Prepared For:
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Contract # 75D30118C03568 00001
Utility of the National Health Security Preparedness Index for Public Health Preparedness
Prepared by:
University of Kentucky
University of Colorado
University of California-Los Angeles
New York University
Version Date:
March 31, 2020
Name
Title
Organization
Address
Dear [name]:
Several weeks ago we invited your participation in an interview about health security and preparedness in your [state or local jurisdiction], and in particular about your perspectives regarding the National Health Security Preparedness Index (Index). We have not yet received your response. Your participation is very important for obtaining meaning results, and therefore we are extending the deadline by 2 additional weeks to [date] in order to allow for your participation. More information about the interview is provided in detail below.
What am I being asked to do?
You are receiving this invitation because you have been identified as having responsibility for at least some public health emergency preparedness activities in your [state, territory or local jurisdiction]. We hope you will be willing to complete an interview about your perspectives and experiences with the Index. Participation in this activity is voluntary. You can skip any question you do not wish to answer, you may discontinue your participation at any time, and you may participate during work or outside of work at a location of your choosing. The interview will require 70 minutes of time to complete, including some preparation time in reviewing information about the Index prior to the interview.
Why conduct this project?
The Index was developed to provide a mechanism for measuring how capabilities for health security vary across the U.S., how they change over time, and how they can be strengthened for community benefit. The purpose of this interview is to better understand state and local public health preparedness needs, and identify strategies for improving utility and use of the Index for public health practitioners such as yourself.
Who is conducting this project?
This project is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and conducted by the University of Kentucky in partnership with the University of Colorado, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), New York University, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO).
What if I do not want to participate?
If you do not wish to participate or you would like more information, you can indicate this by replying to this email [email address], by clicking on the web link [web URL] or by contacting the study team by phone at [phone number]. If you do not opt out now, you will receive a call from the project team to schedule a time and location for the [interview or focus group]. Again, you may opt out or discontinue participation at any time.
What if someone else in my organization would be better to participate?
If you would like someone else in your organization to respond on behalf of your organization, you can indicate this by replying to this email [email address], by clicking on the web link [web URL] or by contacting the study team by phone at [phone number].
What will I receive for participating?
Once the data are collected and analyzed, the study team will distribute a summary of findings to all interested study participants. Study findings will also directly inform efforts to improve utility of the Index for public health emergency preparedness. Additionally, your documented participation in this study may qualify as evidence of participation in quality improvement activities for the purposes of national public health agency accreditation. Finally, your participation will generate insight about public health preparedness capabilities that will be helpful to the larger field of public health practice.
Security of Responses
Your responses will be kept as secure as possible. The project team will record and transcribe the interview and take notes during the conversation. A unique study identification number will be attached to recordings, transcriptions, and notes, rather than identifying information about you and your agency, for the purposes of tracking response rates and linking responses to existing publicly available data sources. Only aggregated data will be reported to individuals outside the study team. Recordings, transcriptions and notes will be maintained in locked offices on password-protected computers and will not be accessible to anyone other than authorized and trained administrative and technical staff of the study team.
Contact Information
Thank you for your time. If you have any questions concerning the survey, please contact the principal investigator, Dr. Glen Mays, PhD, at [email] or [phone]
Sincerely,
[signature]
Glen
Mays, PhD, MPH
Principal Investigator
Professor and
Chair
Department of Health Systems, Management and
Policy
University of Colorado School of Public Health
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | Email and Telephone Follow-up |
| Author | Em Chuang |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-13 |