Personal Beliefs Exemption from Mandatory Immunization of Children for School Entry

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (S2) ◽  
pp. 12-21
Author(s):  
Alexander M. Capron
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Good Deal ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
School Enrollment ◽  
Pediatric Practice ◽  
Childhood Diseases ◽  
Measles Outbreaks ◽  
History Books ◽  
Do So

Public health law courses typically focus a good deal of attention on two related topics: the duty of government agencies to control the spread of communicable diseases and their use of the police power to do so. While governments sometimes take forceful actions in responding to disease outbreaks, they can also act to prevent their occurrence. Indeed, one of the great triumphs of public health in the 20th century was the development of vaccines and their widespread use, which seemed on course to relegate many formerly crippling or deadly diseases to the history books. Particular success occurred with vaccinations against childhood diseases such as polio, smallpox, and measles, outbreaks of which once routinely closed schoolrooms, playgrounds, and community swimming pools. By the last quarter of the century, completion of an elaborate schedule of immunizations was not merely the standard in pediatric practice but an official requirement for school enrollment. As a result, the range of communicable diseases that had once terrified parents had become threats to be feared only in memory.

Recent measles outbreaks in the United States: A look at the causes and responses

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 491-496
Author(s):  
Tracy Perron ◽  
Heather Larovere ◽  
Victoria Guerra ◽  
Kathleen Kilfeather ◽  
Nicole Pare ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Personal Autonomy ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Course Of Action ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
Measles Outbreaks

As measles cases continue to rise in the United States and elsewhere, public health officials, health care providers and elected officials alike are facing critical questions of how to protect the health of the public from current and future vaccine preventable disease outbreaks while still preserving the religious and personal autonomy of the populations they serve. As measles cases are being examined and carefully managed, public health officials are also tasked with revisiting vaccination policies and agendas to determine the best evidence-based interventions to control this epidemic. To determine the best course of action for the public's interest, research and current literature must be examined to protect and promote the health and wellbeing of those currently affected by the measles outbreak and those yet to be exposed.

PEDIATRIC PRACTICE: HUMAN MILK AND BREAST-FEEDING

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1964 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 873-874
Author(s):  
Clement A. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Milk ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Technological Knowledge ◽  
Pediatric Practice ◽  
Half Century ◽  
Antibiotic Drugs ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Do So

AT THE END OF 1962, the local Directory for Mother's Milk closed its doors. The decision to terminate the work of a pioneer institution which, at least for the early part of its 52-year existence, had filled vital needs, was not easy. The decision was made, of course, not because human milk had been demonstrated to be inherently any less valuable than it always was for babies. But with the advance of nutritional and technological knowledge, with the rapidly widening availability of sterilizing and refrigerating equipment, and the more prompt control of infections by antibiotic drugs, other ways of feeding babies had become inherently better. It is of some interest that this all happened in one pediatric lifetime. Dr. Fritz B. Talbot, who spoke at the closing ceremonies of the Directory, was the organizer of the service at its beginning (as a Directory for Wet Nurses) in 1910. With rare objectivity and perception, Dr. Talbot chose to express gratitude for a half-century of public health and pediatric progress, rather than alarm over a reduction in the local availability of human milk. Most pediatricians today would probably feel similarly. Many would also join those who reflected that today's need for services to help mothers initiate breast-feeding is greater than that for organizations to preserve and dispense the milk of one mother so that it can be fed to the infants of others. Few would nowadays think that persuading mothers to initiate breast-feeding is as necessary as helping them to do so. Quite a few mothers are now seeking help which pediatricians and obtetricians might arrange for them in the hurried routines of today's hospitals.

