Digital Competencies and Training Approaches to Enhance the Capacity of Practitioners to Support the Digital Transformation of Public Health: Rapid Review of Current Recommendations.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in the public health workforce's capacity to deploy digital technologies while upholding ethical, social justice, and health equity principles. Existing public health competency frameworks have not been updated to reflect the prominent role digital technologies play in contemporary public health, and public health training institutions are seeking to integrate digital technologies in their curricula. Objective: As a first step in a multiphase study exploring recommendations for updates to public health competency frameworks within the Canadian public health context, we conducted a rapid review of literature aiming to identify recommendations for digital competencies, training approaches, and inter- or transdisciplinary partnerships that can enhance public health practitioners' capacity to support the digital transformation of public health. Methods: Following the World Health Organization's (2017) guidelines for rapid reviews, a systematic search was conducted on Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), and Web of Science for peer-reviewed articles. We also searched Google Scholar and various public health agency and public health association websites for gray literature using search terms related to public health, digital health, practice competencies, and training approaches. We included articles with explicit practice competencies and training recommendations related to digital technologies among public health practitioners published between January 2010 and December 2022. We excluded articles describing these concepts in passing or from a solely clinical perspective. Results: Our search returned 2023 titles and abstracts, of which only 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. We found recommendations for new competencies to enable public health practitioners to appropriately use digital technologies that cut across all existing categories of the core competencies for public health framework of the Public Health Agency of Canada. We also identified a new competency category related to data, data systems management, and governance. Training approaches identified include adapted degree-awarding programs like combined public health and informatics or data science degree programs and ongoing professional certifications with integration of practice-based learning in multi- and interdisciplinary training. Disciplines suggested as important to facilitate practice competency and training recommendations included public health, public health informatics, data, information and computer sciences, biostatistics, health communication, and business. Conclusions: Despite the growth of digital technologies in public health, recommendations about practice competencies and training approaches necessary to effectively support the digital transformation of public health remain limited in the literature. Where available, evidence suggests the workforce requires new competencies that cut across and extend existing public health competencies, including new competencies related to the use and protection of new digital data sources, alongside facilitating health communication and promotion functions using digital media. Recommendations also emphasize the need for training approaches that focus on interdisciplinarity through adapted degree-awarding public health training programs and ongoing professional development.

Professional Doctorate in Primary Care (DPAPS): a legacy for the Rio de Janeiro SUS. / Doutorado Profissional em Atenção Primária em Saúde (DPAPS): o início de um legado para o SUS carioca.

Since 2009, the Municipal Health Secretariat of Rio de Janeiro (SMS-RJ) has encouraged the creation of a Master's degree in primary health care at the National Health School/Fiocruz (ENSP/Fiocruz). In the following decade, this proposal became one of the main lines of the institution's professional stricto sensu postgraduate program, which culminated in CAPES approving the first professional doctorate class in the history of Fiocruz-RJ offered in 2024. The class comprises primary health care (PHC) students from Rio's SUS and Fiocruz employees in science, technology and innovation. Regarding the profile of the PHC students, the highlights were women (61.5%), a degree in medicine (53.8%), a mean of 15 years since graduating, 10 years working in PHC, graduates of a medical or multiprofessional residency course (69.2%) and a Master's degree in primary care from ENSP/Fiocruz or UFRJ (84.6%). The SMS-RJ thus leaves a legacy for Brazilian Public Health as a leader in the promotion of Fiocruz-RJ stricto sensu professional training programs, innovating in the end-of-course work, reviving the presence of doctors in the classes and bringing the contributions of the Portuguese SNS, a source of inspiration for the PHC reform undertaken in Rio de Janeiro, to the Rio de Janeiro SUS debate.

