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

Abstract #119183

Chris L. Day, MPH, Public Health Foundation, 1300 L Street, N.W. Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005, 202-218-4425, cday@phf.org

An aging workforce, budget cuts, and competition with other employers will likely make it difficult for public health organizations to ensure they will have adequate numbers of skilled and competent workers to protect the public's heath. To address these concerns and to stem emerging worker shortages, it is essential that the public health field take action to improve worker recruitment and retention and to ensure that current workers are equipped to perform their responsibilities as effectively and efficiently as possible.

In an effort to help public health agencies and organizations replicate and build on effective efforts to alleviate worker shortages, the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice convened a forum in January 2005 to begin identifying evidence on what strategies have and have not been successful in addressing this issue. At the conclusion of the meeting, a table was developed to highlight potential strategies, as well as several programs and initiatives underway and relevant research.

This session will provide an overview of current research on ways to address worker shortages in the public health and other fields and of resources available to help organizations make evidence-based decisions on which strategies to adopt. Participants will be asked to share examples of recruitment and retention programs they are aware of and to generate a list of research questions related to worker shortages. Group discussion will focus on next steps the field can take to advance strategies to enhance worker recruitment and retention.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to

• List resources available to help public health organizations learn about evidence related to effective recruitment and retention strategies; and
• Develop strategies to help the field address worker shortages.

Keywords: Workforce, Infrastructure

Related Web page: www.phf.org/Link/tools.htm#Recruitment

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