Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #107878

Betty J. Ruth, LCSW, MSW, MPH¹, Sarah Sisco, MPH, MSSW², Tinka Markham Piper, MPH, CSW², Sally Bachman, PhD¹, and Jamie Wyatt, BSW¹. (1) School of Social Work, Boston University, 264 Bay State Rd., Boston, MA 02215, 617-353-4574, bjruth@bu.edu, (2) Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies (CUES), New York Academy of Medicine, 55 West 125th Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10027

In recent years, presentations at APHA have posed questions about the field of public health social work. Topics have included the role of MSW/MPH programs in developing public health social work leadership; the degree to which public health and social work are “good ideas” to be linked; and experiences of graduates in combining public health and social work in today's workplace. Recent research suggests that redefining and integrating public health and social work requires considerable effort by graduates who encounter numerous obstacles. The emerging commitment to evidence-based practice, (EBP), shared by both professions, may be a powerful tool for promoting integration and redefinition of PHSW. However, it is unclear whether MSW/MPH graduates have been trained or are using such skills. Ongoing research by a team of public health social work researchers used qualitative and quantitative methods to study experiences of MSW/MPH alumni. In this national study, five focus groups were conducted with graduates from MSW/MPH programs. A structured follow-up questionnaire was administered to fifty focus group participants, and investigated (i) further definitions of “public health social work;” (ii) examples of “best practices” in public health social work; (iii) specific content in training and workplace regarding evidence-based practice and (iv) disparities in the two fields' approaches to integrating evidence-based practice and policies. Data is currently being collected. Recommendations on the role of EBP for furthering "best practices" in public health social work will be discussed. Additional research on how to fortify the presence of this integrated practice arena will be explored.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.Define and clarify contemporary definitions of public health social work;
• 2.Describe and assess a base of “best practices” examples in the current public health social work workplace environment;
• 3.Recognize and critically analyze the importance of differences in commitment to and integration of evidence-based practice in public health and social work, with particular focus on the implications for educators and employers.

Keywords: Public Health, Social Work

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation