Public Health
Public health considers health issues from the population level rather than the individual level. Public health policy is shaped by health agencies at the city, county, state, and federal level, as well as by health care and community organizations. RAND Health conducts research in support of policy on many public health issues, including recovery from the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; surveillance, prevention, and management of outbreaks of infectious diseases; screening for and prevention of chronic diseases; and strengthening the public health infrastructure. Some of RAND Health's ongoing work in these areas is highlighted here. More public health research can be found in other Current Research On sheets, including Diversity and Health, Health Security, and Neighborhood Influences on Health.
Profiles of Current Research
Highlights of Recent Studies
Bioterrorism with Zoonotic Disease: Public Health Preparedness Lessons from a Multiagency Exercise
Tabletop exercises in six Georgia health districts and at the state level reinforced a number of lessons already broadly appreciated and yielded a number of other important lessons.
How Neighborhoods Can Reduce the Risk of Obesity
Neighborhoods can promote exercise among residents through parks, school playgrounds that are open on weekends, and a diverse array of businesses.
Obesity and Disability: The Shape of Things to Come
Obesity is associated with more chronic medical conditions than smoking or problem drinking, and conditions associated with obesity—diabetes and musculoskeletal problems—are the fastest-growing causes of disability.
Cost-Effective Allocation of Government Funds for Preventing HIV
A mathematical model of the cost of HIV prevention interventions found that the most cost-effective interventions are targeted at high-risk groups, such as men who have sex with men and users of intravenous drugs.
Using the "Getting To Outcomes™"
Approach to Help Communities Prevent Underage Drinking. Guides provide key accountability questions, worksheets, tools, and examples to help communities plan, implement, and evaluate their efforts to reduce and prevent underage drinking.
Consumer-Directed Health Care
Studies of the effect of enrollment in consumer-directed health care suggest that these plans typically reduce the use of health services and cut costs, but they have mixed effects on quality of care.
Health System Reconstruction and Nation-Building
Nation-building efforts cannot be successful unless adequate attention is paid to improving the population's health, which can be a powerful tool for capturing the residents' goodwill.
Related Web Sites
RAND Gulf States Policy Institute
Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment Services
RAND Center for Domestic and International Health Security
http://www.rand.org/health/centers/healthsecurity
Public Health Preparedness Database
http://www.rand.org/health/projects/php/
Empowering Community Coalitions to Prevent Substance Abuse (Getting To Outcomes)
Working with Congress
RAND's Washington Office of Congressional Relations (OCR) furthers RAND's mission to provide objective analysis and effective solutions by disseminating research results to Congress and federal agencies. The OCR publishes a monthly electronic newsletter featuring current work on health policy. Contact: Shirley Ruhe (Shirley_Ruhe@rand.org) or Kristy Anderson (kristy@rand.org).
The RAND Health Congressional Newsletter
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