153905 Public-private partnerships and outreach by Local Public Health Agencies to enhance pandemic flu preparedness

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Jeanette L. Kowalik, MPH , College of Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Paul A. Biedrzycki, MPH, MBA , Health Department, City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Angela Hagy, MSPH , Health Department, City of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI
Shay Sanford, BA , Community Advocates, Milwaukee, WI
Pandemic influenza preparedness demands a new model for community planning to effectively mitigate widespread illness and death and minimize social and economic disruption. The City of Milwaukee Health Department (MHD) conducted a community needs assessment to permit comprehensive pandemic flu planning and also targeted outreach to private sector businesses to stimulate coordination with Local Public Health Agencies (LPHA).

MHD partnered with Community Advocates (CA), a community based organization to conduct small group sessions to: (1) test the community's knowledge of pandemic flu; (2) audience test outreach material; and (3) provide general awareness about pandemic flu. In addition, the MHD held a Pandemic Flu Business Summit and conducted individual presentations to large corporations, Executive Boards and professional organizations to stimulate discussion and coordination of community-wide mitigation strategies.

The results of the small group sessions provided the MHD valuable insight as to the public's perception of health risk, medical care and treatment preferences, financial burden associated with isolation and quarantine and culturally appropriate community and media venues. For example, respondents claimed they would be unable to voluntarily shelter in place for 2 weeks or more without employer sick leave benefits. The business presentations provided insight into private sector concerns and assets necessary to maintain critical infrastructure within the community.

It is essential that LPHAs promote and incorporate various non-profit and private sector organizations in pandemic influenza planning to ensure development of a comprehensive, coordinated and effective response strategy prior to pandemic influenza occurrence.

Learning Objectives:
Describe the strength of public-private partnerships including coordination with community based organizations and private sector businesses as related to pandemic influenza planning within a multi-cultural/socioeconomic community. Recognize the benefit of diverse small group community sessions, and how this input effectively contributes to successful community level needs assessments related to public health emergency preparedness. Identify individual barriers and challenges for businesses, families and individuals in complying with public health recommendations and interventions that may be implemented during a pandemic influenza. Understand the importance of community and business sector engagement in public policy development and benefits in reducing barriers to public health compliance during emergency events including pandemic influenza.

Keywords: Partnerships, Community Health Planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Medicine: Poster Session
See more of: Community Health Planning and Policy Development