Context: State health officials (SHOs) serve a critical role as the leaders of state public health systems. Despite their many responsibilities, there is no formal process for preparation to become an SHO, and few requirements influence the selection of an SHO. Furthermore, to date, no studies have examined SHO tenure or their experiences.
Objective: This study examines SHO tenure over time and the relationship between SHO tenure and organizational and state attributes.
Design: This longitudinal study employed primary data on SHOs and secondary data from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials on organizational attributes of state public health agencies.
Setting: This study examines SHOs within the United States.
Participants: SHOs who served in years 1980-2017.
Main Outcome Measures: Annual average SHO tenure; average SHO tenure by state.
Results: In the 38 years of this study, 508 individuals served as SHOs in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The average tenure over this period was 4.1 years, with a median tenure of 2.9 years. During the study period, almost 20% of SHOs served terms of 1 year or less. A total of 32 SHOs (32/508 or 6.3%) served for 10 years or longer. Excluding SHOs who served 10 years or longer (n = 32 SHOs who had a collective 478 years of tenure) reduces the average term in office to 3.5 years. The average number of new SHOs per year is 12.3. SHOs appointed by a board of health averaged more than 8 years in office compared with averages just under 4 years for those appointed by governors or secretaries of state agencies.
Conclusions: There are notable differences in SHO tenure across states. Future research is needed to further examine SHO tenure, effectiveness, job satisfaction, transitions, and the relationship between SHOs and state health. It may be valuable to expand on opportunities for new SHOs to learn from peers who have moderate to long tenures as well as SHO alumni. Given that average SHO tenure is approximately 4 years and that an SHO could be thrust into the national spotlight at a moment's notice, governors may want to consider experience over partisanship as they appoint new SHOs.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5548508 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/PHH.0000000000000639 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Dietary fermented products using mold and sweet potato- distillery by-product promotes hepatic and serum cholesterol levels and modulates gut microbiota in mice fed a high-cholesterol diet.
PeerJ
September 2019
Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Agriculture and Engineering, University of Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Miyazaki, Japan.
It has been reported that fermented products (FPs) prepared from sweet potato- distillery by-product suppressed weight gain and decreased serum cholesterol levels in mice under normal dietary conditions. Furthermore, from the information gained from the above data regarding health benefits of the FPs, the aim of this study was evaluating the effects of dietary FPs on lipid accumulation and gut microbiota in mice with or without cholesterol-load in the diet. C57BL/6N mice were fed normal (CO) diet, CO with 10% FPs (CO + FPs) diet, cholesterol loaded (HC) diet, or HC with 10% FPs (HC + FPs) diet for 8 weeks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTenure and Turnover Among State Health Officials From the SHO-CASE Survey: Correlates and Consequences of Changing Leadership.
J Public Health Manag Pract
February 2021
Department of Health Policy and Management (Drs Menachemi, Yeager, and Halverson, and Ms Danielson) and Department of Epidemiology (Dr Tilson), IU Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indianapolis, Indiana; and de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland (Dr Sellers).
Objective: To examine characteristics associated with tenure length of State Health Officials (SHOs) and examine reasons and consequences for SHO turnover.
Design: Surveys of current and former SHOs linked with secondary data from the United Health Foundation.
Setting: Original survey responses from SHOs in the United States.
Public Health Senior Deputy's Perceptions of State Health Officials' Success Factors: Professional Characteristics, Personal Attributes, and Signs of Derailment.
J Public Health Manag Pract
February 2021
Indiana University Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indianapolis, Indiana (Mr Boedigheimer and Drs Yeager and Halverson); de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland (Dr Chapple-McGruder); and Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, Virginia (Ms Moffatt).
Context: Senior deputies work closely with state health officials (SHOs) in state public health agencies and are a valuable resource for understanding their roles, responsibilities, and characteristics.
Objective: Examine senior deputies' perceptions of SHO success factors.
Design: Qualitative study including nominal group technique focus groups, a small expert focus group, and interviews.
High Turnover Among State Health Officials/Public Health Directors: Implications for the Public's Health.
J Public Health Manag Pract
January 2017
IU Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indianapolis, Indiana (Drs Halverson, Yeager, and Tilson); Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, New Jersey (Dr Lumpkin); de Beaumont Foundation, Bethesda, Maryland (Mr Castrucci); and Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Arlington, Virginia (Ms Moffatt).
Context: State health officials (SHOs) serve a critical role as the leaders of state public health systems. Despite their many responsibilities, there is no formal process for preparation to become an SHO, and few requirements influence the selection of an SHO. Furthermore, to date, no studies have examined SHO tenure or their experiences.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFComparative assessment of surgical training using objective criteria.
Ann R Coll Surg Engl
July 1996
Department of Surgery, Eastern General Hospital, Edinburgh.
The aims of the study were to develop and validate an objective method of assessing the operative experience of surgical trainees. Data were retrieved from a prospectively recorded computer database of operating activity in a single surgical unit over a three-year period. Operations were weighted using intermediate equivalent (IE) values.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!