32 results on '"Nicole A Errett"'
Search Results
2. Public Health Requirements and Authorities in State Statutory Disaster Recovery Law: A Cross-Sectional Legal Assessment.
- Author
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Pendergrast CB and Errett NA
- Subjects
- Cross-Sectional Studies, State Government, United States, Disaster Planning legislation & jurisprudence, Public Health legislation & jurisprudence
- Abstract
State statutory laws serve as a vital tool for public health entities to assist communities with recovery from disasters. However, no systematic assessment has examined the content of state law addressing disaster recovery or explored if and how the public health role is discussed in state law addressing disaster recovery. This study examined public health-related requirements, authorities, and activities in state disaster recovery laws. Nexis Uni, a legal database, was used to identify codified state statutory laws that authorize or require specific state or local public health entity actions, or set conditions where public health entity actions could be authorized/required, related to disaster recovery planning, implementation, or evaluation (ie, health disaster recovery laws). Disaster recovery laws were reviewed and coded to identify health-related requirements, authorities, and activities planned for recovery. Most states (n = 47) have disaster recovery laws, and 17 states were found to have 30 codified statutory health disaster recovery laws. Half (n = 15) of identified laws require a public health liaison to or representation on a recovery committee or other organization/body working on recovery planning or implementation activities. State disaster recovery laws have limited public health requirements, authorities, and activities. Further research is needed to assess the potential public health benefits of components of state law supporting public health involvement in disaster recovery. The development and dissemination of best practices or model laws and tools to provide opportunities for public health actors to inform recovery decision making may enhance the potential for health promotion during disaster recovery.
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Indicators to Guide and Monitor Climate Change Adaptation in the US Pacific Northwest.
- Author
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Doubleday A, Errett NA, Ebi KL, and Hess JJ
- Subjects
- Communication, Health Resources, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Northwestern United States, United States, Climate Change, Environmental Monitoring, Health Planning, Local Government, Public Health standards
- Abstract
Objectives. To develop a set of indicators to guide and monitor climate change adaptation in US state and local health departments. Methods. We performed a narrative review of literature on indicators of climate change adaptation and public health service capacity, mapped the findings onto activities grouped by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Ten Essential Services, and drafted potential indicators to discuss with practitioners. We then refined the indicators after key informant interviews with 17 health department officials in the US Pacific Northwest in fall 2018. Results. Informants identified a need for clarity regarding state and local public health's role in climate change adaptation, integration of adaptation into existing programs, and strengthening of communication, partnerships, and response capacity to increase resilience. We propose a set of climate change indicators applicable for state and local health departments. Conclusions. With additional context-specific refinement, the proposed indicators can aid agencies in tracking adaptation efforts. The generalizability, robustness, and relevance of the proposed indicators should be explored in other settings with a broader set of stakeholders.
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. 'When people see me, they know me; they trust what I say': characterizing the role of trusted sources for smoke risk communication in the Okanogan River Airshed Emphasis Area
- Author
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Leah M Wood, Savannah M D’Evelyn, Nicole A Errett, Ann Bostrom, Cody Desautel, Ernesto Alvarado, Kris Ray, and June T Spector
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Risk communication ,Public health ,Wildland fire ,Smoke ,Trusted sources ,Trust ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Abstract
Abstract Introduction As wildfire smoke events increase in intensity and frequency in the Pacific Northwest, there is a growing need for effective communication on the health risks of smoke exposure. Delivery through a trusted source or intermediary has been shown to improve reception of risk communication messages. This is especially salient in rural and tribal communities who may be hesitant to trust information from state and federal agency sources. This study aims to identify and characterize trusted sources for smoke risk information in the Okanogan River Airshed Emphasis Area (ORAEA), a rural region of North Central Washington state that is heavily impacted by smoke from wildfires and prescribed fire. Methods The research team conducted a qualitative study using data collected through key informant interviews and focus groups to assess the role of various sources and intermediaries in disseminating smoke risk information. We used a consensual coding approach in NVivo Qualitative Analysis Software to sort data into preliminary categories, which were grouped into themes using a thematic analysis approach. We used member checking and iterative feedback processes with local project partners throughout the project to ensure credibility of results. Results Through the analysis, we identified three themes characterizing trusted sources for smoke risk communication in the ORAEA. These themes were: (1) local and tribal sources of information are perceived as more trustworthy than state and federal government sources, (2) trustworthiness is determined by an evaluation of multiple factors, in particular, perceived credibility, quality of information, and relationship with the source, and (3) conservative political ideology and perceived parallels with COVID-19 communication influence perception of trust. Within each theme, we identified several sub-themes, which contributed additional nuance to our analysis. Conclusion This study provides insights into which sources of information are trusted by rural and tribal community members in the ORAEA and why. Results from our study emphasize the importance of relationships and collaboration with local and tribal partners in smoke risk communication. In this paper, we discuss implications for state and federal agency practitioners and present recommendations for how to work with local and tribal partners on smoke risk communication.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Adapting by Their Bootstraps: State and Territorial Public Health Agencies Struggle to Meet the Mounting Challenge of Climate Change
- Author
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Nicole A. Errett, Kathleen Dolan, Cat Hartwell, Jamie Vickery, and Jeremy J. Hess
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Climate Change ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Humans ,Public Health - Published
- 2023
6. Health and safety risk perceptions and needs of app‐based drivers during COVID‐19
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Ann Bostrom, Kerry L. Beckman, Lily M Monsey, Megan M Archer, Nicole A. Errett, and Marissa G. Baker
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Adult ,Male ,Washington ,Automobile Driving ,Safety Management ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Adolescent ,Cross-sectional study ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Applied psychology ,Organizational culture ,Transportation ,vulnerable workers ,Occupational safety and health ,Young Adult ,COVID‐19 ,medicine ,Humans ,Workplace ,Occupational Health ,Research Articles ,Aged ,media_common ,SARS-CoV-2 ,business.industry ,Public health ,gig economy ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,COVID-19 ,Middle Aged ,Mobile Applications ,Organizational Culture ,Occupational Diseases ,Outreach ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Work (electrical) ,worker stress ,Unemployment ,app‐based drivers ,Female ,Perception ,Job satisfaction ,business ,human activities ,Research Article - Abstract
Background App‐based drivers face work disruptions and infection risk during a pandemic due to the nature of their work, interactions with the public, and lack of workplace protections. Limited occupational health research has focused on their experiences. Methods We surveyed 100 app‐based drivers in Seattle, WA to assess risk perceptions, supports, and controls received from the company that employs them, sources of trust, stress, job satisfaction, COVID‐19 infection status, and how the pandemic had changed their work hours. Data were summarized descriptively and with simple regression models. We complemented this with qualitative interviews to better understand controls and policies enacted during COVID‐19, and barriers and facilitators to their implementation. Results Drivers expressed very high levels of concern for exposure and infection (86%–97% were “very concerned” for all scenarios). Only 31% of drivers reported receiving an appropriate mask from the company for which they drive. Stress (assessed via PSS‐4) was significantly higher in drivers who reported having had COVID‐19, and also significantly higher in respondents with lower reported job satisfaction. Informants frequently identified supports such as unemployment benefits and peer outreach among the driver community as ways to ensure that drivers could access available benefits during COVID‐19. Conclusions App‐based drivers received few protections from the company that employed them, and had high fear of exposure and infection at work. There is increased need for health‐supportive policies and protections for app‐based drivers. The most effective occupational and public health regulations would cover employees who may not have a traditional employer–employee relationship.
