Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0014
A. Woodward, A. Macmillan
Climate change belongs in a new category of global environmental health problems. It is not just that the impacts are widely distributed: climate change is a result of unbalanced global systems. It is one of the modern threats to a ‘safe operating space’ for the planet. The effects on health occur directly, such as increased heat waves; through pressures on natural systems (reduced crop yields and undernutrition, for instance); and, as a consequence of social disruption. Also there may be impacts due to policy responses to climate change: these are so-called ‘transition risks’. Improving baseline health status is fundamental to coping with climate change, because the populations that are most seriously affected are those that already bear a heavy burden of disease. But an undifferentiated public health response is not sufficient. There are distinctive features of climate change that have to be taken into account. Mitigation, or primary prevention, will require rapid, deep cuts in greenhouse emissions if global heating is to be limited. The goal is to identify common solutions, responses to climate change that are health-enhancing rather than health damaging. There are many candidates, but by and large they are not on the path of ‘business as usual’ development.
{"title":"Climate change and human health","authors":"A. Woodward, A. Macmillan","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0014","url":null,"abstract":"Climate change belongs in a new category of global environmental health problems. It is not just that the impacts are widely distributed: climate change is a result of unbalanced global systems. It is one of the modern threats to a ‘safe operating space’ for the planet. The effects on health occur directly, such as increased heat waves; through pressures on natural systems (reduced crop yields and undernutrition, for instance); and, as a consequence of social disruption. Also there may be impacts due to policy responses to climate change: these are so-called ‘transition risks’. Improving baseline health status is fundamental to coping with climate change, because the populations that are most seriously affected are those that already bear a heavy burden of disease. But an undifferentiated public health response is not sufficient. There are distinctive features of climate change that have to be taken into account. Mitigation, or primary prevention, will require rapid, deep cuts in greenhouse emissions if global heating is to be limited. The goal is to identify common solutions, responses to climate change that are health-enhancing rather than health damaging. There are many candidates, but by and large they are not on the path of ‘business as usual’ development.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"125 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"117339609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0072
R. Rustomjee
The failure to control tuberculosis (TB) in recent times stems, at least in part, from complacency towards TB control in the 1970s and 1980s and the subsequent devastating impact of the HIV-1 pandemic, the rising emergence of drug resistance as well as the growing disparity in disease burden between developed and developing countries. Progress has also been hindered by the slow development of more effective tools such as point-of-care diagnostics and treatments for active and latent disease, preventive vaccines, and laboratory assays of disease progression, immune protection, and cure. This lack of progress is, in turn, related to a poor understanding of the fundamental relationship between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the human host and especially the nature of what is referred to as ‘latent TB infection’. An increased focus on understanding the mechanics and drivers of transmission together with a concerted effort to translate research findings into policy and practice contextualized to local needs and resources is required. This chapter reviews recent advances in tackling tuberculosis, highlighting key unmet needs and strategies for an accelerated effort to achieve control.
{"title":"Tuberculosis","authors":"R. Rustomjee","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0072","url":null,"abstract":"The failure to control tuberculosis (TB) in recent times stems, at least in part, from complacency towards TB control in the 1970s and 1980s and the subsequent devastating impact of the HIV-1 pandemic, the rising emergence of drug resistance as well as the growing disparity in disease burden between developed and developing countries. Progress has also been hindered by the slow development of more effective tools such as point-of-care diagnostics and treatments for active and latent disease, preventive vaccines, and laboratory assays of disease progression, immune protection, and cure. This lack of progress is, in turn, related to a poor understanding of the fundamental relationship between Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the human host and especially the nature of what is referred to as ‘latent TB infection’. An increased focus on understanding the mechanics and drivers of transmission together with a concerted effort to translate research findings into policy and practice contextualized to local needs and resources is required. This chapter reviews recent advances in tackling tuberculosis, highlighting key unmet needs and strategies for an accelerated effort to achieve control.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"305 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116326260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0055
D. Koh, Wee Hoe Gan
Occupational health is the ‘promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being of workers in all occupations’. Work-related ill-health and injuries cause considerable mortality and morbidity to workers worldwide, and are a major cause of disability, lost productivity, and sickness absence. In the occupational setting, workers may suffer from occupational diseases (those directly caused by workplace hazards); ‘work-related diseases’ (those that are multifactorial in origin with occupational exposures contributing to part of the aetiology); and non-occupational diseases that affect the general population. Primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive measures can be used to reduce the burden of disease at the workplace. Prevention of occupational ill-health requires an understanding of the work processes, the range and extent of exposures to hazards, and the steps that may be available to reduce exposure. It also requires recognition of vulnerable occupational groups such as workers in developing nations, migrant workers, child labour, women workers, and impaired workers. The standard hierarchy of control strategies for reducing exposure to workplace hazards includes elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering measures, administrative procedures, and personal protective equipment. The workplace can be a suitable venue for health promotion activities although this should not be at the expense of elimination and control of exposure to occupational hazards. As occupational health practice has evolved to consideration of health issues beyond the ‘factory gate’, the discipline now has much in common with environmental health and encompasses the philosophy and principles of good public health practice.
