 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Anne T. Fidler, ScD, Public Health Practice Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 715 Albany Street, Talbot, C-207, Boston, MA 02118, 617-638-4647, afidler@bu.edu and Pomeroy Sinnock, PhD, PHPPO, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, Atlanta, GA 30341.
The events of September 11, 2001 and the subsequent anthrax outbreaks highlighted the need for a robust public health system, particularly at the local level, that is well-equipped for the early detection of evidence of bioterrorism and other public health emergencies, and for effective response should an emergency occur. As part of a U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ) project to develop an integrated statewide assessment of emergency response activities, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its public health partners developed an assessment tool to assist states and local public health systems to determine their ability to detect and respond rapidly and effectively to biological and chemical agents and other acute public health emergencies. From July 2000 through February 2002, approximately 2000 local health departments, working with other members of their community, such as fire and police departments and hospitals, from 56 states and territories completed the assessment. Results will provide a national overview of the level of local public health preparedness for 80 specific capacities across the Ten Essential Services of Public Health and identify gaps in preparedness. Results will also report an assessment of the association between level of preparedness, as defined by percent of capacities for which jurisdictions perform at or less than 60 percent, and potential determinants of preparedness, e.g., population level, size and type of local public health system, geographic region, urban vs. rural jurisdiction, level of overall capabilities of the health department, and composition and integration of the assessment team.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will be able to
Keywords: Bioterrorism, Public Health Infrastructure
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.