Essential public health competencies in nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Delphi study

Has traditional medicine had its day? The need to redefine academic medicine

Identifying public health competencies for Australian pharmacists: A modified Delphi study.

BackgroundProfessional development of public health leaders requires a form of instruction which is competency-based to help them develop the abilities to address complex and evolving demands of health care systems. Concurrently, emotional intelligence (EI) is a key to organisational success. Our aim was twofold: i) to assess the relationship between the level of self-assessed public health and EI competencies among Master of European Public Health (MEPH) students and graduates at Maastricht University, and; ii) to determine the relationship between different groups of public health competencies and specific EI skills.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted including all recent MEPH graduates and students from 2009–2012, out of 67 eligible candidates N = 51 were contacted and N = 33 responded (11 males and 22 females; overall response: 64.7%).Two validated tools were employed: i) public health competencies self-assessment questionnaire, and; ii) Assessing Emotions Scale.ResultsFemales scored higher than males in all seven domains of the self-assessed key public health competencies (NS) and emotional intelligence competences (P = 0.022). Overall, the mean value of public health competencies was the lowest in students with “staff” preferences and the highest among students with mixed job preferences (P < 0.001). There was evidence of a correlation between the overall public health competencies and the overall emotional intelligence competencies (r = 0.61, P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe study shows a positive correlation between public health specific competencies and EI attributes. It can contribute to the improvement of the educational content of PH curricula by rising awareness through self-assessment and supporting the identification of further educational needs related to leadership.

The scope of this paper is to describe characteristics of the scientific output in the area of public oral health in journals on public health and dentistry nationwide. The Scopus database of abstracts and quotations was used and eight journals in public health, as well as ten in dentistry, dating from 1947 to 2011 were selected. A research strategy using key words regarding oral health in public health and key words about public health in dentistry was used to locate articles. The themes selected were based on the frequency of key words. Of the total number of articles, 4.7% (n = 642) were found in oral health journals and 6.8% (n = 245) in public health journals. Among the authors who published most, only 12% published in both fields. There was a percentile growth of public oral health publications in dentistry journals, though not in public health journals. In dentistry, only studies indexed as being on the topic of epidemiology showed an increase. In the area of public health, planning was predominant in all the phases studied. Research to evaluate the impact of research and postgraduate policies in scientific production is required.

Building resilient societies after COVID-19: the case for investing in maternal, neonatal, and child health

Background The COVID-19 pandemic is raising new questions on public health competences and leadership and on health workforce preparedness for global public health emergencies of this magnitude. This study aims to explore the new demand and opportunities for innovation in public health competencies, which were caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Methods We draw on secondary sources and critically review the public health competency framework recently launched by WHO and ASPHER through the lens of COVID-19. Results The WHO-ASPHER Competency Framework for Public Health Workforce illustrates an interdisciplinary, inter-professional and lifelong learning approach to public health. Five critical competency areas can be identified in relation to global public health emergencies: (1) flexibility, adaptation, motivation, communication, (2) research, analytical sensitivity, ethics, diversity, (3) epidemiology, (4) preparedness and (5) employability. However, this may not be enough. New models of public health leadership and changes in the health workforce are needed, which transform the silos of professions and policy. Such transformations would include learning, working, leading and governing differently and must stretch far beyond the public health workforce. Innovating public health competences stretches far beyond individual competence development. Moreover, it is about resilience and preparedness and calls for learning, working, leading and governing differently. Critical public health competences are not limited to the public heath workforce, but must become relevant for all healthcare professions. Conclusions To achieve transformative capacity, critical public health competences must be considered for all healthcare workers on all levels of policymaking, thus becoming the ‘heart' of health workforce resilience and pandemic preparedness. Key messages Innovating public health competencies calls for learning, working, leading and governing differently. Public health competences must be considered for all healthcare workers and transform professional silos.

Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic—Unique Opportunities for Unifying, Revamping and Reshaping Epidemic Preparedness of Europe’s Public Health Systems

CONTEXT: The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of strong public health (PH) and primary health care (PHC) systems to respond nimbly and effectively during times of crisis. Both play a crucial role in triage and prevention, management, vaccination, and communication. PH and PHC systems, however, often act in parallel streams, but rarely together. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to describe PH and PHC collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic in eight high-income countries. METHODS: In-depth case study reports were generated for each country or jurisdiction. Reports searched both peer-review publications and grey literature on five dimensions identified by the World Health Organization regarding COVID-19 management. Reports included country-specific health system descriptions, PH and PHC actions during the pandemic, and an evaluation of strengths and weaknesses. Expert validation was conducted by internal country stakeholders prior to cross-jurisdiction analyses. ANALYSIS: Thematic content analysis was conducted on all reports to develop a coding framework. Codes were identified that were relevant to the research questions. The study team discussed and reconciled discrepancies in themes until consensus was reached. RESULTS: Data was collected from eight high-income countries (Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain) from March 2020 to July 2021. Four key themes were identified along with respective strengths/weaknesses. 1) Health information systems: this played a critical role for disease containment and management when designed for efficient data management and cross-sectoral data-sharing. 2) Communication: In countries where PHC was engaged early on, PH messages were amplified; in other countries, a lack of cohesion in communication resulted in poor or delayed community-level responses. 3) Human resource capacity: Health human resources were overwhelmed, with many staff redeployed and undertrained. 4) Professional training: Health professionals who received dual training in PH and PHC acted as strong community champions and may be a bridge for future pandemics. CONCLUSION: Health system needs shifted dramatically throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight four key lessons regarding PH and PHC collaboration from eight high-income countries. Future pandemic preparedness should focus on health information systems and data management, PH communication, health human resources, and education and training.

Digital health is a crucial field for healthcare sustainability and adequate response to emerging health challenges. It has potential to increase efficiency in public health areas, such as surveillance, communication, data analysis and visualization, planning and collaboration. While the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitalisation of healthcare, a structured and planned approach is needed to ensure its sustainable and equitable integration in healthcare. Capacity building in digital literacy plays a key role to ensure an adequate implementation of digital public health. Moreover, the application of digital health solutions in public health services requires a proper training for students, young professionals, and public health experts. To fulfil this, education on digital health should be fully integrated in medical and public health curricula. Our workshop aims to discuss the potential of digital health technologies for public health services and identify proposals for a renewed digital public health curriculum. In this workshop, we will present a summary of potential uses of digital health in public health, focusing advances developed during COVID-19 pandemic. This introduction will provide a background for participants to be aware of digital health solutions, from basic digital services to innovations, that are applicable in public health practice. Panellists will share both local and national experiences. Although there are some examples of digital health updated curricula, a more comprehensive and structured approach to public health training is needed. Digital public health education should include specific topics, such as capacity building, opportunities for youth, and an ethics-driven approach. However, it should be tailored for public health students and professionals needs, which are certainly different. A short presentation will provide a guiding framework for participants to discuss the topic. Following, during small group discussions, workshop participants will share perspectives and suggestions for an updated digital public health curricula, including different approaches for both undergraduate students, public health residents and public health experts. In this round table discussion, one panelist will present a summary of potential uses of digital health in public health (10 minutes). The following presentation will cover main concerns that digital public health education should consider, particularly for young professionals (10 minutes). Following, participants will be asked to discuss in 3 to 6 small groups which topics should be included in curricula and training opportunities in medical schools, public health schools and public health services (20 minutes). Finally, each group will briefly present their conclusions (15 minutes), which will be highlighted in a wrap-up conclusion (5 minutes). We intend to keep in touch with all participants, in order to develop a concrete proposal for digital health education curricula.Key messages Digital health has potential to increase efficiency in multiple public health areas and digital health education is a key step to ensure its implementation in public health schools and services.COVID-19 accelerated the digitalization in public health, but a planned approach is needed to guarantee adequate training for students and professionals.

