FHWA Strategic Goal Implementation Areas for Improvemnt to Provide Quality Research :Providing Next Steps Interventions

Strategic Highway Research related to crash causation and which were recently emitted by The National Academies Press state various efforts made to improve the understanding of highway crashes ans the factors that appear to cause them(NAP,2017) . Crash causality has been analized by the ITS program through IVI , and the General Accounting Office as well as some DOTs and a pooled fund study being conducted by south eastern states .
      FHWA Strateic Focus Area II
1- Improve Knowledge of crash causation through collection and analysis of more acurate and complete safety data.
2-Achieve a significant reduction in the number and severity od single vehicle run -off the roads crashes .
3-Achieve a significant reduction in the number and severity of intersection rashes .

The analysis elements of FHWAs safety research program and The Highway Safety Information System performs studies based on data provided by eight state DOTs , NHTSA also performs crash analysis.  The agencies fatality analysis reporting system uses state DOT ,Police , and other data to study fatal crashes ; while the ITS National Automotive Sampling  System looks at various types of crashes using two systems ; 1) The General Estimates System which examines a nationally represented sample of crashes using information from Police reports ; and 2) The Crash worthiness Data System which performs detailed analysis of 5,000 crashes a year supplimenting police reports

When evaluating behavior related to vehicle crash causality we evaluated road rage using reactive and proactive aggression which I detail in previous blogger post. Proactively aggressive conduct includes bullying while Reactive aggression includes poor impulse control ,  toxic emotional responses and outbursts . In evaluating the strategic areas for improvement to determine crash causality it is my contention as a public health professional and as an allied health care provider and researcher that these strategies although very good ; the approach should be in completing the crash worthiness data system and the general estimates system examination with performing a discouse analysis of fatal crash police reports; to analyze emergent trends , patterns and behavior. This analysis will identify emergent aggression often found in road rage behavior and fatal crash causality.



References

NAP(2017) Strategic  Highway Research .Saving Lives ,Reducing Congestion ,Improving Quality of Life . Committee for a Study for a Future .Strategic Highway Research Program .Transportation Research Board.National Academies Press .

Rain, A (2013) The Anatomy of Violence .The Biological Roots of Crime .   

Continuity of Care during a Natural Disaster . Publc Health Perspective

Ilicit drug abuse  is a growing public health concern ; nearly 2.4 million people in the United States have a SUD or Substance Abuse Disorder (SAMSA,2015) related to prescription opioid prescription drug misuse . Approximately half a million people  are currently addicted to Heroin , Methamphetamine use is also on the rise as well as other drugs whose base are constructed from anasthetics such as Fentanyl and cocain. Data on privately insured individuals aged 18 to 64 from the yar 2010 to 2014 from Truven Health Analytics Market Scan Commercial Claims and Encounters data base shows that 40 % of patients did not recieve any follow up services within 30 days following an opioid related hospitalization. The mechanisms by which this type of addiction occures is termed cross addiction which happens insiduously while the patient is recieving pharmacotherapeutics for pain management in the treatment of chronic conditions such as arthritis , rheumatoid arthritis , psychosocial conditions and post injury from sports injuries; and near fatal automobile accidents (CDC.gov,2016). Although this is a crisis that currently threatens populations , and I say populations because at it stands if we gatherd all of the people addicted to illicit drugs in the U.S they would be enough to fill two states ; whose sole population would be constructed of addicts ; what of the persons currently undergoing treatment and rehabilitation for addiction when faced with a natural disaster . How does this affect there treatment and there ability to comply with the thereapeutic regimen? . Are they face with a new crisis such as patients recieving cancer treatment who also are submerged in a  crisis due to natural disaster. What of there ability to complete a therapeutic regiomen? Not to mention the thousands of patients who rely on such life saving medication such as insulin ; where these are costly and merit strict refrigeration ; which in turn are supplied through electrical power. There are currently over 36 million diabetics in the United States which lead Public Health to question  the effectivness of Public Health Processes Procedures and Sustainablity .  The National Cancer Institute currently provides program implementation and strategics for the continuation of cancer care and pharmacotherapeutics during a natural disaster ; and it is my belief that many of these strategies can alsobe implemented to vulnerable populations such as addicts and diabetic populations to off set he burdo of secndary disease attainmentstemming from a natural disaster and to provide effective care even under the most dire circumstances; especially for populations in rural communities because of the added nature of said distance , topography,   geography , and lack of resources.


