Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T10:25:30.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Guided Preparedness Planning with Lay Communities: Enhancing Capacity of Rural Emergency Response Through a Systems-Based Partnership

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2012

O.Lee McCabe ,
Charlene Perry ,
Melissa Azur ,
Henry G. Taylor ,
Howard Gwon ,
Adrian Mosley ,
Natalie Semon  and
Jonathan M. Links
O.Lee McCabe*
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health and the Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Charlene Perry
Affiliation:
Kent County Health Department, Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Chestertown, Maryland USA
Melissa Azur
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Henry G. Taylor
Affiliation:
Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Howard Gwon
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Adrian Mosley
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins Health System, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Natalie Semon
Affiliation:
Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Jonathan M. Links
Affiliation:
Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center and the Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland USA
*
Correspondence: O. Lee McCabe, PhD Johns Hopkins Hampton House 624 N Broadway, Ste 390 Baltimore, MD 21205 USA E-mail [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction

Community disaster preparedness plans, particularly those with content that would mitigate the effects of psychological trauma on vulnerable rural populations, are often nonexistent or underdeveloped. The purpose of the study was to develop and evaluate a model of disaster mental health preparedness planning involving a partnership among three, key stakeholders in the public health system.

Methods

A one-group, post-test, quasi-experimental design was used to assess outcomes as a function of an intervention designated Guided Preparedness Planning (GPP). The setting was the eastern-, northern-, and mid-shore region of the state of Maryland. Partner participants were four local health departments (LHDs), 100 faith-based organizations (FBOs), and one academic health center (AHC)—the latter, collaborating entities of the Johns Hopkins University and the Johns Hopkins Health System. Individual participants were 178 community residents recruited from counties of the above-referenced geographic area. Effectiveness of GPP was based on post-intervention assessments of trainee knowledge, skills, and attitudes supportive of community disaster mental health planning. Inferences about the practicability (feasibility) of the model were drawn from pre-defined criteria for partner readiness, willingness, and ability to participate in the project. Additional aims of the study were to determine if LHD leaders would be willing and able to generate post-project strategies to perpetuate project-initiated government/faith planning alliances (sustainability), and to develop portable methods and materials to enhance model application and impact in other health jurisdictions (scalability).

Results

The majority (95%) of the 178 lay citizens receiving the GPP intervention and submitting complete evaluations reported that planning-supportive objectives had been achieved. Moreover, all criteria for inferring model feasibility, sustainability, and scalability were met.

Conclusions

Within the span of a six-month period, LHDs, FBOs, and AHCs can work effectively to plan, implement, and evaluate what appears to be an effective, practical, and durable model of capacity building for public mental health emergency planning.

McCabeOL, PerryC, AzurM, TaylorHG, GwonH, MosleyA, SemonN, LinksJM. Guided Preparedness Planning with Lay Communities: Enhancing Capacity of Rural Emergency Response Through a Systems-Based Partnership. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2012;28(1):1-8.

