Toolkit for Epidemiologic Response to an Acute Chemical Release

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 631-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Anne Duncan ◽  
Maureen F. Orr
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Toxic Substances ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Chemical Release ◽  
State And Local ◽  
The Many

AbstractWhen a large chemical incident occurs and people are injured, public health agencies need to be able to provide guidance and respond to questions from the public, the media, and public officials. Because of this urgent need for information to support appropriate public health action, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) of the US Department of Health and Human Services has developed the Assessment of Chemical Exposures (ACE) Toolkit. The ACE Toolkit, available on the ATSDR website, offers materials including surveys, consent forms, databases, and training materials that state and local health personnel can use to rapidly conduct an epidemiologic investigation after a large-scale acute chemical release. All materials are readily adaptable to the many different chemical incident scenarios that may occur and the data needs of the responding agency. An expert ACE team is available to provide technical assistance on site or remotely. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:631–632)

scholarly journals Sars-Cov-2 Wastewater Surveillance for Public Health Action: Connecting Perspectives From Wastewater Researchers and Public Health Officials During a Global Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jill McClary-Gutierrez ◽  
Mia Mattioli ◽  
Perrine Marcenac ◽  
Andrea Silverman ◽  
Alexandria Boehm ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Environmental Microbiology ◽  
Surveillance Data ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Public Attention ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
State And Local

Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 has garnered extensive public attention during the COVID-19 pandemic as a proposed complement to existing disease surveillance systems. Over the past year, environmental microbiology and engineering researchers have advanced methods for detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in untreated sewage and demonstrated that the trends in wastewater are correlated with trends in cases reported days to weeks later depending on the location. At the start of the pandemic, the virus was also detected in wastewater in locations prior to known cases. Despite the promise of wastewater surveillance, for these measurements to translate into useful public health tools, it is necessary to bridge the barriers between researchers and the public health responders who will ultimately use the data. Here we describe the key uses, barriers, and applicability of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance for supporting public health decisions and actions. This perspective was formed from a multidisciplinary group of environmental microbiology, engineering, wastewater, and public health experts, as well as from opinions shared during three focus group discussions with officials from ten state and local public health agencies. The key barriers to use of wastewater surveillance data identified were: (1) As a new data source, most public health agencies are not yet comfortable interpreting wastewater data; (2) Public health agencies want to see SARS-CoV-2 wastewater data in their own communities to gain confidence in its utility; (3) New institutional knowledge and increased capacity is likely needed to sustain wastewater surveillance systems; and (4) The ethics of wastewater surveillance data collection, sharing, and use are not yet established. Overall, while wastewater surveillance to assess community infections is not a new idea, by addressing these barriers, the COVID-19 pandemic may be the initiating event that turns this emerging public health tool into a sustainable nationwide surveillance system.

scholarly journals The importance of an early alert from the Microbiology Laboratory and multidisciplinary collaboration during a suspected salmonellosis outbreak

2017 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriano Anesi ◽  
Maria Lucia Panceri ◽  
Sara Asticcioli ◽  
Dominga Baroni ◽  
Vanina Rognoni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Food Industry ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Regulatory Agencies ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Microbiology Laboratory ◽  
Food Borne ◽  
Local Health Service ◽  
Sporadic Cases

<em>Background and aims.</em> Salmonellosis is one of the most common and widely distributed food-borne diseases. The increasing complexity and globalization of the food industry are causing an increase of some of these large-scale food-borne illnesses, thus there is a need for improvements in public health signal detection and communication streams between laboratories and regulatory agencies. The aim of this study is to show how the early reporting of salmonellosis cases directly from the Laboratory of Microbiology to the Local Health Service Infectious Diseases Office along with the prompt response of the ASL, and the rapid involvement of the Local Veterinary Prevention Department resulted in an improved individuation and investigation of a suspected food-borne outbreak with anomalous manifestation. <br /><em>Materials and methods.</em> From August to November 2014 the early warning from the Laboratory of Microbiology regarding <em>Salmonella</em> spp. isolates with the identical serogroup and antibiotic resistance phenotype, allowed for prompt identification of a food-borne infection. <br /><em>Results and conclusions.</em> The genotyping analysis suggested that over the period considered there was more than a single monophasic <em>Salmonella</em> <em>typhimurium</em> isolate: one responsible for the sporadic cases that occurred in September and October, and another in November.

