scholarly journals Qualitative Case Study of Public Health Preparedness and Response to the Rabid Raccoon Discovered in Wise County, Virginia

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Brian Martin ◽  
Benjamin Williamson ◽  
Vinayak K. Nahar ◽  
Karen Gruszynski ◽  
Manoj Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
Analysis Process ◽  
Variant Virus ◽  
Open Coding ◽  
Axial Coding ◽  
And Control

Rabies is a zoonotic lyssavirus of mammals that is a major public health threat due to the high mortality rate in humans who develop clinical symptoms. In the United States and other developed countries, the main reservoirs are wildlife species. In April 2017, a raccoon tested positive for rabies in Wise County, Virginia, with a second raccoon testing positive in May. Wise County, Virginia, is one of the few counties in western Virginia that is not endemic for raccoon rabies variant virus. Due to this fact, local, state, and federal agencies worked together to prevent and control the outbreak to stop the public health theat. The purpose of this study was to understand how professionals from these various agencies viewed the response efforts to the two rabid raccoons in 2017 and to determine what could be done to improve future responses. A list of responders from the different agencies involved in the outbreak in 2017 was created. Participants were recruited via email and those who agreed to be interviewed were contacted via telephone. Participants were asked a series of 13 questions pertaining to the 2017 outbreak to understand more about the strengths and weaknesses perceived during the outbreak. Of the 11 individuals contacted, six agreed to an interview. Data were analyzed utilizing a three-step qualitative analysis process which included the steps of open coding, audit trail, and axial coding. Staff and partnerships were identified as strengths of the response while funding, community, and region were identified as weaknesses of the response. It is hoped that by identifying different strengths and weaknesses through qualitative analysis this will aid in improving future responses.

Will Routine Annual Influenza Prevention and Control Systems Serve the United States Well in a Pandemic?

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (S2) ◽  
pp. S160-S165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeanne S. Ringel ◽  
Melinda Moore ◽  
John Zambrano ◽  
Nicole Lurie
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
The United States ◽  
Qualitative Assessment ◽  
Full Potential ◽  
Pandemic Preparedness ◽  
The Public ◽  
Influenza Prevention ◽  
And Control

ABSTRACTObjective: To assess the extent to which the systems in place for prevention and control of routine annual influenza could provide the information and experience needed to manage a pandemic.Methods: The authors conducted a qualitative assessment based on key informant interviews and the review of relevant documents.Results: Although there are a number of systems in place that would likely serve the United States well in a pandemic, much of the information and experience needed to manage a pandemic optimally is not available.Conclusions: Systems in place for routine annual influenza prevention and control are necessary but not sufficient for managing a pandemic, nor are they used to their full potential for pandemic preparedness. Pandemic preparedness can be strengthened by building more explicitly upon routine influenza activities and the public health system’s response to the unique challenges that arise each influenza season (eg, vaccine supply issues, higher than normal rates of influenza-related deaths). (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2009;3(Suppl 2):S160–S165)

scholarly journals Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Bibliometric Review From 2001 to 2020

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guozhen Yuan ◽  
Jingjing Shi ◽  
Qiulei Jia ◽  
Shuqing Shi ◽  
Xueping Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Cardiac Rehabilitation ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Sports Science ◽  
Subject Categories ◽  
Cardiovascular Morbidity And Mortality ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Topic Distribution

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a serious threat to global public health due to its high prevalence and disability rate. Meanwhile, cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has attracted increasing attention for its positive effects on the cardiovascular system. There is overwhelming evidence that CR for patients with CVD is effective in reducing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. To learn more about the development of CR, 5,567 papers about CR and related research were retrieved in the Web of Science Core Collection from 2001 to 2020. Then, these publications were scientometrically analyzed based on CiteSpace in terms of spatiotemporal distribution, author distribution, subject categories, topic distribution, and references. The results can be elaborated from three aspects. Firstly, the number of annual publications related to CR has increased year by year in general over the past two decades. Secondly, a co-occurrence analysis of the output countries and authors shows that a few developed countries such as the United States, Canada, and the UK are the most active in carrying out CR and where regional academic communities represented by Sherry Grace and Ross Arena were formed. Thirdly, an analysis of the subject categories and topic distribution of the papers reveals that CR is a typical interdiscipline with a wide range of disciplines involved, including clinical medicine, basic medicine, public health management, and sports science. The research topics cover the participants and implementers, components, and the objectives and requirements of CR. The current research hotspots are the three core modalities of CR, namely patient education, exercise training and mental support, as well as mobile health (mHealth) dependent on computer science. In conclusion, this work has provided some useful information for acquiring knowledge about CR, including identifying potential collaborators for researchers interested in CR, and discovering research trends and hot topics in CR, which can offer some guidance for more extensive and in-depth CR-related studies in the future.

