Abstract
Objectives
To map out the Public Health Workforce (PHW) involved in successful public health interventions.
Methods
We did a pilot assessment of human resources involved in successful interventions addressing public health challenges in the countries of South-Eastern Europe (SEE). High-level representatives of eight countries reported about success stories through the coaching by experts. During synthesizing qualitative data, experts applied triangulation by contacting additional sources of evidence and used the framework method in data analysis.
Results
SEE countries tailored public health priorities towards social determinants, health equalities, and prevention of non-communicable diseases. A variety of organizations participated in achieving public health success. The same applies to the wide array of professions involved in the delivery of Essential Public Health Operations (EPHOs). Key enablers of the successful work of PHW were staff capacities, competences, interdisciplinary networking, productivity, and funding.
Conclusions
Despite diversity across countries, successful public health interventions have similar ingredients. Although PHW is aligned with the specific public health success, a productive interface between health and other sectors is crucial for rolling-out successful interventions.
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Source: WHO/Europe (2016). European health for all database (HFA-DB). http://data.euro.who.int/nha/database. Accessed 05 Nov 2017
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank to all countries’ representatives from the South-Eastern Europe Health Network who have provided stories of public health success: E. Petrela and L. Backa (Albania), T. Kostadinova, H. Hinkov, A. Dokova, Em. Mutafova (Bulgaria), Davor Pehar, M. Bera, Z. Vucina, A. Ramic-Catak and I. Jokic (BiH, Federation of BiH), J. Dakovic-Devic and Dijana Strkic (BiH, Republic of Srpska), M. Troselj (Croatia), F. Tozija (FYR Macedonia), O. Lozan (Moldova), M. Palibrk (Montenegro), N. Jokic and M. Ljubicic (Republic of Serbia). Also, we thank to all colleagues from the Belgrade School of Public Health and Management who participated in the process of coaching: M. Babic, D. Vukovic, B. Matejic, Z. Terzic-Supic, A. Jovic-Vranes and J. Jankovic. The individual country success stories are available upon request.
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World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe has contracted the Centre School of Public Health and Management, at Belgrade University (WHO Registration: 2016/660305-0), to support participants of the WHO workshop “Human Resources for Public Health Services in the SEEHN” held in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Banja Luka, on 25–26 October 2016, in their preparation of country specific materials for the workshop.
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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.
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Bjegovic-Mikanovic, V., Santric-Milicevic, M., Cichowska, A. et al. Sustaining success: aligning the public health workforce in South-Eastern Europe with strategic public health priorities. Int J Public Health 63, 651–662 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1105-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1105-7