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Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Philadelphia Health Commissioner, discusses a measles outbreak that was detected in the city in early December; Grace DeLeon, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Overdose Preparedness and Response, tells us about an ASTHO report to help...
Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Philadelphia Health Commissioner, discusses a measles outbreak that was detected in the city in early December; Grace DeLeon, ASTHO Senior Analyst for Overdose Preparedness and Response, tells us about an ASTHO report to help agencies better understand how to reduce stigma for people who receive opioids for chronic pain; an upcoming ASTHO webinar focuses on insights from a CDC-funded project identifying Medicaid-enrolled tobacco users and exploring their healthcare patterns; and an ASTHO blog explains how ASTHO members have come up with new ways to help people who are losing Medicaid coverage they received during the pandemic.
CDC Webpage: Measles Cases and Outbreaks
ASTHO Webpage: Opioid Preparedness – Disruptions in Access to Prescription Opioids
ASTHO Webinar: Lessons with the State of Washington on Medicaid Data and Tobacco Use
ASTHO Blog Article: Ensuring Continuity in Healthcare Coverage While Medicaid Unwinds
ROBERT JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, February 1, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
CHERYL BETTIGOLE:
We initially had a child from out-of-county, who traveled internationally before the age of one, which is commonly how measles outbreaks have started in this coun try.
ROBERT JOHNSON:
Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole on a measles outbreak that was detected in the city in early December. Since then, other jurisdictions around the country are reporting cases as well, leading the CDC to ask providers across the nation to be on the lookout. Bettigole says her health care partners have been critical to the response.
CHERYL BETTIGOLE:
Local pediatricians, our local health care institutions have been incredibly helpful in helping us to control this outbreak as well, recalling their patients who may not have been vaccinated yet.
ROBERT JOHNSON:
In Philadelphia, the outbreak started with a child taken to the hospital. Then it spread when another family broke quarantine and took a child to daycare. Bettigole says responders in Philadelphia have spent a lot of time asking people to communicate their symptoms.
CHERYL BETTIGOLE:
So, a lot of the work has been communicating out to make sure that anyone who is exposed knows that they need to tell healthcare providers right away and call ahead and say, 'I have a measles exposure. I'm not immune, and I need to come in so that we can prevent those exposures.'
ROBERT JOHNSON:
Bettigole is grateful for the effort to identify and contain exposures, noting it's only possible when everyone works together.
CHERYL BETTIGOLE:
We all have our part to play and we know, you know, we know our roles. So, having those relationships in advance, you know, being in close contact with each other, working collaboratively.
ROBERT JOHNSON:
The CDC has a webpage dedicated to measles outbreaks. You can find it using the link in the show notes.
People who receive opioids for chronic pain often have more than their medical condition to worry about. Many also suffer from the stigma associated with opioids. This is ASTHO's Grace DeLeon.
GRACE DELEON:
Patients living with chronic pain and on long-term opioid therapy may encounter treatment bias, assumptions, and stereotypes about their dosage, and a general misunderstanding or lack of awareness around their treatment plan.
ROBERT JOHNSON:
DeLeon says patients commonly deal with public discrimination, more difficult access to care, and stigma from their health care providers.
GRACE DELEON:
In this instance, health care professionals may allow stereotypes and prejudices about longer-term opioid therapies to negatively influence how they manage a patient's treatment plan. This might present in the form of misdiagnosis or underestimation of reported pain, leading to adverse health outcomes for patients whose medications are rapidly tapered, or abruptly discontinued.
ROBERT JOHNSON:
ASTHO has a report to help agencies better understand how to reduce stigma for these patients, including...
GRACE DELEON:
Promoting pain education to expand knowledge and assessment of chronic pain, and then encouraging health centers, clinics, and health systems to establish procedures for health care professionals who inherit patients on long-term opioid therapy that balance the patient's well-being and safeguards over practice.
ROBERT JOHNSON:
You can download a copy of the document using the link in the show notes.
Also today, a CDC-funded project identified tobacco users enrolled in Medicaid. Learn more about the work in an upcoming ASTHO webinar. O'Keyla Cooper has more.
O'KEYLA COOPER:
Join ASTHO for a webinar on Lessons with the State of Washington on Medicaid Data and Tobacco Use on February 14 at 1 p.m. ET. Gain insights from a CDC-funded project identifying Medicaid-enrolled tobacco users and exploring their health care patterns. The findings highlight the importance of Medicaid and public health partnerships. Register by clicking that link in the show notes.
ROBERT JOHNSON:
Finally this morning, ASTHO members have developed new ways to help people who are losing Medicaid coverage they received during the pandemic. Read about renewable and awareness strategies in an ASTHO blog article now online. There's a link in the show notes.
Before we go, a reminder also to follow this newscast on your podcast player so you don't miss a single report and connect with ASTHO on social media. We are on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.
That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Robert Johnson. You're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
