Graduate Public Health Research Articles

Evaluation of open collaborative practice teaching reform based on students satisfaction: Public health practice courses integrating medicine, teaching, and research in Yunnan province, China

To address gaps in practical skills among Public Health and Preventive Medicine graduates, an ‘open collaborative practice teaching model’ integrating medicine, teaching, and research was introduced. A cross-sectional study surveyed 312 Preventive Medicine undergraduates at a Yunnan medical university from 2020 to 2023, utilizing satisfaction scores and analyses (cluster, factor, SWOT) to assess the impact of the reform. Satisfaction scores from baseline, mid-term, and end-term assessments showed minor variations (4.30, 4.29, 4.36), with dissatisfaction primarily related to teaching content and methods. Key influences on satisfaction included teaching content, methods, and effectiveness. The SWOT analysis highlighted the importance of continuously updating teaching strategies to meet changing student expectations. This study suggests that the model has the potential for wider use in enhancing public health education, particularly in regions facing similar challenges.

Public health resilience and recovery in Ukraine: Academic partnerships to improve population health

Abstract Background Strengthening the public health workforce is among top priorities for the transformation of Ukraine’s public health system. As part of the USAID Public Health System Recovery and Resilience Activity, an Academic Partnership Collaborative brought together three Ukrainian universities (National University Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, I. Horbachevsky Ternopil National Medical University, Sumy State University), two American universities (Temple University and Drexel University), and the All-Ukrainian Association of Public Health Specialists (UPHA) to enhance the competencies of public health graduates in Ukraine. Objectives The collaborative focuses on strengthening the Ukrainian universities’ public health curricula and the teaching and research competencies of the Ukrainian faculty, making the curricular changes in Ukraine better aligned with US and European academic standards. The university partners are collaborating with the newly established UPHA in building partnerships with peer organizations in the US (American Public Health Association) and Europe (EuPHA) and sharing advancements in public health education with the broader community of public health practitioners in Ukraine to enhance their competencies to improve population health and align with European systems of public health. Results We have established linkages among all partners via an initial meeting in Uzhhorod, Ukraine in April 2024. We anticipate results by November 2024 to include curriculum review recommendations, coaching on prioritized topics for the Ukrainian partners, faculty development plans, and the establishment of continuing professional development programs in collaboration with UPHA. Conclusions Through this partnership, selected Ukrainian universities will have an enhanced and sustainable capacity to train the public health workforce and will become leading examples for other public health programs to simulate and collaborate with beyond the project. Key messages • Ukraine’s resilience and recovery relies upon the strength of the current and future public health workforce; mechanisms for building public health training are essential to a healthy population. • A collaborative process of strategic activities among American and Ukrainian universities and professional associations can be effective in building a resilient public health system in Ukraine.

Employer Demand and Desired Skills for Public Health Graduates: Evidence From Job Postings.

Objectives. To determine whether job postings from employers seeking master of public health (MPH) graduates require skills aligning with Council on Education in Public Health (CEPH) competencies. Methods. I analyzed a data set of 70 343 job postings in the United States for MPH graduates from Lightcast, a data vendor that collects, cleans, and analyzes millions of job postings per year. I contrasted skills from the postings with CEPH competencies. Results. Most postings were from for-profit industry, academia and research, or hospitals and health care, with only 12% from government. The skills from job postings aligned well with CEPH competencies, but some CEPH competencies did not appear in the top skills in job postings. Conclusions. Although accredited public health degree programs provide key competencies demanded by employers, they can improve graduate employability by ensuring that their graduates also obtain specific technical skills listed in job postings. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print October 3, 2024:e1-e6. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307834).

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

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 accounting for population size, reflecting geographic disparities in workforce distribution. These findings underscore the necessity for structured partnerships between health departments and educational institutions and advocacy for adaptive policy changes to align educational outputs with labor market demands, essential for a resilient public health workforce.

Graduate public health student learning experiences, social connectedness, and mental health during COVID-19: pedagogical implications for public health academic departments.

