AUTHOR=Bashkin Osnat , Otok Robert , Leighton Lore , Czabanowska Kasia , Barach Paul , Davidovitch Nadav , Dopelt Keren , Duplaga Mariusz , Okenwa Emegwa Leah , MacLeod Fiona , Neumark Yehuda , Raz Maya Peled , Tulchinsky Theodore , Mor Zohar 

TITLE=Emerging lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic about the decisive competencies needed for the public health workforce: A qualitative study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.990353

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2022.990353

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=The global COVID-19 crisis exposed the critical need for a highly qualified public health workforce. This qualitative study aimed to examine public health workforce competencies needed to face COVID-19 challenges and identify the gaps between training programs and the competency demands of real-world disasters and pandemics. Through a sample of thirty-one participant qualitative interviews, we examined the perspectives of diverse stakeholders from lead public health organizations in Israel. Grounded Theory was used to analyze the data. Six themes emerged from the content analysis: public health workforce's low professional status and the uncertain future of the public health workforce; links between the community and Higher Education institutions; the importance of communication competencies; improve health promotion; the role of leadership, management, and partnership, and innovation in public health. Increasing the attractiveness of the profession, professional and financial support, and improving the working conditions to ensure a sustainable and resilient PH system were deemed necessary. By describing and cultivating new knowledge and leadership skills among public health professionals, this study helps lay the groundwork for future public health leadership preparedness.