scholarly journals An Assessment of Overdose Surveillance at a Local Public Health Department

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir T. Parmar ◽  
Brittany Kasumi Yarnell
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Data Quality ◽  
Drug Overdose ◽  
Data Entry ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Public Health Department ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Outbreak Management ◽  
Marion County

ObjectiveTo assess the data sources used to monitor overdose events in Marion County and improve community overdose surveillance.IntroductionMirroring public health response to infectious disease outbreaks, many public health departments are taking an outbreak management approach to respond to drug overdose surges 1-3. The Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) has developed an overdose response plan (ORP) integrating drug overdose surveillance and community stakeholder response strategies. Effective drug overdose surveillance requires accurate and reliable data streams. This work assessed data sources utilized for county overdose surveillance and provided recommendations to improve overdose surveillance.MethodsData sources utilized as of September 2018 for opioid overdose surveillance in Marion County were assessed on utilization history by epidemiologists. General recommendations to improve overdose surveillance were created based on the findings. The three primary sources were emergency department data, ambulance run data, and death certificate data. Secondary sources included Indiana Poison Center (IPC) and toxicology data. General recommendations were generated based on challenges/solutions encountered and good practices observed from other health departments 4,5.ResultsThe assessment of data sources and utilization showed variation of data entry at the hospital level, limited identifiers in some cases, and varying timeliness ranges which may limit combined use of many data sources. The emergency department data source showed particular variation in data entry, limited unique identifier information), and no incident location information which impedes geographical surveillance. Periodic data checks by the ambulance service data holder appears to drastically increase data quality. Intermittent data feed drops from specific emergency departments also interfered with effective surveillance. Recommendations were generated based on lessons learned during successful partnerships with Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services, IPC, and emergency departments and challenges encountered during overdose surveillance work (Figure 1).In application of the strategy, the MCPHD is interested in linking data and looking for other ways to improve our overdose response to get a fuller picture of what is happening with overdoses, so we applied the steps in figure one to find areas of improvement. We found that limited identifiers and incomplete fields are our biggest challenge to linking datasets, so to combat these gaps we identified sources that have the necessary fields of interest and have been working with others to improve the data quality. Additionally, data sources will be evaluated on experiences with three categories: completeness in data fields, timeliness of data delivery, and consistency of data feed. Data quality measures were developed for completeness by fields present per record, timeliness by lag time from time added to time of event, and consistency by record counts per facility over time. We also recognized that meeting with partners is necessary to share how we are using the data and additional datasets that we might use in the future. Additionally we have been meeting with academic researchers so that we can expand our analyses to identify other issues related to overdoses. Finally, in order to make a difference in Marion County we are applying our findings to our outreach and interventions to hopefully prevent more overdoses and deaths.Future plans include data partnerships include police drug arrest data, fire department naloxone administration data, prescription drug monitoring data, Medicaid claims data, and health information exchange overdose data. Future research partnerships will consider a solutions based framework 6.ConclusionsThe results of our work demonstrate the value in surveillance assessment to summarize limitations of the many data sources utilized at a local level to conduct overdose surveillance. Our evaluation approach provides a path to improve and fill in surveillance gaps with new processes. Other health departments interested in optimizing overdose surveillance may seek a similar evaluation approach. Periodic data linkages have not been implemented which presents an opportunity to glean valuable insights on longitudinal patterns of drug use in the population. Future collaboration with researchers presents an opportunity to improve MCPHD ORP, Safe Syringe Access and Support Program, and Substance Use Outreach Services interventions.References[1] Moore K, Boulet M, Lew J, Papadomanolakis-Pakis N. A public health outbreak management framework applied to surges in opioid overdoses. Journal of opioid management. 2017;13(5):273-81.[2] Rudd RA. Increases in drug and opioid-involved overdose deaths—United States, 2010–2015. MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report. 2016;65.[3] Rowe C, Wheeler E, Jones TS, Yeh C, Coffin PO. Community-Based Response to Fentanyl Overdose Outbreak, San Francisco, 2015. Journal of Urban Health. 2018 May 3:1-6.[4] Chen H, Hailey D, Wang N, Yu P. A review of data quality assessment methods for public health information systems. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2014 May 14;11(5):5170-207.[5] Massachusetts. Department of Public Health. An Assessment of Opioid-Related Deaths in Massachusetts (2013-2014). Massachusetts Department of Public Health; 2016.[6] Wiehe SE, Rosenman MB, Chartash D, Lipscomb ER, Nelson TL, Magee LA, Fortenberry JD, Aalsma MC. A Solutions-Based Approach to Building Data-Sharing Partnerships. eGEMs. 2018;6(1).

