Public Health Training is Essential for All Health Disciplines

Our understanding of diseases, their causes and their treatments has grown dramatically during the past decade. We now know that many diseases have their origins in racial, gender and health disparities associated with social and physical health determinants and related community structures. We also have learned that prevention should not begin only with an annual physical, but also in efforts to change those community structures and determinants that have the potential to generate disease or good health.

Some examples come immediately to mind. One’s ZIP code is very predictive of length of life. One’s exposure to racism can shorten that person’s life. The stresses associated with COVID-19 mitigation efforts have led to mental illness and substance use conditions for many. And we could multiply this list.

We also have learned that public health strategies and interventions are essential to modify and improve health determinants and community structures. Thus, it seems quite clear that all health disciplines should have basic training in the design and implementation of public health interventions. At a minimum, this should include at least two graduate level courses, one focused, perhaps, on actual case studies of public health interventions and the other on population health management strategies. Undoubtedly, detailed discussion will be needed in each health discipline about the specific content to be covered in these courses.

The purpose of this training would not be to replace public health practitioners, but rather to improve productive collaboration between them and professionals from the other health disciplines. Here, the longer-term vision is one of broad-based collaboration between public health and all other health disciplines in the service of addressing health disparities and social injustices, while promoting better health for our entire population.

As the professional home for public health research, practice and training, and a key professional home for all other health disciplines, the American Public Health Association (APHA) is ideally suited to lead this initiative. Major steps could include convening of all health disciplines at APHA for a dialogue on the need for public health training; design of the framework for two public health graduate training courses; adaptation of the courses to the needs of each discipline; and dissemination of the courses to university training programs.

This will be a major initiative for APHA. It will require new financial resources and staff to implement. As an initial step, a small workgroup could be formed to begin initial planning and exploration of opportunities.

Racial, gender and health disparities all have their origins in health determinants and community structures. We can begin to unravel each of these problems by implementing public health interventions across all field of health. Training in public health interventions will be required to do this. APHA can lead this critical initiative.

Ron Manderscheid, PhD, is the former president and CEO of NACBHDD and NARMH.