Local Public Health Policymakers’ Views on State Preemption

Results of a National Survey, 2018

Bibliographic Data

ID11036355
AuthorsLainie Rutkow (Lainie Rutkow, Jon S. Vernick, and Sarah Wetter are with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. At the time this work was conducted, Meghan D. McGinty was with Big Cities Health Coalition, National Association of County & City Health Officials, Washington, DC.), Meghan D McGinty (0000-0002-6833-3763, Lainie Rutkow, Jon S. Vernick, and Sarah Wetter are with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. At the time this work was conducted, Meghan D. McGinty was with Big Cities Health Coalition, National Association of County & City Health Officials, Washington, DC.), Sarah Wetter (Lainie Rutkow, Jon S. Vernick, and Sarah Wetter are with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. At the time this work was conducted, Meghan D. McGinty was with Big Cities Health Coalition, National Association of County & City Health Officials, Washington, DC.), Jon S Vernick (0000-0002-6480-6105, Lainie Rutkow, Jon S. Vernick, and Sarah Wetter are with the Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. At the time this work was conducted, Meghan D. McGinty was with Big Cities Health Coalition, National Association of County & City Health Officials, Washington, DC.)
Year2019
Volume109
Issue8
Pages1107-1110
Publication date2019-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAmerican Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048
PublisherAmerican Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2105/ajph.2019.305140
PMID31219716
OpenAlexW2952405522
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited13

Objectives. To learn about local health policymakers’ experiences and responses to preemption—the ability of a higher level of government to limit policy activity at a lower level. Methods. Between March and June 2018, we conducted an anonymous Web-based survey of mayors and health officials in US cities with populations of 150 000 or more. We used descriptive statistics to analyze multiple-choice responses. We analyzed open text responses qualitatively. Results. Survey response rates were 28% (mayors) and 32% (health officials). Nearly all respondents found preemption to be an obstacle to local policymaking. When faced with preemption, 72% of health officials and 60% of mayors abandoned or delayed local policymaking efforts. Conclusions. Preemption is viewed as an impediment across a range of public health issues and may stifle local policy activity (i.e., have a chilling effect). Those working at the local level should consider the potential for preemption whenever seeking to address public health concerns in their communities. Public Health Implications. Local governments should engage with advocates, practitioners, and public health lawyers to learn about successful and failed efforts to meet public health objectives when faced with preemption

Business · Descriptive statistics · Environmental health · Government (linguistics) · Local government · Obstacle · Political science · Preemption · Public health · Public policy · State (computer science) · Food Security and Health in Diverse Populations · Law · Medicine · Nursing · Primary Care and Health Outcomes · Public Administration · Public Health Policies and Education · Health Policy

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