Best Practices and Lessons Learned from Community Engagement and Data Collection Strategies in Post-Hurricane Maria Puerto Rico

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Saum-Manning
Keyword(s):  
Puerto Rico ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Emergency Managers ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Collection Strategies

Abstract Communities have a vital role to play in managing the risks associated with natural disasters. As such, their strengths, weaknesses, and priority concerns must be factored into policy decisions to ensure local recovery efforts reflect community needs. Regular engagement with community members provides opportunities for emergency managers and first responders to tap into a reservoir of local knowledge to build a shared understanding of how to foster local preparedness and help communities reduce the impact of a disaster. Not all communities are alike; needs can differ for a variety of reasons and can help determine the best ways to galvanize an appropriate response. The methods of engagement should also be tailored to ensure communities are willing and able to participate in the types of interactions emergency managers wish to initiate. In this paper, we used a mixed method approach to examine several different community engagement and data collection strategies conducted, observed or examined by our research team during six months of post-Hurricane Maria recovery efforts in Puerto Rico from February to July 2018. The aim of this study is to assess whether different outreach approaches used illuminated different perceptions about disaster preparedness and recovery and to identify what works and what does not work when engaging communities in emergency preparedness and recovery activities.

scholarly journals Bringing Older Adults to the Table: Opportunities for Consumer Engagement in Planning and Policy Making

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 102-102
Author(s):  
Alice Prendergast ◽  
Kristi Fuller
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Community Involvement ◽  
Social Connectedness ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Service Planning ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Design Data

Abstract Efforts to include community voice in health policy and service planning are gaining recognition and support in the United States. Findings suggest community involvement can contribute to a better understanding of systems and factors that impact health, and, subsequently, more effective and sustainable policy and program design. Additionally, engagement can increase community buy-in, and community members can gain a greater awareness of services; increased confidence navigating systems; feelings of social connectedness; and capacity to advocate around issues through participation. Despite these findings, the extent to which community members are engaged in planning and decision-making varies considerably. Researchers from Georgia State University conducted a review of state plans on aging using the Person-Centered Outcomes Research Initiative (PCORI) Engagement Principles and the Health Research & Educational Trust’s Community and Patient Engagement Spectrum as frameworks to assess evidence of community engagement. The frameworks recognize engagement throughout the planning process, including design, data collection and interpretation, and dissemination. The review revealed that few planning processes described significant engagement, but rather met the minimal requirements established by federal policy. Federal guidance on community-informed planning practices is sparse, as are resources to support states in adopting these processes. To address this gap, the research team drew on the frameworks and other promising practices to design two community engagement projects, both in partnership with Georgia’s Division of Aging Services. Methods for participant engagement, data collection, interpretation and application of results, and lessons learned through both projects will be discussed, as well as potential implications.

scholarly journals Evaluation of a 1 MW, 250 kW-hr Battery Energy Storage System for Grid Services for the Island of Hawaii

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3367 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl Stein ◽  
Moe Tun ◽  
Keith Musser ◽  
Richard Rocheleau
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Storage System ◽  
Energy Storage System ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Battery Energy Storage ◽  
Utility Company ◽  
Battery Energy ◽  
The Impact

Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are being deployed on electrical grids in significant numbers to provide fast-response services. These systems are normally procured by the end user, such as a utility grid owner or independent power producer. This paper introduces a novel research project in which a research institution has purchased a 1 MW BESS and turned ownership over to a utility company under an agreement that allowed the institution to perform experimentation and data collection on the grid for a multi-year period. This arrangement, along with protocols governing experimentation, has created a unique research opportunity to actively and systematically test the impact of a BESS on a live island grid. The 2012 installation and commissioning of the BESS was facilitated by a partnership between the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) and the utility owner, the Hawaiian Electric and Light Company (HELCO). After the test period ended, HELCO continued to allow data collection (including health testing). In 2018, after 8500 equivalent cycles, the BESS continues to operate within specifications. HNEI continues to provide HELCO with expertise to aid with diagnostics as needed. Details about the BESS design, installation, experimental protocols, initial results, and lessons learned are presented in this paper.

Promoting community engagement in a pre-registration nursing programme: a qualitative study of student experiences

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (20) ◽  
pp. 1190-1197
Author(s):  
Pam Hodge ◽  
Nora Cooper ◽  
Brian P Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Student Nurses ◽  
Risk Assessments ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Collection Strategies

Aims: To offer child health student nurses a broader learning experience in practice with an autonomous choice of a volunteer placement area. To reflect the changing nature of health care and the move of care closer to home in the placement experience. To evaluate participants' experiences. Design: This study used descriptive and interpretative methods of qualitative data collection. This successive cross-sectional data collection ran from 2017 to 2020. All data were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke's model. Methods: Data collection strategies included two focus groups (n=14) and written reflections (n=19). Results: Students identified their increased confidence, development as a professional, wider learning and community engagement. They also appreciated the relief from formal assessment of practice and the chance to focus on the experience. Conclusion: Students positively evaluated this experience, reporting a wider understanding of health and wellbeing in the community. Consideration needs to be given to risk assessments in the areas students undertake the placements and the embedding of the experience into the overall curriculum.

