Public health emergency preparedness at the local level: results of a national survey.
OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between elements of public health infrastructure and local public health emergency preparedness (PHEP).


METHODS
National Association of County and City Health Officials 2005 National Profile of Local Health Departments (LHDs).


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


RESULTS
LHDs serving larger populations are more likely to have staff, capacities, and activities in place for an emergency. Adjusting for population size, the presence of a local board of health and the LHDs' experience in organizing PHEP coalitions were associated with better outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study suggest that more research should be conducted to investigate the benefit of merging small health departments into coalitions to overcome the inverse relationship between preparedness and population size of the jurisdiction served by the LHD.
Savoia
Elena
E
Center for Public Health Preparedness, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. esavoia@hsph.harvard.edu
Rodday
Angie Mae
AM
Stoto
Michael A
MA
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004189:Disaster Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006075:Governing Board; D006265:Health Care Coalitions; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D011156:Population Density; D011635:Public Health Administration; D015980:Public Health Practice; D014481:United States
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