title: Public health physicians and dentists in Poland: results from public health workforce pilot study
abstract: Monitoring public health workforce is one of the essential functions of the public health system.
  
  
  
  The aim of the study was to identify the specialities for physicians and dentists related to public health in the years 1951-2013, and analyse of available data on physicians and dentists certified as public health specialists (PHS) in 2003-2015.
  
  
  
  The historical analysis covers a relevant regulations of a minister in charge of health. The data on PHS were obtained from the Centre of Medical Exams and included: the number of specialists and their demographic characteristics, professional background, spatial distribution. Density was also calculated.
  
  
  
  The public health specialty was introduced in 1999. Before there were specialties in disciplines related to public health. In the years of 2003-2015, 360 physicians and dentists were certified as PHS. The majority of them had former background in another discipline, mostly related to clinical medicine. The average age of specialists was 47.2. Currently, the average age of specialists is ca. 57.6 years, with a prevalence of people aged 61-70 years (36.9%). PHS tend to be older than specialists in other disciplines. Over three fourths of PHS were certified in 2004. With the exception of that year, the public health specialist title was annually obtained by an average of 9 persons. The density of PHS in Poland was 0.94 per 100 thousand inhabitants, ranging between 0.16 and 3.12 in a given voivodeship.
  
  
  
  The analysis has revealed numerous obstacles in estimation of the number of PHS and indicated a lack of relevant mechanisms aimed at workforce development. A relevant policy for developing public health workforce is urgently needed.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion and Postgraduate Education, Warsaw, Poland
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cianciara
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion and Postgraduate Education, Warsaw, Poland
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lewtak
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion and Postgraduate Education, Warsaw, Poland
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piotrowicz
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion and Postgraduate Education, Warsaw, Poland
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gajewska
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene, Department of Health Promotion and Postgraduate Education, Warsaw, Poland
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.affiliation: Medical University of Silesia, Department of Health Policy, Department of Public Health in Bytom, Poland
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brukało
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011044:Poland; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*