Week 8 Assignment: Public Health and Emerging Diseases
This week, you will research an emerging disease.
Healthcare providers throughout the United States are required to report these diseases to their local public health department. Local public health departments report to the state health departments and the state departments report the info to the CDC. This is the public health chain of command.
Review the reportable disease list
for Los Angeles County as well as the interactive information sheets on HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, and influenza in this week’s media folder. Choose a disease from the reportable disease list and submit a 2- to 3-page paper in which you answer the following questions:
- What public health and education measures have been taken during recent outbreaks to monitor and track the disease you chose in the community?
- What else is being done about this disease from a public health standpoint? Address the actions taken by community agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and government agencies such as the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotions.
Your paper must be 2–3 pages in length; include evidence or information from at least two credible external sources, and follow APA style for formatting and citation.
Your textbook and supplemental reading material may be used as a reference. The APA format for your text is as follows:
Nelson, K. E. (2014). Infectious disease epidemiology (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). Principles of epidemiology in public health practice: Self-study course (3rd ed.). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Expert Solution Preview
Question: What public health and education measures have been taken during recent outbreaks to monitor and track the disease you chose in the community?
Answer: The selected disease from the reportable disease list for Los Angeles County is Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough. Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory disease that can cause severe illness and even death in infants and young children who are not vaccinated. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) identifies and reports cases of Pertussis to local health departments, which then implement various public health measures to control and prevent the outbreak.
Public health and education measures that have been taken during recent Pertussis outbreaks to monitor and track the disease in the community include case investigations, contact tracing, and immunizations. The local health departments work with healthcare providers to identify and report Pertussis cases, especially among infants and children. The public health officials then investigate and follow up on the cases to identify close contact with infected individuals and prevent further spreading of the disease. Additionally, the health departments implement various educational campaigns to increase awareness of Pertussis and encourage vaccination among the general population. The California Department of Public Health also releases Pertussis surveillance reports regularly, which provide information on disease activity and trends to inform public health action and education.
These measures are vital to effectively monitor and track Pertussis in the community, prevent the spread of the disease, and protect vulnerable populations like infants and young children who are not vaccinated. Greater public health investments are needed to enhance these measures further, especially in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has significantly affected many aspects of public health.
References:
1. California Department of Public Health. (2021). Pertussis (whooping cough). Available at:
2. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. (2021). Pertussis. Available at:
