Examining the Relationship Between Local Public Health Agency Inputs and Outputs

During the past decade, increasing attention has been focused on performance measurement in the delivery of medical care. Unfortunately, there has been no significant parallel movement to examine and measure performance in the public health system (Handler, Issel & Turnock, 2001). This study advances a model of performance measurement in public health based around logic model constructs (inputs, processes, outputs, impacts, outcomes) that focuses upon explanatory variables (inputs or resources) within the realm of control of the local public health agency (LPHA), and their subsequent effect on LPHA outputs (services or functions). Forty-three of the 46 LPHAs selected participated in the study for a response rate of 93 percent. The investigation included measuring the Human, Informational, Organization and Fiscal Resources of the LPHAs to determine the effect upon LPHA outputs, namely the Assessment, Policy Development and Assurance functions of public health (commonly referred to as the Three Core Functions of Public Health). Analysis to uncover the presence of any relationship between the explanatory variables (LPHA inputs or resources) and the dependent variables (LPHA outputs), was undertaken using canonical correlation analysis, with confirmatory analysis conducted through multiple regression. Results concluded that only modest relationships existed between the explanatory variables and the dependent variables noted, and such relationships were limited to the Organizational and Informational Resources of Public Health. As part of the investigation, a ranking process is elucidated, and implications for professionals and suggestions for further research are provided.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Community Health

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Remmert, David M.

Contributors dc:contributor

• O'Rourke, Thomas
• Turnock, Bernard
• Alston, Reginald J.
• Ory, John C.
• Notaro, Stephen J.

• public health
• local public health department
• logic model
• local public health department inputs
• local public health agency
• health department evaluation
• inputs and outputs
• public health benchmarking

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2011 David M. Remmert

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/24144

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F24144