Search

Context Workforce development in governmental public health has historically focused on discipline-specific skills. However, as the field of public health has evolved, crosscutting skills have become critical. The 2017 fielding of the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) provides a national benchmark for gaps in crosscutting skills in state and local health departments. Objective The purpose of this article is to identify top areas of training needs in the governmental public health workforce using data from PH WINS 2017. Design PH WINS participants in state and local health departments were surveyed in fall 2017 using a Web-based platform. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to account for complex sample design. Setting Forty-seven state health agencies, 26 large city health departments, and a nationally representative sample of mid-to-large local health departments. Participants Permanently employed governmental public health staff. Main outcome measures Training needs were determined by combining self-reported skill importance and proficiency. Skills reported to be of high importance, and low levels of proficiency were coded as training needs. Focus area gaps were defined as having a training need in at least one skill in the focus area. Results The largest area of training need, regardless of supervisory status, was in budgeting and financial management (55%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 53-56), with a large gap also identified in systems and strategic thinking (49%; 95% CI, 47-50). There was some variation by supervisory status, with training needs for nonsupervisors in change management and in developing a vision for a healthy community for management. Conclusions The PH WINS training needs assessment provides the first nationally representative data on training needs for the state and local health department workforce. Across state and local health departments, there are common critical training needs essential for the current and future practice of public health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has required the professional healthcare workforce not only to adjust methods of delivering care safely but also act as a trusted sources of information during a time of uncertainty and rapid research and discovery. The Community Health Worker COVID-19 Impact Survey is a cross-sectional study developed to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on this sector of the healthcare workforce, including training needs of those working through the pandemic. The survey was distributed in Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. This study focuses on Texas, and the data presented (n = 693) is a sub-set of qualitative data from the larger survey. Results of the content analysis described in this paper are intended to inform current COVID-19-related CHW training curriculum, in addition to future infectious disease prevention and preparedness response trainings.

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text., Objective: To assess the financial competencies and skills of the state and local public health workforce. Design: Analysis of the 2017 wave of the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS). Bivariate statistics and logistic regression models identified correlates and predictors of financial skills and skills gaps in the workforce. Setting: PH WINS was fielded to a nationally representative sample of all staff at all local health departments serving 25 000 or more persons and all state health agency staff. Participants: A total of 47 604 people responded to PH WINS in 2017 (overall response rate 48%). Main Outcome Measures: Financial competencies were measured in 3 areas: public health program and service delivery, public health agency funding, and public health agency business planning. Results: A moderate percentage of the state and local public health workforce (36.7%-40.6%) reported that financial skills were not applicable to their job. Skill levels tended to be modestly but significantly higher for the state health workforce than for the local health workforce. Correlates of financial proficiency and skills gaps varied for the 3 areas assessed and by state versus local setting. In general, administrators, managers and executives, older individuals, and persons working in decentralized or shared departments tended to have higher levels of financial skills proficiency. Persons working in clinical roles, supervisors, newer managers, and persons reporting higher levels of burnout were more likely to report a skills gap. Conclusions: There are areas of notable strengths in state and local public health workforce financial skills. Yet portions of the workforce that may have been subjected to newer financial training approaches did not consistently report higher financial skills. Findings suggest areas for further improvement in the financial competency of the state and local public health workforce.

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text., Context: Although core scientific skills remain a priority to public health, preventing and responding to today's leading causes of death require the workforce to build additional strategic skills to impact the social, community-based, and economic determinants of health. The 2017 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey allows novel regional analysis of training needs, both individually and across 8 strategic skill domains. Objective: The purpose of this article is to describe the training needs of public health staff nationally, across the 10 Department of Health and Human Services Regions. Design: The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey was a Web-based survey fielded to 100 000 staff nationwide across 2 major frames: state health agency-central office and local health department. State-based respondents were fielded on a census approach, with locals participating in a more complex sampling design. Balanced repeated replication weights were used to address nonresponse and sampling. Setting: State and local health departments. Participants: Respondents from state and local health departments. Main Outcome Measures: This article draws from the training needs portion of Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey. Descriptive statistics are generated, showing training needs gaps. Inferential analyses pertain to gaps across Region and supervisory status, using Pearson χ2 test and Rao-Scott design–adjusted χ2 test. Results: Training needs varied across regions and work setting. Certain strategic skills tended to see larger, consistent gaps regardless of Region or setting, including Budgeting & Finance, Change Management, Systems Thinking, and Developing a Vision for a Healthy Community. Conclusions: Overall, the data suggest substantial interregional variation in training needs. Until now, this picture has been incomplete; disparate assessments across health departments, Regions, and disciplines could not be combined into a national picture. Regionally focused training centers are well situated to address Region-specific needs while supporting the broader building of capacity in strategic skills nationwide.

Introduction In 2012, the Great Plains Public Health Training Center (Grant #UB6HP22821) conducted an online survey of state and local health departments and the American Indian (tribal clinics, tribal health departments and urban Indian clinic) public health workforce across three professional levels. The objectives of the needs assessment were to, determine the competency levels of the state’s public health workforce, assess gaps in public health competencies, identify public health training interests, needs and preferences and, determine the barriers and motivators to participating in public health training. Methods The assessment was developed using the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice, Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals survey (Council of Linkages, 2010). The final assessment was created and piloted by numerous individuals representing practice and academia. Results Respondents identified cultural competency and communication skills as the two most important public health competency domains. Although the public health professionals perceived that they were least proficient in the area of policy development and program planning, participants identified the greatest needs for training in financial planning & management skills and analytical/assessment skills. In general, respondents preferred instructor-led interactive training sessions offered as onsite multi-day workshops or computer-based courses. Respondents identified obesity, health disparities, physical activity, chronic diseases and diabetes as the top five public health topical areas. Conclusion These priorities align with State and National public health plans. The findings of the needs assessment were used to tailor educational opportunities to build the capacity of Nebraska’s public health system. Additionally, the results were used to develop workforce development plans for numerous local health departments throughout Nebraska.