scholarly journals Prioritizing professional competencies in environmental public health: A best–worst scaling experiment

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 50-63
Author(s):  
Lauren E. Wallar ◽  
Scott A. McEwen ◽  
Jan M. Sargeant ◽  
Nicola J. Mercer ◽  
Andrew Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Job Effectiveness ◽  
Hierarchical Bayesian Analysis ◽  
Environmental Public Health ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Best Worst Scaling ◽  
Training Opportunities

The professional development of environmental public health professionals in Canada is guided by a set of 133 discipline-specific competencies. Given the diversity of practice in environmental public health, certain competencies may be more important to job effectiveness depending on a practitioner’s context. However, the most important competencies to job effectiveness by context are unknown. Thus, the objectives of this study were to prioritize the discipline-specific competencies according to their importance to job effectiveness, and determine if importance varied by demographic variables. A quantitative discrete-choice method termed best–worst scaling was used to determine the relative importance of competencies. Discrete choice information was electronically collected and analyzed using Hierarchical Bayesian analysis. Our analysis indicates that communication was most important to job effectiveness relative to the other categories. Competency statements within each category differed in their importance to job effectiveness. Further, management and front-line practitioners differed in the importance placed on five of the eight categories. This information can be used to guide new training opportunities, thereby investing in the capacity of environmental health professionals to better protect population health.

scholarly journals Experiences of Environmental Public Health Professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic response in Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 70-76
Author(s):  
Fatih Sekercioglu ◽  
Ian Young ◽  
Richard Meldrum ◽  
Jennifer Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Environmental Public Health ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Pandemic Response

Environmental Public Health Professionals (EPHPs) have been playing a significant role in the COVID-19 pandemic response. This study examines the lived experiences of EPHPs during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores short- and long long-term strategies to address the challenges of EPHPs. A mixed-method, cross-sectional online survey was conducted in May 2020. The participants were the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors certified EPHPs who currently work in Canada during the pandemic. The study results reveal that EPHPs have been heavily involved in the COVID-19 pandemic response by assuming different roles and tasks in many cases. The study highlights the vast array of EPHPs functions such as education and enforcement. Lack of employer support for training and access to safety equipment are among the significant outcomes. Mechanisms should be developed to ensure that mental health support is accessible for EPHPs to overcome the pandemic work’s challenges. As this is the first study to examine the lived experiences of EPHPs during the COVID-19 pandemic, further in-depth qualitative research should be conducted to examine the experiences of EPHPs at the local level.

Oral health diseases among the older people: a general health perspective

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
General Health ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
The Relationship

Background: The relationship between oral health and general health is gaining interest in geriatric research; however, a lack of studies dealing with this issue from a general perspective makes it somewhat inaccessible to non-clinical public health professionals. Purpose: The purpose of this review is to describe the relationship between oral health and general health of the elderly on the basis of literature review, and to give non-clinical medical professionals and public health professionals an overview of this discipline. Methods: This study was based on an in-depth review of the literature pertaining to the relationship between oral health and general health among the older people. The tools commonly used to evaluate dental health and the academic researches of male elderly people were also reviewed. And future research directions were summarized. Results: Dental caries, periodontal disease, edentulism, and xerostomia are common oral diseases among the older people. Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the leading causes of missing teeth and edentulism. Xerostomia, similar to dry mouth, is another common oral health disease in the older people. No clear correlation exists between the subjective feeling of dryness and an objective decrease of saliva. Rather, both conditions can be explained by changes in saliva. The General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) are the main assessment tools used to examine oral health and quality of life in the older people. The GOHAI tends to be more sensitive to objective values pertaining to oral function. In addition, oral health studies in male elderly people are population-based cohort or cross-sectional studies, involving masticatory function, oral prevention, frailty problems, cardiovascular disease risk, and cognitive status. Conclusion: It is possible to reduce the incidence of certain oral diseases, even among individuals who take oral health care seriously. Oral health care should be based on the viewpoint of comprehensive treatment, including adequate nutrition, good life and psychology, and correct oral health care methods. In the future, researchers could combine the results of meta-analysis with the clinical experience of doctors to provide a more in-depth and broader discussion on oral health research topics concerning the older people.

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

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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