Major Publications

Research

Information about some of the most important public health issues today

ASTHO Annual Report

Annual Report 2009-2010 (pdf)

An overview of ASTHO's mission and vision, accomplishments, priorities, and program

At-Risk Populations Guidance Document

The guidance provides a framework and recommendations to assist planning. Planners may wish to work with their partners to determine their needs related to at-risk populations and to implement selected recommendations as appropriate. Where possible, planners are encouraged to consider how to refine current activities rather than initiating new activities to ensure that the needs of at-risk populations are adequately addressed. The full guidance contains a supplement, "Proposed Timeline for Enacting Recommendations," that adapts the recommended planning activities to the various levels of proximity and severity of a pandemic to help planners further refine their activities.

Executive Summary (2008) (pdf)

Full Guidance (2008) (pdf)

Health Equity

ASTHO 2008 Snapshots: State Activities to Promote Health Equity (graphic)

With support from the DHHS Office of Minority Health, ASTHO surveyed state and territorial health agencies on racial/ethnic minority health and health disparities.

Health Reform

Health Reform and Public Health (2009) (pdf)

A series of papers on the role of public health in a transformed health system, including ASTHO's position statement on health reform. Individual documents from this packet are available below.

Public Health: An Essential Component of Health Reform (2009) (pdf)

Health reform in the United States cannot exist without a strong public health component. This series of papers looks at the challenges to public health, the excellent return on investment, the shortage of workers, and the crumbling infrastructure.

Public Health Funding

Impact of Budget Cuts on State Public Health (2010) (pdf)

Budget Squeeze Threatens Public Health (2009) (pdf)

State Public Health

ASTHO Profile of State Public Health, Volume One (2009) (pdf)

With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ASTHO surveyed state and territorial health agencies about their responsibilities, organization and structure, planning and quality improvement activities, workforce, and much more. All 50 states and the District of Columbia completed the survey.

ASTHO Chartbook of State Public Health, Volume One (2010) (pdf)

The Chartbook serves as a companion piece to the ASTHO Profile of State Public Health, Volume One, by providing in-depth tabular data on topics highlighted by the Profile. This publication is a useful statistical reference for state and local health departments, legislators, federal agencies, researchers, and others to better understand our nation’s state public health infrastructure.

Understanding State Public Health (2007) (pdf)

Through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, ASTHO developed the Understanding State Public Health Project. This white paper describes the goals of the initiative, which include developing a comprehensive report to define the scope of the state public health functions and responsibilities, as well as a marketing plan that conveys the value of state public health to public health constituencies, elected officials, funders, and the general public.

Substance Abuse

Prescription Drug Overdose: State Health Agencies Respond (2008) (pdf)

This report presents health agency leadership perspectives on the emergence of prescription drug overdose as a national public health problem. It also shows which prevention and monitoring strategies have shown promise, and the infrastructure, technology, prevention, partnership, and leadership required to reverse this rising trend.