Explore how the law shapes and influences public health In the newly revised second edition of Legal Epidemiology: Theory and Methods, a team of distinguished researchers delivers a thorough primer on the problems that arise in legal epidemiology—and potential solutions to those problems. Following an introduction to the basic concepts of the field in Part One, the book offers a rich collection of theories that researchers have used to study how law influences behavior in Part Two. The book also covers the special questions of measurement that arise when law is the independent variable and the various study designs for legal epidemiology. Drawing on the full range of social, psychological, sociological, and sociolegal disciplines to better understand, measure, and predict how much laws will influence health-relevant behaviors and environments, the editors have also included works that: Discuss the frameworks for legal epidemiology, including explorations of law in public health systems and services Examine how law influences behavior, including discussions of criminological theories, procedural justice theory, and economic theory Explore the design of legal epidemiology evaluations, including natural experiments, randomized trials, and qualitative research An essential and engaging resource for experienced social science researchers, health scientists, legal scholars, and policy analysts, Legal Epidemiology: Theory and Methods will also benefit students, novice scientists, and non-scientists seeking a general orientation to the subject.

Public Health Law Research: Theory and Methods definitively explores the mechanisms, theories and models central to public health law research – a growing field dedicated to measuring and studying law as a central means for advancing public health. Editors Alexander C. Wagenaar and Scott Burris outline integrated theory drawn from numerous disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences; specific mechanisms of legal effect and guidelines for collecting and coding empirical datasets of statutory and case law; optimal research designs for randomized trials and natural experiments for public health law evaluation; and methods for qualitative and cost-benefit studies of law.. They also discuss the challenge of effectively translating the results of scientific evaluations into public health laws and highlight the impact of this growing field. “How exactly the law can best be used as a tool for protecting and enhancing the public’s health has long been the subject of solely opinion and anecdote. Enter Public Health Law Research, a discipline designed to bring the bright light of science to the relationships between law and health. This book is a giant step forward in illuminating that subject.” -- Stephen Teret, JD, MPH, Professor, Director, Center for Law and the Public's Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health “Wagenaar and Burris bring a dose of much needed rigor to the empirical study of which public health law interventions really matter, and which don’t.” -- Bernard S. Black, JD, Chabraja Professor, Northwestern University Law School and Kellogg School of Management Companion Web site: www.josseybass.com/go/wagenaar

Sana Loue explores the concepts of legal and epidemiological causation, the use of epidemiological data based on populations to determine causation in an individual case, and the use of epidemiological evidence in litigation, including the reliance on experts and expert witnesses. Loue provides a guide for the attorney with little or no background in epidemiological theory and for the epidemiologist contemplating a new role as an expert witness. She assumes of her readers a working knowledge of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and the Federal Rules of Evidence. Discussing the epidemiologist as expert witness, Loue covers the nature of that testimony, the purpose of the testimony, and the qualifications necessary to be regarded as an expert witness. She examines various legal theories of causation, primarily in the context of product liability and toxic tort, and addresses epidemiological principles and methods used in the process of causal inference. Loue also focuses on legal mechanisms used to assess causation. Her concern here is with depositions and testimony and the preparation of epidemiology experts. She concludes her study by comparing the legal and epidemiological concepts of causation, using actual legal cases as examples. Throughout the text, Loue incorporates excerpts from depositions, interrogatories, and trial testimony to provide concrete examples. She also sets up an appendix to provide nonattorney readers with an overview of the legal system. Ultimately, her goal is to foster a greater understanding between law and epidemiology.

“This book is very well researched, organized, documented, and referenced. The case studies are relevant to specific public health issues related to race, gender, equity, sexual orientation, poverty, homelessness, drug addiction, and chronic diseases facing U.S. populations in the 21st century. The book offers background information for professionals to try to analyze the root causes and develop public health measures to ameliorate these problems." ---Doody's Review Service, 4 stars Public Health Law: Concepts and Case Studies is a practical textbook for students of public health and health policy with comprehensive coverage of core concepts in law across public health sectors. The text builds upon the understanding that law is a significant determinant of health while highlighting essential knowledge of legal issues and laws affecting public health outcomes. Chapters address major topics in United States public health law and take a competency-based approach influenced by models developed by the CDC’s Public Health Law Program. The book describes the most important and relevant considerations of the law through case studies and real-world examples that students and practitioners of public health need as a baseline in order to mitigate health inequities and public health threats. Written with a basis in health equity, chapters also include call-out boxes to appropriate health equity related principles and theories. The book’s three parts explore law as a foundation for public health practice, law in everyday practice, and law as a transdisciplinary public health tool. It addresses key legal concepts such as the sources of authority in the United States legal system, constitutional foundations, limitations of authority, regulation, and litigation as they relate to public health. The most prevalent public health law topics and national public health strategies are covered in clear prose and offer guidance on the law and legal issues related to immunization, infectious disease control, chronic disease prevention and management, unintentional and intentional injury prevention, emergency law, global public health, environmental law, LGBT populations and the law, women’s reproductive health topics and more. Hypothetical case studies throughout illustrate how law impacts public health practice across a variety of settings and populations. Content on the transdisciplinary nature of public health practice spans topics such as law as a social determinant of health, the Health in All Policies initiative, legal epidemiology, law and ethics, and the scope of public health decision-making. Insightful and practical in its approach, Public Health Law: Concepts and Case Studies provides students and public health practitioners alike with knowledge and tools for utilizing the law to advance public health goals in the communities they serve. Key Features: Includes practical, real-world case studies illustrating the intersection of law and public health in many different contexts Highlights health equity and social justice issues relevant to chapter topics Explains legal frameworks and challenging legal concepts in easy to read prose Highlights relevant legal issues and considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic Includes access to the fully downloadable eBook as well as instructor ancillary materials such as Instructor’s Manual, PowerPoints, and Test Bank

