AcademyHealth Public Health AcademyHealth Public Health Systems Research Interest Systems Research Interest

Group MeetingGroup Meeting

Public Health Data PanelPublic Health Data Panel

National Association of National Association of Local Boards of HealthLocal Boards of Health

Local Board of Health National Local Board of Health National ProfileProfile

Charles E. Moon, Ph.D.Charles E. Moon, Ph.D.

NALBOH MissionNALBOH Mission

To prepare and strengthen boards of To prepare and strengthen boards of health, empowering them to promote health, empowering them to promote and protect the health of their and protect the health of their communities through education, communities through education, training, and technical assistance.training, and technical assistance.

Purpose of the Local Board of Purpose of the Local Board of Health National ProfileHealth National Profile

• Updating demographic informationUpdating demographic information• Summarizing the composition and Summarizing the composition and

organizational structures of boardsorganizational structures of boards• Identifying roles, responsibilities, and Identifying roles, responsibilities, and

authorities of board membersauthorities of board members• Determining boards’ telecommunication Determining boards’ telecommunication

infrastructureinfrastructure• Identifying concerns and needsIdentifying concerns and needs• Charting changes and trends since the Charting changes and trends since the

1997 survey1997 survey

Background and HistoryBackground and History

• NALBOH was created in 1992NALBOH was created in 1992• Public Health Practice Program Office of the Public Health Practice Program Office of the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognized need for additional information about recognized need for additional information about local boards of healthlocal boards of health

• CDC and NALBOH planned the National Profile of CDC and NALBOH planned the National Profile of Local Boards of HealthLocal Boards of Health

• CDC conducted the survey and the findings were CDC conducted the survey and the findings were reported by the CDC and NALBOH in 1997reported by the CDC and NALBOH in 1997

• NALBOH received grant from Robert Wood NALBOH received grant from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to build an on-going data Johnson Foundation to build an on-going data collection and analysis process for boards of collection and analysis process for boards of health, including a 2health, including a 2ndnd profile planned for 2008 profile planned for 2008

Revision of the 1997 National Revision of the 1997 National Profile of Local Boards of Profile of Local Boards of

HealthHealth• Marie M. Fallon, NALBOH Executive Director, Marie M. Fallon, NALBOH Executive Director,

established Profile work groupestablished Profile work group• Work group received charge to review 1997 Work group received charge to review 1997

Profile vis-à-vis purpose of 2008 ProfileProfile vis-à-vis purpose of 2008 Profile• Work group recommended additions, deletions, Work group recommended additions, deletions,

and changes via conference calls and emailsand changes via conference calls and emails• Validity and reliability standards were used to Validity and reliability standards were used to

evaluate retained, revised, and new itemsevaluate retained, revised, and new items• Final draft of 2008 Profile reviewed by NALBOH Final draft of 2008 Profile reviewed by NALBOH

staff and others as well as the work groupstaff and others as well as the work group

Number of Items in 2008 Number of Items in 2008 Profile by PurposeProfile by Purpose

• DemographicsDemographics 99

• Composition/Organization Composition/Organization 7272

• Roles, Responsibilities, Authorities Roles, Responsibilities, Authorities 4545

• Telecommunications InfrastructureTelecommunications Infrastructure 88

• Concerns and NeedsConcerns and Needs 46 46

• Changes and TrendsChanges and Trends 58 58

Example of Items: Example of Items: DemographicsDemographics

• Which of the following best describes Which of the following best describes the geographic jurisdiction served by the geographic jurisdiction served by your board? (Check one)your board? (Check one)

_County _City _Multi-County _County _City _Multi-County District/RegionDistrict/Region

_City-County _Town/Township _Other _City-County _Town/Township _Other (Specify)___________________________(Specify)___________________________

Example of Items: Composition Example of Items: Composition and Organizationand Organization

• How often does your board meet?How often does your board meet?_Monthly _Quarterly _Other (Specify)______Monthly _Quarterly _Other (Specify)_____• Are board vacancies publicly announced?Are board vacancies publicly announced?_Yes _No _Does not apply_Yes _No _Does not apply• How does your board receive community How does your board receive community

input? (Check all that apply)input? (Check all that apply)_Public hearings _Public comments at each _Public hearings _Public comments at each

board meetingboard meeting_Citizen complaints _Other _Citizen complaints _Other

(Specify)____________(Specify)____________

Example of Items: Roles, Example of Items: Roles, Responsibilities, and Responsibilities, and

AuthoritiesAuthorities• Please answer the following questions Please answer the following questions

about the functions and activities of your about the functions and activities of your board. Does the board of health:board. Does the board of health:

a.a. Hire/fire the health director/officer/CEO?Hire/fire the health director/officer/CEO?YesYes NoNo

b.b. Approve health agency budget?Approve health agency budget?YesYes NoNo

c.c. Establish public health policies?Establish public health policies?YesYes NoNo

Example of Items: Example of Items: Telecommunications Telecommunications

InfrastructureInfrastructure• Does the board have an official Does the board have an official

website?website?_Yes_Yes _No_No

If yes, answer the following:If yes, answer the following:a. What is the web address? (e.g., a. What is the web address? (e.g., www.nalboh.org)____________________

b. Are e-mail addresses listed for all b. Are e-mail addresses listed for all board members?board members?

_Yes_Yes _No_No

Example of Items: Concerns Example of Items: Concerns and Needsand Needs

• Indicate the degree to which your board Indicate the degree to which your board needs training, information, or technical needs training, information, or technical assistance in the following areas by assistance in the following areas by checking the box that most accurately checking the box that most accurately represents the degree of need.represents the degree of need.

a. Conflict resolution and managementa. Conflict resolution and management_No need _Some need _A lot of need_No need _Some need _A lot of need b. Obesity preventionb. Obesity prevention_No need _Some need _A lot of need_No need _Some need _A lot of need c. Creating a strategic planc. Creating a strategic plan_No need _Some need _A lot of need_No need _Some need _A lot of need

Time Line for 2008 Profile Time Line for 2008 Profile ProjectProject

• September 2007-February 2008: Profile revision September 2007-February 2008: Profile revision and refinementand refinement

• March 2008: Profile sent to all local board of health March 2008: Profile sent to all local board of health chairs in databasechairs in database

• April-June 2008: Surveys processed/preliminary April-June 2008: Surveys processed/preliminary cleaning & screening of data/follow-up with non-cleaning & screening of data/follow-up with non-respondentsrespondents

• July-September 2008: Exploratory data analysis & July-September 2008: Exploratory data analysis & data mining/interview random sample of non-data mining/interview random sample of non-respondentsrespondents

• October-December 2008: Initial & final drafts of October-December 2008: Initial & final drafts of report report

Data Use PolicyData Use Policy

• Requests for data from the 1997 National Requests for data from the 1997 National Profile of Local Boards of Health were Profile of Local Boards of Health were processed by the CDCprocessed by the CDC

• NALBOH has never had a copy of the 1997 NALBOH has never had a copy of the 1997 Profile data fileProfile data file

• There has been no need for a data use There has been no need for a data use policy until the 2008 Profilepolicy until the 2008 Profile

• A data use policy is being written and A data use policy is being written and should be ready by fallshould be ready by fall

Preliminary and Final Preliminary and Final ReportsReports

• Preliminary report on the 2008 Profile Preliminary report on the 2008 Profile will be given at NALBOH’s 16will be given at NALBOH’s 16thth Annual Conference in Madison, WI Annual Conference in Madison, WI 22-24 July 200822-24 July 2008

• Final report will be available by Final report will be available by December 2008December 2008