[ Browse by Service Category : Topics Related to Public Health Surveillance Programs (3) ]
Communicable Disease Control
Programs that protect the public health through comprehensive efforts to track the incidence and distribution of disease in the population and prevent, control and eradicate vaccine-preventable diseases, vector and food-borne illnesses, diseases that are transmitted person-to-person and other diseases that are spread by direct or indirect contact. Activities include routine surveillance of communicable disease activity, assessment of the community immunization level through school records and immunization studies, investigation of epidemic outbreaks, reporting of cases of infectious diseases to the proper authorities and taking appropriate measures such as isolation and contact tracing/notification to prevent disease transmission.
Occupational Health and Safety
Programs that promote safe and healthy work environments which protect working people from illness and injury and ensure that risks to health and safety in the workplace (such as exposure to toxic chemicals, biological agents, excessive noise or vibration levels, ionizing radiation, mechanical dangers, heat, cold, work-related stress or unsanitary conditions) are identified and assessed, then eliminated or controlled. Activities may include occupational illness and injury surveillance studies; enforcement of laws that establish health and safety standards for the workplace which seek to eliminate or minimize the incidence of employment-related personal illness, injury or death of workers; education programs and consultation services for employers and employees that address overall health and safety issues as well as specific workplace risk factors; and development and implementation of effective on-site workplace health and safety programs which include policies and procedures, instruction and supervision of workers, reporting and investigation of incidents, workplace inspections, and strong management support and worker participation.
The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.