Prevention & Health Protection II

Question 1

What is an Outbreak?

Answer 1

• the occurrence of cases if disease in excess of what would normally be expected in a defined community, geographical area, or season

Question 2

Epidemic VS. Pandemic VS. Endemic

Answer 2

Epidemic
- unexpected increase in disease cases in a specific geographic location
Ex. Measles, Cholera, West Nile Virus, Teen Vaping

Pandemic
- exponential increase in disease cases, with a wide area of coverage transcending borders
Ex. COVID -19, Spanish Flu (influenza), Smallpox (pre-vaccine)

Endemic
- consistent presence of disease isolated to a specific region
Ex. Seasonal Influenza, COVID-19, Dengue, Malaria

Question 3

What are the stages of a pandemic?

Question 4

What is Contact Tracing?

Answer 4

• 1 intervention used to stop the spread of disease or infection
• involves identifying individuals who may have been in contact with a person infected with a disease-causing pathogen during their infectious period

Question 5

What is Outbreak Management?

Answer 5

• the process of containing an outbreak ton promote recovery and reduce further disease spread

Common strategies include:
- isolation
- cohorting
- screening
- case management

Question 6

Isolation VS. Cohorting

Answer 6

Isolation: keeping a person/population infected/exposed to a pathogen away from those not infected with a pathogen

Cohorting: keeping groups of people who have regular interactions with each other in a social “bubble” seperate from people they may not have regular interactions with (ie. family bubble, friend bubble, unit bubble)

Question 7

What is Case Management?

Answer 7

• a collaborative approach
• PHN’s coordinate with other members of the IT team, the client, and the family to facilitate the delivery of health services
• care is most often provided in the community
• helps address barriers to recovery

Question 8

Things a PHN would do during case management.

Answer 8

• Ask about disease progress and symptoms
• Ask how the client is feeling about disease progress (mental health and wellness)
• Ask about support systems (ie. Does the client have someone to bring them food or medication during the isolation)
• Ask if the client feels they would benefit from other support systems (ie. Meals on wheels, home care)
• Connect clients with treatment (if available for pathogen)
• Answer client questions

Question 9

Who needs special Consideration or Case Management During an Outbreak?

Answer 9

People who…
- live alone
- Are older (65+)
- Live in the shelter system
- Incarcerated
- Live in remote
communities
- Live on reservations
- Live in other congregate
living settings (ie. Group
homes)

Question 11

What is involved in recovering from an outbreak?

Answer 11

• Public health officials may do briefings or hold task forces (i.e.: post-pandemic).
• Large-scale outbreaks often change the body of public health knowledge.
• Learn from our mistakes
• Society may have to evolve.
• Epidemiologists/PHNs are always monitoring

Question 12

What is Epidemiology?

Answer 12

• The study of how often diseases occur in different groups of people and why.

Question 13

What determinants do epidemiologists/PHNs look at?

Answer 13

Ex of determinants:
- Income of groups most impacted
- Ethnicity
- Gender and sexuality
- Marital status (single vs. married vs. widowed)
○ Esp in mental health surveillance like suicide
- Geographical location (remote vs. urban vs. reserve)

Question 14

What is a Disaster?

Answer 14

• Events that occur suddenly, whether by a force of nature, a biological hazard, infectious disease or human error.
• Disasters can strike anywhere at anytime, effecting public safety and leaving communities with long-term social, economic, health, and environmental effects.

Question 15

What things can be expected during and leading up to a disaster?

Answer 15

• Increased patient volumes
• Limited resources
• Power outage
• Boil water advisory
• Evacuations

Question 16

What are the Stages of Disaster Management?

Answer 16

1. Prevention and mitigation
2. Preparedness
3. Response
4. Recovery

Question 17

What is Prevention or Mitigation?

Answer 17

• Stop emergencies from happening in the first place.
• Includes the development of policies and procedures at all levels to protect the population.

Examples:
- vaccination programs,
- developing rail safety guidelines
- providing screening/security at airports

Question 18

What is the Precautionary Principle?

Answer 18

• a type of primary prevention: problems and risks are avoided by not engaging in certain activities until it is certain that the activities will not lead to harm

Ex. EU countries banning certain food additives because they are uncertain about their impact on health

Question 19

What is the Preparedness Stage?

Answer 19

• Minimizes the effects of disaster by preparing individuals, families and communities BEFORE the event.

Examples:
- creating communication plans, - planning rescue or evacuation routes
- testing alert sirens
-creating alternate care plans

Question 20

What is the Response Stage?

Answer 20

• Begins at the onset of the emergency.
• Prevent illness, injury, and destruction.

Examples:
- rescue efforts
- treatment of illness or injury
- supporting efforts to develop shelter/find food

Question 21

What are the roles of nurses in disaster?

Answer 21

• Nurses are often one of the first groups of people to respond.
• During mass-casualty events, nurses work to triage care and resources.
• Leading up to natural disasters, nurses help secure the institution, prepare resources/supplies, and may assist in evacuation.
• Highly collaborative environment.
• Nurses often take leadership roles.

Question 22

What is the triangle tool Nurse/first responders use during mass casualty events?

Answer 22

• divided into 2 parts

1. Sorts out and triages the greater population involved in the mass casualty
   ○ Priority 1 - gets access to care and resources 1st
   
   • These people are prioritized because they are more likely to survive with intervention
     ○ Priority 2 - gets access next as their condition is more stable
     ○ Priority 3 - more stable
     ○ Anyone triaged under “code black” is dead or is going to die within minutes/seconds
   • Life-saving measures are unlikely to work and they will not be tended to
2. Once groups are sorted, people in priorities 1-3 are assessed.
   ○ Priority 1 triaged people are assessed first
   ○ This helps to determine who is at the most danger of becoming medically unstable and losing their life and who can wait longer

Question 23

What is the recovery stage?

Answer 23

• Community unity to restore, repair, and rebuild following disaster.
• Learning from success and mistakes.
• Impacts people psychologically, socially, and economically.
• Can last a very long time - up to decades.

Ex. Chernobyl is still abandoned and people who were alive during the event still face psychological and physical effects

Question 24

What are the 3 Impacts of Climate Change?

Answer 24

1) Rising temperatures increase the risk of heatstroke; prolonged heat increases the risk of drought and wildfires.

2) Changing weather patterns lead to more intense rains, typhoons, hurricanes -> increased injury and mortality.

3) Increased interactions between humans and animals mean increased risk of zoonotic diseases.

Question 25

Whose health does climate change impact the most?

Answer 25

• People who live in the global south.
• People who live in coastal regions.
• Indigenous communities.
• Other racialized communities.
• Communities still living under neocolonial oppressive structures.
• People who are living in poverty.
• Women and girls.

Climate change impacts the health of all but, some groups are at risk of more serious and immediate consequences.