Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-jbqgn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-16T02:51:44.335Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Use of the Community Assessment for Public Health Response (CASPER) Method by Public Health Agencies in Texas, 2001-2015

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 January 2018

Kayla Cross  and
Jennifer A. Horney
Kayla Cross
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
Jennifer A. Horney*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Jennifer Horney, Associate Professor, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, 1266 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 (e-mail: horney@sph.tamhsc.edu).
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives

The use of the Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) method in disaster and non-disaster settings continues to grow. While CASPERs flexibility has been well demonstrated, the documentation of specific actions that have resulted from the utilization of CASPER data has been limited. We attempted to document changes in emergency preparedness planning and policy based on CASPER data.

Methods

Written reports from 19 CASPERs conducted in Texas between 2001 and 2015 were collected. Key informant interviews were conducted with 9 public health staff knowledgeable about the CASPERs. Written reports and interview transcripts were coded and analyzed for themes.

Results

Few specific outcomes could be documented beyond a single successful grant application. Respondents felt CASPER data was not duplicative and was useful for improving existing plans. CASPER is seen as an effective way to enhance relationships with communities and partnerships with agencies including Emergency Management.

Conclusion

As the use of CASPER grows, it is increasingly important to document any specific and measurable benefits, actions, and changes to planning or policy taken as the result of data collected using the CASPER method. Without measurable outputs and outcomes, support for the use of CASPER from decision-makers may begin to wane. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:680-684)

Keywords

emergency preparednessneeds assessmentemergency responderspublic health
Type
Brief Report
Information
Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness , Volume 12 , Issue 6 , December 2018 , pp. 680 - 684
Copyright
Copyright © Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Malilay, J, Flanders, WD, Brogan, D. A modified cluster-sampling method for post-disaster rapid assessment of needs. Bull World Health Organ. 1996;74(4):399.Google Scholar
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/disaster/casper/default.htm. Published 2016. August 6, 2016.Google Scholar
3. Schnall, A, Nakata, N, Talbert, T, Bayleyegn, T, Martinez, D, Wolkin, A. Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER): an innovative emergency management tool in the United States. Am J Public Health. 2017;107(S2):S186-S192.Google Scholar
4. Smitherman, S, Goldberg, D, Hammond, T, Horney, JA. The feasibility of using Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response to assess the prevalence of risk factors for Neglected Tropical Diseases in Texas. Health Security. 2017;15(3):238-243. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/hs.2016.0075.Google Scholar
5. Stone, K, Sierocki, A, Shah, V, Ylitalo, KR, Horney, JA. Conducting Community Health Needs Assessments in a local health department: a comparison of random digit dialing and the community assessment for public health emergency preparedness. J Public Health Manag Pract. 2017.Google Scholar
6. Conley, A, Vagi, S, Horney, JA. Use of the community assessment for public health emergency response to conduct community health assessments for public health accreditation. J Pub Health Manag Pract. 2014;20(5):490-497.Google Scholar
7. Waring, SC, Brown, BJ. The threat of communicable diseases following natural disasters: a public health response. Disaster Manag & Response. 2005;3(2):41-47.Google Scholar
8. Zane, D, Haywood, T, Adams, B, et al. Lessons learned from the field: Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER). Texas Public Health Journal. 2016;68(1):6-13.Google Scholar
9. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) toolkit. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/disaster/casper/docs/cleared_casper_toolkit.pdf. Published 2012.Google Scholar
10. Horney, JA, Davis, MK, Davis, SHE, Fleischauer, A. An evaluation of Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER) in North Carolina, 2003-2010. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2013;28(2):1-5. August 6, 2016.Google Scholar
11. Graham, MW, Avery, EJ, Park, S. The role of social media in local government crisis communications. Public Relat Rev. 2015;41(3):386-394.Google Scholar
12. Blumberg, SJ, Luke, JV. Wireless substitution: early release of estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, January-June 2008. National Center for Health Statistics. 2010;201(3).Google Scholar
13. Spence, PR, Lachlan, KA, Lin, X, Del Greco, M. Variability in Twitter content across the stages of a natural disaster: implications for crisis communication. Commun Q. 2015;63(2):171-186.Google Scholar
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER): interactive Map of CASPERs. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hsb/disaster/casper/casper_map.htm. Published 2016.Google Scholar
15. Bayleyegn, TM, Schnall, AH, Ballou, SG, et al. Use of Community Assessments for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPERs) to rapidly assess public health issues—United States, 2003-2012. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2015;30(4):374-381.Google Scholar
Supplementary material: File

Cross and Horney supplementary material

Appendix A

Download Cross and Horney supplementary material(File)
File 14.4 KB