Assessing Public Health Performance in Iowaʼs Counties

Rohrer, James E.; Dominguez, Daniel G.; Weaver, Mary; Atchison, Christopher; Merchant, James A.

doi:10.1097/00124784-199705000-00006

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…Several studies have suggested that regionalization, or combining adjacent jurisdictions with smaller populations, could increase the capacity of rural LHDs (57,107,113). However, given that homogeneity with respect to geographic size, morbidity, and SES is important to maintain high performance of multicounty rural jurisdictions, this recommendation should be undertaken with caution (31).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Double Disparity Facing Rural Local Health Departments

Harris

Beatty

Leider

et al. 2016

Annu. Rev. Public Health

124

104

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Residents of rural jurisdictions face significant health challenges, including some of the highest rates of risky health behaviors and worst health outcomes of any group in the country. Rural communities are served by smaller local health departments (LHDs) that are more understaffed and underfunded than their suburban and urban peers. As a result of history and current need, rural LHDs are more likely than their urban peers to be providers of direct health services, leading to relatively lower levels of population-focused activities. This review examines the double disparity faced by rural LHDs and their constituents: pervasively poorer health behaviors and outcomes and a historical lack of investment by local, state, and federal public health entities.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Double Disparity Facing Rural Local Health Departments

Harris

Beatty

Leider

et al. 2016

Annu. Rev. Public Health

124

104

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Likewise, a similar emphasis continues in Healthy People 2010 by ensuring that health agencies have the infrastructure to provide effectively the ten essential public health services (83). Several researchers have studied compliance with the objectives of Healthy People 2000 by developing surveys to measure how well LHDs provide the core functions of public health (34,52,53,65,66,70,78,80,81). The results from these studies strongly suggest that the LHDs surveyed were not completely fulfilling the core public health functions.…”

Section: Function-based Assessmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public Health Quality Measurement: Concepts and Challenges

Derose

Schuster

Fielding

et al. 2002

Annu. Rev. Public Health

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Key Words outcome and process assessment (health care), public health administration/indicator, quality/quality assurance, health care/public health practice s Abstract Public health agencies increasingly are recognizing the need to formally and quantitatively assess and improve the quality of their programs, information, and policies. Measuring quality can help organizations monitor their progress toward public health goals and become more accountable to both the populations they serve and policy makers. Yet quality assessment is a complex task that involves precise determination and specification of useful measures. We discuss a well-established conceptual framework for organizing quality assessment in the context of planning and delivery of programs and services by local health departments, and consider the strengths and limitations of this approach for guiding quality improvement. We review several past and present quality measurement-related initiatives designed for public health department use, and discuss current and future challenges in this evolving area of public health practice.

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“…The Future of Public Health (1988) recommended that local public health agencies should "regularly and systematically collect, assemble, analyze, and make available information on the health of the community, including statistics on health status, community health needs, and epidemiologic and other studies of health problems [3]. However, even when assessments were completed, policy development and assurance mostly did not follow [4,5]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community based needs assessment in an urban area; A participatory action research project

et al. 2012

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BackgroundCommunity assessment is a core function of public health. In such assessments, a commitment to community participation and empowerment is at the heart of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network, reflecting its origins in health for all and the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. This study employs a participation and empowerment plan in order to conduct community assessment.MethodsThe method of participatory action research (PAR) was used. The study was carried out in an area of high socio-economic deprivation in Ardabil, a city in the northwest of Iran, which is currently served by a branch of the Social Development Center (SDC). The steering committee of the project was formed by some university faculty members, health officials and delegates form Farhikhteh non-governmental organization and representatives from twelve blocks or districts of the community. Then, the representatives were trained and then conducted focus groups in their block. The focus group findings informed the development of the questionnaire. About six hundred households were surveyed and study questionnaires were completed either during face-to-face interviews by the research team (in case of illiteracy) or via self-completion. The primary question for the residents was: 'what is the most important health problem in your community? Each health problem identified by the community was weighted based on the frequency it was selected on the survey, and steering committee perception of the problem's seriousness, urgency, solvability, and financial load.ResultsThe main problems of the area appeared to be the asphalt problem, lack of easy access to medical centers, addiction among relatives and unemployment of youth. High participation rates of community members in the steering committee and survey suggest that the PAR approach was greatly appreciated by the community and that problems identified through this research truly reflect community opinion.ConclusionsParticipatory action research is an effective method for community assessments. However, researchers must rigorously embrace principles of mutual cooperation, respect for public ideas, and a robust belief in community empowerment in order to pave the way for responsible and active citizen participation in the various stages of research.

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Assessing Public Health Performance in Iowaʼs Counties

Cited by 5 publications

References 4 publications

The Double Disparity Facing Rural Local Health Departments

The Double Disparity Facing Rural Local Health Departments

Public Health Quality Measurement: Concepts and Challenges

Community based needs assessment in an urban area; A participatory action research project

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