 5 Monthly Injectables
Module 6 Combined Contraceptive Patch
Module 7 Combined Contraceptive Vaginal Ring
Module 8 Progesterone-Releasing Vaginal Ring
Module 9 Implants
Module 10 Copper Intrauterine Device
Module 11 Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine Device
Module 12 Female Sterilization
Module 13 Vasectomy
Module 14 Male Condoms
Module 15 Female Condoms
Module 16 Spermicides & Diaphragms
Module 17 Cervical Caps
Module 18 Fertility Awareness Methods
Module 19 Withdrawal (Coitus Interruptus)
Module 20 Lactational Amenorrhea Method
Module 21 Care Provided to Different Groups
Module 22 Sexually Transmitted Infections
Module 23 Maternal and Newborn Health
Module 24 Reproductive Health Issues
Module 25 Provision of Contraception Counseling
Module 26 Family Planning for Women at High Risk for HIV
Module 27 Provision of Family Planning Services During Public Health Emergencies

This material was made possible thanks to the support of:

Introduction

Welcome to the course GUIDELINES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY (ROP), PREVENTION AND SCREENING. The purpose of this e-learning program is for participants to know and put into practice the recommendations for the prevention and screening of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) identified by the Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPG) from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Retinopathy of prematurity is a potentially serious condition that affects developing retinal blood vessels in preterm newborns. ROP is the leading cause of avoidable blindness in children, thus every preterm infant at risk should be specifically screened in order to detect ROP and prevent disease progression accordingly, which may result in visual impairment or blindness. The leading cause associated with ROP is oxygen administration with inaccurate monitoring in delivery rooms and neonatal intensive care units.

Purpose of the Course

The purpose of the course is for participants to incorporate the concepts and necessary strategies to properly develop the prevention and management of Retinopathy.

Learning Objectives

Main Objective

• To raise awareness on the importance of ROP prevention and screening, since it is one of the leading causes of blindness in children.

Specific Objectives

• To identify risk factors and prevent early conditions associated with ROP development in preterm newborns during neonatal care unit stay.
• To review the classification of assessment, development, and evaluation of the recommendations system (in which GRADE assessment is based on) to assess the quality of the set of evidence and to interpret the recommendation reports.
• To learn about the recommendations from the Clinical Practice Guidelines on risk or protective factors for the occurrence of ROP.
• To learn about the recommendations from the Clinical Practice Guidelines on usefulness and conditions of screening for ROP in premature newborns.
• To properly screen for ROP timely in newborns with RO according to the recommendations discussed.

Modules Contents

• How does ROP impact Latin America?: ROP introduction.
• What is ROP?: ROP definition and causes. Population at risk. Healthcare staff. International classification of ROP.
• How to interpret the recommendations from the CPG: Interpretation of CPG recommendations. Quick adaptation process of the CPG. Other considerations.
• What are the recommendations for the ROP diagnosis and screening?: PICO questions. Question 1: What are the risk or protective factors for the occurrence of retinopathy of prematurity? Question 2: What is the ROP screening technique for use with premature newborns?
• What does the neonatal care unit look like?: Recommendations and good practices on screening, feeding and oxygen administration in neonatal units.
• How to proceed if ROP occurs?: Care required for a premature newborn in connection with ROP.

Course purpose

The purpose of the course is to incorporate skills to implement new Maternal and Perinatal Death Audit Committees, or strengthen existing committees. By completing the virtual course, the participant will have acquired knowledge about the definition of maternal and perinatal death, cycle of continuous improvement applied to the audit, creation and strengthening of audit committees and response planning to avoid new maternal and perinatal deaths.

Learning objectives

Main objective

Improve maternal health by understanding the maternal and perinatal mortality situation.