- Published
- 2021
7. Public Health Requirements and Authorities in State Statutory Disaster Recovery Law: A Cross-Sectional Legal Assessment
- Author
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Nicole A. Errett and Claire Pendergrast
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Health (social science) ,State law ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,media_common.quotation_subject ,030231 tropical medicine ,Disaster Planning ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,State (polity) ,Statutory law ,medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,media_common ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Disaster recovery ,United States ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Law ,Emergency Medicine ,Public Health ,Business ,Safety Research ,State Government - Abstract
State statutory laws serve as a vital tool for public health entities to assist communities with recovery from disasters. However, no systematic assessment has examined the content of state law addressing disaster recovery or explored if and how the public health role is discussed in state law addressing disaster recovery. This study examined public health-related requirements, authorities, and activities in state disaster recovery laws. Nexis Uni, a legal database, was used to identify codified state statutory laws that authorize or require specific state or local public health entity actions, or set conditions where public health entity actions could be authorized/required, related to disaster recovery planning, implementation, or evaluation (ie, health disaster recovery laws). Disaster recovery laws were reviewed and coded to identify health-related requirements, authorities, and activities planned for recovery. Most states (n = 47) have disaster recovery laws, and 17 states were found to have 30 codified statutory health disaster recovery laws. Half (n = 15) of identified laws require a public health liaison to or representation on a recovery committee or other organization/body working on recovery planning or implementation activities. State disaster recovery laws have limited public health requirements, authorities, and activities. Further research is needed to assess the potential public health benefits of components of state law supporting public health involvement in disaster recovery. The development and dissemination of best practices or model laws and tools to provide opportunities for public health actors to inform recovery decision making may enhance the potential for health promotion during disaster recovery.
- Published
- 2021
8. Reexamining Health-Care Coalitions in Light of COVID-19
- Author
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Nicole A. Errett, Meena Seshamani, Andrew J. Rosenblum, Thomas D. Kirsch, Lauren Knieser, and Daniel J. Barnett
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medicine.medical_specialty ,Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ,03 medical and health sciences ,health-care coalitions ,0302 clinical medicine ,Health care ,Pandemic ,Emergency medical services ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Pandemics ,SWOT analysis ,030505 public health ,Emergency management ,business.industry ,Public health ,Liver Neoplasms ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,COVID-19 ,Health Care Coalitions ,Public relations ,digestive system diseases ,Policy Analysis ,Incentive ,Preparedness ,hospital preparedness program ,0305 other medical science ,business - Abstract
The national response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted critical weaknesses in domestic health care and public health emergency preparedness, despite nearly 2 decades of federal funding for multiple programs designed to encourage cross-cutting collaboration in emergency response. Health-care coalitions (HCCs), which are funded through the Hospital Preparedness Program, were first piloted in 2007 and have been continuously funded nationwide since 2012 to support broad collaborations across public health, emergency management, emergency medical services, and the emergency response arms of the health-care system within a geographical area. This commentary provides a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis to summarize the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to the current HCC model against the backdrop of COVID-19. We close with concrete recommendations for better leveraging the HCC model for improved health-care system readiness. These include better evaluating the role of HCCs and their members (including the responsibility of the HCC to better communicate and align with other sectors), reconsidering the existing framework for HCC administration, increasing incentives for meaningful community participation in HCC preparedness, and supporting next-generation development of health-care preparedness systems for future pandemics.
- Published
- 2020
9. Developing a Concept of Operations Template to Guide Collaborative Disaster Research Response Between Academic Public Health and Public Health Agencies
- Author
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Rachel Wittenauer, Aubrey Miller, Janet G. Baseman, Resham Patel, Nicole A. Errett, and Amber Khan
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Value (ethics) ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Evidence-based practice ,Operationalization ,business.industry ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Disaster research ,Context (language use) ,Public relations ,Concept of operations ,medicine ,Human resources ,business - Abstract
Research conducted in the context of a disaster or public health emergency is essential to improve knowledge about its short- and long-term health consequences, as well as the implementation and effectiveness of response and recovery strategies. Integrated approaches to conducting Disaster Research Response (DR2) can answer scientific questions, while also providing attendant value for operational response and recovery. Here, we propose a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) template to guide the collaborative development and implementation of DR2 among academic public health and public health agencies, informed by previous literature, semi-structured interviews with disaster researchers from academic public health across the United States, and discussion groups with public health practitioners. The proposed CONOPS outlines actionable strategies to address DR2 issues before, during, and after disasters for public health scholars and practitioners who seek to operationalize or enhance their DR2 programs. Additional financial and human resources will be necessary to promote widespread implementation of collaborative DR2 programs.
- Published
- 2021
10. Addressing Capacity Constraints of Rural Local Health Departments to Support Climate Change Adaptation: Action Is Needed Now
- Author
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Matthew V. Vo, Kristie L. Ebi, Tania M. Busch Isaksen, Jeremy J. Hess, and Nicole A. Errett
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Rural Population ,Local Government ,Climate Change ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Humans ,Public Health ,Rural Health ,United States - Abstract
Looming climate change health impacts among rural communities will require a robust health system response. To reduce health inequities and promote climate justice, rural local health departments (LHDs) must be adequately resourced and supported to engage in climate change mitigation and adaptation policy and program development and implementation. In the United States, small local tax bases, overreliance on revenue from fee-based services, and limited federal funding to support climate change and health programming, have left rural LHDs with limited and inflexible human, financial, and political capital to support engagement in local climate change activities. Because of the urgent demands stemming from climate change, additional investments and supports are needed to rapidly build the capacity and capability of rural LHDs. Federal and state approaches to public health funding should consider the unique climate change and health risks of rural communities. Further, cross-jurisdictional shared service arrangements and state-level support to build rural LHDs’ technical capacity, and research on local impacts and culturally appropriate solutions, must be prioritized.
- Published
- 2022
11. Are We Ready to Build Back 'Healthier?' An Exploratory Analysis of U.S. State-Level Disaster Recovery Plans
- Author
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Shannon A. Gonick, Mallory Kennedy, and Nicole A. Errett
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medicine.medical_specialty ,Process management ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Disaster Planning ,Article ,Disasters ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Agency (sociology) ,Health care ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,030505 public health ,Data collection ,Emergency management ,business.industry ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Public health ,disaster recovery ,public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Disaster recovery ,COVID-19 ,United States ,plan content analysis ,Medicine ,Descriptive research ,0305 other medical science ,business - Abstract
As communities recover from disasters, it is crucial to understand the extent to which states are prepared to support the recovery of health systems and services. This need has been emphasized by the United States’ experience with COVID-19. This study sought to assess public health activities in state disaster recovery implementation plans. In this exploratory, descriptive study, state-wide disaster recovery implementation plans were collected from emergency management agency websites and verified (n = 33). We reviewed and coded the recovery plans to identify health-related activities. While 70% and 64% of reviewed plans included activities to address short-term healthcare and behavioral health needs, respectively, one-third or less of the plans included activities to address long-term healthcare and behavioral health needs. Further, plans have limited descriptions of health-related data collection, analysis, or data-driven processes. Additional evidence-informed public health requirements and activities are needed in disaster recovery implementation plans. State disaster recovery plans would benefit from additional description of public health roles, responsibilities, and activities, as well as additional plans for collecting and analyzing public health data to drive recovery decision making and activities. Plans should include approaches for ongoing evaluation of recovery activities.
