Details:

Alternative Title:
BMC Public Health
Personal Author:
Hunter, Jennifer C ; Rodríguez, Daniela C ; Aragón, Tomás J
Hunter, Jennifer C ; Rodríguez, Daniela C ; Aragón, Tomás J Less -
Description:
Background

The large-scale deployment of antiviral drugs from the Strategic National Stockpile during the 2009 H1N1 influenza response provides a unique opportunity to study local public health implementation of the medical countermeasure dispensing capability in a prolonged event of national significance. This study aims to describe the range of methods used by local health departments (LHDs) in California to manage antiviral activities and to gain a better understanding of the related challenges experienced by health departments and their community partners.

Methods

This research employed a mixed-methods approach. First, a multi-disciplinary focus group of pandemic influenza planners from key stakeholder groups in California was convened in order to generate ideas and identify critical themes related to the local implementation of antiviral activities during the H1N1 influenza response. These qualitative data informed the development of a web-based survey, which was distributed to all 61 LHDs in California for the purpose of assessing the experiences of a representative sample of local health agencies in a large region.

Results

Forty-four LHDs participated in this study, representing 72% of the local public health agencies in California. While most communities dispensed a modest number of publicly purchased antivirals, LHDs nevertheless drew on their previous work and engaged in a number of antiviral activities, including: acquiring, allocating, distributing, dispensing, tracking, developing guidance, and communicating to the public and clinical community. LHDs also identified specific antiviral challenges presented by the H1N1 pandemic, including: reconciling multiple sources and versions of antiviral guidance, determining appropriate uses and recipients of publicly purchased antivirals, and staffing shortages.

Conclusions

The 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic presented an unusual opportunity to learn about the role of local public health in the management of antiviral response activities during a real public health emergency. Results of this study offer an important descriptive account of LHD management of publicly purchased antivirals, and provide practitioners, policy makers, and academics with a practice-based assessment of these events. The issues raised and the challenges faced by LHDs should be leveraged to inform public health planning for future pandemics and other emergency events that require medical countermeasure dispensing activities.


Subjects:
[+]
Adult Antiviral Agents Decision Making, Organizational Disease Outbreaks Drug Costs Focus Groups Health Care Surveys Health Manpower Humans Influenza, Human Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype Local Government Practice Guidelines As Topic Public Health Administration
Source:
BMC Public Health. 2012; 12:82.
Pubmed ID:
22276659
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC3323435
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
5P01TP000295/TP/OPHPR CDC HHS/United States
Place as Subject:
California
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:aa31cbcd4e56fffb2addc8a205d67e1cd8240304e5f67c3ddb8bbb57c0b56d30
Download URL:
https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/22729/cdc_22729_DS1.pdf
File Type:

Supporting Files

• 	1471-2458-12-82-1.gif	gif
  	1471-2458-12-82-1.jpg	jpeg
  	1471-2458-12-82.nxml	txt
  	license.txt	txt

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