- University Libraries
- Subject Guides
- Public Health
- Health policy & law
Public Health: Health policy & law
GVSU databases for health policy
- CINAHL Complete This link opens in a new windowUse relevant CINAHL headings such as policy, legislation, jurisprudence, economics, etc. Be sure to look at subheadings.
- PAIS InternationalOver 450,000 journal articles, books, and other documents from governments, NGOs, and other organizations covering public affairs worldwide.
- Public Administration AbstractsJournal and magazine index of areas related to public administration, including public administration research, theory, and other areas of key relevance to the discipline.
- PubMedUse relevant MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) such as policy, legislation, jurisprudence, economics, etc. Be sure to look at subheadings. Also, utilize PubMed Special Queries .
Public health law
- CDC Public Health Law ProgramInformation on public health laws, education and training, and case studies in using law as a public health tool
- ProQuest CongressionalComprehensive source for Congressional research and activity from 1789-present. Includes committee prints and hearings, legislative histories, the Congressional Record, the Serial Set, Executive Orders, Presidential Proclamations, and CRS Reports.
Other library subject guides
Check out these library guides from other universities. While links to their databases won't work, the guides include other useful links.
Other resources for health policy
- Association of State & Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)Primary function is to track, evaluate, and advise members on the impact and formation of public or private health policy.
- Chronic Disease State Policy Tracking SystemContains over 6,000 policies related to chronic disease prevention and health promotion. Browse the policies below or select specific characteristics on the left to narrow the list.
- Congress.govLook for federal health-related legislation or bills. Can limit to health policy area, and filter by status of legislation.
- National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)Has policy statements and letters, legislative resources, etc.
- National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL)Features bill tracking, resources by topic, including: special reports, news, databases
- Open StatesAggregates data from all 50 states. Research and track bills, review voting records, contact elected officials and more.
- Policy Surveillance ProgramProvides access to reliable information about laws and policies that influence the public’s health.
- Google ScholarSince health policy topics are highly interdisciplinary, Google Scholar is a great resource to identify some good articles quickly as a starting point. The citation tracking feature in Scholar can be highly useful since it contains wide range of content beyond peer reviewed journals. When off campus, be sure to login to Google Scholar from the Library's website to directly access GVSU resources and set your Scholar Preferences to include Grand Valley State University.
- State Health FactsProvides free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the United States, counties, territories, and other geographies.
What is health policy?
Health policy refers to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society. An explicit health policy can achieve several things: it defines a vision for the future which in turn helps to establish targets and points of reference for the short and medium term. It outlines priorities and the expected roles of different groups; and it builds consensus and informs people. Source: World Health Organization
Health policy is often described as consisting of a "big P" and a "small p." "Big P" are formal laws and regulations enacted by elected officials. "Small p" are internal agency decisions or memorandum, organizational guidelines, or social norms guiding behavior. Source: Eyler, A. A., Chriqui, J. F., Moreland-Russell, S., & Brownson, R. C. (Eds.). (2016). Prevention, policy, and public health. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
- Last Updated: Dec 18, 2024 11:27 AM
- URL: https://libguides.gvsu.edu/PH
