Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Public Health Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

2014

Discipline
Institution
Keyword
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 391 - 420 of 1615

Full-Text Articles in Public Health

Pattern Of Household Drug Storage, Retno Gitawati Aug 2014

Pattern Of Household Drug Storage, Retno Gitawati

Kesmas

Household storage of pharmaceutical is world-widely practice, including in Indonesia. The purpose of this study was to obtain the pattern of medicine storage, the sources and reasons of medicine kept in households. Acrosssectional survey was conducted on October 2011, involving 250 adult household respondents, randomly selected from three subdistricts in North Jakarta, and have approved the written consents, and interviewed with structured questionnaire. Data were performed in univariate and bivariate analysis with chi square test. The majority of household (82%) stored drugs at home; analgesic-antipyretic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory was the type of drugs kept by mostly (76.1%) of household. Out of …


Family Role Towards Smoking Behaviour Among Children In Jakarta, Wahyu Septiono, Dan Wolf Meyrowitsch Aug 2014

Family Role Towards Smoking Behaviour Among Children In Jakarta, Wahyu Septiono, Dan Wolf Meyrowitsch

Kesmas

In Indonesia, the prevalence of smoking among 5 – 9 years old children has increased from 0.4% in 2001 to 2% in 2007. Among present adults smokers (>20 years), 17% started to smoke before the age of 13 years. This study identified factors related to smoking behaviour among 8 – 12 years old children in Jakarta, Indonesia using a questionnaire based cross sectional survey to obtain smoking status and possible predictors towards smoking habit. The total sample size was 1,097 students among 3rd - 7th grade students from schools in Jakarta. Self-reported smoking status was defined as whether the …


Asupan Karbohidrat Sebagai Faktor Dominan Yang Berhubungan Dengan Kadar Gula Darah Puasa, Aprilya Roza Werdani, Triyanti Triyanti Aug 2014

Asupan Karbohidrat Sebagai Faktor Dominan Yang Berhubungan Dengan Kadar Gula Darah Puasa, Aprilya Roza Werdani, Triyanti Triyanti

Kesmas

Peningkatan kadar gula darah memicu peningkatan produksi hormon insulin yang erat hubungannya dengan diabetes melitus. Berdasarkan data Riskesdas, prevalensi diabetes melitus di Indonesia meningkat dari 1,1% (2007) menjadi 2,1% (2013). Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor dominan yang berhubungan dengan kadar gula darah puasa pegawai pemberdayaan masyarakat & keluarga dan pegawai sekretariat daerah Kota Depok. Desain penelitian yang digunakan adalah potong lintang dan melibatkan 105 sampel. Variabel independen penelitian meliputi karakteristik individu, asupan zat gizi, hipertensi, aktivitas fisik, status gizi dan pengetahuan gizi. Analisis data yang dilakukan adalah analisis univariat, analisis bivariat menggunakan uji korelasi dan uji beda dua mean, …


Asupan Vitamin D Rendah Dan Keparahan Demam Berdarah Dengue Pada Anak Usia 1-14 Tahun, Nur Siyam, Siswanto Agus Wilopo, Mohammad Hakimi Aug 2014

Asupan Vitamin D Rendah Dan Keparahan Demam Berdarah Dengue Pada Anak Usia 1-14 Tahun, Nur Siyam, Siswanto Agus Wilopo, Mohammad Hakimi

Kesmas

Demam berdarah dengue (DBD) menimbulkan syok dan kematian. Penderita DBD di Yogyakarta sebagian besar usia 1 - 12 tahun dengan DBD parah. Asupan vitamin D rendah diasumsikan penyebab DBD parah. Asumsi ini perlu dibuktikan dengan menganalisis pengaruh asupan Vitamin D dan keparahan DBD. Rancangan penelitian adalah studi kasus kontrol. Penelitian di bangsal rawat inap anak dan instalasi catatan medik RS Jogja dan RSUP Dr. Sardjito. Kasus adalah anak usia 1 - 14 tahun dengan DBD grade III & IV, kontrolnya DBD grade I & II. Data asupan vitamin D diambil dengan food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Variabel luar adalah indeks massa …