Desde 2009, a Secretaria Municipal de Saúde do Rio de Janeiro (SMS-RJ) fomentou a criação do mestrado em atenção primária à saúde na Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública/Fiocruz (ENSP/Fiocruz). Essa proposta, na década seguinte, se tornou uma das principais linhas do programa de pós-graduação stricto sensu profissional da instituição, culminando com a aprovação pela CAPES da primeira turma de doutorado profissional na história da Fiocruz-RJ ofertada em 2024. A turma é formada por alunos da atenção primária à saúde (APS) do SUS carioca e por servidores da Fiocruz na área de ciência, tecnologia & inovação. No que se refere ao perfil dos alunos da APS destacam-se as mulheres (61,5%), a graduação em medicina (53,8%), o tempo médio de 15 anos de formado, 10 anos de atuação na APS, egressos de curso de residência médica ou multiprofissional (69,2%) e do mestrado em atenção primária da ENSP/Fiocruz ou UFRJ (84,6%). A SMS-RJ deixa assim, um legado para a Saúde Pública brasileira como protagonista no fomento aos programas de formação profissional stricto sensu da Fiocruz-RJ, inovando nos trabalhos de final de curso, resgatando a presença dos médicos nas turmas e trazendo para o debate do SUS carioca, as contribuições do SNS português, fonte de inspiração para a reforma da APS empreendida no Rio de Janeiro.

[Qualitative research training in graduate programs in Public Health: an overview in Brazil]. / Formação em pesquisa qualitativa nos programas de pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva: panorama no Brasil.

This article analyzes the evidence of qualitative research training in graduate programs in Public Health accredited by Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) in Brazil in 2021. To map out the disciplines, the Sucupira Platform was accessed to locate the graduate programs in Public Health, and the institutional portals were searched. A total of 98 courses were identified. Using reflective thematic analysis, it was possible to group the data production and the characterization of the courses into the following macro categories of analysis: (a) workload and type of course offered (mandatory or optional); (b) teaching-learning objectives; (c) content (with emphasis on the investigation of scientific paradigms or different theoretical-methodological approaches to qualitative research); (d) teaching-learning methodologies. The results show that only 40.4% of the courses are mandatory and the predominant teaching-learning objectives focus on instrumentalization and enabling graduate students to create research projects. In total, 59.3% of the courses did not inform the type of teaching-learning methodology. There is a gap in the use of digital technologies and spaces and a predominance of the text-based approach. Furthermore, the epistemological-theoretical training is fragile. The learning of the Positivist paradigm predominates over the interpretive paradigm of critical theories/traditions. The article concludes by systematizing elements for a training itinerary with increasing degrees of complexity, intentionally structured and developed in an institutional environment that fosters decoloniality and epistemic reparation.

Este artigo analisa as evidências sobre a formação em pesquisa qualitativa dos programas de pós-graduação em Saúde Coletiva (PPGSC) credenciados pela Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), no Brasil, no ano de 2021. Para realizar o mapeamento das disciplinas foi consultada a Plataforma Sucupira para a localização dos PPGSC e busca nos portais institucionais. Foram identificadas 98 disciplinas e utilizando a análise temática reflexiva foi possível agrupar a produção dos dados e caracterização das disciplinas nas seguintes macrocategorias de análise: (1) carga horária e modalidade de oferta (obrigatória ou eletiva); (2) objetivos de ensino-aprendizagens; (3) conteúdos (com destaque para investigação dos paradigmas científicos ou diferentes abordagens teórico-metodológicas da investigação qualitativa); e (4) metodologias de ensino-aprendizagens. Dos resultados, destacam-se que: apenas 40,4% são obrigatórias e predominaram os objetivos de ensino-aprendizagem com foco na instrumentalização e habilitar os(as) pós-graduandos (as) na construção dos projetos de pesquisa. 59,3% não informaram o tipo de metodologia de ensino-aprendizagem. Há uma lacuna quanto à utilização das tecnologias e ambientes digitais e predomínio do formato textual. Constatou-se fragilidade na formação epistemológico-teórica. A aprendizagem do paradigma positivista predomina em relação ao paradigma interpretativo de teorias/tradições críticas. Ao final, são sistematizados elementos para um itinerário formativo com graus crescentes de complexidade, intencionalmente estruturado e desenvolvido em um ambiente institucional que propicie decolonialidade e reparação epistêmica.

