Journal Article

Tracking the Impact of Policy Changes on Public Health Practice

Erwin, Paul C.

2017

Overview

Surveillance is the act of systematically collecting, collating, and analyzing health-related information that can be communicated on a timely basis to guide action.1 Sentinel surveillance is one form of surveillance that can serve as an early warning system in efforts to identify health threats that require rapid action.2 Sentinel surveillance systems, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's US Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network,3 provide the early red flag, the proverbial canary in the mine, that alerts public health to a threat requiring action. A diverse group of local and state-level public health officials were invited by AJPH Associate Editor Paul Erwin to participate in the sentinel surveillance system. Aspects of geography, population demographics and density, public health agency organizational structure and reach, and recent political context were the primary characteristics explored in considering whom to invite to participate. President Trump has promised to make fundamental policy changes that are vitally important to the public's health, from repealing the Affordable Care Act, to environmental deregulation, to issues pertaining to women's health. What we will report on through this sentinel practitioner surveillance system is what a handful of committed public health professionals are experiencing first-hand-good or bad-as an early indication that the fact ofchange, not the fear of change, needs further light. The author wishes to acknowledge the commitment, dedication, and input ofthe public health practitioners who are participating in this surveillance network, and to AJPHEditor-in-ChiefAlfredo Morabia and Associate Editor Mark Rothstein for their helpful suggestions and guidance on...

• Publisher: American Public Health Association
• Subject: AJPH National Public Health Week / Collating / Demographics / Demography / Deregulation / Disease control / Early warning systems / Editors / Emigration and Immigration - legislation & jurisprudence / Executive orders / Fear / Fear & phobias / Geography / Government / Health behavior / Health care policy / Health Policy / Health Policy - economics / Health Policy - legislation & jurisprudence / Health risks / Humans / Illnesses / Immigration policy / Influenza / Medical personnel / Medical screening / Organizational structure / Politics / Population density / Prevention / Public health / Public Health Practice / Public Health Practice - economics / Public Health Practice - legislation & jurisprudence / Public Health Surveillance / Surveillance / Surveillance systems / Trump, Donald J / United States / Womens health