The Importance of Building a Racially Diverse Public Health Workforce

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines public health as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals." Within public health, the concept of health considers physical, psychological and social well-being.

Public health recognizes that a person's ZIP code is a better predictor of their health than their genetic code. To effectively address health disparities and promote health equity, our public health workforce should represent the communities it serves.

For example, Black zip codes have higher poverty rates, unemployment, poor housing, toxic environmental exposure and less access to quality medical care, all contributing to poor overall health. Importantly, these outcomes are not rooted in "personal responsibility" but a result of historical, federally sanctioned discrimination in housing, finance, education, and many other aspects of daily life.

Jasmine Leonard, M.P.H., Health Equity Enterprise Manager at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, discusses why a diverse public health workforce is essential to a public health approach that proactively addresses the political and social determinants of health in The Need for a Racially Diverse Public Health Workforce in the AFRO American Newspapers. Jasmine also shares what she believes is needed to create and sustain an active Black public health workforce.