Use of syndromic surveillance data to monitor poisonings and drug overdoses in state and local public health agencies

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. i43-i49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Ising ◽  
Scott Proescholdbell ◽  
Katherine J Harmon ◽  
Nidhi Sachdeva ◽  
Stephen W Marshall ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Syndromic Surveillance ◽  
Surveillance Data ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Drug Overdoses ◽  
State And Local

Opportunities to Improve Employee Satisfaction Within State and Local Public Health Agencies

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 440-447
Author(s):  
Janna M. Wisniewski ◽  
Corey Jacinto ◽  
Valerie A. Yeager ◽  
Brian Castrucci ◽  
Theresa Chapple-McGruder ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Employee Satisfaction ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
State And Local

scholarly journals Evidence of genetic predisposition for metabolically healthy obesity and metabolically obese normal weight

2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 169-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lam O. Huang ◽  
Ruth J. F. Loos ◽  
Tuomas O. Kilpeläinen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Insulin Resistance ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Pancreatic Beta Cells ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Tissue Storage ◽  
Public Health Action ◽  
Metabolically Obese Normal Weight ◽  
Metabolically Healthy

Obesity has evolved into a global pandemic that constitutes a major threat to public health. The majority of obesity-related health care costs are due to cardiometabolic complications, such as insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, which are risk factors for Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. However, many obese individuals, often called metabolically healthy obese (MHO), seem to be protected from these cardiometabolic complications. Conversely, there is a group of individuals who suffer from cardiometabolic complications despite being of normal weight; a condition termed metabolically obese normal weight (MONW). Recent large-scale genomic studies have provided evidence that a number of genetic variants show an association with increased adiposity but a favorable cardiometabolic profile, an indicator for the genetic basis of the MHO and MONW phenotypes. Many of these loci are located in or near genes that implicate pathways involved in adipogenesis, fat distribution, insulin signaling, and insulin resistance. It has been suggested that a threshold for subcutaneous adipose tissue expandability may be at play in the manifestation of MHO and MONW, where expiry of adipose tissue storage capacity could lead to ectopic lipid accumulation in non-adipose tissues such as liver, muscle, heart, and pancreatic beta cells. Understanding the genetic aspects of the mechanisms that underpin MHO and MONW is crucial to define appropriate public health action points and to develop effective intervention measures.

scholarly journals Strengthening the Capacity of Local Health Agencies through Community-Based Assessment and Planning

2009 ◽  
Vol 124 (6) ◽  
pp. 875-882 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlyn Orians ◽  
Shyanika Rose ◽  
Brian Hubbard ◽  
John Sarisky ◽  
Letitia Reason ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Environmental Health ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
National Survey ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Health Practitioners ◽  
Building Community ◽  
Problem Solving Competency

Objectives. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Protocol for Assessing Community Excellence in Environmental Health (PACE EH) in building competency in essential environmental health services and renewing efforts to engage the community in problem solving. Competency and community engagement have been identified by environmental health practitioners as important to meet new threats to public health. Methods. We conducted a national survey and 24 case studies of public health agencies. We invited 917 organizations to participate in the national survey because they had requested a copy of the protocol. Results. We received 656 total responses: 354 had not considered implementation, 302 had considered implementation, and 66 had implemented PACE EH. For the 24 case studies, we interviewed 206 individuals in communities implementing PACE EH. We found that PACE EH has had a positive effect on building community and professional networks, enhancing leadership, developing workforce competence, and expanding definitions of environmental health practice. Conclusions. With appropriate investments, PACE EH can be an effective tool to meet the environmental health challenges identified by local environmental health practitioners and state, tribal, and federal agencies.

