Workforce Stability as a Cornerstone of Public Health Sustainability: A Latent Profile Analysis of Turnover Intention among CDC Staff in China

Background/Objectives : Sustainable public health systems rely on a stable and motivated workforce. However, the mental status and turnover intention of CDC staff, who play a foundational role in national health security, remain underexplored. This study examines turnover intention profiles among CDC staff in China and identifies factors affecting public health workforce sustainability. Methods : We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 1,057 staff members from 14 CDCs in a major city in Shandong Province, China. Self-administered questionnaires measured turnover intention (using a validated 4-item scale), job satisfaction, social support, and demographic variables. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify distinct turnover intention profiles, followed by multinomial logistic regression to examine associated factors. Results : Four turnover intention profiles were identified: Low Turnover Intention (29.4%), High Dissatisfaction but Low Turnover Intention (22.7%), High Boredom but Low Turnover Intention (39.0%), and High Resignation Intention (8.9%). Staff with low job satisfaction and low social support were significantly more likely to fall into high-risk profiles. Other associated factors included administrative position, employment type, age, self-rated health, and overtime. These findings highlight the risks to public health workforce sustainability posed by organizational strain and insufficient institutional incentives. Conclusions : This study highlights the critical need to address job satisfaction, social support, and workload among CDC staff to reduce turnover intention. Strengthening workforce retention is essential for ensuring the continuity of public health programs, particularly those affecting non-communicable disease control, elderly health and infectious disease prevention.