scholarly journals Control Measures on Groundwater Pollution through Leakages of Underground Storage Tanks of Filling Stations in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
pp. 98-105
Author(s):  
Oluwaseun E. Odipe ◽  
Henry O. Sawyerr ◽  
Solomon O. Adewoye
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Pollution ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Underground Storage ◽  
Storage Tanks ◽  
Underground Storage Tanks ◽  
Global Issue ◽  
Leaking Underground Storage Tanks ◽  
And Control

Background: Groundwater pollution from leakages of Underground Storage Tanks is a global issue and has been significantly controlled and maintained by many developed countries in the last 30 years. The knowledge and practices used in containing this environmental issue can also be applied locally in Nigeria. Methods: This paper reviewed the environmental policies and strategies put in place by the United States of America and the statutory regulations in Nigeria to identify the possible causes of pollution from leaking underground storage tanks within the country in order to recommend applicable preventive and control measures. Results: Findings showed there are lots of regulations and laws to protect environmental resources in Nigeria which has led to establishment of different ministries, departments and agencies of government for implementation yet, a number of shortcomings can be traced to its inability to efficiently control leaking underground storage tanks in filling stations nationwide. Conclusion: However, necessary recommendations were made which could be applied by implementing minor preventive measures and procedures that will significantly curb this menace as achieved in other developed nations of the world.

scholarly journals Learning from COVID-19: a systems approach for public health governance

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jieling Liu ◽  
Yurong Wu ◽  
Cunrui Huang
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Consequences ◽  
Health Governance ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
New Thinking ◽  
Economic Goods ◽  
Public Health Governance ◽  
And Control

Abstract The COVID-19 rapidly evolved into a global pandemic. Countries have taken measures widely to prevent and control the epidemic. China for example, has control the spread effectively, while many countries are still striving to cope with the increasing COVID-19 confirmed cases. The epidemic revealed serious problems of public health governance in many countries with long lasting social and economic consequences. This commentary reviews the pandemic response measures in five selected countries: China, Italy, the United States, Brazil and India. Building on critical reflections on the problems incurred in each country's pandemic responses, we provide a theoretical framework to reconceptualize public health as multiple types of economic goods. We further couple this reconceptualization with a systems approach to public health and wellbeing to offer new thinking on health governance. Finally, we propose suggestions for better, preventative and comprehensive epidemic prevention and health governance in an increasing urban future.

scholarly journals A Public Health Informatics Solution to Improving Food Safety in Restaurants: Putting the Missing Piece in the Puzzle

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sripriya Rajamani ◽  
Melanie Firestone ◽  
Craig Hedberg
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Health Informatics ◽  
The United States ◽  
Foodborne Illness ◽  
Public Health Informatics ◽  
Illness Prevention ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Inspection Data ◽  
And Control

Foodborne illnesses remain an important public health challenge in the United States causing an estimated 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths per year. Restaurants are frequent settings for foodborne illness transmission. Public health surveillance – the continual, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of reports of health data to prevent and control illness – is a prerequisite for an effective food control system. While restaurant inspection data are routinely collected, these data are not regularly aggregated like traditional surveillance data. However, there is evidence that these data are a valuable tool for understanding foodborne illness outbreaks and threats to food safety. This article discusses the challenges and opportunities for incorporating routine restaurant inspection data as a surveillance tool for monitoring and improving foodborne illness prevention activities.  The three main challenges are: 1) the need for a national framework; 2) lack of data standards and interoperability; and 3) limited access to restaurant inspection data. Tapping into the power of public health informatics represents an opportunity to address these challenges. Overall, improving restaurant inspection information systems and making restaurant inspection data available to support decision-making represents an opportunity to practice smarter food safety.

scholarly journals A Survey of Tick Surveillance and Control Practices in the United States

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily M Mader ◽  
Claudia Ganser ◽  
Annie Geiger ◽  
Laura C Harrington ◽  
Janet Foley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Data Communication ◽  
The United States ◽  
Tick Control ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Surveillance Program ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
Pathogen Testing ◽  
And Control

Abstract Tickborne diseases are an increasing public health threat in the United States. Prevention and diagnosis of tickborne diseases are improved by access to current and accurate information on where medically important ticks and their associated human and veterinary pathogens are present, their local abundance or prevalence, and when ticks are actively seeking hosts. The true extent of tick and tickborne pathogen expansion is poorly defined, in part because of a lack of nationally standardized tick surveillance. We surveyed 140 vector-borne disease professionals working in state, county, and local public health and vector control agencies to assess their 1) tick surveillance program objectives, 2) pathogen testing methods, 3) tick control practices, 4) data communication strategies, and 5) barriers to program development and operation. Fewer than half of respondents reported that their jurisdiction was engaged in routine, active tick surveillance, but nearly two-thirds reported engaging in passive tick surveillance. Detection of tick presence was the most commonly stated current surveillance objective (76.2%). Most of the programs currently supporting tick pathogen testing were in the Northeast (70.8%), Upper and Central Midwest (64.3%), and the West (71.4%) regions. The most common pathogens screened for were Rickettsia spp. (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) and bacterial and viral agents transmitted by Ixodes (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks. Only 12% of respondents indicated their jurisdiction directly conducts or otherwise financially supports tick control. Responses indicated that their ability to expand the capacity of tick surveillance and control programs was impeded by inconsistent funding, limited infrastructure, guidance on best practices, and institutional capacity to perform these functions.

