Health Protection Responsibilities in England: A Survey of Professionals' Perceptions
Author Information
Author(s): Cosford Paul A, O'Mahony Mary, Angell Emma, Bickler Graham, Crawshaw Shirley, Glencross Janet, Horsley Stephen S, McCloskey Brian, Puleston Richard, Seare Nichola, Tobin Martin D
Primary Institution: Directorate of Public Health, East of England Strategic Health Authority
Hypothesis
What are the perceptions of health protection professionals regarding their responsibilities in England?
Conclusion
The study indicates that there are significant areas of health protection where clarity of responsibility is lacking among professionals.
Supporting Evidence
- Response rate exceeded 70%.
- High concordance in views for 6 out of 18 health protection functions.
- Strong correlation between confidence in delivery and concordance of views.
Takeaway
This study asked health protection workers in England who they think is responsible for different health protection tasks, and found that many are unsure about their roles.
Methodology
A postal questionnaire was sent to health protection professionals across various organizations in England.
Potential Biases
Potential biases due to non-response and the subjective nature of self-reported data.
Limitations
The study relied on self-reported perceptions without corroborating data from actual health protection incidents.
Participant Demographics
Participants included Directors of Public Health and Health Protection Units from various health organizations in England.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0038
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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