The Role of the Public Health Training Centers in Advancing Public Health Department Accreditation

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 64S-66S ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie Walkner ◽  
Tanya M. Uden-Holman ◽  
Jeneane Moody ◽  
Joy Harris
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Capacity Building ◽  
Workforce Development ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Public Health Department ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Health Training ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Training

In the past few years, the drive for public health department accreditation has continued to build momentum. As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes, “Engaging in accreditation catalyzes quality and performance improvement within all public health programs and can help health departments be better prepared to proactively respond to emerging and reemerging health challenges”. Many organizations support accreditation efforts, including the Public Health Training Centers (PHTCs), which have been providing workforce development support since 1999. This article describes how one PHTC, the Midwestern Public Health Training Center, has supported capacity building for accreditation in partnership with other state-based organizations through the development of three major accreditation readiness activities: accreditation workshops, informational videos on Public Health Accreditation Board standards and measures, and competency-based workforce development assessments. Given the current and emerging public health challenges, the need for a well-prepared workforce is more important than ever to strengthen the public health system, and by engaging in activities to meet the accreditation standards, public health departments will be better positioned to respond to these challenges. PHTCs will continue to have a critical role in capacity building for accreditation.

scholarly journals Applied Epidemiology Workforce Growth and Capacity Challenges: The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists 2017 Epidemiology Capacity Assessment

2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Arrazola ◽  
Mia N. Israel ◽  
Nancy Binkin
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Department ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Public Health Department ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
State Health ◽  
Public Health Services ◽  
Full Capacity ◽  
Council Of State

Objectives: To better understand the current status and challenges of the state public health department workforce, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) assessed the number and functions of applied public health epidemiologists at state health departments in the United States. Methods: In 2017, CSTE emailed unique online assessment links to state epidemiologists in the 50 states and the District of Columbia (N = 51). The response rate was 100%. CSTE analyzed quantitative data (27 questions) on funding, the number of current and needed epidemiologists, recruitment, retention, perceived capacity, and training. CSTE coded qualitative data in response to an open-ended question that asked about the most important problems state epidemiologists face. Results: Most funding for epidemiologic activities came from the federal government (mean, 77%). State epidemiologists reported needing 1199 additional epidemiologists to achieve ideal capacity but noted challenges in recruiting qualified staff members. Respondents cited opportunities for promotion (n = 45, 88%), salary (n = 41, 80%), restrictions on merit raises (n = 36, 70%), and losses to the private or government sector (n = 33, 65%) as problems for retention. Of 4 Essential Public Health Services measured, most state epidemiologists reported substantial-to-full capacity to monitor health status (n = 43, 84%) and diagnose and investigate community health problems (n = 47, 92%); fewer respondents reported substantial-to-full capacity to conduct evaluations (n = 20, 39%) and research (n = 11, 22%). Conclusions: Reliance on federal funding negatively affects employee retention, core capacity, and readiness at state health departments. Creative solutions for providing stable funding, developing greater flexibility to respond to emerging threats, and enhancing capacity in evaluation and applied research are needed.

Ebola-Related Health Information Wanted and Obtained by Nurses and Public Health Department Employees: Effects of Formal and Informal Communication Channels

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 312-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Xie ◽  
Le (Betty) Zhou ◽  
Linda H. Yoder ◽  
Karen E. Johnson ◽  
Alexandra Garcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Communication Channel ◽  
Communication Channels ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Public Health Department ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Public Health Departments ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Types Of Information

ABSTRACTObjectives:The aim of this study was to (1) understand types and amounts of Ebola-related information that health organization employees wanted and obtained through formal, informal, internal, and external organizational communication channels; (2) determine potential discrepancies between information wanted and obtained; and (3) investigate how organizational structure might affect information wanted and obtained through these communication channels.Methods:Primary data were collected from 526 health workers in 9 hospitals and 13 public health departments in Texas from June to November 2015. Survey data were collected for 7 types of Ebola-related information health organization employees wanted and obtained through various types of organizational communication channels. Descriptive statistical analyses, mixed design analysis of variance, regression analyses, and multilevel analyses were used to analyze the data.Results:Hospital employees (mostly nurses in our sample) received more self-care information than they wanted from every communication channel. However, they received less about all other types of information than they wanted from every communication channel separately and combined. Public health department employees wanted more information than they received from every communication channel separately and combined for all 7 types of information.Conclusions:Discrepancies existed between the types of Ebola-related information wanted and obtained by employees of hospitals and public health departments.