Fertilitas Remaja Di Indonesia, Mugia Bayu Raharja Aug 2014

Fertilitas Remaja Di Indonesia, Mugia Bayu Raharja

Kesmas

Fertilitas remaja merupakan isu penting dari segi kesehatan dan sosial karena berhubungan dengan tingkat morbiditas serta mortalitas ibu dan anak. Tujuan penelitian adalah mempelajari faktor-faktor yang memengaruhi fertilitas remaja di Indonesia. Data yang digunakan adalah hasil Survei Demografi dan Kesehatan Indonesia tahun 2012 dengan unit analisis wanita usia subur yang termasuk dalam kategori usia remaja (15 - 19 tahun). Jumlah sampel sebanyak 6.927 responden. Analisis dilakukan dengan metode deskriptif dan inferensial menggunakan model regresi logistik biner. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa satu dari sepuluh remaja wanita tersebut pernah melahirkan dan atau sedang hamil saat survei dilakukan; sebesar 95,2% dari remaja yang …


Low Risk Of Attrition Among Adults On Antiretroviral Therapy In The Rwandan National Program: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis Of 6, 12, And 18 Month Outcomes, Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Aleksandra Jakubowski, Veronicah Mudisha, Paulin Basinga, Anita Asiimwe, Denis Nash, Batya Elul Aug 2014

Low Risk Of Attrition Among Adults On Antiretroviral Therapy In The Rwandan National Program: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis Of 6, 12, And 18 Month Outcomes, Harriet Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha, Aleksandra Jakubowski, Veronicah Mudisha, Paulin Basinga, Anita Asiimwe, Denis Nash, Batya Elul

Publications and Research

Background
We report levels and determinants of attrition in Rwanda, one of the few African countries with universal ART access.

Methods
We analyzed data abstracted from health facility records of a nationally representative sample of adults [≥18 years] who initiated ART 6, 12, and 18 months prior to data collection; and collected facility characteristics with a health facility assessment questionnaire. Weighted proportions and rates of attrition [loss to follow-up or death] were calculated, and patient- and health facility-level factors associated with attrition examined using Cox proportional hazard models.

Results
1678 adults initiated ART 6, 12 and 18 months prior to …


Madison County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Dr. Vijay Golla, Jacqueline Brown, Bryan Makinen, Carl Richards, Michael Bryant Aug 2014

Madison County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Dr. Vijay Golla, Jacqueline Brown, Bryan Makinen, Carl Richards, Michael Bryant

Public Health Faculty Publications

The results of a commodity flow analysis of hazardous materials for KY Highway 21 (KY-0021) and KY Highway 627 (KY-0627) conducted by Western Kentucky University, in partnership with the Madison County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC), are presented within this report. This report specifically focuses on the portions of these highways located in Madison County, Kentucky. Figure 1.1 shows the location of Madison County in relationship to the state of Kentucky. The purpose of this report is to present information regarding the patterns of hazardous materials transportation along KY-0021 and KY-0627 as observed from August 4, 2014 through August 15, …


Montgomery County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis 1, Dr. Vijay Golla, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Jacqueline Brown Aug 2014

Montgomery County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis 1, Dr. Vijay Golla, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Jacqueline Brown

Public Health Faculty Publications

The results of a Commodity Flow Analysis of Hazardous Materials for Interstate 64 (I-64) conducted by Western Kentucky University in partnership with the Montgomery County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) are presented within this report. This report specifically focuses on the portion of the I-64 corridor located in Montgomery County, Kentucky. Figure 1.1 shows the location of Montgomery County in relationship to the state of Kentucky. The purpose of this report is to present information regarding the patterns of hazardous materials transportation along I-64 as observed from July 14, 2014 through August 1, 2014. In addition, this report also summarizes …


Rowan County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis, Dr. Vijay Golla, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Jacqueline Brown Aug 2014

Rowan County, Kentucky Hazardous Materials Commodity Flow Analysis, Dr. Vijay Golla, Dr. Ritchie D. Taylor, Jacqueline Brown

Public Health Faculty Publications

The results of a Commodity Flow Analysis of Hazardous Materials for Interstate 64 (I-64) conducted by Western Kentucky University in partnership with the Rowan County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) are presented within this report. This report specifically focuses on the portion of the I-64 corridor located in Rowan County, Kentucky. Figure 1.1 shows the location of Rowan County in relationship to the state of Kentucky. The purpose of this report is to present information regarding the patterns of hazardous materials transportation observed along I-64 in Rowan County from June 16, 2014 through July 11, 2014. Finally, the report presents …


Global School-Based Childhood Obesity Interventions: A Review, Melinda J. Ickes, Jennifer Mcmullen, Taj Haider, Manoj Sharma Aug 2014

