title: Exploring Costing Methods for Environmental Health Services in North Carolina.
abstract: All local health departments in North Carolina are mandated to provide a defined set of environmental health services, yet few have the tools to understand the costs incurred in delivering these services. The objectives of this study were to (1) derive cost estimates for 2 commonly provided environmental health services-food and lodging inspections and on-site water services-and (2) explore factors that drive variations in costs, focusing on the roles of economies of scale and scope. Using data from 15 local health departments in North Carolina, we found that costs varied substantially. A bivariate analysis found evidence of economies of scale: higher volumes of services were associated with lower costs per service. Providing a greater scope of services, however, was not consistently associated with reduced costs. In-depth cost data provide public health officials with key information when deciding how to best serve their communities.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Simone R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Winterbauer
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Public Health, Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.affiliation: 3 Granville Vance Health Department, Oxford, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa Macon
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Harrison
mesh_terms: D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis / Q000379:methods*; D004782:Environmental Health; D006801:Humans; D009657:North Carolina; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014492:United States Public Health Service / Q000191:economics*
keywords: cost; environmental health; essential public health services