New Report: Accredited Local Health Departments Have Better COVID Outcomes

By Shelby Crosier

Local health departments (LHDs) played a critical role in managing the spread of disease during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the pandemic response strained resources when LHDs diverted staff and funding from other core functions.

Achieving accreditation through the Public Health Accreditation Board can help LHDs improve the quality of their services, including their public health preparedness.

A recent article in the Journal of Public Health Management & Practice from researchers at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health investigated whether communities with an accredited LHD had better COVID-19 pandemic community health outcomes compared to communities without an accredited LHD.

What They Found

In counties with accredited LHDs, the researchers found:

• The adult population was more likely to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
• COVID-associated death rates were significantly lower.

This shows that when LHDs improve their services to achieve accreditation, community health outcomes can improve.

Why This Matters

“This study provides another data point to demonstrate why public health accreditation is important.  Beyond improved performance, greater accountability, and increased trust, we now have data to show improved health outcomes are another benefit of participating in the public health accreditation process,” says Nikki Rider, ScD, director of the Center for Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement, Emory Centers for Public Health Training and Technical Assistance.

“Prior research has demonstrated that accredited LHDs have improved capacity and perform better at public health functions. This research demonstrates an association between achieving accreditation and improved community health outcomes,” says Mary Davis, DrPH, principal investigator of the study.