Improving the Transparency of Legal Measurement in Health Policy Evaluation—A Guide for Researchers, Reviewers, and Editors

Authors

• Benjamin A. Barsky, University of California College of the Law, San FranciscoFollow
• Alina Schnake-Mahl, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University
• Cason D. Schmit, Texas A&M University School of Public Health
• Scott Burris, Beasley School of Law, Temple University

Recommended Citation

Benjamin A. Barsky, Alina Schnake-Mahl, Cason D. Schmit, and Scott Burris, Improving the Transparency of Legal Measurement in Health Policy Evaluation—A Guide for Researchers, Reviewers, and Editors, 6 JAMA Health F. 1 (2025).
Available at: https://repository.uclawsf.edu/faculty_scholarship/2121

Publication Date

3-14-2025

Abstract

Advances in quantitative research methods have led to acceptance that well-designed observational studies can enable causal inferences about the effects of policy interventions on health. Indeed, JAMA recently announced exploring a range of study designs for which causal interpretations may be made in JAMA Network journals. This development is welcome for research on the potential health effects of laws—including statutes, regulations, executive orders, formal agency guidance, and other documents that purport to require compliance with rules or standards—given that they are rarely amenable to evaluation using experimental methods. As researchers, reviewers, and editors refine criteria for assessing the appropriateness of causal claims in health policy evaluation research, this Viewpoint emphasizes a critical methodological concern: the proper measurement of law.

Document Type

Article

Publication Title

JAMA Health Forum