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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
J. Michael Oakes, PhD, Division of Epidemiology, University of Minnesota, 1300 South 2nd Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454 and Rebecca Shapack, MPH, National Association of County and City Health Officials, 1100 17th Street, NW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20036, 202/783-5550, oakes@epi.umn.edu.
It has been estimated that each year 76 million persons experience foodborne illnesses, and 5, 000 food-related deaths occur in the United States. In localities across the country, ensuring safe food stands out as a principle environmental health responsibility of the Local Public Health Agency (LPHA). According the National Association of County and City Health Official’s (NACCHO) 1992-1993 National Profile of Local Health Departments, and a subsequent 1997 survey, food safety activities are most commonly cited among the “environmental health services” which the LHD provides. Most often the LHD is responsible for inspections and/or licensing of restaurants and food and milk control. Recognizing the need for improving local environmental health effectiveness, the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) partnered with NACCHO to conduct a five-year project. The first two years have focused on assessing current activities, abilities and needs at the local level around food protection. The assessment consisted of a mailed survey to randomly selected LPHAs and focus group discussions with health officials. The key findings included the needs and weaknesses of LPHA’s food safety programs. They consisted of lack of training, funding, staff, staff retention, technology and equipment. The findings also identified issues with regulatory loopholes and complexities. The coming three years will build on research findings and will focus on addressing gaps and implementing programs to build local capacity for reducing foodborne illness. Current efforts and accomplishments, including NACCHO’s food safety action plan, will be described.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Environmental Health, Workforce
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.