References 

CDC(2017) Opioid Addiction . retrieved from http.www.cdc.gov

SAMSHA(2016) The CBHSQ Report .Retrieved from http.www.samsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/report_2117 shortRpor-2117.pf                                       

Alternative Methods in Public Health Delivery / Counter Measures

As  government institutions become more and more concerned with health problems ; the need for reliable prevalence and incidence data is increasing (Friis & Sellers, 2014) however; to estimate accurately the number of individuals having a given disease is not easy The number of subjects already diagnosed is useful to measure the impact of health services The epidemiologist also tries to detect new cases , so far diagnosed . In both situations the classical epidemiological approach using random population sampling is extreamly expensive alternative methods to estimate the number of subjects with a defined health problem corrective for deficiencies in assesstment have been proposed. Epidemiological Exposure Analysis include estimation of demographics and population characteristics just to name a particular method to determine prevalence or risk analysis in epidemiology that are useful in alternative more expensive methods of collecting data to estimate prevalence and or incidence rates . These are useful for example in determining par levels needs in for example antidotes to specific toxins . There are many uses in alternative data collection methods and we can certainly see there applicability in settings that may not have been thought of at first glance .
So what is antidote ? . An antidote is a medicine taken to counteract a toxin . What are par levels ? . Par levels is a system used in Inventory to estimate needs and other characteristics of said inventory . Applying alternate prevalence data and incidence are always the preferred epidemiological mathematical application in population health , how ever we can appreciate more complex epidemiological application to practice , and their usability.               

References
Friis ,R & Sellers , T (2014) Epidemiology for Public Health Practice . Bartlett Jones Publishing USA           

Psychosocial Implications in Natural Disaster :Using SWOT in Public Health Assessments

SWOT Analysis can be carried out for Companies , Products , Industries ,or persons within a Community (Community Tool Kit,2017). The process involves specifying the objectives of the business venture and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieve the objectives . When the process is applied to the above mentioned subjects however ; the topic takes on a new meaning . While meant to be applied to community settings that are the victims of a natural disaster , this raises the the following three questions ; (1) can SWOT be applied to communities in disaster relief ; (2) will its application yield aquishable results , and (3) does the SWOT process change as a result of subject mater being analyzed ?.
SWOT are the analysis of community strengths, weaknesses , threats , and opportunities as dictated by its acronyms . The following results were noted when applying the process to community in crisis due to natural disaster.

SWOT Analysis
Strengths  - survival of the family unit , supportive employer , family unit emergency preparedness, technological device and battery back up system , psychotropic medication on hand , chronic disease medication supply, personal documentation and files back up system in place . Evacuation plan and family meeting site .

Weaknesses- no plan established , lost family members ,poor communication methods , no personal documentation on hand, poor skin integrity protection fro the elements , low battery and no emergency flairs , no portable supplies and or food items . Low medication supply and no home and automoble insurance .

Threats - inconsistante information that cause confusion , looting and theft of community assets, disease onset such as anxiety and depression , shock , poor coping skills and ill physical health , lack of systematic plans and lack of resources .

Opportunities- attainment of new coping skills , development of community based disaster planing,creation of innovative rescue procedures, surge capacity comparison by region , multicultural strengthening , ethnographic public health interventions .

Results
While the three questions posed by the application of SWOT to community  yielded some differences in  results as it pertains to the subject matter undr evaluatin ; the process of ts application were succinct and yieilded expeditious results of analysis that are suitable in emergency situations . The application process did not differ from that of its application with diverse subject matter.

Reerences
Community Tool Box (2017) SWOT Analysis . Retrieved fromhttp:/www ctb.kw.edu/en/table=of-content/assessment.       
         

Public Health Workforce . In he Face of the Crisis.

The United States is the only profit driven health care system in the world (Bramming,2016) . and perhaps it is no coincidence that the country also has the most expensive health care per capita a total of 10,000 dollars per patient . This accounted for 17.8 % of the countries GDP . And according to the Centers for Medicare an Medicare (CMS) these estimates will rise b the year 2025 to become 20.1% of the countries GDP or Gross Domestic Product(AH &DB,2017).  What does this mean for Public Health ?. An effective public health system that can assure the Nations health requires the collaborative efforts of a complex network of people and organizations in the public health agencies ; at the National , State and Local level(NAP,1988) . Alarms signaling an impending public health work force shortage are growing more urgent . New Findings show that the U.S shortage will grow increasingly worse over the next few years and as it stands we have available to service a population of  over 270,000 people mearly 250 public health workers (NAP,2015) . Very few American are aware that this crisis even exists .At a public health work force briefing on Capital Hill in late Februery 2016 ; the associated Schools of public health released a first of its kind assessment of the looming  public health work force shortage , which has been growing steadily worse since 1980 . According to the report at least 28 percent of the current public health work force nearly 110,000 workers will be eligible to retire during the next presidential term ,  the very term we find ourselves in at present . An additional 250,000 public health workers are needed to dodge a work force shortage that would leave the Nation vulnerable to a range of pending threats , including infectious disease , pandemics , bioterrorism and natural disasters (Harrison,2016) .  Globally the picture is bleeker ; according to a 2006 WHO report ; at least 57 countries most of them in Sub Saharan Africa , Bangladesh , India , Indonesia and now Venezuela face crippling public health workforce shortages .

