title: The relationship between local public health agency characteristics and performance of partnership-related essential public health services.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationships between characteristics of local public health agencies and their self-reported scores on partnership-related indicators of the Ten Essential Public Health Services were examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cross-sectional study using secondary data from the National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP) and the 2005 Profile of Local Public Health Agencies from the National Association of City and County Health Organizations (NACCHO) was completed. Participants. Local public health systems that participated in both the NPHPSP and the NACCHO surveys.
  
  
  METHODS
  Partnership-related elements from the NPHPSP data set were used as dependent variables, whereas combined focused elements from the NPHPSP and the NACCHO surveys served as independent variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Local public health agencies' increase in partnerships over the preceding 3 years and involvement in a community health improvement process were significantly related to numerous partnership performance scores--more so than other agency characteristics. Involvement in the Mobilizing Action through Planning and Partnerships process was inversely related to some partnership performance scores.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Future research must continue to identify and explore additional community- and agency-level predictors of partnership performance.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA. laurad@ext.msstate.edu
authors.forename: Laura Hall
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Rakash
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gaddam
authors.forename: F Douglas
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Scutchfield
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D009111:Local Government; D016730:Program Development; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000191:economics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States