Application of core function concepts to local health department occupational safety and health activities

To illustrate how core function concepts might be useful in evaluation of specific local health department (LHD) programs, we analyzed preliminary results from a national questionnaire survey of LHD occupational safety and health (OSH) activities during 1992-1993 in categories corresponding to the three core functions: assessment, policy development, and assurance. Overall, 2,079 (71%) LHDs returned completed questionnaires. With regard to the first core function (assessment), the state health department was the most frequent source of data used by the respondent LHDs (47%) to assess worker health and occupational hazards. Concerning the second core function category (policy development), 5% of LHDs had conducted an appraisal in the past three years to summarize the OSH needs of their communities. With regard to the third core function category (assurance), 23% of LHDs directly provided worksite health promotion activities for workers in their communities. We conclude that core function concepts can be a useful adjunct in evaluation of specific LHD programs. Additional research is needed to further refine and improve core function indicators providing insights into specific LHD programs, as well as into overall LHD performance.