Journal of public health management and practice : JPHMP
-
J Public Health Manag Pract · Sep 2015
Opening Health Data: What Do Researchers Want? Early Experiences With New York's Open Health Data Platform.
Governments are rapidly developing open data platforms to improve transparency and make information more accessible. New York is a leader, with currently the only state platform devoted to health. Although these platforms could build public health departments' capabilities to serve more researchers, agencies have little guidance on releasing meaningful and usable data. ⋯ Open data are not ideal for some researchers because they do not contain individually identifiable data, indicating a need for tiered data release strategies. However, they do provide important new opportunities to facilitate research and foster collaborations among agencies, researchers, and practitioners.
-
J Public Health Manag Pract · May 2015
Animal bite and rabies postexposure prophylaxis reporting--United States, 2013.
Rabies virus causes a fatal encephalitis and is typically acquired through the bite of an infected mammal. Rabies is preventable through administration of rabies postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), but this must be balanced with the need to avoid unnecessary PEP use. Though not nationally notifiable, some state health departments (SHDs) have made animal bites and use of PEP reportable within their jurisdictions. ⋯ Additional investigations focusing on the value of information returned by PEP reporting and identifying best practices for implementation and management are needed. The lack of standardization between current animal bite and PEP reporting systems limits completeness of reporting and comparability of outcomes. National recommendations to standardize case definitions and other data elements might help jurisdictions developing new animal bite or PEP reporting systems.
-
J Public Health Manag Pract · Mar 2015
Reductions of budgets, staffing, and programs among local health departments: results from NACCHO's economic surveillance surveys, 2009-2013.
To provide an overview of budget cuts, job losses, and program reductions among local health departments (LHDs) and to examine the association between LHD infrastructure characteristics and the likelihood of budget cuts. ⋯ Cuts in LHD budgets, staff, and activities have been widespread for a period that lasted long after the official end of the Great Recession. There is a great need for substantive and consistent funding to ensure the retention of the workforce and the delivery of essential public health services.
-
J Public Health Manag Pract · Mar 2015
Changes in North Carolina maternal health service use and outcomes among medicaid-enrolled pregnant women during state budget cuts.
The recent recession has weakened the US health and human service safety net. Questions about implications for mothers and children prompted this study, which tested for changes in maternal service use and outcomes among North Carolina women with deliveries covered through Medicaid before and after a year of significant state budget cuts. ⋯ One key aspect of medical service use decreased for women enrolled in Medicaid by the end of a year of major state health and human services budget cuts. Maternal and infant child health outcomes measured in this study did not change during that year. Future monitoring is warranted to ensure that maternal health service access remains adequate.