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Michaels I, Pirani S, Fleming M, Arana MM, D’Angelo E, Dyer-Drobnack C, DiManno M, Ravenhall S, Gloria CT. Enumeration of the Public Health Workforce in New York State: Workforce Changes in the Wake of COVID-19. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:13592. [PMID: 36294169 PMCID: PMC9602598 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192013592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The governmental public health workforce in the United States has faced staffing shortages for over a decade that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To assess this critical issue, the Region 2 Public Health Training Center collaborated with the New York State Association of County Health Officials to enumerate the city and county public health workforce in New York State. The organizations used an online survey to: (1) count employees and full-time equivalent (FTEs) staff in local health departments in 2021; (2) assess workforce trends since the COVID-19 pandemic; and, (3) identify challenges local health departments encounter in recruiting and retaining qualified public health workers. To assess trends, findings were compared with secondary data from 2019. Despite playing a central role in COVID-19 mitigation, local health departments experienced no overall increase in staffing in 2021 compared to 2019, with many health departments experiencing large increases in vacant positions. Recruitment challenges include noncompetitive salaries, difficulties finding qualified candidates, and lengthy hiring processes. This study complements accumulating evidence indicating that long-term investment in local public health infrastructure is needed to bolster the workforce and ensure that communities are protected from current and future health threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaac Michaels
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University at Albany School of Public Health, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA
| | - Sylvia Pirani
- Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Molly Fleming
- Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO), Albany, NY 12110, USA
| | - Mayela M. Arana
- Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Emily D’Angelo
- Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO), Albany, NY 12110, USA
| | - Cristina Dyer-Drobnack
- Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO), Albany, NY 12110, USA
| | - Margaret DiManno
- Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO), Albany, NY 12110, USA
| | - Sarah Ravenhall
- Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
- New York State Association of County Health Officials (NYSACHO), Albany, NY 12110, USA
| | - Christian T. Gloria
- Region 2 Public Health Training Center (PHTC), New York, NY 10032, USA
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Condon K, Zimmerman PA, Mason M, Sparke V. Audit of essential infection prevention and control content provided within undergraduate/postgraduate public health programs across Australian and New Zealand universities. Infect Dis Health 2022; 28:75-80. [PMID: 36182544 DOI: 10.1016/j.idh.2022.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To describe and analyse the infection prevention and control (IPC) curricula within Public Health degrees across Australian and New Zealand Universities and identify foundational IPC knowledge deficits. METHODS A cross-sectional study of public health and related programs across tertiary education institutions within Australia and New Zealand was conducted to comprehensively illustrate the current inclusion of IPC core and elective courses and identify areas of IPC content deficit. RESULTS Australian (n = 32) and New Zealand (n = 9) universities were audited, consisting of 217 public health/public health related degrees within Australia and 45 within New Zealand. Within Australia 41% of public health degrees and 49% in New Zealand did not offer any IPC content as core or elective subjects. CONCLUSIONS Public health tertiary education in Australia and New Zealand is lacking in equipping and imbedding IPC skills and knowledge in public health graduates. This highlights the need for a framework guiding mandatory IPC content within Australian and New Zealand public health programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleena Condon
- School of Public Health, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Peta-Anne Zimmerman
- School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; Collaborative for the Advancement of Infection Prevention and Control, Australia. https://twitter.com/@IPCPau
| | - Matt Mason
- School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine, University of the Sunshine Coast, Australia; Collaborative for the Advancement of Infection Prevention and Control, Australia. https://twitter.com/@MattM_RN
| | - Vanessa Sparke
- College of Healthcare Sciences, James Cook University, Australia; Collaborative for the Advancement of Infection Prevention and Control, Australia
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Mandzufas J. Celebrating the lived experience of socio-economic disadvantage in the public health workforce. Health Promot J Austr 2022; 33 Suppl 1:410-411. [PMID: 35043520 DOI: 10.1002/hpja.572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Joelie Mandzufas
- Telethon Kids Institute, ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
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Watts RD, Bowles DC, Fisher C, Li IW. Who comes when the world goes Code Blue? A novel method of exploring job advertisements for COVID-19 in health care. Nurs Open 2021; 8:1108-1114. [PMID: 34482654 DOI: 10.1002/nop2.721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To explore the health workforce responses to COVID-19. DESIGN Analysis of job advertisements. METHODS We collected advertisements for healthcare jobs which were caused by and in response to COVID-19 between 4 March-17 April 2020 for the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. We collected information on the date of the advertisement, position advertised and location. We categorized job positions into three categories: frontline, coordination and decision support. RESULTS We found 952 job advertisements, 72% of which were from the United States. There was a lag period between reported COVID-19-confirmed cases and job advertisements by several weeks. Nurses were the most advertised position in every country. Frontline workers were substantially more demanded than coordination or decision-support roles. Job advertisements are a novel data source which leverages a readily available information about how workforces respond to a pandemic. The initial phases of the response emphasise the importance of frontline workers, especially nurses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory D Watts
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Devin C Bowles
- Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.,Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australasia, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Colleen Fisher
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Ian W Li
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
