719: Tick Talk, Government Worker Burnout

ROBERT JOHNSON: 

This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Thursday, August 1, 2024. I'm Robert Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

SCOTT HARRIS: 

We have warm weather here. We have a lot of woodland. We have a lot of outdoor activities. We have a lot of people who enjoy time in the great outdoors.

JOHNSON: 

Ticks are becoming more of a problem in more places. In Alabama, ASTHO president-elect and state health officer Dr. Scott Harris hopes and education campaign about tick borne diseases will keep people healthy.

HARRIS: 

We're doing outdoor advertising. We're doing PSAs on radio and on television. We're doing news releases to the general public, but we're also reminding providers through Health Alert Network messages to make sure that they maintain their clinical awareness of diseases like this.

JOHNSON: 

Harris says outreach needs to include different audiences, considering the way they spend time outside.

HARRIS: 

Maybe you want to communicate this to kids going to summer camp. Maybe you want to communicate this to hunters or fishermen, or are outdoorsman who are going to be spending time in the outdoors. Maybe people who are just golfers who, like me, spend a lot of time in the rough, you know when chasing their ball because they can't keep it on the fairway.

JOHNSON: 

He reminds providers that a patient's fever might be from a tick bite rather than another illness or infection.

HARRIS: 

Remind people to ask for those details of a patient's history. Details about potential exposure, about where they are, what they've been doing. Those things that can make you think, you know, hey, maybe this is something different. Maybe there's something else I need to test for here.

JOHNSON: 

Harris writes about tick bite prevention in an article published in an Alabama newspaper. You can read it using the link in the show notes.

Government employees are burned out. That's the conclusion of a study conducted by Eagle Hill Consulting and the market research firm, Ipsos. This is Sean Newhouse, a journalist reporting for Government Executive.

SEAN NEWHOUSE 

Survey found that workload staff shortages and managing personal and professional life, those were the main drivers for government employees of their burnout.

JOHNSON: 

41% of employees surveyed said they were burned out. That's down about 24% from a similar survey two years ago. Hiring has helped, but Newhouse says employees want more.

NEWHOUSE 

So, majorities of government employees in the survey said that increased flexibility, a four day workweek, decreased workload, better health and wellness benefits, as well as working from home would alleviate their stress.

JOHNSON: 

There's an infographic and a story about the study results. We have the links in the show notes.

Also today, partnerships are a staple in public health work. O'keyla Cooper has more.

O'KEYLA COOPER: 

A new resource from ASTHO emphasizes the role of public private sector partnerships and advancing health equity. It outlines how these collaborations can enhance health services through funding, technology, and workforce development. Additionally, it offers practical strategies for identifying potential partners, and ensuring partnerships are effective and ethical. You can download the PDF from the link in the show notes.

JOHNSON: 

Finally, this morning, stay informed about everything happening in public health when you sign up for ASTHO's Public Health Weekly email newsletter. The link to join the list is 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.