Global School-Based Childhood Obesity Interventions: A Review, Melinda J. Ickes, Jennifer Mcmullen, Taj Haider, Manoj Sharma

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

Background: The issue of childhood overweight and obesity has become a global public health crisis. School-based interventions have been developed and implemented to combat this growing concern. The purpose of this review is to compare and contrast U.S. and international school-based obesity prevention interventions and highlight efficacious strategies.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted utilizing five relevant databases. Inclusion criteria were: (1) primary research; (2) overweight or obesity prevention interventions; (3) school-based; (4) studies published between 1 January 2002 through 31 December 2013; (5) published in the English language; (6) child-based interventions, which could include parents; and …


A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Rethinking Aids Website, Jennifer Dettmann Aug 2014

A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Rethinking Aids Website, Jennifer Dettmann

Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato

A group of scientists known as the Group for Scientific Reappraisal of the HIV-AIDS hypothesis created a web site title, Rethinking AIDS. The group behind the web site argues that AIDS is not a sexually transmitted disease. They even question the existence of the virus entity. My analysis is driven by the critical question: Does the web site construct a reality that affectively alters our perception of HIV-AIDS? In order to answer this question, Goodnight and Poulakos 1981 article, Conspiracy rhetoric: from pragmatism to fantasy to public discourse (Western Journal of Speech), will be utilized.


Three-Year Change In The Wellbeing Of Orphaned And Separated Children In Institutional And Family-Based Care Settings In Five Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Kathryn Whetten, Jan Ostermann, Brian W. Pence, Rachel A. Whetten, Lynne C. Messer, Sumedha Ariely, Karen O'Donnell, Augustine I. Wasonga, Vanroth Vann, Dafrosa Itemba, Misganaw Eticha, Ira Madan, Nathan M. Thielman, The Positive Outcomes For Orphans (Pofo) Research Team Aug 2014

Three-Year Change In The Wellbeing Of Orphaned And Separated Children In Institutional And Family-Based Care Settings In Five Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Kathryn Whetten, Jan Ostermann, Brian W. Pence, Rachel A. Whetten, Lynne C. Messer, Sumedha Ariely, Karen O'Donnell, Augustine I. Wasonga, Vanroth Vann, Dafrosa Itemba, Misganaw Eticha, Ira Madan, Nathan M. Thielman, The Positive Outcomes For Orphans (Pofo) Research Team

Faculty Publications

Background With more than 2 million children living in group homes, or “institutions”, worldwide, the extent to which institution-based caregiving negatively affects development and wellbeing is a central question for international policymakers.

Methods A two-stage random sampling methodology identified community representative samples of 1,357 institution-dwelling orphaned and separated children (OSC) and 1,480 family-dwelling OSC aged 6–12 from 5 low and middle income countries. Data were collected from children and their primary caregivers. Survey-analytic techniques and linear mixed effects models describe child wellbeing collected at baseline and at 36 months, including physical and emotional health, growth, cognitive development and memory, and …


Three-Year Change In The Wellbeing Of Orphaned And Separated Children In Institutional And Family-Based Care Settings In Five Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Kathryn Whetten, Jan Ostermann, Brian W. Pence, Rachel A. Whetten, Lynne C. Messer, Sumedha Ariely, Karen O'Donnell, Augustine L. Wasonga, Vanroth Vann, Dafrosa Itemba, Misganaw Eticha, Ira Madan, Nathan M. Thielman, Positive Outcomes For Orphans (Pofo) Research Team Aug 2014

Three-Year Change In The Wellbeing Of Orphaned And Separated Children In Institutional And Family-Based Care Settings In Five Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Kathryn Whetten, Jan Ostermann, Brian W. Pence, Rachel A. Whetten, Lynne C. Messer, Sumedha Ariely, Karen O'Donnell, Augustine L. Wasonga, Vanroth Vann, Dafrosa Itemba, Misganaw Eticha, Ira Madan, Nathan M. Thielman, Positive Outcomes For Orphans (Pofo) Research Team

Community Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: With more than 2 million children living in group homes, or "institutions", worldwide, the extent to which institution-based caregiving negatively affects development and wellbeing is a central question for international policymakers.

