The competency, “Explain methods of ensuring community health safety and preparedness” was met through reading chapter 8 in Public Health: What it is and How it Works, and through completing the discussion question, “Review the UCLA web resource cataloging Epidemiologic Information on Bioterrorism. Briefly describe the bioterrorism risk associated with the two infectious agents that you believe to be the most likely to be used in a bioterrorism event affecting your community. Be sure to explain.” From reading the book I learned that there are many roles that public health plays when it comes to emergency preparedness and response. The first role, related to disease outbreak, is public health surveillance. Successful preparedness and …show more content…
425-426). The next role, related to disease outbreak, public health plays in emergency preparedness and response is laboratory investigation and analysis. Laboratories are able to identify agents, biological and chemical, through different activities and then they are able to link it to other cases that had similar sources (Turnock, 2011 p. 426). Intervention is the next role, related to disease outbreak, that public health plays in emergency preparedness and response. One of the main reasons why collecting, investigating, and distributing the information about a disease is important is because it is a part of the process of controlling the disease from spreading (Turnock, 2011 p. 426). Interventions that are created to protect people in the community from the risk that are associated with a disease include: “setting standards for health and safety, inspecting food production and importation facilities, monitoring environmental conditions that foster infectious disease and enforcing private-sector compliance with established standards” (Turnock, 2011 p. 426). Investigations trigger activities that work to decrease the spread of that particular disease along with decreasing the amount of cases that occur in the community (Turnock, 2011 p. 426). This role, related to disease outbreak, in emergency response and preparedness is risk communication. In situations such as a disease outbreak, public health education is extremely important to communicate to the community
CDC partners with the Center for Global Health, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and the Office of the Director. This combination is referred to as the Center Institute and Office (CIO). Under the direction of the CIO, the organization is now able to be more alert and effective regarding health matters. Additionally, there are five affiliated offices which are connectedto the CIO; these are the Public Health Preparedness and Response, State and Local Support, Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services, Noncommunicable Diseases, Injury and Environmental Health, and Infectious Diseases. The sub-set offices are able to perform CDC’s emergency procedures in accord to their range of proficiency offering intra-agency reinforcement and reserve distribution based on concerns and health threats(Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.).
During an epidemic I would anticipate the local health system would be taxed in order to respond to the number of cases impacted by the outbreak. Utilization of the current health care settings, whether it be primary physician offices, Urgent Care or the Emergency Department the ability to triage, staff and provide supplies for these facilities would be challenging. Additional facilities may be incorporated into the reporting system in order to function as overflow from these clinic sites
The Bioterrorisk simulation, which is developed by the Illinois Public Health Prepared-ness Center, is a case based mini course. The bioterrorism events of 9/11 and Anthrax epidemic in the United States have alarmed the nation’s capability to respond to the bioterrorism attacks. The Public Health role in bioterrorism preparedness and response is to plan and organize the medical and public health first response personnel to identify and investigate any disease outbreaks by using the surveillance systems, laboratory services and using the similar disease epidemic data available in
John Hopkins University additionally reported that it is possible to minimize disease outbreaks and deaths during natural disasters and emergencies of a complex nature through "introduction of disease surveillance, epidemic preparedness, effective prevention, and control including case management." ( ) Failure to implement well coordinated response that is both "timely and effective" is likely to result in such as the "re-emergence of old disease threats" as well as "outbreaks of changed
Though the terrorist attacks of 9/11 shook the United States from some of its complacency, 11 years later, our public health system and the public/private health departments of the United States are still incapable of coping with a major bioterrorist attack. Our health care system was not designed to deal with bioterrorism, our medical personnel are not trained or experienced enough to deal with bioterrorism and we have not devoted enough political muscle and money to redesigning, re-educating and restructuring so the health departments can effectively deal with this very real menace. The solution is the devotion of all those assets to a new, empowered, well-funded, coordinated health departments comprising a highly effective public health system.
The second part of this paper will examine what is known about the problem with research literature. It will include the methods of interventions used to tackle the problem, evaluation of interventions, and a summary of article used. Each summary will include methods, samples used, intervention designs and implantation, the outcome of effective or ineffective interventions, other findings, and a final paragraph that will discuss what was learned from the articles. Next, part three of this paper will intend to conduct a macro assessment on infectious control standards at St. Raymond’s House that are experienced at the agency, community, and policy levels. Part three will also include personal interviews and information provided from the agency
Collaboration is a key factor in agencies and officials working together with a central focus on planning. As with the overall planning process, development of enhanced surveillance and epidemiologic protocols requires collaboration among appropriate public health partners (CDC, 2001). Communication is a central theme to avoid error which may be over looked during crisis. There are many
To achieve this, it will provide enough resources that extend and strengthens effective surveillance procedure which can rapidly investigate and detect unusual clusters of existing symptoms (Jaton & Greub, 2014). It will also enhance epidemiological capacities such as information sharing, trained personnel, and computer links, analysis, and communication systems. Once the improvement is achieved, the public will remain
The public health field requires a lot of planning and coordination between different public health organizations. Partnerships are an important part of the public health planning because it identifies and recruits partners, which share the same core values, duties and constituencies as the partner organization. The representatives from each organization can be from community governance and public health services from all levels of government. To be able to respond to the needs of the general public, especially during emergency preparedness and response there is a need for inter-agency cooperation. The planning is done in advance and is vital to the overall outcome during such events.
As time goes on, the world’s technology advances; with every outbreak of a hot virus, the world can use the newer technology to uncover more knowledge about these viruses. Comparing two separate time frames displays the differences between what medical professionals and the general public knew about dangerous viruses such as Ebola. For example, the codes and regulations on how to handle Ebola in the 1970’s were much were vague and lenient compared to what is established today. Medical personnel have strict rules to follow when handling such a hot virus in the global world that exists today. For these strict guidelines to be established, researchers had to have found more information about what Ebola can do to the human race. This points to the importance of conducting research and the use of advancing technology.
Agencies with the responsibility for managing outbreaks need to prepare for outbreak emergencies. The foundation of preparation is development of an outbreak plan. This plan should identify the key players
Regarding pandemic challenges, the U.S. has among the world’s best health care. The ability of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to respond to pandemics is better than any other nation. Over the last 100 years, influenza pandemics have been among the leading cause of infectious deaths. Technological advances have expanded understanding of complex pandemics and have improved our ability to contain outbreaks or “manipulate micro genomes.” Caution should be considered as the same scientific knowledge can be deliberately misused.
.This field deals with issues that science has difficulties in addressing such as very porous border it is difficult to control infectious diseases, such as quarantine and isolation can be justify where there is risk of harm to others. If we must achieve health care goals and prevent epidemics and spread of diseases in our community, we must know that health policy is very important. Major roles have been promoted as a result of Public health science.
Over the past few decades, the significance, magnitude and consequence of risk management and communication have been brought before the world over and over again in a number of situations related to health, terrorist activities, natural disasters etc. When one turns the pages of history, it is rather obvious that lack of planning and absence of resources due to unpreparedness makes it difficult for the concerned authorities to manage an emergency or epidemic a problematic and traumatic task. The chaotic situations can turn out to be more nerve-racking and tense when preparations are not made before hand (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2002).
In addition, calls to the local, regional and central offices may exceed the capacity for timely response; therefore, a public health information center might be established in the central office to centralize communication and respond to the increases in demand for communication with the public and healthcare providers. OEPI epidemiologists (or those from other Offices) may be asked to serve as subject matter experts for the information center, train information center staff, or develop materials to be used