Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T18:49:43.688Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

What Gets Measured, Gets Changed: Evaluating Law and Policy for Maximum Impact

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2021

Jamie F. Chriqui ,
Jean C. O'Connor  and
Frank J. Chaloupka
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Does law matter regarding public health outcomes? Regardless of what one may think about the answer to this age-old question, in recent years the public health community has increasingly demonstrated and recognized the roles that public health laws and policies play in effectuating long-lasting and broad-based population-wide changes. Public health laws and policies have been instrumental in the following ways: reducing smoking prevalence; reducing underage alcohol-related drinking, driving, crashes, and fatalities; reducing exposure to second-hand smoke; eliminating vaccine–associated paralytic poliomyelitis (VAPP); increasing seat-belt use and reducing traffic fatalities; reducing dental carries; and reducing access to and consumption of unhealthy foods and beverages sold in schools and to reductions in caloric intake and overweight. In fact, in a review of the ten greatest public health achievements in the 20th century, all were influenced by policy change.

Type
JLME Supplement
Information
Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics , Volume 39 , Issue S1 , Spring 2011 , pp. 21 - 26
Copyright
Copyright © American Society of Law, Medicine and Ethics 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Frieden, T. R., “A Framework for Public Health Action: The Health Impact Pyramid,” American Journal of Public Health 100 (2010): 590–595; Mensah, G. A., Goodman, R. A., Zaza, S., Moulton, A. D., Kocher, P. L., and Dietz, W. H. et al., “Law As a Tool for Preventing Chronic Diseases: Expanding the Spectrum of Effective Public Health Strategies,” Preventing Chronic Disease 1 (2004): All.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Levy, D. T., Chaloupka, F., and Gitchell, J., “The Effects of Tobacco Control Policies on Smoking Rates: A Tobacco Control Scorecard,” Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 10 (2004): 338–353; Chaloupka, F. J., “Tobacco Control Lessons Learned: The Impact of State and Local Policies,” ImpacTeen Research Paper 38 (Chicago: University of Illinois at Chicago, Health Policy Center, 2010); McCartt, A. T., Hellinga, L. A., and Kirley, B. B., “The Effects of Minimum Legal Drinking Age 21 Laws on Alcohol-Related Driving In the United States,” Journal of Safety Research 41 (2010): 173–181; Pickett, M. S., Schober, S. E., Brody, D. J., Curtin, L. R., and Giovino, G. A., “Smoke-Free Laws and Secondhand Smoke Exposure in US Non-Smoking Adults, 1999–2002,” Tobacco Control 15 (2006): 302–307; Alexander, L. N., Seward, J. F., Santibanez, T. A., Pallansch, M. A., Kew, O. M., and Prevots, D. R. et al., “Vaccine Policy Changes and Epidemiology of Poliomyelitis in the United States,” JAMA 292 (2004): 1696–1701; Carpenter, C. S. and Stehr, M., “The Effects of Mandatory Seatbelt Laws on Seatbelt Use, Motor Vehicle Fatalities, and Crash-Related Injuries among Youths,” Journal of Health Economics 27 (2008): 642–662; McDonagh, M. S., Whiting, P. F., Wilson, P. M., Sutton, A. J., Chestnutt, I., and Cooper, J. et al., “Systematic Review of Water Fluoridation,” British Medical Journal 321 (2000): 855–859; Cullen, K. W., Watson, K., and Zakeri, I., “Improvements in Middle School Student Dietary Intake after Implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy,” American Journal of Public Health 98 (2008): 111–117; Hartstein, J., Cullen, K. W., Reynolds, K. D., Harrell, J., Resnicow, K., and Kennel, P., “Impact of Portion-Size Control for School a la Carte Items: Changes in Kilocalories and Macronutrients Purchased by Middle School Students,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 108 (2008): 140–144; Cullen, K. W. and Watson, K. B., “The Impact of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy on Student Food Selection and Sales in Texas,” American Journal of Public Health 99 (2009): 706–712; Kubik, M. Y., Wall, M., Shen, L., Nanney, M. S., Nelson, T. F., Laska, M. N., and Story, M., “State but Not District Nutrition Policies Are Associated with Less Junk Food in Vending Machines and School Stores in US Public Schools,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 110 (2010): 1043–1048; Samuels, S. E., Bullock, S. L., Woodward, G., Clark, S. E., Kao, J., Craypo, L., Barry, J., and Crawford, P. B., “To What Extent Have High Schools in California Been Able to Implement State-Mandated Nutrition Standards,” Journal of Adolescent Health 45 (2009): S38–S44.Google Scholar
“Ten Great Public Health Achievements—United States, 1900–1999,” MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 48 (1999): 241–243.Google Scholar
