title: Public participation in the process of local public health policy, using policy network analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the current public participation in-local health policy and its implications through the analysis of policy networks in health center programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the decision-making process in sub-health center installations and the implementation process in metabolic syndrome management program cases in two districts ('gu's) of Seoul. Participants of the policy network were selected by the snowballing method and completed self-administered questionnaires. Actors, the interactions among actors, and the characteristics of the network were analyzed by Netminer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the public is not yet actively participating in the local public health policy processes of decision-making and implementation. In the decision-making process, most of the network actors were in the public sector, while the private sector was a minor actor and participated in only a limited number of issues after the major decisions were made. In the implementation process, the program was led by the health center, while other actors participated passively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Public participation in Korean public health policy is not yet well activated. Preliminary discussions with various stakeholders, including civil society, are needed before making important local public health policy decisions. In addition, efforts to include local institutions and residents in the implementation process with the public officials are necessary to improve the situation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yukyung
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Yup
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Myoung Soon
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kun Sei
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Seoul Metropolitan Government Public Health Policy Institute, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eunyoung
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D019058:Community Networks; D003256:Community Participation; D003657:Decision Making; D006291:Health Policy; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control; D016730:Program Development; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Local public health policy; Policy network; Policy process; Public participation; Social network analysis