While the United States has made great strides in improving population health — curbing the spread of COVID-19 being the most notable recent example — significant challenges remain. Obesity and tobacco use are still the leading causes of preventable death, while drug and alcohol use and suicide continue to claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Skilled public health professionals are greatly needed to stem the tide against these and other threats. The work focuses on improving population health through research, education and advocacy. Public health professionals are also instrumental to minimizing health disparities for underserved populations and promoting greater health equity.
Developing a comprehensive set of public health skills, and understanding how to leverage those skills to improve community health, begins with a strong educational foundation. Public health programs teach students about fundamental concepts like health promotion, biostatistics and epidemiology, empowering them with the tools to launch a career in this growing field.
Public health workers promote population health through a variety of means: educating the public about healthy habits, researching diseases and identifying their causes, developing programs to improve community health, and advocating for legislation to improve health equity.
Each of these aspects of public health entails a slightly different skill set. However, there are core public health skills every public health professional should possess, regardless of the exact nature of their work.
Data analysis is an essential aspect of public health. Public health workers collect and interpret various types of data (demographic information, mortality rates, etc.) for a variety of purposes, such as identifying patterns in disease spread, determining community health needs and evaluating the effectiveness of public health programs. Understanding what kind of data to seek out, where to find it and how to analyze it is crucial for achieving positive public health outcomes.
Once they’ve collected and analyzed relevant data, public health workers must be able to translate the insights they gain from that information into tangible results. Evidence-based decision-making ensures public health programs and initiatives are guided by the most accurate and up-to-date information. This not only leads to a greater probability of success but also inspires public confidence. Public health professionals must also be able to clearly explain — to policymakers and the public — how data informed their decisions.
Developing policies and programs to improve population health is a major part of what public health professionals do. By leveraging their data analysis skills, public health workers can gain an understanding of the health needs of a community or a particular population. From there, they can design and implement initiatives to promote healthy habits and address public health challenges. Evaluating the effectiveness of existing programs and making adjustments as needed is also crucial.
Effective communication is essential in public health. Public health professionals regularly engage with colleagues, policymakers, nonprofit organizations, social services providers, health care workers and the general public. Good communication skills enable public health workers to:
Developing a comprehensive skill set is vital for those entering the public health sector — just as refining and enhancing those skills is important for professionals who are hoping to advance their careers. Pursuing a degree in public health and gaining work experience are the two most important methods (though not the only ones) for developing public health skills.
A public health education can provide an avenue for aspiring public health workers to develop foundational knowledge and skills. Programs such as a post-baccalaureate certificate in public health, for example, teach students about fundamental public health concepts, like health promotion, biostatistics and epidemiology and health informatics. Such programs are ideal for prospective public health workers. They are also advantageous for professionals in other disciplines — such as doctors, nurses and public administrators — who are seeking to gain a greater understanding of public health.
A Master of Public Health (MPH) provides a more comprehensive education, delving deeper into the concepts explored in an undergraduate or certificate program. An MPH program may also offer concentrations, enabling students to specialize in a particular area of public health. This allows students to tailor their education to their specific career goals.
Working in the field is one of the best ways to develop practical public health skills. It’s especially beneficial to work in different settings and in different roles to gain a breadth of experience, as each sector of public health emphasizes a specific skill set. Public health professionals work in a variety of environments, including in the government, in the private sector for health care providers or pharmaceutical companies, and for nonprofit organizations.
Many public health programs also provide opportunities for students to gain practical experience by weaving fieldwork into the curriculum and helping students find internships.
Public health professionals can further hone their skills by pursuing certification. Certifications can enable individuals to gain additional expertise in a particular area of public health. For example, the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing offers the Certified Health Education Specialist credential. Meanwhile, the National Board of Public Health Examiners administers the Certified in Public Health certification, which is a more general credential.
Although certification typically isn’t required for public health workers, it can help them enhance their knowledge and skills, stay up to date on the latest public health research and distinguish themselves from their peers in the job market.
The development of public health skills is one of the primary benefits of a public health education. But developing those skills is a means to an end. By effectively leveraging their skills, public health workers can help communities be healthier and advance their own careers.
While doctors and nurses mainly promote healthy living at the individual patient level, public health workers have the ability to positively affect the health and wellness of entire communities. They can help prevent or minimize large-scale health concerns by developing and implementing educational programs, advocating for policies that reduce health disparities, administering community health services and conducting research.
Public health workers also help keep populations healthy by:
The growing emphasis on promoting healthy behaviors and the need to combat new and emerging diseases will drive demand for public health professionals in the coming years. Employment opportunities are expected to grow across a range of public health sectors, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
In addition to plentiful job opportunities, public health is also an attractive field for many because it offers lots of room for growth. With the right combination of education, experience and skills, public health professionals can advance into leadership roles or more specialized positions, such as:
Public health professionals play a significant role in advancing health equity — defined by the Department of Health and Human Services as the “attainment of the highest level of health for all people” — through research, advocacy, program development and community engagement.
Community health workers, for example, often serve as a vital link between marginalized communities and the health systems they hope to access. Public health researchers can shine a light on the social determinants of health that impact underserved communities. By doing so, they may contribute to policies that reduce systemic barriers and minimize health disparities between different populations.
Through research, education and advocacy, public health workers help people and communities live healthier lives. From tracking disease outbreaks and administering vaccines, to developing policies that reduce health disparities for marginalized groups, the nation’s public health workers are integral to ensuring a healthier future for all.
The Augusta University Online Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Public Health can help you hone your public health skills. Designed for working professionals who want to develop a foundational understanding of public health, our program prioritizes personalized learning with small class sizes and practical learning experiences. If you want to continue your public health education, the certificate program can serve as a springboard to earning an MPH.
Explore the Augusta University Online public health programs to find out how you can have an impact on your community’s health.
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How Environmental Toxins Can Affect Your Health
What Is Community Design? How to Build a Healthy Community
Sources:
American Public Health Association, What Is Public Health?
CDC Foundation, What Is Public Health?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Adult Obesity Facts
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults in the United States
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, “On the Front Lines of Health Equity: Community Health Workers”
De Beaumont Foundation, Strategic Skills
Harvard Business Review, “5 Skills Public Health Officials Need to Combat the Next Pandemic”
Indeed, “Jobs You Can Pursue With a Master’s in Public Health (MPH)”
Indeed, “Public Health Skills: Definition, Examples And Tips”
Journal of Community Health, “The Most Important Skills Required by Local Public Health Departments for Responding to Community Needs and Improving Health Outcomes”
Public Health Foundation, Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals: Domains
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Community Health Workers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Epidemiologists
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Health Education Specialists
