scholarly journals The Public Health Engineer in a Small County Health Unit

1942 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-274
Author(s):  
Herbert H. Hasson
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
The Public

scholarly journals A commentary on a flawed public health investigation

2021 ◽  
Vol 47 (11) ◽  
pp. 500-502
Author(s):  
John Hardie
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
The Public ◽  
Dental Patients ◽  
Dental Origin ◽  
Look Back ◽  
Realistic Assessment ◽  
Dental Practices ◽  
False Premise

The possibility of hepatitis C being transmitted between dental patients was the genesis of an extensive and expensive look-back investigation conducted by an Ontario Public Health Unit. This investigation was performed with a minimal knowledge of nosocomial infections of dental origin, an enthusiastic reliance on untested checklist indicators and an absence of any of the criteria justifying such an investigation. As a consequence, the entire exercise was based on the false premise that an infection control lapse had occurred. This commentary will address these flaws, and other aspects of the Public Health Unit’s response that detracted from its credibility. The provision of a realistic assessment of disease transmission in dentistry should result in Public Health Units conducting informed and mutually beneficial inspections of dental practices.

scholarly journals Your call is important to us: COVID-19 and trends in Public Health Unit call service utilization

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Zachary B Horn ◽  
Alexandra M Uren ◽  
Megan K Young
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Service Utilization ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Case Definitions ◽  
Public Health Unit ◽  
Mixed Methods Approach ◽  
The Public ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Phone Service

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE Analyze COVID-19 related call data at Metro North Public Health Unit, Brisbane Australia, over the 2020 calendar year to assist surge preparedness. METHODS Call data was retrieved by call category or reference to ‘COVID’ in summaries from the call management system at a large metropolitan public health service. Under a mixed-methods approach, qualitative data (caller, call purpose, and call outcome) was categorized with categories arising de novo. Resulting variables were numerically analyzed to identify trends by categories and time. RESULTS Of the 3,468 calls retrieved, 160 duplicates and 26 irrelevant calls were excluded. Of 3,282 included calls, General Practitioners, followed by the public, contributed the greatest call volumes. Healthcare-related callers and the public made 84.2% of calls. Calls most frequently related to patient testing (40.7%) and isolation/quarantine (23.2%). Education provision accounted for 29.4% of all outcomes. 11.8% of all call outcomes involved applying relevant case definitions. 49.1% of calls were identified as potentially preventable through effective ERC and targeted call-handling. CONCLUSIONS This study identified key drivers of public health unit phone service utilization related to the COVID-19 pandemic throughout 2020. The results highlighted where risk perception influenced call volume and provided important insights for future public health preparedness.

scholarly journals Tuberculosis at Public Health Unit of Santa Maria da Feira and Arouca (Portugal)

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Fernandes ◽  
L Reina
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Incidence Rate ◽  
National Level ◽  
Smear Microscopy ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Notification Rate ◽  
Public Health Unit ◽  
The Public ◽  
Positive Smear ◽  
Santa Maria

Abstract Introduction In the last decade Portugal has seen a decrease of about 40% in the notification and incidence rate of tuberculosis, with incidence values below 20/100,000 inhabitants since 2015. In 2018, a notification rate estimated at a national level was 16,6/100,000 inhabitants and an incidence rate of 16.4/100,000 inhabitants. With this investigation we intend to I) determine the notification and incidence rate of tuberculosis at the Public Health Unit (PHU) of Santa Maria da Feira and Arouca (Portugal); II) analyze the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. Methods The confirmed cases of tuberculosis between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2019 were analyzed. Results 105 cases of tuberculosis were identified, most of them male (67%), aged between the 1 year and 94 years age (median: 52 years). About ⅓ of the patients were retired. Among the co-morbidities that constitute a risk for tuberculosis, we highlight COPD (7.6%), alcohol abuse (5.7%) and HIV (3.8%). The pulmonary location prevailed (81.9%). We emphasize that 52 cases had positive smear microscopy and 42 cases cavitation. From 2017 to 2019 we have a median of 61 days from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis. From 2015 to 2019, 4 cases with poly-resistance to isoniazid and streptomycin were identified. In 2019, the incidence rate tuberculosis was 12.5/100,000 inhabitants and the notification rate of 16.3/100,000 inhabitants. Conclusions The incidence and notification rate like the median between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis, by the public health unit (PHU), are below the national average. Regarding these results, we recommend that the strategy adopted by the PHU should be maintained. Key messages In the last decade Portugal has seen a decrease of about 40% in the notification and incidence rate of tuberculosis, with incidence values below 20/100,000 inhabitants since 2015. In 2019, the incidence rate tuberculosis at PHU was 12.5/100,000 inhabitants and the notification rate of 16.3/100,000 inhabitants.

scholarly journals Public health nursing: regulation and public health policies

2020 ◽  
Vol 73 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Maria dos Santos Lopes Monteiro da Cunha ◽  
Maria Adriana Pereira Henriques ◽  
Andreia Cátia Jorge Silva Costa
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
Public Health Nursing ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Public Health Unit ◽  
The Public ◽  
Community And Public Health ◽  
Health Nursing

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze regulation and public policies related to nursing and the specialist nurse in community and public health nursing. Methods: Analysis of the legal and normative framework of community and public health nursing in Portugal, as well as current public health policies, regarding the competences and intervention of this nurse, articulated with the attributions of the Public Health Unit. Results: The intervention of this nurse deserves a broad reflection, in the sense of maximizing the activities of community and public health, essential for the implementation of public policies and obtaining health gains. Final considerations: This nurse has competences foreseen in the regulations and standards for public health interventions, in line with the attributions of the Public Health Unit, of the National Health Service, in which specialties are identified for their performance in the current structure.

scholarly journals Profile of use of benzodiazepines and mental distress in patients cared in a public health unit

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 2090
Author(s):  
Livia De Oliveira Kawano ◽  
Edimar Cristiano Pereira ◽  
Glaucia Luciano da Veiga ◽  
Beatriz Da Costa Aguiar Alves ◽  
Ligia Ajaime Azzalis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Distress ◽  
Health Management ◽  
Health Condition ◽  
Term Treatment ◽  
Health Unit ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
The Public ◽  
Long Term Treatment

Background: Benzodiazepines are a class of drugs especially used in the treatment of insomnia and anxiety. The short-term use is considered safe, but the long-term treatment is associated with drug dependence and loss of efficacy due to the development of tolerance. Given the lack of mental health management services in primary healthcare, benzodiazepines have been prescribed to be used for undetermined periods of time, resulting in distress for patients and representing an important issue in the public health context.Methods: This is a transversal study with a descriptive quantitative approach, which aimed to characterize the profile of patients served by the Basic Health Unit Pharmacy Taboão in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil, and correlate the different studied variables with the mental distress of these patients. A questionnaire including demographic, socioeconomic and physical and mental health variables was applied to the pharmacy customers.Results: It was revealed that among female patients (p=0.042, β=0.61, 95% CI: 0.38-0.98), suicidal ideation (p<0.001, β=1.53, 95% CI: 1.22-1.92), perceptions regarding their own health condition (p<0.001, β=0.48, 95% CI: 0.34-0.67), occurrences of polypharmacy (p=0.137, β=1.19, 95% CI: 0.94-1.50), knowledge on the risks associated with the use of benzodiazepines (p=0.176, β=0.85, 95%CI: 0.067-1.07) and engagement in physical activities (p=0.685, β=0.93, 95% CI: 0.68-1.27) are significantly associated with mental distress.Conclusions: Therefore, after these findings were obtained, errors that contribute to the occurrence of this scenario were identified and possible strategies to deal with the issue were suggested.

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