BackgroundFrom all buildings, houses are where we spent most of our lives. The impact of housing conditions on health was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the 2018 Astana Declaration placing integrated delivery of primary health care and public health services across all sectors, a framework that explores health and care in relation to housing remains unexplored. The aim was to determine relevant evidence gaps to building capacity in supportive housing-health care research about chronic diseases and multimorbidity, identify ongoing strains and offer potential solutions.MethodsAn integrative review was conducted through multiple systematic searches in electronic databases. We employed an interdisciplinary approach integrating several research fields -built environment, clinical and human physiology, environmental health, and public health and health care services- around chronic illness and multimorbidity to understand the depth and scope of linkages. Inductive content analysis was used to describe emerging domains from evidence meeting inclusion criteria.ResultsWe defined a multifaceted framework with priority eight building blocks for action: 1) expanding capacity for chronic care model into the primary care setting; 2) scaling up environmental determinants to cover residential spaces; 3) implementing acute methodologies for indoor environment risk assessment; 4) increasing clinical research applicability into built environment studies; 5) recognizing chronic conditions-promoting inflammation physiology; 6) qualifying reliable surrogate disease biomarkers in human monitoring; 7) enforcing technologies for new forms of outpatient care; and 8) renewing evidence-based healthcare design.ConclusionsFuture research needs to prioritise articulating these emerging insights through systematic, translational and multisectoral approaches to strengthen health and care delivery through housing design solutions for people living with chronic morbidity.Key messages Integrating the evidence-based design in future interventions may promote transformative changes in housing and public health programmes engaging primary healthcare services for chronic patients.This eco-biopsychosocial supportive framework informs practice to advance research capacity development in enabling health-conducive environments across various levels of care and health promotion.

Work from Home: The impacts on university employee’s well-being and individual work performance

Perinatal mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000, the 191 Member States of the UN reaffirmed commitments to work towards a world in which elimination of poverty and sustainable development are the highest priorities. Governments, health development agencies, nongovernmental agencies and WHO are committed to an unprecedented global effort to work towards the health-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as their corporate mandates. Although significant progress has been made for most of the goals, the most recent evaluation indicates uneven achievements within and across countries.1 It is apparent that some countries in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa need to channel special efforts through multisectoral actions to achieve maternal and HIV/AIDS mortality, and underweight targets. Poor health taxes productivity and undermines poverty reduction efforts. Given the MDG stakes, international evidence indicates that low-cost, effective interventions do exist2 but countries in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa have failed to scale up these interventions to address the significant burden of diseases. Failure to scale up cost-effective interventions is the result of fragile health system capacity, lack of political commitment and weak public health capacity. Public health education and competency at various levels are needed to translate evidence into policy, and to implement and evaluate programmes.3 In addition to the public health aspects of the MDGs, the emergence of new infectious diseases, and multidrug and extensive drug resistance pose serious demands for scaling up surveillance as a key public health competency,4,5 especially in the light of avian influenza threat and implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005). The countries around the Asia Pacific rim are perceived as the potential epicentre of future influenza pandemics. A review of public health education in the WHO South-East Asia Region6 in 2005 showed mixed results. Despite the existence of several postgraduate courses in India, Indonesia and Thailand, and undergraduate courses in other countries, there is a great variation in institutes and courses offered in the region. Challenges include quality assurance, teaching standards and faculty members’ competency in practical field experience, especially in public health management and outbreak control. The absence of policy-relevant research or publication of staff in public health faculties indicates the weakness of public health education and its dissociation with real-life public health policies and practices.7 At a political level, it is doubtful that those in senior policy-making positions are competent in public health. Yet these are leaders who will play a vital role in stewardship of health systems and in translating evidence into policy and programme implementation. However, there are some positive developments in this bleak situation. In Australia, public health competencies are fostered by on-the-job in-service training, context-specific continuing education programmes and short courses, distance and self-directed learning packages, and postgraduate university-level courses.8 Experience of Field Epidemiology Training Programmes (FETPs) is worth mentioning. By 2007, 34 countries had established FETP programmes. FETP in Thailand,9 established in 1980, has applied the concept of “linking education and practice” in its programme which has recently developed into a training course for other countries in the region. Trainees spend 25% of their time in the classroom and 75% in the field and “learning by doing”. For example, they conduct outbreak investigation and control. They have become the backbone of epidemiological surveillance and broader public health responses in Thailand. The programme was a key player in the Ministry of Public Health in response to both the outbreak of SARS in 2003 and to AIDS epidemics. More recently, FETP trainees and graduates were able to detect several new avian influenza cases through the review of clinical signs and symptoms, which were subsequently confirmed by reference laboratories. In response to avian influenza threats, the programme played a vital role in coordinating 1070 surveillance and rapid response teams nationwide, which was triple the number of national and international trainees. Public health education that is irrelevant to national health priorities and divorced from public health practice is useless and constitutes a lost opportunity. Given the MDG stakes, challenges of re-emerging infectious diseases and the increasing complexity of chronic non-communicable diseases, it is the right time to revisit public health education. A regional network such as the South-East Asia Public Health Initiative can serve as a platform for public health education reform.6 ■

