Public Health Workforce

What constitutes the public health workforce?

The public health workforce consists of individuals involved in carrying out the three core functions and 10 essential services of public health. These essential services collectively serve as an aggregate job description for the entire workforce.

What is a key characteristic that distinguishes public health workers from those in other fields?

There is no specific academic degree or unique set of experiences that solely distinguishes public health workers. A wide variety of professions and disciplines contribute to the work of public health.

How does the Public Health Workforce Taxonomy define the workforce?

The Public Health Workforce Taxonomy, updated in 2017, uses 12 descriptors to define the workforce, including work setting, work content, and worker characteristics.

What has been the general trend in the size of the governmental public health workforce since the early 2000s?

After growing from 1980 into the early 2000s, the governmental public health workforce experienced a halt in growth and evidence of decline, with further reductions attributed to the 2008 economic recession. By 2014, there was a significant decline to about 300,000 governmental public health workers compared to 2000.

How is the governmental public health workforce distributed across different settings?

Approximately 50% of governmental public health workers provide services in local settings, 30% in state settings, and 20% in federal settings.

What factors are crucial for the future prospects of the public health workforce?

Key factors include ongoing fiscal support, a shift away from the 'boom and bust' investment pattern, job satisfaction, effective recruitment, competitive compensation and benefits, retention and career advancement opportunities, and worker supports to prevent trauma like that experienced during the COVID pandemic. These are essential for achieving the goals of PH 3.0.

How are public health occupations typically described?

Public health occupations are described using occupational classifications, public health practice profiles, important and essential competencies and duties, workplace considerations, minimum qualifications, and information on positions, salaries, and career prospects.

What are some common occupational categories in Public Health Administration?

Occupations in Public Health Administration include roles in Management and Leadership, Support Services, Medical and Health Services Managers, and Social and Community Services Managers.

What are the core responsibilities of public health directors?

Public health directors are often responsible for achieving organizational goals and objectives. They must possess skills in developing collaborative relationships, creating policies and plans, enforcing regulations, ensuring a competent workforce, and evaluating health service effectiveness, accessibility, and quality.

What competency tiers are expected for public health workers in management and leadership versus support services positions?

Public health workers in management and leadership positions are expected to meet all Tier 3 Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, while those in support services positions are expected to meet all Tier 1 Core Competencies.

What are some key competencies for a Public Health Agency Director?

A Public Health Agency Director's key competencies include being grounded in public health ethics, employing systems thinking, providing systems-level direction, communicating effectively with the public, healthcare providers, and staff, and developing, adopting, and promoting policy.

What are typical workplace considerations for public health directors?

Public health directors primarily work within the governmental public health sector (local, state, federal) and often work long and irregular hours due to the unpredictable nature of public health emergencies.

What are the typical minimum qualifications for a Public Health Agency Director?

A typical pathway involves broad and extensive experience in the development, analysis, and administration of public health programs and services, with at least 3 years in a management or full supervisory capacity. Many states also have statutory requirements for these positions.

What is the primary focus of occupations in Environmental and Occupational Health?

These occupations focus on evaluating work and indoor environments for safety and health hazards, ensuring compliance with regulations like the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and participating in the engineering review and monitoring of environmental systems like water supply and waste treatment.

What are the main duties of an Environmental Engineer in public health?

Environmental engineers participate in the engineering review of water supply and waste treatment systems, review plans and specifications, gather and interpret environmental health data, confer with officials on regulations, collect samples for analysis, and participate in special investigations of environmental conditions.

What is the role of an Occupational Health and Safety Specialist?

Occupational Health and Safety Specialists evaluate work and indoor environments for safety and health hazards, making comprehensive evaluations of various workplaces to ensure compliance with federal regulations such as those enforced by OSHA.

What are the typical workplace considerations for environmental and occupational health specialists?

Many environmental and occupational health specialists, especially entry-level and mid-level, spend considerable time in the field at various environmental sites, often requiring personal protective equipment. Higher-level specialists and engineers may spend more time in an office setting.

