Shaping Public Policy and Population Health in the United States: Why is the Public Health Community Missing in Action?

2008 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis Raphael
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Public Policy ◽  
Population Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Community ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Missing In Action

scholarly journals Anticipating emerging arboviruses: What comes after Zika?

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle V. Evans ◽  
Courtney C. Murdock ◽  
John M. Drake
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Statistical Techniques ◽  
Public Health Community ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Partially Observed ◽  
The Us ◽  
Vector Borne

AbstractNew vector-borne diseases have emerged on multiple occasions over the last several decades, raising fears that they may become established within the United States. Here, we provide a watchlist of flaviviruses with high potential to emerge in the US, identified using new statistical techniques for mining the associations in partially observed data, to allow the public health community to better target surveillance.

scholarly journals A Proposed Collaboration Against Big Tobacco: Common Ground Between the Vaping and Public Health Community in the United States

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 730-736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theodore L. Wagener ◽  
Ellen Meier ◽  
Alayna P. Tackett ◽  
James D. Matheny ◽  
Terry F. Pechacek
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
The United States ◽  
Best Interest ◽  
Public Health Community ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Health Communities

Abstract An unfortunate conflict is underway between the public health community and the vaping community over e-cigarettes’ harmfulness or lack thereof. This conflict is made worse by an information vacuum that is being filled by vocal members on both sides of the debate; a perceived lack of credibility of public health officials by those in the vaping community; the tobacco industry’s recent involvement in e-cigarettes; and the constant evolution of different styles and types of e-cigarettes. This conflict is avoidable; common ground exists. If both groups rally around what is in their own and the public’s best interest—the end of combustible tobacco—all will benefit significantly. If not, the result may be missed opportunities, misguided alliances, and—ultimately—poorer public health. Implications: This study brings light to the contentious debate between the vaping and public health communities. It addresses how both sides are responsible for bringing misleading information to the public and vocal leaders on both sides are unknowingly intensifying and polarizing the debate-likely at the expense of public health. It also describes how this conflict is avoidable, and provides a starting point for potential positions of common ground against Big Tobacco.

scholarly journals A Data-Informed Approach to Targeting Social Determinants of Health as the Root Causes of COVID-19 Disparities

2021 ◽  
pp. e1-e3
Author(s):  
Renuka Tipirneni
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Determinants Of Health ◽  
Social Determinants ◽  
The United States ◽  
Determinants Of Health ◽  
Public Health Community ◽  
Systemic Racism ◽  
The Public ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Data Informed

Racial disparities in COVID-19 outcomes have called renewed attention to addressing systemic racism and health inequities in the United States. The drivers of these inequities have been debated but include social determinants of health (SDOH) such as poverty, employment in low-wage but essential worker occupations, crowded housing, and lack of access to regular medical care.1 For those in the public health community, the importance of addressing both upstream and midstream SDOH to achieve health equity has been long recognized and discussed. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print January 28, 2021: e1–e3. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.306085 )

scholarly journals Dual MD–MPH Degree Students in the United States: Moving the Medical Workforce Toward Population Health

2021 ◽  
pp. 003335492097842
Author(s):  
Jo Marie Reilly ◽  
Christine M. Plepys ◽  
Michael R. Cousineau
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Population Health ◽  
Health Care Policy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Master Of Public Health ◽  
Telephone Interviews ◽  
Public Health Training ◽  
The Impact

Objective A growing need exists to train physicians in population health to meet the increasing need and demand for physicians with leadership, health data management/metrics, and epidemiology skills to better serve the health of the community. This study examines current trends in students pursuing a dual doctor of medicine (MD)–master of public health (MPH) degree (MD–MPH) in the United States. Methods We conducted an extensive literature review of existing MD–MPH databases to determine characteristics (eg, sex, race/ethnicity, MPH area of study) of this student cohort in 2019. We examined a trend in the MD community to pursue an MPH career, adding additional public health and health care policy training to the MD workforce. We conducted targeted telephone interviews with 20 admissions personnel and faculty at schools offering MD–MPH degrees in the United States with the highest number of matriculants and graduates. Interviews focused on curricula trends in medical schools that offer an MD–MPH degree. Results No literature describes the US MD–MPH cohort, and available MD–MPH databases are limited and incomplete. We found a 434% increase in the number of students pursuing an MD–MPH degree from 2010 to 2018. The rate of growth was greater than the increase in either the number of medical students (16%) or the number of MPH students (65%) alone. Moreover, MD–MPH students as a percentage of total MPH students more than tripled, from 1.1% in 2010 to 3.6% in 2018. Conclusions As more MD students pursue public health training, the impact of an MPH degree on medical school curricula, MD–MPH graduates, and MD–MPH career pursuits should be studied using accurate and comprehensive databases.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Face Coverings in Mitigating the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (7) ◽  
pp. 3666
Author(s):  
Olukayode James Ayodeji ◽  
Seshadri Ramkumar
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
District Of Columbia ◽  
Preventive Measure ◽  
The United States ◽  
Protective Measure ◽  
Sharp Change ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Challenges ◽  
Effective Preventive Measure

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest public health challenges of the 21st century. Many prevalent measures have been taken to prevent its spread and protect the public. However, the use of face coverings as an effective preventive measure remains contentious. The goal of the current study is to evaluate the effectiveness of face coverings as a protective measure. We examined the effectiveness of face coverings between 1 April and 31 December 2020. This was accomplished by analyzing trends of daily new COVID-19 cases, cumulative confirmed cases, and cases per 100,000 people in different U.S. states, including the District of Columbia. The results indicated a sharp change in trends after face covering mandates. For the 32 states with face covering mandates, 63% and 66% exhibited a downward trend in confirmed cases within 21 and 28 days of implementation, respectively. We estimated that face covering mandates in the 32 states prevented approximately 78,571 and 109,703 cases within 21- and 28-day periods post face covering mandate, respectively. A statistically significant (p = 0.001) negative correlation (−0.54) was observed between the rate of cases and days since the adoption of a face covering mandate. We concluded that the use of face coverings can provide necessary protection if they are properly used.

Will Routine Annual Influenza Prevention and Control Systems Serve the United States Well in a Pandemic?

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (S2) ◽  
pp. S160-S165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne S. Ringel ◽  
Melinda Moore ◽  
John Zambrano ◽  
Nicole Lurie
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
The United States ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Pandemic Preparedness ◽  
The Public ◽  
Influenza Prevention ◽  
And Control

ABSTRACTObjective: To assess the extent to which the systems in place for prevention and control of routine annual influenza could provide the information and experience needed to manage a pandemic.Methods: The authors conducted a qualitative assessment based on key informant interviews and the review of relevant documents.Results: Although there are a number of systems in place that would likely serve the United States well in a pandemic, much of the information and experience needed to manage a pandemic optimally is not available.Conclusions: Systems in place for routine annual influenza prevention and control are necessary but not sufficient for managing a pandemic, nor are they used to their full potential for pandemic preparedness. Pandemic preparedness can be strengthened by building more explicitly upon routine influenza activities and the public health system’s response to the unique challenges that arise each influenza season (eg, vaccine supply issues, higher than normal rates of influenza-related deaths). (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2009;3(Suppl 2):S160–S165)

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