J Prev Med Public Health.  2014 Nov;47(6):298-308. 10.3961/jpmph.14.029.

Public Participation in the Process of Local Public Health Policy, Using Policy Network Analysis

• Park Y
• Kim CY
• You MS
• Lee KS
• Park E

• KMID: 2381435
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.14.029

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
To assess the current public participation in-local health policy and its implications through the analysis of policy networks in health center programs.
METHODS
We examined the decision-making process in sub-health center installations and the implementation process in metabolic syndrome management program cases in two districts ('gu's) of Seoul. Participants of the policy network were selected by the snowballing method and completed self-administered questionnaires. Actors, the interactions among actors, and the characteristics of the network were analyzed by Netminer.
RESULTS
The results showed that the public is not yet actively participating in the local public health policy processes of decision-making and implementation. In the decision-making process, most of the network actors were in the public sector, while the private sector was a minor actor and participated in only a limited number of issues after the major decisions were made. In the implementation process, the program was led by the health center, while other actors participated passively.
CONCLUSIONS
Public participation in Korean public health policy is not yet well activated. Preliminary discussions with various stakeholders, including civil society, are needed before making important local public health policy decisions. In addition, efforts to include local institutions and residents in the implementation process with the public officials are necessary to improve the situation.

Keyword

Public participation; Policy network; Social network analysis; Local public health policy; Policy process

MeSH Terms

Community Networks
*Consumer Participation
Decision Making
*Health Policy
Health Services Needs and Demand
Humans
Metabolic Syndrome X/prevention & control
Program Development
Questionnaires