EPIDEMIOLOGY TRAINING FOR PRIMARY HEALTH-CARE - THE USE OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED DISTANCE LEARNING

The Liverpool Epidemiology Programme, based in the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, has designed a series of computer-based modules fo r use in distance learning. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role of computers in training health workers in epidemiology in de veloping countries. The aim of the modules is to provide health worker s with solutions to problems which they face in their everyday work. T he modules are written in hypertext software for IBM compatible machin es and interact with che epidemiological software Epi Info. Four modul es are described: LEP-Nut which deals with nutritional surveillance, L EP-Ref which looks at the role of epidemiology within a refugee health care programme, LEP-Surv dealing with health surveillance and LEP-Rap which introduces the concept of rapid appraisal. They are also easily distributed, particularly with the development of the Internet. The m odules are carefully evaluated before and after distribution. Issues r elated to their evaluation and subsequent revision are discussed, in p articular is the content important, adequate, communicated and useful? A major advantage of computer-based learning materials is that they c an be easily updated with new advancements of knowledge and experience from the field.