State of public health emergency response leadership training: A multitiered organizational perspective

Authors

  • Anthony Salerno, MSc https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6808-6021
  • Yang Li, MPH, MS
  • Xiaohong M. Davis, PhD, MS, MA
  • Gail Stennies, MD, MPH
  • Daniel J. Barnett, MD, MPH
  • Mary K. Fisher, PhD
  • Laura Biesiadecki, MPH
  • Debra Dekker, PhD
  • NhuNgoc Pham, MPH
  • Juliana L. Pearson, MA
  • Michelle N. Podgornik, MPH, MSLIS
  • David W. Hunter, MPH, MSW
  • Sara Vagi, PhD
  • Edbert B. Hsu, MD, MPH

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/ajdm.2021.0399

Keywords:

public health, training, leadership, emergency response, PHEP

Abstract

Objective: To capture organizational level information on the current state of public health emergency response leadership training.

Design: A web-based questionnaire.

Participants: This multitiered assessment of health departments included two distinct respondent groups: (1) Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Cooperative Agreement recipients (n = 34) and (2) local health departments (LHDs) (n = 169) representative of different agency sizes and populations served.

Results: Overall, PHEP and LHD respondents expressed a clear preference for participatory learning with practical drills/exercises and participatory workshops as the preferred training delivery modes. Compared with technical and role-specific training, leadership training was less available. For both PHEP and LHD respondents, staff availability for training is most notably limited due to lack of time. For PHEP respondents, a common factor limiting agency ability to offer training is lack of mentors/instructors, whereas for LHD respondents, it is limited funding.

Conclusions: Efforts should focus on increasing accessibility and the continued development of rigorous and effective training based on practical experience in all aspects of multitiered public health emergency response leadership.

 

Author Biographies

Anthony Salerno, MSc

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland

Yang Li, MPH, MS

CNA Institute for Public Research (IPR), Arlington, Virginia

Xiaohong M. Davis, PhD, MS, MA

Division of Emergency Operations (DEO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), Atlanta, Georgia

Gail Stennies, MD, MPH

Division of State and Local Readiness (DSLR), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), Atlanta, Georgia; United States Public Health Service (USPHS), US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC

Daniel J. Barnett, MD, MPH

Department of Environmental Health and Engineering, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland

Mary K. Fisher, PhD

Institute for Public Research (IPR), Arlington, Virginia

Laura Biesiadecki, MPH

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Washington DC

Debra Dekker, PhD

National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), Washington DC

NhuNgoc Pham, MPH

Institute for Public Research (IPR), Arlington, Virginia

Juliana L. Pearson, MA

Institute for Public Research (IPR), Arlington, Virginia

Michelle N. Podgornik, MPH, MSLIS

Division of Emergency Operations (DEO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), Atlanta, Georgia

David W. Hunter, MPH, MSW

Division of State and Local Readiness (DSLR), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), Atlanta, Georgia; United States Public Health Service (USPHS), US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC

Sara Vagi, PhD

Division of Emergency Operations (DEO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR), Atlanta, Georgia; United States Public Health Service (USPHS), US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington DC

Edbert B. Hsu, MD, MPH

Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR), Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

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Published

09/01/2021

How to Cite

Salerno, MSc, A., Y. Li, MPH, MS, X. M. Davis, PhD, MS, MA, G. Stennies, MD, MPH, D. J. Barnett, MD, MPH, M. K. Fisher, PhD, L. Biesiadecki, MPH, D. Dekker, PhD, N. Pham, MPH, J. L. Pearson, MA, M. N. Podgornik, MPH, MSLIS, D. W. Hunter, MPH, MSW, S. Vagi, PhD, and E. B. Hsu, MD, MPH. “State of Public Health Emergency Response Leadership Training: A Multitiered Organizational Perspective”. American Journal of Disaster Medicine, vol. 16, no. 3, Sept. 2021, pp. 167-7, doi:10.5055/ajdm.2021.0399.

Issue

Vol. 16 No. 3 (2021): Summer

Section

Articles

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