title: Challenges and Innovations in Surveying the Governmental Public Health Workforce.
abstract: Surveying governmental public health practitioners is a critical means of collecting data about public health organizations, their staff, and their partners. A greater focus on evidence-based practices, practice-based systems research, and evaluation has resulted in practitioners consistently receiving requests to participate in myriad surveys. This can result in a substantial survey burden for practitioners and declining response rates for researchers. This is potentially damaging to practitioners and researchers as well as the field of public health more broadly. We have examined recent developments in survey research, especially issues highly relevant for public health practice. We have also proposed a process by which researchers can engage with practitioners and practitioner groups on research questions of mutual interest.
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Jonathon P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Leider
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Gulzar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Nikki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rider
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Brian C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Castrucci
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Jenine K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sellers
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Varda
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Jiali
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Erwin
authors.affiliation: At the time of writing, Jonathon P. Leider was and Brian C. Castrucci is with the de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, MD. Gulzar Shah is with the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University, Statesboro. Nikki Rider was with the National Network of Public Health Institutes, New Orleans, LA. Angela Beck is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Jenine Harris and Ross C. Brownson are with the Brown School, Washington University, St. Louis, MO. Katie Sellers was with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, VA. Danielle Varda is with the University of Colorado, Denver. Jiali Ye is with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, Washington, DC. Paul C. Erwin is with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
authors.forename: Ross C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Brownson
mesh_terms: D006302:Health Services Research / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D024382:Professional Role; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012106:Research / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014492:United States Public Health Service / Q000458:organization & administration*