Jamie Epstein – NYU GPH Journal of Public Health Disasters

November 19, 2024

Olivia Morris, Neha Shyamkul, and Luis Gomez-Escobar’s Qualtrics Report on COVID-19 and Community Adherence

This Qualtrics report aims to assess public attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions related to COVID-19. Using a cross-sectional survey method, this team analyzed COVID-19 vaccination status, infection history, compliance with public health measures, risk perception, and trust in information sources to understand willingness to follow public health mandates and perceived levels of concern for future pandemics.

November 19, 2024November 19, 2024

Felipe Garcia Jr, Catherine Reye, and Jose Flores Hernandez’s COVID-19 Community Adherence Report

This Qualtrics report assesses the adherence to public health guidance and mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team analyzed key variables, including vaccination status, trusted sources of information, and confidence levels in future pandemic preparedness. The report examines public education on COVID-19, the perceived importance of following public health guidelines, the role played by misinformation, and more.

November 13, 2024November 13, 2024

Rao Fu’s Precis on Outbreak of Salmonella at Salad Bar

Fu reports on the intentional outbreak of salmonella at a salad bar, highlighting the different approaches taken by public health agencies and law enforcement for intentional versus non-intentional contamination. The analysis touches on the psychological impact that an outbreak can have on a community, and emphasizes the need for building trust and effective communication from public health leaders to decrease fear and distress.

November 7, 2024November 7, 2024

The Growing Global Threat of Antibiotic Resistance

In September 2024, 193 delegations gathered during the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites evolve to withstand the effects of treatments, such as antibiotics. This makes common infections more difficult to treat, potentially reversing decades of medical advancements. The UN emphasized that without immediate action, AMR could cause millions of additional deaths each year, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries. The high-level meeting on AMR called for coordinated global efforts to reduce the projected 10 million annual deaths by 2050 due to drug-resistant infections.

November 4, 2024November 4, 2024

Deshara Thomas’ Case Study on the 2016 Pulse Nightclub Shooting

The 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, led to the death of 49 people and 53 wounded. The attack at Pulse, an LGBTQ+ nightclub, remains one of the deadliest terrorist attacks, mass shootings, and hate crimes in U.S. history.

November 4, 2024November 4, 2024

Lexie Zinselmeier’s Case Study on the Haiti Earthquake

On January 12, 2010, Haiti was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. More than 220,000 people died, 300,000 were injured, and 1.5 were left displaced or homeless. The quake was one of the deadliest natural disasters in the 21st century.

October 31, 2024October 31, 2024

Olivia Morris’ Case Study on Hurricane Ida in New York City

On September 1, 2021, remnants of Hurricane Ida brought record-breaking landfall to New York City. The intense rain led to severe flooding, resulting in 14 deaths and over 30,000 damaged structures. Most of the casualties were Asian immigrants living in unregulated basement apartments.

October 28, 2024October 29, 2024

Samantha Whitegeese’s Case Study on 1993 Four Corners Hantavirus Outbreak

In 1993, the Southwestern region of the Four Corners, where the borders of New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah meet, had nearly 30 cases of acute hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and 16 deaths from Sin Nombre Virus (SNV), caused by deer mice. As the region overlaps with the Navajo Nation, the Navajo people faced public shame for the rise in the disease, and were blamed for its consequences.

October 24, 2024October 24, 2024

Ameisha O’Connor’s Case Study on Childhood Cancer in New Jersey

In 1995, the New Jersey Department of Health and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry began an investigation into the growing concerns about elevated rates of childhood cancer in the New Jersey region. The investigation was a response to resident concerns about water environmental pollution. The research focused on industrial sites in the area that were ultimately found responsible for significant contamination.