Overextended Messengers: Insights Into the Government Public Health Communications Workforce From the 2024 PH WINS

Amid escalating public health challenges, the communications workforce plays a vital but under-resourced role in government public health. Using 2024 Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey data, we provide the first national profile of this workforce (N = 48 518). The majority identify as female (83%), white (65%), and are relatively new to the workforce, with 73% having held their position for 5 years or less. While nearly half (49%) report spending some time working in Communications/Public Information and 73% in Health Education, only 11% and 8%, respectively, identify these as program areas where they perform the majority of their job duties. This misalignment underscores a gap between the communications workforce's responsibilities and official roles. The findings highlight the need for public health agencies to invest in dedicated communications roles, leverage the diverse experiences of their employees, and elevate the importance of communications as a core public health service.