Methods: A two-stage random sampling methodology identified community representative samples of 1,357 institutional dwelling orphaned and separated children (OSC) and 1,480 family-dwelling OSC aged 6–12 from 5 low and middle income countries. Data were collected from children and their primary caregivers. Survey-analytic techniques and linear mixed effects models describe child wellbeing collected at baseline and at 36 months, including physical and emotional health, growth, cognitive development and memory, …


Discovering Community Assets: Master Of Public Health Culminating Experience, Megan E. Sirna Aug 2014

Discovering Community Assets: Master Of Public Health Culminating Experience, Megan E. Sirna

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Sonoma County Department of Health Services, through Cradle to Career, promotes collective impact around educational attainment and workforce development, and has become a leader in developing a framework for community schools. The first step in developing a community schools model is to understand and inventory what is already going on in the community. This process, known more formally as asset mapping, is a participatory process focused on documenting the strengths and resources of a community. The collaborative nature of the process helps to promote community involvement and build community cohesion. In order to assist schools wanting to begin an …


Childhood Obesity Fieldwork Summary Report: The Food Education Project, Maria De Rosario Vasquez Aug 2014

Childhood Obesity Fieldwork Summary Report: The Food Education Project, Maria De Rosario Vasquez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Childhood Obesity and diabetes is on the rise and the health risk for developing various diseases is a major public health issue. This paper examines the public health issue on childhood obesity and diabetes. This paper explains the importance and magnitude of this problem by providing statistics, research efforts, educational efforts and the importance of preventing childhood obesity and diabetes. The paper will summarize, explain observations and provide insight on fieldwork completed through a project called The Food Education Project. The project focuses on addressing the major public health problem through educating children and adolescents on health, nutrition, food and …


At Risk For Ptsd: The Public Health Implications Of Trauma, Madeline Peyton Aug 2014

At Risk For Ptsd: The Public Health Implications Of Trauma, Madeline Peyton

Master's Projects and Capstones

The fieldwork experience is the summation of six semesters of graduate level public health training. At commencement, students are to be proficient in basic data analysis and epidemiological principles, in how environmental risks impact health, and demonstrate strong program planning, evaluation and leadership skills. Throughout, students are encouraged to focus their academic work on an area of public health that interest them and on a problem that they hope to impact in their professional work. I continued in an area I began as an undergraduate student of medical anthropology and explored the systems that interact to influence mental health of …


Nutrition Education And Community Advocacy At Marin Health And Human Services, Anna C. Allison Aug 2014

Nutrition Education And Community Advocacy At Marin Health And Human Services, Anna C. Allison

Master's Projects and Capstones

It would be a mistake to assume that all Marin neighborhoods look the same. The life expectancy in Ross is over 88 years. Less than 10 miles away in Hamilton Novato, the life expectancy is 75 years. That is a 13 year difference in life expectancy, roughly equivalent to the difference between living in the United States and Guyana. Marin is a small county, but it holds a great deal of variation. An effective health intervention in one neighborhood will not work in another, more importantly, there may not be the same health issue from one neighborhood to the next. …


Closing The Gap: Achieving Equitable Healthcare Outcomes For Kaiser Permanente Members, Trang T. Phan Aug 2014

Closing The Gap: Achieving Equitable Healthcare Outcomes For Kaiser Permanente Members, Trang T. Phan

Master's Projects and Capstones

The University of San Francisco provides a comprehensive Master of Public Health curriculum to deliver a wide breadth of public health knowledge. The MPH program not only equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful, it also allowed me to find my passion. The well-established coursework and knowledgeable professors have instilled within me a passion to achieve health equity for everyone, regardless of their social, economic, or environmental disadvantages. I incorporated this mission into my practicum experience and completed over 400 hours at Kaiser Permanente to focus on eliminating health disparities for the patients, families, and communities …


Reducing Obesity And Obesity-Related Diseases In Richmond, California: Understanding The Importance Of Partnerships In Community-Based Health Education, Arlette Hernandez Aug 2014

Reducing Obesity And Obesity-Related Diseases In Richmond, California: Understanding The Importance Of Partnerships In Community-Based Health Education, Arlette Hernandez

Master's Projects and Capstones

In the United States obesity has become a major public health issue. Over the past two decades, the prevalence of obesity has doubled in adults and children. In the city of Richmond, California, adults and children are experiencing the highest rates of obesity and obesity-related diseases in comparison to other residents of West Contra Costa County. In an effort to reduce the rates of obesity in Richmond, two non-profit organizations have partnered up to provide innovative community-based health education to combat obesity and type II diabetes.

