Discussion Board 8 - 2 pages/2 references
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DiscussionBoard8.docxRunning Head: WEEK 4 DISCUSSION 1
DISCUSSION POST 4
Jennifer L. Naegele
Dr. Daniel West
HAD - 517
June 24, 2020
In your opinion, who are the major organizational actors in global health and what challenges do they face in regards to the enhancement of global health?
When a natural disaster or complex humanitarian emergency occurs, the resulting impacts include communicable and infectious disease outbreaks, insufficient medical supplies, contamination of food and water sources, exacerbated medical and mental health issues, and secondary disasters such as floods, hurricanes, etc. These impacts differ from complex humanitarian emergencies because they directly affect human health. Complex humanitarian emergencies create immediate threats to the general public’s safety and health. Public Health professionals play a significant role in maintaining the integrity of the public’s overall health. Public Health professionals receive in-depth training to ensure they function as responders to natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies as their main mission is to break the chain of infection. In their primary functions they:
- identify, prioritize, and triage patients accordingly
- screen and quarantine any patients that are potentially ill to prevent the spread
- facilitate necessary and immediate services and supplies that prevent or reduce
infection possibilities
- develop and deliver education and education-based programs
- study and practice most recent up to date practices and communicate those practices to
other functions within a medical or healthcare facility
Mitigating the health impacts of natural disasters and complex humanitarian emergencies require a strong team effort and carry many components. Prompt and efficient prevention and control measures are essential as well as adequate surveillance. Thorough rapid disease risk assessments and surveillance assist Public Health in identifying any communicable and infectious diseases in the community and aides the deployment of expedited measures being taken to break the chain of infection. Continued and expanded training of healthcare workers, personnel, and volunteers is equally essential in the mitigation of natural disasters and humanitarian issues. Educating the population and surrounding communities on the prevalent disease, proper hygiene to include hand washing, and sanitation practices are some of the biggest keys in mitigating health impacts. In addition to these mitigation efforts, proper and sanitary facilities, shelters, food, and water are all a part of disease prevention and mitigation of health issues related to natural and complex disasters. From personal experience as military Public Health professional and from our studies, I would like to share the following video regarding disaster risk, mitigation strategies, and recovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6PzRZDEhUI (Urban Institute, 2018).
References
Urban Institute. (2018). When Disaster Strikes: Risk, Mitigation Strategies, and Recovery. Urban Institute. Retrieved on June 17, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6PzRZDEhUI
Tyler,
Thank you for your engagement. Public Health and adequate funding are an integral part of healthcare. The purpose of public health is to break the chain of infection and education is a huge component of that mission. Education alone is never going to be enough though. Public health departments that function efficiently produce health communities and societies. The general obstacle is always funding and framework. A large portion of struggling countries lack a framework and without one, the financial burden is much steeper. Projecting the cost of a defined “package” of public health services for every state and locality requires both an agreement on what the package is and a better understanding of how the governmental public health infrastructure will shape itself to deliver the package (Institute of Medicine, 2012). A unified approach and proper appropriations would assist considerably in the intervention of non-communicable and communicable diseases.
Kindly,
Jennifer L. Naegele
Committee on Public Health Strategies to Improve Health; Institute of Medicine. (2012). For the Public’s Health: Investing in a Healthier Future. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US). Retrieved on June 12, 2020 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201025/#_NBK201025_pubdet_ Alison,
Thank you for your response. Positive behavior changes are difficult for a lot of individuals and there are many reasons as to why. Those reasons often include fears and insecurities, access to healthcare, financial ability etc. Approximately half of U.S. employers offer wellness promotion initiatives, and larger employers are more likely to have more complex programs (RAND Health, 2013). While stronger countries such as the United Kingdom practice similar efforts, not all countries have the same ability or resources. Efforts such as this one help to encourage positive behavior changes but often require an individual invest their time in understanding what and why a program like this is beneficial to them. The point I am making is that awareness is key but a factor also entails encouragement.
Kindly,
Jennifer L. Naegele
RAND Health. (2013). Worksite Wellness Programs Study: Final Report. RAND Corporation Research Report Series. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved on June 13, 2020 from http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR254.html Joanna,
Thank you for your engagement. You raise a very great point. A lot of people are motivated by money. One thing that had not occurred to me is how we impose deterrents on harmful decisions. If you go to a restaurant, especially fast-food, salads and healthier options are almost always more expensive, something that has always baffled me. At a young age, I felt that making healthier food options more expense made them less obtainable, especially in certain groups or classes of individuals. I have also believed that such practice has glorified unhealthy habits why diminishing the benefits of health habits. Another place I find this to be an issue is in schools. I know that most of the time, money is the root of most of these decisions when it comes to government, school boards, etc. What most younger people, especially children, do not understand is that the things they consume contribute significantly to their overall long-term health as you stated. The imposition of higher taxes or changing the way we price and market things like this may be a strong motivator to shift societies’ perception of food and health.
Kindly,
Jennifer L. Naegele
Kathleen,
Great post! You raise such a valid point. Lifestyle is incredibly important in limiting the burden of disease. In another response, I touched on dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles. Underlying conditions are known to increase an individual’s risk of increased infection due to weakened immune system. Tobacco and alcohol use, dietary habits, and lack of physical activity are all things we as individuals ultimately decide for ourselves. What I mean is not much is required to avoid such decisions. An issue I find with poor lifestyle habits is lack of example or priority in a person’s childhood and lack of knowledge both of which I believe go hand in hand. Marketing and pricing in the U.S. for example encourages extremely unhealthy lifestyles choices. A series of policy changes are crucial to change the face of what life should like, especially to our younger generations.
Kindly,
Jennifer L. Naegele
