title: Laying the groundwork for evidence-based public health: why some local health departments use more evidence-based decision-making practices than others.
abstract: We examined variation in the use of evidence-based decision-making (EBDM) practices across local health departments (LHDs) in the United States and the extent to which this variation was predicted by resources, personnel, and governance. We analyzed data from the National Association of County and City Health Officials Profile of Local Health Departments, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials State Health Departments Profile, and the US Census using 2-level multilevel regression models. We found more workforce predictors than resource predictors. Thus, although resources are related to LHDs' use of EBDM practices, the way resources are used (e.g., the types and qualifications of personnel hired) may be more important.
authors.affiliation: Kay A. Lovelace and Kelly L. Rulison are with the Department of Public Health Education, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. At the time of the study, Robert E. Aronson was with The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Jeffrey D. Labban is with the Office of Research, School of Health and Human Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro. Gulzar H. Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Mark Smith is with the Health Surveillance and Analysis Unit, Guilford County Department of Public Health, Greensboro.
authors.forename: Kay A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Lovelace
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Aronson
authors.forename: Kelly L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Rulison
authors.forename: Jeffrey D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Labban
authors.forename: Gulzar H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D055317:Evidence-Based Practice; D006801:Humans; D009111:Local Government; D011635:Public Health Administration; D015980:Public Health Practice / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013597:Systems Analysis; D014481:United States