This paper will explore and summarize the 300-hour fieldwork the author experienced and completed …


County Of San Mateo Adolescent Report 2014-2015 Youth And Adults Working Together For A Healthy Future, Vanessa D. Bolton Aug 2014

County Of San Mateo Adolescent Report 2014-2015 Youth And Adults Working Together For A Healthy Future, Vanessa D. Bolton

Master's Projects and Capstones

The purpose of this paper is to highlight my fieldwork experience with the County of San Mateo Health System’s Health Policy and Planning Unit. Under the guidance of a Community Health Planner, my scope of work was within the area of school wellness, ranging from an adolescent report publication to researching breakfast in the classroom models to attending district wellness policy meetings. The San Mateo County Adolescent Report took precedence over most of the school wellness projects and initiatives because it was seeking to identify the needs of the County’s youth using evidence from various data sources and to develop …


Trauma Informed Practices For Oakland Unite Service Providers, Maereg D. Haile Aug 2014

Trauma Informed Practices For Oakland Unite Service Providers, Maereg D. Haile

Master's Projects and Capstones

Oakland, California - a home to almost 400,000 residents - is the top five most violent cities of the nation. There are lots of factors that greatly contribute to violence including: Poverty, housing/homelessness, unemployment, food insecurity, educational attainment, substance abuse. These factors feed to greater healthy disparities and increased trauma in low-income communities – specifically in east and west Oakland. Measure Y, now called Oakland Unite, is the current violence prevention effort that is set for reauthorization in November 2014. In order for these efforts to continue, Oakland Unite has started looking at comprehensive violence prevention initiatives that includes mental …


Fieldwork Summary Report: Reducing Repeat Teenage Pregnancy Through Program Planning And Evaluation, Winnie Y. Chan Aug 2014

Fieldwork Summary Report: Reducing Repeat Teenage Pregnancy Through Program Planning And Evaluation, Winnie Y. Chan

Master's Projects and Capstones

This fieldwork summary report provides a synthesis of both my overall fieldwork experience at TAPP, Felton Institute’s Teenage Pregnancy and Parenting Program, and my Master of Public Health knowledge and skill sets. Since researching the huge social and economic impact that teenage pregnancy and parenting has not only on the teens and their children, but also the society at large, I strived to highlight prevention aspects to reduce repeat unwanted teenage pregnancy. So, I chose to intern at TAPP, focused my fieldwork project mainly on program development and evaluation, along with other aspects of improving wellness.

I begin this report …


Establishing A Translational Research Center In California's San Joaquin Valley: Principles, Partnerships, And Initial Steps, Rachel R. Cox Aug 2014

Establishing A Translational Research Center In California's San Joaquin Valley: Principles, Partnerships, And Initial Steps, Rachel R. Cox

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Great Valley Center seeks to promote the social, economic, and environmental well-being of California's Central Valley. UC Merced's Health Sciences Research Institute (HSRI) was established in 2012 to engage in collaborative, multidisciplinary research with a community emphasis in order to rapidly develop, test, and disseminate new ways to improve health. To address the numerous health disparities present in the San Joaquin Valley, HSRI began working toward the development of a regional Translational Research Center, to allow San Joaquin Valley residents access to the latest and most effective interventions and translate findings into community actions. The attached paper is a …


Origin And Evolution Of European Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Marc Stegger, Thierry Wirth, Paal S. Andersen, Robert L. Skov, Anna De Grassi, Lance B. Price, +23 Additional Authors Aug 2014

Origin And Evolution Of European Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Marc Stegger, Thierry Wirth, Paal S. Andersen, Robert L. Skov, Anna De Grassi, Lance B. Price, +23 Additional Authors

Environmental and Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) was recognized in Europe and worldwide in the late 1990s. Within a decade, several genetically and geographically distinct CA-MRSA lineages carrying the small SCCmec type IV and V genetic elements and the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) emerged around the world. In Europe, the predominant CA-MRSA strain belongs to clonal complex 80 (CC80) and is resistant to kanamycin/amikacin and fusidic acid. CC80 was first reported in 1993 but was relatively rare until the late 1990s. It has since been identified throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, with recent sporadic reports in sub-Saharan Africa. While …


Racial Disparities In Access To Community Water Supply Service In Wake County, North Carolina, Jacqueline Macdonald Gibson, Nicholas Defelice, Daniel Sebastian, Hannah Leker Aug 2014

Racial Disparities In Access To Community Water Supply Service In Wake County, North Carolina, Jacqueline Macdonald Gibson, Nicholas Defelice, Daniel Sebastian, Hannah Leker

