Statisticians in State Health Departments

Abstract

IN RECENT YEARS, public health statisticians, like most other public health personnel, have become aware of severe shortages in their profession. Factual information has been inadequate, however, establish trends in recruitment, training, and salaries. Responsive expressed comments regarding this problem, Dr. Albert E. Bailey, former president of the American Association of Vital Records and Public Health Statistics, appointed a Committee on Recruitment, Training, and Salaries to collect information on what is happening in the various areas with regard vacancies, new appointments, inservice training, university training institutes, salary changes, and present salary levels. The committee consisted of the author as chairman, Nancy W. Lucas, Ohio State Department of Health, and Melvin R. Wise, Arizona State Department of Ihealth. It was appointed July 1, 1959, and presented its report at the biennial meeting held in Washingtoni, D.C., June 1960. This paper summarizes the most important findings. To carry out its charge, the committee sought data by means of two questionnaires: one the heads of the statistical offices of the State, Territorial, and certain city health departments and another the heads of the departments of biostatistics at the schools of public health. Three health departments with large statistical units (California State, New York City, and New York State) supplied additional information.