Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP
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Public health policy approaches have demonstrated measurable improvements in population health. Yet, "one-size-fits-all" approaches do not necessarily impact all populations equally and, in some cases, can widen existing disparities. It has been argued that interventions, including policy interventions, can have the greatest impact when they target the social determinants of health. ⋯ Applying a health equity lens to a Health in All Policies approach is described as a means to develop policies across sectors with the explicit goal of improving health for all while reducing health inequities. Health equity impact assessment is described as a tool that can be effective in prospectively building health equity into policy planning. The discussion suggests that eliminating health inequities will benefit from a deliberate focus on health equity by public health agencies working with other sectors that impact health outcomes.
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J Public Health Manag Pract · Jan 2016
Adequacy of US Hospital Security Preparedness for Mass Casualty Incidents: Critical Lessons From the Israeli Experience.
Due to Israel's threat environment, Israeli hospitals have developed effective and innovative security preparations for responding to all-hazards incidents. Although Israeli hospital preparedness has been the subject of international praise and attention, there has been a dearth of research focused specifically on applying Israeli hospital security measures to the US hospital setting to augment emergency planning. ⋯ A number of US hospitals have overlooked the important role of security in emergency preparedness. This study analyzed practical and cost-effective security recommendations from Israel to remedy this dangerous deficiency in some US hospitals' disaster planning.
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J Public Health Manag Pract · Jan 2016
Sustaining a Focus on Health Equity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Through Organizational Structures and Functions.
The public health infrastructure required for achieving health equity is multidimensional and complex. The infrastructure should be responsive to current and emerging priorities and capable of providing the foundation for developing, planning, implementing, and evaluating health initiatives. ⋯ Challenges and facilitators to sustaining a health equity organizational infrastructure, as gleaned from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's experience, are noted. Finally, we provide additional considerations for expanding and sustaining a health equity infrastructure, which the authors hope will serve as "food for thought" for practitioners in state, tribal, or local health departments, community-based organizations, or nongovernmental organizations striving to create or maintain an impactful infrastructure to achieve health equity.
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J Public Health Manag Pract · Jan 2016
Balancing Tribal Sovereignty and the Role of Interjurisdictional Partnerships in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma has a history of strong partnerships with their tribal health leaders and tribal communities. In 2012, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) established the Office of the Tribal Liaison, as Oklahoma has 39 tribal nations in the state, of which 38 are federally recognized. The Office of the Tribal Liaison is responsible for promoting relationships with Oklahoma Tribal Nations and implementing the OSDH Tribal Consultation policy. ⋯ This event and interjurisdictional partnership highlighted the importance of adopting the "Spectrum of Processes for Collaboration and Consensus-Building" model as outlined by Orenstein et al to help guide and support state, tribal, and federal collaborations. This case example highlights the opportunities for collaboration between different regulatory public health and tribal bodies to improve the communities' health.
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J Public Health Manag Pract · Nov 2015
The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey: The First National Survey of State Health Agency Employees.
Public health practitioners, policy makers, and researchers alike have called for more data on individual worker's perceptions about workplace environment, job satisfaction, and training needs for a quarter of a century. The Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) was created to answer that call. ⋯ PH WINS represents the first nationally representative survey of SHA employees. It holds significant potential to help answer previously unaddressed questions in public health workforce research and provides actionable findings for SHA leaders.