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted college student learning both globally and nationally. Current literature points to decreases in social connectedness, adverse mental health outcomes, and decreased overall learning outcomes; however, there are limited findings from higher education institutions within the Bay Area, California. There are also limited studies that examine the COVID-19 impact among public health graduate students, especially to understand how the pandemic renewed their interest in the field. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on graduate student learning experiences, social connectedness and mental health within the Master of Public Health program at San José State University in San Jose, California. We employed a convergent mixed-methods design using a survey that quantitatively assessed student learning experiences through a retrospective pre-and post-design, and a semi-structured interview guide that qualitatively assessed student learning experiences and its relationship with mental health and social connectedness using a phenomenological design. Data were collected between September 2022 and June 2023 and analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. A total of 22 students completed the survey and four participated in follow-up semi-structured interviews. Of the 22, 12(54%) were among the 18-29-year age group, 9(41%) identified as Asian, 21(95%) identified as female, and 9(41%) identified as a first-generation college student. When comparing survey responses, the median change in learning experiences pre and during-pandemic were statistically significant across several areas such as student ability to stay organized (p < 0.0001), participate actively in class (p < 0.001), retain course material (p < 0.0001), collaborate with peers (p < 0.0001), and maintain a sense of connection with their cohort (p = 0.0001) and broader campus community (p < 0.0001). Semi-structured interviews further revealed the following six themes: (1) Consistent faculty support; (2) Sense of community; (3) Reduced social connectedness; (4) Impact on mental health; (5) Deeper public health understanding; and (6) Facilitators and barriers. Educational practitioners are encouraged to offer hybrid academic programs and establish resource infrastructures that provide students with social and mental wellness support when transitioning to different learning modalities.

Lowering the Stakes: Quasi-Experimental, Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a Restructured Grading Approach in a Graduate Public Health Research Methods Course

In schools and programs of public health, active learning and restructured feedback strategies may improve student learning and course performance compared to traditional lecture-based formats and grading systems. To promote student engagement and active learning, we implemented the team-based learning (TBL) model and a restructured grading approach based on principles of “ungrading” in the required behavioral research methods course of a master’s level public health curriculum. We conducted a quasi-experimental, mixed-methods evaluation of the implementation of restructured grading approach (two sections, n = 46) compared to the traditional grading approach (two sections, n = 34). For the restructured grading sections, numeric grades were removed for weekly team quizzes and team assignments. We administered and analyzed pre- and post-course surveys to compare perceived mastery of course learning objectives, intrinsic motivation, and perceptions of grading and instructor feedback by grading approach. Additionally, we compared course grades and final paper grades by grading approach and conducted two focus groups (one for each approach). The results indicate that students’ learning, satisfaction, and perceptions of the course were mainly equivalent across grading approaches. Students in the restructured grading sections demonstrated a few modestly improved outcomes compared to their peers in the traditional grading courses. Students in the restructured grading sections had slightly higher mean course grades, reported greater increase in confidence to critically evaluate research designs, and found team quizzes to be more helpful. Removing grades for team quizzes and assignments supported student learning and reduced student stress.

Navigating the Online Classroom: Developing Online Teaching Skills in Graduate Public Health &amp; Health Professions Education

The absence of targeted online teaching development opportunities in graduate education may hamper faculty readiness to ensure engagement, learning, and student success in the online learning environment. Faculty are often hired for their subject matter expertise rather than their proficiency in teaching online. Student and faculty success in the online environment requires foundational teaching knowledge and an understanding of the differences between traditional and online teaching. A 4-week asynchronous course was designed to mirror a real-world online course aimed at educating educators. The course consisted of foundational learning theories and practices, curriculum and course design, engagement and presence, and course delivery methods. The course was offered 10 times over 3 years and completed by 258 public health and health profession faculty, teaching and postdoctoral staff, and doctoral students. End-of-course evaluations indicated that participants found it valuable to be in an online course in the student role and felt more prepared to teach online. The teaching online professional development course has highlighted the importance of new or continuing faculty development in asynchronous learning.

O perfil dos egressos de um mestrado profissional: uma contribuição para o entendimento da relação formação-trabalho no SUS

ABSTRACT This article presents the profile of graduates, the effects of training, and the professional trajectory of the Professional Master’s Course in Public Health graduates at the Aggeu Magalhaes Institute. Of the 99 invited graduates who completed the program between 2013-2020, 54 responded to a questionnaire applied through the Lime Survey software. The descriptive and cross-sectional study used absolute and relative frequency cross-tabulation variables in the analysis, with the instrument covering the following themes: identification of the graduate and program/course; professional activity before and at the end of the program and expectations; current employment status and formation effects; evaluation of the formative trajectory. Among the respondents, most are female, aged between 31-40 years, trained as nurses, self-declared as black or brown-skinned, not having a disability, predominantly residing in Pernambuco, and did not enter through a quota system. As an effect on their professional life, it was found that the program increased prestige/recognition among colleagues, qualified them for activities they were already performing and also different activities, and brought salary increases leading to changes in personal and professional lives. The results are consistent with scientific findings in the same context, and the tool developed by FIOCRUZ made it possible to understand the relationship between education and work.

