Training of Crisis Mappers and Map Production from Multi-sensor Data: Vernazza Case Study (Cinque Terre National Park, Italy)

This aim of paper is to presents the development of a multidisciplinary project carried out by the cooperation between Politecnico di Torino and ITHACA (Information Technology for Humanitarian Assistance, Cooperation and Action). The goal of the project was the training in geospatial data acquiring and processing for students attending Architecture and Engineering Courses, in order to start up a team of "volunteer mappers". Indeed, the project is aimed to document the environmental and built heritage subject to disaster; the purpose is to improve the capabilities of the actors involved in the activities connected in geospatial data collection, integration and sharing. The proposed area for testing the training activities is the Cinque Terre National Park, registered in the World Heritage List since 1997. The area was affected by flood on the 25th of October 2011. According to other international experiences, the group is expected to be active after emergencies in order to upgrade maps, using data acquired by typical geomatic methods and techniques such as terrestrial and aerial Lidar, close-range and aerial photogrammetry, topographic and GNSS instruments etc.; or by non conventional systems and instruments such us UAV, mobile mapping etc. The ultimate goal is to implement a WebGIS platform to share all the data collected with local authorities and the Civil Protectio

Stroke Ready: a multi-level program that combines implementation science and community-based participatory research approaches to increase acute stroke treatment: protocol for a stepped wedge trial

Abstract Background Post-stroke disability is common, costly, and projected to increase. Acute stroke treatments can substantially reduce post-stroke disability, but few patients take advantage of these cost-effective treatments. Practical, cost-efficient, and sustainable interventions to address underutilized acute stroke treatments are currently lacking. In this context, we present the Stroke Ready project, a stepped wedge design, multi-level intervention that combines implementation science and community-based participatory research approaches to increase acute stroke treatments in the predominately African American community of Flint, Michigan, USA. Methods Guided by the Tailored Implementation of Chronic Disease (TICD) framework, we begin with optimization of acute stroke care in emergency departments, with particular attention given to our safety-net hospital partners. Then, we move to a community-wide, multi-faceted, stroke preparedness intervention, with workshops led by peer educators, over 2 years. Measures of engagement of the safety-net hospital and the feasibility and sustainability of the implementation strategy as well as community intervention reach, dose delivered, and satisfaction will be collected. The primary outcome is acute stroke treatment rates, which includes both intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, and endovascular treatment. The co-secondary outcomes are intravenous tissue plasminogen activator treatment rates and the proportion of stroke patients who arrive by ambulance. Discussion If successful, Stroke Ready will increase acute stroke treatment rates through emergency department and community level interventions. The stepped wedge design and process evaluation will provide insight into how Stroke Ready works and where it might work best. By exploring the relative effectiveness of the emergency department optimization and the community intervention, we will inform hospitals and communities as they determine how best to use their resources to optimize acute stroke care. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Trial Identifier NCT03645590 .https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/148211/1/13012_2019_Article_869.pd

Public Relations in Government-Based Public Health: Testing Contingency Theory During H1N1 Response, 2009-2010

The primary purpose of this study is to describe public relations programs in state and local government-based health departments nationwide. Using the H1N1 communications and public relations activities as a frame, or basis of comparison, this study will further seek to identify if Contingency Theory of public relations may be an apt descriptor of public relations activities during this particular response effort. This study uses Contingency Theory as a theoretical perspective to explain the strategic management of the organization-public relationships and add to the body of knowledge about Contingency Theory of public relations in the field of health communications. Contingency Theory has been tested in other areas of for-profit and nonprofit sectors, but not specifically in the field of health communication. While the practice of public relations in the field of health care has been studied extensively, most work has centered on pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, and other health care facilities. The work performed in state and local public health departments has been rarely examined, other than to review which campaigns prove effective in what areas, primarily in the development of campaigns to measure or improve a particular health indicator. Previous studies in the area of public health have tended to focus on specific aspects of campaigns rather than the general practice of public relations in public health. This study examines the practice of public relations in public health to describe and explain the approach taken with various publics and to determine if Contingency Theory proves appropriate as a descriptor of practice. This study will add to the body of knowledge by linking public relations to public health and in building public relations theory by beginning to test Contingency Theory in the area of public health

