scholarly journals Approaches for Ending Ineffective Programs: Strategies From State Public Health Practitioners

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Rodriguez Weno ◽  
Peg Allen ◽  
Stephanie Mazzucca ◽  
Louise Farah Saliba ◽  
Margaret Padek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Evidence Based Programs ◽  
Public Health Practitioners

Background: Public health agencies are increasingly concerned with ensuring they are maximizing limited resources by delivering evidence-based programs to enhance population-level chronic disease outcomes. Yet, there is little guidance on how to end ineffective programs that continue in communities. The purpose of this analysis is to identify what strategies public health practitioners perceive to be effective in de-implementing, or reducing the use of, ineffective programs.Methods: From March to July 2019, eight states were selected to participate in qualitative interviews from our previous national survey of US state health department (SHD) chronic disease practitioners on program decision making. This analysis examined responses to a question about “…advice for others who want to end an ineffective program.” Forty-five SHD employees were interviewed via phone. Interviews were audio-recorded, and the conversations were transcribed verbatim. All transcripts were consensus coded, and themes were identified and summarized.Results: Participants were program managers or section directors who had on average worked 11 years at their agency and 15 years in public health. SHD employees provided several strategies they perceived as effective for de-implementation. The major themes were: (1) collect and rely on evaluation data; (2) consider if any of the programs can be saved; (3) transparently communicate and discuss program adjustments; (4) be tactful and respectful of partner relationships; (5) communicate in a way that is meaningful to your audience.Conclusions: This analysis provides insight into how experienced SHD practitioners recommend ending ineffective programs which may be useful for others working at public health agencies. As de-implementation research is limited in public health settings, this work provides a guiding point for future researchers to systematically assess these strategies and their effects on public health programming.

scholarly journals Assessing Knowledge and Application of Emergency Risk Communication Principles Among Public Health Workers in China

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
James R. Cope ◽  
Melinda Frost ◽  
Li Richun ◽  
Ruiqian Xie
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Communication ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
International Health ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Public Health Practitioners

AbstractObjectiveSince 2003, the Chinese National Health and Family Planning Commission (formerly the Ministry of Health) has implemented changes to more effectively communicate risk during public health emergencies. In spite of ongoing improvements, provincial and sub-provincial leaders face barriers, such as established modes of operation, lack of training, shortage of trained risk communicators, and limited understanding and willingness of recipients to mitigate risks.MethodsWe assessed the current status of and barriers to risk communication knowledge and practice among public health practitioners in China. We designed the survey questionnaire to capture information related to the risk communication core capacities required by international health regulations and common risk communication principles.ResultsOur findings showed that risk communication training has successfully developed an awareness of risk communication principles and the ability to implement those principles in practice in China.ConclusionsFuture efforts should focus on areas such as a dedicated risk communication workforce, requirements that public health agencies develop a risk communication plan, and additional training for public health practitioners and their partners. It is critical that the infectious diseases prevention and control law be amended to grant provincial and local public health agencies more autonomy to release information. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1-7)

scholarly journals Media, Health & Health Promotion in Nepal

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 70-75
Author(s):  
Edwin Van Teijlingen ◽  
Padam Simkhada ◽  
Ann Luce ◽  
Vanora Hundley
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
The Media ◽  
Public Health Practitioners

 It has been recognised that the media can affect our perceptions, views and tastes on a wide-range of issues. The mass media in it various forms (newspapers, television & radio, the internet and Twitter) and formats, have a far reaching influence through, for example news programmes, documentaries, advertising and entertainment. At the same time the media can also be seen as a channel for agencies responsible for public health to get their messages across to the population. Public health agencies are always searching for ways to disseminate health information and messages to their intended audiences. These are, of course, global concerns, but as both public health and the media are part of the society in which they operate there will be locally specific issues and considerations. To date most of the research into the media and public health has been conducted in high-income countries, and there has been very little research in Nepal on the interaction of public health and health promotion with the media.This overview paper highlights some of the key issues that public health practitioners, media editors and journalists, health policy-makers and researchers could consider.Journal of Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences Vol. 2 2016 p.70-75

scholarly journals Transforming Public Health Law: The Turning Point Model State Public Health Act

