Educating the public health workforce: A scoping review

Donghua Tao, Connie J. Evashwick, Michal Grivna, Roger Harrison

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

13 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The aim of this scoping review was to identify and characterize the recent literature pertaining to the education of the public health workforce worldwide. The importance of preparing a public health workforce with sufficient capacity and appropriate capabilities has been recognized by major organizations around the world (1). Champions for public health note that a suitably educated workforce is essential to the delivery of public health services, including emergency response to biological, manmade, and natural disasters, within countries and across the globe. No single repository offers a comprehensive compilation of who is teaching public health, to whom, and for what end. Moreover, no international consensus prevails on what higher education should entail or what pedagogy is optimal for providing the necessary education. Although health agencies, public or private, might project workforce needs, the higher level of education remains the sole responsibility of higher education institutions. The long-term goal of this study is to describe approaches to the education of the public health workforce around the world by identifying the peer-reviewed literature, published primarily by academicians involved in educating those who will perform public health functions. This paper reports on the first phase of the study: identifying and categorizing papers published in peer-reviewed literature between 2000 and 2015.

Original languageEnglish
Article number27
JournalFrontiers in Public Health
Volume6
Issue numberFEB
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 19 2018

Keywords

  • Global health workforce
  • Health workforce worldwide
  • Literature search
  • Public health workforce
  • Public health workforce education
  • Public health workforce pedagogy
  • Public health workforce training

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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