State public health laws: an expression of constituency expectations.

One expression by the body politic about public health in any jurisdiction is the law under which the public health agency practices. The degree of congruence between a widely used model of public health and current statutes can be a measure of that opinion. This study identified the extent to which the statements of purpose expressed in state laws are consistent with Public Health in America (PHA); the published mission statements of state health agencies are consistent with either statute or PHA; and which concepts from PHA are most underrepresented and what additional concepts are included.