2006 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Hodge ◽  
Lawrence O. Gostin ◽  
Kristine Gebbie ◽  
Deborah L. Erickson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Legal Foundations ◽  
New Policies ◽  
Public Health Practitioners ◽  
Health Laws

Protecting the public's health has recently regained prominence in political and public discussions. Threats of bioterrorism following September 11, 2001 and the deliberate dissemination of anthrax later that fall, the reemergence of novel or resurgent infectious diseases, (such as the West Nile Virus, SARS, influenza, avian flu) and rapid increases in diseases associated with sedentary lifestyles, poor diets, and smoking (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, cancer) have all raised the profile of public health. The U.S. government has responded with increased funding, reorganization, and new policies for the population's health, safety, and security. Politicians and the public more clearly understand the importance of law in improving the public's health. Recognizing that many public health laws have not been meaningfully reformed in decades, law- and policy-makers and public health practitioners have focused on the legal foundations for public health. Laws provide the mission, functions, and powers of public health agencies, set standards for their (and their partners’) actions, and safeguard individual rights.

scholarly journals Assessing Laws and Legal Authorities for Public Health Emergency Legal Preparedness

2008 ◽  
Vol 36 (S1) ◽  
pp. 23-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Kamoie ◽  
Robert M. Pestronk ◽  
Peter Baldridge ◽  
David Fidler ◽  
Leah Devlin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
The United States ◽  
Health Practice ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
State Constitutions ◽  
Public Health Infrastructure ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Public Health Practitioners

Public health legal preparedness begins with effective legal authorities, and law provides a key foundation for public health practice in the United States. Laws not only create public health agencies and fund them, but also authorize and impose duties upon government to protect the public's health while preserving individual liberties. As a result, law is an essential tool in public health practice and is one element of public health infrastructure, as it defines the systems and relationships within which public health practitioners operate.For purposes of this paper, law can be defined as a rule of conduct derived from federal or state constitutions, statutes, local laws, judicial opinions, administrative rules and regulations, international codes, or other pronouncements by entities authorized to prescribe conduct in a legally binding manner. Public health legal preparedness, a subset of public health preparedness, is defined as attainment of legal benchmarks within a public health system.

scholarly journals “It’s good to feel like you’re doing something”: a qualitative study examining state health department employees’ views on why ineffective programs continue to be implemented in the USA

2022 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie Mazzucca ◽  
Louise Farah Saliba ◽  
Romario Smith ◽  
Emily Rodriguez Weno ◽  
Peg Allen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
State Health ◽  
Improve Population Health ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Evidence Based Programs

Abstract Background Mis-implementation, the inappropriate continuation of programs or policies that are not evidence-based or the inappropriate termination of evidence-based programs and policies, can lead to the inefficient use of scarce resources in public health agencies and decrease the ability of these agencies to deliver effective programs and improve population health. Little is known about why mis-implementation occurs, which is needed to understand how to address it. This study sought to understand the state health department practitioners’ perspectives about what makes programs ineffective and the reasons why ineffective programs continue. Methods Eight state health departments (SHDs) were selected to participate in telephone-administered qualitative interviews about decision-making around ending or continuing programs. States were selected based on geographic representation and on their level of mis-implementation (low and high) categorized from our previous national survey. Forty-four SHD chronic disease staff participated in interviews, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were consensus coded, and themes were identified and summarized. This paper presents two sets of themes, related to (1) what makes a program ineffective and (2) why ineffective programs continue to be implemented according to SHD staff. Results Participants considered programs ineffective if they were not evidence-based or if they did not fit well within the population; could not be implemented well due to program restraints or a lack of staff time and resources; did not reach those who could most benefit from the program; or did not show the expected program outcomes through evaluation. Practitioners described several reasons why ineffective programs continued to be implemented, including concerns about damaging the relationships with partner organizations, the presence of program champions, agency capacity, and funding restrictions. Conclusions The continued implementation of ineffective programs occurs due to a number of interrelated organizational, relational, human resources, and economic factors. Efforts should focus on preventing mis-implementation since it limits public health agencies’ ability to conduct evidence-based public health, implement evidence-based programs effectively, and reduce the high burden of chronic diseases. The use of evidence-based decision-making in public health agencies and supporting adaptation of programs to improve their fit may prevent mis-implementation. Future work should identify effective strategies to reduce mis-implementation, which can optimize public health practice and improve population health.

