Emergency Preparedness & Health Policy
ANSWERS
Abstract
Background
Emergencies and natural disasters have an impact on population health. Despite the importance of upstream readiness, defining what it means to be prepared remains a persistent challenge for public health practitioners. Existing frameworks need more consideration for complexity relevant to health systems and the emergency context, resulting in a knowledge gap. This research aims to describe the critical components of a resilient public health system and how they interact as a complex adaptive system.
Methods
Six focus groups across Canada used a qualitative design with the Structured Interview Matrix facilitation technique. Participants in the focus groups were practitioners from public health and related sectors. Data collection yielded qualitative information on the essential elements and interactions between them for a resilient public health system. Data analysis used qualitative content analysis and the complexity theory lens (PHEP) to account for the complexities of public health emergency preparedness. The local/regional public health agency served as the research unit. The framework was created with ethics and values in mind.
Results
The six focus groups drew a total of 130 people. Participants came from urban, urban-rural, and rural areas across Canada, and the size of the focus groups ranged from 15 to 33 across the six sites. The data revealed eleven elements: a cross-cutting component (Governance and leadership) and ten distinct but interconnected parts. The essential elements define PHP’s conceptual framework. The framework was refined to ensure practice and policy relevance for local/regional public health agencies; ethics and values are central to the framework.
Conclusions
This framework describes the system’s complexity but goes beyond description to use complexity tenets to support resilience building. This empirically derived and theoretically informed applied public health framework for local/regional public health agencies represents a complex adaptive systems approach to PHEP upstream readiness.
Emergency Preparedness & Health Policy
QUESTION
Emergency Preparedness & Health Policy
Emergency Preparedness & Health Policy
After studying Module 4: Lecture Materials & Resources, discuss the following:
- How your work environment prepares and responds to emergency preparedness (you may choose natural or man-made emergencies)?
- How do you see health policy impacting nursing practice in preparing for emergencies?
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
Read and watch the lecture resources & materials below early in the week to help you respond to the discussion questions and to complete your assignment(s).
(Note: The citations below are provided for your research convenience. You should always cross reference the current APA guide for correct styling of citations and references in your academic work.)
Read
- Mason, D. J., Gardner, D. B., Outlaw, F. H. & O’Grady, E. T. (2020).
- Chapters 23, 24, 28, 30, 31, and 38
Watch
None.
Online Materials & Resources
- Visit the CINAHL Complete under the A-to-Z Databases on the University Library’s website, locate and read the article(s) below:
- Blake, S. C., Hawley, J. N., Henkel, A. G., & Howard, D. H. (2018). Implementation of Florida long term care emergency preparedness portal web site, 2015–2017. American Journal of Public Health, 108, S399–S401. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304557
- Sales, C., Kim, Y., Kim, G., Lin, B., & Palaniappan, L. (2021). Precision public health matters: An international assessment of communication, preparedness, and coordination for successful COVID-19 responses. American Journal of Public Health, 111(3), 392–394. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2020.306129
- Traynor, K. (2019). Unprecedented storm tests preparation at small Georgia hospital. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, 76(2), 68–69. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajhp/zxy062