Public Health Measures to triple disasters in Japan; Pandemic and Pandemic and All Hazard Preparedness Act (PAHPA)

Public Health Measures to triple disasters in Japan; Pandemic and Pandemic and All Hazard Preparedness Act (PAHPA)

Assignment 3b

Question 1

1. Monitor health status to rapidly detect and identify an event due to hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agents (e.g., community health profile before an event, vital statistics, and baseline health status of the community);

2. Diagnose and investigate infectious disease and environmental health problems and health hazards in the community specific to detecting and identifying an emergency event due to a hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agent (e.g., effective epidemiologic surveillance systems, laboratory support necessary for determining a biological, chemical, or radiological event in a time-sensitive manner); (Christodouleas 2011)

3. Inform, educate, and empower people about specific health issues pertaining to a threat or emergency event due to the release of a hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agent (e.g., health communication effectiveness in implementing a rapid and effective response);

4. Mobilize state and local partnerships to rapidly identify and solve health problems before, during, and after an event due to a hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agent, including issues related to the National Pharmaceutical Stockpile (e.g., demonstrate an effective knowledge of all key partners involved in effectively responding to an emergency event, including terrorism);

5. Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts in preparing for and responding to emergencies due to hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agents (e.g., demonstration of practical, realistic, and effective emergency response plans);

6. Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety in case of an emergency or threat due to a hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agent (e.g., enforcement of sanitary codes to ensure safety of the environment during a terrorism event);

7. Link people to needed personal health services in the course of a threat or event due to a hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agent (e.g., services that increase access to health care in a timely and effective manner); (Barbisch 2006)

8. Assure a competent and trained public and personal health-care workforce for rapid response to a threat or event due to a hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agent (e.g., education and training for all public health-care providers in effective response to an emergency event or threat);

9. Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and population-based health services available to respond to a threat or event due to a hazardous biological, chemical, or radiological agent (e.g., continuous evaluation of public health programs which respond effectively to a public health emergency); and

10. Participate in research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems resulting from exposure to a hazardous biological or chemical agent (e.g., links with academic institutions and capacity for epidemiologic and economic analyses of a chemical or bioterrorism event).

Question 2

Radiation incidents may be unintentional, as in nuclear power plant mishaps, or intentional, as in terrorist attacks with "dirty bombs," or detonation of a nuclear ...