title: Examining state health agency epidemiologists and their training needs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite increases in formal education, changing trends affecting epidemiologic practice prompted concerns over whether epidemiologists had sufficient training.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study sought to explain factors that predicted low self-reported proficiency levels among daily important work tasks of state health agencies' epidemiologists. The number of knowledge gaps, instances where epidemiologists identified a work-related task both as 'very' important in their daily work and felt they were "unable to perform" or performed at a "beginner" level, was studied, and predictor variables were assessed. A total of 681 epidemiologists responded to the 2014 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey, a national survey of state health agency workers; epidemiologists represented 7% of all respondents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Epidemiologists at state health agencies worked mostly in communicable disease (31%) or general surveillance (26%). Epidemiologists reported eight key daily work-related activities with an average of three training gaps. Factors that decreased the likelihood of epidemiologists' low proficiency in performing key activities were the presence of internal trainings (adjusted odds ratio = 0.69, 95% confidence interval, 0.49-0.99) and length of time working in public health (adjusted odds ratio = 0.95, 95% confidence interval, 0.93-0.98).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although formal education of epidemiologists is on the rise, state health agencies' epidemiologists feel unprepared to tackle one-third of their important daily tasks.
authors.affiliation: de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Electronic address: chapple@deBeaumont.org.
authors.forename: Theresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chapple-McGruder
authors.affiliation: de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Jonathon P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leider
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management and Policy, Center of Excellence in Public Health Workforce Studies, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: Angela J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.affiliation: de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Castrucci
authors.affiliation: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.affiliation: Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sellers
authors.affiliation: Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Arrazola
authors.affiliation: Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Engel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000072158:Epidemiologists / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004813:Epidemiology / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011634:Public Health / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Education; Epidemiology; Training; Workforce