Specific objectives

• Understanding the basic concepts of maternal and perinatal mortality.
• Understanding the basic concepts of data and indicators applied to maternal and perinatal mortality.
• Understanding the importance of data quality for monitoring and decision-making.
• Build capacity to understand the MDPSR framework.
• Improving audits of maternal and perinatal mortality at all levels.
• Incorporate the “R” for Response into the MDSR framework.

Audience

This course is aimed to:

• Medical doctors and general practitioners
• Nursing
• Midwives / Obstetricians
• Gynecologists
• Pediatricians and neonatologists
• Professionals involved in management and administrative activities of different institutions related to maternal and perinatal health

Duration / Workload

The course is open and available in the VCPH. As it is a self-learning course, participants can regulate their times and moments of dedication. When including the estimated time to complete the modules and the Final Evaluation, the Course is assigned a total of 3 hours.

Course Structure

Maternal Deaths / Three Delays Model
Perinatal Deaths
Maternal and Perinatal Death Surveillance and Response Framework
Six step audit cycle
Committees - Introduction
Preparing a Committee
Conducting a Committee
Methods for reviewing a case
MPDSR framework review

This course has the possibility of having the modules in PDF or interactive format for use without an internet connection.
You must enter the course to access the material and to meet the evaluation and certification requirements.

Background

In the Americas, significant progress has been attained in maternity and newborn care since the end of the 20th century evidenced by a downward tendency in pregnancy and delivery mortality rates. However, this progress has been slow and uneven, and, although improvements have been achieved in terms of access, the Americas display an important lag in terms of the quality of maternity and newborn care.

The WHO maternity and newborn health care quality framework considers dignified and respectful care as one of the essential components to improve perinatal health results (OMS, 2016; Tuncalp et al., 2015). Respectful maternity and newborn care is an approach which focuses on the individual and human rights. It frames aspects related to ethics, rights and interpersonal relationships, including the respect for women and newborn fundamental human rights, such as autonomy, dignity, decision-making and preferences.

The WHO/PAHO promote the concept of pregnancy and childbirth as positive experiences, updating clinical guidelines for prenatal care and childbirth management and proposing, based on the available evidence, a holistic health care model focused on women and based on universal human rights, which promotes dignified and respectful maternity and newborn care as an essential element of health care quality (OMS & OPS, 2018, 2019).

Improving health care quality based on the best available evidence is a never-ending endeavor. Within this quality framework, at a global level, the importance and promotion of the adoption of perinatal health care models focused on women and their babies is acknowledged. Effective communication and emotional support are essential elements of quality maternity and newborn care (OMS, 2016).

Purpose of the course

Raising the awareness and strengthening the capacity of the interested parties regarding concepts and practices related to respectful maternity and newborn care; identifying the legal frameworks which support it; recognizing and describing the use of some of these tools to plan, implement and monitor quality improvement initiatives for maternity and newborn care in health care services.

Objectives of the course

Upon completing this course, attendees will be able to:

• Define respectful maternity and newborn care and why it is important
• Identify the international, national and institutional regulatory frameworks that support respectful maternity and newborn care
• Develop skills to use tools to implement and monitor respectful maternity and newborn care quality improvement and promotion initiatives in health care services

Course format

This is a self-paced training so participants can take each module at their own pace, deciding when and for how long will they explore the modules. There is no deadline to complete this course.

Class Load and Workload

The course is open and available through CVSP. Since this is a self-study course, participants are able to regulate their time and workload. The estimated time for the completion of all modules and the final assessment is 25 hours.

Intended audience

Individuals interested in the promotion of respectful quality maternity and newborn care, including health care professionals, professional midwives, managers, government representatives and civil society members.

Course structure

Module 1 - Conceptual aspects and overview of respectful maternity and newborn care

• Session 1: What is respectful and maternity care? WHO quality framework and respectful maternity and newborn care
• Session 2: The importance and current situation of respectful maternity and newborn care: the prevalence and impact of abuse and disrespect
• Session 3: Brief history of respectful maternity and newborn care; respectful maternity and newborn care within the framework of global and regional rights: the Respectful Maternity Care Charter: The Universal Rights of Women and Newborns (Alianza del Listón Blanco, 2019). Respectful maternity and newborn care within national regulatory frameworks. Case study: Right to intercultural health under the Constitution of Bolivia.

