217240 Insuring a workforce prepared to address health equity through public health practice

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 : 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM

Louise Square, BA , Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, New York State Department of Health, New York, NY
The presenters will describe a pilot assessment of skills needed by public health professionals working to achieve health equity. The work was completed by members of the Health Equity Council (HEC) of the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors through funding from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The purpose of the assessment was to inform CDC in the development of training programs for state level public health professionals. The presenters will describe the process used in developing and administering their assessment tool. Questions for the assessment were guided by input from key informant interviews. Interviewees help with the decision about what level of public health staff to assess, whether to measure skills, attitudes or knowledge, and the format of the assessment tool. Each question was linked to a public health competency. The attendees will learn the methods of analyses; results and recommendation to CDC for a full assessment. The HEC will continue to work with the CDC to identify trainings based on the need of the public health workforce as identified by the completed assessment. This research fills the need for developing a public health work force that is competent in achieving health equity through public health practice. The participants will learn how to access the resources of the HEC, and ways to network with other professionals.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Diversity and culture
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
•Identify steps to assess the skills needed by public health staff to achieve health equity •Develop a training plan for public health staff to achieve health equity

Keywords: Social Justice, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Health Equity Consultant for the National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.