scholarly journals Intent to Vaccinate Children against COVID-19: Low levels of trust in public health agencies trust across rural communities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enbal Shacham ◽  
Germysha Little ◽  
Steve Scroggins ◽  
Avery Fredman ◽  
Ricardo Wray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Rural Communities ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
State And Local

Background: A COVID-19 vaccination for children is positioned to be a critical resource in the pandemic-prevention effort. However, studies have shown hesitation towards COVID-19 vaccination uptake and a lack of trust in government agencies; putting children at risk for not receiving preventative medical care. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between trust in public health agencies and parental intention to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Methods: Residents of a Midwestern state who reported being parent/guardian of one or more child, aged &lt;18 living at home, were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional online survey conducted during September-October 2020 (n=238). Participants were asked their level of trust in both state and local public health departments and if they planned on vaccinating their children against COVID-19. Resident geography, rural, suburban, and urban, was categorized using definitions from the Health Resource Services Administration (HRSA) and matched to participant county of residence. Descriptive and binomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to predict probability of vaccine intent for children.Results:. Among participants, 132 (55.5%) reported intention to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. Factors that were found to significantly decrease probability of vaccinating child were being a rural resident and lower level of trust in both state and local public health agencies. Discussion: Results from this study highlight the importance of addressing public health agency mistrust among individuals, regardless of geography, to assure more equitable vaccine delivery. Further, special focus may be needed for those living in more isolated, less populated areas, where a higher level of trust may be needed before parents vaccinate their children.

scholarly journals Large Scale Survey Research with Older Adults/Persons with Disabilities in a Public Health Crisis

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 1019-1019
Author(s):  
Sarah Dys ◽  
Hannah Huebner ◽  
Norma Carrillo-Van Tongeren ◽  
Courtney Sirk ◽  
Harold Urman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Technical Assistance ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Training Data ◽  
Field Staff ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Health Crisis

Abstract Best practice for measuring quality improvement and consumer satisfaction of health and human services for older adults and people with disabilities relies on in-person survey administration. This poster highlights adaptation strategies undertaken across three large-scale evaluation studies of program/service delivery conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating a departure from in-person techniques: 1) Integrated Satisfaction Measurement for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (I-SAT-PACE), 2) National Core Indicators- Aging and Disabilities/Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (NCI-AD/IDD), and 3) Assisted Living Resident Quality of Life (AL-QOL). Data collection for these projects occurred from September 2020 to August 2021, providing an opportunity to showcase project adaptation over the course of the pandemic. Using project implementation examples across 15 states and approximately 10,100 participants, we discuss implications for successful survey coordination, interviewer training, data collection, and participant/stakeholder engagement during a public health emergency. Strategies included pivoting to phone, Zoom, and paper-based data collection and increasing technical assistance for field staff and participants. Project teams were able to increase access to participation by implementing multimodal survey delivery, mitigate coronavirus exposure, continue collecting older adults and people with disabilities’ experiences, and compare results based on method of delivery. Technology barriers, field staff dropout, need for larger sample sizes, and inclusion of participants with dementia, hearing, and speech impairments present important tradeoffs to consider. These examples indicate it is possible to administer hybrid data collection methods across populations with varying cognitive and physical abilities without compromising data quality.

The Role of Public Health Agencies in Convening Partnerships and Collaborations to Respond to the Opioid Crisis

2019 ◽  
pp. 137-158
Author(s):  
Philicia Tucker ◽  
Michael R. Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Public Health Agencies ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
State And Local ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Goals And Objectives

This chapter presents the role that public health agencies play as leaders and/or conveners of partnerships and collaborations in responding to the opioid epidemic at the state and local levels. “Partnership” is defined as a continuum of relationships between two or more entities ranging from informal engagement around topics of interest to formal, structured memoranda of understanding or contracts that govern resource exchange, the various roles and responsibilities of the partners, and performance metrics or other accountability metrics. The work of partnerships around opioid use and addiction requires intentional engagement of a variety of groups, many of whom have not traditionally worked with public health agencies before. Examples of various partners and their roles in ending the crisis are presented. The chapter includes a discussion of what makes for successful partnerships and key considerations when engaging collaborators in developing shared goals and objectives.

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