Module 2 - How to implement quality improvement actions and promote respectful maternity and newborn care?

• Session 1: Strategies to improve respectful maternity and newborn care. International Childbirth Initiative: The 12 steps to a safe and respectful health care for mothers, newborns and families (FIGO et al.).
• Session 2: Design of a humanized and intercultural delivery room
• Session 3: Respectful practices based on evidence and unrecommended practices
• Session 4: Informed consent and effective communication
• Session 5: Tools to assess the implementation of respectful maternity and newborn care within the care quality framework

Module 3 - How to monitor the quality of health care and respectful maternity care?

• Session 1: Respectful maternity and newborn care indicators (based on the WHO QoC network)

Course Overview

This course provides health professionals and program managers with practical, standardized tools to record, analyze, and use perinatal, sexual and reproductive, and neonatal health information through SIP Plus, in order to support evidence-based decision-making and strengthen the quality of maternal and newborn care in the Americas.

Course modality:

Self-paced (self-learning), free, and open to the public, with no deadlines for completion.

Course duration:

6 (six) hours.

Introduction

The Perinatal Information System (SIP), developed by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is a regional standard for the clinical recording of care provided to women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, as well as for newborn care. In its most recent web version (SIP Plus), it expands this scope through a range of clinical modules. These include the registration of severe maternal morbidity (Near Miss) newborn care during postnatal hospitalization (SIPNEO), registration of congenital anomalies, care for women in a situation of abortion (SIP A), violence, respiratory infection during pregnancy (COVID-19, etc.) and other modules such as SIP Ultrasound and SIP Adolescence.

SIP also includes a set of information tools for the systematic analysis of the clinical data recorded in the system. These user-friendly tools allow health professionals, health institutions and program managers to generate automatic reports with demographic indicators, disease prevalence, interventions, quality of care and health outcomes. In addition, reports can be adapted to the specific needs of countries to support the monitoring and evaluation of healthcare programs and quality of care.

Purpose of the course

To strengthen knowledge and provide tools for informed decision-making for the development of policies, programs, and interventions that contribute to improving women's health during pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium, as well as sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and neonatal health in the Americas. This is achieved through the use of SIP Plus as a standardized tool for the clinical recording, analysis and use of health information.

Competencies

The workshop will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to:

• Systematically record health care provided to women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period, as well as care related to abortion, violence, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), and neonatal health. Participants will learn to use SIP Plus alerts and reminders to support the identification and timely management of health problems during the perinatal period.
• Generate and use automatic reports and indicators available in SIP Plus to monitor health care and support informed decision-making.
• Analyze the information recorded in SIP Plus using the variables available in its clinical forms to identify patterns, monitor care, and assess health outcomes.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Enter and update information during prenatal and perinatal care, following the recommendations and alerts provided by SIP Plus.
• Generate automatic reports with internationally recommended indicators, including PAHO/WHO indicators.
• Analyze the information available in SIP Plus to understand the situation of health care at the health facility, regional, and national levels.
• Apply the knowledge and tools acquired to support decision-making and the development of policies, programs, and interventions aimed at improving perinatal, sexual and reproductive, and neonatal health in a sustainable and inclusive manner.

Target Audience

• Health professionals and other personnel involved in the provision, management, and monitoring of health care for women and their newborns across the perinatal period.
• Decision-makers involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of health policies, programs, and interventions.
• PAHO and WHO staff working at headquarters, regional offices, and country offices.

Course modality

Self-paced (self-learning), free, and open to the public, with no deadlines for completion.

Workload and dedication

6 (six) hours.

Participants are expected to watch the videos, review reading materials and resources, and complete practice exercises. As this is a self-paced course, participants can organize their study time according to their own schedule and availability.