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Nelson-Hurwitz DC, Tagorda M, Kehl L, Patil U. What Can You Do With a Bachelor's in Public Health? A Case Study of Graduate Outcomes From the University of Hawai'i. Front Public Health 2021; 9:661629. [PMID: 34434912 PMCID: PMC8380951 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.661629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the development of a Bachelor of Arts in public health, a common question among prospective students, faculty, and community members has been asked: “What will students do after graduation?” While national data on graduates are abundant, community inquiries sought more detailed profiles of local graduates. To address this need, data on 224 graduates of the Bachelors of Arts in Public Health (BAPH) degree at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa were collected through alumni outreach efforts and professional online profile searches. Data were compiled into a summary presentation and program “resume”. Findings indicated roughly 30% of BAPH graduates pursued graduate-level education and 43% were employed within a year of graduation. Employment in local NGOs and healthcare organizations was common, while bureaucratic challenges limited hiring at public agencies. A review of job titles suggested graduates were employed in program coordination or support staffing. Local program profiles, such as this one, complement national employment data. Moreover, these efforts may foster interest among prospective students and support from faculty, administrators, and employers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise C Nelson-Hurwitz
- Office of Public Health Studies, Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Michelle Tagorda
- Office of Public Health Studies, Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Lisa Kehl
- Office of Public Health Studies, Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
| | - Uday Patil
- Office of Public Health Studies, Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, United States
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What Do Public Health Graduates Do and Where Do They Go? An Analysis of Job Destinations and Mismatch in Australian Public Health Graduates. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18147504. [PMID: 34299952 PMCID: PMC8304575 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18147504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background: It is not well understood what occupations public health graduates have after graduation, nor is it well known whether their education provides them with the relevant knowledge and skills to feel well matched to their occupations. Furthermore, it is commonly presumed that public health graduates work in government, and investments in education would bolster this workforce. Methods: We aimed to describe the common occupations of Australian public health graduates, describe the heterogeneity of graduate destinations, describe the level of mismatch that graduates report, and compare these results with other fields of study. We used eight years of Australian graduate survey data (2008–2015) from the Graduate Destinations Survey, examining outcomes data from 8900 public health graduates from four levels of education. We compared occupation and industry heterogeneity, and level of occupational mismatch between public health graduates, and graduates from other fields of education. Results: Public health graduates report having a broad set of occupations in a broad set of industries after graduation, and this breadth is dissimilar to most health degrees. Furthermore, public health graduates tend to have average or lower-than-average rates of mismatch. Conclusions: Despite going into a broad set of occupations and industries, graduates from public health tend to report being well prepared given their education. Given that both occupation and industry outcomes are heterogeneous for graduates, an investment in public health education does not guarantee an increase in the governmental public health workforce.
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Krasna H, Czabanowska K, Beck A, Cushman LF, Leider JP. Labour market competition for public health graduates in the United States: A comparison of workforce taxonomies with job postings before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Int J Health Plann Manage 2021; 36:151-167. [PMID: 33625747 PMCID: PMC8014097 DOI: 10.1002/hpm.3128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A strong public health workforce (PHW) is needed to respond to COVID‐19 and public health (PH) issues worldwide. However, classifying, enumerating, and planning the PHW is challenging. Existing PHW taxonomies and enumerations focus on the existing workforce, and largely ignore workforce competition for public health graduates (PHGs). Such efforts also do not utilize real time data to assess rapid changes to the employment landscape, like those caused by COVID‐19. A job postings analysis can inform workforce planning and educational program design alike. To identify occupations and industries currently seeking PHGs and contrast them with existing taxonomies, authors matched existing PHW taxonomies to standardized occupational classification codes, then compared this with 38,533 coded, US job postings from employers seeking Master's level PHGs from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020. Authors also analysed 24,516 postings from March 2019 to October 2019 and compared them with 24,845 postings from March 2020 to October 2020 to assess changing employer demands associated with COVID‐19. We also performed schema matching to align various occupational classification systems. Job postings pre‐COVID and during COVID show considerable but changing demand for PHGs in the US, with 16%–28% of postings outside existing PHW taxonomies, suggesting labour market competition which may compound PHW recruitment and retention challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Krasna
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA.,Department of International Health, School CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Katarzyna Czabanowska
- Department of International Health, School CAPHRI Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Health Policy Management, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Health Care, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
| | - Angela Beck
- Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Linda F Cushman
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jonathon P Leider
- Division of Health Policy and Management, School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Watts RD, Bowles DC, Fisher C, Li IW. The growth of Australian public health graduates and courses, 2001-2018: implications for education and employment opportunities. Aust N Z J Public Health 2021; 45:95-100. [PMID: 33617123 DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.13076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To describe the numbers of degree completions, variety of available courses and demographics of students who study public health in Australia. METHODS We utilised national completions data from universities between 2001 and 2018 and analysed data for students who had completed degrees labelled as public health at the bachelor's and master's by coursework level. RESULTS There have been 21,000 master's by coursework public health graduates since 2001, and 15,770 public health bachelor's degrees. Nearly two-thirds of all students study in a 'broad' degree, such as a Bachelor of Health Science or Master of Public Health. There has been an increase in the proportion of overseas students and a decreasing proportion of Indigenous students over this time. CONCLUSIONS Given the growth of graduates with public health degrees, there should be an increased focus on relevant job opportunities, as supply may be outpacing demand. Implications for public health: We note three potential issues with public health education and practice in Australia. Firstly, there may be an oversupply of graduates relative to opportunities. Secondly, there may be inconsistencies in the delivery of public health courses. Thirdly, curricula may need to be revised, owing to differences in student composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rory D Watts
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia
| | - Devin C Bowles
- School of Medicine, Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory
| | - Colleen Fisher
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia
| | - Ian W Li
- School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia
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