Körperliche Beschwerden bei älteren Migranten in Deutschland 1Erstellt unter Mitwirkung der Arbeitsgruppe «Abuse of the Elderly in the European Region» (ABUEL): Joaquim F. J. Soares, Department of Public Health Sciences, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden; Francisco Torres-González, Departmental Section of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, University of Granada, Spain; Elisabeth Ioannidi-Kapolou, National School of Public Health, Department of Sociology, Athens, Greece; Giovanni Lamura, Italian National Research Centre on Ageing Department of Gerontological Research, Unit of Health Economics, Ancona, Italy; Mindaugas Stankunas, Kaunas University of Medicine, Department of Health Management, A. Mickeviciaus, Kaunas, Lithuania; Henrique Barros, Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, University of Porto Medical School, Porto, Portugal.

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosina-Martha Csöff ◽  
Gloria Macassa ◽  
Jutta Lindert
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Management ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Research Unit ◽  
Research Centre ◽  
Public Health Department ◽  
Karolinska Institute ◽  
Psychological Medicine ◽  
Körperliche Beschwerden

Körperliche Beschwerden sind bei Älteren weit verbreitet; diese sind bei Migranten bislang in Deutschland und international noch wenig untersucht. Unsere multizentrische Querschnittstudie erfasste körperliche Beschwerden bei Menschen im Alter zwischen 60 und 84 Jahren mit Wohnsitz in Stuttgart anhand der Kurzversion des Gießener Beschwerdebogens (GBB-24). In Deutschland wurden 648 Personen untersucht, davon 13.4 % (n = 87) nicht in Deutschland geborene. Die Geschlechterverteilung war bei Migranten und Nichtmigranten gleich; der sozioökonomische Status lag bei den Migranten etwas niedriger: 8.0 % (n = 7) der Migranten und 2.5 % (n = 14) der Nichtmigranten verfügten über höchstens vier Jahre Schulbildung; 12.6 % (n = 11) der Migranten und 8.2 % (n = 46) der Nichtmigranten hatten ein monatliches Haushaltsnettoeinkommen von unter 1000€; 26.4 % der Migranten und 38.1 % (n = 214) der Nichtmigranten verfügten über mehr als 2000€ monatlich. Somatische Beschwerden lagen bei den Migranten bei 65.5 % (n = 57) und bei den Nichtmigranten bei 55.8 % (n = 313). Frauen wiesen häufiger somatische Beschwerden auf (61.8 %) als Männer (51.8 %). Mit steigendem Alter nahmen somatische Beschwerden zu. Mit Ausnahme der Altersgruppe der 70–74-Jährigen konnte kein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen Migranten und Nichtmigranten hinsichtlich der Häufigkeit körperlicher Beschwerden gezeigt werden. Ausblick: Es werden dringend bevölkerungsrepräsentative Studien zu körperlichen Beschwerden bei Migranten benötigt.

scholarly journals A Panel Evaluation of the Changes in the General Public’s Social-Media-Following of United States’ Public Health Departments during COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 215013272199545
Author(s):  
Areej Khokhar ◽  
Aaron Spaulding ◽  
Zuhair Niazi ◽  
Sikander Ailawadhi ◽  
Rami Manochakian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
State Level ◽  
The State ◽  
Public Health Department ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Departments ◽  
The Social ◽  
The U.S

Importance: Social media is widely used by various segments of society. Its role as a tool of communication by the Public Health Departments in the U.S. remains unknown. Objective: To determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social media following of the Public Health Departments of the 50 States of the U.S. Design, Setting, and Participants: Data were collected by visiting the Public Health Department web page for each social media platform. State-level demographics were collected from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention was utilized to collect information regarding the Governance of each State’s Public Health Department. Health rankings were collected from “America’s Health Rankings” 2019 Annual report from the United Health Foundation. The U.S. News and World Report Education Rankings were utilized to provide information regarding the public education of each State. Exposure: Data were pulled on 3 separate dates: first on March 5th (baseline and pre-national emergency declaration (NED) for COVID-19), March 18th (week following NED), and March 25th (2 weeks after NED). In addition, a variable identifying the total change across platforms was also created. All data were collected at the State level. Main Outcome: Overall, the social media following of the state Public Health Departments was very low. There was a significant increase in the public interest in following the Public Health Departments during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: With the declaration of National Emergency, there was a 150% increase in overall public following of the State Public Health Departments in the U.S. The increase was most noted in the Midwest and South regions of the U.S. The overall following in the pandemic “hotspots,” such as New York, California, and Florida, was significantly lower. Interesting correlations were noted between various demographic variables, health, and education ranking of the States and the social media following of their Health Departments. Conclusion and Relevance: Social media following of Public Health Departments across all States of the U.S. was very low. Though, the social media following significantly increased during the early course of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it still remains low. Significant opportunity exists for Public Health Departments to improve social media use to engage the public better.

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