Legal Epidemiology

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.

Figures and Tables vii

Foreword to the First Edition ix
Michelle A. Larkin

Foreword to the Second Edition xi
Sandro Galea

Preface xv

The Editors xix

The Contributors xxi

Part One Frameworks for Legal Epidemiology

1. A Framework for Research in Legal Epidemiology 3
Scott Burris, Alexander C. Wagenaar, Jeffrey W. Swanson, Jennifer K. Ibrahim, Jennifer Wood, and Michelle M. Mello

2. Law in Public Health Systems and Services Research 21
Scott Burris, Glen P. Mays, F. Douglas Scutchfield, and Jennifer K. Ibrahim

Part Two Understanding How Law Influences Environments and Behavior

3. Perspectives from Public Health 41
Kelli A. Komro and Alexander C. Wagenaar

4. Law and Society Approaches 61
Robin Stryker

5. Criminological Theories 81
Wesley G. Jennings and Tom Mieczkowski

6. Procedural Justice Theory 99
Tom R. Tyler and Avital Mentovich

7. Economic Theory 115
Frank J. Chaloupka and Rosalie Liccardo Pacula

8. The Theory of Triadic Influence 139
Mark B. Schure, Kazi Faria Islam, and Brian R. Flay

9. Integrating Diverse Theories for Public Health Law Evaluation 163
Scott Burris and Alexander C. Wagenaar

Part Three Identifying and Measuring Legal Variables

10. Picturing Public Health Law Research: The Value of Causal Diagrams 189
Jeffrey W. Swanson and Jennifer K. Ibrahim

11. Measuring Statutory Law and Regulations for Empirical Research 209
Evan D. Anderson, Sue Thomas, Ryan D. Treffers, and Alexander C. Wagenaar

12. Coding Case Law for Public Health Law Evaluation 233
Mark Hall

Part Four Designing Legal Epidemiology Evaluations

13. Randomized Trials in Legal Epidemiology 253
Harold Pollack, Alida Bouris, and Scott Cunningham

14. Natural Experiments: Research Design Elements for Optimal Causal Inference Without Randomization 283
Alexander C. Wagenaar and Kelli A. Komro

15. Qualitative Research Strategies for Public Health Law Evaluation 303
Jennifer Wood

16. Using Cost- Effectiveness and Cost–Benefit Analysis to Evaluate Public Health Laws 323
Rosalie Liccardo Pacula

17. The Future of Research in Legal Epidemiology 357
Scott Burris, Rosalie Liccardo Pacula, and Alexander C. Wagenaar

References 367

"As someone previously unaware that there was a field of legal epidemiology, I was intrigued. As I examined the book's chapters, I became increasingly aware of the value and potential future contributions of the field. For public health professionals of all stripes, this book will, at a minimum, enrich the life of the mind. For some, it will directly broaden and deepen their own work."
—Kenneth E. Warner, PhD, Avedis Donabedian Distinguished University Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, University of Michigan School of Public Health

"The second edition of Legal Epidemiology: Theory and Methods fills a critical niche for public health education and research. Laws shape our health and daily lives in profound ways—by blending law, epidemiology, and other scholarly disciplines and methods, the editors have assembled an insightful group of chapters. This volume is a must-read for anyone interested addressing population health and inequities in health."
—Ross C. Brownson, PhD, Lipstein Distinguished Professor of Public Health Washington University in St. Louis

"From basic concepts and theories of public health law, to legal and practical implementation and mechanisms of effects, to methods for measuring and studying how law influences health behavior, this book covers it all. Essential background for health policy analysis."
—Kosali Simon, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University

ALEXANDER C. WAGENAAR, PhD, is Research Professor at the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida College of Medicine.

ROSALIE LICCARDO PACULA, PhD, holds the Elizabeth Garrett Chair in Health Policy, Economics & Law in the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California.

SCOTT BURRIS, J.D., is Professor of Law and Public Health at Temple University, where he directs the Center for Public Health Law Research.

A comprehensive account of how law influences health-relevant behaviors and environments—and how those influences can be measured

The biggest problems in our society call for collective action, often through law and government, on behalf of the community. As we take those necessary actions in support of health and well-being and preventing disease and death, we must equally commit to using the scientific method??in examining health-related outcomes of legal action. In Legal Epidemiology: Theory and Methods, now in its second edition, researchers across disciplines explain the scientific theories and??methods for investigating the development, implementation, and effects of public health law.

There are special challenges that arise when investigating the implementation and outcomes of public health law. This book’s contributors—leaders in their respective fields—take a multidisciplinary approach to describing those challenges and their solutions. Readers will:

• Understand the basic concepts of legal epidemiology, including a guiding research framework
• Learn diverse theories on how laws and rules influence people’s health behaviors and outcomes
• Explore measurement issues that arise when law is a variable in research studies
• Optimize research designs for studies and evaluations in the field of legal epidemiology

Experienced researchers, policy analysts, and novice scientists will appreciate this book’s practical descriptions of the process for conducting strong legal epidemiology studies. These tools will advance public health law research, and will serve to orient non-scientists to the study of legal epidemiology.

“As someone previously unaware that there was a field of legal epidemiology, I was intrigued. As??I examined the book’s chapters, I became increasingly aware of the value and potential future??contributions of the field. For public health professionals of all stripes, this book will, at a minimum, enrich the life of the mind. For some, it will directly broaden and deepen their own??work.”
—Kenneth E. Warner, PhD, Avedis Donabedian Distinguished University Professor Emeritus and Dean Emeritus, University of Michigan School of Public Health

“The second edition of Legal Epidemiology: Theory and Methods fills a critical niche for public health education and research. Laws shape our health and daily lives in profound ways—by blending law, epidemiology, and other scholarly disciplines and methods, the editors have assembled an insightful group of chapters. This volume is a must-read for anyone interested addressing population health and inequities in health.”
—Ross C. Brownson, PhD, Lipstein Distinguished Professor of Public Health, Washington University in St. Louis

“This book covers it all. Essential background for health policy analysts”
—Kosali Simon, PhD, Distinguished Professor, School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University