About the Guardian
The Guardian of Public Health is a monthly newsletter from the Bureau of EMS, Trauma, and Preparedness (BETP) within the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). The Guardian aims to provide its readers with relevant content on topics that affect the public health of citizens and communities in Michigan. For questions or comments please contact Kerry Chamberlain at chamberlaink2@michigan.gov.
Facing
the Challenge: Explore Lab Science - K-12
Outreach Program
Teresa Miller - Chemical Threat Response Training Coordinator - MDHHS Bureau of Laboratories
Clinical laboratory professionals play a critical role in
health care. Many medical diagnoses are based
on laboratory test results. These laboratory professionals seldom have direct patient
contact and consequently, their critical role in health care is unnoticed. The
United States is facing a severe and problematic shortage of qualified
laboratory personnel due to the discontinuation of clinical laboratory
educational programs, careers that offer higher salaries for the same amount of
education, and an aging work force.
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Environmental and
Social Change Drive the Explosive Emergence of Zika Virus in the Americas
Since Zika virus (ZIKV) was detected in Brazil in 2015, it has spread
explosively across the Americas and has been linked to increased incidence of
microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). In one year, it has infected
over 500,000 people (suspected and confirmed cases) in 40 countries and
territories in the Americas. Along with recent epidemics of dengue (DENV) and
chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which are also transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Ae.
albopictus mosquitoes, the emergence of ZIKV suggests an ongoing
intensification of environmental and social factors that have given rise to a
new regime of arbovirus transmission. Here, researchers review hypotheses and
preliminary evidence for the environmental and social changes that have fueled
the ZIKV epidemic. Potential drivers include climate variation, land use
change, poverty, and human movement. Beyond the direct impact of microcephaly
and GBS, the ZIKV epidemic will likely have social ramifications for women’s
health and economic consequences for tourism and beyond.
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What Do We Mean by ‘Community Resilience’? A Systematic Literature Review of How It Is Defined in the Literature
Researchers in PLoS Currents - Disaters conduct a literature review to help define community resilience. They identified 80 papers through a systematic literature review. Their review showed while there wasn't a common definition of community resilience, there were nine core elements common throughout all of them. These elements include: local knowledge, community networks and relationships, communication, health, governance and leadership, resources, economic investment, preparedness, and mental outlook. The researchers recommend addressing these elements rather than attempting a common definition.
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