Table 1.
Characteristics of the sample of LHD practitioners in the U.S. (n=849)
| Characteristic | N | Percent (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | ||
| Job Position | ||
| Top executive* | 367 | 43.5 |
| Manager or other staff** | 319 | 37.8 |
| Administrator, deputy or assistant director | 158 | 18.7 |
| Age (yrs) | ||
| 20-39 | 129 | 15.3 |
| 40-49 | 187 | 22.2 |
| 50-59 | 349 | 41.4 |
| 60 and older | 179 | 21.2 |
| Highest Degree | ||
| Bachelors degree or less | 227 | 26.8 |
| Nursing | 169 | 20.0 |
| Other masters degree | 205 | 24.2 |
| MPH/MSPH*** | 137 | 16.2 |
| Doctoral degree | 109 | 12.9 |
| Gender | ||
| Female | 531 | 62.9 |
| Male | 313 | 37.1 |
| N | Mean (Std. Dev) | |
| Length worked in current position | 843 | 8.2 (7.1) |
| Length worked in public health | 844 | 18.5 (13.0) |
| N | Percent (%) | |
| Health Department | ||
| Population of Jurisdiction | ||
| <25,000 | 180 | 21.3 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 186 | 22.0 |
| 50,000 to 99,999 | 150 | 17.7 |
| 100,000 to 499,999 | 210 | 24.8 |
| 500,000 to larger | 121 | 14.3 |
| Governance Structure | ||
| Locally governed | 672 | 79.4 |
| State governed | 73 | 8.6 |
| Shared governance | 101 | 11.9 |
| Census Region | ||
| Northeast | 123 | 14.5 |
| Midwest | 319 | 37.6 |
| South | 264 | 31.1 |
| West | 142 | 16.7 |
*
Includes top executives, health directors, health officers, commissioners, or equivalent in “Office of the Director”
**
Includes managers of a division or program, program coordinators, technical expert positions, or other staff
***
MPH (Master of Public Health); MSPH (Master of Science in Public Health)