Exploring the geospatial variations in the public health workforce: implications for diversifying the supply of potential workers in governmental settings.

ABSTRACT: The US public health workforce has markedly declined, falling from 500 000 individuals in 1980 to 239 000 by 2022, a trend exacerbated by economic instability and an aging demographic. There was a temporary surge in staffing through emergency hires during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the permanence of these positions remains uncertain. Concurrently, public health degree conferrals have sharply increased, creating a mismatch between the growing number of graduates and the actual needs of health departments. This study analyzes the distribution of the potential public health labor supply within a 50- and 150-mile radius of health departments, revealing a significant regional imbalance. Most regions experience substantial differences in the concentration of public health graduates when accounti

SUBMITTER: Onal SO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11450470 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature