Integrating Racially and Ethnically Diverse Communities Into Planning for Disasters: The California Experience

2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennis P. Andrulis ◽  
Nadia J. Siddiqui ◽  
Jonathan P. Purtle
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Organizational Capacity ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Preparedness Planning ◽  
Engagement Strategies ◽  
Diverse Communities

ABSTRACTObjectives: Racially/ethnically diverse communities suffer a disproportionate burden of adverse outcomes before, during and after a disaster. Using California as a locus of study, we sought to identify challenges and barriers to meeting the preparedness needs of these communities and highlight promising strategies, gaps in programs, and future priorities.Methods: We conducted a literature review, environmental scan of organizational Web sites providing preparedness materials for diverse communities, and key informant interviews with public health and emergency management professionals.Results: We identified individual-level barriers to preparing diverse communities such as socioeconomic status, trust, culture, and language, as well as institutional-level barriers faced by organizations such as inadequate support for culturally/linguistically appropriate initiatives. Current programs to address these barriers include language assistance services, community engagement strategies, cross-sector collaboration, and community assessments. Enhancing public-private partnerships, increasing flexibility in allocating funds and improving organizational capacity for diversity initiatives were all identified as additional areas of programmatic need.Conclusions: Our study suggests at least four intervention priorities for California and across the United States: engaging diverse communities in all aspects of emergency planning, implementation, and evaluation; mitigating fear and stigma; building organizational cultural competence; and enhancing coordination of information and resources. In addition, this study provides a methodological model for other states seeking to assess their capacity to integrate diverse communities into preparedness planning and response.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2011;5:227–234)

scholarly journals Rising Ethnic Diversity in the United States Accompanies Shifts Toward an Individualistic Culture

2020 ◽  
pp. 194855062096723
Author(s):  
Alex C. Huynh ◽  
Igor Grossmann
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Relational Structures ◽  
Individualistic Culture ◽  
The Relationship

We investigate the relationship between ethnic diversity and the rise of individualism in the United States during the 20th and 21st centuries. Tests of the historical rates of ethnic diversity alongside individualistic relational structures (e.g., adults living alone, single-/multi-child families) from the years 1950 to 2018 reveal that societal and regional rates of ethnic diversity accompanied individualistic relational structures. These effects hold above and beyond time-series trends in each variable. Further evidence from experimental studies ( N = 707) suggests that the presence of, and contact with, ethnically diverse others contributes to greater individualistic values (e.g., the importance of uniqueness and personal achievement). Converging evidence across societal-, regional-, and individual-level analyses suggests a systematic link between ethnic diversity and individualism. We discuss the implications of these findings for sociocultural livelihood in light of the rising rates of ethnic diversity across the globe.

Building a National Model of Public Mental Health Preparedness and Community Resilience: Validation of a Dual-Intervention, Systems-Based Approach

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 511-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Lee McCabe ◽  
Natalie L. Semon ◽  
Carol B. Thompson ◽  
Jeffrey M. Lating ◽  
George S. Everly ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Health Planning ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Community Resilience ◽  
The United States ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Preparedness Planning

AbstractObjectiveWorking within a series of partnerships among an academic health center, local health departments (LHDs), and faith-based organizations (FBOs), we validated companion interventions to address community mental health planning and response challenges in public health emergency preparedness.MethodsWe implemented the project within the framework of an enhanced logic model and employed a multi-cohort, pre-test/post-test design to assess the outcomes of 1-day workshops in psychological first aid (PFA) and guided preparedness planning (GPP). The workshops were delivered to urban and rural communities in eastern and midwestern regions of the United States. Intervention effectiveness was based on changes in relevant knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) and on several behavioral indexes.ResultsSignificant improvements were observed in self-reported and objectively measured KSAs across all cohorts. Additionally, GPP teams proved capable of producing quality drafts of basic community disaster plans in 1 day, and PFA trainees confirmed upon follow-up that their training proved useful in real-world trauma contexts. We documented examples of policy and practice changes at the levels of local and state health departments.ConclusionsGiven appropriate guidance, LHDs and FBOs can implement an effective and potentially scalable model for promoting disaster mental health preparedness and community resilience, with implications for positive translational impact.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;8:511-526)

scholarly journals Solidarity, Vulnerability and Mistrust: How Context, Information and Government Affect the Lives of Women in Times of Zika

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Rosa Linde Arias ◽  
Maria Roura ◽  
Eduardo Siqueira
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Individual Level

