702: Explore Leadership Opportunities, New STI Prevention Tool

ROBERT JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Tuesday, July 9, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

STEVEN STACK: 

You know these jobs can be very difficult. There's budgets to administer, teams to manage, bureaucracies to navigate. All those things are challenging.

JOHNSON: 

But public health professionals don't need to go in alone. ASTHO peer networks give agency leaders the opportunity to connect with others doing similar work across the states and territories. This is ASTHO President and Kentucky Health Commissioner, Dr. Steven Stack.

STACK: 

So, when you come together with people doing the same jobs, it can be something of a peer support network, where you share and understand you're not alone, and also where you share best practices and learn from each other.

JOHNSON: 

Stack says the same is true for state health officials.

STACK: 

So just as with other peer groups, the opportunity for shows to spend time together gives them the opportunity to share lessons learned and offer words of advice and encouragement for each other.

JOHNSON: 

ASTHO recently convened state health officials, the board of directors member peer groups and diversity scholars for a series of meetings and discussions. Learn more about ASTHO's leadership development programs using the link in the show notes.

The CDC has published clinical guidelines for the antibiotic DoxyPEP used to reduce the risk of bacterial sexually transmitted infections. Dr. Jonathan Mermin is at the CDC.

JONATHAN MERMIN: 

It represents the first new STI prevention tool in decades.

JOHNSON: 

Mermin says a single dose of the antibiotic is given to a patient within three days of having sex.

MERMIN: 

And three recent randomised controlled trials have shown that DoxyPEP reduces the chance of getting syphilis, chlamydia, or gonorrhea by about two thirds.

JOHNSON: 

Mermin wants the treatment included in the care offered at HIV and STI clinics.

MERMIN: 

We also need to ensure that information about DoxyPEP is provided to the patients and the providers for whom it could be useful. And we need to work alongside community based organizations to make sure together we bring the information and this potential opportunity to the people who need it.

JOHNSON: 

Read the CDC's clinical guidelines on the use of DoxyPEP by clicking the link in the show notes. Also today, ASTHO offers new opportunities to learn how to better support people with disabilities during emergencies. O'Keyla Cooper has more.

O'KEYLA COOPER: 

Join ASTHO for two webinars on emergency preparedness in July. On Wednesday, July 24 at 3:30pm. Eastern time, learn about emergency response strategies for enhancing accessibility and inclusion for people with disabilities featuring insights from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Then on Monday, July 29, at 1pm Eastern Time, explore findings from a CDC funded project in partnership with health agencies across multiple states. registration links are available in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

Finally, this morning, internal training modules can help your agency become more efficient and effective. ASTHO, New Mexico's Health Department, and the Public Health Foundation teamed up on a policy guide to explain the benefits. You can download the document by visiting the link in the show notes.

Before we go a reminder also to follow this newscast on your podcast player and connect with ASTHO on social media. We are on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X. 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