from the editor
The Public Health Workforce Takes a Hit in the Souring Economy Post-Pandemic
The U . S . workforce apparently has cycled through what the media characterized as the Great Resignation , followed by the Quiet Quitting trend . While in perennial need of proper resourcing without political agenda , public health sustained more than a glancing blow from the COVID pandemic the last three years , and now the damage is being assessed as public health practitioners stare down the inevitable next crisis . As we are seeing with the current pharmacist shortage , the ability of health departments to attract , train , and retain employees remains problematic .
While pandemic-related infusions of billions in cash might help the public health workforce eventually , the endgame remains unclear , according to a new report , The State of the U . S . Public Health Workforce : Ongoing Challenges and Future Directions .
“ The public health workforce , specifically in our local , state , Tribal and territorial health departments , is the backbone of our public health system . This workforce lost 40,000 positions in the 2009 recession , most of which did not return ,” says report co-author Heather Krasna , PhD , adjunct assistant professor of health policy and management , and associate dean of career services at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health . “ While there is some new investment in the workforce , it is temporary ; and many of the underlying challenges with recruitment and retention have not been addressed . We must look at what has worked to build the workforce , and what remains to be addressed , for our communities to have the public health services they need to stay healthy .”
The report synthesizes the evidence regarding major challenges that preceded the pandemic and remain now , including the lack of the field ’ s ability to define the governmental public health workforce as well as challenges with the recruitment and retention of public health workers . According to the key findings :
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• Recruitment , diversity , and retention are key challenges in building the public health workforce .
• The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on the workforce , with high reported rates of burnout and symptoms of PTSD among public health employees .
• The number of people enrolling in public health degree programs is rising , but relatively few graduates choose government public health employment , opting instead for private sector jobs .
• Tracking the composition and the total number of people in the public health workforce remains a challenge because the federal government lacks a system for cataloging public health staff at the state , local , and Tribal government levels .
To alleviate workforce shortages , the authors identify the following strategies that policymakers can adopt :
• Take proactive steps to increase the diversity of the workforce
• Offer loan repayment programs for public health graduates
• Make reforms to the government hiring process
• Increase protections for public health workers
• Ensure adequate , sustainable funding for the public health workforce
“ Now is the time to invest in our public health workforce , not just through hiring new employees to meet immediate needs , but also retaining experienced employees to provide stability and to maintain and grow health departments ’ collective knowledge ,” says Brian C . Castrucci , DrPH , president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation , which focuses on public health workforce issues .
Throwing more money at the problem is not always the best solution , especially not if deeper , systemic shortcomings exist relating to the overall trust society has in its public health officials and infrastructure . The egregious failures associated with the way the pandemic was managed gave public health a black eye , and it takes fortitude for young professionals to want to pursue a career trajectory that requires figurative boxing gloves . The pandemic realists get punished , the pandemic elites get away with it , and most of the rest of us are just trying to get back to the priorities of our personal and professional lives . We look forward to seeing public health get back on course and fighting the good fight . Until next month , bust those bugs !
Kelly M . Pyrek Editor & Publisher kelly @ healthcarehygienemagazine . com
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