U.S. is increasing its ability to manage health emergencies

According to a report funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), America’s day-to-day readiness to manage health emergencies has improved significantly over the past six years. However, the organization also noted that the 2019 National Health Security Preparedness Index showed the last year recorded saw relatively slow rates of progress as deep regional differences remain.

RWJF says the U.S. scored a 6.7 on a 10-point scale for preparedness – a 3.1 percent improvement over the last year, and a 11.7 percent improvement since the Index began in 2013. The Index analyzes 129 different measures for each state and the nation - including the percentage of bridges that are in good condition, the prevalence of hazard planning in nursing homes, the number of paramedics and medical volunteers, and other factors - to calculate a composite score of health security. The scores indicate the ability to protect the health security of Americans from incidents like newly emerging infectious diseases, terrorism, and extreme weather conditions at the state and national levels. 

“We are seeing some promising national numbers when it comes to our nation’s ability to cope with health emergencies,” said Alonzo Plough, PhD, MPH, chief science officer at RWJF in a news release. “Disasters like recent major hurricanes show that to take the next step in increasing our preparedness levels, we must focus on improving equity within our efforts.”

The final measures fall into six categories, each of which is assessed independently, and cover topics such as:

·   Health security surveillance

·   Community planning and engagement

·   Incident and information management

·   Healthcare delivery

·   Countermeasure management

·   Environmental and occupational health

According to the 2019 Index, at the current rate of improvement, RWJF says the nation will require 10 additional years to reach a strong health security level of at least 9.0. Conversely, if the country improved at the rate achieved by the five fastest-improving states, this threshold could be reached in fewer than six years.

A total of 11 states and the District of Columbia had health security levels that were significantly above the national average in 2018, down from 22 jurisdictions a year earlier. Conversely, 17 states had health security levels that fell significantly below the national average, down from 20 states.

“The overall progress is commendable, but we need to accelerate the pace of improvement and help all regions get stronger,” said Glen Mays, PhD, MPH, who leads a team of researchers at the University of Kentucky in developing the Index.  “The frequency and intensity of disasters is increasing, and we are all at risk.” 

Additionally, a total of 32 states and the District of Columbia experienced one-year gains in health security levels in 2018. Four states saw reductions in 2018, and 14 states saw no change. Clusters of below-average states remain in the South-Central, Upper Mountain West, Pacific Coast, and Midwest regions. Above-average states cluster in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Upper Midwest, and Central Rocky Mountain regions.