Using a novel data linkage approach to investigate potential reductions in motor vehicle crash severity - An evaluation of strategic highway safety plan emphasis areas.

Introduction: With the significant number of motor-vehicle fatalities occurring on the nation's roadways in recent years, there exists a need to integrate a more complete range of data sources, available at a regional or statewide level, to effectively evaluate existing safety concerns and quantify their impacts. Crash data alone does not provide ample crash-associated citation, injury, and roadway characteristics; therefore, a more cohesive dataset is required to accurately and completely analyze the true impacts of motor-vehicle crashes. Previously developed strategies linked crash data with citation and roadway inventory data to enhance the identification and optimization of highway safety strategies.

Developing Core Capabilities for Local Health Departments to Engage in Land Use and Transportation Decision Making for Active Transportation.

Objective: To develop a core set of capabilities and tasks for local health departments (LHDs) to engage in land use and transportation policy processes that promote active transportation.

Design: We conducted a 3-phase modified Delphi study from 2015 to 2017.

Setting: We recruited a multidisciplinary national expert panel for key informant interviews by telephone and completion of a 2-step online validation process.

Qualitative Exploration of Cross-Sector Perspectives on the Contributions of Local Health Departments in Land-Use and Transportation Policy.

Introduction: Transportation and land-use policies can affect the physical activity of populations. Local health departments (LHDs) are encouraged to participate in built-environment policy processes, which are outside their traditional expertise. Cross-sector collaborations are needed, yet stakeholders' perceptions of LHD involvement are not well understood.