Local Health Districts and the Public Health Workforce: A Case Study of Wyoming and Idaho

Translation strategies are critical for sharing research with public health practitioners. To disseminate our analyses of legal issues that arise relative to mental and behavioral health during emergencies, we created 10 brief translational tools for members of the public health workforce. In consultation with an interdisciplinary project advisory group (PAG), we identified each tool's topic and format. PAG members reviewed draft and final versions of the tools. We then worked with local health departments throughout the country to distribute the tools along with a brief survey to determine practitioners' perceived utility of the tools. Through survey responses, we learned that practitioners believed the tools provided information that would be useful during the planning, response, and recovery phases of an emergency. This article describes the creation of the PAG, the development of the tools, and lessons learned for those seeking to translate legal and ethical research findings for practitioner audiences.

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Professionalisation of the public health workforce: why, what and how

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.752 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

K Czabanowska

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Workforce ◽

Public Health Education ◽

Codes Of Ethics ◽

Public Health Workforce ◽

European Region ◽

Local Health ◽

The Public ◽

The Core ◽

Public Health Training

Abstract Background Member States of the WHO European Region are calling for guidance on how to build the capacity of the public health workforce to help strengthening health systems. The aim of this presentation is to stir the discussion about the professionalization of the public health workforce. Attention is paid to the why, what and how this should be done in countries of the European Region. Methods The European Competency Framework for the Public Health Workforce (Eco-FPHW) has been developed in the framework of the Coalition of Partners, led by WHO European Region, and is one of the pillars of the Roadmap to Professionalizing the public health workforce. The Eco-FPHW primarily relates to the core public health workforce, and that the definition of what constitutes the core public health workforce will differ from one country to the next. Results The Roadmap puts forward several possible levers and measures which include: public health education and training, competencies, formal organisation, credentialing and accreditation, codes of ethics and professional conduct as well as laws and regulations, enumeration and job profiles among others. These measures can be engaged with by a range of stakeholders who have important roles and insights into improving public health. Stakeholders include governments, ministries, national and regional/local health authorities, but also directors of public health training institutions, public health institutes, professional organisations, and employers of the public health workforce. Conclusions The Roadmap provides a guide for all those countries, institutions and organisations wishing to strengthen the delivery of the public health functions and to support the competencies of the public health workforce.

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Evaluation of Education for Public Health: A Practical Foundation for Solidarity

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz185.063 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

M Perkiö ◽

R Harrison ◽

M Grivna ◽

D Tao ◽

C Evashwich

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Education ◽

Health Workforce ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Public Health Education ◽

Public Health Workforce ◽

Rigorous Evaluation ◽

The Public ◽

Public Health Professionals

Abstract Education is a key to creating solidary among the professionals who advance public health’s interdisciplinary mission. Our assumption is that if all those who work in public health shared core knowledge and the skills for interdisciplinary interaction, collaboration across disciplines, venues, and countries would be facilitated. Evaluation of education is an essential element of pedagogy to ensure quality and consistency across boundaries, as articulated by the UNESCO education standards. Our study examined the evaluation studies done by programs that educate public health professionals. We searched the peer reviewed literature published in English between 2000-2017 pertaining to the education of the public health workforce at a degree-granting level. The 2442 articles found covered ten health professions disciplines and had lead authors representing all continents. Only 86 articles focused on evaluation. The majority of the papers examined either a single course, a discipline-specific curriculum or a teaching method. No consistent methodologies could be discerned. Methods ranged from sophisticated regression analyses and trends tracked over time to descriptions of focus groups and interviews of small samples. We found that evaluations were primarily discipline-specific, lacked rigorous methodology in many instances, and that relatively few examined competencies or career expectations. The public health workforce enjoys a diversity of disciplines but must be able to come together to share diverse knowledge and skills. Evaluation is critical to achieving a workforce that is well trained in the competencies pertinent to collaboration. This study informs the pedagogical challenges that must be confronted going forward, starting with a commitment to shared core competencies and to consistent and rigorous evaluation of the education related to training public health professionals. Key messages Rigorous evaluation is not sufficiently used to enhance the quality of public health education. More frequent use of rigorous evaluation in public health education would enhance the quality of public health workforce, and enable cross-disciplinary and international collaboration for solidarity.

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