Principles of outbreak investigation

2021 ◽  
pp. 59-74
Author(s):  
Sopon Iamsirithaworn ◽  
Panithee Thammawijaya ◽  
Kumnuan Ungchusak
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Outbreak Investigation ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Environmental Surveys ◽  
Practical Recommendations ◽  
Communicating Risk

Outbreak investigation is an essential function of public health professionals. It is an opportunity to gain new knowledge of diseases and to discover the weaknesses of current public health practices and systems. Unfortunately, most outbreaks are not investigated. This chapter will present the principles and important points about outbreak investigation. The reader will learn about how to detect outbreaks from routine official surveillance and unofficial sources. The reader can assume oneself as an investigator who has to organize the team, review previous knowledge, and prepare the technical and management aspects, before starting the investigation. The reader will learn about the major ten steps in the investigation, with examples, which starts by confirming the existence of the outbreak, verifying the diagnosis, gathering case information, descriptive epidemiology, formulating and testing the hypothesis when necessary, conducting environmental surveys to supplement epidemiological evidence, providing timely on-site reporting of the findings, with practical recommendations to local and national responsible authorities, and communicating risk to health professional community and public. The reader is reminded about the need to follow-up on the recommendations and continue vigorous surveillance of the health problem. The chapter ends by forecasting more joint international investigations to control emerging diseases and new problems. After reading this chapter, the reader should be clear that outbreak investigation is an interesting, challenging, and important task requiring a competent investigator who combines sound scientific knowledge and good management.

scholarly journals ON THE ISSUE OF VERIFICATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH APPLICATION OF IN TRAINING MASTERS OF PUBLIC HEALTH

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (21) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia M. Kalyniuk ◽  
◽  
Lubov M. Romaniuk ◽  
Nina Ye. Romaniuk ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Interdisciplinary Approach ◽  
Professional Community ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Professional Self ◽  
Interdisciplinary Integration

The expediency of conducting research and experimental work at the stage of identifying opportunities to improve the educational process in training future public health professionals on the basis of interdisciplinary integration is substantiated. The article is devoted to the role of experimental pedagogical research as a means of testing the effectiveness of interdisciplinary integration in the training of future public health professionals. It is generalized that the issue of professional training of future specialists in the specialty «Public Health» in the pedagogical literature is considered as a component of professional self-determination and professional development in the context of the study of professional self-awareness. It is proved that the interdisciplinary integration in the training of future public health professionals is an integrated component that combines individual and personal features (awareness of the choice of profession, completeness and strength of knowledge in the chosen profession, the formation of professionally significant and empathetic qualities). It is socially oriented and oriented at building relationships and positioning oneself in the team, develops the ability to make decisions independently and take responsibility as well as personality characteristics; it implies the presence of strong beliefs in the values of the profession of public health specialist for the design of their own subjective deontological position in the work connected with their specialty. It is substantiated that the professional training of future medical professionals on the basis of interdisciplinary integration involves creating conditions for identifying personal and social experience of students with the profession and the professional community, is a process of mastering normative professional requirements that allow them to adequately perceive medical reality, as well as to develop professionally expedient strategies and tactics, tasks and plans of professional activity, to consciously regulate one’s own behavior within the established professional and normative imperatives. It was found that the professional training of future public health professionals on the basis of interdisciplinary integration is characterized by the presence of future professionals with a set of knowledge that reflects the substantive essence of intellectual, ideological and moral values; the ability to predict and design the process of professional activity taking into account its specifics in interaction with colleagues and patients and is determined by the content of professional medical ethics and deontology, ethical and moral imperatives and professional and ethical ideals and values of public health. The peculiarities of the formation of professional training of future public health specialists on the basis of interdisciplinary integration are studied.

