Topic:

Epidemiology and public health

Abstract No.:

ISE.381

Title:

Public health response networks for infectious disease threats: a survey of urgent public health events in the United States

Author(s):

J. Hunter, J. Yang, A. Crawley, T. Aragon; University of California, Berkeley, Center for Infectious Diseases and Emergency Readiness, Berkeley, CA/US

Abstract:

Background: While large-scale disasters and emergencies occur infrequently, urgent public health events such as infectious disease outbreaks, present many opportunities to learn about public health preparedness and response systems.By building upon recent experiences of local health departments in the United States, this research describes the networks of organizations and agencies that contribute to key public health response activities, such as epidemiology and surveillance, laboratory testing, environmental investigations, and risk communications.  By characterizing these networks, we identify key commonalities and differences in public health responses to a wide range of urgent infectious disease threats.
Methods: As part of this ongoing research, we conducted semi-structured interviews with key representatives of local public health departments. We measured response activities using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Public Health Emergency Preparedness framework, which describes fifteen distinct sets of public health functions.  Health departments were selected to ensure a wide range of urgent public health events. Network diagrams were developed based on the type and level of organizational involvement in these core public health activities.
Results: A dynamic display of network diagrams for each type of public health urgent event will be presented, which highlight the similarities and differences in the organizational composition of the public health system in response to a variety of threats, including foodborne illness, vector-borne diseases, and healthcare-associated infections.
Conclusion: Local public health agencies must work with a wide range of organizational partners in order to effectively response to infectious disease outbreaks.  However, the type of organizations and their level of involvement can vary quite widely, ranging from healthcare facilities, to food and drug regulators, to agricultural agencies, to law enforcement.  This research illustrates how public health systems differ based on the characteristics of the outbreak or urgent event. These findings can be used to inform future public health preparedness and response efforts.