CDC STACKS serves as an archival repository of CDC-published products including scientific findings, journal articles, guidelines, recommendations, or other public health information authored or co-authored by CDC or funded partners.
As a repository, CDC STACKS retains documents in their original published format to ensure public access to scientific information.
i
State Legislators’ Work on Public Health-Related Issues: What Influences Priorities?
-
2013 Jan-Feb
-
Source: J Public Health Manag Pract. 2013; 19(1):25-29.
[PDF-142.77 KB]
Details:
-
Alternative Title:J Public Health Manag Pract
-
Personal Author:
-
Description:Context
Policies are an effective way to influence population health and prevent disease. Unfortunately, public health research is often not well translated for policy audiences. Furthermore, researchers seeking to influence policy face an incomplete understanding of what influences legislators’ decisions regarding which issues will receive their limited time and focus.
Objective
The objective of this analysis was to examine various factors that may influence state legislators’ decisions about which health issues they address.
Design
Cross-sectional analysis of data collected from a randomized trial.
Setting
State legislatures.
Participants
State-level legislators.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Measures included a rating of the influence of various factors on health policy priorities. A 7-point scale was used to measure political ideology on social and fiscal issues. Standard demographic questions were included on age, gender, and level of education.
Results
Seventy-five legislators completed surveys. Sixty-three percent were aged 55 years or older, and 76% male. When they were asked to rate factors according to importance in determining what health issues to work on, the top-rated factor was constituents’ needs or opinions followed by evidence of scientific effectiveness. Ratings were also examined by subgroups.
Conclusions
These findings point to several important applications for public health practitioners and researchers. Because legislators value constituents’ opinions, it is critical to inform and educate constituents about public health issues as well as policy options that may be effective in addressing problems. The results also highlight the importance of public health researchers and practitioners improving dissemination efforts to ensure that evidence-based scientific information is shared with policymakers in an effective and timely manner.
-
Subjects:
-
Source:
-
Pubmed ID:23169400
-
Pubmed Central ID:PMC3896546
-
Document Type:
-
Funding:
-
Place as Subject:
-
Volume:19
-
Issue:1
-
Collection(s):
-
Main Document Checksum:
-
Download URL:
-
File Type:
