The Dynamic Role of Public Health: Disease Outbreak Impact
1.0 Introduction
Public health is an important part of the larger concept of health systems. Public health is described as what the society does collectively to ensure there is the existence of conditions where people achieve health (Bryant, 2002). the primary purpose of public health is to improve health results for people through achieving goals of averting disease and the health consequences of environmental risks or man-made. From an epidemiology perspective, a disease epidemic is an abrupt increase in incidences of an illness in a specific period and place. In regards to disease outbreak, public health is responsible for reducing its impact through preparedness, research and pattern detection, and dissemination of information.
2.0 Body
2.1 Preparedness
Public health has the responsibility of ensuring that it is well prepared through the development of a response plan and disaster recovery. Public health officials are required to develop satisfactory response plans. In the occasion of a disease outburst, public health specialists are mandated to develop proactive approaches that can be effectively implemented during an emergency. Once there is a disease outbreak in the community, the response and preparedness of the public health care based on the disease. Public health officials are required to acquit themselves and inform the public about how the specific disease spread and its symptoms (Krubiner et al., 2019). A response should always be in place, which entails data of the specific community and its demographic
2.2 Research and pattern detection
During a disease outbreak, it is hard to develop a cure or a vaccine immediately. Thus, there is a need for public health to identify the pattern and trend of the disease spread. The pattern of the outbreak is also characterized by symptoms and modes of transmission. Constant study of how communicable disease spread is a critical responsibility of public health professionals. The public health officials are assigned with the task of researching to discover the risk factors associated with the outbreak, with an attempt to combat its impact (Rao, 2008). Through the research and discovery of an outbreak, public health administrators develop new and better strategies to promote policies and resources to combat the disease or infection.
2.3 Dissemination of Information
Communication is one of the most significant aspect in combating health issues, such as disease outbreak. Communication is one of the tools used to diffuse fear and counter misinformation. With an outbreak affecting a large group of people, the public health officials are responsible for ensuring any information ready for public consumption reaches them using available channels. The dissemination of the information is done in such a way it is understandable to the public, by using understandable terms. Public health professionals must use various communication approaches that resonate with diverse populations yet maintain similar messages (Woolhouse, Rambaut, and Kellam, 2015). The officials must collaborate with other organizations that are close to the public to help disseminate information that is of public concern.
3.0 Conclusion
Disease outbreak is an emergency and one that should be dealt with effectively and timely. Thus, the best-suited entity to combat disease outbreak emergencies in public health. Public health has the responsibility of ensuring that it is well prepared through the development of a response plan and disaster recovery. Public health officials are responsible for ensuring any information ready for public consumption reaches them using available channels. Also, the public health officials are assigned with the task of researching to discover the risk factors associated with the outbreak, with an attempt to combat its impact.
References
Bryant, T. (2002). Role of knowledge in public health and health promotion policy
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Rao, R. B. (2008). U.S. Patent No. 7,457,731. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Woolhouse, M. E., Rambaut, A., & Kellam, P. (2015). Lessons from Ebola: Improving infectious disease surveillance to inform outbreak management. Science translational medicine, 7(307), 307rv5-307rv5.