What Areas of Public Health Have the Highest Demand?

public healthIf you are interested in pursuing a public health career, you are no doubt wondering about the demand for public health professionals. Ensuring public health is a complex undertaking across the world. There are many important jobs both domestically and internationally that require well-trained public health professionals to carry out their goals. Just how strong is the demand, and in what jobs or areas is the demand strongest?

Types of Public Health Jobs

Public health is concerned with the overall health of a community or society. Those who work to help maintain good public health may find themselves involved in many different kinds of tasks, including health education, public safety and assisting people in gaining access to medical care or other basic things they need, such as nutritious food or clean water. Public health jobs are quite varied and those who work in this field may be trained as health educators or managers, social workers, researchers, epidemiologists, nurses, doctors, statisticians or legal advocates.

Disease Prevention and Clean Air and Water

Although there are a wide variety of public health jobs, certain public health areas are more in demand than others today. One such area is disease prevention, especially regarding diseases like HIV-AIDS that have reached epidemic proportions in some regions and that have had a long and lasting impact on many communities. The recent outbreak of Ebola has been another instance where the importance of public health professionals is clear. Wherever there is pandemic disease or even public concern over the possible spread of disease, public health officials and epidemiologists play key roles in helping to investigate the disease and finding ways to help prevent or control it.

Pollution and water scarcity are other issues experienced by many communities around the world, so there is a growing need for health workers who can address the vital needs of people for clean air and clean water sources.

Health Education

There is also a demand for public health professionals who can educate people about health issues in the workplace and in other communal settings like schools. There has been an increased awareness of the need for health education in companies, especially as many corporations have had to cut back on their insurance related expenses. Some larger companies have hired health managers or consultants to assist their staff with health issues, focusing on preventative care and healthier lifestyles to help ensure a healthier workforce.

Other prominent health issues today, like childhood obesity, have increased the need for public health educators and managers who can promote healthier lifestyle choices. Public health professionals are relied upon to work in schools, communities, hospitals and other areas to promote greater physical activity and healthier food choices for children and their families.

The job outlook for public health workers is strong. There is a great need for well-trained and dedicated public health workers, both nationally and internationally. Epidemic diseases, pollution, lack of clean water, poverty and the need for health education in companies and schools are all issues that highlight the growing and important demand for public health professionals.

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