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Anecdotal evidence suggests that historically African American communities on the fringes of cities and towns in North Carolina have been systematically denied access to municipal drinking water service. This paper presents the first statistical analysis of the role of race in determining water access in these fringe areas, known as extraterritorial jurisdictions. Using publicly available property tax data, we quantified the percentage of residences with municipal water service in each census block in Wake County (the second-largest by population in North Carolina). Using the resulting water service maps plus 2010 U.S. Census data, we employed a logistic regression to assess …


Economies Of Scale And Scope In Public Health: An Analysis Of Food Hygiene Services Provided By Local Health Departments In Florida, Simone Singh, Patrick M. Bernet Aug 2014

Economies Of Scale And Scope In Public Health: An Analysis Of Food Hygiene Services Provided By Local Health Departments In Florida, Simone Singh, Patrick M. Bernet

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Local health departments (LHDs) across the United States deliver a range of essential public health services, yet little is known about the costs that LHDs incur in providing these services and the factors that may cause costs to vary both within and across health departments. This report first describes the variations in the costs of one core public health activity commonly provided by LHDs: food hygiene services. It then analyzes the factors that drive LHDs' cost of service provision focusing on the role of economies of scale and economies of scope. Using data for all LHDs in Florida for 2008 …


Editorial Comment: Temporal Trends In Preparedness Capacity, Gulzar H. Shah Aug 2014

Editorial Comment: Temporal Trends In Preparedness Capacity, Gulzar H. Shah

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

In view of the critical role local health departments (LHDs) play among agencies responsible for responding to natural and man-made emergencies, Bevc et al. examined the LHDs’ emergency preparedness and capacity. They compared LHDs in North Carolina with those across the country for preparedness along eight domains. Significant declines in emergency preparedness were noted from 2010 to 2012 for five out of eight domains, raising questions about our national priority concerning this important function of public health agencies. These findings have numerous implications, some of which are covered in this commentary.


Temporal Trends In Local Public Health Preparedness Capacity, Christine A. Bevc, Mary V. Davis, Anna P. Schenck Aug 2014

Temporal Trends In Local Public Health Preparedness Capacity, Christine A. Bevc, Mary V. Davis, Anna P. Schenck

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Local health departments (LHDs) are essential to emergency preparedness and response activities. Since 2005, LHD resources for preparedness, including personnel, are declining in the face of continuing gaps and variation in the performance of preparedness activities. The effect of these funding decreases on LHD preparedness performance is not well understood. This study examines the performance of preparedness capacities among NC LHDs and a matched national comparison group of LHDs over three years. We observe significant decreases in five of eight preparedness domains from three years of survey data collected from 2010 through 2012. Most notably, we observe significant decreases in …


Developing A Tool To Assess Administrative Evidence-Based Practices In Local Health Departments, Rodrigo S. Reis, Kathleen Duggan, Peg Allen, Katherine A. Stamatakis, Paul C. Erwin, Ross C. Brownson Aug 2014

Developing A Tool To Assess Administrative Evidence-Based Practices In Local Health Departments, Rodrigo S. Reis, Kathleen Duggan, Peg Allen, Katherine A. Stamatakis, Paul C. Erwin, Ross C. Brownson

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

There is need for assessing the practices undertaken by local health departments in order to improve the implementation of evidence-based actions. This paper describes the development and testing of a survey instrument for assessing Administrative Evidence-Based Practices (A-EBPs) in Local Health Departments. A-EBPs identified through a review of the literature were used to develop a survey composed of nine sections and tested in a sample of local health department practitioners. The resulting tool showed adequate test-retest reliability and internal consistency. Practitioners and researchers may apply this tool in practice-based and evaluation research.


Measures Of Highly Functioning Health Coalitions: Corollaries For An Effective Public Health System, Priscilla A. Barnes, Paul C. Erwin, Ramal Moonesinghe Aug 2014

Measures Of Highly Functioning Health Coalitions: Corollaries For An Effective Public Health System, Priscilla A. Barnes, Paul C. Erwin, Ramal Moonesinghe

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

In Tennessee, health coalitions provide guidance in conducting community assessments, health improvement plans and policies and delivering of health and human services, which are considered core functions of public health. In fact, it has been postulated that these coalitions may serve as the organizational embodiment of the local public health system (LPHS). This study identifies functional characteristics of 63 Tennessee County Health Councils (CHCs), advisory councils to local and regional governmental public health agencies on broad issues of health, that contribute to its ability to operate as the primary advising entity of the LPHS. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on …