- Published
- 2021
12. Wildfire Smoke Risk Communication Efficacy: A Content Analysis of Washington State's 2018 Statewide Smoke Event Public Health Messaging
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Darcy Van Deventer, Nicole A. Errett, Justine Marecaux, Annie Doubleday, and Tania Busch Isaksen
- Subjects
Washington ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Psychological intervention ,Poison control ,Context (language use) ,Suicide prevention ,Occupational safety and health ,Wildfires ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Environmental health ,Smoke ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Government ,030505 public health ,Health Policy ,Public health ,Communication ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Environmental Exposure ,Business ,Public Health ,0305 other medical science - Abstract
CONTEXT Wildfire events are increasing in prevalence and intensity in the Pacific Northwest. Effective communication of health risks and actions to reduce exposure to wildfire smoke is imperative. OBJECTIVE We assessed the content of wildfire smoke risk messages from government organizations and mainstream media during a major wildfire smoke event in August 2018. DESIGN We conducted a content analysis of wildfire smoke risk information communicated by local and state government organizations and the mainstream media. SETTING Eight Washington State counties during a statewide wildfire smoke event in August 2018. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Leveraging the Extended Parallel Process Model and information in the existing literature on wildfire smoke and health, we assessed messages for the presence of information regarding health risk, personal interventions, administrative interventions, vulnerable populations, and trusted sources of information. Summary statistics were calculated to identify common messages about recommended interventions, vulnerable populations cited, and trusted sources of public health information. RESULTS Of the 273 identified government and media messages on wildfire smoke, the majority (71% and 66%) contained information about health risks. However, only 46% and 33% of government and media messages contained information about personal interventions to reduce risk, and 37% and 14% of government and media messages contained information about administrative interventions to reduce risk. Less than half of government and media messages (28% and 31%) contained information specific to vulnerable populations, and 58% and 46% of government and media messages contained any reference to a trusted source of information. CONCLUSIONS While information about wildfire smoke and health risks was communicated during Washington's August 2018 wildfire smoke event, there remains considerable opportunity to include additional information about interventions, vulnerable populations, and trusted sources of information. We recommend several opportunities to improve and evaluate risk communication and risk reduction before, during, and after future wildfire smoke events.
- Published
- 2020
13. Indicators to Guide and Monitor Climate Change Adaptation in the US Pacific Northwest
- Author
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Kristie L. Ebi, Nicole A. Errett, Annie Doubleday, and Jeremy J. Hess
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medicine.medical_specialty ,Northwestern United States ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Climate Change ,Climate change ,law.invention ,Interviews as Topic ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,law ,Political science ,medicine ,AJPH Climate Change ,Humans ,Generalizability theory ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Adaptation (computer science) ,Environmental planning ,media_common ,030505 public health ,Local Government ,Public health ,Communication ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,United States ,Health Planning ,Local government ,CLARITY ,Health Resources ,Psychological resilience ,Public Health ,0305 other medical science ,Health department ,Environmental Monitoring - Abstract
Objectives. To develop a set of indicators to guide and monitor climate change adaptation in US state and local health departments. Methods. We performed a narrative review of literature on indicators of climate change adaptation and public health service capacity, mapped the findings onto activities grouped by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Ten Essential Services, and drafted potential indicators to discuss with practitioners. We then refined the indicators after key informant interviews with 17 health department officials in the US Pacific Northwest in fall 2018. Results. Informants identified a need for clarity regarding state and local public health’s role in climate change adaptation, integration of adaptation into existing programs, and strengthening of communication, partnerships, and response capacity to increase resilience. We propose a set of climate change indicators applicable for state and local health departments. Conclusions. With additional context-specific refinement, the proposed indicators can aid agencies in tracking adaptation efforts. The generalizability, robustness, and relevance of the proposed indicators should be explored in other settings with a broader set of stakeholders.
- Published
- 2019
14. Content, Accessibility, and Dissemination of Disaster Information via Social Media During the 2016 Louisiana Floods
- Author
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Nicole A. Errett and Katherine K. Scott
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medicine.medical_specialty ,Situation awareness ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,Declaration ,Context (language use) ,02 engineering and technology ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,Social media ,030212 general & internal medicine ,021110 strategic, defence & security studies ,Government ,Emergency management ,Information Dissemination ,business.industry ,Health Policy ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Public relations ,Louisiana ,Floods ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Local government ,business ,Social Media - Abstract
Context Social media is becoming increasingly integrated into disaster response communication strategies of public health and emergency response agencies. Objective We sought to assess the content, accessibility, and dissemination of social media communications made by government agencies during a disaster response. Design A cross-sectional analysis of social media posts made by federal, state, and local government, public health and emergency management agencies before, during, and after the 2016 Louisiana floods was conducted to determine their content, accessibility, and dissemination by level of government and time relative to disaster onset. Setting Facebook and/or Twitter posts made by public agencies involved in the response to the 2016 Louisiana Flooding events (FEMA Disaster Declaration [DR-4277]) published between August 4 and September 16, 2016, publicly available online between February 21 and March 31, 2017, were included in the analysis. Main outcome measure Content: The text of each post was assessed to determine whether it contained information on provision of situational awareness; addressing misconception, actionable requests; mental, behavioral, and emotional support; and/or recovery and rebuilding resources. Accessibility: A Flesh-Kincaid grade level of each post was calculated, and information on post language, originality, hyperlinks, visuals, videos, or hash tag was recorded. Dissemination: The average number of reacts/likes, shares/retweets, and comments per post was calculated. Results Most posts contained information related to situational awareness and recovery resources. There was an increase in messages during the first week of the disaster at all levels. Few posts were made in languages other than English. Compared with state and federal posts, local Facebook posts averaged fewer reacts, comments, and shares throughout the analysis period. Conclusions Government agencies may maximize the use of social media platforms for disaster communications by establishing their social media network in advance of a disaster and by applying established guidelines on disaster social media use.
