Risks of potential health problems related to infection control during a disaster or catastrophic event.
In a 5-6 page paper, identify risks of potential health problems related to infection control during a disaster or catastrophic event.
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Introduction
Think about a recent or past disaster or catastrophic event that occurred in your local community. Imagine you've been invited to participate in your local community taskforce to address future occurrence of this type of disaster. Your first step will be putting together a paper that identifies risks of potential health problems related to infection control during the disaster.
Your team realizes that a couple of key factors come into play when we think about disease and stopping the chain of infection:
• Physical elements, such as contaminated water, air, or soil in a disaster.
• Impacted populations, especially the different characteristics and needs of people in affected communities that raise or lower risks resulting from the physical impacts.
Part of those person-centered needs will include different communication needs based on different groups of people.
Physical and biopsychosocial elements very much overlap in any kind of infection control crisis. You'll consider both as you assess risks of infection resulting from the potential disaster you're looking at.
Preparation
Your choice of what kind of natural or man-made disaster or catastrophic event you want to prepare for and the affected location and communities will carry through all three assessments in the course. So if you haven't already, spend time gathering information to help you make that choice based on a recent or past disaster that affected your local community. Also spend time researching the decision-making approach you want to use to assess the potential risks and needs.
Instructions
In your 5–6 page paper:
• Apply a decision-making approach to assess potential health problems and needs related to infection control risks in a disaster situation.
o The heart of your paper will be assessing the potential risks of infection, given the particular kind of potential disaster and location you've chosen to focus on—and the populations that would be affected.
o You'll need to articulate not only the risks and potential needs, but the decision-making process you used to arrive at these. So articulate how you've applied a decision-making process.
• Apply personalized information, such as the needs of different demographic groups and environmental exposure information, in the identification of healthcare risks.
o You'll assess specific needs of the different affected populations of the location you've selected.
• Integrate epidemiological and system-level aggregate data to determine healthcare outcomes and trends.
o Research the most current data about the risks and infection control related to the situation you've selected, and incorporate the local data to support why you've prioritized those risks the way you have.
• Explain needs for communicating effectively with community individuals to help them make informed choices about mitigating risk of infection.
o What will be the needs and challenges for communicating effectively with the different affected populations and communities you've identified, and why?
Application of a Decision-Making Approach: The PHEP Framework
The Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) framework, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), provides a comprehensive approach to disaster preparedness and response. It emphasizes 15 capabilities critical for state and local health departments and can be adapted for community taskforce planning. This paper will utilize the PHEP framework, specifically focusing on the following capabilities, to assess infection control risks in [Your Local Community] post-flooding:
- Capability 1: Community Preparedness: Assessing community awareness of risks, and promoting health promotion activities.
- Capability 2: Epidemiological Surveillance and Investigation: Detecting, investigating, and monitoring potential disease outbreaks.
- Capability 3: Laboratory Capacity: Providing timely and accurate laboratory support for identifying infectious agents.
- Capability 4: Countermeasure Distribution and Administration: Distributing and administering vaccines, antibiotics, and other medical countermeasures.
- Capability 5: Mass Care: Providing shelter, food, and basic needs in a way that minimizes disease transmission.
- Capability 6: Emergency Public Information and Warning: Communicating effectively with the public about health risks and protective measures.
- Contaminated Water: Flooding can overwhelm sewage systems, leading to the contamination of floodwaters with fecal matter, pathogens (viruses, bacteria, and parasites), and chemicals. Direct contact or ingestion of contaminated water can cause:
- Gastrointestinal illnesses: Cholera, typhoid fever, dysentery, and E. coli infections are major risks.
- Hepatitis A: Viral contamination of water can lead to outbreaks.
- Leptospirosis: This bacterial infection can enter the body through cuts or abrasions exposed to contaminated water.
- Contaminated Soil: Floodwaters can also contaminate soil with pollutants and pathogens, posing risks during cleanup and recovery efforts.
- Tetanus: Puncture wounds or cuts sustained during cleanup can become infected with tetanus.
- Fungal infections: Exposure to mold and fungi in damp, flooded areas can cause respiratory and skin infections.
- Vector-Borne Diseases: Flooding can create breeding grounds for mosquitoes, increasing the risk of:
- Malaria: If present in the region, increased mosquito populations can lead to a rise in malaria cases.
- Dengue Fever: Similar to malaria, dengue fever transmission can escalate with increased mosquito breeding.
- Overcrowding and Poor Sanitation: Displaced populations in temporary shelters often experience overcrowding and limited access to clean water and sanitation facilities, leading to:
- Respiratory infections: Influenza, pneumonia, and tuberculosis can spread rapidly in crowded shelters.
- Skin infections: Scabies and fungal infections thrive in unsanitary conditions.
- Damage to Healthcare Facilities: Flooding can damage hospitals, clinics, and laboratories, disrupting healthcare services and compromising infection control measures. This can lead to:
- Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs): Compromised sterilization procedures and lack of resources can increase the risk of HAIs.
- Disruption of vaccination programs: Interruptions in routine vaccination can lead to outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases