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Public Health Emergency Preparedness: Qualitative Analysis of After-Action Reports

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2023

Rupesh Naik ,
Nikki Maxwell ,
Terrance Jones  and
Stephanie Anne Dopson Open the ORCID record for Stephanie Anne Dopson [Opens in a new window]
Rupesh Naik
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of State and Local Readiness, Atlanta, GA, USA
Nikki Maxwell
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of State and Local Readiness, Atlanta, GA, USA
Terrance Jones
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of State and Local Readiness, Atlanta, GA, USA
Stephanie Anne Dopson*
Affiliation:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Emergency Operations, Atlanta, GA, USA
*
Corresponding author: Stephanie Anne Dopson; Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

After-Action Reports (AARs) are retrospective summaries that capture key information and lessons learned from emergency response exercises and real incidents. The AAR is a commonly used evaluation tool used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as part of the Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) program. It is used as a metric of accountability and awardee performance. The objectives of this study were to qualitatively analyze AARs of public health preparedness programs and develop a coding scheme for standardizing future review and analysis of AARs. We evaluated 14 AARs (4 exercises and 10 real incidents) generated between 2012 and 2018. We applied inductive qualitative analyses using ATLAS.Ti software. While, previous exercises focused on medical countermeasure responses, real-world incidents focused on natural disasters and infectious disease outbreaks. Six overarching themes emerged: Communications, Coordination, Resource Distribution, Unified Planning, Surveillance, and Knowledge Sharing. A standardized analysis format is proposed for future use.

Keywords

Emergency PreparednessPublic HealthAfter Action ReportsDisaster Response
Type
Report from the Field
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 17 , 2023 , e523
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health

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