Displaying 21-40 of 112 results for

Following disruptions to daily life caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency departments saw an increase of mental health-related visits. A June 2021 study showed a significant increase of mental health-related visits among 12–17-year-olds compared to the previous year. States and territories that implement a comprehensive public health approach to suicide prevention across all domains of life—an approach known as the socio-ecological model—can reduce contributing risk factors.

This June marked the 40-year anniversary of the first five cases of what later became known as AIDS reported in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Since then, more than 32 million people have died from the disease worldwide and nearly 38 million currently live with the HIV virus (including 1.2 million people in the United States). Over that period, tremendous strides have been made in HIV testing, prevention strategies, and treatment of individuals living with the virus to ensure that they can lead healthier and longer lives. While these advancements have led to significant progress in reducing HIV/AIDS-related deaths and new infection rates, HIV/AIDS continues to be a persistent problem in the United States. The federal government and state legislatures are taking significant steps toward ending the HIV epidemic, including steps to reduce new infections, combating stigma, and advancing access to care and HIV prevention

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the intersections of social determinants of health, such as transportation, education, and housing, and their impact on the health of individuals and communities. As the moratorium on evictions ends in many parts of the United States, housing in particular looms as a potential public health crisis. Braiding and layering funding is when government agencies and non-traditional partners collaborate and coordinate to combine different streams of funding to address social determinants of health. This post lists three examples where funding has been successfully braided or layered to support housing needs.

Though now an illegal practice, government contracts, policies, and practices have generally excluded women, and Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Still, practices and existing structures continue the inequitable distribution of all contracts. Governmental and non-governmental grants and funding should benefit the communities they serve while being proportionate to the communities' demographics. This is where inclusive contracting comes in.

State and local jurisdictions are developing Ending the HOV Epidemic plans. The EHE initiative has largely focused on four key strategies: Diagnose, Treat, Prevent, and Respond to potential outbreaks. The EHE initiative set a goal to increase the estimated percentage of individuals with indications for PrEP who have been prescribed PrEP to 50 percent by 2025, as the national average as of 2018 is 18.2 percent. Several states have proposed and/or passed legislation to ensure insurance coverage of PrEP and/or to allow pharmacists to prescribe and dispense it. In addition to efforts addressing cost-related challenges, states can also employ innovative approaches—such as telehealth—to expand access to PrEP services to those in need.

Responsible for planting, growing, harvesting, processing, and preparing the food we eat, agricultural workers are essential workers during the COVID-19 response to keep the U.S. food supply chain operating efficiently. But farmworkers are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to lack of physical distancing, lack of access to health insurance and sick leave, and poor access to clean water for handwashing throughout the work day.

An increasing body of research finds racism can have a significant impact across one’s lifespan. Research shows that persistent exposure to racial discrimination may result in premature aging, poor health outcomes, and increased prevalence of certain chronic diseases. At every level of government, policymakers are seeking to acknowledge the systemic oppression of people of color that persists and to elevate racism as an urgent public health crisis comparable to other public health emergencies.

The adage “what gets measured, gets done” has had staying power for a reason. When we can accurately describe conditions, quantify impact, and elucidate connections, we have a better chance at taking collective (and effective) action to tackle even the most challenging problems facing our communities. The National Survey of Children’s Health is a powerful tool to provide this critical information to researchers, policymakers, and state-level decision makers.

The movement to address racism through policy change in the U.S. is receiving significant political support at every level of government. Government institutions are acknowledging the systemic oppression of people of color that persists in the United States and elevating racism as an urgent public health emergency comparable to other public health crises.

As we celebrate National Rural Health Day this year, we are reminded of how important telehealth can be for public health and healthcare. Telehealth can minimize challenges faced by rural patients and communities—such as transportation, provider shortages, etc.—manage volume, increase the quality of healthcare, and lower overall costs by reducing readmissions and avoidable emergency department visits. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that access to reliable broadband is still a challenge and is a key social determinant of health for rural Americans.

On Dec. 3, the International Day of People with Disabilities commemorates disability rights and brings awareness to essential issues for those with disabilities by promoting the “well-being of persons with disabilities in all spheres of society.” While the ADA laid a critical foundation for disability rights, the work to ensure equitable access to services and needs continues, including access to state and local emergency preparedness and response activities like crisis communication, access to resources, allocation of vaccine and other medical countermeasures, and transportation.