En este artículo se analiza la evidencia sobre la formación en investigación cualitativa de los programas de posgrado en Salud Colectiva acreditados por la Coordinación de Perfeccionamiento de Personal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) en Brasil, en 2021. Para mapear las disciplinas, se consultó a la Plataforma Sucupira con el intento de encontrar los programas de posgrado en Salud Colectiva y buscar las páginas institucionales. Se identificaron 98 disciplinas, y a partir del análisis temático reflexivo, la producción de datos y la caracterización de las disciplinas se agruparon en las siguientes macro categorías de análisis: (a) carga de trabajo y modalidad de oferta (obligatoria o electiva); (b) objetivos de enseñanza-aprendizaje; (c) contenidos (con énfasis en la investigación de paradigmas científicos o diferentes enfoques teórico-metodológicos de la investigación cualitativa); (d) metodologías de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Los resultados destacaron que solo el 40,4% de las disciplinas son obligatorias y hay un predominio de los objetivos de enseñanza-aprendizaje, con foco en la instrumentalización y el estímulo a los estudiantes de posgrado en la elaboración de proyectos de investigación. El 59,3% no informó el tipo de metodología de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Existe una brecha con relación al uso de tecnologías y medios digitales, y el predominio del formato textual. Se encontró debilidad en la formación epistemológica-teórica. Hay un predominio en el aprendizaje del paradigma positivista en relación con el paradigma interpretativo de las teorías/tradiciones críticas. Por último, los elementos se sistematizan en un itinerario formativo con grados crecientes de complejidad, intencionalmente estructurado y desarrollado en un entorno institucional que proporciona decolonialidad y reparación epistémica.

COVID-19 pandemic response and Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs in ECOWAS.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been persistent with a huge demand for human health resources which is a vital component of its preparedness and response. Globally, the public health workforce through field epidemiology and laboratory training programme (FELTP) has been instrumental to global health security. We determined the status of FELTP in the region and its contributions to the COVID-19 pandemic response in the ECOWAS region. We conducted a desk review, shared a questionnaire among member states and organized a two-day online regional consultative meeting on field epidemiology training on 30th-31st March 2022 during which there were presentations, group discussions and deliberations on the status and contribution of FETP during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collected were analyzed in themes. All countries in the ECOWAS region had established at least one tier of FELTP, 11 (73.3%) had established two tiers of FELTP and only 3 (20.0%) had established all three tiers of the program. Despite the pandemic, the cumulative number of graduates increased from 2996 to 4271 frontline, 41 to 380 intermediate, and 409 to 802 for advanced FELTP between 2019 and 2022. However, the progress has been disproportionate across countries. The key activities supported through FELTP graduates included pandemic response coordination, surveillance, data collection/management, laboratory support, case management, risk communication, infection prevention and control, COVID-19 vaccination, and research. Despite improvements in the FELTP in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, there is a need for continuous stakeholder engagement for its implementation, resource mobilization for sustainability, and leveraging critical partnerships.

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.

Background: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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.

Mapping competency profiles of schools of public health: implications for public health workforce education and training in Israel.

Aim: Competency frameworks are essential for analyzing capabilities of Schools of Public Health to adequately prepare public health (PH) professionals to address contemporary challenges. This study maps the competency profiles of PH training programs in Israel using a novel curriculum mapping tool. Methods: This study assessed all five Israeli Health Education Institutions (HEIs) offering MPH or Bachelors in Public Health (BPH) degrees across 57 competencies in six domains to determine the extent to which competencies were addressed in the curriculum. The competencies list was based on the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) List of Core Competences for the Public Health Professional, adapted for Israeli HEIs. Results: The core curricula in the four MPH programs addressed 45-84% of all competencies. The BPH program addressed 79% of competencies. In MPH programs, the core curricula addressed most or all competencies in the Methods and the Socioeconomic Determinants of Health domains. Competencies in the domains of Environmental Determinants of Health, Health Policy, Economics & Organization, and Health Promotion and Prevention were less comprehensively addressed in most core curricula. Students' opportunities to broaden their exposure to competencies outside the core curricula were context dependent. Discussion: The curriculum competencies mapping tool that was developed served to assess both strengths and shortcomings in PH education in Israel. The findings demonstrate a highly variable array of PH curriculum models in Israeli HEIs, as well as overall shortcomings in the Environmental, Health Policy Economics and Organization, and Health Promotion and Prevention domains. This analysis has already led to reassessment of the curriculum, and will continue to guide the next steps to increase the harmonization of PH training curricula and to better meet PH challenges in Israel.

