Citation

Villaveces A, Stucky BD, Runyan CW, Moore KS, Berlin SP. J. Public Health Manag. Pract. 2010; 16(4): 337-344.

Affiliation

Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Core Faculty, UNC Injury Prevention Research Center, North Carolina, USA. avillav@email.unc.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/PHH.0b013e3181bede2a

PMID

20520373

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To develop and evaluate the characteristics of an instrument for assessing core competencies for injury and violence prevention. METHODS: We developed a preliminary tool and pilot tested it with a small sample. After refining the tool, we recruited 401 participants to respond to the questions and provide information about demographic characteristics, injury activities, education, and current injury- and violence-related work. With the obtained data, we conducted a categorical confirmatory factor analysis to determine domains of knowledge for questions. We then evaluated the properties of the assessment, using item response theory. RESULTS: Results of item evaluation using item response theory provide a 26-item Injury Prevention Assessment scale, which reliably assesses injury prevention knowledge at an entry-level ability. CONCLUSIONS: This initial assessment is useful both for individual practitioners and for institutions as a tool for determining the need for training in injury prevention concepts. Additional tools should be developed to assess higher-proficiency levels of knowledge of injury prevention.

Language: en