References

Bramming, G (2016) Health Care Spending :Plenty of Blame to go Around. American Health and Drug Benefit vol9 no8 .

Harrison, S (2016) Confronting the Public Health Workforce Crisis

NAP (1988) The Future of Public Health .Committee for the Study of the Future of Public Health . Division of public Health Services. Institute of Medicine    .          

Perceptions of Bullying Behavior . How Interesting.

Before the mid nineteenth century formal schooling was mainly a luxury for the rich (Derber & Magrass,2015) .  British private schools called public schools were an alternative to being home schooled y a governess. Schools were expected to breed decorum , manners, and refinement among gentlemen. Although students were required to study formal subjects such as latin , grammer , and mathematics ; these were  secondary in importance. In preparing students for the labor market schools typically teach that learning is work not fun and take pleasure out of learning . But how does this relate to bullying often seen in many schools across America . Recently an appraisal of perception with regard to exactly what causes a person to become a victim of bullying were discussed with interesting feedback obtained . It seems that in reciprocity of recommended changes of the learning environment made to parents of bullying victims yielded further bullying by other children within the school that the victims had switched to ; leading the parents and family members to believe that school officials or teachers were probably responsible for the incessent bullying. As perplexing as this may sound ; it was concretely believed by the parents and y other family members . For this reason assessing beliefs and perception of both teachers and parents as to the causes of bullying behavior is so very important ;it never occurred to the parents hat in changing schools the children would still be victims of bullying. he reason for this how ever is quite simple. Most children who are the victims of bullying behavior are bullied not because hey are defective in come way but because they are gifted in some unique way . Tis may include inelegance , potential , or physical attributes . This is most probably the reason as to why changing schools did not deture the bullying behavior . You cannot change your childrens attributes you see only strengthen them . Physical bullying is obviously in the toolbox of most boy bullies ; but Klein tells us girls bullies also use physical violence. Girls usually express their bullying behavior through ostracism , ridicule ,rumor spreading, text message and posted messages on the web(CDC.gov,2017). It is thought that this type of bullying behavior expressed by girls leads to capitalism in fact . In a 2015 nationwide survey 20% of high school students reported being bullied on school property .An estimated 16% of high school students reported in the year 2016 that they were bullied electronically through out the 12 months prior to survey application . This extensive  bullying has its repercussions on the brains tissues because it leads to cyclothemia ; a form of sever depression though to reverse because of the psychological process hat caused the changes I brain structure.  Bullying is an extensive public health issue because of the effect it has on potential work force currently found in our schools , particularly when its effects are estimated to last up to 40 years . What say you ?

References

CDC(2017) Bullying Report . Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov

Derber, C & Magrass , Y.R (2015) Bully Nation . How The American Establishment Creates a Bullying Society .University of Kansas
                                  

Applied Psychology in Traffic :Whats it all about ?

Traffic psychology may be thought of as a subdivision of applied psychology .It is concerned with the scientific study of psychological problems arising from conditions of motor , rail , and travel or aviation psychology (driving behavior) ; which is the primary concern of traffic   psychology ,psychomotor skills can be evaluated using the principles of traffic psychology to examine driver conduct and motorist behavior .In doing so one could examine driver conduct and motorist behavior(CD.gov,2017). Distracted driving is driving while engaging in another activity that distracts your attention from the task of good driving ; this increases your risk of motor vehicle accidents .Approximately 9 people are killed and more than 1,000 are injured every day in crashes that are reported to involve  a distracted driver. .The behavior of pedestrians and others has recieved less attention ;it is concidered as a roadways , driver , and comprehensive man machine system (MMS) consisting of street  , roadways ,driver, and vehicle . The questions that can be answered from  applying the principles of traffic psychology are can the researcher evaluate conditions that result from reactive and proactive aggression ? . A discription of driving behavior is meaningful only when it is judged in regard to the goals or aims of MMS  among which traffic safety and traffic flow are the main criteria ; both criteria have to be brought into an optimal recipricale relation . Any other criteria must be appraised at arms length because of human error ,bias and other factors or co factors . his is a very interesting subject and one for development  .


References
CDC(2O17)Winnable Battles .Retrieved fro http//www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety.html