From the Editor I

From the Editor i develop a paper which will enhance public From the Editor health in the state of Georgia. State Journals of Public Health Finally, the presentation served as an opportunity to solicit feedback from others i McKinley Thomas, Editor, jGPHA regarding the scope, online management, and general particulars specific to the Journal. During the 78th annual meeting and As a basis for discussion within this realm conference held in September, 2007 I had the Editor investigated what other state the opportunity of sharing my experiences health associations had accomplished with as Editor of the Journal of the Georgia Public regard to research-based journals. Health Association with a group of Currently, there are a total of 55 APHA colleagues from around the state. This affiliate states / regions listed on the session was an important one for three American Public Health Association website, reasons. First, it served as a chance to including Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, New advertise the Journal given that anecdotal York City and New York State, as well as data suggest that many health professionals both Northern and Southern California in Georgia do not realize a) the availability Health Associations. Each affiliate of the Journal as a method of communicating organization (with the exception of Puerto ideas or b) the scrutiny with which articles Rico and US Virgin Islands) was contacted are selected for publication, leading to via email and asked two questions. First, authors selecting some other professional each state association was asked if a journal as a springboard for sharing research-based journal was provided to research, best practices, etc. Second, it members, and second, if so, was such a offered attendees a chance to learn about publication available electronically or in the process through which the Journal is print format. Of 53 messages sent, 24 were developed, potentially augmenting the pool returned yielding a response rate of 45%. of both authors and manuscript reviewers. Of the messages returned, Florida, Currently, the Journal has a number of Michigan, and Nevada reported offering diverse and qualified health professionals their members a research-based journal, all who have graciously volunteered their time of which were available online, in electronic to review and critique articles submitted for format. In collaboration with Central publication. With regard to authorship, the Washington University, Washington State Association has received a total of 25 reported plans to implement such a journal manuscripts since the Journal’s inception in in 2008. For states who did not respond an 2005. Submissions have emerged from additional effort was made to secure around Georgia as well as from other states information directly through state-specific such as Texas and California. Of submitted web sites. Each non responding state (with articles, 16 (64%) have been published the exception of Delaware) maintains their electronically after varying levels of revision own website, primarily independent of some (See Table 1). With regard to revisions, the Editor Table 1: Articles and Submitted and believes that it is much more important to Published, 2005-Present work with a potential author in cultivating their ideas (ideas which will be shared with other health professionals in the state) than it Submissions Accepted % Edition 1 6 4 67 is to simply review and reject a manuscript. Edition 2 9 4 44 Granted some submissions will simply not be Edition 3 6 5 83 appropriate for the Journal, however, those Edition 4 4 3 75 that are should be thoroughly examined by Total 25 16 64 reviewers and critiqued in an effort to Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association, Vol. 1 No. 2, 2007 From the Editor ii larger organization, such as a medical State-based manuscripts offer school or university. A total of 28 state reasonable and timely approaches to association websites were examined for regional public health concerns and evidence of a research-based journal. Only address issues that are not routinely one such journal was located in Texas. The addressed in other, more broad Texas Public Health Journal is a quarterly research publications. publication, available only to members and Journals produced by state health only in print format. associations serve as another In essence, only five states currently offer opportunity for organizations to present health association members a research- themselves as members of a based journal, primarily in electronic format professional discipline. Such journals and available online, with one state, also serve as a platform for further Washington, planning such an endeavor discourse and networking, both during during the coming year (See Map 1). annual meetings as well as throughout Though data were not systematically the year. collected, it appears that many states offer their members a newsletter, published at Map 1: Print or Electronic Research Journals, varying times of the year, as well as other US, 2007 online documents such as position papers, policy white papers, and links to state public health agencies. As the reader may remember, the 78th annual meeting and conference in Savannah was held in conjunction with the Southern Health Association affording the Editor an opportunity to speak with representatives from other states about potential collaborative opportunities as well as the overall importance of sharing state-specific research undertakings with organizational members. Information gleaned from numerous conversations with state representatives is evident in the two main With proper management and support from changes made by the Journal over the public health association members, state- previous few months. First, manuscripts specific journals of research may serve an selected for publication are added to the important tool for sharing information, data, website as they are accepted and revised and scientific and community undertakings according to critical review. Second, the with health personnel in the region. This journal has a new web-based interface with premise is based upon the very nature of is more in line with other research journals public health, the one characteristic that published exclusively online. makes our efforts more prone to success Now, why all this concern for state- when approaching health concerns: based research journals? Three benefits of Collaboration. such a publication come to mind. i COORESPONDING AUTHOR: Research-based journals supported by Mercer University School of Medicine state public health associations offer Department of Community Medicine unique insights into cutting edge 1550 College Street research, best practices, and Macon, Georgia 31207-0001 programming which has the potential of 478-301-5547 being used in real-world situations by [email protected] others around the state. Journal of the Georgia Public Health Association, Vol. 1 No. 2, 2007 .

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