摘要：Objectives. This study examined the continuing-education needs of the currently employed public health education workforce. Methods. A national consensus panel of leading health educators from public health agencies, academic institutions, and professional organizations was convened to examine the forces creating the context for the work of public health educators and the competencies they need to practice effectively. Results. Advocacy; business management and finance; communication; community health planning and development, coalition building, and leadership; computing and technology; cultural competency; evaluation; and strategic planning were identified as areas of critical competence. Conclusions. Continuing education must strengthen a broad range of critical competencies and skills if we are to ensure the further development and effectiveness of the public health education workforce. Health education has been identified by the Public Health Faculty/Agency Forum 1 and by the Public Health Functions Steering Committee 2 as one of the essential public health services. Healthy People 2010 includes at least 75 objectives and subobjectives related to health education. 3 Moreover, the landmark fourth report of the Pew Health Professions Commission listed 21 competencies needed by all health professionals to address the changing health care environment, 7 of which are directly relevant to health education. 4 These and other reports 5 – 8 have thus underscored the critical role that the public health education workforce plays in improving public health. Although some of these reports alluded to the changing context in which public health educators now practice, only one 9 addressed the need to strengthen graduate professional preparation in response to 21st-century needs. Little attention has been focused on how fundamental changes in public health practice are influencing the competency requirements and continuing-education needs of the currently employed public health education workforce. One report 10 suggested that the current public health workforce—including public health educators—is not prepared to meet the practice challenges of the new century. This report describes the findings of a consensus panel that was convened specifically to identify the competencies and skills that the currently employed public health education workforce will need for effective practice.
