Master of Public Health Faculty Research and Publications
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Item Open Access Challenges involved in the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak and lessons learned(2010-09-03T15:15:56Z) Taylor, Ethel; Kastner, Justin; Renter, David G.; jkastner; drenterA 2008 multistate foodborne outbreak of Salmonella Saintpaul caused more than 1,400 illnesses in the United States (U.S.). Although initial investigations suggested tomatoes as the potential vehicle, jalapeño and serrano peppers were subsequently found positive for the outbreak strain. The uncertainty associated with this incident caused government, industry, and the public to question the efficacy of the U.S. food safety system. Examination of the response to this incident exposed breakdowns in several areas. Communication at all levels was lacking, leading to an absence of coordinated actions and conflicting risk communication messages. Variations in resources between local and state health departments created delays in gathering accurate information for epidemiological investigations. Although new laws required increased documentation, rapid and thorough traceback of produce products remained elusive. Three factors contributed to the difficulty in the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak, including (1) delayed response due to discrepancies in available resources and expertise at state and local levels, (2) inadequate communication between stakeholders and agencies, and (3) poor traceability capabilities. Future responses to foodborne illness outbreaks may be improved by addressing these three factors.Item Open Access Army public health and preventive medicine: Proactive approaches to readiness(2009-03-27T18:06:45Z) Cates, Michael B; catesPreventive medicine is crucial in maintaining the readiness of our most important resource—our people. Sustaining, and even improving, a Soldier’s health is a much wiser use of resources than waiting until that Soldier becomes sick or injured before attempting to restore health. The better we prevent diseases, conditions and injuries, the more resources will be available to apply to those things we cannot prevent. While there is continuing and growing emphasis on proactive approaches to health in today’s society and military, we must all strive toward translating that into real, even greater long-term nvestments in the future of our personnel. Prevention is the best way to health.Item Open Access Healthy animals, healthy people: Inextricably linked(2009-03-25T15:26:54Z) Cates, Michael B.; catesDogs and dolphins, monkeys and cats, horses and mules, rabbits, rodents, reptiles, and humans--multiple species, and all are part of the focused mission of the US Army Veterinary Corps. For over 91 years, officers in our Corps, along with support personnel, have been an integral part of the Army Medical Department, making critical global contributions toward the health of animals, as well as the health of Soldiers, Family members, and others. The US Army Veterinary Corps was formed in 1916 at a time when our country was just beginning to comprehend the relationship between animal and human health. We now know that those ties are tremendous. With extraordinary versatility and vigilance, our relatively small veterinary team of 3500 total personnel has continued its quest of the Army version of “One Medicine, One Health.”Item Open Access Prevention is the best way to health(2009-03-23T16:14:29Z) Cates, Michael B.; catesHealth is an essential element of military readiness, and prevention is and always will be the best way to health. Preventing diseases and conditions that threaten the health of the warfighter is more operationally sound since it maximizes available manpower. It is more beneficial to the Soldier, from a well-being perspective, to stay healthy and avoid all that the hospital has to offer, such as long waiting room times, diagnostics, and treatment. When considering healthcare costs, both short-term and long-term, prevention again wins out. In an ideal world, the military would be able to minimize disease and nonbattle injuries (DNBI), through prevention and health promotion, while optimizing the restorative medicine resources and applying them toward those diseases and conditions that are not readily preventable, especially combat injuries. This article takes a brief look at military preventive medicine, its background, its current status, and some future considerations for its use in improving the health of our warfighters.Item Open Access Primary care physicians and pandemic influenza: An appraisal of the 1918 experience and an assessment of contemporary planning(2009-02-03T19:39:52Z) Lauer, Jacob; Kastner, Justin; Nutsch, Abbey L.; jkastner; anutschThis multidisciplinary research project examined the role of primary care physicians in past pandemic flu responses and current planning efforts. Project researchers gathered and synthesized historical research, state and federal planning documents, and interview-based data. The 1918 influenza pandemic presented one model from which to understand the role played by physicians during a large-scale disease outbreak, and the challenges they faced. Contemporary planning documents were assessed for their inclusion of primary care physicians. Literature reviews and interviews comprised the principal sources of information. Findings included the following: (1) primary care physicians do not have the time to engage fully in pandemic planning activities; (2) physicians are willing to serve during a pandemic; however, government support and the availability of resources will affect their level of involvement; (3) communities should develop plans for coordinating local physicians that will allow alternative care sites to be functionally staffed; and (4) full coordination of physicians is not possible under the U.S. healthcare system.
