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Wolkin Amy

The role of public health in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from emergencies has expanded as a result of the massive impact recent disasters have had on affected populations. Nearly every large-scale disaster carries substantial public health risk and requires a response that addresses immediate effects of the disaster on a population (e.g., mass casualties and severe injuries, lack of shelter in severe weather), as well as subsequent secondary physical effects (e.g., carbon monoxide poisoning due to improper operation or location of carbon monoxide-producing devices such as generators) and emotional effects (e.g., grief, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder) caused by the disaster. Disaster epidemiology has been identified as an evolving field that integrates a variety of data sources and technological and geospatial resources to expedite reporting and to increase the accuracy of information collected and used by emergency planners and incident managers. As the national organization that supports the activities of applied epidemiologists in state, tribal, local, territorial, and federal public health agencies, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) assembled a Disaster Epidemiology Subcommittee of public health experts and practitioners from diverse fields of applied epidemiology to discuss the use of epidemiologic methods in all phases of the disaster management cycle. In 2012, the Subcommittee assessed state-level disaster epidemiology capacity with a focus on surveillance. 

Objective

The panel will discuss the current status of disaster surveillance capabilities at local and state health departments in the United States and will provide an overview of current resources available to epidemiologists for surveillance.

Submitted by elamb on

The National Poison Data System (NPDS) is maintained and operated by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) for the analysis, visualization, and reporting of call data from all 61 regional poison centers (PCs) in cooperation with CDC's National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH). NCEH collaborates with AAPCC toxicologists using NPDS to facilitate early recognition and monitoring of illness due to intentional or unintentional chemical or toxin exposures. NPDS algorithms identify statistically significant increases in callers' reported signs and symptoms - 131 clinical effects (CEs) such as rash and diarrhea - for detection of national poison exposure anomalies. Each day AAPCC toxicologists make decisions about NPDS anomalies' public health importance. Regional PCs are contacted as required for additional information about potentially important anomalies. NPDS also allows for individual case tracking through user-defined 'case-based definitions.' This additional method is especially useful during an outbreak when the agent and/or symptoms of affected persons are known.

Referenced File
Submitted by elamb on

For its September 2010 meeting, the ISDS Public Health Practice Committee hosted a special presentation on disaster surveillance in American Samoa as a part of its ongoing disaster surveillance series. The talk, entitled, "Disaster Surveillance: American Samoa Tsunami Response, Use of CDC's Surveillance and Assessment Tools for Natural Disaster," was given by Amy Schnall, Project Coordinator for the Disaster Surveillance Workgroup at CDC. Ms. Schnall filled in for Amy F. Wolkin, MSPH, who gave a similar talk at this year's CSTE conference.

Presenter

Synthetic cannabinoids include various psychoactive chemicals that are sprayed onto plant material, which is then smoked or ingested to achieve a “high.” These products are sold under a variety of names (e.g., synthetic marijuana, spice, K2, black mamba, and crazy clown) and are sold in retail outlets as herbal products and are often labeled not for human consumption. Law enforcement agencies regulate many of these substances; however, manufacturers may frequently change the formulation and mask their intended purpose to avoid detection and regulation.

On April 6, 2015, automated surveillance algorithms via surveillance through the National Poison Data System (NPDS), a web-based surveillance system of all calls to United States (US) poison centers (PCs), identified an increase in calls to PCs related to synthetic cannabinoid use. To identify risk factors and adverse health effects, CDC analyzed all calls to PCs about synthetic cannabinoid use from January to May, 2015.

Objective

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed all calls to poison centers about synthetic cannabinoid use from January to May 2015 to identify risk factors and adverse health effects related to this emerging public health threat.

Submitted by teresa.hamby@d… on

During all phases of the disaster management cycle, PH surveillance plays a valuable role. Surveillance provides PH officials and stakeholders the information they need to respond to disasters and take action in an appropriate and timely manner. Despite the fact that surveillance provides a valuable function in disasters, a study by the Disaster Epidemiology Subcommittee of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) found that there are still significant differences, across states, in their use of disaster surveillance. Further, there is no standardized guidance on implementing or modifying surveillance for a domestic disaster. This document seeks to fill this gap, providing guidance on planning, initiating, conducting, and evaluating disaster PH surveillance in the U.S.

Objective

Our objectives are to describe and receive feedback on a disaster surveillance guidance document that can be used by state and local health departments, to fill the gaps in public health (PH) disaster morbidity and mortality surveillance.

Submitted by teresa.hamby@d… on

Disaster epidemiology (i.e., applied epidemiology in disaster settings) presents a source of reliable and actionable information for decision-makers and stakeholders in the disaster management cycle. However, epidemiological methods have yet to be routinely integrated into disaster response and fully communicated to response leaders.

Submitted by uysz on
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