Prioritization in public health has long been contentious, which necessitates ethical discussions. Despite efforts to develop frameworks that address these considerations, universally accepted models remain elusive, leaving decision-makers to manage independently. This study explores the previously underexplored topic of ethical principles guiding prioritization within different domains of health promotion and prevention at a local level. Interviews with decision-makers (n = 21) from Danish municipalities were analyzed thematically to uncover ethical dimensions of local prioritization of public health services. The study showed that when confronted with resource constraints, decision-makers tended to prioritize preventive services for patients, often at the expense of broader health promotional initiatives. This decision appears rooted in ethical principles of assisting individuals who are deemed to be in the most immediate need. Analyzed against principles of justice and the broader literature on prioritization, the results reflect a prioritization common in the hospital sector: the principle of need. This contrasts with broader societal discussions of public health that are often based on principles of maximization of health benefits and equity. The study highlights the importance of weighing diverse ethical principles when prioritizing among and within initiatives and of considering the purpose of different domains of prevention and health promotion.

Introduction: Public health is a crucial aspect of maintaining the well-being and health of the community. The ever-growing demands of the modern world have resulted in a growing emphasis on public health to address the needs of the people in society. In the present era, the focus has shifted towards more advanced technologies like Chatbots. This essay will explore the importance of Chatbots in revolutionizing public health. What are Chatbots? A Chatbot is a computer program that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to simulate human conversation. It utilizes natural language processing (NLP) to recognize words and provide responses to queries. Chatbots can be programmed to interact with humans, answer questions, provide recommendations, and even offer assistance in various areas of public health. The Importance of Chatbots in Public Health: 1. Supporting Mental Health: Chatbots can be used to support mental health in various ways. They can be used to provide emotional support to individuals going through mental health issues. Chatbots can also direct individuals to professional help services, providing reassurance and guidance. The ability of chatbots to be available around the clock makes them an excellent resource to anyone experiencing distress. 2. Providing Personalized Health Solutions: Chatbots have the capacity to provide personalized health solutions tailored to individual needs. They can provide recommendations and guidance to people who are looking to improve their health status. Additionally, chatbots can also recommend lifestyle modifications, healthy eating habits, and medication management. 3. Improving Timeliness of Information: Chatbots can be programmed to deliver timely health information, such as disease outbreaks and epidemics. They can also provide real-time updates to help prevent the spread of disease. The prompt dissemination of information can save lives by keeping people informed and prepared. 4. Enhancing Efficiency: Chatbots can be integrated with health management systems to improve efficiency in the delivery of health services. They can be used to automate the appointment booking process, thus reducing wait times and streamlining service delivery. Chatbots can also assist in scheduling appointments, ensuring that patients receive timely treatment. 5. Cost-Effective Solution: Chatbots are a cost-effective solution to the growing demand for public health services. They can operate around the clock, providing assistance to a vast number of people with minimal operational costs. Chatbots can reduce the need for face-to-face consultations, which can be costly and time-consuming. Drawbacks of Chatbots in Public Health: 1. Limited Capacity: Chatbots may have limitations in handling complex healthcare services that require a sophisticated response from a human health professional. 2. Privacy and Security: Chatbots may not always be secure, raising concerns about privacy concerns for sensitive patient information. 3. Limited Human Connection: Chatbots cannot replace the human connection aspect of healthcare, especially during difficult times when emotions are running high. Conclusion: Chatbots have revolutionized public health by providing accessible, cost-effective, and personalized healthcare services. However, the potential drawbacks of limitations in handling complex healthcare tasks, privacy concerns and a lack of human connection highlight the need for careful integration of chatbots in the public's health landscape. While the integration of chatbots in public health care delivery will continue to grow, the need for monitoring and refinement will evolve with the technology's evolution. Chatbots are a valuable addition in the delivery of public health services, which need to be continuously fine-tuned to respond appropriately to the population's health needs.