When rural hospitals close, it increases the distance people must travel for essential healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and magnified the factors leading to rural hospital closures across the country. Many healthcare facilities suspended elective procedures to conserve critically needed personal protective equipment and reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by patients and hospital staff. For many rural hospitals, however, the suspension of elective procedures with the reduced the use of non-urgent services by apprehensive patients meant a loss of revenue and the furloughed healthcare staff. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of all rural hospitals are experiencing negative operating margins due to reduced outpatient revenue. The rate increases in states that have not expanded Medicaid. Unfortunately, these kinds of challenges are not new to rural hospitals.

Though COVID-19 has dominated public health over the past year, other communicable diseases are still occurring at troubling rates. The CDC recently released data in their Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2019 report, showing that the reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis continued to increase for the sixth consecutive year and are among the most reported diseases in the United States. As STD Awareness Month comes to a close, below is a breakdown of key takeaways from CDC’s surveillance report and tips for how state health officials can address rising STD rates through leadership, communications, and policy.

Many states have introduced bills to strengthen and increase access to these prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services, building a solid foundation of care for women who must navigate the healthcare system and make difficult decisions during public health emergencies.

Tobacco control has been a public health success in states across the nation, but there is still work to be done, especially surrounding the popularity of menthol and other types of flavored tobacco.