scholarly journals Strengthening the Capacity of Local Health Agencies through Community-Based Assessment and Planning

2009 ◽  
Vol 124 (6) ◽  
pp. 875-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlyn Orians ◽  
Shyanika Rose ◽  
Brian Hubbard ◽  
John Sarisky ◽  
Letitia Reason ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Building Community ◽  
Problem Solving Competency

Objectives. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health (PACE EH) in building competency in essential environmental health services and renewing efforts to engage the community in problem solving. Competency and community engagement have been identified by environmental health practitioners as important to meet new threats to public health. Methods. We conducted a national survey and 24 case studies of public health agencies. We invited 917 organizations to participate in the national survey because they had requested a copy of the protocol. Results. We received 656 total responses: 354 had not considered implementation, 302 had considered implementation, and 66 had implemented PACE EH. For the 24 case studies, we interviewed 206 individuals in communities implementing PACE EH. We found that PACE EH has had a positive effect on building community and professional networks, enhancing leadership, developing workforce competence, and expanding definitions of environmental health practice. Conclusions. With appropriate investments, PACE EH can be an effective tool to meet the environmental health challenges identified by local environmental health practitioners and state, tribal, and federal agencies.

scholarly journals Leading the way: Qualities of leaders in preventing mis-implementation of public health programs

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Moreland-Russell ◽  
Emily Rodriguez Weno ◽  
Romario Smith ◽  
Margaret Padek ◽  
Louise Farah Saliba ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health Programs ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Health Programs ◽  
Public Health Agencies

Abstract Background Public health agencies are increasingly concerned with ensuring they are maximizing limited resources by delivering effective programs to enhance population-level health outcomes. Preventing mis-implementation is necessary to sustain public health efforts and resources needed to improve health and well-being. Because executive management is responsible for making decisions such as approving or disapproving the continuance of a program, it is important to understand the attributes of public health leaders in preventing program mis-implementation. The purpose of this paper is to identify the important qualities of leadership in preventing the mis-implementation of public health programs. Methods In Spring 2019, we selected eight state health departments (SHD) to participate in qualitative interviews on decision making around ending or continuing programs. Forty-four SHD chronic disease employees were interviewed via phone, audio-recorded, and the conversations transcribed verbatim. All transcripts were consensus coded, and themes were identified and summarized. This analysis focused on themes related to leadership. Results Participants were program managers or section directors who had on average worked 11 years at their agency and 15 years in public health. The following themes emerged from their interviews regarding the important leadership attributes to prevent mis-implementation: (1) engagement, use of quality improvement, and being adaptive; (2) transparent and bidirectional communication; and (3) ability to navigate political influences. Conclusion This first of its kind study showed the close inter-relationship between mis-implementation and leadership. Increased attention to public health leader attributes can help to reduce mis-implementation in public health practice and lead to more effective and efficient use of limited resources. A better understanding of those attributes can provide further direction to future areas of attention and capacity building among current and future public health practitioners. Future research should incorporate a mixed-methods approach to more comprehensively understand the relationships of leaders and practitioners.

Developing a Concept of Operations Template to Guide Collaborative Disaster Research Response Between Academic Public Health and Public Health Agencies

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Amber S. Khan ◽  
Rachel Wittenauer ◽  
Resham Patel ◽  
Janet Baseman ◽  
Aubrey Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Disaster Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Public Health Practitioners ◽  
Concept Of Operations

Abstract Research conducted in the context of a disaster or public health emergency is essential to improve knowledge about its short- and long-term health consequences, as well as the implementation and effectiveness of response and recovery strategies. Integrated approaches to conducting Disaster Research Response (DR2) can answer scientific questions, while also providing attendant value for operational response and recovery. Here, we propose a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) template to guide the collaborative development and implementation of DR2 among academic public health and public health agencies, informed by previous literature, semi-structured interviews with disaster researchers from academic public health across the United States, and discussion groups with public health practitioners. The proposed CONOPS outlines actionable strategies to address DR2 issues before, during, and after disasters for public health scholars and practitioners who seek to operationalize or enhance their DR2 programs. Additional financial and human resources will be necessary to promote widespread implementation of collaborative DR2 programs.

