244834 A critical evaluation of H1N1 2009 planning and response efforts from the perspective of child and family well-being

Wednesday, November 2, 2011: 11:06 AM

Miriam S. Silman, MSW , Center for the Study of Violence Against Children, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Andrew S. LaJoie, PhD, MSPH , Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, Louisville, KY
Ginny Sprang, PhD , Center for the Study of Violence Against Children, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
James J. Clark, PhD , College of Social Work; Center for Study of Violence against Children, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Phyllis Leigh, MSW, CSW , Center for the Study of Violence Against Children, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Candice Jackson , Center for the Study of Violence Against Children, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
The 2009 H1N1 pandemic was relatively mild but afforded Public Health the opportunity to implement and subsequently evaluate preparedness plans. This mixed methods study reports findings from analysis of public health response efforts throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada during H1N1 and SARS. Specifically, 2,608 respondents including parents and children, health care providers, public health professionals, behavioral health providers, ethicists and legal experts provided data through interviews, focus groups and surveys. In addition, content analyses of state pandemic plans and professional organization disaster guidelines were completed. Results showed that little a priori attention was given to the effects of disease mitigation efforts on children despite their high rate of infection. Moreover, these mitigation efforts produced unintended consequences of traumatic stress, confusion, noncompliance and resistance to medical advice. Children and their caregivers who were quarantined or isolated suffered rates of post-traumatic stress disorder similar to those after natural disaster. Inconsistent implementation of social distancing actions such as school closures led to parental confusion and noncompliance. Lack of behavioral health professional inclusion in the planning and response efforts hampered efforts to relieve stress. Legal and ethical questions such as those concerning mandatory vaccination of health care workers were hastily addressed. However, there were also numerous examples in which the public health response was creative and effective. Lessons learned and suggested best practices pertaining to the protection of the well-being of children and their families during a pandemic, are presented.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Identify the unintended consequences of preparedness planning on the well-being of children and families. Describe policies and practices that will reduce caregiver noncompliance and confusion, and increase positive preparedness and response outcomes.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was inolved in much of the data collection, data analysis, and writing processes.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

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.