What are the minimum qualifications for an Environmental Engineer?

A minimum of a bachelor's degree in engineering is required, along with any combination of training and experience that provides the necessary knowledge and abilities. Some jurisdictions may also require registration as a professional engineer (PE) or an engineer-in-training certificate.

What is the defining characteristic of public health nurses?

Public health nurses are nursing professionals with educational preparation in both public health and nursing science, primarily focusing on population-level health outcomes.

What are the four standard steps of the nursing process as applied in public health nursing practice?

The four steps are: 1) Assess health and healthcare needs of a population; 2) Develop a plan for intervention with the community; 3) Implement the plan effectively, efficiently, and equitably; and 4) Conduct evaluations to determine the impact of interventions on health status.

What are some common duties of public health nurses in communities?

Public health nurses often conduct home visits for prenatal and post-partum education and care, manage cases of childhood lead exposure and asthma, and manage clinics for sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, and immunizations. They also support direct care through assessment of individual and community needs.

What is the primary responsibility of Community Health Workers?

Community health workers assist individuals and communities in adopting healthy behaviors, conduct outreach for health programs, provide support and informal counseling, offer basic health screenings, and connect residents with resources like testing, vaccines, food, and social support, especially during crises like COVID-19.

What are the typical workplace considerations for Community Health Workers?

Community health workers spend much of their time in the field, working directly with community members. They often need to work evening and weekend hours to reach their audience and must prioritize personal safety, especially when working off-hours.

What is the main responsibility of Emergency Preparedness Workers?

Emergency preparedness workers are primarily responsible for ensuring that the community is optimally protected in the event of large-scale emergencies that threaten public health and well-being. They spend most of their time preparing, planning, and training for emergencies.

What are the six public health preparedness activities typically involving emergency preparedness workers?

These activities include biosurveillance, countermeasures and mitigation, information management, community resilience, incident management, and surge management.

What are the minimum qualifications for Emergency Management Workers?

This position typically requires a master's degree in public health, biologic sciences, emergency management, or a related field, along with 2 to 5 years of relevant work experience. They must also be able to travel and be on call 24/7.

What do Informatics Systems Managers and Public Health Informatics Specialists do?

They perform data analytics, applying computer science and technology to extract meaningful information from raw data sets, and use informatics principles to improve population health.

What is the role of Public Health Laboratory Workers?

Public health laboratory workers diagnose and investigate health problems and disasters, evaluate the effectiveness and quality of services, and conduct research to find new insights and solutions. This includes scientists who identify and quantify hazardous agents and technologists/technicians who perform various analyses of specimens.

What are the workplace considerations for Public Health Laboratory Workers?

Laboratory professionals and technicians are trained to work with hazardous materials (infectious specimens, chemicals, radioactive substances). They must adhere to Biosafety Levels (BSL) set by the CDC, wear appropriate personal protective equipment, and may work under ventilation hoods.

What is the primary focus of Public Health Nutritionists and Dietitians?

They primarily work to prevent poor health outcomes associated with diet. Their duties include monitoring health status, educating people about health issues, linking individuals to needed health services, and potentially engaging in research activities, often within community-oriented programs like WIC.

What is the role of Oral Health Professionals in public health?

Oral health professionals examine, diagnose, and treat diseases of teeth and gums. They promote and maintain optimal oral health for the public by planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating oral health programs, which often include clinical and preventive care as well as health education.

What is the focus of Public Health Physicians?

Public health physicians focus on health promotion and disease prevention for communities rather than individuals. They identify at-risk groups, develop and evaluate interventions, and may provide direct medical services within these programs. Many hold leadership or management positions and are expected to meet Tier 3 Core Competencies.

What do Public Health Veterinarians do?

Public health veterinarians work to prevent exposure to and minimize harm from diseases and injuries associated with interactions between humans, animals, and animal products. They identify and assess health risks to humans from animals and plan, manage, and evaluate programs to reduce these risks.