scholarly journals An open source inventory to evaluate public health surveillance systems

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
KC Decker ◽  
Catherine Ordun ◽  
Dimitrious Koutsonanos
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Natural Language Processing ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Data Files ◽  
Public Health Practitioners ◽  
Standard Framework

ObjectiveThe objective of this project is to advance the science of biosurveillance by providing a user curated cataloging system, to be used across health department and other users, that advances daily surveillance operations by better characterizing three key issues in available surveillance systems: duplication in biosurveillance activities; differing perspectives and analyses of the same data; and inadequate information sharing.IntroductionA variety of government reports have cited challenges in coordinating national biosurveillance efforts at strategic and tactical levels. The General Accountability Office (GAO), an independent nonpartisan agency that investigates how the federal government funding and performs analysis at the request of congressional committees or by public mandate, has published 64 reports on biosurveillance since 2005. The aim of this project is to better characterize these issues by collecting and analyzing a sample of publicly documented biosurveillance systems, and making our data and results available for the public health community to review and evaluate. This study openly publishes the data files of information collected (i.e. CSV, XLS), the Python NLP scripts, and a freely available web-based application developed in R Shiny that filters against the 227 biosurveillance systems and activities to promote a more transparent understanding of how public health practitioners conduct surveillance activities.MethodsCollected and reviewed data on 424 systems, of which 227 systems and activities met our criteria;Implemented a new approach to develop a standard framework for data collection using natural language processing (NLP);Openly published all data files publicly on Github and developed an online analytics application; andConvened a workshop of experts from across federal, state, not-for-profit, academic and commercial entities in November 2015 in Washington, D.C., to review the methodology and results of this study.ResultsThe results of this project include a fully functional web application and code (available through Github) for the continued expansion, categorization and analysis of surveillance systems. Unique findings currently rendered through the 227 surveillance systems include: Out of 227 systems, 20 were established in the year 2006, alone, with an increase in systems established following 1990; 68% of all systems catalogued are focused solely on human surveillance; 45% of all cataloged systems used statistical analysis and only 4% are using Natural Language Processing; and 43% of all biosurveillance systems in our inventory reported using “health department” data as a data source.ConclusionsWe believe this project is the first step for public health practitioners and researchers to contribute to a transparent inventory of systems and activities. Results provide meaningful metadata on an over focus on human surveillance, over-reliance on a single data source (health departments) and a lack of advanced data science practices being applied to systems in the field. The value of this project 1) provides a starting point for the development of a standard framework of categories to use for cataloging biosurveillance systems, 2) offers openly available data and code on Github [3] for others to integrate into their research, and 3) introduces a set of methodological issues to consider in a biosurveillance inventorying exercise.

California—Mexico Collaborations on Social Marketing Campaigns Targeting Mexican Immigrants

2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 83-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria D. Ojeda ◽  
Sarah P. Hiller ◽  
Pamela Estrada
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Marketing ◽  
Mexican Immigrants ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
Mexico Border ◽  
Social Marketing Campaigns

This pilot study examined whether California public health agencies collaborate with Mexican counterparts when developing and implementing social marketing campaigns that target Mexican immigrants in California. We also examined barriers to collaboration and factors contributing to successful partnerships. We recruited 13 and conducted 8 qualitative interviews (62% response rate) with social marketing staff from California public health agencies and contractors whose activities spanned four priority health areas for Mexican immigrants. Results include a desire to collaborate with Mexican counterparts but limited actual collaboration. Factors stated to affect the quality of binational social marketing collaborations included (1) the importance of communication and a working relationship between both parties, (2) funding issues, (3) evaluation activities, (4) administrative issues, especially travel restrictions, and (5) social stigmatization of the target audience. Policy recommendations include increasing funding available for binational collaborations, reducing administrative barriers, and building capacity on both sides of the U.S.—Mexico border. Such efforts may promote binational discussions that may benefit Mexican immigrants in new and established receiving communities in the United States while potentially promoting continuity of social marketing messages and campaigns. Our data suggest that binational social marketing campaigns may be feasible, though several barriers to their execution must be addressed.

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