A narrative review of the CEPH-accredited bachelor's public health programs' curricula in the United States.

Background: Undergraduate programs in public health are becoming increasingly popular in the United States (US). The recent pandemic, growing climate instability, and the aging baby boomers have led to higher demands for skilled public health professionals at various levels of the workforce. This study examines the nature of courses being delivered in undergraduate public health programs across the United States. The goal is to assess domains, themes, competencies, and other specialized skills that are currently covered in these academic programs. Methodology: A search was conducted in February 2023 using the online CEPH program database to identify undergraduate public health programs in the US. In total, 86 institutions and 90 CEPH-accredited undergraduate public health programs were identified. Lists of public health courses were retrieved from each program, and a total of 2,259 unduplicated courses were extracted and analyzed. A content analysis of the extracted topics was conducted to generate 38 common themes among the courses offered. Coded course themes were mapped to the public health domains and competencies listed by the ASPPH and CEPH to evaluate the distribution of themes across course offerings. Results: Analysis of course themes found that Foundations of Public Health, Epidemiology, Public Health Management, Policy, and Leadership, Climate and Environmental Health, and Global Health Issues were the most prevalent. When course themes were mapped onto the ASPPH and CEPH domains of critical public health learning, "overview of public health" and "determinants of health" were the most populated domains. Programs had different emphases according to their approach, but overall, about two-thirds of course themes were focused on foundational and theoretical concepts of public health, and one-third were directed toward practical applications of public health concepts. Conclusion: As the demand for skilled public health workers continues to rise, programs will need to watch the skills and competencies required in the current working environment, as well as the ASPPH and CEPH criteria, and adjust their approach accordingly. Given the rapid changes in the public health landscape, schools and programs of public health should evaluate their curricula to ensure that they are meeting the needs of the workforce and the world.

Kaua'i Rural and Public Health Selective: A Family Medicine Residency First.

Governmental public health professionals and community physicians often have limited understanding of each other's roles and responsibilities. To increase the connection between public health and primary care as well as to incorporate rural health care in graduate medical education training, a new "Kaua'i Rural and Public Health Selective" brings Family Medicine resident physicians (Residents) into the local health department on Kaua'i. This first-time collaboration between the Kaua'i District Health Office (KDHO) and University of Hawai'i John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) Family Medicine Residency Program advances Residents' understanding of public health and has been well-received by Residents and by department of health staff. Future plans include evaluation and continued incorporation of public health experiences into the core curriculum of a rural Family Medicine residency training program based on Kaua'i.

Mapping of MPH programs in terms of geographic distribution across various universities and institutes of India-A desk research.

Background: Landscaping studies related to public health education in India do not exclusively focus on the most common Masters of Public Health (MPH) program. The field of public health faces challenges due to the absence of a professional council, resulting in fragmented documentation of these programs. This study was undertaken to map all MPH programs offered across various institutes in India in terms of their geographic distribution, accreditation status, and administration patterns. Methodology: An exhaustive internet search using various keywords was conducted to identify all MPH programs offered in India. Websites were explored for their details. A data extraction tool was developed for recording demographic and other data. Information was extracted from these websites as per the tool and collated in a matrix. Geographic coordinates obtained from Google Maps, and QGIS software facilitated map generation. Results: The search identified 116 general and 13 MPH programs with specializations offered by different universities and institutes across India. India is divided into six zones, and the distribution of MPH programs in these zones is as follows, central zone has 20 programs; the east zone has 11; the north zone has 35; the north-east zone has 07; the south zone has 26; and the west zone has 17 MPH programs. While 107 are university grants commission (UGC) approved universities and institutes, only 46 MPH programs are conducted by both UGC approved and National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) accredited universities and institutes. Five universities are categorized as central universities; 22 are deemed universities; 51 are private universities; and 29 are state universities. Nine are considered institutions of national importance by the UGC, and four institutions are recognized as institutions of eminence. All general MPH programs span 2 years and are administered under various faculties, with only 27 programs being conducted within dedicated schools or centers of public health. Conclusion: The MPH programs in India show considerable diversity in their geographic distribution, accreditation status, and administration pattern.

