Influenza

State, local, tribal, and territorial emergency managers and public health officials must address the specific needs of people with disabilities in their pandemic influenza plans. Evidence from Hurricane Katrina indicated that this population was disproportionately affected by the storm and aftermath. People with disabilities, particularly those who require personal assistance and those who reside in… Read More »»

The consequences of pandemic influenza for vulnerable populations will depend partly on the effectiveness of health risk communications. Strategic planning should fully consider how life circumstances, cultural values, and perspectives on risk influence behavior during a pandemic. We summarize recent scientific evidence on communication challenges and examine how sociocultural, economic, psychological, and health factors can… Read More »»

Protecting vulnerable populations from pandemic influenza is a strategic imperative. The US national strategy for pandemic influenza preparedness and response assigns roles to governments, businesses, civic and community-based organizations, individuals, and families. Because influenza is highly contagious, inadequate preparedness or untimely response in vulnerable populations increases the risk of infection for the general population. Recent… Read More »»

OBJECTIVES: We explored possible disparities in seasonal influenza treatment in Georgia’s disabled Medicaid population. We sought to determine whether racial/ethnic, geographic, or gender disparities existed in antiviral drugs usage in the treatment of influenza. METHODS: Medicaid claims were analyzed from 69 556 clients with disabilities enrolled in a Georgia Medicaid disease management program. RESULTS: There… Read More »»