VHA Clinicians and Bioterror Events: Interactive Web-based Learning

April 6, 2015 updated by: US Department of Veterans Affairs
Our 4-year project uses public domain software and content developed by a University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) team and updates, refines, and tailors it to the unique clinician populations and electronic educational applications of VAMCs We are testing an innovative, web-based intervention adapted specifically for the VA to increase syndromic recognition, treatment, and post-exposure prophylaxis of biological warfare agents at multiple VA sites via a randomized controlled trial (RCT). Ultimately, we will disseminate the intervention throughout the entire VA system.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Background:

Because of VA's long history in disaster preparedness, and the crucial role VA providers will play, the VA medical system has the potential to make an enormous difference in outcomes following a bioterror attack or infectious outbreak. A 2002 AHRQ report reviewed 60 studies and found that very few bioterrorism preparedness training programs were rigorously evaluated. Our project was the first effort to formally test and implement a bioterrorism preparedness intervention in the VA healthcare system. Because Internet-delivered interventions have the potential for wide dissemination, we used the Internet to implement the Intervention.

Objectives:

  1. To develop, tailor, and continuously update and validate evidence- and scenario-based electronic teaching and testing modules to increase VA clinicians' knowledge of Category A biological warfare agents. We refer to these instruments as Bioterrorism Case Analysis and Skills Enhancement Sessions (BioCASES) and Bioterrorism Skills Test Sessions (BioTESTS).
  2. To test the effectiveness of the BioCASES teaching modules by way of a randomized controlled trial of VAMCs using the BioTESTS to evaluate their effectiveness for increasing and sustaining VA clinician knowledge, skills, and ability to respond to bioterrorism events.
  3. To continue to develop and adapt BioCASES and BioTESTS for use in VA CME programs. Ultimately, we will disseminate the intervention throughout the entire VA system.

Methods:

Our project team developed or refined and updated a total of 12 educational modules focusing on CDC's Category A agents and other emerging infectious diseases. We developed post-test instruments and case-based scenarios germane to the VA patient population for anthrax and smallpox. Materials were designed specifically for the unique clinician populations and electronic educational applications available in VAMCs. Website functionality and content were refined using the nominal group technique and "thinking aloud" protocols. We tested our innovative, web-based educational intervention at fifteen VA facilities via a randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Status:

The intervention has been completed. Fifteen sites were randomized and completed the study processes.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

15

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Alabama
      • Birmingham, Alabama, United States, 35233
        • Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL
    • Arizona
      • Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85012
        • Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ
    • California
      • Loma Linda, California, United States, 92357
        • VA Loma Linda Healthcare System, Loma Linda, CA
    • Florida
      • Tampa, Florida, United States, 33612
        • James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital, Tampa, FL
    • Massachusetts
      • Bedford, Massachusetts, United States, 01730
        • Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital, Bedford, MA
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48105
        • VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI
    • New Mexico
      • Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, 87108-5153
        • New Mexico VA Health Care System, Albuquerque, NM
    • New York
      • Syracuse, New York, United States, 13210
        • Syracuse VA Medical Center, Syracuse, NY
    • Tennessee
      • Nashville, Tennessee, United States, 37212-2637
        • Tennessee Valley Healthcare System Nashville Campus, Nashville, TN

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Clinicians at participating facilities who work in a primary care setting (ED, MOD, general medicine, primary care, or CBOC).

Exclusion Criteria:

Facilities will be excluded from the project that 1)choose not to participate, or 2)do not have the minimum number of clinicians needed.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Arm 1
Test the effectiveness of the BioCASES teaching modules by way of a randomized controlled trial of VAMCs using the BioTESTS to evaluate their effectiveness for increasing and sustaining VA clinician knowledge, skills, and ability to respond to bioterrorism events.
Behavioral: BioCASES and BioTESTS

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
The outcome measure will be performance on post-test administered immediately and at 3 months and 6 months post intervention. Performance on the post-test administered at three months will be considered the main outcome of the study.
Time Frame: 3 months
3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
The 6-month tests will be given to demonstrate the sustainability of the intervention (prevention of decay effect).

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

US Department of Veterans Affairs

Collaborators

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Catarina I. Kiefe, PhD MD, Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL
  • Principal Investigator: Thomas K Houston, MD MPH, Birmingham VA Medical Center, Birmingham, AL

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

August 1, 2004

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2006

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2007

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 20, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 20, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

July 22, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 7, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 6, 2015

Last Verified

April 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • BTI 02-092

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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