Case Study of a Public Health Emergency Response 1. Identify a recent public hea
ID: 235732 • Letter: C
Question
Case Study of a Public Health Emergency Response
1. Identify a recent public health emergency and gather several forms of correspondence relating to the local, state, and federal response (as applicable) to this emergency (i.e. news releases, online media, etc.). Write a two page case study article describing the response, citing sources, identifying positive and negative outcomes, and critically reviewing all aspects of this response, making suggestions for improvements based on your learning. Note this should be original work and will be checked in Safe Assign for originality.Apart from Hurricane Katrina you can write on anything. Thank you.
Explanation / Answer
In United States more deaths resulted from heat than any other extreme weather events. These deaths more frequently occur in urban areas as compared to rural areas because the heat dissipiates slower in urban areas. The density of brick and stone buldings, tar roofs, paved streets store heat and radiate it slowly creating a heated island. Combination of factors like high daytime temperatures, abundance of sunshine, high humidity, warm nightime temperatures makes this conditions worse.
Apart from these there is also a relationship between risk vulnerablity and the type of population involved . for example lower income individuals as well as people living outdoors are more susceptible to this risk than high income individuals. This is because lower income individuals cannot afford air conditioners to cool their surroundings. Also the old persons, children and women are vulnerable to the heat wave.
Heat wave of Chichago 1995
In 2005 there was an abnormal increase in average temperature of Chicago and this was the highest temperature recorded here since 1928 and the temperature during day time was in its peak at about 106 degree Fahreinheit. Due to this heat wave more than 700 people were died within 5 days.
There were several factors during this Chicago event lwhich further complicates this mishap
even though there were more than 700 deaths, and more than thousands of patients who were hospitalized during a 5 day period, there were not adequate ambulances and staff to cooperate with this mishap.
there were power failures during this time which turns off fans and air conditioners which affected 49000 houses and resulted in more than 1000 of death.
there were inadequate facilities to prepare for this risk. there were no emergancy heat warning until the day heat struck Chicago and there were no emergency measures
there were lack of understanding regarding recognising the extent of damage and the potential for risk in future.
Precautionary measures :
Department on Aging prepares list of elderly people who lives alone so workers can assist them by calling or visiting them to alert them for the dangerous weather system
for updates on safety information city opened heat lines
monitoring sytem must be implemented in emergency rooms and the activity of paramedics should be monitored so to avoid the health impacts
by evaluating the infrastructure and communications it is easier to implement the response to the area where it is needed and make it accesible
the capacity to evaluate when will a slow heat event like heat can become potential threat to the public. Also this should be communicated effectively without causing harm to the residents. After the declaration of the public health emergency response plan can be implemented