[Support for public health center directors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A questionnaire survey]

Objectives　In Japan, public health centers (PHCs) have been crucial in managing health crises during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to provide insight into future crisis management measures by identifying the support that PHC directors received and found useful while performing their duties during the pandemic.Methods　A questionnaire survey targeting PHC directors from 468 PHCs nationwide was conducted between September and October 2022. The survey items included the support received by directors in performing their roles and duties during the pandemic, type of support (medical duties, medical coordination, coordination work, and management duties), and support they found useful. Descriptive statistics were performed.Results　Valid responses were obtained from 189 PHC directors (40.4%), most of which were doctors. The highest proportion of support the directors received was from public health nurses/clerical staff at PHCs and head offices (73.0%), followed by from infectious disease specialists and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams. This support from public health nurses/clerical staff had the highest proportion of which the directors found useful (60.9%). Regarding communication, 48.1% of the directors found it useful to obtain an understanding from the administration heads, whereas < 40% found it useful to exchange information with other PHC directors or head offices. The type of support differed depending on whether the directors received it or with whom they exchanged information.Conclusions　During the COVID-19 pandemic, PHC directors mainly received human support from various occupations led by public health nurses/clerical staff and found the support useful. The type of support differed depending on who they received support from. The directors found it useful to obtain an understanding from the administration heads and were less likely to exchange information with other PHC directors or head offices. Two-way communication may not have been established in this case. Human support, appropriate placement, and two-way communication are important for the management of future health crises.