Effects of Hurricanes on Emergency Department Utilization: An Analysis Across 7 US Storms

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Kevin C Heslin ◽  
Marguerite L Barrett ◽  
Molly Hensche ◽  
Gary Pickens ◽  
Jeanne S Ringel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Emergency Department Utilization ◽  
Disease Category ◽  
Preparedness Planning ◽  
Emergency Managers ◽  
Planning Processes ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Population Rate

ABSTRACT Objective: Emergency departments (EDs) are critical sources of care after natural disasters such as hurricanes. Understanding the impact on ED utilization by subpopulation and proximity to the hurricane’s path can inform emergency preparedness planning. This study examines changes in ED utilization for residents of 344 counties after the occurrence of 7 US hurricanes between 2005 and 2016. Methods: This retrospective observational study used ED data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases and State Emergency Department Databases. ED utilization rates for weeks during and after hurricanes were compared with pre-hurricane rates, stratified by the proximity of the patient county to the hurricane path, age, and disease category. Results: The overall population rate of weekly ED visits changed little post-hurricane, but rates by disease categories and age demonstrated varying results. Utilization rates for respiratory disorders exhibited the largest post-hurricane increase, particularly 2–3 weeks following the hurricane. The change in population rates by disease categories and age tended to be larger for people residing in counties closer to the hurricane path. Conclusions: Changes in ED utilization following hurricanes depend on disease categories, age, and proximity to the hurricane path. Emergency managers could incorporate these factors into their planning processes.

Nongovernmental Resources to Support Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

2013 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 348-353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joie D. Acosta ◽  
Anita Chandra ◽  
Jeanne S. Ringel
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Response And Recovery ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Disaster Preparedness And Response ◽  
Local Levels

AbstractObjectiveAlthough recent emergencies or disasters have underscored the vital role of nongovernmental (NGO) resources, they remain not well understood or leveraged. We intended to develop an assets framework that identifies relevant NGO resources for disaster preparedness and response that can be used to assess their availability at state and local levels.MethodsWe conducted a search of peer-reviewed publications to identify existing asset frameworks, and reviewed policy documents and gray literature to identify roles of NGOs in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. A standardized data abstraction form was used to organize the results by NGO sector.ResultsWe organized NGO assets into 5 categories: competencies, money, infrastructure or equipment, services, relationships, and data for each of the 11 sectors designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the 2011 preparedness capabilities.ConclusionsOur findings showed that the capacity of each sector to capture data on each asset type needs strengthening so that data can be merged for just-in-time analysis to indicate where additional relief is needed. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;0:1–6)

scholarly journals Lessons Learned in Clinical Trial Communication During an Ebola Outbreak: The Implementation of STRIVE

2018 ◽  
Vol 217 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S40-S47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Callis ◽  
Victoria M Carter ◽  
Aparna Ramakrishnan ◽  
Alison P Albert ◽  
Lansana Conteh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Human Subjects ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Community Acceptance ◽  
Institutional Review ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Communication contributed to 4 important aspects of the Sierra Leone Trial to Introduce a Vaccine Against Ebola (STRIVE): recruiting participants, supporting Human Subjects Protection, building trust in the community to support the trial, and mitigating the impact of rumors and misinformation. Communication was particularly important because STRIVE was Sierra Leone’s first vaccine clinical trial and was implemented during a public health emergency. Communication efforts began months prior to trial launch, building awareness and support through sensitization sessions with stakeholders and community leaders. Community engagement activities continued throughout the trial to maintain relationships with leaders and stakeholders and disseminate accurate information, fostering trust in the trial. The communication team led recruitment with hundreds of information sessions for potential participants, facilitating the informed consent process. Communication efforts continued post-enrollment, supporting ongoing voluntary participation in the trial. Informal formative activities during the trial yielded insights on participants’ perceptions and information needs. While Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Institutional Review Board–approved activities and materials did not change, this flexible strategy allowed for responsive interactions with participants. The trial success and its community acceptance illustrated STRIVE’s successful communications efforts, owing in large part to this flexibility and commitment to community engagement. Clinical Trials Registration ClinicalTrials.gov [NCT02378753] and Pan African Clinical Trials Registry [PACTR201502001037220].

scholarly journals The role of midwives in improving breastfeeding practices in protracted crises: The Gaza Strip example

