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Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 1/2021

Open Access 01-12-2021 | Environmental Medicine | Research article

What competencies do environmental health graduates need to manage social determinants of health?

Authors: Athar Omid, Fateme Sepyani, Nikoo Yamani, Hamidreza Pourzamani, Pejman Aghdak

Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine | Issue 1/2021

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Abstract

Background

Graduates of environmental health engineering should be able to manage Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and acquire the essential competencies during their studies at university. This study was performed to determine the expected competencies of environmental health graduates in a way to be able to manage environmental and Social Determinants of Health according to their job description.

Methods

This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed using Delphi technique. First, the literature review was done and the Delphi technique was performed in three rounds. The purposeful sampling was used and 50 people were selected among the specialists in the field of environmental health engineering and SDH. Participants answered an open-ended question, for the first round. Then, a questionnaire with 8 areas was designed based on the results of the first round and distributed for the second round. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics. The third round was done to reach the agreement on final items.

Results

The agreement on the items of the third round of Delphi was more than 70%. The final results showed eight competency areas under which 29 competencies were defined. Competency areas included expert knowledge, reasoning and planning, advocacy, system-based practice, professionalism, instructional expertise, social and personal skills and, research and self-development. The first three priorities of the required competency areas were expert knowledge (4.46 ± 0.55), professionalism (4.42 ± 0.64), and advocacy (4.32 ± 0.77).

Conclusions

It is necessary that environmental health engineers achieve necessary competencies regarding managing SDH, upon their graduation. It is suggested to integrate these competencies into the curriculum of environmental and health engineering in Iran universities.
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Metadata
Title
What competencies do environmental health graduates need to manage social determinants of health?
Authors
Athar Omid
Fateme Sepyani
Nikoo Yamani
Hamidreza Pourzamani
Pejman Aghdak
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine / Issue 1/2021
Print ISSN: 1342-078X
Electronic ISSN: 1347-4715
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-021-01036-x

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