Course Structure

Assessment and certification

At the end of the course, participants must successfully complete a final multiple-choice quiz (Final Course Evaluation). Throughout the course, participants will have opportunities to review the content, reflect on their learning, and complete practice activities.

The Final Course Evaluation provides participants with multiple opportunities to answer the questions correctly and achieve the required passing score of at least 70%.

Participants who meet these requirements and complete the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) Quality Survey will be able to download a certificate of completion issued by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Introduction to the course

One year from the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists around the world have made rapid progress in developing safe and effective vaccines that will help reduce COVID-19-associated illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. These vaccines are expected to make a significant contribution to the equitable protection and promotion of human well-being and the gradual return to social, economic, work, and family activities.

Initially, however, it is anticipated that all countries will face limited availability of vaccine doses. This means that it will be necessary to identify priority groups for vaccination and develop microplanning for systematic, organized vaccination aimed at achieving the established vaccination goals.

Purpose of the course

The purpose of this course is to provide health personnel with guidance for planning the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines, prioritize the population groups to be vaccinated, and develop microplanning at the operational level[LMD(1] .

Learning objectives

By the end of this course, participants should be able to:

• Identify the criteria recommended by PAHO/WHO for prioritizing population groups to be vaccinated.
• Use the tool to determine social vulnerability to COVID-19.
• Implement tiered vaccination[LMD(2]  based on vaccine availability.
• Develop step-by-step microplanning to introduce the COVID-19 vaccine.

Structure of the course

The course consists of five (5) units:

• Unit I:   Determination of priority population groups for vaccination.
• Unit II:  Evaluation of community vulnerability to COVID-19.
• Unit III: Vaccination in phases / tiers.
• Unit IV: Microplanning.
• Unit V:  Development of microplanning. 

Duration

The course will take approximately two (2) hours to complete.

Certification

Participants who review all material and respond to the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) quality survey will be able to download the certificate of participation issued by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

Introduction to the Course

Mpox is an infectious disease that caused a global outbreak between 2022 and 2023 in more than 110 countries, most of which had no prior history of the disease. This course provides an updated overview of monkeypox (mpox), covering key aspects such as its transmission, clinical presentation, and preventive measures. Additionally, it offers information on the response to outbreaks, with special emphasis on the recent global outbreak.

Purpose

The purpose of this course is to enhance the capacities of health professionals to prevent, detect, and treat cases of mpox, ensure optimal patient care, and effectively manage outbreaks. It aims to raise awareness and train participants in decision-making and clinical management to avoid severe complications and improve the quality of care.

Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• List the symptoms and mode of transmission of monkeypox.
• Explain preventive measures for monkeypox.
• Describe the actions to take if symptoms of this disease appear.
• Analyze the evolution of the global monkeypox outbreak of 2022-2023.

Target Audience

The course is aimed at health workers and the general public, with the objective of helping them make informed decisions and adopt appropriate preventive measures against monkeypox.

Course Modality

The course is offered in a self-paced mode, available in multiple languages, including Spanish and English.

Course Duration

One (1) hour

As a self-learning course, participants can decide the time and moments they dedicate to its completion.

Course Structure

This course is designed to complement other previous training on monkeypox, as well as on the prevention and management of the disease.

Assessment and Certification

At the end of the course, participants must pass a "Final Exam."

The Final Exam is designed to offer participants multiple opportunities to respond correctly until they achieve a minimum score of 70%.

Participants who successfully complete the course and respond to the quality survey of the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) will be able to download their certificate of completion, issued by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).

References

The course material was last updated in 2023 and, although it reflects the most recent knowledge up to that date, it may not include the latest WHO guidelines for the resurgence of the disease in the African region in 2024.

