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Local health departments' performance of community health assessment, community improvement planning, and strategic planning: Do these activities predict plans for seeking accreditation?
Data Sets and Sources: We used data from the NACCHO's 2010 National Profile of Local Health Departments (2010 Profile Study) survey, administered to 2656 LHDs.
Analysis: Our bivariate analyses included Somers-D test for the nominal variables and Kendal's Tau-b for the ordinal variables. For the multivariate analysis of the ordinal dependent variable, we performed multinomial logistic regression.
Principal Findings: Our multivariate analysis showed that completion of community health assessment or community health improvement plan within the past five years had negative association with LHDs' intention to seek accreditation, and recent completion of a strategic plan had no association with accreditation, after controlling for the potential confounding factors.
Conclusion: Contrary to our expectations, our analyses did not show a positive association between completion of the PHAB accreditation prerequisites and local health departments' intentions to seek PHAB accreditation. However, a positive association existed between intent to seek accreditation and plans to complete a strategic plan in the next year.
Implications for the Field of PHSSR: As agencies prepare for accreditation, it is important to understand how intentions to seek accreditation are related to the current level of readiness based on the three PHAB prerequisites. Our presentation will include important implications for LHDs, PHAB and its partners.
Learning Areas:
Assessment of individual and community needs for health educationOther professions or practice related to public health
Public health administration or related administration
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Learning Objectives:
Describe the extent to which local health departments (LHDs) perform three prerequisites for the voluntary accreditation through Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB).
Assess percent of LHDs who plan to seek accreditation.
Evaluate the association between the performance of PHAB prerequisites and plans to seek accreditation.
Keyword(s): Local Public Health Agencies, Community Health Assessment
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have interdisciplinary training and multisector work experience that spans over 18 years, with appointments in both academia and public health practice agencies, nationally and internationally. With extensive research experience, I have over 45 peer reviewed journal publications and book chapters. I have also made over 60 presentations at the national and international professional forums and have delivered keynote addresses at several international conferences.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.