Nation faces serious public health workforce shortage

A new study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) reports that local health departments across the country face a serious shortage of critical personnel with core skills and training specific to public health, a fact that threatens an agency's ability to provide basic public health services such as disease surveillance.  According to the research, factors contributing to the workforce shortage include inadequate funding, uncompetitive compensation, an exodus of retiring workers, an insufficient supply of trained workers, and a lack of enthusiasm for public health as a career choice.  Efforts to address the shortage through a focus on recruitment, retention, development and training have not adequately alleviated the problem.  The study, Public Health Workforce Shortages Imperil Nation's Health, is based on comprehensive interviews and site visits with state and local public health officials in six communities:  Cleveland; Greenville, S.C.; Indianapolis; Little Rock, Ark.; Orange County, Calif.; and Phoenix.