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Health Regulations

Description

Political discourse surrounding matters of public health is exigent because human life is at stake this is unquestionably the case with respect to widespread opioid addiction. While intravenous drug use itself is described as a health concern, the spread of diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV through the sharing of needles is a disease surveillance emergency. This research centers on municipal-level decision making in the community of greater Lafayette, Indiana. Here, the mayors of sister cities West Lafayette and Lafayette hold different positions regarding a clean needle exchange program operated by the county health department.

Objective: This abstract proposes a poster presentation aimed at explaining rhetorical framing as a technique for articulating and identifying cases in healthchare policy.

Submitted by elamb on
Description

Foodborne illnesses sicken 48 million and kill 3,000 Americans every year, presenting an enduring threat to the public’s health. In just the past three years alone, the United States has experienced at least four major multistate outbreaks in food. Despite this growing problem, efforts to prevent foodborne illness pose a particular public health challenge due in part to the widely variable laws governing foodborne illness surveillance and outbreak response. The recent passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) presents an opportunity for researchers, program managers, and policy makers to assess and correct the legal barriers that may hinder states in effectively implementing the FSMA’s vision with regard to increased state and local capacity for surveillance and outbreak response.

 

Objective

To document and assess the variation in state legislation relating to foodborne disease surveillance and outbreak response for all 50 states and the District of Columbia by creating a database and appendix of laws and regulations that will be made available to researchers and policymakers.

Submitted by hparton on
Description

Under the revised International Health Regulations (IHR [2005]) one of the eight core capacities is public health surveillance. In May 2012, despite a concerted effort by the global community, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported out that a significant number of member states would not achieve targeted capacity in the IHR (2005) surveillance core capacity. Currently, there is no model to identify and measure these gaps in surveillance performance. Likewise, there is no toolset to assess interventions by cost and estimate the ROI. We developed a new conceptual framework that: (1) described the work practices to achieve effective and efficient public health surveillance; (2) could identify impediments or gaps in performance; and (3) will assist program managers in decision making.

Objective

To conceive and develop a model to identify gaps in public health surveillance performance and provide a toolset to assess interventions, cost, and return on investment (ROI).

Submitted by teresa.hamby@d… on

Each year, Trust for America’s Health releases A Funding Crisis for Public Health and Safety: State-by-State and Federal Public Health Funding Facts and Recommendations to examine level of federal and state public health funding that each state receives. This review also provides policymakers and communities with an independent analysis of how their communities protect their health; encourages transparency and accountability; and recommends strategies to modernize the nation’s public health system.

The report includes eight key recommendations:

Submitted by ctong on
Description

In January 2016, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), serving 24 Member States(MS), began executing a regional Tourism and Health program (THP), recognizing that the health of Caribbean economies is closely related to the health of its tourism industry since the Caribbean is most tourism-dependent region in the world; that tourism is vulnerable to health, safety and environmental (HSE) threats; and that travel and tourism impacted on global health security. High and increasing visitors to the Caribbean can increase the health, safety and security risks by the introduction and spread of diseases, by both residents and visitors. This was exemplified by the H1N1 pandemic (2009), Chikungunya (2013), and the recent Zika epidemic. However, even though more people visit the Caribbean than reside, there is no regional visitor/tourism surveillance system. There is also no regional mandate and policy for the reporting of visitor/tourism illnesses. This coupled with inadequate training, lack of standards and collaboration between tourism health stakeholders have contributed to disease spread. The THP is an innovative, multifaceted, integrated, regional program with components of a web based real time Tourism and Health Information Surveillance and Response system (THiS), food safety and environmental sanitation training, standards and multisectoral health and tourism partnerships. It aims to promote the health, safety and security of Caribbean visitors and residents. The THP is novel in that it involves the implementation of a non- traditional, health information and surveillance system (visitor based illnesses), new data users (private sector, hotels, passenger ships, visitors), new partners (tourism sector) and at regional level. Given the novelty and the multisectoral nature of the THP, a critical factor to support its implementation and sustainability was the development of regional mandate and policy to facilitate real time surveillance and response to detect and reduce the spread of illness.

Objective:

The Regional Tourism and Health program (THP) is a novel program, comprising of a tourism surveillance system, training, standards and multisectoral partnerships. The objective was to develop regional mandate and policy to support this new program and its non-traditional surveillance system.

Submitted by elamb on
Description

The outbreak of infectious diseases with a propensity to spread across international boundaries is on an upward rise. Such outbreaks can be devastating with significant associated morbidity and mortality. The recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in West Africa which spread to Nigeria is an example. Nigeria like several other African countries implements the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system as its method for achieving the International Health Regulations (IHR). Yet, compliance to the IDSR is questioned. This study seeks to investigate the legal instruments in place and the factors affecting performance of the disease surveillance in the country.

Objective:

Assess the legal framework establishing disease surveillance in Nigeria and identify major factors affecting the performance of the surveillance system.

Submitted by elamb on
Description

As syndromic surveillance reporting became an optional activity under Meaningful Use Stage 3 and incentive funds are slated to end completely in 2021, Washington State sought to protect syndromic reporting from emergency departments. As of December 2016, Washington State emergency departments had received $765,335,529.40 in incentive funding, with facilities receiving an average of three payments of $479,974.04 each.1 Considering the public health importance of syndromic surveillance reporting and the fiscal impact of mandatory reporting, the Washington State Department of Health (WA DOH) sought a new statute to require reporting from all emergency departments within the state.

Objective:

To protect syndromic surveillance data reporting from emergency departments in Washington State beyond the cessation of Meaningful Use incentive funding in 2021.

Submitted by elamb on
Description

Preventing communicable disease spread is a primary objective for public health (PH). Reaching contagious people in a timely manner is essential to limit disease spread. Notifying patients of their infectious status also serves as an official reminder of social and legal responsibilities. The Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) sends disease information and Notice of Privacy Practices to patients using the United States Postal Service (USPS). We examined communicable disease cases with undelivered mail to ascertain failure causes and rates.

Objective

Explore causes of undelivered letters sent by public health departments to patients with communicable diseases.

Submitted by teresa.hamby@d… on
Description

In 1969, the Twenty-Second World Health Assembly revised and consolidated the International Sanitary Regulations into what is known today as the International Health Regulations (IHR). The IHR promote a global collaboration to prepare for, respond to, and prevent the spread of infectious disease and other public health threats. In 2005, the IHR was once again reviewed and expanded to address the increasing threat of emerging infectious disease due to globalization and urbanization. 195 State Parties agreed to adopt and implement IHR (2005); however, as of May 2013, over 100 of these States still had not yet met the eight core capacities outlined in the IHR (2005). In February 2014, the Obama administration launched the Global Health Security Agenda with the aim of moving toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats. The Global Health Security Agenda offers a path forward to support countries in achieving the core capacities of the IHR. APHL proposes leveraging the distributed structure of the US managed Laboratory Response Network for Biological Threats Preparedness (LRN-B) to develop the core capacity of laboratory testing and to fulfill the laboratory strengthening component of the Global Health Security Agenda. The LRN supports five of the eight core capacities and could serve as a model for State Parties lacking resources and an implementation plan. The LRN, founded in 1999 by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), is a specialized network of laboratories that are capable of an all-hazard response to a variety public health threats. Leveraging LRN assets internationally would provide a standardized approach toward IHR (2005) implementation and ensure a global collaboration to defend against public health threats.

Objective

To promote the Laboratory Response Network (LRN) as a model that supports global health initiatives, strengthens worldwide laboratory systems, and advances international partnerships to prepare for and respond to infectious disease threats.

Submitted by teresa.hamby@d… on