Health Equity Curricula Within Health Policy and Management Concentrations in U.S. Public Health Graduate Programs

Abstract

Achieving health equity is a national priority in the United States and having a public health workforce equipped to make health policy and administrative decisions that reduce disparities is needed. We examined 50 schools that offered an on-campus Master of Public Health and are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health with concentrations or tracks in health policy and management (HPM). Nationally, only 6 (12%) HPM tracks required students to take a course in health equity and/or disparities. Of the optional courses offered within HPM tracks, 30.5% were focused on specific health conditions, and 28% were focused on broadly defined inequities. A smaller portion of health equity courses covered topics in sexual and reproductive health (5.1%), women and gender (3.4%), immigration (1.7%), and LGBTQ populations (1.7%). If health equity is to be achieved in health policy and management, educating all students earning a Master of Public Health in HPM tracks on these issues and equipping them with competencies to effectively tackle health inequity is a starting place.

Preferred modalities for delivering continuing education to the public health workforce: a scoping review

“…Gaining employer support for staff to participate in training 11 10, 16, 19, 20, 22, 25, 38, 39, 41, 44, 45 Using interactive learning strategies with an opportunity for application throughout the training 6 Shorter, just-in-time modules to better meet the evolving needs of public health professionals 3 10, 36, 37…”

“…data and evaluate interventions, particularly ones that reduce and eliminate health inequities. 6 These competencies include undertaking evidence-informed practice, using surveillance data and communicating information on risks to various audiences. 7 Public health professionals also need to understand and appreciate the sociopolitical and economic context in which they are working to ensure they do not exacerbate inequities.…”

“…8 As a result, equityfocussed training is a crucial priority. 6 Equity-focussed content refers to considering and presenting on how certain practices and ways of thinking in all types of public health work can amplify inequities, from collecting data to designing and evaluating interventions. 6 Training that incorporates concepts of equity questions the status quo to ensure diversity and inclusion are considered in all work.…”

“…Although public health professionals assume a variety of roles and responsibilities, the entire workforce requires a foundational understanding of population health and the social and ecological determinants of health. 6 The workforce must also be equipped with the competencies needed to collect and analyze population health…”

Préférences en matière de modalités pour assurer la formation continue du personnel en santé publique : revue de la portée

“…Les professionnels en santé publique, même s'ils occupent une variété de fonc tions et de responsabilités, doivent tous connaître les fondements de la santé des populations ainsi que les déterminants sociaux et environnementaux de la santé 6 . Le personnel doit aussi disposer des com pétences nécessaires à la collecte et à l'analyse des données sur la santé des populations ainsi qu'à l'évaluation des interventions, particulièrement celles des tinées à réduire et à éliminer les inégalités en matière de santé 6 . Ces compétences intègrent notamment la mise en applica tion de pratiques fondées sur des données probantes, l'utilisation des données de surveillance et la transmission de l'infor mation sur les risques à divers publics 7 .…”