BACKGROUND Public health legal preparedness (PHLP) for emergencies is a core component of the health system response. However, the implementation of health legal preparedness differs between low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and developed countries. OBJECTIVE This paper examines recent trends regarding public health legal preparedness for emergencies and discusses its role in the recent...

OBJECTIVES To determine the emergency preparedness competency specific to public health inspectors (PHIs), preparedness limitations and needs of the workforce, as well as to identify important factors that affect the preparedness competency of PHIs. SETTING Cross-sectional survey was conducted in Heilongjiang, a province in northeastern China. PARTICIPANTS A questionnaire was administered t...

Preparing for catastrophic events, both human-made and natural, is in the national interest and has become a priority since catastrophic events in Oklahoma City, Washington, DC, and New York City. Dentists are a large source of non-physician health manpower that could contribute to the public welfare during catastrophic events that require additional public health human resources. Dentists, by ...

OBJECTIVES Several public health education programs and government agencies across the country have started offering virtual or online training programs in emergency preparedness for people who are likely to be involved in managing or responding to different types of emergency situations such as natural disasters, epidemics, bioterrorism, etc. While such online training programs are more conven...

The health information management (HIM) professional is strategically placed to manage information within the public health arena. As managers of information flow, HIM professionals utilize increasing levels of technology to link clinical settings, public health departments, research institutions, and consumers with health information. However, as technology increases the amount and accessibili...

The Center for Law and the Public's Health at Georgetown and Johns Hopkins Universities drafted the Model State Emergency Health Powers Act (MSEHPA or Model Act) at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Model Act provides state actors with the powers they need to detect and contain bioterrorism or a naturally occurring disease outbreak. Legislative bills based on th...

WPSAR Vol 2, No 4, 2011 | doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2011.2.4.008 www.wpro.who.int/wpsar 1 a Offi ce of Public Health Emergency Preparedness and Response, Health Science Division, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan Submitted: 20 October 2011; Published: 23 December 2011 doi: 10.5365/wpsar.2011.2.4.008 Public health response to the combined Great East Japan Earthquake, tsunami and nuclear p...

BACKGROUND Due to the uncommon nature of large-scale disasters and emergencies, public health practitioners often turn to simulated emergencies, known as "exercises", for preparedness assessment and improvement. Under the right conditions, exercises can also be used to conduct original public health systems research. This paper describes the integration of a research framework into a statewide ...