MEASLES VIRUS ELIMINATION: RESOLVED ISSUES AND FUTURE CHALLENGES

2020 ◽  
pp. 83-88
Author(s):  
Kseniia Artemivna Veklych
Keyword(s):  
Measles Virus ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Vaccination Schedule ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Complete Elimination ◽  
Virus Elimination ◽  
Vaccination Programs ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Measles Outbreaks

Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by an RNA−containing virus of the family Paramyxoviridae and Morbillivirus genus. The most proper way to stop it is a total vaccination. At the moment, live attenuated strains of the Enders − Schwartz measles virus are used to conduct it. Although they were developed more than 50 years ago, the vaccines in use today are effective enough to create a proper immune protection that can defend against an infection for decades, if the vaccination schedule is followed. The vast majority of measles outbreaks that have been reported in Europe over the last seven years have been caused by a lack of an immune response resulting from the unprecedented coverage of the population with vaccination. The measles outbreak observed in the adult and child population of Ukraine since December 2018 indicates the need and urgency of additional efforts to curb the spread and complete elimination of the measles virus. It has been determined that more than 95 % of the population should be vaccinated to ensure an elimination of measles virus and prevent the disease outbreaks after the virus has been imported from the countries that are still endemic to measles. It is noted that as a result of successful implementation of vaccination programs, the public's attention to measles is diminished even among physicians who sometimes have a rather dubious understanding of the disease symptoms. Ensuring a complete elimination of the measles virus requires the development and implementation of additional laboratory tests for immunity, development and realization of new, more polyvalent vaccines that are more readily accepted by population, increased awareness on safety and necessity of vaccination, as well as regulation. Key words: measles, immunity, elimination, epidemiological control, vaccination.

Instagramming our way through public health communication: why and who is using it?

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
R Vareda ◽  
T Garcia ◽  
J Rachadell
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Healthy Lifestyles ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases

Abstract Background From disease prevention to health promotion, communication is key for Public Health (PH) practice and, according to the 9th Essential Public Health Operation its goal is to improve populations health literacy and capacity to access, understand and use information. Though social media is frequently presented as a potentially useful tool for PH communication, there is a lack of evidence about its effectiveness and impact on PH outcomes. This study researches Instagram® as a PH tool and aims to know who is using it, what content is shared on the platform and how much engagement there is. Methods This cross-sectional study regards information on 1000 Instagram® posts with the hashtags publichealth, publichealthpromotion, healthpromotion, publichealthmatters and publichealtheducation. Authors categorized post content and creators, and reviewed the number of likes and comments per post to determine engagement. Data analysis was performed on IBM SPSS® Statistics. Results The most common content categories were communicable diseases (n = 383), non-communicable diseases (n = 258) and healthy lifestyles (n = 143). Health professionals post more about communicable diseases (43,6%) and non-professionals about healthy lifestyles (36,1%). Non-professionals (n = 191) post about PH issues almost as much as health professionals (n = 220) and PH associations (n = 201). Most don't reference their sources (n = 821). Posts on communicable diseases have the most likes and comments per post (mean of 172 likes and 3,1 comments). Conclusions Half the Instagram® posts analysed in this study were made by health professionals or organizations. Communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases and healthy lifestyles were the most frequent content categories and had the most engagement. The majority of posts didn't reference their sources. Though Instagram® seems to be a potential PH communication tool, further research is needed to confirm its benefits for PH. Key messages Social media platforms like Instagram® are potentially powerful tools for PH communication. There is a need to understand the efficacy of social media as health promotion tools.

scholarly journals The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) Endorses the Milan Charter on Urban Obesity

Obesity Facts ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Michele O. Carruba ◽  
Luca Busetto ◽  
Sheree Bryant ◽  
Antonio Caretto ◽  
Nathalie J. Farpour-Lambert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Stigma ◽  
National Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Communicable Diseases ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Shared Responsibility ◽  
Access To Treatment ◽  
Non Communicable Diseases ◽  
Health Goals

The Milan Charter on Urban Obesity highlights the challenges of urban environments as a battleground for human health, as cities are often organized to subvert public health goals, and promote rather than prevent the development of obesity and consequent non-communicable diseases. The Charter articulates ten principles which detail actions and strategies through which general practitioners, diverse medical specialists, related healthcare professionals, administrators and healthcare practice managers, policy actors – within health systems and at a national level – along with experts across disciplines, and citizens, can work in cooperation to meet this challenge and improve public health. The Charter urges the adoption of decisions that deliver the following: (i) policies which enable our cities to become healthier and less obesogenic, more supportive of well-being and less health-disruptive in general, and (ii) policies that fully support primary prevention strategies, that address social stigma, and that ensure fair access to treatment for people living with obesity. The Milan Charter on Urban Obesity aims to raise awareness of our shared responsibility for the health of all citizens, and focuses on addressing the health of people living with obesity – not only as a challenge in its own right, but a gateway to other major non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.

