Abstract
Several public health crises in Europe have led to sustained outbreaks, political problems, or have generated social alarm. For this reason, a nationwide study was conducted in Spain with the objective to determine which public health events provoke the most frequent crises, to reach a consensus regarding the appropriate actions to be taken when responding to public health crises, and to provide recommendations for their management. The events which had most frequently provoked crises between 1999 and 2004 were identified. A consensus was obtained by public health experts from the 17 Autonomous Regions of Spain and the National Epidemiological Centre using the RAND/UCLA method which combines the Nominal Groups and Delphi techniques. Legionellosis, foodborne diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), bioterrorism, meningococcal meningitis, tuberculosis, heat waves, and influenza epidemics were found to be cause for most public health crises. In Spain, 75% of the crises identified by senior public health experts from the Autonomous Regions involved infectious diseases. Factors triggering a crisis included the type of disease, social alarm, population affected, and the course of action taken by public institutions and reporting in the media. There was consensus that correct information, qualified personnel, availability of standardised protocols for investigation and control, information distribution, and setting up of ‘crisis offices’ were actions with a positive effect regarding crisis resolution. Appropriate management of outbreaks or other situations being perceived as a risk to health can mitigate or even contain the generation of public health crises.
Highlights
One of five World Health Organization (WHO) member states experiences some type of event that threatens the health of its people [1]
A letter was sent to general directors of public health services in the 17 Autonomous Regions asking for information about the five largest or most frequent crises experienced in the study period
According to the representatives of the Autonomous Regions the most frequent diseases or events leading to public health crises involved outbreaks of legionellosis, foodborne diseases, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), bioterrorism, meningococcal meningitis, drinking water contamination, tuberculosis, and heat waves (Table 1)
Summary
One of five World Health Organization (WHO) member states experiences some type of event (disease outbreak, environmental calamity, etc.) that threatens the health of its people [1]. Preparation, mitigation, response, and control of such crises are public health priorities [1]. Spain has experienced several public health crises in recent years, some of which were solved rapidly and adequately, while others were not. Pressure is put on epidemiologists to find causes and implement control measures rapidly that can complicate the investigation of an event. In Spain, in 2005, a study involving public health experts from all Spanish Autonomous Regions was conducted with the intention to establish criteria for good practice in the management of epidemics (infectious diseases or not) or other emerging crisis situations in public health. The study objectives were (i) to determine which events provoke the most frequent public health crises, (ii) to reach a consensus regarding the appropriate actions to be taken when responding to events with an impact on public health, and (iii) to provide recommendations for their management
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