A Policy-Ready Public Health Guidebook of Strategies and Indicators to Promote Financial Well-Being and Address Financial Strain in Response to COVID-19

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the financial well-being of populations globally, escalating concerns about links with health care and overall well-being. Governments and organizations need to act quickly to protect population health relative to exacerbated financial strain. However, limited practice and policy-relevant resources are available to guide action, particularly from a public health perspective, that is, targeting equity, social determinants of health, and health-in-all policies. Our study aimed to create a public health guidebook of strategies and indicators for multisectoral action on financial well-being and financial strain by decision makers in high-income contexts. Methods We used a multimethod approach to create the guidebook. We conducted a targeted review of existing theoretical and conceptual work on financial well-being and strain. By using rapid review methodology informed by principles of realist review, we collected data from academic and practice-based sources evaluating financial well-being or financial strain initiatives. We performed a critical review of these sources. We engaged our research–practice team and government and nongovernment partners and participants in Canada and Australia for guidance to strengthen the tool for policy and practice. Results The guidebook presents 62 targets, 140 evidence-informed strategies, and a sample of process and outcome indicators. Conclusion The guidebook supports action on the root causes of poor financial well-being and financial strain. It addresses a gap in the academic literature around relevant public health strategies to promote financial well-being and reduce financial strain. Community organizations, nonprofit organizations, and governments in highincome countries can use the guidebook to direct initiative design, implementation, and assessmen

The Role of GIS, Mobile App and Satellite Technologies to Enhance Data Collection Process: A Case of Environmental Factors and Epidemics Linkages

A research article was submitted to Smart Cities/Smart Regions – Technische, wirtschaftliche und gesellschaftliche Innovationen, 2019Enhancement of health data collection and presentation to support epidemic analysis can benefit many aspects of healthcare in terms of diseases control, decision making and action to be taken. The epidemic analysis is the science that studies the patterns, causes, and effects of health and diseases conditions in defined populations. In most hospitals, there is increasing demand to improve quality of data, the efficiency of collection and presentation. In this study, we aim at integrating new module in the existing Health Information System (HIS) in order to improve data collection and presentation. The module takes advantage of the emerging technologies of mobile application, satellite technology and Geographical Information System (GIS) to capture environmental data. As part of the module we have developed, the mobile app which is integrated with GIS and satellite technology for remote data collection and hence the module can play a vital role in enhancing epidemic analysis