Training in Public Health Informatics and Technology Leveraging a Multi-institutional Partnership Model and Emphasizing Experiential Learning.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Though public health is an information-intense profession, there is a paucity of workforce with Public Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT) skills, which was evident during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This need is addressed through the PHIT workforce program (2021-2025) by the Office of the National Coordinator for training and to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the PHIT workforce. The objective is to share details on the Training in Informatics for Underrepresented Minorities in Public Health (TRIUMPH) consortium, funded by the PHIT workforce program. METHODS: The TRIUMPH consortium is a collaboration between academic and practice partners with a commitment to training 879 students in PHIT. The Schools of Public Health and Nursing at the University of Minnesota, Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Public Health Informatics Institute offer PHIT training through various programs. Academic institutions focus on student recruitment, developing courses/curriculum, and granting degrees/certificates, and the role of practice partners is to support experiential learning through internships/practicums. RESULTS: The TRIUMPH consortium is progressing toward its goals, with 692 students (79%) already trained in a PHIT modality as of December 2023. The learners comprise diverse race/ethnicity, including White (48%), Black/African American (32%), Asian (10%), White Hispanic (5%), American Indian/Alaska Native (2%), and Black Hispanic (1%). Numerous internships have been completed in settings ranging from state/local public health agencies to health care delivery systems. Diversity initiatives were supported by partnering with existing programs (e.g., the AMIA First Look program and the Nursing Knowledge Big Data Science conference). CONCLUSION: This consortium model is an excellent approach to informatics training and sharing expertise across partners. It provides scalability and broader geographic outreach while presenting opportunities to students from underrepresented backgrounds. Lessons learned have implications for overall informatics training (e.g., partnerships models, promoting racial/ethnic diversity).

A systematic mapping of public health master's and structured doctoral programs in Germany.

BACKGROUND: Well-trained public health professionals are key to addressing both global and local public health challenges of the twenty-first century. Though availability of programs has increased, the population health science (PHS) and public health (PH) higher education landscape in Germany remains scattered. To date, no comprehensive overview of programs exists. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to map PHS and PH master's and structured doctoral programs in Germany, including selected program characteristics, curricula and target competencies. METHODS: We conducted a systematic mapping of PHS and PH programs in Germany following a prospectively registered protocol ( https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/KTCBA ). Relevant master's and doctoral programs were identified by two study authors independently searching a comprehensive higher education database, which was, for doctoral programs, supplemented with a google search. For PHS programs, general characteristics were mapped and for the subset of PH programs, in-depth characteristics were extracted. RESULTS: Overall, 75 master's and 18 structured doctoral PHS programs were included. Of these, 23 master's and 8 doctoral programs focused specifically on PH. The majority of PHS master's programs awarded a Master of Science degree (55 out of 75 programs). The PH master's program curricula offered various courses, allowing for different specializations. Courses on topics like public health, epidemiology, health systems (research) and research methods were common for the majority of the master's programs, while courses on physical activity, behavioral science, nutrition, and mental health were offered less frequently. Structured PH doctoral programs were mainly offered by medical faculties (6 out of 8 programs) and awarded a doctorate of philosophy (Ph.D.) (6 out of 8 programs). PH doctoral programs were very heterogeneous regarding curricula, entry, and publication requirements. There was a broad geographical distribution of programs across Germany, with educational clusters in Munich, Berlin, Bielefeld and Düsseldorf. CONCLUSION: Germany offers a diverse landscape of PHS and PH master's programs, but only few structured doctoral programs. The variety of mandatory courses and competencies in these programs reflect Germany's higher education system's answer to the evolving demands of the PH sector. This review may aid in advancing PH education both in Germany and globally.

