441: Learning to Advocate, Responsible Data Use

JANSON SILVERS  00:04

This is Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, June 14, 2023. I'm Janson Silvers. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

SUSAN POLAN  00:16

The goal really is ultimately to pass policies and to be able to deal with challenges related to public health policies.

JANSON SILVERS  00:26

Dr. Susan Polan, with the American Public Health Association, talking about the Policy Action Institute meeting planned for tomorrow and Friday here in Washington,

SUSAN POLAN  00:35

Public health has been under attack for the last several years. And part of what the issue is, is we are not great at figuring out how to be proactive and how to talk to our partners and the public and policymakers and opinion leaders, those who agree and those who disagree with us in a way that makes a very compelling case for public health and supporting public health and creating a public health infrastructure that addresses the needs of all people.

JANSON SILVERS  01:04

Polan says organizers hope the two-day gathering will help attendees improve their communication skills.

SUSAN POLAN  01:11

On day one, they're going to learn about the content. On day two, they're going to learn how to do it. We're going to have people talking about why we should advocate, the difference between advocacy and lobbying and what the public health community can do. If you're an academic, if you're from a community-based organization, and again, really focus on communications.

JANSON SILVERS  01:29

The goal is to give people new tools they can use to engage policy leaders when they get home.

SUSAN POLAN  01:35

I really think that people leave this day energized and excited, and with new information that maybe isn't going to change the world, but it's going to offer them nuances and details that they didn't have to fill in their already very full toolboxes for addressing policy issues.

JANSON SILVERS  01:56

You can learn more about the event using the link in the show notes. Public health data sometimes can be a delicate topic. Robert Johnson caught up with South Carolina Public Health Director, Dr. Brannon Traxler at the ASTHO TechXpo last month in Chicago. Here's their conversation about the responsibility that comes with gathering, sharing, and using health-related data.

ROBERT JOHNSON:  02:23

We have this opportunity to visit at TechXpo in Chicago. Data is the topic here and how to manage it, how to use it to improve public health across the states and territories. What are you thinking about as it relates to data going through these sessions? And the desires, the needs back home in South Carolina?

BRANNON TRAXLER:  02:44

Absolutely. I am thinking about how do we modernize our data systems and even the processes by which we collect and analyze data. So, really listening to all the different viewpoints, learning about all of the different strategies being employed, and all of the different products and opportunities that are out there that states can tap into and utilize. But we're really looking at how do we collect data that's the most complete, the most accurate, but then also, even just looking at our systems, our databases, you know, making sure that they can handle the volume. If we ever were to heaven forbid, have something else like COVID, you know, we need to make sure that our database is not going to crash with the weight of the results that it was receiving like during COVID, as we had often then. So, a lot of it is looking at, how do we collect it, how do we store it, but then also how do we analyze it? And how do we share it, or at least share the actionable results from the analysis?

ROBERT JOHNSON:  03:49

A lot of different solutions and approaches being discussed here in Chicago. They all sound good, but they don't all work everywhere.

BRANNON TRAXLER:  03:58

Absolutely, we - one thing that is great about our country is that we are 50 different states, as well as multiple territories, and we all do things differently. And so we have to take what is being presented here and look at, 'How does it apply to South Carolina?' We have some restrictions with data sharing in South Carolina that are more unique to us as a state with certain data components. And so how do we work with that to still certainly meet the law and the in the rules but also provide the knowledge and the actionable results that people need to drive public health action?

ROBERT JOHNSON:  04:38

Some people might look at laws like those in South Carolina and think wow, you know, that's really restrictive. But on the other hand, local organizations are learning how to use data themselves and innovate in the process getting action out into the communities quicker. Can you give us an example of how that works?

BRANNON TRAXLER:  04:56

Absolutely. We are still doing the analysis also. And so there are many times where we might not be able to give the actual data, but we can give the results of the analysis. And so that is still being done. And that's one thing that's important for people to realize that just because we can't share the actual numbers, doesn't mean that it's not being analyzed and looked at. But then we also are working with all of our partners at more of a local- or entity-level to teach them how to analyze their own data and clean it and really drive their own actions with - with their results. And so a good example is, I think, a lot of the work being done around substance use and overdose data, using EMS data to in more real-time drive actions at a very local or even hyperlocal level, based on what that locality is seeing in their own data.

ROBERT JOHNSON:  05:49

In the end, public health needs some information to make good decisions to drive resources and actions to the areas of the communities that need it. So you have to work through this.

BRANNON TRAXLER:  06:01

Absolutely. And that's what I'm really taking away from here is what are some innovative ways that we can adapt our processes still, again, follow the laws follow the rules, but get the information that's needed so that we can inform the public and take actions to protect the public?

JANSON SILVERS  06:21

The virtual edition of ASTHO's Public Health TechXpo is tomorrow, Thursday, June 15, starting at 1:00 pm Eastern Time. Learn about the public health workforce, infrastructure, the CDC's Data Modernization Initiative, and more. Learn more and sign up by clicking the link in the show notes.

Also this morning, youth mental health is the topic of four webinars happening soon. O'keyla Cooper has more.

O'KEYLA COOPER:  06:47

According to the CDC, high school students are experiencing a surge in poor mental health and suicide ideation linked to social determinants of health. To address the issue, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Alliance on Mental Illness, and ASTHO are working together on a comprehensive four-part series aimed at addressing youth mental health. Find out more about this series by visiting the link in the show notes.

JANSON SILVERS  07:12

Finally this morning, Public Health Review Morning Edition, the newscast you're listening to, earned a Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation trophy from the Public Relations Society of America, recognizing outstanding public relations tactics. Thank you for tuning in to the hundreds of episodes we've been able to produce and helping us reach nearly 140,000 downloads.

That'll do it for today's newscast. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Janson Silvers. You're listening to Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.