Table 1.

Disease intervention staff by USA Region, 2016 (n, 50)

	Geographical area (USA Census Region)
	North-east	Mid-west	South	West	Total USA
Number of DIS positions	291	268	752	299	1610
Number of DIS positions filled	228	236	673	224	1361
DIS positions (median by state)	7	20	36	11	-
DIS positions filled (median by state)	4	16	33	9	-
Number of DIS supervisor positions	55	95	182	47	379
Supervisor positions (median by state)	2	4.5	7	2.5	-
Number of DIS is sufficient (%)
No	66.7%	50.0%	64.7%	63.6%	61.2%
Yes	11.1%	50.0%	29.4%	9.1%	26.5%
Varies	11.1%	0.0%	5.9%	27.3%	10.2%
Not sure	11.1%	0.0%	0.0%	0.0%	2.0%
Number of DIS supervisors is sufficient (%)
No	66.7%	0.0%	47.1%	27.3%	34.7%
Yes	33.3%	100.0%	52.9%	72.7%	65.3%
DIS are used for public health emergencies (%)
No	33.3%	33.3%	52.9%	27.3%	38.8%
Yes	55.6%	58.3%	41.2%	63.6%	53.1%
Some	11.1%	8.3%	0.0%	0.0%	4.1%
Not sure	0.0%	0.0%	5.9%	9.1%	4.1%

DIS, disease intervention specialists (staff who conduct partner services). Responses ‘varies’ and ‘some’ represent differences in procedures among local health department in a state