New Hampshire ranked as the seventh healthiest state in the country in 2014 according to the United Health Foundation. Some of the reasons for this include a low rate of infant mortality, a low incidence of infectious disease, and a high rate of immunization among teens. In addition, the residents of New Hampshire had the eighth highest rate of recommended physical activity in the country in 2013, according to the Trust for America’s Health.
State public health funding in New Hampshire totaled more than $21.5 million in fiscal year 2013-14. This level of funding enables the state to retain a large number of public health officials, and increases the availability of funds allocated for salaries.
The Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is formally building on New Hampshire’s health strengths with its State Health Improvement Plan for 2013 through 2020. The DPHS and the Public Health Improvement Services Council (PHISC) are monitoring the implementation of this ambitious plan.
Examples of successful DPHS efforts include collaborations with healthcare providers in New Hampshire to address 14 cases of fungal meningitis associated with injections of contaminated glucocorticoid steroids. The response to this national outbreak was unprecedented in its scope and complexity. Epidemiologists with the DPHS also monitor the 60 to 70 annual reports of gastroenteritis in institutions, since most of these outbreaks are caused by the highly infectious Norovirus.
In another example, scientists with the Environmental Public Health Tracking Program have been formally working with the CDC for two years to assess exposure to environmental contaminants such as arsenic in drinking water and mercury in recreational fish that are eaten.
Public health officials with the PHSIC are already working with state level groups on such issues as obesity, substance abuse, and public health emergency preparedness at the regional level. The combined efforts of a variety of stakeholders in New Hampshire such as state and local public health officials, healthcare providers, non-governmental organizations, and academic researchers are making a difference in the health and subsequent qualify of life of the residents of this state.
A Comparison of the Salaries Among Public Health Professionals in Manchester
The New Hampshire Economic and Labor Market Information Bureau provides the salaries of a number of public health professionals who were employed in the Manchester area in 2014. Such professionals with advanced degrees such as a Master of Public Health are likely to be experienced in their fields and earn on the high end of the salary scales provided.
The salaries of epidemiologists who worked for the state of New Hampshire in 2013 are publicly available:
- Epidemiologist/Evaluator with the Asthma Control Program: $61,202
- Environmental Public Health Tracking Program Epidemiologist: $60,902
- Surveillance Manager/Epidemiologist: $58,268
An Analysis of Salaries Among Public Health Professionals in New Hampshire
For comparison, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a more extensive analysis of the salaries among public health professionals who worked in New Hampshire in 2014.
