Cdc Case Studies

Introduction

A young mother and father look in on their small frail daughter lying listlessly in her bed. Feverish, sweaty, and lethargic, she peaks up at her parents pleading for the pain to go away. Her glands are swollen and her body is hot, her beautiful skin welted in red. The note from school warned of an outbreak of rubella measles. Their young daughter became a victim of a non-discriminating virus that attacks with no mercy. As they sooth her whimpers they question their decision not to vaccinate their child. They had discussed it so many times, whether to vaccinate or not, what about the rumors of autism? They had been lucky and avoided rubella as a child, perhaps it spare their child too. Now, they are not so sure they made

Its primary mission was simple yet highly challenging: prevent malaria from spreading across the nation. However, 45 years later the U.S. Congress, as part of the Preventive Health Amendments of 1992, has recognized CDC 's leadership role in prevention by formally changing its name to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (http://www.cdc.gov/about/history/index.html) Clearly, the U.S. government recognized the essential need and benefits for prevention in healthcare. The focus of the CDC in now targeted on five strategic areas: supporting state and local health departments, improving global health, implementing measures to decrease leading causes of death, strengthening surveillance and epidemiology, and reforming health policies. Preventative medicine is essential to disease prevention and quality of life. It starts at birth and continues throughout one’s life. Both pediatric and geriatric practitioners alike have integrated preventative measures in the treatment of their

Armed with this new focus of the CDC, the healthcare industry strives to achieve and promote preventative measure that supports a healthier lifestyle for their patients. “Key strategies to accomplish this are: (1) Increasing healthy behaviors, (2) reducing the prevalence of hazards and risk factors leading to injury and disabilities, (3&4) increasing the delivery of clinical preventive services: immunizations and preventative screenings, and (5) increasing the use of effective self-management techniques for those who have chronic diseases.” (Healthy Aging: Priorities and Programs of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention; Lang, Jason E., Moore, Margaret J., Harris, Andree C. and Anderson, Lynda A., Generations; Summer 2005) Even the pharmacy community is embracing this new philosophy. In an article published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, authors Audra S. Anderson, PharmD and Jean-Venable R. Goode, PharmD from the School of Pharmacy, Virginia Commonwealth University state that “Community practitioners should prepare for teaching wellness and disease prevention by building a basic foundation. Ideally, students should be involved in a range of activities and discussions about wellness and disease prevention throughout an advanced practice experience.” The importance of prevention is a unifying approach supported at all levels of the medical