Florida Department of Health Workers' Response to 2004 Hurricanes Exposure: A Qualitative Analysis

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly H. Mash ◽  
Carol S. Fullerton ◽  
Kathleen Kowalski-Trakofler ◽  
Dori B. Reissman ◽  
Ted Scharf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department

scholarly journals Florida Department of Health Workers’ Response to 2004 Hurricanes: A Qualitative Analysis

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly B. Herberman Mash ◽  
Carol S. Fullerton ◽  
Kathleen Kowalski-Trakofler ◽  
Dori B. Reissman ◽  
Ted Scharf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Emergency Care ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Public Health Preparedness ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
Public Health Workers

AbstractObjectiveExaminations of the demands on public health workers after disaster exposure have been limited. Workers provide emergency care while simultaneously risking injury, damage to personal property, and threats to their own and their family's safety. We examined the disaster management experiences of 4323 Florida Department of Health workers 9 months after their response to 4 hurricanes and 1 tropical storm during a 7-week period in August and September of 2004.MethodsParticipants completed a self-report questionnaire focused on work performance, mental and physical health, daily functioning, sleep disturbance, physiological arousal, and injury and work demand at the time of the hurricanes, and answered open-ended questions that described their experiences in more detail.ResultsA qualitative analysis conducted from the write-in data yielded 4 domains: (1) work/life balance; (2) training for disaster response role; (3) workplace support; and (4) recovery.ConclusionsStudy findings highlighted a number of concerns that are important to public health workers who provide emergency care after a disaster and, in particular, multiple disasters such as during the 2004 hurricane season. The findings also yielded important recommendations for emergency public health preparedness. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;0:1–7)

Longitudinal Study of Hurricane Preparedness Behaviors: Influence of Collective Efficacy

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Holly B Herberman Mash ◽  
Carol S Fullerton ◽  
Joshua C Morganstein ◽  
Mary C Vance ◽  
Leming Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Collective Efficacy ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Community Characteristics ◽  
Community Strength ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
Hurricane Season ◽  
Univariate Analyses

Abstract Objective: Community characteristics, such as collective efficacy, a measure of community strength, can affect behavioral responses following disasters. We measured collective efficacy 1 month before multiple hurricanes in 2005, and assessed its association to preparedness 9 months following the hurricane season. Methods: Participants were 631 Florida Department of Health workers who responded to multiple hurricanes in 2004 and 2005. They completed questionnaires that were distributed electronically approximately 1 month before (6.2005-T1) and 9 months after (6.2006-T2) several storms over the 2005 hurricane season. Collective efficacy, preparedness behaviors, and socio-demographics were assessed at T1, and preparedness behaviors and hurricane-related characteristics (injury, community-related damage) were assessed at T2. Participant ages ranged from 21-72 (M(SD) = 48.50 (10.15)), and the majority were female (78%). Results: In linear regression models, univariate analyses indicated that being older (B = 0.01, SE = 0.003, P < 0.001), White (B = 0.22, SE = 0.08, P < 0.01), and married (B = 0.05, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001) was associated with preparedness following the 2005 hurricanes. Multivariate analyses, adjusting for socio-demographics, preparedness (T1), and hurricane-related characteristics (T2), found that higher collective efficacy (T1) was associated with preparedness after the hurricanes (B = 0.10, SE = 0.03, P < 0.01; and B = 0.47, SE = 0.04, P < 0.001 respectively). Conclusion: Programs enhancing collective efficacy may be a significant part of prevention practices and promote preparedness efforts before disasters.

scholarly journals Mobile health messaging service and helpdesk for South African mothers (MomConnect): history, successes and challenges

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (Suppl 2) ◽  
pp. e000559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Barron ◽  
Joanne Peter ◽  
Amnesty E LeFevre ◽  
Jane Sebidi ◽  
Marcha Bekker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pregnant Women ◽  
South African ◽  
Mobile Health ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Universal Coverage ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Time Data ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Early Decision

MomConnect is a flagship programme of the South African National Department of Health that has reached over 1.5 million pregnant women. Using mobile technology, MomConnect provides pregnant and postpartum women with twice-weekly health information text messages as well as access to a helpdesk for patient queries and feedback. In just 3 years, MomConnect has been taken to scale to reach over 95% of public health facilities and has reached 63% of all pregnant women attending their first antenatal appointment. The helpdesk has received over 300 000 queries at an average of 250 per day from 6% of MomConnect users. The service is entirely free to its users. The rapid deployment of MomConnect has been facilitated by strong government leadership, and an ecosystem of mobile health implementers who had experience of much of the content and technology required. An early decision to design MomConnect for universal coverage has required the use of text-based technologies (short messaging service and Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) that are accessible via even the most basic mobile phones, but cumbersome to use and costly at scale. Unlike previous mobile messaging services in South Africa, MomConnect collects the user’s identification number and facility code during registration, enabling future linkages with other health and population databases and geolocated feedback. MomConnect has catalysed additional efforts to strengthen South Africa’s digital health architecture. The rapid growth in smartphone penetration presents new opportunities to reduce costs, increase real-time data collection and expand the reach and scope of MomConnect to serve health workers and other patient groups.

