scholarly journals International COVID-19 mortality forecast visualization: covidcompare.io

JAMIA Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Samir Akre ◽  
Patrick Y Liu ◽  
Joseph R Friedman ◽  
Alex A T Bui
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Web Tool ◽  
Mortality Forecasting ◽  
Forecasting Models ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
System Usability ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
Mortality Forecast ◽  
Mortality Forecasts ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract COVID-19 mortality forecasting models provide critical information about the trajectory of the pandemic, which is used by policymakers and public health officials to guide decision-making. However, thousands of published COVID-19 mortality forecasts now exist, many with their own unique methods, assumptions, format, and visualization. As a result, it is difficult to compare models and understand under which circumstances a model performs best. Here, we describe the construction and usability of covidcompare.io, a web tool built to compare numerous forecasts and offer insight into how each has performed over the course of the pandemic. From its launch in December 2020 to June 2021, we have seen 4600 unique visitors from 85 countries. A study conducted with public health professionals showed high usability overall as formally assessed using a Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire. We find that covidcompare.io is an impactful tool for the comparison of international COVID-19 mortality forecasting models.

scholarly journals How to create public health Facebook posts based on Motivational Interviewing a pproach ?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dávid Pócs
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Motivational Interviewing ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Tobacco Use Cessation ◽  
Change Talk ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Rate Building ◽  
Insight Into

Objective: This research aimed at identifying which types of social media content could achieve higher engagement rate and encourage smokers' motivational language. Intervention contents were classified according to motivational interviewing (MI) strategies. Methods: We categorized the included 701 Facebook posts (N=701) into five different groups according to specific MI strategies. Entertaining and informative strategies were in the control group. Facebook users’ interactions were the primary outcomes (engagement rate, negative feedback, and fan-total reach ratio). The comments reflecting smokers’ motivational language were the secondary outcomes (change talk and sustain talk). Results:MI strategies achieved significantly higher engagement rate, higher fan-total reach ratio, and evoked more change talk. “Elaborating change talk” strategies elicited considerably more change talk. “Affirming change talk” strategies obtained higher fan-total reach ratio and generated significantly more change talk. “Relational MI” strategies achieved significantly higher engagement rate. Conclusions: This study offers an important insight into the Facebook post creating for public health professionals who design Facebook-based interventions. These MI strategies can increase the engagement rate: ”Building Partnership” and ”Expressing Empathy”. These MI strategies can reach more fans: ”Affirming Change Talk” and ”Reflecting Change Talk” strategies. Finally, these MI strategies can support smoking cessation: ”Elaborating Change Talk” and ”Affirming Change Talk” strategies. Source: Pócs D, Óvári T, Watti J, Hamvai Cs, Kelemen O. How to create social media contents based on Motivational Interviewing approach to support tobacco use cessation? A content analysis. Journal of Substance Use 2021; DOI: 10.1080/14659891.2021.1967484. [Full preprint with appendix is available at ResearchGate.]

Major Cities and Disease Crises: A Comparative Perspective

1989 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ira Cohen ◽  
Ann Elder
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Mandatory Reporting ◽  
Political Campaigns ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
The Face ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
Effective Treatments

Any communicable disease that strikes urban populations poses difficult problems for public health officials. First, treatment in the early stages of these diseases may be based primarily on guesswork; before the etiology of the disease is fully known, public health officials are often prompted by public fear to take action to curb and treat the disease (Terris, 1985). Second, even when effective treatments have been identified, these may be politically costly. When dealing with communicable diseases, responsible public health professionals have at times concluded that measures such as quarantine, mass screening, or mandatory reporting of the disease are necessary. Mandatory reporting of previous sexual partners by carriers of any sexually transmitted diseases may prove embarrassing or destructive to an individual’s business or social life. In the face of such threats, individuals who face such measures may mount political campaigns against them, making them risky for public health officials. Third, even when effective treatments are known, they may be very expensive to administer and may tax existing public facilities (hospitals, clinics) and funding for public health.

scholarly journals Marginalized Males, Disparate COVID-19 Outcomes, and Health Equity: A Profile of Highest Risk

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 155798832110505
Author(s):  
Tyler Barnhart ◽  
Michael J. Rovito ◽  
Michael Maresca ◽  
Kathy Rovito
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Equity ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Direct Response ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Call To Action ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Risk Communities ◽  
Insight Into

This paper is a direct response to Smith et al.’s (2020) call for more insight into health equity concerns pertaining to COVID-19 outcomes. The goal of this discussion is to offer the field with an evidence-informed ‘avatar’ representing the most-impacted group as it pertains to COVID-19 mortality and morbidity. Policy and practice implications are offered as a call to action for public health professionals to support these most impacted and highest risk communities.

scholarly journals It depends on how you ask: measuring bias in population surveys of compliance with COVID-19 public health guidance

2020 ◽  
pp. jech-2020-215256
Author(s):  
Shane Timmons ◽  
Frances McGinnity ◽  
Cameron Belton ◽  
Martina Barjaková ◽  
Peter Lunn
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Technique Effect ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
Alternative Approaches ◽  
List Experiment ◽  
Measuring Bias ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Health Guidance

ObjectiveAccurate measurement of compliance with COVID-19 guidance is important for public health policy and communications. Responses to surveys, however, are susceptible to psychological biases, including framing effects and social desirability. Our aim was to measure the effects of these biases on estimates of compliance with public health guidance (eg, hand-washing, social distancing).DesignWe conducted two online experiments (n=1800) and varied whether questions were framed positively or negatively (eg, ‘I always wash my hands…’ vs ‘I don’t always wash my hands…’). We also varied the degree to which anonymity was assured, via a ‘list’ experiment.ResultsReported compliance, despite being generally high, was reduced by negatively framing questions and increasing anonymity using a list experiment technique. Effect sizes were large: compliance estimates diminished by up to 17% points and 10% points, respectively.ConclusionEstimates of compliance with COVID-19 guidance vary substantially with how the question is asked. Standard tracking surveys tend to pose questions in ways that lead to higher estimates than alternative approaches. Experimental tests of these surveys offer public health officials greater insight into the range of likely compliance estimates to better inform policy and communications.

scholarly journals DISCOURSE ON PROFESSIONALISATION IN THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS PROVIDING SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 274-293
Author(s):  
Birutė Anužienė ◽  
Sigute Norkiene ◽  
Marina Varopjeva
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Professional Identity ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Organisational Culture ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Health Specialist ◽  
Different Ages ◽  
Insight Into

This article is aimed to discuss findings of the study on professionalisation in the practice of public health professionals who provide services to persons of all ages with disabilities. The following problematic questions are raised: how does a public health specialist become a professional competent in providing their services to all citizens, regardless of age or health status? What are the possible professionalisation ways and opportunities for public health professionals who provide services to persons of different age with disabilities? The article presents a theoretical discourse of the professionalisation process, as well as results of the qualitative research so as to provide insight into possible ways (opportunities) for professionalisation of public health professionals in providing services to persons of different ages with disabilities. The study is novel in that it discloses dimensions (professionalism and professionism) of a public health specialist’s professionalisation process in working with persons of different ages with disabilities. As findings of the study show, the dimensions are theoretically inseparable from each other, though, with quite different ways of professionalisation in practice. The study has established that the ways of professionalisation (1.Work-based learning; 2.Reflection and activities; 3.Reflection on activities (formalisation of unexpressed competencies); 4.Reflection for activities; 5.Organisational culture and activities; 6.Integration/assimilation of knowledge) enable a person to develop existing competencies, to construct a professional identity through the integration of both aspects of relevance of professionalisation ways: practical activities and reflection. 

Perspectives on Prevention: A Dialogue Between Public Health Officials and Community Psychologists

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven B. Pokorny ◽  
Peter Y. Ji ◽  
Jospeh L. Sherk ◽  
P. Jacob Rebus ◽  
Olga Rabin-Belyaev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Health Officials

Oral health diseases among the older people: a general health perspective

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Older People ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
General Health ◽  
Oral Health Care ◽  
Oral Diseases ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
The Relationship

Background: The relationship between oral health and general health is gaining interest in geriatric research; however, a lack of studies dealing with this issue from a general perspective makes it somewhat inaccessible to non-clinical public health professionals. Purpose: The purpose of this review is to describe the relationship between oral health and general health of the elderly on the basis of literature review, and to give non-clinical medical professionals and public health professionals an overview of this discipline. Methods: This study was based on an in-depth review of the literature pertaining to the relationship between oral health and general health among the older people. The tools commonly used to evaluate dental health and the academic researches of male elderly people were also reviewed. And future research directions were summarized. Results: Dental caries, periodontal disease, edentulism, and xerostomia are common oral diseases among the older people. Dental caries and periodontal diseases are the leading causes of missing teeth and edentulism. Xerostomia, similar to dry mouth, is another common oral health disease in the older people. No clear correlation exists between the subjective feeling of dryness and an objective decrease of saliva. Rather, both conditions can be explained by changes in saliva. The General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) and the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) are the main assessment tools used to examine oral health and quality of life in the older people. The GOHAI tends to be more sensitive to objective values pertaining to oral function. In addition, oral health studies in male elderly people are population-based cohort or cross-sectional studies, involving masticatory function, oral prevention, frailty problems, cardiovascular disease risk, and cognitive status. Conclusion: It is possible to reduce the incidence of certain oral diseases, even among individuals who take oral health care seriously. Oral health care should be based on the viewpoint of comprehensive treatment, including adequate nutrition, good life and psychology, and correct oral health care methods. In the future, researchers could combine the results of meta-analysis with the clinical experience of doctors to provide a more in-depth and broader discussion on oral health research topics concerning the older people.

Improving Disease Outbreak Forecasting Models for Efficient Targeting of Public Health Resources

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lasantha Fernando ◽  
Sriganesh Lokanathan ◽  
Amal Shehan Perera ◽  
Azhar Ghouse ◽  
Hasitha Tissera
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Resources ◽  
Disease Outbreak ◽  
Forecasting Models

Dealing with COVID-19: lessons learned from the Italian experience

Coronaviruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 01 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvana Mirella Aliberti ◽  
Francesco De Caro ◽  
Giovanni Boccia ◽  
Rosario Caruso ◽  
Mario Capunzo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Coherent System ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
Italian Experience ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
Future Plans

: Italy was the first western nation affected by the pandemic and was observed as a pilot case in the management of the new coronavirus epidemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 disease has been very difficult in Italy, on June 25, 2020 there are 239,821 total cases of which 33,592 deaths nationwide. Three lessons emerged from this experience that can serve as a blueprint to improve future plans for the outbreak of viruses. First, early reports on the spread of COVID-19 can help inform public health officials and medical practitioners in effort to combat its progression; second, inadequate risk assessment related to the urgency of the situation and limited reporting to the virus has led the rapid spread of COVID-19; third, an effective response to the virus had to be undertaken with coherent system of actions and simultaneously.

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