Introduction to the course

Healthcare workers are constantly exposed to various occupational respiratory hazards that may have lasting effects even after exposure ceases. This may lead to work-related diseases which can lead to a lifetime of lung problems if not properly prevented and, ultimately, treated. The use of masks and respirators reduces the spread of the infection and though their use is recommended and, sometimes, mandatory, it should be accompanied by a training program to decrease the risk of infection.

Purpose

The aim is to provide health teams with tools and information that will help them avoid respiratory hazards and risks.

Objectives
1. Raise awareness on the importance of respiratory protection and the need for and benefits of receiving training.
2. Identify respiratory hazards in the workplace.
3. Describe respiratory protection options in healthcare facilities.
4. Recognize different types of respirators.
5. Analyze how to fit a respirator, and the steps you should follow to keep yourself safe.

People this course is intended for

This training course is aimed at all health workers in general.

Minimum hours required

An estimated 3 hours are required to complete this training course.

How to take the course

The course is available at PAHO’s Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH).
Since this is a self-paced course, participants can choose when to do it and at what pace. Approximately 30 minutes are required per module, depending on the participant’s previous knowledge of the topic.

Skills you can develop

This course will allow you to develop skills related to identifying respiratory hazards and applying the correct measures to avoid certain contaminants and recognizing the need for a risk assessment program.

Course structure

• Introduction
• Module 1: Respiratory Hazards in the Health Setting
• Module 2: Respiratory Protection
• Module 3: Developing a Respiratory Protection Program
• Module 4: Fit-Testing and Respirator Use

Assessment

Evaluation and certificate After finishing the four modules, participants must take a final test of 12 multiple-choice questions. The final test is designed to offer participants multiple opportunities to answer correctly until they reach the 70% minimum necessary score. In order to obtain the certificate, participants must meet the following requirements:

• Successful completion of the exercises.
• A passing mark in the final test.

Participants who meet these requirements and complete the quality survey in the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) may download their certificate of completion issued by the Pan American Health Organization.

Course Introduction and Purpose

There is widespread recognition that violence against women and girls is a profound public health problem with adverse consequences. It also carries severe consequences for our societies.

It can be committed by any person, regardless of their relationship to the survivor, in any setting, and this violence can take many forms – including intimate partner violence and sexual violence.

Preventing and responding to violence requires a continuous multisectoral and multifaceted approach, and strengthening the medico-legal response is an important part of addressing violence against women and girls.

Therefore, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/World Health Organization (WHO) has developed this introductory course for frontline providers, with a particular focus on health care providers, to raise awareness for and build skills in the medico-legal response to intimate partner violence and sexual violence.

Just a reminder that this course is just the beginning – we hope you engage with our supplementary resources and take additional training courses, including PAHO/WHO trainings that offer the opportunity to practice your clinical skills and trainings offered by our partners.

Learning Objectives

Throughout this course, you will:

1. Explore the medico-legal response to intimate partner violence and sexual violence: why it’s important, what it includes, and how it fits into the clinical management of rape;
2. Learn about the requirements of forensic documentation and learn how to collect forensic evidence, in addition to learning how to provide clinical and psychological care;
3. Explore the requirements for a medico-legal response across settings, including learning about the importance of multisectoral collaboration. 

Target Audience

The target audience for this training includes: a. health care providers, such as: doctors, nurses, midwives, community health care providers, health care managers, and health care students, specifically those who interact with potential survivors in emergency and obstetric/gynecological services, b. law enforcement, such as: police and protection officers, c. legal and justice representatives, such as: lawyers, legal advocates, and judges, d. laboratory staff, specifically: forensic laboratory staff, and e. social workers.

Course Workload and Dedication

This training was derived from the following publications (amongst others), from PAHO/WHO and partners such as United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR):

Responding to Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence Against Women

Health Care for Women Subjected to Intimate Partner Violence or Sexual Violence: A Clinical Handbook

Strengthening the Medico-Legal Response to Sexual Violence

Guidelines for Medico-Legal Care of Victims of Sexual Violence

Clinical Management of Rape and Intimate Partner Violence Survivors: Developing Protocols for use in Humanitarian Settings

This course is open and available at the PAHO Virtual Campus of Public Health (VCPH). The course is designed to be completed at your own pace and to fit into your own schedule, it should take 15 hours in total to complete.

