{"id":224795,"date":"2025-11-03T15:45:27","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T01:45:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=224795"},"modified":"2025-11-03T15:45:56","modified_gmt":"2025-11-04T01:45:56","slug":"building-public-health-workforce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2025\/11\/03\/building-public-health-workforce\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Hawai\u02bbi\u2019s public health workforce: Innovations, challenges and opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"healthcare<\/p>\n

The COVID‑19 pandemic revealed just how vital Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>’s public health workers are—from keeping water safe to tracking disease outbreaks. A new Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Journal of Health & Social Welfare<\/em><\/a> (HJH&SW<\/abbr>) Special Issue maps out challenges, innovations, and opportunities shaping the future of public health in the islands.<\/p>\n

Guest edited by University of H<\/abbr>awaiʻi at M\u0101noa faculty members Tetine Sentell and Rebekah Rodericks from the Department of Public Health Sciences<\/a> in the Thompson School of Social Work & Public Health<\/a>, and Lola Irvin from the Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Department of Health<\/a> (DOH<\/abbr>) along with many statewide partners, this special issue serves as a roadmap for sustaining and expanding Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>’s diverse public health workforce. Conceived in response to the extraordinary efforts and capacity strains experienced during the pandemic, it highlights the urgency and opportunity to grow a workforce in ways that reflect and serve Â鶹´«Ã½\u2019s<\/span> communities.<\/p>\n

Workforce challenges and urgent needs<\/h2>\n

Public health professionals help ensure clean air and water, safe food, and healthy environments for all residents. Yet, chronic underfunding, staff shortages, and burnout threaten this essential work. A recent DOH<\/abbr> survey found that 43% of DOH<\/abbr> employees (compared to 36% of other state employees) were considering leaving within a year. The department also reported a 30% vacancy rate, highlighting the ongoing workforce shortage. Nationally, public health and prevention make up less than 5% of all health spending and are often a target for budget cuts.<\/p>\n

Areas of innovation and resilience<\/h2>\n
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Hawaii Health Workforce Summit with UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Public Health\u2019s Yuka Polovina, Taylor Rogers, and partners from DOH and HIPHI<\/abbr>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite these challenges, the special issue also provides solutions and successes:<\/p>\n