If you are passionate about the field of public health and have given consideration to pursuing a career in this industry, you may have at some point asked yourself a pertinent question: "What is a Public Health Advisor?" In reading the data found below, you can obtain an answer to this question and several others that pertain to this career path.

The Public Health Advisor – A Brief Overview

Although broadly defined, the Public Health Advisor is an individual who offers assistance and advice pertaining to matters that involve improving public health activities. Public Health Advisors can assist a wide range of facilities and organizations, including public, nonprofit, and private agencies. Public Health Advisors can also work with local and/or state governments. Typically, they will represent one or several federal public health programs in their work with the non-federal health community. While they do often work with individuals within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), they will also work with people outside of this sector on matters pertaining to leadership and technical advice, assistance and information on financial support, and offering motivation and guidance.

Roles and Responsibilities

While the tasks performed by the Public Health Advisor will differ based on a variety of factors, some of the roles and responsibilities they are typically expected to fulfill include:

  • Operating as a link between the non-federal and federal public health communities to ensure that federal programs involving the channeling of funds, technical assistance, and program motivation run smoothly
  • Matching public health resources with local and state needs
  • Transforming federal health care objectives into realities
  • Catalyzing the efforts exerted by co-workers and the general public such that they are geared towards the improvement of quality of life and general well-being of others

The Public Health Advisor – Programming

Public Health Advisors often play a role in devising and/or implementing programs designed to facilitate the general health and well-being of the public. Below you will find a basic description of the types of programs they might implement:

  • Programs that are directly related to preventing, controlling, and eradicating vector-borne and communicable diseases as well as other preventable conditions like health hazards that can adversely affect the environment. Some of the prevention programs can pertain to tuberculosis and sexually transmitted disease control, immunization to prevent the spread of contagious diseases, urban rodent control, and prevention of lead-base paint poisoning.
  • Programs designed to meet public health needs through education and service such as migrant health, community health centers, maternal and child health, family planning, and fostering the supply of professional care in areas that are underserved.
  • Programs that facilitate the development of health care systems, such as those that pertain to the development of personnel resources within the technical support occupations, emergency medical systems, and health maintenance organizations.
  • Programs that pertain to drug and alcohol abuse and mental health treatment. These programs are generally grouped together because of their interrelated nature.
  • Programs pertaining to facility development (construction and modernization), health data systems, health planning and other types of special purpose programs

Public Health Advisor – Salary

Indeed reports that a public health advisor can expect to earn about $55,000 per year.

Related Resource: Health Information Manager

Conclusion

If you have given any consideration to working within the public health sector, you should know that opting to become a Public Health Advisor might be appropriate and advantageous for you. Now that you have a basic understanding of what a Public Health Advisor is and does, you can determine whether this vocational path would be the right one for you to pursue.