The Exodus Of State And Local Public Health Employees: Separations Started Before And Continued Throughout COVID-19

Leider, Jonathon P.; Castrucci, Brian C.; Robins, Moriah; Bork, Rachel Hare; Fraser, Michael R.; Savoia, Elena; Piltch-Loeb, Rachael; Koh, Howard K.

doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2022.01251

Cited by 47 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…Given the documented challenges to recruiting and retaining the public health workforce, this finding is surprising. [25][26][27][28] WDPs, in theory, should reflect recruitment and retention strategies as well as training needs for existing staff. Strategies for recruitment that were occasionally identified included engaging with colleges, offering tuition payment, and offering internships.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Are Public Health Agencies Planning for Workforce Development? A Content Analysis of Workforce Development Plans of Accredited Public Health Departments

Yeager,

Burns,

Lang

et al. 2023

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice

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Objective: Recruiting and retaining public health employees and ensuring they have the skills necessary to respond are vital for meeting public health needs. As the first study examining health department (HD) workforce development plans (WDPs), this study presents gaps and strategies identified in WDPs across 201 accredited HDs (168 initial/33 reaccreditation plans). Design: This cross-sectional study employed qualitative review and content analysis of WDPs submitted to the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) between March 2016 and November 2021. Main Outcome Measures: Eight overarching workforce themes were examined: planning/coordination, leadership, organizational culture, workplace supports/retention, recruitment, planning for departmental training, delivery of departmental training, and partnership/engagement. Within each theme, related subthemes were identified. Coders indicated whether the WDP (1) identified the subtheme as a gap; (2) stated an intent to address the subtheme; and/or (3) identified a strategy for addressing the subtheme. Results: The most common gaps identified included prepare workforce for community engagement/partnership (34.3%, n = 69), followed by resource/fund training (24.9%, n = 50). The subtheme that had the most instances of an identified strategy to address it was assess training needs (84.1%, n = 169), followed by foster quality improvement (QI) culture/provide QI training (63.2%, n = 127). While both of these strategies were common among the majority of HDs, those subthemes were rarely identified as a gap. Secondary findings indicate that increase recruitment diversity/recruit from a more diverse applicant pool was rarely identified as a gap (6.0%, n = 12) and rarely had an identified strategy for addressing the subtheme (9.0%, n = 18). Conclusion: While HDs recognized many workforce gaps, HDs did not always propose a strategy for addressing them within the WDP. Conversely, some WDPs proposed strategies for subthemes that did not reflect recognized gaps. Such discrepancies between identified gaps and strategies in WDPs may suggest areas where HDs could use additional support and guidance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Are Public Health Agencies Planning for Workforce Development? A Content Analysis of Workforce Development Plans of Accredited Public Health Departments

Yeager,

Burns,

Lang

et al. 2023

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice

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“…Almost half of all public health workers have quit their jobs or retired in the last 5 years, many due to COVID-19. 1 Many healthcare workers are experiencing “COVID fatigue” at this point. Yet if we are to truly put COVID-19 in the rear-view mirror, we must continue to study COVID-19 infections to determine best practices for preventing and treating infections to reduce cardiovascular (CV) events.…”

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2023

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“…The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the urgency and scope of public health professionals' work, while decreasing individual capacity and effectiveness. Nearly half of all public health workers left their positions between 2017 and 2021 1. In 2021, 55% of public health employees polled reported 1 or more posttraumatic stress disorder symptom 2.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Nearly half of all public health workers left their positions between 2017 and 2021. 1 In 2021, 55% of public health employees polled reported 1 or more posttraumatic stress disorder symptom. 2 These alarming rates highlight the importance of making the public health workforce's long-term well-being an organizational priority to prevent adverse downstream effects on population health outcomes.Governmental public health agencies, as compared with private industry, 3,4 face unique restrictions when it comes to recruitment, retention, and employee experience.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…In addition, while workforce burnout was an issue even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,1 the scale and importance of public health worker responsibilities ballooned during the pandemic response. The need for contact tracing, data collection and reporting, vaccine planning and distribution, and effective public communication remained priorities, while public and political criticism contributed to an atmosphere of hostility toward the public health workforce 5.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Strategies for Enhancing Governmental Public Health Workforce Well-being and Retention

Khalid

Myers

Baddour

et al. 2023

Journal of Public Health Management and Practice

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M oral injury and workforce burnout constrain public health agencies' operational capacity. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the urgency and scope of public health professionals' work, while decreasing individual capacity and effectiveness. Nearly half of all public health workers left their positions between 2017 and 2021. 1 In 2021, 55% of public health employees polled reported 1 or more posttraumatic stress disorder symptom. 2 These alarming rates highlight the importance of making the public health workforce's long-term well-being an organizational priority to prevent adverse downstream effects on population health outcomes.Governmental public health agencies, as compared with private industry, 3,4 face unique restrictions when it comes to recruitment, retention, and employee experience. These limitations include formal policies around human resources, civil service classifications and procedures, and political processes and pressure that can complicate efforts to address the public health workforce's needs.In addition, while workforce burnout was an issue even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 the scale and importance of public health worker responsibilities ballooned during the pandemic response. The need for contact tracing, data collection and reporting,

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The Exodus Of State And Local Public Health Employees: Separations Started Before And Continued Throughout COVID-19

Cited by 47 publications

References 16 publications

What Are Public Health Agencies Planning for Workforce Development? A Content Analysis of Workforce Development Plans of Accredited Public Health Departments

What Are Public Health Agencies Planning for Workforce Development? A Content Analysis of Workforce Development Plans of Accredited Public Health Departments

Sex and Age

Strategies for Enhancing Governmental Public Health Workforce Well-being and Retention

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