Last data update: May 13, 2024. (Total: 46773 publications since 2009)
Records 1-8 (of 8 Records) |
Query Trace: Kalis M[original query] |
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Rebuilding Caribbean environmental health post-crisis programs: A preliminary study for virtual mentorship
DeVito Roseann , David Dyjack Elizabeth Landeen , Labbo Rebecca , Gill Gagandeep , Gerding Justin , Kalis Martin A , Daly Scott , Lopez Raymond , Somaiya Chintan , Chera Sukhdeep , Vanover Christine , Fahnestock Lindsay , Randhawa Manjit . J Environ Health 2024 86 (6) 8-13 After the hurricanes in 2017 in the U.S. Caribbean, it was essential to rebuild, strengthen, and sustain essential environmental health (EH) services and systems. The National Environmental Health Association, in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, developed an online mentorship program for newly hired and existing EH staff and health department leadership in Caribbean health departments. Participants were provided with both practical and didactic learning and were allowed to evaluate the program. Both mentors and mentees were highly satisfied with the knowledge and skills acquired, and mentees expressed it was relevant to their daily work. Based on the findings, we recommend both an online and a hybrid mentorship program for leadership- and inspector-level workforces in EH and potentially in other fields. |
Environmental health practice challenges and research needs for U.S. health departments
Brooks BW , Gerding JA , Landeen E , Bradley E , Callahan T , Cushing S , Hailu F , Hall N , Hatch T , Jurries S , Kalis MA , Kelly KR , Laco JP , Lemin N , McInnes C , Olsen G , Stratman R , White C , Wille S , Sarisky J . Environ Health Perspect 2019 127 (12) 125001 BACKGROUND: Environmental health (EH) professionals, one of the largest segments of the public health workforce, are responsible for delivery of essential environmental public health services. The challenges facing these professionals and research needs to improve EH practice are not fully understood, but 26% of EH professionals working in health departments of the United States plan to retire in 5 y, while only 6% of public health students are currently pursuing EH concentrations. OBJECTIVES: A groundbreaking initiative was recently launched to understand EH practice in health departments of the United States. This commentary article aims to identify priority EH practice challenges and related research needs for health departments. METHODS: A horizon scanning approach was conducted in which challenges facing EH professionals were provided by 1,736 respondents working at health departments who responded to a web-based survey fielded in November 2017. Thematic analyses of the responses and determining the frequency at which respondents reported specific issues and opportunities identified primary EH topic areas. These topic areas and related issues informed focus group discussions at an in-person workshop held in Anaheim, California. The purpose of the in-person workshop was to engage each of the topic areas and issues, through facilitated focus groups, leading to the formation of four to five related problem statements for each EH topic. DISCUSSION: EH professionals are strategically positioned to diagnose, intervene, and prevent public health threats. Focus group engagement resulted in 29 priority problem statements partitioned among 6 EH topic areas: a) drinking water quality, b) wastewater management, c) healthy homes, d) food safety, e) vectors and public health pests, and f) emerging issues. This commentary article identifies priority challenges and related research needs to catalyze effective delivery of essential environmental public health services for common EH program areas in health departments. An unprecedented initiative to revitalize EH practice with timely and strategic recommendations for student and professional training, nontraditional partnerships, and basic and translational research activities is recommended. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP5161. |
Emergency response training in California: Piloting the environmental health training in emergency response operations course in a local environmental health department
Barnett M , Zaidel B , Kalis MA . J Environ Health 2018 81 (5) 36-37 In fall 2017, San Diego County, with assistance from the California Department of Public Health, presented three sessions of the Environmental Health Training in Emergency Response Operations (EHTER Ops) course in a novel 2-day version. Until then, EHTER Ops had been offered exclusively at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Center for Domestic Preparedness in Anniston, Alabama, as a 4-day resident course. EHTER Ops is a course that prepares participants to assess disaster-related environmental health conditions and perform tasks in a hands-on and field team focused approach. The course emphasizes the use of field equipment and instrumentation, including personal protective equipment (PPE), under disaster conditions. EHTER Ops is a companion to the EHTER Awareness Level course. This month's column describes the pilot training and provides future directions for the training. |
Innovative safe water program improvement e-learning for environmental health professionals