- Published
- 2018
15. Urban bike and pedestrian activity impacts from wildfire smoke events in Seattle, WA
- Author
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Annie Doubleday, Tania Busch Isaksen, Youngjun Choe, and Nicole A. Errett
- Subjects
Smoke ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Fine particulate ,Health Policy ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Physical activity ,Climate change ,Transportation ,Pedestrian ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,Pollution ,Mental health ,Additional research ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Geography ,Environmental health ,medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Safety, Risk, Reliability and Quality ,Safety Research ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences - Abstract
Introduction Climate change is leading to increasingly severe wildfires across the United States. Over the past several years, these events have led to extreme, persistent smoke events in several urban areas across the western U.S. However, the health impacts of smoke events on urban communities are not well understood. Impacts to physical activity, including active transportation, may be a useful proxy to understand physical and mental health effects of these events. We aimed to examine the impact of wildfire smoke events, determined by fine particulate matter concentrations and administrative reporting, on physical activity, measured by pedestrian and bicycle counts at eight city counters in Seattle, WA, USA. Methods We assessed for differences in daily average bicycle and pedestrian counts between pre-, during- and post-wildfire smoke periods for two wildfire smoke events in Seattle in the summers of 2017 and 2018. Results The 2018 wildfire smoke event significantly decreased daily average bicycle counts by 14.6–36.0% across the 8 counters, and 31.7%–45.2% across the two pedestrian counters. There were no significant changes in use during the 2017 event, with the exception of a significant decrease in counts at one pedestrian counter. Conclusions Urban physical activity and active transportation may be significantly impacted by future wildfire smoke events, with cascading public health consequences. Differences in impacts across the 2017 and 2018 events may be related to increased intensity of smoke, and/or to enhanced public health messaging by state and local agencies. Additional research is needed to better understand the impact of wildfire smoke on physical activity in urban communities, and to assess and inform public health risk communication campaigns to change behavior during these events.
- Published
- 2021
16. Engaging Local Health Departments in Disaster Research: A Washington State Survey
- Author
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Resham Patel, Ali Everhart, and Nicole A. Errett
- Subjects
Washington ,medicine.medical_specialty ,0211 other engineering and technologies ,Poison control ,02 engineering and technology ,Suicide prevention ,Occupational safety and health ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Political science ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,021110 strategic, defence & security studies ,Local Government ,Emergency management ,business.industry ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Disaster research ,Human factors and ergonomics ,Civil Defense ,Public relations ,Work Engagement ,Work (electrical) ,Research Design ,Public Health ,business - Abstract
Objective:Disaster research can inform effective, efficient, and evidence-based public health practices and decision making; identify and address knowledge gaps in current disaster preparedness and response efforts; and evaluate disaster response strategies. This study aimed to identify challenges and opportunities experienced by Washington State local health departments (LHDs) regarding engagement in disaster research activities.Methods:An online survey was disseminated to the emergency preparedness representative for the 35 LHDs in Washington State. Survey questions sought to assess familiarity and experience with disaster research, as well as identify facilitators and barriers to their involvement. The survey was first piloted with 7 local and state public health emergency preparedness practitioners.Results:A total of 82.9% of Washington’s 35 LHDs responded to our survey. Only 17.2% of respondents had previous experience with disaster research. Frequently reported barriers to engaging in disaster research included funding availability, competing everyday priorities, staff capacity, and competing priorities during disaster response.Conclusions:These findings can inform efforts to support disaster research partnerships with Washington State LHDs and facilitate future collaboration. Researchers and public health practitioners should develop relationships and work to incorporate disaster research into LHD planning, training, and exercises to foster practice-based disaster research capacity.
- Published
- 2019
17. Assessing the national capacity for disaster research response (DR2) within the NIEHS Environmental Health Sciences Core Centers
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Erin N. Haynes, Edith A. Parker, Ali Everhart, Nicole A. Errett, Nancy G Wyland, and Claire Pendergrast
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medicine.medical_specialty ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Disaster Planning ,Context (language use) ,Concept of operations ,Disasters ,lcsh:RC963-969 ,03 medical and health sciences ,Environmental health ,NIEHS ,medicine ,Response rate (survey) ,0303 health sciences ,Community engagement ,Research ,lcsh:Public aspects of medicine ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Disaster research ,030311 toxicology ,lcsh:RA1-1270 ,Summary statistics ,United States ,Disaster ,Preparedness ,lcsh:Industrial medicine. Industrial hygiene ,Public Health ,Business ,National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (U.S.) - Abstract
Introduction Disaster research response (DR2) is necessary to answer scientific questions about the environmental health impacts of disasters and the effectiveness of response and recovery strategies. This research explores the preparedness and capacity of National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) P30 Core Centers (CCs) to conduct DR2 and engage with communities in the context of disasters. Methods In early 2018, we conducted an online survey of CC Directors (n = 16, 69.5% response rate) to identify their DR2 relevant scientific assets, capabilities, and activities. Summary statistics were calculated. We also conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 16 (69.5%) CC Community Engagement Core directors to identify facilitators and barriers of DR2 community engagement. Interview notes were coded and thematically analyzed. Results Survey: While 56% of responding CCs reported prior participation in DR2 and preparedness to repurpose funding to support DR2, less than one third reported development of a disaster-specific data collection protocol, deployment plan, or concept of operations plan, participation in an exercise to test DR2 capacity, development of academic partnerships to conduct DR2, development of a process for fast-tracking institutional review board approvals for DR2, or maintenance of formal agreements with state, local, or community-based partner(s). A number of CCs reported developing or considering developing capacity in these areas. Barriers to, and tools and resources to enhance, CC engagement in DR2 were identified. Interviews: Four key components for community engaged DR2 were identified: pre-existing community relationships, responsive research that benefits communities, coordination among researchers, and coordination with community response partners. Several roles for, benefits of, and barriers to Community Engagement Rapid Response Teams (CERRT) were described. Conclusions CCs have significant scientific assets and community partnerships that can be leveraged for DR2; however, additional planning is necessary to ensure that these scientific assets and community partnerships are leveraged when disasters strike. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12940-019-0498-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
- Published
- 2019
18. Integrating public health students into interprofessional education
- Author
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Tracy Brazg, Jeff Sconyers, Michelle M Averill, Nicole Summerside, Laurel Dillon-Sumner, Andy Stergachis, and Nicole A. Errett
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Adult ,Male ,Washington ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Interprofessional Relations ,Session (web analytics) ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,ComputingMilieux_COMPUTERSANDEDUCATION ,Humans ,Active listening ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Curriculum ,Patient Care Team ,Medical education ,030504 nursing ,Emergency management ,business.industry ,Students, Public Health ,Public health ,Civil Defense ,General Medicine ,Interprofessional education ,Focus group ,Active learning ,Interprofessional Education ,Female ,Educational Measurement ,0305 other medical science ,business ,Psychology - Abstract
Recognizing the public health professional are critical members of interprofessional teams, the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) recently added a required Masters of Public Health (MPH) student competency focused on interprofessional education (IPE). A student-centered approach to the design and evaluation of an emergency preparedness-focused curricular program to meet the interprofessional needs of MPH students was used to meet this expectation at the University of Washington. Curriculum design was informed by two 80-minute listening sessions with MPH students to better understand their current interprofessional educational experiences and needs, and how an emergency preparedness-focused two-hour Interprofessional Active Learning Series (iPALS) session could help them develop interprofessional competency. The resultant iPALS session was assessed with a short, paper-based questionnaire. We found MPH students have an interest in participating in IPE, and that all students who participated in the emergency preparedness-focused iPALS session reported significant increases in their interprofessional and disaster response abilities based on their pre- and post-session evaluations. Student-centered IPE curriculum focused on emergency preparedness can enhance the self-reported ability of students across the health sciences to perform on interprofessional teams while engaging in a topic that has relevance to MPH students.
