3. Priority Area: Disease Transmission and Vaccination

State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) 2021-2025

DISEASE TRANSMISSION AND VACCINATION

Many people in the United States get sick and die from infectious diseases each year. Healthy People 2030 focuses on preventing and treating infectious diseases, making sure children and at-risk adults get vaccinated for diseases like measles, pertussis, flu, and hepatitis A and B is key to preventing infections. In addition, increasing awareness of chronic infections like hepatitis B and C can help more people get diagnosed and treated. For diseases that can’t be prevented by vaccines, like hepatitis C, early diagnosis and treatment can help improve health outcomes. Infection control interventions at hospitals can also help reduce health care-associated infections.

A custom list of Healthy People 2030 objectives were developed by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to contribute to effective COVID-19 prevention, preparedness, and response capacity (- Healthy People 2030).

The ADH has developed a 2020-2022 Interim Strategic Plan to combat COVID-19 pandemic. In collaboration with its partners, ADH will continue to implement strategies to improve prevention of disease transmission and vaccination rates.

Priority Area - Disease Transmission and Vaccination

DTV

The future Workgroup Members may represent the following agencies and entities, i.e., ADH ITS, ADH LHUs, ADH PH laboratory, private laboratories, public and private providers, contractors, and community partners.

DTV

Workgroup Action Plan: The work group members will meet and develop workplan for each strategy, which would include objectives, activities, and performance measures specific to the strategy.

Goals, Strategies and Objectives

DTV

All Arkansans are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, infectious disease outbreaks, and other infectious diseases of public health concern.

SHIP Partners

Only two partners were suggested by the planning team, state below.

Arkansas Department of Health
University of Arkansas Medical School

Resources

Why Is This Important?

Every year in the United States, many people get diseases that vaccines can prevent. Healthy People 2030 focuses on preventing infectious diseases by increasing vaccination rates. Infants and children need to get vaccinated to prevent diseases like hepatitis, measles, and pertussis. Though most children get recommended vaccines, some U.S. communities have low vaccination coverage that puts them at risk for outbreaks. Strategies to make sure more children get vaccinated — like requiring vaccination for children who are in school — are key to reducing rates of infectious diseases.

Adolescents, adults, and older adults also need vaccines. For example, adolescents need the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine, older adults need vaccines to help prevent pneumonia, and almost everyone age 6 months and older needs a yearly flu vaccine. Teaching people about the importance of vaccines, sending vaccination reminders, and making it easier to get vaccines can help increase vaccination rates in adolescents and adults.

Source: https://health.gov/healthypeople

DTV

Strategy 1: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, phase two of SHIP was delayed. In 2022, a new Planning and Implementation Team, with incumbent and new members, will convene to build on the ideas presented by the old team. The planning will finalize the strategies, objectives, and performance measures.