An Analysis of the Impact of Training on Prescriber Behavior in Nevada

This study seeks to examine the impact of prescriber training on prescriber behavior in Nevada. To determine the effectiveness of these training efforts, data from the Nevada State Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) from 2018 to 2022 was gathered. Much of the research that centers on the national opioid crisis has primarily focused on overdose fatalities. While researching overdose fatalities is an important part of understanding the depth of the crisis, there are other topics surrounding the opioid crisis that have largely been understudied. While many prevention efforts focus on reducing overdose fatalities, prescribers and their responsibility to mitigate their contribution to the opioid crisis should remain a high priority. Under the Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program (COAP) grant that was awarded to the City of Reno Police Department in 2018, some funds were allocated to providing multiple prescriber training events throughout the community surrounding the dangers of misuse and abuse of opioid related prescriptions. Prescribing patterns and trends in terms of pill quantities from pre and post training events were compared. Indications of dangerous and irregular prescription patterns include high levels of doses within a short period, high levels of doses with access to high refills, and the presence of an opioid, benzodiazepine, or stimulant. Other variables include high numbers of total pills, the number of pills per day, and the number of prescriptions per doctor. Dependent sample t-tests were conducted to measure the impact of the trainings on prescriber behavior regarding pill quantities. While the results showed little impact, this research sheds some light into the prescribing patterns and trends that directly impact the opioid crisis in the state of Nevada

"Last-Mile" preparation for a potential disaster

Extreme natural events, like e.g. tsunamis or earthquakes, regularly lead to catastrophes with dramatic consequences. In recent years natural disasters caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, destruction of infrastructure, disruption of economic activity and loss of billions of dollars worth of property and thus revealed considerable deficits hindering their effective management: Needs for stakeholders, decision-makers as well as for persons concerned include systematic risk identification and evaluation, a way to assess countermeasures, awareness raising and decision support systems to be employed before, during and after crisis situations. The overall goal of this study focuses on interdisciplinary integration of various scientific disciplines to contribute to a tsunami early warning information system. In comparison to most studies our focus is on high-end geometric and thematic analysis to meet the requirements of small-scale, heterogeneous and complex coastal urban systems. Data, methods and results from engineering, remote sensing and social sciences are interlinked and provide comprehensive information for disaster risk assessment, management and reduction. In detail, we combine inundation modeling, urban morphology analysis, population assessment, socio-economic analysis of the population and evacuation modeling. The interdisciplinary results eventually lead to recommendations for mitigation strategies in the fields of spatial planning or coping capacity

Crisis and emergency risk communication. 2012 edition

In 2002, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) decided to fill a critical training gap and resource need and developed the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication manual. When it was written, the central role of crisis communication in public health responses to crises was beginning to be recognized. Since that time, thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of health, emergency management, and government professionals have been trained using the original CERC Manual and associated materials in the United States, Canada, Europe, and many other locations. While CERC principles are timeless, new information has been developed, new examples have emerged, and new understandings have been created. Crisis communication is by definition a very dynamic field, and for any work to maintain its state-of-the art relevance, revisions and updates are required.This revision, Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication: 2012 Edition is an effort to update and, in some cases, expand the original CERC manual. All revisions were informed by two principles. First, the revisions were grounded in the research literature. Second, we worked to develop and present the material in a practical, applications-oriented framework. We are grateful to our advisory board for helping ensure that the principles reflect state-of-the-art knowledge.1. Introduction to crisis and emergency risk communication -- 2. Psychology of a crisis -- 3. Messages and audiences -- 4. Crisis communication plans -- 5. The spokesperson -- 6. Working with the media -- 7. Stakeholder and partner communication -- 8. Other communication channels -- 9. CERC, social media, and mobile media devices -- 10. Terrorism and bioterrorism communication challenges -- 11. Human resources for CERC -- 12. Understanding roles of federal, state, and local community health partners -- 13. Media and public health law -- Acronyms -- Epidemiology terms \u2013 Indexes.OtherPublic Health Preparedness and ResponseCurrentPublic Health Preparedness and ResponseOthe

