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Assessing the Integration of Health Center and Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning
Date: 2007
Author: Nicole V. Wineman, MA, MPH, MBA, Barbara I. Braun, PhD, Joseph A. Barbera, MD and Jerod M. Loeb, PhD
Institution: American Medical Association and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Bibliographic Entry: Wineman, Nicole V., Barbara I. Braun, Joseph A. Barbera, and Jerod M. Loeb. “Assessing the Integration of Health Center and Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Planning.” Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness 1, no. 2 (2007), 96-105.
Electronic Link: http://www.dmphp.org/cgi/content/abstract/1/2/96
Key Words: emergency preparedness, community preparedness, disaster response, health centers
Summary of Key Points, Issues, Conclusions:
This article assesses the integration of health centers and community preparedness. Through a national study, linkages were assessed between health centers and the emergency preparedness and response planning initiatives in certain communities.
The objectives of this project were to gain a better understanding of existing linkages from a nationally representative sample of health centers, and identify health center demographic and experience factors associated with strong linkages. In order to assess this, a 60-item questionnaire was mailed to the population of health centers supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Primary Health Care. Results were aggregated and a chi square analysis was used to identify factors associated with stronger linkages. Stronger linkages were found to be associated with experience responding to a disaster and a perception of high risk for experiencing a disaster.
The study found that potential for health centers to participate in an integrated response is not fully realized, and their absence from community-based planning leaves an already vulnerable population at greater risk. Community planners should be encouraged to include health centers in planning and response and centers should receive more targeted resources for community integration.
Name of Researcher: Alison Stevens
Institution: Integrative Center for Homeland Security, Texas A&M University
Date Posted: February 26, 2008