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Management Action Plan (MAP)
Michell Muldrow
Columbia Southern University
Dr. Alicia Chatman
MHA 5201
February 7, 2023
Management Action Plan (MAP)
Public Health Preparedness
I will cover Public Health Preparedness (PHP) to create a managed action plan for this project. PHP is the ability of a society to detect, prevent, and respond to issues that threaten the health of the public (Aarestrup et al., 2021). Public health threats are issues like infectious diseases and natural disasters. Public health preparedness is a multifaceted area that requires different stakeholders to collaborate and coordinate strategies. These stakeholders include healthcare facilities, public health agencies, and community-based organizations. Many changes have been made in the United States to improve PHP over the years. However, it remains an opportunity for improvement because many challenges continue to hinder its effectiveness.
These challenges are lack of funding, coordination, and collaboration among stakeholders, training and education, and failure to address social determinants of health. PHP lacks adequate funding, which has hindered it from acquiring new technologies and interventions and advancing surveillance systems and vaccines that promote public health (Yeager et al., 2020). Lack of coordination and collaboration among stakeholders is a great challenge to PHP and has led to confusion and inadequate responses during public health emergencies. Also, there is inadequate training and education for healthcare workers, public health professionals, and the general public with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond effectively to public health emergencies. In addition, current strategies have failed to address the social determinants of health. These factors increase health disparities and vulnerability, which threatens public health.
The challenges I have mentioned show an opportunity for improvement (OFI) in public health preparedness. An example of a recent event showing a need to improve public health preparedness is the Covid-19 pandemic (Aarestrup et al., 2021). The virus's global spread has demonstrated the importance of a strong and coordinated response to public health emergencies. Despite significant advances in public health, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed many areas where public health preparedness remains an opportunity for improvements like training and education for healthcare workers and the public, increasing collaboration and coordination in healthcare, funding and providing resources for public health preparedness, and addressing the social determinants of health that increases vulnerability and health disparities.
The Importance of Setting an Agenda to Resolve This Problem Right Now
Public health preparedness is a critical aspect and a matter of urgency because it promotes a safe and healthy society. Public health threats like diseases, pandemics, and natural disasters require public health preparedness, which calls for setting the agenda and resolving this problem (Kost et al., 2019). The first reason is increased public health threats and a stronger public health preparedness framework. The world has recently seen a rising number of public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has had a significant impact on global health and security. Creating a public health preparedness framework will reduce vulnerability to threats and their impacts (Aarestrup et al., 2021). Therefore, setting an agenda to create a strong, effective public health preparedness framework help to mitigate the impact of future public health emergencies and promote the safety of communities.
Also, public health emergencies can have significant social and economic impacts. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the loss of life, increased healthcare costs, and disruption to daily life and the economy. Improving public health preparedness will help mitigate these impacts and ensure society is better prepared to respond to future public health emergencies. This results in a more resilient society with a stable economy.
Moreover, addressing the challenges in public health preparedness will help to reduce health disparities and promote health equity. Public health emergencies disproportionately impact communities of color and low-income communities. This has increased health disparities in the United States. Thus, improving public health preparedness protect minority communities from the impacts of public health emergencies.
The Consequences of Not Resolving This Problem Right Now
Failure to resolve these challenges has significant and long-lasting consequences. It increases mortality rates, economic impact, and health inequality among vulnerable populations (Kost et al., 2019). The lack of a strong public health preparedness framework increases mortality rates in the United States because people cannot be protected and treated in case of emergencies like pandemics. Public health emergencies have a significant impact on the economy. For example, they increase the cost of healthcare and decrease productivity. Lack of effective public health preparedness significantly impacts a vulnerable populations like racial minorities and low-income individuals. These populations are likely to suffer because they cannot be protected and receive care in health emergencies.
Using Evidence-Based Public Health (EBPH) To Resolve This Problem.
Evidence-based public health (EBPH) is an approach that uses the best available scientific evidence to inform public health decision-making and practice. Using EBPH can help to resolve the challenges in public health preparedness by improving the quality and effectiveness of public health interventions (Brownson et al., 2017). For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of EBPH helped to inform the development of effective public health strategies to slow the spread of the virus and protect communities. The scientific evidence on the transmission and spread of the virus was used to inform the development of guidelines for physical distancing, wearing masks, and other preventive measures (Sousa-Uva, 2021). Additionally, scientific evidence on the efficacy of different interventions, such as vaccines, was used to inform the development of vaccination strategies. Therefore, relying on the best available scientific evidence will help public health officials quickly identify and implement the most effective interventions to protect the public from health issues.
References
Aarestrup, F. M., Bonten, M., & Koopmans, M. (2021). Pandemics–One Health Preparedness For The Next. The Lancet Regional Health-Europe, 9, 100210.
Brownson, R. C., Baker, E. A., Deshpande, A. D., & Gillespie, K. N. (2017). Evidence-Based Public Health. Oxford University Press.
Kost, G. J., Zadran, A., Zadran, L., & Ventura, I. (2019). Point-Of-Care Testing Curriculum and Accreditation for Public Health—Enabling Preparedness, Response, and Higher Standards of Care at Points of Need. Frontiers in Public Health, 6, 385.
Sousa-Uva, A. (2021). Evidence-Based Public Health and the Novel Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) Pandemic. Portuguese Journal of Public Health, 39(1), 1-2.
Yeager, V. A., Balio, C. P., Mccullough, J. M., Leider, J. P., Orr, J., Singh, S. R., … & Resnick, B. (2022). Funding Public Health: Achievements and Challenges in Public Health Financing Since the Institute Of Medicine's 2012 Report. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 28(1), E244-E255.
