What Factors Influence the Interest in Working in the Public Health Service in Germany? Part I of the OeGD-Studisurvey

Laura Arnold (), Lisa Kellermann, Florian Fischer, Sophie Gepp, Franziska Hommes, Laura Jung, Amir Mohsenpour, Dagmar Starke and Jan M. Stratil
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Laura Arnold: Academy of Public Health Services, 40472 Duesseldorf, Germany
Lisa Kellermann: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Florian Fischer: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Sophie Gepp: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Franziska Hommes: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Laura Jung: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Amir Mohsenpour: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany
Dagmar Starke: Academy of Public Health Services, 40472 Duesseldorf, Germany
Jan M. Stratil: German Network of Young Professionals in Public Health, 80539 Munich, Germany

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 18, 1-32

Abstract: As in many European countries, the Public Health Service (PHS) in Germany has had considerable difficulties in attracting well-qualified personnel for decades. Despite ongoing political and societal debate, limited empirical research on possible causes and explanations is available. To identify areas of action, we explored reasons for the (lack of) interest in working in the PHS by conducting two cross-sectional surveys among 3019 medical students (MS), public health students, and students from other PHS-relevant fields (PH&ONM) in Germany right before (wave 1, 2019/2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (wave 2, 2021). While interest in working in the PHS among MS was low, it was considerably higher among PH&ONM. The prevalent underestimation of the importance of public health and low levels of knowledge about the PHS were identified as potential barriers. Although core activities of the PHS were often considered attractive, they were repeatedly not attributed to the PHS. A negative perception of the PHS (e.g., it being too bureaucratic) was prevalent among students with and without PHS interest, indicating that both a negative image and potentially structural deficits need to be overcome to increase attractiveness. Based on the findings, we propose approaches on how to sustainably attract and retain qualified personnel.

Keywords: public health workforce; public health services; health services administration; Germany; capacity building; job satisfaction; workforce research; workforce development; survey research methods; OeGD-Studisurvey (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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