Forming Partnerships to Increase Rural Immunization Rates ASTHO, Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, national immunization awareness month, farmworker communities, vaccine equity project, increase rural immunization, immunization rates, healthcare access, community action agencies, barriers to vaccine uptake, community partnerships, underlying medical conditions, back-to-school vaccinations, national community action partnership, vaccination strategies, vaccination importance, farmworker communities, challenges to healthcare access, vaccination rates, national center for farmworker health, rural immunization, preventable disease Shalini Nair, Heather Tomlinson ASTHO | Learn how public health partners with community organizations to bring vaccines to rural communities that otherwise would have difficulty accessing care in this blog. Rural communities face many challenges in accessing health care, like limited provider availability, gaps in insurance coverage, transportation issues, language barriers, and limited internet access. Additionally, rural populations are more likely to have underlying medical conditions, less likely to have insurance, and live farther from medical facilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, overall routine vaccination coverage remained stable; however, there was a notable 4–5% drop in vaccination rates among young children living below the federal poverty level and in rural areas. In response, CDC developed the Let’s Rise initiative and a back-to-school campaign to provide actionable strategies and resources for getting Americans back on schedule with their routine vaccines. This month is National Immunization Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of vaccination for people of all ages. Boosting vaccine access and confidence is crucial to limit the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases. Barriers to Vaccine Uptake While they only account for 14% of Americans, rural communities represent nearly two-thirds of primary health care shortage areas. Due to the lack of providers, rural Americans often live over 10 miles from their closest health care facility and do not always have access to reliable transportation. Additionally, rural communities also have a larger proportion of people who are uninsured and underinsured. Studies have shown that primary care visits and strong provider recommendations can greatly enhance utilization of preventative health measures, such as vaccination, while limited access to these aspects can reduce health outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated this disparity as many rural hospitals closed and the country faced national workforce shortages. Rural communities were significantly impacted, with 76% of rural adults knowing someone who had COVID-19 and 38% contracting COVID-19 themselves. Despite this impact, the majority of those polled reported this did not change their intent to get vaccinated. Furthermore, the gap in COVID-19 vaccination coverage between urban and rural areas more than doubled between April 2021 and January 2022, despite rural communities having disproportionately higher COVID-19 disease incidence and mortality. The digital divide also limits access to accurate information on the safety and efficacy of vaccines. States and community groups have taken various actions to address these barriers. Successful Strategies to Address Low Vaccination Rates in Rural Communities With support from CDC, ASTHO is working with the National Community Action Partnership and five community action agencies (CAAs) on the Partnering for Vaccine Equity project. A recent blog showcases some of the work the CAAs have implemented to improve vaccine acceptance and uptake and to customize evidence-based strategies to their own communities and neighborhoods. Two project partners, Pickens County Community Action and Enrichment Services Program, are working to build trust and increase vaccine uptake in rural Alabama by leveraging existing networks and taking a whole-health approach to outreach efforts. In Russell County, Enrichment Services deployed a highly successful paper- and social media-based messaging campaign centered around messages that emphasized three points: Vaccines are Safe, Vaccines Save Lives, and Vaccines Save Money. By reaching out to local churches, Enrichment Services was able to greatly expand the reach of their health promotion messages. In addition, to increase the number of available access points for vaccination, Enrichment Services co-located outreach at schools and engaged local EMT representatives from the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians for their first-hand knowledge of the community. Sample graphics from Enrichment Services' vaccine equity messaging campaign. In Pickens County, Pickens Community Action relied on existing partnerships with over 30 community organizations to kickstart their vaccine equity efforts. To address access-related barriers, Pickens sponsored rides to and from their vaccine clinics and partnered with local physicians to provide personalized counseling to individuals receiving vaccinations. Notably, they established both a faith-based and a disability services advisory committee to further assist their outreach efforts. Some of their existing partners in the community include the local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Black Belt Community Foundation, Whatley Health System, Hill Hospital of Sumter County, The University of Alabama, and elected officials. Left: A food table being set up for Pickens’ Community Health Fair at the Tom Bevill Lock and Dam in Pickensville, AL. Right: A mobile outreach van from partner the University of Alabama rolls in to assist at Pickens’ Community Health Fair. For both agencies, offering services that address the social determinants of health greatly increased engagement. Both sites found success in offering incentives—such as food or gas gift cards and free food giveaways—but their greatest success has been from co-locating vaccine events with service offerings that address essential needs such as housing, utility assistance, or education. This model has proven highly successful not only for COVID-19 vaccines, but also as a sustainable strategy for general vaccine outreach. Increasing Vaccination Rates in Farmworker Communities Numerous successful strategies have been implemented in rural communities largely comprised of immigrants—with a special focus on migrant farmworkers, who labored throughout the pandemic due to the critical nature of their work. In addition to facing barriers related to transportation, health insurance, and language access, many farmworkers are not able to visit a clinic or pharmacy due to their long working hours. The National Center for Farmworker Health, in collaboration with CDC and over 40 different organizations, worked to diffuse funding, trainings, and tools for building capacity to act during the public health emergency. This network generated over 1.3 million COVID-19 related educational interactions with farmworkers and supported the distribution of over 108,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses during 2020 and 2021. The network also documented effective practices undertaken by community-based organizations and agricultural employers to distribute vaccines, dispel myths, and build vaccine confidence. Photos courtesy of the Guatemalan-Maya Center (left) and National Center for Farmworker Health (right). State Considerations for Implementation Collaboration with trusted community groups can amplify state efforts to vaccinate communities, particularly in those with low vaccination rates. Working with CAAs and organizations that understand their communities and utilize innovative outreach strategies can help states expand the reach of their messaging. Communications should be tailored to include multilingual messaging and images that resonate with targeted communities. The National Governors Association developed a guide that provides valuable strategies for states to increase vaccine uptake in their rural communities. To help address the digital divide in their communities, several states have made investments in their digital infrastructure. Partnering with local pharmacies, federally qualified health centers, and emergency medical services to offer alternative vaccination sites in communities has been integral in improving awareness and access. Holding mobile vaccine clinics with after-hours availability or offering transportation to and from vaccine clinics can help address transportation issues and make vaccines accessible in communities with limited health care facilities. Addressing immunizationinequities in rural communities requires understanding the community and implementing innovative strategies tailored to these populations. Partnering with community-based organizations can help states reach critical audiences and ensure that vaccine efforts are addressing relevant barriers. article yes

As in any sector, there is often talk in the public health field of “working upstream,” or addressing problems at their source. If public health is going to be a changemaker in the world, its leaders must be equal parts nimble and innovative.

In February 2023, ASTHO staff traveled to Koror, Palau for a four-day health equity summit and held workshops to identify, select, and prioritize measures for Palau’s health equity work.

Following a hurricane, the risk of exposure to infectious disease increases due, in part, to the presence of floodwater and debris. Hurricanes may contribute to population displacement and overcrowding—further heightening risk factors for respiratory diseases—as well as cause damage to healthcare facilities. In this post, see how jurisdictions respond to the biggest post-hurricane threats, from water-borne diseases to severe disruptions in the healthcare system.

Reflections on ASTHO's time at the National Menthol Conference.