Tremper, C., Thomas, S., and Wagenaar, A. C., “Measuring Law for Evaluation Research,” Evaluation Review 34 (2010): 242–266; Burris, S. and Anderson, E., “The Challenges of Quantitative Public Health Law Research,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 39 (2010): 99–101; LaFond, C., Toomey, T. L., Rothstein, C., Manning, W., and Wagenaar, A. C., “Policy Evaluation Research: Measuring the Independent Variables,” Evaluation Review 24 (2000): 92–101; Horton, H., Birkhead, G. S., Bump, C., Burris, S., Cahill, K., and Goodman, R. A. et al., “The Dimensions of Public Health Law Research,” Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics 30, Supp. (2002): 197–201; Wakefield, M. A. and Chaloupka, F. J., “Improving the Measurement and Use of Tobacco Control ‘Inputs,’” Tobacco Control 7 (1998): 333–335; Brownson, R. C., Seiler, R., and Eyler, A. A., “Measuring the Impact of Public Health Policy,” Preventing Chronic Disease 7, no. 4 (2010), available at <http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2010/jul/09_0249.htm> (last visited November 11, 2010).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
See Mensah, et al., supra note 1; Gostin, L. O., “Public Health Law in a New Century: Part I: Law as a Tool to Advance the Community's Health,” JAMA 283 (2000): 2837–2841; Gostin, L. O., “Law as a Tool to Facilitate Healthier Lifestyles and Prevent Obesity,” JAMA 297 (2007): 87–90; Perdue, W. C., Stone, L. A., and Gostin, L. O., “The Built Environment and Its Relationship to the Public's Health: The Legal Framework,” American Journal of Public Health 93 (2003): 1390–1394.Google Scholar
German, R. R., Lee, L. M., Horan, J. M., Milstein, R. L., Pertowski, C. A., and Waller, M. N., “Updated Guidelines for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems: Recommendations from the Guidelines Working Group,” MMWR Recommendations and Reports 50, no. RR-13 (2001): 1–35, at 2.Google Scholar
See, for example: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nutrition and Physical Activity Legislative Database, available at <http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/DNPALeg/index.asp> (last visited November 11, 2010); Yale Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, Legislative Updates, available at <http://www.yaleruddcenter.org/legislation/> (last visited November 11, 2010); National Conference of State Legislatures, Bill Summaries Database, available at <http://www.ncsl.org> (last visited November 11, 2010); and National Cancer Institute, State Cancer Policy Database, available at <http://www.scld-nci.net> (last visited November 11, 2010).+(last+visited+November+11,+2010);+Yale+Rudd+Center+for+Food+Policy+&+Obesity,+Legislative+Updates,+available+at++(last+visited+November+11,+2010);+National+Conference+of+State+Legislatures,+Bill+Summaries+Database,+available+at++(last+visited+November+11,+2010);+and+National+Cancer+Institute,+State+Cancer+Policy+Database,+available+at++(last+visited+November+11,+2010).>Google Scholar
See Burris, and Anderson, , supra note 2.Google Scholar
See, for example, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System, available at <http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/statesystem/Default/Default.aspx> (last visited November 11, 2010); see National Cancer Institute, supra note 7; Bridging the Gap Program, Illicit Drug Law Database, available at <http://www.bridgingthegapresearch.org/research/illicit_drug_legislative_database/> (last visited November 11, 2010); National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Alcohol Policy Information System, available at <http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/> (last visited November 11, 2010); Bridging the Gap Program, State Soda/Snack Tax Data, available at <http://www.bridgingthegapresearch.org/research/sodasnack_taxes/> (last visited November 11, 2010); and National Cancer Institute, State Physical Education and Recess and School Nutrition Environment Policy Classification Systems and Data, available at <http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/hprb/data_systems.html> (last visited November 11, 2010).+(last+visited+November+11,+2010);+see+National+Cancer+Institute,+supra+note+7;+Bridging+the+Gap+Program,+Illicit+Drug+Law+Database,+available+at++(last+visited+November+11,+2010);+National+Institute+on+Alcohol+Abuse+and+Alcoholism,+Alcohol+Policy+Information+System,+available+at++(last+visited+November+11,+2010);+Bridging+the+Gap+Program,+State+Soda/Snack+Tax+Data,+available+at++(last+visited+November+11,+2010);+and+National+Cancer+Institute,+State+Physical+Education+and+Recess+and+School+Nutrition+Environment+Policy+Classification+Systems+and+Data,+available+at++(last+visited+November+11,+2010).>Google Scholar
See, for example, Chriqui, J. F., Terry-McElrath, Y., McBride, D. C., and Eidson, S. S., “State Policies Matter: The Case of Outpatient Drug Treatment Program Practices,” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 35 (2008): 13–21; Sturm, R., Powell, L. M., Chriqui, J. F., and Chaloupka, F. J., “Soda Taxes, Soft Drink Consumption, and Children's Body Mass Index,” Health Affairs 29 (2010): 1052–1058; Powell, L. M., Chriqui, J. F., and Chaloupka, F. J., “Associations between State-level Soda Taxes and Adolescent Body Mass Index,” Journal of Adolescent Health 45 (2009): S57–S63; and Fell, J. C., Fisher, D. A., Voas, R. B., Blackman, K., and Tippetts, A. S., “The Impact of Underage Drinking Laws on Alcohol-Related Fatal Crashes of Young Drivers,” Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 33 (2009): 1208–1219.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
