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Research on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and misinformation endorsement among Spanish-speaking Americans is limited. This cross-sectional study used a Spanish-language survey from May–August 2021 among 483 Spanish speakers living in the US and Puerto Rico. We applied multivariable Poisson regression with robust error variances to assess the association between independent variables and binary outcomes for vaccine acceptance versus hesitance, as well as misinformation endorsement. Vaccine acceptance was associated with COVID-19 risk perception score (PR = 1.7 high vs. low perceived risk), opinion of government transparency (PR = 2.2 very transparent vs. not transparent), and trust in vaccine information (PR = 1.8 high vs. low). There was also an interaction between time spent on social media and social media as a main source of COVID-19 information (p = 0.0484). Misinformation endorsement was associated with opinion about government transparency (PR = 0.5 moderately vs. not transparent), trust in vaccine information (PR = 0.5 high vs. low trust), social media impact on vaccine confidence (PR = 2.1 decreased vs. increased confidence), distrust vaccines (PR = 1.9 distrust vs. trust), using vaccine information from Facebook (PR = 1.4 yes vs. no), and time spent on social media by those using social media as main source of COVID-19 vaccine information (p = 0.0120). Vaccine acceptance in respondents with high misinformation endorsement scores was 0.7 times those with low scores. These findings highlight the importance of effective information dissemination, the positive role of social media, and government transparency in boosting vaccine uptake among Spanish speakers in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the crucial role the COVID-19 vaccine played in curbing the pandemic, a significant portion of Black and African American individuals expressed hesitancy toward being vaccinated. This review aimed to identify the determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black and African American individuals in the U.S. The literature search was conducted in December 2022 according to the PRISMA criteria focusing on empirical studies. Data extraction methods, critical appraisal, and secondary thematic analysis were conducted on both quantitative and qualitative studies. Sixteen quantitative studies identified the key factors associated with vaccine hesitancy, such as confidence in vaccine effectiveness, safety, and trust in the healthcare system. Fourteen qualitative studies revealed major themes of mistrust, fear, and information needs, including historical mistrust, concerns about the vaccine development process, and contemporary institutional mistrust. The synthesis of quantitative and qualitative findings derived from this review provides a nuanced understanding of the determinants of vaccine hesitancy in Black and African American communities in the U.S., offering a foundation for the development of evidence-based interventions. Mistrust in the healthcare system, fear, and informational gaps on vaccine safety and effectiveness were identified as significant barriers to vaccination, demanding targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In 2008, the Institute of Medicine released a letter report identifying 4 research priority areas for public health emergency preparedness in public health system research: (1) enhancing the usefulness of training, (2) improving timely emergency communications, (3) creating and maintaining sustainable response systems, and (4) generating effectiveness criteria and metrics. Objectives. To (1) identify and characterize public health system research in public health emergency preparedness produced in the United States from 2009 to 2015, (2) synthesize research findings and assess the level of confidence in these findings, and (3) describe the evolution of knowledge production in public health emergency preparedness system research. Search Methods and Selection Criteria. We reviewed and included the titles and abstracts of 1584 articles derived from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and gray literature databases that focused on the organizational or financial aspects of public health emergency preparedness activities and were grounded on empirical studies. Data Collection and Analysis. We included 156 articles. We appraised the quality of the studies according to the study design.We identified themes during article analysis and summarized overall findings by theme. We determined level of confidence in the findings with the GRADE-CERQual tool. Main Results. Thirty-one studies provided evidence on how to enhance the usefulness of training. Results demonstrated the utility of drills and exercises to enhance decision-making capabilities and coordination across organizations, the benefit of cross-sector partnerships for successfully implementing training activities, and the value of integrating evaluation methods to support training improvement efforts. Thirty-six studies provided evidence on how to improve timely communications. Results supported the use of communication strategies that address differences in access to information, knowledge, attitudes, and practices across segments of the population as well as evidence on specific communication barriers experienced by public health and health care personnel. Forty-eight studies provided evidence on how to create and sustain preparedness systems. Results included how to build social capital across organizations and citizens and how to develop sustainable and useful planning efforts that maintain flexibility and rely on available medical data. Twenty-six studies provided evidence on the usefulness of measurement efforts, such as community and organizational needs assessments, and new methods to learn from the response to critical incidents. Conclusions: In the United States, the field of public health emergency preparedness system research has been supported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention since the release of the 2008 Institute of Medicine letter report. The first definition of public health emergency preparedness appeared in 2007, and before 2008 there was a lack of research and empirical evidence across all 4 research areas identified by the Institute of Medicine. This field can be considered relatively new compared with other research areas in public health; for example, tobacco control research can rely on more than 70 years of knowledge production. However, this review demonstrates that, during the past 7 years, public health emergency preparedness system research has evolved from generic inquiry to the analysis of specific interventions with more empirical studies. Public Health Implications: The results of this review provide an evidence base for public health practitioners responsible for enhancing key components of preparedness and response such as communication, training, and planning efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To articulate a conceptual framework in support of evaluation activities in emergency risk communications (ERC). Methods. The framework proposed is based on a systematic review of the scientific literature (2001–2016) combined with data derived from a series of semistructured interviews with experts and practitioners in ERC, and it is designed to support local, national, and international public health organizations in implementing evaluation studies in ERC. Results. We identified a list of ERC outcomes from the full-text review of 152 articles and categorized these into 3 groups, depending upon the level at which the outcome was measured: (1) information environment, (2) population, and (3) public health system.We analyzed interviewees’ data from 18 interviews to identify practices and processes related to the effectiveness of ERC and included these as key structural components and processes in the developed evaluation framework. Conclusions. Researchers and public health practitioners interested in the evaluation of ERC can use the conceptual framework described in this article to guide the development of evaluation studies and methods for assessing communication outcomes related to public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented which addresses the authors' views about the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Preparedness Emergency Response Research Centers (PERRCs) program which utilizes a public health systems perspective to deal with public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) knowledge gaps. America's Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act of 2006 is examined, along with public health-related research.

An editorial is presented which addresses the authors' views about a public health preparedness-related social media learning collaborative prototype model, and it mentions an effort to improve the translation, dissemination, and implementation of best practices for public health preparedness in America. The training of public health workers is addressed, along with group learning initiatives utilizing multidisciplinary teams.

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Background: The strength of a society's response to a public health emergency depends partly on meeting the needs of all segments of the population, especially those who are most vulnerable and subject to greatest adversity. Since the early stages of the H1N1 pandemic, public communication of H1N1 information has been recognized as a challenging issue. Public communication is considered a critical public health task to mitigating adverse population health outcomes before, during, and after public health emergencies. To investigate knowledge and knowledge gaps in the general population regarding the H1N1 pandemic, and to identify the social determinants associated with those gaps, we conducted a survey in March 2010 using a representative random sample of U.S. households. Methods: Data were gathered from 1,569 respondents (66.3% response rate) and analyzed using ordered logistic regression to study the impact of socioeconomic factors and demographic characteristics on the individual's knowledge concerning H1N1 infection and transmission. Results: Results suggest that level of education and home ownership, reliable indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP), were associated with knowledge of H1N1. Level of education was found to be directly associated with level of knowledge about virus transmission [OR = 1.35, 95% C.I. 1.12-1.63]. Home ownership versus renting was also positively associated with knowledge on the signs and symptoms of H1N1 infection in particular [OR = 2.89, 95% C.I. 1.26-6.66]. Conclusions: Policymakers and public health practitioners should take specific SEP factors into consideration when implementing educational and preventive interventions promoting the health and preparedness of the population, and when designing communication campaigns during a public health emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neste artigo, a teoria de cópulas é utilizada para analisar os co-movimentos entre os mercados de capitais do Brasil e dos EUA. Na finalidade de implementação de uma estratégia de alocação de ativos é importante entender os eventos extremos - tanto os positivos (boom) como os negativos (crashes) - e seus efeitos sobre os mercados. Os índices de mercado usados são o IBOVESPA e o S&P 500 cobrindo o período de 03/2001 a 04/2007. A aderência aos log-retornos das principais cópulas encontradas na literatura financeira é avaliada. Os seguintes critérios foram escolhidos: o Log-likelihod, o critério de informação de Akaike e o critério de informação bayesiano. Os resultados mostram que a cópula de Joe-Clayton simetrizada é a mais adequada para modelar a estrutura de dependência entre os log-retornos do IBOVESPA e os do S&P500. Este trabalho difere de alguns estudos já realizados [e.g. Mendes e Moretti(2005) e Canela e Collazo(2005)], pois leva em consideração a modelagem de cópulas dinâmicas introduzida por Patton (2006). Finalmente, através dos índices de dependência caudal ao longo do tempo, pode-se concluir que a ocorrência de eventos extremos negativos (crashes) no mercado norte-americano tende a afetar mais o mercado brasileiro quando da comparação da ocorrência dos eventos extremos positivos (booms). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) commissioned an Evidence-Based Gaps Collaboration Group to consider whether past experience could help guide future efforts to educate and train public health workers in responding to emergencies and disasters. Methods. The Group searched the peer-reviewed literature for preparedness training articles meeting three criteria: publication during the period when CDC's Centers for Public Health Preparedness were fully operational, content relevant to emergency response operations, and content particular to the emergency response roles of public health professionals. Articles underwent both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Results. The search identified 163 articles covering the topics of leadership and command structure (18.4%), information and communications (14.1%), organizational systems (78.5%), and others (23.9%). The number of reports was substantial, but their usefulness for trainers and educators was rated only "fair" to "good." Thematic analysis of 137 articles found that organizational topics far outnumbered leadership, command structure, and communications topics. Disconnects among critical participants—including trainers, policy makers, and public health agencies—were noted. Generalizable evaluations were rare. Conclusions. Reviews of progress in preparedness training for the public health workforce should be repeated in the future. Governmental investment in training for preparedness should continue. Future training programs should be grounded in policy and practice needs, and evaluations should be based on performance improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the acknowledged promise of developing a public health systems research (PHSR) agenda for emergency preparedness, there has been no systematic review of the literature in this area. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review in order to identify and characterize the PHSR literature produced in the U.S. in the past 11 years in the field of public health emergency preparedness. Evidence acquisition: Articles were searched in MEDLINE and EMBASE, as well as in the gray literature. Two independent reviewers classified the articles according to study design and IOM public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) research goal areas. Evidence synthesis: From January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2008, there were 547 articles that met the inclusion criteria that were published. It was possible to classify 314 (57%) articles into at least one of the four IOM PHEP research goal areas. Of these, 61 (11%) addressed Research Area 1 (usefulness of training); 39 (7%) addressed Research Area 2 (communications in preparedness and response); 193 (35%) addressed Research Area 3 (sustainable preparedness and response systems); and 39 (7%) addressed Research Area 4 (criteria and metrics to measure effectiveness and efficiency). Twenty-one studies (4%) could be classified into more than one category. The majority of the articles (81%), including commentaries/reviews and case studies, were based on qualitative analysis. Commentaries/review articles were the most common study types (62%). Conclusions: Since 2001, the PHSR literature on PHEP issues has grown at about 33% per year. However, most studies lack a rigorous design, raising questions about the validity of the results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the importance of addressing the issue on preparedness planning for the general population especially those with special health care needs (SHCN) in an event of a natural disaster in the U.S. It relates that many people still do not know how to prepare themselves during calamities, that is why it is significant to educate them on how to do so. In addition, it affirms that the framework presents a step ahead of the addressing preparedness problems in the state.