War and peace in public health education and training: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Armed conflict and war are public health disasters. Public health action has a crucial role in conflict-related emergencies and rehabilitation but also in war prevention and peace promotion. Translating this into public health training and competencies has just started to emerge, especially in Europe. METHODS: We conducted a Scoping Review to map and identify the role of public health education and training of public health workforce relating to the prevention of war and promoting peace, as reflected in the scientific literature. We searched in PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Embase, Web of Science Core Collections as well as the reference list of included material in English, German and Polish. Focusing initially on the European region, we later expanded the search outside of Europe. RESULTS: We included 7 publications from opinion pieces to an empirical assessment of curricula and training. The educational programs were predominantly short-term and extra-curricular in postgraduate courses addressing both public health professionals in conflict-affected countries as well as countries not directly affected by war. Publications focused on public health action in times of war, without specifying the context and type of war or armed conflict. Competencies taught focused on emergency response and multi-disciplinary collaboration during emergencies, frequently drawing on experience and examples from natural disaster and disease outbreak management. CONCLUSIONS: The scientific discourse on competences in public health education for times of war and for the promotion of peace, predominately focuses on immediate emergency response actions. The prevention of war and the promotion of peace are missing foci, that need to feature more prominently in public health training. Public Health Education and training should ensure that war prevention and peace promotion, as well as public health action in times of war, are included in their competencies for public health professionals.

Shaping the future of healthcare: improving quality and safety through integrating simulation into Public Health education.

This perspective focuses on the role of healthcare simulation in training and implementing processes aimed at improving the quality of care and patient safety. Evidence of the effectiveness of simulation in improving clinical performance, reducing healthcare costs and raising professional education standards is presented. In light of this evidence, we propose to consider simulation-based education as an integrative training modality in the preparation of health professionals in the field of Public Health. A pilot project is presented with the aim of training professionals capable of further contributing to improving the quality and safety of patients through an interdisciplinary and innovative approach.

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

Introduction: 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. Methods: 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. Results: 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. Conclusion: 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.

The nurse-led equitable learning framework for training programs: A framework to grow, bolster and diversify the nursing and public health workforce.

BACKGROUND: Addressing threats to the nursing and public health workforce, while also strengthening the skills of current and future workers, requires programmatic solutions. Training programs should be guided by frameworks, which leverage nursing expertise and leadership, partnerships, and integrate ongoing evaluation. PURPOSE STATEMENT: This article provides a replicable framework to grow, bolster, and diversify the nursing and public health workforces, known as the Nurse-led Equitable Learning (NEL) Framework for Training Programs. The framework has been applied by several multipronged, federally funded training programs led by investigators embedded in an academic nursing institution. METHODS: The NEL framework focuses on: (1) increasing equitable access to the knowledge, skills, and competencies needed to prepare a diverse workforce to deliver effective interventions; (2) fostering academic-practice linkages and community partnerships to facilitate the deployment of newly gained knowledge and skills to address ongoing and emerging challenges in care delivery; and (3) continuously evaluating and disseminating findings to inform expansion and replication of programs. RESULTS: Ten programs using this framework have successfully leveraged $18.3 million in extramural funding to support over 1000 public health professionals and trainees. Longitudinal evaluation efforts indicate that public health workers, including nurses, are benefiting from the programs' workplace trainings, future clinicians are being rigorously trained to identify and address determinants of health to improve patient and community well-being, and educators are engaging in novel pedagogical opportunities to enhance their ability to deliver high quality public health education. CONCLUSIONS: Training programs may apply the NEL framework to ensure that the nursing and public health workforces achieve equitable, sustainable growth and deliver high quality evidence-based care.

Public Health Youth Ambassador Program: Educating and Empowering the Next Generation of Public Health Leaders to Build Thriving Communities.

Through a collaboration among Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD), Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM), George Mason University College of Public Health, federally qualified health centers, hospital systems, non-profits, and other agencies, this initiative targets underserved high school students as a way to increase diversity among community health professionals, build generational health, and provide participants with tools to enhance their post-secondary educational and career opportunities.

The positive impact of introducing public engagement as a self-directed learning strategy in undergraduate nervous system education.

