Availability and Perceived Effectiveness of Public Health Activities in the Nation’s Most Populous Communities

Bibliographic Data

ID11038088
AuthorsGlen P Mays (0000-0002-7837-6812, At the time of the study, Glen P. Mays was with Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC and Paul K. Halverson was with the Public Health Practice Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga. Edward L. Baker and Rachel Stevens are with the North Carolina Institute for Public Health, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Julie J. Vann is with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina.), Paul K Halverson (0000-0001-7684-4363, At the time of the study, Glen P. Mays was with Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC and Paul K. Halverson was with the Public Health Practice Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga. Edward L. Baker and Rachel Stevens are with the North Carolina Institute for Public Health, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Julie J. Vann is with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina.), Edward L Baker (At the time of the study, Glen P. Mays was with Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC and Paul K. Halverson was with the Public Health Practice Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga. Edward L. Baker and Rachel Stevens are with the North Carolina Institute for Public Health, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Julie J. Vann is with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina.), Rachel Stevens (0000-0002-4985-1987), R Brian Stevens (0000-0001-9580-6733, At the time of the study, Glen P. Mays was with Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC and Paul K. Halverson was with the Public Health Practice Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga. Edward L. Baker and Rachel Stevens are with the North Carolina Institute for Public Health, School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Julie J. Vann is with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina.), Julie Jacobson Vann (North Carolina Division of Public Health)
Year2004
Volume94
Issue6
Pages1019-1026
Publication date2004-06-01
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.94.6.1019
PMID15249309
OpenAlexW2120203576
LanguageEN
Citations received19
References cited38

Objectives. We examined the availability and perceived effectiveness of 20 basic public health activities in the communities where most Americans reside. Methods. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to the 497 directors of US local health departments serving at least 100 000 residents. Results. On average, two thirds of the 20 public health activities were performed in the local jurisdictions surveyed, and the perceived effectiveness rating averaged 35% of the maximum possible. In multivariate models, availability of public health activities varied significantly according to population size, socioeconomic measures, local health department spending, and presence of local boards of health. Conclusions. Local public health capacity varies widely across the nation’s most populous communities, highlighting the need for targeted improvement efforts

Environmental health · Multivariate analysis · Population · Public health · Socioeconomic status · Socioeconomics · Sociology · Community Health and Development · Health Policy Implementation Science · Medicine · Nursing · Public Health Policies and Education · Gerontology