TY - JOUR PY - 2018// TI - Facilitating partnerships with community- and faith-based organizations for disaster preparedness and response: results of a national survey of public health departments JO - Disaster medicine and public health preparedness A1 - Adams, Rachel M. A1 - Prelip, Michael L. A1 - Glik, Deborah C. A1 - Donatello, Ian A1 - Eisenman, David P. SP - 57 EP - 66 VL - 12 IS - 1 N2 - OBJECTIVE: We identify characteristics of local health departments, which enhance collaborations with community- and faith-based organizations (CFBOs) for emergency preparedness and response.

METHODS: Online survey data were collected from a sample of 273 disaster preparedness coordinators working at local health departments across the United States between August and December 2011.

RESULTS: Using multiple linear regression models, we found that perceptions of CFBO trust were associated with more successful partnership planning (β=0.63; P=0.02) and capacity building (β=0.61; P=0.01). Employee layoffs in the past 3 years (β=0.41; P=0.001) and urban location (β=0.41; P=0.005) were positively associated with higher ratings of resource sharing between health agencies and CFBOs. Having 1-3 full-time employees increased the ratings of success in communication and outreach activities compared with health departments having less than 1 full-time employee (β=0.33; P=0.05). Positive attitudes toward CFBOs also enhanced communication and outreach (β=0.16; P=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS: Staff-capacity factors are important for quick dissemination of information and resources needed to address emerging threats. Building the trust of CFBOs can help address large-scale disasters by improving the success of more involved activities that integrate the CFBO into emergency plans and operations of the health department and that better align with federal-funding performance measures. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;page 1 of 10).

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1935-7893 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/dmp.2017.36 ID - ref1 ER -