Publications

Recent Publications

Understanding Available Data Sources to Estimate the Size and Distribution of Community Health Workers in the United States
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Community health workers are an important workforce for health care systems to achieve health equity and reduce health disparities in vulnerable communities. However, because CHWs are a non-licensed workforce who work across system settings with various job titles, it is difficult to estimate and characterize this workforce. 
This article discusses the estimated size and state distribution of the community health workforce in the US by comparing 3 national data sources and explores the influence of state reimbursement and certification on the number of community health workers per 100,000 people in each state. 
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Utilizing Federal Data Sources to Support Nursing Workforce Analysis
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Many federal agencies collect data which can be used for health workforce analysis, however, identifying the most appropriate data sources to address a specific nursing workforce issue can be challenging. 
This article examines 18 federal data sources relevant to nursing workforce analysis. Researchers provide descriptions of each data source, evaluate their suitability for nursing workforce studies, share examples of previous studies utilizing these datasets, and identify their limitations. 
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Special Collection of Papers Focused on The Health Workforce ​

CHWS and the Health Workforce Research Centers (HWRCs) recently collaborated with Health Affairs Scholar to release a special collection of papers focused on the health workforce. This collection explores key issues affecting the health workforce today, including workforce shortages, the effects of health professions regulation, and the physical and mental well-being of health care workers.
Collection

New Study Highlights Challenges in Iowa's Medicaid Dental Access 
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Dr. Reynolds and colleagues recently published research evaluating the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan based on a 2023 survey of Iowa private practice dentists.
This study provides key insights into challenges and opportunities within the state’s dental care system, highlighting areas for improvement in Medicaid dental access.  
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Health Professional Retention in Underserved Areas: Findings from the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program Participants in the United States ​

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) provides loan repayment for a two or three-year service commitment from clinicians to work in underserved areas. We observed that technical assistance and job resources were more influential on clinicians’ intentions, compared to individual- or community-level characteristics. Organizations with efficient and supportive work environments may help retain clinicians in underserved areas.
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Topic Areas

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Community Health
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Dental/Oral Health
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Direct Care
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General Rural Health
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Maternal Health
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Mental & Behavioral Health
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Primary Care
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Public Health

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Findings 
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Iowa BRFSS survey data is used to design, implement, and support public health activities with the goal of reducing chronic diseases and other leading causes of death for Iowans. The survey is conducted every year, which allows for health trends to be compared over time. This data is also used to monitor the progress made towards the state’s Healthy Iowans: State Health Improvement Plan and the national Healthy People 2030 Objectives.
Brief

Rural Workforce Recruitment and Retention Factors
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The United States continues to grapple with a severe and worsening shortage of health care professionals, particularly in rural areas. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reported that as of September 2023, approximately one-third of the nation's population lived in a primary care health professional shortage area (HPSA), 77 million lived in a dental health HPSA, and almost half lived in a mental health HPSA. Workforce shortages in rural areas strain local economies, with primary care physicians contributing significantly to economic stability.
Brief

Medicaid Billing for Community Health Worker Services Growing, but Remains Low, 2016-2020
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Community Health Workers (CHWs) are increasingly recognized as essential healthcare providers in the United States. Valued for their deep understanding of the communities they serve, CHWs play a crucial role in building high-impact partnerships with low-income, underserved, and racial and ethnic minority populations. This article examines the trends in community health worker billing for Medicaid services across states from 2016 to 2020. 
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The Availability of Midwifery Care in Rural United States Communities

Access to pregnancy-related and childbirth-related health care for rural residents is limited by health workforce shortages in the United States. Although midwives are key pregnancy and childbirth care providers, the current landscape of the rural midwifery workforce is not well understood. The goal of this analysis was to describe the availability of local midwifery care in rural US communities.
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Developing Employee Career Paths and Ladders​

This article examines how public health leaders define and utilize career ladders, the facilitators and barriers to their use, as well as strategies to strengthen the use of career ladders in governmental public health.
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Expanding options to recruit, grow, and retain the public health workforce

This study emphasizes the importance of transparent development, engaging front-line staff, offering advancement pathways, and providing insights to enhance workforce recruitment and retention.
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Changing Medicare Payment to Strengthen Primary Care

CMS has taken steps to recognize the importance of primary care and the time and effort required for care teams to develop long-lasting, trusting relationships with patients.
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Growing the Rural Physician Workforce: Decades of Federal Funding Impacts Rural Graduate Medical Education

In October 2023, the Bureau of Healthcare Workforce (BHW) released its physician workforce projections, noting that by 2036, metro areas will see a 6% shortage of physicians. In contrast, rural America is anticipating a 56% shortage. 
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The Maternal and Child Health Workforce: A Snapshot of Current and Future Needs from Public Health WINS 2021

This publication summarizes and examines data collected from the first-ever Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey Maternal and Child Health (MCH) module.
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Mental Health America Launches Hub to Help Rural Residents

The tables provide comprehensive statistics on substance use, mental health, and treatment in the United States.
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