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Home Health Care Challenges and Avian Influenza

Mailman School of Public Health and School of Nursing at Columbia University

Kristine A. Qureshi, RN, DNSc

University of Hawaii at Manoa

Patricia W. Stone, RN, PhD

Columbia University

Monika Pogorzelska, MPH

Mailman School of Public Health

Alexis Silver, BA

Home Care Association of New York State, Inc.

Marc R. Damsky, MPH

Mobile Health Management Services, Inc.

Christopher Burdette, EMT-P

Columbia University

Kristine M. Gebbie, RN, DrPH

Columbia University School of Nursing

Victoria H. Raveis, PhD

Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health

Recent public health disasters, both nationally and internationally, have underscored the importance of preparedness in effectively responding to these events. Within the home health care sector, preparedness is especially critical, as home care patients may be at increased risk of disaster-related morbidity and mortality because of their age, disability, or other vulnerability. Importantly, the home health care population is growing, with an estimated 7 million patients currently receiving home health care services. Yet the degree of preparedness at all levels of the home care sector (agency, health care worker, and patient and/or family) is largely unknown. Without this knowledge, important first steps toward development and implementation designed to address barriers to preparedness cannot be taken. To help address some of these knowledge gaps, one aspect of preparedness, namely the willingness of home health care workers to respond during an avian influenza outbreak, was recently examined. Findings revealed very low levels of willingness. Preliminary recommendations designed to address this issue are presented following a general discussion of the issue.

Key Words: avian • staff • barriers • preparedness • willingness • influenza • outbreak

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Home Health Care Management & Practice, Vol. 20, No. 1, 58-69 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1084822307305908


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Gershon, R. R. M. Articles by Raveis, V. H. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?