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Analysis of Trauma Care Education in the South Sudan Community Health Worker Training Curriculum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2015

Adedamola Ogunniyi ,
Melissa Clark  and
Ross Donaldson
Adedamola Ogunniyi*
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CaliforniaUSA David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUSA
Melissa Clark
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CaliforniaUSA San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CaliforniaUSA
Ross Donaldson
Affiliation:
Department of Emergency Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CaliforniaUSA David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUSA UCLA – Fielding School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CaliforniaUSA
*
Correspondence: Adedamola Ogunniyi, MD 6526 Ocean Crest Drive Apartment A314 Rancho Palos Verdes, California 90275 USA E-mail: ao2143@gmail.com
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Abstract

Introduction

Trauma is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with the majority occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Allied health workers are often on the front lines of caring for trauma patients; this is the case in South Sudan, where a system of community health workers (CHWs) and clinical officers (COs) form an essential part of the health care structure. However, curricula for these workers vary, and it is unclear how much these training programs include trauma education.

Hypothesis/Methods

The CHW training curriculum in South Sudan was reviewed to evaluate the degree to which it incorporates trauma education, according to established guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO). To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first formal comparison of a CHW curriculum with established WHO trauma guidelines.

Results

The curriculum incorporated a number of essential components of the WHO guidelines; however, the concepts taught were limited in scope. The curriculum only covered about 50% of the content required for basic providers, with major deficiencies being in the management of head and spinal injuries, safety protocols for health care personnel, and in the management of pediatric patients.

Discussion/Conclusion

The CHW training curriculum lacks the requisite content to provide adequately a basic level of trauma care and requires amending to ensure that all South Sudan citizens receive appropriate treatment. It is recommended that other LMICs review their existing training curricula in order to improve their ability to provide adequate trauma care and to ensure they meet the basic WHO guidelines.

OgunniyiA, ClarkM, DonaldsonR. Analysis of Trauma Care Education in the South Sudan Community Health Worker Training Curriculum. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015; 30(2): 18

Keywords

clinical officerscommunity health workersSouth Sudantrauma caretrauma education
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , April 2015 , pp. 167 - 174
Copyright
© World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2015 

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