The Power of InformationA Survey of State Health Policymakers

Research Supported by

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Objectives

Identify the formal and informal information sources of state health policy makers

Ascertain usefulness of various modes of communications

Identify and anticipate information needs and health policy priorities

Identify ways to address key issues of import

Methodology

Telephone Interviews– November 15, 2000 and January 31, 2001

Average length: 38 minutes Random samples from 9 regions of the country

Sample (n=292; Margin of Error 9%)

Legislators (1398)

Legislative Staff (400)

Executive Managers

(1050)

98

97

97

Sample (cont.)

Executive branch officials included directors and deputy directors of:- Insurance Departments

- Health Departments- Medicaid programs- SCHIP programs- Agencies on Aging- Mental Health Departments- Budget offices- Governors’ advisors

N = 8-10 per cell

Profile

Average age: 50- Executive Branch, 51

Current Position: 6.5 years- Executive Branch, 4 years**

In Health: 14.1 years- Executive Branch, 18 years*

* Longest **Shortest

INFORMATION HABITS

What percentage of information do you receive do you read or never get to?

40

60

31

69

34

66

35

65

0

20

40

60

80

100

Leg. Staff Exec. Total

Never Get To

Read

How often do you read an article or report rather than skim? (weekly)

Legislators Legislative Staff Executive Branch

Daily or more

43% 44% 48%

3-4 16% 16% 23%

0-2 27% 35% 24%

What percent of the information you receive is relevant to you?

49%

Why? Related to current debate (67%) Impact on people/constituents (25%) Experience of states like mine (11%) Easy to read/concise (11%)

What makes information least useful?

Not relevant (36%) Too long/dense (22%) Too much data/too technical (20%) Not objective/biased (19%) Too general/global (14%)

What causes you to stop skimming and read an article?

Relevant to current debate/something I am working on 86%

INFORMATION USE

How useful is __ in making policy decisions? (1=not at all 5=very)

USEFUL Summaries or briefs

(4.0) Reports on

demographically-similar states (3.9)

Reports on other states in your region (3.9)

In-state meetings (3.5)

How useful is __ in making policy decisions? (1=not at all 5=very)

USEFUL Summaries or briefs

(4.0) Reports on

demographically-similar states (3.9)

Reports on other states in your region (3.9)

In-state meetings (3.5)

NOT USEFUL Audiotapes of articles

(2.0) Audioconferences (2.0) Listserves (2.7) Press releases (2.7)

Usefulness Summary

Legislators Legislative Staff

Executive Managers

Summaries/Briefs (3.9)

Internet Websites (4.1)

Summaries/Briefs (4.1)

In-state Meetings Reports on states in region

Reports on demographically-similar states

Reports on states in your region

Summaries/Briefs E-mail

Usefulness Summary (Executive Branch)

1. Summaries or briefs (4.1)

2. Reports of demographically similar states (3.9)

3. Reports on other states in your region (3.8)

4. Out-of-town meetings (3.6)

5. E-mail (3.8)

6. Internet websites (3.5)

7. Newsletters (3.5)

8. In-state meetings (3.5)

Rank Data Preference (high = 1; low = 3)

1. Data from your state 1.6

2. State to state comparative data 2.1

3. National data 2.3

Which health policy journals and newsletters do you read regularly?

State Health Notes 107

Health Affairs 70

JAMA 23

NEJM 20

Which do you read most frequently: electronic or hard copy?

Legislators Legislative Staff

Executive Managers

TOTAL

Electronic 13% 41% 27% 27%

Hard

Copy80% 52% 64% 65%

Which do you read most frequently: electronic or hard copy?

AGE <30 30-39 40-49 50-59 60+

Electronic 56% 38% 32% 27% 6%

Hard

Copy

11% 58% 61% 66% 88%

Which in-state meetings do you try to regularly attend?

Health association meetings 36% Don’t attend 30% Agency hearings 27% Issue specific meetings 22%

Which out-of-town meetings do you try to regularly attend?

Government service org meetings 49% Don’t attend 29% Health professional 19% Federal agency hearings 12% Issue-specific meetings 9%

Which out-of-town meetings do you try to regularly attend?

n

NCSL 42

NAIC 12

Medicaid Directors 9

Milbank Reforming States 8

Robert Wood Johnson 7

Who do you trust?

National organizations 73% Publications 33% State organizations 21% Foundations 21% Government agency 19% Think tanks 14% Health care associations 14%

Who do you trust? (n=244)

n

National Conference of State Legislatures 93

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 31

Kaiser Family Foundation 23

Health Affairs 22

National Governors’ Association 21

Urban Institute 14

State Health Notes 13

Council of State Governments 13

Health Care Financing Administration 13

Who do you turn to when you need more information?

Government agencies 69% Gov’t service organizations 26% Trade associations 24% Advocacy groups 17%

Which of the following best matches your feelings?

When I obtain information about health policy I want…

Research findings plus implications and recommendations 89%

Research findings only 10%

What other information services or materials would be helpful to you?

Better, more timely data 19% More short updates/synopses of

research 12% Get too much 10% Don’t know 17%

Conclusions

Information is Highly Valued

44.5% said they read an article or report once a day or more

89.4% said they want the research findings plus the author(s)’ implications or recommendations

Timeliness is Everything

Enormous time pressures – 35% of what they receive they never get to– Summaries and briefs are most useful (4.0)

Highly focused on current agendas– 86% read for detail if it is relevant to current debate– 63% decide what to read if it is relevant or timely– 49% of what they receive is considered relevant

Information About States is Valued

Policymakers Value: Data from their own states Reports on states in their region Reports on demographically similar states

But Place Less Value On: National data Reports on bellwether states

But Keep it Brief!

Overwhelming interest in short summaries Punchy headlines, bullets, graphs make

information more accessible/inviting

And Layer it!

Legislators rarely want more than a summary. Executive managers want a summary and

details. Legislative staff want it all: Summary, details,

data, and methodology. Use the Web to give readers options.