See Tremper, et al., supra note 4; Burris, et al., supra note 4.Google Scholar
We gratefully acknowledge Tracy Orleans, C., Ph.D., and Giovino, Gary A., Ph.D., for providing us with this phrase.Google Scholar
See Wakefield, and Chaloupka, , supra note 4.Google Scholar
See Tremper, , supra note 4.Google Scholar
See LaFond, et al., supra note 4; Shelton, D. M., Alciati, M. H., and Chang, M. M. et al., “State Laws on Tobacco Control-United States, 1995,” MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Surveillance Summaries 44, no. 6 (1995): 1–28; Alciati, M. H., Frosh, M., and Green, S. B. et al., “State Laws on Youth Access to Tobacco in the United States: Measuring their Extensiveness with a New Rating System,” Tobacco Control 7 (1998): 345–352; Chriqui, J. F., Frosh, M., and Brownson, R. C. et al., “Application of a Rating System to State Clean Indoor Air Laws (USA),” Tobacco Control 11 (2002): 26–34; Mâsse, L. C., Chriqui, J. F., and Igoe, J. F. et al., “Development of a Physical Education-Related State Policy Classification System (PERSPCS),” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 33, no. 4, Supp. 1 (2007): S264–S276; Mâsse, L. C., Frosh, M. M., and Chriqui, J. F. et al., “Development of a School Nutrition-Environment State Policy Classification System (SNESPCS),” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 33, no. 4, Supp. 1 (2007): S277–S291; and Schwartz, M. B., Lund, A. E., and Grow, H. M. et al., “A Comprehensive Coding System to Measure the Quality of School Wellness Policies,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 109 (2009): 1256–1262.Google Scholar
See Mesah, et al., supra note 1; Gostin, , and Perdue, et al., supra note 5.Google Scholar
Brownson, R. C., Chriqui, J. F., and Stamatakis, K. A., “Understanding Evidence-Based Public Health Policy,” American Journal of Public Health 99 (2009): 1576–1583; Green, L. W., “Public Health Asks of Systems Science: To Advance Our Evidence-Based Practice, Can You Help Us Get More Practice-Based Evidence?” American Journal of Public Health 96 (2006): 406–409; Sterman, J. D., “Learning from Evidence in a Complex World,” American Journal of Public Health 96 (2006): 505–514; Hays, S. P., “Patterns of Reinvention,” Policy Studies Journal 24 (1996): 551–566; and Kingdon, J. W., Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies, 2nd ed. (New York: Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers, Inc., 2003).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
See Alexander, et al., supra note 2.Google Scholar
See Chaloupka, , supra note 2.Google Scholar
Id.Google Scholar
Brownell, K. D. and Frieden, T. R., “Ounces of Prevention - The Public Policy Case for Taxes on Sugared Beverages,” New England Journal of Medicine 360 (2009): 1805–1808; and Brownell, K. D., Farley, T., and Willett, W.C. et al., “The Public Health and Economic Benefits of Taxing Sugar-Sweetened Beverages,” New England Journal of Medicine 361 (2009): 1599–1605.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
See for example, A.B. 2100, 2009–10 Reg. Sess. (Ca. 2010); S.B. 1210, 2009–10 Reg. Sess. (Ca. 2010); S.B. 243, 2010 Reg. Sess. (N.M. 2010); A. 21004/S. 67004, 2010 2nd Extra. Sess. (N.Y. 2010); S.B. 241, 2009 Reg. Sess. (R.I. 2009); and H. 4831, 2009–2010 Leg., Sess. 118 (S.C. 2010).Google Scholar
Federal Trade Commission, Federal Trade Commission Cigarette Report for 2006, available at <http://www.ftc.gov/os/2009/08/090812cigarettereport.pdf> (last visited November 11, 2010); Slater, S., Chaloupka, F. J., and Wakefield, M., “State Variation in Retail Promotions and Advertising for Marlboro Cigarettes,” Tobacco Control 10 (2001): 337–339; Wakefield, M. A., Ruel, E. E., and Chaloupka, F. J. et al., “Association of Point-of-Purchase Tobacco Advertising and Promotions with Choice of Usual Brand Among Teenage Smokers,” Journal of Health Communications 7 (2002): 113–121; Pierce, J. P., “Tobacco Industry Marketing, Population-Based Tobacco Control, and Smoking Behavior,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine 33, no. 6, Supp. 1 (2007): S327–S334; and Emery, S., Wakefield, M. A., and Terry-McElrath, Y et al., “Televised State- Sponsored Antitobacco Advertising and Youth Smoking Beliefs and Behavior in the United States, 1999–2000,” Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 159 (2005): 639–645.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21 C.F.R. § 1140.30 et seq.Google Scholar
Better Business Bureau, Fact Sheet on CFBAI and CARU, available at <http://www.bbb.org/us/storage/16/documents/Fact%20Sheet%20on%20CFBAI%20and%20CARU%20Dec%2008.pdf> (last visited November 11, 2010); Powell, L. M., Szczypka, G., and Chaloupka, F. J., “Trends in Exposure to Television Food Advertisements among Children and Adolescents in the United States,” Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 164 (2010): 794–802.CrossRefGoogle Scholar