The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #71744

Steve Borders, MHA¹, Craig Blakely², Kenneth R. McLeroy, PhD³, and Barbara Quiram, PhD³. (1) Public Policy Research Institute & Dept of Urban and Regional Sciences, Texas A and M University, MS 1266, College Station, TX 77843, 979/458-3251, sborders@ppri.tamu.edu, (2) School of Rural Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Texas A&M U, MS 1266, College Station, TX 77843-1266, (3) School of Rural Public Health, 3000 Briarcrest Drive, Suite 310, Bryan, TX 77802

Over the last two decades, concern has been expressed over the readiness of the public health workforce to adequately address the scientific, technological, social, political, and economic challenges facing the field. A recent evaluation sought to address the role the ten essential public health functions, as defined by the Institute of Medicine, play in the job functions among the Texas public health workforce. Additionally, the evaluation examined the Texas public health workforce's need for training in the ten essential public health functions. Overall, the level of training needs varied dramatically by job category and health department type. Among the 14 different public health job categories, sanitarians indicated the single greatest need (p<0.001) for training, although it was confined to one specific area - enforcing laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety. Public health nurses and health educators expressed the greatest overall need for training across virtually all of the essential public health functions. Nutritionists/WIC personnel, animal and vector control, biostatisticians, and epidemiologists consistently indicated a need for additional training in: 1)enforcing laws and regulations to protect health and 2)informing, educating, and empowering people about health issues as their most pressing training needs. When comparing aggregate training needs, public health workers of local health departments in Texas (p<0.001) indicated a greater need for training than their peers working for the Texas Department of Health in Austin. When prioritizing and designing future training modules regarding the ten essential public health functions, both job function and location should be considered.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the presentation, attendees will:
• Recognize the different training needs of the public health workforce by job category.
• Recognize the different training needs of the public health workforce between the size and function of the health department.
• Identify and discuss the challenges and strategies of educating the diverse training needs of the public health workforce.

Keywords: Core Functions, Public Health Education

Related Web page: ppri.tamu.edu

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.