Acute Enteric Disease Outbreaks

2019 ◽  
pp. 421-436
Author(s):  
Ian T. Williams ◽  
Laura Whitlock ◽  
Matthew E. Wise
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disease Outbreaks ◽  
The United States ◽  
Foodborne Illness ◽  
The Public ◽  
Enteric Diseases ◽  
Health Community ◽  
Public Health Officials ◽  
And Control ◽  
Investigation Process

Public health officials investigate outbreaks to control them, to prevent additional illnesses, and to learn how to prevent similar outbreaks in the future. The process the public health community uses to detect, investigate, and control enteric (intestinal) disease outbreaks from food, water, and other sources involves certain procedural steps. These include detecting a possible outbreak, defining and finding cases, generating hypotheses about likely sources, testing the hypotheses and evaluating evidence, finding contamination sources, controlling the outbreak, and determining when the outbreak is over. Investigating outbreaks of acute enteric diseases can be a dynamic and complex undertaking involving multiple public health and regulatory partners in different jurisdictions. This chapter provides an overview of the investigation process with an emphasis on multijurisdictional foodborne illness investigations in the United States.

New Challenges for Public Health Care: Biological and Chemical Weapons Awareness, Surveillance, and Response

2003 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 244-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph P. Dudley
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Clinical Symptoms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Care ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
First Line ◽  
Nursing Professionals

Recent events in the United States have demonstrated a critical need for recognizing nurses and emergency health care providers as important elements of the nation’s first line of defense and response against terrorist attacks involving biological, chemical, or radiological weapons. The anthrax letter attacks of September/October 2001 demonstrate the importance of vigilance and attention to detail while interviewing and attending patients and when entering, reviewing, and cataloging patient records. Nursing professionals, emergency care responders, and physicians can perform a crucial role in our first-line defense against terrorism by detecting and reporting unusual or anomalous illness(es) consistent with possible exposure to biological or chemical agents. Nursing professionals should become more familiar with the etiology and clinical symptoms of biological agents of greatest current concern (smallpox, anthrax, tularemia, plague) and be alert for potentially anomalous or unfamiliar combinations of symptoms that could point to unwitting exposure to biological toxins, toxic chemicals, or cryptic radiological agents. Public health surveillance systems must be developed that encourage and facilitate the rapid reporting and follow-up investigation of suspect illnesses and potential disease outbreaks that will ensure early identification and response for covert attacks involving biological, chemical, or radiological weapons.

Domestic Legal Preparedness and Response to Ebola

2015 ◽  
Vol 43 (S1) ◽  
pp. 15-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
James G. Hodge ◽  
Matthew S. Penn ◽  
Montrece Ransom ◽  
Jane E. Jordan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Virus Disease ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Extensive Discussion ◽  
Local Public Health ◽  
Emory University ◽  
State And Local

While the global threat of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in 2014 was concentrated in several West African countries, its effects have been felt in many developed countries including the United States. Initial, select patients with EVD, largely among American health care workers (HCWs) volunteering in affected regions, were subsequently transported back to the states for isolation and treatment in high-level medical facilities. This included Emory University Hospital, which sits adjacent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.The first domestic case of EVD occurred in late September in Dallas, Texas. Additional exposures of two HCWs generated an array of legal issues for state and local public health authorities, hospitals, and providers. Consideration of these issues led to extensive discussion among lawyers, public health practitioners, and other attendees at a late-breaking session on EVD and Legal Preparedness at the 2014 National Public Health Law conference. In this commentary, session presenters from CDC and Emory University share their expert perspectives on legal and policy issues underlying state and local powers to quarantine and isolate persons exposed to or infected with Ebola, as well as facets of hospital preparedness underlying the successful treatment of patients with EVD.

scholarly journals ECDC and WHO: a common mission for better health in Europe

2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1-2 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Danzon
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Disease Prevention ◽  
Prevention And Control ◽  
The United States ◽  
European Centre ◽  
And Control

With the opening of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in Stockholm in May, 2005 will be an important year for public health in Europe. The idea of a European CDC has been in the air for many years, following the successful and interesting results obtained by the United States CDC in Atlanta.

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