Public Health Workforce Enumeration

In Brief The most common source of information on workforce in the United States is the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a branch of the Department of Labor. In 1998, 14 public health workforce titles were added to the BLS Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system. While this was a constructive step, it is not a “quick fix,” because these additional titles do not solve the longstanding problems inherent in capturing accurate PH workforce data. As is true for all currently available sources, BLS statistics capture a limited segment of public health's broadly defined and multidisciplinary workforce. A standard system of data collection is needed to guide planning to sustain the present and future workforce. Revision of the 1998 SOC in preparation for the 2010 Census is now underway. This presents an opportunity for the public health community to act on prior recommendations regarding workforce data and advocate for more inclusive enumeration of public health occupations that can inform policies and planning for the current and future workforce. This article discusses the need for a standard system of data collection to guide planning to sustain the present and future workforce, and explains how the presently undergoing revision of the 1998 SOC in preparation for the 2010 Census presents an opportunity for the public health community to act on prior recommendations regarding workforce data, advocating for more inclusive enumeration of public health occupations that can inform policies and planning for the current and future workforce.