Nationwide satellite training for public health professionals: Web-based follow-up

2007 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael K. Peddecord ◽  
Patricia Holsclaw ◽  
Isabel Gomez Jacobson ◽  
Lisa Kwizera ◽  
Kelly Rose ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Public Health Professionals

Training Texas Public Health Professionals and Professionals-In-Training in Genomics

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1159-1165
Author(s):  
Lei-Shih Chen ◽  
Yu-Lyu Yeh ◽  
Patricia Goodson ◽  
Shixi Zhao ◽  
Eunju Jung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Survey Data ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Public Health Practice ◽  
National Level ◽  
Family Health ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Professionals

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of genomics training workshops for public health professionals and professionals-in-training. Design: A pre- and post-test evaluation design with 3-month follow-up. Setting and Participants: Thirteen genomics training workshops were delivered across Texas to 377 public health professionals and professionals-in-training (66.7% were ethnic minorities). Intervention: Three-hour theory-based, face-to-face genomics training workshops focusing on family health history practice were delivered. Methods: We administered surveys prior to the workshops, immediately post-workshops, and at 3-month follow-up to examine the changes in participants’ knowledge, attitudes, intention, self-efficacy, and behavior in adopting genomics into public health practice. Linear mixed modeling analyses were used to analyze the quantitative survey data. A content analysis was also conducted for qualitative survey data analysis. Results: Genomics practice significantly improved among public health professionals at 3-month follow-up ( P < .01). For all participants, knowledge, attitudes, intention, and self-efficacy scores increased significantly immediately post-workshop compared to the pre-workshop scores (all Ps < .01). Knowledge and attitudes scores at the 3-month follow-up remained significantly higher than those scores at the pre-workshop (all Ps < .01). The feedback from workshop participants was positive. Conclusion: Our genomics training workshop is an effective program that can be disseminated at a national level to establish genomic competencies among public health professionals and professionals-in-training in the United States.

scholarly journals KIWI: A technology for public health event monitoring and early warning detection

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamir N Mukhi ◽  
Ellie Andres ◽  
Bryan Demianyk ◽  
Ben Gammon ◽  
Harold Kloeze
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
User Participation ◽  
Emerging Diseases ◽  
Sense Making ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Event Monitoring ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Geographic Coverage ◽  
Monitoring And Early Warning

Objectives: To introduce the Canadian Network for Public Health Intelligence’s new Knowledge Integration using Web-based Intelligence (KIWI) technology, and to perform preliminary evaluation of the KIWI technology using a case study. The purpose of this new technology is to support surveillance activities by monitoring unstructured data sources for the early detection and awareness of potential public health threats.Methods: A prototype of the KIWI technology, adapted for zoonotic and emerging diseases, was piloted by end-users with expertise in the field of public health and zoonotic/emerging disease surveillance. The technology was assessed using variables such as geographic coverage, user participation, and others; categorized by high-level attributes from evaluation guidelines for internet based surveillance systems. Special attention was given to the evaluation of the system’s automated sense-making algorithm, which used variables such as sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. Event-based surveillance evaluation was not applied to its full capacity as such an evaluation is beyond the scope of this paper.Results: KIWI was piloted with user participation = 85.0% and geographic coverage within monitored sources = 83.9% of countries. The pilots, which focused on zoonotic and emerging diseases, lasted a combined total of 65 days and resulted in the collection of 3243 individual information pieces (IIP) and 2 community reported events (CRE) for processing. Ten sources were monitored during the second phase of the pilot, which resulted in 545 anticipatory intelligence signals (AIS). KIWI’s automated sense-making algorithm (SMA) had sensitivity = 63.9% (95% CI: 60.2-67.5%), specificity = 88.6% (95% CI: 87.3-89.8%), positive predictive value = 59.8% (95% CI: 56.1-63.4%), and negative predictive value = 90.3% (95% CI: 89.0-91.4%).Discussion: Literature suggests the need for internet based monitoring and surveillance systems that are customizable, integrated into collaborative networks of public health professionals, and incorporated into national surveillance activities. Results show that the KIWI technology is well posied to address some of the suggested challenges. A limitation of this study is that sample size for pilot participation was small for capturing overall readiness of integrating KIWI into regular surveillance activities.Conclusions: KIWI is a customizable technology developed within an already thriving collaborative platform used by public health professionals, and performs well as a tool for discipline-specific event monitoring and early warning signal detection.

scholarly journals Education and training in public health: is there progress in the European region?

