scholarly journals US Public Health Preparedness for Zika and Other Threats Remains Vulnerable

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 298-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey S. Duchin
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Public Health Preparedness ◽  
The Us ◽  
Response Capacity ◽  
National Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness And Response ◽  
Public Health Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Core Areas ◽  
Solid Foundation

AbstractThe unanticipated global outbreak of Zika virus infection is the most current but certainly not the last emerging infectious disease challenge to confront the US public heath system. Despite a number of such threats in recent years, significant gaps remain in core areas of public health system readiness. Stable, sustained investments are required to establish a solid foundation for achieving necessary national public health emergency preparedness and response capacity. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:298–299)

scholarly journals 18.H. Workshop: Bringing evidence during public health emergencies: addressing the challenge through HTA

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Response Planning ◽  
Emergency Preparedness And Response ◽  
Public Health Emergency Preparedness

Abstract Evidence-based decision-making is central to public health. Implementing evidence-informed actions is most challenging during a public health emergency as in an epidemic, when time is limited, scientific uncertainties and political pressures tend to be high, and irrefutable evidence may be lacking. The process of including evidence in public health decision-making and for evidence-informed policy, in preparation, and during public health emergencies, is not systematic and is complicated by many barriers as the absences of shared tools and approaches for evidence-based preparedness and response planning. Many of today's public health crises are also cross-border, and countries need to collaborate in a systematic and standardized way in order to enhance interoperability and to implement coordinated evidence-based response plans. To strengthen the impact of scientific evidence on decision-making for public health emergency preparedness and response, it is necessary to better define mechanisms through which interdisciplinary evidence feeds into decision-making processes during public health emergencies and the context in which these mechanisms operate. As a multidisciplinary, standardized and evidence-based decision-making tool, Health Technology Assessment (HTA) represents and approach that can inform public health emergency preparedness and response planning processes; it can also provide meaningful insights on existing preparedness structures, working as bridge between scientists and decision-makers, easing knowledge transition and translation to ensure that evidence is effectively integrated into decision-making contexts. HTA can address the link between scientific evidence and decision-making in public health emergencies, and overcome the key challenges faced by public health experts when advising decision makers, including strengthening and accelerating knowledge transfer through rapid HTA, improving networking between actors and disciplines. It may allow a 360° perspective, providing a comprehensive view to decision-making in preparation and during public health emergencies. The objective of the workshop is to explore and present how HTA can be used as a shared and systematic evidence-based tool for Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, in order to enable stakeholders and decision makers taking actions based on the best available evidence through a process which is systematic and transparent. Key messages There are many barriers and no shared mechanisms to bring evidence in decision-making during public health emergencies. HTA can represent the tool to bring evidence-informed actions in public health emergency preparedness and response.

Community ready! Assessing and meeting the needs of parents in Arlington County, VA

2007 ◽  
Vol 5 (6) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Marina S. Moses, DrPH, MS ◽  
Donna S. Caruso, RN, MSN ◽  
Timothy G. Otten, MPH ◽  
Sam Simmens, PhD ◽  
Tee L. Guidotti, MD, MPH
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
Spanish Speakers ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Specific Information ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Public Health Preparedness ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Emergency Preparedness

In March 2006, three elementary schools, composed of at least 50 percent Latino populations, were selected in Arlington, VA, to participate in a multitiered survey to evaluate parents’ emergency preparedness needs. This article describes how to identify vulnerable populations and tailor specific information and services to their public health needs. An oral survey was administered to parents in their preferred language, English or Spanish, regarding their questions, concerns, preferences, and needs pertaining to public health emergency preparedness. Major themes that emerged included the need for language and culturally sensitive preparedness information; the merit of using established community venues for parents to gather; and the importance of using group specific preferred modes of information dissemination. Significant differences were observed between English speakers and Spanish speakers’ perceived vulnerability, level of preparedness, and preferences for acquiring information. An important similarity that presented itself was that all parents surveyed regard the public school system as safe, trustworthy, and best suited for providing public health preparedness information to the community. Based on this study, an innovative model is being developed called Community Ready! which will be an all-hazards approach to public health preparedness outreach that will be reproducible in other municipalities and school districts.

