Journal of Public Health Management and Practice最新文献

{"title":"Improving Household Food Security Among Foreign-Born Residents of New York City Through Grocery Store Vouchers: A Pilot Program.","authors":"Christina I Nieves, Adam Wohlman, Stephanie A Arbelaez, Arlen Zamula, Nana Bonah, Carmita M Padilla, Luis Narvaez, Ann Cuevas, Padmore John","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002342","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002342","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Many foreign-born residents of the United States are food insecure and are not eligible for government assistance programs that can improve food security, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This evaluation aimed to assess the implementation and impact of bi-weekly grocery store vouchers on household food security among New York City foreign-born residents at risk of food insecurity.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>We employed a pre-post-test evaluation design among program participants with a baseline assessment and a follow-up assessment 8 weeks later.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>This program was implemented in East Harlem, a diverse, low-income neighborhood in New York City with a large immigrant population.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>A total of 163 residents of East Harlem, New York City participated in the program.</p><p><strong>Intervention: </strong>The paper-based food vouchers were distributed to study participants biweekly for 8 weeks, for a total of 4 distributions. Each voucher was valued at $10 and participants received either $100 or $150 in grocery store vouchers, bi-weekly, depending on household size. Participants completed evaluation surveys during each distribution period.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measure: </strong>Household food insecurity was assessed using the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) 6-item short form Household Food Security Survey Module and the associated 6-item Food Security Scale developed by researchers at the National Center for Health Statistics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The average food security score among participants significantly improved from 4.4 at the start of the program to 2.6 by the end of the program ( P < .001), with a lower score indicating higher food security. Food security status also changed significantly, with a change from 97% participants considered low or very low food security at the start of the study, to 66% by the end of the study ( P < .001).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Grocery store vouchers may be effective at improving household food security among foreign-born residents who do not participate in SNAP.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"477-484"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13193160/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146167320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of an Asthma Home Visiting Program in the State of Illinois, 2020-2023.","authors":"Kunal N Patel, M Omar Khaium, Nancy Amerson, Evan Gustafson, Cassandra Johnson, Nikki Woolverton, Sarah Dee Geiger","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002368","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002368","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Asthma Home Visiting (HV) programs offer community-based education and environmental interventions to improve asthma control and reduce health care use.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate the health, quality of life (QoL), and cost outcomes of a multi-site asthma HV program implemented across Illinois from 2020 to 2023.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Cross-sectional program evaluation using pre- and post- intervention comparisons of health outcomes and health care utilization data.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Four Illinois-based HV programs supported by the Illinois Department of Public Health and funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>A total of 209 participants (58.4% children) with physician-diagnosed asthma who received HV services between 2020 and 2023.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Changes in emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, QoL indicators (Asthma Control Rating, ACT scores, and missed school/workdays), and program cost-benefit ratio.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>ED visits declined from 17.8% to 6% ( P < .05), and hospitalizations from 7.6% to 0% ( P < .05). QoL indicators improved significantly, with ACT well-controlled scores increasing from 24.8% to 45.4%. Estimated annual savings totaled $1.4 million, exceeding program costs of $1.04 million (benefit-cost ratio = 1.34).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Illinois asthma HV program improved health outcomes and reduced health care utilization, supporting its inclusion in comprehensive asthma care strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"532-541"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13178768/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147718379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Associations Between Sensitivity and Specificity With Prevalence in Data Matching.","authors":"Qiang Xia, Kacie Seil, Prima Manandhar-Sasaki, Daniel Bertolino, Valentina Mara, Lucia V Torian, Wenhui Li","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002355","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002355","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess the associations between sensitivity and specificity with prevalence in data matching.