Undergraduate medical education in China has shifted from educator-centered learning to self-directed learning (SDL) over the past few decades. Careful design of public engagement activities can enable SDL and empower medical students to pioneer public health and patient safety education. In this study, we aimed to innovate nervous system education by implementing a public engagement model that empowers students to learn about the nervous system by teaching the public. Our goal was to generate greater interest in the nervous system at the undergraduate stage, inspire students' enthusiasm to pursue a career in neurology, and ultimately, contribute to health promotion. During the nervous system module of the second year of the undergraduate curriculum, students were given the option to participate in the public engagement model. Participants were tasked with the creation of educational videos focusing on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with the prevention and management of neurological diseases and their complications. The videos were made accessible to the general public through the university's official channel at the end of the semester. A total of 117 students (67.24% of all students) chose to participate in the public engagement model. Female students and those with higher Grade Point Averages in the present semester were more likely to participate. The model received strong positive feedback from participants, as students found the public engagement task helpful in learning about the nervous system module as well as in enhancing their public engagement skills. Despite the time and effort consumption, participating in the public engagement task did not affect students' exam scores. The public engagement task is an innovative model in the nervous system curriculum and has the potential to be integrated into a broader range of undergraduate courses. It empowers medical students to pioneer public health and patient safety education.

Development of an evidence-based hepatitis C education program to enhance public health literacy in the Australian prison sector: The Hepatitis in Prisons Education program (HepPEd).

BACKGROUND: Australia's prisons have a high chronic hepatitis C (HCV) prevalence (8 %). Antiviral therapies and prison-based hepatitis services are available, but only a minority of those eligible are being treated. Improving the HCV public health literacy of the prison sector via targeted education may overcome key barriers to scale-up treatment. This paper describes the: i) HCV public health literacy of the prison setting; ii) barriers and solutions for HCV education and service engagement; iii) HCV education program co-design and development processes; and iv) HepPEd resources. METHODS: A national needs assessment was conducted to analyse the HCV public health literacy of the target audience groups in the prisons (healthcare providers; custodial officers; people in prison) to inform development of a prison-specific HCV education program (HepPEd). Structured interviews were conducted with key informants (n = 40). Three National Steering Committees, one for each target group, were convened to co-design and develop HepPEd. RESULTS: Only healthcare providers involved with hepatitis care were considered to have 'good' to 'very good' HCV health literacy (including knowledge, attitudes, and capabilities), with all other groups considered less favourably. Key barriers identified included being time poor (healthcare providers), poor motivation (custodial officers) and stigma (people in prison). Peer education delivery was considered a key facilitator for custodial officers and people in prison. A suite of multi-modal resources addressing the perceived gaps in HCV health literacy was developed, with a broad theme of 'Let's talk about hep C'. Delivery of HepPEd was designed to overcome key barriers and utilise facilitators for each group. CONCLUSIONS: Significant gaps in HCV health literacy were perceived amongst the target audience groups. The comprehensive co-design and development processes utilised in HepPEd suggest the program will be well-placed to improve the HCV public health literacy of the prison sector and thereby enhance HCV testing and treatment rates amongst people in prison.

Implementation of problem-based learning modules in an introduction to public health course.

Introduction: With traditional lecture-based learning methods often criticized for their limited ability to foster critical thinking and cognitive engagement, problem-based learning (PBL) has emerged as a promising alternative. This research investigates the impact of PBL on student learning outcomes, specifically focusing on the development of higher-order thinking skills, communication, growth mindset, and metacognitive abilities. Methods: PBL was implemented in an undergraduate public health course at a private university in the southeast US. The study was conducted in the Spring of 2022 using a convergent mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were derived from university-wide Quality Enhancement Plan surveys and a course-specific PBL survey, which were analyzed using Repeated Measures ANOVA to assess changes in student perceptions over time. Additionally, qualitative data from open-ended survey questions were analyzed through thematic analysis, providing deeper insights into the students' experiences and perceptions of PBL. Results: Results indicated significant improvements in student communication skills, growth mindset, and metacognitive abilities across the semester. The thematic analysis of qualitative responses corroborated these findings, revealing enhanced team collaboration, active engagement in problem-solving, and increased comfort with complex real-world issues. Discussion: The findings contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting PBL and offer practical insights for implementing PBL in public health education. The study also highlights the need for institutional support in adopting innovative teaching methods like PBL, emphasizing faculty development, resource allocation, and curriculum design.