Abstract Background and Objectives The public health response to Zika outbreak has mostly focused on epidemiological surveillance, vector control, and individual level preventative measures. This qualitative study employs a social-ecological framework to examine how macro (historical, legislative, political, socio-economic factors), meso (sources of information, social support, social mobilization) and micro level factors (individual actions, behavioral changes) interacted to influence the response and behavior of women with respect to Zika in different contexts. Methods A qualitative study was carried out. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique from various locations in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States. They were of different nationalities and ethnicities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Women in this study deemed the information provided as insufficient, which led them to actively reach out and access a variety of media sources. Social networks played a vital role in sharing information but also resulted in the spread of hoaxes or rumors. Participants in our research perceived socio-economic inequities but focused on how to remedy their microenvironments. They did not engage in major social activities. Lack of trust in governments placed women in vulnerable situations by preventing them to follow the guidance of health authorities. These impacts were also a result of the response tactics of health and government administrations in their failed attempts to ensure the well-being of their countries’ populations. Conclusions Our findings call for a broad spectrum of public health interventions that go beyond individual level behavioral change campaigns, to more comprehensively address the broader meso and macro level factors that influence womens’ willingness and possibility to protect themselves.

scholarly journals Rising ethnic diversity in the United States accompanies shifts toward an individualistic culture

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Huynh ◽  
Igor Grossmann
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Ethnic Diversity ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
The United States ◽  
Living Alone ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Relational Structures ◽  
Individualistic Culture ◽  
The Relationship

We investigate the relationship between ethnic diversity and the rise of individualism in the United States during the 20th-21st centuries. Tests of the historical rates of ethnic diversity alongside individualistic relational structures (e.g., adults living alone, single/multi-child families) from the years 1950-2018 reveal that societal and regional rates of ethnic diversity accompanied individualistic relational structures. These effects hold above and beyond time series trends in each variable. Further evidence from experimental studies (N = 707) suggest that the presence of, and contact with, ethnically diverse others contributes to greater individualistic values (e.g., the importance of uniqueness and personal achievement). Converging evidence across societal, regional, and individual-level analyses suggests a systematic link between ethnic diversity and individualism. We discuss the implications of these findings for socio-cultural livelihood in light of the rising rates of ethnic diversity across the globe.

Public Policy Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Blood Supply in the United States

2021 ◽  
pp. e1-e7
Author(s):  
William Riley ◽  
Kailey Love ◽  
Jeffrey McCullough
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Blood Supply ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Preparedness Planning ◽  
The Impact

The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated an acute blood shortage for medical transfusions, exacerbating an already tenuous blood supply system in the United States, contributing to the public health crisis, and raising deeper questions regarding emergency preparedness planning for ensuring blood availability. However, these issues around blood availability during the pandemic are related primarily to the decline in supply caused by reduced donations during the pandemic rather than increased demand for transfusion of patients with COVID-19. The challenges to ensure a safe blood supply during the pandemic will continue until a vaccine is developed, effective treatments are available, or the virus goes away. If this virus or a similar virus were capable of transmission through blood, it would have a catastrophic impact on the health care system, causing a future public health emergency that would jeopardize the national blood supply. In this article, we identify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood supply adequacy, discuss the public health implications, propose recovery strategies, and present recommendations for preparing for the next disruption in blood supply driven by a public health emergency. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print March 18, 2021: e1–e7. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.306157 )

scholarly journals Pulmonary Health Effects of Electronic Cigarettes: A Scoping Review

2021 ◽  
pp. 152483992098550
Author(s):  
Emma Gugala ◽  
Chinyere M. Okoh ◽  
Somraj Ghosh ◽  
Leticia R. Moczygemba
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
The United States ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Adverse Outcomes ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Dual Use

Background There is global concern regarding the public health impact of electronic cigarettes (ECs). ECs are commonly promoted as safer than conventional cigarettes (CCs), however there is limited knowledge of the long-term health effects. This scoping review examined the pulmonary health effects of ECs reported in the literature from 2009 to 2019. Method PubMed, CINAHL, and Science Direct databases were used. Search terms included “vaping, electronic nicotine delivery systems, electronic cigarettes, lung diseases, respiratory diseases, and pulmonary.” Original research articles in English that used human subjects between January 1, 2009 and January 31, 2020 and reported pulmonary outcomes were included. Results Forty-five studies met the inclusion criteria. There were 14 (31.1%) randomized experimental, 7 (15.6%) nonrandomized experimental, 6 (13.3%) cohort, and 18 (40.0%) cross-sectional studies. Sixteen (35.6%) studies were conducted in the United States; the rest were conducted across 11 other countries. The total number of subjects was 1,465,292 and ages ranged from 12 to 99 years across studies. Eligible studies demonstrated an association between EC use and pulmonary symptoms, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosis and exacerbations. The degree of this association varied based on the use of additional tobacco products. EC use resulted in worse outcomes than nonsmoking, but resulted in improved outcomes when compared with CC use or dual use of CC and EC. Conclusion Evidence indicates that EC use, especially dual use, leads to negative pulmonary effects and adverse outcomes. Education on the potential risks and publishing of EC ingredients on labels could help improve public health safety communication and reduce EC use.

scholarly journals Solidarity, Vulnerability and Mistrust: How Context, Information and Government Affect the Lives of Women in Times of Zika

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Rosa Linde Linde Arias ◽  
Maria Roura ◽  
Eduardo Siqueira
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Individual Level