We hope that you find this course engaging, and we hope that you explore further resources and the additional reading that is included.

Course Structure

This course is divided into ten modules:

1. Introduction to the medico-legal response: How this response fits within the clinical management of rape and why this response is important, who needs to be included, and the role of health care providers in this response
2. Guiding principles: Survivor-centered safety and ethical principles to guide all interactions with survivors
3. Myth or fact: Dispelling common myths and explaining facts about intimate partner violence and sexual violence
4. Multisectoral collaboration: Explanation of the roles of multisectoral providers and the importance of collaboration
5. First-line support: Introduction to “LIVES” and immediate care for survivors who present after intimate partner violence or sexual violence
6. Self-Care: How health care providers can care for themselves and suggest self-care strategies to survivors
7. Documentation: Overview of documentation, including of survivors’ stories, and documentation best practices
8. Clinical care after sexual assault: Clinical care to offer survivors, including, for example, prophylaxis and emergency contraception
9. Forensic evidence collection: How to collect forensic DNA evidence and how to complete drug facilitated assault testing
10. Preparing for an examination: Personnel and infrastructure requirements for the medico-legal response and how to build capacity

Didactic Strategy

This is a self-study, free, open to the public and self-administered course. The modules have various educational materials such as: tables and infographics, videos, animations, case studies, questions to consider, further reading, and summaries.

Assessment and Certification

There is an assessment, of 40 questions, to complete at the end. In order to promote your learning, you will have unlimited opportunities to pass this final quiz. Participants who meet the course approval requirements, i.e., those who complete all ten modules and pass the final assessment by answering at least 70% questions correct, will be able to download their certificate of completion, issued by PAHO/WHO.

Acknowledgements

This course was developed by the Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Department of PAHO/WHO. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support by Canada. Content development was led by Erin Hartman and Britta Baer (both PAHO), informed by past support PAHO provided to Grenada under the Spotlight Initiative. We are grateful for early advice by Darlene Omeir Taylor and Fiona Anthony (both PAHO). The online course benefited from the collaboration of Racoon Gang Learning Company, who assisted with developing the interactive learning experience. The online course was piloted in Guyana, and we are grateful for Guyanese health care providers and leaders for their review of the pilot of this course, with particular thanks to Karen Roberts (PAHO).

General objectives
1. Increase in-country capacity of human resources trained on the basic concepts of infection prevention and control measures applied to healthcare facilities.
2. Minimize the opportunity for transmission of pathogens in healthcare facilities.

Target audience
• Health facility workers with a degree in Medicine, Nursing, or related field; persons who have not taken Basic IPC Training in the previous 3 years, and persons who have taken Basic IPC and did not receive a certificate of completion
• Infection Preventionist from the national or facility levels, epidemiologists, or focal points for service quality.

Enrollment in this course is only for previously selected participants.

The Department of Health Systems and Services has developed this program to enable the new advisors to have a thorough understanding of the Organization's technical cooperation priorities and to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between headquarters and country offices.

The purpose of the program is to provide opportunities to:

-            Learn and exchange information about PAHO's mission, main mandates, and technical cooperation strategy.

-            Get to know the mission of the HSS Department and its technical units.

-            Present priorities for cooperation and exchange with the technical teams of each of the Department's technical units.

-            Review documents, guides, and priority courses.

-            Exchange strategies, modalities, and priorities in country cooperation.

-            Promote inter-programmatic work within the department and with priority initiatives of the Organization.

Audience: HSS regional advisors, national advisors, with a special focus on those recently incorporated into country offices.

Hybrid modality: Weekly 90-minute meetings via Zoom and the Virtual Campus Classroom (VCPH) to review materials and exchange through forums.

