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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Sergey Sotnikov, PhD and Toby Merlin, MD. National Center for Health Marketing, Division of Partnership Communications, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway; MS K-39, Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-488-2528, ann0@cdc.gov

OBJECTIVES: The recent report from Institute of Medicine (IOM), “The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century,” promotes partnerships as a way to improve performance of public health systems through better resources mobilization. This study provides quantitative evaluation of the effects of public-private partnerships on performance of local health departments (LHDs). METHODS: We estimate four statistical models that relate measures of overall LHD performance to their partnerships with private businesses at the community level. Data are from an inventory of 147 LHDs (108 rural and 39 urban) in three states that participated in the National Public Health Performance Standards Program (NPHPSP). RESULTS: Public–private partnerships appear more likely to develop if LHD per capita spending is low compared to peers, LHD is located in a more urbanized county, the LHD director has training in public health, and the LHD is engaged in fewer partnerships. Partnerships with businesses appear to have effects in the middle quantiles of performance distribution and no effects at low and high end of the distribution. CONCLUSIONS: Partnerships with private businesses appear beneficial for LHDs with average levels of performance.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to

(
• describe the range of different types of partnerships that occur in local public health practice; (
• identify alternative mechanisms through which partnerships may influence the performance of essential public health services; and (
• assess evidence regarding the impact of partnerships on public health performance.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No