Commentary on Schneider et al., "Charting the Advocacy Landscape: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Syllabi in Public Health Graduate Education".

Commentary on Schneider et al., "Charting the Advocacy Landscape: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Syllabi in Public Health Graduate Education".

Evolving from public health libraries as a place to focus on public health librarian expertise.

This article describes the evolution of academic public health library services from standalone academic public health libraries in 2004 to centralized services by 2021. Five public health libraries serving public health graduate programs (SPH) at public and private institutions were visited in 2006-07. Visits comprised tours, semi-structured interviews with librarians and local health department staff, and collecting of contemporary print documents. We compiled and compared visit notes across libraries. In 2022, we reviewed online materials announcing library closure or transition for timing and how services were to be subsequently provided. Libraries and SPH were co-located and most librarians maintained public health expertise though they did not have faculty appointments in their SPHs. Specialized statistical and geographic information systems (GIS) software and data were provided in partnership, often with other system libraries. Only two libraries had strong connections to health departments-one with direct service agreements and another engaged in public health training. Academic public health libraries' relationships with SPHs and health departments did not ensure their existence as standalone entities. Following a national trend for branch libraries, public health information services were centralized into larger health or science libraries. The scope and specialization of librarian expertise continues to be valued with several institutions having librarians dedicated to public health.

What Predicts Graduate Public Health Student Success? Evidence for Admission Committees in a Post-Affirmative Action Landscape.

A severe staff shortage and a dearth of professionals from underrepresented backgrounds in the public health workforce are contributing to poor health outcomes in the United States. Schools and programs can mitigate these problems by admitting more graduate public health students overall and from underrepresented backgrounds. We identified predictors of foundational graduate public health course grades and graduate grade point average (GPA), sharing evidence to remove application factors that are admission barriers and do not predict student outcomes. We conducted a linear regression analysis on demographic and academic factors from 564 graduate public health applications for students at the University at Buffalo who received their degree from January 1, 2016, to February 1, 2021, analyzing age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, undergraduate degree, verbal and quantitative Graduate Record Examination (GRE) percentiles, and undergraduate GPA. Outcomes were grades in foundational public health courses and cumulative graduate GPA. Undergraduate GPA was the best predictor of graduate public health student success, explaining nearly 7% of foundational public health course grades and 29% of graduate GPA. Higher undergraduate GPA contributed to higher course grades and graduate GPA. GRE scores explained <1% of student outcomes. Our findings add to the growing body of research showing that standardized test scores may not predict graduate student outcomes and provide further evidence for the field of public health to consider removing this admission barrier. By doing so, institutions could admit more students to graduate public health programs who can bring needed skills to the market, further diversifying the workforce and public health faculty, to better meet population health needs.

Explaining the Required Knowledge and Skills for Public Health Undergraduates: a Qualitative Study in Golestan Province

Introduction: Health workers should be trained based on the real needs of the society in terms of quantity and quality, so that af ter graduation, they can be employed in organizational positions related to their field of study and solve the health problems of the society by providing relevant services within their scope of duties. The purpose of this study was to explain the required knowledge and skills for public health undergraduates. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with the content analysis approach and by holding three focus group discussion sessions with 30 health network managers; managers, heads and experts of the technical groups of the deputy of health and the headquarters of health networks, and health care workers of comprehensive urban and rural health service centers in Golestan province. Data analysis was done using thematic content analysis method and MAXQDA software. Results: After merging the similar codes with each other, finally 55 codes were extracted and classified into 19 subthems and finally categorized into 4 thems. Management information needed by public health graduates included work mission in health, planning and supervision, work ethics and executive processes. Specialized and field information included re-emerging and emerging diseases, population youth, crisis management, mental health, reproductive health, aspects of social health and immunization. The practical skills of individual development included teamwork, communication skills and expression techniques, attracting social participation, using virtual networks and familiarity with information technology. Skills needed to work in the health system included regional situation assessment, operational planning, and first aid. Conclusion: The required knowledge of public health students can be provided by including the results of the study in the educational curricula and in accordance with the new instructions. Also, the combination of practical skills with theoretical topics during academic semesters and paying more attention to internship courses can train public health students according to the needs of the health system.

Charting the Advocacy Landscape: A Qualitative Content Analysis of Syllabi in Public Health Graduate Education.

