Illuminating the MPH health educator workforce: results and implications of an employer survey

The public health workforce has been studied, but not health educators specifically. The development of a Master of Public Health (MPH) in community health education inspired research to illuminate the San Francisco MPH health educator labor market. A time-series survey of an employer panel was conducted between 1995 and 1999 regarding the number of MPH health educators on staff, hiring projections, and importance of selected competencies. In the San Francisco Bay Area, there were 4 MPH health educators per 100,000 persons in 1999. The majority worked in local health departments and community-based organizations. Although hiring was largely replacement in the late 1990s, employers anticipated an increase in hiring from 2000 to 2004. Employers reported that educational preparation was adequate, although preparation in specific competencies, such as bilingual competence, was lacking. These results suggest a favorable labor market for MPH health educators in the San Francisco Bay Area.