Tobacco policy and the role of law enforcement in prevention: the value of understanding context.

The Florida Office of Tobacco Control sponsors evaluations of the effect of its comprehensive youth tobacco prevention initiatives. As part of this evaluation, a quasi-experiment designed to assess the effect of law enforcement on youth tobacco use was conducted. An in-depth qualitative study was a critical component of this research. This study provided a rich description of the context in which law enforcement was implemented. Data collection involved interviews with judges, clerks of court, and selected officials in each of the study counties. Approximately 70 interviews were conducted. Extensive, ongoing computer-assisted analysis complemented the process. Several consistent themes emerged during the research that helped to give contextual meaning to the findings. These themes provided critical insights into the complexity of policies about youth tobacco possession, and the findings helped illuminate the varying contexts in which these interventions were applied.

The feasibility and desirability of public health credentialing: a survey of public health leaders.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to provide insight concerning the potential of credentialing public health workers through an exploratory examination of public health leaders' perceptions. METHODS: Qualitative and quantitative procedures were used. Credentialing issues were identified through the literature and through open-ended interviews with leaders and experts. A 74-item Likert-type survey was used to quantify perceptions. Key informants and survey participants were identified through pertinent organizations. RESULTS: The public health leaders leaned toward consensus on some benefits of and concerns about credentialing. There was no consensus related to a specific form of desired credentialing, although national certification was supported by a plurality. State licensing and an emphasis on the master's in public health (MPH) degree were opposed by large margins. Public health leadership survey results were similar to results of a survey of credentialing experts. CONCLUSIONS: The lack of consensus and the vehemence of some opposing positions indicate that movements toward credentialing should proceed cautiously. However, many of the response patterns indicate that the issue merits further exploration.