{"title":"Occupational health","authors":"D. Koh, Wee Hoe Gan","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0055","url":null,"abstract":"Occupational health is the ‘promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental, and social well-being of workers in all occupations’. Work-related ill-health and injuries cause considerable mortality and morbidity to workers worldwide, and are a major cause of disability, lost productivity, and sickness absence. In the occupational setting, workers may suffer from occupational diseases (those directly caused by workplace hazards); ‘work-related diseases’ (those that are multifactorial in origin with occupational exposures contributing to part of the aetiology); and non-occupational diseases that affect the general population. Primary, secondary, and tertiary preventive measures can be used to reduce the burden of disease at the workplace. Prevention of occupational ill-health requires an understanding of the work processes, the range and extent of exposures to hazards, and the steps that may be available to reduce exposure. It also requires recognition of vulnerable occupational groups such as workers in developing nations, migrant workers, child labour, women workers, and impaired workers. The standard hierarchy of control strategies for reducing exposure to workplace hazards includes elimination, substitution, isolation, engineering measures, administrative procedures, and personal protective equipment. The workplace can be a suitable venue for health promotion activities although this should not be at the expense of elimination and control of exposure to occupational hazards. As occupational health practice has evolved to consideration of health issues beyond the ‘factory gate’, the discipline now has much in common with environmental health and encompasses the philosophy and principles of good public health practice.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"191 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123211525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0081
C. Peek-Asa, A. Hyder
Injuries are among the leading causes of death and disability throughout the world and contribute disproportionately to premature life lost. Injury rates are highest among middle- and low-income countries. According to analyses of the 2016 Global Burden of Disease data, injuries cause over 4.6 million deaths per year, accounting for nearly 8.4% of all deaths and 10.7% of disability-adjusted life years. Many opportunities to implement injury prevention strategies exist, and a systematic approach to injury prevention can help identify the most effective and efficient approaches. Building capacity for injury prevention activities in low- and middle-income countries is an important public health priority.
{"title":"Injury prevention and control","authors":"C. Peek-Asa, A. Hyder","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0081","url":null,"abstract":"Injuries are among the leading causes of death and disability throughout the world and contribute disproportionately to premature life lost. Injury rates are highest among middle- and low-income countries. According to analyses of the 2016 Global Burden of Disease data, injuries cause over 4.6 million deaths per year, accounting for nearly 8.4% of all deaths and 10.7% of disability-adjusted life years. Many opportunities to implement injury prevention strategies exist, and a systematic approach to injury prevention can help identify the most effective and efficient approaches. Building capacity for injury prevention activities in low- and middle-income countries is an important public health priority.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"131059513","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0061
C. Riley, J. Bon, A. Morris
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are highly prevalent, non-malignant respiratory conditions that have increased dramatically in the past half century, both in high-income and low-middle-income countries. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, and both COPD and asthma have a profound impact on quality of life for patients and their families. Tobacco smoke remains the single most important cause of COPD, but occupational and indoor exposures have increasingly been recognized as risk factors, especially among middle- and low-income individuals. Different patterns of genetic susceptibility independent of exposure result in variability of disease expression with many patients not developing clinical COPD, although they may still develop respiratory symptoms. COPD prevalence differs greatly between countries even when controlling for smoking rates. While much progress has been made in understanding biological pathways involved in asthma, the understanding of why asthma initially develops remains elusive. Although a large number of potential risk factors have been identified, none can explain the global increases in asthma prevalence observed over the last few decades. Prevalence trends between countries have also varied, with some countries continuing to experience increases in asthma rates and some rates levelling off or even declining. These trends cannot be explained by divergent epidemiological methods or population makeup alone. Asthma control, especially for severe asthmatics and for those with non-allergic phenotypes, remains a public health problem with more efficient interventions needed to encourage smoking cessation, improve air quality, and reduce allergen exposure.
