The Opportunity Cost of COVID for Public Health Practice: COVID-19 Pandemic Response Work and Lost Foundational Areas of Public Health Work

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of a strong public health infrastructure for protecting and supporting the health of communities. This includes ensuring an adaptive workforce capable of leading through rapidly changing circumstances, communicating effectively, and applying systems thinking to leverage cross-sector partnerships that help promote health equity. The 10 Regional Public Health Training Centers (PHTCs) advance the capacity of the current and future public health workforce through skill development and technical assistance in these and other strategic areas. Program: This study examines activities through which the Regional PHTCs and their partners supported the public health workforce during the pandemic. Representatives of the 10 Regional PHTCs completed a survey in the spring of 2022. The survey included (1) pulling trends in training usage from 2018-2021 annual performance reports and (2) questions assessing the type, content, and reach of training needs assessments, training and technical assistance, student placements, and PHTC Network collaborative activities that occurred from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021. Respondents also reflected on trends in use, challenges, lessons learned, stories of impact, and future PHTC practice. Evaluation: During the pandemic, the Regional PHTCs engaged in numerous efforts to assess needs, provide training and technical assistance to the practice community, facilitate projects that built student competency to support public health agency efforts, and collaborate as the PHTC Network on national-level initiatives. Across these activities, the Regional PHTCs adjusted their approaches and learned from each other in order to meet regional needs. Discussion: The Regional PHTCs provided student and professional development in foundational public health knowledge and skills within their regions and nationally while being flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the field during the pandemic. Our study highlights opportunities for collaboration and adaptive approaches to public health workforce development in a postpandemic environment.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Need for Responsive Workforce Development During the Pandemic and Beyond: A Case Study of the Regional Public Health Training Centers

Kulik,

Alperin,

Todd Barrett

et al. 2024

“…PH WINS 2021 shows that all public health program areas contributed at least 20% of their workforce time to COVID-19 response efforts. 6 This approach creates gaps in ongoing public health activities, burnout among employees, and limited institutional memory to inform future emergencies. To be responsive, emergency response systems need long-term investments to modernize and improve core public health functions.…”

Section: Develop a Dynamic Public Health Emergency Response Infrastru...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Across the country, public health workers were reassigned from their day jobs to emergency roles, often for years on end. PH WINS 2021 shows that all public health program areas contributed at least 20% of their workforce time to COVID-19 response efforts 6. This approach creates gaps in ongoing public health activities, burnout among employees, and limited institutional memory to inform future emergencies.…”

Section: Develop a Dynamic Public Health Emergency Response Infrastru...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Operationalizing PH WINS 2021: Pathways to Resilience for Public Health

Shaff

Ray

Bleus

2023

I n early 2020, public health workers across the United States were called to respond to an emerging threat: COVID-19. Seemingly overnight, COVID-19 became a pandemic and, as many transitioned from offices and schools to home-based settings, essential workers braved the risk of infection to face the emergency and maintain essential health services. The pace of the response and the scale of the loss of life in the United States were unprecedented in recent history. Public health workers demonstrated their dedication to their mission by rising to these challenges, often stretching themselves beyond their capacity to meet the demands of the crisis.In the months and years since the first case of COVID-19, there has been a seismic shift in the way society engages the public health workforce. The 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) provides a snapshot of the burden carried by the public health community. Even before the emergence of COVID-19, many public health workers have moved from one emergency response to the next with little pause for recovery, exacerbating systemic challenges. Our experience managing multiple simultaneous and overlapping public health emergencies

“…15 The demands of this emergency response on BCHC HDs have resulted in lost gains made in combatting critical issues in public health, such as substance use disorder, as large portions of the workforce were deployed to COVID-19 response activities. 16 This article shares findings from the 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) among participating BCHC HDs. Where applicable, comparisons were also made to results from the 2017 PH WINS.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…In addition, COVID-19 response has caused more stress and burnout among an already stretched governmental public health workforce 15. The demands of this emergency response on BCHC HDs have resulted in lost gains made in combatting critical issues in public health, such as substance use disorder, as large portions of the workforce were deployed to COVID-19 response activities 16…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Recovery and Resiliency in 29 Big Cities: Results From the 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey

Juliano

Schaffer

Gambatese

2022

Context: Big Cities Health Coalition member health departments (BCHC HDs) serve more than 61 million people across their jurisdictions, nearly 20% of the US population. As such, they have particular challenges and opportunities in how they do their work. This article focuses on BCHC HDs that participated in the 2021 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) and describes workplace perceptions, training needs, COVID-19 efforts, and well-being. Objective: To describe key characteristics of the governmental public health workforce among BCHC HDs, including demographics, perceptions, and needs. Design: Using a subsample of data from the 2021 PH WINS that included 29 BCHC HDs, descriptive statistics on many of the topics covered by the 2021 PH WINS were analyzed and compared with the 2017 PH WINS. Setting: Twenty-nine BCHC HDs in cities across the United States. Participants: In total, 7922 of 29 661 staff members (response rate of 27%) from participating BCHC HDs.Results: Most BCHC HD respondents self-identified as a woman (76%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 75%-77%), and as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (69%, 95% CI: 68%-70%), similar to findings from the 2017 PH WINS (75%, 95% CI: 74%-76%; 67%, 95% CI: 66%-69%, respectively). Most respondents believe that their organization prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion (70%, 95% CI: 69%-72%). Thirty percent (95% CI: 29%-32%) intend to leave their organizations within 1 year, and 18% (95% CI: 17%-19%) plan to retire within 5 years. Staff connect their work with agency goals and priorities (86%, 95% CI: 85%-87%) and are determined to give their best effort every day (91%, 95% CI: 90%-91%). Conclusion:As the need for an all-encompassing focus on COVID-19 lessons, BCHC HDs should continue to focus on prioritizing staff retention, enhancing communication between senior staff and employees, and fostering an environment where innovation and creativity are rewarded.