KINE 3635 Chapter : epi reading.docx
8 Dec 2014
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An overview of outbreak investigations reading 1: outbreak investigations afford a number of opportunities for health department personnel. First, outbreaks provide an opportunity to characterize a public health problem. Second, investigation may identify risk factors that are associated with infection that are preventable: third, outbreak investigations may provide new re- search insights into the disease even if no new cases are occurring. Finally, outbreak investigations provide opportunities for training of health department staff in methods of public health investigation and emergency response that are essential in the era of potential bioterrorism events. Once an outbreak is identified, there are several key steps that provide a systematic approach to investigation: Preliminary phase: during the preliminary phase, the health department staff should quickly become. Field preparation should begin once the decision to investigate has been made. Information collected during this phase from medical records or patient interviews should be organized into a line listing and summarized according to time, person, and place.
