Public Health Matters Blog Posts

Partnerships Help Save Lives When Disaster Strikes

Package of Oseltamivir (i.e., Tamiflu) capsules.

Public health emergencies occur every day across the United States. Tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, floods, infectious disease outbreaks, terrorist attacks, and other emergencies have all occurred within the past few years and likely will happen again. Communities must be ready in the event of a public health emergency – both those they expect and those that Read More >

November 5, 2018 by Germaine M. Vazquez, MS, Health Communication Specialist, Center for Preparedness and Response, Division of State and Local ReadinessLeave a comment

Flu, General, natural disasters, preparedness, response

California, emergency, flu, Illinois, influenza, Maine, PHEP, public health, Public Health Emergency Preparedness Program, Sonoma County, Stories from the Field, Tamiflu, Vinylhaven, Waterborne, wildfire

3 Reasons Why Handwashing Should Matter to You

Unseen woman washing her hands with soap in a sink.

Most of us are familiar with the parental-like voice in the back of our minds that helps guide our decision-making—asking us questions like, “Have you called your grandmother lately?” For many that voice serves as a gentle, yet constant reminder to wash our hands. Handwashing with soap and water is one of the most important Read More >

October 15, 2018 by David M. Berendes, PhD, MSPH, Epidemiologist15 Comments

Disease Outbreak, Flu, General, natural disasters, preparedness, prevention, response

disaster, disease prevention, emergency preparedness, Environmental Health, flood, floodwater, flu, Global Handwashing Day, handwashing, Hurricane, influenza, outbreak, pandemic, personal health, Personal Preparedness, Prepare Your Health, public health, school, Waterborne

Protecting Our Future: Emergency Preparedness and Children’s Mental Health

Sad boy sitting against a brick wall with his face hidden

Among the many lessons learned during the 2017 Hurricane season, we recognized that addressing children’s mental and behavioral health needs is a major concern in hurricane-affected areas. CDC’s At Risk Task Force (ARTF) was established in 2017 to ensure identification and prioritization of the mental and physical health needs of at-risk populations, including children. ARTF’s Read More >

October 9, 2018 by Jessica Franks, MPH, CHES, Health Communications Fellow, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities; Rebecca Leeb, PhD, Acting Team Lead, Children’s Preparedness Unit, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities; Amy Wolkin, DrPH, MSPH, Vulnerable Populations Officer, Center for Preparedness and Response4 Comments

natural disasters, response

At Risk Task Force, behavioral health, children, disaster, emergency, emergency response, Hurricane Harvey, mental health, public health, world mental health day

Personal Protective Actions You Can Take in a Flu Pandemic

Period photo of a flu patients during the 1918 influenza pandemic.

Every fall and winter the United States experiences epidemics of seasonal influenza (flu). Sometimes a flu pandemic occurs due to a new flu virus that spreads and causes illnesses around the world. We cannot predict when a flu pandemic will occur, but over the past 100 years, we have documented four flu pandemics resulting in Read More >

September 10, 2018 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Community Interventions for Infection Control Unit (CI-ICU)3 Comments

Disease Outbreak, Flu, Preparedness Month, prevention

community mitigation measures, flu, handwashing, influenza, Nonpharmaceutical interventions, pandemic, personal protective measures, pneumonia, public health, social distancing, vaccine

The Power of Preparedness: Prepare Your Health

Group of people kneeling around a CPR dummy.

The devastating hurricanes of 2017 reminded us how important it is to prepare for disasters. These potentially life-threatening situations have real impacts on personal and public health. During Hurricane Irma, existing medical conditions and power outages increased the likelihood of death. Being prepared with supplies and an Emergency Action Plan can help you protect the Read More >

September 4, 2018 by 5 Comments

General, Injury, natural disasters, preparedness, response

#NatlPrep, #prepyourhealth, emergency, health, national preparedness month, paperwork, personal needs, power sources, practical skills, preparedness, prescription medication, public health

Kentucky Takes a Novel Approach to Fight the Opioid Crisis

A pile of prescription medicine bottles.

The opioid overdose epidemic is a public health emergency. The state of Kentucky has the third highest rate of drug overdose in the country. The FindHelpNowKY.org website bridges a gap between Kentucky residents and timely access to substance use treatment facilities and services. It provides near real-time available openings at local area substance use disorder Read More >

August 28, 2018 by Terry Bunn, Director, Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Kentucky, College of Public Health2 Comments

Injury, prevention

communication campaign, drug overdose, Kentucky, opioid, opioid epidemic, opioid overdose, overdose, prescription opioids, public health, RxAwareness, unintentional injury