In this module we provide background on the competency as well as context and information about our learning activities via a video podcast (see below). We also provide a context for you to Learn more about the competency and to start a conversation, so please Comment on what you have learned and Interact with others who have commented.
Public Health Sciences Skills focus on understanding the foundation and prominent events of public health; applying public health sciences to practice; critiquing and developing research; using evidence when developing policies and programs; and establishing academic partnerships.
The public health sciences, which include epidemiology, biostatistics, and the environmental health sciences, create the evidence base that supports the programs and policies that public health professionals create, initiate, and administer.
It’s important for personnel from all three tiers to understand how the public health sciences form this foundation for public health, and also to be familiar with the historical events that helped shape the field.
The same is true for making sure that the public health sciences are used to deliver the 10 Essential Public Health Services, which describe the public health activities that all communities should undertake. Tier Two staffers are asked to apply public health sciences to the 10 Essentials, with support from those in the other tiers.
Personnel in Tiers Two and Three (front line/entry-level; program management/supervisory; and senior management/executive-level) are responsible for using public health sciences to administer and manage programs and organizations.
All three staffing tiers are expected to contribute to the evidence base of public health, and most of the competencies in this domain address what is expected of each tier regarding research and evidence. For example, Tier 1 staffers describe the use of evidence in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services; Tier 2 staffers use this evidence; and Tier 3 staffers ensure that evidence is used in these capacities. All three tiers play a role in conducting research ethically -- for example, protecting patient confidentiality -- however it falls to Tier 3 personnel to ensure that this actually happens.
So what subject areas should a person interested in evaluating and improving their skills within this domain study?
For starters, we suggest History of the Public Health Profession, Core Public Health Functions and 10 Essentials of Public Health, and Scientific Evidence of Public Health Issues. You also will want to make sure you understand Research Limitations and the Ethical Conduct of Research.In addition, you can explore the resourses below to learn more about this competency.
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