Sabogal R , Kalis M , Hubbard B , Oeffinger J , Baddour LJ , Tate C , Shorter C . J Environ Health 2018 80 (10) 38-40 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) released a free e-learning curriculum in January 2018 titled “Safe Water Program Improvement (SWPI).” With approximately 34 million American residents served by privately owned wells (NGWA, 2016), there is a need for training on how health departments can improve their services to homeowners. CDC developed the curriculum for state, local, tribal and territorial health departments as a resource to improve safe drinking water programs focused on private wells and other federally unregulated drinking water. CDC designed the SWPI curriculum using the 10 Essential Environmental Public Health Services (EEPHSs) (Figure 1) and the Environmental Public Health Performance Standards (CDC, 2014) as frameworks. |
New Emergency Response Training for Environmental Health Professionals
Kalis MA , Zaidel BW . J Environ Health 2016 78 (8) 30-1 NEHA strives to provide up-to-date and relevant information on environmental health and to build partnerships in the profession. In pursuit of these goals, we feature a column from the Environmental Health Services Branch (EHSB) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in every issue of the Journal. In these columns, EHSB and guest authors share insights and information about environmental health programs, trends, issues, and resources. The conclusions in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of CDC. Martin Kalis is a public health advisor with CDC’s EHSB. He is the program manager for CDC’s Environmental Health Training in Emergency Response (EHTER). Bernice Zaidel is the assistant director of curriculum development and evaluation at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP). She is CDP’s lead for partnering with EHSB and developing EHTER courses. |
When every drop counts--drought guidance for public health professionals
Kalis MA . J Environ Health 2011 74 (4) 30-1 The July/August 2009 issue of the Journal | of Environmental Health reported that | the Centers for Disease Control and | Prevention’s (CDC’s) Environmental Health | Services Branch (EHSB) was developing a | guide for public health and other professionals that addresses the health implications of | drought (Kalis, Miller, & Wilson, 2009). The | lack of data and consolidated scientific evidence or guidance on drought as it pertained | to public health initiated this effort. In fact, | this data gap has caused public health experts across the country to operate with limited guidance about drought preparedness and | with an inadequate understanding about how | water shortages can affect the health of their | communities. After a thorough development | process and in collaboration with the American Water Works Association (AWWA), U.S. | Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and other key partners, EHSB | released in September 2010 When Every Drop | Counts: Protecting Public Health During Drought | Conditions—A Guide for Public Health Professionals (CDC, U.S. EPA, NOAA & AWWA, 2010) |
HTER: where does it go from here?
Kalis MA , Miller MD . J Environ Health 2010 72 (10) 38-39 In The Lancet, Julia Brotherton and colleagues1 report a decrease in precancerous cervical lesions in girls younger than 18 years after population-wide human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in Victoria, Australia, in 2007. The study reports a 0·38% absolute decrease in the rates of histologically confirmed high-grade cervical lesions in these girls during the 2 years after HPV vaccine introduction compared with the 3 years before vaccine introduction.1 This ecological finding might be an early sentinel of the potential real-life effect of the vaccine on the main outcome in the clinical trials: cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). However, these results should be viewed with caution, in view of the well-known limitations of ecological studies. For example, guidelines that emphasise less aggressive management of low-grade cytology, which were published 9 months before HPV vaccine introduction, could have contributed to the reported CIN2+ decrease.2 Health-care providers might also have screened and managed vaccinated patients less aggressively, especially girls younger than the recommended screening age of 18 years. With the 47·5% relative decrease in the incidence of high-grade cervical abnormalities recorded in girls younger than 18 years, a similar though smaller decrease would be expected in girls in the next oldest age group (those aged 18–20 years), who were likely to benefit from the vaccine and in whom vaccine coverage was high. However, no decrease was observed in this age group. |
Public health and drought
Kalis MA , Miller MD , Wilson RJ . J Environ Health 2009 72 (1) 10-1 At the most basic conceptual level, | drought is a natural phenomenon in | which levels of rainfall or other types | of precipitation are lower than average for | an extended period of time, resulting in | inadequate water supply. To truly understand drought and its effect on people and | the environment, including human health | impacts, one must also consider differences | in geographic regions, local water demand, | and variables such as a community’s ability to adapt to water shortages and state | and local policies that regulate water supply (www.drought.unl.edu). For instance, | a significant amount of annual rainfall in | the southwestern U.S could be considered | a drought in the Northwest. The photo at | the top of page 11 illustrates recent conditions in the southeastern United States. As | a readily available supply of safe water is | a prerequisite for public health, droughts | have potential public health significance | and understanding the relationship between the two is an important first step in | examining potential associations. |
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