Developing National Standards for Public Health Emergency Preparedness With a Limited Evidence Base

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 285-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Nelson ◽  
Ed Chan ◽  
Anita Chandra ◽  
Paul Sorensen ◽  
Henry H. Willis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Panel Discussion ◽  
Performance Standards ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Public Health Preparedness ◽  
National Performance ◽  
Local Flexibility ◽  
Public Health Emergency Preparedness

ABSTRACTObjective: The paucity of evidence and wide variation among communities creates challenges for developing congressionally mandated national performance standards for public health preparedness. Using countermeasure dispensing as an example, we present an approach for developing standards that balances national uniformity and local flexibility, consistent with the quality of evidence available.Methods: We used multiple methods, including a survey of community practices, mathematical modeling, and expert panel discussion.Results: The article presents recommended dispensing standards, along with a general framework that can be used to analyze tradeoffs involved in developing other preparedness standards.Conclusions: Standards can be developed using existing evidence, but would be helped immensely by a stronger evidence base.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:285-290)

A Consensus Process on the Use of Exercises and After Action Reports to Assess and Improve Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 305-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Savoia ◽  
Jessica Preston ◽  
Paul D. Biddinger
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Nominal Group ◽  
Evaluation Methodology ◽  
Consensus Process ◽  
Disaster Victims ◽  
Emergency Preparedness And Response ◽  
Public Health Emergency Preparedness

AbstractIntroductionThe objective of disaster preparedness is to ensure that appropriate systems, procedures, and resources are in place to provide prompt, effective assistance to disaster victims, thus facilitating relief measures and rehabilitation of services. Disaster preparedness efforts include the identification of possible health scenarios based on the probability of hazards and vulnerability of the population as a basis for creating a disaster plan. Exercises that simulate emergency response, involving the health and other sectors, have been suggested as useful tools to test the plans on a regular basis and measure preparedness efforts; the absence of actual testing is likely to negate even the best of abstract plans.ProblemExercises and after action reports (AARs) are used to document preparedness activities. However, to date, limited analysis has been performed on what makes an exercise an effective tool to assess public health emergency preparedness (PHEP), and how AARs can be developed and used to support PHEP improvement efforts. The scope of this project was to achieve consensus on: (1) what makes an exercise an effective tool to assess PHEP; and (2) what makes an AAR an effective tool to guide PHEP improvement efforts.MethodsSixty-one PHEP experts were convened by the use of Nominal Group Techniques to achieve consensus on a series of characteristics that exercises should have when designed to assess PHEP and on the recommendations for developing high-quality AARs.ResultsThe panelists achieved consensus on a list of recommendations to improve the use of exercises and AARs in PHEP improvement efforts. Such recommendations ranged from the characteristics of the exercise audience to the evaluation methodology being used and the characteristics of the produced AAR such as its structure and content.ConclusionsThe characteristics of the exercise audience, scenario and scope are among the most important attributes to the effectiveness of an exercise conducted for PHEP evaluation purposes. The evaluation instruments used to gather observations need an appropriate matching between exercise objectives and the response capabilities tested during the exercise, to build the base for the production of a good AAR. Improvements in the design and creation of exercises and AARs could facilitate better reporting and measurement of preparedness outcomes.SavoiaE, PrestonJ, BiddingerPD. A consensus process on the use of exercises and after action reports to assess and improve public health emergency preparedness and response. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(3):1-4.

scholarly journals (A169) Strategic National Stockpile: American Preparedness to a Domestic Biological Attack

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s59-s59
Author(s):  
A.E. Piombino
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
The Us ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Public Health Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Strategic National Stockpile

This session offers an overview of the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) and the Cities Readiness Initiative (CRI), including CHEM PACK. Managed by the US Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “push-packs” of this critical federal cache of pharmaceuticals and medical materiel are at sites located throughout the country. The CDC's CRI is a federally funded program designed to compliment the SNS and enhance preparedness in the nation's largest cities and Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA) where more than 50% of the US population resides. Through CRI, state and large metropolitan public health departments continue refining plans to respond to a large-scale bioterrorism attack by dispensing antibiotics to the entire population of an identified MSA with 48 hours. The SNS Technical Assistance Review (TAR) will be reviewed, as well as best practices and lessons learned from successful public health emergency preparedness and response programs throughout the US.

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