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using publicly available data, a synthetic dataset of names (\"source population\"; 8 million records) was created with records randomly assigned as positive or negative for a health outcome, as well as sex and birth date. All positives were included in file 1 (\"disease registry\"), and a random sample of positives and negatives were selected and merged to create file 2 (\"study population\"). The prevalence in the source population was defined as the proportion of individuals in the synthetic dataset who were randomly assigned as positive, and the prevalence in the study population as the proportion of individuals in the study population who were positive. Multiple disease registry and study population file pairs were created and matched with various prevalence in the source and study populations. Link Plus 3.0, a probabilistic record linkage program, was used for the data matching.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>As the prevalence in the source population increases from 0.1% to 10%, the sensitivity increases from 80.0% to 94.6% and the specificity decreases slightly; as the prevalence in the study population increases from 10% to 99%, the sensitivity remains stable around 95.0% and the specificity stays at about 100.0%.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In data matching, the sensitivity is positively and the specificity is negatively associated with the prevalence in the source population, but not associated with the prevalence in the study population.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"e148-e156"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147844404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Ties That Bind: The Relationships Among Members in Nine Ohio HEALing Communities Coalitions.","authors":"Jill Davis, Pamela Salsberry, Biswajit Padhi, Brandon Slover, Julie Stephens, Carol Baden, Lisa A Frazier, Judy Harness, Sara Roberts, Owusua Yamoah, Hilary Surratt, Tim Hunt, LaShawn Glasgow, Emmanuel Oga, JaNae Holloway, Bridget Freisthler","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002349","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002349","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Community coalitions in 9 Ohio counties implementing the Communities that Heal (CTH) intervention to reduce opioid overdose deaths in the HEALing Communities Study (HCS).</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate 9 Ohio HCS coalition network structures using social network analyses to assess organizational positionality (eg, connectedness, centrality, density), perceptions of value and trust, and associations between positionality and trust and value.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>With Visual Networks Lab (VNL), cross-sectional data were collected during the early intervention from August 31, 2022, to November 8, 2022, using a validated survey tool and Program to Analyze, Record, and Track, Networks to Enhance Relationships (PARTNER) to measure organizational connections and attributes.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Nine counties located throughout Ohio that were randomized into the second wave of the HCS.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>153 member organizations from across the 9 Ohio coalitions. Coalition size ranged from 16 to 27 member organizations. No organization served on more than one coalition.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Count of organizational partnerships (ties), perceived value, and trust scores.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Coalition structure varied across counties, displayed in network maps indicating the number and type of connections by organization. At the coalition level, the mean number of ties ranged from 2.94 to 7.13. Coalition connectedness (density) ranged from low (0.17) to moderate (0.31). Mean trust scores were higher: 3.25 to 3.53 (of 4) while mean value scores ranged from lower to fair: 2.61 to 3.07 (of 4). Degree centrality (most connections) ranged from 0.3 to 0.6; closeness centrality (shorter connections) ranged from 0.2 to 0.5. Trust and value were correlated in 8 coalitions; associations among centrality, trust, and value scores varied considerably.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Variations in coalition structures likely reflect differences in community context. Understanding coalition structure, including by sector, and perceptions of trust and value, may enhance coalition leadership's ability to improve collaboration and enhance coalition capacity to meet objectives.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"455-466"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13178777/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessing COVID-19 Testing Strategies in K-12 Schools in Underserved Populations.","authors":"Tyler Walsh, Samantha Hayes, Jingxia Liu, Sara Malone, Stephanie Fritz, Yifei Xu, Brittany Bonty, Sheretta Butler-Barnes, Christina Evans, Kelly Harris, Brock Montgomery, Nancy Mueller, Summer M Reyes, Sydney A Reyes, Liz Vestal, Myisha Wilcher-Roberts, Cynthia Williams, Jason G Newland","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002346","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002346","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>The COVID-19 pandemic presented an unprecedented challenge for operations of schools in the US. In addition to masking and distancing, weekly testing for SARS-CoV-2 was recommended for students and staff during high SARS-CoV-2 transmission levels to provide an additional mitigation strategy to limit transmission.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess testing strategies (weekly screening vs. symptomatic only) on SARS-CoV-2 infection rates in public middle and high schools predominantly attended by underrepresented minorities.