IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i17p9257-d627566.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Appraisal of a Contact Tracing Training Program for COVID-19 in Greece Focusing on Vulnerable Populations

Author

Listed:
  • Elena Riza

    (Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology & Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Eleni Kakalou

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Evangelia Nitsa

    (Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology & Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Ioannis Hodges-Mameletzis

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Paraskevi Goggolidou

    (Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK)

  • Agis Terzidis

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Eleni Cardoso

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Karl Philipp Puchner

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Zisimos Solomos

    (Hellenic Red Cross, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Anastasia Pikouli

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Eleni-Panagiota Stoupa

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Christina Kakalou

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Evika Karamagioli

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

  • Emmanouil Pikoulis

    (Postgraduate Programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine”, Medical School National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dilou 1 Street, 11527 Athens, Greece)

Abstract

Background: Contact tracing as an epidemiological strategy has repeatedly contributed to the containment of various past epidemics and succeeded in controlling the spread of disease in the community. Systematic training of contact tracers is crucial in ensuring the effectiveness of epidemic containment. Methods: An intensive training course was offered to 216 health and other professionals who work with vulnerable population groups, such as Roma, refugees, and migrants in Greece, by the scientific team of the postgraduate programme “Global Health-Disaster Medicine” of the Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, with the support of the Swiss embassy in Greece. The course was delivered online due to the pandemic restriction measures and was comprised of 16 h over 2 days. The course curriculum was adapted in Greek using, upon agreement, a similar training course to what was developed by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Evaluation of the course was conducted in order to determine the short term satisfaction from participating in this training course. Results: A total of 70% of the course participants completed the evaluation questionnaires and all trainers gave feedback on the course. The training modules were ranked as extremely useful by the majority of the participants and over 50% of the participants specifically stated that the course content was directly related to their work with vulnerable groups. Content about the ethics of contact tracing and the effective communication skills presented were deemed most useful. Conclusion: The course was well organised and provided the required skills for effective contact tracing. Many course participants intend to use some components in their work with vulnerable populations groups. Contact tracing efforts work best in a systematic and coordinated way and the provision of systematic and organised training can greatly increase its effectiveness.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Riza & Eleni Kakalou & Evangelia Nitsa & Ioannis Hodges-Mameletzis & Paraskevi Goggolidou & Agis Terzidis & Eleni Cardoso & Karl Philipp Puchner & Zisimos Solomos & Anastasia Pikouli & Eleni-Pan, 2021. "Appraisal of a Contact Tracing Training Program for COVID-19 in Greece Focusing on Vulnerable Populations," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-16, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9257-:d:627566
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9257/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/17/9257/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Amir Khorram-Manesh & Maxim A. Dulebenets & Krzysztof Goniewicz, 2021. "Implementing Public Health Strategies—The Need for Educational Initiatives: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-21, May.
    2. Wooil Kim & Hyubjin Lee & Yon Dohn Chung, 2020. "Safe contact tracing for COVID-19: A method without privacy breach using functional encryption techniques based-on spatio-temporal trajectory data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(12), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Paolo Roma & Merylin Monaro & Laura Muzi & Marco Colasanti & Eleonora Ricci & Silvia Biondi & Christian Napoli & Stefano Ferracuti & Cristina Mazza, 2020. "How to Improve Compliance with Protective Health Measures during the COVID-19 Outbreak: Testing a Moderated Mediation Model and Machine Learning Algorithms," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-17, October.
    4. Dyani Lewis, 2020. "Why many countries failed at COVID contact-tracing — but some got it right," Nature, Nature, vol. 588(7838), pages 384-387, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Antoine de Bengy Puyvallée & Katerini Tagmatarchi Storeng, 2021. "The Big Digital Contact Tracing Experiment," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 12(S6), pages 93-96, July.
    2. Meng Xuan Zhang & Juliet Honglei Chen & Kwok Kit Tong & Eilo Wing-yat Yu & Anise M. S. Wu, 2021. "Problematic Smartphone Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Its Association with Pandemic-Related and Generalized Beliefs," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, May.
