Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

This article describes efforts to create, share, and sustain an online clearinghouse of expert-reviewed “promising practices” in pandemic influenza preparedness from September 2006 to December 2008. This project involved six activities: (1) determining focus areas, (2) defining a promising practice, (3) collecting practices, (4) establishing an expert-review process for accepting practices, (5) disseminating the practices, and (6) evaluating the project. By December 31, 2008, materials and descriptions for 181 expert-reviewed practices had been posted in a public online database. Practices were available in four areas: models for care, communication, mitigation, and at-risk groups. The database has been used by international agencies and a variety of U.S. organizations. The challenges and constraints facing the U.S. public health system underscore the need to maximize resources. We believe that the Promising Practices Project demonstrates a useful approach in pandemic preparedness and response and may serve as a valuable model for other areas of public health.

References

World Health Organization. Pandemic (H1N1) 2009—update 74. 2009 Nov 13 [cited 2009 Nov 19]. Available from: URL: http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_11_13/en/index.html

Institute of Medicine. The future of the public's health in the 21st century. Washington: National Academies Press; 2002.

Reichardt

Lewis

. 2007 state public health workforce survey results. Arlington (VA): Association of State and Territorial Health Officials; 2007. Also available from: URL: http://www.astho.org/Programs/Workforce-and-Leadership-Development/2007-State-Public-Health-Workforce-Survey-Results [cited 2009 Mar 27].

Leep

. 2005 national profile of local health departments. Washington: National Association of County and City Health Officials: 2006. Also available from: URL: http://www.naccho.org/topics/infrastructure/profile/upload/NACCHO_report_final_000.pdf [cited 2009 Mar 27].

Perlino

. Issue brief: The public health workforce shortage: Left unchecked, will we be protected? Washington: American Public Health Association; September 2006. Also available from: URL: http://www.apha.org/NR/rdonlyres/597828BF-9924-4B94-8821-135F665E9D45/0/PublicHealthWorkforceIssueBrief.pdf [cited 2009 Mar 27].

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US). Community strategy for pandemic influenza mitigation. 2007 [cited 2009 Mar 27]. Available from: URL: http://www.flu.gov/professional/community/commitigation.html

WebTends. WebTrends Analytics™ On Demand: Version 9. Portland (OR): WebTrends; 2009. Also available from: URL: http://www.webtrends.com [cited 2010 Mar 31].

Public Health Emergency Preparedness Partners Workgroup. Public health emergency preparedness: Six years of achievement. 2008 Sep 29 [cited 2009 Mar 27]. Available from: URL: http://www.aphl.org/aphlprograms/ep/ahr/Documents/PHEP_Partners_Report.pdf

National Association of County and City Health Officials. Local health department job losses and program cuts: Overview of survey findings from January/February 2010 survey [cited 2010 Mar 31]. Available from: URL: http://www.naccho.org/advocacy/upload/recommendations-transition.pdf

10.

National Association of County and City Health Officials. NACCHO survey of local health departments' budget cuts and workforce reductions. January 2009 [cited 2009 May 28]. Available from: URL: http://www.naccho.org/advocacy/upload/2008-LHD-budget-cut-report.pdf

11.

Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. Impact of budget cuts on state public health. 2009 [cited 2009 May 28]. Available from: URL: http://www.astho.org/Research/Data-and-Analysis/ASTHO-Budget-Cuts-Survey-Results

Creating an Online “Promising Practices” Clearinghouse for Pandemic Influenza

Abstract

References