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 683-688
Author(s):  
Ulrich Laaser ◽  
Vesna Bjegovic-Mikanovic ◽  
Dejana Vukovic ◽  
Helmut Wenzel ◽  
Robert Otok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Organizational Structures ◽  
European Region ◽  
Public Health Professionals ◽  
Set Up ◽  
And Training

Abstract Background The Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER) is confronted with challenges to improve education for public health professionals. In this article, we attempt to answer the question: Did ASPHER members improve their organization and programmes to enable their graduates to acquire the competences to tackle the diverse areas of public health defined in the Ten Essential Public Health Operations (EPHOs)? Methods ASPHER run two surveys among its membership: In 2011, 66 Schools and Departments of Public Health (SDPHs) took part (82.5%), while in 2015–16, 78 SDPHs (81.3%). The performance of graduates was estimated using a Likert scale. Results In 2015–16, the SDPHs delivered 169 academic programmes (2.2 on average per SDPH). Among the SDPHs participating in both surveys, significant differences could not be determined, neither for the organization (except increasingly using social media) nor for teaching areas. The performance of graduates did not show significant differences except for the deterioration of EPHO-8 (‘assuring sustainable organizational structures and financing’). However, the qualitative data revealed progressive dynamics regarding innovations in the organizational set-up, digitalization, teaching/training, introduction of new modules and research. Conclusions The results generated do not allow us to state that the innovative elements introduced after the first survey in 2011 have had a clear impact reflected in the second survey carried out in 2015–16, but perhaps this is due to the need for a broader follow-up in order to objectify the potential consequences derived from the boost generated by the changes introduced.

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.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Education for Public Health: A Practical Foundation for Solidarity

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Perkiö ◽  
R Harrison ◽  
M Grivna ◽  
D Tao ◽  
C Evashwich
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Education ◽  
Health Workforce ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Public Health Education ◽  
Public Health Workforce ◽  
Rigorous Evaluation ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Professionals

Abstract Education is a key to creating solidary among the professionals who advance public health’s interdisciplinary mission. Our assumption is that if all those who work in public health shared core knowledge and the skills for interdisciplinary interaction, collaboration across disciplines, venues, and countries would be facilitated. Evaluation of education is an essential element of pedagogy to ensure quality and consistency across boundaries, as articulated by the UNESCO education standards. Our study examined the evaluation studies done by programs that educate public health professionals. We searched the peer reviewed literature published in English between 2000-2017 pertaining to the education of the public health workforce at a degree-granting level. The 2442 articles found covered ten health professions disciplines and had lead authors representing all continents. Only 86 articles focused on evaluation. The majority of the papers examined either a single course, a discipline-specific curriculum or a teaching method. No consistent methodologies could be discerned. Methods ranged from sophisticated regression analyses and trends tracked over time to descriptions of focus groups and interviews of small samples. We found that evaluations were primarily discipline-specific, lacked rigorous methodology in many instances, and that relatively few examined competencies or career expectations. The public health workforce enjoys a diversity of disciplines but must be able to come together to share diverse knowledge and skills. Evaluation is critical to achieving a workforce that is well trained in the competencies pertinent to collaboration. This study informs the pedagogical challenges that must be confronted going forward, starting with a commitment to shared core competencies and to consistent and rigorous evaluation of the education related to training public health professionals. Key messages Rigorous evaluation is not sufficiently used to enhance the quality of public health education. More frequent use of rigorous evaluation in public health education would enhance the quality of public health workforce, and enable cross-disciplinary and international collaboration for solidarity.

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