"Growing Our Own": Enhancing the Rural Public Health Workforce's Capacity to Put Equity Into Action.

OBJECTIVES This assessment examined the health equity training needs of public health staff serving rural areas of US Health and Human Services Region 10, focusing on the challenges they face in implementing equity initiatives and the resources needed to advance health equity in their communities.

DESIGN A training needs assessment using interviews with public health staff serving rural areas.

SETTING US Health and Human Services Region 10, consisting of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

PARTICIPANTS Fifteen public health staff working with rural communities, recruited through convenience sampling, representing state, local, and academic organizations.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Current health equity activities led by public health staff serving rural areas in Region 10, the challenges encountered in implementing health equity initiatives, and the resources required to strengthen capacity and sustain these efforts.

RESULTS The public health staff interviewed describe themselves as regularly involved in and committed to health equity work in their communities. Opportunities were identified regarding desired support for enhanced health equity training, improved data access and literacy, capacity-building for staff by supporting local expertise and technical assistance, and strategies aimed at developing a shared language related to health equity.

CONCLUSIONS Rural populations are diverse and experience many challenges when it comes to inequitable health outcomes. Furthermore, public health staff serving rural areas appear to face unique challenges in doing equity-related work. Training interventions need to be tailored to the needs of each place, and ideally led by people within or deeply familiar with the communities they serve.