Are Public Health Services Available Where They Are Most Needed? An Examination of Local Health Department Services

Local health departments (LHDs) play a key role in the provision of public health services in the United States. Little is known about the extent to which LHD service availability varies by the socioeconomic characteristics of regional populations. This study merges data from the 1996 National Assoc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of public health management and practice 2003-05, Vol.9 (3), p.214-223
Main Authors: Mete, Cem, Cioffi, Joan P., Lichtveld, Maureen Y.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Catchment Area (Health)
Health Services Accessibility
Health Services Needs and Demand
Health Services Research
Health technology assessment
Humans
Local Government
Management Audit
Public Health Administration - standards
Social Class
United States
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Summary:Local health departments (LHDs) play a key role in the provision of public health services in the United States. Little is known about the extent to which LHD service availability varies by the socioeconomic characteristics of regional populations. This study merges data from the 1996 National Association of County and City Health Officials LHD profile survey and the Area Resource File system. The empirical analysis suggests that LHDs in low-socioeconomic background counties are more likely to provide services such as family planning. For other services, either LHD involvement is low across the board or the distribution of LHD services does not favor low-socioeconomic background counties. Thus, there is often room for improvements in service availability and targeting.
ISSN:1078-4659
1550-5022
DOI:10.1097/00124784-200305000-00006