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Building Leadership Skills and Promoting Workforce Development: Evaluation Data Collected from Public Health Professionals in the Field of Maternal and Child Health

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Abstract

Professional development, including training and leadership skill building, is important for maternal and child health (MCH) epidemiologists. Current workforce development and training opportunities vary, but lack an emphasis on linking leadership competencies with MCH epidemiology. This paper describes efforts at the annual MCH Epidemiology Conference (the “Conference”) to promote leadership activities and workforce development, and recommendations to enhance professional development. An evaluation of attendee opinions on Conference workforce development activities was conducted during the 2009 and 2010 Conferences (70 and 66 % response rates, respectively). Frequencies and percentages were calculated overall and by attendee profession. Qualitative responses to questions regarding workforce and professional development were classified by theme in 2009, and a categorical question was developed for the 2010 evaluation. A combined 38 % of Conference attendees in 2009 and 2010 were MCH epidemiologists and 62 % were other MCH professionals. Attendees recommended more support and access to training, mentoring, and resources including job opportunities. Continuing education (41 %), special knowledge and skills-building training (51 %), and development of online resources for training (57 %) were highly recommended by attendees. Career (47 %) and leadership (49 %) mentoring by senior-level professionals in the field were also highly recommended. Promotion of leadership can be achieved by integrating the concept of leadership into the Conference itself; by publishing and disseminating MCH epidemiologic research in scientific, program, and policy settings; and by communicating the importance of epidemiologic findings to stakeholders and other non-scientific audiences.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Maternal and Child Health Bureau at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), and CityMatCH for their scientific, administrative, and funding contributions to this article. Additionally, the authors would like to thank the 2010 Conference Planning Committee for their participation in collecting data for the evaluation and the 2009-10 Conference Evaluation Committee, a subcommittee of the Conference Planning Committee (denoted in bold), for their design of the conference evaluation tools: Folorunso Akintan, MD, MPH, Montana-Wyoming Tribal Leaders Council; Wanda Barfield, MD, MPH, CDC; Estrellita “Lo” Berry, MA, Central Hillsborough County Federal Healthy Start; Vani Bettegowda, MHS, March of Dimes; William Boyd, MA, CDC; J. Mattea Campbell Langel, BS, BA, CityMatCH; Brian C. Castrucci, MA, Georgia Division of Public Health; Gilberto F. Chavez, MD, MPH, California Department of Public Health; Elizabeth Conrey, RD, PhD, Ohio Department of Health; Michael Curtis, PhD, California Department of Public Health; Denise D’Angelo, MPH, CDC; Violanda Grigorescu, MD, MSPH, Michigan Department of Community Health; Katherine Hutchinson, PhD, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists fellow; Jessica R. Jones, MPH, HRSA; Russell S. Kirby, PhD, MS, FACE, University of South Florida; Michael Kogan, PhD, HRSA; Mark Law, MS, CityMatCH; Leslie O’ Leary, PhD, CDC; Henry Maingi, MPPA, AMCHP; Joyce Martin, MPH, CDC; Fay Menacker, DrPH, National Center for Health Statistics; Wendy N. Nembhard, PhD, College of Public Health, University of South Florida; Patricia O’Campo, PhD, University of Toronto; Ellen Pliska, MHS, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; Italia Rolle, PhD, RD, CDC; Deborah Rosenberg, PhD, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago; William Sappenfield, MD, MPH, Florida Department of Health; Laura S. Snebold, MPH, National Association of City and County Health Officials; Gina Thornton-Evans, DDS, MPH, CDC; Calondra Tibbs, MPH, Memphis and Shelby County Health Department; Keila Torres, JD, BSN, RN, Drexel University, College of Nursing and Health Professions; Lee Warner, PhD, MPH, CDC; Letitia Williams, MPH, CDC; and Michele Williams, ScD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, NE MS K-22, Atlanta, GA, 30341, USA

    Charlan D. Kroelinger, Laurin Kasehagen, Danielle T. Barradas & Zarinah ‘Ali

  2. CityMatCH, Department of Pediatrics, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA

    Laurin Kasehagen

Authors
  1. Charlan D. Kroelinger
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  2. Laurin Kasehagen
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  3. Danielle T. Barradas
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  4. Zarinah ‘Ali
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charlan D. Kroelinger.

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The findings and conclusions in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Kroelinger, C.D., Kasehagen, L., Barradas, D.T. et al. Building Leadership Skills and Promoting Workforce Development: Evaluation Data Collected from Public Health Professionals in the Field of Maternal and Child Health. Matern Child Health J 16 (Suppl 2), 370–375 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-012-1098-4

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