Journal article
Reference allocations and use of a disparity measure to inform the design of allocation funding formulas in public health programs
Journal of public health management and practice, v 18(4), pp 333-338
01 Jul 2012
PMID: 22635187
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Funding formulas are commonly used by federal agencies to allocate program funds to states. As one approach to evaluating differences in allocations resulting from alternative formula calculations, we propose the use of a measure derived from the Gini index to summarize differences in allocations relative to 2 referent allocations: one based on equal per-capita funding across states and another based on equal funding per person living in poverty, which we define as the "proportionality of allocation" (PA). These referents reflect underlying values that often shape formula-based allocations for public health programs. The size of state populations serves as a general proxy for the amount of funding needed to support programs across states. While the size of state populations living in poverty is correlated with overall population size, allocations based on states' shares of the national population living in poverty reflect variations in funding need shaped by the association between poverty and multiple adverse health outcomes. The PA measure is a summary of the degree of dispersion in state-specific allocations relative to the referent allocations and provides a quick assessment of the impact of selecting alternative funding formula designs. We illustrate the PA values by adjusting a sample allocation, using various measures of the salary costs and in-state wealth, which might modulate states' needs for federal funding.
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Details
- Title
- Reference allocations and use of a disparity measure to inform the design of allocation funding formulas in public health programs
- Creators
- James W Buehler - Emory UniversityPatrick M BernetLydia L Ogden
- Publication Details
- Journal of public health management and practice, v 18(4), pp 333-338
- Publisher
- Lippincott
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000305004700012
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84861837376
- Other Identifier
- 991021895686604721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health