Keywords

at-risk populationsbehavioral health surgedisaster preparedness and response planninglay/faith communitiespublic health systems researchpublic/private collaborationrural emergency preparedness
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , February 2013 , pp. 8 - 15
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.McCabe, OL, Perry, C, Azur, M, Taylor, HG, Bailey, M, Links, JM. Psychological first-aid training for paraprofessionals: a systems-based model for enhancing capacity of rural emergency response. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2011;26(4):251-258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.National Institute of Mental Health: Mental Health and Mass Violence: Evidence-Based Early Intervention for Victims/Survivors of Mass Violence. A Workshop to Reach Consensus on Best Practices. NIH Publication No. 02-5138, Washington, DC: US Gov. Printing Office, 2002.Google Scholar
3.Norris, FH, Friedman, MJ, Watson, PJ, Byrne, CM, Diaz, E, Kaniasty, K. 60,000 disaster victims speak: Part I. An empirical review of the empirical literature, 1981-2001. Psychiatry. Fall. 2002;65(3):207-239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Green, BL, Jacob, D, Lindy, MC, Grace, GC, Leonard, AC. Chronic posttraumatic stress disorder and diagnostic comorbidity in a disaster sample. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1992;180(12):760-766.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.David, D, Mellman, TA, Mendoza, LM, Kullick-Bell, R, Ironson, G, Schneiderman, N. Psychiatric morbidity following Hurricane Andrew. J Trauma Stress. 1996;9(3):607-612.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Holloway, HC, Norwood, AE, Fullerton, CS, Engel, CC Jr, Ursano, RJ. The threat of biological weapons: prophylaxis and mitigation of psychological and social consequences. JAMA. 1997;278(5):425-427.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Asukai, N. Mental health efforts following man-made toxic disasters: the Sarin attack and arsenic poisoning case. Presented at 11th Congress of World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine; 2003; Osaka, Japan.Google Scholar
8.North, CS, Nixon, SJ, Shariat, S, et al. Psychiatric disorders among survivors of the Oklahoma City bombing. JAMA. 1999;288(8):755-762.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.Boscarino, JA, Galea, S, Ahern, J, Resnick, H, Vlahov, D. Utilization of mental health services following the September 11th terrorist attacks in Manhattan, New York City. International Journal of Emergency Mental Health. 2002;4(3):143-155.Google ScholarPubMed
10.Galea, S, Ahern, J, Resnick, H, et al. Psychological sequelae of the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York City. N Engl J Med. 2002;346(13):982-987.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Schlenger, WE, Caddell, JM, Ebert, L, et al. Psychological reactions to terrorist attacks: findings from the National Study of Americans’ Reactions to September 11. JAMA. 2002;288(5):581-588.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Ursano, RJ, Cerise, FP, DeMartino, R, Reissman, DB, Shear, MK. The impact of disasters and their aftermath on mental health. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006;67(1):7-14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Smith, EM, North, CS, McCool, RE, Shea, JM. Acute post-disaster psychiatric disorders: identification of persons at risk. Am J Psychiatry. 1990;147(2):202-206.Google Scholar
14.Lima, BR, Pai, S, Santacruz, H, Lozano, J. Psychiatric disorders among poor victims following a major disaster: Armero, Columbia. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1991;179(7):420-427.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Institute of Medicine. Preparing for the Psychological Consequences of Terrorism: A Public Health Strategy. http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10717. 2003. Washington, DC: The National Academy of Sciences.Google Scholar
16.Pole, N, Best, SR, Metzler, T, Marmar, CR. Why are Hispanics at greater risk for PTSD? Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol. 2005;11(2):144-161.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Koenig, HG. In the Wake of Disaster: Religious Responses to Terrorism and Catastrophe. West Conshohocken, PA: Templeton Foundation Press; 2006.Google Scholar
18.Zahner, SJ, Corrado, SM. Local health department partnerships with faith-based organizations. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2004;10(3):258-265.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Zahner, SJ, Kaiser, B, et al. Local partnerships for community assessment and planning. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2005;11(5):460-464.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.McCabe, OL, Mosley, AM, Gwon, HS, et al. The tower of ivory meets the house of worship: psychological first aid training for the faith community. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 2008;9(3):171-180.Google Scholar
21.McCabe, OL, Lating, JM, Everly, GS, et al. Psychological first aid training for the faith community: a model curriculum. Int J Emerg Ment Health. 2008;9(3):181-192.Google Scholar
22.McCabe, OL, Mosley, A, Gwon, HS, Kaminsky, MJ. A disaster spiritual health corps: training the faith community to respond to terrorism and catastrophe. In: Everly GS, Mitchell JT, eds. Integrative Crisis Intervention and Disaster Mental Health, Innovations in Disaster and Trauma Psychology. Ellicott City, MD: Chevron Publishing; 2008.Google Scholar
23.McCabe, OL, Barnett, DJ, Taylor, HG, Links, JM. Ready, willing, and able: a framework for improving the public health emergency preparedness system. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2010;4(2):161-168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
24.Cook, TD, Campbell, DT. Quasi-experimentation: Design and Analysis Issues for Field Settings. Chicago, IL: Rand McNally College Publishing Company; 1979.Google Scholar
25.The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. U.S. Religious Landscape Survey: Religious Affiliation: Diverse and Dynamic. Washington, DC: Pew Research Center; 2008.Google Scholar
26.Knebel, A, Trabert, ES. Medical Surge Capacity and Capability: A Management System for Integrating Medical and Health Resources during Large-scale Emergencies. Alexandria, VA: The CNA Corporation; 2004.Google Scholar