Transforming Public Health Surveillance

Public Health Surveillance (PHS) is of primary importance in this era of emerging health threats like Ebola, MERS-CoV, influenza, natural and man-made disasters, and non-communicable diseases. Transforming Public Health Surveillance is a forward-looking, topical, and up-to-date overview of the issues and solutions facing PHS. It describes the realities of the gaps and impediments to efficient and effective PHS, while presenting a vision for its possibilities and promises in the 21st century. The book gives a roadmap to the goal of public health information being available, when it is needed and where it is needed. Led by Professor Scott McNabb, a leader in the field, an international team of the top-notch public health experts from academia, government, and non-governmental organizations provides the most complete and current update on this core area of public health practice in a decade in 32 chapters. This includes the key roles PHS plays in achieving the global health security agenda and health equity. The authors provide a global perspective for students and professionals in public health. Seven scenarios lay out an aid to understand the context for the lessons of the book, and a comprehensive glossary, questions, bullet points, and learning objectives make this book an excellent tool in the classroom.

"This text presents an organized approach to planning, developing, and implementing public health surveillance systems. It has a broad scope, discussing legal and ethical issues as well as technical problems"--Jacket cover.

An up-to-date and comprehensive treatment of biosurveillancetechniques With the worldwide awareness of bioterrorism and drug-resistantinfectious diseases, the need for surveillance systems toaccurately detect emerging epidemicsis essential for maintainingglobal safety. Responding to these issues, Disease Surveillancebrings together fifteen eminent researchers in the fields ofmedicine, epidemiology, biostatistics, and medical informatics todefine the necessary elements of an effective disease surveillanceprogram, including research, development, implementation, andoperations. The surveillance systems and techniques presented inthe text are designed to best utilize modern technology, manageemerging public health threats, and adapt to environmentalchanges. Following a historical overview detailing the need for diseasesurveillance systems, the text is divided into the following threeparts: Part One sets forth the informatics knowledge needed toimplement a disease surveillance system, including a discussion ofdata sources currently used in syndromic surveillance systems. Part Two provides case studies of modern disease surveillancesystems, including cases that highlight implementation andoperational difficulties as well as the successes experienced byhealth departments in the United States, Canada, Europe, andAsia. Part Three addresses practical issues concerning the evaluationof disease surveillance systems and the education of futureinformatics and disease surveillance practitioners. It alsoassesses how future technology will shape the field of diseasesurveillance. This book's multidisciplinary approach is ideal for publichealth professionals who need to understand all the facets within adisease surveillance program and implement the technology needed tosupport surveillance activities. An outline of the componentsneeded for a successful disease surveillance system combined withextensive use of case studies makes this book well-suited as atextbook for public health informatics courses

The rise of globalized business has created a world village wherein ideas and industry transcend national boundaries. Unfortunately, the resulting increase in travel has accelerated the transmission of diseases, generating a surge in worldwide epidemics and increasing the necessity of innovative strategies for prevention, containment, and communication related to global health issues. Transforming Public Health in Developing Nations showcases the latest developments, trends, and challenges within the field of international public health. Featuring empirical studies, case studies, reviews, and discussion notes, this authoritative text highlights diverse, important global health issues, making it an essential resource for professionals, researchers, and academics seeking insight on the latest developments in contemporary healthcare. This reference work highlights a broad scope of current issues including global epidemics, worldwide health systems, mental health issues in developing nations, barriers to healthcare, sanitation and infection, cultural diversity in healthcare administration, cultural perceptions of reproductive health issues, international health costs and budgets, and health information technology.

Physical activity has far-reaching benefits for physical, mental, emotional, and social health and well-being for all segments of the population. Despite these documented health benefits and previous efforts to promote physical activity in the U.S. population, most Americans do not meet current public health guidelines for physical activity. Surveillance in public health is the ongoing systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of outcome-specific data, which can then be used for planning, implementation and evaluation of public health practice. Surveillance of physical activity is a core public health function that is necessary for monitoring population engagement in physical activity, including participation in physical activity initiatives. Surveillance activities are guided by standard protocols and are used to establish baseline data and to track implementation and evaluation of interventions, programs, and policies that aim to increase physical activity. However, physical activity is challenging to assess because it is a complex and multidimensional behavior that varies by type, intensity, setting, motives, and environmental and social influences. The lack of surveillance systems to assess both physical activity behaviors (including walking) and physical activity environments (such as the walkability of communities) is a critical gap. Implementing Strategies to Enhance Public Health Surveillance of Physical Activity in the United States develops strategies that support the implementation of recommended actions to improve national physical activity surveillance. This report also examines and builds upon existing recommended actions.