Peri-urban water, sanitation and hygiene in Lusaka, Zambia: photovoice empowering local assessment via ecological theory

2021 ◽  
pp. 175797592199571
Author(s):  
Sikopo Nyambe ◽  
Taro Yamauchi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Ecological Theory ◽  
Urban Slum ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Minimal Impact ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
Definition Of

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) factors are responsible for 11.4% of deaths in Zambia, making WASH a key public health concern. Despite annual waterborne disease outbreaks in the nation’s peri-urban (slum) settlements being linked to poor WASH, few studies have proactively analysed and conceptualised peri-urban WASH and its maintaining factors. Our study aimed to (a) establish residents’ definition of peri-urban WASH and their WASH priorities; and (b) use ecological theory to analyse the peri-urban WASH ecosystem, highlighting maintaining factors. Our study incorporated 16 young people (aged 17–24) residing in peri-urban Lusaka, Zambia in a photovoice exercise. Participants took photographs answering the framing question, ‘What is WASH in your community?’ Then, through contextualisation and basic codifying, participants told the stories of their photographs and made posters to summarise problems and WASH priorities. Participant contextualisation and codifying further underwent theoretical thematic analysis to pinpoint causal factors alongside key players, dissecting the peri-urban WASH ecosystem via the five-tier ecological theory ranging from intrapersonal to public policy levels. Via ecological theory, peri-urban WASH was defined as: (a) poor practice (intrapersonal, interpersonal); (b) a health hazard (community norm); (c) substandard and unregulated (public policy, organisational); and (d) offering hope for change (intrapersonal, interpersonal). Linked to these themes, participant findings revealed a community level gap, with public policy level standards, regulations and implementation having minimal impact on overall peri-urban WASH and public health due to shallow community engagement and poor acknowledgement of the WASH realities of high-density locations. Rather than a top-down approach, participants recommended increased government–resident collaboration, offering residents more ownership and empowerment for intervention, implementation and defending of preferred peri-urban WASH standards.

A proposal to leverage high-quality veterinary diagnostic laboratory large data streams for animal health, public health, and One Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 104063872110030
Author(s):  
Craig N. Carter ◽  
Jacqueline L. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Streams ◽  
One Health ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
Large Data ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
The United States ◽  
Zoonotic Diseases ◽  
Diagnostic Laboratory

Test data generated by ~60 accredited member laboratories of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD) is of exceptional quality. These data are captured by 1 of 13 laboratory information management systems (LIMSs) developed specifically for veterinary diagnostic laboratories (VDLs). Beginning ~2000, the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) developed an electronic messaging system for LIMS to automatically send standardized data streams for 14 select agents to a national repository. This messaging enables the U.S. Department of Agriculture to track and respond to high-consequence animal disease outbreaks such as highly pathogenic avian influenza. Because of the lack of standardized data collection in the LIMSs used at VDLs, there is, to date, no means of summarizing VDL large data streams for multi-state and national animal health studies or for providing near-real-time tracking for hundreds of other important animal diseases in the United States that are detected routinely by VDLs. Further, VDLs are the only state and federal resources that can provide early detection and identification of endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases. Zoonotic diseases are estimated to be responsible for 2.5 billion cases of human illness and 2.7 million deaths worldwide every year. The economic and health impact of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is self-evident. We review here the history and progress of data management in VDLs and discuss ways of seizing unexplored opportunities to advance data leveraging to better serve animal health, public health, and One Health.

A Case for In-Kind Transfers

1986 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Kelman
Keyword(s):  
Medical Care ◽  
Government Policy ◽  
Good Deal ◽  
Food Stamps ◽  
Policy Tool ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Do So ◽  
Common Policy

One of the most common policy-related messages that economists present to non-economists is the superiority of cash over in-kind transfers as a policy tool. A good deal of government policy on behalf of the poor consists, of course, of various forms of in-kind assistance, such as medical care or food stamps. However, if we wish to help the poor, the argument goes, in-kind transfers are an inferior way to do so.

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