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
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19. Building Back Better: Local Health Department Engagement and Integration of Health Promotion into Hurricane Harvey Recovery Planning and Implementation
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Janelle Rios, Shannon A. Gonick, Mallory Kennedy, Hendrika Meischke, and Nicole A. Errett
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,lcsh:Medicine ,Disaster Planning ,Article ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,medicine ,Humans ,030212 general & internal medicine ,resilience ,030505 public health ,Local Government ,Emergency management ,business.industry ,Cyclonic Storms ,Public health ,disaster recovery ,lcsh:R ,public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Disaster recovery ,Public relations ,Resilience, Psychological ,Texas ,Resilience (organizational) ,Health promotion ,Public Health Practice ,0305 other medical science ,business ,Public Health Administration ,Health department - Abstract
Disaster recovery provides an opportunity to build healthier and more resilient communities. However, opportunities and challenges encountered by local health departments (LHDs) when integrating health considerations into recovery have yet to be explored. Following Hurricane Harvey, 17 local health and emergency management officials from 10 agencies in impacted Texas, USA jurisdictions were interviewed to describe the types and level of LHD engagement in disaster recovery planning and implementation and the extent to which communities leveraged recovery to build healthier, more resilient communities. Interviews were conducted between December 2017 and January 2018 and focused on if and how their communities were incorporating public health considerations into the visioning, planning, implementation, and assessment phases of disaster recovery. Using a combined inductive and deductive approach, we thematically analyzed interview notes and/or transcripts. LHDs reported varied levels of engagement and participation in activities to support their community&rsquo, s recovery. However, we found that LHDs rarely articulated or informed decision makers about the health impacts of recovery activities undertaken by other sectors. LHDs would benefit from additional resources, support, and technical assistance designed to facilitate working across sectors and building resilience during recovery.
- Published
- 2018
20. How did outdoor biking and walking change during COVID-19?: A case study of three U.S. cities
- Author
-
Annie Doubleday, Scott B. Miles, Youngjun Choe, Nicole A. Errett, and Tania Busch Isaksen
- Subjects
Viral Diseases ,Epidemiology ,Social Sciences ,Poison control ,Walking ,010501 environmental sciences ,01 natural sciences ,Suicide prevention ,Geographical locations ,Occupational safety and health ,Medical Conditions ,Mathematical and Statistical Techniques ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,Public and Occupational Health ,Multidisciplinary ,Geography ,Statistics ,05 social sciences ,Human factors and ergonomics ,Infectious Diseases ,Physical Sciences ,Engineering and Technology ,Medicine ,Research Article ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Public infrastructure ,Science ,New York ,Pedestrian ,Human Geography ,Research and Analysis Methods ,Civil Engineering ,Urban Geography ,0502 economics and business ,Injury prevention ,medicine ,Humans ,Urban Infrastructure ,Cities ,Statistical Methods ,Pandemics ,Exercise ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,050210 logistics & transportation ,Public health ,COVID-19 ,Covid 19 ,Physical Activity ,United States ,Bicycling ,North America ,Communicable Disease Control ,Earth Sciences ,New York City ,People and places ,Mathematics ,Forecasting ,Demography - Abstract
A growing body of literature suggests that restrictive public health measures implemented to control COVID-19 have had negative impacts on physical activity. We examined how Stay Home orders in Houston, New York City, and Seattle impacted outdoor physical activity patterns, measured by daily bicycle and pedestrian count data. We assessed changes in activity levels between the period before and during Stay Home orders. Across all three cities, we found significant changes in bicycle and pedestrian counts from the period before to the period during Stay Home orders. The direction of change varied by location, likely due to differing local contexts and outbreak progression. These results can inform policy around the use of outdoor public infrastructure as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
- Published
- 2021
21. Examining Public Health Workers’ Perceptions Toward Participating in Disaster Recovery After Hurricane Sandy: A Quantitative Assessment
- Author
-
Nicole A. Errett, Daniel J. Barnett, Kandra Stauss-Riggs, Carol B. Thompson, Brian A. Altman, Lainie Rutkow, Ran D. Balicer, Lauren Walsh, Jeffrey Freeman, Stephanie Garrity, and Kenneth Schor
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Psychometrics ,Poison control ,Suicide prevention ,Occupational safety and health ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Environmental health ,Injury prevention ,Humans ,Medicine ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Environmental Restoration and Remediation ,Local Government ,Maryland ,New Jersey ,Emergency management ,Cyclonic Storms ,business.industry ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Human factors and ergonomics ,Disaster recovery ,Self Efficacy ,030227 psychiatry ,Workforce ,Female ,Perception ,Public Health ,business - Abstract
ObjectiveWe aimed to quantitatively gauge local public health workers’ perceptions toward disaster recovery role expectations among jurisdictions in New Jersey and Maryland affected by Hurricane Sandy.MethodsAn online survey was made available in 2014 to all employees in 8 Maryland and New Jersey local health departments whose jurisdictions had been impacted by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The survey included perceptions of their actual disaster recovery involvement across 3 phases: days to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years. The survey also queried about their perceptions about future involvement and future available support.ResultsSixty-four percent of the 1047 potential staff responded to the survey (n=669). Across the 3 phases, 72% to 74% of the pre-Hurricane Sandy hires knew their roles in disaster recovery, 73% to 75% indicated confidence in their assigned roles (self-efficacy), and 58% to 63% indicated that their participation made a difference (response efficacy). Of the respondents who did not think it likely that they would be asked to participate in future disaster recovery efforts (n=70), 39% indicated a willingness to participate.ConclusionThe marked gaps identified in local public health workers’ awareness of, sense of efficacy toward, and willingness to participate in disaster recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy represent a significant infrastructural concern of policy and programmatic relevance. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2016;10:371–377)
- Published
- 2016
22. Translating Legal Research on Mental and Behavioral Health during Emergencies for the Public Health Workforce
- Author
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Lainie Rutkow, Artensie Flowers, Jonathan M. Links, Jon S. Vernick, Natalie L. Semon, and Nicole A. Errett
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Health Planning Guidelines ,Strengthening Workforce ,Translational Research, Biomedical ,Nursing ,Health care ,medicine ,Humans ,Organizational Objectives ,Health policy ,Medical education ,HRHIS ,Health Priorities ,business.industry ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Mental health ,United States ,Legal research ,Health Planning ,Mental Health ,Health promotion ,Health education ,Public Health ,business ,Needs Assessment - Abstract
Translation strategies are critical for sharing research with public health practitioners. To disseminate our analyses of legal issues that arise relative to mental and behavioral health during emergencies, we created 10 brief translational tools for members of the public health workforce. In consultation with an interdisciplinary project advisory group (PAG), we identified each tool's topic and format. PAG members reviewed draft and final versions of the tools. We then worked with local health departments throughout the country to distribute the tools along with a brief survey to determine practitioners' perceived utility of the tools. Through survey responses, we learned that practitioners believed the tools provided information that would be useful during the planning, response, and recovery phases of an emergency. This article describes the creation of the PAG, the development of the tools, and lessons learned for those seeking to translate legal and ethical research findings for practitioner audiences.