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>During the 2021-2022 school year, a cluster randomized trial was conducted among 16 middle and high schools from 5 public school districts. These schools were randomized into one of 2 intervention groups: Weekly screening testing + symptomatic testing (S + S) or symptomatic testing only.</p><p><strong>Setting: </strong>Public schools in St. Louis (Missouri).</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>Students, staff, and family members of 16 middle and high schools.</p><p><strong>Intervention: </strong>Weekly screening + symptomatic testing or symptomatic only testing.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Any positive test across all weeks [yes/no], number of tests, number of positive tests, and positivity test rate for each participant.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>One thousand three hundred ninety individuals participated in this study. From the S + S schools, 894 (64.3%) individuals participated: 200 (15%) students, 353 (43%) staff, and 290 (37.5%) household members. Among the 496 (35.7%) participants from the symptomatic only schools, 183 (13%) students, 203 (47%) staff, and 83 (40%) household members participated. A total of 183 participants tested positive during the study period. When comparing school-based testing strategies, the positivity rates were not different between the 2 groups ( P = .25).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study did not show a benefit of weekly screening testing. Underlying disease risk or effectiveness of testing is considered however, notably the finding may be attributed to the inherent differences of identifying positive cases in each testing strategies. Finally, the participation rate in the study at the schools was low, which limits this finding.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"572-583"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13297105/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Factors Associated With Mental Health Literacy in HIV Care: Evidence From a Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study to Inform Interventions.","authors":"Truc Thanh Thai, Hoai-Thuong Thi Tran, Khanh-Ha Mai Huynh, Xuan Le Mai, Hong-Tuyet Vo Le, Trang Thi Nguyen, Ngoc-Bich Thi Nguyen, Ngon Van Dinh, Thu-Phuong Thi Pham, Phuong-Anh Nhat Tran, Hy-Han Thi Bui, Minh Cuong Duong","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002344","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002344","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>People living with HIV are at a higher risk of mental disorders compared with the general population. However, their mental health needs are often unmet. Mental health literacy is vital to addressing this gap.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study examined mental health literacy levels and associated factors among people living with HIV in Vietnam.</p><p><strong>Design, setting, and participants: </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted on people living with HIV recruited though convenience sampling from 6 Community Counseling and Support Clinics across Ho Chi Minh City between February and April 2024. Participants were interviewed face-to-face using a predefined questionnaire including sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, mental health experiences, the Mental Health Literacy Scale, the General Help-Seeking Questionnaire, and the Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill Scale.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>The Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) was used to assess the level of mental health literacy. Correlation and linear regression analyses were performed to examine the associations between mental health literacy, help-seeking behavior, and stigma. Multivariate linear regression was used to identify factors independently associated with mental health literacy.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among all 900 participants, the majority were male (77.3%) with a mean age of 37.2 ± 9.6 years. The mean MHLS score was 95.5 ± 11.8. Lower mental health literacy was significantly associated with older age, female gender, lower education levels, absence of a history of mental illness, not knowing someone with a mental disorder, limited use of the Internet for mental health information or no Internet use, lower levels of help-seeking behavior, and higher levels of stigma.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The MHLS scores among people living with HIV in this study were comparable with those reported in similar populations, suggesting a moderate level of awareness overall. Targeted interventions addressing stigma, digital access, and mental health education, especially for older adults, women, and those with limited exposure to mental health information, are needed to improve mental health literacy and support better mental health outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"496-511"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13178773/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147785818","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Public Health Infrastructure Grant: Early Evidence of How It Bolsters Health Departments' Efforts to Recruit, Hire, and Retain Our Nation's Public Health Workforce.","authors":"Christina L Chung, Marion W Carter, Luciana Rocha, Megan Heffernan, Elizabeth Gould, Caitlin Canfield, Christiana Reene, Andrea C Young","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002369","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002369","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Public Health Infrastructure Grant (PHIG) is a recent, large investment aimed at strengthening the nation's public health infrastructure and addressing workforce gaps.