Addressing public health challenges necessitates policy approaches, but concerns persist about public health graduates' preparedness to advocate. This qualitative study sought to assess advocacy content and skills taught to Master of Public Health students enrolled in US accredited schools and programs of public health (SPPHs) by analyzing 98 course syllabi submitted to the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) between 2019 and 2021. Syllabi were submitted by SPPHs during their (re)accreditation process to demonstrate compliance with CEPH's advocacy competency requirement. Qualitative content analysis study. Syllabi were analyzed using MAXQDA Qualitative Data Analysis Software using a 2-coder approach. SPPHs accredited by CEPH. Ninety-eight syllabi submitted to CEPH by 22 schools of public health and 54 programs of public health. Exemplary language from advocacy courses and assignments and aggregate frequency of syllabi advocacy content and skills. Most advocacy courses (61%) were survey, health policy, or health care delivery courses, covering policy (66%), policy communication (46%), coalition-building (45%), lobbying (36%), community organizing (33%), and media advocacy (24%) skills. Only 7% prioritized advocacy skill instruction, and 10% addressed how to advocate in an equitable way. Defining public health advocacy and essential skills is crucial. Issuing competency guidelines, supporting advocacy faculty, offering standardized training, and expanding experiential learning are important first steps. More research is needed on how academic institutions are incorporating equity skill training into courses, whether separate from or combined with advocacy skills.

A study on the academic innovation ability and influencing factors of public health graduate students based on nomograms: a cross-sectional survey from Shandong, China.

In recent years, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and various public crises has highlighted the importance of cultivating high-quality public health talents, especially those with innovative capabilities. This study focuses on the academic innovation ability of public health postgraduate students, which can provide important theoretical support for the cultivation of more public health workers with high innovative capabilities. From May to October 2022, a cluster sampling method was used to select 1,076 public health postgraduate students from five universities in Shandong Province. A self-designed questionnaire survey was conducted. A chi-square test and binary logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors of students' academic innovation ability. Based on these factors, a nomogram was constructed to intuitively demonstrate the impact of these complex factors on students' innovation ability. The results showed that gender, whether serving as a student leader, teacher-student relationship, academic motivation, learning style, academic environment, and teaching mode were the influencing factors of postgraduate students' academic innovation ability. The column-line diagram (AUC = 0.892, 95% CI = 0.803 ~ 0.833) constructed based on the above influencing factors has good differentiation. The area under the ROC curve is 0.892 (95% CI = 0.803 ~ 0.833), and the calibration curve shows that the predicted value is the same as the measured value. The nomogram constructed in this study can be used to predict the academic innovation level of public health graduate students, which is helpful for university education administrators to evaluate students' academic innovation ability based on nomogram scores and carry out accurate and efficient training.

Making a difference: APIC chapters introducing public health graduate students to the infection prevention profession

Health care workforce recruitment into the field of infection prevention and control (IPC) is imperative to address attrition and maintain safe patient care. Association for Professionals in Infection Control (APIC) Badger Chapter in Wisconsin strategically aligned with their state's academic master of public health program to introduce students to the IP profession and offered scholarships to Wisconsin's annual infection prevention and control conference. Four scholarships were awarded from 2021 to 2022. Student feedback of the experience was positive and resulted in 2 participants becoming employed IPs.

A qualitative analysis of reasons for satisfying professional career after completing higher education studies of public health

Introduction. Public health as an academic discipline is taught at different academical levels all around the world. In Poland, the first School of Public Health was launched in 1991 in the city of Krakow, becoming then a part of the Jagiellonian University Medical College. Through more than three decades, this educational entity (Institute of Public Health Jagiellonian University Medical College; IPH JU MC) has educated hundreds of graduates who work for various healthcare stakeholders. Aim. The goal of this study was to find the benefits resulting from studying public health, based on the experiences of IPH JU MC graduates, as well as to characterize the experiences gained and the skills developed during university studies of public health. Material and Methods. Based on 46 interviews conducted with public health graduates, a qualitative analysis was made using NVivo 12 software. Interviews’ content was analyzed with the use of eight codes related to issues mentioned by graduates: EPH (EuroPubHealth), EBM, data analysis, English, project, HTA, practical placement, and students’ scientific clubs. Results and Conclusions. In the interviews the graduates indicated the role of skills gained during education at IPH JU MC, e.g., drawing conclusions based on scientific research, taking part in many public health projects, better language skills thanks to English specialization path, working in the international environment. The results have shown that experiences gained during university studies of public health allow for career development in the healthcare sector. Keywords: professional career, public health, graduates, qualitative analysis, interviews, healthcare.

Human-centred design thinking and public health education: A scoping review.