The anthrax incidents following the 9/11 terrorist attacks put the spotlight on the nation's public health agencies, placing it under an unprecedented scrutiny that added new dimensions to the complex issues considered in this report. The Future of the Public's Health in the 21st Century reaffirms the vision of Healthy People 2010, and outlines a systems approach to assuring the nation's health in practice, research, and policy. This approach focuses on joining the unique resources and perspectives of diverse sectors and entities and challenges these groups to work in a concerted, strategic way to promote and protect the public's health. Focusing on diverse partnerships as the framework for public health, the book discusses: The need for a shift from an individual to a population-based approach in practice, research, policy, and community engagement. The status of the governmental public health infrastructure and what needs to be improved, including its interface with the health care delivery system. The roles nongovernment actors, such as academia, business, local communities and the media can play in creating a healthy nation. Providing an accessible analysis, this book will be important to public health policy-makers and practitioners, business and community leaders, health advocates, educators and journalists.

Early detection is essential to the control of emerging, reemerging, and novel infectious diseases, whether naturally occurring or intentionally introduced. Containing the spread of such diseases in a profoundly interconnected world requires active vigilance for signs of an outbreak, rapid recognition of its presence, and diagnosis of its microbial cause, in addition to strategies and resources for an appropriate and efficient response. Although these actions are often viewed in terms of human public health, they also challenge the plant and animal health communities. Surveillance, defined as "the continual scrutiny of all aspects of occurrence and spread of a disease that are pertinent to effective control", involves the "systematic collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of health data." Disease detection and diagnosis is the act of discovering a novel, emerging, or reemerging disease or disease event and identifying its cause. Diagnosis is "the cornerstone of effective disease control and prevention efforts, including surveillance." Disease surveillance and detection relies heavily on the astute individual: the clinician, veterinarian, plant pathologist, farmer, livestock manager, or agricultural extension agent who notices something unusual, atypical, or suspicious and brings this discovery in a timely way to the attention of an appropriate representative of human public health, veterinary medicine, or agriculture. Most developed countries have the ability to detect and diagnose human, animal, and plant diseases. Global Infectious Disease Surveillance and Detection: Assessing the Challenges-Finding Solutions, Workshop Summary is part of a 10 book series and summarizes the recommendations and presentations of the workshop.

Chronic diseases are common and costly, yet they are also among the most preventable health problems. Comprehensive and accurate disease surveillance systems are needed to implement successful efforts which will reduce the burden of chronic diseases on the U.S. population. A number of sources of surveillance data--including population surveys, cohort studies, disease registries, administrative health data, and vital statistics--contribute critical information about chronic disease. But no central surveillance system provides the information needed to analyze how chronic disease impacts the U.S. population, to identify public health priorities, or to track the progress of preventive efforts. A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases outlines a conceptual framework for building a national chronic disease surveillance system focused primarily on cardiovascular and chronic lung diseases. This system should be capable of providing data on disparities in incidence and prevalence of the diseases by race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic region, along with data on disease risk factors, clinical care delivery, and functional health outcomes. This coordinated surveillance system is needed to integrate and expand existing information across the multiple levels of decision making in order to generate actionable, timely knowledge for a range of stakeholders at the local, state or regional, and national levels. The recommendations presented in A Nationwide Framework for Surveillance of Cardiovascular and Chronic Lung Diseases focus on data collection, resource allocation, monitoring activities, and implementation. The report also recommends that systems evolve along with new knowledge about emerging risk factors, advancing technologies, and new understanding of the basis for disease. This report will inform decision-making among federal health agencies, especially the Department of Health and Human Services; public health and clinical practitioners; non-governmental organizations; and policy makers, among others.