- Published
- 2014
23. Building a Practice-Based Research Agenda for Wildfire Smoke and Health: A Report of the 2018 Washington Wildfire Smoke Risk Communication Stakeholder Synthesis Symposium
- Author
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Claire Pendergrast, Annie Doubleday, Heidi A. Roop, Kim Tran, Nicole A. Errett, Tania Busch Isaksen, and C. Bradley Kramer
- Subjects
Washington ,public health practice ,medicine.medical_specialty ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Climate Change ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Psychological intervention ,lcsh:Medicine ,010501 environmental sciences ,risk management ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,Wildfires ,risk communication ,Air Pollution ,Smoke ,Political science ,11. Sustainability ,medicine ,Humans ,Risk communication ,wildfire smoke ,Environmental planning ,Risk management ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,business.industry ,Public health ,lcsh:R ,Behavior change ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Stakeholder ,Environmental Exposure ,Research Personnel ,3. Good health ,research needs ,13. Climate action ,Content analysis ,Public Health ,Seasons ,business ,Risk Reduction Behavior - Abstract
Background: As climate change is expected to result in more frequent, larger fires and associated smoke impacts, creating and sustaining wildfire smoke-resilient communities is an urgent public health priority. Following two summers of persistent and extreme wildfire smoke events in Washington state, the need for additional research on wildfire smoke health impacts, risk communication, and risk reduction, and an associated greater coordination between researcher and practitioner communities, is of paramount importance. Objectives: On 30 October 2018, the University of Washington hosted a Wildfire Smoke Risk Communication Stakeholder Synthesis Symposium in Seattle, Washington. The goals of the symposium were to identify and prioritize practice-based information gaps necessary to promote effective wildfire smoke risk communication and risk reduction across Washington state, foster collaboration among practitioners and academics to address information gaps using research, and provide regional stakeholders with access to the best available health and climate science about current and future wildfire risks. Methods: Seventy-six Washington state practitioners and academics with relevant professional responsibilities or expertise in wildfire smoke and health engaged in small group discussions using the &ldquo, World Café, Method&rdquo, to identify practice-relevant research needs related to wildfire smoke and health. Notes from each discussion were coded and qualitatively analyzed using a content analysis approach. Discussion: Washington state&rsquo, s public health and air quality practitioners need additional evidence to communicate and reduce wildfire smoke risk. Exposure, health risk, risk communication, behavior change and interventions, and legal and policy research needs were identified, along with the need to develop research infrastructure to support wildfire smoke and health science. Practice-relevant, collaborative research should be prioritized to address this increasing health threat.
- Published
- 2019
24. A Threat- and Efficacy-Based Framework to Understand Confidence in Vaccines among the Public Health Workforce
- Author
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Daniel J. Barnett, Nicole A. Errett, and Lainie Rutkow
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,extended parallel process model ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Immunology ,Psychological intervention ,lcsh:Medicine ,Vaccine injury ,Perception ,Drug Discovery ,medicine ,Extended parallel process model ,Pharmacology (medical) ,law ,media_common ,Pharmacology ,Self-efficacy ,business.industry ,Public health ,lcsh:R ,legal protections ,Concept Paper ,Public relations ,vaccines ,medicine.disease ,preparedness ,Infectious Diseases ,Preparedness ,confidence ,business ,self-efficacy ,Public health workforce - Abstract
The Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM) is an established threat- and efficacy-based behavioral framework for understanding health behaviors in the face of uncertain risk. A growing body of research has applied this model to understand these behaviors among the public health workforce. In this manuscript, we aim to explore the application of this framework to the public health workforce, with a novel focus on their confidence in vaccines and perceptions of vaccine injury compensation mechanisms. We characterize specific connections between EPPM’s threat and efficacy dimensions and relevant vaccine policy frameworks and highlight how these connections can usefully inform training interventions for public health workers to enhance their confidence in these vaccine policy measures.
- Published
- 2013
25. Attitudinal Determinants of Local Public Health Workers' Participation in Hurricane Sandy Recovery Activities
- Author
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Shannon Egan, Kenneth Schor, Nicole A. Errett, Kandra Strauss-Riggs, Daniel J. Barnett, Lainie Rutkow, Stephanie Garrity, Carol B. Thompson, Lauren Walsh, and Brian A. Altman
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,Health (social science) ,Attitude of Health Personnel ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Health Personnel ,Poison control ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,Suicide prevention ,Occupational safety and health ,Disasters ,Environmental health ,medicine ,Humans ,Social determinants of health ,Qualitative Research ,Maryland ,New Jersey ,business.industry ,Cyclonic Storms ,Public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Focus Groups ,Focus group ,humanities ,Self Efficacy ,Preparedness ,Emergency Medicine ,Public Health Practice ,business ,Safety Research ,Health department - Abstract
Local health departments play a critical role in short-, intermediate-, and long-term recovery activities after a public health emergency. However, research has not explored attitudinal determinants of health department workers' participation in the recovery phase following a disaster. Accordingly, this qualitative investigation aims to understand perceived facilitators and barriers to performing recovery-related activities following Hurricane Sandy among local health department workers. In January 2014, 2 focus groups were conducted in geographically representative clusters of local health departments affected by Hurricane Sandy (1 cluster in Maryland and 1 cluster in New Jersey). Focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed to qualitatively assess attitudes toward Hurricane Sandy recovery activities. This analysis identified 5 major thematic categories as facilitators and barriers to participation in recovery activities: training, safety, family preparedness, policies and planning, and efficacy. Systems that support engagement of health department personnel in recovery activities may endeavor to develop and communicate intra- and interjurisdictional policies that minimize barriers in these areas. Development and implementation of evidence-informed curricular interventions that explain recovery roles may also increase local health department worker motivation to participate in recovery activities.
- Published
- 2015
26. An intervention for enhancing public health crisis response willingness among local health department workers: a qualitative programmatic analysis
- Author
-
Mhe Marilyn K. Anderson, Carol B. Thompson, Alvaro Mejia-Echeverry, Md, Mph, Arnp, Cem James B. Spitzer, Msph Nicole A. Errett, Mph Daniel J. Barnett, Lainie Rutkow, Jd, PhD, Mph, Mary McKee, Msw, Lcsw, Jennifer M. Freiheit, Ma, Mches, Doug Storey, Msn Robert Hudson, Michelle M. Koch, Phn, Rn, Justin L. Ferrell, and Krista L. Harrison
- Subjects
Self-efficacy ,Volition ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Emergency management ,business.industry ,Attitude of Health Personnel ,Public health ,Emergency Responders ,Civil Defense ,Crisis response ,General Medicine ,Focus Groups ,Focus group ,Self Efficacy ,Nursing ,Intervention (counseling) ,Family medicine ,Preparedness ,medicine ,Humans ,Curriculum ,Public Health ,business ,Health department - Abstract
Objectives: This study evaluated the impact of a novel multimethod curricular intervention using a trainthe-trainer model: the Public Health Infrastructure Training (PHIT). PHIT was designed to 1) modify perceptions of self-efficacy, response efficacy, and threat related to specific hazards and 2) improve the willingness of local health department (LHD) workers to report to duty when called upon. Methods: Between June 2009 and October 2010, eight clusters of US LHDs (n = 49) received PHIT. Two rounds of focus groups at each intervention site were used to evaluate PHIT. The first round of focus groups included separate sessions for trainers and trainees, 3 weeks after PHIT. The second round of focus groups combined trainers and trainees in a single group at each site 6 months following PHIT. During the second focus group round, participants were asked to self-assess their preparedness before and after PHIT implementation. Setting: Focus groups were conducted at eight geographically representative clusters of LHDs. Participants: Focus group participants included PHIT trainers and PHIT trainees within each LHD cluster. Main outcome measure(s): Focus groups were used to assess attitudes toward the curricular intervention and modifications of willingness to respond (WTR) to an emergency; self-efficacy; and response efficacy. Results: Participants reported that despite challenges in administering the training, PHIT was well designed and appropriate for multiple management levels and disciplines. Positive mean changes were observed for all nine self-rated preparedness factors (p < 0.001). The findings show PHIT's benefit in improving self-efficacy and WTR among participants. Conclusions: The PHIT has the potential to enhance emergency response willingness and related self-efficacy among LHD workers.