The Florida Department of Health and the Florida Association of County Health Department Business Administrators

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 413-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Napier ◽  
Phillip Street ◽  
Robin Wright ◽  
James Michael Kouba ◽  
Christina Ciereck ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Department ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
Business Administrators ◽  
County Health Department

scholarly journals Examining the Relationship Between Low Birth Weight Occurrence and Passive Measures of Environmental Arsenic by Census Tract in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Florida

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 117863022091305
Author(s):  
Maya Scott-Richardson ◽  
Marilyn O’Hara Ruiz ◽  
Rebecca L Smith
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Census Tract ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Arsenic Concentration ◽  
Vital Statistics ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
Contaminated Drinking Water

Arsenic is a public health concern because of its widespread distribution and high toxicity, even when doses are small. Low birth weight (LBW) occurrence, birth weights less than 2500 g, may be associated with prenatal exposure of arsenic from environmental factors and consuming contaminated drinking water and food. The objective of this study was to examine whether mothers living in areas of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties with varying levels of background arsenic in surface soil and water were associated with the occurrence of LBW. Inverse distance weight in ArcGIS was used to interpolate arsenic concentrations from environmental samples and estimate arsenic concentrations by census tracts in the two counties. After excluding multiple births and displaced geocoding addresses, birth data were obtained for the years of 2005 (n = 5845), 2010 (n = 5569), and 2015 (n = 5770) from the Bureau of Vital Statistics at the Florida Department of Health to assess temporal differences. Generalized linear models were used to analyze and compare the association between child and maternal demographic information, socioeconomic characteristics, and the environmental estimates of arsenic with LBW. No significant association was found between environmental arsenic concentration and LBW, suggesting that environmental contamination of the pregnant mother’s census tract may not be a useful proxy in assessing risk for LBW.

An Assessment of the Impact of a Multipronged Approach to Reducing Problematic Pain Clinics in Florida

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 185-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacinta M. Gau ◽  
Erika J. Brooke
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Criminal Law ◽  
Law Enforcement Officers ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
Pain Clinics ◽  
Opioid Diversion ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Combat Problems

The present research evaluates recent changes to Florida law and policy to reduce problematic pain clinics (pill mills) and criminal diversion of prescription opioids. These changes entailed a multipronged effort linking regulatory and criminal-law approaches. Quantitative data from the Florida Department of Health and qualitative data from in-depth interviews with law-enforcement officers assigned to pill-mill taskforces reveal steep declines in pain clinics and pill mills. Respondents credit some regulatory enhancements for the reduction, although they describe some interagency cooperation problems and emphasize that despite success, many troublesome establishments continue to operate. The results suggest that Florida’s effort to reduce opioid diversion by tightening regulatory restrictions and law-enforcement scrutiny illustrates a multiagency approach to a problem spanning public health and criminal justice. This could be an example for other states seeking to combat problems that cannot be effectively addressed using regulatory or criminal law alone.

scholarly journals Safe Handling of Food and Water in a Hurricane or Related Disaster

EDIS ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2005 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald H. Schmidt ◽  
Keith L. Schneider ◽  
Renée M. Goodrich ◽  
Amarat Simonne ◽  
Douglas L. Archer
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Protection Agency ◽  
Red Cross ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
American Red Cross ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Safe Handling ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
Consumer Services ◽  
Control And Prevention

This document contains a summary of general recommendations to protect the safety of food and water in the event of a hurricane, flooding, or related natural disaster. These recommendations have been adapted from those developed under National Recommendations for Disaster Food Handling, a multi-state grant involving Cooperative Extension collaborators from Tennessee, Florida, and Missouri as well as the American Red Cross and Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Recommendations have also been included from additional up-to-date sources such as the: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DOACS), Florida Department of Health (DOH), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and American Red Cross. This document is FSHN0520, one of a series of the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date October 2005. FSHN0520/FS131: Safe Handling of Food and Water in a Hurricane or Related Disaster (ufl.edu)

scholarly journals Community Health Worker Evaluation of Implementing an mHealth Application to Support Maternal Health Care in Rural India

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umesh Charanthimath ◽  
Geetanjali Katageri ◽  
Mai-Lei Woo Kinshella ◽  
Ashalata Mallapur ◽  
Shivaprasad Goudar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Community Health Workers ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Rural India ◽  
Mhealth Intervention ◽  
Auxiliary Nurse