The article describes the challenges identified in preparedness exercises conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health Center for Public Health Preparedness (HSPH-CPHP) in the U.S. Among these include lack of understanding of individual and agency roles and responsibilities and limited communications capabilities especially in sharing information about health risks. The author remarks that such exercises can determine specific gaps in planning, resources and assumptions for response that can be addressed before an actual event happens.

This article analyzes the evolution of the private equity and venture capital industries in Brazil, using the U.S. market as an ideal type. The main challenges faced by this sector in Brazil are the volatility of the economy, a lack of seed capital, and the illiquidity of capital markets, which make exit strategies through initial public offerings problematic. On the other hand, the decreasing level of real interest rates and the recent changes in the regulatory framework are the two main factors that bode well for the future growth of the sector. As a result, the authors believe Brazil will become one of the most important markets for private equity by the end of the decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summarizes the clinical course of three fatal cases of Rocky mountain spotted fever (RMSF), a tickborne infection caused by Rickettsia rickettsii and characterized by a rash, in children and related illness in family during the summer of 2003. Information on the case of a female child aged 7 diagnosed with RMSF in Oklahoma; Overview of the laboratory tests of a male child with RMSF in Kentucky; Effective measures to reduce the risk of RMSF.

Reports on an outbreak of Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) in family clusters in Oklahoma, Kentucky, and Arizona during summer 2003. The Rickettsia rickettsii causing the infection that is characterized by a rash; Details of three fatal cases in children and related illness in family members; Importance of prompt diagnosis; CDC editorial note discussing the fatal tickborne illness RMSF.

Understanding the size and composition of the state and local governmental public health workforce in the United States is critical for promoting and protecting the health of the public. Using pandemic-era data from the Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey fielded in 2017 and 2021, this study compared intent to leave or retire in 2017 with actual separations through 2021 among state and local public health agency staff. We also examined how employee age, region, and intent to leave correlated with separations and considered the effect on the workforce if trends were to continue. In our analytic sample, nearly half of all employees in state and local public health agencies left between 2017 and 2021, a proportion that rose to three-quarters for those ages thirty-five and younger or with shorter tenures. If separation trends continue, by 2025 this would represent more than 100,000 staff leaving their organizations, or as much as half of the governmental public health workforce in total. Given the likelihood of increasing outbreaks and future global pandemics, strategies to improve recruitment and retention must be prioritized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]