12 synchronous sessions held on Wednesdays from 10:00 a.m -11:30 a.m. WDC (EDT)

Start date: Wednesday, March 12.

End date: Wednesday, May 28.

The Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) is a special program of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). It operates through a decentralized network comprising individuals, institutions, and organizations that share open educational resources addressing public health issues relevant to the region, utilizing information and communication technologies. The VCPH coordinates with the different technical areas of PAHO to develop regional educational proposals, and promotes the establishment of local networks that support the development of educational proposals aligned with technical cooperation that are coordinated through the country nodes.

Since its inception in 2003, the VCPH has progressively enhanced its technological and educational platform under the principles of accessibility and quality. This enabled an effective response during the COVID-19 pandemic and a sustained increase in virtual educational offerings across different modalities, reaching more than 3 million users in the first quarter of 2024.

This series of tutor training seminars forms an integral part of the VCPH’s strategy to enhance teaching capacities for the management of virtual courses that support the PAHO’s agenda for technical cooperation.

Purpose of the seminar series:

• To enhance the competencies and technical capacities of the teaching teams involved in VCPH courses, particularly in virtual tutoring. This also aims to strengthen the quality of the educational proposals in the Moodle Classrooms of the Virtual Campus.
• Understanding the fundamental challenges of virtual teaching and the role of the tutor, enabling participants to adapt and/or modify their practices to provide effective tutoring.
• Integrating resources and activities (particularly forums and assignments) available within the VCPH Virtual Classroom, as teaching and assessment tools, to create meaningful learning experiences and provide continuous support to course participants.
• Analyzing work/collaboration patterns between the teaching teams and the support provided by the technical team of the VCPH, to identify and share experiences and best practices among tutors involved in the courses.

Learning Objectives:
In this training initiative, participants will be able to:

• Recognize the Virtual Campus for Public Health (VCPH) as a strategy for PAHO's technical cooperation.
• Reflect on the role of the tutor and the unique characteristics of teaching within virtual learning environments.
• Acquire knowledge and skills in key aspects of effective tutoring.
• Explore the VCPH virtual classroom, including its activities and resources.
• Discuss the various types of courses offered by the VCPH.
• Utilize basic tools for monitoring and evaluation of participants in VCPH courses.
• Strengthen their teaching practices through the exchange of experiences with peers and the incorporation of new strategies.

Recipients:

• Teaching teams that  will undertake tutoring responsibilities in regional courses and country nodes in the VCPH.
• Coordinators of existing courses within the VCPH or those planning to develop courses in the near future.
• Course coordinators interested in learning more about the role of tutors and aiming to strengthen the competencies of their tutor teams.
• Virtual tutors seeking to strengthen their skills in virtual teaching.

Workload and dedication:
Participants will be required to commit approximately 15 hours in total. This will be distributed in three synchronous Zoom sessions (of 1 hour and 30 minutes each), and 10 hours for asynchronous activities within the virtual classroom.

Structure of the training initiative:
The series of training seminars is organized under a modular structure made up of a space for introduction to the course and familiarization with the virtual classroom and three Learning Modules. The development proposes a progressive advance from familiarization to the Campus, the analysis of the role of tutor, to experimentation with the different resources in Moodle.

It will adopt a hybrid modality, blending synchronous sessions with asynchronous activities to foster autonomous learning in the virtual classroom. There will be 3 synchronous virtual Zoom sessions of 1 hour and a half each. During the sessions, presentations will be made by consultants who provide support and follow-up to the VCPH courses, by the VCPH team, and tools of the Virtual Classroom platform (Moodle) will be shown. These sessions will also include practice opportunities, discussions, and brief workshop-style activities to enhance engagement and participation.

Participants will also have access to a virtual classroom, where they will find all the material, recordings of the sessions, and links, and where they will develop practical activities.

This course is available to selected participants.