Perceptions of Public Health Workers about the Effects of New Public Health Trends on Their Daily Tasks

Abstract

Background
Public health employees face increasing challenges due to emerging trends such as cross-jurisdictional sharing, quality improvement (QI), integration of public and primary care, evidence-based public health practices (EBPH), Health in All Policies (HiAP), and multi-sectoral collaboration. These trends impact their day-to-day work, but little is known about how organizational climate and culture influence employees' perceptions of these emerging trends. This study aims to assess Perceptions of Public Health Workers about the Effects of New Public Health Trends on Their Daily Tasks
Methods
This study utilized data from a nationwide survey conducted by a public health foundation to assess the interests, needs, and attitudes of public health workers. The survey gathered responses from 47,756 public health employees across state, local, and other public health agencies, with a 48% response rate. Respondents were asked to rate the perceived impact of six emerging public health trends on their daily work, using a four-point Likert scale. Workplace environment and individual characteristics such as supervisory status, gender, ethnicity, race, and experience were examined for their associations with perceived impact.
Results
Most respondents reported a marginal impact from the six emerging trends, with significant variation in perceived impact based on workplace environment and supervisory status. A positive workplace environment was associated with higher odds of perceiving a significant impact across all trends. Supervisors and executives were more likely to perceive greater impacts compared to non-supervisors. Minority workers, particularly Black employees, reported higher odds of perceiving significant impacts across multiple trends.
Conclusion
The findings highlight the importance of workplace environment and leadership in shaping public health employees' perceptions of emerging trends. A supportive and positive organizational culture can enhance the recognition and integration of emerging public health practices, especially among supervisors and minority employees. These insights suggest that strengthening organizational climate and leadership engagement can improve workforce effectiveness in responding to evolving public health challenges.