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To assess how PHIG supports health departments in recruiting, hiring, and retaining their workforce during early implementation.</p><p><strong>Design, setting and participants: </strong>We conducted thematic coding and descriptive analyses of data submitted to CDC from 107 recipients, representing state, territorial, local, and freely associated state health departments. Work plan and progress report data were coded to generate themes, and descriptive analyses of the themes were conducted to aggregate recipient level results. We also conducted a descriptive analysis of the grant's hiring data. Purposive sampling was used to generate a sample of evaluation results from health departments.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Recruitment, hiring, and retention of the public health workforce.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All recipients (n = 107, 100%) reported plans to recruit and hire staff by developing and publicizing job descriptions (n = 73, 68%) and establishing external partnerships (n = 52, 49%). Most (n = 94, 88%) reported plans to use PHIG funds to retain staff. By 18 months, 6255 positions were filled; 57% were in indirectly funded local health departments, mainly clinical roles. Recipients showed early signs of progress toward implementing system-level improvements, such as streamlined hiring processes, standardized recruitment systems, revised job classifications, and updated pay scales.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PHIG is addressing immediate staffing needs, particularly in rural and smaller local communities where direct clinical services may be most needed. The grant is enabling health departments to pursue system-level improvements to recruit, hire, and retain staff. PHIG's flexibility is key to supporting a workforce that meets local communities' needs, and strengthening the infrastructure to build workforce capacity, enhancing the ability of health departments to respond to future public health threats.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"547-558"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147844429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Effect of Interjurisdictional Data Exchange on Immunization Data in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.","authors":"Hannah Forsythe, Taylor Olsabeck, Sarah Kangas, Naomi Jiter, Sydney Kuramoto, Ryan Malosh","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002353","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002353","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>Immunization information systems (IIS) data can be used to routinely monitor immunization coverage to monitor geographical vaccination coverage. Analyses for smaller geographical areas are more sensitive to data quality errors and resident mobility, which may bias coverage estimates. Improving these estimates also contributes to health equity because certain small populations may face disproportionate health challenges.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To evaluate how data exchange with adjacent jurisdictions affects immunization coverage estimates in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Retrospective cohort study.</p><p><strong>Setting participants: </strong>Immunization data for Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin residents from the Michigan Care Improvement Registry, Minnesota Immunization Information Connection, and Wisconsin Immunization Registry, respectively.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Count of out-of-state immunizations; distribution of residents with at least 1 out-of-state immunization; change in routine childhood, adolescent, and adult influenza and COVID-19 immunization coverage estimates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Despite a modest state-wide impact, analysis in all 3 jurisdictions revealed sizeable effects at the county level, especially in immunization coverage estimates along state borders. In Michigan, 0.3% of IIS residents had received at least 1 vaccination in Wisconsin; including these records led to increases in routine childhood coverage estimates as high as 40% in 1 county. This was also true for Minnesota and Wisconsin, with 8.1% and 3.8% of the population having a known out-of-state vaccine, respectively, driving up routine childhood coverage estimates by 60% or more in some counties.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>IIS-to-IIS data exchange has improved capture of certain populations within Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In all 3 jurisdictions, the impact of interjurisdictional data exchange was concentrated in border counties, suggesting that jurisdictions with mobile populations along their borders will gain the most from investing in this infrastructure.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"616-624"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857507","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the Implementation of a COVID-19 Test-to-Treat Program in Ghana Using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) Framework: A Secondary Analysis of a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Monitoring Activity.","authors":"Teagan Lukacs, Doreenda Enyonam Ahiataku, Mohammed Aminu Andrew Musah, Paa Kobina Forson, Bhakti Hansoti","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002370","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002370","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Context: </strong>The COVID-19 Test-to-Treat (T2T) initiative aimed for early identification and treatment of cases in high-risk populations by providing free rapid antigen testing and oral antivirals. Its goal was to prevent avoidable morbidity and mortality by integrating COVID-19 care into routine services.