{"title":"Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma","authors":"C. Riley, J. Bon, A. Morris","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0061","url":null,"abstract":"Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are highly prevalent, non-malignant respiratory conditions that have increased dramatically in the past half century, both in high-income and low-middle-income countries. COPD is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, and both COPD and asthma have a profound impact on quality of life for patients and their families. Tobacco smoke remains the single most important cause of COPD, but occupational and indoor exposures have increasingly been recognized as risk factors, especially among middle- and low-income individuals. Different patterns of genetic susceptibility independent of exposure result in variability of disease expression with many patients not developing clinical COPD, although they may still develop respiratory symptoms. COPD prevalence differs greatly between countries even when controlling for smoking rates. While much progress has been made in understanding biological pathways involved in asthma, the understanding of why asthma initially develops remains elusive. Although a large number of potential risk factors have been identified, none can explain the global increases in asthma prevalence observed over the last few decades. Prevalence trends between countries have also varied, with some countries continuing to experience increases in asthma rates and some rates levelling off or even declining. These trends cannot be explained by divergent epidemiological methods or population makeup alone. Asthma control, especially for severe asthmatics and for those with non-allergic phenotypes, remains a public health problem with more efficient interventions needed to encourage smoking cessation, improve air quality, and reduce allergen exposure.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"43 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123327905","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0074
Ehud Zigmond, D. Shouval
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, alcohol, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are major risk factors in the development of chronic liver disease (CLD), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Various estimates have been proposed regarding the global prevalence of HBV and HCV carriers. According to a recent Polaris Observatory HCV Collaborators and the World Health Organization (WHO) burden estimates that 257 and 71 million people are living in the world with HBV and HCV infection, respectively, leading to an annual death from cirrhosis/liver failure and HCC of ~900,000 and ~400,000, respectively. Alcohol consumption, which is a major risk factor for CLD and HCC, is responsible for about 3.3 million deaths annually worldwide and for 5.1% of the global burden of disease as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). In recent years NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) associated with the metabolic syndrome, have captured the attention of hepatologists, public health experts, and the pharma industry alike. Indeed, the incidence of NAFLD and NASH and its complications including cirrhosis and HCC, is rising to epidemic proportions in the Western population, and constitute a major health problem worldwide.
{"title":"Viral alcoholic and fatty liver diseases","authors":"Ehud Zigmond, D. Shouval","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0074","url":null,"abstract":"Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, alcohol, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are major risk factors in the development of chronic liver disease (CLD), cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Various estimates have been proposed regarding the global prevalence of HBV and HCV carriers. According to a recent Polaris Observatory HCV Collaborators and the World Health Organization (WHO) burden estimates that 257 and 71 million people are living in the world with HBV and HCV infection, respectively, leading to an annual death from cirrhosis/liver failure and HCC of ~900,000 and ~400,000, respectively. Alcohol consumption, which is a major risk factor for CLD and HCC, is responsible for about 3.3 million deaths annually worldwide and for 5.1% of the global burden of disease as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). In recent years NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) associated with the metabolic syndrome, have captured the attention of hepatologists, public health experts, and the pharma industry alike. Indeed, the incidence of NAFLD and NASH and its complications including cirrhosis and HCC, is rising to epidemic proportions in the Western population, and constitute a major health problem worldwide.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"316 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133621272","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780199661756.003.0105
M. Kogevinas, L. Chatzi
This chapter will first describe the uses of cross-sectional studies in epidemiological and public health research and then discuss methodological issues concerning the design, the main biases of these studies including response rates, and how to improve participation. In recent years these studies have also incorporated the collection of biospecimens. In aetiological research, cross-sectional studies are suitable epidemiological means for studying non-fatal diseases and effects on physiological variables that do not have a clear time of onset. However, the design of cross-sectional studies makes them less appropriate than other study designs for investigating causal associations. The chapter will finally discuss issues related to the statistical analysis of cross-sectional studies. Many of these issues are also relevant to other epidemiological designs.
{"title":"Cross-sectional studies","authors":"M. Kogevinas, L. Chatzi","doi":"10.1093/med/9780199661756.003.0105","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780199661756.003.0105","url":null,"abstract":"This chapter will first describe the uses of cross-sectional studies in epidemiological and public health research and then discuss methodological issues concerning the design, the main biases of these studies including response rates, and how to improve participation. In recent years these studies have also incorporated the collection of biospecimens. In aetiological research, cross-sectional studies are suitable epidemiological means for studying non-fatal diseases and effects on physiological variables that do not have a clear time of onset. However, the design of cross-sectional studies makes them less appropriate than other study designs for investigating causal associations. The chapter will finally discuss issues related to the statistical analysis of cross-sectional studies. Many of these issues are also relevant to other epidemiological designs.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"63 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123765773","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0106
Q. Karim, R. Detels
Private funding of public health is well established. These additional resources have historically made a substantial contribution by focusing attention and catalysing investments to build public health capacity globally. Private investment has been pivotal in increasing access to available vaccines, treatment services, and innovations in otherwise neglected diseases that contribute to substantial morbidity and mortality rates in resource-constrained settings. The increase in public–private sector partnerships highlight emerging novel approaches to advancing global public health through innovation in research and product development and service delivery for new and re-emerging diseases. Recently a new group of billionaire philanthropists such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, still young and giving while they are alive, have changed the character and scope of giving. However, some giving can inadvertently be associated with negative consequences for the recipients. This chapter provides an overview of the history and current practices and impact of private giving, reflects on the benefits and challenges, and suggests how private investments could more effectively contribute to address the public health challenges of the twenty-first century and beyond.
