Community Engagement Framework for Community Assessment and Improvement Planning.

As the emphasis on community-based public health expands, academics and practitioners are challenged to include the community throughout assessment and improvement planning activities. The volatility of community-based government programs and the emergence of new initiatives further complicate community involvement. Many communities have grown tired of being participants, of strategies focused on assessments that never reach implementation or goals, and of being abandoned when funding ends. A framework that melds lessons learned from previous programs and existing models with Web-based resources and new initiatives provides insights for sustainable and agile community-based solutions. Other implications include ways to align multiple assessment and planning requirements through one framework. This article describes the components and distinctions of a community engagement framework for assessment and planning conceptualized through the experiences of public health practice and academic partners in South Carolina.

A collaborative approach in workforce assessment: South Carolina's strategies for high response rates.

The South Carolina Public Health Training Center and South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control conducted a state public health workforce assessment using a collaborative methodology. A joint workforce assessment team used the 2010 Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals--developed by the Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice--as the basis for the assessment and resulting continuing education programs. A 91% response rate (n = 1,375) was achieved among full-time regional employees, while an 81% response rate (n = 1,598) was achieved among all regional employee types. This unusually high response rate in a voluntary assessment was accomplished by involving key stakeholders in the planning, development, and implementation process and by communicating directly with leaders in South Carolina's eight health regions. In addition to boosting the response rate, the collaborative approach strengthened the partnership between the academic and practice partners. In this article, we discuss the workforce assessment methodology, strategies, results, and lessons learned.

Restaurant industry preparedness against intentional food contamination: results of a South Carolina survey.

Food safety and food defense are both responsibilities of public health agencies. Food safety practices within restaurants are regulated by state and local public health laws based on the US Food and Drug Administration Model Food Code. However, little is known about preemptive practices against intentional food-borne outbreaks within restaurants. The researchers administered a survey to a 50 percent random sample of South Carolina's restaurants, a state that relies heavily on tourism and the restaurant industry for its economic well-being. The survey received a response rate of 15 percent. The food defense practice items fall under three functional categories: employee management and training practices; vendor and delivery-related practices; and physical facilities and operational security practices. This study presents the results, classified by geographic region. Findings indicate some key areas of vulnerability that need attention to protect the public from mass food outbreaks due to intentional contamination. Of concern, there is much variation in practices by geographic region. On the basis of the survey, recommendations are made to improve restaurant preparedness against food-borne outbreaks from terrorism and malevolent contamination.

Preventing intentional food contamination: a survey to assess restaurant preparedness.

In the age of preparedness, public health agencies are concerned with intentional acts of food contamination in restaurants, in addition to food safety. Food safety consists of applying standard norms of practice and infrastructure, which, if violated, cause food-borne illness. In contrast, food defense requires an institutionalized mindset of informed alertness to unusual variations from the norms, combined with preemptive practices best suited to each restaurant. Therefore, while food safety lends itself to regulation to ensure standard practices, food defense is best served by advisory guidelines for autonomous application, preserving the restaurant industry's core values of hospitality and customer service. To address this challenge, public health agencies need survey tools that can yield action-relevant data on the knowledge and practice gaps in food defense preparedness and on educational messages and support services to be developed for maximum impact potential. This article presents a mail survey instrument, developed using qualitative research to ensure content and face validity. Instrument development involved drafting the survey on the basis of expert consultations, validating its content by using focus groups (representing all restaurant categories and geographic regions), and ensuring face validity through cognitive interviews. The resulting survey remains sensitive to the hospitality industry while encompassing all vulnerable points.

Demonstrating excellence in the scholarship of practice-based service for public health.

Practice-based scholarship in public health addresses community health issues. The accredited schools of public health (SPHs) have played a significant role in defining and implementing the multidisciplinary, interprofessional, ecological approach to improving the health and safety of communities through academic public health practice. These schools have addressed the challenges raised by the Institute of Medicine for enhancing academic-practice linkages. The Association of Schools of Public Health (ASPH) established the Council of Public Health Practice Coordinators (Practice Council), whose members are delegates from each of the SPHs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); there were 40 as of 2008. The Practice Council's priorities are to (1) promote greater commitment to scholarship in public health practice-based research, teaching, and service within SPHs, and (2) facilitate recognition and reward for practice-based scholarship in academic institutions. Extensive alignment of efforts by the Practice Council, SPHs, federal agencies, private institutions, and the practice sector have invigorated scholarship in academic public health practice.

A program evaluation of postpartum/newborn home visitation services in aiken county, South Carolina.

OBJECTIVE: Home visiting programs for very young children seek to promote their health and development. We conducted a process and outcome evaluation of the Postpartum/Newborn Home Visit (PPNBHV) service in 1 county. DESIGN: A retrospective study of Aiken County Health records of live infant births in 2004 was conducted. SAMPLE: A random sample of 176 infants who were born in 2004 and enrolled in the women, infants, and children's (WIC) program in the same year was selected. MEASURES: Process measures include timeliness of the home visit, and appropriateness of revisits. Outcome measures include age at WIC enrollment and immunization status at 6/9 months. RESULTS: Of the 176 infants, 76 (43%) received a home visit. Of these, 13 (17%) received the visit within the stipulated time frame. After controlling for potential confounders, infants who received a home visit were 4 times (95% CI 1.92-8.36) as likely to enroll early in the WIC program compared with those who did not. CONCLUSION: The PPNBHV service may contribute to early enrollment in the WIC program. Improvement in the timeliness of the visits is needed. Program monitoring and evaluation are necessary to ensure adherence, measure outcomes, and provide feedback for continuous quality improvement.

Demonstrating excellence in practice-based research for public health.

This document explores the opportunity for scholarship to enhance the evidence base for academic public health practice and practice-based research. Demonstrating Excellence in Practice-Based Research for Public Health defines practice-based research; describes its various approaches, models, and methods; explores ways to overcome its challenges; and recommends actions for its stakeholders in both academic and practice communities. It is hoped that this document will lead to new partnership opportunities between public health researchers and public health practitioners to strengthen the infrastructure of public health and add new dimensions to the science of public health practice. Demonstrating Excellence in Practice-Based Research for Public Health is intended for those who produce, participate in, and use practice-based research. This includes academic researchers and educators, public health administrators and field staff, clinical health professionals, community-based organizations and professionals, and interested members of the public.