    3. Zakaria A. Mani & Krzysztof Goniewicz, 2023. "Adapting Disaster Preparedness Strategies to Changing Climate Patterns in Saudi Arabia: A Rapid Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-19, September.
    4. Mohanty, Aatishya & Sharma, Swati, 2022. "COVID-19 regulations, culture, and the environment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    5. Piotr Dziemidok & Daria Gorczyca-Siudak & Marzena Danielak, 2021. "Is It Possible to Prevent Sars-Cov-2 Infection in a Non-Infectious Diseases Ward during the Pandemic on the Example of a Diabetes Clinic Institute of Rural Health, Lublin, Poland?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-15, July.
    6. Jiabin Li & Xianwei Liu & Yang Zou & Yichu Deng & Meng Zhang & Miaomiao Yu & Dongjiao Wu & Hao Zheng & Xinliang Zhao, 2021. "Factors Affecting COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors among University Students in Beijing, China: An Empirical Study Based on the Extended Theory of Planned Behavior," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-17, June.
    7. Jida Liu & Changqi Dong & Shi An & Yanan Guo, 2021. "Research on the Natural Hazard Emergency Cooperation Behavior between Governments and Social Organizations Based on the Hybrid Mechanism of Incentive and Linkage in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-27, December.
    8. Carolina Del-Valle-Soto & Juan Arturo Nolazco-Flores & Jose Alberto Del Puerto-Flores & Ramiro Velázquez & Leonardo J. Valdivia & Julio Rosas-Caro & Paolo Visconti, 2022. "Statistical Study of User Perception of Smart Homes during Vital Signal Monitoring with an Energy-Saving Algorithm," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-29, August.
    9. Francesca Gallè & Elita Anna Sabella & Paolo Roma & Stefano Ferracuti & Giovanna Da Molin & Giusy Diella & Maria Teresa Montagna & Giovanni Battista Orsi & Giorgio Liguori & Christian Napoli, 2021. "Knowledge and Lifestyle Behaviors Related to COVID-19 Pandemic in People over 65 Years Old from Southern Italy," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-11, October.
    10. Charu Gupta & Dev Gaur & Prateek Agrawal & Deepali Virmani, 2021. "HuDA_COVID Human Disposition Analysis During COVID-19 Using Machine Learning," International Journal of E-Health and Medical Communications (IJEHMC), IGI Global Scientific Publishing, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, July.
    11. Krzysztof Goniewicz & Mariusz Goniewicz & Anna Włoszczak-Szubzda & Dorota Lasota & Frederick M. Burkle & Marta Borowska-Stefańska & Szymon Wiśniewski & Amir Khorram-Manesh, 2022. "The Moral, Ethical, Personal, and Professional Challenges Faced by Physicians during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-13, May.
    12. Shah Muhammad Kamran & Abdelmohsen A. Nassani & Muhammad Moinuddin Qazi Abro & Mahvish Kanwal Khaskhely & Mohamed Haffar, 2023. "Government as a Facilitator versus Inhibitor of Social Entrepreneurship in Times of Public Health Emergencies," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-18, March.
    13. Rola Khamisy-Farah & Peter Gilbey & Leonardo B. Furstenau & Michele Kremer Sott & Raymond Farah & Maurizio Viviani & Maurizio Bisogni & Jude Dzevela Kong & Rosagemma Ciliberti & Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, 2021. "Big Data for Biomedical Education with a Focus on the COVID-19 Era: An Integrative Review of the Literature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Yanjun Chen & Ge Zhang & Chengkun Liu & Chunjiang Lu, 2024. "Privacy-Preserving Modeling of Trajectory Data: Secure Sharing Solutions for Trajectory Data Based on Granular Computing," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-20, November.
    15. Rosanna Glazik & Hannah Moore & David Kennedy & Hilary Bower & Hana Rohan & Ashley Sharp & Anna C Seale, 2021. "A snapshot of the practicality and barriers to COVID-19 interventions: Public health and healthcare workers’ perceptions in high and low- and middle-income countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(11), pages 1-18, November.
    16. Kirsten Vanderplanken & Stephan Van den Broucke & Isabelle Aujoulat & Joris Adriaan Frank van Loenhout, 2021. "The Relation between Perceived and Actual Understanding and Adherence: Results from a National Survey on COVID-19 Measures in Belgium," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-10, September.
    17. Rini Rachmawati & Estuning Tyas Wulan Mei & Idea Wening Nurani & Rizki Adriadi Ghiffari & Amandita Ainur Rohmah & Martina Ayu Sejati, 2021. "Innovation in Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Best Practices from Five Smart Cities in Indonesia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-30, November.
    18. Chi-Tz Kuo & Hsiao-Jui Sue & Po-Han Chen, 2021. "The Impact of Community Housing Characteristics and Epidemic Prevention Measures on Residents’ Perception of Epidemic Prevention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-22, July.
    19. Pierluigi Cordellieri & Benedetta Barchielli & Valeria Masci & Francesca Viani & Ivan de Pinto & Andrea Priori & Felice Damiano Torriccelli & Chiara Cosmo & Stefano Ferracuti & Anna Maria Giannini & J, 2021. "Psychological Health Status of Psychiatric Patients Living in Treatment Communities before and during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Brief Report," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-9, March.
    20. Radomir Reszke & Łukasz Matusiak & Piotr K. Krajewski & Marta Szepietowska & Rafał Białynicki-Birula & Jacek C. Szepietowski, 2021. "The Utilization of Protective Face Masks among Polish Healthcare Workers during COVID-19 Pandemic: Do We Pass the Exam?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-10, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:17:p:9257-:d:627566. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.