Human-centred design thinking (HCDT) is gaining traction to develop appropriate public health interventions. The HCDT process helps frame problems with intention and encourages experimentation through collaboration. Public health graduates need an expanded toolkit to solve both the complex known problems of today, and the adaptability to solve the unknown problems of tomorrow. But how is the health promotion workforce being prepared with this innovation capability? This scoping review aims to provide a pedagogical understanding of teaching HCDT in public health education. The Arksey & O'Malley framework is used to structure this review. Peer-reviewed articles written from 2000 to 2023 across eight databases were analysed. The data extracted included: author/year, setting, aim/purpose, participants, HCDT framework, HCDT methods, outcomes and challenges. Nine relevant publications were included from a total of 208 records. The first reported use of HCDT in public health and health promotion teaching was in 2015. Teaching inspiration drew from established HCDT frameworks: d.school and IDEO which promote the iterative process of empathy/inspiration, ideation and testing/implementation. HCDT has been used for both designing public health curricula and for teaching students to apply it in their practice. First, HCDT methods can be used to problem-solve teaching and learning issues such as creating inviting learning environments and designing an HCDT unit. Second, the teaching of HCDT can prepare and equip the public health workforce to solve problems requiring tailored solutions from an empathetic and iterative stance working as a team. The teaching and practice of HCDT exemplifies the process of social innovation in health promotion. SO WHAT?: As an emerging field, future studies and applications should include clarifying and evaluating the HCDT stages used. More publications will enable a fuller understanding and potentially advocate the necessity of teaching and learning HCDT in public health and health promotion.

Perceived Role of the School Nurse in Providing Pertinent COVID-19 Information to the School Community: Experiences of Public Health Graduate Students With School-Aged Children.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major disruptor to school systems across the United States since March 2020. As a result, school nurses have had to adapt to these uncertain times. Previous research has demonstrated the impact of school nurses on student health; however, less is known about their role in educating the broader school community about COVID-19 prevention. In Spring 2022, four focus groups were conducted with public health graduate students with school-aged children, to assess perceptions of COVID-19 and public health emergency preparedness communication. MAXQDA was used for thematic analysis. School nurses were viewed as a credible source of COVID-19 information, especially for those who do not have access to healthcare services. While the primary role of school nurses is to provide health services to students, they also have the capacity to provide the community with vital public health emergency preparedness information.

Enhancing Students’ Skills in Applying Theory Through Collaborative and Active Learning: A Pre-Post Evaluation of an Innovative Theory Course for Graduate Public Health Students

Modern public health practice includes planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs targeting the structural and social determinants of health. To prepare graduate students to engage with theory in complex, practical, and innovative ways, a new model of course delivery was created to focus on developing and applying theorizing skills to the social ecological model. Throughout the semester, students engage in collaborative learning to apply theory to real-world public health interventions focused on high-profile public health issues. Data were gleaned from three course sections ( N = 80) using a pre-post study design to evaluate students’ ability to apply theory at various levels of the social ecological model and confidence to meet course objectives. The post-course survey also included questions about the helpfulness of specific course elements and asked for recommendations for improvement. Descriptive statistics were calculated and differences between pre- and post-ratings were tested with paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Students improved in their ability to apply theory by the end of the semester ( p &lt; .001) and in their confidence in meeting all learning objectives ( p &lt; .001). Most students found that this new format of engaging with theory in complex, applied, and innovative ways by working in teams, completing in-class activities, and open poster presentations beneficial. Engaging students in a new course format led to critical reflection about various levels of influence on health and enhanced students’ ability to apply theory at multiple levels of influence. Further refinement and course development will continue to facilitate developing theorizing skills.

The effect of training medical students in the community area in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic in China: a community-based study

BackgroundCommunity practice training is an important part of education in medicine, public health, social medicine, and other disciplines. The objective of this study is to explore the effect and importance of the community practice of Master of Public Health graduates on community residents’ health during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic.MethodsThis study used a pretest-posttest design. A total of 152 participants with age ≥ 60 years were selected using a multistage sampling method from Hangzhou in China. Baseline and endline data were collected using structured questionnaires by face-to-face interviews. All psychological and behavioral measurements were performed using standardized instruments and showed good reliability and validity. A total of 147 participants were included in the analysis. The chi-square and rank sum tests were used to compare the difference between baseline and endline for categorical variables. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between community practice training and changes in psychology and behavior.ResultsThe result of chi-square test revealed a statistically significant difference in participants’ eating habits from baseline to endline. Participants reported that the self-perceived health status was different between endline and baseline by the rank sum test. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that community practice training was significantly associated with increased self-efficacy scores, cognitive function and eating habits, with odd ratios of 1.08, 0.90 and 1.93, respectively.ConclusionsCommunity practice training was associated with changes in health behavior and psychology of community residents. Our results suggested enhanced community practice training for students under the Master of Public Health program.