Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, provides an update on avian influenza; Dr. Susan Hernandez, an epidemiologist at Public Health Seattle and King County, explains how her team used novel data...
Dr. John Swartzberg, clinical professor emeritus at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, provides an update on avian influenza; Dr. Susan Hernandez, an epidemiologist at Public Health Seattle and King County, explains how her team used novel data to improve identification of Medicaid members who use tobacco; and a new ASTHO resource is available for your department’s accreditation and reaccreditation.
ASTHO Web Page: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Scientific Symposium
ASTHO Web Page: A Guide for Sustainable Public Health Accreditation
SUMMER JOHNSON:
This is the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition for Wednesday, March 12, 2025. I'm Summer Johnson. Now, today's news from the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.
JOHN SWARTZBERG:
Right now, there's certainly no reason to panic. There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, and there have not been a great deal of cases. What keeps people up at night, really is what's going to happen ultimately with this virus.
JOHNSON:
That's Dr. John Swartzberg from UC Berkeley's School of Public Health talking about avian influenza, while he did say, we don't need to panic. This is what he had to say when asked where we stand with avian influenza.
SWARTZBERG:
With our feet firmly planted in the air, we really don't know where we stand, because we're not doing enough epidemiology. That is, we're not investigating enough of the birds and of the cattle and other animals to see exactly where this virus is and how fast it's spreading.
JOHNSON:
Swartzberg says more and better epidemiology is needed.
SWARTZBERG:
We need more basic science on any of the avian strains that are isolated to understand how the virus itself may be evolving, and we need to understand better how to prevent the virus transmitting amongst animals and of course, to human beings, whether the animals are dairy cattle or whether they're flocks of birds that we keep for egg production and slaughter.
JOHNSON:
Swartsberg adds that the push would have to come from the top down.
SWARTZBERG:
It occurs on the federal level, where we can make sure that every state, for example, is pooling their milk supply from dairy cattle. And so we can be testing that right now, it's state by state. And so we could have a lot more federal intervention there, and the funding, of course, for that on a federal level to accomplish that.
JOHNSON:
He did say that California, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are great examples of local efforts to track transmission in dairy cattle and flocks of birds.
Last year, ASTHO hosted a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Scientific Symposium with leaders and scientists from across the country. We have a link to the full symposium in the show notes.
A recent CDC 'MMWR Notes from the Field' focuses on work in King County Washington. Dr. Susan Hernandez, with Public Health Seattle and King County explains.
SUSAN HERNANDEZ:
So, to examine how linking enrollment data with claims data might improve identification of Medicaid members who use tobacco. Self-reported tobacco use data collected through the health benefit exchange were combined with reimbursement claims data to identify a cohort of King County Washington Medicaid members.
JOHNSON:
Hernandez says they are increasingly turning to novel data sources for public health surveillance. This data can also help public health put resources where they're needed.
HERNANDEZ:
Most claims data and enrollment data identify groups of adults who use tobacco with unique characteristics that are important for surveillance, tailoring public health outreach and intervention and for public health practice in our area, there's really wide interest in focusing resources and efforts on communities with the greatest opportunity for improvement of health.
JOHNSON:
Hernandez hopes this article helps others rethink how data can be used.
HERNANDEZ:
I think this article demonstrates the power of using novel to public health administrative data sources such as health insurance claims data for routine public health surveillance and community health assessment.
JOHNSON:
There's a link to the full MMWR 'Notes from the Field' in the show notes. You can click the link to learn more.
Also, today, a new ASTHO resource is available for your department's accreditation and reaccreditation. O'Keyla Cooper has more.
O'KEYLA COOPER:
A new ASTHO sustainability guide helps health departments improve quality and performance to meet national accreditation standards. It offers guidance, examples and templates for accreditation and reaccreditation. Download a copy through the link in the show notes.
JOHNSON:
Finally, this morning, ASTHO members and leadership are spending the week with decision-makers in D.C., so it's a great time for you to sign up for ASTHO's Legislative Alerts so you're never left out on news from the nation's capital that affects public health. Those alerts can be in your inbox every week. There's a link to sign up in the show notes.
JOHNSON:
That'll do it for today. We're back tomorrow morning with more ASTHO news and information. I'm Summer Johnson, you're listening to the award-winning Public Health Review Morning Edition. Have a great day.