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandro Iellamo ◽  
Emily Monaghan ◽  
Samar AL Moghany ◽  
Jonathan Latham ◽  
Nihal Nassereddin
Keyword(s):  
Breast Milk ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Security Officers ◽  
Breastfeeding Practices ◽  
Service Training ◽  
The Gaza Strip ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: The protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding is the most effective intervention to prevent child morbidity and mortality in all contexts. During the Palestine-Israel conflict that started in the middle of the 20th century, healthcare services are understaffed and lack basic resources, with frequent power cuts and stock-outs of essential drugs and equipment. This case study seeks to answer the questions: (1) How does the protracted crisis in Gaza affect the breastfeeding practices of the most vulnerable population; and (2) What is the role that midwives can play in improving breastfeeding practices?A mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) study was used to collect data. A total of 1044 respondents had a child less than 24 months at the time of the study. A total of 62.75 percent practice early initiation of breastfeeding and 42 percent confirmed that their new-borns were given liquids other than breast milk during the first three days of life. Fifty percent of mothers addressed breast milk insufficiency by drinking additional fluids and 40 percent by using infant formula. Discussion:This study confirms the need to a) implement the IYCF-E operational guidance in the Gaza strip and b) review the pre-service and in-service training for midwives. For vulnerable populations in humanitarian contexts, the impact of this cannot be underestimated. Conducting research in humanitarian settings is particularly challenging. Our experience included integration and linkage with international organizations security officers on the ground, co-ordination of activities with authorities and communities, regular supportive supervision during data collection, allocation of buffer days and geographical areas and in-country and remote assistance to data collection teams Conclusions:This research focuses on a protracted emergency in insecure populated areas. The unpredictable security situation meant that the team adopted a flexible approach during data collection. Lessons learned throughout this process include the importance of a) allocating additional research time, to account for potential interruption b) daily coordination with security officers to ensure safe access to localities c) identification of extra sites, in case escalation of conflict d) training of additional enumerators in case conflict escalation e) negotiation with authorities to ensure compliance with requirements.

scholarly journals Examining Caregiver-Resident Communication and Apathy in Dementia in Nursing Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 310-310
Author(s):  
Diane Berish ◽  
Yo-Jen Liao ◽  
Marie Boltz ◽  
Ying-Ling Jao
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Vital Component ◽  
Communication Approach ◽  
The Impact

Abstract This presentation shares lessons learned from conducting a study examining the impact of staff caregivers’ communication approach on apathy in residents with dementia in nursing homes. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this study had to be paused and required major revisions to continue, which resulted in significant delays and increased expenses. Additionally, this study required in-person data collection and video recordings to capture staff caregivers’ communication with residents with dementia during caregiving activities. However, due to the pandemic, nursing home residents’ daily routines have been significantly changed, making it challenging to capture the nature of caregiver-resident interactions. Furthermore, using masks created unforeseen barriers for capturing communication between staff caregivers and residents including difficulties in identifying residents’ facial expressions, which are a vital component of assessing apathy. The presentation describes approaches to communication with founders, collaborators, and clinical sites and discusses strategies to recruit participants and conduct data collection.

Violence Against Healthcare Workers

2021 ◽  
pp. 137-170
Author(s):  
Raleigh Blasdell ◽  
Michelle Kilburn ◽  
Laura Krieger-Sample ◽  
Rhiannon Oakes
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Violent Behaviors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Collection Strategies

The focus of this chapter is violence against healthcare workers. Issues surrounding inconsistent definitions, various data collection strategies, and concerns of underreporting will be discussed. The prevalence of violence in regard to locations, perpetrators, and types of violence, as well as risk factors for violent behaviors will be identified. An examination of the impact of violence in this setting and current responses or strategies to address and prevent such violence concludes the chapter.

Lessons Learnt from Communication for Disaster Preparedness: A Study on Six Survivors from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami 2011

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 879-886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Faiz Shah ◽  
◽  
Parves Sultan ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Situational Awareness ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Case Study Research ◽  
Tohoku Earthquake ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Great East Japan Earthquake ◽  
The Impact

Communication is a primary challenge in response to natural and man-made disasters. The purpose of this study is to determine the forms of communications that played a critical role in disaster preparedness during the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami (Tohoku earthquake). The study used a case study research method and included six informants following the purposive sampling technique. Data was collected through unstructured in-depth interviews. The findings suggest that communication in all forms played a vital role in disaster preparedness. In the survivor’s view, however, the impact of broadcast media in establishing situational awareness was limited. Local disaster management efforts, such as, “on call,” or emergency measures, such as, personnel and trucks with communication systems, mobile phone alarms, and sirens were viewed by survivors as useful in transmitting unambiguous, specific messages in a demanding tsunami context. In particular, the study demonstrates that residents’ trust in risk/disaster related messages and mediums play vital roles in subsequent behaviour/response to natural disasters.

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