Appendix C: Canadian Tuberculosis Standards 7th Edition: 2014 – Tuberculosis training and education resources

Appendix C

Tuberculosis Training and Education Resources

Tuberculosis (TB) education and training are fundamentally important to TB prevention and control. The aim of this appendix is to provide useful information for health care providers, organizations and individuals on some of the many excellent TB education and training resources that are available within Canada and internationally. Where gaps in resources are identified, it is hoped that the existing collaborative partnerships will continue to work together to develop and disseminate new resources to fill those gaps.

TB education and training materials are available for several target audiences and in a variety of formats: text-based, Web-based, video, podcasts and CD/DVD. There are also a number of TB courses, workshops and TB-related conferences that may be attended in person or through videoconferencing.

Health care providers, community agencies, people infected with TB and the general public have unique needs with regard to TB education and/or training. Needs range from basic information on TB to complex issues related to TB diagnosis, treatment, management and control.

The following resource list provides a variety of resources to address these needs. While it is provided as a public service, it is the responsibility of users to evaluate the resources they access from these sources prior to use. Additional education and training resources may be found through provincial/territorial/regional/local public health TB prevention and control programs.

TB Resources for Health Care Providers, Patients and the General Public

Canadian sources

• Canadian Lung Association
  The Lung Association (lung diseases/infectious diseases)
  National Lung Health Framework
• Canadian Thoracic Society
  (Canadian Tuberculosis Standards, 7th edition)
  Canadian Thoracic Society
• Health Canada - First Nations and Inuit Health Branch
  Fact Sheet (general)
  Tuberculosis (TB)
• Health Canada's Strategy Against Tuberculosis for First Nations On-Reserve
  First Nations & Inuit Health
• Public Health Agency of Canada
  Public Health Agency of Canada (general)
  Tuberculosis Prevention and Control
  For health care provider education and training resources on TB prevention and control refer to General Resources/Education and Training, available at Tuberculosis Prevention and Control.
• The Online TST/IGRA Interpreter
  An interactive website created by McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, which provides estimates of positive predictive value, likelihood of developing active TB, and risk of drug induced hepato-toxicity if treated with INH. Available at the Online TST/IGRA Interpreter
• BCG World Atlas
  An interactive website created by McGill University and the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, which provides a database of detailed information on current and past global BCG vaccination policies and practices for over 180 countries.
• Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) - tuberculosis
  CIDA has contributed substantially to global TB control, including funding of numerous TB programs in developing countries. This site provides information and links to international programs, such as the World Health Organization (CIDA's main partner) housed Stop TB Partnership, and is available at the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, Tuberculosis.
• TAIMA TB
  The Website provides resources and training material developed for a public health campaign being implemented in Nunavut to enhance the existing preventive efforts in the fight against tuberculosis, and is available at Nunavit Tunngavik Inc.
• Stop TB Canada
• Teaching Tuberculosis: A Resource Guide for Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Youth Available at University of Alberta, Tuberculosis Program Evaluation & Research Unit.

U.S. sources

Note: U.S. recommendations may differ from those found in the Canadian Tuberculosis Standards because of different TB epidemiology, public health practices and clinical practices in the United States.

• American Thoracic Society
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Tuberculosis Elimination (DTBE), Core Curriculum on Tuberculosis: What the Clinician Should Know (5thed)
  This document is intended for use as a self-study guide or reference manual for clinicians and other public health professionals caring for people with or at high risk of TB disease or infection. The Core Curriculum also includes a slide set designed to be useful in developing educational programs.
• Tuberculosis Education and Training Network
• TB Education and Training Resource Guide
  National Prevention Information Network.
  This guide was developed as a cooperative effort between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Prevention Information Network
• Find TB Resources
  This site is a searchable database of education resources and tools.
• U.S. Regional Training and Medical Consultation Centers
  While each centre serves a geographic part of the United States, they all list various resources on their Websites that may be useful for TB prevention and control activities outside that country.
• Country guides
  These are country-specific TB resources and training guides for working with foreign-born individuals. They include the background of the country, epidemiology, common misperceptions, beliefs, attitudes and stigmatizing practices related to TB and HIV/AIDS. These resources, information on general practices and translated educational materials are available at the Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center.

Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) Resources

• Online TST/IGRA Interpreter
  (interferon gamma release assay (IGRA)).
• The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention podcast entitled "Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test" provides a clear, detailed demonstration of the steps involved in administering and reading the test. It can be downloaded free of charge and is available online.at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Podcasts at CDC (English only).
• Find TB Resources
  Education resources and tools specific to TB skin testing are available. One example is mannequin "practice arms" for performing practice injections and/or reading TST reactions.
• Bruce-Grey Health Unit, "TB Skin Test - Mantoux Method", available on YouTube.

Other Organizations that Provide Information/Resources about TB

• Stop TB Partnership/World Health Organization (WHO)
  An international partnership of over 1,000 partners aligned to address and defeat TB. It operates through a secretariat hosted by the World Health Organization.
• World Health Organization
  Tuberculosis (TB)
• International Union Against TB and Lung Disease (IUATLD)
  A global initiative to promote social and political action to stop the spread of TB worldwide
• TB Alliance
  This organization is a not-for-profit partnership that leads the search for new TB cures and catalyzes global efforts for new TB drugs.