scholarly journals Local Government Approaches to Combating COVID-19 Inequities: A Durham County Department of Public Health Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (12) ◽  
pp. 6544
Author(s):  
Kristen Burwell-Naney ◽  
Marissa Mortiboy ◽  
John-Paul Zitta ◽  
Elizabeth Stevens ◽  
Kristen Patterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Health Inequities ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Local Health Department ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Emergencies

When a novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) made major headlines in 2020, it further exposed an existing public health crisis related to inequities within our communities and health care delivery system. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, populations of color had higher infection and mortality rates, and even experienced greater disease severity compared to whites. Populations of color often bear the brunt of COVID-19 and other health inequities, due to the multifaceted relationship between systemic racism and the social determinants of health. As this relationship continues to perpetuate health inequities, the local health department is an agency that has the jurisdiction and responsibility to prevent disease and protect the health of the communities they serve. When equity is integrated into a health department’s operational infrastructure as a disease prevention strategy, it can elevate the agency’s response to public health emergencies. Collecting, reporting, and tracking demographic data that is necessary to identify inequities becomes a priority to facilitate a more robust public health response. The purpose of this paper is to present strategies of how a local health department operationalized equity in various stages of COVID-19 response and apply these methods to future public health emergencies to better serve vulnerable communities.

The Role of EMS Systems in Public Health Emergencies

1997 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara A. McIntosh ◽  
Patricia Hinds ◽  
Lorraine M. Giordano
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Definitive Treatment ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Pneumonic Plague ◽  
Notification System ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Isolation Facilities

AbstractIntroduction:Until now, the public health response to the threat of an epidemic has involved coordination of efforts between federal agencies, local health departments, and individual hospitals, with no defined role for prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) providers.Methods:Representatives from the local health department, hospital consortium, and prehospital EMS providers developed an interim plan for dealing with an epidemic alert. The plan allowed for the prehospital use of appropriate isolation procedures, prophylaxis of personnel, and predesignation of receiving hospitals for patients suspected of having infection. Additionally, a dual notification system utilizing an EMS physician and a representative from the Office of Infectious Diseases from the hospital group was implemented to ensure that all potential cases were captured. Initially, the plan was employed only for those cases arising from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCJ/Public Health Service (PHS) quarantine unit at the airport, but its use later was expanded to include all potential cases within the 9–1–1 system.Results:In the two test situations in which it was employed, the plan incorporating the prehospital EMS sector worked well and extended the “surveillance net” further into the community. During the Pneumonic Plague alert, EMS responded to the quarantine facilities at the airport five times and transported two patients to isolation facilities. Two additional patients were identified and transported to isolation facilities from calls within the 9–1–1 system. In all four isolated cases, Pneumonic Plague was ruled out. During the Ebola alert, no potential cases were identified.Conclusion:The incorporation of the prehospital sector into an already existing framework for public health emergencies (i.e., epidemics), enhances the reach of the public safety surveillance net and ensure that proper isolation is continued from identification of a possible case to arrival at a definitive treatment facility.

An intervention for enhancing public health crisis response willingness among local health department workers: A qualitative programmatic analysis

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista L. Harrison, PhD ◽  
Nicole A. Errett, MSPH ◽  
Lainie Rutkow, JD, PhD, MPH ◽  
Carol B. Thompson, MS, MBA ◽  
Marilyn K. Anderson, MHE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Crisis Response ◽  
Local Health Department ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis

scholarly journals Participation in local health department investigations by public health student teams.

1988 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 717-717
Author(s):  
H S Teitelbaum ◽  
J McLaughlin ◽  
L Barnaby ◽  
A Paskilas ◽  
S Helgerson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Local Health Department ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Student Teams

scholarly journals Are Public Health Organizations Tweeting to the Choir? Understanding Local Health Department Twitter Followership

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jenine K Harris ◽  
Bechara Choucair ◽  
Ryan C Maier ◽  
Nina Jolani ◽  
Jay M Bernhardt
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Local Health Department ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Organizations ◽  
Public Health Organizations

Leveraging Limited Resources Through Cross-Jurisdictional Sharing: Influences on Breastfeeding Rates

2020 ◽  
pp. 089033442096363
Author(s):  
M. Elizabeth Gyllstrom ◽  
Marcia Burton McCoy ◽  
Gianfranco Pezzini ◽  
Adam Atherly
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Relative Rate ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
Local Health Department ◽  
Breastfeeding Initiation ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Health Departments ◽  
Health Boards

Background Cross-jurisdictional sharing is gaining traction as an option for increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of public health services in local health departments. Research aim Assess whether breastfeeding initiation among participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children changed with the addition of a trained breastfeeding specialist funded by cross-jurisdictional integration. Methods A longitudinal retrospective comparative difference in difference design using state-based program data, pre- and post-integration was undertaken. Three local county health departments ( n = 5) that fully integrated into one Community Health Board during January 2015, and four neighboring Community Health Boards ( n = 4) that did not integrate, were included. Results Controlling for confounders and interactions, the relative rate of change over time in breastfeeding initiation rates was greater in the integrated jurisdiction than neighboring Community Health Boards, but not statistically significant. When the integrated Community Health Board’s original three local health departments were considered separately, the relative rate of change over time in breastfeeding rates was greater for one local health department in comparison to three neighbor Community Health Boards ( p = .037, .048, and .034, respectively). Conclusions The addition of a specialized breastfeeding nutritionist led to improved breastfeeding initiation rates. The increase was significant only in the largest original local health department, which also had the lowest breastfeeding initiation rate pre-merger. The greatest positive change was seen in this local health department where the specialist staff was physically located. Public health staff specialization can lead to increases in economic efficiency and in improved delivery of public health services.

scholarly journals The Impacts of Local Health Department Consolidation on Public Health Expenditures: Evidence From Ohio

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (S2) ◽  
pp. S174-S180 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Hoornbeek ◽  
Michael E. Morris ◽  
Matthew Stefanak ◽  
Joshua Filla ◽  
Rohit Prodhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Expenditures ◽  
Health Department ◽  
Local Health Department ◽  
Local Health ◽  
Public Health Expenditures
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