Open AccessWake Me Up When There's a Crisis: Progress on State Pandemic Influenza Ethics Preparedness
Author(s) -
James C. Thomas,
Siobhan Young
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
american journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.284
H-Index - 264
eISSN - 1541-0048
pISSN - 0090-0036
DOI - 10.2105/ajph.2011.300293
Subject(s) - preparedness , pandemic , state (computer science) , public health , political science , h1n1 pandemic , covid-19 , influenza pandemic , medicine , public relations , law , public administration , nursing , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , pathology , algorithm , computer science
We assessed the progress since 2005 of state plans for pandemic influenza and found that 7 states had recommended steps to further clarify ethical processes or decisions; 6 states had made some progress but almost exclusively in hospital preparedness. Having a high-level public health leader, such as a health department director, committed to ethics was the key determinant of progress. Some state health departments may be destined to gain an appreciation for ethics through ethical mishaps.