Weakness in field epidemiological investigation proficiency among staff from centers for disease control and prevention

Objective To analyze weakness in field epidemiological survey proficiency among staff from centers for disease control and prevention(CDCs) in Heilongjiang province for the promotion of efficiency and quality of the field epidemiological survey.Methods A total of 1 024 professional and technical personnel in CDCs at various levels of Heilongjiang province were recruited for the study.Basic information were collected with a questionnaire.Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution(TOPSIS) was used for assess the weakness in field epidemiological investigation.Results The main weaknesses for the staff from CDCs at city level were judgment and assessment of an epidemic(C=0.922436),selection of test items and laboratory tests(C=0.890746),and case finding and epidemiological analysis(C=0.778791);the main weaknesses for the staff from CDCs at county or district level were case investigation for public health event(C=0.989718),sample preservation and transportation(C=0.925922),and verification of cases(C=0.922206).Conclusion There are differences in the weaknesses for field epidemiology investigation between the staff from CDCs at city and county level and the differences maybe result from knowledge structure and the gaps in comprehensive proficiency,and professional training.