- Published
- 2014
27. EPPM and willingness to respond: the role of risk and efficacy communication in strengthening public health emergency response systems
- Author
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Natalie L. Semon, Jonathan M. Links, Krista L. Harrison, Jennifer M. Freiheit, Daniel J. Barnett, Alvaro Mejia-Echeverry, J. Douglas Storey, Justin L. Ferrell, Nicole A. Errett, Mary McKee, Robert Hudson, Marilyn K. Anderson, James Spitzer, Ran D. Balicer, and Carol B. Thompson
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Health (social science) ,Attitude of Health Personnel ,Health Personnel ,Psychological intervention ,Disaster Planning ,Risk Assessment ,Disasters ,Intervention (counseling) ,Environmental health ,Medicine ,Humans ,Baseline (configuration management) ,Self-efficacy ,Government ,business.industry ,Communication ,Public health ,Data Collection ,Homeland security ,Self Efficacy ,United States ,Health Communication ,Female ,Terrorism ,Emergencies ,business ,Risk assessment ,Public Health Administration - Abstract
This study examines the attitudinal impact of an Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM)-based training curriculum on local public health department (LHD) workers' willingness to respond to representative public health emergency scenarios. Data are from 71 U.S. LHDs in urban and rural settings across nine states. The study explores changes in response willingness and EPPM threat and efficacy appraisals between randomly assigned control versus intervention health departments, at baseline and 1 week post curriculum, through an EPPM-based survey/resurvey design. Levels of response willingness and emergency response-related attitudes/beliefs are measured. Analyses focus on two scenario categories that have appeared on a U.S. government list of scenarios of significant concern: a weather-related emergency and a radiological "dirty" bomb event (U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 2007). The greatest impact from the training intervention on response willingness was observed among LHD workers who had low levels of EPPM-related threat and efficacy perceptions at baseline. Self-efficacy and response efficacy and response willingness increased in intervention LHDs for both scenarios, with greater response willingness increases observed for the radiological "dirty" bomb terrorism scenario. Findings indicate the importance of building efficacy versus enhancing threat perceptions as a path toward greater response willingness, and suggest the potential applicability of such curricular interventions for boosting emergency response willingness among other cadres of health providers.
- Published
- 2013
28. Assessment of Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers' Emergency Response Willingness Using a Threat- and Efficacy-Based Model
- Author
-
Natalie L. Semon, Daniel J. Barnett, Carol B. Thompson, Rob Tosatto, Armin Ansari, Ran D. Balicer, Brad Austin, Nicole A. Errett, Jonathan M. Links, and Samuel Schaffzin
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Volunteers ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Health (social science) ,Attitude of Health Personnel ,Health Personnel ,Poison control ,Biohazard Release ,Disaster Planning ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,Bombs ,Suicide prevention ,Occupational safety and health ,Injury prevention ,Influenza, Human ,Medicine ,Humans ,Pandemics ,Weather ,Self-efficacy ,business.industry ,Public health ,Data Collection ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Human factors and ergonomics ,General Medicine ,Original Articles ,medicine.disease ,Self Efficacy ,United States ,Logistic Models ,Preparedness ,Family medicine ,Bacillus anthracis ,Female ,Medical emergency ,Emergencies ,business ,Radioactive Hazard Release - Abstract
The goal of this study was to investigate the willingness of Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) volunteers to participate in public health emergency-related activities by assessing their attitudes and beliefs. MRC volunteers responded to an online survey organized around the Extended Parallel Process Model (EPPM). Respondents reported agreement with attitude/belief statements representing perceived threat, perceived efficacy, and personal/organizational preparedness in 4 scenarios: a weather-related disaster, a pandemic influenza emergency, a radiological ("dirty bomb") emergency, and an inhalational anthrax bioterrorism emergency. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate predictors of volunteer response willingness. In 2 response contexts (if asked and regardless of severity), self-reported willingness to respond was higher among those with a high perceived self-efficacy than among those with low perceived self-efficacy. Analyses of the association between attitude/belief statements and the EPPM profiles indicated that, under all 4 scenarios and with few exceptions, those with a perceived high threat/high efficacy EPPM profile had statistically higher odds of agreement with the attitude/belief statements than those with a perceived low threat/low efficacy EPPM profile. The radiological emergency consistently received the lowest agreement rates for the attitude/belief statements and response willingness across scenarios. The findings suggest that enrollment with an MRC unit is not automatically predictive of willingness to respond in these types of scenarios. While MRC volunteers' self-reported willingness to respond was found to differ across scenarios and among different attitude and belief statements, the identification of self-efficacy as the primary predictor of willingness to respond regardless of severity and if asked highlights the critical role of efficacy in an organized volunteer response context.
- Published
- 2013
29. Assessment of psychological preparedness and emergency response willingness of local public health department and hospital workers
- Author
-
Nicole A, Errett, Daniel J, Barnett, Carol B, Thompson, Natalie L, Semon, Christina, Catlett, Edbert, Hsu, Howard, Gwon, Ran D, Balice, and Jonathan M, Links
- Subjects
Attitude of Health Personnel ,Culture ,Disaster Planning ,Resilience, Psychological ,Bombs ,United States ,Cohort Studies ,Personnel, Hospital ,Crisis Intervention ,Influenza, Human ,Humans ,Public Health ,Radiation Injuries ,Pandemics - Abstract
This study sought to investigate the relationship between psychologically-related attitudes/beliefs toward public health emergency response among local health department (LHD) and hospital workers and their willingness to respond to a pandemic influenza emergency scenario and a radiological 'dirty' bomb scenario, to inform workforce resilience-building interventions. LHD and hospital workers participated in a survey based on an established threat- and efficacy-oriented behavioral model (the extended parallel process model) that focused on collection of the aforementioned attitudes, beliefs, and self-reported response willingness. Odds ratios associating psychologically-related attitudes and beliefs with self-reported response willingness were computed Perceived levels of psychological preparedness and support were shown to impact response willingness, with more pronounced effects in the radiological 'dirty' bomb scenario. Compared to those who did not perceive themselves to be psychologically prepared, those who did perceive themselves as prepared had higher odds of self-reported response willingness. The relationship of these perceptions and self-reported willingness to respond in all contexts, both scenarios, and both cohorts was influenced by perceived self-efficacy andperceived family preparedness.