Introduction: PIERS on the Move (POM) is a mobile health (mHealth) application developed for a smartphone to support community health workers (CHWs) for identification and management of women at risk of adverse outcomes from pre-eclampsia. POM was implemented as an addition to routine antenatal care by accredited social health activists (ASHAs) and auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) during the community level intervention for pre-eclampsia (CLIP) Trial in Karnataka state, India (NCT01911494). The objective of this study was to evaluate the experiences of CHWs of using POM in rural India and their perceptions of acceptability and feasibility of this mHealth intervention.Methods: A posttrial mixed-methods evaluation was designed to measure CHW knowledge and self-efficacy regarding the care of women with pre-eclampsia and perceptions of CHWs on the ease of use and usefulness of POM. A structured survey with open-ended questions was conducted between October and November 2017. The median values on a 5-point Likert scale for knowledge and self-efficacy questions were compared between trial arms by Mann–Whitney U test (p &lt; 0.05 significant). Qualitative analysis was undertaken on NVivo 12 (QSR International, Melbourne, Australia).Results: A total of 48 ASHAs and ANMs were interviewed, including 24 who used POM (intervention arm) and 24 who did not (control arm). Self-reported knowledge and self-efficacy for the care of women with pre-eclampsia did not differ between groups. The qualitative analysis highlighted that health workers who used POM reported improved interactions with women and families in their communities. POM strengthened the role of ASHA as a CHW beyond a “link-worker” accompanying women to health services. With training, the mHealth application was easy to use even for CHWs who did not have much experience with smartphones.Conclusions: Community health workers found the POM app easy to use, useful, and well-received by women and their families. POM did not improve care through increased knowledge but built capacity by increasing the recognition of the ASHA and ANM as critical members of the continuum of antenatal healthcare within their communities. These findings support the important role that mHealth technologies can play in strengthening health systems to reach rural, remote, and marginalized populations to reduce disparities in health.

Vendor diversity in public sector purchasing: the case of the florida department of health

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 320-337
Author(s):  
Steven A. Watson ◽  
Robert G. Brooks ◽  
Thomas Arnold ◽  
Kathy Mason ◽  
Cathy McEachron
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department

COVID-19 Trends in Florida K-12 Schools, August 10 – November 14, 2020 (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah Jones
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
School Environments ◽  
Public Records ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Department Of Health ◽  
Florida Department ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Case Data

BACKGROUND Florida school case data provides an opportunity to examine the extent to which COVID-19 has been detected and reported in schools through reporting of cases by day, by school level, by location, for both students and staff. Student enrollment across Florida’s 67 districts totals more than 2.67 million, with five of the ten most populated districts in the country within Florida’s public-school system. Schools in Florida’s mix of urban, suburban and rural districts, in addition to the variety of policies ranging from availability of virtual instruction to mandatory-mask mandates, make it an ideal case study for examining larger trends in COVID-19’s prevalence in American schools. This data could help inform decisions makers evaluating mitigation strategies and access to virtual learning, as well as build upon current knowledge of COVID-19 in American society. OBJECTIVE Florida schools began reopening to in-person instruction in August have reported more than 18,000 student and staff cases of COVID-19 as of November 14, 2020. Incidence of COVID-19 cases in K-12 students and staff is of urgent public health concern. METHODS During August 10 – November 14, 2020, laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 10,088 students and 4,507 staff in K-12 schools were confirmed by either the Florida Department of Health, or directly from the 43 independently-reporting school districts in the state. School case data, collected daily, and school enrollment data for both in-person (including hybrid) and virtual learning were obtained by public records request to each of Florida’s 67 districts for each week of the study period. Data regarding mask policies were obtained either from each district’s reopening plan, or from public records request. No assessment of school case data or rates with consideration of age groups and mask policies at this scale or with this level of granularity were discovered after an exhaustive search. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) provides guidance for safely reopening schools, based primarily on the rate of community spread within a given district or county. County COVID-19 case rates were calculated based on new cases over a 14-day period at a rate per 1,000 people based on data reported by the Florida Department of Health. RESULTS During August 10 – November 14, 2020, the state-wide incidence rate (cases per 1,000 students enrolled in face-to-face or hybrid instruction) in Florida high school students (12.5) was 70% higher than younger cohorts (7.4). School data by grade level (e.g. elementary, middle, high) shows trends consistent with earlier findings by the CDC regarding case rates between younger and older adolescents. Staff rates are higher than student rates in all school environments except high schools. The proportion of student to staff cases in Florida schools was closest in the elementary setting (60% students – 40% staff) compared to the high school setting (82% students – 18% staff). CONCLUSIONS Case incidence varies significantly between school grade levels and between students and staff. Staff rates are higher than student rates in all school environments except high schools, and staff benefit most by mandatory-mask mandates. The rate of cases within schools is highly correlated with cases within a community, more than the size of the district by total enrollment. Percent enrollment in face-to-face instruction is a secondary influencer of case incidence rates in schools. In areas with higher pediatric community case rates compared to school case rates, districts may be under-reporting school case totals for students, or “disqualifying” student cases based on when a student tested and whether the case could be directly linked to the school environment. More research is needed to further understand the wealth of data available regarding COVID-19 incidence in Florida, and to develop proper mitigation strategies to confront this unprecedented challenge. CLINICALTRIAL N/A

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