Kansas Department of Health and Environment, 1000 SW Jackson St, Topeka, KS 66612, USA.
Johnson County Department of Health and Environment, 11875 S Sunset Dr., Olathe, KS 66061, USA.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Nov 2;19(21):14321. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192114321.
Public health officials played a critical role in COVID-19 mitigation and response efforts. In Kansas, 51 local health department (LHD) administrators and/or local health officers left their positions due to the pandemic between 15 March 2020 and 31 August 2021. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that led to turnover of Kansas local public health officials during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those eligible to participate in this study included former LHD administrators and/or health officers who were employed at or contracted by a Kansas LHD on 15 March 2020 and resigned, retired, or were asked to resign prior to 31 August 2021. Researchers used a demographic survey, a focus group, and key informant interviews to collect data. Twelve former LHD leaders participated in this study. Four themes emerged from phenomenological analysis: politicization of public health; a perceived lack of support; stress and burnout; and the public health infrastructure not working. The findings of this study can guide the Kansas public health system to address the issues leading to turnover of leadership and prevent future turnover. Future research must explore strategies for mitigating leadership turnover and identify alternative public health structures that could be more effective.
公共卫生官员在 COVID-19 缓解和应对工作中发挥了关键作用。在堪萨斯州，自 2020 年 3 月 15 日至 2021 年 8 月 31 日期间，有 51 名地方卫生部门（LHD）行政管理人员和/或地方卫生官员因疫情离职。本研究的目的是确定导致堪萨斯州地方公共卫生官员在 COVID-19 大流行期间离职的因素。有资格参加这项研究的人包括曾在 2020 年 3 月 15 日在堪萨斯州 LHD 工作或受雇的前 LHD 行政管理人员和/或卫生官员，并在 2021 年 8 月 31 日前辞职、退休或被要求辞职。研究人员使用人口统计调查、焦点小组和关键知情人访谈来收集数据。有 12 名前 LHD 领导人参加了这项研究。从现象学分析中出现了四个主题：公共卫生的政治化；缺乏支持的感知；压力和倦怠；以及公共卫生基础设施无法正常运转。这项研究的结果可以指导堪萨斯州公共卫生系统解决导致领导层离职的问题，并防止未来的离职。未来的研究必须探索减轻领导层离职的策略，并确定可能更有效的替代公共卫生结构。
