Most States not prepared to respond to bioterrorism or other public health emergencies - study shows.

Most states are not prepared to respond to public health emergencies such as a bioterrorism or chemical weapons attack, according to a report released on Tuesday by the not-for-profit advocacy group Trust for America's Health, CongressDaily reports (Heil, CongressDaily, 12/14). The report also found that two-thirds of states do not use national standards to track disease outbreak information online, which could cause major delays in reporting and responding to disease threats. 

According to the report, state preparedness efforts were hindered by the lack of a clear definition of what the public should expect in terms of protection and the lack of standards to measure performance, Modern Healthcare reports. Barriers to these efforts include delays in disease-tracking upgrades, an approaching work force shortage and stalled preparation for chemical attacks, Modern Healthcare reports (Modern Healthcare, 12/14). Ohio scored 6 out of 10 in the bioterrorism study. Over two-thirds of states and D.C. achieved a score of six or less out of the 10 possible indicators. 

Ohio is one of 20 states to receive a 6 out of 10. Florida and North Carolina scored the highest, at nine out 10, and Alaska and Massachusetts scored the lowest, at three out of 10. Although direct comparisons are difficult because the indicators were modified to reflect the changed expectations of additional time and funding, in this year's report, 34 states and D.C. obtained higher scores, nine scores remained the same, and seven scores declined. 

The scores demonstrate continued incremental progress, however, preparedness is still lagging behind goals and expectations. With most states still in the middle range of the scale and no states meeting all of the indicators, there are still major areas of vulnerability. Overall, the report found that many basic bioterrorism detection, diagnosis, and response capabilities are still not in place. Some of the report's major concerns include:

• Ohio is not one of nearly one-third of states that cut their public health budgets between Fiscal Year 2003 and 2004, and federal bioterrorism funding decreased by over $1 million per state in 2004; 
• Ohio is not one of only five public health labs to report sufficient capabilities (facilities, technology, and/or equipment) to fully respond to a chemical terrorism threat, and the state is not one of only one-third of states to report sufficient bioterrorism lab response capabilities; 
• Nearly 60 percent of states do not have adequate numbers of laboratory scientists to test for anthrax or the plague if there were to be a suspected outbreak. Ohio reports it does not have enough lab scientists available to run tests in the event of such an outbreak; 
• Ohio is one of one-third of states that electronically tracks disease outbreak information by national standards. Failure to track the information can cause serious delays in reporting, making early warning of disease threats difficult.; 
• Although planning for a flu pandemic, which is often viewed as requiring a similar response to a bioterror attack, has improved, 20 states still do not have publicly available response plans in place. Ohio has a publicly available plan; and 
• Based on model estimates, a pandemic flu hitting the U.S. could result in 89,000 to 207,000 deaths and could cost the economy between $71.3 and $166.5 billion. According to these estimates, Ohio could face 10,825 deaths and 46,657 people hospitalized in the first wave of the disease hitting the U.S.

 To view the report go to:
 http://healthyamericans.org/reports/bioterror04/