Analysis of Local Health Department Factors that Accelerate Population-Based Intervention Implementation and Support Success

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Overview

The main hypothesis of this project is that increased local public health capacity and performance (as measured by authority level of the top local public health official, maturity of organizational quality improvement, and readiness for accreditation) improves local health department (LHD) performance on intervention strategies (e.g., ability to meet stated goals, depth of implementation, and sustainability of interventions). This research is embedded within a study of evidence-based policy, systems, and environmental change strategies conducted by 100% of local health departments in Minnesota (MN) as part of the implementation of MN health reform legislation. The MN initiative focuses on strategies that have demonstrated success in promoting healthy nutrition, increasing opportunities for physical activity, reducing tobacco use, and promoting healthy behaviors in the workplace. This study is a natural progression from research already underway in MN related to LHD structure, capacity, and financing, as part of the MN Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN). The MN model studied here is similar to that of major new CDC initiatives like the Community Transformation Grants and Communities Putting Prevention to Work program. Thus, identification of LHD factors that are associated with improved performance on community-based interventions could inform other state and local health departments as they work to promote policy, system, and environmental changes.

Presentations

• Implementation of a statewide health system reform initiative: lessons learned on factors that facilitate and impede local public health performance (Keeneland Conference April 2013)
• Factors associated with local public health performance on a statewide health system reform initiative: does quality improvement (QI) maturity matter? (Keeneland Conference April 2013)
• Dissemination and translation of public health systems and services research through the lens of public health: multi-faceted approaches to reach diverse audiences (Keeneland Conference April 2013)
• Engaging academic and practice in an evaluation of local public health performance: MN experiences (Keeneland Conference April 2013)
• Analysis of local health department factors that accelerate population based intervention implementation and support success (State Community Health Services Advisory Committee, March 2013)

Publications

• From the Frontier: Translating Research to Practice…QI as the Hinge Point
• Analysis of Local Health Department Factors that Accelerate Population-based Intervention Strategies: Preliminary Findings

Tools & Other Resources

• Qualitative Interview Tool: Discussing Public Health Organizational Capacity, Process & Performance in the Context of the Meyer, Davis, Mays PHSSR Conceptual Model May 2013
• Evaluation Plan Template July 2013
• Study of local factors that helped or hindered implementation of SHIP 1.0.
• Analysis of local health department factors that accelerate population-based intervention implementation and support success.
• Ship Progress Brief-Year 3
• Local health department factors that accelerate population-based intervention implementation
• Local health department factors associated with performance in the successful implementation of community-based strategies

Website

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/opi/pm/ran/

Contacts

Elizabeth Gyllstrom & Bill Riley
Minnesota Department of Health

Research Areas

• System Structure and Performance
• Interorganizational Relationships and Partnerships