Part 1: Researching Federal Initiatives
There are numerous federal initiatives in place to address current public health issues in environmental health, emergency preparedness and response, and injury prevention. Educating the public and developing health promotion programs are essential for improving the nation's health and lowering healthcare costs associated with injury and disease.
Using the Internet, research various federal initiatives that have addressed public health issues. Respond to the following:
• What federal initiatives are in place to address current public health issues? Explain in detail with a minimum of two examples.
• What are the outcomes of these initiatives? Explain with examples.
• Are there some issues that are not being adequately addressed? Explain giving examples from your research.
Part 2: Federal Response to Mass Immunizations
After a natural disaster or an infectious disease outbreak, immunizations are necessary to reduce the risk of infection. This is because immunizations work with the body's natural defenses to help the body safely develop immunity to a potentially life-threatening disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established protocols to initiate mass immunizations to reduce the risk and spread of infectious diseases.
Consider the CDC's public health response to an infectious disease outbreak in the aftermath of a hurricane.
Using the readings for this week and the Internet, respond to the following:
• What is the CDC's procedure for mass immunizations that are necessary for certain types of infectious outbreaks such as influenza, mumps, and tetanus?
• How does the CDC communicate information on mass immunization clinics to the public?
• What is the procedure for establishing a mass immunization clinic for tetanus in the aftermath of a hurricane because of the likelihood of injuries during the cleanup? Is this similar to the protocol established for influenza? Compare the two protocols.
• What are some of the controversies surrounding such vaccinations?