Harvard School of Public Health Press ReleasesRural America Vulnerable to Bioterrorism and Natural Disaster Threats
For immediate release: March 21, 2005
Boston, MA - The Harvard School of Public Health Center for Public Health Preparedness, in collaboration with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, and four other schools of public health, has released its latest independent report highlighting rural preparedness challenges and concerns.
Preparing for Public Health Emergencies: Meeting the Challenges in Rural America presents information and recommendations resulting from a conference that was held in St. Paul, MN, Sept. 27 - 28, 2004. The session brought together more than 80 public health preparedness leaders from multiple states to identify important yet unique barriers facing rural public health preparedness and the strategies to overcome those barriers.
The report presents recommendations based on the unique preparedness concerns facing rural America. Specifically:
- Contrary to the opinion of many, rural America is indeed vulnerable to bioterrorism and other serious public health emergency threats such as storms and other natural disasters, and must be adequately prepared to protect its citizens;
- Public health and health care systems in rural America need to be strengthened to meet the challenges of these threats;
- Policy makers at the federal, state and local levels need to make sure that rural America has the financial and human resources required to achieve an adequate state of readiness; and,
- Public health and health care leaders in rural areas need to work together to assure that emergency preparedness is achieved in a cost-effective manner.
"The conference did not focus exclusively upon bioterrorism," said Campbell. "Participants from across the country emphasized that we need to be prepared for the full range of public health emergencies, including weather events such as ice storms and hurricanes, and emerging diseases like SARS that do not result from terrorist actions."
Campbell continued: "This issue - the financing of preparations for potential bioterrorist attacks- has forced us to confront the inadequacy of our public health defenses in rural areas of this country. A strong national defense requires that we address our weakest links wherever they are."
"Rural areas in the United States bring with them unique challenges that are much different than their urban counterparts," said Frances. "Though many perceive rural areas to be just farmland, plains and dense forest, much of the nation's water supply, food supply and critical industries (power plants and water treatment facilities) are located in rural areas. They pose a unique challenge to protection from terrorism and public health emergencies."
This report will be presented at the National Rural Health Association's annual policy meeting on March 22, 2005 in Washington, DC.
The report, Preparing for Public Health Emergencies: Meeting the Challenges in Rural America, can be viewed at: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hcphp/Conference_Proceedings.pdf
Requests for a hard copy can be made to Cassie Watters at cwatters@hsph.harvard.edu or via phone at 617-495-9511.
Collaborators on the report and conference:
Harvard School of Public Health Center for Public Health Preparedness
Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Health, Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness
University of Pittsburgh Centers for Rural Health Practice and Public Health Preparedness
Texas A&M University School of Rural Public Health
University of Minnesota
University of North Carolina School of Public Health
For further information contact:
Robin Herman
Director of Communications
Harvard School of Public Health
rherman@hsph.harvard.edu
(617) 432-4388