Preventing suicide by young people

Introduction In 2013, 2,522 people died by suicide in Australia. Twenty-two of these were children aged 5- 14 years, 148 were adolescents aged 15-19 years, and a further 200 were young people aged 20-24 years. Although the suicide rate for children and adolescents is lower than that for some older age groups, suicide is the leading cause of death in children and young people. Suicide has immense effects on the families, friends, and communities of people who die by suicide, causing long lasting grief and guilt. Arguably, these effects are even greater when the person who died by suicide is young. It is estimated that suicide costs the Australian economy more than $17 billion per year. Researchers and policy makers recognise that suicide is preventable, yet suicide rates have changed little in the past 10 years. This discussion paper aims to focus a spotlight on the unique experience of young people. It does this by providing a critical analysis of existing policy and evidence based responses relevant to young people

Technical handbook for dengue surveillance, dengue outbreak prediction/detection and outbreak response (Model contingency plan)

This handbook was produced by TDR together with WHO’s Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Department and WHO regional offices in the context of a European Union-financed research programme, the International Research Consortium on Dengue Risk Assessment, Management and Surveillance (IDAMS), to develop an evidence-based handbook for the early outbreak detec-tion and management of dengue fever outbreaks. The handbook targets public health providers, in particular those at national level. It is not an implementation guideline, but a framework for developing a national contingency plan with local adaptations that acknowledge micro-level pro-gramme components. Response planning requires contextual details encompassing the structure of the health and vector control services, the availability of infrastructure and budget, and human resources, and the willingness of staff to cooperate, among others. The aim of this “model contingency plan” is to assist programme managers and planners in devel-oping a national, context-specific, dengue outbreak response plan in order to: (a) detect a dengue outbreak at an early stage through clearly defined and validated alarm signals; (b) precisely define when a dengue outbreak has started; and (c) organize an early response to the alarm signals or an “emergency response” once an outbreak has started. A summary of this document, "Dengue Contingency Planning: From Research to Policy and Practice" (PNTD-D-16-00407R1) has also been published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Suicide and self-harm in Britain: researching risk and resilience using UK surveys

Aim The main aim of this study was to raise awareness of surveys that could be used to inform self-harm and suicide prevention work. We asked: What UK survey datasets are available for research? What aspects of people’s lives are associated with self-harm and attempted suicide? How do statistical findings resonate with people’s lived experience? What implications do they see? Findings Survey analyses revealed that risk factors for self-harm are wide ranging and include: Mental health Physical health and health behaviours Social relationships Stressful events Employment and financial circumstances Identity and demographics Many different factors are independently associated with self-harm. There is a dose relationship, with more exposure to a factor linked with increased risk. Risks are cumulative that is, exposure to multiple factors is associated with greater risk. Through facilitated consultation, men with lived experience, bereaved family members, and practitioners identified recommendations for responding to suicidal distress in men. These related to the following three main areas: 1. Recognising need: who is ‘ill enough’? Permission - men said that they often did not know they were entitled to help Ask - people who outwardly appear to be functioning may not be Persistence - ask and offer help more than once. 2. Facilitating access: right words, time and place What is available - support is needed with ongoing stress as well as for crises Find the words - men wanted examples of how to ask for help Allow time - employers expect recovery to be swift, some men felt rushed to come off medications or were discharged from services they still needed. 3. Adjusting delivery: equal engagement Power - some were uncomfortable with service dynamics, preferring peer support Every service contact counts - negative contacts had particular impact Safe spaces - may be different for men and women. Methods There were three strands of work: Secondary analysis of nine survey series, spanning more than twenty years Linkage of 144,000 survey participants to information on whether they were alive in 2013 and whether they had taken their own life Facilitated consultation, through depth interviews with people with lived experience