Abstract Background The public health response to Zika outbreak has mostly focused on epidemiological surveillance, vector control, and individual level preventative measures. This qualitative study employs a social-ecological framework to examine how macro (historical, legislative, political, socio-economic factors), meso (sources of information, social support, social mobilization) and micro level factors ( i ndividual actions, behavioral changes) interacted to influence the response and behavior of women with respect to Zika in different contexts. Methods A qualitative study was carried out. Women were recruited through the snowball sampling technique from various locations in Brazil, Puerto Rico, and the United States. They were of different nationalities and ethnicities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Women in this study deemed the information provided as insufficient, which led them to actively reach out and access a variety of media sources. Social networks played a vital role in sharing information but also resulted in the spread of hoaxes or rumors. Participants in our research perceived socio-economic inequities but focused on how to remedy their microenvironments. They did not engage in major social activities. Lack of trust in governments placed women in vulnerable situations by preventing them to follow the guidance of health authorities. These impacts were also a result of the response tactics of health and government administrations in their failed attempts to ensure the well-being of their countries’ populations. Conclusions Our findings call for a broad spectrum of public health interventions that go beyond individual level behavioral change campaigns, to more comprehensively address the broader meso and macro level factors that influence womens’ willingness and possibility to protect themselves. Key words : Zika, women, social determinants, information, public health, maternal and child health

Enabling User Participation in Civic Engagement Web Sites

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Group Support Systems ◽  
Historical Context ◽  
The United States ◽  
User Participation ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
Youth Engagement ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Local Access

Despite high hopes and large investments, existing efforts at designing and implementing Internet Web pages and systems for civic engagement have met only marginal success, suggesting a need for careful thought and application of research on how to get people to interact using technology. This paper develops and presents a theory for designing effective online civic engagement systems. The theory draws from several decades of work in the group support systems literature as well as the historical context of civic engagement in the United States to identify seven key dynamics (the kernel) to address and include when designing such systems. These seven dynamics include five focusing on promoting individual-level interaction: authentication, authorization, masking, interests, and expertise. Two focus on group-level interaction: local access and timeliness. The author analyzes existing systems in light of these seven dynamics and identifies two additional design accommodations that would specifically promote youth engagement.

State Preemption: An Emerging Threat to Local Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Taxation

2021 ◽  
pp. e1-e10
Author(s):  
Eric Crosbie ◽  
Jennifer L. Pomeranz ◽  
Kathrine E. Wright ◽  
Samantha Hoeper ◽  
Laura Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Web Sites ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sugar Sweetened Beverage ◽  
The Public ◽  
Sweetened Beverage ◽  
Early Stages ◽  
News Sources ◽  
Beverage Industry

We sought to examine the strategies promoting and countering state preemption of local sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes in the United States. Using Crosbie and Schmidt’s tobacco preemption framework, we analyzed key tactics used by the SSB industry to achieve state preemption of local taxes identified in news sources, industry Web sites, government reports, and public documents. Starting in 2017, 4 states rejected and 4 passed laws preempting local SSB taxes. The beverage industry attempted to secure state preemption through front groups and trade associations, lobbying key policymakers, inserting preemptive language into other legislation, and issuing legal threats and challenges. The public health community’s response is in the early stages of engaging in media advocacy, educating policymakers, mobilizing national collaboration, and expanding legal networks. State preemption of local SSB taxes is in the early stages but will likely scale up as local tax proposals increase. The public health community has a substantial role in proactively working to prevent preemption concurrent with health policy activity and using additional strategies successfully used in tobacco control to stop preemption diffusion. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print February 18, 2021: e1–e10. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.306062 )

scholarly journals Integrating Government Silos: Local Emergency Management and Public Health Department Collaboration for Emergency Planning and Response

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (6-7) ◽  
pp. 560-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Wolf-Fordham
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Emergency Management ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Emergency Planning ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Public Health Department ◽  
Preparedness Planning

The United States arguably faces the most serious disaster it has faced since World War II: the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic itself has created further cascading economic, financial, and social crises. To date, approximately 114,000 Americans have died and approximately 2,000,000 (as of this writing) have become infected. American emergency planning and response, including for pandemics, begins at the local (city, town, and county) level, close to the individuals and communities most impacted. During crises like COVID-19, natural and other disasters, best practices include “whole of government” and “whole community” approaches, involving all parts of the government, community organizations, institutions, and businesses, with representation from diverse individual community stakeholders. Local emergency management and public health agencies are at the heart of emergency planning and response and thus warrant further examination. While collaboration between the two is recognized as a best practice, in reality there appear to be silos and gaps. This Commentary describes the American emergency planning system and the roles of local emergency management and public health departments. Closer examination illuminates similarities and differences in practitioner demographics, professional competencies, organizational goals, and culture. The Commentary reviews the limited research and observations of collaboration efforts and suggests areas for integrating the two practice areas in future research, education, professional training, and practice. Breaking down the silos will strengthen local emergency and public health preparedness planning and response, ultimately leading to stronger community health, well-being, resilience, and more efficient local administration.

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