Jurisdiction size and local public health spending.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine if a minimum efficient scale (MES) holds with respect to the population serviced by a local health department (LHD) given the congestability, externality, and scale/scope economy effects potentially associated with public health services.

Data sources/study setting

A nationally representative sample of LHDs in 2005.

Study design

Multiple regression analysis is used to isolate the relation between population and spending while controlling for other factors known to influence local public health costs.

Data collection

Data were obtained from the 2005 National Profile of Local Public Health Agencies, a project supported through a cooperative agreement between the National Association of County and City Health Officials and the Centers for Dise

SUBMITTER: Santerre RE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2796319 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature