From Silence to Synergy: Enhancing Health Communications Between Community Partners and Public Health
Abstract
Background: District 4 Public Health (D4PH) serves a diverse region comprised of rural and metropolitan counties. The D4PH epidemiology team identified significant communication gaps between the team and various community partners, which hindered effective disease reporting and early outbreak detection. Three key coalitions (jails, schools, and long-term care facilities) were created to enhance communication and streamline the disease reporting process. Through these coalitions, D4PH aspires to enhance health education outreach and reduce communication delays.
Methods: In the first stage, a comprehensive directory of all relevant facilities within the district was developed, ensuring up-to-date points of contact and their respective contact information. To establish foundational links, introductory packets were distributed to each facility. These packets included an introductory letter, notifiable disease resources, and key contact information. In the second stage, a preliminary survey will be administered to the verified points of contact to assess their current understanding of disease reporting protocols and outbreak definitions.
Results: The formation of these coalitions has resulted in significant improvements in communication with the D4PH Epidemiology Team, enhancing the timely detection and reporting of outbreaks. This collaboration has helped to increase the efficiency of the D4PH Epidemiology team in documenting outbreaks within the DPH outbreak monitoring system, the Public Health Investigation Report (PHIRE).
Conclusion: An in-person infectious disease meeting is planned for Spring 2025, during which the epidemiology team and invited community partners will review the pre-survey results, address communication challenges, and administer a post-survey to evaluate satisfaction with the initiative. The formation of these coalitions marks a proactive step in strengthening partnerships between D4PH and community partners. Continued efforts will focus on sustaining open communication, providing tailored health education, and supporting effective disease management.
Keywords
community, coalition, survey, outbreak, disease reporting, health education, epidemiology
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From Silence to Synergy: Enhancing Health Communications Between Community Partners and Public Health
Background: District 4 Public Health (D4PH) serves a diverse region comprised of rural and metropolitan counties. The D4PH epidemiology team identified significant communication gaps between the team and various community partners, which hindered effective disease reporting and early outbreak detection. Three key coalitions (jails, schools, and long-term care facilities) were created to enhance communication and streamline the disease reporting process. Through these coalitions, D4PH aspires to enhance health education outreach and reduce communication delays.
Methods: In the first stage, a comprehensive directory of all relevant facilities within the district was developed, ensuring up-to-date points of contact and their respective contact information. To establish foundational links, introductory packets were distributed to each facility. These packets included an introductory letter, notifiable disease resources, and key contact information. In the second stage, a preliminary survey will be administered to the verified points of contact to assess their current understanding of disease reporting protocols and outbreak definitions.
Results: The formation of these coalitions has resulted in significant improvements in communication with the D4PH Epidemiology Team, enhancing the timely detection and reporting of outbreaks. This collaboration has helped to increase the efficiency of the D4PH Epidemiology team in documenting outbreaks within the DPH outbreak monitoring system, the Public Health Investigation Report (PHIRE).
Conclusion: An in-person infectious disease meeting is planned for Spring 2025, during which the epidemiology team and invited community partners will review the pre-survey results, address communication challenges, and administer a post-survey to evaluate satisfaction with the initiative. The formation of these coalitions marks a proactive step in strengthening partnerships between D4PH and community partners. Continued efforts will focus on sustaining open communication, providing tailored health education, and supporting effective disease management.