Continually changing health threats, technologies, science, and demographics require that public health professionals have an understanding of law sufficient to address complex new public health challenges as they come into being. Law in Public Health Practice, Second Edition provides a thorough review of the legal basis and authorities for the core elements of public health practice and solid discussions of existing and emerging high-priority areas where law and public health intersect.As in the previous edition, each chapter is authored jointly by experts in law and public health. This new edition features three completely new chapters, with several others thoroughly revised and updated. New chapters address such topics as the structure of law in US public health systems and practice, the role of the judiciary in public health, and law in chronic disease prevention and control. The chapter on public health emergencies has also been fully revised to take into account both the SARS epidemic of 2003 and the events of the Fall of 2001. The chapter now discusses topics such as the legal basis for declaring emergencies, the legal structure of mutual aid agreements, and the role of the military in emergencies. Other fully revised chapters include those on genomics, injury prevention, identifiable health information, and ethics in the practice of public health.The book begins with a section on the legal basis for public health practice, including foundations and structure of the law, discussions of the judiciary, ethics and practice of public health, and criminal law and international considerations. The second section focuses on core public health applications and the law, and includes chapters on legal counsel for public health practitioners, legal authorities for interventions in public health emergencies, and considerations for special populations. The third section discusses the law in controlling and preventing diseases, injuries, and disabilities. This section includes chapters on genomics, vaccinations, foodborne illness, STDs, reproductive health, chronic disease control, tobacco use, and occupational and environmental health.All chapters take a practical approach and are written in an accessible, user-friendly fashion. This is an excellent resource for a wide readership of public health practitioners, lawyers, and healthcare providers, as well as for educators and students of law and public health.

A collection of articles and documents designed as a companion to Gostin's textbook, American Public Health Law.

Law is a significant factor in public health, and an important tool government can use for protecting and promoting well-being. Legal risks and interventions can only be properly understood through epidemiological and evaluation research. “Legal epidemiology,” the scientific study of law as a factor in the cause, distribution, and prevention of disease in a population, is funded and conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), but the level of work and its distribution across the agency has not been assessed. The EndNote library maintained for Science Clips (publications by CDC authors) was searched by CDC librarians for journal articles published by CDC staff from January 2011 to May 2015. A team at the Public Health Law Research program reviewed and coded the abstracts to produce data on key features of the articles. The Public Health Law Research program identified 225 articles in the realm of legal epidemiology, comprised of 158 scientific evaluations and 67 commentaries or other forms of non-empirical legal scholarship. Most of the scientific studies concerned the use and impact of law as a deliberate tool of intervention. Only 13 of the empirical studies addressed the legal infrastructure of public health (powers, duties and organization of health agencies) and, despite the recognized importance of structural factors on population health, only three scientific studies addressed the incidental or unintended effects of non-health laws. CDC scientific legal studies encompassed policy making, implementation, and impact. Literature reviews and studies scientifically mapping the characteristics and geographic distribution of law made up a quarter of all the empirical publications. Studies addressed a wide range of laws at the international, national, state, local and organizational levels. The scan did not assess the quality or rigor of the research, but did observe that only a minority of the legal epidemiology included a legally-trained co-author. CDC's scientific legal work was published in a total of 83 different journals. The three most frequent publishers were Preventing Chronic Disease (14 publications), Journal of Public Health Management Practice (10 publications) and MMWR - Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (9 publications). CDC researchers make a substantial contribution to the emerging field of legal epidemiology, in both scientific research and commentary on law and its applications in public health. Results of the scan can be used to identify opportunities for the agency to better support research, professional development, networking and publication in this emerging field.