MMWR News Synopsis for September 10, 2015

 

Household Disaster Preparedness: Influences of Preparedness Knowledge and Beliefs — United States, 2015

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Understanding people’s knowledge and beliefs regarding household disaster preparedness might make public-health messages promoting household preparedness more effective. It is believed that knowledge influences behavior, and that attitudes and beliefs, which are correlated with knowledge, might also influence behavior. To determine the association between knowledge and beliefs and household preparedness, CDC analyzed baseline data from Ready CDC, a personal disaster preparedness intervention piloted within the CDC workforce during 2013–2015. Compared with persons with basic preparedness knowledge, persons with advanced knowledge were more likely to have assembled an emergency kit (44 percent versus 17 percent), developed a written household disaster plan (9 percent versus 4 percent), and received county emergency alert notifications (63 percent versus 41 percent). Similarly, beliefs about preparedness affected household preparedness behaviors.

CDC Grand Rounds: Addressing Preparedness Challenges for Children in Public Health Emergencies

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Children, including children with special healthcare needs, have unique needs during times of emergencies. Effective emergency preparedness plans for children require an approach that involves health care providers, state and local health departments, federal agencies and others. Strengthening the response at each level not only supports emergency preparedness for children, but strengthens health security of the nation overall. Children have unique physical and psychological needs that should be taken into consideration when planning for emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. Recent public health emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina (2005), the influenza H1N1 pandemic (2009), and the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa (2014), have demonstrated the importance of emergency planning and response at multiple levels. An effective response requires coordination between community-based health care providers, regional health care coalitions, state and local health departments, federal agencies and others. By taking a systems-level approach to emergency response planning for children, and strengthening the response at each level, we support emergency preparedness for children and increase the health security of our nation. CDC Grand Rounds covered this important topic. Watch the video to learn more: http://www.cdc.gov/cdcgrandrounds/archives/2015/march2015.htm.

Injuries and Traumatic Psychological Exposures Associated with the South Napa Earthquake — California, 2014

CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286

Mental health effects are common after disasters. Community assessments can collect information on psychological traumatic exposures to provide useful guidance for allocation of limited resources to those at greater risk for longer-term negative mental health effects. On August 24, 2014, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck California, with the epicenter in Napa County. It was the largest earthquake in the San Francisco Bay area in 25 years. Napa and Solano counties experienced widespread power outages, five residential fires, two deaths, and damage to roadways, waterlines, and 1,600 buildings. Two household-level Community Assessments for Public Health Emergency Response were conducted by the California Department of Public Health in conjunction with Napa and Solano counties. Among households reporting injuries, approximately half occurred during cleanup, suggesting that increased messaging on safety precautions after disasters might be needed. One fifth of households reported one or more traumatic psychological exposures. Local response to the assessment included mental health resource reallocations and public education campaigns for mental health support and disaster preparedness.

Notes from the Field

• Pneumonia Associated with an Influenza A H3 Outbreak at a Skilled Nursing Facility — Florida, 2014

QuickStats

• Percentage of Adult Day Services Center Participants, by Selected Diagnoses — National Study of Long-Term Care Providers, United States, 2014

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES