Management Practices to Build Evidence-Based Decision-Making Capacity for Chronic Disease Prevention in Georgia: A Case Study
COMMUNITY CASE STUDY — Volume 15 — July 12, 2018
PEER REVIEWED
The organizational chart of the Chronic Disease Prevention Section (CDPS) of the Georgia Department of Public Health was restructured to enhance coordination across program areas. The top box is “Leadership and Science Oversight”. The figure then shows the names of the 7 restructured teams within CDPS and the main responsibilities of each team. The Administration and Fiscal Management Team is responsible for budget monitoring, purchasing, and serving as the liaison with human resources. The Evaluation and Monitoring Team is responsible for evaluation planning, data collection and analysis. The Partnerships and Planning Team is responsible for health district collaborations, cancer planning and partnerships, and health disparities. The Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change Team is responsible for heart disease and nutrition and physical activity in worksites, early care and education, and smoke-free places. The Health Systems Team is responsible for screening and treatment programs, community-clinical linkages, and health systems quality improvement programs. The Adolescent and School Health Team is responsible for sexual violence prevention, youth development and teen pregnancy prevention, school health policies, and asthma control. The Epidemiology Team is responsible for surveillance through statewide surveys (BRFSS, YRBS, ATS, and YTS), disease registries, and the school health profiles. Epidemiology Team staff members report directly to a different section of the Georgia Department of Public Health but collaborate with CDPS leadership and staff to provide chronic disease prevention and control surveillance.
Figure 1.
Organizational framework of the Chronic Disease Prevention Section, Georgia Department of Public Health, 2017. Abbreviations: BRFSS, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System; YRBS, Youth Risk Behavior Survey; ATS, Adult Tobacco Survey; YTS, Youth Tobacco Survey.
The components of the evidence-based public health framework in various sections of a wheel. Each component is essential for evidence-based decision making (EBDM). The EBDM training provided by the study team included 8 modules, one for each component, preceded by a ninth introductory module. The 8 components are the action steps in EBDM: Quantify the issue; Develop a concise issue statement; Search and summarize the scientific literature; Apply economic evaluation concepts; Develop and prioritize program and policy options; Conduct action planning and implement program or policy; Evaluate the program or policy, and based on evaluation findings, either disseminate widely, retool, or discontinue the program or policy.
Figure 2.
Framework for training in public health evidence-based decision making. Source: Brownson et al (1).
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