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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Education and Promotion
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1505869
This article is part of the Research Topic Catalyzing Public Health Leadership Research, Practice, Education, and Training View all articles
Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Data Science and Leadership Knowledge and Skills in the Context of the Public Health Workforce
Provisionally accepted
Diana Hamer 1
Madelyn Gustafson 1*
Christine Ortiz Gumina 1 Danielle C. Landis 2 Patricia Bockelman 2 Elaina Perry 2
Sarah Matthews 2- 1 National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, United States
- 2 Health Communications Consultants, Inc, Winter Garden, Florida, United States
This study addresses critical gaps in public health workforce development, focusing on data science and leadership skills amidst increasing data accessibility and complexity in public health practice. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed, including listening sessions with diverse public health professionals. Recruitment and post-session surveys were conducted, and session transcripts were analyzed using phenomenological and categorical coding methods based on the PPP Framework. Results: The research identified three core concepts in public health data science and leadership: data science, data literacy, and data-informed leadership. Clear definitions for each concept were developed. Significant gaps in workforce capacity, accessibility, and training were highlighted, particularly in aligning academic curricula with realworld public health needs. Analysis: The study revealed a disconnect between current public health programs and workforce preparedness, performance, and practice. Participants emphasized the need for comprehensive leadership development programs and integration of data science and leadership components into existing curricula. Discussion: This work provides a foundation for strengthening the public health workforce by identifying key concepts and gaps in data science and leadership. The findings have implications for policy development, resource allocation, and building a competent workforce capable of leveraging data for improved public health outcomes. This research contributes to advancing the field of public health by communicating scientific knowledge crucial for future breakthroughs in workforce development.
Keywords: Public Health Data Science1, Health Leadership2, workforce development3, Public Health4, Public Health Education5. (Min.5-Max. 8)
Received: 03 Oct 2024; Accepted: 28 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Hamer, Gustafson, Ortiz Gumina, Landis, Bockelman, Perry and Matthews. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Madelyn Gustafson, National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, United States
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.