{"title":"Private support of public health","authors":"Q. Karim, R. Detels","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0106","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0106","url":null,"abstract":"Private funding of public health is well established. These additional resources have historically made a substantial contribution by focusing attention and catalysing investments to build public health capacity globally. Private investment has been pivotal in increasing access to available vaccines, treatment services, and innovations in otherwise neglected diseases that contribute to substantial morbidity and mortality rates in resource-constrained settings. The increase in public–private sector partnerships highlight emerging novel approaches to advancing global public health through innovation in research and product development and service delivery for new and re-emerging diseases. Recently a new group of billionaire philanthropists such as Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates, still young and giving while they are alive, have changed the character and scope of giving. However, some giving can inadvertently be associated with negative consequences for the recipients. This chapter provides an overview of the history and current practices and impact of private giving, reflects on the benefits and challenges, and suggests how private investments could more effectively contribute to address the public health challenges of the twenty-first century and beyond.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"66 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121263415","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0007
Kaitlyn McBride, L. Rosenstock
The aim of public health is to improve and protect individuals and their communities, as well as promote evidence-based policy to drive decision-making across the larger health system. Researchers in academic institutions, government agencies, and the private sector provide the science to help policymakers make evidence-based health policy decisions, such as interventions to increase smoking cessation, or policies to improve access to preventive care services. In an ideal world, science (or evidence) drives policy, with politics playing a minimal or enabling role. However, this formula recognizes that public health policy is not only decided based on science (or evidence), but science itself is increasingly vulnerable to the political process, and to attacks by a wide array of players (e.g. politicians, industry leaders, and interest groups) that have vested interests to undermine scientific evidence in order to thwart the actions that would credibly follow that knowledge. Put differently, politics are key—and can be systematically analysed—in advancing or thwarting evidence-based policy.
{"title":"Politics of public health","authors":"Kaitlyn McBride, L. Rosenstock","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0007","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of public health is to improve and protect individuals and their communities, as well as promote evidence-based policy to drive decision-making across the larger health system. Researchers in academic institutions, government agencies, and the private sector provide the science to help policymakers make evidence-based health policy decisions, such as interventions to increase smoking cessation, or policies to improve access to preventive care services. In an ideal world, science (or evidence) drives policy, with politics playing a minimal or enabling role. However, this formula recognizes that public health policy is not only decided based on science (or evidence), but science itself is increasingly vulnerable to the political process, and to attacks by a wide array of players (e.g. politicians, industry leaders, and interest groups) that have vested interests to undermine scientific evidence in order to thwart the actions that would credibly follow that knowledge. Put differently, politics are key—and can be systematically analysed—in advancing or thwarting evidence-based policy.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"2446 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127476883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-11-01DOI: 10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0076
P. Katona
History shows us that individuals have used and likely will continue to use biological agents for terrorism purposes. Bioterrorism agents can be easily disseminated, cause severe disease and high mortality rates if cases are not treated properly, and pose significant challenges for management and response. A robust public health surveillance system that includes laboratory (including routine reportable disease surveillance), syndromic, and environmental surveillance is crucial for detection of the release of a bioterrorism agent and the resulting cases. This detection can then set into motion a robust and comprehensive public health response to minimize morbidity and mortality. A large-scale bioterrorism event would be unprecedented, straining and challenging every facet of medical and public health response and would quickly become a global emergency because of both the potential risk of infection and the shock to the global economy. A robust public health and medical workforce is necessary to respond effectively and efficiently to these types of events.
{"title":"Bioterrorism","authors":"P. Katona","doi":"10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780198816805.003.0076","url":null,"abstract":"History shows us that individuals have used and likely will continue to use biological agents for terrorism purposes. Bioterrorism agents can be easily disseminated, cause severe disease and high mortality rates if cases are not treated properly, and pose significant challenges for management and response. A robust public health surveillance system that includes laboratory (including routine reportable disease surveillance), syndromic, and environmental surveillance is crucial for detection of the release of a bioterrorism agent and the resulting cases. This detection can then set into motion a robust and comprehensive public health response to minimize morbidity and mortality. A large-scale bioterrorism event would be unprecedented, straining and challenging every facet of medical and public health response and would quickly become a global emergency because of both the potential risk of infection and the shock to the global economy. A robust public health and medical workforce is necessary to respond effectively and efficiently to these types of events.","PeriodicalId":206715,"journal":{"name":"Oxford Textbook of Global Public Health","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132424469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}