Public health nutrition workforce composition, core functions, competencies and capacity: perspectives of advanced-level practitioners in Australia.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the attitudes, experiences and beliefs of advanced-level public health nutritionists with respect to public health nutrition workforce composition, core functions, competency requirements and existing workforce capacity.


METHODS
Qualitative study using structured interviews.


METHODS
Australia.


METHODS
Forty-one advanced-level public health nutritionists employed in academic and senior technocratic positions in state health systems.


RESULTS
Advanced-level public health nutritionists recognise the diversity of the public health nutrition workforce but clearly identify the need for a specialist public health nutrition workforce tier to provide workforce leadership. Nominated core functions for public health nutrition reflect broader public health core functions but, in the context of nutrition, specific problem resolution. Opinions about competency needs were similar to many of the cross-cutting competencies identified in the public health field but with specific application to nutrition problems. Competency in the scientific underpinning of nutrition was considered particularly important and delineated this public health nutrition workforce from the broader public health workforce. Public health nutrition was identified as a specialisation within public health and dietetics. Workforce capacity assessments by this group indicate a need for workforce development.


CONCLUSIONS
Qualitative data from a large proportion of the Australian public health nutrition leadership group have identified core functions, competencies and workforce development priorities that can be a basis for further systematic research and workforce strategy development.
Hughes
Roger
R
Nutrition Unit, School of Health Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland 4217, Australia. R.Hughes@mailbox.gu.edu.au
D001315:Australia; D004046:Dietetics / Q000592:standards; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D011361:Professional Competence; D011634:Public Health; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000592:standards*; D013192:Staff Development; D000078329:Workforce