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>As part of the Monitoring and Evaluation plan for the T2T project, a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology was used to evaluate the effectiveness of service integration in health facilities across Ghana.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>An evaluation of the PDSA tool was conducted to assess the 12 implementation steps taken to conduct the T2T project. Guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment framework, a qualitative evaluation examined implementation experiences, barriers, and strategies to support sustainability and inform future implementation planning.</p><p><strong>Setting/participants: </strong>Doctors, program directors, department directors, and government representatives from 17 health facilities participated in the PDSA quality assurance activity.</p><p><strong>Outcome measures: </strong>Factors affecting T2T Program adherence and fidelity.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Although most facilities successfully achieved the core T2T steps, several contextual challenges emerged, including staff turnover, competing priorities, and limited training infrastructure, which contributed to inconsistent adherence to clinical protocols, missed testing opportunities, and inappropriate prescribing. Facilities that maintained ongoing leadership involvement and internal monitoring achieved stronger program adherence and continuity.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This experience highlights that integration of new clinical processes in low- and middle-income countries is possible and sustainability depends on continuous staff training, strong leadership engagement, and structured monitoring systems. Embedding recurrent training, feedback loops, and accountability mechanisms within existing health system workflows proved essential for maintaining program performance. These lessons offer a practical framework for integrating new initiatives into routine care and strengthening system resilience against future public health emergencies in low- and middle-income countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"e140-e147"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Program Evaluation Practicum.","authors":"Patricia Spencer, Laurin Kasehagen, Connie Bish, Elizabeth Conrey, Amanda Bennett, Ekwutosi Okoroh, Charlan D Kroelinger, Wanda D Barfield, Mary Jean Brown, Henning Tiemeier, Taleria R Fuller","doi":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002362","DOIUrl":"10.1097/PHH.0000000000002362","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>A Maternal and Child Health (MCH) workforce skilled in program evaluation is vital for program assessment and data-driven decision making. Collaborative evaluation capacity-building opportunities for state, tribal, local, and territorial (STLT) public health staff, partner organizations, and students are key strategies in building a skilled workforce, promoting program improvement, effectiveness, and sustainability to improve long-term MCH outcomes. We evaluated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Program Evaluation Practicum to determine if it contributed to STLT participants' ability to implement evaluation plans responsive to their MCH programs and gather recommendations for Practicum improvement.</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>Qualitative one-on-one interviews; data collected July-August 2023.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>Eighteen STLT public health staff, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Program (MCHEP) field assignees, who participated in the Practicum between 2018 and 2022.</p><p><strong>Main outcome measures: </strong>Experiences of STLT MCH program staff and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention MCHEP field assignees.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Six facilitator themes and 6 barrier themes for evaluating MCH programs were identified. Facilitators: an appreciation for evaluation from program partners and recipients; data availability; resources to support evaluation tasks; funding; internal program evaluation capacity; and organizational support. Barriers: data or systems access issues; staff turnover; shifting priorities; lack of evaluation readiness; limited evaluation capacity; and data collection issues. Four lessons-learned themes were identified: need for improved data collection tools; identification of future training needs; facilitation of programmatic decisions; and facilitation of evaluation buy-in. Five themes for recommendations on improving the Practicum were identified: collaborative learning and real-world examples; more evaluation support; modifying the Practicum structure; establishing appropriate Practicum teams; and helping programs determine evaluation readiness.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Collaborative evaluation training like the Practicum can strengthen evaluation capacity within MCH programs and support program improvement. However, the Practicum may benefit from updated guidance, content, and structure to better assess participants' evaluation readiness and meet participants' needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":47855,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Health Management and Practice","volume":" ","pages":"559-571"},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147844356","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}