- Published
- 2013
30. Determinants of emergency response willingness in the local public health workforce by jurisdictional and scenario patterns: a cross-sectional survey
- Author
-
Marilyn K. Anderson, Robert Hudson, Nicole A. Errett, Natalie L. Semon, Jonathan M. Links, Jennifer M. Freiheit, Daniel J. Barnett, Justin L. Ferrell, James Spitzer, Carol B. Thompson, Alvaro Mejia-Echeverry, Mary McKee, Ran D. Balicer, and Michelle M Koch
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Psychometrics ,Attitude of Health Personnel ,Context (language use) ,Disease Outbreaks ,Anthrax ,Professional Competence ,Risk Factors ,Environmental health ,Influenza, Human ,Epidemiology ,Urban Health Services ,Cluster Analysis ,Humans ,Medicine ,Proportional Hazards Models ,Response rate (survey) ,Family Characteristics ,Inhalation Exposure ,Local Government ,Emergency management ,business.industry ,lcsh:Public aspects of medicine ,Public health ,Emergency Responders ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,lcsh:RA1-1270 ,Middle Aged ,Bioterrorism ,United States ,Cross-Sectional Studies ,Preparedness ,Public Health Practice ,Workforce ,Female ,Terrorism ,Rural Health Services ,Biostatistics ,business ,Research Article ,Health department - Abstract
Background The all-hazards willingness to respond (WTR) of local public health personnel is critical to emergency preparedness. This study applied a threat-and efficacy-centered framework to characterize these workers' scenario and jurisdictional response willingness patterns toward a range of naturally-occurring and terrorism-related emergency scenarios. Methods Eight geographically diverse local health department (LHD) clusters (four urban and four rural) across the U.S. were recruited and administered an online survey about response willingness and related attitudes/beliefs toward four different public health emergency scenarios between April 2009 and June 2010 (66% response rate). Responses were dichotomized and analyzed using generalized linear multilevel mixed model analyses that also account for within-cluster and within-LHD correlations. Results Comparisons of rural to urban LHD workers showed statistically significant odds ratios (ORs) for WTR context across scenarios ranging from 1.5 to 2.4. When employees over 40 years old were compared to their younger counterparts, the ORs of WTR ranged from 1.27 to 1.58, and when females were compared to males, the ORs of WTR ranged from 0.57 to 0.61. Across the eight clusters, the percentage of workers indicating they would be unwilling to respond regardless of severity ranged from 14-28% for a weather event; 9-27% for pandemic influenza; 30-56% for a radiological 'dirty' bomb event; and 22-48% for an inhalational anthrax bioterrorism event. Efficacy was consistently identified as an important independent predictor of WTR. Conclusions Response willingness deficits in the local public health workforce pose a threat to all-hazards response capacity and health security. Local public health agencies and their stakeholders may incorporate key findings, including identified scenario-based willingness gaps and the importance of efficacy, as targets of preparedness curriculum development efforts and policies for enhancing response willingness. Reasons for an increased willingness in rural cohorts compared to urban cohorts should be further investigated in order to understand and develop methods for improving their overall response.
- Published
- 2012
31. Survey of extreme heat public health preparedness plans and response activities in the most populous jurisdictions in the United States
- Author
-
Nicole A. Errett, Cat Hartwell, Juliette M. Randazza, Amruta Nori-Sarma, Kate R. Weinberger, Keith R. Spangler, Yuantong Sun, Quinn H. Adams, Gregory A. Wellenius, and Jeremy J. Hess
- Subjects
Extreme heat ,Public health ,Preparedness ,Policy ,Climate change ,Adaptation ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Abstract
Abstract Background Increasingly frequent and intense extreme heat events (EHEs) are indicative of climate change impacts, and urban areas’ social and built environments increase their risk for health consequences. Heat action plans (HAPs) are a strategy to bolster municipal EHE preparedness. The objective of this research is to characterize municipal interventions to EHEs and compare U.S. jurisdictions with and without formal heat action plans. Methods An online survey was sent to 99 U.S. jurisdictions with populations > 200,000 between September 2021 and January 2022. Summary statistics were calculated to describe the proportion of total jurisdictions, as well as jurisdictions with and without HAPs and in different geographies that reported engagement in extreme heat preparedness and response activities. Results Thirty-eight (38.4%) jurisdictions responded to the survey. Of those respondents, twenty-three (60.5%) reported the development of a HAP, of which 22 (95.7%) reported plans for opening cooling centers. All respondents reported conducting heat-related risk communications; however, communication approaches focused on passive, technology-dependent mechanisms. While 75.7% of jurisdictions reported having developed a definition for an EHE, less than two-thirds of responding jurisdictions reported any of the following activities: conducting heat-related surveillance (61.1%), implementing provisions for power outages (53.1%), increasing access to fans or air conditioners (48.4%), developing heat vulnerability maps (43.2%), or evaluating activities (34.2%). There were only two statistically significant (p ≥ .05) differences in the prevalence of heat-related activities between jurisdictions with and without a written HAP, possibly attributable to a relatively small sample size: surveillance and having a definition of extreme heat. Conclusions Jurisdictions can strengthen their extreme heat preparedness by expanding their consideration of at-risk populations to include communities of color, conducting formal evaluations of their responses, and by bridging the gap between the populations determined to be most at-risk and the channels of communication designed to reach them.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Barriers and facilitators to state public health agency climate and health action: a qualitative assessment
- Author
-
Cat Hartwell, Sam Lovell, Jeremy J. Hess, Kathleen Dolan, Jamie Vickery, and Nicole A. Errett
- Subjects
Climate change adaptation ,Public health ,Policy ,Public aspects of medicine ,RA1-1270 - Abstract
Abstract Background As the health implications of climate change become more apparent, agencies and institutions across the United States are developing recommendations for state and territorial health agencies (S/THAs) to implement evidence-informed climate and health adaptation strategies. The CDC established the Building Resilience Against Climate Effects (BRACE) framework in 2010 to encourage local and state public health engagement in climate change adaptation. However, even after a decade of the BRACE initiative, the elements that affect the adoption and implementation of climate and health programming by S/THAs are not well understood. Methods Using an implementation science framework, this study sought to further understand and define the barriers and facilitators that determine the breadth and success of climate change and health activities undertaken by state health agencies (SHAs). We conducted focus groups with representatives from SHAs with and without climate and health programs, and analyzed data using the framework method for qualitative research. Results This study identified funding, state and agency-level prioritization, staff capability and capacity, and political will and polarization as factors that influence the readiness for implementation and implementation climate for climate and health activities. Conclusions As the impacts of climate change intensify, S/THAs will need to expand resources and capacity, and seek advocacy and assistance from external organizations in order to support the level of engagement required to strengthen climate resilience. Findings from this study have implications for public health policy and highlight potential pathways to expand support for climate and health activities in S/THAs in the U.S.
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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